Awake and Lost Ch. 01

Erica quickens her pace when she sees the flash of lightening - old habits and old fears die hard, she supposes. She races down the street, shoving people out of her way as she goes.

She's been cutting it close for weeks: staying out too long, killing too often.

Her behavior was starting to cause quiet the stir among the others, apparently. Riley had warned her earlier of her recklessness. Erica still has some marks from that warning; he'd drained her of too much blood for her to heal them properly.

Riley said she was drawing too much attention to herself, to him. Of course the only reason he'd be concerned is for himself. Erica was long past caring. The people she loved were long dead. This life was void of the things that grounded of humanity, and so she indulged in her monstrous hunger. Savagely, greedily, like the beast she was.

Morning's close, so if she's going to feed she'll have to find someone and quickly. She's so weak from being drained, so hungry, so empty Erica looks down at the bruises on her skin and snarls, the drive to be rid of Riley's marks on her only fueling her desire to feed. Just a drop and they'd fade, just a life and she'd be strong enough to tear out Riley's heart. If only she could.

Erica pulls her jacket around her and darts into the shadows. The streets are near empty, barely any stores open and only a few streetlights on. From the darkness she spots her victim; a weak, old drunk sitting on the bar's steps - he won't put up much of a fight at all. She's ready to move in, ready to sink her teeth into that red, clammy neck for a taste of blood. She needs it so desperately.

Just as she's ready to close in - she sees him; the boy. Erica's senses drown in him, there's a faint throbbing in her chest and she's startled to realise it's her heart beating. The boy's nothing extraordinary, he's young, has dark brown hair and blue eyes. His body is mostly hidden by his oversized coat. He'd be a forgettable face in a crowd.

But there is... something. Something that warms her from the inside, something familiar. Her heart is pounding, drawing all traces of blood to itself to keep beating and Erica gasps. It's as though there's an actual physical pull at the center of her chest. It draws her closer to him.

She follows him for weeks after first seeing him. She follows him home, watches him, listens to him. Erica starts noticing things.

The boy is alone most of the time. She's seen him with some people but not often. He usually hides away in his apartment, always writing in a tatty old book and fidgeting with numerous different instruments.

Erica hears the music on countless nights, sees it as she finds a good vantage point to see into his window without being noticed. He's almost always humming something under his breath, wordless melodies that thrum in Erica's chest whenever she gets close enough to catch it.

She could listen safely from a mile away if she wanted, but it wouldn't be enough. She wants it, wants the soft rhythm of his voice under her skin, to run through her veins like rich blood. She wants to be as close to that boy as possible.

It will never be enough.

*

Riley catches her, of course. It was only a matter of time.

He corners her in an empty alleyway, pushing her hard against the stone wall until she feels it start to crack under the pressure.

"I know what you're doing," he says through gritted teeth. "You can't have that boy, Erica."

Erica twists her wrists in Riley's grip, baring her teeth at him and smirking. "Jealous, baby?"

Riley growls, letting go of her wrists to squeeze his hands around her throat.

"His name's Harper, right?" Riley's eyes, normally a sharp green, turn dark, soulless. "If he ever touches you I'll tear out every fucking organ in his body, I'll smear them all over the streets, Erica."

His hands fall away and Erica rubs at her neck, glaring at him. "A little extreme, don't you think?"

Riley snarls and throws her back against the wall, her head bouncing off it with a hard crack. "You're mine, you get that?" Riley grips her jaw as she tries to turn away, forcing her to face him him. "Erica," he said, "you'll always be mine."

Erica let herself be turned, lets him tear at her clothes and fuck her right there in the alley against the wall. It doesn't matter, she's somewhere else. She has her boy's name now.

Harper.

*

From then on Erica knows that she'd kill Riley if he tried to take this away from her. He'd already stolen her family, her life. But not Harper, not the last thing she considers hers.

The next night she goes to Harper's home. A small, one bedroom apartment on the ninth floor. She looks in from the open window. It isn't much; a bed, a laptop, and some clothes and instruments strewn across the floor.

Harper is asleep with a book on his chest. The cover looks worn and a few paper's edges are sticking out. He clutches at it as though it's something precious.

Erica closes her eyes and takes in the scent of it all - the warmth of a life, of a home. It's almost overwhelming. When she opens them her gaze locks on Harper's sleeping form, huddled under deep blue sheets.

"Harper," Erica whispers, that faint ache resuming in her chest.

Harper stirs and the blankets uncover his sleeping face, his eyelids twitch and his long lashes flutter. Erica smiles, knowing she's reached him.

"Harper," she whispers again, the sweet suggestion of power underlying her words, hazing him into her control. "Harper."

"Hmm?"

Erica feels that familiar warmth rush through her. "Invite me in," she commands, knowing he's completely under the haze.

"Mmm."

"Say it."

Harper frowns a little in his sleep as he murmurs, "You can come in."

Erica smiles wide, feels the familiar points of her fangs dig into her bottom lip. "Thank you," she says quietly, and suddenly she is there, looking over Harper's sleeping face.

She lays down next to him, careful not to disturb his sleep. His eyelids twitch again and she itches to touch his face, to trace the light freckles on his nose. She holds off in the end, content to watch him sleep this close, to listen to his even breaths and the steady rhythm of his beating heart.

*

Erica goes back the next night, and the next. Each time she becomes a little bolder, moving a little closer and daring to touch his face, his hair, his neck.

Tonight, just before bed, Harper seems mad. He's writing in that worn book, and Erica only catches glimpses of music and words. Harper keeps groaning and ripping out page after page, finally giving up and burying his face in his hands.

When he settles down and goes to bed, Erica sneaks in and sits beside him.

Harper's mouth is sleep-slack and inviting, and Erica can't resist. She bends down and traces his bottom lip with her tongue, pulling back only when his breath hitches and she thinks he's woken up. But Harper sleeps on, his mouth now wet and red as she continues kissing him.

Erica touches her fingers to his neck as she licks into his warm, hot mouth, feeling his pulse quicken in his sleep.

*

She is addicted, she knows. Some nights she forgets to feed properly, choosing instead to indulge in Harper's sleeping kisses. Harper never wakes, never seems to notice that she's there at all.

For some reason this grates on Erica. She wants more. Wants everything.

She decides that the next night would be different.

*

It starts just as before. Harper sleeps as Erica touches her fingers lightly to his face, sweeping over his eyelids, and cheeks, and mouth just before she bends down and kisses him.

This time, she let her fangs slide against his lower lip with every press. Harper's mouth is still soft and pliant, though he seems to hum with every nip of her teeth.

At one point her fang catches on his tongue and Harper flinches back, still half-asleep. He makes a small sound of protest against her lips, but Erica continues the assault, holding his jaw as she bites a little harder and licks into his warm mouth again and again.

It isn't long before Harper's quiet murmurs become more attentive. His body jerks and he tries to turn his face away from Erica's. But Erica is quicker and stronger. She straddles Harper's legs and captures his wrists in one slender hand, holding them above his head as she cups his jaw and forcefully kisses him.

When she finally pulls back she sees that his eyes are wide, a striking blue that stands out even in the dimness of the room. Erica grins, teeth bared, and kisses him again.

Harper stills underneath her, feeling the strength of her thighs and hands press down on him. Erica laughs against his chin. "Good boy, much better," she remarks.

Erica releases his wrists, but keeps her lips firmly pressed to his. It isn't an option to let go. Erica would go crazy if she had to.

Harper's eyes are squeezed shut with tears forming in the corners. "Shh," Erica soothes, petting his hair. "No, no, no, don't cry."

Harper whimpers and his eyes open, shining and wet. "Why are you doing this?" He chokes out, overwhelmed.

"Because," Erica says as she runs her hand down Harper's chest, his stomach, and slips a finger just under the waistband of his boxers. "You're mine, Harper."

Harper's eyes shut again, tears spilling as Erica's hand curls around his cock, rubbing her thumb along the soft foreskin, it twitches in her grip.

"No, no, ah." Harper pants as Erica's hand tightens around him, she feels his dick slowly start to firm up in her hand, hot and hard as her hand starts moving.

She sucks on Harper's lower lip as he writhes beneath her, obviously struggling against his body's reaction to her ministrations. He's holding himself back from making the noises Erica wants to hear.

Harper shivers when Erica leans forward to lick the skin just under his ear. He makes a pleasured humming sound. Erica can feel the vibrations of it under her tongue, the way it mixes with Harper's pulse and makes it louder somehow, like it's calling to her as it beats faster against her lips.

Erica skims her mouth down, licking at the juncture between neck and shoulder. She kisses him there, sucking at particular tendon she can feel throbbing under the skin, not caring to cover her teeth. Harper is panting now, his cock rocking up into her hand.

Everything about him is delicious. Erica wants to sink her teeth into him and taste him, she wants to bleed him dry - but she always wants to keep him, keep this - so instead she pulls her hand out of his boxers and sits back up.

Harper is very still as he stares up at her. Likely it is because he's too afraid to move. Tears run down his face, his red, wet mouth hangs open, and his dick is tenting his boxers. He is a picture. He's beautiful, and, in this moment, he belongs to Erica.

Watching his face, she pulls down his boxers, raking her nails over his hips as she does so. The tug of them over his cock makes Harper gasp.

"Oh, so you're not going to yell for help, then?" Erica asks delightedly as her eyes become transfixed on Harper's cock. It bobs against his navel, the head swollen and red and leaving a sheen of precome on the skin. Erica licks her lips. "You won't try to get away, will you?"

Harper stares up at the ceiling as more tears slip silently down his face. "Please," he whimpers. "Please.

"Please what?" Erica smiles darkly. "You know I could kill you, don't you, Harper." Harper looks back at her again and nods.

Erica scoots down Harper's legs and bends forward. She grasps Harper's cock and stares up at him, locking eyes as she starts tonguing the slit at the head.

A guttural sound rips from Harper and he claws at his sheets, he is perfect.

She rubs the cockhead over her lips, tasting salty precome on her tongue. Harper's hips buck up and she lets it slide into her mouth, taking him deeper and not being too careful with her teeth.

Harper chokes back his moans as his hips rise off the bed. Erica tightens her lips around him, sucking hard. She trails her fingers behind his balls, touching the perineum gently. Harper's whole body jolts and starts to sob, flinging an arm over his eyes as her finger massages the soft skin.

She sinks her mouth down completely over his cock until the head is pushing against the back of her throat. The points of Erica's fangs touch the shaft lightly at the base.

Harper is strung like a bow under Erica's hands. His shoulders pressed back against the bed as he arches up. He is perfect. He is Erica's.

When she presses a finger to his hole, pushing the tip of her finger just inside the tight ring of twitching muscle - Harper shouts and comes inside her mouth.

Erica swallows hungrily around him, but saliva and come still dribble out the corners of her mouth and down her chin. The tip of her finger massages his anus as he writhes and comes down from his orgasm.

As Harper's cock softens, she lets it slip wetly from her lips. He looks at her, glassy-eyed and panting.

Erica stands and wipes at her mouth with the back of her hand. She feels giddy, filled to the brim with satisfaction and a renewed sense of self.

"Oh, sweetheart," she says as she leans forward to kiss him, a smile on her lips. Harper blinks owlishly at her, hazed and docile.

"You're going to like being mine."