Aris Reigns

by Devin Morgan

  Chapter 37

  Her hands were cold as he led her along the corridor to the changing suite. After a short walk, they stopped in front of a tall, ornately carved wooden door.

  He turned to face her, taking her chin in his hands he stared deeply into her eyes. “I love you, Sarah. I will not leave your side until you are changed. I will suffer your pain as well as your ecstasy. Three days and then, Immortality.”

  She stood on her toes to kiss him softly. “I am ready. Let’s begin.”

  Immortal light glowed softly from wall sconces that encircled the room. An enormous canopy bed, a tall backed chair and a covered tray resting on a small round table were the only articles to be seen. Sarah shuddered when she realized what lay beneath the cover. Cold stone walls were adorned with tapestries in muted colors and, while the furniture was sparse, it was regal. Sarah couldn’t drag her eyes away from the great bed.

  “Lie down, my darling.” Aris led her to recline on the soft white silk pillows. The bed curtains were sheer and white, a cocoon for her metamorphosis. The bedclothes were all white, a virgin’s bed prepared for her ordeal.

  Slowly, she laid back. He brushed the hair from her forehead then kissed her tenderly. “Rest. When you are ready to begin, I will draw first blood.” He sat quietly staring at her. He was frightened she would change her mind and not go through with the changing and at the same time, terrified of the beast he feared still lived inside him if she did. He had never desired her more.

  Tears pooled in her eyes. Her mind told her to run away. “What have I done? What am I doing here?” She turned to look at Aris and she found her answer. She was joining her soul-mate for an eternity of love; she was becoming a part of a society that called to her from a place so deep inside her she couldn’t resist. Still frightened but just as determined, she closed her eyes as she reached to draw him to her. “Just hold me for a little while.”

  He lay next to her, wrapping his arms around her, feeling her tremble with fear. Stroking her hair, he whispered soft crooning words of love, his breath warm against her ear as he spoke. His lips brushed her throat, gently at first then more ardently, causing a sudden rush of desire to swell in her and transform her fear into a demanding need for him. Winding her fingers through his raven black hair, she drew his mouth to hers, her breath coming in short gasps.

  Abruptly Aris pulled away from her and rose, sitting on the side of the bed; his back toward her, he held his head in his hands. “Sarah, I want you more than you can understand. It is taking all my unearthly strength to control my desire.” He composed himself before turning to face her. “Do you not see, I must maintain control every moment until you are Immortal? I must not allow any thought to enter my mind except my responsibility for your changing.”

  She stared at him silently, then spoke. “I do understand.” She touched his hand. “I’m ready. Please, let’s begin now.”

  The first drawing brought pleasure too great for her to stand. He gently licked the pulse in her throat, spreading his venom on her skin to ease the pain of his teeth penetrating her flesh. The sensation of his soft lips and warm tongue brushing against her tender neck returned her to a swoon of wanting him. She moaned softly, tilting her head to expose more.

  Aris had undressed her with care, wrapping her once again in the ceremonial robe she wore to the bathing ritual. Puzzled at first when she saw it draped across the foot of the bed, Sarah realized either Gabriela or Jane must have brought it for her. Thoughts of their love for her gave her courage.

  The sensation of his lips on her skin was enticing until, suddenly, a brief sharp stab of pain shocked her as his canines grew long and sharp and he bit into her. And then, rapture. With each sip he took from her, she felt she would explode with pleasure. The sensation of his sucking her blood filled her with a longing she had never before known. It was as if her very soul ached to receive him. She reached her hands to caress him. She raised her breasts to him, uncovering them in the soft light of the chamber. Her nipples were rosy and erect, her desire evident before him. It seemed but moments to her when he drew away.

  She opened her eyes to look at her lover. His eyes were glazed, a drop of her blood on the center of his full lower lip. He shook his head as if coming back from a daze as he licked it away. He sat next to her for only a moment.

  “Now, my darling. Prepare.” Once again his lips sought her throat.

  But not joy. Horror. Searing, burning horror. Each pulse of her heart as it pumped the venom through her body brought a new onslaught of flame. At first it was her throat. Then it spread like a wildfire in the wind. Her arms shook. Her fingers curled into claws as she dug them into the bed. Her moans turned to cries of agony. Aris’ heart ached at her pain, yet still he poured his venom into her.

  Was it days, was it weeks? When would he stop? She writhed on the bed as she lost herself in her anguish. She felt him pull away and yet still she burned. She knew she was turning to cinders. Somewhere through the cloud of torment, she realized this was but the first.

  “My love, the burning will grow less soon. Breathe slowly. Soon it will begin to subside.”

  His words were true. After what seemed an eternity of suffering, the pain grew less and less until it quieted. He watched over her as she fell into a deep sleep drugged senseless by the potency of his venom.

  He was horrified. It had taken all he had in him to stop. The taste of human blood, of her blood, had driven him close to frenzy. Only his deep love for her saved her. And now, he must do it again. And again. Eight more times in the next three days he would be tempted. Eight more times he must watch her suffer. He buried his face in his hands and thought of Sebastian to bring him courage. If his friend could withstand the temptation, so could he. He would find the resolve to continue.

  Each time, it became more and more difficult to stop. As his mouth filled with the enticing red fluid, he fought courageously to control his desire to gorge himself on her. Sebastian believed in him. Sarah trusted him. Other Immortals had trod his path and known victory. Again and again, he pulled away from her, his head reeling. His mouth dry and demanding more. Again and again, he filled her with his poison, changing her human body into one that was invincible, one that would last through the end of time.

  Each session of the drawing and filling brought greater pleasure, more unbearable pain. By the morning of the third day, the bed was wet with her perspiration, her robe shredded and lying on the floor. Her only moments of sanity were the moments of sleep that overcame her after the misery passed. The pleasure was almost as unbearable as the suffering. Never had she felt with such intensity. Never before had her body cried out for peace as it did now. She was unable to speak. She was weak, unable to even turn her head. Carefully holding her in his arms, he prepared for the next withdrawal. The sound of her beating heart thudded in his brain. It would beat until the last of his venom filled her and there was no longer human blood in her vessels. Then and only then would the torment be ended. He closed his eyes and prayed to whatever god might hear him that he could complete his task.

  At dusk on the third day, he held her as she trembled and quaked in her final death throes. Then, suddenly, she grew rigid. Her heart stopped beating. Her breath ceased. She lay as if dead in his arms. At long last, her lids fluttered. She opened exhausted eyes to look at him. Finally, she smiled.

  Aris cradled Sarah in his arms as she became aware of her Immortal body. He remembered his own awakening, his astonishment at his Immortal form, his driving hunger. Knowing how overwhelming the experience was to a changeling, he allowed her to explore her new world in her own time as he lay quietly next to her.

  Her first jolt came as she opened her eyes as an Immortal vampire. Her vision was so sharp she could see the individual sunset beams shining from the light sconces on the wall. She looked at her arms in wonder. Each tiny blond hair was as clear as an individual star in the night sky; her skin, smooth as satin to the touch, porcelain perfect to the eye. Her fingernails were perfec
tly shaped and shined as if they had been polished. As she lifted her hand to stroke his face, she was amazed by the grace of her movement.

  Staring into his eyes, she realized for the first time the true depth of the soul hidden deep within the Immortal man holding her in his arms. For the first time she realized the true joy of eternal love. Raising himself on his elbows, he leaned toward her. As his warm lips touched hers, a tender thrill made her shiver. She nestled closer to him, pressing into him with her nude body. As she felt his muscles tense beneath her hands, the thrill exploded, desire flaming in her as she had never felt it before. Unquenchable. Undeniable.

  Tenderly he stroked her forehead, her cheeks, as he spoke. “Not yet, my darling. There is a greater ritual that must come before.”

  Laying her back onto her pillows, he drew the bedclothes to cover her. Bewildered for only a moment by her easy control of her need for him, she shifted her awareness to feel the weave of each individual thread in the sheets. She could smell the fragrance of the white cotton, of the very fields of Egypt where it had been woven. Giving in to the pure sensation of bliss, she reached to rest her hand on his chest.

  Closing her eyes, the light coming through her eyelids made visible all the tiny individual vessels that ran through them carrying his venom, giving her this exquisite gift. As they lay quietly and she slid her hand across his velvety skin, she realized his chest wasn’t moving. Then, with a second jolt, she realized she wasn’t breathing either. Her chest lay as quiet as his.

  Sarah knew before her changing that breathing would be her choice, not a demand of her new form. She knew her human functions would only operate if she chose, yet the experience was still shocking as she focused on the total silence within her body.

  Without warning and with a vengeance, the silent void exploded within the very core of her being. Small at first, yet powerful, dark, frightening. The void changed shape and intensity into a craving, a demand, a desire even greater than her desire for Aris. A desire that blazed with an agony that even her changing hadn’t brought.

  She was barely able to groan his name in supplication. “Aris?”

  Understanding her need, he uncovered the tray resting on the bedside table. He reached for a goblet to hand to her. She sat up and took it from him, gripping it tightly with both shaking hands. She closed her eyes as she raised it to her lips. It had a familiar scent that momentarily bewildered her. Then she recognized the smell of rust that was carried in blood. Without a second thought, she brought it to her mouth, tipped it and drank the contents to the bottom.

  It was warm and thick like pudding, yet not sweet. Salty. Salty and rich. It tasted like nothing she had ever tasted before. She savored every drop, rolling it in her mouth for a moment before she swallowed. At last, when the goblet was empty, she opened her eyes. She felt a moment of embarrassment as she handed it back to him.

  “The need to drink will return several times today. It will be overpowering. We will stay in our chamber and I will be here with you to feed your first hunger as an Immortal.” He brushed her curls away from her forehead. “Now, stand and walk. Take your first steps in your new life.” He stood, taking her hands in his. He helped her rise from the bed, wrapping the soft blue bathrobe around her. As her feet touched the silk of the woven carpet beneath them, she sighed with the tactile pleasure of her every step. She felt each stitch caress her toes as she walked across the floor. She felt the creative hand that sewed them, the days spent in the life of the human that went into making the rug. At a complete loss for words, she stood in one spot slowly turning in a circle to survey her surroundings.

  The candles adorning the dressing table were lit and each candle flame danced, alive and warming to her new senses. She could taste color. She could smell sound. Would she ever grow accustomed to this new world?

  Aris interrupted her musing. “Your ordeal is finished.” He took her hand, leading her to a bathing chamber. An enormous, tall glass shower stall stood in the center of the room. He turned the handle and jets of hot, steamy water shot from hidden spouts, fogging the glass and running in twisting rivers down the shiny walls. She could see each droplet of water creating the fog. Smiling, she dropped her robe on the stone floor.

  “I will be just outside. There is a clean gown for you behind the door.” He stepped out, leaving her to explore her new body.

  As she turned to step into the shower, she noticed a tall mirror on a silver stand resting against the wall. As she drew near to it, she laughed out loud at what she saw reflected back at her. All her tiny wrinkles and physical imperfections were gone. Her complexion was as smooth and glistening as marble. Her body was lean, yet muscular, powerful. Her hair thick and rich, her eyelashes as full as brushes. The image before her was one of beauty, of perfection. She was the very picture of an Immortal.

  What did she feel? What did she not feel? Every inch of her skin was a bare nerve. Every sensation new, delicious. The hot water pouring down her back ran in rivers of delight. She watched the water as it swirled in a circle of froth, then disappeared down the golden drain. Each individual soap bubble reflected light more brilliant than the finest diamonds as they spun in the whirlpool on the floor of the shower. Her red toenails reminded her of the liquid in the goblet and her desire to drink returned. Quickly, she stepped from the shower. Every nub on the thick fluffy white towel massaged her skin as she dried. Wrapping her bathrobe around her, she hurried to Aris and the pewter goblet. The bedding was changed and inviting as she laid down next to him.

  Chapter 38

  The first hours of Immortality were filled with overwhelming sensation and drink after drink. She felt her body growing stronger, her senses more acute. She realized she had the ability to change from human awareness to that of her kind, an Immortal being. She laughed as she played games with Aris, enjoying her newfound abilities. He kept her close, resting with her on the huge bed throughout the day, replenishing the life giving liquid whenever she had need of it.

  Everything she experienced was a hundred fold greater than any of her human experiences. A thousand, no a million fold. It wasn’t peace she felt, but a restfulness greater than any she had ever known. Exploring the new depth of feeling and understanding her Immortal existence gave her, she experienced a rekindling of her lust for knowledge, her desire to learn, her desire to be more than she was, more than a human mind could understand was possible. Her love for Aris was greater than all the love she had felt for all the people in all her human life as she watched every move he made, marveling at his heavenly beauty. When he reached to fill the goblet from the pewter pitcher resting on the bedside table, her eyes followed him as if he moved in slow motion. The rustle made by the cloth of his shirt as his arm brushed across the sheets thrilled her. The sounds of each individual drop of the liquid splashing into the goblet excited her. Her eyes glowed as she watched the fluid flow into the cup. The taste was of heavenly nectar as she swallowed the ambrosia. If he had worried at her disgust at what she must now do to stay alive, all was washed away as he saw her reach hungrily for it, draining every drop of the crimson fluid.

  At long last, she knew her body had received enough. She rested in his arms at peace. He thought she had fallen into a human slumber when she caressed his cheek, turning his face toward hers.

  As they stared into one-another’s eyes, she felt she was floating on a cloud of joy; indescribable joy. Endless waves of bliss filled her as she sank deeper and deeper into the black depths of his eyes, his soul.

  He whispered. “Sarah, you are my only Immortal love. We are both innocents in this experience. Our coupling will be the first of its kind for both of us.”

  “I’m so glad.” She stroked his face, his skin smoother than the richest velvet she had ever touched with human fingers.

  “Lie quietly, my beloved.” She watched every movement of his nude body as he rose from her side to sit cross-legged next to her on the bed. “Close your eyes.” The shadow of her long, thick lashes covered her cheeks as
he kissed the tops of her eye lids.

  He began to glide his hands over her body, her legs, her torso, her arms. Bit by bit he caressed her, his touch skimming her skin like delicate warm smoke emanating an otherworldly fragrance that she felt rather than smelled.

  She could feel his hands lifting away from her skin, still moving, floating just inches above. A sensation of bliss overwhelmed her. Her very existence melted into the energy flowing from his hands. It filled every pore of her, every cell of her body, every neuron of her brain. Suddenly she knew all that he knew, all that he had ever experienced. She felt the pain he suffered at his changing; the loneliness he felt when he thought he was the only one of his kind. She met the wild beast that roared inside him to this very day. She felt his guilt, his sorrow for the evil he had done in his past. She felt the joy that was his because of her love. She felt the very essence of him enveloping her, enlightening her, their very beings permeating one another. When it was finished, she lay quietly absorbing all that had just occurred. She realized he had just taken her through her final transformation. He had given her the knowledge that all Immortals shared, the knowledge of the ages.

  She marveled at the stillness of her body as they lay looking into each other’s eyes. When he reached to draw her closer she heard as well as saw his movement. She wondered at her patience, desperately wanting him to make love to her, yet relishing every slow-motion moment of discovery they shared.

  She watched as his long powerful fingers cupped her breast. Hard as she tried, she could find no fine line where he began and she ended. Even their external bodies seemed to meld into one, a shared pulse of energy between them stronger than the beating of a human heart. As he stroked her tender nipple, she leaned her head onto the pillow and closed her eyes. She realized that in all her human life, she had never even imagined the depth of feeling she was now experiencing.