I walked silently down the sidewalk, my feet splashing lightly in the rain puddles. Dusk was setting and the city street lamps were blazing a path of light against the encroaching darkness. I fought to stay calm, my body tensed at the approach of night. It wasn’t always this way. I used to love the dark; I’d walk for hours in its loving caress, until I got the call. He told me he’d have me soon. He was in the dark out there watching me, he was always watching, always able to find me no matter how far I hid myself, how many times I changed looks, how many empty buildings and warehouses I jumped in and out of. The last three years of my life were a blur of hiding and a deep seeded hatred of the dark where he lurked.
I never entered places without light, never go in alleyways, and never stay outside after dark. Those are the rules, and if not for the storm that came from no where I would have been fine, but storms brought on that unnatural dark, the dark he loved to find me in.
“Help,” the soft sob stopped me dead. “Please somebody help my mommy.” The little girls cry shattered my heart as I looked to the alleyway to my left. She looked up at me tears in her crystal blue eyes. “Please lady, my mommy fell down and she won’t wake up.” The girl begged shaking the woman that was clutched in her little hands.
I looked to them willing my body to be moved, to react to this heart breaking situation, but I couldn’t. Fear and suspicion fueled my body not compassion and human concern. “I’m sorry, call for a cop.” I instructed while trying to walk away from the scene.
“Please don’t go, can’t you help me? I’m scared and I don’t like the dark.” she begged sobbing harder against the woman. I turned back and looked at the trembling body of the girl and the unmoving woman beneath her. The soft street light lit the woman’s face, she was pale, her lips slightly blue, she wasn’t breathing, she was probably dead. Crap!
“Move away from her and let me check for a pulse.” I told the little girl who nodded sitting back on her knees and removed her firm grasp on the woman’s clothes.
I moved toward the mouth of the alley, fear kicked my heart in to overdrive. I moved to them slowly trying to stay in the light as much as I physically could as I placed two fingers on her neck. She was frozen to my touch, but I kept my fingers there looking to the little girl who had such hope in her big round eyes. I saw the reflection in those crystals as her mother struck down on my neck, her teeth tearing into my throat with searing hot pain. The child hissed happily bearing her own fangs as she struck down on my out stretched hand. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t scream, and the blinding pain was stealing my vision as more and more teeth forced their way into my flesh.
“Enough.” I heard him bark as the others released their frenzied mouths.
His rough voice chilled my remaining blood. He won, I went into the dark and he had me as promised.
He kneeled down drawing my face close to him. “Hello again Seraph, did you really think you could stay in the light forever?”
My body shrieked as he lowered his mouth to mine tearing into it with a vicious assault. He pulled back drawing blood from my lips, I screamed wordlessly against him.
“Don’t fight it Seraph, I will teach you to love the slaughter we Deminoir provide to the humans.” He promised twisting my face from him in a jerk and sinking his fangs deep into the wounds at my neck. The light left my eyes as the cold death took my soul from my body, turning it into something fierce and dangerous, before returning it to its battered host.
Chapter 1:
I woke to screaming, my body was chilled to the bone and my eyes couldn’t focus in the darkness that surrounded me.
“It was forbidden Vex.” The high pitched woman screamed again.
“I don’t give a damn what Vladimir ordered, she is mine now.” I heard the man who had been hunting me scream back.
“Vladimir de la Draconis is one of the founding fathers of the Deminoir, he will kill you for your disobedience and I will not be brought down with you,” she hissed coldly.
“You had no qualms about striking her first Janelle, do not forget that.” Vex’s deep voice rattled the doorway. “I will turn her tonight and then no one can take her from me.”
“I will tell him what you have done.” Janelle promised.
“Not if you are dead Janelle,” Vex swore. I heard her scream and a sickening thud as her body hit the floor. “I guess you really are heartless my sweet.” Vex uttered viciously.
The door swung open allowing in faint candle light. “I’m sorry you had to hear that Seraph, but maybe it will educate you quickly to be loyal to me alone.” I looked at him, his body outlined in the red glow of candles, his eyes glowing with their own power. His hand dripped in blood as he crushed her heart in his fist. The smile on his face made me want to vomit. He enjoyed ripping her heart out, and he promised to teach me to enjoy slaughter. I had to leave.
“Tonight Seraph I will take you to my bed and complete the turn. But for now you need blood.” He murmured softly outstretching the beating heart as an offer, stepping deep into the room.
“I would rather die first.” I spat maliciously at him.
He lowered his hand, his body shook with a fine tremor of rage. “We’ll see how you feel after I have you tonight, you may beg for death in the end.” He turned and left the room, plunging me into that infinite black.
My mind raced with thoughts on how to get out, but I didn’t even know where I was. There was only darkness and a door that I’d seen briefly in this room. There were no windows or any other way out. I blindly found my way to the door testing the handle, locked, no surprise there.
“He killed my mommy.” Her small voice was filled with rage. She grasped my hand from the handle with a firm yank. “Because he broke the law to have you, he killed my mommy.”
“I’m sorry your mother is dead, but do you want to blame me?” I asked my voice tight with pain against her wrist shattering grasp. “Or do you want to get revenge?”
“REVENGE!” She spat dramatically.
“Then I can think of one thing that will piss him off greatly.” I murmured softly to her relieved she was loosening her iron grasp.
“What? Tell me?” she demanded with all the neediness a child’s voice could hold.
“Help me get out of here; he would be furious to lose what he worked so hard for. The one thing he’d kill to keep.” I sent the words to her, willing her to be on my side. “It will kill part of him to lose me after all this.” I promised.
“Yes,” she hissed. “I like killing him slowly.”
“So you will help me get out?” I asked carefully.
“It can’t look like I helped you lady, he’d kill me for it.” Her voice saddened dramatically.
“Is there anyone who might be convinced to release me, someone I could speak to?” I tried thinking of anything; I didn’t want the little girl to die because of me.
“I know somebody; he would do anything for a pretty lady.” She promised her small presence leaving the room as quickly as it came.
A knock sounded from outside the door and I jumped back to the bed in shock. “May I enter?” The soft baritone voice queried from behind the door.
“Yes,” I answered in a shaky voice, trying to keep in the frightened female character in case this wasn’t the friend of the small girl.
The door opened casting in more light, blinding my sight temporarily. He stepped in and closed it behind him. “Our petite Deminoir said I may be of assistance, you were screaming in pain when she came by?”
“It’s my wrist. I think it’s broken.” I said holding out my wrist in front of me. She had put a lot of strain on it, it was a possibility.
His soft hand grasped my wrist tenderly. I winced in pain. “It’s almost shattered.” He whistled low. “Was this from the attack?”
“I don’t remember, it hurt when I woke up and then Vex killed that woman and I . . . I was so afraid when he . . .” my voice trailed off at the memory.
“He killed someone? Who? What did he do after he killed her?” He demanded but his voice never left that soft drawl.
“He called her Janelle; he took her heart from her chest and tried to get me to take blood from it while it beat in his hand.” I felt the tears burn my eyes and my throat as I recounted the small horrors Vex bestowed to me. My imagination did not want to consider what he’d do in bed if I stayed.
“He killed Janelle!” His voice was in shock. “She was Guerrier; he will be killed for this crime.”
“What is a Guerrier?” I asked softly.
“Never mind,” he uttered absently. “Who are you?”
“Why?”
“How did Vex make you, you are newly made aren’t you?” His questions became urgent.
“I just woke up; they attacked me last night I think.” I couldn’t keep the panic from my voice.
“You were attacked by the whole pack,” he stated more to himself than a question to me. “Is your name Seraph?”
“Why should I answer that?” I demanded feeling an anger burn in me.
“Why shouldn’t you?” he mocked.
“I don’t know you,” I retorted.
“Do you want to?” he asked sounding amused.
Frustration filled my body, who the hell did this guy think he was. “Listen buddy.” I spat trying to pull back my injured wrist from his to cold grasp.
“I’m your buddy now am I? Don’t move your wrist I’m healing it.” He ordered.
I hesitated. “Leave it alone, let me go.”
“Not until I’m done, now quit fidgeting girl.” He growled lacing it with a Deminoir power.
“Do not call me girl you egotistical son of a bitch. Let me go right now.” He tightened his hold on my wrist making me cry in pain.
“Keep your voice down Seraph, Vex will not be pleased if he comes in here and an offrande has his hands on you.” The man whispered trying to return to that softness his voice held.
“What is an offrande?” I spat quietly.
He sighed against my closed fist kissing it lightly, sending waves of fire down my body.
“It is what I am. So please stay still while I finish healing you then we can speak about how to get you out of here.” He remarked coolly.
So he did know what the little girl expected of him. “What is the little girl’s name?”
“Jess, she is an abomination to our kind.” he remarked sadly.
“Why?”
“Do you always ask so many damn questions?” He growled.
“Yes.” I told him honestly.
He laughed lightly. “Fine, Jess was brought over by Janelle because Jess was dying. She was seven years old, many thought she would not last the change, one so young who can not survive without another to care for them is forbidden.”
He kissed my fist again using his other hand to tease open the fingers.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“It’s how I heal lady.” He remarked frankly.
“With what? Kisses?”
“No lady, lust.” He breathed against the ends of my fingers sending another tide of flames down my body hitting me deep in my need.
“You heal . . .” my words trailed off with a gasp as he licked a finger tentatively. The pleasure he evoked shot through me like heat lightning. I felt the heat pour through my body as he pulled back.
“Your wrist should be fine now lady.” He said his voice heavy with desire.
I struggled to catch my breath. “Why do you call me lady?”
“Because you won’t admit your name is Seraph.” he breathed.
“It is Seraph, how do we get out of here?” I asked gently.
“Jess called me in I am not of Vex’s pack, I can not be punished for what I am about to do,” he admitted darkly.
“Do what?” I asked feeling him stand so near me the heat of him thrashed my blood.
“Stand up Seraph; I’m taking you out of here.” His voice was so gentle that I felt a fear rip at my body.
“Where could I go?” I asked more to myself than him.
“Seek the light Seraph and run till you get there, that’s all you can do.” He leaned down breathing deep against my throat. “You’ll need blood soon,” he whispered against my neck sending thrills down my body tightening my insides.
“I won’t drink blood, I’d rather die.” My breath barely audible against the need he summoned.
“I’m afraid you’ll change your mind when the time comes.” He kissed my neck gently near the wound that both Janelle and Vex tore from. His hot breath trailed teasing the fine hairs on my neck. I felt the heat of him in me; he was healing that vicious wound as well.
“Why are you helping me?” I demanded trying to regain some inner balance.
“Because it’s what I do Seraph, it’s what I was born to do.” His hands came to my shoulders burning with heat. I trembled beneath his heat, what was he doing to my body. Fear and uncertainty ravished my mind. I had never been with a man before, and he was doing things to me that I could not put into words.
He trailed his warmth down my arms and grasped my hands. “Are you ready to leave?” he asked soothingly.
“I was born ready.” I told him feeling him lace fingers with mine, pulling me up against his firm body; his hard need startled me as he pressed me closer still.
“When I tell you to run and don’t look back. Find somewhere light Seraph, keep safe.” He murmured against my forehead with a soft kiss. I closed my eyes against his heat, feeling my body wrapped safely within his the darkness bleeding away to a dimly lit city street. He turned me in his arms so I could not see him as he set me down gently.
“Run Seraph.” He whispered kissing my neck softly.
“Will I see you again?” I asked not turning back but not running either.
“I doubt it. The pack knows you left, they don’t know how but they will be here in minutes. Run till you find light, GO NOW!” he barked pushing against me, I heard the approaching growl of Vex and knew whoever helped me was long gone.
I ran down the darkened city searching for the only safe harbor I could find. The pack was close behind me; I could hear their vicious pursuit. In the distance a lone house sat, its windows were as bright as the sun. I knew this was the only chance at safety I would have from them.
I ran to the door, pounding on it with all my might. The door creaked open under my assault. “Invite me in,” my eyes searched his fiercely willing him to obey. I glanced over my shoulder to my left then my right, the pack was closing in.
“Sorry sweetheart, I didn’t order a hooker.” The man muttered with a vague disdain in his voice.
“I’m not a whore.” The words hissed from my clinched teeth.
“Then tell me why I should let you in? He teased yawning loudly in my face.
“Because,” I spat at him boldly, “A pack of Deminoir’s are hunting me down and you have less than two minutes before they see me with you and kill you out of spite.” Fury blazed from my eyes into his grass green ones. “What is your answer?”
“Please come in,” he murmured coolly turning only slightly to allow me as little space as possible to slip in.
My body brushed his with thunderous electricity, my sharp eyes pierced to him as he shut the door. “What are you?” I moved further into the shambles of the living room. He was remodeling, large shop lamps lit the place like the Fourth of July. The wood creaked under my weight and there was a large gaping hole expanding most of the floor.
“Don’t worry killer, I mean you no harm.” He mocked stepping closer; the room began to hum with his energy.
“First I’m a hooker, then I’m a killer, and yet you let the second one in?” I tried to move cautiously around the living room landmines, but there wasn’t much room to spare and he kept moving closer.
“Maybe you’re both and I like the combination.” He stepped closer still closing his body in around me.
Anger and fear rolled inside me, my rage won out. “I am not a whore you mentally challenged whackjob.” I screamed into his face, but his lips came down so fast, so hard, I was silenced instantly.
His hands reached up and locked behind my neck keeping me firmly in place. His lips and tongue began to tease and stroke at my unwilling mouth. He moaned deep within his chest and pulled me closer still to his inquisition. My firm resolve fell flat against his skilled assault. His tongue teased my lips open and began to explore, deftly, he maneuvered around my new fangs as if he had years of practice.
His hands moved down from my neck to my shoulders, down my arms and to my back in a strangely familiar pattern. Fear rose up inside me as I tried to pull back; I needed to breath, to think.
He wouldn’t allow it; he locked his arms around my waist and held with an unnatural strength. I went rigid beneath his grasp not fighting nor helping his assault. He pulled back, his eyes clouded with passion burned down at me unseeing. His thickness pulsed against my belly creating a fierce tightening within me.
“You want me, why deny it?” His mocking tone was all but gone under his anger. He unlocked his grasp and stepped back swiftly. “Your pack has passed. You should leave.”
“They are not my pack!” The scream tore from me. “They are my killers, come to make me one of them. I will not be one of them. I would rather die than enjoy slaughtering people,” disgust laced my every word. “But you are right, I should leave. I don’t know what you are or how you can french someone with fangs without blooding your self, but thank you for the strange harbor, good bye.”