Ennui plagues the crestfallen devil,
who decides to find liberation
in seducing the angel.
b l o o d w i n e
the taste of forbidden purity is much sweeter
Chapter 1 – Special Invitation
Long, lean yet masculine
fingers reached out in front of him, grasping for the silver-embedded goblet.
He brought it to his mouth and took a quick swig before pulling it away;
licking whatever was left of the crimson-coloured
fluid that stained his pale lips. He released a satisfied breath and leaned back
on his velvet-covered chair, eyeing the vintage portraits swathing the walls.
A long chime rang through the
dim-lit dining room and he gazed at the entrance door with anticipation as he
crossed his legs.
A dancing gypsy leaped inside
with grace, twirling a sheer blue sash around her with a certain expertise that
could only be mastered after few years of practice. Eyes of prussian green met jaded scarlet and she continued
her dancing with such vigour, hoping to bring those
striking eyes to life. Her gold anklets clanked together, generating a soft
bell jingle. With ease, she twirled around him, wrapping the sash around his
neck and pulling it back with a sensual intimation.
He grunted and looked
elsewhere.
But his desire for life kept
him glued to the dancing girl. He bared his fangs subtly as his eyes roamed her
body – from her neck, her firm breasts, and the long slender legs that flexed
as far as she wanted. A growl erupted in his throat and with a silent,
hand-gesturing command the entrance doors slammed close.
A vice-like grin shaped his
lips as a ghastly form of a beast took place of his sophisticated humanly
figure. And with ease and enduring swiftness, he pounced on the girl with
hunger in his eyes and wet lips.
No one in town heard the
ear-shattering screams that reverberated around the spacious mansion.
He wandered around the
Enveloped by the shadows, no
one bothered to take a glance in his direction as they walked past him.
He scoffed at their slow
ignorance.
In spite of this, his eyes
caught on to a young woman who had hazily stared at him in uncertainty, perhaps
wondering if any one was even standing there. Beauty eyes of brown, traced upon
with burgundy whirled with his hypnotic scarlets.
Then, suddenly, she breathed
softly before turning elsewhere, now almost sure that what she saw was a
deceiving image.
He smirked at the oblique
innocence.
Not quite.
Blinking at the sun, he
stepped out and revealed himself though causing not a ruckus. With the
gracefulness of a cat, he found himself quickly behind the dawning of the
present seraph before him, thoroughly interested in nothing more but the flowers
that were being sold and presented in wooden barrels. His shadow loomed over
her and facing the one who was causing such minor darkness was inevitable.
She squinted and stepped back.
"Hello."
An awkward smile graced her
full, rosy lips as she looked on with an inquisitive stare, that of a child’s.
An image floored his mind as
his daunting gaze searched her own. He traced her jaw
with his eyes and her lips. In his mind, he could see his fingers entwining
with her own, the other hand reaching for her face and gently caressing the
lips that were curved upwards. His own leaned down to press against hers as he
inhaled her sweet feminine scent that wisped off her body. He studied her
features, the curve of her neck to the voluptuous body that was her own. Oh,
how he wanted to reach for her hair and entangle his pale hands with her
cinnamon locks.
And no matter how much he
desired to look at her as a whole, his eyes always drifted to her neck,
ostensibly inviting him to draw her only breath of life.
"Sir, are you all
right?" She questioned, searching his face for any sign of reality.
He shook his head lightly, her
music-like voice stirring him awake from his reverie.
"Yes."
She let out a small, nervous
chortle before she moved around him.
Before he could let the girl
slip away, he grabbed hold of her wrist to keep her where she stood. He
released her and cleared his throat.
"I would like to invite
you to the welcoming ceremony at the
"I … I don’t think I
could."
"Please. He would greatly
appreciate your presence."
Moments passed as she thought
the invitation over. Considering her hiatus from accepting social invites, she
couldn’t say she was into the idea. Looking into his scarlet eyes, she thought
for a brief moment that a golden hue replaced it. She blinked and found herself
nodding without her usual reluctance to dinner invites.
"I’ll be there."
"Lovely."
She stared at her reflection
in the mirror and leaned against the wall behind her, hands clasped behind her
back. Why had she accepted his invitation? She couldn’t remember. It was odd.
But because she had accepted,
there was no time to turn her back. If a promise were made with words of her
own, she would never deny those promises. Unlike one man she trusted, she
engraved verbal promises in stone.
Without further hesitation in
her getting prepared for the evening, she dressed herself in a spaghetti-strap
red dress made of fine satin material. She lifted her hair into an elegant
fashion and pinned it there.
She was ready.
Chapter 2 – Dinner Prowl
With reluctance, she lifted
her hand and knocked softly on the door, hoping that it was quiet enough so the
inhabitants of the house wouldn’t hear it. She wanted so much to go home. When
no one answered, she let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps she had the chance of
going home.
However, before she could turn
her heel, the wide doors open. She cursed her good – almost good – luck and
tried to catch a glimpse of the man, or butler, who had opened the door. Not
gaining anything from it, she stepped inside carefully and swallowed down the
lump in her throat. Suddenly, the doors closed with a loud slam and she
squealed. She waited for her heartbeats to slow down before she continued down
the lightly dimmed foyer and hallway.
A strong light glowed from the
farthest room with the massive Victorian-plated doors, and she assumed it was
the dining room. To her remarkable surprise, it was.
There a shadowy figure sat on
the farthest end of the table. She didn’t miss the smirk and the twinkle in his
smoldering eyes. Even from afar, parts of his facial features were obvious
through parts of the darkness. It was her end of the table that was strongly
lit.
Nervously, she clasped her
hands together. It was a habit she had picked up and she wasn’t sure where, but
it was enough to ease her from her anxiety.
"Excuse me?"
The figure remained silent.
"Is … Is this the dinner
ceremony? There are no guests and I thought-
Her sentence was interrupted
as she watched the figure stand up.
"The guests will arrive
…"
"Oh."
"Eventually." He finished.
He approached her and she
could see a man through darkness, complete with broad shoulders and an able
physique. But even so, it was unusual to an extent that he was moving towards
her painfully slow.
"Is Lord Valentine
around?" She asked carefully.
"You’d be
surprised."
He was at the edge where
darkness and light merged and in rapidity, he stopped.
"Please. Sit." A
hand motioned her to sit down in the chair beside her.
Not wanting to disappoint her
host, she sat down. However, she glued her eyes to the table, bedecked with
exotic foods, some she had never seen before. With swiftness, he was behind
her, hands on her shoulders, his thumbs stroking the base of her neck. She let
out a sharp gasp before shivering and finally stiffening to the violating
touch.
"Eat now." He
whispered before retreating to his end of the table.
Her eyebrows knotted together
as she nibbled her bottom lip. He wasn’t waiting for the others to arrive.
Maybe he’s not familiar
with the polite customs around here …
Going with that, she ate the
food resting on her plate slowly. She noticed that each spoonful she took, he
imitated her. She found it peculiar if not insane.
But she continued eating her
food and, as soon as she was done, she thanked him.
"Thank you. It was
delicious." She complimented.
"Glad you enjoyed
it."
He was certainly a man of a
few words.
From his end, even the
strongest man alive could not have ripped the smile on his face out. However,
it wasn’t a gentle smile one could assume but a knowing, conniving smirk that
planned corruption.
He had watched her eat all
through dinner, following her actions one by one, gazing at the brown locks
that had fallen from its holding. Watching lips envelop tasteful foods and her
nimble movements. Her eyes were hypnotic – if not truly like his – and curious
and almost like his.
Almost.
Finally …
"Would you like a tour of
the mansion?"
"Sure."
With two claps, unusual
classical music filled the entire household. Possibly not
classical music but just … eerie.
He walked ahead of her and she
followed with quiet obedience. They reached the next room over and she found it
completely filled with antique paintings. Above the center mantelpiece, a
portrait was hung of an elegant man. Handsome couldn’t describe him, but she
felt it better if she kept that opinion to herself.
"I suppose that’s Lord
Valentine?"
"Yes."
She looked at the picture for
a moment before turning to her host who, apparently, lost himself in the
shadows yet again. She was certainly piqued with curiosity. Why did he always
seem to hide from her? Hell, the fact that he could be the lord himself
wouldn’t faze her in the least. She just wanted to see him.
"Interesting how you’d
like to see me. Is that what you want?" He asked, unperturbed.
She gasped and widened her
eyes.
"You … you just … you
read my-
"When I
want to." He
answered and shrugged. "And if you are curious as to my identification,
yes, I am Lord Valentine."
"Then why don’t you just
come out?" Her voice was shaky. She needed to slowly adjust to the fact he
had a telepathic ability.
"I prefer darkness if you
haven’t noticed."
This whole house is dark …
"This isn’t dark."
A resounding
clap.
Darkness consumed the room and
she was suddenly afraid to move. She couldn’t see her hand as she lifted it up.
What felt like a nail grazed
her bare arm, and she shuddered discreetly. Her breath had quickened and she
looked left and right for the lord but was unsuccessful. A warm breath invaded
her space and she turned around, surprised and on guard but, as she leaned forward
to reach out there was only air. She spun around yet again, terrified almost by
his mind-playing games.
Unexpectedly, rough and icy
hands clamped down on her shoulders, holding her in place.
"This is dark." A
deep and sensual whisper it was.
If it wasn’t for logic and
morality, she would have abandoned herself to his voice and lingering touch
that sparked an unknown reaction from her petite form.
She pulled away from his
grasp, however, and stayed her distance.
"I think I should go now
…" She said softly and backed away, not sure of where she was going.
She could feel him behind her
again.
"But the fun hasn’t
started."
An ivory smirk graced his
features and an evil glint sparkled in the crimson depths.
"I’ll give you a minute’s
head start out of pity." He said with a sadistic chuckle. "If you can find your way out."
A frightened whimper escaped
her lips as she turned in endless circles but no indication of light proved her
way out. It was a complete black hole with no exits. She was trapped inside a
dark room with a madman.
"I will have
you." He declared with a promise.
The smirk was still on his
lips. He could see her clearly and almost felt sorry for the innocent confusion
and utmost fear evident in her red-glazed brown eyes. His smile drifted away
and his lips fell into a grim line. He wanted them pure. The
purest of red. Blood. Love.
Lust. He felt it all. He needed them. He wanted a
taste of her sweetness, wanted to use and feel used. He wanted everything.
Everything was her …
… and
he was determined to get her.
Without hesitation, he bared
his fangs and began his prowl for the helpless victim.
There was no more waiting.
He wanted her now.
Chapter 3 – Dead Ivory
Darkness clawed at her body
and enveloped her in its blinding grasp as she desperately searched for the
door to the antechamber. Tears pricked at her eyes and she wiped them away
harshly as she continued her rummage around the room. Her not-so-quiet action
caused more than one book to fall, vases crashing to the floor in ice-bit
crystals. However, despite her bothersome fumbling her hand fell on the brass
doorknob and she gave a sigh of relief.
Yet, suddenly it was wedged in
her throat, unable to be released as the lord’s arms slipped around her waist
and pulled her body against his. He brought his forefinger up to her throat and
traced it down to her collarbone where it resided for a few moments. Then, it
sensually eased its way down between the valley of her
breasts where it rested. She winced as if he had slapped her; his violation of
her space had finally crossed all boundaries that kept her sane. Thus, her body
betrayed her and leaned in to his teasing, aching for the pleasure he could
only provide.
"Oh
dear. My little pet
is aroused." She could feel him grin behind her. "That’s lovely.
However, I suggest you wrench yourself out of a divulging fantasy and snap back
to reality."
She blinked.
He was talking more than his
usual two or three word sentences.
"Blood flows at a faster
pace when you are at your highest peak of pleasure. You writhe in the
adrenaline your body pumps." He paused. "And I revel in this."
He leaned in as if to kiss her
ear but paused only a centimeter away to whisper something all too sensual but
equally dangerous.
"Get ready."
His mouth suddenly dipped in
the crevice of her shoulders and neck and he sunk his ivory teeth in her warm
skin. Trails of crimson poured out in dark rivers, dripping further down into
her dress. He watched her reaction from the corner of his eye and was pleased
at her sudden paralysis. She stood there, unmoving, as he continued to suckle
the skin caught between his lips.
He savored her blood and drew
in some more, which provided him with life and an unknown emotion that engulfed
him at his roots. He ignored the numbness in his heart and paid no attention
but to the task in front of him.
Then, as quickly as he had
started he released her with a loving lick of the wound before completely
parting with the young maiden.
She was of no use to him any
longer.
Before he retreated back into
darkness, however, he left her with a few foreboding parting words.
"You shall see me again
but for a different a purpose."
She still stood there.
Waiting. Watching.
Dead to the
world. She would
remember nothing afterwards.
It was only a matter of years
before the memory enclosed in her heart would resurface again.
The memory
of terror and much worse.
The cost of
her innocence.
Chapter 4 – Ad Infinitum
A peach-coloured
petal slowly danced in wispy fragrances on the tips of his fingers, caressing
his callous skin with its supple texture. Eyes of claret darkened and misted as
the single petal stopped dancing at his palm and leaked blood. He snarled and
crushed it between his palms, watching the burgundy drips amount to pouring
rivers at his hands. It fell to the ground with a splash and created a puddle
in its wake.
Concentrating at the situation
before him, he was unaware of the slender hand snake over his shoulders and
down to his waistband. The hand slipped underneath his shirt and stroked his
abdomen with corporeal ease and he faced her abruptly, growling at her with
stained fangs at the intrusion of his privacy. Her hand retreated back to her
side and the smirk that so playfully moved across her face faded into
nothingness, as she perceived his glower to be an insult to her whole
existence.
"You deny me?" Her
voice was soft as velvet but was carefully etched in something dangerous and
poisonous.
He released a tired sigh and
leaned on the armrest of his chair, his elbow charily propping himself.
"I now find the act of
committing you to immortal sin has indefinitely put me at high stake for a
dominating status." He said calmly, not paying attention to the glare
being burned at the back of his head.
She scoffed. "You don’t
seem worried."
"You are not worthy of
being vexed about. Your body and soul sickens me. Your appearance alone makes
me want to shoot you."
"My body and soul is what
keeps you alive." She reminded him with a growl.
"Which
is exactly why I need you at my side until the day I die." He
explained with a conniving grin. "That is, if that day ever comes."
The hands at her sides
clenched together as the urge to strangle him was at her fingertips. However,
she possessed no greater power than her counterpart, as he had been the chosen
heir of the golden relic that hung on a silver chain around his neck.
"Why don’t you just find
another bitch to toy and fondle with? I’ve had enough of this!" Her hazy
eyes snarled. "Being by your side is vile and corruptive."
"I believe that is not
what you said moments before. And, correct me if I’m wrong, love, but my touch
on your skin has been nothing but irresistible these past years."
She said nothing and looked
into the shadows.
"Also," he paused to
stand and face her, "that lapel around your neck has you bound to
me."
"Not until you find
someone new. Then I am released if I wish that to be so."
"Or I could always have
you for dinner."
There was a glint in his eye
before he turned around and disappeared into nothing. Hot breaths escaped her
lips as anger surged through her veins, thirsty for revenge. In a sudden misty
plume, the woman arched her back and clutched at her stomach as she writhed in
unimaginable pain and ecstasy. She screeched, her voice echoing in the majestic
hall, bouncing off the mural-painted walls.
Then the mist dispersed into
wispy smoke, enveloping a dark creature in its hold. A dark dress pooled around
the four legs that made up the werewolf that she was. Angry eyes of gold
glittered as she choked back a howl that remained pent-up for centuries, her
ancestors not able to do what she was about to do.
The howl finally emerged from
her lips, a cry from pain and torture. It ached for restoration of a broken
heart.
Her howl beseeched freedom.
Next Chapter