by Dahlia Rose
"What does a sunrise look like?” she asked softly.
"It starts slowly like we saw in the woods, the first colors around the edges of the clouds. If you're on the beach it looks like a cloud and the ocean are being painted by some unseen artist and blending in oranges and yellows."
"What else?” Sola listened intently with her eyes closed, trying to picture his words in her mind.
"The sun seems to not be able to wait to rise in the sky, because you see the first curve peek out, then this spectacular burst of light comes across the water. The sky turns this magnificent shade of blue and the smell of the dew and the salt of the ocean combines. It's right at that time you feel as if you're part of something bigger, before the noise of the day takes over."
"Sounds wonderful.” To Sola it did. There were only a few times in her existence as a vampire she longed to be human. This was one of them. She would have gladly traded immortality to watch a sunrise with Gideon.
"Well, I guess in a few hundred years, I'll forget what one looks like.” He kissed her temple and ran his fingers though her hair. “But I'll have moonrises with you."
Sola leaned over and looked into his eyes. “No, you won't. You'll never forget that. I won't let you forget it."
Gideon stood with her still wrapped around him and walked through the door that led to the bedroom. There, with the darkness cocooning them and the sunlight outside unable to gain entry, they made love once again before they fell into the deep sleep only vampires share.
* * * *
In the caves in the woods they slept, curled together and in the farthest corners to keep warm and escape the sunlight threatening at the opening of the rocks. The cave was deep, but still a few stray beams of light came through the trees. The leader stared at the sunlight longingly while the others slept. He wished he could walk out, but the voice in his head controlled him and he couldn't move. He let his fangs descend from his gums and held his hands up to bite through the flesh and tear the veins apart. He would prefer to bleed to death than live this existence. A wrenching pain went through his head. He held on to it, pleading for relief in his mind and apologizing for his wayward thoughts. He banged his head against the rock wall of the cave when the pain did not cease immediately. Pleading for mercy until the pain slowly dulled, he curled up away from the others and turned from the mouth of the cave. He was lost to the light now and until he did as his new master willed him, he would not be able to find peace. All he wanted was death, and it was not even his to take anymore.
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Chapter Eight
Gideon got up and left Sola sleeping in the bed. The clock read a little after six in the evening and it was already dark. Nights came early in Alaska during the fall; it was October and the sky was already pitch black. When he turned on the TV, he saw on the news the sun was just beginning to set. It would be a few more hours before they could venture outside.
He sat on the sofa, and his mind flashed to earlier that morning, the aftermath of their lovemaking. He smiled as he thought about how wistful her eyes got when he talked about a sunrise. He had spent his whole life walking in the sunlight. He could remember rolling in the grass and climbing trees all the way to the top just to feel the sun on his face. She had spent every day of her life in darkness. Her only light was the moon, with the nightingale's soulful calls in her ears. He wished with all his power he could give her one day of sunlight out of the thousands in his lifetime. Gideon would never see another sunrise. To him, it didn't seem as bad as never seeing one at all in three hundred years.
His duffel bag was on the couch next to him. He reached inside the pocket to pull out the parchment that now held the clue burnt into the paper. Gideon passed his hand over the words, and they glowed once again as if telling him he held the key to its secret. With all the caves littered across the mountainside, where would they start to look for the amulet?
He studied the parchment and noticed something new. He raised it closer to his face to take a look and saw tiny ridges and patterns. The message wasn't written on parchment at all. He should have noticed it sooner. After three hundred years, paper would be delicate and fragile to the touch. It would have to be handled carefully. But this was supple, and it didn't even make the slight sound that paper made when it was unrolled. It's human skin! Gideon thought. He traced his fingers over the surface, knowing someone, probably a vampire, had been skinned and a message written into his flesh. God, his life had taken a very weird turn.
His slightly amused thought was broken when he heard Sola roll out of bed. He walked over to the kitchen and took two of the packets of blood from the fridge and was in the process of heating them up in the microwave when she came down the stairs.
"You're up early.” Sola took a glass from him and walked over to a chair to sit.
Gideon followed her and sat down where he had been before. “I was watching the news. Guess what I discovered."
"What? Something about the amulet?"
"Nope. The parchment isn't paper at all; it's skin."
"Oh, that's all? I knew that. Why did you get me all worked up over nothing?"
"It doesn't bother you that someone was skinned and used as paper?"
"Why should it? It happened before I was even born, so how can I feel something about someone I never knew?"
"That's a little cold-blooded."
Sola propped her booted foot against the coffee table. “No, that's reality, Gideon. Now if it were my sisters or you, I would feel something."
Gideon grinned. “Thanks for caring. I'm glad that you wouldn't like to see me skinned."
"You're welcome."
"Get over here and give me a kiss, woman."
Sola raised her eyebrow and drained the last of her breakfast. She walked over and sat in his lap. She let her lips glide softly over his, teasing him before she deepened the kiss. Gideon's cock hardened and pressed against the curve of her bottom.
"Enough of that. We have to start our search for the amulet.” Gideon knew if he didn't stop, he'd have her lying back against the coffee table. Her legs would be around his waist or on his shoulders and his cock would be buried deep in her wet pussy.
"Oh, you start it, but now you can't back it up."
"Sola, I can back it up. You know I can. Later, I'll show you again, if you want me to."
"Promises, promises.” She got off his lap. He swatted her on the rear as she moved away. “Do you know where we should start to look first?"
"No clue, but I have the maps of the area we brought along."
"We'll have another glass of red while we look at them."
Gideon laughed aloud. “Make mine a little warmer than I did last time. I've gotten used to the taste of blood."
While Sola got the rest of their meal, Gideon pulled out the tube that held the maps and spread them across the table. They would have to find a point to start their search and hope they got lucky fast. The fate of the world and humankind depended on their success.
* * * *
An hour later, Sola and Gideon stepped out into the cool night air. With a map in Gideon's backpack, they started their search for the amulet. They'd only taken a few steps before Sola lifted her head slightly to the wind and closed her eyes.
"We have company."
"What do you mean? How can you tell?"
"I can smell their scent, sense them.” She looked at Gideon. “You can too, but you're still new to being a vampire. Close your eyes and open your senses. You'll see what I mean."
Gideon closed his eyes and lifted his nose to the wind, imitating Sola's actions. She could tell when the scent of their foes filled his nostrils. He crinkled his nose as the scent of something like sulfur and wet earth hit him.
He opened his eyes. “They stink to high heaven. Do you know who they are?"
"Some of Carthos’ vampire followers.” Sola laughed bitterly. “Trust me, I know that smell well. I can remember it from the first time his people ever hunted us. I'd
say there are about twenty of them plus someone new. His scent is still clean along with the filth of the other vampires with him. Come on, let's go."
"Shouldn't we find them and take care of it?"
"They'll find us when the time is right. It makes no sense hunting them when we could be searching for the amulet. That's what they want. They'll hide and watch until they think we've found it."
"All the more reason to—"
Sola whirled to face him. “I said no, Gideon! This is not the time!"
Gideon's eyes searched her face. “Okay.” He began to walk in front of her.
They carried on in silence until they came to a path that led to the river. The sound of water running across mossy rocks filled their ears. Snow still covered the banks and crunched under their boots. They had marked a route on the map to the group of caves closest to the river. There were at least six caves in a cluster near the base of the mountain. As they passed the flowing river, images flashed through Sola's thoughts like snapshots. Each was a different scene from the vision she had of Gideon dying on these very banks. She could sense deep within that this was where her vision took place.
"The path from the river is ending. We're going to have to climb a little,” Gideon said, drawing Sola from her dire thoughts.
"Okay, I hope we don't have to search every one of the caves on this damn mountain,” Sola grumbled. “There are at least twenty-five on the map. God knows how many more there are that aren't marked."
"Somehow I think we won't have to search each one."
"Is this some sort of new instinct you developed that I don't know about?"
"Tease all you want, lady, but since I touched that skin scroll and the words appeared, I feel as if I can just sense where I'm supposed to go.” Gideon chuckled. “Weird, huh? Me, Gideon Godspeed, hard-ass cop, having an existential moment."
"I was part of the alive undead before the birth of your parents and their parents before them. And I made you into what I am. I think you deserve an existential moment.” Sola slipped her hand in his. They ascended the rocky path that led into the mountain to begin the search of the first caves.
* * * *
Just before sunrise, they returned to the house. They'd searched two sets of caves and come up empty-handed. Each cave they searched only held moss, mold, and small animals that used the caves for a home. Cave after cave held disappointment, and Sola's optimism dropped. How would they be able to find an amulet without more to go on? They didn't even know if they were searching in the right place. Sola flopped down into the first chair she saw, tired and aggravated with the process.
"This is useless."
"We knew it was a good possibility that we would not find it on the very first time out,” Gideon reminded her as he set the backpack down on the floor. “Let me warm you up a meal, and we can contemplate our next move."
"I'm already sick of drinking blood heated up in the goddamn microwave."
"Okay, you're being a little bit snippy here. It's not my fault we didn't find anything."
Sola bared her teeth. “I'm a predator, Gideon. I hunt. I feed and drink my fill. Having to live in this place for weeks does not appeal to me."
"Well, what's more important, hunting or finding the fucking amulet? You brought me into your world, but I will not be your whipping boy when your mood changes."
Sola couldn't control her anger. The events she had been repressing came to the surface of her consciousness: almost being run through by a crazed vampire killer, visions of Gideon dying, and all the worry about what would happen if Carthos got his hands on the amulet. The foremost thought was Gideon dying. It plagued her dreams when she was asleep and her thoughts when she was awake. She couldn't lose her mate, the one who held her heart. She loved him, but all she could feel was the rage. When she moved from where she stood, she was on him in seconds with her teeth bared and a snarl on her lips. Gideon was ready for her, catching her around the waist and capturing her hands in his.
"You'd better calm down, Sola. This is unnecessary. You don't want to start something you can't finish.” His fangs were bared as well. Sola could see the anger flare within him, darkening his face. It excited her, thrilled her to see him change before her eyes from the calm cop to a predator like her. Usually, he was the voice of reason, but not tonight. Tonight she wanted to see the demon in him. She struggled in his strong grip. He was bigger than her, stronger, and that excited her even more. No one had ever been able to match her in strength, until now.
Sola bared her neck to him. “Bite me! Tell me that it doesn't excite you and make your cock hard!"
"Sola, don't..."
"Are you afraid of what you'll feel? All kills are not easy and tempting. Sometimes it's rough and violent. They scream and beg for mercy, and we rip their throats out and feast on their blood.” Sola kept taunting him. “You think being a vampire is like the movies? You're afraid of what you've become, aren't you?"
"You think so, do you?” Gideon's voice was low and Sola felt another tremor of excitement run through her.
He held both of her hands in one of his and ran the other down her body to cup her pussy though the material of her slacks. Sola gasped in pleasure. He unbuttoned her pants and pushed them down her legs. The tiny string of her panties snapped under his grip while he turned her around. By the time the smooth curve of her ass pressed against him, he had freed his cock and let it slip inside her.
He pounded into her, hard. “Is this want you want, Sola? The beast unleashed?” He pulled her against him with every thrust, making her cry out in pleasure. “Answer me, damn it! Is this what you want?"
"Yes! Yes! It's what I want!” she cried out.
He stoked the fire inside her. He let go of her hands and reached up to cup her breasts. His other hand reached around and he fingered her clit. The sensation of his cock and his fingers against the sensitive nub sent her into her orgasm. Her body shook, but Gideon wasn't finished with her. Sola knew she had pushed him too far. He pulled her back against him once more. His teeth sank into her neck.
"Oh God, Gideon!” Sola bucked against him as he began to drink. Too much and she would be too weak.
Gideon reached the point of pure pleasure and spilled himself inside her. His orgasm made her explode around him once again. His breathing was harsh against her cheek. Sola felt him lift her up to take her to the bedroom. She didn't even want to open her eyes when he laid her gently on the bed. He removed the rest of her clothes and then his before climbing in beside her and pulling the warm blankets around them.
With his arms around her, she whispered the words that she'd never dared say in the centuries she'd lived. “I love you."
When he whispered them back to her and pressed kisses against her temple, Sola caressed his face. Dread filled her heart as she fell into slumber and the sun brightened the world outside. She had found a mate, one who held her heart. Was she going to lose him now because of a fate none of them could control?
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Chapter Nine
Luna walked the long hallways of their family home alone, contemplating the many changes that would be brought about by their upcoming birthday. Three hundred years of living as the undead. Sometimes she felt so tired of being hunted. Was there a soul out there for her, someone to help her in this quest? Her sister had found hers easily, and a vision had given her a clue that had directed her on her path to her companion. Luna's lifestyle was so completely different to that of her sisters. Would it be as simple as a vision?
"You'll find your companion just as easily, Luna.” Willa's quiet voice came to Luna as she walked past the family room. The fireplace was lit, and as the flames ate at the wood, it crackled and popped.
Luna entered the room and sat opposite her sister, who was staring into the fire. “I hate this newfound gift of yours."
"I could hear your thoughts from upstairs when you were tossing and turning, and it's not hard to read when you're so open with them."
&n
bsp; "Yeah, sure, easy for you to say. You have this mind thing working in your favor. Sola saw a vision, and so far, zip for me. How do I know who she'll be?"
"I think that when our time comes, it will be a piece of cake. Just because you like women doesn't make it any different."
"Tell that to the people in that Moravian village who wanted to burn me because I was in bed with one of their village girls."
Willa studied her sister, whose face had turned into a cold mask. “Let go of the past, Luna. That was then; this is now. In these times, no one cares who shares a bed with whom. When you find your companion, it will be because of love."
Luna turned her head sharply to look into the fire. “Who said it will be love? It'll be something mutually beneficial to both of us. Look at Sola and Gideon. When they left, they weren't even speaking."
"You make it sound like a contract. And there was more going on there than animosity between those two."
"In a way it is, isn't it? She'll get immortal life in return for helping find my piece of the amulet."
"Hmm.” Willa's noncommittal reply was all Luna got in return.
"How do you think they're doing, Willa?"
Willa closed her eyes and leaned her head back in her chair. “I think they're going to be fine and will come home with the first piece."