William Compton had resisted her advances as politely and firmly as he could. He was a gentleman. Even if he was covered with the dirt of the battlefield and the blood of his comrades. A married man with a wife and 2 children waiting for him only miles from here. A family he hadn't seen for over 2 years and was only 15 miles or so from him. Another day or so of walking and he would be home.
He had been grateful for the meat, bread and water because he was surely starving to death. Her admission that she considered her self a widow and would like his company for the night had surprised him as had his refusal surprised her.
The next thing he knew she lunged at him and he had been pushed down on the floor with the might of ten men. William hit the floor with a resounding thud as his head bounced on the wooden floor boards of the cabin.
He lay stunned, fighting to remain conscious. Her teeth were barred. He'd never seen a human with teeth like this. They were fanged like an animal.. What was she? A witch maybe or some half human animal?
An indescribable pain traveled up and down his spine as she buried her teeth in his neck and started to greedily slurp up the blood that gushed out of the gaping wound. His last cognizant thought was of his wife and children and how they would never know how close he came to returning home.
William slowly regained conscientiousness. He felt the corn shuck stuffed mattress underneath him. And he was weak. So weak and he knew he was dying each weakening beat of his heart.
Maybe it was a mad animal that had attacked him. He turned his head slightly and saw Lorena. She was dressed only in her voluminous petticoat. He crazily thought that a woman should only be undressed like that for her husband. Maybe he had bled all over her dress when the animal attacked him. She was lucky she wasn't hurt too. Then she came over to the bed and straddled him.
"You're dying." She said bluntly, her eyes cold and calculating. "I can save you. And if I don't, you die."
As she said that he looked to the right and the sight sickened him. Corpses of men, dried and desiccated husks, lined the side of the cabin. He could feel his life slipping away with each passing second.
"Are those the ones that refused?" he asked, indicating the corpses.
She took a knife that she had in her hand. He braced for the fatal blow. Instead she slashed her own throat and commanded, "Drink".
He grimaced as the fresh blood splatted on his face. Each drop separate and stinging him like a bee.
"You'll let me see my family?" he whispered, "Yes" was the reply. He made the only decision left to him and and with his last ounce of strength he possessed he pulled her neck down and sucked her metallic tasting blood like a new born babe.
Lorena smiled. She'd judged right. He would be a handful for a time, like most children, but he would be hers, forever.
