“So, it’s way after midnight, and technically your birthday. What would you like as a birthday gift?” he asked.
“For you to make me like you are, and let me be with you forever,” I told him with hesitation.
He smiled briefly, and then turned serious looking. “That, I cannot do.”
My heart fell with a thud to the floor. “Why not?” I pouted.
“Because it takes time. It cannot just be done in an instant. The changes to your body, you seem to really enjoy, but the changes to your mind that are required would more than likely kill you, or at best drive you insane unless you are completely prepared for them. So far, I have only repaired the wounds on your face and throat, and fixed your nails from that nasty biting habit you had. The unintended consequences of that, is the slow spread of my genes outward from those places. Trust me when I say, it’ll take time for my genes to work their way through your entire body. Understand that as they do, the changes are permanent. In order to save you, I had to make that decision for you. I hope you don’t wind up resenting me for that.”
“Well, how did this goddess Gaia go about preparing you for it, and how long did that take? I’ve never had sex with a man yet, but I’m willing to, if that’s what it takes.”
“That’s not necessary at all for the physical changes. Gaia just liked lots of sex. It is I’m afraid, for the mental ones. At least that’s the only way I know how. You have at least a year to decide on immortality. The ‘powers’, as you like to think of them, are simply a byproduct of that.”
I hugged him again. “You sure aren’t the average teenaged guy, that’s for sure! I think I’d rather wait on losing my virginity then, but is there a way to do for the rest of me what you’ve done for my face, hair, and hands without it?”
“Oh, absolutely. You were asleep during that process. You were unaware of me damaging cells in those areas, and providing the means of repair, via my saliva. Now you’re gonna be creeped out for sure, right?”
“Not even. I actually love science; particularly biology. I understand. It must be similar to building muscle through exercise. You exhaust cells to the point of slight damage, so that they rebuild themselves bigger and stronger than before, so they can handle it the next time. Then, if you want more gain, you have to work harder to exhaust and damage them again. Right?”
“You nailed it. The fast track would be to do just what you described, but then add slight physical damage to the exercise exhausted areas. Think bites, and then then licks. Sorry.”
“The redhead experienced a shit ton of pain for a split second before she froze up. That was kind of awful. It scared me quite a bit I’m afraid, but I’ll do it.”
“As crude as he was, Georges’ volunteer didn’t experience any pain, nor was she afraid of it, was she?” he asked.
“Right. You’re right! Do you know how to do what he did? You know, the reward thing?” I asked, feeling awkward as hell.
Nicholas’ whole face lit up. “Of course! What he rewarded his volunteer with, was a simple orgasm. Though probably the best one she will ever experience, it would likely only rate a 2 on a scale of 10 compared to a true mindgasm. What I was taught, and then gifted with, is the ability to involve all pleasure centers in the body, including parts of the brain that you’ve probably never engaged before.”
My turn to smile. “I think I want… To go to the beach for my birthday, and maybe a couple of those, too.” I could feel my face turning red as I said that.
He reached out to me, drawing me into his arms and embracing me differently than before. I could feel a change in him. “Then that is what you shall have,” he said simply. “When I first saw you, I began to notice the urge for a companion. I’ve not felt that way at all, for the past 49,000 years. It surprised me. Playing the vampire police solo for the last 1,500 years has been dreadful, truthfully. Are you interested?”
“Oh yeah.”
Then he totally surprised me. “You up for a little run? We could race to Smathers Beach by moonlight and see how fast you are. Then, I could transport us back here and do a little work on your legs and glutes.” Then he winked at me, like a real teenaged boy.
That made me chuckle a little. “Smooth one, aren’t you?” I teased. “Wait for me to change shoes. I can’t risk blowing-out one of these sandals at those speeds!” I could hear my heart beating a mile a minute already, just thinking about what was to come.
CHAPTER 13: NICHOLAS
We walked the first couple of blocks to warm up, heading parallel to the noisy crowds still out on Duval Street. “You ready?” I asked. She nodded. I started us out at a fast jog. We moved into the street after rounding the corner, and I picked up the pace to human limits. She was right with me. I took it to vampire speeds. Still there. Suddenly Thia shot ahead, making me work really hard to catch her!
“Ok. Gotta slow down,” she wheezed, and did.
“Very impressive! Just so you know, you could outrun a vampire if you had to.”
“That’s faster than I’ve ever gone before. I was having trouble seeing. There’s not enough light. I don’t want to splat anyone or anything because I couldn’t see them in time.”
“That’s faster than anyone has ever gone before, except me. That was absolutely amazing, for a human. You have to have inherited some of the genes of a god somehow. Here we are; Smathers Beach. 3.3 miles, in seconds!”
The signs said that the beach was closed after dark, but that was a rule that nobody really tried to enforce. Being that the beach is adjacent to the A1A Highway, which connects to Hwy 1 and all of the keys north to Florida’s mainland, and south to the Duval Street party destination, and is across the highway from several major hotels, keeping people off of it would be quite a job. During the sunlight hours, all manor of people from families with children, to frisbee playing, beer swilling youth, to serious bikini models doing photoshoots, to food and drink vendors flood it full. After darkness falls, there are lovers walking in the moonlight at the water's edge, tourists from the hotels looking for a quiet place to smoke a joint unmolested, partiers from Duval Street on their way north resting and sobering up, and of course vampires mixing in with all of them.
“We’ll just cut across here, and walk the edge of the water back towards the B&B as far as we can. After that, I’ll transport us. The moon is full tonight, and you’ll enjoy seeing that over the ocean for the first time,” I told her.
As we passed near a cluster of palm trees that were a popular shady spot during the day, and a dark place at night, where the light from the nearest highway lamp didn’t reach; movement caught my eye and a voice louder than necessary called, “Running with a human are we? We thought that you were chasing her at first, but obviously you’re not; holding her hand and acting all lovey-dovey like. If you’re too much of a pussy to take her, then give her to us. We know what to do with a pretty thing like that!” Several male voices laughed in agreement, as they swung their legs over the seats and off of the motorcycles that they had been setting on in the dark, quietly waiting for a victim or victims.
“Stay on your bikes and you stay alive, if that’s what you call it,” I told them. Thia’s hand squeezed mine tightly. “Stay behind me and you’ll be perfectly safe,” I whispered to her.
“Can’t we just leave?” she whispered back.
Six shadowy figures approached us at vampire speed. One remained with the bikes. A female. They made the mistake of underestimating me, and rushed me all at once, headon. I sensed Thia about five feet behind me, and heard her heart beating a frantic pace. Moving so fast that even the vampires couldn’t follow me, I repeated the scene I’d created at the Theater of Darkness in Chicago. I tore the heads off of them, every one. Then I tore the limbs from their bodies and tossed them about on the sand. I sensed that Thia had not moved.
“You there!” I called to the female vampire. “I am the lesser god Nicholas, and I enjoy complete dominance and authority over all humans, including vampires. The human girl Thia i
s with me, and is under my protection. Go back to wherever you came from, and tell the others what happened here. No one is to trouble this girl again, lest they suffer the same fate as these fools.”
Six pairs of eyes, in six decapitated heads heads attempted to follow me as I drew closer to her position threateningly. They could blink, trying to get the sand out. They could move their mouths frantically, but could make no sound without lungs to force air past vocal chords. One moment, they had been powerfully vicious vampires; the next, helpless victims of my wrath.
“Here they lie, until the sun rises and burns them to ash at first light. Do not come back here and try to help them, unless you wish to join them. Go now!” She started her motorcycle, and left like her life depended on it. It did.
I turned my attention back to Thia. “Are you ok?” I asked.
“Well… I’m grossed out and impressed as hell both at the same time, I think. Couldn’t we have just left, like I asked, and avoided all of this… slaughter? You could have winked us out of here, right?” She was obviously attempting to hold back emotionally packed tears, and barely succeeding.
“I could have, yes. When I told you that parts of what I am may be impossible for you to accept, this is what I meant. I cannot run from those I rule. When I make a demand, it must be followed or there must be terrible consequences for those who refuse. Make no mistake; vampires are powerful creatures, and absolutely have to have limits.” Then I wrapped my arms around her and transported us back to my suite. “You go ahead and relax, bathe, whatever. You are safe here. I have to go back to the scene of the slaughter and make sure that no unlucky human wanders across such a sight. I’ll return with the sun, after it’s done its work on them, and we can talk about this more. Ok?”
“Sure,” she muttered.
I sensed hesitation in her response. She absolutely must accept this part of me, or she cannot be a companion to me. Should she run away at this point, I would have no choice but to find her, and erase all memories of vampires and of myself from her mind. She would have one hell of a powerful and gorgeous body, but she wouldn’t have a clue why. Her foster mom Ruth, and everyone she knows would see a difference in her, but she wouldn’t. This is a test that she must pass on her own. I hope she does!
* * *
Ready to find out what happens next with Nicholas & Thia?
Thank you for reading GENESIS. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed it. This has been an intentionally short story to introduce the ‘world’ and the characters in not only a new series, but a new genre for me. I enjoyed writing it, so there will be a Tales of the Lesser Gods 2: shortly after the new year in 2017.
I LIKE hearing from, and getting to know my readers. Find me or Friend me on my personal Facebook page at www.facebook.com/boyd.craven or check out my author page at www.facebook.com/Author.Boyd.Craven.Jr
GENESIS (Tales of the Lesser Gods Book 1) Page 8