by Maya DeLeina
Damnit, he will one day hear my thoughts! Anya reminded herself to start practicing control within her thoughts.
“We never kill anyone we feed on. Just as I did with you, that’s how we feed on humans. That is, minus the sex. And we enthrall them after the feeding so they don’t remember any of it. With you, I want you to remember everything that I did to you, so no enthrallment, little lady.”
The thought of Steffan’s mouth on another woman’s neck sent a spark of jealousy burning through her. “Is it the same sensation, drinking from feeders and me?”
“No. Drinking from you was very different. It’s like your chocolate mousse tonight. If you had bought it in the store, it still would’ve tasted good and would satisfy my sweet tooth, but because you made it, the texture, the richness, the depth of the ingredients mixed together burst with a flavor that was beyond description. It satisfied my craving and left me wanting a more helpings.”
“More helpings? You went into convulsions from my mousse.” Anya stated in a playful tone.
“You got me there. But it wasn’t caused by the mousse, I’ll explain that one. You get what I am trying to explain here?”
Anya smiled at the comparison, clearly understanding the difference he had experienced drinking from her. “I get it. When do I become like you? How does this happen?”
“The ritual is called ‘the claim.’ It happens in three stages. It’s not meant to be rushed. We completed the first stage tonight. In the second stage, I will drink from you again and will infuse more of my blood in your veins. But this time, I’ll drink from a different artery, a much stronger artery. The last stage, I’ll drain you of most of your human blood and you’ll drink from me, filling your veins with our infused blood. Your transformation then will begin”
“Will it hurt?”
“Yes. This is the one thing I regret that you have to go through. But the wine you loved so much tonight? I shared that with you because it’ll help minimize the pain during the process. I want you to continue to drink this as we go through the ritual.”
“The wine? Why would alcohol help in the process?”
“For anyone else, the wine would taste like vinegar. It’s laced with my blood, Anya. Because you’re my fated mate, it’s probably proven to be the best tasting wine you ever had.”
“I finished almost two bottles. Of course the taste was excellent. But you allowed me to drink blood without telling me? Why would you do that?”
“I’m sorry, but it was with good intentions. I don’t think you would’ve tried it if I told you it contained blood. But if you were going to agree to become my mate, I wanted to give you everything that would help the transformation go more smoothly for you.”
“Why wine though? Wouldn’t I get the same effect if I drank from you directly? I mean, I sucked on your finger when you cut yourself and consumed your blood.”
“And that’s why I had to stop you. Fresh blood is too potent for you right now. The potency of the blood is lessened in the fermentation process when the yeast begins to digest the sugars in the grapes. And just like carbon dioxide and alcohol are by-products of the process, the essential components of my ancient vampire blood are suspended in the wine to effectively introduce my blood to your system while decreasing the potency so your body won’t go through an automatic rejection.”
“How many bottles of this wine did you make?”
“There’s an entire cellar. Eilian and I have to make new batches every year. Aging takes two years in order to create the perfect balance. Once it goes past two years, we dump them all and start all over again. We’ve been doing this for almost six years now since we discovered the process, and I never broke open a bottle for anyone in that time.”
“Well, I suppose I’ll have another bottle this evening when we get home.”
Steffan smiled, and Anya rested her hand on his leg.
The faint light of the evening sky washed down on his face through the sunroof, illuminating his handsome profile. Steffan remained fixed on the road, negotiating the Hummer through all of the curves in the road that wound through the mountains. Anya’s eyes focused on the large sunroof that was open, allowing the evening breeze to float above them. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. The air smelled like an herb garden as hints of sage and lavender mixed beautifully with the strong scents of evergreen and eucalyptus.
Anya stretched her arms upward through the sunroof, sending her hands to capture the crisp air on her skin. The wind danced through her fingers, and she motioned them against the air stream. She pulled her hands back into the vehicle and placed them on her face, soaking in the sensation her frosty hands created.
Her gaze traveled around the interior of the car. Out of the corner of her eye, she focused on Steffan’s sunglasses which hung from his visor. She glanced back up at the sunroof and then back to the sunglasses.
It finally dawned on her.
“Wait! I’ve seen you in the sunlight, and you consumed human food! A vampire isn’t supposed to have the ability to do this, right? And what exactly happened to you tonight?”
“I was wondering when you were going to ask.”
“Oh forgive me. You know, it’s quite a bit to process, let alone get all of your line of questioning in a row when the man you love reveals he’s a vampire. I mean, questions keep bouncing in my head,” Anya responded, a twinge of sarcasm laced in her words.
Steffan smiled at her inquisitive nature and candid remark. “You know, most vampires who turn cannot remember their human name, so they’re bestowed with a name from their maker. As much as I love the name Anya, I may have to consider Terrywn for you.”
“And what is the significance of that name?”
“It means fair and brave tongued.” Steffan chuckled.
Anya glared in his direction.
“Are you going to get to the entire sunlight and eating deal?”
“Oh yes, apologies.”
Steffan continued, “Shortly after our turning, Eilian and I questioned why we could no longer live in sunlight and began exploring ways to enjoy the sun again. Fifty-five years after that conversation, in 1973, we developed sds120 injections or ‘spectrum defense system.’ The 120 related to the two-hour window the injection allowed us to be safely out in the sun. Over the years, we’ve perfected the serum to now last up to six hours. Today, we manufacture and mass-produce it under its marketed name ‘Defender,’ for our vampire family as well as other families for purchase.”
“So you’ve been on these injections for many years now?”
“Actually, no. I only started using them when I discovered our connection. Using the Defender serum has a side effect of diminishing abilities in some vampires. I didn’t want to leave anything to chance, so I never used it. I needed all of my abilities and senses to be sharp since I was looking for you.”
“And what about consuming human food and what happened tonight?”
“We also developed and now mass-produce a compound we call ‘Consumption.’ It allows us to safely consume food and liquids for up to six hours. The pill releases enzymes and acids and acts as a temporary gland to digest food. We lose these processes during the turning, and our digestive tract is transformed into a simple mechanism. Blood is the only substance that we can consume that can easily pass through our tissues with no processing. What happened to me with the fever and the convulsions was a result of my carelessness with time and not realizing I was no longer protected. My body was fighting to do something it wasn’t equipped to do.”
Anya smiled. “So I would be able to retain and enjoy some of the things of my human life because of this?”
“Absolutely. The only obstacle is moving every so often before people start to question why we’re not aging.”
“How long have you been here in Manitou?”
“I had Ambrose Heights built while my immediate family and I lived in Vienna. We physically moved here about nine years ago. We already have a site picked out and are going
through negotiations as we speak to acquire land in the New England region. After that, we’re off to Tuscany, unless you have somewhere else in mind.”
“New England? Tuscany? I don’t have any problems with that. Where else have you lived?”
“Well, we always move close to mountains. Eilian and I first moved to the Scottish highlands after our turning. Then it was Russia, Thailand, Nepal, Austria, Ecuador, Alaska, and then Colorado. We typically take up residence between ten to fifteen years in each place. Any longer and people will start to talk.”
“How did our tiny town of Manitou get on the family’s radar?”
“We first took up residence in America about nineteen years ago. We vacationed, you could say, in many states, to get a feel of the areas. We liked Colorado. But as far as choosing Manitou Springs itself, I really can’t tell you how it became a possibility. I awoke one day and there it was, popped straight in my head. I did research on the internet and was fascinated with the town.”
Anya adjusted in her seat to face Steffan, her eyes inquisitive and demanding. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-eight. Quite younger than you, cougar.” Steffan chuckled.
“I don’t think a two-year difference constitutes that term, thank you very much.”
“Two years? Really?”
“Okay. Three. Happy?”
Steffan was about to sound off another slang he had learned when Anya stopped him midbreath. “Puma, MILF, Cougar in Training, Cheetah, Lynx, Manther, Cougarlicious—I get it. You learned your modern-day slangs. You know what I meant with the question. Now, how old are you?”
“Ninety-five.”
“Ninety-five? And you’re using the Internet, grandpa?”
Steffan shook his head and smiled. “We are very adaptive to human devices and technology. Our way of speaking, the way we carry ourselves, our clothing, and even our views and reliance on things, all of that is learned. It’s our method of evolution, if you will, to blend in with the times.”
“Okay, I understand the need to keep current with clothing, devices, and technology, but really a way of speaking is adaptive also?”
“Think about it. Your pattern of speech, phrases, or slang, you think they would all be in keeping in the times, say in 2050? You think you would go unnoticed if you spoke the same way as you do now?”
“I guess not.”
“No. You would stand out too much, call too much unnecessary attention to yourself. What we do is study. We’re in a constant state of learning to recognize and blend. We are like chameleons. We change where we are at and the time we are in.”
“And how do you learn the trends? What do you rely on?”
“For me? I watch some television, news mainly. Then, I go on the internet, read books, and just observe the public. For others, they rely on movies for their learning tool. Take Rhys for example, he loves his ‘shoot-’em-up, bang-bang’ movies, so he’s really got the profanities down. And he loves reality shows as well, so he’s up on the modern lingo. Once you meet everyone, listen. You’ll see where the influences come from.”
* * * *
Steffan pulled slowly up to the guard shack at Ambrose Heights and flashed a smile at Tobias, the guard on duty.
“Good evening, sir, you’re the last of the residents to arrive home. Even that jackass is home. Actually, he never left today. I guess no more hanky-panky at the bars tonight for Mr.—”
Steffan cast a mental block on Tobias to prevent him from even mentioning Ryan’s name in front of Anya. He didn’t want her to know about Ryan’s transformation until after hers was complete. Ryan’s mere presence could invoke an onslaught of reactions and any emotional break from Steffan at this point could disrupt the ritual.
Steffan released his hold on Tobias and allowed him to continue.
“Evening as well, ma’am. Shall I secure the gates and retire for the evening?”
“Yes, Tobias. That will be all. Get some rest.”
Steffan made his way through the gate and came upon Anya’s house on the right.
“I need some of my things, just for this evening. Then I can move my things slowly,” Anya said as she prepared to gather her bags from the backseat. Steffan remained silent and drove past the house.
“Steffan?”
“I know, Anya, but I would like to show you another way to get to your house. I think it’s about time you know.”
“Know what?”
“You’ll see.”
Chapter Fourteen
Steffan parked the Hummer in the circle driveway and exited. He walked around to the passenger door to allow Anya to step out of the vehicle. They walked hand in hand up the stairs that led them to the entry door. Steffan opened the door and swiftly lifted Anya off her feet and cradled her in his arms.
“Steffan!” Anya shrieked as she was caught off guard.
“Welcome home, my love,” Steffan said, leaning in to kiss her.
Steffan walked through the entry and kicked the door closed behind him. Anya felt as if she were floating. He walked swiftly and with incredible ease through the house in the darkness. His strength astounded Anya, and she fell deeper into his kiss. Steffan glided up the ornate staircase, never releasing from her lips. He entered through the double doors and slowly placed Anya’s feet on the ground.
“Anya, this is our master bedroom,” Steffan said as he slowly illuminated the large room with the adjustment of the dimmer control.
Anya gasped as she took in the surroundings. Every detail, from the waterfall of fabric cascading from the overhead canopy, the intricate carved bed, and the exotic tigerwood floors to the floor mirror was exactly what she had seen in her dreams.
“Steffan, I’ve been here before, in my dreams!”
“Yes, Anya, you’ve been in this very room with me in my dreams as well.”
Steffan walked to a large jewelry armoire that sat in the corner of the room next to a vanity and retrieved items from one of the drawers. He slipped his hands in either pocket of his khakis briefly then moved to close the drawers. “But you were wearing these.”
Steffan turned around and revealed his hands to Anya. He held a string of pearls in one hand and a black silk scarf in the other.
“Face the mirror, my love,” he said in a sensual tenor.
Anya’s heart pounded as she stood facing the floor-length mirror. She watched as Steffan placed the pearls and scarf on the floor and settled in behind her. He reached in front of her and slowly undid the buttons on her shirt and let the material glide off her shoulders. He kissed her neck, working on the clasp of her bra, and gently moved the straps around her shoulders. Steffan retrieved the strand of pearls and fastened the necklace around Anya’s neck. The creamy-white pearls beamed off her bronzed skin. Steffan moved to situate the strands so they would plunge down through her cleavage. He cupped her breasts in his hands. Anya’s nipples went rigid in an immediate response.
“You are so very beautiful, cariad,” Steffan said as he fixed on her gaze in the mirror. His hardness pressing against her backside. “I need to feel your flesh against mine. I need to be inside you,” Steffan stated bluntly as he unbuttoned his shirt and pressed his chest against Anya’s bare back.
Is this the eternal craving he was talking about?
She’d wanted to explore the house and retrieve her belongings from her house from the alternate entrance Steffan mentioned earlier, but all of her thoughts were consumed with making love to Steffan.
“Don’t worry, we will definitely do more than just explore every inch of your new home,” Steffan said in response.
“You heard what I was thinking?”
“It was very faint, but yes, the first phase is starting.”
“Steffan, I don’t know what to expect from this bonding time. I mean, how far will our cravings extend?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not used to a man who can go more than once in a day. I was in the typical routine of once a week that slowly turned to once
a month, if I was lucky. I…I don’t know if I can keep up.”
The mirror captured all of her emotions, her reservations about being inadequate as a lover and a twinge of envy of all the other women who had already experienced this with Steffan.
Steffan folded his arms around Anya’s waist and pulled her body close to him. His eyes were full of desire and enraptured Anya as he whispered in her ear.
“Cariad, you must know that I was never this way with the other women. I am entirely a different lover with you. We are like a drug to each other. This bonding process is new to me as well. Let’s just see where this takes us, and I’m sure our bodies will be able to sustain our needs.”
Anya watched the image of Steffan reflecting back at her. He reached into his right pocket and stretched her hand in front of her with his left hand.
“Anya. You are my love, my partner and companion.” Steffan slipped a ring on Anya’s left ring finger.
It was a perfect fit.
Anya’s eyes were wide in astonishment and slowly filled with tears. “Steffan!” She raised her hand to examine the ring. The band was an intricate and endless weave pattern that led to a princess-cut diamond that sat high in a Tiffany setting. “This is the same pattern of your tattoo!”
“Yes. It symbolizes karma, a reminder that we are all bound to a destiny and to follow the path of our enlightenment.” Steffan laid out his matching band in Anya’s right hand. “Anya, will you do me the honor?”
Anya slipped the band on Steffan’s left ring finger. “Steffan. You’re my love, my partner and companion.”
“My love, it’s time for you to concentrate on your mate’s touch.”
Steffan bent down to retrieve the black scarf and fixed it gently around Anya’s eyes. He moved in front of her and circled her nipples with his tongue. Anya fisted his hair in her hands as she drew in deeper breaths. He planted kisses down her rib cage that set her into a full-blown tremble as he kneeled in front of her and slowly removed her long, white skirt. She stood shaking in the middle of the skirt’s pooled material surrounding her feet. Steffan ran his hands up and down each side of her. He traced the lace fabric of her thong with his tongue. In one feral move, he bit through the material, revealing her needful and wet pussy. Anya gasped as Steffan lifted her naked body and sat her down on the chaise lounge. He laid her back as he buried his head between her legs.