Bride of Blood:: First Kiss (14 page)

Crystal didn’t live too far from the bar.
 
Although she could have easily walked there, the neighborhood was too dangerous to do something that reckless.
 
Anton told her that he’d walked into the city which she found strange, but nonetheless gave him a ride.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
They walked in the door of Crystal’s apartment.
 
Right away he could feel the loneliness that she had been feeling.
 
Although she moderately decorated, there was not an overwhelming feeling of love about the place.
 
Still, Crystal had not bought him there to discuss interior decorating.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
She took him by the hand and led him to her bedroom.
 
Once inside, Anton began to kiss her passionately and run his hands all over her body.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The memory of him doing the same thing to Velara shot into him like an arrow from a bow.
 
He pushed the memory away and tried to focus on Crystal.
 
He was able to remove her blouse and kiss her warm flesh.
 
Her perfume and sweat tantalized his nose, and he hungrily kissed her again and again.
 
Crystal’s sighs and gasps penetrated his ears, but he was able to maintain some control over himself.
 
He had to remind himself over and over again that Crystal was a mortal and could not take rough handling.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He removed his shirt and allowed Crystal to touch and kiss his chest as much as she wanted.
 
Again, Velara’s memory returned but he quickly squashed it.
 
He removed her bra and began to suck, carefully on her dark nipples.
 
She grasped the back of his head and moaned passionately.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Soon he’d completely disrobed her and was running his hands all over her sexy, naked body.
 
Her butt was much larger and rounder than it had appeared while dressed in her jeans.
 
He gently laid her down on her bed.
 
She reached up and stroked his hard, throbbing member.
 
He closed his eyes and Velara’s memory came rushing back.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He buried his head between her legs and went down on her.
 
She gasped quite loudly and grabbed the back of his head.
 
She ran her fingers through his long hair and moaned loudly as his tongue flicked her clit in a circular motion.
 
She came several times as Anton expertly took her to heights of ecstasy she’d never experienced before.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton made love to her carefully, yet enough to make her whimper with pain and delight from time to time.
 
The sex was passionate and long.
 
Crystal had never experienced sex that had lasted so long or had so many organisms during a single session.
 
She frequently dug her nails into his back and scalp and cried out in pleasure.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Finally, as Anton’s thrusts began to accelerate in both power and speed, Crystal’s body, drenched in sweat-covered body could take no more.
 
Anton felt himself lose control as his eyes blazed and he focused on her neck.
 
At the moment reached climax he dug his fangs into her neck.
 
Crystal gasped from his explosion inside her and the pain of his bite.
 
Her body trembled from both and then she lost consciousness.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton felt her body go limp, as he suddenly realized what he was doing.
 
He pulled his mouth from her neck and collapsed on top of her, spent.
 
He hadn’t drunk too much, but he knew she would be unconscious for at least a day or two.
 
Sex between a vampire and a mortal was usually not practiced since there was a chance that the mortal might not survive.
 
Luckily Anton came to his senses before he’d taken her life.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He pulled himself out of her and stood up.
 
He looked down at her.
 
She was in a deep sleep.
 
Her body was covered with sweat and she was breathing slowly but steadily.
 
A mixture of his and her blood began to seep out her vagina.
 
Anton quickly cleaned her up and wrapped her in several blankets.
 
Through it all, Crystal continued to sleep peacefully.
 
Anton head began to ache and he felt tired.
 
He said a quick prayer of thanks that he hadn’t killed her.
 
He was dreading the long walk back to his home.
 
He looked down at Crystal, fast asleep.
 
He really wanted to slip into the blankets and snuggle up to her warm body and sleep.
 
However, he had no way of knowing when she would wake and there weren’t sufficient window coverings.
 
Staying was simply not an option.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton walked until he was outside the city limits.
 
He then called Chelsea and asked her to pick him up.
 
Dutifully, she did so and he headed for home.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As Chelsea drove, Anton looked out the window and thought about Crystal and Velara.
 
They were one and the same but still two different beings. It was kind of similar with Vercie.
 
He sighed as he realized that he probably wouldn’t be able to see Crystal again.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Eventually, he would have to tell her the truth about who he was and that was too much to put her through.
 
Although both of them could enjoy the hours of sex they’d shared again and again, Anton knew that would be the extent of their relationship.
 
Plus, what if he did lose total control and killed her?
 
He was not permitted to make her one like him so she would simply die.
 
Either way it would not be fair to her.
 
It was just best to let her go.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He thought of Velara.
 
She was the one he truly loved.
 
He ached for her and wanted her so badly.
 
He had to find her there was no other alternative.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton and Alexander stood at the end of their driveway, like they had several weeks ago when life seemed so simple and predictable.
 
Now they were waiting for Chelsea to pick them up and have them shipped to Africa.
 
When anyone in the bloodline of Nephthys encountered any trouble, they would go to the compound of Lady Bernadine, the head of their order.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No one knew exactly how old Lady Bernadine was, although some guessed several centuries.
 
While she was not Nephthys herself, some said that she was the first offspring of Nephthys’ bloodline.
 
She possessed centuries of wisdom and untold powers and yet was very approachable and loving.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The compound she resided in was buried deep in the African jungle.
 
To keep it safe from The Order of the Dragon or vampire-hunting mortals, its location was known to only a few.
 
There was a select series of procedures that one had to go through in order to get to the compound and while always under a trance.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The compound was quite large, taking up would amount to about three city blocks above ground.
 
The underground passages and labyrinths were rumored to go on for miles.
 
It had the look of ancient ruins and was rumored to be as old as time itself.
 
It was protected with several enchantments and spells, similar to those in Anton’s home, just in case some mortals stumbled upon it.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
One would venture to the compound to receive counsel, training or even comfort from Lady Bernadine or one of her countless handmaids.
 
Some female vampires would even come in hopes of being considered for the job of handmaid.
 
This was a lifelong commitment that few vampires would make.
 
It was very similar to monastic life for mortals.
 
The handmaids received special training under Lady Bernadine personally and would perform various duties for her.
 
Anton’s former girlfriend Charlotte had become a handmaid several years ago.
 
There was no contact between them since and he never saw her when he visited the compound.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton wondered over the past weeks if Velara became a handmaid.
 
It would have made a lot more sense for her to do that instead of simply vanishing before that twilight.
 
But he realized that since she had been a slave in her mortal life, she would want no part of servitude again.
 
No, she left him to find herself or something like that.
 
The messages he received from her were always garbled and unclear.
 
Usually she appeared in dreams and would talk nonsense, or he wouldn’t be able to remember the conversation when he woke.
 
He found himself tired and depressed all the time.
 
Since Chelsea’s ceremony, Anton was very withdrawn and didn’t feed very often.
 
He didn’t go to JR’s bar or even The Truckstop.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
One night, Anton went up to the window of the restaurant and watched Shannon.
 
She looked like she was doing okay.
 
She kept glancing at the table where Anton usually sat.
 
She looked like she missed him, and he did miss her.
 
But his mind was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to bother with her.
 
He promised himself that he would visit her when he returned from Africa.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander was excited about the trip.
 
He was terribly worried about Anton and hoped that the trip would lighten his mood.
 
Plus, he wanted to talk to Lady Bernadine himself about Rachael.
 
He knew exactly how she felt about him, and he wanted to let her in.
 
He was ready to love her but was unsure how to or what exactly was stopping him.
 
He knew there was an emotional barrier of some kind up that was keeping him from loving her.
 
When she touched him, he felt uneasiness and almost a strange sort of pain.
 
It was as if his flesh didn’t want him to touch her, but his heart longed for her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Both of them were lost in thought when Chelsea pulled up in the van.
 
The backseats had been removed and there were two coffins in their place.
 
Since any sort of long distance travel risked exposure to sunlight or to mortals, the only way for a vampire to travel was to be shipped.
 
Coffins were the simplest because no one would ever open it during transit.
 
Besides, international corpse transport was actually quite common.
 
And of course the shipping company was paid well by The Order to not ask questions.
 
They oversaw coffins in and out of Africa, the States and all places in between.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chelsea knew the routine, so she opened the van’s sliding door and let in the vampires.
 
Anton and Alexander would have to go into a sort of hibernation-like state in order to make the journey.
 
They would need to feed as soon as they arrived.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander kissed Chelsea on the lips and got into his coffin.
 
He closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.
 
Suddenly his skin became like a marble statue.
 
No matter how many times Chelsea saw a vampire go into that state, it still freaked her out.
 
To her it was like seeing Alexander die before her eyes, which was her worst nightmare.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“You know what is to be done, right love?” Anton asked her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Yes of course,” she replied, stammering.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Just remember, give them this manila envelope and they will take it from there,” he said handing her a big envelope.
 
She knew that it contained papers, instructions, and a nice sum of cash.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anton hugged her, tightly.
 
She closed her eyes and whispered in his ear, “Be safe and come back to me…both of you!”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He nodded, kissed her forehead and got into his coffin.
 
Chelsea turned her head away this time, as he transformed himself into the mummy-like state.
 
She closed her eyes when she closed the lid and secured it.
 
Even with all that, she still got a chill up her spine.

Alexander opened his eyes and sat up.
 
He glanced up at the ceiling that simulated daylight and smiled.
 
Even though he knew it was just an illusion he still enjoyed it.
 
He knew he would never get to see the true daylight ever again, but this was the next best thing.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
He glanced over and stared at the dead mortal girl lying next to him. Her lifeless eyes stared back at him, frozen in the look of terror.
 
She was naked as he was but she had been for feeding not pleasure.
 
Not that he would have made her because he could have cared less.
 
Her throat was gaping open where he’d torn it and fed.
 
He’d been so ravenously hungry he didn’t care if she suffered or not.
 
This was not like him at all, but a hungry vampire could not be held responsible for what he did.
 
It was why The Cleaners were kept employed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
With a quick shove, her body rolled off the bed and onto the hard wooden floor.
 
Her head made a loud smack when it struck the floor.
 
At that instant, three of Lady Bernadine’s handmaids appeared from out of the shadows.
 
They didn’t lift their eyes or acknowledge Alexander as they retrieved the corpse and quickly changed the linens on the bed.
 
Just as quickly as they came, they disappeared.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander stood beside the bed and put on the white robe the handmaids left.
 
He ran his left hand through his hair, which now ran down past his shoulders.
 
He hadn’t bothered to cut it for a while and doubted if he would again anytime soon.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Suddenly a pair of lily-white hands touched his shoulders.
 
He relaxed right away, knowing that it was his beloved Lady Bernadine.
 
He felt her rest her head against his back and then turn him around.