Siren Songs

I left the trench, moving quickly through the pre-dawn. My body still throbbed and quivered from what had just passed. The sun was nearing the horizon when I reached my home, slipping in the door and moving quickly down the stairs to my private room. I reached my bed, barely slipping out of my clothes when the piercing sunrise caused all functions to cease. I had no recollection of my body landing on my bed.

Far too early, I was awakened by the sound of mortar fire. I had only been down for a couple of hours. I strained my ears, listening for more shells, but there was none; at least none nearby. In my head, I could hear the explosions. I felt the heat and raining dirt. I could smell cordite and loam. What was happening?

My senses spread out from my body, so I could look around. The sunlight was so bright; I wanted to shield my eyes. My mind turned, and there was Ethan, his face dirt smudged, his uniform torn. Panic filled me. Why was I seeing Ethan? What was I doing in this field?

After searching my mind, wondering what had happened, the memory of last night sparked some reason. I had tasted his blood. The three drops I had taken from him must have bound him to me and I to him. I was stuck inside his mind, his fear, and his adrenalin; perhaps even his memory of last night had called to me. There was a clamor amongst the soldiers and my senses took over, searching out over the field. Mustard gas! I could see it coming over the dead zone. I spun my senses to Ethan. I had to make him understand.

Put your gas mask on! I called out to him, willing him to hear me through the new bond we shared. I shouted it over and over. After the third time, I watched as Ethan paused and looked down at his belt, at the mask. All my senses drew together, willing Ethan to believe in me, in what my powers were telling him. Countless moments passed as I watched him grab his mask and cover his face. Mere seconds later, the cloud of noxious fumes covered the field and obscured my vision of him.

Caleb? His disembodied voice came to me softly, hesitantly.

Yes Ethan? My heart was pounding, overwhelmed with new and what I had thought were long dead emotions. He never answered me. Not until Ethan had returned to the base camp did I sever our connection and try to go back to sleep. It was a wasted effort. Every primal instinct in my body demanded I go to Ethan. But until the sun disappeared from the sky, I was bound to my dank chamber. I had never hated the prison I was in before that day.

Never before had I ever risked the light of day, but I stood at the door's threshold, watching the last few rays of sunlight fade. Once the tingling in my spine ended, I left, moving swiftly through the night. One other bonus of our being bonded, I could sense Ethan from miles and miles away.

I didn't see anything that I walked through. Not the forest. Not the dead soldiers lying in the field. Every sense in my body was tuned to Ethan. I drifted through the night, searching for him. Before long, I knew he was near his camp, standing amongst the trees. I walked up behind him, whether I said his name aloud or in my mind, I couldn't say, but he turned to me.

We came together in a flash of raw need. Arms entwined, I buried my lips against his pulse, letting my hands wander over him, making sure he was unharmed. My fingers felt irritated skin against his wrist and burnt skin at the nape of his neck. As we sank to the ground with our hands skimming over each other's bodies, unbeknownst to me, my powers reached out and healed the chemical burns on Ethan's body.

As I plunged myself into Ethan's body, the bond between us opened, and I could feel all that he was feeling. I was given double the sensations of our coupling: what I always felt during sex, and now what Ethan was experiencing as well. It was the most erotic feeling I had ever known. His body surrounded me, fisting me in pleasure, but I also could feel Ethan and his pleasure; his absolute pleasure.

After it was over, we lay on the ground, holding each other, staring at the moon. I lost count of the number of times I found release inside him that night. Each time seemed to bind us together stronger and deeper. When we parted just before dawn, it was with a promise to return the next night. We met every night, just outside of his camp, over and over again.

As April faded into May, there was a large battle. Many men lay wounded and dying on the battlefield. Their pain and suffering called to me. All I could do was dream of Ethan, but their torment overrode my desire for my man. Pulled between my two halves, I waited for sunset, and then I set out for the battlefield intent on stopping their pleas.

It took hours as I went from man to man, German, French, British, and American, it didn't matter. I ended their torment, draining their pain as I took their life force. I was kneeling over the last one, letting my powers calm the scared boy, when I felt his presence. I wanted to hurry, I didn't wish for Ethan to see what I was. In my haste, the young French boy felt my fangs sink into his neck. His panic overwhelmed me and I worked harder to calm him. I had taken his last heartbeat into me when Ethan came across us.

The bond between us roared to life, throwing me into the maelstrom of his emotions. Fear; gut wrenching, confusing fear rippled between us. I watched in extreme sadness as he turned from me and fled into the night. My seldom-used heart was breaking in two as I sat, trying to decide to go after him or return to my lair. All I had to do was remember the two of us together, and I was on my feet and using my superhuman strength to run after him, overtaking him quickly.

I didn't temper my strength as I grabbed his shoulder, spinning him around. "Ethan, wait."

The look of raw fear in his eyes could have ripped me in two. But my man was always courageous. His voice may have trembled, but he found the courage to talk to me. "What are you?"

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, blinking back the unfamiliar and unwelcome moisture in my eyes. "Does it matter?"

Incredulity sparked in his eyes. "Hell yes it matters!" He kept blinking his eyes rapidly and his face was flushed. "I worried about you when you didn't come to the camp." He swallowed. "I've fallen..." His voice trailed off.

Frustration filled me, and I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed him. All my frustration, fear, and hurt went into it. Except for that first night, we hadn't kissed since. His taste filled my senses; the texture of his mouth overwhelmed me. Without meaning to, my fangs scraped his bottom lip and his precious life's blood filled me. I tasted his fear and confusion. What seared my heart was the pain and hurt. Underlying it all though, I could taste love. It was a foreign and long unfamiliar sensation, but my body recognized it, blossomed with it. My need for him was great, I wanted so badly to take him in my arms and love him through the night. But the sun would rise all too soon.

I broke the kiss, pulling away from Ethan. His golden hair shone in the moonlight. His lips were bruised and passion filled. I stepped back, moving slowly away from him. "You have no need to fear me, Ethan." I was about to turn away from him, when his voice halted me.

"What you are, it's nothing but a scary story told to kids."

I turned back and smiled, letting my fangs show. "Not all stories are make-believe. But I mean you no harm." Hope forced me to continue, to make myself vulnerable to this mortal man who had captivated me. "Think on what you feel today. I'll be back to the camp after sunset." I swallowed audibly with what I was about to do. "If you are not there, I'll never bother you again."

With those last words, I fled into the night, moving as quickly as I could to my sanctuary. When the sun rises, my death is compulsory. My longevity as a vampire allows me to wake early. This day, it was barely an hour after sunrise when I awoke. All I could feel through our bond was his confusion and indecision. If I knew more about my powers, if I had had an instructor, I might have known how to comfort, perhaps even ease his anxiety. Instead, all I could do was feel his torment.

The coming summer and the increased sunlight made the time before I could go to Ethan unbearable. Thankfully, I wasn't helpless underground. There were things I could do. I grabbed candles from my storeroom and placed fresh linens on the bed. At some point during the long day, I had decided that if Ethan were waiting for me, I'd bring him to my home, my sanctuary.

Once I moved away from my mill, I let my senses go, searching through the countryside for the life signature of Ethan. When my senses came upon the field hospital, I wanted to shy away, lest their plaintive call for an end to their suffering pull me away from my mate. It was strange, but in the five hundred years since I had become a vampire, I had never once taken a partner. When I was young to my immortal life, I had been drawn to others like me. I looked in large cities, and the first of course being Paris. But their decadent life and disregard for the humans they fed on quickly drove me away. I knew from my observations though, that I could bind myself and in the process bind to me a human. He would draw from my powers and I from his vitality, increasing his lifespan and decreasing my own. For if anything happened to one, the other would perish as well. Fear alone, plus lack of prospects had kept me from considering it. But with Ethan, for the first time, I felt more than bloodlust and sexual hunger. I had never known love before, but this felt very much like it.

The initial attractors were his life force and his inner beauty. But it was his strength; his own feelings for me that had made my own emotions explode. I had barely left the stream bank when I could feel Ethan in the distance. My feet moved swiftly over the ground, as if they knew every branch, every rock and avoided them. In mere moments, I was standing in the trees, slightly away from the American army camp. I stood under the trees where we had made love that second time. There I waited. And waited. And waited.

After an unknown amount of hours, after watching the shadows and silhouettes of the tents, there was a rustling behind me. I turned and found Ethan, looking down at his feet, shamefaced. He shrugged his shoulders, as if he were unburdening himself then looked directly in my eyes. "I'm sorry I was late, I had night patrol duty."

Relief made my chuckle almost hysterical. "It doesn't matter. You came. That's everything."

Ethan placed his hand in mine and we left the trees, moving towards my mill. My powers reached out and included him. We moved fast, avoiding obstacles in our path. Within minutes we were crossing the stream and entering my home. I led Ethan down the stairs, past the old grindstone into my private chambers.

Once I shut the door to my room, I moved around my space, lighting candles. My own senses were sharp, but tonight, I wanted to see all of my love. Once the last candle was lit, I turned to find Ethan staring at me. Then I realized he hadn't seen me except in shadows. I moved slowly towards him, feeling my blood boil as he continued to stare at me in an almost feral, hungry way. I watched as he swallowed.

"You're very pale Caleb."

I chuckled and touched his arm, feeling electricity spark between us. "I haven't seen the sun in over five hundred years."

The embarrassed way he rolled his eyes and blushed charmed me deeply. I had known he was tall, but in this room, with the stark candlelight, he was almost larger than life. I reached out to him and began to unbutton his jacket and Ethan returned the favor on me. Once we stood before each other naked, I spent many long moments drinking in his frame.

He was muscular, but not overly so. His shoulders were very broad. From head to toe, the man was covered in a light blonde fur that once touched, proved to be as soft as down. Ethan possessed an outer beauty, now that I had finally seen it that simply took my breath away. All the time I spent looking at him, feasting him with my eyes, he did the same to me. He swallowed deeply before placing his hand to my chest, running his fingers through the wedge of hair there, scraping over my nipples, causing me to gasp loudly, because of which he dropped his hand. I took it in mine and kissed his knuckles before pulling him towards me, back to the bed.

I lay back against the sheets and pulled Ethan on top of me, taking his lips with mine. His body shifted so it lay fully on top of me, his erection pulsed and leaked against my thigh. Our difference in height made it obvious in what I intended. Except for the night I became a vampire, I had never allowed someone else to enter me. This night though, I was giving myself to Ethan, to cement the bond we shared.

I slipped my legs around Ethan's hips, wiggling a bit to center him, pressing my own aroused flesh hard into his belly. He then looked down into my eyes, bracing himself on his arms, and trembled in excitement. As he began to press into me, I pulled him by the back of the neck and kissed him deeply as I felt the loud rumble of his moan as he slipped inside me. Ethan lowered to brace himself on his elbows, framing my face in his big hands as he began to move.

Arching my back against his chest, I cried out as he slipped in and out of me swiftly but not roughly. My hands became restless as I scratched up and down his back. I watched as his breath began to pant and his face beaded with sweat, all the while his grin and soft moans told me of his pleasure. My own body reached for release and I heard my own cries of joy as he filled me, over and over again. As he reached his peak, I kissed him again, tasting his pleasure, his rapture on his heated breath. It swirled inside me, adding to my own pleasure as I cried out, emptying my seed against his belly.

We collapsed into a pile of sweaty, entwined limbs as we kissed each other gently, tiredly. I stayed awake for a long time, watching Ethan as he drowsed. Finally, I had found my mate. Once he woke, I would ask him if he would bond with me permanently.

Once I felt the first tingles of dawn's approach against my spine, I gently roused Ethan. He yawned and grinned big as he grabbed me, kissing me deeply. But I had so little time to tell him. I pushed him away gently, even though I could feel his desire pressing hard against my belly.

"Ethan, when the sun rises in a few minutes, I will sleep. You will not be able to rouse me."

He seemed a bit confused but nodded his understanding. I could feel the sun, nearing the horizon. "After a few hours I will wake. We need to talk." I had mere seconds left. My limbs grew sluggish and my eyes were drooping. "Don't..." I never got a chance to finish, as the sun broke free of the horizon.

I awoke, confused and disoriented. It was near sunset. I hadn't planned to sleep so late. I looked around my room, searching for Ethan. I opened our bond, but couldn't locate him in my home. That's when I noticed his clothing was gone. I reached out with all my might, searching for his life force.

Standing in the middle of a battlefield, with mortars exploding all around, was Ethan, dragging a fallen comrade towards the safety of their own lines. My mind shattered with fear. All my control slipped as every doubt and petty fear ran through my mind. Why had he left? Why did he go back? Will he come back? Over and over it swamped my mind.

I could only dress in frenzy, going out of my chambers, ready to flee across the fields to my mate. I couldn't cut off the images of him, dodging bullets, dragging his friend to safety. The sun would set soon, I could go to him, bring him back and bond with him. A few minutes before sunset, I doubled over in pain as fire lanced my belly. I wasn't hurt. But my mind was filled with pain and horror as I watched Ethan sink to the ground, grasping his middle, where a bullet had caught him.

Willing all my powers over the weak link we had, I begged for him to be okay, long enough for me to reach him and share the link with him so he could be healed. I had never risked the sunlight before, but I stood at the door, letting the last rays burn into my skin. The moment the sun sank below the hills, I ran. I pushed myself harder than I ever had before. I used all of my powers, focused only on the weak heartbeat of my mate. The troops had moved north during the day, I was further away from Ethan than I had ever been before.

Hours seemed to have passed when I finally made it to the battlefield. I combed over the bodies, searching for a beloved face. His heartbeat was getting weaker; I could feel him slipping away. The search seemed to take hours, but probably only lasted a few minutes. Then I found him, lying facedown in the mud, his beautiful golden hair caked with dirt.

Not even thinking of his pain, I rolled Ethan over. His sharp cry tore at my heart. All I wanted to do was seal the bond and save him. His heart was starting to beat erratically. We had little time left. I wiped the dirt off his face, cupping his cheek in my hand. "Ethan! Ethan!"

He choked on some blood dribbling from his lips. "I'm so sorry Caleb."

The anger and recrimination didn't matter anymore. "Don't. Don't speak. It'll be okay soon. I'll take you home. We'll be fine." I didn't realize tears streamed down my face.

He tried to lift his arm to my face, but it fell back to the ground. He started coughing. I willed all my powers into him, trying to heal his wound. But it was too late. "Don't leave me Ethan. Please."

His smile was fading fast. There was no time to seal the bond. Ethan was going to die. "I love you Caleb. I'm sorry I have to leave you."

I shook my head, sobbing loudly. "No... don't leave."

Ethan laughed a little, and then winced from the pain. "I don't have a choice in this. I love you Caleb. Always."

The pain was so great, but I swallowed my anguish. "I love you too Ethan."

He smiled at me, and then with the last of his strength, he grabbed my hand. "Make the pain go away. Please."

Horror shook me. "No... please no."

Ethan tilted his face away, baring his neck. "Please Caleb. I hurt so bad."

The tears doubled, trickling into my mouth. I had no choice. "I love you Ethan. Always." Then I lowered to his throat and called his pulse to the surface, using my powers to calm him, let him feel my love. My fangs sank deeply into his neck and I drank of everything that I loved. His goodness. His purity. His love. His undying, everlasting love for me I tasted. I had never once known someone else's love before.

In less than a minute, Ethan died in my arms. I felt his last breath against my arm. When it finally sank in that he was gone, I bellowed all the hurt and anguish I had ever felt, both my own and my victims, into the night sky. I know not how long I screamed my anger to the moon, but once my voice was ragged, I crushed Ethan's body to me, cradling it as I wept.

I seriously considered staying where I was to let the sun turn me into cinders. My pain would end with the rising of the sun; it would be over. I couldn't do it. When the night sky started to purple with the impending dawn, I set Ethan down and left through the dark, back to my lair. Once back in my sanctuary, I lay back on my bed, still filled with Ethan's scent, and let dawn's oblivion take me away.

I didn't leave my mill, let alone my room, for thirteen years. The only thing that did make me was the undying hunger I felt. I would have gladly let my life end, but the hunger won out. The world's economy was in tatters and it was worse for the peoples of Germany. I headed out and feasted on the poor, malnourished and starving until I had gorged myself.

Over the next few years, I followed wherever war and strife would take me. I was hollow inside. My only source of comfort I had was easing some poor, lost soul out of his miserable existence on earth. The only difference was now I simply used my powers to calm, not seduce. Because once I had known what true love was, no simple act of sex could compare.