Free Salvation - an erotic vampire romance by Alexandra Cameron

Salvation
     
     
    a n erotic vampire romance
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Alexandra Cameron
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Copyright © 2013 Alexandra Cameron
    ~
    London, 1885 
    Part 1
    Elizabeth

Elizabeth ran through the deserted streets of London, terror and panic coursing through her veins. Her feet kept slipping on the white snow as she desperately tried to make her escape.
    London was so beautiful at this time of year. All of the filth, the litter, the broken cobbles tones – they were all hidden beneath a layer of pure, white snow. The whores on the docks had retreated into the warmth of the pubs to look for their next victim, the beggars had escaped to whatever shelter they could find. The streets of London appeared more wholesome than they really were at this time of year.

But right now Elizabeth was wishing the streets were full of their usual hustle and bustle, along with all the filth, the haze of liquor, the smell of sex in the alleyways, and the whores with their sailors that came with it.

But she was alone, completely alone. Even the rats had scurried away in search of warmth. And so she ran further, slipping and sliding, pulling herself up, desperately searching for safety.

Only an hour ago she had been holed up in the safety of the chapel. But he had found her there. Completely undeterred by the crosses and the holy water, he had casually strolled towards her.

“Lizzie … little Lizzieeeee, ” he had sung softly, rolling her name around on his tongue, turning it into some sort of mad, maniacal lullaby.

She could still hear it echoing in her ears, like some sort of distant melodic screeching. At the same time, she can hear raucous laughter, rumblings, people talking on the street corner up ahead. The wanton giggling of women, the booming hollering of the bartender and the sailors.

She ran towards the noise, towards the sounds of safety, even as it felt as though acid was burning holes into her lungs. With each step, her feet screamed in agony, barely covered by her tattered shoes. The ice-cold touch of death crept up through her bones with every step. All of her exposed skin had long-since turned blue. But she continued to fight. Fight to survive. Fight for the life of a beggar, a street pick pocket.   

Elizabeth had grown up in a poorhouse and only stole to stay alive. She went to church every Sunday to pray. And to confess her sins. The Bible said that stealing to eat wasn’t a sin; her preacher had preached that once too. She had always made sure to only take as much from her victims as she needed to survive. And she had never, would never, sell her body. Even if Jesus himself dined with whores, the preacher had threatened her with eternal damnation should she ever resort to selling herself. She believed him. She would not go to Hell if she died now, but she would be condemned to damnation if this monster transformed her.    

But it had not yet come to that. She could still run, was still able to run until she found salvation. Until she found someone who would save her from this monster.

Finally, Elizabeth reached the street corner and grabbed onto the doorframe of the pub entrance. She could barely hold herself up. But she had made it. She had survived. She stepped inside to the warmth, to the safety of a crowd. Her feet felt like they were burning through the thin soles of her shoes as she came in from the cold.

She reached the patrons and collapsed in front of them. A few of them turned towards her with interest, others simply continued to drink and laugh. A broken girl covered in tattered clothing was nothing unusual here.

“Help!” Elizabeth gasped, pressing her hands on her chest to subdue the pain that came from breathing. “He’s chasing me…” Her lungs tormented her as she wheezed out the croaky words she hoped would save her. She grabbed onto the coat of the nearest man.  “Please, Sir. Please help me.”  

The stranger pulled his coat out of