River of Red

XXVII

My sleep was not haunted by dreams.
My sleep was blessed with dreams.
I dreamt of swimming through warm tropic waters with Domitius. I dreamt that my family was there, alive and happy, and that my mom was kind and sweet. The best part was the constant feeling of his arms around me. When I woke, I was sad. The dream was what my reality would be if it was perfect. It was kinda depressing to wake and realize it wasn't real.
I was still wrapped in Domitius's arms, but in a different position since I fell asleep. Then, he held me like a baby, almost bridal style, but know his back was propped against the wall, his head back, eyes closed. My back was pressed to his chest, and my legs on top of his. His perfect hands  held me in place. I craned my neck backward and off his shoulder to look at him. I took that moment to study his beautiful face.
The scar that entranced me was still there, a lighter white contrast to his already white skin. I wondered how he had gotten it, it had to come before he was turned into a vampire, otherwise it would have healed without scarring.
His dark, arched eyebrows were innocent in sleep. His dark lashes brushed against his flawless high cheekbones. His deep, pink lips stood out on his skin, like the moon against the bright sky. There was a little bit of stubble growing on his perfect jawline, which made him more handsome somehow.
I longed to trace my finger over his cheeks, and to touch his velvety black hair.
"Good morning, dove." His voice was smooth and fresh. His cool breath made the hair around my face flutter about. His black eyes popped open to look at mine. My heart fluttered under his sleepy gaze, which made my cheeks heat. I then realized I was sitting on his lap, which made my face burn more. I slid off him awkwardly, and rose to stand.
His dark orbs danced in the darkness.
I broke my gaze from his to look at my bare feet. Apparently my boots had come off in the skirmish earlier, or last night, or yesterday. I had no clue what time it was.
The sand was soft under my tender toes. The tide had lowered, so the pool was a lot more shallow than it was when we swam in. My clothes had finally dried, but the salt still stuck on my skin like an outer layer of grime.
Domitius stood also, and wiped the sand off his black jeans. His black boots had stayed on his feet, but his shirt was ripped and shredded.
I tore my gaze from the perfect abs that drew my eyes like a magnet. My cheeks heated more when I though of the idea of looking at him like he was the meal.
Domitius stepped to the edge of the pool.
"I'm going to check to make sure the area is clear." He explained, his voice was ringed with sleep and contentment. I wondered how he had even managed to sleep against the cold rock, granted I was also against something equally cold and rock like, but not exactly a rock...
He dove into the water, the jump perfectly executed. It made me a teeny bit jealous, I had to learn how to do that.
I shuffled impatiently on my two sore feet, worried what was taking so long.
Three minutes passed.
Three minutes of  torture.
Three long minutes it took for him to surface.
When he finally came out of the water, he  burst out in a frenzy.
He ran to me, and placed a finger to my lips to stop my questions. His gaze was mad, his fangs were out, and he licked his lips in a desperate manor.
"Shh. Katrina, do not worry, but the cave is surrounded."
He paused, his voice was strained, quiet, "There are at least three dozen young vampires out there. The ones I didn't end yesterday came back with reinforcements. I never knew Kevin had so many allies."
My gaze dropped to the pool, "How are they not getting in?" My voice was a whisper, afraid they could hear.
Domitius brushed my hair behind my head in an almost calming way.
"They could sense my power. They're still reluctant to try and get to you with me in the way... but they will soon find that I am weak." His voice turned more quiet and gentle than I thought possible.
His eyes trailed over the exposed flesh on my neck.
His gaze turned hungry.
"There is a way to get power, though."
Against my thoughts, I closed my eyes, and whispered very softly, "How?" He murdered something unintelligible, and stepped closer.
I felt his gentle lips slide onto my neck.
His hand slid around me, and pulled me into a hug. My hands lifted around him, too, to feel his hard back muscles. I knew what he wanted to do, and for some reason it felt okay. I knew that I should have been scared, or should have felt another emotion besides calm, but him around me just soothed my fried nerves.
I felt his mouth open, the prick of his fangs on my neck, but I stayed relaxed. When the teeth sank into me, it didn't hurt. That somehow familiar feeling of happiness and contentment enveloped me. It wasn't painful, it wasn't bad, it was amazing.
I felt slightly guilty, I don't know why, but the intimacy of the moments like now, made my cheeks heat and palms sweat. Just the idea of romance made me stutter and want to walk away, I didn't know how I had become so used to the close touches of men in the past week or two.
It surprised me.
I didn't know how to act in front of men, especially hot ones, but I had become close with Domitius in the short time I knew him, I almost felt possessive.
And I am not a possessive person.
At all.
His fangs sank back into his gums, and his tongue traced over the wound to heal it.
"You okay, dove?"
His hand cupped my cheek, his fangs longer extended.
My face flamed, "Yeah."
He frowned at me, like he knew what was bothering me, but of course he didn't.
I hoped.
He pulled away from me, and spun toward the pool.
"Stay behind me!" He shouted, and pushed me against the rough stone wall. All of a sudden, vampires popped into the room in packs. In a flash, Domitius had already killed five, but more were quickly pouring in. Twelve more went down by Domitius's hand, painfully easy and fast. He murdered the vampires with lithe and grace, his feet and hands moved as though in a dance. One by one, they all went down, until there was one.
Mounds of bodies piled in the cavern, the stench of rotted, dead meat and blood laid stagnant in the air.
The one left laughed.
"Good. Very good. I feel your power, but I don't take kindly to my master being killed by you." The man, maybe early thirties, started to circle Domitius. Domitius stayed standing relaxed and poised, as if he didn't just kill three dozen people.
Domitius looked at the man calmly, "But your just a babe."
This seemed to offend the man, he hissed through his teeth angrily, and finally noticed me. With angry eyes and  a growl he leapt at me. Faster than the eye could see, I ducked out from under him and ran toward Domitius. He jumped over me smoothly to land in front of the man. With a loud snarl, Domitius lifted the man off the ground by his neck, but unlike the other vampires, the man seemed older and more trained. With skill, he flipped Domitius over his shoulder only to slam him into the ground. My eyes tracked all their movements in super speed.
Domitius let out a hair raising growl, and rammed into the man with feral eyes. He threw the man across the cave, and literally into the cave wall. The man fell out of the hole he made, into a limp bump on the ground. Domitius walked slowly to him, and reveled in the fear in the man's eyes.
I crouched, horrified, against the wall as Domitius leaned over the man. I closed my eyes, for I knew what was about to happen.
I had already seen enough death for the day.
A sickening crack echoed through to cave, and a gurgling, thick sound came out of him.
I felt a pair of hand wrap around me, I let out a squeak of fear, but the hands were too gentle to be anyone but Domitius's. I slowly opened my eyes, only to find his face in front of my own, which blocked the scenes of gore and death behind him.
"Let's go, dove."