Tyran's Thirst (Blood Lust) (5 page)

Peeking out, I saw Tyran jump from the dirt and land in our
boat. Stells swung her machete at him, but he dodged it and
knocked the weapon from her hands. Picking her up by the neck,
he hissed at her. I dug my own into his leg, causing him to drop her
into the water. Tyran turned his wild red eyes on me.

My pistol was wet and therefore wouldn’t shoot. My ax
was still dangling from his leg. Grasping it, I tried to pull it loose.
Tyran pushed me back and pulled it out himself. He smiled at me
before handing it back.

“Dear Kat, it will take more than guns and axes to take me
down.”

Stells started screaming in the water. As I gazed at her, I
saw a zombie pulling her by the hair, snarling at her exposed skin.
Tyran jumped in the water after her and slammed her machete into
its skull, splitting it down the middle. The stiff became lifeless and
sunk to the bottom of the pond. I watched as Tyran helped Stells
back in to the boat. She was coughing, but appeared to be in good
shape.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

 

“That fucking zomb! I didn’t see it coming!”

 

Tyran grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look into his
eyes. “Were you bitten?”

 

“No. I wouldn’t be calm if I had.”

 

“Good.” He sat her down and turned to me. “Now why do
you keeprunning?”

 

“Vampire.”

 

“Yes, we’ve established that yesterday. I thought we also
knew I wasn’t going to hurt you.”

 

Stells spoke up, “This is the vampire?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Stella grinned. “Kat, if he promises not to hurt you and he
looks this good, why not go for it? Make a deal.”

 

“Are you fucking nuts? He drinks blood for a living.”

 

Tyran answered, “Yes, and I’m quite hungry. Kat, why
don’t you offer me your neck?”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

He smiled. “I would love to. Really. That long, dark blonde
hair tangles around my fingers. It sends chills over my body.”

 

“I’ll let you have a drink,” Stells said. “If you promise not
to kill me.”

He held out his pinky finger and interlocked it with hers,
making the deal. She held out her wrist for Tyran. He smirked
before plunging his long fangs into her skin. She gasped, and then
began to moan. Being careful, Tyran gently held her arm beneath
his mouth. I watched in horror as blood trickled down her wrist.
Stells breathing became light, her eyes flickered. She was dying.
As I was about to speak, Tyran released her.

Stells dropped into the boat. Tyran bit into his own wrist
and used the blood to smear over her open wound. Within seconds
her wound, and his, were healed.

Tyran turned to me. “See? I wouldn’t hurt you.”
“Oh, well then please, drink all you want,” I said,
sarcastically.

“I meant what I said about having to get out of here. As you
say, Hell’s Gate will only get worse. A place like South Dakota
would offer protection, food and shelter.”

“I have managed to make it this far on my own. I don’t
need the help of a set of teeth.”

“Teeth? I like it. And we both
know you’ve proven you
can’t. So far you’ve been lucky. What if there’s another zombie
ambush? What are you going to do then?”

I smirked. “I’ll make my way.”

 

“I want to come too,” Stells spoke as she came back to. Her
skin was pale but otherwise she looked fine.

 

Tyran smiled at me. “Well,we have the vote. You’re
outnumbered, pretty little Kat. Let’s get going.”

“If I must, I have to get some supplies from my home.” I
stared directly into Tyran’s eyes. “Kind of left in a hurry this
morning.”

“And a shot like that was pretty good. Had to pick the
bullet out. Ouch.”

 

Stells asked, “Am I missing something?”

Tyran was careful not to rock the boat, but moved over to
me and wrapped his arm around my waist. The heat he was putting
off was so warm, even in the hot mid-June day. Weird, his skin
was so cool but his body emanated heat.

It was true that I did want to be in his arms. I wanted to feel
his body close to mine, his fingers exploring me, his lips nibbling
on mine. Tyran was sexy as hell. Much better than the only other
boyfriend I had. But he was also a vampire. Very dangerous. I
couldn’t let myself get tangled up in a mess like that. Stells made
life with vampires sound so easy. Deals and promises did not get
you through life. I only cared about survival. On the topic of
promises, I did make one to myself that I would make it out alive.

“Is there something I should know about you?” Stells
asked.

 

Tyran smiled. “I’m trying to convince Kat to trust me.
Obviously you do.”

 

She batted her eyes. “Yes. I trust you. We have a deal.”

 

I spat, “Then you’re dumb. Vampires are not to be trusted.”

 

She pulled me over to her. “Are you crazy? Look at him.
Sexy!”

 

“Are you crazy? He just drank from you.”

 

“It didn’t hurt. It actually was kind of pleasurable. Try it.”

 

“No thanks.”

 

Tyran cleared his throat. “Ladies, we need to get going.”

Stella and I nodded and rowed the boat back to land. Tyran
helped us reach the dirt and held onto our hands as we walked back
to my home. Stells was doe-eyed and staring at Tyran the entire
time. I, on the other hand, stared because I was afraid of what he
may do. Once we reached my tree house, I climbed the ladder and
made it in. As I searched for a case to carry clean clothes and food
in, I heard a scream.

Looking over the ledge, I saw a zombie biting into Stells
neck. She kicked and thrashed, but it ripped chunks of her skin out.
Tyran slammed his fist into its jaw then leapt in my house with me.
I wanted to scream at him to help her, but I knew it was too late.
Stella’s yells were ear-shattering. Pulling out my pistol, I shot her
between the eyes to end her suffering. My own shut as the stiff
moved down to her stomach and shredded her guts open like a
child would a Christmas present.

I leaned back on the floor and put my hands over my ears.
Cold palms over mine. I knew Tyran didn’t want me to hear it. A
tear rolled down my cheek as I bit my lip, praying it would be over
soon.

CHAPTER 6

Kisses were being pressed to my neck. I felt a warm tongue
trail the line of my spine. Barely opening my eyes, I saw dim light
meaning the sun, hiding behind the smog, was going down. A
nipping on the back of neck. Leaning into it, I knew it was Tyran
trying to get in my pants, or drinkmy blood. I couldn’t let him.
Pushing him away, I turned to look at him.

“My Kat, what’s wrong?”

 

I sighed.

 

“Still don’t trust me?”

Running a hand through my hair, I answered,
“I don’t know
what to think. I just met Stells and already thought she was cool.
Stupid, maybe. But she had a light about her. Now that’s gone. I
should have jumped down and saved her. I could have“

“You could have done nothing. That stiff came out of left
field. Even if we could have pulled it off of her, she was bitten.
The venom was coursing through her veins. We would have had to
kill her anyway.”

“But to be eaten
is the worst way to go. I never want that. I
would rather take my own life or let you drink from me. I won’t be
devoured like a piece of ham.”

Tyran pulled me into his arms and wound his fingers in my
hair. He inhaled, breathing in the scent of my body. I shuddered at
the thought of how dirty I was. It has been weeks since I had
properly taken a bath.

My tears were coming fast and hard as I relaxed against his
shoulder. Ididn’t know much about Stella, but she was always
smiling. There was spunk to her. She was somebody I felt like I
could come to care about. I was alone. For two and a half years I
wandered Norwalk, hoping to run in to another life. Then the one I
had I was given moments with before she was taken away.

Tyran gazed into my eyes, cupping my cheeks so I could
only focus on him. “I’ll be right back. Please don’t leave me. I
must get something for you.”

I nodded and he leapt down from the house and onto the
ground. Peering out the small window to the side, I saw Tyran run
in the house nearby. Within minutes he was out carrying a box.
With a smooth jump, he was back with me. I walked over to where
he laid it down and checked it out.

“What is that?” I asked.

He pul
led out some bottles. “Paint.” Next was some chair
legs nailed so they were shaped likea cross. “Tombstone.” And
last was a can of diced potatoes and soda. “Dinner.”

I sat on the futon and began eating the food. Watching
closely, Tyran began painting “Stells. Lost but never forgotten.”
Looking away, it was too much for me to take in. He hopped back
down to where she had been killed and jammed the wood into the
ground. Setting my can to the side, I looked down and saw him
making the sign of the cross. Tyran climbed back up and gazed at
me like I had snot on my face.

“What?” I asked.

 

“You’re looking at me weird.”

 

“No. Just…surprised.”

 

“Didn’t think a vampire could care?”

 

“Honestly, no. I thought you only wanted blood. And the
whole religious thing…Really weird.”

 

“I may be from Hell,but that doesn’t mean I’m on his
side.”

 

Picking at my nails, I asked, “What happened to you?”

Tyran exhaled.
“I was born a long time ago. Please don’t
ask about that time. My father was a Viking and my mother died
while giving birth. While he was out a vampire attacked me.”

“How were you turned?”

 

“To become a vampire, you have to be drained of all of
your blood and have it replaced with that of a vampire.”

 

“Oh.”

He stood and pulled a black tank from his pocket. I
watched, mouth opened, as he stripped down to a naked upper
body and placed the wife-beater over his body. Such a perfect
strength to him. Carved. Masculine.
Look away, Kathryn.

He flopped down on the floor and closed his eyes. For
some reason I found myself snuggling up into the crook in his arm.
He tightened it around me. I felt…safe. Very odd.

“May I ask you something, Kat?”

 

“I guess.”
“Why do you have trust issues?”

 

I grimaced. “Let me see…you are a vampire!”

He laughed. “It’s not just me. I can see it.”
I sighed. “I m
ight as well tell someone about me. You could
say I was useless before this. I worked a dead end job at a grocer’s,
had a rundown apartment and hadn’t had a date in years.” I
giggled. “I even had short, spiky hair and was really overweight.
That’s probably the best thing this has done for me.”

“I can’t picture you like that.”

 

“Believe it. I was much different.”

He twirled a strand of my long dark blonde hair around his
finger. Tyran was so gentle with me. Wrapping my arm around his
stomach, I thought I felt a heartbeat, but I knew better. A rumble
sounded in his chest. He was pleased. I gazed up at him and he was
looking in my eyes. Nerves splintered through me so hard I bit my
lip. When the taste of copper came, I tried to lick it away.

“Don’t,” Tyran whispered.

His tongue was against my lips, trailing the line of the
blood. I lay frozen, anxious and waiting for his next move. When
the liquid was cleaned, he moved his mouth over mine, plunging
his tongue, massaging mine. We became intertwined, kissing and
teasing each other’s mouths. I moaned and as the sound came,
Tyran picked me up and sat me on his lap.

I could feel the hardness of him beneath me. Placing my
hands on his chest, he trailed down to my neck, nipping at the skin.
My eyes shut as waves of pleasure washed over me. He smelled of
sweat and felt cool. I pressed my breasts against his chest, feeling
that coolness against my nipples.

Maybe Stells had a point. She allowed Tyran to bite her and
he was gentle. He didn’t hurt her. Hell, he even sealed her wound
to prevent infection. What was the worst that could happen?

I sighed. “Go for it.”

 

Tyran gazed up at me, puzzled. As I nodded, and we
connected, Tyran sank his fangs into my neck.

I bit my lip again. It didn’t hurt. Those teeth were made
to
glide in. Trickles of blood rolled down my collar bone. Tyran
licked as much as he could. My fingers wrapped in his locks and
held him in place. As Tyran sucked the blood from me, dizziness
overcame me. I fell back on the floor, unable to breathe.

Tyran lifted me from the floor to the futon. In a daze, I
looked around at the small bit of light pouring in. Tyran was
illuminated by the clouds and my own haze. I could feel him
unbuttoning my pants and pulling them off, one foot at a time. His
finger found my clit through my panties. I inhaled as the pad of his
thumb gently rubbed the swelling mound. Tyran’s left hand may
have been busy, but his right found my breast and squeezed. As my
nipple erected, Tyran plucked at it. My senses electrified as he
repeated his actions with my other breast.

He reached the hem of my red lace panties. Using his teeth,
he tugged them until they lay next to the growing heap on the
floor.He lifted my shirt to expose my stomach. Tyran’s mouth
trailed over the skin, nipping and gliding his fangs across me. His
left hand returned between my legs.This time he wasn’t gentle.
My clit was encased between his thumb and index finger. He
caressed the mound, my core growing damper. Tyran’s free hand
was under my back, lifting me to remove my shirt. I could feel my
breasts bounce as the tank was yanked over my head with force.
Gazing up, Tyran whipped his own over his head, exposing that
absolutely perfect body. My palms found each ab, rolling over the
bumps and trailing down to his pants.

His erection was massive. I enclosed my hand around his
cock and slowly stroked up and down. His head fell back as my
pace quickened. Then I unbuttoned his jeans and tugged them
down. As they reached his knees, Tyran leaned over me and added
them to our pile.