CHAPTER FOUR
The translucent skin, bloodless hue as the living dead confirmed all possible speculations. From the look of it, he was an aristocratic vampire with an empire of victims to feed on. He had no reflection so in the mirror he was none. His life purpose was empty of all but filled with greed lust and dominance. Were he to see the perfect roses, he would only find the purpose in the thorns. The sight of him only made Hermione quiver. Her night mare was suddenly real. She believed that momentarily as the blood thirsty creature similar to the one in her nightmare stood beside a lifeless body. Her eyes almost popped when she recognized him. It was Ralph.
'Ralph, are you okay?" she staggered to where he lay and grabbed him with shaking hands, Her eyes froze open when she saw his slit throat., The open mouth and eyes, the head lying in an unnatural state. The surrounding pool of blood was almost invisible. The vampire had drained most of it. Ralph's body was stiff and cold, confirming him dead. The strings the scene pulled hit her like a wave causing tears to well in her eyes .Ralph, please… no... .' 'She rocked his body him side to side, wishing all this wasn't true.
''Ralph, please don't do this to me "she buried her head in his chest and sobbed, like a child. Ralph was like a father to her. Watching him in this helpless state caused her more guilt and regret. He was never going to be happy once more because of her .She had accustomed to being under every stone unturned but not Ralph's. She wished she wasn't the reason for Ralph's murder in cold blood yet it felt like it .Hermione's chin trembled as she stared at his lifeless body once more. Anger filled her causing her stomach to twist, her cheeks burnt. She cried and yelled at the monster standing overhead, but he just laughed hysterically at her, mocking her tears.
The sudden rush of adrenaline forced her to get off the ground with all the strength she had and lurch at him ''you monster,'' Hermione sneered. The vampire dodged her. She crashed onto the ground again and winced in pain that echoed through her body. He laughed out loudly, then pulled her off the ground by her hair. When she was upright, and face to face with him, he glared at her coldly, a fake smile tainted on his blood stained lips. Without thinking, she spat him in the face. The vampire's cold eyes went wide with the whites showing yet he licked off the blood that was sprawled over his pouty lips and sniff in anticipation like a wine connoisseur taking in fine vintage. ''Even the faintest streaks of blood in your spit taste better than what I have tasted in years'' He smiled hysterically while wiping the spit off his face with the back of his hand. Hermione's chin quivered. Regret filled her, she shouldn't have done that. She had just made the devil angrier. The vampire lowered puckered forehead and rapped out in distaste.
''You are such a fool. You should be begging me to spare you but you spat in my face, you ungrateful witch". He hauled her across the tarmac, down the naked into the dark woods. Hermione felt the flesh tearing off as stone and gravel cut right through. Then at once, she begged him to let her walk, and promised to do anything he wanted. The vampire turned a deaf ear. He dragged her along by her hair while chanting loudly to an old song. Then he swung her revolutionary and then let go of her. Hermione landed her back on the stump of a dried tree. She hurt so bad when she finally rolled off the ground that she thought her bones had snapped into two. Her life flashed before her eyes while she struggled to catch her breath. 'Please don't kill me" She said. The words barely got out of her mouth. She coughed again, while trying to hold her breath. Once again, she clasped her hands in a praying gesture and begged him to free her .He knelt meters across laughing and mocking her tears without concern. ''Bitch! ''He smirked. 'I love to play games with my prey, only that I enjoy "He held her chin up, tossed her head sideways and snorted in her face.
''Am sorry' 'Hermione replied with a calmness that she thought would be key into talking this monster out of killing her.
''Don't call me a monster if you want to live "His cold face hardened, the blood thirsty eyes glaring at the pulsing vein in her neck. ''I, Lucas do not tolerate being insulted. I own everything and everyone. I drink from whoever I want. I can have any woman I want, not even God can do anything about it' 'His voice came, low pitched and cold, against her skin.
Lucas..." Hermione said trembling at the menace in his voice
''Please, let me live'' her voice was almost nonexistent. She closed her eyes, looked up and said a silent prayer. In her prayer, she prayed that her body would refute the stygian death. That only God would grant her a peaceful one, and let her soul, that was currently threatening to leave her body rest in peace. She prayed for a chance to see her parents and friends, once again, suddenly all hopes blew away when she opened her eyes, and found herself staring in his glazed blood thirsty eyes. The burst of cold air from the toes to the crown her head made it clear that she was still in the woods. She was too paralyzed from shock, similarly was too weak to escape.
''Are you thinking about what to call me next, a living Leviathan may be? I can hear your thoughts loud and clear, my lady. And am not intending to let you live, so cut it. Jeez, what's with the prayers? 'Lucas giggled in her ear, making her flinch. She became aware of the sudden drop in temperature and the descent absolute silence. She knew that he was there, pale in the dark shadows, waiting for the next drop of blood to ooze, out of her wounded thigh. His breath against her skin was cold. Hermione tried to push him away with her clenched fists, and instead he carried her swiftly and placed her back rested on the tree bark. Lucas's tight grip on her was too tight that she couldn't break free. His index finger ran from behind her ear along the pulsing jugular vein to the edge of the low cut T-shirt .He audibly sniffed
You truly smell of the finest roses, but your blood is what I desire' 'His fangs braced her exposed neck. I I may let you stay alive if you behave' 'Lucas teased. His hands found their way to her exposed thighs and caressed them rhythm she only found irritable. He groaned in anticipation, and said huskily.
Hermione sobbed lightly, terrified of what was coming next. Her frail body shook like a leaf, she tried to scream but couldn't hear herself. She tried to lift her arms but it felt like weights tied down on her wrists. Her legs too were immobilized. In her mind, she reputed herself dead