A Case Of Mistaken Identity

"You're Damien Blackthorne..."

Nicholas Trent looked up at the sound of the soft voice naming him as the character he had played in a commercially successful film with a slight smile on his handsome face. It was something that was beginning to happen a lot now. They remembered the character's name far more easily than they did his own. But with luck, that would all be changing soon. He had just signed a contract to reprise the role of the compelling vampire, Damien Blackthorne, in a big budget sequel to the original, which had been far less lavishly financed. It was a much jucier part this time, and was sure to give his fledgling career quite a jumpstart.

The sight of the beautiful woman who stood there took his breath away. She was the most ethereally beautiful creature he'd ever seen, with jet black hair that flowed past her hips, curling almost lovingly around her slender body. Her eyes were green, preternaturally large and hypnotic, with a slightly Asian cast to them, and her ripe, full lips were tinted a deep crimson red.

"Not actually." he replied with a dazzling smile. "Damien is only a character I played in a film. He's not real."

"Ah, but you played him so convincingly..." the lovely lady remarked as she gracefully lowered herself into the chair opposite him. "One would think you one of the sons of the illustrious Dracul himself..."

Her voice was softly melodious, with the tiniest hint of an accent that he couldn't quite place. "Yes, well, that's because of a visit I got just after I signed the contract to play Damien in the film..." he replied, not quite understanding why he was telling her this. "An old Gypsy woman came to see me. She said that she ws a descendant of one of the boyars who served Vlad Tepes, the guy who was the basis of the Dracula legend. She told me a lot of things that she claimed were secrets among the 'undead', saying that they would help me to play the role more convincingly. Guess it worked. You're not the first person to confuse me with the character." He gave her a crooked smile, to let her know that he wasn't offended, She returned the smile languidly, absently fondling the large red stone of the necklace that encircled her slender neck.

"Would you find me extremely wanton if I told you how utterly attractive I find you?" she inquired softly, making shivers run up his spine at the sound of her luscious voice.

Nicholas chuckled to himself at her use of the archaic term. "Not at all. And may I return the compliment by admitting that you are quite possibly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen? And believe me, that's saying a lot, because Hollywood is wall-to-wall with beautiful women."

"You are most gracious." she murmured, bending her head slightly on her slim neck in acknowledgement. "And you encourage me to be even more rashly bold in asking if you would consider accompanying me to my home...."

Nicholas almost choked on the sip of wine he'd taken. God, but she was wasting no time! They had barely met, and he didn't even know her name, and yet he found himself blurting out an immediate "Yes!" to her invitation. What in the name of all that was holy was he doing?

When she rose and offered her hand, he took it and rose as well, following her without protest as she led him away from the crowded cafe and into the darkness of a balmy Southern California night.

Half a block away, she led him down a side street off Holywood Boulevard, and then, into an intersecting alley. He hesitated slightly, giving her a sheepish smile when she glanced back at him.

"You live in an alley?" he asked jokingly.

She gave a slight shake of her head. "No, my sweet Damien.. but I have no wish to go further before I am in your arms... will you hold me?"

She pulled him into the darkend shadows of a nearby doorway and drew him close with surprising strength, offering up her red lips to him. He took them greedily, surprising himself with the force of his desire. He tasted the faint coppery tang of blood on her lips, and for a brief instant, he feared that he'd cut her lip on his teeth with that crushing kiss. But before he could speak, she savaged his mouth again, seeming to suck every ounce of resistance from him. He felt physically incapable of moving.

"Your lips are so sweet, my beautiful Damien...: she murmured against his neck.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked numbly. "I told you, Damien is only a character I played in a movie. I'm not really a vampire...."

"No..." she sighed, lifting her head. Moonlight glinted off a set of long, sharp fangs protruding from her lovely mouth. "But I am...."