CHAPTER 3
Michelle had never done this before. She wasn’t even certain it would work. Her own transformation hadn’t been accompanied by an instruction manual. Many aspects of her life had been learned the hard way, through painful mistakes and experimentation. Her former master hadn’t been very forthcoming. The bastard had no regard for her or anyone else.
She watched Aaron as he thrashed and squirmed, tossing the covers from his feverish body. Seeing this trim, fit, well-endowed young man in her bed inspired a mess of conflicting emotions. A flush of arousal warmed her as she slid her hand over him, feeling his hot feverish skin. His face pinched in anguish, and she wished there was more she could do beyond a soothing word and a cool, wet cloth. Her touch seemed to calm him. He kept complaining of thirst, so she fed him a little more blood, but not too much. She beefed up her own feeding schedule to accommodate Aaron’s demands.
As time stretched into the third night, and his fever hadn’t subsided, she began to think that perhaps he wouldn’t make it. What a shame, such a lovely boy. She considered it might be more humane to kill him now, put him out of his pain and misery. She wasn’t sure how long the process should take, it seemed like it should be a couple days, but who knew? Perhaps it was different with each person.
She kicked herself for doing it. Surely a mistake, she should have let him die. What would she do with him if he did come out of it? She had lived alone for decades. She wasn’t exactly prepared to share her life with anyone. What a foolish, impetuous thing to do. She should end it now, save both of them from years of complications.
She put her hands around his neck. It would be so easy, one flick of her wrist, spinal column severed. He opened his eyes delirious with fever. For a moment he looked at her, recognized her, and his expression morphed to relief. He mumbled something about my angel. The fool was hallucinating. He smiled at her with adoration and undisguised worship. That did it. She couldn’t go through with the dirty deed. It wasn’t in her to be so cruel. It would have to wait until he provoked her. Then she could get past his damnable boyish charm.
What would it be like to share her life with someone? It had been a very long time since she’d let anyone get so close and personal. She’d tried to have relationships with a few men before––what a disaster. A painful lesson she had learned repeatedly––she didn’t mix well with people, at least not for any length of time. Those experiments always ended in death. No matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, men always died. They were so frail, their bodies so easily broken, withered by time and sickness, by her need for blood. A sure recipe for heartache.
But this would be different. This man would be subject to her command. He wouldn’t be able to beat and abuse her like her master did. The kid better watch himself. If he became a problem, she knew how to handle it, but he’d get his chance.
She reached back through the years to remember her life long ago with a male vampire. Those memories were too dark, filled with violence and malice. Her former master had been quite the sadist. But there were some passionate moments of wicked pleasure. She remembered how they molded together in painful, savage sexual adventures. He dominated her like no other, so strong, so vicious, and she had enjoyed it immensely. And the synchronous bites! Those wonderful sensations of blood, sex and venom all rolled into one insane, chaotic blend. There was nothing like it.
Aaron would have his chance. She’d be gentle with him at first. He was definitely an innocent. This time she would dominate, the boy would answer to her in all things. But if he began to exhibit the signs, if he became anything like her former master, she’d snap his neck without a moment’s hesitation.
