SERENADE III
Nov 10, 2014 9:45:16 GMT
Post by Admin on Nov 10, 2014 9:45:16 GMT
« Thread started on: Jun 22nd, 2012, 11:20pm »
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((comp dated 8-29-2003))
III
The wind was blowing. The crickets were chirping. All was right in the world tonight.
Alex looked over at Devan, as they walked side by side, and noticed his profile for the first time. Maybe it was the shadows, but it seemed to have gotten longer.
"Huh!" Alex laughed. In the shadows, tonight, you have what looks like the profile of a wolf."
"Gr-r-r!" Devan said as he turned to face her. "Maybe it's because I am!"
Devan lunged at Alex who fled into a nearby grove of trees. She could hear the wolf gaining on her.
"Please, Devan, stop!" She screamed as she ran. "Devan! You're scaring me!"
Suddenly a powerful force on her back knocked her to the ground. As she rolled over onto her back, the Devan-wolf was on her again. His paws where forcing the air from her chest.
"Alex, my love. Kiss me." It growled as saliva began to drip from the edges of its mouth.
"No!" Alex screamed as she tried to throw the beast off of herself. "Devan, no!"
Alexandra pushed with all her might and managed to roll out from under the wolf form. As she stood up, she looked back down at the creature that had attacked her. Instead of the wolf, though, the form had changed into a human body again. Then it began to bleed. Before she could run, Alex was staring at a bloody corpse. She looked down and noticed that she, too, was all covered in blood. She fell to her knees and began crying. She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to find the body looking at her. It squeezed her arm and groaned.
"Alex." It groaned. "How could you do this to me?"
Alex scrambled out of its reach and began screaming.
"It was an accident! I didn't mean it. It was an accident!"
"Alex...Alex...” The voice was getting nearer but she was to afraid to run. "Alex, wake up."
Strong arms grabbed her from behind and began to shake her.
"Alex, wake up. It's over. Wake up."
"No, I didn't mean...” Alex's voice trailed off as she began to wake up. "Devan? Oh, Devan!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and began sobbing quietly. "It was horrible. You and I were at the house together. You turned into a wolf and began chasing me. Then suddenly you turned into a dead body. You were all covered in blood. I couldn't see your face, but I kept hearing my name. Devan? What have I done?"
"You didn't do anything that nature didn't intend for you to do. You were weak from your first flight. Sachia helped you have your first feed. But frenzy took over and you couldn't stop. It happens sometimes. No one blames you. You did what you had to and you feel better now, don't you?"
"Yes. I guess I do. But what is frenzy and why were you a wolf in my dreams?"
"The frenzy is the animal passion in all living things. Including vampires. It's hidden most of the time but occasionally comes out when we feed after great energy loss, such as your flight last night. Other times it came come out are when we fight, or if we are near some great disaster that involves a multitude of dead bodies or lots of blood. Then it is sometimes too much for us to maintain control and the frenzy will overtake us. That is why only those of us with great control can work as doctors in hospitals, or in other disaster type jobs, such as firemen or ambulance drivers. The potential for discovery is too great.
As for my being a wolf, that was really me. Shape shifting is possible for many of us, though it varies greatly in each vampire. Some can become wolves, some can change into great birds, and the very strong can change their appearance into another human. You picked up in the dream what I wanted you to. That I was able to keep from killing you took all I had. I wasn't in the dream to scare you. But when you freaked out, suddenly you were in control. All I could do was go along for the ride. You see, my dear, a vampire's mind is a powerful thing. We can project ourselves into another's dream and control the events. Sometimes though, like in your dream, the power can shift and the dreamer becomes the controller."
"So when you became a wolf in my dream, it wasn't' to chase and kill me? It was my fault. You were only doing what my mind wanted, or thought you were going to do. Is that it?" She sat up and dried her eyes with her hand.
"Yes, dear. That's precisely what happened. But fear not. Now you know you can control your dreams, so next time you'll do better. Now, how do you feel?"
"O.k. I guess. I'm really thirsty though. What time is it?"
"Almost sunset. You've been asleep all day. How about something to drink? From a glass, I promise."
Alex sat up and propped a couple of pillows behind herself to lean on.
"O.k. But only if it's from a glass. I don't think I'm ready to feed again quite yet."
"Gotcha. Be back in a second."
No sooner had he left the room than he was back by her side.
"Devan? Where are we? This isn't Serenade, is it?"
He handed her the glass of amber liquid and turned to retrieve his pants from the chair by the bed. "We are in Sachia's home. We're on the third floor above the Midnight Club.
"Alex shivered at the mention of the club's name. "What about last night? I must have made a hell of a mess in her room downstairs. I should go clean it up." She climbed out of bed and looked around for her clothes. They were lying neatly on a nearby chair. Someone had cleaned and folded them. "What? Who?" She turned and looked questioning at Devan. "How did my clothes get cleaned? They were ruined. I got blood all over them." She began to cry again.
Devan came around the bed and held her close. "Sachia's already taken care of it. And it was her servants who cleaned your clothes. The Club is often the scene for first feedings. Her companion Mark, and her friend Chris had seen to the body and the room early this morning. They are used to it. You aren't the first to lose control in feeding, and you won't be the last. If you want, we'll check out the room on our way downstairs. Angel has informed me that Sachia has a meal waiting for us in the club's dining room. Get dressed and we'll go down."
Together they finished getting dressed and hand in hand they left the apartment and headed downstairs. On their way down they stopped at room eight. Standing in front of the door, Alex began to have second thoughts about going in. Devan reached in front of her and pushed the door till it was fully opened.
At her questioning glance, Devan laughed. "I forgot it's your first time here. Sachia leaves all the doors and windows open during the day to let the room’s air out. She'll lock them up and offer them to patrons again at about 6 o'clock this evening.
Alex turned back to the room and took a couple steps in. "It did happen. Didn't it? I mean, I remember his name was John. I remember his face." She began to cry again. "Devan. I don't know if I'll be able to do this. The killing, I mean. Maybe you shouldn't have brought me across." She turned her back and stared out the window at the setting sun.
Devan walked up behind her and gently put his hands on her shoulders. "My dear, dear Alexandra. Fear not. You'll learn control. There is no need to kill every time. Come now. Did you know that Sachia says you have a great talent hidden within you? She has the ability to read gifts in other vampires. She's not sure what it is exactly, but it's old and powerful and she says it will save us someday. So you see, my love? I believe your purpose has yet to show itself. So, dread not the past but look to the future. Come, now. Let's go down and get something to eat. Then we'll go home, by car, and I'll teach you even more."
With that, he kissed the top of her head and led her out the door.
As Devan pulled the door part way shut behind them, Alex took his hand. "Thank you, Devan. For all you've given me, and all you have yet to give. " She kissed him and took his hand and together they went to join Sachia, and the others, in the dining room below.
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((comp dated 8-29-2003))
III
The wind was blowing. The crickets were chirping. All was right in the world tonight.
Alex looked over at Devan, as they walked side by side, and noticed his profile for the first time. Maybe it was the shadows, but it seemed to have gotten longer.
"Huh!" Alex laughed. In the shadows, tonight, you have what looks like the profile of a wolf."
"Gr-r-r!" Devan said as he turned to face her. "Maybe it's because I am!"
Devan lunged at Alex who fled into a nearby grove of trees. She could hear the wolf gaining on her.
"Please, Devan, stop!" She screamed as she ran. "Devan! You're scaring me!"
Suddenly a powerful force on her back knocked her to the ground. As she rolled over onto her back, the Devan-wolf was on her again. His paws where forcing the air from her chest.
"Alex, my love. Kiss me." It growled as saliva began to drip from the edges of its mouth.
"No!" Alex screamed as she tried to throw the beast off of herself. "Devan, no!"
Alexandra pushed with all her might and managed to roll out from under the wolf form. As she stood up, she looked back down at the creature that had attacked her. Instead of the wolf, though, the form had changed into a human body again. Then it began to bleed. Before she could run, Alex was staring at a bloody corpse. She looked down and noticed that she, too, was all covered in blood. She fell to her knees and began crying. She felt a hand on her arm and looked up to find the body looking at her. It squeezed her arm and groaned.
"Alex." It groaned. "How could you do this to me?"
Alex scrambled out of its reach and began screaming.
"It was an accident! I didn't mean it. It was an accident!"
"Alex...Alex...” The voice was getting nearer but she was to afraid to run. "Alex, wake up."
Strong arms grabbed her from behind and began to shake her.
"Alex, wake up. It's over. Wake up."
"No, I didn't mean...” Alex's voice trailed off as she began to wake up. "Devan? Oh, Devan!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and began sobbing quietly. "It was horrible. You and I were at the house together. You turned into a wolf and began chasing me. Then suddenly you turned into a dead body. You were all covered in blood. I couldn't see your face, but I kept hearing my name. Devan? What have I done?"
"You didn't do anything that nature didn't intend for you to do. You were weak from your first flight. Sachia helped you have your first feed. But frenzy took over and you couldn't stop. It happens sometimes. No one blames you. You did what you had to and you feel better now, don't you?"
"Yes. I guess I do. But what is frenzy and why were you a wolf in my dreams?"
"The frenzy is the animal passion in all living things. Including vampires. It's hidden most of the time but occasionally comes out when we feed after great energy loss, such as your flight last night. Other times it came come out are when we fight, or if we are near some great disaster that involves a multitude of dead bodies or lots of blood. Then it is sometimes too much for us to maintain control and the frenzy will overtake us. That is why only those of us with great control can work as doctors in hospitals, or in other disaster type jobs, such as firemen or ambulance drivers. The potential for discovery is too great.
As for my being a wolf, that was really me. Shape shifting is possible for many of us, though it varies greatly in each vampire. Some can become wolves, some can change into great birds, and the very strong can change their appearance into another human. You picked up in the dream what I wanted you to. That I was able to keep from killing you took all I had. I wasn't in the dream to scare you. But when you freaked out, suddenly you were in control. All I could do was go along for the ride. You see, my dear, a vampire's mind is a powerful thing. We can project ourselves into another's dream and control the events. Sometimes though, like in your dream, the power can shift and the dreamer becomes the controller."
"So when you became a wolf in my dream, it wasn't' to chase and kill me? It was my fault. You were only doing what my mind wanted, or thought you were going to do. Is that it?" She sat up and dried her eyes with her hand.
"Yes, dear. That's precisely what happened. But fear not. Now you know you can control your dreams, so next time you'll do better. Now, how do you feel?"
"O.k. I guess. I'm really thirsty though. What time is it?"
"Almost sunset. You've been asleep all day. How about something to drink? From a glass, I promise."
Alex sat up and propped a couple of pillows behind herself to lean on.
"O.k. But only if it's from a glass. I don't think I'm ready to feed again quite yet."
"Gotcha. Be back in a second."
No sooner had he left the room than he was back by her side.
"Devan? Where are we? This isn't Serenade, is it?"
He handed her the glass of amber liquid and turned to retrieve his pants from the chair by the bed. "We are in Sachia's home. We're on the third floor above the Midnight Club.
"Alex shivered at the mention of the club's name. "What about last night? I must have made a hell of a mess in her room downstairs. I should go clean it up." She climbed out of bed and looked around for her clothes. They were lying neatly on a nearby chair. Someone had cleaned and folded them. "What? Who?" She turned and looked questioning at Devan. "How did my clothes get cleaned? They were ruined. I got blood all over them." She began to cry again.
Devan came around the bed and held her close. "Sachia's already taken care of it. And it was her servants who cleaned your clothes. The Club is often the scene for first feedings. Her companion Mark, and her friend Chris had seen to the body and the room early this morning. They are used to it. You aren't the first to lose control in feeding, and you won't be the last. If you want, we'll check out the room on our way downstairs. Angel has informed me that Sachia has a meal waiting for us in the club's dining room. Get dressed and we'll go down."
Together they finished getting dressed and hand in hand they left the apartment and headed downstairs. On their way down they stopped at room eight. Standing in front of the door, Alex began to have second thoughts about going in. Devan reached in front of her and pushed the door till it was fully opened.
At her questioning glance, Devan laughed. "I forgot it's your first time here. Sachia leaves all the doors and windows open during the day to let the room’s air out. She'll lock them up and offer them to patrons again at about 6 o'clock this evening.
Alex turned back to the room and took a couple steps in. "It did happen. Didn't it? I mean, I remember his name was John. I remember his face." She began to cry again. "Devan. I don't know if I'll be able to do this. The killing, I mean. Maybe you shouldn't have brought me across." She turned her back and stared out the window at the setting sun.
Devan walked up behind her and gently put his hands on her shoulders. "My dear, dear Alexandra. Fear not. You'll learn control. There is no need to kill every time. Come now. Did you know that Sachia says you have a great talent hidden within you? She has the ability to read gifts in other vampires. She's not sure what it is exactly, but it's old and powerful and she says it will save us someday. So you see, my love? I believe your purpose has yet to show itself. So, dread not the past but look to the future. Come, now. Let's go down and get something to eat. Then we'll go home, by car, and I'll teach you even more."
With that, he kissed the top of her head and led her out the door.
As Devan pulled the door part way shut behind them, Alex took his hand. "Thank you, Devan. For all you've given me, and all you have yet to give. " She kissed him and took his hand and together they went to join Sachia, and the others, in the dining room below.