The Vampire Next Door Ch. 04

"Helen run," Samuel snapped at me, panic flooding his eyes. I stared at him mutely over the coffee I had lifted half-way to my mouth.

"Now, for fuck sake, they're here." Giving me a rough shove he turned in the opposite direction. My stomach curdled like milk on a hot day. They had found us.

Dropping my cup, the remnants of my drink splattered in all directions decorating a passing woman's white trousers with mucky stains. Not waiting to see her outraged expression I wound through the busy crowd slow at first, due to the gaggle of girls in my way, then quicker as desperation set in. Weaving around some groups then ramming my way through others I made headway down the long hill. My feet slapped the ground as I pounded the pavement, limbs jarring as each foot landed on the hard ground.

Snatching a quick look I saw Samuel as he intercepted a pale skinned interloper, just as another closed in on him. My stomach flipped as I lost my stride; I almost turned back, but fear for myself drove me on, away from Samuel. Tears of shame and horror streaked my cheeks, blurring my vision. He would make it. Wouldn't he? The hope was that he would fight his way free, without having to worry about me.

We had become complacent. Months had gone by without a whisper of any others on his trail. At first Samuel had followed his practice of moving on every few weeks, with me trailing in his wake like a lost puppy. It was a comfortable routine. I had never travelled very much, now I was seeing all the cities I had seen in pictures and movies. Samuel seemed to revel in showing me all the haunts. From the regular touristy bits to more obscure sights.

His schedule became mine, and I slept during the day, becoming a regular night owl. The only time we spent any time apart was when he needed blood. That was the longest couple of hours each day. Of course he still took from me, but he needed more than I could give. As stubborn as he was I had to force him out the door that first time to take from another. Guilt marred his face when he returned; you would have thought he had cheated on me with another lover. As much as I would try to reassure him, it seemed to be difficult for him. As twisted as I am, this pleased me. He still wanted me.

We had spent too much time in Glasgow, just because we both had taken to it so much. The accents dripped off the local's tongues like honey, and coarse language flew like spit. The contrast between the drunkards that swarmed the darkened streets on a weekend and suave shoppers tripping between 'Primark' and 'Thomas Sabo' during the day was fascinating. We had been here for two months and now we paid the price.

My lungs were burning as I streaked down past late night shoppers, mingled with gathering groups getting ready for a night out. Why would they choose here? Why now? Not exactly discreet, so many witnesses. Of course, if Samuel and I were to disappear off this street tonight, no one would ever be able to find us. No CCTV footage run on late night crime programmes would be able to help us. My legs pumped faster as my arms clutched at my heavy breasts, unwieldy and painful.

Turning off the main pedestrian area I ducked onto a side road, then again, zigzagging into hiding. Samuel had told me before that if I had to run, then I should keep going and not look back, never look back. As the seasoned hunter he may be able to pull that off when danger licked his heels, but as the hunted my eyes darted wildly like the prey I was. There was nothing behind me except bewildered glances.

Gradually I slowed, reassured that I was not being followed; my breath took longer to slow down. Matching my pace to those around me I tried to blend in slipping in behind a group of women on their way to a night of debauchery, or maybe they were just heading out for a drink, either way worked for me. My hand shook as it reached into my pocket for my phone, should I call him? Disgusted with myself I shoved it away; I would only be endangering him. Well done to me, if he was hiding and then his phone went off, giving his position away. God I wasn't cut out for this shit.

No doubt mum would ask why I couldn't just meet a nice boy and date like a normal girl, but then, she was hardly the best one to be giving advice. Marrying an abuser then letting him move onto his children excluded her from giving dating advice, that and I no longer speak with her. A powerful hand gripped me, yanking me to the side behind a heavy van. A clammy hand clamped over my mouth just as my mouth opened to scream.

"Not yet dearest. There will be plenty of time later for screaming."

Terror gripped me as I saw Samuel unconscious on the floor of the van, hands and feet trussed so that he looked like a chicken ready for the market. A large gash ran from hairline to his jaw. The large hand that muffled my moan of distress was replaced by some sort of fabric wadding stuffed into my mouth. Fighting the urge to vomit as the stench of petrol invaded my mouth and nose; my eyes smarted and watered as I was bound and thrown in beside Samuel. Shuffling I lay next to him resting my cheek on the cold, greasy floor, but I kept my gaze on his face looking for any signs of life. A snort came from my abductor as the door rolled closed and darkness shrouded us.

...............................................................................................................

The ripped vampire stalked towards me, oversized muscles straining the sleeves of his shirt. Really that was just overkill. Vampires had strength that no human could hope to best, yet they decided to send the hugest one I had seen yet. My only form of defence, avoiding eye contact and scrunching into the smallest size I could manage, did not seem to be working. But neither had I expected it too. It certainly had no effect on the last four occasions, but I was working on instinct and fear.

I hadn't seen Samuel at all within the few days I had been here, although it could have been a week. Or two. I didn't know, having slept much of it. I was gradually being drained dry. Each visit saw a new set of fang marks and less of the red stuff left for me. What with the size of this one I figured he would be enough to finish me off. My only regret would not being able to see Samuel before I died.

My eyes burned as hot tears rolled from the corners. I wondered if he were already dead. I had stopped asking, my words bringing only unwelcome attention but no answers. My heart told me he still lived, but how would I know. Wishful thinking was unreliable at best. Still I could not bear to believe otherwise.

An iron grip squeezed my arm pulling me to my feet, and I yelped in pain. Pulled from the bare windowless room, panic fluttered a moment in my belly before flopping in an exhausted heap. The energy I needed to care about my predicament eluded me and I was towed along, feet shuffling on the stone floor. My head raised enough to realise we were headed towards a solid looking wooden door, that looked to have been made from recycled railways beams. The rusted hinges screeches in protest as the door was pushed wide. Tripping over my own feet I was yanked upright, pulled along once more until we stood in the centre of a long cavernous room, dotted with a half dozen stone pillars.

The support that the hulk had afforded me was gone as he released my arm and stepped away to join the crowds that lined the room. My knees buckled and they slammed into the stone floor, my hands shooting out to stop my face receiving the same fate. Callous laughter erupted from around the room.

"Enough." My head rose at the masculine voice in front of me.

Seated in two chairs atop a stage were the two cruellest looking creatures I could ever have had the misfortune to meet. Beside the man who had spoken was a woman, whose cold stare made a shiver crawl through me. She leaned forward as if to get a better look at me, and a puzzled expression crossed her face.

"So you are the human who Samuel sees fit to co-habit with? Rather a runty specimen, are you not. I'm sure he could have picked more wisely," she said, a wearied look softening her features.

"I am Arthur and this is my wife Loretta. We have searched for our son many years only to find that he has picked up a pet along the way. It perfectly complicates matters you see. He insists that he will not be without you," the man said disbelief in his voice.

Not just any man, but Samuel's father it seems. I could never get Samuel to tell me anything about his origins, or why he was being hunted. This was just perfect. And who was he calling a pet? Annoyance streaked through me, before the meaning of his words hit me.

"Samuel's alive?"

"Of course he is. Do you think us monsters that we would kill our own son? As tempting as that has been on more than a few occasions," his father rolled his eyes at memories that tempted his patience, "we do not want him dead...yet."

"We believed that by giving him the space he needed to get over his crisis of conscience he would eventually come back to us," his mother gave her husband a side-long glance, "but our patience wore a little thin of late. And now you. What are we to do now?"

"You could let me go," I offered. A chuckle came from the woman as her cold eyes bored into mine.

"I don't think so dear," she said. "But you are a conundrum. Such a sorry figure you strike before me, with your bruised skin and dirty clothing, and yet your eyes sparkle with defiance. I can almost see why Samuel fights so hard to keep you. Yet our laws cannot be bent. Not even for him."

My face twisted into a questioning frown at this. What laws?

"No human consorts allowed." She answered my unasked question.

"Oh!"

"You see our dilemma little human. We cannot let you go, so that leaves only two options, either we turn you or kill you."

"You sound undecided," I said. Although it did not seem to be me speaking at all, I heard my voice speak the words but I could have been listening to someone else talking.

"Well we would have you dead, but suspect that we would lose Samuel forever should your death come by our hand," Arthur said. "So," he rose from his chair rubbing his palms together, "we have decided to leave that decision with him. Bring him to us. Let us get this dealt with."

I started trembling all over in anticipation of seeing him again, or maybe it was the cold seeping into me through the floor. My eyes flitted over to the door that Arthur had signalled towards, waiting to see him dragged through as I had been. Many other pairs of eyes darted from me to Samuels parents in their throne like chairs to the door and back. A feral hunger emanated from the crowd. I knew what they were hoping for, and anxiety twisted my stomach.

The sound of protesting metal pulled my head towards the door, and I saw him. Samuel walked through the door flanked by two heavies, but unaided. His hair was unruffled and clothes immaculate, but his eyes were drawn and lips tight. When he spotted me stooped on the floor at the feet of his parents he let out a cry of what could have been of protest or relief. He rushed towards me and his accompanying bookends went to grab for him until Loretta waved them off.

"Helen, oh thank god." He hauled me to my feet looking me over, eyes darkening as he took in the punctures and bruising. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, his fingers stroking the outline of my most recent bruise.

He turned to his mother and father. "Was any of this really necessary?"

"You gave us no choice son. We could have dealt with this quietly, but your antics have ensured otherwise," Loretta reprimanded.

"Let her go and I promise to stay. Forever," Samuel offered.

"You know that is not possible. But what happens to her beyond that will be your decision. She is to be turned or killed. What would you have?" There was no sympathy in Arthur's eyes as he gave this ultimatum; the outcome was of little consequence to him.

"No." Samuel's head shook wildly. "I will not do this."

"If you refuse then we will choose for you." There was no waver in his father's voice as he spoke.

Samuel wrapped his arms around me, burying his head into the crook of my neck. Doubt enveloped me. Did he not want me anymore? Why would he not choose to save me? If the choices were that I should die or to spend eternity with Samuel, then of course it would be the latter. How could he doubt that?

"Sam?" I pushed him away from me. Looking into his face to see if I could read what he was thinking. I saw only pain and indecision. "Don't you want me enough?"

"Of course I want you. After everything you would doubt that?"

I'm sure that doubt blanketed my face, and I saw no reason to hide it, I was facing death, I was owed the truth.

"You don't know what it involves. I don't want you to go through such a thing," he said.

"Is it better for me to die?" I trusted Samuel enough to believe that if he thought it was better to die than go through what the alternative, then I should believe him.

His eyes squeezed tight as he fought for the answer. "I would not only have to turn you, but prove that I intend to make you my eternal consort."

"How would you do that?" He opened his eyes and turned them on mine, he had made a decision.

"Do you trust me Helen? I mean really trust me?"

I swallowed hard and the sound was so loud that even I heard it. "Yes," and I meant it. I did not know what decision Samuel had made, but I trusted him to carry it through without knowing what it was.

He reached out and tucked my matted hair behind my ear. "I love you," he said. "I will always love you."

I tried to smile, but all that happened was that a tear streaked down my cheek. He caught it on the tip of his finger. Lifting the saline solution to his lips his tongue snaked out to taste it, his eyes drifting closed. When they opened again a fire burned within them.

His fingers swept my eyes clear of any lingering tears, before his lips pressed a soft kiss over one then the other. His lips dotted kisses that tracked to the corner of my mouth, his tongue flicking out seeking an invitation.

"I don't think this is the place for this," I said

"This is exactly the place for this," he murmured against me. "You said you trust me. Then prove it, yield to me. Here. Now."

Oh god! Fear had me trembling against him. I really didn't want to do this, but realised that what I wanted was not important anymore. Consciously softening my lips I let him in. His tongue snaked around mine and I did my best to ignore the crowd watching us. Squeezing my eyes closed I whimpered, wanting this reunion with Samuel, but abhorring the circumstances.

Hands pulled me against him, holding me tight, and his thigh weaving between both of mine pressing against me. As memories of me grinding against his thigh flooded me a soft groan escaped. His palm snaked from my lower back over my bottom settling in the juncture between my legs.

My hands took on a mind of their own and crept up his arms gripping his shoulders. Pulling him tight to me, my body screamed not to lose him again. Losing myself in the moment I thrust my tongue into his mouth, it was his turn to groan. But I was weak and my legs once more buckled unable to support my weight. Samuel supported me on the way down, catching us before we crashed onto the hard floor. Instead I settled atop the stone without any jarring, and he on top of me.

He gazed down at me with a sad expression as fatigue swamped me. Unable to even raise my head I stared back through hooded lids, I could see any future slipping through my fingers. Watching as he opened his lips enough for the tip of his tongue to peek out, I saw him move it between his pointed fangs. He bit savagely through his own tongue; the only sign of pain was the scrunching of his eyes.

Once more Samuel's mouth closed over mine his tongue probing. But now the flow of his blood came with it. The cool liquid flowed into my mouth, sliding down the back of my throat until my reflex made me swallow it. My first thought is that I would gag on the blood. But the flavour gripped me immediately. A sweet nectar, with a slight tang, was flowing into my mouth and with it energy flooded into me; I was struck with the need for more.

Arms and legs clamping around Samuel I pulled him to me, my mouth drawing on his tongue desperate for more. Too soon the flow diminished and I contented myself with the taste of his lips and relearning the contours of his mouth. His breath was coming short and fast as he kissed me back, pressing me against the floor. He lifted off of me and I groaned for him. Pulling myself onto my knees, to mimic his kneeling stance in front of me, I watched as he stripped and discarded his perfectly pressed suit jacket and shirt.

My eyes widened as I caught onto his intention, eyeing the others watching us around the room.

"Yes Helen. I am going to take you in front of them. They are going to see how wet I make you. There will be no doubt that you and I are meant to be together."

My chest rose and fell with my rapid and shallow breaths his words created. Heat rose and spread. Not from embarrassment, but from lust. My mouth watered and lips tingled in anticipation. I could feel how wet his words had made me. Samuel's eyelids hooded as he released a low growl.

"Even now your body lusts for mine. I scent how you ache to have me within me." His fingertips grazed over my breasts as he spoke. "Tell me you want me. I need to hear you say it, now more than ever."

Oh god! I did want him. Right there, even in front of all those monsters whose raptor like gazes had turned rapturous. I was becoming incredibly turned on at the thought of all those eyes watching us at that most intimate of moments.

"I do want you. I want you now and forever, if you'll have me. Take all I have to give Sam, but just take me."

Reaching over he ripped my already ruined top from me. Hooking his fingers under my waistband of my trousers he hauled me towards him. I gasped as his cool fleshed came into contact with my own feverish body. Snapping the button off, he rolled the material down until it bunched at my knees. I shivered at he slid his gaze over my near naked body, expression pulling tight when he reached each injury.

His arms wove behind me and I could feel the fabric of my bra rip, before it was pulled off and discarded. Reaching lower he did the same with my knickers. Cool air wafted over my naked body, goose bumps erupting all over. I could feel his hand snake between my legs from behind; spreading my legs a little I pressed myself against it. I could feel his fingers slide unencumbered though my slick folds. Both Samuel and I groaned in unison at this blatant show of my need for him.

As he rubbed me I tried to wiggle free of my bonds of the trouser legs, frustrated I slapped his hand away so that I could shuck free of the rest of my clothing. A warning growl turned me back toward Samuel, whose expression had turned dangerous. Gripping my forearms he pulled me to my feet and placed my back against one of the pillars. Gathering both of my hands in his he pulled my arms above my ahead. His naked stare took in all of my body, pausing at my pointed nipples. His hungry mouth locked over one nipping and pulling, as the fingers of his free hand teased and pinched the other.

My aching body pressed up to him as the fingers of his free hand crept lower. When they swept over that sweet spot between my cleft I cried out, my legs spreading in the hope of more. He relaxed the grip on both my hands just enough that I slid down the stone pillar, into a squat. As I dropped one finger slid inside me, followed quickly by another. Gasping I thrust my hips to meet his fingers.

Those fingers sawed in and own of me as the need for release built within me and I bucked wantonly against his hand. The wet sound of my sex and the scent of my own musky arousal had me panting and mewling as he pressed a third finger into me. With that an orgasm crashed over me. My sex clamped onto his fingers as my knees slammed shut to keep his hand in place.