The Darkest Song (The Eternal Darkness Duet #1)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

W hen I woke, the house was silent. I climbed out of bed and crossed to the dresser to look at Adam’s pocket watch. The time said 7:30, but if that was am or pm, I had no way of knowing. I went into the bathroom and washed my face, and used Adam’s hairbrush to tame my hair, then I went back to the dresser to check the time again. 7:36. A moment later there was a knock at the door.

“Sarah?” Adam’s voice came from the hall.

I opened the door and saw him standing in the hallway. “Hey.”

He smiled softly. “It's night. I hope you were able to rest?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I just woke up.”

“You’ll find that you’ll naturally wake up each night shortly after the sun sets, and you’ll instinctively know when sunrise is coming. You’ll get the hang of it.”

“Good to know,” I said, feeling relieved.

He seemed to hesitate before speaking again. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to feed again.” I started to shake my head, and he touched my arm. “You have to, Sarah. If you don’t feed every night, you’ll lose control.”

I clenched my jaw, knowing he was right. I couldn’t risk losing control. I was still shook up over the rabbit, but it was preferable to killing a human.

“I’ll be with you the entire time,” he said, rubbing my arm once before letting his hand fall. “Come on.” He turned and started down the hall, and I reluctantly followed him.

As they did every time, my senses came alive when I stepped outside. I lifted my face and inhaled deeply, loving the feel of the night air on my skin. I looked up at the sky, and became momentarily lost in the stars. It was like being in a Van Gough painting.

“Are you ready?” Adam asked.

I pulled my attention from the stars and gave him a wry look. “Not really.”

He chuckled, and took me by the hands, just like the night before. “Close your eyes and listen.”

I reluctantly closed my eyes, and my heart immediately began to pound faster.

“Slow down,” he murmured. “Calm your heart.”

I frowned, and tried to focus. Then a breeze blew by, pushing his scent at me. Without realizing what I was doing, I inhaled deeply, and was surprised to feel desire stir. I tried to push the feeling away, but the harder I tried, the more it grew.

“What do you hear?” Adam asked, oblivious to what I was going through.

“Um,” I tried to listen, but all I could hear was his heartbeat. Heat swirled low in my stomach, and I felt myself sway towards him.

“Listen.”

I strained my ears, and then I heard it. Hunger hit me, and my eyes shot open. Adam's eyes were completely black, and his lips were parted, revealing his fangs. I felt my body tighten.

His lips curled. “Go.”

I ran into the woods, jumping over roots and dodging trees, vaguely aware that Adam had joined me. I saw the deer only a second before I leapt, tackling one to the ground. I had my teeth in its neck before the other two even noticed my arrival. It kicked and thrashed, but it was no match for me. I closed my eyes, feeling its life pour into me. For a few moments we were one. Its heartbeat was my own. Then it was over.

I released the dead animal and sat up. Adam sat a few feet away, leaning against the trunk of a tree, a dead deer in front of him. He had blood on his lips, and the sight made my body clench. He grinned, and to my surprise, I grinned back.

Tonight was different. I didn’t feel sad like before, I felt alive and full of energy. I wanted to run, and jump. To fly even.

Adam stood and offered me a hand. “You did well."

I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet. "Thanks," I said, breathlessly. My body was thrumming with energy, and I had to let it out somehow. “I want to run," I blurted.

He blinked with surprise, then his lips slowly curved. “Then let's run.”

I laughed, and took off. I moved so quickly, the trees passed by in a blur. The only thing that remained in focus was Adam, running beside me.

We ran for hours, cutting through the forest, and across open fields. We crossed a river in one leap, and I shrieked with joy, feeling more alive than I could ever remember.

We eventually returned to the house, and spent the last few hours of the night talking on the front steps. I asked Adam about his life before becoming a vampire, and he regaled me with stories of his childhood, of all the pranks he played on his poor butler, and how he teased his sister mercilessly.

I laughed, amused by his stories. Then he told me about his father’s death, and the mood sobered.

“I became the new lord,” he said, staring off into the distance. “I inherited the entire estate, and the massive fortune that came with it. That’s why my sire chose me. Vampires collect wealthy humans, and claim their wealth and holdings to make themselves more powerful.” He looked at me, and I was taken aback by the anger in his eyes. But there was pain there, as well.

I covered his hand with mine, and he looked down at it. Then he turned his hand over and laced his fingers through mine. I watched the emotions play across his face, then I surprised us both by sliding closer to him and resting my head on his shoulder.

I don’t know what made me do it. I’d only wanted to comfort him. But as I listened to his heartbeat calm, I realized there was more to it than that. I felt an overwhelming urge to be close to him. To touch him. My feelings made no sense, but nothing about being a vampire made sense.