The Vampire's Curse Chapter 4

There was a flurry of wings as Sophia opened her eyes. Hunter flew down to her shoulder and spoke quietly into her ear. She smiled lightly, reaching up and stroking him with a shaking hand.

She felt awful, like a house had fallen on top of her. She knew why thought- Lukas had only just stopped in time. Although something about that bothered her. Why did he stop? He could have…he should have killed her. He had the chance, so why didn’t he?

Sophia tried to get to her feet, but could barley stand. She lent against the wall. “Hunter. I need you to go and find someone trustworthy. Not my mother though.” He flew off, and she gently slit back, her eyes shut tight. She couldn’t face her mother now, not with the promise she had made. Because now she had to kill Lukas. Before this happened again.

“Sophia?” a crash of feet on the floor. She opened her eyes to see a tall black haired boy with eyes creased with worry. A small smile rose to her lips. Her best friend, Dimitri.

“Good choice, Hunter.” She muttered. “Dimi, I need your help.”

“I can tell.” He said dryly. “You going to tell me what happened?”

“I fell.” She said bluntly, knowing he wouldn’t believe her.

He sighed, leaning next to her “What’s that?” he muttered, moving her collar away from her neck, looking at the two marks. “Let me guess, you fell and grazed your neck?”

She reached up and trailed her fingers along the two small cuts. “Yep, that sounds about right.”

He rolled his eyes. “Sure, Sophia. Arm.” He ordered. She obediently reached up and he pulled her to her feet, swinging her arm over his shoulder.

“Come on, you can tell me the truth while we are walking.”

Se sighed, but gave in, knowing he would just bug her if she didn’t tell him. “Vampire. According to him, he now owns me. Meaning he can bit me, but no one else can. I think he was proving it to me.”

“Sophia, do you attract trouble or something?”

She laughed. “Its not my fault, Dimitri.”

“I know. But its still bad, Sophia.” He stopped, turning to look at her, his hazel eyes filled with worry. “You do know what it means, don’t you?”

“I have to kill him. Before it happens again.”

“And you will, wont you?”

“Course…” she dropped her eyes to the floor. She was going to try, but honestly didn’t know if she could. “Anyway, can we please go to yours? I actually need to sit down.”

Dimitri smiled. “Come on then.” They started walking again, in silence, until they reached a small house. Dimitri opened the door and walked in, dragging Sophia. “Sit.” She did, then watched as he threw open the cupboards, looking for something. He came back to her with a bottle. “Drink this.”

“What is it?”

“Mum made it. It’s a blood replenisher.” His mother was a healer- not a witch just a human good with plants. Sophia opened the bottle and downed it, pulling a face.

“Disgusting.”

Dimitri laughed. “I know. But good for you. And…” he picked up a small box and threw it to her. She caught it, opening it to se a small stake inside. “You’re going to need that, Sophia.”

She picked it up and tucked it into her belt, and stood up, walking over to him. “Thank you, Dimi.” She kissed his cheek lightly. “You’re a good friend.”

“Don’t Sophia.” he grabbed her arm before she could turn away. “You make it sound like a goodbye.”

She smiled sadly. “Maybe it is.” She walked out, whistling for hunter. He flew and perched on her shoulder. “Its time to find him, Hunter.” She said, walking down the road.

* * * * * * * *

Lukas slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a dent, then leant against it.

“Stupid. Stupid.” He muttered to himself, not even knowing why he fled that way.

He had walked around the village until the sun had come up, not wanting to face any of the other vampires. Half of him wanted to go and check on the girl, Sophia, but he didn’t understand it. He just knew it would be a stupid idea if he did.

He finally started walking back to the graveyard, thinking that nothing else could get worse. How wrong he was.

As he approached the gate, he saw Daniel in the small building by the entrance, hiding in the shadows. He walked in. “What’s wrong, Daniel?”

“Sire, you have a problem.’ Daniel said, looking nervous.

“What now?” Lukas snapped, his eyes narrowing, almost going black.

Daniel took a step away, his amber eyes shifting from side to side, looking for an escape. “Sapphire. She…” he shook his head. “I don’t know what happened, Sir. She and half the nest have gone. They plan on taking back the world or something.”

So it’s happened, he thought with a frown. After years of Sapphire- Sophie- trying to make him love her, the bitterness had exploded. There was no going back for her. “Thank you for telling me this, Daniel. How many are left?”

“Six of us.”

Lukas nodded. “Thank you for staying then. Daniel.”

He gave the boy one final look before walking back out and going into his empty crypt. He took off his shirt, which was covered in dirt and blood, then threw himself on the floor, closing his eyes.

He didn’t think he would sleep, but the next thing he knew was a sound of footsteps. He opened his eyes, but stayed where he was.

“Lukas. I know you are in here. Show yourself!”

Sophia. Lukas closed his eyes, a pained expression flashing through his face, before standing up.

Sophia watched him appear, her blue eyes watching his silver ones staring intently back at her. She realised with a start that he wasn’t wearing a shirt. And she ran her eyes over his chest before looking at the floor, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.

She clenched her fist around the stake, and he saw, chuckling. “Come to kill me, Sophia?” he said in a quietly amused voice.

“Maybe. You deserve it, you did almost kill me.”

He laughed. “But I didn’t. See, you are fine.”

“Yes. Because my best friend found me and practically forced a blood replenisher down my throat.”

His eyes lightened slightly as he ran them up and down her body, as if making sure she was all right.

“You should have left it, Sophia. Because this is pointless.”

“Why?”

His eyes flashed grey again. “Because you have just walked into the dragons layer.” He pounced suddenly, grabbing her shoulders and slamming her back into the wall. She dropped the stake in surprise, as he put his mouth close to her ear and whispered “What would stop me killing you now?”

Her breath quickens, her heart pounding- not just from fear, but the proximity. She struggled to keep her voice even as she spoke. “Nothing. Nothing at all. So kill me.”

He let go of her shoulders, his hands sweeping the hair off her neck before trailing down and holding her waist. He moves his face down from her ear, his lips resting lightly on her skin.

“Lukas.” She gasped as he parted his lips and bit down. Not roughly, though. But incredibly gently. Her gasp turned to a groan, as she lifted her arms from her sides and wrapped them round him.

A part of her knew it was stupid. But she didn’t want him to stop. To her, it felt like this was normal, and although with every suck, she could feel her blood leave, it wasn’t bad. She didn’t want it to end.

And neither did he. For the first time in years, he felt almost alive. All the strange feelings that were coursing through his body- he wanted them there.

He stopped drinking and pulled back, licking the wounds and watching as the closed up. He could feel her eyes on him, but didn’t want to move. She started to slide slowly down the wall, and as he had not let her go, he went with her, sitting on his knees in front of her.

“Are you alright?” he whispered, his silver eyes studying her.

She nodded, giving him a small smile. “Are you?”

“I think so.” He murmured quietly.

They sat in silence for a minute, watching each other, when Sophia suddenly lent forwards and kissed him. Too shocked to move, he stayed still, his lips shut tight. She pulled back slightly, her breath tickling his skin.

“Damn it, Lukas. Respond. I know you want to.”

She raised her hand and traced his lips with her finger, then pressed her lips lightly to his again. With a growl, he responded, pushing his mouth back against hers. His lips parted, his tongue teasing out hers. He closed his eyes, sighing as her mouth danced over his.

As they kissed, their hands explored. Sophia spread hers wide over has pale chest, ignoring the frozen heart, trailing them in small circles on the cold skin, making him shudder. His hands moved up her back, holding her close to him. She stilled, and then gently nibbled his bottom lip. His eyes flew open, and he launched himself across the room.

“Leave.” He snapped. Sophia looked at him, not hiding the hurt in her expression. He felt guilty. “Please, Sophia.” He said, gently, his grey eyes stormy as he fought with himself. She nodded, stood up and felt from the crypt.

* * * * * * * *

Sapphire had watched the other girl walk into the graveyard, her eyes determined, a stake in her hand. Sapphire had laughed to herself. Stupid human- Lukas was immortal, not vamperic. Wood wouldn’t do a thing to him; it wouldn’t even piece his skin. So what use was it?

She had expected the girl to not come out, for Lukas to kill her for entering while he was asleep. But for the time they were in there, she couldn’t hear the sound of death, could taste it on the air. And then Sophia had come running out again, not even hurt. Sapphire had tightened her grip on the windowpane she was leaning against, hearing it splinter and cut her skin, but she didn’t care. All she could think about was the girl who was stealing her boy. And how much she hated her.

“Vampires!” she called, waiting for them to appear in the room. Scanning to see if any where missing, she nodded. “Part one is about to start. There is a human girl we need to find. Find but not kill. We need her to get to Lukas. Get a room ready, we will soon have a guest.”

She looked back out the window, watching the girl disappear from sight. ‘Just as soon as the sun goes down…”