My Original by wizardtho
Chapter 6:
The first vampire and her chosen mate
Chapter 6:
I spent the next two hours telling Coop about my move to Forks, life with Edward and his family, as well as all the craziness that surrounded us. When I finished, I hesitantly looked up to Coop, who surprisingly looked like he was ready to cry. He gently pulled me over into his lap, then whispered into my hair, “I understand it all now. I knew as soon as I saw the pictures, that your Edward was a virus-bitten vampire, but all of the pieces needed to be filled in.”
I chuckled, then shook my head, “I thought I noticed recognition in your eyes when you saw the pictures, but I couldn't be sure. How do you know about them?”
Coop chuckled, then got serious. I looked into his swirling blue/gray eyes as he said softly, “Because I'm something older than them, Bella. I'm what's called an original. The Cullens... and even the Volturi, for that matter... are all virus-bitten vampires. They are weaker and blood-driven, which makes them more dangerous in a lot of ways. Vampires were not always virus-bitten. A man was turned that had an extremely rare virus. Instead of him being cured during his change, the virus somehow mutated. That's where the three days of burning comes from, along with the uncontrollable urge to feed for their newborn year. That man went on a feeding frenzy as soon as he came through the change but didn't feed completely. Luckily his maker burned his kills until he found ways to control his blood lust. The maker studied the vampire over his lifespan, only to find that the virus had given birth, essentially, to a new breed of vampires.”
I shook my head in confusion, then said, “That can't be. Carlisle would have told me during our discussions. He wouldn't have left something that big out, especially with him being a doctor.”
Coop smiled softly, curled a stray hair behind my ear, then said, “Yes, Bella. He would have, because the Queen would have had him killed the instant the words were out of his mouth. Only an original can speak of other originals. The Queen automatically knows if a virus-bitten speaks or writes about originals. It's an immediate death sentence. There are only a few dozen of us left; our only weakness had been shared with a virus-bitten a few thousand years ago, who then used that weakness when he and his followers went on a killing spree. New laws were enforced to protect what was left of us, and more care has been taken on who is allowed to be turned, to try to avoid a repeat situation in the future.”
I thought over what he was saying, then asked softly, “Can you tell me more? Like why I would be safer with you than the Cullens?”
He smiled a genuine smile, nodding as he said, “Of course, Sweetheart. Originals have been around for many thousands of years. The first record of an original was about 14,000 years ago. She was said to have somehow evolved from her human state to her vampire state. None were documented to have 'evolved' alongside her. After a few hundred years, she ached for a companion. She met a man near her human age soon after, and saw the longing in him to care for and love her... to worship her like no other. She felt an extreme draw to his scent... not in a feeding sense, but in a sexual sense. The pair became quite close. On the first night of their intimacy, her instinct for a companion kicked in. She drained him dry after feeding him a large amount of her own blood, then was so distraught at the thought of her lover's death at her hands, that she buried them both together. Thus, he was the first original change. They rose together from the ground on the third night.”
I couldn't help my smile. At Coop's raised eyebrow, I said, “So at least one of the legends is right, as far as originals is concerned. She must have been overjoyed to find out that her companion was still with her.”
Coop smiled, “Yes, she was. They lived happily together for many years. Their mistake was turning a child that was too young to tell right from wrong. It was after they had turned others -as they wanted to have actual friends they could tell everything to- and a vampire hierarchy was established.”
I nodded, understanding so far. I found myself curled up into Coop's side as he continued to look at me tenderly and speak. “With the first and her companion being killed by the child, and the child sentenced to death by the next in line in the hierarchy, the rule was established that no one under 13 could be turned. If an original was caught turning someone younger, both were immediately killed.”
I nodded, “So that rule got transferred somewhere down the road to the virus-bitten vamps. They call them immortal children... say they were beyond reason and uncontrollable.”
Coop nodded, “Yes, on both accounts. Shall I continue, or would you like a break?”
He cupped my cheek with a look of concern in his eyes, but I found myself leaning into his hand as I nodded.
We looked at each other for a long moment, neither of us breaking eye contact, until Coop whispered, “Take your time, Bella. There's no rush and no pressure, alright?”
His eyes swirled with emotion, so I knew he was talking about more than just my head nod, since it could have been taken to mean I needed a break. I closed my eyes, still leaning into his hand, then whispered back, “M'kay. Thank you for telling me that. I'm ready to continue.”
I opened my eyes, to which he smiled, before continuing to tell me about the history of originals and virus-bitten vamps.
After thirty minutes of his story, I had a question burning my tongue. I needed to know. “Coop, you said at the beginning, that his scent was a sexual lure for her, but his lure was to both care for and worship her. Has it always been that way between males and females, or is it between vamps and humans?”
Coop hummed before explaining, “Good question, Sweetheart. Sorry that I didn't clarify. It's a male/female thing, whether they are both vampires or not. The female's lure is always his scent above all else, while the male's is always the draw to worship and protect. That's how we find the one truly right for us... our mates.”
I was up off his lap and walking out toward the water without a sound. My head spun with the insinuation of his words. I was gasping for air, holding my middle tightly, not willing to believe that I was never Edward's mate. I was. I knew deep down that I was.
After several minutes, I felt a pair of arms snake around me as Coop whispered in my ear, “Shh... I told you. No pressure and no rush, Bella. Take slow, deep breaths for me.”
He turned me in his arms when my breathing calmed, but I choked out, “I know... know that I was his mate. I feel it deep down... even after all this time. You can't convince me otherwise, Coop.”
His eyes took on a look of horror, then realization took over as he said seriously, “Oh, Bella. I never meant to make you think you weren't. If you weren't, it would have been a hell of a lot easier for you to say goodbye. There have been cases where two different male vampires have claimed the same mate, whether original or virus-bitten. We've found that the reason is always because one of them will not live as long as the female. He was your mate for a time, so that he could protect and love you with all of his heart, but the fates took him before you could be united with me, too. Luckily the fates also sought to guide you to me, before anything could harm you.”
I thought over what he said, then asked, “So... you're making it sound like the three are usually together before one is taken. How does that... I mean... how would that have worked?”
Coop's fingers ghosted back and forth on the exposed skin of my lower back, between my top and shorts. I couldn't help but let out a shaky breath as my eyes fluttered. When they opened fully again, Coop gave me a tender smile while offering, “Yes. With your Edward and I, an automatic hierarchy would have taken place, with me being the highest rank. With a female and two originals, they would have looked to their female mate to sexually decide ranking. Her happiness is their ultimate priority. As you know, vampires can't procreate. With that being said, most vampires do not have the same mindset as humans about sex, so neither of the males would have been upset to see or even join their mate while with the other male. Most often, if the males sense an interest from their female mate at the prospect, they even enjoy pleasing each other. There is no limit to the amount of pleasure that can be shared between mates, whether that includes two or three people. Does that make sense?”
I blushed and ducked my forehead into Coop's chest, then whispered, “We never... he and I...”
Coop kissed the top of my head, then whispered against it, “You lead, I follow, Sweetheart. Remember, no rush and no pressure. Now, would you like to hear more about the differences between the two?”
I smiled, thankful he was changing the subject, then shivered slightly as the breeze blew across my skin. “Let's get you inside, as you're starting to chill. We can continue our talk in there.”
We took our glasses and wine bucket into the living room. Once Coop refilled our glasses, he sat next to me on the couch. I turned to face him, asking, “Okay, so other than the turning itself, what's different? Do you sparkle like they do?”
He chuckled, then shook his head, “No, that's actually part of the virus, thank God. So is them not having blood… having venom in their veins instead. Feel.”
He placed my hand on his chest, where I felt the soft thump-thump of his heart beating.
“Originals need to feed on blood to keep their hearts working. I am stronger and faster than a virus-bitten, and my senses are just as acute. I just need blood to replace what my body can't make anymore. Originals only have one way to die, though it's not the same as virus-bitten vampires. I can go out in the daytime, but with my eyesight being so acute, it becomes irritating.”
He scowled slightly, then said, “I'm not explaining this right. Okay, after an original turns a human, the new vampire needs to still have a rest period. Usually, their senses are out of whack, and they take the daylight hours to fill that need for rest. The body does not automatically stop its need for food or sleep, but the need becomes less with time. Unlike a virus-bitten, I do still eat food, as you have seen... but I only need one meal a day, which just absorbs into my body the same way as blood. I sleep, just like you. I don't need more than a few hours because of my age, and I choose to sleep during the sun's most demanding hours, to prevent it from irritating my senses. I can sleep longer, but it is not necessary.”
I nodded, understanding what he was saying, then said, “Still no on the garlic and crosses and holy water, right? None of those can hurt you?”
Coop chuckled, “Right. Wooden stakes are out, too, since they wouldn't be able to penetrate my skin. My skin may look just as fragile as yours, but it is actually as tough as a virus-bitten's.”
I let out a breath in relief before catching sight of Coop's slight smile. I smacked his knee gently, then said, “Well, I can't help but worry. I mean, when you think about how different the two types are, it makes you wonder. Hey, do you have fangs or just really sharp teeth?”
Coop let out a genuine belly laugh, then leaned in to whisper in my ear, “Fangs, My Sweet, and they are hard to control around you. The simplest thing that you do, will have me fighting to keep them at bay.”
I didn't understand, so I gave him a curious look. He let out a breath, then sat back before taking my hand in his. “Remember when you hear the reason, that there's no pressure and no rush, alright?”
At my nod, he offered, “An original can control the extension of their fangs to a point, but there are three main reasons they extend. One is to feed, the second is a threat to ourselves or our mates, and the last is arousal. Though your scent is the most exquisite scent I have ever come across, it doesn't cause a feed reaction in me, and there is no current danger to us. Your scent, hell everything about you, causes the last reaction.”
He ducked his head in embarrassment at his admission, but I lifted his chin to stare into his bottomless eyes. After a long moment, I whispered, “Protect, care for, love, and worship... this is the worship part, right? It's instinct for you to want to please me intimately, isn't it? I can't fault you for that, Coop. I just ask that you give me time. All of that will be new to me, and I... I can't promise it will be anytime soon. I need time to be able to let you in, because it still hurts to think of giving another person my heart. I'm not the type of person who can be intimate with someone unless she's given her heart to him. I know you said no rush and no pressure, but I needed you to know where I am right now.”
He ghosted the back of his fingers along my jaw, then nodded as his swirling eyes looked into mine. “I'll wait as long as you need me to, Bella. We have a lot to learn about each other, plus I'm more than content to just spend time with you. When you are ready for more, you'll need to let me know the boundaries, so that I don't cross them. You lead, I follow.”
I smiled, agreeing in a whisper, then asked as something hit me. “Umm... this might sound crazy, but you talked about a queen, and you make it sound like the female of the relationship is always in charge. I thought...”
Coop played with my fingers as he smirked, “Does that frighten you? The thought of being cherished and worshiped like a goddess?”
I snorted while shaking my head, “No, but the thought seems utterly absurd, and... at least with virus-bitten vamps... the males are always dominant.”
Coop's eyes widened, then he thought. When he spoke, it was soft, like he was trying to get a point across without upsetting me. “Tell me this... and I swear I'm not trying to hurt you or make you angry. Was your Edward dominant? Did you often get frustrated or pissed because of something that he took out of your control? For instance, taking a decision out of your hands, telling you something was too dangerous, or not telling you about something that involved you?”
I stiffened in reaction to his line of questioning, then blew out a breath. “Yes, more times than I care to count. I would get so frustrated that I was ready to pull my hair out at times.”
Coop nodded, then said, “It's because he didn't understand that you were meant for two, Bella, and his instincts told him to keep you safe at all costs. Had the two of you been united with me before his end, things would have made more sense to him. I would have been able to guide him. As for your question, yes... females are the dominants when it comes to originals. Our females have always been highly intelligent, thoughtful, and good leaders. They are also inherently stronger than males, both physically and mentally. They are seen as true goddesses by their mates, and always treated as such. That's not to say that the males don't have liberties, though.”
He raised an eyebrow at me to make his point, but it took a second for realisation to hit. I blushed, then mumbled, “I wondered more than a few times what it would be like to have him dominate me sexually, since he always treated me like spun glass. I was to be looked at and not touched. It was a big issue between us.”
I frowned as I played with my fingers, wondering if Coop would treat me the same way.
Suddenly I was laying back against the side of the sofa with Coop hovering over me, his eyes swirling wildly. His voice sounded like pure sex, yet his scent surrounded me, blanketing me in what felt like pure arousal to my system. I moaned as I bit my lip, making sure to fist my hands in the sides of my shorts. Coop whispered huskily, “Make no mistake, Bella. When you are ready and tell me you want more, you need to be 100% sure. I will not hesitate to lay you out and map every single one of your delectable curves with my tongue and fingers. I have thought of a million ways to find all of your hidden sweet spots, plus another million to hear you scream my name in ecstasy as I make you cum.”
He growled slightly as he inhaled deeply, his nose trailing along my collarbones, “I ache to feel you naked underneath me, yet the scent of your arousal constantly has my mouth going dry with the need to taste it. I have no qualms about taking you against a wall... over the back of the couch... or on the kitchen bar when you're feeling frisky, nor do I have any about making slow sweet love to you for hours when you need tenderness.”
My temperature rose several degrees during his speech. All I could think about was his lips against mine as arousal flooded my core with his words. Without thinking, one of my hands rose to wrap around his neck, then I pulled him to me. My lips pressed to his with a moan, then his breathing hitched as my tongue flitted across his bottom lip.
I heard a slight click sound, causing Coop to back away enough to cover his mouth with his hand. He didn't make it before I caught the sight of an extended fang, though, so I wrapped my hand around his wrist. “I... can I see?”
He slowly lowered his hand while parting his lips slightly. I found my index finger tracing the small fang. His eyes fluttered closed as he shivered, so I hurriedly mumbled, “Sorry.”
His eyes found mine again as he shook his head, “You didn't do anything wrong. They're just sensitive, and you paying attention to them caused a rush of pleasure.”
I slowly wrapped my hand back around his neck in response to his words. He looked between my eyes and my lips before he dipped down to brush his lips against mine. This time, it was his tongue that teased my bottom lip.
I moaned at the sensation while gripping the side of his shirt with my free hand, allowing him the access he was seeking. His taste flooded my senses as our tongues met. I whimpered, trying to pull him closer.
Sweet torture, he tastes divine.
I took a chance to let my tongue trail along one of his fangs, making his breathing hitch. In response, his chest rumbled with a seriously sexy growl as his body stiffened. He broke the kiss, panting as our foreheads touched, “That was evil, Little Minx. Promise not to do that again until you're truly ready to be intimate with me... please. I was seconds away from losing control.”
I bit my lip while nodding, then whispered, “Promise.”
He let out a relieved breath before asking, “Do you believe me now, though? I will never make you feel fragile or undesirable, and I would drop to my knees and please you any way you wished this very second, if you'd only ask.”
I nodded, letting out a shaky breath before whispering. “I believe you. I felt it in our kiss.”
We talked and laughed for a couple more hours, with him explaining a few more differences between originals versus virus-bitten vampires, until I was laying with my head on his chest and yawned. He chuckled while patting my hip, offering, “Time to get you into bed, Little One.”
It wasn't long before I was drifting off to sleep, feeling good about actually being able to speak to someone about the supernatural aspects of my life... the good and bad both.