Author Note: Hello all. Like I said I would, I started re-writing this. A few parts are different but some are the same you’ll notice. If it is possible, I’d like a review or two just to see how I’m doing every now and then. Thank you all very much.

Venom is the Sensation of Your Lips

Prologue

Limerick, Ireland 1672

“Cedric…” the young dark haired man said, his pale face almost glowing in the light of the crackling and cozy fire beside him. “You have to let her go, there’s nothing you can do now.”

The man called Cedric shook his head, his ponytail falling over his shoulder. “But she is all that I have left.” Cedric said, staring down at the woman’s pale face, her closed eyes, looking so angelic and peaceful. It sickened him. From the neck up she looked completely fine, but below, a stake had been driven through her heart in her slumber. Her dark blood had stained and dried almost completely through the torso of her plum colored dress.

Cedric’s bright grey eyes scanned down the woman’s deceased form as he brushed stray strands of obsidian hair from her face.

“Talon…” Cedric said, looking up at his fellow dark-haired man, eyes brimmed with tears reflecting the orange firelight.

“I don’t think you should stay in this place any longer my friend.” Talon said, placing a hand on Cedric’s shoulder. “Dawn has almost arrived, and you need your rest.” Talon helped Cedric up from the woman he had been cradling in his arms and led him to his coffin room.

Talon left Cedric with a reassuring smile before shutting the door behind him. He then caught sight of the body lying on the floor in front of the fireplace, arm stretched over her head delicately, the other lain over her stomach, just below the stake wound. His footsteps echoed across the thin-carpeted floor as he took off his tuxedo coat and laid it on the chair in front of the fire. He crouched down next to the body, his knees resting in the pool of blood all around her.

“I suppose dying is harder the second time, isn’t it love?” He said quietly to the vampires corpse in front of him as he stroked her cold cheek. He then lifted her up into his arms and walked out of the old decaying house with her. Standing near the edge of the cliff where the house was located he stared off at the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise.

He stared down at the dead girls face as the sun began to breach the horizon. “I guess betrayal wasn’t such a wise thing, was it, Deidre?” Then he laughed as the sunlight hit the woman’s body and her dead flesh disintegrated into dust and was carried off by the wind.

Apson, Minnesota, present day

I sighed as I rolled over in my bed, my alarm blaring in my ear as I slapped the table groggily, trying to find the clock so I could hit the darned snooze button. Five minutes went by without any luck so I decided to get up.

I yawned and stretched and finally turned the alarm clock off, and decided I should get ready for work. I slipped on a red button-up shirt and pulled on a pair of black denim jeans that flared out at the bottom and buttoned them. I quickly did some makeup, brushed my hair and teeth and was almost ready for work. I grabbed a hoody and threw it on and grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder, then I was ready to leave.

I slipped my black tennis shoes on at the door and locked it behind me, and just as I began to make my way to the elevator, I heard my name called behind me.

“Luna!”

I turned and saw my best friend Brooke running after me. She stopped next to me to catch her breath and the looked up at me, panting. “I almost missed you!” She heaved, and patted her hair down a bit. Today she was wearing a plain black t-shirt and a hoodie over it also, then ripped up jeans and black shoes. Her hair was parted on the side today. She had died it black, just like I did, and she had red streaks put in it. We looked very similar when we were together, because we dressed very similar. And our hair was the same, except for the length and color. Hers was short, just above her shoulders with the red streaks, and mine was past my shoulder blades, also black but with purple streaks.

“We’ll be late for work if we don’t hurry up.” I said, and began to fast-walk to the elevator.

“I know!” She spilled out. “I’m sorry, but my alarm didn’t go off when it was supposed to.”

“Alright, whatever you say.” I laughed as I pressed the ‘down’ button on the elevator. A few people walked out of the elevator before Brooke and I entered, and just as the door was shutting and I was about to his the ‘floor’ button, and hand darted in, stopping the doors from shutting completely. I assisted in helping the door open and let the stranger in.

In front of us was a young man, appearing to be in his twenties, like myself. His ink-black hair was curly and long, past his shoulders, and held back in a low ponytail. His bright grey eyes met with mine and he smiled. “Thank you ladies so much.”

Immediately Brooke’s face brightened and she put on a big smile. “My name is Brooke!” She chirped, holding out a hand. The man took it and smiled, then turned to me. I wasn’t paying attention, though, I was staring at my reflection on the metallic wall next to me.

He took my hand without my consent, shaking gently. Immediately after he touched my a chill spilled down my spine. His hand was so cold. I turned to look at him and he was smiling. “My name is Cedric.” His voice was deep and smooth like satin running along my skin, and it sent another shiver down my spine.

I pulled my hand from his and put it in my pocket. “I’m Luna.” I said dryly, still paying close attention to my reflection. I couldn’t help but notice that he was staring at me, and it made me nervous.

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” Brooke suddenly said, and I thanked her silently for getting his attention off of me. I pressed the button on the elevator and couldn’t wait to get off.

“I actually just moved here from Ireland. I don’t really know my way around this town, but maybe one of you would be kind enough to help me.” He said slyly, his eyes shifting to me then back to Brooke.

“We’re on our way to work.” I said before Brooke could comply with his request.

He frowned and chewed on his lip for a moment before speaking again. “What time do you get off?”

I mentally cursed at myself just as the elevator ‘dinged’ and the doors opened up.

Just as I thought, Brooke quickly answered his question. “We get off at five. And we work at the Starbucks on Harper Avenue. You can meet us there and we can show you around if you’d like.”

He smiled, apparently pleased. “That’d be great.” We all stepped out of the elevator and headed for the front doors. “I have to get going to meet someone, but I’ll see you two later.” Just as he walked out the doors, his eyes locked on mine for a moment, then he was gone.

Brooke suddenly let out a laugh and looked at me. “He was cute!”

“I don’t know…” I said, as we walked out of the building and began on our way to work. “He seems weird.”

“Maybe you’re weird. You are Wicca you know, maybe he thought you were creepy.” She said simply.

“That was kind of rude.” I said as I looked at my watch. It read 7:15 am. We had fifteen minutes to get to work on time. “And besides, it wasn’t just him, there was something about his aura.”

“Whatever.” Brooke scoffed. She was Wicca too, but I had been Wicca a lot longer than she had, so it was easier for me to read auras than her. It didn’t really matter right now though. Cedric was gone and hopefully we wouldn’t get stuck showing him around town.

When we walked in the door of the coffee shop our boss stood there looking at us. “Girls,” he said, “you were almost late.”

“I know, I know.” I said as both Brooke and I went behind the counter to get our aprons. Our boss was a short fat little man with little hair left. Most of the time he was bossy and rude, but he, like everyone else, had his good moments too. For instance, any other manager would have fired me by now for being late so many times, but he kept me and Brooke, so he had the patience to deal with us.

“The boss is going through man-opause.“ Brooke whispered with a giggle. I had made that word up, like you couldn’t decipher it by the way it sounds.

“Yeah, I can tell.” I said as I carefully watched him go to the backroom, his face stained red with anger.

I couldn’t help but look at Brooke and smile. He had been saying that for so long that it was laughable now. She grinned back, getting the blender ready for the day as I ran to the doors and flipped the ‘closed’ sign to ‘open’.

I came back to the counter and finished tying my apron just as the little bell on the door sounded and a customer came in.

An older looking woman stood at the counter, dressed in a navy blue woman’s suit with her dark blonde hair done in a tight bun. Every single morning she came in before work, ordering a black coffee. I know that she disliked me, but she acted snobby to everyone so maybe that’s just the way she was.

I came to the cash register and asked what she’d have, and like I knew, she said the black coffee. I punched it in and she handed her money with exact change, and Brooke got the coffee ready. Brooke handed me the coffee and I handed it to the woman and smiled nicely, but as always, the woman didn’t notice, or rather she didn’t care. I tried not to scowl at her as she left the store. Like I did anything to get her undies in a bunch anyways.

I sighed and hunched over the counter, my chin in my hand. Today would take forever. I just wanted to get home, flop down on the couch with my cat and read a good book.

Author Note: I know this was fairly short, but it’s just the beginning. I hope it came out alright. I didn’t really take the time to edit it, so please ignore the mistakes. And if it didn’t make sense, just ask me about something and I can clear it up for you. Thanks again.