Raise Me

by K. L. Bjork

  Raise Me

  By

  K.L. Bjork

  The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is a violation of the Copyright Law. Ocean’s Mist Press will aggressively pursue those who chose to violate the intellectual property rights of our authors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, places, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Raise Me

  Copyright (c) 2005 by K.L. Bjork

  ISBN: 0-9773043-014-7

  Cover art and design (c) 2005 by Jinger Heaston

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without permission, except as provided by the U.S. Copyright Law.

  Look for us on the Web

  www.oceansmistpress.com

  DEDICATION

  To my wonderful family and friends. Thanks everyone for believing in me and pushing me to submit this story.

  ~*~

  Crimson paradise slid down her throat. The blood trickled down her chin in a long red trail. Her eyes closed in elation. The coppery taste glided over her taste buds, deliciously. Yes, this was heaven, she thought.

  The limp body in her arms fell to the ground. He would be fine. More than fine, actually. Once he woke from his slumber, he would remember the seduction, and being taken into the alley where the beautiful woman had had her way with him. She chuckled a little bit thinking of the memory she had planted.

  She looked down at the man lying crumpled on the hard pavement. “Sorry that I couldn’t stick around Leon.” Amy pulled a white cloth from the front of her black leather pants. She dabbed at the corner of her mouth making sure she got all the blood that had spilled. A shiny piece of metal doubled for her mirror.

  “Ah, yes. Simply gorgeous.” She brushed her fingers through her black hair as she walked casually out of the alley. Someone would find Leon soon. She closed her eyes, using her keen powers of telepathy and searched the streets for the nearest person. After finding a man near by, she sent out a mental compulsion calling him to the alley.

  Satisfied that someone would find her dinner, she moved with speed through the streets of Memphis. The damp smell of the Mississippi River lingered in the air. The full moon glowed overhead to cast a gray/white reflection over the water.

  “What shall I do tonight?” She wondered aloud. A cat shrieked and shot out from under a bench straight into the night. It didn’t startle her. She knew he had been there waiting. The blood flowing in his veins gave him away. Her hunger reacted to the presence of all creatures. The pumping blood called to her.

  She wandered up to the railing overlooking the water. It looked so far below, she thought. Her black cape flapped in the breeze, which also sent her hair flying around her face. Amy pulled the sides of the cape around her enclosing her within the warm material.

  She was so alone. She ached for a touch, a caress. The last time she allowed a man to get close to her she’d been a mortal. Her life revolved around him and then he had been taken from her, never to be heard from again. That was the night she’d been turned to a vampire. Forcing the memories away, her finger flicked a tear away from her eye. Sorrow filled her at the recollection of that time.

  The soft sound of the water lapping against the shore, the gentle breeze that played along her skin kept her mind from hearing the stranger’s approach. His hand fell hard and fast on her shoulder. The clenching of his fingers around the muscle demonstrated his strength.

  His other hand dropped on the opposite shoulder and he spun her around making her face him. His eyes danced with red flames. She felt her temperature rise with anger. How dare he lay a hand on her?

  Amy brought her hands up quick, dislodging his. She ducked instantly into a fighting stance as she sized up her opponent. Her fangs came down as she hissed. He moved a fraction and she jumped high into the air. Her foot angled in his direction, but he was gone as she dropped to the ground. The air didn't even stir at his movement.

  She felt him then. Whipping around to face him, he stood staring at her. His black cloak flapping in the wind. His eyes narrowed and a small curve appeared at the corner of his lips. Before she could take another breath, he attacked her.

  Taking full control of her arms, he guided her to the nearest wall and pushed her up against it. Her breasts pressed tightly against the brick as the cool surface hardened her nipples; her cheek was pressed painfully to the side. His breath was hot as he bent down to whisper in her ear. The feel of it sent shivers down her spine, straight to her neglected core.

  "What do you want?" She asked through gritted teeth. A scent drifted to her. His scent. A familiar smell. It was rich from the fine linens that covered his body and he smelled of the earth. His power was intoxicating as it wound its way inside her. No one had ever made her feel this way, then a memory stirred. There had been one man who had made her feel this way.

  Amy felt his erection press against her back as he intimately rested against her. Every angle and dip of his muscles molded to her body. His voice in her ear made her shake.

  "I need you to come with me. I need a vampire and you’re a lovely one." One hand skimmed down her torso in a blazing trail of fire. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sensation.

  This man had power. His domination of her was thrilling. Nevertheless, she fought the urge to press her ass into his rock hard cock. Amy decided to struggle instead. However, it only brought his body harder against her back; she couldn’t help wondering what his naked flesh would feel like next to hers.

  Instantly she stopped fighting him. Her body rested against the cold stone of the wall. The little points of the bricks bit into her skin with a tantalizing sensation, but she refused to move again.

  "Why do you want me?" She said. "There are other vampires out there. I just want to be left alone." Her voice trailed off into a whisper.

  The compulsion he sent out pushed hard against her mind. It breached the outer layer, but she kept the rest of her mind locked tight. He still held some control over her, bending her will to his needs. Her mind fought his for a brief moment.

  Amy relaxed as soft waves of comfort and love rushed through her mind. Was he sending her his emotion? It broke through her barriers before she had a chance to make them stronger.

  A warm sigh fell over her ear again. "I am Sebastian Von Drake the III and I will not harm you. As you will plainly see." A low chuckle sounded from him, and it made her angrier. She blew out a quick breath, agitated at him. The name almost brought her to her knees. Could it be him? Her heart constricted at the thought. Her blood sang as it raced through her veins. She was still feeling the effects of her earlier feeding, but with the small battle her nerve endings felt more alive.

  Did he not recognize her? It was dark, maybe when he looked into her eyes he would know. A slight pain filled her mind as he intruded once again. Was he searching for something?

  Amy squeezed her eyes shut to drive him out and halt his newest attack. But was it really an attack? The waves she received soon turned to images. They made her body ache and her feminine self scream out for release, but she held it prisoner, at least until he realized who she was. He could have made her come just from the images and the fact she had not climaxed in over a hundred years.

  He pulled back her long black hair exposing the length of her neck where he planted a small kiss. Closing her eyes, she savored the feel of his moist lips next to her flesh. "We can do those things later," he said with a dark promise in his words.

  The pain in her cheek reminded her of the pressure of the wall. He must have sensed the pain. He pulle
d her away from it, abruptly turning her around to face him. Amy’s eyes met two deep black abysses. An alarm went off in her head, this man was dangerous, but she pushed it away remembering the time they spent together. At one time, Sebastian had been a caring man, very attentive in her needs as a lover. God, she missed his touch, but never more than she did at this very moment, when he was so close.

  Sebastian had been her first love. They had spent many nights making passionate love in his large mansion. Amy had lived with her father who owned a grocer where she had met Sebastian. He didn’t normally shop for himself, but he come in one night when she was working. He teased her unmercifully until she finally gave into his advances.

  Amy’s eyes began to scan over Sebastian’s face, seeing the new man before her. His nose hooked slightly, but looked attractive; she wanted to trace the edge with her finger like she use too. It would always drive him crazy. Her eyes fell on his lips. God, his lips. They looked so smooth and perfect, inviting. A sudden need to claim them erupted inside her. She pulled back after catching herself move toward him.

  His response wasn't what she expected. He grabbed her wrist between his strong hands. Before she knew what happened, he was leading her down the road.

  No one was out. The night was theirs. The air around them was damp with fog, and the smells of the river drifted around them. Amy trailed behind him as he hauled her through the streets.

  His muscles bunched and rippled in response to his long stride. A smile crossed her lips. It was a body you could see people kneeling down to worship. She had actually done it a time or two. The thought brought a smile to her face. He yanked at her hand pulling her from her thoughts.

  "What do you think your doing?" She queried.

  An inpatient grunt came from him before he answered. "We are going to the cemetery." He said in a low voice that rippled across her skin.

  He pulled her to the left, and then around a corner. Amy saw him glance back at her before jerking his head back to the front. His profile sent tiny shockwaves through her. He reminded her of the Phantom of the Opera. Mysterious, but dying to be loved. She felt her heart tug at how heartbroken the Phantom had been. But she would not turn her back on him if he needed her. She had lost him once, and if she was given a second chance, they would spend eternity together.

  "Sebastian? Why exactly are we going to the cemetery?" The word sent eerie shivers down her spine. The cemetery was no place for a vampire to hang out. There were too many stories of vampires never making it out. Sebastian jerked her hand again pulling her down another deserted road.

  Looking up she saw the cemetery loom ahead. The muscles in his hand relaxed a bit the closer they came to the gate. It stood open just wide enough for them to slip through the opening. Her stomach quivered. Leaves fell around them from the vines that snaked around the bars. The full moon overhead made the fog around the headstones glow. Crows cawed in the distance.

  Amy shivered. Cemeteries were awful, creepy places. Being the undead there wasn't much she was afraid of, yet the things that lived around the graves made her tremble with fear. She squeezed her eyes shut as Sebastian guided her through the headstones taking her in deeper.

  This could not be good. "Um, Sebastian. What are we doing at the cemetery?" Amy almost hated to hear what would come from his mouth. She opened her eyes to scan the area for something that might be a good weapon. A headstone would work nicely, but she didn't feel like breaking someone's marker. And it could possibly bring other ghouls out.

  "You'll see, my sweet, why we have come." The words tumbled from his gorgeous lips. Then he stopped suddenly. His arms snaked around her pulling her tight to his side. She looked at him questionably, feeling the warmth and comfort that came from being so close. It had been too long since she felt such an embrace. His embrace.

  His eyes locked with hers. Then, something glossy caught her attention and she leaned slightly to see what it was. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide.

  The statue and marker that stood before her was gorgeous. The gray stone shone with glossy newness. The etching that bordered the words looked carved with a skillful hand. Her eyes traveled upward to a gargoyle that towered over them. Its face set in a fierce growl. The wings stretched outward trying to cover everything within its reach. Reaching, reaching. Her breath hitched at such a magnificent site.

  Fear suddenly assaulted her. Sebastian stood to her side looking down at the earth.

  "What do you want from me, Sebastian?" Her voice barely a whisper. She knew she would do anything to have him back in her life.

  He turned to face her and reached out to place his hands on her shoulder to keep them connected. The fear was close to bringing her to tears. She reminded herself that she was a vampire, a strong vampire. If things got to crazy, she could protect herself.

  Looking into his eyes, she saw pain and regret. It tugged at her heart sending her fear sliding slowly away. A glistening in his eye had her looking at him questionably. Did he finally recognize her? Then his face went blank of emotion and he turned away breaking their connection. For a moment she felt bereft and the need to pull him closer to her, but she denied herself.

  He sighed. "Read the name on the marker." She turned at his request and looked upon the marker.

  Intricately etched in the stone was Sebastian Von Drake III.

  "I thought for minute you were a vampire, like me, but your not. Are you?" She stood looking at the marker as her mind raced. Deep breaths allowed the fear to stay seated just below the surface. Her mouth went dry. He was a demon.

  Demons could take any form and they held unmeasured power. Amy's body started to tremble. She fought to suppress it, but it grew worse. It started at her toes and worked its way up every nerve ending. Then his hand was back on her shoulder. She jumped at the gentle touch as it calmed the nerves that were previously racing out of control.

  He pulled her into his hard chest, rubbing her arms up and down with his strong hands, hands that had once brought her to immeasurable pleasure. His fingers knew where to stroke to heighten her passion.

  Amy felt his gentle touch in her mind. He knew who she was. The barriers she tried to erect remained down. When she tried to rebuild them, he carefully pulled away each block until she gave up and allowed the space to remain open to him. Totally bare to his assault.

  She tried to disguise the fear in her voice. "You didn't answer me earlier Sebastian. What do you want from me?"

  She felt him stir beside her. A long silence filled the air while everything was quiet, waiting for his reply. "I love you Amy." He turned her body around to look into her eyes.

  The darkness surrounded her, but she felt peace and love radiate from him. The feeling overwhelmed her. She had longed to hear those words again from him, but gave up many years ago. Now he was a demon! Her knees threatened to give out from under her. His hands held her firmly in place. Demons could kill vampires to make their lives immortal. Would he do that to her? No, not the Sebastian that loved her once.

  "My love. I need your blood to spill across my grave,” Her eyes grew wide at his request and she fought her body from bolting through the cemetery. “My body needs to rise and merge with my spirit in order to become a true demon. To live forever." He looked away from her in what she thought was shame. "So that we may be together again." He said in a hushed tone.

  Before she realized what she was doing, her hand came up and cupped his cheek. It amazed her that it felt so soft and smooth, so real. She half expected her hand to go right through him, but it landed on cool skin.

  His words sank in and she thought back on the tales told to her about demon spirits. They kidnapped and sacrificed vampires over their graves. It was the only way to meld the spirit and body so that they could become immortal. Amy tensed and her hand fell away from him.

  Sebastian spoke of love, and now he spoke of spilling her blood?

  "Amy," he said, "those are just stories you heard." He read her mind. Her barriers completely crumble
d. The air around her stirred, sending her raven black hair dancing around them. The crows in the distance cawed to their mate. The leaves of the trees rustled against their branches. It was an eerie night for such a ceremony, but one she knew she would perform.

  He spoke again while he looked into her eyes. His hand came up and played along her exposed collarbone. It sent tingles throughout her body. "I just need a little blood and my body will rise. I will merge, and then I want to spend the rest of eternity with you." The look in his eyes melted her. She felt the truth in his words and wanted to fling herself onto him, making him fill her where no one else had ever been.

  Could she allow herself to love a demon? "You don't need to drain my body?" She asked. He laughed out loud then. A loud belly laugh that came from deep within. It was such a pleasant sound. A demon, laughing? And it sounded pleasant at that? How bizarre.

  She did close the gap between them then, flinging her arms around him in a tight embrace. "You're not going to kill me?" She said excitedly.

  "Of course not. I've been looking for you for many years." His eyes softened to a dark gray. "Will you do this for me, Amy? Be mine. Forever?"

  Amy held him in her arms as she looked up at the gargoyle. Earlier it had frightened her, but now she felt a moment of peace. "Yes," she whispered brushing her lips across his cheek. Sebastian turned his head, capturing her mouth hotly. He trembled, or maybe it was her, and he squeezed her tighter, possessively.

  "I will protect you, my sweet Amy."

  "No, Sebastian. I will protect you." He lightly brushed his lips over her sensitive lips before he grabbed her hand, more gently this time, and pulled her to the side of his grave. They both looked down at the flat earth that covered the body that would soon rise.

  "I need you too feed from me, then cut your wrist, not very much, and drop ten tiny drops of your blood across the top of my grave." He held her face cupped in his large hands. She pulled her hands up to cover his and she closed her eyes breathing in the scents around her.