Exquisite Release

"Don't scream, Katarina."

"Of course I won't scream, Evelyn. At least not at the sight of your fangs. I've always known what you are."

"You knew I was a vampire."

"Yes."

"And yet your never said anything."

"I knew before I saw you on that metro platform in Paris. You thought you were stalking me. I was stalking you."

"I should have known. The chase felt different with you. But then, I've always been the predator."

"It took years to track you down, a real living vampire."

"Living?"

"Undead. The better part of a decade I spent searching. I almost ran out of time."

"Because you have cancer."

"Yes."

"The kind that mortal medicine can't cure."

"You can see it can't you?"

"I can sense it, yes. It spreads through you, Katarina, an evil creation of your own cells. Feeding, metastasizing. Ugly and deadly. A part of you and not a part of you. You are so beautiful, Katarina, but you have such evil inside you, like me, like all the undead. It is why I chose you."

"I told you, Evelyn. I chose you."

"I've never been chosen by anyone."

"I find that surprising. Tall, slender, pale, with eyes the colour of a turbulent night sea. You are so striking. So beautiful. I would have noticed you even if I hadn't been searching."

"I have always been between worlds, Katarina. Between male and female. Between living and dead. I've never belonged with anyone as I feel I could belong with you."

"I sought you out because I thought you could save me. I never thought you could love me."

"I'm not sure I can, either. My heart is black and still."

"But you still feel something, Evelyn. I've seen it. In all those subtle glances. The way you look at me when your guard is down, when you think I'm not paying attention."

"In all my centuries, I have lusted after many women and men, but I have never loved any of them."

"And now?"

"Now I wish I could give up my immortality and grow old with you. I've never had a desire so banal, so human."

"I love you too, Evelyn."

"Oh Katarina."

"Kat."

"Cat. Lioness would be more apropos."

"Because I'm wild?"

"And dangerous."

"Dangerous. Ha. You're the predator here."

"If I taste you too quickly, my Lioness, the evil inside you could destroy me."

"I thought you were immortal."

"Mostly. Though a few things make me vulnerable."

"Garlic. Sunlight."

"Very funny."

"You think my cancer could really hurt you?"

"It is pure evil, devouring anything in its path. So yes, I believe it could hurt me if I drink it in too quickly."

"We'll have to go slowly then."

"I will try, Kat. But my desire may be too great for me to control. It isn't just blood thirst with us. All of our needs are heightened, our sexual appetite insatiable. It took all my resolve not to take you the moment I saw you."

"Right on the subway platform."

"Yes. Oh yes."

"You flatter me, Evelyn."

"I want you. With all my unearthly desires, I want you."

"Evelyn."

"Katarina."

"Kiss me."

"Mmmm."

"Oh! You bit me."

"I will again."

"Yes. Oh. Oh. Oh. Stop. Stop."

"Yes. Right. Too fast. Just a taste. You are more delicious than I ever imagined."

"Let me taste you too, Evelyn. Let me become like you."

"Soon, sweet Lioness. First, there are carnal desires to be satisfied."

"Oh, yes. Take me. Take all of me."

"I will taste every inch of your flesh."

"Yes."

"Your lips.

"Mmmm"

"Your breasts."

"Oh yes. Oh."

"Your naval."

"Keep going."

"Your thighs."

"You're getting warmer. Don't stop."

"Your cunt."

"Yes! Taste me. Yes. Oh. Yes."

"You are so supple. So sensual."

"Evelyn I want you."

"I need you."

"I want you to drink my blood."

"If I do, I may not be able to stop."

"I don't care. Evelyn, I don't care about anything but this."

"You don't understand this power, Katarina. I've never felt this desire before. That I would give my life to be intoxicated by you."

"Drink me, Evelyn. Drink every last drop."

"I can't. Not yet."

"Please. Please Evelyn."

"Mmmm. Mmm. Mmmm."

"Evelyn. That's too much."

"I. Can't. Stop."

"...Feel....weak."

"Mmmm."

"Dizzy. Oh. So faint."

"We will die. Here. Together."

"Evelyn. No."

"Your darkness. Is inside me now."

"Oh Evelyn. Evelyn my love."

"I was right. I couldn't stop myself. It won't be long now."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean."

"It is a pleasure, my lioness. One last great pleasure. And pain, so much pain. It's been so long since I felt pain."

"Your eyes have turned black."

"Black to match my heart. Stay away, Kat. I might hurt you. I can't control the evil."

"I'm not afraid."

"I feel it building up inside me."

"Evelyn? Evelyn! Are you all right?"

"Stand back, Katarina. Stay away."

"What's happening?"

"Ahhhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhh!"

"What—cough—is this—cough—black—cough—smoke."

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

"This isn't smoke. It's alive. Oh Evelyn it's evil. I can feel it."

"Get away from here, evil, I banish thee!"

"Oh Evelyn. What was that?"

"That was your evil. Your cancer, Lioness."

"I'm cured."

"We're cured."

"I didn't know that was possible. They said incurable. Terminal."

"It was. It is. But it is no longer inside you."

"It seemed alive, Evelyn. Is it dangerous?"

"Very. But there are many dangers out there. One more won't make much difference."

"I'm frightened. I didn't expect to be frightened."

"You think a lioness never feels fear."

"Now that I'm not dying. Your reason for loving me is gone."

"I will love you until the last of my centuries, no matter what you choose."

"What I choose?"

"Your choice, Katarina. I can leave you and you will wake up light-headed but alive. You will live a normal mortal life and never see me again."

"Or?"

"You can drink your fill of me, become one of the undead, and we will live forever, together, insatiable lovers."

"Evelyn."

"Yes, Katarina."

"I think you know my answer."