He looked down at his hands
and stared at them for what seemed like forever. They were flawless. He wanted to see what he looked like now. And he was ravenous, although the thought of food made him queasy. He was starving for . . . what?
For blood!
Malachi stood in the doorway
watching him intently, his head cocked to one side, his arms folded as he leaned against the door frame.
“I
want to see what I look like.” Dorian walked out into the large room where the fire in the hearth seemed to burn brighter now. Its flames cast an eerie light into the dark corners of the room. He looked for a mirror. There was none. Nor were the windows visible. At each hung heavy dark green colored velvet drapes. The fire and a few candles provided all the available light.
Dorian gazed at Malachi. Somehow, he was even more mesmerizing and handsome th
an when he’d first laid eyes on him. Actually,
everything
was more vivid. Everywhere he looked his eyes fixed on an object for long periods of time. He was hypnotized by the beauty of it all.
Then he remembered
; his family. Before hearing anymore about his new nature he needed to know about them.
“My mother and sister? Are they
alright?”
Malachi’s eyes drifted away
from him. He looked down.
Dorian’s heart leapt into his throat.
No! Don’t say it, don’t let it be true!
“I’m truly sorry, Dorian. Your mother passed away a few hours ago.”
Dorian’s heart beat fast; his palms were soaked with sweat. When he looked at them, he was shocked to see a reddish tint in the moisture.
I’ve not kept my promise. I let her die alone. I said I’d be there and I wasn’t. And now, I’m this thing who sweats blood!
“What have I done?”
he whispered, still staring at his hands
.
“And my sister?”
“She’s with your mother now, preparing her for burial.”
“You can see them?”
“Yes.”
“Why can’t I?”
“You do not possess th
at power yet, nor can you read minds. You won’t have these gifts until you grow older; much older.”
“How old
are
you?”
“I died and came into this life at the age of
twenty-five. In reality, I’m three-hundred and four years old.”
Three-hundred and four years old
.
Malachi was one of the immortals. He never thought they existed. And now he was one of them.
Dorian paced back and forth
, running his hands through his hair, deep in thought. He stopped at each window, hoping to catch a reflection of himself. There was none. He felt physically strong but emotionally weak. He was confused by these conflicting views of himself.
Abruptly, he stopped pacing.
“I must go home. I need to see to my sister. She’s had nothing but broth to eat in days. She’ll need food and I need to be by her side to deal with my mother’s . . .” His words trailed away. He couldn’t really comprehend that she’d died.
He felt a twinge of guilt at what he perceived as his abandonment of her; not to mention, he’d left her husband in the woods to die.
Malachi spoke softly
, placing his hand on Dorian’s shoulder. “You cannot go outdoors. Not until the darkness of night falls.”
“But
you were out in the woods. You rescued me in the daylight hours.”
“Again, I’m older.
You’re a newly made vampire. You’re unable to survive even a hint of sun. It will be centuries before you can go out in the daytime, and even then, the sky must be very gray.” Crossing the room, he went into a small doorway, leaving Dorian to wonder where he’d gone and when he’d return.
Dorian
stood in silence, his eyes scanning the room again and marveling at how differently he saw things now. He pulled back one of the heavy drapes, wanting to see the snowflakes with his newly enhanced vision. He felt a strange burning sensation in his fingertips and then the pain. They were on fire.
“My God!”
he exclaimed.
With preternatural speed, Malachi appeared at his side and swiftly closed the drapes. He doused the flames with a cloth wrapped in ice.
Bloody Hell! How was he able to move that quickly?
He thought. He’d gotten ice and wrapped his hand in a matter of seconds.
“Please, sit.” Malachi gestured toward the elegant burgundy couch which sat across from the fireplace.
Dorian did as he was told.
“I do not want you to be frightened, nor overwhelmed by what you are
. Much like our former human selves, we still crave the company of others. I suppose there are some who do not, but I do.”
“Why me? Is it simply because you want
ed a companion?”
“That’s partly true
. However, I chose you after careful consideration.” His eyes pierced Dorian’s.
Dorian looked away from the blazing intensity of Malachi’s dark
eyes. It dawned on him then. He’d said after careful consideration, did that mean he’d been
watching
him?
A chill ran up his spine at the thought of it. He never felt as if he was being watched. This
creature could’ve killed him at any time.
“I assure you, Dorian. I mean you no harm. I found you
fascinating and was drawn to your youthful beauty.”
“Are you a
homosexual then?”
Malachi
laughed, shaking his head. “No. I wanted your friendship. I like women very much.” He said this last softly.
Dorian caught a glimpse of coldness in his eyes, the undercurrent of danger in his words.
It was fleeting, but it was there.
“
It’s time to take care of first things first. I feel your hunger. It’s unlike any you’ve ever experienced, is it not?”
“Yes.” Dorian felt empty
. The strength he’d felt earlier was gone. It was as if his veins were void of life-sustaining blood.
“They are.” Again, Malachi answered an unasked question. “You shall feed
tonight. We’ll start off small. You’re not ready to feast upon human blood yet. Tonight we will take vengeance on the wolves that attacked you. We shall feed on them and they will no longer be a danger to your sister.”
“My sister
! How will I explain myself to her?”
“You may visit her
as often as you like, after you’ve fed and only at night. Your skin will be warm and she will suspect nothing, but you cannot remain with her. You will tell her you’ve accepted a position in London and will live in a flat there. You must never stay anywhere in the house during the day. It’s too risky. When we sleep, it is like death and you would be vulnerable to those who might seek to hurt you. Of course you’ll stay with me. I own homes all over the world.”
“Can I bring her something to eat?”
Dorian asked.
“I’ve already seen to it, my friend. A basket was delivered to her door a short time ago filled with bread, meat, cheese and drink.”
“I cannot repay you.” Dorian hung his head in shame.
“Do not trouble yourself with such thoughts. I
’m
extremely
wealthy. Together, we will do marvelous things and you shall become as rich and powerful as I. As for your sister, she will be well cared for until her dying day.”
Dorian felt a surge of pride. He wouldn’t show any emotional weakness to Malachi
. Somehow, he knew it to be unwise to do so. “I will pay you back with interest. You have my word.”
Malachi nodded slightly. “Very well. If that’s what you wish.”
He got up and moved across the room gracefully, as if he floated across the floor and stopped in the darkest corner of the large room. There stood something covered in a large, black cloak. With one swift movement of his hand he removed the cover, revealing a full length mirror.
Dorian
walked over to join Malachi and stared at the mirror. The surface was encased in ornately carved wood; however, where the glass should be was a shining silver overlay.
Malachi stood off to one side
. “This is a Grimm mirror, Dorian. It’s the only surface in which a vampire can see his own reflection. It’s priceless and there are very few of them in existence. Behold yourself with your new vampire eyes.”
Hesitantly, Dorian
looked into the mirror and ceased to breathe.
Dear God! I’m the
same, but different.
His black hair was unruly as always, but it shone brighter
and he noticed a bluish-silvery hue in it. His blue eyes burned with a fierceness that was hot and icy at the same time. His cheekbones were still high and his jaw strong. The color of his skin startled him the most. It was very light and completely flawless.
I’m stunning!
He was completely mesmerized by his looks. It was less a matter of vanity than awe.
“Your color will return once you
’ve fed this evening. Humans will never suspect what you are. They will see only how very beautiful you are. You will be irresistible to whoever crosses your path.” Malachi stood behind him, peering into the mirror as well.
Dorian ran his long fingers over his face, his throat and his arms feeling a delicious tingling in his skin. It was so smooth, not a vein or blemish marred it. It felt like cool velvet.
“Come, you must sleep until darkness falls.” Malachi took his arm gently and led him to a large bedroom.
At the sight of the huge four poster bed,
his eyes grew heavy and his limbs felt as if they were weighted down.
He slept more soundly than he ever had before.
When he awoke, Malachi was there. Silently they left the house and went into the woods. Dorian was amazed at the way he moved now. His every move was swift and graceful, as if he hovered just above the ground.
He heard the woods come alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, his ears attuned to all of it as never before. The cold, winter wind felt good against his fast moving body and he
tilted his face up toward the sky marveling at the snowflakes which still fell. Each had a completely different pattern; patterns he could actually
see
with the naked eye.
His mouth watered when he picked up the scent of the wolves
. And it was at that moment certain things about this new life became apparent and frightening. For one, he experienced two sharp stings on his bottom lip. He ran his tongue over the top row of his teeth and gasped as he felt the sharp points of his eye teeth. The other thing was even more horrifying. The hunger was back but it was not like the first time. He couldn’t control it. He had to eat—now.
He turned his head slowly
and came face to face with Malachi. He gazed upon his new companion. His face was alabaster white, his eyes large, black and glittering and there were the tell-tale white fangs resting on his bottom lip.
This is what I must
look like right now
, thought Dorian.
Monstrous
! Instinctively, he backed away from Malachi.
“It’s time to hunt.” For the first time since he’d met Malachi
his voice sounded sinister. His eyes were filled with malice. “Follow me.” He commanded.
Gliding as if airborne they fell upon the wolves in their den
. Dorian had a fleeting thought
. Why hadn’t they picked up the scent of humans so close to them? Because you’re no longer human are you?
A voice in his head mocked him.
The wolves
seemed confused at first. The ridge of fur on their backs bristled and they growled mightily.
Finally, t
he largest of the three leaped into the air. Dorian caught it easily by its neck. He wrapped his hands tightly around the animal’s throat and held it at arm’s length. Its teeth gnashed at empty air and its body squirmed to break free. He brought its head to his lips and bit down hard, his teeth went past the fur, the flesh and directly into the jugular vein. The animal yelped loudly, its hind legs kicked at the air and still Dorian clung to it as the warm, sticky and sweet liquid flowed like nectar into his mouth. He closed his eyes and marveled at the unexpected sensuality of the moment. And the peace it brought to him as he listened to the sound of his own heartbeat even as the beast’s own heartbeat slowed.
The
wolf stopped struggling; its hind legs twitched once, twice and were still. He dropped the animal to the ground.
Malachi
dropped another of the wolves.
The third
tried to flee, but couldn’t escape them. Malachi and Dorian chased it down and shared it as their final meal of the evening.
Dorian looked down at the shriveled carcass of the wolf, drained dry by him an
d
Malachi. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel revolted at the site. He merely gazed curiously at the animal.