Chapter 2: DEADLY BIRTH
My eyes snapped open.
Darkness surrounded me. I saw nothing but a black void. Where was I ? What had happened to me ? Was I dreaming ? It certainly felt like it. A fog had settled in my mind, dulling my senses.
Suddenly, something moved beside me. Strong arms tightened around my waist and I sighed contentedly. The person behind me made me feel warm and safe. Instinctually, I pushed myself into his embrace, inhaling the deliciously calming scent as I closed my eyes once more.
One of the arms holding me let go of me and I heard a strange, scratching sound. I felt dirt fall on my face. I opened my eyes again. The sense of peace provided by the stranger's presence was gone. I was alone.
The darkness started to feel oppressing. I tried breathing, but dirt invaded my nostrils. I coughed it out, and felt myself surrounded by it.
Had I been burried alive ?
Panicking, I started clawing at the earth above me desperately. A sob escaped me and dirt filled my mouth, the wet scent of muckus attacking my nose as my senses seemed to reappear. I heard someone move above me, the loud vibrations caused by his steps assaulting my over-sensitive ears. An owl hooted and leaves fluttered in the wind. I clawed harder.
Suddenly, I felt my hand break through the surface, fresh air hitting my skin. Someone grabbed my fingers strongly and pulled.
Feeling the air on my face was a mercy. I took the time to inhale it, and was overcome by a multitude of different smells. The most prominent was the earth. But behind it, I perceived the presence of water, pollen, flowers and sweat. I smelled blood, too.
Slowly, I looked up from my kneeling position and saw his face. He had short black hair, the cut almost military looking. His features were well defined, even harsh in some places, with a strong square jaw and sharp cheekbones. His nose was straight and lead to thin, but beautifully shaped, lips. But what caught my attention were his eyes. They reminded me of the sea. They appeared blue at first, but upon further inspection, you could see waves of grey and green crashing against the dark blue, the three colours swirling around his black pupils. It was captivating.
I knew this face. I had seen it before.
« Godric », I said.
« Yes », he answered. « I am Godric. And you are Astrid, is that right ? »
« Yeah, that's my name », I said, bewildered.
My mind was confused. I knew his name, but how ?
A sudden sound caught my attention. I tilted my head upwards, and saw a grey butterfly flapping its wings frantically. I followed its movements, briefly noticing the trees surrounding us, my head moving in coordination with it.
« Astrid », I heard Godric say.
I snapped out of my new fascination for the butterfly, and looked back at him.
« What happened ? » I asked.
Godric watched me with a sad expression before kneeling in front of me, so that we were both on the forest soil. He raised his right hand and cuped my cheek. I leaned in, feeling safer than I could remember feeling ever before. His scent surrounded me and I recognized him as the person who had been imprisoned in the ground with me. His presence was divine.
« You died » he said, « I killed you ».
I was shocked. I didn't feel dead. In fact, I felt more alive than ever. A strange thought occured to me then.
« Are we in heaven ? » I asked.
His thick eyebrows rose in surprise at the question.
« Why would you think that ? »
« You feel so good and so safe » I said without thinking, my lips moving on their own accord.
A sad smile touched his lips.
« We are not in heaven, ma fille. What you are feeling is the maker-child bond »
« The what ? »
I did not understand what he meant.
« You are a vampire », he said. « I was forced to kill you and turn you as a punishment ».
And just like that, my muddled memories became defined and the last of the fog cleared from my mind. I remembered. My abduction from the hotel I'd been staying in, the creepy junkyard , the vampire trial, and where I'd first laid eyes on Godric.
A sick feeling settled in my stomach. Merde ! I was a vampire. I was a living corpse, a creature forced to suck the life from others in order to sustain my own.
What would I tell my family ? My father ? My brother ? How would they react ? Were they even aware of my disappearance ? Would I see them again ? Would they welcome me ?
My eyes filled with tears, and one trailed down my nose. The smell of blood filled my nostrils and I felt a sudden pain in my stomach. My throat started to burn as cramps clawed at my insides.
« What's happening to me ? » I asked in fear.
« You're hungry. You need to feed. » Godric answered.
He got on his feet and pulled me up with him. He looked at me hesitantly before tentatively putting his arms around me. I immediatly burried my face in his shoulder and clung to him. He gently kissed my hair and stroke my back.
« Calm down »he said. « The pain will pass. I drained you of your blood to turn you and gave you some of mine. But you still need to refill your body. You only need to wait a little more. Your brother is coming with a donor for you to feed on. »
« My brother ? » I asked, in an attempt to distract myself from the hunger that seemed to grow more and more painful.
« Yes, Eric, my first child. He is the Sheriff of this area. »
I was confused, now. I had heard the Magister refer to Godric as a Sheriff, too, but had no idea what that meant.
« What's a Sheriff ? » I asked, my voiced muffled by his shirt.
Before he could respond, however, a new voice interrupted :
« Mmmm, you two look rather cuddly. Can I join in ? »
Startled, I turned around in Godric's embrace and gasped at the sight in front of me.
A viking stood there. There was no doubt about it. His blond hair reached his shoulders and framed his face in a very attractive way. His blue eyes sparkled in dark amusement and a smirk played on his lips. He was a giant of a man and muscles that would make any body builder proud rippled under a tight black short sleeved T-shirt. He was a hunk !
A human stood by his side. It was a healthy looking black man, rather tall and attractive, even if he was dwarfed by the blond vampire beside him. As soon as my attention focused on him, however, I forgot all about the viking.
I heard the bewitching rythm of his heart and saw his veins pulsing under his skin. My throat burned and my stomach ached with a renewed fury. My nostrils flared and the most appetizing scent washed over me. It smelled like the best of red wines, like freshly brewed coffee, like hot cacao and so many other delicious things, all present in one human shaped bottle. I felt my pupils widen with lust, as my vision zoomed in on his pulsing neck. And for the first time, my fangs snaped out of my gums.
I tried rushing toward the man, intent on sinking my brand new teeth in his chocolate skin and sucking the nectar rushing under its surface, but Godric's hold on me was unrelenting. I turned my head toward him and bared my fangs at him. My chest rumbled as a deep, predatory growl escaped me. He remained infuriatingly impassive while I heard a distant chuckle and a voice say :
« Feisty, isn't she ? That's cute »
« Eric ! » snaped Godric.
I whimpered, my lust driving me to the brink of insanity.
« Please » I begged. « Please, I'm so hungry ! It hurts so much, please ! »
Godric bent his head and grabed my jaw in his hand.
« As your maker, I command you to follow my instructions perfectly. You will only bite when I tell you to, the way I tell you to, and you will stop when I tell to »
A strange feeling settled over me as I felt my muscles clench and my body obey his command.
He released his hold on me and walked to the man.
« Come », he said, and I followed him.
He turned his attention to the human.
« What is your name ? »
« Simon Lenoir » He said.
« Simon, please, kneel on the ground »
I watched the interraction with anticipation. Once the man, Simon, was down, my view of his neck was perfect, and I moaned with desire. Godric went to stand behind the man and tilted the human's head, exposing the pulsing throat even more.
« Come here » he said.
Immediatly, I was standing by his side, my gaze fixed on the dark and tender flesh of Simon's neck.
« Put your hands on his shoulders for support, but do not squeeze him. Then bend down, and nuzzel his neck. »
My hands brushed the hot skin of Simon's strong arms and I buried my nose in his sweet, exposed throat. I inhaled the divine scent emmanating from his blood deeply and moaned again. A pang of sexual desire mingled with my hunger.
« Now, lick his throat, and feel his vein, the beat of his heart. Focus on it and bite slowly ».
My tongue darted out and tasted Simon's salty skin, until I felt a regular tremor under the surface. His heart beat. Focusing on it wasn't hard. It was absolutely enchanting. Slowly, I bared my fangs and pierced his soft, burning flesh.
Ambrosia hit my taste buds. I had never tasted anything so good, so addictive. Greedily, I sucked the blood, and moaned in ecstasy as I felt it settle the burn in my throat and the ache of my stomach. My clit throbed, and I wanted nothing more than to sit in Simon's lap and grind against him. However, Godric's command made that impossible. I kept drinking and moaning and I heard Simon echoe the sound. He loved it, and that turned me on even more.
« Enough ! » I heard, and my fangs retracted on their own at Godric's command.
I raised my head toward him and saw that his own fangs were extended.
« Lick his neck until it stops bleeding. Our saliva is a natural coagulant »
I automatically did as I was told, licking the rest of the blood away, and sealing the puncture marks my fangs had left behind, my hunger sated, but my lust still very present.
I stepped back and let Simon stand back up, a dazed look on his face. I couldn't help but stare at the erection stretching his pants and heard a chuckle behind me. I turned around and saw the forgotten viking standing against a tree trunk, a grin stretching his lips.
« Dirty thoughts ? » he asked, before winking at me in a suggestive way.
Had I still been human, I would have been completly red. My embarassement caught up with me and destroyed any remaining lust present within me. Shame flooded me.
« Eric » called Godric's voice. « Take Simon back to his home, and come back later »
Eric obeyed, but not before wiggling his eyebrows at me.
Once we were left alone, Godric put his hands on my cheeks and told me in a soft voice :
« You have nothing to be ashamed of. Your reaction was natural. »
Still ashamed, I silently nodded anyway, my eyes cast down.
« Astrid » Godric called.
I remained still.
« Astrid, look at me »
Reluctantly, I did as I was told.
« You are a vampire now. To our kind, especially newborns, sexual intercourse and feeding often go hand in hand. There really is nothing to be ashamed of »
His words made sense on an intellectual level, but I still felt dirty. I could smell my own arousal lingering in the air, and it made sick.
Sighing in resignation, Godric embraced me reassuringly, and I drowned myself in his scent. His presence really was calming. He felt so safe.
« Come », he said at last. « Let us head home. »
Translation
Ma fille: My daughter
Merde : Shit / Fuck