Hunted (Malice_Nightshade x Spacer1999)

[Malice_Nightshade]

Long ago the land was torn in two, humans on one side and vampires on the other, the king of the vampires held the Name Dracula, he was a cruel king who convinced his people that humans were beneath them and deserved to be treated like cattle, but the kings son was a kind soul and saw through his fathers hatred to see that humans were not just food. Anastasia was a beautiful, kind girl with a hidden past, her parents Lilly and Thomas Winchester found her when she was only 11.

After several years with them she grew into a beautiful young woman of 25. Morning came and she woke at sunrise, she went about her duties. She fed the Animals, gathered eggs from the hens, and salted meats from storage. She made her parents breakfast then went about her daily chores, after several hours passed she looked to the setting sun not realizing how quickly dusk came upon the land. She was walking past a thick layer of thorn bushes with a clearing on the other side.

Now Ana lived on the border of Vampire territory and went for a walk, she passed the thicket of thorn bushes and heard a commotion coming from the clearing, any normal person would walk away without a second thought, but her curiosity outweighed her fear, so she went against her better judgment to investigate the sounds of the struggle so she crawled through an opening between two of the bushes. She was in awe of what she saw, and hid.

She watched a vampire running from three of his own. Ana had a few abilities, being an empath she could sense energies and feel the hearts and emotions of others, and what she sensed in the three chasers was hatred and darkness, but from the one that ran she sensed kindness, she wanted to help but a human against three vampires was a death sentence. She watched the kind one who she didn't know was the prince fight off his attackers he killed two, but the third plunged a stake through his shoulder causing him to pass out, thinking the job was done the third ran off as the prince's blood speckled the leaves and soaked into ground.

Ana waited a few moments making sure the enemy had gone before standing up and running to the fallen prince, she saw how grave his injuries were and walked up to him, as gently as she could she pulled out the stake and against he better judgement she pulled the stake from his shoulder and dragged him home, their she lay him in her bed and removed the splinters before wrapping up his wound. All she could do now was wait and hope that his injuries weren't too severe.

 

[Spacer1999]

Corvinus was the heir to the empire that his father ruled over, but being an heir to an empire of cruelty where the king was immortal didn't mean all that much. Tall and dark, he stood out among the court. While everyone else was brooding and mistrustful, Corvinus was known to smile and look for the best in people. His handsome features and deep green eyes attracted his share of admirers, but many of the traditional women of his kind found his friendly nature offputting.

So, he had begun slowly trying to improve things from within. If someone was targeted as a 'meal' for their blood, especially a young person or a parent, he would find ways to place protections around their house. Soon, he grew more bold, secretly getting messages to the vampire hunters to let them know the locations of the worst of their kind.

These actions were what were finally his downfall. He grew careless and revealed the location of the underground haven of a particularly heinous vampire to a hunter. The problem was, only a few people had known of it and Corvinus was the clear suspect.

So, his father, ruthless as always, had sent the enforcers after him. Though he fought bravely and took two of them, the last proved too strong. As the stake plunged into him, he gave thanks that at least he'd saved a few mortals through his efforts. His last memory was the footsteps of a young woman approaching before he left this immortal realm.
***
He didn't leave, however. The next thing he knew, he was nestled in a bed, the curtains closed tightly to shield him from the sun. He heard those same footsteps nearing over the wooden floor and opened his eyes to see a radiant young woman with the kindest eyes he could remember.

"Are... are you an angel?" he asked. "For surely, no demon of hell was ever so lovely."

 

[Malice_Nightshade]

Ana had been taking care of him for several days now on the first day she lay him in her soft bed she made sure he was out, she took his unconsciousness as a good thing if it was for that moment only, she wanted to spare him the pain as she cauterized a sewing needle in the flames of a candle, one of several that were scattered across the room, with the heavy, felt curtains closed she needed some light. After the needle was hot and sterile, she pierced the needle hole with plastic string and after removing all the splinter left from the stake she began sewing the gash closed. She knew Vampires healed fast, but the stake was coated in pungent garlic and knew it would significantly slow the healing process, and knew because it stank and was bleeding heavier than usual.

As she was gently wrapping the wound in cloth she saw a scar from a previous fight, she knew it wasn't ladylike to pry, but once again her curiosity trumped her logic. She didn't see him move so she grew worried that he had died, what a silly notion thinking vampires could die, but she worried anyway. She saw him twitch and breathed a sigh of relief. After making sure he was comfortable, she looked him over and saw the tips of long dark hair covering his eyes so she pushed them behind his ear before she sat on the bed beside the one he lay in, the beds that were separated by a small side table. She had sat there guarding him against any danger that might come and despite Ana's weak body, her soul burned with a passionate fire. Ana grew sleepy and lay her head on the head of the bed and fell asleep.

She heard a voice and sat up groggily then stretched, she heard him speak and gave a sigh of relief. She stood up and with eyes of melted gold and looked him over for additional wounds "welcome back to the world of the living" she cooed and sat on her bed beside him "you must be terribly sore, you shouldn't move lest you open your wounds" She walked to her dresser that had a pitcher of water and beside it was a bowl with a cloth, and besides that a bottle of alcohol. She took the bowl and set it on the side table and did the same to the pitcher and alcohol bottle. Ana poured the water into the bowl and rung out the cloth, then she ran it across his forehead, then his cheeks than his neck before placing it back in the bowl and rung it out, setting it beside the bowl. She carefully unwrapped his stitched wound and poured alcohol on the cloth "this will sting" she said softly as she ran the soaked cloth across his shoulder. Cleaning all the blood that caked around his wounds

She placed the cloth back in the bowl of water staining it crimson. She sat beside him and looked him over to make sure he was clean and comfortable. She heard him ask if she was an angel giggling at his words, the blush was apparent on her fair, cream-colored skin "no I'm human...but I do know what you are, I can feel your heart, yours is kind" she said with a warm gaze and a gentle smile "I can also sense your energy, it holds an air of proud regality, and strength, an energy I have felt mostly in nobility, you must be Corvinus son to the king of vampires, but it doesn't bother me in the least" she looked him over, his eyes sparkling like garnets to the opposite ice blue of her eyes. She realized she hadn't told him her name "oh, but where are my manners, my name is Anastasia, but friends call me Ana, it's nice to meet you, prince Corvinus" she realized she had revealed her abilities to him. She looked down sadly "please don't tell the villagers of my abilities, the last town I told tried to burn me as a witch, but by whatever miracle, my family and I escaped safely, tell me, Corvinus, you and your father are so...different, why? And why we're those men chasing you?"

Ana

 

[Spacer1999]

Corvinus smiled at her entreaty.
"Fair Lady, I am the son of the king of vampires, as you well know. You can feel more than reassured that your secrets are safe with one such as me."
He looked up in her beautiful blue eyes and was overwhelmed with the trust and compassion in them.
"Milady," he said. "I can never thank you enough for saving me."
He took a deep breath and decided to spill his heart to her. Something about her voice, her face, it made him know she would listen.
"Our kind," he said. "They are built on the foundations of a lie. It is true that we need to drink blood, but only every few days, and it isn't necessary to kill a mortal to do so. We can sip but a few drops to keep us sane. Instead, my father views your kind as food for us. There are those of us who counsel such a path. We recommend choosing mortal friends who might supply us with enough to sate our thirst but now more. If we did such a thing, we would never be hunted, never be at risk. Instead, my father feels we should kill anyone we wish and convert anyone we hope to mate with."
He took a deep breath, tired again.
"It is not my way," he said softly. "I value all life and will not bite the neck of any creature who does not desire it."
He looked up at her, entranced by her deep eyes, but fighting off the call of exhausted sleep.
"Will you stay with me, milady?" he asked. "Just, rest beside me, so I know I am not alone?"
He held onto her hand, not really knowing what he said as sleep took him again.

 

[Malice_Nightshade]

Ana looked down at him smiling warmly as he promised to keep her secret. She was taken with his charm, grace, and ruggedly handsome features, his pale complexion made her stare, but notice him stare back into her eyes, she turned away, blushing shyly, but as he spoke, she heard the sadness in his voice, so she listened to his story "why wouldn't I save you? No one deserves to die alone, I'm glad that you didn't, I'm glad I found you in time, I was frightened you wouldn't make it, but I was overjoyed that you were still alive"

She grew quiet as he spoke, and once he finished she gave a sad sigh "your father, sounds like a horrid man that wants to be feared, in order to gain respect, I'm truly sorry you live with that, but because you do I admire your strength, you must go long without feeding...I can sense your thirst as if it was my own. If you're tired you can feed when you wake, it will take less time for you to heal that way, and I would like you to take some medicine, I won't lie it will taste terrible, but it will ease your pain" she smiled shyly as he asked her to stay "of course I will stay beside you, I haven't left yet" she said with a musical giggle. She sat on the bed at his feet and took his hand stroking the top with her thumb and hummed a soft lullaby that her birth mother once sang to her. She felt bad for lying to him about the couple upstairs, so she would tell her story next. Thinking about it a tear fell onto his hand so she wiped it off with a cloth and continued humming.

 

[Spacer1999]

Corvinus gratefully fell asleep to the tune of her song. It was the first comfort he had known in some time. His own mother had been kind. She'd been an innocent young maiden, the prettiest in her village, which captured his father's attention. He had turned her against her wishes and she had never quite forgiven that. Like Corvinus, she had never embraced the hungers of their kind and had done her best to shape her son as well as she could. When he'd been 14, she had finally despaired and had allowed herself to be killed by hunters rather than witness any more of his father's monstrous crimes.

The medicine, and her attentions were indeed effective. He slept soundly and with the remarkable healing of his kind, he was nearly back to full strength by the time he awoke. Yet, with strength came the hunger. When he awoke, and she was no longer beside him, her scent was strong in his nostrils. He grimaced with intense concentration as he pushed his base instincts down.

"Blood!" he whispered. "Fair maiden, I entreat you. Find me blood and quickly. Either prick your finger or even the blood of a fowl might slake my thirst. But please, take care to not come too close to me until we assuage this thirst."

 

[Malice_Nightshade]

Ana wanted to learn everything about him, but as he slept she saw him grimace in pain and grew concerned, she touched his forehead and gasped. She felt him tremble as his breathing grew ragged, and heavy she knew why she quickly dipped another cloth into some cold water and ran it gently across his chest, cheeks, and forehead, she watched as his fangs extended "oh no...there's no time..." She had cut her wrists and went to place the cloth back into the bowl just as he had woken, she felt the thrust gnaw at his belly, feeling his struggle and fail to push it back, the fact that she felt his hunger in her belly meant it was strong enough to get concerned. She put her wrist in front of his face "I was about to feed you in your sleep, but you woke, if it prevents you from hurting anyone I will sacrifice my own blood, drink prince Corvinus and slake your thirst" she whispered with her wrist in his face as the blood fell from her wrist onto the floor with a soft pat...pat...pat.

 

[Spacer1999]

Corvinus grabbed her arm and pulled it to him. The smell called to him in an almost uncontrollable way. He put his mouth to her wrist and drank deeply at first, being careful to sheath his fangs as he did.
He moaned with relief as he felt his body exalt in the relief of feeding.
One of the lesser-known aspects of the feast were the sensuous elements that were often present. If a vampire was going for a kill-feed, it was an angry, animalistic rage. However, if they had to exert more control, because the base instincts were so close to the surface. As he drank carefully and slowly, his other hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer. Taking just what he needed, and perhaps a drop more. He felt his hunger shift to something else. Grabbing a rag, he covered the cut in her wrist, then put his mouth on her arm, kissing upward, pulling her tighter to him before remembering himself."
"I'm sorry, Ana," he stammered. "I forgot myself. The blood... it does curious things to a body. I promise not to overstep my bounds again, but thank you so much for your generosity. You have kept me from being dangerous for several more days."

 

[Malice_Nightshade]

Ana felt Corvinus take wrist to her mouth, it hurt from how tightly he grabbed and gripped her wrist, but she it was the thirst that took the mind that caused him to take her so tightly. As soon as he bit in she felt her muscles tighten then relax letting the endorphins take her mind as his venom took effect.

A vampires kiss was like no other, it was intimate, sensual and addictive it was an ability they used to keep their prey from struggling and possibly killing themselves in the process. She smiled as he retracted his fangs since she was already bleeding, she loved how sweet and gentle he was to keep from hurting her.

She saw a strand of hair in his face that seemed to be irritating him so she lovingly pushed it behind his ear, she heard him moan, his soft voice that spoke of his relief, sent chills up her spine as she felt it too. Ana gave her own soft moan, their voices seemed to harmonize together. Her heart skipped a beat as she fell weakly on the bed to sit beside him and shuddered in pleasure as he held her by the waist.

Ana's blood was special, it's taste was sweet and addictive so she didn't mind, even expected him to take a little more. She sat weakly against him, being so close she grew a little excited, her head rest against his shoulder as her heart beat just a little faster, it was not only from the loss of blood either, but she was much too shy to tell him.

She felt him grab the bandages and wrap them around her sliced wrist to stop the blood flow. Her heart beat wildly as he pulled her to him and kissed up her arm causing her to shudder. Reality returned to them as she heard him apologize n..no it's really okay" she mumbled quietly trying to hide her excitement "I kind off...liked it" she whispered shyly.

She heard him thank her for donating her blood "I don't mind, it felt...good, I hope you enjoyed the taste" she said as she smiled looking into his eyes. Just then she heard a knock at the door "give me a moment, I'll be right back. And walked to the door, foolishly she opened it as two men looked down at her " excuse us, we're looking for a man by the name of Corvinus, his parents are frantic over him running away" Ana looked at them and felt only darkness in their hearts "I have no idea who you're talking about" she said.

They knew she was lying because she smelled of him. Anas eyes went wide as they backhanded her causing her to spin and fall hitting her forehead as she fell leaving a large gas across her forehead. The commotion woke her parents who ran down the stairs, they saw Corvinus with her blood on his lips and Ana lying in the doorway bleeding"we will be back" the vile creatures spat as they ran off "run..." She whispered to Corvinus before she slipped into consciousness, her parents screamed and began throwing anything they could find at the kind prince.

 

[Spacer1999]

Everything happened so fast that Corvinus could barely process it, even with his superior reflexes. The hunters, Ana bleeding... her parents descending upon him.

He could only do as she ordered. He ran for all he was worth. He couldn't sense any pursuers, so he ran toward the river.

Diving in, he followed the current, floating a full mile downstream to be sure no one could follow his scent, hounds or his kind.

At last, he emerged and climbed the bank to where he knew there was a small, deep cave in the hillside. Setting his wards at the entrance, he pushed back into the cavern, far enough so the sun couldn't each him when the dawn arrived.

All was lost, again. He'd finally found a sympathetic spirit and even she was denied to him.

 

[Malice_Nightshade]

Ana woke a week later, she was in her bed with her head bandaged, she lay where he had and smiled softly, the pillow still carried his scent, her parents came in to check on her and smiled ”rest Ana you were unconscious for a week, we were worried about you, what were you thinking caring for that monster, he could've killed yoy” Ana looked at her mother in disgust ”mother, why would you say something like that, he has a kind heart, I offered him my blood, and I would appreciate it if you stop speaking I'll of him" her mother apologized and kossed her fore head, and walked away to let Ana rest. She woke and sat up on the bed, Corvinus never leaving her thoughts. A week passed than 2, Ana went to the window ever morning after her chores and left the window every night, tears never stopped flowing, she refused to eat and and didn't sleep properly, after the third week she gave up "I'm such a fool, what would a prince see in a peasant like me" she went to sit on the bed depression clouding her thoughts.

Just as the night came Ana was getting ready for bed when a knock came at the door, thinking it was the man she had fallen for so quickly, she ran to the door the and just as she turned the knob 3 men pushed their way in and they smiled revealing the tips of fangs, her parents ran downstairs to see who was knocking and Ana's eyes went wide trying to run to her parents to protect them, but a vampire held her still. the leader, Sebastian walked to her parents Ana cried out "please don't hurt them” he gave her a smile that could terrify demons, his eyes his eyes were windows into the mad, twisted labyrinth that was his soul ”they seem like such a kind, loving couple” Sebastian gave a sinister mocking laugh, Ana's eyes went wide in horror as he rammed his left hand into her mothers chest and his right into her fathers and as soon as he pulled out their hearts they dropped to the floor, he just stood their looking right at Ana as he licked their hearts clean of blood before dropping them to the floor with a thud before stepping on them and grinding them into the floor.

Ana was horrified as she fell to her knees, devastated, defeated and absolutely crushed, but she barely had time to mourn the death of her parents before they struck her across the neck and knocked her out, Sebastian's dark, mocking laughter was all she heard as darkness swallowed her whole. Sebastian lifted her limp body, and threw it over his shoulder. They carried it a long way across vampire territory and into a cave in the mountains. They chained her to the wall and threw water to wake her up. Ana opened her eyes slowly and looked aroun, the cave looked like a dungeon. It gave Ana a chance to show them the fire in her soul as she fought her chains roaring in frustration, until she wore herself out once she had they beat her mercilessly, then they took her to another room wher a few vampires walked into her cell saying nothing, the only noise in the cell were her cries of agony as they bit into any part of her body they could find, they kept her weak by draining her causing her to pass out, they licked the wound then woke her only to repeat the vicious cycle until she could move, they did this every day for a week.

After that Sebastian came walked into the room ”do you know why you're here Ana? I sent those assassin's after my brother so I could take my father's throne, but you had to save his life, you took what I was after by saving him, I have taken everything but your life” he gave that sneaky sadistic smile as he looked at the guards "take her to the holding cell" they took Ana's weak body and chained it up. They kept her drained and weak to the point where she could barely comprehend thought. A few weeks passed and Sebastian walked in to the room, she saw that dark smirk through blurred vision, and knew what he had planned "please, don't do this!!”she begged but he had already pulled her listless body to him, driving his fangs deep into her neck, she opened her mouth to scream but no sound escaped, as he drained her nearly dry he bit into his wrist force feeding her his blood.

He left her to turn on her own. First, his venom invaded her blood, his blood meshing with the venom to change her from the inside, her body slowly died, the change was excruciating and she fought, hard, rolling on the floor and screaming in agony her organs shut down one by one as the venom infected every cell, one drop of his blood turned one human cell, which turned another then another until her mortal body finally died, the last to stop was her heart, after that her canines extended, and her eyes turned blood red. After a week Sebastian went to check on her and she flowers back at him trying to attack him but the chains kept her from jumping him, she gave soft growls "good, your progressing nicely a few more days and you will be ready" Ana was starving, the change took a lot out of a newly turned fledgling, and keeping her locked made the blood lust unbearable. A few more days passed and Ana sat there her eyes told them that she had fallen to her blood lust, to the point where she had become feral.

Sebastian looked at her and smiled "you're thirsty aren't you my little fledgling, tonight you will feast. Keep her locked up and take her to the carriage, I will ride with her" he knew Ana wouldn't hurt him, the sires bong wouldn't let a fledgling disobey their sire or boring harm to them, they also had a telepathic link. They took Ana from her cell to the carriage "just a few more more moments and you will be able to feed" they arrived at a village and let her out, Sebastian unlocked her chains "go my pet, feed to your hearts content, show them the monsters we truly are leave no one alive" Ana gave a roar as she attacked, men, women, children...none were safe from the thirst that gnawed at her belly, soon cried and screams of the dwindling population spread for miles even to the cave That Corvinus rest in.