Chapter 34

"Sonja, you must come with me," Kol demanded once again.

I shook my head.

"No, thank you, I am fine here."

He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine. I will bring you a new gown."

"Thank you," I said and kissed his cheek. "Have fun."

"It won't be fun without you," he pouted and huffed before heading towards a village. We had camped in the woods and the brown stallion was nickering restlessly.

"It's alright," I muttered petting the horse's head.

It had been almost three months since we had left from our home and I hadn't slept even a one night in a bed after that. I loved sleeping on the ground, climbing into trees, swimming in rivers and ponds and hunting in the woods. I didn't wear shoes anymore and sometimes I enjoyed running in the woods completely naked. Kol liked to call me his little forest nymph. I would have been completely happy like this but I knew that Kol wasn't. He hated to feed on animals and he didn't do that unless it was absolutely necessary.

When ever we passed a village, he usually spent the whole night there, having few steins in a tavern and feeding on anyone who was unfortunate enough to cross his path. I had noticed that his demon side was somehow…what, darker than mine? Or maybe stronger, I wasn't really sure. He didn't show any kindness or compassion towards anyone except me. One time he even said to me that humans were nothing but cattle, why he should value their lives. Had he really forgotten that we used to be humans, not so long ago? Yet when he was holding me after we had made love, he seemed just like the man I had married.

He talked about wanting to travel to Europe and I had already agreed, since I could see how important that was to him. We would head towards the coast and find a ship that would take us to "the old land" as he called it. I had never seen the ocean, not to mention been in a ship so I was a little nervous but also excited. I definitely wanted to swim in the ocean. I sat down next to a campfire and touched a hem of a beautiful blue gown Kol had brought me from the previous village where he had been.

Since I didn't feel like hunting, I lied down on the ground and looked at the stars above me. Everything felt alright and I was about to close my eyes until I heard someone approaching. I was on my feet in a fraction of a second but I started to relax when I caught Kol's scent. Wait; there was also a foreign scent. A human. I tensed again when Kol appeared between the trees with a pretty young woman. Her big brown eyes looked at me in wonder but she was smiling.

"I brought you a little gift, my sweet," Kol said before I managed to ask anything. "Does she please you?"

I couldn't understand what he meant. Apparently he noticed my confusion.

"I want you to taste her."

My eyes widened.

"Kol…I…I can not…"

"Sonja," he said firmly. "I am not asking. You must learn to feed on people; there are no deer in a ship."

"But…"

"No arguments, it is best to start practicing right now before we arrive at the coast."

He crossed his arms and looked at me expectantly. I knew that he wouldn't change his mind so I swallowed before looking at the woman who was still smiling.

"Hello," I heard myself saying.

"Hello," she replied kindly.

I hesitated before approaching her. Kol took few steps back but he was watching me like a hawk.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Elise."

"It is nice to meet you, Elise, my name is Sonja. Would you like to take a seat with me?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

We both sat on the ground next to the campfire. I had no idea what I was doing; did I really want to know anything about her? I wasn't going to take her life. The thought was suddenly very clear on my mind. Hadn't I said to Elijah that all it would take was self-control? I could only pray that I would have enough of it.

"Do you have a family, Elise?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Yes, I have a husband and a son."

I forced myself to picture that image in my head. There was a man who would miss his wife and a child who would miss his mother. Could I really do this? I looked at Kol but his expression told me that this wasn't open for discussion. I had to concentrate so I looked into this woman's eyes.

"There is no need to be afraid," I said softly and touched her hair. She smiled and nodded when I touched her neck. Her skin felt soft and warm and I saw the veins right beneath it.

"Everything is alright," I said before I let my fangs out. She didn't seem startled at all and I reminded myself one last time what was at stake before I leaned towards her and touched her neck with my lips. She flinched a little when my fangs broke her skin; I tried to be as careful as possible. Her blood was very different than anything I had tasted before. For a moment it felt like I would have tasted the very essence of her being. I could feel who she was, her hopes, dreams and fears. That was a strange experience. When I had fed on animals, I had always felt their life-force, but this was different. She was a human so her consciousness was wider than animal's. I pulled away wiping some blood off my face and made a mental note to myself that I would have to learn how to feed without making so much mess.

"I am sorry," I muttered and licked her wounds clean. Then I bit my wrist and told her to take a sip. She obeyed without saying a word. After her wounds were healed, I took her hand.

"Thank you, Elise, for your gift. Now I want you to go home to your husband and son and forget all of this."

She nodded and stood up. Kol didn't try to stop her, he was staring at me. I knew that look better than well, his eyes were full of lust.

"That was…" he muttered. "Undress. Now."

I frowned and jumped to my feet.

"I do not appreciate…" I started but he was already in front of me.

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He wrapped his arms tightly around my waist and started to lick the blood on my face. It wasn't difficult to feel how aroused he was. He had no patience to remove my gown so he simply tore it straight off my body. I was about to protest, that was my only gown, but he silenced me with a deep passionate kiss. I was kissing him back with the same urgency when he wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed me against a tree. He unbuckled his pants and slammed into me rougher than usually, he was seriously turned on. I cried out and my nails were digging into his shoulders.

"Sonja," he groaned and started to move faster. I tilted my head back when I felt my climax getting closer. My nails were digging deeper, making his shoulders to bleed but he didn't even notice that. I screamed when I came and let my body to collapse. He followed me almost immediately and kissed me before placing me on the ground.

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I sighed in content when he wrapped his arms around me and let his hand rest on my stomach. For a while we both just lied there looking at the stars.

"You owe me a new gown," I muttered.

He chuckled.

"I will give you as many gowns as you like. When we will get to Europe, I will make sure that you are dressed like a princess."

"A princess… Does that mean that I have to start to wear shoes?"

He chuckled again and kissed my cheek.

"Yes, my sweet, it does."

"Oh…" I bit my lip. "I guess that also means that I can't run in the woods naked anymore."

"No, no, no, you can and actually I insist that you will. But only if you let me watch."

I frowned and nipped his neck.

"Ouch. Aren't you a naughty girl."

I smiled and leaned my head on his chest. His presence made me feel safe and it didn't take long before I was fast asleep.

"You have to join me! This is amazing!" Sonja said before another wave hit her. She laughed and spun around in the water like a dolphin. Kol couldn't help but smile when he saw her childlike joy; apparently she really loved the ocean. Her eyes had widened with amazement when she had caught the first glimpse of the sparkling water and no more than a second later she had been already swimming. That had been two hours ago, but who was counting. Kol didn't feel like swimming so he settled for watching her. He had never thought that it would be possible to feel like this towards anyone. Every day this woman found new ways to amaze him and make him to want her more. The innocence in her that had remained despite of everything that had happened didn't cease to fascinate him.

Even though they were both something more than humans, she was still everything that he wasn't. The monster in him had become louder, it demanded blood and destruction. A part of him wanted to let it to take over and enjoy the ride, like he sometimes did. All the people he had drained didn't mean anything, all that he cared about was her. She brought him peace and happiness, even the monster in him knew how to appreciate that. Yet, the monster was always there, he couldn't shut it out even if he would have wanted to. But the truth was that he really didn't want to. This was what he was, what he was born to be. At least so it felt.

Who said that a monster couldn't love? His monster, as dark as it was, loved this woman just as much as he did. She was all that mattered. When they would get to Europe he would certainly give her everything she could possibly want. But first they had to find a ship to take them there. He was just pondering where the nearest port would be, when he heard something.

Kol turned his head and saw five riders who were apparently escorting a carriage pulled by four magnificent looking horses. The whole group was traveling across the coastline and they were approaching him fast. He didn't move when they all stopped next to him. The riders, who seemed like experienced warriors with their swords and bows, looked vigilant. Then the carriage door opened and a man stepped out. Kol had never seen anyone dressed like that; his clothes were made of some kind of strange shiny fabric. The man was maybe a little older than he; he had blondish hair and a beard.

"You, peasant," he said quite rudely. "Does this woman belong to you?"

Kol hadn't even noticed that Sonja was standing few steps behind him wearing a soaking wet gown.

"Yes, she does," Kol replied calmly. His monster was already purring, it knew that the blood would spill soon.

"I want to buy her, name your price," the man demanded.

"For what purpose do you want her for?" Kol asked keeping his calm tone.

The man looked at him and let out a mocking laughter.

"Not very smart, are you, boy? I have a long journey ahead of me back to England and she will offer me and perhaps my men some entertainment."

The five riders looked at Sonja and grinned.

"You are going to Europe?" Kol asked.

The man looked annoyed.

"I have no time to chat with some filthy peasant, my ship is waiting. Take the woman," he ordered his men.

Kol snapped the man's neck without and effort, he didn't want to ruin those fancy clothes that would soon be his. The five riders were dead just as quickly. The monster rejoiced when it got a taste of their blood.

"Please, please, don't kill me," someone pleaded.

Kol dropped the body of the last rider and turned to look at Sonja who had kneeled next to an old man who was the carriage driver.

"It's alright," she said calmingly. "We are not going to kill you."

"Who was this man?" Kol asked demandingly.

The old man avoided looking at him, probably because his face was covered with blood.

"Lo…Lord Tybalt…a…a trader fro…from England," he stuttered.

Kol nodded.

"Good. And he has his own ship?"

"Ye…yes."

"Wonderful." Kol grabbed the trembling man and looked into his eyes. "You will calm down and take us there. I am Lord Tybalt, do you understand?"

The man nodded.

"Yes, my lord."

Kol smiled and tapped at his shoulder.

"Good man."

Kol turned to look at Sonja who seemed a little confused. He grinned and bowed.

"Your carriage is waiting, my lady."

She looked at the simple wooden carriage curiously; obviously she had never seen one before. Kol noticed that she was very careful not to look at the bodies on the ground.

"They would have hurt you," he said.

She nodded.

"Yes, I know. If I would be a human."

She didn't continue, so he helped her in the carriage, although she could have easily got in by herself. He sat down next to her and kissed her hand.

"My Sonja… I will never let anyone to hurt you."

She smiled.

"I am not helpless, you know."

He grinned.

"Yes, I definitely know. I pity anyone who is foolish enough to think that."

He really meant that. Despite of her sweet and innocent appearance, there was a little beast inside of her. That only made him want her more.