Forbidden Fangs

Chapter 22

Luchaver watched in satisfaction as Ruthie's body sank into the swamp. Carrying the petite woman from her trunk to the bog had been easy enough, and he'd cast her in as casually as throwing a stone. As she sank out of sight, the last thing he saw was her blank, staring eyes, still transfixed by the shock of losing her life. The vampire nodded and then turned and trudged back through the brush, cradling his burned hands together. The wounds he had taken in facing the slayer would heal, but his shame at not having killed the human would not. He'd had an opportunity to end both Logan and Kylie, and he'd thrown it away for a chance to to communicate with the Earth girl.

As he plowed through the underbrush Luchaver reflected on that conversation. Everything he had told Kylie had been true, or at least half true. Little was simple when it came to the machinations of Wythiria's elite. There were the plans issued to the pilots sent out on reconnaissance, and then there were the plans secreted away within the world's finest minds. In truth, Luchaver did not know what the fate of the Earth would be, excepting that the planet would become Wythiria's new blood colony. The exact specifics of that were above his head. Hopefully the Wythirian scientists would learn from their previous mistakes. Hopefully they would not turn Earth into another factory farm, destined to fail within a few short millennia.

He found his way back to the small stolen automobile he'd parked off the side of the road and slid into the driver's seat, injecting the key into the ignition and firing up the engine. He would need to return to his ship. He did not wish to be caught out on the roads when the sun started to rise. He doubted the the car's windscreen would be sufficient to protect him from the sun's rays.

He pulled out onto the country road and retraced his former route back to the highway, operating the vehicle's controls with precise ease. He found the button that buzzed down the window and enjoyed the feeling of wind rushing through his greasy dark hair. A cruel smile curved his lips as he reminisced over the meals he had recently enjoyed. As much as that elated him, a worry nagged at the back of his mind. What would he do with Kylie?

The slayer's fate was already sealed. The man Logan needed to die; otherwise he might raise the alarm, or, less likely, fire a lucky shot from that hand cannon of his and kill the vampire. Would Kylie be able to forgive the killing of her friend? She would have to. Luchaver needed her to. He needed her to see him as the honorable vampire he was. He needed to adjust her perspective, so she could understand. A human life was not equal to a Wythirian life. Wythirians could accomplish so much more… they lived longer, were stronger, faster, smarter. They were the apex predators of the galaxy. That did not mean they could not coexist with their food source… but first, the food source would need to understand its place in the grand scheme of things.

Is that all you think of me? She'd asked. That I'm useless except as a meal or a breeder? She didn't understand. Meals and breeders were far from useless. They were essential components in the assembly of Wythiria's new world. Is that what you see when you look at me, Luchaver?

Luchaver. He still relished the way she'd said his name. It rolled off her tongue in the most pleasurable way. If there had been any doubt in his mind that she was interested in him, it evaporated when she spoke his name. Kylie wanted him as he wanted her. She wanted to taste him, to experience him, to be with him… she only needed to get over her fear and uncertainty. She was afraid of the unknown, and so the more Luchaver could teach her of himself and his people, the closer she would feel to him.

The moon shone down through the windshield as trees and guardrails whizzed by on both sides. Luchaver clicked the signalling lever down and changed lanes to enter the highway heading back to Wallgrave. A good day's sleep back in his ship would revitalize him, give his burned hands a chance to heal, and he felt certain he would awaken with fresh plans and motivation. The temptation to leave and fly back to Wythiria had faded. He did not wish to depart this planet until he made sure his interests, and those of Wythiria at large, would be protected.

The small sedan navigated the grid-like roads of Wallgrave easily, and soon Luchaver found himself back on the highway heading south toward the stretch of road where he'd left his ship. The next night, he would find a way to get Kylie alone and speak with her again… if she could be made to see reason, perhaps she could become the first human to bear a Wythirian child. If she could not… Luchaver would do his duty. He would taste her, taste all of her, and leave her drained and bloodless for the authorities to find while he flew his vessel back home.

His sense of duty was strong, his determination unshakable… but still, a small voice at the back of his mind wondered whether he would be able to kill the beautiful young woman.