Blueblood

Story: Blueblood

Chapter 33 Gizmo

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

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Devon makes a new friend.

Gizmo

I remember coming to a little and then another feeling as a needle was inserted, this time in my arm and I was out again. I did occasionally come out of...whatever I was in. Did I hear the sound of engines? I was on a plane? The floor was moving, sort of floating and there was also the occasional turbulence that would shake me. At first, I thought, damn, we're going somewhere again? I did remember Colin going to take a shower. Colin! I tried to wake up, but it was too hard. I had no concept of time and no recollection how I got...to where ever I was.

I did wake up a little. This time there was no sting anywhere. I was worried about Colin; I was worried about all the others. I had no idea what was happening with them. Were they taken? Where was I taken? Really, the first thing I was aware of; I was freezing. I tried to open my eyes and found it wouldn't have mattered if I could. I was blindfolded.

"Ah, you woke up." A man's voice said to me.

"Yes, until you give me more of whatever that was they kept injecting me with," I said.

"Yes, well, we had to use a tranquilizer on you." The man said pleasantly. "The first one was that dart we used. Then to keep you unaware of how much time was passing, you wouldn't be aware of approximate travel time and how long it took to get here." He had an accent. He was European, but he wasn't Russian or Ukrainian. German?

I nodded. "I see." I tried to move but found my hands and feet were tied. "Well, no, I can't see. Completing the whole thing, I'm not allowed to?"

"Oh, yes." He said and I heard him move, the material of...pants or something made a sound as he got up. "Sorry about that."

I felt someone removing the knot or fasteners. What was covering my eyes wasn't just a cloth blindfold, but a pair of swimming goggles with the eye parts having cloth stuffed in to make it impossible to see. It wasn't that bright where I was, but having been without any light, I blinked until my eyes adjusted. I was lying on a mattress in a bed in a small room. No windows here. It had cinder brick walls and the only other furniture was the chair this man sat in.

"Better?"

"Not really," I said. "I'm still tied up."

The man was an older man in his late forties or early fifties. His hair was dark with white or grey going through his hair now. He was a man that had been active in the past, maybe sports in high school, but not fat. If anything, he looked like he could have been a father to a neighbor of some school chum I knew from middle school. Dressed in casual pants and shirt, there was nothing with scars or any markings to tell he was a bad guy. He looked like a father watching a son playing little league or something, but he was a bad guy, that I knew. I was being held somewhere and he wasn't letting me go, so yes, he was a bad guy. "I will let you out of the bindings, but I need you to understand that you won't try anything, like try to leave or attack me." He said pleasantly again.

I frowned. "Why would I do that? Where would that get me? I don't know where I am, so if I escaped from right here. Where would I go? If I attack you, that would be stupid as you aren't the only one here, I'm sure."

The man nodded with a smile. "That's right, but I had to be sure you knew that first." He said and undid my bindings.

I looked at this man oddly. "Okay. You're taken me hostage. Now, you're nice to me?" I asked.

The man shrugged. "Why should I be nasty?"

"Because I was kidnapped and am being held," I said. "That's nasty and I expect you are nasty."

The man chuckled. "I can be nasty, when necessary. I can be nasty with you if you like." He sighed and sat up in the chair he was sitting in. "I find being nasty makes people I deal with resistant. Being nice often gets results in a more pleasant way." He crossed his legs. "What I am, is a businessman."

I know my eyes were opening wider because I couldn't believe what I heard. "You're kidding."

He laughed. "I'm serious." He shrugged. "I find out what people want and I get it for them and make a profit."

I nodded a little hesitantly. "Please, if I'm wrong, tell me, but doesn't your group profit on death?"

He gave a shrug and a nod. "Well, not directly." He smiled. "Many of our...clients...deal in death. War and things like that. We just...give them opportunities to do it better and more efficiently."

"So, kidnapping me...and whomever else you brought here...is just a means to an end." I nodded.

He nodded. "That's it." He stuck his hand out to me. "Fredrick Hoffman."

I looked at the hand. "Do you expect me to feel welcomed?" Asking him if that seemed okay with him.

Fredrick smiled again. "I expect you to help us get what we want." He said lowering his hand. "And you will. Be it willingly or unwillingly. Either way, we will get the answers. Cooperate and things will be more pleasant for you. If you don't...well..." he shrugged. "So, why not answer some questions?"

"If you answer mine."

"Fair enough," Fredrick said nodding. "I go first. You're Devon McGee. You are now Devon Wentworth, am I right?"

"Yes," I answered. "Is Colin alright?"

He nodded. "Fine, as far as I know." He looked at me. "Is Colin Wentworth a vampire?"

"Yes." I nodded. "But not like some others." I frowned. "Was anyone hurt when you took me?"

Fredrick gave a grimace. "Well, kind of...but no one with you or the people you spent that evening with. We did sort of harm, but not critically, a few employees at the hotel. How old is Colin Wentworth?"

I thought if I should answer, but figured they already suspected. "Well, he turned two hundred in 2015. Did you bring anyone else with us?"

When I told him Colin was over two hundred, he smiled even more. "He's that old!? Really?"

My eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer my question."

Fredrick looked surprised but nodded. "Oh, yes. Sorry. No, you were the only one we could get. Are you a vampire?"

"Yes."

"Really?" Fredrick marveled. "But you don't show any..."

That's when the door opened and another man came storming in. "Enough of this, Hoffman." He wore a regular suit, but even in that, it looked like a uniform. He was military.

The new man was older than Fredrick by about ten years and I could see a little of Tad Morsi in him. He was Egyptian.

"Now, I see Rafa Morsi's here." I smiled.

Rafa looked angrily at me. "I'm not one to play games, Mr. Wentworth. You say you're a vampire. I'll test that to see if it's true." He reached for me, took my arm roughly and hauled me up and began dragging me through the door.

Fredrick sighed and came with us. "I was doing fine, Rafa."

"And wasting time," Rafa said. "If you are a vampire, there's a way to find out. If not, you will be."

He brought me through a corridor with other doors. It looked almost like a prison. It was a prison if no one could get out. Then he brought me into a larger chamber. This chamber had cages. All along the corridor and in this chamber there were no windows. Nothing to tell me what time of day it was. The chamber was set up like a kind of lab, there were tables with the test tubes, chemicals used and equipment. It was dark even with the overhead lights on. We had to be underground. Unlike George's labs, this was not...that sophisticated. What was in the cages...I was not prepared for. There were several cages with about four vampires and I mean, wild vampires. They all turned, saw us, and hissed as Wayne had done at first. They were not clean and were naked. All well-toned males and even in their wild state, I could see military tattoos and the build of a man that once had served in militarizes. What nationalities or countries, I couldn't really tell. Rafa brought me to another cage with the fifth vampire and there it was...

"An Old One," I said nodding. Before me was another naked vampire. He was bald with a smooth round head. Like Wayne told me, you notice when what's supposed to be there, isn't. He had a penis but had no scrotum. When he saw me, he hissed like the others...no other teeth but the fangs, but he turned away. That's when I noticed he didn't have an asshole. You don't seriously want to know if I know an ass, I'm gay, of course, I know about asses! We have that crack in the back for a couple of things; one of which a lot of people think we shouldn't. I was instantly seeing that movie (sorry, but I did) in the movie Coneheads when Beldar was going in the shower at the club where he played golf and we all saw he had no ass crack. He didn't have an asshole! I didn't need to look closer to confirm he didn't have one. This thing had no ass! He had something to sit on as in padding to sit on, but no crack and no opening for solid waste. That surprised me. Yes, I noticed what wasn't there. He didn't poop! He just pissed ammonia. He was a grayish white all over and no hair. Not anywhere. Beldar was an alien, but this vampire looked alien.

Rafa barked a command and the Old One backed away from the door pressing on the bars of the cage to get away. Rafa opened the lock of the cage, opened the door and shoved me in the cage. "He's been trained to know if he does attack me or one of the technicians, he'll be hurt," Rafa said. "Now, we'll see. He hasn't eaten today. He'll be hungry." He said to me.

I looked at Rafa. "So, if I'm telling the truth, I'll be alive and if not," I waved at the four others that we wild vampires. "I'll be like them."

Rafa nodded. "That's right."

I shrugged. "Well, here goes." I turned to the Old One. "Here I am." I held my arms out. "Din, din."

The Old One looked at me and sniffed, then turned away and hissed.

"There." I turned back to Rafa and Fredrick. "Happy now?"

Rafa looked at me crossing his arms. "You knew what he is. You've seen others?"

"No," I answered. "I know of them. I have a friend that was attacked by one." I looked back at the Old One. "Where did you find him?"

"I'll ask the questions," Rafa said angrily.

"Rafa." Fredrick sighed a patient sigh and walked over to the door of the cage. "There's a saying: it's easier to attract flies with honey rather than vinegar. Devon was answering the questions I asked." He opened the door and waved me out. That's when the Old One looked and his eyes narrowed. "No!" He said to the Old One. "You stay put." He pulled me out of the cage and shut and locked the door again.

"We need answers, Hoffman," Rafa repeated gruffly. "He'll give them."

Fredrick smiled at Rafa. "And I'll ask them. Not you." He said firmly. "We found him near where you were in Egypt. We lost a few men getting him here." He waved at the four wild vampires. "These are the ones left. That was ten years ago and they haven't aged a day."

"Do you torture them?" I asked waving at the other four. "They have needs. One of those needs is blood." I looked at the Old One. "Even he needs blood."

"What do you know about this...Old One?" Fredrick asked.

"I know he was born this way," I said. "He and others like him were created about seven to ten thousand years ago. There was a king...sorry, a pharaoh that used them to send out and reduce resistance. This is according to some old records we have now. There was a problem with making it so they wouldn't attack the pharaoh's people and just attack the people whose land they wanted to invade."

"Records?" Fredrick asked. "There are records of this creature? He's almost ten thousand years old!?"

I nodded. "From what I understand, yes."

"And you can't see the potential for profit here?" Fredrick asked. "My GOD! You say that Colin is over two hundred. You don't see why we want what you have?" He waved at me. "Forget profiting from death. We could profit from LIFE! What you have in you, people would pay...everything to have what you do right now."

I nodded. "I was afraid of that when Colin told me."

"There are so many applications with this." He waved at the wild vampires. "An army of these would be valuable." He waved at the Old One. "He can make more!" He looked at me. "And you won't die! Ever!"

"But we can die." I shook my head. "And by means of gunshots, car accidents and other things."

Fredrick nodded. "So, we found out. In stopping the other that one made..." he pointed to the Old One. "...Rafa killed a number of them."

"How did you do it?" Rafa asked me.

I smiled. "Now, we're getting to what you really want." I nodded. "What they are..." I waved at the wild vampires. "What I am...what I have is a physical condition. We use medication to counter some of the effects."

"What's the medication?" Rafa asked, but still a little angry sounding, but I was answering his questions so he toned the anger down.

"I know it's a serum created by Dr. George Holms," I said. "He's in Manhattan. I really don't know what's in it."

Rafa nodded. "But it's in your blood. How often do you take it? Do you have more?"

Now, I was in trouble. "No. I don't have more."

"But you need to take it again," Rafa confirmed.

"I need further doses and will be on it the rest of my life." I nodded. "I'm due in two weeks for the next dose." I looked at Fredrick. "If I don't, I'll be a vampire again in a matter of days."

Fredrick shook his head. "Don't you see it? It's a tradeoff. You won't die! Yes, you can die, but that's not certain. So, you have to take this...serum...but it works. People will pay good money and will take whatever medication to do that..." he thought. "Doctors that can keep practicing medicine and keep working on a disease or illness until he finds a cure." He laughed suddenly. "Do you get sick?"

I shook my head. "No."

He suddenly beamed. "I guess we wouldn't need doctors for illness then. They can be scientists to discover other things! Artists can keep working..." He was laughing. "What else are things you need a long time for?" He looked up suddenly. "Space travel! The nearest star is four light years away! A crew that won't die and can make it there and back even if it takes a thousand years. They won't die! As long as they're fed they can go on forever!"

I nodded. "Or have families. Once you're a vampire, you can't have children."

"So?" Fredrick shook his head. "People won't need to. They'll be around a lot longer. No children needed!"

"What are the chemicals in this serum?" Rafa asked.

"George created it," I answered with a shrug. "He said the chemicals were common, but the combination or creation of the serum takes a pretty sophisticated lab to make. He's got the necessary knowledge in Chemistry, Bio-Chemistry and all that's needed to create it."

Fredrick stood in front of me to stop Rafa's constant scowling of me so I wouldn't be intimidated by his expression. "We know that there is a substance in you that makes you what you are. We did some blood tests on you."

I nodded. "Okay. You tell me after the fact, because...?"

"We saw something that wasn't normally in human blood. Is that the serum?"

"It's a combination of the serum and vampire venom," I answered. "The serum attaches itself to the venom and renders it dormant...sort of."

"Venom?" Rafa repeated in disbelief. "There's a venom?"

"That's how more vampires are made. It's not just a bite." I nodded. "Didn't you find that out when you did tests on them?"

Rafa shook his head. "They are hard to control."

"The venom alone doesn't last long outside of the body. The venom changes a person into a vampire. It rewrites a person's very DNA so we can make the venom." I explained.

Fredrick looked at Rafa. "And you thought he'd be uncooperative."

"We need that venom and the serum," Rafa said back coming closer to me. "You have the venom. We want it."

I shook my head. "The serum controls my making of the venom. I don't have any real venom to give. I can't."

Rafa smiled, but it was a nasty smile. "But you will have the venom if you become a vampire again. You said you needed a dose again in two weeks. We can wait."

I turned to the wild vampires and the Old One. I knew I was in trouble when I saw the man in that closet. I was now in lot more. My telling them about all that wasn't the problem. I didn't dare tell them about the disc and removing it would speed things up. Finding out what they knew was important. They didn't know about the venom. Whoever was doing the science here may not know and didn't tell these guys. I looked at the Old One. He was created to kill. That was his job. Looking at his face, never did I imagine I'd feel sorry for the damned thing, but I did. I saw he was clearly scared. Did I feel compassion? He probably killed hundreds, thousands or even more! I looked at the other vampires. They were scared, as well. I saw in them what Wayne had been. "Are you going to feed them?"

"When we get blood," Fredrick said. "It's on the way."

"They're animals," Rafa said simply. "Why do you care?"

I pointed at the wild vampires. "They were...according to you...your men. They weren't animals in the beginning, but men." I looked at the Old One. "He is what he was created to be. A killing machine. I know that, but he's suffering now." I couldn't look at either Rafa or Fredrick. "It's cold in here and they are hungry. Even lab rats get fed. Feed them and warm this place up, or kill them now and be done with it."

Rafa growled. "They serve a purpose." He looked at Fredrick. "When the others come down in the morning, we need his blood and test it. Maybe they can get the answers out of his blood." He said pointing at me. "We'll get the answers." He said and walked out. "Be sure he's locked away." His voice said as the distance grew.

Fredrick shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I wish I could say he's really a nice guy." He smiled speaking quietly. "But he's really not a nice man. We've done well having him in our group. The money-making potential is very good."

I nodded. "And you think this all going to turn out okay?" I waved at the other vampires. "There is a lot wrong here. A lot of mistakes can be made. It will cost lives. Most likely yours."

Fredrick nodded. "There can be mistakes. That's why we make sure there aren't any." He looked at me. "It's been a while since you've eaten. You need to keep your strength up. You can't give blood if there's nothing in you to make blood." He walked with me back down the corridor. "We'll get you something. I know you eat." Fredrick said. He waved at the ceiling. "And we're being watched, so no funny stuff."

"Of course not." I said as I rubbed my chest. They hadn't known about the venom; I hope they didn't know about the locator. It was untouched. That means my Personal Data Transmitter was still in there. I hoped it was being picked up on satellite. They might be smart here. They couldn't know everything.

"So, who were those other two that joined you?"

I looked surprised, but I nodded. "You were watching, right." I shrugged. "Just friends we made in Egypt."

"Are they vampires, too?"

I smiled. "One is, the other is not."

"How many vampires are there?" Fredrick asked. "We know because of all the messages that were sent around the world there are a few."

I shrugged. "Thousands? Possibly millions."

"Millions." Fredrick nodded. "So many."

"Why me?" I asked.

Fredrick looked confused and then nodded. "We didn't intend it to be just you. We wanted Colin and any others. You were the only one we got in the van and got away with."

I nodded. "I'm glad you didn't get him."

"Why's that?"

"Colin is not like me and always nice." I smiled remembering. "He can be...difficult to deal with when he's mad."

Fredrick nodded. "Well, having you will force him to be."

My thoughts were about Colin and I hoped Stan could find out where I was. I knew, if anyone could find me, he could. Colin was coming. I just knew it. "He doesn't like be forced to do anything."

Fredrick smiled. "But he loves you. He will do as instructed."

Hurry Colin!

The man I saw in Fredrick just didn't...make sense. He brought me into a dining area. There he made me a sandwich and he made one for himself. He brought himself a beer and offered one to me. When I shook my head, he shrugged.

"We have sodas." He offered.

"Coke, Pepsi or..." I smiled. "A Dr. Pepper?"

Fredrick smiled and nodded. "We have a Pepper here that works with us." He went to the refrigerator and brought the familiar can to me. He sat and relaxed. "Care to answer some more questions?"

I shrugged as I opened the can. "Sure." I looked up again. "Can I do the same with you?"

Fredrick shrugged. "Certainly. If you ask a question I don't want to answer, I'll let you know." He leaned forward on the table. "The writings you said you had about this...Old One. Where was it?"

"In an underground city," I answered. "We had to blow it up as we escaped."

Fredrick nodded. "So, that's what the explosion was about." He said understanding. "We weren't sure about the reason. We knew someone was down there. We were pretty sure it was you, but we didn't know why." He grinned. "Is that where you discovered the other vampire in your group?"

"Yes." I looked at Fredrick. "I can't figure you out."

Fredrick chuckled. "You can't?"

I waved at him. "See!? In other circumstances, I would probably like you!" I waved at the surrounding building. "So, help me understand. Why do this whole thing?"

Fredrick nodded as he chuckled. "Because I'm good at it." He looked at me. "And I am going to make a whole lot of money." He shook his head. "And with this venom and the serum...I can do it a long, long time."

"You don't think this is dangerous?"

"Sure, it's dangerous, but the reward is far greater." Fredrick smiled. "Didn't you think it was dangerous when you became a vampire?"

He had me there. "I became a vampire to spare Colin a decision. I knew full well he could kill me and probably would when the hunger became too great, so I made the decision. I did it out of love for him."

Fredrick shrugged. "That's fine, but I know what I want and this will get it for me."

"It doesn't bother you that you broke laws?"

He shrugged. "I don't think about it. Nothing will get in my way." Then I saw something in his eyes. "And no one." You had to be a little crazy to do what he did and think it was just "business."

"And nothing stands in your way for getting what you want?"

Fredrick smiled. "I don't let it."

I nodded. "Okay." In many ways, now I felt I was in more trouble with Fredrick than Rafa. Rafa I knew was a sadistic maniac. Fredrick was amoral and I wasn't sure about his grasp on sanity.

It turned out that they did have technicians that came in and did tests on the vampires. They took blood from the wild vampires, which was interesting to watch. It appears that science never was a thing this group concentrated on. Weapons and munitions had been the focus and they were branching out. They had gotten information about the Old One from observation and tests. The other vampires had been made by the Old One. Finding out about Colin, the others and I were almost an accident. It was one of Rafa's children that remarked about a find on the Internet about vampires...this was before the VUN had begun even. Looking at the various posts, they realized these people posting were serious. They had the Old One in custody and he made other Wild Vampires, Rafa was intrigued. He didn't believe in vampires, but he couldn't ignore what he had. I found that out while waiting, restrained, and they took my blood. The technicians were freer with information than Rafa or Fredrick. They all spoke English but were German, Russian and something else.

I was left alone a lot, but not allowed to wander around and restricted in that little room, or with the company of Fredrick. I found myself looking forward to spending time with the technicians. It was during those times I looked at the other wild vampires and the Old One. The wild vampires didn't respond much to the technicians or me. When the technicians wanted to try something, they had to go in the cage in fours. I watched as one would enter with what I guessed was like a cattle prod. My guess had no basis as I had never seen one, but this one had an electric charge on the end that when the touched one of them with the prod, it caused a great deal of pain. I knew these were men, now wild vampires, that worked for this group. I knew they had been hired and probably did some awful things, but they were in a state now where their thinking was skewed and now they were restricted and basically tortured. I saw them take my blood and give it to one of those wild vampires. This was different than how George started any serum. There was serum in my blood, but it didn't change them or even begin to change the wild vampires, but it did hurt them. It wasn't as bad as getting the full dose of serum, but it hurt. I would cringe when they gave it to them and they did it to every one of them, except for the Old One. Him, they pretty much left alone. He was more dangerous. I would love to have delved into his anatomy. His system was so...different, and I would watch him. His actions were different. Hell, all of him was different. I found myself watching him wondering how he came about. You know there was no genitalia, you knew he didn't have an anus. How could that happen?

"He's a mystery, that one," Fredrick said coming in and sitting in a chair beside me.

"I was just wondering about him," I said. "He looks...alien."

Fredrick laughed. "I've never believed in aliens." Then he gave a shrugging nod. "I never believed in vampires either until I saw one."

"Have you examined him? Tested his blood?"

He nodded. "We tried. We lost a technician that tried to take the blood. Tranquilizers don't work well on him." He waved at the Old One. "He's not cooperative at all. We had a doctor, but he's not here."

"You've had him for ten years, you say. Don't you know anything about him? What about a tissue sample?"

"We've studied him," Fredrick said. "We don't have access to a lot of equipment and we can't send any samples to a lab, they might ask questions."

I frowned. "It seems if you want to profit with this, you may want to invest in equipment to do that and people to do it."

Fredrick nodded. "I agree, but I'm not the one that didn't want to spend the money. The others didn't see that as necessary." He chuckled. "There are short-sighted people I work with. And there may be a doctor willing, but we haven't found him."

"Yes." I nodded. "I agree about the short-sighted part."

Fredrick looked at me. "Yes, but he won't attack you."

"I'm not a doctor," I said.

"But you'd be safe with him."

"He can still attack. He doesn't have to bite to kill." I said angrily.

Fredrick shrugged. "Don't threaten him." He said simply.

He really wasn't giving me any choice. "You want me to get a sample? Blood, tissue...what?"

"I'd just like to see you interact with him," Fredrick said simply. "I'll be here if he does attack." He said and went and got one of those prods.

I got up and headed for the cage. Fredrick walked with me and unlocked the cage door. The Old One was watching and instantly walked back to the other side of the cage. I also noticed the Old One's response was a look...of terror? I shook my head to clear this feeling I was getting. First, he hadn't attacked me. I knew what he was. He was a creature that had lived a long, long time and he killed. The problem was, I never saw him do that. He'd reacted when we came in, but I'd react too if any and every one that came in here hurt me. I shook my head. He'd caused terror, I told myself. His victims were countless. Yet, the creature that looked at me now had a pitiful stance. His eyes were filled with fear, because of me? He was what he was created to be. He was a killer. He also knew the pain and was reacting to that. Why was I feeling sorry for him? Then I became angry, but not at the Old One. This creature should never have been created. Whatever he was, was by design. The...genius...that created him, I hoped was burning in Hell right now! And if it was true how long ago this creature had been created, the man that created him had been burning a long, long time. Suddenly, I realized the Old One had brown eyes. He lacked moisture, but they were brown.

"I don't know if you understand what I'm saying," I said to the Old One. "I mean you no harm. I'm trapped, just like you."

The Old One tilted his head surprised that I was speaking to him.

"I know what you are," I said softly. "I know from the scrolls...and the one that seemed to understand them, you were created for one purpose." I smiled at him and that made him turn his head again in curiosity. "I don't suppose anyone has been nice to you." I sighed. "Why should they be? Things...creatures that scare us, we don't often be nice to." I was startled. The Old One was trying to smile back!

Fredrick was startled, as well. "I didn't know he could do that."

"Why would he try to smile?" I asked sadly. "He had nothing to smile about."

Fredrick shook his head. "But he's not attacking you."

I shook my head. "He can't feed off me. He knows that. I'm just...like him." I said.

"But he's not human."

I frowned. "Part of him is."

"He has the venom?" Fredrick asked.

"Certainly."

"Can you get it from him?"

I looked at Fredrick. "He would have to trust me," I said logically. "To get a sample of his venom, he would have to give it in a special container and it doesn't last long outside the body."

Fredrick shrugged. "So, get him to trust you."

"His venom only makes wild vampires," I argued. I waved at the other four.

Fredrick frowned and then raised the prod and touched my arm with it. The pain was...like nothing I'd ever felt. Even the serum hurt, but this pain was sharp and instantaneous. My whole arm was radiating pain and was so intense, my opened my mouth to scream, but the scream didn't come out it was so bad. What happened next, I wasn't prepared for. The Old One looked at Fredrick and hissed and started to move toward him quickly making Fredrick back up. He was away far enough the Old One couldn't reach him. He smiled. "It seems you've made a friend." He waved the prod at the Old One, whose response was to simply hiss again and back away so the prod couldn't reach him either. He chuckled. "You have a protector."

I looked at the Old One. He didn't make sense. One act of kindness and he put himself in harm's way to protect me? Then I thought, he never experienced an act of kindness. I smiled again at the Old One. "I'll be fine," I said to him and then I smiled for another reason. As long as I was in here, Fredrick would have to work to get me out. I reached out and the Old One backed away. He didn't trust me. "I won't hurt you," I assured and sat down again. The Old One's cage had no furniture. The floor of the cage was a mesh, below was a drainage area where any ammonia he pissed could be washed away. This thing was not acting just on instinct. I wondered about his birth. His development was off, but did he nurse? Did he even know his mother? He couldn't remember her, as she died thousands of years before. His life was one thing. Blood. I remembered my hunger for blood. His would be the same, maybe worse. He killed to stay alive. He may not see us as people, just as food. I looked at the other four. He hadn't killed them. Why? I looked at him again. "I wish you could speak."

My speaking to him seemed to fascinate him. Again, he tilted his head listening. Now, he smiled again and he got it right.

"I'll tell you what," I said to the Old One. "I'm safer with you than out there." I folded my arms and thought, crossing my legs as I relaxed. "If I'm to be your roommate, I should name you." I smiled at him more. "It's a thing about me. I have a habit of naming people and things."

The Old One was smiling more, too. I didn't know if it was my tone, or did he really understand me? He sat down across from me and just watched me.

"I could call you Nob," I said see that he had no hair. The Old One frowned. "You don't like that?" I shrugged. "You think of something." I laughed at that. "Even if you did, could you tell me?"

The Old One's smile changed to a face that was fascinated as he reached out to me.

"You want to touch me?" I grinned. "That's fine, but nowhere below the belt, okay?"

He moved closer but stopped still not ready to trust me yet.

"How about Gizmo?" I asked.

The Old One another face of curiosity.

"Gizmo was a character in a movie in the 1980s. Gremlins was the name of it. Gizmo was a Mogwai who if you fed after midnight or got wet...well, you're not a gremlin per se." I chuckled again.

Now he was coming again toward me.

I smiled realizing I was doing something he had never seen or heard. "It was a laugh," I explained. "It's what people do when happy or having a good time." I looked around the laboratory. "This isn't a good time, but laughter makes it not so bad. Can I call you Gizmo?"

He looked puzzled but didn't frown.

"I'll take it you don't object, so Gizmo it is." I leaned forward. "I'm Devon." I put my hand on my chest. "You are Gizmo." I pointed to him and put my hand on my chest again. "Devon." Then pointed to him. "Gizmo."

"Okay, playtime is over," Fredrick said sharply. "You can come out now."

I didn't even turn around. "That's okay. I'll stay with Gizmo a while." I saw Fredrick raise his prod again, I didn't have to look to know. Gizmo hissed. "You wanted me to earn his trust, didn't you? I'm doing that. I'm safe. You can bring my pillow from the room if you want."

Fredrick grunted. "You've proven your point." He said tightly as he was a little angry now.

I turned. "The only thing I'm doing is staying alive by doing what you want. Let me do it."

Fredrick made a sound of grunting frustration.

"I'm not going anywhere if that's what you're worried about."

Fredrick sat down and put the prod down.

"If I'm going to get venom," I said over my shoulder. "I'll need a specimen jar."

"Never mind," Fredrick growled. "There's no one here to test it yet."

I laughed again. "So, this was to put me in a threatened position to which you would rescue me, making me grateful to you?" I shook my head. "That won't happen." I yawned. "I'm fine here." I stretched out on the floor.

My concept of time was messed up. Having no sunlight...I only knew it was morning that one day because Rafa had said when the technicians came in the morning to start tests on my blood.

A vampire could feel where the sun was. I didn't tell Fredrick. I knew the number of days as they occurred. When they came, I knew it was morning. I stayed in the middle of the cage. The prod would have a hard time reaching me. They could storm in and force me out, but that would mean letting themselves in and in danger. The only other sign of the passing of time, was my hunger, for food. It had been a few days now. Assuming we had traveled a while as I had been drugged. That could have been a day or two. Then one day approximately and another and now another as the technicians came back. It had been a week? The technicians were also not telling, because they were made up of several nationalities. I heard German, I heard Russian or Ukrainian. There were a few that I saw that could have been Middle Eastern? They all spoke accented English to me.

I was awakened as voices were speaking with each other. Then I picked up a smell. Looking around I found Gizmo right next to me. He was the source of the smell. I looked over to the voices, three of the technicians that were talking to each other. Technicians that were speaking to each other while looking at me. "Yes, Fredrick thought I'd be more comfortable with Gizmo. I was!" I looked at them. "Do you ever allow him to bathe or clean him up?"

The technician I knew as Hans, German, shook his head. "We hose him down."

"How did you survive?" Dirk, the Russian technician asked. "He never allows anyone to get that close and live." He marveled.

I shrugged. "I'm neither a threat nor do I have something he needs."

Dirk shook his head. "He ripped one guy's arm off."

I looked at Gizmo and then back at the three. "And what was he doing to Gizmo?" When they didn't answer, I nodded. "Then I'd say it was in defense."

"We just needed a tissue sample." Hans clarified.

"Did he get it?" I asked. Again, they didn't answer. "So, he didn't get that either." I frowned. "You boys are the science of this place?" I asked and I had the tone that said I didn't believe it.

"I was soldier," Hans said. "I have background in science."

"So, do I." The other said.

"If you're doing medical experiments and want to market this." I waved at the other four vampires. "They need to hire a real scientist."

"They did," Hans said. "He was killed." He waved at Gizmo. "By him."

Gizmo started to move. He woke and sat up. It was only a second later when he looked at the technicians and hissed.

"He's hungry," I said. "He can't feed on me, so where's his meal?"

Hans came to the edge of the cage, but not close enough to be reached for where he couldn't back further away. He held up the container of blood. I walked over and took the container and turned to Gizmo.

"Here you go." I handed the container to Gizmo who once again was puzzled. Even as hungry as I knew he was, he was not used to people being nice to him. He even smiled again at me! He took the blood and drank. I wasn't prepared for him to drink only half and then stop and offer it to me! I reached out and touched his shoulder, which at first, he wasn't sure what I was doing, but when it didn't hurt and I smiled at him, he just accepted it. "That's okay. I don't drink blood any more than I have to. Thank you." I looked more in his eyes. "Thank you for offering." He smiled and drank the rest. All this was making it harder for me. He was a killer! He killed people. Another part of my mind argued, he was made to do that. He was a monster because he was born to be. He was what he was! And don't kid yourself. I thought of ways I could get away from the moment I woke up that first time. I didn't even know what country I was in! I would escaped to where? Now, I had Gizmo. If I managed to get away, would I take him? He would kill again. I was angry because Gizmo should never have been born! Created to be something a ruler wanted to use to invade and use as a soldier? No one was ever nice to him or even smiled at him. He didn't speak, but there was enough humanity in him to offer me some of his blood because he knew I was like him...a little bit like him and was willing to let me have some? I hated the man that made these creatures. I hated Rafa and Fredrick Hoffman for wanting to make more with Gizmo and sell them. I must have had a face that made Gizmo concerned as he backed away. Looking up, I smiled again. "No, I'm not angry with you, Gizmo," I assured. I thumbed back at the three. "I'm angry at them." I put my hands on his shoulders. "They shouldn't treat us like they do. None of this is my fault..." I shook my head. "...I don't think it's yours either." I didn't believe he really understood me, but he'd been around for thousands of years. Instinct driven and incapable of speech perhaps, but maybe he did understand on some level. I looked at him. "There were more of you at one time. Was there one that you were friends with?" I asked him but didn't expect him to answer. He did stink, but I smiled. "I'm not going to bite you," I said to be sure he heard it. I hoped he understood. I brought him in and hugged him. At first he just stood there. He had never been hugged before. Who would do that to him? He never gave a reason for anyone to want to hug him. A hug is basic for humans. Was he human enough? It took a minute and I felt arms go around me and HE HUGGED BACK! Then he seemed to physically melt against me. I held him tighter. "It's not your fault, Gizmo. None of this is your fault."

"What the fuck!?" I heard a bellow and turned to see Rafa. "What is he doing in there?"

Hans even cowered a little. "We found him sleeping beside that thing."

"Ask Fredrick," I said as Gizmo hissed angrily at Rafa. "This was his idea." Gizmo was hissing more at Rafa than he did with Fredrick or any of the technicians. It was clear, he hated Rafa. "I see he's well acquainted with you."

Rafa came toward the cage and was about to open it when Gizmo started to go toward the door, making Rafa stop. "Back off!" But Gizmo just hissed again louder.

I pulled Gizmo back. "Help is coming, Gizmo. I know it." I said to just Gizmo. I looked at Rafa. "As long as you don't hurt me or him. He'll be fine."

"He's a vampire!" Rafa said.

"So am I!!" I shouted back. "He was made...this..." I said. "He was born to be a killer and hated from the very day he was born. He's never known love or even the slightest compassion, but I gave that to him." I frowned. "As a matter of fact, he has more humanity in him that any of you do." I was getting mad. I mean, really mad. "How dare you do this. He's not a commodity." I waved at the other vampires that were driven by blood that they hadn't gotten yet, but they were listening and trying to make sense as to what was being said. "If God exists, he has not only the man that created Gizmo in the deepest part of Hell. Along with whatever leader decided he could use them. I'm willing to bet he has a place for you all there! You say he's not a human, I say he is. He knows love, having never experienced it, he soaked it up like a dry sponge. You are all just a meal to him, but not me. It's what he was created for!"

There was a huge explosion in a deeper part of this...complex. That caused Rafa and the technicians to turn to where they heard the explosion. Now there were shouts and rapid pops. Gunfire!

I smiled at the sound. I just knew it was Colin. And it sounded like he had a few friends with him.

Rafa turned. "Get out of there!" He shouted at me.

I shook my head. "No way. I'm staying here!" I pulled Gizmo and me down. I stretched out flat on the cage floor and him down with me.

There shouts more and the gunfire increased in volume and frequency and a couple of explosions more. Grenades. Rafa was looking for something he could fight with. He was unarmed and so were the technicians who were looking for a way out. Rafa didn't dare come in the cage as he would be torn up by Gizmo. He dashed for a hall that leads somewhere. An escape? Then I heard more gunfire in that same direction. Whoever planned this, wasn't letting anyone get away. Rafa suddenly remembered something and rushed to a counter where the test tubes were and reached under the counter and pulled a handgun out and turned to fire at me and Gizmo. That's when I saw Willie! Dressing in what I'd seen on TV and in movies men in SWAT shows or something...that thick black vest and helmet on. He raised his gun and fired twice. Hitting Rafa twice, once in the chest and the other in the head and down Rafa went. Willie smiled at me and turned his head. "He's in here!!"

I heard fast pounds as feet raced to this room and saw Colin, also in a thick black vest and helmet on. I felt so happy and so grateful...he was my savior! I got up, Gizmo watching these new men, but his nose told him they are like me. I hugged Gizmo. "These are my friends, Gizmo!" I said happily. "The help I told you about? They're my family."

Colin raced to the cage and didn't stop. Even when he saw Gizmo, he kept coming. He pulled on the cage door, which was locked and the looked for a key.

"Try Rafa's pocket." I pointed to Rafa. "The man with a hole in his head." I grinned at Gizmo. "See, Gizmo? They're friends. They're the good guys."

Gizmo still wasn't sure as he looked as more men came in. Gizmo sniffed and realized all of them were like me. The wild vampires were interested also, even though they hadn't been fed yet.

The thing with keys is...whenever you need one in a hurry, it's almost always the last one you try. Colin fumbled and finally got the door open and ran in, ignoring Gizmo and hugged me so tight, it hurt, but I didn't care. He then broke away enough to kiss me almost as hard as he hugged, but any pain I felt didn't register, I was so happy to see him. Gizmo, however, was interested in what we were doing as he looked and as what should have been eyebrows on his hairless face rose.

"God, Devon," Colin said kissing me and rubbing my face and just about all over. Tears on his face and his breathing hitched. "I was so scared."

I laughed and nodded. "So was I." I hugged him again. "I knew you were coming. I never doubted you were." I chuckled when Gizmo was looking very interested in Colin's and my exchange. "Oh, Gizmo," I said to Gizmo, "this is Colin. Colin, Gizmo."

Colin was now very wary of Gizmo. "But he's a..."

"Yes, he is." I nodded cutting him off from saying it.

Gizmo was trying to understand. He pointed at me.

"Devon," I said again. "Gizmo?"

Gizmo put his hand on his chest.

"Right." I smiled. We went through it again and ended up. "Colin!"

Gizmo was what he was. He didn't talk, but he understood and I saw it in his eyes. We did it again and he touched each one by their name.

"Very good!" I said hugging him again, which Colin did not believe he was seeing.

"He understands!?" Colin asked incredibly.

I nodded. "He can't talk, but he surprised me, too." I hugged Colin again. "I'll explain later. I promise."

"Strange company, Devon." Willie grinned.

I looked over at Willie. "Dad!!"

He had one eyebrow up as he was staring and shaking his head, but I went over and hugged him, too. "Is there a vampire you can't be friends with?" He chuckled.

I grinned and nodded. "I've met a few."

Then the others were coming in. I realized, there were people from New York and England here! Edwin came in, followed by Matt dressed like Willie and Colin. There were other men I knew a little from England. I saw Chuck and Alex come in. In came Amasis and Amir. Dressed for battle as well. The room was filling up. Wayne came in and froze.

"I know!" I said loud knowing what Wayne would say. "I know," I said softer and I nodded. "He's like the one that bit you. I know what he is." I looked at Gizmo. "But he kept me safe from Rafa Morsi and Fredrick Hoffman," I said pulling Gizmo over and then I looked for him. Fredrick Hoffman. "There was another man here. His name is Fredrick Hoffman. He's like Rafa Morsi. He's one of the leaders. Did you see him?"

"Just a few lab technicians," Chuck said.

Gizmo was now very confused as he sniffed in Chuck's direction and frowned.

"Yes, you can't feed on Chuck," I said absently to Gizmo. I looked at the four other wild vampires there. "I guess we need to take them, too."

Colin looked at Gizmo. "You want to take him?" He asked and was sure I was kidding.

"I know he's odd," I admitted. "There's different physiology here. I'd love to look at his insides and test his DNA and I know George will." I looked at Colin. "I spent the night with him. He didn't hurt me. He's more human than most I've met on this trip."

"Will the serum even work?" Colin asked as he looked Gizmo up and down. "Even if it does...somethings will not just...come." He pointed down to Gizmo's crotch. "Did he ever have balls?"

"I don't think so and pisses ammonia," I said. "No poop shoot either."

We heard this shout and almost scream as Fredrick came out of hiding, charging down the hall and fired a rapid-firing gun. He was trying to get rid of the evidence as he shot all four of the wild vampires and was turning toward us. What I saw was Gizmo let out a blood-curdling scream as he rushed at Fredrick, who was still firing and hit Gizmo in the chest and side, but not before Gizmo had latched on to Fredrick's neck and bitten him in a tearing bite. It wasn't a long bite, but it was a bite.

"No!!" I rushed at Gizmo who didn't know what happened. I saw him stumble and fall back. "No! No! No!" I rushed toward Gizmo. I knelt beside him, not sure what to do. He bled solid black ooze and looking at his wounds, I had enough knowledge from my days as a medic, if he was human, he would die. "Aw, Gizmo," I said and I knew it didn't make sense to anyone there, but I was crying. "No, Gizmo," I said touching his face. "Gizmo."

He looked shocked at what had happened but looked at me. He smiled at me.

"Aw, Gizmo." I leaned in touching my forehead to his. "I am so sorry," I said now sobbing. I held his hand. "You were created for the wrong reason. If you understand anything. I am someone that thought of you...as my friend." I shook my head. "It wasn't your fault," I said putting a smile I had to force so he could see it. "You are my friend, Gizmo." I said to him and watched him stop breathing and cried even more.

Returning to Thornwood