by Gayle Riley
After the drive, I find myself on high hills overlooking Manhattan. His driveway is long, but the width of his house is much longer and taller. It has white pillars, sculptures along the lawn, a huge grey fountain of some sort of mythical beast and a flower garden. I walk up the steps and stand before a vast, brown door that has gold handles. I look through one of the side windows and it doesn’t look like he’s home. Before I can knock, the front door is opening.
“Welcome, Mary,” he says. “Welcome to my sanctuary.”
Chapter 5
Artimus shows me around his house, and there are more rooms than I can count. He has art and paintings on almost every wall, sculptures, huge chandeliers I’m afraid to stand under, and many of his walls see to the outside.
“How did you collect all of this stuff?”
“As you would collect anything; Plenty of patience and time on your hands.”
“And you own this by yourself? No wife, or children, or…a maid, or something?”
“Yes. I am alone.”
“How long have you been alone?”
He thinks to himself. “Feels like it’s been centuries…Come.”
He takes me by then hand and leads me into a dining room. The table sits in the center of the room and it is as long as a lay-on-the-ground outside waterslide. There’s a variety of wines on a separate table in the corner, and as I feared, above our table is a chandelier.
“Please sit,” he says, leading me to one end of the white-clothed table.
He pulls out my chair and pushes it beneath me. He then makes his way to the other end of the table and grabs a bottle of wine and two glasses. As he returns with them, along with a chair for himself, I glance at my plate of steak, mixed vegetables, rice and a biscuit. He’s outdone himself for a first meal. He takes a seat before me, along the side of the table, perhaps to be closer, but doesn’t have a plate for himself.
“You’re not hungry?” I ask.
“I ate this morning.”
“But it’s just past 7 p.m.”
“I’m still full.”
Quite a metabolism. Must be nice. I begin to eat away at my plate and he pours us a glass of wine.
“A toast,” he says. I swallow the steak and hold up my glass and smile.
“To what?”
“A long, everlasting, fulfilled life.”
“That’s…quite a heavy toast.”
“Believe.”
I nod my head and exhale.
“To a long, everlasting, fulfilled life,” I say. We clink glasses together and begin to drink. I finish my cup, as he sips his. He smiles.
“Whoa, need another?”
“Yes,” I laugh as I fork at my plate. He pours another cup.
“So, what did you do that earned you all of this?”
“Many things. Trade, real-estate, teach, artistry, write—”
“Wait, you write?”
“Yes. I did for many years.”
“I work for a communications and media company, Fisch, as a writer. What did you write?”
“Usually, plays. But more faithfully, in my diary.”
“Wow. So, what’s the most recent career you held.”
“It was entrepreneurial.”
“In what?”
“I, um, sold alcohol during the prohibition. I know…illegal, but there was plenty of money and it didn’t involve hurting anybody.”
“The prohibition? That was like…back in the 1920s, I’m confused.”
He looks away for a bit then nods his head.
“Uh, yes, I’m sorry. In France. The prohibition in France. Which was for a short time, recently.”
I nod my head.
“In France…Okay.”
He finds a smile. I finish my plate and push it away and drink more wine.
“You’re really not going to eat anything?”
“I told you, I have odd tastes.”
“Actually, you said you weren’t hungry, so…What are these odd tastes you speak of?”
He smirks and looks into his lap. Why am I flirting with him so much? Is it the wine kicking in? I hope not.
“You.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, now waking from a quick internal doze.
“I have a taste for you.”
I blush and shake my head.
“I’m sorry, Artimus. I’m not a one night stand kind of girl.”
“It doesn’t have to be.”
His eyes flash into mine and for a moment, I feel hypnotized. That hazel glows so bright, and though my peripheral vision seems foggy, Artimus’ features are more clear than I remember. His face leans close to mine. I remain still. His fingers run up my arm, and sends a chill, and goosebumps, across my skin. I feel shy.
When his lips are a lips-distance from mine, I work my way up his chest with my hands, pressing against his white button-up shirt. His chest is tight and wide. Massive and strong. His shoulders are broad, wide like an eagle’s wings. I run my hands up his neck and to his face and hold him there. I stare into his eyes, then runs my hands through his black strands of hair, as his hazel eyes leech into mine. When I grip his hair, he presses his lips against mine, and we fold them and let them dance together. My heart pounds against my chest. His kiss is passionate and warm, sweet like honey.
“Wait,” I say, stopping. “This is crazy. I just met you.”
“So.”
I smile and nod my head. “Right. So.”
We start kissing again, and he begins to stand to his feet, and as he does, I find myself being carried in his arms. He walks up plenty of stairs and through many rooms. His bedroom seems so far away. We get to a hallway, and at the other end are double-doors. Nothing else. Each step he takes closer, time seems to slow. The hallway seems longer. Am I moving too fast? Should I go home? I can hear Chels’s voice in my head right now, telling me to let him lead the way.
He reaches for the handle and turns the doorknob slowly as I remain as powerless as a toddler in his arms. We enter the room and I shiver runs up my spine. He sets me down on my feet and I then leave him in the doorway and look around. There is a wide, queen-sized, black-covered bed. Its headboard is a work of black-stoned art. Something gothic. Three grey-stoned pillars stand tall on each side of the bed. A fireplace is against one wall and the other wall is completely made of glass.
My mind runs wild. I feel his shadow cast over me as he begins to kiss my shoulder. I toss my head back and allow him to explore my skin. When I open my eyes, I recognize a painting that hangs high above the fireplace. It’s of him, but slightly, different. Something monstrous…His teeth. He’s like some…vampire. As he continues to kiss into my neck, I feel his kiss become something a bit rougher. He bites.
“Ow!” I jump and step away from him.
He stands there, a bit of a shock on his face. His eyebrows press firm above his nose and form wrinkles. But his mouth is something from a movie…No, his painting.
“Artimus?” I say.
Each breath he takes, his chest rises and collapse. He holds his hand over his mouth.
“What is this? What are you?”
“Something from an old myth.”
“Old myth. What do you mean? You’re confusing me…You’re…scaring me.”
“You have nothing to fear. I do not wish to hurt you.”
“Then tell me… the truth.”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try.”
He exhales deeply and tosses his head back.
“I’m a Strigoi. A Vykolatios.”
“A what?”
“A Lewortimus Vampyro.”
“You’re not speaking English, Artimus.”
He turns to me.
“Mary, I am a vampire.”
“A vampire…” I nod my head and look around. I’ve ran into a crazy person and now, here I stand, in the room of a rich man, who probably became so bored, he calls himself a vampire. This is great.
“You don’t believe.”
“I—I ju
st find it a bit, um…” I try to find the words. “Weird.”
“The reports of the missing people…. The women…Those are because of me.”
I shake my head. “I don’t understand.”
“I fed on them, Mary. The reason there are no bodies is because they have ran away. They learned about what I am and wanted a different life…I gave it to them.”
“This is crazy, Artimus.”
“I’ll show you.”
He steps closer to me, and though I wish to run, my legs won’t allow me to move. He picks me up again and lays me onto the bed. He starts kissing me, gently, but not convincing enough of his mythical stories and folklore. Then he stops and stares into my eyes.
“You kissing me hasn’t shown me anything besides the fact that you are a man.”
He grins, and it’s both handsome, but also maniacal. He rises from the bed and unbuttons his shirt, his eyes staring into mine. I begin to take off my clothes until I’m in my red wine lingerie. I toss my clothes on the floor as he stands before me in nothing but his boxer briefs. I motion my finger for him to come to me, but he smiles and shakes his head.
“We’re not doing this on the bed.”
I laugh a bit. “Then where are we doing this, Artimus?”
His grin spreads even wider as he then turns towards the pillar. I frown a bit, confused. But then, he places his hands on the pillar. I watch as climbs up the pillar as though his hands and feet were made of glue. When he reaches the ceiling, he smiles down at me, but my heart sinks deep into my gut…This can’t be real…But then if it is…Does that mean I am in danger?
“Artimus… Are you… going to kill me?”
He shakes his head. “I would never.”
“Then what do you want? What am I doing here?”
“I want you.”
My hair stands atop my skin to a point. I gasp and try to breathe. Artimus grabs a rope hanging from the ceiling. He holds one end of the rope and drops the other end down to me.
“I’ll bring you up.”
I look hesitantly at the rope.
“Trust me,” he says.
I grab hold of the rope and immediately, Artimus pulls the rope hand over hand. I rise from the bed, and wrap myself around the rope as I rise to Artimus. He smiles down at me and when I meet him, he puts his arms around me, holding me against him, and kisses me again. My heart races, hoping he doesn’t drop me.
“Now do you believe me?”
“Yes,” I say. “I believe you.”
Artimus pops off my bra and throws it to the ground. His hand grips one of my breasts in his hands and squeezes it. He pinches my nipples and begins to suck and pull. My blood begins to rise into my chest and face. He kisses between my breasts, keeping his arms around me, holding me as a lion holds a deer. With a jerk of his hands, he rips off my panties. Before I can glance into his eyes, he is inside of me, grinding his hips against me, cradling my body in his arms. As he pulls me into his thrusts, I hold his face between my hands and lose myself in his eyes.
“Artimus,” I whisper, against his lips. He stares hungrily into my eyes, and begins to kiss into my neck. I wrap my legs tight around his waist, and he thrusts inside of me faster and deeper. I can’t help but release around him.
He turns me around, faces me towards the bed below. I’m hanging from his arms, bent over before him. I put my hands behind my back and grip his wrists, and he’s inside of me again as I dangle like a chandelier from his body. I moan beneath him, and his throaty voice does the same. I feel my legs beginning to shake. I’m going to cum again.
But he stops.
He turns me back around to face him, careful not to let me fall below. He pulls me up to his face. I wrap my legs around his head, and with one hand keeping me steady, and the other pressed to the ceiling like his feet, I grind and climax into his mouth. I shiver and shake and squeeze his face between my thighs. When I’m finished, I notice him letting go of the ceiling with his hand. He now stands on the ceiling, my arms and legs wrapped around his body.
“Don’t be afraid,” he says.
He lightly pushes his feet off the ceiling, and before I can yell, we don’t plummet to the bed, instead, we hover towards it, spinning slowly, until we are well rested on the black covers, cradled into each other’s arms, dozing into a blissful sleep.
Chapter 6
I get to work much earlier than usual. I had slept peacefully, and probably my greatest last night, aside from the fact that I slept with—a vampire. As I take my seat at my cubicle, I keep my eyes open for my boss. He hasn’t said anything to me these past two days and perhaps it’s because I truly haven’t said or done anything wrong. Chels leans over my cubicle.
“So,” she says smiling. “How’d everything go last night?”
I hum a little bit of a tune and dance sexually in the chair.
“You did not…” she says. Then she begins to laugh as I continue dancing and nod my head. “OH, you did! You slut!”
“Shhh! Wooorkkk,” I hear my boss say. Oh, so he is watching.
“Yes, and it was…” I spin on my chair and fiddle with my hair. “Unbelievable. I felt like this shy little school girl landing it big with the high school jock.”
“That sounds intense…Yup, I’m thoroughly jealous of you now,” she says, with a shake of her head. “Anyway, we should celebrate. Can we celebrate tonight?”
“OH,” I say. “I wish I could, but I had planned to see him after work.”
“Oh…” she says with a bit of disappointment in her voice. “You’re going to be there for the rest of the night? Can’t do anything afterwards?”
“I might be. I haven’t quite decided yet. I mean, how about this weekend? I’m not trying to lose this guy and I really like him. I just want to—you know, make sure he’s a keeper.”
She nods her head and finds a smile, but it fades.
“I have to thank you for helping me, Chels. I don’t know how else I’ll be able to move on from the divorce had it not been for you bringing me out to the speed dating fling.”
“No problem…” she says. She slouches back down from atop the cubicle and doesn’t say another word. I hope she isn’t upset that I couldn’t plan anything with her to celebrate. I just don’t want to agree to a plan if it turns out that I won’t be able to make it. It would suck to cancel on her.
I make my way home, but there’s a car in my driveway…WHY, is there a car in my driveway? I park on the street in front of my house and hop out the car, then, I recognize the license plate. He opens the door.
“Mary.”
“What the hell are you doing here, Scott?” I say, though I try to sound more surprised than upset.
“I wanted to talk.”
“Hmm, about what?”
“Can we talk inside?”
“I’d rather we talk outside and is it possible you make it quick? I have somewhere I need to be and I want to make a good impression.” A half-truth, but, it isn’t any of his business to begin with.
“A good impression? Like a job interview or something?”
“No. Like a meeting-a-new-guy something.”
He nods his head.
“Oh. Guess I could have guessed, you look so—happy.”
“Maybe you should have called before you came?” I say, nodding my head.
“Right…Well, then. Now that I see you can move on so quickly, I only wonder if you even felt anything for me at all.”
“Don’t do this. You’re wasting your time.”
“No! You wasted mine!” he says, pointing his finger. I begin to walk towards my steps as he follows. “You can honestly move on so quickly? Before me, you had nothing! You were nothing!”
I open my door and turn to him.
“Goodbye, Scott,” I say, with a smile. “Enjoy your days.”
I close the door.
“Mary.” I hear him say behind the door. I begin to head upstairs. “Mary!” He bangs.
I watch as he pulls out of the drive
way and disappears down the street. Sighs. Good. He’s gone.
“Who was that?”
I jump out of my skin and find Artimus standing in my doorway.
“Artimus,” I say. “What are you doing here?”
“Just visiting. Sorry I scared you.”
“No, it’s alright. How’d you find me?”
“Um.”
“Don’t answer that,” I say. “What are you doing out in sunlight if you’re a vampire.”
A smile spreads across his lips and his laugh slightly escapes. “Movies never get it right.”
I shrug.
“So,” he says. “Was that—him.”
I nod my head. “Yes.” He nods his head.
“I was actually getting ready to drive by your house. I wanted to see you again.”
“That is why I’m here. I won’t be able to tonight, Mary. I’m booked.”
“Booked? What do you mean?”
“I have many plans tonight and so, I will be home far past your bedtime.”
I laugh a bit.
“You make it sound like I am a child.”
He smirks.
“Compared to my actual age, you technically are.”
Okay…I guess I feel a bit offended now.
“I can stay up and wait for you.”
“I don’t want you waiting for me. You can visit another time. Just not tonight.”
“Will you be home?”
He studies me for a bit. He shakes his head.
“No.”
“Where will you be?”
“Busy.”
“Oh…Okay. I get if you don’t want to tell me. I guess.”
He smiles softly. “I must go.”
He leans towards me and gives me a kiss.
“I will see you soon.”
“Okay,” I say.
He leaves my bedroom and heads downstairs. I don’t hear a door close, but momentarily, when I get downstairs, he’s gone.
***
I’ve spent my entire night thinking about him. Though I’ve only known him just a few days, I feel like I’ve known him for years. He makes me forget about the divorce. He helps me move on. I feel as though Scott is just some stranger I’ve wasted most of my life with and Artimus is the one I should have married. Despite his secret of his true nature, I don’t care for it. He wouldn’t hurt me, and apparently, unlike the vampires I’m familiar with, he won’t kill me…But why does he have to be so—mysterious? He barely tells me anything. Is that why I feel so attached to him?
