Bad Girl

The matte black Ferrari prowled underneath him, just as much the predator as he was. Nicolo was dangerously ravenous, which made hunting dangerous. A rookie mistake, especially for a first-time hunt in a new city, but it was unavoidable after last night’s event. It would have been safer to ask someone to hunt with him, but he hadn’t met anyone yet he trusted. Besides, he tended to be a lone predator.

The engine protested at being stuck in first as he slowly cruised past the bars and clubs along the main street of the Rack. He made his selection quickly; a white-collar bar with a collection of fairly high-end cars parked outside. When possible, he preferred dinner to be beautiful, well groomed, worldly, intelligent – but not too outspoken – and certainly not destitute. This looked like a good gamble. He parked his baby in a remote area of the lot in an effort to protect her from careless drunken assholes, and then made his way toward the entrance.

Upon entering the club, the heavy, cloying smell of blood hit Nicolo like a Mac truck. Suddenly, feeding was absolutely all he could think about. Even his teeth ached with the promise of the coming meal. Easy. Steady. Keep it together ragazzo, or you’ll not only blow the Masquerade, you’ll blow you’re chance to eat. Out came his old friends, the reliable MS Filtros from his front jacket pocket, but as he braced himself to light one, he felt a tug at his sleeve.

“What’s the matter with you? You can’t light that thing in here!” A female voice. Very annoyed. Taken back, he looked down to see a bella donna in a black, skin-tight dress that showed she had curves in all the right places. Grazie a Dio, this would be a short night.

“Scusami Signora, Che cosa è errato?”

“Oh my gosh. Are you from Italy? Well no wonder. We don’t smoke inside our bars here.”

Stupid American kine. What is the point of a bar if you cannot smoke in it? Nicolo wondered at the reasoning. But he played along. “Oh, but of course. Forgive me… did you tell me your name?

“I didn’t, but it’s Kylie.”

“Buona sera, Kylie.” He flinched, ever so slightly. Her name sounded like the name of an Irish Setter. But he reached down, took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. Usually American women melted over this move, and… yes, Kylie was proving to be no exception. He was rewarded with a smile. He smiled back, hiding the wretched pounding of his hunger and the overwhelming urge to rip her throat out. Choking it back, he continued on. “I’m new to town and could use a native guide. I’m thinking of a park with a gorgeous view of the city, a bottle of Antinori, and some good company. If you would share the evening with me, well, that would make it very special.”

“Oh. My. Well – no. I couldn’t. I’m, um, well, meeting some girlfriends here later and I just can’t go off with a stranger like that. Besides, what kind of girl would you think I am?”

A whore, he thought. It was nice to think there was perhaps one good girl left in the world. But he wasn’t convinced. He saw the wedding band flash on her left hand and had his suspicions. He upped his presence and attempted a much harder sell. “Kylie – come show me the city lights. I want to be alone with you. Your girlfriends will wait.”

Her eyes glazed over, hypnotized by his persuasiveness. “You’re right.” She whispered. “I actually would like to get to know you, and , just between you and me; I’m not meeting my girlfriends here tonight.” She winked and they both knew it wasn’t “Mr. Kylie” she was meeting either. Had Nicolo not been so close to completely losing himself to his starvation, he’d have aborted. Nothing turned him off more than sin. Of course, nothing turned him on more than correcting sin. Or, doing his duty to God by terrorizing kine.

He took her by the hand and led her to his car. Until something suddenly occurred to him. “By the way, what do you do for a living?”

“I’m a teacher.”

“What kind of teacher? Do you teach in a hospital?”

“No, Fourth grade. Why?”

“Just curious.”

Nicolo grinned to himself, and they were on their way.


Once they found a remote spot, Nicolo began his work straight away. He nicked her family photos from her wallet and stood before her as she sat on the park bench enjoying the view overlooking the city. Not another soul could be found in the park.

Nicolo smiled a warm, inviting smile. “Kylie, what are you doing here with me?”

“Um. What do you m… mean?” she stammered.

“Is this your family?” He held out the pictures. She nodded, shocked. He grabbed her hand and twisted it toward her face “Is this your wedding band? Did you make vows before God to honour and obey? And you leave a bar with a strange man to come here?” His voice was loud and wrathful, but he was so close to hunger frenzy, he wouldn’t be able to keep this up long.

“You don’t understand,” she sobbed.

“I don’t care what I don’t understand, Kylie. You could have come here tonight with a psychopath. Mio Dio – you may very well have! Is tonight the night you die, Kylie?”

She was truly sobbing now, uncontrollably.

“Are you a bad girl, Kylie?”

She was crying so hard, no words would come out, but she nodded her head ‘yes’.

“Do you know what happens to bad girls? They get punished. Are you ready to be punished? Kylie?”

Kylie sobbed something unintelligible.

Nicolo was definitely enjoying himself now. But it was time to eat. “Get down on your knees, Kylie, put your hands together in prayer and ask God to forgive you for your inexcusable behaviour. I’ll pray with you.”

He sank to his knees in the dirt and began to chant his own prayer of thanksgiving, for the blessed meal he was about to receive. When he finished, he opened his eyes and smiled. “I hope this night will help turn you from your wicked ways. I’m sure tomorrow you’ll wake up cleansed, ready to start fresh again. But for now we still have the small matter of your punishment to settle. Be a good girl now and behave for me.

Kylie’s face froze as Nicolo took her by the shoulders and sunk his teeth deep into her neck. The sheer force of his famine soon caused her to go limp, and finally unconscious.

The next day, she came to on the bench where he left her, to the sound of her cell phone heralding in yet another call from her husband. She asked him to come pick her up and concocted a story as she waited.