In Darkness We Must Abide: The Complete First Season: Episodes 1-5 by Rhiannon Frater Page B
Authors: Rhiannon Frater
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in the doors just his great-great-great-grandfather had.
The house loomed before him, majestic and ominous. He stared up at its darkened windows with longing. This was his home and he would never be able to enter it again.
The hunger hit him again full force. Suddenly the longing was not homesickness. Roman clenched his fists so violently that his nails dug deep into the flesh of his palms.
“No! Never!” he whispered hoarsely.
Swiveling about sharply, he deliberately strode across the darkened lawn and away from the house. As the hunger billowed within him, his steps slowed.
Alisha was in the study, waiting for him.
“No!” Roman forced himself to walk on.
Within a few minutes, he reached the high stone wall that enfolded the estate. Roman lifted his hands and touched the cold stone. Could he scale it? Another wave of the hunger washed over him and the incredible desire to return to the house tore at him. The madness was coming; he could feel it. He swung about and stared at the house barely visible through the grove of trees. The desire to feed was becoming overwhelming.
“I have to control it,” Roman whispered into the darkness. He placed his hands once more on the wall and wedged his fingers between the cracks. With hesitant movements, he climbed the wall. It was far easier than he had ever imagined. Easily reaching the top, he hesitated as the urge to return gripped him once again. With a growl, he leaped off the wall. In the back of his mind, he wanted to break a leg or, better yet, his neck, and end this mad dream. Instead, he landed effortlessly and safely on the sidewalk.
“Damn!”
A quaint, middle-class neighborhood that surrounded the estate emerged and his hunger surged. He had to get away from these people too. He could no longer trust himself . Every fiber of his being yearned for the life-giving warmth of blood.
Roman ran blindly for several minutes, dogs around the neighborhood barking and howling as they detected his presence.
Turning a corner, a majestic church came into view, its steeple rising into the night sky. At once Roman felt white fire licking along his skin, and he came to a halt before the house of God, where an inner light illuminated the stained-glass windows. This was his church, the church he entered every Sunday.
The hunger was unbearable now, ripping him apart. Clenching his hands, he fought against the desire to return to the estate and feed on his sister.
I have to die!
Roman moved toward the church, fighting the Holy Fire repulsing him. The crosses inset on the doors blazed to life, blinding him. Covering his face, he staggered off into the bushes lining the building. Desperate, he kicked in one of the basement windows and slid inside. Hot invisible fire burned against his flesh.
“Dear God, help me,” he whispered as he moved through the darkened basement. He sat down in a folding chair and hugged himself protectively. “I did not ask for this curse. Have mercy on me, please.”
The discomfort worsened as the minutes ticked by. The holiness of the church and the hunger plunged Roman into a living hell. Hands trembling, he pushed his sweat soaked hair from his brow.
“Kill me, God. Kill me now,” he moaned in anguish.
Then something snapped within him and the beast that was his hunger seized full control.
Desperate to escape the inferno of holy power engulfing him, he threw himself about the basement, furniture splintering. His crazed, glowing red eyes caught sight of the broken window and he leaped easily through it and hurled away from the church.
Rachel Williams slammed the door of her car shut and heaved her grocery bag onto her hip. The pretty young woman with ebony hair and skin hated working so late at the local supermarket, but it was the only way she could attend school. She started to take a step forward, then hesitated. She never felt safe after dark, but the boarding house where she lived appeared strangely ominous.
Presently, the
The house loomed before him, majestic and ominous. He stared up at its darkened windows with longing. This was his home and he would never be able to enter it again.
The hunger hit him again full force. Suddenly the longing was not homesickness. Roman clenched his fists so violently that his nails dug deep into the flesh of his palms.
“No! Never!” he whispered hoarsely.
Swiveling about sharply, he deliberately strode across the darkened lawn and away from the house. As the hunger billowed within him, his steps slowed.
Alisha was in the study, waiting for him.
“No!” Roman forced himself to walk on.
Within a few minutes, he reached the high stone wall that enfolded the estate. Roman lifted his hands and touched the cold stone. Could he scale it? Another wave of the hunger washed over him and the incredible desire to return to the house tore at him. The madness was coming; he could feel it. He swung about and stared at the house barely visible through the grove of trees. The desire to feed was becoming overwhelming.
“I have to control it,” Roman whispered into the darkness. He placed his hands once more on the wall and wedged his fingers between the cracks. With hesitant movements, he climbed the wall. It was far easier than he had ever imagined. Easily reaching the top, he hesitated as the urge to return gripped him once again. With a growl, he leaped off the wall. In the back of his mind, he wanted to break a leg or, better yet, his neck, and end this mad dream. Instead, he landed effortlessly and safely on the sidewalk.
“Damn!”
A quaint, middle-class neighborhood that surrounded the estate emerged and his hunger surged. He had to get away from these people too. He could no longer trust himself . Every fiber of his being yearned for the life-giving warmth of blood.
Roman ran blindly for several minutes, dogs around the neighborhood barking and howling as they detected his presence.
Turning a corner, a majestic church came into view, its steeple rising into the night sky. At once Roman felt white fire licking along his skin, and he came to a halt before the house of God, where an inner light illuminated the stained-glass windows. This was his church, the church he entered every Sunday.
The hunger was unbearable now, ripping him apart. Clenching his hands, he fought against the desire to return to the estate and feed on his sister.
I have to die!
Roman moved toward the church, fighting the Holy Fire repulsing him. The crosses inset on the doors blazed to life, blinding him. Covering his face, he staggered off into the bushes lining the building. Desperate, he kicked in one of the basement windows and slid inside. Hot invisible fire burned against his flesh.
“Dear God, help me,” he whispered as he moved through the darkened basement. He sat down in a folding chair and hugged himself protectively. “I did not ask for this curse. Have mercy on me, please.”
The discomfort worsened as the minutes ticked by. The holiness of the church and the hunger plunged Roman into a living hell. Hands trembling, he pushed his sweat soaked hair from his brow.
“Kill me, God. Kill me now,” he moaned in anguish.
Then something snapped within him and the beast that was his hunger seized full control.
Desperate to escape the inferno of holy power engulfing him, he threw himself about the basement, furniture splintering. His crazed, glowing red eyes caught sight of the broken window and he leaped easily through it and hurled away from the church.
Rachel Williams slammed the door of her car shut and heaved her grocery bag onto her hip. The pretty young woman with ebony hair and skin hated working so late at the local supermarket, but it was the only way she could attend school. She started to take a step forward, then hesitated. She never felt safe after dark, but the boarding house where she lived appeared strangely ominous.
Presently, the
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