Fallen - 1. Chapter 1 - Aqua

When he woke he was here, in my home, and now he is sitting on a cushion at my feet leaning back against my leg. He’s been here all night, not on the cushion but here, in my house. I got Chancey to clean him up when we got home. Chancey is my housekeeper. He’s been with me a long time. He is beautiful too, in his own way. Once he sat on the cushion but he was far too useful to be a pet for long. And now he runs the house completely, keeps my stable, takes care of the staff. He is invaluable, not least because he has taken to the role so completely and is entirely respectful and compliant without any compulsion whatever. I think he enjoys it.

He took the boy away, bathed him, rubbed scented oils in his body and washed his hair. Then, in the morning, he dressed him in the way he knows I like and brought him back, still unconscious and laid him at my feet. As a reward, and because I was feeling mellow and gracious, I allowed him to drink from me.

My blood is an intoxicant to humans and it bestows on them long life and vigour. Chancey has been with me a long time. He looks like a boy of fourteen or fifteen but he has been at my side for more than fifty years.

I wonder idly how old the new boy is. At my age it is so hard to tell. He’s not a child for sure, although anyone under a few centuries old is a child to me. I lean forwards and raise his chin looking into his face. They always look younger when they are asleep. Hmm... Early twenties I think, although he may be a little younger.

He stirs as I examine his face and those fabulous eyes blink open and dazedly stare upwards. Of course he’s not truly awake, he won’t be for a while, at least until I have decided whether I want to keep him or kill him.

The boy stares at me with little comprehension but he sighs with pleasure and half closes his eyes again. I understand. For the first time in what is probably a large chunk of his young life he is clean and warm and comfortable and he feels safe. Of course the safety is an illusion but he is feeling it strongly nevertheless.

I toy with his pretty hair and he sighs again.

“What shall I call you?” I muse. It is a small pleasure that I have, choosing names for my pets. Chancey got his name because of the chances he took with me that eventually led to his elevation. I changed it from Suki which is what I first called him, entranced by his smooth cappuccino skin, thick black hair and cat’s eyes.

This one is not dark at all. Without the grime of the streets, the smell of stale sweat and fear he is pale as a ghost. His hair is long and silky, white a snow and soft as it too. His skin is milky with a pale pink blush over his cheeks. There is no spare ounce of flesh or blemish apart from the signs of recent violence on his throat, ribs and the side of his face.

His eyes flutter and draw my attention to their stunning colour. They seem lighter here than in the darkness of the bar, but brighter. They are the most intense blue I have ever seen in any eyes before. “You have beautiful eyes,” I find myself saying. “The colour is stunning...Aqua.” And I know that’s his name.

“Aqua. You are Aqua. Do you like that little pet? Do you like who you are now?”

Aqua blinks and looks at me with eyes that are remarkably clear. “What have you done to me?” He asks softly, completely taking me aback. He is not supposed to be able to speak. Nevertheless I smile, letting my fangs show.

“I’ve done you a favour boy. I have taken you off the streets, snatched you away from a destiny which would have snatched away your life before the week was out. I have bathed you, scented you and treated your wounds and, above all I have refrained from killing you. I think you have nothing to complain about in what I have done to you.”

Aqua regards me thoughtfully with his bright eyes which, frankly are creeping me out at this point and trust me that is no mean feat. “Have you drugged me?” He asks blinking.

“Not as much as I should have. And I really ought to put that right... right now.” But I don’t. I like to watch the confusion in his eyes as he struggles to process what is happening, what I am saying; fighting the effects of my venom. Well, there’s one way of stopping that. Actually there is more than one way but this is the most fun.

“Stand up Aqua.”

“I... my name is not Aqua.”

“It is now.”

“No I...”

“Stand up Aqua.” I allow the command to leak into my voice and he finds it irresistible. His blood is still thick with my venom and he can fight it, more that he ought, but he can't resist. He looks even more confused as his body reacts without allowing his will or desire any say in it whatever. He raises dazed and slightly frightened eyes to mine. He should be a lot more dazed and considerably more frightened.

I tilt my head to one side and regard him thoughtfully. Damn he’s beautiful. Just looking at him makes my stomach tighten. I smile. At the moment I really don’t have to worry about why. After all, if it becomes a problem I can just kill the boy.

Getting to my feet I walk slowly towards him and despite the conditioning he takes a step back. I reach out and bury my hand in his hair, caressing his cheek with my thumb. He flinches and tries to pull away.

“Leave me alone,” he spits at me.

“No. You’re mine now, get used to it.”

“Yours?”

“My pet; one of my pets.”

“No,” he growls shaking his head.

“I would beg to differ... but I never beg.”

“No I... I won’t.”

“You won’t? What makes you think you have any choice in the matter?”

“I...”

I move closer so that his body is pressed against mine. “Guess what happens next?” I whisper into his ear, nudging his hair aside so I can kiss his neck.

“No I... I don’t...”

“You don’t what? Don’t want me? Are you sure?”

He puts a hand against my chest and tries to push me away. He has more strength... mentally and physically... than I thought. How exciting. I like them to fight back, not too much but enough to make it interesting. However, there is a time and place for everything. I lower my head to kiss him. He struggles but I am strong, so much stronger than he is. I could easily crush him, snap his ribs like toothpicks. Maybe one day I will, just for fun.

“Let me go. I won’t... you can't make me, you can’t. I won’t...”

“Oh yes, you will.” I touch him lightly, just behind the ear and he relaxes, his mouth falling open allowing me access. I kiss him for a while as he still struggles weakly and then breathe into him and he collapses, going limp in my arms. I hold him tightly to me and as his head falls back kiss his throat, feeling the blood pump, the breath hiss. I smell the aroma of... him. For the first time in centuries I truly desire.

Sweeping him up in my arms I carry him through the door into my bedroom and lay him on the bed. He sprawls in glorious abandon, his eyes open but lacking awareness. There is no fight in him now. I straddle him, caressing his skin, letting that wonderful silky hair slide through my fingers. I lower my head to kiss him; his lips, his chest, his abdomen. Oh the smell of him. It drives me insane.

I stroke him and he moans, tensing, his back arching. I knead his abdomen and he closes his eyes moaning, his breathing getting faster. I could work his body, bring him to climax, taste his orgasm but this time, this time I want to share it.

Quickly slipping out of my clothes I lower myself onto him kissing his neck as I let his warmth seep into me. He puts his arms around me and lifts himself, pressing his body against mine, his face buried in my shoulder.

“Oh you are such a pretty, pretty thing.” I murmur to him and he shivers at the feel of my breath on his neck.

Moving slowly under me he kisses my skin as he rubs his erection against my belly. I am not used to my pets reacting like this. Usually they are more quiescent. But I like it. I roll over onto my back pulling him on top of me. He raises himself and looks down at me. There is something in his eyes, something.

Then he lets his head fall forward as if it is too heavy to hold up. It is. He presses his lips against mine and I open to let him in. He’s good. Even in this state he wanders dreamily through slow pleasures that make my body tingle in a way I can’t remember it ever having done before. It is almost uncomfortable.

I run my hands up and down his back, letting him play with me as his long lithe body writhes over mine. He has no idea what he’s doing, not really. He is merely allowing his body to control him, acting on his needs and desires without any real consciousness. It comes on me to wonder what it would be like to make love to him when he is fully conscious, when his action are more determined, the look in his eyes is more...

I shake myself mentally. What am I thinking?

Flipping again I lay him on his back. He stares up at me, his hair spread out all around him, his lips bruised from kissing, his eyes dreamy but with a steeliness deep within that excites me. His hands reach up to stroke my sides and he is making little sounds, part whimper, part moan and part sigh. They are assailing my senses in the same way as his smell, his touch, his beauty. I can stand it no longer.

Gripping his thighs and pushing them back and apart I enter him without preamble. He cries out and his hands bunch the silk sheets beneath him. Breathing hard he arches his back and throws back his head the whimpers turning into growls. Who would have thought that such a pretty little thing would have such a wild side?

I ride him hard and he seems to thrive on it, panting, rising his hips to meet me, throwing his head from side to side and growling, low in his throat with his teeth clenched. Everything he does inflames me and spurs me on more and more.

At some point I let go of his legs and lower myself onto him, breathing in his scent. His hands claw at my back and I feel the long nails raking my skin, drawing blood. No one has done that to me for a very long time but rather than anger me the pain arouses me even more. Throwing back my head I howl and slam him harder as he raises his head and bites me.

Damn him, the little minx bit me. I should tear off his head. I should beat him to within and inch of his life. I should... I should... Oh Hel that was good. Do it again... oh Hel do it again. He does.

I am literally shaking and that is something I cannot remember having done before with a pet, ever. I am desperate, riding him harder, faster, further than ever and now there is no question of a whimper. He is a primal force that, if I had been capable of thought might have frightened me. But I am not thinking, I am simply reacting and it is good... it is so good.

I feel the energy rising in me and I know that I am close to release. I make sure that he is rising with me and I lower my head to kiss him. I breathe into him, but carefully. I don’t want him to lose the edge, the passion. This time I am simply preparing him. He shudders and gasps and tries to jerk his head away but there is no question of it. Perhaps he has caused me to lose control... but not completely, never that.

Aqua’s writhing takes on a new dimension. He is directionless caught only in the passion and he starts to shake. I smile against his lips and release them to let mine slide down to his throat, turning his head so that I have easy access. I am gasping with passion and I feel the tide rising beyond the point that it can stop. Aqua cries out as he convulses and ejaculates and I sink my fangs into his throat as my own climax sweeps over me, filling him in more ways that one, but carefully. He is too delicious this beautiful boy, too precious. It would be tragic if I threw away his life for nothing more than a moment’s loss of control.

His blood is sweet, so very, very sweet. It is as intoxicating as our lovemaking had been. He thrashes weakly for a few minutes, high on the orgasm, but stills as venom from my fangs seeps into his blood. I have to be careful. It has not been unknown for me to lose control in passion and drain my pets too far. They are so fragile these pretty humans, they die so easily.

By the time I pull back he is beginning to slide but I have stopped in time. He will be unconscious for a time but he will recover. He is paler than ever and he trembles slightly with the effort of his body to cope with the diminished blood supply and to make more. He is very cold. I, on the other hand, am warm. I have leeched his heat and for a time I will be warm and sated.

I smile at him and twist a strand of hair around my finger before trailing them over his chest and down to toy with his limp and sticky erection. On a whim I lower my head and lick him clean. He tastes so good. I linger for a while, kissing his stomach and savouring the smell of his sex. It makes me dizzy.

I raise my head and stroke his cheek. The trembling has increased and he is moaning softly. I stroke his neck and he goes still.

Dressing, I call Chancey. He takes one look at Aqua sprawled across the bed, a small amount of blood staining the white silk under his head, and clicks his tongue. He kneels on the bed and examines the unconscious boy.

“You have almost drained him, My Lord. What do you want me to do? Dump him?”

“No. Take care of him. I want to keep this one.”

“What have you called him?”

“Aqua.”

He nods simply and without question or comment. He is completely obedient and he knows exactly how far he can go.

“If you want him to be undamaged he will need a transfusion, My Lord. Can I take it from the bank?”

I consider for a moment looking at Aqua. For an instant I am lost in him. If Chancey hadn’t been there... who knows? I remember the way he fought me and then the way he fucked me when he should only have been capable of being fucked.

“Give him some of mine.”

Chancey turns and stares at me. “Are you sure?”

“Are you questioning me?”

“No, not at all, My Lord. You know what you want and I make it happen but...”

“There are no ‘buts’ Chancey. Give Aqua my blood or I will open my wrist right now and you will suffer for it.”

Chancey stares at me and shakes his head. He looks as if he is going to say something but then clamps his lips together and lifts Aqua easily in his arms, slinging him over his shoulder.

“And you had better make sure he’s undamaged when you bring him back.”

“You want me to bring him back?” He so astonished that he forgets the required form of address. I am feeling magnanimous and forgive him.

“Of course. As soon as he is able to stand get him bathed and dressed in something... suitable, then bring him back to me here.”

“Suitable, My Lord?”

“Soft leather trousers. I like the smell of leather.”

“It won’t be tonight, My Lord. He will be sick for a time.”

I frown at him, annoyed at him and at myself. “I didn’t take too much.”

“Of course not, My Lord. You never take too much. Perhaps he is unusually weak, but he is failing nevertheless.”

Damn him. It is his way of telling me that I did take too much. Damn me.

“Whatever. Do what you can.”

“Of course, My Lord. Is there anything else?”

“Nothing else.”

“Yes Lord.”

I feel strangely empty. I have never felt alone in this room. This is my inner sanctum, my domain. This is my sanctuary and I am often alone here, more often than not. I am always alone but I have never felt alone. In all my long life I have rarely felt alone anywhere.

I am restless. I would go on the hunt but I am saturated. I shouldn’t have drained the boy so much. I almost killed him. And yet... There is something in me that says that it would take more than that, a lot more than that to kill him. It is tempting to tell Chancey not to give him blood, to wait and see what happens, but the thought of having his veins filled with blood that used to flow in mine is too tempting.

Although...

I hurry after Chancey. He has taken Aqua to the stable where there is a room set aside for treating the injured. Chancey is no doctor but he is well used to treating those I have taken too much blood from, at least those I want to keep. The rest never see this room, in fact they never see anything else at all.

I have rarely gone to the stable, I have no need to. This is Chancey’s domain. He rules with an iron fist, but it is a fist encased in velvet. The other boys adore him. They think he keeps them safe, keeps them alive. I suppose he does. He schools them carefully in the ways of the house, how to refrain from displeasing me. Although it doesn’t always make a difference.

I have long ceased really caring about my pets. Sure I care about the hunt. It still makes my pulses race, but even that has been falling flat lately. Until now...

There is a boy lounging in the drawing room. He is warming himself by the fire. I recognise him vaguely, not someone I have taken recently. He scrambles to his feet in fear and confusion. I inhale deeply, the smell of fear has always made me horny. The boy is all eyes and hair. Actually he has very nice hair. I drift across the room towards him.

“I... I’m sorry, My Lord. I... I didn’t know you would be coming. I...”

“Sssh.” I croon as I take him into my arms. The boy is trembling, almost weeping with fear and it tastes so good, so... The boy stiffens as I brush away the glorious mane of his golden hair and kiss his throat. “Sssh.” I whisper again as my fangs descend. He gives a little cry when I enter him and then he sighs and literally melts in my arms.

He is sweet. Young and pure by the taste of him. I wonder why I have not tasted him before. Ah... yes... he is the son of the aristocrat who pissed me off at the gala dinner last month. I took the greatest pleasure in taking his son away from him. And then I forgot the boy. Shame. He really is sweet. But...

After only a few moments I raise my head and look down at the pale anxious face. He hasn’t had enough of my venom to do anything other than relax him. I smile and his eyes widen at the sight of my bloody fangs. Lowering my head I press my lips against his and he responds instantly. Chancey has him trained well.

Stroking his hair I bury my fingers in it and brush them against his throat as I breathe into his mouth. The boy’s body shudders and then he goes completely limp in my arms. I gently lower him onto the sofa and caress his naked chest. He is very pretty. Ordinarily I would have played with him for a while but my heart isn’t in it today. He tastes sweet but not... right.

Chancey has laid Aqua on one of the narrow beds and has already set up the equipment to transfuse my blood into his veins. He looks up as I enter and his eyes widen. “My Lord?”

“I have changed my mind Chancey. Have the boy bathed and brought to my chamber immediately.”

“But, My Lord. Without the transfusion he will die.”

“If that is his fate then so be it. Call it a test if you will.”

“But, My Lord...”

“Chancey, you are my right hand man. I rely on you considerably. I would like to think that over the years we have become friends. I enjoy the evenings we spend together in the winter and I truly appreciate the work you have done and continue to do for me in my home and the stable. However, do not forget who is master here. You are not irreplaceable and I will not have my orders challenged.”

Chancey bows his head. “No, My Lord.”

“I am going out for a short while, only and hour. When I return I want to find him freshly bathed and naked in my bed. Alive or dead it makes no difference to me.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

I don’t care what he says, I have lost interest in him. He could have said anything and I would not have heard. I find myself drawn towards the bed, looking down at the pale loveliness. Without the stunning blue of his eyes he is colourless and it has little to do with having been drained of blood. He is an alabaster angel and all I want to do is touch him.

As I watch his eyelashes flutter I almost take a step back when they rise over drugged eyes. His lips move and I find myself leaning forward to hear what he says.

“Fuck you.”

I can’t stop the grin that spreads over my face. I brush his cheek with my fingers and he jerks his head away. Delightful. He is still fighting me, even now, and he still has the strength to. I am really starting to enjoy this one.

Chancey hisses. “My Lord.”

I look up at him, annoyed. “What?”

“His eyes, My Lord.”

Surprised I look down and my heart jumps when I see the flicker of red behind his pupils. Can it be... can it possibly be...?

“His eyes are not your concern Chancey. Get him to my room within the hour and I will worry about that. No... I think I will be gone longer than an hour. I don’t want him left alone, not for a minute. Stay with him no matter what.”

“What if he...?”

“You can be sure that he will not.” Aqua’s eyes have closed again but the red flame remains lit deep within him. It calls to the one within me. I shake my head to break the spell and turn. At the door I pause. “There is a boy out here. See he is cared for. I have taken very little from him but he will need... relief.”

“Yes My Lord.” He knows the score