The Monhagan Chronicles: Prelude

Chapter 4

Audrey

 The shower felt amazing. The water was just this side of scorching as it hammered me from all sides. The multiple shower heads working to remove the proof of my attack. The water that had started out pink had already changed back to clear. I grabbed a bottle of shampoo that smelled delightfully of coconut. I scrubbed and exfoliated and by the time I was done I felt like a whole new woman. But also had this sinking feeling like I was forgetting something important.

After vigorously drying I put on the sweat pants and t-shirt I had found in one of the drawers. They were a little big but covered me. I had started to notice a small pain in my abdomen and was feeling tired. No, not tired, exhausted. Like I had been running nonstop for days on end. My muscles were fatigued. I began to worry that something might be wrong with me. Should I go to bed? Or maybe go down to the kitchen to get some food.

At the thought of food my mouth began to water. Dropping the towel into the hamper I walked out of the bedroom and started for the stairs. Halfway down I heard a knock at the door. It was so far away yet I heard it like it was right next to me. I marveled at the thought that my senses may be heightened. With renewed pep in my step I skipped down the stairs.

Dean was sitting in the living room explaining the situation to a woman who appeared to be around my age. She was small, more petite even than me and I was maybe 5’3”. This must be the friend he had spoken of. He had said something about me needing to feed. What if I lost control and hurt her? That seemed to happen a lot in the books and movies. I didn't want to hurt anyone. Maybe I'm not ready for this. I stopped just outside the living room door. I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but I could hear everything they were saying.

“I really appreciate this Vi. You can never tell how the first time will go.” I heard him say.

“How long has she been awake?” the woman asked curiously.

“A couple hours. The attack happened around 1 am. She only slept around an hour after turning. It was much faster than I had anticipated.” I peeked around the corner to see Dean rubbing his hands on his legs, as if wiping sweat off his palms. 

“That is fast. And she hasn’t had any cravings since she woke? No outbursts? She must be starving.” Vi shook her head. She had a pitying look on her face. Dean’s soft chuckle broke her revere. 

“Don’t feel too sorry for her. She hasn’t quit smiling since I told her she was a vampire. Apparently she already had her suspicions that there was more out there and I only confirmed that fact. She said she ‘had a feeling’.”

Vi’s eyes widened. “Wow. Friend I think you might have bitten off more than you can chew. I have a feeling she wasn’t entirely human before you turned her. I need to meet her to be sure but I’ll go out on a limb here and say she had some kind of supernatural something in her family tree.” Violet smiled, as if imagining the possibilities. This could be good, or very, very bad. How many different supernatural somethings were out there? “Well, I do believe it’s time I met your fledgling. I’m sure she’s hungry, and I am very curious.” She stood and walked to the doorway.

Realizing I was about to get caught I bounded into the room. I plastered a smile to my face as my eyes met Vi’s. I looked to Dean with expectation. I couldn’t very well let on that I was listening in from the doorway.

“This is my friend Violet. She’s here to help with your first feeding. Consider this your first lesson.” Dean guided me to the couch as he talked. “There are a couple ways we can do this. As I said earlier it’s not the blood so much as the essence of life that you need for sustenance, the blood is just the bridge you need to get it, for now. You can drink from me and I can siphon her essence to replenish myself or you may drink directly from Vi.” 

I looked to the small, golden haired woman. She looked so fragile, breakable. The thought of hurting hurt caused my stomach to churn. I turned my gaze to Dean. He was so masculine, strong. While I doubted I could hurt him the thought of pressing my lips to any part of his body did strange things to me. A warm blush crept up to my face. Violet laughed.

“Oh honey, I like you. That face… Come, you can take from me. I promise you won’t hurt me. Your instinct will make it feel good. Just let your body tell you what to do.” Violet sat down next to me, forcing Dean to retreat to the end of the couch. Violet reached up and brushed a strand of wet hair from my face. “Now, relax. I want you to remember this, the wrist hurts, there isn’t a lot of meat there, the bend of the elbow is fine, but I prefer the shoulder or thigh. Plenty of cushion, all you need is to make sure there is ample blood in the area; larger muscles are more vascular. The neck isn’t a good idea unless you’re trying to kill someone.”

I tensed. I had been bitten on the neck. The vampire who attacked me had had every intention of killing me. Almost did, if Dean hadn’t shown up… I took a deep breath and tilted my head examining Violet's shoulder then looked down at her lap. The blush crept back to my face. My eyes snapped back up to her face.

“So… how do I, I mean do I just like…” I raised a hand jabbing two fingers down indicating biting. Violet’s rich laughter echoed around the room.

“You are just too precious. Here, let me help you.” Violet stood and turned to stand in front of me. She pushed my shoulders, telling me with the motion she wanted me to scoot back on the couch. Violet stradeled me. The position was a bit awkward in it’s intimacy. Violet began running her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp. “Just relax. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes.” I complied. With my eyes closed it felt less awkward. I felt Violet’s weight shift. The next thing I knew there were soft lips pressed against mine. Was Violet kissing me?

My eyes flew open, I reached up to push her away but something changed. I felt a surge of hunger then a burning sensation in my gums. Instead of pushing Violet away I pulled her closer, my arms snaking around her back while Violets fingers tangled in my hair. I broke the kiss and began trailing my lips down Violet’s jaw, then to her neck. My lips continued as if on their own until I reached Violet’s shoulder. It took almost no pressure for my fangs to break the skin there. The sensation of her blood as it flowed into my mouth was unquestionably the best thing I had ever felt. It was warm and spicy, like good Thia food. I felt power flow through me, racing through my veins. I was lost in the sensations. My mind completely focused on how it felt. I pulled deep, filling my mouth with the warm liquid nectar. Swallowing with delight.

With a cry of shock I released my hold and gently pushed Violet back, afraid I had hurt her. From the look on Violet’s face she was anything but hurt. Her eyes had glassed over and she had a huge smile on her face.

“So tender.” Violet purred. “You are definitely more than you appear.” Violet took the towel Dean handed her and wiped the remaining blood from her shoulder. Where there should have been a bite mark only perfect skin remained.

“How did? Your shoulder, there’s nothing…” I reached up tracing a finger over Violet’s unblemished shoulder. She shivered at my touch.

“Oh honey, none of us are what we appear. You most of all.” Violet gripped my chin, tilting my face toward Dean. “Do you see it?” She asked him.

I looked into Dean’s eyes hoping for some answers. “Well that explains a lot actually.” He said in a breathless sort of way.

“Indeed.” Violet leaned forward placing a soft kiss to my cheek. “Please feel free to call me anytime you need… assistance.”

“I like guys.” I blurted out. Not that I had anything against girls liking girls or guys liking guys or any other type of sexuality. I just knew where I stood on that scale, or at least I had thought I did… until now.

Violet stood, her rich laugh flowing out of her again. “That’s okay honey. I don’t mind. We both got a treat tonight.” She turned to Dean, all teasing gone. “I assume you called the council. I also assume they are sending an agent out. Don’t let her feed in front of them. There are too few that would understand and I'm not sure your luck will go that far.” She reached up and laid a light kiss to each of his cheeks. “Adieu mon ami.”

Dean

As the front door shut I let out the breath I was holding and slid down onto the couch. I ran a hand through my hair leaving half of it standing on end. I shifted to get more comfortable, trying to hide the slight hardening of my nether regions. That kiss had been something. Maybe a half succubus had not been the best person for Audrey’s first feeding.

“That went better than expected. You stopped yourself before you took too much and didn’t seem to have much trouble initiating the bite. You show promise.” Maybe if I looked at the whole thing from a clinical view my body would stop reacting.

“What just happened? I feel a little lost, or maybe confused is the right word. Yes, I’m a little confused. I thought I knew where I stood, I’ve never been confused about that. I like guys, p***s, yes that is what gets me going. I don’t kiss girls, but i kissed a girl… oh my god, I kissed a girl and I liked it. I’m so confused.” Audrey leaned forward putting her head in her hands.

So much for clinical, the image of Vi and Audrey making out on the couch roared to life in my mind. I flinched and tried to stomp it back down. “Don’t worry about that. She could do that to anyone, she’s half succubus. That’s part of why I called her, she heals very quickly and I felt it would be prudent to have that if things went… badly.”

Audrey’s head shot back up. “So… I’m not confused?” she asked hopefully. The hopeful face was quickly wiped out by a look of confusion and possibly frustration. “No, I am confused. What was the rest of that? The things you guys were talking about that made no sense?”

I sighed. “That is more difficult to explain.” My fingers tapped absently on the arm of the couch. “Your eyes were glowing. That’s not normal and unfortunately I’m not completely sure what it means other than you weren’t fully human before. I’ll do some digging but for now you should probably go rest. We’ll head to your apartment later to pick up a few things to bring here while I help you acclimate.” Though I was conversing with Audrey the largest part of my mind was elsewhere as I stared off into the distance.

“Yeah, okay. I’ll try.” Audrey stood to go back up to the guest room.