These Streaks of Blood

3

"There," Olivia says, putting down the phone and turning to smile at her visitor. "It's done."

The boy smiles; a disturbing curl of thin, pale lips. "Very good. I was hoping that you'd see sense, where so many others have failed..."

She shrugs. "I like you better than him. It was no big deal. Now... didn't you promise me something?" Her expression turns coy, and she takes a deliberate step towards him.

"Ah, yes... payment," the boy says, as if only just remembering that he did indeed make a promise. There's something sinister in his smile that Olivia can't seem to see.

She pouts. "I wouldn't call it payment, so much. I mean, it's not like only one of us are benefitting from a relationship--"

The boy cuts her off, giving what sounds like a tinkling laugh on the surface, but that holds an undercurrent of something far worse. "A relationship? Oh, I fear I've given you the wrong idea," he says, in a tone that suggests he's holding himself back from more laughter.

Olivia stops in her tracks, her eyes wide. "You-- you don't... you know... want me?" she whispers, horrified.  Blood starts rushing into her cheeks, and the boy licks his lower lip as he keeps his gaze fixed on her face.

"Oh, I certainly do want you. Not the same way you desire me, I'm afraid... but nevertheless, I'm happy to see that you follow orders well."

Olivia's face contorts from disappointment and embarrassment into rage. "Follow orders? I only did what you asked because I thought that you wanted me, instead of him. I thought you wanted Dan out of the way so that you had a clear path to me. I mean, you've been visiting me for a week now, I thought you were advancing--" she cries, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice.

In one graceful, fluid motion, the boy reaches his hands up to caress both sides of Olivia's face. He makes shushing sounds as he gently rubs his fingers along her cheekbones, feeling the heat that the blood is infusing into her face. "You've got nothing to worry about," he says softly. "Everything's going to be just fine."

Olivia's eyes glaze over a bit. "Why would I be worrying?" she wonders.

The boy smiles and shrugs. "You seemed a bit nervous. I suppose people do normally feel that way in my presence, but I had thought that we had... a connection.  An understanding."

Olivia nods eagerly. "We do," she replies breathlessly.

The boy grins, this time bearing his pointed teeth. "Good," he breathes.  He lowers his face to hers, and as Olivia understands what he's doing, her own lights up with eagerness. His lips hardly touch hers, just brushes them lightly enough to tease her, make her crave more. Her body melts into his strong arms as he traces his lips along her jawline... to her neck.

"What are you waiting for?" she asks, clearly ecstatic that he's taking advantage of her this way.

The boy bares his teeth in a grotesque imitation of a grin. "Absolutely nothing," he responds. As she trembles in his grip, he unlocks his jaws and bites her, sinking his teeth deep into the exposed skin of her neck.

Unlike Katelyn, Olivia remains stock-still, and the only sounds she makes are rasping gasps - what amuses him is that her gasps are clearly her way to beg for him to continue.  He's not sure what she thinks he's doing, but he obliges.  He drinks until her skin turns cold. Then he pulls away and stares into her still-blank eyes, knowing that there is still a pulse at her neck, hearing the weakening beat of her heart.

"How do you feel, Olivia?" he asks softly.

"Better... than... ever..." she manages to pant, gazing up at him in the way that a victim might gaze at their savior.