Heart of Ashes

Blood Slave

She didn't run and he slowly turned to face her.

"Morwenna," he said, trying to convey his warning through his tone, "run. Go upstairs and lock yourself in a room."

Morwenna blinked but didn't move, "Why?"

Caine's voice came out an awful raspy sound, "Just go."

He couldn't hold it back much longer and Morwenna wasn't moving. He could hear her heart and he could almost taste her blood. She stood there looking at him. Her blue-green eyes were wide.

"Caine..." she gasped, "your eyes... they..."

He knew what she was talking about. He knew they'd gone from their usual dark red to a much brighter colour, "Please, go!"

A slow smile crept onto Morwenna's lips, "Or what?"

Caine's control slipped for a second time but this time he couldn't regain it. He moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. She was surprised but she didn't seem to mind too much. Her lips were soft and warm, he wanted the source of that warmth. He felt her hands on his face. She pushed him back.

"What are you doing?" she whisper shouted.

His rational mind was trying to fight through but had lost control of his body. His body was filled by something else. Something far more powerful, emotion. He couldn't decide whether it was because he'd just effectively stabbed himself in the heart or whether Morwenna had triggered it. He couldn't speak. He just put a hand on her cheek. He saw the claw-like nails on each hand and he knew that he hadn't plummeted yet, but he was going to.

He kissed her again and she didn't fight at all. He rammed her into the door frame and she pushed back. He hit the arm of one of the couches. Morwenna's hands gripped his arms so tightly, he could feel her fingernails digging into his skin. Morwenna forced her weight forward and Caine, unsteady on his feet, fell backwards, his arms encircling her waist. He pled back out of her kiss and looked at her. Her lips were parted and she was breathing hard. He twisted his hips and threw himself sideways. This resulted in Morwenna hitting the floor with an audible thud and he knelt over her. She was smiling. He stroked the top of her head then slowly began entwining his fingers with her hair. He pulled her head back, a little violently, and exposed her throat but he didn't go anywhere near her throat. He took her lips in his and welcomed their warmth. He bit into her lower lip. Fresh blood flowed into his mouth for the first time in a long time. She gave a little yelp. It amused him and he slid his tongue over her bloody lips. Morwenna pushed him back. Her breathing was really loud now and her heart was thundering.

"What are you doing?" she rasped.

He put a hand on her chest to feel her heartbeat then put a finger to his lips, "Ssh."

He crouched once more, caressing her throat with his lips and enabling hee scent. She smelled of roses and something else that he couldn't quite identify. He opened his mouth and pierced her soft flesh. This time she gasped, loudly.

***

Evelyn opened her eyes. She had heard Caine talking to Morwenna and then a bit if banging. She'd assumed they were moving something heavy around, like a box or a chest but then she heard Morwenna cry out. She threw back the covers and ran downstairs. She saw the book Caine had referred to as The Book of Blood on the dining room table and heard a shuffling in the lounge. She stepped in and what she saw was not a welcome sight.

Her grandfather was crouched, obscenely, over her best friend and he seemed to be kissing her... no his lips were on her throat and that wasn't the worst if it. Morwenna seemed to be enjoying it. She was about to walk in to interrupt but she saw Caine's hands. Sharp claws on both hands instead of fingernails. They were paler than they should have been and she could vaguely make out red skin around his eyes from her angle. She knew it wasn't him in there, not him completely. She remembered what he'd said about the wolfsbane and immediately turned to get it.

***

Caine heard a shuffling from somewhere behind but he couldn't bring himself to leave Morwenna to check. Her blood was sweet and sinfully rich. His free hand found its way onto her thigh. He pulled out of the kiss and she smiled, blood coated her teeth but it was a beautiful smile.

"So this is what it feels like," she whispered.

Caine only vaguely heard he words. He wasn't interested in them, just her and her blood. He pressed his lips to hers again and slid his tongue over her teeth. He reached for the tie on her dressing gown and felt something pinch his neck. The pinch was followed by complete calm and clarity. He looked down to see Morwenna underneath him. She was frowning at something behind him.

He turned to see Evelyn standing there with a needle in her handand a scowl on her face.