I sensed when the arms I’d felt during the night suddenly released me, and the warmth I’d felt at my back left me. There was soft warm wind and smooth luxurious ground underneath me. I knew I had to get up, but my body refused to listen. I feared in these past couple of weeks I’d lost too much blood, so my body was still trying to restore itself with more sleep.
Not really knowing for how long I slept, I opened my eyes and saw… I lay on a black stretch of desert. I took some, fisting it in my hands and inspected the grains; letting it slip through my fingers on an exhaled breath. There was no one with me, so I knew Darius must have been a dream. Even in dreams he keeps me warm, shelters me.
From everything I had encountered so far, I understood I was in another dimension probably in some far away planet. I wasn’t scared because Darius’s memory was all the strength I would ever need to get back to him, or I knew he would find me- he always did. I was wishing on the small stars I held in my hands. The grains were mostly black like dirt, but the texture was that of sand with dark blue and silver sparkling star-like rocks. It looked as if I was holding diamonds and sapphires mixed in with the black desert I grasped. It was utterly beautiful with a mystifying quality.
There was a loud rumbling noise that shook me and the world around me. I froze.
When the noise stopped, I quickly looked around and suppressed a frightened gasp, seeing I was being held caged in by the beast’s talons digging into the sand. They looked like golden sharp bars all around me. Whatever it was, it was sleeping, taking deep breaths, and making the ground tremble. I had been sleeping on my side, so I half-turned placing all my weight on my forearms and toes as I lifted my neck looking all around me because the palms of the beast were over me.
I need to find a gap wide enough where I could crawl out of- without waking it.
One thing was clear, I still didn’t know what it meant to do to me. Maybe it was saving me as tonight’s dinner; although, I thought it was very unlikely because if that were the case then it needed about twenty of me because I was just under the size of both its palms. Its talons had extended beyond what I’d expected. I too noticed it protected me, covering me against the elements.
Too much trouble to go through if I am to be its food.
I waited for its next breath knowing that would be the best opportunity for me to try to escape; by trying to blend my struggles with the quaking ground.
When it happened, I started crawling out moving as little ground beneath me as possible, but making haste because I was starving, and I knew I needed blood to sustain me. I turned and lifted my arms through the largest gap lifting my knees while I brought the heels of my feet as close to my butt as possible and pushed myself up. I did this continuously as its long breath continued to shake the ground. I was half out when it all stopped, and I stilled. Looking up at it I lay in shock finally seeing the glorious creature for what it was.
Its skin was gray, but unlike the underneath part I had seen, the skin now revealed to me was so much more. Dark like the night yet ethereal, it was a multitude of darkened shades with barely visible grey undertones. The most prominent of the kaleidoscope of hues were the shining dark blue, deep purple, and pewter. These metallic colors covered most of its skin. Its wings were hidden from view, but I knew it- recognized it.
I was trying to hold in my surprised breath because it was terrifyingly beautiful. It reminded me of the fascination when looking at a lion, knowing it could tear you apart, but still being captivated by its beauty just as fear grips you. I waited again catching my breath… slowly, not wanting to wake the dragon. Its eyes were closed, but by all the stories told I knew you never wanted to wake a dragon because its wrath would be unparalleled. When the next breath came, I acted fast breaking free of the manacled cage and ran quickly losing sight of it.
I thought of Darius then and knew this was what he kept from me. He was this being. He had dark claws instead of the golden ones I’d seen. He flew through the cave, trapping me in the alcove as I was about to escape. He said they learned to camouflage, the dragon that caught me- that’s what it was doing camouflaging with the desert. He kept me in a cave for God’s sake. I maximized my efforts fearing Darius had found me.
He slept with me throughout the night, I hadn’t imagined it.
The blazing red-Sun was scorching my pale skin within the time it took me to reach a cave to hide from the dragon.
I knew if I stayed within I would die from hunger, only to awaken weaker and hungrier, but I needed to get out of the Sun. I wasn’t prone to death by it as other vampires were because I was a different kind of breed, but I did feel vulnerable because this Sun’s rays were much stronger, and I knew I couldn’t continue running- I needed rest.
I worked my way into the cave when I heard a growl and stopped still as death.
“Well, well look what the dragon dragged in,” said a man about 6’2” tall. He had slicked back, raven-black hair cut in different lengths tied in the back of his neck by a leather strap. A few locks had fallen lose, and I noticed his hair ran just past his shoulders. In the dark, I could see he was wearing black leather pants, a black soft as silk button down shirt, and I smelled him before I smelled the blood puddled around the dead woman at his feet.
He was exquisite, and I was starved. His eyes were a sudden flash of silver edged fire with a charge-like quality traveling over my skin. I hesitated because he reminded me too much of Eros; although, he was clearly not him.
They had the same hair, same tanned skin, and were dressed the same, but their eyes, which is said to be the windows of the soul, were so utterly different. His eyes were warm, intriguing… rich whiskey brown, rimmed by a moss-green color, and covered with golden flecks- burning right into me while Eros’s were vibrant jade-green, disturbingly beautiful, but distant and calculating.
I turned my attention from him, focused on the blood… wanting it, but at the same time hating myself for wanting the blood wasting on the ground. I tried to ignore how his scent was calling to me, my eyes going from the blood and quickly returning to him. I stood confused because his scent’s calling was stronger than the bloods’ allure.
I studied him for an instant, and now understood why I focused so much on the blood by his feet… I was trying to ignore his scent’s tormenting appeal. He hid something deadly behind his incredibly good looks.
“You’re not a vampire so what are you?” I asked as I prepared myself for the attack I knew would come.
“You mean you’ve never seen one such as me before? I find that hard to believe… a beauty like you. What… were the treasure stalking dragons keeping a jewel like you all to themselves?”
“What are you and why did you kill this woman?” I harshly asked wanting to leave his presence sooner rather than later, but knowing he was the only source of nourishment I might find for quite some time.
“I answer to no one… but you’re the exception, aren’t you… Love?” He smiled while looking me over very thoroughly, covering every bit of my body. He licked the blood that remained on his lips, breathed deeply as I watched him, his hazel eyes landing on my rising chest.
It was obvious he was listening to the erratic pounding of my heart, it was deafening for someone with heightened senses. He knew I was trying to control my reactions while doing everything I could to stay away from them… him- it seemed I preferred my food very much alive and warm.
“You’d like some, So Sweet, wouldn’t you?” I didn’t know if he referred to the blood or me. His eyebrow rose and his smile faded. “Come closer... now. I won’t bite- I promise.”
I ignored his demand and instead asked, “Why did you kill her?”
“The witch lied to me. She said she would help me find someone and failed to do so.”
I looked at the woman realizing she was what I too searched for. I needed to find another like her. “Where did you find her?” I asked as I heard my voice thunder through the cave, and I focused deep into his eyes- seizing his soul.
> His eyes opened wider and glazed over, looking lost. “East, three days from here.”
“I need to drink from you, don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.”
“You won’t hurt me,” he repeated.
“Once I have finished, you will forget you ever saw me. You won’t remember what happened between us.” I explained, cautiously nearing him.
“I won’t be afraid, and I’ll forget,” he whispered.
I was in luck, or maybe it was solely survival instincts kicking in because whatever trance I put him under happened to work now. His scent made my mouth water. I would satisfy myself with his blood, and then I would have the strength I needed to find the witches. I was famished, so I knew for now this was the only way.
Chapter 3: Satisfy your Thirst with My Body
He closed his eyes as his face turned showing me his neck, his thick tantalizing vein was teasing me, quickening… jumping against his skin. Within mere seconds, I was in front of him spreading apart his black silk shirt with my palms spamming his smooth tanned chest, biting down over his heart, with eyes shut, because I didn’t want him hovering over me while I drank from him.
He groaned in ecstasy, it echoed in my mind, while I tasted and felt his reactions to me, his skin prickled with awareness at my touch while his breath hitched every time I drew his blood. He growled deep in his throat, and I reacted by pining him hard against the cave wall.
His skin heated, began igniting his blood- making me gasp. He began losing control. Hearing him groan deeply in submission, “More, I want you to take more!” I heard him say, breathing against my temple. Eagerly listening, I drank more from him.
So much like Eros, endless supply of blood and satisfaction. The more I have the more I want.
I said I wouldn’t hurt him, so I made sure to be as gentle as my fervor would permit… I couldn’t allow myself to lose control. I knew myself well enough to know I couldn’t live with the pain of killing someone because I was too weak to stop. Yet I refused to enter his mind, for some reason I didn’t allow myself to discover what lay there. I chose not knowing anything about him- refusing to form a deeper connection.
His taste wasn’t completely foreign. Tasted of sweet nectar with exotic spice… so powerful, rich… buttery velvet on my tongue, and very fulfilling. Surprisingly, more fulfilling than anyone I’d ever tasted before, perhaps why I was able to keep my control with him. Nothing like I was with Darius and Eros. But I can’t say the same for him because I heard his growl and felt his increasing desire for me throb hard and insistent against my stomach. “Fuck, you’re so good,” he roared. An alarm went off in my head, going automatically on high alert, I looked up, and saw him staring at me with wonder, fascination, and wild unfulfilled hunger.
I backed away quickly… right before his hands closed in around me, and I told him, “Don’t you dare come after me because if you do I won’t hesitate to kill you. Whatever it is you think you want, it’s not worth losing your life.”
He was on the opposite side of me… completely recovered, and intently watching me. “What are you? You smell of dragon, yet there are no known females in their history. You smell like something else infinitely more powerful too.”
“I’m vampire.” I softly said, studying him because he was looking at me like he would soon try to eat whatever it is I was.
“No, you’re not. You are something else entirely.” He affirmed stalking sideways… coming closer to me.
“Look down and you will see I just fed from you.” I instructed walking in an opposing circle. I knew what he was doing. He was herding me away from the entrance.
“Beauty, I felt and watched how you fed from me, and I allowed it- enjoyed you enjoying me. I wouldn’t allow any of your kind to drink from me because they are my eternal enemies. I fought your compulsion just like we can fight other vampire’s compulsion after its initial grip, yet you smelled and felt different… I welcome your nearness.”
“Your mistake and death. You do not want to get caught up in what’s coming for me.” I gave him a final warning.
“What are you?” He asked again as he stopped and looked at me- his hands opening, readying for me. He chose to completely ignore all my warnings.
“Don’t do what you’re thinking, or you will die.” He was fully fixated on me and there was a single-minded drive in his eyes that had me on instant awareness.
“You keep telling me that, yet here I remain. You are what everyone’s been searching for, aren’t you? The witch did not lie.”
“Tell me what you mean!” My voice sounded multidimensional and he automatically spoke.
“She predicted you would come falling from the heavens, and I would conquest through submission what many have tried to gain by force, but she warned me to be diligent in my journey- the Kings pursue… one is upon us, the other… soon will follow you here.” He said repeating the witches warning.
Then he lunged for me, I turned expecting to feel him grabbing me, but to my sheer shock found myself outside the cave running. I realized I must have traced as I looked into the distance searching for an escape and quickly found myself where I looked. I stopped running, momentarily searching for the Sun to find the east direction hoping on this planet things such as gravitational pull worked similar to Earth.
The man is crazed, the desert heat probably did permanent damage, I thought remembering how fanatically he’d watched me.
While I ran and wondered about the stranger’s interest in me, I heard the wings flapping overhead some distance away, and I knew two beasts now followed me. I was feeling such a rush from his blood coursing through my veins, the wind in my hair, and the delicious warmth of the Sun against my skin. It felt incredibly thrilling to be running wild and free, and with everything to give, no holding back. There was so much beautiful freedom in strength and power, and I was running high on a tank full of fuel.
I heard the sound of running water hundreds of miles from here, so my response was to run to it, to seek the safety I sought from both beasts. I needed to hide within the water because they would lose my scent there.
Unfortunately, I never reached it because too soon I heard the snapping talons over me, and realized… I would momentarily be caught. I feigned right, and the dragon landed a few feet from me opening its jaw in a ground trembling growl, showing its sharp teeth.
I fell back as I tried to trace backwards when the man unexpectedly came up behind me grabbing and lifting me by the waist as he threw me over his shoulder.
“Let me go you fool, I’m faster than you.” I said struggling against him, but he had a firm grip on me and wouldn’t loosen his hold.
“No, if I let you go my clan will soon scent you and kill you, or each other to capture you because I gave you directions to them. They have the witches. We trapped the four witches we found at that camp, and now three are our prisoners. And my clan is divided about what to do with you because the witches predicted your arrival.”
I thought about his words, what they meant and studied the dragon, “The dragon is not following us, he’s letting you get away.”
“Because we are in Lycan territory, if he follows a war between us will ensue and we’ve been at peace decades now.”
So Lycans are real too, now everything ceased to surprise me, and I just took it all at face value. I watched the dragon as he saw me looking at him, and I realized it couldn’t be Darius because he wouldn’t care about any pact or decree. Dragon green eyes watched as I was carried away, but did nothing to follow. And I in turn did nothing as well because I needed the Lycan to take me to the witches… let him think he had me where he wanted.
We traveled through the black desert with the Sun’s unforgiving rays over my back, unrelenting heat making us soak through our clothes for what felt like hours when I became impatient because the Lycan’s strength did not diminish. When I realized my plan had not worked because he was not struggling or weak with the efforts of carrying me through this god forsaken land, I spran
g away from the fool growing tired of being carried.
He leapt, turning, and easily blocking me- he warned, “Do not run… we thoroughly enjoy the chase, it excites us almost as much as sex. And there’s nothing better than a hard chase followed by even harder fucking. And you Love, are the ideal prey.”
“Stay the hell away and don’t get any ideas. I wasn’t planning on running. I’m just tired of being carried by you, and you stink.”
“I know I smell… real… good… to you. I can tell by the way you can’t keep your eyes from my neck. Now that you’ve had a taste, you can’t stay away can you, Love?”
“Don’t flatter yourself; after all, you’re more beast than man.”
He smiled showing perfect white teeth and no fangs. “Here I thought I was being the perfect gentleman, and it’s too bad you’re not up for a short run. I was actually hoping you liked some adventure... my hot blood surging through your body, again- among other things. I can give you one hell of a wild ride, beast and all.”
I turned and started walking away from him because he was wasting my time. “Do you not feel like you’re betraying your King lusting after his Queen?”
“I have no problems lusting after you because I know you want nothing to do with him. You fight the hold he has over you. The witch I killed confessed as much. Besides he is not our true King. He killed our true King, so you wouldn’t meet your destiny. He thought to coerce fate and become your destiny by becoming a Lycan.”
“You seem to know a lot about my destiny. I hope you don’t believe all that you hear because destiny doesn’t apply to gods. And I would never be destined to a beast such as a Lycan, fate would not be this cruel.”
I smiled, he just confirmed Eros was now in part Lycan. Eros’s eyes were what clued me in… and his need to bite me under the open night sky with the moon shining above. It is why I couldn’t recognize him the night he came after me two weeks ago and found me. He was more beast, never fully reverting back to vampire. This Lycan wore a similar metal cuff around his right wrist, to the one I wore. I wondered if he could see the one that was around my neck.
Savage Awakening: A Blood Thirst Novel (Book 2) BDSM Erotica/ Paranormal Romance/ Romance Erotica Page 2
