Hello, thanks for your patience. Please enjoy the next chapter and as always your comments are valued.
***
"Now Ayden, is that anyway to greet an old friend." Marcus said as he stepped out of the living room into the foyer.
"You are not and have never been a friend of mine." Ayden growled. His body tense and ready for anything that Marcus might do.
"Come now, bygones, water under the bridge and all that. I've just come passed as a courtesy really. I'm going to be in the area for a few days. This city being your home and all, I thought you might like to know." Marcus said as he strolled around like he owned the place, touching everything.
"I really don't care Marcus. I just want you gone." Ayden responded his anger barely in check.
"Don't be so difficult Ayden. You know that I always know how to have a good time. You can always join me." Marcus started with a smirk playing on his lips. At Ayden's furious look he continued "No? Hmmm I'd forgotten about your fondness for the humans. You still don't like to play with your food. I thought you may have changed since I can scent more than one in here. Have you found yourself a pet Ayden?"
Ayden almost leaped at him. The desire to crush, maim and kill was strong. A low growl began in his throat and was clearly audible to Marcus judging by the bark of laughter he expelled.
"You have always been very amusing Ayden. Don't worry I won't play with your toys unless you invite me to. As I said, just letting you know that I'm passing through." Marcus said smugly.
"Make sure it stays that way Marcus. Just passing through. I wouldn't want you to over stay your welcome." Ayden almost whispered as he stepped out of the doorway hinting strongly that Marcus should leave. Ever one to show off, Marcus used his unnatural speed to effect and sped out the door with chilling laughter in his wake.
Ayden trembled with tension and anger. Marcus was in town. The most evil representation of their kind was here just as things were going well. How had he found him? What was he doing in this city? Too many questions. He shook with fury. He knew he would have to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't leave too many bodies in his wake. Marcus had a habit of increasing a city's murder statistics dramatically.
Ayden had first met Marcus not long after he'd been turned. Initially he was thrilled to meet others like himself hoping to learn how to manage the changes in himself. Marcus seemed older, more knowledgeable to the young and naive Ayden. He played the role well. Ayden was desperate for help and guidance and Marcus took full advantage of that. He subtly espoused a philosophy of being better than the humans. That humans were only food and that they, as vampires would eventually take over and treat them as the slaves they were. It was a conniving seduction with little comments here, pointing out negatives there. Nothing overt or confrontational.
Marcus would give Ayden only enough concrete information to keep him coming back for more. Eventually Ayden started to believe that this was what he was destined for. This was the life he now had to lead, humans as cattle to be used at a whim. Once Marcus was convinced of his acceptance he invited him to hunt together for the first time.
One night they found themselves at a drinking hall. The noise and smell assaulting their sensitive senses. Ayden was desperately thirsty and could hear every single person's heartbeat like it was a drum. He followed Marcus' lead however as they sat and ordered a couple of ales. The serving girl was pretty enough. She'd shown just enough flesh to indicate that she wasn't averse to the attentions of the men. After a few rounds she spent more and more time at Ayden and Marcus' table. Who could resist their stunning good looks?
After some good natured flirting and not so subtle hints the young woman ended up at their rented room after the bar had closed. Initially she appeared hesitant being alone with two men but she quickly warmed up to Marcus' kisses and not so gentle fondling.
Ayden cringed as he remembered the callous way they treated her. The way they took her in as many ways as they could. He remembered how superior he felt and how seductive those feelings were. Once they had sated their lust, Ayden quenched his thirst leaving enough for Marcus. He handed the still trembling woman to him and sat back to watch.
Ayden smirked as Marcus sank his fangs into the girl's neck. He laughed as he watched her writhe through orgasm after orgasm as Marcus held her up. He found it amusing that their sustenance brought the humans such pleasure.
It took Ayden a while to realize that Marcus wasn't stopping. He wasn't pulling back. He watched as his supposed friend drained the life essence out of the young woman. He stood there stunned as he saw him let her drop in a heap on the floor like she was nothing.
Ayden saw her lying there, he heard the last flutters of her heartbeat before it stuttered and stopped altogether. He took in the paleness of her skin and unseeing eyes. Marcus' laughter started to grate on his ears. This was not what he expected. He thought it would be a night of fun and feeding. Debauchery possibly, using the girl definitely, but murder? This was beyond Ayden's ability to process and accept.
"What's the matter friend? She was fun, want to go and find another one?" Marcus asked flippantly. Standing there naked with a dead girl at his feet as if it was nothing. He was so casual, so unaffected that something inside Ayden snapped. He felt the beast inside him surge forward; snapping and snarling at Marcus he leaped on him with every intention of pulling him to shreds.
Ayden had never been an aggressive person; he'd never been in a fight in his life. This situation, the part that he'd played in this abomination fuelled his fury and lent power to his lack of skill. They fought grappling and wrestling mostly. They broke furniture and put holes in the walls. Ayden noticed nothing, his sole focus was to kill Marcus and prevent him from doing this ever again.
At some point Ayden felt Marcus groan and slump. He stood up and looked down on the bloody pulp that was Marcus. He wanted to move in and finish him off; he wanted that more than anything. As he moved forward he tripped on something. Looking down he noticed that it was the dead girl's leg that he had tripped on.
Ayden looked at her again. She had been jostled from their fight. Her arms and legs splayed, her body covered in splashes of their blood. It was obscene. He didn't want to become that. He didn't want to be the monster that caused that carnage. As much as he wanted to kill Marcus, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He found a sheet and draped it over the girl's body before dressing and getting out of there as fast as he could.
Ayden recalled the next few months of despair over what had happened. His fear that Marcus would come after him. He had berated himself so much that he had stopped feeding, becoming weak and listless. It was only the thought that if he left it too much longer he might become deranged and hurt someone that he decided to feed again. Once he proved to himself that he could feed without hurting the person he started coming out of his depression. It was then he resolved to live within the human world as much as possible, shirking all contact with his own kind.
Ayden came back to the present and stormed into his study. Immediately, he started making phone calls. Just because he didn't want anything to do with his kind didn't mean that he didn't keep tabs on those he knew. Also, there were always people in the human world that associated with vampires. Ayden made sure he maintained these contacts. After Marcus' visit he was glad he'd made the effort. He wanted to know why Marcus was here.
***
Jade was humming as she put away her things. Ayden had been very considerate in making space in cupboards, wardrobes, bookshelves and any other area he thought she may need. It felt strange putting her meagre possessions next to the beautiful items he had collected over the centuries. When she had confronted him with her concerns he told her that it was impossible to compare. Her life treasures were just as important, just because she hadn't lived as long didn't count.
Jade pondered the last few days. The move had gone smoothly with a great deal of help from a packing and moving company. It was the actually living here that made her thoughtful. Ayden's behaviour was odd to say the least. He claimed that he wanted her in his home, that he was happy she was finally here full time. But he was constantly on the phone, and when he wasn't he was quiet and brooding. He claimed it was a business concern but Jade wasn't too sure.
Ayden walked in the room and noticed the small changes that having a woman in your home meant. He liked it. Even though Marcus hadn't made any waves, Ayden felt more comfortable having Jade close. Without realizing he was constantly finding excuses to be around her, in the same room with her, go with her on shopping trips. He told himself it was to keep her safe but he found he really enjoyed it, even the shopping.
"I'm nearly done Ayden. Do you want to go out tonight?" Jade asked hopefully, she was becoming worried about his gloomy behaviour.
"Hmm that's nice." He said distractedly as he was looking out the window.
"Ok Ayden let's just stay in and watch the purple polka dotted unicorns dance a jig in the living room." She said half seriously.
"Sure whatever you like." He said in the same affected manner.
"That is enough Ayden!" she practically shouted. "You say you want me here but ever since I've moved in you've been behaving strangely. If you've changed your mind its ok just tell me." She said exasperated.
"What? Of course I want you here. We've spent almost every waking moment together." He said a little shocked at her comment.
"Yeah? Well if you've been paying so much attention then tell me what I just said we should do tonight." She demanded.
