by Various
I eyed her, willing my body to focus on the food in my stomach. Nothing happened at first, then my body responded to the foreign substances. She was right. It was quick. My stomach lurched forward, like I was going to puke, and then I heard it gurgling, sputtering, like a motor turning over, and my digestive juices started, working on the food.
“How do we get rid of it, after it’s digested?”
“What do you think the toilet is for?”
“Oh!”
A few minutes later I found myself in the bathroom, getting rid of the food. Aria had also said it a was up to me to think about digesting and then it would be gone, so theoretically I could wait a year before I had to dispel the food, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.
Back in the kitchen, Aria gave me a devilish grin. “I told you.”
I started to respond when images flashed in my head. At first I ignored them, thinking them to be memories of the other night, but this was different. The pictures raced in my head like neon signs. They were pieces, only fragments. They filled my head with heat and pain as I tried to make them out a second time. Soon they came too fast, and all I could do to stay conscious was to let them flood over me.
I saw images of someone’s feet. There were white walls, a black rug. There was a painting on the wall of spattered colors, but when the image came again, I realized it was the splattering of blood. There was a taloned hand, pointing at a window. I couldn’t see what it was. When I tried to focus on the object outside the window, all I saw was a box, brown and gray in the distance. It was too bright to see. The sunlight streaming in the window blinded me when I knew it shouldn’t have.
There were feelings mixed in with the flashes: hatred, pain, anguish, love, and determination. I tried to understand where it all came from, but I ended up with a black wall. My eyes rolled up in the back of my head. I thought I smelled the scent of burning hair, and when I looked down at my skin it had blackened and crisped. I shrieked and fell, landing hard on the floor. I pulled my hand into the darkness out of the light, huddling in the corner. While this happened I wasn’t exactly me, I was someone else, someone who sent me these visions. The pain was so overwhelming I didn’t know where I was. I screamed again, and then felt someone shaking me. I looked up, seeing the shadow of a man, but it was only an outline in my blurred vision, and then Aria was there, holding me. The man backhanded me, sending me across the room. I hit the wall hard, bending the sheetrock behind the paint. I tried to look up to please my Master, but when I gazed up it was only Aria, looking down at me and calling my name.
“Brenna, are you all right?” Her hand was shaking me. I cowered in her arms as she held me, afraid that he would beat me again. I had woken him and this was my punishment, but maybe I had accomplished…something. I didn’t know.
Suddenly a sharp sting across my face brought me back to reality. I opened my eyes, growling at my assailant. Instinctively my fangs descended. I raised my hand to slash at my attacker but found it held fast.
When my eyes focused, Aria held my wrist. Her fingers were clawed as well. Her eyes had begun to bleed red, her beast awakening, ready to defend her if she had to.
“Brenna.” Her voice was thick as she yanked at my hand, cutting into my flesh as her talon pierced my skin. I was intrigued by the blood moving down my arm. It trailed like oil down my flesh, which I expected to be burned, but it wasn’t. I touched my arm, ignoring the stickiness, and felt the cool, perfect flesh underneath. It had all felt so real. I touched my cheek, smearing red liquid on my face. No bones were broken. There was nothing wrong with me. I stared into Aria’s face, her eyes were now totally red, and as she breathed I saw her forked tongue protruding between her lips.
The scent of my blood permeated my nose, as I know it filled hers. I watched her tongue darting out, caressing her lips as her grip on me tightened. I stared into her eyes and offered my healing wrist to her, the blood seeping as the wound had began to close. She hesitated. Her hand trembled, the only movement she displayed, and then after a moment she brought my wrist to her waiting lips. She inhaled the scent of my blood as if testing the nose of a fine wine. Her tongue wrapped around my flesh, taking in the last bits of blood. I moaned, pressing my wrist against her lips, begging her to suck harder, and she complied.
My hand found her breast and rubbed the nipple as it rose against my touch. I grabbed her hand and moved it to my sex. I was hot and freezing at the same time as she drank out my life. Her fingers found my nub, her other hand pulling loose the tie of my robe. She sucked my blood and worked me for a few moments. I closed my eyes, enjoying the sensations. My free hand sought her moist depths, so I could make her come, but she clamped her knees shut as my hand reached her. She pulled away from me, letting my wrist drop and backed away. I whined my sorrow.
I waited there, letting out a few ragged breaths. When I had calmed down I addressed her, resting my head against the cool tile floor.
“Why did you stop?”
“It’s not right. You didn’t know what you were doing. If you truly wanted me, it wouldn’t have been like that.”
I laughed. I was getting lectured by a vampire who was turning me down because I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I wondered when the last time had been for Aria. Maybe it would explain why she was so cold. She thought she was high and mighty just because she was over a thousand years old. Here I was giving myself to her, doing her a favor, and she didn’t want me.
I growled, exposing my fangs. She knew I was angry, but it didn’t seem to matter.
I laughed, more hissing than anything.
“Brenna, snap the fuck out of it. Damn it, girl. Stop tripping on the superiority complex already and tell me what the hell happened!”
It had all come on me so fast, I didn’t know. It wasn’t like me to treat Aria so. She had helped me. Pangs of guilt rose, burning me, but I dismissed them as I looked at my hand again, marveling over how it had not been burned. The images didn’t make sense, but the man in them did. I knew him as Master, but I knew him in other ways, too. He was connected to me through blood. We had been one. I had looked up into his face when I had been dying. For kicks he had given me a trace amount of his elixir, lining my lips with it, just enough to taste, to keep me in my body as I waited for either death to take me or for Veronica to make up her mind and let me become one of the undead.
Then it all clicked. Veronica sent me the images. The burn wasn’t on me. Why did she burn in the sunlight? Her tolerance was high. Then I remembered what she had told me, of how bestial vampires had no tolerance in the sun. The way she attacked me the other night made me realize that her other half was more in control than her mortal self.
She was loyal to Devon. Something must have caused that to change. I felt the anger and humiliation in the images. Something transpired in her brain to make her realize what an asshole he really was. That gave me a bit of hope. Maybe she wasn’t totally lost to me. I dreaded the thought of killing the one who made me. She would not want her bestial half in control. If that happened, I would take her head, sending her soul to heaven where it belonged. Maybe then she would be reunited with her sister and the family that was taken from her. This was an improvement over what had happened the last time I encountered her. My Master—my love—was still alive, and it seemed the demon in her wanted freedom as well. If that were the case, then I would gladly give it to both of them. Cold tears seeped out of my eyes before I realized what was going on. Veronica had done her best and in her own way contacted me. I knew there was hope and that made my spirits soar. I gazed up into Aria’s eyes, which had gone slightly back to normal.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what happened. I thought you were someone else.”
“I figured that, the way you acted. What happened to you? I heard you scream. Are you all right?”
I nodded slowly, realizing how I must look. I got up, helping Aria at the same time. I gave her a quick hug and led her into my living room. I marveled at the sun as it shined onto my skin and didn
’t burn me. Veronica’s feelings still lingered in my mind. I pushed them aside and thought of things that were in the images. Obviously she wanted to show me something out the window. That was why she was looking out it. Also, there was a large box thing. It looked like a warehouse. I sighed. That was mostly the whole section. There had to be something else.
“So what happened?”
“Veronica contacted me. I don’t know how she did it, but she did. She wants me to come and get her. I just know it.”
“It could be a trap. Devon could have told her to contact you.” Aria reclined on my couch, out of the direct light of the sun.
“There was so much anger and hatred toward him. It couldn’t have been a trap.”
“So then you know where she is?”
I sighed. That was the only problem. “Isn’t there any way I can sense her? Trace her through my blood?”
Aria shook her head. “The only way you can trace someone is through a mental connection. You would think since we are bound by blood it’d be easy, but it isn’t. Nothing is simple. If Veronica reached out to you and found you mentally, you should’ve been able to follow the connection back and find her on the other side. But—”
“I tried, but there was only a wall. I think Devon was close so her shields were up,” I jumped in.
“If that’s the case, the only way you can find her is when she’s asleep, and from what we saw of her the other day, she was consumed by the beast, so you’re going to have to track her. Maybe in a few hours when she’s asleep, I can help you. It’s dangerous. If Devon suspects anything, he can attack you psychically through her. If that happens, you’re toast. You won’t be able to throw your shields up quick enough.”
“I have to take that chance. I have to find her.”
“Then it’s settled.” Aria glanced at the clock. It was only eight-thirty in the morning. “We need to wait two hours or so, just to make sure she and Devon are both in a deep sleep. Think you can wait that long?”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?”
“No, but in the meantime, do you want any more eggs?”
I glared at her and she laughed. I collapsed on the sofa, basking in the light of the sun, hoping in some way it would impart some of its strength so that I could find Devon and free Veronica before it set. I was only dreaming, and the sun was something to warm my skin and light my way.
Chapter Thirty-Three
My name is Ronnie.
I cupped my burned hand close to my chest, hoping it would heal. I smiled over what I had accomplished.
When the sun rose that morning, I had pretended to go to sleep, waiting for my Master to fall into his dreams. When I was sure he was settled in bed, I searched my mind for some connection to my child. I had to call to her, to let her know where I was. With all of my searching I found nothing. I had almost given up when I felt my humanity stir deep within my mind. It held back and then came forward, assuming it could help me. It was the part of me Brenna had more kinship with. Even though it was our blood that ran in the child’s veins, it was the mortality of my personality she was connected to.
Veronica came forth as if coming onto a stage. We stood side by side on the same platform, evaluating one another. For the first time, there was no animosity between us. I had finally realized she was right about Devon. Our merging into one being earlier had been the right thing to do. There were still some things we had to work out though. Veronica showed me her love for our child and that it was because of Brenna that we could now be truly whole. We sized each other up, circling the stage, wondering what the other would do. We needed Brenna to survive to keep us together because we both loved her so much. It wasn’t just me who would find her. It would have to be a combined effort. At that moment, she wanted to come back and take control, but it wasn’t a good idea. The Master must not know. If he did, then he would rip us to shreds. Just the thought of his claws touching my skin made me shiver with disgust. I didn’t want him fondling me anymore, let alone fucking me. I wanted to feel the soft hands of my child. I pulled the memories from Veronica of when our body had been engaged in the act of love with her. That was what I wanted. I desired to drink her in, making her feel what it was like to be really and truly loved by another of her kind. Or someone like her kind. It was true we were different because she had no beast. The Master did not know this, and I was not about to tell him.
As he slept, I merged briefly with Veronica and let her find the bond we shared with Brenna. She found it quickly. I closed my eyes and stared at the wall. I thought of Brenna, and suddenly I was in the child’s head as she thought of Veronica. As she thought of me. I had to get used to the name as it echoed inside of my head. I was so used to being called Ronnie, for it was what my Master called me on the night of my birth, but I could learn to hate it.
My humanity cheered as we made contact with Brenna. It suggested we go to the window and let Brenna know where we were. I agreed, but the sun would hurt. I hesitated, and then drew back the shades, looking out briefly and being blinded by the sun as I put my hand up to shield my eyes. My skin caught on fire. I shrieked loudly, breaking a glass coffee table my Master had in the other room from the pitch of the wail. It woke him, and he came running.
My mortality retreated so he would not suspect anything. He saw me looking out the window and pushed me aside, back handing me so that I flew against the wall, crunching the material it was made of. He stood over me, his row of fangs ready to burst from his mouth. I cowered in front of him.
“Never do that again. Don’t you know sunlight will kill us? Kill me?”
He threw me into a closet and locked the door. “Stupid bitch. I knew I should’ve disposed of her when I had the chance,” Devon muttered to himself.
Once darkness enveloped me, I smiled. My humanity surfaced and said it would be all right. Brenna would find me. I believed that, and that was what I thought of as I drifted off to sleep, with my humanity settling back into my personality. I knew there would be some adjustment, but I didn’t think that we had to be at war anymore. Our differences could be worked out, if not for the good of our existence, then for the good of our child, who was braver and stronger than both of us. She had faced what was inside of her and knew what it was like not to fear the light of day.
Chapter Thirty-Four
My name is Brenna.
I paced anxiously, waiting for the sun to climb in the sky. Aria finished the eggs and sat down to read a book. I tried to remain calm and keep myself busy. I screened my answering machine, listening to the desperate clients who needed my help. I took a paper and pen and began to record their numbers, categorizing which ones were more important and how old the messages were. I made it through most of them without thinking of Veronica. The last few, the most recent ones, were all whining about lost loves. In frustration, I yanked the answering machine from the socket and threw it against the wall. Aria gazed up at me and laughed.
“That’s a great way to conduct your business. Don’t you ever wonder why they want to know what the future will bring them? I mean, when people came to me as I sat in the temple, I often wondered why they bothered. We all have free will, but no, humans are too stupid to accept that. They all wanted me to solve their problems. Did you ever find that to be true when you did readings?”
I wondered if Aria retained her psychic powers after she had been turned. When I shifted my gaze, focusing on her aura, I noticed it wasn’t as bright as mine, as those of people who were psychic. Normally, those who did psychic work had brighter energy fields due to the fact they were conduits of energy from another realm of reality, another dimension. My aura had not changed much. It had grown brighter. I had thought about going back to doing psychic readings. It would be easier now that I was a vampire. Some form of higher consciousness gave me the ability to continue my life as well as help those who crossed my path, and it had let me keep my abilities.
“There were times, as a mortal, they got on my nerves, but I always helped them in s
ome way. It didn’t matter if the information was wrong. It was important that the clients walked out with a lighter heart. Many times this happened and I felt complete just in that knowledge. Humans might be my prey, but that doesn’t mean that I have to con them, or pry into their minds. All it means is that I have more responsibility. Didn’t you ever feel that way about the ones you helped? I mean, you must have had kings and queens coming to you for advice, considering you were supposed to be the direct connection to the Divine.”
“At first it was great and then it got boring. I’d go into a trance and things came out of my mouth, but I had no connection to the words. I liked the status. Do you know how many men and women begged for me, just to touch them, to spend the night? Of course, I was supposed to be a virgin, like any of the priestesses were. That’s a laugh. At night there were so many orgies. So many things happened to me that I didn’t know where one thing began and the other stopped. After a while I thought I was indestructible, a goddess. Now look at me. Perfect body, great skin, and all I can eat without gaining a pound.”
“Don’t you miss it though, the connection to the other side, to the cosmos?”
“We are the other side, honey.”
“Yes, but—”
“But nothing,” Aria glanced at the clock. “Come on. Veronica and Devon should be wrapped in dreams.”
I sighed, hating how she changed the subject, but it gave me the answer. She truly did miss the feeling of being plugged in. It wasn’t the all-powerful feeling she talked about, that was just an ego trip. No, the plugged in feeling was the ability to know things, to understand the universe on a basic level without having to think about it. At those moments, it didn’t matter how old you were, or what race, or where you were on the planet. You were part of everything, part of the universal consciousness that kept the world intact. You had an awareness of yourself that let you float along with the atoms of dust on the wind, be part of a cat basking in the sun, or just be the energy between two lovers as they kissed for the first time. It was an experience that really couldn’t be put into words, but it was what made the job worth it.