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Graden tugged at the collar of his tunic before knocking on the gigantic door to the mansion. It was evident that he was nervous. After all, who wouldn’t be? Although he knew nothing of his soon to be employer, this estate was enough to tell him something wasn’t quite right. It just seemed so gloomy and dark. He glanced over at his sister, Faith, who appeared just as shaken by the sight of the house. Her deep crimson hair had fallen in her face and she was now tapping her fingers nervously across her briefcase.
He turned to knock again, but as he did, the door was opened. Graden looked inside to try and see whom it was that had answered their call, but could see only shadows, for there were no lights inside. Grabbing Faith by the hand, he hesitantly stepped into the dark hall, the door shutting tightly behind them and causing them both to jump in surprise. This was already becoming too much for Graden to handle and he quickly fled back to the door, searching frantically for the handle to open it.
“Welcome, strangers.” As soft as the voice was, it boomed and echoed off the high walls of the hall. Graden turned quickly, searching for the source of this voice and noticed that a few candles were being lit around a large staircase in the middle of the room by some sort of hooded figure.
“I--” Graden was searching for the correct words for an introduction to the figure, which he guessed was a woman, by the sound of the voice. Before he could speak again, though, he was interrupted by Faith.
“I am Faith McLair, and this is my brother, Graden. I believe we were contacted by a servant of this household concerning some sort of job offer.” There was a long pause during which the unknown curator lighted the remainder of the candles in the hall.
“It was I who sent the telegram.” The figure turned, dropping the large hood around its head to reveal a beautiful face, framed by strawberry blond hair that contrasted against the milky skin on which part of it had fallen on. An audible gasp escaped Graden’s lips at the sight of her pale blue eyes. She was gorgeous. He had never seen a more beautiful woman in his life, but there was something about her that wasn’t quite right. She was too fair, too…perfect.
“I am Ember. Now, if you don’t mind, please follow me.” Graden looked over to Faith, whom he found doing the same. She seemed to be telling him she wanted to leave, but as he had the thought, Ember interrupted without turning. “Come.” He shrugged, shooting Faith a defeated look and picked up the huge briefcase. “You may leave your things here. They will be brought up by one of our…servants.” This woman amazed Graden. She had not turned to look at them once, and yet she knew exactly what they were doing and thinking.
Graden began slowly toward the large staircase when he felt a cold hand grasp his tightly. He turned to see Faith smiling nervously at him. She seemed to be in a cold sweat and he put his hand to her forehead.
“You okay?” he whispered while glancing up at Ember, wondering if she could hear him. She appeared to be unfazed by anything he had said, but he somehow could sense that she knew exactly what he was thinking.
“Don’t you find this place a little…” Faith trailed off, looking around the huge hall as they continued their journey up the large staircase.
"Creepy?” Graden smiled at her, trying to relieve her of some of her fear, but she still seemed to be extremely shaken by everything. He hugged her a bit closer and felt her form shivering in his arms. ‘Oh, God,’ he thought as he looked up at the back of Ember’s head. ‘What have we gotten ourselves into?’
“Well, this is…nice…” Graden looked back at Faith who had just finished observing the surroundings herself. She shot him a weak smile and a shrug, glancing at Ember afterwards. Graden looked at her, too, still amazed by her utter beauty. He then noticed that the expression on her heart-shaped face had not changed since they had met her. It was a serious, almost stern look.
“I know it’s not much, sir, but--” Ember cut herself off, an expression of horror crossing her face. It passed after a second, and she turned to Faith. “Please turn in as soon as possible, Mr. McLair. We have an early start in the morning. Now, if you’ll follow me, Miss McLair.”
“Wait,” Graden interrupted just before they left the room. Ember turned again to face him, the same dull expression on her face. “Weren’t we supposed to meet someone here for our job offer of whatever?” A smile slowly spread across Ember’s face that made Graden regret asking the question.
“Oh, yes. You’ll meet Master Kira…very soon…” She turned, yet again, grabbing Faith by the hand before closing the door and leaving Graden alone. He stood there for a while, staring out into oblivion and pondering…things. What was it with this place and all its mystery? And what was the deal with Ember?
A cold chill blew through the room and Graden snuggled even further under the sheets. Where had that come from? He looked over to the window. Nope--nothing there. The holey curtains were not blowing anywhere. The door was closed as well. There was no way any sort of wind could have came in the room, and yet Graden knew he had felt it. Something wasn’t right.
‘Graden. What’s getting in to you?’ There was a voice inside his head reminding him of how he had always been fearless. ‘It’s probably nothing anyway. You’re just being paranoid. Nothing will hurt you.’ He sighed heavily, turning on his back to stare at the ceiling. That voice was right. Why was he being so paranoid? It was not like him at all.
Another chill ran through him, this time from the inside. Maybe it was just him being paranoid. How else could he feel what he had just felt? That chill was just too--His questions were answered by another cold chill, which caused him to sit up sharply. It seemed as if time had stopped - or at least slowed down immensely. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he looked around the giant room. The curtains were now flowing gracefully as if to some song and the moonlight shining through that large window played silently across the floor.
As the light moved closer and closer to his bed, Graden felt a new sense of dread that rivaled the one he had felt before. He couldn’t understand what it was his body was trying to tell him. He stupidly followed the light with his eyes as it finally closed in on the corner of his bed. This was so excruciatingly delayed that he thought he was going to lose it before the night was over. Maybe he was already losing it.
Darkness was fought back to reveal a young face that caused Graden to jump once again. It was a gorgeous man. Oh, how beautiful he was! The rosy lips were stretched in a beautiful smile that made him want to smile himself; raven hair framed his perfect cheekbones, part of it falling over the right side of his face; and those eyes! They were the clearest blue Graden had ever seen. The front of the man’s shirt was open, revealing a smooth, built chest.
Graden was lost as the celestial man crawled closer and closer to him on the bed, just as the moonlight did. He felt a familiar tug in his stomach and knew he was growing excited. He desired to touch that pale flesh; to feel that warmth; to kiss those perfect lips…but he couldn’t move. It was like he was frozen by some cruel fate and there was nothing he could do to achieve his desires.
He did not have to move, however, for this beauty was quickly closing in on him. He felt his heart beating fiercely against his chest as his breathing quickened out of control and he sat there, anticipating what was to come. All was moving slowly as that face reached his and he took a deep breath, ready for his reward…but the man stopped, the same smirk still pasted on his beautiful features. It was then that everything started moving faster. A cold hand was brought up to touch Graden’s cheek, the thumb stroking his cheekbone lightly, slowly.
“You will be mine.” The man’s voice was deep and lustful, causing Graden to once again gasp in amazement. What did he mean “You will me mine?” The thought liquefied and faded as the moment he had been eagerly anticipating finally arrived. Full lips were brushed against his, sending shivers up and down his being: Not only from pleasure, but also from the freezing coolness of those lips. They were so cold! Their lips met again, this time in a more forceful, domineering kiss, which made Graden want to scream in bliss at his strange partner. His eyes were closed to their own accord as he felt himself being pushed back against soft pillows and his hands were pinned above his head.
Those perfect lips were pushed away from him, causing him to whimper in disappointment. His disappointment ended as the cold buds were pressed against his neck, massaging the bundle of nerves held there and causing his body to go into wonderful convulsions with every wave of heat. A wet tongue flaked across his collarbone as the font of his nightshirt was being unbuttoned…but at the same time, two hands were roaming over the crevices of his feverish body. Cold lips trailed a line down to his navel, placing kisses all around it and finally dipping a tongue down into it.
Just as Graden thought he would burst with pleasure, the assault on his body stopped. Giving a disappointed sigh, he lifted his head to look at his partner, who he found staring at him intensely. Graden smiled at him, his arms still bounded to the headboard so that he could not reach out to the stranger. The man staring back at him however did not smile. His eyes had grown a deep crimson and he seemed to be looking at Graden hungrily.
“Are you--” Graden was cut off by another joining of lips. This time, the kiss was soft and sensuous; causing Graden to sigh in contentment as the other man’s delicately massaged his lips. This had to be the strangest night Graden had ever experienced. He had came to this house to answer a call for a job, which he needed badly, and he had now ended up in the arms of a mysterious and strange lover. Was any of this even real? Maybe it was all a figment of his fueled imagination.
His lover’s swollen lips trailed once again to his neck, massaging him there. Graden could feel the rush of his blood under his flesh as the lips pushed harder against it, sending a new flame through his fighting body. The contrast in body temperature was still evident to him, but it no longer fazed him, as he was lost in what this lovely being was doing to him. Then it started getting weird. This man was…growling. An inhuman growl that almost startled Graden; but he pushed all to the side as he felt something sharp graze his neck. This simple act sent a series of deep moans from out his throat and he began moving in a convulsive manner against his partner.
Then a sharp pain rang throughout his body; one as he had never experienced before. This man was…biting him on the neck; but it wasn’t just nibbling. He was actually drawing blood…and sucking hard on it. Graden gasped for breath as he felt his life slowly leaving him. Oh, God, what had they gotten themselves into?! He had definitely not expected to die when he though about all the horrible occurrences in this house!
His vision blurred as he saw the monster that had just drained his last breath sit up above him and…smile down at him. The last thing Graden saw before he closed his eyes was the man wiping a crimson stain from the corner of his mouth while he drew a long knife from out his pocket…and then darkness…but then there was a warm, coppery liquid flowing in through his mouth, which revitalized him…but it did not quench his immense thirst. He grabbed on to the arm that was feeding him, biting down harder in order to get his fill. He was pushed away soon after, hitting his head hard on the headboard of his bed.
Graden opened his eyes yet again to see his maker standing over him, smiling again. He was in so much pain, he could barely keep his eyes open: He was dying again! But this was not possible! No one could die twice. His heart rate was slowing rapidly and this time was even more painful than the first. As he felt his life once again leave him, he closed his eyes, a single tear dripping down his cheek. ‘Faith,’ his final thought echoed in the caverns of his mind. ‘Forgive me…’
