Aris Rising: The Court of Vampires: AN INFINITY DIARIES NOVEL

by Morgan, Devin

  He wrapped the waist-length velvety tendril around his throat as he began to kiss hers, sliding the tip of his satiny tongue slowly from her collarbone to her ear.

  Her breath came in gasps as she attempted to wrap her legs around his powerful hips. He moved away only far enough to keep her from encircling him. Her taste reminded him of honey melted by the sun. Arching her back, she lifted her throat to him. His words were murmured in time to her pulsing heart.

  “No, my sweeting, no,” yet still he teased her with his warm breath caressing her ear. “This is not the moment. We must wait.”

  “Please,” she moaned, as his lips traced the edge of her jaw.

  “I must not.”

  “Please,” she cried out, tears in her eyes, the pain of desire making her voice thick and deep. “Please, draw just a taste of my blood. Please.”

  He could refuse her no longer. Slowly his teeth penetrated her pristine skin. She groaned as she felt him draw gently on her vein. As blood trickled from the tiny wound drop by drop into his waiting mouth, she exploded in spasms that wracked her body with a pleasure undreamed. Licking the final crimson drop, he kissed her, touching the very tip of his tongue to hers.

  “Taste my darling. Taste the elixir of your life.”

  Sarah’s eyes flew open. She bolted upright in her bed and grabbed her throat. There was no wound, no trickle of blood. Only an unanswered yearning.

  CHAPTER 30

  The four friends chatted about their afternoon spent strolling in Millennium Park as they sat in Sarah’s living room gathered around the coffee table. They seemed very similar except for one rather large difference, only one of them needed to breathe. She was forever astounded each time she became fully aware they were not living beings such as she was. It was becoming more and more easy to forget they were not all exactly the same.

  She heard Richard’s voice cut into her thoughts. “Aris, Sebastian would like to come to visit you. He will make certain it is a private trip. He simply wishes to see you once again. He knows you are the only one who can help us if war should come to the Catacombs and he believes it is imminent. Our spies tell of a training camp in the Spanish coven and battle weapons being forged.” Holding her hand in his, Richard traced patterns in the soft lines of Gabriela’s palm. He wasn’t sure how his friend would react to his request. Sarah sat quietly next to Aris watching his eyes. She saw the corners tighten and wrinkle as he winced.

  “He cannot come here without Akira knowing, Richard. War or not, I am not ready to go before the Council. I am not ready for a verdict.”

  “He will come without anyone knowing he is here. He will stay but a day or two. Please see him. He is your brother just as I am. Knowing you are here brings Gabriela and me great joy. Knowing Sarah,” he smiled at her, “also fills our hearts. Sebastian and I both stood by you in your deepest sorrow, understood the lengths you would go to avenge the death of your beloved. He would like to speak with you. When he sees the love in your eyes, the deep connection of your soul’s path with Sarah’s, he will convince Akira to see you, to champion you with the Council.”

  “Aris, we will all stand for you.” Gabriela spoke softly. “You need your own kind; we all need you to be a part of us once more.” Not wanting to leave Sarah feeling inadequate, she turned to her blond friend and added, “You and your protection have become very important to us, Sarah. We would wish to have you travel with us. I would stay above ground with you while Richard and Aris meet with the Council.”

  Silent for a moment, Sarah was pensive before she answered. Then she smiled, “There is a possibility; let’s wait to see what happens if Sebastian visits here.”

  Black eyes questioning, Aris turned to look at her. Did he dare hope she might one day decide to share his eternal life? But his Immortal existence would go on only if the Council chose to allow him to continue. It was too soon. He had only just returned to her. He could not face the Council, the possibility of extinction, when he had waited so long just to touch her, to hold her, to taste her, to be her protector.

  “No Richard, I am not yet ready to see any other of our family just yet. I need more time. Please, indulge me in this.”

  “We will all abide by your wishes. Just know we all hope for your homecoming soon.”

  Sarah gripped the hand of the dark Immortal sitting next to her and prayed for a little more human time with him.

  #

  Her usual booth at Saul’s Deli was occupied so the waitress seated them near the kitchen. The sounds of the cooks and dishwashers drifted out of the double doors as the servers moved quickly to feed the hungry diners. Breakfast was always a noisy, busy affair in the neighborhood restaurant.

  “I spoke with Richard this morning.” Aris said with reticence. Sarah chewed her rye toast slowly, waiting for him to continue.

  “He spoke to Sebastian. It seems De Flores has taken a woman. One of his coven has been chosen to be his consort. Our spy says she is quite beautiful and even more evil. Akira is sending re-enforcements to watch them, to make sure they stay under control. Of course the evil ones will never know we are in their country. We are not there as an act of aggression, only to keep our coven safe from their greed and our Immortal culture safe from discovery by the humans.”

  “Is Sebastian coming here to see you?”

  “No, not just yet.” He seemed uncomfortable speaking about his lost friend as he stirred the untouched deep brown liquid in his coffee cup. She ate silently as they both had their own private thoughts.

  After several minutes without conversation, he spoke. “You’ll be glad to hear I received a call from John Marshal. He would like to showcase my work at the next gallery presentation. He feels my shady background, mixed with my ability to do fine Impressionistic work, makes a good combination to bring the media into the picture. He’s invited a few journalists from several art magazines and received an acceptance from Impressionism Today. He’s quite over the moon about it.”

  “Aris, that’s great. Wouldn’t it be great if your art became popular? It just doesn’t seem quite right for you to go from being the aid of kings to throwing boxes around at a market.” She smiled as she spoke.

  He took her hand. “Sarah, my life is perfect as long as you are in it. However,” he laughed, “I wouldn’t mind moving up a step or two in your world.”

  #

  Sarah finished answering the last of her emails and placed her laptop on the coffee table. It was late and she was tired. It had been a long day with client sessions backed one into the next. When she finally arrived home, dinner had been a carton of yogurt and an apple before she sat down to work on her computer. She yawned and stretched as she thought of DeMarco’s last communication.

  He wrote almost every day. His emails were neither long nor intimate, however, she looked forward to receiving them. She missed him. Their conversations were always so lively. Her relationship with him was peaceful, non-threatening. There were no deep, dark secrets to be kept from her friends and family.

  She made sure the front door was locked, turned off the lights and crawled into bed. In her subconscious the two men in her life, Aris and DeMarco, morphed into one another over and over until she drifted to sleep.

  She had been sleeping only a few hours when the ringing phone woke her. Sarah’s heart pounded in her chest. She glanced at the clock as she reached for the receiver. Midnight. Her voice sounded gravely as she spoke from a deep sleep. “Hello?”

  “Sarah, it’s Bob. It’s a girl. A beautiful six-pound-four ounce girl. They’re both doing perfectly well and Colleen’s resting, but she wanted me to call you right away.”

  “I’m so happy for you. So little Collette has arrived. I can’t wait to see her. Tell C I’ll stop by the hospital first chance I get tomorrow.” She sat in the middle of the bed rubbing her eyes, a huge smile on her face.

  “I know she can’t wait for you to see her. She’s just amazing. I can’t believe how tiny she is. Her little fingers and toes look like they be
long on a fairy. And she’s my daughter. I have two women to love now.” The joy in his voice came through the telephone and wrapped Sarah in tender arms. “They’re both sleeping now and my cellphone didn’t work in the hospital so I had to step outside. I’m going to get back to them.” She felt his urgency to be close to his new family.

  “Give her my love and tell her I’ll see her tomorrow.” Tiny tears of happiness for her dear friends trickled down Sarah’s cheeks as she went to her kitchen to fix a late night cup of tea.

  #

  Sarah sipped coffee while Aris played with an unopened bottle of water as they sat in the noisy hospital cafeteria. The sounds of voices, dishes and trays blended together to create a symphony of clatter. “They look so happy, don’t they?”

  “Yes, they do. Having children seems to complete some need in humans though I don’t quite understand it. I have not been exposed to many true families in my existence. My human life ended so early. All of my Immortal existence has been on battle fields or in royal courts and those certainly did not promote any facet of loving kinship. Immortals are unable to breed children so my experience is very limited yet I must admit holding that small being in my arms brought out a fierce protective emotion that was quite new, similar yet different than the one I feel for you.”

  Sarah said, “I remember, you told me that in your world, a male and female constitute a family. You don’t have children.”

  “That is correct, we are genetically unable to reproduce and so we feel no drive to create others in our own images. We live for eternity; we simply always are. Your kind dies and so it appears you need to leave a part of yourselves behind in your attempt at a more human form of immortality.”

  “I hadn’t thought of it that way. I guess you’re right. There is sort of a biological drive that almost demands to be met.” She laughed. “The propagation of the species.”

  “Do you have that drive, Sarah, that basic need to leave something of yourself behind?”

  Sarah was thoughtful before she answered. “When I was younger, I suppose I did. It’s something we humans can’t avoid. It’s kind of a mammal thing, I suppose. But for the last few years it’s not been anything that’s been too compelling. I still think about it occasionally, but I believe it’s something that is pretty individual as a woman passes from her twenties. Some continue to feel a demand to have a child, others don’t. I have my work and sometimes my clients are more like my children than I would like.” She laughed.

  “So Sarah, you would be content for a family to contain just two?”

  She wrinkled her forehead as she sincerely contemplated his question for a few moments before she answered. “I suppose it would matter who the other half would be, wouldn’t it?”

  She hadn’t said yes, but she hadn’t said no. There was still a chance that he could be enough for her. He smiled, “Yes, it would, wouldn’t it?”

  CHAPTER 31

  Sarah closed the door quietly after making sure the baby monitor was turned on. Collette looked so sweet, her little hands balled into soft fists and her dark curls circling her head like a halo of night sky. She was a bit nervous taking care of the infant, but she knew Colleen and Bob had complete faith in her so she took a deep breath and accepted the challenge when they asked her to babysit. It was their first date night in months. Besides, she had Bonnie for back up.

  She curled up on the sofa next to her friend. “Want a refill on your wine? You didn’t even drink half a glass.”

  “No Bon, I think I’ll skip it and change to water. With the responsibility for that little critter in there, I don’t want anything to cloud my judgment.”

  “You’re right. I’ll grab a mineral water out of the fridge.” She returned from the kitchen with a frosty bottle and two glasses. “So, you still have your roommate. It’s really turned into a long term thing, hasn’t it?”

  “Sort of, I guess, although I really like Gabriela. It’s been a lot of fun having her stay with me.”

  “The few times we’ve all been together, she’s seemed really nice. She sure is gorgeous. Sometimes when she sits very still, she looks like a mannequin in a department store.”

  Sarah cleared her throat. “Oh, I hadn’t noticed.” She sipped her water. “But you’re right, she is very beautiful.”

  “I see some sort of resemblance between her and Carlos although I can’t quite pinpoint it. Maybe because they are both so golden and have that thick black hair and shining black eyes. Although it seems something more that I can’t quite grasp.”

  “Well, they’re cousins a few times removed. Maybe it’s just genetic.” Sarah hurried to change the subject from their otherworldly resemblance. “She’s planning on leaving soon. I’ll miss her.” She told the truth. She had grown accustomed to having the beautiful Immortal live with her and she enjoyed the company. She had learned so much more about the Catacombs from a female perspective having her as a roommate. She felt safe as long as Gaby was nearby, although there had been no threat in any way since De Flores returned to Spain. She would never understand what the vampire had wanted with her. She put it out of her mind as Bonnie spoke.

  “When is she leaving?”

  “In a week or so.”

  “Is she going back to Mexico City?”

  “No Bonnie, she is going to England to see some family she has in London.”

  “Must be nice to be so free, don’t you think?”

  “Yes Bon, I’m beginning to think that kind of freedom might be very nice.”

  CHAPTER 32

  It was the first time Sarah had invited DeMarco to her home. After his return from Italy, she decided to welcome him back with a meal she prepared. She cooked most of the day and the authentic Italian dinner she created for him impressed him no end. It made him happy to know he had won her enough that she had gone out of her way to please him.

  “What a delicious meal,” he stood to help her clear the table. “The next time we eat dinner here, I will cook for you. I am quite the expert in the kitchen.”

  “If it’s spaghetti, you’ll probably put me to shame.” She rinsed the dishes, placing them carefully in the dishwasher.

  Standing behind her, he handed her the last of the silverware. “No, you did a beautiful job. The sauce is the beginning and the end of an Italian meal and your’s was impeccable. Everything you do is flawless.”

  Turning to face him, she dried her hands as she smiled into his eyes. Slowly, tentatively he grasped her shoulders waiting to see if she was receptive to his embrace. Her body relaxed. She stepped closer, laying her hands on his broad chest.

  His mouth was undemanding as he kissed her with small sweet kisses. His gentle touch kindled a new yearning for more of him. As she wrapped her arms around his powerful shoulders she felt his muscles tense, his lips part. As he caressed her lips with the tip of his tongue, she gasped at the intense heat that flared within her.

  A fire began to rage. It was raw and demanding and there was something strangely familiar about it. As their kiss grew more passionate, she knew she was losing control. Pressing her body into his, she felt his arousal strong against her. As she twined her fingers into his thick black hair, a faint groan escaped her throat.

  It was as if the sound incited him beyond control. With a deep soft growl he lifted her into his arms. He made his way toward the bedroom, his eyes glazed, blazing with desire.

  As he crossed the threshold, he stopped, a voice in his head shouting it was not yet time. He must wait. His rational mind clawed its way out of his need. Standing stock still, he spoke through his rasping breath. “No, not now. It isn’t time. I want you desperately, but it isn’t time.” His hands were shaking as he put her feet on the floor and led her back into the living room. He intertwined his fingers with hers as he opened the front door.

  “I’m leaving you now, sweet Sarah. Sleep well and I will phone you tomorrow.” He stepped into the hall. He released her hand and leaned across the threshold, kissing her on both her cheeks. “Thank
you for a wonderful dinner.”

  Her knees were weak and her face still flushed as she watched him walk down the hall to the elevator. She couldn’t see his face as he bit his lip until a tiny drop of dark liquid appeared. He licked it away with his tongue as he pressed the down button.

  CHAPTER 33

  SARAH HAGAN, transcript, session 7

  Wolsey’s uniformed men saw me to the waiting ship. As they marched me up the gangplank to board, I saw a man who looked like Diego on the crowded wharf below, but when I turned to get a better look, I lost sight of him. I became even more frightened when I was handed off to the captain who locked me securely in my cabin. Beating on the door, I demanded release but to no avail. I could hear men’s voices outside the solitary bolted exit to the small room. I was under lock and key as well as guard. There was no discernable escape from my fate. Curling up on the small, tidy bed, I cried myself into a fit-full sleep.

  I have no idea how long I hid in the darkness of unconsciousness. My dreams had been of Aris, riding to the hunt on cold frosty mornings, evenings before the fire in my chamber, our lips touching softly. The desire I felt for him. His tender restraint telling me of his great love, his pledge to make me his wife before he possessed me. How I regretted that pledge even in my sleep. How I wished we had become one in this life. And now, it was too late. My fate was sealed.

  Loud pounding on the door awakened me and I sat quickly on the side of the bed. My head swirled in the darkness of the room. “My lady, a squall approaches. The sea will become rough and the boat unsteady. Take to your bed and remain there until we have safely maneuvered through it.”

  I opened the only small round window in the cabin and looked into the ominous night sky. Dark clouds whirled overhead, twisting and coiling like huge, deadly snakes. Brilliant bolts of lightning exploded from them, forked tongues reaching to strike death into any they might touch. Crashing explosions of thunder set a ringing in my ears that brought pain so intense I covered them with my hands to muffle the shattering blasts. Curling once again on the small bed, I drew the cover over my shaking body. Fear gripped me and I felt its sharp relentless talons dig into my broken heart.