The Reward

Samantha lay in her bed, eyes wide open as the first hints of dawn crept across the sky. She felt it immediately - a heaviness in her limbs, an irresistible pull towards sleep. It was nothing like the gradual tiredness she remembered from her human days. This was sudden, overwhelming, and completely beyond her control.

With the last of her strength, she reached for the heavy curtains and pulled them shut, plunging the room into darkness. As she drifted off, a pang of sadness hit her. She missed the sun, the warmth on her skin, the simple pleasure of a lazy afternoon outdoors.

When she woke that evening, the sadness lingered. But it was quickly overshadowed by a more pressing concern - the burning in her throat, the gnawing hunger that seemed to consume her every thought.

Samantha paced her room, trying to distract herself. She marveled at how easily she moved now, her newfound grace and speed still surprising her. But these physical improvements paled in comparison to the challenges of her enhanced senses.

She could hear everything - the scrape of a chair downstairs, the whispered conversation between two maids three floors below, even the scurrying of a squirrel outside. And the smells... they were overwhelming.

Most torturous of all was the scent of blood. Fresh, warm, human blood pumping through the veins of the staff. It called to her, a siren song she struggled to resist.

As the hours ticked by, Samantha's hunger grew. She hadn't been called for dinner yet, and she wondered how much longer she could endure this torment. The thought of warm blood from a living, breathing human was becoming harder to push away.

"Just a peek," she whispered to herself, reaching for the door handle. "I'll just go downstairs and look. I can control myself."

But as she opened the door, she came face to face with Marcus. His expression was serious, his eyes searching hers intently.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine despite her hunger.

Samantha swallowed hard, suddenly very aware of how close he was, how intoxicating his scent was. Even in her famished state, her body responded to his presence, a different kind of hunger awakening within her.

"I... I was just..." she stammered, unable to form a coherent thought.

Marcus's expression softened slightly. "You're struggling with the thirst," he said. It wasn't a question.

Samantha nodded, feeling a mix of shame and relief that he understood.

"Come with me," Marcus said, gesturing for her to follow him. "It's time for your next lesson."

As they walked down the corridor, Samantha couldn't help but notice how gracefully Marcus moved, how the dim light accentuated his strong features. She shook her head, trying to focus on anything but her attraction to him or her thirst for blood.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She meant to ask him if they could drop by the kitchen to have a drink first.

Marcus glanced back at her, a small smile playing on his lips. "To teach you more about control," he replied. "It's the most important skill a vampire can master."

Samantha followed Marcus down the hall, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She couldn't help but feel a sense of dread mixed with her curiosity. The lesson in the library was pretty intense. She wondered what kind of lesson Marcus had in store for her there. And what about her reward?

As they turned a corner, Samantha caught a glimpse of her reflection in a polished wood panel. Her eyes were a brighter shade of blue now, almost black in the dim light. Her once-pale skin was now luminous, casting an ethereal glow on her features. The transformation was both stunning and terrifying, a stark reminder of the creature she had become.

Upon entering the library, Samantha's eyes were immediately drawn to a woman in a flowing robe, sitting in the center of the room. The woman's auburn hair flowed over her shoulders like a waterfall and her emerald green eyes held a vulnerability that made Samantha's heart ache.

She sensed how relaxed the woman was. Her heartbeat was not frenzied as if she willingly put herself between a centuries-old vampire and a starving new vampire. Embarrassingly, the very visible pulse on her smooth neck made her mouth water.

"This is Sybilla," Marcus introduced Samantha to the woman. "She's your reward," Marcus said, guiding her to the woman. "And your second lesson."

Samantha felt confused as she stood beside the woman, taking in the delicious scent of her blood. She could feel it pounding in her veins, a siren song that threatened to overpower her.

Her gaze flickered between Marcus and the woman, her mind whirling with conflicting emotions.

Then she shook her head and refocused her attention on Marcus as she asked, "Is she here against her will?" Her craving for blood made it hard for her to comprehend someone willingly offering themselves up to her.

Marcus gave her a serious look, his eyes searching hers for any sign of weakness. "Sybilla is here willingly," he said. "She knows what the coven does, and she has chosen to be a part of it. We feed only on willing donors."

Samantha swallowed hard, trying to convince herself that she could do this. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the image of Marcus's calm, steady face.

As she reached out to touch Sybilla's arm, she felt a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins. It wasn't like anything she had ever experienced before with a mix of desire.

Samantha could only imagine the courage it must take to sit still in the presence of a newly turned vampire, who could barely control her own hunger. She looked at Marcus, seeking guidance, and he nodded reassuringly.

Sybilla smiled warmly at Samantha and extended her arm, revealing the pulsing vein in her wrist.

Samantha hesitantly reached out, her hand shaking slightly, and gently took Sybilla's wrist. The scent of her blood was overwhelming, her heartbeat erratic. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on her training.

But she couldn't shake off the fear that consumed her, the fear of losing control and draining herself to nothingness. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to push away the thoughts, but they continued to swirl in her mind like a relentless storm. Her hands trembled as she shook her head in frustration, unsure if she could trust herself and her abilities.

The air around her felt charged with uncertainty, adding to the growing tension in her body. With a shaky exhale, she opened her eyes and faced the reality of her fears.

Samantha's gaze locked onto Marcus' intense gray eyes, sending a shiver down her spine. His hand reached out and gently grasped Sybilla's slender wrist, his voice low and commanding as he spoke to Samantha.

"Pay close attention," he said, his words laced with a hint of warning and promise of punishment if she failed, just like he had so tantalizingly reminded her yesterday.

But beneath it all was an undeniable sense of seduction, leaving Samantha's heart racing in anticipation of what was to come, only adding to the thrill of this forbidden game they played.

Samantha watched as Marcus leaned in, his lips brushing against Sybilla's pulsing vein. She seemed to feel Sybilla's warm blood pulsing through her own body, the desire to drink it growing with each beat. 

Her eyes never left Marcus as he took a deep breath and fully embraced his vampiric nature. His transformation was abrupt, and the change was striking. His features sharpened, his skin glowing with an otherworldly luminescence. The air in the room shifted, as if drawn to Marcus's command.

His fangs bared and pierced the curve of Sybilla's wrist. As he began to feed, Samantha felt a strange sense of arousal.

The scent of her blood filled the room, and Samantha's heart raced with anticipation. Marcus's eyes never left hers as he drank from Sybilla, and the sensation seemed to ripple between the two of them.

It was more than just the scent of blood filling the air, it was the sight of Marcus in control, dominating Sybilla, and the knowledge that he was teaching Samantha his ways. She watched as Sybilla's eyes rolled back, her head falling to the side, lost in her own pleasure.

Samantha felt the pull of the blood, her own hunger growing with each passing second. She struggled to resist it, her mind screaming for her to take what she so desperately needed. But she knew that if she did, she would lose control, and Marcus would have every right to punish her.

Her body trembled, the desire to feed overpowering her, but she held fast to her resolve. Her eyes never leaving Marcus, she focused on his every move, attempting to learn from the master in front of her. The way he moved was a dance of precision and dominance, a grace she could only hope to replicate one day.

As she continued to watch, her breath hitched when Marcus bit down harder, drawing more blood into his mouth. Sybilla let out a soft moan, and Samantha felt a jolt of... something. It wasn't exactly jealousy, but it certainly wasn't far off. She couldn't help but wonder if it would feel that good to be on the other side, experiencing such pleasure.

Marcus slowly pulled away from her wrist, his fangs retracting with a soft click. He carefully licked the dripping blood from his lips, a gesture that sent a shockwave of longing through Samantha's body.

"Feel it, Samantha," Marcus growled, his voice low and captivating. "That's the power of control. You can avoid the pain of hunger by mastering this skill."

Samantha swallowed hard, her eyes locked onto Marcus's lips. She could feel the thrill of their dance of dominance and submission, the taboo of it all adding to the excitement. She wanted to taste the blood, to experience the rush.

With a sultry smirk, Marcus leaned in close and whispered huskily in her ear.

"It's your turn now. Claim your well-deserved reward."