Read On the Far Side of Darkness for Free Online Page B

head, extend my fangs and insert them in the artery in Diane’s right leg. Then I start to imbibe her blood.
    The taste of her causes my eyes to roll back. It’s so intoxicating. I’m used to passion when I feed but this, this, is beyond passion. The emotions carried in her blood warm me like the sun I have not seen in centuries. She tastes bright, shining like fields of grass on a bright summer’s day. I suck harder wanting to pull every last bit of this intoxicating substance into me.
    No!
    My eyes go wide in shock. Diane, more than any person, is not one I wish to endanger. If I keep feeding I will lose her. The pang in my chest tells me that is a loss I couldn’t bear.
    So I pull my fangs free of her thigh. A quick lick closes the holes, and gives me a last taste of Diane’s blood. I have to clamp down on my impulse to continue feeding.
    My sweet redhead goes limp, gasps for air. She twitches a touch, draws a huge breath, twitches again, and gives a satisfied moan.
    I pull myself up alongside her and draw her into my embrace. Diane rolls into me and places her arm across my chest. A pleased purr quivers against my neck.
    We cuddle for a while, basking in the happy feeling our lovemaking has engendered. At moments we each sigh, a sound of contentment.
    I’m smiling as I haven’t for ages. I’m good at faking them, and I often have reason to not fake them. This is different. This smile is…complete. Complete because of the woman in my arms and now in my existence.
    I can feel Diane fading.The heights I carried her to, and the blood I took from her, are dragging her into the arms of Morpheus.
    So I roll from the bed. I pull the sheet up over Diane then place a soft kiss on her cheek. “ Bon nuit, cher.”
    She mumbles, “Not staying, Georges?” Her voice is slurred with a happy fatigue.
    “I have to go.” If I stayed the coma the sun places me in would be disconcerting, or worse, she could open the drapes and watch me burst into flames. “I’ve papers to mark and a class to plan. But I’ll see you tomorrow night, I promise.”
    “Okay,” the lovely lady mumbles, “Love you, darlin’ , ” and she vanishes into sleep.
    “ J’tai…” I start to reply, but stop. The enormity of my position suddenly slams into my psyche.
    I dress quickly and leave her apartment almost at a run. Fortunately her door is self-locking.
    My mind whirls as I head for my cottage. It’s quite a bind I’ve placed myself in. I care deeply for Diane. I want her in my world, always. But she has no place there. She’s human, mortal. No matter what she will be gone from me someday. Most likely on the day that she discovers what I am. If she does, and such a revelation can’t be avoided, it will be a death sentence. We vampires keep our existence secret. Considering how few there are of us, if we were discovered we would be hunted from the world.
    It’s possible I could change her, but I’d done that once before. It was an act I soon regretted and still carry guilt from a century and a half later.
    I don’t know what to do.
    So I walk, shoulders hunched and hands in the pocket of my jacket, until I’m almost at my haven. On the steps of my cottage I straighten.
    I don’t need to decide now. I can enjoy Diane’s presence for a while yet.
    I carefully keep the, But then I’ll need to leave, from my awareness.
     
    * * * *
     
    I’m five minutes into my class when the door opens. Ms. Richardson parades into the room followed by her entourage. A slightly different entourage but a set of courtiers all the same. The blonde butch sneers at me as she goes past. The expression contains her now common expression of triumph and contempt. Mandy finds my efforts to stand against her repugnant.
    I turn away from her and take a moment to rein myself in. Since I am a vampire being sneered at brings up very dark emotions and drives. Ripping her head off and drinking her blood would not be a good idea.
    A snort from behind me tells me that