Chapter 2
I bolted upright, my mouth open in a silent yell that wouldn't exit my throat that was raw from screaming. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I sobbed uncontrollably, my shoulders heaving as my lungs tried to draw in air. Next thing I knew, Kieran had materialized beside my bed in the pitch darkness, and wrapped his arms around me, his mind easily slipping into mine and easing the pain of my nightmares. He murmured comforting thoughts into my hair, and pressed them into my mind. When I had relatively regained my composure, he sat back enough to see my face, flicking on the light behind him. I was momentarily blinded and shielded my eyes. He pulled my hands gently from my eyes and stared into my tear- streaked face.
"Same nightmare again?" He asked, his voice lightly tinted with an English accent. The dim light outlined his form, setting an unearthly glow about him. Light reflected in his emerald eyes, making them seem illuminated as those of a cat. Shadows seemed to swirl around him, catching his face and throwing it into darkness when he turned a certain way. For now, the shadows rimmed his high cheekbones, making his slim-featured face look like a hollow skull. I was terrified; never had he looked more like the creature he was, a vampire. He frowned when I didn't answer, cupping my face gently in his delicate hand and lifting my chin to expose the side of my throat.
He leaned forward, his eyes intent on the rapid pulse in my neck. I froze, a look of horror planted firmly on my features.
He broke his gaze to quickly glance at my face.
"Kala, I gave you my word that I would never feed upon you and to that I hold. You have been with me for nearly 2 months; you should know that." Without waiting for my answer, he tenderly stroked the side of my neck that ached. "Your.wound is becoming irritated again."
My hand went to the side of my neck where the fallen vampire, whose name I had learned was Corbett, had once fed upon me regularly. The spot throbbed and turned an aggravated shade of red when I dreamt of my life in the small cell of the dungeon.
"Shall I sit with you until you fall asleep?" Kieran's silky voice rumbled from deep in his chest.
I shook my head as I slid back underneath the navy blue silk sheets. Although my heart was still beating more rapidly than normal, I wasn't about to have him sit with me as if I was a child.
His hand passed through my tangled black curls as he leaned over me to kiss my forehead lightly.
"Sweet dreams, my lovely flower," He said softly, and then smiled wryly. Sweet dreams were about the last thing I was expecting.
I ignored his use of the nickname he had given me. My nickname was derived from the actual meaning of my name, Kalantha.
He left the room, pausing at the door as if unsure if he should leave. After a moment, he shut the door, the inky blackness surrounding me and pulsing through my lungs painfully. I shut my eyes tight, called on a thread of my magic that was deep in my heart and then opened my eyes. The leaves of the small plant in the corner of my room were laced with a vibrant green, the life of the plant. Pale red and green shone lightly from the dozens of blood red roses Kieran had placed in vases all around my room. Looking down, I saw a pale, pulsating blue radiating from my own skin; it was my magic.
Instant nightlight, I thought with a tired smile as I snuggled deeper into my blankets with a comforted sigh. None but I could see this fire from within all living creatures, as it was created with my magic, by my hands. Perhaps I won't dream anymore.The thought drifted lazily across my head as my eyelids drooped and sleep enveloped me like a warm, comforting blanket.
This time I was in what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient temple. Vines snaked through cracks in the masonry, across the floor, and twined around half broken columns. Inscriptions in an ancient tongue were carved into the walls and columns.
I walked down the main path, intent on going wherever it was that I was going. Ancient magic was light on the breeze within this temple, but the my lungs labored to breathe air that got heavier as I neared the stone door at the end of my path. Unfamiliar, thick magic crackled through the air, making my nerves jangle with a warning. At last I was at the stone door, the hairs on the back of my neck raised.
There was a knob, which appeared to be in the shaped of a sun, at about chest level. I noticed with dismay that my hand was unaccountably reaching for the knob. With a yank, the sun shaped knob slid about an inch away from the door and I started twisting the knob to the right, and then to the left, and to the right again.
With a jerk and a loud creak, the door started opening; the knob had been an ancient combination lock. I stepped through the door, instantly throwing my hands up to shield my eyes from the dazzling silver light at the end of the chamber. My feet seemed to go numb, and yet I floated steadily toward the light, apprehension hanging around my neck like a bag of rocks, and yet a small prick of desire started to blossom in my chest.
A quiet, slow chanting started in the back of my head as I neared the light, which seemed to be coming from a small ornately carved chest on an intricately designed wooden table. The desire of curiosity started to overwhelm me. The chanting consistently grew louder until it seemed like the voices were screeching in my head. I was standing right in front of the chest. Desire swamped my body, but somewhere in the back of the screeching that was in my head I heard a small voice cautioning me not to do whatever it was I was about to do. My hand reached toward the chest, hovering above it.
now is the time to press that lil grayish-blue button right next to "submit review" okay? The one to the bottom left hand side...yup, that's the one...
I bolted upright, my mouth open in a silent yell that wouldn't exit my throat that was raw from screaming. Tears coursed down my cheeks as I sobbed uncontrollably, my shoulders heaving as my lungs tried to draw in air. Next thing I knew, Kieran had materialized beside my bed in the pitch darkness, and wrapped his arms around me, his mind easily slipping into mine and easing the pain of my nightmares. He murmured comforting thoughts into my hair, and pressed them into my mind. When I had relatively regained my composure, he sat back enough to see my face, flicking on the light behind him. I was momentarily blinded and shielded my eyes. He pulled my hands gently from my eyes and stared into my tear- streaked face.
"Same nightmare again?" He asked, his voice lightly tinted with an English accent. The dim light outlined his form, setting an unearthly glow about him. Light reflected in his emerald eyes, making them seem illuminated as those of a cat. Shadows seemed to swirl around him, catching his face and throwing it into darkness when he turned a certain way. For now, the shadows rimmed his high cheekbones, making his slim-featured face look like a hollow skull. I was terrified; never had he looked more like the creature he was, a vampire. He frowned when I didn't answer, cupping my face gently in his delicate hand and lifting my chin to expose the side of my throat.
He leaned forward, his eyes intent on the rapid pulse in my neck. I froze, a look of horror planted firmly on my features.
He broke his gaze to quickly glance at my face.
"Kala, I gave you my word that I would never feed upon you and to that I hold. You have been with me for nearly 2 months; you should know that." Without waiting for my answer, he tenderly stroked the side of my neck that ached. "Your.wound is becoming irritated again."
My hand went to the side of my neck where the fallen vampire, whose name I had learned was Corbett, had once fed upon me regularly. The spot throbbed and turned an aggravated shade of red when I dreamt of my life in the small cell of the dungeon.
"Shall I sit with you until you fall asleep?" Kieran's silky voice rumbled from deep in his chest.
I shook my head as I slid back underneath the navy blue silk sheets. Although my heart was still beating more rapidly than normal, I wasn't about to have him sit with me as if I was a child.
His hand passed through my tangled black curls as he leaned over me to kiss my forehead lightly.
"Sweet dreams, my lovely flower," He said softly, and then smiled wryly. Sweet dreams were about the last thing I was expecting.
I ignored his use of the nickname he had given me. My nickname was derived from the actual meaning of my name, Kalantha.
He left the room, pausing at the door as if unsure if he should leave. After a moment, he shut the door, the inky blackness surrounding me and pulsing through my lungs painfully. I shut my eyes tight, called on a thread of my magic that was deep in my heart and then opened my eyes. The leaves of the small plant in the corner of my room were laced with a vibrant green, the life of the plant. Pale red and green shone lightly from the dozens of blood red roses Kieran had placed in vases all around my room. Looking down, I saw a pale, pulsating blue radiating from my own skin; it was my magic.
Instant nightlight, I thought with a tired smile as I snuggled deeper into my blankets with a comforted sigh. None but I could see this fire from within all living creatures, as it was created with my magic, by my hands. Perhaps I won't dream anymore.The thought drifted lazily across my head as my eyelids drooped and sleep enveloped me like a warm, comforting blanket.
This time I was in what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient temple. Vines snaked through cracks in the masonry, across the floor, and twined around half broken columns. Inscriptions in an ancient tongue were carved into the walls and columns.
I walked down the main path, intent on going wherever it was that I was going. Ancient magic was light on the breeze within this temple, but the my lungs labored to breathe air that got heavier as I neared the stone door at the end of my path. Unfamiliar, thick magic crackled through the air, making my nerves jangle with a warning. At last I was at the stone door, the hairs on the back of my neck raised.
There was a knob, which appeared to be in the shaped of a sun, at about chest level. I noticed with dismay that my hand was unaccountably reaching for the knob. With a yank, the sun shaped knob slid about an inch away from the door and I started twisting the knob to the right, and then to the left, and to the right again.
With a jerk and a loud creak, the door started opening; the knob had been an ancient combination lock. I stepped through the door, instantly throwing my hands up to shield my eyes from the dazzling silver light at the end of the chamber. My feet seemed to go numb, and yet I floated steadily toward the light, apprehension hanging around my neck like a bag of rocks, and yet a small prick of desire started to blossom in my chest.
A quiet, slow chanting started in the back of my head as I neared the light, which seemed to be coming from a small ornately carved chest on an intricately designed wooden table. The desire of curiosity started to overwhelm me. The chanting consistently grew louder until it seemed like the voices were screeching in my head. I was standing right in front of the chest. Desire swamped my body, but somewhere in the back of the screeching that was in my head I heard a small voice cautioning me not to do whatever it was I was about to do. My hand reached toward the chest, hovering above it.
now is the time to press that lil grayish-blue button right next to "submit review" okay? The one to the bottom left hand side...yup, that's the one...