Eternal Changes (Mikah) (16 page)

Chapter 13

Jaymes and Ophelia stalked the streets of Nashville. It was two in the morning on a Sunday and the streets were filled with people enjoying the entertainment that the city of country music had to offer. They started to walk past a night club when Ophelia grabbed Jaymes by the arm.

“Do you smell that?” she asked as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Jaymes black eyes narrowed as he stared at Ophelia. “I smell a myriad of smells, ‘phelia. So, what?”

Ophelia opened her eyes and she looked over at Jaymes. “I smell the suh-weet scent of AB,” she said as she sauntered over towards the night club. A man’s voice rolled through the club’s doors as he sung a country tune. Ophelia cringed slightly before she started to walk through the door.

Something tightened around Ophelia’s arm, stopping her from entering. Her eyes narrowed as her head lashed back. She looked at the meaty hand holding her arm and frowned. Her voice dropped to a hiss as she looked up into a muscle head’s tanned face. “You’ll let go of my arm and go with my friend over there. You’ll do
exactly
as he says.”

The beefy Italian man let go of her arm and started walking to where Jaymes was standing. Ophelia flicked her wrist in a small wave at Jaymes before bouncing through the doors. The club was as black as coffee with strobe lights rolling around the dance floor. Women were grinding against men as the swayed to the rhythm of the music.

Ophelia sniffed the air and moved forward as she followed the scent she was craving. She crept up to a small stage in the middle of the club. Her stomach growled and rumbled as she stared up at the band. A scrawny blonde man, wearing jeans a tad too tight, plucked away on a banjo as he tapped his foot to the beat. She glanced up at the man standing in the center of the stage. He pulled off his white cowboy hat and tossed it into the crowd. His sandy blonde hair clung to his temple as he started strumming his guitar. A large silver belt buckle adorned his Levi jeans and his black button up shirt was open enough to show off his jugular and part of his collar bone. 

Ophelia moved closer and breathed in his scent. She smiled up at the guitarist as his scent floated around her. His brown eyes looked down at her and a small smile lit up his face as he started singing. The veins in his neck bulged and vibrated as he sung.

Ophelia licked her lips as the music hummed through her. She closed her eyes as she swayed her hips. Her raven black hair swished across her back as she ran her hands down her body.  She opened her black eyes and stared up at the guitarist as she moved.

The song came to an end and Ophelia smiled as the guitarist set down his instrument and pounced off the stage.

“I couldn’t help but notice your moves while I was on stage. I just had to introduce myself to such a beautiful woman,” he told her. “I’m Jeremy.”

Ophelia leaned forward and whispered into his ear. “My name’s Ophelia and there’s something I
need
from you.” She lightly grabbed Jeremy by the collar and led him to the women’s restroom in the back of the club.

“You want me to go in there?” Jeremy asked as he stepped back.

Ophelia beamed up at him as she leaned up against the restroom’s wooden door. “Don’t you like to live a little on the dangerous side?” she asked as she ran her fingers down his chest. “I
promise
it’ll be worth it.

Jeremy’s eyes widened as he smiled back at Ophelia. “You talked me into it.”

Ophelia smiled as he pulled her to him and opened the door. His warm mouth covered hers as they stumbled into the bathroom.

Jeremy broke the kiss as he turned and locked the bathroom door. Ophelia backed up, her black boots squeaking on the tiled floor as he turned towards her. “What are you waiting for?” she asked as she crooked her pale finger at him.

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” he said as he stalked towards her.

Ophelia delved her hands into Jeremy’s hair as he leaned into her and started nibbling on her neck. She yanked his head back to get his attention. His blue eyes were glazed with desire as he stared down at her. “You’ll not scream or say a word no matter how bad the pain becomes,” she murmured. “You’ll not move a muscle. Do you understand?”

His brown eyes widened. “Y-yes.”

Ophelia ran a finger nail down his cheek enjoying the smell of fear radiating from him. “I’m going to enjoy every drop of you,” she said as she shoved Jeremy against the back wall. She jerked his head to the side. The vein in his neck was protruding out lightly. Ophelia licked her lips as she stared at the blue-green vein. She opened her mouth, her fangs elongating as she delved into his soft flesh. Warm blood pulsated into her throat as she sucked. She tore away, blood running down her chin as she glanced up at him. Tears were rolling down his cheeks.

“You taste
so
good, Jeremy,” Ophelia whispered right before she leaned down and ripped his jugular out. His body slumped forward. She held him in place as she enjoyed the rest of her meal.

“What a beautiful evening,” Ophelia murmured as she met up with Jaymes.

“That it is,” Jaymes said as strolled next to her.

“So, how was your supper?” Ophelia asked as they walked down the street.

“It was a little dull, but delicious,” Jaymes said as he glanced over at her. “How was yours?”

A small smile lit up Ophelia’s face as they walked into a dark alley. “Absolutely delightful.”

They dissipated in the air and reappeared in the cave that they’d found earlier in the evening. Ophelia could feel the sun starting to rise as they made their way to the deepest part of the cave. She leaned against the wall, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep slumber.

Ophelia woke up with a start as a surge of power rocked through her. It was stronger than it had ever been before.

“We need to move north,” Jaymes murmured as his eyes flashed up. “The sun’s almost set and then we can trace it.”

The ground shook beneath them as the sun set.  Ophelia followed Jaymes out of the cave. They flew up into the night sky. Ophelia tuned into her senses as she propelled herself forward. The rolling hills below her passed by like a freight train. Ophelia slowed to a stop as Jaymes hovered in the air. His eyes were closed.

A small shock shot through Ophelia. She jolted forwards as she traced the power streaming through the air. She glanced over at Jaymes as he caught up to her. Ophelia nodded down at the ground below as she stopped midair. Power was pulsating up at them. She scanned the area, but there were trees everywhere. A flicker caught her attention as her gaze fell upon a small wooden shack. Power was throbbing from a female could smell the power pumping through the girl’s blood. Ophelia’s mouth scrunched up in disgust. The girl was being held by a
rafa.

Ophelia and Jaymes lowered themselves into the nearby woods to get a closer look at the girl. Ophelia watched the interaction between the girl and one of the Dragomir. The power within the girl was slowly ebbing away as she was sobbed. The rafa held the girl in his arms as she unleashed her tears.

Jaymes signaled to Ophelia before he dissipated into thin air. They reappeared in the caves where the Haemon resided.

“The little human girl’s going to be powerful,” Jaymes said as he strolled through the caves. “She has to be a Halfling. I could almost
taste
the power in her blood.”

“I don’t like it one bit,” Ophelia said with distaste.

Jaymes glanced over at her. “Are you afraid of the competition?”

“There’ll be
no
competition from that frail creature,” Ophelia hissed as she glared at Jaymes. “Have no doubt about that.”

Jaymes knocked on Karver’s door and waited for permission to enter. The door creaked open.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you two,” Karver said from inside the room, “Come in.”

Jaymes and Ophelia walked in and bowed their heads down.

“We’ve found out what, or should I say who, is causing the power surges we’ve all felt,” Jaymes informed Karver as he took a seat.

Karver stared at Jaymes as he tapped his finger against the chair he was sitting in. “Tell me who it is and don’t keep me waiting. I’m not in the mood.”

“It’s coming from a young female,” Jaymes said as he cleaned out his finger nails nonchalantly. “I believe she’s a Halfling. I could almost taste the power flowing in her blood, but she’s still human.”

“A human girl was emitting that kind of power?” Karver asked as he stood up and stared from Jaymes to Ophelia. “A Halfling doesn’t usually have that kind of power before the change.”

“Her blood is unlike anything I’ve ever come across before,” Jaymes said. “She’s going to be a force to be reckoned with when she does go through the change.”

Ophelia shook her head in denial. “I don’t think she’ll be
that
powerful.”

 “She
will
be that powerful,” Jaymes hissed at Ophelia as he glared at her. “He needs to know the truth, so get off your high horse and admit what you felt. The Dragomir obviously already know about her because one of them was holding her. It’s act now or lose her to the rafa. Then we’ll
never
be able to rule the Earth like we were destined to do.”

 “I want her,” Karver said as he looked at Jaymes. “You’ll bring her to me and she’ll not be harmed. If she hasn’t gone through the change, we’ll have an advantage.” He turned to Ophelia. “You
will
stay away from the girl and leave it to Jaymes to bring her here. I want you to find a human she’s fond of to bring back here. I’ve got big plans for our girl.”

Chapter 14

Lucy was completely drained as she entered the high school on Monday morning. She looked around the hall. The last person she wanted to run into right now was Michael. He wasn’t going to be thrilled when she told him all they could ever be was friends and she really didn’t feel like delving into that mess right now.

The halls were full of students buzzing from one place to the next. Lucy almost moaned out loud as she noticed Sam making a beeline for her. She wasn’t in the mood for socializing this morning.

“Hey, Lucy,” Sam chirped as she intercepted me.

“Hey Sam,” Lucy said as she kept walking.

“I just wanted to tell you that you were
amazing
at the track tryouts,” Sam gushed. “What Alexis did to you was uncalled for. When I saw you get up and take off, I never cheered louder for anyone in my life. It was the coolest thing
ever.”

Lucy looked at Sam and smiled. The exuberance etched on Sam’s face was the same as a child who walked into a candy store for the first time.

“Thanks,” Lucy said she reached her locker.

“Did you know that the coach already posted who made the team?” Sam asked. “It’s on the billboard near the gym.”

“Have you checked it out already?” Lucy asked Sam as she grabbed the books she needed from her locker.

Sam was literally bouncing up and down. “Yep,” she gushed. “You made
varsity
!”

Lucy should’ve been happy, but all she felt was a sense of sadness. There was no way that she could commit to being on any team. She’d never be able to see the season through. There wasn’t much time left.

“
Don’t be sad, Luce,”
Ashton’s voice whispered through Lucy’s mind.

Lucy glanced around the hallway, wondering where he was.

“Are you ok?” Sam asked a little worried.

“Yeah. I’m fine,” Lucy said as she saw Ashton walking towards her. “I was just supposed to meet with someone this morning.”

Lucy’s heart started racing. Everything else around her went silent. All she could see was Ashton. His brown hair flowed back in waves and the golden highlights seemed to shimmer as he moved. She could drown in the golden pools of his eyes and his smile mesmerized her. He was more than beautiful. He was exquisite.

Sam’s mouth dropped open as her voice dropped to a whisper. “Is
that
who you’re supposed to be meeting?”

Lucy couldn’t form a single word. The only thing she could do was nod. Would he have this effect on her for all eternity?

“
Yes. Don’t you feel lucky?”
Ashton whispered in Lucy’s mind.

Lucy blushed. She’d forgotten that he could hear her thoughts. It was going to take some getting used to.

“Hey, Luce,” Ashton purred as he grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Hey, Sam.”

“H-h-hey, Ashton,” Sam stuttered as if she was star struck. “I really n-n-need to get to class. I’ll talk to you later, Lucy.”

Ashton and Lucy smiled as Sam scrambled down the hall as if she was on fire.

“At least I’m not the only one affected by your good looks,” Lucy said as she looked over at Ashton.

“I’m irresistible,” he said as he wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Lucy laughed out loud. “Alright, Mr. Big Head. We need to get to class. I’m not so sure your head will fit through the door though.”

Ashton laughed as they started their trek to first period. Lucy’s eyes darted up and down the hallway. She blew out a sigh of relief.

“Michael’s not here yet, Luce,” Ashton whispered in her ear as they walked into the classroom.

“How do you know he’s not here?” Lucy asked.

“I know what he smells like and I’ve one heck of a sensitive nose,”
Ashton’s voice replied in her mind.

“Do you know what I smell like too?”
Lucy asked him as she communicated with him telepathically.

Lucy could hear Ashton moan in her head. “
Delicious.”

“Thanks for making me feel like a rib eye steak,”
she joked.

Ashton’s laughter twinkled through Lucy’s mind and she smiled up at him.

The day slowly passed by, but at least Lucy had Ashton to keep her amused. She continued to test her ability to talk to him using her mind while the teachers droned on.

Lucy never thought too much about what she’d do after high school. Did she always know in the back of her mind that she was different? That she’d never go to college? Her thoughts drifted to having a family of her own one day. Was it possible for her to even have a child?

“It’s possible,”
Ashton said.
“Vampires are only able to produce children every few hundred years and we never know when it is. I’m not sure how it will be for you. You’re one of a kind, Luce.”

“I’m not so sure that’s a good thing,”
Lucy said.

The final bell rung and the students rushed out of the room like a small stampede. Ashton and Lucy walked out of the classroom and headed out of the school.

“What are your plans for tonight?” Ashton asked as he walked Lucy to her car.

Lucy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t have any plans, but I think I’m going to stay at home.”

“Will you be ok by yourself?” Ashton asked as he opened the car door for her.

A raw hunger washed over Lucy as she climbed in the car. Her mouth was parched and felt like sand paper. She felt thirstier than she’d ever felt before. Her eyes shot up at Ashton. “You haven’t fed.”

Ashton backed up as he shut the car door. “No.”

Lucy’s eyes pleaded with Ashton as she grabbed his hand. “Use me.”

Ashton bowed his head in shame as his voice dropped to a whisper. “You know I can’t.”

It felt like someone kicked her in the heart. She let go of Ashton’s hand and started the car. A tear rolled down her cheek as she looked at him. “I don’t know why it’s killing me to think about you feeding from someone else, but it’s literally
ripping
me apart.”

Ashton ran his finger down Lucy’s cheek, cupped her face with his hands, and leaned forward to kiss her. Lucy closed her eyes as Ashton’s soft lips touched hers. His love poured through her and all of his feelings rushed over her. He didn’t want to feed from anyone else, but he felt like he had no choice. Understanding dawned.

The kiss ended and Ashton stepped away from the car. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lucy.”

A half hour later, Lucy pulled into her driveway. The emotions of the past two days were threatened to overwhelm her. All she wanted to do was to take a hot shower. The less she had to think about, the better.

Lucy turned the shower on as she got undressed. She gazed at herself in the oval mirror in front of the sink. Dark circles marred the pale skin underneath her eyes. She turned away from her reflection and climbed into the shower. The water drizzled over her head and face as she tried to relax. An image of Ashton burying his fangs into another girl’s neck floated through Lucy’s mind. She could see the look of ecstasy on the girl’s face as Ashton suckled from her creamy skin.

“Stop torturing yourself,”
Ashton whispered in her mind.
“I won’t feed from a female. You’re all the female I’ll ever need.”

“I don’t know how you deal with feelings that are stronger than the ones I’m dealing with,”
Lucy said.
“It’s almost unbearable at times.”

“You’ll be able to get a grip on your feelings and emotions over time,”
Ashton said. “
Don’t worry about it. You need to get some rest.”

Lucy headed for her bedroom when she was finished. She turned her tv on as she laid down on her bed. Lucy’s body began relaxing as she watched the movie on the screen. Her eyes drifted close as she gave into the sweet demand of sleep her body was craving.

A few hours later, Lucy jerked awake. She looked over at the alarm clock. The red numbers flashed seven thirty at her. Her stomach grumbled and growled as she got up and made her way downstairs.

Lucy walked into the kitchen and found a pizza box with a note attached to it. It said: