Tirgoviste The Order of the Dragon

Understanding the Craving

     "Are you going to make me do this alone?" he asked as he pushed his shirt off his shoulders and let it drop onto the floor.

     I gave him no answer and remained as I had been, sitting propped against the headboard. I didn't move a muscle. I would let him lead this game he was playing but only as long as it was in my favor. He laughed quietly under his breath and swore in that old Wallachian language that was so hard for me to translate. It took too much effort to worry about what he'd said. The meaning was easy enough to get. He sat down on the side of the bed and pulled his boots and socks off, then stood up again, popped the snap on the front of his designer jeans and lowered the zipper.

     I continued to watch, mesmerized at how easily he could hypnotize me with the inhuman gracefulness of simple movements. He decided to leave his black, silk boxers on and climbed up into the bed, pushing the curtains out of his way.

     "s**t!" he mumbled. "I forgot to lock the door."

     "I've got it," I said and reached out with my mind toward the open doors.

     They shook for a second, then slammed shut and the heavy bar lowered itself into place, effectively locking us in and everyone else out. Of course, Morsus could get that door open the same way I'd closed it but I had a feeling he wasn't going to come around bothering us anytime soon. He was probably grateful that we weren't making a scene on the dance floor right now.

     "Impressive, I didn't realize you are as strong as Morsus!" Milos whispered as he turned toward me with a look of awe on his pretty face.

     "When you invite a witch to sleep over with you, then you better be prepared to be dazzled," I said. "Besides, that's nothing! Watch this!"

     I turned my head slowly, using my power to light all the candles in the room one by one, including the last two in the niches on either side of the head of the bed. As I turned back toward him, I felt his lips brush against mine and heard his voice in my head.

     "My powerful witch!"

     "Yep, that's what I am. I'm as dangerous as you are, just in a different way," I responded.

     "Do you think I'm dangerous?" he asked, c*****g his head to one side.

     "Yes, I'm sure of it but I'm not scared of you," I replied.

     "Good, now would you like to join me here, or am I flying solo tonight?" he asked as he tugged at the hem of my shirt.

     "Hmm flying solo, I think there would be a lot of people who would pay good money to watch you do that," I said grinning at him.

     "Would you pay good money to watch me do that?" he asked lowering his head and looking up at me through his long lashes.

     "I'd pay with my blood," I answered, trying to make my voice as deep and sensual as his had been a moment ago. I let out my breath slowly, looking him directly in the eye.

     He responded with an inhuman sounding growl and ripped the front of my shirt open, tearing the buttons loose and sending them flying. I watched them, silhouetted in the light from the candles, as they scattered in all directions and disappeared.

     "This was Morsus's shirt you know. He's going to be pissed," I reminded him.

     "I know it's his f*****g shirt! I'm the one who picked it out for you!" Milos shouted. "Now hurry up if you don't want me to tear up the rest of his clothes."

     I decided to comply with his demand and slipped the remains of Morsus's shirt off, tossing it on the floor. The t-shirt I'd been wearing under it was next. He didn't wait for me to get to the boots and socks but impatiently tugged them off and threw them onto the floor as I lay back on the pillows and struggled out of the jeans. I left my boxer briefs on, deciding that I'd best not push things too far too fast. Kiva's warning was still resounding loudly in my head and I didn't want to die tonight.

     He sat cross-legged on the foot of the bed looking up at me. I was struck by how young he appeared to be. It was hard for me to imagine what it was like for him, all these long years passing and him never changing, never maturing, and remaining always the perpetual teenager. It must be difficult having everyone treating you like a kid for five-hundred or so years. It was obvious that his brothers and grandfather did. It was also obvious that he seemed to resent it.

     "You don't treat me like that," he said quietly as he looked at me with large, vivid eyes.

     "Nosing around in my head are you?" I asked him.

     "No, your thoughts are loud when they are about me," he answered.

     "Can't help it," I said.

     He crawled up toward me and knelt in front of me, staring straight into my eyes. God, he made it so hard to be responsible when he looked at me like that!

     "Vreau să vă!" he whispered.

     "I want you too!" I whispered back and reached out for him with both hands, drawing him up against me as I lay back on the pillows.

     He kissed me hard and possessively. I welcomed it. The warmth of his skin pressed to mine, the weight of his body against me, the scent rising from him, all of it together was more than anyone could have resisted and I didn't want to resist. He intoxicated me. I couldn't understand it. I'd never wanted another boy like that before. I certainly wasn't gay. I got hot over a pretty chick the same as every other guy. It didn't make any sense.

     "It's his special power, his gift. He knows how to wield it, his sensuality. He had it even as a human, even when he was young. It's his lure. It's much stronger now that he's a vampire. Don't try to resist him. He knows what he's doing. He has it under his control, unlike the rest of us. He won't hurt you."

     I recognized the voice in my head. Vlad was still here somewhere in this building. He wasn't in the room with us but he was close enough to pick up on my thoughts. I resented his intrusion but was grateful that he'd sent me the message. It helped me understand what was happening. So the power to seduce was Milos's gift. I guess it made sense. I certainly hadn't been able to block it. But then again, I hadn't really tried had I?

     Milos pulled back and stared at me, a look of confusion and concern on his face. "Who's in your head?" he asked.

     "No one now, don't worry about it," I answered. "Nobody's going to bother us again."

     He continued to look suspicious but when I leaned up and ran my tongue over his lower lip, he put away his concerns and got back into the game. We were a mess, a tangle of limbs amidst the fine, silk sheets and heavy blankets, the pillows all askew. He was speaking in Romanian again, making vows to me that made absolutely no sense considering that he wasn't even human. I didn't care. We rolled together, embracing, touching, seeing, feeling. I wanted it to last forever but Milos was thirsty again, I could feel his need. The same desire burned within me for his bite. It was like a goad, always driving us together. The addiction, the dangerous addiction we'd been warned about. It was heavy on us both but we didn't care.

     I could see his eyes glazing over with red, his fangs long and sharp. I wanted them in my neck. I knew he was trying hard not to succumb to the blood lust. I could feel the conflict in him. I didn't know how much longer he would be able to resist it. I didn't know if I wanted him to resist it.

     He knelt in front of me, breathing hard and clenching his fists. He was struggling. I didn't understand why he didn't just give in to it. Maybe he was trying to prolong it as long as he could. Well, I didn't want to wait. I decided to play dangerously. It's always more fun if you play dangerously; besides, he wasn't the only one who knew how to seduce.

     I reached up and took his face in my hand, running my thumb slowly over his full, lower lip. He tilted his head back a little to give me better access. I took advantage of it and slid my thumb inside his mouth, then pressed it against one of his fangs. I gasped with pleasure as the blissful feeling rushed through me but I pulled my thumb quickly out of his mouth and slid it over his lips, slowly covering them with my blood. He eagerly licked the blood off of his lips, then grabbed my wrist and forced my thumb back into his mouth. He sucked hard on it, drawing the blood from it.

     "What a strong mouth you have, little one," I teased.

     "Don't call me that! Everyone calls me that!" he hissed, pushing my hand away.

     I watched the blood beading on the end of my thumb. He watched it too. I could see he wanted more but I was getting tired of that. I needed the real thing. I knew he needed it too.

     He must have been reading my thoughts again, because he eased back down on the bed, pulling me down beside him. We lay facing each other and he stroked my face, pushing my hair back. I did the same to him, loving the silky texture of his skin.

     "You know how dangerous this is, don't you?" he asked. "I could accidentally drink too much and kill you."

     "You won't," I answered. "Besides, if you do, at least I'd die happy."

     "Don't tease about something like that. It could happen. It will eventually if you don't get away from me," he warned.

     "I can't leave you now and you know that. Your grandfather said...," I started.

     "Forget about what he said! He doesn't know everything!" Milos protested.

     "Well, I don't want to leave you then. How about that?" I asked.

     "Then you're stupid," he replied.

     "I've been called that before," I said. "Just forget it."

     I pulled him close for another kiss and slid my hand down his side, hooking it in the band of his boxers. When I tried to pull them down, he resisted.

     "Don't!" he protested, pushing my hand away. "I don't want you like that!"

     I was startled that he wanted to stop me. I'd thought he wanted it that way but I'd read him wrong. I was about to ask him what was up but I never got the chance. He rolled on top of me and sank his fangs into my neck, silencing my questions, silencing my lust, making me forget everything, and giving me what I'd wanted all along.

     I came to my senses sometime later, still lying on the bed in a tangle of blankets and sheets. The heavy double doors to the bed chamber where open against the walls and someone had extinguished all the candles but the two on the wall by the bed. Milos was nowhere in sight. As I lay wondering where he might have gone, I felt the presence of someone coming near.

     I could tell by the alarms sounding in my head, that the individual was a vampire. The footfalls were heavy and the floors shook just a little with the vibration of each step, so I deduced that it was probably Mircea. I wasn't wrong. I watched nervously as the big vampire entered the room. He didn't look me in the eye but came directly over to the bed, sat down on the edge of it, and placed his fingers over the pulse on my right wrist.

     "No more tonight, your heart is beating too fast," he said.

     "Yeah, I feel it," I responded.

     "Are you dizzy?" he asked in his deep, resonant voice.

     "Yep, I feel pretty weak too," I answered. "Where is he?"

     "He's downstairs in the club, feeding. I'll keep him off of you, just rest here," he answered as he stood to go.

     "Please wait, I wanted to ask you something," I requested.

     "Yes, what it is?" he asked.

     "I'm a little confused...," I began.

     "A little?" he interrupted. "I would say you're a lot confused."

     "I don't want to offend you, but is Milos gay or what?" I asked with trepidation.

     Mircea laughed. "No, he's not gay. I know it seems like that and believe me, you're not the only one who's ever been confused by him. I know grandfather told you this already but seduction is his gift. All vampires have a gift, some have more than one. He's not as big or strong as the rest of us but he can lure anyone and I mean anyone, human or vampire into his clutches. It's not the same as the compulsion you can do but it's the same principle. He makes his victim want him and he plays along with it, leads his victim on, toys with them until he's ready, then pounces and takes the blood. It's like a game for him."

     "Oh, that makes sense," I responded, unable to hide my disappointment. Mircea picked up on it.

     "Don't feel bad, Alex. There was really nothing you could have done to resist him. When he found you in the alley, you were weak, beat down. He knew better. I know I was mad at you last night but deep down, I knew it wasn't your fault and I wouldn't have really killed you," he said.

     "You're one hell of a vampire, Mircea but you're no liar. You wanted to kill me last night and you would have done it if not for Morsus. I think maybe you still want to kill me," I said.

     "You're not very respectful of me. I am the vampire prince of the western world," he stated.

     "Do you expect me to bow down to you or something?" I asked. "I'm not a vampire. I don't fall under your jurisdiction."

     "Did grandfather tell you that was how it worked?" he asked.

     "No one told me that but I do respect you," I responded.

     "I don't think you respect me. I think you're afraid of me and that's different," he said grinning down at me.

     I was struck, suddenly, by how beautiful he was and wondered what would have happened to me if I'd met him first.

     "I'd have drained you dry in that alley, that's what would have happened," he said picking up on my thoughts. "So, do you think you're gay, Alex?" he asked.

     "Never thought so, I mean before now," I replied.

     "Well, you're not. Don't worry, it's like I said, all part of his lure. But you are going to have to understand that this need you have for him is based solely on the high you get from his bite. You need to separate the lust for the bite from your perceived lust for him. It's not the same thing. If you can do that, then you might survive, at least for a while," he reassured me.

     I sat up, struggling against the woozy feeling, and leaned back against the headboard. Mircea was looking directly at me and I could feel him trying to get into my head.

     "What are you looking for?" I asked.

     "Sincerity," he replied.

     "Did you find it?" I asked.

     "You're a witch, Alex. All witches are natural-born liars," he responded.

     "So what was I lying about?" I asked.

     "Time will tell," he answered. "Hungry yet?"

     "I don't know. I feel a little bit nauseous," I answered.

     "I think it would do you good to get some food down if you can. I'll have my little b***h fix you something and bring it in to you," he said as he stood and turned to go.

     I watched him retreat from the room. He left the doors open and I could see out into the dim hallway. I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to slow my racing heart. I concentrated on forcing it to beat slower but I was not successful. There was so much to take in, so much to wrap my head around.

     About thirty or so minutes later, Kiva entered the room carrying a tray of food. She set it down on the foot of the bed and stood facing me with her hands on her hips in her usual pose. "Feeling like s**t are we?" she asked in her snarky voice.

     "Whatever gave you that idea?" I asked.

     She rolled her eyes and turned to go. "What's your hurry?" I asked.

     "Mircea wants me," she answered. "Besides, I don't like being in this room."

     "Why not?" I asked.

     "It feels like a funeral parlor," she answered.

     I didn't bother to question her further. She'd made me two bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches and put some potato chips in a little bowl on the side. The foam cup was filled with something that smelled like fruit punch. I wasn't sure if my stomach could take it but I needed to try.

     Mircea had been right, once I started eating, I did feel better. I was able to get it all down. I staggered over to the bathroom and took a piss, then turned to the mirror. My hair was a mess and I had the beginnings of dark circles under my eyes again. I'd not looked this bad in months.

     "Jeez, here we go again, got to keep the junkie look consistent don't ya Alex?" I mumbled.

     After I cleaned up a bit, I went back and retrieved the tray from the foot of the bed. I carried it out into the hall and made my way to the kitchen. All the lights were out but I was able to locate the counter in the dim room and set the tray down. As I was heading back to Milos's room, I picked up on the obvious sounds of two people hard at it behind one of the closed doors.

     Mircea and Kiva, not a doubt in my mind, she'd said he wanted her. I guess I didn't realize what she meant by it. I had to pass that door to get back to Milos's room. Curiosity was threatening to get the best of me, as I imagined them in there; him wrapped up in the iron, log chain, and her riding him like there was no tomorrow.

     "Not helping Alex!"

     I fought the nasty thoughts popping into my head, and slunk back to the empty room, closing the doors behind me. I nosed around in the armoires and discovered, to my joy, that there was a television in one of them. I located the remote and turned it on. Just as I was beginning to wish that someone would come to visit me, my senses went off again and I picked up on Morsus moments before he opened the doors and let himself in.

     "How ya feeling?" he asked as he plopped down across the foot of the bed.

     "Like hammered s**t," I answered. "Is Milos still downstairs?"

     "Yeah, Mircea told him to stay away from you for now," he answered me.

     "Where's your grandfather?" I questioned.

      "He left about an hour ago. He's going to go talk with Stephan Lazarovich about you're little predicament," he replied.

     "Stephan is a vampire too?" I asked.

     "Yep," he said.

     "So isn't he pissed at you guys over that s**t with his granddaughter not being chosen and everything?" I asked, remembering the story about Mircea and Obsidian.

     "No, he knows that was all our father's doing. He's not the type of man to hold grudges. You'll meet him someday. I think you'd like him, being that he's a witch and all. So are you going to join us?" He asked.

     "What do you mean?" I questioned.

     "Are you going to let Mircea bring you across?"

     "Hell no!" I exclaimed. "I don't want to become a vampire."

     "Why not?" he asked.

     "Well, let's see, burning in the sun, feeding off the living, never growing old, never changing, I could go on you know," I answered.

     "It's not that bad. I could give you a million reasons why you should," he said.

     "Don't want to hear it," I replied.

     Morsus laughed and played with the fringe on the blanket. "I like you, Alex. It's nice to have someone new to talk to, someone like me. You know, a witch like me. It's been so long."

     I leaned back against the pillows and sighed. "So how long do you guys plan to keep me a prisoner here?"

     "No one is keeping you, prisoner! You can leave any time you want but I guarantee you'll be back again. You're hooked right through the sack and so is he. You won't be able to stay away from each other even if you wanted to," Morsus answered.

     "So if I decided I wanted to wander off somewhere tomorrow when the sun comes up…," I started.

     "You could. But as I said, you'd be back," Morsus replied, rolling over onto his back and crossing his arms behind his head.

     I took a minute to study his features. Although he was Milos and Mircea's half-brother, I could see the subtle, little differences in appearance but to anyone not really looking, they were trivial. He was definitely different in personality. To me, he seemed the most human of the three. Picking up on my thoughts, he laughed aloud.

     "Trying to analyze me Alex?" he asked looking up at me.

     "Nah that would be an exercise in futility," I replied.

     He laughed again and I laughed with him. I knew he and I would get along fine. I was growing quite fond of him. If he wasn't a vampire, I knew I would have had no trouble being friends with him in the real world.

     "Well, I'm glad I pass the test. And just for the record, I would have wanted to be friends with you too," he said.

     "Damn it! Can't you stay out of my head?" I asked.

     "Not a chance!" he replied grinning. "Look, I need to get back to Divna. She gets a bit testy if I stay away too long, besides I need to feed and your blood makes me too thirsty."

     I watched as he leaped up with their eerie speed and crossed the room. He looked back at me as he slipped through the doors and grinned, then vanished down the hall leaving me alone again. I lay back on the pillows once more and flipped mindlessly through the channels.