Blood Ties

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel Comics, New Line Cinema or Blade the Series. However all original characters are mine.

Summary: At the behest of some of the readers I have written a sequel to my story "Bloodline". This takes place a few weeks after the events in the first story.

Marcus Van Sciver has made good on his promise to accompany his wife, Krista to the Aids ravaged country of Botswana in the heart of the Africa.

Although this will be a romantic story, there will be a sinister plot line as well. You see dear readers, someone or something has been taking the lives of the orphans. And all the evidence gathered thus far by the local authorities, will point to the recently arrived vampire couple, Mr. and Mrs. Van Sciver. But could Marcus or Krista be guilty of such a terrible transgression?

Read on to find out…

And now I humbly give you "Blood Ties".

Chapter One

"Mr. and Mrs. Van Sciver, we're about to make our approach to Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. You may want to fasten your seatbelts now."

"Thank you, Helene. I trust our transport to Francistown has been arranged?" Marcus Van Sciver speaks to the friendly, competent flight attendant in a calm, non-urgent tone.

Both he and his wife Krista secure their seatbelts. Gingerly, Marcus takes Krista's hand within his own and plants a tender kiss into her palm. As they wait for their private jet to land in the African nation of Botswana, Marcus' fingers intertwine with her own, prompting Krista to look over at her husband with love and gratitude.

Helene, a petite redheaded woman with pretty green eyes, appears to be in her mid-twenties. She smiles at her impeccably dressed employer, reassuring Mr. Van Sciver that all the proper arrangements have been made.

As she continues to appraise her boss, there is no doubt that his debonair appearance carries with it a certain aristocratic air. Charming, cultured and refined, Marcus Van Sciver is the epitome of what a British businessman should be.

But as a loyal familiar for the House of Chthon, Helene also knows that behind the carefully constructed façade of Old World sophistication lays malevolence.

Although Marcus has mellowed somewhat after his marriage to Krista, he has failed to escape his reputation for being a callous tactician. Helene has left nothing to chance by personally overseeing that all of the safety and security measures for her charges have been carried out to even the minutest of details.

Being completely aware of Marcus' obsessive need for perfection and efficiency, she has done everything humanly possible to ensure the wellbeing of the vampire couple. Anything less would mean immediate termination, and in the vampire subculture getting fired can be a bitch.

They will be traveling south of the airport to the sprawling medical compound located in Francistown. And they will be moving by day. Extra precautions had to be taken to guarantee minimal exposure to the scorching presence of the Botswana sun.

As the plane starts its final descent, Helene quickly excuses herself and then takes her seat near the back of the plane.

Krista sighs as she rests her head on her husband's shoulder. "Thank you for coming with me this time. I know it must have been difficult for you to clear your schedule on such short notice."

With a twinkle in his eye, Marcus lavishes his mate with an adoring gaze. "Nonsense, Krista! You should know by now that when it comes to you, I'll always make the time. And besides with Chthon resting in the very capable hands of Sabine, I'm sure that the House's affairs can do without me for a few weeks."

Krista smiles, secure in the knowledge of her husband's devotion.

lllll

The landing had been stressful to say the least. The airplane's door had not aligned itself properly to the temporary gangway leading directly into the underground parking garage, thus allowing for thin rays of sunlight to filter into the slight gap.

Krista, who had been anxious to get underway, had not noticed the danger posed by the breach. As she stepped toward the passageway, Krista's right foot had suffered a terrible burn when an infinitesimal beam of light fell upon it.

When he heard his Krista's screams, Marcus had immediately gone to her aid, pulling his wife back into the plane before her foot had been burnt completely off.

Helene had been frantic. Her body trembled as she searched the plane for the first aid kit. She had finally found it in the galley and then moved quickly towards the ailing Krista.

Mrs. Van Sciver had been placed back into her seat as her concerned husband knelt in front of her to tend to her injury. Helene had grimaced at the gruesome sight. A deep gaping hole had been created when the sun ray bore itself into Krista's flesh. The remaining skin was blackened and bloody, bubbling with pustules and blisters

Krista had been writhing in pain, the acute discomfort she was feeling evident on her face.

Nervously, the flight attendant tried to hand the plastic box to Marcus. But instead of taking it out of Helene's shaky grasp, the incensed vampire had sharply turned to face her. His lips had been drawn back, exposing his long pointed incisors. Rage had been burning in the icy blue depths of his eyes.

Marcus growled angrily at his employee, causing her to step away from him in fear. "Does the level of the pilot's incompetence know no bounds?"

"Mr. Van Sciver, I-I'm so very sor…" Helene was stuttering, stumbling over her words to make a proper apology.

"…Sorry? Is that all you have to say after what has happened? Save it Helene! I don't want to hear your paltry excuses or your defense of such an ineffectual pilot! After we've arrived safely in town, you are to bring that idiot to me! Is that understood?"

Slightly relieved that Van Sciver's wrath had not been directed at her, Helene nodded in compliance and had promised to carry out her superior's instructions to the letter.

Marcus then wrenched the white plastic box with the red cross emblazoned across the top of it. Afterward he ordered Helene to call airport security to seal breach.

With frigid eyes, he had watched as the nervous girl left his sight. After she had disappeared into the other compartment, Marcus turned his attentions back to wife.

"Marcus it really hurts!" Krista had lodged her complaint with a pitiful little voice.

"I know, darling. Just hang on!"

Quickly, Marcus opened the first aid kit and pulled out a vial of fresh blood. Setting the box down in the seat next to Krista, he proceeded to open the small glass tube. Next he gently took Krista's injured foot in hand.

Anxiously, Marcus looked up at Krista and said, "Now, babe, this may sting a bit. But I promise you'll be better soon."

Krista just squeezed her eyes shut, gripped the arm rails of her chair and placed implicit trust in her husband.

Marcus waited until Krista had nodded her consent. Then very methodically, Marcus began to pour the contents of the vial directly onto her wound.

He heard Krista hiss between her tightly clenched teeth as the blood did its work. But after a few minutes Krista had stopped squirming. The curative properties of the life giving fluid had effectively and rapidly mended Krista's foot. Bone, muscle tissue and tendons had all fused together as Marcus carefully massaged the blood into her wound with his long elegant fingers. Under his loving touch, Krista had been healed. And the end results had been nothing short of miraculous.

Marcus smiled then gave his astonished but grateful wife a quick kiss. "There you have it, good as new!"

"Thank you so much." Krista had gushed. Then she pressed her lips back onto Marcus'. Her kiss had held the promise of things to come.

After he had broken the kiss, Marcus gently chided his wife. "If you were drinking more often this would have healed itself on its own, Krista. The serum is a poor substitute for proper nutrition."

"I know, I know. But it's the only way I can be around the kids." Her sincere desire to be with the orphans had touched Marcus deeply. And he rewarded his kindhearted wife with another kiss.

lllll

After allowing Krista a few minutes to freshen up, Marcus calls for Helene to report on the status of the door seal. She happily informs him that the airport maintenance crew have already repaired the gaps and in record time.

"Good. See to it that our luggage gets through customs quickly. I don't want anymore mishaps, Helene."

Biting her lower lip in a nervous gesture the human familiar graciously bows to her lord and master before running off to do his bidding.

It's at this precise moment that Krista emerges from the lavatory looking completely refreshed. It's as if the accident had never happened.

"Don't you think you're being a little harsh on the girl? After all Marcus, it wasn't her fault."

The sound of Krista's voice prompts Marcus to turn around. The sight of her still takes his breath away, even after nearly a century of marriage. Krista has tied her long chestnut colored tresses into a loose ponytail which hangs straight down her back. Her make up is lightly applied for a more natural yet alluring look.

She has changed from her Chanel business attire into a comfortable, but chic looking white linen dress. It is buttoned only three-fourths of the way, allowing her husband a tantalizing view of her cleavage. And her feet are now adorned with flat soled sandals with thin laces that Krista has tied around her slender ankles.

To Marcus she looks positively captivating.

Extending his hand out to capture hers, Marcus draws Krista into an embrace. He places a kiss on her cheek then murmurs into her ear. "I know, and apologize for being short with her. But I can't help but think of what could have happened if I hadn't pulled you back."

Krista pulls away from Marcus a bit so that she can look at him. "It's okay. Thanks to you I'm alright. Maybe it was a good thing you came along this time."

Marcus looks gravely at his wife, but when he sees mirth dancing in Krista's her light brown eyes, he can't help but smile at her.

"Yes, perhaps it was a good thing. Don't worry; I'll apologize to Helene tonight at dinner. However, the pilot is another matter entirely."

"Marcus, you promised! No bloodletting while we're here! With the exception of the some of the hospital staff, no one knows what we truly are!"

Running his hand down the length of her arm, Marcus reassures Krista. "Darling, you fret too much. And besides even if I wanted to, I couldn't possibly drain anyone right now! Thanks to that serum of yours, my craving for blood has been entirely suppressed."

Then pulling her close to his body once more, Marcus grazes his cheek against Krista's then says mischievously, "But that doesn't mean that my appetite for other things has been diminished."

Krista smiles wickedly when she feels her husband's semi-erection rubbing against her leg. Playfully she takes her hand and pushes him away.

"There'll be plenty of time later to appease that appetite of yours! We've got to get going. Dr. Darkoh doesn't like to be kept waiting!"

lllll

Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Van Sciver emerge from their plane and are swiftly ushered into the waiting black H3 Hummer in the subterranean garage. The motor vehicle soon departs and is well on its way into town on a dirt and gravel road.

Although the noon sun is high in the sky, Krista and Marcus are completely protected by the specialized window tint designed to deflect the rays of the sun. Encapsulated and isolated from the driver by the partition between the back and front seats, husband and wife are granted few precious moments of privacy.

Krista sighs as she slides over to her husband who happily wraps his arms around her.

"How are you feeling?" he asks. Marcus' concern for Krista's is still present.

"Terrific! I'm just a little tired from the long flight, that's all."

Rubbing his cheek into her long fragrant hair, Marcus allows one of his hands to drop onto the leather seat. Subsequently his long nimble fingers travel over to reach down and lazily lift the hem of her dress.

Krista gasps when she feels them slowly glide up the length of her thigh.

"Marcus, what are you…?" But before she can finish her question he turns his face towards hers and silences Krista with a smoldering kiss.

Almost immediately the feel of his soft tender lips on hers sets her entire body ablaze. His tongue has already slipped past the barrier of Krista's lips and is now sensuously stroking hers. Groaning against the unrelenting ministrations of Marcus' mouth, Krista feels herself being pushed down onto the soft pliable surface of the leather seat.

The weight of Marcus' body crushing hers makes Krista feel desired, protected and loved. Her arms welcome Marcus and hold him tightly. His need for her manifests itself in the form of more burning kisses. Fingers entwine themselves in soft chestnut tresses as his lips leave Krista's mouth to blaze a trail to her neck.

Krista sighs as Marcus' tongue eagerly licks at her skin. One of his hands detangles itself out of her hair to caress the right side of her face, while his teeth playfully nip at the lobe of her left ear. Marcus chuckles roguishly when he hears the soft little yelp emanating from Krista.

His practiced fingers cease their tender assault of the curve of her cheek, and then travel downwards until they reach their final destination. Marcus is hardly able to contain his excitement, his fingers tremble with anticipation as they fumble with the buttons of her dress.

"Damn you, woman! Must this dress have so many buttons?" Marcus growls with mock frustration.

To which Krista replies, "Well, you're the one that …oh god!"

Marcus has already unfastened the front of her dress and slipped his hand inside. To his supreme delight he finds that his wife is bra-less and that her plump rosy nipples are taut and erect. Cupping a firm breast within the palm of his hand, Marcus rolls the pad of his thumb over the exceedingly sensitive tip. He resumes kissing her neckline passionately as his hand peels away the material of the dress to fully expose her left breast.

Krista, anxious to feel the sweet pleasure of her husband's mouth on her bosom, takes his face between her hands to push him towards her waiting torso. Marcus's lips smolder over her skin as he kisses his way to Krista's breast. Inhaling deeply, she waits until she feels Marcus' mouth cover her nipple. On impulse Krista arches her back off the seat, thus pushing her breast even further into her husband's oral cavity.

Marcus meanwhile, ardently suckles her, enjoying the little moans of pleasure he elicits from Krista. He can now feel his own passion begin to rise as he continues to stimulate his wife. His member is fully erect and aching to be free of the confines of his trousers. Longing to be inside of Krista, to be one with her, Marcus begins to grind his narrow hips into hers. Krista, in turn reaches down to hike up the skirt of her dress to give her husband direct access to her pelvic area.

Feelings of fiery lust cause Krista to pant and groan with wanton abandon. With glazed over eyes, she looks down at her husband who is still sucking on her nipple. "Oh Marcus, I want you!" Krista sighs. Her fingers lose themselves in his golden blonde hair, as she revels in the soft silky feel of it.

Detaching his hungry mouth from Krista's flesh, he whispers back, "I have to have you, now. If I don't, I'll go mad!" He hastily removes his jacket as Krista loosens his tie. They both smile at one another when the carelessly discarded tie hits the tinted glass partition that separates them from the driver.

Marcus then slithers his tongue upward again, licking the valley between Krista's breasts, his lips brazing the soft supple flesh until at last he is lying face to face with his beautiful wife. In an instant he manages to ensnare her mouth, kissing her ravenously.

Lost in their own private world of passion, they don't even notice that the vehicle has suddenly come to a complete stop. Marcus is struggling to get out of his pants as Krista reaches down to roll down her white lace panties.

As Marcus tries to zip down the fly of his trousers, his fingers inadvertently make contact with the crotch of her underwear. Lustfully he groans when he discovers that the thin lacy fabric is saturated with Krista's feminine secretions. She is more ready for him than he thought and Marcus smiles in the knowledge of it.

Krista who has already removed her panties is frantically tugging down her husband's pants and silk boxers. When Marcus' engorged penis is finally unleashed, she takes it firmly in hand and starts to guide him towards her dripping wet slit. Krista quivers when she feels the smooth round head brushing against her opening. Marcus is just moments away from burying himself to hilt inside his wife. He is drunk with lust, and wants Krista with every fiber of his being. He trembles, his body overcome with his complete desire for the woman lying underneath him.

And just moments from completely possessing Krista, Marcus is rudely and abruptly interrupted when he hears the driver's voice come through loud and clear over the intercom speakers.

"Uh, Mr. Van Sciver, I just wanted to let you know that we've just arrived at the compound."

Krista sighs in frustration, so close and yet so far. "No! It's not fair!"

Marcus growls, his disappointment is written all over his face. He's as hard as a rock and now there's no time to alleviate his rampant need.

With one last kiss Marcus rolls off his wife. As they hastily readjust their clothing, he presses the intercom button to respond to the driver. "Thank you, Charles. We'll be out in a minute."

Casting a sideways glance over to Krista, he can't help but smile. Her shiny brown hair is now a completely tussled and tangled mess. Additionally the sight of her swollen lips from being kissed so hard, makes Krista look absolutely adorable.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary, Marcus," Krista remarks when she notices her husband's wolfish smile.

"Mrs. Van Sciver, you owe me a great debt. And be rest assured that I plan to collect it, in full, later on tonight."

"I'm pretty sure you will!" Krista says in between stifled giggles.

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After recomposing themselves as best they could, Marcus and Krista Van Sciver leave the confines of the Hummer and step into yet another underground parking facility. Only this time it is located directly below the Francistown Medical Center. The entire garage has a massive system of interconnecting tunnels that lead to the main hospital, research labs and the orphanage. The man-made passageways have allowed Krista and fellow members of the vampire staff to move about during the day without fear of being exposed to sunlight.

Once the driver is dismissed, Krista takes Marcus' hand in hers, and leads him towards the tunnel that will take them directly to the administrative offices of the hospital.

"So tell me about this Dr. Darkoh, what's he like?" Marcus casually inquires.

"You mean 'what's she like'. Dr. Darkoh is efficient, dedicated and highly proficient at her job. As the hospital administrator and chief of staff, her work is exemplary. As research scientist, what can I say? She is bound and determined to find the answers to the AIDS virus' mutation."

She continues to guide them through the intricate channel. Their footsteps echo off the concrete walls. And even though they are walking in complete darkness, their infra-red vision allows them to see everything.

"Then why do I feel a 'but' coming on?" When it comes to Krista, Marcus has become very intuitive. He senses that there is something else about Dr. Darkoh that is bothering his wife.

"Well, her bedside manner leaves something to be desired, especially when she deals with the children. Not that she's overtly cruel or anything, but there is aloofness there. I've seen her be more affectionate to her lab rats."

Trying to set his wife's worries aside, Marcus says, "I'm sure it's nothing, babe. You know these doctor types. They must keep a level of objectivity in order to do their jobs. They cannot afford to get emotionally involved with their patients, especially ones that are infected with this disease. The child mortality rate escalates by the day here. Dealing with death cannot be an easy task, Krista."

"I'm sure you're right, but these are kids, Marcus. Many of them are all alone in this world and desperately need someone, anyone to hold their hand, give them a hug and just be with them before the end comes. Is that too much to ask?"

"No, I guess not." Marcus quietly concludes.

At last they end their trek. They've finally arrived at the heavy metal door that serves as the secret entrance into the hospital's administrative wing. Krista lowers her head to place her right eye in the retinal scanner. Almost immediately a flashing green light scrutinizes her eyeball.

When she hears the familiar monotone computerized voice says, "Krista Van Sciver," she knows that her identity is confirmed.

The door slides open with a resounding swoosh and they step inside a brightly lit corridor. It is a sharp contrast to the gloomy tunnel they had just been in. Husband and wife walk a few steps forward before they are halted by the stern and sudden presence of Dr. Shelia Darkoh.

Clad in a white doctor's coat, she is a rather tall woman, so tall in fact that Marcus finds himself straightening out his posture to stand at his full height so that she doesn't tower over him. Both her eyes and skin are as dark as night, and her hair is shortly cropped in an almost mannish fashion. Her smooth complexion and facial features however are very feminine, making it difficult for Marcus to determine her age. Which he guesses could be anywhere from 25 to 40.

Gazing down at her hands, he can see that her fingers appear shriveled and calloused. They are strong indicators that the good doctor is no stranger to the hard work of an agricultural life. Perhaps she was a farmer before she decided on a career in medicine.

"Mrs. Van Sciver, I wasn't expecting you back so soon. Nevertheless, all the preparations have been made for your stay." Dr. Darkoh's greeting is given in clipped tones with a light trace of a Swahili accent. It is made very apparent to Marcus that she is most displeased with Krista's visit.

Before Krista can do the honors, her husband introduces himself to the imposing woman. Extending his hand he speaks to her in a businesslike manner. "Good afternoon, Dr. Darkoh. I am Marcus Van Sciver, Krista's husband."

The doctor refuses to take Marcus' hand. Instead she narrows her eyes and says rather coldly, "Ah, yes, the man that writes the checks. How good of you to finally pay us a visit. Checking up on your investment, I see."

Marcus instantly develops misgivings and a strong dislike of this arrogant physician. As he lowers his hand, he gives her a friendly smile nonetheless. And when he starts to speak to her again, the even timber of his voice does not betray his negative feelings toward Dr. Darkoh.

"Yes, Dr. Darkoh. As the man whose signature appears on every check that keeps this facility running, including your paycheck I might add, I think it would be prudent of me to see exactly how my money is being spent. Don't you agree?"

The expression on the doctor's face remains impassive, but Marcus can see the hate flickering in her eyes. He makes up his mind right there and then that he has gained formidable adversary, of this he has no doubt.

Turning on her heel, Dr. Darkoh says, "I have patients to tend to. I'm sure that your wife won't mind showing you around."

End Chapter One