Knight Changes

Knight Changes: Chris Knight's Past

Pain. That’s all I know. My body feels like it’s burning slowly from the inside, but I know I’m not dying. I’m changing.

Maybe I should explain. My name’s Chris Knight, and just moments ago someone I thought would be my new boy toy for a while bit me. If I’d put my hunter training to use instead of falling for his looks, I would’ve seen the signs. He’s a vampire. And not just any vampire, my mate.

If my father hadn’t left me, I know what he’d be saying right now. Something like, “Told you son. Men who like men don’t belong with hunters. Go be with your filthy mate.” He always told me I didn’t belong with hunters since I am gay. Told me if I couldn’t carry on the family name there was no point in having me around, so he left me for dead. Little does he know I’ve become the best damn hunter there is.

‘Course it doesn’t really seem it since I’m writhing around in pain on my bed. Through the pain, I can hear an inhuman noise filling the room.

“If you keep screaming like that, you’ll wake the neighbors.” The creature I so badly want to kill speaks. Now I know what that noise is. Me.

I try to speak but another wave of pain rips through me, cutting off my words.

“I know you have questions, little mate,” he says those words so lovingly. It disgusts me, “All will be explained soon.”

The pain suddenly stops, but I don’t show it. I keep moving and groaning as though I’m still in pain as I take in everything with my new senses. I can hear him breathing a few feet from me, too close for me to get to my weapons stash under my bed. I can smell his excitement, which I didn’t know had a smell, as well as fear. I’m not sure how I know what these smells are, I just do.

Let’s see what that fear is for, I think to myself.

I show I’m no longer in pain and almost immediately he shoots up and comes over. I can see the love he has for me on his face, which is weird. We’ve only known each other for a few hours and according to some books, vampires don’t fall in love immediately with their mate. It’s just who they are meant to be with. Why does this man look so in love with me already?!

“What…?” I try to start to ask. Keyword being try. I just end up sounding like a dying animal. It’s then I realize how much my throat hurts, like it’s dry.

“You must be thirsty.”

I nod and reach for a water bottle I have on my nightstand. The monster, John, chuckles nervously.

“Water won’t help this kind of thirst.”

“Then what--?” I break off in a coughing fit, dropping the bottle causing it to burst open on the floor.

“Shit.” I groan out. John suddenly stands and literally disappears, returning a second later with a towel. I stare at him wide eyed while he cleans up the water, nervousness obvious in his tight muscles. Of course I know that was his vampire speed but I’m not going to tell him that. He slowly looks up at me and takes a deep breath before speaking.

“I know you might have questions, and I will answer them. But right now, you need a drink. I don’t mean alcohol or water. I mean blood. When I bit you, you turned into a vampire, like I am. Only your vampire mate can turn you, meaning I’m your mate. I found you when you were littler but I couldn’t do anything since you were too young so I decided to watch you from a distance for a bit but eventually ran to wait until you were of age. I planned on waiting to change you until I explained everything but I couldn’t wait anymore. I waited so long and watched you for so many years I fell in love with what I saw.”

All I could do was gape at him. That explained the love for me. He knew me, or at least watched me, from a young age. Does he know I’m a hunter? Is that what he’s afraid of?