Innocence Broken

Chapter 11: First mark

‘You belong to me.’

Matt shoved Ezra away from him. He dropped to the floor beside Jason, ‘WHY! I wasn’t going to leave with him! I would have stayed.’

Ezra felt the blood lust slip away from him as he registered Matt’s words. He was going to stay. Ezra dropped the floor and looked around him. Jason’s body was pale, his blood staining his shirt and the floor around them. His eyes travelled to Matt, his body was thin, hair damp, his green eyes seemed impossibly large in his pale face. Guilt crawled over Ezra’s skin.

‘Matthew I...’

He didn’t know what to say, he wanted to apologise, to beg for forgiveness, but both seemed so pointless, so useless. He watched as Matt’s trembling hand reached out and touched Jason’s cheek as if to confirm the man’s death. Carefully Ezra reached out and took his hands.

‘Matthew. Ask of me anything, I will do anything you wish. I didn’t know, I...I’m sorry.’

Matt felt something inside him snap at the apology. He yanked the cold hands that held his, knocking the shocked vampire onto his hands and knees. An inhuman howl escaped his throat as he brought his hand back and punched Ezra’s beautiful face. He didn’t stop as the vampire fell into the blood, he didn’t stop when his knuckles cracked and bled or when he heard them break.

He wanted Ezra to fight back. He wanted to hurt, to feel something other then the helplessness that encased his chest. He hit Ezra again and again, but the vampire didn’t stop him. He just let the blows rain. With another hoarse cry Matt stood and turned away from the vampire and Jason. He walked away from them, back into the cooling darkness. He was useless, helpless, and he let Jason die.

Matt screamed and brought his arm back, ramming his hand hard against the stone wall. Glorious pain shot up his arm. He felt the knuckles pop and crack, he hit it again. More blinding pain ripped through him. He pulled his arm back again when something grabbed him.

‘STOP! Beloved, please don’t do this.’

Matt tried to push the vampire away, but he was too strong. Instead he struggled, using his free hand to claw at the vampire. Matt tried to scream but his body refused. Ezra’s arms pulled him closer, his breath whispered against his neck. ‘You forced me to do this, my love.’ Matt paused, confused, until the pain ripped into his body. He felt the blood flow down his neck even as he heard Ezra drinking deeply. His legs buckled and they both sank to the floor, Ezra still pinning him in place. Finally, as his vision began to blur and specks of light danced in front of his eyes Ezra released him. But the words that next reached Matt’s ears sent a cold shiver down his spine. ‘The first of four I give thee. With this mark, become one with night.’

Matt gasped as Ezra’s fangs penetrated his neck once more, pain flushed through his body. He tried to scream, to fight, but he couldn’t move. The familiar darkness closed in on him but as it threatened to take him over Ezra stopped and pulled away from Matt’s neck. Matt’s head was spinning but he locked eyes with the vampire. He wasn’t sure but they seemed too filled with despair. Slowly, Ezra lowered Matt the last few inches to the floor, positioning him so his head rested against Ezra’s chest.

Guilt and despair rushed through Ezra. He never wanted this for Matt. He wanted Matthew to choose this life, but it was too late now. Ezra raised his wrist to his lips and carefully drew his fangs over the veins that lay under his pale skin. Within moments his own blood filled his mouth. Gently, he turned Matt’s face towards him pressing his blood filled mouth against Matt’s, coaxing the human to open his mouth.

Matt relaxed into the kiss, he didn’t care anymore. He just wanted the pain to stop. Suddenly warmth filled his mouth, and it was sweet and coppery. As it touched his tongue it was as if something else had taken over his body, he lapped at Ezra’s mouth making sure he had every last drop. His throat begged for more, burning. A disapproving moan left his mouth as Ezra pulled away from the kiss. He needed more. He wanted more. He watched as Ezra raised his arm.

Ezra gently raised his wrist to Matt, he watched as Matthew’s passionate green eyes bled into a deep crimson. His lips parted and his tongue flicked over his lips as he watched the blood seep from the wound on Ezra arm. Ezra placed his bleeding wrist to Matt’s lips and suppressed a shudder as Matt’s hand wrapped around his arm and he began lapping at the blood. Ezra gathered the man to him, and kissed the wavy brown hair, as Matt hungrily fed on his blood.

Warren waited for another heartbeat, before slowly following after his master. Shame and rage emanated from him. His master had chosen the human. Warren felt the growl escape his mouth, why! That human is nothing! Warren paced as the scent of blood filled the air. He barely cared until he recognized the blood. It was Ezra’s. Warren hit despair, flinging open the door and racing down the dark stairs. On reaching his master, he froze. Ezra was sat on the floor, holding Matt against his body. The boy was barely conscious but what held Warren in disbelief was the full, blood stained lips of the human.

‘Master, why...’

Ezra turned and looked at him. Warren felt bile rise in his throat. Tears clung to his master’s beautiful face. He watched as Ezra rose and easily lifted Matt in his arms.

‘I have given him my mark. None may touch him.’

Warren growled, ‘master, I beg you, don’t...’

‘IT IS DONE!’

Ezra’s voice echoed off the walls and filled the small room. Softly, Matt stirred in his arms but did not wake. Ezra carried on, he didn’t care what Warren thought of him or about anything else. The only thing that mattered was the boy who lay in his arms. As he came level with Warren, the younger vampire touched his arm.

‘He will hate you; he will not love you as I do.’

Ezra didn’t stop. He carried Matt through the silent house until he reached his room. Carefully he laid Matt on the bed. He ran a hand through the boy’s hair then he knelt on the floor beside the sleeping boy, tenderly taking his hand and prayed. It was an act he had not made since he became a vampire.

***

Matt didn’t know how long he’d been asleep but suddenly he sat up. He knew something was wrong as soon as his eyes had opened. The room around him was brighter, sharper somehow, where once shadows hid details from view now he could see everything. Matt closed his eyes, his head span. A noise forced him to open his eyes again. Thump...Thump...Thump...He turned around trying to find the source of the sound.

‘It is Grace’s heartbeat you hear.’

Matt checked the doorway, Ezra stood there with his eyes downcast, but something about the vampire was different. As he moved Matt caught the sent of vanilla, cinnamon and something unknown. Panic began to crawl over his skin, he remembered Ezra slaughtering Jason, the bloody kiss, being bitten and then... Matt felt his stomach lurch. He had drank blood, Ezra’s blood.

‘What did you do to me?’

Matt saw the vampire flinch, then tear-filled blue globes locked with his own eyes. The vampire’s voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

‘I gave you the first of four marks.’

Matt just stared at him. What the hell did he just say? The first of four? Matt shook his head. He watched as Ezra sat at the foot of the bed, far away from him. The sudden urge Matt felt to take the vampire in his arms was almost overwhelming. To stop himself moving he dug his nails deep into his palms.

‘I gave you the first mark.’

‘First mark for what?’

Ezra looked away from Matt, the words caught in his throat. He opened his mouth but no sound escaped him. He could see the fear and panic creeping into Matt. He didn’t want to tell him, to see the hate and pain fill those green eyes. He knew he couldn’t live with Matt hating him.

‘The first mark to turn you into a vampire.’

***