Fire & Ice

Fire & Ice

A
Legacy of Secrets Novella

1
st
edition text

Publisher: Lisa Logue, United States
 

Copyright © 2012, Lisa Logue

All rights reserved.

Colorado, 1915

The morning air was crisp as I headed to check the traps. The dew dripped from the leaves of the branches I disturbed, wetting my hair and face
.
Surprisingly, it was still refreshing, despite the bite in the air. There definitely wasn’t a shortage of cold mornings in Colorado, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Rounding the lake, I noticed a disturbance in the brush.  Something had gone through, snapping branches and bending some smaller trees. Shouldering my weapon, I went in search of the animal.  It was probably a large bear.  Excitement gripped me at the thought of bringing the animal home; how I’d get it there was another story.

A short way into the woods, the path ended abruptly. I stood in a clearing, using the sight of my rifle to search the woods around me.  Circling around again, I noticed a small hole in the north end and proceeded slowly. Normally, the sounds of animals and insects would consume the small
forest, but all was silent. The only noise was the crunch of my boots on the sticks and leaves.

My racing heart thudded loudly in my ears
.
At one point, I thought about turning back, but couldn’t ignore the temptation of possibly catching the animal.
That amount of meat would feed my family for probably a month and the hide would be worth a pretty penny. Not to mention my father would be proud that I managed to track and kill it.

However, disappointment followed soon when nothing out of the ordinary appeared. The bear had probably been bustling about the night before, no doubt hunting the same small game as I. Sighing heavily, I headed back towards home with the small offerings I’d gathered from my traps. A few days meat was better than nothing.

About a mile from the cabin, I happened upon a woman.
She sat atop the stump of a tree, watching the lake tentatively. Her dark hair billowed in the soft breeze, creating a curtain behind her.
She was dressed in a simple riding outfit, but not one fitted for cold weather.

“Miss, are you alright?” I asked.

“Thank you, yes I am.
I’ve been waiting for
someone and they haven’t shown,” her
voice rippled over my skin like melted butter.

“My family owns this land. Most people don’t trespass here
. 
Do you have the name of the person you are to meet?” I stuttered.

“What is your name?” she turned, captivating me. Her violet eyes held my gaze and my brain turned to jelly.

“C...Christian,” I managed
to say.

“Christian, what?” s
he stood up, revealing just how tight the riding outfit was.

“Christian Mason, ma’am.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. It seems I’ve been stood up. Would you
accompany me to my caravan?” i
t was less of a question.

“I’d be glad to,”
I dropped my pack and rifle and followed her into the brush.

“You seem too young to carry such a burden, Christian. How old are you?”

“I just turned twenty-five. I don’t mind hunting, really. What e
lse is there to do out here?” I
laughed lightly, she smiled.

“Hunting is a good skill. I learned
to hunt when I was very young.
My father was a master bowman. Have you ever used a bow?”

“I was taught. As I got older, my father fitted me with my own rifle. My brother uses my bow now. I haven’t hunted with one in some time. If you don’t mind me asking, do you live here?”

“No,” she giggled.
“We’re nomads. As weather changes we move and so on. It’s a pretty rewarding way of living. New trades and knowledge everywhere we go.”

“Interesting. I’ve lived here my whole life. I couldn’t ima
gine anywhere else, to be honest,
” I smiled.

“If I could show you,
I would,” she said seductively. My
knees almost buckled.

I wasn’t a stranger to beautiful women. I’d been with a few, but never settled down. Most women were married by my age and I’d often find myself the object of affection and lover for a short time. Sure, it was exciting, but if my mother ever found out she would have killed me for it. My family ran high on morals.

I cleared my throat, “I don’t think I ever asked you your name?”

“Kali,” she said briefly and turned from me.

We continued walking deeper into the woods. Again, I noticed it was eerily quiet. I cursed myself for not bringing my rifle. A strange prickling started at the back of my neck. Something was odd about the whole thing, but most of all, I didn’t want Kali to get hurt.

“Is the caravan much farther? Something feels off out here. I don’t want
us to find ourselves in a bind,” s
he crooked her head at my question.

“It’s not too far,” she continued on. I hesitated a moment, wondering how she’d managed on her own without a weapon.

“Forgive me for saying this, but I don’t understand how you could have been meeting someone by that lake. It’s easily miles from the main road and completely surrounded by the dense forest. Are you sure it was the right place?”

She stopped abruptly. Her back went rigid and she turned on her heel. She moved like a feline of some kind; each step was calculating and slow. A strange smile spread over her lips and her eyes took on a wild look.

“Sweet Christian, you are too observant for your own good. I’ve been watching you for a while now, you know. I’ve seen you hunt and trap, day in and day out. You’ve chopped fire wood and fished what game you could from that lake to feed your small family. I know deep down, you crave something more. That’s what had you in the arms of the women you’ve entertained. Something dark and passionate is inside you, struggling to get free.

“I’m here to save you from this life and offer you another. Your potential is far reaching than so many other men I’ve met. You could have anything and everything you’ve ever wanted. Of course, I knew i
f I had told you this back there
you would have tried to run. By the way, it won’t matter if you run; you can’t get away.”

“I don’t understand,”
I backed away and stumbled over a rock, falling flat on my back. In an instant, she hovered over me with the same awkward smile.

“You don’t need to understand now, just relax. I will take care of you,” she whispered in my ear.

Before I could scurry away, the fiercest pain imaginable assaulted my neck. She had pinned me down and it felt like she was slicing into my skin. I couldn’t even scream. Drifting out of consciousness, the world became a haze. Colors faded to gray, shapes to blobs, as I closed my eyes.

I learned quickly what she truly was; a vampire. She told me as much the next time she drank from me and laughed when I passed out again. I would awake to her naked body pressed against mine, gyrating in ways I didn’t know existed. Momentarily, I’d forget the pain and ride the waves of pleasure while she massaged my flesh in hand and mouth before allowing me to release inside her.

Each time was different; both pleasurable and painful. Once or twice I’d wake up to her quivering flesh resting on my lips. I would oblige and relish in her climax before she’d take more blood and force me out again. The rollercoaster was one of dreams and nightmares.

It continued that way for some time. My body ached terribly from the lack of blood, but she didn’t seem to care. I begged her to stop, to let me go, but she just shushed me and took more. I’d often wake in the night with hot tears fresh on my cheeks. The pain was of almost unbearable proportions.

Unable to perform as she wanted, I figured the end was coming. I watched her through glazed eyes dress in the riding clothes and drape a blanket over my shivering body. Her lips moved close to my ear, but I couldn’t hear the words. Moments later she forced a bloody wrist to my mouth which inspired a series of gags from me, but she held steady. When I stopped thrashing she tore into my flesh again. I watched the world swirl into blackness, as I swallowed the large amount of her blood that pooled on my tongue. I never thought I’d die in such a strange way.

Chapter 1

Colorado, Present Day

It was nearly dawn, almost time for Lia to begin training. It had been so long since I allowed myself near her, my body ached as did my heart. Convincing myself I wasn't in love became harder in her absence, but I tried
to no avail
. Unfortunately, it wasn't working.

I left a note on her pillow to meet me for her morning run.
I wasn't sure she'd show, but
hoped there was some part of her that didn't completely hate me. It was true
,
I was simply indul
ging myself to cure my own ills;
which made things undoubtedly more difficult for her, but she was an addiction of the worst kind.

The front
door creaked open slowly and she
sniffle
d
. It was cold, perhaps colder than normal, but she stepped outside in spite of it. Her messy bun bobbed slightly as she searched for me. I stood there a moment, not wanting to disturb the sight. She was beautiful. A few strands of her chestnut hair came loose, framing her olive toned face
,
which was slightly flushed from the brisk wind. Her bright
, hazelnut eyes shown with hesitation; s
oft vibrations of excitement and anxiet
y gleamed from her skin. I
smile
d
. I hadn't lost her yet.

"Are you ready?" I asked abruptly making her jump.

"Ugh, I hate it when you do that!" I chuckled
and
she slapped my chest.

"Sorry," I shrugged and she glared at me.

"Next time we go into town I swear I'm getting you a damn bell. You're going to literally stop my heart one of these days. Gah," she shook her head and proceeded to stretch. I followed suit, laughing softly.

"How far do you want to run today? I figured we could
go
a little further
than normal; give you something else to look at for a change
. I don't think Josiah will be
out
this early
,
"
at least
I hoped he wouldn't. Her hybrid father was the last person I wanted to run into. I'd kill him before he got his hands on her.

"You know this
land better than I do. I've only ran the trails you marked. I'll follow wherever you decide to go," she smiled with a shrug. I pretended not to notice the loaded response.

"You ready?" I asked over my shoulder and set off at a jog.

She met my stride easily, dodging logs and branches. Her stamina was impeccable. I stole glances from time to time, admiring her ability to concentrate so deeply on where her feet fell while so many other things were going on. No matter what I tried to do, my thoughts were always occupied by her; whether she was safe,
healthy
, happy or sad and everything in between. It was infuriating and comforting at the same time.