LOVES BITE

‘There! There she goes,’ yelled the axe wielding warrior, his long greasy hair flailing against his shoulders like a hundred rat-tails.
‘We’ll soon catch that blonde demon,’ screamed the spear carrying mercenary, ‘and then she’ll know what it is to deceive and murder decent forest folk.’
‘We must seize her before nightfall,’ cried a soldier, the crossbow strapped to muscular shoulders moving in time to his long bouncing stride. ‘Her strength will treble after dark, and even we may be at risk from her mighty talons.’
The score of armed men dashed through the woodland in pursuit of their prey unaware that she and her companion were watching this futile chase from a nearby hill.

‘What fools they are!’ said Tina Aurora, pushing her hands up through her long blonde tresses in a move that she knew her partner would find seductive.
‘My men are loyal and good fighters,’ said Lord Tyree, sheathing his sword, ‘but their enthusiasm for the chase caused them to miss obvious clues to our whereabouts.’
‘Shall we visit the hunting lodge again?’ Tina whirled around in circles, arms outstretched, before dropping gracefully onto a fallen branch.
‘Where else?’ Said Tyree with a laugh. ‘It will shortly be dark, and I want to spend another night with you.’
‘It may no longer be safe,’ replied Tina in all seriousness.
‘They won’t find us!’
‘I mean… for you dearest Tyree.’
‘Silly legends,’ said Tyree, grasping Tina’s hand, and pulling her gently to her feet, ‘made for children and old wives. You walk in the sunlight. I see your reflection in mirrors. You swim in running water. Why should I be afraid?’
‘You’ve not seen me as I really am,’ said Tina, pursing her lips, and looking directly into Tyree’s dark brown eyes.
‘I see you as you are. A truly beautiful woman with the most perfect features, the bluest eyes, magnificent blonde hair, the longest most shapely legs in the kingdom, a body to match a goddess, and the most sweet and caring person I’ve ever met. What else do I need to see?’
‘Nevertheless,’ said Tina, kissing him gently on the lips. ‘You must never see me as I really am.’
‘Enough of this talk,’ said Tyree, ‘I’ll race you to the lodge!’
‘I’ll win.’ Yelled Tina, starting to run toward the trees.
‘You can try,’ bellowed Tyree in reply, ‘but I’ll get there first!’

The hunting lodge, barely an hours stroll from Lord Tyree’s castle, was surrounded by high walls to keep out predators; the wolves and bears, that proliferated through the extensive forest and woodlands of the Southern Kingdom. Behind the lodge house the riding stables had been vacated for the approaching winter, and their massive double doors barred and bolted.

Reaching the gate, Tyree went ahead and dismissed the handful of retainers that normally managed the lodge, directing them to stay at the castle for the next two days.
‘Thank you for doing that,’ said Tina, kissing Tyree again.
‘I could not risk anyone seeing you,’ said Tyree. ‘You know how superstitious these forest people are! They believe you responsible for those two recent mysterious deaths, and no doubt a dozen others before that. They would fetch the city watch to arrest you. Though if that happened, I’d have them imprisoned, and then chastise the watch for being foolish, but it would still foster much ill feeling amongst the people.’

Tyree brought up an armful of rare wines from the underground cellar. ‘What vintage would you prefer?’ He said, placing the bottles onto an ancient oak table.
‘Anything,’ replied Tina, ‘providing it’s red… the deepest red.’
‘My dearest Tina,’ said Tyree, removing the cork from a dusty bottle, ‘I would buy or win the whole world for you!’
Tina sipped the wine; sniffing and savouring its rare fruit enhanced bouquet. ‘The whole world would be far too much – the lodge is enough, but it’s the thought that really counts.’ Moving to the window she threw back the shutters so she could watch the deep orange sun sink below the tree line. ‘This is the best time of the day,’ she said, finishing the wine, the handmade glass reflecting and refracting the last rays.
‘It gets better,’ said Tyree, removing his jacket, and chain mail shirt. ‘We have the whole night ahead of us, and although you must think me crude and oafish for suggesting it, I lust after you, and can really wait no longer to hold you in my arms.’
‘But not tonight, dearest Tyree,’ said Tina, placing the glass onto the table. ‘I will lock myself into the cellar, and see you at sunrise.’
‘No! I forbid it!’
‘In that case, you must enter the cellar. It has a good stout wooden door. You will be safe there.’
‘This is foolishness,’ said Tyree, removing his last item of clothing, ‘I will not let you go… ever!’
‘You are the fool, my dearest love,’ said Tina, pulling the heavy brocade dress over her head and shoulders, and then letting it drop to the wooden planked floor. ‘The price you will pay for this night of love will cost you dearly.’
‘I decree,’ said Tyree laughing, ‘that you may mourn my passing for a whole year!’
‘I fear you speak the truth, albeit in jest,’ said Tina, grabbing Tyree by the shoulders and forcing him onto the giant size bed.

Tina’s eyes flicked open. A grey dawn was appearing through the open window, and this dawn would be greyer than many Tina had experienced. She rolled off the bed and leaned out of the window forcing air into her lungs. She screamed, then screamed again, and continued screaming until her voice became hoarse. Tears pouring from red-rimmed eyes Tina staggered into the servant’s kitchen and washed her face and hands. She tried to ignore the unpleasant red dye that darkened the water.

Afterwards, she ripped an ancient tapestry away from its prominent position over the bed, and carefully wrapped it around Tyree’s bloodless body. Collecting his sword Tina carried both it and her lover down to the wine cellar, and then laid him out on the marble wine-tasting bench. With sword clasped in ivory coloured hands, blade pointing towards his feet, he resembled a long dead knight that Tina had seen pictured in the entrance of an ancient religious edifice.

For an hour Tina stood weeping over her dead lover. ‘I tried to warn you,’ she sobbed, ‘but you would not believe me. I cannot control these urges when they occur. In a way I am much a victim as you, except I will live to continue. Now, my short month of happiness is over, and I must leave this place before your followers arrive and imprison, or perhaps even try to kill me.’

Tina’s deep space shuttle was locked away in the massive stable block, and it would take only a matter of minutes to initialise it and spiral out into the cosmos. With that thought in mind she threw all of her clothing into the cellar, determined that any sight of the luxurious cloaks, dresses and furs that Tyree had bestowed on her would only cause her to grieve on the long flight to the stars.

The distant sound of a man’s voice impinged on her consciousness and she ran to the window. ‘Is anyone there?’ A traveller, weighed down by a large backpack, was standing by the unlocked gate. ‘I heard screams a while back. Is anyone in trouble?’
‘It was me,’ Tina called out, ‘I had a nightmare, but I’m fine now.’
‘Then I’ll be on my way,’ the stranger answered. ‘Perhaps you can tell me of an inn or tavern where I can buy a breakfast?’
‘There is one some distance away, or there is the castle,’ said Tina, leaning further out of the window, and pointing towards a gap in the pine trees, ‘but if you wish I could offer you a little wine, and perhaps some cheese with cold meats.’
The stranger shielded his eyes from the early morning glare as if to determine the direction, before calling out: ‘Cheese and wine would be very suitable to my palate on such a fresh morning!’
By the time Tina had unbolted the lodge door the tall stranger was waiting, coat already unhooked, and backpack unshouldered. Tina stared at him with glazed and bloodshot eyes, her slightly flushed cheeks stained by so many tears of sorrow for the premature passing of Tyree.
‘Forgive me my lady,’ said the stranger bowing, ‘but you seem to be in some distress. May I be of assistance?’
‘No one can assist me,’ said Tina, brushing away a tear, ‘my lover the Lord Tyree is dead and I mourn his passing.’
‘That is most sad,’ said the stranger bowing for a second time, ‘in that case, perhaps I can eat with the servants?’
‘They’ve been dismissed,’ said Tina, opening the door a little wider, ‘but you may enter if you wish? I must warn you though, that I cannot vouch for your safety once inside.’
‘That’s twice today that I’ve been warned of impending danger. Earlier this morning I ran across a band of soldiers and mercenaries, all slightly drunk and almost incoherent I might add. They rambled on about a monster that broke men’s spines and tore their throats out. I didn’t believe them, of course. Only mothers tell their daughter’s offspring about such demons, and that only to stop them running loose in the forest.’
‘The soldiers spoke the truth,’ said Tina, gripping the edge of the door until her knuckles turned white under the pressure.
‘What should I fear?’ Said the stranger, placing his hand on a long dagger that hung from his belt.
‘Me!’ Said Tina, and before he could answer she turned and slumped away towards the bedroom.
‘Forgive me, lady!’ The stranger called after her. ‘I hadn’t realised you were unclothed.’
‘I will be leaving this sad place today,’ said Tina, without turning her head, ‘and I will no longer wear the clothes given to me by my lord. It brings back too many recent memories.’
Tina slumped onto the bed avoiding the bright red stain that spread across the silken pillows. The stranger followed her in, and removed his jacket.
‘I would rather be alone for the remainder of the day,’ said Tina, rubbing her eyes. ‘At sunset I will return to the stars and leave this heartbreaking place forever. Please leave me. You will find food and drink in the kitchens. Take what you need and then depart.’
The stranger ignored Tina’s protestations. ‘You are very beautiful,’ he said, removing his grubby under garments. ‘Perhaps I can turn your sadness into joy. I am considered to be a great lover in the hill villages beyond the forest. Please don’t let these poor items of clothing dissuade you. I am here to entertain you, and in turn you will entertain me.’ The stranger’s eyes darkened as if a cloak had been thrown over them. His bushy eyebrows spread out across his forehead and down his cheeks. ‘For entertain me you will... in the little time that you have left!’.
‘I warn you off,’ said Tina, closing her eyes. ‘You will surely die while making love to me.’
‘Now that is a death worth waiting for,’ said the stranger laughing. ‘How will you kill me? I see no silver knife or vial of religious poison! Your hands are small, and your arms slim and comely. You’re hardly able to break my bones, and those long delicate fingers could barely encircle my neck!’
‘I will slay you with my lips,’ said Tina, gazing into the distance.
‘Ah, ha! I now see you jest with me. I will sample those ruby lips first, and then the rest of you.’
The stranger dived onto the duck-feathered mattress and rolled over next to Tina.
‘I did warn you,’ said Tina, brushing away his dark straggly hair to expose a section of neck that had been shielded from the sun for so long that it was nearly white. Tina traced a finger along the expanding hairline, and then squeezing his throat in a grip that was akin to a steel clamp she sank her teeth into the pulsating jugular vein.
Tina Aurora, the Galaxy’s most notorious vampire, was more than a match for a werewolf.