Sanguine Sins

Welcome to Sanguine Sins
Where the wealthy come to feast alongside Vampires.

"Welcome, welcome! How many?"

"Two, please."

"Smoking or non?"

"Non-smoking, please."

"Will you be needing a drip-mat, sir?"

"Uh..." He faltered.

Mortal, damn. Keep smiling! Damn it, Sheila!

"I take that as a no, then." I managed to keep my voice cheerful, my pearly whites gleaming in the false sunlight filtering through the LCD 'windows'. "Follow me, sir, madame."

I led the couple down the short hallway to the dining area. I hate serving mortals, they hardly tipped worth a damn. The immortal Vampires, however....

"Here we are, a table for two. I do apologize, we are short staffed today, so I will be your waitress. My name is Sheila. Have you been here before?"

His voice was rough, but I suspected he was playing cool and attempting to be suave; I had become accustomed to the deep flow of the Vampire and his negative response grated on my nerves.

"Well, let me again welcome you! If you don't mind me saying so, we love nipping Sanguine cherries, the blood flows quite nicely," I mewled. I gave my deadly grin, flashing false, overly large canine teeth. Completely politically incorrect, but demanded by management. The pair shuddered. Anticipation or fear? Or both?

I handed the couple the simple, single page menu. He immediately lowered his head while she tentatively grasped the laminated paper with perfectly manicured hands and demurely kept her eyes hidden underneath thick black lashes.

"We have several items that are strictly Vampire only and require ID to order; think of it as our blood law to the national alcohol law. These are marked clearly with a red double-s. All of our steaks are fresh, no animals are killed the day before. We are a meat specialty, so we have limited salad options. We are quite proud of our wine, brewed in house. Have either of you been on our tour?"

"We decided we would try the food before we paid for the two hour tour." Ah, tourists. This is just getting better, isn't it?

"Well, you won't be disappointed! All items can be cooked to order and are as fresh as possible. Take your receipt from your meal when you purchase your tour and you will have the dinner total subtracted from your entire ticket price. The tour may be two hours, but when you finish, you will feel as if it wasn't long enough. You will get a full tour of the facility and will see some of the vineyards and pastures sitting on the five-hundred acres behind the restaurant." I paused. I refrained from mentioning the type of livestock kept on the property. "Now, I will take your drink orders and give you a few minutes to look over the menu. What may I get for you?"

I pulled out my notepad and jotted down two a glasses of water. Maybe I would get lucky and get to serve the wine?

I backed away with the smile still plastered to my face. Once in the kitchen, however, my face melted into a hard grimace. I glanced at the clock; it was well after nine o'clock. The regulars will be arriving soon, I thought. Pure joy bubbled up from deep within, the smile that accompanied me back to the dining area was real this time. I delivered the water and excused myself after receiving a quiet reply requesting a few more moments with the menu.

I felt him before I saw him; his stares always felt like a lover's caress down my spine. I turned toward the main entrance and met his deep obsidian pools of lust and blushed deeply. No matter how many times I served him, Alejandro continued to elicit the same reaction. I led him to a quiet corner booth with a double 'window' view overlooking a bluff and the ocean, a perfect summer day glimmered on the screens.

"Sheila, when will you let me bite that pretty little neck of yours?" His voice was honey dripped along my neck and down my chest. I ached to have him lick it off, but that was what he intended me to feel. I still enjoyed it and gave him the dreamy look he deserved.

"Mmm...Alejandro, you will be my undoing! Please, let me work!" I blushed again. Would I get fired if I let him nip, just once? "Now, behave, or I will have to get Margot to take your order!" I returned his playfulness, my threat empty and void of any harsh undertones.

He feigned a chest wound, "Ah, no! Not Margot! She would stake me just as soon serve me!" I couldn't help but to giggle.

"Now, now, no dramatics. You'll frighten the new guests and then where would you eat your breakfast?" I handed him the same menu I had handed the couple and cleared my throat. "In addition to the menu, we have a new shipment of Unrequited Love, Newly Wedded Bliss, Widow In Mourning, and for those who like the tougher game, we even have a small collection of Heartless Shrew. Shall I start you off with your usual O-negative?"

Alejandro groaned, a seductive sound that slithered down my spine. "I think I will have the O-negative, yes. Top shelf, yes? As for the new items, the Newly Wedded Bliss is served with both steaks, correct?"

"Yes, it is a double serving with extra blood-sauce and your choice of two sides. Would you like to order the Newly Wedded Bliss or do you need a few minutes to decide?" I bit my lip at the look he tossed me. "Right, I'll be right back with your blood, sir -" I faltered, "- Alejandro." Get a GRIP, Sheila!

With shaking legs and weak knees, I walked back to the tourist couple. In a daze, I answered questions about the steaks and the sauces. For humans, the answers were always disappointing: no, it is simply beef steak; no, it is just a red-wine sauce; yes, the Vampires really drink blood-wine, but they eat the same steaks the mortals do. If they only knew... I thought to myself as I wrote down a Fang Bender Bites appetizer and two medium-rare Lover's Hearts. Really, though, the appetizer was nothing more than lamb stuffed mushrooms and the main courses just two medallions of Filet Mignon. I ran their order to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of §On, the house blended O-negative red wine, for Alejandro and a bottle of §hiraz, the house Shiraz, for the mortals.

I poured for the couple and left them to their quiet discussion. Alejandro watched, as did every other vampire in the dining area; tourists were not rare, but every first time visitor was an appetizing temptation for the regulars. I popped the cork on his bottle and began to pour his glass before I realized he had been watching me and not the customers. I blushed.

"You are more beautiful when you redden. Also, more delectable and irresistible. You look so tender and perfect, you should be served up to kings." My blush deepened, a retort at the ready, but I held my tongue. It would not do to provoke playful banter with blood-wine uncorked; bad things could happen, even with centuries old vampires like Alejandro.

I waited until he tasted the wine and nodded his approval before taking his order.

"The Newly Wedded bliss is too tempting an offer to refuse. If it is available, an O-negative pair to compliment the wine? If not, I will take the best available." His hungry eyes bored through my chest to my own heart and listened to the blood pump through my veins. I felt as if I were on fire.

"One of these days, Alejandro, you will find someone who will abhor your need to taunt young waitresses." I tried to keep my voice level, but I knew he heard the heated passion seeping into my words. Breathe. In. Out. Don't look so eager!

"I will just as soon find that person as someone who will share my desire," he whispered, fangs glistening in the 'window' light. I shook my head, still smiling, as I walked back to the kitchen.



Under staffed. How could I forget? Stupid me. The two runners were not enough for an entire restaurant full of vampires and I found myself walking down to the basement to retrieve the hearts for Alejandro's meal. This was the part of the facility the tourists never saw, and with good reason. I passed a door labeled Lover's Quarrel Heartache and the door opposite it, Puppy Love. The hallways behind each were dark; we were out of both and they had been stricken from the menu that morning. The hallway stretched quite far, dozens upon dozens of doors leading down more hallways, all just the same, some empty and dark, some packed and full of various sounds. The sterile hospital white walls contrasted with the brick facade in the dining area. Up there, it felt like a true upscale restaurant while down here felt like a hospital prison ward. I shivered.

About halfway down the main hall, I found the hallway for which I was looking: Newly Wedded Bliss. I pulled the key out of my pocket and opened the thick steel door. A new corridor opened up before me, new doors to search. These doors were labeled with blood types in varying combinations. It took five minutes to locate a double O-negative. I glanced through the peephole and saw light. It was Alejandro's lucky night, we had his order. I reached to the control pad and entered my passcode and the door swung silently open. I took a deep breath and reminded myself They are just cattle. Don't get emotional, keep a blank face.

I walked into a room with a couple entangled in a king-size bed, completely nude. Oh...my... I tilted my head and watched as he penetrated her over and over and listened to the wet sounds of their love making intermingled with her moans of pleasure. I could not look away, even knowing their fate. Memory of Alejandro's mind tricks in the dining area flushed my skin as I watched the couple and I could not help but get aroused. Sheila! No! They are cattle, just cattle, not something to envy or get worked up over!

I took a shuddering breath and released it slowly. I stepped back through the door and pushed the call-button on the control pad for the butcher. I also pushed the 'rush' button, indicating their climax was imminent. Hearts must be harvested at the peak of release for the best steak to be served. Vampires can tell and as a high-end restaurant, our name was on the line with every meal served.

I walked back into the room and leaned my back against the wall next to the door. Sheila...this is not a good idea...get back in the hall! Don't... I berated myself, even as I let my hand travel underneath my skirt. Sheila, this is how you end up on the menu! I had lost control and was pumping myself higher and higher wishing I could join in.

That is how the butcher found me. I stared, glass eyed, as he entered and slit the throats of the couple as they climaxed together. I had not yet reached climax, but could not stop. He set up the pump and removed their blood as he carved their chests for the still beating hearts. His expert hands caressed every body part as he butchered them for the mortal steaks and the slow-cooked rib dinners. My fingers glided in and out in time with his knives.

Then my breath caught. He turned with lightning speed and our eyes met. I whimpered, jaw trembling, pleading with him through my eyes. His grim visage gave way to a sneer. Still bloodied from the couple, his fingers pushed aside his vinyl apron and unbuttoned his jeans. A distended cock sprang forth, hard and ready.

"You like that?" He huffed. "You like watching the blood spurt and the life leave?" I could only whimper again. His blooded hand stroked his cock as he approached. "A little devil, eh?" His coarse voice rubbed my skin like sandpaper. He closed the distance and pinned my body, stilling my fingers.

No! Not this! Sheila! What have you done? I bucked my hips the best that I could, mashing my hand to his groin. He pulled my hand free and clasped both of mine above my head. He dipped and entered me all at once, tearing a delighted shriek from my lips. My head swam as his free hand clamped on my throat. That was my undoing. I came harder than ever before.

Then I felt the blade, swift, cold, and nothing more.




A runner delivered Alejandro's meal. A note, matching Sheila's handwriting, was tucked under a lidded plate:

Alejandro,
Your offers were too great to refuse. Please accept my offering in return.
~Sheila

He lifted the lid to find the Snuff Lover's Dream, a non-menu dessert item consisting of heart smothered in sweet blood-sauce.

Witchy Woman

Swampland squished beneath my bare feet as I followed the frail-looking elderly woman down a wild path. I came seeking guidance, or so I thought. She said I came for revenge. The townsfolk call her the old Voodoo witch, who am I to question her assessment?

Nettles bit my ankles as willow whips whispered along my skin; deeper and deeper into the alligator infested marshes we went. We had seen four already, bigger than I ever imagined, but they bowed gracefully as they backed away from our path. If my guide was not a witch, she was at least a tamer of animals.

At sunset we had left the main road, well after sundown we arrived at a clearing of sorts. A small island sat dead center of the muck with a thatch hut protruding elegantly atop the crown of the tiny hill. Into the water she waded, unperturbed by six hungry jowls snapping mere feet away. I kept close on her heels for the hungry eyes watched me.

Torches lit as we approached; was it magic or illusion? I could not tell. The smoke billowing from each swirled inward to the door of the building. I no longer needed to swat at mosquitoes every two seconds, they disappeared. The muggy heat remained. Inside sprawled an oak table and several shelves. In a pen, chickens clucked, pecking at grain in the mud. A row of knives hung, dangling from the rafters, varying in size from a tiny paring knife to something twice the size of a machete. I cringed at the dried splats of blood along the blades and handles.

Her creaky voice startled me, "Seet down, chile, ye needs ye'r rest befo' te nigh' 'tis troo."

I sat, without thinking, on a chest against one tiny moss-grown wall. I watched, mesmerized, as she began gathering ingredients to boil over a tiny fire, the origins of which I had no knowledge. In a trance I stared as the smoke danced circles around the hut, entering through the door, swirling between us, and escaping through a central hole in the willowy roof. Was it minutes I watched the shadows play, or hours?

Wonderful smells tugged at my nose despite the gruesome looking things in jars that she pulled. Light emanated from nowhere, illuminating everything.

"Heeyahr," she said at last, offering me a bowl of broth, "dreenk dis."

A sweet taste met my tongue, unlike the broth consistency suggested. I drank the entire bowl, tilting it upward to run my tongue along the deepest recesses of the carved wood. She smiled as she retrieved it from my hands.

"Now," she turned back to the table, "te fun begans."

My ears heard chanting, but her lips barely moved. She grasped a rooster from the pen and it went willingly, quietly. It was rather proud in its offering sacrifice, jutting his chest out for her silver blade. Light feathers darkened as the chicken's blood flowed from the score marks drawn along the breastbone. The sweet taste of the broth reignited along my tongue, warmth spreading down my throat, a fire burned in my gut. The chanting continued.

Then, silence. The hut was plunged in darkness as the blade sank between feathers.

A ruby shone brightly, shining light atop a small fork. The witch's frail hand proffered it toward my face.

"Eat. He done you wrong. Make tings right. Swallow down his haht, make heem pay!"

I gulped. The coppery smell tasted of nectar on my tongue. The ruby had a strange sanguine tinge to its edges, almost as if dipped in sugar. My mouth opened wide. The wooden taste of the fork was lost amid the heat of the muscle, swallowed whole like an oyster, for it was an oyster of a sort: it was his heart, dipped in honey, marinated in syrup.



I awoke the next morning, lying naked in the backwoods of Louisiana. My clothes, cell phone, and car keys in a neat pile beside my head. I turned on my phone and immediately received a dozen messages. My recent ex had been found in my best friend's bedroom, dead of a heart attack. His heart was mysteriously missing from his chest.

Her Shrill Voice

His hands wrapped her throat as he tried to silence her voice echoing through his head. She was so lovely and beautiful, but her voice! Her shrill voice constantly reprimanding his every move, denouncing his every decision! Tonight was the last he would hear from her! Twisted and entwined in their broken love-making, she had demanded a slight change to their position, told him she needed him deeper, harder, he was not filling her completely. All in her prim and proper high pitch voice! His mind broke and he jerked as if struck by a whip. Above her wriggling body, still buried deep inside her, his hands squeezed tighter and tighter. Annoyance more than fear registered in her eyes and drove him deeper into madness. His only thought was to silence the voice in his head, shush her controlling demands. Her body protested the lack of oxygen and writhed beneath him as he continued subconsciously to pump in and out of her, the primal desire to fully dominate his captive strong. His ragged breath met her strangled whimper, each in time with his deeply penetrating thrust and her body's natural spastic retaliation. It was mere moments, but an eternity seemed to pass as the two bodies bucked wildly into each other, anchored by his lethal grasp on her delicate neck. Then the world froze - a violent climax shattered through him, his body tensed with release, his hands clamped firmly around the limp form beneath him. His senses slowly returned as he recovered and stared down at her lifeless and bruised body. She looked as if she were simply asleep with her bloodshot eyes focused in the distance. His mind was quiet, finally silent as he pulled out and cradled her next to him. Such sweet silence...!

Softly, a bare whisper echoed through his head, her haunting voice returned to utter one last question and demanded to know what he would do without her. His cry of rage sang through the night air.