Blood Lust

Prologue

The moon shone high in the night sky, casting it's eerie light on the forest below.

"Who are you?" Her voice was soft, lined with fear and an excitement. He was tall, broad shouldered, and wore a black silk shirt that defined his muscles. Lightly tanned cheeks met with dark brown hair that fell to his neck and steel blue eyes locked with her dark brown ones. A slow smile curved his sensuous mouth.

"My name is Julian." His voice was deep, seductive. Black velvet that whispered over her skin. He was closer now, and not meaning just a step, but his lips were a breath away from hers. "You are Jessika, I have been looking for you." He raised his sword and brought it down….

Blood Lust

Chapter 1: The Demon Inside

The forest floor was enshrouded in mist, carried over from the ocean breeze. It gave the thick trees life, made the area eerie and frightening. The snap of a twig got his attention. A man in his late twenties, dirty blonde hair, faded blue jeans and whiskey spilled on his red collared shirt. His eyes were glazed from the alcohol but that undeniable mask of fear claimed his face. He turned quickly the alcohol still in his hands. There before him was a figure with the fangs of a jungle cat and glowing red eyes. Menacing eyes that stared at him coldly, the eyes of death.

The creature watched him hungrily, eyes far too menacing to be human. He smelled of alcohol, sex and blood. It sickened the creature to no end. How could a human male be able to hit his woman and molest her in such a cruel manner. It watched him, watched as fear crept up his spine. As his eyes widened with realization, the realization that he was going to die. The fanged creature stepped closer to the drunken man. He stayed glued to the spot, unable to move, entranced by those humorless eyes. A heartbeat, two. It lunged, connecting with the soft tissue in his throat. Blood poured from him. His out cries were gurgles as blood filled his mouth and throat.

When he was down the cloaked figure materialized into a woman. She had waist length black hair and red rimmed eyes. Blood stained her lips and face. A smile curved her mouth to reveal long fangs. She bent low to him and picked up his head with force. He stared in horror as she bent her head to his throat and drank. As his heart beat grew shallow and faint she stopped. He would die anyways without her sinking so low as to drain him dry.

Her body shimmered took a new shape, a raven as black as night. The bird took to the sky and flew off towards it's new destination. In the body of the bird Jessika felt free. The wind swept her up higher cleansing away the previous misdeeds. Anger, hate, the pull of darkness al the things that taunted and teased her daily. The raven flew high above the trees, searching for something to do. Something fun. There was a city just a few miles from here. She picked up the pace letting the wind push her forward. A stirring in her mind had her in a tree.

'What do you want?' Her tone was laced with venom. Jessika's eyes glowed a bright red with anger. Laughter was heard in her mind, it made her stomach sick.

'Must you really be so mean to me? I am your fiancé Jessika.' Taunting male amusement that made her insides crawl, she loathed him. Loathed that she had been unwillingly given to him like a brand new toy to a child. She was a new toy on the shelf that he just had to have.

'Leave me alone Viper!' She yelled back at him, Viper Expositia and his disgusting obsession with her. Taking to the sky once more, Jessika admired the city. The lights from the streets and buildings illuminated the night sky. Cincinnati was a beautiful place at night. The streets were lined with lights and colors of all sorts. The river reflected it all, giving it a crystalline look. For the inhabitants it was plain old Cinci, but for Jessika it was a city buzzing with life and excitement. A city that promised freedom to those seeking it.

The raven landed in an empty alley way and turned into a woman. Jessika stepped out of the darkness for a moment her eyes appeared to gleam like those of a cat stalking prey. She walked down the sidewalk, kicking glass and stones out of her way. She took in all the night air, the new scents and smells. It helped her forget about her real life, or undead life whatever it was. A night club was a block away, maybe she would check it out. When she entered the club the thick aromas of cigarettes, weed and other substances stung her sensitive nose. Honestly how humans could poison their bodies with the drugs was beyond her. It was a waste of a perfectly good life. Yes she could feed off of the tainted souls and the drugs were easily removed from her body. But she preferred not to go through that.

As she entered men and women alike stopped to watch her walk to the bar. She could sense the men's rising desire and the women's jealousies. She ordered a shot of Vatted Malt Whiskey to drink. She didn't like to drink but she would if it were called for and she needed it. A man moved from the shadows, clad in a sleeve-less t-shirt and tight blue jeans that emphasized his masculinity. He had shoulder length black hair and even darker eyes that seemed to bore holes through their prey. Jessika knew him, Viper. The sleezy, thick-headed, arrogant type that set her teeth on edge. And what's worse, she's being forced to marry the bastard!

Jessika leapt from the bar stool and made her way into the crowd of, sweaty, drunken, lusting college students. The scents of them stung her nose but his scent was what made her eyes water. He was totally male, dominant, controlling, everything she didn't want or need in her life. She knew he was close but couldn't pinpoint where. As she ran she collided with a massive chest, and strong arms kept her from falling backward. Jessika froze like a deer caught in the bright headlights of a car. Slowly, painfully, she turned her face upwards to meet a gaze as black as the night itself. Viper.

"Hello my little pet." His voice was pitched low, sexy, enticing. Jessika groaned aloud. Why? Why did he have to find her? Why was she being forced to marry him? Why the hell was he still holding her? Jessika tried to back out of his arms but his grip tightened immensely. Not enough for pain, but enough to keep her still. His scent was overwhelming, sending her own body into a frenzy of heat and lust. He was too close, too much was touching. She could smell his rising desire for her, and tried to keep her own at bay. The last thing she needed was to have him sense she was as lustful as he was.

He held her still, inhaling her scent, taking it into his body. His eyes locked with hers, midnight black and chocolate brown. In his dark eyes was heat, lust and everything sensually male. He wanted her, had to have her. Even if she didn't want him she would soon learn how much he wanted her.

"My love…" His voice was low, a husky growl. "You have no comprehension of how much my body needs you right now…" He whispered the words in her silken hair. His arms relaxed some as he caressed her back and bunched a hand in her hair. He loved the feel of her hair against his skin, honestly he loved her. Though if he could ever bring himself to tell her just how much, he did not know.

Jessika stared breathlessly into his eyes, the intensity there was making her knees weak. The only thing holding her up was his strong arms. His voice played over her skin like a satin sheet. She could listen to his voice forever the way it sounded now. But she knew she could never love him, she despised him for all he was worth. When his arms relaxed she took the opportune chance and slid away from his embrace, using the college students as a barrier to keep him away from her. She broke through the exit door with preternatural speed and launched herself skyward. She hated him so much, he had no right to touch her like that, to look at her with such intensity. Jessika flew for a long time, reveling in the night time world. She flew far and landed in a forested area, an area that was just trees and shrubbery. She could sense life nearby but didn't know where it was at. Something was throwing her senses off and it wasn't Viper. She had long forgotten about him.

It was pitch black in the forest, it was a new moon and the night seemed to be more sinister than peaceful. The sound of insects of the night and water falling over rocks in a nearby stream was loud to her ears, yet all the more soothing. She disregarded the sounds, she had more important matters, needing to find the people whom she knew lived out here. But why would they live in the middle of no where without contact. It intrigued her, curiosity always got the better of her. Yet doing anything not involving Viper was a reason to be curious. Jessika picked up her pace, wanting to see, as if something were calling her. Wait…calling? Instantly she became wary, the insects had stopped chirping.

Jessika looked around the area for anything suspicious, anything out of place. If a rogue wolf or vamp was around somewhere they would do whatever they could to get whatever they wanted, especially use black magic. One of her best friends was a witch, a quiet girl who was usually the calmest out of the two. But if anyone crossed her, Amelia would have no problem with dispatching them with a spell if her temper flared. Jessika, having learned a few things from Amelia, learned how to sense a magical trail when it was around. Right now the trail was strong and it was something meant to draw unsuspecting victims to their demise.

Jessika slowly backed out of the trail, knowing she had triggered an alarm to the caster. As she backed away the sounds of the forest came back to life but the scent of something sinister wafted in her direction. That person or creature was there, but where? Her skills weren't as strong as Viper's, he had a few hundred years over her twenty-seven. Still she pushed trying to find the location but it was too late, the shadowed figure got her from behind and had her arms behind her in a vice grip. He was stronger than she was and definitely not human but something was strange, his scent, she knew his scent.

She was on the ground in the next minute and the man on top of her held her down hard. Jessika couldn't get out of this one and that's when it clicked, a memory falling into place.

"By the order of the vampire treaty and brotherhood of the covens, I, Jessika Emerson, as a council member, demand an explanation as to why I am being held on the ground under such conditions." The words rolled off naturally and she smirked as her perpetrator backed off and helped her up. Jessika fixed her tangled mass of hair and stood tall, hands on hips as she looked at the hooded figure.

"So tell me, Thios, what are you doing here with an entrapment spell?" She asked with a smirk. The hood fell to reveal a smiling young man with a long scar on his left cheek only just hidden by his five o' clock shadow. His smile was bright and cheerful reaching and lighting up his eyes and it melted Jessika's heart, always did.

"Jess, it's been so long! Sorry about that I was trying to catch this guy that's been following me around lately. He's a demon but something's up with him so I didn't know what to do….I didn't know you were a council member, isn't your mother…?"

She cut him off. "My mother died last year, I had to take her place."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He was silent for a long moment. "Well it's really good to see you. I haven't heard from you in over fourteen years."

"It's kind of hard to talk to someone that is constantly on the move. Tell me about this demon that's after you. Do you need a hand?" Jessika asked changing the subject from herself to the problem at hand. Thios D'Andreas, her closest male friend and the one who trained her in combat for almost three years until he disappeared. That broke her heart, losing her friend like that, she felt alone afterwards and constantly hounded by Viper was a major part of her emotional stress. Of course she couldn't tell Thios that he had broken her heart by leaving, and abandoning her with a crazed medieval coven who wanted her to be a council member and take on the responsibilities of her mother at a young age. Jessika had her pride and wasn't about to let it be overrun with her meeting up with her best friend.

Thios shrugged his shoulders, muscles rippling underneath the cloak. Jessika arched a brow at him, wondering when he had gotten so fit. The last time she had seen him, he was a scrawny, geeky looking teen that was helping her to train and hone her own vampiric skills. He leaned against a wide trunked tree and crossed his arms over his chest, head down in thought.

"I could use a little help, Jess. But I can't get a council member involved, you know that…I don't even know what kind of demon he is all I have is a name. Julian Everin, alias, Silver. He has a sword of sorts that reacts with his own power and harnesses it, a bad aura with him too. Still I haven't found much information on his type yet."

"Sounds like my kind of guy." Jessika smiled and noticed a blush covering his cheeks before he turned away. "You are right about the council members being forbidden from dangerous deeds, but under the circumstances, a fellow coven brother is in danger meaning the coven itself is in danger. I believe I can help as much as I want to now…" She was confident with her knowledge of council law and recommendations under different situations.

Thios thought for a moment and shrugged his shoulders again, an obvious sign of annoyance. "I still think we should ask the elder members first…if this demon is too powerful for two vampires we could have a real issue on our hands."

Jessika laughed, still the same old Thios, always trying to go the path of justice and righteousness. "All right we will see the head council, but they are in a meeting now, it will be some time before that meeting is over." Thios nodded and looked at her for a brief moment before turning away. Jessika's curiosity peaked at his sudden rash movements. "Is there something wrong Thios?" She asked and he turned to face her again.

"No, no I'm fine Jess, it's just strange seeing you again after all this time. You look…good." Thios smiled and ran a hand over his forehead.

"Good enough to eat?" Jessika asked in a teasing tone, however she was worried now, he looked a bit feverish. "When did you feed last?" She asked closing the few feet of space between them. He looked at her his eyes turning a light crimson. "Oh, I see it's been a few days. Here." She brought her wrist to her mouth and bit down, offering her life's blood to him.

Thios' eyes stayed glued to her wrist as she held it to him. He had to turn away from her, couldn't touch her. "You know it's forbidden to drink the blood of the council. Especially yours, you know what your blood contains…" Out of the corner of his eye her caught her rolling her eyes.

"Thios just do it, I'll stop you if I have to." Jessika ordered and hesitantly he brought her wrist to his mouth and began to drink. She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins, her heart pounding as a slight mix of pain and emotion grabbed hold of her. She fought this, he was a friend and needed help that was what she was offering. He was different from Viper, felt different than Viper. It wasn't sensual really just a sudden burst of joy, friendship. Jessika leaned into his chest and whispered; "Stop, Thios." He continued for a moment longer before pulling away. The deep holes healed and Jessika licked off the remaining blood. Thios looked sated and a little too happy. "Are you really okay?"

Thios had spaced out afterwards, the effect of her blood very powerful. Her mother was a rare vampire, her blood holding a bond of three blood cells said to be the only blood to allow for a shifter vampire and change a human instantly with one bite. It was also a major aphrodisiac amongst vampires, men and women alike. As Thios sank back into reality he realized how foolish he must have been and blushed immediately.

"Sorry Jess, I don't know what came over me. But we should be heading off to the coven now. I want to find that demon and figure out why he's after me." Thios told her before reaching behind a tree and grabbing his bag full of weapons. Jessika laughed and Thios shrugged with an awkward boyish smile. "I like weapons."

The two headed back toward the coven, Jessika showing off her ability to shift and Thios admiring and analyzing everything about her in her raven form. Jessika soared above him, felt the weight of the world lift off her shoulders and be taken by the wind. For a little while she could be happy.

"Sir, please the council requests that you atleast heed our warnings when we advise you against this, abominable alliance." Spoke a woman sitting in one of the council chairs, her face appeared too small for her head, skin pulled too tight and an ugly emerald dress clung loosely on her bony frame. Her name was Nicolette, another council member who despised Jessika, and at every meeting Jessika showed up for Nicolette would take the opportunity to make her life hell.

The man across from Nicolette, the one she was addressing so formally was none other than Viper. He wasn't paying much attention to the bitter woman, instead he was glaring at the empty seat beside him. Jessika was missing yet another council meeting and she hadn't been home for awhile now. Viper wouldn't admit to being worried about her, furious with her absence yes, but worried for her, never.

"Viper!" Nicolette whined his name, a grading on his ears that brought the fury of his gaze to her. She swallowed hard as a sliver of trepidation and arousal ran up her spine. His gaze held hers for a long moment, hinting at anger and disgust in those midnight eyes.

"Nicolette, if there is one thing in this immortal life that I can't stand it's the sound of your voice. So why don't you do the world a favor and shut up." Viper calmly stated, his eyes leaving her pale blues to return to the empty chair. Nicolette slumped back in her seat and stared, half horrified and half hysterical with anger, at her feet. The rest of the council merely shook their heads in pity for the girl to endure THAT kind of look.

As the meeting came to a close no one was able to dissuade Viper's decision about an alliance with the Wolf Pack. Though for centuries the vampire species and werewolves had endured great battles against one another, on all sides the loss was great and not from the scarring of war, but it was the new enemy, the humans that had formed legions to destroy all supernatural creatures alike. As technology grew and weapons became more sophisticated, the powers of the supernatural world wasn't enough anymore. Now all creatures had to adapt and coexist in secrecy, for fear of their enemy finding them.

A scuffle outside the chamber doors got the councils attention, including the ever brooding Viper's. The two guards stationed outside were asking questions to what sounded like a very young and very rambunctious girl. Viper knew exactly who it was and hissed his displeasure, Nicolette's head jerked up to the door and she sneered as the doors flew open.

"God damned guards! You'd think they'd know a council member when they see one." Jessika stormed into the middle of the chamber, Thios trailing just behind her. She stopped abruptly, Thios had to side-step quickly to avoid hitting her. He looked to see why Jessika had stopped so suddenly and found a tall, well-built, and seething man directly in front of her. He was taller than Jessika by nearly a foot and a half and Thios by five inches. But the look in that man's eyes said more to Thios than anything he had ever seen. This man was out for blood, and if Thios got in the way he'd get himself killed.

Jessika shifted her weight in her hips with an aggravated sigh, and a pissed off Viper towering over her. He was angry, again, and it was Jessika who was to blame as always. She kept her gaze on her hands and away from his eyes. Jessika had always hated his eyes, those dark, deceptive and too emotionally consumed eyes, especially aimed towards her.

"I will deal with you tonight Jessika. For now you are dismissed." Viper growled and turned, swiftly regaining his composure and returning to his seat.

She was relieved to know he would not embarrass himself in the presence of the council, however, when Viper promised retribution she knew her ass was done for.