Elizabeth and the Vampire's Cabin(20)

Aaron proceeded to chat with her about a variety of topics that she was incredibly interested in. It seemed that he had already ascertained her hobbies and had prepared to hold a lengthy conversation about them. He was even able to quote from some of the books she had brought. Elizabeth found herself impressed at his knowledge of camping, hiking, and wilderness survival, despite her hatred of him. She answered his questions, offered explanations when asked, and slowly sipped at her soup and played with her salad. She noticed Aaron was eating slowly as well.

"I hope this is enough for you," Aaron said. "I told Arthur to make dinner's light. I eat before I get here, and he can make you a large lunch."

"What do you eat," Elizabeth asked. She didn't want to ask questions. She wanted to be as silent as possible, but she couldn't help herself.

Aaron smiled at her curiosity. "Some of it's drinking. I turn into a kind of vampire bat and I drink the blood of animals around the island. I also eat raw animal meat. I don't need cooked food or produce, but I still like the taste of a home cooked meal and the occasional orange or banana."

"Do you always sleep during the day like vampires in movies and books?"

"Yes, but it's not in a coffin. I sleep in a sea cave with other bats during the day."

"Do you go up in flames when touched by sunlight?"

"No," he laughed. "I don't go up in flames." He looked at her with a condescending smile that seemed to say, You wish. "But I am photosensitive. I'm pale so I sunburn easily, and my eyes are sensitive to the light. Lots of sunblock and sunglasses take care of that problem. I must say, the hardest thing about meeting you yesterday at sea was not the sun. It was waking up early enough to get out there. That's the first time I've been out before the sun went down in centuries."

Elizabeth was quiet. He knew what she was up to. She was trying to find ways to kill him. But he wasn't foolish enough to give her a way to do that.

"How am I here," she asked him darkly. "Did Mark Taylor sell out to you? The captain of the boat too?"

"Yes. In fact, Mark sold out very quickly. You have a lot of money to buy people with. I have more." Aaron gave her a cocky grin. "Once I had paid him off, it was all very simple. He hired a morally bankrupt captain who loves money to take you out to sea where I could abduct you. I'm sure Mark and the captain of The Argosy are enjoying their retirement right about now."

"How did you get all my stuff here? The movers were all in on it as well?"

"Oh no! Not at all. They were only work horses. Mark had them load up all of your stuff onto another boat--as planned. He had already given their captain the location for my island, and then that captain and the movers all came here and unloaded your things before we arrived. I instructed Mark to tell the movers not to kill themselves trying to move in your things. They could set the place up however they liked. Besides, I already had the most important item set up: that nice king size bed all ready for us."

"Why did you bring me here," she asked spitefully.

"Because I wanted you. It was that simple. I've wanted you ever since I moved to Temecula. And I take what I want."

"Well, you've already had me. So when are you going to let me go?"

"When I'm done with you," he said imperiously.

"And when is that going to be?"

He shrugged. "Maybe tomorrow. Maybe in a week. Maybe in a year. Who knows? But take comfort in the fact that I will eventually grow bored. And then I'll let you go." He cruelly smirked and said, "But it won't be tonight. The only thing I'm bored with now is eating."

He got up and moved slowly towards her. Elizabeth looked down at her soup bowl wishing they could just go back to eating. Aaron pushed back her seat, grabbed her around her shoulders and made her stand up.

"I like that outfit you're wearing. It's great for hiking. But we're not going hiking. You'll have to take those clothes off for what we'll be doing tonight. And tomorrow, I want you to wear one of those lovely dresses you brought with you. No more hiking clothes when we're together."

"I will never wear a dress for you."

"Fine. You can always wear nothing. That works even better."

He violently scooped her close to him. She had the wind knocked out of her as he clutched her to him with too much force. He kissed her and when she screamed he bit down hard on her tongue, turning her scream into a whimper. She felt his tongue lick the blood inside her mouth. Then he lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. She cursed him the whole way and then he slammed the door behind them.



Chapter 10: The Next Month

Elizabeth was sipping her tea one evening and reading a new magazine. It was always a treat when one or more of the other vampires went off the island to get supplies and other things (such as magazines). Aaron had told her that one of the other vampires had a working boat on the other side of the island. He said it like it was a dare. She heard the taunt in his voice and the challenge (Go ahead and try to steal that boat!). But he knew she wouldn't dare, and Elizabeth hated him all the more because he knew her fear and exploited it. Her encounter with Joe Newman's fangs and his red eyes had been enough to keep her on Aaron's turf.