by Maya DeLeina
Of that, she was sure.
Her frozen state of shock wore off, and fear gripped her beyond control. She let out a high-pitched scream and pushed back into Ryan’s lap, her left elbow hitting the steering wheel, sending the car into a sharp turn in the opposite direction of the path of the road ahead.
“What the fuck! What are you doing?” Ryan screamed.
He slammed on the brakes and tried to regain control of the vehicle.
She was wild, screaming and clutching at Ryan.
“What the—? Get off! What’s wrong? Stop!” Ryan screeched crazily in incomplete sentences.
He overcorrected the turn and clipped the side of the mountain, sending them into a spin.
* * * *
The chain of events played out in slow motion, fuzzy in its detail and muted in its sound.
Ryan looked at Anise, feverishly working to place the metal fitting into the buckle of her seat belt without success. Her long, black hair suspended in the air around her, the ends whipping across her face. Her eyes wielded sheer panic and fear, her expression frozen in terror. The red jasper swung aberrantly, slow in its viscous circle pattern. Ryan reached for the stone, ripping it off of the mirror, clutching it in his hand, and bringing it to his chest.
Real time burst back into reality, unleashing all the recklessness and haste of the scene, amplifying the sounds of crunching metal, breaking glass, howling wind, and stabbing screams laced with unrestrained adrenaline and fright.
The SUV slammed into the side of the mountain.
Once, bang. Twice, bang.
The metal frame crushed and ripped against the granite rock before flipping over, sending it sliding on the icy road along its passenger side.
The window shattered with the force.
Ryan watched in horror as Anise’s arm got caught between the road and the spinning SUV, breaking it instantly.
Her scream in agony pierced Ryan down to his bones.
In the momentum of slide, Ryan watched helplessly as Anise’s flesh mangled against the pebbled asphalt. Inch by inch, her body was being pulled out slowly through the window and under the spin of the vehicle.
Ryan moved the jasper to his left hand and caught Anise’s wrist with his right. He was white-knuckled, trying desperately to pull her back in the vehicle’s cabin. Luggage and shopping bags that had been placed neatly in the backseat hurled at them, becoming projectiles. With force, a bag came crashing into Ryan’s hand and he lost his grip on Anise.
In the heart-wrenching moment, Ryan caught Anise’s gaze, imploring for rescue. They held their stare on each other for a brief moment, knowing and silent in the final parting. Violently, she was fully ejected out of the vehicle through the window, her exposed body crushed under the weight of the SUV.
Ryan closed his eyes.
As he feared, the vehicle started its slide closer and closer to edge, teetering right at the brink. Bags and other belongings projected out of the vehicle, scattering all along the road. He had lost all control of the situation. She was gone. There was nothing he could do. He whispered a silent prayer as his tears rolled down his cheek.
In an instant, Ryan’s eyes ignited, opening with intensity. He took a quick breath and held it.
This was it.
The SUV fell abruptly from the road, plunging to the bottom of the forested valley, no guard rail to stop it.
Chapter Three
Anise lay sprawled out on the snow-covered road as snowflakes gathered on her face.
She opened her eyes and quickly pushed herself up to a sitting position to examine her body. Running her hand across her face, head, arm, abdomen, chest, and thigh, she was in complete awe of how quickly her injuries healed. Each break, tear, and puncture was excruciatingly painful, and while she knew her injuries would be healed, a recovery from the extent of the damage was not anticipated.
Trepidation washed over her.
Surely, her body exceeded its limit to complete the speedy repair. This could mean weeks of rest to replenish her healing mechanisms due to her infancy.
She’d hoped she would at least have some residual energy left to repair Ryan.
Anise stood up and brushed off the snow that collected on her clothing. She examined her surroundings and what was left of the accident.
The SUV was nowhere to be found.
All that remained were shattered pieces of glass, a taillight, a side mirror, and a few pieces of her and Ryan’s belongings scattered along the road.
Anise ran to the edge of the road and looked over the cliff.
The headlights of the Mercedes pierced through the darkness like spotlights. Running her eyes frantically along the landscape, Anise examined the formation of the trees to determine her next move.
The SUV had fallen to a depth that would require more energy than she had for manifestation. This also made the option of flight absolutely out of the question. Decisively, Anise made the only decision she could.
She was going to climb her way down to Ryan.
Anise ran to her personal belongings that scattered the road. She desperately searched for her duffel bag and purse.
“Where are they? I need the serums!” she said in a panicked voice. With a sigh of relief, she picked up the duffel bag, throwing it over her shoulder. And as she hooked her arm through the handles of her purse, she heard heavy breathing behind her.
With breath held, her body went rigid in fright. In an instant, Anise sensed it was him.
“Dominic?”
She turned around and shuddered at the sight of his wretched shell.
“So, it was you! I didn’t expect you to be still alive!” she said as she took a closer look at him. “My god! Look at you!”
Dominic was feeble. His skin hung from his bones, dull gray, almost chalklike. Even as she examined him, he continued to deteriorate in front of her eyes. His bottom jaw caved in, exposing his stained, triangular teeth. Two teeth fell from his gums and turned to dust as they hit the ground. A clump of hair fell from his head and disintegrated in the wind.
“Dominic, you officially lost the only part of you that I ever truly loved…your good looks,” she said. “I hope this death will be as painful as the time you made me spend with you.”
She turned her back on Dominic, intent to make her way to the aspen grove to save Ryan. In any other scenario, Dominic’s presence would have struck absolute fright and panic. But he had been reduced to a pathetic creature, and she quickly seized the opportunity and positioned herself with the upper hand.
Suddenly, Dominic manifested in front of her. His sunken eyes reignited to a fiery, red glow that startled her. He reached for her chin and delicately held it in his hand.
“My love, you agreed to become my mate. You wanted to be my mate. And so, you drank from me and I claimed you. Don’t you remember what I told you about the claim? Our blood bonds us together for eternity.”
Dominic released her chin and began to circle her trembling body. Tears rolled down her cheek. She was suddenly aware that he still held residual power and energy even through the depletion process. As he made his way behind her, he clutched her long hair firmly in his fist and pulled her head back with force.
“You started this process. And since you were just a newborn, you’ve graced me with very little time before depletion takes me!” he whispered forebodingly in her ear.
He released her hair and threw her head forward.
“You know you are the only one who can save me, so I will ask. Do you wish to return as my mate?”
She shook her head in a response. “I–I didn’t know what I was agreeing to, Dominic. Forgive me. But I can’t. I can’t be yours!”
Her tears intensified as she tried to reason with Dominic.
“I realized that I was in love with Ryan. After you turned me, I still remembered him. I still had feelings for him. I carried him through to my immortality. Please understand. I can’t love you!”
Sighing, Dominic responded, “And where was t
his love for Ryan during those nights of the claim? You came freely to my bed. You burned with need and desire for me, for my body, all those nights. You wanted me to take you. You begged me to take you.”
“I didn’t know! I didn’t know this is what I was agreeing to!” she cried, pleading for his forgiveness. “Please, Dominic. Please, I can’t do this. I didn’t fully understand what I had done.”
“Our kind mates for life. There is no going back.” Dominic’s tone was chillingly even. He turned his back to her and whispered, “Remember, I go, you go.”
“I go?” She grabbed Dominic’s shoulders and turned him around to look at her. “My heart was never true to you! I never belonged to you! Look at me, I haven’t depleted at all!”
“My sweet love, I chose you as my mate for life, and you failed me. Yes, it is true. You have not depleted, and you will not deplete. You are as beautiful as ever and you will continue on in your perfect form for eternity.”
Dominic leaned into her ear and whispered. “But, surely you don’t think I would ever let that happen.”
Dominic pulled back and searched her eyes. “I’ve planned this very moment, to see your face, to see the same intense fear and anguish that you have caused me. I want to see it burn in your eyes. It’s all I could think about since you left.”
He leaned in closer to her face,
She watched him watch her. An evil fury burned in his eyes. Horror gripped her like never before.
“Ahh! There’s the fear I craved. I saved enough energy so we could share in the rest of my life…together as mates. ”
In one sweeping motion, they were gone.
* * * *
Ryan felt the cold surrounding him, the sensation collecting on the left side of his body. He slowly opened his eyes. The Mercedes came to rest on its passenger side. A layer of powder from the deployed airbags covered his face. The passenger seat was filled with a mixture of blood and powder, but it was empty. He remained pinned in the driver seat, suspended by the seat belt with all the pressure on the right side of his body. Pain consumed him, and he realized the extent of his injuries. A bone protruded through his left thigh. His right wrist was broken. Blood streamed from the top of his head and down his face. The mix of the powder and blood burned as it ran freely into his eyes. He felt light-headed. His vision blurred. Ryan closed his eyes.
The faint sound of crunching snow renewed his senses, and he forced his eyes open. The crunching became louder, and Ryan didn’t know whether he should be elated at the thought of being rescued or terrified.
Why would someone be out here? Oh my god, maybe it’s her, she’s okay! Did she climb down in the dark? Maybe I didn’t fall that far down the mountain.
His mind was a frenzy, questions darting from every direction. He was about to call out to her when a hand came through his driver’s side window and rested on his chest. The hand probed his body, searching and evaluating. There was power behind the touch.
Somehow, Ryan knew it was not her.
“You only have a few moments left,” a deep male voice spoke as he hovered over the window. “You must decide quickly.”
“Help me,” whispered Ryan. He tried to turn to see his rescuer, but all he saw was a dark shadow from the corner of his eye.
“Listen to me carefully. You’re lucky that I am here first. If the others would’ve found you…you may not have had a choice.” The shadow leaned in closer to Ryan. “Tell me what you wish for yourself. I can leave you here untouched, allowing your injuries to consume you, or I can quickly rid you of your pain, allowing you immediate peace and serenity in death.”
The shadow paused, leaning even closer to whisper in Ryan’s ear. “Or I can repair your body. But with this choice, you will forever be a black ink darkness, walking this earth as something unnatural.” His voice was calm, unhurried, and melodic.
Ryan noted a rhythmic accent in his speech.
“Save me. Save my life, please!” pleaded Ryan as tears started to mix in with the blood.
A low growl came from the shadow’s chest. “You are not listening carefully. I am not giving you the option of life, but rather…”
“I need her. I have nothing without her!” Ryan blurted out. He feared she would be dead, but he clung to hope that she’d somehow survived. Amidst the pain, his mind raced.
What am I going to do? She needs to sign the deed papers, he thought to himself in a panic.
In an instant, Ryan felt the shadow pull back. And while he couldn’t see them, he could feel evaluating eyes transfix on him.
The shadow broke the stillness of the moment. Through Ryan’s cloudy vision he watched the shadow lift his head and scan the grove of Aspen trees and large boulders that surrounded them.
“What? What is it? Is someone else out there?” Ryan asked.
The shadow looked back down at Ryan and reached for his clutched fist.
Cold fingers explored Ryan’s bare ring finger.
“What are you doing?” Ryan screeched in panic.
The shadow moved in close to Ryan’s ear. For the first time, the words spoken took on a humanlike character.
“You are choosing, not based on the pain you are in but rather the love you have in your heart for another? I can’t take that away from you. If your human bond is strong, you will remember her and carry it with you through the turning. You will reunite again. I will do this for you.”
“Thank you,” whispered Ryan in response without fully understanding what he had agreed to.
In an instant, Ryan passed out from the pain.
* * * *
The jasper dropped from the injured man’s clutched fist into the hands of Steffan.
Steffan tugged frantically on the hood of his black coat, pulling it down and exposing his face. His silver eyes focused on his clutched fist.
Cautiously, he opened it and revealed the jasper resting in the palm of his hand. Suddenly, electric currents shot through his body and he once again clutched the stone in his hand.
A sweet scent of a woman penetrated his senses.
Fragmented, undulating visions projected in his mind—silky, black hair, sun-kissed skin, a strand of pearls, a sweeping instrument bow and a partial view of a symbol, one that he could not readily identify. He’d never felt anything like that before. Someone of great importance to him, someone whom he had yet to meet, had a connection to that stone.
“Could it be?”
Steffan contemplated as his heart pounded both in excitement and trepidation. Whoever it was and whatever it meant, it would have to wait to be sorted out.
He had a promise to fulfill to the man who lay dying in front of him.
Carefully, Steffan placed the stone in his coat jacket. He pushed up the sleeve of his jacket and bit out a chunk of flesh from his wrist. The gaping wound pumped out thick, black blood. He situated the wound over the man and poured the blood into his mouth.
The man choked and gagged.
“Drink!” Steffan screamed. He squeezed his face and leaned in. “Drink, please,” he said slowly this time.
The man’s eyes were wide with fear as he swallowed as instructed.
Instantly, his body shook uncontrollably. He broke free from the seat belt and fell against the passenger doorframe of the SUV. Steffan lifted the vehicle upright, dragging the man out through the shattered window, and laid him down in the snow. The man’s eyes flew open and rolled back over and over again into his head. Steffan crouched over him as he watched the violent eye rolls continue.
Then suddenly, they stopped.
The man’s eyes froze in an open gaze. His pupils clouded over.
Like clockwork, sparks of color danced along the outer edge of his eyes, signaling the beginning of the eye inversion.
Steffan leaned in closer and waited for it.
From the outer edges inward, the whites of his eyes slowly turned black.
“Black!” yelled Steffan. He slammed his fists into the ground and shook his head in disappointment.
“You deceived me!”
Completing their transformation, the man’s eyes began to violently roll again and Steffan backed off.
The veins throughout the man’s face were engorged and pulsing, turning black under his skin. He tried to scream out in pain, but nothing came out.
With haste, Steffan leaned in and ripped the wool coat and shirt that covered the man’s chest and arms to shreds. Thin, black veins crept from his heart, through his shoulder, and down his arm to settle at his wrist. The delicate webbing of veins covered his wound and seemed to sew the wrist back in place.
The man slowly lifted his wrist. He moved it back and forth, a look of disbelief plastered on his face. He turned his attention to Steffan. And while he didn’t speak one word, his eyes seemed to beg for answers.
And as fast as they appeared, the webs faded, completely absorbing into the man’s skin.
Suddenly, the man jerked and looked down at his leg.
Steffan ripped the man’s trousers from his body, exposing the stringy black webs that congregated on the exposed bone in his thigh, mending the injury.
Steffan sighed.
The repair mechanism and eye inversion were complete. There was no mistaking it. The man was now a vampire.
And he was Steffan’s newborn.
Slowly rising over his newborn’s body, Steffan brushed his tongue over his self-inflicted wound, instantly healing his arm. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He raised a hand to his chest and rubbed against the jasper through his long black coat.
Even through the material, shards of energy penetrated his body.
Steffan stood still in the moonlight, basking in the sensation. Snowflakes shimmered all around him, collecting in his hair and settling onto the blackness that cloaked him from head to toe
Steffan brought his head forward and caught his newborn’s evaluating stare. He slowly raised one eyebrow. “Black or not, it cannot be undone. You have already begun. You are my responsibility. You are my newborn.”
