“Aren’t you going to,” she paused, too sweet and innocent to say what she was thinking. “I mean before…”
If Rillan didn’t already feel guilty about everything he would have started to now. She actually wanted him to make love to her. He wanted so badly to look into her eyes, but he couldn’t allow himself to frighten her any more than he already had. “I’m too hungry right now Mira. Touching you only makes it worse. After the feeding’s done, I’ll pleasure you.” My sweet one, he added in his mind.
Mira’s mouth went dry. She clamped her eyes shut and went stiff beneath the soft blankets. He couldn’t have given her a more clear warning of his intentions. Mira could hear fabric rustling and then the bed moved.
Her heart pounded so hard against her chest that she feared it may explode through her rib cage. She could feel the shifting of the bed as he moved closer to her. The pressure was all around her. Her mind’s eye clutched desperately to a vision of tanned leather skin, dark blue eyes, and a gentle smile. But in the endless moments she waited for him to touch her a monstrous image was steadily distorting the one she was trying to hold onto.
Rillan watched her tremble. The beast in him was pleased at the sight and smell of fear. He craved it. There was something sweeter about blood tainted with terror. He moved slowly, letting his icy touch make her flinch beneath him. Rillan pressed her head to one side and leaned down to bite her. In one swift movement, his fangs sliced into her flesh.
Mira whimpered in pain as she felt the sharp piercing, and then the rhythmic pressure as he sucked her blood from her. The darkness began to swim. Tears squeezed from her eyes, and she started to relax as she surrendered to the situation. Rillan’s cold heavy body pressed down on her, pinning her beneath him. His icy grip on her arms was painful as he held her down, in case she decided to fight it. Mira was finding it difficult to breathe as the cold pressure on her chest, the pain searing through her neck, and the spinning darkness enveloped her. As she felt her consciousness slipping away, she surrendered gratefully to the black. This is what it feels like to suffocate and die.
Rillan took his time finishing his meal. He was careful not to take any more than he needed. Warmth flooded through his body, both from the blood and from being pressed against her. He reveled in the feeling, as the chill left him. It wouldn’t last long, but he would enjoy it while he had it. When he was sated, he lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. Her back was to his chest, and her head rested on his shoulder. His body shifted back to normal, and he sighed contentedly as he held her.
Elizabeth drifted back into his mind. That was the last time he allowed himself the pleasure of keeping a woman in his arms as she slept. He took in a deep breath and let it out, staring up at the cave ceiling. She had been very different though. Elizabeth lost her mind almost the instant she had been delivered to him. It was easy enough to ignore. She wasn’t crazy in most ways. Her mind simply chose not to acknowledge the demon half of him.
Elizabeth behaved as if she was his lover or wife, and life here was perfectly normal. At first it bothered him. But quickly he came to accept it as a reasonable way for her to cope with what he was. Elizabeth smiled and loved him, until he changed or needed blood. Then she would become catatonic until it was over. It was with Elizabeth that he learned to eat normal food again. She would cook dinner for him, make him clothes. After a while he even grew to like the way she adapted. It allowed him to forget himself when he was with her.
Now there was Mira. Rillan wondered how long she could last down here. If she were living amongst her people, he had no doubt that she would be the wife of a powerful person. She would give birth to warriors or teachers. She had the inner strength to know and accept what he was, the intelligence to be afraid of it, but the bravery to survive it. He held her tighter. He knew she could survive indefinitely down here. He would bleed her dry and watch her die slowly.
Rillan pressed his face into her hair and took a deep breath. This was exactly what he wanted for as long as he had been here. Now he was finding himself unable to justify keeping her. The others were one thing. Sacrifices that were pitiful excuses for what the people I protect are capable of. To some extent I’m helping their population by eliminating such weak excuses for human beings. Mira, however, deserves to be married and have children. Things I can never give her. A voice in the back of his head warred with him. Haven’t I earned this? She volunteered. It’s what I want. Rillan growled at himself and his own misery. One year, he decided.
Rillan wrapped his arms more tightly around her. She was young enough. I’ll keep her for a year. At the end of the year I’ll send her back to her people, arrange for her to have whatever she needs, and have a new girl sent. For now, enjoy her company, he told himself. Rillan could feel a strange pain in his chest. For the first time since he offered himself up for this life he was truly regretting his choice. He always believed that revenge and the good he did outweighed anything that life could have offered.
He closed his eyes and shut the thoughts out of his head. It wasn’t long before he drifted to sleep holding Mira in his arms.
Chapter 5
One of the recent storms damaged the roof of the ancient round house. The elders glared with annoyance at the ceiling as several men continued the repairs, even through their conversation.
“We should consider moving this to a less dilapidated building.” The man talking was young and haughty. He was dressed in brown breeches and a tunic, but had spent enough time as a liaison to the southern Empire that he often chose to wear a toga while interacting with the rest of the villagers. He was chosen for his duties because of his obvious diplomatic abilities. Still there was some concern amongst the elders, when he began to conduct conversations with them in such a way as to make them think he may hold the Empire’s interests more to his heart than their own. “It’s not as if we don’t have the resources to live better.” He pulled at the neck of his tunic uncomfortably.
Various elders exchanged uneasy knowing glances. Finally one of them sighed. “You said that you have word from the city of Noviodunum, Darius.”
The young man rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll get straight to the point. Tiberius has been studying the histories. He’s found a pattern and similarities in the deaths of the leaders who threatened our settlements. He believes he knows what did the assassinations and who ordered it. He intends to send representatives to speak with you all once he has senate approval.”
Debris from the roof workers fell onto the table they were all gathered around. One of the elders shifted unhappily. “Thank you,” he said abruptly to the young diplomat.
Darius was obviously insulted by their dismissal and swept angrily from the room, as another volley of thatching spilled onto the table where he had been sitting.
The older man who sent him from the room turned to the men and women standing gravely around the table. “So it seems that Tiberius needs dealing with.”
Each of the elders reached into their pockets and extracted a bone on which was carved a single rune and set it on the table. A wrinkled, shrunken woman stepped up to the small pile of runes and ran her hand over them, looking at each one. “The vote is cast. The letter to be written. Summon the vampire to the house of Tiberius Caelius Novanus.”
The men and women all nodded. Another elderly voice chimed in, “There are other considerations this time as well.”
They all looked meaningfully at the empty place at the table which had so recently been occupied by the young diplomat.
The old woman standing over the runes sighed heavily. “Yes, but find the truth quickly. There is little time.”
Liam leaned in to hear the last of the short conversation in the room below and nearly fell through the roof. Are the Fates trying to tell me something, he wondered. He hadn’t been able to get Mira out of his head, since he watched her walk through that gate. If there was ever an opportunity to sneak in there and take Mira out, it would be now.
* * * *
Rillan woke to a warm body trying to squirm out of his grasp. He opened his eyes and smiled, as he watched Mira attempt to get out of the bed without waking him. “Trying to escape?”
Mira flinched, her head swiveled, and she leveled a glare on him that had him laughing. He pulled her, protesting, back into the bed. “Hey,” she squealed and fought against his iron grip to no avail.
Rillan was having none of it. He was glad she was feeling well enough to put up a fight, but he wasn’t ready to get out of bed yet. He still owed her the pleasure he promised, so he had plans for her before letting her go. Rillan moved so that he was propped over her and looked down into her annoyed eyes. “What,” he chuckled.
“You can’t let a person find a chamber pot with some dignity,” she snarled at him.
Rillan rolled off of her, laughing harder. It felt good. “Just come back. I’m not done with you yet.”
Mira scooted to the side of the bed. Her stomach turned some. It was nowhere near as bad as it had been the last time. Still, she wondered what he had in mind. “I don’t know if I’m up to whatever you’re thinking about. You’re not still hungry are you?”
Rillan’s good mood fell a bit. He sat up behind her and stroked her back. “No, not hungry. Are you all right? I guess I should have considered this. You tend to make me think in several different directions at the same time though. Do you need help?”
Mira blushed. “No, just tell me where the chamber pot is.”
Rillan got out of the other side of the bed and grabbed his robe from a chair nearby. He walked around to Mira and placed the robe over her shoulders. “It’s in the stand there,” he said, pointing. “I’ll get the bath warming. You’ll feel better, after you get cleaned up and eat.”
He watched her stand, making sure that she could, and then left the room, not bothering to dress. Mira watched the hard muscled, naked man retreat into the darkness of the hall and saw some light begin to flood into the gloom. He must be lighting candles. She managed to find the chamber pot and finish with it before he came back.
As Rillan walked into the room with some things for the rarely used cook pot that was on the floor near the fire, Mira couldn’t help but appreciate what she saw. He was all lean and muscled. Firelight danced off his skin and Mira felt heat begin to pool between her legs, even if she wasn’t feeling at her best right then.
Mira was lost at what to think. The last time she was in his room he nearly killed her. Now he was warming a bath for her. It was difficult to decide how to behave or think with mixed signals like that. She sat on the edge of the bed.
Mira’s eyes drifted to the covered shaft that led outside. She hadn’t noticed before, but the angle of the bed seemed near perfect to allow for someone lying in bed to look out the shaft and see the sky. She wondered if he lay here at night watching the stars. I would, she thought longingly.
Staring at her from the fireplace, Rillan could see what she was looking at. He walked across the room and over to the release for the heavy door covering the shaft. Mira shifted nervously. She hadn’t known that he was watching her. “Fresh air would probably do you some good,” he said lightly and forced a solid bolt to the side, allowing the door to fall open.
From her seat on the bed she could see the moon off in one corner of the shaft. It was a clear night and stars dotted the sky. After a few moments Mira could smell the night breeze filtering down the shaft and into the room. She never wanted to close her eyes again.
“I’ll leave it open,” Rillan said. “Your bath is ready.”
Mira finally tore her eyes away from the sky and looked at Rillan again. “Thank you.” She wasn’t sure what else to say.
Rillan nodded at her and gave her a weak smile. “Do you need help?”
She looked into his hopeful eyes. Mira was getting the distinct impression that Rillan was feeling badly about the way things had gone the last time she was here. She didn’t know what he thought he was going to help with if she was in a bath. The thought had her blushing again, as a look of uncertain curiosity over took her soft brown eyes.
Rillan smiled. “Come on,” he said, offering her his hand to lead her back.
Shadows danced around the hallway as Rillan led Mira to a wash room very similar to her own. There was a large tub set into the center of the room with steps to get in. Mira could smell rose water. When she looked into the tub, she found that there were petals floating in the water. Rillan took the robe from her shoulders and helped her into the water. The warmth seeped into her skin, as she sunk down into the fragrant bath. Before Mira knew what was happening, Rillan stepped in behind her, and water sloshed out of the tub around the sides. Sitting down, he drew her back into his arms.
After a few moments of surprised, uncomfortable, uncertainty, Mira relaxed. She let her head fall back against Rillan’s shoulder and closed her eyes. A soft sigh escaped her lips, as the warm water took the chill from her body. Even as she thought she might fall asleep, Rillan moved and reached for something. Mira was too tired. She didn’t bother to open her eyes to see what was happening. She figured she would find out soon enough.
“Sit forward,” Rillan said softly, and gently pressed her forward to prompt her into movement.
Mira finally opened her eyes and saw that he had soap and a thick plush cloth in one hand. She leaned forward, bringing her knees up to her chest, and laid her head on her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs and giving Rillan access to her back. She felt the soft cloth slide over her skin, and she sighed contently, letting her eyes close again.
Rillan put more soap on the cloth and ran it along her arms and down her sides. He took his time, watching the suds slide down her skin and into the water. Once he was satisfied with her back, he pulled her into his arms again. Mira felt the loose ends of the soapy cloth skim over her breasts, as he began washing her shoulders and chest. The soft cloth tickled over her skin. Her nipples puckered, as he spent some time soaping one breast and then the other. Mira arched her back, pushing her breast into the palm of his hand, moaning softly. Arousal and exhaustion warred with each other in her body. Rillan’s hand moved down along her stomach, painfully slowly.
Mira parted her legs. Rillan’s hand moved lower and lower along her stomach. He paused. The strange pain in his chest began again. He couldn’t believe she was so willing and eager to let him touch her. She squirmed wantonly in his arms and lifted her hips, protesting the pause in his caress. Rillan bent his head and placed a lingering kiss on her neck and nuzzled gently along her jaw line, up to her ear, kissing random spots as he went. He purposely held her off longer, wanting her to ask him for more, adoring the way she seemed to need him. He didn’t really believe she wanted a monster this way, but what man was left in him was near tears with appreciation of the fact that she was even willing to pretend.
Another small groan escaped from Mira’s mouth. Her hands reached beneath the water, took hold of his hand and pushed his fingers into her slit, delighting in the rolling pleasure that the pressure created in her lower stomach and up her body. Rillan slid his fingers teasingly along her slippery opening, letting her moans and movements guide his touch to where she wanted it. When her body began to tense and tremble in his arms, he was more than a little surprised. He pressed his finger inside her so that he could feel her come. Her soft inner walls sucked on his finger hungrily. Her whimpers in his ear told him, with a great deal of certainty, that it wasn’t as satisfying as she would have liked.
Mira tried to push down further onto his finger as the fluttering sensations ceased, but the position in the tub and the confined space made it impossible for her to get the leverage she needed. She looked back at him over her shoulder with an almost desperate glow in her eyes. She was too shy to ask him to do anything specific to her. Even so, the need was there as she looked at him. Embarrassment flooded her when she realized how she was behaving.
Blushing a beautiful shade of crimson, Mira looked away from Rillan, uncertain how exactly she should be w
ith him. She really didn’t know what he wanted. Am I a meal or a lover? An intruder in his space or a welcome guest? A friend or a reminder of all the worst parts of his existence? In lieu of knowing what he wanted from her, she opted on waiting for him to give her another direction of some kind.
Rillan was torn between crying and laughing. He pulled his fingers from her and she whimpered again. “Shh,” he whispered against her ear. “There’s more,” he promised. Rillan kissed her ear lobe then guided her to stand with gentle pressure against her back and sides.
Pulling a towel from the rack standing near the tub he wrapped her in it and then stepped out, turning to offer a hand for her to step down as well. Mira’s eyes roamed his wet naked body of their own accord. She allowed him to help her out of the tub and then stood in absolute bliss as he proceeded to dry her off with the towel he had wrapped her in. She could feel his hands through the soft material, massaging her shoulders, back, sides. He knelt in front of her and rubbed the soft towel over her hips, down her thighs, inside her thighs. Mira’s breath was coming in short gasps as she felt the need for his touch in very specific places building again.
Once Rillan was satisfied that she was dry, he stood with the towel in his hands and quickly ran it over himself. It was still wet from her body, but he was partially dry from the amount of time he had spent on her anyway. When he looked into her eyes again there was intense concentration staring back at him, and she was biting her lower lip hard enough to draw blood.
Mira watched his eyes bleed to black, as he stepped toward her. Her heart raced with fear once she saw the change. There was no running from him like this. The black sockets were unreadable, and she was certain that he was about to feed on her again. To her surprise he only kissed her, sucking her lower lip into his mouth and tasting the sweet, warm, coppery liquid on his tongue.
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