Dark Love (The Two Vampires, #3)

by M. D. Bowden

  ‘Don’t worry Sarah,’ said Daniel. He looked intently into her eyes, ‘Don’t worry.’

  Sarah felt his influence seep into her, and she started to relax.

  ‘What’s wrong with me?’ she asked.

  As he started to talk she took in his words, letting them slowly sink in to her mind. . . .

  ‘You died Sarah - when we were fighting Sebastian. He killed you. I’m so sorry.’

  ‘I’m dead? What? - I’m a vampire?’ she asked, starting to cotton on.

  ‘Yes, it’s because we shared blood. I’m sorry,’ he said again, pained.

  Images surfaced in Sarah’s mind, she had been fighting a woman. But she was Sebastian - he had possessed her. Then her memory stopped, and she remembered waking up in the forest. She remembered the deer, the blood.

  Megan, crying in her room.

  Megan. Bea.

  ‘My children - are they ok?’ she asked, panicking.

  Her children were only small, two and five years old. Her two girls.

  ‘Yes, they are with your parents. Don’t worry. Don’t think about them now,’ he said.

  Again Sarah felt overcome by his influence, and her thoughts relaxed again. The panic made her thoughts jumble. Relaxing helped.

  ‘Blood, I need blood. Why might I die? Again,’ she smirked. His influence had taken the pain, and the panic, out of her mind. She felt like she had just taken a calming drug.

  ‘New vampires need human blood, or they will die. I’m sorry, I don’t know why,’ he said.

  ‘But, I don’t want to hurt anyone. When I drained that deer I couldn’t stop.’ Sarah felt concerned; her longing for blood was increasing and talking about it did not help. But what if she killed someone? Enough humanity still existed in her not to want that.

  ‘I will help you, I will stop you killing. I will be right there, with you when you feed. I will pull you off if need be.’

  Sarah looked into his beautiful dark eyes. Darkness had fallen, yet she could still see. Her senses were heightened. Yet she felt jittery, her throat was really beginning to hurt.

  ‘Daniel . . .’ she started.

  ‘Yes?’ he spoke, softly, tantalizingly.

  ‘I think I need blood now.’

  Daniel stood in one swift movement, taking her hands and pulling her to her feet. She felt the electricity afresh, but she could ignore it now. The need for blood was consuming.

  ‘I will take you to a house in the woods. I will influence someone to leave, and you can drink from them. Don’t worry,’ he soothed. ‘It won’t be long.’

  Sarah felt reassured as he clutched her hand tightly. He started to walk, then sped up – moving faster than she could imagine. And she could keep pace! She was moving of her own abilities, merely guided in direction by him.

  Her body was really becoming dry. She was so parched. She felt tight, like she needed something; blood she guessed. Blood. Desire filled her and she felt her teeth extending in anticipation. If Daniel hadn’t been guiding her, she would have found it hard to concentrate on moving at all. Her senses were extending. She could hear heart-beats everywhere - birds in the trees and mice and bats and deer and bear.

  They were overwhelming her. Pounding was coming from everywhere, every direction.

  Daniel started to slow so she did too, becoming giddy – stars obscuring her vision.

  ‘Sarah – Sarah!’

  Sarah knew it was Daniel talking, but he sounded far away. She felt the ground beneath her knees as she crumpled down.

  ‘Sarah – you will be ok. Wait here my love, I won’t be long.’

  Sarah couldn’t reply, her thoughts were becoming hazy and her throat was bone dry. She tried to swell saliva around her mouth – but it was no use, she couldn’t produce any no matter how hard she tried. She let herself lie down, after all – Daniel would be with her soon. It would be ok if she slept. . . .

  She was drifting, seeing red blood dripping – running down the trees, pooling on the ground. Then her taste buds sprang to life. Something was seeping into her mouth, touching her lips. She tentatively let her mouth open, allowing more delightful, life giving warmth to enter. Her teeth were doing funny things again – it felt like they were growing in her mouth. Yet she was lost in the blood.

  Blood. Ahhh - she opened her mouth wider, instinct took over and she bit hard, through the warm flesh that was pushed softly against her lips. Fresh blood poured down her throat, and she gulped again, taking in the beautiful life force of the warm human she realized she was grasping on to – holding like her life depended on it.

  She realized in that moment that it did.

  It was her life to take.

  She drank deeper, feeling blood travel around her body, rejuvenating her, giving her life, power.

  She heard words penetrate the edge of her consciousness – ‘Sarah, it’s time to stop my love’, but she blocked them out, so engrossed in the feed.

  Then she felt that someone pulling at her arms, forcing them apart – tugging at the human, a soft and pliable woman, in her arms. She dug her teeth in deeper, not willing to let the woman go, but fingers entered her mouth by force, pushing her teeth apart, and the women was pulled from her grasp.

  Sarah’s eyes snapped open. They had been closed for the feed, tightly shutting out anything but the blood, the power.

  Anger flared inside her and she jumped to her feet, a hiss escaping her mouth. Then she gasped, and covered her mouth with her cool fingers as she saw Daniel before her. Realization kicked in; she had nearly killed someone, and that someone was lying before her on the ground, blood at her throat - unconscious.

  Daniel was leaning over the woman, who - now Sarah studied her - had deep brown hair, cut short in a boyish style. But her face was lined and her skin was pale.

  Daniel was pressing his wrist against her lips - his blood was dripping into her mouth. Jealously bubbled in her veins, she wanted to rip Daniel away from her. She didn’t want anyone else to taste his blood.

  Yet she resisted – the woman’s blood was in her veins, stimulating her senses. Sarah’s thoughts were clearing. Things were starting to make sense, but conflicting emotions wracked her body, conflicting desires.

  She still wanted the woman for herself – she wanted to rip her life away, take her power. Yet the part of her that remained from when she was human wanted to nurse her, to look after her, to save her.

  Sarah took a deep breath to steady herself, to keep control. She moved closer to Daniel and went to her knees next to him – watching closely. She saw that color was returning to the woman’s cheeks, and realized she was swallowing Daniel’s blood, that she was still alive.

  Sarah exhaled in relief, and was relieved twofold to realize that she still cared. She realized she wanted more than anything to care, to keep her humanity.

  She resolved right there that she would not lose herself to the blood again. She would be strong. She would resist the desire of intoxication and stay true to herself.

  CHAPTER 3

  Daniel saw the woman was reviving – she was ok.

  Phew - she had responded to his blood.

  He had only just managed to save her in time as Sarah really had not wanted to let go. He hadn’t relished forcing her mouth apart, ripping the woman away from her, but if he had not Sarah would have killed her.

  He glanced back at Sarah now. She looked stunning; her blond hair was wild and tangled, she had blood smudged around her lips and her eyes looked feral. She looked like a beast, a demon.

  But he could see her humanity glowing from within, deeper inside, in her soul – it was fighting the bloodlust that threatened to consume her. He gave her the briefest of smiles as she knelt down by his side and watched as the woman awoke. Sarah was doing well. Well – at least she wasn’t fighting him, wasn’t still trying to kill the woman.

  That had to be a good thing.

  He looked back at the woman on the ground. She was blinking - coming to but confused to be out in the dark, not
knowing or remembering what had happened. Daniel could smell her blood, and he was hungry so it smelt divine. There was no way he could drink any of her blood. Even though his blood was healing her it would be too much of a risk to feed on her now, she was still too fragile.

  Daniel could sense there were more people in the house as he could hear their hearts beating. He listened carefully and realized they were sleeping. It sounded like there was a man, probably the husband of the woman before him, and two children. Their smaller hearts were a giveaway with their faster rhythms.

  He had stopped at the first house they had come to as he had been seriously worried for Sarah’s safety. He couldn’t bear the thought of the pain if she hadn’t gotten blood in time - his heart hurt just thinking of it.

  As soon as they had arrived at the house Sarah had collapsed to the ground and, in a panic, Daniel had influenced the closest person to come outside. It had taken a lot of his power, and he still had a fair amount of influencing to do if he and Sarah were to leave here with no trouble.

  For that he needed human blood. Animal blood just would not cut it - the bear had not been enough. He needed strength.

  He wasn’t sure he had enough energy to influence the man to come outside, but he thought of another plan.

  As the woman opened her eyes and focused on his, fear plainly evident on her face, Daniel quickly projected influence. He projected calming thoughts, easing her fear.

  Then he said, ‘Forget you met us. Forget what happened. Go inside, clean your neck and return to your husband. Wake him up – tell him you heard banging and insist he goes outside to investigate. When he leaves the house go to sleep and rest, recuperate.’

  She nodded, and climbed to her feet, turning towards her house. Daniel saw she was wearing a long, pale nightdress making her look like an apparition in the dark. But looks were deceiving – she was normal. It was he and Sarah who were out of place here.

  Daniel turned to Sarah and took her in his arms, she felt cool and he ran his hands over her soft hair – pulling out a couple of leaves from the mess. She started to sob against him, and Daniel held her tighter, comfortingly, lovingly.

  He heard footsteps from within the house, sneaking down the stairs. He didn’t want to miss this opportunity, so raised Sarah’s chin with his fingers until her eyes met his.

  ‘Sarah – I need blood too. A man is coming now – will you wait and watch?’

  Sarah nodded uncertainly. He could see the doubt in her eyes, the fear at what she might do, but she stepped away into the shadows of the house, and he was proud. Proud she was showing some control and understanding.

  He smiled to himself as the front door of the small, dark - yet neatly maintained - house opened. A man stepped out onto the porch, into the night and the danger that waited.

  He looked tall and his face was lined too – he was probably about forty-five - yet he looked old for his years. Stubble graced his cheek and hair streaked with gray was flattened against his head. He carried a heavy torch, presumably as a weapon as he was holding it high - yet it was not turned on.

  Fueled by thirst, by his own blood lust, he wanted to charge at the man – to sink in his teeth and drain his blood. But he had long been fighting that instinct. He needed to be strong, psychologically, to keep control. The thought of hurting people repelled him. If he gave in, just once, the guilt would consume him.

  Also he had to be strong for Sarah as he had to teach her how this was done.

  He knew she would be watching and he knew she would want the blood for herself.

  He approached the man slowly, watching as he looked about. He was on alert for danger. Daniel could see him clearly as he had the advantage of enhanced eyesight. He would need to be very close before the man would notice him.

  Daniel stepped into his field of view and waved to get his attention.

  ‘Hi,’ Daniel said. The man looked startled, not sure what to do. He lowered the torch slightly, but separated his legs and stood firm. He wasn’t sure of Daniel yet.

  Daniel stepped closer and said, ‘Sorry if I disturbed you. I’m lost. Which way is it into town?’

  The man looked like he wasn’t sure about answering at all, and stumbled over his words.

  ‘Th-, that way,’ he said, jabbing the torch through the air to his left.

  Daniel stepped closer again, starting to project a calming, trusting influence. This took no-where near as much power as influencing someone to leave a house, and it had instant effect. The man in front of him visibly relaxed and Daniel stepped right up to him.

  ‘Now – don’t worry – this won’t hurt much,’ Daniel said, strongly projecting now.

  Daniel held him on his shoulder with one hand, while using the other to pull his neck to the side, exposing his beautiful jugular. The man barely resisted, now so wholly under Daniel’s influence that he did not say a word.

  Daniel watched his pulse for a moment, in awe of the life force beating inside him. Then he gave in. He let his teeth extend, feeling them tingle delightfully, and sunk them through the man’s skin, piercing his artery with a precise, practiced touch.

  Warm liquid flowed down his throat, making him feel whole again, making him strong. Daniel gloried in the experience. It wasn’t often – well, not until recently anyway – that he fed on humans. Usually animal blood was enough to sustain his activities. His life of late had become more challenging and it required a higher cost. Daniel savored the taste and the way the blood made him feel. It enhanced his own life force, filling him with a sense of control, of all encompassing energy.

  Of course – that which he gained; the man lost.

  As he felt him weaken Daniel retracted his teeth. It still took serious effort to do this, but he managed; he always did in the end. As he pulled away from the man he looked up at his dazed face and felt pity as he saw the man staring off into the dark. He had fallen into a trance. That was sometimes the effect of the feed. When Daniel got truly lost in the blood his mind had a hypnotic effect on his victim.

  Daniel extended his teeth once more and bit into his own wrist. He pushed it against the man’s mouth, letting a little blood enter. He didn’t need much, and as soon as Daniel saw his neck was starting to heal, he withdrew his wrist. It healed straight away.

  Now for the influence again, thought Daniel, feeling weary. All he wanted to do was get back to Sarah, to be with her, to spend time with her, to kiss her . . .

  He glanced back, wondering how she was holding up. He was impressed she had not jumped him, or any such thing, as he had been feeding. He saw she had emerged from the shadows, in fact his own heart accelerated for an instant as he realized she was close behind him. She had silently moved nearer while he had been feeding.

  Her eyes were shining; a mixture of bloodlust, intrigue and beauty. Yet she was not soaring in for the feed, she was watching patiently – entranced by the blood, yet hesitant and unsure of her passions and where they could lead.

  Daniel gave her a fleeting smile, before turning back to the man. In that moment he saw her return the smile, devastating him with her beauty, her understanding. Her eyes had sparkled with wild energy and his eagerness to be with her increased.

  He hurried to influence the man before him.

  ‘Snap out of the trance and go upstairs. Clean your neck and forget this ever happened,’ he told him.

  He watched briefly as the man turned and headed back into his house, before turning himself, but not to a house; to Sarah - beautiful Sarah who was his, who he loved so much. He took her back into his arms, holding her around the waist and looking into her eyes.

  He grinned. He couldn’t help himself. All the worry about her turning; yet here she was before him. Amazing. Glowing. Succeeding at this life. She was still the same beautiful woman, but she was enhanced – her skin was more pure, her heart filled with compassion, she sparkled, and she grinned back. She grinned at him, his happiness seeping into her.

  Of course; he had influenced her not to worry
, or even think, about her children. That probably helped her ability to grin back. But he could not overload her, he would not. It was one thing at a time for Sarah. He would let her deal with this slowly and in the best way he could. His influence would wear off soon anyway, as it would not last long now she was a vampire. It helped that he was older than her, but with the blood consumption comes power; the power to resist mind control.

  Thoughts of her children would soon break through.

  He grinned at her harder, his jaw aching with the expression, and she sparkled even more in return. He held her tight and whisked her away from the house. She squealed in delight. Her new vampire senses were obviously kicking in.

  He remembered the euphoria that came with his first feed. It had been sublime. Exquisite. He saw the same emotions on her face, and couldn’t help but play along, enjoy her experience with her.

  He let her body go and took one hand, ‘Ready?’ he asked - directly into her mind. She saw his intention more clearly than if he had spoken aloud, and they both jumped together, catching hold of a high branch and swinging up into the tree. Sarah’s laugh was joyful, and Daniel laughed with her.

  They stood on a narrow branch, which bowed beneath their weight, Daniel catching Sarah’s eye with another grin. He edged closer to the trunk, pushing Sarah between himself and the solid center of the tree, so the branch wouldn’t break beneath them, and so he could kiss her.

  He kissed her there and then, and she kissed him back – losing themselves in each other. His heart was bursting with love; he couldn’t believe the strength of his feelings for her. He could sense her feelings through their embrace and he could feel her returning his love. It made him feel radiant with happiness, with euphoria himself.

  Ahhh, she was heavenly. He kissed her passionately, letting his desire become clear, letting his love flow into her. He opened his soul to her, fueling their connection.

  He felt her respond to him, opening in return as they sensed each other’s essence. Purity and goodwill streaked with darkness and the slightest innate compulsion to kill. The compulsion that was the package you got on becoming a vampire. It was a strange mix, yet he sensed it as strongly in her as he felt it in himself, and he felt her wonder as she sensed those things in him.