The Crimson Kiss (a sneak peak)

As everyone knows, I love writing. One day, I was playing a game and something really strange happened in it. I girl walked up to me one night and smelled me. That's right. Smelled me. She then asked me, "are you human?" I stuttered to myself. She just walked up to me, a stranger, smelled me and asked if I was a human! I was disturbed. I found out she was a vampire and tried to survive as she hunted me down. I failed.

I went home that night and the entire game was stuck in my head. It would make for a good horror story. I began to think about it daily. How could I make this vampire girl a terrifying creature, wanting blood and filled with lust? What if a character had to struggle against the desires of the flesh. After thinking for a long time, I had a story.

This is not the first book I plan on publishing, but I went ahead and wrote chapter one anyway. I hope you enjoy a sneak peak to The Crimson Kiss...

Kaligar sat on the floor in a fetal position in his dimly lit room, his body enveloped by an icy chill that seemed to grip his very bones. A dead silence filled the room, except for the maddening rhythm of crimson droplets dripping from the ceiling. Each drop hit the cold, wooden floor with a sickening plop, drawing his gaze to the dark puddle that slowly expanded before him, a silent reminder of the horrors to come. The scent of copper filled the air, thick and suffocating, as the blood seeped into the fabric of his clothes, painting his skin with its warm embrace. His heart raced in his chest as the crimson drops seemed to dance in the candlelight, a ghastly ballet that mirrored the horrid emotions swirling within him. 

Upon the wood that formed the wall above the ornate, forest brown-covered bed was an unsettling message etched with something sharp. The words, ‘You are mine and I'll never let you go,’ hung there menacing, like the promise of eternal captivity. The crimson letters seem to pulse like a beating heart. As Kaligar’s eyes traced the jagged lines, his heart skipped a beat, and a shiver crawled up his spine. He had read those words countless times before, each time they sent a wave of fear and despair that washed over him.

The crimson stream of blood weaved a path across the aged wooden floorboards, moving at a sluggish pace. The heavy drapes moved slightly with the gusts of an unseen wind, whispering secrets of the night. He sat there trembling. In his mind, a war of thoughts and emotions battled, each one screaming to be heard over the pounding of his heart. There had to be something he could do, a way to regain control of this spiraling descent into madness, over this nightmare. Since he came back from his last adventure, the line between reality and nightmare had grown thinner, the veil between the waking world and the realm of the damned turning into one. Yet he clung to the hope that he could still find a way to break the cycle of fear and submission that had become his eternal dance with the one stalking him, promising that he would end up her possession.

The air around him grew heavy with dread, tightening in response to the unseen presence that approached. The candle flames flickered wildly as a sudden draft whispered through the room, carrying with it the faint scent of crushed roses and the unmistakable aroma of fresh blood. Kaligar trembled in his spot, his senses on high alert. That's when he felt it—a warm, seductive breath grazed against his neck. The heat from the source sent a delicious shiver down his spine, and he instinctively leaned back, his eyes fluttering shut in a silent invitation. The scent of her filled his nostrils and he knew without a doubt that she had found him once again. His body betrayed his fear with a soft moan, the sound filling the stilled air.

Amidst the stifling silence, the sound of a soft, amused chuckle echoed through the room, sending a shiver down his spine that was both terrifying and exhilarating. He whirled around, desperation and fear intertwining within his racing heart. But the room was empty, the candlelight playing tricks on the shadows that danced along the walls. Yet, he knew she was there, watching, waiting, savoring the thrill of the hunt. Her eyes, those piercing crimson orbs that haunted his dreams, gleamed with a predatory glee that sent his pulse skyrocketing.

   "You seek me, my dear?" she purred, her voice like a siren's call that clung to the very marrow of his bones. "How charming."

The words hung in the air, a taunt that he could not ignore, a promise of torment and pleasure that fueled the fire of his fear. He searched the shadows for any sign of her, his gaze darting from corner to corner, but she remained hidden. 

   "I am everywhere and nowhere," she whispered, her voice a phantom caressing in his ear.

   "But don’t worry, I will always find you when the night is ripe for our games."

Kaligar stood up, drawing out his sword, trembling from head to toe. The cold steel felt weak in his hands. He knew the sword would do no good. His eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of her, the crimson pool of blood beneath his feet a grim reminder of what awaited him if he failed. 

   "Anna!" he cried, his voice a hoarse whisper that was swallowed by the darkness. The shadows quivered in response, and the air grew colder, hinting at her amusement. 

  "Do you truly wish to be rid of me?" she replied. Her mocking voice seemed to come from all around. "But what fun would that be?"

Kaligar's grip on the sword tightened, the metal biting into his palm as he stood his ground, his voice shaky but determined. 

   "With you gone, I can finally return to the life I knew." He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to steady himself against the seductive pull of her presence. "I can end this...this nightmare behind me and find peace."

The words hung in the air, a desperate prayer that was met with a silence that it felt like the very air itself was listening, holding its breath. The shadows deepened, and for a brief moment, he dared to believe that she had left him. But then, a soft, cruel laugh floated through the room.

    "Peace?" she repeated, her voice sending a shiver down his spine. "Ah, my sweet Kaligar, you know as well as I that I have claimed you. I cannot leave you alone. You are mine."

In a sudden burst of anger and terror, Kaligar threw his hand out and cried out, the sound echoing through the room like the cry of a wounded beast. He summoned the flames, and they spiraled outwards in a fiery cocoon that lit the room. 

   "You can say whatever you like," he shouted. The heat of the flames gave him courage, "but I will not be yours!" 

The room instantly became bathed in a warm glow, the candles igniting in a chain reaction that sent shadows fleeing before him. The air moved with power, and the smell of burning fabric filled the space as the velvet drapes began to smoke.

   "Oh, Kaligar," she purred, a smile playing on her crimson-stained lips as she stepped from the shadows, her skin almost glowing in the light of the flames, "always so brave."

  With a flick of her wrist, the flames died down to embers, leaving the room once more shrouded in darkness. 

   "It’s quite... amusing." She stepped closer, her movements a silent ballet of grace and menace. "But you see, it’s precisely this dance of desire and despair that binds us together. Without me, you would be lost, a mere wisp of what you once were." Her eyes bore into his soul. "And let us not forget, my love," she whispered, her breath warm against his neck, "you did seek me out, didn't you? You yearned for the pleasure and the power that I offered." Her fangs flashed in the night, promising pain and pleasure. "Now, shall we continue our little game?" she asked, the room plunging into silence once more, her question hanging in the air like a noose, waiting for his answer.

Kaligar trembled uncontrollably as she emerged from the black embrace of the shadows, her eyes locked onto him with a predatory gaze that sent a cold shiver down his spine. The candle flames quivered in her presence, casting an eerie light across the room that seemed to make the crimson letters of the etched message on the wall pulse with malicious intent. The air grew colder as she approached, until her breath was a warm caress against his skin, sending a shiver down his spine. He could almost feel his mind snap as she leaned in closer, her fangs promising pain and pleasure. Despite the fear, a strange feeling bubbled within him, a thrill at the thought of succumbing to her will once more. The room seemed to hold its breath, the very walls pulsing with the rhythm of his racing heartbeat. He groaned, the sound a mix of fear and anticipation, as she trailed her delicate, ice-cold fingers along his neck. 

   "No!" He swung his sword, aiming for the heart that was no longer beating but fueled her unending hunger. 

Yet she was as swift as a shadow, her hand flashing out to catch the blade in a grip so cold it felt like ice had wrapped around his very soul. Their eyes met, and in hers, he saw amusement and hunger, a reflection of the chaotic emotions that rage within him. 

   "I refuse," he gritted out, his voice a low growl, "to be yours!" The steel in his voice falters as she laughed, a sound that was both musical and terrifying, echoing through the room.

Her eyes flashed with anger and pain, her eyes burning into his very soul. 

   "What will it take," she snarled, her grip on the sword tightening until he felt the metal threaten to snap under her inhuman strength, "to convince you that you are MINE. MINE!" 

She pulled the blade closer to her own chest, a smile playing on her lips. 

   "Do you wish to watch me bleed?" she asked, the challenge in her voice a siren's call that threatened to shatter his mind. "Or perhaps you wish to feel the sweet kiss of death yourself?"

Her breath was a warm whisper that sent a thrill of terror through him, her eyes never leaving his as she leaned in, the scent of crushed roses and fresh blood enveloping him like a shroud.

Kaligar hesitated, the weight of the sword feeling like it was crushing his hand. He never wanted to see someone harmed, but this might be the only way to get rid of her. 

   "I want to see you sent back to the land of the damned where you belong," he murmured, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. 

He raised the sword, pointing it unsteadily at her heart. 

  "This ends now," he proclaimed, trying to sound more confident than he felt. 

His heart raced, the thunderous beat echoing through the room as the candles casted flickered shadows upon her beautiful, yet terrifying form. The air felt heavy with tension, and he could almost taste the metallic tang of fear on his tongue. Yet, in the depths of her crimson gaze, he saw a spark of something unexpected—fear? Uncertainty? It is a fleeting glimpse, but it is enough to make him realize that she was not as untouchable as she would have him believe. Maybe he could kill her.

A low chuckle escaped her lips, a sound that sent a shiver down his spine. She leaned into the sword, the tip piercing her skin. A crimson line formed, beads of blood welling up before trailing down her chest in a mesmerizing pattern that seemed to dance with the candlelight. 

   "So end this then," she purred, her eyes never leaving his, "Get rid of me. Free yourself from the bond that you claim to despise." 

The challenge in her voice was clear, but there was something else there too—a hint of sadness, perhaps a longing for the warmth of his embrace from the mortal world. The room seemed to hold its breath as he watched the blood seep from her wound. For a moment, he was torn between the desire to end her reign and the strange, pleasurable pull she held over him. Her crimson eyes seem to bore into his very soul, daring him to make a move. 

He faltered, the sight of her blood making him feel sick. The crimson life force that trickled from the wound she had inflicted upon herself made his breathing thicken, his eyes never leaving hers. 

   "Why can't I do this?" He murmured, his voice barely a whisper in the stillness of the room. "You would be the end of me." 

The sword shook in his hand, the weight of his own indecision threatening to bring him down. The flames in the room seemed to dim, their fiery dance a silent reflection of the emotions that swirled within him. The scent of the blood, so warm and alive, filled the air, taunting him. He sighed, knowing that he couldn’t bring himself to end her. Their gazes remained locked, her eyes searching for a clue to the thoughts that raged within him. 

With a guttural cry that was full of anger and despair, Kaligar pulled the sword free, the sudden release sent a fresh spray of crimson droplets into the air. They fell like rain, landing on the already stained floor. Without another word, he turned and sprinted towards the window, the desperate need to escape from this prison of blood and shadow consuming him. The glass shattered around him as he hurled himself through it, the shards slicing into his flesh, the cold night air rushing at him. The wind howled around him as he plummeted through the darkness, his body a silent scream of anguish and determination. The ground rushed up to meet him. As he plummeted, the world around him turned into a blur of shadow and moonlight. Even as he fell, he felt her presence, a phantom touch that whispered in the wind, "I will

always find you, my love."

He hit the ground with a thud, the impact sending pain shooting up his legs but not slowing his desperate escape. His eyes darted around the shadowy alleyways, searching for a place to hide from her unyielding grasp. The cold, hard cobblestones were slick with rain, a silver sheen that seemed to mirror the moon's mocking smile. He pushed himself to his feet and bolted into the night, his heart hammering in his chest like a wild beast seeking refuge. The cobblestone streets stretched out before him, a labyrinth of darkness that he navigated with the ease of a creature born of this place. Yet, even as he sprinted through the deserted streets, her words echoed in his mind, a taunting melody that he could not silence. 

  "Where can I go?" He murmured to himself, the question a desperate prayer to the uncaring heavens above. The buildings seemed to lean in closer, their looming silhouettes whispering of the futility of his flight. She was the predator and he was the prey. 

She watched him vanish into the night, the shards of glass from the shattered window glinted in the moonlight like a crown of thorns. A soft smile graced her lips as she crossed the room, her bare feet leaving delicate prints in the crimson pool that had formed beneath the bed. She leaned down and placed an item wrapped in a bloodstained cloth on his bed. With a sigh that was part longing, part amusement, she placed the item, a silent message that he would never truly escape her. 

   "Ah, Kaligar," she murmured to the empty room, "you are such a fascinating creature."

Her eyes flicked to the open window, the cool breeze carried with it the scent of rain and the distant echo of his fleeing footsteps. With a grace, she glided to the shattered frame, the fabric of her gown fluttering like the wings of a dark angel. The night called to her, and she answered with a leap that sent her soaring into the inky sky, her crimson eyes gleamed with the promise of a hunt that would never truly end.

Kaligar ran for what felt like an eternity, the sound of her laughter and the echo of his own name a haunting melody that seemed to follow him through the damp, cobblestone streets. The cold, unyielding rain soaked through his clothes, chilling him. His breath came in ragged gasps, each inhale a sharp reminder of the pain that flared from the jagged wounds along his side. Yet, even as he pushed his body to its limits, he knew that she was there, her presence a shadow that loomed over his every step. 

He leaned against a damp, stone-covered wall, the chill seeping into his bones as he attempted to still his racing heart. His eyes scanned the alleyways, searching for any sign of her, his ears straining to pick up the faintest whisper of her approach. But the night remained eerily quiet, a silent sentinel to his desperation. He pushed off the wall with a grunt, the agony in his side a sharp reminder that he cannot rest, not yet. 

   "Anna," he growled through gritted teeth, the name of a curse that fueled his determination. "I will find a way to break free of you." 

And with that, he sprinted once more into the abyss of the city, the cobblestones blurring beneath his feet as he sought solace from the relentless pursuit of the vampire.