Young Writers Society

Hey guys thanks for critting the other chapters, I thought while I went through them I'd post the next one so I could get started lol, thanks again

2

18th century.

Kassa was standing on something grainy and…wet, her ankles were bathed in freezing cold water; she looked down and saw the bottom of her dress was in the water also. Mother shall have a fit, she thought absently and then; where am I?

“The ocean.” The voice startled her it sounded familiar, like snowflakes falling onto your skin yet…colder. A strong hand landed on her shoulder and she turned her head to see who it was. It looked like Jok only it wasn’t, it was the same hair, the same build and he looked to be about twenty as well. There was just one difference.

Jok didn’t have cold and empty eyes.

“Who are you?” Kassa asked but the mysterious man shook his head and smiled at her.

“You look cold,” he said taking off his cape and draping it over her shoulders, “does this help?” Kassa nodded unable to speak, the cape seemed to whisper against her skin telling her secrets nobody should know. “You are just as beautiful up close then from a distance.”

“E…excuse me?” Kassa stammered feeling drowsy. Where was she? The ocean he had said but what was that?

“The ocean my dear, is a large amount of water that separates many kingdoms.” Kassa’s eyes flicked up to him startled, she didn’t realise he had answered her question. He could read her mind? “Yes Kassa I can, you could read my mind too. If.” He cut off and Kassa waited for him to continue.

“If?” She weakly persisted; Vlad drew her into his arms and leant his head down. Their lips were so close that if they moved a millimetre they would be kissing.

“If, you were mine.” Kassa felt her knees begin to shake, the young man holding her laughed and kissed her forehead. “My brother wants you to wake up now.”

“Bro –”

Kassa’s eyes opened slowly, she looked to her right and saw Jok sitting opposite her watching her quietly. When he saw she was awake he reached down into a bag next to him and drew out a canteen of water.

“Here.” He said helping her up into a sitting position and pressing the canteen into her hands. Weakly Kassa took a few sips shaking as the cold water sent shockwaves through her body. Numbly she realised there was a cape around her but she also noticed Jok’s was missing. Maybe it was just dream. A reasonable voice in her head whispered, after all Jok had never mentioned having a brother. But then again…I’ve never asked him. The voice persisted. “How are you feeling?” Jok asked gently caressing her cheek.

“A little dizzy…Jok…do you have a brother?” She watched his reaction, something in his eyes flickered and his face hardened. When he opened his mouth she knew he was about to say “no” and so quickly cut him off. “Before you say no…I had a dream. There was a man and he looked exactly like you only the eyes…and he sounded like you but I know he was not you.”

“Did he say anything?”

“He said I look beautiful close up…” Jok’s eyes snapped up and met hers; she could see the fear in them as clear as she could see the sun during the day. “Is he your brother?”

“Yes…”

“Who is he? And why is he watching me?” Jok moved her slightly so he could sit with her; he rested her head against him gently. She looked up at him; she looked at his throat and saw the cut had healed. She touched her own where he’d bitten her and flinched when she put too much pressure on a bruise.

“They will take a day or two to heal…”

“So I am not a vampire yet?”

“No.” Kassa nodded slightly and then shook her head. This wasn’t what they were supposed to be talking about, although she did want to know the truth…and would happen.

“Your brother?” Kassa pressed on pushing her anxieties about the future out of her mind.

“His name is Vlad…and I don’t know why he’s watching you.” Jok slipped an arm around her shoulder and buried his face into her soft hair. Kassa sat up and drew her knees up under her; she buried her head into Jok’s shoulder suddenly frightened. “I won’t let him hurt you don’t worry.”

“Where are we going?”

“To my home…it’s on the border near a river we’ll be safe there.”

“And when will you finish making me a vampire?”

“I…” He looked down at her guiltily, for the first time she could see something like guilt…or regret in his eyes.

“You do not love me?”

“Yes I do but…is this, what you want? I am a creature of the night Kassa…”

“Of course it is…I know I was frightened back at the palace but now…I love you.” She pleaded clinging to his shirt. “Please Jok I do want this…I thought you were evil but when you bit me…I could tell you are not. I have heard stories about vampires…but now I see they are not true.”

“They are true, not every vampire is like me. I am weak…I cannot kill for pleasure I have to find someone willing to let me drink from them. Many of my kind see that as a weakness.”

“Well I do not.” Kassa replied pulling his cape against her tighter, it was so cold! “I think you are…” She trailed off wondering what did she think he was, when she had seen those fangs she had thought he was a monster. But that had only been for a few frightened seconds…

The carriage was pulled to a sudden halt and Kassa was thrown forward, Jok grabbed her waist stopping her from colliding with the opposite wall. He stood up and peered out, when he pulled his head back in he looked at her urgently.

“Are you sure you want to spend eternity with me?”

“Yes!”

“Because if you want to go home here is your chance.” Kassa listened and could here the sounds of shouting voices. Of course she was a princess, she was missing…they would search every carriage in hope of finding her.

“Oh god they’ll execute you!” She whispered, Jok pulled her up and flung the seat they were sitting on up. She smiled faintly, the seat was rigged. The stand beneath the seat was hollow; carefully she climbed in and curled into a ball pushing all thoughts of suffocation to the back of her head. She could hear the fabrics shifting as Jok sat back down and the door to the carriage was flung open.

“What is going on here?” Jok demanded suddenly his voice had turned to the arrogant noble.

“We have orders from their royal highnesses to search every carriage we can stop.”

“And why may I inquire why?”

“The princess has gone missing, their majesties suspect kidnapping.”

“And do you see any princess here?” Jok demanded coldly, Kassa stifled giggle. She’d never heard him talk this way, when she was with him his voice was always kind, gentle and soft. The guard mumbled something and she heard footsteps approach her hiding place.

“Sir if you could just please stand up.” She heard the fibres relax as Jok stood up and then someone tugging at her hiding place. Oh god what if he finds me? She thought in terror, she’d be bought back to the palace and Jok would be executed. For the next few minutes Kassa held her breath, her stomach crawled as if she had worms living inside.

When Jok finally opened the lid she burst up and threw her arms around his neck holding onto him tightly. She didn’t realise she had burst into tears until Jok was rubbing her back whispering comfort into her ears.

“I am sorry but I was scared! If he had found me…”

“He was not able to lift this lid, no human is.” As if to demonstrate Jok helped her out and closed the lid inviting her to open. When Kassa tried it was like the lid was made of lead.

“I am a woman though,” Kassa pointed out, “I am not very strong in the first place.” Jok snorted and she glared at him crossing her arms over her chest. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“I know you are not as weak as you make out.” Kassa made an indignant noise and to prove his point Jok raised his hand as if to hit her. Without even thinking Kassa’s hand lashed out and she twisted it behind his back. “See?” He could have stopped her, she knew that, but only because he wasn’t a human.

“Sorry.” Kassa mumbled dropping his arm and sitting back down, she looked down at the floor shamefaced.

“Why?” Jok knelt on the floor in front of her and looked at her. Softly he tilted her head upwards so she looked at him. “I think there is no shame in knowing what you know. Kassa…you are a fighter you know that?”

“A fighter?” She shook her head in confusion and pulled him up onto the seat. When he was next to her she let her head rest on his warm shoulder gently.

“Some people are destined to fight at some point during their lives. You must be one of these people why else would you have learnt this stuff? I myself and…Vlad are fighters. Mainly against each other.” His face hardened as he mentioned Vlad and Kassa squeezed his arm gently.

“Why do you hate your brother so?”

“Just…everything he has done,” Kassa opened her mouth to ask but he silenced her with a kiss, “my love…I would rather not talk about it. At least not yet…” Kassa nodded in understanding.

“Do you have any food?”

“We shall stop soon; I shall get you some food while you bathe.” Kassa smiled and thanked him settling down again. They stopped a little while later, the sun had set and the moon was beginning to rise. “Use my cape to dry yourself with,” Jok said but Kassa opened her mouth to protest, “it shall dry, and I do have more.” Smiling Kassa headed down to a small lake, she stripped off and carefully stepped into the freezing cold water. She let out a small yelp as the water surrounded her chin and she grabbed the bar of soap and cloth Jok had given her.

She scrubbed herself longingly wishing for the hot baths back at the palace, for the stuff that made large fluffy pillows of white bubbles. She dried behind a large tree and squeezed most of the water from his cape shaking it out to help it dry.

“Jok?” He looked up at from a fire and sheepishly rubbed blood away from his mouth. Kassa’s eyes lowered to the ground but quickly she raised them forcing a smile. She loved him…even if he did have to feed off blood. And after all…she would soon…

“Yes my love?” She sat next to him and spread out her skirts.

“When shall I be a vampire?”

“We need to exchange two more times…we’ll reach my home soon. Once you’re settled in there…” Kassa smiled slightly nervously, she didn’t mind that he was going to make her. She was just frightened, but obviously Jok thought the nervous smile meant differently. “You want to go home?”

“No…I’m just frightened. Thank you.” She said as he handed her a piece of cooked meat, she ate it gratefully not realising how hungry she was. Jok handed her the canteen and she drained the rest of it quickly refilling it from the lake. While Jok took his turn in bathing Kassa went to inspect the horses. She was startled – and slightly frightened – to find out that there was no driver. She went around petting them slightly afraid of the way their eyes followed her. It was like they were intelligent…she could see it in their ways. The way they looked at her, the way they smelled her.

“Beautiful…” Jok said petting a horse opposite Kassa, it had a midnight black coat like Jok’s hair but its mane and tail were a snowy white.

"Yes but…who is driving them?” Jok’s eyes flashed at her in a warm smile.

“They drive themselves…these horses are not ordinary.”

“How?”

“I mixed some of my blood into their food a long time ago. Now they understand me…” Kassa shivered and took an involuntary step back. Jok smiled sympathetically at her and moved over to her kissing her gently. “Would you like to sleep out here tonight?”

“Really? Do you think it is safe?”

“I will protect you,” Jok said kissing her cheek, “is that a yes then?” Kassa nodded eagerly, she had always wanted to sleep outdoors. To be able to sleep under the stars, to hear sounds of the animals. The soft hooting of an owl, the rustling of a vixen and her cubs hunting and the sound of small mice squeaking softly.

She helped him to set up a small camp, they wouldn’t share a blanket but they would sleep close to each other, for warmth and safety. All fears of Vlad had evaporated from her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

Someone had swapped her blanket for a flowing black cape. She instantly recognised it and dropped it. Standing up she saw something golden and fine fall off her skirt and onto the ground. The fine grained stuff was covering the ground; it was all she could see for miles. What is this stuff? She asked herself.

“Sand.” Kassa jumped and spun about looking at Vlad who stood barely a centimetre behind her. He reached out and took one of her hands brushing her lips against it, as his lips came into contact with her skin she felt volts of electricity shoot up her arms. “Princess,” Vlad bowed, “you are looking as beautiful as ever.”

“What do you want Vlad?” Kassa asked quietly, she wanted to take her hand out of his grip but something kept it there.

“Nothing more than to spend the few hours of the night with you.”

“Is that all?” Kassa nearly sighed with relief, the way Jok’s face had hardened at the mention of his brother…she’d begun to fear Vlad!

“For now.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Kassa demanded noticing her hand was still encased in his but she didn’t have the strength to do anything about it.

“Until you are in my permanent company. Until you are mine.”