Emerald Eyes (11 page)

She decided she didn’t want to work on the deer anymore; wanted to do something different. But what? She rarely improvised, but she suddenly thought –
what the hell!
And so she began. The next thing she knew, she was working furiously away; strokes seeming to fly. She was so lost in her work that she barely was conscious of what she was actually painting. Then it hit her. She was using a lot of black. She stuck her brush in the turpentine and stood back from her painting.

“
Shit!”

She had painted a night picture with the full moon high overhead, a wolf howling from a precipice to the right. Below was a forest filled with a thick fog, and peering out of that fog were
emerald eyes!

“Devin!” Chills went through her. “What the hell—?”

She remembered then that he was a vampire.
A vampire!
Why had the implications of that not hit fully until now? “God! I must be a freakin’ idiot!” She stared at her trembling hands. He had to have some kind of power over her. Why else would she have painted the picture as she did? She sat the canvass on the mantle and quickly put her paints away and washed her hands. The painting was complete; needed nothing else. She was done for the day.

Looking out, she saw that it would soon be dark and Devin would be rising. Maybe he was already up. In spite of her trepidation, she suddenly wanted to see him. Even realizing full well that it could be his influence, she couldn’t help it. He was the only person she knew she could talk to. And she desperately needed
someone.

The next thing she knew, she was locking her door and running down the road to his cabin. He had told her she could come by anytime she needed him. Well, right now, she needed him. She ran for all she was worth, breathing heavily by the time she reached his porch where she suddenly stopped, taking a minute to catch her breath. She then slowly proceeded up the steps, and with a shaking hand, knocked twice.

She waited.

No answer.

She muttered some expletives, turned and started down the steps. He was either still asleep or not there. Disappointment mounting, she stood at the base of his steps for several minutes pondering what she should do. Should she wait? It would be dark very soon. Surely he would be up and about in no time.

Then, just as she went to walk away, there was a clicking noise. She looked back at the door. It opened.

“Madison! So good to see you! Come in. Please!”

She dashed up the steps and her eyes met his as he held the door open for her. “I hope I’m not intruding?” she asked apologetically.

He took her hand and kissed it in his charming, old-word manner. “My dear, you could never intrude. Not here.” He let go of her hand and took her by her elbow and led her downstairs and into his den. “Would you care for a drink?”

“Yes! Thank you! Definitely could use a drink today. Or I should say this evening. It will be dark soon.”

At the bar, holding up a bottle of whiskey in one hand and vodka in the other, he asked, “Your pleasure?”

“The Smirnoff.”

That appeared to please him. “Good choice. How would you like it?”

“Right now I think I could drink it straight…”

An eyebrow hiked, as though to ask if she was sure.

“But I’d better not.”

He grinned amusedly and poured it over ice, added some 7-Up and a touch of lime and handed it over.

“Thank you!” she said, taking a sip, studying him with her eyes over the rim of the glass.

He graciously held out a hand for her to sit on the leather sofa that matched his lounge chair. She took a seat, and he sat down beside her at a comfortable distance. He leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, looking at her attentively. “What is wrong, sweet Madison? You can tell me anything.”

“I was stupid.”

“No…You could never be stupid.”

She couldn’t help noticing his long legs that filled his jeans so nicely. And his lean, muscular frame was really hot in his black T-shirt. She realized she actually let out a little gasp, which was immediately followed by a muted chuckle from him.

She blushed. “You’re laughing at me.”

He leaned forward and took her chin in his hand. “I am not laughing at you. Just enjoying your reaction to me.”

“Oh?”

He took his hand back and inquired as to what it was she thought she’d done that was stupid. That was when she confessed her attempt at making up with Chuck.

With a slow shake of his head, he smiled mysteriously.

“What? You do think I was stupid?”

“No…Just not being totally rational. You were acting on your emotions. Very human of you. I pretty much expected it.”

“You did?”

“Of course. You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

Looking at what she was realizing was probably the most beautiful individual she ever laid eyes on, she wasn’t so certain anymore. “I thought I was….Now I’m not so sure.”

His eyes fixed on hers, as he took her chin in his hand again and leaned his perfect face up close. His stare was searching, reaching into her utmost being. She shivered. Then his lips barely touched hers, a faint caress that lasted for several seconds, but he drew back. The gentle kiss had stirred a hunger in her she had not known possible.

She wanted him to kiss her again, which he knew. He kissed her again, a little firmer but still so gentle. Once again, he pulled back.

“
Shit!” she breathed.

“Tsk…Tsk…Such profanities from such a lovely young woman.”

“Gawd! I’ve never been kissed like that before.” She stared into those eyes that were now truly glowing. “What makes your eyes light up like that?”

“I thirst, Madison. I am a vampire. Remember? For my kind, the thirst for blood and the desire for sex go hand and hand. Kissing such a delectable lady as you, makes me
very
thirsty…and,” he grinned. “I believe you know what else I mean.”

She gulped audibly. “You’re saying you want to…drink my blood and have sex with me?”

“Oh most definitely! But I can wait. It is too soon for you after Chuck. Although there’s nothing I want more right now than to drink your blood and make love to you, I want
you
to know beyond any doubts that that is what you want too?”

She pretended not to really notice what he had just said and just kept talking, “I know it’s over with him. I’m not kidding myself.”

“But the feelings are still there, Madison. I prefer to have you completely to myself.” He looked at her straight on.

She gazed into that handsome face. He was such a gentleman when he could simply have his way with her. He was strong enough. Had witnessed him in action a couple of times. Although she had the weirdest feeling that what she had seen was only the proverbial tip-of-the-iceberg.

“Let me think about it,” he said, standing. “A refill?” he asked, looking at her empty glass.

“Yes! I don’t care if I get plastered.”

“Fine by me. However, I do have to feed this evening. I haven’t fed in a while and I’m all out of my blood bank supply.” He took her glass and moved back to the bar.

She stared at him momentarily and suddenly blurted, “Feed from me!” She was shocked that she actually said it. But there was something about him. The more she got to know him, the more irresistible he was. Visions of them in bed together suddenly popped in her head.

He was in the process of remixing her drink and stopped, looked at her and grinned hugely.

Her mouth dropped open
. “You can read my thoughts?”

“Not always…But the more intimate we become, the more I can pick up on you. And that little vision…I must say…was quite vivid.” He stirred her drink and brought it back over to her. “You have no idea what you’re asking when you say to drink from you.”

“I know it has to be painful…But I don’t want to be alone. Not this evening.”

“And you would willingly give me your blood just for the pleasure of my company?”

“Yes!”

“Young lady! I know you’re not thinking clearly. Your Aunt Mattie would surely roll over in her grave.” His expression changed, as though he were deep in thought. “But then…come to think about it. Sounds exactly like what she would do when she was young.”

“Seriously?”

He handed over her drink. “Seriously.” Then he sat down again. This time closer to her. He downed his own drink and sat the glass on the coffee table.

She swallowed hers down too and placed her glass on the table. “Now…Are you going to feed from me or not?”

He sat staring silently at her while he thought her proposition over. He suddenly leaned over to her and gently traced her mouth with his forefinger. “Such sweet lips.” He lowered his head slightly, looking her straight in the eyes. “This
will
hurt. But only for a moment.”

“I don’t care.”

“But you will, Madison.”

“You said it will be only for a moment.”

“The pain passes very quickly.”

“Then what?”

“You’ll see.” His gaze fell instantly to her neck, and his jaw twitched.

At once, he looked very hungry, but he gently pushed her hair away from the nape of her neck and moved the top of her blouse back out of the way. Then he opened his mouth wide and his fangs were suddenly visible.

She flinched.

He gave her an are-you-sure-look?

She bobbed her head.

Lightning fast, before she could react, hot pain shot through her as his sharp fangs cut deep into her flesh, but he muffled her cries with his hand. She could feel her blood being drawn out, and then something very strange happened, all at once the pain was replaced by a weird euphoria and his will became hers. She relaxed into him and willingly let him drink, not caring that he was draining her of her life-force. She felt as though she were floating on some gentle cloud, far, far away from everything. Then he suddenly released her and she realized that she was very weak. So much so, that he had to support her.

“Don’t try to move, Madison,” he said in a deeper voice than what she was accustomed to hearing from him. “Now…I drank a lot of your blood. So, it is your turn, my sweet. You must drink mine to get your strength back.”

“Huh?” she groggily replied, feeling the effects of the alcohol as well.

He quickly removed his shirt, and then with his thumbnail he cut a gash across his upper chest and gently guided her head and held it in place. “Drink, my sweet. Drink all you need.”

Her instinct was to balk at first, but then she realized how good his blood actually tasted, and she found herself hungrily drinking from him. He let her drink until he was sure she had had enough and then pulled her back. She looked up at him, feeling absolutely awesome.

“Better?”

“
That
was indescribable!”

“Now…I must warn you. If you die by any means whatsoever in the next day or two, you
will
come back a vampire.”

“What?” she asked, thinking he was kidding.

“I couldn’t be more serious, Madison.” He stood and put his turtleneck back on, pulling it over his head, and then gestured for her to stand.

She assumed he wanted her to leave. “But I thought—?”

“Don’t be silly, my child. I thought we might take an evening walk.” He withdrew a handkerchief from his hip pocket and gently wiped the blood from her mouth, and then his own, and put the handkerchief back in his pocket.

“Oh! I’d love to.” She took his hand and went with him to the door.

Soon as they were outside she noticed the sounds of the forest were unusually distinct, even louder.

He watched her with mild amusement as she tried to figure out what was different.

“What are those smells?” she asked. “Such…wonderful scents! And I swear I can hear every frog in every pond around.”

Saying nothing, he led her out to the road, and they casually walked along the graveled side.

The air! Such awesome scents in the air! She turned her gaze to him. He wore a gentle, amused smile. “What’s going on?”

“My blood is running in your veins, Madison…the blood of a vampire. Now, you have a vague idea of what it is like being a creature of the night, when it comes to the senses.”

“Is there anything else this awesome?”

He sniggered infectiously.

“What?”

“Sex, my sweet.”

“Gawd! You’re telling me that sex is even better too?”

“I promise,” he said with an alluring grin, “there’s nothing like it.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Damn! Make love to me tonight!”

He squeezed her hand. “I’d love to. But I still want to be certain that I am the only one for you.”

“Who else? Chuck certainly doesn’t want me.”

“Madison, you loved him enough this morning to beg him back.”

“It’s over with him. What’s more, I see now that you are the…the most attractive man I’ve ever feasted my eyes on. And I mean that. To look at you is a feast for my senses.”

He sniggered lightly. “Vampires have that effect on humans, Madison. It’s one of our talents. Helps us in gaining our victims’ trust.”

She stopped and faced him. “Am I a victim?”

“Oh most decidedly not. Madison…I loved your Aunt Mattie like no other. And you are so much like her. You are the only woman who could ever fill her shoes. Not take her place…Just fill her shoes. I have to be honest about that.”

“I loved her too. There’s no way I can begrudge you caring about her.”

They resumed walking again. He told her many stories of not only his memories of Mattie, but of other people in other times that he had known in his long life.

They walked for several hours before she thought to check the time. She took her cell phone out of her pocket.
“Four-thirty!”
She looked at him stunned. “But it only seemed like a couple of hours!”

“Time does fly when you’re having fun.”

She glanced around and realized that they were almost to her cottage. She hadn’t even realized that he had headed her that way.

“I must get home, my sweet. The sun will soon be rising. And there’s not as cloud in the sky. Besides, you do need to get some sleep too.” He grinned smugly then. “Especially, if you’re going to spend your evening hours with me.”