Dark Desire by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Format: epub
Published: 2010-02-13T07:26:05+00:00

* * * *

She barely heard his footsteps over her stifled sobs. Abandoned by all who loved her, she was even more certain of impending doom.

"I don't understand, Kirsten," Valdemar said, kneeling by the side of the bed. He put a hand behind her head and turned her tearstreaked face toward him. "I haven't harmed you, have I?"

"No," she whispered, eyes downcast.

"And have I not seen that your rooms are pleasingly decorated, and that you want for nothing?"

"You have," she admitted.

"Then why did you run away?"

Her lips trembled. "I was afraid."

"Afraid of what? That I'm still plotting your untimely demise?"

She nodded mutely.

"Now why would I want to murder you?"

Having no coherent answer to that, she said boldly. "I'm sure your next wife will find my rooms just as pleasing."

"I don't want another wife," Valdemar said. "I want you, Kirsten. I love you."

"You don't even know me," she blurted.

"I know you well enough, Kirsten," he said. "You are kind, gentle, and very beautiful." He searched her face. "I thought by the way we touched each other, that you felt something for me as well."

She couldn't deny it. Since their wedding night, she had ached for his touch. When he slept during the days, she counted the hours until sunset. Yet once he awoke and they were alone together, she was terrified.

Admittedly, she was naive in the ways of men. Her father had been a stern and distant figure. But Valdemar was different in ways she couldn't imagine.

"Your lady wife, your late fiancées...did you kill them?" she asked with utmost folly.

His fury, she expected, but he merely turned his fathomless eyes upon her and regarded her with a long, measuring stare.

"I did."

Kirsten shrank away from him. And this time, he let her go.

"Why?" In spite of her fear, she had to know. "For their money? Their dowries?"

"For their blood."

"Is that what you want from me? My blood?"

Valdemar sighed. "I long to taste of you, my love. The very sight of you makes me thirsty."

"Why haven't you?"

"Because it would kill you, liebling. And, as I have told you on many occasions, I prefer you alive. It would seem," he added with a sad smile, "that I've fallen in love with you."

"I don't understand," she stammered, looking hopefully at the door. But Valdemar reached out and tethered her by the wrist.

"Of course you don't," he said, kindly. "And I doubt I could explain it to you."

"I do wish you would try," she whispered. She had to learn as much as she could about Valdemar. Her life might depend on it. "Why must you drink blood? Why must you kill?"

Valdemar looked at her for a very long moment, as though pondering whether to tell her. "The act of taking blood kills," he told her, finally. "Unless...never mind."

"But why must you drink blood in the first place?"

"It is our food," he said, simply. "Our only sustenance."

"Our?"

"Those of my race."

Kirsten stared at him dumbly. "Your race?"

"I believe the word you're looking for," Valdemar said, "is vampir."

She shrank back against the headboard, her hand fastening on the slender gold cross Valdemar had given her.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.