AN: Hello friendly readers, I know, I know, I'm neglecting "Blindsided" but this story is just so much fun to write and I've been in a wicked mood. So, yeah, vampires, BSB, fun fun! :) inspiredthoughts@hotmail.com ************************ Curiosity Killed... Chapter 5 ************************ “Hello pet…” I smile despite myself as Dracula’s voice continues in its rich vaguely interested roll of velvet sound and seduction. If I close my eyes I can imagine him before me, swarthy and dark, so dark midnight would bow to him and dusk would flee in terror. I don’t want to miss him, but I do, on so many levels I’d be more afraid of what that meant, if I wasn’t quite as foolish as I was. Fools didn’t have to worry about being terrified, even for their own good. “Hello,” I reply with a sheepish grin I know he can hear in my own voice. “What tipped you off about them, my dove?” I shrug though he can’t see it. “You have one of their albums and once, once you mentioned Lydia in relation to them.” Howie, who is standing next to the bed I’m sitting on, tenses violently at his sire’s name. But Dracula continues and my attention is pulled away from the singer. “Was I truly that careless?” “You forget my Lord, that I have the curiosity…” “Of a cat,” he concludes dryly, amusement very evident. “And I have to expend considerable energy to make sure that you do not meet the same fate as the said cat.” There’s a pause before Dracula continues, “So, you’ve been taken captive, what exactly does that entail for you my pet?” “Umm…” I hedge, suddenly unwilling to relay this particular bit of news to the most powerful Vampire in the world. “Catherine.” My name is a coldly spoken command and I flinch. “Umm, well, it means that due to a rather informative phone call with Marquis they figured out that they couldn’t turn or kill me outright, and that I’m under your protection so a mind wipe or other mind tricks won’t work.” “Marquis?” Dracula demands, wickedly delighted, “You called Marquis de Leonce?!” I chuckle manically. “Actually THEY called him after I dared them to dial and find out whose number it was.” The Vampire gasps, pleased by my duplicity, and I can feel the approval radiating off of him. “Was he very angry?” “Politely enraged,” I reply cheerily. Dracula nearly purrs with pleasure. “Well done my gem, my pet. You never cease to amuse me.” Good thing for me. “But, your captivity, explain things to me, clearly, now.” My smile fades. I want to lie so badly, SO badly, because I’m rather afraid of Dracula’s response. He’s possessive of me, and though amused by my resistance, annoyed by his inability to seduce me. If a Backstreet Boy succeeded where he failed… I shiver and try not to imagine five beautiful faces smeared with blood. “Catherine Roberts.” I shiver again with the ice that’s crept into his tone. “It means,” I respond slowly, “that they are backed into a corner. The Council decreed that all who know of their identity must be destroyed or turned. Since I can be neither without incurring your wrath they must take another route. They spoke and decided, they decided to seduce me, as you tried and failed to do.” There’s brittle silence on the other end of the phone and I can picture Dracula’s face as he sits in his ornate study, draped in shadows, his eyes gleaming an angry red tinged vermillion. I can imagine the curl of his long, strong fingers upon the armrests of his chair, and the rapid tapping of a single shoe on the hardwood floors. Howie’s looking at me, concern on his face but I ignore him since I can’t take my mind away from Dracula. If I don’t play this right he’ll destroy us all out of perversity and, while I’m not afraid of death, I’d rather not meet it because of a misspoken word to Dracula. There are better ways to die than burning from a Vampire’s wrath. Like, being eaten away slowly by acid. Or crushed under a cement truck. All much more appealing than what I’ve seen Dracula do to unfortunates over the years. “And will they succeed pet? Will you let those children hold your affections when you denied me?” I swallow noiselessly. “Catherine?” “I have not been duly impressed with their hospitality to date,” I finally manage quietly. I can’t lie to a being that can hear it in my voice and read it on my heart but, I don’t know. There’s a reason that the Backstreet Boys have millions of fans while equally good bands have thousands and it has everything to do with sex. Five against one are not good odds. “You’re hedging,” Dracula snaps, composure cracking. My silence answers for me. His sigh is weary as I’ve ever heard him. “Very well. Continue this farce, there’s logic in their plan though I dislike you being a pawn in any of the political maneuverings of the Council. The Council will destroy you if they can. But know this, if those boy children DO succeed where I failed, if they make you theirs, then they will be the only ones to protect you. “If you choose to save the Backstreet Boys by loving them and giving them the power they need to survive Council politics, then I will abandon you. I will not protect those who do not belong to me.” The phone clicks abruptly and I stare at the receiver I hold in my numb hand before letting out a shaky breath. Something just changed with that phone call and I’m not sure whether its for better or worst. Dracula’s been my champion for years, protecting, shielding, and empowering me. Without him I would have been dead and buried and bones years ago. I would have been ash. Less. If he leaves me I don’t know how strong I still am. Its been a long time since I’ve stood on my own four metaphorically furred feet. Curiosity killed the cat and I might have just done myself in. “I take it things did not go well?” Howie asks delicately as he sits regally on the edge of the bed. I look up, startled, because I’ve almost forgotten that the much younger, less powerful Vampire was still in the room with me. A small smile curls twistedly on my lips. “You don’t have to fear Dracula’s wrath, not for taking me. He will grant you the right to attempt what he once tried to do.” Howie blinks and looks so human, so human I can almost forget what he really is. He reaches up to cup my cheek, his thumb grazing the delicate skin under one brown eye. “And you Catherine Roberts… what of you? Do you have to fear Dracula’s wrath?” “Let’s just say I’m no longer the top of the favorite list.” “Then I regret that.” “I know, it’s not your fault, not really. I’m the one who can’t resist sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.” Howie coughs gently, amused, “Then I fear I will not regret that particular act because it brought you here, to us.” And then he leans in and kisses me gently on the lips. He’s good, silk, chocolate, a master, but its going to take more than a few kind words and a damn kiss to make me tread such dangerous waters. I break the kiss and slips from his loose grasp, moving to stand a safe distance from the Vampire on the bed with glinting gold eyes. I wag an admonishing finger at the exasperated Howard Dorough. “Come on Howie, at least buy me flowers before you try to get me in bed!” His glare melts from partial brown to full liquid gold and I tense, waiting for the explosion, but it never comes. Instead a low rumble of laughter wells up and bursts from his lips, startling me, as he laughs until tears run down his tanned cheeks and he collapses back on the bed to stare at the ceiling, though he still addresses me. “You know child, I’m starting to agree with AJ, this will, indeed, prove to be very entertaining, whatever way it turns out.” “It’d be nice if we all got out of this alive, err, as alive as we entered it.” Howie chuckles, “I agree.”