Darkened Days

by C. L. Quinn

  “Hello, mistress. I am Chione. It is my duty to prepare you for the joining ceremony.”

  Like everyone here so far, her soft accent was lyrical and lovely. She was older than the little servant and vampire, so Starla decided to interrogate her.

  Sliding back to rest against the arm of the couch with her feet up, she motioned to the other side.

  “Have a seat. We’re going to chat, girl to girl.”

  Chione hesitated, and sat stiffly on the end.

  “No, get comfortable. It’s going to be a long talk.”

  Again, Chione hesitated, then pulled herself up onto the couch to bookend Starla’s position.

  “Now, let’s pretend I’m new in town. Oh, look, I actually am. Before this goes any further, since I was kidnapped against my will and am now imprisoned, you are going to answer my questions. Understand me right now. I will fight every step of the way. They will have to kill me before I become his sex slave.”

  “I am sorry. I didn’t realize. It is an honor to be with the master of our race. To be gifted with the chance to bear children who will be one with the earth. You are not joyous to become the mother of the children of the moon?”

  Starla shook her head emphatically.

  “No, hell, no! I don’t even know the guy.”

  Chione’s eyes softened. “He is the biggest and strongest warrior of all. Any woman would be lucky to mate with him.”

  “He’s all yours then.”

  Dropping her eyes, Chione spoke quietly. “He would not have me. I am not Shoazan.”

  Starla released a deep sigh. “I don’t know what that is. I don’t know what he is. Any of you. How you can do the things you do. Would you fill me in? Please?”

  “I will tell you. But I need to get you prepared for the ceremony. May I do that first?”

  “No. I won’t comply with anything until I understand what you are. Start telling me now.”

  Chione’s eyes were serious as she captured Starla’s, then moved slightly closer. Her scent was almost as sexy as Ahmose’s.

  “We are first blood. You are right. We are not like you. We are born vampire. You were completely human once. We never were. You have felt the sun on your face. We can tolerate it for moments, then it burns as it does any vampire. All vampires who have been made since the beginning…you, the one who made you, all that come before…you all come from our blood. You are also right that we are different from vampires who are ‘made.’ We can manipulate the world, people, other vampires, almost anything. If we want it to be so, it usually is. And we can birth vampire children. But so rarely. There are only a very few vampires, and even some humans, who can create a vampire child with a first blood. They are called Shoazan. Capable of life. You are Shoazan. Star, you are more special than you understand. He has been searching and waiting centuries for a Shoazan to come to him. He must continue our race. Even amongst first blood vampires, one who can impregnate, or carry a child, are rare. It is such an honor, my lovely girl, to be able to make a baby. You would never find a more handsome man or a better lover than our master. Please do not refuse your destiny. Your life will be glorious here with us.”

  Leaning in close, Chione took Starla’s hand. A light current of power moved between them.

  “Your joining will be magical. He has waited so long for you.”

  “But I haven’t waited for him. I don’t know him. I have a life and he has no right to take me from it. So, will you tell him I’m sorry, but I won’t join with him? Better yet, tell him to come and face me and I’ll explain it to him. I won’t be forced. This is not negotiable.”

  “He cannot see you…”

  “Bullshit! I’m not joining with him, so we won’t break any bridal or ‘joining’ taboos. Get him. Now. Or I am leaving even if I have to take a few of you with me!”

  “They will not let you go.”

  “Then it’s going to be a bloody fight.” Starla took Chione’s other hand and looked into her onyx eyes.

  “Get him,” she said quietly.

  Dark eyes searched black eyes for several seconds before Chione released Starla’s hands, stood, bowed, and walked out.

  “Huh,” Starla huffed, hoping mission accomplished and the master would be summoned. Until then, no reason to waste good food, so she moved back to the little table to fill a plate.

  After several bites of different types of seasoned meats, she whispered aloud, “Henri, I hope you got that message.”

  Minutes passed and many more, as a pacing Starla grew impatient and began to search the yurt for possible exits. The door was controlled by these first bloods so that wouldn’t work. But as her eyes moved around the room, she reminded herself this was a yurt, and the outside walls were probably canvas. She could tear or break through the back of the yurt.

  Just as she considered doing it, the door opened and Ahmose entered. He took her breath away for a moment as his body and power filled the room. Chione was right. This man was magnificent.

  He looked at her and sighed.

  “I hear we have a problem.”

  “We do. I told you I would fight you if you took me.”

  “I told you this was our destiny and neither of us have other choices. Chione told me she explained what we are. I don’t understand why you are resistant to our joining.”

  “I don’t know you! I’m not moving here and having your mythological babies just because you tell me I have to.”

  “This must happen. We must breed.”

  “Well, I am not going through with your marriage or joining ceremony. I’m pretty sure that even if you can freeze me, you can’t make me say yes.”

  Ahmose paced and then moved, hyper speed, grabbed Starla and brought her down on the bed beneath him. His large body and scent covered her, his hands lifted her breasts in a gentle caress.

  “I can make the ceremony a moot point. We can breed now and solve the question permanently.” He lowered his head to her lips, his lips nearly touched hers, then nuzzled into her neck, his tongue carving a place to bite with sensual licks.

  She could barely breathe. Starla was worried, angry, and overwhelmed by his intense presence and sexuality. She took a few deep breaths before she could stop thinking about what his lips were doing against her throat and speak.

  “You would force me?”

  He stopped and pulled back, his eyes met hers. Then he pushed away and stood up.

  “No. I am not a man who would do that. I promise you, though, you will be a very satisfied woman. The mother of my children would be a goddess here. You would regret nothing.”

  Starla rolled off the bed and came to within a few feet of him. Suddenly, she knew there was nothing to fear from this man. As big and powerful as he was, an instinct promised he would never hurt her.

  “I’m sorry, Ahmose. I understand how important this is for you. But I do not love you. I do not know you. I cannot be your mate.”

  He stood stone still for several moments, almost as if someone had frozen him.

  Then he lowered himself regally to his knees in front of her and took her hands to place them against his chest.

  “I am the son of the moon. A child of our mother earth. The leader of the people of the moon for millennia. And I beg you to take your place at my side for these honorable people who are unique to this world. Our race needs the new blood. The first vampires must continue. You would be the mother of the most extraordinary children on earth. Please do not refuse. You are my Shoazan.”

  In that second, with this beautiful, powerful man at her feet, begging her to accept him, she could almost imagine herself saying yes. The wave of devotion and sensuality nearly swayed her to tell him she would consider it. But Jacob’s face came to her suddenly and she nearly lost her balance. Her blood called to him. Was he near? He couldn’t be. Why was he the only thing in her mind now? It brought her around though, no longer entranced by Ahmose’s vision of their perfect future.

  She shook her head slowly.

  “I ca
n’t. I get that this is important to your people, but I can’t sacrifice myself for your cause. I’m not for you. There is someone else who fills my mind, and while we are not together, I just realized I need to deal with that relationship before I do anything else.”

  Ahmose stood, a sadness and weariness in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

  “I won’t force you. But I cannot let you go. You will remain here and I will show you the life you are meant to have. You will eventually know the truth and we will merge on the night of the next full moon. Do not fight me on this, little star. You cannot win. We will be together. When that happens, you will want me very badly. And I will make you the happiest woman on this world.”

  “You can’t keep me here. You said you were not the kind of man to force me. Keeping me here against my wishes falls into that category. Please don’t do that to me.”

  “I am sorry, but you are too important to my people. It will be okay, you will see. We will still have our celebration tonight. And get to know each other. My people have prepared the best food and spirits. Good dancing. My people embrace joy. The children of the moon laugh and dance much of the time, even when we are not celebrating such a cosmic event.”

  “I won’t stay. I’ll run off. Somehow, I’ll reach my people and they will come for me.”

  “They won’t find you. This community is isolated and masked from the rest of the world. Even vampires could not find us.”

  Was he telling the truth? Probably. He had no reason to lie to her now. It didn’t matter. He underestimated her desire to get back to her own life.

  She nodded.

  “Okay, I’m your prisoner. As long as you understand any chance I get, I will try to leave.”

  “Understood. I would expect nothing else. And you are a guest. You will dance with me tonight.”

  “Rephrase that.”

  He paused, then smiled. “Will you dance with me tonight?”

  “Maybe. Get out of here and let your girl dress me. If I have to do this, I may as well look amazing.”

  Ahmose leaned down, took her hand, caressed the palm and kissed it.

  “I have no doubt. I eagerly await.”

  He left. As the door clicked closed, Starla went to the center of the room and stared up into the opening. The moon had moved on. She could see a few stars through the opening but that was all.

  Okay. She would dance and make merry with the first bloods. She’d enjoy the moment, but when the time came, she’d be gone. As long as they couldn’t read her mind, she would act compliant and happy and they wouldn’t know when she left. They may be much faster than her, but all she needed was a good head start.

  He felt her! Jacob was just finishing a huge portion of Egyptian pancakes cooked on a hot plate and covered with icing and sugar. They were incredibly delicious so he’d been enjoying the hell out of them.

  Out of nowhere his head began to spin so he grabbed the edge of the table. He felt a hand solidly grip his shoulder, and while he knew someone was speaking, he couldn’t understand them. Then his vision blurred and he felt as if he was losing consciousness. Just as abruptly he knew what was happening. Blood had touched blood, and he felt a tenuous connection to Starla. It wasn’t anything intense, rather like a wisp of a thread from her life

  force to his. He didn’t know exactly where she was, but he had an area and a direction. He knew the reason he felt her was that she was thinking about him and something in her searched for him. He tried to answer. Tried to let her know he was coming for her. He did not know if he succeeded, but at least the blood had spoken to him.

  Koen held on as he watched Jacob slump forward. Something was happening so he let it play out. A few moments later, blinking, Jacob seemed stable and Koen let him go to take his seat again.

  “What happened, Ward?”

  “I have her. Not exactly, but I think I can follow this thin blood trail at least close to her location. It is in the big trees. Deep in the big trees.”

  Koen nodded. “Finally a break. Okay. We’ll finish quickly and head out. Hurry up, pup.”

  Henri sat quietly watching the entire episode. He was so new he had no idea how any of this worked. He just knew two things right now. He wanted to find Starla at any cost. And he hated the big vampire that called him pup.

  Chione weaved flowers and shiny beads into Starla’s hair, which had been washed with some kind of scented shampoo that left it fuller and shinier than she’d ever seen it.

  And Chione had been right about the dress. It was beautiful. Even though Chione now knew the joining ceremony would not take place, still she brought the joining gown at Ahmose’s request. A halter top in a diaphanous pale peach material, it fit her body to perfection, snug along all her contours. Beads like the ones in her hair cascaded from the waist and danced when she moved. Starla had to admit she had never felt prettier.

  “You are worthy of this dress so lovingly made for you by our best dressmakers. You will make a perfect mate for our master. We are all still surprised the joining will not be completed tonight.”

  “I already made it clear it wouldn’t.”

  “Yes, but soon, I think.”

  Starla shook her head with a smile and turned away to chug a tall glass of the burgundy alcohol to take the edge off of a night in which she had no idea what to expect.

  Ahmose dressed carefully, as if he were going to his joining ceremony. He wore his new vest and pants, made with care by his devoted people. After all his aides left his dwelling, he stepped to his mirror and smiled. How could she refuse such a dashingly handsome man? He may not be a refined gentleman from Paris, but he was, like his people said, powerful, strong, and handsome. The girl could never hope for a finer mate.

  The girl. Star. The one who would become the mother of his children. She was beautiful. And smart. He didn’t know if he would fall in love with her but he suspected that he would. He hadn’t been in love in a long time. His sexual partners were gorgeous, and their sex play invigorating, inventive and satisfying. But since he’d seen Star at the waterfalls, he had a desire to actually make love to a woman again. As a son of the moon and first blood, when he made a special connection with a lover, when he was in love, he merged with her in what was truly a joining. Those connections were rare. But there was something with her…something that made him think she could be the one he would love for the rest of his life. She challenged him and made him laugh. There was no doubt she turned him on. His cock had been at attention since he saw her two nights ago.

  The question was could he get her to fall in love with him? One look at the sexy vampire in the full-length mirror made him smile. He had no doubt. He could almost see their children running through the forest.

  Ahmose nodded to his image, grabbed a bottle of wine and left to make a star fall in love with the moon.

  Chione led Starla into a garden of flowers and lights. It looked like someplace in a fairy tale. A thin net canopy covered half the space where lights and garlands hung suspended overhead. The other half of the space seemed to have been chosen specifically for the celestial display overhead. Stars blinked, peeking down at the merrymakers on the planet below. Everywhere she looked it seemed as if someone had woven fireflies into flowers. She realized it was just thousands of tiny lights twinkling slowly. Oh, but it was magical. Twenty or so people were already there drinking and chatting, dressed in their finery too, but when they saw Chione with Starla, they stopped and came to her with luminous smiles.

  Chione touched Starla’s hand.

  “This is for you. Our people are so overjoyed that you are here and will help us continue our race.”

  Starla bit her tongue. This wasn’t the time to address the question. These people were here to celebrate and she wasn’t going to ruin that. It was apparent a lot of preparation had gone into this night.

  So she nodded and took their offered hands, surprised when several of them knelt and kissed her palm. She was so charmed by their genuine warmth.

&n
bsp; “Oh, mistress. You should see your face. Your smile could light up the sky,” Chione commented.

  “I believe it. Chione, your people are enchanting. I’ve never felt more welcome anywhere in my life. I think you may be right. You have a wonderful home here and I would be so lucky to be able to find a place here. But I’m not ready for that. Still, I’m already half in love with all of you.”

  “We must find the other half, then,” Chione said with a soft smile.

  Someone gave her a beautifully carved wine glass with a sweet fruity wine she’d never tasted before.

  Chione told her, “We make our own wines. This southern region of our continent is well known for its wines, liqueurs, and local beers. Our wines, because we are children of the moon, we call them MoonShine. I know the word is used to refer to homemade alcohol in other places, but here MoonShine is sacred. Good, isn’t it?”

  “Beyond belief. I would love another glass.”

  “Then let me give you some of this,” Ahmose said from behind her. Both women turned. Chione bowed low, Starla raised her eyebrows as Ahmose stepped forward and bowed low to her, took her hand, kissed it, but let his tongue linger to taste her. It was so sensuous, she felt herself shudder a little.

  He looked spectacular. The vest was worn alone, no shirt, so his heavily muscled chest, covered with dark hair, and thick arms that looked like they had been cut by Michelangelo, were exposed. His long dark hair had been pulled back each time she’d seen him before, but now he wore it loose. Thick and sleek, it cascaded halfway down his back. The vest and harem style pants matched her gown and reminded her of what the garments originally signified.

  A lump developed in her throat when she realized that she was suddenly tempted to ask him to show her what kind of a lover he was. Reason asserted itself moments later though when he released her and proceeded to open the bottle of wine he’d brought with him.

  “This is a very special vintage I’ve saved just for this occasion. It is very, very old.”