We entered a large bedroom, completely overdone in gold. On
the walls were what looked like Egyptian symbols, painted in black. There
was a large, round gold bed on the far side of the room, two half-naked
women were curled up together on it.
“Osarious,” Colette called out, walking boldly into the
room. “We brought the Flame.”
“It’s Serena,” I snarled, appearing at her back. She never
flinched, never acknowledged my presence.
“You call yourself Serena,” a voice at my back said. It was a
practiced voice, one that flowed smoothly with power. It was like having
melted chocolate poured over you. I mimicked Colette, staring straight
ahead as she walked further into the room with the rest of the group.
The vampire walked around me, until we were face to face. His
honey-gold eyes pierced into mine, I felt his power caress mine. I finally
met his eyes, and something like satisfaction flowed through that power.
“But to the rest of us,” he turned and walked away from me,
stopping at the golden bed , “You are nothing but a Flame.”
“I keep hearing this word, flame, yet no one has told me of it’s
importance.” I walked to them. Colette was seated on the bed with the two
women who were now awake. “So until I know, I am Serena.”
A man walked out of the bathroom, blood trickled from two bite
marks on his neck. The sight of the blood awoke something in me. A
hunger, a wanting. A need.
Without realizing it I took a step toward the man. He turned to
face me, something like fear was in his eyes.
“Is this the Flame?”
Fury over took me as I lunged at the man. With a growl he
jumped to the side. His eyes were now amber, wolf-like.
“Serena. Stop.” Osarious sounded calm. Calm would not quiet
me now.
I lunged again at the were-wolf, this time landing on him. I felt
his nails grow and harden as his hands began to change. Fur grew from his
skin as it shouldn’t have.
Blood lust took over every pore of me, until it was all I thought
of, my every motion was driven by two crimson lines on his neck. I struck,
fangs embedding in his neck as he fought to get away. My jaw locked as I
greedily sucked up his blood, warmth flowing through me for the first time
in forever. I felt like I was becoming alive again.
I drank faster, more furiously, tearing at flesh to make the
blood come. Hands grabbed at me from behind, another person plied my
mouth open and a wrist appeared. I sunk my fangs into it immediately,
pulling the blood from arteries as fast as I could swallow it. The wolf-man
was pulled from under me.
I felt a needle jam into my shoulder and tiredness overcame
me. My eyes fell shut and my breathing slowed, even as I fell asleep I
never stopped drinking the blood.
The sounds of a turning page woke me up. Colette was sitting
in a chair next to my bed reading. At least I had a bed.
I sat up slowly, letting the dizziness pass as blood rushed down.
Blood, I had blood for the first time in what had seemed forever. The
thought made my mouth water.
“You’re awake,” Colette said without looking up from her book.
“Yes.” I tried to look past her hands to read the title, but she
shut the book and dropped it on the floor.
“I don’t want you to think I’m here for you,” she said
coldly, “I’m here because Osarious wants me to make sure you don’t kill
one of the nurses. Personally I voted to kill you. But no, you’re to
interesting.” Colette stood up and pulled her chair back to it’s place on the
wall. They were in a room very similar to a hospital room, only it was
smaller, darker, and held none of the antiseptic smell. “You’re a flame.”
The word was said as if it were dirty, something that should be wiped off
your hands after gardening, or washed off after a murder.
“Don’t call me that.” My voice had a growling edge to it, and my
eyes were back to their vibrant purple.
Colette stared at them for a moment, “They say you’re
different, that you have control. They’re wrong.” Colette jumped up onto my
bed so quickly it was almost like she teleported. I knew it was just a trick.
She was sitting with her knees to either side of me, erotically, but none of
her body language suggested sex, it suggested anger. “I can see it in your
eyes.”
Her head lowered to mine, our eyes only centimeters away. A
blink would brush our eyelashes together.
“I can taste your power,” Colette said. The anger was gone, her
voice held an edge of seduction. “I can feel it, you’re strong.”
She leaned in, as if she meant to kiss me. I didn’t move my
head, I wasn’t a lover of women, but I didn’t want to offend her someway.
Victor never went over this with me.
“Very strong,” Her lips were a hard thought away from mine. Still
I didn’t move, she was dominating me, she had herself in a position to
either take me, or kill me. Despite my sexuality, I was hoping for the first.
“I could taste you right now, see what you really are. I could
caress your soul,” Colette’s eyes were half closed, her lips even closer. “I
could take all of you.”
She licked her lips, the edge of her tongue darted across my
lower lip.
“You taste like blood,” her voice was all whispers and dark
secrets.
“But you don’t want me do you? I can feel your heart beating in
protest, the way you hold yourself, you don’t want me.” Her breath was hot
against my lips, seductive and full. She was beautiful, more-so than I had
ever seen. But she was right, I didn’t want her.
She brushed her lips against mine once, and pulled back. Her
sky blue eyes probing, testing my reaction. I knew my face was blank
though, there was nothing to see there.
The door opened, and I saw the edge of Cyric’s dark black hair.
I knew Osarious was coming in behind him, I felt the power.
“Colette, what did I tell you about antagonizing the flame?”
I felt the anger rise in me again, I felt like screaming, but help
back. Only allowing a tiny bit of anger to wash into my dialogue.
“Somebody tell me what the fuck a flame is. Now.”
