Chapter 1

“Jack, is that you? Where have you been? I’ve left message after message for you,” Lizzie inquired as she set foot inside Ray’s house (now mine) at last.

“Come in here, Lizzie. You’re lucky you caught me at night. I sleep during the day now. I have my reasons. Just as I have my reasons not to come home to you and your vase-breaking ways,” I told her later that night ... roughly a whole day after I was turned.

“Reasons? Vase-breaking ways? Okay, so I got a bit out of hand, but did you have to spend an entire day ... away from me? I couldn’t sleep! I tossed and turned! I got up repeatedly, drank a ton of caffeine just to function, waited and checked my messages, but NOTHING from you! Nothing!

“Why? Why have you ignored me? Are you too chicken-shit to dump me in person or even send a text?” Lizzie fumed, just seconds before she noticed that I was naked and saw Marcella ... and Dahlia.

“Wait ... who ... who are they? Why is she ... naked like you? Why are they wearing collars? Why is your friend Ray wearing a collar? Why, Jack, why?” Lizzie grew visibly enraged now, to which I responded by laughing at her.

“Why are you laughing at me, Jack? What’s so funny, babe? Why ... are you ... cheating on me?” Lizzie continued her rant, even as Marcella, Dahlia, and Ray all burst into laughter as well.

“Okay, okay, time to enlighten this entitled bitch who thinks that she fucking owns me and can throw things at me with impunity. I am not your Jack Ripley anymore, believe it or not. I am Lord Maximus, the new master of all that I survey. You are one of my subjects, too, though you may not realize it yet. And well, I have missed ... some of you. I’m certainly thirsty ... for something of yours,” I smirked now, confusing, angering, and terrifying Lizzie all at once.

I stood up as Lizzie walked over to slap my face, her anger and jealousy getting the better of her sounder judgment. I pulled her wrist up to my lips and sank my fangs right into her. Lizzie screamed as she felt the sharp incision of my fangs breaking her skin and drawing blood from her veins. She went pale white now, both from fear and from the loss of blood. I pulled back my fangs and she fell to her knees in horror, looking down at her wrist and the puncture marks that I left in her flesh.

“Tasty ... very sweet blood, you know. Mosquitoes would love that flavor. I know that I do,” I smiled and let Lizzie see my fangs dripping with her blood.

“You’re ... you’re a vampire! How long have you been a vampire, Jack? How did you become a vampire? I just don’t ... understand anything about this. Vampires aren’t supposed to exist! Yet you’re clearly a vampire! It doesn’t make sense at all!” Lizzie exclaimed as she looked desperately for a bandage or something for her wrist.

“I’ve been a vampire only since last night’s party, Lizzie. She turned me. Marcella Nerva, that is. A seventeen hundred year old Roman vampire, in fact. Yes, Roman, that’s right. She turned me. And now I am in command of all vampires in this area, lord and master of all that I survey. This here is Dahlia, one of my human pets, and this is Ray, as you know. The legal owner of this place, though he has surrendered it to me for my indefinite use, babe,” I announced, shocking Lizzie more than a little.

“Wait, if she turned you and she’s older, why isn’t she in charge of this area?” Lizzie waxed rather feminist right then.

“Because I’m female, my dear. Female vampires don’t rule. We serve our male vampire lords and masters. Every area, every fief, if you will, has one male vampire and all other vampires in the area are female and serve him. Think of it like a pride of lions, if you will. One male, many females. Plenty of humans of both sexes, both as livestock and as ... pets. Guess which role my lord here has in mind for you, pumpkin pie?” Marcella winked at Lizzie, who visibly shivered while I grabbed Dahlia and started fucking her right in front of my girlfriend.