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This only strengthened his resolve he needed answers and he knew of only one person who might be able to provide them.

Francesca was busy talking to Xavier again and Gabriella was mightily bored. Since they had returned to this cold wet city things had been dull. She and Francesca continued to hunt and kill
puny humans but they had to be careful now, Gabriella yearned for a return to the superstitious times of old when it mattered little if they left a bloody swath across half a country.

Francesca forbade Gabriella from going out on her own. She said it was because she was afraid for her.  But Gabriella suspected that that was only a part of Francesca's reason. Francesca didn't want Gabriella to be out on her own because she might draw attention to them. Francesca knew that Gabriella craved the freedom to kill as openly as she wished, freedom that had she had been unable to truly indulge for far too long.

Actually this was only a part of Gabriella's frustration. Since they had returned here Francesca had started
trying to instruct Xavier in earnest. She had devoted much of her energy into moulding him into a lieutenant she could trust. While Gabriella could find no fault with Francesca's desire to bring Xavier back under control it would have been a much more simple matter to have him eliminated. Francesca had left Gabriella feeling neglected. Francesca was with her when they went to sleep in the mornings following the hunt, but she was never there anymore when Gabriella awoke. She always rose early to organise the nest or to work with Xavier and ensure he was doing her bidding.

Gabriella tore into the material of the arm of her seat with her nails. Francesca had insisted that Xavier was needed for now and she had promised to have him killed if he showed any signs of betrayal
but Gabriella wanted him out of the picture before then.

Gabriella might still be her favourite but she wondered if that was enough for her anymore. Could she stand being just the favourite when she wanted to be the only one in Francesca's affections?

She struggled to put such thoughts out of her mind. Francesca had chosen Gabriella and had turned her herself. She had wanted Gabriella so much that she had to make her into a vampire to be with her forever. Xavier was nothing more than a stray that Francesca had taken under her wing and who had sometimes proved to be useful. Francesca and Gabriella had been together for over two and a half centuries. There was no chance of Francesca wanting to
jeopardise that to be with one who had only been a vampire for less than half a century, and had been part of the nest for only three decades.

Or was there that chance? Xavier may have only been with them for a short time but he had risen quickly to his position as Francesca's lieutenant. Just because Xavier was a vampire when he joined them it didn't mean that Francesca would not have chosen to turn him had they met while he was still human.

Again Gabriella fought to remove such thoughts from her head. Xavier was just the last in a long line of temporary playthings. Gabriella had been the only permanent love in Francesca's life.  There had been many males that Francesca used since they had been together but no other women. It was
Gabriella that she wanted. The others were there merely to provide Francesca with a physical pleasure that Gabriella could not provide, although in these modern times there were a few toys to help with that.

Feeling ashamed at her thoughts Gabriella stretched languidly before pushing herself out of the seat and to her feet. Francesca had just finished with Xavier and returned to their chambers.

Gabriella put a wide smile on her face. "Are things going well?"

Francesca returned the smile. "Yes, my love."

She took Gabriella by the hand. "Come," she said. "I have been so wrapped up in these other concerns that I have not been paying you the attention you deserve."

It was like she had read Gabriella's mind.

Francesca led her to their most private room. "It is time I rectified matters," she said.

As they kissed all the worries that had plagued Gabriella were cast away.

Gabriella rapped softly on the door to the little hut three times. There was no answer from within and she took a small sniff of the air. There was nobody inside the security guard must be on his rounds. To tell the truth Gabriella preferred that. She liked them young and tender. When they got old they either went all tired and stringy or got fat, cholesterol was
not
one of Gabriella's favourite flavours.

"He's not here," she called out.

Although Gabriella had approached the hut alone when she turned around Francesca was right there with her.

"So the hunt continues," Francesca said. "Perhaps we shall come across him during our search. We can make better sport with him out here in the dark."

Gabriella pouted and Francesca smiled at her. "You would prefer something younger? You are a veal girl, mutton never did do it for you."

Now Gabriella returned the smile. "You know me so well."

"Yes I do," Francesca replied. "And I know that you not only enjoy the hunt for the food it provides us. We will find something more tender to feast on, but if we come across the doddering security guard we will have some fun as well.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Or a human corpse."

George rounded a corner and heard faint sounds of activity. In the distance he could see unloading in progress. He was a little surprised at where this was taking place, outside the old steelworks, because they rarely got deliveries there and never anything as big as this.

Years ago the site had been put forward to be transformed into some theme park or education centre. When that fell through it had been purchased by some mysterious buyers for an unknown purpose. That place was just off the area George had been employed to keep an eye on but he went to check it out anyway. It was very nearby and in his
mind at least if not in reality it was basically on his patch.

George reached the gates that separated the old works' drive from the road and looked inside. Halfway down the drive several trucks, decidedly military in appearance, were being unload by an eclectic group of individuals. Some of the group were working in a manner so precise it again made him think of the army, while others seemed to have as much discipline as the little vandals he looked out for every night. He could hear the sounds of guttural snarls and curses as they worked. Many different languages were being spoken within the group.

Whatever they were unloading had to be pretty light. The crates and boxes looked as if they should by quite heavy
themselves and these people were carrying all of them individually. The only time George saw more than one lifting the same thing it was to carry a large box that seemed as though it should have taken at least a half dozen big men to lift if it were fully loaded.

George turned his torch beam on the face of one of the men closest to him. "Hey," he said. "Working the graveyard shift, are you?"

The entire group dropped what they were doing and turned to face him. Those who George had thought of as disciplined gave him a once over and went back to work, the other lot spread out and walked towards him.

One of the disciplined group looked over at the others. "Get back over here. The Mistress wants this done."

"Don't worry," The woman closest to George, now that they had spread out in a semicircular arc, said. "We'll only have a short meal break."

When she turned back so that George could see her face what he did see terrified him. As he looked around he saw that every one of those advancing on him had the same gruesome visage. He turned to run but many hands with grips of steel took hold of him. He was stretched and pulled in many directions. Many sets of teeth bit into his arms and legs. His clothes were ripped and the monsters tore chunks of bloody flesh from his chest and body.

After a short time his entire world was pain and hurt. His vision was blurred with his own blood. It was with
indescribable relief that George passed away and surrendered to the darkness.

They had yet to see any sign of the security guard but now the vampires had found something better. A young woman behind the wheel of a broken down car parked on the edge of the industrial district.

Francesca and Gabriella had watched as she pulled over and spoke panicked into a mobile telephone. She had looked around as if searching for some sign of where she was to tell whoever was on the other end of the line. But the nearest street sign was several metres behind her hidden in darkness that a broken street lamp did nothing to dispel.

The vampire pair waited for the woman to finish talking. She stayed sat in her car like a good girl. Who knew what dangers could be lurking out here waiting to prey on a poor damsel in distress.

It was very late now, two or three in the morning, and no other traffic passed by on the road. Francesca led Gabriella out from the shadows of the disused building behind which they had watched this new victim. They approached the car from behind and split off to either side of the vehicle. They kept their faces turned away so that if the woman saw them in her mirrors she would not be alerted to their true nature too early in the game.

Francesca tapped on the driver's side window and the woman jumped startled. Immediately she hunched down in a defensive posture. Francesca had to
fight to keep from laughing when the woman visibly relaxed as Francesca bent down to show her face to the woman. She didn't feel threatened by another woman. The human tensed again at catching sight of Gabriella off to the other side, but yet again she relaxed at seeing she too was a woman. Gabriella didn't look like she would hurt a fly when she put on her sweet human face.

"Need some help?" Francesca asked.

The woman rolled down her window and looked up at her. "My car's broken down. I've called my boyfriend to come and pick me up but I couldn't give him very specific directions. Could either of you tell me exactly where I am? Please. You hear stories about women being
attacked when they're alone late at night and this happens to them."

"Oh yes," Francesca said. "You do hear some truly abominable accounts."

"Awful," Gabriella put in. "Horrific."

"Yes," The woman said. "Can you please tell me where I am?"

"Sorry, yes, well," Francesca looked around. "Do you know I'm not quite sure?"

She absolutely relished the look of hopelessness that crossed the woman's face. "We did just come from a club back there," She waved vaguely off to the side. "I'm sure someone there could tell you."

The woman looked unsure. "Aren't you supposed to stay with your vehicle in a situation like this?"

"Piffle," Francesca said. "There will be three of us. It will be quite safe, I assure you."

"If you're sure," The human unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the car.

"I'm Francesca and this is Gabriella," Francesca said by way of introduction.

"Susan," The woman said. "Do you girls often walk out alone this late?"

"Oh yes," Francesca said.

"Actually this is quite early for us," Gabriella added.

"And you aren't afraid of being attacked?" Susan asked. "Two good looking women out alone."

Gabriella laughed and Francesca said. "We can take care of ourselves. Don't worry we have nothing to fear. Come we shall take you to the club and
then your boyfriend can come to take you home."

The three women set off. Francesca and Gabriella walking on either side of Susan each holding her hand. The vampires led her back the way they had come down an alley alongside an empty building.

"Shouldn't we stay by the road?" Susan asked. "We can wave a car down if it comes past."

"A car that could be filled with murderers or rapists just waiting for a chance to have some perverted fun. I don't think so."

"But my boyfriend could drive past."

"You worry too much," Francesca said. "This way is best. Trust me."

Francesca and Gabriella skipped gaily along with Susan walking warily
between them. They emerged from the side of the abandoned factory onto the edge of a large square made up of the backs of four disused buildings. Tipped over bins and a burnt out car were scattered over the square. The three women stood beneath the only remaining working streetlight while the vampires pretended to be getting their bearings.

"I could have sworn we came this way," Francesca said, casting around.

"Perhaps it was over that way," Gabriella said playing along.

"No, no. It can't have been that way."

Susan freed her hands and stepped back so she was stood against the lamppost. "Look, thanks for the help, but if you can't remember perhaps I should just go back to my car."

"We'll have it in a moment," Francesca said.

"Forget about it. I'll just wait for my boyfriend."

Francesca gave Gabriella a subtle glance and she capered around behind Susan. The human started to turn to watch her but Francesca grabbed her face to hold it still.