Bride of Blood:: First Kiss

by Anthony E. Ventrello

  She pulled away from him, reluctantly, “Now, you must prepare for your return trip to the Colonies. I want you to sleep and when you wake you will be there.”

  Obediently, he lay back in the bed. Bernadine curved her body against his. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. She wanted the moment to last forever. She didn’t want to leave his arms. Most of all, she didn’t want to share him with Velara. She truly wanted Anton to stay with her and be her companion. But she that knew that it was Velara who was his soul mate and the love of his life. She knew there had been others like Christina Michelle and Charlotte, but Velara was special to him. She knew where his heart truly lay.

  As soon as she knew he was asleep, she sat up. She sighed as she touched his eyelids and whispered an incantation. Anton’s body suddenly became rigid, and his breathing ceased. He became statue-like, ready to be sent back to the States.

  She got out of bed and made a quick motion with her hands. Three of her handmaids appeared and carried Anton’s sleeping form away. She stood in the empty room for a few moments. She would have to do the same for Alexander and Rachael soon enough. But she wanted to give them a little time. Let them pretend for just a little while that all was right with the world.

  Chapter 8 The Boardwalk

  Anton sat on the bench and looked up at the sky. It seemed to him that it wasn’t all that long ago he was doing the same thing with Alexander. Alexander. He missed his friend dearly. He missed his house, Shannon, and everything else that made his life simple and predictable. He still dreamt of the day he would be reunited with Velara. Months of wondering and he felt closer to her than he had since that first night when she had broken through.

  Still he couldn’t totally let go of his sense of foreboding. What if she didn’t welcome him with open arms? What if she only wanted a brief reunion of words and the exchange of a few pleasantries? No, there had to be more to it than that. Their brief encounters in his dreams were too precious to be just a social call. He could feel her love and almost smell her on his clothes when he awoke. No, this reunion would be as romantic and priceless as he had always imagined it would be. Besides, Lady Bernadine told him that he and Velara were to be reunited.

  Lady Bernadine. He missed her, too. He had hoped that the visit would have been sweeter. War was coming. And he knew that it would cost several lives on both sides.

  Anton was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice the lights of the boardwalk were going off. He sat still when several of the park’s employees walked past him chatting and hurrying to get home. He sat almost as still as a statue when the wind and the ocean were the only sounds he could hear. It seemed as if nothing could rouse him from his thoughts.

  He did stir inwardly when three sets of footsteps approached him from behind. He could smell death on them, knowing right away they were vampires. And he also quickly realized that they were not of his order.

  He quickly spun around to come face to face with three fledgling vampires. They were recent converts by the looks of them. The one in the middle was shorter than the other two and slightly pudgier. He had very pale skin and long, stringy blonde hair. He wore very dark sunglasses and a white gothic-style shirt. In his right hand, he clutched a large gold goblet.

  His companions that stood on either side of him were almost identical. They were both taller and leaner than their leader with long, willowy brown hair. The one on the right had a small goatee and moustache, and the one on the right had a longer goatee, only. Both of them wore the same gothic style of clothing and sunglasses as their leader. All three of them had a brand on their right wrists of The Order of the Dragon, which was a snakelike dragon swallowing his own tail.

  Anton looked at the three of them and laughed, “Really?” They were almost comical as if they were three teenagers who watched too many vampire movies. They took the vampire roles too seriously and more than likely they were kids who had been recently turned. He had a sick feeling in his stomach that in order to boost his number of soldiers, Drago was indiscriminately turning into vampires everyone and anyone who wanted to be one.

  “Greetings, Anton of Nephthys,” said the leader, obviously ignoring his smirk. “I am Azrael of The Order of the Dragon. And these are my brothers: Gaereth,” he gestured to the on the right, “and Caedmon” he pointed to the one on the left. “We have been sent here to destroy you and all of your order.”

  “Really?” said Anton, jumping to his feet. Gaereth and Caedmon stirred but didn’t rush him.

  “Are you prepared to die?” asked Azrael, before taking a drink from his goblet.

  Before Anton could answer, Azrael spit the fluid into his eyes. Anton felt a sudden blinding pain, as if his eyes were on fire. He covered his face with his hands and fell to his knees.

  Azrael turned to Gaereth and said, “Take him out over the ocean and kill him.” Gaereth nodded and grabbed Anton by the collar.

  Anton still could not see, but he felt himself being lifted off the ground. Then he felt as if he were flying. As the wind increased, the air and Anton suddenly got much colder.

  He fought the searing pain and forced his eyes open. Gaereth held him fast and they rose several hundred feet above the pier. As Gaereth starting flying away from the shore, Anton noticed a large knife strapped to his captor’s leg.

  In a spit second, Anton grabbed the knife from its scabbard and slashed Gaereth’s throat. Jets of blood sprayed mercilessly as Gaereth let him go, putting his hands around his throat in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding.

  Then they both started to fall. Gaereth was so preoccupied with his wound that he continued to fall until he crashed into the ocean and sink below the dark waves. Anton caught himself in mid-air and glided down to the boardwalk. Although not a flier himself, he did know how to keep from splatting on the ground. He descended like a flying squirrel.

  When Anton touched down, the remaining two vampires were waiting for him. Azrael threw away his glasses and the goblet. His eyes were bright red as he turned to Caedmon and said, “Kill him! But make it slow!”

  Caedmon rushed quickly at Anton, but not quickly enough. Anton had forgotten how overly confident and clumsy fledgling vampires were. As Caedmon neared him, Anton speared him with the force of a speeding car. He could hear breaking ribs and a sharp gasp escape from Caedmon’s body. Had he done that to a mortal, he would have broken him in half. The blow itself was not fatal, but since Caedmon was very young, it knocked him unconscious. Anton reached down, grabbed Caedmon’s head and forcefully twisted it to the right as far as it would go. Caedmon’s eyes bulged and his tongue fell lazily out of his mouth. Finally, Anton kicked his the side of his head, sending him over the edge of the boardwalk and into the ocean.

  Suddenly, Anton felt Azrael on his back. It happened so fast that Anton didn’t have time to react. The fledgling’s arms were wrapped tightly around Anton’s throat, and he started to see stars. Anton reached back and grabbed Azrael by the shirt. With all his strength, he pulled forward. The momentum caused Azrael to let go and he too was sent flying into the ocean.

  Anton fell to his knees again. Exhaustion and lack of blood suddenly sapping his strength. He hadn’t really fed since he left Lady Bernadine. A throbbing headache hit him and he started to shake.

  A splash of water brought him back to where he was. Azrael had leaped out of the water and was pulling himself onto the dock. He had finally made it when he looked up and saw Anton standing above him.

  With the last of his strength, Anton smashed Azrael’s head into the dock. There was an sickeningly loud crunch. Brains and blood seeped out Azrael’s nose, mouth and ears. His body slowly slipped off the dock and into the ocean.

  Anton collapsed. His head was humming from lack of blood. Soon his whole body began to ache and plead for nourishment which he could not provide. So this was what it was like to die, he thought as the pain began to subside. Soon numbness overcame his entire body. He thought of Alexander. Then he thought of Velara. Then he didn’t
think of anything at all.

  Velvety soft hands began stroking his body. He became aware of them almost immediately. They felt good and he could almost move again. The caressing was so soft and sensual that he felt his body start to come alive. Had there been more blood in his body, other parts might have responded.

  A soft pair of lips met his. He didn’t recognize their taste as he accepted them. The breath that entered his mouth was soft and sweet. He couldn’t find the strength to open his eyes although he desperately wanted to.

  The hands lifted his head off the ground and fingers began to run through his hair, rubbing his scalp. One hand danced lightly on his lips, encouraging his mouth to open. He did so without hesitation.

  Next a forearm was placed in his mouth. A bite had been made on it, probably by its owner and Anton suddenly realized that blood was trickling into his mouth. He began to swallow it down a little at a time. As he did, strength began to return to his body. He knew that this was not human blood, but life-giving vampire blood that was willingly being given to him.

  Soon he opened his eyes and saw a beautiful-looking vampiress. Her shoulder-length brown hair fell around her face. Her eyes were dark and almond shaped. She was a small woman, but still had the strength of a mistress vampire.

  She smiled at him with a soft, yet concerned smile. “Drink, Anton,” she said to him, encouragingly. He obeyed and drank.

  A few moments later she pulled her arm from his mouth and wiped it with a cloth. Anton’s strength had returned, but not fully. With a struggle he reached up and touched her face. Her skin was smooth and white like a China doll. She stroked his cheek and then kissed him again on his lips.

  “Sleep, Anton,” she commanded in a whisper. “I will stay with you until you are awake.” With that she started to massage his scalp again.

  Anton needed to more coaxing as he closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep. He whispered his savior’s name before he went to sleep. “Michelle.”

  Anton awoke the next evening in a large, warm bed. The room was entirely dark, but he could see the windows had been covered by large, black blankets. Next to him was Christina Michelle, sleeping peacefully. Obviously he had been moved soon after he’d gone to sleep. He rubbed his face and then pushed his hair back. Suddenly he became aware that he was naked. He didn’t bother to pull the sheet over himself, but instead sat up and looked down at Michelle.

  She looked the same way she did when he’d last seen her almost 70 years ago. She was personally trained by Lady Bernadine although she chose not to serve as a handmaid. Because of her direct bloodline, her blood had been more powerful and life-giving than most. Anton had lost track of her after their last brief tryst. She was a lovely woman who appeared to be in her early 30’s. Christina was relatively, a mere 200 years old.

  She was originally from what would become the Kentucky area. She had been traveling with her family west in a wagon train. She was in her late 20’s at the time and already had a two very young children and a husband. Her parents and several other people were heading out to California at the time of the great western migration. She wasn’t too happy about the move since she felt that they’d had a good life in Kentucky. But her husband and her relatives had believed all the pie-in-the-sky hype about making it rich in the West. Her husband, Frank had even convinced her relatives and some other people in town to move out there with them.

  Once they were around the Missouri area their wagon train was attacked by Sioux Indians. Christina was the only one to survive by pretending she was dead when she was shot in the shoulder. The pain had been so intense that she almost felt like she was dead.

  After what seemed like days, she awoke and to find everyone around her either dead or gone. She found the bodies of both of her parents and her husband, but her two daughters were nowhere to be found. She started to wander off in a daze and headed off into the prairie. She didn’t know how long or how far she’d wandered. Several days later she was filthy, tired, and thirsty, totally given up on living. She was trying to climb a small hill when she collapsed. She closed her eyes and awaited death, knowing in her heart that she would be reunited with her family. She lay on the ground for what seemed like hours. As night came, she prayed that death would come quickly.

  Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. She figured it was one of the Indians and prayed that he would mercifully kill her. She closed her eyes tightly and waited. Then she felt herself be lifted off the ground. She didn’t have the energy to fight or to even look at who was picking her up.

  The person who picked her up was a large man named Victor. He looked like a lawyer, clean-shaven with his hair neatly parted on the side. He had a large moustache and very muscular arms. He put his head close to Christina’s mouth and nodded.

  A woman walked up to him and smiled. She was a small woman with long brown hair and delicate features. Her face was pale and almost seemed to glow in the darkness. Her eyes were soft and giving all who looked into them a reassuring feeling. She looked at Victor and said, “Set her down, Victor, I have to save her.”

  “Yes, Mistress Virginia,” he said obediently. He watched Virginia spread a blanket and laid her onto it. Lady Bernadine had nick-named her “The Savior” because she had rescued so many battered and abused women and had given them a new life as a vampire over the centuries. Virginia was 1,000 years old and had easily attained the rank of Legend.

  Virginia touched Christina’s face and brushed the tangled hair from her dirty face. “My child,” she said, preparing herself. “I know that you have endured a most terrible tragedy,” she said right after she read Christina’s mind. “But now I will give you a new life, one that will allow you to live forever. I predict you will do great things and will bring new life to others as well.” With that, Virginia bared her fangs and buried her head in Christina’s neck.

  After being made, Christina made the rare choice of keeping her mortal name. Virginia had readily agreed because she loved the name, but gave her the second name of Michelle.

  After her training and attainment of the rank of Master Vampire under the tutelage of Lady Bernadine and Lady Virginia, she stayed on as Virginia’s companion. Around the 1950’s she left Virginia who had made her own compound outside of Denver, and headed back to the south that she hadn’t seen since her mortal years. It was during this time that she and Anton had their affair. Although the affair had ended not too long after it had started, Michelle refused to take on a new lover. It was her own charitable work that kept her mind off Anton and her loneliness.

  Although it was forbidden to create any new vampires, she financed several safe houses for battered women across the country. She eventually moved into a large townhouse in the city, but continued to run the shelters.

  Michelle suddenly stirred and opened her eyes. She smiled at Anton and slowly sat up. The sheet fell off her shoulders, revealing her white, naked body and her very large breasts. She reached over to Anton and kissed him.

  “Hello, my dear,” she said. Before Anton could answer, she pulled him close to her and kissed him again. She laid back on her pillow. Anton laid on top of her and kissed her deeply and then made love to her.

  A while later Michelle looked out the window as Anton dressed himself. Fresh clothes had been provided for him as Michelle discarded his old, torn ones. The moonlight illuminated the room and seemed to rest on the dead girl sprawled out on the bed. She was naked and her body was covered with bite marks.

  Michelle had known all along that one day Anton would return to her. She stepped into the moonlight and sighed. She also knew about Anton’s unending quest to find Velara, and the very thought of it was breaking her heart. She wrapped the sheet around her tighter and fought back the tears that were coming. But she made herself smile and refused to show Anton that she was sad.

  Anton walked up behind Michelle and wrapped his arms around her still naked shoulders. He kissed the back of her neck and she seemed to purr in response.

  “I don�
�t think I will ever be able to find the words to thank you,” he said.

  Michelle turned around and put her fingers on his lips. “No thanks are necessary. Finish your quest. You will find the one you seek.”

  As much as Anton wanted to stay with Michelle, he knew that he had to leave. His destiny was to find Velara. Possible clues to her whereabouts would flood his dreams although he couldn’t interpret them clearly. Dreams were usually few and far between for him, and he never paid them much mind in the past. Still, he wondered about their meaning and if they were truly Velara trying to contact him.

  Like Lady Bernadine herself, Michelle wasn’t too much help. She didn’t know where Velara could be found since she hadn’t locked eyes with her for almost 100 years. None of the other vampires she kept in touch with were any help either. Part of Anton wondered if Velara had sworn them to silence. Such a request was not unheard of in their order. Since honor was of the utmost importance to them, none would have broken such a promise. And since Michelle didn’t like Velara at all, she would not be bound to any promise. Plus, Michelle was a terrible liar, and even if she knew where Velara could be found, she wouldn’t have been able to lie to him. Still he did wonder.

  Christina Michelle didn’t want to hold back her feelings anymore. She put her arms around Anton as he prepared to go. “Forget about her, Anton,” she said, almost pleading. I love you. She doesn’t love you the way I do. I would never leave you.”

  Anton returned her embrace. What she said had some degree of truth to it. After Velara had left him, Michelle was there to pick up the pieces of his broken heart. She never judged him or was unkind to him, and she did love him. She had never taken another lover since Anton had left. Her love for him ran deep.

  “I don’t give a damn about that past-life and soul-mate shit she says,” Michelle told him. “It’s just her way of manipulating you. There are no past lives, there is only this life. It’s all fantasy.”