Within The Shadows

by Julieanne Lynch

  ***

  The next few hours, I slept contently dreaming about Alex, and how he made me feel. I never thought it possible to feel so much lust and anger for someone. I could not think of one other time I had let desire take over. I always had so much control when I was alone with Marc. I did not know if the new me was something I would learn to love or hate, the latter being the obvious choice.

  Guilt built up, and soon I was awake, staring at the ceiling, and thinking of Marc. I felt as though I’d betrayed him, as if I was the one who’d done the dirty deed, and cheated on him. I envied my innocence, and longed for my old life.

  They say that when we take revenge against another, we lose some of our innocence. Maybe this was my retribution, and if it was, then God had a very sick way of making me pay.

  * * *

  Feeling restless, I found it hard to sleep, so I got up, and decided to make myself a little decent, something which had not occurred since prom. I was not expecting my reflection to startle me. I looked like me, but there was certainly some kind of change going on. My once olive complexion was gone, and in its place was a subtler glow, a luminescence.

  The colour of my dark brown eyes remained the same. My lips were a little plumper, but it was the dark circle in the hollow of my chest that frightened me. I rubbed hard to remove the stain, but it refused to shift, and remained there; a darkness between my breasts.

  I cried.

  This change wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to remain the same. If Alex was right about my soul, then why did things have to change? Why did I have to leave everything behind me for some crazy vampire war?

  Why had I not been given a choice?

  I pulled on the nearest sweater and jeans combo I could find, and rushed out. The late afternoon sun hit me hard in the face, and the gentle heat flowed over my body. I craved it. I loved being out in the light of day, and nothing was happening. Content that I was not about to burst into flames or turn to dust, I headed in the direction of the valley.

  The steep walk down was harder than I had expected. I fell a few times, losing my feet in the hidden potholes. I passed a series of paths up to the left of the slopes, but as far as I could see they led nowhere. Shuffling on, I soon came to a picturesque stone bridge spanning the width of the stream below. I stopped, and rested, taking in the wonderful beauty that surrounded me. I felt at peace as I sat in the silence. No demands, just me and nature.

  I sat back, and watched the rays of the sun dance among the branches of the willow trees, looking at the large, overgrown roots that were home to a nest of ants. After a while, I considered heading back to the house, but it was so pleasant and so comfortable, I decided to sit there quietly for a while longer.

  The evening sun began to dim, and the birds hurried home to their nests with food in their mouths for the young. My stomach rumbled. Food was definitely a good idea.

  I got to my feet, and headed back toward the slopes. The water in the stream followed me as I made my way across the bridge. For the first time in what seemed like forever, my mind was clear of drama, no Alex, no Marc – bliss!

  Sunset happened a lot quicker than I thought it would. With the looming darkness at my back, I rushed back up the hill. Momentarily, I forgot my way, and stumbled over the root of a tree.

  “Crap!” I spat as I fell.

  I had only grazed the tip of my elbow, but it stung like hell. Wasting no more time, I picked up my pace, and scrambled back up the steep slope, trying hard not to fall victim to any more heather covered holes. I was close to the top when a blast of wind hit me, knocking me flat on my back.

  Trying hard to regain my composure, I became increasingly aware of the shadows surrounding me, not one, but six of them. With glowing eyes, their black silhouettes moved closer to me with their arms stretched out trying to grab a hold of me. I could feel their hatred, their anger, and most of all, I sensed their desire to harm me. One leapt on top of me, using its nails to dig at the centre of my chest. It drew blood, and I screamed, my voice echoing as my heart thumped hard.

  This was it. This was how I was going to die!

  Chapter Six

  OUT OF NOWHERE, Leonid landed heavily on the ground. Pulling me within his arms, he leapt through the rest of the clearing, not stopping until we reached the boundaries of the house.

  He set me down gently. His strong arms were smooth, his skin radiant. For a moment, his eyes were not dark and cold. They were full of concern and worry.

  “You must never leave the boundaries of the estate again.”

  “I didn’t know I was under house arrest,” I snapped like a child.

  “Must you be so insubordinate?”

  “Well, I didn’t know it was like some big deal to go for a walk. Next time, I’ll check in with the warden,” I muttered.

  “Dare you mock me?” He towered over me. His eyes were mean and angry. I swear I could hear his fists clench. “Those shadow creatures lurk around these boundaries. They are aware of the changes, and they do not like the thought of a mortal at work within the lair. Tempt them again, and you will be done for.”

  “Why would they want me? I’m just an ordinary girl, or I was.”

  “You bear the mark of darkness. It surrounds you. Your soul is tainted, and, in time, the darkness will want its reward.”

  “Meaning what?”

  He walked past me without responding, and disappeared into the night.

  I shouted after him, yelling into the night sky, “Meaning what? I want answers, do you hear me? I want answers!”

  Nothing.

  “What an ass!” I mumbled as I walked through the courtyard. Sometimes, my mouth got the best of me. At the best of times, trying to control the verbal diarrhoea was not a pretty sight.

  “You friggin’ loser!” I bellowed into the darkness.

  Control, Giselle. Think control.

  Easier said than done when you have no idea of what is happening, and your stomach is crying out for food, ‘real’ food.

  The old Gothic style building that stood before me was, without a doubt, incredible, but it gave me the creeps. Pointed arches and vaults were visible on the windows and doors with steeply pitched gables and balanced thrusts in some of the stone masonry. Stone gargoyles sat on each corner of the roof, their eyes staring down as if they were watching me. Not having noticed it before made me feel very out of the loop.

  There I was, wherever that might be, alone, with no friends, no crazy mother, and certainly no adoring boyfriend to take that sense of danger away from me.

  The shadow creatures still hung in my head as I walked into the front hall. My skin crawled from the fright, and the wound on my chest stung. My mind was in another place when I bumped into a woman reading some sort of old book, sending it crashing to the floor.

  I casually blurted out, “Sorry about that,” as I picked it up.

  Unable to the read the strange language of the writing in the book, I handed it back to her. She was old. Her hair was black with silver strands, her eyes were of the darkest black, and the left one was lazy. Her face was a mass of lines, and her teeth gleamed in the light as she smiled at me.

  Without giving her time to say anything, I rushed past her down the hall, and went through the first door I could find. Old ladies gave me the heebie-jeebies at the best of times, especially ones with fangs, and right then, I did not fancy talking rubbish with another vamp.

  “Giselle, what a surprise!” Turning around, I saw Afanas sitting at a large table.

  “Yep, that’s me, full of surprises,” I awkwardly responded.

  He got up from his chair, and walked over to me. His freakish looks did not make me feel any safer, and I wanted to run back out the way I came.

  “Don’t be frightened. Please, sit with me a while.” He pointed to a large, comfortable looking couch, and I sat down obediently.

  “I was looking for the kitchen. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

  He laughed the same sinister laugh I had heard from him
before, making my skin crawl.

  “The kitchen?” He looked at me as though I was mad.

  “Yeah, I’m kinda starving. You know, a stomach ache from hunger.”

  There it was again, that horrid laugh. “But, of course, you are hungry. It has been a long four days. Come, we shall find you lots of nice things to eat.”

  As surprises go, it was a good one. I could not believe the amount of food I saw in the refrigerator. Meats, cheeses, fresh fruit, bread, chocolate éclairs, (my personal favourite), and, of course, cans of soda. I got stuck into one of the best sandwiches ever. Afanas spread the mustard on thickly, not leaving much bread to show. The ham was delicious, and the tomatoes were mouth-wateringly juicy. All of it was washed down with a gulp of Coke.

  Heaven!

  Afanas watched me intently.

  “What?” I asked, feeling quite uncomfortable.

  He smirked. “It gives me great satisfaction watching you eat.”

  I was totally weirded out by this. Was he some kind of old letch who got off on young girls eating?

  Gross.

  “I was hungry.”

  “Yes, I’m aware of that. My Lord was right about your appetite. However, I didn’t quite believe you would need all of this after feeding from him last evening.”

  Urgh, the blood thing. Why did he have to remind me?

  “Yeah, about that. Can we have a conversation where the subject doesn’t involve the red stuff?”

  “Absolutely. What would you like to talk about?”

  Sitting beside me, he observed me as I swallowed the last mouthful.

  “Where am I?”

  “Ah, well, that is an easy one. We’re in the mountains of Utmish Ato-tem.”

  “Right, and that is where, exactly?”

  “Armenia.”

  Jesus Christ, I was on the other side of the world. Not good, not good at all. Of all the places in the world to be stuck in, Alex had chosen Armenia. I guess I was not too surprised he’d flown me halfway around the world, unconscious, and without any ramifications. How the hell he’d done it, I did not know, but I promised myself that one day I would get the answers I wanted.

  Maybe.

  My head ached from all the thinking I was doing. I wanted to call home so badly, but was scared of hearing my mother. I did not know what to expect, so I pushed the longing to the back of my mind, and thought of one person only.

  Alex.

  I had not seen him since last night, and I was feeling kind of ashamed of myself. I enjoyed every bit of our encounter, but something made me feel very uneasy about it. It made me feel cheap and whore-like, but it was hard trying to ignore the craving inside.

  Afanas did not make it any easier. He was trying his best to give me the answers I wanted, but I got the impression he was holding back on me, and I hate liars.

  “Ok, why here? Why Armenia?

  He shuffled uneasily upon the stool. “Because Armenia is our home, our safe haven away from the dangers of more sinister lairs. Here, we are free from harm.”

  “I still don’t get why other vampires would want to harm you. Besides, Alex . . . I mean, Alexander, survived quite well back home. No one ever tried anything on him, did they?”

  I could not help but to push on.

  “Yes, Alexander survived, but that was because of the great lengths his father took to protect him. And there was the odd occasion that his life was put in jeopardy.”

  “Oh, okay. I suppose you are trying your best here, but could you at least elaborate a little more?” I was becoming irritated with the short answers. I wanted more. I needed more.

  “Well, hasn’t it become quite obvious we aren’t the monsters folklore portrays us to be?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Consider how I could have ripped your throat out, and drank you dry. Instead, I sit here, and amuse you with my answers. There is a war, and you play a vital role. You should have realised by now that you are a very important commodity among vampires. You possess what others seek, and it is you who will strengthen the bloodline. We will evolve because of you.”

  “Yeah, so Alex keeps telling me, but I can’t help but to wonder as to how this whole mess started. Why are all of you so afraid of the Nelapsi, or whatever they’re called?”

  He pondered this before he spoke, looking at me intently, as though he was about to reveal some deadly secret, and then he began his story.

  “I was born more than two centuries ago in a small village in the Zemplin region of eastern Slovakia. I am what you would call a classical vampire. I am not dead or undead. I just exist. I am what I am. But, of course, my kin, the Nelapsi, are viscous, bloodthirsty monsters that stop at nothing in order to feed.

  “They care not for their donors. In fact, in most cases, they consume blood with or without permission. It was the winter of 1790, and times were harsh. Humans were dying from starvation, and, as you can imagine, when you rely solely on the blood of a human, it becomes a risk to you when they are dying.

  “Unfortunately, that didn’t stop many of my brothers. Instead of trying to help them, many turned on the young and defenceless, feeding and consuming their short innocent lives. I couldn’t live with that guilt, and hated seeing the bloodshed. That is when I found Leonid, who helped me and many of my brothers to change what once was an acceptable way of life. We found a new way of co-existing with humans.”

  “But I thought Leonid was a descendent of the Nelapsi?” I asked, confused.

  “Ah, you are right. His Majesty is a descendent through birth. He, like Alexander, is an inheritor. Meaning, they were born into their lifestyle like me, but they are not immortal. They can live for a long time, but death does come eventually.”

  “So, if I wanted to, I could kill them. I mean, hurt them?” I inquired.

  He laughed menacingly. “I doubt you would survive long enough to cause them any kind of wound.”

  I didn’t have the balls to answer him back, so we sat in silence. Being reminded of how he could kill me sent a shiver down my spine, and not in a good way.

  Minutes passed before either of us spoke again. I was not sure that what he had told me was a good or bad thing. In fact, I was pretty sure I was out of my depth, and I did not like the thought of being referred to as a ‘commodity.’

  “I think I’ve heard enough. Do you, um, know where Alex is?”

  He smiled that same creep-you-out smile he’d had before. “I believe he’s resting, but I dare say you’ll find him in his room. West wing, top of the stairs, third door on the left.”

  “Thanks.” I smiled as I picked up my can of Coke, and all but ran from the room.

  The hall was barely lit, and was eerily quiet with only the faint hum of electricity. My pounding heart was making enough noise in my ears to add to the feeling of unease, and then a large clock at the top of the stairs began chiming. I ran up the stairs, two steps at a time, and tried not to take any notice of the freaky portraits that hung on the walls. Their eyes just seemed to follow me, as though they knew what I felt inside. Dark pits of nothingness watched me as I stood still.

  Pausing at the top, I saw the third door on the left, and held my breath as I slowly walked over to it, and knocked gently. There was no answer.

  A part of me wanted to turn away, and just forget about it. But in a way, I was missing him. Crazy, I know, but it was as though something inside me took over the logical side, and turned me into this needy ‘thing.’ I wanted to see him badly.

  Taking a deep breath, I turned the handle, and entered his room. Soft warm light welcomed me as I closed the door. I could hear Alex’s gentle breathing as he slept. As I carefully walked over to the side of the bed, I could not help but to stare at his naked body. He lay there, still and gorgeous. I could feel my heart beat hard against my chest. I had never seen a naked guy in the flesh before, never mind being alone with one. His chest rose gently with every breath, and his eyes moved lightly, dreaming.

  For one thing, I was confused
. I found it hard to believe that he could be a monster, and yet look so bloody divine and every bit human. From everything I’d ever read or watched, vampires just didn’t sleep, breathe, or dream, for that matter. This was getting crazier by the second, but the constant pull towards him was so overpowering, I just couldn’t resist.

  I could feel the flush of my cheeks spreading down the back of my neck, and oddly, I found myself becoming more and more aroused with provocative thoughts running through my mind. What went through my head embarrassed me, and I found it hard to separate lust from need. I closed my eyes, and willed myself to banish them. Unfortunately, they refused to leave.

  Becoming more aware of my own heavy breathing, I felt his hand against my leg. Opening my eyes, I saw him sleepily smiling at me, the green pools gazing at me, sucking me further into the cesspool of desire.

  “I did knock. I got worried when you didn’t answer,” I lied.

  “You didn’t knock hard enough,” he said, yawning as he pulled me on top of him.

  I held my breath as I tried to ignore the sweetness of his breath. “If I was to hazard a guess, I’d say you needed me, or maybe even longed for me.”

  “Don’t get carried away.” I smiled as I kissed him softly, finally giving in to temptation.

  He brushed his tongue lightly against mine, teasing me.

  God, he tasted delicious.

  Every inch of my body trembled from the kiss. He made me want him badly.

  The kiss intensified. So much so, that all common sense went flying out the window. In its place, was a crazed virgin in need of her first lover. Alex tugged at my sweater, pulling it over my head. I loosened my jeans, and together, we slid them off, tossing them to the floor. I lay under him in my underwear as he looked down at me, assessing every inch of my body with his eyes flashing red.