Chapter Text
“It is women who love horror. Gloat over it. Feed on it. Are nourished by it. Shudder and cling and cry out-and come back for more.” - Bela Lugosi
Casino de La Cruz was the most famous in the city of Madrid in the 1950s, the golden age of gambling and slot machines. Spanish Magnatas would gather every night from Fridays to Sundays to waste themselves in bets and drinks. Macarena Ferreiro would accompany her husband every Saturday. Not that she cared, but Fabio made a point of being with her on this particular day, where the other wives would also be present. Besides, being always alone at home was not as interesting as a place crowded with people from the capital's high society. While brushing and then curling the tip of her blond hair, she looked in the mirror. Red lipstick and a beautiful olive green velvet dress with her white long gloves covering her arms until the elbows. Some would say they were old fashioned, but she preferred classy . With a weak smile, she tried to cheer herself up, lifting her chin up, her mind making a great effort to awake her self esteem. Little she knew how that night was about to change her life for good.
The casino, as usual, was loud. A chaos of people playing cards, rolling dice on roulettes and ordering all sorts of drinks. The tables were in the central part of the hall, further away and near the exit doors. The gaming tables were on the other side and were always surrounded by gamblers. The bar was on the opposite side of the game tables area and there was a dance floor right in front, with a stage where the jazz band never stopped playing. The music was the most pleasant part to Macarena, who was immediately called by the other ladies sitting on a rounded table. "Maca! Over here!" They would wave their hands and she could not help herself but think about flamboyant flamingos. A laugh was held and she politely smiled going to meet the group while the boys were going to play with cash.
The group was gossiping about the new casino's owner. Apparently, it was someone that went by the name of Zahir.
- Is he here tonight? - Maca asked the curly black hair flamingo sitting in front of her wearing a thick pearl necklace and a large blue tiara. She almost spit the champagne she was having after that question and had to clean the corner of her mouth with a white cloth napkin.
- So you didn't hear... - Linda was her name and she leaned over the table, almost whispering, mouthing every word. - It's a she ! A scandal, if you ask me.
- Oh, so it's a woman running this place?
- Zulema Zahir, as for what I heard. She's... unusual .
- And how is that?
- She has like a... a sort of tattoo.
- On her face ! - the brown-sugar-haired flamingo added to her friend's explanation - It's horrendous! I've seen her not 15 minutes ago, she scared me, that look in her eyes... I don't know how she even had that much money to buy the entire casino and the hotel De La Cruz.
It was definitely not a common thing in the world of the 50s to find a business woman, especially one owning a goddamn gambling saloon. There were rumors everywhere, everyone was talking about it.
Heavenly shades of night are falling, it's twilight time
Out of the mist your voice is calling, it's twilight ti-
Suddenly the music stopped and the whole crowd's attention was caught by the tinkling of a cutlery finding a crystal glass on the other side of the room. Macarena turned her head to find the center of it. There was her. She would not describe Zulema Zahir as scaring or anything like that as the other women were saying. She was... Intriguing . Of course, there was the mark on her face, a straight line that descended from her left eye and ended in the middle of her cheek. Her dark green eyes were outlined by dark makeup and her straight black hair was stuck on a low ponytail, with a loose lock framing her jaw. No dresses for this woman, that was for sure. She was wearing a plain white buttoned shirt and a grey greenish suit with golden buttons on it and high collar. Before she could start her speech about being her first day and wish all the guests a good evening, she locked eyes with that stunning blond sitting right in the middle table and something happened. Like when a big wave crashes in the rocks of a shore or when powder meets fire. That specific impression that two people feel when they look at each other and think "I know her from somewhere" without having ever seen each other before. Zulema looked away to focus again on her words and when it was all over, she raised a glass looking right at Macarena again. "As if she is looking for my soul”, the blond thought.
The rest of the night went by with gossips and chats around the ladies' table and lots of bets on the men's ones. It would be a common night of course, if it wasn't for the battle of glances that Macarena and Zulema fought since that first second they saw each other.
- Hope this young couple enjoyed the night as much as I did.
Before Macarena and Fábio could leave the hall, Zulema got to them, a small talk to check if everything was ok. Her left hand found Fábio's shoulder and the left one, Macarena's waist, who was caught completely off guard by that.
- Mrs. Zahir... - Fabio started but it was interrupted by the casino's owner.
- Miss... But please, call me Zulema.
- Zulema it is. I’m Fábio Martínez and this is my wife, Macarena Ferreiro Martínez. I must say I wasn't so confident at first, but things seem to be quite well under your management.
- Oh, thank you! Did the lady enjoy it?
Macarena could swear she saw a red spark crossing Zulema's eyes. The brunette looked from her eyes to her painted-in-red lips, licking her own.
- I'm.. I did, of course.
She was looking away, forcing a smile, trying to escape from that strange gaze. But when she got back home that night and fell asleep, it was impossible to escape from Miss Zahir in her dreams. Macarena woke up the morning after gasping for air with a strong headache and covered in sweat.
____
On the following Saturday, Maca had a bit more of champagne, which left her slightly tipsy, or so she thought. Every long look she would receive from Zulema would burn in her veins and it made perfectly sense inside her head to stop this fire by putting it out with alcohol. She was laughing about something silly “Flamingo Alana” had said when they all got oddly quiet out of sudden, everyone but her. It took a few seconds and a hand on her shoulder to realize Zulema was there.
- See you all are having a great time together! Please allow me to serve the next round of champagne on the house. - those words brought the ladies’ smiles back. “These self-serving bitches!”
- That’s very kind of you Miss Zahir - Maca couldn’t believe she was directly speaking to her.
The other woman didn’t answer, only made a bow and left, but not before putting a bit of pressure to her touch and sliding the tip of her fingers through Maca’s skin. “This is only in my head, it’s insane to even imply such a thing…” but her mind was already drifting away against her will.
The conversation with her friends was no longer interesting to her so she made sure to stand up to find her husband. Maybe watching a bit of his game would distract her from devious thoughts. She hadn't even taken five steps when she ended up stumbling on her own foot and did not fall on the floor of the hall in front of everyone because something cushioned her. She was in Zulema Zahir's lap! The woman looked at her, first with concern for the woman's condition, and then with amusement and a little corner smile. Maca's face was so flushed that it seemed to reflect her halterneck terracotta dress.
- Are you okay Mrs. Ferreiro? - Zulema’s hand reached for her bare back and Maca could swear she felt her caressing it.
Her body automatically grew stiffer and only God knew where the air went, for her lungs were making a great effort to find it while she was looking into those mysterious eyes. For a few seconds she simply forgot to get up and only remembered when Fabio arrived to confirm if his wife was ok.
Before calling the night, around 12:25 a.m, Macarena waved goodbye to her friends and when she looked up, to the other side of the saloon, she could see the brunette guiding a young lady behind black curtains. Their eyes met one last time. Macarena felt sick, her stomach was like a rollercoaster for a few seconds until Zulema disappeared. Another night, another round of blurred dreams.
____
The week dragged by hours and hours that Macarena counted until the arrival of Saturday. Even Fábio realized that his wife was more excited to go out. Whatever it was, he wouldn't spoil her mood, even because it would be much easier for him if he didn't have to do it. This time, her choice was a black v-neck dress. Her lipstick had a darker shade of red and the mirror didn't lie: she was stunning, and for the first time in years, she felt truly sensual. Deep down she knew why, but it was crazy to admit it, even to herself.
Linda, the pearl necklace girl, couldn’t make it to the casino that night so the table was quieter than usual. That gave Macarena an excuse to walk around the place by herself, something she never had done even during months attending the place. At some point she decided to sit on a stool at the bar, just to pick up her pocket mirror and lipstick, to touch it up on her lips.
- I don’t get to see many married women sitting in here.
Maca was about to respond in a rude way when she realized who was speaking to her.
- Don't get me wrong, I'm not judging. In fact, I thought it was quite independent of you to do this. Would you like a drink?
It was a rhetorical question, since Zulema had the full glass right in front of her before the blonde could say something. The brunette was wearing a beautiful sleeveless black blouse with gold details on the collar and a pair of lightweight fabric tailored pants with a high waistline.
- You don't usually accompany your husband in gambling, do you?
Maca shook her head and took the first sip. Looking in the direction where Fabio was, she saw two women talking to him. Normally Maca would pretend she wasn't seeing her husband flirting with other women like that. She passed the stage where she gave a damn about it. But that moment was just too much. She was feeling... ashamed? Zulema saw what was going on too and Maca just didn't want to look like the fragile and betrayed wife. She didn't even know for a fact what she wanted in that moment, so she took the whole drink in a long shot and left the bar, heading to the bathroom.
- If you excuse me… I’ll be right back, Miss Zahir.
Anxiety was taking over and Maca needed to calm down, so she washed her hands and placed the wet cold palms on her neck and forehead, leaning over the sink to avoid water drops to fall on her beautiful dress. She heard the door opening and looked up, to the mirror, to see who was there, through the reflection, but there was just the vision of the outside corridor. Confused, she turned her gaze, looking over her right shoulder and her heart jumped inside her chest when a voice came from her opposite side (Hey…). She gasped and stepped away from the counter.
- Did I scare you?
- N-no... I mean, a little bit - she chuckled - I heard the door but didn't see anyone so I thought to myself "is it-"
- A ghost? - Zulema looked amused, mocking the blond.
- The wind... - Maca smiled back showing her dimples, an eyebrow arched. - Perhaps I hadn't closed it properly.
- Yeah... Next time you better lock it if you want to be all by yourself.
- I mean, I'm not complaining about your presence. - "What the hell am I doing?" , she pondered to herself.
- At least we are no longer strangers to each other, right? Falling in someone's lap like that can be really personal.
That made Macarena laugh shyly. She broke the eye contact and her cheeks blushed a little, remembering that embarrassing scene.
- Oh! That... I'm so sorry, I'm a bit clumsy sometimes.
- When you're nervous? Or drunk? - Zulema caught Maca's gaze again.
- I wasn't nervous, though.
- Yes, you were... And you're again, right now. - she said that while taking slow steps towards Macarena, who tried to keep a certain distance, and she would succeed if it wasn't for the wall that her back encountered.
Zulema could smell Macarena's scent and that sweet perfume from miles, and from where she was now standing, mere centimeters away, the struggle was real. Her gum was burning and she was concentrating as much as she could to keep things from getting out of control. She could hear Maca's heart beating faster and her blood pressure flushing a wave of excitement way down to her body. She could tell it was the first time that Macarena was reacting to another woman like that.
- What? Are you reading my mind now?
Zulema chuckled. Her mind? No, she did not have that skill. Her body , on the other hand...
- Maybe. Maybe I have a few powers you’re not aware of.
She couldn't handle herself any longer. The right thing to do, however, was to leave the bathroom and go hunt somewhere else, someone who people would not worry about if they'd be missing for a few (long) hours. "I should just go...", she thought, but joder , there was something about those hazel green eyes that wouldn't leave her. In an impulse, Zulema raised her hand to move a lock of that blond hair away from Macarena's face, who gasped at the touch.
- You're so cold! - her lips were slightly parted, her breath inebriating Zulema.
- And you're so hot...
Zulema let her hand resting on Macarena's jaw line and the other urged to touch her thigh below the dress. It was an intense grip Maca was not expecting, causing a chill that ran all over her spine.
- God... - Maca closed her eyes at the exact same time Zulema glued her lips on her neck, placing gentle kisses, her leg moving a little bit upwards brushing Zulema’s.
She didn't know what was going on, if it was the drink she had before, but she reached for Zulema's hair with both hands, urging for more, feeling a certain desire wetting her panties.
Zulema felt the fangs coming out. Their tips brushed against Macarena's skin. Hell knows why, but when she was about to stick those sharp teeth on that flesh, she stepped back, detaching her body from Macarena, who opened her eyes, confused without understanding why everything had stopped so abruptly.
- No. - Zulema stated.
- N-no what?
- I don't want to make it quick like that.
- I'm.. Why is your... - her confusion was written on her face when she saw Zulema's fangs out and that pair of vivid red eyes that took the green one’s place. - Are you... What is...
- Can you just pick one question? - Zulema should be seriously afraid now that she had revealed herself, but seeing Macarena that shaken was too amusing. And the blonde was pretty cute.
- I-I c-cannot believe I'm asking you that... Are you... a v-vamp..
- ... pire? Fuck... Yes. - the fangs started to shrink, looking normal, and her iris was turning greenish again.
- No no no no, this is not possible! - she pushed Zulema by the shoulder and walked again to the sink, turning around with an astonishing expression stamped on her face.
- Well..
Zulema walked to reach her again and stood up in front of the mirror. She shrugged and pointed to her reflection, or better saying, the lack of it. Macarena couldn't look more shocked. "It's a prank!" , she thought, "this is got to be a prank, for heaven's sake!".
- You're a... vampire !
- Yeah… I just told you that. Now, unfortunately, you know too much and I’ll have to kill you.
Maca took one small step back and her eyes grew twice its size. Zulema was laughing so hard, she bent her body back and clapped hands.
- You should see your face!
- Wait, what?! Are you joking with me? So you're not a vampire?! What is going on here?! Oh, Lord… I’m not going my mind, am I? - she was now seriously concerned.
- Oh no, honey, you’re not the crazy one here, but yes, that part was true. Believe me, cariño , I am a vampire. I know it may sound silly saying it like this, and I don’t remember mentioning it to anyone else, not in a long time, no. But fear me not! I’m not in the mood to kill you. - she dared to get closer. - You're too pretty to die.
Zulema shoved her hands on her pants' pockets, looking at Maca as she was watching the most interesting play. The blond, on the other hand, did calm her nerves, but was now trying to crack a code. There was a sort of fear mixed with interest.
- Who are you?
- I'm the owner of De La Cruz - Zulema answered humbly and shrugged again.
- What ... What were you going to do with me?
- I was going to bite your little neck and suck your blood out. - right on the spot. - Believe it or not, that’s the only thing I do, the little, you know, marks…? They heal pretty fast.
- So… No killing?
- Nope. Not if I don’t want to.
- So… That makes me a prey? ‘Cause I don't want to be it. I’m done being the weakest part at anything. If that’s what you were thinking, I'm sorry to let you down.
Zulema let out a dragged laughter and took a deep breath. She wasn't used to giving her victims a decision. All she had to do was to charm them, take somewhere safe enough and do her thing. Blood was out and so their memories. No victim could remember she was a “creature of the night”. This time, her cold heart was getting annoyingly softer, so she just accepted it and turned around to leave the room.
- Vale ... - before she could leave, Macarena's voice stopped her feet.
- You’re just… Leaving?
She sounded anxious and fearful at the same time, she didn't know exactly what she was getting into, but things like this don't happen more than once in life; she didn't even believe it could really happen! Stories and plays telling about dangerous figures of darkness passed through her mind, but none of it fit the image before her. An attractive woman in her 40s, owner of the sharpest look Maca had ever seen.
- What else do you want me to do? - Zulema went back to look at Macarena once more, her arms crossed in front of her puffed chest.
- You’re not worried that I could tell your secret to someone?
- Pff… And who’s going to believe you? - Zulema scorned. - Listen, you don’t get to threaten a vampire. What are you going to do, blackmailing me? Do you expect me to buy your silence?
- I don’t need money. I-I want… I want to know more about you. About what you are. It seems to me this is one of the reasons that made you acquire this place.
- What is it, lady, an interview with the vampire ? You should be really, really afraid right now. I know that some people would find it thrilling to meet a vampire and live to tell the story, to keep their memories intact. Honestly, you don’t look like this kind at all.
- And what kind am I?
Macarena swallowed the nod that was forming in her throat, waiting for an answer. Zulema approached a few steps, holding the blonde’s gaze.
- The human kind that screams and runs.
- I didn’t do any of these things, did I?
Macarena was determined to not show any kind of weakness. A sort of confidence was filling her up. They stared at each other longer enough so an awkward silence could hover above their heads, only their breaths and the buzz of the music coming from the hall was being heard. Maca expected any move soon while Zulema was mounting each word in a calculated way before she could reply.
- Being a vampire means having more refined senses. For example, I can sense your entire bloodstream and where your body is sending more pulsations. It’s like a huge map of veins, like seeing Madrid from above.
Zulema held Macarena's hand gently between her two hands and took it close to her mouth.
- If you cut your finger, the blood will run there, it will throbbe and you will feel pain.
The brunette held Maca's thumb to her lips and in the next second she pierced the skin with her fang, making a bright red dot sprout. Macarena gasped and a sharp, hoarse scream died in her mouth when she bit her lower lip. She was watching that performance without being able to move. Zulema put out her tongue and licked the blood that was coming out, then sucked that injured finger in her mouth, forcing more blood out.
- Please… - Macarena didn’t know if her request was to make Zulema stop or keep going.
All the movements were slow and intense, and neither of the two women took their eyes off each other. Miss Zahir finally let go of her hand. As she did this, once again her face approached the blonde’s, her lips, now redder, rubbed against her ear.
- I know which part of your body was pulsing when I pressed you against the wall. - Zulema whispered.
Macarena, walked two steps away with an offended look, as if Zulema had just accused her of a crime.
- How dare you! - she gasped.
This reaction made Zulema laugh with a certain embedded sarcasm. She took a small golden key out of her pocket and put it on the sink counter, next to Macarena.
- Well, if you really want to know more about me, or what it's like to be with me, you can use this to open a room at the end of the hall behind the stage. Just go through the curtains.
“The fucking curtains…”
Now, if my good old instinct is wrong, you won't show up. In any case, I'll be waiting for 15 minutes, starting to count at eleven o'clock. Oh, and before I forget - Zulema was almost leaving, but she turned on her heels for one last warning. - Our next party will be thematic. Halloween. If you're thinking of dressing up, don't forget to put your fangs on.
She smiled maliciously and blinked, passing the tip of her tongue on the fang that a few minutes ago had opened a cut in Macarena’s flesh, giving her a small free sample of something she had only read in books and horror tales.
That night, another dream haunted her sleep and Zahir was once again the main character. This time, her eyes were red as a spring sunset and she had a drink in the same bar where they met. She sipped the whiskey once, then again, and on the third, after putting the glass on the wooden counter, Macarena drifted her eyes from it to Zulema and there was when she saw the brunette’s mouth was stained with blood. The viscous liquid started dripping from her lips and she opened her mouth in an animal-like manner, showing her fangs ready to attack. That's when Maca started screaming for help and woke up sweating on her bed. The cut on her finger had healed moments after what happened in the casino, but she turned her look to it anyway, just in case. A moment of impetus made her take it to her own mouth and suck it, as Zulema had done hours before. Maca remembered that cold touch on her leg and how the kisses on her neck made her feel. Fábio was lying down, facing the other side, snoring loudly, stuck in dreamland after so much alcohol he had consumed. She then closed her eyes and started to create a scenario in her mind, imagining Zulema’s fingers going up the inner side of her thigh and reaching her center. She was still sucking her own finger, lust building up her arousal, when her other hand went down inside her panties. To prevent a moan to let out, Maca bit her lower lip and it caused her a tiny little cut. Her tongue felt that strange bittersweet taste and her clit responded immediately when fantasizing about things she shouldn't have. “God have mercy on my soul!”
Waiting another week for her next encounter with that woman would be a huge torture. Not as exciting as the one the vampire woman had in mind. The worst - or the best - was yet to come.