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End of Days by Delilah deSora [Reviews - 1] 
End of Days By: Delilah deSora The golden haired vampire watched the violet haired man weave gracefully through the crowd. Every smile, every gesture, every laugh imprinted itself upon his soul and Cain found himself unconsciously shadowing the other’s movements through the party, as though they danced to a song only he could hear. He was unsure what direction his feelings for the man he had never even spoken to were going. At first they were a sudden urge to take the beautiful creature, to feed off of his beauty and charm but that sharp sensation had all but faded away, leaving an aching desire that had yet to decide what it wanted him to do with the man. So Cain watched and hunted the human from the shadows. It wasn’t at all a waste of time, in fact Cain found himself enjoying the hunt. His quarry didn’t realize he had a secret watcher though every once in awhile when the object of his attention went for walks after twilight, a bad activity for such an innocent to engage in so late, the man would pause and peer around but instead of doing the prudent thing and returning home he would shrug it off and continue on. And an innocent was what Cain’s newest interest was. He had no dalliances with his peers, male or female, he never stole or cheated, he did as his father asked him and he escorted his sister or mother when they required one. He was unfailingly polite with everyone and given to helping those that appeared to need it. It was enough to make Cain’s teeth ache most of the time. It was also enough to keep him awake during the day fearing what that strange feeling was coalescing itself into. If that ache turned into love, as he feared, Cain worried over the implications. A man like Shido would not adjust to the world of the vampire easily, though he appeared to already haven an affinity for the dark. He also appeared to have an affinity for reading certain books that Cain suspected his church would frown upon. The interest in other forms of religion suggested that his Shido might not be as satisfied with his world as he appeared. It was a good sign but the golden haired vampire suspected it wasn’t strong enough to make the change for the man easy. Someone touched his arm and he turned to look at the woman who giggled at his elbow. He smiled and pushed his current obsession to the back of his mind. He had years to mull over what he wanted to do with the choice bit of beauty that called to him but at the moment he had a more pressing need. Gently he took her offered hand and drew the woman into the dance of the vampire. Shido bowed to the group of men who were slowly descending into drunken stubbornness and slipped away before their gentlemen’s debate turned into a shouting match. A glance at the candles proved that he had staid as long as was proper and could finally trade the too warm room for the cool night. Autumn was finally beginning to set in and the air was chill but not uncomfortable as he collected his coat and slipped away into the darkness. His parents worried about his walks but he assured them he kept to populated areas and he’d never once been harmed so their worries had fallen quiet and they no longer urged him not to go. He breathed deeply and tossed his head back to star at the stars, his hair brushing his shoulders. Shido loved this time most of all. During the day he was surrounded by people and orders as he worked with his father, learning the trade of a merchant and during the late afternoon he danced the circle occupied by the women of his family. Night was truly the only time he had to himself. It called to him, urging him to discover thoughts that simmered just beyond his consciousness during the day. So it was that he didn’t notice the entwined bodies under the tree until he was nearly on top of them. A sharp movement drew his attention back to the present and he froze, eyes wide in surprise, as the man turned and stared at him with golden eyes. No, Shido corrected himself, not a man. No man made the sound that this one did, the growl that sent waves of fear through him, urging him to flee but at the same time freezing him in place. And no man had such fangs. The man stood, easily carrying the pale body of a woman Shido only vaguely recognized. Golden hair swayed as the man backed away a few steps and then, to Shido’s shock, disappeared. Freed from the shock he turned and fleed, stumbling as a form appeared before him. Frightened Shido turned to the one place he’d been taught to go. Stumbling up the church’s steps he burst into the inner sanctum, falling to his knees before the altar. With shaking hands he started to pray. A deep laugh startled him out of prayer and he stared up in horror as the vampire descending, mimic the form on the cross. Leaping to his feet Shido turned to flee, not understanding how the creature had been able to cross the sanctified entryway. The man caught his wrist, pulling it wide and jerking him off balance. Shido gasped and stumbled into the larger body, whimpering as the man’s other hand caught his chin and forced his head back. Golden eyes stared down at him and he felt himself falling. Cain caught the smaller man as he fell limp, caught in the haze he had created in the violet haired man’s mind. Gently he lifted Shido, unable to resist burying his face in the violet strands. Closing his eyes he let his thoughts carry them home. ** Shido cried out in pain as the man’s fangs sank into his neck. Too many sensations flew through him as the larger man continued to bring pleasure to his body yet caused such pain at those two small points. He arched and moaned, rubbing his nakedness against the cold man above him. He sobbed, crystal tears freezing on his cheeks as the vampire pulled out of his throat and kissed them. A mouth caught his and he tasted his own blood in his mouth as he obediently licked the vampire’s fangs clean. When the coppery taste had vanished the vampire sat up, staring down at him possessively. He shuddered and turned away, clenching his eyes closed as a hand pressed his nakedness against the vampire’s and stroked them both, glassy nails brushing against fragile skin but somehow not tearing it. He whimpered and hated himself for it as he shuddered and came, spilling the essence of life into the vampire’s hand where it was spread over the vampire’s marble cock before he was lifted up and impaled. “Please!” He whispered, crying out as the vampire rose over him and claimed his body. The vampire only laughed and thrust harder, stroking him like a lover, all the while claiming him. And then, with an inhuman roar, Shido felt the vampire’s blood flow into him and he sobbed. The vampire pushed away from him, kissing his cheek tenderly. “One more moon, my love,” he whispered. Shido did not need him to voice what he meant by that. For two month he’d been held captive, some days, when he’d tried to escape, chained to the vampire’s bed. On the night of the true full moon the vampire came to lie with him, releasing his blood into the most sacred of places even as he drew blood from him. He knew enough of the occult to know what that meant. Once a vampire had exchanged blood with a mortal three times, each on the full moon, the mortal would die and be reborn. Closing his legs Shido lay still as the vampire lied beside him, whispering endearing words until the sun came up and he died. Shido rose with the sun, moving slowly through the silent castle in search of food. Once he’d eaten he stepped out the front door, his feet freezing upon the stone entryway as they always did. He could not longer flee. The vampire’s blood had stolen that from him. Even the thought of leaving his golden haired lover made him break down and weep, tears falling in the sun, which could no longer warm him. And when the night fell the castle came alive with demons and humans who tried to garner the vampire’s attention but only he could hold the vampire’s gaze. He would sit at the vampire’s side and the other monsters all bowed to him, calling him their master’s mate. The other humans despised him for he took the vampire’s attention from them. When they’d all gone the vampire would take him out to the garden or put jewels in his hair, not relenting until he forced a smile and called the vampire by his name. Cain. And Shido felt Abel had gotten the better of the bargain, at least he’d just died. ** The setting sun shone red in the violet hair. Shido had meant to watch it set, his final moments of seeing the sun, but instead he stood with his eyes closed, just memorizing what it felt to feel the warmth of it on his skin. It warmed him as nothing else could. He was so cold these days, shivering even in the heat of a nearby fire. Soon, though, he would not be cold anymore. The final rays of the sun sank below the mountains and Shido opened his eyes, staring down at the village below. And at that moment Shido found he hated them, the humans who lived there, the ones he’d grown up with and lived among. They had not come for him. They had not sought him out. They’d turned their backs upon him and left him to be a vampire’s plaything so that the vampire would leave them alone for a few precious months. Shido’s lips pulled back in a silent snarl. Let them think to sacrifice him. Let them hide in their beds or on their knees in musky old churches. Let them think they’d bought themselves some measure of peace. Tomorrow night there would be two vampires to fear. With deliberate slowness Shido turned his back upon the people who turned their backs on him and strode into the dark castle, to the golden creature sitting upon a silk draped bed that waited to devour the last of him and give him a new life. And, with open arms, Shido gave himself up like a sacrificial bride, letting his vampire lover take him and lay him down to claim him until all he could do was scream. |
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