Finding Forever
One
The scent of human sweat, drowning in body fragrances and alcohol hung in the air. There was nothing sweeter than, nothing as tantalizing as what pumped through their veins. It was the enticing aroma of blood. “Humans…” Zane grunted before he downed a double shot of whiskey.
He breathed in, resisting the urge that was pulsing through him, and the fire in his throat. How long has it been since I’ve fed? Two full days; he hadn't been able to, with his mother breathing down his neck. “My dearest son, you must be wed in order to claim the throne.” He imitated her high pitched voice. Thankfully it was too loud for anyone to hear him talking to himself. But it was true; in order to take his rightful place as the clan’s ruler, he had to find a bride.
The human world was new to him. Last time he was there was when he was human. That was over three-hundred years earlier, the day of his twenty-first birthday. The day his ‘mother’ changed him.
Many vampires asked why he would leave the safety of the clan, off on some search for a woman, when he had a huge selection suitable to be his wife. The answer was simple to Zane. Sure, they were suitable, but they have nothing new to give to clan. They needed someone... fresh, someone with different and possibly better ideas of how to govern their large community. They were so old-fashioned. They needed change.
Of course, he didn’t tell anyone that. They would think he was crazy. They were all so used to the old way; the slightest change or talk of change would upset them considerably. They might even drive him out of the society, throw him to the wolves. But, if he was in power, they would have no choice but to listen.
Zane’s thoughts were disrupted by an intoxicated female spilling half of her drink and falling into his lap. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” She turned her head, looking up at him. “Somebody pushed me…”
I wonder... He avoided eye contact with her by turning his face slightly, hiding his aquamarine eyes behind his dark hair. His thirst and hunger threatened to take over, but he pushed his craving aside. Not here.
“Aw, don’t be shy.” She half screamed her voice barely audible over the music. Her delicate fingers tickled his forehead as she brushed his hair off to the side of his face.
He smelled it before he heard it— hot blood pumping through her fragile body. Just a taste. It would be quick and painless, for him. But she would suffer. Not with all of these humans around. He turned his head, looking deep into her eyes as he caressed her back gently. “I’m Zane, are you all right?
In a trance-like state, she shifted, not taking her eyes off of his, so that she was facing him directly. She had definitely been drinking; he could smell alcohol on her breath. He could also detect mint-flavoured gum— she probably chewed it as an attempt to hide the liquor. “I’m Charlotte.”
Zane gave her a small smile, careful not to show his fangs. “Charlotte. That is a beautiful name.” He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist as he spoke, in case she was to fall again.
She took a long swig of her drink, which he made out to be half vodka and half lemonade. “Thanks! Zane is a nice—” Her speech was cut short when she closed her lips and clasped her hand over her mouth. The expression playing on her face changed to a look of nausea. She spoke, every word muffled by her hand. “— I feel like I’m going to be sick.”
“Then let’s get out of here, you could use some air,” he said, helping her off his lap. With her clammy hand in his, he led her through the room, pushing past everyone who was in their way. Perfect timing...
The chilling night air hit Zane’s face as he opened the door at the rear of the house. As he stepped out into the darkness, he tugged lightly on the hand of the girl following behind him. Aided by the enhanced vision of a supernatural, he led Charlotte to a bench, pulling her into his lap after sitting down.
Was it the alluring scent of her blood getting to him, or was her heart beating faster as she sat in his lap? He couldn’t tell. “You should be feeling better soon.” Zane whispered as he began kissing up her shoulder. It was her heart beating; he could hear it pounding in her chest. Desire for human blood grew within him, almost to a point of being uncontrollable.
Charlotte’s body shifted in his lap as he continued pressing his lips against her body, working his way up her neck. Pulling herself closer to his chest, she tilted her head back, sighing softly. He could feel her arms tightening around him.
Pausing before he sunk his fangs into her jugular, he remembered why he was here. Through the thirst for human blood, he had forgotten what his mother said. Change...
The porch light flicked on, brightening the veranda, just as he was about to bite into her flesh. Two men, one after the other, walked out the door. “You kids are gonna have to go somewhere else, if you want some privacy.” One of them said.
“We were here first.” Charlotte said without turning to see who the men were.
“No, we should go somewhere else, where we can be alone.” Zane effortlessly picked the girl up and carried her to a more secluded area of the garden, dimly lit by solar-powered lights.
The metallic-sweet blood— the temptation was too much. Without hesitation, he threw her to the ground. In an instant he was down there with her, on top of her after turning her over and pinning her into place. He was too hungry to do things slowly now. The bruises wouldn't matter when this was over.
Her face was twisted in a look of pain and horror. “Please, don't hurt-” Zane covered her mouth as he tilted her head back. His lips parted and met with her neck. A muffled scream escaped her covered mouth as his fangs pierced her pale skin.
Only four days passed since the party where Zane found Charlotte. He had to carry her back, cautious when he got to the home of his clan. If anyone saw them, especially one of the elders, he would be in a lot of trouble. He laid Charlotte on the unneeded bed in his suite when they got there. She stayed there, motionless, ever since.
Throughout the time it took for the change to finish, Zane went to visit his mother and the other elders twice. They knew he usually kept to himself, but if he went more than two days without seeing them, the whole clan grew suspicious. It happened time and time again. He couldn’t let anyone find out for a few more days.
Zane sat facing Charlotte, in a grand arm-chair, waiting for her to awake. He looked at her with a look of fascination. In the past few days he noticed a lot about her. Despite the change happening, her pale face appeared to stay rosy. Her hair, which seemed like curls of fire, was brightening each day. She was beautiful, even with the faint scar that ran down the left side of her neck, stopping just above her collarbone.
Captivated by the beauty, he found himself standing by her side. Kneeling by the bed, he brushed stray ringlets away from her face. The way she looked laying there, so still, so peaceful, he was mesmerized. The feelings he had as he watched her… He heard stories of vampires falling for humans, but he’s never seen it before. It’s never happened to anyone in over three millennia. Even so, he wondered if this is what the stories were about. She left mark on him; hidden from the eye.
His body froze as she started stirring, remaining motionless when her eyes opened.
He breathed in, resisting the urge that was pulsing through him, and the fire in his throat. How long has it been since I’ve fed? Two full days; he hadn't been able to, with his mother breathing down his neck. “My dearest son, you must be wed in order to claim the throne.” He imitated her high pitched voice. Thankfully it was too loud for anyone to hear him talking to himself. But it was true; in order to take his rightful place as the clan’s ruler, he had to find a bride.
The human world was new to him. Last time he was there was when he was human. That was over three-hundred years earlier, the day of his twenty-first birthday. The day his ‘mother’ changed him.
Many vampires asked why he would leave the safety of the clan, off on some search for a woman, when he had a huge selection suitable to be his wife. The answer was simple to Zane. Sure, they were suitable, but they have nothing new to give to clan. They needed someone... fresh, someone with different and possibly better ideas of how to govern their large community. They were so old-fashioned. They needed change.
Of course, he didn’t tell anyone that. They would think he was crazy. They were all so used to the old way; the slightest change or talk of change would upset them considerably. They might even drive him out of the society, throw him to the wolves. But, if he was in power, they would have no choice but to listen.
Zane’s thoughts were disrupted by an intoxicated female spilling half of her drink and falling into his lap. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” She turned her head, looking up at him. “Somebody pushed me…”
I wonder... He avoided eye contact with her by turning his face slightly, hiding his aquamarine eyes behind his dark hair. His thirst and hunger threatened to take over, but he pushed his craving aside. Not here.
“Aw, don’t be shy.” She half screamed her voice barely audible over the music. Her delicate fingers tickled his forehead as she brushed his hair off to the side of his face.
He smelled it before he heard it— hot blood pumping through her fragile body. Just a taste. It would be quick and painless, for him. But she would suffer. Not with all of these humans around. He turned his head, looking deep into her eyes as he caressed her back gently. “I’m Zane, are you all right?
In a trance-like state, she shifted, not taking her eyes off of his, so that she was facing him directly. She had definitely been drinking; he could smell alcohol on her breath. He could also detect mint-flavoured gum— she probably chewed it as an attempt to hide the liquor. “I’m Charlotte.”
Zane gave her a small smile, careful not to show his fangs. “Charlotte. That is a beautiful name.” He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist as he spoke, in case she was to fall again.
She took a long swig of her drink, which he made out to be half vodka and half lemonade. “Thanks! Zane is a nice—” Her speech was cut short when she closed her lips and clasped her hand over her mouth. The expression playing on her face changed to a look of nausea. She spoke, every word muffled by her hand. “— I feel like I’m going to be sick.”
“Then let’s get out of here, you could use some air,” he said, helping her off his lap. With her clammy hand in his, he led her through the room, pushing past everyone who was in their way. Perfect timing...
The chilling night air hit Zane’s face as he opened the door at the rear of the house. As he stepped out into the darkness, he tugged lightly on the hand of the girl following behind him. Aided by the enhanced vision of a supernatural, he led Charlotte to a bench, pulling her into his lap after sitting down.
Was it the alluring scent of her blood getting to him, or was her heart beating faster as she sat in his lap? He couldn’t tell. “You should be feeling better soon.” Zane whispered as he began kissing up her shoulder. It was her heart beating; he could hear it pounding in her chest. Desire for human blood grew within him, almost to a point of being uncontrollable.
Charlotte’s body shifted in his lap as he continued pressing his lips against her body, working his way up her neck. Pulling herself closer to his chest, she tilted her head back, sighing softly. He could feel her arms tightening around him.
Pausing before he sunk his fangs into her jugular, he remembered why he was here. Through the thirst for human blood, he had forgotten what his mother said. Change...
The porch light flicked on, brightening the veranda, just as he was about to bite into her flesh. Two men, one after the other, walked out the door. “You kids are gonna have to go somewhere else, if you want some privacy.” One of them said.
“We were here first.” Charlotte said without turning to see who the men were.
“No, we should go somewhere else, where we can be alone.” Zane effortlessly picked the girl up and carried her to a more secluded area of the garden, dimly lit by solar-powered lights.
The metallic-sweet blood— the temptation was too much. Without hesitation, he threw her to the ground. In an instant he was down there with her, on top of her after turning her over and pinning her into place. He was too hungry to do things slowly now. The bruises wouldn't matter when this was over.
Her face was twisted in a look of pain and horror. “Please, don't hurt-” Zane covered her mouth as he tilted her head back. His lips parted and met with her neck. A muffled scream escaped her covered mouth as his fangs pierced her pale skin.
♦
Only four days passed since the party where Zane found Charlotte. He had to carry her back, cautious when he got to the home of his clan. If anyone saw them, especially one of the elders, he would be in a lot of trouble. He laid Charlotte on the unneeded bed in his suite when they got there. She stayed there, motionless, ever since.
Throughout the time it took for the change to finish, Zane went to visit his mother and the other elders twice. They knew he usually kept to himself, but if he went more than two days without seeing them, the whole clan grew suspicious. It happened time and time again. He couldn’t let anyone find out for a few more days.
Zane sat facing Charlotte, in a grand arm-chair, waiting for her to awake. He looked at her with a look of fascination. In the past few days he noticed a lot about her. Despite the change happening, her pale face appeared to stay rosy. Her hair, which seemed like curls of fire, was brightening each day. She was beautiful, even with the faint scar that ran down the left side of her neck, stopping just above her collarbone.
Captivated by the beauty, he found himself standing by her side. Kneeling by the bed, he brushed stray ringlets away from her face. The way she looked laying there, so still, so peaceful, he was mesmerized. The feelings he had as he watched her… He heard stories of vampires falling for humans, but he’s never seen it before. It’s never happened to anyone in over three millennia. Even so, he wondered if this is what the stories were about. She left mark on him; hidden from the eye.
His body froze as she started stirring, remaining motionless when her eyes opened.