Seithe (14 page)

His voice rents out savagely as he is pushed beyond his limit of control. I sag weakly against him when he lifts me off the hook. Wrapping slender arms lovingly around his neck, happy to be his prisoner. Trusting him with my body, my soul, my life. A gentle voice leaks into my ear hotly, "I love you."

My eyes sparkle wetly in response. I whisper drunkenly, "I would die for you."

He lowers us delicately onto the edge of the bed and pulls off my blindfold so he can stare deeply into my eyes. My spirit fuses with his, understanding, passion, compassion, love, silently shared, transmitting between wild blue eyes and doe gentle brown ones. He releases my wrists, and I clutch his knee weakly.

Slipping off the edge of the bed onto my knees in a semi-conscious state. I have just one desire left. He doesn't resist as I crawl to between his legs and begin tasting the hidden treasure there. My hot mouth gently sucking on potential life perfectly packaged. Ensconcing it with heated moisture and a caressing tongue.

He watches me, a serious expression charging between us. I don't care. I want this. Finally I hold his sticky passion in my diminutive hand and cover it with a deep kiss. Inhaling him, inhaling us, tasting, needing, wanting to finally know.

Resting his weight back on his wrists I notice his head tilt back and his eyes close. I have my fill and sit back on my haunches, grinning awkwardly, at my darklight lover.

He offers me a hand. I take it. It seems so easy for him to control my weight. He pulls me onto naked legs, seating me, lovingly wrapping arms around me, kissing and biting my neck, my earlobe, until resting on my mouth. I pull away, no one does this. A hand has found its way into my hair and he locks me there as he forces his way into my mouth, invading, licking, tasting. He releases my head and the same hand invades my inner thighs. Defiantly he pulls his hand back in between us and sucks on his fingers. Embarrassed I smile; pupils dilating with altered perception.

It's a game I've never been in. I don't know the rules, but succumb willingly as I am relaxed back against the submissive bed. He feeds on my inner thigh again and I smile, before surrendering to exhaustion. With closed eyes, I slip into the dark obsidian of dream oblivion.

Chapter 19: Revelations

I awaken and stare drowsily at flickering bowls of fire. Smiling I reflect back on my dream. It was a dream? I feel sticky though. Sitting up I move to go and make coffee. I smell like sex. Strongly of it. Looking down at my thigh, I notice dried blood.

Shocked I inhale deep calming breaths. I wonder what was in that cup?

Recollection traces doubting shivers over my skin.

A hand announces company as it's placed on my stomach, reminding me I am not at home. With muscular command I am drawn back, snugly covering a naked, ash hot Seithe.

"Seithe?"

"Hmmm?"

"How do you travel from place to place?"

I sense him tense, resting my palm on his chest and covering it with his hand. I can feel his stare but refuse to open my eyes. I am trying something new. I want to judge sincerity by listening carefully to his tone, using my instincts.

"I'm not sure you're ready for the truth."

I breathe in deeply and release a whispered sigh. "It makes me black out. It's super fast. Now I know I have an overactive imagination, but I know this isn't normal. You're different. I find that alone adrenalising and intoxicating. I'm opening my mind and engaging you."

Arms hold me against his warm body. I feel both vulnerable and safe when he rests his lips and nose on my hair. I can feel him breathing.

"Say that again."

"I'm opening my mind and engaging you."

He moves and I let him tilt my head back to kiss me with metallic undertones. A whisper in my ear, "You don't exist. I refuse to believe it."

Opening my eyes I note the flames have gutted because we are in complete enveloping pitch blindness. So I focus on where I feel his breath. "Of course I exist. You can feel me. You're holding me."

"I move at the speed of thought from place to place."

"Like a ghost?"

"Something like that."

"You're supernatural then?"

"Yes." This one word is laced with so much emotion that it speaks directly to my heart. Bypassing my analytical brain completely. My instincts tell me so far all he's spoken is the truth.

I lean in to touch him, to find him in the dark. My fingers close around the back of his head, pulling him closer, using blind instinct, raw and savage, I kiss him. My tears flowing, his vulnerability and trust just broke a seal. One boundary has been rendered asunder.

He hardens against me. His velvet deep voice speaks softly, tearing the envelope of silence. "When mankind had spread all over the world, and girls were being born, some of the supernatural beings saw that these girls were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked." A finger traces my lips, "I find this daughter of man beautiful."

"What does that mean?"

"Genesis. The first book of the bible. Read Genesis six baby girl. My kind comes from the very beginning."

I stare at where I think he is, and see silver eyes somehow reflecting light from nowhere.

"What do you mean?"

"Look away."

I look away, to stare at the wall. The room is suddenly flooded with blinding light.

"That's what I look like when I do not hide myself from you. When my eyes turn silver, it is because I am feeling this much intensity."

"But you look human."

The room snuffs back to darkness, and with a pounding heart and gasping breath I return my eyes to stare at silver orbs.

"Genesis six:
There were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the supernatural beings
. Of course I look human. I have your biology. I am born of a woman."

I'm really overwhelmed, quickly feeling my skin to check that I'm okay. I shudder when I think back to him filling me. Does the pill work against supernatural baby-making-juice?

Panicked I sit up, tears welling, afraid, yet again.

"No. To answer your question, no it doesn't. We control our biology in ways you cannot understand. I could impregnate you, but I won't. I'm not like the red eyes. I respect your free will, Phoebe. I can smell and taste your contraception. I respect your desire to remain barren. But a red eye won't. Stay away from them."

Gulping, trying to swallow breath, the past week floods through me, drowning me in revelations. Those glowing red eyes, they weren't fake. And he hears thoughts. Psychic?

"I'll explain it all soon enough."

I cling when I feel his chest attach itself to my cheek as his arms crush around me.

"But you said love. You said it."

"Yes Phoebe, as much as I can, I do."

A chill trickles down my nape when his voice whispers, "And you said you would die for me."

My heartbeat pauses. Fear conflicts with passion, desire, love.

"Words have power, Phoebe. What you say is recorded in Heaven and Hell. I can make you fulfil that statement."

I draw away, panicked. Alarm surging in the blanketing, claustrophobic dark.

"Relax baby. Your adrenalin is turning me into Vlad. Red eyes do that. I'm a little more forgiving."

He takes my hand, my heart starts thumping, my ears drumming to deafening crescendo. "Jeez Seithe. How did you not break me?"

"God made you malleable, pliant, supple."

He pulls me under him, covering me, and despite my fear, my body reacts.

"This time I want you fully aware."

Gulp.

Chapter 20: Diablo

Having every sense on high alert changes everything. I did not know pleasure could be excruciating, or that my body could feel so much. I'm not sure I can handle this long term.

I need more proof. Maybe this is all an elaborate joke at my expense? Resting my cheek onto his chest while he strokes my tresses, he's sedating me with a caressing touch.

No heartbeat! Oh my gawd!

Sitting bolt upright I demand, "Light! Light n
ow
!"

Immediately the bowls begin dancing with flame, the torches ignite. I swallow thickly. That's proof right there isn't it?

Gazing at his gentle brown eyes, my voice betrays panic, "You have no heartbeat."

"Yes I do."

"No, you don't."

He sighs heavily before sitting up, pulling me against him, an arm draped around my shoulder, fingers absently tracing my nipple. Mr Sublime distraction.

"I am immortal Phoebe. I can't die. But I have a biological body very similar to your own. We've been breeding with your kind for millennia. I have a heartbeat, but it beats at a rate much slower than yours."

He shrugs, jostling my cheek, "You have often mistaken us for dead, because you rely so heavily on pathetic sensors and a perverse use of time."

I'm shaking - physically trembling.

His hold increases, dragging me over him, cradled in his arms again, my head looking up. I feel so diminutive, so inconsequential.

"You trust me, we've established that. You love me, we've established that too. You are addicted to me enough to verbalise being willing to die for me. You know I am more powerful than you physically, yet I have not used that to my advantage. I'm not a monster, Phoebe. My kind is simply misunderstood. The red-eyes don't help the situation."

Breath washes over me when he sighs, "I have no desire to harm you. Don't fear me."

My logical mind is arguing on every level.

"Explain your breathing then? We need it to oxygenate our blood. Our heartbeat determines our breath."

"Self taught instincts. We do it as naturally as you do, simply to conceal our identity. It becomes second nature."

He smile is charming, blue eyes staring soulfully into mine.

"Why do you think I like tasting your blood? It's delicious. It's saturated with so many chemicals, from hormones, adrenalin, oxygen, your life is reflected in your taste. What you eat, your time of the month, I taste it by sipping from your cup of life."

Cold embalms me. Unsettled with dread I force him away with a tentative whisper, "What are you?"

"Diablo. Your kind call mine diablo."

"That's a car."

He starts laughing at me, which just makes me irate.

"Fallen angels."

"Crap!"

"The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew eleven. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him. Revelation Twelve."

"More bible rubbish?"

"It's not rubbish, Phoebe. It's history. You called me beautiful. I am the spawn of God's favourite angel. Do you think they're ugly in Heaven, Phoebe? Where do you think beauty originates? I told you that I am trying to show
you
the Kingdom of Heaven."

"What do you want from me?"

"Love ... mercy."

He pulls me back into his arms, holding me reassuringly. Unbidden I smother his body with mine, clinging tightly, "I'm fucking scared, Seithe."

"I understand this is all a bit much. But I'm here, and I'm patient." Tenderly he kisses my face. Allowing me freedom to release my panic with hot tears.

"Goddam it Seithe. I'm in love with a demon."

"I am not a demon. That is completely untrue."

"You drink my blood. You fuck with my mind. You move like a ghost."

"I was made by your creator, Phoebe. Before you. You humans have forgotten what a demon truly is. The new testament was translated from Greek. It's only in the new testament that you get this word demon. My kind existed before you'd even dreamt of that word. Daemon is Greek for Higher guiding Spirit. One thing I do not have, is a Spirit."

Gulping for air, I sit up and confront him, "Is this my choice?"

"Define."

"The choice I have to make?"

"My sister will offer you an opportunity. I am not supposed to interfere in your decision. You make it with your own free will. Without my influence. She would not be happy knowing I've already tried to sway your answer."

"You have a sister?"

"My family is large, Phoebe. We've been around for a long time. Mine has endeavoured to remain as chaste in our human choices as possible. We procreate seldom. It's impossible for you to kill us, so there are millions of us scattered around the globe."

"Then why do you work?"

"We blend. We drive cars, have licenses, hold down employment, have ID, pay tax. If we came out in the open there'd be panic."

I glare at his teeth.

"Why don't you take those out."

"I'm rather attached to them."

"Why aren't you a giant?"

"We've managed to make our bodies far smaller. But your kind always did want to bed the taller males of the species."