18 comments/ 19954 views/ 29 favorites Silver Lining Ch. 01 By: winterhunny713 Made this story on a whim. I might continue it, I really like the direction is going. Feedback is appreciated, so please. This chapter has a bit of pretense to it and anticipation. Not a hot one, sorry guys. If you enjoy it let me know, if you hate it, let me know also, I can handle feedback for the most part. As always, happy reading. ***** The air is thick, summer is just setting in, even as the sun is swallowed by the horizon there is still a weight to the air. My skin still sheens with the sweat from my hike, most of the other hikers have already passed me back to the parking lot. No one wants to be in the woods after nightfall, but I am in no rush to leave the sanctuary. I text Alana that I'll be over around ten, as soon as the message sends I tuck it back into my arm band and refocus on the horizon to find a man with his back to me. Details flood my mind, short black hair, around 6'4", black jeans, long sleeved shirt, dark red. He is standing so still, the hair on the back of my neck stands on end, I don't know what it is about him that puts me on edge but I don't question my instincts. I jog down the path at a pace that shouldn't seem like I am running from him specifically, I consider calling Alana but the sight of other hikers just a bit ahead eases my tension. I glance back but he is gone... My heart pierces into my ribcage as a spike of fear alights within me but I stamp it down. As soon as I catch up to another hiker I slow my pace to stay with her, we exchange smiles and greetings then continue toward the parking lot. My phone buzzes and I check it to see a response from Alana, freaking out, as usual, about her party. It is her 21st birthday so it is quite a big deal, her and I managed to set up an event for her at an expensive club. Something just nags at the back of my mind, I look at the path behind us and there he is again. Directly behind me, I start to move back but he grabs my wrist. The girl beside me sees my fear, "Hey, do you know this guy?" The man looks her in the eyes and I see a flash of silver across his eyes, "She is my wife, don't worry, just go home." The girl smiles at him, "Oh." "Wait, I don't know him." She trots away from us, "Hey!" She doesn't even glance back, all the other hikers are lost from sight. My heart is beating so fast it feels like it is vibrating, "Such perceptive instincts," His voice is a low purr, it sets my blood on fire with fear but I guard my expression. Many murderers only enjoy killing to see the fear on their victim's face. I don't intend to give him that satisfaction. "What do you want?" The words hang between us as his eyes rake over me, I narrow my eyes, my heart frantically pumps adrenaline to every inch of my body. I start to call Alana but he grabs my phone and to my horror he crushes it, as if it is glass... He smiles, revealing a flash of fangs that I dismiss as fake, "Such strong will, hiding your fear from me, but that won't last long." I turn up my nose defiantly, but my nerves still stand on edge, there is something about this man that awakens my darkest fear, "Listen, I don't like being fucked with. Let me go." I start to pull my wrist from him, every instinct within me screaming RUN! Too late I register his movement, faster than I can understand he has me pinned to a tree, long fingers clamped around my throat. My airway collapses under his grip, he leans forward and breathes deep then lets out a low sigh full of pleasure. As he pulls away I glare into his dark gray eyes, "Then let's get straight to business shall we?" His free hand pulls at my jacket, exposing my throat fully, for a moment I consider he might rape me. But that isn't what frightens me, there is something else, something about him just doesn't seem normal... He studies my eyes before grinning wide exposing his fangs again, except they seem longer, at least I think they are. My vision starts to dim, "Don't pass out on me now dearest." He is about half a foot away from me, only his upper body is close to me, I take the opportunity and use every ounce of energy to strike into his groin. My knee connects hard with his pelvis, he grunts and his face contorts. His eyes flash red, the fangs are in full view as he hisses at me. His grip barely loosens but it is enough, a basic defense move flares to life in my muscles; he counters my attack before I can even begin to move. My heart is trying to burrow through my chest, his grip is now on my wrist too, so tight my bones are crushed together. With a faint smile he twists and I hear a snap, pain carves up my arm, I start to scream when his mouth smothers it in my throat. I twist against him but he is stronger than any man his size should be. With our faces so close all I can see is the bright red of his eyes... Like drowning in blood... Drowning... Drown... The word echoes through me, chilling the heat in my body until goose bumps roll over me, ice lodges in my heart and the pain dulls against the dark memories. With new dedication I bite down on his lower lip, blood rushes past my teeth, my lips light on fire upon contact. I gasp and the blood rushes onto my tongue, caressing every part of my mouth before flowing down my throat. I keep spitting blood but the pain doesn't fade, he just stares at me as my body contorts against the pain. His eyes are wide with surprise, the world fades away as white-hot agony becomes the center of my existence. There is nothing but pain, even the presence of the man is burned away, leaving me in this blank hell, so much pain that the release of a scream is impossible. After what seems an eternity the world returns, my body is covered in a cold sweat, his hands are still tight on me, his eyes form first in my vision. No longer red, "Interesting little creature aren't you?" Red flares from the edge of his eyes, spreading through the white of his eyes and dying his iris bloody, the sight is a bit fascinating. He bares those fangs again and lowers his mouth to my throat, a sharp pain as his teeth puncture my flesh and then I feel my blood being drawn from me. I don't want to believe it, a part of my mind tries to rationalize the situation, there is just no way... But there is too much evidence to the contrary... Not that my realization really matters. I close my eyes against the violation and think of Alana waiting for me until morning comes, at first disappointing her... Letting her worry... Abandoning her... And then... When she realizes I am gone she will never get over it... I grip the bark so tightly my palm forms to the tree, anger tears through me smothering every other emotion until my nails are buried in the tree, with a grunt I pull until a wedge of bark peels away. I strike hard and fast straight into the vampire's waist, burying the wood as far as I can manage. He yanks away from me with an inhuman screech, his grip slackens and I shove him away. With a jarred movement he stumbles to his knees gripping his stomach. Before he can recover I am racing back to the path, blood cascades down my chest, I yank my jacket closed and zip it up tight effectively covering the wound as best I can without stopping. I fling myself into a sprint, forcing my body into overdrive. I force myself to ignore the loss of blood, the faint feeling in the pit of my stomach, and most of all the fear gnawing at my nerves. The parking lot isn't far, I can see it as I pound down the path, the sight of it forces me into a level of speed I had never imagined... As my feet slam onto asphalt I yank my keys from my pocket without breaking stride, the heavenly sound of doors unlocking signals I am one step closer to salvation. I slam into the side of my car, my wrist screams but there is enough adrenaline to smother the pain for now. Once locked in my car I sob as the engine comes to life, I tear out of the parking lot not daring to look back. By the time I reach the city my vision is blurring, the pain flaring up my arm is the only thing keeping me awake at this point. Too much blood is flowing from the wound, but I can't do anything about it. I park on the sidewalk in front of Alana's apartment building, people jump out of the way screaming obscenities, I cradle my broken arm to my chest as I yank the keys from the ignition. I stumble out of the explorer, the world has narrowed to a pinpoint, all I can think is that if I get to Alana it will be alright. Somehow it will be alright. I want to wait for the elevator but it is on the seventh floor, I lean against the wall of the stairwell instead. I drag myself up by the handrail, I can feel people looking at me, thinking I am on drugs or wasted, but I can't ask them for help. I can't walk by the time I get to the third floor, I trip on the last stair and slam to my knees, I drag myself forward. I can see the golden glow of those numbers on Alana's door, I want to get there, I can't quit yet... Almost... There... The hall stretches into endlessness, Alana's door at the furthest end of the universe, but I have to see her. I have to tell her that I won't abandon her without saying goodbye... The thought sparks energy deep within me and with a last push I am at her door, I slam my fist against the door and collapse. I hear her stumbling toward the door, "Is that you KitKat? I tried to call you like a zillion times!" The door opens and at first she is silent then as our eyes lock she covers her mouth, her eyes wide with fear, "Devyn?" I can barely breathe, let alone speak, Alana rushes back into her apartment, I hear something shatter, a curse and then she is skidding back to me. Her phone crushed to her ear by her shoulder, gauze and an ace bandage unfolded into a mess in her arms, she gently rolls me onto my back her eyes dark with focus. When the operator answers I can hear her structured questions, and Alana answers her with a quiet sob as she gently peels open my jacket, with tender hands she presses the gauze to my throat. I wince but at this point it barely hurts, nothing hurts too much anymore... "You stay with me Devyn!" Her voice snatches me back, she smiles at me with tears streaming down her face as she tells the operator her address. She manages to wrap the ace bandage under my neck, the blood is already seeping through the gauze but it flows slower now, I know I am going to die. "I'm sorry." The words are so quiet, Alana grabs my cheeks, "I didn't..." "You aren't gonna die! That would be the most fucked up thing you could do to me KitKat..." She brushes my hair out of my face, "Just stay awake for me, just keep your eyes open for me okay?" I try, I really do. It works for a little while, she keeps blabbering on about something I can't keep track of and I smile up at her. I can't register her words but she is stroking my hair, I like the way that feels, but even that feeling dims. Now I can only see the glow of the hall lights, nearly blinding as they glare upon me, unfeeling in regards to my death. Then the world fades into darkness... Flickers of life appear behind my eyelids, I hear someone yelling, yet their voice remains steady, "We're losing..." Then I am somewhere else with a new voice, "Vitals are failing..." "Devyn!!" Her voice is so far away, I cling to it and try to follow the thread back, but I am so far away... I hear a steady beep, I shift to turn off the alarm but my body is too heavy, I can barely open my eyes. The lights are too bright, I wince as the room swims into focus, Alana is sitting beside me, her head dangling onto her chest with a soft snore. I am in the hospital, with a few needles jammed into my arm, a strange device is lodged in my wrist, four needles jammed into my skin with a rod attaching them... I don't bother worrying about what the hell that is, instead I focus on Alana. The only reason I am alive right now... Her quick thinking probably saved my life. She always manages to save me... "Alana..." My voice rasps through a dry throat, but she stirs and as her eyes focus on me she slides forward her eyes filling with tears. "Oh Devyn..." She buries her face in her hands, "I... I..." "Water?" She flies out of her chair, "I'll get the nurse!" With that she races from the room, long brown hair trailing behind her like a sail, I can't help but smile. She can't be gone long but I start to drift away anyway, "Devyn?" A new voice, I blink her face into view, soft cheeks, bright green eyes and a splash of freckles, "On a scale of one to ten, what is your pain level?" The image of her is watery, like a painting that got rained on, "Zero?" I giggle softly as the world washes away. But then the water is filling up the room, getting so high that it covers the bed, icy cold pierces me. It pours across my chest sealing my breath within me, and soon it pours into my mouth, drowning me... Drowning... "WHY WON'T YOU FUCKING DIE?" I yank out of the ice bath, but there is no ice, it is just the hospital... I grind my teeth to keep the tears at bay, I hate the memories, I hate the way they creep up when I am vulnerable... Something tightens around my right hand, I glance over to see Alana studying me with red-rimmed eyes, "Hey." I smile softly, "Hey." Tears start to form in her eyes, "Don't cry anymore... It will give you wrinkles." She wipes at her eyes, "Oh heaven forbid I mar my face with those!" I squeeze her hand, "You okay?" She shrugs, "How do you feel?" I take a second to soak in my body, "Sore..." She nods slowly, "The police came, but you have been out for about nine hours, so they left a number. You up to talk to them?" At that I start to scramble internally, there is no way I can tell them the truth, because they will think I am whacked out of my mind, "Better now than later." Alana squeezes my hand again before she leaves to make the call, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to come up with something a bit less far-fetched... There are two officers, an older man who has his share of wrinkles and hardness etched into his features but he gives me the most tender smile, and a younger man who looks on stoically, "Can you describe the man who attacked you?" "He was around 6'4", short black hair, very lean muscular build, and dark," His eyes were red, red eyes, red, red, "Grey eyes." "You said he had fangs?" This from the stoic officer, his tone is mocking, I can feel his irritation at being given such a shit case, he wanted to deal with serious stuff, not this fucking day job shit. All the thoughts assault me but I power through it, "Either fake or he has implants, either way he bit me, it must have been some sort of fetish. I don't know." I close my eyes, cringing, "That's enough to get us started, if you think of anything else you can give me a call alright Devyn?" He thinks I am cringing from pain, he is just being kind, fucking kid has no compassion, just let her be. I glance at him, his eyes are cutting toward the stoic officer, his mouth set in a grim line, I give them a sincere smile, "Thank you I will..." After the police leave my room Alana is allowed back in, she perches on the chair beside me, staring with wide eyes, "You okay?" I try to smile but I used the only one I had, "Yeah, I'm sorry Alana, I should've just driven to the hospital... But I couldn't think about anything but getting to you, it wasn't really the smartest move..." She grins widely, "What are best friends for? Anyway, I am just glad that you're okay... What happened?" Who did this to you? Are you really okay? I shake my head, "Some guy was at the hiking trail, everyone else was gone and he bit me, he had in fangs, like implants or something and fucking bit me. He..." The words die in my throat, I hate lying to Alana, lying to everyone else is necessary but she is my friend... I should be able to be honest with her but deep down I know she won't believe me, she can't believe me. Because even I don't believe me, "It's okay KitKat. You don't have to talk about it anymore, I'm sure you're tired. Go ahead and sleep." I hear her stomach gurgle, she doesn't seem to notice, "Go eat." She looks surprised then smiles, "I'll be here when you wake up, ok?" She hesitates, "Want me to stay until you fall asleep?" I stick out my tongue, "Nah, I'm fine. Don't worry, it's not like I can escape." I gesture to all the needles and wires attached to me, she wants you to leave, just let her have time, she'll still be here... She gives me a hard look, "I'm glad you're okay, now get some rest!" With that she swirls out of the room, once alone I close my eyes, I don't know why I can hear what she is thinking, I don't know why I heard those cops either. It has something to do with that fucking vampire... I am not an idiot but I can only hope it doesn't mean I am... I drop the thought immediately because there is no way I can handle that right now. Becoming... Him... Becoming the monster... I refuse to stay in the hospital any longer, I have to sign a waiver but I convince Alana not to fight with me about it. I can't stay in the hospital, my wrist healed too quickly, I could hear the doctor talking to my nurse about it, down the hallway... I shouldn't have heard them... My hearing is becoming more sensitive, thoughts pour into my own mixing until I can't tell them apart anymore, it takes most of my energy to ignore them and try to look normal for Alana. She drops me off at my apartment, once she helps me settle in she stares at me, she is hiding something, secret, lie, why, what is it? Why doesn't she trust me... Her thoughts hurt but I can't show it, "I'm just going to rest... If you wanna binge watch something, I would like that. I'll buy the pizza since I kinda ruined your birthday..." She smiles, the darkness fading from her mind, "Extra anchovies right?" I stick my tongue out, and everything feels a bit normal, but deep down there is something wrong, we both know it... Alana leaves, she can't keep putting off her job, being self-employed helps me tremendously. In a dark part of my mind I am glad she has to leave, she just keeps staring at me, looking when she thinks I won't notice and thinking... Thinking... Thinking... I can't stand hearing her thoughts about me, I just want it to stop... I fall asleep curled up on the couch, but it is a restless tumble, I wake up with a fever. I warn Alana that I am feeling down, I cancel plans and tell her not to come over so she won't get sick. She tries to insist but I don't budge on the issue, a dark fear has taken hold and if I am right about it... I don't want her anywhere near me. After a day the fever won't break, I try everything I know to cool my aching body but it just keeps getting worse until my temperature is well above 103, I should be dead... Or at least feeling like I am going to die, I should go to the hospital but I still fear my condition, I can't put anyone at risk. If I go to the hospital they will call Alana... I can't have her around me... After that it escalates rapidly, Alana texts me that she is at the airport, she is leaving for two weeks for business, she wanted to stop by but I told her I was out. I told her I was feeling better and I was visiting my parents. It was the only excuse I had for not seeing her, the only one she might believe. I stumble into the bathroom, with a horrendous heave red liquid splashes into the toilet, I grip my stomach trying to ease the cramps but the spasms continue. I have to flush the toilet twice, I heave until stomach acid turns to clear fluid and then instead of feeling better I feel infinitely worse. My whole body burns, even my insides rage white-hot, I lean against the tub panting. Pain flares from my chest, spider-webbing through my entire body, too much pain to move. I grip my chest and wait for it to pass, eventually the pain ebbs away, I drag my body up, leaning against the wall for support. I study myself in the mirror to see a clammy incarnation of myself that I barely recognize. I look away and shuffle into the kitchen, I dig through my fridge, yanking out the last slices of pizza. I rip open the baggie and bite into what should taste at least moderately satisfying. Instead it tastes like ash, I slam against the sink as I heave up what I had just swallowed, I turn on the faucet and gulp down handfuls of water. As soon as I swallow the third gulp it all comes racing back up, by the time I have thrown up everything I am sobbing. I turn off the faucet and sink to the floor. My whole body is quaking, a spasm arches up my spine, digging in to every part of my body it can reach, so much pain that a soft cry escapes before my mind slams the door on the world. Silver Lining Ch. 01 When I struggle out of the void I am back in bed, only I don't remember getting back in bed. My body is even heavier now, my eyes roll around the room, my heart thrums to life when I see a figure by the front door. But it morphs into my coat rack, I sit up shakily holding my throbbing skull. I am so thirsty... A glance shows me that the front door is still securely locked, my body is so heavy even sitting up is difficult. I start to move out of bed but a bright yellow paper halts my movement, lying directly beside where my head had been. My hand is shaking when I reach for it. The handwriting is scrawled, almost lazily: If you manage to wake up meet me where we first kissed, I'll be waiting for you. I left some food on the table for you, drink up to get your strength my dear. My body is icy, I slide out of bed and walk to the kitchen, my ears buzz as I see the glass full of a dark liquid. The smell washes over me and the glass is in my hands before I can stop myself, I can only watch in horror as I raise it to my nose. The scent is intoxicating, like the most delicious food I could ever imagine, the glass is still warm. I raise it to my lips (still warm) and tilt it until the liquid touches my lips (still warm), the thought pierces my hunger. I fling the glass into the sink, it shatters spraying blood inside the white base, I turn the water on full blast and flush away the liquid. I am shaking all over as it disappears. Anger is caressing my heart, stoking a fire inside me brighter than any fear I might have felt. That fucker was in my apartment, he stood there and wrote a fucking note, on my fucking paper... And left his fucking blood in my glass... "I am going to kill you..." So much rage pierces me that I don't think of the consequences, I don't have a second thought to meeting him. Once in my car the anger dims to a steady burn, I hesitate with my keys in the ignition but there is no way I can handle this on my own. Even if he wants to kill me I don't have many options on people to talk to about handling myself around blood. The desperation for it... Even walking out of the apartment I had heard heartbeats, smelled... I press my forehead against the steering wheel, I am so thirsty... "Just breathe... Just ignore it..." I can't ignore him... He knows where I live anyway, I can't let Alana come over and see me like this, what if I lose it and hurt her? What if...? I start my car and turn the radio on full blast to drown out their thoughts and mine. I walk softly along the path, I don't know why but I don't expect to see him there. Deep down I had expected him to never show up, to just leave me to massacre everyone around me... He is sitting in the bench facing the horizon, one leg stretched out, an arm draped along the back of the bench and the other hand sporting a thin cigarette. He is dressed in worn jeans and a tight fitting black shirt, his sneakers look old, when I look at his face he is studying me, "You are an intriguing little human, surviving this change is incredibly rare, and you have done it in record time as well. Be proud." His thoughts don't invade my mind like everyone else, the one person I want to hear the truth from and I can't even hear a faint whisper from his mind, "Oh? You have heard their thoughts? Impressive." I glare at him, "Are you going to kill me now?" He takes a long drag from the cigarette, it smells slightly sweet with a tinge of bitterness, but that is not the smell that intrigues me, I can smell his life pulsing just under his flesh... I bite my lip hard enough to draw blood, he groans and before I can blink he is in front of me, mouth hovering over mine, "Do you want to die sweet little human?" I open my mouth to respond but his tongue darts across my lip and I taste the smoke in his mouth, I feel the pulse of his heart in his tongue and that scent overpowers my senses. He pulls away with a cocky smirk, anger fuels the insanity within me, I slam forward snarling. He grabs my throat and flings me into a tree, my spine cracks when I make contact, I groan and curl into a ball, "Did you not drink the gift I left for you? Hunger is a dangerous thing for a newborn, if you don't eat soon you will die. So answer my question Halfling. Do you want to die?" I can feel something from him, not quite a thought but a glean of his emotion; curious, confused, intrigued? I glare up at him and hiss, the sound breaks my illusion and I yank away from him, he watches me but says nothing, "I don't know. Should I want to die?" He takes another drag from his cigarette as he crouches before me, "Clever little creature." With a long silence he snuffs out the cigarette in the dirt, "Let's find dinner." "What the fuck do you want?!" I stand slowly, my body feels lighter, less like I am drowning on the inside. He moves as a blur, he isn't as fast as I remember, but he is still too fast for me, he pins me to the ground, "Tread carefully little one." "Go fuck..." My throat is closed instantly, his eyes flash silver, "This fiery spirit of yours will only get you burned Halfling." I strike toward him but he snatches up my wrists and pins them against my abdomen, dangerously close to a place I don't want him to touch, "Unlike me, you need oxygen to survive, how long can you hold your breath pet?" His lips brush mine, fangs graze my lower lip and I freeze, I don't want him to bite me again, "Are you sure?" I hate him digging in my mind, I just want to disappear, my vision swims with black dots. His grip loosens, I gulp in air and blink away the invading darkness, "You truly are an intriguing creature." I try to push him off me but his grip remains tight around my wrists, he cups my cheek and I force myself not to flinch, "What exactly do you want?" He trails his fingers down my neck, tracing my collarbone, I shiver as his fingers hover just above the hem of my shirt, his eyes on mine, "What do you think I want?" His hand slides down my side, molding to the curve of my ribs, coming to rest at my waist, his fingers start to slide up my shirt, "Hmm? Devyn?" His says my name in a low purring growl, it burrows into me and I feel something alight in my stomach, something familiar... I struggle against him, frantically now, "No!" He smiles forcing his hand further up my shirt until his fingertips are cupping the underside of my bra, then he pulls away from me, "Let's find dinner." He pulls me to my feet, completely ignoring the fact that he violated me, "Violated?" He scoffs, "You stabbed me, try not to forget." I yank out of his grip, "You were going to fucking kill me! You fucking psycho!" He cocks his head to the side, "You kill your food, do you not?" I growl at him, "No need to show your teeth little one. Let's hunt, either that or stay here and starve to death, there is a guy up here somewhere. Want to play a game?" "No." His eyes shimmer under the moonlight, "Good. If you find him first I'll answer four of your questions, and if I find him..." The thought stands unfinished, I remain silent and his smile only grows wider, "Well I just can't decide what I want so I suppose I will make my decision if I manage to win." I narrow my eyes, "Why do you choose your prize and I do not?" His fangs extend causing his features to shift from handsome to deadly, "Because it is my game, ready? Go!" He races into the trees, leaving me confused and cold, I take a deep breath hoping to smell something but all I can smell is him and his fucking cigarette... I force my anger away, narrow my focus to a point and take another deep breath, under the layers of his scent there is something else, fear, the acrid scent of fear. When I focus even harder on that scent thoughts pool over me Lost, I am so fucking lost. Where is my phone, shit... I flash through the trees, darting over stumps, bouncing through the trees with a precision I can't even comprehend, the world blurs around me as I focus so hard on his thoughts that nothing else matters, nothing else processes. He has gotten quite lost, I fade through the darkness, one with it now, piercing through it in utter silence. He is so far from the path I doubt he will ever make it back on his own, but that doesn't matter, as I get closer I smell the fear in his blood, I smell the fresh pulse of life. Beckoning to me. He is leaning against a tree, his body lax in the darkness, his eyes scanning but seeing nothing. The vampire is leaning against a tree near him, but he does not approach the man, I narrow my eyes at him. He has won the sick game... But that pales against the smell, seducing me until I no longer think, I am a victim to the instincts. I tear forward and bury my teeth in his neck, a scream ripples through the air, his fear spikes causing his blood to alight. I drink in his essence and it feels glorious, stealing his life to fuel my own, a groan peels from me. I pin his arms to his sides and drain him. The vampire is behind me, his lips against my ear, I growl causing him to chuckle, "Is this the part where you kill him? Drain him dry? Leave him to rot? It feels amazing doesn't it?" If I don't stop soon I will kill him, I can feel it... But I am so thirsty... His flavor is so... tantalizing. I close my eyes and yank away from him, his body is limp in my arms, and I know I have killed him. I stumble back into the vampire's chest, his hands steady my shoulders and I am too disturbed to stop him, "Oh god..." "Oh dear. Looks as if you've killed your first." His voice is too close to patronizing, I stare down at the man's body but as the desperation eases I hear his heartbeat. I yank away from my... I don't even know what he is anymore, "Creator." I glower at him, "What do we do with him now?" His face is set in a blank mask, "Kill him?" I grit my teeth to stem the rage, it comes so easily now, "I will not." "Then I will." He moves forward but I slam against him, caught off guard he steps back, "Move." A flash of silver in his eyes causes a tremor to race up my legs, the muscles vibrate with the urge to listen to him. To obey... My nails bite into my palm, I bare my teeth, my body quakes under his influence but I hold my ground, "You will have to kill me first." He studies me, "You would die for some unknown human? Is he worth dying for?" I stand straight, "Maybe not, maybe I should just kill you." He laughs, the sound catches me off guard, it is harsh and yet... "Alright Halfling. If you want him to live carry him back to the trail, I'll meet you there." He disappears into the trees, I wait a few moments to make sure he is gone before I grip the man under his arms and lift. I hold my breath as I drag him up but he is much lighter than I anticipated, I tumble back and he is draped across me. I blink up into the trees, "Well okay then..." The second attempt is a success, I am able to trot through the trees with him slung across my back, the feeling is a bit exhilarating. This body is so much... I shake away the euphoria, there is no time to get seduced by this life, I almost killed a man... That brings me back to reality. By the time I reach the path my face is set in a grim line, the vampire is laying down in the bench now, his arm draped across his eyes. I gently place the man down beside the bench, "Now what?" The vampire doesn't respond and I start to wonder if this dude really is a psycho... "Now we let him die." His voice is sharp, cutting through me like a knife, I glower at him before placing myself between him and the man. "Why? What is your fucking problem? Do you just kill everything you encounter?" My anger flows more freely than usual, getting a reign on my emotions is incredibly difficult now. Before I was level-headed, but everything is so much more sensitive now, volatile... "He is a loose-end, if he lives there is always a chance your secret will be brought to life." His voice is still sharp, now it is like ice dumping over me, chilling the rage within me, I glance down at the man. "You want him dead so badly then you fucking kill him, but I won't fucking let you do it. So let's move on to another fucking solution. Alright, you fucking psychopath?" A smile carves across his lips, he looks normal right now, but the red memory is still very much alive within me, he tried to kill me, so I really don't give two fucks about him, "Nice to know." He stands slowly, his gray eyes locking with mine, I can see every detail in the darkness. I don't feel any remorse for my thoughts, I shrug, "Do you want an apology?" I glare at him, barely stemming the tide of my overactive emotions, "You could go fuck yourself, that would be fantastic." He smiles wider, "Oh? And let you go back to your safe little hovel, lie in wait for your innocent little friend, then paint your walls with her blood? All the while she was just trying to help you, I mean you have two whole weeks to get yourself under control. So yeah, I'll just leave. Good luck." He winks and starts to walk past me, every scenario washes through my mind, as he passes me I am panicking. I stare at the unconscious guy, the guy I almost killed on accident, every emotion is explosive now, there is no way I won't fuck up somehow... I turn to him, afraid that he will already be gone but he is just casually walking, he knows I will call after him, the thought makes my stomach churn. But I don't know if there are other vampires, I don't know if this will get worse before it gets better, I don't know jack about this situation, "Wait." My voice is soft, he keeps walking and I stamp down my rage, "Please!!" He stops and turns, his steely eyes full of arrogance, I could beat him to a pulp and feel no remorse, "That is an interesting way of saying thank you." I flinch when he appears before me, his movements still a blur to me, I stare up at him as his eyes probe mine, "I will admit I need your help, but this situation is your fault." He caresses my cheek, I step back, my heart flutters in my chest, "That does not mean I must take responsibility for it." As he steps toward me I want to keep backing away, but that is what he wants, I can feel it radiating from him, "So perceptive." Instead of guiding me where he wants me, he grabs me and slams me against a tree, his hands pin mine firmly to the bark, unable to escape I don't struggle against him. His strength is triple my own, "Is this all a game to you? Did you bring that guy here? Has all of this been some sort of game?" He searches my eyes before a grin spreads, "Clever, clever, clever." I turn my face away, now the fear is taking hold, the fear he said would come is bubbling up, "What the fuck do you want? Can I get one fucking straight answer?" His tongue trails up the side of my throat, his teeth rake against my neck, directly over the place he bit me before, I feel a tender throb in my throat. But he doesn't bite me, he groans against my flesh before he pulls away, "You are mine now. The moment you drank my blood, you became mine, every order I give you will be one you will want to obey. You have a strong will but I can override it if I so wish." I look at him in surprise, my body alights with fresh fear, the type of fear that curdles my insides, the type I haven't known since I was young, "No. Let me go!" "Be silent." His tone is tender, almost soothing, I yank against him with renewed vigor but no sound escapes me, no matter how desperately I try, "Be still." My body locks in place, he releases my wrists but as hard as I might try I cannot break free the invisible bond, my mind races through every possible way to snap myself out of this but nothing comes to me. His hands are on my waist, his silver eyes boring into mine as he lifts my shirt, this time he doesn't stop at my bra, he pulls at the fabric until I hear it tear. My breasts spill free, he cradles them in his hands with a sigh, "Your tits are quite a handful Devyn..." I close my eyes, trying to will myself away from the situation, a pinch on my nipple brings me panting back to reality. I almost gasp but I still cannot make a sound, one hand teases my nipples while the other caresses down my waist until his hand is buried in my pants, "Are you wet?" I don't want to be, but deep down I fear I will be. Perhaps it is because he is a vampire, because he is my creator... "No, it is because you want me. Your desire has nothing to do with that bond, our blood tie merely allows me control over your actions, I cannot control your thoughts though. Unfortunately... Although I am intrigued by the path yours take." His finger presses against my pussy and he groans, "Sopping wet, even your panties are soaked, how interesting, I barely even touched you. Are you a virgin?" He waits a moment before his face splits into a grin, "Oh, that's right. You may speak." I feel the release but I say nothing immediately, he studies my face, rage blurs my vision and if I could move I would stab him in the heart this time, "Answer the question Devyn." I bite my lip hard but the cinch of control stabs through me, there is no resisting it as it tears the answer from me, "No." "Oh? How many lovers have you had?" I look past him, unable to stand looking into those eyes any longer, "Two." "Both male?" I bite my lip, I don't want to tell him anything. "Yes, both only once. Neither ended very well, intimacy is not my strongest suit. Are you done now? I get it alright." His finger moves against me, inside me, I moan then bite my lip in surprise. "You will come with me, without a fuss, you will not try to escape me, and you will not kill me." He pauses for a long moment, "And you will call me Malachi from now on. Or master. Nothing else." "You can go fuck yourself! You sick mother..." The words die in my throat, my insides writhe, pain flares up my spine. It tears a scream from me, but still I remain locked in place. Malachi backs away from me, the pain dims to the back of my mind as I watch him kneel before the unconscious guy. For a long moment I fear he will kill him, snap his neck in front of me, or drain him dry then toss him over the railing... But he does none of that, instead a silver light appears on his fingertips, he places his hands on either side of the man's head and sits very still for a moment before he tosses the guy on the bench, quite unceremoniously. His head snapping against the wood, but Malachi looks unconcerned, "He's bleeding..." Malachi studies me, my arms still locked above my head, "Yes well, the memory I gave him says he tripped and hit his head. Then he barely made it here alive. The hikers will find him at sunrise, which is soon. We must be going. Follow me." The command buries itself inside me, "Please! Don't make me do this! I have a life..." But can I really call it that? Honestly the only thing I'll be losing is Alana, and even then our friendship was more parasitic than anything else, I just used her so I would feel normal... She was so bright, of course I was in love with her, but more than anything I just wanted to be like her. The train of thought turns dark, I push it away before Malachi can see my weaknesses, "I am not a puppet..." As he starts to walk I am unable to stop my advance, I keep pace beside him, and everything inside me settles with the realization that he really doesn't care what I want, or how I feel, "That is not true, if you hadn't been sopping fucking wet, this would have gone much differently." I glare at him, "Oh I am so fucking sorry, so this is my fault then?" Pain trickles up my spine as I clip out the last words, "Fucking vampire Malachi." He chuckles, the sound jars against me, so normal sounding, I hate him with a fiery passion, "I'm not so bad when you get to know me." I already know better... Silver Lining Ch. 02 I got a request for this chapter. I am not sure where I am going to take this story. I am focusing on Saving Clara right now so I will post in this once I have completed that series. For now this will have to tide you over Anon. As always, happy reading -WH ***** Malachi is driving my car, faster than I would prefer but I don't bother saying anything, it wouldn't matter anyway. When I think to check my phone he easily snatches it from me, I growl at him then curl against the door. In any other situation I would throw myself from the car and hope for the best, now it is like being a slave. God, this is infinitely worse than death... "Technically you are dead." Stay out of my fucking head, "Where is the fun in that?" I curl tighter against myself, I try to ignore him, block out the whole situation, it is an old habit but I fall back to it gracefully. Hiding inside myself is easier without a mind-reader, but I just focus on keeping my thoughts close, I wrap them tight around myself and start to build a wall. I don't know much about this sort of thing but I can't read his thoughts so I assume I can keep my thoughts from him, "Unlikely. With our bond even if you do manage to block me out it will just make you ill, but by all means..." I stubbornly refuse to acknowledge his words as truth, instead I redouble my efforts on building the wall, but as I feel the bond straining my stomach rolls. At first I can ignore it but when the bond is blocked completely my vision darkens, the world falls away swiftly, I hear a few words before the car crashes back into focus, "Do you believe me now Devyn?" I hate the way he says my name, "Yeah, sure, whatever. Just go crazy, I'm sure there is something in there that will entertain you." I glare out the window, "Oh, I would much rather get in somewhere else." The words strike deep within me, my body coils tight, and I am disgusted by my reaction, "Isn't it frustrating when the body wants what the mind does not?" I maintain my silence, I can feel a swell of something in the air, it unsettles me deeply, I glance at him to find his eyes are blood red, "Yes Malachi. Why are you doing this? Does it help you get off? You enjoy playing with your food or what?" His eyes brighten, "Do you enjoy endlessly testing boundaries Devyn?" I bite my lip, his presence radiates around me, pierces into me, "I am used to independence, forgive me if slavery goes against my grain." I know my tone is impudent, I should rectify it, especially with a man who can make me do as he pleases with no regard to my safety or desire. But that just makes me resist more. His smile is crooked, somehow it seems sadistic, "Oh yes, you will fight me, but it will change nothing. Ultimately you will give in." "Unlikely." I mimic his tone from only moments ago, I know I should stop, his eyes haven't faded back to normal. I assume the red signals his anger... Malachi sighs softly before he grabs my seatbelt and pulls, it tears under his grip and before I can protest he yanks me closer to him so I am sitting in the center of the seat, "Take off your jeans and panties, then remain where you are with your legs spread." His demand is a whisper, but it strangles my resolve all the same, his will is so much stronger than my own. He must have let me resist him the first time because now I cannot even think straight to resist, his demands become my action, as if it were my own choice. Mere words shatter my resolve, I clench my eyes shut as I obey him, turning my face away I wait for him to touch me but of course, it only gets worse, "Pleasure yourself to climax Devyn." I am disgusted when my hands move in quick obedience, everything about this is so wrong, but I can't make myself beg for mercy. He has already ignored it once, I assume he will just continue to ignore it and possibly punish me for it. My fingers spread my pussy, allowing me better access to my clit, I don't bother making this a drawn out process, I lick my fingers generously before rubbing my already swollen clit. Whether I like it or not I am attracted to him, attracted to his dominance, his presence excites my every nerve, and it only makes me hate him more. His hand rests on my thigh, I gasp at his touch, my fingers still for an instant before I resume pace on my sensitive nub. I bury two fingers in my cunt while I continue playing with my clit, I moan and for a moment I lose myself to pleasure, nothing else matters as I glance at him. His eyes are nearly silver again, they are focused on my hands, not a passing thought paying attention to the road but sadly we don't crash. Just the feel of his eyes on my exposed flesh nudges me closer to the edge. Malachi pulls my fingers from my cunt and buries them in his mouth, I let out a shriek from surprise, and the indecency of it throws me over the edge. In one motion his fingers are buried within me, I buck against him, cum pulses across his fingers, my pussy generously suckling on them. I cry out, my whole body is fire, for one endless moment there is nothing but ecstasy. It ends too quickly and I am left ashamed and slick, he buries his fingers in his mouth and groans. "Are you going to thank your master for your pleasure?" It isn't a demand, but there is a threat under the words. "Please Malachi, why are you doing this?" I move toward him my hands resting on his thigh, my dark brown eyes pleading for some sort of answer. He grips my throat, his hand is gentle but the pressure is insistent enough, "You are a clever girl, I'm sure you know." Instinct dictates I pull away from him but as I start to move he pulls me closer and a veil of silver flashes across his eyes, "Sleep." Instantly the world blackens around me. I wake slowly, fully expecting to be restrained in some way, or at least naked but instead I am draped in a long t-shirt with nothing underneath... He dressed me, the thought makes me sick, I push past it to look at my surroundings, a very dingy looking room. That's about it... The bed is musty, it smells like old newspapers, I slide from it and try the door. Expecting it to be locked, as it gives under my hand I imagine there is possibility of escape. I stumble from the room and start toward what I assume is the front door, fully intending to race through it. Before I even reach the door pain zigzags up my spine bringing me to my knees, coiling around my heart in a vice grip, I abandon the idea of freedom and wait as the agony dims. I had forgotten that little tidbit about not trying to escape, when I can stand I examine the entire space, even look out the windows. I'm in a small cabin, somewhere in the woods, it looks incredibly worn. There are gaping holes in the roof, one window is shattered in a back bedroom, there are two bedrooms and a small kitchen attached to a living room with a blackened fireplace, the only furniture in the house is the bed I had been sleeping on. As much as I search there is no Malachi. I am not sure whether I should be joyous or nervous, there is no electricity in the house, but the air is warm with sun. There is no option of going outside... I stand just outside the pool of light streaming in the front window, I start to slide forward, inching toward what I can only assume is death. What I hope is death. But I hesitate, I have never been one to give up on life, I had always fought for every inch of life. Now I am considering it, but what so terrible had happened? Nothing yet, though I fear this will be my only opportunity for it. I am so still that an outsider would think me a statue, I stand torn with indecision as the sun burns a trail across the sky. No one will look for me, the only person I have left in my life is Alana, after her there is no one I bonded with. Everything in my life has just been enough to survive, just barely scraping the bottom of living. Had I ever really been living? I move away from the window and settle against the wall facing the front door, I pull my knees to my chest and stare into nothing. I don't want to be controlled, but I am too much of a coward to escape with death, so instead I wait for my captor's return... Warmth surrounds me, everywhere I turn it is all around me, suffocating me, I struggle from sleep with more effort than normal to find I am back in bed. Heat is pulsing along the length of my body, my heart beats so fast I can barely feel it, his arms are around me like a cage. One hand draped over my breast and the other coiled onto my waist, I slowly untangle myself from him, and to my relief he does not restrain me. I kneel on the edge of the bed staring at him, but his eyes remain closed, so still he could be dead. I crawl forward until I am hovering over him, I tuck my long blonde hair behind my ears before I study him. Without his eyes on me it is easier to look at him, his features aren't exactly hard lines, but there is something defined about them. His skin is a caramel tone, and judging by his slight accent I can only assume he is not American, I reach forward and my hand hovers over those slim cocky lips... I want to touch him, I am not sure why but a part of me just wants... His eyes open slowly, it startles me enough to send me tumbling back, I plummet over the side of the bed, strong arms wrap around my shoulders. He yanks me back, his eyes are nearly sparkling, I can't even breathe when those eyes hold mine, "Hello pet." I don't want to be so drawn to his eyes but I can't seem to look anywhere else, "Where are we?" His smile is slow as he slides his hand up the shirt, his fingers rest on my upper thigh, I am shaking now, not exactly afraid so much as anxious, "A temporary stop on our journey, don't worry, this is not my castle." I manage to look away, my legs are straddling his own, dangerously parted as his hand teases ever closer to my heat. I start to bite my lip, fangs halt the movement, I glance at him in surprise before I move forward. Instinct overriding thought, his scent is so intoxicating, "Stop." I whimper as my mouth hovers over the tender spot on his neck, his blood pulsing just beneath the surface. Begging nearly overtakes me, but instead I focus on his hand, rising until he cups my heat, I am disturbed to feel my pussy clench in excitement, "Only good little slaves taste their masters blood, understand Halfling?" He draws away from me, his eyes pinning me in place, I lick my bottom lip before I snap from the trance, "What are you doing to me!?" I roll away from him, slamming my body against the far wall. Malachi is still fully dressed and it makes me feel all the more vulnerable, "I have done nothing to stoke your desire." "You're lying!" I tear out of the room, needing to escape those haunting eyes, I feel him prowling behind me but I ignore it. I slam the door on the bedroom with the broken window, the sun is fading but there is enough light in the window. I throw myself toward it, my hand enters the light first, pain sears up my arm but I don't stop my forward momentum. A tight grip in my hair then I am slammed back into the far wall, the impact makes me breathless, Malachi is on me instantly. I try to scramble away from him but with his arms on either side of me I am trapped. He studies me for a long moment before he grabs my hand, I hiss in pain, he glares at the scorched flesh, welts are forming across my knuckles all the way to my wrist. Without a word he lifts my hand to his mouth, with a gentleness I have never known he trails his tongue from my knuckles to my wrist. The pain instantly ebbs away, I watch in fascination as the welts shrink until they are merely scars on my hand. Malachi drops my hand then he grips my chin and studies my eyes, "I did not cause your desire Devyn, I cannot cause such a thing." I am powerless to look away, his warm breath flows across my lips, "I don't believe you." He trails his thumb across my bottom lip, that playful smile appears on his lips, "Let's play a game then." I try to turn my face from him but his grip is unyielding, "Please don't..." Malachi smiles wider, "Oh, but you will like it. I can promise you that my pet." I glower at him but it only makes his eyes shine brighter, "Stop finding me attractive, find no pleasure in my touch, do not become wet for me. If you cum when I pleasure you then you will come with me without further argument, if not then you are free to leave me." The order coils through me, but it doesn't change the way I see him, his eyes are still so intense... I am startled when he releases me, with one hand he swipes the front of the shirt, leaving me bared to him. I start to cover myself but with a steady grip he pins my wrists above my head, his eyes roaming over my exposed flesh, "Malachi..." The words die in my throat when his eyes lock on mine. "Do not move your arms." The order snaps me to attention, he releases my wrists then begins exploring my body. His touch is feather-light on my sides, goose bumps rise along my flesh, my nipples pucker as soon as his fingers light upon them. I groan when his mouth clamps upon my breast, this shouldn't be happening, I shouldn't be feeling anything, he told me not to feel anything... Confusion mixes with my lust until I don't care anymore, Malachi's fingers tease at my thighs, without a second thought I part my legs for him. His smile on my breast makes a blush race across my body, but I can't ignore the desire raging inside me. His hand caresses the sensitive curve of my inner thigh, I want him to touch me, I shake my head vehemently, trying to stamp out the insanity within me. Stop, stop, stop, you don't want this, it is some sort of fucking vampire trick... No matter how hard I blot out reality when his fingers find my folds I am so wet it disgusts me, I manage to bite back my moan but there is no hiding my arousal. His teeth nip at my breasts, I am panting like crazy but still I hold back the desire. It is like a flood, crashing over me, so hard that I am just holding the brunt of it back, it still flows past me, but I can't break... I can't... He buries his fingers inside me, at the same time his teeth sink into the skin above my collarbone, the mixed pleasure and pain sends me to heights I can barely maintain. The wave starts to overwhelm me, his thumb flicks my clit and all thought of resistance is lost, "Oh god! Malachi!" My climax drains away the world, it is just him, hovering over me, commanding me, possessing me ... The pleasure fades slowly, leaving a disheveled mess, Malachi is watching me, his eyes burning a path through me. I look away, shame taking hold, the room cools around me, and I feel disgusted with myself. How could I want a man so much? How could I desire a stranger so desperately? With the excuse of him controlling me it had been easier, but to think I burn so brightly for him, that I allow him to ravage me so easily... "Women more exotic than you have desired me, do not think much on it." My shame instantly doubles, I cover myself as best I can then start away from him. His laugh sends me rushing away faster, he appears in front of the door and leans against it casually, "Does it hurt your pride knowing there have been others?" I stare at him for a long moment before I speak, "What is your endgame? Do I stay with you until you tire of me or is this a forever thing? And don't bother trying to hurt me emotionally, that has already been done so much that I don't think it's possible anymore. I am irritated that you have brought me along if you have better candidates. If I'm not good enough for you then go find someone else. Kill me, torture me, whatever it is you intend and move on. Or just command me to stay here and starve. I don't care..." Malachi's eyes travel from my eyes down along my curves, I can feel my body respond to the caress of his eyes but I ignore it. The blush that creeps across my skin cannot be ignored though, "You will stay with me forever, a blood tie can never be broken, and you are a Halfling. Your human emotions will always be overwhelming, you can burst into uncontrollable blood lust at any moment, even if you are not hungry." He is silent for a very long moment, so long that the sun fades completely, leaving the room in dusky silence. For some reason he seems more handsome in the dying light, I study the curve of those deadly lips, the wide curve of his shoulders, everything about him reminds me of a panther. I had seen a panther once, when I went hunting with some long lost uncle, I can't remember anything other than the bright green eyes and that long sleek body. It had studied me, the gun in my hand meant nothing at that point, the beast was so beautiful I didn't even think to kill it. I had always been drawn to dangerous things, they had been more beautiful than anything else in my life. Perhaps that is what draws me to Malachi, his mystery, his danger, elusive... Every one of my thoughts is in his mind, I snap away from my recollection and look away, "What happened with the panther?" For once his voice doesn't hold that cocky edge, "My uncle tried to shoot it and I swung my rifle at him, I broke his hand and the panther got away..." "You could have died protecting that wild animal." He stalks closer to me, the way he moves is so fluid, "I had endured worse, dying to something so beautiful would have been fine with me at that point in my life." Malachi circles me, it takes all my resolve not to watch him, "Why is that Devyn?" I shrug, unwilling to rehash my childhood nightmares, "We all have secrets, I would rather not go into it." He stops, directly behind me, I flinch when his hands rest on my shoulders, with a tender caress he is sliding his fingers through my hair, smoothing it. My heart pounds with anticipation, as he draws my hair from my throat his mouth lowers to that steady pulse of blood. I groan when his tongue darts across my flesh, his hand on my crossed arms, a soft pressure and I am bared to him again, his hand trails down the flat expanse of my stomach, "So much darkness in that heart of yours, yet so much heat... You are exquisite." Liquid heat coils through my belly, there is no playful edge to his voice, but he has to be screwing with me, "We need to go, I have already been too distracted by you. Come on." I scurry after him when he bustles through the room, once back in the car he takes off, I curl myself against the door, "Where are my clothes?" Malachi doesn't respond for so long that I let out a low groan, "Please, I don't want to wear this..." His eyes remain trained on the road, "And if I want you to wear it?" I look away from him, my heart ices over at the words, I am not even... I'm just... I shake all over, his little plaything, "Fine. Whatever." My thoughts roam as he drives, from my apartment to Alana, to my small business, to all the false aspirations I had given myself. None of it was what I wanted to go back to... Even losing Alana doesn't hurt too much, she had been a childhood friend, I was a part of her life out of obligation more than anything. I felt I owed it to her... It was a strange bond, I am a terrible person for never forming real feelings but it wasn't all my fault. My childhood sort of fucked everything up when it came to emotional stability, so now I don't let anyone in. I feel safer alone, "Your clothes are on the back seat." His voice is low, so low I don't even register it at first, I glance at him but he doesn't look at me. Sure enough my clothes are folded neatly on the back seat, expecting some sort of reaction from him I lean over the front seat to get them, but he doesn't move. I yank on my clothes without a second thought, with no bra my nipples will show through the shirt if... I look away from him, the tattered shirt is lying between us, a memory of the desire that burns just below my skin. I fling the shirt into the back seat, my frustration rockets through my blood, it takes all my effort to hold a margin of control over myself, "So are you going to tell me anything about this or just let me flounder for answers?" Silver Lining Ch. 02 Malachi drums his fingers on the steering wheel, his face is set in harsh lines and I can see the beginnings of stubble along the curve of his jaw, "Most of it will be easier to understand later. If you have questions now, I will most likely answer them." Which means he will most likely be an arrogant jerk, "That isn't very nice." I curl up, as far away from him as possible, "I'm not a nice person..." I take a moment to gather my thoughts, "So the sun is a no go? Anything else incredibly deadly I should know about?" "Direct sunlight will burn you, partial sunlight will cause the welts you got earlier, and even if you are buried in clothes the light can still hurt, so going out in sunlight is pretty much impossible. Wood is bad, our bodies are generally pain-resistant, but most wood can pierce our flesh. It also causes wounds that heal much slower than normal wounds, the garlic rumor is false, we can eat human food although that is mostly for show, it doesn't do anything for our bodies and since we can't digest it. Well, it just comes back up. That thing about mirrors is bogus, it also makes no sense. I have no idea where that one came from..." "Christians thought mirrors reflected the soul, and it was believed that vampires did not have souls, since they were supposedly the spawn of the devil." Malachi glances at me and I shrug, "You said me surviving the change was rare, how rare?" "Rare enough to take note of it, most humans die when they ingest vampire blood, I had expected you to die right there. You are one in a billion... Humans aren't really turned anymore, it used to be more popular a long time ago, back when the myths were made, but it always ended badly." I study the landscape as it flashes by, "So you have mind control, you can make people forget right? Do you have to be in the same room as them to do it?" I feel his eyes on me, but I don't want to meet that gaze, "No, but it is more likely to work if I am in direct contact with the person." I am tense all over, I want to ask him to make Alana forget but I can't bring forth the words, I stem the flow of tears, "Are there a lot of vampires?" "Not as many as you might think, about one vampire for every one hundred humans, it is large enough a population since we don't really die. There are politics and all that nonsense to deal with sometimes. But usually vampires keep to themselves, an Order keeps us all in line if things get out of hand but nothing too invasive." "So there are no vampire families or anything? Like, where did you come from? You said you weren't like me, so were you born this way?" Malachi takes a deep breath, "Yes, well, that is a bit more complicated." Seems like that is the only explanation he is willing to give about that, "Well, okay then... Umm, how old are you anyway?" "I used to keep track... That was hundreds of years ago though..." HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO? My mind flashes insanely within me, ugh it is like letting a dead man touch me... "Trust me, I am very much alive, just because my body doesn't work in the same way as yours doesn't mean I'm a walking corpse." I glance at him, his jaw is set in a hard line, it would be easy to be cruel but for some reason I resist the urge, "I'm sorry, I wouldn't have said it." His eyes catch mine, I can feel a tinge of surprise spark from him, "Anything else you wanted to know Devyn?" "Do you have other powers? Will I be able to do what you can do?" Malachi smiles broadly, showing a flash of pearly white straight teeth, "Halflings don't get any powers. In answer to me, I can manipulate shadows, bend them to transport me wherever I need to be and fade into them. Almost like another dimension, maybe I'll show you, if you're a good girl." That condescending tone throws out the banter I had started to enjoy, I close off my face and look away, "So never. Good to know how to avoid that." "Aww, don't be such a bore my sweet. I can show you such pleasure." "Bodily pleasure is not all there is to life." He is silent for a long time before he starts to say something, probably some smart ass thing that will push me further from him. His mouth clicks shut and after that the drive extends into silence. I switch on the radio when it starts to get uncomfortable, the cd blares a mix I put together. The sound is intense but I like it better than endless silence, I lean my head against the window and let the steady throb of music beat away everything. I awake to bustling, people talking around me, so much fuss, "What did you do Malachi? Seriously, what the hell are you thinking, you just disappear for weeks on end. And now this?! Jesus, Mary, and fucking Joseph. I can't even deal with you right now!" I glance up to see a pixie-haired woman storming away, I am bundled against Malachi's chest, in a warm house, dimly lit but I can gather enough details. I start to move, "Be still Devyn." I groan and glare up at him, but he doesn't even glance at me, there are others around us, whispering. "...first in centuries..." "...Order will not..." "...who is..." "...why..." The predominant word is why, over and over again, pounding like a drum in my head, I study each stranger's face, careful to keep all my thoughts on a very general and polite guideline in case they can hear me. It is quite difficult to keep my thoughts on track with them all staring at me, I can only assume they are vampires. I can't hear their thoughts, so I take that as my cue, the house is large, the foyer big enough to host a party. A huge staircase that looks like glass extends upwards, shaped almost like an hourglass, curving ever so gracefully to the second floor. There are paintings adorning the walls, the whole place looks like something from an architect's wet dream. "You are all guests in my home, and now so is Devyn, if I find that any of you have threatened her, or hurt her in any way. I will personally show you a living hell." His voice makes me cower, and I am the one he is guarding, I remain silent as the others back away. Some bow their heads and others kneel completely on the floor. One man shakes his head and storms out the front door, "And feel free to get the hell out if you can't deal with it." So many questions start to spin through my mind but instead I focus on the staircase, forcing my mind to latch onto every little detail. Every flicker of light replaces my thoughts until the others dissipate, a few tossing glances over their shoulders before disappearing into the house. Malachi carries me up the stairs, a few long strides and we are in an enormous bedroom at the end of the hall, "You can move now." He sets me on my feet before backing away, "I'm going to shower, feel free to join me." I back away from him with a blush, he winks at me as he peels off his shirt, and that's when I see it. A jagged wound, as big around as my palm, a giant purplish blemish against his otherwise smooth skin; I cover my mouth to muffle the surprised gasp, "Is that..." He studies me for a long moment before kicking off his shoes, "Well you did bury a stake in my stomach, what did you expect?" My guilt washes away instantly, "Well, it sure kept you from murdering me, so I guess I did it right." We stand like that for a time, staring at each other, a silent war, "You will shower with me." I shriek when he reaches for me, I start to back away from him but there is no escape; within a second he has me pinned against the wall, "Stop fighting me." All manner of resistance flows from me, I almost start begging, but instead I just glare at him. It doesn't seem to bother him in the slightest, "You are a pervert." Malachi strokes my cheek, his touch so gentle that it reminds me of his tongue, of his fing... Oh god, what is wrong with me? I push away the desire, "What does that make you sweetest Devyn?" When I don't respond he smiles, "Get undressed, then join me in the bathroom." He opens a door, a luxurious bathroom is revealed to me, all smooth white marble, my hands twitch. Aching to obey him, I bite my lip hard hoping the pain will distract from the order but my body has already surrendered to him. It is almost like not being inside my own body, like being trapped inside of someone else. My clothes are a puddle on the floor as I step toward the bathroom, the only hesitation is on my face, as I enter he is peeling off his boxers, his eyes locked on my body as he does. It wasn't my intention to look, but I have always been too curious, always drawn to the damned dangerous things in life. His cock is already semi-hard, as his eyes scan over me it is enough to draw that thing to attention, it is bigger than any I had seen. But that isn't really saying much, "It is impolite to hurt a man's ego in that manner." A blush creeps across my cheeks, "I didn't..." Why am I explaining myself to him? Stop it, stop treating this like it is a normal situation. You are in the lion's den now, so don't act like a fucking newborn. "Come here." He extends his hand to me, I would like nothing more than to politely decline and walk away; alas that is not an option. Once I am near him he pulls me close, our bodies press tight and I can't help but whimper. Malachi presses a switch on the wall, with a few adjustments he pulls me with him into the huge shower, it is so big the shower head looks like a satellite dish just to spray into the entirety of the space. The water is scorching hot, I groan as it pierces my skin, I hadn't expected the water to feel so good. I close my eyes and let the water wash away the sweat and tears from my face, all the pain ebbs from my shoulders. I can feel Malachi behind me, his hands no longer on me but I doubt he has gone very far. Malachi extends a bottle to me, "Wash yourself." I obey but my eyes remain on him, "Why are you keeping me?" He starts scrubbing at his own skin, and I can feel something from him, his unwillingness to... something. I can't quite grasp it, "Malachi!" He glowers at me, his eyes flicker red, "Must you always be so hostile?" I fling the bottle at him, "I am not your plaything to control as you please." Malachi pulls me into his embrace, he easily hauls me against him, once I stop fighting he breaks the silence, "I like your fighting spirit, it is one of the reasons I let you live." "Live for what? To be your little sex slave?" His smile is slow, it seems more sincere this time, but he doesn't respond, instead he lathers a large blue sponge and without a word starts scrubbing my body. I want to back away from him, but I don't want to fight a losing battle, I remember what that is like, "Trust me there is more to it than that, or would you rather satisfy my every sexual desire?" The thought makes my heart flip, "Why was everyone so surprised to see me?" His smile dims, I try to ignore the feel of the sponge caressing every inch of my body, "After the 17th century it became a crime to change a human, whether they were willing or not." I pull away from him, "So, what does that mean?" Malachi sighs before pushing me into the pulse of water, "It means you must be on your best behavior if you want to live." I glare at him, "So you kill me then let me live just so I can die again? You have one sick sense of humor." He rolls those hypnotic eyes, "I wouldn't waste my time with such a boring joke, no, I find you interesting." I study him, hyperaware of how close his bare flesh is to mine, his hands still resting on my shoulders, "That is a dangerous pastime..." "Danger is the flavor of life my dear." "And here I thought it was love." His laugh bounces inside the shower, it startles me so much I bounce out of his grasp, it is like a wave of thunder that vibrates inside my bones. My heart stutters in my chest, something about that sound cuts into me, "Is it hard for you to answer a question with a straightforward answer?" His eyes still shine with laughter, he shrugs, "Long life breeds sharp tongues." He flicks off the water and leaves me standing there, wondering if I am stuck with a crazy person for a master. I follow behind him tentatively, expecting him to pounce on me, but instead he hands me a towel, I cover myself as he wraps another towel around his waist. The soft white of the towel accents the vibrant purple on his stomach. Just looking at it makes me a bit sick. Before I can think anything foolish I look away and dry my hair. Malachi leaves me alone in the bathroom, I can see him rummaging through a giant closet, I force my gaze away from him and focus on my reflection. When I focus on my teeth I can just barely make out how much sharper my canines are, I lean too close to the fogged mirror and stare into my own eyes. I don't see the telltale red of a vampire, I still look the same, nothing about me has really changed, my skin hasn't turned milky or anything. "These clothes will do for now, until I can buy more for you." Malachi is behind me, my body bent dangerously over the counter, with only a towel as protection. I start to stand straight when his hands grip my shoulders, his lower body pins me against the counter, "What are you looking at pet?" I can barely breathe, his body isn't enormous but it makes me feel small all the same, I try to stifle the tremble in my voice, "Do my eyes turn red like yours?" Malachi drapes my hair over my shoulder, exposing my neck, "Oh, would you like me to show you?" I am silent for so long that he begins caressing my arms, gently teasing at the edges of the towel, "Or we could do something else..." I am shaking when his grip intensifies on the edge of the towel, "No please, show me." He cocks his head, "Please what?" I can feel what he wants, the words practically flowing from his mind into mine, "Please Malachi, please show me what I am." He wants me to call him master, I can feel it radiating from him, even in my desire to make this entrapment pleasant I doubt I will ever do that willingly. The barest hint of a smile lights his lips, "There are many ways to awaken those fangs of yours; hunger, anger, and sex." The last word is a whisper against my ear, I tremble against him my eyes flickering closed, "Keep your eyes open Devyn, look into the mirror." "Malachi..." My voice dies when his hand twists into my hair, his teeth find my throat, an instant of pain before my blood is flooded with intense pleasure. I see the flash of red in my eyes, and in that instant I know my humanity is lost, I know there is nothing left for me out there. My fangs extend with a tender pain in my jaw, I groan when his hands wrap tight around my waist, he draws away from me slowly, his eyes are bright when he catches my stare. Blood trickles down my neck, he leans forward and his tongue alights a path across my throat. I am shaking all over when he pulls away, "Such a delicacy." Heat overwhelms me until I feel smothered by it, I can feel his cock pressing insistently against me. He groans and pulls away slowly, "So vampires can feed from each other?" His eyes are even more intense when they hold that red gleam, his smile is almost animalistic, his scent is overpowering, I want to taste him so desperately it is nearly tangible, "Oh yes, although more for pleasure than sustenance." My body responds to his silken voice, so tender against my ear, his eyes holding mine in the mirror. His movements are too quick to resist, the towel is torn from me, once I am bared to him he groans and his flesh is pressed against mine. I cry out when his cock brushes against my inner thigh, "Please..." Malachi's eyes seem to shine even brighter, his fangs have disappeared but there is something about his eyes... I can feel his desire pulsing over me in waves, so intense it smothers my own thoughts, "Please what my sweetest pet?" He turns me to face him, in one motion I am pinned against the wall, my legs supported by his arms, his cock resting against my slick pussy. I let out a soft whimper, my whole body alights for him but I force out the word, "Stop." Instantly he releases me onto weakened legs, I look up at him incredulously, I had expected him to ignore me but as he strides into the bedroom I realize there is something more to his teasing. I wait for my traitorous body to cool before I scoop up the towel and follow him, he is wearing boxers now but his cock strains against them. I see a long shirt laid out on the bed, when I tug it on I feel his eyes on me, I try to stem the blush threatening to flood me to no avail. The shirt barely covers my ass, I stand awkwardly holding the towel, not sure what I should do. "Hang the towel in the bathroom, and do not leave this room." I obey him slowly, my body is wild with anticipation but when I return to the room his eyes are closed. Unsure of what to do I settle into the corner of the room and watch him, I am sure he is asleep although I cannot understand how he could sleep so quickly. On second thought I had been able to fall asleep much easier since the change, I have usually had such trouble silencing my demons, perhaps it is a vampire thing.