CHAPTER EIGHT: BITE

Silence. lights. Trees. Then the piercing cold. 

It felt ethereal, unreal. A nightingale chirped right into my ears, a flood of soft petals flooded my face, feeling me with its heavenly fragrance and eternal softness. Something prodded me from within. Open your eyes Miranda, open your eyes. 

 Or should I? I was enjoying the peace. And quiet. Or was it all a dream? It felt so real. 

the smooth caress across my cheek was too good to be real though and I wanted it to go on and on, non-stop. What harm would it bring to take a peep?

I let out a low grumble and flashed my eyes open, slow and steady, taking in the bright flash of light flooding right through my eyes. I blinked, trying to adjust to the brightness of the place. The forest. 

 It was just like the one I'd been to earlier in the day, only brighter and more, I don't know, mystical, trees popping out through the sky, light streaks of sun beams bathed in a heavenly pearl-like glow washed through me and the forest like strands of the sun on earth. every and anything that could live glowed with that same bright sunny brilliance. I gasped, taking in the absolute beauty and perfection of the place. I reached down for my camera hung around my neck only to reach an empty space down below my chest. I looked down. Instead of a camera it was all clothes and skin. But it wasn't the mere clothes that were unsettling but exactly what they were. 

 It was a silk dress with a corset tied so hard against my waist in a way that should have had me choking but didn't. it had a wide box-like parting across the front, baring two-thirds of my chest, or of what there was to see. 

 Somehow the corset held my waist like a fastened knot, spreading out in balloon-like ruffles from my hips down to my feet in swirling clouds of pure literal silver. Pure white silver, just like the rest of my dress. My hands were caged in a large balloon for a sleeve, puffed from the shoulder and then unbearably tight through the length of my arm. 

 A whisper rang out through the forest, resounding in loud echoes like a clear bell. I leaned into the direction of the sound wavering through the darkest parts of the woods covered with shrubs and so much undergrowth I didn't want to look. I turned to leave, to explore the brightest parts of the place when something bright and sparkly caught my eye. Slowly, I inched towards it, curious, drawn in, swallowed whole. What could it be? 

 I inched closer. And closer. The woods zoomed out of focus, getting darker and darker with every step I took. I got to the middle of a clearing with dark brown trees and green shrubs. And there in the heart of all the horror was a mirror, a large ten feet tall mirror with swirling lights and as bright as stars. I drew close, captivated by its sheer beauty. Each edge and corner was lined with real diamonds. i ran my hands through the soft gold corners etched above the diamonds. Staring at my reflection, I gasped. 

The girl staring back at me was too beautiful. Too beautiful to be real. The hair was long and wavy, an incredibly wavy mess but instead of a sleek slimy black, it was red. A bright glowing fierce red. And her dress literally shone through the soft rays of light pouring in directly above the mirror, shimmering like diamonds wafting through space. And her face. Soft and pale but still… me. It couldn't be. I ran my hand through my cheek and she did same. I touched the soft curve of my jaw and she did same. I ran my hand through my all too defined cheekbone. She did same. i reached out to the mirror, letting soft waves of pleasure waft through me at the mere contact, teasing the skin on my fingers. I slammed my eyes shut, wanting to last whiles and more whiles longer. 

" So beautiful Mira" a soft velvety voice drawled into my ears and right down through my heart. I flashed my eyes open, staring into the most beautiful face I'd ever seen. pale soft skin, a jawline so thin it could cut through glass, eyes brimming with the softest palest blue, like sapphires in the night sky. He ran his long slender fingers through the bare part of my chest, sending thrills trickling down my skin. Standing right behind me, he nibbled his way through the most sensitive part of my ears down the length of my neck to my chest, kissing, teasing, nibbling. I let out a soft moan, reeling. The world tipped through my feet. he ran his teeth through the lowest part of my chest, kissing the area only a little ways away from my breasts. I gasped and threw my head back, groaning in pure escasty. I should stop him. Shove him back. No one'd ever touched me that way before. But in his arms I was pure melted butter. 

His arms came around me, wrapping me in a tight warm embrace as his kisses grew even urgent and harder, running through my jaws, neck, chest, skin, everything that was bare and could be kissed. Oh the pleasure! the ecstasy!! The thrills!!! What was he doing to me? 

" Do you like this Miranda" he whispered softly across my skin, tipping me back slightly. His teeth grazed over my terribly aroused skin and I whimpered " do you like it?" 

" Oh yes. Please yes" I gasped softly. 

" Oh Miranda I want to feel you" he moaned, letting out a growl that sounded to impossibly human " I want to feel everything about you. Everything. Tasting, wanting" his voice took a low undertone " drinking" 

" Then do it" I gasped " do anything. Anything. Please" 

" I want to…" he gasped, tipping me even further down. He wrapped his arms around me tight, his lips on my neck. I let out a breath and he growled. I flashed my eyes open then and smiled up at him, a smile that retracted when I noticed the guttural look on his face, his eyes bloodshot red, his teeth bared in a snarl… oh god his teeth. Or rather fangs. Long, tipped and pointed. And aimed at my neck. I tried to wriggle my way out of his strong hold, opening my mouth to scream. 

" Hold still Miranda. This won't hurt" he whispered, laughing. Mocking me. I wriggled even harder. 

" Let go of…" he bit into my neck and I let out a scream.