Blood Desires

Taylor woke up dazed from the night before. She sat up in bed to find she had a nasty headache. She remembered hitting her head hard against the ballroom floor during their rough sex. She giggled to herself at the thought and was surprised to see Seth still in bed with her.

"Good morning beautiful", he smiled. They had clearly skipped out on the hotel room and were back at the apartment. Why would they have needed it anyways?

"Morning", Taylor yawned. She stretched her legs and began to roll out of bed.

Seth laughed at her as he crawled out of bed too, dressed in nothing but his boxers. "I really do need to get going though. I have work today." Taylor frowned, but it changed to a smile when he came over and kissed her head. "You distract me."

She smiled at this as she remembered the previous night. She felt a little woozy as she came to full height and stood up. He steadied her then left to get ready. He came back in his normal suit and hugged her. "I'm off." With that he was, and he left her standing there like he usually did.

As Taylor thought about it she supposed everyone had to have a flaw. His just happened to be that he left people by themselves without thinking too much of it. He was clearly as human as she was before he was changed. Thinking back she realized she had never asked about him changing or his age. She'd have to remember that for later.

In the meantime Taylor decided she would get some writing done and sat down at the table with her laptop. She went to work on research for her new article about picking the right car for you. It wasn't her favorite article to write, but being a journalist she had to do a few things she didn't like.

Taylor had been working hard when she started to get a cold and dark feeling. She sprang up from her chair, but sat back down unsure of what it was. Time went on and she was back to her article when the feeling crept back onto her. It lingered for a while until it took hold and seized her. She was gasping for breath as if the cold feeling was smothering her. That's when it released her and instead a vision seeped forward into her head.

She found herself standing in an alley facing another vampire. His hair dark black hair was pulled back into a ponytail and he wore black robes over his black slacks and white button down. He stood staring gravely at her, seeming to press power down on her with his eyes. She stood her ground though, refusing to be afraid. The vampire's lips curled into a smile as he watched her tense, ready to spring into action.

Taylor suddenly knew she was looking into Seth's mind. She felt connected with him on some level and nudged closer, trying to feel what he felt and understand more what was going on. She could feel her mind pull into his and suddenly it was as if they were two minds in the same body. She felt herself brush up against him as if he was there next to her. He seemed to sense it too.

"Taylor?", Seth's voice questioned.

"Yeah, I'm here." She tried to comfort him in this awkward time.

"I'm glad, It makes it easier for me to concentrate knowing you're safe and with me."

With that he turned his attention to the vampire once more, leaving Taylor a little stunned at their communication. Being a psychic, or whatever it was called, was turning out to be more than she first expected.

From what Taylor could interpret the vampire was stronger than Seth because he was older. Apparently age played a factor on the power of a vampire. She used the knowledge Seth had to see the features proving his age. The paler complexion, tighter skin, darker red eyes and just a sense of power that radiated from him.

"I'm here to bring you back to Leander", the vampire announced sending shivers through Taylor.

"Me? Why?", Seth asked, slightly shocked, but trying to maintain his strength in his voice.

"We want to study you. You're just as much one of a kind as she is Seth. Besides, we can't get to her with you in the way." The vampire hissed at Seth as he stepped forward, preparing to attack.

Taylor started to feel a shift from Seth, as if he was trying to push her out of his mind, away from his past thoughts. He didn't want her to see something and that only made her more curious.

"Don't", he pleaded.

"Seth, please, I want the truth. What are you hiding that I can't know? Why do they want you?" She fought against him, trying to shove into his mind.

Eventually Seth gave up, letting her in to his thoughts as he focused on the vampire ahead of him.

"Just promise to talk to me about everything you see later, please." He sounded sad at having to let her, but he knew it was probably best.

"I promise."

With that she was in, falling deep into the mind of Seth and leaving the current world behind.

~~~

She could see his thoughts laid out in front of her and now the only thing was to pick one. She was a little concerned with the fact that she was now disconnected from him, but she wouldn't be long.

Taylor rifled through his memories until she stumbled upon his changing. She took a deep breath and plunged into his thoughts.

Once in she felt odd, then realized she was seeing things through Seth's eyes. He was with a woman, about their age with beautiful blonde hair and an all knowing look. She was super model thin. A girl Taylor had once dreamed to be until she had stumbled upon Seth.

Seth thought she was cute, but at the same time she could feel what he felt. He liked her, but not in a deep passion kind of way. She was his girlfriend, nothing more than a love of his. It was clear to Taylor that she adored him however, and she could understand that.

They were dressed like royals of medieval times and Taylor gasped at realizing just how old Seth was. She studied his features further and realized he was not yet changed. She nearly left the memory at the pure shock, but she continued instead wanting to know as much as she could.

They were just sitting and talking in a room when a knock came at the door. They scooted apart as Taylor felt Seth telling them to come in. Suddenly, the door banged open and a man stumbled in.

"Sir Seth, please the king wants to see you and Miss Madeline." He bowed after speaking, noticing he had forgot to.

"Of course", Seth answered as the two stood up, leaving the poor man behind. He looked deathly nervous and she felt Seth's thoughts. He was sorry for him too.

They walked across the castle quickly, rushing into the throne room. The king sat on the throne, twiddling his thumbs and looking quite nervous. It was no surprise, the kingdom had been ransacked lately with attacks on it's citizens. There was something mysterious lurking.

"Your highness", Seth bowed to the king as Madeline curtsied.

"Yes, yes stand quickly. I have a fast proposition for you." The king talked hurriedly as he got off his throne and walked towards Seth. "You are a noble knight yes?"

Seth nodded boldly. He knew his duty to his kingdom was above all else, even Madeline.

"Good, good. I have an unpayable favor to ask. I couldn't ask for anymore than I am." The king looked sad as he said this. Taylor braced herself for what was to come, even though she knew Seth was still there. "I needed to strike up a favor with the vampires. They have been the ones attacking the city."

Madeline nearly screamed and covered her hands. "So they exist?", she hissed.

"I'm afraid so, and dear Seth, I must ask you to become one of them."

Madeline nearly fainted at this, but Seth caught her. "My lord, isn't there another way?"

The king shook his head. "I wish dear boy, but they asked for nothing else. You are all they want. Specifically you for some odd reason. They talked about a prophet that foretold a great future for you. I'm sorry. I have a feeling they will come for you either way but by forfeiting you we gain our kingdom."

Tears formed in Madeline's eyes. "You can't do this!", she screamed. Taylor could hardly stand to finish the memory but she knew she had to. She had to know the whole truth.

"I must", Seth whispered. With that he left the room, preparing himself to go mentally while Madeline chased after him.

"I want to be turned as well! I can't go with out you Seth." She cried heavily as she ran with him, barely keeping to his quick pace as he walked out the kingdom doors to find a man draped in black robes standing there.

"Are you ready?", the man asked.

Seth merely nodded as Madeline shrieked and ran to follow behind. She tried to stop him, but the sheer power of Seth was not to be challenged. He kept walking boldly out of the kingdom and into the forest where the vampires were waiting.

"Ahh, nice to see you Seth. The elders are glad you have decided to join us." A vampire with red hair stepped out of the darkness of the trees and up to Seth. He flashed his teeth but Seth never flinched. He knew what he was doing, and it was for the good of his people. There was no other option.

"Wait, you can't!", Madeline screamed. "Change me too!"

"Stop", Seth said to her quietly. He kissed her lips one last time, just to show her he cared. "I have to."

"How sweet, but if the girl wants to go..."

"No!", Seth shouted at the vampire. "Do it and get it over with."

"Very well", the vampire stated as he swooped in and bit Seth, causing the seering pain to course through his body just like Taylor knew so well. Madeline screamed loudly as he writhed on the ground until his pain softened to bliss and he lay there motionless.

The vampire then cut himself when Seth was holding onto his last breath and placed droplets of his blood into Seth's mouth. Madeline's screams had dulled now, and Taylor had a feeling she had been silenced in other ways. Seth lay still for a while, until the magic of vampire blood pumped through him and he rose, awakened.

His senses were heightened as Taylor had seen now, and as he looked around himself, he was pained to see Madeline laying there, drained of almost all her blood. In a last attempt he dropped some of his blood into her mouth. She never awakened as he had, and in his anger at how the vampires had betrayed him he lashed out at them.

He cut through them and turned away from them, leaving them where they stood. If he was stuck living this life it would be away from them. He would start a new life and be a better person than they were, but he could not stay here. What if he hurt someone? Seth's life had just been taken away from him. Now what?

~~~

Taylor was zapped back into the present as the memory ended. She was thankful to know he was truly alive, but she couldn't imagine all the hurt he was going through. Now it was time to focus on what was going on as Seth had a battle of wits with the vampire he now faced.