Bloodsinger

The Sire Bond

My fingers flit lightly along Althea's unclothed back, teasing the tiny hairs on her skin and the colored ink that decorate her rib and nape. Up and down in a steady rhythm, in random spiraling patterns as her body rises and falls with every breath she took. For years now, this had been my routine, to wake up hours before she does just so I could revel at the fact that she was mine, so I could write my hopes and wishes unto her skin so that they would be safe and immortal like her, so that they last forever. As if on cue, the moonlight seeps through the thin curtains and against the gold band around my ring finger, making it gleam softly in the muted darkness that blanketed our room.

It's been four years since our wedding but until now I wake up first, subtly checking the space beside me to make sure Althea was still there. Finding comfort only after my mind registers her figure sleeping soundly under the thick cover of the blanket or wrapped around me as she slept peacefully. With every passing night and day that I spend with her, every time that she would greet me in the morning with her voice heavy with sleep or when she'd pull me to bed late at night, I feel the warmth and the humanity that I had long forgotten, returning into my once cold heart.

I breathe deeply, inhaling her addictive scent and letting it fill my chest; causing a sensitive tingle to creep along every inch of my skin. It was still as pungent as it had been the first time I met her and it still causes a deep hunger to swirl in my stomach, a hunger I was still learning to control. As my fingers dance over the muscle on Althea's upper back, her shoulders suddenly stiffen and begin to quiver. The spasms are followed by her chest and shoulders rising considerably before letting out a long puff of air.

"Althea...?" I whisper softly before peeking over her shoulder so I could look at her.
I see her fingers twitch as if she's reaching or gripping something and then a deep groan is pulled from her throat.
"N-no..." She whimpers
Fearing that she might be having another of her nightmares, l grab her arms firmly and begin shaking her awake. "Althea. Althea, wake up!"
Wide, bloodshot and unseeing brown eyes fly open. There was nothing there but fear and rage from whatever it was that she had been seeing only a few seconds ago. The room is silent for only a moment before Althea lets out a growl and pushes herself off of the bed, sending us crashing against the wooden cabinet together.

The thick material fractures as she pins me against it, cracking both doors of the thick oak wardrobe. Despite the impact, I felt no pain or discomfort. Only the pressure of her arm against my neck and her warm breath against my skin. I try to remain calm even as she exposes her fangs to me but I couldn't deny the instinctive defensive pull as the veins under my eyes become colored and dark, a phase just before they begin to push against the skin.

Althea still possessed her newborn strength even though it should have weaned off by now that she was almost 7 years into her immortality but she was still as strong as she was the first time she opened her eyes to her new life.

"Althea..." I whisper again, my tone gentle to coax her into a conscious state. "You're safe. Come back to me."
After a beat, her eyes soften and she pulls away from me with recognition in her eyes. "I'm... I--" I cut her off by placing a soft kiss on her lips, swallowing her apology before she could utter it.
"It's alright." I whisper into our kiss before pulling back, "Are you okay?"
"I'm-- I'm fine, did I hurt you?"
"Just my ego. Your strength is still there so there was little I could do when you have me pinned against the closet." I tease playfully and it makes her chuckle. "Plus, you took me by surprise."
Althea raises a brow, "You don't like it that I'm stronger than you?"
I shrug, "I'm not used to it, doesn't mean I don't like it. It's nice to have a challenge once in a while."
"Right." She rolls her eyes then wraps her arms around me. "I still can't believe I can beat all of you at anything physical. I beat Gab and Pearl in a race around the city last week." She answers with a proud smile but I could see the fear still in her eyes as she spoke.
"Don't get used to it. I'm sure they're dying to challenge you once the strength wears off." I say affectionately, my thumb tracing along the defined bone of her jaw.