Faline

A shot of agony goes through me, body arching into his, naked flesh on flesh, but I still can't scream. Pain ebbs as my blood leaves my body, leading to a soft feeling. Comfort. I know it to be a trick. Lulling a person with soft feelings all the way till their last breath flees their bodies; you'd die with a smile on your face.

My brain starts to become sluggish, my heart skipping beats. I'm dying. I begin to welcome death, hopeless as everything seems. My sister is gone, I've been raped and abused over and over, cruel tortures by one trying to teach me to enjoy pain.

My mind hurts, I just want rest. Eyes close slowly, not fighting it anymore. Nicolaus moves above me, rising to slash at his chest as his groin rubs against mine.

I just lay there, moments from death. Too far gone to even swallow the liquid that falls between my lips. My mouth overflows with his blood before he catches on that anything is wrong.

"My love, you must swallow, if you do not, you will die."

I refuse to swallow. He notices.

A large hand is felt at my throat, messaging and coaxing, urging the blood to go down. I almost choke as it descends from his ministrations. Too exhausted to even try to move away, he picks me up and holds me to his chest.

Blood flows from him slowly. After that first mouthful, it becomes a craving. I latch onto the wound, pulling out more, my tongue working against the tear to keep it open.

Forgetting that I wanted to die, forgetting where I am, I forget about everything but the warm, sweet liquid that I continue to pull into my cold, starved body. My insides start to burn again while my lips tingle. Fighting down as much of the pain as I can, yet a moan still slips out. Nicolaus on hearing it pulls me close and back into his lap. I open my mouth wider, setting my teeth into him to draw more of the sweet fluid to me.

"That's it, my beautiful one," he moans, "take all of me."

The thought comes that I could eat my way to his very heart, that it would be warm and full of life's blood. My teeth grind into his skin intending to do just that when he pushes me away with a gasp. I start writhing in pain, falling away from him onto the bed.

Body feels like it's about to explode as molten lead flows from my veins into my brain. Claws explode from my fingers, shredding the sheets and mattress beneath me. My whole body arches, sweat beading and steaming off my skin, I can feel muscles tighten then loosen to the point they felt like they'll slide right off me.

Lips open in a silent scream, my eyes closing before I have to open them again from the sheer pain of having them closed. My bowels let loose, as does my suddenly full bladder. I thrash to the edge of the bed just in time to empty my belly, stomach acids are a tinged red stain on the rugs and start to pool.

A clump of meat comes out. Seeing Nicolaus step from around the bed gives me a clue as to where it had come from and what it was. A chunk of flesh over his chest is missing, an imprint of my teeth around the wound as well as some tearing from him pushing me away.

I hope it hurts like a bitch.

My jaw feels like my teeth are being pulled out all at once. Acid now runs through my insides as many of my organs shut down, anything happening to be in them getting expelled from my body. Hot tears burn down my cheeks, even that hurts.

Blackness edges my vision, promising blank oblivion. I reach for it wholeheartedly, but it remains elusive. Nicolaus is at my back, so I swing out at him with the claws that are still protruding from my split and bleeding fingers.

He jumps back, but not before I score four furrows into his belly. He roars in pain, the sound hurting my ears. I clench my hands over them, ducking my head close to my body. Rolling onto the floor, the pain from the impact barely registers over everything else as I curl up.

After what feels like forever, my body begins to cool, so I take the opportunity to move as far away as the chain allows. Those damn jingling bells grate on already flayed nerves. My skin is icy, even my bones feel cold, but my nose burns from the scents coming from the bed and floor.

Body toxins, fluids, and acids, no longer needed in my now dead and dying body. A warm light grows from within my skin, growing brighter as I watch. A bright yet pale orange encompasses my whole frame.

"What now?"

I mutter it aloud, or at least I think I do. Hard to say at this point.

Becoming warm, my flesh prickles, tickling with that numb feeling. I can feel my spine move, the palms of my hands and the bottoms of my feet become hard as the skin thickens and becomes calloused. I look over to Nicolaus, standing at the end of the bed holding an arm over his bleeding stomach. Even now I can tell it's healing, I can smell it.

"The change is upon you my sweet. We shall see if you survive through it, or..."

He sounds worried, looking wary as his words trail off. Charming thought. I remember wanting to eat his heart. He had a right to be worried then, because if I get the chance, I'll rip it from his chest.

My skin feels warm, toasty. Hot. I look down at myself to find fur covering my body. What the hell? The light surrounding me becomes so bright that I have to close my eyes.

Thoughts trip over themselves in my head. What's going on? Is this 'normal'? In nothing I've ever read or seen does it say anything about new undead sprouting random fur or having a nuclear sun under their skin.

My body feels weird, as if it's too small for my frame. Eyes snap open as I hear the chain move, the light's gone, the chain and bells are no longer attached to my ankle, but laying where my legs had been.

My legs!

I stand up in a panic, only to find myself nowhere near my normal height. Turning in circles trying to see myself, I'm standing on four feet, not two legs. Covered in tawny-colored fur with black markings and a striped tail.

Smells come at me from everywhere, causing my nose to twitch, whiskers moving. I'm a cat? Not sure what kind, but I'm most definitely feline.

The smell of blood is in the air, mine and Nicolaus'. I look up to find him staring at me. My vision has changed, gone all weird on me, heat images overlapping color, like a 3-D image without those nifty glasses.

Before I can really take anything more in to process, my fur begins to glow. I feel myself start to change, getting longer and taller. My eyes close as the world tilts, wincing as skin loosens then tightens.

In moments I can feel my human body once more, crouched on all fours and panting with exhaustion and thirst. My throat burns, mouth so dry it feels like a have a nest of cotton on my tongue, which feels like a dried piece of leather in of itself.

A red haze begins to fill my head, a need so intense that I want to rage and scream. A hunger so profound that I want to cry. The smell of blood is driving me insane, I need it...now.

Need it to whet my tongue in its sweetness. My hair had fallen over my face as I shifted, so I slowly look up to see my captor still standing there watching me. Instinctively, I know Vampire blood will bring me no nourishment. I need living, breathing, warm blood.

I lunge at him anyway, needing to rip and tear. The rage and need in my brain outweighing everything else. He shouts and catches me against him. Jaws snap in his face while newly clawed hands rip at his exposed chest. The man catches my wrists before I can do so much as scratch him.

Anthony comes tearing into the room, running at us. I smell the blood in his veins, hot and flowing just beneath the skin. I freeze against Nicolaus, my eyes riveted to the half changed male. His eyes go wary as he looks me over, his extended claws clench into his palms. Nicolaus sees this.

"Anthony, unless you wish to be drained right here and now, I suggest you go out and find a meal for young Faline. Walk very slowly back to the door, do not turn your back on her."

His voice purrs over my skin. Anthony's slight nod is all the incentive I need. He's full of blood and Nicolaus is sending him away.

The fangs protruding from my mouth feel like they should be dripping saliva. I just need one small taste... I lunge at the Werewolf, getting within maybe two feet before hands catch me once more. I snarl and bite, kick and claw, all to get to the bounty that is trying to leave.

"Go! Now!"

The yelling Vampire doesn't really register, all I know is that my prey is getting away, and I hunger so very much. Anthony disappears behind the door. I scream, turning on the one holding me back with arms like steel.

My teeth sink into his unprotected chest, gliding off his collarbone. He shouts in pain, but the blood that explodes into my mouth doesn't care. It's still sweet, yet it doesn't do anything for me.

Nicolaus pushes at my shoulders, but I wrap my legs around his waist while my arms go around his upper body. I'm not going to let go, my childhood nickname wasn't 'Monkey' for no reason. Latching onto the bone, it cracks quite easily, the sound harsh and wet, like that of a snapping twig.

I can hear him screaming in the background, rough hands on my body. Digging my tongue into the small hole I've made, I pull at the bone with my teeth before I start lapping at the blood flowing like a waterfall down our nude frames. There's something hitting at me, but I barely register it, barely even feeling it at this point.

I'm in full bloodlust mode, blind with hunger and unrelenting anger. Ripping into the side of his neck, teeth sink deep as blood shoots into my mouth. Another wound, another overflow of red running between us.

Before I can do any more damage, sharp-clawed hands dig into me from behind, ripping me away from the fountain I've made. My arms and legs come loose from all the slick blood that paints our bodies. Nicolaus staggers back, a hand over his throat trying to stem the barely-there flow of blood.

The hands that had grabbed me throw me at the wall across the room. I twist in the air, very much like a cat, and land crouched down facing them. Anthony stands in front of Nicolaus in his Werewolf form; over seven feet of furriness snarling and growling at me.

I can smell his blood once again, even over the strong scent of Vampire. I barely feel the deep gouges in my sides as my nose tips up. Who knew Werewolf blood could smell so...good.

Wait, what is that?

I lift my nose to scent the air. Newly spilled blood. Looking around I see a body laying near the door were Anthony had dropped it. A near bald male in his prime, clothed in the traditional runner's spandex, he lays on his back, eyes closed but still breathing.

I stalk towards him, his prone body looking much like downed prey. A cut on his forehead catches my gaze, tongue slipping out to re-moisten my blood-covered lips. My head throbs to the beat of his heart as I get closer.

He groans and twitches, I pounce. Straddling his body, hands hold him down as he starts to struggle, limbs flailing beneath me. My fangs cut into my lip before I lean down and sink them into his throat. The jugular pulses against my tongue as I gulp down his hot blood as if it were lemonade on a hot summer day.

The smell of it mixes with scents that have clung to his body; cologne, sweat, the pungent scent of fear that sends a lightning bolt of pleasure through me. One hand reaches up of its own accord and grips his thin hair in a fist. Images start running into my head, nothing making sense, so instead of holding onto them, I let it all flow away.

My brain grabs hold of one though, it's a memory, a stranger I recognize as Anthony coming up to him looking frantic as he seeks help, then blackness. He'd been knocked out when he'd turned down to his phone.

The man's struggles slow, his coppery taste drains down my throat leeching the life from him. His skin grows cold rather quickly, his arms falling away from me. The ruby flow slows till it stops altogether.

Laying atop him, breathing hard, my head still hurts, but my thirst has somewhat calmed. Sometime later I raise up and look down to realize what I've done as the hazy fog dissipates from my brain. I gasp and leap away, looking down at my blood-covered hands.

Despair fills me as his memories circle back. He was a husband, a father of two little girls, his wife's smile and daughter's laughter taunt me. I grab my head and cry in shame.

Arms wrap around me and hold me close. I soften, needing the comfort, but then catch his scent. Lashing out, a fist is thrown at his face while I back away. My movements are fast, but he's caught onto my speed and anticipates my move. I snarl and lunge at him again, it's his fault, he turned me into this monster.

"I hate you!"

I scream into his face as I slash with my nails. I connect a few times, but not enough to do any real damage. He dodges and twists, blocking my blows or redirecting them. Getting angrier and angrier the more I miss, hot tears blur my vision.

Slippery bastard. I see a small opening and go for it, but get hit from behind. I go down hard, vision doubling and going fuzzy. My stomach clenches hard as I hit the floor, not even a rug below me to soften the blow. I pant heavily as I lie there, waiting for the world to right itself and stop spinning.

"Get the neck chain, the thick one. She will calm down shortly."

Nicolaus gives Anthony instructions as I feel his hand petting through my hair. Those words being the last I hear as everything goes black.

What have I done?