A Lasting Sacrifice

6 - Marco

"Get away from me... you're not... my Marco," she says.

The gorgeous creature in front of me is the one they have chosen for me. She still has feelings for the vessel, so maybe I can use that to my advantage. I hold her face by her chin and make her look me in my eyes. I can feel my irises glowing bright green as we stare at each other. Using what little magic I can muster in this moment, I try to calm her down.

The magic they used to put her in a state of lust only inflamed her lust for the vessel. The heart can always tell the difference between real and forced love. If she is going to lust for and love me, it will have to be the real me. Not who she thinks I am. I share a body with this young soul and thankfully he comes from my family tree.

Thankfully, he has been guided here to me, even if these amateurs lack proficiency in using magic. I've waited so long to be flesh again, I don't care if I'm not driving the wheel. From deep within my vessel's mind, I can steer Marco into what i need him to do. But first, I'll have to wipe her mind. My beautiful Aaliyah, she will make a fine mate for me.

"What do you want us to do, master? Now that you have a body, is there anything you need before we are rewarded?" Trevor asks.

"You're all useless to me right now. But once I turn you, you'll be of more use."

Using a simple spell, I make Aaliyah fall asleep.

"While she's unconscious, her mind will erase everything she's seen in the last few hours. When she wakes, she'll think she just had too much to drink. In the meantime, I shall reward all of you," I say as my fangs grow out.

My back is to them, but once my fangs are fully out, I turn around quicker than they can blink, sinking them into Jenna's neck. Im not gentle about it either, she needs to know genuine pain before she can have true pleasure. They all need to feel that and more. Jenna cries out and sinks her nails into the skin on my arms. Her blood fills me up with so much energy, I almost feel stronger. Too bad her magical ability is so limited, or else I would be stronger right now.

I drop her body to the floor, and she lands on top of some dismembered corpses. Jenna's body heaves and arches like she's having a slow seizure. The low moans and whimpers of pain she makes are beautiful to see. I tell her the pain is something to love and not fear, pain is what makes us alive. Vampires only have pain and pleasure, mostly pleasure. This will be one of the last times she ever feels pain like this. Next I rip into Trevor and drain him quicker than I drained Jenna.

Trevor obviously has the most potential out of them all, since his blood makes more of my magic return to me. I drop him much the same way I did Jenna, and they both writhe in agony as they slowly die. Zeke gets on his knees before me, gladly.

"My life is yours," he says as he looks up at me with a sinister grin.

"That it is." I grab him by the neck and, with a smile, savagely feast on his blood.

The feeling of his warm flesh between my teeth and his blood spilling down my throat brings me more life than the other two combined. Whatever magic he has, he's barely tapped into it. I haven't eaten in centuries and now I've had three meals in one night. Not only that, but I have three new children I've sired. A family of my own, a family to replace the one stolen from me.

I let him drop and I wipe my mouth on the back of my arm. They all tasted amazing, but there was a smell so overpowering in the room that I have to find it. Im almost sure I know who it's coming from, but have to be sure. I haven't smelled this smell in a long time. Turning to face Aaliyah, I walk closer to her floating body. She's still sound asleep, but her face is clouded in terror.

The spell is surely working its effects on her, and she'll be reliving each moment of what just happened. When it's over, it'll be erased and she won't remember any of tonight. I put my hands on her waist and bring her closer to me. My nose tracks the scent to her neck and I inhale deeply. The smell of honey amid her blood. I know there's no honey there but, her blood smells just like it. I only knew of one other whose blood smelled this good.

But she's long dead and she'll never come back to me. So why does she smell so much like her? I couldn't even smell it until I drank all of them dry. The more blood I consume, the stronger I get, and the last one's blood did the trick. The smell of my lost love is right here in front of me. But how can this be?

I press my forehead against hers and sigh.

"Soon, I'll have you. When I do, I'll make you a queen," I whisper in her ear.

***

In a matter of minutes, I have cleaned out the bodies with a vanishing spell and gotten rid of all evidence of a crime. Using the crypt at the end of the tunnel, I put my children in individual coffins of their own. I used a spell to get rid of the bones of the deceased before they went in. At this rate Im using a lot of energy but it's necessary so that this plan works. If I'm going to be a king again, I need my queen.

Aaliyah is now more than worthy of being mine and Marco is the only thing she wants. So for now, I will be him. I leave mental instructions for my children that they will follow when they wake up. After slipping out of the crypt with Aaliyah in my arms, I make my way through the graveyard and back to the festival. Wasting no time, I walk straight to the tent Marco rented for them.

No one really paid us attention as I walked with her. I just presented my badge and hers to the security, and they let us through to the sleeping tents. Most of the security recognized my vessel from his performance earlier in the night. So none of them thought the wiser while I carried her unconscious body. By the time we reach our tent, I lay her down on the ground-bed and draw the tent closed before zipping it up.

Aaliyah stirs as she sleeps, but I put the covers over her stiff body. As I look down at her sleeping peacefully now, I smile in triumph. Soon she'll be mine and immortal, we'll spend the rest of our lives together. I take a deep breath as I lay down next to her. I clear my mind and try to use a spell I know that will let Marco have most of the control over his body and mind.

I lie here and let my magic slowly revert over to his control. My consciousness delves deep into his mind and my soul wraps around his. By the time Marco and Aaliyah wake, they will be starting a new chapter in their lives. With my guidance, Marco will turn her and we will finally have a queen. A Queen that will set the world on fire with me as we rule over the humans.