Her breath is labored, her heart is racing.
Running fast, running for her life. She cannot stop, she cannot look back. She
hears him coming up fast behind her, closing in every second. The full moon is
shining brightly on the forest path. It is her beacon. It allows her to see the
cottage in the meadow, just beyond the trees. There is an orange glow in every
window. It’s her salvation. His children of the forest howl in anticipation.
She has made it through the forest, but trips on her dress. Crawling through
the snow, she only has a few feet more to go she feels his breath on the back
of her neck. She turns over to fight him off. But he is too powerful. He pins
her to the ground, pressing into her. She looks into his shimmering eyes. She
tries to scream but he silences her with his mouth He smells her fear, her
adrenaline. He wants her. His long black hair brushes over her bared breasts,
he takes her. Her resistance gives way to pleasure, to want. As she feels his
fangs bite into her soft flesh of her neck, she looks up as a cloud passes over
the moon. She knows she is completely his now. She is his companion, his lover,
his salvation.
Tara sat straight up in bed. With her heart
pounding, she looked around dazed for a moment. Then realized it was only a
dream. It was the same one that Tara had every night for the last couple of
weeks. ”Yawning, and running her hand through her hair she thought, “Maybe I
need to quit studying so hard, maybe I need a psychiatrist, or maybe I
just need some really good sex!” . “Shit, I am late!” She said as she looked at
the clock on her nightstand. She was supposed to meet her best friend Isabella
for lunch before her afternoon classes started, So Tara quickly texted Isabella
letting her know she would be running late and then she jumped in the shower. A
little while later as she looked into the mirror, brushing her long auburn
hair, Tara didn’t think she was hideous looking or anything, she just never
thought herself to be a “head turner” She could lose a few pounds and she
wasn’t crazy about the splash of freckles on her cheeks and nose, but others
were always telling her how pretty she was. They would compliment Tara on her light
green eyes and her smile. “Oh well” she thought putting on her coat and
hurrying out the door. “Hopefully in the next life, I will be so beautiful that
men will fall down on their knees and worship me as a Goddess. Yeah right
Tara.”
She caught
the underground train to Piccadilly Circus and got to the café about twenty
minutes later. The café was busy at this time of the day, but Isabella had been
able to save them a table. Looking up Isabella noticed Tara, and waved her
over.
“Hello
darling” Isabella said. “I didn’t think you were going to make it in time.”
Not only
was Isabella Tara’s best friend but a guardian angel for her too. Two years
ago, Tara had moved from Lancaster Pennsylvania to England to study at the
University of London. Her family had traveled on holidays to England a few
times while Tara was growing up, but visiting a foreign country was a lot
different from actually living in one. Isabella had been a lifesaver helping
Tare adjust to living in London.
“I am sorry” Tara said sitting down and taking off
her coat. “I haven’t been sleeping very
well the last couple of days.”
Looking at
Tara with concern Isabella asked “why hon, what’s going on?”
The waiter had
come to table to take their order, so Tara waited till he was gone and said.
“Well, it’s
rather silly, but I’ve been having the same dream every night for the last two
weeks.”
“What kind
of dream?” Isabella asked her. Tara quickly told her about the dream.
“But what
is really strange “Tara said, “I can never make out his face in the dream. I
can only see his eyes.”
“Oh it sounds like you are going to meet the man
of your dreams that unfortunately might also be a vampire.” Isabella said
laughing slightly. “But seriously Tara, I think you have been stressing over
your classes and you need to get out of the city for awhile. Since we are
having our winter break soon, then we could go visit my Great Aunt Doreen in
Somerset. She lives alone in this huge house, and wouldn’t mind your company
too. We could visit Glastonbury and make a time of it! What do you say? You
might even meet a really nice bloke. As long as he doesn’t have a thing against
crosses and garlic right? “Isabella said smiling at Tara.
Tara smiled back and said “you always know how to
make me feel better Isabella. I would love to, and you’re right I might meet a
nice guy there.” Isabella herself never had problems finding guys. She was a
beauty with her long curly brunette
hair, and beautiful brown eyes. When she walked into a room everyone
noticed her, but Isabella’s heart was
as beautiful as her looks, and that is why Tara viewed Isabella more like a
sister, then just a friend.
Two weeks later, the two were headed to Somerset
in Isabella’s red mini. The English countryside was breathtaking, with its
beautiful green fields and trees lining the narrow roads. Tara was imagining
all the ancient battles that had been fought over the centuries on this land.
Men either on horseback or engaged in hand to hand combat, with shields and
bows. They would be fighting for the land; their rich blood seeping deep into
it, and turning the rivers and streams red. She really liked the small villages
they would drive through. The quaint cottages, churches, and cemeteries hadn’t
seemed to catch up with the rest of the modern world. Tara loved it all. A
light snow had started to fall when they left London, but the time they arrived
at Isabella’s aunt’s home, it was really coming down, and soon it would be a winter wonderland.
“Wow” Tara said when they pulled up to the manor.
It was stunning! On one side of the house was a long wall covered in moss and
on the other were rows of trimmed bushes. The house’s exterior was a rich brown
marble, with three high arches, and it had beautiful brown rustic windows.
“Your aunt lives here by herself?” Tara asked
Isabella.
“No” Isabella said, Her friend Jean has lived
here, ever since my Uncle Robert died 10 years ago, so it’s just the two of
them. You will be surprised though how well my Aunt gets around for being 75
years old. She has enough energy for a 25 year old!
A very old
woman wearing a black dress with a crucifix around her neck, answered the door
for Tara and Isabella. Tara couldn’t stop looking at the crucifix, because for
some strange reason it fascinated her.
“Hiya
Jean!” Isabella said. “Did you miss me? “ As she and Tara set their suitcases
down, and drawing Tara’s attention away from the crucifix.
“Of course I have dearie” You haven’t been out in
such a long time.” The old woman said back smiling.
Isabella began to explain how busy she had been
and while she was talking, Tara noticed Jean staring at her, with a strange
look on her face. She looked frightened almost.
“So my best friend Tara has come with me” Isabella
was saying. “Tara say hello to Jean, my Aunt Doreen dearest and oldest friend.”
“It’s Nice to meet you.” Tara said holding out her
hand to the woman.
Jean seemed reluctant to shake Tara’s hand. “It’s
nice to meet you too.” She said back in a whisper of a voice. “She quickly let
go of Tara’s hand and said to Isabella.”`Your Aunt is fixing tea. So let’s go
back to the kitchen ’
As they made their way through the house, Tara was
admiring the beauty of it. The furniture was made of solid dark wood, and the
floors and tall pillars of marble. There were tapestries on the walls,
depicting scenes of medieval life. But it was the gothic winding staircase that
Tara loved the most. When they entered the kitchen, there was an elderly woman
with her back to them. She was stirring a pot on the stove; she turned around
and looked very happy to see Isabella.
“Hello darling” she said as Isabella went over and
gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. Tara liked her instantly. Doreen had a
genuine smile, and was a beautiful woman, who really didn’t look her age.
“Hello Auntie Doreen” Isabella said. I am so happy
to be here.”
“It’s nice to have you here. We have really missed
your company, and this must be your friend Tara She said looking at
Tara.”Welcome to my home dear.”
“Thank you” Tara replied,” It is very beautiful.”
“Cheers dear. It has been in my Robert’s (God rest
his soul,) family for many generations. This house is steeped in a long and
colorful history.” But enough talk of
that right now. After dinner, Isabella can give you the grand tour , but for
now let’s eat girls!”
After a very delicious dinner, they visited for
awhile with Jean and Doreen in the family room. Tara could see where Isabella
got her warm and bubbly personality, because Doreen had the same one, and made
Tara felt like she was part of the family. Jean on hand was still giving off
strange vibes to her. Tara would catch her staring at her, and she really
didn’t have a lot to say. She was beginning to feel very uncomfortable around
the old woman.
Isabella showed Tara briefly around the house,
sharing with her stories of her Aunt Doreen’s life.
A bit later as Tara and Isabella was going up the
staircase to their rooms; Tara said “I don’t think Doreen likes me much. She
kept staring at me, and I got a very weird feeling from her.”
“I hope so.” Tara replied as they reached their
rooms.
“Since your right next door to me, if you have
another one of your dreams, then you can always come snuggle with me” Isabella
said.
“I am sure I will be fine, but if I do get scared
I will.” Tara said laughing as she hugged Isabella. “Good night.”
“Night love” Isabella said. “It’s not supposed to
snow anymore tonight, so we can a make day of it in Glastonbury.”
After getting ready for bed, Tara got under the
warm covers of her four poster bed. Yawning she said, “I will be waiting for
you mystery man of my dreams.” She fell asleep instantly.
But the next morning, when she woke up, she
realized she hadn’t had the strange dream. “Isabella must have been right. I
just needed to get away.”
A little while later, Isabella knocked on Tara’s
door, before going in. “Good morning “She said, “How you’d sleep? “
“Like a
rock.” Tara replied, “And I didn’t have the dream.”
“Oh how wonderful” Isabella said looking out the
bedroom window. “Didn’t I tell you it was just stress? Come on then and get
ready. There isn’t much snow, but we are in the country now, so it’s going to
bloody cold. Bundle up babes!”
They spent all day in Glastonbury. Tara really
enjoyed visiting the magical shops. Every time she walked into one she could
feel the positive energy, and the bookstores were fun to browse through. Tara loved the legends and myths about King
Arthur, Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table, so she was disappointed
that because of the snow that she and Isabella didn’t make the long trek up the
hill to Glastonbury Tor, but they did visit the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey.
Tara and
Isabella were walking along the grounds of the Abbey, and Isabella was talking
about the history of it, when Tara saw him.
He was standing a few feet ahead of them between
parts of the ruins and staring at Tara. Dressed all in black, with the wind
blowing through his long dark hair, she knew it was the man of her dreams. Tara
couldn’t move, she couldn’t think. It felt like someone had punched her hard in
the stomach, and all the blood had drained from her face. Isabella had
continued ahead, still talking, till she realized that Tara wasn’t beside her
anymore.
“What are you..” Isabella started to ask her till
she saw Tara’s face. “What is it darling?
She said with concern.”You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“It’s him” Tara said pointing ahead of them.
“Who, where?” Isabella replied looking to where
Tara was pointing. “I don’t see anyone.”
Isabella was right, He was gone. Was Tara day
dreaming? Was she going crazy? But she laughed and said “Oh nothing, It has
been a long day. I think I am letting my imagination run wild and seeing ghosts
of the abbey.”
“Oh okay” Isabella said frowning. Tara knew she
didn’t believe her. But Isabella wasn’t the type to pry. She knew Tara would
tell her what really was going on, when Tara was ready. When they got back to
Doreen’s, Tara said she had a slight headache, and she was going to bed early.
But really she just wanted to be alone to think about what happened at the
abbey.
“Are you sure you’re ok? “ Isabella asked her
before Tara went upstairs.
“Yes, I am just tired. It has been a long day but
I had a wonderful time. Thank you.” Tara replied hugging Isabella good night.
Standing at the window, and looking at the night
moon, Tara began to think about the man at the abbey. Even though she had never
seen his face clearly in her dreams, she knew that it was him. The feeling was
too strong. Tara felt she was close to discovering who he was, and why he was
so important to her, but he was just out of reach. It was like she was
underwater trying to swim to the surface. She can see him waiting for her, his
hand out, waiting to pull Tara up. But it’s like Tara is swimming in place, and
she is not able to swim any further up.
This time
in her dream, Tara is standing in front of a set of double doors. She opened
the doors to a large brightly lit ballroom. It was full of people dressed in
beautiful costumes, each wearing decorated masks. Tara looked down at herself,
and she too was wearing a beautiful deep red dress that had a long train, that
flowed out across the floor. On top of Tara’s head, was a red veil that covered
the front of her face. As she walked towards the front of the room, everyone
parted for her and as she passed, the men would bow their heads and the women
would curtsy. When Tara got to the end of the room, the man of her dreams was
standing there, his back to her. He
turned around, and spoke to Tara for the first time.
“Welcome home my darling.” He said taking her hand
and pulling her close to him. Looking into his deep brown eyes, Tara did feel
like she was finally home. He lifted the red veil from Tara’s face, and gently
kissed her pale lips with his red ones.
When they parted, he said “look my dear, we have a present for you” Everyone in
the room had gathered around them, their masks removed, their eyes and faces
filled with hunger. A man appeared holding a beautiful young girl with long
blood hair. She was completely nude, and struggling against the man.
“Please Madame Let me go” she begged looking at
Tara. “I don’t want to die like this, without absolution.”
“Shhh my child” Tara said running her hand through
the girl’s honey colored hair. “
The hunger Tara felt was almost unbearable. She
looked into the girl’s green eyes, and at once the girl stopped struggling.
Tara kissed the girl’s soft lips gently, and then pushed her hair back from her
neck. She bit into the soft flesh, tasting the warm virgin blood. Tara held the
girl close to her, drinking slowly savoring the blood. She then pushed the girl
to the others. It didn’t take long for their mouths to cover every inch of the
girl’s body, making low growling noises, draining the girl of her life’s blood.
“Oh god” Tara said sitting up in bed, her whole
body trembling. It had seem so real, more like a memory then just a dream. It
was still early morning, the sun was just started to rise, and so Tara thought
she would go downstairs while everyone was still asleep, and get a glass of
water to try and calm her nerves. She knew there was something wrong. This was
more than stress. But Tara didn’t want Isabella to worry about her, or treat
her any different, so when she got back to London, Tara would make an
appointment with her doctor, and not tell Isabella. As she walking down the stairs, Tara
suddenly heard Jean’s voice behind her.
“I know you who you are. You took my precious Mary
from me, but I am not frightened of you. I will enjoy watching you die as I put
a stake through your cold dead heart.”
Startled, Tara turned around and saw the old woman
standing at the top of the stairs “What in the name of god are you talking
about? “ I’ve never met you till I came here, and I don’t know any Mary. I
don’t know who you think I am you old crazy woman.”
Jean all at once let out a short scream and ran
down the stairs towards Tara. She grabbed a hold of Tara’s neck and started
choking her.
“Die you evil span of the devil, die!” she said. Her eyes filled
with rage and madness.
“Get off of me!” Tara said trying to get the other
woman’s hands off around her neck, but the old woman was strong for someone her
age. They struggled causing the both of them to lose their balance, and
tumbling down the rest of the stairs till they reached the floor of the
hallway. Tara wasn’t hurt just dazed for a minute. But when she looked over at
Jean, she knew the woman was dead, by the way Jean’s neck was twisted at a
unnatural angle. A light suddenly came on upstairs, and Tara panicked. She
thought the police would suspect her of something, since she’s been having
these crazy dreams, and seeing things. Tara jumped up and ran out the front
door, only wearing a night gown, and slippers. But she didn’t care, she had to
get away. Tara didn’t care about the cold, or the snow soaking her shoes. She
just kept running, just like in her dreams. She suddenly tripped and fell on
her knees, He was there holding his hand out to her.
“Come Sophia, it’s time to go home.” He said as he
pulled her up from the ground.
As soon as he touched her hand, she remembered
really who she was .
Her name was Sophia Brentworth. She had been born in 1792,
to an aristocratic family in Paris, France. When Sophia had been seventeen
years old, her father had lost all the families money and fortune after years
of gambling and other unscrupulous dealings. He then committed suicide, and it
was just her and her mother struggling to survive. Sophia’s mother became an
alcoholic, and a year later she too was dead. Sophia was totally alone then.
Having no home, she began to steal and panhandle on the streets of Paris. It
was on a cold December night much like this one, when Sophia had her life and
soul stolen away, when she had been made a vampiress. Sophia had been standing
at her usual spot for the last two hours selling small cheap trinkets that she
had stolen from shopkeepers. Sophia was cold and tired but she was also very
hungry. So she did her best to ignore the bitter cold wind that took her breath
and cut through her thin coat and gloves, just to make a few pennies. Sophia
looked up and saw a tall man with long black hair smiling down at her. He had
an angelic face, but it was his dark brown eyes with long eyelashes that mesmerized
Sophia so that she couldn’t think for a moment.
Sophia regained her compose though and said “Would
you like to buy a pretty brooch sir? “
“Take a walk with me Chérie.” He replied in a
gentle and musical voice that flowed sweetly throughout Sophia’s whole body, as
he took her hand.
It seemed like the most natural thing to do. They walked down the sidewalk for a few
minutes before he led her into a darkened alleyway. They stopped and he pulled
Sophia closer to him.
“You don’t have to be cold or hungry anymore
darling “He said looking down at her as he ran his hand gently down the side of
her Sophia’s face. “I am going to give you a wonderful gift. You will be my
queen throughout all eternity. Don’t be frightened.”
And she wasn’t. It was like Sophia had been
waiting for this moment all her life. He bent his head down to her mouth. His
breath smelled of winter. He kissed Sophia softly at first but then with a
growing passion, and her body melted into his. When Sophia looked into his
eyes, she could see the hunger. She knew he wanted more than just her body, and
Sophia wanted him to have it. He pushed Sophia’s red hair back from her neck,
and she saw his canine teeth then. He bit down hard , Sophia’s warm blood
running down her neck .It only hurt for a moment, and then she felt pleasure as
she had never known before. Her head turned sideways as he drank her blood, the
alleyway suddenly came into sharp focus, and she could see clearly very in the
dark. Sophia could ever see the rats in the deepest part of the shadows forging
through the garbage. She felt herself dying, her heartbeat racing then it
slowed down, till it beat no more. Sophia was the undead now, one of the damned
for all eternity.
As soon as Sophia’s prince touched her hand she
also remembered that his name was Guillaume Barraud. He too had been born into
a well to do family in another part of France. Guillaume had been disowned by
his family for falling in love with and marrying a prostitute. They had moved
to Paris, where his young wife had died after catching the flu. He was too
proud to beg for his family forgiveness, instead at twenty five he became an
alcoholic and went a bit mad, before being turned by a older vampire, who
wanted Guillaume as his companion. But Guillaume was always searching for a
girl that looked like his Julianna, and Sophia had thought that is why he chose
her at first. But in time she became his true queen, and Sophia had been his
queen for almost three hundred years now.
One minute they were standing in the snow and the
next they were in a room of their home in France.
“What happened to me? I feel as if I’ve been
asleep for years, and there are images of people and places in my mind that
I’ve never been too” Sophia said to Guillaume.
“Sit down darling” he said leading her over to
their couch. You have been asleep for weeks now. Take my hand and things will
be clear to you.”
Sophia held Guillaume’s hand, and once again
memories came back to her.
There were
times when Sophia longed to be human again. She missed the wonderful taste of
food and wine. Oh how to be able to stand outside in the early summer mornings
and feel the sunshine on her face, or the warmth of a fireplace after being
outside in the winter night. Sophia
would never be able to hold her own newborn in her arms for the first time, and
to watch that child grow up into an adult, and maybe give to Sophia
grandchildren. She just existed, as the undead, wandering from century to
century with only blood sustaining her. Sophia’s body would stay young and beautiful
forever, but her spirit was old and tired. It felt sometimes like Sophia was
living in a glass cage, the world moving around her, but she would never be
able to escape her prison. And so Sophia willed herself into a deep sleep and
created the life of “Tara” for herself. She remained this way for weeks, never
waking. Guillaume worried that Sophia would never wake up, and so he began to
enter her dreams, to try and bring Sophia back to him. Her will was very strong
and Sophia was able to resist Guillaume, but eventually she could not any
longer.
“I felt I would lose you forever my love”
Guillaume said as he stroked her hair.
Sophia looked up at him “But Jean? She doesn’t
feel like someone my mind invented.”
“She is not real, as none of it is.” Guillaume replied.
“Your mind was fighting the fantasy life you created. I am so sorry my
darling.”
Sophia did feel emotion then. It was sadness. She
knew she could never be human, no matter how many times she dreamt it. As
Guillaume held her close to his cold body, A lone tear ran down the cheek of
Sophia’s face.