Chapter Eight

Rose fell down and hit her head hard on the rocky ground with Devlin draped around her midriff, pinning her down. Rose blinked her eyes as she tried to rid her vision of the little black spot. Dazed, Rose wondered why she was on the ground and what that hissing noise was. She felt a sharp, stabbing pain on both sides of her abdomen, which made her look down. To her horror and realization, Rose saw monstrous creature clawing it way up her naked body, its red eyes full of hunger and malice. Devlin!

His mouth was bloody as his lip scrunched back, revealing those deadly fangs. Had he been feeding on me? Is that why I feel so out of it? Rose tried to squirm and crawl away on her back, but Devlin yanked her back towards him. As Devlin loomed over Rose, his bottom jaw quivered with anticipation. Rose kicked and punched Devlin, but nothing she threw seemed to faze him. Devlin slid his hips between her tights and then he roughly grabbed Rose by the back of her neck and pulled her up to his face.

Desperation and panic rushed through her mind as she smacked and flailed her arms at Devlin. Stupid woman! Why did I tempt this man, knowing full well that he could do this to me and there was nothing I could do about it? Devlin took a deep breath, inhaling Rose’s scent as he licked his sharp, clawed fingers clean. Was that my blood? Oh Gods, it was and he’s lapping it up like-like food. All the blood from Rose’s face rushed out as she knew what was coming next. Devlin leaned down and slowly licked her neck, right along her carotid artery, and it sent shivers throughout her body.

“Rose…” Devlin’s voice sounded like death itself, “you taste…divine…”

Rose whimpered as tears rolled down her cheeks. She didn’t care about who saw her crying or the fact that she was terrified and helpless under Devlin’s assault. He was gorgeous and deadly but now all that went through her mind was what it would feel like having her soft skin ripped away from her throat. He put his forehead against hers and let his blood red eyes stared down into her teary eyes.

“Help me…Rose!” he hissed out, “Stop me now…before I…hurt you!”

“I-I can’t!” Rose squeaked out, “I-I…I’m nothing! Just kill me and get it over with!”

Devlin roared and snarled like he was at war with himself, Rose thought. Didn’t he want to bite me, to feed on my blood? It dawned on Rose that he was holding back at great cost to his own sanity. Devlin was like a mad man who hadn’t eaten in three months and was tied down to a chair, being forced to gaze at a perfectly cooked steak with all the fixing. He was doing all that he could to resist biting her, Devlin was trying to stay true to his word. He didn’t want to hurt Rose, but he was also losing this battle too.

“Get me off you Rose! Use your magic!” Devlin growled as he dove towards her neck, his fangs looked like they were growing longer and sharper. Rose closed her eyes, trying to come up with a spell or an attack that could knock Devlin off her body but nothing came fast enough to her. She felt a slight nick in her neck and then, nothing else. Even Devlin’s weight wasn’t burdening her anymore. What had happened? Rose wondered if she had cast something out of fear and didn’t know she had done it. Rose opened her eyes, wildly looking around for Devlin. The only sight in front of her was a pair of legs that stood over her. Rose noticed that there were patches of cloth missing from the pants, like they had been ripped out instead of cut…or bitten out.

Duncan! Rose scampered back from underneath him and saw Devlin was picking himself up off the cave floor with the wolves circling him. He rubbed and examined his jaw with surprise, as if he expected it to be broken or missing. What did Duncan do to the vampire that she couldn’t do? Rose hit Devlin and recalled nothing hurt him, but then again she was on the ground and didn’t have the leverage that Duncan had in his attack. Rose stood up and cowered behind Duncan for safety. She careened her head around Duncan and watched Devlin as he recovered.

“Thanks…Duncan!” he hissed but then he forced his hand into his mouth and bit down, hard. Rose felt queasy watching him feed on his own blood but wasn’t about to look away. She had to know what was going on and why Duncan refused to press the vampire. The more he drank, the clearer Devlin’s eyes became. Was that a sign of his blood lust, Rose wondered, and decided to make a note of it for later. Devlin turned and faced the wall, not looking at them and said, “I’m sorry Rose…I’ve failed your trust. I must go now and feed…Forgive me, Duncan.”

Rose saw a tear run down Devlin’s cheek. It was red like blood and his eyes were changing back to those terrifying blood orbs. And then he vanished without a sound. Duncan’s body relaxed as he let out a pinned breath. He walked over and sat down on a nearby rock with a multitude of emotions streaking over his face as he quietly sat in deep thought. Rose wasn’t sure whether to approach him or leave him alone so she decided to sit down on the gurney as the wolves approached to surround and protect her. She was surprised that none of them attacked Devlin while he was on top of her, but then again, maybe they were afraid of the monster they saw him become. Duncan glanced around at his surrounding with confusion and then he saw Rose’s robe splayed on another rock near a fire that had no kindling keeping it going.

Duncan snatched it off the rock and held it in his hands with care, as if he were holding a baby. Duncan put it up to his face and inhaled, his eyes shuttering. Rose watched him intently and realized that if she was going to figure out what was going on with Duncan and his new magical abilities, she had to talk to him and get his explanation of what happened.

Rose tactfully started her questions - “Why are you sniffing my robe? You got some sort of fetish I should know about?”

Duncan laughed under his breath, “It’s – no, you wouldn’t understand and you would probably think I was crazy.”

“No I won’t.” Rose snapped back, “Why would you think that I would be so judgmental of you?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time Rose or have you forgotten already?”

“Just tell me already!” Rose replied with frustration in her voice, “You’re the second person who’s sniffed me today and I’d like an answer as to why!”

Duncan clutched the robe to his chest, as if he didn’t want to give it up. He wouldn’t look at Rose, just stared down at the ground. “Do you recall what happened to me? Before I woke up in here, I mean?”

Rose uneasily answered, “Yes…”

“It’s like a blur to me, but I do remember being overwhelmed by the Chouls and screaming for my life. The thing I remember the most about that moment was the smells and odors…death, putrefaction, the grave breath, rotting cloth. Even that green crap that they drip from their mouth smelled worse than all those combine.”

Duncan lifted Rose’s damp bath robe and inhaled it once more. As he lowered it down into his lap, Duncan smiled and said, “Breathing in this simple piece of fabric gives my mind peace, knowing that all those horrible things I mentioned didn’t happen and that I’m alive and well. It’s like breathing in sunshine and roses after a fresh spring rain…the kind of scent I could enjoy being around forever.”

All of Rose’s frustrations melted away as her lips parted. She crawled over to Duncan slowly, using the time to register what he just said. Duncan seemed different to her and now she wondered if it would be wise to bring up the fact that he was being eaten alive. Would he be mad at her for withholding this from him, even though it was to protect him? More than likely, Duncan despised secrets and lies more than anything but how could she bring it up without setting him off into a panic attack or worse, a mental breakdown?

“What else do you remember?” Rose asked as she leaned on his knee to look up at him.

Duncan grinned – “I recall a certain sorceress flashing her ass at me and making a promise I intend to keep right now!”

Rose felt weightless as Duncan heaved her up off the ground and draped her over his knees. Wow, when did Duncan get this strong? How much had his body changed while he was unconscious? Duncan placed one hand firmly between her shoulder blades and then he proceeded to swat Rose on her firm, curvy ass. “You’ve been a bad girl, Rose.”

“Hey!” Rose protested, “I recall you never did catch up to me – OUCH!”

“Doesn’t matter if I kept up, you were being bad so now I must follow through. You offered this beautiful bounty and now I’m claiming my prize!”

“OUCH! DUNCAN! NOT SO HARD!” Rose cried out.

“What are you talking about?” Duncan asked, feeling confused, “I’m barely tapping you.”

“The hell you are! I think my ass is bleeding!”

Duncan reluctantly removed his hand from Rose’s ass and saw that he had left giant welts in the shape of his hand. He grazed his fingertips over them, making Rose jump and groan in pain. Panic flooded Duncan’s mind as he let go of Rose. She gingerly stood up and backed away, trying to rub her ass but flinched and cringed. “If I knew you were a sadist, I’d never have offered myself up to you, asshole!”

“Rose!” Duncan’s voice shook, “What’s happening to me?”

“What’s happening is you’re being an abusive dick!”

“No I’m not!” Duncan snarled, “Something is really wrong with me and I’m…afraid.”

Rose rolled her eyes – “Afraid? Afraid of what Hercules?”

Tears rolled down Duncan’s cheeks, “I’m afraid I may hurt you and not know it…it’s like I don’t know my own strength anymore! I seriously thought I was lightly tapping you!” Rose let her next insult die in her throat as he added, “I’m strong. So strong that I lifted you up like you weighed as light as a feather. I kicked Devlin in the jaw with little effort but he went flying across the cave away from you.”

Rose stared at Duncan and saw that he was visibly shaken by this revelation and now she wondered if it would be a good time to bring up other changes that she witnessed too. Meekly, Rose stepped forward and embraced Duncan. She felt his body tense but then he relaxed. Rose found herself running her fingers through his thick mane of strawberry blonde hair, wondering why she was doing it and when did she initiate it.

“I want to hold you Rose, but -”

“I understand Duncan, but know that I’ve noticed other changes in you as well.”

“Like what?” Duncan leaned more into her, but held off hugging in fear he might crush Rose.

“I’m hesitant to say right now. Seeing that you’re in a fragile state and – damn it Duncan, if you accuse me of secrets or lying so help me I will beat the shit out of you!” Duncan lifted his head to look into Rose’s eyes. They sparkled whenever she got emotional and now was no different, but Rose looked tired and needed her rest. Had she even slept since getting them into this cave and how did Devlin figure into all of this? Duncan sensed that Rose was hiding something from him but at this point he didn’t care. He had many questions of his own and wondered if she would be honest with him or simply shy away from the topic altogether.

“If I can’t handle it, then that’s on me. I have a lot of gaps that need to be filled in.”

“You and me both.” Rose huffed.

“Then ask away, Rose. I did promise to explain everything to you back in Melona.”

Rose nodded in agreement, this would be a good place to start. As far as she knew, her village got overran by ghouls and somehow Sully was involved with it because Duncan was wearing his head like a trophy around his waist. Rose gingerly sat down on Duncan’s lap, wincing as she settled down. Duncan gave her a sad look and said, “Sorry. You sure you want to be this close to me?” Rose nodded and replied, “Yes, because I trust you Duncan Morgan. You may poke fun and tease me but you’ve never tried to hurt me or do me wrong because you’re a good man.”

Duncan smiled as he bowed his chest out, full of pride. He knew she was a powerful sorceress and good leader for her village. It was a shame that none of them got out alive as far as Duncan knew and wondered how she would take the news. Now who’s the one withholding information?

“Tell me what happened to my beautiful village and spare no details?”

Duncan nodded and then he started off explaining how the events started to unfold. He described how the ghouls had gathered at the main gate as well as the southern wall expectantly, then he revealed how they all got in.

“My Gods! We had ghouls inside our walls the whole time and we didn’t know it?”

“Yes and Sully was able to control them somehow. It’s like he was a general and they were his foot soldiers. He had them coordinate an assault on main gate; they made a line to protect the ones trying to open the gate.”

“And you’re sure Sully had this ability?”

“Yes and during the excitement and confusion at the main gate, Sully snuck over to the south wall and set off a small explosive and let the other ghouls inside. That bastard stood on the platform and peached about how we were all sinners and we were to be cleansed by the Chouls…the weapons of the Savior.”

Rose shuttered at the thought. As if the ghouls weren’t scary enough on their own, now there’s people in the world like Sully who could order them around. How was this possible? Weren’t they controlled by whoever set the Christian apocalypse in motion, someone other than their God?

“Was that when you went after him, Sully I mean?”

“Yes because the man was condemning good, innocent folks for no good reason and setting loose the Chouls on all of us. He used our walls that kept us safe as a prison so none of us could escape, cleaver bastard.”

“I hope you made him suffer!” Rose hissed, bitter still that her home and livelihood had been taken away from her. Duncan shrugged his shoulder as he looked out at the rain, wondering if it would ever let up. He rubbed his stubble chin as a way to keep from holding Rose like he wanted too. She was beautiful in every sense of the word, but Duncan was a married man and had made a promise to his wife that he would be faithful until death do they part. She may have been reaped five years ago, but that didn’t mean she was dead in his mind. Duncan had many opportunities to stray but never fell prey to it. What did that say about me, if I did? Unfaithful, Duncan thought, as he resigned himself to abstain and forsake all others in case his wife Pamela ever returned. If Sully was reaped and returned, would it be possible that his wife could as well?

Duncan sighed - “We fought and I ran him through with my blade easily, though he wasn’t armed. I wanted to go help but then Sully punched in the face and went on yammering about how he was made immortal by Jesus and there was nothing I could do to stop him. So I cut his head off just to shut him up.”

“Obviously it did, but why did you use his head as a trophy?”

“Not a trophy, a deterrent. I told you this, remember?” Duncan stated with a knowing look.

“I had just woken up with you between my legs and Sully’s head bleeding on me!” Rose protested, “You know my brain doesn’t function well when I first wake up!”

Duncan chuckled – “Yes I know, you’re useless until noon. Your words, not mine!”

“The only reason I functioned today was because of adrenaline and the thought of not being eaten…like some people I know!”

Rose blanched as she realized what she blurted out. She fell into her usual routine with Duncan where they banter at each other and tease until one of them couldn’t take it anymore, which was usually Duncan. How could I dare go there with him? Duncan looked at her like she had grown three head and asked, “How the hell did I get eaten alive if I’m still here talking to you?”

Rose bit her lip - “What do you remember?”

“I know we both got out of Melona, Obviously. I remember you mouthing me and showing off that cute rump of yours…” Duncan smiled as he thought more. ”I fell down…I was crawling on my back…the Chouls were all around me…They lifted me up and were-were…OH GODS!” Duncan’s face paled as terror set in. Rose jumped up as Duncan scrambled to his feet. He paced up and down the cave, clenching his fists.

“No, no, no! That didn’t happen!” Duncan blurted out, “How could I live through that? It’s impossible! I-I should be dead!”

“You’re not and that’s best part. You didn’t die saving my sorry ass in vain.”

“But I’m not hurt, Rose! I’m not in any kind of pain and I do recall those nasty teeth biting down and ripping my flesh and muscles like I was a walking, talking meatloaf!” Duncan frantically looked down at his body, noting his tattered clothing and the poultice for the first time.

“I was ready to save you from that fate – I mean I was ready to kill you, to put you out of that horror, but -”

“So that was your magic I felt in my body?” Duncan looked at Rose with surprise, “I hate to tell you this, but your mercy spell sucks balls! All it did was make my whole body vibrate and felt like a great pressure was going to explode but never did.”

“I hate to burst your bubble but the magic you felt wasn’t mine.”

“Oh so who save my ass back there then? Did they survive because I’d like to thank this person?”

“Yes he did…and I’m staring at him right now.”

Duncan froze. He looked over at Rose, wondering if she was messing with him but the grim look on her face told him that she was dead serious. How was this possible, Duncan thought, I’ve got no more magic than a rock. He strolled up to Rose and got inches from her face, “You’ve got to be shitting me? How can I do magic when I don’t have any to use, let alone know how to wield it?”

Rose gazed into Duncan’s confused, watery eyes. There was a tidal wave of emotions streaming in his cobalt eyes ready to sweep her out to sea if she couldn’t give him a proper answer which appeared to be the direction this conversation was heading. Rose placed both of her hands on Duncan’s chest and gently caress him as she answered, “I wouldn’t lie to you about this. I thought I’d lost you to those monsters. They swallowed you up in that massive horde body and I could release my kill spell for you, but I didn’t have to as it turned out. You screamed and screamed and then a blast of hot, purple energy came from inside the horde. The one in there with the ghouls was you, Duncan.”

“What happened to me when that happened? Was that when you got me away from the Chouls?”

“I didn’t have to because the energy you released vaporized all of them. Only ashes remained and you were on the ground shaking like you were having a seizure or something.”

Duncan nodded slowly as he took in all this new information. It made no sense to him but deep down Duncan suspected it was all true. He grabbed a patch of poultice and pulled it off his skin. Rose watched intently, not sure what they would find when he got all of it off his body. Rose crinkled her nose as she recalled what his wounds looked like, each one was a flesh rendered hole about three inches deep. Once Duncan cleared away the last bits of the poultice, Rose let out a sigh of relief while Duncan looked on in amazement. There was no bite mark nor any signs of injury, only fresh pink skin. Rose ran her fingers over the spot and noticed that it was firm and tight, no cavity underneath his skin.

“My Gods Rose, what was this stuff made from?”

“It’s a combination of herbs that I found in the forest that are good for healing and as an antiseptic. Don’t get your hopes up that I’m some grand miracle healer because those herbs don’t do that. Which brings us to another thing you can do.”

“And that is?” Duncan asked cautiously.

Rose poked at the pink skin – “You now can heal yourself quickly and from the looks of this, regenerate new tissue too.”

“This is getting to be too much!” Duncan said as he backed away rubbing his head. Rose felt pity for him, Duncan was as ordinary as they come and now it appeared his life has changed with the flip of a switch. He had an inner voice he listened to that kept him safe, super strength, he can heal and regenerate new skin when injured, and let’s not forget his ghoul vaporizing magical ability. Rose pondered all of these pieces of the Duncan Morgan puzzle and still the picture was incomplete, but she knew that there had to be more pieces to come and Rose felt like a novice magic user compared to Duncan.

“I’m sure it is, so why don’t you go take a walk in the rain to clear your head. You can use it to clean off the rest of the poultice on your body while you’re at it. Obviously, you don’t need it now.”

Duncan looked like he was going to protest but closed his mouth and let out a defeated sigh. As Duncan walked past her, Rose noticed that his physical build had been altered as well. His body had a lean but fit look ever since she knew him, but know the muscles throughout his body appeared more toned and bulged out like he’d been lifting weights for years. Duncan’s body looked defined and sculpted as his tattered clothes were feeling the strain of his new physique. Rose couldn’t help herself as she admired Duncan from behind, eyeing his tight, firm ass as he walked out of the cave.

Add body of a God now, Rose thought jokingly but it may not be that far from the truth either. This transformation of his physical body was not natural. How had that been achieved and in such a short amount of time too? Maybe that was why Duncan appeared to be in so much pain when he was comatose to the rest of the world. Devlin did say that his body was performing multiple healings and Rose could count this as one of them to accommodate what he was now becoming. So what was Duncan becoming?

Sleep would hopefully be the key to unlocking the answer to this mystery. The concoction still sat heavy in her stomach and she could feel it calling to her to rest and let it take hold over her curious mind. The one place in the cave that looked comfortable to lay down on was the gurney she made for Duncan. Rose figured he wouldn’t mind if she slept on it since he seemed to prefer the ground over an actual bed.

From behind, Rose heard a swift ruffling of clothing and then a masculine voice clearing his throat to get her attention. Rose turned around and saw Devlin standing between her and the entrance to the cave. He held up his hands in a non-threatening way and said, “It’s okay Rose, I mean you no harm. I’m sorry that I almost did earlier.” Rose noted that the red orbs that were his eye were now back to normal and even his fingernail looked more human than the monstrous claws that had dug into her sides not all that long ago. He seemed calmer which could mean only one thing to Rose: Devlin had fed on someone. Rose wondered how violent he had been on his last meal since he couldn’t have her. The thought of Devlin’s fangs piercing her skin made her unconsciously put a hand up to cover her neck.

Devlin perched his lip – “Now Rose you need not fear me, the hunger has been sated. There’s no call to cover that lovely neckline of yours.”

Rose snorted, “Ha! Could’ve fooled me! Just minutes ago you were ready to rip me to shreds.”

“But I didn’t, now did I?”

She shook her head, “That’s beside the point. You tried and nearly succeeded, hell my sides still stings from where your claws used me as a pin cushion! If Duncan hadn’t woke up, I’m sure I’d be dead now!”

“Rose you wound me more with your words than any weapon you could slay me with.” Devlin pouted, “I tried to warn you but you wouldn’t listen to me, you naughty little minx. You were not in any danger of being killed.”

“I recall you lunging at me and clearly stating your intentions of needing to feed on me.”

Devlin sighed as he shook his head, “I tried to warn you before that. You never gave me a chance to explain what you were doing was going to get you bit.”

“Yeah sure and I’m supposed to believe that? I swear you -”

“ROSE, SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” Devlin growled with frustration and anger. He rubbed his face before adding, “Just once, be quiet and listen to what I have to say before you get all defensive and judgmental on me.”

Rose stuck her tongue out and flipped him the middle finger, but remained quiet. She glared at the vampire as she crossed her arms over her bare chest and made a waving motion with her hand to continue on. Devlin grunted but remained calm as he smoothed back his slick hair.

“As I said before my two favorite subjects are sex and food. I love them both with a passion because life would be dull and painful without them.” Rose cocked her eyebrows as to say “so?” and he went on, “When I have sex, I have the urge to feed. Unlike the act of feeding for food, this need is for pleasure because I find it stimulating and erotic as well as intimate on a primal level. If I were to make love to you, you would get bitten but you would share in the pleasure of it because it can create multiple, explosive orgasms for the both of us.”

Rose’s jaw dropped and disbelief streak through her mind. Speechless, she stood there like an idiot at a Mensa meeting as Devlin further revealed the details of his vampric sexual intimacies.

“You made it difficult on me because you made it all one-sided. For me, I have a need to reciprocate the pleasures so the hunger will stay sated. By doing this, foreplay and making love can go for a longer period of time and when the moment is right, I will dip my fangs into your neck or some other unnoticeable area on your body and ring out the orgasms like you never dreamed were possible.”

“Big talk Devlin, sounds like more male bedroom bragging to me.”

“I almost lost your trust forever today, let me make it up to you.”

“I know what I did was bad and stupid so the blame is on me for pushing you over your limits. But Devlin, you were in no danger of losing my trust.”

Devlin blushed – “Actually I was because of what you did. In that state I could’ve hurt you in more ways than you realize…I was in the state of mind to not only blood rape you, but rape your body too and that tends to lead straight into death but I would’ve done whatever I could to stop it from happening. That’s how serious this was to me…and I almost succeeded too. I’m indebted to Duncan for his quick thinking and his mule kick too.”

Rose leaned against the cave wall as the full weight of what her teasing nearly wrought. I nearly got raped and killed by a vampire, all because I was arrogant enough to put him in the same peg hole as every man I came across in my life. Bile rose up in the back of her throat and her stomach was threatening to empty its contents. Rose felt arms wrap around her and then she was in Devlin’s embrace.

“I have a peace offering to give you, to make up for my lack of control.”

“What? More fruits or maybe some wine?” Rose asked with a smile.

Devlin sighed with resignation – “I have those but unfortunately that’s not the peace offering.”

“Spit it out, tick boy! What have you got that will mend this bad blood between us?”

Chuckling, Devlin replied, “There’s nothing bad about your sweet blood, Rose. What I have is the one thing you can’t go without and I’m so sad to give it to you too…I brought you some clothes.”

Next Chapter: Chapter Nine