Part 1 (1/2)

Midnight Showcase.

Lord of the Night.

by Leanne Strange.

Chapter One

For what seemed like eternity, Lucan roamed this supernatural realm called Eternus. The immortality he once sought was now a prison, and time had become his enemy. Bereft of companions.h.i.+p save the music of life hidden within his darkened soul, he saw the natural fauna that inhabited this alternate dimension during the rare occasions Eternus allowed him out of his confines. It eased his loneliness somewhat, but the beasts could not subst.i.tute for intelligent company. To his knowledge, no one else came into Eternus during his incarceration. He'd been allowed out to feed and to help the one he fed upon there was always a price to pay. Eternus heard voices as he did, sometimes. Someone who needed rescuing, or need some kind of aid. And it seemed those were the times, the blood l.u.s.t hit him and he needed to feed. Just enough to survive out there. Yet, here, in Eternus, he didn't hunger always for blood and soul sustenance. He discontinued his daily walks through this place he knew so well. He even lost interest in learning about the wonders of the pyramid-shaped building, which rose up like a tombstone; and whose interior knew no bounds. Instead he concentrated on developing the power to change into a being of energy and hoped one day someone would enter this void. Had it been ten or a thousand years that he lived here? He wasn't sure. During his time here, he'd learned the secrets of Eternus. Most of them, he reflected, but not the most important one of all how to escape. His loneliness oft brought him despair and his previous eagerness to learn nearly faded through to endless emptiness.

What good were power and knowledge when you had no one to share them with? He then slept, waiting, hoping that one day Eternus would bring him the companion he needed to strengthen his weary soul. For, he learned from Eternus that a key of some kind, of someone's soul, was the only permanent way out for him. When that person came, he would awaken once more with lingering hopes that the one he sought would pull him completely out of this desolate prison. * * * * Darkness embraced her from all around, enfolding her even farther in its lush, mysterious depths. It stole the breath from her chest, making the world edge in even closer. A few seconds later, her tired, tormented eyes saw a s.h.i.+mmering twirl of silver light dance downwards. Ominous yet beckoning, eerie but hypnotically beautiful, the rays of light crept towards her weary body. A tall, black-clothed man descended like a darkling lord of the night from the heart of the radiant sphere. When his feet silently touched the ground, his powerful presence engulfed her entire world. Except for the sounds of their deep ragged breaths, nothing interrupted the deathly silence surrounding them. Heart pounding in her chest, her back pressed against the tree trunk she'd fallen near just minutes before, she saw the foreboding circle of light appear. As he loomed closer, she could see his copper-tinted eyes s.h.i.+ne like sparks from a new penny. Then he blinked and they darkened to bronze. He loomed nearer. A soft, unearthly wind blew around only him, gently whipping his long black cape behind his athletically muscular body. His light auburn hair blew away from his high forehead, wavy tendrils swirling angrily around his handsome face. In the shadowy recesses of her nightmares, Bobbie vaguely recalled seeing that face before, but now, in her terror-filled mind of jumbled thoughts, it was not a face she feared. Something from his presence filled her with a sudden, tentative calm. He stopped just before he reached her, but did not touch her. Only slightly taller than her own five-foot-ten-inch height, she could almost look him straight in the eyes, even in her flat-heeled sandals. ”Who are you?” he asked, his voice a rasping whisper. ”I have to go.” Bobbie started to move, but he stepped in her way, halting her.

”Who are you? Why have you come to me?” The stranger peered deeply into her eyes. ”There must be a reason Eternus projected me here. I've been released to help others before, so I must be here to help you. I will show you a path, but the rest is your choice.” Bobbie stood mesmerized by his eyes and powerful presence. ”I don't understand...” Her words and his response were lost in the mystery of the night as an eerie glow formed around them. She slumped towards him then. Darkness and light enveloped them and everything within her mind went blank. * * * * Lucan stirred within his self-confinement. He awoke to the soft insistence from Eternus. He blinked his mind open, still foggy with years of sleep. He dreamt of being released from here, to find another wayward soul like himself. The image of a woman vaguely haunted him. As soon as he stood near her in his dreams, the light from Eternus opened up and swallowed them both into its borders. Had it indeed been a dream or a fractured moment of reality? The essence of Eternus stirred within and around him. Soon he felt a drifting of another entering his realm. Yes, he thought of Eternus as his now. No other ever entered Eternus before him, that he knew of, or had been cursed into its borders. One day, perhaps, Eternus would allow more within its boundaries. At least for now, another had come. Had it really finally happened then? Had someone else fallen into the embrace of Eternus? Would he have a companion to share the secrets of Eternus with? A faint stirring of hope aroused him. He hadn't felt so light of spirit and mind in years. Doorways into Eternus opened occasionally, but no one ever came through. He knew part of the reason was because no one had opened him or herself completely to sharing the essence of hope that Eternus offered. He s.h.i.+vered with the awareness. He felt another's soul no, the whole being enter the threshold of a world he thought of as his home despite his continued captivity. He would be grateful for the company, male or female. Most of him hoped it would be a woman. One he could talk and walk with. One he could get to know more intimately should they be compatible. So many centuries had pa.s.sed by he'd almost forgotten what it was like to hold a woman against him. He needed to finish awakening and prepare for his visitor. Foremost, he and Eternus should make sure the person would be receptive to them. He readied himself to greet his visitor.

Chapter Two

Bobbie felt caught between reality and a dream. For some reason, this was both comforting and disturbing. The dusk of evening blanketed her, but soft moonlight showed her she was standing at the edge of a broad meadow. She didn't know how she came to be there for her mind stayed in a state of befuddlement. She glanced quickly behind her, seeing the dark ominous forest. Is that where she came from? She felt out of breath as if she'd ran some distance. She also felt as if she just awoke from a dream. Soon, her breathing returned to normal. A reprieve, she thought, from the horrors she left behind her and from those to come. She glanced from left to right, but then her attention pulled towards the center of the huge clearing. She took a deep breath and exhaled, compelled to move in that direction. She didn't know what supernatural force or instinct propelled her. In seconds, she walked toward a gleaming object floating over a small pool in the middle of the meadow. Whether dream or reality, it glowed extremely bright. Bobbie felt the tickling of the yellow-green gra.s.s beneath her feet teasing her bare ankles. A soft wind twisted her dress gently around her lithe form. The ball seemed to glow brighter yet move farther away each step she took. To the right, another s.h.i.+ny object caught her attention, a small pyramid-shaped structure decorated with small, sparkling symbols embedded in its top. Like the round sphere above the pond, the building drew her to it. She glanced back at the glowing ball and saw beneath it water sprayed upward like a tiny geyser. The illuminated disk of matter teased her, circling around the geyser's edge, dancing in undulating patterns, then it settled with a soft roll in the center of the tower of water. Like the water, it bubbled and bobbed up and down. This time, though, the sphere glowed a bit more ominously. The wind grew a little sharper, and instead of tickling her ankles, the blades of gra.s.s began to nip at them. The wind grew in intensity until it roared. Bobbie tried to back away, but a strange force prevented her from taking more than a few' steps at a time. Suddenly, her heel slipped into a tiny rut and she went reeling backwards. For a few seconds, she lay stunned. She sat up just in time to see the geyser and sphere merge with one another. A tall, large form began to shape and glow eerily. An outline of a man slowly became visible. It was as if someone were sketching him, and then filling in his features. Penetrating, bronze-colored eyes formed first then a blunt nose and a large, scowling mouth. Even with the black robes appearing around his body, she could make out the hard lean muscles. There was something instinctively familiar and comforting about him. A feeling of home. Her instincts warned her to run, to leave the meadow while she could. She stood up quickly as the man walked across the surface of the pond. Bobbie turned in the direction of the pyramid and ran as fast as she could. She heard his deep voice calling after her, telling her to wait. She didn't turn around to see if he followed. She stopped just in front of the triangular-shaped edifice and searched for an opening. The building was larger than she first thought, and its walls were slick. She moved around the whole of it, tromping through vines and weeds nibbling at her toes and the tops of her sandaled feet. Fear made her heart beat faster. ”I will show you the way.” The deep voice made her heart and body freeze with dread. Would he destroy her or free her from this nightmare? * * * * Bobbie circled the building again, and then came back around to where she first started searching. At the front of the structure, she stopped, finding no entrance. Frustrated she pounded her fists against the smooth wall. Nothing happened. She rapped harder until hands suddenly grasped her wrists from behind. ”You will hurt yourself that way.” She twisted around to find the strange man glaring down at her. Up close, she saw what she'd mistaken for a robe was a voluminous, black cape nearly covering his black s.h.i.+rt, pants, and boots. His luscious, fiery brown hair only emphasized the brooding austerity of his clothing.

Trying to calm herself, she demanded, ”Who are you? What am I doing here? Just let me go home.” For a moment, his eyes softened. ”I've been called many things, but my name is Lucan Wolf. Do you remember where home is or who you are? Had you not run, I could have told you about myself and Eternus.” He reached out to take her wrists within his large hands. She glanced up into his gaunt, handsome face. His dark eyes were like the sun setting on a moonless night, vast and mysterious. She blew her wavy, dark blonde hair out of her face, wondering why his voice still reminded her of something familiar, something she still could not fathom. Bobbie pulled her wrists from his hold. Angered and confused she took a step back. ”I recall my name at least! It's Bobbie. Now tell me what this is all about. Let me wake up. I never wished for any of this.” ”Yes, I believe you did,” he said, sighing. ”We must both suffer until you remember doing so. I cannot force you to see things in a different perspective if you don't wish to know why you've been pulled here.” Her eyes widened. She had no reason to believe or trust this strange man. ”You seem familiar, but I don't know you. Why won't you make any sense? I just want to awaken from this dream and go home. Please tell me how.” She hadn't meant to sound whiny, but she sounded scared and very tired. Although she needed to be cautious around the stranger, she still felt he would not harm her. Sadly, he shook his head, his hair swaying with his movements. ”I am not able to tell you anything. You must lead yourself out of this, Bobbie. This was your choice to make. I can open the door for you.” Bobbie took another step back as he moved closer to the building. He waved his hand in an arc and an opening appeared. Startled, she took a step nearer, peering into the dark entrance. ”How did you do that? I saw no crack that resembled an opening at all.” She turned to glance back at him, only to find him gone. Bobbie's mouth gaped open in surprise. One minute, he appeared out of a geyser, and the next, he vaporized like hot water. She needed to wake up quickly. Being in a nightmare seemed the only sensible rationale she could come up with. Everything around her seemed too surreal. Except, her mind contradicted her, that look of genuine sadness and concern in his hypnotic eyes. So real, in fact, it stung her heart. She heard a tiny creaking sound and swung back around to see the opening narrowed just a bit. She took a hesitant step nearer. It didn't look too inviting. Before she had a chance to decide whether to enter or not, something shoved her through the entrance. She landed on a hard cold floor. The door clanged shut immediately and darkness swallowed her up.

Chapter Three

Lucan's complete physical and spiritual system felt the havoc of her emotions running amok within him. The physical part of his being, especially, felt her nearness. After he awakened to her presence, he felt the turmoil of thoughts ravaging her mind. So open, so frail, she seemed to him. She felt as if she were in a nightmare of searching, of desperation. He wanted to be gentle, yet he knew she was still frightened. Her soft beauty captured his soul and more. Somewhere within, he realized she connected with Eternus and him. Now, she needed to find a path to her destiny whether it coupled with his or not. She had to make the choice to stay or go. This was his home now. He hoped that she would make it her own. He would do what he could to help her, but ultimately, the decision would be hers. He hoped against all he'd ever known, felt, or endured in his long life, that she would find what she sought and not be forced into captivity. He'd been angry, as much as he could recall those earlier times, when he got thrust in this soul-draining void. Yet, this mystical realm strengthened his powers and showed him many wonders. He knew it was his destiny, for whatever reason, to be thrown into Eternus. He harbored the feeling Bobbie might have come into Eternus for similar reasons. If she would but open her mind, body, and soul to him, she would find the home she sought right here within Eternus' boundaries. He must let her find her own path, to pa.s.s the tests of choices that Eternus and fate would put before her. * * * * Bobbie felt the soft swelling of the bruises on her leg. Gingerly, she got to her feet, smoothed down her dress and finger-brushed her dark blonde hair out of her eyes. She tried to make out something in the engulfing darkness. Intense loneliness permeated her entire being with no comfort in sight.

A soft, almost intangible hum began to penetrate the silence. Faint light, some distance away, punctured her consciousness and made her realize she was not alone. Not knowing who made her go through this terrible ordeal was worse than the loneliness. The light grew in size until she could see a pathway in front of her. It looked like a long thin spotlight, blackness on each side and behind her, leading into the unknown and highlighting the mysteries and terrors that lay before her. The light s.h.i.+mmered, as if waiting for her to move. With only a little hesitancy, she made her way forward along the uncertain path. Long hours seemed to pa.s.s as she trudged along for her stomach began to grumble. It was the queasiness of fear, not hunger, which started gnawing at her stomach. Where was she? Why could she not wake up from this nightmare? She wanted the comfort of home and family. Stopping suddenly, she realized that the stranger, Lucan Wolf, had been right. She didn't know completely who she was or where she came from. Or even how she'd come to be in this morbid place. With all her heart, she wished she knew how this weird reality came into existence. She also wished she knew more about the stranger. She needed to rest in order to be able to think more clearly. Then perhaps she could understand what was happening to her. She closed her eyes and swayed. Then she felt herself falling into the unknown again. This time, she landed on something soft and comforting instead of the gra.s.sy meadow. The light around her dimmed even more. Her eyelids became heavy with the weariness of her journey to this nightmare, to a world unlike any she knew before. It enveloped her in its dark depths, and her mind gave way to its beckoning call of comfort. * * * * Lucan quietly materialized into the center of the pyramid. On a circular, frameless bed, set high on a pedestal, the woman lay quiet and asleep. Her tousled, damp hair created a tarnished halo around her head. He stood looking down at her voluptuous body for a few moments before approaching the bed. Earlier, her cinnamon-brown eyes beseeched him for help, though she denied verbally that she needed it. He slowly approached the bed, cautious not to awaken her. She stirred and he halted. He waved his hand towards her. She mumbled in her turmoil, and then she lay quieter and rested.

He knew she would dream of him for a short while. It was the best way to attune their essence together. Yet what they felt would be very real. He sat down, his clothing crinkling gently beneath his weight. Lucan leaned over, brus.h.i.+ng a light kiss upon her slightly parted lips. It seared through his very soul. He trailed a finger lightly across her cheek, tracing her delicate contours. Her throat twitched against his caress. Heat, such as he had not known in centuries washed through his core of existence. His body ached with need. And so did his soul. He wanted to feed on her in many ways. It would be so easy to draw her blood, to take her body even, but he could not without her permission. Would she allow him the intimacy? There was only one way to find out. Gently, he lay down beside her, tucking one arm under her head, and letting the other lay over her stomach. He closed his eyes and opened his mind to hers.

Chapter Four

Hot breath caressed her skin as lips grazed her bared throat. She s.h.i.+vered but not from fear. Lucan's teeth ran along the length of the left side of her neck. He wanted something from her. Dare she find out? Bobbie turned to look up at him. He pulled his head back as if waiting for an answer. She did not think of what had gone before or contemplate what was to come. Right now, she needed him, desired him. It didn't matter how their naked bodies had come to be together on this bed. His large body was made for more than comfort. She opened her mind and her arms to him. He lowered his head, touching his lips to hers. As she hungrily responded, his kiss deepened. He pried her lips apart gently, the tip of his tongue licking softly inside her mouth. She trembled with growing pleasure. His tongue darted deeper between her lips and he pressed his body harder against her own. She wrapped her arms around his back, feeling the ripples of bared flesh beneath her exploring hands, and he quivered with pleasure. His shaft grew larger with every caress and touch. His lips moved from her mouth to her shoulder, and then to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. His hands explored every inch of her. He suckled her nipples, lavis.h.i.+ng each with his attention, and she arched toward his mouth. Her hands cupped his b.u.t.tocks and squeezed them, and he groaned against her nipple. A hand splayed across her stomach, touching her with feathery strokes. Then he s.h.i.+fted, kissing and licking her as he made his way down the length of her body. He found her patch of soft curls, and she automatically opened her thighs, spreading her legs to give him easier access. He stoked her gingerly at first, tracing every fold and curve of her l.a.b.i.a. Then he open her up to him, and Bobbie gasped as his fingertips stroked from the tip of her c.l.i.toris to the bottom of her v.a.g.i.n.a. He lowered his head, and his tongue followed the path of his fingers. She nearly spasmed beneath him. His tongue darted deep into her channel, giving her even more exquisite ecstasy. Her hands raked through his thick hair, and she entwined her fingers into his dark locks. Her hips arched against him as his mouth widened to suckle on her tender areas. His thumbs teased her lower lips, making her writhe beneath him. Her heat became liquid desire trickling down on to his tongue and fingers. He gently pressed fingers into her, and another groan sounded from deep in his throat. He slid them in and out of her, and she moved in rhythm against his hand. The strokes became firmer and her fingers tightened in his hair. His strokes became faster as her inner walls became wetter. He licked all her secret places until she shattered, her body shaking with the explosion. She panted and cried out for him to join her. He answered her call, kissing her body in many places on the way back up to her. He suckled on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s again, and she moved her legs apart for him. He settled between her thighs, brus.h.i.+ng the head of his shaft against her s.e.x, wetting her desires even more. Her hips urged him to take her, and he slowly slid his hard length into her hot, waiting depths. He rubbed her c.l.i.toris, making her s.h.i.+ver again. He inched himself deeper into her, and within long agonizing moments, he was sheathed completely inside her. He lay against her and inside her wetness, and she savored the feel of flesh upon flesh. ”Look at me, Bobbie,” he whispered. She did as he commanded, searching his dark depths for what he wanted of her. His mouth widened in a sensuous smile, and she noticed for the first time his incisors were elongated and pointed. The word vampire hit her, but for some reason it didn't frighten her that he was a vampire. ”You're fevered dreams called out to me. Let me embrace you and stop the screaming in your heart.” His words were rhythmic like a dark cord of music, but they seared through to her soul. ”I think I've searched for someone like you throughout the ages. Let my dark embrace give you satisfaction and bring light to the troubles in your heart.” She tentatively smiled up at him, giving a slight nod. ”Drink of my soul and my destiny, Lucan,” she added breathlessly.

She moved her head to one side and he lowered his to her bared neck. Quickly but softly, his fangs pierced her skin. She felt the slight drizzle of blood trickling down her throat. Then he fed and his pa.s.sionate strokes became firmer as he loved upon her whole being. She urged him with her wanting body to fill her again and again. He pulled his lips from her throat then kissed her fiercely. The taste of blood slowly faded, replaced by the heat of his lips upon hers. Momentum and red-hot desire built up within them both. Lucan drove hard and fast within her, and she met each of his thrusts with hunger and pa.s.sion. Together, in perfect rhythm, they pressed against each other, adding and giving to the each other's pleasures. An ageless fire began to consume them, taking control of their bodies and minds. Untamed rapture enflamed their bodies and souls, and soon made them whole, bringing forth completeness that bound them together in many ways. Afterwards, they lay together, panting, and then both drifted off into the bliss of oblivion.

Chapter Five

Bobbie slowly came out of a deep sleep. Refreshed and rested, she felt that soon she would find her way out of this nightmare. Not all of it had been a nightmare. She smiled at the thought of the heated dream she had experienced although it began to fade now that she had awakened. Or had she completely awakened? She slowly sat up and noticed she was still on the lighted path. She could have sworn she lay naked on a circular bed of some kind. It was just part of the dream, she now believed. She got to her feet. What was she to do? How could she find her way out of this realm of mystery and dreams and nightmares? ”Look closely, Bobbie, and decide.” Lucan's deep voice brought her unexpected comfort, but it also reminded her of the severity of her situation. Suddenly, the earth shook for a second beneath her feet. Just as she steadied herself, she saw the path split into two different directions. Each of the other paths ended right before an oak-framed dressing mirror. Circles of reflection illuminated the mirror to her left as she saw herself within it. She observed herself living on a communal estate. People from all walks of life and nationalities mingled in a large room. She was at an informal party, clothed in the same dress she wore now. She could feel her image's trepidation, her own fear coming from someone near her. A slightly aging, tall, and heavy built man came into her view. He was dressed in an expensively tailored suit and people flocked around him. Evil radiated from him, and he possessed a commanding presence that would brook no disagreement from anyone else. Others praised him, yet she didn't. She loathed him and wanted away from him. He'd had some control over her life, but she wasn't sure what kind. Only that she had to get out from under his threatening rule. She casually made her way out of the room and left via the veranda.