Dark World

by Concerita Tortorici

  His eyes lingered on her scar longer than he wanted to. The scar was a sign of their first meeting. Their connection. Deep down, he had wished it would have gone differently. If only her family hadn't shown up and begged him to help. Then maybe she wouldn't be in this mess in the first place. He stood back for a moment as he dug deeper into his thoughts. However, if they hadn't come to him, he wouldn't be standing in front of her nearly naked.

  She stood before him, afraid. Afraid of what he said. Afraid of what it could mean. He knew her mind buzzed with 'What if's' and unanswered questions. Questions he knew the answers to. He wanted nothing more than to tell her the whole truth. But he feared her reaction. Finding out the person she's about to sleep with is a vampire, and in fact, the vampire who saved her when she was an infant, wasn't something anyone would be ready for. Let alone that she was slowly turning into one. He couldn't do that to her. Not now.

  She was fragile like glass, one wrong move from him and she could break. He didn't want that. He didn't know what she was capable of. So he played it safe and let her move at her own pace when she was ready.

  Her touch burned his skin leaving behind a prickling sensation as she caressed his chest. Tilting his head back, he let out a soft groan. Joshua felt lost with her touch and wanted nothing more than to feel that again when she hesitated to continue. She was a tease. But he couldn't blame her. She was playing it as safe as she could, given that she was running on nothing but an intense desire.

  Joshua had become so consumed with his lust for another person's touch that he let himself fall deeper into it. It had been centuries since someone had gently touched him. A millennium since someone had dared to love him. And the way Ruby was so gentle and passionate took him by surprise. He felt a jolt of electricity when her lips began to explore his bare skin. Joshua let out a breath when she lowered herself down to his abdomen.

  Her breath was cooler than her touch, but it still burned with intense heat. He felt his body growing weaker and his need to be closer to her was consuming him. She worked her way back up to his chest, stopping just shy of his neck. Joshua could hear her heartbeat thumping loudly in the air. He could tell by the rhythm of it, she was getting lost in the moment as well. He smiled to himself. This was what he wanted. Whatever had happened during dinner, whatever was said and whatever happened after he left, didn't matter. What mattered now was now.

  Joshua let out a quiet moan once Ruby placed her lips on his neck. Her kiss was gentle yet rough. Her tongue licked softly along his skin, leaving behind an overwhelming need for more. He wanted her. On him. Under him. It didn't matter how or what position, he just wanted her. Letting his lust get the better of him, Joshua trapped her mouth with his before she could land another kiss on his neck.

  There was no passion this time. This time was much needier than before. He trailed his fingers lightly down her arms. When he heard her soft breaths, he bent quickly and scooped her up. He pressed her up against the wall and held her there for a moment. Leaving her lips, Joshua positioned himself to kiss her neck. Ruby let out hushed moans that sounded more like short breaths with each kiss.

  While his mouth was occupied with her neck, his right hand found its way to her breast. He squeezed and teased her with his touch. Her body shivered as he moved to the other and teased it some more. With his other hand, he moved it slowly down her back and rested it on her thigh once more. Moving his head, he attacked the other side of her neck, and with his left hand, he lifted her leg up. It was as if they had one mind at that moment. When Joshua did that, Ruby wrapped her legs around his waist.

  His left hand trailed back up her spine and quickly unhooked her bra. Moving from the wall, Joshua carried her to his bed. As he laid her gently down, he tossed her bra to the grown. He stood over her for a moment admiring the view. Ruby was beautiful and unique. Her high strong stubbornness made her even more attractive to him. However, as he stood eyeing her, he felt an urge he hasn't felt in a while.

  The room around him feel dark, with only the color of her pulsing veins lighting the room. He watched as they pushed forward and back to the tempo of her heart. In the pit of his stomach, he felt it. The hunger grew the longer his eyes stayed focused on her. He could just bend down and take a small bite. He could just a small taste of her blood. Crawling onto the bed, Joshua crawled over her and just looked at her.

  Her body cried out for him. For him to taste her. He licked his lips with the thought of how she must taste. She smelt sweet like roses and he could bet her blood taste sweeter. He lowered his head and kissed her stomach. He inched closer to her scar and licked a small portion of it. Ruby let out a gasp of air as his tongue slid across the whole scar. His mind was lost to the thought of consuming just a taste of her.

  He felt a sharp pain on his arm, followed by a scorching pain from her touch. Her grip was tight on his shoulder. She wanted more and he was going to give it to her. He continued to kiss her stomach until he came to her panty line. He hovered for a moment. Waiting for her to make a move. She squirmed under him. Her body wanted him.

  He moved steadily as he lowered himself. Ruby twitched at the touch of his lips. Her moans grew louder as kissed her. Sliding his hands on her thighs, he gripped them tightly as he began kissing her roughly. She let out a breath as he removed her panties quickly. His tongue invaded her. He flicked it quickly the more she moaned. She tasted sweet.

  When he could tell she wanted more, he moved from her lower body and began making his way back to her. His lips caressed her skin softly. Finding his way back to her lips, he kissed her. This time she acted quickly. Slipping her tongue around with his, he felt her need. Her want. He wanted to tease her just a little longer. However, as her body arched to meet his, he knew she wasn't going to last much longer. Her patience was wearing thin.

  Thin enough that she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her. He was surprised at her strength. Usually, women couldn't force him down like that. And it certainly wasn't, common for a woman to push him over and sit on top of him. Yet, there he was on his back, hands pinned as Ruby sat staring at him.

  She wasn't herself. Her eyes were clouding over and her breathing grew heavier. She traced her fingers along the curves of his chest as her body slide over him. She was warm and wet. And the moment she fell over him, Joshua knew it was over for the both of them. He had done his best to wait it out. But her need far outweighed his. She moved her body slowly. Rocked back and forth on him. Joshua let out a breath, at the same time she did.

  Their bodies found a rhythm and kept up with one another. With each thrust, they picked up speed. Joshua lifted his face to hers and gave her a peck. It was enough to add fuel to the fire. Joshua repositioned them, so they were sitting. Ruby's body twitched as Joshua moved from her lips and to her chest. He sucked and nibbled on the nipple of one breast while the other teased the other with his fingers.

  Ruby moaned louder than before as he felt her body writhe above him. She was close. He smiled with his mouth full of her breast. With another quick movement, Joshua was back on top of her and thrust into her. She arched her body for him as he quickened his pace. She called out to him. For him to go faster. Go harder. He complied and went faster. Faster and faster until he heard her scream out his name. Then he felt her go limp. Her body throbbed against him, signaling her climax had finished.

  He laid beside her, listening to her breathing soundly. Joshua moved a small piece of hair away from her face and kissed her forehead before closing his eyes. For the first time, he felt at peace.

  Ruby woke to find Joshua lying beside her sound asleep. She smiled and snuggled closer to him. She hadn't had a night like that since her 21st birthday. A night she could vaguely remember. There was a lot of drinking involved. And there was a one night stand. But who the guy was, she couldn't remember. Not that it mattered, he left long after she fell asleep. He was pretty good, though. Not as good as Joshua was.

  Ruby let out a breath as she forced the thought aside. Her body
ached but in a good way. In a way, that meant she had a great time. She looked back up to Joshua and debated starting round two with him. However, as she gazed at his sleeping face, she was reminded of her night. Of the things, he said to her. Of the nightmare. She shook her head. There was no point thinking about now while he was asleep. She was going to ask him what he meant. She just wasn't sure when.

  The longer she laid there, the more her mind thought of that night. Ruby let out a quiet groan hoping to not wake Joshua. She tossed the blanket toward Joshua and placed her feet on the floor.

  She walked toward the door and gazed down at the small mess they had made. Their clothes laid scattered on the floor. She smiled and sent Joshua a silent thank you. That was exactly what she needed. She needed to let go of everything and be in the moment. And boy was she. Ruby made her way through the room and to his bathroom.

  The only place for her to think clearly was the shower. Okay, maybe not really the only place. But it was one of the only places where her thoughts weren't crowding her mind. The warm water softened her stiff muscles and relaxed her even more. The only thing that would make this better would be if Joshua walked in and joined her. Ruby chuckled at the thought. Joshua was too much of a gentleman to invade on a women's private moment.

  Just as she finished her thought, she heard the door click open. She froze for a moment. Joshua wasn't the type, she reminded herself. He was refined. And a gentleman. Still, she felt a little disappointed that what she heard wasn't him and only her imagination. Closing her eyes, she let the water wash away her disappointment.

  Ruby was jolted awake at the touch of another person. She let out a shriek and turned around quickly and nearly slipped from the watery floor had Joshua not caught her and pulled her into him. Her face fell flush with red. She was just thinking about how her shower was lonely without an extra person. And suddenly there he was. His eyes glazed over with a hint of lust in them. Her face felt hot as images of their night flashed before her.

  Her heart raced when he placed his fingers under her chin and rubbed her lips lightly. His touch was as icy as ever, even with the heat of the shower washing over them. It was strange. But she liked it. She let herself be moved to where Joshua wanted her, which was close to his face. He kissed her and slipped in his tongue. She twisted her tongue with his as she leaned closer to him.

  Before the moment had gotten any further, Joshua pulled back and smiled at her. Ruby, slightly dizzy from his spontaneous act, took a small step back to collect her mind. When her eyes met him, she quickly noted the serious look in them.

  «We need to talk,» he said softly.

  The raspy tone of his voice sent shivers down her spine. She tried to keep her composure around him. But the way he stood there with that serious look, and the tone of his voice was no help. Ruby didn't want to speak. She knew too well what it was going to be about. And frankly, she just wasn't ready to hear more. She turned, hoping he might take the hint.

  «It's important,» he said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

  Damn him. Was the only thing she could think of. His cool touch sent jolts down her arm, making her want to turn around and take him right there. She shook her head, now was not the time to let her emotions get the better of her. Joshua was right; they needed to talk. He had helped her forget about the issues at hand last night, and she was going to thank him for that. But for him to suggest that right off the bat, and to be in the shower with her, wasn't really the best place for a serious conversation. Unless it ended up with her wrapped around him.

  «All right,» Ruby said after collecting her thoughts, «let me dry off and change. Then we'll talk.»

  Joshua stood gazing out to the city as Ruby crossed the floor toward him. He wore a pair of grey sweats and no shirt. Ruby took a short breath. It was going to be difficult talking with him like that. Especially with how out of sync her emotions were right now. Closing her eyes, she reminded herself of what he said. Standing behind him, she cleared her throat. As he turned, Ruby felt the air around her grow light.

  «About last night,» he began, «I...»

  «I know,» Ruby cut him off before he could say anything else, «I was vulnerable last night. You...took my mind off of things. To say the least.»

  «Not exactly where I was going with this,» Joshua replied, «It's about what I told you.»

  Ruby took a couple of seconds to bring that memory forward. He had mentioned something about her past. That her nightmares were the product of twisted memories. And that somehow, Joshua had helped her out of something traumatic. She looked at him; his face showed nothing but regret and sadness. Whatever he was about to say had been weighing on him for a while.

  «About you knowing about this,» she placed her hand over her stomach, «what is it?»

  «Did you believe me when I told you that your family was lying to you?» he asked.

  «Yes,» Ruby replied, «I always thought something was off about the accident.»

  «It shouldn't have happened to you,» Joshua declared, «you were too young...»

  His voice trailed off as he collected his thoughts. His words were carefully picked in hopes that she wouldn't take it the wrong way. He looked to her and drew a breath before continuing.

  «Your family came to me, covered in dirt and blood. It was sweet and filled everything around me. Your mother held you tightly in her arms, trying to stop the bleeding. You made no sound, and your life was slipping away quickly. Even your brother looked frightened, of me and for you. Your father, demanded I help you.»

  As Ruby listened, she began to see a slight connection. Her vision that she had seen last night was of a field. There was a sweet smell that hung in the air. And there were glowing red eyes. It still made little sense to her, but she needed to hear more.

  «How could you possibly help me? I was dying.» she said, «unless you were some amazing doctor, how did you heal me?»

  «My blood,» he replied.

  «Your blood?» Ruby repeated.

  How could his blood possibly heal her? Ruby pondered the thought. There were only a few creatures with the ability to heal others. Fairies, Werewolves, Witches, and...Her thought trailed off and her eyes grew wide. There was only one other supernatural being that could heal humans. Vampires. Ruby stepped back as her mind tried to process the thought. He was a vampire. Her family hunted creatures like him to protect other humans. But why did he help them? Help her?

  «You're a...» Ruby's voice trailed off; she didn't want to believe it.

  «Yes,» Joshua said softly, «and yes, I knew your family was hunters. Your name, Blackwell, is well known all around.»

  Ruby felt the air around her grow lighter once more, and the room began to spin. Suddenly things made sense. Her sudden strength, her enhanced sight, smell, and hearing. Taking another step back, she brought her hand up to her lips and began searching for fangs.

  «You don't have them,» Joshua said as he watched her, «well, you do. But not now.»

  «What do you mean?» she asked, «you... gave me your blood... I... I'm...»

  «Ruby, relax,» Joshua said as he stepped toward her.

  «Relax!» she barked, «how am I supposed to be relaxed when I've been like this since...»

  She had only noticed little changes when she was growing up. She had only thought it was because of Naomi's intense training. Her heart began to race as her mind darted toward the thought of the recent murders.

  «Oh god,» she gasped, «I... Did...»

  «No,» Joshua intercepted her thought before she could finish it, «you haven't killed anyone yet, You've only changed a couple of times. One of those times was here.»

  Ruby's body shook with relief. However, her relief was soon washed over with fear. Everything made sense. She remembered seeing another reflection once. Her eyes terrified her as they were filled with a hunger Ruby didn't understand. It also explained that time she had blacked out the first night here. Ruby fell to her knees and held out her hands, they shook much l
ike the rest of her. She was turning into something she feared the most.

  «Ruby,» Joshua said as he rushed toward her.

  «I... Can't,» Ruby whispered, «I can't hear anymore. I just can't. I... I need to leave. I have to sort this all out.»

  «I understand,» Joshua replied, «take all the time you need. Just remember, I'm always here for you, Ruby. No matter what.»

  21

  «I don't remember»

  Standing in the middle of her living room, Ruby let out a breath. She turned around gazing at everything in the room. Everything had been right where she left it. A magazine that was given to her from Nikky sat neatly on the coffee table next to the coaster and the remote. She had always meant to read it, even though it was a fashion magazine and Ruby didn't care much for those. She still should have read it and gave it back. Across from the table sat a flat-screen TV. It had been ages since she had last watched anything. And instead, the TV sat there collecting dust.

  She was alone with her thoughts. Thoughts that wouldn't seem to quiet down. They exploded in her mind telling her that she was nothing more than a monster. A monster that would be hunted. She shook her head; she wasn't a monster. She wasn't.

  You are. You just don't remember.

  Ruby froze as the voice echoed in the room. It was hers, but it wasn't. She waited, hoping that it was just in her head and that she wasn't going crazy. Shaking her head, she walked out of her living room and up to her room.

  She looked over her things and found, just like in the living room, everything was right where she left it. She wasn't expecting anything different. However, being away for a few days, she had grown a little concerned. Seeing that her house was in order, Ruby let out a soft breath and sat on the end of her bed. The mattress was soft. Almost as soft as Joshua's.

  Her face turned red and quickly stood. She couldn't be thinking of that. Not when he had admitted to being a Vampire. Her shoulders dropped with the thought. He was hunted. Had probably been hunted for centuries — chances where he hated hunters like her family. And having a whole family show up before him, he had probably thought he could get his revenge. Yet, he didn't. He could have killed them. But he helped them. What could he have gained from helping them?