|
|
|
Chapter 1
“Ma'am you have mail. One is a letter from Mr. Bradsford.”
“Oh, thank you, Mercy.” She took the letters from the young maid’s hands.
She flipped through the mail until she came to the letter. She reached for the gold handled, old fashioned, letter opener. In her eagerness to open the letter she sliced her finger. She hissed and watched the blood pool.
“Ma'am,” Mercy came in, gasping as she saw the blood. “I'll get the first aid.”
“No, no it’s alright, Mercy!” She called out to the young maid.
She'd been slightly surprised when she'd bled; after all it had been almost two days since she had fed. Of course no one knew she was a 'creature of the night'. She had been changed when she was young, at the age of 22.
Though Mercy was half inclined to think that something was strange with her mistress, her face was pale, too white as was her skin. Her hair was long and dark as night, and her lips ruby red when painted.
“Makaya, are you alright?” A voice asked her.
She turned to the voice, which spoke was her father. When had he come? Her father had remarried; her mother had died when Makaya was just a baby. Makaya and Katherine, her new mother, had been very close, and continued to be.
“Yes, I'm fine, Father. Only it's harder to keep my 'life' a secret.”
“Ma'am, I....oh,” Mercy dropped the tray. “Oh dear, I'm sorry I'll clean it up right away.”
“And who is this beautiful young lady?” Mr. Kudo smiled at Mercy.
“Father this is Mercy Karice. She is my maid, and my friend.” Her voice held a warning.
“It is my pleasure to meet such a divine young lady.” He kissed Mercy's hand.
“Sir,” Mercy blushed. “Ma'am what about the cut on your hand?”
“It wasn't deep.” Makaya smiled. “See.”
She showed the girl her hand, Mercy didn't say anything.
“But, all the blood.” Mercy stuttered.
“I cleaned it up.” Makaya replied. “So you have nothing to clean up.”
“But the tray, I need to pick up my mess.”
“Don't worry about it, my dear, I'll get it, just go.”
Mercy knew when she was being dismissed, and left, Makaya and her father.
“Have you heard the rumors, my dearest?”
“Rumors? Of what, father?”
“That Maurice may be still alive.”
Makaya didn't say anything; there was a look of shock in her eyes. Maurice was her lover, her husband, and the one who had done the intoxicating ceremony of blood.
She had seen the men coming that day, carrying torches; they meant to burn the house down. If only because they blamed her for the mayor's wife being barren. Saying that some how Makaya had put a spell on the woman. Maurice had gone out to tell the men that his wife had nothing to do with it. Even though Maurice did not follow Christianity, he had told them it was God.
“That is ridiculous, father, I saw him burned by the villagers over two hundred years ago.” She replied, shaking off the horrid memories.
“Makaya, my dearest and only child, these are not rumors.” He took her hands. “I have seen Maurice myself.”
“What, when? How is this possible?” She clutched the letter she was carrying to her breast.
The letter was from Elliot Bradsford a wealthy young man of twenty-five. He and Makaya had fallen in love, which was hard for Makaya, especially since Makaya had seen her first love die. She had not loved since Maurice, and had almost destroyed the small, French village that they had lived in.
“He came to me two weeks ago, just as we had seen him last. He told me to tell you to meet him in the library.”
“What library, did he say?”
“He did not say.”
Makaya laughed at him. “You were intoxicated by the sweet blood of mortals.”
“I have not fed in three weeks time, Katherine requested it.”
“Surely you are suffering?” Makaya asked concerned.
“That is why, I came, and I came to feed.”
“Not on my servants, they have been good to me and ask no questions. Yet, why has Katherine asked you to fast, she knows what it is like to be 'hungry'.”
“I am not sure why, perhaps to see if I would be unfaithful, and change a mortal to be my bride.”
“Well you must feed, or you will die, I will find you someone.” Makaya disappeared.
Her father picked up the letter his daughter had dropped.
“Dearest May,
I write to you from France. I have come across a small village, burnt to the ground. The other villages say that a 'creature if the night' had done this, that his wife had cursed the mayor's wife to be barren. I remember you saying your ancestors came from this small village, yet I have found no sign of the name Kudo. Even when I ask people don't know, or seem to distance them selves, speaking in a foreign tongue. I did though come across a young man, his skin as white as yours. When he first spoke, he spoke to me in French, after he found that I couldn't understand him; he started to speak in English. He asked me if I knew what had happened to a Makaya, he gave no last name. I remembered that you said your ancestors name was Makaya, so I am bringing him home to meet you. I shall be home as soon as my business is done here.
I send this with all my love,
Elliot Bradsford.” Her father paused. “So you too have met Maurice, and you are bringing him here. What do you have planned Maurice?”
“This way, young sir,” Makaya used her hypnotic power to lure the young man into security.
Calvin put the letter away, and waited. He knew his daughter would not stay.
“He is warm, full of life, please be careful.”
“I've never hurt them.” Calvin replied.
Makaya just nodded and left the room. She went to her bedroom and lay down, her dark eyes closed, her lips pursed as she dug up old memories. She remembered when Maurice had changed her.
Two Hundred and Fifty years ago
“Maurice...will it hurt?” She asked, slightly afraid.
He placed a tender kiss on her neck, and then trailed up to her mouth. His kiss was as sweet as honey.
“I've always been gentle with you, Makaya, haven't I?” He whispered in her ear, she almost squirmed to get away, but he held her fast.
“Of course, Maurice, you were always most gentle with me.” Makaya whispered. “I am just nervous it seems so strange this new world I'll be seeing.”
Maurice smiled at her, a gently loving smile, yet his eyes held hunger in them. He pushed her hair back, baring her neck, already he could feel her heart throbbing.
-Close your eyes calm yourself. - He nudged her mind, gently.
He placed a kiss on her cheek as her eyes slowly closed. Her breathing became less labored, and she herself grew calmer. She winced slightly as his pearl white fangs entered her vein. She felt the blood draining from her.
-Maurice.- Her voice was soft like rose petals, yet slightly weak.
-Be calm, my dear.-
Her blood was sweet, just as he had thought it would be. Not only was it sweet, but also intoxicating, like mortals wine, or the god’s ambrosia. Soon he was done, and kissed her neck, the wounds would heal, leaving almost no sign that he'd been there.
“I feel so weak, Maurice.” She was pale, but she'd always been slightly pale.
Maurice took a knife from the dresser, Makaya didn't even notice. Maurice slit his wrist and put it to Makaya's lips, he gently opened her mouth. She gasped and almost choked, but he held her steady. It was an elixir, a sweet drink. Suddenly she coughed and he sat her up, she coughed again. Her eyes became dark, and she felt sick.
“It’s alright, let me help you.” He teased her softly with a kiss. “I can help ease the pain.”
“You gave me this pain, how can you.” She was cut off by his kiss.
She kissed him back, passionately, she sighed as he kissed her neck. Her fingers trailed down to the collar of his shirt, she flicked open two buttons, the first one rolled to the floor. She felt his finger's weave through her hair, she grinned.
He pushed her down on their bed, she smiled at him. He kissed her, slowly, a sigh escaped her lips.
“Maurice.....uh, what...” She wasn't thinking straight, not like this. “Please, make the pain stop.”
“Shh, my darling, it will be over soon.”
“Please just wrap your arms around me.” She whispered.
“The poison will be gone soon. Let me....” He whispered in her ear.
She traced his abs; he must have worked in the fields, or something, though she knew that he was immortally strong. He groaned and tossed her blouse aside. She kissed him, wincing a little, he kissed back.
“May?” A voice came through the other side of the door.
Makaya was immediately brought back to the present.
“May, is everything alright?”
She got up and opened the door, and smiled.
“Elliot, I didn't expect you home so soon.” She kissed him.
“Yes, well didn't you get my letter?”
“Of course, I got it today.”
“Today, but I sent it off two weeks ago.”
“You know the mail service.” She kissed him again. “So meet any beautiful French women?”
“None that could compare to you,” He replied, kissing her cheek. “Actually I brought someone who might know something about your ancestors. Mercy!”
“Yes, sir.” The young girl bowed at the waist.
“Please show our guest to his room and ask him to meet us in the library.”
“Oui, Monsieur,”
“I should have brought her with me.” Elliot replied, after Mercy had left.
“She never leaves my side, you now that.” Makaya told him. “Our guest, does he have a name?”
“He, yes, his name is Maurice.”
 Darkened_Queen_Of_Hearts · Mon Dec 03, 2007 @ 05:36pm · 0 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
