Jeffrey pauses as he listens to the intruders in his forest. He is angry. There shouldn't be anyone else here. He has done a great deal of work to keep the humans out of his solitude. Yet here they are, not just walking but running around his forest. He snarls lightly to himself and makes his way to where the noise is coming from.

What he sees makes his eyes turn dark in anger. A small female, dressed in clothing little better than rags is running and several males running behind her. The males are all nearly cloned their looks are so clearly similar. That and they all look like football linebackers. Each one out weighs the slight female by at least her weight again. That and they are at least a foot taller than she is.

Just as they run close to his hiding spot one of the large males takes a flying tackle and takes down the terrified female. She puts up as much of a fight as she can, but there is no contest. There would be no way that she would be able to take on even one of them, let alone all six. 

That alone would be enough to anger the man watching, but the men seem to be tearing what little clothing she has left and touching her as she screams in terror. Her terror scents the air heavily and seems to edge the males on. 

That scent almost covers the smell of wrongness that is also carried on the air. It's a smell he hasn't smelled in some time. The dark look takes on an edge and his teeth descend. These humans have lost all that makes them human and it's time to take them out of their misery. Even if they don't know that they are miserable.

Even as he moves silently towards them his nails lengthen into deadly lengths. His smile would scare off the most hardened criminal with death chills flowing down their backs. The males never see it.

Nor did they understand their death was coming as the man pulls them off one by one from the hapless female that was now unresponsive.

He smiles even more. He won't have to be careful if she won't be watching the carnage. He slices them as they surround him. Blood spurts the area covering all those there. One by one the males that attacked the female fall.

The man that's left standing merely wipes his hands off before going to the female and checks to see if she is still alive. When he finds that she is, he carefully picks her up and carries her back to his house.

Kicking open the door he calls for his servant. "Malia!" In short order a human shows up and stands stock still upon seeing the male with the unconscious female in his arms.

"Go fix a bath in the guest chambers next to mine. Get some clothes for her to wear. There are some females among the blood donors that are about her size. Do the best you can."

"Yes, master, but there is just one problem. The bathroom in the guest chamber next to yours is broken. You said that you would get it fixed later, but never have."

"Shit. I'd forgotten about it." The man says even as he carries the female up to the stairs. "Fix my room for my guest. Get the bath going."

"Yes, master, right away. How am I to bathe her?" The shower is too small to easily fit two people and the bath would drown the unconscious female.

"I'll be taking the bath with her since I need to clean up as well."  The male says with more than a little irritation in his voice.

The female servant hides her shock. She hadn't expected him to wish to help. "Is there a problem, Malia?" His tone is bland hiding his thoughts.

"No, master, of course not. I know my place. I am just surprised that you would wish to help bathe her, is all." The master is not cruel to humans. Indeed his humans are well taken care of, especially in comparison to other vampires, but he doesn't think much of them overall. He hasn't since he left his humanity behind a very long time ago.

Malia had already entered the bathroom and got busy getting the water going. "Should I add in bubble bath and salts master?"

Jeffrey shakes his head. "Although the bubble bath is soap I need to see just how extensive her injuries are. I'm not sure how much of this blood is from her attackers or how much is hers."

"Of course." Jeffrey makes short work of the remaining rags the female was wearing after handing the female to his servant.

"She's beautiful." Malia says without realizing that she spoke out loud.

Jeffrey smiles at her. "I didn't know you liked females, Malia."

Malia sends him a dirty look before taking her eyes downwards once more. Jeffrey strips down and steps into the water.

Malia hands the female back to him before saying. "You know damn well I don't master."

"Forgive me, Malia. I am well aware just how much you enjoy being with the opposite sex." Malia nods once at his words before leaving to find clothes for the unknown female that will be staying with them for an unknown length of time.

Usually humans that come don't leave. At least not alive. Malia refuses to think about the unknown female and her undetermined future. She makes her way to the humans that have agreed to feed Jeffrey. In return they receive food and a home. They all have their stories and many are her friends. Some of them have even lasted more than a few years.

Every time one of them dies Malia does her best to keep from making friends with the new people that Jeffrey brings in to replace them. After a century she would think that she wouldn't be so open, but she can't change her nature.

She has asked Jeffrey to turn her, but he told her that he values her too highly, he doesn't want her personality to change so he refuses.

Malia sighs as she searches for clothing for the girl. Not finding anything suitable for sleeping in she returns to the master's room. She takes out an older shirt and hopes that he won't be angry. He doesn't bring many people as guests. 

As a matter of fact, Malia can't remember the last time Jeffrey has brought any one back to the house that wasn't food.

Returning to the bathroom, "Master, I found some clothing, but there wasn't anything appropriate for her to wear for sleeping in. I took the liberty of getting one of your older shirts for her to wear."

Jeffrey turns to look at her and raises an eyebrow. He smiles slowly. "Very good, Malia. I need help rinsing her hair. I'm having troubles getting all the shampoo out."

With that Malia lets out the breath she hadn't realized that she'd been holding. She moves over and gets some clean water and gently pours it over the somnolent female. "Is she very hurt?"

"Minor issues mostly. I'm more worried about her head though. One of them must have intentionally knocked her out with a rock. There is a good sized knot and a cut over it. That's what caused all the blood on her head."

Malia looks at the girl in worry. "Will it cause her permanent harm?"

"I'll be giving her some of my blood and that should take care of any problems. Will it replace any memories that she might have lost?" Jeffrey shrugs his shoulders. "Hopefully she won't remain unconscious for long. I hope that she will have some answers for me, like why demon tainted were chasing her."

Malia gasps. She had seen the aftermath of demon attacks during her time serving Jeffry.

"Are you sure, Master? There haven't been any notice on the television about an increase of deaths."

"They were tainted, there is no doubt. I don't know why the demon hasn't made this area into a massive grave, but to have as many demon tainted humans as he did means that he is powerful."

His words bring to mind a message that Malia had received for him but in the excitement of helping him with his new guest she'd forgotten about it. Before she could mention it Jeffrey gave her more directions and refused to let her say anything until his guest is dealt with.

It didn't take her long to forget about the message once more.