One. Sate ~ واحد. ل

The bells of twittering birds indicated the slow creep of the sun from the East in the endless cycle I was compelled to endure.

Soft voices began to murmur and whisper from as far as the main gates; my hearing able to detect and differentiate every one of them with ease.

The hum of nighttime dreams began to chop and scratch as people awoke with the rising of the sun.

I sat in my day chambers absorbing every atom of these movements, feeling the incremental upwards tiptoe of the delicate heat.

Sandalwood and incense drifted across from the altars of those dedicated enough to engage in early rituals of prayer. Like the desert men with their superstitious potions, I scoffed at the naivety of the humans. Clinging, grasping, hoping that something better than this dry, sandy city of exotic smells and sounds was awaiting them. I snorted my disdain as I turned my eyes briefly across the hall to my night chambers, images flickering in my mind of the innocent girl's slackening body beneath my grasp as I had drained her the night before.

She was pretty. Not as beautiful as the images in her father's eyes. I had pondered briefly on the impact of subjectivity on others' thoughts at this point, but filed it away for future reference as her quick beating heartbeat had distracted me.

The soft shadows and highlights dancing from the candles outlined the features of her face and body as she stepped onto the large cushions that adorned the sunken floor.

Where men may have stared longingly at the curves of her bare hips, framed by her silken pants and shortened camisole, my focus was higher. The swirling of the blood moving the frantic pulse on the side of her neck drew me closer.

Her thoughts confirmed her innocence, as they ran through the words her mother had frantically whispered to her on their dash to my sprawling residence, "Keep your eyes lowered. Wait for him to make any movements and do as he asks. It will hurt, I won't deny you that, but you're going to a better place now than what your father and I could provide".

Knowing the men stocking the bachelor pool in this city, I felt no guilt taking her from a future essentially bound to feeding, cleaning and reproducing.

Her thoughts turned to chanting her mother's advice, "Eyes lowered, wait for him. Eyes lowered, wait for him."

Today's tracking had left me thirsty and I didn't feel like prolonging this tonight. I felt my eyes darken, and a growl begin to purr in my chest as I stalked closer to the flowing, warm ichor.

Her eyes flickered up at mine, before suddenly dropping as her heartbeat sped up and she gasped, "Eyes down! Eyes down! Wait for him!"
The rapid scent of her arousal hit my senses.
On many occasions, the young women brought to me were clearly expecting something other than having their life force drained out of them, and this reaction wasn't rare when they saw my darkened eyes as I moved towards them.

Sometimes, though, they would recognise the black pools in my eyes for the reality they exposed.

Either way, it meant I had to end it quickly; if they were aroused, I had to stop the risk that their thoughts tainted their innocence in front on my mind. If they recognized the danger they were in, I had to stop their sudden screams and attempts to escape.

Her frantic thoughts recounted her mother's words, "Wait for him... do as he asks… it will hurt… better place…"
I smiled as her mother's advice, although given in expectation of other circumstances, rang true.

It will hurt.

And you are going to a better place.

In one swift movement, I grasped and tilted her body, exposing her neck to me and piercing her soft skin with my teeth. The simultaneous conflict of relief and craving hit me as the hot rush of exquisite, virgin liquid flowed down my throat. Rather than panic, her thoughts reflected a naïve trusting uncertainty. She had convinced herself that her body's natural flight response as simple nervousness.

Her thoughts began to flicker as she slipped into unconsciousness. It wasn't long before the pressure eased, as I sucked the rest of her blood from her now lifeless body.

Releasing my teeth, I dropped back onto my heels.

The warmth now inside me intoxicated my mind, an overpowering drug relaxing my stone body. I turned my head and looked up at the material draped from the roof, cascading down in soft ripples, holding her now lightened body against my folded knees.
Sated, I turned my eyes out to the gardens surrounding my chambers.

Date palms; black silhouettes on the navy sky, shifted slightly with the soft breeze that stole its way through the curtains.

In these quiet moments, when the city was asleep, when another pure life was taken to sate my thirst, was one of the only times I felt solace. I felt at peace.

AN:

What's this? An early update?! I know; it's quite short, but I just had to give you all something after reaching over 100 visitors within the first day of this story being posted! So please, review; if 2 reviews = 1000 words, just imagine what more could do ;P