Melody of Longing
Lucinda gazed into John’s vacant stare. Closing her eyes, she took a long inhale before exhaling with frustration and opening her eyes. Not again.
John stood silent at the foot of her bed in a perfect trance. A huff of irritation accompanied the swing of her legs over the side of the bed, but her heart fluttered with regret. She rose to her feet and bypassed her lover to stand before the mirror across the room.
Sweet satisfaction smothered her exasperation. She preened. What man could resist the wavy auburn hair, swinging to her waist? Such a compliment to wide cornflower blue eyes and porcelain white skin. She glanced past her reflection to John. He had been as entranced with her as the previous men.
High hope buoyed her heart when he’d rescued her from the waters, as she’d continued to hum her melody in his ears. He’d carried her in his arms with ease, and she’d known this handsome specimen would be different. He’d last longer than the others. They’d couple often, her belly would swell, and she’d nurture the life within until it was time to return to her true home. And until then, this form of loveliness belonged to her.
Lucinda sighed, bitter disappointment spoiled her daydream.
Three months since the luring of John and the cracks were showing. Two nights ago, Lucinda woke up with her open jaw mere inches from tearing out his throat. Fear had shaken her body.
Not yet. Not yet, for the love of Omera’s tears! Why can’t the hunger resist long enough to let the seed take hold?
The night after that, the craving blinded her during their coupling, one of the more pleasurable aspects of a human relationship. Sheer strength of will had kept her in control. She’d banished him to the spare room, ignoring his puzzled protests. Yet, even in her sleep, the Song of Subservience slipped free of her lips, calling to John, bringing him to the bedroom tonight.
To stall the inevitable was futile and succumbing to her urges was inescapable.
Lucinda turned to John and suddenly the scent of manly pheromones became the aroma of a savory delicacy — that smorgasbord of coppery nectar nestled inside the tang of salty-sweet flesh, and squishy marrow waiting within crunchy bone.
Saliva filled her mouth, drooled from the corner of her lips to drip and soak into her silken white nightdress. The itch in her gums told her time was short.
Lucinda’s aria rose and fell with melodious cadences, its spell vibrating the air as she stripped the docile John of his clothes. Easier to do now than rip them off his body later. A strident chord upped the tempo of her song and John followed her for the brief walk to the woods that bordered the waters of her domain.
Maybe the next one would last longer. The yearning for a lifelong partner who satisfied the strong urges to mate and procreate were ingrained within her species. The catastrophe of the Coda of Devastation, many blue moons ago in her home world, had intensified those primal instincts. She shivered with a sense of shame, remembering her part in devouring their males. They had discovered no cause for the strange affliction that had gripped herself and the female population.
Strange affliction? More so a madness.
There was no point in dwelling on what could not be explained or rectified. To adapt to the crisis was essential.
And so they had.
The full moon peeked out from behind midnight-blue tinged clouds, giving the still waters an eerie ambiance. Free of the trees, John followed her into the aqueous depths, down, down, and further down.
Lucinda watched and waited.
Soon, John flinched, thrashing like a fish on a hook. Water, not air, filled his throat, drowned his lungs. He reached out to her. She swam further away.
Lucinda’s gums ached, and she gave in to the metamorphosis. The razor-sharp teeth punched through, replacing the human ones. Her snake-ish tongue lolled out of her mouth.
She hated her lovers to see her true form, but she needed to feast and to feast, she needed to change. John had to serve this purpose.
She emitted squeals and guttural growls at the growing horror on John’s face. Yes, John, I know. This is not the Lu’Chintha you fell in love with. I’m sorry. I really tried this time. I did.
Peering closer at him, his wide eyes mirrored her transformation.
Pale skin became a mottled grey-green. Blue irises dulled to a murky black. Her spindly tresses, as grey as the fish-tail she sprouted in place of legs, floated in the water. Her face sported a protruding down-turned pout to frame the keen teeth.
John flailed backwards. Lu’Chintha noted his weakened efforts to escape and swam up to him, circling and displaying her gaping maw.
He stilled and his head lolled to the right. Spurred by death’s strengthening grip on him, Lucinda darted forward. He barely reacted when she bit into his throat and tore flesh and sinew away, chomping with dispassionate zeal. John stared blindly into the distance as she grabbed a hold of his shoulders and nuzzled further into the crook of his neck.
Mmm…
A scarlet cloud permeated the surrounding water. The tang of copper on her tongue, and the tasty sweetmeat between her teeth was a heady delight. A familiar treat too long denied.
Lu’Chintha gazed into dulled green eyes that once shone with devotion. She shook her mind free of the timid pity which always threatened in these final moments. There were plenty more to snare. Might as well enjoy him.
Her mouth snapped open, dark and cavernous.
Two weeks later, Lucinda floated below the waters of the lake. A cascade of bubbles escaped her mouth and nose, breaking the surface. Auburn hair danced around her head. Long graceful limbs flicked gently from beneath the shift-like nightdress, and cornflower blue eyes searched patiently for a savior to dive to her rescue.
