by Sarra Cannon
“Abby, what you’re feeling right now will only get worse with time.”
She frowned. “You said it would get better.”
“Only if you’re not around him.” Maria replied patiently. “You will not be able to avoid him, and it will be at least another ten days before we get to Karna.”
When Abigail didn’t reply, Maria pressed her gently. “There is no shame in allowing him to feed from you, Abby. It is better than going mad with the need.”
“I’m stronger than I look, Maria.” Abigail said sharply. “Please will you go for a bit? I’d like to be alone.”
Maria hesitated and then nodded. “Alright.”
As soon as she was gone, Abby grabbed the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white. She closed her eyes and began to breathe, deep flat inhales through her nose and soft, long exhales through her mouth.
Her entire body was throbbing and pulsing with the need to go to Val. She continued to hold the table, knowing it was the only thing that was stopping her from going to the arrogant vampire and asking him to fuck her. Asking him – hell, pleading with him - to bite her again.
Her pussy throbbed as she imagined lying on her back and parting her thighs so Val could kneel between them. His cock would be big and thick and fill her completely. She knew that as well as she knew her own name. He would fuck her until she was begging to come and when he finally allowed her to, he would sink his fangs deep into her throat and the pleasure would intensify until she -
She was actually starting to stand when she got control of herself. She moaned low in her throat, resisting the urge to shove her hand down her pants and rub her clit. She bit the inside of her cheek until she could taste blood and forced herself to concentrate on her breathing.
She was looking for her place, the place that she had gone to most of her childhood and teenage years. It was safe and warm and after a few moments she slipped into it. The outside world faded away and she sat down in the warm grass and stared at the field of white daisies. The breeze blew gently and the petals rubbing together made a sound like soft whispering.
She had grown up in the foster system and spent most of her first few years being shuffled from home to home. When she was seven, she had been assigned to a foster home of an older couple. At first it had seemed wonderful but it had quickly turned into a horror show. The woman had been a religious nut job and she had beaten and abused Abigail on a daily basis. She had threatened to kill Abby if she told her social worker and to avoid going insane, Abigail had created her safe place.
She supposed it was actually a sign of her own insanity that she could create a world so vivid and realistic but her safe place had saved her time and time again. The beatings, the hours of being forced on her knees in front of a large crucifix, all faded away when she was in her safe place. Even better, she would be calm and in control when she allowed herself to return to the real world.
There had been no need to go to her internal world in years but now, as she sought it out with a desperation born of panic, she found it incredibly easy to return. Thoughts of Val faded away and her grip on the table loosened. She stared blankly across the room. A tiny part of her mind was aware of the soft murmuring of the others in the living room, of the fly that was buzzing at the window, but most of her consciousness was fully involved in her fantasy world.
When David returned nearly fifteen minutes later carrying a cup of steaming tea, she was sitting calm and relaxed in her chair. He crouched beside her and set the cup in front of her before gently touching her knee.
“Abby?”
She smiled down at him, her dark eyes hazy and far away. “Yes, David?”
“I brought you tea.”
“Thank you.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Just fine, thank you.”
He rubbed her large thigh, his hand tracing tiny circles on the top of it. She didn’t seem to notice.
Val stood in the doorway of the kitchen and frowned as David rubbed and circled Abigail’s thigh. He had to control the urge to tear the man away from her and he scowled. What was happening to him?
“Abby, why don’t you join us in the living room? We’re going to be eating soon and—”
Abigail abruptly shuddered all over and in a low sing-song voice said, “He’s here.”
“Hello Abigail.” Val was suddenly standing next to them and David stood and moved protectively in front of Abby.
“Get out of here, Val.”
“No.”
David’s hands clenched into fists and he glared at the larger man. “Get out now or I’ll –“
“You’ll what?” Val laughed, a deep rich sound, and held his hands out. “Do you really believe you have a chance against me?”
With terrifying quickness, he wrapped his hand around David’s neck and lifted until the man was dangling in his grip. “You would be wise to not cross me, young David. I’m hungry and she has what I want.”
David pulled futilely at Val’s hand, his legs kicking as his face turned red.
“Let him go, Val.” Her voice was soft but he dropped David immediately and turned to her, dismissing the boy completely.
“Of course, little dove.”
He stood next to her and resisted the urge to stroke her long, dark hair. She had unbraided it and it fell halfway down her back in dark waves.
“Abby.” David gasped out, his hand rubbing his throat. “Come to the living room with me.”
Val turned and stared at him. “Leave us, boy.”
“Fuck you, leech.” David spat.
“It’s fine, David. You should go.” Abby said in the same soft voice.
“Come with me.” David pleaded.
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
Val’s lips curved up in a smile of triumph as David flushed and strode jerkily from the room.
Abby was staring at the table in front of her and Val knelt at her feet. “Look at me, Abigail.”
With a shuddering sigh she turned and stared at him. His blood pounded at the look of need in her eyes. She did want him after all, he could feel it radiating from her, and he felt a trickle of relief go through him.
“Shall I feed from you now, sweet Abigail? Would you like that?” He murmured.
“So you can nearly kill me again?” The haze of desire lessened and he could see a small flicker of anger in her eyes.
He smiled easily at her. “I am sorry for that, my pet. I did not mean to take so much. I promise you it will not happen again.”
She snorted. “And why should I trust you?”
He let his hand hover just above her tightly-clasped hands. Christ, she was strong-willed. He had made a quick judgement of her in the forest and found her lacking. Now, watching as she fought her need for him, he could feel his admiration for her growing.
“I will never hurt you, Abigail. You’re so beautiful.”
“Liar.” She whispered. “You think I’m fat and ugly. You said so last night, remember? You said you would not feed from me again because I was fat and tasted bad.”
He winced. “I’m sorry. I should not have said that. I was being an asshole. You’re beautiful and taste delicious. I would very much like to taste you again.”
“Tough titty said the kitty when the milk went dry.” She said softly and he gave her an odd look.
“What do you mean?”
“It means get lost, scram, take a hike.” She was breathing shallowly and her hands were squeezing the edge of the table compulsively.
His frustration grew and he reached out and cupped her face, knowing that his touch would be enough to convince her. She inhaled sharply and made a soft sound of need as her entire body shuddered.
“Look at me, Abigail.” He commanded.
Her eyes lifted to his and he smiled. “That’s right, my dove. See how much I want you, how much I need you.”
His confident smile faded as the light disappeared from her eyes. She stared at him blankly and he frown
ed. “Abigail, can you hear me?”
She didn’t reply and he stroked her face with his fingers. “Abigail? Say something.”
She continued to ignore him. Her breathing was deep and even and she had gone limp in the chair. She was like a living, breathing doll and he frowned and snapped his fingers in front of her face.
“Abigail!” He said sharply and she jerked a little.
“Go away, Val. I don’t want you to feed from me.” She sighed quietly, her eyes still blank.
He gave a grunt of frustration and stalked from the room.
Chapter 4
“How is she doing it? Do you know?” Maria asked Neil softly.
It had been three days and they had spent the daylight hours traveling and their nights holed up in various houses. Tonight had been the first night they had not found an abandoned house and they had been forced to camp in the open. The entire group was tense and nervous and sticking close to the small, smokeless fire that Neil had built.
Neil shook his head. “I have no idea. I’ve never seen a human resist a vampire the way she does.”
Maria hesitated. “It’s like – I think – it’s like she goes into herself. She’s there but she’s not there, you know? She just disappears and shuts all of us out, but especially Val.”
Neil nodded. “Yeah. It’s driving Val crazy.”
“It’s driving her crazy too. She’s slipping, Neil. She’s built this iron-clad armor around herself but it’s starting to break apart. She’s hardly sleeping and she doesn’t have much of an appetite. If David and I didn’t watch her and remind her to eat, I don’t think she would eat at all.”
“Why won’t she let him feed from her?” Neil asked.
“Probably because he was an asshole and frightened her the first time he fed.”
Neil shook his head. “He’s been actively trying to seduce her for the last three days. That should have easily overridden her fear.”
“We have to do something.” Maria said desperately. “I’ll speak to her again, try and convince her to—”
“No, don’t.” David sat down beside them and frowned. “It’s admirable what she’s doing. Those damn leeches think they can do whatever they want with us, and she’s showing them we can’t be controlled.”
Maria frowned at him. “At what cost? Her sanity? She’s cracking under the pressure, David.”
“She’s just fine.” David said dismissively.
“No she isn’t!” Maria snapped.
“Whatever, Maria. You don’t even know her.”
“And you think you do?”
“I’ve been spending lots of time with her the last three days. We talk and I help her to ignore that asshole leech in the evenings. She’s a good, sweet girl and she doesn’t need to be corrupted any further by him.”
He stood and walked around the fire to Abby. He sat down on the log beside her and dropped his arm across her shoulders. She gave him a tired, distracted smile before staring back at the flames.
“Someone has a crush I think.” Neil said dryly.
Maria sighed. “David hates the vampires, Neil. He always has and he always will. Does he have a crush on her or is he just using her to drive Val mad?”
“I don’t know, but he’s the least of our concerns. We need to try and convince Abby to allow Val to feed from her.”
“Yeah.” Maria looked around. “Where is Val anyway?”
“He went hunting tonight with Eone. He’s been holding off, convinced that he would feed from Abigail, but he couldn’t hold out any longer.”
— —
Abigail stood, rubbing at her forehead, and David immediately stood with her.
“Where are you going?”
She tamped down the twinge of irritation she felt at his nosiness and forced herself to smile at him. “I need to use the bathroom.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“No you will not.” She scowled at him. “I’m quite capable of peeing by myself, thanks.”
She walked away quickly before he could protest and disappeared into the trees. She walked a few feet until she was hidden from the campsite and pulled her pants down. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small amount of soft paper that Maria had given her for this very purpose before squatting and peeing quickly. She couldn’t believe how quickly she had adjusted to peeing on the ground.
She stood and pulled her pants up. She hesitated – she didn’t want to go back to the camp, not yet. The voices of the others, their very presence, was annoying her more and more. What did she care about their idle chatter or their attempts at friendship when thoughts of Val drummed steadily in her head?
She rubbed at her forehead again. Maria had been right – it was getting worse. Hardly a moment went by where she wasn’t thinking about Val. When she wasn’t wondering what it would be like to kiss him, to have his strong hands on her naked breasts, and to feel his fangs in her flesh once more. To make matters worse, every time she turned around he was there, staring at her with those silvery grey eyes that practically dripped sex. He was trying to seduce her, she knew it without a doubt, and he was doing a remarkable job.
She could hardly remember the pain of his first feeding. All she could picture now was his hard hand squeezing her breast and his thigh pushing against her core. When he looked at her, his eyes promised long nights of unimaginable pleasure and she desperately wanted to give in to him.
She released a long, shuddering breath. It was getting more and more difficult to slip into her safe place. The sound of Val’s deep voice or an image of the dark shadow on his jaw would cut in to her thoughts just as she was sitting down in the field of flowers, and she would be ripped out of her dream world just like that.
She should have been freaking out about being whisked to some other version of earth by a giant glowing orb. She should have been giving some thought to how she might return to her own world, but none of that seemed to matter. The only thing that mattered was Val.
Why are you torturing yourself like this, Abby? He wants you and you want him. Let him take what he wants. He promised he wouldn’t hurt you and maybe then you could get some sleep. Let him feed from you just once. There’s no harm in allowing him to take a small amount. And I bet if you begged sweetly enough, he’d fuck you with that big, hard cock. He could –
She shook her head. Val had called her fat multiple times, had insulted her in front of a room full of people she had just met, and told Neil and Eone to leave her in the forest to die. She hated him.
She let him feed from her once because she owed him a debt. She had paid it in full and she owed him nothing now. If she could get through nearly twelve years of abuse and psychotic raving from her foster mother, she could get through this. Only another week or so and they would be in Karna, and she would never have to see him again. She would concentrate on finding a way home.
A small flickering light caught her eye and she frowned and moved further into the woods. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the tiny creature struggling silently in a large web strung across the low branches of a tree.
She moved closer and inspected the struggling creature. It was female with long violet-coloured hair and a slim body covered in a wisp of green fabric. Her skin was a rich, dark purple and she was glowing brightly. She was about the length of a butter knife and the tiny creature grimaced at her as she twisted and turned in the sticky web. Abby realized with a numb type of surprise that large, nearly invisible wings sprouted from its back. The wings were currently tucked against her tiny body. Strands of the web crisscrossed her body firmly and the more she struggled, the tighter they tangled about her.
“You poor thing.” Abigail murmured. She was reaching to help the tiny creature when Eone spoke from her left.
“Leave it, Abby.”
She gasped and whirled around, dropping her eyes immediately to the ground when she realized Val was standing next to Eone. It was better, easier, to resist him if she didn’t look at him.
“What is it?” She whispered, turning to stare at the creature still struggling in the web.
“She’s a pixie.” Eone said carelessly. She moved forward and glanced at it. “She flew too close to the web and will soon be the spider’s next meal.”
Abigail frowned. “We have to help her.”
Eone laughed. “Pixie’s are rotten little creatures, Abby. Trust me, there is no shortage of them and one less in the world will be a blessing. She’ll probably bite you the minute you free her anyway. They hate humans.”
“So that means I should leave her to die?” Abby glared at her.
“Eone’s right.” Val spoke quietly from behind her. “Pixie’s are never alone. The fact that none of her own kind have come forward to help her, means there is something wrong with her. Leave her to her fate.”
Eone took her arm and began to lead her away from the pixie. “Come, Abby. It is not safe for you to be here in the woods alone.”
With a surprising show of strength, Abigail pulled her arm free and darted back to the spider’s web. Before Eone or Val could stop her she had ripped the pixie free of the web and, carrying her loosely in one hand, marched back to the campsite.
She sat down on the log beside the fire and began to carefully untangle the long strands of web from the pixie’s small body. The pixie lay silently in her hand, staring distrustfully at her as the others gathered around.
“Ugh. A pixie.” Erin’s nose wrinkled with disgust. “They’re such vile little things.”
Maria sat down beside her. “Where did you find it?”
“It was trapped in a spider’s web.” Abby said distractedly. She was trying to remove the sticky web from the delicate wings and she was worried that she would tear the wing right from her back.
The pixie winced and her mouth opened in pain but no sound came out.
“I’m sorry, little one.” Abigail whispered softly.
“Here.” Maria had left and returned with a damp cloth. Abigail swiped it gently across the pixie’s wings. It helped to loosen the web, and she carefully peeled the strands away from her wings before starting to work on the sticky strands that bound her arms and legs.