Sarah and Friends (Part Three)
Long deep breaths and heavy concentration on the warm water that cascaded over my frozen body was what I tried to fill my mind with. Marius said that his blood would help me clear my mind, but he couldn't have been more wrong. My mind was filled with want and craving and visions. I remembered how the elder vampire's lips had felt when they first crashed against mine in the strange blood offering and how his blood had lit my soul on fire. I wanted nothing more than more of his kisses...more of him. I nervously bit my bottom lip as my thoughts shifted to Armand once more and how feather light and yet sensual his touch had felt. I wanted to feel his touch in more places and I felt my aching core agree with a strong pulse. I wanted to run my fingers through his auburn curls and get lost in his large amber eyes. I...I strangely wanted to feel his fangs. I had a strong urge to feel his fangs buried inside my neck like some sort of parody of a sexual position.
I sat in the porcelain bathtub as I scrubbed away the dried blood from my torso and wiped it from my white hair. The water around me becoming tainted with the blood...much like what was happening inside of me, I suppose. Watching the colors dance and swirl in the water seemed to make me somber for a moment. I remembered my family...my life. What would it be like without them? Perhaps this constant madness would be better than having to force myself to bring distance between us.
After I dried off and left the bath I dressed myself in my standard pajamas, that consisted of a long and comfy Black Butler t-shirt and soft shorts and threw myself onto my bed. The sun would be rising soon as I could see the first peaks of light begin to brighten the sky outside of my window. I needed sleep...but I know it wouldn't come with my mind cluttered and heart beating erratically like this. I needed something to calm me and send me drifting.
My hand drifted down to my pajama bottoms as I closed my eyes and let my mind take over for a moment and let whatever thoughts may come. My fingers traced over the fabric that covered my aching weeping core as my mind filled with a fantasy...a desire. I imagined Armand next to me, smiling and speaking to me in sly pillowtalk as I stared into his mesmerizing eyes. His hand would come to cup my cheek as he gave me a long kiss, his lips lingering on mine while his hand descended down to the area where my fingers now began to circle. My back arched off the mattress for a moment at the thought of his fingers moving against the bare skin of my lower lips in a horribly teasing light touch only to firmly cup my sex a moment later to watch my reaction. My face blushed brightly as I imagined feeling fingers teasing my dripping opening as Armand's fingers tracing my round swollen bundle of nerves. I pictured Marius on my other side, his fingers exploring me much like Armand's. Marius' cool lips placing soft kisses along my jaw and neck as they slowly built a roaring fire within me.
Only moments later was I furiously moving my fingers with haste as my release came with the morning sun, my breath gasping and my body shaking. The names of the vampires leaving my lips as the waves of the release washed over me, leaving me feeling weak and drifting. My eyes opened only for a few seconds to see the rays of the sun wash over the window of my room, giving me small glimpses of lightly falling snow outside. Then sleep came.
My head had been thankfully much clearer when I woke up later in the day, and by later...I mean, only an hour or so before the sun would set. My sisters had come into my room to check up on me, worried that I must have a fever of some sort or a terrible migraine. They offered cold medicine, pain relievers, warm blankets and hot cider. I thanked their every attempt at making me well. I was smiling warmly at them and yet I fought back at tears that welled up in my eyes. I didn't want things to change between us. But I was noticing changes in me. My hearing was more acute than ever. I could almost hear the snow falling onto the ground as though they were rocks crashing down upon the earth. At moments I even swore I could hear the whispers of my sister's thoughts around me. My body felt repulsed at the food and drinks that were being offered to me and yet I felt a thirst like nothing I'd ever felt. I forced down food, and found the the thirst could not be satisfied.
I looked at my reflection for the first time in over a day while I dressed myself for the evening. I had put on dark skinny jeans that looked rougher and more faded around my knees, an old Neon Genesis Evangelion shirt that had small tatters and finger holes around the bottom hem covered by a warm purple hoodie. My face looked sullen, my eyes sunken in and my skin paler than normal. I looked like I'd had the flu. I wrapped a purple scarf around my neck to keep me warm and pushed my glasses further up the bridge of my nose. I wondered if my appearance would change at all after everything was said and done. Would I lose the freckles that were littered across my face and shoulders? Would my brown eyes turn amber like Armand's?
When I stepped out of my room to say goodbye to my family, I found that they were nowhere to be found. A note had been left, clipped to the fridge, that stated that they had gone out to dinner and left me to rest and get better. With teary eyes, I looked around at the empty house, making mental notes of every small nook and cranny. Ever since college, I had been living half here and half at my shared dorm room, but to say goodbye to this place...My hands drifted over the little pictures that covered the humming fridge, my fingertips brushing over a faded piece of paper. I closed my eyes and saw a vision of a younger me and my sisters. Our little hands firmly gripping crayons and speaking of problems that only children worry about. It was bittersweet to see those days so vividly now.
The snow had finally stopped drifting through the sky when I finally stepped outside. My footsteps crunched through the cold inches of snow as I turned one last time to peak at the old house. It looked so empty and lifeless as I stood there with the cold wind whipping across my face and hair. I looked at the windows I had so often stared out of, daydreaming. The front door I'd so often slammed in a fit of rage. The steps to the porch I had slipped on as a child and caused many a scraped knee and tears. The dark green bushes that lined the front porch that I would hide underneath. The snow that had piled so high gave me fleeting thoughts of Christmas, of the snowmen that would come to life here in this yard. Of the twinkling lights that would come to life very soon. I was saying goodbye to a heavy chapter of my life...one that I could only hope to flip through and read the highlighted sentences but never experience it the same way.
The sun was setting very quickly and yet it was so early in the evening. I shoved my hands in the pockets of my hoodie and strolled through the snowy streets. I took my time, my footsteps slow and deliberate. My mind was a vast pond filled with vibrant koi that swam through the tranquil waters with a strange force that caused the waters to swell. I hated forcing myself away from my family and yet I was horribly excited and nervous about seeing the vampires once more tonight.
As I came to approach the house that the vampires dwelled in, I took notice of a man sitting on the steps of the porch. I felt my heart beating faster as I approached more slowly. I didn't want to approach him, felt too embarrassed and nervous to explain myself. Did he know them? I wanted to walk around the neighborhood fully to see if he would be gone by the time I'd make it back, but his eyes had found mine when I thought of this plan.
"You're Sarah, aren't you?", the man asked. I felt my stomach drop and my feet slowly stepped closer to the man only to hear his words more clearly and to make his intentions even more clear.
"Y-Yes. Who are you?". He smiled at me warmly. He had a lion's mane of golden blond hair and deep blue eyes that pierced into me. He seemed both very young and yet timeless as he sat there. He wore a fine black leather jacket and faded denim jeans. He had to be a vampire as well.
"I'm an old friend of Marius", he answered, his voice was pleasant, yet his eyes seemed to shine with a deviant hue.
"Then...why are you just sitting out here? The sun's gone down", I said, my fingers nervously twiddling and playing with the purple strand held around my wrist.
"I've always been an early riser. They're still...asleep.", he said and politely slid over on the steps of the porch to make space for me and tapped the worn painted wood to offer me a seat there. I nervously looked at the man's face to look for any sign of mischief or malicious intent...but found none. I bit the inside of my cheek as I took the seat next to him, but avoided looking at him.
"Armand is quite taken with you", the man stated plainly. "Marius seems to like you very much as well. Enough to accept you into his home, which says a lot, cherie".
I looked over at the man, a soft blush once more appearing across my face. He was smiling warmly at me. I wrapped my arms around my knees as I sat on the steps, my fingers still tugging and twisting the little purple rubberband on my wrist. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the man next to me looking at me rather thoughtfully, as though maybe the two vampires had told him about me.
"Why do I have to become a vampire?", I asked softly to no one in particular, though the man next to me seemed to be more than happy to answer the question.
"Well, cherie, to be perfectly honest with you, you already are one. Though you're an incredibly weak one. Armand only gave you enough of his blood to change the rhythm of your heart but not enough of it to truly flow through your body the way that it should. You can't live this way. If you try to remain a human, you'll only cause harm to yourself or to those around you.", the man answered. "But don't let those stiffs scare you, chere. You can still see your family if you wish, you will simply need to be smart about it".
I had felt like breaking into pieces when I heard his answer...but his last remark caused my face to light up quickly. There was still hope to see them again? The man opened his mouth to speak once more..before being cut off by another voice.
"Those 'stiffs', Lestat, are merely looking out for the girl's safety. She is barely ready to receive the blood and yet here you are to fill her head with thoughts of living life with her mortal family".
We both turned to look over our shoulders to see Marius standing in the open doorway, his arms crossed against his chest and his light blond hair hanging down past his shoulders.
"Yes, well, those of us that have received the Dark Gift don't exactly always have a past filled with a loving family so close to their maker, now do they?", the man named Lestat said as he stood from his resting place to face Marius. He turned for a moment to offer me a cold pale hand for me to also rise. I hesitantly took the offer though our hands seemed to be held together for a beat too long. It seemed like Lestat wanted to keep a hold on my hand. I moved to pull my hand away when another voice sounded from inside the house.
"Oh, I see you're here to pull away yet another person from my life, Lestat".
Armand stepped out from behind Marius, his large amber eyes looking down at our joined hands as I was finally able to slip mine away from Lestat's. Lestat wore a large grin and chuckled as he looked at Armand.
"I simply like to put that fear into you these days, Armand.", his grin grew wider as he spoke and he seemed to also narrow his eyes at the auburn haired vampire. "But I'm not here for you, petit. I'm here to have a little coeur-a-coeur with Marius."
Armand stiffened and pushed past Lestat to me, his pouting lips quickly turning into a mischievous grin as he came to me. His auburn curls seemed to bounce around his features and his large beautiful amber eyes seemed to pull me in to him before his touch could do the same.
"Come, Sarah, we'll leave these two to muddle in the cold and dark", he said to me in a playful manner, taking my hand and leading me into the warm house. Before passing the doorway I noticed Armand turning to make a silly face at the two elder vampires left outside. Armand slammed the door behind us and chuckled to himself as he turned the first lock on the door.
With his ever widening grin he lead me away from the front door to sit on a comfortable plush couch that sat against the far wall of the living room. At once, my senses were attacked with the warm and sweet smell that permeated everything in this house and it calmed my nerves as I took a seat next to Armand on the soft couch. He had an arm around my shoulders as we sat together. Looking at him now in the dim light of the house I could see that his auburn curls were disheveled as though he just woke up and hadn't run a comb through the tresses yet. My heart was beating very quickly as I sat close to the vampire, feeling his body pressing into mine. I turned away from his face, finding a sudden and powerful shyness over take me and I couldn't bare to look upon him any longer. My eyes were downcast, though they truly stared at nothing in particular. I could feel and see my white hair sliding down around my face as I looked away. I wondered then if Armand could feel how hard and fast my heart was beating.
"Don't be afraid, Sarah.", he whispered to me softly, his cold hand gently grasping my chin to turn my attention back to him. His eyes were filled with a sincerity that slowed the pace of my frantic heart. "Your mind is so cluttered right now, darling. Do you want me to help you clear it?".
His voice was but a soft whisper, as though if he were to speak any louder that I would sprint away from him like a frightened doe. I didn't know what to say of his offer, so I merely nodded my head though I felt my brow lift in confusion to his words. Armand leaned in closer to me, still having a firm hold on my chin, so close now that the tips of our noses were touching.
"This is the part where you close your eyes", he purred softly. I nervously let my eyes close as I felt Armand come closer and closer until his lips were on mine. His lips felt cold but soft and his kiss was gentle. His hand left my chin to come around and gently hold the back of my neck as we held the kiss. With every second the kiss escalated more and more. I became aware of his gentle breathing and could hearing my breathing becoming slightly more erratic. My face felt like it was beginning to light on fire once more. Within a few more moments of feeling Armand's lips take a much more dominant stance in the kiss, I could hear that both of our breathing was growing more erratic and heavy. I felt Armand slip his tongue across my lips and I softly moaned in response. During the kiss I could feel the craving from the night before come back in full blast. My core was once again aching and pulsing as I mewled against the vampire's lips. I felt myself grow more excited when I felt Armand's hand grab hold of my scarf and begin to slowly pull it from my neck, his kiss deepening, as though it would distract me from his movements. But before I could feel his kiss leave my lips to find my neck, I heard the sound of a lock turning.
"Did you really think that you could lock us out, you little imp?"
Armand pulled away from me quickly to see both Marius and Lestat standing in the doorway of the room. Lestat had a large grin on his face once more and Marius merely shook his head at us.
"Looks like someone couldn't wait to begin the fun", Lestat chuckled. "I'll let you three have your fun...but Marius, remember what we talked about, won't you?". Marius regarded him for a moment, before nodding his head slowly at his companion. Lestat turned for the door once more, but not before looking at me and bowing to me in a farewell. When the door was closed once more, I could feel my purple scarf fall free from my neck and I felt Armand once more nuzzling close to my jaw and neck. But the moment didn't feel the same with Marius standing over us like a parent that caught two teenagers making out on their couch.
"Come, Marius. I think she's more than ready for us", Armand whispered softly, his lips grazing over my jaw as he spoke, his arm dropping from my shoulders down to my hips. My eyes drifted from where Armand sat to where Marius stood over us by the doorway.
"If that is so, then we should take this to a more private and comfortable place", the elder vampire answered, removing his dark red blazer and hanging it on a coat rack by the door, revealing a tight fitting beige shirt that revealed his tight figure. It was then that I noticed that they had still been wearing the same attire from the previous night, save the jacket that Marius had been wearing had been free of blood stains.
I was being pulled away from the warm couch and led through the house. I was being pulled up a set of stairs, Marius leading the way and Armand behind me, his hands at my hips and every now and then his nails would run down my spine teasingly. I was being led down the hall from where my friend Daniel seemingly still slept to another part of the house. Armand stepped out from behind me to open one of the doors at the end of the hall to reveal a darkened room. Marius stepped inside first, but offered me his hand to lead me through the darkness. I accepted his offer and he slowly led me inside, his arm coming around my shoulders as he lead me to a bed. Armand shuffled behind us to make some light, the room filling with a dim light. The room was painted in a dark color and filled with shelves that held movies and music. I could see an entertainment center with a large television and gaming systems. Marius was leading me to a large dark bed in the room. I nervously sat down at the edge of the bed, my fingers once again coming to nervously twiddle with the rubberband and I felt myself too afraid to look at either of the vampires. I felt the bed shift next to me as Armand sat at my side once more, his hand coming to pull mine away from my wrist gently.
"How do you like my room? Does it suit you? Is this comfortable for you?", Armand asked softly, leaning close to me once again. I would have answered him sooner, but my eyes had found something next to the bed that made my stomach drop. A black coffin lay on the floor next to the bed. Armand's coffin. It wasn't like a modern rectangular coffin. It was like an old style coffin with a glossy finish on the outside. Would I have to sleep in a coffin too?
"Y-Yeah...I like this", I muttered.
I felt the bed shift on my other side as Marius sat down next to me, rather close but still a respectable distance between us. He placed a firm hand on my lap as he studied me.
"We will make this as easy of a transition as we can, Sarah. You just have to trust us. We won't hurt you", Marius said gently. He leaned closer and offered a gentle kiss against my temple as Armand shuffled next to me as well.
"We'll just need to clear that pesky mind of anxiety again, won't we darling?", Armand whispered. I couldn't comprehend his words before his lips were crashing against mine and he was taking over my world again. His hands were at my cheeks, holding me close to him. I could feel Marius's hands coming around my shoulders to slide my hoodie from my torso, his touch lingering across my back. His tongue had already darted alongside mine when I felt Marius's touch again, this time along the back of my neck. He was softly pulling me away from Armand. Armand began to protest until he saw Marius pull my lips to his, his strong arms coming to wrap around my hips as I was immediately dominated by his kiss. The elder vampire's kiss was more firm and controlling than Armand's lust filled and passionate kiss. But I felt almost the same level of excitement to feel the elder vampire's tongue come to taste my lips. I was softly moaning again as I became aware of my own heavy breathing.
I pulled away from Marius' lips for a moment when I jumped, having felt Armand's cool hands slide underneath my t-shirt, held at my hips and slide up around to my belly. But I was quickly pulled back into Marius' kiss before I could even think of protesting as Armand's hands slid even further up my torso to my breasts.
"Did you know that ever since you've had our blood that we've shared a bond with you?", Armand began to whisper in my ear. "We can feel what you feel and we can feel and see what you think, darling". He accented his words by gently groping my breasts. Marius slid his tongue against mine as I listened to Armand's words. "And yes, we saw what you did before the sun was rising", Armand whispered against my ear, his lips grazing over the skin there.
At those words I was pulled away from Marius' kiss and made to lay down upon the bed, my head underneath plush pillows...and a vampire on either side of me. Armand leaned over me and grew closer to once again kiss me with a passion I'd never known.
"You wanted it to be like this, didn't you?", Marius said softly as his hands softly trailed along my side as Armand was leaning over me. "We saw how you imagined us at your side...how you imagined our touch".
Armand deepened the kiss, his tongue once more along mine as his own hand trailed down my figure, gently groping my breast once more before trailing down to where my sacred core lay weeping. He pulled away from my lips to look down at me with his mesmerizing amber eyes.
"You wanted me to tease you like this, didn't you?", he whispered as his fingers caressed over my jeans between my thighs. Marius leaned close and took control of my lips once more with his as Armand slowly found the way to undo my jeans and placed his hand along the thin cotton barrier that remained to shield him from my bare skin. This proved to be even more of a tease. To feel his touch so close to where I needed him to touch and yet it felt so far from it at the same time. His touches were light, merely ghosts floating over sensitive masses of nerves that begged to be caressed and massaged. For moments we stayed that way, Armand teasing me and Marius dominating me with his kiss and all I could do was moan softly against his lips.
When Marius pulled away from me this time, I had expected Armand to kiss me once more, but he only leaned close to rest his forehead against mine as Marius shifted to pull away my dark jeans. When he came back up, his hands had grasped the bottom of my shirt and was carefully pulling the light material up over my head to leave me mostly naked between the two. Armand's hand was still lightly tracing patterns over my panties and his lips came down to greedily kiss the swell of my breasts. This time it was Marius's turn to lean close to my ear and whisper to me, it seemed.
"Are you ready for us to truly begin?", he whispered softly, his lips drifting down to kiss my jawline down to my neck. I moaned in response to him as Armand pulled down my bra to suck and gently bite my nipple. Armand quickly slid my panties down my legs and past my knees for his fingers to finally touch the bare skin that ached for his touch. He found my swollen clit in no time and had me moaning louder and louder as he expertly manipulated the hot flesh. Marius was still kissing my neck as Armand played with me, but soon I felt his hand come down my side past Armand's hand to gently trace my opening.
"Do you want this, Sarah?", Marius whispered as his fingers slipped inside just a little.
"Y-Yes!", I moaned and felt his fingers slide inside slowly. I was writhing on the bed between the two vampires as they did all they could to build the fire inside me.
"Oh look at you, you're getting so close to coming for us, aren't you?", Armand purred against my other ear, his fingers swirling around my clit in a steady rhythm.
"Do you want to cum for us, darling?", Marius whispered, his fingers nearly matching Armand's rhythm.
"Y-Yes, please!", I moaned. I felt like I was losing my mind with so much pleasure building inside of me. I couldn't hold on to the edge any longer, but before my release came I felt Armand nuzzle against my neck and his fangs pierce into my neck, his fingers quickening their pace as my blood met his lips. I was coming. I felt my body stiffen and shake with orgasm as Armand drained me of the blood that was quickly pulsing through my body. I was on heaven and I didn't want the moment to end. I was moaning their names over and over as my orgasm crested and I drifted down to the afterglow.
I felt drowsy and floaty in the afterglow as Armand still drained me of blood. My eyes were closed and soft mewls were escaping my lips. I felt Marius withdraw his hand and his lips placing soft kisses along my forehead and temple before pulling Armand away. I wanted to turn on my side and sleep, but the two vampires wouldn't let me move. Instead, I was pulled to face Marius as I hazily watched him make a small slit across his neck to offer me his blood. I was made to drink his blood once more, my body lighting on fire when the forbidden elixir touched my tongue. Once more I moaned as I licked the blood from his neck and I felt Armand's hand gently stroking my back as I fed from Marius. His blood set my body on fire, and this fire seemed to engulf my entire figure. Every fiber of my being could feel the scorching hot liquid surge through it. I could faintly hear the pounding of his heart as I drank from him, the pounding growing louder and louder with each second. It was such a steady rhythm. I couldn't stand for it to end. But the moment came when I was gently pulled away from his bleeding wound. Armand's hands were soothing through my hair, kisses placed along my hair and head and my eyes were still closed.
I was seeing visions from the blood that had been given to me. Strange that I'd never obtained visions from anything in a purely liquid state before. The flashes I saw in my vision were so much more clear and vivid than any other vision I'd ever had. A dark room, so very long ago. Fine paintings hung from the wall and dark crimson clothes were hung here and there. Marius and Armand, as they were centuries ago in fine Italian clothing. Armand was laying on a chaise, his head held back, face ruddy and flushed, clothing slightly askew. Maris stood tall and regal, a painting palette in his hand. He was mixing paints as he stared intently at the young man that lay before him. He was painting Armand as he was. Suddenly Armand moved, his head held up and an almost drunken smirk spread across his face. He spoke to Marius in a different language, probably Italian. His voice was thick with desire and his eyes seemed to be glazed over. Marius spoke to him without glancing, his words were quick and to the point, it seemed. Armand didn't like the answer he was given and leap from his place on chaise and approached the elder vampire. Marius watched the young man carefully, laying down the palette. The auburn haired beauty seemed nearly furious and reached his hands out to snatch away the unfinished painting. Marius did not stop him from grabbing the painting and throw it to the floor, smearing paint along the stone. Armand seemed pleased with his show of retaliation and sneered at the taller man. It was now that Marius reacted, his hand firmly grasping the young apprentice by the throat, leading him back to the chaise where he had been posed. Within moments, Marius had his lips upon him, and when he pulled away, Armand was once again in a drunken stupor. Marius steadily walked back to his easel and produced another clean canvas from his side and began his painting anew.
When I became aware of myself again, I was no longer in bed with the immortals, but rather in a room I hadn't been before. It was a large bathroom, the white linoleum was shimmering brightly and I could feel warm water cascading over me. I lay naked in a fine white tub with the shower bringing forth the warm water that rained upon me. On my side, Armand sat, perched over the side of the tub like a cat that had wandered into the room. A few of his curls were stuck against his forehead and cheeks with droplets of water from where he'd leaned close to the water.
"It's okay darling, I'm here", he said softly, his hand reaching out to softly caress my cheek. His touch felt warmer and softer than usual, and his skin seemed to glow.
"W-Why am I here?", I asked, feeling myself shiver and shudder suddenly, but not in a painful manner.
"Your body is dying. The water will wash away the death.", he answered. His eyes left mine for a moment as if he were pondering something. "You were having visions after the blood. It was strange, usually the visions occur while you're drinking, not as an after effect. Marius said that this occurs in those who had occurring visions in their mortal lives...did you?".
"I've had visions ever since I was a kid. Usually they occurred when I touched certain objects. Its not exactly something I could control, though sometimes I felt as though I could control when I needed to see a vision, but it was usually just a random thing. It was never...this clear", I said, my stare growing distant as I spoke. I could feel more shudders leave my body as Armand's hand came out to firmly hold my shoulder steady.
"That is to be expected. You'll find that all of your senses will be far more keen, especially after you rest. That's what you're going to need to do as soon as your body is finished. I have some clothing laid aside here for you when you're done. Just come back to my room when you're ready to sleep, alright?", he said to me before leaning close to place a gentle kiss against my forehead. He left the room then, leaving me to die, literally. I was scared then, wondering if this was going to hurt or if I would pass out. I spent the next several minutes laying in the water with my mind growng dizzy from my thoughts. Something felt wrong, not with my body...but with something else that made my anxiety override my head.
When I felt that my body was going to do all that it was going to do to expel whatever mortality was left inside, I reached up to turn the water off. I expected to feel cold, having left the warmth of the water, but I didn't. I felt slightly unsteady as I rose to drape a towel around me to dry off and to inspect the clothes that Armand had left for me. There was a large burgundy shirt that felt soft and warm along with a pair of really soft and light pajama pants. Next to those lay my underwear I had been wearing previously. I dressed myself and stood in front of the foggy mirror that was positioned on the wall over the counter sink. I wiped my hand over the steam that covered the reflective surface to find that I still had a reflection. My white hair clung to my face and my brown eyes seemed brighter, almost amber like Armand's.
I nervously peeked my head out from the bathroom and noticed a door across the hall was opened slightly. I couldn't remember which room had been Armand's and I popped my head inside the door to find a different room. This room was filled with bookshelves and canvases. Paintings were on the walls and propped up against surfaces. There was no bed in this room, only another fine shiny black coffin at the end of the room. In the middle of the room were two plush chairs, one of which was occupied by Marius. He had pulled his hair back and was busy reading from a large novel. I was seconds away from pulling back, when the elder vampire peered up from his book and smiled at me.
"No need to feel shy, come in", he greeted.
I meekly stepped into the room, not knowing if I was being welcome to sit in the chair next to him or to merely enter. I noticed that several of the paintings that were scattered across the room were of people.
Several included Armand and the vampire I had met earlier that night, Lestat. A few even had glimpses of Daniel. All of the paintings were intricate and thoroughly detailed. They were perfect. They were what I strived for with my art.
"Your paintings are beautiful", I complimented. "I wish my stuff looked as good as these do".
"I'd love to take the time to teach you how to paint like this. I don't get many apprentices anymore these days. Many mortals simply use their technology to watch how to quickly manipulate their pencils and ink to get the picture to look a certain way, but many don't have a teacher to show them the proper way to do a proper brush stroke or mix the paints."
"You would do that? Seriously?!", I was overjoyed at his response. He smiled at my excitement and nodded his head.
"We can start lessons tomorrow night, but for now, I suggest you head back to Armand's room to rest. You're going to need it. The first day can be rough", he said.
As I walked back to Armand's room down the hall, I could feel butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I was going to have my own private tutor to teach me how to further my art, one that would let me learn at my own pace. And a handsome tutor at that. The door to Armand's room had been left wide open, to invite me back in. The room was completely dark, aside from the television with it's flickering images. Armand sat not too far from it, sitting with his legs crossed on the floor, a video game controller in hand. I carefully inched closer to where he sat, not wanting to break his concentration. He was playing one of the Dark Souls games, his in game avatar ducking and dodging quick enemy attacks. Without even thinking about it, I knelt down to sit on the floor next to him to watch him play. He played like a pro, not letting his character take one hit as he fought with a large demon beast. In no time at all, he had vanquished the beast and he turned to me with a wide grin of victory on his face.
"Are you ready to sleep now?", he asked me. I nodded my head, but looked down away from him. I wondered if he would let me sleep on his bed and not in the coffin. That...was something I wasn't looking forward to.
"What's wrong?", he asked me gently, leaning closer.
"Well...I..I just...",I stuttered, nervously tripping over my words. My hand went to my wrist to tug on the purple rubberband...to find that it was no longer there. My heart began to beat wildly as my fingers traced around my empty wrist. "My rubberband...where is it? What happened to it?", I asked quickly.
Armand quickly stood from where he sat to run to one of the polished back dressers in his room, his hands moving things around on top of the dresser in a frantic manner before he ran back to me and plopped down on the floor in front of me. He gently pulled my empty wrist out before him and quickly pulled the familiar purple band back around my wrist where it belonged. He pulled me close to him, his arms coming around to hold me against his chest.
"It's alright now, shhh. No need to have a panic attack while I'm here.", he whispered. "We took it off of you when we put you in the shower, but now it's back where it belongs. Right?", he said, his fingers coming up to gently grasp my chin to stare into my eyes.
"Thank you", I answered meekly.
He smiled and stood before me, holding my hands to pull me up with him and he led me over to where his coffin lay next to his bed. My heart was steadily beating louder and louder as we approached his resting place. I watched him lean down to open the coffin, revealing the red satin lining that hid inside.
"Now remember what I said, no panic attacks while I'm here", he said to me, turning to take my hand. I nervously let him pull me forward and he climbed into the coffin to lay down. "Don't worry, there's room for two".
I allowed myself to be pulled down on top of Armand, my face laying against his chest and his lips pressed against the top of my head as he slowly closed the lid. I could see nothing but blackness and all I could hear now was our combined breathing. My breath sounded shaky and unsteady, while his breathing was slow and deliberate. His arms came around to hold me and his hands were gently rubbing along my back to calm me.
"Just close your eyes and sleep as you would when you were still a mortal.", he commanded me gently, once more placing a kiss against the top of my head.
I could feel myself blushing as I lay against the vampire, my cheek feeling his steady heartbeat. I let the sound of my heartbeat be the metronome that would let me drift to sleep. And the sleep came much easier than I expected. The combined efforts of that wonderful beat and his gentle touch along my back sent me drifting into the most peaceful sleep I'd had in such a long time.