The NightMan (6 page)

The
coven
of
vampires
gathered
around
Dorian.
Whether
or
not
it
was
in
amazement
or
horror
Dorian
didn’t
know,
but
he
turned
to
the
male
on
his
left.

“Get
the
girl
and
let
us
go
now!”
he
hissed
then
wiped
the
blood
from
his
face
with
the
back
of
his
hand.

The
story
of
what
happened
that
night
was
carried
down
through
the
Murtough’s
generations.
Never
did
anyone
add
or
take
away
from
the
horrifying
tale.
Each
one
of
the
families
knew
their
daughters
were
cursed.

Caitlin’s
father
feared
for
his
child
as
soon
as
she
was
born.
The
last
of
the
Murtough
line
remained
in
his
arms.
Alexander
Murtough
could
not
bear
the
thought
of
his
only
daughter
in
the
hands
of
a
vampire
such
as
Dorian.
He
had
no
defense
against
this
creature.
 
The
only
hope
he
had
resided
in
an
old
priest.

Together
he
and
Alexander
created
a
cross
of
pure
gold.
Alexander
brought
with
him
a
vial
containing
his
blood
mixed
with
holy
water
and
priceless
imported
wolves’
bane.
The
priest
infused
the
vial
into
the
center
of
the
cross,
blessing
it
and
placing
it
Alexander’s
hands.

At
the
ripe
age
of
seventeen,
Caitlin
received
the
precious
gift.
Alexander
told
the
story
to
Caitlin,
warning
her
of
the
fate
that
awaited
her
in
the
hands
of
the
vampire.

In
1910,
anxiety
filled
Alexander’s
heart
when
his
beloved
daughter
turned
eighteen.
 
Dorian
arrived
to
collect
his
prize,
Caitlin,
the
first
born
female
in
her
generation,
as
he
had
so
often
through
the
centuries.

Alexander
watched
with
a
grief
when
his
daughter
left
with
Dorian.
At
least
he
knew
she
would
be
safe.
He
also
knew
his
death
would
come
soon
when
Dorian
realized
he
could
not
touch
Caitlin.

Dorian
bid
Alexander
a
slow
death
for
his
treacherous
action.
For
the
first
time
in
Dorian’s
life
he
found
something
more
challenging
with
Caitlin.
The
cross
only
added
to
his
fury
of
wanting
her
so
badly.
He
would
have
this
beauty,
one
way
or
the
other!

Chapter
3

Caitlin
replaced
the
cross
over
her
heart
and
gave
it
a
soft
pat.
Her
gaze
lifted
to
Dorian,
who
hissed
rather
loudly
then
released
a
series
of
curses
under
his
breath.

“One
day,”
he
growled
“I
will
find
a
way
to
remove
that
damn
thing
from
your
neck.”

A
smile
crossed
Caitlin’s
brooding
lips.
“Well
it
has
taken
you
over
a
hundred
years
of
trying.
I
suppose
another
hundred
won’t
matter.”

Dorian
hissed
again,
this
time
loud
enough
to
draw
the
attention
of
the
bartender.
Caitlin
chuckled
as
she
turned
around
to
face
the
bartender.

“Your
drink
Miss.”
The
bartender
raised
his
brow
to
Dorian.
“And
you
sir?”

The
green
eyes
narrowed.
Dorian
glared
at
the
bartender.
“Will
not
have
one
damn
thing
tonight.”

Suddenly,
Dorian’s
stance
shifted,
as
if
something
had
caught
his
attention.
His
eyes
darted
wildly
around
the
crowded
room,
searching
for
this
new
found
interest.
Where
was
Alessandra,
he
thought.
 
She
was
here
within
his
view
not
more
than
a
second
ago.

“Damn
women!”
he
huffed
to
himself.

His
glare
met
hers
from
a
far
corner
of
the
small
club.
Alessandra
had
found
a
human
male.
 
Dorian’s
rage
had
to
be
resolved
at
some
point
this
night.
He
needed
more
than
just
blood
to
ease
this
rage.
The
human
male
would
not
suffice.

Caitlin
knew
exactly
how
to
push
Dorian’s
buttons.
She
knew
what
he
wanted
her
for
tonight.
Dorian’s
desperation
clearly
showed
on
his
face.
The
clenched
jaw
and
feral
growls
were
the
signs
of
Dorian’s
lust.
Sadness
filled
her
heart
as
she
released
a
long
sigh.
Dorian
would
do
the
same
as
always.
Find
a
human
on
which
to
release
his
frustrations,
and
use
Alessandra
as
his
final
relief.

Every
so
often
it
was
time
for
Caitlin
to
be
remarked.
Remarking
was
Dorian’s
way
to
keep
Caitlin
young
and
alive
over
the
years
without
turning
her.
Dorian
tried
to
mark
her
several
times
and
failed.
The
first
time,
he
couldn’t
bear
the
taste
of
her
blood.
Each
time
he
tried
to
mark
her
he
became
violently
ill,
preventing
him
from
savoring
that
which
tormented
him
so
very
much.

Dorian
rudely
barged
his
way
through
the
crowded
room
over
to
Alessandra.
Caitlin
knew
Dorian
would
not
allow
her
to
feed
from
a
male
tonight.
It
was
time
for
Alessandra
to
remark
her.
Before
she
could
do
it
she
had
to
feed
so
she
wouldn’t
feed
from
Caitlin.
Dorian
would
kill
her
if
she
ever
dared
to
go
so
far.

Even
his
prior
attempts
to
satisfy
his
physical
needs
failed.
The
hardness
he
had
for
Caitlin
ached
to
the
point
of
severe
pain.
He
had
fed
from
Alessandra
in
hopes
to
have
the
strength
to
endure
the
cursed
pain.
 
As
always,
whenever
he
positioned
himself
on
Caitlin,
the
pain
flared
and
her
body
betrayed
him.
The
closer
he
came
to
consummating
his
desire,
the
deeper
the
ruby
in
her
cross
glowed,
intensifying
his
pain
and
rendering
him
helpless
and
faint.

Alessandra
took
the
brunt
of
his
rage
and
with
it
Dorian‘s
sadistic
desires.
She
was
made
for
him
and
by
him,
chosen
because
she
bore
a
close
resemblance
to
Caitlin.
In
his
own
mind,
while
he
brutally
ravaged
Alessandra,
he
would
think
only
of
Caitlin.
With
Caitlin,
he
would
have
viciously
taken
her
body
and
then
her
blood.
 
He
would
have
given
her
much
pain
and
pleasure
before
he
killed
her.

This
particular
night
Dorian
chose
a
female.
One,
willing
or
not,
he
didn’t
care.
She
would
be
what
he
needed
to
accomplish
the
goal
at
hand.
His
eyes
darted
around
the
room
as
he
moved
toward
Alessandra.

A
young
black
haired
beauty
had
caught
his
eye,
medium
in
height,
her
hair
short
on
one
side
with
longer
layered
strands
slightly
draping
around
her
oval
face.
A
black
lace
camisole
accented
her
slender
frame,
which
exposed
her
tattooed
shoulder.
She
topped
off
the
outfit
with
a
black
leather
mini
skirt
and
thigh
high
leather
boots.
Heavy
black
eyeliner
adorned
the
large
blue
eyes,
which
gave
her
a
general
gothic
appearance.
Black
colored
lips
broadened
into
a
smile
as
she
watched
Dorian
move
in
her
general
direction.