Chapter 2
"Lamia Ovis"
(Revised after reading Dark Demon)
The McBrides were paranormal researchers and they had discovered much about Carpathians, and vampires alike, through centuries they had watched in silence how Carpathians fought and destroyed vampires, they had followed them throughout the world, they had observed the dark world but they weren't a part of it.
That was until Tristan came around, they had found him, only a year old, lost, wondering alone on the burnt grounds of the Carpathian Mountains, the attack had orphaned him and many other children, that famous hit had killed Darius and Gregori's parents as well as many others.
A couple had taken pity of the little redheaded baby and embraced him, called him McBride and raised him like a son, hidden from hunters and sunlight, teaching him what they knew of Carpathians and vampires, and also using him to know more of the race.
They knew so much now that they had been able to keep Tristan Ferdichenko alive for centuries, orphaned by human hunters, saved by human seekers. They had adopted him giving him their last name, in time Tristan had forgotten all about his father, the famous vampire hunter and his mother the gorgeous Celtic princess, both of them had been redheads, both of them had died protecting the Carpathian children Erick and Iseult Ferdichenko.
The McBrides had a secret, a possession dear to the prince and his family, a sort of a family tree, of all the Carpathians; it was called the Lamia Ovis or the Carpathian Sheet in Latin.
Tristan had jealously hidden that book from everyone, the book contained every single Carpathian born as far as Vlad and Sarantha, and centuries before that, down to the latest generations, all marked, followed closely, if they had turned vampire, died, found a lifemate or simply died months after birth, a book so precious Razvan and Xavier would die to get his hands on, also the society, even Mikhail himself, it was a Carpathian treasure. In fact, Xavier had murdered dozens of McBrides to get his hand on that book; Razvan had been injured by Tristan several times but never killed.
That book had caused many deaths; that infamous piece of paper was Tristan's curse, he could not burn it; it was shielded in magic and he could not get rid of it, whoever had it, would die protecting it. He couldn't even erase the names in it; it wrote itself down, someone had forged it from the blood of the first Carpathian and his lifemate, a testimony of their story and then to the history of the race.
Tristan thought perhaps it was time to give it to Mikhail, he would know what to do with it, but his own revenge hang from it, as long as Razvan knew he had it, he would look for it, and sooner or later they would meet, and Tristan would kill him, if he wasn't already dead like some Carpathians whispered about.
And if Razvan could not be found; he now had one of his daughters at his mercy, and you all know that any sort of revenge is better than none…
zzz
Tristan dropped Amanda unceremoniously onto the bed and left her there, he went outside to calm his thoughts; the falling rain had always soothed him. Rage was gnawing at him, telling him to take her and damned be the consequences.
Amanda ignored the silent command he had issued by dropping her and leaving her alone, and walked back to his side. "Are you alright? You look so angry. If there's something wrong with me, I'd like to know. If you can't tell me about these dragons then let me go."
"Go back inside, Amy; its cold out here and you shouldn't be standing." She read his aura right there, under the moonlight.
He had a funny contrast about him, deep reds mixing with blue and green, rage, pain, loneliness and deep down a soft haze of love, he was falling in love with her and he resented it, revenge had gotten mixed with it, tainting it.
"Stop looking at me like that!" Tristan screamed, he was thinking of his latest affair, remembering the promises he had made when she was dying on his arms. The little feelings he had were loyalty and pride, and they demanded to take revenge on Razvan for killing her and so many other Mc Brides before her. He had to take revenge even if it was on Razvan's daughter instead of him.
Her name had been Celeste McBride, he had thought in time that he loved her, but she hadn't restored color or feelings to him, this girl had. But he couldn't put revenge aside for her sake. He had to find Razvan and kill him. And God help him he would dare use Amanda as bait.
Mandy couldn't believe what she was reading on him, vengeance; that was the thing that drove him to her side; he would use her, suck her dry, put her as bait and then dump her.
She thought of escaping, of telling this Mikhail who seemed to be in command of all of them the truth, but would he help her? There was no reason to taker her side over his.
He didn't know. Tristan didn't know what all Carpathians did, that he would die without her, that he'd suffer everything that happened to her, that in time he would regret thinking revenge was more important than love, if he lost her he would become a vampire, and he didn't know any of those things. He was confused of the sheer intensity of feelings she had awaken on him, of the maelstrom of conflicting emotions gathering.
What his human family had taught him was completely opposite, he thought lifemates were only meant for breeding, nothing but a possession, and love wasn't exactly a part of it, he thought he wasn't suppose to worship her, just to look after her. But what could a bunch of humans know of the most basic principle of Carpathian life? What could Tristan know of the deep feelings she would arouse on him?
zzz
"I'm sorry…about the things he did. I wish I could take it off, this unholy mark, but I can't, I tried, but even cutting the flesh off … it always comes back. I don't mean to rub salt on your wounds but how could you punish me for something I didn't do? I'm an innocent bystander, Tristan. I know nothing of these dragon seekers, or Carpathians or vampires or anything like that."
He whirled around and lunged for her throat, plastering her to the cabin's wall with the sheer force of the impact. He wrapped his hand around her neck, with no pressure but strong enough to feel the blood pulsing under his fingers. It called out to him like nothing ever had.
"You think you are innocent, but you are not. Your blood carries it … the dragon seeker … evil stench." He inhaled her scent deep into his lungs, she was sweet, earthy and the smell of rain had made her more alluring. Her blood smelled of great power, of magic and immortality. And he mistakenly confused the things all Dragonseekers had in common with a thread of evil, a promise of what she could do if she surrendered into compulsion.
She wasn't a virgin, he could smell the beginning of her arousal; she had also been with another male not so long ago, a week or so maybe. "You lied to me. You have a boyfriend and he's been with you less than a week ago."
Mandy felt her eyes grow large with shame and disbelief. "He's not my boyfriend, he was … my boss." The bastard, he who had fired her, had also fucked her, what a travesty, Tristan thought.
"You want me, Amanda." It wasn't a question, he felt her blood rushing down, and the sweet nectar gathering, but who could blame her, he had that large body of his pressed to hers, and his penis was poking her belly insistently, she liked it rough, once or twice she had enjoyed bondage, been tied and helpless made her feel aroused. She was no blushing virgin, at her age, she had been with many partners, she had always been careful but it didn't mean she hadn't enjoyed it.
But she would never tell him that, he looked like the sort of man who would use that against her. "It's a rather stupid man…one who lets you go so easily. I won't make that mistake."
His free hand roamed under the camisole, her panties weren't there anymore with just a flick of his fingers, and he bared her for his intrusion. She struggled against him, she was caught between fear and need; she felt her arousal start and then climb up, and she tried to curb it, but it was as if her body had a life of its own, responding silently to his presence, to the insistent plunge of his fingers.
He wrapped her legs around his waist, seeking friction, she was wet, tight, hot, as it should be, but she was also refusing it, he knew her inner struggle and that aroused even further. "You have something that makes me go insane with lust, Amy." He slacked the pressure around her throat and kissed her sweet lips. He had never felt such raw longing, such deep lust. He wouldn't be pulled apart from her side, not even if Gregori the dark one came to defend her on what was basically against her wishes and strictly forbidden.
He couldn't remember feeling more aroused than that before in his life. Amy felt his feelings eco on her mind and body; she decided to stop fighting, to want it as much as he did, why struggle against it? He was a stallion if she had ever seen one.
He promised her sweet rapture when she had none. He promised her unbridled passion, the one thing missing from her life, even if just for one night she would have this sexy blood sucker inside her.
That had to be the reason why he had brought her to his cabin, to seduce her, she shouldn't be afraid of him, she could always use a magic shield and push him away but she didn't want to, she wanted to yield to him, she wanted to be taken.
Amy wrapped her arms around his neck and used her tongue to encourage him. "You have something I'd really like to have inside me …Tristan McBride." Was he going insane? Women couldn't be that forthcoming. But she was. And his name sounded so sexy under her tongue, was he insane or had she just demanded he took right there and then?
"Your wish is my command, Amanda Johnson." He said her name like a whisper; he was getting intoxicated with need, the beast roaring to take her, something wild and primeval taking hold of his body.
He took her inside the cabin, never stopping the heated kisses, she surged against his body seeking satisfaction, she was a natural seductress, and he laid her on the bed and took off his clothes in a flash.
He entered her without preamble, ramming himself to the hilt in one fluid motion. They screamed in unison, her body rippling with waves of pleasure.
The orgasm was endless, like a sea, coming wave after wave with each of his deep, frenzied thrusts. He was big in every way conceivable, his body covered her, engulf her in its warm, before his own first orgasm arrived, he sank his fangs on her breast, just as she had seen on her vision, and then he exploded, taking her with him under that wave.
After he drank her blood, he felt her thoughts invading his head, he felt her body like it was his own, heightened, every wave of pleasure crashed at him, then pain, the ankle hurt, and the breast too, he had sank and drank but the holes were still open, stinging with pain. He shuddered; he didn't know what to make of it.
He bent his head to her breast and sucked again, she felt a wave of instant pleasure, and her blood burned down his throat, he had never tasted something quite like it. He continued sucking until the holes closed under his tongue.
Amanda touched his mind hesitantly, probing for memories and feelings, she had a great skill for those things, a true psychic, a gift from her prestigious bloodline; he rejected it with fury pushing her away from him with violence.
"Stop that! Get out of my head!" She fell on the floor with a thud, stunned into silence, what was wrong with him?
Confused and angry Tristan turned away from her, pushing her aside mentally and then he walked outside of the room, feeling an instant sense of loss, pain, and bone deep yearning to get back to her and finish what he had started.
"What's happening to me?" He asked out-loud, sending the message as far as he could into the night. There was no response, only Amy heard him roar.
Tristan returned to the bedroom spurned, she was sitting there, with the covers wrapped around her body, feeling confused and disoriented; tears were streaming down her face. She had closed her mind to him fearing his wrath.
"Are you alright?" Tristan said reaching out to touch her face. "You are weeping again." She didn't turn away from his hand; she actually welcomed the caress, closing her eyes to the feeling of his large hand on her face, the caress sent waves of pleasure through her body. "You are so beautiful, so trusting; whoever made you was very graceful. I'm sorry, I'm a bastard. You have powers I can't understand, you invade me and that makes me fell helpless … I don't like that feeling." He tasted her tears, salty, heavy with her essence, and more significant because he had provoked them.
"Why do you hate me?" He couldn't believe her question.
"I don't hate you." He sat as close to her as he could, placing both hands around her face, wiping away her fallen tears. "I don't hate you. It's your blood; your family hurt mine terribly. I'm confused; I don't understand how or why I feel like I do, this is too much for me. Who you are; the dragonseeker in you; it makes you my enemy."
"How could you think that? I have no power over you. I'm only a girl, I thought we were having sex; I didn't want to upset you. Why did you leave when I tried to connect with you? Haven't you ever done that?" Amy whispered looking for a straight answer on his eyes.
"No, I've no mind powers at all, and now I can't control my own feelings any more … and that scares the shit out of me." He remained there locked inside her curious eyes, blue and gray in patches, silver when the tears were gathering like that moment. "I'm having deep feelings for you, Amanda. And I can't bear them, the yearn, the hunger, you've made a wreck out of me."
What was it, two hours, no weeks, he had been feeling her presence for weeks, he sought her out among the dancers; he followed her in and out of stage, now he knew she had been meant to be with him from the very beginning.
"I don't know … what to say." Amy felt the words choke in her throat, she felt the same but she didn't dare say it.
"Don't say anything, Amy; just kiss me. Let us finish this thing we began before we go mad with need." He took her again, this time soft, slow, gentle. He wanted to savor her, she was exquisite.
When he felt he was about to explode inside her again, words came to him from nowhere. "You are my lifemate, bound to me for all eternity, always in my keeping, I take you under my protection… and I can't remember the rest right now, but I'll write it down to say right next time." And then he came, spurting hot seed and screaming his throat hoarse.
He had bedded dozens of women, and yet, he had never felt that kind of pleasure, that single minded explosion, like his whole body had fragmented and gone into hers. His release had never been so strong, so emotional, he felt her hands around his cheeks and he trembled, he was crying blood tears. The flood of unbridled emotions was too strong for him.
He opened his mind to her and she saw the pain, the centuries of existence without true love, the regrets, the need for revenge, all sorts of emotions overlapping themselves, Tristan felt her as well, lonely, sad, lacking everything beloved to a person, unattached, orphaned; and yet she was so full of passion, so giving.
He tried to speak, but she closed his mouth kissing him, tasting her tears mixing up with his.
Amy, I'm not a good man, but help me God; I am yours tonight, take me, hold me, do as you wish with me. But don't let go of me, give me these maelstrom of feeling even if only for tonight.
Don't speak, Tristan. Just kiss me. I'm here now, I won't let go of you.
He feared eternity, he mourned so many McBrides lost over centuries of barren existence, he was tired of losing; he wanted to hold something of his own and know it would not die on his arms. He wanted to feel her.
I am your lifemate, Tristan. I'm yours, make me like you; make me an immortal, take me, drink me.
It is said that instinct is stronger than reason, and in this case it was, Tristan opened his mouth, released his roaring beast and sank on her shoulder, hard bone made a sick sound as it broke, and the sweet nectar of lifemate blood surged into him unstoppable. Mandy cried out in fear and pain, he sucked-on for dear life, taking away her essence.
He didn't stop, he drank and drank until he hummed with a curious satiation, and just there her heart started stumbling, making a painful journey, he thought twice of making it, completing the exchange with his own blood, but she took the moment's hesitation from him.
She drew him closer and bit his tongue hard, blunt teeth sinking as far as they would go, the coppery taste burned her, seized her, as soon as she swallowed a wrenching began, her body twisted, knotted , contorted and then she screamed non stop.
Conversion had begun…
Tbc…
You guys know me, I love ending with a song, and I though this one was great, and it's on Lifehouse latest cd. (By the way, did you like the cliffhanger?)
Storm by Lifehouse
How
long have I been in this storm?
So overwhelmed by the ocean's
shapeless form
Water's getting harder to tread
With these waves
crashing over my head
If I could just see you
Everything
would be all right
If I'd see you
This darkness would turn to
light
And I will walk on water
And you will catch me if I
fall
And I will get lost into your eyes
And everything will be
alright
And everything will be alright
I know you didn't
bring me out here to drown
So why am I ten feet under and upside
down
Barely surviving has become my purpose
Because I'm so used to living underneath the surface
If I could just see
you
Everything would be all right
If I'd see you
This
darkness would turn to light
And I will walk on water
And
you will catch me if I fall
And I will get lost into your eyes
And
I know everything will be alright
And I will walk on water
And
you will catch me if I fall
And I will get lost into your eyes
And
everything will be alright
And everything is
alright
Everything is alright …