Trust (Part 18)

Fern sat on the edge of the sofa and watched Dacian looking around. The idea that she should offer him a drink or something to eat popped into her head. She stood up, words already in her mouth, but caught herself just in time. Instead, she tried to look casual as Dacian studied the photos.

‘I really shouldn’t be here,’ he breathed.

‘Why not?’ Fern cut in.

He turned to her, surprised she had heard him, ‘because we should respect other vampires’ territories.’

‘But I invited you in.’

‘I don’t think it’s your place,’ Dacian answered back.

‘This is my home now and I want you here,’ Fern countered, ‘I don’t care.’

Dacian pulled a face and acted like he was going to argue further.

‘I really don’t,’ she stressed and sat on the sofa again.

Dacian let his shoulders drop and went over to her. He sat beside her, easing a cushion into place behind his back.

Fern’s eyes darted to him then looked straight out. She leant back, picked up the other cushion and hugged it to her chest. Whilst they had been walking, she had wondered so many things about him and had willed time to allow them to talk. Now, she had been granted it she didn’t actually feel the same urges and guilt played on her in its place.

‘I should go,’ Dacian whispered, ‘it’s not right and I don’t want you to get into trouble.’

‘What will he do?’ she asked in a small voice and looking at him through her hair.

‘I don’t know. He’ll be mad though. Mad you let me into his space, mad I brought you home. Found you. Maybe, he’ll think I want you for my own…’

Fern swallowed a giggle, ‘no, he wouldn’t. He’ll be angry sure, but he wouldn’t think that.’

Dacian shrugged, ‘you can never tell. I knew a vampire once for thirty years and he was nice and calm all the time. He never showed his emotions till one day, he just snapped.’

‘Why?’

‘No one knows. He just went crazy, killed a load of people and burnt down a building. He died in the fire.’

Fern toyed with the edges of the cushion, ‘everyone can be like that. I guess.’

‘Perhaps. But we are unpredictable, Fern. Even more so then humans and animals. We are two forms trapped within one and each form is fighting for control all the time. You might not feel it right now, but soon you’ll have to battle it,’ Dacian stated.

‘How old a vampire are you, Daci?’

A smile crept over his face, ‘want to guess?’

Fern frowned before answering, ‘forty?’

‘Bit more,’ he said eagerly.

‘Fifty?’

‘Tiny bit more.’

‘Fifty-two?’

Fifty-five. As of a month ago,’ Dacian jumped in.

Fern giggled and put her hand over her mouth to hide it. The cushion slipped into her lap.

‘I know, I don’t look a day over twenty. Amazing, huh?’

‘Is that how old you were…?’

‘Twenty-two,’ he corrected, ‘I was working in the theme park that use to be close to here. The sixties had just arrived and I was helping close the place for winter.’

‘That sounds interesting,’ Fern chimed in.

‘Let’s keep it that way,’ Dacian laughed back, ‘what about you? How did you and…Brook meet?’ he asked seriously.

‘It was in the Lake District. He was swimming and I was out for a night time walk.’

‘And you accepted his blood?’

Fern nodded, ‘it’s what I wanted. The only thing I wanted since I found out…’

Dacian raised his eyebrows in question.

Turning her head away, Fern spoke gently to the cushion, ‘I was dying and there was no cure. I didn’t want to go. It was just so unfair! I was young and pretty and could do anything I wanted or having anything. I didn’t understand why it had to be me. I hoped there was an answer somewhere, but I didn’t find one. Well, beside from this dream I had about becoming a vampire.’

‘Go on.’

‘I don’t know what happened,’ Fern picked up, ‘I didn’t even believe in vampires! Something, made me do it through…I spent hours researching how to find or summon one. Then trying it over and over again, even mixing it up when I got bored. I was out almost every night looking and hoping. It consumed me. But of course, by the time Brook found me, I had already given up.’

‘And you did all that because of a dream?’ Dacian asked.

Fern nodded, ‘I can’t even remember the dream now…it feels like someone else had it, not me.’

Sighing, Fern threw her head on to Dacian’s shoulder and looked up at his slightly confused face. Her hands frayed the cushion’s edgings once more and she felt crying. She held it in and waited for him to speak.

He eased his arm up and put it around her shoulders. Drawing her in, he kissed her forehead and mumbled, ‘I wish I’d found you.’

Fern slowly moved her head up, her eyes catching his lips before fixing on his electric blues.

‘There are so few of us left and today’s tech makes it even harder for us,’ Dacian whispered, ‘once we could hear someone calling us out miles away. Now, it takes much longer and even then it can be so pointless.’

‘I understand. Brook told me something like that,’ she responded.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Dacian said and he kissed her head again.

Smiling, Fern moved and put her head to his chest and her arm around him. She felt Dacian rest his chin on top of her hair and hug her back. For the first time in the last few days, Fern felt happy and calm. He makes me feel so different to Brook! She thought.

Dacian gently tugged her head up and she let him a line their lips. His touch was so soft and yet so protective. Fern licked her lips a little as Dacian brought their heads closer together. Their lips brushed and Fern felt butterflies in her stomach. She pushed her lips harder against his, determined to show she felt the same way. He didn’t pull back. She felt his hand on her cheek, rubbing her skin lightly and tilting her further up.

Dacian ran his tongue over his lips and she quickly opened her mouth for him. He slowly explored her and Fern couldn’t help but think how different he was to Brook. A spike of guilt speared the butterflies and she broke off the kiss.

‘What is it?’ Dacian breathed.

‘Nothing, nothing,’ Fern gushed.

She swept her hair back and moved the cushion out of her lap. She looked back at Dacian and saw the uncertainty on his face. She licked her lips again then lent back into him.

‘I don’t believe you,’ Dacian muttered.

‘But you believe this right?’

She kissed him.

Dacian buried his hand into her hair and drew her closely. He pressed his lips harder against her’s and Fern felt herself getting excited. She put her arms around his shoulders and slipped her fingers into his hair. She tried to pull him down on top of her, but he was far too heavily to move. Dacian broke of the kiss and planted one just on the edge of her mouth.

Fern, with a big smile on her face, lowed herself down on the sofa and Dacian followed her. He settled on top of her then carried on with kissing her cheek. Fern sighed and shut her eyes. She felt the trace of his lips against her skin as he worked his way down to her neck then to the base of it. He nuzzled against her and she felt his hair tickling her cheek. Trying not to laugh, she focused on the spot he was kissing.

Fern felt Dacian grazing his teeth against her and she squirmed. He sucked tenderly at her skin then bite down. She gasped and clutched him tighter at the sharp pain. Dacian placed his palm and fingers across her lower face as if to quieten her. Fern relaxed under him, finding the pain easing as she did so.

Loudly, she could hear Dacian drinking her blood. They heartbeats coming together in one sound and they bodies tingling in anticipation. Dacian licked at her shoulder then moved and licked her nose.

Giggling, Fern opened her eyes and they kissed. She repeated Dacian’s moves on him and kissed her way down to his neck. She heard him growl in her ear, but she didn’t have his patience and quickly sliced her fangs into him. She heard him moan a little as she began drinking. His blood was hot and the right mix of salt and sweet. She swallowed and eagerly took more as Dacian’s hand slide down her body and came in-between her legs.

Fern took another mouthful then she heard something in the background. Opening her eyes, she listened carefully and tried not to let Dacian’s rubbing fingers distracted her. The noise sounded like a door opening.

Dacian shot his head up, breaking Fern off. He was breathing hard and looking wildly at the door. He scrambled off her and the sofa, backing up towards the window. Blood drops appeared on his neck and began staining his t-shirt. He pressed a hand over them and turned to the glass door.

Fern struggled upwards, almost falling on the floor, but catching herself into. She got to her shaky legs and followed Dacian. She could hear the elevator whirling and her heart out racing it. She reached for Dacian, but missed him as he unlocked and opened the door. He turned to her before he stepped through, giving her a worried look.

She wanted to say something, but nothing would form in head or on her tongue. Behind her, the elevator had come to a stop and she could hear Brook running down the corridor. She turned to glance at the door as it blew open. Cold air rushed from two directions at her and she wiped her head back in time to see Dacian climbing over the balcony.

She rushed out, her hand almost grabbing his as he let go of the railing and dropped from the sixth floor. Fern felt a small scream tumble out of her mouth then Brook was pressed against her. She felt his arms tightening around her and pulling her away. He threw her back inside and she landed heavily on the floor.

Fighting for breath and feeling tears spring in her eyes, Fern twisted and looked up. Brook was standing on the railing, leaning over it. She got up and stood in the doorway, wiping the tears away. She stepping out, she went to Brook’s side and saw the shadow of Dacian disappearing into the woodland.

To be continued in October.

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