Shadows at Sunset

A Colin story

(contains explicit adult material)

By Kazlynh

Cricket walked along the back roads, sticking to the shadows, glancing up now and then at the pale moon that hovered above the streetlights. She loved the night air, even in the city. She loved the buzz of the modern city, so different now from when she had grown up.  She loved the bustle of the cars and buses, the bright lights of the shops and buildings.

In dark contrast, she also loved the shadows and mystery of the side alleys, the little curio shops and shady drinking houses that you found down there. It didn't matter what city or what continent, there were always back streets and there were always shades of life lurking in them.

The journey to this city had stifled her. Weeks of travel, confined in the bowels of a ship had driven her almost stir crazy... and she had broken free of her sisters almost as soon as she could. Raven had simply shrugged, heading out into the Australian night, leaving Morrigan behind to give Cricket her usual "big sister" speech.

Cricket had sighed, but listened, appreciating the older vampire's concern as much as she was irked by it. She was the youngest of the sisters, the baby of the family, a mere century old and while Raven and Morrigan tended to stick together, Cricket liked to head out on her own...

She drifted to a stop half way down an alley, tilting her head, listening. The quiet strains of a rock and roll song drifted to her from somewhere up ahead. Tentatively, she followed the music, curiosity piqued.

It was coming from behind the closed doors of what looked like a garage. The paint on the sign above the doors was faded and peeled, leaving the name almost indiscernible in the semi-darkness. Cricket listened; smiling when one song finished and another began. A man's voice joined in this time, singing something about dancing in a jailhouse. It was a good voice, a strong voice, full of life.

It intrigued her and Cricket looked around, searching for something to climb up on to see through the small windows set high in the wall. She found a metal barrel and climbed up on it, peering in through the grime-encrusted glass. A pair of blue, overall-covered legs stuck out from beneath a motorcar, one booted foot tapping in time to the music.

"...body in the whole cell block... was dancing to the jailhouse rock!!!!!!"

Cricket giggled, climbing back down carefully, taking the few steps to the main doors and testing them quietly. They were locked from the inside. Pouting in frustration, Cricket searched round the side of the building.

Raven had once told her that vampires were nothing if not mysterious and elegant... Right now, caught as she was by the voice of the young man inside the garage, Cricket would gladly dent her dignity by climbing in through one of the windows if all else failed.

A side door came to her rescue. It too was locked, but Cricket searched her pockets and found a hairpin. A few minutes of careful manipulation later, and she was stepping inside the garage, closing and carefully locking the door behind her. The music had changed again, the young man now singing about something that sounded suspiciously like a hound dog...

Cricket moved silently along the wall, along the side of the car. She stopped to look at the overalled legs for a moment then quietly cleared a corner of the bench. She perched herself on it, swinging her elegantly-crossed legs, waiting.

Bum-bum-be-bum-ing along to the next song, Colin O'Brien rolled himself out from beneath the car on the small trolley, turning to select another socket from the socket-set on the floor before pushing himself back beneath the car. He fitted the socket over the bolt and was just about to screw it home when he stopped.

Slowly, he rolled himself back out from beneath the car, looking across at the bench.

"Hello," Cricket smiled.

Colin swallowed, caught by the strange depths of her eyes. Dragging his gaze away, he climbed to his feet, wiping his hands on his overalls. "Sorry, love... Thought I'd locked the doors. Didn't hear you come in. Having a bit of trouble?"

"Trouble?" she asked, then realised, "Oh, you mean with a vehicle? No, I'm not having trouble."

He frowned, looking at her. Her accent told him that she wasn't an Aussie. She was elegantly dressed, a long black fitted coat that fell either side of black, tailored trousers that were split to the thigh. Worth a bit, he thought, his eyes sweeping back to rest on the ruby pendant at her throat, his mind telling him that she wasn't wearing a blouse beneath the coat. Her perfume tantalised him; something exotic that he couldn't place. Definitely a classy sheila...

He cleared his throat, his eyes drifting back to her face, "So... umm... What can I do for you, love?"

She said nothing for a moment, staying perfectly still, smiling at him and capturing him again in her thrall. Colin felt himself falling down a long corridor of shadow, crashing into the bright blue pools of her eyes. Unable to move, he swallowed hard, his heart beating faster, his breath quickening. His body responded to her as she wrapped him further into her thrall, his mind disengaging, his senses happily giving themselves over to the ecstasy she promised.

Cricket bit down on a soft moan. His living energy washed towards her in an intoxicating wave; the scent of him stabbing through the smell of grease and engine oil; the musky aroma of his skin and his growing arousal folding provocatively around her. She pushed deeper into his mind... and gasped.

He had intrigued her, as had the music, and she had intended only to feed, knowing that the garage would offer her some protection from prying eyes...

Now things were different...

She was looking deep into this mortal's soul and he, astoundingly, had touched her... Raven had warned her of this, as had Morrigan. Every now and then a mortal soul would bite you back...

Cricket panicked, breaking her hold over him, jumping to the ground, ready to run. The man stumbled back, crumpling to his knees. She made it to the edge of the car, turning to slide along the wall.

Colin lifted his head to look at her, lifting his hand towards her, the sudden loss of her presence tearing at him. "Please...."

The soft word slammed at her, stopping her in her tracks. She turned back slowly, looking at him, astounded by the emotion that washed across his face... loss, regret, passion, longing...

For a long moment they simply looked at one another. Then, tentatively, Cricket stepped towards him. She saw him swallow, saw the fear in his eyes that told her that he was scared to move in case he spooked her again. She took another step towards him, then another, sliding slowly to her knees and watching his face.

"Who..." he rasped, clearing his throat and trying again. "Who are you...?"

"It's not important..." she whispered.

He shook his head, telling her, "It is to me..."

A slow grin pulled at the edges of Cricket's mouth, his answer intriguing her as much as the music had. The tension evaporated. Cautiously, Colin reached out, touching her hand, asking again, "Who are you?"

"My sisters call me Cricket..."

"Cricket..." He said the name as if he was testing it, smiling as he heard his voice saying it. "Cricket... It suits you."

Had she still been human, she would have blushed. She dropped her head shyly, looking up at him through her lashes.

He moved his hand up her arm, cupping her cheek, the smile turning to concern, spurring him into action. "You're frozen, love..."

She caught his hand as he started to push himself to his feet, "I'm fine..."

Sinking back down onto his knees, he looked at her, searching her face, seeing how pale her skin was, the tiny veins in her neck standing out blue/green against her alabaster skin. He reached out again, touching them, swallowing hard as his mind took in the ethereal aura that surrounded her. "You're one of the Little People my grandma talked about..." he murmured, "and I'm dreaming..."

She laughed lightly, assuring him, "No... You're not dreaming..."

He shook his head, still unable to make sense of it. "Then what are you, love?"

"I..."

She hesitated for a moment, unsure how much to reveal to him, wondering how he would react of she told him the truth. His eyes searched her face again, drawing the truth out of her. "I'm a vampire...."

If any other sheila had told him that, he would have laughed... but somehow he knew that she was telling him the truth. He shook his head, a slow smile pulling at his lips. "Dracula's bride, eh?"

"No, " she smiled back. "Not quite...."

He grew serious again, searching her face once more. "I should be scared, shouldn't I? You're gonna kill me... drain my blood..." And if that was true he was strangely at peace. He had no regrets. If it was his time, he was ready...

She giggled, shaking her head, "Bram Stoker has a lot to answer for... If he had encountered my sisters, his story might have been quite different..."

Colin was relieved and yet, strangely, at the same time he felt cheated. "So," he asked gently, "Why are you here?"

She considered the question for a long moment then told him simply, "The music brought me... I heard you singing..."

He grinned, laughing softly, "Shouldn't that be a good reason to kill me...? To stop me singing..."

She giggled again, shaking her head.

He loved the sound, loved the way it bubbled from her throat; loved the deep V of her coat that tantalised him with just a glimpse of cleavage; loved the way the pendant at her throat caught the light... Was this what they meant when they talked about love at first sight?

Cricket sensed his heartbeat quickening again, the musk of his arousal sweeping towards her once more, mixed with the perfume of his blood as it pounded through his veins...

It drew her forward and she kissed him, delicately, on the mouth. His hands slipped up her arms, cupping her face, holding her gently as his tongue flickered across her lips, seeking permission to enter. She sighed softly, opening her mouth to him, tasting his sweetness, knowing that she would not be able to simply feed then leave him tonight.

Colin kissed her gently, but deeply, his tongue dueling leisurely with hers, his breath catching in his throat as he grazed his tongue on her fangs. She didn't protest when he pulled away sharply. Tasting his blood in his mouth he looked at her, seeing that her eyes had changed colour to a pale, ice blue.

She had dropped her head again, looking up at him through her lashes.

"You've cast some bloody spell over me..." he accused, only half joking.

She shook her head, her voice sincere as she told him gently, "No... This is your doing." She smiled, "You are the one who holds me here. I have no hold over you."

He swallowed, taking the information in. Then he reached for her again, losing himself in her eyes and kissing her deeply. She responded, sinking against him, slipping her hands inside the open front of his overalls, the heat of his body radiating through her, the thump of his heart hammering against her hands.

Moaning softly, aching for her, he gently broke the kiss. Then he smiled. "Ya've got a smudge of oil on your cheek," he told her, reaching up to try to wipe it away. It refused to budge.

She reached up, covering his hand with hers and he lost himself in her eyes again.

"Want to go somewhere more comfortable?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper. Cricket nodded, smiling at him.  He pushed himself to his feet, his eyes still locked with hers. He held out his hand to her and she took it, letting him draw her up from the floor.  Turning, he guided her past the car, towards the back of the garage, leading her up a small flight of wooden stairs.

Opening a door, he switched on the light and led her inside. The small office was also a storeroom, dominated by huge sets of shelves along two walls that were filled with cardboard boxes of all sizes and colours.  Colin led her through a plastic curtain of ribbons that covered the door-like space between the wall and the longest set of shelves.

Cricket found herself in a small living area. "It's... It's not much," he apologised.

She smiled, looking round. It was small, but there was a small kitchen area with a sink, a cooker and a fridge. An easy chair sat in one corner, in front of a television. And in the opposite corner lived a not-so-neatly made bed. "It's perfect," she assured him.

He smiled, drawn back to her mouth, kissing her gently. She sighed softly, opening her lips to him, returning the kiss as she slipped her hands beneath the overalls again, this time pushing them off his shoulders and down his arms. He gasped as her hands travelled below the sleeve of his T-shirt, touching the bare skin, her fingers icy cold. Breaking the kiss, he pushed the overalls off his arms before taking her hands between his to warm them.

"You sure you should be so cold, luv?"

His concern pulled a gentle smile to her lips. She nodded, brushing her mouth against his, murmuring, "I'm sure..."

He pulled her closer, smelling her perfume over the oil and grease from his clothes. "Maybe a shower...?"

Cricket didn't trust showers... She didn't like the thought of the water falling across her face. She always opted for a tried and tested, comforting bath. Yet she hesitated for only a second before agreeing, "That sounds wonderful."

He took her hand, leading her through to the small bathroom. Letting her go, he turned the water on, testing it, adjusting the heat until it was just right. When he turned back she was standing naked, her clothes pooled at her feet.

She was exquisite, the loveliest thing he had ever seen in his life, reminding him more of an angel than a vampire. He gazed at her, his eyes roaming over her pale skin.

Smiling shyly, she took a small step toward him. Grinning at her, he slid his boots off.  He reached for the zip of the overalls, but she stopped him gently with her hands, pulling the zip down herself, unbuttoning the jeans below. She sank to her knees, drawing the overalls and jeans down his legs, smiling wickedly up at him as she released his arousal.

Colin watched her, unable to take his eyes off her. Any minute now he was going to wake up alone, with a raging hard-on. Swallowing hard, he stepped out of his clothes, letting her draw off his socks.

Looking back up at him, Cricket knelt up, running her fingers up his legs. He shivered, moaning softly, closing his eyes. Then he gasped, his eyes snapping open as she gently licked his tip.

Cricket giggled at his reaction, locking eyes with his as she ran her tongue round him, sucking him slowly into her mouth. He made a small noise, deep in the back of his throat, running his fingers through her hair. She let him go, climbing to her feet and he pulled her towards him, kissing her deeply, lifting her slightly, stepping back into the shower with her.

The warm water shocked through her and she gasped against his mouth.

He slowed the kiss, breaking away gently, caressing her face, smiling at her as she blinked up at him. The water cascaded over her and she didn't care. Wrapped in his arms she was safe...

"So beautiful..." he murmured.

She leant in, standing on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his, reaching for the soap and gently beginning to wash his body. He closed his eyes, relishing her touch, feeling her skin warming beneath the water. Finally, he took the soap from her, his eyes following the movements of his hands as he carefully washed the curves of her body.

She trembled, making a small noise in her throat as he washed her thighs. He looked at her, smiling, taking a step towards her, dropping his head to brush his lips across hers, sliding his fingers between her legs.

She moaned softly, moving her feet a little further apart, wrapping her arms round his neck as his fingers found the sensitive mound and slowly began to stroke her, his hard length bobbing against her hip. She growled, deep in the back of her throat, already aching for him, the perfume of his blood pounding at her in waves mixed with the heady, musky aroma of his arousal.

The sound sent shivers of delight through him and he abandoned his ministrations to draw her leg up his thigh, pushing her gently back against the wall of the shower.

She broke the kiss, looking into his eyes, rubbing her foot across the back of his knee.

His hands slipped round her hips to cup her butt. He lifted her gently, pinning her against the wall, slowly sliding his length into her. She cried out softly, arching against him, wrapping her legs round him and tilting her hips to take him deeper.

For a long moment they simply drowned in one another's eyes.

Then she leant in, kissing him gently. He kissed her back hard, devouring her mouth, beginning to move against her, loving her in long, deep, hard, urgent strokes. She clung to him, kissing him desperately. The small graze on his tongue hadn't yet healed and she could taste his blood, warm, sweet and tantalising.

He pounded against her, his movements growing ever more desperate and abandoned. For the first time in years she felt the small glow beginning deep in her belly. She gasped then held her breath, trying to draw the pressure up through her, terrified that she may lose it. Instead, it spread through her, growing and expanding until she teetered on the edge of orgasm, unable to take any more.

The climax smashed through her, drawing a scream from deep inside her and pulsing intensely into her soul. From far away she heard her mortal lover cry out, felt the hot stream of his seed as he spilt it inside her in long, shuddered spurts.

Slowly, gasping for breath, Colin sank to his knees, bringing her with him, the strength leaving his legs. She dropped her head onto his shoulder, her cheek against his neck, holding him as he softened inside her.

He caressed her hair, breathing her name.

Cricket pulled back, smiling, looking at him, watching the way the water trickled down his face. Showers, she decided suddenly, were perhaps not as bad as she had thought. She kissed him gently and another, different ache began deep in her belly.

She kissed her way along his jaw, nibbling on his ear. Almost instinctively he tilted his head. Cricket nuzzled him, kissing him, his blood flowing scant, tantalizing millimetres below her mouth...

She sighed softly... Not here... She didn't trust showers that much... yet...

She lifted her head, smiling at him, running her fingers down his face. He smiled back at her his breathing settling towards a more normal rhythm. Her eyes were the palest ice blue he had ever seen, almost glowing, highlighted by the soft, alabaster of her skin...

Almost instinctively knowing what she now needed, he lifted her off of him, standing up, offering his hand and helping her to stand. He led her out of the shower, reaching for a towel and wrapping it round her. Then he reached for a second one, wrapping it round his own waist.

Taking her hand, he guided her through to the other room, stopping beside the bed. He blushed a little, giving her a bashful smile and picked up the clothes draped over it, discarding them onto a chair. Then he turned, sinking down onto the bed.

Cricket smiled, moving to stand between his legs, bending down slightly and brushing her lips against his.

She straddled him, pushing him gently back onto the mattress, kissing him deeply. He made a small noise, hands slipping across her waist, to her back, pressing her against him. Breaking the kiss she trailed her lips down his jaw, nuzzling his neck. He tilted his head, pressing her harder against him.

Cricket licked his neck, hearing him moan softly. Then, gently, she bit down. His blood exploded into her mouth and she growled, deep in the back of her throat, swallowing it, relishing the taste of him.

Colin shuddered, a wave of ecstasy slamming through him, drowning the initial pain of her bite. He gasped, trembling as the draw of her mouth pushed a dreamy rapture through him, hardening his manhood against her hip. He floated on pleasure, clutching Cricket to him, never wanting her to stop.

Beneath her, Cricket felt the beat of his heart quicken. She smiled, taking a last mouthful, slowly drawing away and lapping at the wound, growling softly.

Colin moaned again, devastated by the loss. Then she was kissing him again, her tongue probing his mouth deeply, his own blood metallic against his tongue.

He fumbled with her towel, unfastening it. She sat up slightly, pulling it free for him, giving him room to unfasten his own towel. Then she claimed his mouth again, kissing him deeply, running her hands down his sides. He moaned, dragging his nails down the soft skin of her spine.

Then he rolled her over, lips still locked with hers, his knee nudging her legs apart. She opened to him, running a foot up the back of his calf, growling softly. The sound drew another small moan from him and he propped himself above her on one elbow, looking down into her eyes, guiding himself to the lips of her sex with his other hand.

Slowly, gently, he pushed himself inside her, watching her face a she bit her lip, arching against him, wrapping her legs round him, tilting her hips to take him deeper as he buried himself to the hilt.

For a long moment they looked at one another, Cricket reaching up to brush her finger tips across his cheek. Colin caught her hand, turning his head to kiss her palm, dropping his mouth against hers and kissing her deeply as he slowly drew out of her then pushed back in.

Her hands caressed his back and sides, her legs tightening around him. She moved with him as they made love in long, slow, gentle strokes. There was no hurry this time as they explored each other, relishing each other's touch, the pressure building slowly within each of them, expanding through them, finally driving them faster as they pushed toward fulfillment.

Cricket's heart expanded in joy. She was warm from feeding, her body temperature matching his. This, she remembered, was what it was like to be mortal... This man's soul had spoken to her and he had gifted her memory of being mortal...

Tears spilled down her face for the first time in nearly one hundred years. She arched back, crying out, as she teetered on the edge of orgasm, suddenly realising that she didn't know his name.

Then any rational thought was driven from her mind as the orgasm slammed through her...

Colin felt her tremble and arch beneath him, her muscles pulsating around him. He threw his head back, pumping faster, calling out her name and spilling his seed inside her in hot spurts. He shuddered to a stop, gasping for breath, collapsing slowly on top of her.

His breath tickled her neck and she held him tightly, legs still wrapped around him. He murmured her name again and she smiled, running her fingers through his hair. Finally, with a groan, he pushed himself up, his smile turning to a frown. Gently, he kissed the tears away from her face.

"Shhh, luv. It's okay..." he comforted, moving off of her to lie at her side, gathering her into his arms.

Cricket snuggled happily, safe and content in his arms, caressing his side and watching him as he drifted to sleep.

Only when instinct told her that the sun was threateningly close to the horizon did she move, easing herself carefully out of his grasp and climbing gently out of the bed. She padded silently across the wooden floor into the bathroom, picking up her trousers and slipping them on. She stopped at the door to watch him again as she shrugged her jacket on.

He turned onto his back, making a small noise in his sleep. Cricket fastened the jacket buttons, running her fingers through her hair.

Unable to leave yet, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest as he slept, she walked slowly back toward him, sinking to her knees beside the bed. She reached out, running gentle fingers down his cheek, a wave of sadness washing over her.

In that moment she knew that he wasn't long for this world...

Something terrible was going to happen to him... She could see it. She could feel his pain, feel the warmth of his blood slowly draining from his body, his life ebbing away with each beat of his heart.

Instinct screamed at her that she had to leave. The sun was almost up.

Standing up, she brushed her fingers across his forehead, bending to kiss him briefly and whispering, "Forget..."

Then she tore herself away from him, walking away, hesitating at the door and turning to look back.

There was no way she could pull herself away from this mortal. He had touched her too deeply, he had given her too great a gift. He was going to die soon... and deep in her soul she knew that, no matter what, she would be there at the end.

Epilogue

Cricket slammed awake, a strangled scream choking in her throat.

Already awake and waiting for the cry, Phoenix wrapped Cricket in his arms, drawing her to him. Kissing her forehead, he comforted her until she sobbed herself back to sleep. It was always the same, had been for months. She would wake up screaming, he would rock her back to sleep and then she would wake again a short time later with no memory of either having woken the first time or of the dream that caused her such pain.

Phoenix sensed Raven before she even appeared in the open doorway. He lifted his head, seeing the concern on her face and smiled to reassure her. "She's okay, luv... Just the usual nightmare..."

Raven sighed softly and walked across the floor towards them, kneeling down, gently stroking Cricket's hair, looking up into Phoenix' green eyes. "When the time's right, she'll tell us... The nightmares will get better then..."

Phoenix nodded, looking back down at Cricket's gently sleeping face. "Is Morrigan awake yet?" he asked softly.

Raven sighed, shaking her head, "Not yet... She cried herself to sleep again." She laughed sadly, "A fine pair they make, these two. Morrigan cries herself to sleep, Cricket cries herself awake..."

She sighed again, standing up, bending slightly to kiss his hair. "Cricket, at least, won't go far wrong with you looking out for her..."

He smiled up at her, catching her hand, kissing it gently. Raven touched his face tenderly. "You're a good lad. Cricket chose well..." she told him, softly. "Following the heart doesn't always bring the sort of happiness you've both found..."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Cricket made a small noise as she drifted up from the depths of sleep, drawing his attention back to her. Raven straightened, brushing her fingers across his shoulder reassuringly. Then she turned, leaving them alone in the semi-darkness.

Cricket's eyes fluttered open. She smiled up into the green pools looking down on her, reaching up to touch his face. Phoenix caught her hand, turning his head to kiss her palm.

"Hello..." Cricket greeted.

"Hello," Phoenix replied, snuggling down beside her and kissing her cheek gently.

She giggled, cuddling in to him. Then she pulled back slightly to look into his eyes, asking softly, "No regrets?"

He smiled, reaching out, caressing her cheek gently with the back of his fingers. Her eyes were ice blue again, the candlelight casting a golden glow across her alabaster skin and dancing in her blond hair. She was breathtaking... as breathtaking as the first time he had seen her.

He leant in, pulling her closer to him, brushing his lips across hers. "Never..." he assured her softly. "My place is here, with you. The past was just a dream, a shadow... This is reality...."

He pulled away slightly, looking into her eyes, "All my dreams fulfilled..."

She smiled, recognising the words. Singing so softly it was almost a whisper, she finished, "For my darling, I love you, and I always will..."

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