Chapter 11

"Why me? Why send me an invitation to one of your performances?"

Shari was anxious to see Kristy again, but still felt a distrust of this woman who called herself Victoria something or other.

"Why Shari dear, I thought you would want to see your friend Kristy, especially now that she's the star of the show."

They stood at the main entrance to the tent as the other patrons were buying or presenting tickets and entering.

"Star of the show?" questioned Shari, "I thought she was just supposed to keep the books."

"Ah, yes, well her talents were being wasted on such trivial matters so I found something much more exciting and rewarding for her to do."

"I do want to see her and, frankly, that's the only reason I accepted this invitation. I haven't been able to get anything out of Eric. I know he came to see Kristy several weeks ago, but he won't even talk to me about it. You did something to him. I don't know what, but I know he cared for Kristy. Now he doesn't even mention her name."

"How unfortunate. Perhaps he became distracted by other things."

"What things?"

"Let us just say that men are so fickle. Their heads can be turned so easily by a pretty face, a flirtatious smile, an ample bosom."

Shari was defiant.

"I don't much like you Victoria. I certainly don't trust you and I don't think Kristy should either."

"Such harsh words from one so attractive," Victoria said, smiling as she let her eyes wander over the face and body of the young black woman.

Shari, momentarily nonplused, turned and walked into the arena. Victoria stayed long enough to point out Kristy's friend to three of the men who would normally be a part of the act, but who Victoria had given the night off so they might assist her.

Finally, as the last of the audience was seated, Victoria walked to center ring.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We are happy to be back in your fair city and we are honored with your presence this evening."

She looked through the audience and smiled.

"The Carnival Erotica is proud to present for your entertainment... Miss Kristy Anders!"

There was great applause as Kristy's reputation had obviously preceded her. She walked to the center of the ring. To the audience the woman was strident and self assured, but Victoria knew better, sensing the fear and self doubt which riddled the attractive blonde. Victoria alone, spotted her eyes shifting in fear, the nearly invisible tremors racking her body as she forced one foot in front of the other. Victoria had actually wanted to wait another day or two before opening, but Kristy, knowing she was already the cause of postponements and delays, insisted she was ready.

Victoria scanned the tent and found Shari sitting on an aisle seat about half way up the rows of seats.

Kristy's robe was not all that dropped to begin the show. Victoria smiled when Shari's mouth flew open as her friend began walking around the arena in nothing but a string bikini expounding on the sacrifice of virgins. Her friend also noted that Kristy had lost weight, her eyes were sunken, her skin sallow. The audience saw only a thin, sexy young woman. Shari knew something was very wrong with her friend. She wondered if Kristy might be on drugs, if that was Victoria's hold on her. What else could make her do what she was doing? Shari fidgeted with embarrassment for her friend, but Victoria almost laughed out loud as Kristy was grabbed, stripped naked, beaten and then raped by no less than three men. She could feel Shari"s outrage from across the arena and when their eyes met, the fear.

Come to me, Shari, and you too can be a star!

The young woman was horrified to see her friend assaulted, but her own fear was even more compelling as she recognized, somehow, that voice in her mind was Victoria's.

Sensing she had been lured here, Shari turned her full attention to escape. If she could get back to town, she could bring the police and free Kristy from the grasp of this evil woman.

She ran down the steps and toward one of the exits, looking back just in time to see the men climax on and in her friend. Kristy collapsed and her naked, unconscious body was laid out on the altar as if in sacrifice.

As if to emphasize her omnipotence, Victoria, still aware of Shari's unbelieving presence in the exit runway, stepped forward.

"The virgin has been sacrificed, but she is still a tight and satisfying prize. Ladies and gentlemen, please look at the back of your ticket stub. Three tickets bear a special stamp with a crest and the initials V.V."

Two men and a woman held up their hands.

"Your tickets are not transferable but, if you wish and if you dare, you may have a piece of this lovely young woman. Give the ticket to one of my assistants and she's all yours!"

Shari could bear no more. She ran for the exit, looking back to see two burly men pursuing her from out of the crowd. One fleeting glance caught sight of Victoria smiling and walking toward her. She turned and ran as fast as possible cursing her decision to bike instead of borrowing a car. Darkness had already fallen, but she saw the large hulking figure waiting by the tree where she had left the bicycle. She turned and started toward the wagons, hoping to hide until she could somehow find a way to sneak past them. However, that avenue of escape also lay blocked by one of the carnival brutes. She turned and ran toward the other line of wagons.

She winced as she heard the cheering and applause as the three spectators had obviously cashed in their tickets and were extracting their money's worth.

The first wagon had a light on inside, she dared not hide there. Just as she was about to make a dash to the second wagon, one of the men who had been chasing her, appeared and began searching underneath a nearby wagon. Her only chance was the darkened third wagon which sat off to one side. She made her way along a line of heavy brush where she waited to catch her breath, but she heard voices behind her and felt she could wait no longer. She ran the few open yards and dived behind one of the wheels. Content to wait until she could double back, get her bike or if necessary, walk back to town, Shari was beginning to breath easier, her heart no longer pounding quite so loudly. Then she saw them. The two men from the carnival who had chased her from the tent. She recognized them as their bulky figures were silhouetted against the brightly lit main tent. They had not seen her, but were headed in her direction. She knew it would only be moments before they spotted her, so she exhausted her only other alternative. She quickly scrambled to the other side of the wagon and crept up the steps, praying the door wasn't locked. The handle turned and the door opened with a slight creaking sound. Strange how in the midst of danger, small, insignificant details struck a responsive chord. She had heard that sound before. She was sure of it, but her fear washed aside the detail and she quickly stepped into the totally darkened room, closing the door softly behind her. Again that sound and suddenly the memory came flooding back. She had been in this wagon before. The day she had helped Kristy move. My God, this is...

"Welcome Shari. I'm glad you decided to take me up on my invitation."

Victoria, seated on the sofa, lit a single candle.

Shari gasped and turned to flee, but suddenly her hand was powerless to turn the knob.

"Why not stay awhile and accept my hospitality?" smiled the vampire.

"Like what you're doing to Kristy? How could you? Why?"

"Because it suits me and because Kristy is doing what she chooses to do. I am forcing her to do nothing."

"I don't believe that. You probably..."

"Have her on drugs?" finished Victoria. "None of the sort. I detest drugs. They pollute the body, dilute the senses."

"Kristy wouldn't do those things..."

"Of her own free will? You are wrong my dear Miss Stevens. She does them willingly, shamelessly and with total abandon simply because it is what I desire and she wishes to please me."

"You're forcing her somehow. I know you are!"

"Only once my little black pet and as you will find, my proteges will do anything I ask... anything!"

"Not this pet!" cried Shari, again trying to escape, finding her body unable to move.

"It is futile to resist. You may as well surrender."

"Never!"

"Ah, what spirit! I like that in a woman. Kristy had that same kind of spirit once. How sad she must be replaced. On the other hand, what a worthy replacement!" Victoria said, again leering in the candlelight at Shari's body.

"I already control your body, Shari and soon I will have your mind as well."

"No!" cried the girl, but her voice was full of fear.

"Kristy could hide nothing from me, Shari and neither can you. I can reach into the darkest recesses, find you most secret thoughts!"

The young woman's eyes widened as Victoria smiled.

"Ah, let me see. While you consider me contemptible for what I do to your friend, you have your own designs on Kristy. You've wanted her since the two of you first met. The truth is you weren't so much concerned for her safety as you were jealous of me for spoiling your plans to be her first."