Chapter 1.

Caine stood by the large window that overlooked the valley below. The houses in the village looked like tiny daubs of paint from an artist’s brush. They had been staying in a cabin, high up in the mountains. The seclusion meant it didn’t attract any attention from the ‘locals’ in the village. But Caine was beginning to get restless again, it was almost time to move on. Both Isaac and Sophia were hoping they would go back to the city this time. The hunt was always better there, and Sophia lived for the hunt. She loved toying with her prey, listening to their screams, watching them beg for their lives right before she took them from them. She had missed that since they had come up into the mountains.

“I’m going to the Seer,” Caine announced, turning away from the window to face the others. Sophia sat forward unsure that she had heard him correctly.

“Arianne?” She inquired.

“Yes Sophia, Arianne. We leave tonight.” He walked towards the door, but paused as Isaac stood up, turning towards his most trusted fledgling, he sensed his unease.

“Forgive me Sire, but the last time you went to see her it all came to nothing. I don’t want to question your decision but, are you sure she can be trusted?” His voice was filled with concern for Caine. It was Caine and Lillith together who made both Isaac and Sophia vampires. They had been completely loyal to him ever since Lillith’s disappearance two thousand years ago. As Caine moved from city to city in search of his mate, they too moved with him.

“I know Isaac, but at this stage, I’m willing to give her another try. I can’t help but feel like we are running out of time.” He sounded almost desperate. He was beginning to think they might never find her.

“You want us to go with you?” Isaac asked in a gentle tone sensing his maker’s distress.

“Yes, but there is something I must do first. We’ll need an offering.” He smiled at the cheery thought of hunting and killing a young, fresh virgin. Arianne was very particular about the price of a vision, and Caine had a flare for the innocent ones. He opened the door and stepped out into the night. Dusk was only settling, but with the journey and keeping the body fresh, they didn’t have much time to waste.

“How wonderful, does this mean we get to go hunting?” Sophia asked her mate, excited by the prospect. Her bright blue eyes sparkled at the idea of ripping apart the body of a human. She looked like a fragile little doll, her long auburn hair hung in a mass of curls down her back. But her childlike appearance was all part of the trickery.

“Not tonight, you’ll have to contend yourself with me for now,” Isaac answered holding out his hand to her. She took it and he pulled her up from the seat to stand in front of him. He kissed her bottom lip, nibbling at it a little. She tilted her head back and bit down hard on her tongue allowing the blood to fill her mouth. As she kissed his lips, he darted his tongue into her mouth tasting her blood. She kissed down his throat, behind his ear and into the hollow curve of his neck. As she pulled back, her eyes danced, filled with fiery lust. She smiled at him flashing her fangs, Isaac knew exactly what she was about to do. Then wrapping her hand around his head and pulling it to one side, she sank her teeth hard into the exposed flesh of his neck. At once his vein ruptured and spilt out its liquid goodness into her mouth. She could feel his blood flow down her throat and race through her body. She tingled all over, the sensation was magnificent. It was one thing to drink human blood; that was necessary to quench the thirst and satisfied the body. But, to taste the blood of another Vampire was like taking a drug so potent every nerve ending in her body felt alive.

She pulled back once more and licked her lips and a tiny trickle of blood ran down from the corner of her mouth. Isaac’s tongue flashed out and cleaned it from her chin and they kissed again. He took her hand and raised it to his mouth, kissing her palm and then her wrist. He moved his way up her arm to the hollow on the inside of her elbow, and then back down again. She relished the intimacy of his kisses. He looked up at her as he kissed her pale skin, his tongue danced in tiny circles, the sensation was sublime, and she smiled. She loved the games they played. It was a kind of foreplay, and they were so good at it. He sank his teeth into her wrist, and now it was her blood that rushed into his mouth, how he loved the way she tasted. Her blood coursed through him like a wildfire consuming all in its path. As he drank from her, she stroked his hair with her other hand, tracing down his neck and paddling her fingers in the still-open wound on his neck. He had become quite good at holding off the healing process just so that she could play. He would have given his last drop of blood if it kept her happy and she would have done the same for him. They loved each other there was no doubt about that, much the same way Caine loved Lillith.