The Sacrifice (Legends Of Transylvania) (5 page)

  “I knew you going to show up in the end “she remarked without turning around, as she tried hard not to give away the excitement that begins to fill her chest.

  “I came to relax my mind and play some new tunes on the guitar “Alexander replied “and why are you here? You came to paint?” He remained a few steps behind her to prevent the breeze from bringing the smell of her close to his senses.

  “Not really “ Ariana admitted quite honestly “the painting is just an excuse for my aunt in case she asks to see my work when I get back. I actually came here hoping to see you again.”

  “Oh?” Alexander replied with a smile.

  Her remarks were making him a bit nervous, while at the same time made him feel really good!

  “Perhaps you should get on with it then?”

  “Maybe you should help me?” Ariana teased, as she turned to face him wearing a beautiful smile.

  Her invitation gave him shivers as he realized she just wants him close to her.

  “You mean you want me to paint?” Alexander laughed as he still tried to keep his distance from her “ I can’t do that!”

   But
Ariana was not in the mood to take no for an answer.

  “Come closer, I’m not going to bite you.” She quipped, as she took him quickly by the hand and brought him towards her “I’m just going to show you the basics of how to paint, so pay attention.”

   Alexander reluctantly accepted the playful game and sat next to her on the grass, but in his mind he knew that paying attention to anything while she is close to him will not be easy. He looked awkwardly at the canvas with wide eyes and a bemused expression on his handsome face, having no idea how to begin.

   “Oh please, this is crazy,
Ariana “he sighed in an embarrassed tone, “You just want to make fun of me don’t you?”

 
Ariana did not respond and took hold of the hand in which he held the brush. They both felt strange as he sensed her warmth and she became concerned at how so deathly cold his hand is. But holding his hand and being so close to him started to excite her as she smiled and pouted her lips while she intertwined her fingers in his and began to lead the brush across the canvas and look at him from the corner of her eye.

  “Are you feeling cold, Alexander?”

  “I’m not feeling anything but your hand.” He replied, finding it difficult to concentrate knowing she was gazing at his face.

  “Look through that gap in the trees “said
Ariana, “and see that lovely park at the bottom of the hill surrounded by bushes and with that beautiful garden of roses inside it.”

  As she pointed her finger towards the park to show him she came closer and he couldn't help but look back at her eyes, her lips …her inviting soft neck.

  “Don’t look at me look at what I show you.”

  “Yes, I see it. Now what do I have to do?” Alexander asked as he tried to look interested, yet knowing full well that he will not have the ability to paint what he sees. 

  “Look at my hand as it moves across the canvas.” She said.

  She too knew that he will not be able to do it, but she had gained his attention and she continued to take advantage of it.

  “I’m doing that.” Said Alexander as he turned to face her.

  Their eyes met and they became submerged in each other. A few fleeting seconds of silence followed and they found the attraction irresistible.
Ariana was encouraged by what was happening.

“First we mix green with brown to produce the shade of the autumn leaves “
Ariana explained, leaning across him so he can smell her perfume, “and here we put red for the roses.”

  However, the smell of her body was far more powerful and the words red and roses fire him up with the feelings he found harder and harder to subdue and which were no longer strange to him. They started to take control of his thoughts again. His fingers became tense and he dropped the brush and moved closer, touching her face with the palm of his icy cold hand.
Ariana noticed a change in his eyes. He had developed a menacing look and she jerked back from him.

  “You are scared of me?” Alexander retorted with a frown. And he stretched up and loomed over her as if he was trying to intimidate her.  “No “said
Ariana, trying not to show fear of his sudden change of attitude “your hand is very cold. Are you sure you are okay?”

  “I know what I want.” said Alexander, and he took his hand away.

But her eyes told him that her powers of resistance had faded. She was his and he knew it. Ariana began to breathe heavily as she became aroused under his amorous spell. She took hold of both his hands and put them against her cheeks, and the look on her face told him what she expected to happen next. Their lips met in a slow tender kiss at first, but as Alexander’s dark thoughts became stronger so too did his actions. She could feel his grip getting tighter and his breathing becoming stronger, but she liked it and a fabulous feeling of desire filled her body from head to toe. But just as Alexander had her where he wanted her, his human side emerged again, perhaps for the last time. Coming to his senses he put his hands on her shoulders and held her away from him.

   “I’m sorry,
Ariana, I can’t do this.” He said, as he thrust his hand to his forehead almost in despair.

“Don’t be sorry about something we both feel.” She said, as she caressed his dark shiny hair.

“No, this is not the right time Ariana, we have to wait.” Alexander insisted solemnly. “Believe me you don’t want to know what I can be like.''

  “I don’t need to know anything as long as I can feel you.”
Ariana stressed as she became anguished at his attempts to push her away.

  “Okay, let’s go back to the painting. Pick up the brush again, please. “Alexander did as he was asked and picked up the brush.
Ariana took his hand again and led it to the canvas, producing just swirling strokes of color.

  “Oh, this looks rubbish.” He said, with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement. “I painted better than this when we were ten.”

  Ariana cared little for how he painted as long as he was near her. But then she remembered her promise to her aunt.

   “I have to go, Alexander “she announced sadly, “I promised my Aunt Clara I would get back before nightfall and she will worry.”

   “ Leaving so suddenly?” said Alexander. Now he had regained control of himself he wanted more time with her.

   “Perhaps you will allow me to return the compliment and let me try to teach you how to play the guitar.”

  He knew he would not be able to teach Ariana the guitar so quickly any more than she had taught him to paint, but it gave him an excuse to put his arms around her again.

  “Look, we will do it like this
“ said Ariana, “ meet me here tomorrow evening a bit earlier and you can teach me then.”

  “Okay!” Alexander agreed, and then he gave out a hearty laugh
“ But don’t show your aunt that painting or she will think you have lost your talent.”

   “Don’t worry I won’t” said
Ariana with a smile. “I’m going to keep it all to myself and look at it whenever I miss you – which will be often. The splashes of color will remind me of how you dropped the brush and stole a kiss.”

   She giggled as she turned and walked away, with Alexander’s eyes watching her every move until she was gone from his sight. The wind was so strong that leaves were swirling all around her and branches were falling from trees landing perilously close to her.

7. Clash of fangs

As he had promised a day before, Alexander walked on into the night to meet Ariana, to teach her how to play the guitar. His heart was beating with happiness again, and he could still feel the sensation of her soft lips on his. Her hair on his fingers and her warm breath on his cold cheeks. The feeling of the veins in her neck still throbbed at his fingertips. The night seemed to be so bright, and the full moon lit up the entire forest.

“What a magical night,” he said to himself, “I can't wait to feel her against my chest again.”

As he was looking out over the city he heard some strange noises behind the trees which made him suspect that Volod could be there preparing to pounce and make one of his ''surprises''. He knew it couldn't be Ariana because she walks with the grace of a gazelle.

“
Volod” he cried out, “you stopped scaring me a long time ago so you had better show yourself!”

He didn't finish his sentence and in the next second Alexander turned his head and saw two shining eyes surrounded by a dark body. A huge shadow seemed to cover his body and then suddenly a tender voice called his name out loud, “Alexander!”

He quickly got to his feet as he recognized Ariana's voice, and then the huge creature jumped over Ariana whose voice was trembling .Alexander attacked the creature with a breakneck speed as he threw Ariana away to defend her. The mysterious dark creature pushed him violently aside, but in short time the black monster was throwed away by Volod who appeared from nowhere.

When Alexander finally got free he raised his eyes and saw the dark creature, like a cat, but much bigger, full of dark hair with strong legs running away into the woods.

“Volod, what was that?” he asked the leader, but there was no answer because Volod's eyes were focused on Ariana’s neck. Her arm and chest were bleeding heavily and she was laying on the ground. The smell of her blood drove him crazy. Alexander realized what was in Volod's mind and as he tried to pounce on her, Alexander stopped him fiercely.

“Don't even think about it,” he fumed, “she is mine!”

Volod gave a sickening grin and in the next second he had vanished into the darkness.

“What is happening?”
Ariana asked with a terrified voice. “Who was that weird-looking man, and what was that creature doing near you?”

However, no reply came from Alexander. He had become delirious, his eyes became reddened, and his teeth turned into a horrific shape.

“Go back home and ask your aunt to take care of your bleeding arm or go to a hospital.” Alexander begged her. He wanted her to stay, but her continuously flowing blood was slowly transforming him into her worst enemy.

“But you can take care of me can't you?” she responded with disappointment on her face and tears in her eyes. “You're not going to leave me this way are you? Who was that person I held yesterday, because it sure isn't the same one I see in front of my eyes right now.”

“I said go now!” Alexander shouted harshly, pushing her away to make her leave.

The fragile girl stood up, and with pain in her body and soul, and she left crying without looking back.

After a while her rushed footsteps stopped when she saw the same animal appear in front of her. Bloody and scared she fell down; expecting to find her end, but a man with a white beard and grey hair appeared from behind the animal.

“Please help me.” She said, reaching out to him.

“There is just one way to help you and I do not know if you'll agree.”
Said the man, looking at the seriously injured girl.

“Please, help me.”
Ariana repeated.

With those words she closed her eyes and lost consciousness. The man took her in his arms and placed her on the back of his animal. They arrived in the forest and under a rock shelter the old man spoke to his animal. The beast had human-like expressions which gave looks of shame and regret.

“
Zinon, what have you done?” The man scolded at the beast. You know what will have to happen now? We must rescue the girl.”

Sharp sounds of metal tools were heard within the shelter, followed by the murmur of a wild animal. And then silence.

When
Ariana woke up, she found herself alone in a strange place, and feeling unsure of her situation she at once ran off to find her way home.

On arriving home she entered the house quietly, but while she was looking for something to put on her bleeding arm she heard her Aunt Clara call down from up the stairs.

“Is that you, Ariana? Why aren't you sleeping?” she asked with a worried voice.

“I'm here, Aunt Clara. I just came to get a glass of water and I am on my way back to bed. Go back to sleep please. Goodnight.”

She stopped the bleeding and went in her room. She couldn't fall asleep because her mind wasn't able to understand what happened.

“Who is
Volod? What was that creature? What is happening to Alexander, and why didn't he help me? “Were unanswered questions she had spinning in her head, and it was almost coming light when she at last managed to fall asleep.

The next day Clara was waiting for Ariana in the garden with the tea as she always did. When Ariana didn't appear at her usual time she became worried, as she never wakes up so late. She put her cup down on the table and went to see if she is okay.

“I was just coming for the tea!”
Ariana called out, and she startled her aunt as she threw her arms around her in a loving hug. However, while holding her Clara noticed the bandaged arm.