[ Temptation ]
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Darkness had soon completely devoured the streets of Santa Carla, the pitch-black tapestry of night rolling across the tired landscapes of a usually sprightly city to swallow the colours of a new-born autumn. Golden treetops turned to black, & the high peaks of the mountains, though still faintly illuminated by the coy lights of distant stars, laid their eyes to rest. Before me there was darkness; darkness as far as the eye could see...
Not a single sound would stir the air except for the roaring engines of motorcycles speeding through the night, four in total, the solid cobblestones of the Boardwalk giving way to velvet-like sand once they abandoned the streets to drive along the at this time deserted beach.
I sat on the back of Dwayne's bike & watched the images of my surroundings pass by like a slideshow, both arms wrapped around the handsome vampire & my own chest pressed against his spine. I was surprised to find myself relaxed despite this being my very first ride on a motorcycle, only clinging so tightly to Dwayne because the desire to be close to him had grown immensely over the past few hours. The time spent in each other's presence had been both short & limited, yet I already knew that I could - & undoubtedly would - put my very life into his hands should the circumstances ever demand it, that's how much I trusted him. Not once had the fear of him abusing my trust crossed my mind; a reassuring yet rather unusual thing given my past. I was so prone to distrust & doubt, would rethink every situation or decision of mine until avoiding it entirely was the only option left.
With Dwayne however, everything appeared different. Everything felt different.
In fact, everything was different.
He gave me an unexpected sense of security, of faith, & made me feel protected in the face of uncertainty; he had done so the night at his hideout in the watchtower as well as last night at my own house. His existence as a creature of the night changed absolutely nothing about that. I wasn't even a bit scared of all the things he could potentially do, as deep down inside a part of me already seemed to be aware that he would never consider doing me any harm.
Something I couldn't even say about my own closest friends...
My eyes wandered away from the sea towards the shore where the other three vampires rode their bikes across the sandy dunes, with David several feet away leading the group, closely followed by an euphoric Paul & Marko, both of them emitting cheerful howls every now & then. For some reason Dwayne had chosen to fall behind & was now keeping a small yet noticeable distance to his companions, occasionally slowing down & removing a hand from the handlebar to squeeze mine as if to ensure I was still there.
I would respond by tightening the hug, smiling softly whenever his skin grazed mine & forgetting about the others, even if only for a sweet few seconds.
The salt-flavoured air in my lungs, the cold clear wind in my hair; the arms of night around me, with Dwayne's heart beating so very close to mine. The roaring motorcycle engines - a sound of freedom, of journey.
It almost seemed too perfect to be true...
After driving along the beach for a while I saw David turn left rather briskly, pulling over to climb up a tall dune where he immediately disappeared between a group of large trees adjacent to the beach. Glancing over my shoulder I realized how far the Boardwalk had fallen behind, the few lights surrounding the already closed amusement park being nothing but little bright dots in front of an otherwise black horizon.
A faint beam of light dancing across the clouds & traveling seaward caught my attention, significantly growing brighter as we journeyed along. Paul was the next one to pull his motorcycle up the dune & vanish in the woods just like David, closely followed by Marko & then Dwayne & me, my embrace around him becoming much firmer as he sped up his bike to make it up the hill.
From the top of the dune I spotted an old lighthouse in the nearby distance, the cone of flowing light peacefully drawing circles around the area & allowing me to catch a glimpse of the large cliff that David was heading for.
Before I could take a closer look at the scenery we were already swallowed by the trees, speeding farther up the hill through what appeared to be a small piece of woodland for a good minute until we emerged on the other side, the cliff & the lighthouse quickly moving within reach.
A shiver ran down my spine at the sight of ominously white mist covering every single inch of the ground before us, spread out like a tapestry & rolling towards the same trees we had just emerged from, the offshore lighthouse fully cloaked in fog. Not only was it significantly colder up here, the air was also much clearer, purer. Almost a tad frosty.
It smelled like winter, although not the kind of winter one would experience in a city like Santa Carla.
I tasted glacier & snow in every single breath.
Something about this felt unnatural to me...
Dwayne's slightly rugged fingers wandering over the back of my hand pulled me out of my thoughts, the image of a haunted cliff tipping over as he turned his bike to follow the others down a narrow path terrifyingly close to the steep slope that separated land & water. I clung to Dwayne's back like a baby monkey to its mom, closing my eyes to avoid getting dizzy. The way he maneuvered his motorcycle across the scarp of excavated rock & soil was astounding to say the least, the drive uncomfortable yet short & only a few seconds later the bike came to a sudden halt, all four engines drifting into silence one after the other.
My eyes flung open when a warm hand landed on my thigh. We were in some kind of cave, or rather at its entrance, the darkness making it impossible for me to see much of what lay ahead unless the lighthouse swept its light in our direction.
Judging by the smell it was rather dank & already mold-infested, an icy draft from inside painting goosebumps all over my skin.
From several feet below I heard the awful sound of waves crashing into the cliff's sturdy spine, the walls of water withdrawing with a sigh & creating an undertow, their roars so loud that Dwayne's voice was nothing but a whisper. He had to squeeze my hand in order to get my attention.
I looked up to find that he had already gotten off his motorcycle, not letting go of my hand for even a second.
" Are you alright? "
" Yes, I am. "
I nodded, preparing to get off his bike as well when I felt his arm shoot around my small frame & he picked me up with ease, gently putting me down several steps away from the slope.
His thumb brushed across my skin as he cupped my cheek with one hand.
" Stay close to me. Always. "
" Don't worry, Dwayne. I already told David that having you & the others around the whole time is my ultimate condition.
I don't even know why I felt the need to bring it up, it suddenly seemed so important to me... "
" I do know why. "
He pushed some of my hair behind my ear, the white beams from the lighthouse illuminating his beautiful yet stern features.
" It was actually my condition. "
My eyes narrowed in confusion.
" What do you mean..? "
" I will explain later, Lily. "
His soft lips touched my forehead for one reassuring kiss before he drew back from me, facing David & the other two who had just emerged from the shadows after parking their motorcycles inside the cave.
Steel-blue eyes locked with mine once I followed his gaze, still somewhat lost over Dwayne's words but currently in no state of mind to overthink anything. From this point forward I had to be a special kind of observant & most of all cautious, notwithstanding my curiosity being at its very peak.
" Come on, Lily. " David whispered in his velvet-like voice, drawing past me with a smirk carved in his face that made me shudder all over.
He merged with the night as he made his way down a narrow rocky path close to the cliff, literally vanishing from my sight with neither sound nor trail; the cone of light from the nearby lighthouse revealed an empty spot inches away from the slope where I had seen David a second ago.
I pondered in silence as Marko followed close behind his leader, scanning me from head to feet with great interest before disappearing the same ominous way.
A hand on my shoulder that turned out to be Paul's startled the hell out of me, much like his uncanny grin inching into my view.
" C'mon, little flower ~ you're goin' to love this! "
And he too strode down the pathway only to have the night engulf him, his distinctive laugh echoing across the area even long after he had disappeared.
Suddenly Dwayne stood right behind me, his chest colliding with my spine while his palms cupped my shoulders.
With widened eyes I stared into the darkness before me, taking in the cold ocean air with each breath.
" Where the hell are they going? "
" To our home. " He whispered against my hair before scooping me up bridal style with little to no effort, stepping near the escarpment where I saw nothing but a gaping abyss until the light returned, revealing the large entrance to yet another cave. Judging by the size of the entrance it was a massive cave & difficult, if not impossible to access by foot. Surrounded by deep wild water & dozens of razor-sharp rocks sticking out in all directions attempting to reach it would be more of a suicide mission than anything.
My eyes sought those of Dwayne.
" You guys should have looked for a more qualified estate agent. "
He responded with a soft throaty chuckle.
" First appearances can be deceiving. You'll see ~ "
Holding me tight to his chest he jumped off the cliff & right into the arms of the night, quickly decelerating after only a few seconds of free fall until he was floating mid-air, niftily riding the wind like he had become a part of it. I wrapped my arms around his neck & buried my face in his chest, refusing to even take a single look at the raging waves below. They seemed to roar louder & louder the closer we got, the tongues of salt & water smashing new cavities into the earthen crust with each wave.
Thankfully it didn't take us long to reach the entrance near the cliff's feet, Dwayne's arms around me gradually loosening once we were several feet away from the edge where everything looked oddly bright all of a sudden. I smelled charcoal & burned wood from inside the cave, glancing over my shoulder to see Paul with a torch in his hand & lighting several fire bowls, each fire revealing more of the massive cave's interior:
a high but uneven ceiling above a space the size of half a football pitch, with nagged drapes & old timber beams sticking out like the ribs of a cadaver, some of them already long collapsed under their own weight. Many-coloured battered ornaments decorated the walls, pieces of antique carpets the floor, & in the back I spotted what appeared to be a large canopy bed in still pretty good condition. To the left & right were huge Victorian pillars the colour of sand; once supporting what I assumed had been a roof, now merely resting against the walls like ancient ruins & giving this place its special touch.
At the center of the cave lay the remains of a large water fountain made of solid stone, with broken sculptures & a gigantic chandelier instead of water at its core; home to dozens of spiderwebs & a couple of adorable pigeons, cooing peacefully.
I watched Marko approach the small flock of birds, extending an arm so that one of the pigeons could climb on it, his lips forming a delicate smile as his fingers went to explore the animal's soft plumage.
It was the first genuinely heartwarming smile I had seen on him so far...
Paul had finally lit the last fire bowl, tossing the torch into an empty garbage can before strolling back.
David was currently circling the fountain with slow steps; his eyes on me the entire time, the smirk he carried subtle but prominent.
" Not bad, huh? "
His voice rang out, echoing along the cavern's massive walls.
" This was the hottest resort in Santa Carla back about a good hundred years ago. Too bad they built it right on top of the San Andreas fault.
In 1906, when the big one hit San Francisco, the ground opened up & this place took a header right into the crack ~ "
He vanished behind the sculptures only to reappear on the other side with a completely stoic expression, pausing in his tracks to gaze around.
" Now it's ours. "
" So check it out, little flower ~ " Paul exclaimed the second he reached my side, between his fingers a joint that he would offer to me.
" And this one too!
C'mon, take it. It's a welcome gift ~ "
I stared at him for a while before narrowing my eyes at his so-called gift, using the back of my hand to push it away.
" That's very considerate of you, but I think I'm gonna pass... "
" Aww, are you shy? No need to be. This one's on the house! "
The tall blonde with the frizzy mane & flamboyant attitude pranced right in front of me, lighting the joint in the blazing fire bowl next to us before placing it between his lips in a nearly seductive fashion to take the first puff himself.
I remained unimpressed.
" The 'house' may keep it then. "
" Wait - was that a rejection?
You wanna break my heart, little flower? 'cause it's working ~ "
The smoke would crawl out from between his slightly parting lips & float in my direction, the scent of exotic herbs & something indefinable yet alluring clouding my mind for a moment.
It smelled so incredibly delicious, I literally had to blow away the cloud of smoke to not eventually succumb to the temptation.
" Well... That's truly a shame, isn't it? "
I saw a faint twinkle of excitement flare up in his young eyes.
" Very, very much so... "
" That's enough, Paul. "
Dwayne's voice rumbled from behind me like a thunder, his broad frame drawing forward & right in front of mine in a somewhat protective manner.
" Her No is not less valid than your Yes. "
Paul took a single step back while flashing a grin of pure mockery at Dwayne, the joint sliding from one corner of his mouth into the other.
" You in heat, buddy? I remember you being way more chill before little flower here came along ~ "
" Both of you cut it out. Now! "
From the other side of the cavern the sound of David's voice silenced the two in an instant, my eyes drifting past the fountain towards the bed to find him sitting in an old wheelchair, all laid-back & with crossed legs while examining the situation from afar. Though he was obviously talking to Dwayne & Paul his gaze remained on me, just like before.
" We have a guest, boys...
Let us show her that even bad boys like us can behave like civilized folk & make her feel at home in such a peculiar place ~ "
He lifted one of his leather-clad fingers, almost in slow motion, pointing at a fancy Victorian couch opposite to his wheelchair.
" Please. Have a seat, Lily. "
" Yeah, Lily... Make yourself at home ! " Paul whistled before turning away from us, prancing over to David where he hopped into an armchair next to the bed & breathed a huge cloud of smoke towards the ceiling.
Marko had taken a seat on the outer sill of the fountain, one of the pigeons relaxing on his shoulder while his own eyes constantly followed my movements.
There was an unsettling tension between every single one of us; I could feel it heat up the air.
Something tugged at my hand & I peered down to see that it was Dwayne's own, his digits taking hold of mine.
" It's alright, Lily. "
" I know it is. "
I whispered, catching his gaze mid-air.
" But are you too? "
The tall vampire turned to face me, fully blocking the other's view as his frame towered over mine.
" I am alright as long as you are. "
A final squeeze of my hand ensued before I responded with a nod, smiling faintly, the scent of moist cavern walls & burning coal streaming into my nose as I took a deep breath to calm myself. My steps were slow yet confident once I approached the other three vampires, keeping my eyes locked with David the whole time to signalize that I wasn't even a bit intimidated, the thought of Dwayne remaining close behind me at least leaving me with a sense of security.
I wouldn't say a single word until I had taken a seat on the couch, ignoring the relentlessly grinning Paul in the armchair next to me as best as I could & instead focused on David whose features remained empty, vacuous; he had without a doubt the most convincing poker-face I had ever seen.
" I believe it's time, boys ~ " He said, leaning back in his wheelchair with a feeble smirk upon his lips.
" ~ that we give Lily the apology she deserves. "
I threw a puzzled look at Dwayne who was standing next to the fountain where I could see him best from my position, in his eyes the same confusion that I presumed was visible in my own that very moment.
" ...what apology are you talking about? "
I asked carefully.
" You know, Lily... The inconveniences we've caused you in the past few days as well as all the scares - the little & the big ones. Not to mention the fact that we were literally hunting you down like a herd of rabid wolves ready to tear their prey to shreds ~ "
Beside me I heard Paul giggle, slowly creeping into my peripheral vision by bending over the armchair to look at me.
" You see, we do know manners, ya know? Sometimes we just decide to not know them! Makes life so... SO much more fun ~ "
" Terrific. " I hissed, avoiding any kind of eye contact with him.
" I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, but a fair word of warning: watch out for karma. "
" Gee! Was that a threat ringing my ears, little flower? ~ "
A large cloud of white smoke floated my way when Paul inched closer, his frizzy golden mane falling into his eyes.
" I was gonna say that's kinda rude but damn, I think I'm actually up for a nice little beating ! "
I felt my hands twitch in my lap, my fists clenching for a moment. Paul climbing over the armrest of his chair to slide on the same couch I was sitting on didn't really make things better.
" Sorry to disappoint you, Paul, but I refrain from hitting children...! "
" Paul! "
I flinched at David's voice, & apparently so did Paul.
" I'm aware we don't play this game very often, so allow me to point out that you're playing it wrong ~ "
Emitting a sigh of defeat Paul drew away again, dropping back into the couch.
" Alright, alright ~ I'm sorry. Again. It's the bad boy attitude that comes with this look n' lifestyle, ya know?!
But like I already said, I'm not a bad guy...
I only look like one! "
At last we locked eyes, my head spinning in his direction to catch that impertinent yet harmless smile he flashed at me with the carefree spirit of a teenage boy.
" That's what I figured. ", I replied in a surprisingly calm & quiet tone.
" Bad guys usually don't look like bad guys at all.
It would make recognizing them much too easy. "
" Exactly, little flower ~ "
The joint was once again offered to me, hovering inches away from my nose & tormenting me with the sweet smell of various herbs.
" So.... Calumet a la Paul - yay or nay? "
I gave him an amused, slightly derisive smile.
" Keep dreaming. "
" Flower, you're killin' me! "
" Her name is Lily. "
I looked up to see Dwayne moving closer to our little group, his posture & expression stoic despite the venomous glare he shot at Paul.
The blonde began to chuckle.
" Riiiiiiight... Where are my manners??
Look at me, stepping all over the moment like the bad guy that I am yet again ~ "
He tossed the remains of his joint into the fire bowl where it was immediately engulfed by wildly dancing flames.
" 'Lily'... Huh. That sounds way too cute for a gal like you though.
Too innocent... "
" That's enough from you for now, Paul ~ "
David bent forward in his wheelchair to get my attention, not willing to continue his speech before we hadn't locked eyes.
" To sum things up: I really hope you hold no grudges against us because of how our first encounter went, Lily... And should that be the case, know that we are deeply sorry for letting things get out of hand.... Every single one of us ~ "
His cold blue eyes wandered around the cavern to collect nods & looks of approval from the others before circling back to me, the corners of his lips twitching as they drew past Dwayne; although his words appeared sincere I couldn't seem to ignore that feeling of misgiving constantly gnawing at my core, reminding me to stay cautious & take his words with a grain of salt, at least for now.
He was clearly intending to gain my trust & ready to take the first step in the right direction, his motives however were just as obscured as David himself.
How very fitting for his kin...
" I hold no grudges.
I couldn't even if I wanted to ~ "
My usually quiet voice echoed around the cave.
" Forgetting what happened may not be an option, but forgiving it certainly is... "
From the side I caught a glimpse of Marko who had been oddly silent ever since the conversation had started, the pigeon still on his shoulder while he himself sat on the edge of the fountain, cross-legged & with his thumb & index finger between his lips like he was chewing his nails.
His gaze lay heavy on me, causing the hair on the back of my neck to arise in an instant.
I couldn't tell for sure yet but he looked hungry...
or to be more specific - thirsty.
" Wonderful ~ "
David replied, pulling me out of my thoughts.
" Now that we have left the past behind & agreed to start over -
Let us drink to that, shall we? "
Before I could even say a word in response he had already raised a hand, calling out for Marko who immediately jumped off the fountain as though struck by lightning, obviously already aware of what his leader wanted.
He vanished behind one of the dark velvet drapes next to the bed only to reappear with a huge & oddly shaped bottle in one hand seconds later, adorned with crimson & emerald pieces of what I assumed were gemstones, or at the very least convincing replicas. In his other hand he carried two large wine glasses, clinking against each other with each step.
Upon arriving the young vampire stopped in his tracks right behind David's wheelchair, letting the bottle slide over his leader's shoulder & into his palm where leather-clad digits took hold of it.
I watched him bite his lower lip while dilated pupils followed the outlines of my frame, coming to rest on my neck & the well covered wound beside it.
In his eyes he had the exact same look as Dwayne last night, seconds before he had drawn the blood from my veins:
It was an unsettling blend of both great restraint & soul-deep desire to unleash the beast & slam his fangs deep into my flesh, & if what I remembered about vampires was in fact true then he - as the youngest & least experienced of them all - was struggling the most...
I pulled my eyes away from Marko to look at a silent yet clearly troubled Dwayne who was now standing next to the couch, watching David pour whatever the bottle contained into the wine glasses.
The moment I recognized the fright in his gaze I felt a curious tingle inside my mouth, quickly spreading all over my throat & growing so intense that I had to cough in order to get rid of the sensation.
It felt like having an invisible hand around my throat, however choking me from the inside.
" Lily ~ "
I turned my head to see the wine glass hover inches away from my face, filled with a dark red liquid that actually looked like blood in the dim light of fire.
David's & my eyes locked over the rim, his own twinkling when I finally took the glass after a short moment of contemplation. A satisfied smirk graced his handsome features & I shuddered, the odd feeling in my throat once again growing stronger.
" Be our guest tonight. "
" Or even better, forever ! " Paul interjected from beside me after remaining silent for quite some time, sliding across the couch so close to me that I felt the warmth his body radiated. I softly gasped when his breath grazed my neck, wandering up to my ear so he could whisper in it.
" I bet we'd get along so well...
So... damn... well! "
He then slowly backed away again, much to my relief, although not without taking a deep breath to draw in my odor, stirring the air with a sigh so quiet that only I could hear it.
I peered down at the glass between my fingers, raising a brow.
" What am I looking at? "
David's smile widened.
" Oh, come on, Lily. You know this one.
Try it. I promise it will help you remember. "
A moment filled with hesitation followed before I lifted the wine glass up to my nose for a slow inhalation, then a second & even third one right after. Then I suddenly froze...
David was right - I did remember the aroma, & after a fourth sniff around the airspace of the glass it dawned on me:
It smelled just like David himself.
I stared at him over the glass' rim, dumbfounded as one could possibly be.
" ...I don't understand - "
" There is nothing to understand, Lily!
It's just wine - nothing more, nothing less. Only a small drink to celebrate our first official meeting ~ "
I wouldn't move an inch but instead stare at the dark red liquid sloshing around inside the glass, the subtle tingle in my throat slowly but surely beginning to morph into an irritating itch.
In front of me David gave a low chuckle of amusement, swirling his own wine between his fingers.
" You don't trust me, do you? "
My eyes remained glued to the red liquid in his glass.
" This is not about trust, but about caution. "
" That is nothing but a nicer way to express what I just said, Lily...
Nevertheless the message behind your words is the same ~ "
Bringing the glass up to his nose he drew in some of the wine's aroma, his smiling lips barely touching the rim when he lowered it to his mouth, leathery fingers tightening around the stem.
" But to put your troubled mind at ease I shall drink first. "
" I don't think that's ne-"
But David had already placed his lips on the rim, gently tipping the bowl with a finger & letting the dark red wine flow right into the cradle of his mouth with a sigh.
Dropping back in his wheelchair the vampire closed his eyes to savour the moment, the tip of his tongue seductively dancing across his pale lips to scoop in a drop that had gone astray before it could run down his chin.
" See, Lily? There is absolutely nothing to be worried about..."
He spoke under his breath, smiling at me through narrowed eyes
" It's just wine. "
I shivered at the sight, feeling strangely aroused which was probably the reason why it took me a moment to regain my composure. My eyes traveled back to the wine glass in my own hand where I swirled it around once more, catching the dry wooden aroma with my nose. It did in fact smell like David, that much was for sure, but not only that - it also smelled like one of my favourite wines.
Could it be..?
I lifted the glass up to my own lips before new doubt could arise, the previous sensation of something invisible strangling me from the inside fading as soon as the first drops crossed my tongue & ran down my throat, immediately filling my mouth with the taste of dark chocolate, cherries & a whiff of vanilla, paired with a subtle hint of tannin once the first wave of flavours had ceased.
I placed a palm on my chest where a warm sensation began to spread just below my fingertips, causing me to cough. This felt familiar. And not only that - it tasted familiar.
" ...This is Merlot Noir! "
David grinned at me over the rim of his glass before taking another sip.
" It sure is, Lily ~
One of your favourite wines if I'm not mistaken. "
My eyes widened.
" How... how come you know that?? "
Next to me Paul began to giggle again but I managed to ignore him, much like Marko who leaned against the back of the wheelchair David was sitting in, smiling his juvenile & carefree smile.
I looked up at Dwayne whose expression hadn't even changed a bit in the past few minutes, his eyes just as vacant as before.
" I ? No, Lily... "
David shook his head at me.
" We...
And we know a lot more about you, more than you can possibly imagine. I think I already told you that, but you refused to believe me ~ "
He emptied the glass with one final sip before he got up, raising his hand in a commanding manner.
" Marko! Food.
You will join him, Paul ~ "
Paul leaped off the couch the second he heard his name, moving to the other side of the cave where Marko was already standing by the entrance, ready to depart.
Glancing over his shoulder he flashed but one last grin at me, accompanied by a playful wink.
" See ya soon, little flower ~
Don't you run away again ! "
Not even a second later they were both gone, swallowed whole by the impenetrable darkness at the other side of the entrance, the echoes of their laughter gradually fading until all was silent.
I felt a new lump growing in my throat, the tingle from earlier returning so fast that another cough fit shook my frame. I took a sip from my wine, this time a way bigger one; it didn't really do much for my dry throat but it certainly did numb that irritating tingle for a while.
Something was not right. I could feel it with every fiber of my being.
" Well then, Lily... Now we are alone ~ "
For the first time since our arrival at the cave David's cold eyes wandered towards Dwayne who was still standing next to me motionless as a statue, or so it seemed at first glance; it took me a closer look to realize that he was actually trembling.
Violently.
Feeling my heart sink into my stomach I reached out to take his hand, tenderly squeezing his fingers. Unease began to settle on my face.
" Dwayne... What's wrong?? "
" That's a good question, Dwayne. "
David whispered ominously, bending forward with a vicious smile crawling over his lips.
The tremor in Dwayne's hand only intensified when David's voice arose again:
" I think your handsome new lover has a rather unpleasant confession to make, dear Lily. "
________________
" ...and in the coldest state of their existence
they may dance the maddest
in the morass of the red rain... "
[ Krigsgaldr ]