Dark

by Erika Phillips

  "You will meet Shane, he is a warlock, a high priest. He will make sure you have everything you need. He promised to let you stay until you have trained enough to fight," Celeste stopped moving her finger against Jazmine’s palm. "You will win! I truly believe you will be okay." Celeste leaned over and placed a deep kiss on her lips, then left the room. Jazmine sat there motionless. The feel of Celeste’s lips upon hers still lingered. She knew that it was the last time she was going to see Celeste.

  Jazmine began packing up her belongings and the few clothing items Celeste had given her. It did not take her long to gather her things. She stayed in her room and waited for the car to arrive.

  At exactly midnight, a dark black car pulled up to the front of the house. Jazmine grabbed her bag and walked downstairs to the front entrance. She half hoped that Celeste would be there to say goodbye, but when she got down to the base of the steps, she saw no one. All the lights were off in the rooms surrounding her. Jazmine let out a heavy sigh and started towards the door. As she touched the doorknob, she sensed a presence. Celeste was standing off in the shadows, making no sound.

  Jazmine smiled to herself, “Goodbye love.” She turned the knob and stepped out into the cool night air. Jazmine walked to the car and opened the back door. The smell of new leather filled her nostrils. She slid in and closed the door, and the car took off.

  Jazmine had no idea how long they drove for or where they were going. It felt like hours but when the car finally stopped moving it was still dark outside. She figured it was close to three in the morning. Jazmine opened the car door and got out. They were in the middle of nowhere. She was surrounded by a thick forest, off in the distance she could hear a coyote howling. The sound comforted her in a way. It was primal and earthy, it reminded her of a time when she felt powerful.

  Jazmine looked around and noticed a man walk towards her. She was not afraid but felt hope for the first time in a long time. As the man came closer, she could make out his figure in the moonlight. He was rather tall and very slender. His hair hung long, just touching the top of his shoulders. He had a long stride as he walked. His head held high; she could sense a powerful presence in him. This had to be Shane.

  He stopped a foot away from her. At this distance, she could make out the features of his face. It was long and angular. His jawline square. The long hair suited his face. His eyes were large, green like emeralds, and shining brightly. His nose was long and had a sharp point on the tip. His mouth was thin but sensual. He was a beautiful looking man. Jazmine studied him for a minute, saying nothing as they stared at each other.

  “So, Jazmine, let me show you your new home,” Shane smiled his bright white teeth gleaming against the night sky. He turned around and gestured to the structure behind him. Had she come upon this place on her own, she would never have imagined anyone lived here. It was a large round building in the middle of the woods. It was tall and the brick looked to be chipping in places. There seemed to be no real entrance.

  For a moment, Jazmine thought he was going to walk right into the wall. Just when she thought he was going to slam straight into the building, Shane moved his hand in an arch-like motion, the wall disappeared. Jazmine followed behind Shane as he walked through a hidden entrance. Jazmine looked back and saw the wall miraculously fill in behind her. Shane never stopped moving and Jazmine quickened her step to keep up with him.

  There were candles lit all around illuminating their way through the maze of hallways. She felt like she had entered a labyrinth as each hallway led off in a different direction. She tried to keep track of the twists and turns, but eventually gave up. She was amazed that he had any sense of where to go. Eventually, the hallway ended and opened up to a large room.

  The space had a red glow from the fireplace. It was warm inside but not uncomfortable. There was a long table in the center with several chairs placed around it. Three people were seated, they appeared to be waiting for her arrival. She could feel the mix of emotions in the room and it overwhelmed her. She tried to block out the feelings but could not. It was like they were forcing her to feel everything. She did not know if she could bear it all, but she was not going to let them view her as weak.

  Jazmine could sense their power and knew, if she opened herself up, there was much to learn. She decided to give in and the waves of emotions flooded her system. She felt so many things from anger to fear to admiration. She sensed they would do everything in their power to help her. They had made a promise to Celeste and they would keep it.

  “Jazmine,” Shane nodded to her, “let me introduce you to the Council. We are a group of warlocks who have sworn to uphold what we believe to be the truths of the world. We do not believe that one person should reign supreme, but that we are stronger as whole.”

  Jazmine looked around at the men sitting before her. Each of them studied her as she did them. “Celeste has informed me of your circumstances, and I’ve agreed to help you,” Shane continued to speak. “Another among us has shown great promise, greater than any previous warlock. I believe that the two of you together could achieve powers beyond anything we’ve ever seen.” Shane smiled at her. Jazmine was not quite sure what he was getting at.

  Jazmine had never seen herself as anything special. She thought that they must be mistaken. She was not powerful, not compared to others she had met in her Lamia. Thane, she thought, he was powerful.

  Shane smiled, knowing she was struggling with information he was telling her. “I know you do not understand right now, but one day you will see your true potential. Until then, you are safe here and we will help guide you. Now, I would like to introduce you to your teacher,” Shane stepped aside.

  Standing behind him was a young male. He looked to be about twenty-five. He was tall like Shane, close to six feet. His features were more masculine though. His shoulders were broad, and his waist was narrow. His hair was cut short and had a slight wave. His eyes were dark, almost black, but they held a warmth deep within. His nose was straight and fit his face nicely. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he smiled at her, his cheekbones high and strong. His lips were full and plump. She had the urge to kiss them as she found herself gaping at him.

  He must have been reading her thoughts, as he slowly stuck out the tip of his tongue and licked his lower lip. Mischief in his eyes as he continued to look at her. She felt butterflies build in her stomach as she watched him. She had not felt this sort of magnetic pull since Thane. She knew she was in trouble.

  You could cut the sexual tension between them with a knife, and everyone in the room could sense it. They all smiled at each other, pleased with the union. Jazmine knew at the moment, that they also had something to gain from her being there, though she was unsure what it could be.

  “Jazmine, meet Christian,” Shane stood back and motioned for Christian to step forward. Jazmine felt her breath quicken as he stood inches from her body. She wanted to reach out and touch him, but she held her composure and placed her hand out to shake his. Christian reached out and placed his smooth, warm hand in her cold one. He held her hand tight grasping it longer than needed.

  When he let go, he smiled at her, “Nice to meet you, Jazmine. I’m sure we will get to know each other very well.” His voice was deep and husky.

  Jazmine smiled at him, part of her feeling like there was a secret here they were all keeping from her. "I look forward to it," she replied with more lust in her voice than she intended. At that moment, she knew she needed to have him and part of her knew that this meeting had been planned all along.

  “Well, then,” Shane interrupted, “let me show you to your room.” Shane turned and walked down a hallway that appeared out of nowhere. Jazmine smiled at the group of men and followed Shane out. They took a few turns and came upon two doors next to each other. “Here you go,” Shane indicated as he pointed to the door on the right.

  He opened the door and behind it was a rather large room. There were no windows, so no way to tell if it was day or night. There was a large ki
ng-sized bed in the middle. It had a large, downy red comforter and oversized pillows. There was a closet to hang the few pieces of clothing she owned. She walked over to look inside and noticed that her things, plus a few more were already hung up. She looked at Shane with a puzzled expression.

  "I took the liberty to get you some extra things. I hope you are okay with the choices. Celeste told me your size," Shane replied nonchalantly. “The is a bathroom attached to the room and this door over here leads to Christian’s room. Jazmine's mouth dropped at hearing that her roomed connected to Christian’s. "We figured this would make it more convenient for you to get to know each other and to work on your training when you want."

  Shane did not seem to notice the look on Jazmine's face, or he simply did not care. He abruptly walked towards the door to leave. "Oh, I almost forgot. If you get hungry just let us know. We will make sure you get the nourishment you require. Do you have a preference when it comes to your meal? Since you will not be able to leave for the time being, we want to make sure you are happy here," Shane stated.

  “No, I just prefer it come from someone unworthy of life,” Jazmine replied feeling hungry at the mention of food.

  “Wonderful, I will have some brought to you soon, as I’m sure you must be hungry after such a long day,” Shane quipped as he closed the door on his way out.

  Jazmine looked around the room. Though it was a beautiful place, for a moment she felt more like a prisoner than a guest. She shook the notion from her head. If that was the case, they would not be so kind, she speculated, plus he never said she could not explore this place or leave for that matter. Jazmine walked over to the door that connected her room to Christian’s. She placed her hand on the wood. It felt hard and cold underneath her palm. She held her hand on the door for a while trying to sense his presence.

  Who was this man? And why does he make me feel this way? She had never thought that anyone else could make her feel the way she did with Thane. Never figured it was imaginable to feel that sort of need or want of any other person. Yet, she could not deny the sexual desire she felt when she saw Christian. She wanted him to belong to her and only her. And she knew, way deep down, he wanted her too. He was the yin to her yang and together they were whole.

  Jazmine let her hand fall away from the door and walked into her bathroom. She needed to relax and decided to take a bath to calm her nerves. The bathroom was beautiful. There was a full-size vanity for her to sit and do her hair and makeup, though she never wore much anyway nor could she see her reflection. The shower was big enough for four people. It was enclosed in glass and the shower head had a rain feature. The bathtub stood alone. It was extra-long and quite deep. She could not wait to get in and let the warm water wash over her skin.

  She sat on the edge of the tub and turned on the faucet, letting the water run over her fingers. She stood up and started to take off her shirt and pants. She unclasped her bra and pulled down her panties. Once the tub was half full, she stepped in, the water warmed her toes and legs. Jazmine sunk down, fully submerging her body. She turned off the water and closed her eyes, processing all that had occurred.

  As her mind wandered, she found herself dreaming. She could see Thane standing in front of her. He was not dead, but alive and in pain. He reached his arms out to her, beckoning her towards him. She thought about running, but her body betrayed her as she walked towards him. When Jazmine reached for him, she bent down and placed kisses on his hands and face.

  He wrapped his arms around her. “Jazmine, why? I thought you loved me. How could you do this?” he asked her, his hands caressing her back.

  “Thane, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed. “I never meant for it to end like this. But you left me no other choice. You took John from me. I hated you for making me choose between you and him.” Jazmine broke down, her pain flowing from her body, tears streaking her cheeks.

  Thane just held her as she sobbed in his arms. Then he brought her mouth to his in a passionate kiss. His mouth probing hers, searching for meaning. She could feel both the pain and lust in his kiss. She had hurt him like no one ever had, but his kiss told her he still wanted her and loved her--even though she had killed him.

  Jazmine could feel her body stir with desire and longing, she wanted to feel Thane buried deep within her again. She needed to feel whole and only he could make her feel that way. As she dreamed, her hands roamed over her breasts and stomach as if they were Thane’s hands.

  The dream felt so real, like she had crossed over to another realm. Thane was kissing her mouth and neck. He trailed kisses across her collarbone, down the valley between her breasts. He cupped the firm mound in his hand, his palm massaging over the nipple, rubbing it until it was taut.

  Thane’s mouth continued its assault on her breasts, circling around the nipple. He pulled and sucked, pulling and teasing and then lightly nipping the nipple with his fang. Jazmine’s body lurched at the feel of pain inflicted. A tiny drop of blood trickled down her breast. Thane flicked his tongue out, catching it before it fell to the ground.

  He held her gaze as he licked his lips, he enjoyed the taste of her. It was a sweet mix of honey and cinnamon. Her scent captivated him and drove him wild. He wanted to taste more of her, a small drop was never enough. Thane placed a sharp fingernail just above her belly button and made a quick slash, slicing her skin.

  Blood oozed out; a thin line started to trail down past her belly button. Thane glanced down and saw the bright red substance. His mouth was on her stomach in an instant. His tongue circling the warm fluid as he drank from her. He could feel the pulsing of the blood as it went down his throat. Once he had enough to satisfy his need, he continued his journey further downward.

  Thane stopped his kisses just above her hairless entrance. He liked her smooth down there, so she made sure to always remove all hair. He liked to see her and not have anything hinder the view. Thane smiled up at her before he placed his long tongue just at the edge of her entrance. He flicked it in and out, playing with her clit. Jazmine let out a loud, throaty moan as his mouth assaulted her.

  In the bathtub, she placed one finger deep inside herself as she dreamed of his tongue. The line had blurred between reality and fantasy. Her hand was his mouth as she fondled herself. It all felt so real that for a moment she actually thought Thane was there in the room with her.

  As she felt her desire mount and the orgasm build, her eyes fluttered open for a brief second. She saw Christian sitting on the edge of the tub watching as she fondled herself to the brink of rapture. She lay there panting and unfulfilled and unsure of what to say.

  Part of her was embarrassed that he was there watching her in the throes of ecstasy, but another part of her was turned on. She could see the lust and passion on his face as she played with herself. For a moment, she thought about continuing and letting him watch. She needed to come and would not be able to sleep until this need was quenched.

  Christian could sense her arousal. He had enjoyed watching her and did not want it to end. He wanted to see her come and watch her ride out her euphoria. He also wanted to touch her. He wanted to feel her cunt wrapped around his hard shaft. His prick was built for her and he needed to bury himself in her.

  Jazmine’s body wanted him, and she knew that it would have its way tonight. She slowly stood up and stepped out of the tub. The water dripped from her as she stood on the rug. Christian made no movement, he only watched her as she walked out of the bathroom towards the bed. Jazmine’s mind no longer controlled her, her body was in charge now and she needed him to fill her.

  Jazmine turned around and saw that Christian had followed her to the bed. He had already removed his pants and was standing before her naked. His torso rippled with well-defined muscles. His abs were flat and hard, a deep V pointed the way to his manhood. Jazmine gazed at his body, appreciating the view. He was well-built all over, whoever designed this man got it all right.

  Jazmine sat down on the bed and scooted up against the headboard. Christian plac
ed his fists on the bed and crawled towards her like a wolf about to pounce on its prey. Jazmine could smell his scent, her fangs protruded. She needed to taste him. His smell drove her insane, but she knew she needed to be careful. He was not a vampire and she would have to show restraint tonight.

  Christian smiled at her as he inched closer. He leaped upon her in an instant, his body covered hers, his mouth coming down hard and fierce. He had lost control. No woman had ever done this to him. His head swam; she intoxicated him. Jazmine kissed him back with as much demand as he gave. She lost herself in the moment and her fang sliced the lower part of his lip. A drop of blood seeped out and into her mouth.

  The taste of him made her body scream. He tasted so different from Thane. He was more salty than sweet, almost an earthy taste. She wanted more and bit harder on his lip. She heard him cry out at the bite, but she could not stop. She licked and sucked at the blood that squirted into her mouth. Thane had to pull himself back from her greed.

  “Not so much, my love,” he smiled at her, blood dripping from his mouth down his chin.

  Jazmine lay there, her breathing fast and shallow. She shook her head and told herself to calm down. She did not understand how Christian could make her feel this way. They did not even know each other, but part of her felt like they have known each other for centuries. She could not comprehend how any of this could be.

  Christian continued to gaze at her, her breath slowed as she regained control. He gingerly moved back in and began to kiss her breasts. He drug her down to lay completely underneath his body. His mouth sucked and yanked at her breasts. His mouth was magical, his touch sent ripples of pleasure coursing throughout her whole body.

  She was close to madness and did not know how much more her body could take. She needed him to take her now. Jazmine wrapped her legs around his waist and helped guide his shaft inside her. As he slid inside, her body expanded to accommodate him. She had never been stretched so far before. For a split second, she thought that he may be too much, but her body adjusted to him as he slowly moved in and out. Every movement sending earth-shattering waves throughout her body.