Dark Blood

Ten+

© Amber Kalkes 2014

 Song--------------}

Ten+

My hand caresses the bare skin of Orin’s chest as my room is filled with the faint light of the outside moon. It’s only a crescent shape in the sky but it’s light is bright enough to illuminate the section I keep petting. My fingers trace the blue inked patterns on his chest and trail down his ribs until I reach his side. The skin is rough and abraded. Confused I look up at Orin to see his eyes closed.

I study him as he rests. Light brown eyelashes curl at the ends brushing his cheekbones. He has light freckles, to small and faint to see if you weren’t as close as I am skimming across the bridge of his nose. His mouth is slightly agape and light exhales tickle a lock of hair on my face to move across my cheek. He is handsome and if his words are true, he’s all mine.

Moving over a bit more so I can inspect the bumpy skin I’ve found I see a dark skinned scar on his side. It looks like a burn or perhaps even a brand. The pattern is a knot with four sections interlocking. I let my fingers caress the skin hoping to soothe a long forgotten pain.

“It’s a brand.” Orin’s deep voice informs me.

I jump and look up at him wide-eyed as he gazes back lazily. “Why?”

“It was my gift. It helps me walk in the sun.” he says simply.

“Are you going to tell me why?”

“Do you need a bedtime story, Angel? Did I not tire you out enough?”

I slap his chest and shoot him a glare while he chuckles, “Orin, seriously.”

“Fine, Fine.” He sighs sitting so his back is against the rod iron headboard of my bed. He slings an arm behind his head as the other keeps me cuddled against his chest. His hand caresses the naked skin of my spine, between my folded up wings, which he had healed with his blood again. “Where would you like me to begin?”

“The beginning is always a good starting point.” I suggest innocently.

He shoots me a dry look while I grin back at him, “Cute.”

“Thank you.” I beam.

He rolls his eyes, “I was born 501 A.D. of the tribe Fir Domnann in Ireland where the barony of Erris is now.” I nod but have no idea what any of that means other the fact he’s old as shit. “Christianity was just starting to come into play on the island and my mother was a recent convert. I wasn’t born this way but changed. I had been on the battlefield when she found me.”

My wings twitched at the word ‘she’. Jealousy flowed through me quickly. He seemed to have noticed since he held me tighter and kissed the top of my head before continuing.

“I had been gravely injured and she was skewering the remains of the battle for ones on their final journey to feed on, to send them to the Otherworld quickly. Like a crow or a vulture, if you will. She was a vision to my dazed and pained eyes. Long red hair like the blood she so sought and bright green eyes like leaves of the green man himself. She’s where I got my eyes from you know. She gifted them to me when I turned.”

I clear my throat, “What color were they before?”

“Blue.”

I nod and he sighs before continuing. “Her name was Etain. She kept me chained to her for over two hundred years through our maker’s bond. I didn’t love her but the lust both of blood and body of a young vampire can drive you insane if it’s not sated so I stayed without much complaint. Then she tried to claim me as her blood mate and I cut my bond with her. She—“