Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ A Matter Of Choice ❯ The Beast Within ( Chapter 46 )

The Beast Within

 

In the dark the beast stirred. It stretched and yawned. With a low growl the beast began to prowl. The beast was hungry…

 

* * * * *

 

Tegan woke sluggishly, blinking slowly.

 

“Hey sleepyhead.” Torin murmured in her ear, nuzzling up behind her.

 

“Hey.” She replied, turning to him.

 

She fell easily into his arms, nestling into the cool velvet of his body. He kissed her softly, Tegan responding gently. They lay together for a while, Torin stroking her hair.

 

“Are you okay?” He asked after a while.

 

“Yeah.” She replied slowly.

 

She turned and smiled at him, but her eyes remained distant.

 

“I just need to feed, that's all.”

 

He nodded and watched as she slipped out of bed. Her eyes seemed glazed, unfocused. He had noticed that she became like this more and more often when she was hungry. It had now been a good couple of months since her change, and the events after her change, that little blip in her vampire life were now a lost and forgotten memory. After that first hunt things had become easy for her, and she had easily accepted her situation. It was only a couple of weeks later that she had begun to hunt on her own. He wasn't sure when this glaze look in her eyes had begun to surface, but it was something occurring more and more often of late. He wasn't sure that he liked her when she was like this. He had to expect some changes now she was a vampire, but he still wasn't quite comfortable with the way things seemed to be turning out. He didn't like the predatory look in her eyes, the dull sheen that seemed to coat her eyes.

 

He watched her dress in automatic, unthinking movements, her mind evidently elsewhere. She pulled on a pair of old ripped jeans. He smiled, remembering how he had put one or two of those rips in them himself. She pulled on the sleeveless t-shirt and began to loosely braid her hair. She put on some make up, something else that had begun since her change, and pulled on her boots. She slipped on her long coat and turned to him.

 

“Well, are you coming, or are you going to stay in bed all night?”

 

The smile was Tegan's, but the eyes remained glassy. That was it, he had to know what was going on.

 

“All right. Are we going anywhere special?”

 

“I fancied clubbing, I don't know about you.”

 

“Okay.” He replied intrigued.

 

He started to dress hurriedly as she preened in the mirror.

 

“You do this often?”

 

He was curious to say the least, not just to this strange look in her eyes, but also the way she hunted now she did so alone.

 

“Reasonably,” she replied. “Just have to be careful not to get someone who has taken anything. Messes you right up. I only made that mistake once.”

 

Torin laughed, remembering the night, she had been distinctly woozy for a few hours.

 

“Do I need to wear anything special?”

 

“Not really, I wasn't planning on going anywhere high class.”

 

“The dead get noticed too easily.”

 

“You got it. The way they dress these days we will just look like part of the crowd.”

 

“Handy. Not my scene though.”

 

“You have your hunting ground, I have mine.”

 

Her last comment drew him into thought. He wondered about her hunting ground. It was basically transient, consisting of a selection of clubs in a wide area of San Francisco. It was a far more public ground than any vampire had ever hunted before. But if she did just get lost in the crowd, that was an obvious advantage, and she certainly knew this crowd and this age better than anyone, they were her generation. The other advantage was that dead bodies were always turning up in these places from overdoses and other unseemly activities and she obviously didn't need to deal with the `rubbish'.

 

He stood up, realising what a revelation tonight could be. He would be able to see what the glazed looks and the lack of concentration really meant. But he was not entirely sure he wanted the answers to his questions and anxieties. Still, he had a feeling in his gut that he should not let her go hunting alone tonight. It was a feeling he didn't like and couldn't shake, and only grew the more he looked at her.

 

“Are you ready then?” She asked, stepping up to him.

 

“As I'll ever be.” He replied sliding his arms around her waist.

 

She smiled at him, stroking his face tenderly with her fingertips, then kissing him softly. The kiss made him smile, calmed him. Maybe he was worrying too much.

 

“Let's go.”

 

She took him by the hand, their fingers interlacing. He was still more than a little apprehensive, but he allowed her to lead him into the night.

 

* * * * *

 

The clubbed pulsed. The air throbbed with the bass beat, waves pulsating out from the building. The pair cut through the sound waves and queues with equal ease. They slipped inside unnoticed amongst the crowd, looking no more strange and unusual than any one else. The place was full, throbbing and heaving with movement in vast undulating waves. The dance floor was packed with young, adrenaline filled teenagers.

 

Torin felt Tegan's fingers slip from his grasp. She turned to him, smiling wickedly.

 

“Are you coming for a dance, or maybe you might like a drink first.” Her eyes slid to the young dancers around them.

 

He smiled at her joke.

 

“I think I might watch a while first. Then maybe I'll decide what I might do, in what order. I am a little out of practice you know.”

 

“Never mind. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it just fine.”

 

She tugged at him to follow but he slipped out of her grip.

 

“I'd rather watch for now.” He replied gently.

 

“Suit yourself, but if I get peckish, I might slip away for a little snack.”

 

“I wouldn't expect anything less.”

 

She stepped up, squeezed him tightly, and then slipped into the throng. Torin moved to a higher vantage point, wanting to keep an eye on her, well aware that his desire to protect her was unusually strong tonight. He watched as she began to dance beginning to lose herself in the music and the atmosphere. He smiled as he saw men and women alike eye her up, some with desire some with intrigue. Her vampiric beauty was like a magnet, drawing all to her, and she was stunning to look at, now more than ever. Her watchers eyed her with predatory looks, all the time unaware, that with sidelong glances she was assessing her potential prey. One young man was bold, sidling up behind her, beginning to move in synch with her dance, slowly sliding an arm around her waist. Torin watched as she played with her prey.

 

Tegan closed her eyes. Her heart was pounding with anticipation, the thrill of the hunt, her blood rushing in her ears. As her companion pressed into her back she could feel his rushing heart beat, smell his sweat, she could almost smell the blood pumping through his veins. It excited her; it was like being aroused, and yet so altogether different. Her body was alive, her breathing harsh, but not with exertion, but excitement. She smiled, almost baring her teeth as he ground into her. She glanced at Torin. She could see he was uncomfortable watching her dance in the arms of another man. Even though he tried his growing jealousy was ill concealed.

 

Sod him, he should know better. Her dance partner's groin was hardening in the small of her back, youths here so very quickly aroused in this mating pool, and his obvious interest only awakened her hunger more. It grew in intensity, threatening to overwhelm her. Her eyes rolled in her sockets as she struggled to control it, to control…

 

* * * * *

 

The beast snarled, tugging on its tether. It pulled and strained; the chain around its neck constricting. A link in the chain weakened under the constant strain. The beast roared, demanding to be set loose. The whip came down hard on its rump, stinging and cowing the beast. But it would not stay cowed for long…

 

* * * * *

 

Tegan panted for breath, the edge of her hunger dulled for now. She turned to her young dance partner, sliding her legs between his, allowing him to place his hands on her hips. Slowly they ground against each other, moving to the driving beat. She stoked his desire, allowing herself to get lost in the music and the dance.

 

Torin turned away from the display in disgust. He was aware that she was only preparing her prey, readying herself for the kill, but the knowledge didn't help. He loved her and could not stand the thought of another man pawing at her, touching her. He tried to swallow his jealousy down, turning his attention to the dancers around him, searching out a meal for himself. He was aware of nubile young women eyeing him up with lust in their eyes, fascinated by him but they did not know way. It would be such an easy thing to allow one of them to approach, to take her some place where they would not be seen, and drink his fill from her. He looked back to Tegan to see her leading the young man towards the ladies toilets. He sighed, it had so little class and finesse, but he couldn't fault her, in this place it was exactly what the young man would expect. The only trouble was, he would not get what he was counting on…

 

* * * * *

 

Tegan kept constant eye contact with her victim; his eyes were glazed with lust. She hadn't taken any time to see what he looked like, but noticed now that they were alone. He was young, strong, something she had felt when they danced. He had pale green eyes; the colour almost washed out in the artificial light. He was blond, and a foot taller than herself. No matter, he wouldn't know what hit him when it came, they never did. He eagerly followed her into the toilet cubicle, almost pushing her inside with his hunger. She giggled coyly as he locked the door and pressed her against the wall.

 

“You look delicious.” He breathed into her ear.

 

“Shh!”

 

She put her finger to his lips, not wanting him to say a word, making it seem as they would have to be quiet to prevent getting caught. He snatched her hand away, moving in for her lips. Her eyes remained open, watching him as she allowed him to kiss her hungrily, his hands roaming over her body, clawing at her clothes. She smiled as she encouraged him, teasing and coaxing him gently, slowly driving him into a frenzy of lust. It was all calculated, lead him on, get him to relax, let down his guard, he wouldn't even scream when she killed him, so distracted she would have him. She helped him to loosen his fly, to make him more comfortable.

 

Hand inside his trousers she teased slowly and gently, watching his reaction, waiting for him to drop every guard and completely relax. He picked her up in his arms, hoisting her by her buttocks, wrapping her legs around his waist. She wanted to throw her head back and laugh. It was all so inviting. He rolled her head back, kissing and biting her neck and throat, truly wanting her, completely unaware of the danger he was in. She dug her nails into his scalp, delighting when she smelled blood, her frenzied companion not noticing the pain from the shallow scratches, or if he did he didn't care, and showed no sign of it.

 

Fingers in his hair she pulled his head back slowly, baring his throat, the blood vessels pulsating as his heart pounded. She stroked the skin, feeling the throbbing beneath her fingertips. Eyes wide, she watched him as she leaned down and began to kiss his throat with soft, caressing kisses. Her companion moaned, enjoying her affections. As he relaxed completely beneath her, she closed her eyes and bit down.

 

Drinking was exquisite, a pounding heart rushing to push the blood to her lips. Her victim was initially unaware anything was wrong, the bite had been so quick and clean. She could taste the adrenaline, taste the hormones, she could practically taste his lust. Her hunger was tearing at her, begging her to tug every last drop of blood out of him as fast as she could, to sate need. But she was determined not to give in, controlling, fighting, and feeding. By the time the young man noticed anything was wrong, he was too dazed by what was happening to do anything but moan weakly, hands plucking at her without any strength, an utterly useless effort at resistance.

 

Slowly her victim sagged as his strength and life began to fail, the two sinking entwined to the floor. All too soon the heart slowed, all life ceasing in her victim and she had to let him go. She watched as he breathed his last in a soft sigh, the sound lost amongst the pulsing baseline of the club's music. Almost sadly she stepped up from his corpse breathing deeply. Still the desire for blood cried out for more, but the hunger was no longer there. She struggled with the thought, fighting the desire, suddenly falling back against the cubicle wall, gasping for air, feeling like she could not breathe. She clawed at the neck on her t-shirt, the high neck almost suffocating. She had to get out, there was no air, and she had to get out!

 

She threw the cubicle door open, almost collapsing on the sinks in front of her. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to cool down, trying to exert some control over the raging desires in her that frightened and shamed her. She did not hear till too late the opening of the door, only turning to see the three girls looking at the corpse of her victim. She saw their faces, smelled the fear and heard the small cry of alarm. It was when the nearest girl screamed that she lost the battle within. The chain snapped and the beast was loose.

 

* * * * *

 

Torin was stood by the entrance to the lavatories when the girl screamed. He had expected trouble when she saw the girls go in and had made his way there to be ready to escape with Tegan when she came out. He looked around him to see that the noise had gone unheard amongst the throbbing bass line. When Tegan didn't appear as he expected he was worried. Should he go in after her and risk further panic? He waited a while longer for Tegan to return, only to be left waiting. Unable to wait and worry any longer he pushed the door ajar, totally unprepared for what he was about to see.

 

Carnage laid all about the dingy bathroom. The bloodless corpse of her male victim lay slumped in a toilet cubicle in a state of disarray. Two girls lay across each other, both drained, and the uppermost girl's head lolled at an unnatural angle, the lower had a wide gash in her throat. Small flecks of blood were splashed against the grimy white tiles. And in the midst of this carnage Tegan was stood, head bowed back to him with the body of the third girl in her arms, the appearance of a tender caress amidst the savagery and death. Torin stepped inside, closing the door quickly behind him, not wanting anyone to walk in on this. He stood aghast by the bodies of the two girls, breathing hard as he struggled to comprehend what he saw.

 

Tegan's body was heaving, gasping for breath. A ragged sob escaped her throat as she lifted her head slowly. He walked slowly towards her, placing his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him slowly, her face a mask of anguish. Her skin was flushed and hot from the glut of blood she had consumed, blood staining her lips. She turned around to him dropping the girl's body to the floor, collapsing against the wall behind her and away from his touch as if it burned her, her head in her hands. As he looked at the corpse he saw that she had torn out the girl's throat in her rush to drink her dry.

 

Torin stepped back shaking his head, unable to understand this. He couldn't see how she was capable of such savagery, such utter destruction, this was not the Tegan he knew and loved. Tegan's fingers clawed at the tiled wall behind her, a hand pulling at her top as she gasped for air. He stared at her, horrified, fear creeping in; he was deeply worried. Slowly she turned to look at him, tears in her eyes, her body trembling. She could not hide her dreadful and vile abomination as it lay around her. But what he saw in her eyes disturbed him most. It was pure, undiluted, soul destroying terror. Tegan suddenly bolted. Before he could stop her or even chase after her she was out of the club and tearing down the street as if the devil himself was at her heels. Torin ran into the street, shouting her name. Tegan did not hear.

 

She ran as had never run before. She ran from the terror in her mind, the dark destroyer that had meted its terrible wrath upon the lives of innocents that had merely been in the wrong place at the wrong time. She ran from the disgust and horror. She ran from the screams, the snapping bones. She ran from the pleas for mercy. She tried to escape her horror at the moment she lost control, turning into a wild animal. She fled from the terrible and dirty realisation of what she had done. Though try as she might, run as she might, she could not block out the memory, or the continuing feeling of pleasure as she had utterly destroyed the girl's bodies. The ecstasy of mauling; meting out such horrible and vile deaths. Tears of blood ran down her cheeks, as she opened her mouth, and still running, let loose a tremendous roar full of anguish and fear.

 

* * * * *

 

Demetriov had barely walked in the door when Torin burst in, grabbing him in an agitated state.

 

“What? What is it?” He asked stunned as Torin caught his breath.

 

“Tegan. You have to help me find Tegan.” He gasped.

 

“I thought she was with you.”

 

“There was a…”

 

Torin wasn't sure how much to tell. Demetriov would have to know at some point but the time was not now. Finding her was a matter of urgency.

 

“There was an incident on the hunt.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Not now. Later. We must find her. She's in a dreadful state and I fear she might do something incredibly stupid. She might even try to commit suicide.”

 

Demetriov went from curious to deadly serious in an instant.

 

“You'd best fill me in on the way.”

 

* * * * *

 

The two men split up and searched for Tegan. The search lasted for what was left of the night. But no matter where they looked they could not find any trace of her. Reluctantly they had to return home as the dawn light started to break over the San Francisco skyline. Back at the mansion Torin paced agitated.

 

“There is something dreadfully wrong here Demetriov.” He spoke through clenched teeth.

 

“I know, but there is nothing we can do until tomorrow.”

 

He too was worried, but it was unnoticed by Torin who was distraught with it.

 

“I should be out there looking for her.”

 

He sounded close to tears. Yes he loved her so, and that he would have to fight against if he was to gain Tegan. But first they had to get her back from wherever she was now. He like Torin hoped it was not too late for that.

 

“What use to her are you if you are dead.” Demetriov replied matter-of-factly, hiding his true worries.

 

“I'm scared for her.” Torin whispered. “Why did she do those things? How… she as never…”

 

“I know. This kind of behaviour is certainly not like Tegan. I've not heard of such a loss of control for a very long time,” he said with a heavy sigh.

 

“This has happened before?”

 

“I've seen it, but that was before we met. It only tends to happen to those who are the strongest, whose flame burns brightest.”

 

“That's Tegan. I'm starting to think that she is the strongest of us all.”

 

“And she grows stronger everyday.” Demetriov mused softly.

 

“You've noticed it too.” Torin sighed.

 

Demetriov nodded. “But she has unique troubles. I fear that this will leave a deep wound, even if she learns the control she needs. I don't think she will ever be quite the same again.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Demetriov sighed and sat down slowly.

 

“For most vampires, this… incident would not be a problem, and may even become habit. But Tegan has a moral battle going on inside her head. She hunted us, and now she is a vampire. The two are polar opposites. I can only imagine the thoughts and battles that go on inside her mind.”

 

“What can we do?” Torin asked.

 

“Nothing but be there for her. Be there as she gets over this, reason with her and help her heal. But there is nothing that we can do until morning.”

 

“There is one thing we can do.”

 

“What?”

 

“Pray she is still alive when we set out tomorrow.”

 

* * * * *

 

The door flew open with a bang. Half blinded Tegan staggered down the basement steps in an abandoned tower block. Scorched, burned and bleeding she dived to escape the terrible rays of the sun, barely in time to escape its deadly heat. She lay exhausted in the corner, panting for breath, her body trembling. Even as she found solace in the cool darkness, the dark and the stinging pain did nothing to dull the horror of the night. She could hear her flesh continuing to burn, but nothing could distract her from her terror.

 

She curled up on the floor, lying like the foetus she had been in her mother's womb, trying to draw some cold comfort from her revulsion. Her body shook with convulsive sobs, blood tears slowly beginning to heal the raw flesh. As morning drew on, no comfort would come to her. She cried and cried, trying to scream the terror out, but no sound would escape her throat. She was alone with the one thing she feared most, herself. She drifted unwillingly into sleep as the morning passed into afternoon, and deep inside her the beast purred.