Eternally

Fiona had been gone to market selling the woolens she wove, eggs from her chickens and some scented beeswax that the nobles valued for candles. She had been gone all day, her brothers being too lazy to go or to even come along to help. She was footsore and weary, but looking forward to seeing her love when the rest of the village slept.

Fiona was tall, slender and raven haired. Her grey eyes seemed to see through a person. She was strong of limb and her skin was a dark honey colour. Her father had been from outside of Ireland, a huge bear of a man with black hair and grey eyes. Her mother swore he was a god of some sort. Fiona just sighed and ignored her. Her mother complained that it was his fault Fiona was so different and blamed him for the fact that no man in the village wanted her for a wife, which was fine with Fiona.

Fiona detested the touch of men. Her love was for a woman, Killeen. Her Kili was almost as tall as she, but where her skin was tanned, Kili was pale with hair of fiery red and eyes like the brightest emeralds. They had met months before while both were out herb gathering. Killeen had been caught out in a fierce storm and taken shelter with Fiona's family. The two girls shared a bed... and much more.

Now they were lovers. Forever hiding it from their families and the rest of their small village. If they were discovered they would be killed for their love. As it was Kili was being pushed to marry soon. Fiona snarled softly at the thought of a ham-handed male touching her beloved.

~I'll no' let 'em! She's mine!~ Fiona was lost in thought as she made her way down the dark path towards home. She never saw him coming, no mortal would have. Suddenly she was yanked off her feet, ice cold hands pulling her head to one side, sharp teeth sinking into her neck. She fought madly but she was no match for the creature of the night, the vampire.

The woman's sweet blood filled the being's mouth like fine wine. He drank deeply, almost lovingly. She held no sexual interest for him. He preferred his own kind for that. She was to be something special.

Gahiji drained the woman to the point of death, and then with a press of a nail he opened his wrist, feeding her his dark blood. ~You will be my finest creation little one.~ He sat back on his haunches to wait for the pains. He stroked her hair and smiled. She was beautiful, a fine addition to his stable of 'children'.

Fiona awoke to fire and pain. She arched as her body convulsed. Her afterlife was beginning as her mortal body died. Her insides were shriveling, her senses growing stronger. A hunger filled her, burning, aching. Gahiji pressed his wrist to her mouth. "Drink my child... grow strong." She was appalled, but he held it there and she felt her fangs... fangs, she had fangs?! With a moan of fear and need she latched on and drank deeply, feeling the hunger fade.

Fiona drank until he pulled away, his eyes dancing almost merrily. "Now little one, you must rest. Tomorrow night we begin your lessons...."

Fiona jerked away, eyes blazing. "Lessons? No' likely! I'm goin' HOME!" She got to her feet and stalked off, shaky but determined to get back to her Kili. He was suddenly in front of her, still looking amused. "You can never go back my child. You are now a daughter of the night, a vampire. No more may you walk among the living unless it is under the cover of night to feed.

Fiona stared at him. "No... I'll no' leave m' Kili behind! Ge' out m' way!" She tried to push past, but he held her firmly. "No." He whispered a word and she slumped against him. Children, always so headstrong. He carried her to his temporary lair and settled her on a pile of leaves. He was well fed and willing to wait out her stubbornness until the following night. He settled in and smiled softly. She would be most entertaining to teach.

Kili was beside herself with worry. Fiona was late, very late. She huddled in the stable, waiting until the light of dawn began to seep in. With red-rimmed eyes she stumbled out to begin her morning chores. ~Love? Where are ye?!~ Killeen did her work, silent and frightened. Fiona's family came to complain about her being missing. But all they wanted was the coins and goods she was carrying.

Killeen was shocked at how callous they were! Her heart was breaking and Fiona's blood was fussing over a few coins! Maybe what Fiona was always telling her was true, they didn't care about her. Killeen made it through the day and as soon as all were asleep she slipped out and started searching for her lover.

Fiona woke to a hunger that made her ache. She sat up and saw he was watching her. Her voice was hoarse as she spoke. "I'll no' kill...."

"Yes you will to live you must kill. Feel the life around you! Smell them; hear their sweet blood pumping through their mortal veins. They are our prey, our meals. We are their masters! None can defeat us we can devour all who stand in our way.

Fiona stood stock still and she could feel so much! She shivered as she smelled the blood from a passing rider, heard his heart beat. She shook it off with a snarl. Then she paused. Her family... they were hateful to her, calling her a changeling, a freak. A slow smile graced her lips. "I'm hungry." She left the cave, heading home.

He followed with a smile. He knew now that she was going to be a wonderful daughter. Yes little one... let anger guide you, I will do the rest. They sped through the night like shadows. Fiona smiled when she entered her former home. Her brothers, unwashed and ill-bred slept like the dead. Her mother, face care-worn and pinched stirred restlessly. Her mother had never been kind to her. She had treated her like a servant, an unwanted one at that.

Fiona knelt beside her dame and with no remorse sank her itching fangs into her neck. Warm red blood filled her mouth and she bit down harder, eagerly drain the life from the woman that had birthed her. Trickles of red ran down her chin as she fed and she shivered at the way it felt on her sensitive skin.

Her mother made one single sound, a soft moaning exhalation of breath as she died slowly. Gahiji had drained her eldest brother and she wiped blood from her chin as she moved to take the youngest. He stank of the harsh homemade ale her mother oft brewed and Fiona wrinkled her nose. She drained him anyway, pleased when he awoke and struggled in her grip. She sank her claws into his flesh, relishing the tearing sound it made.

Killeen had crept up to Fiona's home and shivered as she felt something was horribly wrong. She paused outside the door, listening.

~Could be footpads... come t' rob and harm. She hid in the shadows, heart pounding with fear.~

Fiona's head snapped up, her face bloody, her eyes glowing. She could hear her love's heart beat. She quickly splashed water from the bucket by the hearth and rinsed the gore from her face. She slipped out, calling Killeen's name softly.

Killeen dashed from the shadows and into Fiona's arms, sobbing softly. She clung to her lover and hid her face against her neck. Fiona soothed Kili, rubbing her back and kissing her temples. Gahiji stepped out, looking slightly ill. "We are wasting time daughter. Kill her and be done with it."

Killeen gaped at the pale man and then looked to Fiona, finally noticing how cold she was, how pale she had become. "Fiona?"

Fiona held Kili close. "She is mine. Y'll bring 'er across –Father- as you did me, if she is willing. She looked to the stunned Killeen. "I am vampire now love. I'll ne'er walk th' day again sweet one. Bu' I love y' still Kili. Will ye be wit' me even in darkness love?"

Killeen stared from one to the other, her green eyes wide. Then she took a deep breath and kissed Fiona deeply. When she spoke it was in a soft whisper. "I'll walk wit' ye through hell love." She clung to Fiona as Gahiji approached her.

"She will be your responsibility child. I will not worry over her."

Fiona nodded and looked Kili in the eyes. "There'll be hurtin' love. But I'll be wit' ye through it."

They moved into the trees and Gahiji slowly sank his fangs into Killeen's soft neck as Fiona held her close. The cold seeped into her bones as her blood flowed from her body. She held tightly to Fiona as her vision faded. When the time was right, it was Fiona who fed her for the first time. It was her blood that transformed Killeen from mortal to the undead. Fiona held her as her slender body was racked with pain.

There was just enough time to allow Killeen to feed before dawn drove them into a cave. Fiona and Killeen hid away from Gahiji' prying eyes and held each other close. Cold flesh still felt desire and soon they were moaning in pleasure. They drank from each other in new ways as their bodies writhed. Fiona moved to suckle a breast as Killeen's fingers probed her with loving skill. They shifted to lap hungrily at each other, moaning as they licked and sucked each other. Killeen nearly sobbed as Fiona plunged her fingers deep inside, teasing, tormenting. Killeen caught Fiona's rigid button between her lips and sucked it hard, tongue flicking it rapidly. Nips of sharp teeth drew beads of blood and they lapped at each other, crying out from the heightened sensuality.

Gahiji shook his head and settled in to sleep. He was not at all pleased. Now they were forever joined, Fiona becoming Killeen's mother as well as lover. He felt it boded ill for him in some way.

Dawn came with the women curled up in each others arms. They slept with the knowledge that they had all eternity together. Nothing and no one would ever part them. Undead they might be, but they would be proof that even the cold of living death could be made warmer with the ties of love and desire.