Chapter 1
If I was born without human emotions, as I was without a reproductive organ, I wouldn’t be trailing her across the country, to find her lover.
Bitten, and most definitely changed into something, similar to a human, but not quite human. Witnesses report a man attacking them, biting them and then fleeing.
Allowing his victims to live, we’ve been able to track but never find him. She’s ever hopeful, that he’s like the vampires from her favorite novel. “Lestat, and Louis”.... and from the description, he can blend well with the humans, and so I’m ever resentful, that he still has somewhat of an advantage over my hold on her.
She holds a special place in my heart, and following her scent into a room in a deserted building, she’s staring at the wall.
“I told you to stay close.”
Coming closer, I see what she sees, inscribed in red. - “I love you, stay away. R”
“We don’t know that it’s him.”
“I know, that it is him.”
Unbeknownst to her, he’s left the same message on the walls of multiple locations that we’ve searched. I’m tired, our search of him is ineffectual, and his new transformation is no business of mines.
“We’ve been running all over the place, and for what, he doesn’t want to be found.”
“You can stop at anytime, I appreciate everything you’ve done so far.”
I can’t, she’s gotten under my skin, I’d follow her wherever she went.
Now I understand Cassia’s obsession, a wealthy patrician in ancient Rome, who paid a fortune so that I would be kept exclusively for her entertainment. Much like Cori, she took pleasure from my drinking of her.
“We’ll rest for a few days, and then get back to our search of him.”
“If we do that we’ll lose his trail.”
“We’ll be an additional two days behind, instead of one.”
The exhaustion showing in her eyes, worry tainting her features, the stress of our search is taking its toll on her.
“Just a day then...” I say, compromising. She needs more than that, but that’s all that I’ll be able to get from her.
“Just a day.” She says, dejectedly.
Talking her into taking a sleep aid, I’ve left her. He’s reached out, and meeting him in a darkened alley, he looks the same.
“You seem satisfied.” I state, noting his self assured stance, and pleased expression.
“Almost.”
“Have you decided to end her suffering?”
“Yes, and yours.”
“I’m listening.”
“I can reverse the effects of the strig infection, maybe I can give you mortality.”
“Your offers unappealing.”
“You want her in ways that you can’t have her. You love her, are you prepared to watch her grow old, wither and die?”
“Are you?”
“No, but I will if that means that you won’t have her either.”
Give up my immortality, and when I die, she’ll live on with him.
“In the end, you win.”
“Don’t I win regardless?” He replies.
Depends on how you look at it. I wouldn’t mind him being out of the picture either, but I compromised for her. I accepted him for her, immortallity has made him cynical with low scruples.
“We live long lives, but we’re not immortal, we can die also.” I state drawing my sword.
“I’m not here to fight you, I’m here to offer you a peace treaty. I’ll find you, in three days time, have an answer then.”
And in a blink, he’s gone...
