Chapter 71

ELEANOR

My whole body ached. My head throbbed, my throat was raw, my muscles screamed in agony. I was barely able to move. But I could hear everything. Smell everything.

People above me, the gas from the cars, the scampering little bugs, the thumping heartbeats, the blood. Blood. It smelled delicious. Sweet, spicy, and tangy all at the same time.

I wanted to dive into a pool of it. I wanted to bathe in it completely. I felt my throat tightening, burning. I concentrated on the sounds, on the smells.

Above me was a young woman. She smelled like Givenchy perfume, sweat, and cigarettes.

I could hear her shoes clicking on the cement floor as she made her way to her car, listening to her playlist and humming along under her breath.

I focused on the fast beating of her heart. I could hear the blood rushing through her veins like waves in my head.

I imagined myself slipping away from Aric’s arms, climbing out of the dark tunnel, crawling across the floor, throwing myself into the air, and latching onto her.

I imagined the soft skin on her throat, the warmth of her blood. I let out a little moan as my mind imagined sinking my fangs into her soft skin and drinking her entirely. I wanted to.

I felt my eyes warming, and I knew that they were bright crimson.

I ran my tongue over my teeth slowly, pressing it gently against my new fangs. I gasped at the sudden pain and tasted blood in my mouth. My blood.

But it wasn’t my blood. It tasted like syrup, tangy and sweet.

I heard a sharp gasp, and Aric’s heart suddenly beat. He had been holding me in his arms. He had looked exhausted. Every so often, he had dozed off and woke up again, holding me tighter.

As I glanced up at him, I saw his crimson eyes focusing on my face. In the darkness, I could make out his white fangs.

“Already drawing blood?” he teased, his eyes glinting.

I squirmed against him, despite my aching muscles, so that I was facing him. He cradled me against his solid chest. I could feel the slight movements of his breath.

“I’m a vampire now,” I breathed.

He nodded. I could see him well enough in the dark.

“Yeah, you are,” he murmured. He lowered his head, tracing his lips down my face. “You’re mine forever now,” he breathed.

I felt his tongue, soft and languid, tracing up my face, licking off the dried blood caked on my skin.

“I can hear them, Aric, smell them. Everywhere,” I confessed. Aric pressed his lips against my temple.

“I’ll help you with that, Eleanor,” he murmured, his crimson eyes boring into mine. I lifted my chin, and he pressed his lips gently to mine, his tongue pressing lightly on my lips.

When I parted them, his grasp around me tightened, and he deepened our kiss, his hand cupping my face, his tongue exploring my mouth, sucking at my bottom lip.

He let out a small growl when he tasted the blood in my mouth.

He drew back, his eyes blazing. I could hear his heart racing.

“How are you feeling?” he asked me softly.

“Weak,” I answered. “Exhausted and really thirsty.” I pursed my lips.

He nodded slowly. “The sun’s almost set. We’ll be able to leave very soon. Eleanor, I’m going to have to give you a command.

“Like we spoke of a couple of nights ago, I can bend your will if I want to. I need to use it so we can exit the city safely. At the castle, there are many humans for the wedding.

“I’ll show you how to feed without killing them. We don’t want to waste good blood,” he told me. “We just need to get you away from the humans in the city first.”

I nodded, understanding. “That’s okay, Aric. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

He pursed his lips. “I won’t guarantee that, Eleanor. You’re a vampire now. You’re on top of the food chain,” he said.

“I will teach you to hunt in human cities, but not before you can control your cravings. We cannot be exposed. And besides, I don’t want that for you.”

I nodded again. “Okay, I’ll have to wait until we get to the castle to drink then?”

“We’ll pick something up on the way. There’re plenty of squirrels,” he said with a chuckle.

***

I felt the air grow cooler, and the simmering heat that had my skin itchy and dry slowly faded.

Aric had his arms wrapped around me, kissing my face every so often, telling me stories of his childhood learning to control his thirst.

“It’s time,” he breathed. I nodded in agreement. I could hear a few humans, but they were far off.

Aric picked himself up, and I watched as he pushed the rubble ceiling of our tunnel open and slipped up and out. I crawled after him.

My whole body was trembling. Aric reached down and pulled me out of the hole. He steadied me with one hand while he kicked the rubble back into place.

There was an eerie yellow light in the parking lot. The place reeked of gasoline and hot motors.

I gazed at Aric. His tousled hair was full of rubble and gray dust, his face coated in a thin layer of dust and blood.

His clothes were tattered, damp, filthy, and torn down to the front of his chest. He looked incredibly sexy. He gazed back at me, his sapphire eyes glinting in the dim light.

He flashed me a fangy grin.

“I know I’ve looked better.”

I glanced down at my own clothes. The long blue gown that Mother had put me in the night before was torn to shreds, coated in mud, dust, and blood. My blood. My human blood. It smelled sweet.

“I must look terrible,” I breathed, my voice wheezy. Aric wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“We can clean ourselves off before getting to the castle if you like,” he murmured. I felt a chill run down my back and my skin warming as he stroked his fingers down the length of my arm.

My whole body suddenly felt light, warm, and fuzzy. Aric cupped my face in his hand, bent down, and kissed me gently.

“I’d like that,” I murmured through the warm haze. He chuckled, kissing my forehead lightly.

“Come with me.” He grasped my hand and led me gently to the staircase.

We walked up slowly. The further we moved, the weaker I felt. I clutched onto his hand tightly, allowing him to guide me.

We were on the first floor, and I could make out the sound of humans mingling not too far off. The shock of their sweet blood filled my head.

“Not too far,” Aric reassured, tugging me gently. I followed him.

A crash sounded from the other end of the underground parking lot and a swearing. My senses zeroed in on the noise and the scent.

It was a bottle of wine that had fallen and splashed on the hard concrete—incidentally cutting the hand of the person holding it. He smelled like an older man, of dusty clothes and old hair spray.

His blood. I could hear it drip. I could hear his heart racing in his chest, his blood rushing through his veins. The sound and scent of it filled my head.

I let out a gasp, my throat tightening, my muscles warming suddenly, my mind focused on his blood.

“Eleanor, stay with me. Do not go,” Aric snarled. He was standing in front of me, his crimson eyes boring into mine.

He held my shoulders. “Stay with me,” he repeated.

But the scent was too strong. I pushed him back and dashed away, heading for the blood.

I hurried around two corners and spied the man swearing at the wine staining his pants. He glanced up at me, his brown eyes squinting in the dim light.

I saw his blood. I saw his veins, soft, pumping against his skin.

I didn’t hold back. My muscles were light and warm as I launched myself through the air toward him. Time seemed to slow as I landed on him, knocking him to the ground and holding him down.

His struggles were weak, and his whole body felt hot and squishy. And fragile. I felt like I was holding a tiny rabbit in my hands.

I focused on the roaring sounds of his blood, on the rich scent. I pulled his head up, and I heard him scream. I locked onto his throat, his skin tearing like tissue paper under my fangs.

His blood gushed, hot, sweet, and tart into my mouth. I gasped at the sudden pleasure. I lapped it up, holding him down easily, drinking freely.

Suddenly I was ripped from him and sent flying through the air. I crashed into a small Fiat and rolled onto the ground. I spun quickly, rolling up and launching myself back at my prey.

Aric stood in my way, his eyes blazing crimson.

“Eleanor, stop now!” he barked. I ignored him, my senses focused on the man who lay languid behind him, letting out little moans. I jumped at him again, my throat burning to taste his blood again.

Aric caught my arm and slammed me against him, holding my hands down. I struggled against him.

“Control yourself, Eleanor!” he snarled into my arm, pinning me to his chest. “Snap out of it,” he growled. I snarled at him.

“Let me drink,” I hissed, my fangs—sharp—pressed against my lips.

“No,” he snarled. I felt him holding my wrists together, rapidly tying them together with bits of his torn shirt. It strained against them.

“Let me go,” I whined.

Aric didn’t answer me. His face was set in a grim expression. He picked me up and tossed me over his shoulders before running back to the staircase and bursting through to the night sky.

The cool air greeted me like a smack in the face. My blood lust immediately evaporated, replaced by the aching in my muscles.

Aric was running into the forest, holding me tight over his shoulders. I watched the forest pass by. Though he was moving fast, the trees, bushes, and squirrels in the trees were clear as day for me.

Aric stopped near the river. In the distance, I could hear the sounds of the city, but I could not smell it anymore. Everything around us was quiet, save for the chirping bugs and the gurgling river.

He put me down quietly and undid the ties he’d wrapped around my wrists.

“Aric,” I paused. “Did I kill him?” Aric stepped back from me and sat down, leaning against the tree.

“No, Eleanor. I was able to heal him. He’ll survive,” he replied with a small smile. I let out a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, Aric. I couldn’t control myself.”

“That’s normal, Eleanor. No need to apologize. That’s bloodlust.” He smiled at me. “The interesting thing here is why you didn’t stop when I told you to.”

He cocked his head to one side. “I’ve turned two others in my lifetime. And both times, they froze when I gave my order not to attack. You ignored me completely.”

“I’m sorry, Aric.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be, Eleanor. Like I told you, that’s normal bloodlust. It’s especially strong when you first turn, and you don’t know how to control it yet.

“I’m wondering why my command didn’t work on you.” He arched his brows at me and grinned. “I guess you’re just special.”

I smiled at him. “I’m glad that guy’s okay,” I breathed. “Aric, his blood was so good. I never imagined.”

“We should have something more to eat, and then we can wash off in the river here and head back to the castle. I’m sure Mother and Father have been worried sick about you.”

I nodded in agreement. I watched as he stood again, cocked his head to one side, then leapt into the air, latching onto the tree and thrusting himself higher into the sky.

I heard the squawk of the bird, then Aric dropped back down, handing me a hawk, its neck snapped.

He gave me a sheepish smile. “It gets more romantic the longer you’ve been a vampire, I’ve heard.”

He chuckled, sinking down next to me and handing me the dead bird. I was struck by the warmth of the animal in my hands. I could smell its blood.

Aric twisted the neck off with a pop and showed me how to drink straight from the little creature’s headless body. I let my new vampire instincts take over while I drank.

“When the animal was empty, I put it down on the ground gently. Horrified and yet unsatisfied by the little amount of blood.

“Aric, now that I’m a vampire, can you still sense me? Like before?” I asked, wiping at the blood on my cheek. Aric smiled and shook his head.

“No, the second you died, I couldn’t feel you anymore.”

“If you drank my blood now, and I drank yours, could it work again? I liked the feeling that you always knew where I was and how I felt,” I admitted.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him. “No. It only works with humans. When vampires drink from each other, it’s either a very intimate moment or it’s violent.

“To drain another vampire is a crime in our world—another pureblood, that is. It’s an extreme form of violence.”

“I see,” I breathed. “But if it’s a turned vampire, not so much?”

“Not really. Turned vampires are turned to work as slaves, servants, etc. Their lives are linked to their maker’s, and their maker can control them through commands.

“Though, it doesn’t work for you. And I’m not too sure why,” he murmured, pressing his lips to my forehead.

“I’d like to get clean now,” I said, smiling. He grinned and nodded in agreement.

In a split second, he was standing in front of me, pulling me to my feet, then standing behind me.

He trailed kisses down my back while he pulled the strings one by one on my dress. It toppled to the ground in a heap. I stood naked in the cool air. The moonlight glistened off my dirty skin.

Aric stood in front of me. His eyes were bright crimson, and his expression dark. He slipped his shirt and pants off and slid his hand around my waist, pulling me against his soft skin.

Every part of my skin touching his suddenly felt like it was tingling, warm and alive. I felt his movements, his fingers splayed against my back, tracing circles.

I slid mine up to his carved chest. I could feel his muscles flexing under my touch. His heart was beating, and I realized mine was too. I gazed up at him.

He dipped his head down and pressed his lips to mine, slid his arm under me, and picked me up. Within a second, we were in the river.

I gasped as we entered the water. It felt warm. Aric pushed us deep under, and I realized that I didn’t need to go up for a breath. He was grinning at me, running his hands over my skin.

He pushed me up from the bottom and pulled me up to the surface. We walked out of the water. I enjoyed the feeling of it dripping down my body. I felt strong.

I wrung my hair out and glanced at Aric. He was focused on me.

“Can I taste you?” I asked gently. His eyes flashed.

“C’mere.” He waved me over.

I moved toward him slowly, watching his eyes trace up and down my naked body. He licked his lips, and I felt a chill run through my body.

I was walking too slowly for him. With two steps, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms and kissing me.

He backed me up against a tree, kissing, pulling at my bottom lip, running his fingers over my body until we were both breathless.

I felt his hands slipping between my thighs, pulling them apart gently as he trailed open-mouthed kisses down my throat. I gasped as he plunged into me.

He set up a fast rhythm, holding me against him, pressing my back against the tree. However, the bark didn’t hurt. Nothing hurt. My whole body was aflame with passion. I could barely keep up.

My gasps quickly turned to moans as his hips swiveled. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer to me. He let out a small growl. His head cocked to one side, baring his throat to me.

I heard his heartbeat, and I smelled his blood. I didn’t hesitate. I plunged my fangs into his throat. His blood rushed out, hot, spicy, sweet, tangy, and wildly erotic.

My chest hissed with pleasure, and Aric brought me to orgasm.

He moved suddenly, flipping me around, holding onto my hips, and slipping back into me in one movement. I barely had time to withdraw my fangs.

His blood trickled down my cheek, and I lapped it up, moaning in pleasure. I felt his hand moving up my back as I braced myself against the tree.

His fingers moved my hair lightly, then suddenly, I felt him bite into the back of my neck. I gasped at the intrusion.

But I didn’t hurt, not like it did when I was human. It seemed to burn, a sweet, tight burn that had me shattering around him a second time.

Aric let out a growl of appreciation, and I felt him sucking my blood hungrily.

“I would die for you, Eleanor,” he growled in my ear, licking up my bloodied throat as he came inside me with a heavy moan.