The Princess of Vampires

Chapter 14

Chapter 14,

My eyes fluttered, but nothing came into focus. I was weak and struggled to open them as if there was a tremendous force weighing them down. I fought hard to overtake the darkness that threatened to swallow me up. Sleepy confusion seeped into my fragile mind, as I held onto consciousness from time to time. I knew I was still at the seashore; I could smell the salty air, taste the salt on my tongue. But I wasn't alone.

I was being carried off against my will, lifted into arms of a strangers. Away from my keeper and my love and everything else that was good in my life. Death was coming for me. I could feel it.

A glimmer of hope's barked within my veins urging me to do something anything to stop them at any cost. But it wasn't enough. There was no energy left to fight anymore. I couldn't run or hide. Even if I did, where would I go? Back to the Manor? I had nothing left. No hope, not a thing, so I let it go. Lestat. Will I ever see him again, my only reason for living?

I let his name fall on my lips, lost somewhere between the living and the dead. Only darkness surrounded me now, a darkness so thick it was hard to breathe. Death was gently wrapping at my door calling to me to come into the light.

Tormenting me because I knew instinctively it was not my time. Something was happening, and I didn't know how or when but there was one thing I knew for sure. The end was coming.

My eyes fluttered open and squinted from the blaze from this torch as I fought to regain consciousness. I was now in this unfamiliar place in a dungeon of some kind. It had been days since I have spoken to a single soul. My stomach rumbled its hunger. My parched throat dry and in need for blood as it burned in my veins. The kind of thirst that scorched in my insides and brought on a massive headache, that split my vision in two. It makes images come to my vision that I question whether or not if I was going mad.

And Lestat.

His beautiful face constantly rolling around in my mind's eye, like a record that skips and plays it over and over again. I could see his brown eyes devouring me into its depths. Sometimes if I listened closely enough, I could still hear him whispering softly to me. It was killing me on the inside that I would no longer touch him or run my fingers through his curly locks again.

So, I waited as if time stood still. My skin was filthy, slick with sweat and coated with dirt and dried blood from the wound. Though now I was healed I could not get the thought out of my mind. But the miracle of the fact that I was still alive confused me. I lost blood and I'm yet I still live.

My eyes roamed the concrete room, still unsure where the hell I was. Nothing in here but a blood-stained mattress against the Stonewall and a rat or two which I snatched for a desperate meal. The remnants of the corpses sicken me, and I tossed them away. Tears burned in my eyes as I thought of Lestat. What was he doing I wondered? Did he think I left him? What about Marius, would he feel betrayed again. The momentary sadness weighed against my fragile soul and I closed my eyes.

I beg for a reprieve that only sleep with give me. In my dreams, I was always happy and free to do whatever I wanted. The moonlight shimmered in the night sky and filled me with such feelings of love I would revel in his embrace. In Lestat's arms I reached up and pulled him down for a kiss. I wanted to be closer but closer was never enough. His smile beamed at me as he moved his lips to my ear. He whispered sweet things, oh so nice things. Then he pulled away from me.
''It's time to wake up, Raina, ''

''no! ''

I clutched at his waist like I was being dragged away from an unseen force.

''Please, Lestat. I beg you don't leave me.''

''You have to go back. ''

''I don't want to. ''I shook my head trying to wipe away the falling tears as they splashed down on the floor like broken glass.

''I don't want to go back to the darkness and the pain. ''

His beautifully shaped lips continued to move as I began to fall back. I sobbed as I came awake, I wanted to go back to him in the light.

'Wake up 'a voice sounded harshly.

Click click click!

My head shot up at the distant sound. I moved away to the corner and stared, waiting.

Click click click!

footsteps. Someone was coming.