I've had vampires on my mind a lot lately, plus, it's Halloween. This story was the result...
Christian could see Richard, spreading his cape like the wings of a bat before allowing them to fall, concealing the contours of his body beneath the flickering light overhead.
No one else stood on the street. It was deserted except for Richard and himself. Very likely by design.
Christian drew his own high necked coat closer, allowing the night’s chill to kiss his cheeks. This was as close as he would ever allow the night to get to him.
For him, the night and Richard would always be one at some fundamental level.
He reached up to squeeze the pentacle around his neck, allowing its angles to bite into his palm. It was a more reassuring holy symbol than a cross, not that he was sure he believed in either one of them.
Don’t come closer. His spine tingled with the nearness of the man watching him in the intimacy of the fog. Don’t look into my eyes.
Please.
He didn’t stop advancing toward the street light. It was after all, on his way home.
Perhaps this was just another excuse.
Fog rose around his legs, their feet. It enshrouded Richard like a halo, giving him the glamour that his kind always evoked in cinema.
It was just an illusion, a trick. It still made his hairs on the back of Christian’s neck tingle, tightening other parts of his body into knots, kindling an excitement he’d never been able to resist.
This was one of the reasons he’d fallen under Richard’s thrall in the first place.
Just don’t look into his eyes.
In spite of himself, Christian allowed his own to flicker to the black folds of the cape, enshrouding Richard. He huddled within, almost like he was shielding himself.
The man lifted his head, allowing the dim light to illuminate his high cheekbones, clean shaven jaw, and a mouth equally inclined toward amusement or sensuality.
Christian found himself examing the curve of those lips, the cleft of his chin before he pulled his attention away. Rouge reddened Richard’s mouth, making it fuller, emphasizing their pouting suggestiveness.
Unless it was blood. It could be blood.
“Poor little lost soul, so alone, so bewildered.” Musical, playful, yet not nearly as malicious as Christian had expected, Richard’s voice caught him, making his entire body tingle. “Why do you wander alone in the night?” He turned his head toward Christian, fixing his silvery grey eyes upon him. “Why won’t you look at me?”
“Excuse me.” Meaningless courtesy came automatically to Christian around his former mentor and teacher. He shouldn’t linger. He shouldn’t stop, let alone talk to him. “This isn’t a good time.”
“You’re always in a hurry.” Richard slumped against the post. “Always rushing off, trying to avoid me.”
“Why shouldn’t I?” The words burst from his lips before he could think better of them. “I don’t truly know you, Dick. I never did.” Fear and desire warred with each other, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
Christian reached up to touch his scarf. It hid the marks on his neck, the signs of Richard’s claim to him. They itched with a yearning which never left him.
Richard never killed the ones he claimed, the ones who satisfied his hunger. He strove not to take life. He left marks, though, on everyone who crossed his path. No one he tasted ever got over him. He became an addiction his victims couldn’t escape.
Christian was no exception. Richard’s kiss sang through his entire body, making him yearn for more. Even now he longed to pull off the scarf and throw himself into his master’s arms.
“No.” Christian turned his head, refusing to look at his master. “Not now. Please. Give me time.”
He closed his eyes, half hoping Richard would refuse, that the vampire’s will would envelop him like rich velvet, allowing him to sink into his embrace, weightless and uncaring.
“All right.” Richard backed away, gave Christian a little bow. “You may not believe it, but I love you.” The vampire pressed his fingers to his lips. “You were never simply a meal to me.”
“And I wouldn’t keep crossing your path if I wasn’t interested.” Christian opened his eyes, not looking at his master directly. He studied the tips of his shoes. “Please. Just give me some time to find myself again.”
“All right, my dear.” Richard backed away into the mist. “Time is after all something I have plenty of.” Sorrowful silver eyes fixed themselves upon Christian. “I just wish the same was true of you.”
The mist surrounded the vampire, swallowing him, leaving Christian alone.
Christian shivered in the emptiness which remained, half wanting to cry out, to beg his master to return.
No. He’d been the bedazzled victim for too long. It was true that he needed time to find himself again, to discover the person he’d been before he’d met Richard, or the person he could be after the overwhelming experience of the vampire’s kiss.
If only it didn’t get so lonely at times, trying to find him.
Very nice. I especially like the line: a mouth equally inclined toward amusement or sensuality. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteThank you! (blushes) I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by!
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