Title: The Vampire’s Kiss

Text Copyright © 2003 by Devon

Summary: “She wanted to die. She wanted it all to end. Suddenly her body stopped screaming and burning, quieting to silent sobs that wrenched from her heaving chest. Only two pinpoints of pain could be felt in her arched neck and even those were soon overcome. In the back of her mind, Elizabeth knew what was happening but somehow, it didn’t matter. Nothing, frankly, did. She was succumbing to the Vampire’s Kiss.”

Author Note: This is an unfinished piece that I will be changing or adding to if any reviewers wish me to (I know, it still needs a lot of work). Please, if you have any comments, constructive criticism, or encouragements please review or email. I would love to read what you have to say.

“Damn it, Christopher! Take her!” Braden shouted.

Elizabeth tried to escape Christopher’s choking grasp by feebly kicking at his legs. But he only tightened his hold and slammed her against the wall with a resounding thud.

“Please…Christopher…don’t…” She managed to sputter.

“Be quiet, hunter.” The voice was cold and devoid of any emotion, making Elizabeth flinch. His typically warm eyes had suddenly turned to dark metal. They were like iron shackles, pinning her even harder against the wall and far more painful than the strong hands at her throat. The thought that she had finally lost him resonated loudly in her head.

Christopher stepped closer to her, into the moonlight that was filtering in through the open window. The silver shards of light made him appear otherworldly. Dangerous. Striking.

He was beautiful.

And he was a vampire.

Elizabeth had to swallow back the bile rising in her mouth; up close, she could see that his lightly tanned face was considerably paler and cold: he had yet to feed that night.

Relax, witch. This won’t hurt.

The thought slid smoothly into her head. It was barely a whisper but it unnerved Elizabeth that he could so easily brush his mind with hers, that the enemy was so close and so familiar. Her body tensed even more and she unconsciously began to collect her inner energy. Although a witch only used her deepest power in dire emergencies, she would be prepared. It would be a long shot against Christopher’s demonic strength but she would be prepared.

Smiling at her discomfort, he pushed a stray strand of her hair from her forehead. The act was graceful and gentle but there was an undercurrent of power hidden in his fingers.

“Elizabeth,” Christopher murmured in her ear. He was so close that she could feel his lean, muscular form. In a way, it was comforting but that was until Elizabeth caught a glimpse of his teeth. Before, they had been normal, but now, now they were long with delicate points gleaming white in the lunar glow.

At that, she stiffened and gasped softly. But Christopher heard and grinned. “Scared, little one?” An ebony eyebrow arched while Jeron’s deep, smooth laugh bounced in between the deserted hall.

Christopher’s large hand cupped her chin and raised it until his brown gaze held her green. There was something flickering in his eyes. It wasn’t promise nor sympathetic understanding but lust. Blood lust.

“Leave, Braden.”

From the way Braden went rigid, it was obvious the other vampire was unaccustomed with abrupt dismissals. But after seeing the growling hunger in his friend’s stare he quietly slipped out of the room, his footsteps silent.

Catching Christopher gazing tiredly after him out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth took the initiative and rammed the heel of her hand at his nose, all the while digging her nails into his eyes. Even before his outburst of surprise, she elbowed his gut and kicked with all her might at his straightened knee.

Although his indignant cry was loud, she knew instinctively that he wasn’t really maimed or hurt—the broken bones would heal immediately. Bringing her hand up quickly, power poured from her palm and pushed Christopher forcefully into an adjacent wall. The sound of his back colliding with the hardness was deafening.

Hurrying down the cavernous corridor, she followed Braden’s footsteps swiftly, mentally thanking the goddess that he had disappeared. Elizabeth was fast, having trained all her life, but the dark creatures were faster, stronger and far more agile.

As she approached the head of the stairway that led to the first floor, a mass pushed her forward. Suddenly Elizabeth was falling, tumbling and barreling down the stairs until her shoulder and back pounded painfully against one step. From there on every bone in her body seemed to crack at each sharp edge and corner.

After what was like an eternity, the mangled hunter rolled off the last step and hit her head squarely on the checkered, marble floor. Elizabeth groaned quietly and rested her hot cheek against the cool white and cream stone. Blood began to seep down her sliced open temple while her bruised, leaden body remained motionless. The pain was unbearable and mind numbing. There was no strength left.

When she heard a faint rush of air beside her, she didn’t leap up and crouch in the standard combative stance but turned her head until she faced the direction of the sound. Though it felt like a thousand knives stabbing her brow, Elizabeth slowly opened her eyes and stiffened at the sight of a pair of long, silk-tailored pants.

She gaped and whispered, “Goddess—” before her flaxen hair was yanked upwards, pulling her broken body into a disfigured crescent.

Elizabeth hissed in pain.

It was like her body was on fire when the punished muscles were damned even further by defying gravity. The ache was so intense that she screamed til1 her throat was raw. Her face drowned in salty tears and creased in the unleashed anguish.

She wanted to die.

Suddenly her body stopped screaming and burning, quieting to silent sobs that wrenched from her heaving chest. Only two pinpoints of pain could be felt in her arched neck and even those were soon overcome.

In the back of her mind, Elizabeth knew what was happening but somehow, it didn’t matter. Nothing, quite frankly, did.

She was succumbing to the Vampire’s Kiss.

TBC…

Special thanks to these people:

1. Kelsick the Lone Wolf

2. Katie

3. IrishVampire13

4. Viodestiny (who reviewed this before I posted TVK)

5. Anglofan (who beta’d this)

6.      Devonetta