by Martha Woods
Even though Tessa had been very hesitant to the idea of becoming a vampire before, she knew then that she would rather be an blood sucking vampire, than nothing more than six feet under. It was weird to not have a say in her own fate, but she supposed in a way, no one did. Things always happened for a reason. Kristian was relieved to hear her words, Tessa catching thoughts of appreciation and love for her. Had he really been worried this whole time that Tessa would hate him for turning her? Sometimes, Kristian could be quite the neurotic mess.
Another wave of pain rocked her like a boat by a tidal wave. She didn’t even realize she was screaming, as she writhed around on the bed. It was unbearable, Tessa was ready to crawl out of her own skin. “Why does it hurt so much?” she sobbed, her hands clutching the blankets.
“It’s the venom in my blood… It’s working its way through your system, binding itself to every cell in your body. Essentially killing off your human DNA. I’m not sure how it will do with you being part witch, but the important thing is that you’re alive… For lack of a better word,” Kristian explained.
Right… I wasn’t exactly alive anymore, was I? What did that even mean to not be alive, but still function and move around? Was I simply existing? That just sounded so… depressing and empty. Tessa was in too much agony to give it any more thought. She cried and screamed into the night. No matter how much she wanted to be quiet and just bear through it, she couldn’t. Kristian held her when he could, did anything he could think of to help soothe her, but nothing would bring her solace.
It went into the next day, apparently day six of her transformation. By around noon, the pain had been replaced by a cold, numb sensation. The frigidness was almost as bad as the pain. It was eighty degrees outside, she had multiple blankets wrapped around her but Tessa still couldn’t stop shivering. The coldness was coming from within, her temperature plummeting to the same icy temperature that Kristian and all the other vampires were. As she laid there, swaddled in all of the blankets with nothing better to do, Tessa watched the clock. At exactly 6:09 p.m., Tessa’s heart rate began to slow. She could feel every beat become more and more spaced out, and fainter with each beat. By 6:12 p.m., her heart took its last beat.
Then, it was like a silence consumed her. No longer was there a constant rhythm, or a rushing sound in her ears. The prickly cold sensation started to fade, as though she were thawing. As the coldness faded, Tessa began to feel… normal. No, better than normal. Fantastic.
Slowly, Tessa sat up in the bed, letting the layers of blankets fall around her. Blinking rapidly, she tried to adjust to her senses. Everything looked sharper, noticing details of the room she hadn’t been able to before. Like how the edge of the curtain moving ever so slightly because of the breeze from the air conditioning vent. From where she was sitting, Tessa noticed that a bench against the far wall of the room didn’t have a blue cushion, but rather blue with white pinstripes on it. It was how she imagined it was for people with poor eyesight, to put glasses on for the first time.
A hand appeared over hers. Tessa’s eyes traced up the arm to find Kristian watching her intently. She took noticed that he no longer was chilly to the touch. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
A moment of silence fell over them as Tessa analyzed exactly how she was feeling. Not an ounce of pain, no overwhelming cold sensation, no fatigue. She felt rested, perhaps even a little wired. She couldn’t pinpoint one thing wrong. “I feel better than ever,” she breathed. “Other than needing a shower,” she commented, knowing her hair and skin were oily from all of the sweating she had done.
Kristian’s lips were stretched into a brilliant smile, standing from the wooden chair next to the bed. “Before that, we need to get you fed.”
“Oh, right…” Tessa mumbled, unable to believe that she had forgotten about the most fundamental part of being a vampire. Drinking blood. “So… do I just drink a bag or something?” she asked.
He shook his head, “You’re a newborn, Tess. It’s going to take a lot to satisfy your hunger. Hopefully, the effects will wear off after a few weeks. In the meantime, though, you kind of have to give into those instincts to hunt.”
Tessa’s mouth gaped momentarily, her brows knitting together, “Y-you… you don’t mean hunting humans, do you? I can’t do that…” She still felt the ethical remains of her humanity.
Kristian shook his head, stepping to her and putting an arm around her. “No, not humans… animals. Drinking it from a bag really just won’t be as satisfying for you, hell, it isn’t even satisfying to me. It’s a totally different experience with cold and warm blood. Being a newborn, blood from the bag won’t satisfy your thirst. So for at least the first couple of days, you need to hunt live prey, and medium to large wildlife seems to be the only thing that comes close to the real thing.”
Tessa’s stomach was uneasy. She had always been a big animal lover. She wasn’t sure if she could personally take the life of an animal. “I don’t know, Kristian…”
A long, skinny finger hooked under her chin and turned Tessa’s face to Kristian’s. He stared deep into her eyes and Tessa was captivated. The moon caught his emerald hues just right, making the light reflect off every speck and sliver in his irises. His eyes truly looked like gems in that lighting. “This life is completely different from the one you lived before, as stupid as that may sound. Your senses are heightened, and your natural instincts are amplified. That’s why vampires tend to be violent, dramatic, and sexual. Your body won’t know much else but hunger, libido, and pure survival. It’s going to take some adjusting… But I’ll be here to help you through it all. You have to listen to me though.”
Tessa nodded slowly, letting his words sink in completely. He was right, she did need to listen to him. He had gone through it, as well as watching his sister and probably many others go through the same process. Taking orders had simply never been Tessa’s strong suit. She would have figured by now, with everything they had been through, she would have an easier time doing so. Tessa trusted Kristian, she had for a while. But was as though she had a mental barrier that wouldn’t let her trust him fully. She wanted to, and it was becoming clear that she was going to have to in order to get through being a vampire without turning into a monster.
“Good,” he breathed, his finger moving to stroke her cheek. Even though she was a vampire, being much stronger and durable than she ever had before, Kristian was acting like she was made of glass. Tessa wondered if he was more gentle because he had witnessed her go through such a hard and painful transformation, or if he were just using the same amount of strength he had when she was human. “Let’s head out,” Kristian said, taking Tessa’s hand in his and heading out the door.
Her eyes scanned up and down the walls of the hall as they walked through the house, taking note of every bit of damage done by those wretched witches. Thankfully, the place didn’t appear to be too beat up, but still some broken picture frames and holes in the walls. When they stepped outside, Kristian turned to her with the corner of his mouth pulling into a smirk. “Wanna try running?” he asked, knowing the answer before he even answered.
Tessa smiled brilliantly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Yes.”
Then, all it took was the same amount of effort as jogging, and they were moving in a blur. If Tessa’s heart could pound, it would be nearly out of her chest by then. It was exhilarating. With her enhanced vision, she could make out her surroundings just as she could at the speed of a run. Most shocking of all, it didn’t make her nauseous. Kristian peered over at her with a big grin on his face. She could hear his thoughts. He was overjoyed that she was finally a vampire and that Tessa was finally able to protect herself if needed. Even though she wasn’t quite sure when the time would come that she could would wrap her head around the fact she wasn’t exactly alive, Tessa was glad too. If vampires and witches were her life as of then, then it made the most sense for her to be a vampire. And, she wouldn’t have wanted to die.
They ran deep into the
forest without breaking a sweat. Did vampires even sweat? She couldn’t recall ever seeing Kristian sweaty. Tessa still had sweat on her from the transformation, but knew with one shower, she’d never have it on her again. Well, that was a cool perk of being a vampire. She picked up her speed, and Kristian easily kept up with her. When they made it to a hilltop, Kristian came to a dead stop, pulling Tessa to stop her as well. He slowly moved them behind a tree, poking his head out to see around it.
Kristian didn’t have to explain what was going on. The breeze carried a strangely savory and metallic smell to Tessa, a smell she could only assume was blood. Like never before, hunger pains seized her stomach. Her throat suddenly ran dry, but her mouth was watering. Suddenly, she felt like she would die if she didn’t sate her thirst and hunger. It made curiosity get the best of her, Tessa peeking her head out to see what Kristian was looking at. There was a large stag grazing in a small clearing just a few yards away. Did that deer really smell that good?
“All you have to do is run at it, you’ll move too fast for it to notice. Tackle it, and go for the jugular. Let your instincts guide you. You’ll be able to tell because of the sound of its pulse, and the smell will be more potent along the jugular vein. Your fangs should extend naturally. The blood will rush into your mouth, and you simply drink it down. It’ll be fast, and an animal of that size should satisfy your hunger for the night,” he whispered to her.
Tessa’s stomach flipped. Could she really go through with it? What had that deer ever done to her? She couldn’t just kill that creature because she needed blood… Maybe bag blood would be fine with her, Kristian didn’t know how her body would take the transition exactly. She was witch, after all, and he had never seen one turn into a vampire. She shook her head, frowning deeply. It wasn’t like Tessa wanted to upset him, but she really didn’t think she could do it. She didn’t even want to try to.
He sighed heavily, “I thought you said you would listen to me?”
“I just can’t,” she pressed.
“You can, you just don’t know it yet. Believe me, get close enough to that deer, and you won’t even have to think about it. You’ll just do it,” Kristian assured her, rubbing her back. “Besides, this state has a deer problem. It isn’t like you’ll do any harm to the species by killing this one.” Still, Tessa’s feet were rooted to the ground. She wanted so badly to listen and make him proud, but it was actually like she couldn’t move. Kristian stared at her for a moment before sighing. “I’ll show you,” he told her.
With her heightened vision, she could see his every movement as he ran full speed at the stag. The beast was effortlessly tackled to the ground, then Kristian grabbed hold of one of its antlers to keep its head pinned it down. The deer tried to flail around, but it was a fruitless effort in Kristian’s hold. Within a moment of getting it to the ground, Kristian latched onto its neck and began to drain it. The savory, metallic smell grew thicker in the air as the blood rushed into his mouth. Tessa’s stomach begged for relief, tightening and cramping to the point where she was nearly doubled over in pain. There was a twinge in her gums, her fangs starting to protrude. Still, her eyes couldn’t tear away from Kristian.
In just a minute or two, the entire deer was drained, laying lifeless on the forest floor with hits pitch black eyes staring into the abyss. That was the moment Tessa wasn’t ready for, to see an animal dead just to satisfy her hunger for what, a few hours? A day maybe? Could she really consider that with how badly her stomach was cramping? Tessa knew she was going to have to suck it up and do it. This was her life now.
Kristian stood from the deer, wiping away a small trickle of blood that was threatening to cascade to his chin. He sauntered over to her, hooking an arm around her waist, “Your turn,” he instructed.
Tessa gave a terse nod, already nibbling her lip from anxiety. Kristian delicately took her hand in his and started to run. They darted between the trees until the same scent hit their noses. Coming to a dead stop, Kristian looked down a small hill to another deer grazing at the bottom. Tessa took slow and steady breaths, even though she didn’t even have to breathe. His hands clasped her shoulders and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“I know this bothers you, but it’s just the circle of life. Somewhere in history, vampires were brought to fruition just like everything else. We aren’t aliens or some sort of devil beast. We’re just like them—animals. We just happen to have a different diet. Small mammals and carnivorous birds will come along and eat it, giving them nutrients as well as the ground it lays on. You aren’t a monster, Tess. You’re only one if you start wracking up human corpses. And this is necessary so that you don’t.”
Tessa didn’t think for another moment, knowing if she did, she would back out. She ran down the hill as fast as she could, getting to the female deer in mere seconds. Just like Kristian had said, it was like her body took control of itself and she was riding copilot. Without thinking, Tessa tackled the deer to the ground and pinned its head to the ground with just one hand and the other pinning down its back leg to keep it from writhing about. The delicious smell was overpowering every sense Tessa had. Her mouth quickly found the neck, her fangs extending and puncturing through the fur and skin. Warm liquid rushed into her mouth. It was saltier and gamier than Tessa anticipated, but it was still fantastic. Her fangs had cut right through the thick vein, letting the blood flow freely into her mouth. Sucking lightly made it come faster, finally satisfying the pain in her stomach.
Then, just as soon as it happened, it was over. When no more blood flowed from the creature, Tessa stood up and reached for her face to wipe any excess blood away. Before she could, a hand caught hers and turned her around. Kristian kissed her deeply, his fingers cradling the back of her head to keep her close. When he finally began to pull back from her lips, his tongue flicked to her chin and gradually licked up to her lip, removing the blood from her face. Tessa’s breath caught in her throat and a shiver trailed up her back. Her eyes were hooded and burning with sudden, all-encompassing desire.
Kristan smirked and brushed his thumb along her bottom lip. “Let’s get you back to the house and cleaned up,” he purred.
The intensity of the lust made her want to tackle him right there and have her way with him. She had never in her life had such strong and potent emotions. Kristian really hadn’t been lying. Tessa had to remind herself that she hadn’t showered in days and it was a wonder he was touching her at all. Forcing herself to calm down, Tessa took his hand in hers and let him lead the way back to the house. Running as fast as they could, they were at the farmhouse in minutes. Within a few more seconds, they were upstairs. Kristian pushed open the bathroom door and strolled inside. Walking over to the tub, he turned on the hot water and turned back to her.
Sauntering over to her, he grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Tessa kicked off her shoes and shimmied out of the sweatpants she was wearing. Before the cloth could even hit the ground, Kristian was reaching around her and unhooking her bra. Once her panties were off, she turned to the sink and grabbed a package of toothbrushes. Grabbing one out, she scrubbed her mouth clean and then rinsed it out.
As soon as her toothbrush hit the counter, Kristian’s hands were on her hips and pulling her away from the counter. Turning to face him, he was already naked. Tessa tried to hide her smile, but it was impossible. Very gently, he took her hand and helped her into the shower. He let her step into the water first, and relief was almost instant as she stepped into the stream. She noticed that she could tell that it was warm, but… it wouldn’t warm her. It was like touching a hot coil without getting burned, only she knew far too well that vampires could burn. She pushed the imagery of Kristian being hurt at the beach house from her mind, leaning into him.
The water pelted her back and soaked her hair as she leaned into Kristian. Her body completely relaxed as he started to massage shampoo into her hair, the scent of coconut and hibiscus flowers infused with the steam. He then carefully dipped
her head back to rinse the suds from her hair. The corners of her lips lifted from amusement as she watched his face remained etched in a look of concentration as he made sure to get every last bit of soap that clung to her locks. It was simple acts like that that showed just how much Kristian cared for her. Things had moved so quickly with them, that Tessa never really thought about whether or not what was going on between them was just a compilation of loneliness, necessity, and attraction. If she was honest with herself, she could admit that it was a real possibility. Tessa had been learning so much about herself and her past, all while in the midst of immense danger. Kristian was a notorious playboy who was also a dark knight, wanting to protect those in danger, even if it means looking like a bad guy. No matter how it had started, though, it had turned into something very, very real.
When she felt a wash cloth on her back, Tessa glanced up at him. “I can wash myself,” she noted.
Kristian cocked a brow at her, “And?”
To that, she had no counter. Tessa stayed silent and watched Kristian as he washed her very slowly. Her back, then her shoulders before moving down to her chest and then stomach, hooking around to wash her bottom. Kristian carefully kneeled down to reach her legs and feet. As he worked up the front of her legs, he stood back up. He washed between her legs thoroughly and slowly, bringing Tessa back against his body. Her coffee brown eyes searched his emerald hues as he put aside the washcloth. His lips pressed against hers tenderly, his hands freely exploring her body to help her wash away the soap. Lust returned to her full force as his hand slipped back between her legs, her body screaming for his just from his light touches and kisses. Tessa slid her tongue past his lips, grazing his in long but fast strokes, her arms wrapping around his neck.
He moved her to the side, pressing her back against the cold wall of the shower. Kristian pushed two fingers inside of her, pumping his hand at a slow and steady rhythm. He pulled away from her lips and started kissing down her neck. Her hips were already wiggling from the slowness of his movements, pushing themselves into his touch. A breathy chuckle breezed across the tender skin of her neck, another shiver running down her back. He picked up her right knee and brought it to his hip. After adjusting Tessa a little to get a better angle, he pushed himself inside of her. Tessa moaned loudly. A hand then appeared over her mouth and a chuckle sounded in her ear. “Nolan and a couple others are still in the house, little vixen,” he informed her quietly, nipping her earlobe.