The Strange House Part 10

So with the big event to look forward to, the time up until spring break seemed to slow down to a fucking halt. You'd think every second would be vacuumed in a blur, but alas. Spring break wasn't until Monday. Well, it was practically Friday, but it wasn't until Monday that Faith would return to pick me up. After giving her Mom's number, Faith called her and they had apparently talked it out.

Mom and Dad were still a bit taken aback by how Faith was such a classy woman, and me a nerdy boy who was constantly bullied, but she had been good so far, and done so much for me, so they trusted her more and more. Faith passed every test with high marks, having risen to more than one occasion. Mom also seemed to hit it off quite well with Faith, so that probably helped too.

At least I got to interrogate Pete while Faith was not around. And it was a good call that he joined me on my walks, as I saw a familiar-looking sour face drive by in a big SUV. Jeremy was prowling, it seemed. Pete was perhaps old, but he at least had two arms and had kind of that old-man strength look to him, I guess. Pete didn't even get fazed by the car at all, but he didn't know who Jeremy was, so yeah.

"You did the plumbing in Faith's dungeon?" I asked one day.

"Sure did. And the tiling. And I lent her the explosives to expand the cave. Dungeon, I mean. It was just a hole before," Pete explained.

"Dang. I guess she trusts you a lot?" I said, trying to not sound prejudicial.

"I'm as loyal as they come. When I found out I had more family out there, I kinda dedicated myself to rectifying a lifetime of fuckups. And to be fair, she did a lot herself, that one. She's quite handy, even as elegant as she is," Pete said, with quite a lot of admiration in his voice. The way he spoke of Faith sounded like Gimli when he admired Galadriel.

"How come you never use her name?" I asked.

"I'm careful. I don't want it in my hands if any secret, even as diminutive it may seem, is revealed on my account," Pete said. "Don't think I'm more versed in their lore than you are, I'm just careful," Pete added when he saw that his answer revealed another onslaught of questions.

"What do you know? Have you met others like her?" I said, trying my hand at being more tactful with my curiosity.

It was weird to think of Faith as something other than human, as no one had ever shown me as much humanity as she did. So 'others like her' didn't really sit right with me. To me, she was just Faith, then a vampire second.

"Erh, a few. Just her daughter and-"

"Wait, Faith has a daughter?" I said. I wrecked my brain. Of course, Faith had talked about it briefly, when talking about turning me. I had just barged ahead on something else I was curious about back then and forgot.

"Yeah, the way they have daughters," Pete mumbled. "Pardon my French, but Melanie is a devious little harlot. Haven't seen her since the eighties, though."

It was still a bit hard to wrap my head around Faith walking around like now, but even more so that she was around back then, and looking exactly like she always did. And even more so to think she had a vampire daughter named Melanie who also lived back then. I couldn't help but start trying to picture how she looked. By how Pete spoke of her, maybe she was a tough nut to crack, but I was still eager to see if I'd ever meet her.

"So what's she like?" I asked.

"I only saw her in a parking lot. The two of them had something to talk about, and Fa- she didn't know how to drive yet," Pete said.

"Really?" I chuckled, getting an amused smile from Pete. "You taught her to drive?"

Pete chuckled and gave a nod. "If you can call that driving."

"What was she like? Did she have mullet?" I asked.

So this weekend would actually mark one of the first I'd spend completely without Faith since we started fully hanging out together. It was an odd scenario, but I tried to look at the positive. Like, for example, I got to hang out with Mom and Dad.

Dad worked all the time, so I rarely saw him anyway, but I at least would get a few hours with him on the weekend without school getting in the way. Mom was also happy to have an extra set of hands with some baking Friday evening, now that I wasn't out, quote, "horsing around" as they dubbed it. I never figured myself to be one of those horsing types, but I guess my latest meanderings could qualify.

My parents didn't mind though.

"Just nice to have you around here as well," Mom said, ruffling hair. "With Faith borrowing you for most of the spring break, I'm happy to have some quality time spent with you until then."

"So it's okay?"

"Of course. Faith is part of the family, and honestly, she has done you a world of good," Mom encouraged. "Dad hoped to get that patio for the gazebo started during the weekend. You think you'd be able to help him with that?"

"Sure," I said.

"I was thinking of adding a bunch of flowers and plants. Any suggestions?" Mom asked.

It wasn't unusual for her to ask me about ideas for our backyard, but I rarely had any. But there was one. Lavender. Faith always smelled nice, but lavender was a consistency around her. I always liked lavender anyway, but it being always associated with the warmness and the security that Faith represented kinda elevated that wonderful odorous flower for me.

Or was it a tree? A bush? I didn't know shit about lavender come to think of it.

"Perhaps lavender?" I said.

Mom looked at me suspiciously, as if she knew what I was up to here. She couldn't possibly know my reasoning, right? Unless, of course, she had caught a whiff of Faith's perfumes. And on that note, my Mom 'smelling' my girlfriend created some weird imagery, so I didn't linger on it.

Instead, Mom just gave my hair a stroke, and offered me a smile, before starting to roll out buns.

"I'll write it down."

Saturday I was awoken by Dad, who even brought me a cup of cocoa, and most of that day I spent working in the backyard. We got pretty far, even managing to get some of the beams and stuff ready. I wasn't much of a carpenter or a handyman like my dad, but given appropriate instruction I guess I could be decent. If nothing else, it felt pretty good working with my hands, and by the time I hit the hay, I was dead to the world.

Monday was the first day of official spring break. Which meant a few things. Later, I'd meet Faith again. We hadn't talked for a few days, and it had been over a week since I last saw her, so I was very much looking forward to that. Another thing that spring break meant, I could sleep in. I wasn't out of bed until way late in the day. I determinately went into hibernation, a sleeping animal awaiting his girlfriend.

And when I woke up, I had way too much energy and anticipation. Even gaming couldn't keep me distracted. I was pacing around, never sitting still. Until Mom got the better of me.

"Go for a walk," Mom chuckled, as I came down to check the fridge for the hundredth time. "Get your energy out. She's not here until after eight. A bit late to go traveling, but who am I to judge?"

So I grabbed my phone, my keys, and my earbuds before I went for a stroll. I was just wandering, not really thinking about where I was going. Wandering around, it kinda got me thinking, like I had briefly considered before, whether I should start working out. I mean, I didn't want to be huge and buff like The Rock or something, but if I one day would become a vampire like Faith, perhaps getting in slightly better shape couldn't hurt.

Faith was in perfect shape herself, and I was sure it'd be something she appreciated. I never knew farm work would yield anyone such an incredible body, but then again, she had said she worked for it in addition to working day in and day out.

I also tried to imagine myself as a vampire, but that was really hard. I didn't feel like I'd do anything differently, but then again, I had only been a human after all. I bet it was confusing, like getting superpowers, but not really knowing how to use them. Faith did her best to explain it, but there was so much that was different, that it was impossible to put it all in perspective. And while I knew vampires could consume other stuff, to live off blood would be quite different from what I was used to.

Though, for Faith to become my true vampire mommy... heh, well, that was an interesting thought. Very interesting.

And then there was the matter of the infamous Melanie. Even from the brief conversation I had about her with Pete, she was already quite intimidating. She sounded quite different from Faith, that was for certain. Was that due to being turned? Or was that just how she was? I wondered if I'd get to meet her eventually.

I wandered around aimlessly until I was back at our driveway. I didn't really think I was gone for that long. But then again, I never kept track of time anyway, so I couldn't really tell. It was almost eight PM, and that was all that mattered. I didn't expect her to show up immediately after sundown, as she had to get the car, pack, and do other stuff that I guess correlates with traveling. I wasn't all that experienced with that myself, so I presume there's stuff that needs to be done.

"Dad?" I said. "You're home this early?

"Had to see ya off. Not every day a dad sees his son take his first steps into the grown world all on his own," Dad chuckled. He then motioned for me to join him in the kitchen. "I got something for ya. Call it a tip from the old man."

I followed him into the kitchen and there I saw a small bouquet of roses. Once upon a time, I had bought one of those for Faith, but since then I haven't had the opportunity nor the money to give it another go. Why hadn't I thought of that? Damn it.

"When you haven't seen the ol' lady in a bit, you better have something for 'em. It is not required, but it is," Dad said, with a bushy, knowing smile, a small glint in his weary eyes. He then nodded towards the roses. "Go ahead, give 'em to Faith."

I had never heard my Dad talk like that, and he was certainly not the most romantic person as far as I knew, but it was good advice. And he was right. You had to be a fool to not give someone flowers when you hadn't seen them for over a week. Perhaps I was learning some things I didn't know about Dad.

"Thanks, Dad!" I said. "I should've got some on my own..."

"There's always next time," Dad smiled. "What the heck?" he said, looking out. "Since when did a young woman like Faith drive an RV?"

"What are you talking about?" I said, moving over to the window.

Lo and behold, outside we saw a huge RV roll up to our driveway, parking on the curb, and then there stood Faith, in a black dress, red leather jacket, and sunglasses. She looked spectacular as always.

"I'll go out and meet her," I said.

"Hey there lil bro," Faith said as I made my way out. I didn't expect myself to hurry so much once the door was no longer between us, but once I got my shoes on I almost ran over and shoved myself up against her, wrapping my hands around her to hug her as tight as I could. And to my great joy, I felt her hand wrap around me in return, squeezing me. "You've missed me?"

"Yes," I said into her chest. I didn't want to let go, but I knew I had to. So I reluctantly pulled away and looked up into her dark shades, somewhat conscious of how I had acted right in front of the whole neighborhood. Faith seemed unfazed, and immediately took her shades off.

"They were in the glove compartment," Faith explained, bringing my attention back to the RV.

"What's up with the RV?" I asked.

"I mostly travel by U-haul trucks, FedEx, and so on, but since you're tagging along I decided to make an upgrade," Faith smiled.

"U-haul trucks?" I asked.

"I ship myself," Faith explained. "Sometimes I fly, but to save a bunch of stress I simply throw myself in a sealed container and mail myself to an address. Perhaps not the most merciful thing to do to the poor drivers, but whatever. But an RV is much cozier."

I could imagine so, yeah. And I saw she had already made some sunproof modifications here and there. I was intrigued to check out the interior as well.

"So I hope you don't mind driving a bit when I sleep?" Faith asked.

"I've never driven before," I said. Faith simply shrugged at that.

"You've outdone yourself this time, Faith," Dad chuckled as he came out, looking up and down the black on slate black RV.

Being no expert, I could easily see that it was perhaps one of the more comfortable types. Not top-notch, but not bottom shelf either. It was fairly long, though, so driving it would perhaps be a challenge. I got nervous just at the thought of it.

"I got it used from a client who was very happy that I chose his company for some road stuff," Faith explained.

"You mind?" Dad asked, waving his hand at the handle.

"By all means," Faith said, and Dad headed inside. I heard a small 'woah' from him and I knew then the interior was likely fitted to Faith's specifications.

"Will I meet this client at the gala?" I asked.

"You sure will," Faith said, ruffling my hair, gripping a handful of locks lightly to give me a quite pleasurable, but mostly playful discreet yank. "I've missed you too," she hummed warmly.

"Where is this thing anyway?" I asked.

"Minneapolis," Faith answered. "So plenty of opportunities to have to warm my little darling up on the way. Speaking of which, how was your week with the folks? Anything happened that I should know about?"

"Not really. Pete has kept me company. I saw Jeremy the other day, but both of them seem pretty whipped by their parents," I said. Faith smiled at that, as her actions had the desired effect on my bullies. I was pretty eager to follow up on some of the questions Pete had left me with, but I was guessing there would be time for that on the road to Minneapolis. This would be the first time we'd spend such a long amount of time together.

"So normally you'd ship yourself there? To Minneapolis?" I asked, not able to contain a snicker from imagining Faith stuffed in a box, getting a shove from Faith.

"It's called being pragmatic," Faith said, turning to greet Mom who came out to join the spectacle.

Mom also had a chance to look inside the RV. Dad even found some electric stuff that he helped rewire, much to the delight of Faith. After some chit-chat between the four of us, it was soon time to go. Mom gave me a kiss on the cheek, and Dad a pat on the back, before they sent me off for my first-ever road trip.

As I bid them farewell, I stepped into the RV and saw the interior for myself. It wasn't that it was all that extravagant, but rather how much it wasn't like those old-timey campers you saw in the movies. The small bed area was sealed off with a thick door with sturdy frames, and the bed itself was pretty much the entire bed area in itself, with no windows. Everything in there was black on black apart from a few ceiling lamps and some LEDs.

The rest was a rather small, but modern kitchen, a few small chairs with a TV and consoles, and of course the front. It wasn't much like I said, but it was enough. And it all screamed vampire-Faith.

"I'm thinking we're setting up camp when we get up in Illinois, then tomorrow we'll haul ass all the way to Minneapolis, where we've got a hotel waiting for us, where we'll stay for a few days. Then we loop back home in a slow, passionate manner," Faith explained, pulling out of our cul-de-sac. "Sounds like a plan?"

It did indeed. I was eager to see how the trip would go. I had been looking forward to this all week, but mostly due to getting to hang with Faith again. But as we rolled out onto Indiana State Road 157, it dawned on me that I was going on an actual holiday with my girlfriend. Like so many others did with their girlfriends!

Though, I guess some took their girls to Aspen, or other ski resorts, or did other spring breaky things. Instead, I was taken on a trip through parts of the Midwest, and the flattest parts at that. But I was happy and eager nonetheless. On a road trip, we'd have a bunch of time to talk about all sorts of things, listen to music, chill, all that stuff.

"So I'm guessing I have to drive parts of the way?" I asked, a bit worried about having to maneuver this big thing. Dad had once let me drive his cop car, just out of the driveway, and that was scary enough.

"If you don't mind. It's not hard, and if you get tired I'll take over," Faith said. She then looked at me and smiled. "You know what? I'll teach you tonight," she encouraged, giving my thigh a squeeze.

I have to say, I always had some misplaced prejudice against campers, RV, and all that, but it was kinda nice sitting in the seat like this, slightly elevated, listening to whatever industrial metal Faith was blasting. While I was always the most curious dude, for the first hour I just took in the road, idly chatting with Faith about the flat road ahead. She explained our route to me, but I wasn't able to capture the details of it. I knew she drove ways away from both Chicago and Indianapolis as she simply preferred to drive well away from the bigger cities. Faith was the boss, and I had of course no objections.

"I know you think it is boring, but what is it that this gala is about? I know you supply both materials and building projects, but if I'm to be your plus one, shouldn't I know a bit more?" I asked.

Faith sighed and turned down the music a bit.

"It's actually pretty dull, but I can explain it if you want," Faith said, but her tone told me that she didn't like the idea of telling me. Not that she didn't like to explain stuff to me, but that the topic truly bored her as well. "Basically, I round up land here and there from all over the world. I then wait, which you know I can do a lot of. Then suddenly when I've waited a bit, people want to do stuff on that land, whether it is to run train tracks through, build houses, hospitals, or simply prospect for oil. So I have projects of various degrees. But it is extremely boring. For example, back in the 1920s, property was dirt cheap, like in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and in California in general. Having some money from the railroad debacle, I bought a bunch of land, waited for the right opportunity, and built houses, roads, you name it. And that's just California. I'm pretty much everywhere."

"Land out there is crazy expensive!" I said. If she bought it cheap back then, the value had to have increased a whole lot. For the first time, Faith's sense of business was starting to really reveal itself. I began to think her financial status might not start with an M.

"I sold some, but I mostly rent out a lot. And out here, well, there's always shit going on. But then lumber, concrete, materials in general became really expensive, and drivers, all that stuff. So over a few years, I bought something like twenty-five percent of all that crap in the Midwest. I also have other businesses in other industries. But please, Logan. This is extremely boring. Can't we talk about something else?" Faith explained.

I was quiet for a bit. Partly mulling new topics, but also letting it settle on me.

"Do you own any forests?" I asked.

"Some would say I own a lot of forests. Why? You wanna go camping?" Faith asked.

"No, I mean, if you own that much of the economy, it kinda makes you a land baroness," I said, chuckling. "I'm trying to imagine what it must be like to own so many things. And how it is to do it in such a way that no one knows your name."

"Oh, don't get me wrong. My name is out there, I just make sure to not appear in any direct ways. Hence Pete. It's complicated, but I have my ways," Faith said. "But I don't wanna bore you with all that. Nor myself for that matter."

"So the sun. We'll be driving through a lot of it, and I know how you have concealed everything, but how exactly does it affect you? And is it like, you can't stay awake at all when the sun is up?" I asked, getting a chuckle from Faith at how easily I could change topics to something else I was ever so curious about.

I of course had a drum magazine loaded to the brim with curiosity ammunition, so if she didn't want to talk about all that business stuff, I had plenty more. Faith took note of that, and gave me a knowing smile.

"Sunlight isn't like a disease. I'm not allergic. I simply can't be in it. I don't melt, or combust, or anything. It just hurts and hurts a lot. Until I die. I'm not sure how long it takes. Some have died within minutes, some even up to an hour. Being above Gump-intelligence, I haven't tested the limits. And I can stay awake, but it isn't good for me. Just like it isn't good for you to stay awake for too long. I get weaker, and my strength fades a bit. My hours are simply reversed from yours. But once I fall asleep, well, you know not to wake me."

"I've noted that one down," I said, tapping my temple. "Dancing. Sorry, I'm switching topics, but dancing. How much is required? At this gala thing."

"It depends on how many people show up," Faith said. "But I would like to give you a crash course in waltz still."

"You know, you keep saying 'waltz'. Is there more than one?" I asked.

"Indeed there is. There is a Viennese Waltz and there is a slow one, but the one I am going to teach you is a bit of a combination, and the most common," Faith said. "Nothing too fancy. As for the duration, a song is usually plenty. But I know my little knight will keep me on the dance floor until my ankles hurt, won't he?"

I gulped. That was a thorough hint that Faith wanted to dance, and not just a little bit. I wasn't exactly a master at moving my feet, but I guess it was time to learn.

I looked over my shoulder at the small makeshift living space in the RV.

"There?" I asked. Faith chuckled.

"It's a bit cramped, but we can make it work. Eager to learn, are we?"

"Yeah, if I'm going to dance with you in front of people, I don't want to make a fool out of you. And I want it to be nice, and for me to be a worthy dance partner," I said.

"Oh, Logan. You're always worthy to stand by my side. I love how you aspire to do your best, and how you strive to improve yourself, especially when you do it for me. It makes a lady feel appreciated when her man goes the extra mile to look good in front of her friends. And you already are worthy, Logan."

"I hope so," I said.

"You know so," Faith corrected.

We drove a bit in silence. Faith seemed content to simply listen to her music while waiting for the next onslaught of curiosity. My mind was mostly on the gala. It sounded so fancy. Probably with lots of proper folk, and important, rich, successful people. And Faith was all three, as well as a woman. What a combination.

"Faith? Do you have any plans for the future? Like, beyond the gala?" I asked.

"Not really. It's hard to plan ahead, and I don't want to think about anything but right now," Faith said.

"But, what about the future? You must have thought about it," I pressed.

"I mean, I've done everything. Except, of course, found my Sam, which I now have. So I guess settle down and become your pretty housewife, who you rail against the kitchen sink after a hard day at the factory, taking your anger and frustration out on my butt cheeks as you slap away," Faith said nonchalantly. I had to start laughing. While the latter of that sounded fun, I could never envision Faith in any such scenario. Faith laughed too in the end. "The future involves you if that's what you're wondering."

"Heh, good to know... so I'm guessing there's a lot of people at the event?" I said.

Faith looked over at me. "There will. A lot of people who're used to getting what they want, and have the money to get it. A lot of old people, and a few new faces here and there. Mostly I'm just there to entertain myself, though I do get to see some of my associates. Probably people who will try to get a piece of what I got, earn a contract here, a distribution deal there. Some will be interested in what I do, some will not. A few will be interested in me, and I will be interested in them. But I'll make sure to have time for you, and if you want to talk to anyone, please, be my guest," Faith explained.

"Will they... I mean, what if someone flirts with you?" I asked, thinking back to how paranoid it had made me before, but also how Faith had almost ripped Jeremy's arm off.

I had no experience with these business events, but I had this vision of these burly old men in their fifties who thought any tail was theirs to have.

"They will, and they'd be stupid not to. I am a catch, after all. You are the one who's snagged me, so feel proud of yourself. But I am loyal to you. They can flirt all they want-" Faith said, but I quickly shot in.

"What? Let them flirt?" I asked, slightly shocked.

"Logan, I'm not going anywhere, and they'll never pose their will on me. It's just words. And I'll never put you in a position just to test you, nor to make you second guess anything. Us, me and you, we're steadier than Kilimanjaro. And if it gets out of line, you can tell them to 'shut the fuck up, you're speaking to my woman.' People are always gonna flirt, and there's little we can do about it. You're proud to be mine, and I'm proud in return. There are no upgrades, sidegrades, downgrades. I already got the one I want, and I don't even look at other men like I do you. And perhaps some will question your 'manhood' and stuff, maybe they'll say stuff like, 'grow a pair' or 'she got your nuts in her purse', but all I can say is just shrug it off. Because yes. I do. I am the one wearing the pants. What of it? What kind of a man lets a woman rule with an iron fist? Logan does. And he loves it. Right?"

Right. My insecurities got a bit better of me, but I knew she was one hundred percent right. And yeah, I was proud of the fact that she was my woman and that she was the ruler of all good and evil within my world. Faith knew this, and I did too, but I was still getting used to it. Being so public about it, though, was perhaps a bit daunting. But it was perhaps one of those things where I had to grow into my skin. I loved Faith, she loved me, and how we played the dynamics of our relationship was our business and our pleasure.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just a bit nervous, I guess," I said.

"I know, but you're doing good," Faith smiled. "And you know you can always talk to me about anything. Me and you, Logan," Faith said, squeezing my thigh again.

"Iron fist by the way?" I asked. "Softest iron fists I've ever heard of."

"You sure about that?" Faith purred. "Want me to smack you around a bit? See if I don't have a touch of steel behind my velvet gloves?"

"Heh, maybe," I said, chuckling. I mean, Faith knew her own strength, and I had felt the result of it on more than one occasion. "But maybe not while you're driving?"

"Good idea."

"So Melanie," I said, almost catching Faith off-guard with how abruptly I was already on the next topic. Maybe a small affirmation that I took her answer of 'what if they flirt' to heart, as her lips at least curled into a knowing smirk. "She's a bit of an enigma to me. She's the only other vampire I've heard of, and she's kinda my sister if everything goes to plan."

"Yeah, that would be right," Faith said, a bit hesitant. Was this a sensitive topic? I mean, the time she brought Melanie up way back it had been at her own accord. "Did I ever say her name?"

"No Pete did. But who is she?" I asked, simple as that.

"Erh. I haven't really seen her since I moved back to Courtington. But she's my daughter, obviously. She's a vampire too. And she's been around for quite a while. And she's... different," Faith said, a bit lost in thought. "She's also quite dominant, but not quite like me. Certainly more arrogant. And emo, as you'd say. Or perhaps goth? When I left Wallachia, she kinda remained for a bit, only getting out of there when the commies took over. She lives in New York."

"And she's not like you?" I asked, but Faith just chuckled.

"Oh, no. She's nothing like me. I'm bright and sunny, as much as a vampire can be. She's always so damn witty, trying to be clever rather than helpful. Kind of a bitch, if you ask me," Faith said.

"Faith!" I said abashed.

"What? She's my daughter, if anyone should know, I'd be the one," Faith said, throwing her hands up, before gripping the wheel to avoid a pothole. And in time to steer us onto the IN-59 northbound. "But I don't think you'll meet her any time soon. She hates the Midwest like the plague. And me. We haven't really talked much since the eighties."

"I see... well, you know, I just wanna know what I'm getting into here," I said.

"You'll be fine," Faith smiled.

*

"OUCH!" I yelped. "Oh!"

I was laid across Faith's lap, getting brutal spankings. Why? Well, when we finally made camp for the night, Faith did as she promised. She gave me my first waltz lesson, and let's say, I wasn't as much of a natural dancer as one might've wanted. Or rather, I was, but not on the first try. And Faith was nothing but patient.

But my butt paid the price of my clumsy steps.

I was dressed down to my boxers, which had been roughly yanked halfway down my thighs, then laid over Faith's lap, with her slowly patting my asscheek, giving it a few strokes before she'd land a stinging blow.

It was my first time dancing like that, but also the first time Faith decided to punish me by spanking me. Smiling above me, soothing me with kind words as she turned my butt cheeks pink, raising up her palm to strike me again and again. It was strange, but it was so good.

The constant swats started to hurt a tad, and after the tenth or twelfth, I wasn't smiling anymore, instead biting the pillow beneath my head. I was about ready to admit defeat, or at least give this up, but... just one more... and another.

"Does it hurt? How is that for the softest iron fists you've heard of? Tell Mommy how it stings," Faith muttered warmly, letting another blow crash into me so I yelped and winced.

I bit my lip, my eyes squeezed shut as the smack echoed in the small compartment. Even a blow as mild as those began to leave a lasting burn behind. But I was so enthralled that I was happy to receive more.

"It hurts so good," I moaned, as it truly did. Pain was something I had long since come to love. When it came from Faith, that is.

"It's getting all rosy, Logan. Such a sight to behold," Faith said, swatting harder this time, forcing out a slight gasp from me. She giggled again, then left another handprint. "I promise not to go full force. That might leave you with a limp. Or even take your whole leg off," she whispered, bending down to tickle my ears with a hint of her strength. She then grabbed a full handful of my locks and yanked me hard by my hair up, pulling me until I was laid flat on my back, though with a bit of assistance from me so my hair wouldn't completely rip out.

"Please, Faith. No more," I begged, but Faith just chuckled.

"You're doing so well," she purred, and before I could do anything, she pulled off the boxers that were still around my ankles and tossed them aside. "Tell me you want more, Logan," Faith said, kissing my cheek warmly, and looking into my eyes with encouraging eyes.

"I... I don't know, I-" I tried to say, but Faith silenced me with a kiss.

"Don't lie to Mommy, Logan. We both know you need this," Faith smiled. "Say you want more pain, and I'll beat your cute little body to a pulp."

I blushed, and she was right. I knew that, and she knew that too. The spanking had been nice. It was almost a relief when the slaps rained down on me, but I had become a full sucker for Faith's vampiristic, dominatrix punishment. Faith knew what I needed, and she delivered it to me. I took a deep breath and tried to speak.

"Mommy. Please. I want more. Please?" I said, almost pleading.

Faith gave me a quick peck, then jumped out of bed, produced her notorious flogger and for the next few minutes, I got an impromptu lesson on why it was called a cat o' nine tails.

Afterward, Faith had me ride her from behind, taking her to a great orgasm, in which she let me cum after. I had learned that if I wanted to cum, it was best to have Faith cum first. Even if I was allowed to go more than once. Or encouraged to, rather. After that, she gripped my hair and pulled me around into her loving embrace, locking her strong legs around me as I passionately pumped her with my legs, squeezing into her, pushing as deep as I could, making love to her until I found another climax.

She had me lay on top of her for a while after, while she still wrapped her arms around me, her legs still on either side of me, with me still inside her. With feather-like touches, she soothed me, cuddled me, and made me feel so comfortable and secure in her embrace.

"You liked that?" she asked into my ear.

"I love it. I love you," I said.

"And I love you too," Faith said, back to her regular warm self, cupping my cheek with her warm hand. "I thought I might peg you tonight, but maybe we can save that for later?"

I gulped and nodded. We had done it once or twice, and now it was a promise for later.

"Will we have regular sex too?" I asked.

"As much as you want," Faith smiled, not missing a beat. "Was it too far tonight?"

"Nope. Just wanted to make sure," I replied.

Faith then looked past me and I saw that the sun was about to peek beyond the horizon of this desolate place we had set up camp at. One of the perks of camping in the Midwest, everything is flat, so you get a sunrise or set no matter what. Kinda sorta. "Mind closing the blinds?" she asked.

"Sure. Do you need to feed after?" I asked, climbing across the mattress. I leaned out to shut a curtain that blocked the driver's area from the cabin, then closed the door to the sleeping quarters. A double measure so I could move around without having to worry about sunlight hitting her in her sleep.

"Come here, little one," Faith said, pulling me down under her before pinching my neck with her teeth, sucking down hard with her lips sealed around the puncture wounds. She drank only a little bit, as according to her, she didn't need much at her age. The times she indulged truly was when lost in lust, and as much as I liked her beatings, I think I liked that too. "If you decide to try your hand at driving this thing, try to keep it here where there's nobody. You know, if just to get a feel. Your first actual driving, I kinda wanna supervise."

"Of course," I said, stroking her hair out of her sleepy eyes, as she settled her head down on my chest.

"Give me a kiss before I sleep, maybe I'll dream of something nice," Faith said. I obliged, kissing her tenderly on the lips. "Good boy," she sighed, smiling, and then her face became relaxed as she quickly fell asleep.

It was kind of scary, having someone so beautiful sleep in your lap. So dangerous. But I knew better than to linger, as much as I wanted to savor her body resting against me, I knew I better get out of here. I snuck out of her embrace before she fully fell asleep.

Now what? I had at least twelve hours of nothing to do. I could game, of course. She had brought plenty of consoles. Read, as we brought our current books. Outside we had open fields on all sides, with a few clusters of trees, a dirt road that led to another road that led to another road that led to the main road. Yeah, a labyrinth I didn't want to venture if I were to drive.

I did try my hand at driving a bit, though. Only a few feet ahead before I, as gently as I could, stopped the vehicle and put it back in park. I was honestly surprised I got it moving at all, but the small movement I got was more than scary enough for me to wait until later to drive some more. And there were bumps. I didn't want Faith to rip my head off due to some bad asphalt.

In the end, I opted to take a shower. It was quite nice, the water pressure was okay, and the temperature was good. It felt nice to wash after my nightly romp with Faith. I called my parents to let them everything was okay, gamed, ate breakfast, played some Zelda, read a good chunk of the third installment of the Witcher saga 'Baptism by Fire', had lunch, did some homework, played some more Zelda and then Mario Kart, had an early dinner, when I suddenly heard gravel churn under the weight of rolling wheels.

I quickly glanced at the clock. It was at least half an hour until Faith was due to wake up. Fuck. And looking in the passenger mirror, I saw that it was a cop car. Double fuck. I had no idea if we were trespassing or if this was public property. Was it even allowed to camp at public properties with your RV? I had no idea.

The cop, however, remained seated. I just hoped he'd linger there until Faith woke. I wasn't sure what she could really do, other than accept the ticket or drive us away, though. Fuck. What if the cop wanted to have a look inside? I could picture the scene unfolding before him. Scrawny teenager alone in butt fuck Illinois in an RV with a smoking hot woman in the back of his RV, looking so incredibly lifeless. Or, the other option. He'd wake her up and I'd be witness to what that entailed.

I was not sure if it was a good thing the cop stayed in his car, but it was a blessing that he did. After five minutes, though, the door of the cop car swung open, and out came the cop. The dude had a huge belly, but other than that looked really staunch. Being the son of a cop, I could tell he wasn't a local patrol. A state trooper, by the looks of it. Did that matter? Not really.

I quickly checked to see if I was dressed enough, which I was. Just some sweatpants and a T-shirt. Faith had packed for me. I felt like such a kid when I was in her care, but I think she liked doting on me.

Resisting the urge to step outside, I went up to the driver's seat and plumped down with my hands on the wheel as if it were just another traffic stop. Dad had told me endless stories of what people should and shouldn't do, and as mentioned, I was the son of a cop and had been around a bunch of blue and brown uniforms in my life. So in theory, I should be good. But I was also an incredibly awkward kid, so I didn't trust myself. Maybe that was the root of the problem.

Anyway, the officer came up to the driver's side and tapped the door for me to roll down the window. Of course, my upbringing as a cop's son was already out the window, and nervousness was taking hold of me. I rolled down.

"License and registration," the officer said. At least he wasn't loud-mouthed.

"Erh. This is my sister's RV, sir, and she drove through the night and is resting, and I hope that is okay. Where would that typically be?" I asked. I was at least not letting my nerves shine through too much.

The trooper sighed. "Sure. I've been there. I got two kids myself, and a wife who loves to go down to Disneyland. Just check the glove compartment. Slowly, I don't want any sudden movements or surprises."

"Absolutely, sir. My dad is a cop in Indiana, so I understand," I said, slowly reaching over to the glove compartment. Indeed, there was some paperwork right there.

"Really?" the cop asked, sounding a bit more optimistic. I handed him the registration paper.

"I don't have a license, but my girl- my sister has her purse right here with hers, sir," I said, moving my left to point down. Everything slow and smooth. Perhaps excessively, but I didn't want any trouble, nor give him a single reason to take a look inside the vehicle.

The officer nodded. "Go ahead. So where are you heading? You and your sister," he asked as I retrieved said purse.

"Minneapolis, sir. We're on a small road trip for spring break," I replied, handing him my 'sister's' license. I wondered what it said. Surely it was fake? Would he be able to tell?

He merely glanced at it. "That's how you spend your spring break? Camping with your sister?" he chuckled.

Now, I knew most of the questions, and as friendly as they were, I could just refuse to answer as per my right, but I wasn't about to be a nuisance. The dude seemed okay, and I hadn't done anything illegal as far as I knew.

"Yeah, heh, we're close, so..." I said, trailing off. "She's beaten though. Drove a bunch. I don't have a license, as I said, so she does the heavy lifting."

"That's nice of her," the officer said, handing back Faith's ID. I didn't look at it, just put it back and threw the purse aside. "Mind stepping out of the vehicle?"

"Alrighty," I said, opening the door. "If you don't mind me asking, have I done anything wrong? If I did, it wasn't on purpose."

"Ah, nothing much. Just saw those Indiana license plates and thought I'd check ya out. This is private property too, so I have to ask you to leave the area as soon as your sister is able," the officer said, towering over me as I stepped down from the elevated seat. "Also, there's a matter of tinted windows. You don't have tinted up front here, but your window out back is waaay past the 35, or even 50, percent of the legal limit."

"Oh," I said. This was certainly above my pay grade. I glanced at the clock.

"Got somewhere you gotta be, son?" he asked, taking note of my glance.

"Sorry. Bad habit, sir," I said nervously.

"Now, if your sister could step out as well, that would be great. I'll be polite and let you go get her, as I'm sure a stranger marching up on her while she's sleeping won't be too popular," the officer said. The dude had been nice so far, but the way he said that... It really sounded like he didn't mind marching up on a sleeping beauty. If the woman in question wasn't Faith, I'd maybe be perhaps more worried.

"What was your name again, officer?" I asked as I tried stalling for time.

"Officer Freddie Howden," he said, starting to move around the RV to where the door to the cabin was. I hurried after.

"Nice to meet you, Officer Howden," I said, as I made my way around the vehicle, following him to the door. "And what's the tinting laws in Illinois?"

"Thirty-five percent," Howden said without further deliberation. He nodded at the door. "Could you please get your sister?"

"Wait!" I blurted out in obvious panic. "My sister is asleep! I told you."

"Son, is there something I should know about that you don't want me to see? Is that why you have tinted your windows beyond the legal limit?" he pressed. "Is that why you haven't opened the door and talked to your sister yet?"

"No, sir, please, I just don't want to bother her while she's sleeping. She can get quite grumpy."

"Nothing a man like myself can't handle," the officer said with a smug sigh, adjusting his buckle. Oh fuck.

"Please," I begged. "She will be incredibly mad. Why is this so important, I have your name, can't I call you or something?" I asked, now really thinking of calling Dad, and asking him what to do. I looked and saw that there were still some rays peeking up behind the treeline.

"I think I can manage a girl throwing temper tantrums. You see, unlike you, I'm a man. Girls listen to men. Now, I've been more than patient, so I suggest you open the door so I can make sure nothing illegal is going on, unless you want me to bust open the door and find your sister in some unfortunate, but very compromised position," he said, though it again didn't sound like he minded finding Faith in her sleeping attire.

I couldn't fathom how he had been pretty polite to then be a power-hungry bastard. Perhaps he saw some mirage of an opportunity to get something visually pleasing on the behest of Faith?

To my surprise, and to Officer Howden's, the door suddenly unlocked, and he was suddenly robbed for any such opportunity as Faith, wearing sunglasses, awkwardly made her way out of the RV. She looked quite dead still, and I could still see remnants of the sun behind us. My heart immediately went into high gear, and an immediate urge to shove her back inside ran through me.

"Do you see the chain between the two poles? The sign attached to said chain? Right between your patrol car and my RV?" Faith asked the officer. She gestured to two poles that separated this little area from the rest, and there was a fence stretching out around us from both sides of the pole.

"Ye-"

"Did you read the sign? This is private property. Do you have a warrant?"

"No, but-"

"But this is my property. I have the documents inside to prove it. Sure, take a look inside. And while you do that, I can call your lieutenant and ask why one of his officers is harassing me on my own property, for no reason."

"The tint-"

"Officer, if you knew the law properly, you'd know that the Illinois VLT limits are for front side windows and the windshield, and not for the rear window, on a multipurpose vehicle. And as you can see it is an RV, thus this is registered as a multipurpose vehicle. Now, go have a look and fuck off," Faith barked. She wasn't angry, I think, but her patience was running mighty thin. I swear I could even see some steam come from her forehead. Wait. No, that was actually steam! From the little sunlight there still was. Luckily, the trooper didn't notice. But I did. My heart was thudding and thumping in panic.

"No, it's okay. I mean, I had to make sure... but if you could at least provide the documentation that this is your property, then at least I can be at ease." Howden was persistent if nothing else.

For a short moment, I thought Howden had signed his own death certificate. Faith looked like that drop was the final one. But with an annoyed sigh, she turned and headed back inside. Moments later, she emerged with a folder, which she tossed to Officer Howden. He caught it, and the first document inside was apparently the right one. He read for a bit, then his eyes grew wide, and he gave the folder back.

Ten minutes later, we were back on the road, scot-free.

"Damn, you had that officer humbled," I said enthusiastically. Faith huffed and puffed. "I mean, he just stood there and took it. I mean, does he even need a warrant when it's open land like that? And I didn't know you owned that lot. Damn-"

"Logan. I love you and I'm not angry with you, but could we please be quiet for a bit? My head is literally burning," Faith said. I could tell she was mustering all the patience she had left to not bark at me. I zipped my mouth immediately.

I guess I had just witnessed parts of what it was like for Faith to face the sun. I couldn't imagine how painful it was, especially if it was like she said; that she was literally burning. It couldn't be very comfortable, so I obliged her command to remain silent for a while.

She did, however, take my hand, and squeezed it gently.

*

"Crunk is supposed to be a word?" Faith asked as we were playing Scrabble on the bed in our windowless hotel room.

After an intense night of driving, we made it to Minneapolis and were chilling a bit before the two of us had to hit the bed. Faith had even let me drive for an hour, but it was mostly straightforward, and not on the interstate. I always thought my first driving lesson would be with my Dad, but Faith was as good a teacher in driving as she was in instilling confidence in me. She even gave me a high five after the hour was over.

I had told my parents we arrived safely, and my Dad was apparently already at work, but they were both happy to hear we had arrived safe and sound, and that I had driven some too.

"It isn't?" I asked Faith jokingly. It probably wasn't, but I hoped to get away with it.

"Nope," she chuckled.

Faith had also taken her time to explain some more about the sun and how it affected her. It was true that it would eventually kill her, but it seemed like she could survive it a bit. But mostly due to how low it was, the time of year, and the duration. If it was the summer, for longer, and in the middle of the day, it would've drained her faster and far worse.

"Erh. Pass," I said. "What does one even wear to one of these gala things?"

"Me? I'm going for a nice dress. You'll see. I got you a tux. I said this before, I think. It should be at the reception around noon, so you need to go collect it. It's easier for you guys to dress nicely, us girls have to put in so much effort. But you'll look so handsome, I already know," Faith beamed. "And I want you to know how important this is. Not the gala, but us two out like that. Official. When people see us, they will know we're together. It means a lot to me to show everyone that 'here is my partner, and look how he adores me.' Perhaps not literally, but yeah."

"So you won't mind being seen with a dwarf?" I said half-jokingly. It still lingered in me that it was so surreal that I, Logan, the bullied nerd, was dating someone as proper and elegant as Faith. Not just any elegant perfection, but an endlessly mighty one. The comforter who brought me out from solitude to show me what the world still could offer even me. It was almost world-crushing how adoringly she sometimes spoke of me.

"Not at all. You're the king of my castle, shortie," Faith teased. I just smiled. She always knew what to say.

"Will there be... food?" I asked as she took her turn. "Drink?"

"Yeah," Faith said.

"And lots of other folks? Successful and all that?" I said, letting some of what my worries resurface again.

"Of course," Faith said. "People try to pretend, but most of these 'old' schmucks like to drink too many whiskeys, flirt, and cheat around. Feel mighty and powerful as their actions hold no consequences. But not us. We're there because most of these fools want something from me, or other folks like me. I'm just there so I can show off to you in my splendid dress, then later take it off and show you the wonderful present I've got underneath for the occasion. I don't need to feel powerful, because I am powerful."

And just like that she laid down F-U-L right onto a triple word, indeed spelling out 'powerful' on the board.

"So don't let your insecurities bother you. I've said it before, you're there because you're my better half. My date, plus-one, and I'm here for the long haul. Right?" Faith asked.

I nodded. I knew she'd say that, and I knew it was true. I would never be left behind, nor would she abandon me.

"Better half? In what way?" I asked. Not in a dismissive way, but honest curiosity. I mean, I had none of her successes.

"I'm the one who loves to fuck the modesty out of you, who gets turned on by beating the shit out of people, who considered killing the cop earlier," Faith explained. "You haven't seen it yet, but trust me on that one. Besides, it's a flattering expression. Not meant to be taken that literally."

"I will," I smiled back. I did suspect the cop was awfully near his demise, but I was glad Faith didn't. To witness that... Well, let's not linger on it. It didn't happen. "So... will there be other vampires? I mean, from other places in the country?"

"Good question. I have no idea. Maybe, but I doubt it," Faith said, not really fazed it seemed.

"Is Melanie a businesswoman?" I asked.

"Awful interested in your future sister, are you?" Faith said with a smirk, as she drew a new tile.

"I am curious about her, that's all," I said defensively. I wasn't. Not really, anyway.

"No, she isn't. That is, she runs the laundromats I own on the East Coast. I was actually thinking you'd like to work at one of them whenever or wherever you go to college," Faith said, elegantly changing the subject to something she'd much rather talk about. "You know, to maintain your independence."

We then played a few words, ending the round. Faith won easily. So we played another. I started out good, but soon enough, her attentive board game skills and vast vocabulary brought her into the lead again. Hitting a few triple words and double words at the same time racked up the points too.

"So. Vampires," I said.

"Vampires," Faith agreed.

"Are there other... creatures? Like Wiccans, succubuses, cyclops, whatever? I know there are no werewolves," I asked.

"I'm still not an expert on fable lore. I almost wish I was, now. I don't know. There were witch trials, and while most of it was humbug, I knew there were rumors some were real. And the Inquisition did burn a lot of the arcane knowledge," Faith answered.

"Are there experts? Like Melanie, if she stayed in Romania as long as she did?"

"Transylvania isn't really the hub of supernatural beings you think. My maker resided there, Melanie, and a few others. But maybe. She's way more 'vampire'-like than I am, so maybe that's the sort of stuff she'd be into," Faith mused as if she never even offered the notion a thought until now. "If nothing else, maybe she knows somebody that knows stuff. I haven't really kept in touch to know who's around anymore."

"Why is that?" I asked.

"Erh... well, some vampires think humans should be caddle and nothing else, that vampires don't have feelings and all of us are psychos. Sure, if we nest together for too long we get a bit crazy, but I think that kinda nonsense is fucking dumb. The easiest example is myself. I love, I hate, I cry at stupid movie scenes, all that stuff. While I don't mind a good beating and some blood, brutal gore makes me want to throw up. I never embraced all that stuff. Neither did my maker. Catrina of Macedonia. While she had her faults, I don't think she was a psychopath, nor did she think less of humans in any other way than being a confident woman."

"I don't think you've ever mentioned your maker's name. Catrina of Macedonia? I've never heard of her. And why don't you call her your mother?" The name sounded familiar and sounded significant, but I couldn't draw any connections.

"Because she thought it would make her sound old," Faith chuckled. "She'd rip your heart out if you ever called her grandmother."

"Do you miss her?" I asked.

"Like anyone would miss their mak- mother. I mean, I miss my biological mother too, but I spent quite some time with my maker. Much more than with Catrina. But time heals all wounds. You get used to it," Faith said, with a crooked smile.

I looked at Faith for a bit. She had lived such a long, but full life. Still, she was youthful, and nothing like one would expect a vampire to be. Though, in some ways she was. Fierce, strong, but kind and with so much patience for me that I don't know what to do with it. She was so supportive I almost became self-conscious about it.

"What's the catch?" I asked.

"No catch. Except you need to be pegged and flogged from time to time," Faith smiled.

"Are all vampire relationships like this?"

"Again, for the hundredth time, I'm no expert, but more or less yes. Not everyone is as kinky, but the female is always the dominant one in a vampire relationship, even if there is a male vampire in the equation," Faith explained.

"You're like bees then," I joked.

"Something like that," Faith said with a yawn.

The next evening, we were both sitting in a limousine. It was a front to show everyone her importance, according to Faith. She wore an elegant red dress with wine-colored lipstick and smoky makeup around her eyes. She had swatted me away when I had tried to get a hold of her, but I had barely been able to stay away. She looked like an angel, and I wanted to worship her. Once she had exited the bathroom in full attire, I had wanted to rip it all off and eat her up. I think she had the same wish for me when she saw me in tux and the fact that she could find herself actually eating me kinda made me feel fuzzy. But yeah, each of our attires brought certain emotions from both of us to the forefront.

But we remained composed. For now, at least.

Arriving at the gala, my eyes opened wide as I entered a ballroom with a lot of beautiful, mostly wealthy-looking people wearing splendid and varied clothes and jewelry. Looking down at myself, I wondered how I compared to all of them, then tried my best to be more confident. I was wearing an expensive tux, but I was still a teenager. Luckily, my skin game was on point at least. Meaning, I had very few pimples. But I felt pretty small in this crowd, even more so with Faith beside me.

But Faith smiled at me and patted my hand, letting her thumb swirl in circles on the back of my hand. I took a deep breath. I got this. This wasn't for me, it was for Faith. For us.

"You look so smart," Faith said, leaning in on me. She had even styled my hair to look extra classy. I thought I looked like some character from the fifties, but Faith liked it. She had puffed her hair too, making it into big elegant curls. It would only last a few hours, as her hair would recede back to her regular sandy style. "Here," she said, taking a glass from a tray. The waiter looked like he wanted to say something, perhaps about me being under 21, but when he met Faith's look he cowered away.

"Thanks," I said, taking a sip. It was champagne, and quite sweet. It tasted great.

"Shall we go mingle? I think there are a few people you should meet. Or, they should meet you, if they know what's good for them," Faith said, a hint of a threat that anyone who'd try to challenge our relationship, or ridicule us, would get the bad end of Faith's wrath.

"Sure. Let's go," I said, downing the rest of the drink. Faith chuckled, took another glass from the same tray, handed it to me.

"Don't worry, there isn't much for you to do, really. They'll talk, try to be funny, I'll laugh and ask how their kids are doing, and then we move to the next. Rinse and repeat," Faith muttered, before turning to some big burly dude in his fifties "Walter! How's it going? I heard you're back on the tennis court?" she asked. I guess we were starting right away.

Faith introduced me to Walter, who turned out to be the owner of a company that developed software for big hospitals all across the country. His wife was also there, and while they both seemed nice enough, I was glad Faith didn't linger too long. Next came a guy named Carl, who owned a bunch of laundromats, just like Faith did. He and Faith spoke for a long time, and I couldn't help but to feel like I was missing something. Like he knew Faith, but in a way I didn't. Like they shared something I couldn't comprehend. Maybe it was just me being insecure, but it made me a bit nervous. I guess they were in the same business, so lots to talk about. Maybe they had known each other through that business for a while.

I noticed that Faith got her fair share of looks too. And I mean, of course, she did. She was beautiful and in a red dress that showed off her body perfectly, but so elegant, so I couldn't really blame anyone. Faith then suddenly turned to me, bringing me into their conversation.

"Oh, yeah we met at the mall of all places," Faith said. "No wait, he was helping out a mutual neighbor of ours with some dead squirrels!"

"Is that so?" Carl said, eyeing me from above. He stood like half a foot taller than me and looked to be in his mid-to-late fifties. He wasn't a handsome man, but not ugly either. He was quite average-looking. But the look he gave me was an arrogant one. He was probably wondering what a little nerd had to do here. "So what are you majoring in, Logan?"

"I haven't decided yet, sir. But I'm leaning toward literature, philosophy, something like that," I said. I didn't know why I said that. I hadn't considered anything.

"Ah, you're looking for a career flipping burgers, I hear!" Carl said, before roaring into laughter at my expense. "I'm just fucking around! I'm sure that is... healthy career choices, little man."

I felt myself turn quite red, feeling the burning humiliation in my chest. It was worse than anything I had ever experienced in school. But before I could react, Faith's hand shot up for Carl to halt and the man stopped laughing immediately.

"I'll put you out of business," Faith said simply.

"What? What do you mean?" Carl said, slightly confused. "I was just joking. Man can take a joke, surely?"

"It's fine," I tried.

"See?" Carl said, gesturing towards me.

"No, it's not," Faith said. "You don't come here to pick on people. Least of all him. You come here because I get you invitations to these shindigs. And if you continue to disrespect my date, then I'll rescind your invitation and you can find a new place to beg for money."

"But I didn't mean anything by it, surely," Carl protested.

"Then maybe you should think before you speak. Logan is a smart, funny, and very handsome young man. And he is the most important thing in my life, so if you don't have anything nice to say, then shut the fuck up," Faith said, smiling sweetly at him.

Carl looked quite stunned, thoroughly gelded by Faith's sharp tongue. He mumbled a quick apology to me before quickly excusing himself, and for the first time that evening, I felt like I belonged with Faith. That I was protected and loved. That we were in it together. I wanted to throw my arms around her and thank her for protecting me, but I knew that would be unseemly around these folks.

"Thank you," I said.

"No worries," Faith replied. "Now, let's go meet more important people. He apologized, so I guess we're good for now. You did good, for sure."

Faith then took me to meet a woman in her seventies, and while the woman looked quite old and frail, she seemed to be just as dominant as Faith was in a business sense. I didn't understand much of what they spoke about, and when we left, Faith explained that she owned a lot of casinos. A lot of them. Apparently, she needed concrete for some new garage buildings too.

Faith made a couple of trips to the bathroom but returned as fresh as ever. Being a vampire, she had to reapply her makeup quite a bit and refresh her hair, but she maintained an utterly smoking, sexy appearance. I had to wonder what people would think if they knew who and what Faith actually was. It didn't matter though, as she seemed to command the respect of any and everyone.

That's when I saw someone that even I recognized. A tall ginger dude in his late twenties. A bit hardened, but he looked pleasant enough. I couldn't remember his name, but as soon as he introduced himself, I learned that it was-

"Aiden!" he said, shaking my hand and Faith's. He had a wife too. Very pretty in her own right, and she looked incredibly cozy.

"Logan," I said. "Have I seen you before?"

"He runs a contracting business back home. In fact, Aiden, I may or may not have acquired a bunch of lots in Courtington a few years ago. I'm thinking of coining them 'Courtington Terrace'. What do you think?"

"Sounds fancy," Aiden smiled politely.

"Sure does," Faith said. "Logan, Aiden is the owner of an up-and-coming construction/contractor business. Garden work, lawns, pavement, and some construction and roofing, am I right?"

"You're right, and much thanks to you, ma'am. Though, I don't think you need me to confirm that," Aiden chuckled. He looked at me and smiled. "These things are a bit elaborate for me. Not sure how I landed my ass here." Aiden gestured toward the event.

"Well, this is where you expand your business. And that being said, I think you should worry about hiring more people. Some job opportunities may appear in your area," Faith said. It was a promise without a promise. Aiden nodded, as his eyes went a bit wide-eyed. "Off you go."

Aiden and his wife headed away.

"I gave him a loan in his early days and some low-cost, but stable contracts. He used to be a drug addict after some stuff in his youth. While I can't stand organized religion, he found his calling and made a life for himself, so he needed something to get back on his feet."

"And for that, you're being generous?" I asked.

"Exactly. I may be a bloodsucker, and I'm known to ram a few businesses to the ground if they get in my way, but if I find some soul trying to do a good thing, I wanna help out. I like Aiden. He's a good kid," Faith smiled. "He's one of those folks who will one day find himself in a similar position where he can help someone else."

"I like him too," I agreed. Though it was odd for Faith to call him a kid. In appearance, he looked a few years older than her.

Then I saw someone I didn't like. Jonathan Chance, Jeremy's dad. The dad of my bully. If Carl looked like a burly man in his fifties, then so did Mr. Chance, though with a much larger gut. Though he looked much meaner, much angrier, and he was looking right at us.

"Faith! How are you?" he barked loudly. He wasn't drunk, but he had had a few drinks. I could tell by his voice.

Faith had recently severed all ties with Chance's businesses, which meant that he was on a fast downward spiral with the money faucet tightly shut. Faith hadn't told me much, but I had read some of the news on my own. Faith didn't like him, and she had good reason not to. He had raised that shitbag of a sun Jeremy, and he wasn't much better himself. He didn't even look at me, as he came over, wiping his hair down as his charcoal-slick back wasn't cooperating.

Faith was staring daggers into him, but I guess Chance was here to try to save his own skin. I looked at Faith.

"You're making me a laughing stock in front of everyone," Chance said, looking at Faith. "Dropping me like that. Nobody takes me seriously now."

"You are not my responsibility. You're a big boy," Faith said coldly.

"I mean, what caused this break up? We've done business together for years, so what gives?" Chance said, undeterred by Faith's coldness. This was a man who was very much used to getting what he wanted.

"If you can't handle your business at home, how can you handle a construction company with a bunch of employees?" Faith said. Chance hadn't yet recognized me it seemed. "I've heard plenty of your son's shit, and I'm not funding that kind of behavior."

"What, how dare- I mean. Of course. But I'm merely a man. I can only do so much," Chance said.

Faith shrugged. "Okay."

"Okay, what?" Chance said hopefully.

"Okay that you're merely a man," Faith said. "Ah, I see they're letting us into the dining hall now."

And just like that, Faith hooked my arm and we promptly left Chance seething behind.

"He's a piece of work," I said to Faith.

"A dickless, spineless, greedy bastard. He's an asshole, and he deserves the shit I've done to his business. Jeremy, Jonathan, they can both go fuck themselves along with that whore mother," Faith said. Jesus, she held nothing back. "If you think I'm overreacting; Jeremy killed you, remember? If I hadn't been there that one time... I'll never forgive him for that. So fuck his father, and fuck 'em both."

"I love you," I told her, seeing her ferociousness on full display as Faith spat her venom into the universe.

"I love you too," Faith replied, instantly melting again into the confident but elegant, wise, and compassionate vampire that I adored. It was comforting to know there was always someone watching your back, a loving force there to protect you. It made it a lot easier to handle bullies. I pulled her hand close, kissing the back of it.

Faith brought me to a few more places and people, and finally, we took a seat by ourselves. The food was quite extravagant. I could hardly tell what it was. Usually, these fancy things served meager portions and now was no different. Fortunately, Faith didn't have the stomach for 'regular' food today, so I ate for two. Faith instead chatted away with anyone within reach, reserving herself to sipping wine as she enthralled anyone who listened.

"Your boy toy sure has an appetite," one of the wives said.

"He needs to keep his energy up," Faith said, moving her hand from rubbing my back to lightly tugging at my hair, laying enough implication there for the wife to giggle. I felt myself get a bit flustered but decided to just smile it away. "And his appetite... is rather healthy," Faith added, to the amusement of the wife.

Then it was desert. Lemon cakes, fortunately. Even Faith indulged in a few spoons before she decided to feed me the rest. It was a bit embarrassing, but... also sort of endearing. Cute. She seemed quite pleased that I let her without any protest, as well as being totally turned on by my submission so easily in public.

Luckily, barely anyone paid attention. Not that I think I would've minded. The wife who had commented on my appetite did though, and she found it appropriate to eat her cake too, excessively sucking on her spoon a moment more than necessary while staring at me. Until she saw the death look from Faith, in which the wife stopped immediately trying to flirt with me. Faith was like a lioness, staking her claim to me. She didn't have to do that of course as I'd never even look at anyone else, but she wanted everyone to know, so she did.

After a few hours of more talking, mingling, drinking a bit, then more mingling, we once again were parayad by Chance. After avoiding him for the entire evening more or less, he managed to corner us. That is, Faith was seated at a table while I was at the restroom, and when I was on my way back, I saw Chance sit on the chair I had sat on, leaning in a bit as he was talking to Faith. He must really want those contracts and deals back, or some money. Whatever it was, Faith clearly did not approve.

So I didn't wait, and walked straight to the table, but slowed down to hear what was said before I made my presence known.

"... look. If we could discuss this privately, surely we could reach some arrangement where-"

"No," Faith cut him off. "And stop staring at my cleavage. Aren't you married for god's sake?"

"That I am. In fact, I was, erh, hoping we could perhaps discuss this in private? Say, it's so crowded in here, and these things are so delicate, and perhaps not suitable for a whole audience," Chance said, barging ahead, nagging her more or less.

"To hear your bribing, you mean," Faith snorted. "You're so predictable. No. I'm not taking you on."

"Is it because your young... date, wouldn't be comfortable with that?" Chance said, smirking as he leaned in. Faith recoiled, then frowned angrily at him.

"And you're insinuating what? That Logan has anything to worry about?"

"We both know that that boy can't handle a woman like you. I mean, is that why you're here with him? That's cute. But seriously. Let's go to my room, then we can discuss this properly. Surely a smart individual like yourself will see some reason after a few hours of... negotiations?"

"That's your sales pitch? Seriously?" Faith asked.

Chance leaned in even further. "I know you're acting out because you're not getting what you need, but that little runt doesn't have the package... package deal I can give you," Chance chuckled. Faith remained dead calm. "Tell you what, let him stay downstairs to enjoy some of the festivities, then you can sneak out and find yourself someone more... adequate?"

"Adequate?"

"He's a boy. I mean, he's handsome, sure, but... a small boy," Chance said, running out of words.

"Let me get this straight," Faith said. "You assume Logan is somehow inadequate for me because you deem him immature? When your own son tormented Logan for years?"

For the first time, it seemed like Chance halfway remembered who I was.

"Are you even listening to what I'm saying? This is fucking pathetic. You really think I'll join you in your room? And for what? So that you can show me how much of a man you are? Trust me, no amount of self-delusion is going to change the fact that your dick is just a sad little worm you whack off into tissue at home in front of the TV."

"You-" Chance barked, going quite red and livid with anger.

"Nope. Shut the fuck up. And if you lean an inch closer, I'm slapping you so hard you'll dislocate your jaw across the room," Faith said, looking at him with icy rage, getting some glances from folks nearby. "You think you're the man? You're not even the man of your own house. You talk of what I need? What about that wife of yours? Is she getting her fill while you're here making a fool out of yourself?"

I was pretty sure if Faith was a man, Chance would've attacked her. Little did he know how bad of an idea that would've been. Instead, he shoved up from the table, looking down at Faith. With a snort, he departed.

"There you fucking are," Faith said when she saw me, sounding impatient.

"That was badass," I said in utter awe.

"Where you been? We need to get up to our room. Now," Faith said, taking my wrist and dragging me.

Ten minutes later, I was convinced Faith would break the bed the way she rode me. My tux lay in torn pieces, her dress ripped open and tossed aside, leaving her in red thigh-high stockings and a garter belt, fucking the shit out of me. Her moans were almost animalistic growls, and her nails dug into my chest hard enough to make me cry out in pain. And that seemed to only make her even more crazed and passionate in her attack. The bed rocked and creaked violently, and that said something as it looked quite sturdy

My cries and pleadings didn't slow her down, instead incensing her further to put her hips to work, burying my cock to the hilt inside her. Soon, I felt her teeth carelessly attack my neck, and I eagerly clutched her head with one, groping her with the other.

"Oh god, Faith, I'm gonna... oh God, you're killing me! Fuck!" I moaned in delight.

"Cum, babe!" Faith snarled. "Show me how good I am. Come on!"

And on those words, I erupted like a goddamn volcano, feeling the blissful release flood out through the base of my spine and up the length of my dick, unleashing a torrent of cum inside Faith's pussy. I'd fear for my life if I did it a moment before she commanded me, but the same second she did, I earned myself a bloody kiss from the deeply growling lioness, fangs and all.

When Faith eventually rolled onto her back and licked her lips clean, she glanced at me and asked, "What're you staring at?"

"That was the sexiest and hottest thing I've ever seen," I said. Faith smiled, wiping her mouth.

She then pricked one of her fingers with her fangs and squeezed a drop of her blood into my mouth, and as she laid a hand on my chest, I felt my cock surge with blood again. Not that I needed her neat blood tricks to get hard again. Faith was the sexiest, hottest thing I've ever seen. Not that she was a thing, but y'know.

"Logan," Faith began, before hesitating a bit. "What is your opinion on equine dildos?"

"I'm not sure what that word means," I said honestly. "Does my opinion on that change anything?"

"No. You might walk with a limp though," Faith said, biting her lip. I guess her rage had been satiated by our first coupling. And as her finger healed, my heart also surged with renewed blood, flowing to my erection and standing full and strong again.

"I think," Faith said, eying it lustily. "That I want to see how much this stud can take."

It was time to get kinky.

*

True to her word, the whole morning I was limping around the hotel. It wasn't a huge limp, but enough to get some looks. My ass hurt, my back was whipped to pieces. Faith had truly punished me for being such a good boy, as she had put it. I loved every second of it.

Though sitting down to eat breakfast that morning, I winced a little. I sure hoped we could have some regular sex too. I loved getting tossed around and such, but I longed for intimacy as well. Faith promised it would come. With a cozy RV ride back home, with plenty of time before spring break was over, I knew that was very much the case.

"Would the sir like some coffee?" the waitress asked me. I simply nodded, too shy to speak. Getting the utmost luxury was still daunting, but this was the life I got through Faith. While she slept, I lived off her dime. It still was something to get used to.

I later called Mom. I hoped Dad would be in, but like always, he was out covering someone else's shift, or working doubles. Mom was happy to hear that the gala wasn't as near as bad as one might think. Faith had sent her a few pictures of us in our outfits, and Mom was ecstatic at how proper her son looked.

"And with such a fine lady on your arm. Oh, darling, you're so cute together," Mom said on the phone, no doubt looking at the photos as we spoke. "I'll have to frame at least one of these."

I couldn't help but snicker. Mom was finally getting a son she could be proud of. I mean, perhaps that was mean, but it was actually sort of self-reflective too. I was no longer the shy teenage nerd. Now, I was just a teenage nerd... who went to important business galas with his girlfriend. Pretty dope.

Especially compared to my bullies, who were the measuring stick apparently. Jeremy had lost his scholarship due to his broken arm, and now he didn't even have his dad as a safety net. Zach had to resort to the local college. While that was a college with a good enough reputation, it was a downstep from the athlete he hoped to be. I wasn't sure if it was due to getting knocked out, or being knocked out by a girl.

Something that did add to the highlight reel that was this spring break, was that I saw a video where apparently Zach had beaten up Jeremy. Which meant that now even they couldn't stand one another. What had led to that? Who the fuck knows. I didn't really care.

The second the sun was down, Faith and I were back on the road. Not that we had any haste, it was just nice to get going. Get on the highway and let the miles disappear. Again, Faith let me drive. It was much easier now, with having my first test out of the way. Also, the road we were on was way more desolate, so less to worry about.

"But in Illinois, I think I should drive. The roads there are shit. We were just lucky on the way up," she said. "The last thing I want is a flat tire. Another cop with the sun out and you'll have to witness what human remains look like."

"Heh," was all I had to say about that. We wouldn't want that. While I knew it was sort of in her nature, I wasn't that eager to see anybody die, no. I don't even think I wished death on Jeremy and Zach. I just wanted them to leave me alone.

The world at home, at school, it all seemed like a lifetime away. But no. After spring break, I had to figure out how to survive the rest of my last high school semester. Zach and Jeremy had 'broken up' so I wondered what that meant. Nothing good for me, I guess. I couldn't help but sigh exhaustively.

"What's up?" Faith asked, hearing my sigh.

"I just feel like a whole new world has opened up. And here I am, worried about a bunch of shit I'll have to deal with when I get home. It's such petty bullshit," I said, now that I had some perspective on what it was like outside of high school. It wasn't perhaps the lifestyle I was the most acquainted with, but it certainly cast some light on petty high school bullying. I mean, it made it all even more senseless. "And the fact that I have to go back to it... it sucks. I just had a great weekend with you, with so many new adventures or whatnot, and we're not even back home yet. Then I have to go back to... being me."

"Patience, Logan, use the force," Faith chuckled. And her nerdiness immediately brought me back up again. "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. Your time right now has to be spent looking at the horizon, while I help you alleviate the pressure. I might never be able to serve you breakfast when you wake up, or truly enjoy the beauty of a sunset together with you, but Logan, us, we will have the best time of our lives together. Galas, gaming, grotesque sex. The lucky three G's."

"What more can one ask for?" I chuckled, getting a wink from Faith, who was just smiling, happy as can be. "What was the catch again?"

"Equine dildos," Faith said with a smirk.

"Ah, right," I said, chuckling. "You sure know how to keep things interesting."

"Oh yeah, I'll always keep you on your toes, stud," Faith said, reaching out to tussle my hair. I loved when she did that.

I studied her for a bit was she drove on. The sandy brown locks, her hazel-green eyes. Sunkissed, even as she was a vampire. So beautiful. Kind. Strong. Protective.

"What? What you staring at?" Faith smiled.

"I think it's hot," I said.

"Yeah?" Faith said, giving me a side-eye. "What's hot?"

"Pretty girl like you driving a big RV like this. Holding that big wheel," I said, making Faith bite her lip and snicker a bit.

"You better watch what you're saying, mister," Faith chided. "We still have at least an hour until we're at our campsite."

"An hour? But there's lots of time until sundown," I said, checking my phone to make sure. Faith just smirked.

"I know," she said.

And soon enough, with some chatter about this and that, we pulled into our campsite for the night, no, erh, for the day. The rest of the night and the following day, I should say.

Anyway, we stopped, and Faith immediately rose from her seat, standing over me with the most gentle and elegant smile, that grew even a little bit sexier when her tongue wet her lips, slowly as to make her intentions clear.

Faith took my hands in her strong ones, and I rose. But instead of letting me walk on my own volition, Faith lifted me up. To not fall down I wrapped my legs around her waist, which was perhaps a bit weird as I was a dude, but I didn't really care, and neither did Faith.

"Hey there," she said, as we were so close. "How you doin'?"

"Fantastic," I answered, as she carried me to the back of the RV and kicked the door shut, where I got made sweet and tender love by a horny but gentle vampire, letting me ease the pains and pressure from the last couple of days. Weeks, months, years.

It all went away when I was between Faith's strong thighs, both of us under a warm duvet, in a cozy cocoon that was nothing but us. I tasted her lips and I felt the depths of her womanly forms, smelled her sweet scent as I felt drunk on this fantastic being I was so madly in love with. It was like we had left the world behind a long long time ago.

And just like that, as I looked at this beautiful woman, my heart swelled with emotion. All the doubts I have, all the concerns, all the ways the world may threaten to tear us apart; none of it mattered. It paled in comparison to what Faith's eyes bore. What she, an ancient monster, a dark deity, looked like when her eyes filled with love and affection. I could die at this moment, and have no regrets, knowing it would be the final view in a long life of surprises.

"I can't live a life without you," I muttered into her neck, feeling an unbearing connection to her. She may be my first love, my only love, but she was everything to me.

"You don't have to," Faith smiled. I didn't see it, but I sensed it on her beautiful face. I propped myself up to look at this fine haul I had managed to score.

"What a lucky guy that Logan fellow is," I chuckled.

"Oh, he sure is. No worries about that. He is the luckiest guy there is," Faith confirmed, resting her hands on the small of my back and I soon felt her hands softly tickle the top of my butt, enjoying herself. "And he sure has a nice set of cheeks."

"So does his girlfriend," I said, snaking one of my hands under her to get a handful of her luscious booty.

Faith smiled at that, grabbing the back of my head to guide me down to her lips, and for a while, we remained like this. The whole world was forgotten. I could die happy. If I died right now, I would die as the happiest man alive.

I guess you could say that I was truly blessed.