Sunset Blush - Melissa Nichols (black female authors .TXT) 📗

I passed her on the street one average day in San Diego, Southern California. It was morning, the city was just starting to buzz and the skies were cloudy with the normal overcast of the mornings and late afternoons. I was going to work, well over an hour early. She had been on her daily run, her jogging outfit fitted her form perfectly, showing off her legs, waist, breasts and butt as she passed. Her hair was a glossy, straight, bright red color with blond and brown highlights. Her eyes were of the clearest and most beautiful shade of green I had ever seen.

Absolutely entranced, I watched as she jogged right by me. I turned my head and watched as she rounded the corner. After staring at that corner for moment ignoring my more base instincts, I continued walking to work, but my instincts were telling me to go back, to follow her. I didn’t understand then. Stopping, I thought about why I couldn’t follow her. I had an hour to kill before I had to get to work, and I could get there in five seconds with my vampire speed, so I had almost an hour to follow her and see what’s bothering me so. That was when I made the decision. I turned around and followed her, picking up my pace to catch up to her. But, I wasn't fast enough. 

She was screaming, writhing and fighting a formidable force that in the shadows. I could smell her blood had been spilt and could see the weapon that had inflicted that damage to her body. Instantly, I was angry. I saw red and adrenaline pumped through my body, giving me the unnecessary strength to fight. Without thinking, I growled as I lunged forward, knocking the attackers off and away from her. One made a grab for me, but I was too fast. I grabbed his arms, twisted it behind his back and popped the shoulder out of his socket with ease. He howled, but I hurled him into another guy headfirst, whom had just recovered from my attack. Three more were closing on me, circling me slowly, switches raised in an obvious sign that they were willing to kill to me get whatever it was they wanted from the girl. I sized their motions up with a quick glance to each and jumped just as one guy made a sudden lunge, his knife carving into air that I had displaced only milliseconds ago. I came down, hard, on top of him. My feet landed on his shoulder blades and I heard the bones splinter. But, that was the least of his worries. My fall continued and I landed squarely on his back, crushing his spine. I assessed the other two again and jumped on one, who had made a dash for me. I knocked the weapon aside and yanked his wrist to the side and down until the bones were splintered and useless. Then, I used his body as a means to take down the third guy by grabbing the second guy by his shirt and slamming him into the third guy's belly. Both went down from the force I had used to propel them together and I turned my attention back to the young girl who was still against the wall. But, she was not alone. Two more guys were creeping to her and I intercepted them. I shoved myself between them to cover her with my body as I growled at the two attackers. They looked afraid but I didn’t show any mercy as I shoved them both into the building they had their backs to and they crumpled, motionless. 

I assessed the damage the fight had done to the humans. Five bodies, none dead, were strewn about the floor and the other three had taken off. The danger gone, I willed myself to calm down before I turned to the girl and checked her wounds. She was bleeding heavily from her thigh, clearly her femoral artery had been severed. Her lip was bleeding, her cheeks were swollen, her bag ripped apart and her nails held blood. It was obvious from the looks of the pool of blood that was spreading around us if I did not do something she would die. And I was certain that if my instincts were to follow her than she was not supposed to die. But what could I do? If I called the ambulance, she would die before it got here. If I carried her and ran full speed to the hospital, she would die of shock and blood loss and I would risk exposing my secret in the process. If I did nothing, she would die. If I were to change her...she might live. And it was a strong might. The venom only worked if there was enough blood in her body. In the seconds it took me to evaluate my options, my decision was made. 

I first had to close the wound on her thigh or all of the veom I had in my system wouldn’t be enough to save her. So I leaned down to her thigh and switched the venom from changing to healing, then I licked the wound thoroughly, slowly. It was more difficult than I was expecting. The bloodlust was thick within me and her blood tsted so sweet, but years of harsh self-discipline kept my head rooted.

Leaning back into sitting position, I could see my venom go to work. The wound decreased in size and depth as I watched until it eventually disappeared without any sign of a scar. I looked at her cheeks and was relieved to find that they held more color. With her thigh healed well, I leaned up and forward to bite her neck, targeting her carotid artery. As I pumped venom into her system, she did not react in any way. She remained limp, but alive.

 After a good amount of venom had entered her, I sat up and looked at her. Still, she did not react. 
She can't stay here. I have to take her back to my place, where she can heal in peace. I thought, knowing it was the truth. She needs peace and quiet right now not the busy city sounds and smells. 
Gingerly, I took her into my arms and carried her to my house using the alleys and backstreets, avoiding the main streets at all costs. 

I was aware of his presence from the moment I heard his growl. I could tell my savior was a male from he depth of the guttural snarl.

I heard him as he fought my attackers and I felt it when he bit my neck, licked my thigh and felt the fluid entered my bloodstream and his gentle arms as he carried me. But, that was the last thing I was aware of. I guess I should have been wondering why I was feeling those things, but at the time I didn’t care. I was in shock, hurt, being attacked, and then I was safe. That’s all that I had cared about.
I fell asleep, I guess. I was tired from the loss of blood, the pain from my ribs and leg, and I had a massive headache to accompany it all. My brain sent me into a healing coma, a state where I was unaware for six days. 
When I finally came back to my body, so much had changed. The pain was completely gone, all of my senses heightened one hundred fold and I was famished. My throat hurt, even the sunlight hurt beyond my eyelids.
I fluttered my eyelids and moaned in pain as unused muscles came back to life. A single gasp reached my ears, telling me I am not alone. Finding it hard to open my eyes just yet, I relaxed a little to regain my strength. 
“Miss?” Came a voice. It was male, but it was the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard. It was so beautiful, it could have easily passed for a woman’s voice. The sound was musical, like a woman who sang for a living, her voice turned musical from singing many sweet songs.
Startled that I wasn’t alone, I slammed my eyes open. There, right next to the bed I lay on, was the man who had saved me. But, it didn’t look like him. The last time I had seen him, his face was contorted in rage and his mouth was baring his teeth as a savage snarl had ripped from his throat. But, it was him. His eyes were the same color, his build was the same, the expanse of his chest. His hair was the same snow white, one that only one in a trillion possess. Yes, it was him. 
Knowing I was in safe hands, I relaxed again. 
“Good evening. How do you feel?” He asked.
“Really good.” I whisperd, finding it rather difficult to speak right now.
“No pain?”
“Just a throb.”
“Where?” his voice, gentle at first, turned concerned and his eyebrows scrunched to show concern.
“In my chest, above my heart.”
He relaxed again, letting out a sigh of relief. 
“You saved me.” I said, breaking the silence.
“Yes.” He confirmed, his voice as gentle as before.
“Why?” I asked, shocked that a complete stranger would risk his life to save me, pitting himself against eight armed men. He was silent, thinking. 
“I don’t know. Something just told me to follow you around the corner, then I lost it when I saw you laying there, bleeding to death.”
“What do you mean ‘something’?”
“Instincts, I suppose. But they were so much stronger then what I’ve ever felt before.”
Unsure of what to say next, I remained silent. So did he. 
“Well, come along.” He stated, getting on his feet. I removed the thin cover and stood up. 
“Umm. Sir?”
“Yes?” He asked, stopping and turning to look at me.
“I thought I was attacked.”
“You were.”
“And a knife...” I trailed off, knowing he knew what I meant. He dropped his eyes, lowered his head and put his hands in his pockets.
“It was the only way to save you.” He said, turning away, his voice loaded with shame.
“What was? Why am I not in pain?”
“I’m going to show you what you have become. It is useless to fight it for it is done and cannot be undone.”
“What? What has changed?”
“Follow me. I’ll show you.” He ordered, turning his back and walking out of the room. Knowing that he had the answers to my questions, I followed him out of the room, then the house. 

Once we were outside, he stopped, remaining silent for a long time. 
“You were bleeding heavily from your thigh.” He began at last, his voice low and solemn. “You would have died no matter what scenario you were in. I could have called an ambulance and waited with you. Death. I