Page 16 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

The coke fizzed on my tongue as the smokey taste of the whisky burned down my throat. Taking another longer drink, I shuffled over to let Dina sit beside me. The tension between us rose by the second as I forced myself not to look over at her and focused instead on the wet sticky table top, but three songs and another double whisky and coke later, I couldn’t help myself and turned to meet her dark gaze. Staring into her eyes I noticed the small rim of silver that broke the brown from her black pupil. “Can we talk?!” she shouted over the music and I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer as she broke my fake bubble.

Nodding, I waited for her to move and leaned across to Lily, letting her know I was leaving. She gave me a fake pout and sad eyes but eventually nodded and blew me a kiss. Following Dina, I shivered violently as the cold wind blew at me, chasing away the stifling heat from the club.

Breathing in the crisp, fresh air, I moved further up the street and turned to face the woman who had become a monster. “What do we have to talk about?!” I snapped at her, holding on to my anger. She took a step towards me which I matched, keeping the distance equal between us.

“We have a lot to talk about,” she started, losing the hopeful smile that had graced her lips since I’d agreed to talk with her, “but let’s start with why you ignored my messages?” I knew she was picking the easier topic, however I was having none of it as a startled, sarcastic laugh burst from me.

“I watched you, sucking someone’s,” I glanced around us and lowered my voice a little, “blood last night, like he was nothing but a bloody milkshake and you want to know why I ignored you?” I laughed incredulously.

“I don’t want to have that particular conversation here.” She said, glancing around to see if anyone was paying us any attention.

“Where do you want to have it?!” I snapped back, “somewhere private, where I can disappear without a trace?”

“Yes, No… I mean somewhere a little more private than this,” she waved her hand at the street and matched the step I’d taken back, “but not so you would disappear, I’m not a monster.” She finished giving me an unamused look.

“You’re not a monster?” I questioned, shaking my head as her sucking on that man’s neck filled it again and I once more stepped backwards, “then what are you?”

“No, I’m different from humans, but then so are you.”

“What do you mean so am I?” I threw at her my brain latching onto her stupid notion that I was anything but human. Her face crumpled, and she let out a frustrated breath.

“This wasn’t how I wanted to have this conversation,” she told me, fixing me with a soft look, “You’re not normal Charleene.” Her voice was low and filled with sympathy as she tried to yank the world from under my feet. But I knew what she was doing and refused to play into her hands.

“How am I not normal?” I went on humouring her crazy.

Exasperated with me as we stood, glaring at each other in the street, she ran her hands through her hair tugging on it in frustration. “You’re a witch.” Her words took me so much by surprise I burst out laughing at her.

“A witch?” I sneered, “Yeah I look like one don’t I.” I snapped back at her, indicating my missing hat and broomstick.

“Charleene—”

“No,” I snapped, cutting her off as my head shook, “you’re obviously crazy and deluded and need professional help. Witches don’t exist and what you did last night isn’t normal. It’s like six shades of fucked up. Just leave me alone!” I threw at her with my best icy glare, before angrily turning and striding off up the street, shaking my head at her outrageousness.

What a load of crap!I snapped inside my head, letting my feet take me further from Dina and the crazy that came with her. I wasn’t paying any attention to thestreet around me until I felt a soft tap on my shoulder from behind. Spinning around ready to scream at her to leave me alone, my words died on the tip of my tongue as a pair of blood red eyes stared down at me.

“A lovely woman like you shouldn’t be walking the streets alone,” his deep voice crooned and my hackles rose at it.

“I’m not alone.” I told him letting my anger cover the fear that whispered through me at the sound of his voice.I knew that voice?

“I don’t see anyone with you.” He continued, making me mimic his head as I took in the empty street I’d unwittingly paced on to. At the bottom the Aviva building towered like a dark sentinel and the shushing sound of the river drowned out my racing heart, as I noticed the lack of people. A sharp pain drew my attention back to the man and my fear grew tenfold as he lifted his thumb to his lips and sucked on it. His eyes closed in pleasure and I took the chance.

Darting towards the river I ran beneath Lendal bridge praying that I was fast enough to scramble up the steps on the opposite side. Why had I been so stupid to not pay attention to where I’d been walking? Panic built inside as I ran my steps slapping against the floor. Risking a glance over my shoulder I froze when I found the pavement empty.

“You’re the one I’ve been looking for.” His voice washed over me, and my head whipped round and found him lounging against the thick pillar that held the bridge aloft. His blood red eyes glared brightly at me, a stark contrast to his blue tinged skin,as a chilling thought rushed through my mind. I knew where I’d heard his voice before and the thought alone had my blood running as cold as the frigid wind that was whipping my hair around my face.

“My, my, all alone little witch.” He laughed at me, deepening my confusion and making my terror spike as I glimpse the twin fangs protruding into his bottom lip when he stepped towards me.

“I’m not a witch,” I screamed back at him, not knowing what else to do. Witches aren’t real,but vampire’s are?My mind reminds me as I stare at the one before me, “please, just leave me alone.” I beg as my voice wavers.

“Oh, but you are,” he drawls, “and I bet you taste just as sweet as the ones I’ve already tasted.” His words scare me to the bone, what others, does he mean the missing girls? His tongue darts out over his bottom lip as my fingers start to tingle and when he steps another step closer, I act on some long buried instinct. Crossing my arms in front of me I let the tingles grow until I can feel them spreading up my forearms and when I can’t stand the pins and needles feeling any further I thrust my arms forward.

A strange blast of energy rushes from my heart, down my arms and out of my hands and a shocking blue brightness lights up the surrounding area beneath the bridge. The vampire before me startles and stumbles back a step from the force, as I stare in stunned silence. My muscles are locked as I stare at my hands;what the hell was that?I ask myself not knowing how or even if I’d done that.No, it couldn’t have been me. Otherwise both Dina and this new vampire had been right and I was something I’d never known myself to be.

Blue ribbons of light still danced between my fingers and the tips tingled like that moment before you get a static shock of metal or another person. Those entrancing blue ribbons however told me more than anything else that the blast of energy had definitely come from me. Shaking them vigorously, I attempted to get the blue light to leave me alone.I didn’t want this power, I was a normal woman.My mind repeated over and over as my head shook in denial.

“You ok?” A sweet voice asked, drawing my attention from my hands. She’s slightly younger than me, with bright red hair and wide brown eyes. Nodding automatically at the kind stranger, I want to scream at her to leave before she gets hurt but my voice lodges in my throat as I look over her shoulder, where Dina’s squaring up to the other vampire with a damn sword of all things. She looks like she’d stepped out of the middle ages and even though I was pissed at her, I had to admit she looked hot as hell.

“I’m going to kill you!” Dina snarled at him, making my pussy flutter at the possessive tone which laced her words.

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