Confessions Of A Vampire (21 page)

As I brushed that ever present stray lock of hair from his face, he lifted me off of my feet and kissed me slowly. I wound my arms around his neck, my hands lost in that glorious mane of hair, and enjoyed every second I got to spend with him like this.

I looked up, torn from that night by Severus' deep laughter filling the room. Turning he looked at me with a quizzical look before the realization spread across his face. In an instant his grin turned wicked and our eyes locked. We both forgot that Aaron was in the room for a moment. I chewed my bottom lip nervously, in that little way that I knew drove my husband mad with desire.

He moved the few steps that it took to be in front of me and lifted me from the chair I sat in. The kiss we shared was tender and filled with all of the emotions we both felt from the memory of that night. It had been a night that meant so much to us both. Pulling back from the kiss, I looked over Sev's broad shoulders at Aaron, pleased to find a smile on his face. Tilting my head I placed a kiss on my husband's neck and squirmed in his arms, trying to remind him that we still had a guest. His groan told me that this wasn't over as he sat me back to my feet and took his place in my chair. Reaching out he pulled me down onto his lap and told me, in a raspy voice filled with desire, that I should continue the story for Aaron.

My laughter was loud and I shook my head. “Darling, he doesn't want to hear about our lovemaking again.”

His hand rested on my thigh
in that way only true lovers touch
and his eyes never left mine. “Then tell him about Paris in the snow.”

Aaron spoke up then, causing us both to laugh. “I'm open to hearing about Paris.”

My smile widened as the memory bloomed and my voice was quiet when I began to tell the tale.

Chapter Twenty-S
even

We'd been living at the beach for months and the girls loved being there but I was beginning to get restless again. That's what usually happens when you've lived as long as I have. Severus could sense that I needed a change of scenery and suggested we go somewhere the girls had never been. I shrugged, not sure it was a good idea, but desperate to get the hell out of the sun.

After much thought he brought up the idea of taking Vivi and Viv to Paris, where it was snowing
,
and my excitement grew. I loved the snow and it had been years since we'd actually found our way to Paris. We owned
an apartment there and I was quick to agree
that it was a great idea.

He laughed as I bounced and called down to the housekeeper to please pack the girls' bags as we'd be gone for a few days. Severus kissed my shoulder and went down to tell our daughters where we were headed while I gathered the few things I'd need to take along.

Even though we hadn't been there in some time, the apartment in Paris was fully stocked with anything Sev or I would have need of. Within the hour he was snapping us there. We'd just gotten the girls settled in their rooms when it began to snow.

Sev and I called them out to the living room and we watched in amusement as they squealed at the sight. Vivienne and Vivica had never seen snow before and it was quite the treat to see the world through the eyes of our two year old daughters. We quickly bundled them up and watched as they ran around playing in the snow.

Severus held my hand and I gave his a squeeze
. Our twins' laughter brought smiles to our face
s
. Letting go of my hand he made a snowball and threw it at me. I screamed and ran towards the girls. Soon it was Vivienne and I against Vivica and him.

It was one of those moments I'd cherish as time went by. We were so happy that night and it was all because we were just a normal family. Even though nothing about our family was normal
we were happy and that was all that counted
. The girls' powers were growing and I was struggling daily with how to control them. But for that one night, we were just a mom, dad and kids.

That week passed too quickly and soon we were back at the beach but I wasn't happy there. Severus could tell that I was still restless and offered the suggestion that we go home to Rome. A soft smile played on my lips as I nodded. I'd missed Rome and the house where we'd spent so much of our life together. I was anxious to get back.

Being back in Rome calmed me almost instantly. I don't know what it was about being there with my husband but it always seemed to be just what I needed. I spent the nights running
through the woods that surrounded the estate
. Severus never asked me questions about what my kind did or why we did it. He just accepted that there were times that I needed to be vampire.

Running was a release for me and it was the quiet time when I could let my thoughts run as free as I was then. Often, I'd combine hunting with running and this was one of those times. I couldn't explain why I needed it. This was a happy time for us but my need was strong.

So I ran
and searched for my next meal
.

Hunting was different now but it was still a way of life for some of my kind. Back when I'd first been turned and for most of my undead life, we hunted those breathers that were alone or in the wrong place at the right time, well, right time for us that is. Now, I hunted the lowest of the low. More often than not, the young hustlers or drug dealers were easy targets. No one really missed them if they didn't show up the next morning and so they were prime targets for vampires, among other supernaturals.

I hadn't realized how much I was craving human blood until that first night. The need flourished with each stride I took as I moved at vampire speed through the shadows of the city. That first taste of warm, metallic blood was enough to send me into a frenzy. I couldn't get enough. I didn't understand until later, when I was back home laying next to Severus, that I'd been denying myself something I needed to survive.

Don't get me wrong, the bottled stuff will sustain us, but it will also drain us to the point of near nothingness if it's all we consume.

“Wait, are you telling me that it's a lie that a vampire can survive strictly on a bottled blood diet?”

I looked back at Severus as his grip on me tightened and he nodded. I wasn't really sure this was something I should be sharing with a human but I wanted him to know what it was like to be me.

“Yes, my dear Aaron, that is what I'm telling you. Vampires cannot survive on synthetic blood alone. We can go years, perhaps centuries, though the studies haven't shown long term effects of it yet. But sooner or later, we will weaken and the hunger will be
come too
intense
to ignore
. We must feed on fresh hu
man blood, it is how we've survived
for millions of years
and it is a necessity
.
The bottled stuff doesn’t come close in taste or nutrients. Eventually even the most hardcore of mainstreamers will be overcome with the need for fresh blood.
”

I watched the fear cross his face and how he shifted back in his chair involuntarily. Sev's whisper was soft in my ear.

“He needs reassurance that he's safe here, babe.”

I looked back at my husband again and shook my head before turning to face the human.

“You have nothing to fear here, breather. If I had lured you here to kill you, you'd already be dead. I'm an old vampire, younger than others but there are so many more newborns now than there were before. I can control my hunger for much longer than the newborns, but some of them have never tasted human blood and those are the ones you should be worried about.
The first taste of human blood is powerful and it becomes an addiction rapidly. For those that have never been allowed to experience it, it can become something of a feeding frenzy when they finally do. It’s a secret the higher ups don’t want broadcast.
”

Aaron stared at me in silence for a very long time and I could tell he was still concerned about his own safety here.

“We don't go around eating our friends, Aaron.” I kept my voice quiet and reassuring. It was a trait us vampires had perfected over the centuries. We could convince most humans of anything we wanted them to believe but this time, I was telling the truth. I liked this young man and even if I had been starving I wouldn't have hurt him.

“But won't the others like yourself be angry if I publish these stories?” He was visibly shaking now and I felt the need to calm his fears.

Shaking my head, I added authority to my voice when I spoke this time. “No, you're under my protection
,
and Severus'. No one in the supernatural community will bring harm to you or anyone you love.”

“Under your protection? What exactly does that mean?”

It was Severus who spoke this time. “It means that she has put word out among vampires that if you are harmed they will meet true death in a very painful way. My wife is modest and doesn't like to exert her authority, but she is quite powerful in her own right. As she explained, no harm will come to you as long as you find favor with Sunshine.”

Aaron looked at both of us, his fear subsiding some as his smile widened. I nodded at him to let him see that my husband was correct in what he was saying.

“He speaks truth of course. Since the moment you stepped foot through that door, word was spread that you were under my protection. Should any supernatural being try to harm you in any way, I will destroy them.”

“But why?” His voice was still a bit shaky and I can't say as I blamed the human then. It was a lot to take in.

“Because I like you, nothing more.”

“Then I guess I should thank you, Mrs. Severus.”

“Silly boy, there is no need to thank me for something I give freely. You've been kind and listened to me ramble on for months now. You
’ve earned your protection and my friendship.
”

Severus shifted in the seat beneath me and I looked back at him with a grin, knowing that it was time to allow Aaron to be on his way. The times alone with my husband were few and far between lately and I was ready to enjoy being alone with him for several hours before he left again.

Chapter Twenty-E
ight

That was the last night Aaron came by to hear my stories. I imagine he buried himself in writing them out from his recordings and notes. He would call here and there when he needed clarification on something but I didn't see him for several weeks.

I began to feel lonely without him here to fill my days. I'd come to
enjoy
the time we spent together, just talking about my life. I don't think Aaron fully understood how lonely this house could be and that his presence there had given me something to look forward to as I
arose
each day.

I
jumped back into
daily life
with
the twins
but it all seemed so dully and boring at times
. Severus came and went, as usual, and things had gotten back to some semblance of normal.

But
I felt more alone than ever. I began to second guess some of the memories I'd shared with the young human and wished I'd given more details on some and less on others.
I worried that I’d told too many secrets or that others of my kind wouldn’t be happy with all I’d said.
The times that my husband was home, he'd laugh at my insecurities about the book that was being written. He did his best to convince me that no one would believe the stories were true because most humans lacked the capability of believing in our kinds. He claimed that they liked their lives wrapped in neat little packages and never wanted to think that others could be out here living lives in such
ab
normal and violent manners.

I don't think it ever crossed his mind that perhaps I just missed the company that the human had provided. I didn't bother to let him in on this truth, because I knew that he wouldn't understand it and to be honest, I had no desire to spend the time explaining myself to my husband. Not when he was only home for short periods of time now.

The months passed quickly and I soon began to not think about the human or the book he was writing until one day when he appeared on my front steps with a gift wrapped package. My smile brightened my entire face as I stepped back to allow him entrance into the house once more.