Kora will never forgive me at this rate. She won’t talk to me if she thinks I’m nothing more than a monster. I have to do more to show her who I really am, to prove to her that I am different than the others. I do not drain innocents or tear flesh.
I close my fist over the bullet and take a deep breath. This is a battle I’m not sure how to win. I stare down at the ground far below as my feet sway in the breeze. The treetops are where I will stay for now, so that I can be conscious of any enemies before they are aware of me. And being here puts distance between me and my mate, which I know is what she desires.
Frightening her is the last thing I want. More than anything, I want to touch her, to smell her sweet aroma as I push against her skin. I close my eyes and lean back against a branch, visualizing how it would be if she accepted me.
Her face would beam, but there would be no sharpness to her teeth. Her laugh would radiate through her dark dwelling as she beckons me with one finger, and I would follow her to her bed. She would lean back against the plush fabrics and open her legs to me, begging for pleasure.
I sit up, eyes wide. My cock strains against my pants, but my hedonistic moment has vanished. A metallic scent wafts up from the earth, batting against my face with the breeze. My nostrils flare. Rot and death, blood and hatred. Another dhampir. My jaw hardens as I drop to the ground, facing the intruder.
No one will dare to harm her, or else they will face me and all of my fury. No matter the condition that my brothers and sisters face, I can’t allow her to be harmed. If they must die, then so be it.
My head snaps toward the direction of a dense collection of briars. It shudders and shakes as I stalk forward. Using my mind, I feel for the being that’s shrouded behind the thick wall of brush.
Blood. Blood somewhere. Where’s blood? Need more blood. Hungry. Not right. Right.
It hasn’t caught the scent of my mate yet. Still, I back away to her dwelling door and stand guard until the creature has moved on.
She is lucky to have lasted so long. My eyes burn as the realization sets in. She could have died long ago, leaving me to walk this earth in solidarity for the rest of my existence. I wipe my hand over my face, squeezing my eyes shut tight.
I’ll do whatever it takes, kill whoever I must. She will not be taken from me.
Kora
My mind refuses to quieten no matter how much time passes. Now that I know he can hear me, can sense everything I'm thinking and feeling... I'm claustrophobic. The once comforting stalactites are morphing into cages, and the air is so thick, I can barely breathe. I wipe my hand across my forehead, and my fingers come back wet with sweat.
As a distraction, I grab the book. One of his first gifts. The edges are frayed with use, and the cover is scratched and dirty. When I open it up, the spine cracks, and the smell of old pages overwhelm my senses. I'm hit with a rush of nostalgia, a wave of memories from before, when my head remained lowered between two pages, reading until the sun came up.
My eyes glaze over the first page, and then I stop and reread it again. No matter how many times I skim over the words, I'm not comprehending. Not really seeing anything. My mind is too clouded, my thoughts consumed by other things. Like the man who isn't a man, standing outside of my sanctuary, taunting me.
I close the book again and set it down on one of the rocks before climbing out of bed. My joints ache, mostly because I've spent all day in one spot. I long for the days when I could go outside and just run, not because I fear for my life, but because I want to.
My candle is burned down to the bottom, but I still have an hour or more worth of light. As the sun recedes behind the ridgetop, the visibility in my cave darkens. When night arrives, my candles are my lifeline.
I stretch my arms up to the sky, and bend my neck from side to side. The tin cans catch my eye, and I crouch back down to count them. I need to be prepared for whatever comes next. I can survive on a can a day, at the minimum. One, two, five, ten. Eleven. Eleven days, at most. A loud rumble resonates from my stomach, I set aside the last can. Okay, ten days.
The chill of the winter air drifts down the tunnel, from the opening of the cave. I'm not deep enough in the caverns to shield myself from the cold, and I'm not brave enough to crawl through the dark hole in the back corner to try and reach alkaline temperature.
So, I'll need more blankets soon. More candles, or a heater. My next scavenge needs to be an all or nothing endeavor. Maybe I can find a wagon and drag it along with me, load up enough to last through the coldest months. The wind in Nashville is bitter, and I’m not sure I can survive without warmth.
I wonder how many more days I'll last? Ten, fifty, a hundred? I stare down at my hands, and the dirt that seems embedded in my skin. No matter how many times I rinse them, the filth lingers. A hot shower would be nice.
"I will hunt a shower, if you show me the way."
My head twists to the direction of the tunnel, where the vampire's voice still echoes. It's too dark to see him, and my hands shake as I reach for my flashlight.
I stand slowly, clutching the light to my chest. Maybe I'm going crazy, hearing things that aren't there. I aim toward the tunnel and switch the light on.
The vampire is standing just inside the entrance, a step further than he stood the last time he was here. He's holding another box in his hands.
"What are you doing in here?" I cup my hand over my throat.
His eyes glint red as the light moves over his face. He looks like perfection, chiseled jaw, tall, hair as black as midnight. The only thing that makes him stand out are those eyes, and the unnatural way in which he moves. Too slow, and then so fast that his arms blur.
"I've never left, not really." His long hair falls over his shoulder as he cocks his head. His brows furrow, and his mouth turns downward in a frown. I'm not sure if his emotions are real, or if he's mimicking something he's seen another human do.
"What do you want from me?"
The vampire purses his lips, but doesn't answer. Instead, he lifts the box out in offering. When I make no move to step forward, he sighs and sets it down on the floor. I wait for him to leave, but instead, he leans against the tunnel wall.
Shit. He's staying.
Something more than panic begins to bubble in my chest. Fear is giving way to fury. My palms sweat as I hold the shaky flashlight, and I grit my teeth. How dare he play with me like this? Has he not done enough? Spying on my personal thoughts, toying with me like a child plays with its food.
"You think you're doing something right by me? You think that these gifts are helping? That you are helping?"
His frown deepens, and his shoulders sag. No, he doesn't have the right to feel bad about this. He doesn't have a right to feel anything about this situation.
"I hate you. I hate your people and I want you to get the fuck out of my cave." I hug my chest with my one free hand, as if I can keep myself from breaking. This vampire is tearing away at the frayed last piece of my sanity. The world around me is so abnormal that it may as well be fiction. What does he want with me?
"I can't do that." The vampire narrows his eyes, and my breath quickens. But why?
His voice booms, distracting me from my thoughts. "Because I'm trying to protect you."
Fuck. "I don't want protection."
"So you'd rather die by the hand of monsters than have one protect you?" His eyes widen in mock surprise.
"So you admit you’re a monster?"
Laughter echoes in the space around us, and I flinch. His jest is a mockery of all I've been through. I open my mouth to remind him that I hate him, but he interrupts.
"Your anger is attractive. I like when you look at me with fire in your eyes."
I smooth all emotions from my face. Instead of anger, he'll get my resting bitch face. I eye the box left abandoned at his feet. If I open it, will he leave?
He inclines his head downward, as if answering my question. Okay then. I take one step forward, and then another. I watch his nostrils flare
as I get closer. He watches me intently, his gaze heating me from within. Though I should be terrified, the vehement emotion behind his eyes makes me falter. Again, I wonder why he's found a fascination in me.
I'm less than an arm’s length away. He could reach out and snag me if he wanted. He could crush me with his strength. Instead, he watches me with searching eyes as I bend down and pluck the box from the floor. I retreat, stumbling over my feet before righting myself again.
With shaky hands, I tip the lid off of the box.
"What is this?" A round disk of colored glass attached to a thin chain swings from my fingertips. The stained glass is abstract, with triangles and sharp colors bordering thin lines of metal. It's the most vibrant thing I've seen in a long time.
"It catches the light. I hoped it'd catch you, too." His voice drips like warm liquid velvet.
"Catch me?" I frown. It's a sun catcher, then. For some reason, I was hoping this gift would be something useful, like the others. A sun catcher though? Doesn't he realize I live in a fucking cave?
I toss the glass piece back to him, and his hand blurs as he moves to catch it. "I can't use this."
The vampire shrugs, and relaxes back against the wall again. Great. I guess he’s really not leaving now.
I huff once before retreating away from the tunnel. If he wants to hang out there all night, then fine. But I don't have to stand here and stare at him. I climb into my bed and reach for the book again.
"So you liked it?" His voice is closer this time, and when I look over to the tunnel entrance, I can see the red of his eyes shining back.
I'm not as frightened anymore. This vampire has brain damage or something. He doesn't want to eat me, and somehow, that's worse. My peaceful days of self-loathing have been disturbed, and I just want things to go back to normal.
I sigh and close the book, tossing it over my shoulder.
Aldeon
Kora's eyes stay locked on mine as she trails her fingers through her hair. I'm sitting in the tunnel entrance, watching her. I’m enamored by her beauty, hypnotized.
I know she's wishing I would leave right now, but I won't. I can protect her better when she’s close, and having her near lifts the invisible weight from my shoulders.
"Are you hungry?" This is the second time her stomach has made loud protests, and knowing she is suffering when I can provide grates at my heart. I could bring her meat, one of the creatures that live on the forest floor. I know she prefers the mush inside the metal containers though, and she has a stack of them right against the wall. “Why aren’t you eating?”
Her brows draw together, and she lets out a frustrated sigh. "I'm trying to conserve food. People like me aren't able to make it to the grocery store very often." She glares at me.
"Yes, well," I rub my hands together, and dirt falls from my palms to the floor, "I can provide you with more meals. You should eat."
Kora snorts, but her stomach lets out another groan. She's been starving herself, and it will not continue on my watch.
Her movements are slow and calculated as she watches me. I can see myself through her eyes, and I understand. The red in my eyes reminds her of the others, and what they've done to her people. She scoots backward to her food stock, and when she turns her head to pick out a can, I quickly move into the light. This way, she can see me clearly. I hope that will help ease her worries.
Her head snaps forward again and her eyes narrow. I must gain her trust soon. My gifts have gotten me this far, but more work is needed to quieten her fears.
"Do you require a fire?" I stroke my chin as I examine her flushed cheeks and the bounds of blankets that warm her through the night. Goosebumps are visible on her arms, raising the hair up straight. The wind is chilled, and though it doesn't bother me, it's becoming a problem for her frangible body.
Kora's eyes dart to mine, and she hesitates before popping the lid of her mush. The stench of foul smelling roots and spices fill the room, but I ignore it.
I scoot to the middle of the cavern, ignoring her movements as she leans away from me, flattening herself against the wall.
"Do you have any burning materials? Leaves or dried roots?"
"Dried roots?" Her brows raise in question.
Do humans not use dried roots as fuel for their flames? I search her mind, and images of fire licking against tree branches and dried wood come to fruition. Of course. The trees here are rough and dry, after all.
There are plenty of broken branches outside, near the woods. I don't want to leave her alone for long, but she's eager to eat. Already, she's spooning mush into her mouth cold. This will not do.
I back away into the tunnel, and once I'm shielded by the darkness, I run to the tree line and collect a handful of branches. The crisp air beats against my face, bringing with it the scents of the forest. I don't have time to gaze upon the moon and relish in this beautiful night. By the time I make it back to her cave, only seconds have passed.
"Whoa, you…" Kora's mouth hangs open, stunned. She points at me accusingly with one finger. "You were just here."
I incline my head forward and drop to my knees, already positioning the kindling for the fire.
"And now I am back." I smile up at her, pleased to provide. My fangs peek from my upper lips, and she presses her palm to her neck. My mouth falls. I can't risk frightening her, not when I'm just now gaining her trust.
Once the wood is positioned, I grab one of the thin sticks and rub it against the stone floor. The crisp leaves stuck to the branches catch fire immediately, and the flames lick against the timber.
"I was going to offer you my lighter, but looks like you've got it covered." Kora plops her can on the edge of the fire.
"A lighter?" Some of the strange words humans use do not make sense to me. When I look back up to her face in question, I realize how close we are. She's just on the other side of the fire now, only an arm’s length away.
A lock of her white hair falls in front of her eyes, and she flicks it away with her finger. I watch each twitch of her wrist, every dart of her eyes. She’s an enchantress, and one day, she'll be mine to claim.
"A lighter. This." Kora reaches one finger into her pocket and fishes out a thick red device. She flicks her thumb over the metal top and a flame appears.
"How does this work?" I reach forward, eager to marvel at the device, but she shrinks back, clutching it against her chest.
I try again, palm outstretched. "May I? I'll give it right back."
Kora hesitates, her eyes searching mine. She tosses the stick into the air and I grab it, only slightly disappointed that she wouldn’t place it into my hand.
I flick my finger against the smooth metal, mimicking Kora’s demonstration, but nothing happens. I try again, and again. "It's broken." I shake the stick, and can hear liquid sloshing inside. "It's flooded."
Kora snorts, smirking. "No, it's not broken. You just aren't doing it right."
"Have I not flicked the nub?"
Kora's eyes connect with mine, and heat flares through my body. A booming laugh resounds from her lips, echoing harmonic melodies through the room. I can't help but join in, and this time, when my fangs peek out, she doesn't flinch.
"Here, gimme." She beckons with her hand, and I offer the lighter. Her fingers brush against mine as she plucks it from my palm. Searing heat sends tingles up my arm. She's touched me. Our eyes connect as she lifts the lighter again, flicking the flame back into existence.
"You are very skilled with that device. I'll be sure not to anger you, lest you decide to burn me to death."
Her mouth curves upward on one side. "Would that actually work? Could fire kill you?"
I stroke my chin. "No. It wouldn't."
"And what would?" She watches me easily, though her thoughts peak with concealed anxiety. She's trying to be cunning, to pry information from me. If information is what she wants, I'm happy to provide.
"You would need to remove the head, though it would take much strength. Removing
the heart or any other vital organ would work just as well."
Kora nods, deep in thought. "If bullets won't pierce your flesh, I imagine I can't just hack off your head."
I shrug. "It would take much strength, and a very sharp object."
She twists around, grabbing a small cloth from behind her. She wraps the can and then moves it away from the fire. "I guess I'll stick to hiding, then."
"You could let me help. I can protect you from them. I think I demonstrated that already."
Kora blows on the steamed food. "Why? What do you want from me?" Her voice is unwavering. She's been wondering this since the moment we met. I can't tell her that she is my mate though, not yet. She still fears me, and I don't want to frighten her away for good.
"What are you eating?"
She looks down at her food. "This? Oh, it's just a can of carrots. Nothing fancy." She tosses her hair over her shoulder, and her blue eyes return to mine.
"Do you require anything else? I can bring you more items, whatever you need." I know I sound eager, but I will do whatever she asks of me. I live to serve her, until my soul leaves this plane.
"Where are you getting all of this stuff, anyway? A can opener? Books? I know they aren't from the gift shop. I've stripped that place of anything useful."
"A cabin in the woods. I'll show you one day, if you want."
Kora's eyes slide down to her food, and she doesn't speak as she continues eating. Her nonresponse isn't a yes, but it isn't technically a no either.
After moments of me watching her, and her ignoring me as she finishes her meal, she sets the metal container down on the floor, interrupting the silence.
"Alright. It's late, and I'm tired. If you're going to keep stalking me, you'll have to do so while I sleep." She flicks her hair out of her face and eyes me with one brow raised in question.
"I'll stay here. It's easier to protect you this way."
She sighs. "Whatever." With one last look my way, she turns and scoots over to her bed. I watch her over the fire as she fusses with the blankets.
Blood at Dusk: A Dark Vampire Paranormal Romance Novel (The SoulBlood Series Book 1) Page 5
