Prologue: Thicker than Water
I am an angry soul who goes to bed everyday, hungry for blood. My anger festers, with every true love's kiss, and all the warm embraces they exchange. When I see two lovers arguing it only makes me happy. I listen too their bickering and it only reminds me that love is pain. People just want to think that the key to a long-lasting life is love, but it only brings you misery. So to put them out of their misery, I live my cursed days on earth spreading evil with my bow and arrow.
When the light touches the peak of the mountain, I cast my arrow on an unlucky soul. Then when the moon rises into the blood red sky I swoop down, and sink my teeth into my prey. The villagers of Suelo de Sangre arm themselves with weapons because they don't know what me and my league of bloodthirsty animals have in store for them. I used to be an angel, a saint. Who am I you ask? Some call me Cupid, others call me Angel, but I am neither.
What I used to be does not defy who I am now. I am the one who girls find hideous in character, but easy on the eyes. I am the one who makes little children afraid to wander into the deep dark forest of Suelo de Sangre. I am the Prince of Darkness.
In the night me and my newfound family lurk in the dark forests, searching for blood to quench our thirst. We're devils of the night, and angels of the day. We live our lives like humans, from sun up to sun down. But when the sun sets into the horizon, we become beast, monsters from hell.
Not one human has been brave enough to challenge us immortal sins. All have cowered at the sound of blood being drained from our prey's soul. I am the Angel of Mercy, I leave no survivors. Unless you beg for life among the dead. Even so, once you are a vampire, you would wish that I had killed you. Vampires are cursed souls who only long to feel what little warmth the earth has to give.
For so long I have tried to get rid of these feelings, and try to be who I used to be. I have yearned for so long to feel love again, but no matter how I try my heart is broken. No one understands the pain I endure everyday, and I'm starting to have doubts about releasing those horrible monsters from the dark prison they came from, their minds. Because the mortal humans thought they wanted power, they were willing to give up love and their mortality for it. I have been corrupted by their evil ways, and I too have forgotten what it feels to love someone unconditionally. But I can't blame them for the hell I am putting them through. Maybe my heart is softening, and I admit it's because I want to change.
If my heart begins to soften, what will I do about these monsters? They'll only want more blood, something more satisfying. Then, they'll try to devour my soul, that'll make them more powerful. But so long have I waited to be with my love. I have only watched her from above, but I love her already. Her name is Esperanza, I believe, the mortal king's daughter. I don't know how I'll get her to fall in love with me because I don't want to use my arrow. She's too special for that.
For so long I have craved blood and misery, but I have found my antidote. It is love, and it fills me up just like the taste of blood. Blood is thicker than water, but love is heavier than both.
Chapter 1: An Unexpected Love
The fire began to die down as the woman threw water from the ocean onto it. It was cold outside, and as the wind blew, the trees began to whistle a deadly tune. Howls could be heard in the distance, and the screams of those who didn't head home could be heard. The sounds of the forest merged together to form a deadly tune. In time, the moon will rise and light the blood red sky. Then no one will be safe, no matter how fast they ran.
The woman looked left and right every five seconds as she hastened through the forest. Branches snapped as she made her way down the trail. With every step she took, the path only seemed to get longer. Suddenly she tripped and fell.
As she tried to get up, her legs screamed in pain. She could hear footsteps moving towards her at lightning speed as she struggled to stand. Finally, when she was on her feet, someone grabbed her arms. The woman slowly turned around to see a man with a pale face, blood dripping from his mouth. She wanted to let out a scream, but the man put his rough hand over her mouth.
"Calm down my dear. It'll just be a little pinch." the man whispered, licking her neck.
The woman cringed with fear as the hot breath of the man caressed her neck. She felt vile and nasty as the licking continued. Finally she couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed the man's arms, and tried to pull them off of her. But the man only became more aggressive and pushed her down on the ground.
A yelp of pain escaped from her mouth. She looked up to find two red eyes staring into hers, as if they could see the fear deep down in her soul.
"I can smell the fear on you deary, and I can't wait to taste it." the man said, licking his lips.
"I'm not afraid of you, you monster!!!" the woman replied angrily.
The man smiled an evil smile and then leaned in towards the woman's neck. The woman closed her eyes thinking her life was over, when suddenly the man got off of her. As she opened her eyes, a bright light crossed over her.
Before she could see what was happening, everything went black. When she awoke she found herself in a wooden cabin, in front of a fire. As she looked around she slowly began to panic.
Where am I?
The cabin was one big room, with a wooden door. She was about a couple of feet from it, and with the right amount of strength, she could probably get to it. Escape.
As she moved, her whole body began to ache immensely. She felt as if she'd been thrown around. Images flashed through her mind, and she started to remember what happened...
She was in the woods, suddenly she seen a boat coming towards Suelo de Sangre. Hoping they would see her; she lit a fire and waited for hours. Then she realized it was almost night, and knew she had to get home. As she was making her way home, she was attacked. Her attacker ran away when a flash of light swept over them. That's when she blacked out.
Sweat trickled down the woman's face as she tried to figure out how to get away. Although she couldn't remember much, she knew that she needed to find a familiar face. The woman slowly turned onto her stomach, and pushed herself up. Pain struck her like lightning, but she continued to ignore it. When she was on two feet, she began to wobble towards the door. Realizing the door was farther away than it looked, she let out a soft cry.
As she kept moving forward, her legs began to numb, and she lost her balance. The woman expected to feel a rush of pain, but two arms caught her. She looked up to see a man in about his twenties, with shoulder-length blond hair, and light green eyes. Startled at the sight of the someone who might have been her attacker, she tried to pull away. Because she was weak at the moment, she was defenseless. Giving up, she let herself be carried to a cot. Hoping that she'd be able to pull out her cross in time.
"Well I knew that wasn't going to last long. Really, did you think you could get away without me?" a man asked, chuckling.
"Who and what are you?" the woman asked, squinting her eyes.
"Well my name is Aaron, and I think I'm human. Why? Is this some sort of trick question?" the man asked, curiously.
The woman shrugged, and then Aaron turned towards a chair. While Aaron was turned around, she felt around her pocket for her stone cross. When she had it in her hands, she pulled it out.
"Hey Aaron, look at this!!" the woman said, holding the cross in the air.
Aaron turned around, and stared at the cross. A confused look washed over his face. The woman's eyes began to lower as she realized that Aaron wasn't a vampire.
"You know you're one strange girl."Aaron said chuckling.
"Well you're one strange guy. Who are you to carry a girl off to some unknown place?" the woman asked angrily.
"Look, I'm sorry if this isn't much, but this is all I have right now." Aaron replied softly, grabbing his arm.
The woman's eyes fell towards Aaron's arm. She could see a blood stain, and realized he must have been slashed in the attack. As she thought about how mean she's been to Aaron, disappointment washed over her face.
"Let me help you." the woman said, getting up.
"No you're already in pain, I'm fine." Aaron said sighing.
Not listening to Aaron, the woman stepped down and made her way over to Aaron. When she reached the chair she bent down beside it.
"You're stronger than you look."Aaron said smiling.
"Maybe I can make it home on my own." the woman agreed, picking up a wet rag that was on the ground.
As Aaron began to pull his shirt off, the woman stared at his rippling muscles. His body so nicely toned. As her eyes fell on his chest, she couldn't help but notice the old scar wounds.
"I get into a lot of fights. Really these were so deep, you'd think I would have bled to death." Aaron explained, catching the woman's gaze.
The woman's face grew hot. She didn't realize she was staring at him that long. Shaking away the feeling, she dipped the rag into the warm water, and placed it on the wound. After she washed the blood off, she bandaged it up. Aaron looked down at his arm and smiled in amazement.
"Thanks." Aaron said, standing up.
"You're welcome. It's the least I can do, after all you did save my life ." the woman replied, gazing into Aaron's eyes.
"No...I just happened to be passing by and I saw you..." Aaron started, uneasily.
"Please don't act as if you didn't just do something major! Ugh!! Why can't guys except what they did was great and say you're welcome?" the woman snapped angrily.
"Forgive me for saying this but you seem like you've had a lot of bad relationships. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you or anything. Sometimes I get a little opinionated, and things just slip out...easily." Aaron said nervously.
"It's fine...you're right, and the reason for that is because I do lash out often...and I can't believe I'm talking...to...you... about this." the woman said slowly.
"No...No please don't be embarrassed. If you ask me...when you share your secrets with a complete stranger you feel changed in a way. Trust me on that." Aaron replied smiling.
Aaron stared at the woman as she twirled her long, dark, brown hair with her fingers. He was memorized by her beauty and her soft accent. He had never seen someone as different as he up close before. To him, everything about this woman was interesting.
"What are you looking at me like that for?" the woman asked softly, breaking Aaron's thoughts.
"You are just so beautiful." Aaron replied smiling.
"No I'm not...I just have a normal face with..." the woman started nervously.
"Why can't girls take a compliment and say thank you?" Aaron asked playfully.
The woman laughed at Aaron's innocent joke, and slowly but surely she thought she was falling for this funny, charismatic, guy who treated her as if she was everything. Only she hoped Aaron didn't notice.
"They say laughter is the medicine to all the pains in the world. I hope that laugh cured whatever hurt you had in your soul. You know, something has been troubling me all night." Aaron said softly, staring into the woman's eyes.
"What is it?" the woman asked.
"What could a lovely lady like yourself be doing outside at this time of night? And what could she be running from?" Aaron asked in reply.
A sudden look of sadness washed over the woman's face, and tears slowly fell from her eyes. Aaron scolded himself softly, because he didn't mean to make his angel cry.
"I'm so sorry...really...I didn't mean to pry. I won't ask again." Aaron said sadly.
"No it's not you. It's just that I really wanted to escape this world, but I didn't realize that I didn't really know where I was going. Because of my rash actions you're injured, and my father is probably worrying himself to death. I am a complete idiot." the woman replied, crying heavily.
"Please don't put yourself down like that. We all want to leave our homes for maybe just a while or maybe for good. People just need a change of scenery sometimes, and they're not idiots for wanting just that." Aaron said holding, the woman's hand.
"You do not know the life I have lived, and you certainly do not know who I am." the woman said sadly.
"I don't need to know you personally because I've summed up quite a few things about you by just watching how you react to certain things. And I must say that you are the most caring, courageous, smart, and beautiful woman I've ever encountered. Forgive me if I do not know of your sins or the mistakes you've made, but I know that all of that doesn't matter. We all have moments when we do things without thinking, and I should know. I have had millions of times like that." Aaron said smiling.
Silence filled the air as the two gazed into each others eyes. Aaron was still holding the woman's hand, and not once had she moved it. They leaned in towards each other as if to start this unexpected love with a passionate kiss. But instead the woman kissed Aaron on the cheek.
"What was that for?" Aaron asked, touching his cheek as if the kiss was still there.
"For everything." the woman simply replied.
****
Cupid watched as the sun peaked over the mountain. A smile washed over his face as the sun slowly caressed it . The curse was lifted and he was now free to roam the earth without craving blood. His hands would be washed of the blood that he had spilled, and for twelve hours his sins would be forgotten. Suddenly the door to his room creaked open to reveal the pale, ugly face of his eternal servant and confidant, Cal.
"Did you do what I told you to do?" Cupid asked, turning towards Cal.
"Well...that's exactly what I'm here...to tell you about, sire." Cal replied uneasily.
Anger replaced the smile that was plastered on Cupid's face. If blood rushed through his veins, it would boil under his skin.
"I send you out to do one thing, Cal. I trusted you to bring me back my princess , but you couldn't do it." Cupid scolded angrily.
"It wasn't my fault sire. A guy came with...with a torch and fought me off!! I had her sire, I really had her. One bite...was all I needed to do, but I was attacked sire." Cal explained sadly.
Cupid rose his hand in the air and swung it at Cal. The slap brought Cal to his knees. The slap felt like fire sweeping over the left side of his head. Cal looked up to find Cupid's face softening, Cal could tell he did not mean to hit him so hard.
"Cal you know I need her blood to be pure. To lift this curse we need a human and if she is not human then what are we supposed to do?" Cupid asked softly.
"Sire, what makes you think this girl will love you because you for whatever reason love her?" Cal asked firmly.
"All the girls love me because of my looks." Cupid replied.
"Well it won't matter if you are drop-dead gorgeous or utterly grotesque to her. You are the one who would be destroying her life, and she could never love you for that." Cal said firmly.
"Hmm, I didn't think of it that way." Cupid replied truthfully.
"Sire, that is why there is no reason for you to fight for something that will never be. We have everything that any man would give up love for. Besides you remember what happened the last time you fell in love with a human." Cal said softly.
"No man would want to give up a woman's touch to live a life full of anger and pain." Cupid said firmly, turning towards the window.
Cupid stared at the orangish-yellow sun, taking in it's beauty for he could not enjoy the warmth. Suddenly Cal's words started to slowly sink into his mind, giving him a terrible headache.
"We are sinners, sire, and sinners don't have any regrets. You gave us this gift, and we deserve to enjoy it for eternity." Cal whispered coldly in Cupid's ear.
"You don't feel the pain I have to bare every night. I am angry and frustrated all the time now. And this hunger for love won't go away. I have no heart Cal, but still what I think and what I feel won't go away. That is why I can't enjoy this eternal gift. It is time we put an end to all of this." Cupid replied sighing.
"When you fell from the sky, me and father took you in and raised you as one of our own. We are brothers Cupid, and brothers don't give up on one another just for the sake of love." Cal said, placing a hand on Cupid's shoulder.
Cupid laughed softly, and turned around to face Cal.
"We are not brothers Cal, because if we were you wouldn't try to stand in my way. I love Esperanza with all my heart, and I'll put that on everything. But what do you care? You've never had the heart or the decency to give love let alone to know what it is." Cupid said angrily.
"Cupid you are a vampire. You are a fowl, dirty creature, in the eyes of the entire human race, we all are. You have killed thousands, and showed no mercy. So what makes you think you're any different from me or any other vampire?" Cal asked firmly, pacing back and forth.
"I want to change." Cupid replied firmly.
"It is too late for change." Cal said staring into Cupid's eyes.
"I once thought that. When the curse surrounded my immortal soul...I thought it was too late for me. Since then, Cal, I've had a change of heart." Cupid explained, sighing.
"Cupid you have no heart!" Cal screamed angrily
"If I have no heart, then why can I feel it beating? It is hungry Cal, and I know what it craves. It wants love. If I deny my heart any longer, I don't know what will happen to my soul. Why can't you understand that?" Cupid asked.
Cal shook his head in disbelief, bowed, and walked out of the room. Leaving Cupid to wallow in his pain. The sun continued to rise into the blood red sky, erasing the dark curse that harbored in his immortal soul.
***
The woman woke up in Aaron's arms. They were on the cot, their bodies pressed closely together. The warmth from Aaron's breath comforted her. As she began to look around the room, she noticed the sun was almost high in the sky. The woman shifted up and swung her legs over the cot. She could feel the dusty wood floors under her skin as she stood.
Aaron let out a yawn and then opened his eyes.
"Morning already?" he asked smiling.
"I better get home." the woman said abruptly.
A sad look washed over Aaron's face. He quickly got up and moved towards the woman. He took her hands, and held them to his face.
"Please don't go...at least not yet." Aaron begged softly.
"I must get home Aaron. You don't understand..." the woman started, pulling away.
The woman made her way to the door but before she could open it, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked around to find, Aaron's soft blue eyes, looking down at her. The woman wanted to ignore the pain in his eyes but she couldn't resist. She buried her head in Aaron's chest, and let warm tears rain from her eyes. The woman could feel Aaron's arms wrap around her as she cried.
"You don't have to go. Your father...your family will understand. They don't own you, you can do anything you want, right?" Aaron asked softly.
The woman looked up into Aaron's eyes and shook her head slowly.
"You do not know me or who my family is. I can't be here, I can't be here with you." the woman replied firmly, looking away.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't want to be here with me. Do that for me and I promise I'll let you walk away without stopping you." Aaron ordered angrily.
The woman struggled to look at Aaron. Her eyes were filled with tears and her heart was numbed with pain. She did not want to leave Aaron, but she had no choice. Her father would be looking for her, with the whole Spanish brigade if she didn't go home. They would hurt Aaron because he was an outsider on these lands. They would think that he was the woman's attacker. Deep down in her heart, the woman knew she couldn't let anything happen to Aaron. She was too attached to him now.
"I don't want to be here...here with you." the woman said shakily, looking into Aaron's eyes.
"If you must leave then leave, but please tell me one thing. Leave me with one reminder of your beautiful soul, please." Aaron begged, tears filling his eyes.
"Yes?" the woman asked softly.
"What is your name?" Aaron asked.
"I...don't think I should tell you that." the woman replied.
"What is it with you? You don't want to leave but you say you must. You don't want to tell me your name. A simple godforsaken name. Why do you torment me this way?" Aaron asked angrily.
"I can't tell you my name...because if I do we won't be able to talk like the way we do. Things would be different." the woman replied sadly.
"Different how?" Aaron asked.
"Just different." the woman replied, turning towards the door.
"Last night after you kissed me, we gazed into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours. During that time, I saw your soul. I saw a soul that roamed free...a soul that I wanted to be one with. If you believe in love at first sight...then you know just how I feel. I just want to know your name so that I can hold on to you, even when you're not here with me." Aaron explained softly.
The woman caught her breath, as she placed her hand on the wooden doorknob. She wanted so much to turn around and kiss Aaron but she knew that would make it harder for her to leave. Not thinking about it, the woman thrust open the door, letting the cool morning air caress her face. As she walked out the door she left her savior with a gift.
"My name is Esperanza, Princess of Suelo de Sangre." the woman said.
