Strigoi Boyfriend: Briareos (rough draft)

It was a well known fact your family had been hunters. Earning their fame and fortune by using their skills to track and dispose of creatures who were more on the supernatural side of nature. As a child, your grandfather told you stories about how he hunted and killed vampires, werewolves, became trained to carry out exorcisms, how to take control when a possession occurred on him.

All your life you were surrounded by the occult, often subjected to the screams coming from the basement. You trained in the family business, learning marksmanship and fighting skills from your mother, while learning tracking and supernatural history from your father. Like your mother’s side of the family, you were a natural. Unlike them though, you hated it with a passion. You interests lied more in the study of these creatures, rather than the eradication of them. In your mind, the idea that learning about them would help lessen the stigmatization upon them. You had seen evil in mankind, perhaps there was goodness in these so-called monsters.

There had been an accident several years ago. Your parents and grandfather were killed in a rock slide along the mountains where they frequently traveled. There was no sign of their carriage, no sign of life despite an exhausting search. You were left everything since you were the last of the bloodline. Your family’s whole trip, perhaps the reason for the demise, was because they were going to meet a prospective husband for you. You took it as a sign you were never meant to marry, and gleefully took to the role of the eccentric spinster.

You used a sum of our new fortune to remodel the old house. You removed the trappings of hunting, locked away the weapons and keepsakes of your families’ hunts into a wing you designated a museum. You turned the underground basement, laboratory, dungeon hell hole into something more inviting and liveable. No longer would you be a hunter, you would be a scholar. You invited others like you to come to your home who also wished to study the occult, the supernatural, and yes, the monsters that were supposedly a plague on the earth.

There were not many of you, but it was enough to get the ball rolling. You revealed a family secret to them, which had allowed your ancestors to become the powerful hunters they were. Your bloodline had a certain amount of psychic power, and over the years, and through selective breeding, had tried to create the most powerful psychic. This would have been your child had they succeeded in bringing back your proposed husband. So now, it was simply you who was the most powerful psychic in the bloodline.

“I believe that the same methods your family used to hunt can be used to communicate and reach out to a multitude of creatures!” Dr. Novara had been a veterinarian who was fascinated by monsters, particularly werewolves. “If we can even find one, we could study them, befriend them. Prove it is possible that not all monsters are evil.”

“It will be dangerous. We can’t just make the creature feel like a prisoner either, but a member of the household. Part of the reasons the supernatural feels it must be defensive and last out, is because they are ostracized.” Irini Roudouli was a philosopher, poet, and had been fascinated by the mind ever since youth. Her theories on supernatural behaviour had begun when she believed she had sex with an incubus.

“That is what the underground is for,” you reply. “They will have their own home, separate, yet still with us. They may come and as they please, have their freedom, as well as protection.”

“But how will we make them stay?” Irini asks. “We can try all we might, but given the advantage to run, we may never keep one.”

You smile knowingly, already a few steps ahead of your colleagues. “I already have an idea.” You stand and approach the blackboard which Dr. Novara has already been scribbling upon. “I have been tracing my grandfather’s journals and I believe I know the whereabouts of a nest of Strigoi in the upper Saliscouche Mountains.”

“Strigoi?” Irini’s brow creases. “I thought they were gone, legend.”

“My grandfather journals mention him chasing them into the mountains, but never seeing them come out. It is possible they no longer exist, but it believe they are merely hiding up there. If that is they case, they are probably desperate to rebuild their numbers.”

Dr. Novara turns and looks at you incredulously. “My lady, am I to believe you are willing to offer yourself as a breeding vessel to the Strigoi?”

Irini raises her hand. “I volunteer as well.”

Dr. Novara scoffs and flops his mouth open and closed. “You do not even know if this is possible! Let alone if they would even want mortal flesh.”

“You don’t know how werewolves mate and yet you want to let yourself be offered up that same way,” Irini smarts to him.

Dr. Novara’s cheeks darken and he clears his throat. “My lady, I am sure you have considered all the sides here.”

“I have. With all my studies and my families knowledge, I know that Strigoi are also highly psychic in nature. They are as close to human anatomy as their cousins the vampires, and I am almost eighty-five percent certain there is a Strigoi ancestor in my family tree, considering my great-great-great-great grandmother had a son, but no known husband, and it was that son that was the beginning of my family’s psychic powers, not to mention their proclivity for hunting.”

“We can make assumptions all day about our ancestors being impregnated by witches and ghouls, but that is not what we are here to do,” Dr. Novara retorts.

“I will if it helps,” you say gleefully. “I plan on going to the Saliscouche Mountains, just to see if my theories are correct. If they are, I will return with a mate.”

Irini frowns. “You plan on going alone?”

You nod. “Just for now, I would not risk either of you should my theories be wrong. If I am correct though, we can travel together in the future. But for now, I need you both here to try and keep up the cause, as well as survive as my benefactors.”

“My lady!” Dr. Novara exclaims.

“You are my friends, my confidants, my new family. Though this family may be small, I intend to keep you alive, well, and happy. So for the time being, stay put.” You leave in a few days, taking a carriage with you, as well as a few necessary tools for the trip.

Once you reach the Saliscouche Mountains, you rest in the village below, but take to hiking the next day. You’ve trained all your life for such a journey, and you have memorized your grandfather’s trails and maps of this very mountain range. Back in his youth, he too had followed his ancestor’s maps to the Strigoi. The Strigoi were thought to be evil spirits who possess animals to create the other monsters. But your family learned that they were powerful shapeshifters, capable for certain levels of mind control and psychic ability. They were also believed to be related to vampires, even being their forebearers.

You climbed up into the mountains, beyond the trees, and to where wild goats made their home. The further you went, the more you felt an itch at the back of your mind, like someone whispering in the distance to you. The louder that whisper became, you followed.

Eventually you came to a cave and standing there at the mouth, the whisper had taken on a voice, and you could hear them speaking to you, although you could not quite understand them yet. You took off your equipment and pack, and despite the cold, you removed all your clothes and stood naked at the entrance of the cave.

Concentrating like you had been taught, you spoke back to that voice in your mind. Your thoughts cluttered until they were swept aside, and your goal became clear. “I will bear the new generation if you come with me.”

The voice in the back of your mind becomes clear as well, and a deep, rough voice begins to call out. “Show me.”

“Come out,” you reply. “I am ready to receive you, but once you are done, you must come home with me. I know your numbers are small, so once you are assured you will be safe, we will return and bring them home with us.”

You can feel his breathing down the back of your spine. His mind is strong and you know he had been calling out to you all this time.

“I know you need me,” you whisper to him. “I will be yours, if you will be mine.”

A figure appears in the mouth of the cave, strongly built, but lithe as well. He emerges from the shadows, watching you from the darkness. His eyes glow gold and there is a vibrance to his throat that also shines.

“Your blood smells familiar,” he whispers into your mind.

You step closer to the cave, seeking his skin is extremely pale, almost completely white. His features are sharp, with jutting cheekbones and jaw. His nose is snubbed like that of a bat, and his long white hair is pulled back away from his face and body.

You place your palm upon his chest which feels like fine velvet. The glow from his throat goes into his chest where it is a faint dark red. His ribs jut out sharply from his chest, fading down until his waist tapers small.

He grabs your wrist, pulling your hand up where he sniffs. A low growl grows between you and the light in his chest grows brighter. His long tongue slithers out, licking your wrist and down your arm.

“How long has it been?” You ask him.

His eyes flick up to yours. “So long that I do not remember the taste.”

“Then taste me and remember.”

His eyes narrow upon you. “What do you have to gain by doing this? What is it you want from us?”

“My family and yours have been at war for generations, I want to end it. I want to make love.” You touch his chest again with your free hand. “I want to fix what my family has destroyed.”

“I knew I recognized that blood.” He bites into your wrist, his mouth filled with jagged rows of sharp, crystal-like teeth. You gasp out loud, whimpering until the pain becomes a dull numbness that flows down your arm and through your body.

“What’s your name?” You ask him.

He pulls his mouth from your arm and glares into your eyes. “Briareos.” He then picks you up, pushing your back against the stone wall of the cave. “I will leave with you, but only once I am assured you are my mate.”

You lock your legs around his narrow waist. “That is why I am naked.”

His lip curls and he bends his head, burying his face against your neck and shoulder. He moans against your skin, breathing in deep while his long tongue explores. His body is covered in that velvet soft fur, with tufts on his elbows, down his spine, his knees and the top of his feet. The pads of his hands and feet are a rough, leathery skin that has gone black over time. He presses himself close to you, feeling every inch of your body. Year of training have given you strong muscles, your mother thought all women should have such muscles.

Briareos breathes against you, moving his lips up until his teeth are on your ear. “You do not fear what I could do to you?”

“My family has done worse. I welcome whatever you wish to give me.” You look into his eyes, cupping your hands around his face. “But I told you, I am here to make love.”

He smirks. “You are lucky that I have already eaten once today.” You feel something against your mound, something hard and warm. “You are wet.”

“You will be soon too,” you breathe. “Once you fuck me.”

“I will not just fuck,” Briareos whispers. “I will ravage and I will breed.” He thrusts himself inside suddenly, roughly. It takes your breath away as he goes hard at once. You cling to him, throwing your head over his shoulder while he drives up ravenously inside you.

You cry out loud, moaning into his ear. “Yes! Yes! I want this! I deserve this!” You kiss his neck and cheek, biting his earlobe which makes him thrust harder. Your back scrapes against the rock wall, but all you feel is his sharp fingers digging into your hips.

“You will take me. You will want me!” Briareos growls in your mind.

“I will give!” You wail. “I will give!” You kiss him hungrily, tasting your blood still on his lips. You howl against his lips as his roughness brings you to heaven’s gates.

He lays you down, lifting your hips into the air and he drives down inside you. “Not a drop wasted!” He demands.

You’re already weak and walking through those gates, but his renewed vigor drives you over the edge. Your eyes roll back, you see white, you can barely think anymore, let alone make noise.

Briareos shudders then roars, grunting, panting, as he releases inside. You start to return, feeling him deep so that nothing is spilt.

“My mate,” he breathes into your mind.

“Yes,” you look up into his glowing eyes. “I am yours.”

Briareos remains inside you, climbing on top of you and placing his weight onto you. He smooths his hands up your arms and laces his fingers with yours. He rocks his hips gently and you whimper from overstimulation.

“Take me,” he whispers.

You look back into his eyes, pleading. “I will. I swear.”

He kisses you, moaning against your skin as he swirls his tongue between your lips. “Such stupid, little teeth,” he smirks. “What danger could you possibly be?”

“Dangerous enough.”

Briareos leaves with you, vowing to come back once he was assured that his people would be safe if they came to stay with you. The journey home took longer as during the day, he had to sleep and be buried underground. You traveled mostly at night, and even then your trek took some time as you and Briareos took advantage to mate.

“I still don’t understand exactly why you would do this,” he tells you one night. Your body is weak from mating, but you know you must go forward as much as possible. “This does not seem like the behaviour of a sane woman.”

“Maybe I am not, but you should know by now I am genuine in wanting to mend the wounds my ancestors made to your people.” You look up at him, seeing his eyes and throat glow in the darkness. “This is my way of rebelling.”

His eyes flick down to yours. “But is there something more you want from this?”

“I too want an heir,” you confess. “But I am not too fond of marriage. A partnership like this seems much more fitting.” You pat his thigh then look back to the road.

“There are others who want mates,” Briareos says warningly.

“I have two willing volunteers to the cause,” you answer back brightly. “I am sure we can find more if need be.”

Briareos goes quite, but you can almost feel his thoughts in the back of your mind. You feel the warmth and softness of your body as he plants himself inside you. He’s thinking about your body, how you feel to his touch.

“Do you like me?” You ask.

He stiffens in his seat. “Why do you ask?”

You shrug. “I like you, so far.”

“I like parts of you,” he answers honestly.

You nod and smile. “That’s enough for now.”

Once you return home, it is near daybreak, so you take him to the underground in a hurry. He slows as he steps inside, realizing he will not have to be buried again.

“This is all yours during your stay,” you tell him. “You are free to do as you please, come and go as you like, but I simply ask you to stay on the grounds for your own protection.” You lead him over to the bed and pull back the blankets.

Briareos touches the blankets and sheets then looks at your strangely.

“To sleep,” you tell him. “It’s your bed.”

He takes you into his arms, pulling you close to his chest. His hands dig into your hips through your skirts.  “You are my mate. It is our bed.”

“Oh,” you exclaim out loud. “You want me here?”

Briareos doesn’t answer, but he lays you down upon the bed, removing your dress and underclothes. He then lays his body upon yours like that night outside the cave. His hands stroke up your arms and he buries his face against your neck.

“I’ll stay,” you whisper. “This will be our bed.”

He bites your shoulder, taking blood from you. You moan softly, kissing the top of his head as he sups. You have begun to like the sensation, although it does itch sometime after her bites and licks the marks to seal them.

“You’ll taste better once you’ve slept,” Briareos murmurs.

“So will you.”

You pull the blankets up around you once he takes a side of the bed. He lays flat on his back, and the glow in his throat becomes dim. You watch him sleep, drifting off yourself as you settle into the quiet. Come evening when he wakes, you’ll introduce him to Iniri and Dr. Novara, and you will begin to learn and study him. You will also make love to him again, and again, and probably again. You smile to yourself and finally, you rest.