The sounds of swords clanging
against one another rung through my household. Every week, once or twice in a
seven day span, I’d teach and spar with who would become a very important
vampire in the coming days, Ryland Durand.
For two earthly years, which to me had only begun, I gave Ryland lessons
on various black arts and spells, putting him amongst the most powerful
immortals in the universe. Coupled with his intelligence and calm spirit, the gifts
I’d bestowed upon him would make him damn near invincible. I was told we would
need allies like him if the great battle my first father prophesied would occur.
Though my prime objective was to
be his instructor, I had developed intense feelings for the blood sucker.
Nothing would please me more than to have Ryland by my side, but the vampire
had committed to his brother and a human named Dale. When I expressed how I
felt to Ryland, he responded there was no room in his heart or his bed for
another. Nevertheless, I would not be deterred and would use every opportunity
as merely another part of my relentless plan of seduction.
“Ha!” Ryland lunged forward,
showing off his magnificent fencing techniques, attacking me whenever he could
detect what he supposed to be my weakness.
“Good move, Ryland.”
When Ryland appeared to be relaxed,
I knocked the weapon out of Ryland’s hands, sending it across the room. Not
allowing him to move, I placed the tip of my blade against Ryland’s throat.
Without moving it, I slowly stalked closer to Ryland, watching his eyes and reading
his thoughts. Within those, I saw the plans Ryland had concocted to use the
magic spell I’d given him to gain the upper hand.
Although I’d lose this particular
match, I’d let him win so he’d question my decision.
For a demon who relies on raw
emotions for consumption and arousal,
there was more than one way to obtain what I desired.
“You have plans to take this sword?” I asked him, cocking an eyebrow.
Ryland grimaced, gnashing his
teeth together. “I … I do.”
While I continued to scan his
mind, I studied Ryland’s face. The sharp cheekbones, the gorgeous profile.
Beautiful light brown eyes with speckles of yellow along with a narrow nose and
full kissable lips. Ryland was indeed a sight to behold and my only wish was to
be near him even with my feelings for the blasted angel looming over my head.
Of course, if given the choice, I
would pick Ryland in a heartbeat over Calisto.
We were one in the same; demons and killers.
Nearly losing my concentration, I
swiped my tongue over my lip and nodded once. “Then do what you have been taught.”
Ryland’s eyes changed into a deep
crimson color, before he closed them. In a matter of seconds, my sword flew out
of my grasp and into Ryland’s. Then, with all his might, Ryland roughly pushed me
against the wall with so much force it caused cracks in the foundation. With his
body fully pinned against mine, he raised the weapon, tucking it under my chin.
Noting my defeat, I grunted and
met his fiery gaze once again.
“How did I do, teacher?” Ryland flashed a smirky grin.
Not able to be killed, only tiny
embers of fire spit from my neck. I felt no pain in the spot Ryland had
pierced. Instead, discomfort in my groin where I desperately wanted release. Thoroughly
aroused by the two of us being so close, I drew in a sharp breath and bowed my
head once.
“You’ve done well, Ryland. As to
be expected.”
Ryland’s grin disappeared. He marked
me with the edge of the sword. Then, he quickly pulled it away, his crimson
eyes narrowing. “You knew of my plan the whole time, did you, not? Why did you
let me defeat you?”
Still watching the beautiful
creature, I ran my hand over the slivers of flesh on my throat. The wounds dissipated
and I leaned in close. Our mouths were only an inch or so apart. I shrugged. “I
did not, my friend. You caught me by complete
surprise.”
“Liar!” Ryland spun on his feet,
apparently angry about my submission. “You are to teach me, Valios. Allowing me
to win, will not teach me a damn thing!”
Feeling his disdain, I inhaled
deeply and closed my eyes tight. Tiny flickers of fire burned in my belly,
seeping down to my groin. Knowing the vampire’s emotions were getting out of
control, my arousal increased. If only he would allow me one time to make him experience the same excitement firsthand.
“Valios!”
Ryland’s bark sounded and broke
my concentration. Unlike other immortals it took a lot for me to be sexually turned on. However, with my student in
such close proximity, the task of stimulating me was not difficult at all. The
lust I had for him was abundantly clear.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, taking
in the vampire’s attractiveness. I licked my lips, sensing the surge of energy
bolt through every spot in my body.
“Ryland?”
“I cannot do this anymore. You
are not keeping things professional as I have asked you to.”
“I have kept things exactly the way I said I would, Ryland.
I have yet to make a pass at you. Although …” I stood in front of him, softly running
my hands over his flawless jawline. Being of the undead, his flesh was cold to
the touch. Still, the fire in my mind, heart, body, and soul would not be
extinguished no matter how low his body temperature was.
“Our lesson is over, vampire. Now that our professional time is complete, I could
use the rest of the evening to show how much I care for you.”
Ryland continued to eye me
confused. I sensed the conflicts in his mind and heart about the feelings he
had for me.
Could they be mere adoration?
Lust?
Perhaps love, but I didn’t need
the last emotion to sustain me. I was a demon. We cared nothing about being
loved. We fed on hatred, lust, and greed. Surely that “godly” quality did not
make a damn bit of difference in how I’d pursue a relationship with Ryland.
“Then, I shall end this night now.”
Ryland pulled away and slammed his sword into the scabbard on his hip.
Before he could get away any
further, I reached out for Ryland, curling my claws around his bicep.
“Please, stay.” I managed through
baited breaths.
I seethed, thinking of Ryland’s
partners. His lovers, who ruled his mind and body, making him inaccessible to
those who were more than fond of him.
Namely
me.
“I cannot. I am due home to enjoy
a dinner with my family. Dale wants us to try something he calls jambalaya. A
southern staple, he tells us. He’s even went as far as to add fresh animal
blood to season it for myself and Ryder. Such a thoughtful lover he is.”
Ignoring his statement, I yanked
Ryland into me. We were turned in opposite ways, but still able to lock eyes; his
light brown orbs with my emerald greens.
Again, I leaned in close,
inhaling the faint scents of flesh from Ryland’s body. He also smelled of
sandalwood, not natural, perhaps a chemical he had took to wearing so his true ardor
would be masked.
“He is that, but in your heart I
detect emotions for me. You do not want
to leave. The fire inside your groin burns out of control, much like mine. You
lust me. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t continue to come here taking lessons.”
Ryland nodded. “It is true,
Valios. I do sense my feelings for you running deeper than they should, but I
must beg of you to respect me and my relationship. You have known about this−”
“I do, but I choose not to allow
it to override my desire to seduce you.”
Ryland swallowed hard. Apparently
aroused, he opened his mouth and hissed, revealing elongated fangs.
“Ah, Valios. You make things too
difficult, and despite the want I possess to be passionately entangled with
you, I must still decline this
tantalizing offer.”
Ryland pressed a soft kiss on my
cheek and squeezed my arm.
“I shall leave now. When you have
new lessons to show me, I will return. Until then, please do not contact me.”
Ryland grasped my bicep again,
before using the power I’d given him to disappear into thin air. Unlike the old
vampire folklore, Ryland did not change into a bat. Instead, he vanished into a
cloud of smoke as I would do.
Mentally, I kicked myself for
giving him that ability, to use against me when he saw fit. At times I wished I
hadn’t been so giving with my most important spells, like now when I wished to
compel him to stay by my side.
Despite this, I was doing my duty
as the head soul catcher demon, preparing one of our greatest allies for a
possible war down the line.
Though neither of my fathers
predicted me falling for the bloodsucker, I did not regret it entirely.
If only I would’ve made my
feelings known before Ryland and Ryder found their third. The written story in
the immortal truth book would’ve been written in my favor.
*****Hope you enjoyed the story. To read more about Valios and Ryland, read N'awlins Exotica Parnormal series. The first four are free on Smashwords. The 5th is 99 cents. This is an alternate universe story. A spin off of the original tale.
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