Chapter 2
“You saw him? What does he look like? Is he okay?”
Refilling her glass of water, I’d managed to get her to eat a somewhat proper meal. She’d been surviving on snack staples and spirits.
“His appearance hasn’t changed.
“What did he say?”
“That he could probably give me mortality.”
He’s preying on my hunger, my weakness for her.
“His blood can change strigs back to humans, maybe he could... but why, I love you this way.”
“He wants you to himself, he doesn’t want to share you anymore, and he really doesn’t have to.”
He has the best of both worlds, our strengths, encased in a human form. Both of her desires, in one package...
“No, I love you both.”
“I’ve lived a long life, and one day, I’ll die. Never to truly touch you, the way that I yearn to touch you.”
“You want to be like us, weak, deteriorating aging bodies, disease prone...”
“I’ll get to fully experience my other side.”
“The human experience, that’s what you crave?”
“It has it’s perks, that you had a hard time letting go of, that’s why we’re in this predicament now.”
“Oh yeah, right... blame me.”
Our search has ceased, as we’re waiting for him to reach out again. Cori’s not to happy with my decision, but she has no choice but to accept it, it’s my life.
She’s shut herself up inside an adjoining room, and refuses to see me. She’s been sleeping most of the time, and doesn’t understand my need to be normal, to live a life as one of them, with her.
I love her, she has to know that by now, and leaving to go meet with him, I leave a note under her door.
“Quinlan...”
It’s Alex, the resistance fighter, she’s been changed. I’ve been invited to a lavishly furnished home, just outside of town.
Built and decorated to Cori’s liking, the old mixed with the modern. “You’re not going to win her favor, when she finds out who, you’ve been keeping company with.”
“Nothing lewd has transpired between us.” He states, coming out of the darkened corner.
“Your protege?” I ask, looking her over.
She was beautiful before, but the vampiric blood animating her body, has rejuvenated every cell, making her shine... stunning.
“Yes, she volunteered.”
“And I love it...” She says, with a smile.
She’s before me in an instant, her hands lightly fingering my body. An enticing small smile, on her blood red lips... “The gift of immortality enboldens ones true nature.”
“Restraint is necessary, our emotions, what we feel, hear, sense, everything has been amplified.” Explains, the soldier.
Removing her hands from my body, I approach him. “I’ve accepted your offer, what now?”
His smile, smug and self-congratulatory makes me question my decision. “Now you drink...” He says, cutting his wrist. The blood flows, filling the glass quickly, and handing it to me, I hesitate for just a second.
It’s the beginning of the end, and raising the glass to him, I take every last drop in.
The barbarian’s coming out to meet me in battle, It’s nine against one. The rest wait at the ready, as the first two attack. Swords raised, I dispatch them, a blow to the back of the head, and a sliced throat, fells them.
The screams from the crowd, rises and so does my agitation. My ears are ringing from the noise, and wanting to be done with it, I finish them off quickly.
Three more attack in unison, keeping two at bay, the third’s sword punctures my shoulder. The pain drives my anger, and two receive a stab to the throat, with the third succumbing to my sword piercing his heart.
Falling to his knees, a kick sends him sprawling flat. Eyeing each other, two more step forward, and one attempts to escape.
His brother fells him, the tip of his sword protruding from his back. His body dropping to the ground, his gaze remains fixated on me.
The last two attack, and using their own weapons against each other, their swords meet each other’s abdomen’s.
They die together, locked in an embrace. The last, he’s not afraid, he welcomes his end. His taunting smile, as he raises his sword, awakens my empathy.
He lost his wife and child, in a raid on their village. He wants to be with them... with a yell, I give him a quick death.
