Chapter 1
Lorcan Kieran stood behind the pillar a few feet away from her . Dampness lingered in the cool autumn night outside the university's gymnasium. The annual autumn student gathering took place inside.
Since that morning two weeks ago when he'd laid eyes on her, he'd sensed her. Always. As if her spirit had linked to his. He'd been standing over the side of the bridge, about to jump, when the fog had lifted and she'd appeared in all her splendor. Now the thread between them told him when she rose in the morning and the moment exhaustion claimed her each night.
She was mo lon dubh. His blackbird . Would he teach her or would she enlighten him? For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of the story his grandmother told of St. Kevin and the Blackbird, how St. Kevin and the Blackbird cared for each other. But he was no saint.
Her dark wavy hair blew in the wind and her cocoa skin shimmered in the moonlight. More than any other, her scent enticed the monster he had become and the thirst growing inside.
His mortal soul was damned. If he was able to make it to his ordination, he might have a chance at redemption. This curse of being bitten and becoming a vampire was a test of his faith. And so was she . He couldn't let her lure him from saving his soul—from lifting the hex. Admittedly, stalking her wasn't helping him achieve that. Nor did he have any intention of stopping. Father O'Brian would be disappointed, but tonight was Kieran's last on earth. Better he spend his time where he wanted to be—with her .
A well-dressed male student wrapped an arm around her and guided her away from the hall through the exit. Inside, students wasted money and brain cells in the name of a good time. The door shut behind the clift —fool—and her, muting the blaring music. The asphalt pathway where they walked was deserted. The freckle-faced man laughed as he stumbled. The scent of his illicit intent reached Kieran. He hadn't thought she was that type of woman, but lately he'd learned he was wrong about a great many things.
The devil and demons weren't just the stuff of myths and legends. Evil dwelled within the heart of every human. All that was needed was something to unlock it.
"I feel strange.” She raised her hand to her face. A pink flush warmed the coloration of her cheeks.
The lanky clift led her to the western student residence building. “How much did you drink, love?” A Dublin native by his speech.
She pushed his arm off of her and wobbled to the wall. “I didn't. I don't ever...” She shook her head and tried to focus. “Shit ... Did you put something in my drink?” Her movements were sluggish and uncontrolled.
"Just put a little something in your drink to help you relax. Come on.” He tugged her. “It's early, let's have some fun. My room is just over here."
She pulled away from him. “What did you give me ... Patrick?” With her forearm, she wiped her forehead. “I've got to go."
"Relax, Sephora. A little whiskey won't hurt you.” He backed her against the wall. “You and I are going to have a little fun. I've never been with a black chick before."
"And this ‘black chick’ won't be your test run, either.” She shoved him. “I knew that drink didn't taste right."
"What is it with you ... Are you a dyke?” He staggered, and pinned her with his much larger frame. “I can eat pussy real good. My last girlfriend said I was as good as any lesbian she had."
"Good night, Patrick.” She turned her face from him.
Kieran waited to see if the boy would leave. Maybe he hadn't been wrong about her. She didn't seem to want to go with him.
Now red-faced, the man grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her into the wall. “Calm down. Don't be such a frigid bitch."
"Don't do this, please!” She yanked free. Tears pooled in her eyes.
Images from her thoughts flooded Kieran's mind. She had run in the sand. Droplets had wet her cheeks as fear surged through her. She had been chased down.
The pounding
Lorcan Kieran stood behind the pillar a few feet away from her . Dampness lingered in the cool autumn night outside the university's gymnasium. The annual autumn student gathering took place inside.
Since that morning two weeks ago when he'd laid eyes on her, he'd sensed her. Always. As if her spirit had linked to his. He'd been standing over the side of the bridge, about to jump, when the fog had lifted and she'd appeared in all her splendor. Now the thread between them told him when she rose in the morning and the moment exhaustion claimed her each night.
She was mo lon dubh. His blackbird . Would he teach her or would she enlighten him? For some reason, he was suddenly reminded of the story his grandmother told of St. Kevin and the Blackbird, how St. Kevin and the Blackbird cared for each other. But he was no saint.
Her dark wavy hair blew in the wind and her cocoa skin shimmered in the moonlight. More than any other, her scent enticed the monster he had become and the thirst growing inside.
His mortal soul was damned. If he was able to make it to his ordination, he might have a chance at redemption. This curse of being bitten and becoming a vampire was a test of his faith. And so was she . He couldn't let her lure him from saving his soul—from lifting the hex. Admittedly, stalking her wasn't helping him achieve that. Nor did he have any intention of stopping. Father O'Brian would be disappointed, but tonight was Kieran's last on earth. Better he spend his time where he wanted to be—with her .
A well-dressed male student wrapped an arm around her and guided her away from the hall through the exit. Inside, students wasted money and brain cells in the name of a good time. The door shut behind the clift —fool—and her, muting the blaring music. The asphalt pathway where they walked was deserted. The freckle-faced man laughed as he stumbled. The scent of his illicit intent reached Kieran. He hadn't thought she was that type of woman, but lately he'd learned he was wrong about a great many things.
The devil and demons weren't just the stuff of myths and legends. Evil dwelled within the heart of every human. All that was needed was something to unlock it.
"I feel strange.” She raised her hand to her face. A pink flush warmed the coloration of her cheeks.
The lanky clift led her to the western student residence building. “How much did you drink, love?” A Dublin native by his speech.
She pushed his arm off of her and wobbled to the wall. “I didn't. I don't ever...” She shook her head and tried to focus. “Shit ... Did you put something in my drink?” Her movements were sluggish and uncontrolled.
"Just put a little something in your drink to help you relax. Come on.” He tugged her. “It's early, let's have some fun. My room is just over here."
She pulled away from him. “What did you give me ... Patrick?” With her forearm, she wiped her forehead. “I've got to go."
"Relax, Sephora. A little whiskey won't hurt you.” He backed her against the wall. “You and I are going to have a little fun. I've never been with a black chick before."
"And this ‘black chick’ won't be your test run, either.” She shoved him. “I knew that drink didn't taste right."
"What is it with you ... Are you a dyke?” He staggered, and pinned her with his much larger frame. “I can eat pussy real good. My last girlfriend said I was as good as any lesbian she had."
"Good night, Patrick.” She turned her face from him.
Kieran waited to see if the boy would leave. Maybe he hadn't been wrong about her. She didn't seem to want to go with him.
Now red-faced, the man grabbed her by her shoulders and pushed her into the wall. “Calm down. Don't be such a frigid bitch."
"Don't do this, please!” She yanked free. Tears pooled in her eyes.
Images from her thoughts flooded Kieran's mind. She had run in the sand. Droplets had wet her cheeks as fear surged through her. She had been chased down.
The pounding
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