Crimson Desire (10 page)

I didn’t know what they said. I didn’t care enough to listen.

The man was gone. Dead. He was dead. A human. Dead.

And I was the one who killed him.

The next morning I was inside Annabelle’s room, standing atop a small white stool as she rummaged through her closet. I was only in my peach lace bra and panties, and embarrassment flamed on my face. My eyes were downcast as Annabelle held up two dresses, one white and one black, and fussed over which one would look better on me.

My mind wandered off to last night and what I had done. Sure, I had attacked someone before and drank their blood, but I’d never,
never
killed someone. The very thought of what I’d done shook me to the core. I smothered my face with my hands as the tears began to drip, and I broke out in quiet sobs.

What have I done? Oh, what have I done! I stole a person’s life. I took that fragile life and crushed it beneath me. I vanquished a life. I crushed a life.

Annabelle’s verdant eyes stared into mine, and she waved a hand. “Lily?” she breathed and then whistled a short tune. “Lily? What’s the matter?”

I bit my lower lip and struggled to keep myself from trembling. “I killed someone,” I uttered. “I killed someone.”

Annabelle seemed dumbfounded. “So? You’re a vampire. You can kill people. It’s natural to us.”

My jaw gaped open, and I quickly closed it and shook my head. “It just hasn’t sunk in all the way yet. I can’t believe I killed someone…A stranger, someone I didn’t even know.” Sorrow, deep and dark, found its way into my voice.

She chuckled and replied, “Oh, Lily! It’s so much better when you don’t know them. Trust me.”

“But still…” I murmured, eyes becoming glossy with tears.

Annabelle patted my back, and her hand lingered there for a few seconds. “You have to get over it, Lily. I’ve killed—I don’t know how many people—and I’m not as broken about it as you are. You have to accept it and embrace yourself for what you are and fight to survive.” She went back to comparing the dresses, humming that familiar song she and Sang knew.

The nausea abruptly emerged again. I coughed a couple times and pressed my hand against my mouth. When I drew it back, it was covered in bright scarlet blood. Annabelle instantly dropped the dresses on the floor and rushed beside me.

She asked, “Are you all right?”

I nodded my head and coughed again, the blood dribbling down my chin.

“No you’re not! Damn, this is because you haven’t drunk from your blood-sire in a while.” She hurriedly scratched her nails against her wrist and lifted it to my mouth. The aroma of her blood was heavenly, and I breathed heavily, licked at her scarlet substance, and savored her unique richness.

“Now, do you feel better? Even a little?”

I stared her straight in the face feeling renewed and rejuvenated. “Yeah.”

Her tone was sharp, “Good, because we have a meeting to attend to.”

“A meeting?”

“Yes, a meeting with the master vampire, Genesis. He has considerable control over a large expanse of land in England. We’ve been rivals for quite some time.”

I asked, “And why do you need me to go with you?”

Annabelle cupped my face within her palms. “Because you are my precious weapon against him. He will not be able to resist you.”

I swallowed hard, thoughts tangled up. “What do you mean by that? Oh, when can I see Sang? I want to see him so bad…”

She returned to picking up a lacy white dress and holding it in front of my body. “You will see Sang soon enough. I promise.” She grinned faintly. “Now spread your arms over your head while I slide this onto you.”

I did as she said, and she pulled the gorgeous dress onto me. It fit me in all the right places, hugged my curves, and flowed past my knees. It had bell sleeves, which made me feel like a renaissance princess. I shook my hips and body, loving how the dress stretched with my movement and then went securely into place when I was still.

Annabelle beamed as she clasped a tear-shaped diamond around my neck and matching earrings onto my ears. She took my hand and led me off the stool and to the mirror. I almost fell down from how beautiful I was.

I had never, ever thought I would look like this in my lifetime. My lips were a soft pink, and my eyes were strikingly bluer than before. My breasts were perkier, larger, and my skin was paler. The curls in my hair were thicker and tighter, and I thought for a second I stared back at another person, until it dawned on me that the person in the mirror was undeniably me. It was me and no one else. Me, a beautiful woman.

Annabelle swiped her fingers through my golden curls and said, “It’s because you have my blood in you, you know. I am called the sadistic seductress by many, and it’s my power to instill incomparable beauty into my servants.”

I fingered the necklace and touched my face. Then I thought for a moment. I wasn’t her servant. If I was anyone’s servant, I was Darius, not this, this bitch. “But I’m not your servant,” I replied angrily. “I belong to Darius.” Actually to no one, but I was trying to get a point across.

She smacked me across the cheek, and I flew through the room before landing on my side. “Don’t you dare say that." Her voice boiled with rage. "You belong to me now and me only. It’s only a matter of days until it’s fully completed.”

I felt where she hit me and it stung. I winced and stared at her with daggers in my eyes. “What do you mean? I’m Darius’ blood-child! Not yours!”

She giggled and glided to where I lay. “As I said, Lily, it’s only a matter of time.” She turned and made her way to the door. “Now, we will be leaving in two hours. I expect you to get some rest and then rethink on what you said to me.”

When the door closed and clicked from the lock, I sank into her bed and buried my head in the pillows. I couldn’t be hers. I could never be hers! My heart and body belonged to Darius and Sang, not this fucking bitch.

And most of all, it belonged to me. And no one could ever change that.

Genesis’ house was like an old chapel with two steeples, a huge copper bell in each. It was pleasing to the eye with its thatched roof and arched stained-glass windows and doors. Annabelle had driven us there in her black Lincoln, me in the back seat while she and Priscilla chattered eagerly in the front. A thick ghostly fog surrounded everything.

Annabelle parked the car and ushered for me to get out. I wobbled on the heels I wore and had to steady myself on the side of the car. Priscilla laughed. I grumbled and began to walk toward Annabelle, who was already at the towering cracked wooden door.

“I wanna see Sang,” I complained as I took a careful step.

Priscilla came up behind and hugged me tightly. “You will. Just wait a bit more.”

I sighed and grabbed her hand as she led me to the door. I stumbled and fell but she heaved me up and continued walking. Annabelle chuckled lowly to herself and rapped on the door three times. The door creaked open, and a hand gestured for us to come inside. Priscilla yanked me in after Annabelle.

The inside was much more magnificent than the outside. There were rows of red velvet pews and a mahogany pedestal in the very center up front. Crimson drapes veiled the arched windows, and the carpet was a deep black. It smelled of lavender and vanilla incense which was pleasing to the senses. I became sleepy, and Priscilla pinched my neck to keep me awake.

She whispered urgently, “You have to stay awake. His power is overwhelming you.”

I gave her a firm nod and rubbed my eyes. I couldn’t fall asleep. Wouldn’t fall asleep. Was this one of Genesis’ powers?

An organ began to play a quick, vicious tune. I listened to it and became sleepy again. Annabelle slapped my cheek rather gently and said, “Don’t listen to it. He wants you to go asleep.”

I shook my head, wiped my entire face with my palms, and stepped forward into the church. The organ seemed like it reverberated in my ears, in my soul. I wanted to clutch onto that music and hug it and dream to it. But what was behind it?

Annabelle held a finger to my lips as a figure approached from the darkness by a stairwell. “Be still, Lily. Very, very still.”

I blinked a few times and pursed my lips shut. Was this Genesis powerful? Could he control me so easily?

Priscilla bowed and pushed my head down so I’d do the same. I hated bowing to people. It made me feel inferior. A man came into view, the light from a window pouring down on him as if he were heaven-sent. He had long snow-white hair and deep blue eyes the color of mine. His body was thin and wrapped tightly in a white cloak that flowed to the ground. He had a tattoo of a feathery wing on his right cheek and a cross on the other. A golden cross pendent hung loosely from his neck. His smile caused my whole body to shudder. What was up with this guy?

“Hello, lost lambs,” he spoke, his voice sending chills up and down my spine. “I am Genesis, and I welcome you to my home.”

A bad feeling swirled in my stomach.

Genesis cordially kissed Annabelle’s hand and stopped when his eyes locked on me. “Who…is that?” he asked in bewilderment.

Annabelle strode behind me and lifted my chin. “This,” she began, “is Lily, Darius’ lover.”

He stared at me long and hard, scrutinizing every inch of me. “Ah, she is more beautiful than I had imagined. And how did you get your hands on such a rare jewel?”

“It’s a secret.” Annabelle laughed.

“I see. So, you wanted to speak with me?” he asked languidly.

Annabelle lounged onto a bench and swung her legs high over the side so that she flashed some lace panty. “I wanted to speak about the border between our lands. Yours seems to be, well, infringing upon mine.”

Genesis’ gaze was fixed on her as if she was a glimmering diamond, mouth agape. “Can I not expand my borders just a tiny bit?” he pressed.

Priscilla intervened, “You have violated our pact. Don’t make my lady do any more of your bidding.” Her eyes were scarlet, fangs showing in rage.

Genesis smirked and uttered, “Ah, I remember this one. Your special pet, Priscilla.”

The latter’s face flushed red, and she forced her fangs to recede; her eyes changed back to their regular baby blue. Annabelle examined her nails and frowned when she found a chipped one. “That is enough, Priscilla. This is between Genesis and me.”

The servant curtsied. “Yes, my lady.”

I had no clue what to do, so I just stood there like a wall, breathing in and out silently. Genesis turned my way and strode smoothly toward me, movements reminding me of the fluid motions of Darius. “You are gorgeous, my lady,” he breathed, holding out a hand.

I was flattered and grasped onto his hand, some kind of electric current flowing into me and heating my being. I ignored it. “That music was beautiful,” I commented. “What was the purpose of it?”

“I like to please my audience,” he answered eagerly.

“It made me tired,” I said.

“That’s what it’s supposed to do.”

“Why?”

“So that the audience’s dreams will be filled with happy, joyous thoughts.” His cross brushed against my chest and emitted a low brilliant light. “You are full of purity,” he told me.

I shrugged. “Thanks, I guess.”

Annabelle huffed and rolled her eyes, and Genesis stared right into mine. “I’ll take this lovely gem off your hands, Annabelle. Name your price.”

The vampiress hissed, “I have no price. She is mine now.”

“How so?”

“I can’t tell.”

“Oh, so you forcefully took her from her blood-sire?”

Annabelle’s lips curved into a wicked smile. “Yes. Yes I did.”

Genesis clicked his tongue and said, “Bad, bad, Annabelle. Always getting what you want. Well today I’m not letting you get what you want.” He paused. “I am taking Lily with me.”

“Why’s that?” Annabelle asked.

“You will break her in your hands.”

Break me? What did he mean? Annabelle would break me? Whatever it was it didn’t sound good.

Priscilla and Annabelle exchanged knowing glances before Annabelle rose from the bench and floated in the air. Her power streamed off her like a hundred green rivers, glittering and sparkling with the rays of the sun.

Genesis unleashed his own aura, a prickly sensation of white thorns and daggers, like a rosebush. It twisted and gnarled around Annabelle, squeezed her and crushed her aura as if it were a bubble to burst.

Annabelle closed her eyes, and her aura broke through the thorns, but the vines wrapped themselves around her again, this time stronger and thicker. She grunted with the effort, sweat beading down her forehead, and planted her heels firmly into the floor. The vine-like aura pushed down against her, clenched her powerfully.

I wanted to help Genesis—help him rid this monster so badly. But something inside me, something dark and twisted, told me otherwise, whispered almost seductively to help Annabelle instead.

No! No! I didn’t want to help her.

“Lily,” Annabelle panted. “Help. Please.”

I shook my head, wanting to see the bitch destroyed.

“If you don’t help me, you’ll never see your precious Sang again,” she growled.

At that moment something fiery awakened inside me, and I concentrated all my pink energy into long sharp needles that flew at Genesis’ aura and sliced through the vines, freeing Annabelle and letting her power spill into the church like a tidal wave, overcoming Genesis.

I wanted Sang. I wanted to see Sang. So badly. And no one would get in the way of that. Not even this kind vampire.

My aura protected Priscilla and Annabelle in a warm cocoon as her energy flooded us, surrounded us in a thick and powerful force that stifled Genesis and left him powerless. My power sucked the aura out of him as if it were blood.

I dropped my concentration and breathed heavily as Priscilla caught me in her arms and glared at Genesis.

Annabelle walked toward the cowering vampire, steps echoing throughout the church. “Never disobey me again,” she snarled. “Now your territory is mine.” She kicked him in the stomach, and he rolled onto his back.

His lips quivered. “Ye-yes, your Majesty.”

Annabelle went out the door. “Good.”