Paranormal Encounters

by Carl East

  At one point he asked her how old she was, and she couldn’t tell him her real age. Instead, she told him she was twenty. She knew her tree had given her that age all those years ago. In reality, she was over a hundred and fifty years old, but she knew he’d freak out if he knew that. Time passed as they exchanged small talk and eventually Damien asked her where she lived and could he give her a ride home.

  “No, I live across the park and always take the short cut through the woods,” she replied.

  “Perfect, I’ll walk you home if you’d like?” he said taking hold of her jacket that was draped around her chair.

  She stood up, and placed her right arm through the jacket offered and they left together. She actually liked this Guy and was feeling a twinge of guilt, knowing what was about to happen. She had to take food for her tree every couple of months, otherwise she’d wilt and die just like the tree itself. Even so, she’d decided long ago that if she was going to be a Wood Nymph and feed her tree she’d at least select a beautiful human, perfection of form over a mere need for blood.

  Strolling to the park and entering the pathway through the trees, she felt at home and the nearer she got to her tree the stronger she felt. They’d talked while they walked, and when she slipped her fingers into his hand and led him from the path they moved together to a secluded spot and she eventually led him to her tree. She stopped and turned to her companion.

  “Have you ever made love outside before?” she whispered and began to slide her arms around his neck and running her fingers through his hair.

  “Many times, in fact I was just thinking how beautiful you are in the moonlight and that I’d like to take you into my arms,” he replied. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he gathered her hands to his coat and let her help him take off his long jacket. He placed it down carefully, covering the grass on the ground.

  Celeste always had sex with her victims before devouring them; she felt she owed them that last moment of pleasure before the final offering. It didn’t hurt of course that she actually looked forward to that part of the evening. Lifting her up and placing her feet down on the coat, their lips met for the first time, and while their tongues danced, she pulled open his shirt to run her hands over his chest. Damien’s fingers left the contours of her face and slid down to the arch of her spine where he pulled her hips into his hardness. Sliding his hands under her short skirt, he filled his palms with her round hips and gently grabbed her ass cheeks to massage and pull them apart and back together. The kiss grew hotter with each skillful touch and as they drew apart gasping for breath he skillfully hooked a finger in the lace of her panties. Toying with the lace, he began to pull them down on each side slowly dropping to his knees before her until he pulled them off completely.

  ‘This Guy knows what he’s doing’ she thought as he brought her down to him. He laid her on his jacket silently moving her onto her back while sliding his hands down her legs. He opened them wide as he knelt between them, and suddenly she could feel warm breath on her skin before the tip of his tongue starting licking her bud. She ran her hands through his thick hair and pulled his head into her slightly, feeling his lips touching her womanhood. Then she felt a slight sting as he suddenly shifted his head to give her a love bite down on her inner thigh, and found that she enjoyed what he was doing. It seemed different to her, and something she’d normally be doing herself.

  He ran a thick finger through her folds gathering moisture before he slipped it into her, and she tensed. He was still sucking on her inner thigh, and she began to feel light headed. At first, she put it down to the drinks she’d had earlier, but when she suddenly climaxed her entire body shuddered and the experience was completely new to her. She looked down to gaze at his face and look into his eyes, as she wanted to thank him for giving her such a thrill when she caught sight of his teeth. He had two fangs protruding from either side of his upper lip, and in that instant, awareness and understanding came over her. He was a vampire, and she was in mortal danger for the first time in her long life.

  With all her strength, she used her free leg to push him off, and feeling the release of his hands she quickly scrambled to stand up.

  “You seem very strong for a human,” he said quickly getting to his feet himself.

  She saw the blood covering his right fang, and knew that it had been more than just a passionate embrace.

  “I think it’s just as well that I’m not human,” she replied while carefully backing up to her tree.

  “I thought you tasted different somehow, so what are you exactly?”

  She didn’t answer, but watched as he deliberately pierced his bottom lip with one of his fangs. The blood began trickling out, suddenly he was a blur and just as suddenly, he appeared directly in front of her a breath away. He reached for her shoulders and forcefully drew her to him and kissed her on the lips. Suddenly she could taste his blood and as it began to fill her mouth, she was horrified, as she knew what that meant. She summoned all her strength and forcefully pushed him back and watched as he went flying into the tree trunk with a thud.

  He rushed back and grabbed her arm.

  “You really aren’t human are you? I’ve never felt so much raw power. You’re going to enjoy being a vampire,” he said using his height and weight to force her to the ground.

  At that point, she was in silent communication with her tree and it sensed her fear and instructed her wordlessly on what to do next. For a moment, she didn’t struggle and the vampire eased his grip on her arm, apparently, he still intended to carry on with his little role in the night’s events as she could feel his hard member pushing against her inner thigh. She looked down and saw his manhood, and under normal circumstances, she would’ve enjoyed what followed, but this was anything but normal.

  She offered little resistance and let him believe that she was weakening, when she’d gained a little more time she suddenly flipped him over onto his back and pushed herself away. Before he had the chance to regain the advantage a spiked branch came up through his chest from the ground below, and Celeste listened to his scream as he turned to ash. She’d never witnessed such a horrific ending, for although her victims ended up dead they’d gone through a passionate encounter first which left them drowsy and unaware, which is how we’d all like to go in the end.

  This was different however, for this victim actually burst into flames before swiftly turning to dust and the ash, caught by the wind it then began to blow away. Celeste fell to her knees, the trembling and shaking had still not dissipated and she could feel the adrenalin coursing through her body. Gasping for air, she heard the bark splitting and opening behind her, a sound she’d heard thousands of times in the past. She looked around to see the opening and managed to crawl inside. As she collapsed in the middle of her home, she heard the bark close behind her and knew she was safe and protected.

  As she passed out, she couldn’t help wondering what would happen to her now.

  Chapter 2

  When Celeste did wake up, she found herself cradled by branches from within the tree. She had no idea how long she’d been there, but felt unusually strong and very vibrant. The tree lowered her to the floor and she took her first step. She felt fine, as if nothing had happened. The tree bark peeled back and she stepped out into the cool night air, but before leaving, she checked on her tree to make sure everything was fine. The tree looked as healthy as ever, and once satisfied of that Celeste began to walk out of the woods.

  Halfway through the woods a dog took her by surprise when it started barking loudly right next to where she was walking, and with a startled reaction, she bared her teeth and physically felt the fangs popping out on each side of her upper palette. She reached up to touch them, and upon thinking that she wanted them to disappear, they both retracted back into her mouth. She stood there trying to make sense of it all. If she’d been turned then that would mean she was now the undead, but she’d never felt more alive than she did right now.

  Her heart was pumping blood as
it always did, so what had changed? She turned and headed back to her tree, she needed answers to all the questions that were forming a queue in her mind. When she got back, the tree opened up as normal and she stepped inside. Celeste placed her hands onto the inside bark and closed her eyes the connection was almost instant.

  ‘Do you know what has happened to me?’ was the first thought she conveyed.

  ‘You have been altered, the only thing I managed to prevent was your death’ came the thought in Celeste’s mind.

  ‘Do I have to fear the light now?’ she thought.

  ‘You have been enhanced, other than that I cannot say how this will affect you. I do know that the bond between us has not been broken,’ it returned.

  Celeste let go of the tree, thankful at least that her partnership with the tree she’d grown to love was still intact. She still needed answers however, and she knew the only place she could get them was from the Coven. It would be risky though, they always demanded a payment and she was valuable to them. They had spells that would only work with pieces of wood nymph mixed into the brew. Fortunately, strands of hair were usually enough, but occasionally they would ask for things she wasn’t prepared to part with, such as a finger or two.

  Leaving the tree, she headed in the coven’s direction, and felt almost too confident. When she reached the trees, which encircled the coven, she had her questions ready. Standing in front of the largest tree, she spoke the words that would allow admittance.

  “Wooded copses, circle’s end, allow me through to coven’s den,” she said aloud.

  The bark on the tree suddenly split open revealing a doorway, and Celeste walked through. Once on the other side, it closed behind her, and she knew there was no going back now. “Sisters, we have a visitor,” said a voice over to Celeste’s right.

  Celeste turned and saw the oldest of the witches, whose name escaped her for the moment. In the blink of an eye, Celeste was surrounded by all three of them, and they began studying her very carefully.

  “What can we do for you Celeste?” one of them said.

  “I need your help, I was attacked and changed by a vampire the other night and although my tree saved me from dying, it seems I was still partly transformed into the undead. However, my heart still beats strongly, and I feel more powerful than ever before. I need to know what exactly has changed. I mean can I no longer go into the light of day, and do I have to feed on blood myself, as my tree does?”

  “This is new sisters, to my knowledge a wood nymph has never been turned into a vampire before. If what the child says is true, this could mean powerful magic indeed.”

  They turned to Celeste and looked her up and down.

  “We will need some hair to do our tests, but there is one thing I can test here and now,” said the old crone.

  Suddenly she took a knife out from beneath her gown and sliced Celeste’s arm. Celeste jumped back, her teeth protruding from the shock.

  “Keep calm girl, look at your arm.”

  Celeste looked down to see the cut healing over like it had never happened.

  “It would appear that you have at least two of a vampire’s trait, that of healing and the fangs. Now look up there my dear, do you see that thick branch?”

  “Yes…what of it?”

  “Jump up onto it.”

  “I couldn’t do that, it’s impossible,” replied Celeste.

  “Humor me my dear, if you fail you haven’t lost anything have you?”

  Celeste looked up again, and then gauged how far the branch was in her mind before bending her knees and springing upward. At first, it took her completely by surprise, but she reached the branch with ease and stood on it looking down.

  “How do I get back down again?” she shouted.

  “Just drop, you cannot hurt yourself,” replied the old crone.

  Celeste did as she was told, and hit the ground with a thud, but with no after affects.

  “Truly amazing,” said two of them together.

  “Ok Celeste, I will need some hair and a finger. I know that sounds harsh, but remember the finger will grow back. It’s the quickest way to get the answers you seek,” said the old crone.

  Celeste looked at her knowing that she was being completely serious, but even knowing that the finger would grow back didn’t make cutting it off any easier. She took a deep breath and held out her fist, with her little finger protruding outward. The witch stepped forward with knife in hand, and then quickly lobbed the finger off. Celeste pulled her hand back instinctively, and watched as the flesh and bone began to rebuild painfully until finally her finger was back.

  The witch grabbed the finger that was on the ground and placed it with a few strands of hair into a bowl, she then threw in a few concoctions that Celeste didn’t recognize and watched the mixture turn color. First, it was red then blue and finally green. The witches then babbled a few well-chosen words and mixed the contents vigorously, before seeing an incorporeal figure rise from the center of the bowl.

  “Interesting, this could be the one prophesied,” one of them said.

  “But that’s not supposed to happen for another hundred years,” replied her sister.

  “I know, but don’t forget, Celeste will be here in another hundred years.”

  They all nodded in agreement, and turned to face Celeste as one.

  “What Prophesy?” said Celeste?

  “There is one who will come to save all of fairy kind, and secure the magic that others seek to misuse. It was prophesized that it would be a female of long years, and she would sacrifice everything to save those most dear to her. It would seem you fit that description, but to get back to your earlier questions, you are indeed half-Wood Nymph and half-vampire, though the wood nymph part of you is the dominate half. As for the question of daylight affecting you, that can only be answered by direct contact with the light itself.”

  Celeste left the circle with more questions than answers, but couldn’t deny that experiencing these newfound powers was exciting. She wondered what her future held, but first she simply had to have the answer to that one conundrum, could she venture out into the daylight?

  Chapter 3

  Celeste sat awake all night waiting for the dawn, and it wasn’t until it was only minutes away that she realized she wasn’t tired. That was rare for her normally you could set your clock by what time she’d be curled up within the tree fast asleep. She shook the thought off for the time being, and waited until she knew the sun was out fully. The tree bark separated when commanded and Celeste put her arm into the light, she could see the sunlight hitting her hand and felt the warmth but there was no burning.

  She stepped out and looked up, and nothing happened. At least that part of it all wasn’t something she had to worry about. She then turned and touched the tree, to which it responded by closing the door. Celeste walked through the wood and out into the park where all the mortals were slowly going about their business. She then remembered about her sleep and the fact that she didn’t seem to need any. Of all the things she’d found out so far this one was the most upsetting to Celeste, she actually looked forward to her sleeps, it was where she felt most at one with her tree.

  Until now, she hadn’t had any contact with the opposite sex, since the vampire had been killed, so when a man walked passed her in the park she couldn’t understand the feelings she was getting. It was as if she was instantly attracted to him, yet he was balding and had a beer belly and not her type at all. She fought the attraction and moved on until she got to the main road. Suddenly being thrust into the hustle and bustle of everyday life, she started experiencing sexual urges that were beginning to overwhelm her thoughts.

  Every male that walked by was beginning to feel like a potential mate, and before long, the urges that she was experiencing were drowning out her rational thoughts. She had to get free of all these erotic feelings, because the cardinal rule for any wood nymph was never draw attention to one’s self. She spotted an audio store with hardly anyone insid
e and quickly decided to enter it to get control of her thoughts. Once the door closed behind her she felt the urges begin to subside, and took a deep breath.

  Then a voice came from behind her and she turned to find a tall young man who looked no more than twenty.

  “Can I help you miss?” he said inspecting her from head to toe.

  “Um…no I’m just looking, thank you,” she replied and walked swiftly away from him.

  She crossed over to the far side of the store pretending to look at the merchandise, when in fact she was just trying to distance herself from any man. It was then that she realized her panties were wet, and thoughts of not being able to control her body began once again to flood her mind. She tried to rationalize it and began to question what could stop or at least alleviate these sensations. Perhaps succumbing to the temptations would ease the desire. She reasoned that she had to find out so she turned her attention to the only man in the store.

  Celeste had a body that any man would notice, but she also had the ability to highlight those features. This was essential in order to attract her targets, and right now, she was highlighting her face. It looked paler and had a kind of glow to it, and her lips were more pronounced. She tugged on her low cut top in order to show more cleavage, and straightened her short skirt. Now she was ready and went into her normal routine of alluring her man.

  Until now, the store clerk hadn’t paid much attention to his one and only customer, but as he watched her bending down in front of him, he was glad that he was behind the counter. He had the perfect view. She had the most attractive legs he’d ever seen, and he was wishing she’d bend down just a little more as he was only seeing her upper thigh right at this moment. When she straightened up again he felt disappointed, and looked away so that she wasn’t aware of his staring.