Nathaniel was truly an oddity back then. As time went by, my curiosity of him grew substantially, while his care and comfort was returned in equal measure. He didn't lust for me, which was strange, neither did he see me as an object or possession - which I found stranger. After all, that was the life I'd become accustomed to. Instead, he was a mortal that had a heart, genuinely interested in me as a person and supportive of my wellbeing. I couldn't bring myself to understand why he'd developed feelings for me, but then again, I didn't understand why I'd developed feelings for him.
It felt natural, even arriving to the point where I wanted to be painted by Nathaniel whenever the opportunity arose. I wanted to be around him. He became someone I could trust, someone I could talk to and relate to. He had no easy life himself.
By all means, he was an outcast and considered a radical in the times; especially his denunciation of totalitarianism - a trait that had been brewing for centuries, particularly against the religious fascists who were more than ready to burn a witch on naught but a whim.
We were both prisoners.
Incarcerated by our masters, slaved to shut up and do as we're told in order to keep the deceptive semblances going. That is what brought us together. We couldn't stand the way things were going. We wanted to change it. Free the people. But it was such an ambitious ideal that neither of us could plot a grand scheme worth chasing. Years went by as Nathaniel and I grew close. We were friends, great friends, and as destiny would have it - we evolved into secret lovers. He made me
feel
again. Something no one else could have done. I wanted to live. I wanted to try, and he was always right there at my side. I felt as if my suffering was finally worth it. There was something special in my life. Someone to look forward to, and as for me? I still hated the double life but it no longer brought me to my knees. I could handle it. I could love myself again.
Thank you, Nathaniel.
One fateful night, I was hunched over my window, peering into the night's starry wonder; a bit annoyed by the day's earlier events waiting for the night to tide me over. There was an immigration of blood drinkers from the north, but they were refused entry into our lands due to their denouncement of the Halonic image. It displeased me that we shunned our own kin because of their beliefs. The Ibis were losing their homes and all we did was watch them, vicariously.
"Psst!" A sneaky little whisper shot up from down below.
I looked over yonder and smiled when I saw his face, "You're late."
Nathaniel grew paranoid at how casual my tone of voice was. He thought he'd be tracked by the rest of the blood drinkers.
"Come down!" He loudly whispered.
He needn't say another word. I slipped through my window, making sure my dark dress wasn't snipped by the stonemasonry, then I took a deep breath - releasing a sigh of contentment and leaped over to my lover. The impact shook the ground temporarily and this made Nathaniel grow even more paranoid.
It was adorable.
I laughed at his innocence. We were safe, but he wasn't the type to take unnecessary risks. If my kin found him here, it was most likely he'd be publicly executed. To make matters worse, if they were to find him as my lover, I dare not speak of the atrocities that would follow.
"This is madness! What if they... " He paused as I giggled over his complaints.
"You're late." I repeated with tender eyes and a loving smile.
"Yes, milady, I am. Sneaking into a fortress of blood-sucking immortals is no easy task!" He teased, unveiling a pair of red roses from behind his back - "Are you ready?"
I accepted the gift, sniffed in the blossom and felt a high of satisfaction before giving him my hand to be whisked away, "I am."
Oh Nathaniel, why were we born into this hell?
He led me to an old cave, where we had view of the sea a short distance away. The calm night's shore silently danced around as the moonlight casted its shimmer across the slippery waters, making the surface appear almost diamond white. The air was fresh, light, and I could feel traces of the sea breeze tenderly touching my face. To top it off, Nathaniel went the extra mile. There was a small table with two chairs and a white table cloth, lit by a dim candle and another pair of roses, waiting among the dishes and the wine.
"Oh my heavens, Nathaniel... this is so beautiful." I was stupefied he'd go so far.
He came up behind me, softly grasping my shoulders, breathing in my scent as his nose tipped the nape of my neck - "Only for you."
I felt the tenderness of his lips softly marking my skin and a silent moan oozed out of my hanging mouth. It was infatuating to be desired, but beyond that, no word could capture the feeling of being genuinely loved. I spun around to return his kiss, indulging in our passion, thinking -
how could this be true? How could you exist? My unicorn...
"Come girl. Let us sit and drink." He tried stopping me from going any further, because he knew without a doubt, I was ready to rip his clothes off and have my way with him until I break him in twine. Sometimes the way Nathaniel addressed me was
just right
. Some of the others I was with, either tipped the scale too far hot or too far cold. He was right in the middle, and each and every passing moment with that man drove me to new, unimaginable heights.
We became drunk with the spill of the wine, and it pleased me he offered my cup as a drink mixed with blood. Our eyes never left each other's. No words needed be said. Only trades of smiles and sophisticatedly hidden gestures that banged on the proverbial door saying,
I want you.
"Do you ever dream of traveling the seas?" He asked.
I took a good look at the water, and thought well over the horizon -
what good would it bring now?
"No." I firmly stated, "My days of wanderlust are over. You know where I belong."
He nodded with an underline sadness,
"I know. I hope that someday I could break those chains."
I had to smile, "You already have."
Nathaniel's eye glimmered in delight. He kept watching me, and I kept watching him. Finally, we could control the excitement no longer. In the flash of a lightning strike, he pushed aside the table's decorations to meet me halfway, his lips biting mine lustfully. Bit by bit, our clothes became tattered imitations of their former glory.
His hands glided along the curves of my body, cupping my breasts as his own, sucking on them as if it were his last supper. My head tilted back as I embraced him, with a loud moan escaping into the air. Driving me to the ground, this mortal man - whose bones I could break with a mere thought, was on top of me; showing that he was indeed,
my man.
Unafraid and sure, he knew he was the one for me and no one else - vampire or the like, could get in our way. His kisses felt like fire, each one storing its own commitment; telling me how much he appreciated every part of my body. The flesh between my legs would get the same treatment, till his phallus couldn't wait anymore. Entwined as one, he pushed and pushed, and pushed and I wanted every drop of the ecstasy he drove me to.
The flames grew relentless inside me. I didn't want to just lay there passively, I wanted to wrest the reins off my tamer's hand. I flipped on top of him, pinned him down in a fashion similar to the first time we met. I could see his mouth hanging in need. I kissed him deeply. The small vibrations in his pulse came dangerously close to driving me over the edge.
My fangs extended, ready to draw him in but I kept my control. Nathaniel was who I wanted. Who I needed and I was never willing to let him go...
The steam lasted for hours till we both collapsed exhausted and naked in each other's arms, looking out into the deep blue, reminiscing. I was drawing spiral shapes across his chest while my leg hugged across his body tightly, letting him know,
he is mine and I, am his.
"I love you." He dropped his head to look me in the eye.
That word, 'love' hit me deeply. I kept staring at him, momentarily wondering what madness had consumed me. But I didn't let it end there. I couldn't.
"I love you too." I told him.
And to think, our hearts would condemn us.
The Order grew suspicious of my newfound attitude. They knew something was amiss. I was different; strange, by all means to what they'd found to be my usual demeanor.
For, what reason did she have to smile?
They probably wondered. After all, they'd assumed I'd accepted my grim fate and I wasn't at peace with it, but the knife was so far deep - I couldn't recover.
So what would drive Halona to seek hope again?
Caelinus was no fool. Despite his arrogance, he was a crafty little devil. As if the complication of falling in love with a human wasn't enough to bear, Caelinus decided that it was a good time to seek me out amorously. Decades passed since the two of us became bound to each other simply out of duty, but he always wanted more. There was never a time he'd be satisfied. The power would come, and he'd already be plotting the schemes for his next play. The influence would arrive, and he'd be contemplating the ways to multiply the effect exponentially.
As for me? It was only a matter of timing, in his eyes. He would wait for the right opportunity. This is what made Caelinus a worthy adversary. My dealings with the human outsider,
his contact
, mind you - would be the perfect ticket to insert himself like a parasite, leeching the weakly reborn host.
"Going somewhere?" He stopped me one night in the hallways of the citadel, with folded arms and eyes that told me undoubtedly,
he did not trust me
. Yes, I was going somewhere. I was going to meet Nathaniel on another date. It became usual custom for me to sneak out late at night. I used to mix up the timing. I had to keep the stalkers on their toes.
"Yes." I boldly glanced at him without much desire to carry on any little game he had in mind, "I am."
"It's a bit late for our Queen to be out, isn't it? Do you not fear for your safety?" He calmly took careful steps toward me. I was amused. At the time, I felt powerful - and not only in a physical sense. I felt powerful because I felt loved.
"Should a nightwalker be afraid of what petty little humans can do?" My rebuttal came swift and laden with sarcasm.
Caelinus chuckled, "You know we have to keep you safe. More than the common nightwalker."
"I'm quite safe already."
"Where are you going, Alexia?" He stopped in front of me, eyeing me with accusations already boiling through his thick head.
"For a night's walk."
"Should I call the guards to escort you?"
"No, it will be fine. Thank you." I turned around, determined to get away from him as fast as possible until he grabbed my arm and spun me around to confront him.
"What do you think you're doing?" He demanded.
"Excuse me?"
His eyes grew fierce, "Do you think you can just walk outside these doors whenever you fancy? We're an Order. We have rules."
"Let go of me!" I shoved his hand away.
The fire in me, rising
. I was late for my date, but it would have to wait. This day was inevitable. I had to deal with it eventually - "Am I a prisoner here? Whatever happened to my free will?"
"Free will?" He mocked, "Are you still such a spoiled brat?"
"You're one to talk."
"We are damned!" He ignored my remark, "We walk in shadow! We do not go out at will. We preserve our heritage! We carry on the pain!"
"What is our heritage but an assemblage of lies? We've devolved beyond measure. Our merit cannot even withstand to call itself as much as a shade of our former glory. It's nothing more than a bloody masquerade!"
He became momentarily speechless. His jaw hung in disbelief at my ungratefulness for all he believed he graciously provided - "How dare you!" He hissed, "How dare you defile the blessings you've received. I made you what you are, and I could take it away!"
"Then you'd be doing us both a service." I tried slipping past him again but he reached for my arm and slammed me against the wall; his other hand fastened around my neck as I released an unintended, fearful yelp.
"Why do you defy me? Don't you understand? You belong to me!" His fangs extended as his hands started trailing down my body most undesirably.
"Get off me Caelinus!" I tried wringing myself out of his grasp, thinking on the repercussions the encounter would bring, but he grew more adamant.
He enjoyed the resistance. It turned him on. I was troubled -
what should I do?
Should I stay silent and take the abuse? Should I tear his rotten brat-prince head clean off?
"Get off me!" I warned him again.
But he did not stop. He didn't want to stop. In his eyes, I belonged to him. I owed him everything. The thought of Nathaniel standing alone in the dark, waiting for me while I was at the tip of being fornicated against my will, drove me to an almost lunatic frenzy. Caelinus' hands were already at my soft parts, determined to soothe me into submission. I was so confused. I didn't know if it was wise to let it happen or fight it.
I felt a powerful punch slam me in my stomach that rendered me completely stunned. Then he violently spun me around and pushed my head against the wall, bending my body to take his vile manhood as he ripped my beautiful dress to shreds. I couldn't believe this was happening, and the worst part of it all, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if rebellion was the right thing. I wanted Nathaniel to be safe. My life didn't matter to me.
How could this be happening?
Why?! Why!
The undesirable, sickened twist of him getting the last laugh as he had his way with me became absolutely unbearable. His icy breath blowing on the back of my neck took it a level further and that was my breaking point - the moment it reminded me of my maker. I felt my eyes light up with pure rage. I spun around, pushing him off me with a telekinetic force that sent him flying backwards through the thick castle masonry into an adjacent room. He was momentarily stunned and although severely injured, it was nothing that would kill him, but it would slow him down enough to facilitate my escape.