Blood & Ivy

Neamh-marbh

The revelation of a confession from Keeran left a pit in Josephine's stomach. Something gnawed at her, a sense that it could be life altering. She was still in Keeran's arms, his thumbs stroking her thighs and her hands around his neck. Her fingers played with the long locks of the hair along his nape, the small movement brought a smile to Keeran's serious face once again. He debated on whether he wanted to put her down or not; he loved the feel of her skin against his hands, when he could smell her beautiful smell of peaches and honeysuckle mixed with her wet core, and drove him wild. But on the other hand, knew what her reaction could possibly be once he tells her and knew she would need the distance. With one last sweet kiss, he set her down in front of him, as his eyes ravaged her thin nightdress once more. Josephine blushed shyly, unsure if she was not supposed to like this attention from him, because she secretly loved it. Keeran handed her her housecoat, which she placed back over herself as she took a seat on the bed, then proceeded to pat the space beside her. Keeran sat, eager to be near her what could be the last time. He wanted no secrets between them, and once he shared this, knew there would be no others.

 “Keeran, sweetheart, you look all of a dither. What is it?” Josephine whispered sweetly, her hand placed upon Keeran's between them. “What all do you know of Celtic myths and legends?” he asked her, his Irish accent strongest Josephine had heard as he spoke. “Oh.. Just what I was able to read in... my mom's journals..” she admitted sheepishly, and Keeran gave her a crooked smile. “And that's how the stories have stayed alive. Passed on from parent to child, friend to friend, over thousands of years. What had your mother written on 'neamh-marbh', or 'baobhan sith'?” Keeran's voice was quiet and deep as he asked her. He held back the fear that he felt, he refused to let it slip through his words. He slightly held his breath as he watched Josephine's eyes search through her memory. Her nose wrinkled slightly and her emerald green had a concentrated glaze over them. Keeran couldn't help but appreciate how beautiful and innocent she really was, and he despised himself for what he was about to reveal to her. He knew it would ruin some of her innocence, but he refused to keep something as important as this from her anymore. Not when each moment that passed he loved her more deeply than before. Josephine finally spoke after what Keeran felt was a lifetime, “Baobhan sith.... The beautiful women who seduce men and suck their blood?” her voice more confused with each word she uttered. Keeran nodded slightly as he explained, “In Ireland we call them 'neamh-marbh' or 'living dead'. There are many folklore about them and many names, but they are all the same.” Josephine stared at Keeran, uncertainty all over her pale features. “Keeran... What does this have to do with what you were going to tell me?” “Because, love, the stories aren't just stories. The creatures they speak of are real, neamh-marbh, boabhan sith, vampire, all exist...”

“Keeran, that's just ridiculous,” Josephine started, before she caught Keeran's eyes. Those intense, light jade green, began to glow. The glow was soft at first, and grew in intensity the longer Josephine stared. Her heart raced, cold sweat across her chest and forehead, as her body realized something her mind acknowledged as impossible. Slowly, Keeran grabbed hold of Josephine's hand and brought it up to his lips, the silky soft skin brushed against her fingertips with each peck, before a sharp pain brought Josephine out of her trance. Long fangs like a cat's were in Keeran's mouth where his canine teeth should sit, one near Josephine's bloody finger. Keeran brought the bloodied finger to his mouth and sucked, gentle and calm, before he released her hand which was now blood free.

Josephine jumped up with a quickness to match her heartbeat. “That's impossible... they're just stories..” she whispered to herself as she backed away across the room. “a vampire? You're dead? But you breathe and speak, and kiss... you haven't killed me, but saved me?” Josephine's panic filled whispers hit Keeran's ear with a heartbreaking tone. “Never, my darling. I would never hurt you. I have fallen for you deeply within these few days, and would give my life and the many years I have lived to protect you,” he reassured her. “Many years? How old are you Keeran? Do you even really have family? How does that work if you're all dead?” Josephine's breathing was at an all time high, her heart beat felt as fast as a hummingbird in her chest, her head light and dizzy. Keeran was across the room quicker than she could blink, which caused a small scream to escape her lips. Keeran's face filled with pain as he placed a cool hand upon her cheek. He stroked his thumb over the smooth skin, and her heart slowed slightly. She gazed intensely into his eyes, fear and confusion swirled clearly within her features. “I really have a family, back in Ireland. We must feed on blood to survive, we aren't exactly dead. We do not die with age, we are incredibly strong and fast, some have extra powers, like the ability to read minds. My parents are both vampire, as well and I with my many siblings. I am just over 600 years old, my parents much older than that. I have seen the rise and fall of Kings and kingdoms, and I have been searching for purpose. I have been searching, for you, Josephine..” Keeran's deep, soothing voice danced across Josephine's ears, his cool breath fanned her face.

“M-m-me? Why me?” Josephine's tiny voice squeaked out. Her face was just mere inches away from Keeran's, her eyes unable to leave his plump lips. Part of her was telling her to run, far away. But the other, more dominant part, told her to listen to Keeran, that she knew him and he meant it when he said he would never hurt her. Keeran's deep chuckle caused goosebumps across her skin, “My dear Jo, your blood smells like the sweetest treat. It sends my body in a frenzy and my knees weak, wanting to obey your every wish. You are just as beautiful as the smell of your blood, showing true beauty both inside and out. You set a flame in my heart that I thought long extinguished. You make me feel like a youngling again. As soon as our eyes met across that tavern and your scent hit my nose, I was yours.”

And with Keeran's words Josephine's willpower gave out. She flew her arms around his neck, and crashed into his lips. Almost as if he expected her moves, Keeran caught her waist perfectly and melded his lips into hers, a soft moan escaped him as the taste of Josephine's lips reached his. He had more he wanted to say, so much he wanted to let her know, how devoted he was to her, how in love with everything about her he was, but he waited. He wanted to savor the affection she gave him so freely, even after the truth he shared. He knew she couldn't fight it completely, but he still thanked the gods and goddesses of old that she still could kiss him as she was. He knew this was just temporary, that fear and realization would set in, but for this moment, he let her tongue graze his lips to beg for entrance.

Josephine couldn't care less what Keeran had to say. She had always known deep down that the way her mother wrote of the creatures in her journals, they were anything but folktales. They were real to her, and her mother even wrote of her own meeting of a baobhan sith when she was a young child in Scotland. Josephine even accepted Keeran, as he had proven himself time and again a gentleman who cared for her, and she made the decision to live in the moment. To live for what makes her happy now, and Keeran did. Even if he was 600 years old. Even if he has had many lovers. He was there with her in that moment. He set her heart on fire in a way she never thought would happen. He drove her mad, with the desire to feel every single part of his body against her drove her to the edge. “Keeran...” she whispered as Keeran's mouth left hers to trail kisses along her jaw and neck. Just before she could say anything more, Keeran ripped her thin nightdress from her, her body exposed. Keeran leaned back, his eyes ravished her body, glowing green with lust. Josephine grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled up, stripping him and showing his flawless body. Her finger trailed his perfectly defined muscles, which caused a shiver from Keeran. He looked hungrily at her, before his lips attacked her neck again with small nips and kisses. Josephine moaned, which caused Keeran to grab her naked thighs and carry her towards the bed. Josephine wrapped her legs around his waist, and placed her fingers in his curly hair. He laid her down beneath him, and placed kisses around her breasts. Her moans became more frequent as his mouth found her erect n*****s, his right hand still gripping one of the bare thighs wrapped around his waist. Josephine wriggled beneath Keeran, the sensation of his mouth against her breast was something intense and amazing, something she had never known before. It heated every inch of her body. Keeran's hand moved from her thigh towards her wet core, his fingers grazed the lips. Josephine gasped, not wanting Keeran to stop but unsure of how to react to the sensation. It was pleasant and gentle, nothing at all like when Johnathan forced himself there. Her heart raced and breathing shallowed as Johnathan's face filled her thoughts, and instantly Keeran stopped, and stared into her eyes. “It's okay, love. If you want me to stop, I'll stop. I will never do what he did,” Keeran soothed her as he pushed her curls out of her face. He lay over her in a way that made Josephine feel safe, even with as exposed as she was. She didn't feel shame or embarrassed either. “I'm sorry... It's just-” “Don't ever apologize love. I waited hundreds of years for you, I have no problem waiting as long as you need. I can hear it, here.” Keeran pointed to her head, and she put the dots together. Oh my god he can read my mind, Josephine thought. Keeran nodded and smiled, “I've been trying to block you out, letting you have your privacy but sometimes I'm, distracted, and I can't help it.”

Josephine's cheeks turned more red with each second, as every thought she ever had about Keeran ran through her head no matter how much she tried to stop them. Keeran's smile grew, before he c****d an eyebrow. “Interesting..” he mumbled, a smirk on his face as his lips crashed down onto Josephine's once again. She met his kiss with just as much enthusiasm, ready to continue what they had started. Keeran chuckled against her lips, “Don't say something you might regret, love,” he teased. At his words, Josephine's lips continued dancing against Keeran's as her hand traveled down his body and found the top of his breeches. She rubbed her hand over the center and felt Keeran's now hard member pressed against the fabric. She gasped again, at the size and the fact she had never touched one before. She continued to rub her hand against the fabric and brought a moan to Keeran's lips again. She untied his breeches swiftly and placed her hand inside the material, to feel every inch of his large, erect manhood that she could. She wrapped her fingers around his member and slowly stroked up and down, her lips never wavering in their search for conquest against Keeran's. His lips froze, a deep gutteral moan sounded from his throat, as a smirk spread slightly across Josephine's lips. As her paced increased, Keeran's lips found her neck again, the light sucking sound mixed with his moans. Josephine enjoyed the way his manhood felt in her hand, it was so large she almost couldn't wrap her small hand all the way around it. She knew once they actually had i*********e it was going to hurt, but she couldn't help the arousal she felt as her thoughts went to him pumping deep inside her when she was ready. Keeran's beathing had increased, when suddenly Josephine felt a sharp pain in the side of her neck, followed by intense heat and pleasure, before darkness consumed her.