by N. M. Howell
“No love interests? A beautiful vampling such as yourself must draw the attention of all the men around here. Your heart must have at least been claimed by someone? If not here, then perhaps back home?”
I sighed and sat down on a nearby rock as I looked up into his intoxicating gaze. “No. No love. Not for me.”
“Why not? I thought love would be easier for humans in this day and age,” he said.
I shook my head and closed my eyes, letting my head fall back so I could face the sky. My eyelids glowed from the moonlight above, and I let out a slow breath as I thought back to my days as a human. “I mean, I started college early, left my home, got a part-time job… I never had time for love.”
“That doesn't sound very fulfilling,” he commented.
“It wasn't. I was alone most of the time studying. I had plenty of cyber friends, but I never actually made human contact,” I said while looking down at the dirt. “I guess I wasn't a very good human.”
Adrian knelt down, placed his hands on my shoulders and turned my gaze to his, his lips moving slowly up into a smile that made me swoon like a pathetic schoolgirl. Had I been standing, my knees would have surely given out on me.
“Nonsense, Riley. I'm sure you were a great human. You were trying to better yourself, weren't you? You wanted knowledge. That's a pretty great thing,” he said.
“I suppose,” I whispered. “I guess I just miss having all that time.”
He broke out into laughter suddenly and nearly fell forward into me. I caught him with my arms wrapped around his shoulders as he leaned into my chest.
“Really?” he asked between pants. He seemed to find what I had said to be beyond hilarious.
“Okay, that was a silly thing to say,” I admitted while reluctantly pushing him up, standing myself to join him.
“Exceptionally so. We're vampires now. We have all the time in the world,” he smiled. His eyes gleamed in the moonlight with unshed tears of laugher. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and brush them away. I gripped my hands tightly together behind my back and diverted my gaze down to my feet.
His laughing subsided, as he tilted my chin up with his fingers, our eyes locking, searching one another in silence for a long moment. His eyes were marvelous, like stars glimmering from the distant places in space surrounding our minuscule planet. The world didn't seem so large and overwhelming with him near. No, it all felt peaceful. The breeze greeted my face followed by his hand, smoothing over my silky skin and marking a trail to my ear. They grazed my lobe, traced the pulsing vein in my neck, and then slid under my chin again.
I averted my gaze quickly, but he brought me back up to eye level without missing a beat. He was beaming. His eyes washed over me like a tidal wave, crashing over my forehead and down the bridge of my nose to my lips. They stopped. I took a shaky breath while he leaned forward, his fingers still fixed to my chin. He pulled me into his lips, and I melted. They were so soft, like the petals of a budding rose in a deserted field. They nourished me with strength and pulled me down into a gentle hum of coaxing whispers.
“We need to change that,” he whispered in my ear when he finally pulled his mouth from mine. A soft moan escaped my lips as we parted.
“Change what?” I asked, my voice breathless.
He wrapped an arm around me as he laid me out on the dirt path, his mouth returning to mine, deepening the kiss.
“Your loneliness.” The deep growl of his voice ignited a fire within me I hadn’t felt in ages. I could feel his arousal as he pressed his body up against mine, and I shivered as he decorated my chin with his lips. They fell down to my neck, nipped at my main artery, and then slipped beneath my blouse to find my breasts swelling with every breath.
I gasped as his hand lifted my skirts, bunching them up at my sides. His lips remained pressed to my chest and slipped underneath my bra, pulling the clothing aside eagerly with his teeth. Clever hands traced the soft skin of my thigh sending a shiver through my very core.
“Adrian,” I whispered.
He pushed himself up to meet my gaze, his eyes sparkling with desire.
“What?” he asked.
“Don't stop,” I replied.
A sly smirk crossed his lips, and his eyes glittered with mischief as his hand returned to under my skirts. My eyes remained hooked to the mesmerizing blue of his gaze sucking me in as his fingers tore through the final layers of my clothing. I couldn't stop looking at them. They were dangerous, those eyes, and they were about to drown me in their ecstatic wonder.
His lips grazed mine, and I met them hungrily, sighing as his miraculous fingers traced the most sensitive spot between my legs, eliciting a growl from deep within me. I moaned and took a deep breath as he shifted his lips to the top of my breast. His tongue slipped beneath my bra again and lapped at my erect nipple. His fingers began working furiously between my legs and I bucked into his hand, desire threatening to rip me in two.
I arched my back and pressed into him. His lips remained fixed to my breast and sucked dutifully, causing my hips to roll in tandem with his practiced fingers. I grabbed hold of his jaw with my shaking hands and pulled his mouth up to meet my own. He tasted sweet and I moaned into his firm lips as he held me close with his one free hand.
Every caress brought with it a wave of elation, swooping me up into the air and, without delay, dropping me suddenly. It felt like a tidal wave or a roller coaster, reminding me of steep hills and winding roads. Each stroke felt like I had rolled over in my sleep, falling from an imaginary cliff and landing into soft pillows. His lips dragged down my neck, the sharp edge of his fang tracing my skin.
I hissed. I grew increasingly desperate, my eyelids drooping drunkenly as I gyrated and shivered. With languid ease, he slipped his free fingers behind my neck and pressed his thumb over my throat, tenderly applying pressure.
The motion elicited a primal wail. He pinned me gently to the ground and took my bottom lip between his teeth, pricking my vulnerable skin with his fangs. A gasp escaped my lips as warm, salty blood trickled down my chin. He lapped at the wound and I smiled in pure bliss, tracing my tongue over my bottom lip to taste it. Our tongues danced together to an invisible melody, circulating and plunging into each other’s mouths.
Just when my body began to quiver and I could hardly take it anymore, he pulled off the remainder of his own clothing and I wrapped my legs around his hips to pull him close. With our mouths locked together and his fingers intertwined in my own, he pressed himself deep inside me with one swift, deep motion. I screamed into his mouth at the sensation if him filling me, and let my head fall back and my eyes lose focus as we writhed in passionate embrace, making love under the moonlight.
Chapter Six
“Riley! What a surprise!”
I smiled timidly as I sat down at the round table with Draven and Lady Serenity. Adrian sat in the seat to my right. I looked over at him with a shy grin and then looked back at Draven who implored for an explanation with his eyes.
“I figured it was time for a visit,” I said with a shrug. A number of days had passed since my secret meeting with Adrian under the moon light, and we had spent the last few days engaging in deep conversation, getting to know each other on a deeper level.
“It took a little convincing, but here we are,” Adrian announced.
Draven raised his eyebrows.
“I'm curious as to what you might have said to convince our lovely budding vampire to attend. Her last visit wasn't as...well, it wasn't very pleasant,” Draven explained.
I flushed slightly and looked down at the wooden table, picking at a chipped piece.
“I just figured I need to become accustomed to the rituals here,” I replied.
“You missed your feeding,” Draven pointed out. “We'll have to get you hooked up immediately after dinner.”
“Of course,” I said.
“I would love to come along if that would be alright,” Adrian said.
I looked over at him and nodded.
“I would like that,” I whispered.
Silence fell over the table. I watched Draven and Lady Serenity exchange a curious glance as Adrian took a goblet from one of the servants. He raised the cup to his superiors.
“To Riley,” he announced. “May her transition be of ease.”
They each raised their goblets and took a long sip, setting them down shortly after. I took a deep breath and kept my eyes from wandering around the grand dining hall. It was a lavish cafeteria decorated with a multitude of antique lamps, portraits, and a few modern tables. The one we sat at was particularly round and set off in the corner away from the rest of the group. It seemed purposeful that Adrian chose it, not to mention that his maker and my beloved mentor were occupying said table.
“You know, I once had a pupil who also had an aversion to blood,” Draven commented.
I raised a curious brow.
“He was a small fellow, about your frame size, and he simply couldn't bring himself to bite. The little man was quite talented with luring humans into the nest for feasting, but he would have to leave the room while the blood was being drained,” he explained.
“I think I recall that young man. Wasn't he from the states?” asked Lady Serenity.
“He was a Scot, actually. Quite a strapping young thing. He made such a wonderful fang,” he replied.
“Was that Alban?” she asked.
“Yes, that was Alban. He keeps in tough regularly,” he replied.
“He left?” I interrupted.
“Yes, he left a number of years ago to create our sister coven just across the sea,” Draven replied.
“I didn't think anyone was allowed to leave,” I wondered out loud.
“On very special occasions, yes. Sirus appointed Alban to our sister coven in order to branch out our online business. It was to help us double our revenue to keep our coven alive and well. We can't very well afford this sort of lavish living on a regular paycheck,” Draven explained.
A round of chuckles erupted at the table, and I joined them, tittering as Adrian took my hand beneath the table. I smiled.
“Eventually, you will be given a job as well. You could even apprentice with me in the basement,” he offered.
“Really?” I asked with surprise.
“Of course! I believe it would be beneficial to you to learn a new skill. It would encourage you to really integrate,” he replied.
Adrian squeezed my hand and I smiled wide.
“I think I would enjoy that,” I whispered.
“It's no easy job, but I'm sure you could pick it up easily. I need help organizing my desk, filing papers, and keeping up with experiments. I could show you how to mix potions and even how to cast one day,” he went on.
My smile grew.
“I could become an alchemist,” I gasped. “I've never even dreamed of such a thing.”
“You could become much more than that, Riley. You could lead us to the very edges of creation. Remember how you told me about your science studies in college? It would be triple the excitement. Your brain was made for learning, young one,” he explained.
“This is more than just a frivolous collection of fangs surviving in the forest,” Lady Serenity added. “We're a real family. We advance ourselves as much as possible.”
“We're always ahead of the human game,” Adrian chimed in.
“And you can be part of that,” Draven affixed. “With Lady Serenity's help, you'll be prepared for your ritual and you can be part of the most extravagant family you'll ever have known.”
“And we'll never leave you behind,” Adrian whispered.
“Never?” I asked breathlessly.
I studied his blue eyes as the rest of the room became a blur of white noise and unnecessary chatter. Everything faded as I looked into those blue pools. Surely, I was drowning now. I couldn't pull myself from this tide.
And I didn't want to.
“This bond is eternal,” he replied. “And that means this is forever.”
Chapter Seven
I knelt down on the crimson carpet and bowed my head while placing my right hand over a black book. There was no inscription on the front cover. It was merely a black hardcover with gold laid into the binding.
“Now repeat the vows back to me,” Lady Serenity instructed.
“I promise to uphold the customs of Tempest Legion to my greatest ability and beyond,” I began. “And may the blood I spill tonight represent the blood binding me to my coven.”
“Who presents you to this coven on your birthday?” she asked.
“Draven, the alchemist,” I replied.
“Draven will say that, of course,” she reminded me. “But it'll do for now.”
I chuckled lightly and kept my head bowed.
“And what should happen when you do not uphold your vow to Tempest Legion?” she implored.
“I shall be taken to the woods in order to be burned at the stake,” I replied. “And may my soul be taken back by the very gods who created me.”
A cold sensation trickled up my spine and caused the hair on the back of my neck to stand. I shuddered.
“Rise, young vampling. We bring to you the tribute to be paid. Bite the neck as proof of your allegiance and drink freely from the blood that flows,” Lady Serenity instructed.
I rose from the ground and watched carefully as she pretended to bring me a human. With a flushed face, I leaned forward and opened my mouth. My fangs extended to meet the invisible flesh.
“Welcome to the coven!” she announced with a tender smile.
She clapped her hands together and wrapped me into a hug, swaying me side to side with enthusiasm.
“This is going to be an amazing party, love,” she whispered tenderly. “I just can't wait to call you a sister fang.”
“I'm excited, too,” I squeaked. “I think too excited. I've gotten a bit light-headed.”
I raised my hand to my temple and rubbed it gently in circles. The room was beginning to spin. A strange gurgling erupted from my stomach and I frowned while covering my mouth.
“Oh, darling! It's gone straight to your head. You must have a seat,” she insisted while setting me down in a chair.
My hand remained fixed to my mouth as she hopped over to the phone to call for Draven.
“It's no wonder you're so dizzy. The time is late for your feeding. Draven will be up immediately,” she announced.
“Oh, that's alright,” I hummed. “I'll be just fine as soon as...”
I fell from the chair. Lady Serenity gasped and fell to my side, cradling my head in her hands. It lolled around as I tried to regain a sense of my surroundings, my vision going black.
“I can't see!” I cried. “Why can't I see?”
“I think you're going into shock,” she replied.
The door flew open seconds later, the room plunging into a chaotic whirlwind that I couldn't decipher. I felt the familiar pinch in my arm, tasted the patch of saline on my tongue, and felt the rush of fluid entering my blood stream. It flushed my system. As my eyes focused, I blinked rapidly and gasped for air.
“What's going on?” I wheezed.
“Your body is rejecting the serum completely,” Draven explained. “You're going into shock since you haven't had a proper feeding. I'm afraid nothing I do will help.”
“But you're my doctor,” I argued.
“Hush, please. You're going to wear yourself thin by speaking,” he replied. “Serenity, get to the phone. Call Sirus. We need an emergency intervention.”
“Intervention…?”
Draven covered my lips with a finger and shushed me, then pushed a lock of black hair from my face. My eyes rolled around listlessly, incapable of focusing on any particular object. The entire room was a giant blur. As I began to cry, Draven stroked my hair and softly hummed his ancient lullaby. The touch of his hand kept me close to reality, but I continued drifting in and out regardless.
I saw the flash of lights in the hallway, recognized the pain
ting of our eldest coven member, and then heard the sound of his voice crying out for an explanation. Adrian. It came in waves through the black spots over my blurry vision. Nothing in particular stood out. I caught each piece as it hovered over my motionless body and let it drift away as new information presented itself.
“Riley, can you hear me?”
My eyes rolled around trying to find the source of the familiar, husky voice.
“Riley, please say something...”
“I can't...” I croaked.
A hand rested over my cheek as a light shined into my eyes, causing me to wince. Something cold entered my blood stream and I shook my head.
Not human blood, I thought. Please, not human blood.
Chapter Eight
“Riley, wake up.”
My eyes slowly opened, my lids as heavy as lead, and I sat up quickly from the bed with my hand pressed to my heart. It was beating rapidly. My chest heaved, and my blood rushed through my ears, clouding my hearing briefly before settling down to a gentle hum. When it stopped, I looked around.
“You're in my bed chambers,” Sirus informed me.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed with his hand on my shoulder. Panic coursed through my veins as I tried to remember anything I possibly could from before I blacked out. Please, not human blood. My body chilled as I froze in place, my mind running a mile a minute trying to process what had happened. Every muscle of my body was in knots, locked with the penetrating fear that I had just broken my most sacred promise to myself.
“You had quite a spell downstairs. It frightened us to pieces,” he continued. “They brought you here for an intervention. I knew you were too weak to feed, so I injected you with some of my blood to bring you back to me.”
My muscles relaxed. I sighed with relief and closed my eyes. My body felt right again and my heart rate slowed as I regained my composure. I wasn't dizzy and my vision wasn't spotty like before. The room wasn't spinning and the bed felt comfortable. Everything was as it should be. And I hadn't ingested human blood.
