Warning some talk of murder and mutilations

Chapter 7: Mistakes and lessons

Araceli began to fight him. She squirmed and tried to crawl away. Erik didn't do anything but hold her down, staring at her. She was thankful he was only doing that for the moment. But she could see and sense it. The hunger and natural lust all vampires have shone in his bright gold eyes. The amber flames burned hot and cold at the same time. Her fear that he could overpower was coming true. He was only a newly turned fledgling and yet he was holding her immobile as if she had no strength.

Struggling, Araceli tried to wiggle out found under him. He had his legs over her, pressing her into the bed. Taking her hands her forced them over her head. Again she bucked, but this time he snarled at her. "Be still. Be still or I'll bite you." Then leaning down he buried his face into her neck. She knew if he drank from her he could unintentionally drain her dry. She would not die, but she'll have to lie there until he figured out that he would have to give her blood. Araceli turned her head and saw that his inner elbow was only inches away. She stretched her head toward it and bit down hard.

Erik yanked his arm away and sat up. He looked down at her with clear eyes. The pain had woken him up. "Araceli?"

Araceli sighed, relieved. "It's ok Erik. Now, please let me up."

Erik looked as to where he was. He scrambled up and away from the bed. Araceli sat up and straitened her dressing gown. She looked over to Erik. He was still eyeing her, but for now he had the blood lust under control.

"What happened?"

"For starts Erik," her voice unintentionally hard and accusing, "you nearly raped me and bit me. You scare me. You're damned strong. Stronger then you should be right now. You haven't even made your first kill."

"You mean you didn't know that this would happen?! I thought I knew what you were doing!" Erik yelled at her. She had lied to him! Despite all her talk and that she was inhuman, she was still like them. His yell made her flinch. "I'm leaving. I can't handle this!" Erik raised a fist as if he was going to cross the room and hit her. Instead her turned to walk out the door.

"Erik!"

He stopped. There was something in her voice that made him stop. There was pain and lostness.

"Please Erik. Don't leave. As strong as you are, you don't know how to hunt. You need to know how to protect yourself. I can teach you this. You can then leave if you want, but please stay for a while." Her voice was begging. Her eyes were large, her skin paler then usual. She looked tired and hungry.

Erik sighed. He was many things, but one thing he was not, was truly cruel. Not when she had accepted him even though she had lied. Plus she was right; he knew how to be the Phantom but not a vampire.

"I'll stay. But I want answers soon," Erik told her coldly.

There was a childish joy in her eyes. She smiled relived. "Thank you, Signor." She looked around the room until she found Erik's clothes. "Here. You need to get dressed. We to go and hunt. I'm hungry and you are sure to be, I know I was when I was first changed."

Erik pulled on his shirt and jacket. He was just pulling on his boots when Araceli appeared in front of him. She had dressed in a sliver and black lace gown. Her sliver and black hair was free and flowed down her back in thick wavy locks.

"Ready?"

"As much as I'll ever be." Erik said dryly.

She nodded and led him down the stairs. Outside, on the street, the air was chilling, but Erik couldn't feel the cold. Araceli took a deep breath then slowly exhaled. Erik watched her intently. She then took his hand and led him toward the east part of the city. "You can smell blood. Just clear your mind and focus on what you need. Tell me…do you smell anything?"

Erik took a deep breath and it hit him hard. The sweet smell of blood. It rushed though the veins of someone near. "Yes. There." Erik inclined his head to a small pile of old blankets and rags.

Araceli smiled. "Very good. Homeless is easy prey, but that is what we'll have tonight. When we are stronger we can prey on richer blood." She put her fingerer to her lips. She then walked over and pulled the blankets back. There was a young woman and two children.

Erik moved to stop her if she so much as tried to take their blood. He started forward when she moved, but instead she placed a large purse in the hands of one of the children. The boy opened his eyes and looked up at Araceli. She smiled down at him and placed her finger to her mouth. "Shhh," she whispered. The boy looked down at the leather purse then back to her and smiled, a innocent child's smile, he then nodded and snuggled back down in his mother's arms clutching the purse tight.

Araceli walked back over to Erik and took his hand again. "Come on. Let's get less innocent blood."

Erik followed her. "Why didn't you kill them?"

Araceli stopped suddenly. Without turning, she snarled, "Did you want me to? I try never to kill and if I have to, it's always evil, tainted blood. You can smell it. But do you want me to go back? I will. I'll kill them in the most horrible way." She spun around and glared at him, "I'll pin the mother with my mind but allow her to be conscious and able to speak, then while she's watching and begging I'll rip the children's throats out. Drink their living, warm, sweet innocent blood as it spurts out of their thin young necks? Then disembowel the mother and drink her blood as she dies in agony?"

Erik stood there shocked and sickened at the description. He had done many horrible things to men but never to women or children. "But I thought…"

"Thought what? That I was a bloodthirsty monster? I rather drink dogs blood then harm a child."

"I'm… sorry. I should have not judged you like that." Erik apologized, something he has never done before.

Araceli knew that. She accepted the apology. "Forget it. Now. You know evil, look for it. It will smell slightly bitter sweet. Innocent is really sweet and rich, and it take a lot of control not to drink them dry. I take a sip if innocent blood now and then, but I always make it pleasurable. A vampire's bite can be painful or pleasurable. The vampire can decide."

Erik closed his eyes and concentrated, and there it was. The bitter sweet smell that. Araceli described. "Twenty feet away to the left."

Araceli smiled, "Very good. Now come and watch." She then moved inaudibly up to the man. She did bother warning him she simply struck form behind. She latched her self onto the neck and bit down hard. The man struggled but soon grew weaker. He sank down to the ground, Araceli with him.

Erik watched, thinking he'll feel disgust, but no, he was intrigued and even aroused by the sight. Finally Araceli pulled back with a gasp. She sat there, catching her breath. Erik could see a change. She looked healthier and more aware. Erik couldn't hear the heartbeat of the human anymore. "Araceli…is he?"

"Yes. I need a lot of blood tonight. Now can you help me? We need to move him out of sight."

After they disposed of the body, Araceli had Erik to drink from her wrist. He watched as she held out her write. "Now Erik, drink. You'll get stronger from me faster then directly from a human. After this you'll have your first feeding of human blood. Your smart Erik, you know were the vein is."

Erik nodded and gently took her wrist. He looked at the pale skin. Green veins sighed under the smooth skin. He looked back at Araceli then back to her wrist. He took a breath, and then laid his mouth against it. He kissed it, openmouthed. He then gently bit down. The blood rolled up and he drank. The taste was better then before. Her blood was fat with the blood of the man she had just drank from.

Araceli gasped as the teeth hit her. It didn't hurt. No, it aroused her. Lust hit her and she staggered. Erik caught her and pulled her firmly into him. She allowed him to drink as long as she dared. She then gently pulled her wrist back. Erik threw his head back and gasped, breathing deeply. Then he froze. His eyes met hers and for the first time in over a century, she blushed. She knew he had smelled her arousal. His eye was sharp and knowing as she licked the bite, closing the wound. "Ah, I think…it's time you learn to make your own kills. "She then danced away from him and looked back at him. "Come on."

They found the next man near the Seine River. She showed Erik where to bite. He had stealth down already from his days as the Phantom. When Erik bit the man, he knew it would be fine for him to kill the man. The man was a thief and murderer. Araceli had told him that it was okay to kill the evil and wicked.

XXX

When they had both arrived at the house, both were drunk on blood. Araceli led Erik to her room and he didn't fight. He sat on her bed as she danced around even floating on the air. The air in the room was thick with sexual tension. Erik began to remember the day before. When she had laid on him bare drugging him with her biting kisses. Only half aware of what he was doing, Erik strode over to her and caught her dancing body in his arms.

"Wh-" Araceli's voice was cut off when Erik captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

Jack: You know, I think you're enjoying this story a little too much.

Why?

Jack: You were grinning the whole time.

What can I say; I really get into my stories.