Eden of Darkness by Forlorn Hope

New Orleans, Lousiana

Disclaimer: Not mine.

The wet and humid air clung to her, sticking to her skin heavily as she ventured away from her hotel. The fading crimson of the sunset that streaked the sky was rapidly swallowed up; greedily; by the coming night. The sleepy city of New Orleans was beginning to awaken, emerging with the expected flair of elegance tinged with a dark carnal sensuality that had changed very little over the years. Strands of orchestrated music floated dreamily past her; luring her towards her a lighted district that beckoned for her to enter a world from which she could never hope to escape.

Like an enchanted child who knew no better; she heeded the silent call; walking down the boulevard and watching in awe as the lavish double doors of the old mansions were flung open in greeting for anyone who wished to enter. And as she passed by, she caught glimpses of a near forgotten splendor-a magnificence that had not been seen by outside eyes for centuries perhaps.

At one point she had managed to gather what courage she had, of which was mostly bolstered by her own curiosity, to go up the wooden steps to peer into their candlelit world and behold them with her own eyes. She inwardly gasped in awe-the grandeur of everything nearly sent her reeling off her feet. However she had turned away, feeling as if that timid glimpse embarrassed her. After all it made her feel underdressed, even by their servants too.

She walked away from the doors, trying her best to ignore the tinkling laughter that echoed out the door and filled the night air. A soft wistful sigh escaped her slightly parted lips as she waded through a large crowd that bustled past her to reach the world she had turned her back to in shyness. All of these people were dressed so richly, adding more to the almost surreal feeling that hung in the twilight. And here she was, clad in a near worn forest green t-shirt and faded grey jeans.

'Underdressed indeed.' She thought, pushing her glasses back up her nose and brushing the fallen hair away from her eyes.

Her eyes drifted shut for a few meager moments; an attempt to recollect her thoughts and regain some semblance of order so that she may return to her hotel. But it was long enough that it was too late to see the gentleman in front of her and she had already collided face first into his chest. Wincing in pain as her glasses dug too far into the bridge of her nose, she stepped back and rubbed her nose. Sheepish, she looked up into his face and was about to mumble a quick apology when she noticed his eyes. Gemstone eyes of dark amber gold that could become hypnotic if you allowed yourself to stare into its swirling depths for too long. Eyes that held a certain allure that threatened to pull anyone down into a fabricated oblivion.

A thought strayed past her mind and she was immediately reminded of something she had been told earlier that day.

'One of them?' She wondered silently, trying to recall what little knowledge she had of this particular subject.

'Of those who would seduce unwary victims when they are most vulnerable only to drain them of their life as you pleasured them?'

He smiled at her; soft moonlight glinting from his fangs. "Quite correct, but you are something to be marveled as well, my dear." He replied, his velvet smooth voice edged with a slight huskiness that sent shivers dancing up and down her spine.

"After all," He continued, "Against the wishes of your friend you continued with your plans to explore after nightfall. Perhaps wishing to mingle with the nocturnal residents here?"

He snaked his arm around her waist and leaned in closer; pressing his lips against the crook of her neck. He inhaled deeply-her scent was largely dominated by pure innocence of the spirit as well of the flesh-he smirked, then moved his lips lower until he reached a pulsing vein. Her heartbeat quickened slightly and tendrils of apprehension wound into her scent. But interestingly enough, there was no fear detected.

Comprehension did not exist with her, as all her thoughts were turned to how this hauntingly beautiful man carried himself with an air of dangerous sensuality. Something which attracted her greatly, much to her surprise.

There was no pain as he took blood from her; she only felt his lips against her flushed skin and his tongue as he dragged it slowly back and forth over the break in her flesh.

'Just a small taste.' He reassured her, as her heady blood flowed over his tongue and quenched his thirst.

He pulled away after a few minutes to whisper in her ear. "You are quite delicious, one could even say...addictive as well."

His eyes swept to her face, gazing into her dark chocolate brown eyes; entangling her deeper into the spell of his seduction. All she was able to manage was to swallow thickly at the moment; whatever coherent thoughts that had remained, fled. He ran his tongued over his bottom lip, tasting the lingering droplets of her sweet untainted blood. Well it was untainted...until now. His smile widened, as he noticed her struggling, vainly trying to fight off the spell he was weaving around her.

'Try all you want to little mortal, you won't escape me.'

It did not matter much to him that she was fighting back; he loved strong wills, and it added more fun as he slowly broke them. He loved awakening desire within them. A desire that would lead to an almost desperate longing for him, and only him. He wanted to haunt them with his image; to subtly coerce them to hopelessly yearn for a beautiful death that would pleasure them as their life trickled away. But not all his victims were sent to the awaiting afterlife, there were a few he kept, enslaved until he dismissed them. Those he used as bait, to lure others into his waiting arms. It wasn't hard; all he had to do was place them in strategic places like pawns and wait as they enticed his prey until he arrived to feed.

All the while, the girl's consciousness began to slip further away from reality. Instinct told her that she was currently treading dangerous grounds. But there was no adrenaline rush, no signal commanding her to flee.

The world, her surroundings tipped over and began to spin around her in formless blurs of shapes and color-almost to the point it maddened her. She swayed unsteadily on her feet as she felt his lips upon her once again. Her life's blood slipped easily away from her, leaving surreal images that swirled and danced before her mind's eye. His lips left her neck and melded with hers with bruising force, his tongue pushing past her lips as a sweet burning liquid flowed past her lips and coated her tongue. There was no other choice but to swallow it down, and savor the aftertaste that lingered in her mouth.

Gradually she became aware of his scent-the fragrance of roses that wrapped around them was strong; so strong that it disoriented her and left her utterly confused and helpless. Was this too part of his seductive magic enchanting her? Darkness began to blot out everything, and the very last thing she saw before falling into unconsciousness was seeing him smirk down at her in triumph. A part of her scoffed at his assumption, he had not conquered her, she could still fight.

The girl had fainted, much to his disappointment, he had heard her last thoughts about fighting him. But it was a small matter-he had a feeling she would wake up soon enough. He gently slid an arm beneath her knees and moved the arm around her waist up until it supported her shoulders. She was light, and her breathing had already evened out to a slow intake and outtake of air. Her cheeks were a little flushed, but he thought it looked becoming on the unconscious girl.

"Is she alright?" A passerby stopped to query, a knowing smile playing upon her red lips.

"Merely the heat. She is still unaccustomed to it." He replied and headed back in the direction she came from.

In her last remaining moment of clarity and consciousness-she wanted to protest,

wanted to tear herself from him and perhaps physically scold him for daring to do such a thing to her. But the embrace of his darkness and the promise of slumber was too alluring, too tempting to resist for long. With an inaudible sigh, she reluctantly relented and succumbed.

When morning arrived to awaken her; she was only able to recall vague and blurry snatches of last night's events. A faint strand of some half forgotten melody floated by her strained ears, scattering her thoughts. The memory itself seemed to far away to reach, flitting frantically away from her fingertips near the fringes of oblivion. Confusion dominated her mind as she pondered how she managed to return to her room when all she could remember was venturing out into the living darkness of New Orleans. Formless colored shapes eluded her, dancing away from her will to remember. The only thing she could grasped momentarily was a powerful attraction that coursed through her blood. An aching for something-a longing that overwhelmed her for a brief moment, as she sat there.

Just exactly what had happened to her!?