“Then what are you doing here?”
“I was following him. Apparently I arrived too late.”
He stopped in front of me and I had to look almost straight up to meet his gaze. There was slightly more than a foot of difference in our height. I should have felt small and helpless being so near such a deadly vampire, but I felt anything but. He wanted me. He may have been a vampire but the look in his eyes was purely human. That made me feel quite powerful and it took the edge off of his fearful presence.
“You would not be the first woman who died waiting for me to save her. Nonetheless, I’m glad to see you alive. Are you alright?”
“Who said I was waiting?”
He looked through the door to the shed and smiled. “Who indeed?”
I was trying to be brave, but I could not look back at the headless wererat to save my life. So, I focused on the vampire instead.
“I can only take credit for that one,” I said, pointing toward the shed. “Vincent did the rest.”
“You saw his other form?” He raised an eyebrow as he questioned me.
“Yes.”
“And you are not afraid.” It wasn’t a question.
“It was impressive,” I said. And strangely alluring, but I kept that part to myself.
Alucard began to unbutton his vest. “I think it’s time I showed you something.” Just as I was about to ask what he planned to show me he said, “Not that.”
“Then what?”
“I’m going to remind you who I am. You are one of the few who know me and I would prefer that you remembered.”
The air was suddenly colder. An odd sort of mist began to form around him and I took a few steps back. I looked around, but I wasn’t in my back yard anymore. It took me a minute to recognize it, but I was standing in my old bedroom, in my parent’s house. I was next to the bed and a chill ran through me. On the other side of the room was the mirror I was so frightened of. Always, I could feel someone watching me when I was near it, especially at night. But one night I learned that I had a reason to fear the dark. There really was a monster only he came through my mirror instead of my closet or from underneath my bed.
When I turned around I knew he would be there, and yet I couldn’t stop myself. I turned slowly and watched as the shadows spreading across my wall began to form horrible shapes. A hand emerged from the mirror and the shadow it cast on the wall chilled me to my bones. When I was little I was terrified of scarecrows and that’s what this shadow looked like to me. I remembered crawling against the wall and pulling my legs up to my chest. I reasoned that if I didn’t give him the satisfaction of a scream he might go away. I don’t know how I knew the monster had come for my fear. I was eight years old and it somehow made sense to me.
Then, just like magic it all fell into place.
“It’s you,” I whispered. “You’re the Boogeyman.”
“That is one name you know me by.” When he spoke his voice felt like cold needles prickling against my skin. I wanted to scream so bad, but I fought it and I kept my head down. “Don’t you remember who I really am, my true name? I told you that night.”
I tried to focus on the memory instead of the fear. I remembered him saying something about the wrong mirror. He got on his knees in front of me and made me look at him. I wasn’t who he had expected to find. I called him the Boogeyman, but he leaned forward and whispered another name in my ear.
“Holy shit.” I lifted my head, but rather than finding the man I was used to looking at I still saw the shapes of scarecrows forming in the darkness. “Alucard, please.”
“What did you say?” The edge of terror was gone from his voice. I felt his hands on my shoulders. He rested his head against mine and pulled me completely against his body. He was down on one knee and I was pressed against his other thigh. He didn’t smell like he’d just crawled out of a dusty closet. He smelled like fresh rain and traces of expensive cologne. “Shh,” he soothed. “It’s alright.”
“No, it’s not alright. You’re the one who came out of my mirror when I was eight.” I started to cry. “I fucking hated that mirror. I always knew there was something wrong with it.”
“I’m sorry.” I could tell that those words set some kind of precedent for him. They seemed so odd falling from his lips, as if he weren’t used to saying them.
I leaned back and slapped him. I put all of my strength into that hit and he didn’t even flinch. “Bastard!” He deflected my next strike like swatting a fly. So, I gave up and threw myself into his arms, crying uncontrollably. “I was so scared. I must have blocked it out completely. But I remember being scared and nobody believed me.” I cried even harder and he held me tighter. “Nobody believed me and it’s all your fault.”
The rain was still pouring down and it felt colder now. In spite of what he was, Alucard was warm and I clung to him for this reason as well.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated and the words seemed to come easier this time. “I thought I had gotten the right mirror that night. But it wasn’t where it was supposed to be.”
I sniffed a few times before telling him, “My mom bought it at an antique store.”
“Well, that would explain it. I didn’t deliberately make my shadow look like a scarecrow.” His voice was softer now and I hated myself for enjoying it. “The darkness is what it is. Our fears give it shape. I simply brought the darkness.”
“So, you’re really ….?”
He placed his fingers lightly over my lips. “You mustn’t speak the name.” He was looking me in the eye, but I watched as his gaze lowered to my lips. He traced my bottom lip with his thumb and when he lowered just a fraction toward me I closed the distance this time. Whatever else might happen, I wanted to know what he tasted like.
His lips were warm and full. They touched me softly at first, but when I pressed myself against him his kiss became insistent. I bit his lower lip gently and he opened his mouth. That was all the invitation I needed. As I deepened the kiss, Alucard held me tighter and plunged his tongue inside my mouth. I felt the tips of his fangs as they grazed gently over my lips and that turned me on like I cannot describe. I wish there were more words to describe his kiss. For one thing, he didn’t have an ordinary taste, so I can’t exactly name a flavor to compare it to. He tasted like lust, like all of the pleasures I hadn’t known the night could hold, and strangely like freedom.
He pulled back, then kissed me one more time. “We will speak more of this,” he whispered. “Not even Vincent knows my true identity. I admit I was toying with you before when I said to keep our conversations private, but you must keep this to yourself.”
“I will.”
We weren’t kissing anymore, but I was still wrapped in his arms. He was still on one knee and I was still pressed very intimately against him when Vincent came back around the house. I hadn’t noticed until that moment that we had moved across the yard from the shed and were almost in the bushes.
Vincent looked more or less normal now. The only thing remaining from his transformation was his paler than usual skin tone. His expression was unreadable as he looked toward us. I couldn’t say that it wasn’t what it looked like, because just like when Matt had interrupted us it was exactly what it looked like. I also couldn’t lie and say that he held me by force, because he didn’t. I was exactly where I wanted to be and that frightened me. I had loved Vincent for a long time, even though he had only recently become a true part of my life. Who was Alucard to show up and interfere with that? Who let him in?
I looked up at him and spoke for his ears only. “How did you get here?”
We both knew I wasn’t talking about the back yard … I was talking about my heart. Vincent walked over and held a hand out toward me. Alucard moved back and let him help me to my feet.
“No one can serve two masters, Alucard.” This was all he said before putting his arm around me and heading for the back door.
“Have you called someone to take care of this?” Alucard asked, gesturing towa
rd the yard.
“I have.”
Vincent turned back toward the house again and this time Alucard spoke to me. He didn’t use my name, but we all knew the question was meant for me. It was my house and my place to answer.
“May I come in?”
His voice was soft and insistent and it took everything in me to say, “Not tonight.”
I watched as he rose to his full height, straightened his coat and turned up the collar against the cold. I knew the cold didn’t affect vampires like everyone else, so it was mostly for show. A wry smile curved his lips as he said, “Another time perhaps.”
We walked to the house in silence. By the time I turned to look back out the window, Alucard was already gone. Vincent didn’t say anything about what just happened and I didn’t know what to say. He led me to the bathroom and began removing my wet clothes without a word. It felt like the world stood still while I watched him unbuttoning my shirt. His hands moved over my shoulders and down my arms, causing the wet fabric to hit the floor. With my eyes I traced the dark hair which ran over his chest and down his abdomen. I wanted to trace it with my hands, but I didn’t know if Vincent was angry with me or not. Still, I couldn’t hide my reaction to him. Even after all that had happened, after the violence and after Alucard’s unexpected appearance, I wanted to touch him. I needed to be near Vincent. I needed the comfort of his embrace.
My lips still burned from Alucard’s kiss so I pressed them against Vincent’s cool flesh to soothe them. His skin still looked far too pale to be normal, like he glowed from the inside out. It made his eyes look darker, even though they no longer looked solid black. I could feel his power stronger than ever and I could not fight it. I knew Vincent wasn’t deliberately trying to seduce me. The fight had just worked him up. For lack of a better term, his power was sort of leaking into the room. He was an incubus after all, and his power was sex. Never had I been more forcefully reminded of that.
I placed my hands on his chest, palms flat against his cool skin while I continued to kiss him softly. He moaned when I brushed over his nipple and the sound made the muscles in my pussy jump in response. I could feel the growing warmth of arousal spreading throughout my body. For the moment, Alucard was forgotten as I ran my hand down Vincent’s pants and took his cock in my hand.
I was surprised to find he wasn’t hard.
“What’s wrong?”
“I haven’t fed tonight.”
His voice was soft, barely above a whisper and yet it screamed through my body like electricity.
“That’s right,” I reminded myself. He needed blood to get hard. I wondered why he hadn’t fed from the wererats, but I suppose there wasn’t time.
I pulled his face down toward my neck. “Take me,” I whispered.
We both knew I meant more than just my blood and I didn’t have to ask twice. Vincent unbuttoned my pants while he began to nip softly at my throat. He hadn’t bitten me yet, he was teasing me. I could feel his fangs lengthening as he kissed me. He tugged my pants open and ran his hand down the front. I wasn’t wearing any panties. Vincent moaned again as he slipped one finger inside of me, penetrating my neck with his fangs at the same time.
I cried out and arched against him, causing my pants to wriggle further down my legs. There was no pain. Only pleasure coursed through my body as he drank from me and when he moved his finger deeper inside my pussy I came. I screamed and held onto him for support.
When Vincent pulled back from me a moment later, he finished removing my clothes and his. Now he hung big, thick and hard as I wrapped my hand around his shaft again. He took my hand and turned me around, facing the tub. I followed his lead and let Vincent bend me over. I had only a moment to anticipate before he plunged into me. His cock was so hard that I found it difficult to move.
It was unlike anything I had experienced with him before. Something wild seemed to take over him as he wrapped his arms around me. If not for him holding me, I wouldn’t have had the strength to stand. Vincent lifted me higher so that only the tips of my toes touched the floor. He moved in and out of me with unimaginable speed and I came so hard I couldn’t breathe.
Vincent came several moments later and with his release his skin tone returned to normal. I turned back to face him and my legs trembled. His body was warm now as he held me against him and whispered, “I’m not angry with you.”
* * * *
Despite his promise to “speak more later,” I hadn’t had the opportunity to discuss anything further with Alucard. Now we were preparing to travel to London for the council meeting and there was no more time for conversation.
Vincent still hadn’t said a word about finding me in his arms for the second time, other than to say he wasn’t angry. And I had a feeling that I should not bring up the subject. I was learning more and more that vampires go about things differently than humans do. They experience the world through different eyes and with a completely different set of emotions sometimes. He didn’t appear to be angry, only lost in thought from time to time.
Brea had called the day after Jackson tried to kill me and Vincent. She wanted to tell me about the strange dream she’d had the night before. “There was this tall dark man. He scared me so much … but I liked it.” She laughed, then went on to describe Alucard in perfect detail. “Isn’t that crazy?”
Not nearly as crazy as she thought. As for me, I’d done a lot of soul searching in the past few weeks. And no matter where I looked I found one of two things: Vincent or Alucard.
I made sure our passports were ready, and double-checked the clothes one last time. It was almost dusk and I needed to have everything ready by the time Vincent woke up. We would be flying out of Savannah International Airport at 7:00 p.m. We’d booked a nonstop flight to Heathrow. From there we were going to find a place to rest and wait out the day. At nightfall we would go to wherever the council had told Vincent to meet them. We should arrive in London by 3:00 a.m. Hopefully that would give us enough time to find our hotel before sunrise, which Vincent had already informed me would be at 6:30 a.m.
I had never been on an international flight before and I wasn’t looking forward to it. I hated to fly. We would be traveling first class and I intended to take full advantage of the free drinks. I was a nervous wreck. In the next twenty four hours our fates would be decided and there was nothing I could do about it. I looked at Vincent, still awaiting darkness to rise, and I wondered if I would have done anything differently. If I had known what would happen when I took his story, would I have changed my mind?
No. One look at his face gave me my answer. It wasn’t right to take his story, but if I hadn’t done it we never would have met. Not in the traditional sense of the word anyway. And somewhere in the back of my mind I also knew this meant I never would have kissed Alucard. I would have paid this nerve wracking price for one moment with them, either of them.
On the way to the airport Vincent explained to me that he would speak to the council alone. I had expected that, so I listened in silence.
“They will not all be in the same room,” he said. “Council members are forbidden to know each other’s location. They are also forbidden to war on each other. It is for this reason that only Alucard, the head of the council, knows where they are.”
“Will they be viewing via satellite?” I asked.
“Close. But they could be traced that way too.”
“Then how will they attend the meeting?”
“Through mirrors.”
Chapter Seventeen
We had finally made it through security and were waiting to board the plane when I brought up the subject again.
“So, everyone has one of those mirrors of his and they’ll just be watching?”
“Right.”
“And Alucard is the only one who will be physically present?”
“Besides me, yes.”
I was still thinking this over while Vincent stored our carryon bags and took a seat beside me. He had graciously given me the windo
w seat so that I could watch London coming into view before we landed. Honestly, I didn’t know if I would be able to look, but I appreciated the gesture. I buckled my seatbelt and watched the pre-flight safety movie with a feeling of dread. If I didn’t die on this plane I might die once we reached London anyway. I didn’t believe that Alucard would vote for my death. But it would be the collective decision of the council, not his choice alone. That’s what worried me.
I gritted my teeth and shut my eyes tight during take off. Vincent held my hand, but that really didn’t help. I fucking hate planes. I chewed gum, but my ears still popped and by the time we had leveled off I was wishing I had taken a tranquilizer. As soon as a stewardess came around I ordered a drink.
* * * *
Eight hours and five minutes later, we had arrived. My perception was clouded by alcohol by this point. But London at night was still one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. Since I was a little tipsy I was grateful that Vincent knew the city so well. He had lived there as a human after all.
When we reached our hotel at a few minutes after five I was starting to sober up. That meant I would stand around and worry all day while Vincent was dead to the world. I had a prescription for a mild sedative and had brought it along. I didn’t take it on the plane because I knew I shouldn’t mix it with alcohol. But now that I was nearly sober and facing the prospect of a long day without sleep, I took one.
Vincent made sure the drapes were tightly closed against the coming dawn while I got undressed and crawled into bed. The last thing I remember was him telling me, “Everything is going to be alright.”
“We’ve got to go.”
Vincent was fully dressed and sitting beside me on the bed. He was dressed all in black and he looked wonderful. From the ruffles on his shirt to the high polish on his boots he was everything I could have hoped to see when I woke up. I spent a few moments just smiling up at him. Then reality smacked me in the face.
Diary of an Incubus Page 13
