Beauty's deathly allure

Chapter one

A/N: Picture of Lorenzo. What do you think?

Lorenzo Marco Moretti. The man who seemed to have stolen my power to dream. For all I saw when I slept, was him. It was almost like he could invade my mind when he wanted to, maybe he could, who knew what other supernatural, unnatural ability he was hiding? As I looked at his locked door, I was reminded again that it was Friday. An involuntary shudder ran through me. I didn't know what he did from Monday to Friday evening but every Friday night, he hunted.

I lived just opposite to him, in my shabby two bedroom apartment but I didn't run into him often because I learnt that as a vampire, he preferred night over day. Hence the darkened windows. Sunlight doesn't kill him because I'd seen him following me a few times in the sunlight and he obviously was still very much alive. Though he did cover almost every part of his skin that his clothes couldn't hide by wide brimmed hats, dark sunglasses, scarves and what not. Hence, I guessed sunlight just irritated his skin.

Then to the other myths, garlic: I might have thrown some on him one night after waiting a solid three hours for him to come out of his mighty kingdom, otherwise known as his apartment. The only reaction I managed to get from him was a small, amused smile. Hence, I could safely say that the garlic myth, was bullshit. Holy water, cross: let's just say I went through another embarrassing experience trying to kill him. I even threw in a few verses from the bible.

I still had to use the stake though. According to google, there were only so many things you could use to kill a vampire. Maybe I'll try it tonight, I thought. I ran into my room, excitement coursing through me. I dug out the wooden stake from my closet. e-bay was the best.

The elevator dinged, announcing his arrival. I knew it wasn't somebody else because the only other tenant in our floor was a sixty year old woman. She hardly came out. And the only time I've heard her voice was when her dog ran away. Hiding the stake in my coat pocket, I walked out pretending to check the lock. As it had been happening every Friday night for the past three years, he arrived with a new companion.

Like every other time I see him, my breath hitched and my heart leaped. I didn't like him like that but something about him always excited and scared me. Had my legs wobbling and core heating. Maybe it was the supernatural part, I reasoned. His eyes locked with mine for a second and it seemed as though he had a question for me. But before he could ask me, his companion, a twenty something with model like looks and a killer dimple, beat him to it.

"Hi there! Care to join us for a drink?". His Irish accent had me freezing for a moment. Lorenzo had always picked up only locals. This was a first. My confusion and surprise must have shown on my face, for he simply shrugged and said, "He smells nice". Only I knew what he meant by that. His companion, oblivious to his upcoming death, was still smiling, swaying on his feet. Clearly he was drunk. This just made me feel worse because he wouldn't be able to defend himself. So, I did the only thing I could. I denied.

" Nah.That's alright. Maybe if you are still around tomorrow morning, I'll buy you coffee." I replied emphasising on still. Like all his other victims, this innocent boy too would never see another sunrise. I don't know if he eats them or just drains them dry or just sells them. All three sound silly even to my ears. I was about to turn around to enter my apartment, once again beaten down by my inner turmoil in being unable to help the kid. Before I could,"Go inside and make yourself at home. Watch tv or something. I'll be in a minute." he informed him. Ushering him into his apartment, Lorenzo faced me.

"Got nothing for me tonight?", he questioned. Not knowing what he was talking about, I just stared blankly at his million dollar shoes. "No more garlic, holy water,..stake?" he questioned again, with a raised eyebrow, emphasising on the stake. Clearly he had noticed the suppose-to-be-hidden stake in my pocket. Defeated, I handed it over to him. Suddenly, his laugh, rich like honey, reached my ears. Greatly surprised as I'd never heard him laugh before, I looked up into his eyes.

The twinkling orbs had my heart beating faster again again, a blush coating my cheeks. Look at me. A twenty five year old woman, acting like a teenager. Stupid hormones. Noticing this, he leaned down, twirling a lock of my long brown hair and whispered a few words that my limbs paralyzing in fear. Placing a small kiss on my neck, right on the pulsing vain, he swiftly turned around only to stop again at his doorframe.

Peering at me over his shoulder and down at the stake in his hand, in a move too fast to be caught by the human eye, he plunged the stake into his chest where his supposed beating heart should have been. If he hadn't used his vampire speed to muffle my horror filled scream in time, the poor lady next door would have had a heart attack form the sudden noise.

"Y-your h-hea-rt", I stuttered pathetically. Taking a deep breath, straightening my spine, I got up in his face. I don't know if it was the years of hatred or jealousy that gave me the sudden burst of bravery. Whatever the reason, I was grateful. Any other time, I wouldn't even be thinking of doing what I was about to do. A voice somewhere at the back of my mind warned me that acting on emotions would just get me killed. But, the stake that was still shoved into his chest, had me abandoning my logical side.

" Who the hell do you think you are?! Just because your a badass vampire doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. You can't just go around draining people. Why haven't I ever seen any of your victims in the morning? What do you do with them? Drain them dry, chop them into pieces, roast them and eat them?! You're a monster. A freak. Why do always watch me like that? Why do you follow me? Why won't you leave me alone? Why won't you let me move some where else? Why not just kill me?". By the end, my voice was barely a whisper. But I knew he heard me. His sharp gasp proved that.

Looking down at the stake again, the blood was flowing steadily. It was getting me all nauseous. Without thinking, I reached up and pulled the stake out. Not wanting to think further, I dragged him into my apartment, into the toilet. Unlike him, I was compassionate. Couldn't just let him bleed. Sitting him on the sink, I got between his legs to clean the would and wrap it. My shaking fingers made it harder for me to open the buttons of his shirt.

But, after what seemed like an embarrassment filled eternity, I managed to get his shirt open. But what I saw there, almost made me faint. He caught my waist in time, saving me from the fall. Where the hell is the wound that the stake should have made?! What the hell happened to the blood that was flowing just a few seconds ago?!

Oh my god. Another vampire ability? Inhuman looks, speed, strength, long protruding canines, invasion of minds, incepting dreams and then, he could heal on his own too? What in the devil was happening here? Dealing with the existence of vampires itself took me months, I thought sourly. And then this? "What else can you do? Can you fly too?", I asked him. As his reply, his eyes visibly darkened and a frown marred his perfect Adonis like features.

"I don't appreciate your sarcasm", he snapped furious, growling low in his throat.

"Did I wound your ego?" I replied, my tone oozing with sarcasm. Gotta love it! Maybe pissing off the hulk like vampire wasn't such a good idea after all. Who would have thought? One second he was sitting there breathing heavily, trapping me in between his strong legs and the next, he was attacking me. With his sensual lips. The lips I've been having nightmares about. The lips that.. "Kiss me back", he growled out, making goosebumps erupt all over my body. The powerful command had my mind numbing and do exactly that.