Chapter Three (The Embrace)

“You poor little nińa. You must get up at once” A voice spoke quietly from the shadows. Dazed, Rayna did not recognize the man at first; however, as he continued murmuring softly to her, she finally realized it was Moracas, the King’s advisor. Slowly, Rayna turned her turquoise eyes to finally light upon his face. Her vision was blurred, and blinking several times it began to clear; only to reveal Moracas leaning over her, his white fangs gleaming brightly in the moonlight…

 

Rayna awoke just as the last rays of sunlight disappeared into the night, just like the flame of a candle snuffed out by a wisp of cold breath. She sat up, noting she was in an unfamiliar bed. Throwing her legs over the side, she stood, dressed in a simple, long white gown. Her blonde hair was brushed, and gleamed palely in the candlelight that flickered throughout the bedchamber. Looking about, Rayna did not recognize the room from which she was ensconced. Curious, she went to the door, and before she could open it, the King’s advisor, Moracas walked in.

 

The first day of her arrival when she had wandered into the King’s area, Rayna had spied Moracas in the background. She noticed him watching her then, and whenever she happened to see him during court, he would always observe her. Strangely, she was not afraid of him; rather, more curious than anything. Curious now, she watched as he strode into the room dressed in a fine white doublet with black jerkin. Black hose worn under a black codpiece with flat black shoes completed the outfit. He made a fine impression as he was tall, muscular, and very handsome. His long auburn hair hung loosely around his shoulders this evening, not pulled back into his customary ponytail.

 

 “Ah, mi querida, I see you have awakened. How was your slumber?” He walked about the chamber, idly touching a table, a candlestick, a chair. Rayna stood there, confused as to where she was and why he was there.

 

“Dormi bien supongo.” Rayna replied, finding a silk-covered chair to sit upon before her legs gave out from under her. “Why am I here Moracas? That is your name, correct?” Pausing before a large chest of drawers made of fine oak wood, Moracas nodded in response to her question regarding his name. He looked at her with his dark, piercing eyes, one hazel and one green in color. “You don’t remember then, nińa?” He replied in a soft tone of voice, studying the expression on her face. Rayna looked puzzled, and shook her head no. “Am I supposed to remember something?” She responded, even more confused. Moracas sighed, for he now knew what had to be done…

 

“Come here, nińa. Come to me.” Moracas said, moving to the dark, covered window. Rayna quietly got up from her chair, and obediently walked over to where he stood. She felt cold for some reason, even though a large, bright fire blazed brightly in the expansive fireplace. Her stomach felt hollow, and her head reeled with fleeing thoughts: thoughts that did not make sense…

 

“Watch and learn, mi estudiante ansioso.” Moracas said softly as he began to move his hands and arms. Rayna stood to the side, and almost screamed aloud as a disembodied screen formed in front of the window. She did gasp aloud, involuntarily taking a step backward as she saw herself materialize on the screen, and cried out, “What magia is this?”

 

“Se calma!” Moracas called out harshly, concentrating on manipulating the shadows to do his bidding. Swallowing back her fear, Rayna watched in silence as the scene from the previous night enfolded in front of her. The tears began to flow from her eyes as she witnessed Diego’s violent assault upon her person. She shook her head in despair as he left her lying broken, upon the ground. “I really did not need to see that again” She whispered softly, bowing her head in pain and embarrassment. “Ver” Moracas said in a hissing tone.

 

Rayna lifted her tear-stained eyes once more to the shadow screen, and saw Moracas step out of the dark to speak to her prone body. Gasping aloud, Rayna whirled around to face Moracas. “You were there?” He lifted a hand to quiet her, and she returned to watch the scene play out. Moracas slowly moved to Rayna’s body, leaning forward, revealing long, white fangs. When Rayna saw this, she almost fainted, and faltered where she stood; only stopping when Moracas helped her to regain her balance.

 

She watched with morbid fascination as Moracas sank his fangs deeply into her carotid artery, drinking deeply of her blood. A single red line trickled down the side of her neck as he finally stopped, licking the bloody trail and the two wounds. Rayna saw the wounds instantly close, and her eyes widened in surprise. Turning her head, she looked at Moracas expectantly.

 

“The saliva from a vampire has the ability to heal wounds mi querida. There is much you must learn” Rayna stopped listening when he said vampire. ‘Vampire? Is that what he is?’ She thought, sickened. “Ver this mi querida and all shall be explained.” Moracas said, his voice hypnotically appealing to Rayna’s ears. Unwillingly, Rayna turned her head back to the screen, and watched herself fall limp into Moracas’s arms. “In effect, you died nińa; however, you were reborn into a wonderful existence, one of power and manipulation.”

 

“I don’t want to be reborn into power and manipulation! What are you telling me?” Rayna cried, tearing her eyes from the screen. Suddenly, images filled her mind: images from the previous night. Watching herself on the screen had brought it all back to her in a rush. She had felt Moracas sink his sharp fangs into her neck; felt the burning fire course through her veins. She had closed her eyes in terror, but the vivid colors shone through, completely obscuring her vision. As her heart began to slow and then finally stop beating, Rayna had experienced both pain and ecstasy. While Moracas drank of her blood, the virus that flowed through his veins began to run rampant throughout her own body, turning her into the monster she now was. Her body felt cold and hot, and pleasurable. Never having had sex before Diego so roughly raped her, Rayna did not know what an orgasm was; however, she experienced one as she “died” in Moracas’s arms…

 

As if hypnotized, Rayna continued to watch herself on the ghostly screen. She saw Moracas open the vein in his left wrist with a sharp fingernail, and hold it over her mouth so the blood could flow into it. She watched as she lapped it up, and then wrapped her mouth around the wound sucking furiously. She watched as Moracas tore her mouth from his arm and push her back onto the ground. She watched as she ran her tongue around her mouth, lapping up every drop of his blood…

 

Her body convulsing, Rayna was brought back to the present as the orgasm shook her body violently. Crying out, she felt the wetness between her thighs, and closed her eyes in pleasure. “There, there mi querida. Wasn’t that nice?” Moracas said softly, his hands upon her body caressing it. Rayna gave in to the foreign sensations, pleasure washing over her in waves. “Wha…what just happened?”

 

Moracas stopped rubbing and caressing her through the thin silk gown, and moved away. “All in good time, mi querida, all in good time.” He moved his arms and hands again in front of the shadow screen, and it disappeared. Rayna, still quivering from her experience, drew in a deep breath as the screen dissolved leaving the empty dark window behind…

 

Rayna instinctively reached up to feel the side of her neck where Moracas had pierced the skin with his fangs. She felt nothing but smooth, cold skin, and marveled at the vampire’s healing abilities. She was curious as well as to the condition of her own teeth, and began to move toward a free-standing mirror. She felt the sharp incisors, but wanted to see them too.

 

A scream pierced the night, and Moracas came running to find Rayna, screaming in front of the mirror. Her reflection, as well as Moracas’s was missing from the mirror’s reflection. “Where am I? Is this another one of your tricks?” She cried, putting out both hands to touch the smooth surface of the mirror. Cool glass was felt beneath her hands, her fingers. “No trick, nińa. You will never see your reflection again, I am afraid.” Rayna looked at him, shock etched across her face…