Into the Darkness

One orgasm rolled into the next, into the next, and Draven never gave her a chance to do anything but get lost in the sensation. It was a frantic, nearly violent coupling; ragged breathing and the slapping of flesh were the only sounds in the room. Lei tore her mouth free, fairly sobbing with the sensations. Her body felt like it was on fire. It was both good and bad, but mostly good. Her muscles contracted around him again, drawing him deeper, trying to trap him into staying.

Her eyes opened and she glanced up to Draven's face; he was gritting his teeth, trying to hold back. The veins in his neck stood out, every muscle she could see straining against some inner need. Tears slipped from her eyes, and Lei tightened her grip on his shoulders, trying to gain some leverage. The sensations were so complete- so much...clearer than normal, she was overcome.

The tug began once more in her lower belly, and she shuddered as she came again. She'd always been responsive, but this was like nothing she'd ever experienced. A groan tore from Draven's throat and he jerked spasmodically, emptying himself and filling her with his seed. Lei caught a glimpse of his teeth, and his fangs were prominent. Then her eyes drifted shut.

It took Draven a few minutes to collect himself, and when he did, his voice rumbled through her ribcage.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes."

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm not anymore. But because it was intense."

"Did I hurt you?" Draven shifted to his side, pulling her against his chest.

Lei shook her head. She didn't have much energy left for more.

His lips drifted over her face, kissing her cheek, her eyelids, then her forehead. By then, her breathing had evened out, and she was asleep. He silently cursed himself for letting it happen, but now that it had...he was glad. Relieved. He hadn't hurt her, hadn't bit her...it was all right. He followed her to dreamland.

It happened quickly. Draven sat straight up in bed, hearing multiple voices saying, 'intruder'. Some were in his head, some were out loud. He sprang up, gathering his clothes and throwing them on.

"Lei, wake up."

She was already blinking herself awake. He'd jarred her from her nap when he flew out of bed.

"What does it mean? The intruder?"

"Probably a hunter. Please, let there only be one. And I hope he didn't tell his friends where he was going. Put on clothes. Come on. Let's go."

Lei jumped out of bed and found her clothes quickly, and Draven drug her through the doorway even as she was tugging her shirt back on. His goal was to find June and leave Lei with her. He opened his mind and found that they had caught him by the front door. Changing courses, he took the stairs two at a time, with Lei trailing from his arm.

As they came to a halt in the foyer, Draven made out that this...kid, had gotten lost. He was almost out of gas, and when he saw a light in the distance, he took the chance. It was a pretty poor idea, but the kid hadn't known that.

Now, everyone had flocked to help with the 'intruder', and he was visibly frightened. The outward signs weren't completely obvious when you had the vampires one or two at a time, but when a whole flock of pale people living in the same house charge the door...well, anyone would think something was fishy. And this kid had definitely gotten the vibe.

Lei could smell the human...and his scent was...nicer than any of the others that she'd encountered that day at the mall. She suddenly felt hungry. Her eyes widened as the thought hit her.

Draven was busy instructing the old vamps to get the newer ones upstairs and away from this kid. Most everyone needed to go back to what they were doing. They were going to have to erase his memory, because this was something that put all of them in danger.

Through a fog, Lei heard someone ask if he wanted anything to eat or drink. The thought made her hungrier, and she started moving towards him without much thought to what would happen when she got there. Draven had his back to her, still barking orders, and the hall had emptied, save a few that were going to do what needed done. Filling up his car, going with him back to the road and away from there, erasing him, then sending him on his way.

Lei felt her mouth water, and pricked her tongue on her teeth that had grown. Still in the haze, she didn't give it much thought. She felt like she was moving underwater, and though she was heading straight for the boy, who couldn't have been more than eighteen, no one was trying to stop her. They trusted her.

Trusted...the word broke a little of the concentration. Lei's feet halted, but the need in her belly was too great, and somehow that kept her moving. She shook her head slightly to clear it, but it did no good. She was coming up to the side and slightly behind him, and no one was paying her any mind. Something in her head screamed stop, but she was powerless to do so. It was like she was floating out of her body, watching someone else do this.

Fredrick asked the boy his name, and she heard his reply of Jake...that made it more real...she wanted to stop, especially then. He had a name; he was real. But she was only a few steps away. She saw June out of the corner of her eye, and she had been watching the kid. Jake. Probably because he was close to her age.

Then everything happened at once. June must've seen something in her eyes, as her own widened, and she opened her mouth to say no. Lei took that last step and leaned in...even as Draven turned and saw what was happening. The two vampires flew to Lei, June grabbing the boy, and Draven catching Lei.

At that point it was too late. Jake had felt the very tips of Lei's teeth puncture his flesh, and he flew into a frenzy. There was no erasing that; Lei had just rewritten his chapter. Then the most curious thing occurred... June had Jake by the shoulders, and she lowered her head and bit him.

Lei snapped out of her fog, and screamed no...Draven held her tight against his chest and glanced down. Her eyes weren't glowing anymore. She had snapped out of it.

"June...are you feeding, changing him, or killing him?"

Her eyes flew to Draven, glowing ice blue, and she backed off. Jake crumpled to the floor.

"Changing him."

"You want him?"

June only nodded. Draven sighed and released Lei from his grip. He knew there would be hell to pay with Fredrick, but at the time he had bigger fish to fry. Jake would be changing, and there wouldn't be peace in the house for weeks.

Since Jake was the only human, Draven was fine with leaving Lei alone, so he was part of the team that carried Jake to a room and strapped him in. June got some supplies and went into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She'd help him get accustomed to his new life, and then she would have a mate.

Draven stopped halfway down the hallway and rested his forehead against the wall. He'd been so sure Lei was fine, and that nothing like that would have ever happened. He felt disappointed; whether at her or in his beliefs he wasn't sure. He could still smell her on his skin and taste her on his lips. He felt like he was betraying her, having doubts. But they weren't really doubts because it had happened. She'd had the urge to feed, and she almost accomplished it.

He turned and continued downstairs, wanting to find her. What he saw threw him off-guard.

The front door was hanging open, and Lei was curled into herself sitting on the front porch. Of all people, Fredrick was sitting next to her, patting her back. Her frame shook, and Draven figured she was crying. He heard Fredrick comforting her.

"It's all right, you know. It's what we do. It's who we are. I wasn't sure about you being here, about what dangers you posed to us. I will say I'm relieved you're partially one of us, but I'm disappointed too. You're much too sweet to be a creature of the night."

"When will I learn to control it?" Lei's voice was watery.

"It will take a while...but you have great teachers here, my dear. We'll all work together." Fredrick gave her shoulder a squeeze and stood up, making his way back into the house.

Draven passed the other man and Fredrick stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. Their eyes spoke. Fredrick wasn't worried about Lei doing anything to destroy their community any longer. For that, Draven was grateful. He nodded at the older man and continued through the door, shutting it behind him.

Lei glanced up with tear drenched eyes, and when she saw Draven, they flooded over anew. She dropped her head and whispered, "I'm so ashamed."

Draven sat down and pulled her into the circle of his arms. "Ashamed? Of being who you are now? Don't. You can't help it, lovely."

"You are disappointed in me. I heard it." Lei sniffled.

Draven closed his eyes, pained. He should have made sure he was blocking.

"I think I'm mostly disappointed that you had to turn that far. I feel like I'm a monster some days. I didn't want that for you. Look at me." Draven tilted her face up so that she made eye contact with him. "I'm not mad at you, or disappointed in you, all right? I want you to understand that. I'm mad at the circumstances that put you in this situation. But...glad it happened, at the same time. I wouldn't have gotten to know you." Draven swallowed hard. "I wouldn't have gotten to love you."

Lei's eyes searched his, and she felt him open to her, and she saw the truth of his words. Tears spilled over her eyelids again, and she managed to laugh at herself.

"I'm not always happy about my new life, and I'm not always happy it happened. But when I look at you, I think it was worth it. I love you too. And not because the 'rules' say I have to."

Draven leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Lei sighed against his mouth and wound her arms around his neck.

"Let's go back to bed."

Lei smiled. "That's the best plan I've heard all day."

Draven stood and pulled her up with him. "I hear vampires make the best lovers."

Lei's laughter followed them up the stairs.