by Jess Parry
She landed on the unbearably cold floor roughly, biting her tongue; she felt the coppery warmth fill her mouth. Glancing around she could make out the glowing shapes on the floor as the people continued to dance around her. Blinking sharply to stop the onslaught of tears from falling, she looked around for Simon. Realizing she was sitting on the floor, she started to rise, stopping suddenly, she gawked at the couple a few feet in front of her. They were entangled in an embrace as they danced to the pounding music.
Mesmerized, Siobhan watched as the man who was considerably taller than the woman in his arms fondled her. The room began to swim lazily before her as she felt her knees buckle sliding back down to the floor. The man continued to run kisses along the woman’s mouth inching slowly down her throat as they moved in synch to the beat. Nimbly he turned the woman so that she was facing away from him as he ran his hands down her side to her hips.
Siobhan felt her mouth dry as yearning began running through her body. The man’s long nimble fingers reached under the woman’s shirt to the bare skin exposed. She watched hypnotized as he slowly trailed his mouth seductively down the woman’s throat. The woman’s eyes were closed; her head falling back lazily onto his wide chest. Siobhan had to almost close her eyes as the random flashing lights grazed his features. He was beautiful; his hair was a dark choppy mess on a lanky face, his jet black eyes sparkled in the strobe flash. Unable to look away, Siobhan continued to watch as the man’s strong full lips unrelenting kissed the woman in his arms. Licking her dry lips, she glanced up just as the man turned away from the woman. Their eyes met locking, the man smiled wickedly at Siobhan.
Everything around Siobhan dimmed as only the man before her was crystal clear. Sucking in a breath, Siobhan reached to brace herself against the floor. Her hands wouldn’t budge, looking down to see her hands limply lying in her lap. She willed them to rise, but they were frozen, whipping her head back up she felt panic rising quickly. She could move her head, but from the neck down her body was numb, she couldn’t feel the fabric of her dress or the cold floor. Eyes widening as she opened her mouth trying to scream, but no sound emerged from her.
The man winked at Siobhan, his features distorted slightly, grinning roguishly he showed canine’s extending from his lips. Throwing his head back, barking laughter, he ruthlessly sank his mouth onto the woman’s throat. An expression of sheer ecstasy passed across the woman’s face. Frozen in shock Siobhan couldn’t tear her gaze away. She watched as a trickle of blood ran out of the man’s mouth trailing lazily down the woman’s throat. Looking up sharply as the man let the woman go; Siobhan saw her fall limply at his feet.
He took a step towards Siobhan grinning, his eyes wild; he brought his hand up motioning her towards him. She felt her body start to rise pulling her body towards him. Siobhan wanted to throw herself back down to the ground to keep from rising. Fear encompassed her, she willed herself to stop moving, every fiber in her being screaming to stop, she suddenly fell back down to ground whimpering.
Looking around for Jason or Sarah, someone to see what was happening to stop it. Siobhan’s eyes filled as fear gripped her. Tears started falling, one slid down her face glowing in the darkness. The man crouched before her, his features distorting as he hissed barring his sharp teeth. Siobhan watched as he started to launch himself at her. Closing her eyes she braced herself for the impact.
The impact of feeling the man’s grip escaped her as she expelled a whoosh of air as she felt arms tightly grip around her middle & push her away. The sounds around her once again filling her ears, painfully with the booming bass harshly racking against her body after the silence she had just been through.
She heard the grunt of bodies colliding, as air rushed passed her. She opened her eyes to see the man entangled with another body. They were grunting, rolling around the floor, people scattered as legs kicked and punches were thrown. A glint of silver caught the light, then was gone instantly; Siobhan heard a crunch followed by a wail of pain.
Scrambling back, Siobhan hit the wall, pulling herself up; she started walking slowly against it. The people closed around the two on the floor. The sounds of hooting and hollering rose to a deafening roar as a pool of blackness started pooling beneath the man lying on the floor. The last thing Siobhan saw before the crowd closed out her view, were beautiful bright green eyes staring at her from the stranger straddling the man.
The music continued its relentless pounding rhythmic thump into her ears, she felt along the wall as she inched her way farther from the group. Her breath hitched in her lungs, her fingernails dug into the soft wood along the wall. The scent of bitter copper filling her senses; she had to get out of there. She didn’t care about where Jason or Sarah was or if they were alright. Panic closed around her, closing off what little air she was able to take in. Her lungs screamed for oxygen, her mouth opened and closed, but wouldn’t expel or intake anything. The only thought she could clearly keep was run, escape, she had to get away from everything.
Siobhan stopped as she bumped into something solid. Looking up to see what had stopped her progress. Eyes wild, she saw bright green eyes staring back at her, she felt blackness surround her as she heard a lilting voice whispering “Mine, always mine”.
55
Gathering Storm
6 CHAPTER SIX
The stranger pulled Siobhan up into his arms making his way through the crowd undisturbed out into the night. He carried her to a small park near the club sitting down onto the cool wooden bench. Delicately, he reached trembling hands to Siobhan’s face brushing her loose hair to the side. He silently took in the sight of his beloved before him, as Siobhan’s unconscious body trembled violently in his arms.
Pulling her closer to him he lightly laid his forehead onto hers. Her brow was covered in a light sheen of sweat as heat came off her in waves. Pulling his head back, he touched her check; Siobhan whimpered softly as she leaned into his hand. Growling gently he touched his lips to Siobhan’s as he felt her arms instinctively wrapping around him.
The stranger looked up as the air shimmered around him as Marcus appeared snickering.
“What the hell were you thinking?” the stranger angrily hissed at Marcus
“That I wanted to have some fun” Marcus shrugged his shoulders as he took in Siobhan lying in the stranger’s arms. “No harm, no foul, Ash”
“Foolish that is what you are, where are the others?”
“Simon has them, he would have kept her safe, if you hadn’t of displaced his energy with her earlier”
“She is not to be touched, Simon is lucky I didn’t expel him for what he was about to do” Ash replied firmly as he looked back down at Siobhan
“He got lost in the moment, she has a seduction of her own if you haven’t noticed brother” Sighing Marcus reached out to take Siobhan out of Ash’s arms
“I’m not your brother” he replied hoarsely as he pulled Siobhan closer to him “Just give me a minute”
“Take as long as you like, but she’ll wake soon and best not see you before she truly remembers. Did you not learn the last time you let your impatience take over? You lost her immediately as I recall… you held her one moment and then nothing the next. If that is what you want, fine by me as I was able to spend a hundred years causing havoc among these fools.” Marcus waved his arms widely around him as he looked about
“Shut up, just shut up, I’ll give her to you” rising slowly Ash handed Siobhan over to Marcus.
Marcus cradled Siobhan in his arms grinning. “She is lovely; you must forgive Simon for the temptation to taste”
“Touch her and I will kill you”
Throwing his head back, Marcus bellowed laughter before turning carrying Siobhan away; he reached over lightly touching his finger to her lips. “Time to wake young one, let the night soothe you; your mind will hide the event’s you saw tonight”
Siobhan stiffened in his arms as her eyes shot open; she sucked in a greedy breath of the cool night air. “Wh..what happened?�
�� Siobhan whispered hoarsely at Marcus.
Marcus looked down into her face, noting the color rising to her cheeks erasing some of the pallor. Her eyes were brighter than they should be and he grumbled at that. “You got a little over heated on the dance floor, lovely I brought you outside to get some air”
“There was a man, he wanted to hurt me” The images were fuzzy in Siobhan’s mind shaking her weary head trying to clear it. “We were dancing, Simon and I, then he was gone…green…all I can remember is green” Growling in frustration Siobhan pushed at Marcus trying to wiggle out of his embrace.
Chuckling, Marcus let Siobhan down. “Simon saw something that caught his attention and he left you on the floor. I was making my way to you, when a couple of guys started handling you improperly, love. I don’t recall anything green”
“No, you were not there; I know you weren’t. Where are Jason and Sarah?” Siobhan stumbled away from him. She knew something was wrong, but her mind kept jumping over what had happened in the club. It was sinister, that much she knew as tremors ran up and down her spine.
Marcus hissed softly, he couldn’t believe she could remember as much as she could. Something wasn’t right, his words should have erased everything, yet she was pulling out too much. He watched the emotions run across her face, anger, confusion, fear. He smiled at the last emotion feeling its power rush through him. Wanting ran through his body, he watched her slowly backing away from him. The need to chase engulfed him. Yes, he thought, run like a frightened deer, he wanted to hear her heartbeat race, wanted to feel the blast of the fear engulf her. The power was radiating through her, waves of it crashing into him staggering him. His eyes darkened as his pupils dilated completely he felt his canines begin to descend.
Siobhan continued to back away from Marcus, something was wrong; she felt it in her bones. Her body was pushing her to run, she had to get away. Her feet ached to push off, pounding into the sidewalk pulling her anywhere but where she was at this moment. The park surrounded her ominously. The trees swaying in the night breeze, the benches scattered throughout the area sat empty of people. There was no one here to help her, looking around wildly she realized she was standing in a fork of the sidewalks, it trailed directions around her lazily leading to an exit out she hoped.
She took a steading breath before choosing the path to her right, just as she raised her foot to push off, laughter filled the air.
“There you are Becky!” Sarah screeched as she ran over to Siobhan. “Girl, we have been looking everywhere for you!”
Sarah pulled Siobhan into a quick hug before turning away “Guys, she’s over here with Marcus” Sarah bellowed to her left. Siobhan watched as Simon and Jason came running from the direction Sarah had yelled.
Jason got to Siobhan before Simon did, quickly pulling her into his arms. She fell into the embrace as pulled him closer to her breathing in his scent. Her senses calming, she exhaled the breath she had been holding. A cool breeze wandered through the group, caressing each affectionately as it calmed them. Marcus shook his head blinking rapidly clearing his thoughts. Simon sauntered over to Sarah flinging his arm around her.
“Brother, what were you about to do?” Simon whispered silently for only Marcus to hear
Marcus raised one eyebrow as he turned to Simon “The same thing you almost did in the club brother” his reply silently crept into Simon’s ears. “Tell me brother, what would you have done if Ash hadn’t stopped you?”
Simon shook his head before responding to Marcus “She is strong, stronger than the rest, I just wanted a taste…”
“He will banish you if you touch her again…give them something to change the mood, fear is still lingering…my control is slipping”
Sighing loudly Simon turned to Siobhan and Jason; walking over he leaned down to Siobhan. Breathing softly into her face
“Lovely, let’s be on another adventure tonight shall we?”
Siobhan breathed in the cloves and cinnamon, there was an underlying bitter copper scent lingering around her. She felt her limb’s loosening their grip on Jason. Giggling she looked over as Sarah leaned her head against Simon’s chest.
“What shall we do lovelies?” Simon asked smirking at Marcus
“I want to go back to the club” Sarah whined
“Ah, don’t think that would be a good idea” Marcus cleared his throat as he walked over looping his arm through Siobhan’s. “There is a little pub just down the way, which has a lovely band playing tonight”
“That sounds boring” Sarah wistfully looked at the direction of the club
“Come on lovely, you and I can go on to the club. Marcus we’ll meet you at O’Rileys shortly”
Simon turned and started walking back towards the club with Sarah wrapped around his waist.
“Toodles” Sarah called back
“Come on, they won’t stay too long as I think the bouncer will not be as welcoming” Marcus muttered
Jason pulled Siobhan out of Marcus embrace, sighing Marcus turned motioning them to follow. They made their way in the opposite direction of the club. The evening air had a bitter chill to it seeping into Siobhan’s bones. She felt cold all over; she shivered in Jason’s embrace. She leaned closer into Jason as he pulled her to him tighter. Her fingers were numb, but she held tightly onto Jason clinging to his stability.
Marcus was a few feet ahead of them, his agile body moved easily over the cobble stones unlike the clumsy steps Jason and Siobhan made. Siobhan watched his feet touch the stones suddenly noticing no sound emanated from his foot falls. She could hear the click of her shoes and light smack of Jason’s shoes as they walked, but silence encircled Marcus.
Marcus smiled to himself as he felt Siobhan watching him. Her fear washed over him, he felt an underlying power simmering within her. She had yet to tap into it and for now he was content to absorb her fear, it gave him additional strength to keep up his glamour. That glamour he held dimmed his iridescent eyes from humans. The chaos that ran through his blood was tamed by Siobhan’s quiet shudders. He knew he would need to leave them soon and feast, but for now he could manage.
Marcus stopped abruptly in front of dimly lit tavern opening a thick wooden door that had several symbols carved into the dark word. The intricate design called to Siobhan as she neared the entrance. Reaching out she tentatively brushed her fingertips over the deeply chiseled designs. She felt the door humming as she continued to follow the pattern. Power washed over her, closing her eyes she embraced the longing that soaked into her. She felt her heart pulling her to turn away, but the yearning to step through the archway into the darkness was overbearing.
Taking a deep breath she glanced up at Marcus who was looking down at her with an eyebrow arched curiously. A rainbow of color emanated from his eyes and Siobhan instinctively took a step back from him. His features were suddenly sharper; his lips were darker, fuller and wantonly calling to her. She felt herself falling; she felt whispers clawing at her body. Her heart was racing as darkness once again began clouding her vision. Her lungs started to scream for air, exhaling the breath she had been holding she greedily inhaled the cool night air.
“Hey Siobhan, you ok?”
Turning to Jason, she blinked as the words he had just asked became clearer. The laughter coming from inside the tavern was no longer tiny, but clear. Glancing at Marcus his features were normal, but a slight scowl framed his mouth.
“I’m fine” Siobhan responded as she took the first step through the door.
The old wood floor creaked slightly from her weight as she continued inside the tavern. The wall sconces held actual torches as firelight danced across the chipped walls. Jason followed behind her holding her hips with his hands. As they came into the main part of the tavern, several booths were occupied and Siobhan felt several eyes watching them as they crossed to the bar.
Marcus silently passed them walking over to the bar as Siobhan and Jason pulled out a couple of stools. The old man behind the bar looked quizzically at Ja
son, then Siobhan, just as he started to open his mouth to say something to them.
“Seamus, they are with me, I’m having my usual, get them whatever they want” Marcus voice rose above the voices inside.
“Since when did you start to bring you’re…”
“Seamus, just get the damn drinks” Marcus voice grew deeper and Siobhan thought she caught a glimmer of light shoot out towards the older man. She watched as the weathered face of the bar keeps closed his lips into a thin line as he reached over pulling a bottle off the shelf. He hastily tugged off the cork, instantly a deep copper scent clung to Siobhan. He tipped the bottle over a tall wine glass as liquid black as a starless night began filling the glass.
The rich aroma of earth mingled with the copper scent, Siobhan felt her mouth water. Marcus took the glass and swallowed deeply from the rich dark liquid. Closing his eyes; Siobhan watched a tiny shiver run through his body.
“What is that?” Siobhan asked as she learned closer to Marcus taking in a deep inhale as the aroma surrounded her.
“This is an old wine love, I doubt you would like it, as it’s very potent” Marcus replied before taking a smaller sip this time. He watched her watching him as he raised the glass to his lips. Siobhan licked her lips as she saw the dark liquid disappear into his mouth.
“You are welcome to try a sip, but I promise love, you will not like it” Marcus held the glass out to her.
Taking the stem, she brought the glass closer to her inhaling its scent; she felt darkness clouding her vision. She heard the sea crashing against the shore, the salty brine of the air closing around her. She brought the glass to her lips and tipped it just enough for a small sip. Her eyes closed as she felt the warmth slide down her throat, coating her everywhere inside.
Beads of sweat broke out on her upper lip, a single tear slide down her cheek catching the light. Marcus reached over catching the tear before it fell to the floor. Siobhan opened her eyes and watched as he took the tip of his finger to his lips licking the tear off. Pleasure filled Siobhan as Marcus features twisted into ecstasy; he looked back at Siobhan with a devilish grin.
