The streets are wet
 The lights have yet
 To shed their tawdry lustre on the scene
 My skirt's too short
 My tights have run
 These new heels are killing me
 
 My second pack of cigarettes
 It's a slow night but there's time yet
 Here comes john from his other life
 He may be driving to his wife
 But he'll slow down take a look
 I've learned to read them just like books
 And it's already half past ten
 But they'll be back again
 
 Headlights on the rainy street
 I check, make sure it's not the heat
 I wink, I smile, I wave my hand
 He stops and seems to understand
 The small transaction we must make
 I tell him that my heart will break
 If he's not a generous man
 I step into his van
 
 They say the first is the hardest trick
 And after that it's just a matter of logic
 They have the money I have the time
 Being pretty's my only crime
 You ask what future do I see
 I say it's really up to me
 I don't need forgiving
 I'm just making a living
 
 Don't judge me
 You could be me in another life
 In another set of circumstances
 Don't judge me
 One more night I'll just have to take my chances
 And tomorrow we'll see
 
 A friend of mine he wound up dead
 His dress was stained the colour red
 No next of kin no fixed abode
 Another victim on this road
 The police just carted him away
 But someone took his place next day
 He was home by Thanksgiving
 But not with the living
 
 Don't judge me
 You could be me in another life
 In another set of circumstances
 Don't judge me
 One more night I'll just have to take my chances
 
 And no it's just not in my plan
 For someone to care who I am
 
 I'm walking the streets for money
 It's the business of love, "Hey honey
 C'mon, don't leave me lonely, don't leave me sad
 It'll be the sweetest five minutes you ever had"
 
 Don't judge me
 You could be me in another life
 In another set of circumstances
 Don't judge me
 One more night I'll just have to take my chances
 And tomorrow we'll see
 
 "Tomorrow We'll See" -- Sting
 
 My head felt fuzzy.  Everything seemed muted. 
 Vision was foggy and grey.  A 
 voice was calling me, but it was hard to make out
 the words.  I strained, 
 concentrating on the sound.  Finally I made out a
 shadowy figure through the 
 fog.  It sounded like he said, "Where are you?  Ma
 rose d'acier?"
 
 Asher.
 
 I couldn't understand why he couldn't find me.  I
 didn't seem to be more than 
 a few feet away from him.  Yet he sounded further
 away than that...and 
 sad...so sad.
 
 I opened my mouth to call out to him, but no sound
 came.  I tried to reach 
 him through the marks...and discovered they were
 blocked off.  The harder I 
 tried to reach my master, the thicker the fog grew,
 and the further away he 
 seemed to get.
 
 I woke up with a really bad headache, crying. 
 "Asher...."
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 When my headache had subsided enough for me to take
 in my surroundings, I 
 found myself in a rather dingy room.  My clothes had
 been changed while I was 
 unconscious.  I was now wearing a silky red dress. 
 It was sleeveless with a 
 drop waistline and appeared to be tea length. 
 Didn't feel like I had any 
 underwear on beneath it.  My boots were nowhere to
 be seen.
 
 I also noticed that my hands were cuffed behind my
 back, and my ankle was 
 chained by a fur-lined cuff to the metal bedframe of
 the lumpy bed I was on.  
 I managed to sit up and wriggle my fingers.  My
 hands were numb from where 
 I'd lain on them.  
 
 How had I gotten here?  The last thing I remembered
 was being in the dark 
 woods with Vladimir.  He'd spotted the dragon and
 knocked me to the ground, 
 falling on top of me.  I must've hit my head on a
 root or something.  Had the 
 dragon overcome him and taken me?
 
 The door opened as I sat mulling over my situation,
 and Vlad entered the 
 room, leading what appeared at first glance to be a
 garishly dressed young 
 woman.  I suddenly remembered feeling a prick to my
 arm when he'd fallen on 
 me...a hypodermic.  So...he'd abducted me.  Question
 was, why?  And why 
 couldn't I reach Asher?
 
 "Who's that?" Vlad's guest asked.  I blinked.  It
 may have looked like a 
 woman, but the voice was masculine...a bit
 effeminate sounding, but 
 definitely male.  A male prostitute?  The outfit was
 certainly loud enough.  
 Neon orange tube top and micro-skirt connected by
 several gold-tone chains, 
 ratty fishnet stockings that looked like they'd seen
 a few too many nights, 
 knee high patent leather boots with acrylic platform
 stiletto heels, a jade 
 bellybutton ring, bangles on both wrists, and
 shoulder duster earrings.  His 
 dark hair was done in a spiky shag cut, streaked
 with magenta and about 2 
 inches of the tips done in bright blue.  He also
 must've been on 
 hormones...the breasts looked real.
 
 Vlad took notice of me and smiled pleasantly, as if
 it was perfectly normal 
 to have a woman chained to his bed.  "Guten abend,
 Frau," he beamed, careful 
 to keep his fangs concealed.  "I see you are awake
 at last."
 
 I didn't want to piss him off, considering I wasn't
 really in a position to 
 defend myself.  But I wanted some answers.  "I
 didn't mean to sleep so long, 
 Vladimir," I replied politely, like it was perfectly
 normal to *be* chained 
 to his bed.  "Do you mind telling me what's going
 on?"
 
 "Not at all, liebchen," he fairly purred, standing
 behind the hooker and 
 stroking a hand down the man's arm.  "I thought I'd
 have a little something 
 to eat before tonight's festivities began."
 
 "Whoa, sugar," the hooker said, laughing.  Usually I
 do the john...you wanna 
 do *me*, that's fine, but it'll be another twenty
 bucks."
 
 Shit!  The guy didn't realize *what* Vlad was!  When
 he said something to 
 eat, he'd meant it *literally* not sexually.  The
 realization must've shown 
 on my face.  Vlad smiled at me over the man's
 shoulder, a look of pure 
 malice.  I quickly schooled my features to cold
 indifference.  He was 
 *trying* to scare me...and I didn't have the first
 clue *why*.
 
 "Don't worry, my sweet," Vlad whispered seductively
 in the man's ear, snaking 
 one arm around his waist and pulling him back
 against his chest.  "You'll get 
 your pay."  He began feathering kisses up the
 hooker's throat, searching out 
 the pulse.
 
 "I better," the man stated, then screamed in agony
 and terror as Vlad struck 
 and began to feed.  The vampire used his other arm
 to pin his victim's arms 
 to his sides, and lifted him until his feet dangled
 inches above the floor.
 
 The hooker continued to writhe and scream.  His
 hands hooked into claws and 
his legs flailed about seeking leverage.  Vladimir
 hadn't rolled him, I 
 realized.  The poor thing was aware of and feeling
 everything that was being 
 done to him.
 
 I kept my face immobile and my eyes empty and
 emotionless.  Vlad's gaze never 
 left mine, watching for the least reaction.  Damned
 if I was going to give 
 him one.
 
 The victim managed to land one good kick to his
 killer's shin.  Vlad drew 
 back snarling, then struck again, nearly ripping the
 man's throat out.  The 
 screams began to sound more like gurglings.  The
 struggles gradually grew 
 weaker as the blood drained away, taking the man's
 life with it.  The man's 
 entire upper body glistened with the viscous red
 fluid.  The metallic tang of 
 fresh blood filled the air of the small room.  I was
 suddenly glad I had 
 forgotten to eat anything since I'd gotten up.
 
 Once the light faded from the hooker's terror-filled
 eyes, Vlad dropped his 
 prey's lifeless husk casually to the floor, licking
 his lips.  His shirt was 
 completely soaked with his victim's blood. 
 "Delightful city," he remarked.  
 "They have the *best* take out...and nice disposable
 containers, 
 too...biodegradable, of course.  Wouldn't want to
 litter up the landscape 
 with too much plastic, now would we?"
 
 I watched my captor warily...aware that the
 bloodlust was still on him.  Vlad 
 gave me an almost feral smile as he peeled the
 blood-soaked shirt from his 
 body.  I must have let something show on my face
 when I heard the squelching 
 of the sodden fabric.  He gave a cruel laugh as he
 dropped the soggy thing to 
 the floor with a splat.
 
 He then began to slowly stalk towards me.  I made
 one more desperate attempt 
 to call Asher through the marks.  I was rewarded
 with a sharp pain behind my 
 eyes and a crushing pressure to my lungs.  I had to
 gasp for air.
 
 "Ah, ah, ah," Vlad waggled a finger at me.  "None of
 that, liebchen.  You 
 cannot call your master for help.  You will only
 hurt yourself, and he cannot 
 hear you."  He was already beside the bed, looming
 over me.  I flinched back 
 from his bloody chest despite myself.  He was
 succeeding in scaring me.
 
 "*Why* can't he hear me?" I asked the supposed
 Council representative.
 
 "Now that would be telling," he laughed again. 
 "Suffice to say that he is in 
 a safe place...for now...and will remain safe, as
 long as you cooperate."  
 His laugh just wasn't as good as Asher's or
 Jean-Claude's...no texture to it. 
  Made me remember that I wasn't dealing with a
 *master* vampire.
 
"What do you want from me, Vladimir?  What could you
 possibly gain from 
 kidnapping me?" I asked coldly.
 
 He placed a hand on either side of me, leaning in,
 forcing me to either lean 
 back on the pillows or let him touch me.  I leaned
 back...not quite willing 
 to let him touch me.  And still he leaned into me,
 until his lips were just a 
 breath away from my ear.  "Power," he whispered
 seductively, starting to use 
 voice tricks.  I quickly reassessed my opinion about
 his vocal talents.  He 
 still wasn't as skilled as Jean or my master, but he
 was damned close.
 
 "You see," he continued, his voice wrapping around
 me like silken fur, trying 
 to pull me under, "I know who you really are,
 liebchen."
 
 "And who is that?" I breathed back.  Shit!  He was
 starting to get to me.  He 
 *had* to be using more than just voice tricks.
 
 He began feathering kisses along my jaw, causing me
 to give a small whimper, 
 my eyes fluttering closed of their own accord.  "You
 are the one known as the 
 Absorber, liebchen," he chuckled.  "Asher sensed
 your rebirth and sought you 
 out so he could be whole again."
 
 My eyes flew open in shock.  'No!  Oh no!' my mind
 screamed in horror.  'He 
 thinks I'm Jules?!  And he's Council...part of the
 same group responsible for 
 destroying the Absorber's host every time they
 discovered one!'
 
 "Oh ja, liebchen," Vlad purred.  "I like this!  Your
 terror is exquisitely 
 delicious!"  He began nibbling down my throat, then
 sucking painfully at the 
 soft flesh where my neck and shoulder met.  He
 wasn't feeding, however.  I 
 realized with disgust that he was giving me a hickey
 instead.  I fought not 
 to cry out from the discomfort.
 
 After a couple of minutes, he drew back to look at
 me.  He grinned, flashing 
 fangs at my horrified expression.  "Oh you are going
 to be fun to break, ein 
 bitte.  I see fire in your eyes," he chuckled
 evilly.  "Good!  I enjoy it so 
 much more when they fight back!"
 
 'Asher!' I screamed, first in my mind, then in pain
 as I came up against the 
 block again.
 
 "And now I shall let you in on a little secret of
 mine," Vlad leered at me, 
 his body hovering just inches above mine as I tried
 to burrow into the bed 
 away from him.  His voice once again became a
 velvety whisper, a promise of 
 pleasures untold...or nightmares undreamed.  "The
 reason my dark mistress, 
 Belle Morte kept me in her court, even though I am
 not a master...was because 
I share an ardeur almost as strong as her own."
 
 His shields suddenly dropped and I was hit with a
 wave of lust and desire 
 stronger even than Jean-Claude's when he nearly lost
 control.  Without access 
 to Asher's strength, I had no hope of resisting it. 
 I screamed in despair as 
 Vlad descended upon me.
 
 Everywhere his mouth touched felt like fire, the
 desire was so strong.  My 
 mind raged against his every action even as my body
 responded as if I were 
 willing.  It was maddening.  He took me in so many
 different ways I lost 
 track.  It went on nearly until dawn.  
 
 Eventually, I was only aware of lust and pain.  My
 throat was raw from 
 screaming until I had no voice left.  My body was
 covered with bruises from 
 his rough handling.  My hips ached, making me wonder
 vaguely if they were 
 cracked or dislocated.  My entrance was raw and
 swollen, making it impossible 
 to find a comfortable position.  It wouldn't have
 surprised me if he'd torn 
 me wide in his ardeur.  It felt that way.
 
 I kept repeating over and over in my mind, 'God help
 me!'  My mental voice 
 becoming weaker and more pitiful with each touch of
 Vlad's hand or thrust of 
 his hips.  I felt as if my very life was draining
 away in the sex.
 
 Just as I thought I was going to lose consciousness,
 Vlad rolled off me.  I 
 lay there shivering in the chill of the room.  With
 amazing gentleness, he 
 rolled me to my side, and producing a key from
 somewhere, unlocked the 
 handcuffs.  My hands were numb and stiff, my wrists
 bloody, but healed.  'At 
 least the marks can still help with that,'
 registered in my mental fog.
 
 Vlad was saying something to me.  When I didn't
 respond, he slapped me 
 lightly, still managing to rock my head back.  I
 tried to focus bleary eyes 
 on him.  "I said, there's a chamber pot under the
 bed, liebchen," he 
 repeated.  The with a malicious smile, he added,
 "I'll just leave our friend 
 where he is to keep you company until I rise
 tonight."  With that, he left 
 the room.
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 Hours later, I woke from a fitful sleep.  I was
 freezing and sore all over.  
 There weren't any windows in the room, so I didn't
 know what time it was.  
 There wasn't any heat either, and Vlad had shredded
 the dress I'd been in.  
 My ankle was still manacled to the bedframe.  I lay
 there in the cold room, 
 naked...with the body of the dead hooker staring
 mockingly from the floor 
 where Vlad had discarded him.  At least HE didn't
 have any more worries...no 
 cold...no pain...no fear.
 
 I shook my head violently.  NO!  I would NOT give in
 to this terrorizing so 
 easily!
 
 I noticed that my ankle was itching furiously. 
 Must've bloodied it as well 
 with the chaffing and jerking about.  I reached
 down, trying to slip a finger 
 between it and the manacle to rub some of the
 soreness away.  Something 
 didn't feel right.  There was something around my
 ankle underneath the 
 imprisoning band.
 
 I managed to hook it out after several attempts.  It
 looked like some sort of 
 macrame anklet.  The beads looked suspiciously like
 bone fragments, and the 
 cord appeared to be made of hair twisted together. 
 I fought back rising bile 
 at the sight of it.  It *felt* evil.  I HAD to get
 it off!
 
 It must've taken an hour to cut through the cords
 with my thumbnails.  My 
 fingertips were tender from the effort.  But I
 finally had the damn thing 
 off!  I flung it across the room as far as I could. 
 I suddenly felt like a 
 great weight had been lifted.  My mind was clearer. 
 I could feel my body 
 speed up the healing process as my link with Asher
 reconnected itself.
 
 Vladimir had *lied*, I realized.  He'd led me to
 believe that Asher had been 
 boxed or some such.  Instead, it was that damnable
 charm, whatever it had 
 been, that had been blocking me.  
 
I still didn't know what time it was.  I just prayed
 that Asher was all right 
 and that he would rise before Vlad did.
 
 I began calling out his name repeatedly, like a
 homing beacon...eventually 
 drifting back into a stupor from the cold and
 exhaustion, my mind still 
 repeating, 'Asher, Asher, Asher, Asher....'