6. Bitten and kissed

 I'd heard of in children's stories but never had a guessed they'd be real.
   "William, bandage the girl." Emrick yelled.
William came in immediately as if he'd been standing at the door ready to burst in. He quickly walked over to me and bandaged my hand and wrist.
  "Don't worry. It didn't sever and artery. You'll be fine." William said to me, softly.
  I couldn't even focus on him. I was too horror struck by the mad man sitting across from me. My eyes were wide with shock.
   "Let us see if this works, William. Bring the girl. She should be proud of what her blood can do for us." Emrick said.
William untied me and we followed Emrick to the front door of the house. William kept one arm around my waist, holding me up should I suddenly faint but his other hand was securely holding my arm, should I decide to run. Right now I wanted to run so far and so fast away from this nightmare.
   Lord Emrick paused at the door before slowly opening it and stepping out into the sun. I don't know what was supposed to happen but nothing did. I watched, waiting for something big to happen but nothing did. The mad man just laughed.
   "The sun, William. I can feel it's warmth." He practically screamed.
   "I don't understand." I said.
   "Vampires aren't able to endure the sunlight." William said. "Your blood seems to be the cure, Lotti. This is amazing." William looked down at me but his eyes weren't happy like Emrick's. They held worry and sadness.
I shook my head still not comprehending anything that was going on. We watched Emrick as he enjoyed taking in the light of the sun for several minutes. It took a nasty turn when Emrick suddenly started screaming as his skin started to burn. He ran for the cover of the porch and quickly made it into the house, growling like a wild animal.
   "Damn it," He cursed.  "I need more." He looked at me for only a second before springing on me.
   He pinned me to the wall and before I had time to scream he bit into my neck. I tried to push him off of me but he was too strong. It was like trying to fight off a lion. I felt him drinking my blood. I felt it leaving my body. I felt hot pain for a while but it subsided leaving a numb feeling that left my limbs going limp. I thought this was it. This was how I'd die. It was all my fault.
   My head fell back against the wall. I saw William watching with horror struck eyes as his master drained me of my life. He approached quickly, looking as if to stop Emrick but thinking better of it.
   "My Lord, considering her blood is only a temporary fix, perhaps we should run more tests with his in order to find a more permanent fix. We should keep her alive." He sounded so indifferent when he said it but I could see the concern in his eyes.
  Emrick stopped and pulled away from me. He looked into my eyes, his breathing ragged and heavy.
"You're right. Take her back upstairs. Give her some food." Emrick said, letting me fall to the ground.  
   William caught me before I hit the floor. His breathing was heavy too. If I hadn't known any better I'd say he actually cares about my well being. He carried me in his arms up to my room. He didn't speak until he placed me gently on the bed.
   "Nineteen." He said. I furrowed my brows in confusion so he explained. "You asked how old I was but I never answered."
  He sat down gently on the bed next to me, lifting the covers over me.
   "Why are you doing this?" I asked him, a stray tear falling down my cheek.
William looked away from me, a pained look darkening his features.
  "I'm dying," He told me. "I have consumption. His blood is all that keeps it from progressing right now. He promised to turn me if I helped him figure out a way to use you to reverse the curse of the weakness that plagues vampires."
   "How is this real?" I asked. "What makes him think I can help?"
   "You're a dhampir, Lotti." He said, looking me in the eyes again. "Your mother was a vampire. Your father was human. Lord Emrick overheard a conversation between you grandfather and a family friend of his. Dhampirs were only myth. He wasn't sure it was even true until the day you walked through the door. Dhampirs were said to have immortality upon adulthood like vampires but could walk in the sun like humans. Other than that nothing else is known. All of it was just stories but now its real."
I shook my head in disbelief. This couldn't be real.
   "Why are you letting this happen to me?" I asked him.
  "I'm sorry, Lotti. I don't want to die. I'm afraid." He looked away from me, shame in his eyes.
I didn't know what to say. I couldn't blame him for not wanting to die but at the cost of my own life it just seemed so selfish and cruel.



   For three years this went on. It didn't take long for Lord Emrick to start coming into my chambers early in the morning to drink from my neck. I fought it for a long time but I'd let it break me as William had asked me not to. I became a shell of a person. Fighting had only made it worse. William was worked endlessly to find the cure but had very little success. I gave up on the hope of ever getting out of here. The longer Lord Emrick drank my blood the longer he was able to withstand the light of the sun. He wanted to keep me here forever and if it was true that I was to be an immortal as well then I'd be here for eternity with that monster drinking my blood every morning.
   William always made sure that he never took enough to kill me and he tried to make me smile but I stopped smiling a year ago. I no longer spoke, either. I could see the deep regret and sadness in his eyes but I no longer cared. I felt nothing, not even the hatred anymore.
   On this day I sat, looking out the window like every other day. The sky was cloudy as the sun began to set, rain drops tapping on the window. I could see my reflection staring back at me. I'd grown into a lovely young woman.  Seventeen years old maybe. My once wild eyes had grown dull and lifeless.
  I hadn't heard the door open or close but felt the bed shift as William sat next to me on it. I didn't bother to look at him.
   "Lotti," He said, softly. "Are you hungry?"
I didn't respond. Just stared blankly out the window.
  "I brought you your favorite dish." He said, trying to lean into my field of vision but again I ignored him.
I saw him shift so he was directly in front of me but I kept my eyes on the raindrops that gently slid down the window.
"Damn it, Lotti," He hissed, grabbing my face and forcing me to look at him. I did. He was becoming more hansom with age. His dark hair had grown longer hanging just above his dark eyes that I realized were just a very dark shade of blue. Almost like the dark parts of the ocean.
  I looked blankly into those eyes. He looked back with such an intensity, his face so close to mine. I could see and feel the desperation radiating from him.
  "Come back to me." He pleaded before he leaned in and kissed me, softly at first as if expecting me to push away. I didn't. I didn't do anything. His kiss become more passionate and I didn't fight it. I didn't get into it either. At least, I thought I hadn't but my hand seemed to have a mind of its own as it gently caressed his face and moved to the back of his head to run through his hair. It was soft and warm. I felt my mouth part slightly, allowing him entrance and he didn't hesitate to take the opportunity.
   He pushed me onto my back on the bed, his mouth never leaving mine as he held himself above me. I started to kiss back, meeting his desperation with my own, holding him close. My heart started to beat rapidly against my chest as if coming to life again.
  I felt a single tear escape down my cheek as William broke the kiss, breathing hard and looking down at me. I struggled to catch my own breath as I gazed back up at him longingly.
  "William." I breathed, voice sounding weak after not speaking for so long.
He smiled, his eyes filled with relief and he kissed me again gently.