Baxter Peters
Considering Writing Again
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Dungeon Master
Inner Sanctum Nobility
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"I'd like to start by thanking you for speaking with me this evening." The brunette reporter tucked a wavy lock of hair behind her ear, trying to appear calm while reeking of anxiety and anticipation. She was nervous, excited, and a little scared, but her bespectacled face hid it all admirably. Honestly, Dmitri was impressed. Few people had such an excellent poker face. She was a magnificent specimen.
He flashed an easy smile, his teeth a brilliant white. She couldn't tell if his canines were sharper than usual, although did look. "How could I resist this opportunity, Miss Conrad? I ask sincerely, as it was made clear that if I did not arrive for this chat, intimate details of my life would be leaked to the wider world. Bold play, blackmailing someone you suspect of being a 'creature of the night.' Then again, I'm sure you're going to tell me about some dead woman's switch, where if you suffer some misfortune, the details will be leaked regardless. Rather than get into all that mess, let me just say, I'm no ravenous monster, nor do I consider myself a killer. Too messy and I'm a bit soft hearted to do curiosity's job, Katherine. May I call you, Katherine?"
"Let's go with Kat, since we're being less formal. The only name I have for you is Dmitri. Well, I have found a number of surnames you adopt for you various clients, but they appear to be raw fabrications with little underpinning. Would you like to add to that?"
"Can't say I do. Dmitri will work just fine." She'd already learned more than he was comfortable with. Giving her more ammunition to dig into his life seemed a needless risk.
"Fair. Let's start with what I know for a fact." She glanced down to her legal pad, an archaic touch in this digital age. "You are a sex worker who operates under the DmitriByNight online handle."
"Escort.' He corrected. "I'm a male escort. I'm paid for my time, not sex. It's a fine distinction, but one I choose to cling to."
Hand over her heart, Kat inclined her head, "Sorry, thought I was being mindful. You're an escort who specializes in being your client's plus one. A tall, dark, handsome, and dare I say mysterious fashion accessory for women who don't want to be seen as single."
"That does sum up my business model succinctly," Dmitri allowed. "But that's not why we're chatting, is it?"
"Well, while that story does seem interesting, I have it on good authority that you're a vampire who feeds upon his clients. To be clear, I'm not accusing you of murder, but rather, someone who engages in consensual bloodletting. If I'd found any evidence that you were a serial killing monster, I wouldn't be sitting her, curiosity or not." She leaned forward, the leather seat underneath her creaking slightly as she grew closer to him, "Dmitri, tell me about being a vampire."
"Claiming to be a simple kinkster would run afoul of the information that you've clearly already gathered, so why not be less boring? Even if you published this, people would think it a bit of fantasy, so I'm not terribly worried about a modern Stoker ruining my life." Holding his hands out to the side, he nodded, "You've got me, Kat. I'm a vampire. Although that doesn't mean what you think."
"So, explain it to me."
Clever. She didn't try to refute, just tossed the ball back into his court. Dmitri was beginning to like Miss Katherine Conrad. "I'm not an undead creature who turns into bats and mesmerizes virgins," he explained. "I'm no scientist, but the way it's been explained is my kind are a genetic offshoot of humanity. We're living, breathing, aging people who are simply different and have a need to regularly feed upon blood, preferably human. I can survive on any sort of fresh blood, although animal blood is, for lack of a better word, very gamey. I prefer the taste of human blood."
The report's pen skittered across the yellow paper, although her gaze was focused on the man before her. "And the various supernatural abilities attributed to vampires?"
"Nuggets of truth, lots of nonsense." He crossed his legs and settled farther back in the seat, putting a touch more distance between them. "I can't do anything I'd consider supernatural, but we have adapted in some odd ways that make us natural predators for humanity, as ominous as that sounds. I am stronger than I look. Not going to be tossing cars or even besting one of those enormous Nordic fellows in a strongman contest, but I'm surprisingly strong. More importantly, I'm fast, both in terms of raw speed and reaction times. My 100-meter dash could break world records and I'm no slouch over longer distances. So, in terms of physicality that's where I sit."
"You left out some things in terms of 'physicality'. Little things like immortality, senses, fangs, can be killed by a wooden stake to the heart."
His laughter was rich and warm as he shrugged, "Who doesn't die from a wooden stake to the heart, Kat?" He shrugged, "I'm mortal. I can be shot, stabbed, fall off a building, get hit by a bus, whatever. Now, I do age slower than you do. Something about the blood, I think. Again, not a scientist. I don't know exactly why, but while we do age, it's more apt to measure our allotted time in centuries than decades. And that, interestingly, is where a lot of the old stories of Nosferatu come from. The inhuman, monstrous features of vampires? Skin Cancer. Not that our kind knew that. We just knew if you spent too much time in the sun, you became deformed and skin. Some were driven mad from pain as the melanoma spread throughout their bodies. Cancer is probably our biggest bane. It's not something we can wait out or just recover from. Most things get better with time. Cancer though?" He whistled, "That's the monster that gives me nightmares."
"Mirrors, garlic, religious iconography," she inquired, chewing absently on the pink nub of her eraser.
"Oh, was I not supposed to notice the mirror behind the bar you can clearly see me in, the cross over the doorway, the crucifix on the wall, or the garlic blossoms in that flower arrangement?" He pointed to each in kind. "I wouldn't be surprised if you grabbed some holy water for my refreshment." He took a sip of his water and winced. "Gahh, tastes stale and minerally. Yeah, you can think that worked if you want, but it's just gross. I'm just a biologic oddity, not a magic creature."
"What about your bite. From the stories I've heard, it's very... erm. Potent?"
Was that a faint blush of pink he saw in her cheeks? "Ahh, yes, I thought that might come up, based on how you've gotten your information." Pulling back his upper lip so she could see, he extended a retractable fang that slid down over his existing canine. He tilted his head back to give her a better look at the slender, hollow tube of a fang, a small drop of clear liquid glistening at the tip. The fang slid back into his gums as he popped his neck and looked her in the eyes, "Retractible fangs, hollow, and venomous, like a snake. Rather than being harmful toxin, my venom triggers a violent rush of endorphins in those I feed from. There's a moment of discomfort from the bite that fades due to anesthetic qualities of my saliva, then the venom is introduced into the bloodstream. As soon as that venom has a chance to circulate, the person I'm feeding on becomes happy putty, which keeps them still and docile through the feeding. When you're feeding on a person's blood, if they struggle, it's going to be a horrific mess, and who wants that."
"Venom sounds onimous. The vic... the people you feed upon. How does it harm them?" There was a bit of an edge to Katherine's question that hadn't been there before.
Dmitri grew still. considering the question before leaning forward, eyes focused with a predator's intensity, "That's it. Someone you care for ran afoul of one of my kind. That's what started you down this path."
"I'm asking the questions, vampire." The edge had a bit of steel to it.
He blew out a sigh as he settled back into his seat. "Damn fine poker face." After a nod, he answered, "Regular feeding can cause anemia. We don't require enough blood to kill someone via feeding, but a vampire could kill them deliberately. Also, and I'm guessing this is your particular rub, our venom can be addictive. It's a very powerful drug, after all. Some vampires will get people addicted to their venom, and those victims will often waste away as they're repeatedly fed from and anemia runs its course. If that happened to someone you care for, you have my condolences. One of the reasons I live the life I do is to keep my food sources diverse and I don't strain any one donor."
"Victim and donor. You have a lot of words from the people you feed from."
"Well, I'm not going to call them slurpies, am I?" Her expression made him flinch, "Fair enough. Bad taste. Look. Vampires are people. We have people who try to be ethical and people who are assholes. We don't like the assholes any more than you do. They endanger everyone. If you need help tracking down one of our assholes, I'll see what I can do."
He flashed an easy smile, his teeth a brilliant white. She couldn't tell if his canines were sharper than usual, although did look. "How could I resist this opportunity, Miss Conrad? I ask sincerely, as it was made clear that if I did not arrive for this chat, intimate details of my life would be leaked to the wider world. Bold play, blackmailing someone you suspect of being a 'creature of the night.' Then again, I'm sure you're going to tell me about some dead woman's switch, where if you suffer some misfortune, the details will be leaked regardless. Rather than get into all that mess, let me just say, I'm no ravenous monster, nor do I consider myself a killer. Too messy and I'm a bit soft hearted to do curiosity's job, Katherine. May I call you, Katherine?"
"Let's go with Kat, since we're being less formal. The only name I have for you is Dmitri. Well, I have found a number of surnames you adopt for you various clients, but they appear to be raw fabrications with little underpinning. Would you like to add to that?"
"Can't say I do. Dmitri will work just fine." She'd already learned more than he was comfortable with. Giving her more ammunition to dig into his life seemed a needless risk.
"Fair. Let's start with what I know for a fact." She glanced down to her legal pad, an archaic touch in this digital age. "You are a sex worker who operates under the DmitriByNight online handle."
"Escort.' He corrected. "I'm a male escort. I'm paid for my time, not sex. It's a fine distinction, but one I choose to cling to."
Hand over her heart, Kat inclined her head, "Sorry, thought I was being mindful. You're an escort who specializes in being your client's plus one. A tall, dark, handsome, and dare I say mysterious fashion accessory for women who don't want to be seen as single."
"That does sum up my business model succinctly," Dmitri allowed. "But that's not why we're chatting, is it?"
"Well, while that story does seem interesting, I have it on good authority that you're a vampire who feeds upon his clients. To be clear, I'm not accusing you of murder, but rather, someone who engages in consensual bloodletting. If I'd found any evidence that you were a serial killing monster, I wouldn't be sitting her, curiosity or not." She leaned forward, the leather seat underneath her creaking slightly as she grew closer to him, "Dmitri, tell me about being a vampire."
"Claiming to be a simple kinkster would run afoul of the information that you've clearly already gathered, so why not be less boring? Even if you published this, people would think it a bit of fantasy, so I'm not terribly worried about a modern Stoker ruining my life." Holding his hands out to the side, he nodded, "You've got me, Kat. I'm a vampire. Although that doesn't mean what you think."
"So, explain it to me."
Clever. She didn't try to refute, just tossed the ball back into his court. Dmitri was beginning to like Miss Katherine Conrad. "I'm not an undead creature who turns into bats and mesmerizes virgins," he explained. "I'm no scientist, but the way it's been explained is my kind are a genetic offshoot of humanity. We're living, breathing, aging people who are simply different and have a need to regularly feed upon blood, preferably human. I can survive on any sort of fresh blood, although animal blood is, for lack of a better word, very gamey. I prefer the taste of human blood."
The report's pen skittered across the yellow paper, although her gaze was focused on the man before her. "And the various supernatural abilities attributed to vampires?"
"Nuggets of truth, lots of nonsense." He crossed his legs and settled farther back in the seat, putting a touch more distance between them. "I can't do anything I'd consider supernatural, but we have adapted in some odd ways that make us natural predators for humanity, as ominous as that sounds. I am stronger than I look. Not going to be tossing cars or even besting one of those enormous Nordic fellows in a strongman contest, but I'm surprisingly strong. More importantly, I'm fast, both in terms of raw speed and reaction times. My 100-meter dash could break world records and I'm no slouch over longer distances. So, in terms of physicality that's where I sit."
"You left out some things in terms of 'physicality'. Little things like immortality, senses, fangs, can be killed by a wooden stake to the heart."
His laughter was rich and warm as he shrugged, "Who doesn't die from a wooden stake to the heart, Kat?" He shrugged, "I'm mortal. I can be shot, stabbed, fall off a building, get hit by a bus, whatever. Now, I do age slower than you do. Something about the blood, I think. Again, not a scientist. I don't know exactly why, but while we do age, it's more apt to measure our allotted time in centuries than decades. And that, interestingly, is where a lot of the old stories of Nosferatu come from. The inhuman, monstrous features of vampires? Skin Cancer. Not that our kind knew that. We just knew if you spent too much time in the sun, you became deformed and skin. Some were driven mad from pain as the melanoma spread throughout their bodies. Cancer is probably our biggest bane. It's not something we can wait out or just recover from. Most things get better with time. Cancer though?" He whistled, "That's the monster that gives me nightmares."
"Mirrors, garlic, religious iconography," she inquired, chewing absently on the pink nub of her eraser.
"Oh, was I not supposed to notice the mirror behind the bar you can clearly see me in, the cross over the doorway, the crucifix on the wall, or the garlic blossoms in that flower arrangement?" He pointed to each in kind. "I wouldn't be surprised if you grabbed some holy water for my refreshment." He took a sip of his water and winced. "Gahh, tastes stale and minerally. Yeah, you can think that worked if you want, but it's just gross. I'm just a biologic oddity, not a magic creature."
"What about your bite. From the stories I've heard, it's very... erm. Potent?"
Was that a faint blush of pink he saw in her cheeks? "Ahh, yes, I thought that might come up, based on how you've gotten your information." Pulling back his upper lip so she could see, he extended a retractable fang that slid down over his existing canine. He tilted his head back to give her a better look at the slender, hollow tube of a fang, a small drop of clear liquid glistening at the tip. The fang slid back into his gums as he popped his neck and looked her in the eyes, "Retractible fangs, hollow, and venomous, like a snake. Rather than being harmful toxin, my venom triggers a violent rush of endorphins in those I feed from. There's a moment of discomfort from the bite that fades due to anesthetic qualities of my saliva, then the venom is introduced into the bloodstream. As soon as that venom has a chance to circulate, the person I'm feeding on becomes happy putty, which keeps them still and docile through the feeding. When you're feeding on a person's blood, if they struggle, it's going to be a horrific mess, and who wants that."
"Venom sounds onimous. The vic... the people you feed upon. How does it harm them?" There was a bit of an edge to Katherine's question that hadn't been there before.
Dmitri grew still. considering the question before leaning forward, eyes focused with a predator's intensity, "That's it. Someone you care for ran afoul of one of my kind. That's what started you down this path."
"I'm asking the questions, vampire." The edge had a bit of steel to it.
He blew out a sigh as he settled back into his seat. "Damn fine poker face." After a nod, he answered, "Regular feeding can cause anemia. We don't require enough blood to kill someone via feeding, but a vampire could kill them deliberately. Also, and I'm guessing this is your particular rub, our venom can be addictive. It's a very powerful drug, after all. Some vampires will get people addicted to their venom, and those victims will often waste away as they're repeatedly fed from and anemia runs its course. If that happened to someone you care for, you have my condolences. One of the reasons I live the life I do is to keep my food sources diverse and I don't strain any one donor."
"Victim and donor. You have a lot of words from the people you feed from."
"Well, I'm not going to call them slurpies, am I?" Her expression made him flinch, "Fair enough. Bad taste. Look. Vampires are people. We have people who try to be ethical and people who are assholes. We don't like the assholes any more than you do. They endanger everyone. If you need help tracking down one of our assholes, I'll see what I can do."