Birth of the Nyxian
Chapter 1
Harlow
I glanced at the clock over the mirrored bar. It was almost midnight; just a few more hours until time to go home. As I turned to grab a rag, I caught sight of my reflection in the mirror.
My long, bright auburn hair was piled on my head in a messy bun, wisps escaping to frame my face. My jade green eyes looked tired and my skin, normally pale, looked sickly under the neon lights of the bar.
I couldn’t wait to get out of here. I’d been working for ten very long hours today. Our lunch bartender was home with a sick kid so I had agreed to cover her hours in addition to my own. Closing Time, the bar where I worked a few days a week, was just down the road from the town’s industrial district, so it was pretty busy when the workday was over.
I’d gotten lots of nice tips tonight, but I’d had a few horrible customers too. The first was one of those pushy guys that were completely repulsive, yet refused to take a hint. Hell, he didn’t even understand a very bluntly worded refusal.
Then I had the whiner. Apparently my being a bartender was the green light for him to give me his whole self-destructive story. Normally, I wouldn’t mind listening to someone’s problems and giving advice or just a sympathetic ear, but this guy was awful.
He was exceedingly rude and called me “the help” several times. He nearly left with a black eye because his grabby hands couldn’t seem to stay away from my ass when I came out from behind the bar to clean up the beer bottles he kept smashing on the floor. His problems were entirely his own fault and I had a very hard time feeling sorry for him.
If you don’t want your wife to leave you, don’t sleep with the housekeeper. If you don’t want to get fired, don’t embezzle money from the company and have a one night stand with the boss’s daughter. He brought it all down on himself. He wasn’t even sorry for what he did, just that he got caught. He droned on and on, repeating himself over and over until he finally staggered out the door.
Time passed and customers finished their drinks and stumbled home. After I made last call drinks, I gathered glasses and wiped down the oak bar. I swept the floor as the last customer drifted out. Finally, I was able to shut off the lights and lock the door.
A little after 4:00 A.M., I left the bar to walk the six blocks back to my apartment. Despite it being mid-October, the night was pleasantly warm, and I was looking forward to the walk home. It was such a clear night, I could see thousands of stars, and there was no moonlight to block them.
I walked for about three blocks, watching the sky more than the sidewalk. Most of the time, the city lights of Seylor, Montana kept me from getting a good view of the stars, of which I was an avid fan, but I didn’t usually work this late. I reached the corner of the street and was forced to focus on my more earthbound surroundings.
This was the industrial part of town. Most buildings were warehouses and other businesses that were open during the day but were currently shut up tight.
I passed Meyer’s Deli and saw the blinking neon sign advertising fresh sandwiches still on inside the closed shop. It felt eerie that Mr. Meyer had forgotten to turn off the light. He was usually so careful when closing the deli and I couldn’t help but hope everything was alright. Mentally, I shook the feeling and kept going.
Nearby was the local book store. I walked across the street to look in the display window and what I saw there made me gasp in delight. The display was full of vampire books, for a Halloween promotion. However, what caught my attention was an ancient looking book bound in leather and stamped only with ‘Dracula’ in a dark red ink.
Was that a first edition? I thought.
I made a mental note to come back as soon as the shop opened. I had a thing for books, especially first editions, and Dracula was my favorite vampire story.
Everything was silent and dark in this little corner of town. I decided to take a longer route home. It wasn’t my usual path, but I wanted the better view of the stars. I couldn’t get my telescope out at the apartment because the parking lot was too brightly lit. Tonight, on this side of town, I could see the stars so clearly that the Milky Way was a bright white streak blazing through the inky blackness of the endless sky.
I realized that taking off alone at 4 A.M. through the dark, supposedly empty side of town was probably not the smartest decision, but the stars were just so damn beautiful. I felt pulled to continue into the darkness to admire their beauty.
I rounded the corner of a warehouse and found what must have been a small employee area for the workers there. It was just a patch of grass, a few benches and a graffiti covered picnic table, with no trees to mar the view. It was perfect for star gazing!
Sitting on top of the table was the best option, giving me a chance to comfortably stretch out. The warehouse blocked the light from the street behind strengthening visibility.
I perched myself there and began drinking in the sky. I love the night, everything about it. The sights and the sounds; night even smelled different to me. I’d always had problems sleeping during the hours of darkness. I just didn’t want to miss it. I liked the sun. I mean; it’s the sun, who couldn’t like it? But I lived for the night.
I sat quietly, the endless night sky that I so adored absorbing all my attention. I don’t know how long I sat like that before suddenly feeling a presence behind me.
As I spun to see who was there, I ran right into the massive chest of the man who had interrupted my reverie. He appeared startled that I’d noticed him, since he hadn’t made a sound. But, oh boy, was I glad I’d turned around.
Even in the dark, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He was probably also a serial killer, but I couldn’t seem to get my mind past, oh my God! Look at that magnificent male specimen!
After a moment, I stopped staring and realized that however gorgeous he may be, this guy had still snuck up on me in the dark. I took a step back and to the side, trying to give myself an avenue of escape if needed. He stepped forward and to the side to block me, causing us to circle each other.
“So, does it take practice to sneak up on women in the dark like that, or is it just your way of saying hello?” I asked with more bravado than I felt.
His skin was very pale; seeming almost luminous in its lack of color. He smiled and I saw a flash of white teeth in the dark. I couldn’t see well, but it seemed like something was off with his front teeth. I felt a shiver of unease slide down my spine, but I ignored it.
“If you’re so worried, why haven’t you run?” he asked with a predatory glint in his eyes as he stepped closer.
His voice was deep and smooth as it seemed to stimulate all the nerve endings in my body. That voice was made for whispering sweet nothings into a lover’s ear and I had to force myself to focus on the fact that this guy had snuck up on me in the dark with God knows what in mind.
“Yeah, because turning my back on a stranger to run stumbling through the dark seems like such a great idea,” I replied with a little more snark than I had intended. Despite my apprehension, even with my brave words, I didn’t back away from him.
He laughed and I was stunned by the musical quality the sound held. His voice had completely captured my attention. It triggered a response within me that I couldn’t define.
Well, maybe I could: my mind was filled with some very vivid images of the things he might want with me. Part of me wanted to get closer to this man, despite the possible danger.
As if he could sense my thoughts, he stepped closer and I raised my hand to keep some space between us. My hand pressed against his chest and, instead of the warmth I was expecting, I felt the chill that his body gave off, even through his clothes.
His closeness brought his scent with it, and for a moment I was adrift on a wave of sensual pleasure, the likes of which I’d never experienced. He smelled like cedar, fresh air, rain, and man. I was overwhelmed by the sheer masculinity of his scent.
“Look into my eyes,” he commanded.
I couldn’t help myself from obeying to see the expression they held. I wanted to get a better look at the eyes that went with that amazing voice. I couldn’t really see the color, but they seemed dark and were definitely intensely focused. That intense focus was aimed at me, but I couldn’t figure out what he wanted.
Then I came to my senses. Something wasn’t right about this man, and I was just standing there staring at him.
“Hi, I’m Harlow, and I’m trying very hard not to be weirded out right now,” I blurted out nervously.
He raised an eyebrow, as though he was surprised. He then looked almost sad. “I didn’t want to kill you, I wanted only to feed. But since my compulsion hasn’t worked, I’m left with no choice. I simply can’t risk it,” he said, with that voice I found so enchanting.
This close, when he spoke I was able to see his mouth better, and something about his teeth still bothered me.
Dammit! I thought. I knew he was a serial killer! Why are all the good looking ones crazy?
He touched my cheek with the palm of his hand, stepping closer and giving me a perfect view of his face. After barely a moment, several things clicked in my head at once.
• His skin was ice cold.
• He was deathly pale. So much so, that he seemed to glow; even in the dark.
• He commanded me to look at his eyes as if he expected me to obey.
• He said since his compulsion didn’t work he was going to kill me!
• He was unnaturally alluring. Even after he said that he was going to kill me, I was drawn to him.
• Those teeth; the canines were long and razor sharp. Oh crap, he had fangs!
Then it hit me. “Holy shit! You’re a vampire!”
I paused to take a breath. I was excited and terrified all at once. He looked shocked that I’d said that, but seemed even more stunned that I was smiling and not running away screaming. But running away never even occurred to me.
Now that I was actually meeting a vampire, I sure as hell wasn’t walking away, (not that he would let me.) I loved vampires! Ever since I was a little girl, sitting up at night, watching scary movies with my dad, many of them being about vampires.
I read constantly, mostly supernatural fiction, vampires being a favorite of mine. This was a dream come true for me, well, it would be if he hadn’t just said he was going to kill me.
I’d always believed in vampires. Not fanatically or anything, but I knew there were things in this world that I could not explain. I just thought that somewhere in the world, it was possible.
“Wait! Please, if you’re going to kill me anyway, will you answer a few questions for me first? I’ve loved vampire stories since I was a little girl. I would willingly feed you and keep your secret, but if you must kill me, at least tell me about you first. Now that I know you’re real, I have to know more. Consider it my last request,” I said with a grin.
He looked thoughtful, and I took hope from the fact that I wasn’t already dead. At least he was only thinking about killing me, something I knew him to be capable of in a matter of seconds if he so desired. Damn, talk about a bad situation. But I tried to be a silver-lining kind of girl.
Of all the ways I imagined my death, vampire was only on the crazy list, but hey, so was zombie. It was a lot better than some of the ways I could have gone out. I’m a klutz, so I could have easily tripped and broken my neck falling down the stairs.
“Please?” I said. “We can stay right here, you feed from me and then we talk. I’ve always believed. Everyone that I told laughed at me, but I didn’t care, and eventually just stopped telling people. If they don’t believe than they don’t deserve to know.”
Ok, that was maybe taking it too far. I’d only ever told a few friends that I actually believed in vampires as an adult. Yes, they laughed at me, but it was during a conversation where they admitted that ghosts exist. The likelihood of lycanthropy and the best strategies for survival of the zombie apocalypse were also discussed.
The mystery vampire man looked at me for a long time before speaking. “This is highly unusual. I’ve never had a human react to my true self with anything but fear. Are you not afraid you will be killed in my company?”
“Well, I hope I won’t be, of course. But if that’s what it has to come to, I don’t have any family that will miss me, I live alone, and have no pets. This is a chance to actually learn something important. I can’t pass up the chance to learn more about vampires.”
I let out a nervous laugh, “I’m kind of a nerd, and knowledge is my thing. If you let me walk away now, I would be tortured by the chance I had passed up. I know that sounds like a dumb reason to risk my life, but it makes sense to me.
“Besides, if you really wanted to kill me, I couldn’t stop you. I figure you already said you had to kill me, might as well try to entertain you and stay alive,” I said with a nervous chuckle as he continued to gaze at me with those intense, dark eyes.
“And you would be willing to let me feed?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. I would. Everyone needs to eat, though I would prefer that you didn’t kill me,” I said with a sly smile. It looked like he may actually answer my questions. I was scared, but I was definitely more excited. “Which, I suppose, makes me completely insane.”
He chuckled. “Then I shall answer your questions. I find you intriguing. I’ve never met a human with such a thirst for knowledge, even at their own peril. Would you be more comfortable here, or is there somewhere we can go?” he asked.
“My apartment is only a couple blocks away. It would give us more privacy and I can organize my thoughts better at home. Is that alright?”
“That is acceptable. Shall you lead the way, my lady?” he asked, a slight accent I thought sounded Irish coming through.
Satisfied that I wasn’t going to die in the immediate future, I allowed myself to swoon for a moment at his calling me “my lady.” People just don’t talk like that anymore. I’ve always had a fascination with the Middle Ages and the whole medieval way of life. I was a big history buff.
I blushed and said, “Yes, it’s just a few blocks this way,” as I turned toward my apartment.
We walked in silence for the short trip and, as we passed street lights, I was able to see him better. He was tall; I would guess around six foot two inches. His shoulders were broad, and I would bet that he’d known hard manual labor at some point in his life.
I couldn’t see his face perfectly in the sporadic light, but I knew he was gorgeous. He had high cheekbones and a strong jaw. His face was dominated by his intense eyes and full lips, but he also had a straight nose and cheeks stubbled with dark brown whiskers.
The lack of proper light kept me from telling the true color of his eyes, but I knew they were deep. He made me feel small and delicate, and inexplicably, safe. He remained quiet during the walk, but when I got out my keys and unlocked the door, he reached over and opened it for me, motioning for me to precede him inside.
“Umm, do you need me to invite you in?” I asked nervously.
He laughed deeply, and it was such a wonderful sound! I noticed that his fangs had retracted and made a mental note to ask him about that.
“No, that is a myth that vampires started to make humans feel more secure. One need not invite evil for it to arrive. I don’t require an invitation into a home, but I prefer to wait for one. It’s simply rude to walk into a home without permission.”
I smiled and said, “Well, would you like to come inside…” I trailed off as I realized that I didn’t even know his name. I’d been so caught up in his being a vampire.
“Aiden, and yes I would love to. You intrigue me and I’m curious to see what questions you have.”
We walked into my ground floor apartment and he took a moment to look around as I was turning on lights.
“Please make yourself at home. I’m just going to change from my work clothes. The stench of the bar is clinging to me.”
He nodded and continued looking around as I walked toward my bedroom. My home was a reflection of me; a comfortable, eccentric place that welcomed you as soon as you walked in the door with a brightly colored, cinnamon-scented mental hug.
The walls of the living room were a deep red, and I had many medieval artifacts scattered around the room. There was a large painting of a castle on the wall over the fireplace, I didn’t know which castle it was, but the painting was done in the early 1200’s in Ireland. I found it at an auction in Dublin while I was doing my year abroad for college. It cost me several thousand dollars, but something about it called to me.
There was a painting of my family coat of arms hanging over my overstuffed black sofa, and an elaborate medieval weapon display on another wall. An authentic medieval suit of armor was in the corner next to the chaise, standing guard over my treasured collection of first edition books. A vase of my favorite red lilies was on a small table next to the hall, and I happily inhaled their scent as I walked past.
I continued into the hallway, which was painted a light cream color and covered in pictures of the places I’d traveled. I had no family anymore, but if I did, their pictures would hang on this wall too.
The only pictures I had left were in my bedroom. As I walked down the hall, I passed the second bedroom, which I had converted into an office and the bathroom before I got to my door.
My bedroom was my sanctuary. I loved this room, it was relaxing and soothing to me. My walls were painted a dark grey, the color of stone, and the trim around the doors and windows was black. My bed, my favorite place in the world, was the focal point of the room.
It was a large antique, king-size four poster bed that I’d found at an estate sale in London. It was also black and had many gothic flourishes and designs on it. I had silver curtains hanging from it. My bedspread was silver as well, a few shades lighter than the curtains.
Across from my bed, on the wall hung the few treasured pictures I had of my family. There was an antique vanity in the corner and an armoire against one of the walls.
On the other walls, I had framed pictures of scenes in Ireland. Of all the places I visited, Ireland was by far the most memorable. I just felt at home while I was there. The land was beautiful and the history was so extensive and varied.
I crossed to the closet and grabbed an emerald green, sleeveless dress and a black cardigan. I pulled my hair up tight and started the shower. I removed my work clothes and hopped in the shower.
I kept my hair dry, but scrubbed the rest of my body with my favorite pomegranate body wash and quickly shaved my legs before hopping out of the shower.
After dressing, I applied some light makeup and brushed my long auburn hair straight, letting it hang around my shoulders. I was happy with my appearance, classy but sexy. I wanted to look good, this may well be the most memorable night of my life, and it could even be the last.
The green of the dress really set off my eyes, and it complimented my hair nicely. I took a deep breath and one last look in the mirror before heading out to question the gorgeous dead man in my living room.
My long, bright auburn hair was piled on my head in a messy bun, wisps escaping to frame my face. My jade green eyes looked tired and my skin, normally pale, looked sickly under the neon lights of the bar.
I couldn’t wait to get out of here. I’d been working for ten very long hours today. Our lunch bartender was home with a sick kid so I had agreed to cover her hours in addition to my own. Closing Time, the bar where I worked a few days a week, was just down the road from the town’s industrial district, so it was pretty busy when the workday was over.
I’d gotten lots of nice tips tonight, but I’d had a few horrible customers too. The first was one of those pushy guys that were completely repulsive, yet refused to take a hint. Hell, he didn’t even understand a very bluntly worded refusal.
Then I had the whiner. Apparently my being a bartender was the green light for him to give me his whole self-destructive story. Normally, I wouldn’t mind listening to someone’s problems and giving advice or just a sympathetic ear, but this guy was awful.
He was exceedingly rude and called me “the help” several times. He nearly left with a black eye because his grabby hands couldn’t seem to stay away from my ass when I came out from behind the bar to clean up the beer bottles he kept smashing on the floor. His problems were entirely his own fault and I had a very hard time feeling sorry for him.
If you don’t want your wife to leave you, don’t sleep with the housekeeper. If you don’t want to get fired, don’t embezzle money from the company and have a one night stand with the boss’s daughter. He brought it all down on himself. He wasn’t even sorry for what he did, just that he got caught. He droned on and on, repeating himself over and over until he finally staggered out the door.
Time passed and customers finished their drinks and stumbled home. After I made last call drinks, I gathered glasses and wiped down the oak bar. I swept the floor as the last customer drifted out. Finally, I was able to shut off the lights and lock the door.
A little after 4:00 A.M., I left the bar to walk the six blocks back to my apartment. Despite it being mid-October, the night was pleasantly warm, and I was looking forward to the walk home. It was such a clear night, I could see thousands of stars, and there was no moonlight to block them.
I walked for about three blocks, watching the sky more than the sidewalk. Most of the time, the city lights of Seylor, Montana kept me from getting a good view of the stars, of which I was an avid fan, but I didn’t usually work this late. I reached the corner of the street and was forced to focus on my more earthbound surroundings.
This was the industrial part of town. Most buildings were warehouses and other businesses that were open during the day but were currently shut up tight.
I passed Meyer’s Deli and saw the blinking neon sign advertising fresh sandwiches still on inside the closed shop. It felt eerie that Mr. Meyer had forgotten to turn off the light. He was usually so careful when closing the deli and I couldn’t help but hope everything was alright. Mentally, I shook the feeling and kept going.
Nearby was the local book store. I walked across the street to look in the display window and what I saw there made me gasp in delight. The display was full of vampire books, for a Halloween promotion. However, what caught my attention was an ancient looking book bound in leather and stamped only with ‘Dracula’ in a dark red ink.
Was that a first edition? I thought.
I made a mental note to come back as soon as the shop opened. I had a thing for books, especially first editions, and Dracula was my favorite vampire story.
Everything was silent and dark in this little corner of town. I decided to take a longer route home. It wasn’t my usual path, but I wanted the better view of the stars. I couldn’t get my telescope out at the apartment because the parking lot was too brightly lit. Tonight, on this side of town, I could see the stars so clearly that the Milky Way was a bright white streak blazing through the inky blackness of the endless sky.
I realized that taking off alone at 4 A.M. through the dark, supposedly empty side of town was probably not the smartest decision, but the stars were just so damn beautiful. I felt pulled to continue into the darkness to admire their beauty.
I rounded the corner of a warehouse and found what must have been a small employee area for the workers there. It was just a patch of grass, a few benches and a graffiti covered picnic table, with no trees to mar the view. It was perfect for star gazing!
Sitting on top of the table was the best option, giving me a chance to comfortably stretch out. The warehouse blocked the light from the street behind strengthening visibility.
I perched myself there and began drinking in the sky. I love the night, everything about it. The sights and the sounds; night even smelled different to me. I’d always had problems sleeping during the hours of darkness. I just didn’t want to miss it. I liked the sun. I mean; it’s the sun, who couldn’t like it? But I lived for the night.
I sat quietly, the endless night sky that I so adored absorbing all my attention. I don’t know how long I sat like that before suddenly feeling a presence behind me.
As I spun to see who was there, I ran right into the massive chest of the man who had interrupted my reverie. He appeared startled that I’d noticed him, since he hadn’t made a sound. But, oh boy, was I glad I’d turned around.
Even in the dark, he was the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He was probably also a serial killer, but I couldn’t seem to get my mind past, oh my God! Look at that magnificent male specimen!
After a moment, I stopped staring and realized that however gorgeous he may be, this guy had still snuck up on me in the dark. I took a step back and to the side, trying to give myself an avenue of escape if needed. He stepped forward and to the side to block me, causing us to circle each other.
“So, does it take practice to sneak up on women in the dark like that, or is it just your way of saying hello?” I asked with more bravado than I felt.
His skin was very pale; seeming almost luminous in its lack of color. He smiled and I saw a flash of white teeth in the dark. I couldn’t see well, but it seemed like something was off with his front teeth. I felt a shiver of unease slide down my spine, but I ignored it.
“If you’re so worried, why haven’t you run?” he asked with a predatory glint in his eyes as he stepped closer.
His voice was deep and smooth as it seemed to stimulate all the nerve endings in my body. That voice was made for whispering sweet nothings into a lover’s ear and I had to force myself to focus on the fact that this guy had snuck up on me in the dark with God knows what in mind.
“Yeah, because turning my back on a stranger to run stumbling through the dark seems like such a great idea,” I replied with a little more snark than I had intended. Despite my apprehension, even with my brave words, I didn’t back away from him.
He laughed and I was stunned by the musical quality the sound held. His voice had completely captured my attention. It triggered a response within me that I couldn’t define.
Well, maybe I could: my mind was filled with some very vivid images of the things he might want with me. Part of me wanted to get closer to this man, despite the possible danger.
As if he could sense my thoughts, he stepped closer and I raised my hand to keep some space between us. My hand pressed against his chest and, instead of the warmth I was expecting, I felt the chill that his body gave off, even through his clothes.
His closeness brought his scent with it, and for a moment I was adrift on a wave of sensual pleasure, the likes of which I’d never experienced. He smelled like cedar, fresh air, rain, and man. I was overwhelmed by the sheer masculinity of his scent.
“Look into my eyes,” he commanded.
I couldn’t help myself from obeying to see the expression they held. I wanted to get a better look at the eyes that went with that amazing voice. I couldn’t really see the color, but they seemed dark and were definitely intensely focused. That intense focus was aimed at me, but I couldn’t figure out what he wanted.
Then I came to my senses. Something wasn’t right about this man, and I was just standing there staring at him.
“Hi, I’m Harlow, and I’m trying very hard not to be weirded out right now,” I blurted out nervously.
He raised an eyebrow, as though he was surprised. He then looked almost sad. “I didn’t want to kill you, I wanted only to feed. But since my compulsion hasn’t worked, I’m left with no choice. I simply can’t risk it,” he said, with that voice I found so enchanting.
This close, when he spoke I was able to see his mouth better, and something about his teeth still bothered me.
Dammit! I thought. I knew he was a serial killer! Why are all the good looking ones crazy?
He touched my cheek with the palm of his hand, stepping closer and giving me a perfect view of his face. After barely a moment, several things clicked in my head at once.
• His skin was ice cold.
• He was deathly pale. So much so, that he seemed to glow; even in the dark.
• He commanded me to look at his eyes as if he expected me to obey.
• He said since his compulsion didn’t work he was going to kill me!
• He was unnaturally alluring. Even after he said that he was going to kill me, I was drawn to him.
• Those teeth; the canines were long and razor sharp. Oh crap, he had fangs!
Then it hit me. “Holy shit! You’re a vampire!”
I paused to take a breath. I was excited and terrified all at once. He looked shocked that I’d said that, but seemed even more stunned that I was smiling and not running away screaming. But running away never even occurred to me.
Now that I was actually meeting a vampire, I sure as hell wasn’t walking away, (not that he would let me.) I loved vampires! Ever since I was a little girl, sitting up at night, watching scary movies with my dad, many of them being about vampires.
I read constantly, mostly supernatural fiction, vampires being a favorite of mine. This was a dream come true for me, well, it would be if he hadn’t just said he was going to kill me.
I’d always believed in vampires. Not fanatically or anything, but I knew there were things in this world that I could not explain. I just thought that somewhere in the world, it was possible.
“Wait! Please, if you’re going to kill me anyway, will you answer a few questions for me first? I’ve loved vampire stories since I was a little girl. I would willingly feed you and keep your secret, but if you must kill me, at least tell me about you first. Now that I know you’re real, I have to know more. Consider it my last request,” I said with a grin.
He looked thoughtful, and I took hope from the fact that I wasn’t already dead. At least he was only thinking about killing me, something I knew him to be capable of in a matter of seconds if he so desired. Damn, talk about a bad situation. But I tried to be a silver-lining kind of girl.
Of all the ways I imagined my death, vampire was only on the crazy list, but hey, so was zombie. It was a lot better than some of the ways I could have gone out. I’m a klutz, so I could have easily tripped and broken my neck falling down the stairs.
“Please?” I said. “We can stay right here, you feed from me and then we talk. I’ve always believed. Everyone that I told laughed at me, but I didn’t care, and eventually just stopped telling people. If they don’t believe than they don’t deserve to know.”
Ok, that was maybe taking it too far. I’d only ever told a few friends that I actually believed in vampires as an adult. Yes, they laughed at me, but it was during a conversation where they admitted that ghosts exist. The likelihood of lycanthropy and the best strategies for survival of the zombie apocalypse were also discussed.
The mystery vampire man looked at me for a long time before speaking. “This is highly unusual. I’ve never had a human react to my true self with anything but fear. Are you not afraid you will be killed in my company?”
“Well, I hope I won’t be, of course. But if that’s what it has to come to, I don’t have any family that will miss me, I live alone, and have no pets. This is a chance to actually learn something important. I can’t pass up the chance to learn more about vampires.”
I let out a nervous laugh, “I’m kind of a nerd, and knowledge is my thing. If you let me walk away now, I would be tortured by the chance I had passed up. I know that sounds like a dumb reason to risk my life, but it makes sense to me.
“Besides, if you really wanted to kill me, I couldn’t stop you. I figure you already said you had to kill me, might as well try to entertain you and stay alive,” I said with a nervous chuckle as he continued to gaze at me with those intense, dark eyes.
“And you would be willing to let me feed?” he asked quietly.
“Yes. I would. Everyone needs to eat, though I would prefer that you didn’t kill me,” I said with a sly smile. It looked like he may actually answer my questions. I was scared, but I was definitely more excited. “Which, I suppose, makes me completely insane.”
He chuckled. “Then I shall answer your questions. I find you intriguing. I’ve never met a human with such a thirst for knowledge, even at their own peril. Would you be more comfortable here, or is there somewhere we can go?” he asked.
“My apartment is only a couple blocks away. It would give us more privacy and I can organize my thoughts better at home. Is that alright?”
“That is acceptable. Shall you lead the way, my lady?” he asked, a slight accent I thought sounded Irish coming through.
Satisfied that I wasn’t going to die in the immediate future, I allowed myself to swoon for a moment at his calling me “my lady.” People just don’t talk like that anymore. I’ve always had a fascination with the Middle Ages and the whole medieval way of life. I was a big history buff.
I blushed and said, “Yes, it’s just a few blocks this way,” as I turned toward my apartment.
We walked in silence for the short trip and, as we passed street lights, I was able to see him better. He was tall; I would guess around six foot two inches. His shoulders were broad, and I would bet that he’d known hard manual labor at some point in his life.
I couldn’t see his face perfectly in the sporadic light, but I knew he was gorgeous. He had high cheekbones and a strong jaw. His face was dominated by his intense eyes and full lips, but he also had a straight nose and cheeks stubbled with dark brown whiskers.
The lack of proper light kept me from telling the true color of his eyes, but I knew they were deep. He made me feel small and delicate, and inexplicably, safe. He remained quiet during the walk, but when I got out my keys and unlocked the door, he reached over and opened it for me, motioning for me to precede him inside.
“Umm, do you need me to invite you in?” I asked nervously.
He laughed deeply, and it was such a wonderful sound! I noticed that his fangs had retracted and made a mental note to ask him about that.
“No, that is a myth that vampires started to make humans feel more secure. One need not invite evil for it to arrive. I don’t require an invitation into a home, but I prefer to wait for one. It’s simply rude to walk into a home without permission.”
I smiled and said, “Well, would you like to come inside…” I trailed off as I realized that I didn’t even know his name. I’d been so caught up in his being a vampire.
“Aiden, and yes I would love to. You intrigue me and I’m curious to see what questions you have.”
We walked into my ground floor apartment and he took a moment to look around as I was turning on lights.
“Please make yourself at home. I’m just going to change from my work clothes. The stench of the bar is clinging to me.”
He nodded and continued looking around as I walked toward my bedroom. My home was a reflection of me; a comfortable, eccentric place that welcomed you as soon as you walked in the door with a brightly colored, cinnamon-scented mental hug.
The walls of the living room were a deep red, and I had many medieval artifacts scattered around the room. There was a large painting of a castle on the wall over the fireplace, I didn’t know which castle it was, but the painting was done in the early 1200’s in Ireland. I found it at an auction in Dublin while I was doing my year abroad for college. It cost me several thousand dollars, but something about it called to me.
There was a painting of my family coat of arms hanging over my overstuffed black sofa, and an elaborate medieval weapon display on another wall. An authentic medieval suit of armor was in the corner next to the chaise, standing guard over my treasured collection of first edition books. A vase of my favorite red lilies was on a small table next to the hall, and I happily inhaled their scent as I walked past.
I continued into the hallway, which was painted a light cream color and covered in pictures of the places I’d traveled. I had no family anymore, but if I did, their pictures would hang on this wall too.
The only pictures I had left were in my bedroom. As I walked down the hall, I passed the second bedroom, which I had converted into an office and the bathroom before I got to my door.
My bedroom was my sanctuary. I loved this room, it was relaxing and soothing to me. My walls were painted a dark grey, the color of stone, and the trim around the doors and windows was black. My bed, my favorite place in the world, was the focal point of the room.
It was a large antique, king-size four poster bed that I’d found at an estate sale in London. It was also black and had many gothic flourishes and designs on it. I had silver curtains hanging from it. My bedspread was silver as well, a few shades lighter than the curtains.
Across from my bed, on the wall hung the few treasured pictures I had of my family. There was an antique vanity in the corner and an armoire against one of the walls.
On the other walls, I had framed pictures of scenes in Ireland. Of all the places I visited, Ireland was by far the most memorable. I just felt at home while I was there. The land was beautiful and the history was so extensive and varied.
I crossed to the closet and grabbed an emerald green, sleeveless dress and a black cardigan. I pulled my hair up tight and started the shower. I removed my work clothes and hopped in the shower.
I kept my hair dry, but scrubbed the rest of my body with my favorite pomegranate body wash and quickly shaved my legs before hopping out of the shower.
After dressing, I applied some light makeup and brushed my long auburn hair straight, letting it hang around my shoulders. I was happy with my appearance, classy but sexy. I wanted to look good, this may well be the most memorable night of my life, and it could even be the last.
The green of the dress really set off my eyes, and it complimented my hair nicely. I took a deep breath and one last look in the mirror before heading out to question the gorgeous dead man in my living room.
Birth of the Nyxian
Chapter 2
Harlow
When I walked into the living room, Aiden was standing absolutely still and staring at my castle painting with an expression I couldn’t decipher. I took the opportunity to study his appearance further.
He was very tall, dwarfing my smaller stature. His shoulders were broad and I could see the muscles defined under his dark blue, long sleeved tee-shirt. He wore expensive looking black jeans and boots. He didn’t have a coat, but it was warm outside and I guess, as a vampire, he wouldn’t need one anyway.
His hair was dark brown and on the longish side. It didn’t quite reach his shoulders, but it seemed that it’d been a while since he’d had it cut. The hair over his forehead frequently fell into his eyes and more than once tonight I’d felt an urge to reach over and brush it from his brow.
He didn’t acknowledge my presence, so I said, “Sorry that took so long, I hope you were comfortable while you waited.”
He jumped when I spoke, as if his mind had been far away from here. Ha, so much for vampire super senses!
When he turned and saw me, his eyes widened and he said, “It was but a moment for me, Harlow. I must say you are a vision. That dress’ color suits you immensely.” He smiled as he said this, and my blood pressure went through the roof. I noticed that his eyes were an emerald green with flecks of gold in them. I wondered if the color would darken when he was aroused.
“Why, thank you. So, will it be dinner then entertainment or entertainment then dinner?” I asked with a cheeky smile. “I warn you though, you should probably eat first. Once, I start with the questions, I’m not likely to stop until you make me.”
Aiden laughed a hearty, deep belly laugh that one can only produce when in the throes of true amusement. “Ah, young one, this has been a far more interesting night than I’ve had for centuries, we shall proceed however you like. I’m in no rush, though sunlight will become an issue for me in about … an hour and a half.”
His laugh made my heart skip a few beats. What a beautiful sound! I wondered if he knew that his laughter sounded so musical. I was curious if it was just him or if that was a vampire thing. He didn’t look terribly hungry, so I decided to go ahead with my questions.
“I’m so curious that I can barely contain myself, so if you aren’t starving, can we do questions first? Also, if it gets too late and you need to leave I understand,” I said excitedly. I sat down on the couch so I could see the painting of the castle hanging on the opposite wall.
He sat down next to me and followed my line of sight. When he saw that I was looking at the painting, he said, “I have a question for you first. Where did you get that painting?”
“I found it at an estate sale in Dublin, Ireland. I don’t know what castle it is, but it was painted in the 1200s. It cost me a fortune, but it just called to me, I had to have it. Eventually, I would love to go back to Ireland. I went to about thirty castles while I was doing my year abroad, but I never found the right one.”
He smiled warmly. “I may have the answers you seek. But first, ask your questions. I’m certain the conversation will lead that way eventually.”
“Oh, come on! Fine, you tease,” I said with a smile. “Okay, Aiden. My first question is: how old are you? It will give me an idea where to go with my questions,” I said.
“I was born January 4, 1191, at Carrickfergas Castle in northern Ireland.”
“Wow, I think my heart just stopped beating. Do you have any idea how much I want to ask you? I may never let you leave! The things you must have seen in all that time! That makes you, what, eight hundred and twenty years old?” I rambled excitedly.
I was right about the accent. I thought smugly to myself.
Aiden laughed at my enthusiasm, “Well, I can assure you that your heart is still beating, albeit a little fast. And, yes, I have been walking this earth for eight hundred and twenty years. And in all that time, I have never met anyone who has instantly fascinated me as you do.”
I felt a blush heat my cheeks, “You can hear my heartbeat? Well, there go my chances of playing it cool. Guess I’ll have to dazzle you with my wit, as my calm composure has been shattered.”
“I assure you, your wit is dazzling,” Aiden said with a mischievous grin.
“Well in that case, I have so much to ask you! So tell me about your life before you became a vampire. Who were your parents? What did you do with your days? How were you turned? What-”
“Harlow! I can’t answer any of your questions if you don’t stop asking them,” he interrupted.
“Oh, sorry. I’m just so excited. You have no idea what this means to me! To not only meet a vampire, but someone who was turned during the time and in the place I am so fascinated with. The firsthand knowledge you can give is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me!
“I’m working on my doctorate in medieval history! I could talk to you for days and still not have learned everything I want to know… And I’m rambling again, sorry,” I said with a sheepish look.
“It’s quite all right. I understand that this must be an exciting experience for you. To tell the truth, I’m rather excited as well. It’s quite liberating to not have to hide myself around a human. And to have someone so interested in the past.
“I usually only associate with other vampires, and vampires tend to focus on the present. I have some rather pleasant memories from my past though, and I don’t mind reliving them,” Aiden said with a commiserating smile.
“To answer your questions, my mother’s name was Isabelle de Huges. She was a commoner in the village just outside Carrickfergas Castle. The castle had only been finished for about ten years and the village was still relatively new.
“She was a seamstress; trained by her mother before she was orphaned at twelve. She then lived with her mother’s brother and used her needle skills to help earn her keep.
“My mother made most of the nicer clothing in the village and castle. But she was known for her voice. She had the most beautiful singing voice. The castle’s nobility frequently had her there to entertain them.
“She was a beautiful child, I’d heard, but she grew into a striking woman. Tall and slender with dark hair and bright blue eyes. When she was eighteen, the earl of Ulster, John DeCourcy, took a liking to her and had her brought to the castle frequently for “private concerts.” She didn’t have a choice, though she grew to love him.
“He took care of her, providing a nice home and a steady income. DeCourcy’s wife, Affreda, knew of the affair but had no power to stop it. It was not a wife’s place to stop a husband from anything at the time.
“Eventually Isabelle became pregnant with me. I am the illegitimate son of John DeCourcy, the man who built the castle in that painting.” He gestured at the painting hanging on the wall across from us.
“Are you kidding me? So that’s Carrickfergas Castle?” I interrupted. “It’s a good thing I don’t believe in coincidence, my belief system would be shattered. I am stunned. I don’t want to take the time to process it now though; if it’s ok I want to keep going with the questions.
“Do you mind if I record the conversation, it would be a huge help to me when I try to sort it all out later. I’ll take notes later and write a history for you if you’d like, leaving out the vampirism of course.” I looked at Aiden as I rambled, and was struck again by how amazingly handsome he was.
He chuckled at my enthusiasm. “I don’t mind if you record the conversation, I know you’ll not be sharing my secret with the world,” he said confidently.
“Of course I won’t, but how do you know?” I ask curiously.
“It’s one of my many vampiric talents. I can’t read your every thought, but anything related to myself or vampires in general makes an impression. It’s not like reading a book; I usually just catch impressions that have to do with the subject I’m focusing on,” Aiden replied.
I had to take a moment to let that one absorb, wondering just what impressions he may have already received from me this evening. I busied myself with setting up my handheld recorder. Then I smiled mischievously and thought very hard about asking if he’d been a knight before he became a vampire.
“That is an amazing talent to have. You must be impossible to sneak up on, or keep secrets from.”
He smiled slyly and said, “As a matter of fact, I was a knight.” He winked at me and I had to laugh.
“No keeping secrets from you then. I shall keep that in mind. Please continue. Tell me about what your life was like, the day to day experience. I want to know everything,” I blurted excitedly.
I lost track of time as I maintained a steady barrage of questions about 1200’s life. He barely had a chance to answer before I was asking about something else.
Aiden laughed his musical laugh again, and I couldn’t help but smile. “You aren’t even asking vampire questions. I thought this information was something worth risking your life for.”
“I know! But to find out that you lived during the time period I’ve spent my adult life studying, and in Ireland of all places! You don’t understand. My thesis topic is the role of chivalry and knighthood in medieval society.
“I’ve spent most of my life learning everything I could about this time period!” I knew my eyes were shining with excitement and emotion, but I couldn’t stop it. Hell, he could read my mind anyway; there was no modesty around him. “I’ll get to the vampire questions. I really could keep you talking for hours, there’s so much I want to know.”
Aiden smiled again and glanced out the window. The sky was still dark, but the horizon had begun to turn a slightly lighter shade, signaling the coming dawn.
“My but you are a curious creature! I regret that I must be leaving soon, the dawn will come in about forty-five minutes, and I must return to my home. If you are still willing to oblige, there is still the matter of my feeding to attend to,” he said this almost shyly, as if he were not used to asking.
I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get answers to all my questions, but I had promised to feed him. “You aren’t going to kill me right?” I asked nervously. I felt I could trust him, but I had no idea if that was just another vampire trick of his.
Aiden smiled kindly and said softly, his accent more evident, “Nay, lass, I’ll not be taking your life this eve’. I must tell you though, when vampires like me feed; we release a kind of venom to calm our prey. It’s a bit like a drug and it has different effects on different people.
“For many humans, feeding a vampire is a very sensual experience. After the venom wears off, there will be no lasting effects from my bite. Are you ready, Harlow?”
His accent became quite obvious and I couldn’t help thinking how sexy his lilting voice was in that Irish brogue. I wondered about the ‘vampires like me’ comment, but decided it could wait for another time. I just nodded mutely, lifted the hair from my neck, and tilted my head to the side, exposing my throat to him.
I was afraid, but also very eager and curious. A dark part of my mind thrilled to the idea and I became aroused. This had always been a fantasy of mine. It sounded like this wouldn’t hurt and might even be more pleasurable than I’d imagined.
I watched his face, but I didn’t see any changes as he leaned toward my neck. I tensed as I felt his lips brush my skin, but at his whispered, “Relax, my lady. I’ll not be hurting you,” I unclenched my muscles and gave myself over to the experience. It may cost me my life, but I trusted him.
I heard him groan softly in pleasure as he heard my thoughts. He pressed a soft kiss to my skin, and I felt his tongue lightly graze the spot where my neck and shoulder connected. I felt a very brief sting as his fangs pierced the skin of my neck, but it was over very quickly.
After a few seconds, I began to feel the venom he’d warned me about. He had vastly understated its effects. I felt as if desire had been made a tangible thing, a liquid fire now racing through my veins. As he began to draw blood through the wound, I swooned a bit and sagged against him, but immediately felt his strong arms encircle me and hold me tight.
I had never known desire such as this! My head spun and I felt as if he had touched a part of me that I hadn’t even known I’d possessed. I moaned as a wave of pure pleasure washed over me.
After a few moments, I felt him slow his drinking and then withdraw his fangs from my neck. He leaned back and pricked the tip of his finger with a razor sharp fang. He waited until a bead of his blood rose to the surface and then dabbed the blood on the puncture wounds he’d made. The spot tingled and then felt warm. I reached up to touch the spot, feeling for the holes that his fangs had made, but I felt only smooth skin.
Aiden gave me that gorgeous smile of his and said, “Vampire blood; it does amazing things.”
I looked into his gorgeous face and smiled. I was lightheaded and having a hard time focusing because his venom still coursed through me, distracting me with weaker waves of pleasure. “Whoo boy, that venom is some powerful stuff.”
He laughed and I noticed again that his fangs were gone. “Hey, where are your fangs?”
“They’re only visible when I need them or if I am hunting. I must thank you Harlow. I’ve never been fed by one who knew what I was beforehand. It was a unique experience that I shall not be forgetting. By the way, I hope it is not too strange for you if I say that your blood is exquisite.”
I giggled and said, “I do believe that is the strangest compliment I have ever gotten, but definitely the most memorable. And this is not an evening I will be forgetting either. I just wish we’d had more time, I have so many questions I didn’t get to ask.” My heart dropped at the idea of never seeing him again. “Will I see you again? Or are you just passing through here?”
Aiden stared at me with a look of wonder on his face. “Aye lass, I would truly enjoy seeing you again. My very long life has gotten monotonous and you are quite exciting. It’s extremely freeing to not have to hide what I am. Perchance would you be willing to meet again tomorrow night? I could meet you at work and escort you home to finish our interview.”
I blushed when he called me exciting. Me? I was delighted that he wouldn’t just disappear into the night. “I don’t work for a week. I just help fill in when they’re short staffed. The owner is a friend of mine, and he’s been shorthanded lately. Would you just like to come over after sunset? I’ll make sure I eat and rest plenty during the day, because I intend to spend a large part of the evening interrogating you.”
Aiden smiled again, Lord, but that man had an amazing smile! “And the rest of the evening you’ll be doing what?” he asked.
“Well, I assumed you would need to feed again. It should be safe right? It didn’t feel as if you took a very large amount.”
“Nay, I did not. I have learned to take only what I need, so as not to injure my donors. Usually my compulsion works and I seal the punctures and they walk away none the wiser.
“You truly are a unique creature, Harlow. Only a handful of people over the centuries have been able to resist my thrall. And all of those people have run away screaming from me, yet you offer your exquisite blood and your delightful company. I shall indeed like to spend more time with you.” He said with a genuine smile.
“But now, I must head away to my resting place. I will return after the sun has set. Until then, I’ll try to recall all the details of my day to day life before I was turned.”
He stood and bowed as he took my hand and kissed it before he headed to the door. I followed him and watched as he walked outside. I saw the beginnings of dawn peeking over the horizon.
I turned to Aiden and asked, “Are you sure you have enough time to get home? I could get my car out of the garage and drive you.”
He just chuckled and said, “Thank you for your concern, but I have a few more vampire tricks I’ve not shown you yet.” And with a cheeky grin, he was gone, vanished in an instant. I stood at the door until the sun had risen over the horizon, wondering if the last few hours had actually happened
He was very tall, dwarfing my smaller stature. His shoulders were broad and I could see the muscles defined under his dark blue, long sleeved tee-shirt. He wore expensive looking black jeans and boots. He didn’t have a coat, but it was warm outside and I guess, as a vampire, he wouldn’t need one anyway.
His hair was dark brown and on the longish side. It didn’t quite reach his shoulders, but it seemed that it’d been a while since he’d had it cut. The hair over his forehead frequently fell into his eyes and more than once tonight I’d felt an urge to reach over and brush it from his brow.
He didn’t acknowledge my presence, so I said, “Sorry that took so long, I hope you were comfortable while you waited.”
He jumped when I spoke, as if his mind had been far away from here. Ha, so much for vampire super senses!
When he turned and saw me, his eyes widened and he said, “It was but a moment for me, Harlow. I must say you are a vision. That dress’ color suits you immensely.” He smiled as he said this, and my blood pressure went through the roof. I noticed that his eyes were an emerald green with flecks of gold in them. I wondered if the color would darken when he was aroused.
“Why, thank you. So, will it be dinner then entertainment or entertainment then dinner?” I asked with a cheeky smile. “I warn you though, you should probably eat first. Once, I start with the questions, I’m not likely to stop until you make me.”
Aiden laughed a hearty, deep belly laugh that one can only produce when in the throes of true amusement. “Ah, young one, this has been a far more interesting night than I’ve had for centuries, we shall proceed however you like. I’m in no rush, though sunlight will become an issue for me in about … an hour and a half.”
His laugh made my heart skip a few beats. What a beautiful sound! I wondered if he knew that his laughter sounded so musical. I was curious if it was just him or if that was a vampire thing. He didn’t look terribly hungry, so I decided to go ahead with my questions.
“I’m so curious that I can barely contain myself, so if you aren’t starving, can we do questions first? Also, if it gets too late and you need to leave I understand,” I said excitedly. I sat down on the couch so I could see the painting of the castle hanging on the opposite wall.
He sat down next to me and followed my line of sight. When he saw that I was looking at the painting, he said, “I have a question for you first. Where did you get that painting?”
“I found it at an estate sale in Dublin, Ireland. I don’t know what castle it is, but it was painted in the 1200s. It cost me a fortune, but it just called to me, I had to have it. Eventually, I would love to go back to Ireland. I went to about thirty castles while I was doing my year abroad, but I never found the right one.”
He smiled warmly. “I may have the answers you seek. But first, ask your questions. I’m certain the conversation will lead that way eventually.”
“Oh, come on! Fine, you tease,” I said with a smile. “Okay, Aiden. My first question is: how old are you? It will give me an idea where to go with my questions,” I said.
“I was born January 4, 1191, at Carrickfergas Castle in northern Ireland.”
“Wow, I think my heart just stopped beating. Do you have any idea how much I want to ask you? I may never let you leave! The things you must have seen in all that time! That makes you, what, eight hundred and twenty years old?” I rambled excitedly.
I was right about the accent. I thought smugly to myself.
Aiden laughed at my enthusiasm, “Well, I can assure you that your heart is still beating, albeit a little fast. And, yes, I have been walking this earth for eight hundred and twenty years. And in all that time, I have never met anyone who has instantly fascinated me as you do.”
I felt a blush heat my cheeks, “You can hear my heartbeat? Well, there go my chances of playing it cool. Guess I’ll have to dazzle you with my wit, as my calm composure has been shattered.”
“I assure you, your wit is dazzling,” Aiden said with a mischievous grin.
“Well in that case, I have so much to ask you! So tell me about your life before you became a vampire. Who were your parents? What did you do with your days? How were you turned? What-”
“Harlow! I can’t answer any of your questions if you don’t stop asking them,” he interrupted.
“Oh, sorry. I’m just so excited. You have no idea what this means to me! To not only meet a vampire, but someone who was turned during the time and in the place I am so fascinated with. The firsthand knowledge you can give is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me!
“I’m working on my doctorate in medieval history! I could talk to you for days and still not have learned everything I want to know… And I’m rambling again, sorry,” I said with a sheepish look.
“It’s quite all right. I understand that this must be an exciting experience for you. To tell the truth, I’m rather excited as well. It’s quite liberating to not have to hide myself around a human. And to have someone so interested in the past.
“I usually only associate with other vampires, and vampires tend to focus on the present. I have some rather pleasant memories from my past though, and I don’t mind reliving them,” Aiden said with a commiserating smile.
“To answer your questions, my mother’s name was Isabelle de Huges. She was a commoner in the village just outside Carrickfergas Castle. The castle had only been finished for about ten years and the village was still relatively new.
“She was a seamstress; trained by her mother before she was orphaned at twelve. She then lived with her mother’s brother and used her needle skills to help earn her keep.
“My mother made most of the nicer clothing in the village and castle. But she was known for her voice. She had the most beautiful singing voice. The castle’s nobility frequently had her there to entertain them.
“She was a beautiful child, I’d heard, but she grew into a striking woman. Tall and slender with dark hair and bright blue eyes. When she was eighteen, the earl of Ulster, John DeCourcy, took a liking to her and had her brought to the castle frequently for “private concerts.” She didn’t have a choice, though she grew to love him.
“He took care of her, providing a nice home and a steady income. DeCourcy’s wife, Affreda, knew of the affair but had no power to stop it. It was not a wife’s place to stop a husband from anything at the time.
“Eventually Isabelle became pregnant with me. I am the illegitimate son of John DeCourcy, the man who built the castle in that painting.” He gestured at the painting hanging on the wall across from us.
“Are you kidding me? So that’s Carrickfergas Castle?” I interrupted. “It’s a good thing I don’t believe in coincidence, my belief system would be shattered. I am stunned. I don’t want to take the time to process it now though; if it’s ok I want to keep going with the questions.
“Do you mind if I record the conversation, it would be a huge help to me when I try to sort it all out later. I’ll take notes later and write a history for you if you’d like, leaving out the vampirism of course.” I looked at Aiden as I rambled, and was struck again by how amazingly handsome he was.
He chuckled at my enthusiasm. “I don’t mind if you record the conversation, I know you’ll not be sharing my secret with the world,” he said confidently.
“Of course I won’t, but how do you know?” I ask curiously.
“It’s one of my many vampiric talents. I can’t read your every thought, but anything related to myself or vampires in general makes an impression. It’s not like reading a book; I usually just catch impressions that have to do with the subject I’m focusing on,” Aiden replied.
I had to take a moment to let that one absorb, wondering just what impressions he may have already received from me this evening. I busied myself with setting up my handheld recorder. Then I smiled mischievously and thought very hard about asking if he’d been a knight before he became a vampire.
“That is an amazing talent to have. You must be impossible to sneak up on, or keep secrets from.”
He smiled slyly and said, “As a matter of fact, I was a knight.” He winked at me and I had to laugh.
“No keeping secrets from you then. I shall keep that in mind. Please continue. Tell me about what your life was like, the day to day experience. I want to know everything,” I blurted excitedly.
I lost track of time as I maintained a steady barrage of questions about 1200’s life. He barely had a chance to answer before I was asking about something else.
Aiden laughed his musical laugh again, and I couldn’t help but smile. “You aren’t even asking vampire questions. I thought this information was something worth risking your life for.”
“I know! But to find out that you lived during the time period I’ve spent my adult life studying, and in Ireland of all places! You don’t understand. My thesis topic is the role of chivalry and knighthood in medieval society.
“I’ve spent most of my life learning everything I could about this time period!” I knew my eyes were shining with excitement and emotion, but I couldn’t stop it. Hell, he could read my mind anyway; there was no modesty around him. “I’ll get to the vampire questions. I really could keep you talking for hours, there’s so much I want to know.”
Aiden smiled again and glanced out the window. The sky was still dark, but the horizon had begun to turn a slightly lighter shade, signaling the coming dawn.
“My but you are a curious creature! I regret that I must be leaving soon, the dawn will come in about forty-five minutes, and I must return to my home. If you are still willing to oblige, there is still the matter of my feeding to attend to,” he said this almost shyly, as if he were not used to asking.
I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get answers to all my questions, but I had promised to feed him. “You aren’t going to kill me right?” I asked nervously. I felt I could trust him, but I had no idea if that was just another vampire trick of his.
Aiden smiled kindly and said softly, his accent more evident, “Nay, lass, I’ll not be taking your life this eve’. I must tell you though, when vampires like me feed; we release a kind of venom to calm our prey. It’s a bit like a drug and it has different effects on different people.
“For many humans, feeding a vampire is a very sensual experience. After the venom wears off, there will be no lasting effects from my bite. Are you ready, Harlow?”
His accent became quite obvious and I couldn’t help thinking how sexy his lilting voice was in that Irish brogue. I wondered about the ‘vampires like me’ comment, but decided it could wait for another time. I just nodded mutely, lifted the hair from my neck, and tilted my head to the side, exposing my throat to him.
I was afraid, but also very eager and curious. A dark part of my mind thrilled to the idea and I became aroused. This had always been a fantasy of mine. It sounded like this wouldn’t hurt and might even be more pleasurable than I’d imagined.
I watched his face, but I didn’t see any changes as he leaned toward my neck. I tensed as I felt his lips brush my skin, but at his whispered, “Relax, my lady. I’ll not be hurting you,” I unclenched my muscles and gave myself over to the experience. It may cost me my life, but I trusted him.
I heard him groan softly in pleasure as he heard my thoughts. He pressed a soft kiss to my skin, and I felt his tongue lightly graze the spot where my neck and shoulder connected. I felt a very brief sting as his fangs pierced the skin of my neck, but it was over very quickly.
After a few seconds, I began to feel the venom he’d warned me about. He had vastly understated its effects. I felt as if desire had been made a tangible thing, a liquid fire now racing through my veins. As he began to draw blood through the wound, I swooned a bit and sagged against him, but immediately felt his strong arms encircle me and hold me tight.
I had never known desire such as this! My head spun and I felt as if he had touched a part of me that I hadn’t even known I’d possessed. I moaned as a wave of pure pleasure washed over me.
After a few moments, I felt him slow his drinking and then withdraw his fangs from my neck. He leaned back and pricked the tip of his finger with a razor sharp fang. He waited until a bead of his blood rose to the surface and then dabbed the blood on the puncture wounds he’d made. The spot tingled and then felt warm. I reached up to touch the spot, feeling for the holes that his fangs had made, but I felt only smooth skin.
Aiden gave me that gorgeous smile of his and said, “Vampire blood; it does amazing things.”
I looked into his gorgeous face and smiled. I was lightheaded and having a hard time focusing because his venom still coursed through me, distracting me with weaker waves of pleasure. “Whoo boy, that venom is some powerful stuff.”
He laughed and I noticed again that his fangs were gone. “Hey, where are your fangs?”
“They’re only visible when I need them or if I am hunting. I must thank you Harlow. I’ve never been fed by one who knew what I was beforehand. It was a unique experience that I shall not be forgetting. By the way, I hope it is not too strange for you if I say that your blood is exquisite.”
I giggled and said, “I do believe that is the strangest compliment I have ever gotten, but definitely the most memorable. And this is not an evening I will be forgetting either. I just wish we’d had more time, I have so many questions I didn’t get to ask.” My heart dropped at the idea of never seeing him again. “Will I see you again? Or are you just passing through here?”
Aiden stared at me with a look of wonder on his face. “Aye lass, I would truly enjoy seeing you again. My very long life has gotten monotonous and you are quite exciting. It’s extremely freeing to not have to hide what I am. Perchance would you be willing to meet again tomorrow night? I could meet you at work and escort you home to finish our interview.”
I blushed when he called me exciting. Me? I was delighted that he wouldn’t just disappear into the night. “I don’t work for a week. I just help fill in when they’re short staffed. The owner is a friend of mine, and he’s been shorthanded lately. Would you just like to come over after sunset? I’ll make sure I eat and rest plenty during the day, because I intend to spend a large part of the evening interrogating you.”
Aiden smiled again, Lord, but that man had an amazing smile! “And the rest of the evening you’ll be doing what?” he asked.
“Well, I assumed you would need to feed again. It should be safe right? It didn’t feel as if you took a very large amount.”
“Nay, I did not. I have learned to take only what I need, so as not to injure my donors. Usually my compulsion works and I seal the punctures and they walk away none the wiser.
“You truly are a unique creature, Harlow. Only a handful of people over the centuries have been able to resist my thrall. And all of those people have run away screaming from me, yet you offer your exquisite blood and your delightful company. I shall indeed like to spend more time with you.” He said with a genuine smile.
“But now, I must head away to my resting place. I will return after the sun has set. Until then, I’ll try to recall all the details of my day to day life before I was turned.”
He stood and bowed as he took my hand and kissed it before he headed to the door. I followed him and watched as he walked outside. I saw the beginnings of dawn peeking over the horizon.
I turned to Aiden and asked, “Are you sure you have enough time to get home? I could get my car out of the garage and drive you.”
He just chuckled and said, “Thank you for your concern, but I have a few more vampire tricks I’ve not shown you yet.” And with a cheeky grin, he was gone, vanished in an instant. I stood at the door until the sun had risen over the horizon, wondering if the last few hours had actually happened
Birth of the Nyxian
Chapter 3
Aiden
I ran the twelve miles from Harlow’s home to mine in about six minutes. My home was a large ranch style that I had renovated extensively and refitted with specially tinted windows that didn’t allow any direct sunlight through. I was able to see the day without fearing for my safety. I liked my current home; modern technology allowed me to live as I had never been able to before.
I walked through my living room, glancing around and feeling satisfaction with what I saw. Inhaling deeply, I enjoyed the strong scents of leather and wood with my vampiric senses.
The room was very large and open, with a cathedral ceiling at the second story level. The back wall facing the woods behind my house was mostly glass. The other walls were blue with red curtains and black trim.
The room was decorated in red and blue, with black leather sofas and chairs, and wooden end tables. There were several large originals of my favorite paintings by Van Gogh hanging on the walls. He’d been a good friend of mine and I owned many paintings that no one knew existed.
The furniture faced the massive stone fireplace that dominated the lower half of one wall. Above the fireplace hung the most obscenely large television I could find. I passed many nights watching movies, and I liked to watch them in the best quality possible. Another wall was covered with tall wooden shelves that held my vast movie and music collection.
Unlike most older vampires, I appreciated technology and kept abreast of the latest advancements. I’d spent many enjoyable hours with my game consoles and computers. As a vampire, I didn’t entertain humans in my home, and other vampires were scarce in this area.
Most of my time was spent alone and, while I dearly loved to read, sometimes I needed something else to occupy my mind. My thoughts turned to Harlow as I passed through to the kitchen, in want of a warm cup of blood as I watched the sunrise through my wonderful windows.
My kitchen wasn’t strictly necessary, but I enjoyed the room nonetheless. The smell of leather gave way to the faint lemon scent of the diluted floor cleaner I used. The floor and countertops were black marble and the cabinets were made of a high quality cherry wood.
There was an island in the center of the kitchen with a bar on one side, lined with stainless steel and black barstools. My stove, refrigerator, and microwave were stainless steel, and though I didn’t need to eat, I enjoyed cooking and they were well used. My refrigerator was filled with bagged human blood that I bought through a local blood bank. I always bought fresh ingredients when I cooked.
Grabbing one of the bags from the fridge, I poured the contents into a coffee cup. After warming the blood in the microwave, I sat on a barstool to watch the sunrise. I sipped my purchased blood, it helped to calm my thirst when I did not want to go hunting, or was trapped by the sunlight.
It also allowed me the luxury of being able to drink for pleasure as well as necessity. The warm, coppery aroma of the blood blended with the lemon in a pleasant mix that I frequently delighted in.
Although the bagged blood quenched my thirst, feeding from the source was much more enjoyable. And it paled in comparison to the exquisite feast the lovely Harlow had bestowed upon me.
My mind was flooded with images of Harlow lifting her hair and baring her neck to me. What an amazing woman she was! In my very long life I’d never met a human such as her.
I felt a surge of arousal remembering feeding from a willing donor. I’d told a few humans what I was through the centuries, but they’d always reacted with fear. Only one person had not recoiled from me in fear, but that was seven hundred and eighty eight years ago and I never thought to seek sustenance from him.
I finished my blood and rinsed the cup before going downstairs to my bedroom. The windows on the upper floors were safe for me, but they were still glass and I believed that caution was a good path to travel.
The full basement was huge and functioned as my bedroom. I didn’t need to sleep, but I liked having a bed. My bedroom was done in gray and charcoal. The floor was dark gray carpet and the walls painted a light gray that reminded me of the stone at Carrickfergas castle.
Three of the walls were lined with bookcases. And the shelves were filled with my personal collection of first edition and rare books, many of them signed.
Throughout history, I had sought out the greatest minds of the time on every subject that interested me. None of them had known me for what I was, though. I’d had some wonderful friends, and heard some amazing stories.
I’d befriended several remarkable artists during my immortal life and I also had an extensive personal art collection that was kept in a high security storage area.
All of the books here were gifts from said friends, and were too precious to me to store in the library. On the fourth wall, were framed black and white photos I’d taken at some of my favorite places in the world.
I also had a bathroom down here, decorated with black and red tiles. My closet adjoined the bathroom and was neatly organized and well stocked for every occasion.
As I lied down on my bed, I let memories of last night flow through my mind. I wanted to relive the last few hours, to see if I could figure out the enigmatic woman that was Harlow.
I hadn’t been satisfied with the bought blood and had gone hunting for a donor. When I hunted, I liked to start in the industrial district because it was usually less populated and had a lower chance of being seen.
Heading toward the local bar, I was going to search out someone staggering home after closing time. I’d been cutting through parking lots and empty fields on the way.. I was used to seeing this area deserted at this time, but was surprised to happen upon a young woman sitting alone at a picnic table behind a warehouse.
She appeared to be gazing at the stars very intently, her lovely face upturned to the sky. With my vampire eyes, I could see her perfectly, and she was beautiful. The girl had smooth, pale, ivory skin, thick auburn hair that shone in the starlight, and a face that belonged to an angel.
My appetites, both as a man and a vampire, were awakened. She would make a fine meal indeed. I’d let the darkness swell within me and I felt my fangs descend at the promise of an artery to bite into.
Silently, I crept up behind her, but as I was preparing to make my presence known, she spun around to face me. I heard the thoughts run through her mind and couldn’t stop the resulting smile. So she thought I was a ‘magnificent male specimen,’ did she? I smiled smugly and she focused on my fangs.
“So, does it take practice to sneak up on women in the dark like that, or is it just your way of saying hello?” she asked, as her heart rate increased.
I smiled at this beautiful, brave creature that refused to show fear, even when almost accosted in the night.
“If you’re so scared, why haven’t you run?” I asked, gazing up and down her body with my enhanced vampiric vision.
She was exquisite; slender and strong, yet still delicate looking. She had a beautiful face and the most entrancing green eyes I’d ever seen. The simple scent of her set my mind reeling.
This arresting woman smelled like a sultry summer night in a tropical garden. The aroma of pomegranate clung to her, mixing with the musk of aroused woman. A wave of desire swept over me for both her body and her blood. There was also a slight citrusy smell surrounding her that experience had taught me to associate with curiosity.
“Yeah, because turning my back on a stranger to run stumbling through the dark seems like such a great idea,” she answered with sarcasm.
A heartfelt laugh escaped me at her comment. The sound seemed to catch her attention and I waited patiently to hear her next thoughts. I was not disappointed as her mind flooded with erotic images of the two of us.
I took a step forward, intending on fulfilling at least one of those fantasies, but I stopped at her hand on my chest. Mentally, I overheard her notice that my body was cold and decided that now was the time to use my compulsion to bring her under my control.
My instincts were screaming at me to bite the creamy flesh where her neck met her shoulder and to draw deeply upon the wound. I would need to feed soon, yet I was reluctant to end the interlude with this mysterious woman.
I commanded her to look at my eyes and, though she looked, the control that always followed was absent. Her eyes still held the same quick intelligence and sharp attention that they’d had a few moments ago.
I didn’t want to kill this beautiful creature. I was mid hunt and at this point could not subdue the vampire within unless I could promise a distraction.
Since my compulsion didn’t work on her, I would have to feed from and then kill her. I just couldn’t risk her leading the authorities to me. I told her that I regretted that I would have to kill her, and I meant it. I hated killing the innocent. It went against my vow, but my quest was more important than a single human life.
A strong sense of dread overwhelmed me at the thought of taking this woman’s life. She wasn’t meant to die at my hand. While I was contemplating the danger she posed, I got a mental flash of several things clicking together in her mind. She knew.
“Holy shit! You’re a vampire!” she’d said with a huge grin.
I was stunned; this was not the reaction I had expected. She seemed delighted, and I only got flickers of fear. She offered to feed me if only I would answer some questions for her and I detected no desire at all to tell anyone about me.
Her name was Harlow, and I was enchanted with her. I admit, I was eager to hear what questions she would ask. The thrill of anticipation at the thought of drinking this lovely woman’s blood calmed the vampire within, and I resheathed my fangs. We walked the few blocks to her apartment and went inside.
Her home was a shock to me; clearly this woman had hidden depths I’d not foreseen. The walls were a pleasing shade of red and there was a varied selection of antiques scattered about the room.
The faint cinnamon scent was not overwhelming to my enhanced senses, as cinnamon usually was. I saw a full size suit of medieval armor in the corner, poised as if to stand guard over the bookshelf nearby. I took a mental note of the red lilies in the vase next to the hallway, perhaps they were a favorite of hers.
Harlow excused herself to change, telling me to make myself comfortable. I turned, wanting to take in the other side of the room, to see what I could learn about Harlow from her home. My eyes scanned the large painting hanging on the wall over the fireplace and I felt as if my undead heart had stopped.
As I sat up in bed, I ran my hands over my face. The shock I’d felt at seeing a painting of my birthplace hanging on her wall had been jolting. I didn’t believe in coincidence, but I was at a loss as to what this meant.
Harlow had really made an impression on me. I couldn’t remember the last time a mortal had held my attention with such intensity. But I was convinced that there was no other human like her. In all my eight hundred and twenty years, I’d never met a woman such as she.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was intelligent, passionate, and fascinating. I was eager to see her again. I let my mind remember the sensations that had flooded my body as I drank her blood.
The exquisite crimson life she’d offered me was more than just blood, it was her. Her essence had been sheer ecstasy. I didn’t know if it was because she had something unique about her blood, or if it was because it was freely offered.
I quickly found myself growing hard thinking of holding her strong, slim body in my arms and drinking from her graceful neck. Her delicious tropical sunset smell had swirled around us as she’d fed me. Her body had been soft curves and warm skin under that thin dress she’d worn. It had taken so much restraint to keep from ripping her clothes to shreds and having her right there.
I knew that I didn’t want to rush things with Harlow. I wanted to give her time to absorb all she’d learned. She may have seemed fine when I left her, but I knew that it all hit her when I’d gone. She may have even doubted her own sanity, wondering if it had been a hallucination.
As I rose to take a long, hot shower, my thoughts wandered to what would happen when I saw her tonight. I knew she would have many questions and I was eager to see what her intelligent mind wanted to know.
I realized that I could indeed help her immensely with her thesis paper. With my help, she would surely get her doctorate in medieval history. I knew exactly what role chivalry played in knighthood and medieval society. I chuckled to myself.
“Damn, it’s a good thing I don’t believe in coincidence. But that means fate wants me to know this woman.” I shrugged, deciding maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.
No matter how hard I tried to clear Harlow from my mind, she continued to occupy my thoughts for the next several hours. I dressed carefully, accenting the features Harlow had found most attractive last night. I wanted to look appealing to her.
Though I knew that my vampiric allure gave me an unfair advantage, I would use any edge I could to keep her to myself. We’d just met, and I had absolutely no claim on her, but the idea of another man touching her sent a whip of white hot fury snapping through me. I would take things slow and not rush her, but she would be mine… soon. The beast within growled his approval at the possessive thought.
When I was satisfied with my appearance, I went up to the kitchen to warm a cup of blood. I wanted to be well fed when I saw Harlow, so that anything I drank from her would be for pure pleasure and there would be no risk of taking too much. It would be a tragedy to lose such an amazing creature to bloodlust.
When my thirst was sated, I went to one of the upstairs bedrooms that I used as storage. Here I kept my most treasured trinkets. Most were gifts I’d been given and no longer had a use for, but I couldn’t bring myself to part with. I found an inlaid rosewood box on the top shelf in the closet and brought it to my bedroom.
Setting the beautiful box down on the bed, I opened my cell phone and called the local florists. I arranged to pick up a bouquet of red lilies right at sunset and ended the call. I put my phone back in my pocket and turned back to the box on the bed.
It had been a gift from my mother the day I earned my knighthood. I had still been human and she intended it as a gift for a woman who was special to me. I’d kept it all these years because I’d never met any woman who I had ever thought to give it to.
The box itself was given to her by my father, but the real gift lay inside. I opened the box and, as I looked inside, I remembered the day more than eight hundred years ago that my mother had presented me with this box.
She’d been extremely talented with a needle. She’d hand stitched a breathtaking Celtic tree of life with brilliant gold thread onto a mossy green satin shawl. The circular border around the tree was an endless knot stitched with a glossy black thread, as was the border around the edges.
It was truly a work of art and even at the time my mother made it, it would have been fit for a royal. I wanted to give Harlow a gift that showed her how much her generosity meant to me. I was deeply touched by the willing sacrifice of blood she’d given me.
I needed her to understand what a precious thing her acceptance was to me. I knew Harlow would appreciate the history of the shawl and would treat it with proper respect. With a glance out the window, I confirmed that the sun had almost set.
I closed the box and carried it out to the passenger seat of my car. After a quick trip to the florists, I eagerly headed towards Harlow’s apartment.
I walked through my living room, glancing around and feeling satisfaction with what I saw. Inhaling deeply, I enjoyed the strong scents of leather and wood with my vampiric senses.
The room was very large and open, with a cathedral ceiling at the second story level. The back wall facing the woods behind my house was mostly glass. The other walls were blue with red curtains and black trim.
The room was decorated in red and blue, with black leather sofas and chairs, and wooden end tables. There were several large originals of my favorite paintings by Van Gogh hanging on the walls. He’d been a good friend of mine and I owned many paintings that no one knew existed.
The furniture faced the massive stone fireplace that dominated the lower half of one wall. Above the fireplace hung the most obscenely large television I could find. I passed many nights watching movies, and I liked to watch them in the best quality possible. Another wall was covered with tall wooden shelves that held my vast movie and music collection.
Unlike most older vampires, I appreciated technology and kept abreast of the latest advancements. I’d spent many enjoyable hours with my game consoles and computers. As a vampire, I didn’t entertain humans in my home, and other vampires were scarce in this area.
Most of my time was spent alone and, while I dearly loved to read, sometimes I needed something else to occupy my mind. My thoughts turned to Harlow as I passed through to the kitchen, in want of a warm cup of blood as I watched the sunrise through my wonderful windows.
My kitchen wasn’t strictly necessary, but I enjoyed the room nonetheless. The smell of leather gave way to the faint lemon scent of the diluted floor cleaner I used. The floor and countertops were black marble and the cabinets were made of a high quality cherry wood.
There was an island in the center of the kitchen with a bar on one side, lined with stainless steel and black barstools. My stove, refrigerator, and microwave were stainless steel, and though I didn’t need to eat, I enjoyed cooking and they were well used. My refrigerator was filled with bagged human blood that I bought through a local blood bank. I always bought fresh ingredients when I cooked.
Grabbing one of the bags from the fridge, I poured the contents into a coffee cup. After warming the blood in the microwave, I sat on a barstool to watch the sunrise. I sipped my purchased blood, it helped to calm my thirst when I did not want to go hunting, or was trapped by the sunlight.
It also allowed me the luxury of being able to drink for pleasure as well as necessity. The warm, coppery aroma of the blood blended with the lemon in a pleasant mix that I frequently delighted in.
Although the bagged blood quenched my thirst, feeding from the source was much more enjoyable. And it paled in comparison to the exquisite feast the lovely Harlow had bestowed upon me.
My mind was flooded with images of Harlow lifting her hair and baring her neck to me. What an amazing woman she was! In my very long life I’d never met a human such as her.
I felt a surge of arousal remembering feeding from a willing donor. I’d told a few humans what I was through the centuries, but they’d always reacted with fear. Only one person had not recoiled from me in fear, but that was seven hundred and eighty eight years ago and I never thought to seek sustenance from him.
I finished my blood and rinsed the cup before going downstairs to my bedroom. The windows on the upper floors were safe for me, but they were still glass and I believed that caution was a good path to travel.
The full basement was huge and functioned as my bedroom. I didn’t need to sleep, but I liked having a bed. My bedroom was done in gray and charcoal. The floor was dark gray carpet and the walls painted a light gray that reminded me of the stone at Carrickfergas castle.
Three of the walls were lined with bookcases. And the shelves were filled with my personal collection of first edition and rare books, many of them signed.
Throughout history, I had sought out the greatest minds of the time on every subject that interested me. None of them had known me for what I was, though. I’d had some wonderful friends, and heard some amazing stories.
I’d befriended several remarkable artists during my immortal life and I also had an extensive personal art collection that was kept in a high security storage area.
All of the books here were gifts from said friends, and were too precious to me to store in the library. On the fourth wall, were framed black and white photos I’d taken at some of my favorite places in the world.
I also had a bathroom down here, decorated with black and red tiles. My closet adjoined the bathroom and was neatly organized and well stocked for every occasion.
As I lied down on my bed, I let memories of last night flow through my mind. I wanted to relive the last few hours, to see if I could figure out the enigmatic woman that was Harlow.
I hadn’t been satisfied with the bought blood and had gone hunting for a donor. When I hunted, I liked to start in the industrial district because it was usually less populated and had a lower chance of being seen.
Heading toward the local bar, I was going to search out someone staggering home after closing time. I’d been cutting through parking lots and empty fields on the way.. I was used to seeing this area deserted at this time, but was surprised to happen upon a young woman sitting alone at a picnic table behind a warehouse.
She appeared to be gazing at the stars very intently, her lovely face upturned to the sky. With my vampire eyes, I could see her perfectly, and she was beautiful. The girl had smooth, pale, ivory skin, thick auburn hair that shone in the starlight, and a face that belonged to an angel.
My appetites, both as a man and a vampire, were awakened. She would make a fine meal indeed. I’d let the darkness swell within me and I felt my fangs descend at the promise of an artery to bite into.
Silently, I crept up behind her, but as I was preparing to make my presence known, she spun around to face me. I heard the thoughts run through her mind and couldn’t stop the resulting smile. So she thought I was a ‘magnificent male specimen,’ did she? I smiled smugly and she focused on my fangs.
“So, does it take practice to sneak up on women in the dark like that, or is it just your way of saying hello?” she asked, as her heart rate increased.
I smiled at this beautiful, brave creature that refused to show fear, even when almost accosted in the night.
“If you’re so scared, why haven’t you run?” I asked, gazing up and down her body with my enhanced vampiric vision.
She was exquisite; slender and strong, yet still delicate looking. She had a beautiful face and the most entrancing green eyes I’d ever seen. The simple scent of her set my mind reeling.
This arresting woman smelled like a sultry summer night in a tropical garden. The aroma of pomegranate clung to her, mixing with the musk of aroused woman. A wave of desire swept over me for both her body and her blood. There was also a slight citrusy smell surrounding her that experience had taught me to associate with curiosity.
“Yeah, because turning my back on a stranger to run stumbling through the dark seems like such a great idea,” she answered with sarcasm.
A heartfelt laugh escaped me at her comment. The sound seemed to catch her attention and I waited patiently to hear her next thoughts. I was not disappointed as her mind flooded with erotic images of the two of us.
I took a step forward, intending on fulfilling at least one of those fantasies, but I stopped at her hand on my chest. Mentally, I overheard her notice that my body was cold and decided that now was the time to use my compulsion to bring her under my control.
My instincts were screaming at me to bite the creamy flesh where her neck met her shoulder and to draw deeply upon the wound. I would need to feed soon, yet I was reluctant to end the interlude with this mysterious woman.
I commanded her to look at my eyes and, though she looked, the control that always followed was absent. Her eyes still held the same quick intelligence and sharp attention that they’d had a few moments ago.
I didn’t want to kill this beautiful creature. I was mid hunt and at this point could not subdue the vampire within unless I could promise a distraction.
Since my compulsion didn’t work on her, I would have to feed from and then kill her. I just couldn’t risk her leading the authorities to me. I told her that I regretted that I would have to kill her, and I meant it. I hated killing the innocent. It went against my vow, but my quest was more important than a single human life.
A strong sense of dread overwhelmed me at the thought of taking this woman’s life. She wasn’t meant to die at my hand. While I was contemplating the danger she posed, I got a mental flash of several things clicking together in her mind. She knew.
“Holy shit! You’re a vampire!” she’d said with a huge grin.
I was stunned; this was not the reaction I had expected. She seemed delighted, and I only got flickers of fear. She offered to feed me if only I would answer some questions for her and I detected no desire at all to tell anyone about me.
Her name was Harlow, and I was enchanted with her. I admit, I was eager to hear what questions she would ask. The thrill of anticipation at the thought of drinking this lovely woman’s blood calmed the vampire within, and I resheathed my fangs. We walked the few blocks to her apartment and went inside.
Her home was a shock to me; clearly this woman had hidden depths I’d not foreseen. The walls were a pleasing shade of red and there was a varied selection of antiques scattered about the room.
The faint cinnamon scent was not overwhelming to my enhanced senses, as cinnamon usually was. I saw a full size suit of medieval armor in the corner, poised as if to stand guard over the bookshelf nearby. I took a mental note of the red lilies in the vase next to the hallway, perhaps they were a favorite of hers.
Harlow excused herself to change, telling me to make myself comfortable. I turned, wanting to take in the other side of the room, to see what I could learn about Harlow from her home. My eyes scanned the large painting hanging on the wall over the fireplace and I felt as if my undead heart had stopped.
As I sat up in bed, I ran my hands over my face. The shock I’d felt at seeing a painting of my birthplace hanging on her wall had been jolting. I didn’t believe in coincidence, but I was at a loss as to what this meant.
Harlow had really made an impression on me. I couldn’t remember the last time a mortal had held my attention with such intensity. But I was convinced that there was no other human like her. In all my eight hundred and twenty years, I’d never met a woman such as she.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was intelligent, passionate, and fascinating. I was eager to see her again. I let my mind remember the sensations that had flooded my body as I drank her blood.
The exquisite crimson life she’d offered me was more than just blood, it was her. Her essence had been sheer ecstasy. I didn’t know if it was because she had something unique about her blood, or if it was because it was freely offered.
I quickly found myself growing hard thinking of holding her strong, slim body in my arms and drinking from her graceful neck. Her delicious tropical sunset smell had swirled around us as she’d fed me. Her body had been soft curves and warm skin under that thin dress she’d worn. It had taken so much restraint to keep from ripping her clothes to shreds and having her right there.
I knew that I didn’t want to rush things with Harlow. I wanted to give her time to absorb all she’d learned. She may have seemed fine when I left her, but I knew that it all hit her when I’d gone. She may have even doubted her own sanity, wondering if it had been a hallucination.
As I rose to take a long, hot shower, my thoughts wandered to what would happen when I saw her tonight. I knew she would have many questions and I was eager to see what her intelligent mind wanted to know.
I realized that I could indeed help her immensely with her thesis paper. With my help, she would surely get her doctorate in medieval history. I knew exactly what role chivalry played in knighthood and medieval society. I chuckled to myself.
“Damn, it’s a good thing I don’t believe in coincidence. But that means fate wants me to know this woman.” I shrugged, deciding maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing.
No matter how hard I tried to clear Harlow from my mind, she continued to occupy my thoughts for the next several hours. I dressed carefully, accenting the features Harlow had found most attractive last night. I wanted to look appealing to her.
Though I knew that my vampiric allure gave me an unfair advantage, I would use any edge I could to keep her to myself. We’d just met, and I had absolutely no claim on her, but the idea of another man touching her sent a whip of white hot fury snapping through me. I would take things slow and not rush her, but she would be mine… soon. The beast within growled his approval at the possessive thought.
When I was satisfied with my appearance, I went up to the kitchen to warm a cup of blood. I wanted to be well fed when I saw Harlow, so that anything I drank from her would be for pure pleasure and there would be no risk of taking too much. It would be a tragedy to lose such an amazing creature to bloodlust.
When my thirst was sated, I went to one of the upstairs bedrooms that I used as storage. Here I kept my most treasured trinkets. Most were gifts I’d been given and no longer had a use for, but I couldn’t bring myself to part with. I found an inlaid rosewood box on the top shelf in the closet and brought it to my bedroom.
Setting the beautiful box down on the bed, I opened my cell phone and called the local florists. I arranged to pick up a bouquet of red lilies right at sunset and ended the call. I put my phone back in my pocket and turned back to the box on the bed.
It had been a gift from my mother the day I earned my knighthood. I had still been human and she intended it as a gift for a woman who was special to me. I’d kept it all these years because I’d never met any woman who I had ever thought to give it to.
The box itself was given to her by my father, but the real gift lay inside. I opened the box and, as I looked inside, I remembered the day more than eight hundred years ago that my mother had presented me with this box.
She’d been extremely talented with a needle. She’d hand stitched a breathtaking Celtic tree of life with brilliant gold thread onto a mossy green satin shawl. The circular border around the tree was an endless knot stitched with a glossy black thread, as was the border around the edges.
It was truly a work of art and even at the time my mother made it, it would have been fit for a royal. I wanted to give Harlow a gift that showed her how much her generosity meant to me. I was deeply touched by the willing sacrifice of blood she’d given me.
I needed her to understand what a precious thing her acceptance was to me. I knew Harlow would appreciate the history of the shawl and would treat it with proper respect. With a glance out the window, I confirmed that the sun had almost set.
I closed the box and carried it out to the passenger seat of my car. After a quick trip to the florists, I eagerly headed towards Harlow’s apartment.
Birth of the Nyxian
Chapter 4
Harlow
After watching Aiden disappear, I locked the door and headed back to my room. I changed into some soft, comfortable pajamas, washed my face, and brushed my teeth. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I touched the spot Aiden had bitten me. There were no marks, and the flesh was only slightly tender to the touch. But the memory of his lips on my skin and his venom flowing through my veins as I fed him made my knees weak and my thoughts run wild.
I walked over to my bed and slid between the soft, cool sheets. After the long, exhausting day and the excitement of Aiden wearing down, it didn’t take long for me to drift off to sleep.
I slept for hours, having some very pleasant, very vivid dreams about Aiden. I woke up at 3:30 P.M. and got dressed and made the quick drive into town, stopping at the pharmacy first. I needed to get a good iron supplement if I was going to continue feeding Aiden. And I wanted to continue; he was like a drug, and I wanted more.
After buying a large bottle of iron supplements and another of multi vitamins, I left the store and headed to Meyer’s Deli for lunch. I walked in and saw that Mr. Meyer was behind the counter as usual.
He was a stocky man; around five foot ten, with a round face and a warm smile. His light brown hair was shot through with gray and was thinning on top. His blue eyes crinkled at the corners as his face broke into a genuine smile when he saw me. I inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of fresh bread that permeated the air.
“Harlow! How nice to see you, dear!” he exclaimed as I approached the counter.
I returned the smile, and said, “Hello Mr. Meyer. It’s nice to see you too. Are you doing alright? I was worried when I saw you left the sign on last night.”
He nodded, “Yes I was in a hurry to get home last night. My wife and I celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary,” he said proudly.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations. Can I get a hot ham and cheese sub please?” I asked when he gestured at the menu. Sure thing, Harlow. It’ll be just a few minutes,” Mr. Meyer said as he headed to the other side of the shop to make my sandwich.
I took a seat at one of the small tables in front of the large deli windows while I waited. As I sat there, I mentally ran through the list of things I wanted to get done before Aiden came over tonight.
First, I wanted to stop at the bookstore across the street and see if the Dracula book I saw last night was actually a first edition and, if so, how much the owner, Mr. Johannes, wanted for it. If it was a first edition, I had to have it. Though I knew it would cost a fortune, I saw it as an investment.
Also, I needed to stop at the grocery store and get something for dinner and a bottle or two of wine. Some orange juice and cookies probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either. I smiled as a wave of remembered pleasure swept over me. Maybe blood loss wasn’t so bad.
Mr. Meyer came back to the counter with my sandwich and I paid him and left a generous tip.
“Thank you! Tell your wife I said hello and happy anniversary!” I said, putting the sandwich in my oversized bag as I walked out the door.
I took a deep breath of the crisp October air. It smelled of wood smoke and the dry spice of decaying leaves. Large fluffy clouds tinged gray with bright white edges stood out and added texture to the sky against the flat gray panorama that hung like a backdrop across the horizon.
I quickly walked the two blocks to the park and grabbed the sandwich from my bag, making my way to the square in the middle of the park. There was a nice spot on the wide rim of the large fountain and I sat down there to enjoy my lunch.
The sandwich was delicious and filling, as it always was from Mr. Meyer. I finished my food and made my way to the bookstore, dropping my lunch scraps in a trashcan as I went.
As I checked the display window I was happy to still see the book that I coveted in the case. I opened the door and paused for a moment to inhale the wonderful scent that came with a room full of books.
The aroma of ink and paper with an undertone of leather wrapped around me. It was a smell that I always found very comforting. I had so many happy memories in libraries. So many hours curled in a chair devouring book after book. The familiar scent triggered memories of the far off lands that I’d visited while blazing my trail through countless literary worlds.
Except this time my life was the story. My thoughts again turned to Aiden. I still had a hard time believing it, but I did indeed have a date with a vampire tonight. Or at the very least, dinner and an interview.
I was more than willing for the evening to take a more intimate path, but I decided that I wouldn’t steer it that way, though I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist if he kissed me.
The consuming desire I had for him was completely unfamiliar to me. I didn’t know if it was a vampire trick or just Aiden himself, but I had no resistance where he was concerned and I couldn’t find any shame in myself for that. Decidedly, I would have to rely on his self-control.
Oh, crap. I’m relying on the self-control of a vampire who can set my blood burning with one touch.
He may be a perfect gentleman, but he was still a man. I knew he’d heard my naughtier thoughts and was pleased by them. I would just have to trust that there was enough knight left in him not to take advantage of my overwhelming attraction to him.
Shaking my head, I focused on the bookstore and walked through the haphazardly placed shelves trying to find the owner, my good friend, Mr. Georg Johannes. He was near the back, sorting some new arrivals.
“Hello, Mr. Johannes. How are you doing today?” I said with a fond smile, I shopped here a lot. “I see you got some new books. Well, new to me anyway. Any good first editions?” I asked, eagerly looking toward the front window with a raised eyebrow.
Mr. Johannes sighed in mock disappointment, “I knew you would see it in the window. One day I got to keep that beauty on display, Harlow. One day! You have an eye for rare books,” he said with a genuine smile. “And I’ve told you that you can call me Georg. I had to pull a lot of strings to get the book for you. But I knew you would love it and appreciate it like no one else could.
“I’ll have to charge you what I had to spend to get it, but that’s nowhere near what I could sell it for. It’s a significant amount of money and if you can’t afford it, I will have to sell to another collector to cover my investment.”
I felt my face stretch into a delighted smile. “I knew it! You old rascal, how could you not tell me? I would have paid you first and then you wouldn’t have had to risk anything. And it’s a matter of respect not a lack of fondness, Mr. Johannes,” I jokingly scolded.
“And you know full well I can afford it. The insurance settlement was enormous, more than I could spend in ten lifetimes and I know my family would want me to be happy. So tell me, my friend, how much would you have been able to sell it for with another collector? I want to give you the full amount to thank you for your thoughtfulness.
“That was a lot of effort to go through for me. Besides, I know your granddaughter is coming to visit before going back to college and you can use the extra money to make her trip amazing. Spoil the girl, on me. I love to support education, and a girl needs new things for her senior year of college,” I said with a mischievous wink.
He may not enjoy the shopping that much, but it would make memories with his granddaughter that she would remember always.
He led me to a reading area with soft, comfortable overstuffed chairs and muted lighting that was easy on the eyes. I sat down on a hideous puke green velvet chair. It was an enormous armchair, very overstuffed and airy. The cushions seemed to cradle my body and I relaxed into the deceptive comfort of the ugly chair.
Mr. Johannes quickly returned with the book from the window. He placed the ancient book in my hands and sat back while I examined his rare find. The cover was made from dark brown leather, pressed smooth, with only the word Dracula stamped into the cover in red ink.
The leather binding creaked as I opened the cover and the smell of ancient paper and ink wafted up to my nose. I flipped through the pages, stopping to read some of my favorite passages.
I smiled up at Mr. Johannes. “It’s beautiful. How much did you pay for it?” I closed the book and set it in my lap, reaching for my checkbook. “I can write you a check now. Do you think you could wrap it for me please?”
Mr. Johannes hesitated, but at my cheerful smile, he decided to indulge me and accept the extra money. “You don’t need to do this Miss Garrington. I’m happy just to get my money back.”
“Please, I insist. It will be a trip your granddaughter will never forget. When she goes off to college, maybe you could take a cruise with your wife. I bet Ruthie would love that,” I said persuasively. I was very fond of his wife as well, but she would never have let me call her Mrs. Johannes.
He seemed to consider how much his wife would enjoy a cruise before he nodded and said sheepishly, “I really shouldn’t, it feels like taking advantage of a rich friend. But you’ve targeted my weaknesses. You know I can’t deny Ruthie anything that might make her happy.
“I paid fourteen thousand for it, but if I were to put it up for auction, I might be able to get twenty thousand. I won’t take more than that Harlow. And even that feels like too much, but Ruthie has always wanted to take a cruise, and Amaris hasn’t had new furniture since middle school.”
“Nonsense. You told me the truth and I don’t feel taken advantage of at all. I can afford it and you have helped me acquire some amazingly rare books. Your efforts deserve to be rewarded. And you can consider it an investment in Amaris’ education. I know what it is like to lose your parents. She is so lucky to have had you and Ruthie to take her in. She’s a wonderful girl; you’ve both done a great job.” I smiled happily as I wrote the check for twenty thousand dollars, knowing he wouldn’t accept a penny more. I still wished I could give more to Amaris, but Mr. Johannes was a proud man and had worked hard to earn the money to send his granddaughter to college after her parents were killed in a car accident ten years ago.
I had gotten a massive amount of money when my own family died in a tragic fire and I tried to help people whenever possible. I believed that sometimes good people just needed a break, with nothing expected in return.
There were several charities that I was involved with; including a program that provided fire alarms and fresh batteries to all the low income neighborhoods in the state. Fire deaths were down by ten percent, and I knew that it was worth every penny. If even one family was saved the soul rending pain of losing a loved one to fire, it would be worth every cent I had.
I handed the book and the check to Mr. Johannes and he headed to the counter to deposit the check in the cash register and to wrap the delicate book for me. This was turning out to be a lovely afternoon and I knew that the evening would be much better.
Happily, I signed the certificate of authenticity Mr. Johannes produced, confirming my ownership of the rare tome. Taking both the certificate and the wrapped package, we said our goodbyes and I left the store in a euphoric mood. Aiden was going to laugh his ass off at my purchase.
After walking back to my car and stowing my parcel and purse, I drove to the grocery store to get the remaining items on my list. After checking out and purchasing my items, I made my way home. I smiled happily as I unloaded the car and stepped into my apartment.
I put away all my purchases and decided to sit down and write some questions to ask Aiden tonight. His presence was distracting and it was way too easy to lose my train of thought. I grabbed my laptop, kicked off my shoes, and curled up on the couch. Then I opened the computer to a blank document and started typing.
Questions to ask Aiden
Early Life
1. What was your childhood like?
2. Did you live with your mother or father?
3. How did your father’s wife deal with you?
4. What kind of schooling did you get?
5. What relationship did you have with your father?
6. What position did you hold as illegitimate son?
7. What were you taught about chivalry as a boy?
Knighthood
1. How old were you when you started knighthood?
2. What is the process you had to go through, how long did it take?
3. What nonphysical training did you have to do?
4. Code of Conduct and Chivalry
5. Duties and rank as a knight
Vampire
1. How were you changed?
2. What relationship did you/do you have with your sire?
3. How and why were vampires created?
4. Vampire stereotypes and myths?
5. What is bloodlust and thirst like?
6. Have you sired others?
I was certain that I could come up with more questions, but I knew that this would cover several hours worth of conversation. And that didn’t even count the questions I would think of while we were talking. I printed the page and left it on the coffee table, along with a notepad and pen. Making my way around, I lit a few lightly scented candles before wandering into the kitchen to make some dinner for myself before I started getting ready to meet Aiden.
I gathered the ingredients for a salad and threw a few chicken strips in the microwave while I tore the lettuce. Then, I diced a couple mushrooms and some other veggies until the chicken was done. Retrieving my salad bowl, I then cut the meat and added it to my dinner.
After grabbing some ranch dressing, I sat down at my kitchen table to eat. I munched the tasty salad and entertained myself with thoughts of how this evening may go. After some rather glorious musings about Aiden, I finished my meal and cleaned up the mess.
A glance at the clock over the stove told me it was almost five o’ clock. The sun set between 6:30 and 7:00 this time of year, so I decided I should start getting ready.
Several nice outfits caught my attention and I was almost decided on a flattering pair of jeans and a sexy sweater when I saw something peeking out from the back of the hanging rack. It was a beautiful black strapless dress made of chiffon. One of those amazingly versatile creations that could be fancy or casual depending on the accessories I wore with it.
This would be perfect! I knew I’d be feeding Aiden again and aside from offering easy access, the outfit was incredibly sexy. I could light a fire and not have to worry about being chilled without sleeves. I laid the dress out on my bed and hopped in the shower. I sang random verses from some of my favorite songs as I washed my body and shaved my legs.
After washing and rinsing my hair, I got out of the shower and toweled dry, before reaching for the blow dryer. With Aiden’s vampire senses in mind, I mixed some of my favorite pomegranate lotion with some unscented moisturizer and rubbed it into my skin before I started getting dressed.
I chose some sexy black lace hipster underwear to go along with my strapless bra. Feeling naughty, I pulled on some black thigh-high pantyhose and looked at myself in the mirror, feeling happy with my reflection.
I felt damn sexy in just my underwear and pantyhose, my auburn hair floating around my shoulders down to my waist, long and straight. I wanted to look sexy tonight, no matter how much or little of my clothing I was wearing. Though I had naturally straight hair, I always felt more feminine when I had soft curls cascading down my back, so I decided to curl it.
Never had I been so instantly attracted to any man I’d ever met. It was a delicious feeling, but it was very distracting. I usually prided myself on my focus, but at every available moment my thoughts turned to all the naughty things I wanted to do with Aiden.
I enjoyed sex and I was certainly no virgin, but no man had ever made me react the way Aiden did, and he hadn’t even really done anything to me yet. So much had changed so quickly and I didn’t think there was any going back now; I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
My life wasn’t particularly interesting. I was a perpetual student, I had no family anymore, I only worked to help a friend, but I had no friends so close that I could not live without them.
Aiden offered the chance for all kinds of excitement and a chance to learn things I could never have had access to otherwise. It was quite tempting to want to immerse myself in his world for a few days, just to see if I ever wanted to leave.
I shook myself to clear my head. Just because I was overwhelmed by Aiden, didn’t mean that he felt the same. He was almost a thousand years old; last night might have meant nothing to him beyond dinner. I was just a human, he may lose interest quickly and move on to the next girl he found in the dark.
That made me sad in a way that I refused to acknowledge, so I instead focused on what would happen tonight. The previous evening had proved that, with Aiden, sex wasn’t necessary to steal my breath away… but it sure would be a mind blowing bonus.
With that determined thought in mind, I rolled my hair up in curlers and applied some light makeup, brushed my teeth, and applied some light pink lip gloss.
I stepped into my dress, its hem hung just above my knee and the material draped my body in a cool black sheet that accentuated my curves while still leaving the details to the imagination. Also, I selected an emerald pendant that had belonged to my mother, and the matching earrings that went with it. The chain and settings were gold, and the jewelry glinted against my skin.
My hair held curl wonderfully and, once I removed the curlers, I didn’t even need hairspray to be confident it would still be spiraled tomorrow morning.
I pulled part of my hair up away from my face, and admired the fall of bright red tendrils trailing down my back. Satisfied with my appearance, I poured some of my perfume into an empty spray bottle and watered it down. I lightly sprayed my hair and body and went out to the living room to wait for Aiden.
I still had about forty five minutes until full dark and I was restless. Deciding that I needed to do something active, I got my guitar out of its case and put on a mix of the songs that I was currently working on to play on the stereo.
When I was twelve, I took up playing the guitar, a year after my family died in the fire. At twenty six, I was quite talented. It really helped me express excess emotions and bouncing around the room rocking out to a good song was a fantastic way to burn restless energy.
My guitar was a bright blue electric acoustic, with several inlaid silver stars and clouds. I plugged it into the amp and positioned my hands as the first song came on. “Hotel California” by the Eagles was my favorite song, and jamming the guitar solo was always a calming experience for me.
I danced around the room releasing my inner rock star, my heart beating hard and my breathing fast by the end of the song. When the next song, Finger 11’s “Paralyzer” came on, my thoughts turned back to Aiden.
Suddenly, I felt the urge to dance so I picked the strings and sang along with the song. I was lost in the music, dancing wildly and feeling energized. I stopped short when I heard a knock at the door.
With a quick glance out the window, I saw streaks of sunlight still clinging to the horizon. Decidedly, I assumed that it couldn’t be Aiden since it wasn’t full dark, so I set down the guitar, turned down the music, and went to answer the door, expecting to see one of my neighbors.
I walked over to my bed and slid between the soft, cool sheets. After the long, exhausting day and the excitement of Aiden wearing down, it didn’t take long for me to drift off to sleep.
I slept for hours, having some very pleasant, very vivid dreams about Aiden. I woke up at 3:30 P.M. and got dressed and made the quick drive into town, stopping at the pharmacy first. I needed to get a good iron supplement if I was going to continue feeding Aiden. And I wanted to continue; he was like a drug, and I wanted more.
After buying a large bottle of iron supplements and another of multi vitamins, I left the store and headed to Meyer’s Deli for lunch. I walked in and saw that Mr. Meyer was behind the counter as usual.
He was a stocky man; around five foot ten, with a round face and a warm smile. His light brown hair was shot through with gray and was thinning on top. His blue eyes crinkled at the corners as his face broke into a genuine smile when he saw me. I inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of fresh bread that permeated the air.
“Harlow! How nice to see you, dear!” he exclaimed as I approached the counter.
I returned the smile, and said, “Hello Mr. Meyer. It’s nice to see you too. Are you doing alright? I was worried when I saw you left the sign on last night.”
He nodded, “Yes I was in a hurry to get home last night. My wife and I celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary,” he said proudly.
“Oh, that’s wonderful! Congratulations. Can I get a hot ham and cheese sub please?” I asked when he gestured at the menu. Sure thing, Harlow. It’ll be just a few minutes,” Mr. Meyer said as he headed to the other side of the shop to make my sandwich.
I took a seat at one of the small tables in front of the large deli windows while I waited. As I sat there, I mentally ran through the list of things I wanted to get done before Aiden came over tonight.
First, I wanted to stop at the bookstore across the street and see if the Dracula book I saw last night was actually a first edition and, if so, how much the owner, Mr. Johannes, wanted for it. If it was a first edition, I had to have it. Though I knew it would cost a fortune, I saw it as an investment.
Also, I needed to stop at the grocery store and get something for dinner and a bottle or two of wine. Some orange juice and cookies probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either. I smiled as a wave of remembered pleasure swept over me. Maybe blood loss wasn’t so bad.
Mr. Meyer came back to the counter with my sandwich and I paid him and left a generous tip.
“Thank you! Tell your wife I said hello and happy anniversary!” I said, putting the sandwich in my oversized bag as I walked out the door.
I took a deep breath of the crisp October air. It smelled of wood smoke and the dry spice of decaying leaves. Large fluffy clouds tinged gray with bright white edges stood out and added texture to the sky against the flat gray panorama that hung like a backdrop across the horizon.
I quickly walked the two blocks to the park and grabbed the sandwich from my bag, making my way to the square in the middle of the park. There was a nice spot on the wide rim of the large fountain and I sat down there to enjoy my lunch.
The sandwich was delicious and filling, as it always was from Mr. Meyer. I finished my food and made my way to the bookstore, dropping my lunch scraps in a trashcan as I went.
As I checked the display window I was happy to still see the book that I coveted in the case. I opened the door and paused for a moment to inhale the wonderful scent that came with a room full of books.
The aroma of ink and paper with an undertone of leather wrapped around me. It was a smell that I always found very comforting. I had so many happy memories in libraries. So many hours curled in a chair devouring book after book. The familiar scent triggered memories of the far off lands that I’d visited while blazing my trail through countless literary worlds.
Except this time my life was the story. My thoughts again turned to Aiden. I still had a hard time believing it, but I did indeed have a date with a vampire tonight. Or at the very least, dinner and an interview.
I was more than willing for the evening to take a more intimate path, but I decided that I wouldn’t steer it that way, though I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist if he kissed me.
The consuming desire I had for him was completely unfamiliar to me. I didn’t know if it was a vampire trick or just Aiden himself, but I had no resistance where he was concerned and I couldn’t find any shame in myself for that. Decidedly, I would have to rely on his self-control.
Oh, crap. I’m relying on the self-control of a vampire who can set my blood burning with one touch.
He may be a perfect gentleman, but he was still a man. I knew he’d heard my naughtier thoughts and was pleased by them. I would just have to trust that there was enough knight left in him not to take advantage of my overwhelming attraction to him.
Shaking my head, I focused on the bookstore and walked through the haphazardly placed shelves trying to find the owner, my good friend, Mr. Georg Johannes. He was near the back, sorting some new arrivals.
“Hello, Mr. Johannes. How are you doing today?” I said with a fond smile, I shopped here a lot. “I see you got some new books. Well, new to me anyway. Any good first editions?” I asked, eagerly looking toward the front window with a raised eyebrow.
Mr. Johannes sighed in mock disappointment, “I knew you would see it in the window. One day I got to keep that beauty on display, Harlow. One day! You have an eye for rare books,” he said with a genuine smile. “And I’ve told you that you can call me Georg. I had to pull a lot of strings to get the book for you. But I knew you would love it and appreciate it like no one else could.
“I’ll have to charge you what I had to spend to get it, but that’s nowhere near what I could sell it for. It’s a significant amount of money and if you can’t afford it, I will have to sell to another collector to cover my investment.”
I felt my face stretch into a delighted smile. “I knew it! You old rascal, how could you not tell me? I would have paid you first and then you wouldn’t have had to risk anything. And it’s a matter of respect not a lack of fondness, Mr. Johannes,” I jokingly scolded.
“And you know full well I can afford it. The insurance settlement was enormous, more than I could spend in ten lifetimes and I know my family would want me to be happy. So tell me, my friend, how much would you have been able to sell it for with another collector? I want to give you the full amount to thank you for your thoughtfulness.
“That was a lot of effort to go through for me. Besides, I know your granddaughter is coming to visit before going back to college and you can use the extra money to make her trip amazing. Spoil the girl, on me. I love to support education, and a girl needs new things for her senior year of college,” I said with a mischievous wink.
He may not enjoy the shopping that much, but it would make memories with his granddaughter that she would remember always.
He led me to a reading area with soft, comfortable overstuffed chairs and muted lighting that was easy on the eyes. I sat down on a hideous puke green velvet chair. It was an enormous armchair, very overstuffed and airy. The cushions seemed to cradle my body and I relaxed into the deceptive comfort of the ugly chair.
Mr. Johannes quickly returned with the book from the window. He placed the ancient book in my hands and sat back while I examined his rare find. The cover was made from dark brown leather, pressed smooth, with only the word Dracula stamped into the cover in red ink.
The leather binding creaked as I opened the cover and the smell of ancient paper and ink wafted up to my nose. I flipped through the pages, stopping to read some of my favorite passages.
I smiled up at Mr. Johannes. “It’s beautiful. How much did you pay for it?” I closed the book and set it in my lap, reaching for my checkbook. “I can write you a check now. Do you think you could wrap it for me please?”
Mr. Johannes hesitated, but at my cheerful smile, he decided to indulge me and accept the extra money. “You don’t need to do this Miss Garrington. I’m happy just to get my money back.”
“Please, I insist. It will be a trip your granddaughter will never forget. When she goes off to college, maybe you could take a cruise with your wife. I bet Ruthie would love that,” I said persuasively. I was very fond of his wife as well, but she would never have let me call her Mrs. Johannes.
He seemed to consider how much his wife would enjoy a cruise before he nodded and said sheepishly, “I really shouldn’t, it feels like taking advantage of a rich friend. But you’ve targeted my weaknesses. You know I can’t deny Ruthie anything that might make her happy.
“I paid fourteen thousand for it, but if I were to put it up for auction, I might be able to get twenty thousand. I won’t take more than that Harlow. And even that feels like too much, but Ruthie has always wanted to take a cruise, and Amaris hasn’t had new furniture since middle school.”
“Nonsense. You told me the truth and I don’t feel taken advantage of at all. I can afford it and you have helped me acquire some amazingly rare books. Your efforts deserve to be rewarded. And you can consider it an investment in Amaris’ education. I know what it is like to lose your parents. She is so lucky to have had you and Ruthie to take her in. She’s a wonderful girl; you’ve both done a great job.” I smiled happily as I wrote the check for twenty thousand dollars, knowing he wouldn’t accept a penny more. I still wished I could give more to Amaris, but Mr. Johannes was a proud man and had worked hard to earn the money to send his granddaughter to college after her parents were killed in a car accident ten years ago.
I had gotten a massive amount of money when my own family died in a tragic fire and I tried to help people whenever possible. I believed that sometimes good people just needed a break, with nothing expected in return.
There were several charities that I was involved with; including a program that provided fire alarms and fresh batteries to all the low income neighborhoods in the state. Fire deaths were down by ten percent, and I knew that it was worth every penny. If even one family was saved the soul rending pain of losing a loved one to fire, it would be worth every cent I had.
I handed the book and the check to Mr. Johannes and he headed to the counter to deposit the check in the cash register and to wrap the delicate book for me. This was turning out to be a lovely afternoon and I knew that the evening would be much better.
Happily, I signed the certificate of authenticity Mr. Johannes produced, confirming my ownership of the rare tome. Taking both the certificate and the wrapped package, we said our goodbyes and I left the store in a euphoric mood. Aiden was going to laugh his ass off at my purchase.
After walking back to my car and stowing my parcel and purse, I drove to the grocery store to get the remaining items on my list. After checking out and purchasing my items, I made my way home. I smiled happily as I unloaded the car and stepped into my apartment.
I put away all my purchases and decided to sit down and write some questions to ask Aiden tonight. His presence was distracting and it was way too easy to lose my train of thought. I grabbed my laptop, kicked off my shoes, and curled up on the couch. Then I opened the computer to a blank document and started typing.
Questions to ask Aiden
Early Life
1. What was your childhood like?
2. Did you live with your mother or father?
3. How did your father’s wife deal with you?
4. What kind of schooling did you get?
5. What relationship did you have with your father?
6. What position did you hold as illegitimate son?
7. What were you taught about chivalry as a boy?
Knighthood
1. How old were you when you started knighthood?
2. What is the process you had to go through, how long did it take?
3. What nonphysical training did you have to do?
4. Code of Conduct and Chivalry
5. Duties and rank as a knight
Vampire
1. How were you changed?
2. What relationship did you/do you have with your sire?
3. How and why were vampires created?
4. Vampire stereotypes and myths?
5. What is bloodlust and thirst like?
6. Have you sired others?
I was certain that I could come up with more questions, but I knew that this would cover several hours worth of conversation. And that didn’t even count the questions I would think of while we were talking. I printed the page and left it on the coffee table, along with a notepad and pen. Making my way around, I lit a few lightly scented candles before wandering into the kitchen to make some dinner for myself before I started getting ready to meet Aiden.
I gathered the ingredients for a salad and threw a few chicken strips in the microwave while I tore the lettuce. Then, I diced a couple mushrooms and some other veggies until the chicken was done. Retrieving my salad bowl, I then cut the meat and added it to my dinner.
After grabbing some ranch dressing, I sat down at my kitchen table to eat. I munched the tasty salad and entertained myself with thoughts of how this evening may go. After some rather glorious musings about Aiden, I finished my meal and cleaned up the mess.
A glance at the clock over the stove told me it was almost five o’ clock. The sun set between 6:30 and 7:00 this time of year, so I decided I should start getting ready.
Several nice outfits caught my attention and I was almost decided on a flattering pair of jeans and a sexy sweater when I saw something peeking out from the back of the hanging rack. It was a beautiful black strapless dress made of chiffon. One of those amazingly versatile creations that could be fancy or casual depending on the accessories I wore with it.
This would be perfect! I knew I’d be feeding Aiden again and aside from offering easy access, the outfit was incredibly sexy. I could light a fire and not have to worry about being chilled without sleeves. I laid the dress out on my bed and hopped in the shower. I sang random verses from some of my favorite songs as I washed my body and shaved my legs.
After washing and rinsing my hair, I got out of the shower and toweled dry, before reaching for the blow dryer. With Aiden’s vampire senses in mind, I mixed some of my favorite pomegranate lotion with some unscented moisturizer and rubbed it into my skin before I started getting dressed.
I chose some sexy black lace hipster underwear to go along with my strapless bra. Feeling naughty, I pulled on some black thigh-high pantyhose and looked at myself in the mirror, feeling happy with my reflection.
I felt damn sexy in just my underwear and pantyhose, my auburn hair floating around my shoulders down to my waist, long and straight. I wanted to look sexy tonight, no matter how much or little of my clothing I was wearing. Though I had naturally straight hair, I always felt more feminine when I had soft curls cascading down my back, so I decided to curl it.
Never had I been so instantly attracted to any man I’d ever met. It was a delicious feeling, but it was very distracting. I usually prided myself on my focus, but at every available moment my thoughts turned to all the naughty things I wanted to do with Aiden.
I enjoyed sex and I was certainly no virgin, but no man had ever made me react the way Aiden did, and he hadn’t even really done anything to me yet. So much had changed so quickly and I didn’t think there was any going back now; I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
My life wasn’t particularly interesting. I was a perpetual student, I had no family anymore, I only worked to help a friend, but I had no friends so close that I could not live without them.
Aiden offered the chance for all kinds of excitement and a chance to learn things I could never have had access to otherwise. It was quite tempting to want to immerse myself in his world for a few days, just to see if I ever wanted to leave.
I shook myself to clear my head. Just because I was overwhelmed by Aiden, didn’t mean that he felt the same. He was almost a thousand years old; last night might have meant nothing to him beyond dinner. I was just a human, he may lose interest quickly and move on to the next girl he found in the dark.
That made me sad in a way that I refused to acknowledge, so I instead focused on what would happen tonight. The previous evening had proved that, with Aiden, sex wasn’t necessary to steal my breath away… but it sure would be a mind blowing bonus.
With that determined thought in mind, I rolled my hair up in curlers and applied some light makeup, brushed my teeth, and applied some light pink lip gloss.
I stepped into my dress, its hem hung just above my knee and the material draped my body in a cool black sheet that accentuated my curves while still leaving the details to the imagination. Also, I selected an emerald pendant that had belonged to my mother, and the matching earrings that went with it. The chain and settings were gold, and the jewelry glinted against my skin.
My hair held curl wonderfully and, once I removed the curlers, I didn’t even need hairspray to be confident it would still be spiraled tomorrow morning.
I pulled part of my hair up away from my face, and admired the fall of bright red tendrils trailing down my back. Satisfied with my appearance, I poured some of my perfume into an empty spray bottle and watered it down. I lightly sprayed my hair and body and went out to the living room to wait for Aiden.
I still had about forty five minutes until full dark and I was restless. Deciding that I needed to do something active, I got my guitar out of its case and put on a mix of the songs that I was currently working on to play on the stereo.
When I was twelve, I took up playing the guitar, a year after my family died in the fire. At twenty six, I was quite talented. It really helped me express excess emotions and bouncing around the room rocking out to a good song was a fantastic way to burn restless energy.
My guitar was a bright blue electric acoustic, with several inlaid silver stars and clouds. I plugged it into the amp and positioned my hands as the first song came on. “Hotel California” by the Eagles was my favorite song, and jamming the guitar solo was always a calming experience for me.
I danced around the room releasing my inner rock star, my heart beating hard and my breathing fast by the end of the song. When the next song, Finger 11’s “Paralyzer” came on, my thoughts turned back to Aiden.
Suddenly, I felt the urge to dance so I picked the strings and sang along with the song. I was lost in the music, dancing wildly and feeling energized. I stopped short when I heard a knock at the door.
With a quick glance out the window, I saw streaks of sunlight still clinging to the horizon. Decidedly, I assumed that it couldn’t be Aiden since it wasn’t full dark, so I set down the guitar, turned down the music, and went to answer the door, expecting to see one of my neighbors.
Birth of the Nyxian
Chapter 5
Harlow
I was still singing the lyrics to “Paralyzer” as I flung open the door to find Aiden looking even better than he had last night. His dark brown hair hung slightly in his eyes, and I was again struck by the urge to brush the hair from his brow.
His green eyes widened when I appeared, and began to darken as he stared at me. He was wearing a moss green button up shirt that stretched across his massive chest quite nicely, and accentuated the beautiful jade of his eyes. He wore a black leather jacket over the shirt and his legs were covered with a pair of blue jeans that fit snugly across his hips. I was betting they offered a spectacular view of his ass too.
In his arms, I saw a magnificent bouquet of red lilies and my voice trailed off to silence. I smiled self-consciously and waited for him to speak.
Aiden just stood there, staring, his full lips slightly parted. I would have been embarrassed, if the look in his eyes wasn’t dark with stark, hot desire.
As I searched for something to say, I realized that I was at an unfamiliar loss for words. At hearing my thought, Aiden seemed to snap out of whatever trance he’d been in and smiled at me. It was a wide, genuine smile that stretched his beautiful lips with wicked intent.
“I hope you don’t underestimate me when I say you are stunning tonight, Harlow. I was stunned speechless when you opened the door.”
“Oh. Um, thank you,” I stammered like an idiot, stepping aside to let him enter.
As I shut the door, I noticed again that the sun had not completely set. I spun around and asked, “Hey, how are you able to be out before the sun has finished setting?”
“Vampire tricks,” he said vaguely with a wink. “But let’s not stray from the far more important subject at hand. I’m not done admiring you. I want to properly appreciate the beauty set before me and cement this moment in my mind.”
Shocked, I looked into his eyes. No one had ever said anything like that to me before, but the sincere intensity in his eyes told me that he meant it.
“I love the dress. With your neck and shoulders bare and that mane of firey curls cascading down your back you look like a goddess. Your heartbeat racing and your face flushed from ‘rocking out’ as you put it. Watching you let loose with that guitar, your thoughts on nothing more than the song, through the window, was one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.”
He gave me another of those sanity shattering smiles and continued. “You shine with an inner beauty that is nearly matched by the perfection of your face and body.”
This he followed with a long lascivious look up and down my person. As he spoke, his voice showed more of his Gaelic accent, and I loved it.
His eyes focused on my face again as he said, “I brought you a gift. It’s something special to me. I wanted to thank you for last night. Your acceptance means more to me than I can possibly say.”
He passed me the beautiful bouquet of red lilies, my favorite. I was deeply touched by his words and the gesture, and I found myself rendered speechless again. I looked at the delicate flowers and inhaled their heady, delightful aroma.
“How did you know these were my favorite? I’m certain I wasn’t thinking of my flower preferences last night,” I said with a wicked smile. “And thank you, both for the flowers and the compliments. That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. And you are not looking so bad yourself tonight.”
Or ever, I thought. I didn’t think the man was capable of looking anything other than swoon-inducing sexy.
“And as far as me accepting you because you are a vampire, well, who am I to judge? You don’t kill to eat, and you don’t harm or frighten your donors, so why would I not accept you? I don’t see what the big deal is. I eat rare steak, and you drink blood. The cow had to die to feed me.” I giggled at the shocked expression on his face.
“It just isn’t that big of an issue to me. Granted, I’m weird, especially among humans. But I find it hard to believe that no one who has figured out what you were ever wanted to stick around to find out more. I think you are amazing!”
I finished in a rush, suddenly nervous and wanting to say that last part before I lost my courage. But if he’d truly not known any friendship or acceptance from a human in the last eight hundred years, I thought he needed to hear that I didn’t think he was a monster.
His head jerked up as he heard my last thought. I couldn’t decipher the expression on his face, but I thought I may have been right so I said it out loud.
“I don’t, Aiden, truly. I don’t think you are a monster at all,” I said.
The smile that he gave me took my breath away. It was radiant with happiness. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again without uttering a sound. He took the flowers from me and led me to the couch before setting the bouquet on the coffee table and turning back toward the door.
“The flowers were not the gift. Flowers are just what you give a beautiful woman to thank her for her presence.”
His voice was deep and rougher than usual and I knew he was struggling with his arousal, trying to calm himself. He grabbed a small wooden box that I hadn’t seen him bring in from the table next to the door.
Turning back to me, his eyes shining in anticipation, he said, “I’ve had this for a very long time, Harlow. On the day I earned my knighthood, my mother gave this to me. She intended for me to give it to the woman who touched my heart. I’ve kept it with me all these years because I’ve never met anyone whom I even considered giving it to. When I got home last night, I was overcome with the desire to see your face as I gave it to you. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, and they are telling me to trust you and to not let you get away.”
He stopped speaking as he looked into my eyes. The look in his was sincere and I saw him swallow as if he were nervous. I opened my mouth to respond, but he held up a hand to indicate that he wasn’t finished.
“I know my mother would have loved you; you are strong, brave, and independent. I can’t say I love you, Harlow, I don’t even know if I can love. We barely know each other, but I do know that meeting you touched something in me.
“It may be a hidden piece of humanity or my heart; all I know is now that I’ve met you, it will be extremely difficult to let you go. So I’m asking you not to make me. You’ve had the day to think about everything. Let me be in your life, Harlow, please. However you will take me. Just don’t send me away.” He looked deeply into my eyes and smiled hopefully as he handed me the box.
Though I didn’t know how I felt about what he said; this was what I wanted... and so much more. How could any woman resist a speech like that? Especially when she didn’t really want to.
I was too overwhelmed for words, so I focused on the object in my hands. The box was made of rosewood with a beautiful inlaid claddagh design on the top. I opened it and took out the square of moss green satin I found there. As I unfolded the fabric, what I saw robbed me of both speech and breath.
It was a triangular satin shawl with a spectacularly detailed Celtic tree of life embroidered in shining gold thread. Surrounding that, in a perfect circle, was a stunning endless knot border design, stitched with a glossy black thread.
The intricate border was repeated around the edges as well. I thought I could detect a faint whiff of heather, but it could have been my imagination. Aiden’s mother had made this, and he’d kept it for eight hundred years because he’d never even thought of giving it away. And now he was giving it to me.
I stared at it for a moment more, tears of joy hanging unshed in my eyes, before I whispered, “Oh, Aiden.” And then I launched myself into his arms, crushing the delicate shawl between us.
The combination of his spectacularly romantic words and the incredible heartfelt gifts had completely shattered any bit of resistance that I had left. His strong, stable arms caught me and wrapped me in their cool, solid comfort.
As I lifted my face to his, our lips met fiercely. I was wild with sudden passion, but Aiden seemed to have other ideas. He wrapped a fist in my hair and held me still. He leaned toward me, pressing me back into the couch cushions. Aiden’s lips touched mine with short caressing kisses and teasing nibbles.
He may have been surprised at my advance, but he was definitely taking charge now. Releasing my hair from his hands, he placed a palm on either side of my face and leaned in to kiss me again. This time I felt his tongue brush my lower lip and I opened my mouth to deepen the kiss.
A moan escaped my lips as I felt the euphoric effects of the weaker venom in his saliva. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, pressing my torso against his. I felt his body vibrate with a low growl and he intensified the kiss.
My breathing was coming fast and hard now, each rise brushing my breasts against his solid chest. His coolness made my nipples harden, and every nerve in my body was screaming at me to get closer. It felt as though my veins had been filled with fire and my skin had been electrified.
As we continued kissing, Aiden’s large, skillful hands roamed over my body. Touching my arms, back, and legs, but deliberately not touching my most sensitive areas. I moaned again at the pleasure these simple, chaste touches gave me, and he caught the sound with his lips.
After another breath-stealing kiss, his mouth moved down to my neck, kissing and nibbling there. He reached the spot where my neck met my shoulder, one of my personal ‘hot spots’ and a shiver of pure pleasure ran down my spine when he licked the area.
I could not suppress another breathy moan as he continued to kiss and playfully nibble there, teasing me with remembrances of feeding him, of the exquisite pleasure of his venom coursing through my veins. He responded to the sound and my thoughts with a very male growl and shifted to grind his hips into mine as his cool hand finally descended to my sensitive breast.
By this point, I had given myself over to the powerful sensations flooding my body. I doubt that I could have said my own name, let alone the reasons I should stop this beautiful man from tugging down the bodice of my strapless dress to expose the lacy bra underneath.
Aiden inhaled sharply at the sight revealed to him, and he nuzzled his face between the creamy mounds now spilling over my bra. He inhaled the scent of my skin and let out a low primal growl of approval, but said nothing.
I writhed against him, desperate to get closer. My body arched off the couch as his cool lips closed over one distended nipple through the fabric of the bra and I felt a rush of heat low in my belly. One hand supported the breast he was currently laving with his tongue and his other hand palmed its twin.
He switched his mouth to my other breast, pulling it from its binding and when I felt his teeth lightly bite the nipple, I came apart in an unexpected, intense climax with a loud, throaty shriek.
Aiden seemed to shake himself as he realized just how intense we’d gotten. He quickly righted my clothing as well as he could, and stood up. He turned away, hiding the evidence of his unsatisfied arousal.
He roughly ran a hand through his hair and said, “I am deeply sorry, Harlow. I didn’t intend for that to happen.”
When he stepped away from me I was able to think clearly again. What the hell had just happened? I was no shy virgin, but I had never had such an explosively wanton reaction to a man before. When I was with Aiden, it seemed as if all sense of propriety and caution fled from me, leaving behind only blind, raw need.
Something deep within me, some part I was not previously aware of, demanded that I claim this man as my own, in the most primal way possible. Shaking off the remaining post-orgasmic haze, I stood and rearranged my dress before walking to him.
I touched his shoulder and as he turned, I said “I may not understand the strength of my reaction to you, Aiden. But I would definitely not say that I’m sorry about it.” I smiled at him and stepped close to give him a quick hug. “Thank you for the shawl. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Except for you...mmmm. I mentally purred as I bent to pick up the fabric that had fallen to the floor.
I decided a change of subject was in order, so I put on the shawl and spun around for Aiden. “What do you think?” I said with a joyous giggle. “I feel like a princess.”
Aiden chuckled. “If there had been princesses like you before I was turned, I would have spent a lot less time training and a lot more time stealing flowers from the garden.” He smiled widely. “It looks as if it was made for you. I’m so happy you like it, I hoped you would. And I must say, I like seeing you in something my mother made.”
I blushed at the heat in his gaze and felt my heartbeat speed up again. Dammit, the man was just too sexy! I felt like a hormone crazed teenager instead of a grown woman.
Ignoring the smug, knowing smile on his full, soft lips I said, “So how about a glass of wine? If you would, go grab the glasses from the counter and the bottle from the ‘fridge. I’m going to use the restroom.”
As I said this, I thought hard about the eventful kiss we’d just shared. His eyes widened and he swallowed visibly. Ha! I don’t need to be able to hear his thoughts to read his mind right now. I thought smugly as I sashayed toward the bathroom with a little more wiggle than was strictly necessary.
“Aye, some wine would be lovely, Harlow,” he said, his accent obvious.
Oh, how I loved that accent, and he knew it! The way his husky brogue curled around the sounds of my name sent chills of arousal down my spine.
Dammit! Well played, Aiden, I thought as I continued on my path, in search of a mirror; I knew my hair was a tangled mess by now.
Aiden
What the hell was I doing? Since the moment she opened the door, nothing had gone as I’d planned. I got to her apartment a few minutes before the sun had set completely, thinking to surprise her. As I approached her sidewalk, my sensitive ears picked up the rock song playing in the background and the guitar that was skillfully playing along with the song.
I heard Harlow’s voice, low and breathy to match the male singer’s tone as she sang. I didn’t know the song, but I thought it applied to our situation nicely.
Drawn to the window, I watched her while she thought she was alone. I saw her dance past the window, playing a blue guitar and singing as loud as she could. I was frozen to the spot by the wave of raw, primal need that slammed into me. She was so beautiful, and so very, vividly alive.
I knocked on the door and heard her stop playing and turn down the music. She was still singing as she approached the door; she had a beautiful voice. Harlow flung open the door and as the song aptly stated, I was struck by her beauty.
Her cheeks flushed, graceful neck and shoulders bared, I could see the pulse pounding in her throat, even as I heard her heart race. Her beautiful red hair was curled and it spilled down her back in a fiery cascade. She was incredibly sexy, and I had to fight to regain my self control and resist the pure lust that threatened to consume me.
I fought the urge to crush her to me and kiss her senseless, because I didn’t want to rush her. I knew the venom she’d received last night had been potent. I selfishly, and perhaps insensibly, wanted her to come to me on her own, and not because of any vampire perks.
On the way over, I decided that I wanted her, all of her. I wanted her mind, body and soul. But most of all, I wanted her love. I knew that I didn’t deserve it, but oh, how I wanted it. Whatever part of me that was still capable of human emotions belonged to her, if she would have it.
I knew that was a big step to take with someone she’d just met the night before, but I was a vampire; we tended to think ahead. I wanted to be in Harlow’s life, always. And if that meant starting slow, I would. Nothing I’d seen and no one I’d met in eight hundred and twenty years had affected me as Harlow did.
She knew me for what I was and she hadn’t turned from me. She’s spent her adult life studying the time period I’d been born into. She owned a painting commissioned by my father! It had to mean something! After all, I didn’t believe in coincidence. And that left only fate.
I hadn’t planned the speech I gave her, but I found, as I spoke, that I meant every word. There was something real between us, and I meant to find out what. Then, when she’d thought that I wasn’t a monster, my head jerked up. She’d noticed and knew exactly what to say.
“Truly, I don’t think you’re a monster." Something in my soul broke free at her words, hearing her sweet voice utter them.
I thought back to the look on her face as she unfolded the shawl that my mother had embroidered. I’d seen a tear shining unshed in each of her eyes, but a quick peek at her mind had told me they were tears of joy.
She was so beautiful in the moment, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from my chest. I couldn’t identify the feeling I had, but I knew I was in awe of this amazing woman.
She’d been full of wild passion when she threw herself in my arms, but I knew that I didn’t have the self-control to start down that path right now. I was still aroused from the sight of her when she’d let me in.
Fisting one of my hands in her hair, I held her still. I leaned her back against the couch cushions and began a slow, sensual exploration of her delicious lips. I couldn’t suppress a growl of arousal when she moaned as my tongue invaded her mouth, (and my venom invaded her senses) and her arms wrapped around my neck to pull me closer.
I pulled back from her lips and trailed kisses down her throat, not thinking of feeding at all, only pleasing this delightful creature in my arms. She was extremely sensitive there, as proved by the breathy moan she let out when I licked the spot I’d fed from last night.
Running my hands over her soft, supple body, caressing and teasing, I purposely skirted her most sensitive areas. As I heard her thoughts focusing on the remembered sensation of my bite and venom, I was slammed with another wave of lust.
I let loose another growl of passion and ground my hips into hers; reveling in the heat she gave off. I tugged down the bodice of her dress to expose her breasts and stopped short at the alluring display before me.
She smelled so damn good. I closed my mouth over one nipple, fabric and all, and her reaction was instant. Her body arched and I could smell her arousal, she was close. I pulled her other breast from its binding and lightly bit down on the bare nipple, not using my still-sheathed fangs.
I felt her body convulse as she reached an unexpected release. I watched her face as it was flooded with ecstasy. She was stunning, and I was already in too deep.
I released her and did my best to cover her body before standing and walking across the room, needing distance to keep from ravishing her, and willing my erection to ease.
“I’m deeply sorry, Harlow. I did not intend for that to happen.” As previously stated, what the hell was I doing? What was it about her that destroyed every ounce of self-control I had? Eight hundred and twenty years of practice hadn’t granted me the restraint I’d needed to resist Harlow. But, dammit, I’d wanted to take things slowly! I wanted her. But I wanted her forever.
I walked into her kitchen and poured two glasses of wine and then went to wait for her in the living room. Thinking of her sleeveless dress, I began to light a fire to stave off the October chill.
His green eyes widened when I appeared, and began to darken as he stared at me. He was wearing a moss green button up shirt that stretched across his massive chest quite nicely, and accentuated the beautiful jade of his eyes. He wore a black leather jacket over the shirt and his legs were covered with a pair of blue jeans that fit snugly across his hips. I was betting they offered a spectacular view of his ass too.
In his arms, I saw a magnificent bouquet of red lilies and my voice trailed off to silence. I smiled self-consciously and waited for him to speak.
Aiden just stood there, staring, his full lips slightly parted. I would have been embarrassed, if the look in his eyes wasn’t dark with stark, hot desire.
As I searched for something to say, I realized that I was at an unfamiliar loss for words. At hearing my thought, Aiden seemed to snap out of whatever trance he’d been in and smiled at me. It was a wide, genuine smile that stretched his beautiful lips with wicked intent.
“I hope you don’t underestimate me when I say you are stunning tonight, Harlow. I was stunned speechless when you opened the door.”
“Oh. Um, thank you,” I stammered like an idiot, stepping aside to let him enter.
As I shut the door, I noticed again that the sun had not completely set. I spun around and asked, “Hey, how are you able to be out before the sun has finished setting?”
“Vampire tricks,” he said vaguely with a wink. “But let’s not stray from the far more important subject at hand. I’m not done admiring you. I want to properly appreciate the beauty set before me and cement this moment in my mind.”
Shocked, I looked into his eyes. No one had ever said anything like that to me before, but the sincere intensity in his eyes told me that he meant it.
“I love the dress. With your neck and shoulders bare and that mane of firey curls cascading down your back you look like a goddess. Your heartbeat racing and your face flushed from ‘rocking out’ as you put it. Watching you let loose with that guitar, your thoughts on nothing more than the song, through the window, was one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.”
He gave me another of those sanity shattering smiles and continued. “You shine with an inner beauty that is nearly matched by the perfection of your face and body.”
This he followed with a long lascivious look up and down my person. As he spoke, his voice showed more of his Gaelic accent, and I loved it.
His eyes focused on my face again as he said, “I brought you a gift. It’s something special to me. I wanted to thank you for last night. Your acceptance means more to me than I can possibly say.”
He passed me the beautiful bouquet of red lilies, my favorite. I was deeply touched by his words and the gesture, and I found myself rendered speechless again. I looked at the delicate flowers and inhaled their heady, delightful aroma.
“How did you know these were my favorite? I’m certain I wasn’t thinking of my flower preferences last night,” I said with a wicked smile. “And thank you, both for the flowers and the compliments. That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. And you are not looking so bad yourself tonight.”
Or ever, I thought. I didn’t think the man was capable of looking anything other than swoon-inducing sexy.
“And as far as me accepting you because you are a vampire, well, who am I to judge? You don’t kill to eat, and you don’t harm or frighten your donors, so why would I not accept you? I don’t see what the big deal is. I eat rare steak, and you drink blood. The cow had to die to feed me.” I giggled at the shocked expression on his face.
“It just isn’t that big of an issue to me. Granted, I’m weird, especially among humans. But I find it hard to believe that no one who has figured out what you were ever wanted to stick around to find out more. I think you are amazing!”
I finished in a rush, suddenly nervous and wanting to say that last part before I lost my courage. But if he’d truly not known any friendship or acceptance from a human in the last eight hundred years, I thought he needed to hear that I didn’t think he was a monster.
His head jerked up as he heard my last thought. I couldn’t decipher the expression on his face, but I thought I may have been right so I said it out loud.
“I don’t, Aiden, truly. I don’t think you are a monster at all,” I said.
The smile that he gave me took my breath away. It was radiant with happiness. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again without uttering a sound. He took the flowers from me and led me to the couch before setting the bouquet on the coffee table and turning back toward the door.
“The flowers were not the gift. Flowers are just what you give a beautiful woman to thank her for her presence.”
His voice was deep and rougher than usual and I knew he was struggling with his arousal, trying to calm himself. He grabbed a small wooden box that I hadn’t seen him bring in from the table next to the door.
Turning back to me, his eyes shining in anticipation, he said, “I’ve had this for a very long time, Harlow. On the day I earned my knighthood, my mother gave this to me. She intended for me to give it to the woman who touched my heart. I’ve kept it with me all these years because I’ve never met anyone whom I even considered giving it to. When I got home last night, I was overcome with the desire to see your face as I gave it to you. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, and they are telling me to trust you and to not let you get away.”
He stopped speaking as he looked into my eyes. The look in his was sincere and I saw him swallow as if he were nervous. I opened my mouth to respond, but he held up a hand to indicate that he wasn’t finished.
“I know my mother would have loved you; you are strong, brave, and independent. I can’t say I love you, Harlow, I don’t even know if I can love. We barely know each other, but I do know that meeting you touched something in me.
“It may be a hidden piece of humanity or my heart; all I know is now that I’ve met you, it will be extremely difficult to let you go. So I’m asking you not to make me. You’ve had the day to think about everything. Let me be in your life, Harlow, please. However you will take me. Just don’t send me away.” He looked deeply into my eyes and smiled hopefully as he handed me the box.
Though I didn’t know how I felt about what he said; this was what I wanted... and so much more. How could any woman resist a speech like that? Especially when she didn’t really want to.
I was too overwhelmed for words, so I focused on the object in my hands. The box was made of rosewood with a beautiful inlaid claddagh design on the top. I opened it and took out the square of moss green satin I found there. As I unfolded the fabric, what I saw robbed me of both speech and breath.
It was a triangular satin shawl with a spectacularly detailed Celtic tree of life embroidered in shining gold thread. Surrounding that, in a perfect circle, was a stunning endless knot border design, stitched with a glossy black thread.
The intricate border was repeated around the edges as well. I thought I could detect a faint whiff of heather, but it could have been my imagination. Aiden’s mother had made this, and he’d kept it for eight hundred years because he’d never even thought of giving it away. And now he was giving it to me.
I stared at it for a moment more, tears of joy hanging unshed in my eyes, before I whispered, “Oh, Aiden.” And then I launched myself into his arms, crushing the delicate shawl between us.
The combination of his spectacularly romantic words and the incredible heartfelt gifts had completely shattered any bit of resistance that I had left. His strong, stable arms caught me and wrapped me in their cool, solid comfort.
As I lifted my face to his, our lips met fiercely. I was wild with sudden passion, but Aiden seemed to have other ideas. He wrapped a fist in my hair and held me still. He leaned toward me, pressing me back into the couch cushions. Aiden’s lips touched mine with short caressing kisses and teasing nibbles.
He may have been surprised at my advance, but he was definitely taking charge now. Releasing my hair from his hands, he placed a palm on either side of my face and leaned in to kiss me again. This time I felt his tongue brush my lower lip and I opened my mouth to deepen the kiss.
A moan escaped my lips as I felt the euphoric effects of the weaker venom in his saliva. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, pressing my torso against his. I felt his body vibrate with a low growl and he intensified the kiss.
My breathing was coming fast and hard now, each rise brushing my breasts against his solid chest. His coolness made my nipples harden, and every nerve in my body was screaming at me to get closer. It felt as though my veins had been filled with fire and my skin had been electrified.
As we continued kissing, Aiden’s large, skillful hands roamed over my body. Touching my arms, back, and legs, but deliberately not touching my most sensitive areas. I moaned again at the pleasure these simple, chaste touches gave me, and he caught the sound with his lips.
After another breath-stealing kiss, his mouth moved down to my neck, kissing and nibbling there. He reached the spot where my neck met my shoulder, one of my personal ‘hot spots’ and a shiver of pure pleasure ran down my spine when he licked the area.
I could not suppress another breathy moan as he continued to kiss and playfully nibble there, teasing me with remembrances of feeding him, of the exquisite pleasure of his venom coursing through my veins. He responded to the sound and my thoughts with a very male growl and shifted to grind his hips into mine as his cool hand finally descended to my sensitive breast.
By this point, I had given myself over to the powerful sensations flooding my body. I doubt that I could have said my own name, let alone the reasons I should stop this beautiful man from tugging down the bodice of my strapless dress to expose the lacy bra underneath.
Aiden inhaled sharply at the sight revealed to him, and he nuzzled his face between the creamy mounds now spilling over my bra. He inhaled the scent of my skin and let out a low primal growl of approval, but said nothing.
I writhed against him, desperate to get closer. My body arched off the couch as his cool lips closed over one distended nipple through the fabric of the bra and I felt a rush of heat low in my belly. One hand supported the breast he was currently laving with his tongue and his other hand palmed its twin.
He switched his mouth to my other breast, pulling it from its binding and when I felt his teeth lightly bite the nipple, I came apart in an unexpected, intense climax with a loud, throaty shriek.
Aiden seemed to shake himself as he realized just how intense we’d gotten. He quickly righted my clothing as well as he could, and stood up. He turned away, hiding the evidence of his unsatisfied arousal.
He roughly ran a hand through his hair and said, “I am deeply sorry, Harlow. I didn’t intend for that to happen.”
When he stepped away from me I was able to think clearly again. What the hell had just happened? I was no shy virgin, but I had never had such an explosively wanton reaction to a man before. When I was with Aiden, it seemed as if all sense of propriety and caution fled from me, leaving behind only blind, raw need.
Something deep within me, some part I was not previously aware of, demanded that I claim this man as my own, in the most primal way possible. Shaking off the remaining post-orgasmic haze, I stood and rearranged my dress before walking to him.
I touched his shoulder and as he turned, I said “I may not understand the strength of my reaction to you, Aiden. But I would definitely not say that I’m sorry about it.” I smiled at him and stepped close to give him a quick hug. “Thank you for the shawl. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Except for you...mmmm. I mentally purred as I bent to pick up the fabric that had fallen to the floor.
I decided a change of subject was in order, so I put on the shawl and spun around for Aiden. “What do you think?” I said with a joyous giggle. “I feel like a princess.”
Aiden chuckled. “If there had been princesses like you before I was turned, I would have spent a lot less time training and a lot more time stealing flowers from the garden.” He smiled widely. “It looks as if it was made for you. I’m so happy you like it, I hoped you would. And I must say, I like seeing you in something my mother made.”
I blushed at the heat in his gaze and felt my heartbeat speed up again. Dammit, the man was just too sexy! I felt like a hormone crazed teenager instead of a grown woman.
Ignoring the smug, knowing smile on his full, soft lips I said, “So how about a glass of wine? If you would, go grab the glasses from the counter and the bottle from the ‘fridge. I’m going to use the restroom.”
As I said this, I thought hard about the eventful kiss we’d just shared. His eyes widened and he swallowed visibly. Ha! I don’t need to be able to hear his thoughts to read his mind right now. I thought smugly as I sashayed toward the bathroom with a little more wiggle than was strictly necessary.
“Aye, some wine would be lovely, Harlow,” he said, his accent obvious.
Oh, how I loved that accent, and he knew it! The way his husky brogue curled around the sounds of my name sent chills of arousal down my spine.
Dammit! Well played, Aiden, I thought as I continued on my path, in search of a mirror; I knew my hair was a tangled mess by now.
Aiden
What the hell was I doing? Since the moment she opened the door, nothing had gone as I’d planned. I got to her apartment a few minutes before the sun had set completely, thinking to surprise her. As I approached her sidewalk, my sensitive ears picked up the rock song playing in the background and the guitar that was skillfully playing along with the song.
I heard Harlow’s voice, low and breathy to match the male singer’s tone as she sang. I didn’t know the song, but I thought it applied to our situation nicely.
Drawn to the window, I watched her while she thought she was alone. I saw her dance past the window, playing a blue guitar and singing as loud as she could. I was frozen to the spot by the wave of raw, primal need that slammed into me. She was so beautiful, and so very, vividly alive.
I knocked on the door and heard her stop playing and turn down the music. She was still singing as she approached the door; she had a beautiful voice. Harlow flung open the door and as the song aptly stated, I was struck by her beauty.
Her cheeks flushed, graceful neck and shoulders bared, I could see the pulse pounding in her throat, even as I heard her heart race. Her beautiful red hair was curled and it spilled down her back in a fiery cascade. She was incredibly sexy, and I had to fight to regain my self control and resist the pure lust that threatened to consume me.
I fought the urge to crush her to me and kiss her senseless, because I didn’t want to rush her. I knew the venom she’d received last night had been potent. I selfishly, and perhaps insensibly, wanted her to come to me on her own, and not because of any vampire perks.
On the way over, I decided that I wanted her, all of her. I wanted her mind, body and soul. But most of all, I wanted her love. I knew that I didn’t deserve it, but oh, how I wanted it. Whatever part of me that was still capable of human emotions belonged to her, if she would have it.
I knew that was a big step to take with someone she’d just met the night before, but I was a vampire; we tended to think ahead. I wanted to be in Harlow’s life, always. And if that meant starting slow, I would. Nothing I’d seen and no one I’d met in eight hundred and twenty years had affected me as Harlow did.
She knew me for what I was and she hadn’t turned from me. She’s spent her adult life studying the time period I’d been born into. She owned a painting commissioned by my father! It had to mean something! After all, I didn’t believe in coincidence. And that left only fate.
I hadn’t planned the speech I gave her, but I found, as I spoke, that I meant every word. There was something real between us, and I meant to find out what. Then, when she’d thought that I wasn’t a monster, my head jerked up. She’d noticed and knew exactly what to say.
“Truly, I don’t think you’re a monster." Something in my soul broke free at her words, hearing her sweet voice utter them.
I thought back to the look on her face as she unfolded the shawl that my mother had embroidered. I’d seen a tear shining unshed in each of her eyes, but a quick peek at her mind had told me they were tears of joy.
She was so beautiful in the moment, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from my chest. I couldn’t identify the feeling I had, but I knew I was in awe of this amazing woman.
She’d been full of wild passion when she threw herself in my arms, but I knew that I didn’t have the self-control to start down that path right now. I was still aroused from the sight of her when she’d let me in.
Fisting one of my hands in her hair, I held her still. I leaned her back against the couch cushions and began a slow, sensual exploration of her delicious lips. I couldn’t suppress a growl of arousal when she moaned as my tongue invaded her mouth, (and my venom invaded her senses) and her arms wrapped around my neck to pull me closer.
I pulled back from her lips and trailed kisses down her throat, not thinking of feeding at all, only pleasing this delightful creature in my arms. She was extremely sensitive there, as proved by the breathy moan she let out when I licked the spot I’d fed from last night.
Running my hands over her soft, supple body, caressing and teasing, I purposely skirted her most sensitive areas. As I heard her thoughts focusing on the remembered sensation of my bite and venom, I was slammed with another wave of lust.
I let loose another growl of passion and ground my hips into hers; reveling in the heat she gave off. I tugged down the bodice of her dress to expose her breasts and stopped short at the alluring display before me.
She smelled so damn good. I closed my mouth over one nipple, fabric and all, and her reaction was instant. Her body arched and I could smell her arousal, she was close. I pulled her other breast from its binding and lightly bit down on the bare nipple, not using my still-sheathed fangs.
I felt her body convulse as she reached an unexpected release. I watched her face as it was flooded with ecstasy. She was stunning, and I was already in too deep.
I released her and did my best to cover her body before standing and walking across the room, needing distance to keep from ravishing her, and willing my erection to ease.
“I’m deeply sorry, Harlow. I did not intend for that to happen.” As previously stated, what the hell was I doing? What was it about her that destroyed every ounce of self-control I had? Eight hundred and twenty years of practice hadn’t granted me the restraint I’d needed to resist Harlow. But, dammit, I’d wanted to take things slowly! I wanted her. But I wanted her forever.
I walked into her kitchen and poured two glasses of wine and then went to wait for her in the living room. Thinking of her sleeveless dress, I began to light a fire to stave off the October chill.