Darkness

by F. Bradshaw

  I did not rush back to the house, not wanting to hurt him. His breathing was still almost a whisper. The blood, darkness, and fur covered us both. Upon coming to the house, the guys stood clear of me. I gave them just one look, and they moved faster than I would have thought possible. Seeing an almost lifeless body covered in blood, and fur with a dead thing clinging to it must have brought fear into their heart. The room was cool and getting colder. There was a buzz in the air, just like before lighting strikes.

  I carried him down my stairs. His smell wafted through the house. I needed to see how much damage there was. Could I fix him? The stairs creaked at our weight. The bathroom to my left still smelled like Ryan. Memories of him and us seemed to become distant. Matt’s blood warmed me, unlike Ryan. Matt’s smell and life force over took Ryan’s. The connection to Matt was stronger.

  I laid him down in the tub climbing in with him unable to let go. The weight of what I had done still sat on me, weighing me down. He was like this because of me, because of me letting go. I just wanted him to open his eyes, to let me in. I let go only to turn on the water. Letting the water rush over our bodies, I ran my hand down his body washing off the blood and fur.

  He was alive. I ran my hand over his heart. His heartbeat changed in tempo. His eyes opened to look into mine. He was alive and there. Relief washed over me. What was he? What had I turned him into? I cupped my hand with water bringing it to his face. I let the water from my hand as I caressed his cheek lightly washing away the blood and darkness.

  The stubble of his facial hair was ridge under my hand. He was still so warm to the touch. I ran my fingers down his jaw line. It was pronounced and well defined. I moved my finger lightly and out of sync across his jaw and down his neck turning them inward. His eyes were calm and not fearful. He had seen the true darkness that lived below my skin where the beast was waiting for just a moment to come out and kill.

  I let my fingers wander slowly down his neck following the muscle. I trailed off cupping my hand for more water. His hand brushed over my knee. I raised my hand to his forehead letting the water rush down his face. He closed his eyes only for moments letting the water pass over them. I brushed away more blood and darkness from him. He reached for my hand taking it in his own. Matt brought it to his mouth kissing my wrist. His tongue licked over the closed wound.

  His skin was so soft and malleable to my touch. His body reacted and relaxed into each moment of my hand. The room was all but silent. Only water rushing down his face and his heartbeat keeping tempo could be heard. He reached for my other hand as I brushed it against his face. He put his hand in mine. The fur and blood half washed off it was a strange combination with my thinly veiled hand. His eyes were so inviting. He ran his thumb against the palm of my hand tracing the lines of it. His smell had changed.

  He did not smell human anymore. His smell drew me in like a moth to the flame. He smelled like me, and I smelled of him. Desire flooded me. I wanted to taste him in this new way. My body reacted to him without thought. Matt was mine. He smelled like me. I pulled him close to me. His lips were warm and soft to the touch. Each breath he exhaled and drew in pulled my body to him. I let go of his hand running it over his neck down his chest feeling the bones under the skin, and down the center of his chest.

  He was healing quicker. I rushed water over his body clearing the fur and blood away revealing his skin. I ran my hand over his heart, feeling it beat below the skin while his chest moved up and down, taking in and letting go of air. I could not break away from him.

  Our lips gliding back and forth over each other’s as we moved trying to pull the other one closer. His mouth sealed and fixed to mine. His tongue moved ever so slowly across my lips opening them to him. His tongue dipped in meeting mine then against my fangs. I ran my hand down his stomach washing away more fur and blood pulling his body closer to mine.

  The wounds I had given him were almost healed. My fingertips drank in the touch of his smooth skin. His long eyelashes veiled his open eyes. Matt’s body shifted positions to be on top of me. Matt held me back to the tub desire flooding both of us. He placed his hand on my waist slowly moving upward taking my shirt with it. The water dripping from his hand back to the tub sounded like rain falling lightly outside the window.

  My shirt gathered in front of his hand. He took his other hand and pulled me closer to him rubbing his hand over my back to my bra. He pulled it apart with an experienced hand. His naked body towered over mine. His nails dragged across my back pulling my shirt from me. It tore easily in his hands. The warmth of his touch ignited a fire. I ran my hand down his hip feeling the skin and kneading it slightly dragging my nails against him. He pulled my shirt from me exposing my breasts to him like a present. Matt looked at me with a need. My body was called to his submission.

  He dominated me, and it was what I wanted. His smell and taste were what I needed. My hand moved to his neck letting my fingers spread to his head moving into his hair. I pulled him to me and lowered my head. I need him to stay, to claim me. My body knew his blood was the answer to any question. His fingers pressed into my skin the more he moved upward. He bit my shoulder, and I could feel the venom from his bite working in. It was welcomed by the blood of his I possessed. He possessed me.

  Chapter 26

  The breath leaving his body filled me with the smell drawing me back. His hands pulled at the remnants of my jeans. His warm fingers dipped below the waistband toward the button. Quickly, he pulled them apart. His mouth moved over my skin caressing it as it reached my stiff nipple. I pushed into his embrace. His fingers looped around my underwear pulling them from my body with the jeans. Matt barely moved to get me out of them. I grabbed his shoulders as he stocked back up my body.

  He pushed my hands off the tub. I quickly moved to meet his body trying to merge it with mine. Our lips rushed together like a crash of lightning to the ground. It was uncontrollable and unstoppable. I ran my hand back to his hair pulling him closer to me. His arm wrapped around me pushed me back to the wall. His hips held my body to the wall as his mouth trailed my body. Matt thrust his tongue in my mouth bringing with it the sweet smell, which I was addicted. He firmly put both hands around my waist lifting me up.

  His body fell into position below mine. One hand moved to hold my wrists to the wall. Matt’s other hand slid down my body to feel my slick waiting mound. His fingers spread me open as his thumb skidded across me, pushing in. Every thought, desire, resistance fell out. His mouth moved from one nipple to the other warming them and claiming them.

  His tongue circled around nipping them making them hard for him. I had a fire burning in me. His blood warmed me from the inside and desire bloomed with it. Both were wet and stiff from his attention zipping a tingling sensation to my pussy. A warm burn like the one alcohol would bring warmed my flesh. His fingers worked deeper until they edged the entrance. His mouth was voracious and unflinching in his quest to claim me. The desires pushed in with the sting from my nipples.

  “Please.” Matt moved his thumb over my clit. Forward and back, his fingers moved over me. I would do anything to be his. The feelings from earlier were gone. I wanted only him. I could taste nothing but him, and I wanted nothing more.

  “Mine.” His voice was staking the claim I could not deny. I was not sure what I was doing, but it felt right. He was not human. He was a drug to me and stopping now would kill me. I knew taking one more breath was just as deadly. I needed it… no, him. My blood burned with sensations giving into his desires.

  I was a fully hooked junkie and willing to do anything for the next fix. I pushed my body into his touch. His arm held me to the wall, and his hand moved my legs open. My body responded to his touch. I could feel him hardening under me. His mouth left my bereft nipples and trailed down nipping and tasting. His hot dominating breath held me, pinned, body crying out for more. He let loose of my wrists embracing my breast settling himself at my clit.

  My body ached and pushed into him. A precipitous need of arous
al insidiously crawled through me. Sweat covered his body making him more desirable. I wanted to lick him and taste him again. Matt sucked deep at my clit thumbing it. The friction of his tongue against me ratcheted up my desire. He pushed his tongue in deeper pinching my clit with his fingers. The lashing of his tongue made me impossibly wet. My hands moved into his thick brown hair needing something to hold as he pushed me past any reservations I had. He made me feel desired. I would do anything to please him.

  He ran his hand over my closed and healed wound on my stomach. I had forgotten about it. Part of me registered when he did that. What was I doing? Matt pushed in deeper with his tongue sucking at the nub. His smell, my smell, I could not let go of him. The touch of his body on mine was unexplainable in feeling. I wanted him as I had wanted Ryan in the tub where his body had been under mine. The first wave of my orgasm hit me, pulling me back to him. Matt’s mouth trailed up my body lowering me onto him. I could not remember what I was thinking. I just wanted him. Matt slowly thrust into me.

  His hot flesh consumed mine. My body still contracting from the last orgasm began to build again. He kissed me, and I could taste us both. Matt was all I needed. He thrust himself in, and everything became a flurry of him and me. The world was falling away with each movement. Each breath and kiss made me forget. Who or what was I forgetting? Who cared? He claimed me with each thrust as it hit deeper until he filled me. Thump, Thump, Thump, a distant heartbeat called. Matt breathed life into me as I felt the orgasm building past the point I could take it.

  Beyond that room, there was nothing else. I did not care. I just wanted him. We were wrapped up in each other. He did not cool to my touch and did not break. My hunger came second to my desire. Matt smelled like me, and I could not get my fill of him. My skin wanted to wrap itself around him and take him in. His body showed signs of wear, and I did tear at him. I needed to taste him again. He broke our kiss and thrust his neck to me. His blood was rich and deep. I took it in with the same feverish craving I used to have for cherries.

  The deep red was covering my mouth and lips, and the same with his blood. The first bite only fueled my desire to keep on. I moaned in desire for him. Anything he wanted would be his. With his desire almost ready to burst, he bit into my shoulder to claim me. His molten member swollen to its breaking point finally exploded. Both of us came with the taste of the other. He owned me. His breath was heavy against me. His body was still recovering. We stayed against the wall with him pining me with released desire.

  Matt shuddered from the cold that was creeping across his body. I could not be separated from him, but he needed rest. Matt understood before I could speak and pulled himself out of me setting me down in the tub. Both of us wobbly from sex and desire stood there for a few moments. I took his body’s weight as he leaned on me getting out.

  We moved to my bed lying down. He pulled me close to him and put his arm and leg over me. His smell covered my skin, and his blood filled me. Anything he wanted he could have. I would do anything for him. I fell into my stilled sleep with him. He was alive, and nothing else mattered.

  Chapter 27

  Drops of red deliciousness pattered down the stairs with steps. It reminded me that there was another urge and desire. Ryan had spilled perfectly good blood. The smell was dead. Matt’s smell filled me again reminding me of his warmth and passion. I looked over to him, letting go of Matt. Ryan looked quite pale, so different to me. His smell and everything about him was so fragile.

  I pushed off the bed taking a sheet with me. Ryan was… What was Ryan? Vague feelings and impressions came to me, but were quickly replaced by Matt as he stood, wrapping his arms around me. I could do nothing but breathe him in. He bit down on my neck playfully. I instinctively turned from Ryan and bit Matt taking in his blood, and the fever all over again.

  “You should go, Ryan, she is fine with me. I am taking care of her,” Matt said before I could break away again.

  Ryan tossed the blood bags at Matt with a strange look on his face. Matt’s arm around me pulled me to him. I wrapped my body around him. Matt was what I needed. He looked down at me with a dark smile.

  “Are you hungry, little one?” His voice was dark and full of a tone that told me to obey.

  “Am I?” Confusion set into me. Was I hungry? What could he command? “Matt,” I pleaded his name and he kissed me licking his tongue over my fangs. Ryan walked heavily on the steps back upstairs the door slamming behind him. Matt’s warmth drew me in, but he was getting weak from me. My craving of him had not lessened. I just knew I had to stop.

  “We need to feed, and that is on others,” I said panting between breaths of him.

  “I am fine. We don’t ever have to leave here again. Just give into me. You are all I need, and I am what you need.” He was so calm in his statement almost cold. I was taken aback by it. I was fueled by passion and desire, and yet he was so cold and calm.

  Part of me felt as though I should run. He was a drug, and I was not going to be able to kick him. I stepped away from him. I needed perspective. Everything that had gone on up until this point spun me round and was turning me inside out. It had seemed like a distant thing that was far from my mind. I felt like looking at what had just happened was like trying to see the sun through black all-consuming storm clouds.

  He moved toward me, trying to pull me to him. I did not let him embrace me. This was off. Something about this was off. Half of me was screaming to grab hold and not think about anything else. Nothing outside of that room, outside of him was needed. The other half said run and never let him touch me again. I was torn between what my darkness wanted from my guilty human side.

  The human in me wanted him. It had found a companion that could not be broken or torn apart and not be able to be repaired. The darkness in me did not trust him. It wanted to be fed. It took everything to focus on the spilled blood. The blood lust would clear me. It would allow me to break free. It had to, or I would be here until the human took him, and darkness destroyed him for a new toy.

  “I need to eat, and that blood is making me hungrier by the minute,” I said as calmly as I could. I desired not to breathe him in. “I will be back I just need to freshen up a bit, and then we will go out, and when we both are full, we will be back here.” I wanted to escape, at least for a moment, without him. I went into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I knew he could break it down if he wanted, but then that would give me a reason to kill him.

  I looked into the sink at the broken pieces of the mirror. I did not recognize myself. It was my face, my skin, my eyes. Forget him, and what he was. What was I turning into? My skin was a warm pale. I grabbed the glass piece from the sink. My eyes were an unsettling green with red just around the darkness. My lips were a black red with fresh blood still dripping from them. I did not see the normal jellyfish. I could almost pull off as a very white human. I could not help but to rush my hands to my face to make sure it was my own.

  The mirror cut across my cheek letting blood rush from its side covering its visage. It was a quick clean cut, and the blood slowly flowed down my cheek to my mouth filling in between my closed lips. I could not help but to lick it from my lips. It tasted different. It was not black but a deep red. I ran my fingertips across the cut, and it had healed before I could touch it. Life flowed into me. I was alive?

  Chapter 28

  I smeared the blood on my check. The electric touches of it made me want to run to Matt and drink him dry. Whatever I was becoming, I was deadly, more deadly than in the past. I had to stop. I smacked my face. I had to stop. This was the drug addict talking. Who will win? I turned on the shower letting the water run. I dropped the sheet to look at myself. All my wounds were healed and left no trace of being there.

  I felt my stomach, but I don’t remember what use to be there. Vague images and thoughts crossed my mind, but nothing stuck. I was becoming something new, and the darkness inside me liked it. I stepped into the shower and let the water rush over me. It felt so thin on my
skin. Maybe my skin was thin. I felt every drop and every movement as it graced my skin. The feeling was intoxicating. I ran my hands through my hair feeling the touch of my nails and water across my scalp.

  The water’s warm embrace clung to my skin, and I felt alive. I let it pour down me and forgetting everything else. As a human, I never felt it like this. It felt as if tears were running down my face tracing the lines, only multiplied times a thousand. Each one was different, and yet had the same effect. Steam rose from my skin, and my breath seemed to smell sweeter.

  I could not help, but to find a release there in that warm, wet embrace. I moved the bar of soap across my skin. I could feel the bar drift over me like ice melting with water. It smelled of roses. Roses? The water and roses reminded me of home. I was a new creature just like the first day I was there. His warm voice soothed over me just as it had that day.

  “Hey, kiddo!” I was there in the past with them. He stood on the porch welcoming me, my mother tossing my suitcases to the ground. She turned to me, blocking my view.

  “Don’t kill them. At least try to be more.” Her hand pushed over the spot on my chest. I knew what she meant, but why keep reminding me? The taste of hatred filled my mouth.

  “I didn’t kill her,” I lashed back at her. She smacked me across the face.

  “The hell you didn’t.” Her anger bit across my cheek more than the feeling from her hand. I grabbed my bags and walked toward my grandpa. He warmly smiled at me before meeting me and taking the bags. She got back into her car and drove off. The breeze, a little chilly at first, brought me the smell of wild roses and water.

  I could not linger in the shower feeling edgy after remembering her. I rinsed off and stepped out. The water slid down my skin like tears. Like it or not, I needed things. I needed to be far away from Matt. I will kill him to feel like this. The darkness in me was returning with my skin growing ashen like the bark of oak trees. Ryan. As the cold rush through my veins, I found the memories of what he meant to me.