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hang around to see the final end, wasn't his
business. Besides, these things rather disgusted
him.
Rene moved around it, examining it a little,
mostly out of boredom. Moudoca had been very
meticulous with this one. It was a wonder he
hadn't put a bow around his cock. It looked
terrified, even in that frozen state, and he noticed
that it was mind conscious, which was unusual.
Usually the brain shut down altogether.
Rene listened intently. He could hear its
thoughts. It was if it was praying. It had been a
long time since he'd heard someone pray. Rene
drew a little closer to him in the water. He
wondered if the thing could see him. He waved
his hand in front of its eyes. If it did, it gave no
indication. I'm tired of feasting on Crocodile, he
said to himself, how about a little pre-zombie?
There had to be some blood left in the body.
He took hold of the rigid body and bit down
into the neck. The blood flowed freely, diluting
some with the water. He held his mouth over the
wound tightly and sucked.
Blood.
Rene paused, looked at the frozen figure. "You
want blood?"
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D.J. Manly
You're drinking my blood. Why? You have no right
to drink my blood.
The way I see it, you aren't in any shape to protest.
Stop. Or give me some of yours. Now!
You're developing a taste for blood even before
you've turned. You're going to be reborn a killer,
probably worse than I am. I thought it was brains your
sort ate?
If you take someone from someone, put it back,
creep!
Rene licked his lips and laughed. Fine. What the
hell! He examined the thing's mouth and removed
the huge weed that Moudoca had stuck in there. It
floated away in the water. He bit down into his
own wrist and then pressed it to its mouth. Most
of the blood floated off into the water, but it seem
to swallow some of it.
Rene shook his head. Your last meal. Poor
bastard. He moved away and floated up to the
surface, considering he'd done his good deed for
the day. He eyed the alligator, which sat on the
shore as he reached the ground, and the alligator
moved away.
He could hear Moudoca chanting and dancing
around his shelter now, but Rene walked on by.
He'd had his encounters with Moudoca, none of
them bore fruit. His wet shoes sunk in the mud as
he walked in the direction of the House of Monair.
This was the last night he was going to sleep in the
swamp, no matter what Trace told him.
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Louisiana Lust
His hunger for blood had waned, thanks to his
snack in the bayou, but he was a little miffed. The
treatments hadn't worked. He was still a vampire.
Trace had promised him a cure and it hadn't
happened yet. At best, he was less ravenous most
of the time, but still couldn't feel the sun on his
face. And all these rules. He wasn't allowed to
drink from anyone. Shit. That was tough. He
wondered if that dead thing in the water counted?
Naw.
"You must be patient," Trace cautioned. "I told
you this would take time."
"I'm tired of sleeping with the slime, not to
mention zombies."
"Stop that. There are no zombies."
"I bit one tonight."
"You bit a zombie?"
"Well, a fledging. He wasn't quite dead I don't
think, yet." He grinned. "Anyway, I didn't think he
counted since he wasn't human or anything. Did
he?"
"Technically no. But I feed you, remember?
Now, pull up your sleeve. When these treatments
are complete, you can sleep here."
"In your bed?" He smiled.
"I believe we said that& "
"I paid you already with my blood. You're
never sick. When I'm cured, I walk away, no
sleeping in your bed, Doc."
"You want to be alone?"
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D.J. Manly
"I'm a vampire, Doc, I don't believe in love."
"You won't be a vampire one day. This will
work."
"Just give it to me all ready. And tell me why I
have to sleep in the swamp again?"
"Would you rather sleep in a coffin?"
"Frankly, yes, especially since that witchdoctor
feeds all his zombies to the crocodiles." He
appeared to shudder.
"Stop making up stories."
Rene shrugged. "Believe me or not."
"All done." The doctor pulled down Rene's
sleeve. "Soon this will make you a man."
"I've been told that before. Promises, promises,"
he teased, batting his eyelashes.
* * * *
His limbs were moving and so were his arms.
Craven didn't know if that was a good sign or bad.
His throat hurt like hell. Was he supposed to hurt?
He hadn't felt anything before. Someone had
bitten him and he'd tasted something going down
his throat. Blood. Who or what would have fed him
blood down here? He vaguely remembered
someone being in the water with him. Was it a
dream? Where are you? You just can't leave me here?
* * * *
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Louisiana Lust
Rene glanced at Trace who lay on the bed
beside him. He always insisted that they lay
together like that. He had no idea what the big
deal was. It wasn't like Trace would get naked
with him or anything. It wasn't as if he wanted
him to. Someone or something was calling him in
his head, but whom?
He sighed, sat up. The sun would be up soon.
He had to get back. No more swamp. Trace was
fast asleep. He left quietly. As he walked away
from the town, he thought about how long he'd
known Trace. It had been twenty years or more
since Trace had tried to drive a stake through his
heart in the Lafayette Cemetery. He'd paralysed
him, but hadn't finished him. Trace had been
young then, no more than thirty, a scientist on a
mission. He offered him a cure, a cure that had
never materialised. And for some stupid reason,
that cure had involved him sleeping in the
swamp& .something about the water purifying
him. It was ridiculous.
But God, you can learn a lot from sleeping in
the swamp, more than he ever wanted to know.
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