Hi Mum, it's Sammy (clone 47 - part 7)

MJ came over again. I could sense something was upsetting her. She smells different now. Not as tasty.

"My Beauty, what's wrong with you?"

"Oh Sam, I can't. I can't talk about it."

"Why not?"

"Just don't ask. I really can't talk about it." I tried a few approaches but got no closer to the root of the distress.

I spent quite a bit of the evening distracting her from her troubles. Eventually, we went to bed.

Whatever it was, it troubled MJ much less the next morning. She smelled less stressed. Much tastier.

"I think you feel better, my Beauty?"

"Yes, Sam, I do feel better after a good sleep. I felt safe here."

"I'm so glad. There's nothing more dangerous here then me. Do you trust me?"

"Oh yes, certainly."

"My Beautiful MJ, may I? May I partake of the nectar that is your plasma?"

MJ began by offering her arm again.

"My Beauty, trust me on this. The arm isn't the best place. If you'll allow me to nuzzle your sweet throat again?"

"Oh Sam, do you think so?"

"Yes, Beauty, the throat is much more...satisfying. If you will allow me, that is?"

"All right, my love. If that's what you want."

For my lover, it's flirting. For me, it's an easy meal. It's a win for both of us.

"Was that good for you, my Beauty?"

"Oh yes, Sam. It was divine."

"Are you sure?"

"I feel tired, I need to rest a bit. But I feel very good otherwise."

It was some hours later when I finally decided to head to the beauty saloon and tattoo parlour, to see if Lothario was there and alone.

He wasn't there. If he had been, he wouldn't have been alone. There was quite a group of people hanging out.

I did finally met Moe's wife Jane.

"Good afternoon, lovely. I'm Sam, Sam Grant."

"Oh, so you're Sam. Moe has been telling me all about you. I'm Jane, Moe's wife."

"I shall have words with Moe. He failed utterly to tell me what a divine creature he married."

"Oh my, you charmer. Do you flirt so with all the women you met?"

"Oh no. Only the prettiest of them. Or the tastiest." I gave her a friendly leer. "You qualify in both categories." No need to tell her that I've been known to flirt with men as well. Especially Moe.

"So Mr Grant, what do you do?"

"Just Sam.  I'm a member of the Llamas."

"Well, Just Sam, I can't say I've seen you play."

 I shook a finger at her. "Naughty Jane, you know what I meant by just Sam. And I've just joined the starting lineup so I haven't had a lot of game time yet."

Jane giggled. She has a delightful giggle. "All right Sam. I believe you."

"And you? What do you do?"

"I work at the local paper, for the moment."

"My dear Jane. Might I ask you a small favor?"

"What would you like of me?"

"I fear the thirst is upon me. Might I impose upon you for some plasma?"

"I haven't done this before."

"Don't worry, lovely Jane. You can't this wrong."

I didn't tell Jane that there are just times when I'm not careful enough.

"Jane, thank you so much. I greatly appreciate the donation."

Susie Pierce-Lessen, wife of the Riverview rock god himself Jon Pierce-Lessen. She's pretty good with the guitar herself. She was the reason for the crowd in the saloon.

"Hello, Gorgeous. My name is Sam Grant. I just wanted to tell you that your beautiful music holds but a tiny speck compared to the beauty that is you."

She frowned for a moment. Perhaps it was a touch too much?

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Flattery? Since when is truth flattery? Though perhaps," I closed my eyes, pretending to think. "No, I am sorry but it was truth."

"I know sincere and insincere. The groupies that follow Jon everywhere have taught me that much."

"All right, perhaps a small exaggeration, but not much of one."  I stared deep in her eyes. "Surely many appreciate your many assets."

"You are a rogue, Mr Grant."

"You must forgive a rogue then, Ms Pierce-Lessen. Do you happen to know Mr Lothario by any chance?"

"Yes, Don is my stylist. He is even more of a rogue than you."

I tried my best not to let the growl I could feel building escape. "Could you give him this letter?"

"Who is it from?"

"I don't know, someone gave it to me to give to him. The perfume suggests that it's an admirer." I gave Susie a carefully crafted letter. The scent on it was a very expensive perfume, I had bought earlier in the day.

"All right, he is due back soon. He'll get the letter." I left quickly. I didn't want Don to see me if I could help it. Not here.

Alone at last with Lothario. Dark and quiet except for the ghosts.

Don will regret the day he meddled with my prey. He will deeply regret it.

"What are you doing here? I thought I was to meet Ripley."

"I wished to talk to you about Ripley. You dared to date my prey?"

"What? What has that to do with anything?"

"Your affair with Ripley made her cut her ties with me. I cannot allow such a thing to happen a second time."

"She was free to choose. She choose me over you." 

"And that will never happen again." I compelled Don to offer his arm.

For once, I am very pleased to be the cause of pain.

And for once, I didn't stop quickly. The bite was deep and I pulled every drop that I could.

Which as it turned out was more than Lothario could spare.

"No, please don't. I can't," he gasped as the plasma flowed. He dropped to his knees to beg.

"You are right. You can't. Or at least not for long."

In fact, only a few minutes longer.

This is more like it. Don Lothario dead at my feet. Let's see you seduce someone from me now, Mr Lothario.

I waited to ensure the deed was complete. I was waiting for the Grim Reaper to arrive and claim his newest prize.

Don groveled at the Reaper but the Grim remained unmoved. The Reaper forced the ghost Don into his tombstone.

Don is dead and his soul rests ill at ease in the cemetery with the other ghosts.

Let the petty mortals beware. I will allow nothing to stand in my way.

We weren't quite as alone as I had thought though. I had failed to notice that someone else living was at the cemetery. I only caught a scent of recently present human while I was leaving.

It wasn't a scent I know or have run across before. Hmmm.