Happy Halloween!

The Blood Plant is as ancient as the darkest jungles of Africa from which it came. Its recorded origins have been lost through the 1,000s of years it has been surviving and breeding. Once worshipped by long-ago tribes as a god, it now is found in only a few scattered corners of the modern world. Those that know its dark secrets are servants to their eternal craving of its vines, that, when consumed, give the nourishment of life without aging...

Those who “serve” the Blood Plant have been given many names over the centuries: “Vampire” - “Nesferatu” - “Witch” - “Necromancer” and, like all legends, bear some semblance of truth. No longer strictly human, they walk the earth immune to the disease of mortality, yet they are cursed with the never-ending cycle of stalking victims, the feast, and the returning hunger.

Prince Veruna was such a man. He was initiated into the Order during the first Crusade and has since been one of the few to make his home in the New World of the Americas. Going now as simply “Mr. Jamison,” he can barely recall those early years of his mortal life in Northern Italy, where he was a nobleman, the eldest son of a landed knight.

He now makes his home in a quiet township in Pennsylvania, the sole occupant of an upscale stone manor house on a large country acreage. He appears as a man in his early 30s, well-built, 6’1” tall with wavy, medium-length black hair and bright grey eyes, and very fair skin.

His speech is accented slightly, as his dealings with the outside world are rare. He learns much of the bustling of the new century from his cable TV and studied the ways of modern man so as to blend in.

The custom of “Halloween” came as a pleasant surprise to him, as it enabled him to seek new victims at the time of year when his cravings were the strongest, at the midpoint between the summer and winter solstice, towards the end of October on the Arabian 12-month calendar. He would need to feed the Blood Plant soon, and then feast on its life-giving juices.

Early in the evening of the Saturday night that fell on Halloween that year, the Prince prepared for the hunt. He would drive through the residential neighborhoods in search of a maiden who was in the process of her menstruation, and as yet untouched by a man. As a servant of the Blood Plant, Prince Veruna’s senses were as keen as a trained bloodhound for that scent, and his eyesight and hearing were well above any mortal man’s. He had been transformed long ago to hunt a certain prey...

Dressed in a costume of “Prince Charming” in a blue decorated tunic, dark red cape with silver lining, above-the-knee leather boots and white tights, with a black belt and calf-skin gloves, and a very real 3 1/2’ rapier and 12” dagger, he drove out into the night to find his newest bride. There was a costume party to be held at a community center, some hours’ drive away at 8:00PM and he felt that he would find what he needed there.

After arriving, he noted it was a busy gathering, and many cars were parked around the simple wooden building that was down the road from the town. It was heavily wooded, and a small creek ran past on one side, with the main parking lot on the far side, and a small bridge that connected a pathway from the parking lot to the grounds.

The place was made up as a haunted house and was lavishly decorated. The sign indicated it was a teen dance. “Monster Mash” was playing loudly inside, and many young people were coming in and out of the dance. His senses were attuned to the damp night air, and he waited nearby, hidden in the thick trees, and watched the comings and goings of the mortal revelers.

Collette was 18, 5’ 5”, and 110 lbs. She was Caucasian, a redhead, with large breasts, and a virgin, and she was just starting her monthly cycle. She was having a great time at the dance as there were all kinds of cute guys there. She went as a vampiress, dressed in a long-sleeved low-cut black leotard, red fishnets, black velvet boots with a 6” heel that went to her knees, black gloves, a red cape, a long black wig, deep red lipstick, pale foundation, garish blue eye shadow, and dark eye liner.

She had very nice breasts that she augmented with tissue paper to make her look much bustier. She had plastic fangs that she could wear and a small leather pouch on her belt with her makeup and a few personal items. She looked good enough to eat. Her friends were sneaking in all kinds of booze, and she was drinking rye and coke. She didn’t like it, but she wanted to fit in. By 10:00, she was feeling the booze as she was not a drinker.