There was no second thoughts, no consideration that I would not do this. She was already mine.
Inside Arys’s mind, I was a silent passenger, feeling only what he felt. The promise of ecstasy fed my excited anticipation. It was growing increasingly difficult to drag this out. Rushing the moment her blood would flow was not to my tastes. However, one could only withhold the hunger for so long before snapping.
I tired of her shrieks and pleas, seeking to change her tune. A caress in the right place, a few whispered words in her ear, and she was a writhing mess of lust, begging me to fulfill her unholy need.
She reached up to entangle her hand in my long locks. Seeing the ash blonde strands wrapped around her fingers gave me pause. It struck me that something wasn’t right here, but the bloodlust’s demand washed away my confusion.
Her smooth skin was hot beneath my tongue. I licked and sucked at her jugular, groaning in need. I couldn’t wait anymore. Sinking my fangs, I laughed wickedly as her moans mingled with cries. Blood burst from the vein to coat my tongue. I drank deeply, finding satisfaction at last. The dizzying storm of energy swept me up in its thrall. Fear, desire, excitement. All delectable flavors of the feed, each encouraging my hunger for all she had to give.
Never did it occur to me to stop. Not until I heard her heart stutter in its final throes. Her grip on me grew slack, and she lay motionless beneath me. I jerked back with a sigh, riding the high of the kill. Satisfied, I lay beside her lifeless body, watching the stars explode behind my eyes.
There was no guilt, no remorse of any kind. There never was in Arys’s memories, not since the very beginning, three centuries ago. It merely was what it was, a moment of bliss that I was surely entitled to after so much hunger.
At last, I slipped off the bed and gathered myself. I turned to go and caught sight of myself in her bedroom mirror. It was not Arys’s reflection I saw but my own. Staring back at me was my own face, lips bloodstained, and eyes that seemed to glow a deep vampire blue. My cheeks were flushed with stolen blood. Beneath my upper lip were two small and perfect fangs.
How could it be that this was not Arys’s memory at all? The vampiress staring back at me was indeed me, though gazing at her, I felt detached, like she was someone else entirely.
As I backed away from the mirror in fright, my reflection did not do the same. She merely watched me with a devilish smile. I turned to run, but to where, I didn’t know. All I knew was that I had to escape this place.
I awoke with a start. A noise had disturbed me. Lunging off the couch, I almost face planted on the floor when the raised bottom of the recliner tripped me up. Dazed from the sudden interruption of sleep, I pushed to my feet and whirled around to find Falon standing in the attached kitchen.
“For f**k’s sakes, Falon.” My shout bordered on hysterical. As far as rude awakenings go, this had to be one of the worst. “What the hell are you doing in my house?”
“Watching you sleep,” he said, lifting one shoulder in a half-assed shrug. “You snore. I think you drool too. It’s an ugly sight.”
“Get out of my house,” I seethed. “You’re not welcome here. Ever. Got it?” There was something incredibly unsettling about Falon watching me sleep. It gave me the creeps in a big way.
“Hey, I knocked on the door. Nobody answered. So I let myself in.”
“Liar.”
“Ok, I’m lying. I came in because I have a message from Shya, and you won’t answer his calls. Deal with it.”
“I don’t want to talk to Shya, and I sure as shit don’t want to talk to you. Get out.”
He walked around my living room, scrutinizing photos and touching objects on the shelf beside the TV. The bastard seemed to feed off my anger, so I kept my tirade to myself and watched him, waiting for him to get to the point.
“You don’t have to talk. Just listen.” Falon turned to me with a photo in his hand. It was of Shaz and me, taken long before I had known of Shya’s role in my life. “You almost look innocent here. So misleading.”
“You know what? I’m going to call Shya right now. I’d rather listen to his crap than yours.” I rummaged through my shoulder bag for my phone, hoping it would get Falon to leave.
“Don’t waste your time. He’s unavailable at the moment. Which is why I’m playing messenger. Lucky us, huh?”
“Indeed.” A growl laced my word. Arms crossed, I tapped a foot impatiently.
Falon returned the photo to its place before slipping back into the kitchen to peer into the fridge. He was trying to antagonize me, clearly. It was working. I wanted to kick him in the ass when he bent over to ogle my leftovers.