Occupation Read online

  She had stood on the stone platform, resting against the superbly crafted marble railing supported by massive stone balustrades. Kirilli was awestruck by her beauty. Her long blond hair brushed gently against her full bosoms with each breeze of the evening air. Her face was that of an angel’s. Her dark blue eyes provided a small glimpse into a soul in unrest. She would be his. He would share her with no one.

  He slowly made his way through the thick shrubbery which surrounded the porch. He crept up behind her, feeling his razor sharp incisors starting to grow. The closer he approached, the stronger her sweet young blood pressed on his senses. It would take every ounce of energy he could muster to refrain from completely draining her. His mouth slowly started opening, the saliva starting to drip from the over-sized teeth. Cool night air entered the small holes in each tooth sending shivers through his body. It wasn't air they sought; they were honing in on the arteries that were pulsating with her life blood. His eyes were acting as a magnifying glass. He could detect each time her heart pumped and the thick fluid flowing in and out of the carotid artery. His mouth was watering. His senses were on high alert. Then he accidentally kicked a stone while still two meters from the woman who would unwillingly become his. Her body started to turn towards him, but it was too late. Her movements allowed her hair to clear her neck and his teeth slowly pierced her skin, probing for the essence of life. She released a small passionate moan as his hot, razor sharp teeth, penetrated her skin, searching for the artery that would connect their lives for all ages.

  That was so long ago. Yes, it had been over a century since he had taken her. Life had been good or as good as one could expect. They had survived wars, attacks and various threats to the clan, but the Germans were bringing a threat they could never have anticipated.

  Dmitri greeted his parents with a stern look. "Father, Mother, I thought I heard a gunshot? Was anyone hurt?"

  Kirilli helped Sasha into the carriage and grumbled to Dmitri, "Everything is fine son. Let us return to our home. We have matters of urgency to discuss with all of the clan members. I fear a pestilence has invaded our country."

  Dmitri didn't question his father and reluctantly boarded the carriage. He took his seat on the driver's cushion, released the wheel brake, and cracked the whip. The mare was turned to the right and headed back towards their home in Siepraw, Bezpieczenstwo.

  Nikoli stared at the carriage as it headed out of town. "Dear sweet Svetlana, it appears the Boirarskys are leaving in a hurry. What do you think they are up to?"

  Svetlana looked into her husband’s black iron eyes and flashed an evil grin, “Why dearest husband. Who cares? They are weak and we are strong. It appears the Germans and we think alike. We need to talk to the German Major about body disposal. It would be such a waste for them to dispose of the woman's body before it was properly drained."

  They both let out a loud boasting laugh as they pondered how to approach the major and offer their assistance.

  Chapter 2

  Occupation

  Svetlana and Nikoli were true to their word. After the incident at the rail station they approached the major and asked him what would become of the body.

  Major Ernst replied, "It will be disposed of with the rest of the dregs and riffraff. There was no place in the Reich for swine like her."

  His words meant nothing to them. Truly, she wasn't the most productive woman of the city, but she had served a purpose. Her killing just seemed senseless. Nikoli knew time was not on their side and an argument with the major would be counterproductive. The blood in the woman would quickly start coagulating and it would be very difficult to even pull out a liter of the life providing liquid. "Herr Major... Forgive me, Major?"

  The officer was becoming most agitated with the two local peasants. "The name is Major Ernst, proud member and follower of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich."

  Nikoli despised the arrogance this mortal was displaying towards he and Svetlana.

  “If you don't want to end up like the woman you seem very grieved over, I suggest you leave immediately or join her."

  Nikoli was starting to lose his temper. Svetlana came closer and held her husband’s hand. She could feel the bones and muscles in his hand and fingers starting to tense and pulsate-a sure sign that if she did not intervene, Nikoli could well start changing right here in the middle of the town square. She wrapped her fingers very tightly around his, allowing his nails to dig into the palm of her hand as they started to grow.

  “Herr Major Ernst. We apologize for the intrusion, but we have a long history in body disposal, and if it wouldn't be too much trouble, we would like to take the woman's body and properly dispose of it." At first the major was oblivious to her comments. He turned his attention towards her. She could tell by his mannerisms he was about to reprimand her more severely than he had Nikoli.

  "Frau, it is my intention and that of......" His words trailed off as his eyes came in contact with hers. His gaze was pulled deep into her bright green hypnotic eyes. He wanted to dispose of both of them, but the urge to eliminate them disappeared from his memory nearly the instant his eyes locked with hers.

  "Frau, you may do with the body as you please, but be quick about it or the guards will beat you to the task. If anyone asks, tell them you are under my orders and the body is yours."

  And with that, Nikoli started relaxing. The claw like nails started to recede back into his hand relieving the pain Svetlana was enduring while calming both her husband and the German.

  “Danke, Herr Major. We shall waste no time. Until we meet again." They immediately headed towards the woman's body. As the major had said, there were already several guards loading the body onto an open wooden wagon. A guard blocked their passage as they got closer. She and Nikoli knew they needed to retrieve the body quickly. Each minute that passed was another milliliter of liquid they would not be able to suck out.

  “Raush, move on or you will be joining her," yelled one of the guards at Nikoli and Svetlana. The other soldiers laughed at the pair, thinking them peasants. Svetlana sensed the anger growing within Nikoli again. She addressed the men quickly.

  "Excuse me sir, but under the orders of Major Ernst, he is allowing us to give this woman a proper disposal." The guard questioned her words with his eyes. Her eyes were deep and penetrating. “Sir, Major Ernst...."

  "Jawohl Frau. Please accept my apologies. The body is yours."

  No man could resist her eyes. She smiled and thanked the private for his kindness. Nikoli picked up the body with one movement. The German guards stood in shock at the man's strength. The dead woman, small as she was, still weighed around 59 kilos and it had taken two of them to lift her off of the ground. Nikoli turned and started walking back to their carriage, carrying his prize like a sack of potatoes. Pleased that she had diffused another difficult situation and had gained a small victory, Svetlana again thanked the guard for his kindness.

  Nikoli tossed the dead woman's body in the back of the carriage. They both took their seats and headed out of town. Nikoli rarely smiled, but this was a special occasion.

  "Wife, it is good to see you still remember how to dazzle men with your charms. I hope the body is still pliable. The scent of her blood is fading fast."

  Svetlana was proud of her recent accomplishment. It had been decades, no, longer than that since she had needed to use the well-honed tools of her trade. "Yes, dear husband. I too am pleased to see I can still hold mortal men in my power with a glance. I can still get them to do anything I want or need."

  She should have stopped after the first sentence, but then, that wasn't her way. Nikoli looked at her as the carriage bumped and rocked over the rutted dirt road.

  “My dear wife, I caution you to watch your tongue. I might perceive the idea you are developing thoughts from the past."

  His condescending tone sent shivers down her spine. Bastard was the first word that entered her mind, but she dare not utter it. He would not hesitate to strike her like one would a belligere
nt child. The carriage moved on eastward with no more words being spoken.

  "There, dear wife," Nikoli pointed at a spot well off the road. "That is where we shall feast on what remains of the woman's sweet fluid."

  Nikoli pulled the carriage onto a path long forgotten and infrequently used by both locals and Germans. He pulled the horse to a stop 400 meters down the road. It was perfect. No one could see them from the road and the thick forest would hide their activities. Nikoli jumped off of the coach and retrieved the dead woman. He threw her on his shoulder and walked another ten meters into the dense growth. Svetlana followed close behind him. Nikoli swung the dead weight off of his shoulder and placed the body up against a large oak tree. Svetlana licked her lips in anticipation of the snack they would enjoy. She approached the body to start feeding but instead her path was blocked by an arm barring the way to the sweet nectar. Nikoli was going to feed first.

  "Patience, dear wife, I will save some for you."

  With that, he sunk his fangs deep into the neck of the sagging body. He could taste death in her blood. It was as he feared; the blood had already started to coagulate, requiring him to suck harder than normal. A beating heart made feeding so much easier. As blood moved from the heart to the brain, the fang’s hollowed canals acted like a siphon, diverting the copper sweet fluid almost effortlessly into the vampire's starving capillaries while depriving the victim of the same life-giving fluid. The victim slowly went into a coma as the brain was deprived of the oxygen rich blood.

  A few minutes and one-and-a-half liters later, he pulled back from the body. "Dear wife, it is your turn."

  She needed no more invitation. She sunk her teeth deep into the left side of the woman's neck searching for the life-providing fluid. She sucked deep and hard, draining what little blood remained in the brain and the jugular vein. All of the valves in the heart had closed. She was barely able to retrieve half a liter of blood. Nikoli's heavy sucking had sealed-off all of the valves in the body. The taste of the blood was not at all appetizing, it was thick and stale. It had lost its sweet copper taste, but it was blood and she needed it. She pulled back looking at Nikoli. Her eyes were full of anger and hate. As the last few drops of blood fell from her fangs she controlled her expression just in time as Nikoli turned toward her and smiled.

  "Thank you dear husband, for such a wonderful delight. We must retrieve the bodies earlier for both us to feed as we should."

  Nikoli knew exactly what she meant. “Dear wife, be pleased I allowed you to feed at all."

  Svetlana knew not to challenge him. It would be useless. "Dear husband, what shall we do with the body now that it has served its purpose?"

  Nikoli surveyed the forest and decided he would move the body a little farther into the woods. This site would be good for future feedings and he didn't want dead corpses littering his potential feeding site.

  “I shall take it and place it another thirty meters into the woods. The wolves, bears, and other animals can finish what we started." And with those words he hoisted the body and headed deep into the woods. Svetlana moved back to the carriage in deep thought. Nikoli appeared a few minutes later with a triumphant look on his face.

  "Dear wife, I believe Major Ernst and I will soon become fast friends." He picked up the reins, snapped them over the back of the horse and turned the carriage towards the main road. Svetlana also thought Major Ernst and she could become fast friends when the time was right.

  The following day, Nikoli decided to go back to town and have a talk with Jacub Polasky and Major Ernst. He wanted to secure a tentative agreement. Polasky and his family had been instrumental in forging out the agreements between the Romanovs and Boirarskys through the years. Prior to the standing agreement, the clans would raid the surrounding villages and take what they wanted.

  One night both sides had gone too far. They had intercepted a carriage containing the heir apparent to the throne. The young prince and princess and their respective guards never had a chance. Nikoli had brought the entire clan to hunt that fateful evening. They killed and drained everyone in the party. When the attack was reported back to Ivan Polasky, he was livid and declared open war on the Romanovs. All of the townsmen were rallied and went to visit the Romanovs armed with stakes, crosses, and holy water. They encircled the residence and set it on fire in order to flush everyone out. In the end, Nikoli and Svetlana were the only ones to escape the maelstrom.

  Many of the villagers had paid the price of death to rid the countryside of the vampires, but it had been worth it to them. The Romanovs would no longer terrorize the territory. Nikoli traveled to town months after the battle to attempt a truce. Kirilli had heard of the attack and also attended. It was agreed; the clans would no longer feed or attack the residents of Southern Poland. They would be notified by courier of a sick, infirmed or old one that was preparing to pass. It was a tentative agreement, but it had worked for over a hundred years. With the Germans as the current occupiers, Nikoli wanted to make sure that a similar agreement could be forged with the new regime.

  Stephan had hitched the horse to the carriage early that morning as instructed by his father the night before. Nikoli would be leaving early in the morning and didn't want to be kept waiting. He made his way out of the doorway and headed to the stable before dawn had broken.

  "Stephan, I gather the carriage is properly prepared?" His voice, deep and harsh, echoed in the morning mist.

  "Yes Father, all is as you requested."

  "Good, I have business in town."

  "Father, should I accompany you?"

  "No. This is a job for real men." Stephan bristled from the slight. "Do not worry my son. Someday when you become a man, I might let you ride with me," he let out a harsh laugh as he boarded the carriage, cracked the whip, and headed to Krakow.

  "One of these days Nikoli, one of these days," came the hushed, hate-filled words from Stephan. He felt a breath directly behind him as he fumed over his father's transgressions.

  "Do not worry my son. One day, we will receive what is ours." He turned to see his mother standing with a disconcerting smile.

  * * *

  The streets were full of Germans milling about. They paid little or no attention to another peasant coming to town. He pulled in front of the small office belonging to Jacub Polasky. He couldn't help but notice another carriage tied up farther down the street. Kirilli is in town. This should be interesting.

  He entered the small office the Polaskys had used for years to regulate the local area. They were the acting governors of the region. It wasn't a glamorous job, but it served a purpose. They made sure the trains ran on time and the local harvests were properly executed. If a family was struggling or falling on hard times, the Polaskys were there to help. They had a true knack for uniting and bringing others together to help out those in need. With the Germans in town, Jacub Polasky had doubts that he would be able to continue the relationship with the area locals and the standing agreement with the Romanovs and Boirarskys. Only time would tell.

  Nikoli entered the room. Jacub Polasky was sitting behind his desk with a furrowed brow. He was well into his fifties with balding hair and a chubby face. He had partaken of the local Hofbrau and food far too many times. He stood only 1.75 meters tall and weighed in at 113 kilo's. Usually he was pleased to see Nikoli and Kirilli, but there was something disturbing him now. Nikoli sensed it in the air the moment he entered the small cramped office.

  "Jacub, good to see you."

  Jacub only stared at Nikoli. “Nikoli, I fear we have a problem. Kirilli and I have been talking about what the Germans are planning for our expansive territory. I know what you and Svetlana did yesterday. Major Ernst came in to make a minor mention of the incident."

  Nikoli rolled the words through his mind. “Jacub, I believe we can work with the Germans with only minor difficulties."

  Jacub shook his head in disagreement. "Nikoli, do you have any idea what they are doing?"

  Kirilli decided it was time to
interject a few thoughts. “Nikoli, despite our contempt for each other, the agreement we forged so long ago which has served us well, is now in jeopardy. The Germans plan...”

  "Kirilli, was I addressing you? I think not. The only reason you are here is by my benevolence and leniency to your existence. When I want your....."

  "Nikoli, SHUT-UP! I have endured your arrogance for far too long. We have a serious problem developing and you need to listen," Kirilli yelled.

  "The day I listen and take advice from a Boirarsky will be the day I burn in hell!"

  Jacub knew of the hatred between these two men and the history of the clans. He was not surprised by this hostility, yet he knew it could drag them all down.

  "Gentlemen, please, please put your hatred on hold. The minor inconveniences between you two is miniscule compared to what the Germans have planned. Major Ernst informed me of his intentions and that of the Third Reich yesterday. They are going to relocate the majority of the population from this area."

  Both men looked at him in stunned silence. Jacub continued, “Major Ernst convinced me that no one would be immune to their demands. Anyone who chooses not to support the new regime will meet with an unpleasant end. What we saw yesterday at the station is a small sample of our benevolent conquerors. Did you notice the smell in the air yesterday?" Kirilli recalled the rancid odor. "Do you know what it was? People. They went to the hospital and emptied it of those who they deemed unfit for duty and burned them-burned them my friends!"

  Neither man could speak. What possessed the Germans to carry out such an act? Even Nikoli was shocked at this barbaric action on civilians. Yes, he had performed his share of plundering and pillaging through the ages, but they never just killed indiscriminately. There was always a purpose when they killed. Nikoli broke the silence.