It has been said that when Death comes, it’s like a hungry bear in autumn. It comes with coins from his purse to buy the soul, owning it, forevermore. However, when Death comes, where does the soul venture? What would eternity be like? When facing down Death, it would take more courage than the person has ever called upon, experienced, and this courage could end their life, just for trying Death.
However, if one could face Death and survive, to live and tell the tale, their name would surely be written in songs and ballads. They would face Death and live another day, to write stories of Death, the image, the fear, the light, everything experienced. But would it be enough?
As Sadie blinked her eyes open and took in the three vampires surrounding her, she knew it would be enough.
Always.
“Sadie?” William whispered next to her ear. “We’re here, baby. We’re here.”
And it was in that moment she defeated Death and woke with a clarity of the moment. Her eyes widened. A scream erupted from Sadie and she moved away from the three men surrounding her. Her heart pounded and her arms flew out in self-defense. She would not die today by the hands of a blood thirsty, driven vampire. Not now. Not ever.
“Sadie!”
She focused on the familiar voice that called her name.
Was it William?
She peeked from behind her hand and stared at the man by her feet. His eyes pleading, his shoulders tight, his mouth open with a desperate silent scream longing for her to remember where she was.
“William?” she whispered. “How,” she started, and looked next to him. Charles stood next to her bed and Adam paced the room with his hands on his head. Both men appeared to be in pain, but it was her that was hurt, not them. It was her that was taken, not them. It was her life in jeopardy now, not theirs.
“Why do you look like someone hurt you?” she asked. There was no malice in her question, just concern.
“Because,” William started, “we had no idea Stanley would have been waiting for you when you left.”
“Nor did we know he broke away from his holders,” Adam added.
“We’re pained, love, because we had no idea if we lost you as soon as we accepted you as one of us. It would have been like losing our favorite girl of all time,” Charles tried with a bit of humor mixed in his Australian accent.
She sat up in her bed, folded her legs under her, and gulped in a deep breath. “I hurt, a lot. My neck is still sore.” She reached for it and gingerly touched the bruised area. “My head hurts, my body aches. But I don’t think I drank from him. Not to my knowledge, anyway.”
“Good,” William said, and moved closer to her. “Sadie, I want you to drink from us, now, but it’s ultimately your decision, assuming you still want this life with us.”
She looked from William to Charles, then to Adam. Adam stopped pacing long enough and his brows rose. The strong and confident man wore nothing but vulnerability in this moment with his wide eyes and stiff posture. William took her hand and Charles sat on the other side of the bed next to her.
“I’ll bite into my wrist and give it to you, if you still want it?” William offered.
She looked into his eyes and found sympathy, but also fear. She could still tell them no and leave.
Was this a life she wanted?
Would she always live in fear?
What would happen once she drank their blood?
Then, the thought of blood churned her stomach and she fought back the bile that threatened to rise. She swallowed hard and sighed. “Drinking blood sounds so, I don’t know, disgusting? I mean no offense in that. I promise.”
William smiled. “None taken, but if you intend on living this life with us, we need you to feed as well. Think of it as a cure-all for you. The bruising and lacerations will heal quickly. You’ll be stronger, faster, and your senses will heighten. Since we’ve fed from you,” he continued, “we’re able to pick up your emotions quicker and more accurately. Since you were not here when the, umm, issue, happened, we couldn’t tell where you were.”
“Will that change if I drink your blood?”
“Not exactly,” Adam said and came closer to the bed. He ran his hand over her head, like a lion petting his lamb. The lamb in this scenario was Sadie, and the vampires the lions. “We’ll have a better connection, yes, and over time, it’ll grow stronger. We’ll never be able to read your mind, but we can sense where you are in the house, your emotions, and predict your next move.”
“And the same with you?” she asked.
He nodded.
“Do you still want this with us, Sadie?” William asked. “The tragedy of almost losing you will sit with us every day of our fucking life. We may never forgive ourselves for letting you go alone, but we will spend every moment of every day making it up to you, if you’ll still have us.”
She thought about that for a moment, then asked, “Whatever happened to Stanley?”
“He was captured. He’ll never be a bother to you or anyone else ever again,” Adam answered.
She frowned. “Was he killed for what he did?”
Charles touched her chin and tilted her head to face him. “Love, you never have to worry about him or any other rogue piece of shit ever again. We want you to be ours, and ours alone. In return, you’ll have a life full of love and adventure. We only need you to say yes.” He rested his forehead against hers and she breathed him in.
“You’re not making this easy on me,” she whispered. “There’s three of you, and only one of me.”
William tilted her head toward him this time. “And we’ll cherish you every day of your life. Please, say yes.”
“Why does it feel like I’m getting married?”
Adam chuckled. “Sadie,” he asked, and leaned in toward her. “Do you still love us?” She nodded. “Do you still want us?” She nodded again. “Then, why the hesitation?”
“How is it possible to make three people happy at the same time? I’ve never made one person happy in my life.”
“Give us a chance,” Charles said.
“As far as loving all three of us, it can be done if you’ll open your heart to the possibility of it all,” William added.
“And we’ll make sure you’re taken care of each and every time we’re together.” Adam leaned in. “Even during one on one time.”
She slowly nodded, then looked back to William. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but, let me drink your blood.” She thought of Dracula and imagined how he would have ever considered blood sustenance. She shuddered when William bit into his own wrist and the crimson liquid dripped onto his open palm.
“Wrap your mouth around my wrist, then suck and swallow.”
“She’s good at that,” Charles mumbled, and Sadie playfully slapped at his arm.
She took William’s wrist and sighed, her stomach already pushing the bile forward. She closed her eyes and brought his wrist to her mouth. The first drop of blood on her lip was warm, but the moment it touched her tongue, something inside her came alive, like an explosion of fire ignited from the smallest of embers.
She gripped his arm tighter and sucked on his wrist. She closed her eyes and moaned at the flavor of red wine paired with the finest of chocolates.
“Yes,” he whispered. “Drink, my love.”
The warm, heavy, thick liquid slipped over her tongue and down her throat. She wasn’t hungry but felt starved. She thought she was living up 'till now, no, she had only been breathing. The vampire blood brought her to life, and it was as if her eyes were opened for the first time.
“Love, feed from me next,” Charles whispered.
She didn’t want to let go of William. She wanted to continue feeding.
Cannot stop.
Never stop.
A hand stroked her head and gathered her hair at the base of her neck. A gentle pull tugged at her head and she sucked harder, gripping the arm tighter.
“Sadie,” William whispered. “Let go, baby.”
When she didn’t stop, his grip grew tighter and he yanked hard on her hair until she growled, her mouth open, blood oozing from the corners of her mouth.
“Why did you make me stop?” she yelled and reached for his arm once more.
“You’ll have more, but you need to allow this to work through your system,” he told her.
“She’s already getting her coloring back,” Adam said, and leaned down in front of her. Their eyes met and he smirked. “Yeah, she’ll be fine. Now, Sadie,” he started, and William stepped from the bed, Adam replacing him. “I want you to take a shower and clean up. No, you’re not dirty, but I think the hot water will do wonders for your sore body. It will also give the blood time to work into your blood stream. Trust me on this, baby. You need this time to heal.”
“Fine,” she groaned, and stood from the bed. “But right now, being totally honest here, I feel like I could run a fucking marathon.” She grinned and stretched her arms above her head. “My neck no longer hurts. And,” She looked at William and lifted a brow. “I can feel you.”
He grinned. “Good. Wait until I’m fucking you and feeding from you at the same time.
“You think this is explosive? You’ve seen nothing yet, love,” Charles added.
The three men encroached on her space. Somewhere in her mind, a small, shallow voice screamed for her to run, to leave and return home. Then again, the longing for these men and the need to finally belong drowned it out. Her fears and insecurities were finally coming to an end…or was it just the blood? Regardless, Sadie would need to make the mating to these men official today. She’d already started with William.
How would it be with Charles and Adam?
She forced herself to turn toward the shower and, hearing a growl at her heels, she grinned and looked over her shoulder. All three men stood there, snarling with fangs visible over luscious lips. She wasn’t scared, no, she was turned on and ready to be their concubine.
Rushing into the bathroom, she quickly shut the door, and locked it. She needed a moment to herself before she gave herself to them completely.
Turning on the water, she removed her clothes and stepped under the spray. Adam was right, the hot water was relaxing, and she breathed in the steam.
She had been asleep during her human life and now that she was awake in her new role as a blood demon, Sadie couldn’t wait to begin living her new best life with the three vampires.