Chapter 65

A voice called out to her...a voice pulling her away from the powerful embrace she didn’t want to abandon.

“Ciiiiiaarrrrraa! Girl are you ok?”

The cloud of enthralment evaporated, spitting her out, dumping her into a heap of confusion.

Ciara shook her head, feeling the shadows in her mind vanishing, panic settling in as realisation dawned.

“Honey? What happened?”

Holly’s gentle touch ripped the first blood curling scream from her stiff throat.

“Oh God...something bit me! Oh God help me!”

Holly focused the flashlight towards the scampering Ciara. Her friend was really freaking her out. Feeling a bit uneasy, she swung the light around.

“Please don’t! Dont take the light away!”

“Honey, tell me whats wrong..you are scaring the shit out of me.”

Ciara kept rubbing at her throat, skimming her neck fervently.

“Look..can you see something? There must be something, I felt him, I heard him...” She burst out in noisy tears.

Taking the shaking girl into her arms, she pulled her up . She was shaking like a leaf! The shitheads! What were they thinking? She was scared shitless!

“Let’s go babes. I’ll kick their fucking butts raw! Sshh its ok.”

Ciara felt her heart slowed as she was bathed in light.

“Are you able to stand now?”

“Yeah...yeah I’m ok.”

“The guys took it too far this time! Funny is one thing but working you into a hysterical frenzy is fucking ridiculous.”

Holly took her arm around Ciara's shoulder and gently led her back to the stairs.

"Let's go back to the party. I'm sure you're feeling better soon in the light. I could really kick their asses for being so mean to you..."

Walking down the stairs back into light, she felt whatever had her terrified like hell, subsiding. The loud noise of the party greeted her like a welcome bath.

“It wasn’t....” her eyes fell on the masked stranger. He was just
standing there, wine glass in his hand as if nothing in the world mattered.

Confusion and shame burned her cheeks.

Was she wrong? Did she only imagine it? She shook her head. That’s it, orange juice from now on!

Bringing the glass to her lips, she snorted, miffed at herself for shaking so badly that she almost spilled her drink. Looking up ,she stiffened as he raised his glass in silent toast. Toast to what?

To you and me...and what’s to come.

Oh Lord there it is again..that voice!

A tender touch at her arm pushed her back to reality and kept her from fretting over the voices in her head.

“Hello.”

She turned around to see a big guy standing beside her. She had never in her life felt so happy to see a familiar face.

“Martin! How are you?”

She offered him a quick peck on the lips.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, but you know how it is with a doctor. Never a dull moment!”

Offering his arm to her, she accepted.

“Let’s go somewhere a bit more quiet.”

She chuckled.

“The only quiet place would be nowhere near my house tonight!”

She felt cold eyes boring into her back but chose to ignore it.  

She didn’t like her blind date and the sooner he figured it out, the sooner he’ll go.
Clutching on Martin's arm she led him into a more quiet part of the room.

Settling into the swinging chair, she let her legs hang while he gently swung them.

Minutes turned into an hour. He was such a fascinating person, he almost made her forget about the eerie blind date..almost.

Trying as she might, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was watching her, but when she turned to where he was standing she didn’t find him there. Hope flickered that he might have left.

“Ciara?”

“Hhmmm..sorry...what did you say?”

“I was wondering if there might be something to snack on, I haven’t eaten for hours.”

Nodding towards the noisy crowd she chuckled, “You do know they are at the party too? I’ll be surprised if there is so much as a crumb left, but let me go see what I can throw together for you, ok?”

“You’re a sweetheart. Thanx hun.”

She smiled at him, glad that he came to the party and left to look for something to eat.

He was so tired, rubbing his eyes, he sagged his head backwards, closing his eyes just for a moment.

Awareness flared up and he opened his eyes. Some dude in a black cloak and phantom mask was a few feet away from him.

“You wanna sit down?” he asked, somehow feeling nervous about this dark dressed man, the face hidden by the mask so all you could see were glittering eyes.

“I was just wondering what  made you so special?” he said in a deep low growl.

Raising an eyebrow, not expecting such a question from a complete stranger.

“Excuse me?”

“You come to this party, late I might add and she abandon her guests to entertain you.

Dont you think its rude?”

Martin sat up, he didn’t like the coolness of the man’s voice. He stood up.

“Listen, I didn’t come here to look for trouble. This is Ciara’s house, her party, I don’t see anything wrong with the fact that she spends time with me. This is not a kindergarden, if you need someone to babysit you, I suggest you go somewhere else.”

Something like a growl emitted from the man and Martin stepped back, the eyes behind the mask suddenly gleaming a luminous indigo.

What the hell?

“You are not welcome here. You should leave.” the stranger spat, stepping closer to him.

Martin was fuming.

“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are but I’m going nowhere. Why don’t you get your fucking ass out of here before I kick it?”

Fury rumbled like a volcano coming out of its slumber, bulging his fists he felt the nips as his growing nails bit into flesh..

“Did you hear me asshole?!”

Grabbing him by the cloak, he suddenly yelped as cold bands of steels almost crushed his hands.

“Don’t ever make the mistake of touching me again.” It was a chilling warning.

His hands lost their grip, but the force of it staggered Martin backwards.

Pain flashed through his skull like stabbing daggers, grabbing his head he groaned as he sagged onto the chair.


Ciara saw him fall into the chair and rushed back to where she left him. “Martin? Are you ok?”

Nausea bubbled in the pit of his stomach.

“I think I have a migraine coming, maybe I should go.”

He stood up slowly, the pain he felt before still fresh and  fear he just couldn't explain.

No one saw the satisfied sneer on the other man’s lips.

“I’m so sorry for screwing up the evening, we should go out one evening.”

“That would be really nice.” She stared worriedly at his pain stricken face.

Martin grabbed his jacket, hugged her for a brief moment and smiled, throwing warily glances in the direction of the stranger.

" I'll call you sweatheart..."

With that he stepped back from her and she had no chance to ask him anything more. He left the party as quick as he could, a creepy feeling inside his guts that he just avoided some danger he couldn't name.

Watching the taillights as it disappeared she joined the guests. The party was drawing to an end, one after the other her guests thanked her for a wonderful party and took their leave.

Just as fate would have it her vampire date took his time to leave. With only herself and Holly left she shuddered as he kissed Holly’s hand gallantly. Her friend was so obviously taken by his charm, she could only wonder why she felt so differently towards him.

“I’ll go on here, you see Mr. Charm to the door.”

Opening the door she turned to bid him goodbye but found herself bump into a hard wall, steadying herself she stuttered a lame excuse.

Those eyes just stared at her, lifting her hand slowly she swallowed when he rested her hand against his chest.

Mesmerized by the enigma of the man, she stood there, his hypnotic stare stealing any coherent though from her.

She watched as his lips moved, the husky words drifting towards her….

**"Auziþi-mã iubita de noapte,
stabiliţi-vă spiritul liber,
vii la mine fără frică sau de regret,
şi vă voi acorda nemurire."

She didn’t understand a word but yet it was as if her mind and heart understood it.

Taking her hand from his chest, he brought it to his lips. His work here was done.

A spark of energy sizzled along the back of her hand.

“Goodnight my lovely, we’ll meet again.”

“Goodnight.” she whispered, her heart pounding in her chest.

She didn’t wait to see his departure, closing the door, she mentally closed the book to this chapter of her life.

Joining Holly in the kitchen, she sighed.

“Missing him already? Hoped he rather stayed for the night? You can tell me…hell I wont mind if he stayed over at my place!”

“Are you crazy? That man….well he..freaks me out.”

She shivered.

Holly laughed.

“That my dear friend, is called sexual attraction, you’ve been out of the market for so long, you cant even recognized the difference.”

Ciara gave her a shot with the drying cloth.

“I know the difference and please don’t ever organize me a blind date like that again. My taste in men differs from yours…I’ll find my own man!”

Holly’s hands stillled in the soapy water.

“Ciara, girl, Martin was your blind date, not the stud. I thought you knew this guy. Isn't he working with you or something?”

Fear tapped down her spine.

“No…I’ve never seen him in my life before tonight. I thought you invited him. But how did he know my name…how?”

Both women stared at each other in total shock. The question hanging between the girls like a cloud when the truth finally hit them....



**Hear me, lover of the night,
Set your spirit free,
Come to me without fear or regret,
And I will grant you immortality.