about it? The memorable ones, that is.” He smiled down at her and went down on his haunches so that he was eye level with her. “How old are you, Helina?”
“Not as old as you.” She smiled at him, her sense of humor seeming out of place at the moment. She still didn’t know if he was playing with her, just biding his time until he could rip out her throat and drink her blood. Although the thought was foremost in her mind, she knew the odds of that actually happening were unlikely. For one thing, he could have done that countless times already and besides, he seemed genuinely interested in her. Not interested in mauling her and lapping at her blood, but interested in the person she was. Maybe she was just hoping for a positive light in a world that had gone dark.
“Twenty-two.”
He smiled at her, his gaze skimming over her body with hooded lids. “So young. Maybe one of these days I can tell you a tale or two. Would you like that?”
Nodding, Helina was actually intrigued by what this vampire had to say. She needed to remind herself that he was a blood-drinking creature, the same kind of monster that took from her someone very special. Her stomach picked that moment to growl so loudly that her face heated with embarrassment and she wrapped her arms around her middle. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she looked at the ground.
“You are hungry?”
He stood up so fast that she gasped and pressed herself more firmly against the tree. He held his hand out to her and she looked at it for a moment before slipping her much smaller one into it. He led her back to the cave, stopping and turning toward her with a small smile on his face.
“I will bring you nourishment. Please stay in the cave until I come back. It isn’t safe for you to be out alone. Do you promise you will stay inside until I return?”
Helina was surprised by the look of concern that crossed his face and nodded as she let him help her into the opening. She didn’t know why she was listening to him, but in her heart she felt like it was the right thing to do. As she crawled through, Helina could feel his gaze on her but didn’t look back. Moving toward the darkest corner of the cave, his words replayed in her mind about “it isn’t safe for you to be out alone.” She knew as much, but hearing him say it made her involuntarily shiver with fear.
The fact that someone or something was out there with her, something she could never defeat, made her start to perspire with nervousness. Curled into herself, Helina waited for Gaijryc, the vampire that made her feel safe in a world where she was anything but.
Impossible feelings
H elina sat in her cave several days later, waiting for Gaijryc to arrive. He brought her food every day, food so delicious and exquisite it made her forget that she was living in a hole with a dirt floor. He came to her several times a day, urging her, almost pleading with her not leave the cave without him. Helina listened to him, only sitting by the opening to get some fresh air and a little vitamin D.
They didn’t talk much during his visits. He mainly sat across from her, watching as she ate the food—always urging her to eat more. After eating she always ended up falling asleep whether Gaijryc was there or not. When she would wake up, he would be gone, a blanket placed over her body.
She couldn’t explain why she trusted him so much. Maybe it was the fact that he was so kind, so understanding and made sure she was well fed and warm? She would have starved if not for him, would have died in the cave where no one would have found her. She wanted to be strong, knew that Lizzy would have not wanted her to give up.
Hearing the sound of leaves crunching by the cave entrance, Helina felt the familiar tingling sensation that traveled through her body whenever Gaijryc was near.
He stood once he passed the tunnel’s entrance, a large bag in his hands. “Hello, Helina. You look more beautiful every time I see you.”
Smiling,
“Not as old as you.” She smiled at him, her sense of humor seeming out of place at the moment. She still didn’t know if he was playing with her, just biding his time until he could rip out her throat and drink her blood. Although the thought was foremost in her mind, she knew the odds of that actually happening were unlikely. For one thing, he could have done that countless times already and besides, he seemed genuinely interested in her. Not interested in mauling her and lapping at her blood, but interested in the person she was. Maybe she was just hoping for a positive light in a world that had gone dark.
“Twenty-two.”
He smiled at her, his gaze skimming over her body with hooded lids. “So young. Maybe one of these days I can tell you a tale or two. Would you like that?”
Nodding, Helina was actually intrigued by what this vampire had to say. She needed to remind herself that he was a blood-drinking creature, the same kind of monster that took from her someone very special. Her stomach picked that moment to growl so loudly that her face heated with embarrassment and she wrapped her arms around her middle. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she looked at the ground.
“You are hungry?”
He stood up so fast that she gasped and pressed herself more firmly against the tree. He held his hand out to her and she looked at it for a moment before slipping her much smaller one into it. He led her back to the cave, stopping and turning toward her with a small smile on his face.
“I will bring you nourishment. Please stay in the cave until I come back. It isn’t safe for you to be out alone. Do you promise you will stay inside until I return?”
Helina was surprised by the look of concern that crossed his face and nodded as she let him help her into the opening. She didn’t know why she was listening to him, but in her heart she felt like it was the right thing to do. As she crawled through, Helina could feel his gaze on her but didn’t look back. Moving toward the darkest corner of the cave, his words replayed in her mind about “it isn’t safe for you to be out alone.” She knew as much, but hearing him say it made her involuntarily shiver with fear.
The fact that someone or something was out there with her, something she could never defeat, made her start to perspire with nervousness. Curled into herself, Helina waited for Gaijryc, the vampire that made her feel safe in a world where she was anything but.
Impossible feelings
H elina sat in her cave several days later, waiting for Gaijryc to arrive. He brought her food every day, food so delicious and exquisite it made her forget that she was living in a hole with a dirt floor. He came to her several times a day, urging her, almost pleading with her not leave the cave without him. Helina listened to him, only sitting by the opening to get some fresh air and a little vitamin D.
They didn’t talk much during his visits. He mainly sat across from her, watching as she ate the food—always urging her to eat more. After eating she always ended up falling asleep whether Gaijryc was there or not. When she would wake up, he would be gone, a blanket placed over her body.
She couldn’t explain why she trusted him so much. Maybe it was the fact that he was so kind, so understanding and made sure she was well fed and warm? She would have starved if not for him, would have died in the cave where no one would have found her. She wanted to be strong, knew that Lizzy would have not wanted her to give up.
Hearing the sound of leaves crunching by the cave entrance, Helina felt the familiar tingling sensation that traveled through her body whenever Gaijryc was near.
He stood once he passed the tunnel’s entrance, a large bag in his hands. “Hello, Helina. You look more beautiful every time I see you.”
Smiling,
Similar Books
The Heavenly Host (Demons of Astlan Book 2)
J. Langland
Heat of Night
Harry Whittington
I Said Yes to Everything: A Memoir
Lee Grant
Faustina and the Barbarians
John McKeown
"H" Is for Homicide
Sue Grafton
Red Red Wine (Tastes of Seduction)
Jess Dee
Jackie's Boys
Bekki Lynn
The Dirty Dust
Máirtín Ó Cadhain
Killing Me Softly
Marjorie Eccles
The Daisy Picker
Roisin Meaney