Darius’s aura was enormous, a giant mass of swirling black and white that penetrated the fog and the magical circle easily. It rolled and thrummed like a thundercloud, his anger reflecting inside it, and I noticed a colossal lion of dark energy towering above all of us l. Annabelle shielded her eyes from the light, and in that instant, Darius took me into his arms and dashed backward a good fifty feet. I was like a doll in his grasp, but I didn’t care so long as I wasn’t going to be Annabelle’s servant. A sense of relief washed over me in a calming bubble as Darius released her hold, and my body could move again. He set me on my feet, hand tightly holding mine, teeth bared in anger.
“How dare you try and steal my servant,” he growled. The lion above us roared loudly like a thunderstorm, and lightning cracked the sky. Annabelle’s hair whipped around her face as a strong wind began to stir around us.
“She would be better off in my care,” she snarled.
Darius pointed a finger at her, a rapier materialized in his hand, and he shook it menacingly. “You are a fool, Annabelle. An insane, blinded fool.” He turned to me. “Now, Lily, stay here and do not move. I will finish this ridiculous feud once and for all.”
I nodded. He was at Annabelle in a flash, rapier clashing against sword. The metal scraped against each other as the two vampires dueled it out, slicing the air and hitting each other’s weapons. Blood sprayed from Darius’ shoulder as Annabelle’s sword buried itself deep within, but he seemed oblivious to the pain, and his rapier dug into her stomach and twisted so that scarlet blood gushed forth like a waterfall.
I winced at what I saw. It was a bloodbath. An unrestrained bloodbath. Annabelle’s sword cut into Darius’ other shoulder, emitting another geyser of blood while Darius’ rapier pierced her right side, which brought forth a stream of steady carmine liquid.
Darius growled as more blood spilled from the wound on his stomach, blossoming onto his shirt like a scarlet rose. “I really had taken a liking to this shirt.”
As I watched, I reached out a hand to him but was soon enfolded in Priscilla’s hold as the vampiress took me into her arms. “Move again and I’ll cut off Lily’s arm,” she threatened, determined.
I was pissed. Really pissed. My arm could technically grow back but that was beside the point. My pink aura spilled off me like a bottle of wine and formed into the roaring form of a lioness. Her jaw dropped down as my lioness scratched and closed her powerful jaws around her black mamba like aura, and it vanished with a shriek as I rose victorious. My spirit animal, Darius told me in my thoughts.
Darius and Annabelle’s duel was still ongoing as each parried and blocked each other’s attacks and offense with unmatched skill. Then Darius’s rapier scratched against the sword, and he snatched the opportunity to punch her in the gut. She flew back a hundred feet and landed face down on the ground.
Pricscilla’s black mamba aura wouldn’t give up and struck my lioness on the leg. My lioness snarled in frustration, gathered the snake into her mouth, and shook her until the snake collapsed and she crumpled down with it and blacked out
Darius knelt by Annabelle’s side, his rapier on her throat. “You can surrender,” he spoke smoothly, “or die peacefully.”
She chuckled and fingered the deadly weapon, “I choose to live,” she said, while taking Priscilla’s fainted body into her arms bridal–style.
Darius sheathed his rapier and it dissolved into nothing. “So be it.”
He glided to me and inspected for any wounds. When he was thoroughly pleased, he snapped his fingers, and Sang came out of his trance.
He took me into his arms like Annabelle had Priscilla and began to walk away, Sang hurrying after us.
“It’s finished,” he said proudly. Blood spotted the ground from his open wounds
I said drowsily, “You’re late. Why’re you so late? And you’re bleeding everywhere.”
He replied, “Annabelle’s witch had cast a barrier spell around her castle. I had to get my own witch to dispel the black art so that I could sense the presence of the castle. I know I’m bleeding and it will cease very soon,” he sighed. “And I rather liked this shirt, by the way.”
I didn’t really understand what he said as blackness engulfed my vision, a creeping web of darkness that crawled over my eyes.
But what about Johanna and Kristy? Could I just leave them there? Could I really just leave them there with those sadistic bitches from hell? I would have to think about it later. One thing’s for sure—I will, someday, go back for them.
My thoughts slipped away, and I began to drown in a deep, deep slumber.
* * * *
“I told you I would come,” Darius said with a smug look on his face.
I felt around and found a soft velvet comforter was wrapped around me. It was a dark carmine color, and then I realized that I was Darius’s bed. He lay beside me, amber eyes locked onto mine. I threw my arms around him and shut my eyes, glad that the whole ordeal was over.
He chuckled and wiped a tear from my eye as I began to weep quietly. “You came. You really came,” I whispered.
He said, “Of course I came. Did you not believe me when I promised I would come?”
I laughed. “Well, maybe a teensy bit.”
He growled, “Then I’ll show you that what I was saying was true. That I love you and would never abandon you.” His lips crushed against mine, our tongue danced in a loving ballet as mine swiped against his fangs, and he explored my mouth as if it were a treasure trove. We broke the kiss and lay breathlessly, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Where’s Sang?” I asked.
Darius replied, “He’s coming.”
I shut up and kissed him again, long and hard, enjoying the sweet taste of him as I nibbled on his lower lip and drew blood. He said, “Go on. Drink from me.”
“But what about your wound?” I asked.
He lifted his robe, and I gingerly touched where I’d seen Annabelle’s sword enter his stomach. There was nothing there. No scars or anything. Just smooth, pale flesh.
“Now drink from me,” he commanded rather irritated.
I opened my mouth wide and struck his neck like a snake. The rich coppery fluid entered my mouth in cold torrents, and I gulped it down hungrily. It was so much sweeter than Annabelle’s, like syrup or honey, and coated the walls of my mouth. When I was full, I pulled back, and my fangs receded. I brushed a hand through the thick locks of Darius’ hair and questioned, “But what about Annabelle? How is she?”
He answered, “Oh, she is fine. Now stop worrying about everyone and worry about me. Only me,” he said pointedly, taking my mouth upon his hungrily.
I pressed back and enjoyed the smoothness of his pale lips and salty taste. Then I wriggled out of the pink nightgown I was in and threw it on the floor. Darius raised a brow and asked if I was sure to which I responded yes. He planted a row of fiery kisses along my neck and then my mouth. He lowered his head to my chest, took a nipple between his teeth, and grazed it so a tiny drop of blood oozed out, and he lapped it up.
Sang entered the room and immediately jumped onto the bed, hastily unbuttoned his shirt he borrowed from Darius and joined in on the lovemaking. I couldn’t have wanted more.
Sang’s mouth engulfed mine as Darius’ had moments before. I relished the sweet, tangy taste of him and pulled away, letting a trail of saliva end the kiss. He gave me a bear hug and then proceeded to Darius, who welcomed it with open arms.
“Darius,” I spoke, “you said that that lioness saw was a spirit animal. What’s that?” I asked quickly.
He answered, “Oh, every vampire has a spirit animal. It just takes a while to manifest. Since mine is a lion, yours is a lioness. Since Annabelle’s is a cobra, and Priscilla’s is a black mamba, Sang’s is also a snake. It all goes according to bloodline.”
Sang said matter-of-factly, “Actually, mine is a Gaboon viper.”
Darius continued, “So then Lune’s spirit animal is also some kind of snake.”
I nodded. “Okay. I get it.” I stared into his deep honey pools. “Thanks for coming on time.”
He scoffed, “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” And his lips pushed to mine.
“Ahem.” Sang cleared his throat and reminded us of his presence.
“We could never forget you, Sang,” Darius said apologetically.
Sang yelled, “You better never forget me!” Then he dove into the blankets. He tossed every one off the bed except the one covering me and grinned proudly. “Now the stage is set,” he said.
The crescent moon spilled into the room in a silver swathe as I was pressed against the foot of the bed. The blankets had been thrown aside onto the floor in a frenzied fit, revealing the smooth red silk sheets beneath. Darius locked me into another hungry kiss, tongue swiping along my fangs in a rolling, wave-like motion that sent shivers throughout my back. My hands grabbed a fistful of his long, curly chocolate hair and forced his head back so I could lick the expanse of his alabaster neck and plunge my fangs into the supple flesh.
I drew on the sweet copper metallic liquid and pulled free when he signed for me to stop with a peculiar gesture of the hands. I kissed his neck, chin, cheeks, eyes, and eyelashes. Darius let out a small groan, held me against his muscled chest, and collapsed onto the bed. We rolled until we were both facing each other, and he took my pink bra into his mouth, swiftly unbuckled it with his teeth, and then crawled on top of me so that his hair hung in a dark low curtain around us, and it tickled my face.
He kissed my breasts and suckled on the rosy buds of my nipples. He slowly swirled them around with his teeth skillfully until I arched my back and bucked my hips in the midst of the passion, a small cry escaping my lips as he continued to torment my breasts. His wet tongue licked at my nipples, hardening them painfully, and he took them into his mouth and let his fangs pierce into the soft skin. He drew strongly on the crimson blood that streamed out seconds after. I moaned loudly and thrashed about.
Sang, who had been at the other side of the bed, stripped his clothes off and tossed them into the corner of the room and bounced next to us. I could see the hunger, the raw desire in his carmine eyes and invited him to join us. His black hair was tussled after just getting out of the shower and held a shimmery gleam that was beyond beautiful. A smile played on his lips as his lithe naked form came before Darius and I. Darius quickly embraced him and touched his forehead to his.
He tenderly cupped Sang’s chin within his hands and then kissed Sang hard and passionately on the lips. Sang returned the kiss, and they explored each other. I stood and got back on all fours as Darius and Sang broke their kiss, and Sang blushed a bright fire-truck red. He and I ambushed Darius and showered him with delicious kisses, which he let us do without a fuss and combed a hand through the long tresses of his hair.
Sang bit into the inside of my thigh, and I gasped as he drank my blood from such an intimate place. His lips were coated a dark cherry red, and he halted as Darius held up a hand to stop.
I buried my head in the plush pillows and smirked as Sang gently pulled my panties off onto the bed and proceeded to slide his hard cock inside me. I scratched at the blankets, took handfuls of vermillion silk, as Sang thrust deep inside me, hitting that pleasant hot spot that made me scream in delighted pleasure. He thrust harder and faster, and my eyes fluttered wildly as we became one, melding together in a blissful tangle of passion.
Darius straddled Sang and pressed his hard organ into the opening of the other vampire’s anus and then pushed in all the way, only his hilt showed. Sang moaned in pleasure, bucked, and then kicked out as Darius slid roughly in and out.
When we had all come, the three of us were nestled in the bed, the thick blankets over us. I was in the middle, my two men at my sides. We were a flustered, sweaty heap of lovers, and I was more than okay with that. For the first time in a while, I had had real fun. We didn’t need words to know how each other felt. We were that close.
I grinned and kissed them each on the cheek before sleep rushed in on a cloud of darkness and tried to claim my mind. I thought of Annabelle and how she had used me and how Darius had rescued Sang and I. I thought of the powerful lioness as it clamped down on the black mamba and swung it between its jaws. I thought of how it had been so short since I had become a vampire and how quickly I was becoming accustomed to being one.
My relationship with both Darius and Sang had skyrocketed in such a short amount of time, and I was happy but perplexed about it at the same time. It was as if it was always meant to be this way—that our bonds had always been there; it just needed to be rekindled.
I smiled.
The ordeal with Annabelle was over. Done with. Finished.
But I had a lurking feeling in the pit of my stomach it wouldn’t be the last time we saw her. I would have to go back for Johanna and Kristy at some point. But I was glad that I no longer had to see Annabelle’s twisted grin and her right hand woman-er-slut, Priscilla.
At least not for now, anyway.
The End
Publisher’s Note
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