Becoming Dinner Read Free

of
escape now and soon it all would be over.
    Less than an arm’s length in front of me and
slowly, very slowly, the vampire’s head rose out of the water.
Before me was a monster with long black hair, pale skin and
captivating eyes. Aside from the fangs showing through a sly smile,
he was quite handsome. That smile, along with the unsettling fact
that he didn’t take a breath after being submerged for so long,
made my heart beat intensely. The eyes of the vampire were black
mixed with an unnatural, glowing blue. In all the animals, monsters
and beasts I had encountered, I had never seen eyes like these.
    The smile was unexpected, but in no way
comforting. I closed my eyes and waited. I didn’t want to see the
fangs coming at me. The long night of running paired with my new
terror caused my body to shake. Head to toe I could not stop the
fear from completely taking me over. Tears slid down my face. I
failed. I would never see home again.
    A low, calm voice whispered in my ear,
“Shhh.” Within the span of one breath, a feeling of peace started
to wash over me. Opening my eyes, I saw him gazing deep. He wiped
the tears off my cheeks with the back of his hand. Then he smiled.
The feeling of peace was complete. At that moment I didn’t know if
I would die. I didn’t care. Calm warmth washed over me and
intensified the longer I looked into his gaze.
    His hands began to run over my face, then my
neck. I thought he was feeling for a good place to bite, but soon
realized he was trying to clean me. Not making any progress with
his hands, he reached down and ripped the cloth from around my
waist. I couldn’t blame him for cleaning me. The stench left by the
dead animal pelt made my eyes water.
    He slowly but purposefully rubbed the grime
and goop from my limbs, torso, face and neck. Periodically shaking
the cloth out under the flowing river, he seemed to be happy with
the progress. My breath slowed; eyes drifted closed at times. The
feeling of his soft strokes on my naked skin, combined with
prolonged running, made my exhausted body relax. The gentle rushing
sound of the water and the soft rustle of the branches above me
further eased my tired body and mind.
    I didn’t hear him submerge but knew he must
have when I felt his cheek rub up against my calf muscle. In a slow
ascension, he made his way up my body, touching my skin with the
side of his face. This intimate inspection was paired with the soft
dragging stroke of his hands.
    Emerging from the water once again, he laid
his head in the bend of my neck, his hands stopping on the sides of
my breast. Finally rid of most of the stench, I must have been more
pleasing to him now. He rested his nose behind my ear and inhaled
deeply. This was followed immediately by a quiet exhaling
groan.
    He took my wrist and led us a little way down
stream, to an area that was shallower. He brought us up to the
angled bank and, holding me by the waist, leaned my upper body
back. I was naked and exposed, lying before him. His eyes washed
over my skin. Exhausted and defeated, I lay my head back on the
soft ground.
    The rush of the water hummed around us. The
wind picked up. The tall grass swayed around me. I waited for the
pain, but gasped with surprise, when a very light touch of lips
fell on the base of my throat. The contact continued down my chest
in not so much a kiss, but a slow taste. He explored as he took in
my aroma.
    The vampire’s lips passed over my heart and
paused. He moved to a spot near my collarbone and stopped briefly,
only to return to the skin just above my heart. He compared and
enjoyed the effect my heavy heartbeat played against his lips. My
hands ran up and down the smooth skin of his back. I felt the hard
muscles of his thighs and chest against me.
    Cold water dripped from his hair and landed
on my chest making my nipples erect. He did not fail to notice the
effect. Slowly, he rubbed his nose first across one breast then the
other.
    A small shock ran through me and my