Seared by Desire

by Jennifer T. Alli

  She stepped away from him, smiling seductively before her hands dropped to the sash of her gown. Slowly, she unravelled the knot, letting the gown drift to the floor, exposing the vast amounts of bare skin revealed when she wore her sword making clothes.

  Lucian's eyes flashed red as his heart began to race and as when he heard other hearts beginning to beat as fast as his own, he hissed loudly. “Avert your gazes.” He didn’t even need to look to know that his instructions were being followed, the promise of death was clear in his words.

  Sara sauntered towards him, rubbing her body sensuously against him. “Lucian,” she purred, her skin burning in embarrassment. “I need that sword, are you sure you won’t give it to me?” Her hands rose, her fingers sinking into the thick strands of his dark hair to pull him down for a kiss.

  The instant her lips touched Lucian's her temperature spiked, pleasure beginning to course through her veins. Sara let herself be aggressive, taking the lead in the kiss. Lucian's pleasured groans washed over her, music to her ears as she stroked the seam of his lips, silently pleading for entrance. Helpless to resist, Lucian's lips parted letting Sara’s tongue mesh with his own. Her tongue roamed over every corner of his mouth before she lapped gently at one of his fangs. The tooth lengthened and sharpened in an instant, nicking Sara’s tongue as she retreated. The brief taste of her blood disorientated him, his mind becoming fevered with ideas on how to better drink from her.

  “Thank you Lucian,” Sara purred as she pulled the sword from his hip.

  “For what?” he groaned confused.

  “For letting me have my sword back.” She smiled as she replaced her sword with the one George had obtained for her.

  “Sara,” he growled as he came back to his senses.

  She pressed another kiss against his lips, running her lower lip against the sharp edge of his fangs. He groaned again, his hands reaching for her to hold her close but he only found empty space. She had escaped him with his sword in tow. Sara laughed, pulling her gown around her body again as she skipped happily down the halls.

  “Be safe Lucian,” she called as she disappeared from sight. “Come home to me quickly, I’ll miss you.”

  The sexy lilt of her voice teased him as it floated to his ears and on a resigned sigh Lucian palmed the hilt of his new sword, rolling his eyes at her actions though a smile appeared on his face. “What does she do to me?” he chuckled before turning his attention to the men at his back. “Enough dawdling, let’s go,” he ordered, striding out of the estate.

  ****

  It wasn’t just Lucian's physical abilities that had improved since he’d drunk Sara’s blood; his awareness of his surroundings had also undergone a radical change. He could sense the presence of his enemies from a great distance now, faint echoes of their thoughts acting as a beacon and leading him to their locations. His new ability made it simple to track and hunt the Malachites before forcing them into submission or summarily dispatching them. Therefore it was with confidence in his ability that Lucian led his army into the lower town. There was a derelict building that had attracted his attention the moment he’d risen. The thoughts he could hear were strange, the words spoken foreign and confusing but despite that he knew an enemy awaited him there. He could feel the malicious intent deep into his bones. The occasional familiar presence of a Malachite only served to reinforce his suspicions.

  As he and his army drew closer to the building, the dilapidated roof and crumbling mortar became increasingly clear, Lucian cursed himself for allowing Sara to take his sword. Even though he’d only had the weapon for a few days, he already missed the calm it brought him. With no other option but to go forward, Lucian dismounted his horse, unsheathed the replacement blade and strode forward. The men at his back rushed to follow his lead. The door was damaged and easily gave way to his booted foot allowing Lucian and his men to enter the building. The inside of the building was dark with only a few candles lit in the large space but Lucian's sharp eyes easily pierced through the darkness, his hackles rising and his lips drawing back in a snarl when he saw one of the occupants.

  “William,” he hissed.

  Though the main room was dim, Lucian could see as William turned to face him, his brows drawing together in a frown. “Lucian,” he commented.

  William's tone instantly had Lucian concerned, he sounded shocked at his appearance but there was none of the terror one would expect in the voice of a man who was drastically outnumbered by an army ready and willing to take his head. His hand tightened reflexively around his blade, his heart pounding in readiness.

  “I was expecting you.”

  “Really?” he growled angrily, stepping further inside so that more of his men could fill the space at his back.

  “It was inevitable. After all you’ve been hunting my people with a vengeance over the last few days. I’m going to guess in retribution for what happened at New Malden.”

  Lucian's fangs lengthened at the reminder, his mind becoming filled with images of Sara’s soot streaked face, the desperation in her normally clear blue eyes and the sadness in her voice that day. “New Malden showed me the error of my ways William. I don’t want to constantly be at war, I have better things to do with my time and seeing as you don’t want to discuss peace the only option that leaves me is to annihilate you and your people if necessary.”

  “And my brother?” he smirked.

  “He’s currently in my dungeons. I still haven’t decided what to do with him.” I know Sara wants me to release him but how can I forgive him so easily when his actions put her life at risk?

  “It’s his own fault really, he sees the best in people when sometimes there’s nothing there to see. Once I’ve killed you I suppose I’ll release him, though he’ll probably try to do something stupid like kill me when he finds out what happened to you. I’m too generous for my own good,” he mused.

  William's words made Lucian laugh, the sound filling the empty space that separated them. “When you kill me?” he chuckled incredulously. “William look around, you’re drastically out numbered. There are only…” He performed a quick head count, his eyes lingering in confusion on the misshapen outline of one of the room’s inhabitants before his attention returned to William. “There are only twelve people here on your side William, I have an army at my back. If anyone is going to die tonight it will be you.”

  “Ah but things are not always as they seem Lucian. You’ve forced my hand you see. Your attacks on my people got me thinking. We’ve been at war for decades but it was only after this last attack that you decided to go to such extreme lengths and it got me thinking. What changed? And then I remembered.” He stepped forward, the shadowy figure at his side moving through the shadows to remain in line with him. “The Quicksilver, your bride. You’re doing this for her.”

  Lucian remained silent, his eyes intent on the figure beside William, he couldn’t see its true form despite his improved eyesight and that unnerved him. Even if someone were to stick to the shadows as faithfully as William's guest was, he should still be able to see something of its body and his inability to do so was worrying Lucian. The thoughts he was managing to pick up from him were strange, the language the words were spoken in foreign, rough and grating on his ears. Whatever the creature was, there was no doubt in Lucian's mind that it wasn’t human. His mind was racing, trying to discover what William was plotting while his eyes strained to see more than the silhouette of the unknown creature. It was always best to know the enemy you were dealing with before battle.

  “Your bride was driving my people towards extinction but I realised I could use her. The Quicksilver isn’t famous only among vampires like you and me and those sheep called humans. Her blood is just as irresistible to other creatures as it is to you, there are some who want nothing more than to cover themselves in it and drink deeply from the well of power her blood possesses. It dawned upon me that if you were so intent on my destruction I needed allies and so I went and found some. We have a shared in
terest in killing you. I want you dead so I can finally have my throne and they want you dead so that your bride will be defenceless and they can take her. I won’t be the only one drinking from her when you’re dead Lucian.”

  “You’ll never drink from her William. No one will.”

  William and his ally stepped closer, coming further into the light and as they approached Lucian could hear the sound of excited breaths, the panting deep and eager.

  “Now that isn’t true Lucian, you’ve drunk from her. Her blood is in your veins.” William turned to look at the creature by his side, a smile forming on his face. “See, I told you,” he began, the words directed at his strange ally. “Can’t you smell how delicious that blood is? If we work together and kill him the source will belong to us.”

  “Seraphina,” William's ally said. The words, when spoken aloud, were even more painful to listen to. The creature stepped out of the shadows to stare directly at Lucian and he knew the instant he saw it in all is horrific glory that in his desperation William had made a deal with the devil.

  The demon’s skin was black, the uneven surface making it look like the thick tar that was sometimes dredged up from the bowels of the earth. The area around him was darker than that of the room itself as if his skin was absorbing the light, which explained why Lucian had had such trouble seeing him from within the shadows. In each of its four arms a wicked looking scimitar was held, the edges of the curved blades blurred by the darkness. The only colour on the demons body came from its eyes. Blood red, they reminded Lucian of the monster that lurked within him.

  Lucian could hear the increased heartbeats of the men at his back, blood rushing through their systems in fear. Though they were all hardened warriors, he doubted that any had ever been confronted with a demon. He turned slightly, giving them a look that was both reassuring and angry. There was only one demon, they would not be beaten.

  “William,” he tutted. “It’s never a wise idea to make deals with the devil. Demons aren’t well known for sticking to their words and besides, with only one demonic ally do you really think that you can win?”

  William's smile widened. “You only need one demon to begin with. They can always call more.” The demon began to hit his swords against each other, the loud sound of metal on metal filling the space.

  William's toothy grin began to worry Lucian, there was something going on and he wasn’t sure he wanted to wait around for the trap to be set. “Charge!!!” he bellowed leaping into action.

  The room, which seconds ago had seemed large and spacious suddenly became cramped as demons materialised at their master’s call. There was no time for Lucian or his men to be shocked by their sudden appearance or amazed by how they’d done it. The demons were armed and ready for battle. The loud and horrific sound of their voices echoed through the building as they shrieked a war cry before beginning their assault.

  It was with a sense of grim determination that Lucian lifted his blade and entered the fray. He was intent on having William's head and he was going to have it tonight. He’d fought demons before and their lack of intelligence made them easy prey for a skilled swordsman like him. William's plan had failed before it had even truly begun. There was no hesitation in his step as he sliced neatly through the flesh of all those that stood between him and William and with the odds stacked so heavily in his favour, the monster within him was quiet. The hollow sound of William's laughter only made Lucian angrier and his blade moved faster, felling foes at an incomprehensible speed.

  Minutes passed and his calm confidence turned to annoyed frustration. No matter how many demons he killed he was no closer to William and his new demonic ally. For every one he killed, two more pushed their way through the throng to fill the gap left by their dead brethren. There was an unnatural focus on him almost as if the demons were drawn towards him and he’d quickly become surrounded though a quick glance at the surroundings told him he was the only one it was happening to. His men were battling from the outside to reach him, felling foes with considerable skill considering they had never fought demons before and a feeling of pride welled within him. His pride quickly turned into frustration as another demon blocked his path.

  The momentary distraction cost him severely as a razor sharp set of claws raked down his back. He bellowed in pain, spinning around to hack the creature to pieces but the damage had already been done. Blood was pouring from his body and demons rushed forth on a loud cry fighting each other in a desperate attempt to reach him. He watched in morbid fascination as those closest to him began to cover themselves in his blood, wiping the red liquid over their faces, running bloody hands down their arms and licking their reddened fingers. He turned his attention back to the battle at hand, trying to ignore the strange actions of the demons but he felt himself sway on his feet and had to pause to right himself. The demons however were already moving, the supply of Lucian's blood having dwindled to nothing in their greed, they eagerly reached for him uncaring of the limbs they lost to the steel of his sword as they tried to cut him again, to make him spill more of his precious blood.

  Another set of claws sunk into his shoulder and as the claws remained embedded in his flesh Lucian felt the real reason for their unnatural focus on him. The demons could feel the fire in his blood, heat that he’d taken from Sara when he’d last drunk from her. They were draining the warmth from his body and stealing the strength of Sara’s blood, leaving him weakened and them frantic for more. Lucian switched the sword to his free hand, hacking through the offending limb before retching the clawed hand from his body. The demons went wild when he threw the hand into the throng, fighting over the traces of blood on the claws.

  His limbs felt heavy, the blade in his hand increasingly difficult to wield though he was still succeeding in felling demons that appeared before him but their numbers seemed never ending and fatigue was creeping up on him. He was beginning to feel cold as though he hadn’t fed in weeks; his movements were becoming sluggish giving the enemy the opportunity to cut him again and again. Spots began appearing before his eyes, his vision blurring as the heat of Sara’s blood poured from him into the demons, taking his strength with it. His dark eyes locked with William's, hatred and anger blazing from their depths. It couldn’t end this way. William's smile widened as Lucian gritted his teeth in grim determination. He wouldn’t let them have Sara. Gathering his dwindling strength, Lucian forced himself to push the pain to the back of his mind and attacked.

  ******

  As the journey home came to an end, Lucian forced his head up and looked at the rapidly approaching estate. His vision swam, the building fading in and out of sight as his body swayed weakly in the saddle of the horse.

  “Gareth,” he called. Although his voice, like the rest of his body, was weakened after his encounter with the demons, it still commanded respect and demanded obedience.

  Gareth lifted his head to look at his leader, the blood covering his dark clothes reminding him of what a truly dangerous man Lucian could be. He sat atop his horse, visibly weakened from the battle, his strength so drained that Gareth had to lead the horse by the reins as he was physically incapable of doing so himself. But Gareth was well aware that even so weakened Lucian was a force to be reckoned with. The demons had sapped his strength but he had still managed to hack his way through the bodies standing in his path and emerge victorious though William had once again eluded him. In the heat of battle Lucian was a horror to behold and Gareth couldn’t thank the heavens enough that Lucian's body had refused to carry him any further once he’d cleared the circle of demons. His eyes had glowed red and he’d hissed at his army when they had approached, trying feebly to attack them until he’d regained his senses. It was a sight Gareth wouldn’t soon forget.

  “Yes my Lord?”

  “Sara can’t know about this. You can’t let her see me. When we get back to the estate I want to be hidden from her. She can’t know the truth Gareth.”

  Gareth paled, visibly shocked by Lucian's request.
“But Lord Lucian, you’ve drunk from her…your condition won’t improve unless you drink her blood. You need to see her.”

  Lucian’s eyes flashed red. “She needs to see nothing,” he hissed. “I’ve taken too much blood from her already. She can’t afford to lose any more just yet.”

  “But Lord Lucian, if you don’t feed…” His voice trailed off unwilling to voice the concern uppermost in his mind. If Lucian didn’t feed in his weakened condition his body would shut down and if he didn’t receive sustenance he could die.

  “I’m well aware of the consequences Gareth but I won’t change my mind about this. It’s how it has to be. Sara comes first.”

  “And what about us? What about your people?”

  “They have you, they have Sara and…and they have Russell. Have him released from the dungeons.”

  “Are you serious my Lord?”

  “I wouldn’t joke about something like this. Despite what he did Russell is still loved by the people, they understand the motivations behind his actions were all for what he thought was the greatest good. You and Russell are my Commanders, the Generals will listen to what you have to say and the people will follow my bride’s command without question or they will know my wrath when I wake.”

  Gareth’s face paled even further. Lucian was serious and clearly intent on going down this path, which could only lead to trouble.

  “Gareth, don’t worry so much. Sara will be fully healed in a few days. Bring her to me then. I will drink from her and all will be well.”

  “If you drink from her in a few days you’ll be even more of a danger to her than if you drunk from her now and what about the risk to yourself? You’ve drunk from her now my Lord, if you do this you’ll have to put your body in a deep sleep and you may not wake if she doesn’t know what to do.”