Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Matter Of Choice ❯ Questionable Salvation ( Chapter 43 )

Questionable Salvation

 

Demetriov sat by the fire in his room musing. The light of the flickering flames danced in his eyes. Over the crackle and hiss of the fire he was faintly aware of Tegan's sobs. So she was awake at last. He stood up, about to go in and see her, but then thought better of it. He turned back to the fire. She would probably benefit from Torin's comfort. He was probably the last person she wanted to see right now. He paced the room slowly. He couldn't get over how the botched change had affected her. Even though it was unplanned he felt responsible for her pain. His own guilt raged inside of him, but outwardly he would not show it. He was too full of pride and felt he could not show weakness at a time such as this. His main concern was how this affected his plan. Still one thought carried him through. If she came through this, he had won, but would this make it harder to win her over?

A scream from next door roused him from his thoughts. Maybe the time had come…

 

* * * * *

 

Tegan cried uncontrollably, Torin holding her shaking body tight against his own.

 

“Shh! Tegan, please. I'm here my love!”

 

It broke his heart to see her like this. He soothed her, stroking her hair.

 

“Don't cry. I'll do anything, anything to make the pain go away.”

 

She looked up at him; her eyes cold and hard and he knew what she would ask.

 

“End this or finish what was started.” She asked him softly.

 

“Tegan I…”

 

“I'm begging you. I can't stand the pain anymore.”

 

Tears coursed down his cheeks once more, but he nodded. He breathed deeply, Tegan gently wiping away the tears. He caught his breath Tegan grasping his hands tightly. She smiled at him, reassuring him that she wanted him to do this. He drew her into his arms holding her tightly. If this didn't work he wanted to remember how she felt in his arms. He held her for a long while just listening to her breathing, her weakening heartbeat, Tegan acquiescent, though he could feel her trembling in his hold. Was it fear, her weakness or something else? Not that it mattered now, what mattered was trying to save her life. Ironic really that they would be driven down this course to save her. There was so much he wanted to say but the words stuck in his throat. He squeezed her gently then finally he brushed the hair away from her neck, and bent to her throat. Tegan bit her lip as she felt his breath against the sensitive flesh knowing that this was it, one way or the other.

 

He bit down quickly, determined to put her in as little pain as possible. Blood flowed onto his tongue, thick and hot. Her diseased blood came to him in thick clots, slow and steady, her heart straining to pump it to him. The clots dissolved sweetly on his tongue a quiet moan rising from his throat as he was overcome by the sensation. She was soft and warm against him, a willing partner in this. The pleasure began to build, threatening to overwhelm him. He tried to block the sensation out and focus on her, for all too soon she was drained, weak and helpless in his arms. He did not like the glazed over look in her eyes, and her breathing was far too shallow for his liking, this was pushing her already weakened body past its limits.

 

He looked around him for something to open his throat for her. He reached for the glass on the table and smashed it picking up a shard. He pressed it hard into his throat, blood rising instantly as he dug the sharp object into his own flesh without fear. He lifted her head to the wound, her head limp, her eyes having now fallen closed.

 

“Drink Tegan, oh please drink my love!” He begged her fervently.

 

Her eyes opened slowly and with her last reserves of strength she clamped her mouth to the open wound. The blood flowed onto her tongue and as she swallowed could feel it slide thick and warm into her stomach. She was amazed that she could feel it start to spread through her body. Torin started to cry, sobs rocking him, almost laughing. He thanked god as she drank, holding her tightly to him. He willed her to take it all, to drink him dry, if only she would live! His blood was a healing balm, easing her pain. She sucked the blood from the wound, desperate to live, the two connected more intimately than they ever had been before through this act. She drank and she drank until she could drink no more, and he could give no more, Tegan actually beginning to hurt him, but he bore it for her sake. If this worked then it would be well worth it.

 

The two fell exhausted on the bed. Panting they lay in each other's arms, Tegan pressing herself into her lover's chest.

 

“So now we see.” She panted.

 

“See what?” Torin asked, stroking her hair away from her sweat-laden brow.

 

“Whether it will kill me…or cure me.”

 

He nodded. It wasn't something he wanted to think about but it was true.

 

“Here it comes.” She murmured as she felt a strangest sensation beginning to well up inside her, knowing full well what it was.

 

She looked him in the eyes and he saw her fear.

 

“I'm here, no matter what happens.”

 

She nodded, but the fear never left her eyes. The pain came on her in a wave, her back arching, Torin struggling to hold her to him. She gritted her teeth, trying not to cry out. A solitary tear ran down her cheek and her entire body shook. Her body burned with a fire that threatened to incinerate her from the inside out. The virus sped on its fateful course, her body struggling against its unstoppable march. It took every ounce of her strength and used it to change her body. Weaker and weaker it made her, both fearful that she wasn't strong enough to survive the onslaught.

 

The pain suddenly increased, an involuntary scream escaping from her throat. Before she knew it she was screaming in agony, struggling in Torin's arms. This was it, now she would die, she was certain of it, there was no way she could survive this thing that was tearing her apart from the inside out. It grew past all that she could stand and yet continued to build to the point where she thought she would surely pass out, her body overloaded by this. Suddenly everything went black. Slowly an unknown sensation started to envelop her. It took her a moment to realise that it was exhaustion. She opened her eyes slowly and smiled at Torin. He was still crying.

 

“It worked.” She whispered.

 

“Yes.” He replied through the tears. “It most certainly did.”

 

He lay stroking her hair, examining her, taking in the changes that had been wrought. Her hair had tightened into the most exquisite, silken curls, more defined than the waves she had before. The red in her hair became more apparent, luxuriously soft to the touch. Her skin had evened out, all the cuts and sores now healed. Her skin was flawless, preternaturally pale and smooth. The points of her deadly canines showed in the gap between her open lips. Her lips had become a luscious dusky pink a couple of shades darker than in her mortal life. He stared into her eyes, stunned by their brilliance. The deep blue of life had been replaced by shining aqua. The colour blazed in the gloom, dazzling him. He had never seen anything like this colour in the human world, or the vampire world beyond.

 

Suddenly they were aware of the presence of the others. Torin sat up to see them all gathered in the doorway. Her screams had obviously drawn them to her. Torin felt a pang of anger as he saw Demetriov smiling broadly. He knew that look, it was triumph and it angered him. Demetriov stepped up to bed, waving the others away. Tegan rolled gently over sitting up, barely having enough energy to do so. Demetriov looked upon her changed features, taking her face in his hand.

 

“Yes, you are beautiful.” He couldn't help but smirk.

 

Tegan turned her face away from him ashamed.

 

“My how the tables have turned. You've spent so long fighting me, and yet you begged to become one of us. The irony is delicious my little hunter.”

 

“Get out!” Torin snarled, on his feet, Demetriov's tone and attitude incensed him, though he was unsteady on his feet, the act having weakened him more than he had anticipated.

 

“Alright, alright! No need to be so protective. I will leave you both in peace. Doubtless you both need your rest.”

 

With a grin he was gone, before Torin could catch him. He was infuriated by Demetriov's behaviour. He got up and slammed the bedroom door.

 

“Don't waste your anger on him my love. I won't.”

 

He sighed, her words soothing him. He returned to her side and drew her into his arms, anxious to hold her, to feel that she was safe, well and most of all with him. Whenever Demetriov talked of her in those terms he became highly possessive and couldn't help the feelings that swept through him. He didn't trust Demetriov at all any more.

 

“Thank you.” She whispered as she buried her face into his chest. “You saved my life.”

 

He smiled in return, though she couldn't see it. “I would do it again in an instant. I love you, and I never want to lose you.” He assured her softly.

 

“Nor I you.”

 

He lifted her face so he could look into her remarkable eyes. They smiled at each other and fell into a soft kiss. She nestled into his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

 

“Rest now my love. You're exhausted. We'll talk tomorrow evening.”

 

She sighed, lay back and closed her eyes. Yes she was tired, oh so tired. But she could not get Demetriov's words from out of her head. You've spent so long fighting me, and yet you begged to become one of us. The irony is delicious. She had fought so hard and for so long. And she had wanted it, and begged for it. As sleep came to her so did all of the doubts. She had been so certain that she wanted to avoid death, and now… now in giving in to her fear and running from the fate she feared she had actually willingly chosen another fate that she also feared. She suddenly realised she had rushed the decision and tomorrow, her body would be making demands of her, demands she wasn't sure she could willingly fulfil. She had been so weak, and now she was going to have to face the consequences.

 

Torin was actually first to fall to sleep, Tegan lying silent and still in his arms as the tumult of emotion washed through her. But she was too drained and tired for sleep to evade her for too long. The last thing she felt as the bliss of sleep enveloped her was guilt.

 

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Author's notes:

Okay this one was super short, but there was nowhere else for this chapter to go really. The next one is going to give me headaches, so much that needs to be done to it, but such is life. If I tacked this onto the next one the next one would get waaaaaay too long and on its own it looks short… oh well. Never mind, but I finally did it Mwahahahah! She is a vamp. But now what?