Transfusion Saga A Vampire King Paranormal Romance: Books 1 to 4
Date: 2020-12-12 05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Paranormal Romance

Transfusion Saga

Books 1-4

Stephanie Hudson

Contents

Transfusion

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Warning!

1. Holding Back the Years

2. Family Connections

3. Puzzles

4. Eternally Loved

5. Invited

6. Unlikely Date

7. Alone in Passion

8. Hot and Cold

9. Peter Who?

10. Until Tomorrow

11. The Great Muffin Loss

12. Attack of the Killer Box

13. Hello Hex

14. You were saying?

15. Second Non-Date

16. Home, Bitter Sweet Home

17. Home Invasion

18. Text me a Torment

19. Intimidating Inferno

20. A Fly Away Week

21. Spy me a River

22. Floorboard Secrets

23. Death Screams like a Girl

24. Sleeping Beauty Packs a Punch

25. Pin-up Plan

26. Making New Friends

27. King of Carnal Lust

28. The Grass is Black and Dead on this Side

29. The Real Monster

30. Broken Vows Trapped in Steel

31. Heart Captured

Venom of God

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Warning!

Prologue

1. Unlearning the Power of Love

2. Hello My Amelia

3. Date with a TV

4. Oh, How the Wicked Fall

5. Words

6. Perfect Punishments and Crimson Kisses

7. His Prisoner

8. Misfits and Masters

9. Lucius’ Council

10. Perfect Little Sun

11. Lucius Knows

12. Escape Plan

13. Demons and Angels and the Oracle’s in Between

14. Owned

15. Bird in my Cage

16. My Kind of Kindness

17. My Threatened Heart

18. Web of Lies We Weave

19. Healing Hearts

20. A King’s Disappointment

21. Triple Cross

22. Everything Owned and Nothing Gained

23. Promised Protection

24. Hard Limits, Soft Limits and All the Limits in Between

25. And All After Breakfast

26. In Case You Didn’t Know

27. A Bloody Date to Remember

28. Footloose and Excited

29. Smoke and Mirrors

30. A Bird Without Wings

Blood of Kings

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Warning!

Prologue

1. This Means War

2. Underestimated

3. David and Goliath

4. Rude Punk

5. Missing You

6. Jump of Faith

7. Money Fights

8. In a Nut Shell

9. A Drive to Remember

10. Wrapped in Leather

11. Bruised Ego

12. Tree of Death

13. Finger of Punishment

14. The Beast Awakens

15. Torn Hell

16. Sigil of Lucius

17. Dave is the Key

18. Vamp Cave

19. Moving In

20. My Hands Are Tied

21. Coming Home

22. Friend, Old Foes

23. Now That’s A Date

24. Blood and Snow

25. A Demon’s Wings

26. Washing Away My Demons

27. Blood of Kings

Rise of Ashes

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Warning!

Prologue

1. Cocktails and Party Girls

2. My Little Nerd

3. Bloody Regret

4. The Gentle Hand of Hell

5. Bad Girl Falling

6. Tickled Pink

7. Peace Shattered at Blood Rock

8. The Only Day That Matters

9. Not Letting Go of Everything

10. Jealousy Knows Everything

11. Insane

12. It’s Gonna Be A Ball!

13. A King’s Crimson Claim

14. A Rose Amongst the Thorns

15. Masked Flirting

16. Dancing with Jealousy

17. A Sinking Sexual Encounter

18. Sinking Shoe Feeling

19. Rise of Ashes

20. An Era to Ashes

21. Snapping the Cord

22. The Gift of Bad Decisions

23. Witch Ever Reasons

24. Bound to Dream

25. Muscles and a Punchbag

26. All’s Fair in Love and War

27. Sexually Suspended

28. Wrong End of the Vampy Stick

29. Gung Ho Happy

30. Winging It

Transfusion

The Transfusion Saga #1

Copyright © 2020 Stephanie Hudson

Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it wasn’t purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Transfusion/Stephanie Hudson – 2nd ed.

ISBN-13 - 978-1-913769-36-9

About the Author

Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. Afterlife is her first book in the series of twelve, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.

When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her loving family and friends, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course, spending as much time with her supportive partner and personal muse, Blake who is there for her no matter what.

Author’s words.

My love and devotion is to all my wonderful fans that keep me going into the wee hours of the night but foremost to my wonderful daughter Ava...who yes, is named after a cool, kick-ass, Demonic bird and my sons, Jack, who is a little hero and Baby Halen, who yes, keeps me up at night but it’s okay because he is named after a Guitar legend!

Keep updated with all new release news & more on my website
www.afterlifesaga.com

Never miss out, sign up to the
mailing list at the website.

Also, please feel free to join myself and other Dravenites on my Facebook group

Afterlife Saga Official Fan

Interact with me and other fans. Can’t wait to see you there!

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Acknowledgments

Well first and foremost my love goes out to all the people who deserve the most thanks and are the wonderful people that keep me going day to day. But most importantly they are the ones that allow me to continue living out my dreams and keep writing my stories for the world to hopefully enjoy… These people are of course YOU! Words will never be able to express the full amount of love I have for you guys. Your support is never ending. Your trust in me and the story is never failing. But more than that, your love for me and all who you consider your ‘Afterlife family’ is to be commended, treasured and admired. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough, so one day I hope to meet you all and buy you all a drink! ;)

To my family… To my amazing mother, who has believed in me from the very beginning and doesn’t believe that something great should be hidden from the world. I would like to thank you for all the hard work you put into my books and the endless hours spent caring about my words and making sure it is the best it can be for everyone to enjoy. You make Afterlife shine. To my wonderful crazy father who is and always has been my hero in life. Your strength astonishes me, even to this day and the love and care you hold for your family is a gift you give to the Hudson name. And last but not least, to the man that I consider my soul mate. The man who taught me about real love and makes me not only want to be a better person but makes me feel I am too. The amount of support you have given me since we met has been incredible and the greatest feeling was finding out you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me when you asked me to marry you.

All my love to my dear husband and my own personal Draven… Mr Blake Hudson.

Another personal thank you goes to my dear friend Caroline Fairbairn and her wonderful family that have embraced my brand of crazy into their lives and given it a hug when most needed.

For their friendship I will forever be eternally grateful.

I would also like to mention Claire Boyle my wonderful PA, who without a doubt, keeps me sane and constantly smiling through all the chaos which is my life ;) And a loving mention goes to Lisa Jane for always giving me a giggle and scaring me to death with all her count down pictures lol ;)

Thank you for all your hard work and devotion to the saga and myself. And always going that extra mile, pushing Afterlife into the spotlight you think it deserves. Basically helping me achieve my secret goal of world domination one day…evil laugh time… Mwahaha! Joking of course ;)

As before, a big shout has to go to all my wonderful fans who make it their mission to spread the Afterlife word and always go the extra mile. I love you all x

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Afterlife Saga

A Brooding King, A Girl running from her past. What happens when the two collide?

Book 1 - Afterlife

Book 2 - The Two Kings

Book 3 - The Triple Goddess

Book 4 - The Quarter Moon

Book 5 - The Pentagram Child /Part 1

Book 6 - The Pentagram Child /Part 2

Book 7 - The Cult of the Hexad

Book 8 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 1

Book 9 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 2

Book 10 -Blood of the Infinity War

Book 11 -Happy Ever Afterlife /Part 1

Book 12 -Happy Ever Afterlife / Part 2

Transfusion Saga

What happens when an ordinary human girl comes face to face with the cruel Vampire King who dismissed her seven years ago?

Transfusion - Book 1

Venom of God - Book 2

Blood of Kings - Book 3

Rise of Ashes - Book 4

Map of Sorrows - Book 5

Tree of Souls - Book 6

Kingdoms of Hell – Book 7

Eyes of Crimson - Book 8

Afterlife Chronicles: (Young Adult Series)

The Glass Dagger – Book 1

The Hells Ring – Book 2

Stephanie Hudson and Blake Hudson

The Devil in Me

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Sloane Murphy

Xen Randell

C. L. Monaghan

Sci-fi/Fantasy

Brandon Ellis

Devin Hanson

Crime/Action

Blake Hudson

Mike Gomes

Contemporary Romance

Gemma Weir

Elodie Colt

Ann B. Harrison

I dedicate this book to all the wonderful fathers out there like my own, who is and always will be, the foundations of our home and the light in our storm, that life sometimes throws in our way.

This is for you Robert Hudson…my Dad.

Being a Dad.

He welcomes you to the world and vows to protect,

Holds on to your tiny hand and will never forget,

How it feels to be a dad as you call his name,

You’ve gifted him with a new one, forever he will claim.

He rocks you to sleep and lays you down in your bed,

And the knowledge that you will leave, fills him with dread,

For you will have grown but a constant will remain,

For his love for you will always be there and the same,

Because you’re his little girl, or his big boy calling,

The sweetest of things, when a dad catches you falling,

Because he will always be there, no matter your age,

A dad is for life and that will never change.

So, no matter if they aren’t with us forever,

For in our hearts they will leave us never.

Love you Dad, Steph x

Warning!

This book contains explicit sexual content, some graphic language and a highly addictive Alpha Male.

This book has been written by a UK Author with a mad sense of humour. Which means the following story contains a mixture of Northern English slang, dialect, regional colloquialisms and other quirky spellings that have been intentionally included to make the story and dialogue more realistic for modern-day characters.

Please note that for your convenience language translations have been added to optimise the readers enjoyment throughout the story.

Also meaning…

No Googling is required ;)

Also, please remember that this is the 1st book in a 12 book saga, which means you are in for a long and rocky ride. So, put the kettle on, brew a cup, grab a stash of snacks and enjoy!

Thanks for reading x

1

Holding Back the Years

Closing my eyes, I listened to the beautiful and meaningful words of Simply Red, doubting they had any clue when picking out the name of the song they would know that there was at least one girl in the world that only thought of blood in the name.

Okay, so I know that sounded weird, but I guess in my world weird was actually considered the norm. Well, it had been, I should say as I had walked away from it all years ago. Which was another reason why this song was one I had on nearly every playlist I made.

‘Holding Back the Years’ just seemed to say it all for me and with lyrics like ‘chance for me to escape from all I know’ and ‘holding back the tears, cause, nothing here had grown’, then let’s just say it was like listening to my inner secrets singing back to me and telling me to still hold on, no matter how much I didn’t want to. Because I felt like I had in fact, wasted so many tears, and so many years holding on to a fantasy that would never come true.

And it all started with one name, one I would never let pass my lips no matter what my dreams of him begged of me to do…

Lucius.

Gods, I hated the name, but not as much as I hated the one who it belonged to!

No! I wasn’t going to go back there, not again, not today of all days. Seriously though, was there ever going to be a day when I didn’t do this to myself?

“Right, you curly-redhead singer, time for something else,” I said aloud as I pulled my phone from my pocket and tapped on another playlist, one I’d named ‘Badass’. Oh, and a playlist that just so happened to be one that didn’t include one single song that would remind me of a certain someone. No, instead it made me feel as if I could be an empowered bitch that could walk straight into that damn club of his with a sexy swagger…one that didn’t just look like my ass cheeks were chewing on my underwear.

No, I would be wearing kick ass heels I wouldn’t fall over on and some sexy little black dress minus the usual food stains a clumsy person had no choice but to wear like a badge of honour (Thanks for that one, Mum!)

Then, I would watch as his mouth dropped open in shock before I simply slapped that cunning and ridiculously handsome smirk from his face before walking back out again with one of my own.

Okay, so I admit, it was a far-fetched fantasy, especially seeing as I swore to myself that I wouldn’t ever, and I mean EVER, step foot in his Gods’ forsaken nightclub again! That and I usually became a bumbling idiot around him anyway, which trust me, didn’t exactly go hand in hand with the badass picture I had painted in my mind.

I released a sigh as I pushed up my square, black rimmed glasses that I’d bought as a buy one, get one free at Specsavers. But like most people who wore glasses on a daily basis, and I am not talking about the ‘part timers’, but instead the type that if they didn’t then they were likely to get run over by some mad cyclist (as London had many to spare, trust me on that). Then for those blind enough to rely on the use of touch and blurred colours to locate them, no matter the free pair, we usually got attached to one and felt the connection was like being given an extra limb…or was that just me?

Well, either way, it was the reason I had a pair sat in my desk as a back-up, just waiting for my next disastrous calamity. Like when I unintentionally dropped them down the loo, then had to fish them out of my own urine before they slipped from my hand and I accidently stepped on them as they were the same colour as the tiles. I swear I was my own worst nightmare, as Demons had nothing on me!

But now to get back to my task at hand I thought, pushing my replacement glasses back up my nose as I carefully handled the Canopic jars, lifting them from the wooden canopic chest of Gua. I couldn’t help but marvel at the fact I was handling something from the 12th dynasty, as I always did when touching something from the past. These were discovered in Deir el-Bersha, which is a Coptic village in Middle Egypt. A place that was located on the east bank of the Nile in the Minya Governorate and yet another place in the world, no doubt, that I would never get to see, I thought with a bitter taste of my own past.

I shook my head not thinking about it and concentrated on my job. As the museum’s chief specialist restorer and one of the curators in the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan, I was used to dealing with rare artifacts. Which really was a fancy way of saying I was like an ancient cleaning lady, my friend Wendy had said once, making me nearly choke on my Pina Colada at the time.

Even now I allowed a small giggle to escape my lips when replaying the comment. But, glancing down at the soft brush in my hand and then a quick look up at all the crates of artifacts still to be prepared, then my argument of ‘it’s a bit more than that’ was looking weaker by the minute.

Which meant here I was on cleaning duty for the new exhibition that was coming up and with weeks of work staring me in the face. So, I cranked up the music and the sound of Bryan Adams singing about the summer of 69, making me wonder if I shouldn’t have learnt how to play guitar instead of always having my head stuck in a book?

But then I smiled to myself as I carefully picked each of the four jars from their divided compartments in the old box, knowing that this was my life. And no matter how my mad imagination was suddenly conjuring up images of me on stage rocking it out in leather and leopard print, in this little workshop at the lowest levels of the British Museum in London was exactly where I was meant to be in life.

I momentarily studied the exterior of the box, noting that it had faded blue paint along its edges as well as its lid. Then I started to decipher the carved hieroglyphic inscriptions that were on each side that also ran in a T shape, with two lines of text crossing at the top. The four calcite canopic jars had painted wooden stoppers, and each was in the form of a human headed deity. Pale beige faces with black details and blue-painted wigs decorated each of the jars that varied in shape from narrow to wide shouldered.

Canopic jars were used when a person was mummified, as their internal organs were placed in these jars and were said to be guarded by four different gods. These were the Jackal headed god, Duamutef, who guarded the stomach of the deceased in his jar and who represented the East. Then there was the Human jar that the liver was placed into and was guarded by the god Imsetys, who had a human head and represented the South.

There was also one the lungs were stored in, guarded by the Baboon headed god named Hapi, representing the North. But out of the four it was the Falcon jar that was my personal favorite, with the falcon headed god Qebehsenuef, who was protector of the intestines. He was one of the four sons of Horus, like the others in Egyptian mythology, but he was known as the god of protection and represented the West.

I don’t know why he was my favorite, but maybe it was due to my love of birds, which was also another passion of mine. I just loved nothing more on my days off than exploring the British countryside and finding myself at some grand manor house owned by the National Trust. I would then sit in the immaculately pruned and trimmed gardens with a good book or more often than not, bird watching and trying to take pictures of them with my phone.

Now I know that these weren’t exactly the exciting pastimes of someone in their twenties. Even more surprisingly, I will have you know, that even with these old fashioned, solitary hobbies of mine, it didn’t mean that I didn’t have friends. Because if you hadn’t already gathered by now, I wasn’t just a mega geek, I was also a mega nerd right alongside it.

However, even though my nature tended to side with a good book or admittedly, a weekend filled with constant reruns of The Next Generation (As I was a closet Trekkie and proud of it…well, in private that was), it didn’t mean that I also didn’t enjoy the occasional night out or the Gods’ forbid, even going out on a date. Which was how I sort of ended up with a boyfriend in the first place and therefore having no choice but to give up my ‘swearing off all men’ vow.

Of course, I blamed Wendy for that as she was determined to play matchmaker yet again. And speaking of the demons she had no clue really existed…

“Yo Smock, whatcha cleaning this time?!” The second I heard her voice being shouted so close to my ear, one loud enough to penetrate through the sound of Fall Out Boys’ ‘Centuries’, I nearly jumped out of my skin. I screamed and in doing so dropped the Canopic jar I had been working on. It was as if the world had suddenly been put on slow motion as I watched the jar filled with four-thousand-year-old intestines falling from my hand, first yelling in fright and then in horror the second it started to make its final destination to the floor.

I ended up sucking in a sharp, shocked breath the second I saw her hand snatch out and catch it just before it could hit the floor, saving about four thousand slices of my bacon!

“Holy shit!” I shouted in shock after yanking the headphones from my ears and staring at the jar in her hand. Then she started making a ‘Thank God for that chuckle’ before saying,

“Phew, well that was lucky because no offence, Emmie, but you would have never caught that!” And yeah, she was right because being as clumsy as I was, then I needed to come with my own proximity warning. Because if you got too close then chances were, I was gonna fall into you…once again, thanks for that one, mum, I thought with a wry smirk.

“Amen to that,” I commented dryly, making her raise one strawberry blonde eyebrow at me, one that matched the colour of her short pixie cut. She was a pretty girl, with cute round features that lifted when she smiled and a pair of green eyes that always seemed to sparkle with mischief. She was also shorter than my 5 feet and 5 inches, but you wouldn’t have guessed it unless you were looking at her feet, as she still seemed to tower over me with the ridiculous heels she always wore. And today was no different in a pair of Irregular Choice shoes named Trixy.

I only knew this because I had been with her at the time she had bought them. I had actually laughed thinking she was joking when she had asked me if I liked them. But then I saw she was actually serious about the blue and gold damask covered shoe that had a shiny gold unicorn’s head as its heel. My reply had been the most natural in the world,

“Oh yeah, they’re great…in fact I know someone back home who would openly drool over them,” I told her with a smile, as I couldn’t help but grin whenever I thought of my green haired aunty, who wasn’t related by blood but definitely by the heart. I remembered Wendy’s shock when I had said this as it was rare for me to talk about anyone from where I grew up, let alone my family.

Oh, she had asked me about them plenty of times, but I always remained vague. Which, thinking back, must have killed her curious nature, but one look at my sombre face and she knew not to ask. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my family dearly and missed them on a daily basis, speaking to them as often as I could, but they lived in a different world to me…

A world, heartbreakingly, I just didn’t fit in to.

Those had been the words he had used that night and to say that they had cut deep would be an understatement. Because they hadn’t just cut me, they had destroyed me. They had destroyed every hope and dream I’d had first as a child and naive teenager, then finally as the young girl turning twenty. Well, that was seven years ago and yet the pain he’d inflicted felt like only yesterday.

“Hey, earth to space cadet, you gonna make me hold this creepy thing all day or what?” Wendy asked before she popped her pink gum she was addicted to chewing. She said it made for the perfect accessory to her Rockabilly style… me, I just think that she was addicted to sugar and bubble gum flavored things.

“It’s not creepy, its beautiful,” I told her, rolling my eyes at her lack of appreciation for anything she classed as ‘old as dirt’.

“Yeah, then what’s inside it, huh?” she asked with another pop of her gum and a hand on her hip as she wrapped her fingers against her cherry covered blue swing skirt. One she had matched with a red buttoned cardigan that also had a cherry pin. Personally, I didn’t think it matched the shoes but when did it ever, I thought with a smirk.

“Intestines, that look like four-thousand-year-old beef jerky,” I told her with a hidden smile as I turned back to the desk and placed it gently back in the box for safe keeping. After all, it had been safe in there for this long and seemed a better choice than in my hands, that was for sure. In fact, thinking about it, I was surprised considering how clumsy I was that I hadn’t yet broken anything in the last two years I had been doing this job, well other than a few cups and a muffin basket once from the cafeteria. But in my defense, they had hidden the biggest chocolate muffins in the bottom and it needed a good tug to get one out. The cups, however, there was no excuse for as my number was currently up to five casualties. But hey, just one more and that would make it a full set I thought with an inward groan at myself.

“Right, in that case remind me to email Tim Burton and ask him for ideas on what to get you for your birthday this year,” she replied sarcastically to my ‘beautiful not creepy’ comment, making me giggle.

“No need, I have an Amazon wish list I can send you,” I told her with a wink, this time making her chuckle.

“Bird books and brush sets are not my idea of presents, so unless it’s got a pair of shoes and at least two handbags on it, then don’t bother, as I will just guess.” I rolled my eyes again, this time for her to see and said,

“You do get the concept of giving gifts is not to buy the person something you want, just so you can ‘permanently borrow’ the item…right?” I asked knowing her too well by now that I was a Christmas present away from asking for the receipts with all my gifts.

“Now, where’s the fun in that?” she asked grinning like a Cheshire Cat that was one step away from cute and becoming evil.

“And anyway, what are you doing here this time…and seriously, how do you even keep getting down here without a security card?” I asked in astonishment. Her guilty face said it all and I held out my hand and said,

“Come on, hand it over,” now knowing she had nicked my security card yet again. I swear if she ever got bored of being a journalist then international jewel thief would be right up her alley, because she could pickpocket, crack locks and do the most basic James Bond stuff I have ever seen! Half the time when she wrote her articles I had to wonder if she hadn’t broken into some bigwig’s house just get the scoop on what dodgy deal he was doing with foreign nationals.

“Hey, you would be thanking my ass if I had just popped by and saved you from being kidnapped by the guy who had this shit stolen from him.” Oh, and did I happen to mention that her imagination was almost as crazy as mine was.

“It’s the British museum, Kirky, and I’m working on some dead guy’s dried up organs in a jar, not the crown jewels,” I told her making good use of the nickname I had christened her.

“Yeah, and just how much is a collection of around 8 million objects worth on the black market these days, huh…? Just one of these bad boys would fetch a pretty price to some bored billionaire Godfather wannabe, who suddenly feels like he needs something that screams cultural class to match his hungry traitor eating sharks in his basement.” I laughed and said,

“You seriously need to stop watching old Bond movies and drinking coffee at three in the morning…but I guess point made,” I told her, snatching my missing card that I had lost over a week ago from her palm.

“You´re damn right, point made, Smock,” she replied using my own nickname, the result of a drunken night watching Star Trek movies and trying to merge our names with our favorite characters after consuming a bottle of wine and eight shots of caramel flavored vodka each. The result had been a hangover that had lasted three days and two nicknames that had lasted four years.

“So, come on fess up, what was so important you couldn’t have waited until tonight to tell me…oh wait, oh hell no, you can’t do this to me, Kirky!” I shouted the second I saw her face grimace as if she had just been busted. She held her hands up and said,

“Sorry honey, but it can’t be helped.”

“But you promised to be my date at tonight’s gala,” I said knowing my tone was whiney and needy.

“Yeah, but look it’s time to be honest with you, I am kind of bored of acting like your lesbian lover and pretending to be interested in old shit.” I groaned out loud and let my head fall into my hands, knowing I had no choice but to attend alone, something I hated doing. Tonight was a gala to try to raise money for a new archaeological dig to be funded and the best way to do that was to show off to all the rich people, what had already been found during these efforts.

To be honest, it was the part of the job I hated the most as I much preferred doing my job down here, surrounded by eternally quiet mummies, than explaining to rich snobby bankers and investors what exactly my job entailed. And doing so all the while ignoring the way they were talking to my breasts or giving me cheesy lines like, ‘So how did such a pretty girl like you end up digging up bones for a living?’

Hence, why I came up with the cunning plan of inventing a ‘girlfriend’ which funnily enough tended to make men feel quite uncomfortable when introducing Wendy to them. Stranger still, it also seemed to make them feel more charitable, as they always ended up writing bigger cheques for me after this. It was as if it was a way of making sure their awkward actions weren’t being shown enough to offend and cause reason for a discriminating lawsuit. I smiled at the thought, which quickly died when I realized this time I had no choice but to go ‘mission solo’.

“Now what am I gonna do?” I whined.

“Um, call a sicky?” she suggested, making me give her my best ‘are you serious’ glare before banging my head on the table and groaning.

“Oh, I know, why not just take your actual boyfriend…what’s his name again, Patrick something or…”

“Peter, jeez Kirky, you’re the one who set me up with the guy!” I scolded.

“Yeah, but I only met him the once and that was at a coffee shop after he picked up my mocha instead of his latte.” I swear, on hearing this I felt my eyes start to bulge!

“Please tell me you’re kidding?!”

“Relax, I am joking…it was a cappuccino…anyway my point is, he is technically your boyfriend and therefore the shmuck that convention states you drag along to these types of things, so go ask him.” I rolled my eyes again (something I seemed to do a lot around my friend, which was a term I used in the loosest sense right now due to my utter disappointment).

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?” she asked popping her gum again and leaning on my desk, making the two jars I was yet to put back inside the box, wobble. I reached out and grabbed them both to steady them and shot her a sideways, reprimanding glare, one she deliberately ignored.

“Because that would give him the wrong impression,” I argued making her snort a laugh.

“Like what, that you like him, because newsflash honey, dating someone kind of already says that.”

“No, I know that!” I snapped before carrying on.

“I mean it would make him think this was more serious that it is and it’s not.”

“It’s not?” she repeated.

“No, it’s not…look, I like the guy.”

“Patrick?”

“No, Peter! Bloody Hell, Wendy, can you focus here, I mean you can remember my pin number from watching me at an ATM three years ago, but you can’t remember the name of the guy you set me up with only six weeks ago?!” I complained.

“It’s a cash machine.”

“What?!”

“It’s a cash machine not an ATM, that’s American talk, and your little britches are in the UK and land of the midnight Kebab, Friday night Indian curry takeaways and pavements, high streets and our wonderful use of the letter U in words you guys choose to ignore,” she said looking at her manicured nails as if they held the key to her next British Journalism Award.

“Well, excuse me little Miss ‘I got a problem with calling my knickers, panties’! Anyway, I am half English, so I resent that,” I argued making her laugh.

“Yes, well your English panties aren’t going to do shit for you tonight considering you don’t have a date.”

“Yes, and whose fault is that, um?” I threw back at her.

“Gods?” I laughed at her reply and said,

“Doubtful Kirky, very doubtful.”

“Well, he and the powers that be, made me this way so whatever…but getting back to real life problems, as in yours not mine, what’re you going to do?” she asked after her dramatic explanation, or should I say excuse to ‘her being made this way’.

“Well, I think praying for a handsome stranger is off the cards, don’t you?” I said throwing my hands up dramatically before banging my elbows back to the desk so that I could use my hands once more to cover my face. But then I let the unusual silence wash over me before looking back up at Kirky to see why it was she was so quiet. I frowned the second I saw her gaping mouth hanging open in shock before she slammed it shut and whispered,

“Uh Emmie, I think it’s time to thank God, because it seems he just answered your prayers.” I snapped my head around to see what she was staring at and sucked in a startled breath when I did. Then, as I took in the last sight I ever expected to see, I released it back again on a whoosh of emotions.

The dark and handsome features were ones I had grown up seeing daily, but for an outsider, I tried to put myself in Wendy’s shoes when seeing him for the first time. A tall and wide build of someone that one would only assume was achieved by dedicating long hours to the gym. Midnight black hair that matched my own in colour, was cut just shy of his massive shoulders and pushed back. This done, no doubt, through endless times of frustration when he gave in to his habit of running a large hand through it.

Tanned, olive skin and dark eyes framed by equally dark long lashes were features I had also inherited, something my friend had not yet realized, due to the effect he had on most of the female population.

I grimaced at the thought.

“I hear you’re in need of a date,” he said in that velvet way of his, a tone that he reserved for getting what he wanted.

“Hell, I know I am,” Wendy said making me hold the bridge of my nose in frustration and add a groan for good measure as this was the last thing I wanted to witness. Besides, her comment about Hell was more apt in ways than she could ever even imagine.

Well, before she could make this even weirder with another sexual comment, I decided to get this over with and drop my family sized bombshell by asking,

“What are you doing here…” then I paused, releasing a sigh before continuing with letting my friend know just who this handsome stranger was before she started to drool, and shit could get even weirder…

“…Dad?”

2

Family Connections

“Dad!?” Wendy screeched making me wince. I turned to her and said,

“Yeah, pretty much,” before turning back to my dad, trying to ignore my friend when she hissed,

“What, was he like twelve when he did the deed?” I chuckled when my dad replied,

“I can assure you, young lady, I am older than I look.” I shook my head and stopped myself from commenting drily, ‘yeah, I’ll say’ with a scoffed sound to match it. That’s when I noticed Wendy blushing, something I hadn’t seen achieved in the whole time I had known her. Seriously, was there anyone with ovaries my dad didn’t affect, I thought in disgust, the way any daughter would when thinking of her parents having sex. Or in this instance, obviously showcasing in every one of my friend’s sexual fantasies from now on for the next decade at least. Now forget a jar of intestines, that thought right there was creepy enough, I admitted with a shiver and a grimace.

“Wow, he just called me young lady,” she said, a breath away from swooning.

“Stood right here, Kirky…” I muttered before I turned my attention back to my father.

“…So, like I said, what are you doing here, dad?” I said in a curt tone as me and my father hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms when he heard of my decision to move away seven years ago. But of course, I had seen him since then. As my mother would have hunted my ass down and dragged me back home every Christmas, no matter if I had been hiding somewhere in the Amazon and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes the size of gorgon leeches.

Oh, and she would have done it with my Aunty Sophia, my Aunty Pip and my Aunty Ari as her backing singers as they all broke out into Guns N Roses, ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.

I swear when you got them all together they were as thick as thieves and could take on a bloody army in Hell if they were let loose long enough. In fact, most of the stories I had heard growing up, I didn’t know whether to believe them or class them as just elaborate fairy tales you tell a child. Only in this instance just switching out the names to people you know to make it more fun. But as an adult, then thinking back to most of them, now I wasn’t so sure as they were certainly capable of getting into that much trouble and surviving.

The fact I was certain on though was that when they got together I think it was the only thing my father did fear…that and my mother’s wrath. But on the whole, as the only daughter of the King of the Supernatural world and a mother who was half Vampire, quarter Demon/Angel mix and quarter Human, I was brought up in a relatively normal and happy household. If, of course, you could call an old castle style mansion on the edge of a cliffside normal that was… oh and one which just so happened to be the small town of Evergreen Falls’ gothic Nightclub of choice (as in there wasn’t any choice and we were the only ones to provide that brand of gothic crazy to the locals). Then, yep it was normal. Or at least my mother and father’s variety of normal. Which, granted, wasn’t much to go on seeing as everything I had just mentioned in that list.

So, what the heck, it wasn’t the suburban upbringing that most kids in my school had, but one thing was for sure, living in the town’s creepiest and coolest of places meant that I was the very last target for a bully, not when they believed that the ghost of my ancestors would rise up from the grave to haunt them. The funny thing about that was that I didn’t have any ancestors to speak of, not considering my father and his siblings, my Aunty Sophia and my Uncle Vincent, were thousands of years old.

My father gave me a warm and amused grin before answering my question on why he was here,

“Can’t a father surprise his beautiful daughter with a visit?”

“Aww that’s so sweet…what, all I get from my dad is a grunt and half assed wave…oh and a head nod if it’s Christmas,” Wendy said defensively when I shot her a silencing look.

“Yes, but he’s a recovering alcoholic that smokes fifty a day and half the time can’t see you through the cigarette fog,” I reminded her, making her giggle instead of her taking any offensive, as let’s just say there wasn’t much love lost between them.

“Very true, damn you, but it looks like you won the parent lottery with that sexy piece of DNA right there,” she muttered quietly, not knowing that of course my father could hear her just fine. It was at this point that I lowered my head and slapped my forehead the second my dad sounded like he was coughing back his laugh.

“What…too much?” Wendy asked me in response to my reaction.

“Yeah, just a tad.” She laughed once, slapped me on the back and said,

“I am gonna take a wild stab in the dark here and guess that I should probably give you two some alone time.” I grinned back at her and agreed,

“That’s probably best, yes.”

“Right, well it was nice meeting you, Mr…”

“Draven, my name is Draven, but you can call me Dominic.” I swear if my dad carried on like this he would soon be catching her, she was that close to swooning.

“Wendy, this is usually the part when you say bye,” I reminded her after she just started smiling at him like a loon or someone high on drugs, whichever suited.

“Oh yeah, right…okay well nice to meet you like I said and Smock, call me later,” she said giving me wide eyes as if silently telling me she will be eagerly waiting with her phone in hand for me to call her and give her all my family gossip. And well, considering I’d never said anything before about my ridiculously handsome parentage, then it probably meant it was going to be a long phone call.

After this she left and the second we heard the door close behind her my father asked,

“Smock?”

“They call me Emmie here…you know, short for Amelia and well Wendy thought it was funny to combine it with…”

“Spock,” my father said smirking as he knew all about my obsession with Star Trek growing up, as he was the poor sap I had to drag with me to all the conventions. In the end it turned out that Spock was his favorite as well. Or at least he said it was after I also made my parents sit through the original series, along with all the spin offs they made. Like I said, they were good parents, but even the best kind have their flaws and my dad’s were…well let’s just say that they were suffocating.

“My dear Amelia, give this old man a break and come here, sweetheart,” my father said with such a tender tone I could never have refused him, no matter the distance that had grown between us since the day I left home to make it on my own.

“Oh dad!” I said as I made the first steps towards him before I threw myself into my father’s arms. I hugged onto him as he lifted me up as he always did when I was a kid. He also did so with my mother, who was quite a bit shorter than him and also me by two inches.

“I missed you, little one,” he told me as he lowered my feet back to the floor and ended the sweet statement with a kiss to my forehead.

“How’s mum, is she here?” I asked hoping that she was but with a small shake of his head he told me that she wasn’t.

“Let me guess, she doesn’t know you’re here, does she?” I asked. He actually looked sheepish because if there was one single person in the world that could render my father speechless and squirming it was my wonderful mother, Keira.

She was his kryptonite and Achilles heel all wrapped into one. As it was a clear and constant reminder living with them both that true love wasn’t only real, but it could also be fated and blessed by the very Gods themselves. Love was a gift and one I had been hoping to find in a man who I had been dreaming about most of my life in one way or another…but, boy had I been wrong!

But my parents knew nothing of this or that he was the reason I had walked away and turned my back on the same life my parents had chosen. Now, maybe it would have been different had I been like them, but the sobering truth for them and for me was that I wasn’t like them. As in… Not. At. All.

Because I wasn’t supernatural…I was human.

“No, she doesn’t know but no doubt will by the time I get back,” he admitted making me chuckle before nudging his arm with my shoulder and saying,

“Yeah, well good luck with that one, Pops.” He smirked at my teasing knowing that it was only me and my mother that could ever get away with it and it was fun at that. But my dad was a good sport and amazingly still managed to uphold that same level of authority he always did, even when in the past he had a toddler on his knee pulling his nose or making him blow raspberries in my face. He simply sat at his council table most nights and obliged me and my silliness until it was time for my bed, more often than not leaving it to my mother to discipline me, as he found that he just couldn’t bring himself to tell me off.

However, the one thing that he would not do, under any circumstances, was go against my mother’s wishes as he always backed her up and declared that her say was final and decreed law. Of course, when you’re five and told to go to bed sooner than you would like or being denied dessert after not eating all your dinner, these all seemed pretty end of the world things to a child. But let’s just say that I learned early on who the softies of the household were and that was pretty much anyone who wasn’t my mother.

In fact, in the end, I felt so sorry for my poor mum that I would often choose to be good just to give her a break in having to explain to a table full of clueless Supernaturals the importance of a child’s routine, or the value of not being hyped up on sugar before bed.

Because, no matter how much my mum had to play the bad cop in my upbringing, the simple fact remained that I utterly adored her. She may have been the one to tell me ‘No’, ‘Not yet’ and ‘Don’t touch’, but the rest of the time she was so much fun I would find my days filled with more laughter than I could possible count and tears that could be counted on one hand. They were, without a shadow of a doubt, the best parents any child could have ever hoped for, but then something awful happened and that was what most parents have to face…

I became a teenager.

So, no matter how much my dad used to dote on me, the second I started to grow up and know my own mind was when he found the list of things he couldn’t give me was starting to mount and one of those was what I craved for the most…

Freedom.

You see, I was stuck smack bang in the middle of two worlds and in neither one of them did it feel like I truly belonged. I was human in the supernatural world I was brought up in, but the longer I was in school surrounding myself with my own kind, the more I longed to belong in their world. But, like I said before, this didn’t mean I didn’t adore my family and included in that were those who weren’t related by blood like my Aunty Pip and Uncle Adam. But they all had their place within their world, whereas I wasn’t even allowed to go on a simple shopping trip to Evergreen Falls’ Mall without having a tank sized bodyguard named Ragnar watching my every move. Even if he was another person I considered as an Uncle, it still didn’t stop the fact that he was a scary ass Viking the size of a house!

But it wasn’t just the unfair restrictions my parents laid down for me as I knew it was only done for my safety, it was also where they wanted my life to go. The way my dad wanted me to play it nice and safe and work in Afterlife, in whatever area I could that would make me happy. But what made me happy was living out my dreams in a museum somewhere. Or even being out in the field discovering the world’s unknown hidden treasures of our history and being the first one to lay eyes on something that had not been seen for a millennium.

This was where my father and I started to disagree, and it quickly became the first time that my dad could no longer give me everything I wanted, being the one to say the word NO to me in place of my mother.

Hence our tense relationship ever since. Not that we argued much or were vocal about it. It was just that my overbearing father and his need to constantly protect me was starting to sound like a dictatorship of my life rather than friendly advice on where he thought my life should lead. Which was why I decided to move to London to first study and then get a job straight after in the British Museum.

It also didn’t help that my family was insanely rich, which not to sound like an ungrateful bitch here, but it also meant that my dad wanted to pay for everything and ensure it was the best. Whereas, I wanted to learn the value of hard work and the ways of the world with it like my mother had taught me.

That was where they clashed on my upbringing the most. But I sided with my mum, which was why I lived in a small modest flat on the outskirts of London that I bought cheap. And was why I caught the bus into the city every day for work. Okay, so it was also why I didn’t go home much as I couldn’t afford my living expenses and flights back to Portland as they weren’t exactly cheap. But I refused to ask my dad for money or for the use of one of their private jets, as that would have been against the point I was trying to make.

In truth, I simply wanted to make it on my own. Which was why, like most people, I bought my clothes not from the many designer shops on Bond Street, like my Aunty Sophia would have liked. But instead in Oxford Street and from the places most people did on the high street. And I was honestly okay with that. In fact, I enjoyed finding my sale bargains just as much as the next person, determined that my parents’ wealth would not influence my nature as a human being and instead make me a better person for learning to value what I have earned. And I did, especially when setting up my first home by myself and going to the British Heart Foundation for my second-hand furniture to fill my flat with.

I remember my mum’s face when she saw it for the first time and how proud she was, nudging my father’s side and prompting him to say the same. I wanted to laugh now as I remembered the way he looked down at my shabby sofa as if any minute rats were going to break free from the springs and attack him. In truth, my dad was a bit of a snob at times and I remembered laughing when my mum told me stories of when they had first started dating. At how he acted when she took him into places like Burger King and Poundland. At the time, I’d had tears in my eyes at just the thought of it.

But then again, my dad had never known anything other than his extreme power and wealth, spending thousands of years as a King, then really…who could blame him? All I could hope was that in time he would come to understand my decisions and come to respect them as my mother did.

But then again, with one look at my dad now, then I knew today was not that day. He was here because of something else and if he was here without my mother knowing, then my guess… it wasn’t anything good.

“You’re looking well and more grown up every time I see you,” my father said, running the back of his hand affectionately down my cheek and giving me a tender look. I knew that my dad struggled watching me growing from his little girl into an independent woman, as no doubt most fathers did. And even if I couldn’t have seen it clearly myself, my mother spoke about it often enough, no doubt trying to get me to understand his reasons for being the way he was.

In fact, every time we spoke for our weekly catch up phone calls and I would ask how he was, she would laugh in her light hearted and teasing way before telling me, ‘struggling as always’. Half of me felt guilty for my decision to leave but then I would stretch out on my little sofa, look around at my own little slice of heaven that I had worked for and know that I had done the right thing. And like I said, one day hopefully he would see it too.

Which was why knowing that he was a long way off that yet, I took a step back, folded my arms over my chest and asked him,

“Yeah, well that’s what happens when you’re twenty-seven, dad… now come on, spill…why are you here?” I asked getting down to business and knowing taking a family trip down daddy and daughter good old times lane, wasn’t going to do me any favours in trying to get my dad to see me as an adult. He gave me a knowing look but obviously thought better of whatever it was he wanted to say and instead replied with the actual reason he was here.

“I have something for you,” he said after releasing a big sigh that showed only of his frustration. So, deciding to opt for less tension, I gave him a big grin and hopped up onto the nearest table, thankfully the one without the four-thousand-year-old Egyptian artifacts upon it and said,

“Alright, let’s have a look.” Then I rubbed my hands together like I always did out of habit when something exciting was possibly coming my way. I knew with the warm look my dad gave me, that he was reminiscing back to every Christmas and Birthday when I would do the same thing before being handed a present to open. What can I say, I loved receiving gifts and still acted like a kid when being surprised with one.

“This box was found hidden behind one of the walls in a building I recently acquired,” my dad said picking up an aluminum case that I only just noticed was sat on the floor next to him. It was like the ones you would have seen in any action movie where the hero is trying to stop a case full of nuclear uranium from getting into the hands of terrorists. Of course, it always does get into the hands of terrorists, where a bomb gets made that threatens the city and the hero is essentially left at the end contemplating in the five seconds remaining which wire to cut. And, of course, they cut the right one with mere seconds to spare. Even after knowing nothing about nuclear bombs yet still managing to save the day anyway and along with it the love interest that they just happened to pick up half way through the story line.

But enough about the box and my runaway imagination along with it, as it was what was inside the box that interested me the most and I very much doubted that it was anything radioactive.

“Wow, now that’s certainly different,” I said the second he ran a hand over the other-worldly locks, ones no human could ever hope to crack before flipping back the lid. Inside sat an intricate wooden rectangle that was no bigger than a regular sized shoe box. It had raised panels on each side which in turn held three framed squares and each were painted with different symbols at their centres.

“It’s shaped like some kind of miniature sarcophagus, although definitely not of the Egyptian kind, yet there are some hieroglyphs here…but wait, that’s strange as these are Demotic script…and look here, this looks like Ancient Greek…” I looked back up at my dad as I had been spinning it around in my hands for he and I both to see, when I stopped, gifting him with a look of utter astonishment.

“But that’s…well that’s…”

“Surprising?” my dad said finishing off my sentence with a word I wouldn’t have used… no astonishing, unbelievable, amazing…those words I would have used!

“Where did you say you found this again?” I asked as I picked it up gently and turned it around again, this time looking at it in more detail and already trying to make out some of the markings I knew.

“New Haven, Connecticut,” he said making me raise a brow at him.

“And what wmy feelings for Lucius, as let’s face it, that was one canere you doing at Yale University, umm? Decided you needed yet another doctorate to add to the collection?” I teased, knowing the university would have been his sole interest there. He gave me one of those ‘you’re too clever for your own good’ type of looks that made me chuckle.

“Can you decipher it?” he asked ignoring my question in place of one of his own. My eyes went wide in surprise when I replied,

“You can’t?” This shocked me because if there was an ancient language out there that my dad couldn’t read then it really must be an even bigger mystery than I first thought.

“No, hence why I rushed over here to the one person I knew that could…eventually,” he said adding this last part as a tease. I smirked, taking on the challenge as he knew I would and looked at the box again.

“One of the only other artifacts found with all three texts is the Rosetta Stone, which has been here in the museum since 1802…you know it’s how they ended up deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs.” I told my dad even though I didn’t know why I bothered considering there was very little my dad didn’t know about important world history and he confirmed this when he said,

“I remember seeing it the day it was first put on display for the world to see, although ever since its rediscovery, I believe the stone has been the focus of nationalist rivalries. Which include the debate of its transfer from French to British possession during the Napoleonic Wars, thanks to a long-running dispute over the relative value of both Thomas Young, and Jean-François Champollion’s contributions to its decipherment.” I whistled and nudged him with my elbow,

“Impressive…you know mum is right…”

“Oh?” he enquired as I knew he would considering I had mentioned his biggest weakness, my mum.

“It must be like living with the intelligent superhero…no wonder mum calls you ‘Google Man’.” I said in a deep ‘man voice’ and making a stance like a superhero with my hands on my hips and my feet apart. My dad rolled his eyes at me and my playful banter as he always did before muttering,

“Too much like your mother.”

“Well, they may have wanted it in France but since 2003 there have been demands for its return to Egypt,” I told him, getting back to the reason he was here.

“Well, I don’t see that happening anytime soon, not when it’s one of the museum’s biggest attractions that has been sat on display behind its walls for over two hundred years,” my father commented.

“So, what’s inside?” I asked nodding back to the box after seeing for myself there was no way inside but knowing that from the weight of it then an educated guess would tell me it definitely had its secrets at its core.

“I don’t know.” I frowned at this at the same time jerking my head back in shock.

“What do you mean you don’t know, surely you have just willed it to open before now?” I said, knowing object manipulation was just one of my father’s many supernatural gifts.

“I have tried but to no avail.”

“You’re telling me that it’s protected against supernatural means?” I asked in utter astonishment but was soon to learn that this wasn’t the most shocking part of all. No, it was when my father told me,

“There might be one with enough power to open it, for his exertion over people’s will far exceeds my own.” I had a bad feeling about this as I felt the shiver creeping down my spine, only knowing the deeper reason for it the second he said his name.

“Who?” I still asked as if compelled to do so. However, the second I stared at the box that wouldn’t open I knew just by asking, that the question was opening a far more dangerous one for me.

One not named Pandora’s box, but one named…

“Lucius.”

3

Puzzles

Shortly after my father spoke his name I quickly swallowed down the gasp I knew wanted to break free and schooled my features the best I could, just as I had trained myself to do around my family. The very last thing I wanted was for them to know of any feelings I may have had for the Vampire King. Of course, it hadn’t helped that not only had he once been my father’s enemy but to make matters worse, all had been forgiven and he was now one of the many Kings that sat at my father’s council table.

Thankfully, I no longer had to endure these yearly meetings at Afterlife or having to explain my absence on account of no longer living there. Something that had happened a little time before I left for good and let’s just say that the excuse of a headache didn’t really cut it in our family.

But, surprisingly, my parents were still in the dark when it came to Lucius and the callous heartbreak he had inflicted that night, which was precisely how I preferred it. For starters I didn’t know if the King of the Supernatural world could suffer from a heart attack, but I am sure that if there was ever an occasion for that to be tested, then my dad finding out about Lucius would have been it.

My first thought would have been that my dad would have simply killed Lucius or at least tried to, seeing as it was whispered that Lucius was in fact my father’s only equal in power and strength. I didn’t know how true this was, but I knew enough of some of the Kings of the Seven Realms that they were all pretty equal in power, which included my Uncle Vincent who mainly ruled over the rogue Angels in the world, along with my father.

But then it was rumored that if Lucius, being the King of all Vampires, was ever to find his ultimate demise and the unbelievable happened, like his death, then he would also take with him all other Vampires to his grave. Which, terrifyingly, also meant my mother being on that unfortunate list, seeing as he was her Sire. I didn’t know all of the details of this story as certain things were, according to my parents, better left in the past. I hadn’t given much thought to this growing up until the truth of it was used against me.

I shook my head and with it ridding myself of the sticky residue of pain that would latch itself to me unwittingly whenever his name was mentioned.

“Then why not take it straight to him?” I had asked my dad, turning my back and busying myself with putting away some of my tools just so that I could hide the bitterness I felt in saying that sentence. I could just imagine my dad’s single raised brow at me from behind, but I ignored the temptation to look, knowing I was too close to giving away my feelings if I did.

“Because I know how you like puzzles and I first thought to let you look at it in case it holds some greater meaning to our world.” It was at this point that I had wanted to correct him and say, ‘don’t you mean your world’.

But in the end, I remained silent so as not to upset him when hearing this as I remembered the look of hurt the last time I threw it at him. It was just before I left for university and he pleaded with me not to go, telling me that I had a responsibility as his daughter and therefore strictly speaking also as a princess to a King that I called father. But the second he called me this I heard it being said as an insult by another and therefore lashed out venomously, feeling guilty then for the entire flight to London.

Which was why I was currently sat on the bus with the box inside my large handbag, clutching it on my lap as I made my way home. I had wrapped the puzzle box up in bubble wrap and decided it was best not to speak of it to anyone, hoping I wouldn’t get stopped for a random search at the end of my working day.

Of course, it would have been easy to prove that it was mine considering it wasn’t catalogued as being in the museum’s possession and neither had it been catalogued as due in on any of their shipment manifests. But proving it to be mine would have been a lengthy process, for which I didn’t have the time, that was if I was to make it home and get myself ready for this gala, then every spare minute counted.

Well, at least two things had come out of my father’s visit as he was right, I did love a good puzzle…that, and I finally had a date for the gala as my dad promised he wouldn’t let me go there alone. So, after the fifteen-minute walk to Oxford Circus, I caught my usual bus to where I lived in Twickenham. All in all, it usually took me just over an hour to get home with both the walk and bus journey combined. But I didn’t mind as I liked the bus. I liked being able to just sit back and watch the busy world go by, wondering at each person I saw what their story was. Where they were on their way to, where they had just come from and who it was they were going to meet. I had always been curious by nature but today I had to admit that my thoughts were most definitely elsewhere.

I remembered back to when I first came to find a place to live in London, getting lost more times than I could count. I also thought back to when I spent a ridiculous amount of time stood staring at the multicolored lines of the Underground map, asking myself if people needed to first pass some unknown test just to navigate their way around the city. A test no one had told me about.

Then I remembered when a kind and uniquely fashionable older lady in her seventies came to stand next to me and ended up explaining the whole system to me. She had asked where it was I trying to get to and in the end, when hearing that it was the museum, thought it best to tag along and ended up spending the day with me.

Her name had been Queeney (to her friends anyway, as I never found out her real name). She had also been the one to recommend the flat I now lived in, telling me that a friend of hers was trying to move quickly and would soon be putting it up for sale at a steal of the usual price. Hence, how I ended up being the proud owner of a small one bedroom flat in Twickenham in a sweet and well-kept block of flats overlooking a small park.

So, just as I approached where I usually got off, which just so happened to be only a minute’s walk from where I lived, I pressed the button to let the driver know that this was my stop. Then I heaved the bag over my shoulder remembering to take care considering what I carried inside it. I then smiled at the bus driver in thanks before stepping off onto the curb. Hitching up my bag once more, I made my way back home on foot, getting there in just over a minute. I could literally see my building’s door from the bus stop. Which meant I could have that extra sleep on work days, as I wasn’t exactly a morning person.

In fact, to all who knew me well, I was a morning monster and could rival Hell’s wrath if woken up before I absolutely had to. Which made getting me up in the morning for school a bit of a challenge for my parents. But, since then I liked to think that I had matured in this department and therefore no longer growled like a bear at people should they wish me good morning.

However, I wasn’t yet above cursing loudly when hearing the annoying ringtone of my phone’s alarm in the morning. I especially loathed getting up out of bed if it was still dark outside. It was true, I was a complete bed monster and could basically sleep through most things, which was why I loved my days off, only rolling from my comfy crypt no earlier than ten.

“Happy Friday, Mrs Benton,” I said wishing one of my neighbours a good day, who was reaching out of the kitchen window of her ground floor flat, watering her herbs that sat neatly inside a hanging window box. She smiled at me and tore out a handful of basil, passing it to me as I passed.

“I recommend pasta tonight,” she said as way of hello and I thanked her before entering the passcode to gain access to my building, now with one handful of fresh herbs. My building was filled with high tech gadgets and a top of the range security system as it seemed that the owner was somewhat paranoid of break-ins. This had been one of the features Queeney had pointed out at the time she had first shown me around her friend’s flat. I just remembered thinking that at least my father would be happy to hear this, as my safety had been one of his biggest issues with me moving away. I had just turned a corner after navigating up the first flight of stairs when I saw a familiar face speckled with paint.

“Hey Ben, how’s life treating you on this fine Friday evening?” I asked this of my neighbor who lived in the flat directly opposite mine and who was currently painting his front door an array of geometric shapes in mad colours. Not surprisingly, he was an artist, and this had been the second time I had seen him painting his front door this year and it was only March.

“Oh, just fine, fine, fine… although Owen is away again would you believe?” Ben said waving around his blue soaked brush in an overly dramatic way as was his personality. I gave him a sympathetic smile knowing that he hated it when his partner Owen was away. Which he tended to do a lot these days, making me wonder if their relationship was as strong as it had been when they first met last summer.

Ben had lived here longer than I had and from what I could gather had paid a lot more for his place than I had for mine. But I was wise enough to keep quiet on the matter as money was usually a sore spot with him.

I had met him the first day I had moved in as he saw me struggling with my boxes. He had grabbed the door for me and minutes later helped me move the rest of my things in, that had been shipped across from Portland. After that I had treated him to takeout sat on the floor and using a box for a table and we had been friends ever since. He was about my height, a little podgy around the belly area from his love of baking, which I actually think suited him better as the extra weight also gave him a rounder face to match his big blue eyes and dark blonde hair. He always seemed to be flushed having a redness to his cheeks and when he smiled it was so big that it transformed his face and made his eyes sparkle. He was like a cute teddy bear that made you want to hug him even when just saying hello. Which I would have done now if I hadn’t had a handful of herbs, a heavy bag full to the brim of ancient wood and eyeing up all the paint stuck to his work shirt and ripped jeans.

“I would say let’s get into our PJ’s, crack open a bottle of Zinfandel and stick a movie on but I have that stupid gala thing tonight,” I said groaning at the end.

“Oh, poor you, a glamourous night ahead surrounded by handsome rich people…just however will you cope?” he said, being bitchy in a joking way. I rolled my eyes as I did with Wendy and said,

“Yeah, well it’s not exactly my ideal Friday night as you know.”

“Seriously girl, you have this so backward,” he told me making me frown as I unlocked my door.

“Yeah, in what way?” I asked over my shoulder at him.

“Because usually people feel depressed when they don’t have something to do on a Friday night other than sit at home only wishing that they had the excuse to wear a cute dress, killer heels and an actual reason to paint their nails…you on the other hand seem to wish for Netflix and pizza on the nights you have something awesome to do.” I released a sigh knowing he was right.

“Yeah, well you are more than welcome to take my place since Wendy let me down and ended our fake lesbian relationship,” I told him making him laugh.

“Ha, can you imagine me trying to talk seriously about shriveled up dead things with the same passion you do…perleeease Geekgirl, I would just be there for the free champagne, hors d’oeuvres and the potentially rich and handsome husband I might find,” he said dragging out his ‘please’ and rolling his hand in the air.

“And what about Owen, huh?” He gave me a pointed look that told me I had been right; their relationship was on the brink of coming to an end.

“So, what time do you want me to come round and do your hair?” he asked changing the subject. I gave him a surprised look prompting him to say,

“Oh, come on, you know you’re shit at it, no offence but if its more than giving it a quick blow dry and stuffing it up in a messy bun or a half assed plait then you’re shit at it,” he reminded me, calling me out on something I already knew to be true.

“Fine, give me an hour to get showered and changed before knocking…oh and don’t you dare turn up here without that bottle of wine I know you have hiding in your fridge from last movie night.” He gave me a salute when taking back up his brush, so he could finish his last blue shape.

I walked into my flat and breathed a sigh of relief that I could finally rid myself of my weighty burden. Hell, I was half tempted to just let the thing drop to the floor the second the door closed behind me. But then I remembered the thing was thousands of years old and did deserve a little more of my respect and professionalism. So, I carefully placed my bag down on the kitchen table and proceeded to carry out my daily ritual of kicking off my shoes, shrugging out of my jacket and clicking the kettle on all at the same time.

Then, by the time the water had boiled, I was out of my work clothes into comfy PJ bottoms and was pulling one of my funny T shirts over my head. I kind of started collecting them after my Aunty Pip suggested it and therefore now received at least one from people I knew as gifts every year on both my birthday and Christmas. Today’s choice had been from my Uncle Zagan, who was married to my father’s sister, my awesome Aunty Sophia. It read,

‘Guns don’t Kill People,

UNCLES
who have pretty

Nieces DO!’

Needless to say, all the men in my family had loved this one. I, on the other hand, saved it for ‘inside wear only’ as let’s face it, I might have made a ‘no men’ vow, but I didn’t want to be single for the rest of my life. Which made me think about Peter and when I had planned to see him next. I decided to put it out of my head, making myself a cup of green tea. Which would have been much to my mother’s disgust who was herself addicted to a more basic ‘English Breakfast’ variety, declaring all other tea’s as the work of the devil. I always giggled at this and the sight of her nose wrinkling in disgust whenever I ordered my ‘Devil tea’ when we were out.

Then I plonked myself down at the small kitchen table I’d picked up from Gumtree, the online second-hand site that lets you find hidden gems cheap that people were selling and wanted gone. So, it had a wonky leg I had to glue every few months but so what, it was mine and I loved it, chipped paint and all.

I reached into my bag and carefully removed the puzzle box my dad had given me so that I could finally examine it in more detail. I hadn’t had much time to do so by the time my father had left, seeing as I needed to catch my bus home. But now, here under the hanging light I had got in the bargain section in IKEA for missing a few screws in its packaging, I could now see that it held so much more than I originally thought.

I soon began to understand why it was my dad couldn’t read its ancient text as it wasn’t your straightforward hieroglyphs. In fact, it was starting to look more like its Egyptian symbols had been morphed with other known Glyphs used in many forms of ancient texts and language. It had been very cleverly made that was for sure, as you would turn it one way and it would look like Cuneiform, the writing of the Sumerians. Then you could look at it upside down and Cretan hieroglyphs could just be made out.

In fact, the whole box was covered in text, with three main scripts and the two languages being Egyptian entwined with ancient Greek. None of it made any sense as the time frames were all off. I decided to take pictures of each side with my phone so that I could print them out later and then circle each symbol as I deciphered it. I usually did this when studying a new object, that way I could easily make notes and break down each element as it came to me.

I set the thing down and picked up my mug, drinking the hot tea and letting it soothe my ragged nerves, just knowing who could soon be holding this box if I couldn’t crack its code first and get it open myself. A part of me wanted to fail, just so that I had the excuse to pass it onto him. But the better part of me, the rational side that screamed at me on a daily basis that I hated him, wanted to stick two fingers up and crack it without needing his help. So, I set my mug down and continued to take pictures of it until I was sure every inch had been documented.

Okay, so I know what you’re thinking. Why, given my family’s background, would I choose to study ancient artifacts and the ancient Egyptians? Why not something like demonology, seeing as I pretty much knew all there was to know on the subject. And, considering I was probably one of the only humans on earth to know exactly what was fact and what was fiction, then something like that might have been handy for the rest of the population...or so I thought.

But I would have been wrong.

Because unless the human world really knew the truth about what secrets lay in plain sight, then what use was I, the know it all on the subject? No, there was good reason why the supernatural side was kept hidden to them, as was part of my father’s job. I mean look at what damage can be done in the name of religion. How man throughout history has twisted their beliefs and the beliefs of others to start wars only for their own gain of power, land and another man’s riches.

So, the answer was simple, there weren’t too many jobs out there for such a person and especially not in the work place of my dreams, that being the British Museum. A place I visited on a school trip once when I bravely snuck out and forged my parents’ signatures just so that I could fulfil my wish of seeing London with the rest of my school friends.

But from the very first moment I stepped inside the amazing place, I knew that it had been fate and I would have done anything in my academic power to get a job there. Even if I started at the very bottom and had to clean toilets to get it.

Okay, so I wasn’t exactly cleaning toilets, but cleaning artifacts was what I did most days. However, I still loved it. I fell in love with history pretty much from day one when I first learned to read. And well, in truth, when you are brought up with a father who had lived through most of it, then each one of his amazing stories of his past just stuck with me and I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to learn all about the ancient cultures my dad had lived through, learning more about his past as I did. I also inherited this passion for history from my mum, who studied it at college.

Well, admittedly it was that and my love for watching the Indiana Jones movies, quickly deciding when I was only six that this was what I wanted to become. Okay, so it’s true that the booby trapped, cave hunting, out running crashing boulders, pit of snake diving, high flying and death-defying adventures had yet to happen, but I still had my fingers crossed that one day something exciting would finally find me. And seeing as my mother and father were the King and Queen of the Supernatural world, then you would have thought that by the age of twenty-seven it would have happened by now.

But, in short, my life was pretty ordinary. Then again, since I made the decision to leave home and basically live life like the human I was, then what did I really expect? I guess it shouldn’t have been that surprising that my life was as it was, like most people’s lives, the most exciting things to happen were falling in love, marriage and babies. Oh, and the occasional accident that might mean a long wait in an A & E department.

Well, I had already done the falling in love part and stupidly let it then dictate my life by swearing off all men for the rest of eternity. Okay, so that’s not strictly true as I was sort of seeing someone, but how far it was going to go was anyone’s guess, as we hadn’t even slept together yet. And let’s just say that when it did finally happen for me, I had a feeling that Peter was the turn the lights off kind of guy.

Not that there was anything wrong with that but for me, it definitely seemed overshadowed by my ideals of how someone’s first time should go… especially when I had my traitorous fantasies and dreams to plague me of a certain Vampire King. And I can safely say that my ideals and imagination tend to lead me down a much darker and taboo path when thinking about what Lucius would be like in the bedroom. Chains, ropes, distinct teeth marks and red palmed skin tended to come to mind, as it was definitely more the red room from Fifty Shades, than the tame kissing on your wedding day from Pride and Prejudice in a horse drawn carriage.

But Peter was a sweet, kind and gentle man and most of all he was safe, which no doubt my father would like most about him. Although, thankfully that day was far, far away from happening, no matter how much my mother thought it funny to tease him about it.

Ha, well there wouldn’t have been any teasing if either of them knew about my feelings for Lucius, and let’s face it, that was one can of demonic worms nobody wanted to open…as in EVER! Especially not what I knew now and how that bastard had taken great joy in telling me back when I had a fragile naive heart, one he stepped on and decided to break for nothing more than what seemed like his amusement. Even if the bastard had saved my life that day, it didn’t matter, because for long years after, the backlash of his actions had often made me wish that he hadn’t.

Man, how foolish I had been back then, I couldn’t help but shake my head when just thinking back to it. No man was worth my life, that was the lesson I had learnt, and no man would ever love me as much as my father.

Or so I thought.

But offering my love to a man like Lucius, then really what had I been thinking? For how could a man, as cold and hard as he is, ever love anyone? I had often wondered this but then again, I knew the heartbreaking truth now, didn’t I? Because there had been one woman the Vampire King had fallen in love with and it most certainly hadn’t been me.

No, I learned the truth of that the hardest way anyone could learn it. From the very lips I wished would spend long hours kissing my own and teaching my body what it felt like to have the determined touch of a dominant hand.

I heard it from the cruel lips of who I once believed to be my Chosen One. The only person he told me that he had ever loved had been none other than my own…

Mother.

4

Eternally Loved

“Okay, so what about this one?” I asked holding up yet another dress from my closet, wondering why I had even agreed to let Ben in my bedroom, let alone to help me pick out what to wear. Well, maybe help wasn’t exactly the right word to use…no, maybe to boss me around and basically make me feel like I had a collection of dustbin bags or shabby outdated hand me downs from eighty-year-old ladies in mourning! Yeah, that was it.

I swear that he was the most over critical gay man I had ever met…okay, so he was the only gay man I knew but still, he was worse than Wendy on her period!

“Oh, that’s fine…” he finally replied.

“That’s great…” I sighed in relief which turned out to be premature as he quickly added,

“…If you’re going to a funeral.” I let my head fall back and silently asked the Gods for patience, knowing there must be at least one up there who specialized in the field.

“Fine, then what would you pick?!” I snapped, making him smirk.

“You gonna wear it if I do?” he tested in a sneaky tone. I shrugged my shoulders, moved aside and said,

“Have at it, Skippy,” I said, naming him this as he was always nicking my peanut butter, which just so happened to be the best brand EVER in all the history of buttery goodness. Well, it was my favorite anyway and I really would have to love someone to share it, considering my mum would send it in her monthly packages, which also included some of my other American favorites. However, my fellow Americans were really missing out not having crumpets to smother it on as, if you asked me, it was a match made in heaven.

“Alright, but you have to pinky swear you will wear what I choose.”

“What are we, six?” I asked with a frown, making him chuckle before holding out his little finger and replying,

“If it gets the job done, then yeah, now put it there Emmie girl!” I rolled my eyes, which admittedly was a habit of mine, and gave him my pinky swear, knowing there wasn’t much to worry about seeing as it was a closet full of my own clothes that I would be seen dead in… and living for that matter.

“And this job that needs to get done, is what exactly?” I asked after plonking myself down on the bed. Ben started rummaging through my closet with a concentration that almost looked painful or that he was close to needing a bowel movement. I would have laughed had he not answered my question at that moment.

“It’s called cherry popping and usually happens well before you’re in your late twenties.” I swear I nearly choked.

“And what makes you think I am still a virgin, huh?” I asked in a high-pitched voice that should have sounded way cooler if what he just said was as false as my question claimed.

“I have lived opposite you for years and not once seen you bring a man back to your flat.”

“So? Who’s to say we don’t just do it at his place?” I argued making him chuckle.

“His? Oh honey, I doubt you have even seen another man’s bedroom other than mine,” he replied making me suddenly blush crimson and that was because he was wrong. I had been in another man’s bedroom and the memory made me want to squirm. Just like I had done that night under a pair of steel grey eyes that had the ability to undress me without even touching me. I couldn’t help but close my eyes for a second as I felt a shiver penetrate the base of my spine.

“Now, that look tells me all I need to know, so come on, spill, who is he and what’s his name?” Ben asked me sounding excited and clapping his hands, making my eyes snap open the second he did. I swear it was as if the memory of Lucius had just been real for a moment and the end of it had been him clicking his fingers in front of my face to get me to snap out of it.

“He is a no one…not anymore,” I told him allowing my tone to say all it needed to, and Ben was a good enough friend to let it drop, but not until after giving me a small sympathetic smile in return.

“Alright, it wasn’t easy, but I would say we have found a winner,” he said after another moment of rummaging through my closet. Then he cast aside a shopping bag I didn’t recognize making me frown, wondering where it had come from? But this question died in place of another one, when Ben held up what he expected me to wear.

“Oh, hell no! No way, no how, just no,” I said making him adopt the bitchy, I am not impressed look that consisted of a hand to the hip and a pout that could have rivaled any supermodel on the runway.

“You pinky promised me,” he reminded me, making me shake my head in denial.

“What is this, first grade?” I asked him, throwing my hands up in the air and being just as dramatic as a first grader.

“No, but it will look like it when you see how bad my man paddy can get, so just do me a favour and suck it up and put it on.” I released a sigh and said,

“You get that I am supposed to look professional at these things…right?” I said in my defense to the sexy garment he had hold of.

“Oh, I am sorry, I thought the point of it was to get rich men to open up their wallets and fund yet another pointless dig in the desert just by getting an eyeful of your feminine bounty.”

“Hey! They are not pointless! And really…feminine bounty, what are you this time a gay pirate?” I said making him chuckle and smirk as he held up his hands to make a box with his fingers. Then he looked at me through the finger made small screen like a director would do and said,

“Perfect! Now just say that again only wearing this and you could make a mint for the next discovery of some dried-up dead guy who didn’t know immortality really meant having his crusty carcass displayed behind a glass case for the rest of eternity,” Ben said making me first try and scold him for taking the piss out of my work, only for me to end up in a fit of laughter.

“Come on Emmie, just try it on…for me, yeah?” Ben asked now trying with the pleading route, knowing I was a sucker for doing what people asked of me. The word ‘no’ was usually one that just stuck in an invisible speech bubble over my head, just waiting there for me to get the guts to pop it and make good use of the word. Of course, this never happened, and I usually just ended up going with the word ‘yes’ instead.

“Fine, but I can guarantee it will not suit me,” I said getting up and grabbing the dress with a humpf, one that lacked the impetus of being pissed off.

“I very much doubt that, as you would look hot wrapped up in toilet rolls, trick or treating in the rain.” I laughed once before needing to ask,

“And I would do that because?”

“Because your parents had no money at the time of Halloween and toilet rolls were on offer and forced you to be a mummy, whereas half an hour later you came home covered in white mush thanks to the rain…I think I blocked the drains for a whole week after that,” Ben told me making me howl with laughter at the idea before giving him a kiss on the cheek, telling him,

“Aww, I bet you still looked cute though.” He rolled his eyes and replied,

“Yeah, yeah, go get your sexy ass in that dress already before I tell you about the time they dressed me up as wolfman.” I smirked, as I grabbed the dress and went into the bathroom.

“Let me guess, you were allergic to the costume and broke out in hives?” I asked through my bathroom door.

“No, think tights, glue and a bucket of hair clippings collected from our local hairdresser’s and you will have a small idea of the nightmare that was my upbringing.” I laughed again and shook my head just trying to picture it.

“Hey, I bet wolfman was rocking all those different colours and streaks!” I said making him chuckle. I loved hearing stories of Ben growing up, always making me laugh, no matter how bad my day had been. I also happened to know for a fact that Ben adored his parents and visited with them often, but it still didn’t stop him from joking about them.

I listened to Ben as he continued to make me laugh and chuckle through the ordeal of dressing in something so revealing, it was making me fidget just thinking about walking out of the bathroom wearing it. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t as if I’d never dressed up or wore tight clothes before. It was just that I had grown up with an overly protective family that consisted of a lot of dominant males who still viewed me as a little girl. I wore dresses and even went to prom, but I think my father would have locked me away in his Scottish castle had he seen me wearing something this low cut.

Which gave me an idea. Had that been half the problem? The fact that my dad had never been given the opportunity to see me as a grown woman instead of his little girl? I had to wonder then that if he saw me wearing this tonight would that be enough to change his view of me?

Well, maybe it was worth a shot, as what was the worst-case scenario here, he gets pissed off and demands me to march back home and change? Well, yeah, that did sound a bit embarrassing, but it didn’t mean that I would have to do it.

I looked at myself in the mirror and turned to the sides trying to take it all in. Ben had already done my hair in a classic soft up-do that was a cascade of soft curls gathered to one side and resting across one shoulder. He had also helped with my makeup, making me wonder if he’d taught himself or learned off a ‘how to’ You Tube video or something, as he was certainly skilled. I even told him that if he ever wanted to branch out from the world of art, then he could get paid a lot of money to do this professionally. I think I even made him blush. But it was more than worth the compliment I gave him as he had created a smoky effect that would go with any black dress I had picked, or more like he had picked, the sneaky bugger! It wasn’t that I couldn’t do my own make-up, as I did daily, still finding myself with the skin of a hormonal teenager whenever I was due my period. But doing my make-up dramatic, was something new for me.

And now, the more I looked at myself, seeing most of my legs on show, the more I thought why the hell not. I was a grown woman and it was time I started dressing more like one and less like a teenager. Yes, I had professional clothes for work, where I would wear black trousers and some smart knitted jumper, or a shirt and blazer, if we had anyone important in that day that needed to be impressed with our work. But never once had I worn something like this to an event. Making me now wonder about the smart business wear I usually reserved for these occasions and seeing it in a different light. Had I always been too conservative?

Well, now I vowed to change and the first chance I got after tonight, I was going shopping and this time, I was thinking sexy! And why not, as it wasn’t as if I was hideous or anything. My legs were slim, if not a little short, but a pair of black heels would usually do the job nicely.

I also had been blessed with a flattish tummy, no matter how many donuts I ate, and one that tonight, because of the style of dress, gave me an hourglass figure. This was thanks to the band of black material that pulled my waist in before the skirt part flared out due to the hidden pleats and added under layer.

The length of the skirt came well above my knee and dipped longer at the back, so at the very least, I wasn’t self-conscious of showing my ass cheeks all night. But it wasn’t really this part that worried me the most, as the top was the main foundation of my concern. It was black beaded lace, cut in a halter neck style that dipped low at the front and showed a revealing amount of cleavage.

It cupped my decent C cup sized breasts and pulled them in, creating a bountiful show of pale skin. This was yet another thing I had inherited from my mother. That, as well as my blue eyes, only mine were less grey than my mum’s and I had unusual flecks of violet running through mine that brightened when in sunlight and darkened when I was upset and crying. This, combined with my dark midnight black hair I had obviously inherited from my father, was said to make for a startling combination and made for some cute baby pictures...Or so my aunty Pip thought anyway, and she should know considering she still had a collage of them on her and my uncle Adam’s wall. These were framed in fluffy fairy lights, cut out glitter paper hearts that we made together when I was five. Oh, and not forgetting my favorite part, our painted hand prints from when I was three and she had lifted me up onto my uncle Adam’s shoulders so that I could slap my rainbow hands everywhere.

But even with my pale skin and blue/violet eyes, I still looked more like my dad than my mum. For one, I wasn’t as curvy and also didn’t have the same shaped face as my mother. Some even said that I looked more like my Aunty Sophia, due to having the same coloured hair and shape to my eyes. Eyes that I had decided to frame not with glasses this time, but with contact lenses I rarely wore. Not unless I was going swimming, or it was an unusually bright sunny day out and therefore sunglasses were needed.

I ran my hands down the taffeta skirt, liking the small strip of deep red satin that could be seen peeking out of the bottom from the underskirt. Also meaning that it went well with the ruby red lipstick Ben had painted on my full, heart shaped lips.

I looked like a completely different version of myself and I was starting to like it. It was time to show both of my worlds that I wasn’t the unsure, awkward geek or the over-protected princess, a certain someone had accused me of being once upon a dark time. I was my own person and made my own decisions based on my own happiness, so if wearing a sexy dress for a party was what I wanted to do, then so be it. I nodded to myself in the mirror and stepped out to face my first judgement, which I knew the second I heard the wolf whistle, that it wouldn’t be a judgement at all but more like a blessing.

“Wow…just wow, Emmie,” Ben said after he had finished making a dramatic fuss and causing me to blush, which was something I rarely had occasion to do. But then again, when was it that I ever had reason to blush? I used to watch my father manage to do it on a daily basis to my mother and now that I was older, I absolutely did not want to know what it was he was whispering in her ear to achieve the reaction he did…because as sweet as it was to witness such a loving relationship between my parents, what they did behind closed doors will always be…well, quite frankly… eww.

But when I had been a child and thought his actions as nothing but playful, then I had always asked what it was he had said. Most of the time it was something one of them would make up, ‘Oh, he thinks my dress is pretty’ or ‘He thinks we should tickle you’, sweet endearing things like that. But now as an adult I knew better. But, unbeknown to me at the time, just how much witnessing my parents love for each other would end up shaping my views when it came to finding my own ‘true love’ were now forever rooted in my soul. And, as nice as Peter was, I knew that it would never be him.

Love was, after all…

Eternal.

5

Invited

An hour later I found myself walking from my flat wearing my old faithful black heels that seemed to go with every dressy outfit I owned. Amazingly, they were also what I classed as the holy grail of shoes, as they lasted the whole night and were a definite ten on the comfort scale, so needless to say, they had been re-heeled twice.

Ben had demanded that I do a selfie photoshoot with him, even if it was only for his own Facebook page as my parents hadn’t thought it wise to partake in social media and announce to the world where I was living. And in this I had to agree, thinking that this time my parents’ worries were a solid base for concern. Because, no matter how much my father was obeyed as King in his world, it didn’t mean that there weren’t those out there who opposed his rule, meaning my father had his fair share of enemies which essentially made me a target.

So, not being stupid over my move to another country and away from my parent’s protection, I conceded in accepting some ground rules for my own good of course. Which meant that I basically only used my phone for what it had been first invented for, making calls and sending text messages. But other than doing the occasional internet shopping on my break times or taking pictures and playing Bubble Witch, that was pretty much the extent of my phone’s use.

I would often catch people glued to their phones scrolling through the lives of other people and seeing what it was they were up to, which I thought was a great platform for keeping in touch with the outside world. But I had to wonder how much of their own lives they missed by always looking down at a small screen in their hands instead of the world right in front of them.

I had been tempted to ask Ben this as he was taking pictures of us both in my kitchen doing peace signs and performing our best ‘Blue Steel’ Zoolander poses.

“There, posted!” he declared after a few taps on his phone. I frowned, wondering if that was still classed as a bad idea, but then I shook it off as being paranoid considering it wasn’t as though he could tag me in the picture.

Well, that had been just before I received a text message telling me a car was outside waiting for me. I texted back,

‘Thanks Dad x’

‘You’re welcome.’

I then frowned back down at my phone, wondering where my return kiss was. But then again, knowing my dad, he was getting used to a new phone as he was forever taking his frustrations out on it, breaking them without thinking. Actually, this made sense considering the number had flashed up as unknown, not registered as my dad’s number under my contacts.

Then, just as I opened the front door of my building, I noticed a black van with blacked out windows parked on double yellow lines across the street. It had a small logo on the side advertising it as a plumbing business which I suspected was a magnetic sign that could have easily been peeled off. I frowned, thinking there was something not right about it, as the van itself looked an expensive one and if you were a plumber making enough money to buy a van like that, then why wouldn’t you go the extra mile and get the whole thing covered to advertise an obviously booming business?

Maybe I was over analyzing it as I usually did. But it was just the finer details always screamed out at me like that. However, I didn’t know whether half the time I could put it down to instinct or just paranoia. For starters, the company could have just contracted out the job in this area and had removable signs for when those type of jobs occurred.

In the end, I shrugged my shoulders, fastened up my smart, woolen jacket, one I reserved for nights out, and walked towards the car my father had sent for me. I couldn’t tell from here what make it was, but it was luxurious enough to be a Maybach, which knowing my father, it most likely was. Well, it sure beat the bus whatever it was.

“Good evening, Miss Draven,” the driver said opening the door for me and tipping his cap in a gentlemanly fashion. I smiled back at him before lowering myself into the seat, being mindful not to catch my skirt in the car door (something that had happened twice before now).

I was surprised to find myself alone in the back, wondering where my dad was, so as soon as the driver started to pull away, I pressed on the intercom to ask.

“Are we picking up my…Umpf.” My sentence was cut off as another driver cut in front of us unexpectedly, meaning we had to brake suddenly, jarring me forward in my seat.

“I apologize, Miss,” he said in response to his actions and no doubt the muttered curse he let slip.

“That’s fine, there is no accounting for idiots on the road,” I told him to put him at ease and at the same time bending down to pick up my handbag, struggling to do so in such a tight dress. Well, I was just glad I hadn’t overdone it this week on the doughnuts as they were my weakness in life.

“In answer to your question, Miss, I believe my instructions were to take you straight there where he will be with you shortly.” I nodded in thanks and relaxed back in the ultimate level of comfort, thinking that there were some perks to being rich. But for me, who had been brought up with it, I just viewed it as unnecessary. Yes, it was nice not having to count the pennies when you wanted something and being able to travel and come and go as you pleased. But I thought there was something more freeing by paying my own way in the world than if I had just accepted my father’s credit card he’d tried to give me, telling me there was no limit on it.

At first, I had outright refused, turning my back in frustration and telling him that he just didn’t understand. But in the end, we came to a compromise whereas I promised to take it and keep it solely for emergencies. Seven years later I still hadn’t spent one penny on it. In fact, it remained in a shoe box hidden beneath a broken section in the floor boards I’d found once when moving my room around. It was in the center of my bedroom, now concealed by a rag rug I’d made with extra cut offs I had from when I made my own curtains. Did I mention how much I loved crafts, having filled the space under my bed and half my closet with material, paint, sewing gadgets, wool, scrap book stuff and a shoe box full of glue sticks?

However, I should also mention that I couldn’t paint an actual picture for toffee. Not like my mum, who was a great artist. I used to sit on a swivel chair in the studio my dad had made for her, just spinning around and getting lost in the movement of colours around me from all the artwork she had displayed on the walls.

It seemed like no time at all before the driver was pulling the car up alongside the imposing black and gold tipped gates of the British Museum. They had been opened wide to allow cars inside so that the rich wouldn’t have to walk the distance of the vast courtyard to reach its main doors.

The grand entrance was primarily designed in the Greek Revival façade, which was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This was a style predominantly found in Northern Europe and the United States and in this case, suited the grandeur that was the British Museum. The entrance was made up of forty-four grand looking columns that reached forty-five feet high, making you believe yourself to be stepping back in time to Ancient Greece.

I couldn’t help but look at the building as I had done that same day when I first laid eyes on it. I remembered it like it was yesterday at the naive age of only sixteen. It had been my first school trip and with the rest of my class, I turned a corner and walked through the gates for the first time in stunned silence. I even remember the way I faltered a step when looking up and seeing the past stood there in front of me.

I couldn’t help but look down at my feet, half expecting to find myself stood there in someone else’s shoes, as if this was all part of some dream. I had heard rumors of something called the Janus Gate that was said to hold a gateway to the past. But every time I had asked about it growing up, it just seemed to be a taboo subject that people shrugged off. So, needless to say, if it did exist I had never seen it.

But, in that single moment, it was like being hit with a vision of my future, something inside the root of my soul beseeching me to take this leap of faith. To take the initial steps as to what would be the first of many steps to come. And I had done it. I had achieved my dream of working here and finding my place within its walls. And it had not been a difficult choice, for the second I wandered up to the upper level and into the first Egyptian room which was named ‘Death and the Afterlife’, I knew it had been the place for me.

The very first moment I saw the mummy of Cleopatra I was hooked! To the point that my teacher had a job finding me again as the first chance I got, I broke away from the group and spent all of my time in those six Egyptian rooms.

Which is precisely why, whenever I found myself at its grand entrance, I couldn’t help but look up at those tall columns and smile to myself before entering. Something I did once more right after the door was opened for me and I got out of the car. I thanked the driver before walking up the steps to lead me inside.

The rest of the museum was closed for the night, which meant it was something quite marvelous when there weren’t hundreds of bodies crowding around in each of the rooms, moving like cattle. No, now there was only the gentle hum of life from within the vast and famous space of the great court.

The great court has what was called a tessellated glass roof which consisted of 6100m2 of glazed triangular panes creating a unique shape and making it the largest covered square in Europe. The entire court then surrounded the original circular British Museum Reading Room at its centre. Which, although it remained the same structure having been refurbished, it unfortunately no longer housed any books as it once did. Because in 1997 the British Library moved to its own specially constructed building next to St Pancras Station and all the books and shelving were removed from the museum’s reading room.

However, it didn’t mean that the space wasn’t put to good use as throughout the years it has been used to house the world’s most spectacular exhibitions, such as ‘The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army’ and is used as a stage for temporary exhibitions, like the one I was currently working on. Tonight however, it was the great court that was to be the grand venue for the gala and what better place seeing as the court acted as a central linking point for the museum, similar to the Louvre Pyramid in Paris.

The sound of the harp being played as the guests all walked in echoed around the vast space. This, combined with the night sky above and the flickering lights of hundreds of candles situated in modern chrome candelabras, well let’s just say that it created a sheer delight for the senses. They had really outdone themselves this year I thought as I took off my jacket to hand to the attendant who was waiting to take it from me. I thanked him and swallowed hard at the admiring look he gave me, hoping it wasn’t because of how revealing my dress was.

Then, as graceful as my natural abilities would allow, I walked further into the large space dotted around with London’s elite. I recognized a few faces from previous events, one of whom spotted me and was currently making his way over to me, grabbing an extra champagne flute from a nearby waitress. I sighed inwardly, wishing Wendy was next to me or at least my father, who I couldn’t yet see anywhere, and it wasn’t exactly as though he was the type of man you would miss.

Not like the man who was on his way over as though he could smell fresh meat. He was a businessman in something or other that I held no interest in the last time he told me, so it was no wonder I hadn’t retained the information. All I remembered was him asking me what I had planned after the event, which at the time had been another fundraiser.

It wasn’t that he was bad looking per se, if not a lot older than me, but it was the air of self-importance he portrayed that made me want to groan aloud the second he made it to my side. He was wearing a tailored tux and reminded me of a younger Sean Connery about ten years after he did Bond. He looked me up and down, displaying a smirk as if openly gawking at someone was totally acceptable and I suddenly was starting to curse this dress.

Well, if I didn’t want to get stared at then maybe next time I should stick to the good old faithful pencil skirted dress that looked more suited to a boardroom than a Gala. And anyway, it only took a quick glance around the place to see that there were others dressed in smaller, tighter dresses than I was. But the one startling difference was that none of them were alone and dateless as I was. Then he opened his mouth and began his conversation with a compliment. At the same time, he held out the spare glass in his hand for me to take, something I didn’t do for fear he would see it as a green light to chat me up. Damn you, Wendy! I shouted in my head, knowing this had been so much easier last time when I could just reply,

‘Oh later, well me and my girlfriend are going to get a kebab on the way home’…yeah, that had stopped him in his tracks.

“May I say that you’re looking exceptionally beautiful tonight, Miss Draven.” I opened my mouth to reply but promptly found the ‘thank you’ stuck in my throat the second I heard another voice coming from behind me,

“No, you may not!” was the stern reply given before I myself could utter more than a muted gasp of shock. I then found myself frowning as I quickly convinced myself that I must have been hearing things. But this was easier said than done when I had to ignore the way a strange shiver shot down my spine at the sound of the man’s voice.

“And you are?” The Sean Connery lookalike in front of me asked and doing so in a haughty tone, obviously not appreciating the frankness of the man’s reply behind me.

Then two things happened at once. The first was that another glass of champagne was swiftly held in front of me, therefore rendering the first offered glass obsolete, as this one came from the mystery man who was still standing behind me.

And the second was his firm reply…

“Her date.” The deep and authoritative voice replied decidedly, this time making me audibly gasp the moment I recognized who it belonged to.

But no… it couldn’t be…could it?

Well, there was only one way to find out, so I held my breath and turned to face the man who claimed to be ‘my date’ after so many years ago vowing never to be one. The man who had broken my heart and who I hadn’t seen in years. The man whose name I couldn’t help but let slip from my blood red lips in what sounded like a breathy plea for sanity to be restored…

“Lucius.”

6

Unlikely Date

“Lucius.” The second I uttered his name I saw his harsh gaze that had once been centered on the man behind me, shift to my own. It then softened for a mere second before they snapped back into his usual steely composure. This in turn made me also snap out of my dreamlike state and I frowned up at him, quickly remembering how much I hated him. So, I took a step back and folded my arms across my chest, telling him first without words, that I was not impressed with him being here. It was then I decided to trust my voice and say with a mild waver in its tone,

“Wh...what are…are you doing here?” The second I asked this the bastard actually smirked down at me. This made me so mad that the next time I spoke, I couldn’t help the bite that came with it, even if that bite came out as an intimidated whisper,

“Looking smug is not an answer.” His lips twitched with his amusement as he still looked down at me. I suddenly felt that being under his intense gaze was as though I was being studied by a predator, so that he could find my weaknesses and abuse them as he wished. The only thing that broke his connection was the sound of a voice being cleared behind me, reminding us both that we weren’t alone.

“Leave us…now.” Lucius’ demand came with a bite of power that told me this wasn’t just an order but more a control of the man’s mind, rendering his will useless…something Lucius just so happened to be a master at. And when I say master, what I really mean is the most powerful being alive at it!

Instantly the man left with no complaints and no doubt doing so with no memory of why he had walked over to me in the first place, or quite possibly even of me to begin with. Well, a girl could hope as that might save me at the next gala.

I don’t know why but the second I felt myself alone with him, I suddenly wished the man hadn’t been made to leave. As now it left me feeling open and exposed, with only the reminder of the worst mistake of my life standing opposite me. And even in a room full of people, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were the only two beings stood at the centre of a private storm fueled by my emotions and battling it out in our silent standoff.

I felt like running away as fast as my legs could carry me, knowing the power he held over me. I hated to admit it…no, I loathed to admit it, but it was the truth no matter how I pretended otherwise. I couldn’t lie to myself, but I would be damned if I let him believe anything other than my utter indifference towards him.

I was no longer that unsure girl who once shook with nervousness and stuttered with uncertainty around him. But even as I told myself this, I couldn’t help but nearly choke on the silent plea for him to allow space between us. For the second I took a step away from him, he simply took one closer to me. Then he took my hand in his, causing intense sparks to flutter in my heart the second he made the contact with my skin. I watched as he raised it up and placed the champagne flute he had held out to me into my shaky hand. Damn my traitorous body and the way it gave evidence to the way he still affected me.

“Here, drink this, as it will help settle your nerves,” he told me in an impassive way, looking over my head due to our height difference and moving his interest towards the rest of the room. I wanted to growl at him the way I would often hear other Supernaturals do in anger, but I knew it would have been wasted on such a man. Instead, I took the glass just so that I could get away from his touch, unable to stop my eyes taking in his gloved left hand.

I never knew why he kept it hidden and every time I had asked someone about it, all they told me was that it was a price once he paid to save us all. To say that this vague answer had been a frustrating one would be an understatement. But when it came to the history between Lucius, my dad and my mum, then let’s just say vague was the nature of the only beast they would let out of the cage.

Hence, why I didn’t know what he had hidden behind that black leather but from the look of things, it didn’t exactly render him handicapped as he used it just fine. However, I could tell he didn’t like it being stared at or mentioned in any way. I had made that mistake once when I reached out to touch it, only to regret it instantly the second I received his snarled response.

In short, Lucius was and always had been, an enigma to me. I couldn’t make him out and with regards to his feelings, then as ever I was at an utter loss. But what did it matter now? No, all that did matter was why he was here right now, which I was determined to get to the bottom of. That was if I could take my eyes off him long enough to form a coherent thought.

Unfortunately, Lucius looked as though he was the bad boy at a wedding who refused to conform but thought that you should just be grateful that he turned up at all.

He was wearing a suit that looked more like you’d expect to see at the end of a night out than the beginning of one, for he was minus a tie and his top two buttons were undone. This, unfortunately for me, was showing the length of his corded neck and just the hint of his extensive muscles you just knew were hidden beneath the white shirt. This, of course, making my mouth feel dry enough so that I quickly found myself downing my champagne until not a drop was left. I also ignored his handsome, smug face as he watched me do this, one that sported a knowing grin I could just feel was there.

His darker blonde hair had been tamed back, giving him a severe edge to his usual stern gaze as he looked upon the space with annoyance, no doubt asking himself why he was even here at all. Which still begged the question to be asked once more.

“So, are you going to explain to me what it is you are doing here or am I left to guess?” I said, hoping my haughty tone wasn’t lost on him. Well, I don’t know if it was or not because he didn’t even grace me with a look when he answered me.

“And why should I not be here, considering a museum is usually obligated to willingly grant admittance to the general public,” was his sarcastic reply. I rolled my eyes and finally found my bravery when I replied with a slice of sarcasm of my own,

“Does this look like the type of party where everyone is welcome…there are more designer shoes and handbags in this room than Bond Street…now cut the bullshit, Lucius, and tell me why you’re really here?” I snapped this last part after first ridding myself of my empty glass thanks to a passing waitress and folding my arms once more across my chest. Unfortunately, for me though, I had forgotten about the deep and low cut of my dress and only remembered it again when I saw Lucius’ perfect lips form a cunning smile when eyeing up my cleavage.

I released a pissed off ‘humpf’ sound as I dropped my arms quickly, hating that he knew how much he had just affected me.

“If you wish to know my reasons for being here then I suggest you had better ask daddy, for he requested my attendance in his place.” I frowned, knowing now the reasons why he was here and hating the way Lucius always referred to my father as the childish ‘daddy’ he always did around me. Acting as if I was still the young girl that foolishly cared what he thought of me.

I decided not to answer him, instead getting ready to call my father himself so that he could explain to me why he thought to have Lucius come here, when he hadn’t even given me chance to open the box. But then, as if on cue, Lucius’ phone started to ring, and he pulled it calmly from his suit jacket with ease.

“As instructed,” was his cool answer to the obvious question my father had asked, which would have been, ‘Are you with my daughter?’ or some other version of that.

“Very well…he wishes to speak to you,” Lucius told me as he handed me his phone.

“Dad?” I said in question. He could also tell with my tone that I was less than pleased.

“Sweetheart, I am sorry but business at home prevented me from being there and as I knew that Lucius was in the city, I thought that you could…”

“Kill two Gorgon leeches with one arrow?” I said cutting in and trying to ignore the raised brow Lucius gave me.

“Yeah, I get it… but you could have waited and given me more time,” I told my father trying not to sound as whiny as I felt like I was being.

“Well, when you said you needed a date…” I groaned aloud, cutting in and hissing with embarrassment,

“I didn’t say that I needed a date.”

“No? Because the way I heard it, was that you hated attending those events alone.” my father argued back in a calm tone. This then made me wonder who my dad would have sent instead, had he known what my true feelings had been towards Lucius years ago and was in fact, one of the reasons I hardly ever came home in fear that Lucius would be there.

I released a sigh and muttered,

“Yeah, but not that much.” Of course, he heard this and chuckled, obviously finding my reluctance to be around his old enemy both reassuring and amusing. Lucius, on the other hand was outright frowning at me and I had to question the reason why? Because let’s face it, what else did he expect? But more importantly, why would he even care?

“Then think of this as a good time to show him the box I gave you and he can soon be on his way,” my dad said, obviously believing that I had left it at work and not taken it home with me. I suddenly wanted to curse myself knowing that this wasn’t going to be a quick and flying visit, both Lucius and my dad had obviously believed it would be. I decided it was wise not to correct him and instead just agreed noncommittedly,

“I will see what I can do.”

“That’s my girl.” He praised, making me subtly wince and close my eyes longer than I needed to, meaning that the second I opened them again, I found Lucius studying me in a quizzical way. I ignored this, not daring to think too much into it and instead concentrated my time in saying goodbye to my dad and asking him to give my love to my mum, who he was no doubt eager to get back to. Then I handed Lucius back his phone, annoyed that my dad had unknowingly put me in this situation.

“But of course.” I heard Lucius say in response to whatever request my dad was asking of him this time. This was why I hated being the only mortal in my family sometimes, knowing how handy having super senses was in situations like this. Especially when you wanted to hear both sides of the conversation and only got the brief and curt end of one.

But the only ‘gift’, if you could call it that, was that I could choose whether or not to see a Supernatural in their true form. Most of the time I just didn’t bother as it wasn’t exactly needed, and I had grown up seeing those around me for who they really were and let’s just say that it affected me more when I saw a spider the size of my thumbnail than a demon stood next to me. Spiders were the ones that received the petrified screams, whereas most demons didn’t even see me flinch.

However, the only one who I couldn’t see in his true form and never had, was Lucius. Oh, I had come close that night when he saved my life but what I had seen had been too close to the shadows to fully make out.

Normally I could have just conjured up the sight with a mere thought but for some reason this wasn’t the case with Lucius. As that night I had only seen what he had allowed me to see, along with the others that had attacked me. But even stranger still, was that I wasn’t the only one afflicted with these restraints around him, as it seemed Lucius had some of his own around me.

Shockingly, I was the only one who was immune to Lucius’ mighty control over other people’s will. Meaning he couldn’t make me do a damn thing he wanted unless of course it was by force. And well, considering the size difference in not just height but also given his immense bulk, then that wouldn’t have exactly been too hard to accomplish for him. Lucius was almost the same size as my father, who was a large and imposing figure of a man.

Lucius’s broad shoulders did look fit for swinging an axe in the woods somewhere or more fitting, the huge sword I knew he had used in battle, if my father’s stories were to be believed… which there was little reason for them not to be.

But Lucius was certainly an intimidating man to behold, even in a suit and I doubt he would have had much trouble getting my earlier admirer to go away, even without his use of mind control. Being taller and bigger than most men kind of did that. Damn him and his abundance of hot, sexy muscles!

“Ah, Miss Draven, there you are, you sweet thing, you!” A voice I recognized as the Chairman of The Board of Trustees, and who was essentially my boss, appeared at my side looking slightly flustered. He was a middle-aged gentleman with slightly greying hair at the sides and laughter lines around a pair of brown eyes, and he was dressed in a tux.

His name was Sir Nelson Allerton and he was the one Trustee appointed by Her Majesty, in accordance with the British Museum Act of 1963 and the Museums and Galleries Act of 1992. He had also been appointed Chairman by the Board from its members, so needless to say, he was well liked.

“Sir Allerton, a pleasure seeing you as always,” I replied smiling and I don’t know why but I could instantly feel the air around me becoming statically charged. I refrained from frowning in question and shooting Lucius a strange look, as I had a feeling that it was coming straight from him.

“You are looking beautiful this evening as no doubt your girlfriend has already told you this…speaking of whom, was she not able to accompany you this time?” he asked making me suddenly want to blush scarlet, especially when I heard Lucius cough back a laugh at my side. I saw the unimpressed look the chairman gave him in response and I quickly decided that I needed to speak now. Especially before Lucius managed to put his foot in it by doing something stupid, like asking me outright if I was a lesbian as I let my colleagues believe.

“No, Wendy had other plans tonight but asked me to give you her regards for she was truly disappointed not to be able to do so herself,” I said lying through my teeth and imagining her sniggering the second I told her what I was forced to say. Well, she wouldn’t be sniggering if she could see who was stood next to me right now, that was for damn sure! She had a weakness for sexy, eye candy.

“Ah, but of course, news never sleeps in the city…and your replacement, will you not introduce me?” he said, smirking playfully which I doubted Lucius appreciated.

“I am her…” I just knew that Lucius was about to really confuse matters and with it, my sexual preferences, by declaring himself as my date, so thought it wise to interrupt him quickly…

“Cousin!” I said a bit too loudly and I knew this when Sir Allerton jerked back a little because of it. Then he looked from Lucius and back to me, obviously trying to find any family resemblance at all, which was a pointless endeavor.

“On my mother’s German side,” I added with a whisper, once again making Lucius scoff next to me. Then I remembered my manners and introduced my boss to Lucius, letting him know in my tone how important he was in my world and therefore to behave himself.

“Cousin, this is Sir Nelson Allerton, who is Chairman of the board.” I said trying to ignore the disapproving glare he gave me when I started that sentence out with calling him my cousin for the second time.

“It is very nice meeting you Mr…?” He let that nameless question hang in the air along with his hand for Lucius to shake and waiting for him to complete the sentence. Which after a pleading look from me up at him, he finally did.

“Septimius, Lucius Septimius,” he replied taking his hand and giving it a strong shake, something that clearly took Sir Allerton off guard as I noticed him rubbing his hand discreetly once Lucius let it go.

“Ah, an unusual name to be sure, and I will wager your father was a fan of Ancient Roman literature, as if I recall the name being one you share with an assassin of Pompey the Great in 48 BC.” Sir Allerton, I should have mentioned was also a historian of high esteem. But one look at Lucius’ face and the cunning smile he had upon it, no doubt at being referred to as an assassin, told me that he seemed most pleased.

But knowing Lucius and his arrogance I was surprised that he didn’t say something crazy like, ‘Oh those were the good old, ancient days’, because if the rumors were to be believed then Lucius had in fact once served as my father’s own personal assassin.

Thankfully though he went with something less creepy and definitely less threatening, when he said in a self-confident tone,

“I believe the Roman emperor, Lucius Septimius Severus Augustus was more in mind at the time.” Sir Allerton grinned back at him as if he had just found the one person in the room who had the same interests in Roman History as he did. Even though we were currently in one of the largest museums in the world and there were no doubt plenty enthusiasts to spare.

“Ah yes, correct me if I am wrong but Severus seized power after the death of Emperor Pertinax in 193 during the Year of the Five Emperors, did he not?” I looked at Lucius once again in a wary way, begging him with my eyes not to say anything like ‘Yes I did’, giving freedom for Sir Allerton to then think I had brought a crazy family member to this gala.

Of course, the second I discovered that it was true, that Lucius had once been a Roman Emperor, then not only did this bombard my historical mind with a bucket load of questions, but it also plagued me with about a years’ worth of fantasies too. Wendy had wondered at the time why I was on a mission to watch every movie and tv series that was based in Ancient Rome. Something which only ended up adding fuel to the raging fire that was imagining Lucius dressed as a Roman Emperor, fighting general or heck, even as a gladiator in nothing more than a helmet and leather tasseled skirt. My imagination had been endless for many nights alone, keeping me company and my hands shamefully busy.

“He did indeed,” was Lucius’ curt reply and I released a secret sigh of relief before deciding to change the subject.

“I trust, Sir Allerton, that the gala is looking to be a successful one?” I asked, taking a look around and seeing that there were definitely more people than last time.

“Oh yes, which reminds me of what I wanted to ask of you.”

“Oh?”

“Would you be so kind as to show a few of our guests along room four, and you know, give them a little taste and insight to your knowledge, for you have better people skills than Duncan, and a prettier face to be sure,” he said jovially, making me laugh. Duncan was a nice guy, once you got to know him that was, as he worked in the same department as I did. But Sir Allerton wasn’t exaggerating as Duncan’s people skills were more than lacking as he most definitely preferred the company of people that had been dead for thousands of years.

“But of course, it would be my pleasure,” I replied knowing this was really what I was here for. To woo the rich with my easy manner and extensive knowledge. Which was why after this, Sir Allerton clapped his hands, declaring ‘excellent’ and reminding me silently of Mr Burns from the Simpsons, only with a lot more hair and minus the ass kissing sidekick, Mr Smithers.

“In that case I will gather those who inquired after the private tour and have them meet you in room 4 in ten minutes, should give you time for another champagne to calm any nerves.” I gave him a nod and watched as he left, making him the second person of the night to suggest I drink to ease any stress. Well, in that case, if Lucius stuck around any longer then I would no doubt be an alcoholic by the end of the night!

However, this thought didn’t sway me enough to stop me from taking another glass from the waiter, gaining a sound of disapproval from Lucius for my actions.

“I…I’m not expecting you to stay,” I told him, trying once again to steady my voice now I was alone with him.

“Why did you tell him that I was your cousin?” he asked, flatly ignoring my comment.

“Well, I could hardly say you were my date, and besides, we would make unlikely friends considering we don’t even like each other,” I replied being honest, but from the look of his face, it was clear I had shocked him.

“Why do you think that?” Okay, so his question definitely threw me off my guard, and my face must have said as much. In return he took a step closer to me, then in a blink, took hold of my forearm the second he saw I was about to retreat. Then he took that last step into me until I had no option but to bend my neck back just so that I could maintain eye contact. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted to do, let alone thought as a wise decision, not with those dangerous eyes of his.

However, it was as if he had me captured with my body and mind having no choice but to obey him. This was the danger of being around a man like Lucius. He knew the effect he had on me and the bastard used it to his advantage, for he may not have had the power of will over me, but he certainly had other means to exploit. Primarily those which were named my foolish feelings for him.

This was why I needed to increase my efforts in making him believe that there were no longer any feelings there, even if it was the biggest lie I would ever tell.

“You believe me to be indifferent to your beauty because we aren’t friends as you call it, and therefore I could never be classed as a date in your eyes?” he asked, and I swear my mouth fell open, no doubt rendering me much further down that ‘beauty scale’. But I didn’t care because my shock overrode any good sense I had not to show it. Worse still my mouth confirmed this when I couldn’t stop myself from uttering the incredible hushed words,

“You think I am beautiful?” The utter shock in my tone softened his gaze when he looked at me just like he had when I first whispered his name not fifteen minutes ago. It was as if he found my surprised response endearing in some way. He showed this through the tender emotion in his stunning eyes, eyes that turned to amber shades in a heartbeat, making me wonder if it had been a trick of light or his demon side breaking through. My father’s eyes would often do this, especially around me and my mother, when they would turn from their dark blackish brown to a vibrant deep purple tone.

But then, as if some invisible cord had just been snapped, he let me go and took a step back, replying sarcastically,

“Do I look blind to you, Princess.” The use of this royal title was one I utterly loathed to hear. Especially coming from him and the way he always managed to say it as though I was the spoilt child he had accused me of being all those years ago. I gave him a glare in return and muttered a lame,

“I told you, don’t call me that.” Which in the end was said through gritted teeth over my champagne glass and with me looking at the rest of the room, wishing I could just ignore his presence until he was gone. Because this was the dangerous thing with Lucius: one second, he could look at you as if you were the only girl in the world. The way he would draw you in with every gentle yet owning touch, captivating you and making you fall into that hopeful place you dreamed would be real.

But then the inevitable would follow where he would cut you down by mentally snapping his fingers in front of you, waking you up to the reality that was him.

The cruel and stern truth, that Lucius Septimius was a King…

Without a heart to give.

7

Alone in Passion

Ten minutes later I found myself stood in room four with a much larger audience than Sir Allerton first led me to believe. So, now stood in the wonderful gallery of Egyptian sculpture, I started at one end and began to work my way down the space that included some of the world’s finest depictions of kings, deities and symbolic objects ever found. These ranged from the time of the Old Kingdom right through to the middle of the Roman Period. There were also some grand architectural pieces from temples and tombs that I had the pleasure of showing them.

The room itself was a large painted white space, framed with columns either side, creating an almost serene quality to the colourful Egyptian history. With its tall, square cut ceiling and its wall of tall windows that were usually flooding the place with natural light, then it was the most perfect place to display them in all their glory. Especially like this, when it was silent and still, being without the hustle of cram packed tourists, it was one of my most favorite places to be. However, being as it was one of the most popular parts of the museum, being so close to its entrance and situated next to the great court, it was rarely seen like this by anyone but the museum’s staff.

But no matter how much I loved it, I had never once been forced to share it with the likes of Lucius, who was currently making my job very hard indeed. From the very first moment he followed me into the gallery, he stood in the background, watching my tour like the master of his own universe. He was totally at ease being surrounded by the godly figures of Egypt and considering how old he was, then I could sort of understand why.

After all, most of what we saw now, being housed as a way for modern day society to view these small snippets of the past, he himself had most likely seen in its original form. Then, no wonder a room like this would be underwhelming to a man like Lucius, compared to seeing these mighty statues stood proud where they were always intended to be. Statues not broken and weathered through the whirling sandstorm of time.

So, maybe it was this reason that, unlike the others who seemed to be listening to me with great intent, he wasn't looking at the ancient treasures I had been referring to. No, instead, the whole time he had solely been looking at me talking about them and no doubt hearing the way my voice wavered slightly whenever I caught sight of him staring at me.

I tried not to look at him, I really did, but when such a powerful figure was in the room, standing out just as much as if one of these ancient kings had come back to life, then it was very near impossible.

I felt as though I was being studied by Lucius, and surprisingly, not necessarily in a scrutinizing way. But still studied all the same. At first when I started speaking he would raise his brow at me when my voice faltered slightly with my nerves and in a way, it never had done before when talking to people about my work.

So, eventually I had no choice but to act as though he wasn't there, which like I said, was near impossible to do considering it was as if I could feel every one of his movements. As though in some way I was connected to him on a deeper level.

At one point during the start of the tour I even found myself having to shake my head a little after he had simply placed his palm at the lower part of my back, so that he could lead me into a space I knew well. I didn’t know why he did this, but I knew two things…one was that his actions felt more driven by a possessive side of him. And the second was that unfortunately there was no way that he could have missed the audible gasp I had created by sucking air back through my lips in genuine surprise.

But then I started speaking and addressing about twenty people with a slice of history that felt as though it was rooted to my very bones.

“In the first section of the gallery we are greeted with Egyptian monuments that give you a sense of kingship ideology and both Egyptian religion and their magnificent art,” I told them coming to stand in front of the first of two matching statues.

“This here, ladies and gentlemen, is Amenhotep III, a king who ruled in Egypt in the 14th century. But don’t be fooled into believing this a likeness of his image as kings were rarely replicated as such,” I told them ignoring the way Lucius held two fingers casually over his lips as if concealing a smirk underneath those large pale digits.

“What do you mean, didn’t he look like that?” A woman asked, who was clearly surprised as she walked over to the largest of the two and looked up at him. It was a statue that was extremely well preserved given its age, but that was most likely down to the hard, dark stone it was carved from named granodiorite.

“As you can see here in the largest of the statues, which I think you will agree is the best preserved of the two, it is a perfect summary of what an Egyptian king was supposed to be thought to look like by his people.” I told her and the others, as I walked over to the statue, noticing how Lucius was the only one not to move with the rest of the group. But then again, why would he, as he could see everything just fine from his advantage of being six foot four and a head above most people.

In fact, I hadn’t failed to notice the admiring looks he had already received from the ladies in the room. This had been the case since he first escorted me in here and even now was no different. But this hadn’t surprised me, for what female in their right mind wouldn’t look. However, what was shocking was every time he had ignored these appreciating glances. Because, unsurprisingly, there were more than a few pretty women here and a few of which that were now occupying the space around him. One in particular who had also been the one to ask me the question about the king’s appearance.

“And that was?” Someone else asked me in reference to what an Egyptian king should be portrayed as.

“Well, essentially he was thought to be half human and half divine, which is why he is therefore made to look eternally young and his features are very idealized. So, although not at all a true portrait of the king, it was like most people who preferred to hold on to their youthful days and was most undoubtedly a representation he would have approved of.” I said making a few people laugh and more unbelievably, it also managed to make Lucius smile. Had he just found me funny? Well if he had, then that old saying, ‘A first for everything’ certainly suited.

“And how do you know he’s a king and not just an interpretation of a God?” A man asked me with a skeptical tone I was about to crush with fact.

“There are a few different ways that soon become obvious, for example, can you see that he is wearing a pleated head cloth with the cobra on his forehead?” I pointed up and each of them followed my direction.

“Can anyone tell me what they think the cobra meant?” I asked deciding to involve the group more, seeing as it was obvious with their questioning that they wanted to get involved. But in the end, my answer came from the most unlikely source and not someone I would ever have classed as a team player.

“It’s the symbol of divine protection,” Lucius said in a controlled tone that gave none of his thoughts or feelings away.

“I uh…well, yes, that’s right,” I said in a flustered way, making me wonder if this hadn’t been his intent all along.

“Unfortunately, though, the cobra is rather damaged, as well as a piece of the king himself, as he would have originally had a long beard…these are both ways of telling us the statue is one of a king,” I told them and before another question could be asked, I provided them with more concrete proof.

“But even if these had been too damaged to see, then if you look on his belt there is a small inscription that presents his official name, as is the beauty of hieroglyphics and the extensive abundance of information they tell us.” I went on after this to explain about a ‘Cartouche’ which were formerly only worn by pharaohs and the oval surrounding their name was meant to protect them.

“Protect them from what?” Another of the guests asked and I couldn’t help but glance at Lucius when I answered,

“From evil spirits in both the living and in the Afterlife.” Lucius gave me a wry grin at this and I wondered then if he knew the hidden meaning that I was referring to. This was him being one of my own personal evil spirits that I seemed to be forced to live with, at first in Afterlife and now here, in my new life. His coy look certainly told me that it hadn’t been lost on him.

“The cartouche has become a symbol representing good luck and protection from evil. And as a hieroglyph, it is used to represent the Egyptian language word for "name" which therefore tells us his name as being Amenhotep III. And even more interesting still is what you can see in between his legs,” I said pausing for the laugh I knew would come from everyone. Again, a single glance at Lucius granted me a questioning and amused look, which included that sexy raised brow. One he combined with just the hint of a playful smirk, therefore I couldn’t help but blush in return.

“Is he exaggerated as a divine entity down there as well,” one of the gentlemen joked, making the rest of us laugh, all except who I supposed to be his wife, who smacked his arm in reprimand.

“What you say is not far from the truth as in between his legs you can in fact see the ceremonial bull’s tail which an Egyptian king would typically wear at official occasions.”

“Why in God’s name would he do that?” An older lady asked in mortification. I wanted to laugh out loud for if she knew only half of what the ancient world used to do, then she would be doing more than just blushing. It had often been strange to me when reading these unusual customs of lost cities and civilizations that were born with nothing but a river and vast sands of the harsh desert. It made me think about my father and the ancient world he knew. But not only that, it made me think of Lucius’ own past as well. Which was why I looked at him now, in his tailored suit, swapping it in my mind for what he would have worn back in those times. Had he visited Egypt back then? Had he seen these magnificent cities in all their glory? Oh, what I wouldn’t have given just then to excuse myself and beg upon him to tell me everything he had seen throughout the ages.

However, his questioning stare was one I knew was trying to read what I was thinking and again I was asking myself why would he be bothered enough to want to know?

“Miss Draven?” The second I heard my name I shook away my thoughts like the cobwebs they were, for they had clung to my mind for much longer than today.

“Because the bull is a strong animal that represents the king in both strength and power. Now, moving on from here, we have two truly magnificent statues from the same reign as our king, Amenhotep III, over there.” I said as I approached the two resting lions carved from red granite. I explained about their relaxed state being something quite rare seeing as they also represented the king.

“But they’re lions…how would that represent a king?” A haughty and rude woman asked, who up until now had looked quite bored, well with me anyway, with Lucius, not so much.

She was in a sparkling blue dress that was tight enough, I half imagined her to have at least four people all grabbing a quarter of her hem and giving it a good tug down.

I would have said she was most likely in her late fifties and not doing so with grace as she’d had so much Botox she couldn’t have smiled even if she had wanted to. But it soon became clear where her distaste for me arose, for she had been one of the women eyeing up Lucius like he had been a piece of man candy she wanted to lick to the bone. And well, it was becoming very apparent that his eyes were locked onto only one sight and that was me.

She even went as far as to walk over to one of the lions that Lucius was stood close to and ran her fingers along its back seductively. And even though I was tempted to remind her not to touch the exhibits, I had to remember that we needed money from these people, and her clueless husband was wearing Armani.

However, Lucius merely spared her an unimpressed glance of indifference and it was obvious that from this, I wasn’t the only one that thought her to be rude and obnoxious.

“It is true that the human headed lion, which is better known to you all as the Sphinx, is a very familiar motif in Egyptian art. And for those of you that don’t already know, these Egyptian sphinxes as a rule usually represented the kings as powerful creatures. So, in this instance to see the king completely depicted as a lion and one so relaxed, it makes them both quite rare.” I then couldn’t help but think of Lucius, seeing him as another king depicted as a lion, one hidden in plain sight and right now surrounded by the unsuspecting cattle of humanity…me included.

“You can see here on the inscription that it identifies the king as ‘A lion among rulers’,” I told them after swallowing hard and knowing where my eyes would rest upon after it was spoken. Seeing as I had included it solely for his benefit, telling him this was how I viewed him. The look he gave me in return came with the slight tilt of his head as if voicing the question in his mind and trying to silently connect with me. For in that single moment, one that lasted only seconds, it felt as though we were suddenly the only two people in the room. The only two communicating so much, yet none of it something we could trust, for not a single word was uttered between us.

“Right, let’s continue should we…?” I said holding out my arm and leading them to the next part of the tour, wondering how I had managed not to crumble by now under Lucius’ intense gaze. But then I looked back and saw the woman in the sparkling blue dress linger by the lions until he walked past her… or at least, he tried to. Because this was when the woman boldly approached him, and I had to give it to her, she was brave. That much needed to be said for there wasn’t many people that would have intruded on such a stern looking man.

It wasn’t just the air of authority that clung to him like a man of great power and strength. But it was that otherworldly element that shrouded him in a cloak of deception and mystery. Like the shadows under your bed, not knowing what could be lurking there ready to snatch you from your world at any second you got too close.

Well, that was Lucius, an unknown depth of fear that held you locked to the nightmares he wanted you to see. Never seeing the buried layers that meant he could care, as they lay hidden deep beneath the surface of one of the most frightening men in the Supernatural world.

Oh yeah, she was brave alright, I thought trying not to look but finding myself unable to find the strength not to.

In the end I was glad I did, otherwise I might have missed his reaction to her stepping up to him and running that same finger she had down the lion, now down his chest. His hand snapped out as quick as a venomous snake bite and combined with this lightening quick response, came one on the other end of the spectrum. The way he bent his neck slightly in such a calm, cool manner, so that he could whisper something down at her. Once more I was damning my inability to hear like a Supernatural being, because the second I saw her snatch her hand away I was desperate to know what he had said to her. Especially as now she was looking both mortified and scared as she quickly made her escape back to her husband, who had been more interested in the next artifact I was to talk about.

I saw her saunter past me, giving me an evil glare as she did and making me wonder even more what it was that had been said to her? Well, whatever it was, then I doubted it had been anything good because now she looked murderous and actually left the gallery, after first muttering something to her husband about needing the rest room.

It was at this time that I decided it was best not to let him see that I had witnessed the exchange for fear of what my expression would confess for me. My constantly looking at him was doing enough damage already, of that I was sure. But then again, it wasn’t as if I was the only one looking. And surely my response to his staring would have been the same as any others, which primarily was a natural response to simply stare back?

Someone cleared their throat, once more telling me to get on with my job. Something which I decided was best to do right now, before I got too lost in my own thoughts and I ended up burying myself under all the questions I was asking myself in regard to his strange behavior.

“So, moving on into the gallery after our introduction to concepts of kingship, we enter the first period of great Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom. This is the 25th century and this great monument here that looks like a doorway is from part of a tomb created around 2400 BC. It was part of a chapel that remained permanently accessible to the living, where they could bring offerings to the dead,” I said motioning to the reddish stone wall that did in fact look like a doorway.

It was covered in rows of hieroglyphics down each side with a larger column running horizontally along the top, depicting the image of the high priest it was created for. I went on to explain about the piece as I had done with the others and like before, Lucius continued to stand masterfully in the background and watch me like a hawk.

It became so unnerving that I often found myself stuttering my words or getting lost in them, whether it was saying very little or way too much about one of the exhibits. Sometimes Lucius would look amused by this. But then there were other times when he would give me such an intense look of what I could only hope was the respect I read it to be, that it was in these moments that he simply took my breath away.

“And this, who is this handsome fellow?” One of the gentlemen asked, who had been making comments throughout and getting closer to me with each one made. This, in turn, would make Lucius scowl as his displeasure deepened, making me question why? Once again, I had to shake off this question and answer another one rather than trying to guess the answers to my own.

“Ah, this is one of the museum’s most renowned pieces. This large bust represents Rameses II, another great ruler of Egypt who ruled no fewer than 67 years, which I think you will agree is a feat in itself.” They each agreed in unison, nodding as they gathered around one of the museum’s most popular pieces. It was also one that each and every one of the curators was most proud of as it alone brought in thousands of people from all around the world just to see it.

“Now it gives me great pleasure to end our little tour with the museum’s most famous exhibit, the Rosetta Stone,” I said coming to stand in front of the large glass box it was sat inside, looking upon it now with fresh eyes considering it was only earlier today that I had been discussing it with my father.

Everyone else stood at its sides, giving me the space directly opposite it so that I could explain what the signs would have told you, like the rest of the pieces in the gallery. But the one person I could no longer see was Lucius. However, I didn’t want to look around and make it obvious to the others who it was I was looking for.

“The stone you see now is but a fragment of a larger stela, which for those of you who don’t know is a word used in archaeology as an upright stone slab or column, one typically bearing a commemorative inscription of sorts,” I told them after receiving a few questioning looks and remembering that not everyone knew the different terms that were used in describing our artifacts.

“Were any of the other pieces ever found?” A lady asked that had been the same one to ask me why the first statue wasn’t made to look exactly like the current king, letting me know that she truly had a passion for history, unlike most of the others who actually pretended to.

“Unfortunately not and as you can see, because of its damaged state, none of the three texts is absolute, which is a shame as we won’t ever truly know what it would have looked like or what else it could have told us.” It was at this point that I had another glance around looking for Lucius but once again, I couldn’t see him. Which meant I was unable to prevent the disappointment from setting in, knowing that in all likelihood he had hit his limit on babysitting me and left as I had told him he could. I let my shoulders slump without thinking of my audience and in that moment the man, who continued to comment and annoy Lucius, stepped up to me. He then placed a hand upon my shoulder before saying,

“It must be a great frustration to such a passionate young woman who clearly wishes she could simply step back in time and see these types of things complete once more?” I frowned up at him, now seeing him as if for the first time and being struck by his choice of words.

He was a handsome man and one of those where age agreed with him and the added years only ended up enhancing his good looks. He reminded me a little of Pierce Brosnan with dark grey hair and a groomed beard and mustache to match. His eyes were a startling green and ones that seemed to have the ability of staring directly into your soul, which was unnerving to say the least.

I was about to answer him, not sure how I felt about him touching me or the way his fingers tensed, digging in slightly as if he was trying to relay something private to me without the use of words. But then something strange happened as his eyes seemed to glaze over a moment and he looked away from me, focusing on something else. Then his fingers twitched once before releasing me with a snap, as if something invisible had broken them backwards. I winced for him for his own reaction was that of someone in a trance and had no knowledge of what he was doing.

“I have to go now,” he said in an almost robotic voice that reminded me of someone reaching out to a dead person. Then he simply left without anyone else but me taking notice of his strange behavior which itself was odd.

“Why is it called the Rosetta Stone…Miss…Miss Draven?” Someone asked, saying my name when I hadn’t responded in time.

“It’s named after the site of discovery in Rosetta or pronounced Rashid in Arabic,” I answered looking at it now and still finding myself fascinated by what secrets the scholars had unraveled. I couldn’t help but wonder what else could have been learned from it, should it have been found intact. Which led me to continue my explanation of why it was so important to the museum and to people like me that had dedicated my adult life to Egyptian research and would continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

“What is remarkable about the Rosetta Stone is that it contains text in three different scripts, not three different languages like you would think at first glance.” I took a step closer and held out my hand, running it just shy of the glass to indicate the top lines of script.

“At the top as you can see we have the hieroglyphics script, which was mainly reserved for monuments, temples, sculptures and tomb walls, which makes sense seeing as it is most certainly the more decorative of the two. Which brings me on to the next lines of script in the middle.” I then lowered my arms, indicating to the middle of the stela.

“Now here we have the demotic script which was used as a more everyday kind of text by literate Egyptians who could read and write. But it is the script on the bottom that was the key to unlocking the hieroglyphics, as it is ancient Greek. Which of course scholars had already mastered by the time the stone was discovered in 1799, during which was Napoleon's attempt to invade and conquer Egypt,” I told them, now taking a step back so that they themselves may look upon the stone more closely.

During the day and the peak times that tourists were at the museum I would often walk by and notice that unless you wished to wait your turn, then this piece was often crowded by many people. All of which were either taking pictures or reading what their guide books told them about the piece.

“What does it all mean?” The same inquisitive lady asked and her husband, not one to be left out, agreed with her question and also asked,

“Yes, that’s what I wanted to know, what is actually translated?” I chuckled once and said,

“It’s a recipe for a very nice ancient chicken soup.” I then waited for them all to gasp in surprise and each give me their own version of a sheer look of incredibility before I laughed once more.

“But of course, I am teasing.” They all started laughing with me at my own private joke and once they had composed themselves I continued.

“Now, what it actually refers to and this is thanks to the Greek section of the tablet, is that we are actually dealing with a decree issued at Memphis, Egypt in 196 BC during the Ptolemaic dynasty. It was in honour of King Ptolemy V as he came to the throne and it was erected after the coronation,” I told them then swiftly going on to explain about King Ptolemy and the immense weight that must have been bestowed upon his shoulders given his tender young age.

“Now, the interesting thing about this king was that he was known as the Boy King, inheriting the throne at only five years old, and under a series of regents, the kingdom was paralyzed. The Rosetta Stone however, was produced during his reign as an adult and the text actually documents benefits bestowed by the King to the priesthood of Egypt. In return the priests’ decree was one that established the divine cult of the new ruler, declaring him King,” I said unable to help myself from smiling when I saw the keen interest that was clearly visible in their eyes.

“And this, ladies and gentlemen, concludes our tour and just in time it seems as I believe the Chairman will be making his speech soon. So, if you would please make your way back to the great court which is through this exit here,” I told them knowing that I should have really shown them the way back myself but found that I needed a moment alone after all that. Well, being totally honest with myself, it was more the fact that since talking about the Rosetta stone Lucius had disappeared, affecting me far more than I would care to show and also, care to admit to myself.

I smiled and nodded to each of them that thanked me and praised me for both my knowledge and the manner in which I presented the tour. I then waited until the last person had left before letting out a big sigh. I was tired, both emotionally and physically and each reason I could put down to seeing Lucius again. It was like he physically sucked the energy out of me and one that had been solely used to help me restrain myself around him. I needed to be constantly on guard and in turn he simply seemed with little effort to be able to grind those protective barriers to pulp, rendering them useless.

I walked closer to the glass and stared at the stone not seeing any of its texts as my mind couldn’t help but focus on only one thing. I closed my eyes and silently cursed myself for not being strong enough to conquer this like I had convinced myself that I would, should we ever have to meet again. After all, given his connections to my father’s world then I guess it was inevitable, but all those times dreaming of such a meeting and you would have thought I would have handled it better.

But yet here I was, in this vast room, feeling as though I was being buried alive once more by the weight of my emotions. I wanted to hate him just as much as I already knew I loved him. It was the cruelest of realities to face as I couldn’t help but replay those honest words he had thrown at me like a slap across my face.

‘How could I ever love you?’ That was what he had said to me, for I could never forget it. Never forget the moment as if those very words had been branded against my heart, before slamming the vault door and walking away from my damaged soul. It sounded dramatic but that was how deep the pain cut for there was no other way to describe what he had done to me.

I swallowed hard as I pushed those words back down, deep into the abyss of forgetful thought where I only wished they would stay for eternity. Then I opened my eyes and the second I did, my palm flew to the glass so as to steady me. For now, I was no longer looking at the stone but instead the reflection of Lucius’ face staring back at me.

He had something to say and the second it was heard that damn abyss started to flood with hope, for what else was there for me to think when he simply stated…

“Alone at last.”

8

Hot and Cold

“Alone at last.”

The second his words were uttered I seemed frozen to the spot. I watched in the reflection of the glass as he stepped closer towards me from behind and where he had remained hidden in the shadows. I felt him getting closer until surely any second he would stop. But stop he didn’t, not until his chest must have been a mere inch from my back.

He brought his arm around me from behind and I sucked in a sharp breath and held it captive as he placed his gloved left hand flat on the glass in front of us, so that it was situated next to mine. Then I felt him lean down, getting closer to my neck, causing my questioning panic to double. What was he doing? He had never voluntarily put himself this close to me before. What did it mean?

Well, I was soon to find out.

He was currently looking down the front of me from behind, and I could see, thanks to his reflection in the glass, that he was grinning. Then I felt the fingers from his free hand come to rest at my neck, his touch as gentle as a bird’s feather. He skimmed the delicate skin there, travelling its length and brushing back the few loose hairs that had come free from Ben’s creation of gathered hair on the other side. Then once he was done teasing my overheated skin, one that felt closer and closer to being burned by his touch, he whispered directly over my ear,

“I suggest you breathe for me, Princess, before I let you fall.” The second he uttered these condescending words I released my held breath and took in another one quickly after it. Then, at the same time, I ducked out of his hold. I needed the space as he was once again getting inside my head and playing games with me.

“I told you not to call me that!” I snapped in defiance, only it was backed up with nothing more than the steps between us and me unable to look him in the eye.

“But that is exactly what you are,” he replied in a contemptuous way that had me clenching my teeth.

“No, not anymore I’m not,” I said with determination coating my words, but the bastard just laughed at me.

“Then you are as foolish as you were that day,” he replied, making me visibly jerk back, aghast in sheer disbelief, something he didn’t miss. He looked ready to add something more when I held up my hand stopping him with a single worded warning,

“Don’t.” The tone in which I said this must have made him realise that even for him he had gone too far, so instead he released a heavy weighted sigh, as if this was all very taxing for a being such as he. As if he was thinking about the unfortunate task that had brought him here and the annoyance that once again forced him to deal with me. The spoilt little princess he had declared I was and nothing more than a minor aggravation in his world.

“If you believe it that easy to walk away from the world in which you were born into, then your intelligence is back to being in question and thus shadowing your little endearing show of intellect,” he said, motioning with his arm down the gallery where I had started my tour. I swear for once I heard myself growl in response and it felt good but not half as good as when I shouted at him,

“Why you…you…” I stuttered to find the right words and in the end it was the second his smug eyebrow went up in question that I finally finished my sentence,

“…Nasty bastard!” I had my fists clenched at my sides as if any minute now I would let rip and punch him! He looked down a moment to take note of my anger before stepping up to me so quickly I had nowhere else to go but being backed up against the glass of the Rosetta stone. Then he looked down at me with burning eyes the colour of hot molten lava before telling me with what sounded like an odd mixture of pure venom and lust,

“Nasty? Oh Sweetheart, you have no fucking idea.” After this I let my impulses kick in and before I could stop them I found my hand rising just before I pulled it back. Then I let it swing into action, that being in the direction of his face, to deliver my slap. But it never made it that far. As the second before it made contact with his cheek, it ended up making contact with something else instead.

He grabbed hold of my wrist, capturing it in his tight and unyielding grasp before using his hold on me to yank me forward. I fell a step into him and he in turn bent lower, getting in my face and coming just a hairsbreadth away from my lips before he spoke,

“Try that again and see where it gets you, my little Šemšā,” he threatened, calling me something I had never heard before. It certainly wasn’t from any language I knew and thanks to my dad I knew quite a few.

I swallowed hard, losing some of my bravery in sight of this locked battle we currently had going on. And it wasn’t exactly hard to see who was winning, not considering Lucius was definitely the more intimidating of the two. But still, my stubbornness wouldn’t let me fail just yet, so I pushed.

“And where will it get me, Lucius?” I challenged tipping my chin up and showing him a slice of who I could be. His eyes seemed to burn just that little bit brighter and the hopeful side of me could have sworn it was the tiniest show of respect for how I stood up to him. That was until he told me exactly where it would get me, leaving me utterly dumbfounded.

“Bare, bound and across my knee ready for my palm if this childish behavior continues and you dare push me again,” he warned making my mouth hang open in shock, so much so that I couldn’t even think of a single comeback or response to that. I was too flabbergasted to even fully comprehend his words right now. Thankfully, he must have thought it wise to give me space as I swear I wasn’t far from kicking him in the nuts and making a run for it.

“Now, I think it best to get this fucking night over with and you show me this box your father gave you before I do something I regret,” he stated whilst casually pulling down on one of his cuffs through his suit jacket and twisting the cufflink that I now noticed was a small demonic symbol of some kind. However, short of grabbing his hand and bringing it closer to my face, then I doubted I would ever know.

I quickly replayed his harsh words, wondering what in the world would a man like Lucius ever regret when it came to me? Did he mean he would regret hurting me physically, for he certainly didn’t give a shit enough about my feelings for fear of hurting them. The proof of that was crystal clear considering he had already done that…ten times over in fact.

So, unless he did mean to hurt me physically, which even that I doubted. Because even though he had just threatened to bend me over his knee like a naughty brat and spank me, deep down I knew he wouldn’t dare touch me. No, he cared too much about my parents to do something like that. Which, let’s face it, was the real reason he was here…because my father had asked him to.

I was so stupid I wanted to look myself in the nearest mirror and call myself a fool before slapping myself silly!

“Amelia.” The sound of him saying my name yanked me out of my mental scolding as it was a sound I rarely heard. No, it was usually princess or some other childish and patronizing name he used when referring to me. Which was why the second he said it, I wanted to take hold of the memory and keep it safe, reserving it for my dreams, wherein this meeting would have gone quite differently. But nevertheless, him saying it was enough to jar me in to action.

“I don’t have it here,” I uttered in annoyance, knowing that because of my decision to take it home I now had unknowingly extended this painful experience.

“Excuse me?” Lucius said in a disbelieving tone because even though I had merely whispered it, I knew that his supernatural hearing wouldn’t have missed it.

“I said I don’t have it here,” I repeated louder this time making him look at me sternly.

“Then where is it?”

“I took it home with me,” I told him, unable to ignore the roll of his eyes as if he were dealing with a simpleton.

“Why in the Devil would you have done that?” he asked almost growling the question at me and making me fold my arms across my chest in response.

“And why not? I wanted to make sure it was safe!” I snapped back making him look around the large space and as if to prove his point he said,

“And what, you believed your little flat in Twickenham to be a safer place than the Fort Knox you work in?” he asked with a sarcastic tone making me feel foolish. But then I thought about what he’d just said and couldn’t help myself.

“How do you know where I live?” I questioned, catching him off guard. I could tell this by the way he frowned at me and paused a second as if deciding how best to answer that. When in the end he said,

“Your father told me… now why is it in your flat and not here?” he asked again making me groan before throwing my hands up in frustration.

“No one even knows about it, Lucius, so I don’t see what your problem is?” I said as part of my argument which from the look at his face, I would say wasn’t a good one.

“And what if someone did know about it and furthermore, wanted to get it… tell me, Princess, just how well do you think you would fare when they turned up at your door and you were without the museum’s security to call, or do you think they would simply wait for daddy to show up and save the fucking day?!” he snapped back suddenly in outrage, making me flinch back at the sight of his rage. I didn’t know where it had come from and why he even cared so much, but the only thing I could put it down to was his worry over this box. Which meant only one thing, he must have known about it longer than he was letting on.

“You know what, screw you, Lucius! I don’t need this shit!” I barked at him before storming off to retrieve my purse from where I had left it at the start of the tour. I didn’t think it would matter too much as it wasn’t like there were many people wandering around in here as no one had set foot inside.

However, I didn’t get far as a few seconds after a frustrated sound came from Lucius, I was suddenly gripped from behind and whipped back around to face him. I was about to protest as I was suddenly pushed up against the red granite statue of one of the lions I had been talking about earlier. Suddenly, I realized that I may have had the symbol for a relaxed king at my back, but the king I had in front of me now couldn’t have been further from the relaxed cat but was more of a snarling lion showing his teeth.

“Word of warning, Princess, it’s not wise to turn your back on a Vampire…ever.” The last part of this threat was backed up with a hiss through gritted teeth and a pair of fangs that were lengthening dangerously.

“Yyy…you know, I am…am really getting tired of you threatening me,” I told him trying to keep my voice as steady as I could in the face of such a beast, but from the very first second it had started to waver, he seemed pleased and a cocky smirk appeared at the corner of his lips showcasing more of one deadly fang.

“Then I suggest they start to sink in quickly before the use of another one is needed…now do I make myself clear?” he said in a stern tone that demanded my submission. I swallowed hard at the sheer depth of authority he held in his voice and the subtle action wasn’t lost on him. He homed in on my neck and watched me with a grin after seeing the visible effect he was having on me and well…the bastard looked like he enjoyed it. This then provoked me to respond.

“Why do you enjoy playing with me?” I bravely asked in a barely heard whisper. At this, his grin deepened, and it was both pure evil and bad to the bone. Then he lowered his face and I froze, too frightened to even move for fear of what he was planning to do next. At first, I even thought that the impossible was going to happen and he was going to kiss me. But then he shifted his weight a little and ended up placing his lips against my cheek, speaking directly over the heated skin I could feel hot against his cooler lips.

“Oh Sweetheart, I haven’t even started playing with you yet,” he whispered back before giving me a sweet and soft kiss, that only ended up cementing his words as a dark and menacing promise. Then, as I was still trying to catch my breath, he was suddenly gone at an impossible speed I should have been used to seeing by now.

I merely managed a breathy gasp in surprise as my hand was in his and he was yanking me upright. But then, just as I was about to fall into him from the speed, he spun me and placed a steadying hand at my hip so that my back was to him but in the direction of the exit.

“Now, let’s go,” he ordered giving me a squeeze of my side in a possessive manner before letting me go.

I swear…

I felt like running.

9

Peter Who?

After this moment I had no clue what to think as my nerves, along with my fragile mind, were all over the place. I kept questioning his actions and quickly got nowhere. At first, I could put most things down to the fact he obviously wanted to see the box and was annoyed that it wasn’t a simple case of me showing it to him right here and now. But then, if this was true, why had he walked back into the great court with me on his arm and spent the rest of the evening pretending to be my date?

I had expected when he said, ‘let’s go’, that he meant to leave the gala completely. But all he had meant was to leave the gallery. Something that had most definitely been for the best considering being alone with him right now was clearly dangerous for my mental state of mind.

I swore that after tonight I was seriously considering taking up yoga or something equally as Zen because all this shit was going to send me packing to the nearest crazy house! Which also meant that if I wasn’t careful then I would end up in a padded room decorated with his name on the walls and with bald patches on my head after trying to spell Lucius with my hair… once they finally took all stationery away from me, of course.

Okay, so that was farfetched even for my overexuberant imagination, but still, it couldn’t be denied that the man was making me crazy! Every time someone would come over to speak to me I would feel him take a step closer. Then he would wrap an arm around my back, rest his hand at my waist with his fingers flexing at my side almost as if on impulse. Then, I would find myself without the power of speech and only able to nod like a muted dog on a dashboard. One that had come back in popularity a few years ago and was classed as retro, making my mum complain about feeling old.

Well, at least she would never need wrinkle cream as an immortal as my complaint back to her was always the same,

“Well, at least you don’t look the same age as your mother and will one day soon start to look older.” Because that was what I had in store for me in my future. And yes, to the rest of the human world, she had aged and looked like a beautiful woman in her late forties/ early fifties, along with how my father did.

But this was just a smoke screen, as it was with the rest of my family. Because if my mum wanted to keep her human family in her life for as long as she possibly could, then this was a necessary evil that had to be thought of. A lie to save the people she loved.

I knew it wasn’t easy for her, but what was harder was knowing the inevitable would one day happen when it came to watching her own daughter getting old. Because I wasn’t like them. I wasn’t blessed with immortal life like the rest of them were.

Which meant that unless I dated an immortal and had sex with them on a regular basis, then I was investing in anti-wrinkle cream no matter if I wanted to or not. And I know what you’re thinking, why not just find me a sex buddy that didn’t mind getting his rocks off whilst taking care of my pesky little aging problem for me. But unfortunately, it didn’t work like that. Because one of the biggest rules my dad had to enforce in his world was the utterly forbidden relationship between supernaturals and humans. So, unless it was fated by the Gods and decreed to be part of some almighty prophesied story written in the stars type of gig, then it was a big fat NO.

But this was something I had learned to come to terms with long ago, even if my parents had yet to follow me down that realistic path. Don’t get me wrong, I can only imagine how hard it must be for them knowing that one day I wouldn’t be here and they would still have to face eternity without me. So, let’s just say that because of this, it was one subject I wisely stayed away from.

It soon became time for us to leave and Lucius masterfully steered me towards where our jackets had been taken, and as I fished out my ticket I noticed something was wrong. Of course, Lucius noticed my hesitation as there wasn’t much he didn’t notice.

“What is it this time?” he asked in exasperation that instantly got my back up, but I decided to ignore it and told him,

“It’s nothing.” Then I started to stretch my arm out to give the man my ticket when Lucius took it off me and handed it to the man himself, making me frown in question.

Why he did that I had no clue but the second he received my jacket he took me by my elbow and walked me through the exit. The cold hit me and just as I started to shiver I felt my jacket being placed over my shoulders. I swear the sight of Lucius acting like a gentleman was nearly as startling as he was handsome, which managed to easily take my breath away. With the backdrop of the night sky and roman columns behind him it suddenly felt as though we could have been stood, back in time, just the two of us waiting for our one moment.

“Thank…”

“What is missing from your purse?” he asked me, letting my softly spoken thanks trail off into the night, getting lost right along with my wishful thoughts.

“Does it matter?” I snapped pushing my arms through my jacket and walking down the steps. He followed me and was in front of me in a heartbeat.

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked in an incredulous tone as if surprised that I wouldn’t answer his question before walking away from him. Was this the reason he believed me to be a spoilt princess? Because I wouldn’t obey him? For sure there weren’t many in his world he could place in that category?

“What does it look like, I am going to try and catch a cab,” I said trying to walk around him, but he sidestepped to stop me, scoffing as he did,

“You are most certainly not getting a cab home.” I gave him a sarcastic grin back and agreed,

“No, you’re right.” Then before he could comment arrogantly as I knew he would have, I pulled my coat together and added,

“I’m getting the bus…Goodnight, Lucius.” I walked past him making my way down the courtyard to the sound of his exasperation behind me. Then I heard him speak and it took me a moment to realise it wasn’t to me.

“How long?” he snapped and a quick glance over my shoulder told me he was speaking to someone on his phone.

“Make it two,” he replied in a masterful tone and then promptly canceled the call. Once again, he was in front of me.

“There is no way I am allowing you to get the bus,” he informed me, folding his arms and no doubt trying to intimidate me, which as usual was working.

“Lucius, I catch the bus every day,” I argued softly.

“Yes, and if you place emphasis on the word ‘day’, then you should see the point which I am making,” he replied.

“Which is?” I asked now folding my own arms and looking about as intimidating as a kitten showing the big cat her claws.

“Your father would not allow it,” he said as if this would be a better argument as to the real reason he didn’t want me catching the bus home…was he worried about me?

“Whatever. Look, I catch the bus all the time, day and night and nothing has happened to me yet.” Okay, even to my own ears this was a lame argument and now, well he was starting to look pretty angry.

“You catch the bus home at night?” he asked in a dangerous low tone that told me I had better tread carefully here. But once again, it merely made me question his reasons for being annoyed.

“Look around you, Lucius, and tell me what you see,” I asked him, this time trying for reason. He gave me a sexually slow look up and down and quickly blew me away with his answer.

“A beautiful target.” I coughed back my shock and had to clear my throat after hearing Lucius calling me beautiful for only the third time in my life and two of them had been said tonight. The other, however, hadn’t counted at the time for it was back when he was breaking my heart and combining it with an insult.

“It’s the city that never sleeps, Lucius, I will be fine.” At this he rolled his eyes and said,

“Yes and do you know who resides in that city that also never sleeps… thieves, rapists, the psycologically unhinged and lastly people willing to murder you for the contents of your purse… therefore, it is over my fucking knee that you will do as you’re told and wait before I embarrass you in front of your colleagues who will soon be joining us out here as they leave.” This threat caused my mouth to drop and take a whole minute before I found I could actually answer him.

“You wouldn’t dare!” I hissed making him grin sadistically down at me and then he glanced over my head when he heard the sound of a car pulling in through the gates.

“Just try me, Princess, as there is only one sure way to find out,” he warned me, looking back to the crowd of people now all coming from the exit as if to put emphasis on his threat.

“Now get in the fucking car,” he snapped the second it stopped next to us and he opened the door before the driver even had time to get out to do so. I groaned aloud once before snapping,

“Fine!”

I then tried to fold myself into the car as graceful as possible repeating my usual mantra of ‘don’t slip, don’t slip, don’t slip’ in my mind, but doing so in an angry inner voice because, well… I was still pissed off! Well, at least I hadn’t fallen once tonight, so I guessed I deserved some brownie points for that one.

I shifted over to the far side and sat there in your typical sulky girl fashion, which I think was totally lost on Lucius. It was becoming clear that there was no way he had ever had a girlfriend before or if he had then they were the super compliant, bimbo, ‘I just want a sugar daddy’ type. Eww, the thought repulsed me, and I barely suppressed a shiver.

“Now, you can tell me what was missing from your bag,” Lucius asked once we were well on our way out of the main part of the city.

“My lipstick,” I replied making him chuckle and shake his head.

“What?” I questioned unable to help myself.

“Your lying is as shit as your mother’s.” The second I heard him talking about my mum everything inside of me turned to ice and I swear he must have felt the sudden chill in the car, because he turned to look at me and I swore I could see the hint of regret there.

“Amelia, I…” he said my name in a way that I suddenly hated and just to save myself the humiliation I quickly said in a dead tone,

“My keys, I have lost my keys.” He frowned at this, so before he could come to the worse possible reason I quickly added,

“It’s not a problem as my neighbor has a spare set.”

“Then for your sake I hope she’s home on a Friday night.” I rolled my eyes at the window.

“He will be.”

“He? You’re telling me that another man is entrusted with the keys to your apartment and can come and go as he pleases.” I swear the way he worded it sounded like I had stood outside the block one day, held up my keys and said, ‘here, here, come and get ‘em, who wants access to my flat 24/7?!’

“Yes, that’s right Lucius, my very good and loyal gay friend has a spare set of keys to my flat, in case I do something stupid like walk out without having them on me,” I said, making sure he didn’t miss the part about me saying he was gay and therefore possessed no threat to my prized womanhood…geez, but he was certainly going overkill on protecting me and doing my father a favour.

Lucius visibly relaxed so I would say for certain that he hadn’t missed the gay friend bit.

“Find yourself doing that often do you?” he asked after another long moment of silence.

“Well, it comes with the clumsy territory I am afraid,” I replied thinking this was the longest most civil conversation we’d had so far. That was until I saw his face and decided to beat him to voicing his opinion.

“Yes, I know, just like my mother.” My tone said it all. He looked as if he was about to say something else, but the sound of my phone ringing stopped him. I rummaged through my purse and saw who it was, so answered it in a way that I knew Lucius would question.

“Why hello there, my lesbian lover.” Oh yeah, now that got me a look, especially when Wendy replied,

“What’s happening my favorite pussy cat?” I laughed once, not at her reply but more at Lucius’ confused face…it was priceless!

“So, did you go to that stuffy gala thing in the end or what?” she asked finishing off her question with the sound of popping gum I was used to.

“Yeah and no thanks to you bailing on me.”

“What, I thought you had hot daddy dearest to take you?” she asked.

“I did, but what do you know, must be my day for people bailing out on me,” I told her just as Lucius was answering his driver by telling him where we were heading. Of course, Wendy didn’t miss the sound of a male voice, especially not one as sexy as Lucius’ deep and masterful one.

“Oh, you sly puppy, you! You asked Peter, didn’t you?!” she shouted, screeching down the phone at me. And of course, not only did I hear it, along with a boatload of dogs within a ten-mile radius of her, but Lucius did as well.

I knew this the second I heard a growl of one pissed off male next to me and quick to follow it was the threatening tone of Lucius’ snarled question…

“Who the fuck is Peter?!”

10

Until Tomorrow

“Oops, not Peter then?” Wendy said referring to the sound of the now angry male sat next to me who was demanding to know who my boyfriend was.

“That would be a no,” I muttered in a dry tone that secretly said, ‘thanks for putting your foot in it but I have to go now and try and explain to an overbearing Vampire asshole that my personal life is none of his business…but hey, thanks for that’. Okay, so my tone didn’t exactly say all of those things, but it said a lot…and the main one was the ‘oh shit’ moment she knew she’d caused. I knew this when she then said,

“Right, well call me when the man storm has blown over…laters Lessy Bessy,” she said using code for her not really lesbian bestie.

“I am still waiting,” he said in a tone that made me both want to shove him and recoil from him all at the same confusing time.

“Well, then I guess you’d better get used to the feeling because you’re going to be waiting a long time, as who I date is none of your business,” I told him and doing so with sweaty palms as I was now worried that he would tell my parents and the next people I had to say these things to, would be them.

My mum would be hurt, and my dad would be furious. Not the fact that I was dating per se but more the fact I didn’t tell them first so that my dad could have flown here, whilst doing a back-ground check on the plane, arriving in time for the interview/interrogation to start after he had his men set it up with the poor unsuspecting Peter.

Lucius, on the other hand, just looked outright enraged and ready to commit murder, a fate far worse than an intimidating talk with my dad. But the question was always the same with Lucius and that was…

Why?

Why would he even care, as surely he wouldn’t go as far as to be outraged on my dad’s behalf, would he? Well, sure as shit something was obviously wrong with him as he looked ready to tear the bloody car door off and throw it at some poor innocent pedestrian in anger. You could see him fighting with himself for what looked like all the reasons he shouldn’t say something and also all the reasons that he should. The latter ended up winning in the end as he snarled at me,

“It is the business of your family and as I am here in your father’s place then therefore, I have every right to know why it is you choose a lesser being that obviously cares so little for you as to let his woman go alone to a gala.” My mouth dropped before I hissed,

“Now just you wait a…”

“And what’s more, a cretin that expects her to get the fucking bus home! Pray tell me, just how would you have gotten here had I not sent my car to pick you up?” Lucius asked, after interrupting me and doing so by growling the words at me in a barely contained demonic side that sounded close to rattling the answer from me. But to be honest there had been so much in that one sentence that I hardly knew where to start!

“You sent that car for me?” I asked going with the less important of the two. He raised a brow at me and answered me the way you would an aggravating child that had asked the same question one hundred million times.

“Yes.”

“But I got a text from…”

“Me,” he said interrupting yet again and making me frown.

“But I sent one back saying, thanks dad.”

“And?” he asked making me shake my head a little…I mean was he for real?

“And…well don’t you think you could have said something,” I said dragging out the ‘and’ in a condescending way.

“Like what?” he snapped.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe something like ‘Hey, its Lucius here, not your dad and you’re welcome for the car, see you soon, as FYI, I am going to be your date for the evening’. Maybe that kind of something.” I said flicking my hand out at the end unable to help being slightly dramatic. Needless to say, he looked down at my hand and didn’t look impressed with the fact I nearly just hit him with it by mistake. Therefore, he grabbed it and placed it back in my lap as though this would be a safer place for it. I, on the other hand, just felt myself blush because of it.

“Would it have changed the outcome?” he asked me, and I decided to be honest thinking that I would have surprised him…I was wrong, as he was counting on it.

“Yes.” I said knowing that I wouldn’t have gone if I had known he would be there.

“Then that’s why… now tell me who this Peter is,” he said finishing this off with a firm order. I released a frustrated sigh and rubbed my forehead like my father sometimes did when my mother was giving him a hard time or putting him in his place as she often did.

“Seriously, Lucius, why do you even care?” He looked taken back a moment and opened his mouth as if ready to say something but then stopped, obviously thinking better of it.

“I don’t.” he replied, and it was as simple as that. However, what wasn’t simple was how much hearing those two small words affected me. But the saying, ‘the truth hurts’ was created for a reason and now…well, now there seemed like no better time for it to be true.

“Good, then leave it be,” I said after swallowing down what I really wanted to say and having to look out the window for a second to compose myself. But of course, this was Lucius we were talking about here, the man utterly incapable of letting anything…well…be.

“I would have thought your taste in men to be better than that.” It was at this point I turned in my seat to look at him as my mind tried to ask itself had that really been what he had said? Which is when my mind came up with a deciding yes, as I had heard him right, which unsurprisingly made me snap back,

“Oh, I can assure you, my tastes in men have greatly improved.” The meaning definitely wasn’t lost on him, not with the venomous tone in which it had been said. The second I finished I saw his eyes flash once more, only this time in anger as they burned crimson a second too long, as was just enough to portray his annoyance.

“I doubt that!” he snapped back, which is when I decided to inform him,

“Look, not that it is any of your business, but the truth is that I was the one who didn’t invite Peter, so he had no idea about this Gala because I was taking my friend Wendy, who usually comes with me to these things, so now you can just get off his back because Peter is a good, kind hearted man and you have no right to…” The sound of his laughter suddenly cut me off.

“What is so funny?” I asked managing to get at least one hand on my hip even though I was sat down.

“You just described someone who only fucks in the dark,” he replied crassly, shocking me to stutter on my next words,

“Sss…so! What the hell is wrong with that?” I asked in outrage, even though I myself had thought the same thing only earlier that day and I couldn’t remember…had I viewed it as a bad thing at the time? Well, if I hadn’t then, I did seconds later after Lucius gave me his reply.

“It’s wrong because when you finally possess beauty, two things happen, you do so as often as you possibly can, and you do so with her body illuminated, so that you can burn the image to your mind for all the times that you can’t,” he answered, and it seriously made my heart suddenly start pounding in my chest. Was this how he really thought about being with a beautiful woman? Just that question alone made me think about all the women Lucius must have been with in all his time upon the earth and I swear that pounding in my chest quickly started to turn into a painful ache. Which also meant that I had no come back to this other than a very lame murmur, which was aimed at the window,

“Well, not everyone thinks like you.”

Thankfully, after that he said no more about it, obviously appeased enough now he knew that the man I was dating hadn’t just let me loose on the town unchaperoned. But to be honest, one look at Lucius’ reflection in the window and I had no idea what he was thinking. Well, that was until he cut the silence with another question and this time it ended up cutting the tension too, as it made me chuckle.

“Why do you pretend to have a lesbian lover as your date?”

“Ah, well, before Peter came along I never had anyone to take with me, so I asked my friend Wendy to come, then one thing led to another and…” I stopped the second I heard him drawing in a startled breath, realizing he had the wrong idea.

“No, not that type of idea, what I mean is that when chatting to the guests some of them would hit on me…you know, ask me out or even ask me what I was doing after the event,” I said making him once more look annoyed, only at least this time he hid it slightly better than before, this time only frowning and clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white.

“So, in the end Wendy came to my rescue and pretended to be my lover, and well that soon developed into my ‘partner’ as more people found out and then pretty soon I found myself being asked at work how my girlfriend was. Then, before I knew it, bam! I was suddenly in a relationship with Wendy.” At this he chuckled, and I don’t think that up until then I had ever heard the sound. I liked the idea that he found me funny, so I tried to carry it on by nudging him slightly and telling him,

“And as it turns out, that once you have been in a fictional lesbian relationship, it’s actually quite difficult to get yourself out of one, as it’s not like I can just go into work one day and shout surprise everybody, Wendy’s gone and I’m not gay anymore…” Again, he chuckled, and it was such a lighthearted sound I nudged him again and added,

“Although, you turning up tonight has kind of put a spanner in the lesbian works.” Once I had finished he gave me a heart stopping grin that again, was another first for me, for this time it wasn’t the usual ‘bad boy, I am plotting evil things grin’ I was used to. No, it was the blindingly handsome, breathtaking type of smile that had you admitting to yourself that if that was the last sight you ever saw, then you would die a happy woman.

By the Gods, he was beautiful.

“I am surprised they believed it in the first place,” he replied, now making this the longest conversation we had ever had about anything that wasn’t done so in anger.

“Why do you say that?” I asked, desperate to keep this easy manner going.

“Because you’re about as lesbian as I am gay,” he replied, this time making me laugh as that was one thing I could never have said about Lucius.

Men were obviously not his preferred flavour of willing victims and there was only one person he had looked at tonight with lust…

The willing victim sat next to him now…

Me.

Before long we were at my building as it was only a thirty-minute drive, especially at this time of night when there was minimal amount of traffic on the roads. I turned in my seat and said,

“Thanks for the…lift.” I ended up letting the last word trail into a whisper as Lucius was already exiting the car. Now as to why, I was yet to find out. My door opened, and a hand was held out to me that definitely didn’t belong to the driver.

Wow, it looked like he was getting an easy night tonight as Lucius was obviously determined to do half his job for him. Not that I was complaining as it gave me a wonderful excuse once more to place my hand in his. The tingles that bombarded my senses the second our skin made contact was almost as though someone had flipped a switch, instantly making me flex my fingers in his hold, telling him without words that his touch affected me. In return his grip on me tightened and in that moment something unspoken passed between us. But as quickly as it had arisen it was gone again the second he let me go.

He then took a step back and held out his arm to indicate that I should precede him which I did, happy to be ahead of him just so that I could hide my reddened cheeks and the effects of how his touch still lingered. But had I been the only one? I guess I would never know unless I asked him and even then, how could I ever trust in his words, for so far, he wasn’t just an enigma, he was also turning out to be a contradiction. He would act as if he was duty bound in being here but then in the next instance he would go above the realms of obligation. Like now for example, walking me to my door instead of just sitting in his car and making sure that I made it home in one piece. There, job done and dusted with a clap of his hands and then congratulating himself on being rid of me at least for the rest of the evening.

But this hadn’t happened.

Which was why I questioned his reasons all the way to the front door and beyond when he still stood next to me as if waiting for something. So, I turned towards him, feeling suddenly shy and tucking some loose hair behind my ear as I fumbled for my words,

“I…I guess I should say…”

“Open the door, Amelia,” he said interrupting me with a purring of my name and I looked up at him in confusion for a moment until he strangely cleared his throat and nodded to the control panel, trying to jar me into action.

“Oh…right.” I muttered with a little shake of my head turning around to hide my shame and trying to stop my hands from shaking. I don’t know why it felt so different now, almost as though we had entered a more intimate place of the evening and I wondered if it was the stigma that surrounded the end of a date. The quiet and almost expectant moment when your date walks you to your door and you spend those turbulent moments hoping that he liked you enough to kiss you. But I needed to remember that this was Lucius we were talking about and there was only one reason why he would be walking me to my door.

His duty.

Because if there was one thing I knew about Lucius, it was if he wanted something he was the type of man to just reach out and take it, caring little about the consequences.

Which is why this thought developed into the most obvious other reason why he held the main door to my building open for me and now I felt utterly stupid. In fact, I continued to chastise myself all the way to my door with him keeping a safe distance behind me. So, before I could make an even bigger fool of myself, I turned around to face him and was about to discuss him seeing the box when I faltered.

By the Gods, how had he gotten so close to me without me even feeling it? Out of instinct I took a step back and felt my back hit the door and I swear the sound of it echoed all the way down the staircase we’d just walked up. I bravely looked up at him and the second I did his gloved hand snapped out and gripped onto my door frame. I didn’t know what caused this reaction only that for what seemed like long silent moments we were trapped in this strange space in time, and it kept us both captured until finally he broke through it. At first when he started to raise his other hand, I thought it was to touch me in some way but then I heard the door unlocking and it all started to snap into place.

The third reason that he had followed me up here…I had no keys. He obviously wanted to make sure that I could get into my flat in case Ben hadn’t been home. Damn myself and my wayward imagination! This had been what had gotten me into trouble in the first place all those years ago. Suddenly, I felt a shame like no other as he had been right…I hadn’t changed from that young, naive runaway mind of a girl simply full of unrealistic hopes and dreams.

Which was why I let my head drop and I looked down at the floor in a vain attempt to hide the extent of my shame. In fact, I was getting so lost in it, that when I felt his touch under my chin I was startled enough to nearly jerk out of his hold. So, instead of letting me go, he held on to my chin with his thumb and forefinger, lifting my face up so that he could hold my gaze with the intense one of his own.

“You did well tonight,” he told me, and I could feel the questioning line appear in between my brows, asking myself what he meant by that. However, if he saw it, then he ignored it because he said nothing further on the matter. No, instead he nodded to the door once and said,

“Now run along, little one.” I swallowed the sexual lump I had stuck there that had inhibited my ability to speak.

“You’re not coming inside?” I asked and the second he raised a brow at me in a way that told me he was getting the wrong idea, which meant I flustered and quickly carried on,

“I mean…well, you know, to see the box…which is why you’re here…right?” This was when the smirk came back and damn him if it didn’t make him even sexier than before. It left me wondering if he knew it and kept it in his sexual arsenal, reserving it for times like this?

Then he surprised me as he looked over my head at the closed door as if he was actually taking the time to think about it. But then he closed his eyes for a second longer than just a blink and opened them again by looking down at me. This was when he really shocked me as the next thing for him to say sounded like pained honesty,

“I don’t think pushing my limits is a wise endeavor at the best of times.” I wanted to ask what he meant by that but before I could he spoke again, and I had the impression that it was done on purpose so that I couldn’t ask.

“Bring the box to the museum tomorrow and I will be there to view it.” In the end I was left with no other choice but to agree with a slight nod of my head. Then he reached past me, turned the handle, brushing against my side as he did and making me weak enough to close my eyes at the contact. I knew by doing this that I was giving away my feelings towards him, but it couldn’t have been helped.

My body wasn’t my own around him.

The door at my back was gone and my exit from this contact felt like an abyss behind me. One he was expecting me to walk into and say goodbye. It had been such a turbulent night that I felt almost exhausted just from battling my emotions in his presence. And now was no different as I simply nodded my head and took that painful first step away from him. But then I swear I heard the sound of wood splitting and just as my head snapped up, homing in to the source of the sound, I only just caught the sight of cracked wood forging itself back together again under his palm.

Now why had that happened I wonder?

“I…” I only said that single lettered word, but it was enough for Lucius to know what I was going to say, for he got in there first before I had chance to say it myself. It was almost as if he couldn’t bear hearing it…

“You’re welcome…Amelia.” I don’t know why he paused a second too long before whispering my first name, as if it had been a promise unspoken. I couldn’t help but bring a finger up to my lips and bite at the end which was a nervous habit of mine. His eyes homed in on the sight and the quickest flash of hot amber seeped into his eyes, giving me a glimpse of his feelings.

However, what exactly those feelings were, I didn’t know as it felt as if there was a million words left unsaid in just that single look alone. It felt like the weight of this connection we had also had the power to fill the canyon between us, one he himself had put us on either side. So, there I was, desperate for him to merely say the word so as to fill the chasm of space and end my misery.

But that only happened in my dreams and right now, his intense gaze told me that I was not only awake, but I was dangerously close to slipping into a living nightmare. For one painful word from him was all it would have taken to drag me there.

But in the end, I only received two words from him and thankfully, neither were painful. His actions however were painfully confusing as he took my fingers in his own, pulling slightly so I had no choice but to let them go from being bitten.

Then shockingly he raised them to his own lips and I sucked in a startled breath the second he placed the tips of my fingers against his mouth and kissed directly over where my own lips had not long been. I swear he would have been able to taste me, as they were still wet from where my tongue had teased the end.

And what, in that moment, had the last two words from him been. The sounds of a promise, for they were ones I had no power to stop from settling in my heart and holding on to the comfort of them like a lifeline,

A lifeline from a King of Death spoken…

“Until tomorrow.”

11

The Great Muffin Loss

The second the door closed in front of Lucius, I turned around and let my body slide down it. I then let my head fall back and closed my eyes, placing a hand over my pounding heart in the hope that it would eventually calm down. What had that man done to me once again? I needed to get a grip and move the hell on and in doing so, as far away as I could get. Because the reality of my problem was a simple one, Lucius was far too dangerous to be around, and it had nothing to do with being a Vampire, but everything to do with the fragile heart he owned.

I couldn’t fall for him again…I just couldn’t.

Oh, who was I kidding, of course I was falling for him again. Hell, the bastard had been the one to push me!

The sound of my phone ringing jolted me from my thoughts and I answered it without looking, already knowing who it would be.

“Hello, Kirky.”

“Oh my God! Tell me everything, you lying hussy, you!” Wendy squealed down the phone in her excitement.

“You know, he could have still been here, in which case your phone call would have been most inconvenient,” I told her, only wishing this had been the case. She snorted and said,

“Whatever, Emmie. Look, Ben already told me that he’s left, so just get on with the juicy gossip already.” I frowned at the floor and said,

“And how did Ben know when to look out for me and my…?”

“Date? Yeah, kept that one quiet didn’t you...?” she quipped.

“Kirky!” I said her name for her to get on with it, which thankfully she got the hint that I wasn’t in the mood.

“I told him of course,” she informed me in a way that was just short of the ‘duh’ at the end. I rolled my eyes at no one and let my head bang back against the door in exasperation.

“Why would you do that, now he will want to know…?” The sudden sound of someone at the door knocking had me yelping in surprise.

“Who’s that?” she asked and again I rolled my eyes out of habit.

“Who do you think, you called him after all?” I said then I opened the door, speaking as I did so,

“Ben what are you…doing here?” My voice suddenly trailed off into a barely heard whisper the second I saw that it wasn’t Ben after all…

It was Lucius.

My heart once more started to hammer in my chest, and I swear it was so loud to my own ears, he must have been able to hear it too. In fact, I was so shocked that I let the phone slip from my hand and it would have crashed down on the floor had Lucius not saved it with his lightening quick reflex.

“So, not Ben then?” I heard Wendy say in a small voice from down in his palm. Lucius simply raised the phone to his ear and replied in a cool, deep voice,

“No, not Ben. Goodnight Wendy.” Then he pressed the red phone icon and ended the call.

“Wh…what are you…?” The broken start of my question ended by Lucius cutting me off with a pissed off growl.

“What do you think…?” he said taking what would seem to anyone else was a threatening step towards me.

“I…I…um.” I mumbled having no idea until he decided to growl his reason at me.

“I am waiting for you to lock your fucking door!” he snapped making me frown in confusion and mumble some more.

“I…I…” Lucius’ eyes flashed crimson once, emphasising the first word of his next sentence as well as the snarl that joined it.

“You need to be more careful and you can start by locking your door the second you’re inside and not opening it again to any fucker that could be on the other side, without looking,” he said nodding behind me, so I turned to see that he was indicating towards the peephole that any smart person would have used. But I was still questioning why he was so angry?

“But it’s a secure building and I…well, the door is…” At this he once again cut me off with only a single look and it was deadly.

“The code to your door is 2277.”

“Uh, how do you know that?”

“Because it is a simple four-digit code that anyone could remember after only walking past the second someone was trying to get inside,” he told me as if he had already accomplished this and it was as easy as eating pie.

“But the chances are…” He quickly cut me off by taking another step closer to me and carried on with his point in an even more intimidating manner.

“You have twenty-four people occupying this building which gives anyone who wants to get inside twenty fucking four opportunities to get inside, knock on this door, be fucking welcomed in the second you open it and then rob you, rape you and potentially kill you, all because…” he paused to lean in close and snarl his next words in my face…

“You wouldn’t first take a fucking second to look to see who it was!” Oh boy, yep he was angry. In fact, scrap angry, he was bloody furious! So definitely not how I saw the night ending, as in…At. All.

I didn’t realise but at the sight of his anger I had unconsciously been trying to get away from the terrifying sight of Lucius beyond pissed off and in doing so I had been taking small frightened steps back inside my flat. He also followed me a step inside and without taking his eyes off me he issued me one last demand,

“Now lock your fucking door!” Then he slammed the door shut so that it rattled on its hinges and the second it was closed I ran to it and clicked both the latch and added the chain that was eye level so that he could hear me doing this. I swear I even heard the great sigh of frustration he let out before I heard the sound of his steps walking away. However, I only stopped shaking seconds later after those steps were making their way firmly down the stairs. I continued to listen until there was silence only then releasing a whoosh of air through my trembling lips, asking myself what had just happened?

I had seen Lucius angry before, but furious beyond all composure was a new one for me because usually, no matter how turbulent or powerful Lucius’ emotions were, he was renowned for his deadly calm and imperturbable exterior. An incredibly powerful being that kept a level head no matter whether that was in battle or scaring the living shit out of someone before torturing them. One fact always remained…Lucius always kept his cool.

So, what had that been about?

I suddenly heard something vibrating and I jumped, not realising that he must have dropped my phone on a small sideboard by the door that I usually kept my keys and mail on. I picked it up and didn’t recognise the number but knew who it was from the second I read the last order…

‘Walk away from the door and go to bed, Princess.’

“AAHHH!” I growled out loud, cursing myself for only being able to do it now when the big overbearing ass wasn’t here to hear it! I don’t know who he thought he was or what right he had to boss me around, but it irked me to the point that I suddenly needed a drink.

So, I walked into my small, compact kitchen and grabbed the open bottle of rosé that still had a good two glasses worth in there. Then I poured myself a large one and toasted the door and said,

“To overbearing assholes that I clearly piss off!” Then I took a big gulp of my wine, nearly choking in the process and this was what Wendy heard when she rang me for the second time.

“Christ, I’m not sure I want to know what you’re choking on?!” I cleared my throat the best I could and told her,

“That’s disgusting!” Which in turn made her laugh.

“So, I guess the mysterious man came back, who, it has to be said, officially has the sexiest voice I had ever heard.” I rolled my eyes as I slumped down on my cute little shabby sofa that was a miss match of chintzy cushions that I had lovingly made, thanks to the old ones having holes and stains adorning them.

I had picked it up for free, but only if I arranged to get it out of his house as soon as possible, acting like the whole thing had been condemned or something. Well, I just hoped no one had died on it or anything because, other than it being old and smelling a bit musty, it was in great condition. So, the dated brown velvet fabric was well beyond being called retro or even classic but the shape of it was great. It was one of those that had the sides held up in place with a tasseled curtain tie wrapped around two wooden posts. The great thing about it was that if you unraveled the red tasseled rope then the sides went flat and the whole thing became a long thin bed, one Wendy had passed out on many a time.

The back section had been tricky to cover in the cream fabric I found on good old eBay, but with some help from Wendy, and her industrial strength staple gun, we managed it. I had decided to re-cover each of the three bottom cushions in a different chintzy pattern, two of which were flowers and the center one was light pink and dark pink pinstripe reminding me of a candy cane at the fair.

It was by far my favorite piece, which was why whenever I was near it with any food or drink, I covered the bottom with a light grey throw that was usually folded over the back just so that I couldn’t spill anything on it. I’d learned the hard way when I realized that nothing gets Chicken Tikka out of a cream rug or the Sag Aloo that quickly followed as a result of my surprise.

The rest of my flat was done in a girly yet country style that mirrored my bedroom back home. But this was me we were talking about, so it also had its geeky side. Like the Star Trek framed posters I’d had signed by the wonderful Leonard Nimoy. Or my precious shelf that was dedicated to all things Sci-Fi, complete with toy movie figures, some still in their original packaging.

Other things in my flat included a whitewashed and shabby chic coffee table that had chunky fat legs. A new rug, that was swirls of cream and pinks underneath the table, which had replaced the old one and its ugly splotches of toxic looking orange and yellow. Then there was a small window and next to that, opposite the sofa, was a cute armchair with a low back that was in a scalloped arch shape. It was covered in the lightest creamy pink tones and was decorated with a small cushion that was a pink Star Trek Starfleet badge framed by bright pink piping. It had also been a house warming gift from my aunty Pip, along with a Trailing Rat Tail cactus named George. Or so aunty Pip had lovingly informed me.

Unfortunately though, George had died due to unforeseen circumstances and was no longer with us. But I assured my aunt that he went to a better place and not just at the bottom of a bin bag after he shriveled up and died thanks to forgetting about him needing sunlight for half a year. But hey, he looked pretty in my bathroom for that time. However, me and plants were a no go. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t seem to keep the things alive! Okay, so that’s not strictly true as I knew why and as Wendy was always telling me, ‘just think, if it’s living then it needs shit to grow’ and her version of that shit, had been your usual water and sunlight. She even went as far as buying me another plant and testing me to see if I could keep it alive for longer than six months. I had thought I had done pretty well, that was up until I noticed it was getting a bit dusty and on closer examination realised the reason I had done so well was that it had been artificial.

Wendy didn’t know what she found funnier, the fact that I had occasionally been watering this thing, and I had been really happy it was still alive and proud of myself, or that I hadn’t even noticed it had been fake. Needless to say, it was the first thing to get cut up one Halloween when I was without a costume. It was when I decided to go as Poison Ivy, just because I had a horrible green dress I stupidly bought on sale and a plant I was permanently pissed off with. The costume had looked great though and was still in a bag at the bottom of my wardrobe.

But getting back to my little flat, now I know what you’re thinking, I am a girly girl who loves pink and killing plants…right? Well, the truth is that I just wanted a feminine space to call my own and was as far away from the Gothic antique look as you could get and well, pink and flowers just seemed like the easiest way to achieve that.

Hence all the pink.

Now, if you asked me if I owned a single item of pink clothing then other than maybe a sneaky pair of panties that had been part of a set, then yeah on the panties but every day wearing clothes that people could see…then that was a big, firm no.

“I guess his voice is kinda nice,” I admitted getting back to my call and making her scoff,

“Kinda nice…kinda nice? I am seriously worried about your hearing if you think that a man’s voice that deep and sexy is just ‘kinda nice’…he sounded fucking gorgeous, so please…oh please, oh please put me out of my misery and tell me he’s just as sexy in real life as I have made him out to be in my head.” I sighed and was forced to admit,

“I can pretty much guarantee it’s better.” She released a groan as if she was eating chocolate and was in her own private heaven.

“So, come on, dish up the good stuff, how did you meet him, was it at the gala…did you fall in love over a thousand-year-old dead body…come on your killin’ me here.” I laughed before telling her,

“Gods woman, your imagination is worse than mine!”

“I swear if you don’t start talking, Smock, then I am going to get a cab over there in my Hello Kitty PJ’s!” The funny thing was I knew this wasn’t an idle threat as knowing her she most likely would. Oh, and she also had a thing for Hello Kitty, but she assured me ‘not in a weird way’…her words, not mine.

“Don’t get too excited as he’s just a family friend my dad asked to show up in his place…it seems it was my day for being date dumped,” I said drily making her laugh. Then of course, she asked the million-dollar question…

“So, family friend or not, do you like him?” I decided to play dumb at first,

“Uh yeah, I mean he’s alright.” This of course, sooo didn’t work.

“Oh, come on, you know what I mean, do you fancy the pants off him and want to have his babies?” she then asked after first making a dramatic exasperated sound. Stupidly, at the time she asked this, I was taking a much-needed sip of my wine, which I ended up spluttering out and nearly choking on,

“What? No! Geez, look there’s nothing in it okay, we are just friends…well kind of, I mean he’s friends with my dad…well, maybe not my dad per se, maybe more my mum’s, but not really…oh I don’t know, just no okay!” I said and at every turn did it all sound so wrong I got so frustrated that I ended up nearly begging her,

“Can we just change the subject please?”

“Okay, okay but can I just ask one thing…?” I released a deep sigh, held the top of my nose with my thumb and finger before fanning out my fingers and motioning for her to ask, even though she couldn’t see me, therefore I muttered halfheartedly,

“What is it, Kirky?”

“Did you guys have sex or what?”

Oh, by the Gods… it was going to be a long night.

* * *

The next day I found myself sat on the bus with the box wrapped up once more and tucked away in my oversized handbag, barely able to function. I could put this down to a combination of things. Firstly, I had finished the rest of the wine last night, swiftly finding myself unsatisfied, so therefore ended up opening a bottle of prosecco. One I had been saving for when this exhibition was finished as a way to congratulate myself on a job well done.

Alright, so I hadn’t finished the bottle at least, but I was definitely swaying as I made my way into the bathroom before bed. I had also woken up this morning looking like a girl panda that was ready for a night on the town wearing a wig that had been back brushed. To say that going to sleep, or more like passing out, without taking your makeup off and taking the pins out your hair hadn’t been one of my better moments was an understatement.

The next disaster to happen had been to find I had run out of toilet roll, forgetting them on my last shop and only realizing my mistake when I found no replacements in my cupboard, so therefore being forced to pee in the shower with my legs wide open like a cowboy missing his horse! Not one of my finer moments I had to admit. Needless to say, that after that my lady garden got a good watering after that golden rain shower…eeew.

Then, after that I stubbed my toe before realising my milk was off so couldn’t have a cup of tea and on the way out the door realised my traitorous bitch of a bra was trying to stab me in the heart with the underwire. Hence, why I ended up running for the bus and smacking my hand on the doors just as they were starting to close. And who did I blame for all this…

Lucius.

Lucius, that damn sexy Vampire who had made me lose all sensible thought process so that I could function like a normal human being in society. Okay, so he couldn’t exactly be blamed for most of it, but he could most definitely be blamed for my hangover and driving me to drink my thoughts of him away. He was like a plague on my mind, for all I could think about was him, replaying every second of the night before. The way he had looked at me in my tight revealing dress, as though seeing me for the very first time.

But it had been the way his intense eyes had stayed on me during the whole time I was giving my tour. Both shamefully and admittedly, even though I had been there to put on a show for those rich people and essentially get them ready to open up their wallets for the next big archeological discovery, what I had really been doing was putting on a show just for him.

I didn't know at the time whether he could tell this or not, as I let my passion and knowledge merge into one, whether he could hear it in my voice or not. But as the private tour had come to an end I had been unsure as to why he was still there. Had my father asked him to watch over me for the whole night? I put it down to this being the case as there was no other reason, but then I thought back to how it had ended. Starting with the rollercoaster ride of emotions he had summoned from me. But it wasn’t just his actions at the museum that confused me but more like his action afterwards.

Like how had he known it had been Wendy on the phone, unless of course he had been listening to my conversation from behind the door, as he had been impatiently waiting for me to flip the locks. But more importantly, why had he cared so much? Why had he got so angry at the idea that I could get hurt just opening the door to anyone? I couldn’t understand it and the whole thing left me frustrated at being left in the dark.

However, stranger still had been when I sent my dad a drunken text message after first saving Lucius’ number in my phone as ‘The Overbearing Asshole’.

It had been a simple question,

‘Dad, why did you tell Lucius where I lived?’

His reply however, had been far less simple even though it was only two words…

‘I didn’t.’

Which meant Lucius had lied to me when I asked him how he knew where I lived. So, the even bigger question after that had been not why he lied but more importantly, how did he know where I lived? Had he been keeping tabs on me? I suppose it was possible that he would do this for my father, whenever Lucius found himself in London of course, but then if that was the case why not just say so…why lie about it?

I didn’t have any of the answers, but whatever it was he was keeping it from me for a reason and that reason was one that I intended to find out. Now, all I had to do was put this barely thought out plan of mine into action and I was good to go.

I arrived at the museum out of breath after the ten-minute walk of lugging this box around in my bag, annoyed at myself that I had taken it home for nothing. Well, I hadn’t exactly expected a big brooding Vampire to turn up and demand that I work on a Saturday, also thinking that I would have the weekend to examine the box in more detail.

It annoyed me that my dad had turned up with this thing and then called Lucius in anyway, without giving me any time to even try and get the thing opened. And I don’t know why but I had a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I wasn’t being told everything here.

Well, there was only one way to find out I thought, going straight to the cafeteria once inside and rectifying the biggest problem I had faced this morning…no tea and no breakfast.

I was one of those people who could barely function as a human being in the morning if I hadn’t had my breakfast and a cup of tea, and this morning I had been without both. So, I grabbed a cup to go after making small talk with the usual ladies behind the counter and after waiting in a queue for what seemed like forever.

I couldn’t believe how busy it could get, especially on a weekend. But that would teach me for getting here an hour after it had opened. I also grabbed a blueberry muffin and a bag of chips, or how they said it over here in England, a bag of crisps. It was strange when I first came here because even though I had been brought up in the states, I already knew a lot of English slang and terminology thanks to my mum and her Northern ways. Which also meant that the human side of my family was also mainly English, along with my Aunty Libby. My cousin Ella and her dad, my Uncle Frank, however were American.

I grew up with my Cousin Ella as she was only a few years older than me and we even spent time at the same school at one point. We were really close, still are in fact and video call each other often. But unfortunately, we don’t get as much time to see each other these days, considering her job keeps her busy where she lives in Canada.

It was clear at a young age her passion was for animals, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when she went into animal conservation. But her story was a whole can of supernatural worms I wasn’t going to get into. Especially when it looked like my own was about to unfold and today was possibly the start of that.

I stuffed my bag of chips in my bag for later before grabbing my cup and muffin bag. I was just glad I was wearing my sturdy tan suede boots that were laced up to my calf and were thick soled. They also had a cream brushed wool lining that kept my feet warm, which was something I was always complaining about. The rest of my outfit was stretchy navy-blue jeans that tucked into my boots and a dark grey sweater with the silhouette of a few blackbirds flying across my chest that were knitted into the design in a black glittery wool. Underneath this I had a light blue shirt and you could see the collar, cuffs and bottom peeking out under the grey.

I thought it was one of my cuter outfits, one that was ruined however by the practical navy-blue parker jacket I wore over it, thanks to it raining outside. At least the large faux fur rimmed hood had kept my high pony tail dry and also kept my daily make-up from dripping down my face. I didn’t wear much to be honest, not like I had last night. But just a bit of foundation, sweep of powder and blusher so that I didn’t look like death warmed up, pale pink lip balm that made my lips nice and soft thanks to aloe vera, or Hello Vera, as Wendy calls it.

A light dusting of pale pink eyeshadow and I was done because thankfully, I had been blessed with thick black lashes that curled up on their own. Which meant that I didn’t really need mascara or more like an extra reason to make a fool out of myself in the rain, as it usually turned to black tears streaming down my face that I wouldn’t notice I had until faced with someone kind enough to mention it…this, needless to say, had happened twice before. Therefore, as a general rule, I left out the extra hassle and saved mascara for nights out, ones that included regular trips to the toilet just to be sure.

I swiped my card in the security panel and entered in the code that I knew we were going to have to get changed as it was clear that if Wendy knew it, then it was time to get another one. Then I skillfully (for clumsy me anyway) held on to my tea, tucked my muffin bag under my chin and dropped the card back in my bag with the keys I had found on my kitchen counter. Something in itself that had been a conundrum, considering I was so sure that I had locked up and put the keys in my purse last night.

The door buzzed open and I slipped inside making sure not to drop my breakfast. Then I dropped my bag on the table I knew was nearby so that I could fumble for the lights. Then the second I switched them on I turned around to face the room, screaming in fright the second I did. And I did this because I was not as alone as I thought I was going to be. Also, in the process I dropped both my tea and my muffin making me curse out loud the second I did.

“Son of a bitch!”

The three men dressed in black and basically looking like every other thug you would have seen in any action movie, all looked at me as though they were dealing with someone crazy. And who knows, maybe they were right. As I am sure the right response to have when facing three thugs was to grab my bag and scream for help as I high tailed it outta there.

But instead I just looked down at my precious goods on the floor and said…

“Oh damn it, there goes my breakfast.”

12

Attack of the Killer Box

The second I shouted about the loss of my breakfast instead of screaming in fear really must have thrown them, as they each looked at one another in confusion. Well, they were about to find out why as let’s just say that thanks to my upbringing, I didn’t exactly scare easily.

“Sorry fellas, but if you’re looking for dinosaurs then you’re in the wrong place, try the National History Museum to fulfil those boyhood dreams of yours,” I told them sarcastically as I shrugged out of my jacket, now getting ready for what I had an idea was soon to happen. Now, if only I could get away with doing some stretches and lunges, my muscles might survive this later. But then again, wouldn’t that have been too obvious?

The three guys frowned, and one guy even cracked his knuckles making me roll my eyes at the cliché.

“Can we hurt this bitch yet?” the knuckle cracker asked the guy in the middle who shook his head slightly.

“We are here for the box, now hand it over and you won’t get hurt.” The one who was clearly in charge said, making me scoff back a little laugh. He was taller than the rest, but still wearing all black like the other two. He also looked slightly older, maybe in his late forties, compared to the Beavis and Butthead that looked a similar age to me, if not younger.

All three were fairly large, fit guys but compared to the men in my life that I was used to, then it was like a couple of gymnasts or fit cyclists going up against heavy weight champions merged with the world’s strongest men competition. Needless to say, I wasn’t intimidated.

“Or you could just leave now, and you won’t get hurt,” I countered making them laugh as they clearly got the wrong idea of why I was acting so cocky.

“If you think your Vampire will be coming to save you, then think again Girl, we dealt with him and gave him a nice little diversion,” the middle man said, who I gathered had started to go grey early as he looked as though he had racing stripes down the side of his hair…I wondered if it made him run faster? Well, maybe I would find out when he realized that assumption was the mother from where all mistakes are born…thanks for that one daddy, I thought with a grin.

But what he said had managed to throw me slightly off balance as not only did they know about Vampires, which for humans was unusual, but I wondered what they had done to Lucius as a diversion? Not that I was worried that he could be hurt, because let’s face it, unless he was up against a God, then like my dad, he was pretty indestructible.

“Oh well…looks like he will miss the show, he will be pissed as he loves a good fight,” I taunted causing the middle one to make an incredulous sound as if he couldn’t believe the gall of my bravery. I knew this when he said,

“I gotta give it to you lady, you got balls…shame though, you were a pretty little thing too…” Then he nodded towards me and the one on his right came at me first, storming down the center of the room, one framed either side with a line of examining desks, with magnifying lamps and metal stools. It looked a little like a classroom with a library of artifacts at the end laid in drawers. Which meant that I had to keep this from getting as messy as possible because I would never forgive myself if something got damaged because of these three goons.

I shrugged my shoulders at his comment and the second the first thug got within striking distance I took him off guard by punching him first in the nose. Then, while he was still dazed and confused, I lashed out again and this time punched him in the throat, nearly crushing his windpipe. Then I grabbed him by the jacket and yanked him forcefully into my knee getting him in the testicles. I hit him so hard that I felt them recoil on impact, as if they themselves were screaming and echoing ‘Nooooo!’ as they knew what was coming…

Sickening pain, that’s what!

He crumpled to the floor, landing hard on his knees and his hands didn’t know what to hold on to first: his broken nose, his bruised throat that he couldn’t breathe through or his tender nuts. Then he fell to the side and I grinned down at the man now lying sideways in a fetal position and cupping his balls.

“Good choice,” I said with a smirk before looking back at the other two knowing what I would find…

Utter shock.

“You were saying something about my pretty face?” I said in an innocent little voice and chuckling as I looked at the guys blood on my knuckles, wiping it casually down my top. A move which I liked to think was threatening enough without being cliché, unlike the dickhead currently broken on the floor. But then he looked up at me through watery eyes and made his second mistake.

“Bitch!” he snarled through clenched teeth. I placed a hand on my chest and said,

“What, who me?” in an innocent voice. Then I twisted my body and dropped down, quickly delivering a hammer punch at his face, now knocking him unconscious. Then I stood back up, put a hand to my ear and said,

“You were saying, Dickhead?” Of course, I didn’t receive an answer but asking him the sarcastic question felt good.

“Well, what do you know, I guess he doesn’t feel like talking anymore,” I said to the other two, making their features twist into angry glares. Then the one in charge nodded to the guy on his left telling him without words to go and have his try, who unlike the other one, wasn’t taking any chances. He pulled out a large knife from behind his jacket and came towards me with it, twisting it round in his hand as he had no doubt practiced it in the mirror while convincing himself that he was a badass.

“Now you will pay for that!” he warned, trying to sound threatening.

“You know in some cultures they pay for things in teeth, let’s try that should we?” I said making him roar at me before swinging out with the knife. I ducked once under the swing and popped back up quickly to his side and grabbed his forearm in a block with one hand. I then twisted his arm, yanked him hard and cracked him in the face with a swing of my elbow, catching him in the jaw and busting his lip. He staggered back but surprisingly managed to keep hold of his knife. Oh well, I will just have to try harder.

“YOU CUNT!” he screamed at me and again I shrugged my shoulders before he came at me again. Now it was time to get rid of the knife. So, this time when he lunged at me, trying to stab me straight on, I blocked the attack, swiping his arm to one side and breaking off the center line. Simultaneously, two things happened and the first was me bending my body back slightly, giving myself some distance from the threat of his blade. Then at the same time I grabbed his wrist, quickly bent it back on itself and took the knife from his hand, throwing it to the ground behind me.

“AHH, LET ME GO YOU WHORE!” he snarled pointlessly, because what did he expect after name calling, for me to say, ‘Oh I’m terribly sorry dear chap, it was supposed to tickle?’

Douchebag, I thought with a shake of my head and sighing before putting him down for good. And I did this by still holding his arm in a lock, twisting it further back so that he had nowhere to go but down to the floor. I gave his body no other option but to bend further and at the same time I brought up my knee, connecting it with his face with a sickening crunch. It hurt me but not nearly as much as it hurt him when breaking his face.

Then, as he was still howling in pain, I made sure he wouldn’t be using his arm any time soon, pleased to put that happy slasher move out of commission for good. So, I held out his arm straight and said,

“I hope you like hospital food,” then I hammered my bent elbow down on his arm in just the right place, breaking the bone and feeling slightly sick when I felt it snap. Now he really howled in pain and funnily enough, there wasn’t a single curse word uttered, as no doubt he was now worried that if he called me a whore again, I would kill him.

I then bent down and picked up the knife, all the time keeping the last guy in my sights, who was now looking slightly pale at the sight of what this little woman could do.

“What the…Who the hell are you lady?!” The guy stammered, and I was surprised that he hadn’t ran yet. Oh well, more fool him. But it was rude not to give him an answer. So, I gave him one, smirking an evil little grin as I did…

“I’m a Draven.” Then to drive my point home, giving him an idea of just what that meant, I flipped the knife once, caught it at the right angle before hurling it towards him, hitting its mark perfectly and embedding it in his shoulder. Well, I didn’t want to kill him as after all, that would have been rather rude of me. He screamed, twisting his body side on after the impact threw his shoulder back, then he looked down at its hilt sticking out of his jacket as if wondering how it got there.

“You fucking stabbed me!” he shouted in astonishment and I shrugged my shoulders as if I was a little girl that had just been caught stealing cookies.

“You started it,” I reminded him. See, that was the problem with taking one look at someone and assuming because people were small that they could easily be beaten. My father had been teaching me to fight ever since I could walk, knowing that I may have no supernatural powers, but there were other ways that I could protect myself. Alright, so I wouldn’t have much of a chance going up against one of his own kind but in the human world at least I could defend myself. And surprisingly, I wasn’t actually a violent person but knowing what I did, meant that I could face a situation like this with the confidence that I would walk away from it relatively unscathed.

But that was when the person had a blade or even a bat, knowing exactly what to do to block the hit before then disarming them. Then the next job was to break something important, like a leg so they wouldn’t be getting up again anytime soon. Of course, knocking them unconscious helped too.

However, there was one thing that I couldn’t fight against…A gun. Which was when he did something that I hadn’t been expecting and with a determined look on his face he pulled a weapon from behind his trousers and aimed it at me.

“You should have just given us the box, Bitch.” Then he cocked back the hammer and pulled the trigger.

And in that split second the only thing that managed to escape my lips just as the gun fired was…

“Ah shit.”

13

Hello Hex

A gun.

It just had to be a gun, didn’t it.

I waited for the feel of the severe rush of pain as the bullets ripped their way through my body, but instead I felt something else entirely. In seconds it was as if my whole body was being spun around at a dizzying speed. Then I heard the gun fire five more times before I realised I was actually encased in someone’s arms. It took me a moment longer, which was precisely when the arms left me, to realize that Lucius had got to me just in time. He had enveloped me in his arms and turned quickly enough so that he shielded me from the impact of the bullets, meaning they hit his back instead.

I turned around to the sound of a man screaming in terror as Lucius stalked towards him, throwing an actual desk out of his way as though it had been a bag of feathers. It crashed into the wall and I winced at the damage, thankfully taking stock of irreplaceable things that had broken, happy to see it was at zero.

Then I watched in utter fascination as the bullets that were embedded in his back started to re-emerge, first from beneath his skin and then from beneath his leather jacket, as his body rejected the metal. I knew that he could have mentally thrown up a veil of protection around his skin so that the bullets wouldn’t have got that far. But I guess his first impulse had been to get to me and shield the human…the very breakable human.

“No! Nooo! Get away from me, Devil!” he begged as Lucius must have been letting his demonic features show, because now the man looked a heartbeat away from wetting himself and seeing Lucius this way, then I couldn’t say that I blamed him. He was certainly a frightening sight to behold and if I hadn’t been used to seeing badass demons, then I would have no doubt been joining the thug with peeing my pants.

But I had never seen Lucius like this. I didn’t know what it was exactly about the sight of such controlled rage, but I found myself with a hand to my beating heart from fear I would pass out. He stalked the man who was heading closer towards the back row of artifacts and now I was starting to panic.

“NO!” I shouted running forward a little and Lucius whipped his head around and snarled at me, making me flinch back at the sight. By the Gods he was frightening! His eyes were two pools of crimson fire burning with blood lust. Black veins branched off around his forehead and his eyes, snaking down the sides of his face. It was thicker down his neck, looking as though an infection had risen from lower down his body and was creeping up under his skin like thin black snakes of venom.

I could tell that he thought I was trying to get him to stop before he killed the man and he obviously didn’t appreciate the interruption.

“Don’t damage the artifacts,” I told him softly, then nodded to the back wall of drawers, letting him know that was all I cared about. He turned to look at what I was referring to and then looked back at me, this time with a grin that could only be described in one way…

It was prime evil.

Then he utterly shocked me by giving me a wink before turning his attention back to the man who was currently trying to escape through a locked back door. One that he didn’t know only led to a storeroom filled with equipment. So, unless he intended to try and brush his way out to get away from the killer demonic vampire named Lucius, then it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that he was screwed.

I knew this the second Lucius appeared behind him and grabbed him so that he could throw him back across the room and opposite the wall of drawers that I was trying to protect. I couldn’t help myself when I held up two thumbs for his actions in saving the precious artifacts, making Lucius shake his head slightly as if he was seeing things. Well, it was that or he clearly didn’t know what to do with me.

The guy landed and skidded along the floor as if he had just been thrown out of a moving car. He was curled in on himself and just as he started to move out of his fetal state, Lucius was back on him. He hauled him up with a choking grasp on his neck and threw him against the nearest wall.

I gasped, making Lucius look back at me even as he had the guy suspended with his feet off the ground and being held there with just one arm. I quickly ran to the shelf he was next to and caught the large fossilized piece of a beehive that had been wobbling on its holder.

I let out a sigh of relief and then nodded to Lucius, saying,

“You may continue,” making him smirk and shake his head to himself once again in what looked like wonderment.

“Fuck you, Bitch!” The guy stupidly said, making Lucius yank the goon’s head closer to his face so that he could snarl at it, showing the lengthening of his fangs and this time the guy did piss himself.

“Now really, was that a smart thing to say, huh?” I said making him quickly shake his head saying no. But Lucius didn’t care as he cracked his head once more back on the wall, this time choking the life from him.

“Wait!” Lucius didn’t stop but he did at least look at me.

“What now?” he asked as if expecting me to say that the wall he was currently strangling someone up against was pissed on by Ramesses III and therefore also needed to be preserved.

“I don’t know, shouldn’t we at least interrogate him or something?” I asked, glancing in panic at the guy quickly turning purple at the end of his hand.

“Why? He tried to kill you, that’s a good enough reason as any to end his life and I think your father would agree with me on this one,” he added making me snort a short laugh and say,

“Well, yeah, that’s a given but what I mean is, that there could be more of them and that would be kind of handy to know, don’t you think?” Lucius rolled his eyes and said,

“Fine!” Then he let the guy go so that he dropped to the floor like a sack of turnips. He started gasping and spluttering the second he tried to breathe air through his burning lungs. Then, after a few more deep breaths, Lucius hauled him back up against the wall ready for our interrogation. So, I leant towards him, getting in his face and started to play bad cop…or were we both bad cops?

“Who do you work for?!” I shouted at him, making Lucius look down at me with a raised brow in question,

“What, it’s one of the first things they ask in the movies,” I said in my defense with a shrug of my shoulders, making him shake his head at me.

“Been to many interrogations, have you?” he asked drily.

“Nope, this is my first…you?” I asked unable to help myself. He looked down at me and replied in a dry tone,

“A few, yes.” Telling me with his sarcasm that his real answer had been ‘you have no idea’. Then Lucius turned his attention back to the task at hand.

“Well…answer her, asshole!” Lucius snapped when the half-strangled goon looked at him for guidance, as it was clear here who the biggest threat was.

“I…I…can’t, th…th…ey will… kill me,” he stuttered making my eyes widen in shock,

“Seriously, I mean you have a big angry Vampire about to snap your neck like a twig and you’re worried about someone else killing you later on?” I asked him with disbelief at the sheer idiocy of the man.

“Now, tell us what it is you want with the box, starting with who sent you for it?” I asked again with a forceful tone. The second he didn’t answer I nudged Lucius and said,

“Go on, show him,” making him once again frown at me.

“Show him what?” Lucius asked, and I swear it was starting to look like a double act comedy show. Seriously, if we were ever going to do this again we would have to work on our communication.

“The fangs, show him the fangs again,” I said with another nudge making him roll his eyes at me. But at least he went along with it and suddenly snapped his face around, this time with fully extended fangs that looked deadly enough they could have ripped half the guy’s neck out. The man screamed in fear, turning his face away clearly terrified. Meanwhile, Lucius looked down at me to find me looking smug and I mouthed the words, ‘Told you so’ at him, making him again shake his head at me. But then my victory was short lived as the man started to beg instead of spilling the beans like I had thought he would.

“I…can’t…I…”

“Enough of this!” Lucius snarled.

“AHHH!” The man’s plea ended in a long wail of pain as Lucius sighed in annoyance before yanking out the blade still in his shoulder and then driving it into the other one, essentially pinning him to the wall with it. I glared at Lucius in response to his brutal actions, as it didn’t exactly scream trust us with the information and we will let you live type of gig that I had been hoping for.

“What?” Lucius asked making me roll my eyes.

“Look, just tell us what we want to know, and we will let you go,” I said making Lucius snap his gaze back to me and growl,

“No, we fucking won’t!” I couldn’t help but groan out loud and grit my teeth, before hissing,

“Yes, well he didn’t know that, did he?”

“Ah, well in that case, we will let you live if you tell us what we want to know,” Lucius said, this time making me smack my forehead.

“I think that ship has sailed, Lucius.” Yeah and was half way across the Atlantic before it sank, I wanted to add but one pissed off look from a Vampire who was clearly losing his patience and I thought it best to restrain myself.

“Fuck this! Tell us what you know, or I will kill you and do it slowly, and when I say slowly, I mean one piece at a fucking time. Now, last chance, who do you work for?!” Lucius said in a threatening tone so deep I could have sworn his demon was trying to break free and take a bite. When the guy didn’t answer quick enough, which in Lucius’ mind was three seconds, he then placed emphasis on his threat by twisting the knife in his shoulder until blood spurted out from the wound, making him cry out again.

This was when the man found his breaking point and opened his mouth to speak, only managing to say a number before he started to choke.

“Th…ree… tt…wo… two…AAAAHHHH!” He started to splutter out before it all ended in the most blood curdling screams.

“Lucius, what are you…?”

“It isn’t me!” he shouted back after dropping the man and now we both watched as he started spitting out blood that looked contaminated with black chunks of thick congealed plasma. He started coughing even more violently and Lucius held a hand out across my chest and pushed me back a few steps as if he knew what was coming.

“What’s happening…what’s wrong with him!?” I asked in shock as it was as if he had just swallowed a bucket of acid and it was eating him from the inside out.

“Could it be a cyanide capsule?” I asked when Lucius hadn’t answered me.

“No, this is nothing man made…this is a… Death Hex,” Lucius said pausing once to look at me with a dire expression before finally answering me with the last thing I ever expected to hear. Then I looked down in time to see the man’s stomach cave in on itself making me want to gag. Instead, my instincts kicked in and I curled into Lucius’ side, hiding my face against his leather jacket.

At first, he tensed at the contact and I was just about to pull away but then his arm wrapped around me, securing me to his side and warning me not to look yet. I waited until the sounds of gurgled death were finished before I peeked my head out from Lucius’ hold. All that was left was what looked like a melted body on the floor minus anything structural to hold it upright…like its bones.

“Oh Gods, that’s me never eating stew again,” I said making another gagging sound causing Lucius to give me a sideways glance and look briefly amused.

“What the hell could do something like that?”

“Someone extremely powerful, for the Hex was placed to stop him from…”

“Snitching on whoever he works for, yeah, yeah, I got that…what I mean is, what type of being could cast something like that?” I asked again interrupting him.

“Well, I think I already answered that bit, Prin…” He started to call me Princess and I lost it.

“Don’t call me princess, Luc, or I swear I am going to start calling you Dracula,” I threatened, making him smirk.

“You know I met him once,” he said as he bent on a knee near the putrid blob of a corpse. I frowned and found myself asking,

“Who?”

“Vlad Țepeș, or better known as…”

“Vlad the Impaler!?” I interrupted again in shock. He didn’t reply, so I gathered this was who he meant, seeing as I had just teased him about calling him Dracula.

“What was he like…and what are you doing?” I asked the second he started to sniff over the vile sight.

“Familiarising myself with the scent of the Hex so that I may track it should it arise again.”

“Ah, okay, I didn’t know you guys could do that,” I commented before taking a sniff myself to see if I could pick anything up. Let’s just say that I regretted it instantly as I all smelled was melted skin and hair, making me put a fist in my mouth to stop myself from gagging. Lucius looked back up at me over his shoulder and questioned drily…

“Us guys?”

“Yeah, you know what I mean,” I said showing him my non-existent fangs, with a wave of my hand making him grumble under his breath,

“Happily not.” Then he rose back to his full height, once again making me feel like a short ass and said,

“He’s misunderstood.” I frowned now having no clue as to what he meant.

“Well yeah, sure he is, I mean he’s dead for a start so I’m sure you couldn’t get any more misunderstood than a dead guy,” I commented dryly, making Lucius roll his eyes before correcting me.

“Not him.” Then I watched as he walked towards the other casualties in the room.

“Who is?” I asked feeling as though we were having this conversation out of sync.

“Vlad is…now what happened here, did they turn on each other?” Lucius asked me, nodding down at the two men that were now both unconscious, one of which was still cupping his balls, the poor bastard.

“What, no…! I did that,” I told him making him snap his head back at me and the look he gave me was priceless. Anyone would have thought he had turned to find me wearing my panties on my head and walking on my hands. I swear he was a second away from his mouth dropping open in that comical way. But instead of letting his utter shock get to embarrassing levels, he did something better with his mouth and unfortunately that wasn’t kissing me senseless. No, instead he spoke in a tone that was clearly astonished.

“You did this?” he asked again, repeating my words in clear bewilderment that I found insulting. So, I crossed my arms over my chest, cocked my hip out a little and said,

“Yeah, Lucius, I did this.” Then he looked back to the men again, this time taking a better look and obviously now calculating a list of their injuries. Something he confirmed when he turned back to face me and said again, only this time with even more amazement,

“You did this?”

“Yes, geez, what do you want me to do, film it next time as proof!”

“Next time? Are you planning on making this a hobby?” he said sounding surprised but from the mirth dancing in his eyes, I could tell he was also teasing me. Which was astounding in itself, as I didn’t even know that Lucius had it in him to tease anyone, I had certainly never seen it before. Which, painfully, made me think of my mother and ask myself what had he been like with her?

I hated whenever my thoughts would spiral down this rabbit hole filled with nothing but a dark taboo of history I really didn’t want to face. Because, no matter how much I loved and adored my mother, it was an inner battle I fought when feeling as though I would never be as good as her.

“Well, that depends,” I replied trying not to let my dark thoughts seep into my words and coat them in bitterness.

“On?” he enquired,

“How often I am going to turn up to work and find thugs waiting for me.” This answer didn’t please Lucius, I could tell. He walked over to the one with the broken arm and hauled him up with a fist full of his jacket, doing so as though he weighed nothing at all. Then he twisted his wrist so that he could take in the unconscious man, once again assessing the damage.

“You broke his arm?” Lucius asked as it was clear he was still in disbelief.

“Well, he didn’t do it when he fell that’s for damn sure and I needed to force the knife out of his hand,” I replied leaving out the fact that I got the knife off him without needing to break a limb…but hey ho, I thought that best to keep to myself. However, I couldn’t help but get annoyed as he still didn’t seem to believe it was me. He confirmed this when he dropped the man on the desk with an audible thud and asked,

“And just how did you accomplish that?” I groaned aloud first and said,

“You have met my father, right? How do you think I did it, by asking it nicely to break?” I said sarcastically, once again making his lips twitch.

“Your father taught you to fight?” he asked as if needing this confirmed, which I didn’t exactly think was the best time to discuss how capable I was at beating a man’s ass.

“Since I was three years old,” I told him, making Lucius mumble under his breath,

“That explains a few things.” I was about to ask him what he meant when suddenly the door was flung open and three security guards all piled in.

“Stop!” Lucius demanded making all three men freeze as if time had been paused.

“Oh shit, what are we going to do now?” I asked, however Lucius seemed unfazed by the fact it looked like we had just been caught at a murder scene, although I was not sure what to call that pile of human goo on the floor.

“Forget what you have seen since entering this room and go back to your posts,” Lucius demanded with a flick of his wrist making them do as he commanded, leaving us alone once more.

After this he pulled out his phone making me notice what he was wearing and having to quickly prevent any drool from escaping the second that I did. He was wearing a pair of dark jeans the shade of charcoal that molded perfectly to his long strong legs to the point where I couldn’t stop myself from staring at his ass. Then he wore a black leather jacket that zipped up his abs, had pockets at the sides I wished I could slip my hands into and a stiff belted standing collar that he wore open. Underneath, I could see the long-sleeved t-shirt in a ribbed light grey material that looked both lightweight and worn deliciously tight to his powerful body.

I also wanted to groan every time he bent his arm, making the leather around his large biceps tighten, groaning at the strain.

“I need you here at the museum,” he said without so much as an ‘hello’ or ‘how’re you doing?’ I guess Lucius was too important to bother with the formalities. It reminded me of the Spanish and the way they would answer their phones, saying ‘Digame’ which literally means, ‘tell me’ or basically, ‘speak’. Which was sometimes how I had heard my dad answer the phone to one of his, should we say, ‘subjects’ for lack of a better word.

“Let’s just say I found some new friends for Ruto to play with,” Lucius replied to whoever it was on the other end and he did so with a knowing grin, one that made me want to shiver. Especially when one of the guys started to come round and the second he did, Lucius grabbed the back of his head and bashed it on the table so that his nose exploded, and he blacked out once more. And he did this without a single show of emotion on his face… I swear it didn’t even twitch.

“Nice,” I commented drily, making him grin at me. Then he listened to whoever was on the phone for a few seconds more who must have asked the question, ‘will that be all?’ because Lucius looked over his shoulder down his back as if remembering something.

“Bring me another jacket,” then he ended the call after this demand that was snarled in annoyance. He then fed his phone into the back pocket of his jeans and unzipped his jacket before peeling it off his torso. I swear the lump in my throat became the size of a plum for I had to turn away from him just so that I could swallow it down without looking like an idiot. The sight of his tight T-shirt molded to his muscles was having the equivalent effect on me as if I had seen him emerging naked from some tropical waterfall, flicking his wet hair back like he was on some damn shampoo advert.

I had to clear my throat before I spoke again, hating the effect just the sight of him had over me.

“Umm…so, what about that…uh…mess on the floor, because no offence, but I don’t think we can make everyone who comes in here ignore it forever,” I told him giving my nose a rub as the stench of the man puddle was making its way across the room.

“Can you fix it?” I asked in a comical tone whilst holding my nose and after following Lucius closer to it, seconds later really wishing that I hadn’t.

“No,” was his simple answer, unfortunately for me though, it wasn’t the one I wanted to hear.

“Well, you’re going to have to do something because we can’t leave him…it…there forever.” The next thing I knew he clicked his fingers and like Hades himself, flames suddenly appeared, burning away all traces of the body and with it leaving behind a big black melted patch on the floor.

“And that?” I questioned, wondering how I was going to explain that too. This was when he finally looked down at me, grinned that bad boy grin of his and said…

“Now that I can fix.”

14

You were saying?

By the time Lucius indeed ‘fixed’ the floor, along with the rest of the room so that my boss wouldn’t freak out, the other problem was taken care of. This was in the form of two of his men walking into the room and each of them removing the unconscious men. The strangest thing about this happening wasn’t in the act itself but more because the second they both looked at me, Lucius snarled at them. I had no clue why he did this but the second he issued the animalistic warning they lowered their head in submission, continuing on with their jobs without a single glance my way.

“I am starting to see now why your father allows you to get the bus,” Lucius had commented dryly as he watched the two broken men being carried from the room. I would have smiled at this comment if I hadn’t been too concerned with how odd two unconscious bodies may have looked to the near twenty thousand visitors we get a day at the museum.

“They won’t be seen,” Lucius said as if he could hear my thoughts. Most likely though he just saw me looking nervously at the door chewing on the end of one finger. Lucius homed in on the sight and the second I saw his eyes flash a deep and warm amber tone, I let my finger slip from my lips. He cleared his throat and for a second looked as though he was going to reach out and touch me. However, he didn’t and instead fisted his hand by his side and commanded in what was a strained, stern tone,

“Now, show me the box.” I walked past him towards my handbag muttering,

“Geez, bossy much.” I knew that in all likelihood he had heard me, but I refused to turn my head to check. Instead, I did as I was told and pulled the box from my bag, unwrapping it from the bubble wrap I had rolled around it.

“So, you were saying something about Fort Knox,” I said reminding him of his comment last night, saying it would be safer to have left it in the museum. Then I passed it to his waiting hand and couldn’t miss the spark of mirth that ignited in his steel grey eyes that I only just noticed had flecks of ice blue in them.

“Point taken, sweet” Lucius said giving me a new nickname and it was one I would take over ‘Princess’ any day of the week.

“So, any ideas?” I asked after giving him a minute to examine the box on the table he was now leaning over. His eyes shot up to mine and he said,

“I thought you were the expert here.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at his comment.

“I’m not an expert at everything and besides, it’s not as straight forward as you first think it is,” I told him before taking the box from his hands, unconsciously making contact with both his bare fingers and the ones he always had encased in leather. The second we touched I felt that same bolt of sensations course through me as if I had tapped into something hidden deep within him. I couldn’t understand it, as it was a feeling that only happened around Lucius. Years ago, it had been only one of the reasons I believed him to be my Chosen One…seven foolish years ago.

He suddenly stood up straight, pulling his fingers from beneath mine and cutting the cord on the electricity we created. It seemed, by his tense and strained look, that I wasn’t the only one who had been affected. Or had it been because I had touched his gloved hand? I could tell that this was a big no-no with Lucius and I didn’t fully understand why? I knew that it had something to do with a sacrifice he made to save the world, but I was never told the full story.

I swallowed hard and tried to act as though nothing had happened, clearing my throat before I spoke.

“You see it looks from first glance to hold Egyptian hieroglyphs, and then entwined is Demotic script. And then here is…”

“Ancient Greek… but then it is like the Rosetta Stone,” Lucius quickly surmised, and I couldn’t help teasing him,

“Looks like someone was paying attention in class.” At this, I received a playful grin in return and in this moment, you could have almost forgotten the fact we didn’t like each other.

“But there is more,” I said, taking the box and showing him the only way I knew how. Which meant I had to walk around the table and stand close by his side. I tried to ignore the way he looked down at me as if curious by my behavior or the way my heart started beating erratically by being this close.

“Okay, so if you look at it head on, then you can clearly make out the three types of script in the raised squares, but then look what happens to the hieroglyphs when I turn it slightly this way.” I angled the box so as to view it tilted and I watched as Lucius saw it for himself the moment he frowned.

“It’s Sumerian,” he stated in surprise.

“It’s Cuneiform Sumerian, which means it is one of the earliest forms of writing, invented by the Sumerians, which begs the question as to why it has been hidden in Egyptian hieroglyphs?”

“Well, do they know which came first?” Lucius asked surprising me that he didn’t know, but then again at only just over two thousand years old, then he was considered a baby next to my father’s unknown age. Something I had tried to nag out of him since I had learned to say my own age. Let’s just say the most I got was at least double the age of Lucius, if his account of historical events was anything to go by.

“Well, that’s an ongoing debate and unfortunately without evidence to support either side, it’s one that no one can agree on,” I told him in answer to his question.

“But that is not the strangest part…do you see these hidden symbols here once it’s turned this way.” I did the same again and this time pointed to the few glyphs I’d missed the first time.

“This looks like Cretan hieroglyphs, which were used in the Bronze Age in Crete.” Lucius looked even more surprised and asked,

“What does it mean?”

“Well, Cretan hieroglyphs are generally considered undeciphered and only found on very few artefact, so who knows. But the more important question is what on earth are they doing on this box along with the others?” I asked making him look down at me and it was in that moment that I realised just how close I still was to him. So, I set down the box and took a step back, now giving him the space to examine it himself. However, when he didn’t touch it, I decided to prompt him.

“Maybe we will know more once we get inside it,” I added nodding for him to do just that. However, he just gave me a quizzical look in return before saying,

“What?” I frowned thinking it was obvious…wasn’t it?

“Err well, aren’t you going to open it?” I asked, making him frown as if what he was about to say next he didn’t want to.

“I can’t,” he said shocking me and making me realise this was what he hadn’t wanted to admit…failure.

“But you haven’t even tried yet…have you?” I said, changing this statement to an unsure question.

“I have been trying to open it since you revealed it to me,” he confessed with a slight edge of irritation to his tone.

“You have?” I asked clearly shocked to hear this. He didn’t answer me this time but instead gave me a pointed look that spoke volumes. He wasn’t going to dignify himself with an answer that he felt he had already given me.

“But you haven’t even touched it yet,” I argued, thinking that surely that should at least be a requirement. This was when he must have decided to prove his point and seeing as this was Lucius we were talking about then he did it in his usual way…intimidation.

He took a step to the side just as I mistakenly turned to face him. Then he stepped into me and I took one back until I felt the rim of the desk digging into my lower back. Then he placed both hands either side of me, gripping on to the table and caging me in with his large frame. I held my breath, too scared to let go of it for fear of my breasts pressing against his own chest and making contact. For at that moment there was at least an inch between us and right now it could have been a set of steel bars and it still wouldn’t have felt safe enough against this man.

He stayed like this for long enough that I couldn’t help but start squirming as if I was the prey waiting for the final blow from the predator that had me dangling from the end of his claw. Talk about cat and mouse! I swear I was three seconds away from begging him to either let me go or kiss me.

Finally, he leant down close enough to my ear that I froze, other than finding the table’s edge myself and holding on with a death grip next to his own hands. Then I leant my body back as far as it would go. But with his height it still wasn’t far enough for he reached my ear easily.

Then it was his time to prove a point…

“I find things bend to my will just fine without the need for my touch…now don’t you agree, my little puppet?” he said purring yet another little pet name for me and making me want to growl back and then stamp on his foot as a way of throwing that point back in his face. But, for once, I stopped myself before I could and decided to fight fire with fire.

So, trying to take back a shred of control, I first tried to steady my breathing before then applying some pressure to the desk, forcing my body up closer to his own. This time he was the one who froze and the look in his eyes was one of shock. I bravely maintained eye contact so that I could deliver my come back with more backbone than usual.

This was when I finally whispered back in a strong and steady voice,

“But where is the fun in that?”

The second I had said it I knew that I had made a mistake as his reaction said as much. He jerked back as if he had been stung and the look he gave me spoke both of his displeasure and annoyance. So, before my shame could triple, I pushed my body out of his arms to break his hold on the table and subsequently freeing myself.

I felt like an idiot and vowed that I wouldn’t do this to myself again. I wouldn’t put myself or my confused heart in this situation again and that vow started right now. I hated him for doing this to me. For feeling as though he could sadistically play with my feelings and then act outraged when I allowed myself to be drawn in. This was when I realised he must have been a sadist, for it was clear he must enjoy doing this to me far too much to be able to stop himself.

Well, if he didn’t have the strength to stop, then that only left me to take control and I would start by acting as if nothing was wrong. So, placing that professional veil back over my head and more importantly that cage back around my heart, I spoke,

“Well, I thank you for trying but if you don’t mind, I have a lot of work to do, so if you will be so kind as to leave me to it, then I would be most grateful,” I told him as I walked towards the door and held it open for him to take the hint. Then I finally braved a look at him, seeing him now looking completely different than just moments ago. No, now he looked as if he was trying to suppress a grin and what else was that in his eyes? Was it a hint of respect?

I watched as he took a step back and leant his weight back on the table behind him, doing so in a casual way that told me he wasn’t going anywhere. So, this was when my professionalism went and took a flying leap out the window and I slammed the door and shouted,

“Oh, come on! Seriously Vampire, what are you still doing here?” This snap of anger was just proving how worn my patience was.

“Isn’t it obvious… Professor?” he asked in a cool, calm tone that only managed to make me snap further,

“No actually, it’s not… not even for a professor,” I replied, nearly snarling his sarcastic comment. Then I took a deep breath and tried once again for calm.

“Look, you came to see the box like my father asked and found that even you couldn’t open it, so job done, fini, fertig, terminado, you are therefore good to go,” I said quoting the word for finished in French, German and Spanish, trying to make my point in an around the world kind of way and yeah, showing off a little whilst doing so.

I’d learned quite early on when growing up that if I wanted to know what was going on around me, then learning as many languages as I could was the key. So, not only was my head mostly in a book, it also meant that whenever it wasn’t, it was framed by headphones as I listened to different professionals teaching me foreign languages. My parents used to find it funny to see me muttering different phrases to myself and my mum would always comment to my father, saying ‘she is so your daughter.’

However, Lucius didn’t look as though he found this little show of intellect as endearing as my parents had.

“I am not here to do your father’s bidding, no matter what you have been led to believe.” The second I heard this I swear my eyes started to bulge and I had to bite my bottom lip just to stop it from hanging open. Not in nervousness as was my mother’s habit and something these days only my dad still managed to achieve. But Lucius didn’t stop there, ignoring my reaction to this confusing and surprisingly honest sounding statement.

“Now this is what is going to happen. I am first going to take you home, check just how safe I have been assured that building you live in really is, and then I am going to take that box back to Germany with me where I will have my own people look into it.” Okay so if I thought the first part of his admission was shocking, then the second part was downright astounding and quite frankly, bloody cheeky! The noise of disbelief slipped out of my lips in a combination of a scoff and snort that granted wasn’t the most ladylike sound I had ever made.

“No, you’re most certainly not!” I declared after grabbing the box off the table and clutching it to my chest. Lucius didn’t look impressed and for a moment looked at the floor and shook his head. Then, as if coming to a decision, he pushed off the table he had been leaning against.

“Give it to me, Sweet” he ordered, now coming towards me and holding out his gloved hand.

“No,” I stated firmly making him frown, fist his hand and then let it drop.

“You know I am just going to take it from you physically, so why fight when you know you cannot win?” he asked me.

“I may not be able to fight you but you’re forgetting one thing.”

“And what’s that?” he asked with a smirk as he looked highly entertained by all of this verbal sparring.

“My father gave the box to me, not you,” I stated, straightening my back and holding my head high.

“Is that so? Well, let’s ask him then, shall we?” Lucius said in a knowing tone that gave me a bad vibe. He slipped his phone from his back pocket and called my father, now clouding my argument in doubt. Surely my dad wouldn’t take it from me now?

“Dom, Salaam old friend,” Lucius said as a way of a Persian greeting.

“She is well, if not a little angry,” he then said after it was obvious my father had asked after me.

“In this case I believe it is with me, but that is unsurprising considering I am about to take possession of the box she is currently clutching to her chest,” he said in an outright admission. One that was surprising enough for me to hold onto the box tighter as if any minute now he would pounce.

“He’s not having it!” I shouted loud enough that I knew my father would hear it. I waited as it was obvious my dad was now asking what had happened to make Lucius think taking it was for the best. And this was when I knew that I was screwed.

“There has been a breach of her safety,” Lucius told him making me gasp and knowing now exactly why he had called my father. I could hear his roar of anger from where I was stood, and Lucius even held the phone away from his ear for a second. Then I heard the one worded growl from my father after his initial outburst was over,

“Explain!” he snapped.

“Three men were waiting for her when she got to work with intent to take the box. I was detained by a decoy that caught my attention when I heard two others asking a member of staff which room she worked in. I got to her moments later to find all but one dealt with,” Lucius told him, relaying all that happened in a composed tone, perhaps knowing it was the best way of dealing with my father. After all, once upon a time they used to be friends and worked side by side as Lucius had started demonic life as his right-hand man.

Lucius paused a second listening to my dad asking his next question and I only knew what it was when Lucius answered,

“Human.” I could then imagine my father taking a large sigh of relief at this point as his greatest nightmare was me encountering something I couldn’t handle…like a Supernatural.

“She did well, Dom…” Lucius told my father pausing to look at me and the look he gave me was this time most definitely one of respect. Was he proud of me for fighting back? I couldn’t help but blush as I quickly looked down at my tan boots.

“However, I do not know how well she would have fared had I not got here in time and shielded her from the rain of bullets heading her way,” Lucius added and when I glanced back he was still maintaining eye contact with me and making me wince at the memory. Because Lucius had saved my life yet again and now he was using that fact against me, knowing now that my father would, without a shred of doubt, side with him on this one.

“Calm yourself, Dom,” Lucius said to my dad’s obvious outrage that was being blasted down the phone.

“She is safe now and I intend it to stay that way and one way of doing this is by taking the object they desire out of her hands and therefore taking her out of harm’s way.” Lucius listened to whatever my father had to say, which turned out to be the last thing I wanted to hear.

“I knew you would agree,” Lucius replied before agreeing to something my father asked, something that I only understood when he held out the phone to me,

“But of course… Your father wishes to speak to you.” I felt like groaning aloud but instead stuffed the box under one arm as I took the phone from him.

“Are you alright?” This was my father’s first question and the tense worry in his tone was easy to pick up on.

“Dad, I am fine…nothing I couldn’t handle,” I said making him growl back at me,

“And the gun? Handle that could you…?! By the Gods, Amelia, when I think of what could have happened!” My father’s anger was mounting by the second and after closing my eyes a moment as the guilt washed over me, I then shot Lucius a dirty look. He didn’t have to do this. However, it was a glare that seemed to be ineffective.

“Dad please, I am fine and…”

“Well, thank the Gods Lucius was there! Now you will give him the box and that is that,” he said sternly.

“But that’s not fair, you gave it to me to decipher and…” My dad quickly cut me off.

“Fair? Amelia Faith Draven, do you think it’s fair knowing that I was the one who gave you a damn box to look at in the first place, one which ended up putting your life in danger!?” My father asked me, and it was clear by the anger in his voice that he blamed himself.

“It wasn’t your fault, Dad, you weren’t to know,” I told him, hating the idea of him feeling guilty.

“No, I wasn’t but that is no excuse. At least now I may rectify that mistake…Give Lucius the box, Fae.” My father told me in a tone that broke no argument and also using my family’s nickname for me. Faith or Fae was what I usually went by and I was only ever called Amelia when I was in trouble. Which told me that right now, my dad was trying to be stern without pissing me off enough to argue back and damn him it was working!

The second I had come to England I had wanted a total change, which included giving people my first name when they asked, which surprisingly got changed to Emmie by my friends. No one here knew me as Faith or Fae and I had never even heard Lucius refer to me as anything but Princess or, on the very few and recent occasions, Amelia.

“Fine!” I said in defeat. Because I knew that deep down it was because I wasn’t like my father and had no supernatural gifts. Well, other than being able to spot them, which was pretty useless in a fight.

So, it meant that without being like him or the other supernatural king that stood in front of me now, then I had no chance at getting them to trust that I was capable of keeping the box without getting hurt. And to be honest they were right. Because if Lucius hadn’t walked in when he had then I would currently be bleeding out on the floor and my death would have all been in vain because they would have simply taken the box anyway and literally it would have been…

Over my dead body.

“Good girl.” My dad said making me sigh, thinking that yeah, that was always the case wasn’t it. I was always the good girl. Just that little teenager who did what she was told while secretly felt lost in a room full of people she didn’t belong in.

When I didn’t reply my dad decided something else needed to be said,

“Fae?”

“Yeah Dad?”

“I am proud of you, kiddo,” he told me, no doubt referring to the human ass kicking I had issued the bastards that had tried to attack me.

“Yeah.” This was my only response back and it was one that was said in a deflated way that spoke volumes as to how I was feeling. In the end I didn’t say goodbye to my father as instead I just handed Lucius back the phone and slumped down onto one of the stools feeling as though all the fight had been zapped out of me. And Lucius never once took his eyes off me.

“The two I left alive are in my custody.” Lucius answered my father’s obvious question, no doubt demanding to know what was to become of the three men that had attacked me.

“What do you think, Dom, I’m going to host them a fucking tea party? Of course I am going to question them!” Lucius snapped, freeing a breath of that usual cool exterior momentarily. Then he went on to say,

“And trust me when I say it will be my own personal brand of torture, have no fear of that,” Lucius snapped back, once again losing a slice of that famous, deadly, calm composure of his.

“The shooter is dead, and my only regret was that it wasn’t by my hand,” Lucius added again in response to another question asked by my dad.

“Someone cast a Hex upon him, for the second he started to speak his…” Lucius paused and glanced my way as if what he was to say next was both difficult to comprehend and so disturbing that he didn’t want to say it in front of me. But then my father must have been getting impatient because I could hear him snap,

“What? Speak Luc!” Lucius released a sigh and then shocked us both when he finally told us the horrifying truth…

“…His soul began to rot.”

15

Second Non-Date

“His soul began to rot.”

I gasped when hearing this and stared at him in utter shock that something like that could even be done to a person. Okay, for a human such as myself or even a supernatural, then death only meant there was still a life left to be lived after this one…The Afterlife. Now whether that meant Heaven or Hell or the realms in between, it didn’t matter, for your soul would live on in some way.

Of course, there were ways to destroy a soul, but this was usually a job left to the Gods to decide. So, to hear of a Hex that was powerful enough to eradicate a soul just like that was…well, it was basically unheard of or at least it was for me.

I don’t know what my father’s response to this was as I had been lost for a moment in my own thoughts, but managed to bring my mind back to the room just in time to hear Lucius assure my father in whatever it was they were now discussing,

“It will be done, Dom.” Then just before he hung up he added,

“Until my next update then,” as a way of goodbye. The second he ended the call he then held his hand out to me and I had no choice but to hand over the box.

“Alright, but will you at least let me know what you find?” I asked in a hopeful tone.

“I am sure your father will pass on all he wishes you to know.” This was his arrogant reply making me glare at him in return and slap it into his hand with a little more force than what was needed.

“Well, if that’s the way you want to be then fine, have a nice flight home and I hope none of the engines blow up on that private jet of yours,” I responded dryly as I grabbed my bag and jacket and quickly left the room…or at least tried to. The door was wrenched out of my hand and slammed shut without Lucius so much as twitching a finger.

“You’re acting like a child!” he accused, making me clench my teeth and coil a fist full of my jacket in anger.

“What? By going home because I am no longer needed…? What do you expect me to do, sit around and wait by the phone like a good little Sweet, hoping someone will call and include me in this…uh no, I don’t think so!” I snapped making sure I snarled the word Sweet, now hating it almost as much as princess.

“Well, you could at least finish your working day like your boss would expect you to,” he argued making me look utterly shocked.

“Are you being serious right now?” I said frowning and shaking my head a little. His only response however, was to fold his arms across that massive chest of his and raise a brow, hence giving me his ‘serious’ pose.

“So, let me get this straight, I have come in to work on my day off, I might add, only to find three men that were waiting for me in hopes of kicking my ass or even killing me for this damn box! Then having to defend myself before I was made to watch in horror as I was about to get shot!” I snapped but I was long from finished, even if he had started to open his mouth to say something.

“Then I was made to watch a man literally melt from the inside out, which is now officially top of my ‘shit I want to forget and burn from my retinas’ list, only then to be told that I have to hand over the box I just defended with my life,” I said but again, I was far from done and paused long enough so that I could slam my handbag and my coat down on the table before shrugging my shoulders as I said,

“But hey, my father’s proud of me so what should it matter and as for you… well, you don’t even give a shit enough to grant me a quick phone call to tell me what you found…and this was all with a damn hangover, before a cup of tea because my bloody milk was off, putting on a bra that tried to stab me and before anything to eat because I lost my damn muffin on the floor thanks to those bastards! So, excuse me Lucius, Mr Almighty, if I just want to go home and try to forget this day ever happened!” I shouted slamming my hands down on the table as I let the rest of my frustrations and events of the day flow out of me. And what was Lucius’ only response to this…

“How does someone’s bra try to stab them?” I growled and snapped,

“Well, you’re not a girl, so just add it to the list of shit you don’t have to deal with and leave it at that!” This made Lucius’ lips twitch as if he was fighting a grin, which only managed to make me even angrier to the point where I held up a hand giving him a warning,

“Don’t you dare laugh.” Needless to say, this wasn’t one he took seriously but thankfully all he did was release a sigh before shocking me with what he did say next.

“Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

Now, not only did I find his response to this outburst surprising, but it was more what came directly after it that shocked me the most. Because Lucius grabbed my jacket, handed me my purse and then said…

“But after we’ve had lunch.”

“Well…this is different,” I said as I got out of the car along Hereford Road, that was opposite Leinster Square. It was a road framed either side with two rows of tall terraced buildings, that were mainly white. Each had three sets of large windows above the few shop fronts we now stood in front of. I don’t know what surprised me more, the fact that it didn’t look fancy or that Lucius would pick somewhere that wasn’t fancy?

Like last night, Lucius helped me out of the car before the driver could and soon I was stood on the curb looking up at the brown restaurant with its canopy extended out and with the name of the place over it. It was called ‘Hafez’.

“You brought me to a Persian restaurant?” I questioned the second I knew what it was. Lucius didn’t answer me but instead opened the door and nodded for me to enter. So, I walked past the few tables and chairs it had outside under the canopy and stepped inside. Then I watched as Lucius approached a man who came rushing from behind the counter. We were the only ones there even though it was lunch time, so it was strange that the rest of the place was empty. Not that it would have taken a huge amount to fill it as there were only ten, maybe eleven tables in the whole place.

Shortly after Lucius had announced that he was taking me for lunch, I had found myself being led from the museum in a quiet and stunned state of mind. I was sure Lucius took this as an after effect of just being attacked and watching a man self-combust into a body boil by supernatural means. Which meant that before I knew it I was stood next to him outside the gates of the museum where he handed over the box to someone in exchange for a new leather jacket. I gathered it was someone who worked for him as they nodded respectfully when Lucius had issued his orders in another language, this time annoyingly, one I didn’t know. Then his car pulled up and we were on our way.

“Salaam, old friend,” Lucius said as he greeted the man in an openly warm way and was a new side of Lucius I hadn’t seen before.

“Salaam, Mr Septimius, it is good to see you again and I see that you have finally brought a young lady friend with you,” the man said nodding to me and looking pleased. I couldn’t help but feel my heart flutter slightly at knowing I was the first girl he had brought here, not caring one bit how childish that feeling was.

I gave him a beaming smile in return and shook his hand,

“Hello, I am…” I was about to introduce myself when Lucius cut me off and he did this in two ways, one which was more shocking than the other. First, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him whilst introducing me himself,

“This is my girlfriend, Amelia.” The second the words were out of his mouth I had been forced to quickly act as if my heart wasn’t trying to beat its way out of my chest. Then I also had to try to ignore the way my whole body froze by his side and try and focus on saying that simple greeting. Lucius even gave my side a squeeze as if to prompt me further which finally managed to do the job.

“Salaam,” I said, knowing the word for peace and was what was most typically used as a greeting with the Iranians.

“And this is one of the restaurant’s owners, Amir.” Lucius said introducing him like you would an old friend.

“Salaam,” he repeated the greeting back and then held out his arm and said,

“My old friend, you may have whichever table you wish, for today they are all yours.” Lucius nodded his thanks and picked one in the corner by the window. Then, as I was shrugging out of my jacket, I felt Lucius’ hands come to my shoulders and help me to remove it.

“Thanks,” I muttered shyly turning to see Lucius had handed it, along with his own, over to Amir. He placed them both over the back of a nearby chair first so that he could get us settled into our seats.

I subtly glanced to one side as Amir was about to hold my chair back for me but with a slight shake of Lucius’ head he stepped back. I then pretended not to notice how Lucius took his place and pulled back my chair making me fight a smirk.

I was beginning to think that Lucius had some kind of issue with people assisting me with things, because so far, he hadn’t let the driver help me either. Or thinking back, even when the security guard I knew well had been about to open the door, Lucius had got there first, ushering me out of the exit with his hand on my lower back. To say that this was all a little confusing was a huge understatement, but that seemed to be the nature of the beast, for Lucius was nothing but confusing!

“You have been gone a long time, my friend, I feared you had forgotten us,” Amir said smiling and obviously teasing him.

“I had little reason to bring me to London until now,” Lucius answered carefully, and I suddenly felt guilty as it was obvious that I was that reason. Amir grinned down at me as Lucius took the seat opposite and replied,

“Ah, but now I see you have big reason to visit,” he teased, obviously referring to me and for all the wrong reasons. Lucius looked directly at me as he answered him, this time in a teasing tone himself.

“No, no, she is still a little reason…don’t you think?” And then he motioned with a flat hand up and down a little to indicate my height making Amir laugh, especially when I shot him a look of shock.

“Careful my friend, for I can see it in her eyes, this one has a fire in her belly just waiting to burn you if you continue with your wicked ways,” Amir replied, and Lucius in response muttered,

“Yes… and burn she does.” Meanwhile I was left wondering what it was he meant by that…or by any of this to be honest, for my head had felt like it had been spinning ever since I woke up this morning and it had nothing to do with my hangover and all to do with Lucius.

“Do you wish to see the menu this time or will you order your usual dishes enough for two?” Amir asked but my mind was too focused on what Lucius had meant by his reply to worry about what it was I was going to eat. So much so that I hadn’t realised we were alone until Lucius turned his gaze back to me.

“Oh, did we order?” I asked wondering if he was coming back with the menus.

“I did.” Lucius replied, obviously fighting a grin.

“And that was?” I asked not surprised that this was all the answer I received.

“You will have to wait and see,” he replied, almost playfully. I released a sigh and gave up, instead turning my attention to the rest of the room. The restaurant was just a decent sized room, that had white walls decorated with different pictures here and there all in different styles. For example, directly next to us were eight pictures all the same size, all hung in a thin plain frame that each held a colourful abstract design. But then above the next set of tables was what looked like an antique painting set in a thick gold gilded frame, holding a scene of what looked like men all sat feasting around a small table set in ancient Persia.

On the opposite side of the room was a section of exposed brick with three lamps in between even more artwork and calligraphy paintings. The hardwood flooring had a lovely patina on it due to age and in the center of the room in a curved recess on the ceiling was a lovely chandelier that was a collection of teardrop shaped glass lamps.

A bar stood at one end with a cute light feature above. It ran the length of the bar horizontally in a long rectangle and was made up of dangling dessert spoons, dinner forks and teaspoons all fixed on a metal rim with lights at its center. It was a piece that was a beautiful example of utilizing discarded objects for a new purpose.

As for the table settings, they were classic and simple with not the usual overabundance of cutlery to choose from. And as we sat next to the window, our view offered us the picturesque sight of a typically busy London street at lunchtime. However, it was now that I noticed Amir had flipped the front door’s sign so that it now said closed. I gave Lucius a questioning look, before asking him why.

“I like the privacy,” was his response.

“Yes, but won’t that be bad for business?” I asked, unable to let it go and not thinking it very fair on the poor owner to lose out on the lunch time rush. Lucius gifted me with a smile that I suspected meant that he found me endearing.

“Don’t worry, Princess, I’ll make sure he is well compensated.” This was the part where I started frowning.

“Why do you have to call me that?” I hissed, unfolding my napkin just for something to do.

“Why do you hate it so much, it is after all, what you are,” Lucius argued back, making me want to throw my fork at him and see if it stayed there, preferably embedded in his skin! I released a deep sigh and said,

“I walked away from that life for a reason and you being here and calling me that just…well it just…” I said pausing as I struggled for my words.

“Just what?” he asked, trying to push the reason from me, which in the end I had no choice but to follow through with.

“It just stirs up bad memories, okay. Can we drop it now, along with calling me Princess?” I snapped making him look thoughtful a moment as if he wanted to explain something to me but instead thought better of it. So, in the end, he just shrugged his massive shoulders and said,

“Fair enough.” After this we fell into a comfortable silence…well, for Lucius anyway, as for me it was pure hell. I swear I couldn’t stop fidgeting and spent the whole time trying to suppress the urge not to bite the tips of my fingers off. In the end our drinks came, one I didn’t order, so when a bottle of still water was placed down in front of me I frowned down at it…after thanking the waiter first of course.

“You’re dehydrated, something that tends to happen when a human has a hangover…or so I believe,” Was Lucius’ sardonic response, that now made me shift my frown from the bottle directly to him.

“Yes, us humans do tend to get dehydrated with a hangover, but as I am an adult do you not think me capable enough to decide on whether or not I wanted water, um?” I asked, making him look bored as he gazed off to one side before telling me,

“I don’t give a damn if it’s what you want or don’t want…it’s what your body needs and that’s what counts.” I rolled my eyes and shook my head a little, thinking it was like being sat opposite a related control freak who thought it was his position in life to control me and my life. Which is when I couldn’t help but mumble to myself,

“Seriously, what did I ever see in you?” Of course, he heard it and his response was almost as shocking as me saying it. He burst out laughing and I found myself utterly mesmerized by the sight. I swear just the sight of his bare neck and I was almost drooling. In fact, he was still chuckling when he called Amir back over so that I could order myself a diet coke. Amir even looked at him as if he had never once heard the sound of Lucius’ deep laughter before and I had to say that it made two of us.

“So…do you come here often?” I asked after his amusement had simmered down, however, the grin playing at the corner of his lips was telling me that it had far from passed. But then I wanted to slap my own forehead the second he pointed out something embarrassing.

“You know that sounds like a pick-up line you would hear in some seedy bar,” Lucius commented, and he was right it totally did, but instead of admitting to that fact I retorted,

“Then no doubt it is one you have said often.” This verbal sparring was obviously one he was starting to enjoy because once again he was smirking.

“Perhaps,” was his one worded comment and I had to admit, it wasn’t one I relished hearing, now only having images of Lucius picking up women or should I say unsuspecting victims in a bar.

“In answer to your question, I have been coming here for years as it serves the best Ghormeh Sabzi,” Lucius said before the silence between us could linger too long.

“What’s that?” Lucius looked surprised that I didn’t know and the obvious reason for this was down to my dad’s heritage.

“What, can you really see my dad cooking for us all in the kitchen?” I asked chuckling.

“Hell, I am sure he wouldn’t even know where it was if it hadn’t been for my mum’s love of cooking, and trust me, Ghormeh Sabzi isn’t her specialty.” At this Lucius laughed again, only this time it wasn’t the full head thrown back type. But it was cute all the same and gave a warmth to his face that was beyond handsome. In fact, it was one you could easily fall in love with. I found myself twisting the napkin in a fist on my lap just as if the thought had physically pummeled me in the chest.

“I am just surprised you have never tried Persian cuisine before,” Lucius admitted with a shrug. I then thanked Amir for my coke and downed nearly half the glass making Lucius raise a brow at me.

“Alright, so maybe I was a little dehydrated,” I admitted.

“Yes, well little good that artificial poison will do for you,” Lucius commented dryly. I frowned before folding my arms and then nodding to his bottle as I said,

“Oh right, and that stuff popped straight up from a natural spring, did it?” He grabbed the bottle of beer and grinned at me as he took a long swig.

“Nope, but it tastes damn good though.”

“Yeah, well right back at ya,” I said, taking a sip of my own.

“What is that stuff anyway?” I asked, trying to read the label that he currently had hidden in his large hand.

“It’s saffron beer.” I pulled a face that said it all and Lucius grinned before tipping the bottle my way, saying,

“Here, try some.”

“Oh, I don’t think s…” I was cut off the second his right-hand closed round one of mine. The same electricity ignited the second our skin made contact and I swear he felt it too when his fingers flexed against my hand automatically. Then he placed the cold beer bottle in my hand and applied pressure on top of my fingers so that I would get the hint and take the bottle.

“Just one sip,” he urged in a kind of hypnotic purr and he may have not had control over my will but that didn’t mean he was without strong powers of manipulation. For I did indeed now feel like the puppet dangling on the end of his strings as he had mentioned not long ago.

So, with a nod of encouragement from him, I took a long swig, unable to care too much about the flavour as my mind was just thinking about the fact that I was placing my open mouth directly over where Lucius’ lips had just been. Needless to say, it tasted delicious and again, I wasn’t just talking about the beer.

“It’s good.” I said, trying to keep my voice steady and without giving away the inner meaning to that statement. I passed him back the beer and watched as he took a swig of his own, only this time without taking his eyes off me. It was as though he was daring me to say something. To comment on the fact that our lips had received but a small taste of each other and what I was desperately waiting for…

One kiss from a Vampire King.

A short time later and our Persian stew, Ghormeh Sabzi, was served along with aromatic basmati rice and a side of Tahdig, which turned out to be a crispy rice crust. Before this we had a quick starter of freshly baked Persian Lavash bread which was served warm and was a kind of thin flatbread. It was served with an assortment of dips and the only one I recognised was hummus. However, it wasn’t just the fact it was delicious that was the reason it was my favorite course. No, that was because it was a meal we had to share and therefore there were more than a few occasions that our hands would touch when we were both reaching for the bread to tear a piece off.

Of course, the main was pretty good too as it turned out that Ghormeh Sabzi was a Persian stew that was a mixture of sautéed herbs, kidney beans and lamb. It also had to be said that the smell was alluring, and the taste was definitely unique.

“So, how was your first experience with authentic Persian food?” Lucius asked, surprising me that he genuinely seemed interested to know.

“Really good, I loved the…uh, what did you call it, the crispy rice thing?” He gave me a warm smile that nearly made me breathless as he spoke the word with perfect pronunciation,

“Tahdig.”

“Uh, yeah that,” I said with a blush, making him hide a smirk behind his fingers as they tapped on his lips.

“What?” I asked, really wanting to know what it was he was thinking behind that hidden smile. But he shrugged one shoulder slightly and at the same time he raised his fingers from his lips in a silent gesture, one that told me he wasn’t going to explain himself. No, instead he raised his hand so that Amir came rushing over.

“Do you like desserts?” Lucius suddenly asked me, and I nodded enthusiastically replying,

“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t.” This made him laugh again and I swear if this had been a real date, then I would have secretly been congratulating myself for it going so well. Which was why I had to bring myself back down to earth and remember that it wasn’t. Far from it in fact, because coming back down to earth was one where Lucius and I were miles apart.

Miles apart and with an ocean of indifference in between. And what was I doing? I was drowning in it that’s what. I was drowning in my own ocean called hope and he was happily sailing away on his boat called nonsensical. Because I was human, and he was a Vampire King who would live eternally.

And no matter how many times I made him laugh, it just didn’t matter.

Nothing was building that bridge…

Across a supernatural ocean.

16

Home, Bitter Sweet Home

I shook off this inner battle that was sticking around the edges of my mind and creeping in like old cobwebs of doubt blowing in the wind. They just kept coming at me until just one thing was all it would take for them to come floating back.

“Sholeh Zard, Lotfan,” Lucius said briefly looking to Amir and it was obvious that he was ordering something. I knew the word ‘Lotfan’ meant ‘please’ in Farsi, so it made sense. And I was right, because the next course to be put down in front of us was a dessert. It was a small bowl of something yellow and was set like a custard tart only without the pastry. It had a pretty little display on the top with what looked like some brown spice and slices of almonds.

I leant forward a little and took a sniff, looking back up at Lucius as if needing his guidance here. He chuckled and picked up my spoon, passing it to me before saying,

“Here, try this.” I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm but did so without being able to suppress my grin completely, especially because he looked so good smiling, damn him! I dug my spoon in and took a bite and the second I did, I wished I hadn’t. I held the spoonful in my mouth far too long and started looking around hoping that Amir couldn’t see me. Meanwhile, Lucius burst out laughing and the second he did, I had no choice but to swallow, pulling a disgusted face like my features were melting off.

“Here.” He offered in an amused tone as he passed me the water that he had ordered earlier, half of which I had already drank because he was right, I had needed it.

“Not a fan, I take it?” Lucius asked after I had stuck out my tongue a few times in hopes the air would help, damning ladylike behavior all to hell, a place ironically where this dessert must have been invented! Okay, so that was harsh but let’s just say that I wasn’t a fan of fragrant cold rice, rose water, saffron and cardamom all together with nuts on top.

“That would be a big fat no on that one…what was that?” I hissed behind my hand after looking to make sure I wasn’t about to insult Amir.

“Their version of the traditional Persian dessert Sholeh Zard,” Lucius told me before picking up his own spoon and taking a mouthful. Gods, even watching him eat was turning me on!

“Amir, please get the lady some ice cream, I am afraid the dessert is not to her taste, she usually craves something sweeter,” Lucius said calling out to the owner, making me first blush in shame and then the heat in my cheeks was there for another reason. As the way he said this last part was as though there was a sexual meaning hidden in plain sight.

Amir walked a few steps closer and asked what flavour I would like after giving me the options.

“Chocolate please.”

“Chocolate.” Lucius and I both answered, shocking me. Amir smirked as if he could see something big was happening when it wasn’t and no doubt getting the wrong impression. But then, was it any wonder considering how Lucius was acting. For starters during this whole meal he had been like a different person and I for one had never seen him looking so relaxed and at ease. He had laughed, teased, joked and conversed with me as if this had been…well, an actual date. As if not only an hour and half ago he hadn’t run into the room and acted as a super human shield before then aiding in killing a guy, watching him melt as if someone had stuffed a lit firework up his butt.

But then again, was a day like this considered the norm for someone like Lucius?

Shortly after this Lucius was taking my jacket from Amir and helping me into it, creating a shiver that zip lined all the way up my spine the second he let his fingers graze across every bit of my body they could find. And I suddenly cursed the decision not to become a nudist when I first turned eighteen.

Then his hands lingered on my shoulders after my jacket was on, making me question why he hadn’t yet let go. But then he turned his gaze to Amir and I guessed it was because he still had an act to portray that I was his girlfriend. But wait…why did he want to pretend that? Because, if there was one thing I definitely knew about Lucius, it was that he generally didn’t do anything that he didn’t want to.

“Khoda hafez, my friend,” Lucius said nodding to his friend and in return Amir did the same. After this we left and again Lucius portrayed the perfect gentleman as he held open the door for me as he always seemed to do.

“What did that mean?” I asked him the second we were back in his chauffeured car that no doubt cost half of the flats in my building combined. Lucius turned to look at me before giving his answer to the window as we drove away from what I very much suspected was his favorite restaurant.

“It means ‘May God protect you’,” he said in a quiet voice and it was then that I finally understood why he acted this way. Let’s just say that God and he weren’t exactly on the best of terms and leave it at that.

After this, silence descended until I could stand it no longer, as it was one of my biggest weaknesses…awkward silences. But as it turned out that after I spoke, I quickly vowed it was one weakness I was now promising myself to be mastering, because then it would have stopped me from blurting out shit like,

“Why have you never taken a woman there before?” The second I asked I wanted to take it back and prayed so hard I felt a vein popping just for him not to have heard me. But this was Lucius we were talking about, so of course he bloody did!

“Why would I?” was his question back to me, which had me stumped.

“Uh…well, that is what someone usually does on a date.” I reminded him making him scoff,

“I don’t date, sweetheart.” I would be lying if this little piece of information didn’t make my heart sink a little, but then when he added to that last sentence, it didn’t just sink, it thundered against the bottom of the bloody ocean floor. One so deep that the surface was merely a speck of a dot of light above me.

“I fuck, plain and simple.” I swallowed hard and couldn’t help but flinch at the sound of his harsh and unfeeling tone as if having a woman in his bed was a chosen commodity. I found I had no choice but to look out of my side window or I would have just ended up giving too much away the second I couldn’t stop myself from asking one last question.

A question I knew I never should have voiced but what choice did I have? These last few days, seeing him this way, as more of a man than the King I had walked in on that day. The day I had stupidly stumbled into his kingdom and ran away from it leaving my heart behind.

Did he really have no idea what he had done to me?

Did he really have no idea what he was doing to me now?

So, no, as much as I hated to ask the question I knew that I had no choice but to ask him.

“Then why did you take me?” His answer was even more confusing than from the dark and dangerous root the fruit of where that question had grown from.

Crushing it in his hands the second he spoke.

A thing called faith…

“Because it’s just you.”

* * *

Lucius and I didn’t speak again after this and for once, I let the awkward silence roll over me like a comfort blanket. This time knowing that at the very least it meant he wasn’t hurting my soul with his words.

With regards to how Lucius was feeling or what he was even thinking, well like always that was anyone’s guess because as usual he gave away nothing. I swear it was like looking at a different person to the man I had been sat opposite to back in the restaurant. He had been so at ease back then. As if he wasn’t just letting you into a secret slice of his world, but also a small peek into the root of his soul. Jeez, but I was starting to sound like a hopeless romantic when in reality I was just plain hopeless.

No, all I needed was to go home, say goodbye to the day by drowning my sorrows in the rest of that bottle of Prosecco in a bath full of bubbles. All the while toasting the asshole in my life who was unfortunately, both the man of my dreams and of my nightmares.

But then, as I was planning the rest of my day ahead which of course included going to the toilet at some point, I suddenly shouted just as we were passing a Tesco Express (which was a smaller version of the large supermarket chain that was popular in the UK).

“Stop!” I actually made Lucius jerk in the seat next to me.

“I mean, you can just drop me off here,” I added so that Lucius could stop looking at me as if I had lost the plot.

“No,” Lucius said firmly, and the car continued on.

“That’s fine, I will only end up walking back this way anyway,” I said crossing my arms and making Lucius growl.

“Look, I know this might be a foreign concept for you, but us humans need little things called groceries and things like toilet rolls are kind of important to us,” I said in a condescending tone because let’s face it, it was needed. He looked at me and sighed, giving in and telling the driver to turn the car around.

Well, being chauffeur driven to Tesco was certainly a first for me. The car pulled up on the right side of the road so that I didn’t have to try and cross the traffic. Which I was thankful for as getting run over by a car was really the way to go and top off a day like today, I thought rolling my eyes at myself.

“Okay, well I guess this is goodbye and…” I had started to say after turning around back to face him with my hand on the door frame, one I had to let go of as I paused mid-sentence.

“…Wait, what are you doing?” I asked the second he followed me out of my side. He ignored me and my question, instead going over to his driver’s side window and telling him,

“Wait for us.”

“Erm, I don’t think he is allowed to park there,” I warned but one look from Lucius told me that he didn’t give a damn. I knew this when he said,

“Let them ticket me.” This blasé attitude to breaking the law and parking in the way of people shouldn’t have been surprising to me considering I had not long ago witnessed him nearly killing a man.

“But…but…what if the police come or…or…” I started to say making him pause a step before coming back to me. Then he hooked my chin with his gloved hand and tilted back my head in an affectionate way, that once again was playing havoc with my mind.

“Then we’d better be quick, had we not, before we get into trouble,” he said in a teasing tone that told me the type of trouble he meant was the private moments like this that we shared. Alone in the world yet surrounded by the echoes of life.

I swallowed hard as was quickly becoming habit around him and his own habit in return was watching the second I did it. Then he tapped on my chin twice before letting go of me and saying,

“Come on, little rabbit, let’s get you those much-needed human provisions you seem so passionate about.” Then he actually winked at me before taking my hand in his to pull me into the shop. I didn’t know what my mind was focusing on the most, the fact that he was going grocery shopping with me or the fact that he had winked at me?!

And also, I don’t know why but the nickname ‘little rabbit’ was finally one I found cute and for once, not patronizing. However, now all I wanted to do was ask him why he called me it and wondering now, if he would again.

The automatic doors slid open and let us inside. I reached for a basket, one which Lucius quickly took out of my hand without saying a word. I wanted to tease him about being such a gentleman for a Vampire but admittedly I was too afraid to do so. I watched as he scanned the shop as if assessing it for a threat and I wanted to laugh. I didn’t know exactly what threat he was looking for, but I suppose after today, then it was bound to put someone on edge.

But England wasn’t usually a place where supermarket cashiers, banks or even petrol stations were held up at gun point and if it did ever happen then it was usually big news. Then again, I guess this wasn’t very surprising considering there were practically no guns in the country. So, unless you were a farmer, then to get one was extremely difficult.

Don’t get me wrong, crime still happened, just as it did in the rest of the world. But the difference being was that hospitals weren’t usually dealing with gunshot wounds or accidental deaths where, Gods forbid, a child happened to get hold of their parent’s gun.

I think everyone had the right to defend themselves, especially in their own home. However, if you knew when a home invasion happened that they weren’t armed with a gun and your trusty baseball bat would be just fine, then those were injuries that people could usually survive…unless of course you had the swing of a once Viking king like Ragnar, my old colossal bodyguard who could barely flick you and make you fall over.

The sound of Lucius clearing his throat finally jarred me out of my thoughts and I mentally started to make a list of all the things I needed. So, I walked down the aisles like a woman on a mission grabbing things and putting them in the basket Lucius was holding. He didn’t say anything but just watched me as if this was the first time he had ever seen a woman shopping before and he was curious.

Well, to be honest, I couldn’t exactly imagine Lucius buying his own food as he had an army of minions to do that for him and I wondered just how far down that food scale did someone have to be to be put in charge of something like his laundry?

I knew that once my mum had moved in with my dad she had soon made sure things had changed in that regard. Which was why I was used to seeing my mum cleaning and cooking and even on occasion making my dad do the same. I remember asking her once after hearing her muttering to herself about ‘annoying cleaning day’ why she didn’t just let other people do it.

She looked up at me from the bathroom toilet she had been cleaning, put down her cleaning products and sat back on her legs. Then she told me that when she first met my dad that he was so lost and grown apart from humanity, that she felt it her mission to try and change this. I asked her why he had got that way and she told me that after years of living in a world as a king, whose only job it was to care and maintain a way of life for his people, well then, he had never known what it was like to care for himself.

He had never cleaned a day in his life unless it was wiping the blood from his weapons. He had never once cooked a meal for himself or washed an item of clothing. But then he met someone who started life as a human and little by little things began to change. His respect for human life started to grow the more he allowed himself to be around them and essentially to understand them. But what my mum had told me really changed him was when I had been born. Because here he was, the King of the Supernatural world with a human baby he utterly adored and rendering him for once in his life something other than a king…something greater.

A father.

So, as that new role started to take root, he then became just like any other parent. He would find himself getting his hands dirty with changing diapers, preparing bottles, bath time, getting me dressed and when I grew older, even learning how to braid my hair. Something my mother laughed at when he made her vow never to tell anyone, for he feared his enemies would no longer consider him as a feared warrior.

My mum even told me that once, after a particular bad explosion of baby poo, she found my father hunched over the sink in the bathroom scrubbing it out of my clothes. It was in that moment that she finally knew that her husband had most definitely found his humanity.

Because there was a time he would have just burnt it and declared he would just buy me a new one. But the reason he didn’t, my mum learned, was because it was his favorite dress on me and he feared that to use his powers might damage it beyond repair, something he didn’t want to risk at the time. So that day my mum taught me a valuable lesson. She taught me that no matter how much money we had or how many people there were who could do other things for us, that sometimes it is worth doing these things ourselves so that we may be thankful for what we have.

So that we may be thankful that we were alive. It was in that moment that I knew, without her even saying it, that at some point in her life she had truly believed she was going to die. She also quickly added,

“Besides, I wouldn’t ever wish upon my worst enemy someone to have to clean this loo, especially after I just made your father’s favorite, ‘Kazzy’s Demon Chicken’.” After this we had both burst into a fit of giggles and still found ourselves chuckling as I picked up a cloth and helped her clean the rest of the bathroom, before then taking the cleaning stuff and doing my own.

After that day I had vowed to become more independent, which was when my mum taught me how to cook, do my own laundry and basically fend for myself…I had been ten years old at the time. Now, of course, I lived on my own so had no choice but to do these things, which included grocery shopping. But at least now, when I am washing or cleaning, I would always think back to that day and continue the chore with a smile on my face as I thought about my mother.

However, Lucius looked as though he had entered another realm where the strange monsters of the human world roamed…

The dreaded ‘Shoppers!’

I smirked at the thought as I picked up a bag of tea bags and a jar of jam. I also picked up some bread, milk, ham, cheese, a pizza from the frozen section that I always had in my freezer in case I couldn’t be bothered cooking, which during the weekdays was often. Then I grabbed the much-needed toilet rolls stuffing them under my arm because the basket was nearly full, and I knew I wanted a box of cereal so left room for it.

“Mmm, what to do?” I said to myself as I stared at the shelves.

“What seems to be the dilemma?” Lucius asked me, making me jump as it was said very close to my ear.

“They are all out of Crunchy Nut Chocolate Clusters Cereal,” I said as if this was the worst thing ever, and well, it kind of was. Because I could have eaten a bowl of the stuff for my three meals of the day and still never get bored of it. In fact, I usually bought at least three boxes whenever I got my food delivered but well this week, what can I say, I had been a little preoccupied. I heard Lucius chuckling next to me and I looked up to see him looking highly amused.

“What?”

“It’s nothing,” he answered with a shake of his head, done not so much in way of an answer but more because it was as if he didn’t know what to do with me.

“No, go on, what’s so funny?” I asked again, determined to get it out of him.

“Alright, it’s just that today you had three men show up and try to kill you. Then you were shot at, just before you had to watch as a man…how did you describe it…”

“Melted like a firework was stuffed up his butt?” I added this time making him throw his head back and laugh, causing every female within the immediate vicinity to pause whatever it was that they were doing and stare at the Godly sight before them. I swear I was surprised that none of them threw their panties at him like he was some sexy man on stage rocking it out with a Fender in his hands.

“Yes, that. Then, you are forced to hand over a puzzling artifact that is obviously in your nature to crack and yet they don’t have your favorite cereal and you look as though you are close to tears,” Lucius told me, making me fight a blush. In the end I grabbed a box of frosted flakes, dropped it into the basket and said,

“Well, good food is important to some, Mr Authentic Persian Cuisine.” This comeback made him smile.

“Touché,” he said warmly, making me grin.

After this I got in line at the checkout fully aware of the amount of people staring at us or should I say…Lucius. But then again, what wasn’t there to stare at as Lucius didn’t really give the female population a chance. Incredibly tall and built like an Olympic athlete who does body building on the side, meant that he looked like a living Adonis. With his sandy coloured hair in a messy style that just screamed that he didn’t give a damn and got out the shower, rubbing a towel over it before it dried naturally that way. Or was it his chiseled jaw line and perfectly shaped lips that had women ready to sign over their ovaries and beg him to make babies with them like I was close to doing right alongside them?

Okay, so that was a bit much as I liked to think we as a species were blessed with a little more self-control than that. Even if it didn’t stop a girl from fantasising. But then there were his eyes. Eyes that seemed to have the power to pierce your very soul, capturing it and only releasing it again when his gaze was no longer blessing you by being directed your way.

The silver grey with flecks of blue that looked like ice over water. The colour reminded me of a storm that was brewing, rolling in over clear blue skies and consuming them. Even the sandy blonde brows that slanted across his deep-set eyes gave him a dark angelic look that would have fooled anyone naive enough to believe that he was a man to be trusted with your life in his hands. But then, hadn’t he had my own life in his hands twice now and each of them he had chosen to save it?

Lucius nudged me from behind and I looked up to see that a cashier was now free and waiting for me to approach.

“Oh, right,” I mumbled before taking the basket from him, as I stepped forward and placing it down on the counter. Then I waited for the lady to ring up my stuff and noticed the way her eyes kept wandering to the man at my side, making me want to lean forward and say, ‘I know, ridiculous how handsome he is isn’t it, should be illegal if you ask me.’ But thankfully, I squashed down the urge. Then it came to paying and just as I was still fishing out my card from my purse, Lucius had taken control. I looked up to hand it over to see Lucius already had his own fancy black card in the reader.

“Uh…what are you doing?” I asked, making the cashier smirk.

“What does it look like I am doing, paying for your goods with gold doubloons?” was his sarcastic response and I laughed, unable to help myself, something that stopped suddenly when I just caught in time him enter his pin number. I frowned the second I realised it was, unbelievably… my birthday.

Okay, so what were the chances of that, like ten thousand to one?

“Thank you, have a nice day,” the lady said, prompting me to reach for my bags, ones that were quickly grabbed by Lucius first. I watched him nod to the lady in thanks and I mumbled a thank you before following Lucius out of the shop with my mind doing the bloody hopscotch, bouncing all over the place!

“Hey, why did you do that?” I asked, catching up with him and grabbing his sleeve jacket to hold him back.

“Do what?” he asked like it was no big deal and therefore I shouldn’t be making a big deal out of it.

“Why did you pay for my stuff?” I demanded to know instead of saying what I really wanted to know, which was how come my birthday was his pin number? Of course, I didn’t because of how potentially embarrassing his answer could be, which would mostly like be, ‘Oh is it, that’s a coincidence but hey wait, you didn’t think it was intentional or anything did you? Because why would I do that when I don’t care for you’…you know, that type of mortal embarrassment.

“Why do you think, naturally to hurry things along, which I believe is the opposite to this,” he said looking down at where I still held on to him, preventing him from moving unless he yanked out of my hold.

“Oh.” I said disappointed, letting my hand slip from its hold, shamefully thinking his reason seemed logical enough. Then he nodded to the car, no doubt trying to get me to hurry up, which I decided right now was for the best, as the sooner we got back to my flat, then the quicker it was that I could get back to my life, one where Lucius didn’t feature in it.

To be honest though, I didn’t actually know how I felt about this because no matter what I knew was best for me, it didn’t mean that I didn’t want what was clearly bad for me. But it was like having an addiction you knew was bad for you, rotting away at your core like the way smoke does to your lungs.

So, after getting back into the car and soon pulling up outside my building, I had mentally prepared myself for saying goodbye and forcing myself this time to move on. And who knew, this may even mean that Peter and I would have a chance to take things further with the hopes that deeper feelings would grow.

If I were being honest with myself, then really with claiming that my heart belonged to Lucius, I was setting myself up for a fall. Because then I would have to admit that there was never a chance for me to find happiness with another person. Now was this really something I was prepared to give up on finding for the rest of my life? What if true love was out there waiting for me and I don’t mean the type found only in Disney movies. The ones where all it seemed to take was a stroll through the forest, singing at woodland animals to make a guy declare that he was madly in love with you.

Again, my thoughts were interrupted the second we arrived, and I noticed Lucius getting out of the car. I followed his lead and did the same, but before I could reach for my bags, he beat me to it. Again, I wanted to comment but it just seemed like the time for teasing was long gone and now all he wanted to do was say goodbye and have done with this little ‘London Mess’. Which meant that we were both silent all the way to my flat door and as I reached to take the bags from him he nodded to the door for me to open it. Wow, talk about efficient, he wasn’t kidding around when it came to doing a job.

“It’s okay, I can take it from here,” I told him, not knowing how I felt about him being inside my tidy little private space that was, up until now, a Lucius neutral zone. The last thing I wanted was to live in a place with the memory of him lingering around like a ghost of time, haunting my mind. I just wanted to unlock the door, scream bye bye now, in a barefaced lying kind of ‘it was nice knowing you’ sort of way and slam the door in his handsome face.

But then he frowned down at me and ordered,

“Open the door, Amelia.” The way he said my name again made me want to shudder. So much so, that instead of being able to argue against him, I had to turn away just so that he wouldn’t see how much the sound of my name coming from his lips affected me. I swear that I would still be hearing that voice of his whispering it in my ear this time next year.

I shuddered at the thought before doing as he asked.

But then, as I unlocked the door and opened it, the sound of Lucius’ voice was the least of my problems.

Because the moment I walked inside there was only one thing that happened.

I screamed as…

My world had been invaded.

17

Home Invasion

I screamed first in shock and then in anger the second I walked inside my once perfect space only to see that it had been trashed. Someone had broken in and totally smashed up the place. Lucius suddenly acted on impulse turning into dominant protector mode. He dropped the bags, grabbed my arm and spun me so that he was suddenly pressing me up against the door. I swear it was almost worth the home invasion for that single moment alone.

“Stay here and don’t move, do you understand?” he growled down at me and I tried to swallow down the hard lump which wasn’t going down quick enough for me to answer.

“I mean it, Amelia, I want your back against this door and you don’t move it until I say so, now is that understood?” He said more determinedly this time. I nodded, thinking this was the best course of action with an angry Vampire stood over me looking like some coiled white tiger ready to pounce at the first sight of danger.

“Good girl,” he said tapping me under the chin with a curled finger before he pushed himself back off the door. Then he did a walk-through of my flat making sure no one was still in there. Needless to say, it didn’t take long as he only had my bedroom and bathroom to check. Just the idea of Lucius in my bedroom meant that by the time he came out my cheeks were red and hot. Thankfully though, I had just been broken into, so any smart person would put it down to this and not having lust induced hot flushes.

“It’s clear,” Lucius said as he scanned the floor where it looked like most of my possessions were scattered.

“And not as secure as someone likes to think,” he then muttered to himself making me frown and question what he had meant by that. But then I took one look around the place and the comment was quickly lost to overwhelming misery.

“Who would do this?” I asked as I too now looked around feeling heartbroken at seeing everything they had done. All the cupboards in my kitchen were open, some of which were barely hanging on their hinges where someone had just swept their contents to the floor. I knew this because beneath the open doors lay dinted tins, broken jars, cooking sauces splattered on broken tiles with rice and pasta sprinkled on top. Then, next to that were smashed plates, cups, bowls and even my beautiful cake stand that I had bought on sale in one of the country manor house gift shops. I shook my head as I took in the state of my kitchen seeing that even the contents of the fridge were on the floor and I was only thankful that I had been due a food shop or it could have been a lot messier with sour milk added to the top.

“I think it’s safe to say they are part of the same group of people that attacked you today,” Lucius said.

“Yes, but why, if they already knew I had the box on me?” I asked suddenly remembering the suspicious van parked across the street the night of the gala. Had they been watching me? Lucius was about to answer me when suddenly I looked to my living room and screamed,

“NO! No, no, no!” I then ran over to my beautiful sofa and picked up the slashed cushions, holding the now unrepairable pieces to me as if this would help. Lucius watched my desperate actions with a frown and what looked like a clenched fist at his side in frustration. He looked very much like he wanted to kill someone.

“Oh no, this is awful! Those bastards! How could they do this!” I ranted making Lucius take a step towards me and saying in a soft tone,

“It’s just a sofa, sweetheart, it can be replaced.” Now this being said was sweet enough, especially after he had chosen the right time to use an endearment like sweetheart. But unfortunately, I was too lost to my rage. So, I looked up at him, held out my cushion and said,

“No, it’s not! Its more than that, Lucius! Me, Ben and Wendy had to heave this bugger up here and then it took me hours to…” I paused midsentence as from the look on his face he just didn’t get it.

So, I took a deep breath and told him,

“Look, I am not expecting you to understand here, but this is something I made! I bought it secondhand and then spent hours lovingly re-covering it…Hell, I spent hours washing the bloody thing just to get the old lady smell out of it…and now look at it!” I said in a sad voice looking down at the pinstripe material I loved and threw it aside in my anger.

Lucius looked as though he wanted to say something, but I wasn’t finished and for once, I wasn’t taking notice of him. Because if I had been then I would have noticed the tender look he had been giving me from the start. But the reason I didn’t was that I was scanning for more damage and when I found it I freaked…my precious nerd collection.

“Oh, Gods no!” I shouted before storming over to my shelf and looking down at all the pieces on the floor. Then I bent down and picked up pieces of Lego that quickly crumbled between my fingers to the floor. I felt like crying.

“Just look at this! Do you know how long I spent building this?!” I said as if speaking to myself as it suddenly occurred to me that Lucius had no idea what Lego was or how important it was to a geek like me.

“Whatever it was, it’s in a lot of pieces now,” he commented making me snap my head up and almost growl at him.

“This is a Lego Death Star that had 4016 pieces! It took me over twenty-four hours to build and now look at it, blood of the Gods but I will be lucky if I even find half of them! And look, they even ripped the head off my Chewbacca.” I said shaking my head in sorrow.

“What kind of demon is a Chowbacca?”

“Chew, not Chow…and he’s not a demon, Chewbacca is a Wookie,” I corrected making him frown.

“And what in Hell’s depths is a Wookie?” At this point I stopped trying to get Chewie’s head back on and looked at Lucius as if he was the one missing the head. Or should I say that he had five heads and none of them knew what Star Wars was.

“Are you joking?” I asked making him frown.

“Seriously, how is it you have lived this long yet you do not know of the greatest movie franchise ever created?” I asked him in an incredulous tone.

“How about ruling over thousands of Vampires, saving the world a few times, including your troublesome mother’s ass, running a business empire and oh, let’s not forget doing the few favours here and there whenever your father feels like making me one of his fucking lackies, that’s how,” Lucius snapped, and I don’t know why but it was in that moment that I looked around the room and really felt like crying. Not because of the stupid ass in front of me who had zero tact in this situation when being around an emotional woman who’d just lost everything in her world. But mainly because my beautiful little flat was in ruins.

A shuddered breath escaped me, and I looked down at the floor as my shoulders slumped, meaning Chewie’s head and body rolled out of my hands. I heard Lucius sigh before saying,

“Look at me, Sweet” At first, I shook my head, knowing that if I did I wouldn’t be able to stop the tears from coming. Then he asked me again and this time when I did I could feel the tears already fill my eyes and one blink was all it would take to make them overflow. He homed in on my eyes just before I looked down again but not before I caught his frown and the sight of him raking a hand angrily through his hair. Then I heard him hissing two words,

“Fuck it!” the second before I was in his arms. I gasped when I felt them wrap around me, pulling me to him and placing a gentle hand to the back of my head so that he could pull me tenderly to his chest. I didn’t know what to do at first and kind of just froze solid in his hold, being in too much shock to even breathe.

“Relax, sweetheart, I won’t hurt you,” he whispered gently down at me and it sounded so sincere I would have sealed it away in my heart as a promise. Then he purred his next command.

“Now take a breath for me.” I did as I was told and the second I did it broke the damn flood gates, drowning me with emotions that had built up over the last two days.

It was seeing Lucius again that night of the gala. It was the confusing emotions he stirred up in me yet again. The flirting and teasing that quickly turned to annoyance and irritation. The irrational behavior that was jealousy and over protectiveness. The lies he told and the gentlemanly actions he bestowed. Then there was being attacked and nearly shot to death, going on a date to a place Lucius had never taken a girl and now standing here in his arms after he just snapped at me. And now being surrounded by the life I had created in ruins, and I didn’t just mean my possessions…but more like the vault I had built back up around my heart against this man.

It took me a moment to realise that because of all this I was quietly sobbing in his arms and he was simply holding me close and letting me. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you how long this lasted for, but I know that when I heard him utter my name on a barely heard whisper, I knew he was saying it to himself and not to me.

“Oh, Amelia.”

“I’m…I’m sorry, I guess it’s…well, it’s just been a…” I started to say pulling back slightly, so that I could look at him and I was surprised to find that he didn’t let me go as I thought he would have.

“Bad day?” he finished off for me making me sniff a laugh, saying,

“Yeah, something like that.” Then I reached my arm up in between us and rubbed my nose, making sure it wasn’t running. He tilted his head to the side a little as if trying to get a read on me but yet again, he still hadn’t let me go. I didn’t know what to think in that moment but if I thought just being in his arms was confusing then what he did next blew me away. He let go of my neck where he had let one hand rest the second I had pulled back to look at him. Then he raised it up to my face and tipped my head back so that I was looking up at him before he captured my fallen tears, wiping them away with the pad of his thumb.

Then he spoke,

“Your eyes are always beautiful but when you cry…” he paused a moment and closed his own eyes as he hissed a curse before continuing,

“Fuck me…they are breathtaking,” he told me with such a fervor of lust and emotion in his voice that I didn’t know what to do. Didn’t know what to think, how to act, how to even breathe again! I was just frozen like time for me had stopped and the world was no longer spinning…it was paralyzed.

Because that was the power of Lucius. The feeling that in that moment he had the power to turn back time and heal the fractures he had inflicted upon my heart. And I wanted to hate him for it, but all I could do was love him even more for not breaking it completely, for surely if he had, then I wouldn’t be feeling this way now?

This blinding love I felt towards him that was ready to sacrifice the depth of my soul just for one night. Just for one single moment where he made me his and branded himself in my small forever as the one who took my virginity. The first man to claim me, even if the memory of it was only a drop of water in the turbulent waves that was his long eternal life. But for me…

It would forever be my ocean.

However, even after this admission, the kiss I had been desperately praying for never came, as I could see it the second he felt himself going too far. I felt his hands relax their hold before his body followed. He took a step back from me and I couldn’t help but notice the way his chest rose and fell in a heavy rhythm. But then again, maybe he also noticed the way I then wrapped my arms around myself to replace his. Did he know it was so that I could keep the feeling of warmth and comfort he had given me for just that moment longer? Fooling my body and mind into believing his touch still lingered, if even for a mere few seconds longer…it was worth a try.

Then his voice shattered everything, and it did so in the weirdest way when he asked,

“This Wendy, how long have you known her?” I frowned at his question before saying,

“For years, why?”

“So, you trust her?” he asked in an assuming tone.

“Yes, with my life,” I replied watching as he walked over to my handbag where I had unconsciously dropped it on the floor the second I saw what had happened to my flat. Then he dug out my phone and handed it to me at the same time issuing his orders.

“Good, then call her and ask if you can stay the night,” he told me, and I took the phone but argued,

“But my flat, I have to…” This was when he decided big bossy Vampire King was back in play and he growled the next demand at me,

“Just do as you’re told.” He saw my face drop and must have felt guilty about it or something, because he lowered his stern tone and actually said,

“Please, Amelia, just this once, do as you’re told… yeah?” And because of this I nodded and tapped on her number making him sigh in what looked like relief.

“Yo Smock, you get laid yet?” she asked making me blush when I saw Lucius raise an eyebrow at me in question. I turned away from him and hissed down at the phone,

“No! Gods Kirky, so not the time!”

“Oh Christ, what’s happened now, did you fall off the toilet whilst painting your toe nails and break your coccyx again?” I groaned aloud knowing again that Lucius could hear her, and I was just thankful that I was never going to get these two in a room together seeing as embarrassing me was like her second job!

“I didn’t break it…it was…it was just sprained,” I argued hissing at her making her chuckle.

“Uh, not sure you can sprain your tailbone, sweetie, and I was with you remember…oooh, do you remember the sexy doctor that was totally flirting with you and asked you about grabbing a coffee…man, why, oh why doesn’t shit like that ever happen to me?” I rolled my eyes knowing that Lucius could still hear all of this and I looked over my shoulder at him to see that he was looking more than pissed off with his arms crossed.

“Firstly, you’re not clumsy, not even in the ridiculous heels you wear, so no chance of doctors asking you out and secondly, he wasn’t that sexy and it was unprofessional of him to ask me out,” I said still whispering, although with Lucius only a few feet away it was pretty pointless. However, it was enough for Wendy to pick up on.

“Why are we whispering?” she asked mimicking me.

“Because I am not alone, that’s why,” I told her making her squeal down the phone and I held it away from my ear giving Lucius a shrug of my shoulders and a nervous little chuckle.

“Oh my God, you hussy! You did it, didn’t you!? Oh praise the lord above she is now a…”

“Kirky! Just shut up a second okay!” I said seriously before she blurted out the embarrassing truth that I was a twenty-seven-year-old virgin to the man of my dreams and the very one who I had been saving it for all this time, like some hopeless romantic in some period drama waiting for her soldier to come back from war or something.

Man, I was pathetic! To the point I would have shaken my head at myself had he not been in the room.

“Why, what’s wrong?” she finally asked, getting a hint on my panicked voice and becoming the good friend I knew I could rely on.

“Okay, so don’t freak out but someone broke into my flat and…”

“Holy shit! Are you okay? Were you there? Are you alright, are you okay? Jesus, Emmie, talk to me!” she said repeating herself in a high-pitched tone of panic.

“It’s okay, I’m fine, just my place is trashed and I just wanted to know if I could sleep with you tonight?”

“Yes, of course! You know you don’t even need to ask,” she replied making me release a sigh of relief seeing as I didn’t really fancy a night on my own tonight. Then I turned around to face Lucius and nodded yes, that she would, when really, I didn’t need to because he could hear it for himself.

“Great, I will grab some stuff and head over in a bit.” After this I said goodbye and hung up only to find Lucius on the phone, this time giving orders to someone else.

“I want that surveillance footage with me in the next ten minutes, everything in the building and within a two-mile radius.” Lucius listened to who was on the other line and suddenly shot me a look before saying,

“What no, not Caspian, he will scare the shit out of her! No send me Ruto and tell him to bring D, I want everyone on this and I want these fuckers caught yesterday, do you understand?!” he snapped, pausing to listen again before snarling a deadly promise, one that made me shiver.

“Your only job is to keep them alive long enough for me to deal with them and deal with them I will.” I swear seeing Lucius this way should have had me running for my life not turning me on as it was doing. Okay, so it was official, I needed therapy!

“Take them to the warehouse, I will be there this evening…I have a few things to deal with here first,” Lucius said looking to me once more as I was currently picking up any of the figures that managed to survive the attack and looking as though I was not listening, which I certainly was doing.

“And get Liessa to call me.” The second I heard him utter the other woman’s name I swear my heart skipped a beat and the Star Trek original communicator I got three Christmas’s ago snapped shut from the pressure I applied with my tense fingers. Who was Liessa? Oh, Gods please don’t say that she was his girlfriend. I don’t think I could cope with that on top of everything else. But how was I to find out? It wasn’t as if I could just casually drop in the conversation, ‘So are you seeing anyone recently?’ Oh yeah, just been broken into and this was what I was focusing on…okay, so note to self, google therapists in my area the second I was alone.

“You need to pack a bag,” Lucius said making me realise that he had finished on the phone and was now talking to me. I nodded getting up from my knees now noticing my slashed rug and thinking that another trip to Ikea would be happening in my immediate future. Then, as if on auto pilot, I walked into my room and hunted around for my bag, wanting to suddenly cry again when I saw that even most of my clothes had been slashed.

Well, even if I didn’t scream like I felt like doing, I must have made a noise of distress of some kind because Lucius was suddenly in the doorway and found me sat slumped on the bed, with my beautiful bedding in shreds as well.

“What is it?” Lucius asked with his hands on either side of the door frame looking ready to turn the wood to pulp, he was that tense. I looked down at the heap of cut material in my lap and said in a small voice,

“I don’t have anything left to pack.” Lucius followed where my gaze was focused, and I heard the wood splinter like before, only this time he didn’t even bother to fix it, and why would he…look at the place, what was the point! I hated the idea that I might have to use my father’s credit card because, realistically, there was no way my meagre savings were going to cover all this!

“Alright, Sweet forget packing, let’s just get you to your friend’s place,” Lucius said after obviously needing a minute to compose his anger. But after that minute when I didn’t move, I jerked the second I felt his hands come to mine and I looked up to see him crouched down in front of me, trying to pry my hands from one of the funny T shirts I had been bought years ago.

It had a picture of a toothbrush and a toilet roll talking with each other. The toothbrush said in a speech bubble, ‘I hate my job’ and the toilet roll’s pissed off reply was in another speech bubble that just said, ‘Seriously?’

“My Aunty Pip gave me this T-shirt,” I told him for no particular reason other than the fact it was as if I needed to tell someone, before it was lost in some bin somewhere.

“Figures,” Lucius said with a chuckle as he saw it for himself with the way I was still trying to hold the two pieces it was cut into back together. That’s when I remembered that he knew Pip well, as she and her husband Adam used to work for him back before my mum and dad got married.

“Come on sweetheart, let’s get you out of here,” he said gently, taking my hands and pulling me up to stand in front of him.

“But what about my clothes?” I asked looking around and trying to see something that I could take…even my damn underwear had been cut up!

“Let me worry about that,” he said pulling me from the room and I had to look down to check I wouldn’t trip up on anything as my stuff was scattered everywhere.

“But, but I…” He cut me off by stepping closer to me and placing a leather covered thumb across my lips as he gently ran his fingers down my cheek. Then he looked down at me and asked me only one thing,

“Do you trust me?” I thought about my answer for what seemed like an age but in reality, must have been only a minute. I knew this because I am pretty sure Lucius was the type of man who didn’t like waiting for anything, let alone my answer. But no matter how long it did take me, I couldn’t help but really think about the full depth of that question.

Did I trust Lucius?

Well, I think that after today and what happened many years ago then I could safely say that I trusted him with my life. He had proved himself back then and today after placing himself in front of me and taking I don’t know how many bullets for me.

“Amelia, I asked you a question,” Lucius said again, obviously getting impatient and making me realise he had been waiting what must have been a minute too long. Which was when I noticed that for some reason this seemed important to Lucius and now, along with everything else, I was asking myself why?

So, in the end this was why I nodded a ‘yes’, not trusting myself to speak in that moment from fear of what I might blurt out if given the chance. To ask him why he cared if I trusted him or not. To question why in fact, he hadn’t taken one look at my flat and said, ‘nope that’s it, I’m out, my job is done, I have the box now have a nice life and good luck cleaning this shit up’.

But he was still here.

So, in the end, the answer that I had given him had been a ‘yes’, I did trust him but even as I nodded my head and gave him the answer he was looking for, I knew deep down that it was only half true.

As there was still one big part of me that didn’t trust Lucius.

Because the truth was, I didn’t trust him…

With my heart.

18

Text me a Torment

“Okay, so explain to me again why it is we have a bodyguard outside our door,” Wendy said after handing me a much-needed glass of wine before she joined me on her couch. Her apartment was also in Twickenham as she’d moved closer to me a few years ago. As, in her words, she was sick of catching one taxi, one bus and then the underground just to get back to her old apartment after seeing me and to be honest, I had felt the same. At one point, we had even talked about moving in together, but she couldn’t yet get a mortgage for her half of the flat we would buy, so she was saving up for a deposit. I told her I didn’t mind but she refused, saying she needed to pay her own way and as I already owned my flat, we decided to wait. Unless of course one of us just so happened to get married first, but two years on from this discussion and that was still yet to happen.

So instead, she found herself a cute one bed place that we had lovingly painted and scrubbed within an inch of its plasterboard thanks to the previous tenant having an attachment to weed. It wasn’t only the smell that gave this away but mainly the big cannabis leaf that was painted on one wall in what would be Wendy’s bedroom. I remember her showing it to me for the first time and we both just stood in the doorway staring at it. I said the first thing that came to mind,

‘Now, I am not an expert here, but I am guessing that would be a big mood killer in the bedroom?’ Of course, I wasn’t just referring to the homage to the plant but more the slogan that had been written beneath it in spray paint, which read…

‘Me Biatches be getting high’

‘I know right, I mean you would have thought he would have at least spelled bitches right, the dumbass!’ Wendy had replied making me say,

‘What do you expect, this fine fellow and obviously upstanding pillar of society was too busy getting himself and his ‘biatches’ high…give him a break would yah.’ We both burst out laughing and spent the rest of the day feeling sorry for the poor people that used cannabis for actual medicinal uses, spoiling it for everyone else.

But now there wasn’t a gang sign, drug sign or biatch in sight and the only rude words were in the many erotic romance novels that were sat on her shelf.

No, instead her flat was as bright and as girly as you could get. It was true to say that Wendy liked bold colours and her favorite theme was 70’s pin-up girl. Her walls were mainly cream, with one painted hot pink and all the skirting boards, covings and door frames were painted turquoise blue. Then on the pink wall she had a huge canvas of a black and white pin-up girl lay back on a piano sipping on a cocktail and looking seductive.

On the opposite wall above her black and white patterned couch she had twenty plus pin-up pictures all in different frames and different sizes. A fluffy white rug and pink painted coffee table I had helped her carry back from some overpriced high street shop sat at the centre.

The rest of the theme carried on in her entire flat and I swear there was so much pink that if a guy ever did want to come in for a nightcap, he would take one look at the place and his balls would probably shrivel up to the size of raisins before dropping off…yes, it was that feminine.

“I mean not that I mind, because bloody Nora, but could that guy be any hotter?!” Wendy said fanning herself as she sipped her wine, stopping it from overflowing. She was, of course, referring to the ‘bodyguard’ that Lucius had assigned to watch me for the evening, making sure the assholes that trashed my flat didn’t come back. I had only found this out the second Lucius took my hand and lowered me into the car. But then my mind had still been spinning from his goodbye, as he was leaning down between the open door resting all his weight on the frame as he kissed my cheek.

Then he said,

“It’s been fun, Sweet but do me a favour and try to stay out of trouble.” I had been about to say something witty in return when he whispered against my skin this time what sounded like a promise,

“Until next time.”

After this he shut the door but not before giving a nod to someone I’d only just noticed was sat in the car with me. His name was Dante, to which Wendy had blurted out the question after I introduced them,

‘Like the inferno?’ making him clear his throat once as it was clear he didn’t know how to respond to that. Thankfully, I saved him by nudging her inside before the drooling commenced, which I had to agree, was definitely not an overreaction. It turned out that Dante was a seriously good-looking guy, that was if you were into the Jason Statham look and swapped the British accent for a southern American one. And if I hadn’t been so obsessed with Lucius, then I would have added that he was totally dreamy and sexy as hell to that list. But in the end, I hadn’t needed to for Wendy happily did this for me after only getting a quick glimpse of the guy through a crack opening in her door.

However, there was a little more to Dante than meets the eye, or should I say, a lot of something. Because there was something Wendy didn’t know and that was that the dreamy, hot guy wasn’t human.

Dante was what was known as a Drude, which was known as a malevolent, nocturnal demon whose specialty was the creation of nightmares. They had a strong influence over a person’s dreams when their victims were asleep, and they could tap into that lucid state and take control. Of course, the nice ones would often prevent nightmares too and favour a more sexual experience from their ‘feeding’. You see most Demons and Angels fed from the emotions of others and it wasn’t just as clear cut that all Angels were good and all Demons were bad. Not like a library full of history books would have you believe anyway. And Drudes were no exception for they fed from the emotions invoked by dreams, but more often than not a sexual high was just as strong as a fear induced one, or so I was told.

Which made me wonder what type of Drude Dante was?

They were also known as expert hunters and could smell the presence of witchcraft from ten miles away, which was another reason I suspected Dante had been a good choice as a protector, seeing as we knew someone was casting Hexes.

Dante was as tall as Lucius and built like a brick shithouse, although to be honest, I am not entirely sure where that phrase originated from considering there was nothing shit about the man. He had a deep yet surprising softly spoken voice for such a large man. It was in a smooth sexy way that said, ‘I can lure you to sleep with a single story’ and added to that, my southern charm. I had heard that this had been like all Drudes as it was part of their gift. To be able to send people to sleep, even other supernatural beings, with just a few whispered words.

Dante was also bald with a full black beard cut close to his face and his thick neck joined even thicker muscles. But his main feature were his eyes and like most handsome men, they were startling. Although granted, they weren’t as mesmerizing as Lucius’ were, but they were certainly ones that would cause you to look twice.

They were a light olive green colour with a burst of hazel around the pupil that sometimes, when he spoke to you and smiled, looked like flecks of illuminating honey. And smile was something he did often as I had only been with him in the car for about fifteen minutes and he had made easy conversation and when he did this, he did so smiling.

But I wasn’t as fooled as another may be around him, as for one, I knew what he was and two, he worked for Lucius so he was bound to be a badass and no doubt one of the most powerful of his kind.

You see, Lucius was known as somewhat of a collector of powerful beings. Asking them to join him by offering Lucius their complete loyalty in return for, well… kind of an upgrade. He would turn them into Vampires creating hybrids of sorts that would mean their original powers would be increased fifty times over. But in doing so, you were also tying yourself to Lucius as not only your King but also your soul’s master. He had complete control over these beings and let’s just say, after over two thousand years of collecting, he didn’t just have an army, he had his own kingdom!

This was what made Lucius such a badass King and one most definitely to be feared because he was one that once you accepted his blood, then you were in essence binding your life to his and paying for that upgrade of power with your very soul. For he owned you and your soul for the rest of your eternity…or his. Because it was said that if he ever died, then so did a whole nation of Vampire hybrids…

My mother included.

Which also no doubt meant that Dante was the same. A ‘Blood convert’ as it was often referred to in supernatural slang. I had heard the term growing up, but it took me a while to find someone who would actually tell me what it meant. See, considering I had grown up surrounded by some of the most powerful angels and demons the world had ever known, I had led a surprisingly sheltered life, thanks no doubt to my overbearingly overprotective father.

Which meant that it had taken me years of digging to gain all this information and thus became the reason for my love of books. My one source of knowledge and let’s just say that Afterlife had one hell of a big ass library!

“Yes, he’s hot,” I replied after she obviously wanted me to confirm this.

“So, like I said, you are so going to have to explain this to me again, because I am seriously at a loss here… which is crazy given that my imagination is coming up with everything from Mob Boss’ daughter, to someone in witness protection program and your real name is Betty Miller from Jacksonville!” I laughed and asked,

“And what do you know about Jacksonville, North Carolina, um?”

“Okay, so I heard Ryan Adams sing about it in some of his songs once, but that is so beside the point here.” I laughed at her before taking a much-needed sip of my wine.

“Come on Emmie, you have to give me something here,” she pleaded, and she was right, as much as there was that I couldn’t say, there was also equal amounts that I could.

“Alright, so you met my dad.”

“Mr Hottie of the Year, yeah kinda hard to miss that one,” she responded sarcastically, laughing when I scrunched my nose up.

“You know it’s gross to know that you fancy my dad, right?” I told her making her shrug her shoulders and drink back her wine.

“Okay, so let’s just say that he’s influential, rich and has a business in just about everything.”

“And he’s married you say?” Wendy asked with a raised brow, making me throw a spotty cushion at her the second she put down her wine glass.

“Kidding, kidding…and yes I know you have said before, madly in love with your mother, the love of his life…Jeez, touchy much.” I rolled my eyes and said,

“Anyway, that day my dad came to visit me he brought me something to look at, an artifact,” I told her.

“Oooh, and here comes the juicy bit,” she commented, making me groan as she was forever the journalist.

“So, it turned out that some people want it.”

“What type of people?” she asked with her beautiful big eyes growing even bigger.

“Bad people, Kirky, very bad people,” I replied, hoping now that she would take it seriously.

“Jesus, so what, they turned up at your flat trying to find it?”

“Well, yeah, but after they turned up at my work first,” I told her, no doubt already saying too much. Now her beautiful green eyes bulged slightly, and she reached for my arm.

“Oh my god, Emmie, are you okay, did they hurt you? Jesus, but this is serious shit here…have you called the police?”

“Wendy, calm down, it’s fine and I am fine,” I told her quickly before her mind could run away with her.

“I mean look at me, don’t I look fine?” I asked, now making her give me a sceptical eye.

“Yeah, actually you look great, but how is that possible after everything you have been through today?” she asked, frowning.

“Well…I kind of had help and well, he’s…”

“He? Oh my god, it’s him isn’t it? Mr Mystery sexy voice himself?” My blush and coy look said it all.

“It so is! Oh, please tell me that he flew in and saved the day like some kick ass action hero we drool over. Oooh, like that Thor guy we fancy,” she said making me smirk, thinking oh just you wait, as Thor has nothing on Lucius. For one he didn’t need a big hammer when he had hands that could do just as much damage, if not more. But, then again, I had no idea what he was packing in the downstairs department as that could have been classed as his ‘big hammer’, I thought with a smirk.

“Oh lordy, he’s even hotter isn’t he? I can tell by that look that you think he is. Jesus, why can’t some drug lord come after me when Mr Inferno is outside my door to save me?” Wendy said, making me chuckle as she had a habit of calling all men a ‘Mr’ nickname and I had a feeling that Mr Inferno was going to stick.

“Oh, you have it bad for him, don’t you?” I questioned as she gazed at the front door in that dreamy way. Her head snapped back up and she blushed, something Wendy hardly ever did.

“Maybe,” she confessed in a coy tone.

“Then why don’t we invite him in?” I asked, making her suddenly look panicked.

“We can’t do that!” I laughed, never seeing her like this about a guy because she usually had this, ‘I could eat that man for dinner’ type of attitude whenever she was hit on. Although, in her defense, she was never approached by the big muscly types that she was attracted to. She was a sucker for a big guy who could throw her curvy frame over his shoulder without breaking a sweat. Well, Dante certainly fit the bill on that one.

“Why not?” I asked, chuckling.

“Well, for one, he is working,” she argued, which again was unlike her and the second I saw her ringing her hands on her skirt I knew it was because she was nervous.

“Yes, and I would say keeping us safe was just as easy to do in the same room as us than it would with a door in between.” I made the obvious point, making her smirk.

“Alright, but first things first, pits, hair and makeup,” she said grabbing my hand and pulling me up, making me nearly spill my drink. I quickly placed my glass down before she pulled me to the bathroom which looked like a place you would go to pay homage to being a girl. Yep, it was that girly and it was clear that Kirky had a consumer addiction when it came to beauty products. I sat down on her toilet (after putting the fluffy pink lid down) and picked up one of her many creams from the shelf behind.

“What the hell does this do anyway?”

“I don’t know, what’s it called?” she asked raising her arm and giving her armpit a swipe with her roll on anti-perspirant.

“Vitamin C Glow Boost,” I read out.

“I think it’s supposed to make you look ten years younger or some shit like that,” she said with a wave of her hand.

“So, you want to look fifteen again?” I asked smirking, seeing as she was only twenty-five, a little factor she was clearly forgetting.

“Oh, hell no! Are you kidding me, who would want that…no Jesus, going back to being a spotty teenager with braces on my teeth…no thank you,” she said, making me laugh. Which is when she turned to me and noticed something,

“Hey, you’re not wearing your glasses today, any reason for that?” she asked making me suck in my lips and shake my head before saying an unconvincing,

“Nope” She gave me a pointed look and I added,

“What? I just fancied the change, okay.”

“I think doth protest too much,” she said chuckling and hitting a nerve because the truth was, I doubted that Lucius even knew that I did wear glasses, seeing as every time he had seen me I had been wearing contacts. A pair I might add, that I had stupidly slept in last night. But hey, a few drops of solution and they seemed good for another day.

“So, whilst I try and make myself look naturally irresistible, you can tell me everything that has happened, and you can start from the very second you found yourself with a hot date last night, who thankfully for you, wasn’t your dad,” Wendy said, making me release a big sigh before I took another deep breath and told her all that I could.

Not surprisingly, it took up all the time she was getting ready.

* * *

After about an hour of watching Wendy getting ready and spending half of it trying to convince her that a swing, polka dot dress wasn’t classed as at home casual. And she couldn’t exactly class it as the ‘just slipped into something more comfortable’ category, she finally changed into something else. She now wore a pair of three-quarter length jeans with a thick red belt and a T shirt that was horizontal black and white stripes that also had an anchor on the front entwined with roses. She had the longer part of her pixie cut pinned back on one side with a red bow attached. She looked so pretty and cute all at the same time and her red glossy lips were ones that could tempt any man to kiss them.

Which was a shame that when we opened the door and I invited Dante in, his answer had been a stern,

“No.” I frowned up at him and then asked,

“Why not?”

“I’m sorry, little Miss, but I have my orders,” he replied in a less grumpy way this time and I wasn’t sure I was feeling the ‘little Miss’ nickname. Meanwhile, I shot a look to Wendy behind the door who was looking very disappointed. I smiled at him and said,

“Okay, leave it with me,” making him frown in confusion before I closed the door again.

“Well, that was a waste of my good perfume,” she said in a deflated tone.

“The night’s not over yet, my friend,” I said going to my bag and retrieving my phone. Then I brought up the number for Lucius and typed out a text message, holding my breath when I clicked send.

It simply said,

‘Hello’

I thought I would start off simple to see whether or not he took the bait. For starters, I wasn’t even sure I was allowed to text him, so I thought it best to test the waters first. Then I waited, thankfully not having long before my phone buzzed.

“Is that him?” Wendy asked now coming to sit down next to where I was curled up on the couch feeling like a bloody teenager and this was a crush I had at school who was messaging me for the first time. Well, to be fair, I had never felt like that because it wasn’t as though I had dated much in school. Not with my dad being the scariest most intimidating man in town that was for damn sure! I think most of the people in the small town I grew up in had thought my mum had sold her soul to the Devil when they heard the two of them were together. It had been big news and the main source of gossip for years later.

Of course, with one look at Wendy and her eager expression, then I would have to say that this was her own bit of juicy gossip. I couldn’t really blame her as she had known me for years and in all that time nothing exciting had ever really happened to me. Except, of course, clumsy falls and trips to the Emergency room, like the ‘tailbone’ nail painting disaster.

‘Hello, Princess, how may I be of assistance this evening?’ was his reply, making me both want to growl and smirk at the same time…damn sexy Vampire. Of course, this was another little factor I had wisely left out.

‘I thought I told you not to call me that’ was my reply, but his was even more shocking. To the point once again by habit, my mouth actually dropped open.

“What? What is it?” Wendy asked as my face must have said it all.

“He sent back a winky face!” Wendy burst out laughing and then said,

“So?”

“Well, let’s just say that Lucius is not the emoji using type of guy,” I replied making her say over the rim of her glass,

“Well, clearly he is.” Then my phone buzzed again, and I swear my heart felt like it was going to beat its way out of my chest. I felt bloody giddy!

‘Ask your question, Sweet’ The second I read it I swear that I could almost hear his voice asking me right by my ear and making me shiver.

“Oh my god, you have got it so bad!” Wendy said making me shoot her a look.

“What makes you say that?” I asked, trying to play dumb and innocent all at the same time.

“Uh, because you have read that same one line four times now…oh, and the sappy loved up grin on your face is kinda screaming it to the world.”

“A little over dramatic, but yes I will admit, I might like him a little more than I originally let on.” Wendy laughed at my reply and said,

“Oh, you think?! Anyway, you’re acting skills are utter shit so it’s not like I’m shocked here.” My phone buzzed again, and I jumped, nearly dropping it and making Wendy mutter into her drink,

“Yep, totally smitten.” I rolled my eyes before unlocking my phone to read yet another message.

‘I am still waiting’ was his silent warning. So, I typed back,

‘Does Dante have a girlfriend?’ I asked making Wendy screech,

“You can’t send that?! Are you crazy?”

“Why not?” I asked, frowning.

“Because he will get the wrong idea. Just ask if he can come in because you have a single friend, but for the love of God, don’t just send that on its own without explaining.” I could see her point, but then again, Lucius wasn’t interested in me in that way…was he?

Well, that was the million-dollar question wasn’t it, one of many I seemed to be asking myself lately. But Wendy was right, that was a little too blunt even for me to blurt out. So, I started to try and delete it but ended up tapping the wrong button.

“Ooops,” I muttered before the true horror of my mistake set in.

“Oh no, what did you do?”

“I might have accidently sent it,” I replied with a grimace, then I winced the second I felt it buzz again.

“Oh dear…what was his reply?” This was when I looked down and read,

‘That depends’ he sent back, making me frown.

‘On what?’ was my reply, just because I was curious. Of course, what I received back made my heartbeat work double time.

‘On if you want his death on your hands?’ My mouth unsurprisingly this time really dropped as I re-read it over and over again. Did this mean Lucius was jealous? No, surely not.

“What did he say?” Wendy asked getting excited and before I could stop her she grabbed the phone off me. Then she read it and released a dreamy sigh,

“Oh boy, looks like you’re not the only one who has it bad,” she told me.

“No…surely not? Do you think?” I asked trying not to get carried away here. But she just popped her gum and said,

“Oh yeah,” in an over exaggerated way before taking a sip of her drink. So, before I could ruin it or get poor Dante a one-way ticket down to Hell, I texted back.

‘It’s not for me! It’s for my friend, she thinks he’s hot’ was my response in hopes he hadn’t already been trying to find me a replacement.

‘Is this friend of yours suicidal?’ I laughed, and this time held my phone to my chest to stop her from grabbing it out of my hand.

“Oi, no fair!” she complained before getting up to refill our glasses. I stuck my tongue out at her and went back to replying.

‘Not suicidal but perhaps a little crazy’

‘She would have to be, Dante is dangerous’ he replied, making me roll my eyes before wondering if I shouldn’t be a little daring in my reply here? In the end I typed out my reply four times before closing my eyes and tapping send so that there was no way of going back.

‘Some women like a bad boy’ Then I swear I was on tenterhooks as I waited for his reply.

And then when it finally came, there was only one way for me to take it as it was as clear as day.

It was a warning.

A warning for me to stay away…

‘And those who do usually end up getting hurt’

19

Intimidating Inferno

‘And those that do usually end up getting hurt’ When his warning came back in answer, it spelled out a clear message and one that made my heart sink into a pit of misery. In fact, I was just typing out my goodbye text when another message came through,

‘Unless of course they’re the type of woman who can snap human bones and win in knife fights ;)’ I swear his reply nearly made me drop the phone! Was he actually saying what I thought he was saying? Or was it just a harmless bit of flirting? At first, I had no idea how to respond to that and had to take a moment to down a large gulp of wine just to steady my nerves. And he wasn’t even in the same room as me!

‘So, what you’re saying, is that some men want a woman who can kick their ass?’ was my brave and cocky reply. I swear I couldn’t keep my face straight as I waited impatiently for his reply.

“I take it by that look you’re still flirting and haven’t even got to the reason you text him?” Wendy asked, making me smirk and say,

“Pretty much.” Then I jumped again the second his reply came in.

‘More like a woman who can take a firm hand’ Now what the hell he meant by that one I didn’t know, but I blushed all the same as I knew how I personally took it.

‘Now for the real reason you messaged me’ He sent directly after and I had to say I was a little disappointed to know he no longer had time for me. But then again, I had definitely received more from him that I ever would have thought, so I couldn’t be too unhappy.

‘I asked Dante if he wanted to come inside and join us so that Wendy could talk to him, but he said he wasn’t allowed’ Even to me, once I re-read it, I realised that it sounded childish and now I was regretting it.

‘I am glad to hear that he can follow orders’ was his curt reply.

‘But I don’t see why not, he can protect us just as well from inside’ I complained sending one back quickly before I chickened out. The reply however was not the outcome I had been hoping for.

‘This isn’t a fucking dating service. He’s there to do a job!’ I sighed and let my shoulders slump, feeling as though I had been told off for being a naughty girl.

“Well, any luck?” Wendy asked, and I shook my head.

“Afraid not, sorry.”

“Oh well, I guess I will just have to go ahead and stare at the back of his fine bald head out of my peephole for the rest of the night.” I laughed at this but seconds later I couldn’t help but find myself looking down at my phone and re-reading through all the messages. It was a shame it ended on a sour note. I had been enjoying our flirty sparring.

Then, just as I was releasing another disappointed sigh, there was a knock at the door. Wendy and I both looked at it as if it was a foreign concept. Then we both launched off the sofa and ran to the door, stopping to compose ourselves just before we opened it.

“Lucius said that I was to guard you from inside,” Dante said, looking surprised himself as he was still holding his phone as though he questioned if he really had received that message or not, one that was still lit up on his phone. I stepped back and let him in and the second he did his eyes automatically went to Wendy. She blushed from the heated look Dante was giving her and looked visibly shaken by the sight of him. She even turned her back as it was obvious that she needed a minute to get herself together enough to form words. So, I decided to help her.

“Uh, welcome I guess…so would you like anything to drink, I think there is a beer in the fridge?” I asked, knowing that there was from the last time Ben had been here. He sometimes tagged along, having met Wendy a few times and fallen madly in love with her (not in a romantic way of course, on account of the gay girly friendly thing) so it wasn’t surprising that we all hung out together on a regular basis. And well, this was one night he would no doubt be gutted to have missed out, considering the sight of the man candy that just walked through the door.

“Thanks,” he said nodding and unbelievably the first words out of Wendy’s mouth were,

“Drinking on the job, that’s not very professional of you.” I shot her a look behind his back the second he turned to face her, that silently screamed ‘what the hell?!’ But then I watched as Dante gave her a deadly grin and openly looked her up and down and from the look of things, he definitely liked what he saw.

“Don’t worry sugar, I can handle it, don’t you go worrying your pretty little head over it,” Dante replied giving her a wink and then turning around to take the beer from my hand. Meanwhile, Wendy looked as if she was going to have a heart attack or at the very least, need some smelling salts as clearly, she was having palpitations.

“Uh, Emmie, a word please,” Wendy said all of a sudden in a tense tone and I followed her retreating frame into the bathroom, unable to miss the smirk Dante had, as if he knew he had knocked her for six…or shit, even twelve!

“I think we made a mistake,” she hissed, making me frown.

“What do you mean, nothing has even happened yet, other than him putting you in your place for once,” I told her, making her give me a pointed look.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea him being here that’s all,” she said, now making me wonder what was really going on. Did she know something about who he truly was? I didn’t know how she would, but maybe she just sensed something. So now I felt duty bound to push her on it hoping for her sake that she didn’t know.

“But why, I mean he seemed nice enough to me and he is here to protect us?”

“You, he is here to protect you. Me, I could be collateral damage and it wouldn’t matter.” I rolled my eyes and said,

“Come on, do you really think that big massive guy out there would let anything happen to either of us and besides, did you see the way he looked at you…man alive, it looked as though he wanted to eat you!”

“So not helping here!” she hissed.

“What, I mean it in a good way!” I hissed back.

“I don’t know…I just, well I just…”

“What Kirky? Just tell me,” I pleaded, now getting worried as I had never seen her acting this way before.

“He just scares me, okay?” she admitted and after the shock of her admission we both released a sigh.

“Look, I know he is a big guy, but trust me on this, some of the biggest guys out there are just big teddy bears at heart.” She gave me a disbelieving ‘really?’ look that said it all.

“It’s not because he is so big that scares me, or even the fact that he looks badass enough that he chews nails for breakfast,” she admitted, and I placed a hand on her arm and asked,

“Then what is it?” She took a deep breath and then whispered what I was utterly shocked to hear, especially as she had only spent five minutes with the guy and said one thing to him.

“What scares me is that I really like him…as in…really like him.”

“Oh…Oh, I see,” I said repeating myself the second her eyes told me how serious she was. Now, the thing about Kirky was that I had never known her to act like this…around anyone. She was usually the most confident person in a room. But around this guy, then I guess for the first time in her life she didn’t know how to act and that in itself scared the shit out of her. And to be quite honest, I could relate because there was only one person out there who had that type of power over me and his name was Lucius.

“Well, if that is the case, don’t you think it’s a better plan to go out there and try to make conversation instead of hiding in here for the rest of the night?”

“Uh…do I have to answer that?” Wendy said, making me laugh.

“Actually, I was thinking about calling it an early night,” she said, this time making me put a hand on my hip and say,

“Really, what, have you got school tomorrow or something?” When she gave me a questioning look, I explained,

“Kirky, it’s seven ‘o clock.” She scrunched up her face before admitting defeat.

“Okay, fine, just don’t…don’t…”

“Don’t what?” I asked in confusion.

“Embarrass me, okay?” Now this did make me laugh.

“Oh, you mean how you do to me all the time?” I questioned, surprised when she admitted.

“Yeah, just like that.” I released a sigh and said,

“Fine, I will try not act like you.”

“It’s all I ask,” she replied, giving me a hug and making me chuckle.

After this we went back out there and did what all girls did when coming back from the toilet together, acted as if we hadn’t spent the entire time talking about a guy we were now going to face. Dante nodded to me making me smile back in return, but man alive the look he then gave Kirky was one that could melt panties right off the skin. Jeez, no wonder she was all hot and bothered around him and talk about intimidating... I could totally see it now.

He smirked at her as she went past, muttering her little,

“Hey,” and in response he answered,

“Darlin’,” making her blush scarlet. I decided to get out my phone and text back to Lucius, just because I couldn’t help myself.

‘You’re right, she can’t handle a bad boy, but thanks anyway’ I said finishing it off in a way that he didn’t need to text back if he was busy or just plain didn’t want to. Of course, I felt my heart lift the second he did.

‘Not all woman can, but you’re welcome all the same’ Oh boy, was I in trouble if a single message as basic as that one could make me swoon. But it didn’t end there because of the next text I got seconds later and all it said was a playful,

‘Ps… and he is single’

I smiled to myself which in the end wasn’t as private as I thought it was as Kirky sat down next to me and said,

“There’s that look again.” So, I decided to play her at her own game and nodded to Dante who was currently sat at her little breakfast bar on one of her crown shaped stools managing to even own the space around him and not make him in anyway less manly. He had just swigged back some of his beer and his eyes strayed straight over to Kirky.

“And there’s that look again,” I whispered, nudging her arm and making her shoot me a ‘don’t you dare, you promised’ type of look in return. So, I decided to get up and refill my drink and in the process try to be sociable in the hope that Kirky might loosen up and follow by example.

“So, Dante, how long have you been working for Lucius?” I asked, hoping he didn’t forget himself and say something like the last five hundred years. I watched his lips twitch, noticing that they were large but not in a weird way, as they suited the rest of his features. But it did mean that when he smiled, he smiled big…which I kind of liked.

“Just started,” he said in that deep baritone voice of his.

“So, you’re not a qualified bodyguard then?” Wendy asked now getting in on the action and once again questioning his ability to do his job. However, Dante simply looked more amused at her comment than affronted and he rose to his full height which, in her flat, fluffy slippers (because even I managed to convince her that heels when you’re going for the ‘chillin’ in my own home look’ didn’t exactly scream comfort) meant he towered over her. Then he purposely moved in her path so she ended up taking a step back into the breakfast bar with nowhere to go. Then he leaned in close and said,

“Don’t worry, Darlin’, I can handle anyone that might walk in this room…” he said pushing off the side and giving her the space to breathe, however I didn’t then miss how when he threw his empty bottle in the bin he added to that statement.

“...or those who are already in it.” Then he winked at me after looking back over his shoulder at Wendy who looked as though she was a missed breath away from passing out.

“In truth, I owed Lucius a favour so here I am, paying that debt,” he said mainly to me as Wendy wasn’t exactly being her usual friendly self.

“Oh, well I for one am happy you’re here protecting us…aren’t you Kirky?” He smiled at me and then tilted his head a little as if wondering to himself why I called her this.

“Kirky?” I said again, more forcefully this time.

“Oh yeah, I mean you gotta get experience some way, right?” This was her nonchalant reply that could have been taken as sarcastic. But again, Dante just seemed amused by it, as if he hadn’t ever experienced this type of response from a woman before. And well, if a little curvy, blunt ice queen, with gorgeous green eyes and strawberry blonde hair was his type, then Wendy was definitely in there. In fact, it looked like an obsession was quickly building in his eyes as they kept giving away little signals that were subtle enough that Wendy couldn’t see. But I could, and let’s just say that lust was playing a big part in them whenever he looked at her.

I was just about to speak in his defense when suddenly his phone rang. He answered it with a manly,

“Yeah?” A few seconds later what followed was a knock at the front door. Wendy yelped in surprise as I gasped, but the difference between the two was that little miss ice queen suddenly decided to trust in the abilities of who she classed as ‘Bodyguard in training’. She rushed over to him and stood behind him, making him look down over his shoulder at her as if wondering to himself where she had just come from.

“Right, they just turned up,” he said making Wendy even more fearful as she grabbed onto his canvas khaki jacket as if he was her saviour. Then he ended the call and grinned down at her as if enjoying the contact. He turned side on, before taking her chin between his meaty fingers and tilting her head back before saying,

“Don’t worry sugar, it’s not the bad guys.” Then she blinked her big eyes a few times as if trying to escape from the trance she was being put in, only it was all in vain as he was still touching her. Another knock at the door was what broke their moment and it suddenly made me realise that maybe this hadn’t been such a good idea. To encourage this type of connection between a demon and a human was a recipe for disaster, considering it was breaking the rules in a huge way. But from the look of things, then I would say that Dante didn’t give a damn for rules. As it was now clear that he had his sights set on a curvy strawberry blonde bombshell.

Now, exactly how Wendy would feel about having a massive, badass scary demon as a stalker was anyone’s guess but from the look of her right now, still holding onto his jacket as if it was her lifeline, then I would reckon she could grow to live with it. Oh dear, and I had harmlessly thought this would just be a night of innocent flirting.

“Stay here, the both of you,” Dante said, now having to step away from her after first being as gentle as possible, which was surprising for such a big guy, when he peeled her fingers from his jacket. Then we watched as he walked to the door, looked out the peephole, which he had to bend a little to do, unlike Wendy as unless she was wearing heels, then she obviously struggled.

Then, because it was safe to do so, he opened the door and was handed a large suitcase by a man we couldn’t really see properly, on account of Dante being so large. After this he closed the door and carried in the case before setting it down in front of me.

“For you,” he told me, nodding down at it when I didn’t respond.

“What do you mean?” I finally asked in confusion.

“Oh, maybe Lucius found some clothes and stuff for you in your flat that wasn’t damaged,” Wendy said, looking down at it too.

“Maybe,” I muttered before getting down on my knees to open it and find out. I unzipped it and flipped the top over gasping the second I did.

“Or maybe not,” Wendy said, seeing for herself a case full of brand-new clothes all with the expensive tags on show. I looked up to Dante in question, making him hold his hands up in a defensive way, telling me,

“Don’t look at me, sugar, I’m just doing as I am told for once.” Wendy made a scoffed sound but one pointed look from Dante and she lowered her eyes submissively and I couldn’t say that I blamed her. I went back to the contents to see it was all stuff in my style and size that I would have bought if I’d had the money to do so. But, considering they were all designer then they were definitely out of my budget.

“But why…I…why would he…?” I started to stammer.

“My guess is that you needed them,” Dante said just like that and with a shrug of his shoulders went back to sitting on one of the kitchen stools like this was no biggy.

“Wow, it’s gotta be said, but the guy has great taste,” Wendy said picking up a beautiful crimson silk scarf that when worn around my neck would look like blood floating in water. Oh yeah, he had great taste I thought with a grimace knowing why he had bought that scarf, being a blood sucking Vampire after all.

“Hey look, there is all your favorite beauty products in here too and even the shoes are in your size…cool huh…okay, not so cool for some unknown reason,” Wendy said after seeing my frowning face and ending that sentence in a sarcastic tone.

“Why has he done this?” I questioned.

“Well, duh, my guess it’s because he cares,” she replied patting me on the back.

“But…but…” But nothing really as I was utterly stumped on this one. Which was why I got up and grabbed my phone, knowing there was only one person I would get my answers from.

Lucius.

‘Your suitcase arrived’ I sent him this message and I swear I stared at the phone so hard waiting for his reply that I started to get a headache.

‘I think you will find it’s your case, sweetheart’ The endearment at the end didn’t go unmissed.

‘Although it’s true I suit most things, even I have to draw the line somewhere and pink panties and stilettos are a hard limit for me’ he added in another message directly after, and my mouth dropped at the fact he was joking with me so easily. So, I couldn’t help but send one back saying,

‘That’s a shame, I bet you would have looked hot’ I said, adding a wink emoji at the end and shaking my head at myself for flirting when really, I should have been asking him why.

‘Behave, kitten, or you will make me blush’ was his shocking reply and like this, anyone could have been fooled into believing we were actually a couple. And I had to admit, I much preferred kitten to princess. So, I decided to be as forward as he was right now and follow his lead by being daring enough to tell him so.

‘I’ll take kitten over princess any day’ Then I started biting the tips of my fingers as I waited for his reply. I smiled the second I didn’t have to wait long for it.

‘Good to know’

‘You had another question for me, Sweet’ I smirked at his first text but then his second made me frown, as it was starting to look as if he knew me too well. So, it was time to be honest.

‘Why did you send me those new clothes?’ I finished typing and sent it, only to wait on tenterhooks for his equally honest reply. Because this was Lucius we were talking about…he didn’t deal in bullshit.

‘Because society today deems it necessary that we cover our nakedness in public and correct me if I am wrong, but you do still work in a public building, do you not?’ This was his sarcastic reply and I couldn’t help but laugh, even though I was pretty sure that if he’d had been here I would have just rolled my eyes at him.

‘Yes of course I do, but why did YOU buy me the clothes?’ I asked this time, making my point with the handy use of shouty CAPS. This time he must have been giving some careful thought to his answer as I didn’t receive one for at least five minutes. Enough time for Wendy to have made me a cup of tea (as evidently, we were out of wine) and a coffee for both her and Dante, who amazingly had started talking in the kitchen together.

‘Because I do as I please and what pleased me was the knowledge that you weren’t burdened with the chore’ I frowned at this as it sounded both sweet, kind and also some of it the BS I convincingly thought Lucius was beyond. But I didn’t say this, no instead I kept it lighthearted and replied with,

‘A chore…you do get that I am a girl, right? Shopping for us is never a chore but more like written into our DNA’

‘Yes Amelia, I very much ‘get’ that you’re a girl and haven’t missed the obvious fact’ was his strange response.

‘And I believe society would also dictate that the right response you are looking for when receiving a gift is, Thank You’ I laughed again and typed back,

‘Ha! Since when do you care to conform to society?’

‘Since I pay my taxes every year like a good little Vamp, instead of just eating the Taxman like I want to’ At this I nearly sprayed my tea everywhere as I laughed into my mug.

“Something funny?” Wendy asked with a smug look before saying,

“Oh yeah, it looks like you’re giving him hell over buying you a whole new wardrobe.” Of course, she had no clue that when she said this, there was a deeper meaning hidden in the Hell part of that statement and Dante had to hide his smirk under his hand as he looked at me and winked when she wasn’t looking. Because we both knew that you couldn’t ‘give’ hell to someone when they were actually created there by the Devil himself.

‘Then in that case, may I say that I am impressed by your restraint, even if I don’t agree with your decision as I personally feel he deserves to be eaten’ I replied, yet again adding another wink on the end. Then I wondered what his reaction reading that would be? Would he laugh or just smirk and shake his head like he sometimes did, with an expression that said he didn’t know what to do with me.

‘Then I might consider it the next time I get my bill…now that I have your blessing of course’

‘It’s all I ask’ was my witty response and again I wondered if he was smiling reading it?

‘Besides, then I may be moved enough to actually thank you in person’ I added, blushing at just all the ways I would actually like to thank him and none of them were with words, but all were with the use of my lips.

‘Also, good to know, funny girl’ Okay, so if I thought reading his replies had made me smile before then none of them compared to this one…I was beaming. I didn’t want this night to end because then I would have to go back to a time that this didn’t exist. This playful flirting between us that even though it was new ground, it strangely felt familiar. As if this was the real way that we should have been together, and we had finally found our place in each other’s world. Because I was pretty sure that I wasn’t the only one who felt the sexual tension sizzling between us. As it was like he said, he does what he pleases, which meant that if it pleased him to be with me then he would have surely done that by now?

So, I guess the only place this left me was firmly in the friend’s zone. And if I were honest with myself, then I would take all that I could get. I knew the smart thing would have been to save me the heartache and walk away and before these last few days then I might have been strong enough to do that. But now? Well, now I knew that it wasn’t an option for me any longer.

So, friends it was I decided, even if it was always going to be a one-sided boat and one day I would find myself drowning because of it.

I gave myself a mental shake, trying to rid myself of all the ways that this could go wrong and instead focused back on my phone, wondering what it was I could say now, when in the end he was the one that said it for me.

‘Goodnight Kitten, and you’re welcome for the clothes’ I smirked even though this clearly meant the end of our conversation. But just the fact that he had called me kitten again told me that he was at least doing so because he knew I liked it.

‘I haven’t thanked you…yet’ I replied wondering if he would read in between the lines on this one.

‘No, but you will’ Now this sounded like a promise if ever I heard one. But no, remember Emmie, this is the friend’s zone, so don’t get too carried away here. Well, that was until his next message came through,

‘Oh, and Princess…’ Okay so this might not have started out so good making me growl at back to being called princess, but then the end of the message came through and it was about as far away from the friend’s zone as you could get.

Even further than my own personal hell…

‘…I had fun picking out your underwear ;)’

20

A Fly Away Week

A week later and I would have liked to have said things were back to normal. But the truth was that Lucius had destroyed all chances at normal ever returning home to me. One of the reasons for this was that my home, now felt more like him.

But let me start from the very beginning, and this was when my first order came from Dante that Lucius thought it best if I was to stay with Wendy for a few more days just to be sure. Of course, this also meant that Dante too became a more permanent fixture. Not that Wendy complained at this, for I think she was ready to buy a manlier couch if it just meant that he could stay longer, as it was where he had been sleeping. Wendy and I had bunked together, something Dante smirked at knowing. But even if she was secretly happy about this, (about Dante staying not sharing a bed with me) she was still playing the ice queen role to its Oscar worthy performance which Dante, most of the time, just seemed amused by.

However, I hadn’t heard another word from Lucius in the time that I stayed with her and I swear my fingers had itched to text him again. But, in the end my pride won, that and the fear of rejection playing heavily on my mind, for I remembered what it had the power to do to me the first time…crush me, that was what.

Thankfully, at least I had work to contend with for I went back on Monday to find the room exactly as it was, as if nothing had happened there only forty-eight hours before. So, I resumed my earlier work before my dad had showed up with that box and my life went from mundane and regular to, as my aunty Pip would say, bat-shit crazy in a heartbeat.

But then, after everything that had happened, I had found my mind constantly going back to the box. In the end, I was glad to hear that on Tuesday night I was allowed to go back to my apartment with the hope of finding that the pictures I had taken of it were still there. Unfortunately, everything had happened so quickly that I hadn’t had the time to check before Lucius had ushered me out of the room and sent me on my way, even going as far as packing for me.

Every time I looked down at my new suitcase full of clothes I was reminded of him. I had so desperately wanted to keep just one part of me safe, but now I couldn’t even be in my own home without seeing him right there amongst all the chaos.

I quickly felt the safe cocoon I had spent years building around my life had piece by piece been peeled away. And in this I wasn’t only referring to Lucius, but the lies my father had also told me. And it all started four days ago when I had first been allowed to go back home.

I had decided to take Wendy with me, knowing that I would need that mental support just to see it again. Oh and of course, help in clearing it out and pretty much starting over again. I had decided that no matter how long it would take me I still wouldn’t use my father’s credit card to buy stuff. So, even if I had to sit on folding deck chairs and eat at a plastic table for a few months, then I would. Or so I thought I would.

“Okay, so I have to warn you, it’s bad, okay.” I said to her as Dante had already been inside to check that it was safe before leaving for good…or so I had assumed.

“It will be alright, Emmie, we will go through it together, a bit at a time,” Wendy said, holding my hand and giving it a squeeze. Then I had taken a deep breath, turned the key and opened the door. The second we had walked in my mouth fell open and Wendy whistled.

“Wow, what type of burglars were these guys, the interior decorating kind, or just Santa’s elves and if so, did they leave their card?” she said, looking around in surprise like I was. Because walking in here I had expected to find it the way it was before I had left. In fact, it was what I had been preparing myself for all day. But what I got was my original flat only better…much, much better.

“But I…I…don’t understand,” I stammered in astonishment. It had not only been cleaned, repainted, and refurnished in all top end new pieces but they had also been ones chosen with a particular mind set and this was to try and replicate what had been here originally.

“Oh my God, you even have a new kitchen and that leaky tap you keep bitching about has gone! Holy shit, even your cupboards are full of food and your fridge!” Wendy said getting excited and now going on a hunt of what else was new. Just in the kitchen alone she found all new, top of the range appliances, and a new expensive dining set in Stoneware Imperial blue that was in a country style I loved. All new cooking tools and gadgets, the best pots and pans, stunning glasses all in a matching set, along with mugs matching the plates, bowls and side dishes. Even the bloody cutlery was fancy and now divided in its own drawer instead of just being grouped together in the old milk jug I had on the side to free up drawer space.

And Kirky had been right, the cupboards had enough dry food in them to last me an apocalyptic event. Okay, that might have been a slight over exaggeration but still, it was a lot of food, which like she said, included the fridge. Hell, it was so full that most of it would no doubt go out of date before I had chance to eat it all, that was unless I had a dinner party for ten guests. But thankfully, I had a snazzy new freezer along with my fridge, both hidden away behind one of my new cupboard doors. So most of it could be stored away in there and saved for a rainy ‘I have no food in the house’ day.

But even this wasn’t the most shocking part. No, what was really shocking was the ideas that had gone into my living space and obvious thoughtfulness behind it. Because it hadn’t just been redecorated without personal thought, which even if it had been, would have still been a blessing I would have been forever grateful for.

However, it was the fact that the couch had been picked so that the material from my old couch would match because with what had survived had been made into cute scatter cushions. Even my old rug had been used to cover a new footstool in a hexagon shape. But none of this had been what I had screamed over, as I ran towards my pink Star Fleet cushion my aunty had given me, which was now sat pride of place in my new love chair by the window.

“Oh, hold the papers, Emmie, have you seen your geek shelf?” Wendy said making me look back at her to see her now outstretched arm pointing to what I hadn’t yet discovered. My head snapped back around and I gasped before covering the lower part of my face with my trembling hands.

“It’s like the holy grail, Em,” she said again as I took a few steps towards it and she was right, it was. There was everything that I had on there before, including my precious Death Star that had been made whole again. But now it also had a Millennium Falcon, Yoda's Jedi Starfighter, an X-Wing Fighter and a Tie Fighter. Even Chewie’s head was back on his body and was now stood next to a figure of Han Solo.

Then, there was my Star Trek shelf that held the most expensive models of the different ships, including the original Enterprise NCC-1701, and the Enterprise NCC-1701 D from the Next Generation. Along with the collectors’ must haves like the Klingon Bird of Prey, the USS Excelsior NCC-2000 from the original movies that Lieutenant Sulu lusted after before one day becoming its captain. There were also other pieces that had been on my Christmas list in like, forever, which were now sitting on my shelf. Some of which were the Borg Cube, a Deep Space Nine Space station along with a USS Defiant. Then there was also a Romulan Warbird, known as the badass evil version of Vulcans. Even my precious signed posters of Spock were there on the wall, taking pride of place.

“Seriously, what did they do, rob a comic book store or just drag the biggest geek off the street that they could find and basically look inside his brain?” Wendy asked, as she was right, it was every science fiction geek’s wet dream. There were a few other favorites of mine dotted around, like the Alien vs Predator figures, or the Terminator head, but most of which were my clear favorites on their own shelf.

“Wow, you wanna check out your bedroom!” Wendy suddenly shouted only now making me realise that she had gone exploring. I followed in her footsteps and found that the shock just kept on coming.

“Okay, so now its official, I want to marry your boyfriend,” she said making me jerk my head to the side to look at her.

“Wait, you think he did this?!” She started laughing and then stopped, saying,

“Oh, you’re seriously asking me that…well yeah, I mean, duh, who else would?” I frowned wondering if she was right and this wasn’t all just down to my dad after all. I mean he had been the most logical choice considering he knew my likes and dislikes. But then again, spending twenty minutes in here even when it was wrecked would have told you what my hobbies and passions were.

“I thought it might have been my dad but now you mention it, maybe it was Lucius.”

“Well, kinda makes sense seeing as he was the one to set up you coming to stay with me and with Captain Inferno as your bodyguard but also packing you a bag full of brand-new clothes…” Then she looked round and opened the closet that was now full of new clothes too, making me gasp.

“Seems highly likely don’t you think?” she said sarcastically seeing as all evidence was pointing towards it being Lucius. I couldn’t help but slump down on the bed, whilst running my fingers along my new handmade comforter at the end of my bed that actually brought a tear to my eye. It had been made out of all the collection of funny t shirts I had been given over the years and where Lucius had watched me trying in vain to hold the two pieces together he could obviously tell that this stuff had meant a lot to me.

“Oh, honey,” Wendy had said when seeing me getting upset and she sat down next to me so that she could comfort me with an arm around my shoulder.

“I just don’t understand why…why would he do all this for me?” I asked in a small voice that felt as though it had echoed off my fragile soul.

“I think that’s obvious, Emmie,” she replied in a soft voice.

But that was the problem I was having. It wasn’t obvious. Because this was Lucius we were talking about here, which meant obvious would have been him taking me in his arms and telling me that he wanted me. It would have been him staying in London and being in my flat right now to show all of this to me himself. But instead, he had gone back to Germany with his new puzzle box in hand and he’d done so without me seeing him again before he left. There had been no more funny, flirty messages between us and no more hints at seeing each other again in the future.

So, needless to say, I really didn’t know what or how to feel about this overwhelmingly grand gesture. Only that I wanted to run into his arms and kiss him, telling him how much I appreciated everything that he had done in saving not only my life but also everything in my little world. But then the other half of me wanted to get on a plane, fly to Germany and demand he explain himself. Explain what was going on and why would he ever go to such lengths for securing my happiness and wellbeing. Unless, of course, it was the biggest question of all and the most heartbreaking,

What if it wasn’t for me at all…

What if it had all been for my mother?

To say that this question plagued me would have been a huge understatement as the rest of the night I couldn’t sleep. I would just have dreams of Lucius standing watch over me and hushing me back to sleep with a gentle touch to my face, before covering me with a blanket from fear that I would be too cold. It was a sweet and tender side to Lucius I had never yet seen in real life and to be honest I wasn’t sure it was one he possessed. But in my dreams, he was as tender and gentle as he was hard and stern.

He was like he had once referred to himself… my Puppet Master. And this was no more so than in my dreams where I was powerless to stop him. I was his willing servant to obey his every command, never stopping once to ask myself why. Why he controlled my dreams the way he did. Not that he would have any idea that he consumed these thoughts of mine and rendered me his willing slave in all of them. I would find myself sometimes even going to bed early just in the hope of having another one. Because in them, I don’t know, but it was like the only time that I could be free. To let myself be taken care of by someone I could trust with my life and my every decision to be made with my best interests and wellbeing in mind.

But at the very top of all these reasons there was only one constant and a truth that remained no matter what the dream world held for me.

In every single one of them…

He loved me.

Not surprisingly on that first night, I’d woken up and found myself sat at my window, first seeing my reflection in the night sky until seeing myself just slowly fading away in the morning light. I had my phone nestled in my lap just in case, as I found myself doing every night since that first message. I had obsessively re-read every single one trying to painstakingly decipher each of their hidden meanings and in the end finding myself with more questions than answers and almost all of them ended or started with why?

Of course, this confusion didn’t help when I opened my door the next morning before leaving for work to find I had a housewarming gift. I had no idea who had put it there for him as I had it on good authority that he had left for Germany. Which made me ask myself what the person he’d had deliver it must have thought? Well, it was clear he wouldn’t have given a damn what was thought of him because there I was, now staring at a box of my favorite cereal with a blood red bow tied around it.

I picked it up and read the card, unable to help myself from grinning like an idiot the second I read it.

You’re welcome

Lucius

Now, if I thought my week couldn’t have gotten any weirder then I would have been wrong. Oh, so wrong in fact, as the first thing to happen had been much later that day, when I had arrived back home to find extra security cameras being installed in the building. I had thought at first that Lucius might have forced the hand of the landlord who owned the building, as there were only a few flats that had been bought, like mine and Ben’s. I had thought this was weird at first and only knew it because of overhearing some people arguing about rent and it being cheap for a reason.

Well, this time I was overhearing a strange conversation and it was between the two men that were installing the new security. They had been talking about being paid double time for getting this stuff installed today as the owner wanted them focused mainly on the front door and on my floor.

Now, this would have been a logical reason if Lucius had made this request to the owner, but then how would that have accounted for what I heard the next day. The day which finally ended up solving a few puzzles, one of which had been Lucius’ strange comments about the building. Ones mentioning that ‘he had been right, she hadn’t been as independent as she first thought’.

I had just been about to leave for work yet again when I forgot my phone on the counter, so left my door slightly ajar, meaning that when I went to open it, I heard a voice coming from the staircase below. Now, I wouldn’t have normally stopped to eavesdrop, but the second I heard that respectful greeting I had grown up hearing, well then, I froze.

“My Lord.”

As quietly as I could I opened the door a little more and placed my ear to the open gap to listen.

“I can assure you, my Lord, that I have been keeping my eye on her as we all have, but as was agreed years ago, this was only when she was to be in the building and that day she was not.” I sucked in a sharp breath and found myself slamming the door before I heard more because I didn’t need to. It was clear that my father had been spying on me ever since I moved in here and doing so without telling me!

I was outraged!

So, when I went to work that morning and one of my spying neighbors was still on the phone to my dad, the second he saw me he made a shitty job of pretending that he was on to his friend talking of all things, about the weather.

“Yeah, lovely weather we have been having uh… dude.” Well, it was the only opportunity he would ever have to call my father ‘dude’ that was for damn sure. Especially after he was going to be out of a job as my dad’s personal spy in about three seconds, because I couldn’t help myself as when I walked past I said,

“Say hi to my dad for me, as I most certainly won’t be speaking to him for a while.” Then, just as I grabbed the front door to open it, I turned, seeing now that he had his mouth open in shock and looked as though he was trying desperately for something to say to salvage this. Something that he soon discovered was pointless the second I said,

“Oh, and it’s raining out, genius.” Then I let the door swing shut and by the time I got to my bus stop my phone was ringing. I looked down at the screen knowing whose name I would see flashing up. I answered it only the once, vowing not to do so again.

“Save it, dad, because I don’t want to hear it this time.” Then I cut him off just as he was saying my name. After this, I turned off my phone, something I hadn’t ever done before and definitely not now in case it was Lucius texting me. But this time I just didn’t care.

I was seething.

So much so that it was lunch time and I still hadn’t turned it back on, something I was trying really hard not to feel guilty about. But damn it, I was a grown woman and all this time he had been watching me as if I had been a bloody teenager he didn’t trust. And where had it gotten him? I had still been attacked and my flat had still been broken into.

But then I started to notice something just as I was in the queue to grab a subway when it looked as though someone was watching me. This, of course, didn’t look good for me considering what had been happening in the past week, so it went without saying that I freaked. But then freaking out on the inside and trying to seem calm on the outside were two different things. Because, although I could handle myself against an attacker, that advantage I might have once held over an enemy that was a little thing called ‘assumption’ was now long gone. So, for all I knew, the two watching me across the way could have been carrying guns.

“Salad?” The person behind the counter asked me and I nodded telling them what I wanted but still trying to keep a watchful eye over my shoulder. But then, by the time I had been handed my bag, I still didn’t know what to do. I would have eaten inside but it was too busy and all the tables were taken, which meant that they would know that I was on to them if I stayed inside much longer.

So, I decided that I had no choice but to try and make it back to the museum without them catching up to me, as at least there I had the security team to fall back on. This was when I put the meatball sub in my bag and waited for the right moment which was when a group of lads all left at once. I used this to my advantage, trying to use them to shield myself. It worked quite well until I looked back at them and saw that the tallest of the two recognized me and nudged the other guy before nodding back at me. Oh yeah, I was their target alright and this was when I started to really move it.

I weaved in and out of the busy street full of people, but it was when I got stuck behind some Chinese tourists that I really started to panic as this gave them a chance to gain on me. In the end I shouted a sorry and barged my way through just before I decided to start running. Now, seeing a woman in panic running down a street you would have thought was cause for some alarm. But seeing someone running in London was like watching someone running for their flight in an airport. It was one of the busiest cities in the world and a day didn’t go by when you didn’t see at least one person running to catch a bus, taxi or underground tube.

However, the hardest thing about running around the city wasn’t just trying to get through the mass of people but the busy traffic. So, just as I ran past a Hilton hotel called the Double Tree I knew that I would need to cross over and the second I saw the lights turning red on the pedestrian crossing, I legged it. I continued along that straight road, passing a small park and looking back in time to see them both getting caught up by the same road. Finally, this at least gave me enough time I needed to make it to the museum as it was just continuing straight, and I would be there at the gates.

I was going to make it…

Or so I thought.

That was if a massive van hadn’t shown up and stopped directly in my path. The doors then swung open and I quickly found myself being grabbed from behind. I was about to cause a massive ruckus so that people would notice that a woman was being kidnapped in the middle of the street.

But this didn’t happen.

And another thing that didn’t happen was the second I made a break to get away, the move was counter blocked to prevent me from escaping. I then noticed that four big guys all closed in around me and there was suddenly a man at my back who had covered my mouth to capture my screams for help. They did this of course so that no one could see the woman at the center who was currently trying to fight for her life. They had created a barrier of flesh around me so that no one would see anything but a group of guys all stood around a van.

Then, I was picked off my feet as I found myself in a bear hug by someone immensely strong meaning I had no hope of trying to escape. Which was when the side door was slid back and I found myself gasping in panic as I found the darkness inside coming closer and closer.

I couldn’t believe that after everything I had gone through the last five days that this was how it was all going to end!

I felt so stupid! So helpless and totally moronic knowing now that I should never have switched off my phone. That way then either Lucius or my father may have been able to track me.

And I knew that once I was inside that thing, then the chances of me getting back out of it again were slim to none. Especially when I was put in the van and the first face I saw was one I knew.

Mr Inferno…

Dante.

21

Spy me a River

The second the van door slid shut Dante released a frustrated sigh behind me and then warned,

“Now, I am going to let you go, so please don’t try anything that would only end up getting me killed.” I frowned wondering what he meant by this.

“You gonna be good, yeah?” he confirmed making me nod considering my lips were still covered by his big beefy hand. Then he released me, and I quickly scrambled to the bench seat opposite. I realised now that we were the only two in the back of what looked like a surveillance van, as there were screens and computers framing either side.

“Wwwhat’s going on?” I asked wide-eyed looking from him to the screens, one of which showed the front door of my flat and another of the front of my building.

“I’m sorry, sugar, but I am not the one who can answer that,” Dante said before his phone started to ring. I watched as he answered it and said,

“Yeah, we got your wildcat.” I didn’t know whether to be insulted or class it as a compliment. Then he passed me the phone and when I didn’t automatically take it, he nodded reassuringly down at it in his hand. So, I took it and put it to my ear where my shock became complete.

“I thought I told you to stay out of trouble.”

It was Lucius.

“Lucius?! What the Hell, you had me kidnapped!?” I shouted making him growl back at me.

“You are free to go, Sweet not my fucking prisoner, although it would be a lot fucking simpler if you were, then you might do as you’re told for once,” he snapped, sarcastically.

“Then why have men following me and then Dante grab me?” I shouted before the truth of my situation came to light, and it did this in the form of one pissed off Vampire telling me so.

“Because those two men following you weren’t my men and Dante and his men got to you before they did!”

“Oh…Oh!” I said first in a deflated tone, before then realizing what he meant.

“You had me saved…again?” I asked, making Lucius sigh as if this was all very frustrating.

“It would seem that way wouldn’t it?” he replied, once again being sarcastic.

“But why are they still after me if they know that you have the box?” I asked, confused.

“I thought that was one question you could answer,” he told me in a sceptical tone as if I was keeping something from him.

“I don’t know!” I defended, but then even after I said it I was doubting myself because I was starting to replay my actions over the last five days.

“Don’t you?” Lucius asked in a sarcastic tone, as if he could hear for himself my thoughts playing out on rewind. Which was when an idea came to my mind.

“Do we know when they trashed my flat?” I asked him.

“They somehow managed to tamper with the surveillance footage in your building, so we don’t know who they are but a vehicle we suspect they were driving was seen near there at twelve forty.”

“Which means they trashed my flat after the attack,” I mused aloud before asking,

“You said there were men that you heard asking about me, acting as a diversion…what happened to them?”

“Are you asking me if I killed them, Sweet” he asked in that controlling way that meant he was acting calmer than what he felt. Don’t ask me how I knew this, I just did.

“Yes Lucius, that’s what I am asking,” I snapped, and I swear I could almost see his grin for myself.

“No, I left them both unconscious in a cleaning closet, one more broken than the other, which is how I found out what they had planned for you,” he told me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he must have been feeling in that moment when he raced to my aid. How he must have thought when opening the door and seeing me about to get shot. Did he panic?

“And were they both still in there after the attack?” His growl told me what his words only confirmed,

“No, my men only found one, who we still have in our custody.”

“So, it is possible that he told whoever he worked for that you now had possession of the box,” I said, talking aloud.

“If not obvious, yes,” Lucius replied in such a way that I would have rolled my eyes if I hadn’t been currently too occupied freaking out.

“Meaning that they went to my flat after it,” I muttered which was when it hit me why. Unfortunately, it was too late as I had already led Lucius to the same line of questioning.

“Which leaves the biggest question of all…why would they do that, Amelia?” he asked in such a way as if he knew I was keeping something from him and of course I was. Because there was only one reason why they would have broken in…

I still had something they wanted.

“I don’t know,” I said, making Lucius growl his displeasure…he knew I was lying. I knew then when he issued me a warning,

“Don’t lie to me, Sweet, you won’t like where it gets you.” This was when I hit my limit on being threatened. So, like any normal person insane enough to piss off a Vampire, I bit back.

“Well, lucky for me you’re in Germany aren’t you, so unless you’re going to ask Dante to spank me for being a naughty girl, then I really don’t see what you can do about it!” I snapped back and if I thought he was pissed off before then, now I knew I’d just made him enraged. I heard his roar of anger and then the sound of something smashing in the background along with a few shocked and startled screams.

Needless to say, this made me quickly hang up the phone and hand it back to Dante as if it was a bomb about to go off.

“Uh, not a wise move that, Darlin’,” Dante said in an unsure voice. But what’s done was done and there was no going back. Now, if someone told me that the first time I would speak to Lucius, after all he’d done for me in my flat, was going to be an argument, then I would have been shocked. But right now, all I wanted to do was go home and look at the reason they had broken into my flat.

“What sign is on the side of this van?” I asked making Dante frown before answering me.

“Telecommunications, why?” So, it wasn’t a plumbing company like the other had been.

“Has it always been that?”

“Why are you asking these types of questions?” he asked me, folding his arms across his chest and it looked like a mighty feat with them being so big.

“Has it?” I pushed before letting him know anything.

“Yes, in a city based on the backbone of its global communications then trust me, no one blinks an eye when they see this van,” he told me, sounding proud and I smirked guessing something about him.

“This is your business isn’t it, you’re a spy for sale?” His lips twitched in what looked like amusement and respect before he answered,

“Among other things.”

“You mean like kicking ass, beating men to a pulp and doing all of this in their sleep, those type of things?” I asked with a raised brow, being the one to now cross my own arms.

“Clever little Daddy’s girl,” he mocked, making me shrug my shoulders even if the comment pissed me off.

“Let’s just say that I have a unique skill set and leave it at that,” he told me.

“And the fact you’re a Vampire,” I added on a guess and making him frown before saying,

“Fuck no, I am pure breed first hierarchy Drude!” he declared, proudly. I gave him an impressed look as they were pretty rare and also more powerful regardless of being turned into a Vamp. But then, if this was the case, what was this guy doing topside? Well, there was one thing for sure, there was definitely no way I was letting him near my friend again, as Lucius had been right, this guy was beyond dangerous.

“So, you’re a Royal then?” I asked knowing that I was close to pushing my luck.

“Careful, Sugar, you speak of things you don’t understand.” Yep, definitely pushing my luck.

“Fair enough,” I said with a respectful head nod, especially now I knew who I was dealing with.

“Can you take me home, please?” I asked, knowing there was no way I was finishing out my work day now.

“Sure,” he said before banging a hand on the cab side of the van that was enclosed, and shouted,

“Back to the apartment!”

“So, just how long have you been watching me then?” I asked needing to know if it was what I expected. Had my dad put Lucius up to protecting me all this time?

“I am afraid that’s my client’s private business and therefore I am not at liberty to say.”

“Spoken like a true businessman,” I replied with a coy grin and gaining a respectful head nod for it.

“And just how long has Lucius been your client for?” I asked in my best innocent ‘trust me I am just a girl’ voice. But damn him the smirk he gave me told me he saw right through it.

“I wouldn’t give a very good service if I went and gave the person I have been asked to spy on information like that now, would I?”

“No, but you are a spy, so it wouldn’t be like it’s not expected…after all, isn’t spilling secrets kinda like what you do for a living?” I teased, thankfully making him laugh and not get offended.

“Nice try, Darlin’, but no cigar, besides, that boyfriend of yours isn’t someone I wanna mess with any time soon, if ya get me.” I frowned and then argued,

“He isn’t my boyfriend.” At this he chuckled once and then said,

“Oh okay, if you say so.” I crossed my arms again and asked,

“And just what is that supposed to mean?”

“Only this, why don’t you ask yourself why it is I am still here, under his orders, not just my usual men,” he said, making me now think about the depth of his words.

“You don’t normally do this yourself?”

“Bingo! Now that’s the right type of question to ask.”

“Then why are you here?” I asked as he had led me to and making sure to put enough emphasis on the ‘you’ part of that question.

“Because, Sugar, I am the best and for you, he wanted the best, plain and simple,” he said, shocking me to silence.

“There you go, you just let that sink in there and then tell me that he ain’t your boyfriend.” To this I had no come back as I could see now why he would think the way he did. Hell, anyone would, but he didn’t know our past and therefore didn’t know Lucius’ hidden reasons for acting the way he did. I mean, even I didn’t fully understand them myself, but I just knew that deep down it had something to do with a promise he might have made to my mother. One that was perhaps to keep me safe.

I hated this idea and to say that it left a sour taste in my mouth was an understatement. But what could I do about it? Because any other reason to focus on and it would just stupidly give me hope and that was even more dangerous than anything else right now.

I was so lost in my own thoughts I hadn’t realised Dante was now on the phone and we were soon pulling up outside my flat.

“Yeah, it’s all good, we just arrived and one of my guys is coming out now, giving me the all clear,” Dante said holding another hand to his free ear as if he could hear ‘his guy’ saying this. It was also obvious that he was talking to Lucius and I wondered if he had calmed down yet?

“No, I will tell her now,” Dante replied to him, making me wonder what it was he wanted me to know this time. I tried not to let myself get carried away, as it wasn’t like I expected to hear a sorry for being a dick on the phone, as come on, this was Lucius we were talking about.

The sliding door opened, and I shuffled along the middle aisle of the van in between all the expensive looking tech. Dante got out first and after giving the sidewalk a once over, he reached out to hold my hand as I jumped down. I could see now it was a pretty big van, much bigger than the one that had been parked across the street. But then again, in the midst of my blind panic, it was easy to mistake it for being the same.

“Thanks,” I said once I was out and steady on my feet.

“What does Lucius want to tell me?” I asked as I took my handbag off him wondering if my meatball sub had survived? Dante smirked down at me and said,

“He wanted me to tell you…” Dante paused mid-sentence and then after listening for a few seconds told me,

“To turn on your fucking phone.”

22

Floorboard Secrets

The second I got inside my heart was yet again pounding and it was doing it for the usual reason…

Lucius.

So, I put down my bag, fished out my now cold sub and my switched off lifeless phone and sat down at my new kitchen island that, like Kirky’s, had stools tucked underneath. Then I plated up my sub deciding to eat it cold as I switched on my phone wondering what I was going to find. I found about twenty missed calls from my dad and about another ten from my mum. Even ones from my aunties, but I ignored everything other than the one message I knew would be waiting for me.

The one from Lucius.

And it was shocking! So shocking that it took me a few times to read it just to make sure it actually said what I thought it said.

‘Word of warning, Princess, you ever refer to another man spanking you again and next time I will break someone’s bones instead of my dining table…are we clear?’ Uhh…I would say that was a big fat ‘no’ on how clear that statement was! Which was why I sent back this reply,

‘Are you insane?’ I couldn’t help myself because if he wasn’t then it most certainly meant that I was.

‘Push me again, sweetheart, and you will soon find out’

“He is insane,” I said after taking a big bite of my sub and talking with my mouth full. This was when I decided that enough was enough and come out and say how I felt, first starting with what I thought was a very important question,

‘Are you bipolar?’ and I swear this wasn’t a joke, seeing as it would make a bit of sense, considering his mood seemed to change like the British weather. This question must have had him stumped because it took him longer to reply. Well, it was that or he was too busy playing at being Master of his universe.

‘I don’t know, can someone annoy you enough to turn you bipolar?’ This was his sarcastic reply and I couldn’t help but laugh. It had to be said, he was pretty funny when he wanted to be.

‘Nope, I don’t think so. Why, do you have another pesky stalker girlfriend on your tail again?’ This was what I typed out first but then thought better of it and deleted it before just going with the safer,

‘Nope, not unless she’s the coolest nerd in the world with an awesome new Sci-fi collection and has super powers that include turning people crazy…know anyone like that?’ Then I tapped on send before I could change my mind. Another two bites later and I had my reply.

‘Only one equally cute and annoying person comes to mind that makes my palm twitch in preparation.’ I burst out laughing at this and nearly ended up painting my counter with bits of food. Thankfully, I swallowed, then grabbed a soda out of the fridge as I typed my reply,

‘You should get that looked at, it sounds like a medical condition’ Then I sent it and instantly thought of something else to say, so quickly asked,

‘Say, do Vampires ever get man flu?’ Then I giggled to myself as I waited for his reply.

‘No, but if we did, we wouldn’t bitch about it like human males do, perhaps like ones named Peter who no doubt would.’ Okay, now this was a shocking response as I hadn’t heard him mention Peter before now and wondered if this was because it had been reported to him that I had been seen chatting to him on the phone the other day when he had called me? It was on my lunch break when I just managed to nip out and grab something at the cafe and now knowing that Dante was still out there watching me, then he most likely had relayed this information to Lucius. It would make sense as to why he was mentioning his name now. Making me wonder what would happen when I did meet up with him again? Would Lucius intervene in some way?

I decided to pull Lucius up on this and my next message was to use his own words against him,

‘You know you sound a little jealous there…but surely the mighty Vampire King would have no reason to be, not for a cute yet annoying spoilt princess we shall not name?’ Then after this one I waited with bated breath until my reply, wondering what he could possibly have to say about this.

It was disappointing.

‘Tell me about this van that has been watching you’ I frowned the second I read it, knowing now that he must have asked Dante what I had talked to him about on the way home. Wow, talk about obsessive behaviour.

‘Well, surely you should know all about that shouldn’t you, as there seems to be a club I don’t know about…tell me, do you guys all get together for a monthly meeting and compare notes?’ I sent back hoping he could gauge the pissed off tone of the text I was going for.

‘Enough fooling around now, Amelia, and answer my question’ Lucius’ demand rang through loud and clear, so much so that I took a deep breath and placed my phone down on the counter just staring at it. Then I pushed the rest of my food away, no longer hungry. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I had made some good points, whether the tone of them could have been taken for the humorous kind or not, it didn’t matter because there was truth at their core.

‘I am still waiting’ was another text I received, and I swallowed hard, pushing it further away as if this would help. Then I got up and leant back against my kitchen countertop, holding myself around my waist and staring at the breakfast bar as if any minute now it would start screaming at me.

How did this happen? How did I manage to lose control of my life so quickly? It vibrated again making me jump and before I even read it, I sent one back and said,

‘Why not ask my father, you both seem to know more about my life than even I do!’ Then I sent one more, vowing it to be my last, once more ignoring all his demands, caring little for my name shouting at me in capital letters.

It simply said…

‘Goodbye, Lucius.’

Then, after sending all my contact numbers I had stored to my email address, I walked into my bathroom, opened up the toilet lid and dropped my phone in the bowl before giving it a flush for good measure. Then I walked into my bedroom, hooked up the loose floorboards and fished out the reason they had come into my flat and trashed the place.

Because they had been watching me that night and must have seen me taking pictures of the box through the window. And now they were the next best thing to cracking it, seeing as Lucius now had the box in his possession. And what had I stupidly done for them: left my purse with my keys inside, right in the open for them to take. In a place where all eyes had been on me and not at the end of the room where I had left them, easy for the picking.

Gods, but it would have been like child’s play getting in here, that was once they had figured a way to cut the feed on the security. I wondered then why they didn’t just get the box when we were still at the gala…unless they got interrupted?

“Oh, Gods no!” I shouted suddenly, stuffing the printouts back in their safe place, one they obviously hadn’t found the first time round and then I scrambled to my feet and ran towards my front door. I wrenched it open and across the hall to Ben’s, grabbing my keys as I went.

I had received only a single text off of him since that night, telling me that he had gone out of town and would let me know when he would be back. I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, as this wasn’t unusual for him but now, well, what if he had been the one to catch them about to break in. What if they had to deal with him first and then ran out of time? They could easily have taken his phone and sent me that message pretending to be him.

Oh Gods, but if anything had happened to him then I would never forgive myself!

I found his spare key on my set that we had swapped in case of emergencies. In the end it took me three attempts to get the key in place as my hands were shaking so much. I swear the multicolored patterns he had painted on it even started to swirl around, I was feeling that light headed in the height of my panic. Finally, I unlocked the door and after taking a deep breath, I walked inside.

“Oh Hell…” I muttered covering half my face with my bent arm as the putrid smell wafted up my nostrils and stuck there. It hit me in a wave so strong I had to take a step back, almost staggering and struggling to stay on my feet. But I had to move, as I had to be sure if the smell was what I thought it was. I could feel myself sweating and my lip quivering in fear under my sleeve. My breathing became laboured and half of me wanted to turn around, slam the door and run out of the building to try and scream for help.

To scream for Dante.

But I couldn’t do that. Not yet. Because Ben was my friend and therefore, he was my responsibility…dead or alive. Of course, in my heart I wanted so badly for him to be okay and the second I found where that rotting smell was coming from, to just find it to be some dead animal or something that accidently got trapped and died in here. Just anything other than what I feared the most.

So, I carried on, stepping carefully into his space and flinching whenever the bare wooden floor would creak. I remember helping him when ripping up the carpet, as he said he wanted it to be as natural a space as it could be. As he only wanted his art work to shine through against the bare walls and floor. Of course, that had been years ago and, as I now took careful steps, watching my feet so as not to knock anything over in case this was in fact a crime scene, then I now noticed even this had his artwork stamped all over it. Splats of paint in big clumps surrounded by tiny droplets were obviously where he had moved one wet painting after another. There were even lines made up of what looked like fine blue dust where he had obviously been using spray cans and not covered the floor properly.

I used to tease him about the mess but he would just shrug it off and call it ‘it’s what living in the mind of a creative genius looks like’. Now, as I took in the messy New York loft style he had going on, then I couldn’t help the tears that were flooding my eyes.

Even the sight of those old coffee jars filled with mud coloured water each holding a number of brushes had me tearing my eyes away for they were too painful. I remember my mum having a window sill full of them, reminding me at the time of an artist’s natural bouquet, with flowerless dead stems sticking out of a pot where the brushes sat.

Then the morbid thought flashed before my eyes, wondering how many flowers would soon fill this room when all his friends and family knew that he was gone. And all because he opened the door to see me and no doubt ask me about my night.

No! Stop it, just stop it! You don’t know…

“You don’t know…you…don’t…know”. I ended up whispering this to myself all the way up to the bathroom where the smell was at its worst. Then I reached for the door knob and my hand froze. What was that sound? I swear I could hear something inside. Something like a gurgling, sloppy sound as if someone was slurping or lapping up something on the floor. Could it be possible that a dog or some wild animal had really gotten inside? Maybe a cat was currently finishing the meal it had just made out of some unsuspecting bird or something?

But then surely something like that couldn’t account for the smell. I even started to create any excuse, like his toilet might be blocked up or worst, flooding out all over his floor. But then where was the water, wouldn’t it have been coming from underneath the door?

I would have chosen any of these for what I knew deep down had really happened. Because, I may not have been an expert and I might have not known the smell of a rotting body when behind a closed door, but there was one thing I definitely knew the smell of and that was…I knew the smell of blood.

Lots and lots of blood.

So, I finally turned the door knob, knowing that I couldn’t put it off any longer. And in doing so I finally let go of my tears, freeing them to finally overflow, as I knew now that there was no going back from this point. There would forever be whatever image lay behind this door imprinted on my brain. Now, all that was left was to see what image that was and pray to every God I knew existed, that it wasn’t that of my friend lying dead in a bath like I suspected.

So, I closed my eyes and whispered,

“Please.” Before then opening the door and gasping the second I saw it,

A room of death.

And who was at the centre of it all…

But Ben.

23

Death Screams like a Girl

I screamed!

I screamed the way anyone would when faced with so much death.

However, I wasn’t the only one.

Ben started screaming the second he saw me, and we were both locked in some kind of screaming match, seeing who could make the most horrific sound the longest.

“Oh shit!” Ben finally said as I just continued to scream the second I saw what he was doing. My friend, my once kind and innocent little artist friend who I’d spent time with, watched movies with and cooked my pasta bake for with homemade garlic tear and share…I had fucking eaten a meal with this guy and now I find out he is a bloody zombie!

I watched in pure disgust as the bloody forearm he had been chewing on slipped from his decaying fingers just before his bloody lips said,

“This isn’t what it looks like.” At this I seemed frozen to the spot and asked myself if I was some extra in a dark comedy horror movie I didn’t know about, because all I wanted to do was cock my hip and say, ‘Oh no, because it looked like you’d massacred a couple of people, chopped them up into small manageable pieces before you had yourself an all you can eat human buffet!’ But instead I went with my instincts and just started freaking out the good old-fashioned way.

“Oh, my Gods…Oh my Gods, no! Oh my…Fuck!” I screamed, backing away to try and get away from him, but doing so in a way that I thought he might pounce.

“No! Oh Gods, Emmie it’s not what it looks like! Emmie please!” He started shouting after me, but I ran from the bathroom and back into the living space. Then I looked over my shoulder to check that he wasn’t following me and the second I took my eyes off where I was going, I barreled straight into someone.

“Dante!” I shouted, throwing myself into his arms, knowing that he would keep me safe now. Safe from the monster that I had once thought of as my friend. Because I had seen demons, hundreds of them over my time, but nothing could have ever prepared me for the horrors that lay hidden inside that room.

That room of death, decay and for Ben, what had looked disgustingly like a…a feast.

I would have liked to have believed that zombies weren’t real and as far as I knew I had never heard of demons that looked and acted like a zombie, so for all I knew Ben could have been the first. This sent my mind into a panicked overload asking myself everything from, secret government experiments to infected diseased monkeys that were going around biting people!

Was Ben infected? Could he infect others? Was there a cure for such a creature?

“Alright, darlin, it’s okay, you’re safe now. Just calm that little human heart for me, yeah.” Dante said in that soothing voice of his. But then I heard Ben emerging from the bathroom and the second I looked over my shoulder at him, covered in blood and still with a piece of dead flesh hanging from his cheek, I screamed again.

“For fuck sake, shifter, you’re gonna give her a fucking heart attack!” Dante shouted at him and I frowned before looking up at him, asking myself what the hell was going on here?

Did he just say a shifter? But far worse than that, Dante knew him, knew all along what lived opposite me?! Knew that any minute he could have just unlocked my door and helped himself to a midnight snack…say, on my freakin’ leg!

“No…No, no, no, it can’t be…it…let me go!” I screamed again as I tried to fight my way from Dante’s arms, because now it was clear that Dante knew not only who Ben was, but more importantly what he was.

“Calm down, fuck, calm down now okay, we won’t hurt you, we just want to…”

“NO! LET ME GO!” I roared up in his face as his arms tightened around me. Then he looked down at me with a regret before he said,

“Very well, but remember, Princess, you left me no choice.” I paused in his hold wondering what he meant by that and now asking myself what choice he spoke of that I had taken from him. Well, I was soon to find out as he suddenly placed his large hand over my eyes and the second he spoke my entire body froze.

I was suddenly plunged backwards as his hand pushed on my forehead and I heard him quickly whisper,

“Take a breath.”

I did as he said and just before I landed painfully with my back on the floor, I crashed through water. I felt my whole body floating backwards so slowly that when I opened my eyes I saw a world of nothing all around me. Then, as I continued to fall with my feet rooted to the spot, it felt as though the whole world was tipping on its axis, meaning that my feet were soon above me. I was suspended there, totally losing all sense of direction as to what was up and what was down. I took a careful step forward and the second I did the world flipped and I was suddenly upright again. It was as though I had been forced into a different dimension or was it worse…was this the realm of nightmares?

I had heard it being rumoured that such a place existed but seeing that most people who woke from a Drude’s touch didn’t remember a thing afterwards, then there was never any proof. Drudes never confirmed or denied such a place so again, it simply became a rumour. One that I had to wonder how it even started, for surely there was at least one person to have remembered or how would such a place even begin to exist if only in people’s imagination?

So, the question remained, was this the secret to the Drudes’ power and if so, just how many people over the years had they left down here in this abyss to feed from. Was this where all the people in comas were trapped?

For some reason, I knew that even having these questions was unheard of in a place like this, for the lack of conscious thoughts down here were no doubt the reason no one ever remembered. But questioning why, how and where was the very root of conscious thought, so what did that make me down here then?

Suddenly a small white light shone and the second I saw it a voice from all around me started to speak in soft and hushed tones.

“Follow the rabbit down the hole, darlin’…deep…deep down she goes…follow her down…” From the very first moment he started speaking, my world became dominated by that single voice. As though I needed to obey it at all costs. I saw the small light in front of me where, surprisingly, a small white rabbit started to glow. Then it started to hop away, meaning that if I didn’t chase it I would be left standing in the dark. I looked around for a brief second and saw that it was so black that it could have been a brick wall surrounding me or an eternal abyss of dead space. I just didn’t know but I was too scared to find out, so I took a step towards the rabbit and then another.

That’s when I heard his voice once more, echoing around me.

“Follow her and she will take care of you…deep down there…you see her, she needs you to follow or you will be lost…that’s it…keep going…” and I did. I continued to follow her like he said and then once I finished running I saw her sat at the edge of a large hole looking down. I started to question what she was waiting for when the voice spoke again and told me.

“Go on, she is waiting for you…that’s it…just a little more…” I frowned thinking that I didn’t want this. I didn’t like the look of that hole, with its broken and cracked stone wall only two bricks high. It looked like a broken old well or something. But more importantly, what exactly was down there?

No, I wanted out of this place! I didn’t want to go down there, not now or not ever. Why had I been forced here to begin with? I couldn’t remember. No, I didn’t want to follow the rabbit…I didn’t want to go deep down there with it. I… I…

“Why isn’t it working…she should be gone by now?” I heard the faint whisper behind me, next to me…all around me as if we were in a vast open room and it wasn’t just echoing off the walls, but it was being repeated over and over, but with hundreds of them all in the same room as me.

“Silence!” Suddenly, a roar of command snapped the cord on that echo and instead it boomed all around me, taking place of the once hushed tones.

“Follow the rabbit, Amelia…go and follow him…” Him? But I thought it was a she? I looked the second I heard the mistake being made, for I don’t know how I knew, I just did. This was proved when the rabbit turned its head to look at me and I saw its eyes.

Burning olive green that started to cloud over to glowing white so bright that it pierced the night and cut two lines straight through the darkness.

“She won’t go.” The calmer voice of the two said again and this time there was no echo that followed.

“YES. SHE. WILL.” The voice suddenly boomed and suddenly this dark chasm started to cave in around me and the rabbit suddenly started to grow bigger and bigger, morphing into something hideous. It rose up on two back legs after it first grew to the size of a child before then rising up further into that of a man…and then beyond.

Now a great white beast stood in place of the rabbit and it looked as if someone had elongated a bear, with arms that touched the floor and feet ten times that of a man. It wasn’t looking my way, but I just knew that when it did, I would be utterly terrified. Long white fur grew and started to twist into clumped spikes that dripped with some kind of dark liquid as if the monster was secreting it from its skin. Long yellow talons grew and curled round in on themselves. Then, as a heavy demonic paw landed by the hole, the deadly claws left deep gouges on the small stone wall that surrounded the hole, telling me how easily those same claws could tear through a person’s flesh.

Oh yes, now I was truly terrified.

“No…please…please…bring back that rabbit…I will go with her…not with him…anything but him,” I said in a terrified whisper and the second I did, the creature threw back its head and let loose a mighty demonic howl, showing me the half face of a monster and the half face of a man?

I questioned this and couldn’t help but gasp into my hand as the face was covered in hair that was parted in the middle. The top part was pulled back taut and came to two points at the top of his head which I now realised were wrapped around a pair of antlers. Then the bottom half was pulled down by his chin making it look like the creature had a long beard. A pair of ears like you would see on an elf were pulled back with the tips elongated and curled enough to reach the top of its head. But even though the face of the creature wasn’t human, it also had enough distinguishable features for me to be able to see now that the beast in front of me was also a man.

It was…

Dante.

Then suddenly, after granting me a swift look, his white eyes started to fade back into olive green and he then started to retract back in on himself. He threw his head back and roared once as if in pain before he bent over double, curling inward and rocking forward before he started to get smaller and smaller until soon the small rabbit was back in his place.

Had I really just seen the true image of a Drude?

They were extremely secretive by nature, which is most likely why no one had ever seen one before or seen one and remembered, which begged the question…would I?

“Now, keep your promise…deep, deep further down she goes…your time to follow is now…one chance…or he will take you!” I swallowed hard and knew that now it was as he said, I had no choice. I knew what this was. This was the difference between a nightmare and a good dream and here Dante, the royal Drude was God. So, I looked back at the darkness and suddenly as if all I needed was a push I was shown the very thing I had been running from in the first place.

I screamed just as Ben’s blood covered hand reached out for me. That dead man’s flesh still hanging off him as if he was shedding his skin and the old had to first decay before it fell. But then it was his face, his demonic face, that had been feasting at the centre of a massacre. Human lambs brought to the slaughter for a flesh-eating demon to feed. That was what I had seen the moment I opened that bathroom door. A room full of blood as limbs had been torn from torso, as arteries slashed open and sprayed outwards like the paint had on the floor from his cans. This was his real art work.

The crimson art of death and carnage.

A creation I quickly started to run from.

So, I ran and jumped down into the hole, looking back up only to see that the rabbit hadn’t followed like he said it would. No, now instead it simply stared at me, with its little white face growing smaller and smaller the further I fell.

“Finally, she falls.” I heard the voice speak behind me as Ben spoke like a zombie with the memory of his own voice.

“That’s it…run, little darlin,’ down you fall…”

“…Fall deep down and finally sleep.”

24

Sleeping Beauty Packs a Punch

“Will she ever wake? It’s been forty-eight hours straight!” I heard a worried sounding Ben asking and my mind felt lost to the fog of a deep sleep. I vaguely thought about work and going through the motions of asking myself if my alarm had worked or not. Then I asked myself why had I dreamt of hearing Ben’s voice?

“I had to send her deep,” a gruff voice said that sounded less than happy. Seriously, what were these men doing in my bedroom and what was that one talking about?

“But…but is that even possible with a human, for them to go that deep and find their way out again…can’t you help her?” Ben asked, again sounding dire.

“Relax shifter, she is still in there, she’s just been sleeping sound is all.”

“Yes, but for forty-eight bloody hours! I may not be an expert on you Drudes, but even I know that isn’t usually possible!” Ben argued, making someone growl in response.

“What do you want me to say, that I have never heard of it, so I’m fucked if I know why that is…or what exactly she is for that matter! Is that what you want me to say?” An angry and clearly frustrated voice said and now I was starting to recognise it as one I knew.

Dante.

I could hear his voice and in it, heard an equal amount of worry and aggravation in his words before he expelled a deep sigh. Ben then said a word that I had no problem in bringing me closer to home.

“We should have told him…we should have told the King.”

“Oh yeah, and what do you think he would have done? Do you think if he knew this was half your fault that he would let you live as well as me… uh?” Dante said sounding equally threatening as he did annoyed with himself.

“Yeah, well don’t pretend it’s only my skin you’re protecting, as what do you think he would say knowing you sent his Princess down so deep into her own mind that she is practically in a coma…huh, give you a bonus?” Ben snarled back before the noise of something like a chair being knocked back on the floor sounded and seconds later gargled spluttering for breath could be heard.

“Remember who you speak to, flesh eater, for I could quite easily send you down just as deep and fucking keep you there for a millennia without breaking a sweat.” A threatening voice snarled back and even in sleep I flinched. After this he must have let Ben go as he started coughing and trying to test his voice again.

“Besides, the King just believes the girl is too angry to speak to him and I have assured him she is continuing on as usual.”

“Yes, and how long before he grows impatient enough to visit again, like the last time…you know he can’t go long before he sees her and his trust in people grows thinner with each passing year?” Ben asked now with a croaky voice.

“She will wake soon, I feel it…her mind is becoming her own once more…you shall see, for this little lamb will find her way home soon, won’t you, darlin’?” A now kind and gentle version of that gruff voice spoke to me and I felt a slight touch along my cheek as if someone was giving me an affectionate caress.

“But what I want to know is how she even managed to fight you for so long…how is that possible? I thought she was human, it’s what we were told…what he told us…” Ben asked in confusion and at first I wondered who they were talking about now, but then that thought seemed to fade away just as quickly as the time it took for me to hear it.

I could feel the darkness seeping in again and the last thing I heard this time before the emptiness that was this dark wakeless realm consumed me once more was,

“I don’t know, but no human has that type of power…no human alive.” And the very last question I asked myself…

Which King had they been talking about?

* * *

The next time I felt my mind coming back to me was when I heard my name being whispered from above. It was Lucius and he was whispering a demand…

“Wake now…wake for me, my princess…my Amelia.”

“Lucius!” I shouted as I bolted upright, reaching out with my hand as if I could grab on to him to stop him from leaving. But there was nothing there but the closet opposite my bed and the mirrored door that only showed my confusing image reaching for myself.

“Emmie!” Ben shouted my name and rushed into my room. I threw my arms around him and held him to me before I even asked myself why he was here.

“Oh Ben, I had the weirdest of dreams, a nightmare really! It was terrible, and you were there but you were someone else and…and…Ben?” I stopped the second I felt him tense in my hold and I pulled back to say his name in question as I knew that there was something he wasn’t telling me.

“Ben?” I said his name again and he lowered his head as if he couldn’t look at me any longer. Then he rose from the bed and stepped back, looking utterly ashamed. His big blue eyes were actually filled with tears, a few he swiped at with the back of his hand before he finally said,

“I am so sorry, Emmie…but it happened…it all really happened,” he said softly, making me frown first before I shook my head as the ghost of an image in my mind started to form. Making me then argue,

“But…no, it couldn’t be…you were a zombie, Ben,” I said making him scoff and then a booming laugh was heard behind him as Dante walked inside my room. The height difference between them was a little comical as Ben was about my height making Dante look huge next to my podgy little friend. A friend who was now trying to tell me that he was actually a flesh-eating demon.

Dante slapped him on the back making him fall forward a step before righting himself with a wince.

“Ah, don’t be too hard on this guy, Sugar, he was only doing his job,” Dante said before shifting around him to come over to the side of the bed.

“What do you mean doing his job and what happened…you, I saw you, I dreamt of you?” I asked, feeling like I was groggy after too much sleep. I watched as Dante shifted uncomfortably for a second and then asked,

“You dreamt of me you say?” I frowned before closing my eyes a second as I recalled it. I remembered the black room, then the white light. A voice wanting me to follow it…but no, not a light…something else.

“A white rabbit,” I muttered before confirming,

“You were the rabbit.” This time I heard the gasp from Ben by the door and Dante shot him a knowing look before asking,

“What else?” This was said in a tense tone as if me remembering him wasn’t a good thing, but he needed it confirming all the same. So, I let my memory find the dream with ease and hissed through my teeth the second I saw him…saw what he became.

“You changed.” This was all I needed to say for Dante to hang his head in what looked like defeat.

“But that’s impossible, isn’t it…she shouldn’t have remembered?” Ben said in astonishment and again Dante gave him a pointed look as if trying to tell him something without words.

“I don’t understand, what is going on? How did this even happen?” I asked which seemed to make Dante relax a little now that my questioning had changed direction.

“Ah well, your friend over there might have gotten a little carried away with his meal and you unfortunately picked the wrong time to walk in on him.” I frowned in question and Dante decided I needed more than just that.

“Your friend is what is known as a Manushya-Rakshasi demon, a shapeshifter of sorts, if that helps,” Dante said making me look at him in shock before turning my stunned gaze on my friend. Ben gave me an awkward little wave and said,

“I am so sorry, Emmie. Gods girl, but I would never have wanted you to see me like that. But the truth is I hadn’t fed in a such a long time and well I needed to regenerate before I got sick and the feeding lust just took hold and…well, it all got a bit messy,” he said screwing his face up as if even he found it all too yucky but couldn’t have helped it. I thought about all he’d just told me and the first question out of my mouth surprised me, as it was one that I never believed I would have found myself having no choice but to ask a friend.

“Did you kill them?” Ben looked upset a moment, obviously knowing the reasons why I would have to ask something so bad. He shook his head a little as if his voice couldn’t be trusted not to break.

“No, he didn’t… but I did,” Dante said, totally unashamed of the fact. I now shifted my shocked gaze to him and asked,

“But why and who were they?”

“They were about to break in to your flat, Emmie, so I hit them over the head with a cricket bat,” Ben told me making me raise a brow at him in question, making him shrug and correct himself,

“Well okay, so it’s Owen’s bat but still, I couldn’t let them break in. But then you came back with the King and I got scared I would get in trouble, so I just hid them in my flat,” he told me as if this was his confessional and I was his damn priest. Ha, well I couldn’t have gotten further enough away from that role now could I, not if my upbringing was anything to go by.

“He called me the next day and I found the assholes hogtied in the bathtub. So, I tortured one who, the second he started to speak, a Hex took hold. Knowing the other would be just as useless I snapped his neck and not being the wasteful type, I let your friend have his meal,” Dante finished for Ben. It was at this point the memory came back to me of Ben in the middle of some horror film gorge fest and I had to be honest I started to feel slightly sick, although now no longer terrified as I had been.

“I should probably mention now that my kind only eat the flesh of the dead, although the fresher the better but hey, we will often take what we can get.” I wrinkled my nose a little making Dante laugh and say,

“I have a friend at the morgue if you’re wondering.” I wasn’t but no doubt I would have been later.

“Can I have some water?” I asked feeling suddenly a little queasy and now I knew it wasn’t just down to Ben.

“I have been trying to keep you hydrated as Dante had been influencing you to drink.” Ben told me before running into my kitchen and obviously getting me a bottle from the fridge.

“Influence me, so you did make me sleep?” I asked confirming it had all happened just as I was starting to remember it. Then, just as Ben came back, they both exchanged a few wary looks with each other before Ben handed Dante the bottle.

“What? What is it, come on guys?” Dante handed me the drink and after running a hand over his shaved head said,

“Alright, sugar, now don’t freak out but when you saw our little friend over there in…well, shall we say…”

“Looking like a zombie?” I added making him complain,

“Hey, I resent that…what, it’s insulting, okay.” Ben said muttering this last part at Dante and the look he gave him.

“Well, you freaked out darlin’ and I thought the best thing was for you to have a little nap but…well…” he paused to hand me the bottle and I took a good long gulp before asking,

“Well, just how long have I been asleep for…a few hours I guess as it’s still light outside.” Their faces said it all.

“Three days,” Dante said making me sit up quickly and squirt a fountain out of my water bottle.

“WHAT!?”

“Something went a little wrong and…” Ben started to say when I noticed Dante give him a look and shake his head a little, promptly shutting him up.

“Wrong? What went wrong? I thought you guys could just send people to sleep and then wake them up whenever you wanted to?” I questioned feeling as though there was something big they weren’t telling me.

“Look don’t w…”

“I swear if you say don’t worry about it after what I have been through this last week, then I will flip my lid and I will do it screaming, so start talking, Drude boy!” I snapped, making him flinch back as if something I did just wasn’t right.

“Did you see…?” Ben started to ask and Dante shot him another look before coming back to me.

Now what had that been about?

“Alright, Sugar, this is what I know. Yes, I tried to get you to go under, but you fought me.”

“But I didn’t think that was possible?” I questioned as everything I had heard about the Drudes was that they were pretty powerful beings and that was without being of royal blood like Dante claimed to be.

“It’s not…wasn’t…Shit I don’t know okay, the truth is I have never encountered it before so let’s just say that when I finally got you under, I just didn’t realise how deep it was you fell,” Dante admitted, now looking uncomfortable about it.

“And it took me three days to come back out of it?” I asked, making sure.

“Yeah, look I am sorry but if…” At this point I held up my hand stopping him.

“Look, no offense, but I think I just hit a limit or something, so all I really want to do now is get a much-needed shower, brush what feels like fur off my teeth and eat the biggest meal of my life…yeah?” I said looking first to Dante and then to Ben who now smiled and said,

“You shower, I will order us pizza.” I nodded and then got up out of bed, feeling a little queasy the second I did but thankfully Dante held me up.

“I’ll help you to the bathroom,” he said, looking guilty as hell.

“Okay, but I’m warning you guys, by the time I am out of the shower and sat in there with the biggest ass pizza EVER, you are both then going to explain to me what the hell is going on and why it is I am living across the hall from a flesh-eating demon…no offence.” Ben shrugged his shoulders and said,

“Meh, it is what it is, so watcha gonna do?” Then he left to go and order me food. I looked up at Dante and said,

“Go make sure he orders two pizzas, I really don’t think I can stomach sharing food with that guy for a while.”

“You got it, darlin’,” Dante said with a chuckle.

* * *

A little time later, after I had scrubbed my teeth within an inch of their enamel and I had consumed over half a large pizza, I was ready to talk. I now found myself sat opposite Dante and Ben on the couch looking like naughty children. Well, Ben did and Dante well, he just looked like the school bully who had been pulled into the principal’s office for like the thousandth time that year. The bully and the nerd, so what did that now make me?

The victim.

“Right, you can start talking now and begin with telling me how long you have been working for my father?” I asked remembering them talking about the King and after overhearing one of my neighbors, well it wasn’t hard to guess. Dante and Ben gave each other a look but didn’t say anything.

“Look guys, I already know my father has been spying on me, I overheard the neighbor from upstairs giving him a recap, so all I wanna know is how long and how many?”

“How long and how many what?” Ben asked interrupting before Dante could speak.

“Oh, come on, Ben, just how stupid do you think I am? Christ, I am just surprised that he doesn’t own the building and fill the place with…” I paused the second I saw Ben’s face giving it away and it turned out that, unbelievably, this day could in fact get worse.

“Oh, by the Gods…please don’t tell me he owns the building…he does, doesn’t he?” I asked them both and I did this with my head down, eyes closed and my finger and thumb running along my forehead as if a headache was on its way. Then, when no one answered, I looked up and saw Ben shrug his shoulders and add a little,

“Uh…maybe.” This was when my rage exploded!

“Oh no! No, no, no!” I shouted getting up and nearly knocking over my pizza, which thankfully Dante saved, or it would have been yet another rug to buy and honestly, just how many rugs could one girl get through in the space of a few years?

I stomped a few feet away before whipping back round to face them both.

“Are you telling me that I bought this flat off my father cheap because I was conned by a nice old lady on the subway because she was planted there?!” I snapped making Ben nod his head a little and I wondered in that moment who he was most afraid of, me or my father now that the demonic cat was out of the bag.

“And just how many people that live here are of your kind, um?” I asked putting a hand on my hip when really I was angry enough to stamp my foot and roar at the ceiling.

“Oh well, there is only one of…oh you mean like our kind as a whole, oh well there is…um…all of them,” he said in the tone of a question and wincing as though he knew that this wasn’t going to help with my mounting rage. This was where Dante stepped in as he obviously didn’t mind ‘raging Emmie’.

“The whole building is full of people loyal to the King, sweetheart,” Dante finished off before Ben could continue to make a list.

“Oh, by the Gods, it’s official he…he is insane!” I muttered as I staggered back a step holding my hand behind me until I found the kitchen counter.

“And how did I not know about any of this…? I can see my father’s kind and…ah, but of course, Rue did something, didn’t she?” I asked referring to Afterlife’s resident witch, Vamp and demon all rolled into one. She could have easily placed a casting over the building and its inhabitants. Which meant I would never have known had it not been for seeing Ben in his true form when feeding. But then, that alone caused a painful thought to take root. I cast my gaze to Ben and he flinched seeing the hurt now there and knowing why seconds later when I asked him,

“And you…were you just told to be my friend? To help me that day and start pretending? Was this all an act for you, a job you had to do for your king, uh?” But of course, send the unassuming cute teddy bear, gay friend as a safe choice…Gods, but I was such a fool!

“No! Well, I mean yes, but it wasn’t like that, Emmie, I swear.” I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks and swiped them away angrily before saying to both of them,

“Get out.”

“Oh, Emmie, please don’t…”

“I said GET OUT! Both of you, leave now!” I shouted tensing my fists by my side and even Dante looked as though he felt sorry for me as the tears were running freely, dripping from my chin and to the floor.

“But…But, Em…” Ben tried again, clearly getting upset himself.

“Come on, Shifter, let’s give her some space, yeah?” Dante said patting Ben on the back and I tore my face away from the sight of Ben looking so heartbroken. I didn’t want to feel guilty right now, I wanted to feel my anger. So, I held on to it, not looking at them again but instead placing my palms on the counter and leaning my head down. I didn’t look up again until I heard my door close and the second I did, I grabbed the closest thing to me and threw it at the front door as I screamed!

Whatever it was smashed, shattering glass everywhere, but I didn’t care. I was so angry I couldn’t think, couldn’t do anything but slump down to the floor and cry.

It had all been a lie.

My whole adult life.

The one I was so proud of myself for building had all been a lie. Every single aspect of it, right down to my friend. I had people who had been watching every single move I made and then reporting it back to my father. I felt like I was part of the Truman show, trapped in a prison with no bars but surrounded by wardens. I wasn’t my own person like I thought…

I was back to being that fucking princess locked in a pretty tower!

And now I knew, there was only one road for me left to take…

Time to escape this life.

* * *

In the end I don’t know how long I had sat there fuming over all I had learnt, but all I knew was that I needed to get away. I needed to run as far as I could and for once, live in a world where no one knew where I was. I needed to take control back!

And to do that, the first thing I needed to do was buy a new phone. Of course, I also needed a few other things, so I grabbed what I had and stuffed them in the biggest handbag I owned, which included the pictures of the box I had printed out. Of course, this would have been so much easier had I not accidently deleted them from my phone after printing them, as then I could have just emailed them to myself. But unfortunately, my clumsiness wasn’t just confined to the physical type. So, without the real thing, this was all I had left, and I gathered the bad guys knew it too or they would have just tried to steal my phone already. For all I knew they had looked and seen this for themselves, hence breaking into my flat for the only evidence of the box they could get their hands on.

After I had what I needed, I grabbed my jacket, heaved up my bag and swiped my keys off the counter before crunching the glass under my boots, no longer caring about a flat that I now knew was never truly my own.

I slammed the door and saw Ben open his a crack before asking me where I was going in a panicked tone.

“To Tahiti where no fucker will find me!” I shouted back over my shoulder, not caring even a little that I was being a bitch. I was too hurt for that.

“Wait! Emmie, please,” Ben shouted, throwing himself against the banister so that I stopped on the staircase going down, pausing long enough to ask in a strained tone that spoke volumes to my vulnerable state of mind,

“Was any of it real?” I whispered, knowing he would hear me. But of course, he would, he was just like the rest of them. The ones I could now feel were all around me, like someone had snapped their fingers and all supernatural life became known. But my voice sounded so frail, so hurt and fragile because I didn’t care about the rest, not like I cared for Ben.

My fake friend.

“Oh Emmie, please believe me when I say that it was real, it was real for me, even if it didn’t start out that way,” he told me in a pleading tone that tore at my heart.

“I am so, so sorry,” he added, and I finally looked back at him with tears streaming down my face before saying,

“So am I, Ben...so am I.” I said this for so much more than he would ever know. Then I dropped the sunglasses down from my head and over my red puffy eyes before I continued on with my plan.

See, when I was slumped over, cradling my body and crying my hopelessness out for good, I finally made the decision to get out of Dodge. I didn’t know what had happened with my job, but even that now seemed like it had all been orchestrated and for all I knew Daddy dearest had forced his will on that too.

Deep down a little voice told me that he did it all out of love for me and that may be so, but it was no excuse for what he lacked having for me…which was respect! Respect for my life, for my decisions, for my bloody privacy! I was twenty-seven for Gods’ sake, not twelve!

“Oh shit, okay boss, Princess is on the move.” I heard, the second I spotted a guy dressed in black making me want to roll my eyes at him. He had been speaking into his earpiece and seconds later Dante turned up and started walking in step with me to my bus stop.

“Hey darlin’, want a ride somewhere?” I ignored the offer and said,

“You know if you want your guys to fit in then I would try moving away from the Sopranos extras look and maybe on to Men in Black.” My sarcastic reply was simply met by a raised brow and a smirk.

“Nice to see you’re back on form, Darlin’, but how about making life easy for me and letting me drive you wherever it is that you need to go?” he said, and I stopped, folded my arms seeing as I had three minutes until my bus showed and said,

“Am I under house arrest?” He jerked his head back a little and said,

“No, but I just…”

“And do you have the authority to pick me up bodily and man handle me into a car or Van and force me somewhere?” I asked, knowing this had happened once.

“Well no, but again I…”

“Then I am doing nothing but wasting my time and yours…good day Mr Spyman, no doubt I will be seeing you around,” I said, turning my back on him and walking to my bus stop where I could see it in the traffic not too far away. Then, after I scanned my card, I found a seat and waved at Dante and his men as they got themselves in a car so that they could follow the bus. Thanks to traffic and them not being prepared for my abrupt departure, it didn’t take long for them to get left behind, so the second I couldn’t see them following, I raised my hood and got off at the next stop before slipping inside the nearest shop.

It turned out to be a corner shop selling newspapers and a few London tourist gifts, so I hid behind the T shirt stand and waited until I saw them go past, still following the bus.

Then, after a sigh of relief that so far, my plan was working, I bought what I needed. I picked up a black winter wooly hat with a big fluffy ball on top and an ‘I love London’ hooded sweatshirt two sizes too big for me to change into. Then I stuffed my jacket and sunglasses inside my large bag and fished out a pair of my everyday glasses to replace them with so that I could see. After this, I pulled down the purple hoodie and tucked my longish hair in a twist before tucking it inside the hat. The guy behind the counter watched as I did all this, so I said,

“Stalker ex…whatcha gonna do, eh?” Then I walked out of there to catch the next bus back to Wendy’s, but first I needed to make one more stop. So, I caught the next bus that I knew took me to the shops I needed so that I could buy a new unlocked phone that no one could trace. For starters, no one would know I had it and secondly my old one was still learning how to swim in my toilet bowl.

Next, I bought a pad of paper, some pens and lastly nipped into a shoe shop going straight to the best pair I knew would fit the outfit I had in mind. They were red leather covered toe shoes with an ankle strap fastening that came down in a T-shape in white leather. It gave it that vintage rockabilly style I was looking for as the white leather continued down the front of the shoe and finished in a little bow.

They were a great pair of shoes and really, if I was going to get out of here and was going on the run, then the least I could do was…

Escape in style.

25

Pin-up Plan

After my little shopping trip, I now had everything I needed before jumping back on another bus, this time using the journey to start the cogs of my escape plan in motion. Now, all I could hope for was that if Dante couldn’t find me, then neither could anyone else out there, which meant I had a good chance here at outrunning everyone…even the bad guys.

So, after first writing down the things I needed on my new pad, I made an important phone call. This was to my boss, with the expectation of getting an earful for not being in touch and then having to tell him I needed time off… well, let’s just say I really hadn’t expected it to go well. Especially when my boss told me to hold on as someone wanted to talk to me and it turned out to be the Chairman himself.

“Oh, my dear, my sweet girl, how thankful we were for your little tour but more so with the gentleman you brought with you,” Sir Allerton said with such enthusiasm I was dumbfounded as to why.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but…”

“Oh, no need to play coy my dear, but surely you must know.” I frowned at first in reply before telling him the truth.

“No, I am sorry, Sir, but I don’t, has something happened?” He started chuckling and then whispered to my boss, something about the sweet charms of a lady before retuning back to me and shocking me to the core.

“That gentleman you brought with you contacted me a few days ago and told me that he was so impressed with your work and your personal knowledge and clear passion for history, that he felt moved enough to make a donation…a very considerable donation,” he said, stretching out the word considerable to emphasize just how substantial a donation it was.

“He did?!” I shouted, making him laugh.

“Oh yes, and as I said, quite a large donation at that, over twenty times what we needed to fund the dig, along with many others to come, as his only stipulation was that you were to head each one and have a say in future digs, for that is all the money is to be spent on. So, well done, my dear, and as for your time off, I would say that you have certainly earned it, so take all the time you need.” After this I thanked him and ended the call in a stunned state. Lucius had made a huge donation, millions in fact, going from what Sir Allerton had said. And Lucius had made it sound as if I deserved all the credit.

I was in so much shock and still trying to process it all that I nearly missed my stop. I didn’t know what to think other than asking myself why? Why would he do that? Because there was one thing turning up and saving my life, or acting out a favour to my parents, but this…what was this for? Who gained from it other than me and why would he spend all that money on something he knew I was most passionate about in the world if only for my gain? Who does that for someone they think of as a job?

Or someone they don’t care about?

I had no answers. None whatsoever. Because deep down there were only two possibilities left and only one of them I wished for…that he actually cared more for me than he led me to believe.

The other one was…well, that he cared more for someone else than he led her to believe. This thought was just as heartbreaking as it had been all that time ago.

But no! I couldn’t think of that now. I still had a job to do and for that I needed Wendy…the only person in this world I could trust. So, as I got off the bus I had my pad in my bag at the ready.

I checked my surroundings as subtly as I possibly could and smirked to myself the second I realised that it was as I thought, there was someone watching Wendy’s flat. Which meant that my plan just might work like I thought it would. I could even see the way the guy across the street started touching his ear and speaking in that obvious way. I swear this spy game didn’t look half as cool as it did in the Bond movies. I wanted to go over there and tell him to stop touching his ear the way Daniel Craig did in Casino Royale just before the epic free runner chase through a building site.

I made a show of pulling my hat down hoping he was at least smart enough to take note of what I was wearing as this would end up playing a main part of this plan of mine.

I buzzed Wendy’s flat at the front door of her building, lucky that I knew she often worked from home and according to her google diary we had synced up long ago, I knew that today she was working from home again.

“Hey hun, can you let me in?” I said before I knew what was coming.

“Holy Christ where have you been, I have been out of my mind with worry and Ben said something…”

“Look I will explain, just let me in okay.” I said, this time in a more serious tone, one she understood the second I heard the buzz of the door. I then made my way up to her flat wondering just how many people were also planted here to keep an eye on me when I was at her place? I would have liked to have said I was being paranoid but really, after everything I had learned today, then I knew if anything, I wasn’t being paranoid enough!

I decided to take her stairs instead of the lift, that way hoping no one would see me as I took the notepad I had written on whilst on the bus out of my bag, ready for this moment. Then, when I reached her door, I knocked and the second she opened it I held up the pad for her to read.

It said

‘Follow my lead, they are listening!’ Then I spoke.

“Hey honey, sorry I didn’t call but I am really upset, can I come in and stay with you for a bit,” I said in a dire tone that I hoped was believable. Wendy gave me a look of shock before schooling her features quite quickly and nodding her head telling me she understood before saying,

“Oh Emmie, yeah of course…I have been so worried about you!” It had to be said her acting was a heck of a lot better than mine that was for damn sure. I walked in and closed the door behind me and just hoped that the one flaw in this plan could be that the place wasn’t just bugged, but it also had cameras in here too. Which meant this plan of mine would be over before it really even took shape.

But the idea came to me when I remembered seeing Dante one morning with his hand reaching up by her lampshade, thinking it weird at the time but shrugging it off as the excuse he gave me. He noticed it flickering the night before and was just checking the connection.

Of course, after everything I had learned since then, I now started to question it and I knew I was right the second I walked over to it. Wendy mouthed the words,

‘What you doing?’ at me so I flipped over the next page and she read the answer I already had planned.

‘Your place is bugged’. It read and her mouth dropped open in shock. I rolled my hand as if to get her to start talking normally. Thankfully, she soon got the hint and said,

“So, what happened to you, ‘cause I got a text off Ben that said you were feeling poorly and just wanted to sleep it off, was that true?” I quickly showed her the small black dot I found attached to the inside of the shade and then took a step back before answering her.

“Yeah, something like that, but don’t worry about that now, I just needed to get away from that place,” I said only half acting. Then I showed her another page that said,

‘Answer is: Make yourself at home, I was just about to have a bath but chill out if you want.’

“I just needed somewhere to think, I’ve called in sick at work, just needed to take a week off you know, after everything that’s happened. Do you mind if I stay the night and we just do something normal like watch a movie and order a takeout or something?” I said before giving her big eyes and a nod of my head for her to do her thing.

“Yeah, of course, that sounds great, but I was just about to have a bath, so why don’t you order something and chill out for a bit, I think Next Gen in already in the DVD player,” she said with a shrug of her shoulders obviously silently asking if that was all right and I gave her two thumbs up for the show.

“Cool thanks hun, I owe you big time.” Then I grabbed the remote and pressed play on the DVD player, turning it up loud enough so as not to be ridiculous but be loud at the same time. Then I nodded towards her bathroom and once inside I turned on the taps full blast.

“Alright, we should be fine in here.”

“Seriously Emmie, I am starting to think you lead a double life here,” Wendy joked, and I felt like saying, ‘you have no idea’.

“Okay, so I am going to take a not so wild stab in the dark here and point the end of my blade at Mr Inferno being the one who planted that bug in my apartment,” she said crossing her arms and looking less than impressed.

“Yeah, that would be a good guess, as in the type where it’s not actually a guess but more of an obvious…oh, anyway you get the idea, look I wasn’t kidding when I said I needed to get away,” I said, making her nod as she had no doubt gathered as much.

“Alright Smock, I am your Kirky, what do you need me to do?” I gave her a smirk and said,

“Easy…I just need you to be me.”

* * *

After this bombshell drop of a plan I then told her a heavily edited version of the last few days and then told her my plan, all in the time it took for the bath to fill. Then that was it, our time was up. We had to keep up with the act, so we ordered Chinese food and I made a show of shouting to Wendy telling her it would be with us in forty minutes. She stayed in her room as I told her to, so that she wouldn’t be seen as her curtains were already closed.

Thankfully, unlike my place, you couldn’t see anyone in the living room, so they wouldn’t be able to see that I wasn’t actually watching Star Trek the Next Generation at all but instead was joining Wendy in her bedroom. Which meant we had forty minutes to do this whilst technically Wendy was in the bath.

“Okay, so we have to try and do this as quietly as we can…you ready to become me?” I whispered, and she replied,

“Ready when you are.”

We then spent the next forty minutes transforming ourselves into each other and we started by swapping clothes. I undressed, giving her my hat and sweater, after finding a pair of jeans of hers that would match in colour. Then we added a pair of high heeled boots underneath, so they made up for the extra height.

Her hair was short, so tucking it in the woolly hat wasn’t a problem. Thankfully, it was cold outside, so it was the weather for it because if this had been summer and a sunny day outside, then we would have been so screwed.

But it was winter so by the time she added my jacket, one Dante had also seen me wearing, she definitely looked the part, especially after putting on my sunglasses that I had purposely shown them I had with me today, on account of hiding the tears.

“Your turn,” she whispered, picking out one of her swing style dresses that was black. We picked it as it was too tight on her so should in theory just about fit me fine. I smirked when she mouthed the word ‘Bitch’ to me when it actually turned out to fit me like a glove.

It had a sweetheart neckline and a red underskirt giving the skirt volume. It also was a halter neck with red ribbon that tied at the back of my neck and was keeping up half of the dress. To this she added a matching red sweater so I wouldn’t get too cold and the biggest jacket she owned.

“No I can’t, you love this jacket,” I protested on a whisper, placing my hands on it to stop her. I knew it was her favorite and one she had saved up to buy for ages.

“Then make sure you bring it back in one piece and I don’t just mean the jacket,” she warned with a worried smile and I grabbed her to me and hugged her tight.

“I will, I promise.”

So, after hanging the heavy jacket over my arm ready for later, we walked out of the bedroom looking good enough that it gave us both hope that we would fool everyone. But first, we had an act to put on. And it started the moment after our takeaway turned up.

“Oh, damn it, I totally forgot!” Wendy said winking at me.

“What’s up?”

“I forgot that I have to meet that contact tonight for drinks...shit!” She said acting it out perfectly. So, I tried to do the same and sound disappointed.

“Oh, well that’s alright…”

“No, no, I will cancel…I wonder if Roger could go in my place and do the interview,” she mused to herself, making me mouth the question, ‘Who is Roger?’ She shrugged her shoulders and mouthed back, ‘Hell, if I know’, making me want to giggle.

“It sounds important, honestly I don’t mind staying here by myself, in fact whilst you do that I could do with going home and grabbing some stuff anyway…that is if you still don’t mind me staying here,” I said, making Wendy smirk at me as if we had rehearsed this a million times and it was now perfect.

“Yeah, I already said you could stay as long as you want but I agree, you at least need your PJ’s if your gonna share a bed with me, don’t want me turning the other way for real now, do you?” she said obviously improvising and my mouth dropped before I burst out laughing mouthing ‘What was that?’ making her reply, ‘I don’t know!’

“Well, I have been known to have that power to turn people to the boobie side of lust.” At this we both laughed again as if this was some weird game called ‘who could say the weirdest shit to the hidden microphone and get away with it’.

“But you’re right, I need to pack some stuff.”

“Then it’s settled, take my keys and let yourself back in, I warn you though, I might be back late,” Wendy said.

“Why, where are you meeting this contact?” I asked knowing that this part of our story was key in case they decided to follow Wendy, which would actually be me.

“At the airport.”

“That’s a weird place for a date.” I smirked when she frowned at me.

“It’s not a date! Look, the guy is some businessman who can only meet me in between his flights, he’s got some big corruption story on his boss, who naturally I can’t name at this time, but who knows, the story could win me a prize, that or a cheap bottle of perfume at duty free.” I laughed, and we continued to make small talk, like the way I ‘convinced her the black dress with the red coat was a winner’ just to fully cement our story. Then, after putting on the shoes I’d bought that day, knowing that would have been the only flaw in our plan considering we had different sized shoes, we were ready.

So, I put on the jacket she loved, that hung down the full length of the skirt showing just my black tights underneath and high heel red shoes, hoping they wouldn’t notice the biggest different between us, our height. One of the reasons I didn’t pick a massive heel and had Wendy pick a pair that were some of her highest, yet ones she could still hide under a pair of jeans. Plus, how many men really noticed a woman’s shoes, um? Well, knowing my luck then Dante would have a foot fetish and zone straight on Wendy’s feet which, thinking about it, would have been mine. Man, I was confused already, and we hadn’t even stepped foot outside yet.

“I have to say, this look really suits you,” she whispered as way of goodbye then she added,

“Good luck.”

“You too.” Then after putting up the hood and grabbing the swapped bags that now had the printouts in and everything else I would need, like my passport, I nodded to her.

“See you later…oh and have a nice date,” I said, playing the part and holding up my hand to tell her to wait five minutes like we had planned. She nodded and said,

“I told you, it’s not a date! Now don’t forget my keys like you usually do” she said, and like me playing the part but giving me the thumbs up as well.

Then I left, holding my head down and letting the massive fur lined jacket cover most of my face. It was quite a gothic style being red and black brocade that was double breasted with big black buttons that matched the fake fur cuffs and edging round the hood that was currently tickling my nose. It was a long heavy jacket of thick material that corseted in at the back and flared out around the skirt. One of the reasons she chose it, was because it was adjustable in size so I could get away with making it looking bigger than it was, so I appeared to have Wendy’s curvy bottom half.

I would pull it in once I was in the clear so that it fit better. But for now, I walked out into the night, pulling the hood further over my face and thanking the fates for rain so that this made sense. Then I hailed a cab and got in telling him to take me to the airport. I had already checked the time of the flights but still had no clue as to where I was going, knowing that I only had enough cash on me to get me so far. I couldn’t risk paying on my card, knowing that was easy to track, so I managed to get out a little over a thousand pounds over three different cards. It wouldn’t last me long, but it would be enough to figure it out when I got to where ever it was I was going.

Maybe Ireland would be good, as far as I knew my father didn’t have any property there. Well, at least I had the coat for cold weather I thought, tugging all the layers back a little as it was roasting in the back of the car. But I didn’t want to chance being seen in case Wendy was being followed.

I don’t know how long it took to get to Gatwick airport as I lost time just by playing my plan over and over again in my mind. See I had it in my head that if they didn’t know where I was, then maybe they would finally get the hint that I valued my private life. That way, if they ever wanted me to come back, then things were going to have to change and big time because what Lucius and my father had done had only made me feel one way…Violated.

Well, no more.

I paid for the cab or should I say, taxi as they say here. Then I walked into arrivals with my handbag firmly over my shoulder. I still had a part to play so just hoped that no one was going to go as far as following Wendy inside or it would look odd that I made my way back to departures. Then I paused to look up at the outgoing flights on the screen. I decided that Dublin must have been fated, because there was one leaving in two hours’ time. Now all I had to do was hope that Wendy didn’t get discovered before then and we were all good.

So, after I purchased my ticket, I made my way to security and finally felt it safe enough to take off my jacket, placing it on the belt along with my bag and phone. Then I walked through the metal detector getting some strange looks for being dressed the way I was, making me blush a little. After all, it was a little late in the day to say I was heading to a wedding.

As it turned out my bag was picked randomly to be one that was checked so I walked over to one of the security officers. She asked if it was my bag and if I packed it myself. I nodded, and she started emptying the contents, frowning down at all the rolled-up printouts.

“Can you show me these, please.” I wanted to sigh, but thought that may look a little weird, especially if I suddenly blurted out about how much more trouble were these papers going to get me in?

“Sure,” I said pulling the elastic hair bobble I had placed round them and showed her.

“What is this?” she asked in curiosity, not because she had to as let’s face it, they hadn’t exactly been blue prints of the airport or schematics of the plane I would shortly be boarding.

“I am an archeologist and they are pictures of an artifact I am working on,” I told her.

“Oh wow, like that boy king, what was his name Tuk or something…found in…” the second she started talking I stopped listening as something she said suddenly clicked at the same time I looked at the images. I frowned down at one of the squares that had a hieroglyph on it that represented a King or a God as they were both very similar. But it wasn’t one that was in a cartouche, like it should have been. It was also a king I hadn’t heard of before and therefore its name had been hard to decipher. I remembered getting frustrated before the gala, and the short time I’d had to look at the actual thing in the flesh.

But now I was looking at it in a whole new way because the way I had taken this particular picture was at an angle. It was one at the time I classed as a bad picture and thought of as pretty useless. But now it was showing me something completely different. I could read the real meaning and it was one that had me quickly freaking out.

“Miss…miss, are you okay?” My head snapped up and I looked at her a second before shaking off my horror enough to respond.

“Yeah, I mean I just realised I have to change my flight, it’s really important, can I go back through and do that?”

“Yes, alright, here are your things…oh and good luck,” she said making me frown. Had she seen the horror in my face?

“With what?” I asked making her laugh, before nodding down at the pictures I had now stuffed under my arm, along with my jacket.

“With your papers and figuring them out…it looks complicated,” she said, my only dry response was a mumbled,

“Oh, you have no idea.”

Then I started to run just in case I was out of time. Getting past the queue of people all now looking at me like I was a crazy person running for a flight in the wrong direction. But I just prayed that there was a flight to catch as it wasn’t as if time was on my side. And when I say time, I didn’t just mean having Dante and his crew on my tail in the foreseeable future. Or of course the unknown group of bad guys that were trying to kill me for these damn papers. But then now, after what I had just discovered, at least I knew why and let’s just say that death was certainly on their minds.

I finally made it back to the information desk and after having a quick look at the flights to check there was one, I asked for a new ticket.

“Okay, let’s see what we can do for you…where did you say the destination was?” Well, now after what I had just discovered, there was only one answer to that…

“Munich, Germany, please.”

26

Making New Friends

As it turned out I only just made it in time for my flight as check-in was closing five minutes after I purchased my ticket. Meaning, I only just had enough time to get to my gate to board the plane. This also meant that I was the last on board and therefore received some glares as it looked as though they had been waiting on me. However, I had more important things on my mind so paid them no attention. The plane was half empty anyway which was good as it meant I had a whole three seats to myself.

Flying didn’t bother me, as I was used to it. Not only from travelling in my parent’s private jet, joining them whenever they had to travel, but also because I got to see it being flown when my dad would pilot them. I used to love standing behind in the cockpit watching with itchy fingers, just desperate to press all those buttons. Of course, it was also kind of hard to be scared of heights or flying, when your dad had wings. Now spiders on the other hand scared the living shit out of me!

So, even as the plane was about to take off, I had those pictures out in my lap going over every inch of them. But no matter how many ways I looked at it now, all I could see was that warning. The warning of what the box actually contained and what it had the power to do.

And no one knew but me. Which meant that I had to put my own personal feelings behind me. All the hurt and frustration, everything I had in my mind just evaporated into dust in the single moment that I looked down at that image. Because, without me, then they would all be lost. Not because no one else knew hieroglyphics like me, but because no one else knew what it was they were really looking at.

The box had been made as a puzzle, yes, but everyone thought that it was a puzzle set to open it. But that was just what its maker wanted you to think. No, the real riddle was far bigger and what lay inside it just aided the key in opening a much larger box, one to an eternal puzzle.

But the problem was time. Because someone else was after this box and if what the symbols meant were true, then this was far bigger than any of us could have ever imagined. So, Lucius had to be warned. He just had to be before it was too late. However, my biggest problem now wouldn’t be how to escape those watching me, it would be how to reach Lucius without those watching him. Because if he had the box then there was no doubt that he would be their next target. Just like they had been watching me.

So, the key lay in these pictures and soon in the box itself. But for now, then this was all I had, and time wasn’t on my hands. So, I had two hours until I landed and then I had to figure out a way to…

Well, to sneak into Lucius’ domain…

To break into the formidable, Transfusion.

* * *

By the time we landed I was no closer to deciphering the hardest part which was cracking the code to opening it. It was like a keycode and all I had to do was figure out which numbers were pressed first. Only instead of numbers, I was actually looking at symbols of world history all centered around Ancient Egypt.

I decided it was best to put back on my heavy jacket and bring up the hood just in case they had people watching the airports, as I very well might have been discovered missing by now. I couldn’t help but wonder if Lucius would have been informed and if so, how would he have reacted to the news?

No! I needed to focus and now was not the time to lose my head over my idiotic heart on this. I had a job to do and so many people unknowingly depended on it.

But first I needed to get these printouts somewhere safe, just in case we ever needed them again. I don’t know why the impulse came over me as strong as it did, but the second I was off the plane I was asking an airport worker if they had any lockers there. He pointed off to where I would find them and after going to the Luggage Storage Service Center they helped me out in getting a long-term locker.

Then, I made my way out of the airport and the second I did, I noticed some suspicious looking guys dressed like Dante’s men getting out of a massive blacked out Land Rover. Now, just because they were dressed the same as a couple of bad action movie extras, it didn’t mean they worked for him. Not when the other guys sent to attack me looked just like them as well.

I swear these guys needed a new look, like maybe get a map, camera or at least a fanny pack and actually try looking like a tourist would, then that might fool me. They could even go the extra mile and add a Mickey Mouse T shirt from Disneyland Paris and really play the part. But what really would have made my life a lot easier was if they would have, at the very least, worn a badge or something with ‘We’re the Bad Guys’ written on, then at least I would have some clue who I was running from.

I was suddenly glad that it was dark outside, hoping not to be seen. Then I quickly turned in the opposite direction but then jinxed my good fortune as unfortunately I wasn’t quick enough.

Because, of course, they saw me.

In my panicked state I looked up and down the length of cars all picking people up and saw the sign for taxis so I ran. Thankfully, when I looked behind me, they’d got themselves caught behind a large family all wheeling luggage on three trollies in front of them. They started swearing at them in German throwing their arms up and down in frustration. This would have given me the advantage I had been looking for. That was if I hadn’t then fallen over someone else’s trolley because I had been too busy looking behind me at them.

I crashed into the load and fell over the top of it landing hard on my elbow on the other side.

“Shit!” I hissed in pain, grabbing it and at the same time scrambling to get up as they were now gaining on me.

“Es tut uns leid, Es tut uns leid” I repeated the word for sorry in German to the poor couple whose luggage had also taken an unfortunate nose dive. I could see them now, only a few metres away from being within grabbing distance, so I quickly turned, running into the road just as a car came to a screeching halt. Then, just as I thought that was it, it was all over, a woman stuck her head out of the window and shouted,

“Quick, get in!” Well, I didn’t need telling twice. She had reached back and opened the door for me so all I needed to do was dive in the back before she slammed her foot to the floor. We drove off on screeching tires and the smell of burnt rubber was all we left behind. I quickly sat up and slammed the door shut before looking through the back window to see the men now getting in their own car, ready to make chase.

“They are following us!”

“I know,” she said calmly, looking in the rearview herself as she changed gear before hammering it forward in fifth gear. Then she swerved around some parked cars, not slowing down in anyway, making me grab onto the back of the seat just to stop myself from being thrown down on my side.

Then the second there was a large enough gap in the road ahead she overtook a small VW that definitely let us know they didn’t appreciate our driving or the mystery woman beeping her horn at them. Then she went speeding past the shaking fist through the window of the small car with a laugh. As we shot ahead I saw the Land Rover coming out of nowhere, sideswiping another car in its way. And the chase was on and all that was left for me to do was hang on for dear life whilst a person I had never met tried to get me out of this mess.

“Who the hell are you, lady?” I asked, making her chuckle before she quickly turned down one of the side streets making the Land Rover have to slam on their brakes and reverse to follow us.

“Call me Bess Athis.” I frowned thinking that was a weird last name,

“Bess Athis?”

“Yeah, as in the Best at this, now hold on!” she said as we started driving towards a set of steps and I freaked,

“Oh shit!” I shouted, bracing myself with a foot on the door and my hand on the holder above. But then, just before we went off the edge careening down the side, she tugged up her handbrake making the brakes lock on the rear, causing the wheels to scream sideways as she spun it round. Then she dropped the handbrake again and off we went at killing speeds once more. The Land Rover wasn’t so lucky not having the same maneuverability as the BMW we were currently pushing to the limit. I say us, what I meant was the crazy blonde lady I had never met before.

It slammed into a post caving in one side of the passenger door on impact. However, it kept on coming, meaning we kept going and I wondered for how much longer I would last without throwing up. Let’s just say that there wasn’t much need or room for that matter for high speed chases in London, so I had to say this was my first.

“Oh shit, we won’t fit!” I shouted slapping a hand to the seat in front of me as if this would help in stopping the car before we went speeding down the narrow pavement only meant for pedestrians.

“Oh yes we will, we just need to…oh, there you go!” she said adding this last part when we had mounted a curb and were currently driving side on down the long street with our wheels only half on the road. I looked behind and saw that the Land Rover knew it couldn’t get down here so backed up, obviously knowing another way.

“We lost them” I said, releasing a held breath.

“Yeah, but not for long,” she warned and a minute later she was right as they were at the end of the road waiting for us. Then the second they saw us coming they floored it, coming at us head on the moment the road widened up and there was room for them.

“Oh look, hello fellers,” she said laughing and obviously letting me know she was insane.

“Oh, oh, oh shiiiiittttt!” I shouted the second she did another handbrake turn, snapping the car around and down into another narrow street before they could hit us in that deadly game of chicken.

“Jesus lady, who taught you to drive?!” I asked before we went over some bumps in the road at speed and making me hold a hand to the roof so that I wouldn’t bash my head.

“Well, it wasn’t him that’s for damn sure, now hold on, this is gonna be tight!” she said, first referring to Jesus not being her mentally unstable driving instructor and then to the intersection we were just about to fly through. I screamed and covered my head with my hands as I saw the red light and moving lanes of traffic we were about to suicidally drive into.

“AAAAAHHHH!” I swear they say your life flashes before your eyes, but for me all I could see was the red light we were driving through, even after I closed my eyes.

“You can stop screaming now, we survived,” she said calmly reminding me that she was right, if I was screaming then I wasn’t dead…yet. But then she had no choice but to join traffic and the second she swerved around one car, there was another one on the other side for us to try and miss.

In fact, this was when I shouted in pain as a lorry locked its brakes and its load jackknifed coming towards us and ended up passing its own cab and driver, without anything able to stop it.

“Oh goodie, this will do nicely,” she said in that crazy cool tone before she barely missed it, by I swear what looked like an inch! Locking up the brakes once more, she only just managed to get us down another alleyway. But the move knocked me clean on my side and my head hit the door frame with a crunch. Then she stopped the car and looked behind her with an arm on her seat as if waiting to see what would happen next.

She shrugged her shoulders at me, not looking too concerned but then again, she was more occupied currently and I too looked up to watch. The Land Rover went crashing into the oncoming lorry and I thought this was it, they were definitely not walking away from that one.

But then I was wrong.

As it turned out there was at least one of the people in that car that must have been a supernatural. I knew this for certain when the car suddenly erupted into blue flames and the second they touched the lorry’s load, it then burst into a cloud of ash. As if one touch from a forked flame and it literally was incinerated.

“Ah, damn it!” the woman said, losing her cool and slapping a hand down on the back of her seat before putting the car back into first and driving off at killing speeds once more.

“Oh dear, that is unfortunate. Pesky little men, you got their baby,” she said weirdly, and I had to admit I had no clue what she was talking about or to whom in fact, as I swear it was as if she had even forgotten that I was back here. And now, with what I could feel was blood trickling down the side of my face, well let’s just say I was asking myself if I should be worried about this woman’s state of mind.

We continued on and when I looked back, for once I couldn’t see the bad guys following us.

“I think we lost them for good this time,” I said, making her chuckle again and say,

“Time to be sure.” Then she pulled into an underground parking garage, swiping some kind of card and then parked the car before turning off the engine and killing the lights.

“What now?” I asked, whispering for some reason and it made her smirk.

“Now we wait a minute and if no one comes to kill us, then I think it means we are good to go,” she said as though the idea of someone coming to kill us didn’t bother her one little bit. But in fact, was more of a fun thought to play around with in her mind. If there was one word to describe this lady, then that would definitely be ‘unhinged’.

But then again, it had to be said that she had mad crazy driving skills that certainly came in handy in my first official car chase. And well, she had most likely saved my life, so big plus and thumbs up from me on that one. Which prompted me to say,

“Not that I don’t feel eternally grateful here, but why did you save me and who are you?”

“Eternally grateful, now I will have to remember that one,” she said smirking again. Then she stuck her hand in between the seats for me to shake and said,

“Honestly, my real name is Bess, Bess Shaw and I came here to save you.” I took her hand and gave it a shake and said,

“I guess that means you know who I am then.” She smiled and then said,

“Oh, I know who you are, everyone in my world does. I have been dying to meet you, to meet the girl who has got a certain Vampire King’s panties in a twist…so tell me, girl to girl, how did you manage that, uh?” she asked, making me jerk my head back in surprise.

“Uhh, I am not sure what you mean.” She scoffed at my vague answer, one I gave her because, one I was surprised by her question and also because I couldn’t get a read on what she was. She definitely wasn’t human, but she wasn’t coming through as an Angel or Demon either. Of course, I only understood this after I asked the question,

“So, who sent you?”

“No one sent me,” she answered bluntly, making me frown.

“Then why and who and…” She started laughing again, which I had to admit, sounded a little cackled and any minute now I kind of expected her to start rubbing her hands together or something. But then she stunned me by saying,

“No one sent me because, I am the new oracle.”

* * *

After my new friend Bess dropped this colossal sized bombshell on me, I first sat in silence too shocked to know what to say. Then she declared I was still bleeding and got out of the car. I followed her and just as I walked round to her side she threw a scarf at me, telling me to use it. So, I held it to the cut on my head and followed her from the parking garage up onto the street level.

“So, what now?”

“Now we walk, come on, it’s not far from here,” she said before crossing the road and zipping up her tight biker jacket. It was now that I finally had chance to take the rest of her in.

“I have to say, you’re not what I had in mind for an oracle,” I told her, as in truth she was far from it.

“Yeah well, that chick Pythia was some tough boots to follow,” she said referring to the original and oldest oracle and a now good friend of my mother’s. Not that she got to see her much anymore, as let’s just say, where she lived now wasn’t exactly what you would call easy to get to.

But, as for this new one, well let’s just say, blonde, beautiful and also wearing the tightest clothes you could get on a person without them being classed as an extra layer of skin, hadn’t been it. But it had to be said that she definitely drove like a badass, so it wasn’t surprising that she then looked like one!

Knee high, spiked leather boots clicked along the pavement as she strutted along like a pro. She certainly couldn’t be classed as clumsy that was for sure as there wasn’t a scratch on her, unlike me. No, I had a cut just in my hairline and no doubt a nicely mottled bruise brewing under my skin just ready to scream angrily at me tomorrow every time I twisted my torso. I could already feel the skin getting tighter as the pain was setting in and walking in heels wasn’t helping. This had been both from where I had been thrown around in the car and also when I fell over the luggage at the airport. That, along with the pain throbbing in my elbow, then let’s just say that tomorrow was going to be fun when getting my first look at myself in the mirror.

But, I followed Bess because really, what else could I do? It obviously wasn’t safe to be out here alone, which made me wonder if she had seen all this? So, I decided to ask her.

“So, you saw all this happening?”

“Something like that, it's why I had the garage plan and this,” she said, holding up a card with a small chip in it, making it look like a credit card.

“What’s that?”

“A way to get in,” she replied with a grin over her shoulder at me.

“A way to get in where?” I asked feeling in some way as though she was enjoying playing with me. But then again, from what I heard of Oracles, well then in a word, they didn’t usually get out much.

“In there,” she nodded ahead of her and now I could see it for myself. It was a huge five story building made of black brick and was framed by a thick light grey stonework all around the windows and doors. The building itself was set at an angle, so that the front door was situated at the corner.

Then, running down the sides, were ten sets of windows reaching high up to the top of the building. However, like on the Land Rover that had been determined to get to us, each of the windows was blacked out. This just made the building look eerie and even more intimidating, like a giant insect staring at you with a hundred black eyes. All apart from the very top row that were from the inside framed by red velvet curtains as if this was someone’s home.

It certainly set the scene for a gothic nightclub that was for sure, especially with all the twisted wrought iron that framed each window’s stone arch above. Below them, however, were wilting metal flowers the size of bedside tables that looked worn and rusted on purpose. It gave the place a steampunk, industrial vibe. They had been made into lamps that made the street below glow red from the crimson bulbs, as it bathed the long line of people waiting to get inside in a blood coloured hue.

However, the most unusual part was the metal vine that had been embedded into the ground where it started before it then grew upwards attaching itself to the side of the building. It was there in certain points that massive bloody spikes, the size of a person’s head, looked to have attacked the building, by latching its thorns into the brick.

So many people were still stood in line just waiting for their chance at getting inside before the night was over and I suddenly wondered what the time was. Well, it looked like it was far from closing anytime soon so at least that was a plus.

The very last aspect of the place for me to take in was the name above the door. A gothic script of calligraphy in red and black metalwork was hung over the entrance, spelling out the club’s name with the F in the middle dragged further down the rest of the letters. This was done for a single purpose as a metal droplet dripped down and hung from the razor tipped edge.

I shuddered, not only at the sight of the single blood droplet, but also at the name and the memory it invoked from the very first time I had seen it, doing as I did now as if that memory was trying to drag its way back…

My lips then formed the name and I knew in that moment, unlike what I had vowed that day, then it wouldn’t be the last time I saw it as I had hoped.

But it most definitely sent me back to the first…

“Transfusion.”

27

King of Carnal Lust

Seeing Transfusion again was like receiving a bullet to the heart to the point that I couldn’t help but place a hand there. It was as if I just had to check that there wasn’t a mortal wound there I was bleeding from.

Because now here I was again, looking up at the building as I had once done that night, only feeling so very different than I did back then. Because now I knew…I knew what to expect and what horrors lay behind those walls and at the front of it all was a cruel, heartless King who thought nothing of crushing a young girl’s hopes under his boot and right along with it…

A fragile and bleeding heart.

I tore my gaze away from the place, now stood across the street knowing that I had no choice but to go inside. I don’t know why the place affected me so much.

Well, that wasn’t true, I knew why, and well… it all started…

* * *

Seven years ago

“This is a bad idea,” I said to myself out loud as I looked up at the imposing building that I swear was one second trying to draw me closer, whilst at the same time trying to warn me away. And why was I here, because I let my cousin Ella talk me into it that’s why! Go tame the wolf she said, yeah like that was even possible around someone like Lucius. But then again, I didn’t know how much longer I could go on the way I was.

I had tried to get a hold on this obsession. By Gods in Heaven and Hell, they all knew that I had, but it was all in vain. Because here I was, after creating an excuse that would eventually land me in Germany. I had decided that studying here might be as good a place as any to start my dream of becoming an archaeologist and with LMU university in the heart of Munich, I thought it might have been perfect. Okay, so it was true that I was hoping for another reason for me to find perfection here and I thought that if I was a regular enough face in someone’s life then maybe something more could grow from it.

I was twenty years old and I wasn’t a kid anymore. I was an adult so maybe, just maybe he would finally start to view me as one. I mean, it wasn’t as if I had grown up seeing him or that would have just been weird. But then again, didn’t these guys have a massive age difference with anyone they dated…look at my dad and mum for example, he had been thousands of years old and my mum had only been twenty-three when they met.

Alright, so from what I heard there had been that one time when he saw me as a baby, but since then the first time I remembered ever seeing him was when I was at the tender age of sixteen. That had been the first time I had ever spoken to him in person but the second I saw him I couldn’t believe my eyes. To find the man I had been dreaming about since I was seven years old had been like being plunged into my dream world and imprisoned there with him as my personal jailor.

At first the dreams had just been of a man watching over me, but I never saw a face until much later on. It was as if the older I became the more, little by little, parts of his image would start to emerge. So, by the time I was sixteen I finally had a face to go with years of an intimidating shadow.

However, there was never anything sexual about these dreams, but just a few stolen touches to my cheek as if he had been checking to see if I was hot or cold. There would be a caring spark in his intense grey eyes that I couldn’t look away from. But then, after that first moment I met him, my dreams did change, now taking on a more heated element that had me both waking up gasping for air and experiencing my first orgasm on the night of my seventeenth birthday. I swear it was the best present I could have ever received, and his touches hadn’t even been real.

But since then I’d had three more years to cope with, as those dreams only intensified. Those dominant hands that would control my body along with the state of my mind. Hands that I knew were as dangerous even when they were adoring my skin. It was as though I belonged to him, and every touch granted was just another brand to my soul for me to collect. I often asked myself, wondering how long it would be, how many brands would it take, for him to consume me whole. For there to be nothing left that belonged to me but in fact to find that he had taken it all and I had been powerless to stop him.

This was why I was so obsessed.

And it was the sole reason for me to be here now.

I had been in Germany a week, seen the university and spoken with people at the Faculty for the Study of Culture, which I learned was a course that comprised a variety of disciplines, ones which were based on philological, archaeological, anthropological, ethnological, and sociological methodologies and each and every one of them was a mouthful. But, so long as it combined my passion for learning history and cracked the secrets of the past, along with being placed in his path, then that was all I wanted.

Of course, all I needed to do now was get up the courage to actually step inside. But what if he turned me away, or I wasn’t even allowed past the front doors? But surely not, I mean he knew my parents, was friends with them even, so why wouldn’t he meet with their daughter? What reason would he have not to?

No, I was at least confident that he would see me, and I had everything I was going to say all planned out. I would simply tell him how my father thought it was a good idea we meet, considering I was going to be living in his city and he thought it best that I have some protection.

This part actually wasn’t something I had made up just as an excuse…okay, so when I had been trying to sell the idea to my father and he’d been about to refuse, I simply reminded him that the college in Evergreen didn’t do my course. I also asked the question, didn’t he have a good friend in Munich who could be there for me if I needed help, even watch out for me?

I couldn’t understand why my dad had scoffed at this, but good old mum came to my rescue, declaring it a wonderful idea. She then helped me convince my dad and the next thing I knew I was on a plane heading for Germany with my best dress secretly packed away ready and waiting for this night. I knew it was naive to hope that he would fall madly in love with me on first sight, now getting that chance to see me as a grown young woman. But I just knew that it must have been what was going to happen…surely? Because there was only one reason for all these years’ worth of dreams and that was simple…

He was my Chosen One.

He was to me what my dad was to my mum, I was sure of it. And my mum always spoke fondly of him, encouraging me one day to meet him. When I had hit my teens, I tried to do as much research on him as possible but could only find his history going back a few hundred years and nothing before. I didn’t know his background story even though I had a feeling everyone else did around me. I would ask my mum and she would just tell me, that it wasn’t her story to tell.

So yes, in essence all I knew was that he was King of the Vampires, so sired my mother at some point, but this was yet another story I didn’t know. I also knew that he used to be my father’s righthand man until again, something happened that I didn’t know the story behind. So, all in all, other than knowing him to be a pretty powerful being and the most handsome man I had ever seen, then I was in the dark when it came to what the man himself was like as a person. Which I know didn’t exactly set the foundations for a loving relationship, considering the guy could just be…well, a dick. But then once again, if this was the case and we weren’t meant to be together, then why all the dreams? Why did this obsession even start to flower?

So, didn’t it all mean that it was time to put this obsession to the test?

I took a deep breath and told myself it was time to be brave. To cut the cords from my safe world that was Afterlife and step into what could be my future…

Into Transfusion.

After this thought process took root, I stepped into the line, waiting my turn and pulling nervously at my jacket, wondering if my dress was too short beneath it. I had bought it because worn with jeans or leggings it just looked like an overly long strappy top. But then lose the bottoms and add the thick black belt I had tied around my waist and presto! I had a sexy dress that showed enough leg that I think my father would have made it a record for the first supernatural to have popped a vein.

I matched it with a pair of strappy black heels which had ribbon that wrapped around my ankles and tied in a pretty bow at the side. I had done my hair in a twist with curls cascading down around my face and worn my contacts lenses that I was still getting used to. I had done my make up a little heavier than I ever had before, but I think it suited me, with the darker shades making my eyes look bigger. The dark plum lipstick managing to give me a slight gothic edge which, considering it was a gothic nightclub, I thought was best. After all, I didn’t want to stand out by looking preppy. Besides, I kind of had in my head that this was a look he would like or go for in a woman.

I saw that I was next in line to be admitted and my nerves started to double.

“Halt,” the doorman said and placed his hand out to prevent me from going in.

“Wie alt sind Sie?” he said, and I had to think back to my German lessons to try and piece together what he’d asked, something about age I think.

“Um, twenty, oh I mean… siebzehn, oh no wait that’s not right, I mean zwanzig?” I said getting my numbers mixed up and first telling him that I was seventeen by mistake. He raised an eyebrow in question and looked slightly amused by my mumbling. I just hoped he didn’t think I was as young as seventeen as I knew that I had always looked younger than the age I actually was. Well, at least over here you didn’t have to be twenty-one to have a drink like in the states.

“Englisch?” he asked, and I nodded, thankful he was at least being nice to me.

“Passport?” he asked me, and I frowned first wondering why he would need to see my passport when it suddenly occurred to me that he wanted to see proof of my age.

“Oh, I didn’t bring it, I am sorry…I didn’t know that…”

“Then no inside, lady,” he said in broken English.

“But…but wait…” I said the second he tried to get me to move along whilst the next couple took my place. I decided I had no choice but to say the words that suddenly started spilling from my lips,

“I know the owner…Lucius, I know Lucius, he will let me in.” This made him stop and the look he gave me was one of pure shock before then one of…was that pity?

“Are you sure…sure you wish this of yourself?” he asked in a low tone, bending his head slightly to look in my eyes and I knew what it was…

A warning.

I swallowed hard and nodded, trying to lift my head a little. Because I may not be able to account for the other mortals in the club but for me at least, then I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. If only because of who my parents were. Surely this would be enough…wouldn’t it? The guy sighed and nodded in acceptance but looking dejected all the same.

Then I listened as he spoke to someone on his radio before waiting a moment to see.

“Name lady?” he asked as the people on the other end obviously wanted to know.

“Amelia, Amelia Draven,” I said leaving out my middle name and for once using my first name, strangely one I never used. I had always been Faith or Fae, to everyone, so why change now? Was it to sound more grown up? I held my breath as I waited, not sure whether I would find myself pleased or disappointed not to be let in. Either way, nerves were all I felt the second he nodded and let me inside. It even turned out that I didn’t have to pay as I stepped up to the booth the door man waved me off,

“Nein, keine Zahlung,” he said to the lady who was collecting and stamping. I gathered it meant that I could go on in, which I did.

There was a staircase straight ahead that obviously led up to the upper levels, but I thought it best to go into the main level first. Although, if this was anything like Afterlife, then I knew where I would most likely find Lucius and that was in his own VIP at the very top.

But I decided to go inside the main room first and I couldn't help but gasp as I looked all around the massive space, including up at its tall ceilings. The main room was a huge open space with a heavy industrial vibe that looked in parts very steampunk.

It looked as if it once could have been an old warehouse of sorts, that had been converted into a nightclub. On the side of the building where I had been queueing was, on the inside, a long bar that ran nearly the full length of the large room, covered in elaborate twisted metal work.

The nightclub looked to be on many levels as the open space was framed by a series of metal staircases and wide balconies that framed the entire circumference of the room. Each space was filled with so many bodies dancing to the heavy rock band that played on stage, it was hard to make each person out as a singular entity as they all seemed to merge into one.

The stage area was on the level above the ground floor I was stood on and it curved outwards over the room in a half moon shape, which was mirrored above. It had great metal columns reaching the full length of the building from floor all the way to the roof either side of it as a main feature. The dance floor was below it and fanned out, spreading outwards not far from the bar area where I was stood.

It was hard to see all of its details with the hundreds of bodies dancing and jumping around, moving as one with everyone singing in German, joining in with the band’s main singer.

But from what I could see, then I would say that it had a mixture of old-world elegance combined with a harsher industrial grunge. The lighting seemed to play havoc on my eyes as strobe lights bounced all around the space, reflecting off the people below in streams of green and red beams. The only lights not dancing around were the ones attached to the balcony railings that were like dulled red floodlights. Above the bar were unique just like the ones outside. They were wilted thorn covered roses that lined above the bar so that the bar staff could actually see what drinks they were mixing.

I walked further in, trying not to get crushed in the masses and made my way to the bar area first as I thought a drink was a good start. I ignored any stares I received, putting my head down and once again asking myself if this had been a good idea? Maybe I could just get one drink, call it a baby step taken and then go home to try again another night.

I swear by the time I made it to the bar I had to place my hands down on the counter and close my eyes a second.

“You can do this,” I whispered to myself.

“Are you sure about that, Princess?” The second I heard his voice I whipped around expecting to find him stood there behind me. I swear it had sounded as if it had been whispered directly into my ear. I looked all around and saw no one and everyone at the same time. But I was only looking for one person. Did this mean he knew I was here? Could he see me right now…was he watching me?

Did the beast know when a willing victim had walked into his domain? Deep down I knew that he did. But before I could follow through with my plan I needed a drink, so I got the barman’s attention and ordered a diet coke and rum. Then I took a big long gulp and made the decision to see if I could get his attention another way.

So, I decided to be brave and after I swallowed down a hard lump of nerves, I slowly unzipped my jacket making sure that if he was looking that he could see…all of me.

My back was to the bar and what faced me were three rows of balconies, being the one at the very top that was mainly cast in the shadows. It was also the one I was most interested in.

But wait, was that a figure I could see stood there at the centre looking down? Was it the king of the castle? I didn’t know but I continued anyway, peeling away my jacket and revealing my tight short dress, hoping it was as sexy as I hoped. But the second my shoulders were bare and I was letting it slip from my hands, I jumped when I heard a bottle smash behind me. I turned and nearly dropped my jacket when someone caught it for me.

“Sorgfältige Dame” the guy said, telling me to be careful.

“Oh, thanks.” I muttered to the stranger.

“Ah, you’re English,” the guy said with a German accent. I turned to look at him fully to see that he wasn’t a bad looking guy, but there was something in his face I didn’t trust. As if he was acting.

“Yeah I…”

“You will tell him you are with someone, do it now!” Lucius’ demand suddenly spoke in my mind and I wondered how it was he was doing it. I looked up and all around the balcony, but the shadow had gone.

“You were saying?” the guy asked with a grin that didn’t reach his eyes. He had sharp features, with a thin nose and dark eyes that were slightly shadowed as though he never managed to get enough sleep.

“I’m sorry, I…I’m with someone,” I told him, and the guy then made a show of looking around as if he didn’t believe me and I soon found out why.

“I don’t see anyone, and besides, I saw you come in alone,” he challenged, making me frown and wonder if this guy knew how to get the hint when a girl wasn’t interested.

“I am waiting for him, he owns the place,” I said, adding this last part and hoping he would take me more seriously…he didn’t. No instead that asshole just started laughing making me frown.

“What’s so funny about that?” I asked with a slice of attitude.

“No one sees the owner or if they do, then they don’t remember it…he is a Geist, a phantom, the how you say, Boogieman… one second you see him and then POOF, he is gone!” the guy said, trying to be dramatic and scare me. Ha! Well that was funny considering this guy had no clue why it was I wouldn’t ever scare easily.

“Yeah, alright then…look, thanks for catching my jacket and everything but if you could just give that back before he turns up then…hey, what are you…?” I stopped mid-sentence when he stepped into me and placed his hand behind me at the bar, then he leaned in close and warned,

“Demons are real, little girl, so watch yourself in the dark, for they are waiting for you.” I gasped the second he issued this warning and went back a step when he winked at me. Then someone who looked like security, started making their way through the crowd shouting,

“Du da, komm her!” Which I knew meant ‘you there, come here’. The guy saw this and after granting me a last sadistic grin he left, ducking in and out of the crowd and getting lost. I picked my jacket off the floor from where he had dropped it and then turned around to take a large gulp of my drink. Could that have been any weirder? How did he know that demons were real? He was definitely human, that was for sure, but then how did he know unless of course he was just trying to scare me?

“Excuse me, miss can you please come with me?” A man said approaching me, who definitely was security and one that wasn’t German for he had an American accent.

“I didn’t have anything to do with that man, he just approached me and…”

“Yes, we know,” he answered in a stern voice looking off to his side and in the direction the man disappeared to.

“The boss wants to see you, come this way please,” he said, and my heart did a sudden back flip. Lucius wanted to see me?!

I quickly turned around, took my drink and downed it in one, knowing that I needed it. Well, there was no going back now, I had come all this way to see him and after so long of planning it then this was the final step before hopefully my new life would begin.

Would he know about the dreams…? Was it possible that he had been having them too? I know that’s how it happened between my mum and dad. All the things she described before they got together, well, I never said anything, but I just knew that it could only mean that Lucius was my fated one too.

For what other reason could there be?

The security guard gave me a head nod telling me without words to follow him. I thought we were going to go back the way I had come in and up the staircase I had seen near the entrance. But instead he started to lead me the opposite way to the furthest end of the room. It took us a while to get through the crowd of people and when one guy bumped into me, I turned and swore I could see him looking back at me with crimson blood red eyes flashing the second the strobe light fell on him.

I frowned, wondering if that meant that his kind were allowed down on this level to mingle amongst the humans? And if so wasn’t that a bit of a risk? I shook it off, deciding now was not the time to focus on what was humanly right in his nightclub. So, I followed the guy in front of me, but once again I swear I caught sight of another one in the corner looking directly at me. It was starting to freak me out, so I quickened my step making sure not to be left too far behind.

The guy was just approaching a set of doors at the back that was guarded by two massive guys that looked to spend all their free time at the gym or making protein shakes. The security guy that I had been following gave them each a nod and then swiped a card by a reader at the door. Then he looked back to see if I was close. I finally managed to squeeze past a tight group of people just as the doors opened and revealed it to be an elevator.

“Ready?” the guy asked me when I finally made it inside and was now next to him. I frowned in question and wanted to ask him, ‘ready for what?’ when instead he just closed the doors with another swipe of his card and we shot up the three floors to the top.

Then the doors opened and he answered my silent question…

“For this,” he said nodding ahead as the doors opened into an entirely different room and definitely not any type of VIP I had ever seen before. No, this was one of pure salacious behavior and debauchery. It was sinful with a supernatural twist and I felt my cheeks getting hot the second my wide surprised eyes took in the room.

But most shocking of all wasn’t the utter erotic events that were occurring, no it what was centred in the very middle of them.

The King of his dark, twisted and carnal world…

Lucius.

My Chosen One.

28

The Grass is Black and Dead on this Side

The moment I saw him I froze, I couldn’t even take that first step needed to get me into the room. I had dreamt of this moment for so long and now the man I had been obsessed with was right there. I felt myself going crazy the longer I went without seeing him in the flesh and now this was it. Here I was and I couldn’t even take one bloody step!

But he finally turned in his seat and the second those burning silver eyes of his made contact with mine, I was trapped. Locked inside his personal spell and I could do nothing I wanted to do, for now all I seemed to want to do was run. I suddenly realised the mistake I had made but I had no choice now. I needed to see this through and hope that just more than my heart would survive.

Because, how could I tell a man I loved him when he didn’t even know me? Hell, but it sounded impossible just thinking it! But I couldn’t help it. It was as though I was born to love him, cursed even. But like I said, he didn’t know me and what I knew of him was hard and cold and brutal. Was I really the one in this world meant to tame such a bloodthirsty beast? Was this really what the Fates had in store for me?

Well, there was only one way to find out because now there he was and I was caught in his sights. I knew this when he started beckoning me forward with a simple flick of a couple of fingers.

So, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the elevator, noticing how the room widened into a much larger area than you would have thought.

The large space on the top floor narrowed back towards a staircase, meaning I must have come up by a private elevator. Next to these doors I noticed another pair of doors that looked far more intimidating and I wondered if, like in Afterlife’s VIP, this was the entrance to his private home?

The rest of the upstairs was set out like a playground for an X-rated club, where all that was on the menu was sex and blood. Vampires and demons alike all fed freely along with indulging in the acts of the flesh. But that wasn’t where the weird ended but seemingly only where the normal began, for everything after that just got weirder and weirder.

Like the woman in the centre of the narrow room who was dancing round and doing a sexy routine inside a giant old-fashioned champagne glass that was filled with what I could only assume was blood. She was splashing and teasing her audience with it as at least thirty people all sat round watching her blood tease. The whole of her face was hidden under a lace mask with only blood red lips showing through.

Then there were two white haired twins that were dressed like broken dolls, only let’s just say that it didn’t look like it was part of their costumes where their skin had been sewn together. It started at their hands where someone had joined by sewing each of their fingers together using a crude crisscross pattern. One that had been done with a thick needle that impaled their skin and which was still hanging down in between them by the red thread. It swung like a pendulum dripping with the blood that slowly trickled down the pierced flesh.

They also had crosses on their faces along with sewn circles around one eye each. Then, these thick crude stitches of red cord, tied in the shape of hearts over naked breasts and exactly where their actual hearts were buried beneath tortured twisted flesh. They were simply skipping back and to, obviously holding hands and letting their large attributes swing and sway freely.

There was also a line of cages that had inside what looked like willing humans all dressed in barely seen underwear. Each had messages written on their bodies with words and phrases trying to entice a buyer, for a group of people all sat waiting their turn to be called up and chosen. I watched horrified as some placed five euro notes into one of the cages like it was a change machine. It ate up the small amount of money and the door swung free, and an excitable girl jumped out into a man’s arms. Seriously, were all these people drugged?!

How could he have all of this happening in his club? What kind of man was he? I swear was it me or was the air in here getting thick and making it hard to breathe?

I glanced back to Lucius, knowing that I was walking towards him painfully slow, as I took it all in and he seemed amused by the sight. Was it my face, was I giving away too much of the horrors of this place and what I thought.

Alright, so for someone who had zero sexual experience other than a self-induced orgasm, then I confess I was seriously naive about all of this…this…well the kinky side of sex. But then this, well this must have been something else entirely because it wasn’t your simple whips and handcuffs type of gig. No, this was a sexual deviant’s playground!

Which begged the biggest question of all…what did that make its owner…what did that make Lucius?

I continued on, tearing my eyes from the scene as best as I could, and I winced when I heard the chuckles of people that I passed knowing I was the source of their amusement.

This part of the room was much larger and, thankfully, somewhat tamer than at the back. It spread out at the center in an arc that curved over the floors below, meaning you could see everything but the parts below it, like the band. The middle section was framed with the same huge metal columns that were attached to the stage below and in between the steel frame work was frosted glass panels that I guess prevented anyone from taking a nose dive three stories down.

It was decorated with a black tribal pattern like a gothic thorn that was thicker at the bottom, creeping its way up to the top. I couldn't help but steal a glance as I was prompted further into the room by the guy behind me. Like I said, you could see everything from up here, especially the bar area and where I had been stood.

The centre of this wide space was taken up with a huge sofa that curved round and could easily have fit up to ten people upon it. Covered in a black velvet material with blood red piping around the edges it certainly stood out against the wooden flooring. Even the base of it was of a gothic nature, being made from thick dark oak and its feet were carved into large dragon’s feet with deadly talons that were actually embedded in the floorboards.

And at the centre of that imposing gothic setting was its King.

“Lucius.” His name slipped from my lips on a barely heard whisper only I knew that he hadn’t missed it. His eyes told me as much when they burned brighter for a second. I had seen many of my dad’s kind do this and it was once described to me as a sign that someone’s other side, their demon or their angel, was showing through. It was as though a piece of themselves was permanently on lockdown but every so often it would act up and try to push itself through, fighting for dominance or control over their host.

“Ah, but to what do we owe to this, such a royal presence, to grace my humble little establishment?” Lucius’ voice rang out in a taunting way, as he leant back against the couch, resting one out-stretched arm along it’s back. He looked like such a powerful figure and far more intimidating than he ever looked in my dreams, that was for damn sure!

He wore a tight pair of fitted black trousers that were tucked into a pair of laced grey boots that looked as if he couldn’t be bothered to tie all the way up. Meaning the tops of them were peeled back at the sides and buckled to the rest of the straps on his boot. With this he wore a black shirt that was rolled up at the cuffs and was open at his neck, unbuttoned all the way down to the start of his waistcoat. This meant that you could see the defined chest muscles just peeking through and he looked utterly solid.

He looked casual smart without a jacket and the unconventional biker boots with his expensive looking suit. One that was without a doubt made to measure, as it was molded to his large frame perfectly. He was dressed entirely in dark shades other than the blood red stitching against the dark grey tweed material on his waistcoat.

He was officially the sexiest being I had ever seen in my entire life and for that reason, along with many others, I couldn’t seem to find my voice. That and the stunning blondes that were sat either side of him, one of which he had obviously been feeding from if the two bloody puncture marks on her chest were anything to go by. If anything, it looked like blood on tap with them still bleeding that way. Of course, the pain of seeing this and making me suffer was one I hadn’t been expecting or prepared for. In fact, I just wanted to excuse myself and run home as fast as I could, hoping and praying that this was the end of his hold on me and my heart.

But of course, I had come too far now and he wouldn’t let me go that easily without first doing what he looked as though he did best…playing the puppet master.

“Well, does this royal visit come with a voice?” he asked in such a way it made the others around him snigger and I swallowed hard.

“I…my father thought it best that I…” I started to say when his laughter cut me off.

“Oh, I doubt greatly that daddy knows where his precious little girl is right now, for I think I would find myself with a few more unexpected guests to accommodate, instead of just this lost little lamb I see before me now,” Lucius replied, making me tense my hands and hating the way he ridiculed me for nothing more than who he thought I was.

“I am not lost,” I stated bravely, straightening my back and showing him that I had some courage. He raised his brows in feigned surprise and then grinned before slapping his hands to his knees and making me flinch as he rose to his full height. I don’t know why but I couldn’t help but take a step back and I didn’t know why I let him intimidate me so much. Not considering I had grown up surrounded by tall, well defined men that were much bigger than me.

Was it because I knew how dangerous he was? How powerful? Or was it because deep down I knew what he was to me, what I was to him that certain Fates had deemed so? But from the looks of him now and the way he walked slowly towards me with indifference clearly written there to see, then did he not know what I knew? I would have said not.

“You’re not lost, you say?” he asked, tapping two fingers on his slightly blood-stained lips as if toying with me and I so badly wanted to put my fingers to my mouth and nibble on the ends. I shook my head in the end as I didn’t know what to say to him to stop him from mocking me the way he seemed to enjoy.

“Then enlighten me, whatever drove such an innocent little doe into the wolf’s den?” he asked, pausing his motions before taking a step towards me and frightening me enough that I took a sudden step back. I banged into the glass panel making it vibrate and I gasped.

“I…I…” I started to stutter out my words as he continued to get closer until soon he rested an outstretched arm over my head with the gloved palm against the glass. I so badly wanted to ask about that hand as I still didn’t know. It was the same at the first time I had seen him as he always seemed to have it covered. Why? Just what was he hiding from the world?

“You…you…you were saying?” he taunted, drumming his leather covered fingers against the glass as a clear sign that he was waiting for his answer. The sound felt like it was beating in time with my pounding heart, as from this close I could see, smell and hear everything.

I could smell the intoxicating scent of his aftershave, a sandalwood and leather, with some spice I couldn’t place. Then there were the small lines near the corners of his stunning eyes, that I wondered if they creased deeper when he smiled or laughed? There were the flecks of blue ice bursting outwards in his eyes and the long lashes that framed them. The chiseled jawline that just begged for a pair of soft fingertips to trace along. There was even the small sound he made like an impatient hum to himself, like a habit even he didn’t realise he had.

He was finally real to me.

And my heart couldn’t cope.

“I came here to…” I stumbled on my words again and this time the grin he gave me was one that totally belonged to a sadist.

“To? Come on Princess, for I will be in my coffin before long,” he teased as I knew he didn’t sleep in a coffin like the story books would have you believe. Seriously, who did he think I was, some Vampire groupie that had no clue they were real? I decided to hold on to my anger at the way he was viewing me and said this time with less of a trembling voice,

“I am here to tell you that I will be moving here.” At this he raised a brow in question before saying,

“Oh, will you now? Then tell me, Sweet do I at least have time to pack my bags before royalty evicts me?” he taunted again, and I scoffed before saying,

“Well, obviously not here, here…”

“Obviously,” he mocked, doing so in the same tone and nodding his head condescendingly. Then he raised a hand up and started to touch me, making me flinch and suck in a startled breath the second he made contact. It was like feeling a supernatural current dancing along my skin. He paused a moment as if he too had experienced it, that or he was giving me time to adjust to the feel of his touch.

“And this pretty little black dress, was it for my benefit?” He purred the question as he started to run his fingers under the thin straps and downwards until they were getting closer and closer to the curve of my breast. I held my breath and even found myself unable to keep my eyes open at the feeling of my dream man touching me for real this time.

“I asked you a question, Princess,” he reminded me sternly and my eyes snapped open at the sound of his authority being revealed.

“I thought I would… that you would…” I found I couldn’t finish that sentence as I felt far too exposed doing so.

“Find you ripe for the picking?” he finished, and I suddenly blurted out,

“No! No, I didn’t think that,” I told him making him smile this time and for once it wasn’t one done to mock.

“You do not wish to entice me then, as the others do?” he asked, suddenly frowning and I was surprised by his question. So, I shook my head telling him no and surprising him again. But then it was his turn to shock me as the second my gaze wandered to the blondes he had referred to as the ‘others’, he suddenly slammed a hand against the glass in a moment of anger. Then, at the same time, his lips were suddenly snarling dangerously at my neck. I screamed in shock and froze, feeling as though any moment a chunk of my neck would be missing and thinking it was quite an important piece to lose.

But, instead of feeling the pain I just felt the fear. That blinding fear that had my heart trying to save itself by pounding its way out of my chest like a Captain jumping from a sinking ship. I waited, not knowing what to expect next when suddenly I felt his lips against my neck, not so much in a kiss but more a grin against my skin. Then I flinched the second I felt a cold set of fangs extending against my tender flesh.

The second I moved even the slightest bit his free hand came to my side to hold me still. I swear his hand was so large it spanned half of my belly as he pushed me back flush against the glass.

“Now hold still whilst I play with my new toy,” he warned, making me suck in a startled breath at being referred to as his play thing. I don’t know how that made me feel as it was conflicting and confusing to be both outraged and turned on from it at the same time. Then I felt him run his extended fangs up the length of my neck, making me shudder against him. I felt his fingers flex at my side as if he was holding himself back from doing what he wanted.

“Now answer the fucking question,” he growled low by my ear and I was suddenly reminded that we weren’t alone as this felt we should be. I couldn’t help my gaze from glancing over his head and he pulled back as though he felt my actions for himself.

“Eyes! Give me your fucking eyes, girl!” he barked, making me snap my gaze back to his as if he had just flipped a switch.

“Now, I will not ask again but instead will remind you in other ways, when I tear this scrap of material from your body, baring you to all.” At this my mouth dropped before I uttered,

“You…you wouldn’t dare?” I asked in shock making him smirk down at me before the hand on my side suddenly fisted a handful of my dress making it become so tight, it did indeed feel as though one simple tug and it would tear from it seams and render me naked.

“Try pushing me and see where it gets this sweet little body of yours,” he warned on a growl and my hand acted on impulse and went to his fist to hold it tight in my palm. I don’t know why but the second I touched him his eyes flashed a completely different colour, one of burning amber. And for a single moment it was like looking directly into the flames and hoping that they didn’t have the power to burn you.

So, I decided to answer him quickly as I took every threat he issued me as a serious one.

“Yes…I wore this for you,” I admitted on a breathy confession. This genuinely seemed to please him and his hold on my dress relaxed and because I didn’t want to push my luck I, in turn, released my hold on his hand. Then he started to smooth that abused part of my dress out with his palm flat to my skin, making sweeping motions that ran from just under my breasts and down to the top of my thigh. I swear this time his touch had such power behind it I could feel it driving my sexual urge higher and higher to the point I thought I would come if only he asked it of me.

“That’s my good girl, so honest, so innocent…just look at all this untouched virgin skin on show, just ready to be tasted…to be fucked.” He snarled this last part as a whisper by my ear and at the same time his hand spanned my ribs just under my bra as he pushed me further against the glass, pressing his body into me.

I shuddered and sucked in a shocked breath through clenched teeth for I was so close, I could feel myself building without him even touching that part of me. I was both terrified and elevated to the idea of just one fingertip finding my core as I knew that I would have only begged him for more. I could feel myself getting so lost in him, the way he played me, teased me, mocked me, it was all just a cruel game to him, one I was desperate to win.

But then, just as I felt his lips kiss my neck and his mouth open ready to take their first taste, their first bite in making me his, if only for one long pull of my blood and binding me to him if only for a short time…he pulled away and snarled the horrifying truth in my ear,

“A shame then that I am not into corrupting pretty little virgins with no experience….as I can smell your innocence and it reeks.” My eyes snapped open and the spell was broken. I tried to pull away from his hold, confused when he was the one who wouldn’t let me go. Not until it was that he had delivered his final blow.

“Run on home to your castle, little girl, for you’re on the wrong side of that safe world you grew up in.” This was when he placed a finger to my painted lips and then ran his thumb down the center, smudging the shade down my chin. I felt like crying at his harsh and humiliating treatment, so I turned my face away, making him run the backs of his fingers down my cheek, telling me,

“For I can assure you, Princess, it is far from greener on this side, for this isn't Afterlife ... this is the gates of Hell I own and here… I show no fucking mercy!” he warned on a growl and snapped his teeth at my cheek making me flinch back. Then he sealed my shame and mortification when he tugged me roughly into his arms and whispered down at me,

“Not even to fresh little virgins who nearly cum before I have even uttered their name.” Then he grabbed my chin in a bruising hold, held me still and kissed my lips in the very last way I ever thought our first kiss would have been. It was just another way for him to make a mockery out of me in front of all his people and I couldn’t help my reaction, I yanked myself out of his hold and before I could stop myself I drew back and went to slap him.

However, his lightning fast reflexes meant that he caught my hand by the wrist before it could touch him with the leather on his palm slapping against my skin.

Then he warned dangerously,

“Not. Wise.” He said this in a deadly calm that was far scarier than if he had screamed it at me. Then he spun me around and gave me a little push so that I stumbled a step towards the staircase at the back of the VIP.

“Now run along, Princess, for you have wasted enough of my fucking time on these silly little games of yours…time for a real drink!” he said as he let himself fall back on the sofa before putting his arm behind one of the girls and making her giggle. Then he grabbed the other one by the neck before yanking her hard towards his waiting mouth. Making this a fitting end to the most humiliating moment in my life.

I couldn’t help the gasp of pain that escaped as I turned around and started running towards the staircase, having first to try and make my way through the crowd of people. It was the ultimate walk of shame and he and I both knew it. It was, after all, why it had been done. He could have just let me go back down in the lift but this way, it only managed to add that extra slice of cruelty to the act. He wanted me to hate him, now the question was why?

Well, if he wanted me to despise him then he had just got his fucking wish!

So, I didn’t care that people were laughing and sneering at me as all I could feel was the pain. Even as the hot fat tears continued to fall down my cheeks, I no longer cared. Let them laugh, let them amuse themselves with the sight of my torment. I just wanted to run as far away from this Hellhole as I could get. However, the amused crowd was prolonging my agony in being here, which was when I heard Lucius one last time roar out a command in German.

“Lass sie durch und fass sie nicht an!” I tried to figure out in my mind what it meant, something about not touching her…this was proven right when suddenly the room parted like the Red Sea for Moses as I was now free to run through the room without being held back. But then I felt my head begin to spin as I felt myself start to feel foggy. Like that moment when you first realise you’re drunk, only that was impossible after only one drink?

I reached out to the side, thankfully finding someone’s table to lean on whilst I shook my head to try and get my focus. I put a hand to my head as if this would help in clearing the fog and when it finally passed I briefly looked back at Lucius. This left me wondering in my insanity should I tell him that something was wrong with me? But when I saw him look over his shoulder at me frowning and sniffing the air as if he was looking for something, I decided then that I would get nothing but more humiliation from him. Something no doubt this time about my lack of ability to hold down a drink. I even saw him motion for the guard that had brought me up in the elevator to come forward, no doubt asking him to make sure I was removed from his club and quickly. I knew this when I saw him speak into his radio whilst still looking at me.

This was when, after staggering a little, I ran for it. I got to the staircase, nearly throwing myself around the corner holding on to the banister so as not to fall and break my neck. I must have lost my jacket and my purse at some point because by the time I ran through the front doors of the club, I had nothing on me.

The doorman shouted something at me, trying to get me to stop but I just ignored him and carried on running. I just needed to get as far away from this place as possible! How could I have been so stupid! How could I have let myself believe in such a man, such a being! He was just a cruel cold bastard who obviously got his kicks by hurting people. He really was the heartless Vampire King that they said he was.

I finally stopped running and had no clue where I was, but the second I stopped, unfortunately for me the world didn’t as my mind became so lost now that it spun and spun and spun until everything was falling around me. It was only when pain exploded at the back of my head that I realised it hadn’t been the world falling… but it was me.

For a moment I just lay there looking up at the night sky that kept fading in and out every time I closed my eyes slowly. Part of me couldn’t understand what was happening and the other half of me just didn’t care.

He had crushed me.

But then, as I lay there on the cold hard floor, I heard something approaching me. However, when I tried to lift up my head to see, pain exploded in my head. My eyes refused to focus as I felt as though I had consumed a whole bottle of vodka. Or like that time aunty Pip let me drink too much champagne and she ended up holding my hair back as I puked whilst she sang the Gummy Bears theme tune like it was a lullaby. But I couldn’t understand, I had only had the one drink, unless…

This was when a figure suddenly approached and the second they leant down, getting into focus, I opened my mouth to scream when a hand quickly clamped down over my mouth. For there, above me, was the most hideous creature with rubber textured skin stretched out into a face. Beady unblinking eyes stared down at me and a mouth full of fangs that remained wide open like it was going to bite me but didn’t close even when it spoke.

Even when its smug voice didn’t fit the snarling mouth of a demon as it reminded me…

“See, I told you demons are real.”

29

The Real Monster

“Just hurry up and grab her would you!” I heard a frustrated voice say in an American accent as I felt my body being moved around. But it was strange, as though I was only sort of semi-conscious to what was happening around me. But I still couldn’t seem to move my body as for some reason it just wasn’t working.

“Well, I thought we would jump her on her way home.” A boy said, with a German accent this time and when I finally opened my eyes I saw again that demonic face, but now at an odd angle as it was now on top of his head instead on…well, his face. I couldn’t understand it as it seemed just frozen in that one facial expression looking as if it was about to take a chunk out of you.

“The van isn’t far, then we can have our fun with her just like the rest and then dump her somewhere, she will wake up tomorrow without remembering a thing other than being fucked by two demons!” The American said chuckling and that’s when I realised he was also helping to carry me, but I couldn’t make out where. It was like a fog was stopping me from getting my body to do as it was being told. which was when I started questioning if I had somehow been drugged?

I felt myself being heaved into something after I heard a door being unlocked and slammed. Then I felt hands on me and I frowned not liking it.

“Oh, looks like we have a fighter on our hands this time,” the American said in a pleased tone.

“Oh, good I like it when they…wait, what was that?” he stopped and started whispering as I felt the hands on me stop moving as well. I looked up and saw the German pull his face down making me realise now, even in my drugged state, that it must have been a mask.

“Never mind, its nothing, let’s cut this fucking dress off her, I want to see those big tits,” the American said and even if I wasn’t fully aware of what was happening, I knew that was a bad thing. I heard the snip of something by my ear and felt myself being man handled up a little, until suddenly I had the biggest urge to scream.

In the end, I don’t know how I managed it but I opened my mouth and let go of all the energy I had left,

“LUCIUS!” I screamed his name so loud even my own ears hurt and suddenly I felt pain explode over the side of my face where I must have been punched. To be honest, it probably should have hurt a lot more than it did but a second after it happened, I didn’t feel a thing. What I did feel, however, was when the van started to rock and suddenly what sounded like a door being ripped clean off its hinges. I managed to open my eyes and get them to work for a short time and this time there really was a demon knocking at the door.

And he was without a doubt, the most terrifying creature I had ever seen. It was Lucius, but not as I had ever seen him, even if my mind was showing me a clouded version of him. There were two crimson glowing eyes that looked like the Devil himself had gifted him his own. Two mighty wings stood at his back and they morphed between that of a demonic bat and a flaming phoenix. But I couldn’t make out any of his features as there seemed to be a black shadowed aura that floated around him like Hell’s essence was clinging to his form.

Then came the scariest sound I had ever heard in all my twenty years alive, all of which had been lived with the knowledge of demons. But this was something else! It was a demonic roar so deep that it sounded as if a beast from Hell had just broken loose and was now on the rampage right outside this van. Then I saw a black hand slap to the top of the last remaining door before it was slowly peeled back as if it had been made from tinfoil.

The sound of screams followed less than a second later and I closed my eyes as one started to sound as if it was dragged out of the van. I then opened my eyes just in time to see the petrified face of one of my attackers getting smaller before he disappeared altogether. Then, in the distance, I heard one last blood curdling scream before a wet slashing and tearing sound followed. After that the only screams left were the ones belonging to the last man standing and he was still in the van with me.

I knew that even without looking as he was currently trying to scramble past my numb body. Then the shadow emerged once more and even though I couldn’t focus, I could now see that it was a figure bathed in crimson.

“So, you like to play dress up, drug young girls and pretend to be a demon, do you?” I didn’t recognise the demon’s voice, but this time I most certainly knew it was the real thing and that it belonged to the deadliest one of all…

Lucius.

The guy next to me started begging for his life, which was a pitiful sound and the strong smell of urine soon filled the small space around me.

“Then, it’s time I introduce you to the real thing, after all…you will be seeing a lot of them in the place I am sending you…” This part was said with eerie calm for such a monster. Then his shadow was gone from the end of the van where he had torn off the doors and dragged the other guy out. The German was looking all around for him in panic and then cried out when the side door was suddenly punched through, telling me that it must have been locked. Then I watched in fascination as a strong demonic hand emerged through the punched hole and calmly unlocked the door by flicking off the lock with a curled razor sharp, black claw.

The guy scrambled back further away from the door on my side, stepping on my hand and making me cry out. This was when the door was quickly yanked open. It was done so hard that in the end it came clean off its runners and I saw it through the back as it went skidding down the street creating sparks along the floor with the force. Lucius now stood panting like a wild beast in the opening and I could see the two massive horns emerging from his back as his demon side took over completely.

“FUCK NOOO! Please…oh fuck, please man, look just take the bitch and… AHHH NO!” The guy started to say, but then the second he said ‘bitch’ the movement came as a blur of colour as Lucius was inside the van. I could only just make out that Lucius’ body had been outside one second and the next he was right there. Then, as I looked up and back over my head, I could just make out the single stretched arm above me. One that had now cut the guy’s screams off by pinning him to the inside of the van. I could hear the dying gargling sound and saw the blood trickling down his neck from where Lucius had his talons embedded in his flesh, looking ready to rip his throat out.

“What did you call her?” Lucius’ threatening question must have made me flinch and he didn’t miss the slight movement, because in that moment Lucius’ burning crimson eyes looked down at me and their Hellish stare, that was one still filled with blood lust, now strangely took on a softer side as they gazed at me. Then, with his free hand, and as if compelled in this strange horror fueled moment a tender second passed between us, he ran a single finger just under my eyes as I still looked up at him from where I lay.

“Close those pretty eyes for me, Sweet I don’t want you to see as I rip him to pieces for you.” I swallowed hard, unable to nod or move other than to do what he asked. I was so terrified in that moment that my eyes snapped shut as I took his threat as seriously as death itself.

So, as I closed my eyes for him, what followed swiftly after was a quick breath of movement, as if something extremely fast had moved past me. Then, after a quick scream, a very angry demon finished his threat in the scariest voice I had ever heard spoken…

“Enjoy Hell…after I tear you, limb from fucking limb first!” Then I felt a spray of something wet hit the side of my face and even behind closed eyes I saw a crimson mist before I finally passed out and I did so to the distinct sounds of…

Torture and death.

* * *

“Ssshh its alright, it’s alright…I have you and you’re safe now.” I heard the calm tender sound of a man whispering by my ear as I shifted as if something was holding me still. That’s when I realised I must have been in someone’s arms as it felt as though my body was weightless.

I decided to test my single thought of who it could be, but even then asking myself why it would be him, when I whispered his name,

“Lucius?” I heard the shuddered breath in return before it was confirmed,

“It’s me, sweetheart.” I don’t know if I was imagining it, but in those three words alone it sounded like it held a weight of emotions that were like a ticking time bomb about to erupt. They were on a fine edge…or was that just my own?

“I don’t care which, just get me a fucking car here now and do it fast!” Lucius snarled making me tense in his hold as I could now feel some of the movement coming back to me, even though my head still felt lost and fuzzy. At least I seemed to have more of my eyesight back as the second I opened my eyes I was looking up at him. But wait what was that across his face…?

Blood.

He couldn’t see me looking up at him as he was too busy on the phone, snarling into it with every order he issued.

“Just do it and bring the team,” Lucius snapped and once again I flinched, making him hold on to me tighter in a reassuring way as if it was an impulse.

“I need clean up, two bodies and lots of parts, so tell them to get their asses here quickly before someone notices a van pissing blood!” he shouted this time before ending the call. I don’t know why but I tried to get away from the angry sound and started squirming in his hold.

“Ssshh, calm yourself little one, calm for me now. I will not hurt you… nothing can hurt you now,” he told me in a soothing voice when I couldn’t stop my lips from moving, wondering if the sound ever made it out of them for I couldn’t tell,

“You already did.” The only indication in the fog of lies that was my mind was the feeling of someone inhaling a quick, sharp breath before pulling me tighter to their chest. And again, I couldn’t be sure, but I could have sworn that the answer to this had been a whispered,

“I know… as intended.” After this I must have fallen unconscious again or at least in and out of consciousness as I would pick up bits here and there, asking myself what was real and what was a dream.

The first of which was the feeling of being in someone’s arms and them sitting down with me nestled in their lap. Then I felt a hand smooth back my hair before cradling my head against a very hard chest, one’s whose breathing sent me to sleep with the steady rise and fall.

“What is to happen now, my Lord?” I heard someone ask and it was a voice I didn’t recognise but sounded strangely as if it belonged to a young lad. Lucius didn’t answer right away, but instead I felt a hand come to my face as if examining it, as though there was a bruise there or something.

“My Lord?” the unknown person prompted making Lucius release a sigh.

“Get the Imp here, she will know what is to be done,” was Lucius’ reply and I frowned in response. Then, I felt the pad of his thumb smooth out my frown before he cooed down at me,

“Ssshh now and sleep, my girl.” Then just as the other person started to speak Lucius interrupted,

“We will speak of what is to be done later for she is restless and listening…isn’t that right, my little royal Šemšā?” Lucius whispered down at me, humming the foreign word I didn’t understand. I released a sigh and then after long moments of silence, this time when I found sleep I stayed there. And I stayed there to the feel of Lucius’ gentle hand stroking my hair and him holding my hand.

* * *

I don’t know how long it was after this that I woke up, but when I did I knew that I did so in his bed for it smelled like him and the comfort I felt knowing that made me want to stay here forever. I was about to open my eyes in curiosity, wanting to know what it would look like in his bedroom, but the second I heard voices nearing, I remained still and clung to the sleepy state I was still in.

“Oh gosh, just look at her!” I tried not to frown or make a move to give away the fact I was awake or the fact that I had just recognised my Aunty Pip’s voice. But what was she doing here? Unless of course, Lucius had called her to come and escort me home? That was a depressing thought.

“Was she hurt?” Pip asked in a tender and worried tone that nearly broke my heart to hear.

“You mean other than being fucking drugged in my club and nearly fucking raped after I’d just let her walk out of here?!” The sound of Lucius’ snarled response made me clench my fists under the covers.

“This wasn’t your fault, Luc,” Pip said reassuringly in a soft voice.

“It was, just not as it intended to be.” This was his strange and confusing response in return.

“How long has she been asleep?” Pip asked, obviously thinking it best to change the subject.

“Sixteen hours but it will take longer before it fully leaves her system,” Lucius stated in a stern voice that sounded less than pleased.

“Any other injuries?” Pip once again asked.

“A bump to the head, no doubt from when she first passed out and a punch to the face, which she received after she screamed my name for help,” Lucius said and again, it sounded as if his jaw was that tight, he could have chewed through nails.

“I heard you made them pay,” Pip said sounding happy about this and Lucius growled,

“Not nearly enough for touching her,” Lucius said like a sworn vow and again I wanted to frown in confusion as to why he felt so protective over me. Was it just because he felt responsible for it all? Pip laughed at this and said,

“Luc, you tore one guy to pieces and ripped the other guy’s genitals out before slashing his throat, I am pretty sure that wasn’t fun for them.” Lucius grunted and said,

“It should have lasted longer.” This made Pip laugh and reply,

“Spoken like the true badass, killer assassin we all know and love.” Lucius growled but there was no malice in it as it was done more playfully as he warned,

“Careful, little imp, you and your husband are still on loan to the Dravens, for I will be asking for you back before long and then once I do, your punishment will be of your husband’s choosing.” Pip laughed and clapped her hands a few times before saying in a genuine tone,

“Oh goodie!”

“How is my right hand these days, bored I imagine?” Lucius asked Pip as I knew they had once worked for Lucius back before my parents were together.

“I must admit, he is eager to come back, but I… well, you know I will miss my Toots,” Pip said referring to my mum who was often like a sister to her, being as they were best friends. Hell, but I had never known an Afterlife without Pip in it.

“You have time yet, I am sure,” Lucius replied making Pip sigh dramatically.

“What about you, when is your time, Luc?” Pip asked making me wonder what she meant.

“It is foolish to believe there will ever be one, but you know this,” Lucius replied and again I really wished I knew what they were really talking about.

“Then what now, are you really just going to send her home after everything…oh no, what did you do?” Pip asked, obviously after something in Lucius’ expression gave him away.

“I did what I had to do for the girl’s own good,” he snapped.

“Oh no, Luc… please, oh please tell me you didn’t end up telling her about being in love with…” The second Pip’s words were out I swear I felt my heart stop beating for a time but then Lucius replied, interrupting her before she could finish her sentence.

And in the end, I really wished that he hadn’t.

“No, Pip, what did you think I did, just take one look at her and then tell her to go home…That I…” He paused a second as if he was frustratingly dragging a hand through his dark sandy coloured hair and couldn’t form the right words. As if they were too painful for him and I didn’t have to ask myself why for long.

Because unfortunately for me he didn’t stop. He didn’t stop speaking, for if he had then I would have gone home, yes, but I would have done so at the very least with some of my heart still intact…before of course, he utterly destroyed it…

“You think that I would send her home knowing something like that…to actually tell her that I love her fucking mother!” The second I heard those devastating words I couldn’t help my silent gasp as my eyes snapped open to see that Lucius was facing Pip. He was in the middle of his frustrated rant, one focused on having to deal with me. So much so in fact, that he didn’t realise that Pip was now staring at me with nothing but horror and sorrow in her beautiful forest green eyes.

“Uh…” she mumbled trying to break through, but Lucius carried on and said,

“Who thought that was a good idea, because yes, I want to push her away and I am a cruel bastard granted, but I am not that fucking…” This time he finally stopped, and he did this the second Pip grabbed his shirt and looked back to me before telling him…

“Uh…Luc, I think you just did.”

My mouth dropped open as I sat up, staring at him with our gazes locked. His was in shock and mine, well mine was as if he’d just shot me in the heart and was still holding the smoking gun.

“Amelia, I…” This was the first time I’d heard him saying my name and I wanted to tear my gaze from his but couldn’t. No, instead as I felt the tears pouring down my face, I could only find the strength to say one thing to him.

It was as if I needed it confirmed. Needed it said and out in the world just to know that I wasn’t, in fact, just locked inside a new nightmare, one far more horrific than what the last twenty-four hours had given me. For that pain would fade along with my bruises.

But this pain, this sheer agony…the one he’d just inflicted would stay with me for the rest of my life.

And he knew this.

He knew this when I uttered in disbelief the last words I vowed to ever say to him…

“You’re in love with my mother.”

30

Broken Vows Trapped in Steel

That was seven years ago, and I would have liked to be able to say that the pain he inflicted that day had faded...but it hadn’t. No, instead it had just become a dull ache that I simply spent years learning how to ignore. That was until the night he turned up, standing behind me at a gala. The night my heart started to beat again for the first time in seven years. And yet here I was once again, where that heartbreak all began.

Even now when I think back to how naive I was, standing in this same spot and looking up at the building, believing that I would be good enough to tempt a man like Lucius. Ha! And to even think I thought someone like me could have tamed the beast. I wanted to laugh at myself, but unfortunately all I could do was shake my head in pity.

Oh, but to have the chance just to go back to that time and save myself all that pain. My advice would have been simple…run. Run as fast as you can, run home and start living your life. Ignore your dreams for the Fates have played a cruel trick on you. There is no such thing as a Chosen One for anyone other than your mother and father who were lucky enough to have finally found each other. But Lucius wasn’t a man who needed to be found or have a heart that needed to be claimed.

He was a man to be feared and nothing more. Because, after that day, I knew that he was only capable of ever being more than that with only one person and it wasn’t me.

It had been my mother.

I remember the numb state I felt once I heard those words. Words I couldn’t have run away from even if I had wanted to. Because they were already free. They were out there and could never be words unheard. So, there it was. The man I was cursed to love was also cursed by loving my mother. A woman who was eternally in love with a man she was destined to be with. So, you see, there was only one happy ever after in that story and unfortunately, it wasn’t ever going to be mine.

And nor was it to be Lucius’.

I knew that, as I had spent the last seven years resigning myself to that fact. Another reason I had vowed never to come back to this place. Yet, here I was and this time I wasn’t just here for Lucius.

So, I looked down at my hand and the same key card that I had once seen being used on that private elevator of his. I didn’t ask how Bess had gotten hold of one or how she knew of an unguarded elevator at the back of the club that could only be accessed by a back door. I also didn’t know how she had come to find out the key code to this one either. But to be honest, the second I had seen this place again, then there wasn’t much that I had asked her. I had just stood there across the street and found myself staring at the place as I listened to her plan. All the while just asking myself was he in there? Would I walk through those doors into that VIP of his, that sexual playground, and find him as I had before? Surrounded by blonde beauties to feed on, that painfully made me spend a full year asking myself, had he done this to remind him of my mother?

Needless to say, that for a while, this had made my relationship with my mum a difficult one, especially as I knew none of it was her fault. But she didn’t know, and I kept it that way. As far as I knew she just believed I was going through some difficult life questions and gave me the space that I needed. It had been a blessing she gave me that, so she would never know the full extent of the problem. At first, I wanted to hate her for what she had unknowingly taken away from me. But in truth, I could never hate her, she was my mum and she… well, she was wonderful.

So, after about six months of not knowing what to do with myself and finding myself sat for long hours on the rooftop gardens of Afterlife just looking out to the world and asking myself why, I came to a decision. I decided to throw myself into my only other passion in life…and it had worked. I worked my ass off and instead of spending my youth at parties and singles nights out flirting with strangers, I had studied. I had burnt the midnight oil and passed all my exams with the highest grades anyone could get. A historical genius, one lecturer had claimed and boasted to my parents at my graduation, but in truth I had felt like a fraud. Because what was the truth, that I had used it as therapy to get over the biggest heartbreak in my life so far? That every time he had plagued my thoughts, I found the only way to drive him back out again was to pick up my books and study.

To simply swap one obsession for another.

And it had worked.

I had made it my life and up until a little over a week ago, I had been happy. I had my simple little life, which included my small group of friends, a warm and cozy little flat, one I had been so proud of owning and most of all, my independence. And now, one by one they had all been taken away from me, the blindfolds removed from each element and it had left me naked to the truth.

My life was just a lie.

It was a smokescreen for what I really wanted, for what I could never have and by the Gods how I wanted it back! But first, I had a job to do and one that was far more important than what I wanted. So, it was time to crack on then really, wasn’t it, I said to myself.

I had already turned around ready to say goodbye to my new friend only to find her gone. This had been about ten minutes ago and since then I had been in some kind of trance, just staring at the place and convincing myself that I could do this.

You see, when she had first told me of her plan for me to get inside I had asked the obvious questions, as to why I couldn’t just do as I did last time and announce that Lucius knew who I was and would therefore just let me in. But she had convinced me that this wouldn’t have been the case. That, in fact, she had it on good authority that there were orders to ship me back off to Afterlife no matter what I said or did, for it was for my father to deal with me.

Gods, but I felt like a bloody, naughty child!

She also told me that Lucius had planned to ship the box off to someone in Egypt to look at, where it was rumored that plans were in place to try and take it during transit. Something I knew I couldn’t let happen. Bess told me that my only hope was to try and get to the box without him knowing and try and open it before this happened, so that the box was empty when it was stolen.

This all made sense other than the fact I wasn’t A: James Bond, B: A Ninja or C: A jewel thief… or even a member of Ocean’s Eleven which would have also been handy right about now. No, instead I reminded her that she was dealing with a bookworm who collected toys, went to Star Trek conventions wearing fake Spock ears and whose idea of a crazy night was ordering extra jalapenos on my pizza. Or even breaking out the wasabi when drunk and seeing between me and Wendy, who could eat the most of the stuff without breaking into a sweat and pulling a disgusted face first. Hence, all these perfectly good reasons as to why I was the biggest flaw in this plan of hers. Plus, not to mention the clumsy aspect to all of this as that was enough of a reason all on its own.

But my only reply to all this was her yanking her now bloodied scarf out of my hand, patting me on the back and saying,

“You will be fine.” Then I had unknowingly talked to myself for about three minutes before realising that she was long gone, still feeling like an idiot even though no one was around to witness it.

So, with all that in mind and without one shred of confidence in me achieving even half of what was needed, I crossed the road after raising up my hood. I walked around the back, to where she had pointed to, telling me there was a side door the staff used to get rid of rubbish. But it was the fence at the back that she told me would be left unlocked ready for me to go through. That way I could then go to the back of the building where I would soon discover was where all the vehicles were parked and was how Lucius and his people entered the building.

So, I did as she said and made my way back there, soon seeing for myself her idea of it being ‘unlocked’ was actually a hole cut in the fence with bolt cutters.

“Nice,” I muttered sarcastically as I took off my jacket and rolled it up into a ball so I didn’t snag it on the fence, but instead fed it through and placed it on top of my bag that I had fed through there first. Then I gave it all a little push out of the way before pulling the interlocking metal links back as far as they would go and scooting in there myself.

“Okay, so that’s step one down, only forty other impossible steps to take,” I grumbled out loud to myself after putting my coat back on and tucking my bag strap diagonally across my shoulder to free up my hands. Then I continued round, trying to stay out of view of the cameras and stay in the blind spots Bess had told me about. I think I held my breath the entire time and looked up at those security lights as if I expected them not only to turn on, but also start screaming at me like a police siren.

Then I looked across the lot and saw that lines of parked, shiny new cars filled the open space with only a few that looked like something my dad would drool over. Expensive, sleek supercars that took pride of place and were parked closest to the door. I looked up and noticed now the high brick wall that surrounded the car park with large heavy metal gates at the entrance.

A gulp later at the security of the place and I turned to face where I needed to get to without those damn lights coming on. But, thankfully, it also seemed that this was another successful step to tick off the list as I made it to the door and after entering the four-digit code she gave me, I could then tick off my third. Wow, I was on a roll!

I slipped inside and again, as with the floodlights, I kind of expected some kind of alarm to go off, so froze for a moment as if waiting for it. But again, when nothing happened I thanked my lucky stars and carried on.

The lobby was an elaborate one and definitely one suited to the private entrance of its rich owner. But other than it being a room with luxurious black and red wallpaper and it having a glass table at the centre, then that was it. Well, that wasn’t strictly true as it officially had one of the strangest sculptures I had ever seen, sat in the middle of it. The piece was made from carved wood that had been charred black and was of a pair of demonic hands with their fingers interlinked at the top, with claws embedded in their own flesh. And at its centre, nestled safely inside the hands, was a bleeding heart made of red glass.

I don’t know why, but I found myself staring at it as though it held some inner meaning I couldn’t figure out. Then I finally tore my eyes away from it as I walked round to the double doors at the centre. There were two other doors either side that I gathered took you straight into the main floor of the club, but it was the elevator I stood opposite now that held my interest. So, I took a deep breath and took the card out of my pocket and slapped it to the scanner saying,

“Well, here goes nothing.” I don’t know why but I found myself only half happy that they actually opened, and the card had worked. Because now that meant I had no excuse to get myself out of this crazy situation. No, instead, I stepped inside and pressed the button to the top floor. Bess had told me where Lucius’ personal vault was as he had a false wall in his apartment and assured me that at this time of night it would be empty.

I had wanted to scoff at this almost asking what if he got lucky, but in the end, the very thought of it stopped me in my tracks, finding that the words were just kind of stuck there, too painful a thought to speak aloud.

By the time the doors opened again I had once more convinced myself that it was behind this door surely that I would be faced with a guard of some kind. But there was no one. So, after giving it a quick glance both ways and after sticking my head out in what no doubt looked a comical way, I stepped out into another lobby of sorts.

This one had a number of doors around its centre table and this time the sculpture was like the one downstairs only in reverse. It was a carved wooden heart that was charred black, opening up as if the two glass hands inside were trying to break free, splitting the heart from within. The difference in the hands was that they weren’t just made of red glass but this time, they were a pair of woman’s hands. I wondered once more what it meant and if it was symbolic or personal to Lucius?

“No, it’s just a rich man’s art,” I whispered to myself before getting on with what needed to be done. I looked from left to right wondering which door it was. Then I looked to the biggest set of doors straight ahead of the elevator and knew the second I saw them that this was Lucius’ apartment.

I remembered it now. The day I ran from those doors shortly after hearing his secret confession. Pip had tried to stop me, but he only ended up stopping her, telling her to let me go. I had found my way downstairs somehow and into the waiting car ready to drive me directly back to the airstrip, where one of my father’s planes was fueled and ready to take me home.

I may not have remembered much after he said those words, but I remembered those doors. Doors I had needed to brace myself against as at the time I had placed a fist in my mouth and cried around it so that he wouldn’t hear me. I didn’t want him to see my tears or hear my pain, for he didn’t deserve them.

I don’t know why I was feeling this way now? Why not when I was back in London… was it because he was in my domain? Or was it just because being back here after so long and seeing the place again, just brought up painful memories and nothing more?

Back in London he had been different. I had finally got to see him as a person not just the cruel king of his kingdom. Not just the brutal killer I had barely witnessed that night. I would often wake screaming in the night for him, just as I had done when inside that van. But because of the drugs in my system I often asked myself what had been real and what had just been a warped memory?

Because, as much as I remembered seeing a tender side to Lucius when he found me, I couldn’t trust in any of it being real. Not after piecing together everything that had happened as a whole. The humiliation he put me through in front of all his people shortly before the attack…I shook my head just thinking about it and unconsciously was surprised when I found that, just like when I woke, I was doing the same thing. With a hand to his door holding my body steady as the memories assaulted me. But unlike then, this time I couldn’t run. Not until I had finished this mission.

So, with this in mind, I slapped both hands to the double doors and pushed hard, no longer caring who could have been in there, because let’s face it, if they were there, then I would be a goner anyway. So, I walked inside and got my first glimpse of Lucius’ private world. And what I did discover didn’t shock me…

Lucius’ world was cold.

I frowned as I walked further into the space that opened out into a spacious living room, asking myself where the life in this room was. Oh, there was the personality of some control freak minimalist who wasn’t into his creature comforts. Like a decent couch for that matter as it wasn’t exactly one for putting your feet up and watching TV relaxing at night. No, it was functional and that was it. As if he had called a designer and said, here is the money, now do anything you want but the only colour I like is blood red and nothing more.

Because the whole place was in different shades of grey and black, with the smallest amount of red accents dotted around the place. One full wall was like bare grey concrete that held a few grouped pictures where each section made up a piece of the image. But it was one you would have to stand back to see. However, from what I could see just walking past then it looked like sections of the same tree.

This was hung over a large L shaped couch that was dark grey and looked about as comfy to sit on as a park bench. It was low, wide and hard looking. The only saving grace to it was the few big blood red cushions placed along it. The rug in front of it was a lighter grey and was mostly covered by a glass coffee table the shape of a kite only arched at its rough edges. It was a strange design and looking at it from a different angle you could have said it was a broken cross.

I tore my gaze from it and took in a few other aspects of the room, like the way it seemed to be sectioned off. There was a small bar area that was all glass and chrome. The floors were cold slate with panels of dark grey hardwood to help section off the rooms. There was even a large dining table the further around you walked, that was a slab of what looked like black glass. But on closer inspection I realised it was highly polished granite. I wondered briefly if this had been what he had broken when on the phone to me and he had fused it back together or just had the whole thing replaced?

I also couldn’t help wondering had it looked like this when my mother had been here? Or had he had it changed since then? Well, I can imagine you would certainly redecorate a place and it had been twenty-seven years at least. Another painful thought that I ended up having to shake off as I continued on. I had to keep my mind on the end game in all this and that was the box, nothing more.

So, I purposely walked into his bedroom and tried to ignore the space, looking right away for his walk-in closet that Bess had told me about. I had to wonder again how she knew all this stuff, but then again, she was an Oracle. But no matter how much I tried I couldn’t help but slap a hand to the entrance of the closet and lower my head, letting my shoulders slump. I just wasn’t strong enough. I had to look. I had to see if it was the same bed I had woken up in that day or had he changed it?

I didn’t know how I would feel either way so what was the point, I argued with myself and then lost, as I turned my head.

It was the same.

The second I saw it I knew my mistake as it brought back a flash of memory. It flooded back to me with such force I felt my hand tighten around the wooden frame just to keep me still standing. It was of him standing there with Pip, holding himself so still, so steady at the end of the bed as he gazed down at my misery. His eyes, the way they tracked my tears as each one fell as if counting them and saving the memory of them for later.

He had not long ago told me that my eyes were beautiful, but when crying they were breathtaking. Had he first thought this that day? Had he taken one look at my heartbreak and thought it beautiful?

So, the bed was the same, so what…what did that mean…? Nothing, that’s what!

“Get a grip Emm, time is wasting,” I told myself and walked inside the closet trying to ignore the smell of Lucius that surrounded me from all of his clothes, making me wince with my eyes closing tight for a few seconds as if this would help with the way he assaulted my senses. Then I walked over to the elaborate gold cross on the wall I knew would be there and shook my head when I did. Well, so far Bess had been right about everything, but now this was the main test. Was she right about this? So, I did as she told me to and grabbed hold of the cross and turned it until it was facing upside down, now making the sign of the Antichrist.

“Cute,” I scoffed aloud then watched as a code panel appeared. Now, this was when things got tricky as she said she didn’t know the code. Which had me questioning how she knew everything else but this last part? I had asked her how I was supposed to get inside it and her answer hadn’t exactly been a confidence booster because it was a simple…

“Wing it.” And unsurprisingly just repeating these two words in question and a slightly high-pitched tone didn’t get me any other answer but a shrug. So now here I was, faced with 10,000 possible combinations to choose from, meaning it would most likely take me well into my thirties before I got it right.

But then again…

“Could it be?” I asked myself before giving it a try as really, at this point, what did I have to lose? I punched in the number I thought it could be and I was right,

It was my birthday.

Just like the pin number for his card. Now what the hell did that mean?!

Suddenly a heavy lock sounded to be moving and a false wall clicked open so that now I could push it open and the second I did, I gasped. The room was a brightly lit space that was filled with, well everything you would expect from a man like Lucius.

A wall to my left was full of weapons, that held everything from swords, hammers, maces and daggers to guns in all sizes. It was like a weapons collection of the ages, all behind glass cabinets and with what looked like a fingerprint recognition pad for them to open. Well, I just hoped that the box wasn’t behind something like that or I was screwed. Not unless I could wait until he fell asleep, bang him over the head before dragging his big ass in here.

“Yeah, well that’s not happening,” I said mocking myself before turning around to take in the rest of his treasures. There were your typical locked boxes like you find in a bank vault covering the wall opposite, making me wonder what lay inside. A small giggle escaped me when I wondered if it was his stamp collection or something equally as geeky.

But then I stopped dead and my mouth dropped as I took in the centre of the room. For there stood a huge sword held in its own glass case. I knew instantly what sword it was so the historian in me gasped, and my hands flew to my face in shock.

“No…could it be, Caliburnus?” I muttered its old name that was Latin for the better known, Excalibur. It would make sense considering the setting for the sword was sat in a feminine stone hand that was reaching up through blue glass to represent the water, making it a piece of art in its own right. See, a lot of people would question this and ask themselves why not an anvil, which is the better-known legend, but there was another one. The true one, if supernatural belief was to be believed.

Excalibur was said to have been given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake sometime after he began his reign. She told him that the sword was named Caliburnus, meaning the King’s sword, and held great magic. The Lancelot-Grail, in which this legend takes place and is a major source of Arthurian legend that was written in French, is a series of five volumes that not only tell the story of the quest for the Holy Grail but the more romantic element of the tale which was the famous romance of Lancelot and Guinevere.

Now, in these volumes it is told that Arthur was at the brink of death and so orders Griflet, one of his Knights of the Round Table, to throw the sword into the enchanted lake. But after two failed attempts, failed because he simply believed that such a great sword should not be thrown away, Griflet finally complies with the wounded king's request. So, this time when he actually threw the sword into the lake a hand emerged from the water to catch it.

The supernatural element to this story isn’t the hand in the lake however, it is who it was said to be fated for next and who was to be next in line for such greatness.

And here it was.

I was utterly astonished by such a find, knowing that if ever something like this was discovered it would be one of the marvels of the modern world. That was, if it could be proven to be real. The historian in me was desperate to forget the damn box, hunt him down and demand he tell me all about it! I wasn’t sure how he would have felt about that, however.

I finally tore my eyes from the sword and looked towards the other side of the room on my right. Hoping to then see what other secrets it held. The whole wall was sectioned off into box shelving and each place held some kind of artifact, meaning that it was obvious that Lucius and I had something in common. As it looked as though I wasn’t the only one who held a passion for history, not if that collection was anything to go by.

The huge difference between his collection and what you would find in any museum was that his all looked brand new and made only yesterday. Making me realise that these weren’t just pieces he had picked up at some rich man’s auction or something found on the internet by some private buyer. But these were actual possessions only ever owned by one person, the one who no doubt commissioned them…Lucius.

This was when I realised that out there in that apartment was just a cold hard front of a shell of the man he portrayed himself to be. But in here, surrounded by a man’s long life and the things he owned, the things he treasured enough to keep safe…then this right here was the real side of him. This was the man he kept hidden from the world…

A secret world I’d just broken into.

This thought suddenly filled me with dread and I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder at the door, wondering if I shouldn’t just make a run for it whilst I still could. I played out every other scenario that didn’t include stealing that box, but every one ended with the possible death I would then forever have on my hands.

No, I couldn’t do it.

So, I needed to hurry, grab this damn box and run for it. So, after scanning the wall for less than a second, I found it sat in the middle as if it had been placed there ready for me. It was even at my height being eye level and therefore impossible for me to miss.

Looking at it now I couldn’t help but reach for it, feeling as though it was calling out to me, but at the same time warning me away. I even thought about Indiana Jones and wondered if I would need a bag of sand to swap it with or something.

Then I shook off that silly thought and finally reached out for it. But the second I did, it was starting to look as if that sand bag idea hadn’t been so silly after all. As now I must have unknowingly triggered some kind of alarm. I had barely even grazed it with my fingertips when an alarm was ringing out making me step back.

I looked all around me as massive metal doors all started crashing down at speed. They came from the ceiling and down the front of the walls making me jump in fright when they slammed into the floor locking in place. It started with the glass cabinets full of weapons and I screamed once it continued all around the room with metal coming down all around me. The wall of lock boxes was next and then quickly after it the wall of artifacts in front of me.

I took another staggered step back then turned the second I heard a noise behind me. I was just in time to see that even the glass box around the sword and its sculpture was now being quickly encased in steel that had risen up from the floor.

It was clear that the room was going on lock down and the second I realised this my eyes shot to the door. This was when my panic really started to set in as I saw the heavy metal door now swinging inwards making me scream first in fright and then at my stupidity.

“NO!” I shouted after I pointlessly ran for it just in time for it to swing shut in my face and sealing me inside for good.

“Shit, shit, shit!” I shouted, banging a palm on the inside of the vault door, but it was useless. It was locked and unless I was Bruce Banner and had unknowingly become the Hulk in the last five minutes then there was no way I was getting out.

I was trapped.

But worse than that, for now he must have known what I did.

Which meant only one thing…

Lucius had caught me.

31

Heart Captured

Well, that most certainly wasn’t how I expected it to go, that was for damn sure! I don’t know how long I had been waiting by the time they opened the door, but it must have been at least twenty minutes. Twenty bloody minutes of being sat on the floor panicking and freaking out. I swear there must have been a hidden camera in here somewhere and he was doing this to me on purpose and no doubt, for his damn amusement!

For why else would he have left me in here for so long? Because he must have known there had been someone breaking in and it was on lock down. This was confirmed when I finally did something that I should have done when I first walked in the place and that was to look up and see if there were any cameras in there, and as it turned out, there were.

I felt like slapping my forehead in a true ‘Duh’ moment. But instead I wanted to prove my theory of him watching me, so I raised my hand and promptly gave him the middle finger. Needless to say, that the doors opened two minutes after this. I half expected to see Lucius himself, stood there behind the door as it opened but no, it was just his lackies. They gave me a nod, with no need to say anything as I knew the drill, which was why I quietly and without fuss followed them back to their master.

So, this was it. My time had come to face judgement. Hell, but it was punishment enough just from being made to go back into that room. Back into the VIP, only to replay my humiliation out like the remake of some sadistic theatre. I twisted my features into a grimace the closer to those doors we got, as I knew where they would take me. It was one thing stepping foot back in his club but quite another stepping foot back in that playroom of his.

But what choice did I have? I guess I could run and see how far I would get. The elevator doors were still open, could I still make it?

“He told us to tell you that if you run, you will only make it fun for him when he gets to hunt you down.” One of his men said making me shudder. He must have seen me looking longingly at the doors.

“But of course,” I muttered sarcastically making the guy chuckle before opening the club doors for me, so that I could enter the very last place I ever wanted to go. But once again, what choice did I have? None, zero and absolutely nothing left in me. Because for once I had to stop running and face my demons…Or should I say,

Just the one.

Because I wasn’t that naive twenty-year-old princess who believed in ‘happy ever afters’ and fairy tales spun by the Fates of prophesied Chosen Ones. I wasn’t walking in there unprepared for what it was he had the power to do. I knew what he was and what he was capable of. So, I would make this my weapon. The weapon of knowledge so that I may prepare myself for what was to come.

However, no matter how much I tried to tell myself this, the second I saw him as I did that night, sat there master of his domain, I couldn’t help my foot faltering a step. It was as if the very sight of him made it hard to breathe. Made it hard to move any closer.

It was like looking directly into the eyes of a stunning predator that utterly captivated you with its dangerous beauty. But it was free. It wasn’t confined by anything in between you and it. It was just there getting ready to pounce any second, like a tightly coiled and concealed rage just waiting under a false veil of calm, ready to erupt any second.

He saw this. He saw the fear in my eyes and for a single moment it looked as though for once it didn’t please him to see it. Not like the last time where my fear had amused him. No, now his dark stare softened as he recreated the moment when beckoning me forward with two fingers. The guy next to me nodded down at me and whispered,

“We aren’t authorized to touch you, so please, just make my life easier and keep walking…yeah.” I frowned looking up at him in surprise. The guy was asking me nicely not to do anything that would get him in trouble, as if I had that power. I decided it wasn’t worth the two of us getting into any more shit than I already was on my own, so I gave him a break and took a deep breath.

I am not that girl, I am not that girl, I am not that girl, I repeated in my mind trying to hold on to the fact that I had stupidly dreamt of a moment like this. To be dressed sexy, walk in here and slap him before walking out again. Well, from the looks of things I think if I tried to do that then all that would happen was my hand swiftly captured in his palm and then this night’s recreation really would be complete.

So, I walked and watched him as he in turn watched me. However, when I did it, I did so with a fake expression of indifference. But when Lucius did it, he did it as though he was watching his dinner coming closer and he liked what he saw.

Also, like that night, I noticed that he was wearing a suit, only this time it was all black and consuming every thought I had. Just the sight of him looked so dominating, so powerful and forbiddingly handsome, it was hard to think of little else. Every inch of him screamed of control and a dark force to be reckoned with. From his trousers, to his shirt and waistcoat all of it black and like before, he wore it the same way, without a jacket and with his sleeves rolled up his strong forearms. One black leather glove on show and, like back then, it was one that didn’t stop at the wrist but continued up under his shirt.

You would have thought the sight would have looked odd or even feminine but boy, you would be wrong. If anything, it only managed to add a dangerous element to his look, as if it was a hand so powerful that part of it needed to be contained. I always saw it and wondered what lay hidden beneath those worn straps of leather? Today’s choice was one that looked like something that would have been worn to a boxing match only with all the fingers covered.

His hair was, as it always was, in that natural fall that looked barely tamed. Just the type you wanted to run your fingers through just to see if it felt as soft as it looked. Did it feel like the rough sands of his past it’s colour resembled?

“Ah, but here is my little thief,” he said with a smirk as I came to stand in front of him and it was only now that I realised there was a startling difference than before. A difference that, thankfully, made me breathe a little easier, for this time the only people who had joined him on the couch were who I imagined his council members to be, with not a blonde beauty in sight.

“Lucius,” I said in greeting and doing so with a steady voice unlike before. His grin grew further up on one side before he nodded to the seat next to him and offered,

“Won’t you take a seat.” I swear that the spark of mischief in his eyes told me he enjoyed being able to throw me off centre, seeing that this also hadn’t happened last time. He watched me frown in confusion and then obviously figured it out for himself where my thoughts must be…stuck in the past. But I couldn’t trust this. I couldn’t trust him, and he knew this when I gave him my answer.

“I think I will stand, thank you.” The second I replied he raised a brow in question and then said,

“Very well then.” Then he stood himself, pulling his waistcoat down with a pronounced tug. Now, like last time, the moment he did this my natural reaction kicked in and I took a step back…a step back through time.

And this was where it began and he knew it too. He knew that to get me past this memory, he would first have to rewrite the old one…rewrite it with something new.

“I must say that I’m impressed to see that you made it as far as you did,” he told me, stopping in front of me and giving me enough space to at least breathe easy. Oh yeah, two metres away was a good start but I wished it was further, as I had a feeling that it wouldn’t stay this way for long.

“Your little switch worked just long enough for you to catch that flight,” Lucius continued when I didn’t respond, letting me know that he had been monitoring my progress. Then he walked closer and as if this was a dance we knew well, I took my step back.

“Clever girl that you are,” he praised making me swallow down this new lump called lust, especially when his same gloved hand came to rest just slightly above my head. Then he looked me up and down slowly and said,

“Well, looks like we have been here before, haven’t we, Sweet?” he said cutting through any bullshit this time. I found myself only able to nod, hating that I wasn’t strong enough to snap a witty reply back at him. But instead, I gave him insight to the emotions that I was feeling. Letting him know exactly what this was doing to me and letting him in.

“Then let’s make it complete, shall we?” he said before his free hand came to the buttons of my jacket and I couldn’t help my reaction as I covered his hand to stop him.

“Wh…what are you doing?” I stammered. His reply first came in the form of a bad boy grin before he told me,

“Well, if I remember correctly, then under this heavy wrapping, I should find the gift of a pretty dress worn especially for me,” he told me in a smooth tone that was coated in confidence and lust. This was when I told him,

“It wasn’t worn for you…not…” I took a deep shuddered breath and continued with a whispered reply,

“…Not this time.” Lucius nodded his understanding before saying,

“No, I suppose not. But I wish to see it all the same,” he said and then slipped my buttons free one by one, even as my hand was still held tense over his. And each one he freed with his skilled fingers, he watched me, his stunning grey blue eyes never once moving from my own, making me want to ask what it was he was searching for in them.

This was when I uttered without thinking…

“I am not that girl anymore.” The look he gave me was first one of surprise and then one of challenge.

“Oh, but I think you are, I think you are still that scared little girl running lost, until found by the wolves she was trying to escape from,” he told me, and I wanted to snap back at him but in the end didn’t trust myself to speak, so I bit my lip and shook my head no. But then his knowing grin made me feel a little braver, so I said,

“You mean wolf,” I corrected.

“Perhaps,” he hummed as he tapped on the glass with his fingers.

“But let’s see, should we?” he said before peeling back the sides of my jacket and letting it drop from my shoulders into a heavy heap of material on the floor. Then shamefully, Lucius took a step back to admire me and the second I tried to cover myself, he didn’t like it. He didn’t like how I held my arms around myself. I knew this when he stepped back into me and took my hand by the wrist. Then he pulled my arm out straight and looked down at me.

“Tut, tut, my little Sweet, you have done enough hiding from me these last few days, don’t you think,” he said, letting me know that he had been searching for me all along. I shook my head at him and tore my gaze away, looking off to one side at the floor, for I couldn’t do it this time. I couldn’t be a part of his games.

“What do you want from me, Lucius?” I asked as I tried to pull my hand from his hold on my wrist, a freedom he wouldn’t grant me. So instead he captured my arm between our bodies as he placed himself close once more and I was unable to make eye contact. Another thing that he didn’t like as I soon felt his hand come to my chin to force my gaze once more to his. I felt enough pressure there so that I was forced to lift my head back to look at him.

“Isn’t it obvious?” he said making me frown, before saying,

“With you? It never is.” He smirked at my confession before running the back of all four fingers down my cheek. But this was all the reply I was to receive as his attention went back to what I was wearing, and the hand that first trailed down my cheek now continued further this time. He let his touch graze just over the swell of my breasts, making me suck in a surprised breath, one he grinned at seeing. Then his hand dipped lower down my side before coming to rest at my waist.

“I think I like this one better, for it suits you,” he told me, giving me a compliment that for once wasn’t attached to an insult of some kind.

“I…I…”

“I am starting to think that the words ‘thank you’ don’t come easy to you, for I believe I am owed quite a few of them by now and in person like you promised,” he teased referring to our flirty text messages. Well, this was certainly going differently than last time that was for sure and I couldn’t say that I was complaining. But then what if this was just all part of his game?

Although by now I had to finally ask myself…just what game was that exactly?

“Why do you do this to me?” I found myself asking before I could talk myself out of it. This was when Lucius released a sigh as if now was the time for something and I half expected that to be for him, for him to just walk away. But then instead of coming right out and saying it, he obviously decided to answer my question with a question.

“Why did you come back here, after all this time…? What took you so long?” His question had me dumbfounded! Had he wanted me to come back? The way he worded that question sounded as if he had been waiting for me to. But why? Why on earth after last time would I?

“You have to be welcome, Lucius, to want to go back somewhere,” I told him, this time without a single waver in my voice. Lucius laughed once and then grabbed me tighter and yanked me close,

“Does this not feel like a welcome to you,” he growled with lust and I swear he must have heard my heartbeat going wild, for he looked down and glanced at my heaving chest, one now brushing against his own every time I took a breath.

“I don’t understand…what…why?” I couldn’t fully form that sentence. Then I felt his hand slipping down, slowing starting to gather up my skirt and making me shoot a panicked glance at the rest of the room behind him, one I hadn’t fully taken in until now.

“I warned you before, now give me your fucking eyes!” he snapped, making me look back to him and his commanding presence that was drowning me.

“Please, Lucius, I…” I started to say but stopped when he groaned, making a guttural sound as if in pain for a second.

“Mmm, I must say how I like the sound of that coming from your lips,” he teased sexually, and I jumped a little in his hold the second his fingertips lightly grazed my thighs, but this obviously wasn’t enough for him as he uttered to himself,

“Skin.” This was my only warning when I felt his claws start to grow from the end of his fingertips making me flinch.

“Be still,” he warned, humming the warning by my ear before I felt him curl those deadly talons ever so slightly, enough that I felt the sudden pull and tug of my tights. Then I felt it ping back the second the material found it’s limit and tore, as he shredded five long slashes the length of my thigh. I jerked against him but then his claws retracted and in its place were four fingertips and a thumb starting to caress up my leg in the holes he’d just made. It was done so softly, it was shocking to feel, considering where it came from.

I swear, just the feel of him touching me this way and so close to that place, the one I had been close to begging him to touch the last time then, as before I was close to coming undone. But just like that the moment was broken, as I remembered the pain from last time he played with me, his new toy.

“Lucius please, don’t do this here…don’t humiliate me like this again, if only to stop and taunt me for being so close…” I stopped myself before I revealed too much. But it worked for his hand did stop and he froze next to me as if my words had inflicted more upon him than he would ever let on.

“You think I wish to humiliate you?” he asked on a hiss, as if shocked. I nodded, not trusting my voice right now, then he must have replayed my words back again.

“Go on, finish that sentence.” I shook my head telling him no when he snarled down at me.

“Finish it!”

“Please, don’t make me,” I asked him in a pleading tone and for once he must have heard the desperation in my voice and instead of gaining pleasure from it, he considered the root of it.

“Alright, Sweet, but know that what I do now is not to humiliate you, for if I wanted, I could command every last person in this room to drop to the floor and place their foreheads to the ground, and stay that way for hours,” he said and when I looked at him in disbelief he clicked his fingers causing a wave of movement behind him. He then turned slightly so that I could now see that he hadn’t been joking. But instead of everyone being on the floor like ancient servants in sight of their king, he had simply frozen the room. Every single person in his VIP had turned into a statue of flesh.

Then he suddenly bent down slightly and swept my legs from under me, catching me in his arms before standing.

“What are you doing?!” I asked in shock but more so when I received his reply.

“Righting a wrong,” he said then clicked his fingers again, bringing everyone back. I cried in shock and I automatically held onto him as he started to carry me out of the room. Then, unbelievably, he told the room,

“We are not to be disturbed!” Meanwhile I was left in a state of utter bewilderment as he continued to walk through the VIP doors straight towards his personal rooms. It was all happening so fast, I never even saw it coming. I knew where he was taking me, of course, but why was he? That was the biggest question. In fact, it was the question for so many things. Why was he acting this way? Why wasn’t he having me removed from his club or sending me back to my father like last time? But most of all…

Why did it feel so right here in his arms?

But I didn’t ask him any of these things. But simply remained in stunned silence until he finally made it inside and then unfortunately, letting my legs slip slowly from his hold. Then he held me steady until he was confident that I wouldn’t fall.

I couldn’t help in that moment but look up at him with big beseeching eyes, hoping now he would finally let me in. Finally release me of the mental chains he had wound tightly around my heart, ones that he continually tugged on the end of every time I saw him.

I wanted freedom to breathe, to speak, to shout, to scream when finally, I yanked myself free and almost ran from him when in the end I only made it to his dining table. He watched me retreat calmly as if this wasn’t an unexpected reaction for me to have towards him.

“I…I…don’t understand,” I told him after first turning around and placing my palms on the cold stone, looking down and seeing a shadow of my reflection in the polished surface.

I did look lost.

Then, after long agonizing moments of silence, I turned back to face him when he spoke.

“What don’t you understand?” he asked in a soft tender tone that only managed to mess with me even more.

“You don’t even like me!” I threw back at him and this time he laughed once, only it was without humor but done more so as if a cruel punishing joke was being played on himself.

“I can assure you that your statement couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said dryly, making me hold on to the back of the table just to steady myself. Was what he was saying really true?

“But then why, if that is true, why treat me…” I started to question when he quickly admitted,

“I'm not proud of how I treated you before, but it was a necessary evil at the time…one I find I can no longer inflict,” he said confusing me.

“What are you saying?” I asked shaking my head a little.

“What I am saying is that this time… I want you here.” Hearing this I sucked in a sharp breath hoping, no, praying that I had heard him right and this wasn’t just the Fates playing some cruel cosmic joke on me, ready this time to push me fully over the edge.

So, I tested it.

“You…you lie,” I said, now realising that I had tears falling down my cheeks, knowing now the full extent of his power. Because if I thought that he had the power before to crush me, then now, I knew for certain that he had the power to do much more than that…

The power to kill me.

But instead of the cruel laughter or the sarcastic remark, he took a step towards me and said,

“No, I. Am. Not.” There was such strength and finality in his tone that it was hard not to believe him.

“Yes…yes, you have to be, this…this can’t be real,” I stammered again, this time forcing my words through a sob as my voice caught on the emotion. I swiped at my chin where tears had gathered and with just that slight motion, by the time I looked up again I gasped, for he was right there in front of me, taking my hand in his and lifting it to his lips.

“By the Gods you’re so beautiful…painfully so,” he whispered before tasting my gathered tears from the crook of my finger. I shuddered as the next set of tears fell the second I had to close my eyes as the overload of emotions assaulted me.

“I did lie,” he said making my heart stop and my eyes snap open, thinking this is it, here it comes. The point where he tells me it wasn’t real…none of this is real.

But what came was the opposite.

“But no more,” he vowed and then before I knew what was happening he took my face in his hands, and a leather covered thumb swiped away my tears like last time.

“There is only now…” he vowed in promise.

“…My Amelia.” Then he lowered his lips to mine and finally my world exploded into pure bliss of the likes I had never known. He kissed me, and I couldn’t help myself as I opened up for him almost instantly as I cried out in surprise. He took advantage of this and swept in there to take his first taste, moaning the second he did…or had that been my own sound made? I couldn’t tell, for time just stood still. This was what first kisses were meant to be. To feel yourself soaring just because of the way he made me feel. The way his hands held me locked to him from fear that I would pull away. But then why would I, when my hands held fistfuls of his shirt as I clung on. I never wanted this moment to end.

This beautiful, perfect moment.

For I knew that even when it did eventually end, that in my heart it would remain forever, replacing all other moments of cruelty…the lies he inflicted. I didn’t know why he lied but right now I didn’t care. Not when his lips were consuming my own as he dominated the kiss. Then his arms wrapped around me and he growled over them, giving me a moment to breathe before crushing them to me again, this time biting me a little to prompt me to open up once more for him.

And I complied.

But of course, I did, for I wanted more just as he did. Because in this perfect moment I knew that if I was to die right there, if he was to suddenly produce a blade and plunge it into my heart, then I would still cling on to him for just a second longer.

That was how much I loved him.

But this was when I realised it wasn’t me he was killing…

It would only be himself.

For I remembered now why it was I was here. It was the box.

The box that held the key to something everyone thought was impossible.

For all of eternity nothing had been strong enough until now.

The key inside that box was …

How to kill a Vampire King.

And in doing so…

The Death of my Mother.

Venom of God

The Transfusion Saga #2

Copyright © 2020 Stephanie Hudson

Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it wasn’t purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Venom of God/Stephanie Hudson – 2nd ed.

ISBN-13 - 978-1-913769-37-6

About the Author

Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. Afterlife is her first book in the series of twelve, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.

When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her loving family and friends, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course, spending as much time with her supportive partner and personal muse, Blake who is there for her no matter what.

Author’s words.

My love and devotion is to all my wonderful fans that keep me going into the wee hours of the night but foremost to my wonderful daughter Ava...who yes, is named after a cool, kick-ass, Demonic bird and my sons, Jack, who is a little hero and Baby Halen, who yes, keeps me up at night but it’s okay because he is named after a Guitar legend!

Keep updated with all new release news & more on my website
www.afterlifesaga.com

Never miss out, sign up to the
mailing list at the website.

Also, please feel free to join myself and other Dravenites on my Facebook group

Afterlife Saga Official Fan

Interact with me and other fans. Can’t wait to see you there!

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Acknowledgments

Well first and foremost my love goes out to all the people who deserve the most thanks and are the wonderful people that keep me going day to day. But most importantly they are the ones that allow me to continue living out my dreams and keep writing my stories for the world to hopefully enjoy… These people are of course YOU! Words will never be able to express the full amount of love I have for you guys. Your support is never ending. Your trust in me and the story is never failing. But more than that, your love for me and all who you consider your ‘Afterlife family’ is to be commended, treasured and admired. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough, so one day I hope to meet you all and buy you all a drink! ;)

To my family… To my amazing mother, who has believed in me from the very beginning and doesn’t believe that something great should be hidden from the world. I would like to thank you for all the hard work you put into my books and the endless hours spent caring about my words and making sure it is the best it can be for everyone to enjoy. You make Afterlife shine. To my wonderful crazy father who is and always has been my hero in life. Your strength astonishes me, even to this day and the love and care you hold for your family is a gift you give to the Hudson name. And last but not least, to the man that I consider my soul mate. The man who taught me about real love and makes me not only want to be a better person but makes me feel I am too. The amount of support you have given me since we met has been incredible and the greatest feeling was finding out you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me when you asked me to marry you.

All my love to my dear husband and my own personal Draven… Mr Blake Hudson.

Another personal thank you goes to my dear friend Caroline Fairbairn and her wonderful family that have embraced my brand of crazy into their lives and given it a hug when most needed.

For their friendship I will forever be eternally grateful.

I would also like to mention Claire Boyle my wonderful PA, who without a doubt, keeps me sane and constantly smiling through all the chaos which is my life ;) And a loving mention goes to Lisa Jane for always giving me a giggle and scaring me to death with all her count down pictures lol ;)

Thank you for all your hard work and devotion to the saga and myself. And always going that extra mile, pushing Afterlife into the spotlight you think it deserves. Basically helping me achieve my secret goal of world domination one day…evil laugh time… Mwahaha! Joking of course ;)

As before, a big shout has to go to all my wonderful fans who make it their mission to spread the Afterlife word and always go the extra mile. I love you all x

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Afterlife Saga

A Brooding King, A Girl running from her past. What happens when the two collide?

Book 1 - Afterlife

Book 2 - The Two Kings

Book 3 - The Triple Goddess

Book 4 - The Quarter Moon

Book 5 - The Pentagram Child /Part 1

Book 6 - The Pentagram Child /Part 2

Book 7 - The Cult of the Hexad

Book 8 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 1

Book 9 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 2

Book 10 -Blood of the Infinity War

Book 11 -Happy Ever Afterlife /Part 1

Book 12 -Happy Ever Afterlife / Part 2

Transfusion Saga

What happens when an ordinary human girl comes face to face with the cruel Vampire King who dismissed her seven years ago?

Transfusion - Book 1

Venom of God - Book 2

Blood of Kings - Book 3

Rise of Ashes - Book 4

Map of Sorrows - Book 5

Tree of Souls - Book 6

Kingdoms of Hell – Book 7

Eyes of Crimson - Book 8

Afterlife Chronicles: (Young Adult Series)

The Glass Dagger – Book 1

The Hells Ring – Book 2

Stephanie Hudson and Blake Hudson

The Devil in Me

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Sloane Murphy

Xen Randell

C. L. Monaghan

Sci-fi/Fantasy

Brandon Ellis

Devin Hanson

Crime/Action

Blake Hudson

Mike Gomes

Contemporary Romance

Gemma Weir

Elodie Colt

Ann B. Harrison

I would like to dedicate this book to my big/ little sister, Cathy.

I would like the world to know that what shapes us in life are the people who surround us and the love we are shown. For me, my sister helped shape me in the best way possible. She was always there for me and even through the rough, together we will always end up finding the smooth.

So, Cathy, to you I say this,

Here is to blue towels and handstands in the water.

You are my forever rock in the sea, and I am your forever fish to guide you wherever you want to be.

I wrote this for you.

Big Sister Forever You’ll Be

I walked in your shadow

When the world was too bright,

I slept on your floor,

When you were scared of the night.

We laughed on the bed,

When you made puppets of your feet,

You gave them funny names,

Characters I just had to meet,

You were always there for me,

When I was sad or when I cried,

You stood up for me,

When people hurt me or wounded my pride.

You taught me things,

And took me places to see,

We swam together every Saturday,

Just like two best friend fishes in the sea.

We walked hand in hand,

Around our block on a paper round,

You would save your money,

Then buy me treats with every pound.

You did my hair,

And I admit I would wince,

But now I look back on it,

And I would smile with each memory since.

You said to me,

That one day I would go far,

That I would entertain the world,

That I would be a star.

You were my biggest fan,

Went to all of my plays,

Clapped the loudest

Always giving me praise.

You were never mean

Nasty or unkind,

You would wrap up your toys

Every Christmas with me in mind.

You made me into a clown,

Or even a horse,

With paper cups on my feet,

And paper hair of course.

But most of all,

You taught me so many things,

Like how to tie my shoelaces,

And make marble runs with cardboard and strings.

Creating board games

About the scary stuff I adore.

We made a haunted house as the last level,

It took up the whole bedroom floor

We laughed and cried

And yes, I snorted maybe,

But you thought it was cute,

Your little sister, your baby.

And now we are grown

And I couldn’t be more proud,

To not only call you big sister,

But to shout best friend out loud

Because you mean the world to me

And gave me the best childhood

And now we are grown and you’re still

The best, a sister could…

Ever Be.

All my love,

Your Snessy.

Warning!

This book contains explicit sexual content, some graphic language and a highly addictive Alpha Male.

This book has been written by a UK Author with a mad sense of humour. Which means the following story contains a mixture of Northern English slang, dialect, regional colloquialisms and other quirky spellings that have been intentionally included to make the story and dialogue more realistic for modern-day characters.

Please note that for your convenience language translations have been added to optimise the readers enjoyment throughout the story.

Also meaning…

No Googling is required ;)

Also, please remember that this is part of a 12 book saga, which means you are in for a long and rocky ride. So, put the kettle on, brew a cup, grab a stash of snacks and enjoy!

Thanks for reading x

Prologue

Amelia

Foresight is a great thing.

It would have come in handy.

Like when I decided to try and steal from an angry Vampire King. Nope, probably wasn’t one of my better ideas. And now he’s decided he’s done waiting, whatever that means.

He tells me I have pushed the limits of his patience for the last seven years and now it is time to claim what is rightfully his.

Because now it turns out that I am not the only one with an unhealthy obsession. He just hides his better.

Well, he isn’t hiding anymore.

And as for me. I am now his prisoner who, unknowingly, just slammed the door to my own cell. And all because I stole from him.

Stole the heart of the notorious,

Vampire King.

1

Unlearning the Power of Love

‘The whispers in the morning, of lovers sleeping tight, are rolling by like thunder now, as I look in your eyes…’ I started silently mouthing the words, knowing if they’d have been heard it would have come out like a breathy whisper. But pretending to sing any song by the fabulous Celine Dion was as good as it would get as I refused to sully her songs with my appalling singing voice. Another thing I inherited from my mum.

So, as I increased the volume in my headphones on the second verse, I really started to let myself silently sing. I had finally been allowed to work on the box and strangely it felt as though I had come full circle since the day my dad had brought it to me. Only now, unlike that day, Simply Red wasn’t singing about holding back the years and instead Celine Dion was currently trying to teach me the power of love.

And just like that day the lyrics started to mean something so much more to how I was feeling. Especially when I started to really give into the impulse of the music, mouthing,

‘A love that I could not forsake’, knowing exactly who it referred to. I even started to sway my head to the first chorus with the pen in my hand, one I had used to take notes, swirling in the air like I was some kind of conductor. But the lies of the words began, whereas I wasn’t his lady and he most certainly wasn’t my man, no matter how much every fiber of my being wanted to make it so!

So, all I had was this song and someone else’s words flowing through me and easing my soul, if only until the music stopped. Which was why I couldn’t help but sing the next verse whilst looking out the window, asking myself how I would feel if I was ever gifted the moment in his arms.

‘Lost is how I'm feeling, lying in your arms, when the world outside's too much to take, that all ends when I'm with you…’ I started really feeling myself getting lost now, reaching out my hand, fingers spread wide and shaking my hand, holding it out as if I was mimicking a bloody rainbow across the sky, but I didn’t care. It was Celine Dion for God’s sake, she deserved the best of me and all I had to give!

So, I started with the air drums the second that louder beat of the chorus hit and a larger sway of my hips and used my pen as a microphone just before the all-important power pull.

‘Whenever you reach for me,’ I silently sang as I raised my hand into the air and fisted it like I was pulling down a lever of love, one that only existed on the secret stage I was now headlining on. A hand fanned out in front of me as I shook my bum in time with the music before throwing my head back making my hair come loose from its tie and I shook it completely free. Somewhere so lost in my mind I was the one with the amazing voice, up there singing to the world about the love she felt. About the power of it she was ready to learn, despite being frightened. Well, those words certainly hit home.

‘The sound of your heart beating, made it clear suddenly, the feeling that I can't go on, is light years away’ I mouthed as I shook my head to the side and suddenly couldn’t help myself as I sang for real this time,

“Cause I'm your lady…” Then as I spun around on one foot I saw the flash of someone else in the room with me. I gasped, stuttered and ripped the headphones from my ears, the second I knew my private gig was up. I had been busted and by none other than the very last person I ever wanted to witness my little diva act…

“Lucius!” I screamed the second I saw him standing there casually leaning against the doorframe as if the only thing he was missing right then was a bowl of popcorn and a ridiculously large, bladder busting soda. And of course, he was smirking.

“What the Hell!?” I shouted with a hand to my pounding chest.

“Oh, I wouldn’t have said your singing was that bad, I especially enjoyed the ending,” he said making my burning cheeks close to crispy they felt that hot. Especially when he winked at me, making me close my eyes and pray to every God out there with the power of mind control to make him to forget the last four minutes. He heard me muttering to myself asking for mercy and chuckled. I opened my eyes just in time to see him push away from the door and start striding over to me.

I had been given this room to work in, amongst other things, like sleeping, eating, and general twiddling my thumbs, all of which came after a full night of biting my fingertips. Oh and let’s not forget, listening to hopeless love songs and trying not to cry, along with giving in to the temptation of hunting someone down and begging them to go and get me a tub of ice cream the size of my head.

But I was getting way ahead of myself. Because before this had come the most important moment of my life so far and one that had the power to scar my very soul…a soul he now knew he owned.

And it all started with a kiss.

The kiss.

That kiss.

His kiss.

Gods but it was a painful bliss just thinking back to it. But that had been two days ago. Two days since I ripped myself from his arms and tried to leave. Because with only a few words uttered it had plunged me back into the icy river called,

My bitter reality.

* * *

Two days earlier

“There is only now…My Amelia,” he whispered and before I could put any more words in between us, he kissed me. But it wasn’t just a simple kiss, as I knew it never would be with Lucius. No, this felt more like an immortal branding. A way for him to finally mark me as his, declaring me untouchable to the rest of the world. That was what kissing Lucius felt like. As if you were the only being in the world, one that could have been crumbling around us, for he simply wouldn’t have cared. He would only have held me tighter to take his prize with him as he stepped into the Underworld.

This was a kiss from a Vampire King, one forged in Hell and given life by the Devil himself. But wait, where on Earth did that thought just come from?

He gripped me tighter, holding me as if telling me without words that I wasn’t going anywhere, not until he deemed it acceptable. And really, I didn’t have a problem with that, especially not when his touch made me feel treasured and quite honestly, it wasn’t a response I’d ever expected Lucius capable of giving until this moment. But then, with his lips on mine, his tongue duelling with my own as he tasted me, fighting me for dominance, there was no other way to describe how he made me feel.

Then suddenly, it all ended, and I was doused once more with Lucius’ taste of reality. The moment he growled over my lips and spoke only of pain, not the pleasure we had just shared.

“I wish touching you didn’t hurt so fucking much!” he whispered through a hiss of gritted teeth and I swear it felt as though he had just placed both hands on my chest and pushed. Instead I gasped, unable to hold it back before I did to him how it felt he had just done to me. I placed my hands on his hard chest and pushed, making him at least go back a step. I think this was done so more out of shock and really, was he that stupid or just that out of touch with women?

He growled at me the second I staggered backwards desperate to put more space between us.

“Amelia.” My name came out as a warning and was snarled as a serious enough threat that it almost had me doing as he silently asked…almost. But instead I kept my ground, trembling in my anguish and the second he saw it, he finally relaxed all those tense muscles that had looked ready to make him pounce. Even his hard expression softened and just as he was about to take a step closer my hand shot up and shook as I held it there.

“No Lucius, just…just no!” I said tearing my gaze from his, no longer being able to stand staring at him from the other side of the great chasm that was cruelly placed between us. It was one filled with a painful history and hours of tears I just couldn’t ignore, even if his kiss still lingered.

“Amelia, let me explain.”

“No, no it’s too late for that, Lucius. Whatever this is between us, well…let’s be honest, it was over before it even began, and I think it’s safer it…it stays that way,” I told him making him first look shocked before it was replaced with annoyance. I could even hear the sound of leather groaning as he clenched his left hand into a tight fist.

“Now who’s the one lying?” he asked folding his arms across his chest.

“As difficult as this may be for you to understand, Lucius, I didn’t come here for you!” I snapped back making him raise a brow before granting me a sarcastic,

“No?”

“No, I came here for the box or did the whole breaking into your vault not make that clear enough,” I responded making a muscle in his jaw tick and it was the only evidence to how he was actually feeling right then, even if his cool façade spoke otherwise.

“The only thing that is clear right now is that you’re running scared.” I sucked in a breath of shock and frowned back at him, after first giving him an incredulous, questioning look.

“Seriously?!” I asked making him shrug his shoulders in a nonchalant way that was infuriating.

“You heard me, Princess.” I swear I was the one to growl at this.

“For the last time, don’t call me that!” I snapped and this time when his jaw muscle twitched, I could see it was because he was trying to fight back a smile.

“Speaking of which, just how did you break in exactly?” he asked making me falter a step in my anger thinking I was now about to tread on very delicate ground. Because if there was one thing I had learned about Lucius as the years went by, was that he had a major problem with all things to do with the Fates. And this included the Oracle whom, according to Pip, he had made no qualms about hating to the point of venomous disdain.

But this was yet just one more thing to add to the list of hundreds of things I never really knew about Lucius. And really, as someone who had foolishly once believed him to be my Chosen One, then it was somewhat laughable…that was if I wasn’t being pathetic and crying over it like a little girl who hadn’t been asked to the prom.

Which now put me in a bit of a predicament because really, just how would I have known the things I did enough to break into his vault. In all honestly, I was just surprised this hadn’t been the first thing he had asked me. But then again, he had been too preoccupied with taking a mocking trip down memory lane…even if it had ended with a kiss instead of well…the pain of last time.

“I have my ways, Lucius,” I told him hoping this was enough. Of course, it wasn’t. I knew this when he started walking closer and I in turn started backing up just as if we had been back in his club. But then, knowing how clumsy I was, I fell for his warning the second he nodded behind me. So naturally I turned my head believing that I was heading into something and in fear of falling on my ass and well, making an ass out of myself to boot. But then doing so had been his plan all along as the second I fell for it and saw that there was nothing in my way, by the time I looked back up to question him he had closed the distance between us.

“Ah!” I yelped the moment I saw him staring down at me and the second I took my first step away from him he prevented it by banding an arm around my waist.

“You were saying something about having your ways?” he said purring the last two words down at me. I put my hands to his chest and applied a slight amount of pressure prompting him to say,

“That won’t work this time, Sweetness.”

Unfortunately I visibly gulped, especially when I felt the many impressive muscles in his arms tense as if to prove his point. But then something in my panicked gaze must have made him realise that this was freaking me out, because the moment I started to squirm in his hold he lost his predatory gaze.

“Hey, easy now, I won’t hurt you,” he said but my look said it all as there was more than one way to hurt a person enough to cut them to the core, with not a blade in sight.

“Lucius, we shouldn’t, we can’t do…”

“Ssshh, just take a breath and let’s focus on what you can do, not what you’re scared of doing,” he told me and I nearly winced knowing that he knew of my fears and was working around them. I swear but with his eyes gazing down at me like that combined with the back of his fingers caressing down my cheek it had me needing to close my eyes just to escape the intensity of it all.

“I realise that a single moment cannot erase all that has occurred between us, which is why I am willing to give you time to accept that what is happening between us now will happen, of that you have my word, Amelia,” he told me making my mouth close to dropping in shock.

“Wh…what…are you saying?” I asked stuttering to start, my shock evident.

“Exactly what it sounds like. You are mine.” I frowned up at him and his gaze softened to the point where if I could’ve hazarded a guess at his thoughts, he no doubt believed my reaction to be an endearing one.

“I’m yours?” I almost squeaked this question as utter astonishment and lack of belief that this was actually happening was easy to detect. But he obviously wanted me to take what he said very seriously. So, he lowered his head enough to catch my eyes despite our height difference, then almost growled his reply,

“Most definitely.” I started shaking my head as if this wasn’t happening.

“You just haven’t accepted it yet and that’s understandable. So, I will grant you your time, but Amelia be warned…” At this he paused and went to whisper in my ear to grant me the rest,

“My patience to have you is near its end.” Then he kissed my cheek and in the time it took me to draw my next breath,

He was gone.

* * *

That was two days ago, and in those days, he had done exactly what he had said he would. He had given me time and I hadn’t seen him even once. No, instead I had stood frozen to the spot in my utter, complete shocked state before a strikingly beautiful woman had walked in and only stopped when right in front of me.

“Hello human, Lucius sent me, my name is Liessa,” she said holding out a hand for me to shake, one that was covered in cute red leather gloves that had three pink bows down the middle finger. She also looked like a supermodel, being slim and at least six foot tall. Although, if she walked down the runway now it would have been for a designer’s new line of Stepford wives chic.

She wore a pink sleeveless sheath dress that cut across the collarbone, folded over and was held at the center with a big bow of red. It molded to her slim form, down into a tight skirt to her knees. Added to this was a pair of white pantyhose with a thin red line down the backs of her legs screaming sexy yet classy.

The high stiletto heels matched the outfit, including thick red rimmed sunglasses and of course, her cute gloves. She looked ready for a day at the Grand National as all she missed was a great big hat.

But her outfit, although odd to find in a place like this, wasn’t the strangest thing about her. No, it was her perfectly coiled brown hair that twisted up into different sections and showed flashes of light peach coloured streaks running through it. Added to this were rubber tubes in different thicknesses that entwined in the odd style. Cherry red lips and a pink blush added to her high cheekbones making her look like some living doll. But then she raised her glasses to the top of her head and said,

“Oh, how I do hope you cause this place some trouble like the last human.” Then she winked at me and I was shocked to find her eyes were also peach and brown coloured. But then I started to get paranoid, wondering who this other human was that she spoke about. However, she must have read the question in my gaze because she patted my arm and said,

“Oh, don’t worry Sweetpea, it was your mother.”

I gasped.

Because what she didn’t realise was that this was the very last thing that eased my mind. In fact, it plagued me for the next two days making it nearly impossible to think of little else. Because the thought of my mother being here with Lucius was like a knife to the gut, one that only managed to sink in deeper every time I closed my eyes and tried to push it from my mind.

But my mind was a traitor and one that seemed to want to continue to inflict pain because I couldn’t help but see her being here just as I was now. Yes, I knew that she loved my father more than anything in the world and had chosen him time and time again. But it didn’t mean that there hadn’t been something between them, Lucius and her. And well, to be jealous of your own mother was nothing short of a ‘mind meld’ Spock style experience. Or at least one could presume it was.

Which was exactly why when Liessa told me to make myself at home in Lucius’ private apartment I had protested...as in profusely. Especially when she informed me his bed was now ‘my bed’. Something I outright refused to do and to the point that it was only when she saw me trying to sleep on his ridiculously uncomfortable sofa that she caved in. So, she showed me to a guest room which was more like a hotel suite. I didn’t know who it was that used it but after shamefully asking Liessa if it was ever used by anyone I knew, her eyes softened before telling me,

“No Sweetpea, no other human has ever used this room,” telling me without saying the actual words we both knew, which was when I decided that I really liked Liessa.

I also found out that when Lucius said he was going to give me time that literally meant he wouldn’t even be inside the building. He had left as abruptly as I had ended our first real kiss, informing Liessa that he had business to attend to. Which in Lucius’ world, could have meant a number of things, many of which could have been something bloody.

However, one thing at least was Lucius had ordered that the box be kept under my care so I was free to work on trying to discover its secrets. Meaning that the next day Liessa had shown me back into the vault and how to remove the box without setting off the sensors, so I was free to come and get the box any time I desired. I had to say the urge not to touch all the other things I found in there was like a kid locked in a candy store being told there was only one kind of chocolate she could eat.

But working on the box kept my mind from a certain someone…or should I say, mostly. It was just unfortunate that what I was working on included the very grim possibility that whatever was in that box had the power to kill Lucius. And with him being sire to all Vampires, including my mother, well I really hadn’t lied to him when I told him he wasn’t the reason I had come back to Transfusion. Something he had cryptically asked me what had taken me so long.

Gods but talk about as cryptic as the box I had been working forty-eight hours solid on! Which was something I had yet to discuss with Lucius…the box, not his lack of clear communication.

Which led me to now and the man in question. Someone who I could see was walking his way to me with only one thing written on his face…

His patience was at an end and in turn,

My time was up.

2

Hello My Amelia

I watched as he stalked over to me and couldn’t help but tense, unsure on how this was going to go. It had been two days, and in that time it had given me a lot to think about. On one hand being with Lucius this way was as if my dream was finally coming true. Finding out that someone you had been in love with all these years was, for the first time, seeing you in a different light was beyond all I had ever hoped for. But then my biggest fear was …could I really trust him?

I didn’t know whether it was being back here or not but either way it was clouding the happiness my mind wanted to grant me. Like the way I wanted to face him, and the moment he was close enough just throw my arms around him and kiss him. To welcome him home and hope the next step was as simple as him asking me on our first official date.

But that cloud wouldn’t let me. Because, what if it was just a kiss to him and I was the only one who felt as though it could be so much more. What if he felt something now but then later on, he decided it wasn’t worth the hassle? After all, who was I kidding here, I was human. A mortal who, compared to him, had a pretty shitty lifespan. It was something my parents utterly refused to face. But let’s be real, when your own mother looked more like your sister, then there was no getting away from the inevitable. Even if the startling similarities in age were kept from most of the world except their own.

But then there was the worst part. The one that I doubted either of us could ever truly get past…

My mother.

Gods but why couldn’t it have even been just another random girl I had to compete with. But oh no, it just had to be a person I loved most in this world, along with the rest of my immediate family. They would never know this, but it was why I was hardly there. Oh, they just believed I wanted my independence, making me wonder if my mum had any clue that this was something my dad had secretly refused to grant me. I knew they must have been going out of their minds with worry seeing as I had just cut and run. But in some way they deserved it…or at the very least, my dad did.

So yeah, these last few days had given me time to think but I doubted it was in Lucius’ best interests like he thought it would be. Well, that was if he still truly wanted me. Because my conclusion was simple…self-preservation.

That was going to be my main goal from now on. Because I was sick and tired of being lied to. I felt betrayed by everyone around me other than Wendy. My dad had made my independent life in London a lie. My dream job, what were the odds of that being all down to me and my hard work…slim at best, that’s what. My apartment that I had saved every penny I earned to afford and made into my little oasis. One of my best friends Ben, who lived across the hall, a person who had been given that apartment as a means to spy on me. And then there was Lucius, another person who’d had me followed.

I felt like something people owned and therefore had the right to decide my fate for me. Hell, but when I think of all I had to do just to get here, when really I was well within my rights to be able to simply get in a cab, drive to the airport and get on any flight I wanted without being chased, stopped, or coerced into doing any different.

And this was all without even dating Lucius.

Meaning I could barely imagine it being worse than what I endured now, but knowing it would be, should I allow him to have me. But deep down I knew that the main reason wasn’t just allowing him to have the power over my decision making, but it was more down to when he decided to eventually walk away.

That was power enough to destroy me…just like that last time.

So, when Lucius was only a few feet away I turned back to face the breakfast bar I had been working at. Papers covered the surface all with my scruffy notes scrawled across them and even I would admit, I looked like some mad professor minus the white coat and crazy unkempt grey hair. But this was me in my natural element, with what felt like life’s greatest puzzle in front of me. My MP3 player now lay discarded, playing the rest of Celine Dion’s classics and a cold cup of tea was creating pale brown rings on my craziness.

Oh, and I was also still wearing my pyjamas even though it was six thirty in the evening. So, he was either left to think I’d just got ready for bed really early or that I was just plain lazy. The truth would have been somewhere in between, with an unhealthy dose of obsession thrown in there for good measure.

But then again, I was well and truly done with trying to woo Lucius, so looking sexy was no longer a concern. Which was why I wasn’t overly concerned with my baseball style t-shirt that was white with grey sleeves and soft flannel pants in grey and white check. I had now twisted my hair into a messy bun so I could stick spare pencils in it for sketching the different text and symbols. I also wore my thick black rimmed glasses and a pair of slipper booties in fluffy grey with white stars. So yeah, not exactly sexy and added to this was the show I had just shamefully put on by getting too carried away with the music…Yeah, thanks for that Celine!

“So, you’re back,” I said trying to sound casual and unaffected, which would have been more convincing had it not come out more high pitched than I would have liked. I knew he was getting close but when I heard the two stools beside me being pushed aside, done so to allow him more space, I couldn’t help but jump a little. It was like watching a horror movie and every time the music got intense, you knew that something bad was going to happen. And that something bad was always jumping out at you and making you scream. But you still reacted to it anyway, no matter how prepared you were for it.

Well, that was Lucius.

Meaning that when I saw his hands come to rest either side of me on the countertop caging me in, I couldn’t help but suck in a shuddered breath. Because despite making the heartbreaking decision not to allow this to go anywhere, it still didn’t mean I wasn’t weak where he was concerned. A weakness that definitely grew when I felt him lower his lips to my bare shoulder where one side of my top had slipped.

“Any chance of getting a repeat performance?” he asked softly making me roll my lips inwards just to prevent myself from making any further breathy sounds that might give away what his actions did to me. No, instead I swallowed back any witty or even flirtatious response I may have wanted to give, instead deciding it was safer to stick to facts, which included one very big one I was yet to tell him.

Because before that kiss there had only been one thing I needed to tell him, right before I left for good. But then he had crossed his own line and all rational thinking disappeared…just before he disappeared right along with it.

“We need to talk,” I said, trying to sound stern, something he obviously would never have taken seriously enough, as let’s face it, this was Lucius we were talking about here.

“We are talking, Sweetness,” he hummed against my skin and I was shamelessly starting to get sucked into this new side of Lucius and knew that if I didn’t put some distance between us pretty soon, then I was going to find it impossible to do what was needed…like walking away for good.

“Although, before that you were swaying your hips rather hypnotically, so feel free to continue that also, should the mood take you of course.” At this I couldn’t help it but I laughed, and it sounded how it felt, surprised.

“Ha, you would be so lucky!” I said with a smile I was thankful he couldn’t see.

“Indeed.” His reply was once again whispered and this time against my neck. Gods but didn’t it just feel amazing and dangerously so. Which was precisely why I quickly tried to shift out from between him and the counter. But faster than my eyes could track, his hand went from being casually resting at the bar to snagging my waist. So now I found myself side on with his arm banded across my stomach and a possessive hand gripping my hip, preventing me from leaving his personal space.

“Ah, ah, time’s up, beautiful,” he told me and as I thought when first seeing him, his patience was at an end. So, I finally braved a look up at him and I swear those grey blue depths nearly had me crumbling in my resolve. Meaning that in order to say what I needed to say next meant digging deep.

“Then the answer is no,” I told him and the surprise on his face was easy to read, and if I had disliked him as I wished I did, then it would have been satisfying.

But unfortunately, it wasn’t.

“No?” he questioned, and I took a deep breath and said,

“I get that being told no by anyone is most likely a foreign concept for you, but it doesn’t change my decision.” At this he frowned and looked as though he was trying to process my response and from the looks of it, well he was still struggling. Even as his hand flexed at my hip and I wished I hadn’t felt it down to my toes for how nice it felt.

“I see that two days away did nothing to ease your fears but instead simply reinforced them,” he said in a matter of fact way that didn’t really give me much insight to his mood. Either he didn’t believe I would stick to my word, or they just didn’t affect him like I hoped they would.

“Seriously Lucius, what else did you expect…this, us… whatever it is between us…”

“You know precisely what it is between us, so don’t pretend with me, Princess,” he growled down at me and I hated that he used that name when pissed off which he clearly was getting despite trying to keep that famous cool of his. At this I pushed more forcefully out of his hold and this time he allowed it.

“Like I said, I never came here for you, that ship sailed long ago,” I told him, looking back towards the door and into a main lobby area that eventually would lead back into his club. Either way he knew what I meant by looking there.

“So, you really did believe you could steal it from me and run?” he asked as if this was a magical feat only achieved by a damn superhero or something.

“I need it,” I told him pushing my glasses up my nose and knowing that any minute we were going to have to have the conversation about what I believed the box truly was. But the second he saw the innocent action, one which was typical of someone who wore glasses, he smirked as if he liked the sight. I frowned back at him but he ignored my reaction, instead turning to lean his back against the counter after first grabbing the box. Then he spun it in his hands, and I freaked,

“Bloody Hell, careful!” I shouted suddenly forgetting about space and running up to him to take it from his hands. He frowned down at me in question but didn’t say anything as he watched me gently place it back down on the counter as if it was a ticking time bomb. Well, for all I knew it was, only one supernatural in style.

“You’re not lying, you really did come back for it,” he said as if he only now just got it. I didn’t respond because my face said it all.

“So, what was your plan exactly, to change your name, your job, forget all those who mean something to you just so you could run from me?!” he snapped now getting angry. I tore my gaze from his, hating to see that he actually looked hurt by this.

“You have no right, no fucking right, Lucius!” I snapped back and walked away. But he followed me around the corner into the living space.

“I have no right?” he asked incredulously, pointing at himself.

“No! You don’t. Not when it was you all these years that made me feel like a damn leper, not when I came here, and you threw me out on the streets to…to…”

“Don’t say it, Amelia, because I swear if you do, then nothing will save this room from my wrath,” he said interrupting me with a dark gaze and fisted hands.

“And me, what would save me from your wrath?!” I snapped because I wanted to hurt him and I knew it worked the second I saw him flinch and I instantly felt guilty.

“I would never hurt you!” he hissed back and because I felt guilty, I couldn’t help myself when I shouted back,

“You already have!”

But then I felt awful as it wasn’t Lucius’ fault I had been attacked. And he had saved my life. But I also knew that he felt guilty for making me leave his club only for that to happen and what did I do, just made him feel worse about it. But then again, he also knew that what came after my attack had been, well… the most painful moment of my life. And with one look Lucius knew it too. So, before he could utter one word about it, I continued.

“You don’t get to play the victim here, Lucius, just as you don’t get to just click your fingers and erase the last seven years. It doesn’t work like…”

“There’s something you’re not telling me about the box,” he said quickly interrupting me as finally something clicked with him. Because if I hadn’t just broken in and tried to steal the box, using this as some kind of ruse to try one last time to convince Lucius that we should be together, then it meant I really was here for the box. And if I really was here for the box then that must mean there was something important. And this knowledge really annoyed him. I guess if I was honest then I couldn’t help but be flattered.

“Yes, and I have been trying to tell you since I got here, that is until you left suddenly,” I said obviously making his irritation grow in the meantime.

“Well, I am here now, so talk,” he snapped back. I took a deep breath and decided it was time we both put whatever was going on between us aside and focus on ‘the eradication of a whole race’ part of the evening. Oh yeah, this was going to be fun…NOT

“I think you need to sit down,” I said and motioned to the sofa, which I was happy to say was a lot more comfortable than the one in Lucius’ apartment. Like I said, the whole place looked like something you would have found on the top floor in a five star hotel. It was neither feminine or masculine with its minimalistic décor and practical use of space.

There was a living room that held two oatmeal coloured sofas which faced each other with a stylish glass coffee table in between. This sat on a navy and teal rug that had no pattern just flecks of interwoven colours of the two. The walls were a plain off white with one accent wall of navy blue that matched a strip of colour on the curtains framing a view of the city. There was even a baby grand piano, making me wonder if it was there because it was a beautiful piece and not because anyone in particular played.

Of course, I knew how to play, being taught by my uncle Zagan of all people who was a master at it. Not that many would have known but when I accidently wandered into my aunty Sophia and uncle Zagan’s private wing of Afterlife, I had found him sat playing to no one. But instead of shouting at me or telling me off (something he never did) he simply patted the space next to him on the bench and let me sit there and watch as he played. Of course, I was nowhere near as good as he was, but I could at least hold my own. But then, my little flat wasn’t exactly big enough for an exquisite instrument like the piano in the apartment. Which made me want to ask if Lucius knew I played, and this was why it was here. Although that felt like a stupid question, because Lucius didn’t do things like that…did he?

Either way, I hadn’t yet had the courage to touch it, just in case it did belong to someone else and they caught me playing it. Meaning that I spent the last two days eyeing up the thing and playing notes in my head from the music I wanted to play on it. Maybe I would ask him… No, what was I saying, I was leaving as soon as I could!

From the living room there were two doors, one that led to the lobby, a space that connected all the private apartments, like Lucius’, whose obviously commandeered the biggest space.

The other door led into a comfortable sized bedroom that was probably the size of my whole flat back in Twickenham. A bathroom and walk-in closet led on from there and again, put my little home to shame. But then again, it wasn’t my home was it…it was really my father’s I thought bitterly.

From this room it ran in a L shape, as up a few steps and around the corner you found yourself in a cute kitchenette fully stocked for comfortable cooking and a dining table opposite, with a kitchen island separating the two spaces.

Liessa hadn’t taken long in gathering a list of food I liked an hour after showing me inside, so she could send someone out to stock the cupboards for me. Hence there being no reason why I needed to leave this space in the last two days. Then the next day the clothes arrived and I quickly recognised them to be the ones Lucius had bought for me when my flat had been trashed. After that it strangely felt as if I had been moved in here and the thought had me panicking.

I needed to leave and would as soon as we figured out what we were going to do with this box. After I had said my piece and could then hope this was where the supernatural pros took over. Because I wasn’t kidding myself with this one, as I knew this was way out of my league and any help I was going to be didn’t realistically need to be done from inside the walls of Transfusion. Which was why I had been working tirelessly on it for these few days.

Gaining all the information I could by making notes and examining every inch of it before I left. That way they could keep me in the loop via email or phone from wherever I decided to go. Because one thing was for sure, I wasn’t staying here. At first, I had thought I could handle it all on my own but with so much at stake, then I could never chance it. Besides, if there was one being in the world that would stop at nothing to prevent this, then it was the one who stood to lose the most, like his life and well…that of someone he would no doubt always care for…

My mother.

Gods but would it ever get any easier or any less painful!?

I sat down and was thankful when he did the same, although I would have appreciated more space between us than he chose to give me, seeing as when he turned side on our knees were touching.

“I assume this has something to do with your new obsession?” he stated making me frown when he nodded down at the fact that yes, I hadn’t really dressed that day.

“Yes, well I usually save my ballgowns and pantsuits for the really good stuff, like four thousand year old mummies,” I said sarcastically making him smirk behind his fingers as he rested his elbow on the back of the sofa.

“But of course, for why should a box that could wipe out an entire race of my people, myself and your mother included, deserve the same glamorous treatment,” he said shocking me enough that I blurted out,

“You know!?” He leaned forward at this point and whispered behind a hand in a mocking way,

“Hence the vault.”

“But…but…then why, I mean…you never…?” Okay so it wasn’t my best come back but surely no one could blame me.

“Amelia, I am a King to millions above and below, do you really believe me ignorant of something as important as this?” I frowned, shocked to hear it was so many but then my father was the same, so why was I surprised. There were millions of demons and angels living on Earth, along with ones ruled under their command down in Hell and above in Heaven. So, like I said, I shouldn’t have been surprised to find Lucius’ rule to equal my father’s.

“But how would you know, as it’s not exactly obvious…I mean I only discovered it by accident and even then it was…”

“I am not without my own means,” he said interrupting me and I had to admit, the knowledge that he knew someone who also figured it out was, well it was a hit to my ego.

“Right…right.” I said looking down in my lap and not knowing what else to say, as now I just felt foolish. I felt his fingers under my chin and he lifted my face back to his.

“Sweetness, don’t do that,” he said in a tender tone and I swallowed hard before turning my head and getting up from the sofa needing to put some distance between us, especially when he was being like that. I could cope with his sarcasm and his curt and stern demands. But the tender side of Lucius, the one he reserved for who I hoped wasn’t just every woman behind closed doors…well, that was the side of Lucius I found most dangerous. Because I knew more than most the power he held over the opposite sex.

“Right, well, okay then it looks like you have this all well in hand. If you could just set up a meeting with this…this person, then I could give him or her, or whoever he or she, doesn’t matter which, my notes.” Yep, smooth Fae…Gods I felt like smacking my forehead with those bloody notes! And really, did he have to do that infuriating smirk thing behind the crook of his finger like that!

“Amelia, come, sit back down,” he said in a way that I was starting to become addicted to the sound of my own name, especially when he hummed it like that. It felt more like a secret promise being whispered in my ear. A name that only belonged to him. And well, as he was the one who predominantly used it, then it felt like it kind of did.

“Why?” I said knowing that doing what he asked was not a good idea.

“Because we still need to talk,” he told me.

“No, Lucius…we don’t,” I said shaking my head enough that I could feel one of my pencils slipping loose.

“No?” he questioned, his tone disbelieving.

“No, in fact, all that is left for me to do is pack a bag, leave you my notes and get a cab to the nearest airport,” I said making him raise a brow as if surprised that I could even think about leaving here.

“What, not even a handshake?” he asked this time surprising me, especially when he held out his hand. Gods, but even that turned me on, just seeing the strength in his forearms from the shirt he had rolled at the sleeves. Even the other hand that was covered in leather and was currently drumming fingers along the back of the sofa. It just made me wonder what it would feel like drumming along my naked skin.

I shook my head a little in hopes of dissolving that image from my mind, going back to the rest of what he wore. This time it was a dark grey suit with a black shirt, no tie, no waistcoat, no jacket but still he managed to look the master of his universe, one with so much confidence it was near stifling the room. As if it managed to suck everyone else’s confidence from them, only adding to his own. That was what his level of intimidation felt like. Which was why I couldn’t help but be drawn into his request, fearful of his next move if I didn’t.

So, I placed my hand in his and swallowed hard before saying softly,

“Goodbye, Lucius.” He shook it and for those few seconds I held myself so tight, as if any minute I knew the tears of those words would glaze my eyes, telling him all he needed to know. To know what a bullshit liar I was. About how I still loved him and hated that we had to say goodbye. But really, what was the alternative? He held too much power over me, and I couldn’t trust him with more.

And in the end, something else I couldn’t trust him with was saying goodbye, as the second he gripped my hand tight in his own I realised my mistake too late.

He suddenly yanked me hard to him and twisted my arm over my head at the last moment so when I landed this time I did so in his lap. Then, still holding my hand captive, he wrapped an arm across my torso, trapping my own hand at my shoulder.

Then I felt his lips at my ear as he whispered his own reply at my attempt at saying goodbye…

“Hello, my Amelia.”

3

Date with a TV

“You do understand this is kind of the opposite to goodbye…right.?” I said after trying in vain to squirm out of his hold. He chuckled behind me and then with his free hand started to pull the pencils out of my hair.

“I do, just as I understand that walking away is the opposite to what I want you to do,” he said in reply and I had to mask my breathy inhale. Play it cool Fae, play it cool now. Well, this was easier said than done, especially when even the sound of him dropping the pencils to the floor made me jump. I could even hear them rolling under the furniture. But then the second I felt him removing the hair tie I tensed making him whisper,

“Relax.” Seriously, was he joking? How the hell could I relax?! How could I relax when he was currently playing out one of a hundred different fantasies I had of him. Like this one, sat on the sofa snuggled up in his arms whilst he played with my hair…okay so Star Trek Voyager was playing on the TV in front of us and I was very lamely explaining all of Captain Kathryn Janeway’s drama as she commanded the Starfleet starship, the USS Voyager. Oh yeah, I could totally see him being into that…NOT!

I mean really, did we even have anything in common apart from who my parents were?

But my Goddess, I nearly totally forgot what day it was! Okay, so maybe leaving today wasn’t such a good plan and speaking of which, why on earth didn’t these guys watch TV!

“Now I really want to know where that head of yours is at?” he asked me, as I must have been giving something away.

“Oh, only about 70,000 light years away,” I answered before I could stop myself, making him chuckle and really, he had no idea.

“Can I get up now…oooh.” I asked but stopped on a moan when his hand started to run through my hair and massage my scalp. Oh dear Gods, why, oh why! This was a major weakness of mine and the bastard just found it, as I freaking loved having my hair played with. Seriously, I would go without basic groceries, like milk and yes, my favourite cereal just so I could go to the salon and get my extras like an Indian head massage.

“Mmm, interesting,” he muttered and I chose to ignore him because really, what he was doing now was far too nice to care. But then he let go of my hand and now instead of holding my back to his chest, he used both hands to massage my head, seeing for himself the effect it created. I relaxed even further back into him and couldn’t help another moan of pleasure from escaping. Then I felt his lips at my neck and before I could respond he suddenly gripped my hair in a fist and pulled my head to the side making my neck taut and ready for him. Then he growled against my tender flesh making me shudder against him.

“I think I just found your weakness, Beautiful,” he whispered by my ear and yes, he was most definitely right, but he was also most definitely wrong because didn’t he realise yet…

My biggest weakness was him.

Which was why all I wanted to do right now was turn around and kiss him. To kiss him and say to hell with the last two days I’d spent convincing myself why that was a bad idea. I just wanted to pick up where we left off and by his actions, then I would say that he wanted the same.

His hands left my hair and I relaxed my head back on his shoulder so he was now free to explore like he wanted to, starting by running one hand down the side of my breast and the other to the front of my neck. I released another breathy moan and it sounded very much like a ‘yes’ but I couldn’t be sure. Not with his hands on me and his lips at my neck. But then with his next words spoken he managed to wake me from the spell he had cast, and it really was the curse of an arrogant king,

“I knew you would easily be mine.” At this I froze before suddenly bolting out of his hold before he had chance to stop me. I made it to unsteady feet and pushed all my hair back with one hand and righting my glasses with another in annoyance. Then I whipped round to face him the second I heard him chuckling. The look I gave him should have been powerful enough to cause damage. Damn all the superheroes with all the cool shit like laser eyes!

“Seriously? Does that arrogant shit ever work, or do you just constantly live with blue balls?!” I snapped making him this time throw his head back and laugh, and I swear if the sight hadn’t momentarily rendered me breathless, then I would have thrown one of the lamps at his head! Gods, but he was breathtakingly handsome, painfully so, especially given the circumstances.

“My balls survive just fine, but they thank you for your concern,” he replied and I had to turn my face from his just to hide my own grin, as damn it, I still wanted to be mad at him.

“Well, clearly paid services aren’t picky,” I retorted making him lose his grin and in turn, mine grew. Then he rose from his seat and said,

“Oh Sweetheart, if you think I have to pay a woman to be with me then you are deluded and if you will only let yourself relax long enough in my arms, then you will soon agree that my arrogance is more than justified.” At this my mouth dropped before a strangled sounding laugh came out of me.

“Wow, love yourself much!” I commented making him shrug his shoulders as if he was unashamed.

“I will not apologise for speaking a truth, any more than I would for speaking of your obvious beauty,” he said making my next witty reply die in my throat at hearing him calling me beautiful.

“I…well, I don’t…I mean…” I stuttered for words as yep, that had completely thrown me, and his cocky ass knew it! He started to walk over to me and doing so with purpose.

“Yes Amelia?” The way he said this was again done so in a knowing tone.

“You’re arrogant!” I told him and a grin played at his lips before saying,

“Yes, I am.”

“And egotistical,” I added making him fight that grin again.

“I believe they are the same thing, Sweetheart.”

“And condescending,” I added this time making him grin outright and again damn him for making it light up his eyes that way!

“Some believe so, mainly those beneath me,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders and I gasped thinking he meant me. But then he moved so quickly I swear his body became a blur. Which meant that before I knew it his hand was in my hair, tugging at my weakness along with the strands captured in adept fingers. Doing so now, so he could pull my head back and I had little choice but to do as he silently commanded of me. Meaning I was quickly left looking up at him with wide eyes, to the point that I could feel my glasses slipping down my nose.

“You, however, are the exception,” he said taking his time to slowly push my glasses back up my nose as if I was some little doll of his to play with.

“How so?” I asked in a breathy tone, as he knew I would.

“Because I want you beneath me just as badly as I want you by my side.” At this my mouth slipped open and I was just about to speak when he growled,

“Enough!”

And then…

He kissed me.

This was also when my world became utterly consumed by everything that was him. His possessive touch, his lips pressed against my own, moving in perfect sync as if we had done this a thousand times before. How it just felt right. That I had been right all this time, how being with him had been declared by the Gods as a perfect match.

Gods, but even the taste of him had me losing myself to a new addiction. I think I could have kissed him for hours if I hadn’t feared self-combusting long before I had the chance to do so. And considering his own actions, it seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling this way.

One hand remained in my hair, locking my lips to his as if he feared I would pull away before he was ready and from the way his other hand fisted in the material of my top at the base of my spine, then I would have said that he wouldn’t ever be ready. And it was a chain reaction because that fist made the once loose and comfortable top as tight as a second skin.

But that fist clenching there also made the tensed muscle of his forearm hard as stone against my side. This was also connected to a bulging bicep I was now gripping onto as if my life depended on it. Well, even if my life wasn’t in danger then my legs staying upright most certainly were, which is why they fisted in the material of his shirt.

“Fick mich! Wie müssen die Götter mich hassen!” He suddenly snarled up at the ceiling after first tearing his lips from mine. I tried to make sense of his words but right then I could only translate the first part as being, ‘Fuck me’, something I will admit to wanting to do very much in that very moment.

But then something started niggling at the back of my mind about the other words that had followed.

“Tonight,” he said, gritting it out as though it was being ripped from him when any other words would have been easier to say.

“Tonight?” I questioned in a breathless tone that spoke volumes to what his kiss just did to me. Then he let me go and I wanted to question why, especially when it looked as if he had been forced to do so by his own hand. Had his conscience told him to?

“Be dressed and ready,” he told me before walking to the door and I swear I would have accepted his invitation had his sudden and blunt departure not hurt. Which is why I told him,

“But I am busy.” He then paused by the door and looked over his shoulder to issue me a single order,

“Yes, by being at my side.”

And then he was gone.

* * *

After this I sat numbly at the kitchen counter and picked at a sandwich, not even tasting the filling. But when food didn’t help, I decided it was time for a bath, in hopes it would be a great place to sort through my confused brain. I just didn’t get it, how he was hot and cold, desperate for me in one moment and then near desperate to get away the next. There was no getting away from it,

“It’s a mind fuck,” I muttered before dunking my whole head under the water and holding it there long enough that bubble islands floated across my face like clouds closing in. I only resurfaced when I was forced to, but to be honest, had I been a supernatural then I would have stayed this way for as long as my body would have let me. But instead, I rose out of the water and pushed my black hair from my eyes. Then I looked to the huge mirror at the vanity opposite and saw more of my father’s features looking back at me.

I had his colouring with naturally tanned olive skin and midnight dark hair. But my eyes, well they were all my mother’s, big blue ones framed with thick dark lashes and right now, they were framed above by frowning dark brows as I started to question everything about myself. I had spent enough hours to make up years of doubting everything that I could possibly offer a being like Lucius. Because in truth, I may have royal blood in my veins, but I think it was safe to say that it might well have been all of my mother’s, because I was all human.

Every last ounce of me.

So, I was a princess of a world I didn’t belong in. A princess with nothing to offer a King. It was the reason I had fully embraced the only thing I did have. A stronger connection to humanity. So, after Lucius had cast me aside as nothing more than a hindrance to his world, I had left and never looked back. I had then taken that last step needed to integrate myself fully into the human world. And in all honesty, I had been happy and content. I had made my life work and done the things that made me comfortable.

But now here I was, surrounded by the very life I had run from. Run away from the rule of my father along with the potential rule of another. Because as much as Lucius claimed to want me by his side, how could that be true when it came linked to a demand he had made before leaving. An order he issued like it was just expected of me to obey. Well, my mother had never once obeyed my father’s demands. I knew this for a fact.

But then again, my mother had been much more than just my father’s Chosen One, she had been declared his world’s saviour. So yeah, pretty big shoes to fill with that one I thought with a roll of my eyes.

Because who was I, just some history geek who had told Lucius I was busy because my favourite show was on rerun and finally being shown on Netflix with Season 2.

So okay, after that kiss, if he had then tenderly asked me on a date then yeah, I would have totally chosen him over Star Trek. But as it stood then no, I was not giving in to be demanded to do anything, let alone be some chick on his arm for the night in that damn club of his.

“Screw him!” I said pulling the plug before I gave in and shaved my legs, which really after only a few days since last doing them, then I would have only been doing it for one reason and one reason only. So, I got myself out the tub, spiky legs and all, and wrapped myself up in a towel. Then I walked into the closet and smirked as I totally ignored the line of dresses, instead grabbing a pair of stretchy yoga pants in black that admittedly made my ass look fantastic. Then knowing that he would no doubt see it at some point tonight, when he realised he had been stood up and came looking for me, I picked a top I knew would tease him.

I grabbed a cropped workout top which matched the yoga pants that showed all of my stomach as it basically just covered my breasts. It had a thick white band an inch under my breasts to mirror the thick white band around my hips where the pants rested. The straps, also in white, rested over my shoulders in a halter neck and crossed over at my back, to match the thin white piping along the scalloped V neck. It acted more like a bra as it managed to push my breasts closer together giving me a nice shape.

“Yep, that will serve you right, mister!” I said to the mirror nodding and thinking, that yeah, I didn’t look half bad. Hell, I even looked hot! However, I wasn’t brave enough to just wear this, as let’s face it, I looked more like I was going to the gym than relaxing for a night in front of the TV. So, I grabbed a sweater that was a sheer silver material you could see through and had stretchy bands at the sleeves and waist band. The neck part was wide enough that it fell off one shoulder and hung in a way that it showed just the hint of cleavage.

I was lucky enough not to need foundation or mascara so decided to forget about makeup altogether as that would have been too much. I did, however, rub a fabulous smelling body lotion on to my skin, that had the hint of something shimmery in it so now my skin looked as if it glowed. I decided just to wear my hair up into a high ponytail thinking this too looked casual. Thick white socks added to the look I was trying to achieve.

However, the biggest flaw in my plan came in the form of forgetting there wasn’t a damn TV!

“Well, that’s annoying,” I said out loud and looked to the fancy metal clock that hung at the wall near the kitchen to see that it was 7:45pm. Okay, so I had fifteen minutes to try and find a TV and look relaxed in front of it by the time he came knocking. Oh, who was I kidding, Lucius knocked for no one! More like striding through the door like a damn sultan.

“Damn it, think Fae…umm, could I?” I asked myself when it finally came to me. I had mentioned the lack of TV’s to Liessa when she was showing me around the apartment and she had told me that the only place was in a private room off the club that they hardly used unless Lucius needed a place to conduct business away from prying eyes. I wonder if it was possible to get one from there?

She had even told me it led down from the rooftop garden if I wanted to find it. Well, now I wished I had spent more time exploring instead of brooding inside this apartment for the last two days.

Okay, so it was worth a shot, as I knew there was a staircase that led from the lobby assuming this was in case the elevator didn’t work.

I quickly made the decision to do it and left in search of the staircase. But I couldn’t help but shudder as I did the first time when seeing the same sculpture sat at the centre of the room just as I had done that night. It was the one similar to the one downstairs that had been facing the back entrance. It sat on a large circular table with its startling centre piece just calling out to be overanalysed by the likes of me.

It was a carved wooden heart that was charred black and opened up as though the two glass hands inside were trying to break free, splitting the heart from within. A pair of woman’s hands.

I couldn’t help wondering once more why this piece? What had drawn Lucius to it? At the time I had convinced myself it was just some rich man’s art. But then, as I did that night I broke in, I couldn’t help but look off to the large double doors that led to his private space, as if being able to reach inside and ask him through our connected minds.

Then I shook the thought from my head the second I heard voices, knowing that someone was coming, most likely Lucius. So, I ran for the door next to the elevator and quickly ran up the stairs in my socks, trying not to slip by clinging on to the railing. Then I pushed on the roof’s metal door I found at the top and stepped into a little slice of contemporary paradise.

The rooftop garden was sweet in its design and looked as though it hadn’t long been redesigned as the pale wooden decking looked newly laid and the greenery recently planted. The wall that surrounded it was waist high and at the corners were steel sculptures that acted as unconventional pillars.

They were made up of twisted lengths of corrugated iron rods made to look like barred metal trees void of leaves. In between the two at the end was a quaint seating area under a blanket of ivy that looked as if it had been growing for years and had completely taken over the wooden pergola.

In the centre of it all was a huge water feature that was a hip high glass tube the thickness of a basketball. It was filled with water and in the centre was a mini twister, creating a vortex of water before spilling over the edges. In fact, it looked like a nice space to spend a bit of time in, seeing as it offered a stunning panoramic view of the city all lit up at night. But then I thought back to my main goal here and scanned the rest of the rooftop until spotting a spiralling metal staircase that Liessa must have been talking about.

So, I quickly made my way down it and pushed on the frosted glass door at the end, finding myself next to a small bar. The long open room was definitely a private space and looked like one with the sole purpose of spying on the main VIP room. This was thanks to the wall that was seventy percent made up of a two-way mirror, acting like a window to the other side. One that I noted was in full swing…literally as it looked more like a demonic sex club. Well, I was just glad to find this particular room empty and not currently accommodating an orgy.

A row of stylish black leather sofas faced it, with a throne style at the centre showcased by winged sides and an arched high back. Dark wooden flooring matched the drinks’ tables dotted around and also the dark wood panelled wall that was adorned with bleeding glass tears the size of dinner platters.

So, this was the VIP to his VIP, I thought with a wrinkle of my nose, hating the idea of what he did in here or more to the point, of who he invited in it. I suddenly looked down at myself and then back up at the large room full of tempting beauties beyond the glass, knowing that he could sit upon his throne and simply take his time in choosing one. And me, well I was here trying to steal a TV off the wall, dressed like a yoga instructor, when in reality, I had tried it once and after farting in front of the whole class decided I was safer at home. You know, so I could break wind in private and giggle about it like a five-year-old, would.

In the end I shrugged my shoulders and focused on why I had snuck in here to begin with. Most of the screens were raised high above the frame of glass, attached on TV brackets. Meaning that to get to one I would need two things, a screwdriver and a high-top table. I scanned the room again and thought my best bet was the bar area as surely there would be something there, I could use.

So, I checked all the cupboards and under the sink shouting in excitement when I found one in a tool kit.

“Bingo!” Then I pushed one of the tables closest to the bar over to the window just under a 22inch TV screen.

“Whoa!” I said as the round table wobbled a little as I climbed from the chair, on to it. Then with bent knees I steadied myself before I got my balance enough to straighten my legs. Then I yanked the cord out of the plug socket hidden behind it and twisted the TV on its stand, thankfully it was one that was on a moveable arm.

“Four screws,” I said to myself as I pulled my screwdriver out of my waistband ready to try my luck and take this puppy down. I had managed three screws just fine, knowing now the thing was only held there by one. So, I loosened it a bit and put the screwdriver in my mouth as I held on with one hand and with the other at a difficult angle tried to take out the last one by hand.

“Cumon,” I said with my mouth full. Then I heard a tutting sound and looked up to see once again a masterful figure stood leaning against the doorframe watching me.

“Trying to steal from me again, I see,” he said with a devilish glint in his eyes. And I swear if I had been able in that moment I would have thrown up a hand, looked up the Gods and shouted, ‘Oh come on!’ But this didn’t happen.

No instead I went with mumbled and clumsy,

“Ucius!” I said in shock. A startled cry that was unfortunately followed by an even more unfortunate reaction.

Letting go of the screen and in true Amelia Faith fashion…

I fell.

4

Oh, How the Wicked Fall

I say I fell but by the time it took me to cry out I was caught by Lucius.

“Gottcha,” he said and my mouth dropped open, something that evidently happened a lot around Lucius. He smirked down at me as the screwdriver rolled from my mouth in what could have possibly been the most unsexiest sight in his entire history with women. It landed in between us and rested against my heaving cleavage thanks to this wonder workout type bra.

Then he lowered my legs to the floor, and I was just about to speak ready to explain when something stopped me. Movement above my head made me look up just as the screen was about to crash down on us. I winced, waiting for the impact but when it never came, I opened an eye peeking at the sight of Lucius’ arm held above us as he had caught it one handed.

And what stupid shit did my brain conjure up to say,

“Looks like you got yourself a bogof.” He placed the screen down on the high table I had been using and then with questioning eyes my way, said a clipped,

“Excuse me?”

“Buy one get one free, bogof…erm, you know, because you caught me and the screen,” I said trying to explain my very lame and weird statement. He grinned at this and said,

“You can’t buy what you already own.” I frowned up at him and snapped,

“You don’t own me.” At this he scoffed and replied with a cocky,

“Don’t I?”

“No, you…” I started to say but was stopped the second he plucked the screwdriver from my chest with a knowing smirk and quickly interrupted me,

“So, are you going to explain to me why you were trying to steal a security monitor instead of meeting me like I requested?”

“You mean ordered,” I said folding my arms over my chest in annoyance.

“I’m waiting, Amelia,” he said sternly making me roll my eyes at him. But then I heard a growl and my eyes snapped back to his serious steel blue gaze.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me?” he asked in a dangerous tone that had my heart rate kicking up a notch.

“Erm…” I didn’t really know what to say, other than give in to the temptation to turn around and bolt for the nearest door as he started to stalk towards me. Instead I kept my eyes on him and started slowly backing up and he, in turn, continued to slowly close the distance between us. His predatory gaze scanned the length of my body and suddenly my choice of outfit didn’t seem that lame as his eyes grew heated and hungry.

“Oh, screw it!” I shouted before turning and running for the frosted door I had entered through. I made it about three steps, and this was because I think he must have wanted a moment to enjoy the sight of me running from him before capturing me…he was sadistic like that.

I felt his arms wrap around me before they twisted me around so I was facing him and before I could speak, he had my face framed in his large hands and was tilting my head back so he could growl down at me,

“Next time you will be over my fucking knee, girl!” Then before I could lash back at him, he was slanting his lips over mine and shutting me up with a feverous kiss. I gripped onto him just as I always did, fearing the way my body would probably crumble if he were to let go suddenly. Gods, but why did he have to kiss me as though I was the only girl in the world. Like he worshiped every inch of me… like he had been made to wait a hundred lifetimes to have me?

In fact, I was just about to lose myself completely into all that was Lucius when he tore his lips from mine and denied me my pleasure.

“Now you can explain to me why you are in here and not where you were supposed to be, or more to the point, why I very nearly ripped off the head of one of my subjects when he came to tell me that you weren’t there to be escorted to my side like I asked of him?” I gulped at the question that came the second he had finished kissing me. So, in my ultimate wisdom and one I could only blame on the kiss, I blurted out,

“They are playing a re-run of Star Treks Discovery season two on Netflix tonight.” He jerked his head back a little as if he were questioning if he had heard me right, something that was quickly followed by an almost comical,

“Come again?”

“It’s a TV show,” I informed him, noting that I was still locked in his embrace, as his hands had left my face at some point during the kiss to wrap around my waist. Then he cleared his throat and concluded,

“So, let me get this straight, not only am I being stood up by the prospect of some out of space nonsense on a screen…”

“Oi, that’s…” He gave me a pointed look that told me to be quiet, which I wisely did so he could finish,

“…and without so much as a word of apology on your part, but instead, in my furious and panicked search to find you, I do so only to find you nearly falling on your fine ass before the screen you are about to steal crashes onto your pretty head, and one I would very much like to keep looking the way it is now and for the foreseeable future…am I correct?” Oh Gods, but there was just too much in all of that for me to overanalyse. However, with that one eyebrow raised I knew I didn’t have the gift of time to do so. Which meant I homed in on the few bits I did focus on.

“You like my ass and think I’m pretty?” At this his lips twitched before trying to slip back into being stern.

“Out of all that, this is what you chose to focus on?” Now it was my lips that were twitching as I tried to contain my grin, something he didn’t miss.

“Okay, so first off, there is no such thing to a girl like me as ‘out of space nonsense’ and secondly, I didn’t stand you up as I told you that I was busy, and thirdly, you shouldn’t get angry at one of your men for simply telling you the facts, as it wasn’t his fault I wasn’t there to be ‘escorted’…” I said pausing so I could pull my hands up between us and create quotation marks with my fingers at this last part, making him fight a grin.

“…fourthly you should have come to my door yourself like a gentleman, not got one of your lackies to do it for you and fifth and six…erm, ly…I only fell because you scared me, hence me having to let go of the screen that never would have crashed on my head because I did have it all under control before you swooped on in like Master of the Universe and... well you know, acted like you do.” I told him making him display an array of facial expressions as my list was reeled off, nearly bursting out laughing when I tried to say fifthly and sixly which just didn’t sound right.

But then he decided to also focus on the parts he wanted to and proving a point when he did it. Because suddenly he gripped my ass in one hand, and his other fisted in my hair as he growled down at me,

“Do I seem like a fucking gentleman to you, Sweetheart?!” I visibly gulped and let out a whoosh of breath before telling him,

“Well…erm…not right now you don’t but I know you can be,” I bravely reminded him and also, near breathlessly thanks to how much his rough and sexually dominant treatment of me was doing to my woman bits.

“Umm, well in that case, it must be your pretty face that brings it out of me….but this ass, oh now that only brings out the demon in me because what I want to do to it is about as far from gentlemanly behaviour as one could get,” he said growling the word gentlemanly, as if mocking the first part of the word as the way he still gripped my ass was far from gentle. Possessive, animalistic, rough and forceful, yes…gentle, no. I also think it was safe to say that the yoga pants were a big hit and a useful piece of information I definitely filed away under a plaque called ‘big guns’.

But right now, with the way I was looking up at him it must have switched something inside of him. Because he raised a hand up to my face and cupped my cheek.

“But these eyes, these beseeching eyes of yours that could pierce the heart and soul of any man… now those are the eyes of a woman with the power to bring the Gods to their fucking knees!” he said fiercely before once again yanking me hard to him and kissing me. But this time when my legs near failed me, it didn’t matter as he was pushing me against a wall, holding me there with his weight just shy of crushing me. Gods, but it felt as if he was trying to brand the memory of what I tasted like to his soul and after his words, then Hell, I was doing the same.

I jumped when a hand suddenly slapped to the wall above me and I heard it crack from the force. That was when I realised what this was…he was trying to hold himself back because I was human. The thought was like dousing my libido in a bucket of ice. Because I knew then I could never fully be what he needed me to be.

I wasn’t my mother.

This was when he must have realised something in me had switched because he loosened his hold on me, placed his forehead to mine and released a sigh before whispering,

“And she’s gone again.” I didn’t know what to say to this so said nothing as he let me go. Then he held a hand out to me and said the very last thing I ever expected him to say,

“Come on, let’s get you your Star Trek fix.” And strangely, it was one of the sweetest things he had said to me so far.

* * *

“Can you believe it’s got Captain Pike in this season!” I shrieked over the phone when Lucius finally gave in and let me call Wendy so we could watch it together like we always did. This was of course after I first had to play catch up, and in a way where unfortunately it meant lying about pretty much everything. Because really, what could I say…I managed to make it to the airport without getting caught then decided to go break into a vault in Germany because the fate of an entire supernatural race, aka Vampires, rested on my shoulders. Oh, and in this it included saving who I one day hoped to be my soulmate and also my mother, who just so happened to be the one he still had the hots for…yeah, no I didn’t think so. Gods, but not even Jerry Springer would know what to do with that shit!

So, I had kept it simple, saying Lucius found me, said he needed my help and convinced me to go to Germany to work on a project of his. It was lame I know, but it was at least something she kind of believed. Of course, this was after she explained what had happened once Dante had discovered the switch, seeing as he first scared the shit out of her. But this was because he had ended up saving her from being mugged. I had freaked when hearing this but discovered pretty quickly that she must have been fine, because she focused nearly every second of this story on the part Dante played in it, being that he was now her hot, southern gentleman, American hero.

I had even asked her if anything had happened, as in an X rated something but she had simply said,

“You first.” To which I declined like she knew I would. This was what tipped me off that she really liked him. I had to say that I suddenly felt bad for her and also guilty that I had encouraged it. Because really, where could it ever hope to go…considering what he was. Meaning that in the end, the only bit of advice I was able to give her was a lame,

“Just be careful okay, after all, we don’t really know this guy.” Meaning that, she didn’t know him at all and the things I knew weren’t exactly what I would have called ‘boyfriend material’. Not after experiencing it first-hand after the ‘Ben incident’ something that clearly Lucius hadn’t been informed about. And thankfully, because I dread to think what his reaction would have been seeing as just being told I wasn’t in my room was enough to near render some poor sod headless!

However, my advice was swiftly followed by one look at my own brooding male in the room and then really, I decided who was I to judge?

After Lucius’ last kiss where he felt me mentally retreating from him, he had taken my hand in his and led me back into the lobby area. But then when he had been about to walk me into his apartment was when I had pulled back.

“I…I mean, can’t I just go back to my own room?” I asked making him question my reason but doing so silently as I could see it there, the questions working their way into his mind until finally something in my gaze must have clicked.

He nodded after his gaze softened and he then escorted me inside, telling me he would be back shortly. I didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t that ten minutes later two guys would walk inside carrying a huge flat screen TV, followed by two other guys carrying a stand to put it on. Then four more guys walked in and started to rearrange furniture so it made viewing the TV a more comfortable angle, meaning that now the sofa wasn’t just for awkward conversations reserved for Lucius and me about boxes of death.

But what was even weirder was that not one of Lucius’ men looked at me, let alone even spoke to me. I only knew why when Liessa showed up, issuing orders and before she left, she looked side on at me and said,

“Don’t take it personal, they aren’t permitted to look at you…you’re for their King’s eyes only, doll face,” she added with a wink and a naughty whisper like this was the best thing to happen since the cold war. Something a day ago she remarked as ‘oh those were the fun days’.

Something I really didn’t get, as in… Not. At. All.

Then five minutes after that, Lucius strode in to find me getting comfortable on the sofa with the remote in hand logging into my Netflix account. He was on the phone issuing orders at someone, so I got an acknowledging head nod before he went out of sight to where the kitchen was. To say that this wasn’t distracting would have been a lie because I wasn’t used to having him in my space and well, after two days I had claimed it as such. Well, at least until I made plans to leave which I was hoping to do the next day.

“You are so crushing right now, aren’t you?” I asked Wendy as Captain Pike was issuing orders.

“But of course, aren’t you?” she asked and just in that moment I leant back ever so slightly over the armrest and saw Lucius taking off his jacket, throwing it to one side in what looked like frustration. Oh, and he was still on the phone but this time he was talking German and doing so far too quickly for me to fully catch more than a word here and there. But there had been a distinct part where he had looked at me and said ‘No, she is going nowhere’ doing so slow enough for me to translate in my head.

I turned my head just in time so it wasn’t obvious that I was eavesdropping, even though I obviously was.

“On Captain Pike…? No, not right now,” I confessed making her laugh at me down the phone.

“I take it there is far better eye candy for you to be crushing on at the moment.” I scoffed and said,

“Oh yeah, the butler is hot.” At this she giggled and said,

“Yeah whatever, Smock.” But I wasn’t listening as Lucius walked from round the corner now minus a suit jacket and with two beers in one hand. Then he said,

“Get it done and don’t fucking bother me again tonight.” Then he cancelled the call and threw his phone down on the coffee table before starting to loosen his tie one handed in a way that made my mouth dry. Holy mother of God, could he be any sexier?!

Then he twisted the bottle cap off one beer and handed it to me before doing the same to his own.

“That Sci-fi crap still on?” he asked making Wendy shriek in outrage on the other end.

“Oh my God, please do not tell me you are going to let whoever that jackass is, say that and live!?” Lucius raised a brow at her response, and I tried not to laugh when all I said was,

“I have to go and give ‘em Hell, laters, Kirky,” I then hung up. I turned back to Lucius and the first thing I noticed was him now looking down at me as if…well, as if the Devil had flipped a switch and now…

A Vampire King looked hungry.

I cleared my throat but this only enticed a primal grin from him as he scanned my body and oh mother of every Goddess out there, but that one look alone made me feel as though I was lying here naked like Kate Winslet in the movie Titanic. Gods, what was next, was he going to fish around the floor for one of the pencils he had plucked out of my hair earlier and start sketching me?

Because now I felt as though I was being stalked by some predator that was eyeing up his next meal. Of course, he knew what he was doing as his knowing grin grew the second I started to squirm uncomfortably under his lustful gaze. Now I was really rethinking my outfit choice wondering if it was too late to rush into my closet and grab my unsexy PJ’s.

But then there was the other part of me that really liked that I had this effect on him and it made me wonder what his response would be if I ever got the opportunity to wear something really sexy for him.

No! Jeez, Fae, get a grip…not going to happen!

But then one look back up at him and I had to say, it looked like we both had two different ideas of the future. For me, I was intent on leaving but for him, it was clear…

He was intent on keeping me.

5

Words

“Umm…going to give me Hell, yeah?” he mocked, and after I had marginally gotten over the smouldering look of lust coming from him, I shrugged my shoulders and said,

“I’m pretty sure it’s hard to do when someone already has their own holiday home there.” This made him scoff,

“Yeah.” And then he raised his beer bottle and took a long swig, also making this another sexy sight to add to the long list that was named ‘Hot Lucius moments’…yes, I was just that sad of a human being. But then I wondered if my reply had hit a nerve as it wasn’t the response I had been expecting. Smart ass and arrogant yes, but a broody ‘yeah’ was not.

“Well, either way there should be a punishment for making such a comment,” I said once he’d finished drinking.

“Trust me, Sweetheart, being made to sit and watch it will be punishment enough,” he told me, shocking me so that my only response was an,

“Err…” Then I watched as he nodded for me to give him room so he could slip in behind me and put his back to the armrest as I had been doing. I was so dumbfounded that I did as he asked by shifting my body forward but then I felt his hands at my shoulders so he could pull me back and his chest became my backrest instead.

“Relax, Sweetness, isn’t this what most humans do?” he asked as he casually lounged back and faced the TV, now watching it with me. I swear it was probably the most surreal moment of my entire life so far and if anyone had told me that I would have been in Transfusion, drinking beer and watching Star Trek snuggled up to Lucius on a sofa like a real couple, then I would have called more than bullshit. I would have screamed it from the bloody rooftops and thrown it on people passing by like a damn monkey at a zoo! Okay, so no I wouldn’t have and eww, but you get the point.

“So, explain to me what this is about,” he said after a few minutes of watching Captain Pike explaining the next mission they faced. But his question made me frown wondering really, who was this man at my back and where did he put Lucius?

“Well, they are all on a spaceship named the Discovery, that Captain Pike just took command of,” I said making him chuckle, before leaning closer to my ear and saying,

“Yeah, I gathered as much.” This time I pulled back so I could turn to look at him and said,

“You did?”

“I may not be as smart as you, Sweetheart, but I do like to consider my skills in basic observation adequate enough to deduce as much.”

“Whoa there, slow down Lucius, or pretty soon I will be calling you a Trekkie geek with the best of them.”

“A what now?”

“Never mind,” I commented drily with a roll of my eyes, this time one he couldn’t see as I turned back to face the screen. To be honest, I was just surprised he was interested but then as he continued to watch, something that I had no doubt he had assumed would be total nonsense, he started to get into it.

I could tell this as he started to ask me questions about, I quote, ‘the hot black chick’ also better known as Michael Burnham. He wanted to know her back story, which I started to tell him because, hey, I was always excited to talk about Star Trek. I think what helped was watching the asteroid scene, where it was pretty much on the edge of your seat type of stuff. But then most men were suckers for action packed entertainment…even two-thousand-year-old Vampire Kings that were probably bored there hadn’t been a war to fight in for a while… apparently.

But then it finished and just because I didn’t want this evening to end, I asked him if he wanted to watch the first season. I even found myself tense as I waited for his reply, hoping he would say yes. Which meant that when he did, I found myself smiling. It just felt so comfortable being like this with him to the point where I could even convince myself that this might be what it would be like if we were ever a couple. Of course, all I had to do was look to the door that would lead us back into his club and that thought was quickly squashed under a giant boot called reality.

Because no matter how much we could hide our massive differences inside this private space, unfortunately we couldn’t stay in here forever. Which meant at some point I had to face facts and doing that meant leaving, despite what he thought and had told whoever it had been on the phone at the time. Because I couldn’t stay here, not like this, not spending my time with him in such an intimate way. It was already messing with my head as it was, making me argue with myself that this was what it could be like, if only I trusted him enough when he said he cared.

But then the rational side of my brain was screaming at me not to trust this. It was screaming out questions like why now? Why was he suddenly paying me all this attention, or acting as if something had held him back all these years and now he’d hit some kind of limit?

I guess my biggest fear was the only logical answer I could come up with and it was the one I was most afraid of discovering. Which was if this was all just a ruse to keep me here and out of danger. Doing it for someone he felt loyal to, say, someone like…my mother.

Had he promised her at some point during my mortal life that he would do anything in his power to protect me and keep me safe? It was an awful thought, that this was just all an act to keep me here, playing on my obvious feelings for him and using it as a tool to manipulate the situation. Of course, I hated this idea and really tried to convince myself this wasn’t the reason. But then that little voice at the back of your mind, the one that tries to steer you away from danger and hurt, the one whose nickname is doubt, couldn’t keep quiet, no matter how much I tried to just enjoy this. Because this had been something I had been secretly dreaming of since I was a teenager.

It sounded pathetic, but it was my reality and something I had been trying to ignore since the day I ran from this place. But then instead of answering me, he took the remote off me and clicked for the first episode to play from season one. Then he wrapped an arm back around me so it rested across my torso as if silently telling me that I was going nowhere.

I think it was easy to see that I was nervous because I had been picking at the beer bottle’s label in my hand by folding back the edges. It gave me something to do with my hands instead of giving in to the urge to bite my fingertips as was my bad habit when nervous. It had been empty a while now which was why it was soon plucked from my hands and placed on the coffee table by Lucius.

“Relax,” he hummed behind me, making me blush, one I was thankful he couldn’t see.

“I am,” I muttered back, making him chuckle.

“Is that so?” he asked in a knowing tone.

“Lucius, I am lying back against your chest with my feet up, if I got any more relaxed, I would be dead,” I lied.

“Yes, and such a position means I can feel enough tensed muscles to know when someone is ready to bolt from my arms the first chance they get…now fucking relax will you,” he told me, issuing this order at the end. But when I didn’t do as he asked, he decided to take matters into his own hands…literally. He shifted behind me and I moved forward a little to allow him to move, but what he had planned was placing both hands on my shoulders and working my tense muscles with adept fingers. I swear I nearly muttered a curse with how good it felt and had no choice but to lean back into the motion of him massaging my back and shoulders. Gods, but where had this man come from with his hands from Heaven? First my hair and now my back, what was he trying to do, kill me with tenderness and cursed words!

“Holy…” I whispered on a moan that couldn’t be helped as I let my head roll back, trying not to wonder how he acquired such skill, not wanting to find the answer in the most obvious place. Because if there was one thing that no girl wanted to think about, it was the person she was secretly obsessed with in the arms of another woman…or should I say that woman in his very capable hands. And seriously, did his hands have to be so big and manly, couldn’t there be just one thing on him that wasn’t bloody perfect! I even found myself wishing that maybe his feet resembled those of a hobbit or even an orc…bloody hell, but at this rate I would even take ingrown toenails and sweaty.

In fact, I was just getting into it, relaxing back and getting lost in the bliss he created when he suddenly framed my neck each side and held me in a hold that anyone would class as threatening being only a slight squeeze away from taking my breath. Then whilst trapped in his hold he leaned down to whisper in my ear,

“Right, now that I have your attention, I am going to issue you a warning and only do so once…” I swallowed hard, an action he no doubt felt due to his hold on me.

“You never fucking joke about your death again…do you understand me!?” he snarled in annoyance and it confused me enough to take pause, despite where his hands were. Because his words contradicted his aggressive actions, meaning that he would never hurt me. Hell, if he got like this over some silly comment about me being comfortable enough to be dead, then hurting me would be last on his list. Which was why the second he released me I bolted up out of his arms now standing before I whipped around to face him.

“Just what the hell do you think you are doing!?” I yelled down at him.

“It’s simple, I am teaching you the rules,” he replied casually and I picked up the remote and muted it so I could argue what I thought was a very important point. Like the fact he was obviously a psycho!

“What, by putting your hands around my neck!?” I shrieked.

“Word to the wise, Sweetheart, if I want you to take something seriously, then I take serious action.”

“Serious action! Gods give me strength!” I said adding this last part to myself as I turned my back on him and rubbed a hand down my face.

“Did I hurt you?” he asked in a knowing tone.

“Well no, but that’s not exactly the point here,” I argued, even though it kind of was.

“Isn’t it?” he questioned, damn him!

“What exactly are you saying, that because you didn’t hurt me you think it’s acceptable to…” Suddenly I was cut off the second he reached up and snagged my hand before yanking me down hard enough that I fell on top of him on the sofa. Then he ran a hand up the side of my head, embedding his fingers in my hair before growling,

“Yes, I fucking do…” then he kissed me, holding me to him in case I thought about pulling back. But come on, with Lucius kissing me like he was addicted to me, then what were the chances of ever pulling away from him. Especially when his arm banded around the base of my back like steel anchoring me to him. My hands also found his sandy coloured hair as I too held him to me, losing myself in the burning heat of our kiss.

I swear but I could barely think of anything else when he had me like this. And just when I thought it couldn’t get any more intense, he grabbed the waistband on my yoga pants and tugged hard enough that when he shifted to one side, I easily slid underneath him. Then he pulled back from the kiss and his eyes burned amber when he claimed in a dangerous tone,

“…You’re mine, Amelia…mine!” Then before I could respond he was back to kissing me again, this time with both hands finding my own so he could entwine his fingers with mine and pin them over my head. I felt myself rising up, my back bowing and pressing my breasts up like peaks I near begged him to feast on. Gods, but this was the most delicious torture!

My wanton behaviour only seemed to push him further or at least, push at his limited restraint because he growled down at me the second he felt me hook a leg over the back of his thigh. I was even about to remove it, thinking I had done wrong but then just before I could retreat he snarled,

“Don’t you fucking dare put space between us!” Then he kissed me before I could react, leaving me to secure it back to ensure we were as connected as we could be…well, not entirely. But then again, he didn’t know what I knew. He didn’t yet know how I had pathetically waited for this moment with him for what seemed like forever. He didn’t know that I had saved myself for him, in some hopeless attempt at it meaning something to him when, or more like if, the time ever came. But now I wasn’t so sure. Because this was not a man who would gently take my virginity like some gentleman lover who offered roses and making love by candlelight after sweet words of adoring sentiment.

As Lucius wasn’t a man who made love…he fucked. Plain and simple. He was the type of man to get what he wanted, when he wanted it. And me, well I hadn’t wanted my first-time making love to a man, my once in a lifetime moment, sullied by some quick fuck that would become meaningless by the morning to one of us and it didn’t take a genius to know who would wake feeling that way. No, I couldn’t give him that power, not until I trusted him to take care of something like that. Not until he knew the value of what it meant to me…or in my dreams, what I wanted it to mean to him.

So, even though I was near desperate to discover exactly what that hard steely length pressing against my stomach felt like in my hand, I knew I had to stop this before I ended up losing my virginity on some sofa like some teenager whose parents were out of town. Meaning that despite his warning, I let my leg fall and turned my face away breaking his kiss.

“Amelia.” The way that he whispered my name was like a plea from a man only used to giving orders. He had whispered this against my cheek and the second I opened my mouth to speak he buried his head in my neck and spoke just below my ear after first kissing his way there.

“No, don’t do that…don’t pull away again.”

“I…I can’t do this, I just…” My own plea was cut off the second he took a bite full of my tender flesh in between his teeth in warning and even though it made me lose my restraints, it did so in the most erotic way for I couldn’t help but moan in pleasure. I didn’t know why feeling myself at his mercy this way clicked something inside of me, but it just seemed that if he actually took that step, then it would mean that he would own me completely…well, almost.

But then I knew what kind of commitment that would mean as once we exchanged blood then he would be binding himself to me and me to him in return.

And this was when I made the final decision. I would only become his, giving that last part of me, when he gave me it back. When he bound himself to me, then and only then would I give him the whole of me. Because he already had my heart, he just didn’t know it. And as for my soul, well the Gods had already deemed it destined to be his for the taking. But my body, well that was my own to gift and one that had to be earned in exchange for the everlasting eternal commitment his people could make.

One, deep down, I knew he would never give me.

And how did I know this, because it suddenly came to me what he had said earlier, when he had torn his lips from mine before issuing my order to join him that evening. And it was out of my lips in a muttered whisper of pain as his words finally hit me,

“Wie müssen die Götter mich hassen.” This was when he paused letting my skin free from his hold before he slowly came to look down at me. He then took in the blatant tears welling in my eyes and whispered my name one more time,

“Amelia…” But it was too late, he didn’t need to explain because I already knew what it meant. And well, there was no other way to take his words,

Words that cursed the very Gods that had bound my soul to his.

Words I could never forget.

Words, I could never forgive…

“How the Gods must hate me.”

6

Perfect Punishments and Crimson Kisses

That night I dreamed like never before.

It was a haunting dream that felt more like a memory, only it wasn’t one of mine. I was running, the earth was dry, and nothing grew. It was as if it had been baked beyond death, like the only place on Earth that resembled Hell or at least that was what it was soon to become. But then as I looked down I saw my footsteps sink into the ground like wet sand, only instead of water seeping up from beneath, it was crimson. As if I was walking on the shore of an ocean of blood.

I frowned asking the question in my mind,

‘Why am I here?’ Only this question seemed to echo all around me, but it wasn’t in my own voice…

It belonged to Lucius.

‘Why?’ I questioned again and once more it was Lucius asking it. I spun in all directions and only saw a vast desert staring back at me. Only then in the distance I could see blurred figures walking towards me, distorted in the haze of heat coming from the sun scorched earth.

‘I am no traitor.’ This time I felt my lips moving but my voice never followed. No other voice did but his.

Then there was an eerie moment of silence and I opened my mouth to scream before I saw it coming. However, this time the second the blade sliced through my gut, the only sound to be heard was my own and there was only one name I cried out for in the middle of my nightmare…

“LUCIUS!” I bolted upright and the second I opened my eyes I realised where I was. I was gripping the sheets as if they had the power to ground me to the real world and not back to the death that awaited my dreams. I was also panting, trying in vain to drag in air but feeling it burn like poison.

Then suddenly the bedroom door burst open and I screamed before realising it was Lucius, now stood in my doorway looking both ready to commit murder and worried that he had been too late to save me from my own. It was also clear he had been resting or Gods forbid something else, as now all he wore was a pair of black drawstring pants that looked as if they could have been worn to work out in as well as sleep in. So who knew exactly what they were, other than what Lucius deemed as casual.

But this was a minuscule detail in the background of what my mind was really focused on which was his bare chest. And holy shit, if I hadn’t just had an horrific nightmare then I think my instinct to whistle would have come out no matter what. Thankfully though, this didn’t happen, as I was still in the throes of my nightmare and unable to breathe at a calm pace.

But then I also wasn’t sure this wasn’t down to the abundance of tight abs that looked completely void of all fat, leaving nothing but solid muscle. This was followed swiftly by those delicious lines at the side of the abs that I was sure were called obliques. They reminded me of metal grills, as they looked just as hard!

But mainly it was his broad chest, something much more than just a pair of chiselled, toned pecs, but full on muscle that was what obviously separated the men from the boys. And then there was the main attraction, his arms…Gods but those shoulders looked big enough to throw me over with room to spare!

Something he would have no problem with when picking me up, not with the size of those mountain biceps and rippling triceps. To be honest, it was every inch of him that had my mouth going dry and I wondered if tasting every bit of him would help in bringing back moisture in my mouth, for surely getting close enough would make me want to drool.

Gods Fae, get a bloody grip! So, he’s hot, okay maybe hotter than hot, but big deal! Just get over it, he’s an ass remember. And so, what if biceps have been the symbol of strength and machismo for centuries, he could just go right ahead and use that exquisite body on some other poor sap!

But then he was now bringing that body over to me so he could comfort me, and I swear my reserve crumbled the second he took me in his arms and held me to him.

“You had a nightmare,” he stated without question. I could only nod as he held the side of my face to his chest, hopelessly trying not to let my emotions get the better of me, but even I felt the few tears slip free.

“Sshh now, just try and concentrate on taking deep breaths for me.” He spoke in a tone so tender that it alone was almost heart-breaking. Which was why I didn’t trust myself to speak, not after earlier. Because the moment I had remembered what he had said and translated the German for cursing the Gods, saying they must hate him for giving him me, well then there had only been one thing left for me to do…run.

I had thrashed in his hold until he decided the best course of action was to let me go. The second I stood I had said only one thing,

‘Get out!’ To which he had released a sigh before standing to face me, then he said,

‘I can already see that there is no point in discussing this whilst your mind is in a venomous place, but make no mistake Princess, we will be talking about this!’ After this he left and I shamefully sank to the floor and cried, hating how weak I felt. I also hated that he had gone back to calling me ‘princess’ knowing now that he only reserved it for times he obviously wanted to piss me off.

But now here he was being sweet and caring, holding me close like I was something precious to him. Like I mattered. Like I wasn’t something to damn the Gods for and fool that I was, I hung onto him as though I had forgotten. As if this knowledge had been drowned out and carried off by an ocean named doubt, not to return until the tide.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked after a few minutes of me trying to calm myself. But I couldn’t speak, not yet. Because when I finally did, then that would only make this a reality I didn’t want to face. And going back to the way we were wasn’t something I was ready for.

But now this Lucius, the man with his arms around me, holding me close as if scared of me breaking without him…now that was the Lucius I wasn’t yet ready to let go of. So, I said nothing but shook my head. However, this obviously wasn’t good enough for him as I felt him hook a crooked finger under my chin. Then he lifted up my face so he could look down at me.

“It frightened you?” he asked softly, and I swallowed down a lump mainly named lust and just as I started to nod, he raised a brow telling me silently he wanted my words.

“Yes, it frightened me,” I whispered with my voice hoarse due to what I gathered was the time screaming before I eventually woke.

“Then I will stay,” he said before pulling me down with him on the bed making me try to splutter out,

“That’s…but, it’s…no it’s…” But then I soon found myself being manoeuvred to where he wanted me and evidently where he wanted me was resting in the crook of his shoulder and chest. And with the weight of his arm holding me there, I had no choice but to relax into him, something I found far easier than I should have, especially when I should have still been angry at him.

I also didn’t know where to put my arm and it was only when I started making it obvious where I didn’t want it to go, was when he once again took matters into his own hands. He did this by reaching across his torso with his left hand and grabbing my own with the leather from his glove groaning as it held on tight.

Then he rested it across the tight abs on his stomach making me roll my lips back inside my mouth as I felt myself getting hot. I just kept saying to myself not to move my fingers as all I wanted to do was trace the dips and lines between his six pack. But it was when I felt him vibrating beneath my hand with the muscles tightening that I knew he was silently laughing. This was confirmed when I looked up at him and saw that he had been looking at me the whole time and obviously my expressions were giving me away.

This was confirmed when he tipped my chin up again and whispered down at me,

“You can touch me, Sweetheart.” Well, at least I was back to the sweet endearments now and not ‘princess’. But then he brushed the back of two fingers down my cheek, no doubt trying to see for himself if the skin was as hot as it looked. Well, I could confirm that like this, with him lying half naked in my bed, then yes of course it bloody was! Now did he have to look so satisfied about it, no he didn’t! But then again this was Lucius we were talking about so could I really be surprised?

“Amelia…”

“Yeah?”

“Are you going to touch me?” he boldly asked making me swallow hard before shaking my head, something that again made him chuckle softly. I waited for the vibrations to end before looking up at him knowing what I would find with him already looking down at me.

“Then go to sleep,” he ordered gently making me want to argue but then again, he was surprisingly comfortable to lie against despite how hard the abundance of muscle was. So, in the end I just whispered a small,

“Kay.” And then did as I was told. But this time when I slept, I dreamt of my current reality…

Being safe in Lucius’ arms.

* * *

The next time I woke it was because I felt myself being shifted and an arm slipping from where my head had been resting. I didn’t know what was happening on account of still being stuck somewhere between a conscious state and dreaming of him still holding me. However, when I started to feel the loss of his heat and soft skin I knew he was leaving me.

“Lucius?” I spoke his name before I could stop myself and found a hand reaching out to him, too weak to prevent the want in both the needy reaction and breathy sigh after it. At first, I thought I had been too late but then I felt the bed dip to my side and a gloved hand came and cradled my cheek.

“Ssshh, go back to sleep, my Šemšā,” he whispered before leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead and then, just before I could say another word, he must have decided it wasn’t enough for the next second I felt that same tender kiss on my lips. But just as I was about to open up for him, he took away his kiss and left. I know this because I finally sat up and saw the empty room with not a Vampire King in sight.

That’s when I noticed that my hand was still held out reaching for him, one that quickly turned into a fist and landed on the bed next to me. A clear sign of my frustration. I looked back down at the bed and swear I could see the memory of what we must have looked like together, entwined like lovers after the act. The way he had held me had been as perfect for my obsession, as it had been damaging. Okay, so it was time to face facts, definitely more damaging!

“I’m so screwed,” I said aloud running a hand through my hair before falling back onto the bed with an umf sound, now knowing that there was only one thing for it, I needed to get the Hell out of Dodge.

I had to leave before I did something stupid, like giving Lucius all he wanted from me before I was then left wide open and exposed for him to use when and how he wanted before he simply left. Because what else could I expect from Lucius? If he believed me to be his Chosen One as I knew him to be mine, then he would have acted on it long ago. He wouldn’t have pushed me away. Which again made me have to ask myself what had changed for him to be acting this way now? A question that now seemed to constantly plague me.

I had tried to run away from my life, that’s what, something he clearly didn’t like. Something he had tried to prevent, like my father had. That was why I didn’t trust this. Didn’t trust him. How did I know he wasn’t just using my weakness against me? Because, it was as clear as day what my weakness was after the night I had turned up at his club, dressed for him. Something he had cruelly mocked.

And now here he was, being everything I had ever dreamed he could be. No…of course, I couldn’t trust it. Or myself.

Which was why I had to leave.

Like right now!

So, with this in mind I got up and washed, whizzing through my bathroom routine and putting in my contacts this time, forgoing my glasses. I also told myself that this wasn’t because it was easier for him to kiss me without them. Absolutely not.

Then I dressed in a pair of jeans the colour of indigo and matched it with a soft grey T shirt and a plaid shirt that I tied into a knot at my belly. After dragging my hair up into a high ponytail, I found the stuff I had arrived with, which thankfully included my wallet, money and passport. Of course, trying to take the box would be a mistake, as I knew there was nowhere safer than in his vault but then again, I had been able to break in.

But then what if I was to just hide it? Of course, I would eventually let Lucius know where it was but after first using it as leverage for him to leave me alone. Because I knew that once I left, then I would only end up with him trying to find me again. Whether this was for my mother or my father I didn’t know but right now I just needed to be alone. I needed to be able to think and I definitely couldn’t do that here or anywhere that Lucius was.

He was too much of a weakness for me.

So, I made the decision to hide it, now knowing what to do to disable the alarm after watching Liessa. Clearly, she wasn’t too concerned with me or considered me a threat, that was for sure. And I think it was obvious that even Lucius didn’t think me crazy enough to try and steal it from him again. Ha, well little did he know just how crazy this human could be!

I saw that it was still dark out but without a phone I couldn’t say what time it was without being bothered to check the clock on the wall in the kitchen.

Which reminded me Lucius must have taken back the phone he had given me to call Wendy last night, but I had long ago memorised her number so I knew I could still contact her once I was settled somewhere. Something she had been convinced of me already being after speaking with her last night.

Well, she may end up being worried for a few days, a week at most but I was sure she would understand once I could explain. Now I just needed to google how long I could be on a call before it could be traced because if Dante was still working for Lucius, then I could pretty much guarantee that he would have her calls monitored.

Gods, but I think downloading the Borne Identity was top on my ‘To get the hell outta Dodge’ list just for some tips on how to do this. So, with that in mind I decided it was probably safer to leave my bag hidden until I’d had chance to get the box. But first I had to hope that Lucius hadn’t just gone back to his own bed and was going to catch me sneaking in.

I was just glad that Lucius wasn’t paranoid as there were no guards or security back in the private space Lucius obviously called his home. So, this meant that sneaking in was the easy part, although I already had my excuse ready, saying that I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep without examining it, as I had some kind of cryptic epiphany. Although he had also once said that my lying skills were as shit as my mother’s, so I didn’t hold out much hope for this to work.

But in the end, this wasn’t needed as it soon became clear he wasn’t here and what’s worse, neither was the box! I frowned before true panic started to set in wondering exactly what it was he had planned to do with it? I mean this wasn’t just his life we were talking about but my mother’s!

I backed out of there, relocking everything and as I turned around, I did so only to walk straight into someone.

“Shit!” I screamed jumping out of my skin.

“Something I can help you with?” Lucius asked raising his brows in question and I looked down to see the box in his hand. I swear but the relief whooshed out of me and before I could stop myself, I put a hand to my chest and said,

“Thank the Gods.”

“I think we can leave the Gods out of this for the moment, don’t you…? Now answer the question, what are you doing in here…again?” He added this last word in what can only be described as exasperation. I didn’t answer straight away but instead took note that he was now dressed, and I wasn’t the only one looking casual.

He wore stone washed grey jeans that looked well-worn enough to be soft and a long-sleeved charcoal black T shirt that was pulled up at the forearms, showing off his usual black leather glove. To this he also had on thick heavy-duty biker style boots that told me relaxing in his home was not on his agenda.

“I came to get the box.” At this he folded his arms across that solid chest of his, (one I now had burnt to my memory in a folder unfortunately labelled ‘utter perfection’)

“Believe it or not but the power of deduction told me as much,” he replied sarcastically, all trace of the sweet and tender Lucius gone, making me frown and snap back before I put much thought into what I was saying or more like giving away,

“Well, I could have been coming to see you, you know after you left me in bed and erm…” At this he smirked down at me before his obvious bullshit detector kicked in and I knew this when he nodded over my head to the massive vault at my back.

“And hoping to find me locked in there, were you?” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him, totally forgetting his earlier warning about doing so.

“No, of course not!” I said but then the second I took note of his eyes darkening was when I realised my mistake.

“Did you just roll your eyes at me…again?” I visibly gulped the second he started to walk me backwards until my back was up against the door. I had to arch my neck just so I could keep eye contact, feeling that doing so was like taunting a wild beast. But then again, what was it he was going to do to me if I did…kiss me again?

“Maybe… oh come on, Lucius, what are you going to do about it…I mean you are not really going to…AHH!” I suddenly shouted the second he dropped the box, obviously not taking its threat seriously enough not to punish me, because the next thing I knew I was being pushed up against the wall. Then even more shocking, before I could fully react to what was happening my jeans were unbuttoned and yanked down my legs.

“Lucius!” I screamed his name but before I could grab the waistband to yank them back up, I was hauled up over his shoulder. Then with my ass up near his face and feeling close to naked in just my plain white boy shorts, he swiftly raised a hand and smacked my backside.

“AHHH!” I screamed more in shock than in pain as it wasn’t too bad but Holy Hell, what in the Gods did he think he was doing.

“PUT ME DOW…AHHHH!” I was cut off in my demands to be put down when he smacked me three more times in quick succession, making the skin burn and also shamefully, my panties damp. Because souls alive it was the hottest thing that had ever been done to me! However, shamefully Lucius’ super Vamp scent detection became my mortification when he then placed his face against my bare thigh and inhaled deeply. And this time when he growled, he did so low and guttural, like the beast he was currently acting. I even started to feel his fangs lengthen and this was when I became worried, so stammered out his name in question,

“Lu…Lucius?”

“You smell so fucking good! The Gods don’t hate me Amelia, they just want to fucking torture me by giving this beast a fucking Goddess to feast on!” He snarled against my skin before kissing and nipping at it as though he wanted to do so much more but was holding himself back…barely.

But then this was when his words confused me, if I smelled so good to him and he wanted me so badly then why think the Gods were torturing him? I just didn’t get it. Did he mean it to protect me against himself? Was there more to what he had said in German, but I had taken it wrong? I seriously think I was missing something big here.

“Lucius, I don’t understand,” I said in a small voice making him lean his forehead to my thigh and release a deep frustrated sigh. Then he slowly pulled me back from over his shoulder and before he spoke, he pulled my jeans back up over my now heated flesh. Then he looked down at me, zipped me up and redid my button silently.

“I know you don’t, my Khuba.” I frowned and asked,

“What does that even mean or the other thing you call me, Semsa or something?” He gave me a grin and said,

“Maybe I will tell you one day.” I actually pouted at this but he didn’t care or the fact combined with me crossing my arms over my chest it must have looked a sight, one that I could see made a grin play at the edges of his perfect lips.

“Is this before or after all the other stuff you have yet to tell me!?” I snapped.

“You’re not ready,” he stated as he picked up the box and turned to the control panel so he could punch in my birthday.

“I think that’s my call.”

“Fine, then I am not ready,” he said rewording his earlier statement, but I wasn’t going to leave it alone.

“Ever heard of the term, knowledge is power?” I threw at him and just as the door opened, he looked back over his shoulder at me and said,

“Not in this case it isn’t…it’s a curse.” Then he walked inside and went straight over to the wall where there was an empty spot waiting for him to place the box. The damn box that had started all of this.

“Bullshit! I think you are just afraid!” I barked back at him, with fists balled by my sides in anger. But he granted me a look of surprise at my outburst.

“It is not my fear I am acting on but yours,” he said emphasising this last part as nothing short of a warning, one that had me backing up a step and shaking my head.

“So, this is what you call protecting me!? Fucking with my head is what, some kind of noble version of getting your cake and eating it too, but just not too much, is that it?” I snapped out the question like a verbal slap, hoping that it felt like that. His scowl told me I’d hit a nerve at least.

“I am going to ignore that last comment and put it down to the rants of a young girl who doesn’t know what she is talking about!” he growled back and this was when I officially lost my shit!

“A young girl?! I am twenty-seven years old for the Devil’s sake! I am not a fucking child!”

“Then maybe it is time to stop acting like one, Princess!” he snarled back after grabbing my hand and pulling me from the vault so he could lock it.

“DON’T FUCKING CALL ME THAT!” I screamed at him yanking my hand from his and gaining an incredulous look in return. I then stormed back into his personal area knowing he would follow. Because I’d decided enough was enough. It was time to get this done and over with. It was time he knew exactly how he made me feel. So, I took a deep breath and said,

“Really! Is that how you see me Lucius, as some childish little spoilt princess that doesn’t know her own feelings…?”

“I never said…” he tried but I just kept going.

“…That what I feel for you is just some passing fancy or attraction I feel like indulging in?”

“No, I didn’t ever…”

“You think this is easy for me, being back here after all these years knowing that the last thing you said to me in this room was something I could never possibly hope to get over!” I shouted knowing that I was going too far with letting him know these things, but I just found I couldn’t stop now, not even when he told me to.

“Amelia, just stop.”

“NO! Lucius, you want to know what I know, something you obviously think is very little, well here it is…You ever wonder why I left Afterlife, moved to a different fucking country and left my home for good?!” At this he actually did look as if I had slapped him, as he tore his gaze from mine and nodded,

“I can guess.”

“You can guess…you can guess! Well, here Lucius, let me finalise that guess for you should I…? I left because I could no longer stand looking at my own fucking mother! I left because I loved her and hated myself for feeling nothing but jealously around her! That was what you did to me, you didn’t just break my heart, you tore it to fucking pieces and then left me with nothing but scraps left for those who I loved around me,” I yelled making him flinch as if I had truly struck him this time.

“Amelia, I didn’t…”

“Yeah, well you may not have intended that Lucius, but it doesn’t change the past and it doesn’t change that was what you gave me! So, don’t give me that princess, I don’t know anything crap, because news flash here, I am not the one that is fucking clueless and running scared!” I shouted back at him making him grimace, even though he looked as tightly wound as a predator waiting to strike.

“But hey, I was foolish enough to believe that something had changed. That maybe…”

“What?” he asked suddenly as if needing to know. So, I took a deep breath and gave it to him, knowing it was too late to take it all back now.

“That…that you finally looked at me like a woman you wanted and not just some naïve princess that foolishly thought she had a chance at being with someone like you,” I told him before deciding I couldn’t do it anymore, I had to get out of there before he saw me cry, something I’d vowed not to let him do again. However, even the best laid plans fail and in my case it was always one named Lucius. This meant that I didn’t get far in my dramatic departure as I was soon grabbed roughly and spun around to face him,

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going!?” he shouted back at me making me shout back at him,

“As far away from you as I can get!” Then I yanked myself out of his hold and unless he wanted to hurt me, he had no choice but to let me go. But this was only so he could try again and this time, I was ready for it,

“Oh no, you don’t princess!” And just as he yanked me back, I brought my hand around and slapped him right across the face, and this time, it was one he didn’t have a chance at stopping as he never saw it coming.

“I said don’t call me fucking PRINCESS!” I screamed up in his face, one that had cracked to one side and was still held there in his utter shock. Then he slowly brought it back round to face me, with eyes burning like the Persian sun and I knew I might have just gone too far.

But it was too late to take it back now and anyway, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to, even with how truly terrifying he looked right now. Despite this, he was still the most beautiful strikingly handsome man I had ever seen in my life and as I stood there panting through my rage something else started to seep on in there and before I could stop myself I snarled at him,

“Gods, but I hate you, Lucius!” Then I grabbed him by the neck and shirt, tugged him to me and kissed him like my damned cursed life depended on it!

Now, if I thought he had been shocked by the slap then this clearly had him dumbfounded, if only for a few seconds before he started to kiss me back in earnest. Then he tore his lips from mine, growled down at me, as his fangs grew in length past his lips.

I shivered in response, but this wasn’t in fear, it was in hope. One that seemed to be held precariously in the balance. It was like being suspended on a tightrope, with one end the safety of the door, my chance to escape, my exit. My last opportunity to leave this all behind me. but on the other was Lucius, whose next action managed to tip the scales. Because he knew what he wanted and the second he grasped my ass with both hands to lift me up, he made his dominating move. Doing so by positioning my spread legs around his waist, something I automatically responded to by tightening my thighs. And that was when I knew there was no running from this now.

Especially not when in three long and determined strides later I found my back pressed against a wall. Then with my legs gripping onto his waist he shackled my wrists and held them suspended above my head, trapped there just like my pounding heart. After this he took complete control of the kiss, devouring my taste like a man starved of it for far too long. Gods, but he made me feel so wanted it was like being drugged. A heady weight fogged my mind of what was right, of what it wanted, what it needed all merging together and giving me only one answer…

Lucius.

But then his fangs stung as they pricked the skin, making me yelp and he pulled back with a mouth full of my blood with a devilish grin on his crimson lips. Then, whilst looking down at me, his eyes burning like the sun, he licked them slowly as if savouring the taste. My own widened in response as I licked the pooling blood on my lips as he had done, making his eyes seep into a deeper flame, as if I was now staring straight into the pits of Hell.

Gods, but it looked like the making of a beast I had unknowingly just released and the thought both frightened me and exhilarated me. To know what I was capable of doing to him, with just my blood alone. Well, then being his Chosen One actually felt possible. Especially with the way he looked to be trying to savour even that small taste of me.

This caused his head to fall back, so he looked up at the Heavens and this time, I could barely breathe, because instead of cursing them, he whispered his thanks…

“Gifted with fucking perfection!”

7

His Prisoner

“Lucius…?” The moment I spoke his name it seemed to jerk him from wherever it was he had been lost to, because his gaze snapped back to mine and his grip on me tightened.

“No Amelia, no fucking way!” he snarled making me frown up at him in question,

“If you think for one minute that I am going to let you walk out of here, especially after all you just said to me then you aren’t in your right mind,” he threatened on a growl.

“Well, I did just slap a Vampire King, so I think it’s safe to say my state of mind is questionable at this point.” After this and my attempt at using humour to calm the situation down, he released a ragged breath before his lips twitched in amusement. But then just as quickly he turned serious again.

“You’re not running from me, not again.” This time it didn’t just sound like an order, it sounded more like a vow.

“But don’t you see, this, whatever this is…it’s not going to work, Lucius,” I said trying for reason, because what we were doing now, well it didn’t seem like we would ever get past it…That I would ever get past it.

“You know exactly what this is, so don’t you dare choose now to ignore it, not after all these years of holding on,” he said moving his hands from my suspended wrists and down my arms to come to rest at my neck. I lowered my arms, frowning at his words and hating how pathetic they made me seem. Because the arrogant bastard knew it all. But right now his words, as little sense as they made, weren’t coming from arrogance.

So I shook my head,

“I don’t understand, what is it you want from me here, Lucius?”

“I want the freedom to do as I please without fear of guilt or repercussions against us,” he said cryptically and I swear I felt like gritting my teeth and cursing the Devil.

“Guilt or repercussions? Lucius what are you talking about?” At this he wrapped his arms around me and buried his head in my neck to breathe me in before whispering,

“I wish you knew it all, as much as I hope you never discover the truth.” Then he pulled back from me when he heard me suck in a startled breath, because really, what could be worse than him loving my mother?

“The truth? The truth about what?” I asked pulling back and letting my legs fall from being wrapped around him. I slid down, now nowhere near his height but still trapped between his large frame and the wall. He didn’t answer me straight away but raised a hand to my bleeding lip and ran the pad of his thumb down the centre. Then he nearly crippled me with his next admission,

“About what I did to you.” This was when his thumb found his own mouth so he could have one last taste. It was as if he knew his phone was about to ring and I found it odd that during such an intense conversation he would answer it.

“They have come for you,” a voice told him on the other end as for once I was close enough that I didn’t need supernatural hearing to listen.

“I know. Three minutes,” Lucius replied calmly without taking his eyes from me.

“Yes, my Lord.” A deep and burly sounding voice replied.

“And Clay…” Lucius said his name, taking pause to make sure he was being heard.

“Sire?”

“No one follows me.” At this I narrowed my eyes in question, wanting to know where Lucius intended to go to and why no one should follow.

“But that isn’t…” It was obvious that this Clay person didn’t agree.

“This is an order, not a request…understood?” Was Lucius’ stern reply.

“Fine…and if something goes wrong, what then?” Clay snapped back telling me that whoever was on the phone was someone extremely close to Lucius and most likely on his council as I couldn’t imagine many being able to get away with speaking so bluntly to him.

“Then naturally you call in the big guns and the one who is best known how to use him,” Lucius replied, now back to being calm, making me wonder where exactly it was he was going, or who it was that had come for him?

“Great, that’s all we fucking need,” the one named Clay grumbled making Lucius smirk instead of getting angry. And through this last part Lucius had been looking off to one side with an arm rested above my head telling me that I was going nowhere as he’d promised. But for this next part he once more turned his attention back to the body he had trapped in his frame by looking directly down at me. Then he said,

“And one other thing.”

“Yeah?” Clay waited but sounded very much as though he knew what was coming.

“The girl doesn’t leave, at all.” I swallowed hard at the sound of the strength in that order and even the guy on the other end said,

“Yeah, last I checked, I’m not suicidal Luc, of course I won’t let her fucking leave!” Lucius smirked at this and said,

“Now that’s two minutes.” Then he hung up the call.

“So, I’m some kind of prisoner now?” I snapped, making his smirk turn into a knowing grin. Then he snaked an arm around my back and yanked me hard to him before telling me on a growl,

“No, you’re not just some kind of prisoner…you’re my fucking prisoner!” Then he kissed me as I gasped in outrage, one that was swallowed up by his consuming kiss and one that spoke only of possession.

And one that took up the last of his spare minutes.

“I shouldn’t be long and then when I get back, we are going to talk about all the things you said to me and all the things you think you know,” he said this framing my face with both his large hands before kissing my forehead and then walking away, but when he got to the door I couldn’t help but ask,

“And what about all the things that I don’t?” He paused with his hand on the handle and lowered his head in what looked like some kind of personal defeat, before granting me one last look over his shoulder before saying,

“Those too… even if I have to chain you to my bed first so you can’t run from me, then I will.”

Then he left and in doing so missing the stunned look on my face. Because now all I had left to question was what was so bad he thought I would first need ‘chaining’ to his bed before he risked telling me!?

What exactly had he done to me?

But more importantly…would I still love him after it?

* * *

I don’t know how long it was before I shook myself from staring at the closed door, bombarding my own mind with two thousand questions, one for every year he was older than me and a couple of extra for good measure! Then, thinking back to his phone call, I wanted to know where he was going and who it was that was there for him? Because of all of the times to leave, now wasn’t exactly what I would have called convenient and if there was one thing I knew about Lucius, it was that he didn’t do anything he didn’t want to. Which was why I doubted he would have wanted to leave unless…well, unless he was forced to?

I thought back to him leaving me in bed, only to find him a little time later putting the box back in his safe…did that mean it had something to do with it? Well, I was damned if I was just going to sit here as his ‘little prisoner’ and wait for my answers to probably never come. So, with this in mind, I ran over to the window in his apartment that I knew faced the front of the club, meaning that I had a 50% chance of catching him leave, as I decided the front was most likely my best bet. And I was right. Because I caught him just in time to see him walking towards a blacked out SUV with the door open waiting.

But it was the two huge bulky guards who were escorting him that worried me the most.

“What are you doing, don’t get in the car!?” I asked no-one in particular, with my hand gripping onto the frame hard enough my knuckles turned white. Only it was in this moment that Lucius looked up at me, as if he had heard my panic, and knew I would be standing here watching. He gave me a head nod, and I wondered if this was supposed to give me comfort or Hell, the broody demanding bugger might have just been telling me to get back to being a good little prisoner. Who the Hell knew with Lucius but getting in that car, then even I knew that was a bad idea.

But then my fears were ignored as I watched his large muscular frame disappear inside the car and I swear my heart was in my throat. Especially when I was forced to watch the door close and the car pull away, taking him away from the club and his men. Why wouldn’t he want people to follow? Did he know how important his life was!

“Damn it, Lucius!” I snapped hitting out at the frame and ignoring the pain from doing so. Then I just slumped down where I stood and put my back to the full-length window where I let my head hang in my hands. I just needed to think. But then that was easier said than done when there was just too much to think about.

What I needed was answers but other than Liessa, then who could I ask? More like, who would even tell me, but then there was one person who I had heard that would definitely know what was going on and that was this Clay person. Now of course all I had to do was find him…or did I?

An idea started to form because really, what Lucius had said to him, warning him that I wasn’t to leave, well surely to get him to appear then all I would have to do is try. Umm, well there was only one way to find out.

I left Lucius’ apartment and looked to the private elevator, knowing that if I went that way then I might be giving away my last option when it came to actually leaving here. Although Lucius hadn’t asked me how I had snuck into the building or how I even knew the combination to his safe? And why not, surely these would be the first things he would have asked. And really, what would I have said if he did, that some crazy chick with mad driving skills told me how to get in, oh and she just so happened to be the next oracle.

Okay, well I liked to consider myself to be an intelligent sort of girl but right now I felt as dumb as a post for only asking myself these things now. Alright, so admittedly I turned into a mushy bumbling idiot around Lucius, but then that’s what decade old obsessions would do to you. And now I had seen him without his shirt on, then I feared it would only get worse. Oh, that and I now knew what it felt like to be kissed by him. But then that wasn’t a strong enough word for it.

Being kissed by Lucius felt more like willingly stepping into a trap that you knew had the power to cage you, to consume you, to imprison you for however long he wanted you locked there. It was like signing up for the type of pleasure you knew also came with the power to torture you afterwards. This being the part when he would inevitably walk away, taking those consuming kisses with him.

Because no matter how much Lucius made you feel as though you were the only being on Earth he wanted and with an intensity to fool you into believing he needed it as much as he did his next breath…Lucius was owned by no one. Meaning that I knew the commitment would only ever be one sided…it had been for over ten years. A gift I stupidly had been keeping for him in some kind of twisted fairy tale notion he would one day realise I was the only girl for him. That I was…

His Chosen One.

Damn my parents and their ridiculous love for one another. Honestly, what did I expect? Growing up and having to witness that type of commitment, that depth of love and adoring, Gods but it was no wonder I was so messed up. I know what you’re thinking, what’s wrong with that, isn’t it what every child wants and yes, deep down I wouldn’t have it any other way. My parents were and always would be an absolute in my world. But the downside to this was it created impossible expectations of the future. It made me ache to have what my mother had in a husband, partner, soulmate or more like, Chosen One.

All around me, the Kings of my father’s world would meet their Chosen souls, bring them to events, balls or even council meetings and the look of utter adoring love in their eyes was sickening to someone who had been dreaming of finding it for herself most of her life. Foolishly convinced it had been there for the taking in Lucius. Sometimes I liked to convince myself another was out there just waiting for me and Lucius had just been the first one I latched onto with the silly and naive notion.

But then just being in the same room with him and I knew my mind and body hadn’t just manifested these thoughts because it was convenient...hell, it was anything but convenient, seeing as the guy didn’t want me.

Well, until now it seemed.

But it wasn’t just a passing fancy. No, my body literally ached to be near him. My heart felt like it started to beat in tandem with his own whenever he was near. My mind and body were both drawn to him as if he were the eternal flame and I was but a moth desperate for just one touch, even though I knew the dangers of getting burnt. That pull, the incessant tugging at my heart, wanting nothing more than to offer itself up for his mercy.

I knew he was the one and because of it…

I was cursed.

8

Misfits and Masters

So, this was my curse. This was my secret. The power he held over me, as if at some point in my life he had stolen a part of me, and I wasn’t just talking about my heart.

I shook these thoughts from my mind and got on with my task because I couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about where Lucius had been taken to. I also had a feeling it had something to do with that damn box. Had he discovered who was behind the attacks and the people who were hexed to silence?

Leaving the elevator out of this, well then my options were pretty limited. I knew the floors below held other apartments, like Liessa’s who I discovered was married to a man named Caspian. Someone who apparently was a brute, her words not mine and ones she seemed quite proud of. There were also other rooms for Lucius’ council members on the floor below but the only ones on Lucius’ floor was what now seemed to be my temporary apartment, Lucius’ private space and a locked apartment that I knew belonged to my aunty Pip and Uncle Adam.

Okay, so they weren’t related by blood but Pip was my mum’s best friend and pretty much lived in Afterlife. Meaning that I grew up with her around and like a quirky second parent at that. She was also one of the most bonkers, fun and funniest people on the planet and I loved her dearly. She was another reason leaving my home was one of the hardest moments of my life. Just like leaving the rest of my family was.

But I hadn’t lied to Lucius when I said I’d had no choice. Because I loved my mum and wanted it to remain that way, so to save our relationship, I left. And thankfully for everyone involved, no one had any clue why…well, other than my aunty Pip who had been here that day I found out. But she had made me a vow she wouldn’t say a word and I had to trust that, as I knew she would never lie to me.

Hell, she had been the only one I had ever cried to about any of this. I shook off the memory of being on the private plane with her as we travelled back to Portland, Maine. The image of me sobbing in her colourful arms as she softly brushed back my hair and handed me tissues. She hadn’t tried to brush off my tears, or talk reason into how I was feeling, telling me bullshit like it would pass and I would feel better once home. No, she simply listened, silently letting me get it all out. She was the one and only person who knew how I felt about Lucius and after that moment, how I also felt about my mother. Which was why I hadn’t been the only one crying by the end of the flight.

After that, I didn’t think I could love my aunty Pip any more than what I thought I already did. So, although I was curious as to what was behind this door, as knowing Pip, it no doubt would have been like walking into a sex-crazed wonderful land adventure novel, it was locked.

Oh, Gods but it was times like this I missed my crazy aunty, along with my actual aunty Sophia, who was just as mischievous. Actually, it was times like this that I missed everyone in my family, but then I thought about my dad and my heart ached with the lies he had told me.

I adored him, I really did. Growing up I was definitely what you would have called a daddy’s girl but because of that, he’d clearly had the hardest time in letting me go and watching me grow up. He was also what you would call a slight control freak and to be honest, I kind of understood why. Being King wasn’t exactly an easy job. He most definitely wasn’t as easy going as his brother, my Uncle Vincent, that was for damn sure.

Stood now in the lobby I circled the large sculpture that still seemed to tell a story I wasn’t yet getting. Then I eyed my limited choices knowing there was really only one door that was an option, it just so happened it was the last one without an apartment behind it. It was the doorway into his club. I knew what I would find in there, a lot of bad memories and ridicule. So, before I did anything stupid, I needed some fresh air first. Which was why I retraced my steps from earlier and decided to go back up to the rooftop garden.

Once up there, I took in a deep breath wishing I had grabbed a jacket or something as the cool air nipped at my skin. Which was why I ended up holding my arms around myself as I gazed out at the city, knowing how most of it still slept at this early hour. My guess was it was about three in the morning, which made me question even more what Lucius could have been thinking going with those men?

It made me wonder if something like him leaving would have gone any differently had we been a couple. Would he have told me where and why, or still kept me out of the loop, doing as he wanted without feeling the need to put my fears at ease?

“What’s the point,” I muttered aloud, knowing it would never happen. What Lucius and I had was far from what convention would ever dictate as being a couple or class as normal, which included things like being informed what he was doing and why. And why should it? He had no one to answer to. Never had anyone’s feelings to consider. That much was obvious.

These thoughts also made me question if even my own father had struggled when he first met my mother? He shared everything with her but then again, I doubted my mum knew the depths of crazy my dad had gone to when it came to controlling my life. If anything, my mum was my biggest advocate for trying to live a normal life, saying I needed to experience my humanity before it might suddenly change. Hell, but it was almost as if my mum knew something that I didn’t when she said these types of things.

I walked over to the small seating area under a blanket of ivy, hugged my legs to my chest and let a stray tear roll down my cheek as I thought about my mother. God’s what I wouldn’t have given in that moment to be able to talk to her. To have her here with me, just so I could lean my head against her shoulder and hug her. But in reality, it had felt like a small forever since we had been like that. Since I had allowed myself to be that daughter again. The guilt I felt was just as heart-breaking as the reasons I had stayed away.

But what other options did I have. It wasn’t as though I could talk to her about any of this, even though I knew that she was far from stupid. Of course, she knew something major was wrong. She had since the day I arrived back home. But then again, staying in your room for a whole week without wanting to talk to anyone was obvious enough. I remembered the way my dad had stormed through the doors all pent up and angry, ready to demand an explanation from me. But the first sight of my blubbering tears and he had lost his anger with me pretty damn quickly.

But that was my dad. All hard and a mighty warrior ruler on the outside but utter mush inside when it came to those he loved. Gods, but once he wanted to buy me a pony just because I fell off my bike and cried after grazing my knee. It had been my mum who had told him not to be ridiculous. That I was a Draven and therefore she picked me up, dusted me off and put me back on the bike. Then telling me that I was doing great and to keep showing my bike who was boss, much to my dad’s horror in thinking now that all bikes were evil contraptions that needed to be wiped from his kingdom like spinning wheels from Sleeping Beauty. It was sweet and endearing but totally impractical.

Which was why in the end, and thanks to my mum, it was the only emotional time my parents ever let me have to myself without pushing for answers. Oh, but I knew my dad had been forced to do so by my mum. But it did also made me wonder if this was why he had taken it upon himself to take control without my mum’s knowledge, once I made the decision to leave. Did he not trust me to be capable of living my life solely after this moment? Well, knowing my dad it certainly sounded like something he would do.

* * *

I didn’t know how long I ended up being up there but it was still dark and I was also too cold to stand it for much longer. Besides, I was getting nothing done. My plan had been to just try and escape and see who came running first to ask for answers. But after my time up there I decided to just pull up my big girl pants and walk straight into his club and start demanding them from people. After all, it wasn’t like they could hurt me, as I was pretty sure Lucius would have killed anyone who tried. He had certainly made those sentiments clear enough, especially if he hadn’t even let some of his men look at me without a threat if doing so.

Which was why I walked back into the stairway and jogged down one floor back to the lobby area. Then I came face to face with the one door I didn’t really want to walk through but knew that at some point, it was inevitable.

If I were honest with myself it was also the reason I didn’t want to meet Lucius last night, telling myself Star Trek had been more important. But in reality, cutting my damn toenails would have been more important than being made to walk back into that place.

Truth was that I hated Transfusion, as in utterly loathed it! The club had haunted my dreams ever since the first time stepping foot inside, as the very memory of the place was like a rot to my soul. Now, would I have felt differently walking back in there as Lucius’ girlfriend? Who the Hell knew…not me for damn sure because even the thought of becoming something like that to him felt more like some cosmic joke! Something that these days felt as if even the very Gods themselves were laughing at.

Then again, if I walked in there now then what was the worst that could happen. For starters the biggest threat wasn’t even in the building, so the rejection I was most scared of wasn’t an issue. It wasn’t as though I could get thrown out this time, if anything it was the complete opposite. As according to Lucius, I was now his prisoner, meaning my prison was this bloodthirsty place.

Oh, the name fit alright, but a pint of blood felt like only half the sacrifice. To be fair, I didn’t really know what went on in there as over the years it was quite possible that my imagination had warped my traumatized memories of the place.

Well, there was only one way to find out, so I opened the door and walked inside and the first words out of my mouth were…

“Oh shit.”

This was muttered in a barely heard whisper but for the people all now congregated around a large table, it could have been said in a damn megaphone for the reaction I received. The whole club was obviously shut for the night and even the VIP was almost empty. Or at least it would have been if not for every council member that was now sat around a large oval table where the huge gothic sectional sofa had once been. Oh, and at the sound of my entrance all eyes turned to face me.

“Erm…” This was the only lame sound that escaped me, and I wished I could have just given in to the urge to turn around and bolt through the door. However, my parents didn’t raise a coward and it was time to put all that ‘Princess’ usefulness to well, to good use. It was time to act like a Draven and get my ass back on the damn bike Fae.

See, my mum once told me that she often felt the same way, totally intimidated by so many supernatural beings and often those who were the strongest of their kind. It was daunting and it was overwhelming, especially for a human, which pretty much meant bottom of the food chain in this gig. But that was when she first met my dad who, as she described it, had been the most intimidating of them all. And no wonder really considering he was the King of Kings and pretty much ruled everyone but Lucius.

But then this had also been because, well, in her words, when they first met he had been a bit of an asshole, to which he would roll his eyes and mutter something about mortal sensitivity and leave the room after growling at my mother. But I could tell with the twinkle in her eye it was something playful between the two of them, as the adoring exchange couldn’t be ignored.

So, due to this sound advice, being that all of these supernatural macho men basically had a bark much worse than their bite, her words had been that if you gave them a fearful inch, they would then take the intimidating mile.

Of course, trying to put this advice into practice, especially around someone like Lucius, was most definitely easier said than done. But around these guys, who I knew could bark at me all they wanted and get away with it, I also knew that was all they could do. Because anything more and Lucius would roar bloody murder back. Of this I had no doubt. Because in his mind, I belonged to him, even if that meant something unquestionably different to me than it ever would to him.

Which was why I metaphorically pulled up my big girl pants like I said I would and strode into the room as if I owned the joint, saying,

“Right, well now the big bad royal ass has gone, where can a girl get a real drink around here?” Everyone was silent, all but Liessa who threw her head back and let out a long breathy laugh and smacked her hand on the table in her hilarity. Of course, this made everyone have to throw up their arms to protect themselves as ink burst out from beneath her palm the second it made contact with the table. They all moaned in annoyance, as I could see some of the black substance sizzling skin and burning like acid, now telling me why most of the time she wore gloves.

However, the man next to her, aka ‘The Brute’ and who I assumed was her husband, growled at everyone before taking her hand in his and started licking at her palm like a dog. Then when he was finished with that, he placed her hand on his lap before bending his colossal looking frame over the table and then licked that clean too. More astonishing was that not a single person said a word against this. But then again, just looking at the sheer size of him and it was of little wonder, seeing as he would have made a good contender for my once personal guard Ragnar, yet another person I classed as family.

Ragnar was over six foot seven inches tall and was built like the term, ‘a brick shithouse!’ He had muscle where you didn’t think there should even be muscle. He was also very mean and scary looking, with scarred skin and a short shaved mohawk. Of course, to me, he was like a giant teddy bear and used to let me ride on his back as a kid as I pretended I was riding a giant wolf named Fenrir. Fenrir, also called Fenrisúlfr, who was a monstrous wolf of Norse mythology. He was also the son of the demoniac god Loki and a giantess, Angerboda.

I knew this from listening to stories sat on Ragnar’s lap as a child as he told me all about the Norse Gods. I should probably mention that Ragnar had also once been a Scandinavian king before of course he had been thrown into a pit of snakes and poisoned to death. After that was when my father saved his soul and contracted with his Gods to have him serve him on Earth as his head of security. He was then resurrected as one of the Devourers, meaning he had literally been gifted with the blood of a Norse God.

But now, whatever this Caspian was, beyond being obviously terrifying and extremely different looking, I didn’t know. He was incredibly wide and even though he was sitting I just knew that if he rose from his seat, he would mostly likely have been as tall as Ragnar.

However, that’s where the similarities ended. His hair reminded me of what you would find on a fine silver wire brush and it framed most of his face, from his pierced lips, where it came down into a long and shapely point, and the top of his head where the unusual style was pulled back from his forehead and shaved at the sides. It was held atop of his head in a ‘man bun’ in a metal spike sticking from the top with three prongs like Poseidon’s trident.

He wore what looked like well-worn biker gear, with a tight faded Rolling Stones Tee under a leather cut. And from the looks of things everything that could be pierced was. Three bars on the bridge of his nose, multiple ones through his lips, silver balls at his chin as well as either side of his lips. Tattoos painted his pale skin but I was too far away to make them out. But from what I could see they looked old school in their design, like the type you would have expected to see on sailors or tattooed people headlined as freaks at the circus a hundred years ago.

He also currently wore shades like Arnold Schwarzenegger had done in Terminator 2, something I knew because I had the figure sitting on my shelf at home in my newly decorated flat. Thanks for that one, Lucius, I thought with a grin.

Next on the table was who looked like a punk rock teenager, who obviously liked all things black, including the colour of his nails and eyeliner. He also liked Fall Out Boy, according to the T shirt he wore over a long sleeved dark grey one. Of course, he also had a thing for belts and blades as they were everywhere you could naturally fit them on your person. He was tall, slim and had a baby, but handsome face, despite it holding what looked like a permanent scowl. Fingerless gloves, leather straps and chains were what completed the outfit. Oh, and not forgetting what looked like untied skull covered Doc Martins boots that were actually up on the table as he leant back in his seat.

Next to him was a small man who wore a dark hooded jacket, covering most of his face and skinny tight jeans with the same style boots as the teenager next to him, only his had flowers and a paisley pattern all over them which I could just see from this angle.

But then moving along and I really didn’t think you could get much stranger than the misfit bunch I had already noted in detail. However, I was wrong, because I came to the strangest of all.

This man, like the other adult males around the table was as muscular as the rest but sat with his arms crossed and unmoving in an unnerving way. He was clearly of native American Indian descent and boy was he beautiful to look at. Even with his harsh unwavering stare. What with his toffee coloured skin, almond shaped eyes and long silky midnight black hair that hung straight and split in two halves reaching his naked and rippled abs.

Now if this had been it, I would have said other than sitting there half naked in only a wrap-around skirt, one that was belted with thick, coarse leather, I would have said there was nothing unusual about him. And this would have been the case had he not had his torso wrapped in some weird thick metal wire. One that looked spiked in sections, like some hellish barbed wire.

It wrapped around him in no particular way, just crossed over and over again in different directions, but was thicker at the arms and neck, where it made a collar and cuffs. Stranger still, it didn’t look as though it confined him in anyway. But hey, what did I know, seeing as the guy barely moved an inch. I mean Hell, he could have danced the bloody macarena with the best of them for all I knew.

Although I didn’t exactly see him as the dancing type, now serious and pissed off, then yeah. But maybe that was just down to the intimidating black ink he had painted across his eyes. A strip just over an inch thick that was a straight band spanning from one side to the other. But like I said, there was something beautiful and totally alluring about him. Almost like you just knew if you ever had the chance to witness him smile, you knew it would have been breath-taking.

The last figure at the table was another huge man, one that wasn’t as tall as Caspian but one definitely as wide. But he would have definitely been the yin to Caspian’s yang, although that sounded kind of wrong and rude at the same time. But I suppressed a childish giggle at the thought, and it was a good job too as neither of them looked like the teasing type. Caspian was as white as snow and this guy had skin like melted chocolate, and yes, it looked just as lickable!

He was the most jaw dropping gorgeous black man I had ever seen and with eyes that looked as though they could be as tender as they could frightening. An unusual navy blue colour, they added a depth and dimension to his personality that made a woman just want to dive right in and start peeling back the layers.

Short black hair just a few grades away from being shaved completely, and dark stubble that dusted a strong square jaw and chiselled features. And that body, then Gods, but this guy looked like he was getting ready to join some strong man competition or something equally as manly.

Jeez, I mean what was it with these guys, did they all eat other people’s muscles for breakfast or something. Did their protein shakes have the powdered bones of virgin angels and demon tears as a secret concoction that made them all look like fallen Gods!

“Is this her, my Wench?” Liessa’s husband asked with an accent I couldn’t place and a deep grating timbre to his voice that made me want to shiver. Of course, I also couldn’t help but frown at hearing what his nickname for her was. But then she certainly didn’t seem to mind as she draped herself across his shoulder, walked two fingers provocatively across his massive muscle and said,

“That’s her, told you she was cute.” Then she granted me a little wave and a wink, especially when her husband growled low as if jealous. I tried not to frown in reaction to it and was about to take my first steps up to the table when I felt a presence step up behind me. Then, before I could turn around to discover who it was, I felt an arm band possessively across my chest and pull me back against the solid presence.

“She is indeed.” A masterful voice spoke behind me, making me shiver and whisper a single breathy name…

“Lucius.”

9

Lucius’ Council

Well, so much for well laid plans. Like discovering which one Clay was and then asking him where Lucius had gone.

“You’re back?” I whispered, feeling suddenly shy being like this with him in front of his people. Clearly however, he didn’t feel the same way, as he tightened his hold on me and whispered down at me,

“And you’re cold.” He said this as though it annoyed him without questioning why I was. As if he already knew. Something that was confirmed when he released me so he could drape a large leather jacket over my shoulders. The warmth seeped into my cold frame and I had to hold back the urge to moan and snuggle deeper into the warmth of the material inside. It was clear that he must have been wearing it recently as it was warm and it smelled amazing, and exactly like him. Sandalwood, a hint of citrus all wrapped up in leather turned out to be the scent and heady mix of raw sexual masculinity. Meaning it was enough to mess with my head as all that was Lucius surrounded me completely, with his body at my back and his scent caressing my senses like a lover’s touch.

But this was when I noticed that Lucius was not only wearing different clothes than he had been wearing before he left, but his hair was now slightly damp. Which confused me because if he had just got out of the shower, then why the jacket?

In the end I didn’t have long to think about it as he issued his next command,

“A jacket next time Amelia, that is not a request.” His tone was stern and absolute, telling me that he somehow knew exactly where I had been. In fact, I would have said something sarcastic or thrown back some sass about how I was a grown woman and could do as I damn well pleased, but admittedly I was still stuck on the fact he was clearly concerned about my health and wellbeing. And not only that but he had no problem with letting his council know it either.

“So, did you miss me, my cold little beauty?” Then, before I could answer him, he spun me so fast I had no other choice but to reach out and grab onto his shoulders so I wouldn’t keep spinning like some sort of cartoon character and go flying right out the window.

Then with barely a gasp being my only startled response, I was being lifted clean off the ground with one arm snaked under the jacket and banded around my waist, so I was at the right height for his lips. Lips that suddenly kissed me, and when I say kissed, I mean the kind that was long, and deep and what felt very, very close to being X-rated.

But stranger still, there wasn’t a single sound to be heard from one member of his council as their boss and King basically just entered a room and started ravishing a random girl they’d only just this second met.

Which was when the painful thought hit me, maybe it was because it was a sight they were used to seeing. This made me instantly tense in his hold and he groaned over my lips the moment he felt it. Which was why he pulled back a little and after making sure he had my eyes, he muttered,

“There she goes again.” Then he set me back on my feet and I started to make my excuses to leave. Especially now that he was back and because seriously, it was still dark outside and quickly becoming the night that just would never end.

“I will just…”

“Oh no you don’t,” he said grabbing my wrist and pulling me back to his side. Then he settled me in front of him, with his hands at the tops of my arms, so I had nowhere to go but to be back facing his council.

“It’s time to introduce you,” he told me and I turned my head to the side and whispered,

“Please.” But it was a plea he ignored as there was no chance with one as powerful as he, that he wouldn’t have heard it. But at the very least, he must have been contemplating what to do next as he remained unmoving. Then I felt him lower his lips to my ear so he could whisper,

“Be brave, little one…” After this he ran his hand from the top of my arm over the leather until it came to my hand, which he first had to fish for inside the sleeve before taking it firmly in his own. Then he spun me again, tapped me under the chin and said,

“…And show me that fire in your eyes that I fucking adore.” I swallowed hard as I played back his words and found myself having to hide the biggest grin from how that compliment made me feel. Of course, this also meant that I gave no resistance when he walked me over to the table, because right now, all I wanted to do was make him proud.

Gods, what was wrong with me and where on earth did that thought come from!?

There were two chairs free around the table and both were opposite each other. But it was obvious which one belonged to Lucius as it seemed the similarities between Kings were obvious to someone who had grown up around them. For starters it had a higher back than the rest of them, which were quite contemporary in their design. The only ‘gothic’ element was the black leather material buttoned in a diamond shape like you would find on an old chesterfield. However, these chairs looked as though that leather section had been melted over a carved wooden frame that was the colour of a stormy sky. The feet part were giant demonic claws that dug into the dark flooring, but it must have been a trick of the eye as otherwise how could they be moved?

But Lucius’ was the same in design only instead of the wilted style sides, the back part went up in a high arch attached to a carved twisted frame. So, seeing as this was clearly his seat, I continued to walk past the others to get to my own, when I was quickly tugged back.

“You sit with me,” he stated firmly, making me frown first at him and then down at the single seat. I knew that my father often sat with my mum in his lap, even during serious meetings.

I asked her once if she ever got embarrassed about it, but she just shrugged her shoulders and said that she used to a long time ago. But now, well she would start to worry and dread the day that my dad didn’t want her in his lap anymore. However, that was my parents. That was love. And this…well, to a man like Lucius it meant only one thing…

Ownership.

“No,” I said just as firmly, and I knew without looking that every one of his council members were now staring at my back as they witnessed me denying their king. But instead of looking perplexed he smirked down at me before cryptically saying,

“Ah, but there she is.” Then he held a hand out to his side and pushed it back as if something was there for him to physically touch. This slight action made his throne suddenly go crashing backwards, only stopping when it smashed into the wall behind. I yelped and couldn’t help but flinch, something he blatantly ignored.

Then without comment, he looked over his shoulder at some of the other bits of furniture that framed the room as if making his choice. Oh, and boy didn’t I just know it when he found the one he wanted, as he first granted me a knowing look and a wink before making it slide towards us as if being pulled by an invisible cord.

Damn him but did he have to look so freakin’ sexy as he played the badass king thing off to a damn tee!

The seat he chose was a quirky take on an old-fashioned wingback chesterfield, like the others were. Which must have been the theme in the VIP, but instead of having a wilted flower head look, this was more traditional in style. It was also upholstered in black velvet and was two chairs of the same style fashioned together. A style that made it kind of look like conjoined twins, as a thicker sectional piece in the centre was what connected them both.

But each seat had their own elaborately carved back and each side a padded arm rest. Meaning that I had no choice but to share the one seat, especially when he snagged the waistband of my jeans and pulled me roughly to him. Then, before I could protest further, he stepped me backwards until the back of my legs hit the cushioned rim. So, with nowhere else to go I sat down before he leant over my space, trapping me in with one hand to the armrest and a gloved hand gripping the chair’s carved back, and issued his condescending praise,

“Good little princess,” something that instantly pissed me off and made me growl back at him, cursing myself for not being more threatening, or someone who could ever hope to match him. And he knew this because he tapped my nose and chuckled once before he turned back to face his council who now all stood in his presence.

“Fuck all that royal bullshit and sit your asses down, as now is not the time for it!” he snapped, making me frown in question, asking myself why was I the only one he was not in a foul mood with? Not that I could really complain about it and a pissed off Lucius wasn’t exactly a treat to deal with.

“I take it the meeting went well,” the teenager remarked without looking at Lucius and with a snigger as he was now chipping away at his black nail polish with the tip of one of his blades.

“Yes, and was about as useful as a fucking hole in the head, which reminds me, where is that little prick you hired recently?” Lucius barked at Liessa, who had been too preoccupied with running the tips of her fingers around her husband’s ear and poking her finger through the large hole in his lobe thanks to the sizeable ear gauge. The other one had a large black horn through it that curled through his ear and all the way round to where it started.

“You mean Puck the Fuck?” Caspian answered for her and it made the hooded one giggle.

“Damn it, I knew I should have attached a little bell to the guy,” Liessa said with a smirk.

“I don’t give a shit whether you attach a leash to the kobold, as long as he does his fucking job and gets me a damn drink!” Lucius snapped in complaint before finally sitting down next to me. I then turned to him after first giving him as much space as the double chair would allow and said in hushed tones whilst looking down to the side,

“You swear an awful lot, you know that?” Lucius then looked at me and smirked before saying,

“Yes Pet, I know I fucking do,” then he winked and tapped me under the chin before turning towards the small hooded man and said,

“Percy, if you please.” And I had to say, I was utterly dumbfounded and for more than one reason. First, this was the most polite I had ever heard Lucius speak to anyone other than me and secondly…was this ‘the Percy?’ as in, my mother’s Percy?

The small hooded man nodded and said,

“Bbbuth of courseth, my ssssire,” he hissed with a heavy lisp and then he slipped away towards the back of the club where I could see a long bar set back within the wall, making it look as though there was no way inside.

“Is that my mum’s Percy?” I asked before I could stop myself from mentioning her in front of him, but he didn’t seem to care as his reply was flippant,

“No, that is my Percy.”

“You know what I mean, the one who helped save her?” I pressed further.

“I do and yes, he is the one who saved your mother, along with many others and multiple times no doubt considering your mother’s past record,” he said in a tone that spoke of contempt and I would have questioned why if we hadn’t been surrounded by his council members.

I was surprised to be honest that he spoke of her in such a blatant way and looking at his face now, I was expecting to see some kind of deeper feeling there, but there was none. If anything, it had been as if he had been talking about someone he was merely acquainted with, not someone he had deep feelings for. But then, as he must have felt my gaze on him, he looked down at me making me quickly look away before I could be caught with the obvious question in my eyes.

“So, I take it by the blood still stained under your fingernails that the meeting ended the way you thought it would?” Liessa remarked making me suck in a sharp breath and instantly my eyes fell on his hands, seeing that she was right, the tips were stained red. My eyes shot to Lucius expecting him to explain or at the very least look somewhat remorseful but instead he smirked and then looked to his own hands.

“Mmm, it’s no Krombacher dark, but it will do,” he said before sucking on his own fingertips making me flinch back in my seat, not really enjoying seeing this darker more sinister side to him.

“Problem?” he enquired when he realised I wasn’t exactly clinging on to his every word, as he started to explain things I just couldn’t follow seeing as, well my mind was most definitely preoccupied.

“You killed someone?” At this it was the punk who chuckled darkly and said,

“Yeah, better get used to that as our Lord doesn’t usually issue revenge with words… or did you think he would just swear at them?” The sideways look of disdain added to this attitude making me instantly dislike him.

“Ruto, that’s enough,” Lucius replied on a stern growl, obviously not liking his particular tone being directed at me. And I wasn’t surprised that it worked, as I didn’t think there were many who would have disobeyed him, well apart from me obviously, Miss Slap Happy here.

I wanted to ask what he meant by revenge, but this was when Percy came back and did so with two bottles in hand.

“I thound the Kobolthddd,” he stammered, although clearly perfectly at ease.

“Yeah, did he have his head in between a pair of tits again?” The big black guy said in a gruff voice that matched the one I had heard on the phone to Lucius, telling me that this was ‘Clay’. Percy chuckled but didn’t comment, instead he handed Lucius the beer and said,

“I broughth thissh ssso you didthn’t haveth to wait and one for tthhe pretthhy lady,” he added giving me a nod and this made his hood fall back a little showing me a glimpse of scarred burnt flesh that was puckered and twisted around his features.

But he was smiling, and his stunning green eyes sparkled as if nothing in the world could ever bother him now. In fact, he looked like one of the happiest people I had ever met, and I couldn’t help but smile back at him as it was infectious.

Besides, I owed him my thanks for he once saved my mother’s life and for that I was eternally grateful to him, even if he didn’t know it yet. So, the second he put down the bottle in front of us I first tugged up the long sleeve and reached across Lucius so I could grab his scarred hand. I ignored what I knew was Lucius’ intense gaze on me and gave Percy’s hand a squeeze before telling him,

“Thank you, Percy,” knowing that my expression spoke of so much more than just for the drink and kind compliment he gave me. He looked shocked for a moment and I wondered if it was maybe from the contact with his burnt flesh or my blatant show of thanks. I didn’t know which but by the time his eyes came back to mine, he actually looked bashful before he nodded and said without a single lisp,

“You’re welcome.” Without the stammer his voice sounded completely different as if there were two sides to him, making me question if this was the one he wished took more centre stage.

I didn’t know where that thought came from but as he retook his seat, I watched him just as Lucius continued to watch me. But I continued to ignore the intense look I could feel Percy’s master giving me. Instead I took the bottle, reading the label as the beer that Lucius had mentioned before cleaning the bloody evidence off his fingers. Then I pulled up my sleeve yet again and took a swig of the beer, realising it was the same brand from last night only a different kind. This had less of a honey aftertaste and more chocolate hints with caramel and that tang of bitterness. It was nice but a little heavy for me.

But then, as Lucius had obviously made watching me his new hobby, he plucked the bottle out of my hands. But before I could ask why or protest, he took my hand in his so he could start folding back the far too long, sleeves of his jacket. He didn’t say a word during this but instead spoke to Clay about increasing security during the club’s open hours. I could feel a blush blooming over my cheeks and even creeping down my neck at the attention he blatantly showed me in front of his people, and it weirdly felt as if I belonged to him. As if I was his to care for and do as he wished, whether his people were there to witness it or not.

This gave me mixed feelings, as on one hand it made me feel kind of treasured. But on the other, I wasn’t sure being ‘owned’ by Lucius was ever a good thing. Just look at how he acted when finding out I had been sat out too long in the cold. Yes, it had been nice to see his concern but demanding I have a jacket next time, as though he had somehow become my boss. Was that how a relationship with Lucius would go, that he would simply bully me with his intimidating ways into doing as he wanted? Well, if that was the case then this King was about to get a shock and a cold hard dash of reality, because I had run from the control of my father for a reason. Which meant I wasn’t about to jump out of the fire and into the sizzling and yes, arguably unbelievable sexy hot, frying pan.

All in all, as sweet as these little gestures were, they were also confusing the hell out of me and only seemed to be adding to the very long list of reasons why I should still be trying to leave. Something I had so far only being saying I would do without the actual…you know, doing part.

Once Lucius had finished re-dressing his little ‘doll’, he reached for my bottle and handed it back to me before retaking his own. I was then forced to watch the sexy image of Lucius with his lips around the bottle, shamefully wishing they were latched elsewhere, like sucking on my neck. He really was a stunning sight, with his chiselled jaw line, that perfect nose, corded neck that I wanted to lick up the length and see if he moaned like I knew I would.

Gods, I needed to get a grip, I scolded myself and quickly turned away the second I caught him turning his attention back to me. So instead I turned my own attention back to the table, realising that out of everyone there was only one who I didn’t yet know. Which wasn’t really surprising seeing as it was also the one who never seemed to speak…the beautiful Indigenous American man. Which was why I couldn’t help but lean into Lucius just enough to turn my head and whisper the question,

“Who is the quiet one?” Not knowing what to call him but knowing that the ‘strange one who looked like a bandit caught in some wired trap’ sounded lame. Lucius looked down at me as if surprised I had asked the question and when his eyes widened, he must have realised something. So, he slammed down his beer making me jump and flinch back. It was an action he didn’t seem to care for, as he hooked me behind my neck and pulled me closer to him. I was just about to protest when he tipped my face up and growled down at me,

“I like keeping you close.” Then before I could respond, with something along the lines of, ‘get off me, you big lug’ he turned back to his council and started to introduce them to me one by one. Starting with his left,

“This is Clay, my head of security, next to him is Percy, who you know.” Percy gave me a little cute and endearing wave I couldn’t help but smile at.

“Next to him is my current right hand, Ruto.” At this the teenager decided to mimic Percy but instead waved a blade at me with a knowing grin. But I ignored the rude response, too shocked to care. My wide eyes must have given away my thoughts at hearing that Ruto was who Lucius considered as his right-hand man.

“Yeah I know that look…don’t let my youthful good looks fool you, Princess.” Ruto commented dryly but this made Lucius snarl at him after a fist pounded the frosted glass table,

“It’s Fae to you and you will not forget it. The same goes for the rest of you, am I understood?!” They all nodded, including a now sullen teenager who looked pissed off as if he had just been told to tidy his room or not play with knives, like he was currently doing. But I was just shocked that he had ordered them to call me something even he didn’t ever call me…was that why he chose it? Was Amelia his, along with Princess when it was clear he wanted to piss me off? It certainly seemed that way.

I felt him squeeze my neck where his hand still lingered, doing so now to gain my attention back.

“You know Liessa of course and this is her husband Caspian, my head enforcer.” Caspian barely even acknowledged me, but he did home on to his title.

“And speaking of enforcing, when exactly can I get back to doing that, starting with the human dicks that think they can mess with us?!” he snapped cracking his own empty beer bottle, one that must have been consumed before I got there. I felt Lucius, who again still wouldn’t let go of the back of my neck, start to draw circles at the top of my spine in a soothing way.

“Be patient, as after tonight, they will most certainly need to recoup after their losses,” Lucius replied, still without moving his eyes from me. I felt like some damn pet of his and Gods, if he wasn’t turning me on so much, I would have slapped his hand away when he ran the back of two fingers down my cheek. Of course, I also didn’t think it wise to disrespect him in front of his council, especially since over half of them were scary as Hell. I mean yeah, I could be fiery when I wanted to be, but I wasn’t ‘let’s just crash the Enterprise into a random planet just for the sheer fun of it’, crazy suicidal!

“And no, I didn’t kill anyone…this time,” he commented as if it was important that I knew this.

“But I…well, the blood and…” I started to try and find the right way to ask about it, when he cut me off with an answer,

“And, I didn’t say that they weren’t beaten to a bloody pulp, I just said I didn’t finish the job,” he said making me close my eyes against the image. But it was no good as I shuddered anyway just thinking of Lucius going on some interrogating rampage having witnessed just a small slice of what that rage of his could do and to a mortal no less. I swallowed hard, something naturally he didn’t miss and asked,

“Then what did?”

“The Hexes did,” he replied coolly before turning his gaze from mine and taking another long swig of his beer.

“Wait, you mean the same hex that killed the other guy back at the museum?” I asked thinking back to what was definitely the most disgusting thing I had ever seen to date. However, the thought of what could have happened to me had Lucius not made it in time, might have been the reason why Lucius was now scowling and clenching a leather fist around his beer bottle, making the material groan under the strain. It was also probably the reason why his other hand at my neck tensed, hardening his grip but thankfully stopping just before the point of pain.

“Yeah, the same,” he grumbled irritably, without looking at me. Okay, so note to self, me nearly getting shot was obviously a sore spot for him and it was probably a smart thing to avoid in the near future.

“So, this meeting, other than ending in a pool of mortal waste, did it serve a purpose?” Clay asked leaning back and folding his massive arms over his chest. Lucius smiled and it was one that spoke only of violence.

“It did.”

“And…are you going to share with the rest of the class?” Liessa asked with a knowing smirk and winked at me, closing one stunning eye that was light brown with flecks of peach running through them.

They were certainly unusual and always seemed to hold a mischievous glint in their depths, like everything she did had a playful purpose. This was despite usually looking like she had just stepped out of the pages of some 1950’s Good Life magazine or something.

However, tonight’s choice was a little more provocative than usual. She wore a figure hugging, tight blouse that was in a sheer cream material so you could clearly make out she wasn’t wearing a bra. The shirt was tied at her neck in a big floppy bow, meaning that even though she was covered up to the neck, she might as well have been naked, as you could easily make out the rosy tips of her nipples poking through the transparent material. To this she had what I could see were wide legged trousers that had a split up the centre of her leg which only stopped at the tops of her thighs.

If there had been a contest for sexiest school teacher, she would have won it hands down. And boy didn’t her husband know it!

In fact, she seemed to be the only one he didn’t constantly scowl at, only doing so on occasion whenever he deemed her sexually teasing him, which was something she obviously took great pleasure in doing. Like the way she would touch herself in a suggestive way whenever she caught him looking. Or the way she would lick the rim of her bottle after taking a swig, no doubt mimicking the oral act he seemed to ache for. Well, if the shift in his seat or adjusting of his trousers was anything to go by.

I mean, I might have never personally taken part in the sexual act, like most woman my age had, but I wasn’t a bloody nun! I watched porn and I masturbated, so I wasn’t that naïve as to what went on behind closed doors, or where Lucius’ club was concerned, in plain sight. Something I was just grateful I wasn’t witnessing tonight, seeing as it was closed due to the late hour and a time I was reminded of when I couldn’t help the yawn that escaped.

“Are we boring you, human?” Ruto asked with an obvious distaste for me. I was about to open my mouth to respond, making sure to add the word asshole, when I was cut to the chase by Lucius,

“My human is tired and will be in my bed before long…you would do well in remembering that, Ruto.” His words were like ice as he pronounced me being ‘his’ with a barely contained snarl of displeasure.

Ruto jerked as he made a scoffing sound but other than that, he wisely remained silent and I was thankful for it. But this was for him as well as me, as I didn’t think Lucius would have held back in drawing blood…something I didn’t really want to witness. And well, no matter how rude Ruto was to me, I didn’t exactly want to see Lucius tearing into a teenage boy, no matter how old he actually was.

Besides, my mind still lingered on his words, being declared as his (which I wasn’t) and finding myself in his bed soon (which I also wasn’t) wondering at what point his feelings about me switched so firmly? Ever since I had arrived here it had been as if someone had flipped something within him and no matter how much I wanted to, I didn’t and wouldn’t allow myself to trust it.

“In answer to your question Liessa, its purpose was simple, they wanted to know if the box was now in my possession. I wanted to lead their interest away from Amelia, so I confirmed as much. Which was why two lambs walked away from the slaughter with their lives. But it seems it was also a test,” Lucius said making me shiver at the easy way he spoke of death and Clay frowned but not for the same reason,

“A test? Of what, our security or just how easy it was to get you in a car?” Clay asked clearly displeased, as it was obvious he hadn’t wanted Lucius to go at all.

“If you believe a handful of humans to be a threat to my being then I fear my rule must be lacking and my reputation slipping,” Lucius said in a dangerous tone turning his serious face in challenge to his head of security. But I found it was me that couldn’t help but speak up.

“Yeah, well, immortal badass Vamp King or not, you wouldn’t put up much of a fight to a bomb strapped under your seat or a bazooka aimed at your head! After all, us lowly humans don’t exactly fight fair, but we do fight with what we’ve got, something you had no idea of when getting in that car!” I snapped before I could stop myself, knowing that the idea of Lucius putting himself in danger like that annoyed me and I wanted to put it down to all the lives he had risked with it. But really, it was his own life I cared for just as much as I cared for my mother’s.

I knew I had spoken out without thinking, even if I gained a nod of respect from Clay and more surprisingly, even Ruto, who granted me a brief look of surprise. But it was Lucius’ reaction that I was most concerned with. Because he turned to me with eyes hard as the steel colour that circled the pupil, one that was growing smaller with the intensity of his predatory gaze. He looked like an exotic beast about to strike and suddenly my heartrate matched the panic, something I knew was ultimately a smart person’s natural response.

Of course, a smart person wouldn’t have spoken at all. Because now here I was, caught in his world and unable to escape.

Escape a Vampire King that I had unknowingly just made…

Furious.

10

Perfect Little Sun

His hand tightened at my neck so he could exert his will over me by pulling me towards him. This meant that I had no other option but to move into the position he obviously wanted me, which soon put me having to twist my body and shamefully crawl across his lap. I tried to wriggle free, only his hold on me was unyielding, putting me now face to face with him as I was forced to straddle his lap. I tried to put what space I was allowed between us but the second my back bowed, he wrapped his free arm around my back and pulled me hard against him.

“Lucius, what are you…!”

“Silence!” he snarled and a yelp of mine was soon cut off when his hand inched up my neck and fisted my hair so he could yank my head back. The sting shocked me enough not to fight him. Especially when he placed his lips at my shoulder and kissed his way up my neck. The gentle sensation became a contradiction to the tug of pain on my scalp as his hold on me was brutal and unyielding. Oh yeah, he was pissed alright and this was nothing short of a warning never to speak to him like that again in front of his people. Because it was one thing to show my sass in private, but this was nothing short of a message, or more like a lesson to be learned.

“Do you think my senses any less than your father’s?” he asked, his tone dangerous and calculated. I swallowed hard and purposely held my tongue, not knowing if it was safe to speak.

“Do you not believe me capable of scenting deception or the stench of your kind’s cowardly weapons, the scent of explosives or the weakening resolve of humans, knowing they could only accomplish their devious task by forfeiting their lives for nothing but a hope and a pointless prayer?” he questioned making me realise my mistake. A mistake for making my lack of confidence in him only come across as a weakness he thought I believed of him. Not the truth. Not that I was simply worried. He was taking my concern as an insult and nothing more and I had to say, that it hurt.

However, utterly oblivious to this, he continued in a venomous tone that had me wincing, along with the gentle assault he continued up my neck, caressing my tender skin with his lips.

“Did you know what I did with your vile race the moment I stepped into their domain…I made every one of them kneel to me,” he snarled against my cheek making me close my eyes against his verbal attack.

“With each step I took each mortal fell to their knees like the bringer of death was upon them and it was, for I made them suffer…every single one suffered at my hands…these hands that touch you now, that hold such sweet innocence in my grasp,” he said letting go of my hair so he could soothe a hand down before fisting both hands at the opening of his jacket when speaking of what he held. I shuddered beneath such strength when hearing the leather groan, knowing that this was him battling with himself and there was nothing I could do or say to stop him…or was there?

“And do you know why they suffered, my sweetness?” he asked me softly, a tenderness I knew not to trust. So, I turned my head away and he used this opportunity to speak directly in my ear,

“Because they tried to make me suffer by taking you from me… because their plans involved you. To use you, to cause you pain and force you into helping them. To torture your mortal and breakable body until you gave them everything. So, the Hex might have been what killed them, but all before it… well, that my Amelia, that is why they suffered,” he said in a dangerously dark voice that spoke only of the death he had enjoyed being a part of. I swallowed hard and then looked at him, before asking quietly,

“Why are you doing this to me?” His eyes sparked like the grey had been set alight for a moment before he replied,

“Because it is what I am, what you have chosen to sit beside,” he said in nothing short of a warning for the future, one I shook my head at, because I knew then that this was his way of pushing me away. I winced, hating this side of him and knowing it was time for me to get away from him. I needed to think! But he also needed to know the truth before I did.

“I only said those things because I was worried about you,” I told him in a small voice that spoke of my reluctance in admitting it. At this I saw him close his eyes for a moment as he took a shuddered breath, doing so as if he was savouring those words of care and feeling before, well before what he did next which was shatter them,

“Worried for me, or for your mother?” At this I gasped and pulled back, something he allowed before I shook my head, telling him silently I couldn’t believe he had said that. Yes, of course my mother played a factor here but to use what was nothing short of an admission of how I felt about him and throw it back in my face like that! Well, what came next couldn’t have been helped, even if I was in front of his damn council!

I turned away from him and the second he took it for something else, my anger couldn’t be contained,

“I thought as much!” He threw at me and I in turn pulled my hand back and went to slap him, only unlike the last time, he caught my hand. Then he growled before yanking me back to him with the hand in his grasp,

“I warned you once before, and now it’s time to see where it got you, my little Šemšā,” he snarled referring to when I tried to slap him back at the museum after my tour. But unlike then, now he was in his own domain, in front of his own people, and now I was the example to be made of. And the way to do this without actually causing me physical harm was to put me in my place with his greatest weapon against me…humiliation.

So, before it had chance to come to fruition, I took control and this time fisted a hand in his hair and slammed my lips over his, lifting myself up over him to do so. Then, just as his hands fisted the material of his own leather jacket, I lowered myself down on him, grinning over what I could feel straining for freedom behind the zipper. He growled in my open mouth before he took control of the kiss just like last time and the second he started to get lost in it, I pulled back enough to whisper over his lips,

“You don’t get to humiliate me sexually ever again, you heartless bastard!” Then I tore myself out of his arms before he had chance to react, only to do this I ended up having to scrabble back over the tabletop to get away. Everyone was clearly shocked by my reaction, but I didn’t care, nor did I care when bottles spilled, and glasses smashed to the floor.

I held his stunned gaze long enough to feel liquid soak through my jeans as I crawled backwards through the pool of alcohol on the frosted glass top, but I didn’t care. I just continued going until I reached the far end. But the second he made a grab for me, I yanked my ankle just out of reach before I jumped off the other end of the table. Then I ran from the room, already feeling the bitter sting of tears rolling down my cheeks, wincing when I heard the roar of anger coming from both his snarling lips and the sound of the chair being smashed into glass.

But I didn’t stop. I simply ripped off his jacket and threw it off in the lobby, not caring where it landed. Then I just ran back to my room, wishing I could have gotten away with just grabbing the bag I had already packed and making a run for it. I needed to be gone from this place. I needed space between us. But even I wasn’t stupid enough to believe it would happen this way. Because I knew he wouldn’t just let me leave like that. So, I grabbed my bag and threw it angrily inside the closet before I started tearing off my wet, sticky clothes. Then, as I was down to my underwear I walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me in my own rage. Angry hot tears still falling in my frustration at both Lucius and myself.

I turned and locked the door to the lavish bathroom that was all white marble walls and grey slate floor. Twin sinks were carved out of a long solid length of marble that rested on top of darker carved stone that matched the slate of the floor. An elegant roll top bath that was black claw footed and big enough to fit four of me inside it. Or just me and one large alpha male who was currently brooding as though his favourite toy had been taken from him.

I shook my head and got that ridiculous thought of the both of us in there from my wishful mind. Instead, I looked to the large shower that was like a room itself. It was glass fronted with two marble walls that faced each other. But the back wall was faced with a puzzle of uneven slate pieces that framed a jagged glass mirror at the centre. Meaning that you couldn’t escape your own image whilst in there, or in my case, my very hopeless and sad image.

It had a concealed panel on the outside that controlled the water, along with other things like temperature, pressure, direction of the water, and even things you didn’t need, like change of lights, music or even the choice of a cooling mist. I swear I just wanted a shower not a damn disco!

So, I pressed what had taken me the longest time to figure out as I just wanted water and I wanted it hot enough to steam. Then the second it started to rain down from the ceiling in a large square pattern I unclipped my bra and pushed down my panties, kicking them off to the side. I then yanked the hair tie from a now messy style thanks to being manhandled by Lucius, letting my hair rain down my back. I decided to leave my contacts in, as in my haste and annoyance, didn’t think it wise to start clawing at my eyeballs in frustration.

I opened the double doors, (that’s how big the shower was) and stepped inside, instantly taking a deep breath the moment the water caressed my skin, heating it instantly.

My mother always used to say that there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be solved by a good soak in the bath or a relaxing shower. But then again, she was usually joined by my father, so she would say this.

I, on the other hand, was well and truly alone, so I could only think a shower would serve two purposes right now, one was getting me clean and the second was washing away my tears and making them disappear the moment they re-emerged one after the other. Something I could see thanks to the mirror that now showcased a heartbroken girl who felt as if she were simply put there to continually make mistakes. That stupid fancy mirror that wouldn’t fog up with the steam, just like the glass doors, so everything remained clear around me. Everything remaining the same, reflecting back the only mess in the room and one trying her best to remain upright and strong. After all, I was a Draven. Dravens didn’t just give up and crumble under pressure. No, we stood tall and faced the enemy head on. But then what if you were the enemy…what then?

Because as much as I fought with Lucius, I knew I was fighting with myself just as much. Like now, instead of just grabbing my bag and taking my chances on the run, I had trapped myself in here by my own doing. Believing what, myself safe behind a locked door? Just how stupid was I?! Because a locked door couldn’t save me. Not from him. Not from myself. Not from that passionate anger that obviously wasn’t done with me from both sides.

This became obvious the second I suddenly heard a door being ripped from its hinges and my teary eyes rose to stare at him through the mirror, now stood panting in the doorway.

His own eyes looked startled at first but quickly darkened as they scanned the length of me. I didn’t know what he had expected when barging in but finding me now wet and naked in the shower obviously hadn’t been it. But those eyes were drinking me in, from the tips of my toes all the way to my hair that was now plastered back like a dark glossy length of ebony between my shoulder blades.

My wide eyes, a startling blue and ones made glassy through my unshed tears locked onto his that were glowing silver, like molten steel this time, all traces of warm amber lost to something deeper and far more sinister…his lust. Like mine they were framed by a blanket of thick lashes, only unlike his mine were adorned with tiny droplets of water clinging to them like morning mountain dew. I knew from my reflection right then, that I didn’t look of this world. I looked as though I belonged to another and all that separated us…separated our worlds was a single pane of clear glass.

But for how long it would, I didn’t know, for his gaze was as it had been in the club, that of a predator stalking his victim. His once steely grey eyes now ablaze with the sight of me naked before him and the second he took a step forward I placed my hand on the mirror and shook my head, a silent ‘no’ from my lips. A desperate plea for him not to do this. Not to give me anything more. Not to add to the mountain of reasons why this was already too difficult to walk away from. Not when all I needed was one good reason for me to leave. Something he had just given me. But by him being here now, well he was either going to add to that reason or he was going to take it away with his touch, destroying my resolve to leave.

But then he made his decision as he ignored my plea and took another step forward, making the sight too much to bear watching. So, I closed my eyes, flinching when I heard the door to the shower open. I kept them closed as I felt the large presence invade my space, seeing his image in my mind’s eye, thinking that was enough.

However, it wasn’t enough for him.

I knew this when I felt his thumb and finger capture my chin, forcing my head back first through the spray of water before my body was pushed back against the cool wall away from the jagged slate.

“Open your eyes and look at me…Look before you, look at what you believe is your fate, my virginal little Princess,” he told me making me wince even with my eyes closed as he delivered what sounded like sweet endearments that I knew were nothing more than an insult. One masked and hiding in the shadows of a tender voice and gentle wet leather hand, that he held at my naked hip. But his words felt like a lash against my skin and because of it I tore my face from his hold. Then I opened my eyes and let him see for himself the level of my weakness in my tears but the strength in my determination. Then, even as I felt my tears fall, I looked him up and down and said with my voice unwavering,

“I’m looking.” And I was. I took all of him in, now every inch of him with his black t-shirt soaked and clinging to every muscle like a hidden promise of the perfection that lay beneath. A pair of jeans that once dark grey turned to ominous black just like his shirt, making him look even more menacing. And the threat of him was real. The threat of a temptation so great it felt as if it was blazing within me, until with only a single touch and he would know, as my skin burned for him.

At this his eyes scorched with such intensity, I was surprised I even survived it. Then he brushed away my tears tenderly before his hold on me started to change. His hand left my hip and wrapped around my lower back just as his hand left my cheek to push all my wet hair back from my forehead.

He was looking down at me, his hair now the colour of wet Persian sand that was hanging forward with droplets slowly running down the strands. The harsh and handsome lines of his features looked formidable under the spray of the shower, and I found the sight a breathtaking one. Gods, but with just that one look alone it felt as if he had striped me bare, where I was already naked in his arms. And with his next words, it seemed as if I wasn’t the only one.

“Curse the Gods, but your beauty has the power to bring a man to his fucking knees!” he told me in a harsh tone as if the sight of me was his weakness. And the moment he started to lower himself to his knees, now that was when I took his words seriously. I sucked in a sharp breath at the sight, asking myself if this was even real!? Surely a man such as Lucius, a King of such power would kneel to no one?!

“No one but you,” he told me as if he could hear my thoughts and I would have asked if he could but then his eyes fixated on my bare breasts like a starved man stumbling upon a feast. I gasped the second his hands ran up my sides from where they had framed my waist, their destination clear the moment they each cupped a weighty breast. One of bare skin and the other of wet leather, a combination that made me question my damn sanity because it didn’t feel real. Then he ran both thumbs over my hard and waiting nipples, making my head fall back slightly as a moan slipped free.

“I knew your clothes hid even further perfection…” he told me and I opened my mouth to speak yet nothing came out. Just the sight of him soaking wet and on his knees before me was enough to render words useless, for nothing could be said to explain how I was feeling. Especially when his fingers plucked at my nipples and palmed my breasts before they left me simply wanting more. But he had other plans and for those plans he would need his hands. I knew this when he lowered his gaze down to my naked and bare sex, one I’d shamelessly shaved bare ready for him and had continued to do so for years in hopes that one day he would see it. The secret knowledge only managed to heat my skin further.

Until he finally touched me.

Then I really burned.

He ran the backs of two fingers over the soft mound of my sex and I shuddered, my embarrassment was like torture and I wanted so badly to shy away from him. My reaction must have pleased him before he granted me a satisfied look, then he told me,

“You are bare for me… I am pleased…” he said making me blush scarlet and hold back the urge to throw an arm over my eyes. Something I was soon to do for other reasons,

“…Now it is time to taste my sweet perfection,” he said before dragging his wet t-shirt from over his head making my mouth go dry at the sight of those wet, massive shoulders come into view. I even found myself flinching at the sound of wet material as it slapped the tiled floor.

“Easy, my little Šemšā,” he cooed as he ran a gentle hand up the inside of my calf, past my knee and then I sucked in a breath as he caressed my thigh, getting higher and higher. But then before he could reach what I was getting desperate for him to touch he travelled back down again. I shamefully meowed in protest unable to stop the sound which along with my bare sex pleased him also. I could tell this as he looked up at me, a knowing grin playing at the corners of his perfect lips.

Then, without warning, he grabbed my calf in a strong hold and started to lift my leg. This soon became obvious why he did this, as he started to position it over his shoulder, giving me no choice but to go on my tiptoes and flatten my back to the wall just for added support. But the second my legs parted I felt far too vulnerable and open, so started to squirm in his hold. I also placed a hand to his head in panic, telling him,

“I…I…well…I have never…” thus making his eyes turn soft and tender before he told me,

“Good, then death falls upon no man in the name of my jealously, for you are mine…and with it your sweetness.” I swallowed hard digesting his words of possessiveness and shook my head trying to make sense of them. But then the second I felt his fingers trail a path down my mound to the centre where I knew I would feel it the most, I jolted causing him to say,

“Don’t worry, my Khuba, I will take care of you, just as you will take care of my thirst.” He whispered this last part as he parted my folds and dove right in, drinking in my lust and tasting the depth of it for himself. And the second his tongue ran up the length of my core and circled that tight bud of nerves, my head fell back as though it was no longer attached.

“Oh Gods!” I shouted on a loud and breathy moan, thinking that such pleasure wasn’t really possible! That all these years it had simply been a myth suddenly come to light, doing so in such a way that it nearly blinded me! As if I had unknowingly died at some point and this was not only my Heaven, but a gift I had somehow deserved from the Gods. Of course I had touched myself over the years but this…this was something else entirely. The way he sucked me in and let me go so his tongue could go right back to teasing me again was near torturous and sending me out of my mind. I even found myself clawing at the back of the wall just for something to hold onto but there was nothing there.

“Fucking Heaven! You taste like the Gods be damned elixir of life!” he growled before he was once more moaning against my sensitive flesh in between lapping me up as though he was quickly getting addicted to my taste. Gods, but the thought of him loving the flavour of my sex was just as intoxicating as the feeling of him devouring it. But then he shifted his hand, no longer holding me still to the wall in favour of drawing two fingers up through my dripping core. I jolted in his hold and he growled over my abused clit when I backed away from his onslaught of sensation.

Needless to say, he didn’t like this much.

“Be still, now!” he ordered roughly, a command that was near impossible as I couldn’t help but quake. Not as I felt my release building like a storm and one gaining strength as if it ripped its way through the earth. But he allowed me these little movements which told me his earlier complaint was in fear of me taking his meal away from him for good. Not something he would allow.

However, the second he gathered up my dripping arousal, coating his bare fingers in it, I knew what was coming before it happened. But even so, a gasp of pleasure tore through me the moment he pushed his fingers inside me that had me coming in seconds. I cried out, screaming my release as he both fingered me and bit down on my clit at the same time.

“Lucius, Lucius, Lucius!” I cried out his name over and over asking, no begging him for something I couldn’t understand. Maybe it was for him to take me, to exchange his fingers for something else?! Or was it to stop him, as his continued assault on my nerves was getting far too intense the longer he carried on. But it was as though he didn’t want to stop and because of this, the second he flicked his tongue over my clit again I was now grabbing a fist full of his hair to hold him to me as I rode out another orgasm, trying to slam my hips down on his fingers.

“Ahh…Fuck yes! Yes, yes, Gods yes!” I screamed as my hips bucked against his face and my insides milked his fingers, keeping them captive and drawing them further inside my core. However, I knew that he was holding himself back, not giving me their full length for a reason.

“Take care, sweetheart, for when I finally break you, I do so with your virginal blood coating my cock…” I sucked in a startled breath at both his filthy hot words and the way a leather hand now gripped my ass, yanking me forward and closer to his face so he could growl at me,

“…and I can’t fucking wait!” Then suddenly, as if hitting his own limit, I felt his fangs lengthening dangerously but before I could do a thing to stop him, he suddenly decided to turn this meal of his as bloody as his thoughts were.

“AAAHHH!” I screamed as this time the last orgasm that ripped through me felt as though it had the power to destroy me! It was unlike the other two but double, even triple the intensity! It had my knees buckling and suddenly his hands came up to hold my waist, keeping me upright until he had finished his feast.

I felt him sucking in my blood around my painful clit, but with each tug, I felt my body spasm as another zap of pleasure fired my nerves like a live wire of electricity. It was only when he felt me going limp in his arms that I felt his fangs retract with a pop. After that he licked at me, no doubt trying to heal the tear in my flesh and lapping up the last of his meal.

Then he laid a soft and tender kiss over the abused flesh before gently placing my limp leg from over his shoulder back to the wet shower floor. After this he rose back to his full height in a graceful way yet still continued to hold onto me so I wouldn’t fall. I felt and looked like a limp wet flower battered from the storm that was Lucius.

Once he was looking down at me from his usual height he took more of my weight in only one arm as it snaked around me. This allowed him a free hand to brush back my hair so he could kiss my forehead, tasting the beads of salty sweat for himself.

“You were utter perfection, sweetness,” he whispered, gently praising me as he rested my head against his shoulder, knowing that my body was utterly spent of energy and no wonder, from the three most intense orgasms of my life and added blood loss.

“Now let me care for you, my little Šemšā,” he said picking me up and turning us both so the water now showered down my back and all around us. Then I felt a soapy hand start to wash me, but I could feel myself falling down the rabbit hole that Lucius had purposely pushed me down. Quickly getting lost in his tender touch and losing all sense of reality to it. However, there was one thing I wanted to know before I gave in to unconsciousness.

“What is a Šemšā?” I asked in a voice that spoke of how close I was to sleep. He murmured softly in a different language into my hair as if speaking to himself first,

Before he then told me…

“It is you, my little sun.”

11

Lucius Knows

I was his sun.

This was all my mind seemed to fixate on. Which meant that those memories took me back to two very different points in my life. Both of which were two firsts for me. But thinking back to all those years ago came at a price. Because it was when I first came here and he cruelly turned me away, only to end the night by saving my life. I had been in his arms after the brutal attack, barely conscious. He had been speaking to someone else, a voice I now knew belonged to Ruto at the time. I had been safely tucked away in his hold and the moment I started to stir he cooed down at me,

‘Ssshh now and sleep, my girl.’ Then just as Ruto had started to speak Lucius interrupted quickly,

‘We will speak of what is to be done later for she is restless and listening…isn’t that right, my little royal Šemšā?’ Lucius had whispered down at me, humming the foreign word and one that at the time I didn’t understand. Then I had fallen back to sleep to the feel of Lucius’ gentle hand stroking my hair and him holding my hand as if I was something precious to him. Something the next time I woke I had convinced myself had all been a dream, for it wouldn’t have made sense to me considering the agony I then had no choice but to endure at his words.

But now I knew the truth.

Just as I did when thinking back to the other first, when seeing him again all those years later. It had been the night of the gala, after concluding my private tour and this time when he had called me it, it felt more done so in mockery. Because it was when I tried to slap him after he had warned me,

‘Nasty? Oh, sweetheart, you have no fucking idea.’ But like tonight, he had caught it before contact was made and snarled the same warning at me,

‘Try that again and see where it gets you, my little Šemšā.’ Well now I knew where it got me and that was quaking and shuddering in the shower before passing out after the greatest orgasms of my life. A time that stole my breath along with the ability to remain standing.

But if this had been his secret name for me, then did that mean that I had always meant something to him? And if so, then did it just mean he had spent nearly half my lifetime denying it? Hiding from it or simply just ashamed? And if he did, then the most burning question now on my mind was the one that felt like acid on my tongue…

What of my mother?

Was this the reason he was torn, denying me all these years because he sickeningly loved us both? Gods, but the thought was a torturous one! Which made me now question the other name he had called me, what did Khuba mean? A name he had only said twice and both times since I had been here. Did it mean something more?

“That no longer looks like a peaceful sleep, sweetness.” The moment I heard his voice I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my side facing him. He had one arm under my head and the other lay casually over me with his fingers creating lazy circles on the small of my back. Oh, and I was still naked. My eyes widened the second I realised this, and I quickly grabbed the sheet that I felt gathered at my thighs, yanking it up to my neck, covering us both.

At this he threw his head back and let out a throaty laugh, one that had me near hypnotized it was that rare a sight. By the Gods but it was beautiful, so much so it blinded me to the rest of the world around us.

There was only Lucius.

Only this man of my dreams.

“I think it’s a little late for modesty, Amelia,” he said, the humour still coating his words along with giving his usual broody features a light and easiness to them. Adorable little creases by his eyes and a boyish smile that for once didn’t speak of violence or death. Gods, but like this he looked years younger and more human. Especially seeing as he too was gloriously naked and in my bed.

“I must be dreaming,” I whispered before I had chance to stop it, because this couldn’t possibly be real. Lucius wouldn’t have allowed such a reality…would he? No, he was probably still brooding and destroying furniture in some kind of Supernatural overlord man paddy!

“Then I am blessed, for we dream the same dream,” he told me softly before he left my back and instead took one of my hands in his so he could bring it up to his lips to kiss. My eyes widened at both his gentle touch and his tender words, the type of words I had yearned to hear most of my life from him. Oh yes, it was a dream indeed.

“So that really happened?” I asked feeling myself getting hot as flashes of what we did came back to me…or should I say, what he did.

“Gods, but I hope so or that damned box has claimed my life sooner than I would like and Heaven must certainly be a forgiving place,” he said winking at me, and I pulled from his hold, rolling to my back and throwing an arm over my eyes. Then I groaned as my embarrassment soared to new heights making him chuckle.

“I don’t…I mean I have never…you know,” I said stumbling on my words and still hiding myself from him, something he didn’t allow for long as I felt my arm being forcefully removed from my eyes. Then he turned my face to look back at him by cupping my cheek.

“Yes, I got that, sweetheart.” At this my cheeks burned even more, and I wanted to bite my fingertips so badly.

“So, now you know,” I said, the shame written all over my face as up until now I had assumed he had just always called me a virgin to be cruel or mean. His features softened and he caressed down my cheek to my neck, running his fingertips tantalisingly over my collarbone.

“I have always known, Amelia,” he confessed in a gentle yet knowing way. But despite how tender it sounded, I couldn’t help but frown in question, one I didn’t need to ask because there was only one question to a statement like that…how?

He released a sigh and ran a hand through his now dry hair. Then he admitted,

“Having you watched isn’t just a recent order I issued,” he said surprising me. At this I grabbed hold of the sheets, shifting to give myself space from him so I could sit up. Then I shook my head trying in vain to find the answers myself but coming up empty.

“But why? Why would you even bother…you don’t even like me?!” I said, even realising myself how stupid this last sentence sounded. But even more so when he laughed once without humour before nodding down to himself and saying,

“Does this look as though I don’t like you, sweetheart?” I allowed my eyes to trail the length of him only to find the proof he was indicating, which was the impressive sized tent his obvious manhood was making under the sheet. This time when I blushed it no doubt looked like someone had smushed strawberries into my cheeks!

“But…but…”

“There is still a lot you don’t yet know, Amelia, and for the moment it will remain so.” I frowned at this and jerked back a little as if he’d struck me.

“Are you joking?!” I snapped making him frown back at me but remain quiet.

“Even after what we did in there, you still think what exactly, that I am not ready?!” I shrieked in annoyance and disbelief.

“You’re not,” he stated bluntly.

“Bullshit!” I shouted back wondering why it was that we always ended up back in this place. The wrong way around, the storm after the calm.

I shifted off the bed dragging the sheet with me but in doing so it left Lucius as naked as…well, as the day he was born…twice over. But of course, my eyes homed straight on in there, unable to help myself. My eyes went impossibly wide and shot to his, noting that self-assured bad boy grin along with a cocky raise of a single brow. But I was unable to stop the first thing from blurting out of my stupid, stupid mouth!

“Holy shit, you’re huge!” Then I slapped both hands over my mouth forgetting about my sheet which fell to the floor. Gods, but could this moment get any worse! I screeched and quickly bent to pick it up but ended up tripping over it instead and sacked it to the floor with an ungraceful ‘Umpf’ sound.

Meaning that I ended half wrapped up at the end of the bed with an arm thrown over my eyes wishing, no praying, to every damn God out there for some emergency to make him suddenly bolt from the room. That or the earth would swallow me whole and I found myself quickly visiting my grandad in Hell. Oh, and I should probably mention at this point that doing so naked wouldn’t have exactly been weird or out of place in my Grandad’s realm. Not seeing as he was the President of Lust in Hell. He was also like a dirty, but admittedly, handsome older man, who kind of looked strangely like my father but in his fifties. But then he told me once that he did this just because he liked pissing off my dad, making me laugh.

Needless to say, my parents preferred I didn’t see him too much.

But even that awkwardness would have been a picnic compared to right now. Especially when I peeked a look and saw that Lucius had shifted on the bed. He was now lying on his front, and had his face rested in his palm with his elbow to the bed, looking down at me over the edge. Then with his other hand he started plucking playfully at the sheet that covered my breasts.

“Now I have to say, that was quite a show,” he said in a teasing tone and I lifted my arm to shoot him a deadly look and tried to ignore how handsome he looked when trying not to smile.

“Shut it, Vampy,” I said making him chuckle.

“I do feel inclined to ask what my punishment would be should I choose not to give in to your demands,” he asked, and again in a teasing and even playful tone.

“By asking that question is you not giving in to my demands,” I reminded him without looking but snatching the sheet from his fingers as I felt it starting to be pulled slowly from my breasts. He chuckled again.

“Then by all means, dear girl, punish away,” he said in a cocky tone.

“I could slap you again and see where it gets me… as at least I know one in every five make it through,” I commented sarcastically.

“Oh, I agree. In fact, I am starting to like where it gets me,” he said and I glanced a look at him to see he was now looking hungrily at where he had not long ago been feasting on. I felt myself getting hot and bothered just thinking back to it.

“Don’t count on it, buddy!” I commented even though I was pretty sure at this point my libido wanted to bitch slap me for even speaking such blasphemy. At this he laughed in a knowing way that called my bullshit without needing to say the words.

“So, are you planning on staying down there much longer?” he asked coolly and I felt him once again start playing with the sheet, this time at my belly.

“For the foreseeable future, yes,” I answered unable to keep my lips from twitching as I forced down the grin.

“Very well, I see I will have to take matters into my own hands.”

“Wait what!? Ahhh!” I shouted the second the sheet was fisted in his hand and then pulled from me, leaving me naked on the floor. So, I quickly jumped up and lunged for him on the bed, trying to wrestle the damn sheet from his hands, even though my wobbly bits (mainly my breasts and ass cheeks) were dancing everywhere and most definitely on show.

We ended up in some kind of tug of war which he most definitely could have won but obviously playing this game was far more entertaining for him than claiming victory. Or who knows, maybe this was his idea of a victory, as we were no longer arguing about the mountain of answers he refused to give me.

But by the end, none of it mattered to me, not in this moment. One so perfect I felt as if I were soon to burst with happiness. A smile big enough it ached and my chest heaved from laughing so hard. His hands snaked out and tickled my naked skin, gently pinching at me whenever he saw an opportunity to try and make me drop my side of the sheet. I would slap his hand away trying to be stern, but my scowl was tainted by joy and he knew it as his eyes heated to honey amber.

But then there was a knock on the door and the second my eyes shot there he took his opportunity whilst I wasn’t looking. He grabbed my ankle and yanked me hard so I fell backwards from my crouch position before he dragged me towards him. Then he landed on top of me, holding his weight so as not to crush me but covering me all the same. And before he even acknowledged the door, he kissed my nose and told me,

“You lose.” Then he shifted his gaze to the door and as if someone had flipped that switch again, he snarled,

“And if anyone walks through that fucking door right now, I will redecorate this room with their blood!” And yep, there it was, my crazy bloodthirsty Vamp king was back, and I shuddered beneath him. Something he felt for he lowered himself enough to coo in my ear,

“Ssshh, be still.”

“I will wait.” The sound of Clay’s voice said through the door with a slight knowing chuckle.

“Let me guess, duty calls?” I said in a breathless tone and not solely down to our tussle.

“That depends, are you going to slap me if I say yes?” he said in a hopeful tone making me giggle before asking,

“Do you want me to slap you?” His answer came after he first placed his forehead to mine,

“Most definitely,” he said on a growl that turned me on to the point close to panting, as it was quickly becoming our thing. As it was clear that it was starting to mean something lustful was sure to follow and let’s face it, just how hard could a slap from me to Lucius be? However, I couldn’t resist teasing him just a little as I snaked a hand up between us and tapped him on his cheek in a playful way, making him smirk. Then I asked in a cheeky tone,

“What’s that one worth?” I could see the grin on his lips grow as he held back a laugh. Then he shook his head a little as if asking himself if I were even real or not. Doing so before he lowered himself close enough so he could kiss me and when he did, it was slow and soft and above all, gentle. More like the morning kiss granted from a lover and one that said goodbye for the day.

But because I didn’t want it to end, I reached up and gripped on to the back of his neck, one hand entwining my fingers in his hair as I held him to me so I could deepen it. I was overjoyed when he let me and basked in my victory for a delicious minute before he pulled back and growled out a soft warning,

“Behave, my beauty.” Then he snapped his teeth at me playfully. After this he got out of bed and I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only one who looked reluctant to let the other go. I released a sigh as he disappeared inside my closet, obviously having clothes in there himself for this very purpose…wow, cocky much? Wasn’t that like making sure that you had a condom in your wallet before leaving for a first date?

Oh, who was I kidding, for a man like Lucius, of course at some point I would have become a sure thing. Either way the thought irked me. But then he walked out of the closet wearing a fresh pair of dark jeans and a long-sleeved T in a dark maroon colour, a sexy sight that had me taking a breath.

I got up onto my knees, still holding the sheet to my breasts and couldn’t help but tease him one last time just as he reached for the door.

“Wow I must say, I can’t wait to see what will happen when I go all the way and punch you,” I quipped making him pause just as he had opened the door a crack, before he lowered his head and shook it slightly.

“Ah fuck it!” he barked, hitting the door closed with the side of his fist before he turned on a heel. He was by the side of the bed in a second, hooking me behind my head, fist in my hair and pulling me the short distance to his lips as he lowered his head to mine.

This time when he kissed me, by the Gods it was all consuming! It wasn’t soft, it wasn’t gentle and there wasn’t an ounce of tenderness or playfulness to be found. It was rough, it was hard and holy shit did it turn me on, especially when he tore his lips from mine and ripped the sheet from in between us. Then he pulled my head back so I was looking directly up at the ceiling as he started to bite, suck and lick down my taut neck before he then used a free hand to lift up a breast to his ravenous mouth.

Once there he sucked in my nipple deep and held it between his teeth. I released a guttural moan as if it was being torn out of me by the Devil himself. Then I felt his teeth grind down and the pain bloomed like the Devil’s flower into a sizzling pleasure that nearly had me coming undone in his arms. He rolled the abused little bud in between his teeth and I cried out just on the verge of both stopping him and begging him for more. Just as he then soothed away the hurt with his tongue, circling it and sucking hard.

But it was when he felt his own fangs started to extend that he knew if he continued, he would only end up feeding from me again, and who knows, maybe more. Something he was obviously not ready for yet as he pulled back, letting me go with an audible pop.

Then with one last lick, he let go of my hair and he looked up at me, his lips still close enough to my breast I thought he would go back for more. And as I looked down at him, I don’t think there was a sexier sight in all my life, other than the one of him on his knees making a meal of me in the shower.

But it lasted only seconds as he rose back up to full height and licked his lips slowly, leaving me with the need to rub my thighs together in frustration. Especially as now I was so turned on it was hard to even concentrate on his face any longer. And the bastard knew it as his grin said it all. Then, before I could even open my mouth to complain at him leaving me all hot and bothered without release, he suddenly gripped my throat.

I gasped in his hold, but he wasn’t hurting me, no it was done in a possessive and commanding way that told me he demanded my attention. Then he got close to my face, captured my eyes and told me sternly,

“You are not permitted to touch yourself, do you understand?” My mouth dropped open in horror and shock…was he serious?!

“I…”

“You. Will. Not.” he said cutting me off before he pulled me forward with his hold still on my throat and this time the kiss he gave me was most definitely one of goodbye. Then he let go and I was left kneeling on the bed, the sheet pooled around my legs, top half of me naked and I was panting with a stunned look on my face.

“And Amelia…” He said my name and I numbly turned to look at him waiting by the door. I didn’t reply just waited for my shocked state to be complete as he gave me a word of warning,

“If you do…” he paused, his eyes flashing amber before he said,

“…I will know.”

12

Escape Plan

It was little wonder that after this demand of his I tossed and turned, kept just on the cusp of sleep. But it wasn’t only because I was turned on and too afraid to take the chance and disobey Lucius by doing the finger flicking deed. Even if admittedly my hand snaked down the sheet quite a few times during my time trying to sleep. No, but it was also as I replayed the night’s events back in my head. Lucius was quite possibly the most changeable person I had ever known and he just so happened to be the one person I was intent on being obsessed with…damn him!

When back in his club, I had started to ask myself where I had gone wrong. Okay, so I knew when, it was doubting his abilities to survive. Something he quickly proved to be a simple situation for a powerful being like him. But looking back now and it seemed as if it was more than just a simple wounding to his pride or ego. And I was determined to find out what.

Which was why I got up and dressed, forgoing the shower, especially seeing that it became clear Lucius had actually taken the time to wash my body and also my hair. Oh, after I had passed out on him first of course. I could only imagine that this had been a feat in itself and I blushed just thinking about it.

I looked at myself in the mirror and for once I looked a little pale and wondered if being with Lucius, I would need to invest in a bulk order of iron tablets or something. I brushed the many knots from my hair because let’s face it, washing my hair was about as far as it was going to go with Lucius, as I couldn’t see him then plugging in a hairdryer and going the full hog in styling it too.

Meaning that now my hair had some wicked kinks in it, and I am not talking the naughty kind. So, I tried to tame it back the best I could into a hair tie, putting it into a messy knot. Now dressed in a pair of soft chocolate brown cords, I added a big roll neck knitted sweater with cute bell sleeves. The look was a bit seventies meets winter chic, but I thought it went well with my dark hair and olive skin. I then made sure to wear a little navy blue cami-vest underneath just in case I got too hot, as I hated that.

Once I was ready, I went in search of Lucius, stopping short the second I saw my kitchen counter had been laid with a small buffet of food. The second I saw it, my stomach rumbled and I thought back asking myself when was the last time I had eaten anything? Well, if you couldn’t remember then the answer was too damn long ago.

I also found a note by the jug of orange juice that made me grin and feel strangely giddy, like one of those ridiculously happy ‘in love saps’ you wanted to slap silly telling them to get a grip.

It read,

I would like you to eat,
your belly rumbling sounded
like an angry bear…

A cute one.

See you later beautiful x

P.S… Good Girl ;)

I think my mouth dropped at just the thought of Lucius drawing a little wink face in such elegant script, but his words made me feel all warm inside. So, I sat and ate and as I did, I thought about all that was Lucius. I thought about the change in him, a new side I never expected to see in Lucius, he could be tender, soft and gentle along with carefree and playful. Gods, but I didn’t know which side I was attracted to more, the masterful ruler who seemed utterly cutthroat and merciless or the one he seemed to reserve just for me. Making me question if he had ever been with a woman like me before. One he could just sit and watched TV with, or play fight on the bed over the covers? Something told me no and I had to admit I freaking loved the idea that I could be a first for him, as much as he was for me.

But then I thought about his gloved hand and what had happened for him to feel the need to keep it covered. I also asked myself why he had spent so many years pushing me away when it was now becoming clear he did so against his heart. But then the biggest question of all, did I really think that in that heart he held love for me?

Well, that was as they say, the million-dollar question.

Did Lucius love me?

In all honesty, I didn’t know but I think it was clear that he certainly cared for me, enough to feel possessive over me that was for sure. But was it enough for me to chance staying? He had admitted to having me followed in the past and really, I wanted to know the extent of that. Especially seeing as right now, my naïve view of what I thought was an independent life was a bit of a sore spot for me. What with my father’s interference in that and basically discovering everything I thought about my life was a lie.

So yeah, the idea of Lucius having me followed close enough to know that I was still a virgin was a big no, no for me. Talk about hard limits, I mean what did he do, put an ad out for stalkers for hire? I shook my head after ripping off a piece of freshly baked bread and dipping it into some kind of stew that was delicious.

But then I asked myself what would have happened had I met someone, and I mean someone more serious than Peter. Would he have intervened? Would he have stepped in and stopped it before it had chance to fully begin? I started to think back to the few dates I’d had wondering why none of them had ever called back for a second. Hell, but some had even cancelled before we had even managed to go out, never to call again. Not that I had been too bothered at the time, as apart from Peter, I hadn’t really been with anyone long enough to even claim to have a boyfriend and even then, the title sounded too committal to say aloud.

But it did at least get me thinking whether or not Lucius had something to do with it. I had to admit, that as annoyed as I was at the idea, I was also secretly a little excited by the idea. Excited by the thought that his jealousness and possessiveness towards me had in fact started years ago, as confusing as that thought was to fathom.

Gods, but men thought women were complicated and sometimes came with emotional baggage! Well, Lucius had nothing on those types of women! But thinking all of this just made me stuff the last of the bread in my mouth before getting up and finishing the rest of my juice. I looked outside to see that it was getting late, as by the time I had gotten ready, most of the day had already come and gone. Wow, a few more long nights like that last one and I would soon be on Lucius’ time, even though the light didn’t affect him, something not all Vampires could claim.

But like most supernaturals, I had learned pretty quickly that growing up surrounded by them if you wanted to join in, it was a nocturnal kind of gig. Hence being left out a lot as a child. I remember how many times I would end up sneaking into the club after my bedtime and if my mum wasn’t around then my dad would always give in and let me sit on his lap until I fell asleep. Oh, he knew he would get in trouble with my mum, but he didn’t seem to mind that either. Well, now I was older I knew why this was, as what did they say…there was nothing like makeup sex. Not that this thought wasn’t a ‘eww’ one for me as let’s face it, as great as it was my parents loving each other and all, but no daughter wanted to think of her parents doing it…as in, EVER.

So, sneaking into things like parties and such was something I did often, unable to wait until the day I could dress up as pretty as my mum. My mum who I’d always known as being a queen, meaning I knew I had also been a princess and well, all I wanted growing up was the chance to finally dance with a handsome prince.

But it never happened like that.

Not once.

Oh, as I got older I was allowed to join in but by that time came, it was too late, I had already felt as though I didn’t belong. No, instead I craved a different type of social life and it was the one with my own kind. But then I wasn’t allowed to go to these either, because it just wasn’t safe. Needless to say, I led a very sheltered life and felt as though I was living in a gilded cage, one that the second I was old enough I thought I had broken free from. Which was why finding out that I was still caged, just by the invisible bars my father had built around me, was a huge sore spot for me.

But even when I thought I was free, I still craved the night. With true bred Vampires, the light wasn’t an option but with the powerful hybrids that Lucius changed, then it just depended on what they had started out as.

At one time I was told that Lucius didn’t like the daylight but why this changed I was unsure…like most things to do with Lucius, I was now the one in the dark. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure just how long I could cope with being forced to stay there.

Which was why I started to make my way to Lucius’ apartment, hoping that he was there and I didn’t have to go looking for him inside his club. I couldn’t lie to myself, I just wanted to see him again. But when I knocked there was no answer, so I tried the handle finding it unlocked, telling me that he might have been inside in the shower, or something.

So, I walked inside thinking that after what we had done not long ago, then would he really mind me invading his personal space? I hated that I was unsure, when really after the bathroom then I shouldn’t have been. But the truth was that when it came to Lucius, I never seemed to have a clue on what to do or how to act, not knowing what reaction I would get in return. And besides, I knew that we should have been working on the box trying to find a solution to the ‘supernatural vampire race’ sized problem we had on our hands. And when I say solve a problem, I meant it in a way that was more than just getting into some random car and bringing mortals to their knees with just a thought…oh yeah, before they all melted from the inside out before becoming a puddle of human goo.

Eww and Eww again.

But it was a problem that seemed to have somehow taken a backburner and remained in the background as our strained and strange relation took centre stage. But it was a problem that didn’t seem to concern him as much as I thought it should. And I had to ask myself was it simply due to being overconfident, or did he know something I didn’t? Well, being in his room now was a sure way to find out wasn’t it?

But then I thought back to when he had caught me yesterday when I had been about to take the box to hide it. I’d had the right idea then, well maybe now it was another option. Because I couldn’t help but feel as if something bigger was going on right now and sacrificing humans was just the beginning. After all, the plot made for the best movies and was simply named misdirection by causing a big hoo-ha over in one corner, whilst the real crime was happening where you least expected it.

Was that what the bad guys were doing now?

I checked that the apartment was empty and walked into Lucius’ closet hoping this time I would have more success. So, now knowing how, I opened up his vault room and stepped inside, walking straight over to where the box was situated. Of course, I also now knew the right protocols and waved a hand over the hidden sensor before attempting to remove anything, which was where I had failed the first time. But really, no amount of Bond movie binge watching was going to prepare me for shit like this.

However, I still kind of wished I had a bag of sand to exchange for it just like I did the first time. Only now it was more in a ‘so as I could badass Indy style just for once in my life’ type of way, even if Mission Impossible would have been a better fit in a room like this. Because, really, all glass and chrome was about as far away from the ‘Peruvian jungle’ as you could get. Yes, I knew which jungle it was because well, I kind of based my whole future career on those three movies…not the fourth though, because well, that was pants.

“Gods Fae, get a grip, girl,” I said to myself before picking up the box and taking all of about two seconds to discover the problem, meaning that by the time I walked out with it, I was swearing,

“Lucius, you son of a…ah!” My curse ended with me tripping over the slight step by the vault door and catapulting myself into the railing opposite. I ended up landing inside a mountain of suits but I did however manage to hold back the box like a rugby ball and put a hand out to brace myself.

“What the…?” I left the question hanging there in the air like a broken speech bubble, when I felt a section of the wall give way in my hand, knowing that I had stumbled across something. So, I shuffled the material out of the way, seeing now a secret panel had popped open, revealing a more traditional looking safe in the wall. I looked behind me to check I wasn’t being watched and went back to the safe, thinking it couldn’t hurt. So, I turned the dials to my birthday, expecting to hear the click.

Turned out that this time,

It wasn’t my birthday.

* * *

Twenty frustrating minutes later and everything was back to where it should be, and I was once again moving through his apartment intent on finding him and giving up on him coming back here. But then I heard the loud beeping of a horn outside and got curious. So, just like last night, I walked over to his window and saw for myself Lucius was once again being escorted into yet another car. However, this time it was one that was blacked out and a lot more expensive. I knew this because I had been brought up a rich kid and had been driven around in enough luxury vehicles to know every make and model.

But then again, my dad was a car buff, so it was a given. Of course, he also collected weapons, so sadly I also knew the difference between a claymore and a bastard sword, and a mace and a flail. Oh, and I also had a replica bat'leth hanging on my old childhood bedroom wall at home. But then the Klingon weapon hung between two Star Wars’ lightsabres, which I am pretty sure could get me a whole number of death threats in the geek community. I didn’t care though, as I thought it looked cool when lying on my bed looking up at the way the red and blue lights reflected off the polished metal in between.

Of course, my dad had also made sure the thing had been practically welded to my wall so there was no chance of it accidently falling during the night and chopping my head off. His paranoid words not mine.

But then again, it wasn’t surprising really, as he was known to be a bit overprotective, my dad. The thought sent an ache in my chest as I thought about how he must be feeling right now and half of me wanted to just put him out of his misery. I mean, my mum must have given him hell over it by now, as I very much doubted she knew the level of intrusion my dad had gone to and all in the name of my safety.

I could hear his argument at me now, ‘just you wait until you have kids, then you will understand our worry’. I scoffed aloud just thinking about it. Well, if that conversation ever did happen, then my reply would be the conversation killer of all conversation killers,

‘Right, so I am free to just go and have sex with someone and make babies, yeah dad?’.

Oh yeah, ‘cause I was sure that would have gone down well, because I was sure that to my dad I was still five years old asking for a Star Wars’ band aid every time I got a ‘bang bang’ as I used to call it. Of course, this was because my aunty Pip always used to let me watch all the action movies I wanted. Meaning every time someone looked hurt and in need of a bloody big band aid, then it usually happened after the ‘bang bang’ of bullets ripping through them. Did I happen to mention that my childhood was an unusual one.

But enough of that, the main question now was what the hell was Lucius doing by getting into another car, and this time a Maybach? I saw him nod at his men telling them to stay back and this time even though something told me he knew I was up here watching him like the first time, he purposely didn’t look. I had to say it hurt, but then I quickly tried to convince myself it was to protect me in some way.

“What are you playing at, Lucius?” I asked aloud as the door shut behind him and the car pulled away. I didn’t know what it was, but this time, I had a really bad feeling that he was walking into a trap. What if the first time he went willingly was just to lead him into a false sense of security? What if this time when he got to his destination it was to a room full of powerful supernaturals that all wanted to bring him down?

After all, Lucius wasn’t as invincible as he liked to believe, the ancient text on the side of that box told me that. And even though I still didn’t know exactly what was inside it, I knew that it held the key to his destruction in one way or another. I just hadn’t figured out all the details yet.

No, something bad was going down, I just felt it. But I also knew that none of his people would act against his orders and it was clear what they had been ordered to do. Diddly shit that’s what! Well, that left only one person crazy enough to go against him and I wasn’t about to just let him walk into a trap. At least if I got my proof somehow then I could call in the cavalry. Now I just needed to write down that licence plate quickly and then ring a friend who had the right connections for tracing the address the vehicle was registered to. Thank you very much, Wendy.

I also had to hope that it was going to the address or I was hitting my first hurdle after a simple taxi ride. So, I raced back into my apartment to grab my phone, coming up short the second I saw the massive bunch of flowers now sat in the centre of the coffee table. When did they get there? Was it when I was in the vault? Were they from Lucius?

But then if they were, it was the colour that struck me to a dead stop…light pink.

I frowned, wondering if I was thinking too much into it and walked dumbly towards the large bouquet sat in a vase of black glass. Then finding the note I plucked it from the holder and read it.

‘Beauty in exchange for beauty and I thought the colour of innocence wouldn’t be lost on you.

Now don’t disappoint me and let them die,

Luc x’

I realised my frown had deepened significantly because everything about this message was wrong. For starters I never called Lucius ‘Luc’ nor had he ever indicated that I should, even though I knew some of his people did, like Pip always referred to him as such. But the most obvious part was the colour of the rose, as he stated it was to represent innocence, but I knew it didn’t. Was he making a point, like a hidden message? Because a white rose meant innocence and pale pink, well that only meant one thing…

Sympathy.

“Oh Gods,” I uttered, covering my mouth with a hand knowing that my feeling had been right, something was very wrong here. But then I read the last line, telling me not to let them die…did he mean not to let him die? Did he mean for me to do something?

“Damn it, think Fae!” I scolded myself with a childish stamp of my foot, done out of frustration.

“Come on, I am supposed to be the smart…wait!” I suddenly grabbed the vase and ran towards the kitchen, having a thought. He told me not to let them die, well that meant adding water, which strangely the vase was lacking. Obviously, whoever brought it up here didn’t think too much about it and neither would the person who delivered it. But then again, if you read the card, even that wouldn’t tip you off unless you were already suspicious, which I was. So, I quickly turned on the tap and filled the vase waiting for something to happen. However, it was when the water started to hit the bottom that I could see it wasn’t black glass there, it was just black paint and the water was now washing it off.

So, I dumped all the flowers into the sink and swirled around the water so it took away more of the paint, revealing words beneath etched in the glass.

‘Staircase.

Backdoor 18.06pm

Alleyway’

“Oh shit!” I shouted quickly looking to the clock to see it was nearing four minutes past six! I then quickly dropped the vase in the sink and ran out the apartment with little thought of anything else but that secret message. So, I quickly scanned the lobby seeing it was empty and ran for the staircase taking it down to the bottom getting there just in time. I knew this was my signal to run as an alarm started blaring throughout the whole building before I had even touched the back door, the same one I had used when I first arrived.

This told me that someone had tripped the alarm somewhere else, meaning they wouldn’t suspect anything until it was too late. They had obviously missed me on the security cameras too, making me wonder exactly what it was they had their hands full of.

Well, either way it meant I opened the door without it alerting people and ran around the building, back to the cut in the fence leading to the alleyway and basically retracing my steps that brought me here less than a week ago. I squeezed myself through the fence, cursing the sweater I wore the second the wool snagged on the wire, needing first to unhook it before I could go any further. Then I saw a car pull up just outside the entrance to the alleyway and I held back at first hoping this wasn’t a trap. But then I saw the window go down and my mouth dropped open when I saw the Oracle waving frantically at me to hurry up.

So, I took a chance and ran for it.

“You know we really need to stop meeting this way, now get in Bitch, we gotta go!” she said, looking like her usually sexy badass self.

“Bess! What are you…”

“You remember last time we did this?” she asked cutting me off as she ground the car into gear.

“Erm yeah, why… whoa!” I ended shouting as she skidded the car around the tight space before speeding the little car out of there.

“Then hold on!” she said changing gear and not needing to remind me that she was crazy behind a wheel. We went speeding quickly past the front of the club and I now saw what it was that had caused the security to concentrate all their attention on the front of the club. As now there was a car on fire smashed into the wall, with a crumbled front end and pieces of the stone building in rubble around it. Oh shit, Lucius was going to be pissed and I didn’t just mean about the mess to his building.

“Did you do that?” I asked grabbing hold of the handle above the door as she took a corner using her handbrake. Gods, but where did this chick learn to drive!?

“Yeah, I did that,” she said with a smirk as if destruction was her middle name. Well, she was most certainly different from the first Oracle my mum had talked about, that was for damn sure!

“And you sent the flowers?” I asked the obvious, which was exactly what her raised brow told me but still she said,

“I had them delivered and knew Liessa would take them to your room thinking they were from your favourite Vamp, she’s a sucker for romance that one,” she said making me feel bad for her, as I just hoped she wouldn’t end up getting into trouble for it.

“You two do it yet?” she asked suddenly, making me screech a,

“No! Jeez, what are you…”

“Never mind, forget I said anything,” she said quickly interrupting me and I didn’t know why but she looked tense, as if she knew something I didn’t. It put me on edge.

“Anyway, I knew you were a smart girl, besides, Luc isn’t really a flowers type of guy, wouldn’t you say?” she said, letting on that she obviously knew Lucius and most likely a lot more than I did, being an Oracle and all. Well then, she knew a lot of things about a lot of people. And well, if I hadn’t currently been clinging on for dear life then I would have asked her a few things. But currently we were still in the throw of making our getaway. And speaking of getaways, I looked behind me to see that no one was following us this time, which made me say,

“You know I think we are good, you can slow down now.” Something she ignored for the minute as she expertly manoeuvred us through the busy streets of Munich’s end of the day rush hour traffic. It certainly was a beautiful city and one I might have enjoyed taking in if it hadn’t all just been a dramatic blur due to our speed.

“I can’t,” she finally responded coolly as if death defying speeds were as dangerous as picking daisies with bees buzzing overhead.

“Why not?” I asked but then this was when it got complicated as she turned to me and said the only thing that was needed,

“Because Luc’s about to walk into a trap and he doesn’t know it yet, but they have the means to force him to give them the box and we can’t let that happen,” she told me and after my gasp of horror, my only other response was a panicked,

“Does this car go any faster?”

13

Demons and Angels and the Oracle’s in Between

“So, what do we do now?” I asked feeling like some kind of spy or newest member of mission totally fucking impossible! We had driven out of the city and I soon found myself staring bugged eyed at what looked like an unbelievable task.

“What do you think we do, we break in and save the King,” she said as though we were talking about something as simple as picking out a damn china pattern for our wedding!

“Oh right, duh me…so don’t suppose you packed your A team and Tom Cruise in the back pocket of those leather pants of yours, did you?” I asked sarcastically because basically it helped my panic.

“My what?” she asked with a frown that arched a perfectly shaped and heavily pencilled brow.

“Seriously, don’t any of you guys ever watch TV?”

“I’m sorry, is my lack of pop fucking culture going to be a problem for you?” she snapped making me realise I was being a bitch.

“Sorry, I am just freaking out okay, I find sarcasm helps…so what is the plan here, and I mean, not in what we hope to achieve but more, how we have a hope in hell of achieving it?” She flashed me a knowing grin this time at my mention of Hell. Wow, definitely not what I expected from a new Oracle. As in… At. All.

“You’ll see, come on,” she said before shifting from behind the wall we were currently spying from. We had driven to a massive mansion that was most likely only a turret away from being classed as a bloody castle! It was pale stone that had too many architectural details to mention and even if you did, unless you were an architect yourself, then all the different terms and names for things would have been lost on you, just as they would be for me.

But simply put, large pale yellowish stone blocks made up most of the front, with smooth rendered towers that were topped with dark tiled pointed rooftops that reminded me of gnomes’ hats. Windows of every shape and size were dotted at the multiple levels and each was framed by an elaborately carved stone arch.

The building itself, despite all the sectional rooms that jutted out from the main building, was primarily a large square building. The grand entrance was a semicircle of arches and pillars with a fan of steps leading up from the gravel driveway, one that was attached to a turning circle that surrounded a huge water fountain in the middle. The building was also lit up as if they were throwing a damn Christmas party in there! Floodlights were aimed up at the stone walls, creating an ominous feeling as if the building itself was actually glowing.

Shadows were cast from the gargoyle figures that seemed to stand guard, perched there at the ready and looking down at us like winged demons. Each sat from angular plinths about to swoop on down and snatch unwelcomed guests before even making it to the front door. I shuddered.

I followed Bess, keeping to the shadows best I could and wondering if now was a good time to mention that stealth wasn’t exactly my middle name. In fact, it was kind of the opposite seeing as I had been known to fall over when trying to achieve the most simple of tasks…like dressing. So, sneaking wasn’t exactly my forte, especially when I looked down and saw that even my laces were loose. Damn it, I knew I should have double knotted the bloody things.

“What are you doing!?” Bess hissed when she saw I wasn’t following.

“I’m just tying my…”

“Get your ass over here!” she snapped and I scowled at her knee-high spiked boots, wondering how the hell she walked in them, much less ninja style crept around in them. I rolled my eyes with a pull of my laces as I redid them and then hurried along to catch up. The look she gave me said it all.

“What, I am kind of a health hazard with my clumsiness, and that’s without adding spy shit to it,” I said nodding down at my high-top sneakers, ones that didn’t match my brown cords in any way. But then I was in a rush so what was a girl to do. Now, if I had known what evening exploits I would have been up to, then I also wouldn’t have worn a cream coloured, knitted sweater that was pretty much like waving a great big white flag in their faces. And when I say faces, I meant all the guards that patrolled the grounds.

Oh yeah, we were so screwed.

“So, what’s our next move, Nancy Drew?” I asked her once we had reached a walled garden around the side of the mansion. She raised an unimpressed brow at me yet again and I shrugged my shoulders, telling her,

“Sorry, nervous sarcasm, remember?”

“They are holding one of their rituals tonight,” she told me without taking her eyes off the building as if waiting for something. But my hands flew to my mouth as I gasped.

“Oh Gods, but they aren’t going to sacrifice Lucius are they?!” She frowned only this time flattened her lips and said,

“No of course not, you do remember who he is right?” she said now being the one to use a sarcastic tone.

“Okay wait, I am confused…I thought you said he’s in danger.”

“No, what I said was, that they have found a way to make him give them the box, not that he was in danger…jeez, dramatic much,” she grumbled this last part as I released a whoosh of relief.

“So, let me get this straight, we get this leverage back and…”

“Bam, threat over,” she finished for me and just as I was about to ask what it was they were hoping to use, a car started to pull up, its tires crunching on the gravel of the turning circle. It pulled to a stop and we both watched as a door was opened by the driver before a man got out dressed entirely in black. His face was covered in a matt black Devil’s mask that matched his suit.

Even from here I could see that it covered most of his face other than his lips and chin. It also had high brows that made it look angry, with a flat triangular piece at the forehead which a pair of horns were attached to. A long pointed nose and pointed ears finished the look, making me want to roll my eyes. Gods, but if these stupid mortals actually saw what a real demon looked like, then they would think twice on trying to replicate it for some Devil worshipping masked ball.

I scoffed at the sight and I could feel Bess’ eyes on me, but for once she didn’t comment. Then shortly after that another car turned up and she nudged me saying,

“This is our way in.” I grimaced the second I saw two barely dressed girls get out, both wearing short white dresses and had white masks on. Because now I was pretty sure what her plan was and the thought of it kind of also made me want to vomit with nerves.

“Please don’t tell me what you’re thinking is what I think you’re thinking…as in, pretty please,” I said making her smirk at me, her pretty features twisting into something cunning and kind of badass.

“That depends, I think a lot of great things…come on, they will be heading this way,” she said walking low and remaining out of sight. Thankfully, the main entrance was framed either side by landscaped gardens that each mirrored the other. High neatly trimmed hedge walls in interlocking patterns made for a great place to hide and this was where we waited as like Bess had said, the girls were being directed to one of the side entrances.

We stalked them and I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next like a chill that slithered down my spine. I mean I wasn’t stupid here. I knew we weren’t just going to ask them politely to give us their clothes and then kindly miss the party. But I also wasn’t expecting Bess to hand me a cloth soaked in chloroform out of her back pocket and telling me to take the one on the left.

“Bess, I don’t think…”

“Do you want to save Luc?” she snapped and I nodded, knowing that I was being backed into a corner. Finally, her harsh gaze softened and she said,

“Look, we have about thirty seconds here, so make your decision, because if you want to do this, then this is our only way.”

“I know,” I sighed and finally I took the cloth from her, nearly gagging at the scent of ether as it wafted up my nose, with that strange sweetness to it that just seemed wrong.

“Good, now come on…besides, it’s not like we are going to hurt them,” she said, obviously being totally fine with this, making me wonder if she had seen this all play out. Did she know this was our only way in because she saw it that way? Isn’t that the way it worked with Oracles?

She made a signal like she was a navy seal or something, letting me know to make my move. And the second she grabbed the back of the girl, I did the same. However, she was like a bloody kidnapping expert because the girl was dropping to the floor in no time at all. Mine on the other hand, well what I got here was a fighter and what we ended up playing was more like buckaroo!

Besides, I hadn’t really taken into account her damn stripper heels, and that put my short ass at a bit of a disadvantage. Meaning that I was being swung around like a damn cat trying to cling on to her head with the cloth only just covering her mouth.

I looked to Bess who was just rolling her eyes at me as she lowered her own burden to the floor, dragging her body behind the bushes.

“What the fuck do you…!” The poor girl never finished as I had enough of this shit, so jumped up and literally wrapped myself around her like a damn monkey on her back. Then I covered her mouth and nose this time, putting my arm around her neck to keep her head still.

“Gods woman, just breathe in this shit, would you?” I hissed in her ear as she started walking us both backwards and I instantly had a bad feeling about this. I knew it was true when I felt her starting to pass out and I gave Bess a premature ‘Look I finally made mine pass out’ face when I felt myself going backwards.

“Oh shit,” was the last thing out of my mouth as we both tumbled backwards over a hedge and I landed with first a painful thud to my back and then one to my front when the woman fell on top of me.

“Fae?” Bess called and I groaned letting her know I was still breathing and hadn’t cracked my skull open like it felt I had done. But in case she hadn’t heard me I lifted a hand over the hedge and gave her the thumbs up, telling her the deed was done.

I was, in that moment, officially the un-coolest spy in the goddamn world!

* * *

Five minutes later and we were both now looking the part. Although Bess certainly worked it far better than I ever could.

“You ready?” she asked as she pulled down her skimpy white dress that was almost completely backless if not for the thin spaghetti straps that crisscrossed her shoulder blades. However, none of the shoes fit her so she just went with her knee-high boots, that I was sorry to say now made her look more stripper than badass.

I was fortunate in this department as one of the girls had what must have been only half a shoes size too big for me. But thankfully they had straps around the ankles so stayed on when I walked. The dress however, I had needed Bess to help tighten up as it had a corseted back with thick white ribbon. The front was a plunging neckline and because of the back, it smushed my breasts together in a way that made me want to keep pushing them down, just so they looked somewhat decent. But other than that, the dress was kind of cute and definitely the less ‘trashy’ out of the two. Even though I kept my thoughts to myself on that one.

The white dress had thick straps over my shoulders and a deep sweetheart neckline. It was tight to my waist, clinching me in and giving me a wicked curve as the full and double layered skirt flared out as if I was some kind of ballerina, stopping about six inches above the knee.

“Here, we will need these,” Bess said, handing me one of the masks we had knocked off during our struggle. Oh, what was I saying, she seemed like a damn pro, me on the other end was a laughable criminal now with bruised ribs.

“Wings,” I uttered in response to the style of the masks which looked like angel wings that would fan out across our eyes.

“Yep, time to be an angel,” Bess said before walking straight up to the side door and knocking three times. I was just thankful that no one had caught us taking down the two woman or was likely to find them anytime soon in the bushes where we had hidden them. Bess assured me that they wouldn’t wake for a few hours, and after convincing her that there was no way I was leaving them out there naked, with a sigh she finally gave in. She then helped me redress them both in what we had been wearing.

And I had to conclude that if I had a ‘hardest shit ever list’, then trying to redress an unconscious woman was definitely up there at the top, right along with trying to get comfortable after breaking my coccyx when painting your bloody toenails…damn that gorgeous Hawaiian Fuchsia!

The door opened and we didn’t even need to say anything to be let inside.

“Wow, that was easy,” I murmured to one side so only she could hear.

After this I kind of expected to be walking in on a scene from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, not the normal looking masked ball party we did. There were no creepy masked kisses or from what I had gathered in five minutes, rooms filled with very elegant looking orgies. Of course, there was definitely a theme, as all the women looked the same, white dresses in different styles and the same angel wing masks hiding half their features. It was only their hair that gave them any semblance of who they were and the same was with the men.

Each was wearing a Devil’s mask like the man who I saw getting out of the car. And each was wearing an all-black suit of some kind but still, it didn’t look any more than a party. Most of the girls were stood together on one side of the large room, as if waiting to be picked by one of the men, which made sense seeing as they entered through a side door. Making me wonder if all these girls were actually paid to be here. Well, if that was the case, then maybe all the sex was still to come, and this was just the selection stage of the night.

“Hey, does this seem right to you?” I asked pulling Bess to one side and nodding to the room. She scanned the room and shook her head.

“I think this is a façade for the humans,” she said making me think the same thing, which meant we still had to find where the real stuff was going on.

“Come on, let’s keep going,” she said gesturing over to what looked like a hallway. The manor, mansion or even castle, whichever it was known by, was typically opulent and exactly what you would have expected in a home as grand as this on the outside. All lush fabrics, gold threaded wallpaper and every type of grand moulding you could imagine existing, adorned each right angle or corner a room had. Chandeliers hung down from carved roses on the ceilings and the floors shone with wood polished to such a high sheen it almost looked like liquid.

The hallway was no different other than the age-old masterpieces that decorated the walls. And it may have sounded conceited but places like this didn’t impress me. Not when you have grown up in every type of luxury there was to experience. The world’s best hotels, my father’s centuries old homes, from grand Scottish castles to Italian lake house villas, even a palace in Venice. He had every type of home around the world and I had seen them all.

Now, what did impress me was natural beauty created by nothing more than nature itself. That, and ancient beauty found in far gone civilizations and the history they left behind. The puzzles and mysteries they had hidden for us to find and study in their long-passed footsteps. Those were the things that impressed me.

So, a room full of the rich, celebrating their personal victories wasn’t my bag and never really had been, including my mother, who refused to let anyone clean her toilet no matter how rich she was. Well, that mentality had kind of rubbed off on me, hence wanting to make it on my own in London. And also, the reason why I never felt as if I ever belonged in places like this.

“I’m thinking the doors at the end,” Bess said when we came to two large carved doors that were guarded.

“Password?” One guy said and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and mutter,

“Seriously?” so only Bess would hear.

“Ssshh…Succubus,” she said after first hushing me and again I wanted to roll my eyes. The guard nodded and opened the door for us to walk through and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from saying something sarcastic.

“Really, a sex demon?” I questioned making Bess wink side on at me. I would have questioned further when suddenly Bess spotted a staircase and grabbed my arm to pull me that way just before another set of double doors opened. I hurried along with her and we snuck up the stairs without a sound thanks to the thick red carpet that was kept on each step thanks to the gold rods keeping it in place.

“Come on, we should have a better view from up here,” she told me as we rounded a corner and soon found ourselves on a surrounding balcony. It framed three sides of a large white ballroom below that was covered in red veined marble.

Gods, but it was creepy, and made it look like the whole room was bleeding beneath non-existent cracks. It actually made me shudder but what was worse was the man that I noticed now stood at its centre looking just as masterful as he always did.

“There he is!” I whispered feeling a huge weight off my chest at just the sight of him and thankfully seeing him unhurt, as had been my biggest fear.

“Ssshh, or they will hear us,” she said pulling me back into the shadows of the arched surround. The whole room reminded me of some kind of modern church. It was longer than it was wide and surrounded by an open balcony. At the opposite end to the large double doors was a huge stained glass window and below it was a raised dais where an altar stood as if just waiting for an unwilling sacrifice. I don’t know why, but in that moment I got a sickening feeling in my stomach as a flash of my mother on one just like it felt like a knife to my gut.

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the horrific image. In front of the altar were three men and even I could tell that only one of them was human and that was from all the way up here. It was just something in their stance. Like years upon this Earth had bored them of humanity instead of teaching them something more about it. They stood as though life was eternal and nothing was ever going to change that. It was more than just arrogance or knowledge, it was an absolute power.

Yet still, as powerful as they were, even I knew the man they now faced was more powerful still. Which made me whisper,

“What is it they have to make him give up the box?” because from up here it seemed like nothing could defeat him.

Nothing could ever own him.

Hence Lucius’ own arrogance.

And why not, after all, what could beat him but the possible threat of what was in this box. He was a man without weakness, without anything to…lose. And this was when I finally got that ‘oh shit’ feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me I had just made a huge mistake. I knew this when I started to back up and suddenly turned around the second the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand on end.

But I was too late.

“You!” was my answer.

The arm with a gun was already coming crashing down over my head. I didn’t even have time to scream as the butt of the gun collided with the back of my head and suddenly pain exploded as I went down. Then in blurry sight, I looked up at my attacker with only one question on my lips,

“Bess…why?” She looked down at me, now with cold dark eyes that spoke only of hatred and a dark black soul that consumed her.

“Bitch, my name isn’t Bess…” then she laughed and bent down on a knee to get closer as she lifted me up by the hair and just before she smashed my head down on the floor,

She snarled…

“It’s Layla.”

14

Owned

Lucius

“Sire, they are here as expected and requesting…” I waved off one of my guards, a demon named Henry of all fucking names. But he was as loyal as his name sounded and had been working for me for at least the last hundred years or so. To be honest, it could have been two hundred for my head was, as it usually was these days, elsewhere.

In fact, fuck trying to kid myself as I knew exactly where my head was, and it simply wished I would get my ass back there to join it…or more like her. Gods, but having her wake in my arms was a vow I made to myself in making it happen from here on out. I knew she didn’t want to give in and sleep in my bed, but it was going to happen at some point, one way or another.

But now I understood her reasons why a little better. At first just knowing that she hated being in my private space, well it angered me enough that I lost my shit and punched a hole in the concrete wall of whichever space I was occupying at the time.

Despite this frustration, I also knew that I needed to give her space and now that she was safely contained in my own domain, I hated to admit it, but I loathed doing so. At first the reason why I had refused, thinking forcing her to live in my home would be enough to help her settle to the idea of staying there permanently.

But then Liessa had informed me she refused to sleep in my bed so I gave her the order to situate her in the apartment next to mine. I even ground my teeth in memory of her telling me she found her asleep on my couch. But after anticipating long ago that this may happen, I’d had the space refurbished next to mine with Amelia in mind. Although admittedly, if I had known the true depth of her character more, then I would have covered the place in vintage movie posters and had Pip do most of the decorating.

Besides, doing so served its purpose, as I managed to keep her close and still grant her a space of her own, something I knew she needed. After all, I wasn’t a fool and I knew when to push her and when to back off, and this had been one of those times.

Because I tried to see it from her point of view. Remembering back to when she had first been in my bed, finding out about the past between her mother and I. Undeniably, she had been horrified and it had only succeeded in pushing her away at the time that I needed her to be at a distance. But what she had heard hadn’t been the truth. A mistake so to speak and a spoken exaggeration of what many people had been led to think. However, the real truth would all come out in time. But as for right now, well I knew there was still too much between us to explain that side of my past to her.

It was too dangerous for her to run from me and I didn’t have the time to hunt her down as I would be forced to do. So, I told myself soon. Soon there would be nothing between us, no matter how much I wanted to protect her from the truth of my crimes against her. Then I would claim her fully. I would make it happen. After all, where Amelia was concerned, I was a fucking master at patience and waiting for what I wanted to possess.

Just as I was in revenge.

But then in reality, when thinking back not only over the last few days but weeks since I first invaded her world, that famous patience of mine was wearing far beyond thin, it was near fucking see-through!

I had been nearing my end as it was, for seven long years I had waited to make my move. Gods, but just thinking back to when she had first arrived in my club all that time ago. Of course, I had known the second she had landed. Just as I had known her every move the moment she left the safety of Afterlife. As her father wasn’t the only overprotective bastard having her followed. But she had no clue and nor would she, not if I had anything to do with it…which I did.

I walked over to my window and looked down, seeing for myself the car that was waiting there. Umm
who I had to kill this time, I thought with a grin. I located my phone from the counter and rang Liessa, who I had put in charge of Amelia’s care since she arrived.

“Yes, Mr Big Bad Royal Ass?” she answered with a chuckle making me raise a brow in question.

“Care to explain?”

“It’s what your little bird called you before you arrived last night,” she said calling her what all my council had been instructed to do, as this had been her codename for all these years. For keeping the knowledge of what she was to me had been vital for her safety. But her hearing what she had named me brazenly in front of my own people, now this did make me grin.

“Oh, did she now?” I asked with a voice that promised punishment, the fun variety of course. Mmm, just thinking about it took me back to throwing that sassy ass over my shoulder and spanking her beautiful behind like I promised. Well, I was a man of my word after all. Besides, from the mind-fucking scent of her, then I was beyond fucking delighted to find that she obviously got off on it. And well, it only spoke of good things to come as that was merely a taste of the deliciously sinful things I wanted to do to her. Our time in the shower had just been merely plucking my fingers at an hors d’oeuvres, for just a taste of her and I now wanted to gorge myself for hours. And I knew exactly what my main course would be. But I would need new restraints for that, for that silky soft skin of hers only deserved the best. And well, the more comfortable the restraints, the more her will to fight against them, a sight I couldn’t fucking wait to see.

“She was adorable,” Liessa said, who I could tell already had a soft spot for the girl.

“I have no doubt. And speaking of such, I want you to arrange food be brought to her apartment, her stomach was growling at me,” I said making her chuckle,

“Aww now I bet that was cute,” she commented sweetly making me wonder at the polar opposites of her and her husband, for he was one hard bastard. But then again, so was I and we clearly all had our weaknesses.

“Indeed. Now go make it happen before she wakes,” I said before ending the call. Then I walked to my desk sitting down with a grin, knowing I was letting the bastards downstairs wait, making a point of doing so. It was a power play, letting them know that I do what I please, when it pleases me and that I was only choosing to go with them out of nothing more than curiosity. Of course, there was a little more to it than that, but the human lackies they sent this time didn’t need to know that.

So, I took my time in writing her a little note asking her to eat, taking the opportunity to tease her, knowing that she would not defy me by touching herself. Hell’s Gods but I had a feeling that teasing her would quickly become my favourite pastime. It certainly had been during my short time with her in London.

But then I leaned back in my chair and thought back to the past when she first entered my domain. I had admired her obvious courage, although it had been easy to see that she had grown up in her father’s world. For she most certainly acted like the princess I mocked her for being. The way she had waltzed in here as if she knew nothing could hurt her because of who she was. Of course, she had been right but also very wrong, as she believed herself untouchable because she was a Draven, her father’s daughter.

But in truth, none of that mattered the moment she crossed over into my world. No, the reason she was untouchable was because I made it so. Because she was mine, plain and simple. But she was as clueless now as she was that day. Something I had spent all this time trying to accomplish. But that time was now at an end, and all those years I now had to make up for in convincing her of the opposite.

It was a battle and one I couldn’t fucking wait to win.

The war on claiming her heart was mine for the taking, with only one thing in my way…

The Truth.

A truth that would have to wait for now, as I knew I had to tread carefully. Especially with this new and very real threat. A thought that made me look to the window once more and see the enemy at my door.

Of course, the box was indeed a threat and one I knew about even before Dom had rung me, asking me to intervene and help his daughter in discovering more about the box he’d found. At first I had been silently furious with him for involving her in this but then secretly rejoicing for it gave me the excuse to intervene in her life like I fucking craved to do!

But the moment he had mentioned where he had acquired it, I wasn’t the only one who saw red flags. The Skull and Bones, The Order of 322 or also known as The Brotherhood of Death was an undergraduate senior secret student society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. It was also seemingly harmless to the rest of the world. Nothing more than a group of wealthy young socialites wanting to feel a part of something elite. Dabbling in the mortal fascination with the darker side of my world, one they had no real clue about. It would have even been laughable, though undeniably it wasn’t without its power as some of the world’s most influential mortals had been members, including US Presidents.

However, it was unclear if they really knew what the society held at its core, for its heart certainly wasn’t beating to a mortal tune. It had always been on the radar with rumours among my people as being something more than what it innocently portrayed, ever since it was founded back in 1832.

I wasn’t yet entirely sure on all the details surrounding how Dom had acquired it, but I was sure of one thing, it had been something the Order hadn’t even realised they had until it had been too late and had been stolen from them…or so my sources told me.

Well, it was said they had stolen a number of skulls, including the likes of Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States between 1837 to 1841. Also, Geronimo, the prominent leader and medicine man from the Apache tribe and Pancho Villa, who was a Mexican revolutionary general and one of the most prominent figures of the Mexican Revolution. But why, I had no fucking clue as it all seemed pretty pointless to me.

But either way, needless to say, it was about time they too had something stolen in return. Of course, for me its importance quickly became apparent after Amelia’s attack, as I knew the moment those stuttered, fear laced numbers had been spoken from a dead man’s lips that the mortal society had been the ones involved. Now the biggest question of all was who was it from my world that was truly behind the Skull and Bones pulling mortal strings?

Gods, but just thinking back to it had my blood on fire in a blinding fury, that threatened nothing more than bloodshed should I only allow myself the violent impulse. But then, once the threat to her had been eliminated, I then remembered my utter astonishment at seeing the evidence to her own version of bloody violence that she had inflicted.

Even now I found myself shaking my head at the memory. I would have thought it best to hide her from the brutality of my attack when I was left with at least one to deal with. I was even close to telling her to close her eyes, especially when she shouted out ‘No’ in panic.

I had even found myself in my rage snarling at her like a wild beast with someone trying to take away my promised kill. But then those big blue eyes of hers rendered me unable not to grant her whatever the Hell it was she wished of me in that moment. After all, I could have just killed the guy later. But then she had nodded fearfully to the back of the room and asked me with beseeching eyes,

‘Don’t damage the artifacts,’

Gods, but in that moment I found myself in two minds and neither of them included the mortal death I craved. I didn’t know whether to throw my head back and laugh or to reach for her in the three strides it would take me and kiss her fucking senseless!

Instead, of course, I granted her wish and protected what she deemed most important, shaking my head in surprise when she gave me two thumbs up for doing as she had asked. Hellfire, but had she always been that funny had been the question I had been asking myself at that point.

But then, after comically saving another damn artifact, as I asphyxiated the guy up against a wall, something she seemed utterly unaffected by, she then thought it best we try and interrogate the guy. I had to say that in that moment I hadn’t remembered the last time I’d had so much fun, and the guy bleeding in my hand for once hadn’t had a damn thing to do with it.

No, it had all been her and Gods, but the times I just wanted to kiss that sweet smart-witted mouth of hers had been ridiculous! Even when I felt her nudge me and tell me to show the bastard my fangs. Well, little did she know that in that moment I had wanted nothing more than to just crush the guy’s skull with my boot. This before snagging her around the waist, hauling her to my chest and showing her my fangs, right before I sank them into her sweet-smelling flesh.

But I hadn’t yet been free to do so, making me crave the days that I was, knowing now of her exquisite taste and the addiction just waiting for me to indulge in. However, knowing that she would taste so addictive hadn’t been surprising. Not when I knew, just like everything else about her, that she would be fucking perfect for me.

What had surprised me though, had been her ability to defend herself. Even though her explanation of being taught how to fight by her father most definitely made sense. Like I had said, I remembered being utterly astonished to find two of them on the floor unconscious and clearly beaten. I believed my first assumption had been to question if they had turned on each other. Her response I would never forget as long as I lived. The way, when my disbelief in her ability to render two unconscious and the other bleeding, was replied with her crossing her arms over her chest, cocking out her hip and said,

‘Yeah, Lucius, I did this.’

I swear in that moment I nearly had to bite my own lip just to stop myself from grinning. Especially when I scanned the men again and made a mental note of their injuries. But that hadn’t been enough as I had asked Ruto to get a more accurate account during their interrogation of what had happened. One had been punched in the face twice, breaking the bridge of his nose from a downward punch which knocked him out. But before that a punch to the throat and a knee to his testicles and one hard enough that Ruto had informed me he was still cupping his balls when he died.

Naturally this thought made me happy.

The other man had a busted lip from receiving an elbow to the face, before her knee also got a little more action by making him even more bloody. Oh, and then there was breaking his arm, to rid him of the knife being wielded at her. Something she had been successful in, along with embedding it in the last man’s shoulder when she threw it at him. Of course, if she had known that the guy had a gun, then that knife would have ended up in his heart, of this I was certain.

Meaning, I think it was safe to say the girl could handle herself and by the Gods, I couldn’t wait to see her abilities for myself, wondering now how long it would be until I could get her in my gym and on the mats. The thoughts of taking her down for myself before fucking her there had my cock hard in seconds.

I rose from my seat and walked back into her apartment, knowing that she was now in the bathroom, for I could hear her there no doubt getting ready. I was in two minds whether or not to go in there but knew that if I did, then I would never fucking leave. So instead, I walked to the kitchen counter, where food had been placed there ready for her. I poured her a glass of juice, drinking some myself and licking the edge with a sick satisfied knowledge that her wet lips would soon be around the rim. After that I placed the note next to the glass and left.

But once more as I made my way down to speak to the head of my security, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking back to that day at the museum. It was after showing me the box when she made contact with my skin and by the way she reacted, I would have said I hadn’t been the only one affected. Which was why I quickly slipped my fingers from beneath her own. Knowing that if I hadn’t, then I would have ended up pressing her against the nearest wall and forcing her to feel a lot more than just my fingers. Not that I thought this would have been much of a problem for her, as it wasn’t solely my arrogance that told me she wanted me.

No, it was the way her heart would beat faster, her pulse rate spiking whenever we did touch. Or the way her breathing hitched when she watched me remove my jacket, drinking in my form with her eyes, a knowing blush creeping down her cheeks to her neck. Gods, but it made me feel like a fucking lion playing with a mouse, and therefore I couldn’t help but use this to my advantage.

I was starting to crave those little subtle reactions from her and found myself continually trying to entice them from her at every opportunity I got. Like seconds later when I caged her body to the desk, leaning in close, trying to prove some point I cared not to remember. No, I had far better things to focus on, like the way she held her breath and started to squirm under what I knew was an intimidating gaze.

But I also knew that I was a cruel bastard as she stood there caged exactly where I wanted her and all the time asking herself if I was going to kiss her. Gods, how I would have liked to, but in that moment, I knew that it was too soon.

I first needed her right where I wanted her…At Transfusion.

However, I still couldn’t help but tease her, calling her this time my little puppet. Oh, it made her angry alright, but I quickly found myself fucking loving it when she showed me that spark of fire I knew only I could ignite from her. In that moment though I was once again stunned by her, acting no doubt as if she had just slapped me. Something since that day, she had tried to do, many times in fact.

Now why that thought had me grinning was still a mystery to me. Usually I liked my women obedient and submissive but with her, it was different. I actually found myself enjoying it when she challenged me. It made my time with her unpredictable and when you were as old as I was then this was, more often than not, a welcomed distraction. Besides, it only made the times that she did submit to me all the sweeter, as there was a reason she had earned those particular endearments from me.

But even so, she had changed so much in the time I had last been so close to her, back before the night of the gala and seven years ago when she boldly presented herself to me. She had changed from a shy, trembling and unsure little beauty, into someone who was confident in the world that they’d built up around themselves.

In some ways she suited living in the mortal world, as it was clear it was where she felt most comfortable in being herself. But even knowing this, it wouldn’t ever stop me from forcing her to live in my own, ensnaring her in it until I was sure she was solely rooted there and unable to escape me. I had just been biding my time. Now did that make me a selfish bastard, yes of course it did.

But did I care, fuck no!

The girl was mine.

And spending those few days in her presence only confirmed that waiting was no longer an option, not for her and most definitely not for me. Because up until that time spent with her, I hadn’t believed she could have been any more perfect for me than I already knew she was. But Hellfire, I’d had no fucking clue. Because all those years watching from afar had taught me most things about her, yes, but not the most important. Like how funny she was or how stubborn she could really be when I was demanding things of her. But there were other things too, like how brave and strong she could be. Oh, I knew of her intelligence but knowing of it and experiencing it first-hand had been completely different. Just hearing the way she spoke about her work with such passion, as she had done at the gala, well then I found myself utterly captivated. A knowing grin playing on my lips nearly the whole time watching her. Just knowing how difficult she was finding my presence was fucking intoxicating!

Gods, but I was sick!

A sickness for her that I knew would never leave me, unable to burn itself out and instead, it continued to reach for my core, intent on scorching my very soul.

But despite these intense feelings that raged within me, I also knew that I had to take my time with her. Because I knew with me leaving for Germany, that if the threat continued on her life, like I had selfishly and secretly hoped it would at the time, then it gave me all the reasons in the world I had been waiting for to finally take her. But if it hadn’t, then I knew it would only have ended up fucking with her head even more if I had shown her my true feelings, especially if I only intended to walk away again.

So, I waited and in doing so started putting plans in place to situate her in Transfusion under the guise of her own protection. I had even been on the cusp of ringing Dom and convincing him that his daughter needed my protection. Telling him that if she wished to continue working on the box, as I needed her to, then she would have to do so at my club.

But in the end, my plan hadn’t been needed. Because from what my spies had told me, she had found out about her father’s interference in her life and now refused to speak with him. I confess that her reaction to her father’s meddling in her life didn’t hold much hope for me. Because if she thought his interference bad enough, then he would look like a fucking saint compared to my intense control of her life.

Wisely though this was something I’d decided was better left being drip fed to her little by little. For right now, what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her and even better, it wouldn’t fucking hurt me or my chances at claiming her either. Because once I had her, finally breaking through the last barrier between us and exchanging our blood, then there was no escaping me.

She would be mine forever, whether she wanted to fight it or not. Because I wasn’t like her father was when meeting his Chosen One, I wasn’t the self-sacrificing type, walking away from her because I believed she deserved better. I already knew she deserved better than the Devil she would have in me. But did that mean I was going to let her go, fuck no!

Yes, I may have kept her at arm’s length all this time, patiently waiting for my moment as was fated but I always knew that one day this would happen. Which only strengthened my decision when my little bird had flown right into my cage, foolishly doing so of her own accord.

I couldn’t help but think back to the moment that Dante told me that he had lost her…

* * *

A week ago.

“Come again?” I said in a deadly calm that I knew wouldn’t last long if Dante repeated the word’s he just said to me.

“I lost her,” and there went my calm.

“You lost my Chosen one!” I roared, my voice no longer one that solely belonged to me but more to the Devil’s son. If you could describe the sound of a flinch, then that was what I heard on the other side of the phone. But I was too far gone in my rage to pay attention to such. A rage that exploded into something even noted as deadly to my own kind, as my entire VIP stopped. Now frozen in life and at the sight of their master’s wrath, hitting heights they had rarely seen before. The only sound was the echoing of glass cracking all around the large space. Every single window, tv screen, the near entirety of the bar, even panels shook in their frames… the Gods be damned beer bottles even cracked.

“Lucius I’m…”

“You fucked up! Now it’s time to explain how!” I snarled and I heard the heavy swallow down the other end before he started to explain it to me. He told me how she had swapped clothes with her friend and after putting on a show, she left pretending to be this person named Wendy. This was obviously after discovering that her friend’s apartment had been bugged. At the very least Dante had been following her friend, and I could think of no other reason for this than his own personal interest in her. But I didn’t give a shit, I was only thankful for it, as it meant that they were also following my own personal interest.

But their double cross was also discovered quicker than she would have anticipated, and this was thanks to the Manushya-Rakshasi demon I had placed in the flat opposite her own, charged with befriending her. Of course, had he not preferred the opposite sex and had no interest in females at all, then I would have picked another. But the demon was sired by me and therefore had no choice but to do my bidding. And well, there was nothing quite like someone who could come and go in her personal space than a friend she entrusted with a key.

This had been my answer to spying on her without giving in to the temptation of bugging her apartment or installing a camera. Because I may have been a bastard, but even I knew that was crossing a big fucking line. However, I had still found myself annoyed at her at the time when hearing how her ‘friend Ben’ had a key to her place. Even if I already knew and had issued for this to be one of his objectives. But my annoyance came when I found her too trusting and this was proven, for she had no clue who Ben really was.

It was a double-edged blade I had used to carve out the path of her adult life. Because having him there and integrating himself in her life had been his job. It had been how I knew exactly where she was at all times, that and the fucking team I had watching her twenty-four seven.

But then after the threat, I had called in the best and the Drude might not have been one of my own but he owed me, and I was fucking collecting. Something I was starting to regret.

Thankfully though it had been Ben who had rung Dante and explained how she was upset after she had found out about who he was, now believing his friendship with her was nothing more than a masquerade. But his loyalty to me remained worthy, for he had led her to believe that it was her father’s doing.

In fact, she believed everything had been down to her father, including the whole building being filled with men loyal to him. Something that was somewhat true, as there were those that lived there under her father’s orders after first having them installed there. But that’s the thing about loyalty…it can often be bought.

Just like the building she lived in.

The one her father never owned.

But the one that I did.

15

Bird in my Cage

I owned her building and I didn’t know what type of bastard it made me to let her believe it had been her father. I knew I should have felt guilty, any decent person would, but I was as far from a decent person as you could get. And if she blamed him over blaming me, then I was more than fucking happy to let her. I mean it wasn’t as if daddy dearest was squeaky clean in all of this, he just wasn’t quite as bad as I was.

But then we were two kings who ran this world, and to him she was his dear mortal daughter. However, to me, she was my Chosen One, and in my book that meant more than the first. Being mine, belonging to me, took precedence over ties with her family, even if she wouldn’t ever agree that it did.

Gods, but it felt like I was soon to be at war with Dominic Draven all over again, or at least I soon would be once he discovered how I owned his daughter and didn’t intend on giving her back or ever letting her go.

But as I sat here now, on the fucking edge of losing control just knowing the shit she had just pulled and I had to say, if I hadn’t been beyond fucking furious that she had gone on the run, then I would have taken the time to be impressed by her cunning nature. Even if I knew she wasn’t necessarily running from me this time. That knowledge managed to calm me enough not to destroy any more of my club…at least for now.

But either way, she had managed to fool us both and I had to give her credit for that at the very least.

My clever little princess.

“We underestimated her,” Dante commented, making me growl back,

“Yes, and I overestimated you! Now the next call you make better be the one with you telling me exactly where she is, and I warn you Dante, it had better be in five fucking minutes…now piss off and make that shit happen!” I said cutting the call and having to consciously take care not to damage my phone any more than the cracked screen my rage had created. Now, once I got that call back telling me exactly where she was, then I wouldn’t give a fuck what happened to my damn phone!

“Problem boss?” Clay asked the moment he entered the space and took in the damage, his sizable black muscles tensing in preparation for what he no doubt hoped was a fight. Thankfully the club below hadn’t yet opened to the public, otherwise they might have believed a fucking earthquake was making the glass close to shattering.

“I want one of my planes fuelled and ready to go the second I have a destination…and I want it done fucking yesterday, understood?” I snapped feeling myself on the edge of tearing this place apart as I felt the minutes passing. In seven fucking years there hadn’t been one fucking second of it that I didn’t know where she was at all times! And now, well I could feel that sinking feeling crawling up my damn spine, just as it had done that night. That fucking night I had let her walk out of here, letting her think me a heartless bastard and my personal punishment for that had been what happened next.

I knew that I could scent something different on her, not realising until it was too late that she had been drugged. But then when I found her in the back of that van, I swear the demon in me, the one only Lucifer himself ever saw fully, being the one who created me, came full force to my old mortal vessel. It was one that I showed the first mortal of what Hell actually looked like…or should I say the wrath of the beast that ruled it.

I had just been thankful at the time that Amelia had been mostly unconscious, for I doubted she would have ever looked at me the same way ever again. Now that would have given her a real reason to run from me.

Speaking of which, thankfully my phone rang. I looked down at the time first. Four minutes the lucky bastard.

“This better be good news, for your sake, Drude,” I threatened.

“My men found her.” I released a sigh of relief not giving a fuck who heard it, ignoring the shocked glances my council members exchanged with one another.

“Where is she!?” This question came out as a rumble of sound, grated and rough, as if torn from some dark depth of me. Gods, but I hoped that she never heard me like this, she would have been fucking terrified.

“She’s at the airport. She switched clothes with her friend, so once we got a description from…”

“I don’t give a fuck! Just tell me where she is heading, and I will handle it from here!” I snapped this time making him sigh.

“She bought a ticket to Dublin.” I frowned, feeling every Gods be damned muscle in my body tense, to the point that I swear if I had flinched right then I could have fucking snapped my own bones.

“I’m not sure why as my men found no connections she has there, so I don’t know why she…”

“She has none, that is why,” I interrupted and then hung up without giving him anything more. Besides, her options were no doubt limited as she would have had to have picked a flight leaving before my chance at finding her. Also, one with a destination close by, as she would be using her cash knowing we could trace her card. Because if she was clever enough to even get to the airport without detection, then she was clever enough to know the easy ways in which she could be tracked down.

I swear my palms were itching just at the thought of now being the one to hunt her down and when I finally caught her, oh what fun I would have in punishing her. I had to wonder how she would take me bending her over my knee and palming her ass, till red and burning.

Would she whimper for me?

“Call the pilot, tell him we are flying to Dublin.” I barked out my order and Clay had his phone by his ear before I had even finished. Fuck, but I knew I should have entrusted her detail to my own men, they wouldn’t have been fooled so easily.

Just in that moment my phone rang again and I snatched it up like a live cobra ready to strike, doing so with the mentality, ‘what fucking now.’

“Don’t bother with that flight, she’s no longer going to Dublin,” Dante said making me frown.

“Where?” I asked through gritted teeth as they ground together in frustration. But then his answer came and finally I could breathe without wanting to break someone’s face, mainly Dante’s.

“Munich…looks like she’s coming to you.”

Good, my sweet bird was finally flying home.

* * *

The moment I knew she was on her way here, I knew tracking her was pointless as there was only one reason for her to come to Munich…she wanted the box. I was sure of it. The question now was why now? Had she discovered what I already had my own people discover? That the box held some kind of weapon against me…did she know and had come all the way here to warn me? It stood to reason as no matter how strained her relationship with her mother was because of me, she still cared deeply for her. I knew this thanks to her friend Ben, my spy. And this wasn’t discovered through what she did say but more what she didn’t, for she never really spoke of her family and for Amelia, that spoke volumes in itself.

Meaning any threat against those she cared for and Amelia would have been there. Now I had to wonder if I too was included in that list. Well, I was soon to find out as the second she was spotted outside my club I knew it was show time. I nodded for Clay to pass me the expensive tablet that now held six images from different security angles.

“Did you disable the alarms?” I asked him, because I wanted to watch this little break in of hers for as long as possible and doing so by leading her into a false sense of security and right into my trap.

“I did, as you instructed.”

“Good, then it’s time for me to enjoy the show,” I said with a knowing grin and looking down just as she entered the alleyway that led to the back of the club and secure parking lot we had there. Again, I felt my pulse quicken at just the sight of her, knowing I would only relax my muscles the second I knew she was inside, once all chances of escape were eliminated. Because she had no idea by coming here what she had done. It was like sneaking into Hell’s prison and handing herself over to a demon warden.

I tapped on one of the images by the fence so it enlarged giving me a better view of her taking off her full jacket. At first, I wondered what she was doing, as I half expected her to start trying to climb it. But then I saw her begin to roll it up into a ball to protect it. Then she passed it through a hole in the fence as if she knew it would be there. That’s when something about all of this felt off.

How would she have known?

“Did the girl arrive alone?” I asked the question to Clay, who should know being that he knew everything that happened within Transfusion and just beyond its walls.

I was currently sat in the centre of the large sectional sofa that faced the rest of the club, instead of the VIP area, which I knew was in full swing behind me. It no doubt had looked more like a demonic sex club to the naïve eyes of a twenty-year-old Amelia when she first saw it.

Gods, but that blush upon her skin and the way she was near desperate to give in to the impulse to bite her fingertips, an endearing habit of hers, was nearly enough to break my restraint on tasting her.

Clay placed his finger to his earpiece that let him communicate to his team, which included the humans downstairs. I heard him ask the question.

“They said she was alone,” he told me, which meant one of two things, either she did come alone like I hoped, or whoever had been guiding her had the ability to mask their presence.

I watched as after placing everything carefully through the gap, she then started to crawl through. I swear the sight of her on all fours had my cock twitching along with the corners of my mouth as I fought my grin. I even felt my anger dissolving with every second I watched this little break in attempt of hers unfold. It had almost been worth the worry experienced.

I watched as she must have been talking to herself, no doubt congratulating herself that she had got this far. She put her heavy jacket back on as she looked up trying to locate the dummy cameras we had and then move around the building trying to keep in what she thought were their blind spots.

She also continued to look around her as if any minute she was ready to bolt at the first sign of her getting caught. She reminded me of a jittery cat that knew it was where it shouldn’t be.

“Oh sweetheart, you have no idea just how close you are to being trapped in my web,” I said aloud, not giving a fuck who heard me as I swigged back my beer. Now her next test came and the answer to my question would be revealed, the code for the back door. I had Clay ready to unlock it remotely either way, but first I wanted to know if she got it right, because if she did, then I would know she had been helped.

I nodded to him and he slipped his phone from his pocket at the ready to do what was needed. Now she was going to either think herself the luckiest human alive in guessing what the code could be, or she already knew it. I tapped on the live feed, enlarging each camera image as she went and the second she slipped through the door, I leaned forward and looked to Clay.

“Well?”

“She knew the code,” he informed me, making me sit back, place the tablet on my lap and steeple my fingers in thought.

“What do you want me to do?” Clay asked knowing I was thinking something. I was starting to regret my choice to allow her to come here without being followed from the airport.

“Get me the security footage from the airport and any on route of her getting here from the streets.”

“That will take time,” he informed me and I nodded accepting that and no longer feeling the burning need to know right in this moment. Not now I had her right where I wanted her…or at least soon would do.

“She had a card,” Clay commented in annoyance and as head of my security, then I could understand that watching someone gain access to Transfusion was not easy for him to accept.

“Now that is interesting,” I hummed, still feeling the grin there just below the surface. Of course, if it had been anyone else breaking in then I would have wanted to peel back the flesh from their bones. But her, instead I just wanted to tie her up and leisurely lick every inch of her skin.

“It’s an old card, not one that’s been in use for a while,” he told me and Ruto, who had been taking all this in silently swore in Gaelic. I turned to him and nodded, knowing he would now make it his mission to know who that card had once belonged to, as it wasn’t as though we handed them out like fucking loyalty cards.

“I will find the fucker!” he snapped, sliding the blade he had been playing with back into the sheath strapped to his thigh. I don’t think I recalled a time he didn’t have a blade in his hand as simple obsession wasn’t enough to describe his habit.

“She’s in the lobby…what now, should I have her brought to you,” he asked and I held a hand up to stop him and shook my head.

“Not yet, for I am curious,” I told him and I was. I wanted to see for myself if she was really bold enough to try and steal from me. So, I watched as she first took a breath, staring at the doors into my apartment before her resolve won. She slapped both hands to the doors and opened them up, storming inside as though she owned the moment. Gods, but she was magnificent when confident like that, just as she was adorable in her insecurity. Both were just as captivating as the other and I was torn as to which made my cock harder. Her brazen replies or her breathy little murmurs. I fucking loved them all.

“You think she will find it?” Clay asked me, speaking about my vault, and one only my council knew about. There was naturally no security inside my private space but there was inside my vault so all there was left to do now was wait.

“I think if she made it this far, then it is more than likely,” I told him.

“Do you want me to apprehend her as soon as she does?” he asked and this time, I welcomed what I knew was a sadistic grin to develop with ease.

“No, I have a better idea for our little thief,” I said smirking down at the screen the second I saw her appear, stepping inside. But of course, she knew the code to this one, as it was her birthday. Something I knew she had seen when I had paid for her meagre groceries, wanting to laugh aloud just thinking back on her cereal addiction.

Gods in Hell, but she was fucking adorable, the way her eyes widened as she took in the room, a small collection of all the things I had acquired over the many years upon the Earth. The most important of which was still embedded beneath my flesh, now very much a part of me since that day I helped her father save her mother…his price had been the blood of Christ, hers the blood of a Vampire King.

Ironic then now, as I had Christ’s blood to compete with the blood of the Venom of God. Well, that will serve him right I thought with a barely contained snarl.

I quickly lost those dangerous thoughts and watched as she marvelled at all before her. Then the shock at seeing my most prized possession and one Dom had also managed to steal from me at one point during our feud, my Caliburnus. Many knew the sword as its more common name, Excalibur. The sword had long ago been gifted to me by the lady of the lake, fated that I would one day need it in my rule. But see, the thing with the Fates was how little they could be trusted, something Dom had learned the hard way, despite the outcome all those years ago.

Me, on the other hand, well I didn’t hold much faith in the Fates, nor did I listen to a fucking thing they had to say! I had been charged for too long with keeping track of the damned Oracle, for Lucifer’s obsession. But now Pythia was no longer my concern and in the only place she should be, his prisoner in Hell. Although, I doubted she was complaining as torturing her would have been the last thing on his mind. But then again, he wasn’t the only one obsessed with a mortal girl, I thought as I ran a fingertip down the length of her frame on the screen.

I watched as the longer she was inside there her unease grew, with the way she looked over her shoulder at the door as if contemplating whether or not she should run.

“Be brave little bird, just a little longer so I can have my fun,” I said urging her on for my own amusement, even though she couldn’t hear me. I just couldn’t wait to watch her reaction when she tripped the alarm and found herself locked inside knowing that she had been caught. Fuck, but I felt my fangs growing in anticipation, not giving a shit who saw and questioned my reaction. Because really, this had been the most fun I’d had in years. It felt like having a plaything to amuse myself with. An unsuspecting little mouse as she made her way through my maze and well now my sweet little Šemšā had just found its centre.

I watched as trepidation made her hand shake as she reached out for the box, knowing deep down that something bad was about to happen. But she couldn’t stop herself as she had come this far. I even found myself holding my breath and leaning forward as she did as the second she touched it, she triggered the hidden sensor she wouldn’t have known about and the whole place came alive around her.

Heavy metal doors started to slam down all around the room and her head snapped to the sound, her sweet mouth opening in shock, her lips making a perfect O shape. Again, the sight made my cock hard like the sick bastard I was.

Then her mind finally kicked into gear and her panicked gaze shot to the door that was closing. She ran to it far too late to stop it and ended up pounding her fists on the heavy metal, silently I could see her scream the word ‘No’ before she cursed over and over again. I found myself wishing it had audio just so I could have heard it for myself instead of being left to imagine what it was like. That intoxicating breathy panic coming from her would have been like fucking music to my ears. I was even tempted to rise and go to her in that moment just in hopes to have caught the end of it.

But this wasn’t part of my plan.

“What now?” Clay asked and I grinned without taking my eyes from her and said,

“Now it’s time for a drink.” I said clicking my fingers and the second a waitress appeared, I relaxed back and said,

“And time for her punishment.”

16

My Kind of Kindness

Present day

I grinned as I walked through my club thinking back to that day. The day she walked right into my trap a week ago. But then I also thought over the days and in them how far we had both come since that night. The night I finally let myself kiss her fully for the first time.

The night this Demon found Heaven.

The thought had me looking up from the bottom floor as if I would find her there, on the top floor looking down from the VIP. The club was empty at this time, so being free of humans I was free to speak as I wished.

“The girl…”

“Yeah, I know, she doesn’t leave no matter what. I told you, I ain’t suicidal,” Clay told me in that gruff tone of his. I nodded to him before doing the same to Ruto, my right hand who looked yet again beyond pissed off that he was missing all the fun.

“You will have your time, I am sure,” I told him, making him scoff at me with a nod and that was all. I turned to leave, and this time resisted the urge to look, just as I did when I exited my building and folded myself into the car they had waiting for me. Because I knew if I had looked up and seen her staring down at me like last time, then I never would have left.

But even when in the car, this time being ignored by the mortals that had drawn the short straw being picked to escort me, I found my mind elsewhere. Because despite the seriousness of the situation and current threat, I still found my thoughts more in the past than the present.

Just the idea of her trying to leave had me playing back my fears all over again. The Gods knew the anger I had felt just knowing that she had planned to steal from me before sneaking out and to what, to run forever. Did she really think she could hide from me? Oh, she could change her life all she wanted, her home, her job, even her damn name, disguising herself as much as she thought she would have to, but all of it meant nothing. Because I would have hunted her to the ends of the Earth and beyond if I had to. Just the thought of her believing she could escape me made me near boiling over furious and the men in the car could pick up on it. Their fear was a stench, unlike Amelia’s where it simply made my mouth water. A delectable scent I craved like all the rest of them, one in particular being my favourite…

Her arousal.

A thought I quickly tamped down before I ended up sat here with a damn hard on and these assholes added sexual deviant to the MO of being the cold-blooded killer I was.

So, I allowed my mind to seep right back into my earlier thoughts. My sweet bird flying into my cage the way she had still made me grin, something else the mortals in the car could add to their fears, I was clearly fucking crazy.

But despite her being a clever little thing, my girl, she was also an idiot if she believed herself more capable than me. And the second I saw her slump down to the floor of my vault, that was the moment I knew she had finally started to get it. She was obviously a quick learner. Learning that she couldn’t beat me.

However, she still showed me that fire in her when after about twenty minutes of letting her ask questions of what would happen next, as was her punishment, she then raised her hand to the camera and gave me the middle finger. I remembered shocking the entirety of my VIP the second they witnessed their King’s hilarity as I threw back my head and laughed, doing so harder than ever before.

‘I think she has hit her limit,’ I had said before nodding to the doors that led into the lobby, telling Clay to get his men to fetch her. But then she had appeared and as much as I relished watching her struggle with her fears, being that I could taste her fear from here and it was fucking delicious, I also didn’t have it in me to make her suffer.

Gods, but she had been a treat and a fucking feast for the eyes too. As the second she had been escorted inside my club, I swear the urge to snatch her up, throw her over my shoulder and kick open the doors to my apartment had me near snapping the back of my chair where my arm lay looking far more casual than I felt inside. But I was the master at hiding my emotions, or the beast inside me was, one that admittedly these days was far too close to the surface, especially when our Chosen One was around.

But even after I had beckoned her forward and offered her to take a seat, I could see the defiance in her eyes as she refused me. But there was something else there hiding in the shadows of her eyes. And it was when her breath caught the second I stood to go to her that I knew what it was. It wasn’t just her fear of me, but of me as I was in the past.

I had known then in that moment she believed that by being here, in front of me now, just as she had been seven years ago that she was about to relive that night. That’s when I knew it was time to rewrite the past and in doing so, righting a wrong. Starting with the dress I knew she wore underneath the heavy material of her jacket. However, the second she had admitted that this time she hadn’t worn it for me, I found myself forcing myself to relax enough that I wouldn’t simply rip the offending item from her. I needed to go slow, I needed to gently erase her fears of an impending rejection that would never come…

Not this time.

No, this time, I had been determined to get what I wanted, no matter the consequences. So, I had begun by luring her in, tempting her, teasing her with this new side to me, one she had yet to discover. But then she had thought it done only to humiliate her and that was when I knew the true depth of the hurt and pain I had inflicted that day. Years had not weakened its memory as I had hoped it would have but instead, only managed to preserve it for me as punishment until she was here once again.

After that I knew there was no more slowly bringing her around, but only immediate action would have any chance at convincing her. Which was why I had simply picked her up and carried her into my private living space, intent on having my way with her. Yet another time my hopes had been drowned out by her doubts.

I swear I had nearly choked when she told me how she didn’t believe I even liked her. Gods, but she really didn’t have a fucking clue and I wanted to shake my head at myself, questioning had my act of disdain and indifference towards her really been that convincing? Well, my obvious answer had been staring at me all wide eyed, with the disbelief written in the depth of her eyes. The feeling powerful enough to fucking drown me in an ocean of guilt along with that fucking hope!

It had been in that moment that I realised I had gone too far in pushing her away and my only wish was that the damage made wasn’t irreparable. My first step in doing so being the one I had wanted to take since first learning of who she was to me. But restraint had become my middle name and I had quickly become a fucking master at it!

Well, no more. So, I took her lips like I craved and the second I had first kissed her I knew that for as long as I took breath, that I would never stop owning them. That I would kiss her at every given opportunity, and in these last few days I had made good on my promise. My only limitation had been going at her pace, for if it had been left up to my desires, then I would have never let her go that night. And the space I forced myself to give her would have been no more than ten minutes not the two days I had.

But then again, I knew I had something to keep me busy.

The hunt.

Which brought me back to this next meeting and what it may hold. I was naturally hoping for more bloodshed, being this time the ones making demands and issuing the orders. Because the quicker I got this shit done and eliminated the threat, the more I could concentrate on her. Although, admittedly if I had to continue the ruse of a threat just to keep her under my roof without a fight, then I was a big enough asshole to do so.

So, getting in this car alone was my plan, despite how my council disagreed, Ruto and Clay especially. But this was done as a show of strength because if I had walked in there surrounded by my people, then I was giving them power in the misplaced knowledge that they were needed. But by showing up alone, then I took that power from them with my obvious lack of concern. After all, the sight of one man who believed he could take on an army made each man question why. And if a man questioned why, then fear of what the answer may be was sure to follow.

But naturally my people were protective over me, just as much as they were over their own lives. It was also why, being the one who sired them, it was incredibly difficult for one of them to ever betray me. Unless of course, they found the extremely rare means.

Besides, I now had an advantage after the night before, where twenty or so mortals forfeited their lives. Their show of numbers supposed to impress me. As I hadn’t lied when I said that had been a test. One that had ended in bloodshed the second I found out that they had been a taskforce hired with only one purpose. To get the box back at all cost. Which meant they would have had to kidnap my girl and torture her until I agreed to give it to them. This had been their plan. I knew that the moment I walked inside. How, after the deaths of their comrades, they would enjoy sending me the fucking pictures and pieces of Amelia in boxes, doing so until I complied!

Admittedly the second I had read the thoughts of one in particular, a twisted mortal’s mind on all the ways he wanted to fuck Amelia, well then I had lost my shit pretty quickly. But no one in that room had to be blind to my secret, which meant I had no beast to contain. Besides, it had felt good to get my hands dirty and release him of the Devil’s chains…if only for a minute or two.

But then, as the car continued through the streets of my home the city of Munich at the end of its working day, I thought back to when I had left Transfusion the first time. Getting into a different car than I had done this time. The jolt to my heart was one I couldn’t ignore, when I saw her looking down at me as I got inside. The worry for my safety plain to see.

I couldn’t tell you what such a sight meant to me. I had nodded to her, a subtle way of telling her it would all be fine. But then, after I got in the car, I looked behind me as the car pulled away to find her hitting out at the frame before admitting defeat and sliding down its length, clearly upset at the sight of my departure. There I watched as she hunched over with her head in her hands and I didn’t know in that moment whether I cursed my supernatural sight or not.

Fucking Hell, but I had been in a mind to bring this car to a stop just so I could go back to her. But then I had taken one look at the mortal cretins that had thrown every threat my way. Threats to get me to go with them, something they were clueless to know was actually no threat at all as I chose to go with them, nothing more. Because no one on this Earth made me do a damn thing that I didn’t want to do.

I had almost given into the urge to smirk as they had assumed by me looking back at my club that I was concerned about leaving its safety. I knew this by the cocky stench of self-assurance that filled the car, that and their obvious grins. I would have rolled my eyes had I not yet wanted to give away my intentions of not letting a single fucker live.

Well blood was blood, and I was…well always up for a good meal and there was nothing sweeter than tasting the blood of your enemies. Well, nothing until last night. Because I swear that the second, I had finally given into the roaring impulse I always had around her, by piercing her soft skin and tasting her blood, well then, my entire fucking world had stopped. There had been nothing before that moment in time.

Thousands of tastes had coated my tongue before, victims of circumstance, enemies of wars…even the exotic tastes centuries of this world had to offer, Gods, but even my favourite dessert SholehZard, and not one fucking thing compared! Although I had smiled at the time, thinking back to her reaction to trying the Persian dessert. One traditionally served on the occasion of festivals such as Tirgan, as well as Ramazan, and at the memory, had I been alone I would have laughed aloud. Her reaction and face alone, now forever changed the experience of the dessert forever more.

But like I said, now nothing compared to the taste of her. Her blood was like drinking in life itself. It was like my very own elixir created by the Gods and offered to me in the vessel of a fucking Goddess! It was most certainly the closest thing to Heaven that I would ever experience that was for damn sure. Lucifer’s blood, but even thinking back to it now as I licked at a fang, wishing that I hadn’t already savoured every last drop, was temptation enough to have this car turn around, just like the one the night before.

But then I caught sight of the mortals eyeing what I knew was a demonic grin and licking at my fangs that I hadn’t realised until now had grown just thinking about her. Well, now they actually started to allow their fear of me to morph into doubt, unlike the fools the first time. Good, it was about time they started to take who they had in the car with them seriously.

That was why I didn’t have this car turned around. Because pretty soon I would know who was behind all this and then, like last night…

I would have my bloody fun.

* * *

That night

After my bloody fun I found myself desperate to get back to Transfusion, only because being apart from her even for this short time wasn’t something I liked. Gods in Hell, but it was like some fucking cosmic joke. I had put space between us for so long and learned to live with my obsession from afar. But now that she was actually in my home, constantly within reach, I found myself unable to think of little else. But well, being this far apart now felt like a blade embedded in my chest that would only be removed once I could touch her again.

Because I couldn’t fucking relax knowing that she was where I wasn’t. Yes, I knew my men competent enough to do their jobs, as Clay hadn’t been kidding when saying he wasn’t suicidal by letting her leave. Because if I didn’t get things my own way, I could be a mean, moody motherfucker, who relished in making those around me suffer.

Like I said, I was a true bastard.

I was what the Devil had made me.

But in regards to my men, it was why now I only turned those I considered the best, surrounding myself with an army of warriors of the highest power. Oh, there were those who wanted me to grant them the gift of becoming one of my creatures but not many passed my test. And once they discovered the level of control I had on my turned, well then let’s just say that binding their lives to me wasn’t for everyone.

But right now there was only one being that I wanted to be bound to me and she was the one I was fucking growling like one of Cerberus’ Hellhounds to get back to.

And just like those beasts, I fed and I fed well.

Which was why a little time after first arriving I was left to simply pluck the now bloody keys out of the jacket of one of only two survivors. One of which was currently on the floor bloody and beaten and the other was huddled in the corner rocking and praying to Christ to survive this, clutching his broken arm to his chest. Yeah, good luck with that one mate, I thought with disgust, as me and Christ had fucking history, and not one I spoke of…ever.

Of course, the broken mortal had pissed himself, along with other things and was one of the reasons I decided not to dirty myself with his stench of vomit, piss and shit. Instead I would use him to deliver my message, knowing he would. Especially after the threat to find him, rip out his tongue before making him choke on it, should it slip his mind to do so.

Then I stepped from the room of death, now flooded with the mortal waste that a death hex left a body after they had melted from the inside out. I looked up to the ceiling of the warehouse they had brought me to and closed my eyes, breathing deep and scaring birds with the satisfied growl that rumbled from my chest. Then to the sound of panicked wings, I sucked the dripping blood from my fingers as I made my way down to the parked cars out the front of the abandoned space. I pressed the fob for the SUV we had travelled here in and used it to get back to the club.

Back to my girl.

Thankfully, the place they had taken me to was no more than fifteen minutes from the city and combined with the twenty minutes of torturous fun and bloody feeding I’d enjoyed, I would be back sooner than I thought. The moment I parked the car in my own underground parking, one with a hidden entrance, I used the private elevator to the top floor. Then I made a call.

“Where is the girl?”

“She’s sat in the garden, looking fucking depressed if you ask me,” Clay commented dryly making me snarl,

“I didn’t ask…Now how long has she been there?” I asked, only because I was curious, especially now I knew she looked forlorn. I also found myself caring enough to question why, something that in itself shocked me. Was it because I had left? I shook my head at myself, scratching my head, as I wondered if this what was it would be like, guilt and irrational thoughts plaguing me from here on out?

“About forty minutes.” I frowned knowing that there was a chill in the air and that humans were susceptible to catching all types of shit. Which was why the question was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Does the girl have a jacket?”

“Seriously?” Clay asked his shock understandable, as apart from her mother, Keira, I hadn’t shown care for anyone’s health before other than those few brief occasions.

“Just answer the fucking question,” I growled making him release a sigh before telling me,

“No, and seeing as this time you are asking me, she looks fucking cold.” My only response back was an annoyed rumble in my chest.

“If she isn’t back inside in five minutes, let me know and I will go and get her ass back down here. Raise the table and inform the council, I will be there shortly,” I told him and hung up, knowing I was free to enter my apartment without her seeing me soaked in the blood of others. Not exactly an enticing sight a potential lover would wish to see no doubt…well, a mortal one, I thought with a knowing grin.

I showered quickly, changed my clothes, setting everything alight other than my boots, which weren’t beyond a simple clean. So, I threw them in the shower after me, letting the water run long enough to do the job. Because despite what people would think of me, in my mind being rich didn’t give you the right to get people to clean your shit, and that included the blood of your victims. I had been in enough damn wars to know that a true warrior cleaned the kill off their own weapons after battle.

By the time I got out and was rubbing a towel over my damp hair, I saw a message on my phone that said one thing,

‘Your bird just flew down from her nest and found your vipers.’ Umm, now that was interesting, seeing as I had been hard pressed to get her back inside my club after that first night, when in that instance she’d had no choice. But now she had just walked straight in there knowing I was gone. Now the biggest question was, why? Was it the memory of me in there that kept her away or the desire to know where I was and the only answers to find were with…what did Clay call it, my vipers?

There was only one way to find out. But first, I made sure to grab a jacket, putting it on so when I forced it upon her, she would have no choice but to wear the scent of me surrounding her. The thought made my cock hard, just like most other possessive thoughts of her.

But then, as I walked into my club and saw her standing there, I knew nothing would stop me from putting my arms around her stating my claim, even in front of my own council, one that already knew of my obsession. After all, it wasn’t as though I could hide it and nor did I care to, for they would soon get used to the sight of seeing her by my side.

So, after scolding her gently for not wearing a jacket and hiding the depth of my annoyance at finding her cold, I led her to my table, telling her to be brave when I saw the reluctance in her gaze.

I had to say, after a night of death, then having her sat next to me at my council table felt strangely right...peaceful even. Not something I expected to feel after losing myself to bloodlust.

I even found myself unable to hold back touching her, getting protective when my unruly second would snipe out at her, just as he did with most new people. In fact, the only person I had ever known him to take to instantly had been Percy.

A being who had become like his shadow over the years and the only person he still tolerated without his usual look of disdain. Of course, there was also myself, his master and sire, someone he pushed on occasion like tonight but ultimately, he obeyed me without question.

But then as the night progressed and talk grew to earlier events, I found myself furious as Amelia questioned my ability to handle myself. Did she really think me so weak that I was unable to handle a room full of mortals on my own?! Did she not know of my power? She surely wouldn’t have questioned her own father’s ability! Gods, but I found myself furious at her!

I found myself needing to test her. To show who it was she questioned. Who she was fucking with! I was near blind with rage, insulted that she didn’t think me capable of protecting her. So, I told her why those men suffered, tempted even to go into detail. To explain what it felt like in my hands to snap bones as easily as breaking twigs. How stepping on their bodies was like stepping on glass. How I wanted to howl in victory like a fucking animal the second I heard the sweet music of their agony, or their begging cries for mercy. But I wasn’t a merciful being, far fucking from it. Not when I was coating my tongue with their blood and gorging myself on their life like a man determined to get drunk from their favourite beverage.

But I didn’t say these things. Because I didn’t want her to know just what a savage beast I was. No, she would discover that out for herself soon enough. But for now, I wanted her how I wanted her, and the look of disdain and disgust was most certainly not the thought I had in mind.

So, I warned her in the calmest way I knew how, with her ass sat in my lap and her warmth surrounding me. It centred me, stilled my anger down to a simmer and enough that I could be soft with her. I could be gentle despite the angry bite of my words.

But then the moment she admitted why she had said those things had been because she had been worried about me, an emotion I wasn’t used to feeling took hold of me and morphed into something dark and cruel. And like a bastard I had lashed out at her intending to hurt her the only way I could, with my fucking words.

Because the truth was, I might be rough with her, if only to give her a glimpse into what her future with me would be like, but actually hurt her physically, well the idea made me feel sick and a stomach of blood threatened to reappear at the thought.

So, I had hurt her with what I knew would work,

‘Worried for me, or for your mother?’ the second I had said it I had to mask my regret, for I wanted to kick my own ass. I wanted to fucking cut out my own tongue and offer it to her as payment for my foolishness. The way she had recoiled back from me, I had no choice but to let her. Because the very mention of her mother was like her own brand of venom, a bitterness she couldn’t get past, not until she first knew the truth…but right now that wasn’t something I would permit. Not when the only outcome would be her running from me. No, first I had to bind her to me so running wasn’t an option.

Only then when I was assured of being able to hunt her with ease, would I chance easing her pain with her mother.

But with that ease came a whole different kind of hurt…

My kind of kindness.

17

My Threatened Heart

Punishments.

Was it hers or mine?

Because of my need to punish her that night, in return she went to slap me yet a fucking again! But then something in her switched and my punishment wasn’t the sting she tried to inflict but her actions after. It started when she took me completely off guard, doing so by taking control when she practically threw herself back in my arms and kissed me as though I was her own fucking God to worship.

The way she had ground herself down on my straining cock had me close to banding her to me and walking from the room with only one intention. Finally making her mine and breaking through the last barrier between us…literally.

But then, just as quickly as she gave herself to me, she was tearing herself away, giving back as good as I fucking gave her with the cruelness of my previous words. The second she snarled,

‘You don’t get to humiliate me sexually ever again, you heartless bastard!’ After this she ran from me, and I was in too much shock to react quick enough. Hell, even my council were as fucking dumbfounded as I was! I even remember reaching out for her and her getting away, something I allowed her to do just so I could react the way I wanted to without her witnessing it. The fear in her eyes would have been my own brand of venom hissed back at me and I didn’t feel like getting stung anytime soon. So, I let her go, knowing that I could have been at her before she even made it three steps from my table if I’d wanted.

But instead I waited until I heard the door slam behind her before I erupted out of my chair and threw the fucking thing through the glass barriers that separated the VIP from the rest of the club. The sound of glass exploding before the echoing of the chair smashing into large splinters two floors below, did little to ease my burning rage.

“FUCK!” I roared, throwing my arms behind me, so far lost in wrath I felt as if my skin was going to split wide fucking open and allow the Devil’s beast to take control completely. I even ignored the shocked looks of my people as they had rarely ever witnessed such uncontrollable rage in me before. Calm, collected, brutal rage yes, but one that burned like the pits of hot Hell, ready to destroy a fucking city rage…then no.

And I knew why it was, because I had yet to claim her. I had yet to break through the barrier that was my right to do so and claim her the way no man had ever done before or would ever get the chance to after me. The girl was mine and the thought of anyone taking that from me, let alone her doing so herself, well it had me blind fucking murderous!

My need to take her was growing with an intensity that pushed at every part of my dominant personality. It made me think of nothing else and I knew it would only get worse. Putting space between us all these years had been the smartest fucking thing I had ever done, as now, being this close to her, well this was nothing but self-inflicted torture!

But I knew now that there was no going back. I couldn’t walk away now or put space between us once more. It was too late for that. I was too far gone. Even now my body itched to take her, or at the very least taste her again. Which was why I was doing yet another stupid thing and that was demanding that she not play with fire ever again. She needed to learn her damn lesson one way or another, whether I had to pin her to the fucking wall and keep her there until she understood who the fuck she was messing with!

I managed to calm enough to speak, first taking large rumbling breaths before doing so.

“The two I left alive, I collared them, track them and find out who else has a fucking death wish!” I snarled out the order before going in search of my next prey, one considerably more delicious than anything I had ever tasted before.

I had barged through the doors, hearing the crack as they hit back against the walls, wood splitting the moment they did. Then the second I found my leather jacket discarded on the floor in the lobby I picked it up and twisted the leather around in my hands as my undiluted rage continued to get the better of me. I knew I was free to leave my men in charge of finding out who was at the top of the mortal food chain, one that would now be easier since I had marked each with a unique marker that Hakan would be able to track, as was one of his gifts. After all we called it being collared for a reason.

And more importantly, this allowed me the time to show Amelia exactly who she was fucking with or more like what happens when she taunted the beast…she would get my fangs.

I had then stormed into what I had declared as her personal space, dominating the air around me with the power of my rage and frustration. Something that the second I found her, escaped me in a single heartbeat, and as quickly as if some unnatural force was sucking me dry of it only to replace the intensity of my emotions with a blinding lust. I had heard the shower but didn’t think to stop, knowing the possibility that she could have been in there. Of course, the second I broke open the door, angered that there had been any barrier between us, I had ended up rooted to the spot at just the sight of her.

She was fucking exquisite!

I didn’t know who it was that invented the shower glass doors that wouldn’t steam up but I was ready to write them a check for millions in thanks. For now it offered me the clear view of what I could easily declare as the most beautiful sight in the world.

My Chosen One naked.

But not just naked, wet and naked. Gods have mercy on my damaged soul, for what I wanted to do to this woman was nothing short of Hellish and sinful! All that naturally golden tanned skin. That midnight waterfall of glossy black hair cascading down her back, as dark as the fringe of thick lashes that framed the most beautiful eyes in the world. Gods in Heaven, below she was fucking perfection. She actually stole my breath away from me and as much as I wanted to pounce on her, I was also actually afraid that when I did, I would simply pass right through her.

Because in that moment I felt too blessed to even believe she was real. Like it was a trap and she was in fact some kind of siren luring me to my death, a life I would have signed over to her in my last heartbeat. But she had no clue as to the immense power she held over me. To the point that even when she shook her head, telling me not to come closer, I knew no force alive would have stopped me in that moment. Not even her.

I just had to taste her and fully this time. Not just the bare sample I’d been tortured with on her lips. No, this time I wanted it all, starting with the cream of her sex, produced only by her lustful want of me. So, I hadn’t stopped. I hadn’t given into her silent demand. Instead I had taken what was mine and it had been nothing short of a feast fit for the Gods.

Fucking divine.

I had feared that once I started, I wouldn’t ever have let her go and to be truthful, I could have done so for hours. Hell, I wanted to get drunk from her flavour and drown in her soft moans as she came with my fingers inside her and my teeth firmly embedded at her clit. I had remembered to take care at least, making sure not to break the barrier of her innocence with my fingers, knowing that honour was for my cock alone. Something when finding her bare, wet and ready for me had nearly been done in the fucking shower. But in the end, I knew that I wanted her first time with me to be what she deserved. Time would be taken, care shown and not the result of my mindless lust at seeing her naked for the first time like a rutting teenager!

No, for now I knew that the three orgasms I had given her and the blood I had taken was enough, especially when her body could no longer support itself, weak from her sudden blood loss. I knew then that I would have to take care, learning restraint around her for I didn’t want to accidently harm her in anyway.

After all, being with a mortal was new to me. Oh, who was I lying to, for it was all fucking new to me! Every Gods be damned feeling I now had was all new, and in honesty I didn’t know how Dom had fucking survived it when meeting his own Chosen One. I felt as though I was willingly signing myself up for insanity!

Just like the second I felt her go limp in my arms feeling that moment of panic. Just like I had that night when finding her taken from my club.

Panic.

Fucking panic!

I didn’t panic, ever! I was a fucking King and son of Lucifer for fuck sake! But if that was the case, the second she lost consciousness, this little mortal beauty in my arms, why did I have the urge to protect her, to care for her, why was it taking over me?!

The reason why I gave into it and when I was assured she was safe and her breaths deep and even, I took care of my girl. I held her in my arms, lowered us both to the shower floor and then took my time washing her. It felt in that moment as if caring for a fallen angel, one that simply had found the world too much to bear and decided to sleep through life. She looked so peaceful, as I wrapped her body in a towel and carried her to her bed, before laying her down facing me, so I could simply watch her.

And never, in all my years on this Earth, had I ever taken so much time and care when being with a woman. In fact, I barely even remembered my time before I had turned, which included all the women I had bedded. One face in particular I should have remembered better than all the rest, but after over two thousand years, I was sad to say that her image had long ago blurred from my memory. But I wasn’t that man anymore, nor had I been for a very long time.

Christ had seen to that.

I had been thankful to see her sleep and to do so peacefully in my arms felt like another gift. Another gift after the one she let me abuse with my mouth and hands in the shower. But when she did finally wake, she had gotten all shy after what I had done to her and I had confessed to knowing that she had never been with a man before. And, well, if it made me a bastard preventing such from happening then so be it, I would claim the title gladly. For she had been destined for me by the Gods themselves and really, it was about fucking time I was entitled to my due.

But then I had been surprised, for after a brief moment of annoyance on her part and confessing only a few of my sins against her, on the whole she had woken up playful. A side to her I had only seen brief glimpses of before. Starting with when she had tried to hide her modesty. Something that had been utterly pointless at this juncture, considering I had just spent a good few hours not only staring at her naked form, when making sure the sheets didn’t cover her entirely, but also after I had washed every inch of her body.

But she had pulled up the sheet, her embarrassment being nothing short of adorable. But then in doing so, had exposed myself and when her eyes homed right in on my very obvious and hard arousal, her reaction had been priceless. Shouting out loud about how large I was, I am not going to lie, was a compliment I was claiming whether it was said more in panic on her part or not. However, her reaction after blurting this out was to cover her mouth, dropping the sheet in the process.

By the Gods, but I would never forget the sight of her reaching for it, only to end up in a pile on the floor tangled among the covers. It had been the cutest sight I had ever witnessed, still amazed that I could find the sentiment both amusing and a great fucking turn on! For all I wanted to do was scoop her up and kiss every inch of blush on her body, one I could see growing when I shifted to look down at her over the end of the bed.

Shortly after this and a little teasing later we ended up playfully fighting over the sheet, and I found myself feeling something I never had before. A lightness in my heart as if someone had replaced it with one no longer cold and hard like stone but one that actually beat.

A heartbeat only for one woman.

But then when that knock on the door came, I had wanted to cover her body with my own and snarl at the door mine. I had wanted to hide her away and force my will upon Clay to piss off and leave me to my Heaven found. Gods, but I fucking deserved it after all this time.

But then my rational mind had kicked in as I knew why he had arrived. I still had a fucking job to do. Like the whole race of people to protect, including her mother. But mainly, I had a Chosen One to keep safe and that included removing this thorn in my side…permanently.

In the end I had given in to the impulse but doing so by finishing our game and winning my victory after sliding her slight body beneath my own, making sure I didn’t crush her with my weight. It wasn’t lost on me our considerable size difference, and if anything, simply made me even more protective of her fragile and mortal frame. I knew that when I took her for the first time, then I would have to take care, and not lose myself to my other side. The side that craved her beyond all rational thought.

But then she started to continue her playful ways adding that wicked and easy humor to it, and I couldn’t help but shake my head, asking myself if it was even possible for someone to be so perfect. She was unlike any other I had ever met before and the knowledge that she was mine, made for me…well, it was like a fucking gift I would have stolen had it not been given to me freely!

But then she went once again throwing sass and fire my way and I found myself unable to just leave without one last taste, something she craved just as much as I did. Especially when I tore the sheet from her and feasted on her beautiful breasts the way I had always wanted to. Gods, but even her breasts were utter perfection and her skin tasted better than I ever imagined it would.

But then getting her all hot and bothered I knew what would happen the second I closed that door and the thought made me want to growl, because I was a fucking madman if I could get jealous of her own damn hand touching what was mine!

I honestly didn’t know if by the time I had her it would end up calming my obsession and possessiveness or actually just make it worse? Either way, it was happening even if I knew which was the most practical of the two to hope for. Because I couldn’t imagine it much worse than it was now, short of locking her in a damn comfortable prison cell and tying her to my bed each night! That or I was close to losing my fucking mind! The only time I felt at ease was when I was with her, surrounded by everything that was my personal little sun.

Because long ago Keira may have had the ability to blind me with the sun on the few occasions we kissed, but with Amelia, she didn’t just show me the sun.

She became it.

She was the heat that warmed my heart and didn’t blind me but instead bound me to it, wrapping me up like a heated cocoon and holding my newly beating heart safely inside it, never again letting it turn to ice. That was when I knew that Keira had only led me to my destiny, she had never been the true source of it.

But I knew the issues Amelia would face with our history, her mother’s and mine. Especially once all truth came to light. And to be honest I couldn’t blame her, for to a lot of people it would have sounded wrong. But the difference between being mortal and immortal was time.

Time was a very different concept for us, and for me I had quickly come to learn that my fascination with Keira had solely been based on an unknown future. I knew that now. For I had never felt the way I felt for Amelia about anyone, Keira included. And even though small elements of her mother shone through in her daughter, her distinctive humor and clumsiness being two of them, she didn’t remind me of her in the slightest, for she was totally unique and utterly made to be mine.

Now all I needed to do was convince her of that fact. But all in good time.

And speaking of time, fate had just brought me to my enemies door.

Brought me to my second night of death.

* * *

The car pulled up to a large mansion which was one of the few in the neighborhood of Schwabing, just north of the center of Munich. And seeing as Munich was Germany’s most expensive city, then Schwabing was one of its richest neighborhoods. In fact, I myself had a few large apartments in the area for investment purposes and not as ones I ever lived in. There was little point seeing as I spent most of my time between Transfusion and my hidden castle at lake Königssee. But Schwabing was no more than twenty minutes’ drive from The Neue Rathaus, the new town hall and one that held a particular memory for me.

It was a magnificent neo-gothic building from the turn of the century which architecturally dominated the north side of Munich’s Marienplatz. But it also happened to be one of the few places I liked to go and contemplate, something I had done many times after that night. It hadn’t been long after saving Keira from the auction house, and at the time, finding her dressed as a damn bird hanging trapped in a gilded cage. It was at a time I thought my love for her was without compare and well, it foolishly had been. I had known what Dom had done and shamelessly used it as an excuse to have her for myself, knowing that she was hurt and vulnerable at the time.

I had come so close to owning her, but then fate had intervened, and it was one of the only things I ever thanked the Gods for doing. Because in that moment, naked together on that clock tower and under a blanket of stars had been when the Gods had spoken, giving me a glimpse of what awaited in my future.

Giving me my first glimpse of my Amelia.

I swear I had torn myself from Keira so quickly, I felt fucking whiplash. And since then, I thought to how many times I had been back there just staring at the fucking moon like some hopeless romantic and nearly giving in to the impulse to fucking pray just for one more flicker of her image, as I had seen it that night. Asking myself how long I would have to wait until I could finally have her, until she was to arrive in the world. Something at the time I had no idea would actually come as a result from the immense love between Keira and Dom. I had no idea at all and wouldn’t have believed it even if someone had told me. Not until I saw for myself.

Not until I saved her life for the first time. The first time our paths crossed and not yet classed as the woman she was today. Just sixteen years old and already getting herself into trouble by sneaking into the Devil’s Ring, a fight club owned by the King of the Hellbeasts, Jared Cerberus.

But that night changed everything.

Because I knew the draw, the connection, the once foolish belief of love I had for Keira was all because of what she would give me. The life she would create, at the time it also felt like some fucking cosmic joke the Gods had played on us both all the time. Of course, Keira knew who her daughter was to me, for she was no fool. She had even once pleaded with me to make my move. But at the time I had believed this a desperate attempt at keeping her daughter an immortal, knowing a lifetime of my blood would change her as it had started to do with Keira back when she too was mortal and first met Dom. But there was something she didn’t yet know.

That no one knew.

And if they did, then I doubted even she would have believed me worthy enough for her little girl. But I was done waiting and done with my loyalty to Keira, for what I owed her had come to an end. Because I had paid my dues. The Gods knew how much I had fucking paid them, I thought feeling my gloved hand clench at the memory.

The reason for seven years fucking waiting!

It was of little wonder why by the time I entered the opulent residence I was seething. For starters they were the reason I was here now and not back with the girl I had waited twenty seven lifetimes for! Yet another offense I would have them pay for along with the mountain of others building. Meaning as I was escorted into the building, I found my strides self-assured and with deadly purpose.

I glanced off to the side and scoffed at the masked ball that seemed in full swing. One filled with members of the Skull and Bone, mortals each of them playing at being a demon for the night, an angel on their arm and every single heartbeat totally unaware as to what was really going on beneath their very noses.

They believed it just to be another event held by a senior member of the society. Some eccentric rich businessman inviting everyone to Germany for its annual ball, this year finding it being hosted in Munich. I’d had my people do enough research into the society to know enough that most mortals had no clue to the true nature it hid behind. Liessa had done well, but then again, with the age of social media, there was always someone who couldn’t help themselves in thinking the world cared enough to know what they were doing on the weekend.

I had once feared that Amelia would have willingly put herself at risk in following the decades old trend, but thankfully she was smart enough to refrain from joining any online social sites.

Besides, I already knew of her addiction to donuts without needing the pictures to prove it every time she bought one. Mmm, maybe that was why she was so sweet and gifted me with enough curves it made my mouth water. Hell, just thinking about the little bite marks I would soon leave on them had me fighting myself before I simply became a walking hard on.

But just the idea of seeing her body marked by my touch had me forcing down the image before I walked into this meeting with a fucking hard on that could have hammered nails into a block of Quebracho. Also known as quebrar hacha, which literally means axe breaker in Spanish, for it was known to be one of heaviest and hardest woods on Earth. Yeah, think of wood Luc, that will fucking help, I thought rolling my eyes at myself this time.

Although having a piece of that wood in my hands right now would have helped in focusing my mind more on violence than lust. I even found myself cracking my neck to one side just as my body hummed at the thought of the carnage that I knew would shortly ensue from behind the double doors I was being led towards. Finally, I was about to come face to face with the fuckers who thought they could hurt my woman and steal from me!

The door opened either side by two servants dressed in white suits and masked with the faces of what I could only think were supposed to depict that of a tortured soul. I shook my head thinking that they had no fucking clue on what a tortured soul looked like, but then again, what type of guest would I be if I didn’t correct them.

Time for a little show and tell, I think. My grin was pure evil the moment I stepped inside the large ballroom that was floor to ceiling marble with a startling blood red vein running through it. The only difference was the introduction of black marble in the checkered design on the floor, making the blood vein stand out even more against the gloss of darkness.

Three figures stood by an altar at the end of the room and as I approached, I scanned my surroundings, sending out a wave of power to find any hidden minds tucked away in the balcony that surrounded three sides of the room. The large glass window in front of me was an exact replica of one of the stained glass windows in the Duomo di Milano, the cathedral in the center of Milan. It was one that depicted a war between Heaven and Hell. Armed angels from above striking down at the demons below.

Well, if they wanted a war, then it would be short lived for this demon didn’t need an army at my back and walking in here alone proved that. But my wave of power detected that although no life was hidden in the shadows above, like a sniper with the sight of my head in his scope, it did detect some power. One human and two of my own kind…

“Rogues.” I hissed the moment I felt them like a stain on my soul. A mistake I wished I had the ability to claw back, taking from them what I had once given far too freely.

Rogues were hunted down and destroyed, killed for abusing the power I had once granted them. I thought I had caught them all and they were the reason I now only selected the most powerful demons for the change. Because once I did then that power would become my own, adding to my strength and making it even harder for them to become rogue.

But this decision had only been in the last few hundred years or so, as before then I simply built my army based on numbers, foolishly believing that was where my strength lay. As those that were weaker easily passed through my radar and were easier to succumb to the likes of a powerful casting of a witch. But even then, to twist my ties to those I sired was not an easy feat and often ended up killing the demon, hence why there weren’t many rogues for me to contend with once that tie between us was severed, of which only two ways were possible, one by a witch and the other by my own doing.

Although the second often meant a death sentence, as without me they wouldn’t often survive unless finding themselves a very powerful witch or warlock, and there weren’t many. One was my own, a witch I turned named Nesteemia, and the other with that level of power was named Rue, who was loyal to Dom. That left only two others to name and one from all accounts of my people had died by my hand long ago.

I watched as they lifted their blood red cloaks with a roll of my eyes at the theatrics. For surely my kind should have known better than to give in to the fanatical whims of what humans believed my kind to be. I even suppressed a chuckle when Amelia had threatened to call me Dracula back at the museum. I would have thought the mortals’ notion of my kind far surpassed the likes of Bram Stoker by now.

But saying that, I believed Dom still carried out the traditions when a new soul was to pass to a new vessel when the moon was right and shining down in his temple. But then again, he was as old as dirt, so it was of little surprise. I, however, thought the sight was a ridiculous one and unless I was dressing as something I wasn’t for one of Pip’s outlandish parties, then I would wear what I damn well pleased and this would be without a fucking cape or hooded cloak!

We were well past those times, thank the Gods!

“Ah the King grants us with his presence at last,” the mortal in the center said and I frowned asking myself where I had seen his face before. It wasn’t often I would ever forget…

“You,” I snarled the moment it came back to me making him grin, one that slipped slightly when I took a threatening step forward. The mortal cretin before me was the same one who had dared touch what was only mine to touch.

It had been the night of the gala when coming to the end of Amelia’s charming little tour. I had decided to sink back into the shadows to observe her in private, for I knew my presence was throwing her off her game. But then I had watched as the man placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it slightly as if to gain more of her attention before saying some extraneous nonsense about stepping back in time.

Well, I could see now that my punishment for that was still in the form of a cast on his hand, for I had broken his fingers with a thought before sending him on his way.

“Ah yes, I have you to thank for this I suppose,” he said with a misplaced air of authority.

“And the promise of more to come, I can assure you,” I replied looking down at my ungloved hand and allowing my talons to grow, smirking back at him when he paled significantly. Then I turned my attention to the other two which were of my kind and soon I was recognizing them as well, snarling the moment I did. The hatred in their burning crimson eyes was easy to see.

“So, this is your next plan is it, swapping the use of mindless mortal cattle in a penniless colony, to a cult better dressed…ones just as foolish through the guise of their rich society, I see,” I said nodding to the human in the middle who glared at me. But as calm as I seemed I was seething inside. Because now I was thinking back to the scum of the ‘fathers’ who had kidnapped Keira and made her believe she was someone else for almost a year, poisoning her mind and forcing her to live within the colony they created.

These two were the only ones who managed to escape, running from the fight at the first chance they got, it would seem.

“You won’t be saying that soon, not when you will find yourself repeating history before too long.” I frowned in question, as there was all manner in which those words could be taken. However, they weren’t wrong for the doors opened behind me and the second they did Lucifer’s blood froze in my cold black heart.

A heart Amelia had brought back to life.

The heart of a masked angel and…

My heart now threatened by a blade held at her own.

18

Web of Lies We Weave

The moment I watched as Amelia was dragged into the ballroom by her hair, I felt the cracks branch out around where I stood as my rage built to new heights. Instantly I sent out a wave of power, expecting my will to be obeyed and my enemies to all drop to their knees. But when this didn’t happen, once more a frozen chill crept its way up my spine, like the Devil himself had dipped his talons in ice and was now using them to drag his body up my fucking back.

They were immune.

I knew then that they hadn’t simply become rogue but in fact had a new master, one that held their will for his own and therefore they were impervious to mine. Something that had never happened before. Meaning only one thing, this new master of theirs held a power of will that matched even the strength of my own.

Something that should have been fucking impossible!

I sucked in a deep breath, now knowing that I had to play this situation very fucking carefully, because this had most certainly changed things. Which now meant I had no other choice but to exercise my other gifts, one of which was a seemingly ice cold reserve that was infallible.

Of course, this would be easier said than done, especially when seeing the way my girl was being dragged forward with a blade to her chest and I had to witness my Angel wincing in pain. Because that was exactly what she looked like right then, dressed all in white, with feathers framing her wide eyes full of panic. But there was also a hint of something else…relief. She was glad to see me, and I wished in that moment that I could have gained access to her mind. To infiltrate her thoughts so I could have told her all the things I needed to. The main one being for her to trust me.

I knew she thought I was about to make my move, and I would have liked to but then I was also very aware of the blade that quickly shifted from her chest to her neck as soon as she was forced to stop a few feet from the door. This was done on purpose so I had no hope in getting to her before that knife slit her throat. Now, if it had been a mortal hand holding that blade, then it would have been different, but it wasn’t.

Because the rogue had been right, this was history repeating itself. I knew that when her name was hissed from between my fangs,

“Layla.” She smirked when I said her name and I swear if it was the last thing I ever did, I would cut it from her face, preventing the sight ever to be seen again.

“Mast…oops, I almost forgot, I don’t have to call you that anymore, not since you cast me out and left me to die without you,” she said, her face twisting at the end as the memory resurfaced. Oh, but she had waited a long time for her revenge and with that fucking blade against my Chosen One’s neck, then I would now say it was fucking complete. Which was why I knew I had to play this one carefully, seeing first what they knew and playing one of my biggest strengths, the ability to keep my shit together and my emotions so close to my fucking chest, no fucker would have a clue at what I was thinking.

“You survived well enough I see,” I answered in a flippant way that had her frowning in question. She had expected more of a reaction and the brief look of surprise to the rogues at the altar confirmed my suspicions. I knew then that she had convinced them that Amelia meant something to me and was worth using as a bargaining chip.

Fuck! But what I had to do next would feel as if I was being forced to eat the burning hot sands of Persia. But then again, it wasn’t as if I hadn’t had to lie before. And looking at that blade by her throat, I knew her safety came first. Speaking of safety, how the fuck had they even managed to kidnap her in the first place?

“You were saying something about swapping mindless mortal cattle?” One of the rogues said in a tone that was laced with confidence. I had to hold back a growl and instead replace it with a feigned act of indifference.

“Ah yes, you’re right, I see now that I can add a disgruntled ex-lover to the list and one who foolishly believes she holds something of value to me beneath that blade,” I said with a nonchalant and unimpressed tone. I heard Amelia suck in a sharp breath in between her teeth and I held back my body’s natural instinct to flinch, unsure if her reaction was to my words or to Layla’s rough treatment of her. I tried not to eye that blade, knowing this too would give away my concern for her.

But I knew it had worked as each of the three in front of me shot annoyed looks to Layla, telling me this had been her plan in the making. She glared back at them before turning her cruel eyes back to me. Then she tore off Amelia’s mask and sneered,

“Cut this shit Lucius, I know you care for her!” I scoffed at this and replied,

“If you are referring to any attention shown towards her, I can assure you it is nothing more than a tactic to keep the girl in her place until I can palm off the burden to her family. But then again, if you have been keeping watch on Afterlife, as you obviously have on Transfusion, then you will know for yourself that they were on their way to Munich for that very reason,” I said calling their bluff, something that was starting to work on the three who seemed to be calling the shots, for they each looked to the other in question. Amelia this time sucked in a startled breath before hissing her curse at me,

“You bastard!” The urge to close my eyes and grimace was one I fought, replacing it with a knowing smirk sent her way in confidence adding,

“Sorry Princess, but fun’s over, time for mummy and daddy to take you home and finally off my hands.”

“Why you, you! Gods damn you Lucius, it was all a fucking lie!” she screamed at me but when she started struggling against Layla, I nearly fucking cursed her for real, hissing for her not to be stupid and stay fucking still!

“Of course, it was a fucking lie, you really believe I would give a shit about a spoilt, little mortal brat who is pathetic enough to believe herself in love with me and more foolish yet, that my love could be returned!” I snarled this time acting out my annoyance and I swear the second tears welled up in her stunning blue eyes, I felt myself close to fucking breaking right alongside of her!

But I knew it was working as the human in the middle snapped,

“Layla, you were wrong.”

“What!? He’s fucking lying, it’s what he does!” At this point Amelia finally let loose her tears and whispered,

“Hhhow could… you…how…” A sob tearing from her throat cut the heartbreak off and I forced my breathing to stay steady, along with keeping my body relaxed.

“Quite fucking easily, I assure you…but I will tell you princess, the blood certainly helped,” I said with a fake grin, granting her a wink and a lick of my lips, acting exactly as the bastard she had claimed me to be.

“I fucking hate you!” she screamed and would have turned her head away had the blade not still been there as a threat, but in Layla’s frustration she had at least let it slip slightly. I blew Amelia a mocking kiss and laughed before facing the three, demanding,

“Now can we move this shit along, as I take it the real reason I am here is you want to bargain for the box,” I said making the mortal cross his arms as if this would aid the older man in being more intimidating. Well, I wondered how intimidating he would find himself to be without the two rogues at his sides.

“It belongs to the Skull and Bones, you stole it,” he snapped making me want to roll my fucking eyes.

“Ah, ah, ah, get it right asshole, her father was the one who stole it, not me. I was simply charged with taking possession of it,” I told him nodding back over my shoulder to who no one in this room knew was my fucking soulmate at the mercy of the whims of a crazy bitch. How the fucking God´s name I was keeping my shit together I had no fucking clue!

“Yes, and if you remember, he did so by killing how many mortals, all in the name of protecting this, what did he call her, a spoilt, little mortal brat…seems to me to be a big fucking hole in your story there Luc!” Layla spat out making me snarl back at her in response.

“You want to fucking challenge me, Lahash, then kick the girl aside and come and get it!” I said making her grin.

“Ah, so you do want me to let the girl go?” she said as if she had just proved a point.

“You see, I was right!” I made a show of rolling my eyes for real this time and said,

“I was unaware that you had the ability to beat me with a mortal hostage in tow…I have to say that’s impressive. Well, come now, let’s see it…” When she didn’t take a step towards me I growled at her,

“No, I didn’t fucking think so!” I then turned my attention back to the men and knew it was time to drive my point home and in the worst fucking way possible.

Words that were unforgettable the first time.

But the second, they would be unforgivable.

“Not that it is anyone’s fucking business but I made a promise to her mother to protect her daughter but that promise only goes so fucking far. The bitch means nothing to me, I assure you… now her mother on the other hand…well, I think Layla remembers all too well the level of love I hold for the King’s Electus, seeing as she tried to kill her for it…quite a few attempts if memory serves me right…oh but wait, did she fail to mention this?” I said grinning the second I drove those doubts in Layla home and fucking buried her under them. Amelia on the opposite end of this looked as if I had just fucking broken her in two. She kept whispering a hopeless,

“No, no, no it’s not…it…can’t be true.”

“Now, if you want to continue to discuss this, then two things happen, first get that psychotic ex of mine out of my sight, for I think I have already established that she is fucking useless to you and clearly knows nothing!” I snapped snarling back at her over my shoulder and trying to ignore the way her hand that held the blade shook. By the Gods, I would fucking rip her apart should she hurt my girl! This thought at least eased my rage enough to continue my act.

“And the other?”

“What! How dare you, you would…”

“Shut up, Lahash!” One of the rogues growled and with the way he did, I would say that they had some power over her at least. Good, because I would need that to be the case, for she was about to get ordered to let my girl go.

“Release the girl, let her walk out of here untouched and I will consider your terms of a possible exchange.”

“YOU SEE! He wants you to let her go! I told you he cares for her!” Layla shouted quickly and I growled low before saying,

“You want a fucking war with the King of Kings, then go right fucking ahead, but I am warning you now, hurt his precious daughter and the wrath of Gods will be nothing in comparison. And as for her mother, if you know our history, then you will know who it is I am talking about…you know, the one with enough power she fought the fucking Titans and won…what do you think will fucking happen, uh?” At this the mortal who obviously had no clue looked to the other two each side of him and they each nodded at the silent question, now looking more fearfully at Amelia.

I couldn’t help but feel my gloved hand tense, clenching at my side as I knew I was mere moments from them letting her go. And it couldn’t have come soon enough either for I could feel my rage about to snap and my beast about to erupt. Too fucking close.

“Let the girl go, Layla!” One of the rogues ordered and I had to force myself not to take a deep breath in relief.

“WHAT! I can’t believe this, don’t you see, you are falling for his bullshit, just like he wants you to!” she shouted back and I swear it was only the image of crushing her skull beneath my boot that was holding me back from ruining all of this.

“I gave you an order!” he roared making her flinch. I could almost feel my victory, for what they didn’t know was that the second Amelia was out of the line of threat, then I would be free to set my plan into motion. Oh and there would be blood and it would look fucking beautiful decorating this room adding to the vein of crimson with something real. But with her in here I couldn’t risk her getting caught in the crossfire. She was my main priority and I needed to get rid of the risk first.

But Layla wasn’t yet ready to give up her prize. And like a dog with a bone she now felt backed into a corner enough to have a point to prove.

“No!”

“What did you say to me?!” the rogue demanded taking a threatening step forward.

“I promise you, that if you let her go now then he has no reason to give you the fucking box! You will be giving away the only thing you have to bargain with and the only thing that is keeping him from ripping you all apart, besides it is not your call to make!”

“He put me in charge, Lahash, remember that!” the rogue said, giving away the fact that, just as I thought, there was someone else at the top giving the commands and these three were just a level up from a lacky, that most likely meant that I had to at the very least leave one of them alive. Although I wasn’t sure that the mortal would survive as he would no doubt have a damn heart attack when he saw what I had planned for the rogues.

“Yes, and just think about what he has the power to do to you should you fuck up his one opportunity to get the box and he knows it was you that ordered the girl released!” she argued but the rogue feared my words more than hers, so told her,

“I will take that chance, because a war with the Dravens isn’t what he would want either. Now, let the damn girl go!” he ordered this time showing his fangs…ah yes, I would rip those out first I think, maybe make him choke on them.

“Fine, I will fucking prove it!”

“NO!” I roared but it was too late as it was being drowned out by Amelia’s cry.

“AHHH!” The sound of Amelia’s scream of pain was the limit that cut my cord of restraint because Layla’s way to prove her point was to suddenly yank her head back and start cutting her throat, doing so slowly enough that it just broke the skin. But it was enough that blood poured down the front of her chest and white dress, soaking half of her crimson.

“STOP!” I roared making her still her actions.

“If you don’t fucking let her go, I swear to you Lahash, I won’t just rip out your heart, I will take fucking days torturing you before I fucking devoured it! NOW LET THE GIRL GO!” I bellowed this last part with enough power that marble split all around me, until it even travelled up the fucking walls. But it was a threat she didn’t take seriously as she proved a point,

“I know you’re fast Luc, but even you won’t be able to stop me before I gut this bitch and slice her open. Bet you wished you had that power of will over us now don’t you?” I snarled at her and fucking hated that she was right.

“LET. HER. GO.” This time my demon spoke, and it shocked her to hear it, along with Amelia, who was now sagging slightly in her hold, despite the pain to her neck.

“And there is your proof…I told you, he cares for the bitch,” she stated proudly, looking to the three and making the urge to do something potentially stupid growing by the fucking minute. Because even though I knew Amelia wasn’t in danger of bleeding to death, it was clear that she was in pain and the sight was fucking with my head!

“Fine! We will seek our master’s council and await his word, but for now, have our men escort him to the prison you have ready.” At this Layla grinned happily, before saying,

“Oh, it will be my pleasure. Now Luc, remember to behave now, as just think, I have this bitch at my mercy,” she said removing the now stained blade and tapping Amelia on the side of the head with it, making me growl. Then she whistled, her grin slipping long enough to do so before it was back in place.

The doors opened and the lackies who had escorted me here, came back inside ready to take me to my cell. Layla had already started to walk both herself and Amelia back off to the sides, keeping out of range enough to know I wouldn’t reach them in time before she had chance to kill my girl.

Meaning that I had no choice but to walk out the door, noting how the guards all kept their distance. The urge to tear into them was nearly too much to contain, but then I knew that they had me on a fucking leash. Because they could hurt her at any point should I start killing their men. The look I gave Amelia was one I hoped told her to hold on, to be brave a little longer. That I would save her, if it was the last thing I ever fucking did on this Earth!

“Oh, don’t worry, if you’re good she will join you shortly,” Layla called back to me and the look I gave her over my shoulder promised nothing but pain, doing so until she was out of sight when the doors closed behind me.

I was then escorted down into the lower levels and inside what I assumed used to be a wine cellar that had been converted into a makeshift cell. I knew this as the scent of cork and wine still lingered as if it had seeped into the stone walls. The hallway was slightly damp and branched off into arched alcoves on each side.

The space at the very end was where I was intended for, as this was where the obvious money had been spent. Reinforced steel doors, similar in thickness to that of my own vault door faced me now and I wanted to laugh if they thought it enough to keep me caged. Because they could have been made from paper and it would have still done its job simply because they had Amelia at knife point. Had she not been a threat, then I simply could have killed the guards with a mere thought and walked right out of here.

But with her life threatened, I had to continue to ‘be good’ as Layla had put it. But the second I was inside and the door locked behind me, I found myself pacing the floor like a caged beast, concerned only for my girl. I worried about the cut to her throat, replaying it over and over in my mind, still trying to convince myself it wasn’t deep enough to be a threat to her life…but what if I had been wrong?

I took in my surroundings again, just for something to focus my mind on and a distraction to alleviate my growing tension and worry. The room also had once been used for storing wine, but it would have been where the barrels had been kept.

Although the building didn’t look that old my guess was that whoever commissioned this house, wanted it to have a ‘grand English mansion’ feel to it. That then included a more authentic looking wine cellar. And if you would go to the expense of making it look this way, then barrels were also part of the design. So, three large arches were against the back wall, each with a stepped inlay on the floor with wooden runs where the barrels would have sat.

A long padded bench covered in old red leather was also built into the walls, and obviously an addition added for the owner to sit amongst the rustic setting and enjoy a glass or two. At that moment I could have drunk fucking methane and breathed fire for my rage was building to near uncontrollable, as taking in the minute details of the room no longer helped.

Of course, I spotted the camera as soon as I stepped foot inside, knowing that they would be watching me. I wasn’t sure if it was the kind to pick up audio but there was a speaker incorporated into the wall.

I decided to test the theory and roared loud enough that stone dust from the ceiling rained down around me,

“BRING ME THE GIRL!” Then I hit out at the door hard enough to cause it to buckle around my fist but not too hard to destroy it completely. After all, this was a test and I couldn’t risk them hurting her.

“Bring me the girl and I will calm, or I will assume the worst and will break down this door, kill every last one of you and burn this house to the fucking ground!” I threatened making sure it was wordy enough. As expected, Layla’s voice came through the speakers giving me exactly what I wanted.

“Wow, that looks like a full on man paddy in there. However, your roaring rants and threats are useless, Luc, no one can hear you. Besides, I’m being kind and giving you a roommate as Samson thought it best you heal your girlfriend just in case our master wants her in one piece. Who knows, he may want her for himself.” I bellowed in anger at the thought, hitting out at the door again and this time actually cracking the hardened steel.

“Now, now, enough of that. Here she comes but I must warn you, if you try anything, escaping and such, once you have her then I will flood that room full of gas and set the whole fucking place alight before you have chance to stop me. So, if I were you, I would play nice…remember, I will be watching.” I bared my fangs up at the camera knowing now that she couldn’t hear me. That was one thing at least as when Amelia was finally brought to me, at least we had some shred of privacy.

Gods, but what was I to say to her after everything I had already said in the ballroom? The thought of her reaction was clawing at my insides. I had never been so unsure of anything in my whole life as I was in this moment. All I could hope for was the chance to explain and for her to be made to fucking listen long enough to accept my words as the truth.

Well, now was the time as I could hear footsteps approaching from behind the door. The second I heard the large locking mechanism shifting, I braced myself for what I may find. I swear if they had hurt her any more than what Layla already had, then I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t simply lose myself to the Hellish spawn I was reborn as.

Thankfully though, other than her injury, she seemed unharmed any further. However, the second she was pushed inside hard enough to go stumbling to the floor, I lost my shit. I managed to grab her before she landed, spun her to the side and grab the fucker’s arm all before he had chance to close the door. Then with one quick movement I bent his arm back against the steel edge of the door and snapped the bone in one strike. Then I let him go and with him still howling in pain the door slammed shut.

“Tut, tut, Luc, that wasn’t very nice,” Layla’s voice said over the speaker with a chuckle and I just gave the camera the finger, reminding me of what Amelia did back in my vault. Then I turned to face Amelia, putting my back to the camera. The first question came out quickly and in an unintentional bark of impatience.

“Are you alright?” She nodded slowly so as not to aggravate her wound, one she had been given a cloth to hold over to try and stop the bleeding. Then her sad, tear filled eyes looked up to the camera in question.

“They can’t hear us.” I told her and I saw her take a deep breath in relief.

“Good, that’s good because I…” she said and was about to open her mouth to say more but with that one look, I knew it wouldn’t be good, so I got in there first.

“Wait, just listen first and then you can hate me all you want but not before I have had chance to explain.”

“Don’t Lucius, there is…” she started but I cut her off.

“Yes, there is a lot to fucking say and you are going to listen, whether you damn well like it or not!” I demanded in a stern voice that brooked no argument, so she wisely shut up.

“I had no choice but to say those things, but you need to know that I didn’t mean one fucking word I said. You are too important to me, my only Gods be damned weakness and if they knew just how much, then fuck knows what they would have done, what that psychotic bitch would have enjoyed fucking doing!” I took a breath and dragged a hand through my hair in my frustration before going right back for more,

“Hell, but she could have done so much worse than she already did, so you need to understand that my words meant nothing, but your safety does. I made a decision and for that part I won’t apologize!” I snapped and the second her eyes became damp with emotion I caved,

“I am, however, sorry that you got hurt in the process, both physically and emotionally. You have to believe me.” It was the most I had ever come fucking close to begging, but Gods she certainly deserved it after what I had put her through and not just in the last thirty minutes but the last seven years.

It was everything I should have said to her long ago but I had never had the desperation to push me into doing so before. Never felt the fear that I had up there in that ballroom. The way I saw the heartbreak in her eyes.

But then it was clear that once again I had underestimated my girl, just like I had done before. Because she simply said,

“I do.”

“Come again?” I asked after jerking in some sort of double take asking myself if I had heard her correctly.

“I believe you.” I frowned as if she was the one I didn’t believe in that moment. But then she stepped forward and fucking shocked me to my core when she said,

“You’re not the only one who can act, Handsome.” Then she winked at me before she pulled back her arm and let it go in a whoosh, cracking my cheek with her palm, sending my face to the side on impact.

As she once again,

Slapped me.

19

Healing Hearts

Amelia

I watched the way his face turned back so slowly, and my heart hammered in my chest in anticipation of his reaction. Needless to say, he didn’t disappoint.

“You knew?” he asked on a rumble that sounded as if he was holding himself back. I rolled my lips inwards and nodded but then the second I hissed in pain forgetting my injury for a moment, his eyes lost their playful menacing side and grew intense. Then he took hold of the hand I was using to hold the cloth to my throat and after exerting a bit of pressure, he slowly pulled my hand away so he could assess the damage for himself.

“The bleeding has stopped at least,” he said taking care not to hurt me further when examining it. But then when he wanted to see how deep it was I sucked in a breath through my teeth and he gave me an apologetic look in return.

“I will fucking kill her for hurting you…I will kill them all,” he said with pure hatred coating his vow.

“Not a fan of your ex then?” I asked making him grant me an unamused look.

“She tried to kill your mother…many times,” he stated in a furious tone.

“Yeah, I got that part.”

“And then she slit your throat, so what do you fucking think?” he snapped, so I tried for humour again as he continued to examine the wound.

“Honestly?” I questioned before going on to joke,

“That she is just a crazy bitch and in fact you don’t just want to kill all your exes… because no offence, you’re hot and everything, but not sure I want to chance dating you if that’s the case…so just friends, yeah?” At this I finally saw his lips twitch as he tried not to grin but instead hold on to his anger.

“Absolutely not…now stay still,” he replied making me want to smile this time, knowing that he didn’t want to be my friend. Because I had to confess, as much as I knew he was only saying all those things in the ballroom to save me, it still managed to hit a few too many nerves. Nerves that were already near shot to pieces. Which was why I couldn’t help but say in what I knew was a small voice,

“You were very convincing up there.”

I wasn’t sure it was supposed to come out quite as vulnerable as it sounded, but it did. He lifted his eyes to mine and held my gaze for a few seconds longer than what was comfortable before replying with,

“I wasn’t the only one.”

I knew he was referring to my performance, one I knew I had no choice but to play along with. And in truth, it had been nice to know he had been worried that I hadn’t believed him, blurting his reasons for lying as soon as I was thrown in here. Well, after he broke that guy’s arm first.

I shrugged my shoulders, wincing again as I kept forgetting the pain it would cause.

“I told you to hold still!” This time he did growl at me and I knew it was because he was concerned, as it was obvious that seeing me hurt was pushing at his control to keep his temper. And boy did it hurt, I felt like my skin on was fire!

“Alright, Mr Bossy Pants, jeez anyone would think you were the one in pain,” I snapped back because, well, because I obviously couldn’t help myself and it was in fact helping in ignoring the pain. But then again I think the adrenaline was still keeping me going.

“And if I was, then I would know when to…Hold. Fucking. Still!” he shouted down at me. In fact, I was surprised during this whole thing that he was still being as gentle as he was, despite our little argument. But he did have a point so I let him have that one, with nothing more than a roll of my eyes.

“Seriously, did you just roll your eyes at me?” He snapped out the question and I would have gulped if I wouldn’t just get told off for it and besides, my throat really did hurt like a mother fudger!

“I might have, but then again I might have had something in my eye… or both of them,” I added this last part slowly, when he raised a stern brow at me clearly silently calling me on my bullshit.

“Oh, come on, what are you going to do, spank my ass in here and give them a show whilst I bleed on the floor?” I asked making a growl rumble from his chest and I had to then question why I was pushing him.

“Let’s call it an IOU should we, now take off your dress,” he demanded making me frown and then shoot a look to the camera.

“Erm, why?” I asked, thinking the time to get naked wasn’t really now. This was when he started walking me backwards and up against the wall, doing so under the camera and in what must have been a blind spot. I felt his leather hand come to my hip to steer me, and then before my back could hit the stone, he placed a hand there to stop me. Then he got closer to my face and said,

“Because the scent of your blood is driving me near fucking wild, and I don’t know how much more I can take before my restraint snaps completely that, my Amelia, is why.” I suddenly looked down at myself and for the first time realised he was right, as I must have looked like a giant, walking, talking candy bar to a sugar addict!

My white dress I had stolen was soaked with my blood all the way down to my waist after that bitch had slit my throat. And that was when it hit me,

The shock part of being hurt.

“Oh Gods…Lucius I…I…” I started to shake as the adrenaline had chosen that moment to run dry and one look from Lucius and he knew it too.

I was crashing.

So, he took my face in his hands, making sure I stopped moving it as the pain of doing so was just making my panic worse.

“Ssshh, calm for me now, I will take care of you…Amelia, give me your eyes…” he asked and only when I did as he asked, did he repeat his promise,

“I will take care of you, okay?” His voice was gentle and soothing making me about to nod but he held me still.

“It’s okay sweetheart, you are okay now, just be brave for me, just a little while longer, yeah?” I swallowed hard and my eyes watered as the pain was worse now that my adrenaline had up and left me.

“Okay,” I said in a small voice that didn’t sound like I had much more fight in me, but then again, I was here in his arms, so I knew I didn’t need to fight yet, not with Lucius protecting me.

“I am going to take this dress off you now,” he told me, taking over and I had to say I was glad to let him as I was shaking so much that I didn’t think I would have been able to get the zip down. But Lucius had no problem. At first, he looked as if he was simply going to rip the thing off me but then must have thought better of it. Maybe he was scared that the quick action would jar my neck or maybe he just knew in that moment I needed a gentle hand. Whatever the reason, he reached behind me, stepping closer as if hugging me, which made me realise we had never hugged before.

But right then, in that moment, being in his arms with him unzipping my dress, it didn’t feel like a hug type of moment. No, it felt like an ‘I am undressing you before laying you on the bed to make love to you’ type of moment. This was because he did it so slowly it felt more tender than the previous times we had been together. Because all those other times, it had been like a frenzied need to kiss each other but like this…well, in this moment between us, it felt too raw, too intense and too connected to be anything other than profound.

And from the looks of things I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. His heavy breathing, tense muscles and intense gaze down at me told me so. Especially when he took half a step back and with both hands drew the straps of the dress down my shoulders. He did this so softly, I sucked in a breath as he skimmed both his bare fingers and leather clad ones down my arms until my bloody dress was falling from my body.

Then, unbelievably, I watched as this time he was the one swallowing hard as his eyes scanned the length of me in nothing but a blood soaked bra and white panties. And I had to wonder at the moment, knowing it was only with a Vampire that being soaked in blood could still be a turn on. But then, what did that make me, being the one soaked in blood and still turned on?

“Move away from the fucking wall and show yourselves!” The second his ex’s voice filled the space, crackling over the speaker, I wanted to curse her for ruining the moment between us. But then again, Lucius got in there first, when he took a step back and made his thoughts clear when he looked up at the camera and said,

“Fuck off!” Then he reached up over his head and pulled off his T shirt before stepping back into me, despite her warning. I then watched as he looked to my neck and then back to the shirt in his hands. He must have been questioning the best way to do this, before he fisted the neck band and tore it a couple of inches.

I couldn’t hold back my grateful smile as he dressed me, taking care of my injury. But he was soon looking sorry when I couldn’t help but suck in a harsh breath when it hurt going past my neck even with the slightest touch. But then again, I would say that the sight of him now bare chested certainly helped. Because holy hell, but the sight of Lucius in nothing but a pair of jeans was droolworthy and most definitely managed to take away some of the pain.

Once I was wearing his T shirt that fit me like a short dress, he held out his hand for me to take so I could step out of the bloody dress that was now pooled at my feet as I was still wearing the heels. This at least put me a little closer to his face but then again, I doubted that we would be kissing in here with what we knew was at the very least an audience of one.

“Now let’s see what we can do about that cut, shall we?” he said, leading me over to a bench on the opposite side to where the camera was, meaning we would be in view once more. But I think this was done so that whatever threat she could throw at us wouldn’t end up hurting me further.

He lowered me down to the seat then knelt in front of me, putting us even closer in height.

“They can’t hear us, and with me blocking you this way, they won’t be able to read our lips. Tell me everything, how did they manage to kidnap you and were there any losses to my men?” I frowned at the question and then realised the level of shit I was about to be in.

“Your men are fine, no losses,” I said after first swallowing hard, wincing in pain and thinking this the safer of the two parts to that question, even if I had hurt myself.

But he frowned, no doubt wondering how, without a full blown war against his men, I had managed to get kidnapped. Yep, I was in big shit. Which was why I said,

“If I tell you, can you promise you won’t get angry?” It was lame I know, but right in that moment I didn’t think a full blown argument was the way to go and besides, I liked this tender side of Lucius too much to want to lose it right now.

“Amelia.” The moment he said my name in warning I had my answer.

“Then perhaps we should wait until you have healed me first,” I said thinking this would give me more time. But then he decided to be blunt.

“Alright, but I should warn you, to do so will make you cum.” I would have spluttered out some intangible sound if it wouldn’t have hurt my neck, so instead opted for my mouth dropping, before then going with,

“Err…come again?” Two words we both used when being astounded by the other’s unexpected answer.

“Depending on the severity of the injury, when one of my kind heals a mortal, it can be very intense and the only way for your mind to make sense of the intrusion…”

“Intrusion!?” He ignored this high pitched word and carried on,

“…is to do as it would with any other…”

“Intrusion?” I said, this time making use of the same word to finish off his answer making his lips twitch again as he fought a grin. Gods, but I loved it when he found me funny.

“So, let me get this straight, you’re going to touch my neck and I am going to have an orgasm…is that correct?” I asked and he grinned before saying,

“Yes…didn’t you ever learn this?”

“Off who, my parents because eww, that’s gross?” This time he laughed.

“Point taken. Now try to relax.”

“Yeah, well according to you in five minutes, that won’t be a problem.” Again, he grinned and then shook his head a little as if his inner thoughts of me amused him.

“Yes well, it will sting at first.” Okay so that part didn’t fill me with joy, not like the first. Although if I could choose, then having an orgasm in a cell whilst being watched by his crazy ex, didn’t really do it for this naïve little virgin.

But then, instead of waiting for me to let him know I was ready, he simply bit into his hand and placed it over my neck before my gasp of shock was even finished. And he was right, at first it stung like he had just set it alight, but then as I started to fight to get away from the pain, he wrapped an arm around me and held me to him, whilst he continued to do his thing.

“Easy, it will pass, just hold on…hold on for me, sweetheart” He whispered this last part in my ear, after his arm had shifted at my back. His hand started caressing its way up my back before cupping the back of my head so as to keep me locked to his hand at my neck. But then I started to feel it, and it was like he said, the pain was only seconds before a warmth started to seep into my body and started blooming at what felt like the core of me. I must have tensed in his hold as I felt the intense feeling coming over me.

“Easy my Šemšā, easy now. Don’t fight it…just let it happen,” he said just as I felt my fingers grip onto his bare shoulders, before digging my nails into his back unable to help myself. It was the strangest sensation, feeling the rise of pleasure without actually being touched anywhere other than on my neck. But I was torn, feeling shame at what I knew was coming and my reaction to it, as though it felt wrong somehow. But even so I would have begged for it not to stop. I felt the tingling at the base of my spine, and I squeezed my legs together as a whimper escaped despite my closed lips.

Then I felt him softly chuckle before telling me,

“My stubborn little bird obviously needs my touch,” he told me and then he started kissing and sucking at my shoulder, one that was easy to get to as his t shirt was too big for me and also torn at the neck. This time I opened my mouth and let out a breathy moan, allowing the feeling to flow instead of fighting it.

“Open up for me, girl,” he said and I don’t know why but I loved it when he called me that, doing so in that demanding tone of his. But I was also questioning his words of what he wanted from me, because my mind was fogged due to the pleasure.

“Spread your legs, princess,” he demanded and I found my legs opening of their own accord not even caring that he had called me that. Not this time, because the way he hummed it, almost purring it against my cheek in a deep silky voice, then I loved the sound of it too much to be annoyed.

His hand left the back of my head and instead rested at the base of my spine at the same time his denim clad knee settled between my legs. Then without warning he pushed against my back, making my backside shoot forward on the bench and with my legs open and exposed, his knee ended up parting the lips of my sex. The second contact was made, I sucked in a startled breath.

Then he started rocking me forward on his knee, with his hand at my lower back doing so in a maddening rhythm. Oh Gods, but it felt so good, so dirty riding against his leg this way. The way the denim rubbed against my clit, well it was no wonder that in less than a minute doing this, I ended up coming against his knee, soaking the denim. I also let my head fall backwards pulling away from his hand and realising now that I was healed. Hell, but I could have been cured even before he put his knee to my core for all I knew. But I didn’t care as I opened up my mouth to cry out my pleasure as the orgasm ripped through me. He grabbed the back of my head and this time pulled me forward so that my cry ended against his bare chest where I stayed until I finished shuddering against him.

Then, once it was done, I looked up at him through my lashes and found him looking down at me. I swallowed hard, no longer feeling pain and decided because I was embarrassed and needed to speak, I went with a very lame,

“Was it good for you?” At this he threw his head back and roared with laughter, before pulling up my face with both hands and just before he was about to kiss me, I pulled back and said,

“But what about the…” I never got to finish as he growled low,

“I don’t give a fuck!” Then he kissed me, no longer caring about the show of indifference. One I think we could have still continued because healing me was always expected to end in a sexual release. But then kissing me afterwards, well that only showed them one thing, that he cared. But then, it was most likely one ship that sailed when she had slit my throat and the bitch ex of his knew it!

I would have said I cared but right then with Lucius kissing me and the euphoria still clinging on to my mind, then his lips on mine was all I could concentrate on. It was all I cared about. It was like a damn addiction as the second he kissed me…Hell, but the moment he even touched me, the entire world seemed to evaporate around us. Nothing else mattered, not even this place, being captured and our unsure future.

There was only him.

Only us.

Of course, this intensified the second he tore his lips from mine and said,

“I need to taste you and…and…I. Am. Not. Fucking. Sorry,” he said emphasizing each word in between each kiss down my neck to where my blood still remained. But then the second he made it to the first of my crimson stained skin, his hand fisted in my hair and yanked my head back suddenly. I yelped in shock, but it died the second he kissed, licked and sucked my skin clean, and his rumbling in pleasure was fucking just as addictive as him kissing me. Gods, but just knowing what I could do to him was like a drug, and I moaned at both the pleasure gained and the pleasure my blood gave back in return.

But then the sound of the door opening, cut our time short and Lucius suddenly banded both arms around me, holding me so close I could only just breathe. Then he turned his head to the door and snarled like some wild beast over his shoulder, my blood still coating his lips and tongue, whilst his fangs were without the stain. This was because they were used in warning and hadn’t been used to feed from me, something I could imagine he wanted to do right now.

“Time’s up for the lovers!” Layla said striding in, still dressed like a hooker only playing at the virgin by wearing white. But then the second she clocked back the hammer on the gun she now pointed my way, I wouldn’t have exactly been in my right mind to say,

‘Hello slut bag, how you doing?’ Because well, I didn’t fancy a bullet in the brain as I didn’t think any amount of knee rubs or magic touches would fix that shit. And I kind of liked my brain where it was and not decorating the walls with its gooey pink matter.

“I have this aimed at her head, Luc, so don’t try anything, as I doubt she could come back from something like that,” she said taking my fears right out of my mouth.

“Now back the fuck up off the bitch and let’s go…it’s time to bargain.” Lucius tensed, tightening his hold on me and I didn’t think he would do as she asked at first. So, I raised my hand to cup his cheek and said to him,

“It’s okay, trust me this time, yeah.” His eyes burned down into mine, seeping from blue grey into amber in a way that was beautiful to witness.

“Oh, how very touching…now fucking move before I vomit!” she snarled and even I knew it was an act, as the jealousy of this woman was still easy to see. Lucius looked as though he wanted to rip her head off and go bowling with it, after stuffing it full of explosives that was…or wait, was that just me?

“Put the gun down, Lahash, as you know well enough that I could simply catch that bullet the second it fires,” Lucius said now moving from where he had still been kneeling on the floor in front of me and standing to his full height, looking beyond impressive and intimidating with it. All that glorious muscle on view, Gods, but he was terrifyingly magnificent.

“That maybe so but are you so sure you could catch them all…Thanks, but I think I will take my chances with the gun. Now move,” she said motioning us to go ahead of her with a wave of her gun. But then she backed up out of the cell making sure she didn’t get too close to Lucius, no doubt scared that he would make his move.

Lucius took my hand in his and refused to let go, even when Layla made her threats.

“Not fucking happening,” was his only reply to that and she obviously knew with his tone that this was one demand of hers she wouldn’t win. And it was obvious she was under orders as I wasn’t sure I would have survived if not, because it was clear she hated me almost as much as she hated my mother.

Something she had taken pleasure in taunting me about when I was alone with her in the ballroom. Threats like, ‘I should give you the full mother daughter experience and stab you and push you into an icy lake’. But then I turned around to face her the second she had to let me go and snarled back,

‘Yeah, and how did that turn out for you?!’ In that moment she would have followed through with her threats if it hadn’t been for the three at the end that were calling the shots so far.

After this I had been escorted down to the cell and the rest was a kneeing humping history.

Which lead me to question, what would happen next?

Lucius’ hand in mine at least gave me the strength I needed to walk back up into the ballroom where the three ‘hopefully soon to be dead’ amigos were waiting for us. I couldn’t help but grip his hand a little tighter the second those large double doors came into view. I would have also shot him a panicked looked if I wasn’t too determined not to give bitch face the satisfaction.

He squeezed me back, telling me silently to be strong and for him, I would be. So, we walked back in there hand in hand with what felt like the full force of our enemies all around us.

And I knew that this time,

For me…

It was showtime.

20

A King’s Disappointment

The moment we stepped inside it became obvious that this time, they were definitely more ready for us. Now situated all around the balcony was what looked like a team of mercenaries all dressed in black fatigues with large assault rifles in hand. And every single one was currently aimed down at us. Okay, so my panic most definitely spiked at the sight and I found my other hand going to Lucius’ arm as I pressed myself closer to him.

So, he let go of my hand and instead wrapped an arm around me, drawing me as close as I could get to his side. I looked up at him to see him too looking at the men that surrounded the room and concentrating hard as if trying to achieve something I couldn’t see. But it obviously wasn’t working like he hoped, as he shot those he had named the ‘rogues’ a threatening look and snarled at them.

“Ah, I see now that our witch was worth every penny, well done gentleman,” the man in the middle said, who I remembered from the gala and thinking at the time he looked like Pierce Brosnan in his sixties. He had said something to me back then that felt slightly creepy, combined with his hand on me. But then his fingers had sort of snapped back suddenly and he had left. Well, it was easy to understand now why that had happened, knowing how possessive Lucius was. Well, that and the black cast that was on his hand.

But then I processed what he had just said and suddenly it clicked what was happening. Lucius had been trying to force the ‘wannabe swat team’ above us under the power of his will, but it wasn’t working. This now meant that, as capable as Lucius was at stopping bullets, there was no way for him to stop that type of fire power raining down from above…or was there?

“Looks like King Vamp is without any power here,” the Pierce look alike added making the other one next to him snarl,

“Shut the fuck up, DeMars!” But it was too late, as the second I glanced back up at Lucius, I saw that his eyes now looked like molten steel, glowing with rage. Suddenly I felt the floor beneath me start to shift, rumbling as if an earthquake was building. Then, just as his arm around me tightened his hold, an almighty thundering sound erupted as the marble floor started to crack, doing so with enough force that it shot out from around us. It branched out long enough that it travelled up the walls, making the small army shake, each of them now quickly grabbing onto the walls and balustrades for support.

But then I screamed as one person’s gun went off and it was one aimed at Lucius’ head. But acting like a Gods be damned superhero, Lucius snapped up a hand and caught the bullet like Superman! Then he snarled at the person who had tried to shoot him and as he dropped the bullet, Lucius flung a hand outwards, making the man fly through the air, hitting one of the marble pillars. His body then made a sickening snapping sound on impact, as if too many bones all broke at the same time, before he then slumped to the floor.

“Anyone else want to fucking try that?!” Lucius snarled to all those who still surrounded him and the intense fear in their eyes was understandable. Hell, even I could smell it and I wasn’t a supernatural.

“I will!” Layla said, after grabbing an automatic weapon off one of the guards and pointing it, not at him but at me. Lucius growled low and menacing at her.

“Now lose the bitch.” This time he bared his fangs at her, snarling like a Hellish beast and it was a sound I hadn’t heard coming from him before. It was frightening as Hell and if I hadn’t been plastered to his side in his tense hold, then I would have probably moved back a step in fear. It was for me an irrational response, seeing as I knew he would never hurt me, and his reaction was one because they threatened to take me from him. Even so, it was still ‘wet your pants’ level of scary.

“NO!” he roared back and even she flinched at the sound.

“You want to bargain for the box, then fine, give me your fucking terms but you will do so with her by my side or not at all!” Lucius demanded now turning his attention back to the three. The two rogues at least looked like they gave this some thought and it gave me time to take in the two cloaked figures in greater detail.

The one who did most of the talking had very prominent facial features, starting with a long pointed nose that was beak shaped. This, combined with his high forehead and hollowed cheeks, gave a distinct creepiness to him, especially with his tall, slender frame.

The other one, a far less creepy looking Vamp, spent most of his time actually looking bored, as if running cults, kidnapping and murdering was all just a sideline hobby for him. Making me wonder if there was some far less creepy Mrs Vamp at home waiting for him right now with dinner on the stove. Of course, I wasn’t sure what poor soul would be on the menu but still, the guy looked about as harmless as a bible salesman going door to door. Shortish build, a face you would forget. A voice barely heard and hair the colour of soot…and about as far away from the handsomely pale and mysterious race portrayed in romance Vampire novels as you could get!

Nope, these guys wouldn’t sparkle, they would just bore you to death and make you pray for anything more exciting, like doing your tax returns!

“Very well, my people are stationed outside your club. Give your men the order to let them enter and take the box, once they have it in their possession and are safely out of the building, then we will let you both leave unharmed,” Rogue ‘bore you to death’ on the right said who, as I mentioned, had hardly spoken up until this point.

“The fuck we will!” Layla shouted making the one on the left snarl at her,

“Silence! If it is what the Master wills it to be, then you will comply!” I had to say, I kind of liked watching her getting a verbal lashing. But then I saw Lucius weighing up his options and I started to see it all playing out before he even spoke. I even looked back at Layla wondering if in this moment she was going to act the way I thought she would. Well, I was about to find out.

“Fine, you want the fucking box, then you can have it, it’s fucking useless to me anyway!” Lucius snapped, making the guy in the middle snigger,

“Let us worry about that,” Mr bored rogue on his right glowered down at him but didn’t speak…big shocker there.

“Then I suggest that someone give me a fucking phone!” Lucius demanded and all the while I could see Layla frowning, as if her cogs were turning and I could see that they were ones powering her suspicion.

Creepy nodded down at the human, silently giving him an order to do as Lucius said,

“I’m not fucking going near him!” he shouted in panic making Lucius grin before saying in a sinister tone,

“What’s the matter human, afraid I will make them both match?” nodding to his other arm, although knowing Lucius it would have ended in nothing short of a body cast.

“Just put your fucking phone on the floor and he will do the rest,” Creepy snapped and the human did as he was told, getting it out of his suit jacket and placing it on the floor. He never once took his eyes off Lucius as if he feared that when he did, he would only find the Devil looking back at him in his place.

Lucius made a slight gesture with his hand and the phone slid along the floor towards him. Then without needing to bend to pick it up, it flew up to his hand with all the back section scratched up. Hurray for small victories was all I thought with a childish grin.

Lucius then rang who I assumed was one of his men and started making orders. But I didn’t miss the information he was being given first, as Lucius looked down at me and said in a severe tone,

“Yes, I have her.”

After this he engaged his Master of the Universe mode and started telling his people what he wanted them to do. Then, after he had finished, he said,

“Call me on this number when it is done…oh and Clay, tell Ruto to put away the blade in his hand…at least for now.” Then he cut the call and looked back to the men in front.

“It is done.”

“And now we wait,” the human said folding his arms and looking as though he had any bloody control here, which was laughable really. But then, it did make me question why they needed him in the first place? Was he just to keep the other humans in line? To keep up pretense that the two sides were working together. I mean, just looking around the room now and I knew that someone must have been paying these guys.

“You made the right choice, Lucius,” the one on the left said making me scoff and Lucius’ arm tensed around me as if in warning not to speak.

“Yeah, a little too easily if you ask me!” Layla piped up as she started slowly circling us, coming closer to the three at the end of the room. I watched her now as she looked side on, telling them quietly,

“Something is wrong, he wouldn’t give it up this easily.”

“Ha, we have forty guns pointed at his fucking head, and you call that easy,” the human said first, scoffing at her words.

“For him it is,” she replied looking wary. The sound of the phone ringing in his hand cut through her doubt and Lucius answered it and I was just surprised that it wasn’t crushed in his hand.

“Understood… Your men have been shown to my vault,” he said after cutting the call.

“And have they been shown inside?” the usually silent rogue asked.

“Not yet, first let the girl go and I will give you the code,” Lucius said, still trying to bargain, making both rogues glare back before creepy said on a snarl,

“That wasn’t our deal, Lucius.” But he shrugged his shoulders before telling them,

“Things change.” I also frowned wondering what he was up to now.

“Not this time,” the same rogue replied and nodded to the balcony who all aimed their guns back at me this time and Lucius quickly dragged the rest of my body to his front, covering as much of me as he could before snarling at them,

Then after taking a few harsh breaths, he conceded to their demands,

“Fine! Tell them the code is 1705,” he said telling them my birthday but giving it to them the way it was said in Europe, not in the States, where they put the month before the day. Which meant it also could have meant a historical year for him, making me briefly wonder where in the world he was during this time. Probably wearing powdered wigs and walking down the halls of some manor home with his heels clicking on expensive marble. Oh, but thank the Gods jeans were invented, that’s all I could say.

“Check it,” Creepo said, who was now on his own phone and had already given his men the code, repeating the number Lucius had given them.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” Layla whispered frowning.

“It opened, now is there anything else he needs to know?” the rogue asked after ignoring Layla’s mistrust again.

“There is a hidden sensor, tell him to scan his hand under the box first before removing it,” Lucius told him, but only after first seeming hesitant.

“I am telling you, he is giving in too easily!” Layla said, now a little more forceful this time making Lucius tense at my side.

“He has the box…well done Luci…”

“No! He is lying, he is double crossing you, can’t you see!” Finally, they decided to listen to her, and this was when Lucius turned to stone next to me.

“What makes you think so?” Mr bored asked, obviously feeling as though it was time to show a little more interest.

“Because I fucking know him that’s why! Unlike you two, I was sired by him long ago and have been with him since the beginning,” she said not taking her eyes off Lucius as she said this.

“Meaning?” Creepy asked,

“Meaning, that I know how the bastard thinks!” she said making me now the one to tense by his side as her words hit home. She had been with him for thousands of years?! Surely not? But then as if Lucius knew exactly what her words would do to me, he looked down at me and whispered so only I could hear,

“Whatever you’re thinking, unfucking think it.” Well, alrighty then. I guess I was unthinking what I was thinking then.

But what she had said hadn’t only had an effect on me, as now the rogues were mulling over her words and taking a moment to actually listen.

“He has the box in his hand, Lahash, I don’t think…” Boring said before she snapped back,

“No, you don’t, that’s the fucking problem! And I don’t think our Master will be best pleased to know we didn’t do everything we could, when we had the opportunity to do it!” Both rogues growled in unison this time but weirdly refrained from arguing back, instead snapping,

“Then what would you have us do!?” She looked thoughtful a moment and then her eyes widened, and a grin replaced the once unsure gaze.

“Tell him there is a safe hidden behind a row of suits and use the same combination.” Once again, I could feel Lucius was killing mad next to me, as his whole frame nearly shook from the intensity of his wrath. Meanwhile I remained silent, wondering how this was all going to play out. I didn’t have to wait long.

“He found it, but the combination isn’t the same,” Creepy said, now looking to Lucius who was obviously livid.

“You have the fucking box, now tell your men to leave and we will be on our way!”

“If that is the case, then you won’t mind proving it. Give us the combination and let my men check it’s not there, proving that you are a man of your word,” he replied, making Layla grin as though she wasn’t just the cat that got the cream, she was the bitch currently fucking bathing in it! She would have crossed her arms had she not already had her arms full of weaponry. But she started circling us and Lucius snarled at her, telling her,

“Don’t you fucking dare come any closer to her!”

“You see, I told you so…you underestimate me Luc, I fucking know you, remember that!”

“You never fucking knew me bitch, as if you did, you would have known I couldn’t fucking stand you, hadn’t done for over a millennia…”

“You tell yourself that!” she snarled back in anger at what sounded like very honest words to me. But then again, I had known the real her for only a few hours and even I wanted her to go skinny dipping in shark infested waters!

“No, I am telling you that! Fucking blind, Lahash, you always were…”

“Shut the fuck up!” she said, this time hating the truth she heard because deep down she knew he meant his words. But Lucius, being Lucius carried on regardless,

“…you were either too crazy to see it or just not fucking smart enough to ask yourself why…why I was always sending you on assignments that took you as far away from me as I could get you!?” he told her making her scream in anger and he was waiting for it. But unfortunately, his move backfired. As the second he made a piece of the balcony she was stood under crumble on top of her, she shifted quickly, using the distraction to grab one of the guards to send him hurtling our way. Lucius let me go, so I wouldn’t get struck, pushing me out of the way. But Layla was ready for me, as with impressive speed, she grabbed me, and spun out of reach before he could react.

He had the guard in a head lock using just one arm, making the guy desperately trying to free himself, as he clawed at Lucius’ arm with little to no effect.

“LET. HER. GO!” Lucius’s demon was the only one speaking in that moment as his eyes were now burning crimson as if being infected with blood on fire. Then, to put power behind the demand, he suddenly snapped the guy’s neck with both hands before letting the dead man fall to the floor. And holy Hell, if I thought Lucius terrifying before then this was something else. But Layla wasn’t affected. She simply angled the large gun at my head and said,

“Come and fucking make me!” Then she dug the end of the gun into the side of my temple making me whimper as well as forcing my head to the side and it fucking hurt!

“Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought, now give them the combination and I will let her go!” Layla said now digging her nails into my skin where she held a hand at my bicep, with her arm banded across my chest.

“Please don’t, you’re hurting me!” I said as she dug them in further making them bleed and me wince in return.

“I promise you, I will fucking kill every last one of you for this!” Lucius snarled now he had calmed his beast slightly, doing so in that moment so as not to do anything rash that might, well basically get me killed. But then Layla kicked out my legs and I went down on my knees hard. Then I felt the gun’s end forced against the back of my head and her free hand gripped onto the back of my neck!

“FUCKING STOP! I warn you, if you harm her then I give the order for my people to slaughter your men and burn the box to fucking ash…now, I will not tell you again, LET HER GO!” Lucius said still trying to get them to let me go.

But I’d had enough of this shit show and decided now was about time to take things into my own hands.

Enough was enough.

“Please stop! Fucking stop okay, I know the combination!” I shouted making Lucius flinch the second I said it.

“Amelia, don’t.” he said, the threat clear.

“No Lucius! It’s not your fucking head with a gun to it!” I snapped back. I felt Layla chuckle behind me, and her hand moved from my neck and she lowered herself enough to cup my cheek, before kissing it and patting me there, telling me,

“There’s a good little girl, just the fucking coward I knew was in you.” I swear I wished I could have stopped playing victim for just five minutes so I could kick this bitch’s ass! But then again, there was the whole gun factor in this.

“Give us the combination and we will let you go.” The obviously slightly more intrigued rogue said and I swallowed hard, letting a tear slip down my cheek.

“And…and Lucius too, you…you will let us both go?” I said stuttering my words. Layla laughed and said,

“Are you sure you want that, just look how mad at you he is?” Lucius heard this and growled at her before looking to me, asking me with his eyes not to give them what they asked for.

“Yes, we will let you both go. My Master’s fight is with Lucius, not with your family. But he is forcing our hand in this. So, give us what we want, and you are free to leave,” he replied.

And after taking a deep breath I told Lucius,

“I am sorry, I have no choice…” The look of disappointment on his face was nearly soul destroying. But it was like I had said, I had no choice, as more than one life depended on it.

And in Lucius’ eyes,

Depended on me becoming…

A traitor.

21

Triple Cross

The very first time I saw him.

Sixteen years old. I remembered it as if it was yesterday. It was the first time I ever felt the threat my father warned me about. Little did he realise that the danger he spoke of would last a lifetime and come at the hands of a Vampire King.

Once his greatest ally.

Once his greatest enemy.

Now my biggest threat.

It was the day we met.

“The combination is 1306.”

I told them, ignoring the look of frustration and regret from Lucius, giving them what they wanted. The date we met. The date he first saved my life and then stole it for himself.

I would have shaken myself free of these thoughts, that is if I didn’t currently have a gun to the back of my head.

The rogue released a sigh and told his men down the phone who quickly confirmed that the box was in there. After this, the creepy rogue nodded to Layla to let me go but this was obviously not something she wanted to do just yet.

She did at least lower the gun. But then she grabbed my hair, lowered her face to my neck and said to Lucius,

“Maybe after a little taste, this bitch smells too…” But she never got chance to finish, because for once it was my actions that were too quick for her. Because just when her head was bent low enough to my neck I made my move. And I did this by reaching up with my left hand, grabbing a handful of her hair and at the same time yanking her head down into my right fist that connected hard into her face as I twisted into it. The second she let me go, staggering back, I was up on my feet planting a heeled foot in her stomach, making her double over with a scream of pain. Thank you very much hooker heels.

The next thing I knew I was being grabbed from behind and hauled up over a shoulder.

“Let me at that fucking bitch!” I started screaming as my own rage hit new heights, thrashing against whoever held me now, trying to get back to her.

“Amelia, stop!” Lucius growled at me letting me know who had me and at the same time Layla, who had recovered, now swung up the gun and started firing in our direction. Only nothing hit us as this time it was Mr boring vamp himself that was at her, now pushing the end of the weapon up so the bullets sprayed out at the ceiling above.

“STOP!” The rogue roared before yanking the weapon off her. Then he turned to us and said,

“You are free to go, leave now!” Well, Lucius didn’t need telling twice as, still with me over his shoulder, he stormed towards the double doors, kicking them open with an impressive amount of strength. Then he paused, looked back and threatened,

“Make no mistake, Samson, I will have my blood,” he said giving me Mr boring’s name. Then he walked down the hallway and I looked up to see the doors close behind us.

After this, I thought it wise not to speak until we were back outside because I wasn’t sure how Lucius was going to react with what I had done. Besides, I didn’t think him capable of calming down enough to actually speak to until we were off the grounds of this damn house. I swear I could feel the rage coming off him like steam from a screaming kettle. I also didn’t think it wise to remind him that all and sundry could currently see my ass and panties, seeing that I was still only wearing his t-shirt and being over his shoulder wasn’t helping with that.

We walked out the same side exit I had entered with bitch face and the moment we walked to the front of the house, we passed a couple of groggy looking girls dressed like they belonged anywhere but here. This was when Lucius spoke through gritted teeth,

“Your handy work I take it?” I swallowed hard, ignoring their stares and trying to hide my face just in case one of them managed to get a good look at me. Although this wasn’t hard seeing as I just let myself stare at Lucius’ muscle clad back, holding the belt at his jeans so I wasn’t just smushing my nose against his skin with the motion of his angry strides.

“Erm…maybe,” I confessed making him growl. Then he walked straight up to what must have been where all the cars were being parked but seeing as my line of sight was near nonexistent right now, it was anyone’s guess.

“Lamborghini,” Lucius snarled, and I heard a muttering in return before we started walking again. I pressed my hands to his back and pushed myself up so I could see, now witnessing a man stood next to a box full of keys looking as though he had just had his mind taken over by pod people. Poor bastard was going to find himself fired by morning. Especially from what I could make out the guy had just handed over the keys to someone’s shiny pride and joy.

I heard the beep.

“Good, at least someone has some fucking taste!” he snapped opening the door and then bending so my feet touched the floor. I was about to say something when one look at his face and I wisely swallowed down the urge to talk. It was a good job too as he just barked,

“Get in the car!” I quickly sat down, lowering myself into what I could now see was a sleek matt black Lamborghini. I hadn’t been in one before as my dad was a Ferrari man. But I also knew enough about them ever since I found out that Lucius was into their rivals, Lamborghinis.

So, I shamefully learned my stuff, wondering if there was ever a day I would get the chance to impress him with my knowledge. Well, that plan wasn’t exactly working out like I had hoped it would.(You know, like foolishly making intelligent conversation on the way back from, say, our first date) But the second he slammed my door down, I watched him take angry strides to the other side before getting in and I knew you couldn’t have got any further from that naïve, childish hope.

Then he pressed the start button and just as I tested that theory, I asked,

“Is this the Aventador…whoa?!” I was cut off the second he did a wheel spin out of there and shot off with nail biting speed.

“Shit!” I said as the car skidded around the turning circle, kicking up gravel as it did before he straightened it out to speed down the driveway. Then he pulled out onto the main road without so much as a look, his muscles tense and hard as he turned the wheel with an open palm so it slid through his hand with ease. Gods, but what was he, a race car driver in his spare time!

“Why aren’t you buckled up!?” he snapped making me jump.

“Erm, because you just raced out of there like a bat out of…”

“Don’t fucking say it!” he said cutting me off, so I was left to roll my lips in my mouth to prevent anything sarcastic coming out. After all, this was another one of those classic ‘stressful moments’ that usually prompted some smart mouth comment. But right then, well I didn’t think Lucius would fully appreciate this as a reason.

So, I grabbed the belt and only just managed to click it in place, especially with Lucius not intending to slow down any time soon. In fact, from the moment Lucius had gotten in the car and demanded I buckle up, I knew he was seething mad. I didn’t know if it was directed at me or just about what had happened in there. Either way he was driving the car like the road was on fire and we were trying to outrun an erupted volcano. Although the only volcano I could see was the lava burning in his deadly gaze.

“Lucius please, you’re kind of scaring me here,” I said still needing to hang on for what felt like dear life, but he was near beyond reasoning, as he wasn’t yet slowing down what was obviously an insanely fast car. He was overtaking cars, zooming in and out of traffic, like he was on a bloody racetrack and didn’t have a terrified woman with one hand on the dash and the other on her side window, looking petrified.

But then, he simply tapped the paddle on his steering wheel which made him change gear and the car shot forward even faster the second a section of the road was clear. And this was when I hit my limit, shouting,

“Lucius, stop the car!” but he gave me a look that said there wasn’t a chance in Hell. He quickly confirmed this,

“No!” was his stern, pissed off reply. So naturally I tried again.

“Lucius, stop the car!” I said, this time as he went around a bend way too fast.

“I said n…” I quickly interrupted him, bringing that chance in Hell to him, in the form of a screaming, pissed off female,

“STOP THE FUCKING CAR!” I screamed this time the second I thought we were going to crash, which thankfully we didn’t but it was enough to get him to do as I asked. As the next thing I knew I was being forced forward into my seatbelt and then back into my bucket seat as the car stopped at the side of the road. I was breathing heavy, panting and the second I felt him reach over to me, I batted his hand away, too annoyed that he thought it was okay for him to scare the shit out of me! Even when A, I asked him not to and B, (and it was a big fucking B), I’d just had to experience everything I had in the last few hours!

Which was why I unbuckled my seatbelt, looked to check it was clear and then started to get out the car.

“Amelia, what are you…?”

“What does it look like I am doing!?” I snapped and the door was up in the air like all Lambos, looking like the damn thing had wings. I was out the car and stomping off to the side of the road to get some much needed air. I knew he too had gotten out and felt his angry presence as if the air was turning static and charging around him.

“Get back in the car, Amelia!”

“No, not until you learn how to fucking drive!” I snapped back making him jerk back.

“I assure you that I can…”

“Yeah, well not without scaring the shit out of a woman you claim to care about, then no you fucking can’t!” I snapped back making him flinch as finally I was cutting through his anger, forcing him to take control of his rage. I knew this the second his features softened. Then after releasing a sigh, his shoulders relaxed and he told me,

“You’re right, I am sorry, I shouldn’t be driving like that with you in the car.” I had been ready to throw more of my argument at him but hearing the way he apologized right away, and with such sincerity too, well in all honestly, I was near flabbergasted.

“It’s just knowing that they now have the box! Fuck Amelia, do you know what this could mean? The power it could give them against me…Gods, but I need to get you out of here, I need to get you somewhere safe, because now…fuck, I can barely think, let alone imagine what they could…”

“Lucius stop, it will be okay,” I said cutting through his dire thoughts.

“No Amelia, it won’t be okay, this is about as far from fucking okay as we could get, sweetheart!” he snapped back dragging a hand through his hair as his frustration was on a knife’s edge of turning into full on rage.

“Lucius, I…”

“I don’t blame you,” he said quickly.

“What?” I asked frowning in question.

“I don’t blame you. Gods, but you had a fucking gun to your head, of course I don’t blame you for being scared,” he ground out as the memory hit him once more. So, I took a deep breath as it was time to come clean,

“I wasn’t scared, Lucius.” His gaze softened as he took my words for trying to save face and act brave.

“I saw you, Amelia, of course you were…”

“No, I wasn’t. I was just acting scared,” I said, making him frown and lose his softness.

“But you gave them the box, you told them the fucking combination!” This time it was said to blame me, as his accusing tone couldn’t be taken as anything else. So, I released a sigh of my own and said,

“Lucius, they don’t have the box.” He gave me a look of disbelief before shaking his head slightly as if trying to make sense of my words before saying,

“Come again?” And yes, it was confirmed as being definitely our thing. So, I took another moment before walking over to him, then I placed both my hands on his cheeks, framing his face so I could bring him closer to me.

Then I whispered up at him exactly what I had done…

“I switched your switch.”

22

Everything Owned and Nothing Gained

“Say that again.” I could tell with Lucius’ tone that he was having a hard time with what I’d just told him. Meaning now it was my turn to run a hand through my hair, trying not to hiss at the pain there seeing as I had been hit with the butt of a gun recently.

“They have the fake box, the real one is hopefully still at the club,” I told him wanting to snigger at the idea, knowing that they would probably kick themselves the second they realised their mistake, because if that had been me, I would have just taken both. Lucius then took out the phone he had kept belonging to the human name DeMars and rang his people.

“Sire we…”

“Shut the fuck up and just tell me, is the box they took from the vault still there?” he asked quickly.

“Yeah, well I mean it’s on the fucking floor where they…”

“Thank fuck for that! Put it back in the vault and change the code to the day I sired you. We will be back in five…” He paused, looked at me and then back at the car before correcting himself,

“Make that ten minutes.” I would have smiled, as it was obvious he no longer intended to drive at killing speeds.

“It will be done.”

“Oh, and Clay…don’t say a word.” He replied but I didn’t catch the reply this time. Lucius hung up, and I yelped the second he snagged my waist and yanked me to him.

“Fuck me, but you are one cunning little beauty,” he told me making me hopelessly try to hide my grin. But then he was lowering his head to mine and capturing my lips, kissing me as if I was, well, as if I had just saved the fucking day!

Two minutes later we were back in the car speeding back towards his club, still breaking the law but no longer doing so as if I was hanging on like I was some forced co-pilot in a fighter jet. But then his next question came and I had to say, I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t have preferred to have been 50,000 ft in the air.

“How did they kidnap you?” Lucius asked making me tense as I knew it was coming, but had at least hoped we could have made it back to the club first. But then again, I was pretty sure Clay would have ratted me out the second I got through the door, seeing as I doubted he wanted to get blamed for it.

“I think that maybe we should get back to…”

“You weren’t kidnapped, were you?” Lucius asked cutting me off and figuring it out for himself and I had to say, pretty damn quickly. I was either really predictable or he was just that good at cutting through someone’s bullshit.

“Erm, no…not really,” I said in a tone that said I was bracing myself for another bout of angry Lucius.

“For fuck sake, Amelia!” he shouted hitting the steering wheel in anger and I jumped.

“Look, I am sorry okay, I didn’t know she was your crazy ex-girlfriend, I mean she helped me the first time and saved me from getting kidnapped by who I thought were the bad guys, I didn’t know she was…” He interrupted me again.

“Wait, back the fuck up…what do you mean, she saved you? What aren’t you fucking telling me now!?” he shouted, swearing even more than usual and shooting me an incredulous look, finding my ‘oh shit’ one back in return. Because I hadn’t actually told him anything about how I’d managed to break into his club. But then, in my defense, he hadn’t exactly pressed for it either.

“Erm, maybe we should just…”

“Amelia, I swear if you don’t start talking, as in right now, then so help me I will pull this fucking car over and…”

“And what!? Huh, what are you going to do, Lucius? Put me over your knee like a damn kid and spank me on the side of the fucking ro…wait, what are you doing?!” I shouted the second he pulled the car once more to a screeching halt the second it was clear. Then he turned in his seat and said,

“You have five seconds to decide, or you will find out!” he shouted and I swallowed hard before testing him,

“You wouldn’t!”

“One.”

“Lucius, come on, be reasonable.”

“Two.”

“Just stop and think about this.”

“Three.”

“You wouldn’t fucking dare!”

“Four.”

“Stop counting!” I shouted shaking my head and throwing my arms up in my anger, but he just looked at me in that stern and unmoving way of his, before saying,

“Five.”

“Alright, alright! Gods alive, just fucking drive, okay!” I shouted, giving in the second I saw him reaching for the door handle knowing he would make good on his threat. So, he put the car into drive and after less than twenty seconds, he said,

“This is the part where you start talking, sweetheart.” Well, at least I was sweetheart again, which was exactly what I told him,

“Oh, so I am sweetheart again, am I?”

“Amelia.” He said my name in warning and I snapped,

“What?!”

“Quit stalling.” I released a sigh knowing there was no way around it, I was screwed.

“Fine! I got to the airport and there were men there waiting for me. Then bam, your psycho ex turned up out of nowhere, claiming she was there to save me and seeing as I was being chased by bad guys, then I didn’t think I had many options but to jump in her car.” I could see his grip on the steering wheel tightening as he listened to this obviously finding it difficult. But it was when the thing started to give way under the pressure, about to be crushed completely in his grip that I thought it best to speak up.

“Erm, I think you will need that,” I reminded him and when he shot me a questioning look, I nodded to the steering wheel he was close to destroying. He followed my gaze and replied with a stern,

“Perhaps you’re right, waiting until we are back at the club is wise,” he said in a harsh tone that didn’t scream fun things for me once we got there. I released a sigh and said,

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

* * *

Minutes after this and a not so leisurely drive back to the club, I knew that with one look ahead of me, that Lucius’ night was only going to get worse.

“What the fuck!?” he snarled the second he saw the mess of the front of his club where the police had cordoned off the site of the car wreckage as it was being removed from the side of his building.

“Ah yeah…that,” I said letting him know that I already knew what happened. So naturally he shot me an ‘explain it and explain it now!’ look, so I told him,

“You have psycho bitch face to thank for that,” I commented dryly making him mutter even more F words under his breath as he quickly took a different direction. I soon found out why, as it was the way to the back of the club. He then pulled up to a heavy security gate and after punching a code into the control panel and placing his thumb on the reader, the gate opened. Then he stopped right outside the back door I had used and cut the engine. He was out of the car before I even had chance to get my seatbelt unbuckled. In fact, I was still fumbling with it when my door opened and without a word, he reached down and across me, doing this so he could release it with the ease I lacked.

“Erm…thanks,” I muttered taking his hand so he could pull me from the car. Then, without saying a single thing more, he led me over to the door and in less than a minute after that, I found myself in an elevator. Then I was out of it and in a lobby being pulled towards his apartment. So, I pulled back and looked towards my own, but he shook his head and said,

“Not this time, princess.” I frowned back at him, but it was a pissed off look he ignored because well, his won hands down at being scary intimidating. And really, I couldn’t say in that moment after all that had happened tonight, that I could really blame him. Oh, but I just knew it was about to get so much worse.

Clay suddenly appeared, coming from the VIP as he had obviously been waiting for him.

“Sire, I saw you arrive on the…”

“Do you want to explain to me how you let my girl escape, or how there is now a fucking car embedded in the side of my club, or why there are still police crawling all around it when I just stole a fucking car?” He snapped making Clay raise both his hands in surrender and say,

“Not really, no.”

“I didn’t fucking think so…now piss off and deal with it!” he said throwing Clay the keys to the car he’d stolen, making me wonder what ‘dealing with it’ entailed with that one. Then, without waiting for a response, because really what does a person say to that, Lucius tightened his hold on my hand and pulled me inside his apartment. The second the doors slammed shut behind me I jumped, and then shivered as I heard them lock, knowing Lucius intended to keep me here.

“Sit!” he snapped the second he let me go by his sofa and I was just about to tell him that I wasn’t a damn dog, when he spun to face me, held up a finger and warned me,

“Not wise to push me right now, sweetness, so just do as you’re fucking told…yeah?” I swallowed hard, backing away from the crazy scary vibe he had going on and sitting my ass down, deciding pushing him right now was definitely not on my ‘wisest shit to do’ list.

Well, at least he looked sort of grateful at the sight of me doing as I was told. After this he walked straight to his kitchen area, got himself a bottle of some sort of white spirit and came back with a bottle of water for me. I had to say, I think at this point I would have preferred what he was swigging back, but still, the gesture was sweet for him to care enough to think of me. Even when he was clearly blind furious. So, I took the bottle and the second I started drinking, I hadn’t realised how thirsty I was, nearly finishing off the damn bottle.

“It’s the blood loss and adrenaline kick,” he told me as if I had asked the question. Then I watched as he sat down in one of the single chairs so he could face me.

“Now, you were saying something about being chased?” he said after first taking another long drink and a deep breath he obviously needed. I kind of wanted to ask him if he wanted me to get him a shirt or something, as all that muscle on show had been distracting me since he took it off, something I noted I was still wearing when looking down at myself.

“Amelia, you’re gonna have to grant me some strength here, because if you don’t start talking…” I decided to cut him off, as for the first time since knowing him, he looked beyond tired. So, I decided to just get on with it and give him what he wanted.

“She told me that she was the next oracle,” I blurted out.

“So, you would trust her,” he assumed as it wasn’t a question.

“Well yeah, plus she gave me a key card to get inside here and explained how to do it. I just thought she knew I needed to get to the box, like she had seen it or something and had been prepared as she had been with the car, but now…well, I guess she was just hoping to use me as a way to get to the box,” I said shrugging my shoulders and feeling foolish. Lucius released a sigh and looked as though he wanted to say something but at the last minute decided against it.

“And tonight?”

“She tricked me again. After you left, I went back to my apartment to find flowers waiting. The note said they were from you.” He looked surprised by this and frowned before saying,

“And you believed they were too?” I gave him a small smile and said,

“I know you’re not exactly the sending a girl flowers kind of guy, Lucius.” At this he gave me a look I couldn’t explain before it slipped from his face and he shrugged his shoulders once before taking another swig of his bottle. So, I carried on.

“Anyway, Liessa obviously thought you were, as she accepted them and put them where I would find them.”

“Then?”

“Well, they were light pink, and the note spoke something about innocence, so I knew it was wrong. And I was right, as it turned out there was a hidden message on the bottom, telling me to meet her at the side door. She caused the distraction so when the alarms went off, no one would be suspicious that I had left, being too busy with…”

“Yeah, I get it. Then what?” Lucius said with a wave of his hand, clearly annoyed at his people and me.

“Well, then the rest you know really… we ambushed some poor girls, stole their clothes and snuck inside. Then she hit me with a damn gun and the rest is…”

“She hit you?! Where?” he snarled and was out of his seat before I could answer him. He slammed the bottle down on the coffee table and knelt before me like he had done in the cell.

“Well, just here, on the back of my head… but... but it’s okay,” I said stuttering the second his hands tenderly took hold of my head and started examining the back with his fingers, stilling when he found the lump I knew would be there.

“Gods be damned bitch! I am going to kill that…” I placed my hands on his, pulling them down from my head so they were between us and said,

“I know you will…besides, at least I got one good punch in,” I added with a wink making him at least smile this time.

“That you did, sweetheart,” he said softly bringing his forehead to mine and holding himself there. It was such a loving gesture that I found myself unable to breathe the whole time just in case I ruined it in some way. But then he took a deep breath himself and asked a question he seemed to dread finding out the answer to, and I had to confess, it was one I dreaded telling him,

“How did you know I’d had a fake made?” Of course, he was talking about the box and the second I tensed, he felt it. He pulled back so he could look me in the eyes as I told him what he wouldn’t want to hear.

“I went to the vault.” I said starting with what was the most obvious. He knew it too as he raised a brow at me before saying,

“And?”

“And I…well I…I…”

“You?” he said and this time it was more than a prompt for me to continue, it was a silent demand.

“I was going to kind of, well… try stealing it again,” I confessed wincing as I expected him to erupt back into the rage part of the evening. At this he leant back, putting space between us but now sitting on the coffee table dead opposite me with less than a foot between us.

“But of course,” he said putting his head back and looking up at the ceiling, or asking the Gods for strength, I was unsure which one.

“Why?” The question was out before I’d prepared an answer, or at least the lie I would have tried for first, which was why I did that age old tactic at trying to stall for time,

“Why?” I repeated the question, playing dumb and being shit at it.

“It’s not a trick question, princess,” he said gently and I could see that despite using this nickname, one I knew was usually reserved for a pissed off Vamp, he was trying to hold back his temper. Well, that wouldn’t last long, that was for damn sure.

“I was going to try and hide it, until I…”

“Until you tried to leave me,” he finished off for me and Gods but when he said it, I felt as if I had cut out his heart and handed it back to him on a platter with a knife sticking out of the centre. But what else could I do, there was no need to try and deny it.

“You know I can’t stay,” I told him quietly, scared of what his reaction would be.

“I know you can’t leave!” he told me in return and his voice was definitely less gentle this time…it was absolute.

I closed my eyes, asking for strength to do what I needed to.

“Lucius, I am not your prisoner.”

“Then are you willing to stay of your own free will?” he asked and Gods but just the way his muscles tensed like that, every single one on show…it had me licking my dry lips before I could answer,

“You know I can’t do that.”

“Then you’re my fucking prisoner!” he snapped back, getting to his feet and walking away a little and making me release a sigh.

“You don’t mean that.”

“The fuck I don’t!” he threw back at me, quickly turning at the waist to look back at me.

“You can’t keep me here, Lucius.” I said, once again trying for calm and deciding now was an excellent time to take the painful shoes off my feet, despite talking about leaving. Because, thanks to the blisters I could feel, then there was no way it would be in these bloody shoes!

“And why not?! Because you think you managed to escape once before that I would allow it to happen again!” I frowned, now getting to my own feet after kicking the shoes under the sofa and putting some more space between us, wishing I was back in my own apartment. Which was precisely what I decided to do.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?!” he snapped the second I walked past him, now considerably lower than his towering frame. Maybe taking them off had been a mistake after all.

“I am going back to my apartment until you have calmed down and can talk about this rationally!” I snapped back.

“Rationally? There is not one Gods be damned rational reason for you to leave and you fucking know it!” he argued back, making me stop so as to face him again.

“Are you serious? Lucius, up until that damn box appeared I was nothing to you! I was a fucking nobody! Non. Fucking. Existent!” At this and the way I took a step forward to him with each word I threw at him he finally looked to be taking my words seriously. But hey, he pushed me into this, so it was time to give it to him straight, despite the angry vibes I could feel coming off him in waves.

“And now what, now I am here you think you can just amuse yourself with me but for how long, huh? How long this time, Lucius!? Seven fucking years I waited for you! Jesus fucking Christ…”

“Don’t.” he warned the second I said ‘His’ name, which was usually a big no, no for his people, for obvious reasons but I didn’t give a shit. I was too far gone in that moment. I didn’t know if it was after everything that had just happened that night, or the fact that reality just hit me. I’d had a fucking gun to my head and he still wouldn’t give them the combination. What the Hell did that say?

“Fuck you! I can say whatever the Hell I want, human remember! Or did you forget?!”

“How could I ever fucking forget!” he snarled back making me itch to slap him again for that one, the bastard!

“Exactly, then you won’t want me around, will you?” I threw back at him, making him rake a hand through his sandy coloured hair that looked close to being ripped out at the roots.

“That is not what I meant!” he told me and I took a deep breath before telling him what I knew was a heartbreaking confession on my side,

“Lucius, I have been dreaming of you near every Gods be damned night for the last ten years and you think that by you now deciding all of a sudden you want me, that I am just going to fucking jump into your arms without protecting my heart…you know, the one you destroyed the second I found out you loved my mother! So, I ask you Lucius, does that not sound fucking rational enough to you?!” At this he just snarled, but I could see the emotion it was hiding beneath. My words had got to him and burrowed their way underneath his skin, as if only for a second he looked guilty.

“You don’t understand,” he said after taking a deep breath.

“The fuck I don’t! I understand more than enough. They had a gun to my head tonight, Lucius, a room full of guns and I know that you would have done everything you could have to protect me, but when it came down to it you still wouldn’t give them that code…” I paused long enough to look to where his closet was, where his vault was and where the box now safely remained.

“You care more about that damn box than you do me, Lucius, and tonight, you… well… you proved that.” I said in a sad, lost kind of way, which was only half of what I was feeling. Because it was true, and I was only now just realising it. Or maybe I had always realised it, and at the time just didn’t want to face facts. Because at the time I needed his strength. But now…well, now was the time I needed my own.

Strength to walk away.

“That’s not true and you know it,” he said, now looking as if I had all but tried to tear him apart with my words.

“Then explain it to me, Lucius, I had a gun to the back of my head, on my fucking knees and all you had to do was give them four little numbers. Four numbers, Lucius!”

“You don’t understand, I knew they wouldn’t have shot you… they were calling my bluff.”

“You don’t know that!” I snapped.

“Yes. I. Fucking. Do. They don’t want a war with your family, they want a war with me, with the entirety of my own kind and if I had given them the box…then…”

“You would have killed my mother,” I finished off for him, knowing that in that moment there had in fact been a gun to both our heads, even if my mother hadn’t been in the room on her knees like I had been.

“Yes… No… fuck! You make it sound like I chose her over you, when if you understood one fucking thing about the past, then you would know that it couldn’t be further from the truth!” he snapped back at me making me frown because he was making no sense.

“Excuses…it’s all just an excuse,” I told him turning my back on him and walking back towards the door.

“No, it’s not and you know it! You’re just running scared, it’s what you do! You run when shit gets real instead of being the girl I know you could be…where is that fire now, Amelia, where is that defiant spark inside of you, or am I just not worth the fight to you?!” Lucius threw at me and that was exactly what his words felt like, a fucking hit to the chest. Which is why I hit back,

“You can’t fight for something you don’t have!”

“That’s bullshit and you know it! I have been fighting for you every Gods be damned day since you were sixteen years old, so don’t give me that shit!” At this I was stunned enough that I actually felt my hand reaching out to something to keep me from falling. Did he just say what I think he did?

“What…what did you say?”

“You heard me! You think the reason I didn’t give them the combination was to protect your mother, well fuck your mother, Amelia! It was only to save you!” he shouted, his features beyond furious, where mine were beyond confused and most certainly in denial.

“No! It’s not true… I’m not… not…”

“Why? Because you are scared to know the truth? Well, I will be fucking damned if I let you walk away without it!”

“Lucius, please don’t…” I started, holding that hand out now towards him, near begging him to stop…my heart couldn’t take it.

But he didn’t stop.

He just continued to give it to me, and it felt beautifully brutal.

“I didn’t give them the combination because for them to have that box would have guaranteed that bullet in your head!”

“Wh…what are you saying?” I asked, feeling now as though something bigger was being kept from me.

And it was.

“Gods girl! What I am trying to tell you is that you are linked to me! You’re already fucking bound and you don’t even realise it! If they had that box, then it’s not just my life on the line, along with all my people but yours as well!” he confessed, every muscle in his body tensed as if ready to pounce on me any second.

Did he really expect me to run? I needed in that moment to push it, to test it. I needed to know just how far he would go. Which was why I said,

“No, you are just saying this to make me…to make me…”

“To make you what?! Not want to leave…I already know you don’t want to leave, Amelia, not when you have every fucking reason to stay staring you in the face right now!” At this my mouth dropped before I snapped back,

“Why you arrogant…!”

“It’s not arrogance when it’s the truth! You say that you have been waiting seven years, dreaming of me for ten, well here I am, sweetheart…I am right fucking here! And all you have to do is find the guts, the heart, the fucking bravery, to take one fucking step towards me!” he said, holding his arms out as though he was some sort of Gods’ greatest catch! But even if I knew deep down his words were true, even if I wanted to hate him for it, I couldn’t. But that didn’t mean I had to admit any of it. Which was why there was only one step I was taking and that was to the door!

“And why would I do that, I don’t even like you!” I snapped back making him release a bark of laughter, before telling me,

“You may not like me, Amelia, but I know you fucking love me!” On hearing this I sucked in a quick and painful breath feeling it nearly getting caught there in my chest.

“No…no I don’t,” I said shaking my head, but he was still grinning in that cocky, I know everything about you, kind of way. The way that was infuriating.

“Yes… Yes. You. Fucking. Do,” he said first mocking me and making me glare back at him as he said the words slow and distinct.

“I’m leaving!” I shouted back.

“But of course.”

“And what is that supposed to mean.” He took another step towards me and said,

“You know exactly what it means, princess…you are being predictable.” If I could have growled like one of them in that moment I would have, but then I’d probably have bared my fangs at him too, because I had to say, just giving someone the middle finger wasn’t half as effective or as badass as doing what he did.

“In fact, the only thing you have left to do is slap me,” he said with a grin, taking the last steps needed to put him only an arm’s swing away. Meaning that the urge to do so became too much and I felt it coming before I could stop it, but then again, so did he,

“And there it is…there’s my fucking fire,” he said and it came out as a rumbling in his chest as he quickly caught my hand before it could make contact. Then, before I could snatch it back, he lifted it above my head and pinned it to the locked door.

“Let me go!” I snapped feeling my chest panting in both my rage and something else I could feel building…undeniable, undiluted, unstoppable lust.

“Never!” he snarled back low and menacing.

“I want to leave!” I snapped back, feeling with each lash I gave him in return, my strength was lacking.

“Not… Fucking… Happening,” he said again, the threat was there if I even tried, as though he was almost begging me to do it, just to prove to me what would happen when I did.

“You don’t own me, Lucius,” I said, this time losing some of the fight in my voice and he knew it. Because his eyes got intense and he took that last step into me. Then he put two fingers under my chin and forced me to raise my face to his.

Then and only then, with our gazes locked, did he turn my whole world upside down.

“Yes Amelia, I do…I own you…every last piece of you will be mine…for I own your soul. I own your heart and I own your mind, for I already know these parts of you are consumed by me in return…” I shook my head or at least tried to, but his hold on my chin became firm as he snapped my head back to his.

“Don’t try and deny it, Amelia…not like I did for so long,” he confessed and I sucked in a sharp breath.

But he hadn’t finished.

“You have always been mine and the only part of you left for me to take, to own… is your body…” he paused so he could look down at me. His eyes ablaze telling a story of what was to come. Then he found my fearful gaze in return and told me exactly what that story was…

“…and finally, my Amelia, the time for that…”

“Is now.”

23

Promised Protection

The second after he said this, he kissed me and this time it only spoke of the promise of his words. Words that now, combined with the tender need his kiss spoke of, well then, I knew that I was lost. I was lost to everything that was Lucius and had no hope of walking away now. But it was much more than that. I had no hope of protecting my heart, because he was right.

He did already own it.

He owned every part of me he spoke of and the only thing left was what I had kept for him all these years. Because I had known right from the first time I ever saw him that he was the only man I would ever love and he was right, I was lying to myself if I thought any differently. Oh, I could try and convince myself until my last breath and had in fact spent years trying to do so. But nothing could stop this. Not now, not ever, and his kiss said that he knew it too.

“Gods, how I have waited,” he whispered after pulling his lips from mine just long enough to say it before continuing his kiss.

“Yes.” The admission came out breathy and was swallowed by his lips as his tongue begun dueling with mine, tasting me, an age old dance we all knew set our blood alight. The kind of kiss that sparked that deeper part of you that felt strong enough to connect to your very soul. Well, it made me feel more than owned…

I felt consumed.

“Enough…enough waiting,” he growled and suddenly I was in his arms, being carried to what I could assume was his bed.

That bed.

The bed that held the worst memory of my life so far. Which was why I couldn’t help the small plea that escaped.

“Please I…” I didn’t need to say anything more as he knew. He knew and yet, he didn’t stop.

“It is time to let the past go and time to erase the lies with the only truth that matters,” he told me the second he lowered me down to the sheets and I knew he was right. I needed to get over this irrational fear I had of his bed, and the only way to do that was to become his in it. But Gods, I was nervous and the second he smirked down at me I knew that he knew it too. Then he started to lower himself down over me and I shifted further up the bed.

“This is…erm, very Gothic,” I said looking around his most personal space just for something to say to take my mind off what was about to happen. Only from the looks of Lucius, he wasn’t about to let me off that easily.

“Indeed.” He hummed the word with held back amusement and I knew then that he was enjoying watching me struggle with my nerves.

“I didn’t think you were one for convention?” I added.

“Vampire remember, it was this or a frilly shirt and cape,” he said, making me burst out laughing and right then I needed it to ease my fears. Which was precisely why I think he said it. But then he crawled up over me and one quick tug was all it took for me to slip underneath him.

“It’s a nice bed,” I said referring to the black, carved sleigh bed that had an equally high headboard as it did by our feet.

“It’s nicer with you in it,” he said making a show of looking down the length of me and in his torn large t shirt and not much else, I didn’t exactly feel sexy, but his look said the complete opposite.

“And you have nice sheets, they’re very soft,” I said, again trying to focus on my surroundings to break through my nervousness. But his grin said he knew this too.

“Mmm, very soft,” he said, this time running a hand up the inside of my thigh and igniting a breathy sound from my lips.

“And your pillows are very…comfortable,” I said ending this on a whisper as I saw the way he now fisted one hand in them by my head before he leant down to my lips and said,

“Amelia, my sweet girl…” he started kissing my jawline, pausing every time he went lower to speak against my skin,

“My sweet little princess…” Then he got to my neck, nipping at it before he was directly at my ear,

“Shut the fuck up about my bed.” Then before I could argue, his lips were back on mine and this time his kiss was rough, hard and passionate enough to speak for him of what was to come. His hand was in my hair, fisting the black strands so he could pull my head back. My neck now held taut in his unyielding hold. It was nothing short of a brutal assault on my senses and soon all my fear evaporated, being replaced by nothing but my desperate need for him to take me.

My body arched up to his and the second he felt my breasts peaked and pressed against his bare chest, he had hit a limit of some kind.

“Not enough!” he snarled and I would have been hurt if his next actions hadn’t explained to me exactly what he meant. Because he lifted himself up to his knees that now straddled either side of my thighs, so he could take hold of his shirt with both hands before he tore it straight down the middle. The action jerked my body with his rough treatment and the sound of material tearing echoed and merged with the song of my gasping and heavy breathing.

Then, with a touch the complete opposite to impatience, he brushed back each side of the now torn shirt with both hands as if he were about to open up a book, one solely to learn how to claim my heart. Or maybe one on knowing what to do with it, as it was as he already said, it was a piece of me he already knew he owned.

But opening me up now and it looked as though he had already ripped out that heart, because all that faced him was the remains of crimson stained skin and a blood soaked bra. I looked down to see what had him so fixated and was horrified to see what I looked like. So, I quickly tried to sit up, ready to try and slip from beneath him but his leather hand quickly shot out and collared my throat. An action I took seriously enough to allow him to push me back to the bed.

“You’re fucking perfect,” he growled down at me as if he knew where my thoughts were. I took a shuddering breath that in turn made my chest reach up before recoiling down again, but the sight was enough to have him fixated.

However, I wasn’t completely convinced.

“I should go shower…”

“You are going nowhere…not this time, my little crimson doll,” he said running his bare hand up over my belly and over my covered breast. His voice was like velvet laid over the danger of a blade. It was soothing, gentle and spoke of a deadly promise should you get on the wrong side of it. But being here, very much on the best side, well that voice had the power to make me do whatever he asked, had the power to make me bare my soul and beg him to take it…

Just like my virginity.

“Do you have any idea how addictive you are…?” he asked letting go of my throat and shifting down, lowering himself so his face was now just where his hand had started at my belly. Then he began to run his nose up and over my breast, stopping to nip at the blood soaked lace with his teeth.

“…The scent of your blood, mixing with the scent of your lust…” He continued up and back over me but reared back enough that I sucked in a fearful little breath. This was because when he looked to one finger he let a wicked looking demonic talon grow up over his fingernail. It looked far too deadly to come near me without causing damage, so naturally I flinched when I saw him bring it closer. But he ignored me and I felt its cool, smooth back when he hooked it under the middle of my bra, taking care not to let that deadly tip touch my skin. But I also knew he was getting off taunting me with the danger of it. Because this was who he was. I knew that when he told me,

“The scent of your fear…fuck me, my little Šemšā, it’s intoxicating!” Then with a quick flick of his talon he sliced right through the middle of my bra, making it snap open. Then he lowered his head and licked right up the centre, coating his tongue with the blood stained there. Then he threw his head back, his pale corded neck straining, as he sucked air through his teeth as if the taste of me was sending him hurtling over the edge. And I was both afraid and captivated by the sight. Locked to the sight of him, the raw intensity in which he wanted me. I even saw his lips moving, whispering something I couldn’t hear or understand as the language was one I didn’t know. But then it suddenly came to me what it was he was doing…

He was praying.

The second a startled gasp left my lips his head snapped back to mine and now the eyes looking down at me belonged solely to his demon. I had never seen them like this before, like looking into the centre of a volcano circled by a raging storm of darkness. I even flinched back in reaction, but it was one he simply grinned at, and then his fangs emerged and he licked at one before telling me,

“Don’t worry sweetheart, when I make you bleed for me…you will like it.”

“Ahhh, oh Gods!” My cry of pleasure came the second he suddenly shackled my wrists, held them above my head in a blur of motion and his teeth latched onto my nipple so fast it made me dizzy. But then what he did with his mouth and how it connected straight to my core, made my back arch. Which in turn pressed more of myself inside his mouth, making him growl around the hard tip. But then he rolled it in between his teeth, and I cried out ready to beg him to stop as it was too much. However, the breathy sounds wouldn’t form into words the second his tongue circled the pain to soothe the sting. Gods, but the feeling was near maddening and I was in half a mind to ask if he was trying to kill me with sensation alone!

But I knew I needed more…more of something! Which was why I fought against his hold, trying to get at him, to touch him, to claw at his back, anything that it would take for him to give me more. So, he tore his lips from my breast, one still staining his lips red as my breasts were stained with my blood.

“When I am ready Amelia, only when I am fucking ready, do you understand?” he shouted down at me and my body reacted on its own accord as I hooked my legs around his waist and ground myself up against his erection pushing down on my shoulders to gain strength below. He hissed through his teeth the second he felt my soaked panties seep through the denim over his straining cock.

“You feel ready to me,” I told him brazenly making him grin down at me and I swear the sight of his fangs on show caused my heart to beat faster and my pussy spasm.

“Oh, my sweet little virgin, I have been ready for you for a fucking age, the thought of you teasing me all this time, watching you from afar, well now it’s time you made up for it…now it’s time I make you beg for me, my Šemšā,” he said suddenly claiming my lips and at the same time, pushing my ass back to the bed by grinding himself to me. My shocked gasp died in his mouth where he claimed it as a victory, and the rocking motion of him grinding himself against me was keeping me on the cusp of coming.

“Yes!” I moaned as he left my abused, bitten lips in favour of my neck and I felt his hand skim down my side, making me squirm beneath his hand as though I was some kind of damn puppet of his. Only instead of pulling at my strings, he was fucking wrapping me up in them, like a spider to the fly, snarled in his web, he had me trapped without ever wanting to escape.

Now, I just had to hope he wouldn’t accidentally suck me dry.

A sharp tug was my only warning that my panties were about to disappear as he tore them from me like the rest of my clothes. I had to say, when I ever thought about this moment, I had foolishly romanticised the moment. I would have been wearing some sexy dress hiding even sexier silk and lace beneath. But then again, this was my Vampire King featured in this fantasy. So, my bloody body quivering on top of ripped pieces of material he had torn off me was more fitting for a being like Lucius.

The moment his hand snaked in between our bodies, and he made contact with my soaked clit, I cried out, knowing I was far too close to last long with him touching me like that. But Lucius wanted something in return.

“Beg for me,” he whispered against my cheek.

“Ahhh… oh Gods,” I moaned arching against him, and I felt his knowing grin against my skin. Then he growled and nipped at me again, making me cry out at the little sting his bite created,

“I told you to beg.”

It had been a warning to give in to his demands and to prove his point his fingers left my clit and I cried out at their loss. This was before sucking in a startled breath when instead they penetrated my unused channel. He swallowed that cry as well with his mouth. Then his fingers started to work me, and it built inside me once more. But just before it erupted, he cruelly pulled his fingers from me, making me cry again with yet another loss.

“No, please!” I said before I could stop it.

“Ah there she is…now again,” he demanded and I shook my head, telling him that I wouldn’t. Because I wanted to be more to him. I wanted something more in return. Which was why I told him,

“I am not your plaything!” My breathy tone indicating differently. He seemed amused by this and his amber eyes glowed even brighter at my defiance. Then his fingers pinched my clit and I cried out again, my body trying to bolt upright, only his weight on me wouldn’t allow me to move far.

“No? Your body disagrees with you, princess.” Then to prove his point yet again, he released his hold on my clit and dragged more of my cream from in between my folds before working it faster this time. Again, my body arched and pressed into him, one hand breaking free of his hold so I could claw it at his back.

“Do you want me to have you...to take you and coat my cock with your crimson cream…to make you mine completely…?” he said speaking against my skin, licking at me before scraping his fangs up the length of my neck, making me shiver.

“I will if you only ask me to,” he told me just as my orgasm was nearly there, it was so close…I was so close. Gods, but I was almost afraid of it, knowing just how powerful it would be.

Just that little bit more.

Just a few more seconds.

One.

Two.

Three.

And here it…

“NO!” I screamed the second he stopped, making the cruel bastard chuckle. I even found myself pounding my fist on his back and tears pricked my eyes.

“You want it, you know how to get it…so tell me, my little Šemšā, do you want me to take your virginity?” he asked with a growl to his words and I was so close, the only thing in my way was what he was yet to give me…a promise.

Which was why I started shaking my head, telling him a panicked little no, and instead of getting angry with me, he started to soothe me. He stretched out over me, and in that moment, I felt the denim of his jeans start to dissolve as if now nothing but a cloud of dust.

After that there was nothing left between us. I could finally feel the head of his solid length just there, a single thrust away. I could feel myself soaking the head, as I rubbed myself against him without being able to stop. It was as if my body was doing so of its own accord, screaming at me for being a fool and denying us.

“Ssshh now, why do you fight me, my Šemšā…why do you fight your destiny?” he asked me gently, as he stroked back my hair. A single tear escaped and ran down the side towards my hairline. Only Lucius saw it and like everything else, he claimed it, getting there first as he licked it, humming as he tasted my tears.

It was all just too much.

I couldn’t hold out any longer.

“Will you…” this time I stopped myself by actually biting my lip, one he pulled free with his thumb.

“Will I what?” I decided to be brave and say it, knowing that in the next four words out of my mouth there was an abyss of meaning there.

“Will you protect it?” Once it was finally past my lips his eyes blazed and finally, he gave me everything I ever wanted,

Everything I ever dreamed of.

And he did this as he kissed his way down from my damp cheek all the way down to my neck,

“Body. Mind. Soul and your tender little heart…” I released a held breath of relief the second that last word was uttered against my skin. And I quickly took his face in my hands and brought his lips back to mine in a desperate need to kiss him.

“Yes,” I told him the second he allowed me to take breath and I rubbed myself along his length to prove it. A rumbling sound vibrated in his chest. Then he collared my neck, pushed my chin up and was at my neck in a blink. He growled low against my taut skin and I knew the time was now. Especially when this time he gave me even more…

“Now it’s time to say you’re mine, my Khuba…beg me to claim you, my love.” The second he called me his love I fell completely, knowing in that moment I would have given him everything I was and ever could be.

“Please Lucius…make me yours…claim me, my...” I never got to finish as this was enough for him, for in that single second it was as though the entire world stopped. Paused for the lovers. A single heartbeat for the both of us.

Because it wasn’t all about what Lucius was going to take from me, seconds away from owning it all.

It was also about what he gave me back in return.

And in true Lucius fashion, it was a brutal and raw return of his heart, as he finally admitted who I was to him.

Admitting it in a way that only Lucius could, when he said,

“This is going to hurt so sweetly…

“…My Electus.”

24

Hard Limits, Soft Limits and All the Limits in Between

Lucius made good on his promise.

He made it hurt so sweetly.

Because the moment after he called me his Electus, claiming me to be his Chosen One, was the same moment he claimed me in every other way. As he didn’t just claim my virginity, he claimed my blood. He broke through the barrier of my sex, making me cry out the second I felt the length of him entering me. But then at the same time his fangs pierced through my skin, and my cries of pain ended up as long, ragged cries of pleasure.

I came instantly, being too overwhelmed by the intensity of it all. I felt myself screaming but couldn’t hear anything over the pounding of my own heart. I didn’t even know if there was any sound coming through my lips, but my mouth was open and every muscle in my body tensed as it continued to brace itself for the wave of rapture that assaulted me over and over again. The intensity of it all continued to build even as its release was erupting, as it just didn’t seem to want to ever stop. And somewhere in the blissful fog that clouded my mind I asked myself was it because his movement inside of me continued to draw it out of me?

Every erogenous zone, every cluster of nerves was being discovered for what felt like the first time and I could do nothing but grip onto his shoulders, as he both fed from my neck like a wild beast as he took even more of me from below. But it was only when he must have felt my fingers gripping him go lax that he pulled his fangs from my neck, knowing he had tapped his limit, unless he wanted to lose me to unconsciousness. But then he had other ideas, because he first licked the length of the puncture holes he had made. Then he purposely looked down at me, letting my blood drip down his fangs and onto the skin by my lips, before he lowered his crimson lips to mine.

“I want you to see how good you taste…how fucking addictive you are!” he growled down over my mouth before his fangs disappeared so he could crush his lips to mine in a bruising, blood soaked kiss. The feeling, the sinful and wicked act, combined with the way his hips continued to pump his length into me. Gods, but it was no wonder I was coming again, a cry he consumed with his bloodstained kiss.

“Fucking Heaven!” he snarled down at me, and every drag of his large cock against my insides felt as though it was burning me up from the inside out. A pain merging into a pleasure of the likes I had never known. His hands at my hips, holding me locked to him, as he slammed into me, but he wanted more still. His hands found the back of my knees and he pulled up my legs so he could get deeper still. I cried out yet again, and he watched me with an intense gaze that told me he was drinking in every sound I made, every single expression of pleasure and pain. He was getting high off them, drowning in the sight of me taking everything he gave me and lastly, his own orgasm building in sight of every single fucking thing he took from me, knowing that after this moment our claiming was unbreakable.

He would own me completely.

“Now it’s time for my own,” he said cryptically before a talon grew and he sliced open an inch line at his neck. Blood pooled before dripping down the length and that was when I knew what it was he wanted.

It was time for me to claim him in return.

He lifted my head to his neck, guiding my lips to the blood he offered, and I hesitated for a second, long enough for him to fist my hair and tell me,

“My life is yours, as is my blood from this day forward…now fucking take it!” he snarled this demand and I opened my mouth the second he pushed my head to his neck and I latched onto him, knowing there wasn’t a single thing between us.

Not. A. Single. Fucking. Thing.

I bit into him, sucking his blood like it was my very own elixir of life and in a way, it was. The taste of him burst across my tongue and instead of the metallic taste I was expecting it to taste like it was unlike anything I had ever had before in my life. But as my reaction had been to him drinking from me, his reaction was the same. Because he unexpectedly held me tighter in his hold, a desperate kind of need overtaking him as he suddenly roared his release into me. Now bellowing at the Gods in another language, swearing words I didn’t understand as his pleasure erupted inside me.

I could feel his cock shuddering inside my core, thumping against the walls of my channel as my own orgasm milked his length, as it coated the walls of my sex with his seed. I felt it dripping out of me, coating my thighs as he continued to thrust inside me with speed, as if his own release wasn’t yet over. I knew this when he tore his neck from my lips, threw his head back and this time when he roared his second release, it was powerful enough to crack the walls.

A hand shot out to hold himself from crushing me and instead it crushed the wood of the frame behind my head. This was when he finally started to come down from the rapture of his high, and we were both left panting, blood coating the upper parts of our bodies, the mix of our release soaking the lower, and beads of sweat in between.

And I felt utterly spent and knew my limbs would be useless as nothing felt as if it worked anymore. Nothing but the pounding of my heart that I could feel still thundering in my chest. I watched as Lucius lowered his head, letting it hang forward for a few moments as he took the time needed to regain control of his functions. The way his hair hung forward, his face looking strangely serene in a way I had never seen it before. As if the weight of the world had just been lifted and the damaged parts of his soul now fixed.

As if he had just felt his own heart beating for the first time.

But then he opened his eyes and the beautiful blue grey colour was back, staring down at me as though I was some holy being bestowing upon him a gift, and in a sense I guess I just had. He didn’t say anything, but his eyes told me enough. He then started to move, and I was about to pull away from him when another thing I had never heard from him before slipped through the cracks of his hard exterior. It was a vulnerable sound, one said at the same time he quickly grabbed my hip, preventing me from moving and breaking our connection.

“No…not yet, I am not ready for you to let go of your hold on me,” he told me gently and then he shifted our bodies both to the side after first hooking my leg over his hip, keeping us locked together, something I was more than grateful for as I too wasn’t ready to let him go.

Then we lay facing each other, just like when I had woken up last time finding him looking at me with a tenderness and it nearly took my breath away. In that moment, when he brushed my hair back off my face, I didn’t know what side of Lucius I loved more. The rough, demanding, dominant and ‘says fuck a lot’ King who had just fucked me raw or the tender, gentle, soft side of Lucius that looked at me now as if I was some precious rare gift he vowed never to return to my old life.

His little sun bird caught in the cage of his world.

“Are you alright?” he asked me softly and I blushed, only able to nod as I felt strangely vulnerable in that moment. It made me question if I always would? Was this what sex was like, was this the aftermath? The feeling as if you had just been cracked wide open and bared your soul to someone, praying that they would know what to do with it afterwards?

“Words, sweetheart,” he demanded calmly.

“I am.” He smirked at this and my obvious shyness. But then I decided to ask him the same… as well, I really wanted to know.

“Are you alright?” Now this question shocked him. I knew this as he placed his forehead to my shoulder and chuckled, muttering to himself,

“She asks me if I am I alright.” Then he shook his head as if he couldn’t get his mind around it, before lifting his gaze to mine, so he could tell me,

“Amelia, I just claimed my Chosen One, I am more than alright, I am…Gods, but I finally feel blessed by Heaven.” The second the words were out I sucked in a breath holding it there, too afraid to let it go again, in case it had the power to take away this perfect moment along with it.

“Lucius I…” I started to say as I placed my hand to his cheek and he closed his eyes and simply said,

“I know.” Meaning that I never got chance to finish before he was kissing me and this time it was soft and gentle and spoke of those three words neither of us had said yet.

But it was eight letters we didn’t need to put into words.

Not in that moment.

Not when it was there in our kiss. In our tender touch.

In our eyes.

“Are you sore?” Lucius asked shortly after our kiss ended and he was now gently running his fingertip over my lips.

“A little,” I confessed making him grin wickedly.

“And we can’t have that now can we. Not when I am far from done with you and your delectable little body.” Then he winked at me and ended up laughing when I uttered in shock,

“Again?”

“No pet… again and again and again.” Then he kissed my nose as my mouth dropped in shock again making him chuckle.

“Hold still as I leave you.”

“Oh, but I thought erm …okay then…” I said in a small voice that he read easily because he whispered down at me,

“I meant leave your body, Amelia, as trust me, I am not going anywhere.” I rolled my lips to stop myself from saying more, already feeling the heat in my cheeks from shame at appearing needy. Then he nodded down at me silently asking me if I was ready for him to move and I motioned that I was.

“Mmm, ah.” I moaned as he pulled from my tender core hearing that I wasn’t the only one that mourned the loss. But then I felt him pulling me up, and I was shy once more,

“Wait, what are you…whoa!” I ended that question when I was picked up out of bed and found myself being carried into what I assumed was Lucius’ bathroom.

“I am taking care of what is mine to care for,” he told me brazenly as we entered this new space, his sweet words staying with me.

The room wasn’t what I expected in a bathroom but was what I expected of Lucius, for the whole room except for the ceiling was different shades of black and dark grey. The floor was a dark grey slate and the walls were made of black painted panelled wood. In the centre of the room was a stone oval bathtub that looked to be carved from a single piece of granite. The edges were as smooth as they were on the inside and the only part of the bath that had been left to its natural rough state was the thick edge. But there were no taps and I would have questioned where the water came from if he wasn’t now carrying me behind a granite stone wall, that held a shower behind it.

A large round shower head hung from above that was the size of a dinner plate yet when he turned on the water, it didn’t just rain from this point. It actually rained down against the stone walls, creating a waterfall effect that looked kick ass cool. He placed me down on my feet and pulled what I only now realised was the rest of his T shirt from my arms and my bra that hung limp either side of my breasts. Then he threw them out from behind the wall so we were both naked in the shower.

Something by now I should have been used to, having done this once before. But after what just happened in his bed, well, it was like I was relying on him for guidance on what to do next. And what I was to do next was obviously let Lucius care for me and this seemed to be his time to wash me, something I was too stunned to stop. Besides it felt way too nice to stop, well that was until he started to travel lower and I shackled his wrist to stop him.

“It’s okay I can do…” His growl silenced me and then he told me sternly,

“Nothing will ever stop me from touching you.” So, my fingers uncurled releasing him and he continued on down, until his next command was issued.

“Open your legs for me.” I swallowed hard and I swear I nearly choked on what could only be described as pure fuckable desire. But I obviously wasn’t obeying him quick enough as he tapped on my thigh and said,

“You heard me, sweetheart.” So, I did his bidding as honestly, I couldn’t find myself doing anything else. It was as if since having me, claiming me as he put it, I was locked into his command. As if I was actually his now and had unknowingly placed my body under his control, for I didn’t seem to be questioning his authority over me.

“Ahhh,” I moaned sharply the second his soapy hand came into contact with my sensitive folds and I reached out to grab hold of him, burying my face in his bicep. His gloved hand went to the back of my head and stroked down my hair,

“The tenderness will ease, especially once my blood has started to do its work.” I raised my head at that and looked up at him over his impressive muscle.

“Its work?” I questioned.

“It will help heal you,” he told me, affectionately running the back of his leather covered fingers down my cheek, making me wonder if he ever took the glove off. I had wanted to ask him about it so many times before, but I already knew, thanks to Pip, that even talking about it was a big no, no. And even though I had not long ago just been declared as his Chosen One, I didn’t think it right to ruin the moment. However, I still wanted to test how far I could push it, so I covered his fingers with my own hand, touching his fingers lightly, bracing myself for his reaction.

And as I thought, his hand slipped quickly from beneath them and fell away from touching me all together. That was when I looked up at him and braved his gaze to see it looking for only a few seconds…pained.

This was when I knew that for Lucius,

This was a hard limit.

So, I let it go for now, hoping that he would trust me in time. But then again, I had a feeling that this was all as new for Lucius as it was for me and in fact, we were two people that were just learning what falling in love really meant. And right now, for Lucius it meant caring for me after what I had just given him. Which was why I let him wash my body in the gentle, tender way he did, and soak in not just the moisture but every single touch. The way he turned my body around so I was facing the wall with my back to his chest. Then he raised up my arms, linking my hands behind his neck that put my body not only on display, but naturally made my breasts lift as if begging for his attention next.

Then with his arms around me, his hands in front me, he added more soap and I became fascinated with watching his large strong hands rub together creating a foam coating them white. The manly scent was one I recognised as being all Lucius, meaning that he now purposely wanted me to smell of him and I asked myself was this his possessive nature making this decision? Surrounding me with everything that was him. His scent on my skin, my body in his bed, his seed still trickling down from inside me. He was everywhere even if his hands weren’t.

Was this what it felt like to be owned by him?

If it was, then it was like he said…it was fucking intoxicating.

But then his hands, one bare, one leather, both wet and slick with soap started moving all over my body, cupping my breasts and with every breath I took, it pushed them further into his open palms. I couldn’t help it when my head fell back against his chest at the same time a moan escaped open lips. I felt then the rumbling against my back as his own growls of pleasure vibrated from his chest.

“Gods, you’re beautiful,” he told me, making me take a deep shuddering breath before I told him quietly,

“Thank you.” But then I heard him chuckle softly, before he leant his head down closer so he could whisper,

“Ah, so this is what I must do to be granted your thanks.” His voice was full of gentle humor and I couldn’t help but grin, knowing that he had mentioned this a few times and I wasn’t sure if he was right…was this the first time I had thanked him for anything? Even after everything he had done for me. Saving my life, giving me back my apartment after it was trashed, the clothes, the private space whilst here…and not once had I thanked him. Well, surely now was as good a time as any…

Even given my inexperience, it couldn’t be that hard could it?

Well, it seemed to be my night for firsts.

Meaning that I turned in his arms, thankful that he let me, then with my arms wrapped around his neck I rose up on my toes and started kissing his jawline, making his grip on me tighten when I whispered,

“Then maybe it’s time I thanked you properly.” Then I started to lower myself before him and I heard his sharp intake of breath, and I had to say the sound of his surprise could quite easily become my new addiction.

“Amelia, you don’t…ahh.” He was cut off when I scraped my nails down his thighs as I lowered myself all the way to my knees stopping him from saying anything more, and I did this by looking up at him through the veil of my lashes and used his words against him,

“I claimed you back remember… therefore nothing will stop me from touching you,” I told him before taking his thick length in my hand touching his steely length for the first time. The second I did, wrapping my fingers around his sizable girth, he sucked air through his teeth and at first, I wondered if I was holding him too hard.

The moment I loosened my hold on him his hand quickly covered mine stopping me. Then without words, he tapped me under the chin and nodded down to himself, telling me I was doing nothing wrong and asking me to continue. Because he knew of my innocence. He knew I had never done this before, and he was guiding me onwards. And well there was only one way to thank him and that was…

To keep thanking him.

So, I took a firmer hold and began using my tongue, starting at the base as I licked up to the tip, moving my hand as I went. Then the second I heard yet another guttural moan from him, this time I didn’t stop, but I did smile to myself. Gods, but just knowing the power I finally held over this man was like a rush of adrenaline and lust merging into one. The knowledge combined with the act was turning me on enough that the second I took his cock into my mouth I ended up moaning around him, making him echo my sound with one of his own.

“Fuck!” I heard him hiss the second I sucked hard down on him before lifting my lips over his satin soft skin, one surrounding such a hard length. Then as I went down again, I twisted my mouth around him, letting myself gag a little and using the extra saliva to coat his cock.

He must have liked this as I felt him slap a hand to the wall, and I flinched a little when I heard stone cracking. But then he must have been worried about losing my mouth as a reassuring hand came to my shoulder. But when I felt it actually shaking, I couldn’t help my grin form around him once more. Then I repeated the action, each time relaxing my throat a little more and pushing myself further down, gaining more each time. And in return, I gained more pleasure from the sounds of his.

However, I knew I would never manage it all, he was simply too big and the soreness between my legs was testament to that. But feeling the ache in my jaw I decided to get braver, licking at the head, paying it some attention, swiping at the small slit there and marvelling the second I tasted the salty precum. Gods, but he tasted divine and I started lapping at him, trying to tease more, now working my wet hand up and down his length.

“Lucifer’s blood, woman!” he shouted as if I was killing him with pleasure and again, the knowledge that I could do this to him, accomplish such a thing, Lucifer’s blood was right, having this power on someone like Lucius was addictive!

I heard more stone cracking, but this time ignored it as I continued to drive him closer, wanting to punish him with rapture just as he had done to me. Because I didn’t just want to thank him, I wanted to brand this moment to his soul for the rest of his eternity, so he would never want another. I wanted to be the best he’d ever had. I wanted to be his everything!

So, I worked his length, this time too lost in my own pleasure gained to feel any ache or strain. I just wanted everything I knew he could give me and I when I glanced up, still with him in my mouth, I saw his hands locked to the back of the wall, bracing himself and keeping them there as if he feared any movement from him would end his pleasure too soon.

“Amelia, Gods woman but I am going to…I am fucking close so unless you…ahhh, fuck!” He hissed when I didn’t stop and the second he knew I was fully intent on swallowing him down, I felt a possessive hand fist in my hair as he held my head to his cock the second he roared his release, giving me every piece of him. I am not going to lie, it took some getting used to, as I felt him shooting his seed into my mouth, I gagged around it as I tried my best to swallow him down, feeling it dripping down my chin.

But the roar of his release as he threw his head back and as the thundering sound erupted, I had never felt a thrill quite like it. Soon the fist in my hair went slack and once I was sure I had lapped up every last drop, I released him, making sure to kiss the sensitive head making him shudder one last time before I got to my feet.

Then I dipped myself under the spray one last time, grinning when I saw him still trying to catch his breath. Also taking note of the cracks in the wall around where his hands had been purposely locked to. Gods, but I felt good. Like some powerful siren that had the hidden power to bring this King to his knees.

Which was why I decided to end the moment on a ‘aren’t I a badass, giving my first successful blow job’ kind of way. And I did this by walking up to him, kissing his jawline just as I had done when I first started and said to him,

“Thanks, handsome.” Then I grinned against him before turning on a heel to leave him in the shower. Now this would have been a very cool way to make my exit after my power play…that was if Lucius had let me.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going!” he snapped at the same time snatching my hand and yanking me back to him. I fell spinning into him just as he took my head in his hands and kissed me with enough passion it made me dizzy and lightheaded. Especially when I felt myself being pushed up against the wall, feeling the spray of the waterfall cascading down my back.

“I am not finished with you yet, princess!” Then he suddenly grabbed my ass with both hands and lifted me so my legs fell open naturally, a space he quickly filled. Then as he lowered me back down, he did so this time impaling me on his length. I screamed in both pain at the intrusion but also at the pleasure it quickly bloomed into. My head fell back against the stone, feeling the water splashing over me, and I swear we could have been making love under some exotic waterfall in some jungle paradise for all I knew.

Because the pleasure was too intense to think of much else but the living fantasy his body was currently playing out. The way he held me, as if ready to fight the world if they dared take me away from him. The way he hammered into me, making me moan and cry out as wave after wave of my orgasm ripped through me, this time quick and fast without the slow build. No, this time it was raw and intense as this wasn’t making love to me, this was wild desperately fucking me against the wall. As if his lust had taken hold and there was nothing he could do about it but sate his needs.

And me, well I loved every fucking minute of it!

“Yes, yes, yes…YES!” I screamed as I came again, this time letting it take me as I went limp in his hold, barely having the strength left to hold on. But then minutes later and he was following me in that release, this time swearing it,

“FUCK, YES!”

I remained clinging onto him as he lowered his head, panting through his euphoric state, with one hand holding my ass and the other holding us both up with a hand overhead to the wall.

After this and there was little else I could do but let myself be carried from the shower like last time. I felt as though my limbs had been replaced with soggy wet noodles as I clung onto him, with him still seated inside of me. Again, I moaned my loss the second he withdrew before sitting me down on the counter by the sinks. I felt a towel being wrapped around me and I let my head fall forward, placing my forehead to his chest as I muttered one last thing to him before I felt myself close to passing out.

Of course, I did, but doing so this time to the sound of his laughter…

“Was it good for you?”

25

And All After Breakfast

This time when I woke up, I was awarded with a new sight and two things happened. The first was I silently gasped and the second was to replace the first with a secret grin. Because now I faced Lucius who was asleep. I don’t know why I found the sight such a captivating and intriguing one, but maybe because like this, he looked so…human.

I was always so used to his presence being one that dominated the space around him, the whole room becoming aware of his entire being, it was sometimes stifling. The strength he portrayed as if oozing out of every pore and he didn’t even realise it, certainly not something done for effect or some kind of act. It was simply him.

But like this, he looked so peaceful, he almost didn’t look real enough to touch. As if when I tried, then my hand would simply pass right through him. The way those sandy coloured strands were tousled and giving real meaning to the term ‘bed head’. It made me itch to run my fingers through it, to push back the strays that had managed to fall across his forehead. To run my fingertips gently along that strong jawline, now dusted with stubble a few shades darker than his hair. Gods, but he even looked younger in his serene state, with those long lashes casting faint fan shaped shadows under his eyes. It made me wonder if he was ticklish, and if I ran my nail gently across his lips now would they twitch or form that knowing, easy grin of his.

Gods, but just looking at him and my heart ached, he was so beautiful. And it made me think about all that he had endured in his long life on this Earth. My eyes continued to scan every inch of him that was on show, taking my time now that I was finally free to do so. The contoured lines, dips and hollows in between all that muscle, made me wonder if he worked out like I knew many of my father’s kind did.

At one time, it was often I would be down in my father’s training room, practicing all the moves he and Takeshi had taught me. Now thinking back to a time when I fooled myself enough to believe that if I became good enough that my father would trust me more. That I could be allowed to be more independent and do the simple things, like go to a party with my friends or fated Gods forbid, a real date.

I had trained to an obsessive point where each move had simply become as natural as breathing. I could use most weapons, with my arrows hitting dead centre and my throwing knives always on target. I had mastered the staff and spear and could sword fight as if I was a bloody samurai! But the simple fact always remained…

I was mortal.

And in the eyes of my father, these skills meant little in the face of an immortal enemy. I had once asked him what the point of it all had been? What was the point of me training so hard if nothing was ever to come of it? His answer had been a cryptic,

‘Because even danger can come in the form of a weak wolf.’ At the time I hadn’t understood what he meant, and I still didn’t. Was I the weak wolf, or did he think I could only ever hope to defeat the weak? I remember just throwing down the blade I had been training with, it landing at his feet, and telling him,

‘Then I am done.’

And since that day I had never once picked up a blade again, not even engaging in a single fight until that day in the museum. I would be lying if I had said it didn’t feel good and even had me wondering if Lucius had his own training room. His muscle and obvious fighting skills would suggest so.

But I remembered after that day, the first time my dad came into my room and asked if I wanted to train with him. I had told him no without explanation and we continued this for weeks later until eventually he stopped asking. I knew it hurt his feelings, but he wasn’t the only one. He was the one always telling me,

‘If you allow your opponent to make you feel weak, then you will be weak’. But what he didn’t understand was that my father was a contradiction to that. As the only one who ever made me feel weak, was him. Even last night, Lucius never once made me feel that way. He was worried because he cared for me, but even with a gun to my head, he kept his shit together and in turn, I did the same. Later on, I had warped this into him caring more about the box, but then he explained it to me, and I found myself questioning my own doubts.

“That looks like some heavy thoughts for someone who had her carnal thirst quenched last night and… so thoroughly.” The sound of Lucius’ lighthearted teasing brought me back from my thoughts.

“My carnal thirst? You’re the vampire remember, I was just plain old horny,” I teased back flicking him on the shoulder and making him laugh before grabbing my hand and bringing my captured fingers to his lips before he started to bite them. I opened my mouth, moaning but this time it was an over-exaggerated,

“Ooowww.”

“Baby,” he whispered in a soft voice that melted my insides. Especially when I watched him grin around the digits still with his teeth holding onto them, before he eased the pressure, now sucking them in his mouth to soothe the slight sting. After this he released them and ran a finger around my lips and told me,

“Mmm, now remind me again how talented this mouth of yours is,” he said snagging me at the back of my neck and pulling me to him for a kiss, one that wasn’t what I would have thought a morning kiss would be like. As this one ended up with me being slid underneath his body and moaning in his mouth.

“I must say, waking to this delectable little body and talented mouth of yours is going to be a most welcome addition to my day,” he told me making me blush ridiculously.

“That’s a little presumptuous of you, Vampy.” I said as his lips were at my neck, well, they were until I said that, as he pulled back to look down at me.

“Vampy?”

“I have decided that’s what I am going to call you, so remember that whenever the inclination to call me ‘princess’ takes you.” At this he scoffed, lowered himself back to kissing my neck and muttered,

“We will see about that.” I had to say, it felt amazing with his full naked length lay against my side, and his lips sucking and nipping at my neck and across my chest. So good in fact, that I nearly missed the next thing he said,

“It is not presumption, but an absolute.”

The second his words finally sank in I tensed in his hold and this time when he felt it, he muttered,

“And here we go.”

“I think we need to talk.” At this he chuckled obviously not taking my tone seriously.

“I would rather hear you moan,” he said and he did the second his lips took hold of a nipple as I arched my back to push myself further into him. I swear but my body was a traitorous bitch sometimes.

“You were saying something about talking, sweetheart?” he said after letting go of my breast long enough and I growled in annoyance, something he must have found adorable because he just grinned up at me.

“Yes, I did, and we do need…Oooh Gods.” This again ended in a moan of pleasure as he shifted further down the bed and this time started biting my nipple in earnest. But then his chuckle around my flesh made me find clarity and I told him,

“We need to talk, Lucius.” But he wouldn’t listen, just continued, which was when I grabbed a fist full of his hair and pulled, knowing it wouldn’t hurt the big guy. He let my nipple go with a pop and looked up at me from my breasts, baring his fangs at me. But it was a sight I didn’t take seriously, as why would I…I was his Electus. Gods, but even replaying that name over in my head made me nearly give up on my task.

Nearly.

“We need to talk.” I said more forcefully this time. And his response to this was to quickly retract his fangs and lower his head with a groan, resting it between my breasts, muttering,

“But of course.”

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?!” I complained the second he rolled away from me and got out of bed, and I had to say that shamefully I started to forget what we needed to talk about the second I saw his ass. Holy Gods in heaven! Talk about perfection, jeez, that sight should come with a warning attached to it. Like don’t view and operate heavy machinery.

“See anything you like back there?” Lucius said looking over his shoulder and seeing me about ten seconds away from drooling, damn him! My eyes snapped to one side and still blushing I bristled a quick and mumbled,

“No, no.” His bark of laughter told me he didn’t believe me. I then watched him prowl into his closet and once out of sight I rolled over, taking the sheet with me and now on my front I buried my head in the pillow and groaned,

“Why me?” Then I shrieked as I felt the covers whipped off me and then Lucius was there.

And what he gave me was so much more than his ridiculously gorgeous body,

He gave me his thoughts…

“Why you…? You want to know why you, sweetheart, then I will tell you, because you’re a lousy thief, fucking adorable most of the time, cute when you’re not, hotter than the entirety of Hell, fucking funny and can throw a mean punch when you’re not slapping the shit out of me like a girl…” He paused to lower himself to my shoulder and bite it a little before he carried on with his list and I had to say, I was stunned to silence,

“You also have the most incredible mouth, a fucking goddess in bed, have an ass I want to bite, and a pair of breasts I get to bite whenever the fuck I want…and you’re also my Chosen One. So that Amelia, is why…now I’m hungry and unless you want to be on the menu, then I would get your fuckable ass up out of bed, sweet cheeks… before I make good on my words...all of them,” he said, now shifting off me and slapping my ass. He then walked away from me to the sounds of my whimper, both from the sting of his slap,

But most of all,

From the soothing words of his confession.

* * *

A little time later and I was dressed in a comfortable pair of stonewash jeans, and a casual off the shoulder sweater in navy blue, that I thought brought out the colour of my eyes. Eyes that this time were framed by my thick black rimmed glasses, as my eyes were sore from sleeping in my contact lenses. I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail letting a few of the short bits hang loose around my face. I wore thick socks forgoing the need for shoes right now, especially since I had enough blisters to last me the rest of the year, thanks to the stripper heels from last night. Meaning I was back to being just shy of a foot shorter than Lucius once again.

I was just glad that I had been allowed to slip on a robe and sneak back into my apartment to change while Lucius was on the phone. I made hand signals to let him know this was what I was doing, so as not to disturb him, when he lowered the phone and asked,

“Unless this is your idea of some task force style roleplay, then yes Amelia, you can go change in your apartment.” I had frowned at him first before shaking my head deciding to bite my tongue. Of course, it still didn’t stop him from halting me at the door, when he said,

“Amelia…you have ten minutes.” And then he carried back on with his German speaking phone call.

And as for me, I was eleven minutes.

* * *

Which brought me back to his apartment, now staring at his door for over thirty seconds asking myself if I should knock first? This of course ended with the door being yanked open, just as my hand was up in the air ready to knock. Lucius took one look at me and frowned, then snapped in true Lucius fashion,

“Why the fuck are you about to knock!?” Then he hooked a hand in the waistband of my jeans and tugged me hard enough that I went falling into his chest. Then he gripped on to my ponytail so my head tilted back when he pulled and he snarled,

“That was eleven minutes you made me wait for your lips.” Then he kissed me, not wasting another second. Meanwhile I was trying not to give in to the urge to grin in some sap happy ridiculous way because my big bad Vamp erm…maybe boyfriend…had actually counted the minutes.

By the time the kiss finished I was pushed up against the door with my hands still in his hair, his hands on my ‘fuckable ass’ (something that totally panicked me) and we were both breathing heavy. Then with his forehead lowered to mine, he whispered,

“We don’t need words, my little Šemšā.”

I wished in that moment that it was true, just so we could have found our way back into his bed. But then a delicious smell hit me and my answer to this was,

“Oh my Gods, is that bacon!?” Then I slipped out of his hold and sneaked a look behind me to see his forehead fall to the door where I had been, a fist next to it, at the same time he started muttering something about asking Lucifer to give him strength. Meaning that by the time I was in his kitchenette, I was grinning. Of course, it wasn’t all down to him as there was in fact, bacon. Oh, and what looked like a gift from the Gods,

“Donuts!” I shouted in excitement and the second I felt him coming up behind me, I jumped at him and said,

“Donuts!” this made him chuckle and say,

“If just seeing them gets you this excited, then I know a game you can play with them later if you like.” Then he winked at me and I swear in that moment I had never been more shocked in all my life, even when I found out he actually liked me. Because I threw my head back and burst out laughing, and I don’t mean cute girly giggles here, I mean full on belly shaking laughing with tears and everything.

“Oh my Gods, Lucius, you just told a joke and it was funny!” I shouted making him roll his eyes at me, but he couldn’t hide the soft look he was trying to hide or even the way his eyes brightened at making me laugh.

“This might be a shocker, sweetheart, but when I am not dealing with fucking cults, crazy ex bitches, mercenaries with a death wish and ancient fucking boxes that want to kill me, then I do try and enjoy life and that includes a joke or two.” I smirked at this, placed a piece of bacon on top of my chocolate sprinkled donut (because yes, I was a freak) and waved it towards him whilst I said,

“Good to know.” Then I took a huge bite and groaned, ignoring his horrified look at my combination made and a show of saying with a mouthful,

“Thsooo Gooood” and he muttered asking for help as he turned around to grab himself some food.

“Gods give me strength.”

I grabbed my cup of tea I had poured and sat myself down in a chair, with one foot up next to my ass and a sticky bacon topped goodness in my other hand. Then, because I had my hands full, used the knuckle on my thumb to push my glasses back up my nose, as I looked down at a German newspaper on the table. Die Welt was the name on the front and had a small picture of the Earth in between the two words that I knew translated meant, ‘the world’.

“What other languages do you speak?” he asked coming to join me with a cup of coffee in his hands, but of course he took it black. He also had a plate with some bread and a few slices of meat and cheeses. I looked up at him over my glasses and smirked, especially when I saw his eyes glow slightly at the sight,

“Uh uh, I am not telling you that.”

“And why the fuck not?” he snapped making me grin even wider now.

“Because that way you will never know whether I will understand you or not… you know for all those pesky little times when you are trying to keep stuff from me,” I said winking at him this time and going back to reading the paper and forcing my brain to work harder at translating it in my head. He scoffed at this but didn’t say anything. So, after a while and once my sweet breakfast was consumed, I decided to start it.

“So how exactly is this going to work?” I asked sucking the chocolate icing off my fingers, something he decided to do for me as he snatched out and had my hand in his just as he had this morning.

“That is what happens when you tease me with sweetness,” he warned me once he had finished with me.

“Now be more specific,” Lucius added now I had my hand back.

“You know, us dating and stuff.” I said sounding very lame and nearly wincing at myself because of it. But then he frowned and crushed me a little when he stated firmly,

“We’re not dating,” he said then took the last bite of his bread before throwing a napkin to the plate and discarding it off to one side.

“Oh...well then, if this is just sleeping together then I…”

“And it fucking well isn’t just sleeping together!” he snapped quickly interrupting me and with it confusing the Hell out of me.

“Then what is it?” I asked frowning.

“You’re mine,” he replied as if in these two words it explained everything. When, It. Did. Not. As in not at all!

“And what does that mean exactly?” I asked, thinking it was a bloody good job we were having this ‘talk’. It was at this point that he placed his coffee down and slid it off to one side, before he steepled his fingers a moment as if doing so now to aid himself in gaining the patience needed to explain something to me.

“Alright sweetheart, I see you’re struggling with this, so I will explain it in the best way I can. You. Are. Mine. That means I will soon be arranging for someone to pack up your stuff in that little flat of yours and have it shipped here.” At this I balked before saying in a voice that was considerably higher that what it usually was,

“Why would you do that?!”

“That is what usually happens when someone moves to a different country, princess.” I whistled and raised my hands at the sound of all of his crazy and said,

“Hold on there, Vampy, I am not moving here!” He growled at the name I gave him but well, I did warn him, and my look said this.

“You were ready to move here once before,” he stated like seven years was bloody yesterday and yes, well to someone who still remembers what it was like to brush his fangs with a Miswak twig, then yeah, this would seem like yesterday. But still, I thought it best to make my point,

“Erm yeah, that was a while ago and was when I was going to study here. But I have a home, I have a job, friends…Lucius, I have a life in London.”

“Yes, and if I remember correctly it was one you were ready to walk away from not long ago…you know, a week ago when you tried to steal from me.” he said making me cringe because really, that was a bloody good argument.

“That is beside the point,” I said and he didn’t have to say what a lame response it was, as his eyes said it for him.

“I think you will find it is the point,” he pressed.

“I can’t move in with you!” I said sounding strangely outraged by this.

“Why the fuck not!?” he snapped.

“Well, for starters, this is our first breakfast together and we are already arguing!” I said throwing my hands up, being slightly dramatic. At least at this his gaze softened.

“Alright sweetheart, I know maybe this is going too fast for you…”

“Uh yeah, like Nascar fast.” He ignored this comment and continued on,

“But it is what it is and the sooner you accept your fate the easier it will be, on both of us.” I swear my jaw went slack, cartoon style!

“Tell me you are joking and did not just say that!” At this he leant back in his chair and folded his arms, telling me silently that he did. He did just say that!

“I cannot believe this is coming from you, of all people!”

“And what is that supposed to mean exactly?” he asked in a short tone.

“Oh, I don’t know Lucius, do you want to remind me again just how many years you haven’t been accepting that fate!” His face said it all, now it was my time to make my own bloody good point. Especially when he argued,

“It is not that same.”

“This isn’t a ‘Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto, Let's call the whole thing off’ type of thing here Lucius, it is the bloody same!” I said making him smirk as he was obviously amused by my use of the song to try to make my point.

“Look, all I am asking is for you in my bed every night and you’re there till we wake, your ass sat by my side every night in my club and not in London…you are with me. Now if doing so means that you want your own space, then fine, you keep the apartment next door until you feel comfortable enough to live with me fully, but just so you know, that is the only leeway I am giving you here, as no other scenario is acceptable. It’s happening, so in the words of your precious Jean-Luc Picard, make it so!”

“Holy shit! You googled him!?” I screeched deciding this was far more important in that moment than him trying to bully me into moving in with him!

“Yeah, well that’s what happens when a girl with a Gods be damned mouth like yours and a body I want to fucking ravish night and day, starts mentioning some other guy’s name in her sleep, it makes you crazy enough to google shit!” he snapped and I couldn’t help but bite my lip just to stop myself from bursting out laughing.

“I swear you start laughing, princess, and you will be over my knee this time, not my shoulder and don’t forget, I still owe your ass my palm as it is,” he threatened and this time I rolled my lips inwards as a grin was pushing to break out.

“Okay, so leaving Picard out of this, you have to understand where I am coming from here, Lucius, I mean, we haven’t even been out on a single date yet,” I said thinking this would help in making my point, but it totally ended up backfiring. Because he was striding to the door and before walking through it stopped at my words. Then he turned and said the very last thing I expected him to before walking out the door,

“Alright, princess, if a date is what it takes…

“Be ready at eight.”

26

In Case You Didn’t Know

7.57pm

I looked at the clock again and I swear that my heart was beating in time with the bloody thing! Gods, but why was I so nervous? Because you are stood here in a dress he had picked out for you, waiting for your first date with the guy you just lost your virginity to less than twenty four hours ago… and oh yeah, you have been in love with him since you were sixteen years old…that’s why you idiot!

“Oh Gods, what am I doing?” I muttered to myself as I saw the clock tick down another minute.

It started from the moment he left me, with a head full of everything he had said to me, starting that morning when I first opened my eyes. Of course, one of the main things my brain was still clinging on to was the fact that now we had done the deed, ‘the claiming’ whatever that truly meant. Well, now he thought that meant the green light for a fresh new German start…as in, starting right now!

I mean how was it even going to work? Hell, how was I even going to work?! I thought about all the logistics of it all day and nothing about a possible move was easy…well, other than the actual moving part that was easy considering I was already here and he would have his ‘men’ pack up my things and ship them here. Oh Gods, but what about the ‘second drawer!?’ I couldn’t have just random people in my flat packing up my stuff! Okay, so yes, technically I had already had my flat trashed and then random people going in to redecorate and stuff, but surely, they didn’t see…oh Gods, what if they did?

Needless to say, that for a solid hour after this thought I had then panicked about the ‘second drawer’. Totally irrational thoughts like it being stopped at customs for vibrating its way through security and being surrounded by an entire swat team style bomb squad. All of them pointing guns at it from afar and a creepy featureless robot moving on in there and peeling back the sides of the box, one with my damn name written all over it!

I could see it now, YouTube videos from bystanders, Facebook statuses of laughing emojis, endless pictures on Instagram and my name making the six o’clock news as a box full of vibrators and dog eared erotic paperbacks was a suspected bomb!

Gods have mercy on my horny soul!

This was why these fears lasted an hour. Which was also why I made a mental note to ring Wendy and make her pinkie swear to burn its contents and promise on the death of a Wookie never to speak of it again. But then again, I did still have her jacket so at least I had a bargaining chip. Yeah, I could see it now, burn it or the jacket gets it!

Gods, but I needed a life…actually scrap that, I needed to get back to my actual life and quit leading this crazy ass one where people wanted to kill me, use me, throw me in a cell or just plain old shoot me…although that last one kind of goes hand in hand with the first.

But I wasn’t wrong. My life before had been safe, quiet, cozy even. I had my work, and Star Trek pizza nights. I had my favorite cereal and my lame bird watching. I had my funny T shirts, cheap re-covered furniture and rug that I kept spilling stuff on…or at least I did.

I had my wall of collectables and my Lego sets. And as sad as it all sounded, for me, I had been living the independent dream. The life I always wanted the second I truly knew I didn’t belong in any other.

But now being with Lucius threatened all of that in a big way. Things like, would he be okay with me just getting up and going to work every day? The ‘see you later’ and the ‘honey, I’m home’ becoming a regular thing. Because I just didn’t see it. I didn’t see the sitting down to dinner and Lucius being the, ‘so how was your day, dear’ kind of guy.

But then I hadn’t put Lucius down as someone to sit and watch TV with me either, so he had shocked me there. It then stood to reason he could continue to shock me. And really, I loved him and had for over a decade, could I really just walk away now that I finally had my chance with him?

Of course, at some point I had actually started to get ready for the ‘date part’ of my self-interrogation, but even makeup, dresses and hair didn’t stop me. No, in fact, the only time I stopped doubting my future was the second I found a box waiting for me on the table in the living room. I was back in my own space and had a towel wrapped around me after spending a good amount of time in the bath and shaving…well, everything apart from my head. After all, he had said he had been pleased to see me bare, so big plus for me with that one.

I found Liessa there looking down at the large white box tied with a blue ribbon. She nodded down at it and said,

“Okay, so he may not have been a sending flowers type of guy, but he is definitely buying you a spectacular dress type of guy…which if you ask me is way better!” I smiled at her, knowing even without her saying it, she felt bad for allowing those flowers in the club. Of course, what she didn’t know was even without them I would have still tried to sneak out and follow Lucius, because I had been worried about him. Then again, I doubted without the crazy ex bitch face, that I would have gotten far.

I turned my attention back to the box and beamed down at it the second I opened it. Because it was like Liessa had said, inside the box turned out to be a stunning navy blue dress with a note that said,

‘To match my girl’s pretty eyes.’

There was also a pair of shoes to match that were just as beautiful but with my blisters, I wasn’t holding out much hope to be any taller tonight.

The dress, however, was perfect in size and shape and even elegant in style. It was also long enough that the shoes to match wouldn’t be seen anyway, but I would still have to hope I wouldn’t end up just tripping over the long skirt.

It was a striking navy blue silk in a maxi style, with a pleated skirt that floated around me in a wave, swishing every time I moved as though I was underwater. It also had a hint of a metallic sheen to it that caught in the light. The top half of the dress was also slightly pleated in design and one that cut across the breasts and gathered at one shoulder leaving the other bare. The back had a large section cut out of it in a diagonal shape that made it easy to get on as it was a simple zip up at my side and one thick piece of material that tied at my shoulder, its pieces of the bow hanging down my arm.

The only problem with the dress was what underwear to wear underneath, as a bra wasn’t going to work and neither would a strapless one thanks to the cut out section at the back. Thankfully, Liessa came to the rescue and brought me a sweet and sexy looking body suit that had straps which could be changed to cut across my back and over one shoulder. It was simple, being black satin with rounded, layered lace at the cups.

After this I slipped on some simple but cute ballet flats that tied around the ankle with a thick ribbon. So, they were white but seeing as you wouldn’t see them anyway, I rolled with it. As for my hair and makeup, I went with just a hint of smoky dark and shimmery blue on my eyes to match the dress. A subtle light plum colour for my lips and a swipe of eyeliner above and below made my eyes look even bigger.

Then, I styled my hair in a bun that had a few curls cascading around it and off to one side to mimic the shape of the neckline. I didn’t have any jewelry and hardly ever wore it anyway so everything else on me was bare. Of course, due to my nerves I had also been ready a little over an hour ago. At the very least I had managed to find an inbuilt stereo system, meaning I was listening to the radio whilst waiting.

Which brought me back to now and one minute to eight. I didn’t know if he would be coming here or if I was to meet him in the club or even go knocking on his apartment, although he didn’t seem to like that much when I had gone to do it earlier.

“Ah!” I jumped the second I heard the door being knocked and guess I got my answer. It was dead on eight. Wow, who knew that Lucius was so punctual. I walked to the door and opened it, half expecting it to be one of Lucius’ men come to escort me to him or something.

But the second my breath caught in my throat, anyone would have guessed who was standing behind the door.

“Lucius.” His name escaped my lips as if I was surprised, which I wasn’t, as I had been expecting him but what did take me off guard was the mere sight of him! Gods, but he was utterly breathtaking and my eyes drank in the length of him, just as his did the same. But for once I did this not caring that he was going to catch me openly gaping at him. It was the first time I had seen him wearing a full suit, without anything missing, rolled up or unbuttoned. It was a dark grey colour that brought out the intensity in his eyes, eyes that in the moment I was sure the moon would have been jealous of.

The jacket was buttoned up and underneath I could see the tailored waistcoat and tie in the same colour but his shirt was black. He looked strikingly handsome, from his dress shoes all the way up to his messy hair that had been styled back from his face and fell slightly off to one side. I say styled but I could imagine that after a shower all he had done was run a hand through it a few times before it dried that way. Gods, but he looked good enough say to Hell with the date and drag him inside by his tie. However, I wasn’t brave enough to do that.

But Lucius on the other hand…

“Fuck the Gods, you’re exquisite!” he said snagging me around the waist and hauling me into his arms, a hand slipping to the knot of hair at the side, using it also to bring me to his lips in one smooth motion. And I opened up to him like I knew I always would, because this right here, was my addiction. The way he wanted me, Gods, but it was a passion that matched my own, the way every moment with him felt as though we were quickly burning out of control. As though we were both falling down some rabbit hole together, about to become buried under a mountain of mistrust, lies and fears that neither of us ever cared about when we were like this. Locked together in an already unbreakable bond that happened long ago and a decade before I was offered his blood and before he demanded my soul in return.

Like this, then every single word of his was true.

He owned every last inch of me.

I didn’t know how long it was we were kissing for but the moment he pulled away I felt the loss of his lips like someone had just snatched that addiction out of my hands without warning.

“As much as I want nothing more than to tear this dress from you and claim this beautiful body on a floor of navy silk, I have something planned for you,” he told me, running the back of his fingers down my cheek in a way that had me slightly leaning into the touch.

“Come,” he said after taking my hand in his and leading me from the apartment and I had thought we were going to be walking straight inside his club, but this didn’t happen. No, instead we turned left and walked toward the elevator.

“Are we leaving?”

“Not yet, no, but soon,” he told me and then instead of getting in the elevator like I thought we would, he led me to the staircase and up towards the rooftop garden. The moment we walked through the metal doors I gasped at the sight as it came into view. It was as beautiful as it was before but now with the addition of thousands of fairy lights that had been wrapped around anything that could be lit up. Spirals of lights twisted up the small trees and entwined with the ivy crawling up over the wooden pergola making the green in the leaves glow. The steel sculptures at the corners were no longer just bare twisted lengths of corrugated iron as they had been transformed into something magical. Glowing a soft white, the lights became the leaves in what had been just dead metal branches.

Even the water feature in the centre was lit up and this, combined with the city that surrounded us all aglow, it was utterly breathtaking.

“It’s…Gods, Lucius, it’s so beautiful,” I said taking it all in and he granted me a warm smile.

“Care for a drink?” he asked me and I couldn’t help but tease him,

“That depends what’s on the menu.” The grin he gave me was nothing short of sinful.

“Oh, don’t you worry, later I will get my fill of you, but it won’t be here.” I frowned at this, but he didn’t give me anything more but instead popped open a bottle of champagne and I watched as he poured me a glass. The long stems of the black glasses were overly so, giving them an elegant gothic touch.

“So, are you going to explain that to me?” I asked him after taking a sip and giving him enough time to do so of his own free will, which only came when I pushed for it.

“I’ve decided we leave for Königssee tonight.” I looked down at my glass just so as not to show him my disappointment as it felt for the moment as if it had stolen my breath.

“When will you be back?” I asked quietly, trying not to sound too needy but then he scoffed, and the sound startled me enough to look back up at him.

“You really think I would go without you, or anywhere for that matter…No, I said we for a reason, sweetheart.”

“Oh, I thought you meant we as in you and your people.” At this his eyes turned hard and he took a step into me, his leather hand coming to the bare point on my back, making me shiver against him.

“You are much more than my people, you are mine. You think I make such a claim that lightly that I would leave the very next day?” he asked his tone telling me he wasn’t pleased. So, I decided to give him a little insight into my mind and I thought the best way to do this was to raise a hand to his neck, where I couldn’t stop myself from creating little circles with my thumb at the place I had tasted him.

“This is all new to me too, remember.” The moment he heard this little admission his gaze softened, and he pulled me close enough to kiss my forehead before telling me,

“I know it is, sweetheart, and that knowledge brings me great pleasure.” After this he took a step back and then took my glass from me and his own, placing them on the wall before coming back to me.

“Dance with me,” he said utterly shocking me.

“You dance?!” He smirked down at me and said,

“Is it really so hard to believe, after all, I was once a gentleman of society and well, to not know how to dance…was shocking?” he said this last part getting closer to my face and whispering it in jest. Then he finished it with a wink, and I laughed. In all honesty it was too hard to imagine. Oh, not the elegant suits, top hats and the manor homes, or the sight of him sat upon a midnight black horse. But just seeing him out in society, the balls, the dinners, the dancing and such, it was just hard to picture.

But then he took my hand in his and placed that firm leather hand on the small of my back, pulling me into him. Gods, but what was it about that subtle move that had me gasping. It felt intense and so profound.

“There’s no music,” I said, first needing to swallow heavily or I was in danger of stuttering.

“Just you wait for it,” he said making me unable to resist teasing him,

“Why, you gonna pull a string quartet out of your hat?” He growled playfully and snapped his teeth at me telling me,

“Behave, little bird.” Then suddenly he closed his eyes and music started to play through what must have been hidden speakers.

“Oh…is this…Lucius I…I know this song,” I said too shocked to form words at first and most definitely too busy asking myself if it meant what I hoped it did. Had he picked this one for a reason or had it just been pure fluke. I didn’t have to wait long for my answer,

“Then you also know its words and by the end of this dance, you will know why I picked it,” he told me, moving our bodies around in a slow dance that was more about holding me than the steps. But I was lost to the thought of those words, feeling the tears start to form the second the first line was sung,

I can't count the times, I almost said what's on my mind…

“In case you didn’t know.” I whispered the song’s title as a tear slipped free this time rolling down my cheek, now knowing that he had picked it for its words.

Words like…

In case you didn't know,

Baby I'm crazy 'bout you,

And I would be lying if I said,

That I could live this life without you,

Even though, I don't tell you all the time,

You had my heart a long, long time ago,

In case you didn’t know.

“Lucius.” I whispered his name, just because I needed to, as if reminding myself that he was actually here, and this was actually happening. Asking myself if he was even real anymore?

“Amelia… my little Šemšā… my Khuba.” He whispered this last name, the one I still didn’t know, down at me as he now framed my face with his hands and was closing the distance between our lips when I had to know. I had to know if it meant what I hoped it did.

What it felt like it could be.

“What does it mean?” I whispered making him kiss my jaw instead, working his way to my neck and closer to my ear. Then just as my favorite words of the song started to play, he told me,

“Listen, to the words for this is what it means…” So, I did as he said for me to do.

I listened and what I heard nearly destroyed me in the most beautiful way…

You've got all of me

I belong to you

Yeah, you're my everything.

Then he pulled me to him and just as the song erupted into its meaningful words, he kissed my lips, softly, oh so softly before he whispered exactly what my Khuba meant. And the very moment I heard it spoken, I took hold of his face and pulled his lips to mine, kissing him and feeling that last word swallowed by my need,

“My Love,”

After this we kissed the rest of the song away, and this time it was one that didn’t speak of our desire, our heat or our raw, sexual connection, but spoke only of one thing,

A declaration of love.

27

A Bloody Date to Remember

After this, along with many firsts Lucius had given me, I had to say that this was my most favorite. With our first kiss and making love barely missing top spot, because this was what I had been waiting for. Lucius already had my heart and he knew it. Hell, he had known it was his years ago. But as for his, well I had been left to heartbreakingly believe it belonged to another. But now, well it was like the song had said,

Now I knew.

After this moment I ended up minutes later wrapped in his arms with my back to his chest, looking out over the city as sweet music played softly in the background, just listening to him talk. He told me about his favorite places in the city, the Neue Rathaus, being one of them. It was the new town hall and a place he seemed to gravitate towards whenever he wanted to be alone, one of the highest points of the city.

He told me it was something about being surrounded by life and yet being completely untouched by it. Beyond its reach, beyond the reach of the world, he said. And it was in these moments that I realised there was a lot of hidden depth to Lucius that I didn’t think anyone knew. And just knowing that I was the one who had the chance to reach for it, the one to discover it all one day, well it made my heart soar as if I was the one with wings at my back. Because I was the one all these years who had tried to reach it and finally, being here now in his arms,

I knew I was finally at my destination.

“And Königssee, is that where…?”

“My hidden winter castle is,” he replied in a teasing tone and I shivered, something he took for the cool night air, especially from up here where we were exposed from all sides.

“Here,” he said after shrugging off his suit jacket and placing it around my shoulders. I couldn’t help but snuggle closer, letting both its scent and warmth seep into me as if it had the power to penetrate much deeper than just my chilled skin.

“We will leave shortly.”

“Why?” I asked, after he told me this was where we were headed.

“Don’t you want to see it?” he asked instead of giving me his reasons and I had to say that I was torn. From all accounts it was an intimidating place that wasn’t easy to get to let alone escape from. I knew there I would be completely at his mercy and the thought both excited me and scared me at the same time.

“I do,” I said making him chuckle behind me before whispering down in my ear,

“I call bullshit, sweetheart.” I didn’t even try denying it this time but just released a sigh, making him tell me why,

“We go because the threat is still in this city and as soon as they discover they don’t have the real box, then I don’t know what they will try next. Königssee is a fortress that no one is permitted to enter without first being loyal to me…or leave without the same permission,” he added on a knowing purr of words making me release a shuddered breath before saying,

“Ah, so that’s why.”

“I confess it is one of the reasons, yes,” he admitted shamelessly.

“I had thought my title as prisoner long gone after last night,” I asked him, this time turning around to face him.

“You are mine,” he stated again and I frowned telling him,

“That isn’t an answer.”

“Yes, it is. It is more than enough, because until I am satisfied that you stay by my side of your own free will, then I am not beyond the means to force it upon you, and if that makes me a controlling bastard, than I accept that title gladly,” was his stern reply as he gripped me a little tighter as if to prove his point.

“Oh good, ‘cause I was thinking of getting a T shirt made.” I said sarcastically.

“Amelia…ask yourself about your choices so far, each one didn’t end the way you intended and whether each was born from good intentions or not, the outcome was the same. Meaning I long ago declared your rash actions not acceptable for me to allow to continue. It is simply not safe for you to be allowed to make those decisions anymore and I will not permit it.” I frowned up at him, crossing my arms over my chest as I told him,

“Permit it? Lucius, I think we need to get you a dictionary because that isn’t a relationship, that’s a dictatorship.” At this he closed his eyes as if asking the Gods for strength again but then he opened his eyes and said,

“Amelia, I think it is time you knew the truth about this life of yours, the one you think you…” he paused suddenly and looked above me to the sky,

“The one I think I what…Lucius?” I said but he was fixated on something in the sky and the second he growled, I knew it was nothing good. Especially when the next thing from his mouth was a vicious sounding,

“Fuck!” Then he grabbed my hand and pulled me quickly towards the steps down into the private room inside his VIP.

“Lucius, what is it?!” I shouted and then I heard it…the distinct sound of the rotating blades of a helicopter.

“GET DOWN!” he shouted the second the sound of gun fire started to explode all around us. Then he lunged for me, taking what I knew were some hits to his back, just like last time he had to protect me against gunfire.

“AHHH!” I screamed and covered my ears as he continued to move us with speed down the metal staircase until we reached the bottom but just at the moment we made it through the door, someone must have thrown a grenade or something. I was abruptly thrown forward to the floor, his sudden weight landing on me winding me enough that I had to try to drag in large gulps of air even though it burned, making me clutch at my stomach.

‘Amelia!’ Lucius looked as if he was shouting my name, but I couldn’t hear anything but ringing in my ears. He grabbed onto the tops of my arms and shook me, his lips moving but I couldn’t hear, which is when I first shook my head and said,

“I can’t hear you!” or at least I felt my lips move because I couldn’t hear myself. So, he pointed to the door at the end and mouthed only one word, and let’s just say, it was one I wouldn’t ever misunderstand,

‘RUN!’ I nodded and did as he said, but then just as I thought I was within reach of it, some sort of gas bomb went off in a flash of light, blinding me and filling the room full of smoke. I looked behind me and it was as if life had suddenly slowed down for everyone but Lucius. Because just through the fog I could see his large form seeping into the cloud, disappearing from sight as if he were a viper lying in wait.

Then I watched as black clad figures descended down the stairs, each one wearing helmets and every inch of them packed with weaponry. And somewhere in the shadows was Lucius, in nothing but a suit, and left alone to fight these guys. That’s when I knew that I needed to get help, his people, they needed to help him. So, I did as I was told and ran, now that I could see the door and just as I opened it hearing the first of the sounds of a dead man’s screams behind me as Lucius claimed his first victim.

I burst into the VIP seeing for myself that we weren’t the only ones who had problems as the entire room was now like one giant brawl. Only unlike Lucius, in here it seemed to be a mixture of the mercenaries and rogue vampires. There were also those running for their life, and the backdrop to this scene was the sound of all the mortals down below in the club trying to escape with their lives.

They were screaming, and the thundering of everyone trying to move as one, spoke only of everyone’s panic. But then with hundreds of people all trying to pile out of one exit at the front, and a small door at the side, I knew it wasn’t enough as I could already see people getting hurt. One guy fell over one of the lower balconies and a girl got knocked down before being trampled on.

“Fuck!” I cursed. I needed to help them. So, I looked around trying to find a way to do just that. That was when I saw Hakan lashing out his deadly wire as though it was an extra limb, or somehow alive being a part of him. It snaked out, slicing through anyone in its way, reminding me of a scorpion’s tail spiked for slicing through body parts. And boy was it effective as at least about ten people went down in one go.

I then looked to Ruto, who was an incredible sight to behold. A massive pair of glistening metal wings that looked as deadly as they did beautiful. Blades were being shot from behind his frame, as deadly feathers rained across the club, along with the ones from his capable hands.

Okay, so he also looked busy as he was aiming his fire at a group of rogues that were playing a deadly dodgeball. Even Liessa was there, now totally naked and completely covered in a slick black ink, her hair down and snaking wildly as tentacles slapped around, as if they were looking for water. She shot out her poison, laughing hysterically as it burned its victims, Vampires and soldiers going down in equal numbers. Then I heard the roaring of a beast and knew it would have been Caspian, also getting in on the action.

But it was when I saw Clay that I knew he was my best chance, as for one, he was closer and two, he had just finished twisting the head off one mortal…eww.

“CLAY!” I screamed his name and in that same moment I felt myself being grabbed from behind. A quick look down at the man’s boots told me two things, mortal and military. So, my mind clicked into defense mode, blocking everything else out. I did a mental check list in my mind, assessing the situation in seconds. Feet were a no go, his boots were steel toe capped, and he would have a tactical vest on. I had to go for the known soft spots here, meaning I only had a few options left. Neck, sides, possibly kidneys, and definitely testicles… oh, why the Hell not. Suddenly I threw all my weight back, taking him off guard the second I started gaining momentum and running him back into the wall hard enough for him to let me go, then I quickly spun, dropping to a knee and as I went I grabbed his balls, yanking down as hard as I could before twisting the fuckers!

A sickening feeling I swear, as I felt something give that shouldn’t have, but either way it worked as the man screamed in pure agony and went down like a sack of wet panties. Then, as he was going down landing on his knees hard, I was spinning out of his reach, gaining my feet just as quickly. Then before he could raise his gun and shoot me, I kicked out straight on, connected hard enough with his face that his nose exploded and his head snapped back, so he landed unconscious backwards.

“Holy shit, human.” I heard Clay’s shocked voice next to me and looked to see him actually cupping his balls with one hand before looking down at me with a wince on his face. So, I patted his massive bicep and said,

“Don’t worry, your balls are safe…for now.” Then I winked before I plucked his knife from his vest and threw it up in the air to catch it the right way for what was to come next. Then just as I saw my target getting closer, a rogue baring his fangs at Clay’s back, I threw the blade. It zipped passed Clay’s head an inch away from taking his ear with it and he turned his head just in time to see where it had been intended. The handle stuck out of the eye of the rogue before he went falling backwards. Oh, it wouldn’t kill him, but it was enough to put him down. Clay looked back to me, the utter shock plain to see before he asked,

“You’re not just a human,” he said and I smirked at him and replied,

“No, I’m also a Draven.” Then I nodded down at the writhing Vamp and said,

“Do you wanna do something with that?” He followed my gaze and quickly stamped on his head with enough strength and power his head literally exploded. Yep, now that was enough to kill him.

I walked back over to the balcony and looked down as the chaos ensued.

“We need to help those people!” I shouted through the madness and he frowned down at me before he said,

“I need to get you out of here before Luc…”

“I am not fucking leaving until we do something, now either you help me save them or I will do something stupid trying…it’s your choice!” I told him, folding my arms.

“They are not my people,” he snarled down at me and I put my hands on my hips, going toe to toe with the massive guy and told him,

“No, but they are mine! Now what is it to be?” He looked to the two I had taken down and realised that I wasn’t lying, as I wasn’t exactly the type to shy away from a fight.

“Fine! What do you have in mind?”

“We need to create more exits, is there anything that can be done about the windows on the ground level, they look big enough for people to reach and climb out of, at least that may thin out the herd,” I told him and he nodded as he knew exactly what he would do.

“Wait, what if they see?” I asked placing a hand on his arm.

“They will think it’s an explosion,” he told me with a grin and my eyes widened, wondering what on Earth this guy was going to do or what type of demon he was.

“Shit, okay, just try not to get glass in this side of the building or they could get hurt.”

“Who said anything about glass?” Clay remarked, with his eyes already started to change like a fucking storm was coming. A darkness overtook them before a bright glowing dot of blood could be seen. Then he threw his arms back behind him and roared like a wild beast of Hell. I felt the rumbling and then he threw his arms towards the only wall that people weren’t stood near, being that it was on the opposite end to the exit everyone was trying desperately to get out of.

The second the energy hit the stone wall it exploded outwards and it was like he said, it was as if a bomb had gone off. Then a wind tunnelled through it, as if clearing the path, one no one saw because the second they heard the boom, everyone dropped to cover their heads. Which was when I screamed as loud as I could,

“THE COPS ARE HERE, THEY MADE AN EXIT, RUN, RUN, RUN!” but it wasn’t enough, and besides, it was screamed in English, not having the time for my rusty German right now, so I turned to him and said,

“We only need a few and the rest will follow!” I said knowing he would understand what I was asking him to do. He snarled down at me but then turned that menacing demonic sigh to the hundreds below. Then he started whispering in an ancient sounding language, gaining access to enough minds to get them to start running through the large exit he’d made. Erm, wonder what a certain someone was going to think when knowing I had pretty much forced one of his men to blowing up a wall in his club. And speaking of Lucius, once I saw that people had started moving out of both exits now, it quickly created more room for others behind, I knew it was time to get back to my original mission.

“Lucius is in there, he needs help!” I shouted grabbing his meaty arm and pulling him, but he scoffed and said,

“I fucking doubt that,” but he came with me anyway and the second he opened the door and barged his way in, I glanced around his shoulder and quickly understood for myself what he meant by that.

“Oh shit.”

Lucius most definitely didn’t need help. No, in fact all Lucius needed now was a shit load of body bags and a bath. The entire room had been turned in a bloodbath, and with one man at it centre. Lucius was standing with his back to us in the middle of the room, the fog of the grenades still lingering around him, making him look like some demonic God surrounded by his kill. The sight of his waistcoat tight to his large frame, one that tapered down to his slim waist and was now bloody, was getting tighter whenever he inhaled with his heavy breathing.

Because there was blood everywhere. On the walls one side, on the mirrored glass of the other, pieces of bodies, all still clad in black, but now torn in sections where their limbs had been ripped off with only jagged bloody flesh and bone seen at the ends.

But as Lucius sniffed the air, he turned on a growl, blood coating the majority of him, including the entire lower part of his face where he looked to have gorged himself. His eyes were like two hot coals in Hell, burning brighter the second they saw what I saw. Black veins branched out around his face, eyes and up his neck, like an infection had taken hold. He was beyond terrifying, but he was also my man and I was far from naïve when it came to Lucius’ kind or that of my father’s Demons.

They were Demons, for fuck sake. Of course, there would be blood.

But Lucius didn’t know this and once again, he underestimated his Chosen One. I knew this when he snarled at us, and his demon issued the threat,

“Get her the fuck out of here!” but I purposely stepped out of reach of Clay, going further into the room, stepping around body parts and picking up my dress like a damn lady in waiting, holding down the urge to retch. Then I folded my arms across my chest, stood my ground and said,

“Oh please, like this shit scares me! I am not going anywhere without you, so let’s go!” I snapped making him actually shake his head in confusion, or should I say the more demonic part of him did. Then when he didn’t move or say anything more, I thought to add for good measure,

“Well, they’re all dead, aren’t they?” He actually looked around him and then down at the severed arm in his hand as if he’d only just now realised this was what he held.

“I think so,” he said in a tone that spoke of his astonishment and it wasn’t at what he had done, it had been at what I had witnessed and didn’t seem to care.

“Yeah, well even if they aren’t, then they won’t be playing in a band any time soon, so that’s good enough for me. Now come on, we need to get out of here!” I said making Clay suddenly throw his head back and howl with laughter. Lucius then snapped out of his bloodlust, dropped what had looked like his favorite human bat, and was at my side in a seconds.

Then he looked as if he wanted to reach out for me, coming close to tipping my chin up but the sight of his blood soaked hand stopped him.

“Are you okay?” he asked me, scanning the length of me and Clay scoffed,

“Oh yeah, she’s fine but the poor bastard who had his testicles ripped out for touching her won’t be.” Lucius shot him a look and said,

“Good, I am glad you made him suffer.” I growled at him, actually stomped my foot and said,

“Yeah, I did make him suffer.” Lucius snapped his head back to me and yep that same look of shock I received that day at the museum was back.

“You?”

“Yeah, you know, your new kick ass girlfriend, now you wanna start giving her some credit, so you can get laid again sometime this century!” Again, Clay burst out laughing, the deep rumbling sound almost infectious.

“Fuck boss, but I like her.” Lucius snarled at that, but didn’t take it seriously and neither did Clay.

“Let’s go!” Lucius said, this time as punishment, wiping a bloody hand down Clay’s chest to clean it of blood before taking my hand in his, and Clay grumbled,

“I fucking liked this jacket man.” Which both of us ignored, or at least Lucius did, I, on the other hand, looked over my shoulder at him and winked. But Lucius caught me doing it and snarled at me,

“On the fucking edge here, princess, so try to behave, yeah.”

“And how would you like me to do that, my handsome Vampy?” I teased making him spin me, pull me to him, coating my once pretty dress in blood, then look down at me with fire burning so close to the surface, part of me wanted to push and then see if I could tame the beast, as I had done with Lucius.

“By not winking at another male unless you want to catch the encore of what just happened in there,” he warned making me wink at him this time after I said,

“Gotchya, boss man.” He then shook his head as if he didn’t in that moment have one fucking clue what to do with me. Other than maybe throw me over his shoulder and spank me.

“Tell me they are all dead!” Lucius snapped out after walking further into the VIP and taking in the carnage. Ruto appeared out of nowhere and nodded gracefully, his wings now folded back tucked against his back. Blood splatters dotted his pale face crimson.

“Yes Sire. The Rogues have been dispatched, leaving two to interrogate. We have cars waiting to take us directly to the helicopter and the chopper is fueled and waiting.” It was strange because like this he was all business and it was a total contrast to how he usually was…a sulky teenager. It was times like this that it was obvious why he was deemed Lucius’ second in command.

“Good, then get our people out and lock it the fuck down!” Lucius demanded, before turning back to Clay and issuing more orders. Then it was Liessa’s turn, who like Ruto seemed to appear out of nowhere.

“Take Amelia back to her apartment, five minutes,” he ordered before turning to me and saying,

“Get dressed and grab just what you need, I want you back here by my side in five minutes, Amelia and not one minute after, don’t test me on this,” he growled and I smiled up at him, saying,

“Five minutes, I promise.” His gaze gentled somewhat, and he nodded once before gesturing to Liessa to take me. So, I quickly ran for the doors that led out into the lobby, when Lucius’ voice stopped me and what he said shocked me more than the evidence of his bloody rage moments before,

“Don’t forget your glasses, or your eyes will get sore again.” And at this I wasn’t the only one whose jaw went slack, as whoever was left standing was now doing the same in utter shock.

“Get fucking going! And does someone want to explain to me why there is now a great fucking big hole in the side of my fucking club!” Lucius roared in anger making everyone stop gawking and now find the floor with their eyes. And for me, well his first order was most definitely the best course of action right now, so I ran out the doors with Liessa in tow. Once inside my apartment, I told her to wait whilst I just ran into the bathroom to grab a couple of things.

I also wanted to ask her if she needed to borrow any clothes of mine because right now, she was just wearing what I assumed was her husband’s Motley Crew T-shirt and leather biker jacket. But then I would ask once I had grabbed the stuff I needed, after all I wasn’t sure it was a good idea having all those little secreting suckers on show.

I realised I might be quicker than what Lucius had said, thinking he could probably do with the small kindness right now. Especially considering my bag was kind of already still packed from when I had been determined to leave a few days ago.

So, I quickly grabbed that, then ran back into the bathroom, unzipped it and started swiping an arm across the top of the vanity so the contents all fell in. Then I grabbed my glasses and stuffed those in the inside pocket along with spare contact lenses, solution and the container I kept them in.

I was still processing his concern, reminding me to pick up my glasses. Amazed that even in the middle of the destruction of half his club, he still had me and my care in his mind. It was mind boggling to me and from the looks of things, his people too.

In fact, I was still grinning about it when I finally looked up, saw my grin and then quickly watched it die the second I saw another reflection looking back at me in the mirror,

As I was no longer alone and once more,

I had a gun to my head.

28

Footloose and Excited

“Ah shit!” I said the second I saw the mercenary with the gun, thinking at the very least it wasn’t his ex, Bitch Face. Gods be damned, but when were people going to start taking me seriously here and stop underestimating me!

“If you scream, bitch, I swear the last thing I do will be pulling this fucking trigger!” The guy said with nothing but a handgun in his hand. Well, joy for small mercies I thought wryly.

“Now turn around and do it slowly.” I took a deep breath, looked down and slowly wrapped my hand around the closest thing I could get. I then read the label and rolled my eyes thinking what was I saying about small mercies. Then I did what was needed and started to cry,

“No, no, please…oh Gods, please don’t hurt me…I will do anything you want, please.”

“Of course, you will!” He sniggered and the second he reached for me to force me into action because I was a useless woman shaking uncontrollably and crying, I made my move. I suddenly whipped my body around, hitting out at his hand as I went, and knocking the gun to the side, whilst bringing my other hand up and spraying him in the face with shaving foam.

The white foam covered the bastard’s face, making him shout out in both shock and pain as I bet that shit stung. Then, before he had time to recover or see what was coming, I grabbed his wrist, and turned, ducking under his arm so I was now at his back taking his arm with me and forcing the limb where it didn’t want to go. Then with a sickening twist I broke it with an echoing crack, making him scream out in pain and drop the gun. With my hold on him still in place I grabbed the back of his head and smacked it down into the counter, making the foam splat outwards around him. Then, just as another asshole came bursting through the door, he watched utterly dumbfounded as I let his buddy slip unconscious to the floor, covered in blood and foam.

“He said he needed a shave,” I said in true aunty Pip badass fashion, before I dropped to the floor and picked up the gun from the floor and started shooting because really, how hard could it be? Guns weren’t my bag, as for a supernatural they took the art and skill out of the fight. But then again, when up against an immortal being, they had to use what they had. And me, well I was using what I had because I was out of options here and I didn’t think my little leg razor still with my short hairs clinging to it was going to cut it…like, literally.

But as the guy, who thankfully hadn’t been armed and ready until that point, ducked from the bullets flying (because my aim was shockingly shit) he then fumbled for his gun. So, I gave up on the shooting part of the weapon and I threw it at the guy’s head instead, this time getting my aim spot on. Oh, won’t daddy be proud I thought before running head on at the guy whilst he was still clutching his head in his hands, blood pouring from the gash I’d caused. Which meant he didn’t see me coming until it was too late. I rammed into him, taking him off his feet as we crashed into my bedroom.

We both landed on the floor causing me to jar my elbow, but I ignored the pain, using it instead to fuel my anger, putting it to good use. Then, just as I was reaching for a lamp to use as a weapon, he grabbed my ankle and yanked me back down. I fell but not before I grabbed the cord, pulling it hard enough that it fell into my hand. Then as I twisted my body to face him, I swung it round just in time as he brought a knife up, intent on stabbing me. Thankfully I was quicker, and the lamp ended up smashing against his face. But I had wished it had been a bit sturdier and made of steel but no such luck. So, with it only being ceramic, it pretty much exploded on impact without doing the damage I intended.

But what it did do was daze him enough for me to take his weapon. So, I grabbed his wrist, yanked his arm straight and rolled onto my belly, trapping it beneath me and in between my legs. Not where I really intended it to be, but at least I was now in control of his hand. And to prove this, I pulled it upwards making him scream in pain. Because bones weren’t bendy and his was most definitely not supposed to move that way.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you it isn’t nice to stab girls,” I said before I then rammed a knee against his bent arm and yanked it up breaking yet another limb before kicking back into the guy’s face, making him howl. The knife flew out of his hand just out of reach, which was unfortunate as the guy wasn’t done fighting yet.

Because during me breaking his bones, he was using his less useless hand to grab his gun, and just as he raised it up to shoot me, my head jerked to the side, only just missing the bullet. So, I kicked out again, rolled once more to my back, and I grabbed the only thing I could.

I yanked the lamp cord out of the wall, just as he was recovering enough from two kicks to the face. But I was quicker, as before he could shoot again I had it wrapped twice around his neck and then I leant all my body weight back, placed my foot at his shoulder and used that to push against, as my back arched with the cord cutting into my skin where it was was wrapped around my fists.

But I ignored the pain, knowing that a bullet was going to hurt a lot more. I soon heard the gurgling strangled noises coming from him but I didn’t look. No, instead I had my whole body straining with my shoulders to the floor, my spine and backside off it as I choked the life out of him.

“Come on you fucker, just die already!” I complained feeling the strain in my shoulder blades knowing that was going to hurt like a bitch in the morning. But the second I no longer felt any resistance, I finally looked down, my chin to my chest seeing that yep…he looked pretty dead to me. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking where the Hell was the cavalry by now, there was no way I had taken out two guys in under five minutes. Which then made me panic and I scrambled to my feet snatching the knife as I went, after muttering one name,

“Liessa!” I then ran from the bedroom, and just as I made it through the door, I swear it was like a bomb had just gone off as the whole building shook. I even found myself quickly gripping on to the wall, half expecting the building to start crumbling at the seams. But after a few loud crashing sounds echoing beyond the door, the shaking at my feet finished. It felt as if there had been a damn earthquake!

I then pushed away from the wall and felt my long skirt catch on something as it tore a long strip off it from the skirt. Well, that would at least make it easier to fight in, I thought as I skidded into the living space. But I skidded to a stop the second I found Liessa unconscious on the floor.

“Oh shit!” I muttered the second I made it to her, making sure not to touch the ink puddle she lay in, noting now about ten tranquilizer darts sticking out of her in different places. Her tentacles flapping around her head wildly as if trying to wake up their host.

“What the fuck!?” The sound of disbelief made me jerk my head towards the door and I spun away from Liessa. It was in that moment that I was seriously at that point of saying aloud, ‘Aww come on, give me a freakin break’. However, they got in there first with,

“There she is! Get her!” One of the two guys who had just walked into the apartment, shouted as though I had been fucking hiding and not in plain sight just stood here…idiot!

Obviously, they had been expecting the two they sent in here to deal with us and have us already to go, ‘cause I gathered this was a plain old kidnapping they had planned. Or that guy in the bathroom would have just shot me the first chance he got.

But at the least these guys didn’t have their guns ready. But they also hadn’t yet seen the damage to the other two that I had done. So, they each got out a knife and grinned, telling me,

“Now be a good girl and you won’t get hurt.” Then they both started to split up, coming at me from both sides. One was bigger than the other but that didn’t automatically mean he would be harder to put down. Both looked like meatheads with shaved heads, thick necks and one was half a foot shorter than the other.

“Yeah, so put down the knife, bitch,” Shorty said, so I made a show of looking down at the knife in my hand and then said,

“Oh, you mean this one…oh okay then.” Then I threw it at him, wondering if Ruto would have been impressed when seeing it land directly in his heart, because this time I was aiming to kill. I had made that mistake once before back at the museum. So yeah, not doing that again.

“What the fuck! You just killed Kenny!” the bigger guy said shouting furiously,

“Kenny, seriously… you gotta be shitting me!” I said with a laugh because what were the fucking odds. My aunty Pip would be laughing her ass off right now. But this was when this guy went bat shit crazy at me, doing my trick by running right at me like some knife wielding maniac from a slasher movie. So, just as he was in range, I sidestepped and blocked his knife with my forearm. Then I brought my knee up and got him in the gut, but it wasn’t as affective with his bulletproof vest on.

But then he grabbed my waist and picked me up, before throwing me against the wall. Then suddenly music filled the room as I’d banged into the stereo, cracking the side of my head on it. I staggered a little but shook the feeling from my head, now asking myself if I was hearing things, because seriously, the Pointer Sisters singing ‘I’m so excited’ coming over the speakers wasn’t exactly what I would have called fighting music.

“Well, I hope you’re a fan,” I said making him sneer at me before swiping out with his blade and then making a show of passing it between his hands, as if this would put the fear of God in me or something.

“Seriously, just pick a fucking hand would you!” Then I braced myself for his attack, sidestepping him again and blocking each time he tried to slice me with the knife. I managed to get a good kick to the back of his knee, but the heavy bastard wouldn’t go down like I intended, nor did he when I hammered down my elbow on his back when his legs buckled slightly. In fact, I only just managed to dodge his blade when he swiped out behind him, catching my blood stained skirt minus skin.

It was time to get rid of that knife. But he managed to catch me with a kick to the gut and I fell backwards into the piano of all things and I swear but what were the bloody odds of it being at the same time as the piano solo on the song!

“Fuck it!” I snarled and quickly picked up the stool by its legs, I swung out at him the second he got close enough. This knocked him into the wall, but still he kept hold of that bloody knife. So, I screamed in anger, spun the stool in my hands, so I now gripped the seat part and with him still at the wall, I ran at him with the legs pointing at his chest.

“AH!” he roared in pain and I grunted as the impact hit me in the chest, but the thin leg managed to get him good in the shoulder, pinning him there with the end of one leg now sticking in his flesh. He pushed back grimacing in pain as he did, making the wood travel another inch in his shoulder, bringing him closer to me. But I took the seat with me the second he thrust his blade closer. So, in turn, I twisted the seat, trapping his hand and forcing the blade from his hand, making it go flying from his grasp. It then landed against the wall with a thud and down the side of the sofa with a clatter. Then as he watched it go off to the side with the piano stool, I took this opportunity to uppercut him, knocking him back a few steps. The hit made his teeth slice into his top lip making him touch a hand there before looking down at it.

“Yep, it’s called blood, asshole, get used to seeing it on yourself!” I taunted making him spit to the side before telling me,

“Bitch, I am going to fucking kill you!” I scoffed and snarled back,

“Yeah ‘cause you’re doing a bang up job so far, dickhead!” Then the song finished and the second Footloose by Kenny Loggins came on the radio, I couldn’t help but say,

“Well, what are the fucking odds of that…I guess Kenny’s not dead after all” He bellowed at me in anger and swung a punch, one I managed to block but Gods, this fucker was strong. Meaning that just as I blocked one, there was another and another, and then there was the one he managed to get me with. My head cracked to the side and I went flying on top of the coffee table that smashed with my weight before I ended up rolling off with a groan next to the sofa. Then I felt my head being yanked up with a fist to my hair just before he slammed it down on the floor, making me see stars… or should I say blurry spots because unfortunately this wasn’t a damn cartoon and there wasn’t an Acme anvil about to fall on this asshole and save my ass.

“Ah, but now you’re nice and compliant, I wonder if we don’t have time for a bit of fun, whilst your blood sucking boyfriend deals with the shit storm we had planned for him!” Then I felt him lifting my skirt and knew that my night was about to get a whole lot worse. But I also knew that if I panicked I wouldn’t get anywhere. So, I needed to think, and to do that I needed him to think I was almost unconscious.

The element of surprise could be a person’s greatest weapon, I remember being told enough times. Thanks Takeshi.

So, as the big skinhead was fumbling with what I assumed was getting his tiny little cock out, I reached out a hand, seeing something shiny…the knife!

It was under the sofa where it had fallen but damn it, I couldn’t reach it! I just needed to stretch a little whilst he was busy, but then as I started doing this, my hand came across something else and only one thought came to mind…Thank you, Lucius.

So, the second I felt him coming back over me, no longer holding the back of my hair and thinking I was out for the count, he came to my ear and his stale breath wafted down over my cheek.

“I am going to fuck you ‘til you bleed!” he snarled and nothing in the world could have stopped me from saying,

“Not with that tiny prick you’re not!” Then with my weapon in hand, I reached across my neck and I hit up over my shoulder towards his head until the pencil I had in my hand embedded in his face! The very same pencil Lucius had plucked out of my hair only a few days earlier.

“AHHH!” he shrieked in pain, and when I felt the weight of him disappear it was only when I turned around, did I see why.

“Now that’s what I call a pencil dick,” I commented, now getting to my feet and wiping my bleeding nose with the back of my arm.

“AAAHHH MY EYE!” he screamed again with the pencil still embedded in the socket and his arms flapping around it as if he didn’t know what to do. So, seeing that he was busy doing whatever that was, I walked right up to him and said,

“Here, let me help you with that.” Then I grabbed the pencil without him even seeing me and yanked it out. This made blood spurt from the hole and he staggered back, now with a roar of agony. Then just as Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ came over the speakers, I kicked out his knees, knowing this time he was going down and he did…hard. Then I grabbed his hair like he had done to me, and with the bloody pencil still in my hand, I said,

“This is for ruining Flashback Friday!” Then I stabbed him in the jugular, knowing he wasn’t coming back from that one. I then closed my eyes waiting for the gurgling sound of death to finish and with an exhausted sigh, I pulled the pencil free as blood still poured from his neck, being pumped out all across the floor. Then I let go of his hair and he face planted forward with a loud resounding thud. But it unfortunately wasn’t loud enough to drown out the sound of clapping.

I looked up just in time to see the bitch it came from and I swear I nearly looked up at the Heavens and asked them why.

“Well, for a human, you’re pretty resilient I will give you that,” Layla said and I looked down at the dripping bloody pencil still in my hand and then back up at the gun she had pointed at me. And somehow, I didn’t fancy my chances. So instead, I dropped my pencil and said in a weakened voice,

“You should see what I can do with a sharpener.” She laughed and said,

“Oh, I can’t wait to see what my Master does to that smart mouth of yours, but until then…”

“AHHH!” I screamed the second pain hit me and seconds later I was falling backwards, landing hard enough to crack my head.

Then just as blackness overtook me,

Bitchface finally got her chance for revenge, as she stepped over my fallen body and with the end of her gun pointing down at my chest, this time without Lucius to stop her…

She shot me.

29

Smoke and Mirrors

Lucius

The second I looked down at the floor below I saw that, apart from the few still limping towards the exit after picking themselves off the floor, obviously being the unfortunates who got trampled on, the club was mostly empty.

“I take it this is your handy work?” I said referring to the great big hole now in the side of my fucking club!

“Your human can be quite convincing,” Clay replied making me scoff, because didn’t I fucking know it!

“She can also handle herself, fuck but a word of warning Luc, don’t piss her off too much,” he said making me chuckle this time when I looked to the guy who, let’s just say, I doubted would be fathering children any time soon. Yes, eye watering indeed.

“And this one?” I nodded to the rogue who used to have something that resembled a head but the blade in his chest, now that wasn’t Clay’s style.

“Saved me from getting bitten, or at least she thinks she did,” he replied with a scoff. But despite his words, it was clear to hear in his tone that he was certainly impressed. I had to admit, I was more than impressed, I was fucking astounded. She would have made a formidable vampire, that’s for damn sure. In fact, it was hard to put the two sides of her personality together, being that they were a total contrast. Two polar opposites that couldn’t get further apart.

I thought about her this morning, being unknowingly adorable whilst eating that monstrosity she called food, because who the fuck eats bacon and chocolate donuts together?! The way that even with her hands full, as her glasses slid further and further down her nose from reading the paper, she tried to push them up again using the back of her thumb. Gods, she was cute and impressive all at the same time. I found myself utterly fascinated just watching her and questioned if I would ever get bored of doing so, as I very much doubted it.

She was shy and yet she was fiery and confident. Fucking contrast wasn’t even a word strong enough to describe her. The way she argued with me, challenged me on every fucking thing, but then was also submissive one moment and then playful the next, teasing me where others wouldn’t have dared. She was witty, with her one liners and smart mouth…and Gods, what a fucking mouth! Hell’s blood, but what that mouth had the power to do!

Fucking raw talent that was for damn sure, because for her first time, she had been incredible. But then that was Amelia, shocking me at every turn, like arguing with me about moving into my home. I knew that girl had been near obsessed with me since we first met, but now when she finally had me she resisted the change. It was fucking with my head and as frustrating as Hell!

So, I had forced the issue, but then she had made a point of reminding me she was human and the notion of dating her was a ridiculous one. She was mine and that was that. But then her vulnerable blue eyes had captured me and rendered me unable to just walk away without wanting to give her what she wanted.

So, I had done something I never had before. I had given her romance. And what’s more shocking yet was that I had actually enjoyed it. Enjoyed experiencing the joy on her face, the surprise and appreciation in her gaze. The way when the song played it made her eyes water and glisten with unshed tears, held captive in those incredible blue depths. Those eyes alone told me so much and all I needed to know that spoke of her love for me.

Well, it quickly had me thinking of what else I could do for her. Because I wanted those expressions back and as often as possible. I wanted her to look at me that way, to see me as that person and to make her fucking proud and happy to be with me. Gods, but what was she doing to me and what’s more,

Did I even fucking care?!

She was beyond perfect and I didn’t just mean in the bedroom, or the shower…or anywhere else I could take that heavenly little body. But even the way she had stormed inside the room of death, surrounded by the evidence of nothing short of a monster. My beast had taken over and I had slaughtered the lot of them one by one. And the second she found me I had only felt one thing…shame. It was why I had ordered Clay to take her from the room, being ashamed at what she would see in me.

But then seconds later and there she was, astonishing me yet again! Because what did she see in me but me in my rawest form. A true son born of Hell and what did she do…? She didn’t even fucking flinch, that’s what! There had been no fear in her gaze but just acceptance and a comical expectant tone when she told me to come with her, demanding she would not leave without me. Gods, but if I hadn’t been coated with the blood of my victims, I would have fucking ravished her. It was hard enough not touching her as it was.

Speaking of which, where the fuck was she?

“Heeer Masther…” Percy said handing me the wet towel I had requested, so I could at least clean the blood off my face and hands. I scrubbed it down my face and looked up in time to see one of the rogues. He had been one purposely left alive for questioning and now he had just broken free of Ruto’s hold, if only for a moment before Ruto subdued him again, dragging him past us.

My hands itched to go and just snap his neck for being a traitor and coming here trying to destroy everything that meant something to me. I had once been their Sire, making them what they were today. He deserved my idea of a painful death and he would soon enough, but only once I had my answers. Because there had been a small army of rogues fighting here tonight and it was a feat I didn’t think possible. Which meant a much bigger player was now sat at the table of Kings, and I needed answers as to who?

“Thank you, Percy…could you go and…FUCK, GET DOWN!” I roared the second I caught sight of what the rogue now had strapped to his chest and had broken free so he could activate it…

A bomb.

I grabbed Percy and spun with him in my arms, protecting him from the blast as much as I could as we were both thrown forward from the impact. I had just enough time to throw up a basic shield around us, to stop too much damage to my vessel, as I didn’t have the fucking time to heal from internal injuries, even if it was only five minutes to spare.

But my shield hadn’t been enough to stop us both from crashing through the glass barriers and hurtling over the edge of the balcony towards the ground floor of the club. I released my wings with just enough time to spin so as not to land on Percy, thus protecting him. Thankfully, he was unhurt and managed to get up in time to see the overhanging part of the balcony split from the rest of the floor and come crashing down on us both. So, I managed to grab Percy in time and throw him to safety before the whole thing came down on me.

And my last thought…

Oh yes, people were going to die for this.

Then darkness surrounded me.

* * *

“Lucius, are you coming?” I frowned as a voice I knew started to seep inside my mind, telling me something I couldn’t see. But then it didn’t say what I first thought it did.

“Lucius are you going…”

“I…who…” I tried to ask the question as a blurred figure approached me, stepping from the darkness. A white figure that looked like some kind of Angel of Death without wings. Now why would I think that?

“Lucius, why aren’t you going to…” I tried to move but felt an immeasurable weight holding me down as the voice continued to echo around me, now gaining strength in volume.

“Who are…Keira?” I uttered her name the second she finally came into view and I frowned again, asking myself why she was here but then her face contorted, twisting in pain and panic was all her features screamed, then her voice did the very same thing as she suddenly cried out,

“Lucius, why aren’t you saving my daughter!” The second I heard this something in me snapped and my eyes opened with a roar the second I felt it. My Chosen One, she was hurt!

The feeling was faint, and it angered me that I hadn’t yet had more time to build the connection between us. She needed more of my blood and I hers in return. And in that moment, I vowed that this would be the first fucking thing I did, when I had her once more safely in my arms.

But first I had to get to that.

So, I concentrated all my energy onto the weight on top of me and the next time I roared in anger, the rubble I had been buried under exploded outwards. I didn’t know how long I had been trapped under half of my VIP, but I just hoped it wasn’t long enough for the worst to happen.

I looked up and released my wings the second I was free, my body quickly making it to the top floor and landing with a furious crack to the already dangerous floor. Then, I took in the destruction around me and stormed over to Clay who was dragging Ruto’s unconscious body from a piece of the ceiling that had collapsed on him. I tensed, hating the sight of my own people affected by this attack, but I also knew that they were the strongest of their kind and would heal.

My Chosen One, however, would not.

“Caspian and Hakan went to save her,” Clay told me, and I soon saw why he hadn’t gone with them, seeing as there was a jagged piece of metal embedded in his side. I nodded and raced to the lobby, fucking near praying to the Gods, just for her to be safe. But then the second I made it to her door, I caught the scent of her blood. Gods, but it was so strong I knew then that she was hurt and badly! So, I ran towards it, hunting it, and getting lost in my rage to claim it back, for I was nearly fucking blinded by it. I even staggered slightly, gripping on to the wall for support as my beast tried to take over me in its anger, tipping my sanity for blind rage! But I needed to keep a level head, at least enough to track her.

Focus on her blood…the blood will lead us to her!

So, I did just that, knowing that she had been put in the elevator. Instead I burst into the stairwell and threw my body down the centre, landing hard and cracking the floor under my knee and foot. Then I burst out into the back parking lot to see the gates wide open and Amelia screaming for me to save her as she was pulled into a car.

The smell of her blood in the air lingered and triggered something within me I couldn’t have controlled if I had tried. It took me back to seeing Layla slitting her throat. The fucking agony that tore through me at the sight. Gods, it was all I could think about, so I destroyed the gates with my mind, crashing them together and crushing them so no car could pass, feeling somewhat assured that they had nowhere to go and I would soon have my girl back.

So, I started running to the fucking car she was in, ready to tear anyone to pieces that I found there keeping her against her will. What would I find when I opened that door, I didn’t know and it fucking terrified me! Would she be alright, or in need of healing? Too much fucking blood! But there was something about it that I couldn’t yet place. But then the closer I got, the more it started to infiltrate my senses and by the time I got to the door, I had a dreaded feeling in my gut.

Something about her blood hadn’t been right.

Blind panic once more took over to the point that I ended up ripping the door from its frame and throwing it behind me. The second I did,

I roared in rage!

I had been fucking tricked! A mortal girl was terrified in the back of the car, but it wasn’t my girl. She looked similar to Amelia, as she had black hair and was a similar build, but that was when I noticed how I had been tricked so easily.

“It was a nice touch I think.”

“Lahash!” I snarled her name and turned, seeing her with a rifle aimed at my head as she walked from the shadows.

“Now I know your first instinct is to kill me, but I must warn you, if you do then your little bitch is dead,” she said and I looked to the screaming girl who was wearing the blood stained white dress I had taken off Amelia in the cell. That was how they tricked me. And now they had her. I silenced the girl with a single thought of will, before snarling back at my enemy.

“Where is she!?” my Demon demanded with deadly intent that was clearly a dangerous enough threat for her to take seriously as at least she had the good sense to flinch. But then she shook off her show of weakness and said,

“Oh, what a shame, you just missed her.” Layla then looked up and I saw the helicopter flying over the roof of my club. I was just about to release my wings and then heard a radio crackle,

“If you see him follow, kill the girl.” I snarled back at her to see Layla issuing this order.

“So, this was your plan all along, it was just a distraction to get the girl!”

“Oh no Luc, this wasn’t my plan, my plan included putting a bullet in the bitch’s head.” I couldn’t help what I did next as I grabbed her neck in my hand and started crushing her windpipe slowly. Even the sight of her eyes hemorrhaging didn’t stop me. But then the sound of Liessa’s voice broke through my blind fury, as she was running towards me with Caspian by her side.

“Luc, don’t as she is the only one who knows where they are taking her. They told me to tell you that if you kill her, then you kill your chances of getting her back!” I let these words penetrate my mind, screaming at my other self to back the fuck down. Finally, I released my prey and she dropped to the floor, her neck severely damaged to the point where she would need to heal before she had the use of her voice again. She could barely even cough. Good, but not good enough, which was why I couldn’t help but pick up the gun and snap it in two. Then I kicked her in the gut, before hammering down one half of the gun on her face, knocking her unconscious. Something I doubted was part of her fucking plan!

“Someone get this fucking bitch out of my sight! And someone track that fucking chopper!” I barked out the order, knowing that now was the time to go hunting. Because despite what Liessa had said, I knew that they wouldn’t kill Amelia, they wouldn’t fucking dare. Not when it was the only way for them to get me to give up the box, something this time I knew I might have no choice but to do.

Because I wouldn’t let them hurt her, not like they already had. And if there was one small mercy from all of this, it was that at least I had her biggest threat in my grasp. For Layla couldn’t hurt her now, the plan to control me and my actions had backfired. For this time she would pay. And she would continue to pay, until I had Amelia back in my arms, where she fucking belonged.

Because they didn’t know who it was they were fucking with. Nobody took what was mine. I wanted my girl back!

And I would kill anyone who got in my way…

Even a fucking God.

30

A Bird Without Wings

Amelia

The moment I heard the loud whirring sound, one that almost deafened me, I knew that combined with the jarring motion, I was most likely lay on the floor of a helicopter. I also knew that my fate at that moment looked pretty bleak unless I could escape these assholes. Of course, the only way to accomplish that would have been to hold the pilot at gun point, as I don’t think a pencil was going to cut it with this one.

But I also knew I couldn’t act rashly now, because I needed to know how many people were in here with me and mainly, if one of those people was bitch face. I didn’t remember it being a particularly large helicopter but then again, I had been running from it at the time, so what did I know. Now, if it had been Lucius, he would have known all the specs and details by now, with just a mere glance when we were on the rooftop.

But thinking about Lucius and I felt pain in more than just my head from being hit repeatedly. I just hoped he was okay, as I knew they obviously had something planned to keep him busy. And it must have been pretty bad if he hadn’t been able to get to me, as I knew that would have been his first thought. But if he had managed to get free or was unharmed, then the thought kept me hopeful that he would know what to do. I imagined that he was also going out of his ever loving mind right now with worry, rage and possibly even panic. Well, I bet he was regretting that date now, I thought with a painful slice of humour, one that this time didn’t do anything to ease the painful ache in my chest.

The only thing I could guarantee was that they wouldn’t have been able to get that box but then if they had me, then it was no question as what would happen next. Because I was just a pawn in all of this, just a simple mortal to use and all because of Lucius’ obsession for me. Well, I was sick to death of these assholes underestimating me! Because I was not just some weak little mortal to be used as a fucking bargaining chip!

And it was time to show people exactly what a Chosen One was made of. Starting with getting away from these guys. Of course, the second something landed not far from me I tried not to flinch to give away the fact that I was no longer unconscious.

“I swear that bitch, Layla, fuck me I wouldn’t mind a piece of that, that is if she wasn’t a blood sucker…good job we are getting good money for this, that’s all I’ll say!”

“Yeah, well it’s even more now seeing as over half our fucking squad is dead!” Another guy said, shouting over the sound of the engine and propeller. Then after a pause the same guy continued,

“Speaking of the hot Vamp, shouldn’t we have heard back from her by now?”

“I don’t give a fuck, man, we get paid as soon as we deliver this bitch!” One of them said and from the sounds of it, these were going to be like the same idiots that underestimated me back in my apartment. Well, it was a good job they didn’t seem to know it was me who had put down four men, killing three. Because it meant that I wasn’t bound in any way. Which meant they were either stupid, shit at their jobs or something else entirely. Maybe they thought that whatever I had been shot with shouldn’t have burned out of my system yet, making me wonder if Lucius’ blood had anything to do with that?

I decided to crack open an eye just slightly and I swear when I found out what the sound had been, I nearly laughed. A bloody gun had slipped to the floor and was literally now lying next to me and barely a stretch away.

“Did the other birds get back to the compound?”

“Yeah, well it’s not like they were fucking needed, was it? Not with every single member from the four teams before us not fucking surviving!” One complained and so far, all I had heard were the two voices making me wonder if that was all I had left to contend with? Well, they had just said about their team mates not surviving as there must have been a few choppers in the air when they attacked us.

Okay, so I could deal with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, it was just the pilot I needed to be careful with. Because if shit went wrong then there was only one way this would end and that was down before the boom. And well, I’d only had sex twice so far and really, even though I wouldn’t technically be dying a virgin, it would be even crueler now I knew what it felt like!

I heard something that sounded like a radio before a voice came over it,

“Delta two, come in, over.”

“Delta two receiving, over,” the guy said in reply and I held my breath to listen.

“Do you have the package, only people are getting testy here, need an ETA. Over.”

“We are just coming up to the Isar River now, the bird will land at twenty one fifteen. Repeat two, one, one, five. Over.” After this the radio call ended and I quickly realised that the raid on Transfusion must have been over a lot quicker than it felt, along with my kidnapping. But then again, I bet it felt longer for the guys I was beating up at the time. All of them had been trained in the forces at some point, that much was clear. But then they all had something else in common, as none of them believed they would get beaten by little me or that I would have posed any kind of threat. Each one had been taken by surprise, all but the last guy who knew that I had been capable to take them on after witnessing my skills with a knife.

That was why he had been the hardest to put down.

Well, daddy would most certainly be proud, now if I could just get out of this helicopter without crashing the thing, then that would be ideal and go a long step towards that proud daddy/daughter moment.

Okay, so it was time to make my move because without knowing what time it was now, then I didn’t know how long until we arrived. So, it was basically now or never.

Now!

I quickly grabbed for the gun, rolled away from the voices and was up on my knees in seconds with the gun pointed at the two men now looking at me as if I had five heads and was asking them to choose the one they liked best.

“Nobody fucking move!” I shouted, thinking this was as good an order as any and it usually worked in the movies. But then the situation started to sink in as the men didn’t look at me with any real worry and I soon discovered why.

“Bitch that is a tranq gun, so shooting us wouldn’t get you shit!”

“Yeah, now be a good little girl and put down the gun before you get hurt by my fist as I knock the shit out of you!” said the other guy so I did the only thing left. I took a chance and pointed it at the pilot who looked over his shoulder quickly looking panicked and for good reason seeing as the first guy to speak said,

“You dumb bitch! He’s the only one who can fly this thing, so if you shoot him, what you gonna do then, sprout wings and fly?”

“I’m dead anyway, so at least this way I have a chance, now land this thing or I fucking shoot him and we are all dead!” I said hoping they didn’t call my bluff. They both looked at each other and I knew the moment something silently passed between them that they were going to make their move.

“Fine, then fucking shoot him!” one said and the second I fell for looking at him, the other lunged for me. He then grabbed the gun and as we fought for it, it accidently went off, shooting a dart into the pilot anyway.

“Fuck!” the other guy said rushing forward towards the pilot who was already being affected thanks to the dart now sticking out of his neck. Meanwhile, I was still being wrestled by the other one and the second I felt my head crack on the door, and a forearm pressed to my neck I held my breath. The gun was then wrenched out of my hands and his face was spitting mad in my face,

“You dumb fucking bitch!”

“What the fuck do we do now?” The other guy asked totally panicking and now trying to move the pilot. But then the second he did we started to do a nosedive forward, which meant the guy with his hold on me was forced to move back a bit.

“Pull it up before we hit the fucking water!” he shouted gripping on to a hold above my head to anchor him to the spot as the helicopter now jerked all over the place. As for me, I turned my head to look out of the window and saw that he was right, we were heading closer to the water, meaning that I had one shot here. So, I looked around for anything I could find when I finally saw it, a red handle that said emergency release. So, as he was still watching his teammate trying to pilot the thing, I reached down, bending my knees now his arm was no longer choking me. Then I grabbed a hold of it the second I felt the smooth rounded surface and yanked it up as hard as I could. The last thing I heard before falling backwards was my own scream and the door releasing with a loud bang, as the whole thing popped off.

But then I didn’t get as far as the door, which was soon landing in the river below. Not as the bastard reached out and caught me just in time, meaning I was now dangling midair with his hold on the back part of my dress, gripping on and struggling to pull me back inside because his grip wasn’t quite enough. His fist was by my shoulder blade and I could feel him twisting the material trying to get a better hold, before he started lifting.

I looked down and saw the river coming closer directly below us, and I had to admit that in that moment I had never been so scared in all my life. Because right now, there was no one here to save me. No daddy dearest or Lucius to come to my rescue. There was only me and the strength to survive. So, I looked up at the eyes of someone who now knew that he was most likely going to die and his very last wish in this world was to take the bitch that caused it, with him.

His features were twisted with both hate and the strain of hanging on with a hand to the frame trying to push me back inside, that would ensure the same death as these guys. But there was no way I was going down like that!

Death wasn’t taking me today.

So, I reached up and the second I felt that length of material flapping around in the wind, I grasped it and pulled on it as hard as I could meaning that the bow unraveled, and his eyes widened with the knowledge. But it was too late as I started to simply slip down through my dress, one he still had hold of and as I fell backwards, the last thing I saw was the guy’s face drop as he realised he had failed.

In every way.

So, with nothing else to do I closed my eyes and let myself fall, my mouth open as the descent captured my cry of panic as I realised now I had been falling for too long.

I was too high. I knew that the moment when I finally hit the water, crashing into it with such force it stole my breath and hammered every inch of my near naked body, that he hadn’t been the only one that had failed. For it seemed that death might have been paying me a visit after all.

Because darkness started to consume me.

Water filled my scream.

Weightless, I started to slowly float to the bottom.

And then I knew that Afterlife was no longer my home…

It was to become my destiny.

To be continued…

Blood of Kings

The Transfusion Saga #3

Copyright © 2020 Stephanie Hudson

Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it wasn’t purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Blood of Kings/Stephanie Hudson – 2nd ed.

ISBN-13 - 978-1-913769-38-3

About the Author

Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. Afterlife is her first book in the series of twelve, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.

When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her loving family and friends, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course, spending as much time with her supportive partner and personal muse, Blake who is there for her no matter what.

Author’s words.

My love and devotion is to all my wonderful fans that keep me going into the wee hours of the night but foremost to my wonderful daughter Ava...who yes, is named after a cool, kick-ass, Demonic bird and my sons, Jack, who is a little hero and Baby Halen, who yes, keeps me up at night but it’s okay because he is named after a Guitar legend!

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www.afterlifesaga.com

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Acknowledgments

Well first and foremost my love goes out to all the people who deserve the most thanks and are the wonderful people that keep me going day to day. But most importantly they are the ones that allow me to continue living out my dreams and keep writing my stories for the world to hopefully enjoy… These people are of course YOU! Words will never be able to express the full amount of love I have for you guys. Your support is never ending. Your trust in me and the story is never failing. But more than that, your love for me and all who you consider your ‘Afterlife family’ is to be commended, treasured and admired. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough, so one day I hope to meet you all and buy you all a drink! ;)

To my family… To my amazing mother, who has believed in me from the very beginning and doesn’t believe that something great should be hidden from the world. I would like to thank you for all the hard work you put into my books and the endless hours spent caring about my words and making sure it is the best it can be for everyone to enjoy. You make Afterlife shine. To my wonderful crazy father who is and always has been my hero in life. Your strength astonishes me, even to this day and the love and care you hold for your family is a gift you give to the Hudson name. And last but not least, to the man that I consider my soul mate. The man who taught me about real love and makes me not only want to be a better person but makes me feel I am too. The amount of support you have given me since we met has been incredible and the greatest feeling was finding out you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me when you asked me to marry you.

All my love to my dear husband and my own personal Draven… Mr Blake Hudson.

Another personal thank you goes to my dear friend Caroline Fairbairn and her wonderful family that have embraced my brand of crazy into their lives and given it a hug when most needed.

For their friendship I will forever be eternally grateful.

I would also like to mention Claire Boyle my wonderful PA, who without a doubt, keeps me sane and constantly smiling through all the chaos which is my life ;) And a loving mention goes to Lisa Jane for always giving me a giggle and scaring me to death with all her count down pictures lol ;)

Thank you for all your hard work and devotion to the saga and myself. And always going that extra mile, pushing Afterlife into the spotlight you think it deserves. Basically helping me achieve my secret goal of world domination one day…evil laugh time… Mwahaha! Joking of course ;)

As before, a big shout has to go to all my wonderful fans who make it their mission to spread the Afterlife word and always go the extra mile. I love you all x

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Afterlife Saga

A Brooding King, A Girl running from her past. What happens when the two collide?

Book 1 - Afterlife

Book 2 - The Two Kings

Book 3 - The Triple Goddess

Book 4 - The Quarter Moon

Book 5 - The Pentagram Child /Part 1

Book 6 - The Pentagram Child /Part 2

Book 7 - The Cult of the Hexad

Book 8 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 1

Book 9 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 2

Book 10 -Blood of the Infinity War

Book 11 -Happy Ever Afterlife /Part 1

Book 12 -Happy Ever Afterlife / Part 2

Transfusion Saga

What happens when an ordinary human girl comes face to face with the cruel Vampire King who dismissed her seven years ago?

Transfusion - Book 1

Venom of God - Book 2

Blood of Kings - Book 3

Rise of Ashes - Book 4

Map of Sorrows - Book 5

Tree of Souls - Book 6

Kingdoms of Hell – Book 7

Eyes of Crimson - Book 8

Afterlife Chronicles: (Young Adult Series)

The Glass Dagger – Book 1

The Hells Ring – Book 2

Stephanie Hudson and Blake Hudson

The Devil in Me

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Sloane Murphy

Xen Randell

C. L. Monaghan

Sci-fi/Fantasy

Brandon Ellis

Devin Hanson

Crime/Action

Blake Hudson

Mike Gomes

Contemporary Romance

Gemma Weir

Elodie Colt

Ann B. Harrison

This book is dedicated to the all the people affected in the terrible Australian bushfires, that so far has taken lives, destroyed homes, burned millions of hectares and decimated hundreds of millions of animals. It goes out to the thousands upon thousands of volunteers that banded together to try and stop the flames and help those in need.

Your kindness, selflessness and strength, is what makes the world a better place.

You will forever be in my heart.

Warning!

This book contains explicit sexual content, some graphic language and a highly additive dominate Vampire King.

This book has been written by an UK Author with a mad sense of humour. Which means the following story contains a mixture of Northern English slang, dialect, regional colloquialisms and other quirky spellings that have been intentionally included to make the story and dialogue more realistic for modern day characters.

Also, please remember that this is part of a 12 book saga, which means you are in for a long and rocky ride. So, put the kettle on, brew a cup, grab a stash of snacks and enjoy!

Thanks for reading x

Prologue

‘My Šemšā’… my Šemšā… Še…mšā’

I heard these words playing over and over in my mind, like a whispered chant. A desperate prayer, spoken from a desperate man, who I knew was currently on his knees speaking directly to the Gods asking them to save my soul.

His first one spoken in over two thousand years…

‘Save my Šemšā, that’s all I fucking ask!’ he growled, shouting this last part as he hammered his fist down on the floor, and in that single moment, the image of him on his knees disappeared and a blinding light replaced it. It erupted all around me, with me at its centre, as if something in me had just exploded!

My eyes snapped open just to find branches of light penetrating the water like the sun had just breached the clouds. I didn’t know what was happening or if it wasn’t just in my mind, but something made me realise I needed to move. It felt as though I had just died and was being jolted back to life, being given a second chance. Which meant it was now my job not to blow it and drown as I was still floating in the water. So, pushing my mind into action, I forced my pained limbs to move until desperate action was taking over and I started dragging myself up towards the surface.

Finally, I burst up out of the water and dragged in great lung filling gasps that hurt my chest and I knew if I hadn’t been desperate for the air, I would have forced myself to stop already. I was also freezing and knew that if I didn’t get out the water soon, then something else would take my life other than drowning. But of course, that’s what happens when you fall half naked from a helicopter into a river in the middle of winter!

And speaking of which, the second I heard a thundering crash I spun in the water in time to see an explosion in the distance amongst the trees, with flames and smoke now bellowing above the tree line. And even as my teeth chattered and I was barely still able to tread water, I still found myself smiling and with only one satisfying thought in my mind…

They were right…they couldn’t fly.

1

This Means War

Amelia

‘To line up to the ring, for a battle that you can't win, swing as hard as you can swing, it will still mean nothing. Should've seen it coming, it had to happen sometime. But you went and brought a knife, to an all-out gunfight’. These were the lyrics I was currently listening to just as I punched one guy, knocking him out with an instant break to his nose. The next, I dodged his swing by side stepping before delivering a gut punch, seeing him fall to his knees gasping for air.

Thank you, Nickleback.

But wait, I am getting way ahead of myself. So, rewinding ten minutes and that took me right back to swimming my freezing ass to the riverbank, after just witnessing the helicopter crashing into a nearby woodland area at the side of the river.

After dragging myself up a riverbank, clawing my way up a fallen tree like some damn wet cat, I found a dirt track that didn’t look overly used by the public. I pulled my now loose hair to one side and arched my neck to the side so I could ring it out with my hands, taking care that the freezing cold drips didn’t hit my skin. Because really, even saving my already freezing skin from further discomfort was worth the pain it caused my stomach.

But feeling this pain made me take time to go over my injuries. I pressed a hand to my stomach and hissed in pain, knowing that the kick I had received had been hard enough to bruise. So, I took in a big breath and was at least rewarded with the knowledge it hadn’t broken any ribs, so joy for small mercies. I also looked down and saw the bruise to my elbow and also one down my thigh on the left side where I had fallen when taking down the second guy in the bedroom. Along with those I also had lacerations on my hands from where the wire had cut into my palms. And as for my face, well I wasn’t even going there, but hey, at least I hadn’t lost my contact lenses, or this would have been the shit fest to beat all shit fests.

Well, I think it was safe to refer to this as hitting rock bottom, so I gathered there was only one way up to go from here. Besides, I had survived, I was no longer a pawn to use by the bad guys and although bruised, I was at least in one piece, minus the shoes and dress.

And with a glance to the smoke bellowing from the tops of the trees in the distance, I was definitely classing this one as a win, especially when I looked up to see a massive highway bridge above me. This instantly gave me hope that I might have a chance in getting back to the city without too much of a problem. Well, that was if I didn’t die of hyperthermia first. Because I had to say, as much as I had been a fan of Liessa’s choice of underwear for me, I wasn’t exactly loving it right now! No, now I wished I had opted for full body long johns, as I was basically wearing a strapless swimming costume. But, considering where I had just crawled out from, then maybe it was better than just a bra and panties. Either way, I was fucking cold!

Oh, and did I mention I was also killing mad! Like seriously furious, just thinking about the entire night and basically how my first date with Lucius had been ruined! So, walking barefoot, freezing my ass off and nearly naked on a dirt track wasn’t exactly my idea of fun. But what made it even less so was the gang of assholes I could see gathered under a walkway bridge.

There were four of them all with dirt bikes parked, music pumping from some palm sized speaker and two of them were spray painting the wall with graffiti. Oh, and they were passing around a spliff longer than my middle finger. Great, that’s all I needed, a gang of stoners whose favorite pastime was painting the streets of Munich with their own shit brand of art. I mean what did that say, ‘pussy’ in German, perfect…

Just. Fucking. Perfect!

Just to top off my perfect fucking day!

The one whose turn it was with the spliff saw me coming first, a skinny guy dressed in leather pants and a ripped, long sleeved Rammstein shirt. He smacked the guy nearest to him on the shoulder before nodding in my direction. Now, what were the chances of these four not being assholes and this not ending up in a fight…umm, the weed and whisky bottle didn’t give me much hope. Oh well, I was itching to break something anyway…or should I say, someone.

But hey, it’s not like I just walked up to the first guy and punched him…well, not until he said,

“Schau, wir haben eine Schlampe zum Ficken gefunden” Which I knew translated into, ‘Look, we found a bitch to fuck’.

Then I did, but not until I replied,

“Not tonight, asshole, you just found a bitch!” This before walking straight up to him and punching him in the face. Which brought me back to Nickleback singing about war.

The first guy dropped to the floor holding his now blood streaming nose, mumbling something in German I couldn’t be bothered to try and translate. Then, after putting the second guy down, who was soon like his friend, cradling a part of his anatomy, the other two watched on looking panicked.

“Now, let us try this another way, I have had the mother of bad fucking days and really feel like murdering someone, and really, at this point anyone will do, so unless you leather clad string beans fancy your chances, then here is what is going to happen…” the next part came in German, because really, it was the bit I really needed them to understand right now. Of course, it was just a shame that when I finally did get to say one of the coolest movie lines in history, one that every Arnie fan dreams of saying in real life, it was a shame I had no choice but to first say it in German.

But translated it sounded a little something like this…

‘I need your clothes, your boots and your motorcycle.’

So, two minutes later, and I found myself wearing skinny guy’s leather pants, (rolled up at the ankles) biker boots (three sizes too big), a Led Zeppelin T shirt (that I knotted at the side to make it fit me) and skinny man’s leather jacket, that actually fit me pretty well, thanks to the boobs that managed to fill it out.

I had also grabbed the smallest helmet, a rucksack in case it had anything useful in it, and the best looking bike. Well, this was after twisting the keys out of the owners hand, which meant breaking his wrist first. Because, well I wasn’t in the mood to be bitch slapped like he tried to do first.

I also stole the guy’s phone who, after hearing his buddy’s wrist bone crack, was willing to give me anything I wanted. But seeing as I wasn’t in the market for first borns or kidneys, I told him the phone would do.

Then I picked up the spliff, and because I was embracing my inner bad ass, I inhaled a drag, thinking it would look cool. Unfortunately, this was me we were talking about, so my cool, inner bad ass only extending to kicking ass, meaning I just ended up coughing as though I was choking, before telling them,

“Now this shit will kill ya!” Then I unlocked the guy’s phone, found his Spotify account that was linked to the speaker, and tapped in the only song that had to be heard right in that moment.

Then I twisted up my hair and winced as I pushed on my helmet, thanks to my bruised face and lump on the back of my head. Once ready, I kicked up the stand to the shitty dirt bike I had no choice but to ride. And I did this all to the sound of no other than…

‘Bad to the Bone’ by George Thorogood and the Destroyers.

I started up the Kawasaki KLX250, kicking up the dirt around me as I headed in the direction of where I had seen the helicopter go down, unable to resist the urge to say aloud,

“It’s been fun guys, but now it’s time to…Get to the chopper!” Then I giggled to myself which was lost over the sound of the shitty old two stroke engine. Gods, but I was going to stink of bike fumes by the time I got to where I was going, but then again, I was on my way to a crash site, so really if anything I was simply going to blend with the stench.

Now why wasn’t I on my way back to Transfusion you might ask? Well, it was simple, as I gathered by now they had informed Lucius they had me and would simply hold me to ransom until he handed over the box…the real one this time. Which meant that by the time I made it back to the club, I would most likely already be too late to stop him from falling for whatever contingency plan they had conjured up. One they would have had no choice to do seeing as I hadn’t yet shown up.

Meaning that my only hope left was to find the wreck and hide whilst I waited for the bad guys to show up. That way I could hopefully discover their plan, follow them to wherever their hide-out was and get to Lucius before he had chance to make what he thought was an exchange. Who knows, maybe if I was really lucky, then I would get a chance at intercepting him before he got there.

Well, this was my plan anyway, and despite Lucius’ stern belief that I couldn’t be trusted to make these kind of decisions, I knew that this was the best one we had. Besides, my decision to switch the boxes had been pretty spot on.

So, with this decision already made, I travelled along the dirt road that ran alongside the river, one I remembered was named Isar, from what I had overheard being said in the helicopter. Of course, it helped enormously having a great bellowing plume of smoke to follow and even though the bike was old and crappy, it did the job quite well in getting there in between all the dirt tracks that weaved throughout the thicket of trees.

I was just thankful I knew how to ride and unlike firing a gun earlier, doing what I was doing now wasn’t my first rodeo. Of course, this was thanks to my Uncle Vincent who was as into bikes as my dad was into cars. Meaning that after much convincing and admittedly when my parents were out of town, my uncle Vince taught me how to ride. And thank the shiny happy chrome Gods that he did, as otherwise, this bad ass biker chick look I had going on would have looked similar to Ragnar wearing a pink tutu and doing ballet.

But instead of swerving all over the place before crashing into some tree, I actually made it there in one piece. But then I also knew it was probably wise not to get too close. As I stopped my bike, skidding side-on the second I saw that the bad guys had already beaten me to the crash site. Which meant I was now faced with a convoy of blacked out off roaders, and even more mercenaries. I mean jeez, where did they keep getting these guys, ‘Ebay for ex-military’? Was there like some app for your phone out there for bad guys, like dating with profiles, list of accomplishments, hobbies, pictures and shit?

I could see it now…

‘Likes to take long walks on the beach after a long day of kidnapping, murdering and blowing up shit. Hobbies include reading about evil dictators, fertilizing the garden with dead bodies and sharpening blades by a warm fire whilst watching Rambo with that special person.’

“Hey, move along asshole, this isn’t a fucking show!” I jumped the second I heard someone behind me and then felt the back of my helmet being smacked, causing me to wince in pain. This was thanks to the lump there from where that bitch had shot me with a tranquilizer and I had fallen backwards. And well this, along with a bruised face that was currently being smushed into a fucking helmet, wasn’t exactly what I would have called a fun time.

But then again, at least it was all black and currently hid the fact that the person they would have been looking for was staring them right in the face. So, it was a little more than satisfying when I heard him say into a radio,

“Nah, just some punk kid that’s gonna get his ass kicked if he doesn’t fuck off.” I actually smiled at this before starting back up the bike and making my way past the wreckage going as slow as I could. There must have been about twenty guys, all stationed around it, making me wonder why the cops hadn’t arrived yet? It wasn’t as if a helicopter crash would have been missed, not being so close to the city.

However, my question was soon answered, but first I drove off in the opposite direction and into the tree line. Then, once I knew I was out of site, I ditched the bike and started backtracking through the cover of the trees. It also helped that it was dark and I had the movements of their flashlights to follow.

So, thankfully, I managed to stay hidden and thanks to the smoke that clogged the air near the crash site, well then, I managed to get close enough to see what was going on. The helicopter was a crumpled mess of twisted and burnt metal and I couldn’t help but suck in a shuddered breath, just thinking how risky my actions had been just to escape. Gods, but just knowing that I could have ended up in that wreck was enough to make me suddenly want to be sick, and in the end, I could barely get my helmet off quick enough before I did in fact hurl.

Thankfully, I wasn’t heard as there was too much going on with the wreckage to hear, which included the bent and twisted propeller that came crashing to the ground making everyone shift further back. I watched as an older man emerged from one of the many vehicles and despite being dressed the same as the others, he held an air of importance like armour. This told me even before he spoke that he was about to start issuing orders. And I was right.

“Right, ten minutes people and the authorities will be here, as they can’t be delayed any longer, so start moving out. Echo team, you know what to do, erase all evidence. Carter, get him on the phone, he will want to plan our next…”

“Sarge! We’ve got something!” This came from a man who barely even let the car he had been in come to a complete stop before he was out of it and running to who I assumed was his Sergeant. He cut the guy off, who was obviously put in charge of this shit show and when I saw what he now held in his hand I gasped, knowing why he thought it so important…

They had found my dress.

“Oh shit,” I whispered knowing that having any evidence of me right now was only going be a bad thing. Because yes, they could have told Lucius that they had me, but any smart person would have demanded proof of life. And well, the words, ‘trust me’ wouldn’t have exactly cut it here.

Besides, Lucius would hear of the crash before long, so even I knew they had to act quickly here. Because it wouldn’t take him long to put two and two together and no doubt the equation would equal my charred broken remains somewhere in the centre of all that broken burning metal. Oh Gods, but that thought was enough to make me want to heave up even more river water, because I couldn’t imagine the suffering he would endure thinking I was dead.

“Where was it found?” the one in charge asked, taking hold of my torn and bloody dress and fisting it in his hand, as if he had just found a lifeline. Of course, not that they would know, but the blood wasn’t mine. No, it had been from when Lucius had held me to him, seeing as at the time he himself had been covered in the blood of his victims.

“Not too far from here, less than half a klick, Sir…one of my men found it hanging in a tree.” This was when the Sergeant frowned as if thinking now how the hell that had happened…oh, if only he knew, ha the asshole wouldn’t have believed it!

“Do you think the hostage is dead?” The merc asked, making the one in charge look down at the dress in his hand now deep in thought.

“It would stand to reason, as I couldn’t see her surviving that,” he answered looking up at the wreckage, no doubt thinking that I had somehow been thrown from the helicopter as it was crashing.

“And the dress?”

“I take it your men did a throughout sweep of the perimeter?”

“Yes, Sarge,” the merc replied making me wonder if they’d found the robbed punks under the bridge yet?

“Then it’s a fucking mystery but at least this is something we can use until we find a body…better keep looking, we may need a few of those body parts later on as proof, should this not be enough,” he said before pulling out his phone and making a call. Man, I didn’t think I could have hated them anymore than I did, but then they started talking about my body parts and well, I was once again killing mad!

“We have your little bitch.” The Sarge said before quickly pulling the phone away from his ear, as even from this distance and I could hear the roar of rage. One that obviously was coming from Lucius who was on the other end of the phone.

“You can make all the threats you want but it won’t change the fact we have her and in exchange for getting her back in one piece, my client wants the box and the real one this time,” he said in an authoritative tone that would have meant diddly squat to Lucius. It also made me wonder whether or not ‘sergeant pepper’ here would have sounded quite so convincing in his demands had he played witness to what Lucius had been able to do to over twenty of his men. And this was all in the time that it had taken me to tear out an all-important testicle…ouch, even my eyes watered at the memory and I wasn’t even a dude!

“You want proof, fine, I will send you proof but mark my words Vampire, the next time you demand evidence of her capture, then I will be sending you a far bloodier picture, in the form of a piece of her mailed to your fucking door, assuming you still have one!” Then he hung up to the sound of another giant, supernatural man paddy that was coming from my boyfriend in the form of another demonic roar.

“That sounded like it went as expected,” Soldier boy said, making his superior sigh before handing him the dress.

“Indeed. Now hold this up,” he demanded and before long, my dress was being held up as he snapped a picture with his phone. And well, unless he was considering one just like it for his private collection when playing Sergeant Sally at the weekends, then it didn’t take much brain power to guess what he planned to do with this snapshot.

“There, let the blood sucking bastard stew over that,” he said after sending the picture and I could only imagine the destruction that followed that particular message. Considering that by them sending him a picture of my dress meant that they most likely would have had to remove it from me first.

It seriously made me start to question whether it was possible for a Vampire to suffer an aneurism or not. Because let’s face it, I very much doubted the first thing to come to mind was that your girlfriend woke up in a helicopter, shot the pilot with a tranquilizer, before purposely throwing herself into a river from a crashing helicopter, something only accomplished by losing her dress. Yeah, that was a stretch even for me, I thought with a shake of my head. An action that only managed my headache to strengthen in its power, making me now want to swear like a sailor waking up with a hangover and finding ‘I love Mom’ tattooed on his ass!

“Your orders, Sarge?”

“Layla will lead him to Luitpoldkaserne. Have our men ready to intercept as he heads northwest on Föhringer Ring, that way we can barricade him in and escort him to the compound. The witch will take care of the rest as soon as he gets there. Now go, make it so!” I couldn’t help but laugh at this last bit, I mean who did this jackass think he was, Captain of the Enterprise!

But then with this thought I couldn’t help but smile. As it made me think back to what Lucius had said this morning, shocking me enough to turn high pitch ‘only dogs can hear me’ levels when I found out he had googled the name.

Well, at least now I knew their plan and all I needed to do was think of a way to get to him before they did. But, other than waving a great big flag in the air with a picture of the box circled in red with a great big line through it, then how I was going to achieve this I didn’t know. Because it also wasn’t as though I could just find that road he spoke about and start doing jumping jacks in hopes he would see me, and the bad guys wouldn’t! Damn it, but why didn’t I memorize his phone number! Gods, at this rate, then I was thinking about getting the damn thing tattooed on the back of my hand, labelled ‘for when the shit hits the supernatural fan!’

Oh, how I remembered when my life used to be simple and what I wouldn’t give right now for a fluffy robe, a tub of Ben and Jerry’s and an overly complicated Lego set to complete. Now, that sounded like a Friday night to me! Not a night sneaking around in some bloody German woodland, squeaking as I walked thanks to the most impractical pants in existence…no matter how Arnie’esque bad ass they looked!

So, on that note, as I watched the GI Josephine and Picard wannabe depart, I stuffed back on my helmet and made my way back to the bike I had hidden behind a fallen dead tree.

“Now what?” I asked myself after slumping down with my back to the deadwood, trying to think of a viable plan of action that wouldn’t get me killed for real this time. Or one that meant possibly getting Lucius killed when he handed over that box.

I spotted the rucksack I had stolen along with the bike and well, everything else I was wearing, and dragged it over to me before unzipping it, hoping that German stoners also carried flare guns these days. Then, just as I was about to rummage inside, I heard a twig snap behind me.

“You again! I thought I told you to piss off!” I turned around and quickly got to my feet to see the same merc that had caught me earlier. So, I raised my hands the second I saw him start to raise his weapon and started shaking my head, mumbling all the fruit I knew in German, because for some reason in that moment it was the only shit that came to mind.

“What the fuck you saying!?” The guy snapped as he came closer, which was exactly what I needed. I mumbled again, so he fell for it, taking that last step needed. Then I acted,

“I said Strawberries are in season, dickhead!” Then I grabbed him by the tactical vest and yanked him to me at the same time headbutting him with my helmet. Something that ended up jarring my bruised face painfully but it was worth it, for the guy dropped to the floor unconscious half a second later.

Then I smirked down at him and said,

“Oh look, wouldn’t you know, I just made it so.” Then I reached for my bag, knowing my time here was up but then I as I caught sight of something in there an idea suddenly hit me.

And well, there was only one way to describe it…

It was…out of this world!

2

Underestimated

Lucius

They had her.

They had my Chosen One.

I swear to the fucking Gods the wrath I would inflict on the world should anything happen to her was something no God would be able to prevent! The end of days had fucking nothing on me and neither did the wrath of a fucking Titan!

I was beyond murderous. I was reaching a limit named ‘close to tearing this fucking city apart and burning it to the fucking ground’ furious! That’s where my head was at, which was why my already crumbling club was a single wrong word away from becoming swallowed up by Hell. So naturally, it was of little wonder why my people continued to give me a wide berth as I stormed back inside the building only seconds after knocking the bitch Layla unconscious. Only sparing her life thanks to Liessa’s interference. Something that forced me to see sense enough to stop from ripping her head from her shoulders…for now.

I had no patience to wait for anything, needing now to get to the bottom of what happened to my girl, starting with the last place I knew she had been before being taken. By the Gods, but if I found evidence of her being hurt, then Hell was going to know about it, for even the lowest levels would quake in fear of my wrath!

So, I ignored the lift and opted instead for the way I had got down here so quickly, doing so now by releasing my wings and launching myself straight up in the centre of the staircase, at least being thankful that it had been built larger than it had needed to be. But then, the second I took my first step into the lobby, I felt something so powerful it rocked me back on my heels. I would have thought it something else the Rogues had planted, as the force felt far too powerful for it to be anything other than that of a witch.

But I had been wrong.

It had been the force of the Gods.

I found the wall behind me just so the strength of it wouldn’t land me on my ass, and then I was forced to close my eyes as a sense of dread washed over me. It felt as though I had just been plunged into an icy abyss, now drowning from my greatest fears.

It was my Amelia.

“My Šemšā’… my Šemšā… Še…mšā” I whispered this over and over again, shaking my head, trying to tell myself it couldn’t be true…it couldn’t be fucking true!

I roared out and this time it wasn’t only in anger, it was in pure undiluted agony! The feeling that something had just happened where I was quite literally seconds away from losing her to the Heaven the Gods believed her destined for! This was when blind panic set in and in my desperation, I didn’t know what else to do but pray to the only entity that had given me anything other than my second life. Because he only had the power to take life, not grant it back like I wished he did have right now.

As the Gods only knew how much he fucking owed me!

So, instead, I ran into my apartment with a speed even I didn’t know I possessed until then. Then, the second I was inside, I was at the doors of my vault in another heartbeat knowing time was critical. So, I simply twisted the metal door with so much power that my hands transformed into that of my demon. Meaning that soon the metal wasn’t simply a warped and distorted version of its former self, but now it was dripping molten steel, from where my hands had brought forth the eternal flames of Phlegethon, one of the five rivers in Hell.

It was one that branched off into Tartarus itself and right now, I could feel its pull trying to drag me further down into being consumed with its power. But my will was beyond all strength of others, and nothing could control me, not even the Devil himself as he soon discovered, when he demanded I take a life I would not grant him.

But that was the past, and since then my power over Hell had only grown in strength. Meaning it was a war which Lucifer dared not risk for fear of losing his crown…a crown I most certainly didn’t fucking want! That was unless the Gods took what was mine in these very seconds and I needed an army big enough to storm into the gates of Heaven in order to claim her soul back. One that belonged to me and only me.

But right now, I simply prayed it didn’t come to that, so instead I destroyed the vault doors in seconds, making sure to use my will to bend the metal outwards enough to let me enter before coming to the gift once bestowed to me from the Gods.

“Caliburnus,” I said kneeling down in front of it and then, once placing my hand upon the blade itself, I lowered my head. I bowed to its power before slicing my hand down it so as when I made this vow, I did so by honouring it with my blood.

“My Šemšā …. ‘Save my Šemšā, my Electus born. Save her and my blood is yours… that’s all I fucking ask!” I shouted hammering my fist down next to the sword, feeling the floor give way as it cracked around my hand.

“SAVE HER!” I roared down at the floor and after this the sword, the chooser of Kings, started to glow as if powered by the blood I’d just offered. A second later, the whole room erupted into a blinding flash of light, the force of which nearly blew me backwards. However, my sacrifice still needed to be made so I held on as my blood was drawn up through my flesh and into the blade. I ignored the pain, as to me it was simply a state of mind. Now the pain of losing Amelia, however, was one that had the power to tear me to pieces and completely destroy me!

So, I held on, despite the blood it took, drawing it out of me as though it was feeding from my very life that Lucifer had granted me. It ran along the gleaming blade in rivulets of crimson streams feeding down into an ocean of blood. It coated the hand that held it, one that mimicked the Lady of the Lake who had been the blade’s bearer, charged with gifting it to its next chosen King.

One it deemed worthy.

One worthy of owning her.

I only let go of the blade when the glowing steel started to simmer down, knowing that I had done all in my power to save her in that moment. But even then, it still didn’t feel like enough. So, all that was left for me to do was to hold onto hope that whatever it was that had suddenly befallen my girl, my vow had at least kept her alive long enough until I could save her. And speaking of saving her, I rose to my feet and grabbed the only thing left that had the power to do that…

My one and only bargaining chip.

The Gods be damned box was one I simply wished I could have destroyed and have done with it, but unfortunately it wasn’t that easy…as I had tried!

I had even had my own witch, Nesteemia, try and overpower the protective barrier which was held over it. But it was no use, as there was only one way to beat it and that was to actually open it. And by all accounts, doing so would lead to my destruction, so that wasn’t exactly my idea of a fucking solution either.

In truth, even my own people studying it hadn’t discovered as much as my girl had. Amelia’s intelligence and cunning wasn’t just something that impressed me, it was something that utterly astounded me! It was also something that I was beyond proud of.

Now, if she could just stop using that cunning against me in trying to leave, then I would revel in her skills instead of silently dread them. As right now, and knowing what she was like, well all I could hope for was that pretty little head of hers was smart enough not to try anything that would end up getting her killed. For I swear the first thing I would do when kidnapping her from Heaven would be to spank that ass hard enough she wouldn’t be sitting on her vessel’s behind for a fucking week!

After this I walked back into the lobby with the box and cause of my current cluster fuck situation, before entering Amelia’s apartment. All my council were here already and the second I started growling, Clay spoke,

“Nothing was touched, as I knew you would wish to see for yourself.” This appeased me enough to nod, thankful at least that my people knew me and knew me well enough to act under orders I hadn’t yet needed to voice.

I scanned the room, first taking in the state of my people, and for the moment, purposely ignoring the dead bodies. Ruto was on the sofa looking slightly less worse off than I had seen him last when being pulled from the wreckage by Clay.

Clay himself still had the metal imbedded in his side as if this was a mere annoyance that came secondary to all else. Liessa was being cradled in her husband’s arms trying to soothe him, for he looked nearly as murderous as I did. Especially seeing as he was still plucking out spent tranq darts from her body, then I could understand why. It also told me how they had managed to overpower her, for it looked as if she had been shot with enough to take down a herd of African Game.

Hakan was taking in the scene, as if seeing it all playing out in front of him and Percy was doing what Percy did best, trying to care for others. He was currently dabbing at one of the many cuts on Ruto’s torso, one that ran the full length of his face and torn shoulder.

“So it’s easy to say that we got our asses handed to us,” Clay commented drily making me growl before swiftly grabbing hold of the metal shard about the size of his forearm and yanking it out of his side in anger. He winced, gritting his teeth from pain but remained strong enough not to make a sound other than a clenched,

“Point taken.”

“Good, now explain to me what happened?” This was aimed at Liessa.

“She was fucking shot, that’s what!” Caspian snapped clearly struggling with this and with only a stern look from me, did he back the fuck down and yield. This was also helped by Liessa muttering something in his ear before feeding him her wrist so he could suckle on the siphons on her skin that let her secrete the deadly ink. One her husband was not only immune to but mainly addicted to. To say that they were meant to be together was more than just a romanticized statement, but more of destiny throwing these two into each other’s paths.

Although, if I recall I do believe his original mission had been to eliminate her and the threat she possessed to my people. This being because it was a substance that could kill a weak Vampire while putting one of greater strength on his ass for a considerable time.

But seeing as Caspian had the unique gift of immunity to all poisons, natural or unnaturally made, then he became the obvious man for the job. One that didn’t exactly go the way anyone expected, especially when he returned with who he now deemed as his personal prisoner, instead of the dead body I had ordered.

And technically speaking, she had remained his prisoner ever since and one he even married near a hundred years ago. If memory serves me right, then it was the only order he refused and fought me on. So, in the end his solution to this was to shackle her physically to him for the next decade, just so he could prove that she was going nowhere, and her every move would be under his command. Of course, his obsession with her morphed into one of love and it was soon clear to all around him that he wasn’t just pussy whipped, as Ruto would say, but she ruled his heart. Doing so with her own sacrificed in return for the obsession most definitely went both ways.

A sentiment I was only now coming to fully understand. I almost shook my head at my once naive belief. A foolish belief that my own obsession with the girl had reached its peak seven years ago when I started having the entirety of her life monitored. Oh, but how wrong I had been, for since having her here with me at Transfusion, only then had the full depth of my obsession come to light.

And now that she had been taken from me, it seemed that my ability to deal with that knowledge was a hairsbreadth away from giving way to my demon entirely. Meaning that a simple look at Caspian and I was remembering all those times my second in command, Adam, had been fearful for his wife. Even the rash and desperate actions from Dom were all now no longer believed as foolish as they once had been out of fear for his Keira. For I too was close to bursting out of my fucking skin with worry and I had to say the sight in the room wasn’t fucking helping.

“Liessa?” I said her name in a way this time that silenced her husband and demanded answers. She lowered her head in shame and told me,

“They shot me like Caspian said.”

“Was this after you attacked them?” I asked nodding to the two dead humans that looked to have met a gruesome end. The moment her eyes widened was when the reality of the situation really hit home.

My girl had once again been underestimated.

“I didn’t do this, I had little chance to do anything as they burst in and shot me before I even had chance to fire a single drop.”

“Fuck me, so this was all Birdy girl?” Clay asked, his surprise evident. Liessa nodded before looking to me with pain in her eyes before telling me,

“I am so sorry Sire, I failed you.” And had this been anything other than my girl’s life on the line, then I would have been in a mind to make this easier on her. However, it wasn’t and therefore I would not.

“Yes, you did. You failed me and you failed her.” Caspian was about to speak, no doubt arguing in his wife’s defence, but I was having none of it.

“ENOUGH!” I roared letting a wave of dominant power to roll over them and making them visibly flinch before showing me their submission with lowered heads. Then I walked closer to Percy and said in a somewhat calmer tone,

“Percy, if you please.” I then handed him the box to hold whilst I was on my mission to discover what had happened. He nodded and his scarred little hands took it from me, no doubt happy to help in any way he could. Only then did I turn back to Hakan.

“Now, walk me through what happened!” I shouted making him nod his head before speaking, something he only ever reserved for times it was most needed. After Clay got in there first of course,

“Oh, I just have to see this shit!” My head of security commented like an excited child, obviously intrigued to know what else ‘my little human’ was capable of. I rolled my eyes in sight of his exuberance and then nodded for Hakan to continue.

“This way, my Chieftain,” he said, long ago granting me this name as was the old ways of his people. His voice was hoarse but not from disuse, it was this way from what had been done to him at the hands of Westerners intent on stealing his father’s lands many years ago. Since then, his vessel had been healed the moment he had been destined to become the fallen, doing so in the name of revenge.

For the moment he discovered his own life after death, he ripped the wings from his vessel the second he tried to break free of the bonds still wrapped around his reincarnated body and tamed the very manner in which he had died.

Tortured and wrapped in thorned wire before being thrown into the river to drown.

Needless to say, after this two things happened. The first was that when I heard of his history, I felt inclined to offer him a position at my table. The second was happily aiding him in executing that revenge.

But as it turned out, he was the best damn tracker in existence. Which meant the second he took in the scene around him now, he started to piece together what had happened and played it out in his own mind as if it had been recorded and put on rewind. It was a tracker’s way and a skill used to retrace a person’s steps or past movements. The gifts were those similar to a seeker, but instead of being gifted the sight of the past and the future, a tracker could only see into the past.

It was due to their talents in picking up a lingering energy left by a person’s soul. He could tap into the unique signature left behind and watch the person’s aura act out the past like the ghost of a vessel was actually still there. Unfortunately, for most trackers there was a fairly small window for this to be achieved before that person’s steps were lost over time. Or that they were simply overwhelmed by the presence of far too many others. Hakan, however, well he was one of the only trackers who could eradicate all other auras in his way and pinpoint the one he wanted. Doing so even as far back as six months in a crowded space.

It was this strength that made him the best there was. A talent I had been gifted the option to exploit many times over in the past and if truth be told, one even exercised on Keira when the occasion was needed to find her.

Which was why I trusted his account implicitly, no matter how strange it first started, something that began in the bathroom.

“Well, it’s got to be said, Sire, that girl of yours certainly has a unique way of killing people,” Clay commented as we stepped around one dead body that looked to have been killed with an electrical cord. This was from a broken lamp, a piece of which was still embedded in his cheek, telling me she had first hit him with it. Gods, but just the sight of her kills had me worried, proud and fucking hard all at the same time. I could only hope that when I witnessed this account of past actions, that by the end of it I was satisfied that she had done all this unscathed.

“It started in here, my Chief…”

“Let’s forgo the formalities for the time being, yes.” I said holding up a hand knowing I didn’t have the fucking patience for all that Chieftain, my Lord, Sire shit right now. He nodded before disappearing inside the bathroom where there was a man lay on the floor, strangely covered in white foam and blood.

“You were saying?” I remarked with a raised brow at Clay’s earlier comment about Amelia’s unique way of dissipating her enemies.

“Yeah, well she left this shithead alive,” Clay scoffed as if disappointed. On the other hand, I thought differently.

“And lucky for us, for now we have someone to torture,” I said unable to stop myself from cracking my fingers when they turned into fists by my sides. But that would have to wait,

“Hakan, if you please,” I said nodding for him to proceed, something I knew had started when his eyes turned as black as the strip of ink across his eyes. Then they started to flicker from white to black, looking now as if he had an old black and white film flickering out the scene in his mind and we were getting a mere glimpse at it.

Then it stopped and his eyes snapped back to his usual dark shade.

“I…um…well.” This was all Hakan said and for once, his opting for few words said wasn’t through choice.

“What is it!?” I snapped as I didn’t have the fucking patience for it either!

“I think it best I show you my…Sir,” he said stopping himself with just a cautionary look sent his way.

“Proceed,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Oh, this ought to be good,” Clay commented just before Hakan started to bring forth the ghosts of their auras for us to watch. It was as if an invisible body had been surrounded by smoke, allowing its shell to be seen.

I swear just the sight of her aura taking shape had me tensing and having to resist the irrational action to reach out and try and touch her. Then I was forced to watch as she attacked the other smoked figure after it first rose up from the unconscious piece of shit still breathing on the floor. Hers was white, and his black, which I could see started off holding a gun to her. Then she disarmed him, with the aid of…

“Is that shaving cream?!” Clay took the thoughts right out of my head as he watched what I did when the smoked ghost of her raised an arm as if spraying something in his face. Clay had at this point walked over to the star patten left on the counter and brought a fingertip to his nose as his curiosity got the better of him.

“I wonder how this…oh, never mind.” Clay was cut off when we all saw that after swiftly breaking his arm, she then slammed his head face first into the counter, creating a burst of cream and blood splatter to decorate the stone top. Then, as another aura burst into the room, from what I perceived was to be the man that now lay dead in the bedroom, she opened her mouth and spoke to him. Now I found myself intrigued to know exactly what it was she said to him before she let go of the now unconscious man whose aura quickly slid back down to the floor. Floating down like a wave, it disappeared on top of where her victim still lay slumped to the side and indeed, still breathing.

Well, not for long, I thought with some satisfaction.

After this she retrieved what I can only assume was a gun and started firing. I looked to the doorway, to see the new aura move out of the way of the flying bullets. But I could see for myself that none had been on target, not if the wide array of bullet holes in the walls were anything to go by. So, instead, she used the weapon to her advantage and decided to throw it at the mercs head, knowing she had a better chance, seeing as her aim with a gun was shocking.

Fuck me, but after tonight then I was considering our second date to be at a fucking gun range, just to be sure she could use one, for I hoped never again!

The aura stumbled back on impact and then unbelievably I watched as her own aura charged the man, taking him down to the ground.

“Whoa, look at her go!” Clay commented enthusiastically as we both followed Hakan into the bedroom. He had halted the re-enactment until we were positioned in the room so we could continue to follow the fight. This was where things got more difficult for my girl, and even I could see the added texture of features the ghost of her showed. The strain in the shadow as it vibrated, humming with tension. Especially when she started to reach whatever was closest to her in desperation to beat her opponent.

I swear but it felt as if I was watching it in real time and found myself trying to anchor myself to the spot, so I wouldn’t step forward and try to intervene. This was by far one of the hardest things I had ever forced myself to experience, as unlike all others, this I did so willingly. Because I needed to know. I had to know just what she had endured at the hands of these fuckers!

Gods, but the one left alive was going to die and fucking slowly! Hell, at this point I considering carving out his fucking heart and having the fucking thing gift wrapped as a welcome home present for when I finally got my girl home!

In fact, I was that worked up, that Clay had to get my attention to make me aware of the damage I was doing to the walls behind me as plaster started to crack and rain with powder. It was coming from the force of my fisted gloved hand, one that I could feel humming with unleashed pent-up power. One that only relaxed when I saw the moment she finally wrapped the cord around his neck. Then she placed a foot to his shoulder and arched her back, using his own body against him as she used him as leverage to strangle the life from his body.

In the end, he had died suffering like I hoped he had, for there was a bloody gash on his forehead and large shards of ceramic embedded in his face. There was also yet again another broken arm, multiple kicks to the face and an electrical wire cutting into his flesh. One deep enough that if he hadn’t died of asphyxiation, he would have from blood loss. Not that all of this had been enough, for at my hands it would have been far more bloody and violent. But more importantly, it wouldn’t have been so quick.

Yet, all in all, my girl had done well and to the point I couldn’t help my lips from twitching when Clay had remarked,

“Fuck, but what is it with your girl and breaking arms?” I didn’t reply, but then again I didn’t need to. As it was obvious, my ferocious little princess was a force to be reckoned with and I very much doubted that even Dom knew the extent of this.

A thought that both pleased and amused me greatly.

In fact, I had a feeling as though Amelia had been underestimated her whole life and I was starting to understand her annoyance at the common mistake of most.

I nodded to Hakan when I saw him look to the door. But he paused in a strange manner, as if this next part was something he didn’t want to show me. So, I prompted,

“You may continue, Hakan.”

“My Ch…”

“Just fucking spit it out!” I snapped making him bow his head and tell me,

“She struggled in this next room…greatly,” he confessed, and the last word uttered make me grit my teeth so hard I thought the fuckers would crumble!

“Just fucking show me!” I barked knowing there was no other way I could speak in that moment. Not now knowing that if I had found this last one difficult to watch, then this next fight would be fucking agonizing.

And I wasn’t wrong, for in my heart, it was nothing short of…

Torturous.

3

David and Goliath

I walked into the living space, following the ghost of Amelia’s past footsteps as she ran into the room and crouched down to nothing. I then looked to Liessa, who just nodded shamefully at my unspoken question. Which meant my girl had been worried about one of my council members. And from the look of things, the significance of the scene was not lost on a certain enforcer of mine. A clear show of concern that now gave Liessa’s husband something to think about, especially seeing as it came from a human.

After this, I then watched as the auras of the two dead men were sucked from where they now lay dead and were swept backwards to the entrance. Now with the auras in place, the scene started to play out once again, and as soon as the men took one look at Amelia, they decided to each take a side. Both of them did this with their mouths silently moving, no doubt spewing their threats.

Then Amelia looked down at what I presumed was a knife in her hand before she looked back up at the last to speak and I didn’t need to hear her words to make out her next line,

‘Oh, you mean this one…oh, okay then.’ Then she moved her arm back and let the invisible blade fly and I looked down just in time to see the aura fall backwards and land in the body. One now with a very visible blade sticking out of his heart. This made me proud to see that she hadn’t been foolish enough to let the guy live, as she once had. But this time there was no mistake, not like before back at the museum. No, now she was fighting to kill, that much was clear from that single action alone.

But this was when I knew things were going to get difficult, as one look at the aura still standing and just from the sheer size of him I knew that this was the difficult fight Hakan had spoken of. Well, at the very least I could see from his body, that he had been beaten to a very bloody pulp, and for that, I was more than thankful for. Now, all I could hope for was that her own injuries weren’t half as bad.

Again, Hakan looked to me as if silently asking me if I was sure I wished to continue and for just a single moment I found myself torn. For one, I needed my people safe and not buried under a hundred tons of rubble. But then after the feeling of dread that had hit me when stepping from the stairwell, I knew I had to fucking know!

So, I nodded for him to continue and once more, myself and the whole of my council watched as nothing short of a battle between David and Goliath ensued. A fight starting when he ran at her in clear rage after just seeing her kill his comrade. She sidestepped and blocked what must have been a knife in his hand, making me fucking curse, knowing she had no weapon of her own. Damn it, but she shouldn’t have been so hasty in giving up her weapon so soon!

She brought her knee up and hit him in the gut but seeing the way he was dressed from the dead body, then that move would have little effect for he looked to be wearing a bullet proof vest.

“FUCKER!” I suddenly roared the second I saw him pick her up by the waist and throw her against the wall! Gods, but I could feel myself losing my shit and fucking quickly!

“Gods, but she is one tough little…”

“Don’t you fucking dare finish that Gods be damned sentence!” I snapped at Clay not needing his fucking opinion right now, even if the big bastard was right!

I watched her stagger from it but then she soon recovered and just in time to as he swiped out at her with what must have been his blade. I was just happy to see that she managed to dodge the blow but then the male’s aura started to motion with his hands, waving them back and to in front of him. He did this about a foot apart and it took me a moment to figure out what he was doing. That was until I could just make out her words, thanks to the distinct moving of the mouth,

‘Seriously, just pick a fucking hand would you!’ she told him making Ruto this time unable to resist commenting,

“Dickhead, what does he think he is doing, like that would fucking scare her!” I decided to let him have this one, for if watching this play out would make him respect her more, then at least one fucking thing arose from this torturous sight!

She side stepped and continued to block his advances, managing to get a kick to the knee before delivering a bruising blow to his back with her elbow. The move I knew was one that she was hoping would have brought him down, but despite jumping up and putting all her weight into the hit, he was big enough that he stayed on his feet. Instead he swiped out haphazardly behind himself, very nearly catching her once more with his weapon.

She managed to dodge it again, thankfully, but wasn’t quick enough to completely come out unscathed as she received a hard kick to the stomach, sending her backwards into the piano. Again, I found myself trying to contain my rage at the sight, but unable to stop myself from stepping forward this time, as even some of my council visibly shifted as if they too felt the need to jump in and protect her. This at the very least pleased me to see. However, I just wished it hadn’t come on the back of her getting hurt.

I watched her curse before she then decided to turn around in what I assumed was to pick up the piano stool.

“Stop!” I shouted and Hakan paused the smoked figures long enough for me to ask,

“Can you bring through the stool and his weapon,” as I was curious to see how she intended to use it, as I knew it was most likely a means to protect herself against the oncoming blade. But I wanted to see how she managed it, and after a little extra energy on Hakan’s side, he nodded making it materialize into a thick shadow.

Of course, it had never been intended for this when I had insisted the instrument had been purchased for her room. For I knew that she played. This had been something I had learned from one of the few trips to Afterlife I’d had no choice but to make. But each time, I had found myself drawn to where inside the large mansion she had been hiding. Then once located, I had spent some time observing her from afar.

It had been strange watching her in her own domain, as I found myself irrationally jealous that she had been there and not situated safely behind my own walls instead.

However, I was no fool and knew this was my own doing, as like I said, it was an irrational irritation due to my own past decisions. But this didn’t help, as I then usually forced myself to leave and took my seat at the table of the Kings in a fucking foul mood. And who was there watching me with a curious fucking eye like she knew the exact reasons why…Her mother!

Of course, after that my mind was never on the meeting, one usually about the Sons of Afterlife and their own prophecy as it was being lived at the time. But soon, even the lost children of our world, the ones each of the Kings had been charged with mentoring had grown and left. Gone after first being shaped by our hand into what destiny had in store for them and were now all currently forging the path for a new future.

But Amelia had never been included in this, and I knew just from the sight of melancholy on her face as she played the large instrument so beautifully, that she felt the exclusion cut to the core.

She simply wanted to belong.

The guilt of this had always plagued me and she would never know why…no one would.

Which is why later on I would reflect on my time there and quickly made a promise to myself that after this particular visit, that when the time finally came, then I would get her a piano to play on. Just in case she wished to indulge in the pastime and share with me the clear talent she had. Because it had to be said, she was most certainly a natural and very few things until that point had captivated me so intently.

But, looking back on that day then I would have said the shy, sweet young girl of eighteen, one sat getting lost in the music, was a far cry from the ghost of a girl that faced me now. Especially when I watched her brutally run at him with the legs of the piano stool facing his chest. Legs she meant to stab into him and managing it as one struck him in the shoulder, effectively pinning him to the wall for a short time.

“Fuck, Yeah!” This time it was Caspian who shouted at her victory but unfortunately it was short lived as her foe roared in pain as he started bringing himself closer to her. Doing so despite the narrow leg that traveled further into his flesh. This way he could wield his blade at her once more but with a knowing grin she suddenly twisted the seat and finally forced the blade from his hand. His head followed the motion of both shadowed blade and stool flying off to one side before they hit the wall above the sofa.

I had to admit, I found myself breathing slightly easier now that blade was out of the equation. Especially when his smokey aura kept his head turned long enough after watching the blade’s trajectory, giving Amelia the chance to uppercut him in the chin. It hit hard enough that he went back a few steps. My council all cheered her on in a subtle way, no doubt not to set me off into another rage, but I had to say, the sight was encouraging. Not only to see her knocking back a much larger opponent, but also that my council were all naturally rooting for her.

It also looked to have caused damage too, as he even raised a hand to his face before looking down at his palm, which I easily guessed meant that he was awarded the sight of his own blood. I watched her mouth something at him and given her cocky grin, I could imagine it was something witty and in the moment. He spit off to one side and looked to have screamed something at her in rage. She responded back and then kind of stopped, cocked her head slightly to the side and started smiling before speaking again.

“There was music playing when I gained consciousness,” Liessa informed me, telling me that Amelia must have actually been commenting on the song playing. I swear I would have shaken my head at her if in that moment he wasn’t swinging a right hook at her, one she thankfully managed to block. Then there were two more after this in quick succession that again she blocked. But then my biggest fear played out as I watched the heavy bastard take her off guard and getting in a blinding punch to the face, one strong enough it knocked her to the floor.

“FUCK!” I roared as she landed hard on the coffee table before rolling to the floor next to the sofa.

“Gods!” Liessa hissed through her teeth and even Clay, Percy Caspian and Ruto now looked concerned for her.

“FUCKING STOP!” I bellowed just as the figure crouched over her and grabbed what looked like a handful of her hair yanking her head back. The scene paused and I raked a furious hand through my hair before turning away from the fucking nightmare playing out the past like some sick twisted Greek tragedy!

“My Lord I…”

“Sire…”

“Luc I…”

“Shut the fuck up, all of you!” I roared again the second my council all started to speak. Gods be fucking damned! I wanted to kill so badly I nearly dragged the unconscious one in here just for someone to feel the same pain my Amelia had. Only by my hand it would be felt tenfold!

But then I knew I might be killing an asset and that would have been foolish and rash. I swear I just couldn’t watch anymore, as it was fucking torture of the worst kind! But then I also knew that I couldn’t not see this through to the end. She deserved that and my devotion in all forms was hers.

But most of all, I needed to know if she was alright and what type of injuries she had sustained. I also wanted to know what had been done to her so when the time came for making all responsible pay, then I wanted this memory in my mind fueling my demon’s wrath to ensure that I inflicted the right amount of torture in return. And well, so far, their crimes were weighty enough to drown them in their own fucking blood!

Even hung, strung and quartered was too quick for them. I would tear them piece by little Gods be damned piece until they had been begging me for hours to end their suffering! One I would never grant, for where I intended to send them, would make their torture an hourly occurrence.

“Continue!” I snapped making Hakan look to the others in an unsure manner.

“My Chieftain, I could…”

“I said fucking continue!” This time the order came from my demon, one that each of them knew was far too close to the surface than he had ever been before. At least without control or allowance to do so. But seeing as I was currently one of the most dangerous and powerful beings on the planet, and one on the fucking edge of losing my shit at that, well it meant a very real Hell breaking loose was on the horizon. And the only thing that would calm me now was watching my girl kill this mother fucker in the most painful of ways!

“Yes, but of course,” Hakan said bowing, and with a wave of his hand the figures once more continued, starting with the agonizing reality of watching as my Chosen One’s head was slammed down into the floor. Which meant painfully watching as my mind conjured up all the blood that now gushed from her nose from the jarring blow. I thought this was the worst of it, but unfortunately, I was about to find out that it could in fact, get so much worse.

“Oh shit.” This came from Ruto.

“Fuck no.” This from Clay.

“Oh Gods!” This from Liessa and lastly, a horrified gasp from Percy. The other two kept their composure, I on the other hand, the second I saw him lifting her torn skirt and then lean back to undo his pants…well…

I. FUCKING. LOST. IT!

I felt my other form bursting through without restraint, and long gone were the wings of a phoenix, or the eyes of the sun. This time it was all my former demon and more now being mixed with the Venom of God! My once damaged wings of skin stretched over fingers of bone like some demonic bat, were now back to ones untortured.

These I felt spanning the length of the two horns that had grown from the inferno on my back, harnessed straight from Hell’s fiery rivers. My hands burned away any leather that covered the one I kept concealed, allowing my people to see the hand of a Titan left behind for the first time. One that was black and charred with the power of Tartarus flowing beneath the cracked skin, glowing and pulsating as it begged me to deliver the destruction upon the Earth it was always pressing me to do.

A destruction it was capable of.

I felt my size increase to a size even Caspian would fear, as I literally became more powerful than Lucifer himself. The reason being why now even he feared me, if ever I was back in the realm in which I had been reborn into.

Because like this, I was quite literally,

The end of fucking days, with power of Gods fueling my veins!

My people all quickly gave me a wide berth, moving back to the other side of the room with Caspian, rightly so, putting himself between me and his woman. I would have done the same thing if Amelia had been in the room but as it turned out, I couldn’t even save her from being…

“FUCKING RAPED BY A MORTAL BASTARD!” The last of this dark thought was bellowed out by my demon that had enough power to crack the walls and floor where I stood, shaking the already unsteady foundations of Transfusion. And somewhere deep down inside me, I knew that my club wouldn’t be able to take much more and that I needed to calm the fuck down. Especially if I was to be any good, for not only to my people, but more importantly to my Chosen One. My girl who was still out there somewhere and fucking needed me!

Which included keeping my shit together, something Hakan was trying to achieve. As it was only he who braved close proximity with me and I was soon to understand why.

“Look, My Sire, my Chieftain, look now, for you will miss her wrath if you do not calm enough to look,” he implored,

“LOOK AT WHAT, MY WOMAN GETTING…”

“No, but her revenge! Watch now and you will see!” he beseeched again, stopping me before my rage could consume my senses once and for all. So, I did as he said and forced myself and my fucking demon to look at her and what we saw astounded us all. For I could see that she was faking submission, lying still and waiting for when he let his guard down and get close enough for whatever it was in her hand to do its job.

I wondered if it was the knife that might have travelled behind the sofa and within her reach. One by one everyone inched forward so as not to miss what happened next and I had to say, it was thank the Gods, worth waiting for!

His aura leaned over her, getting close to whisper something vulgar in her ear and something no doubt that would have been more than enough for me to rip his still beating heart out of his chest. Then she suddenly reached across herself and hammered something into his head, making him fall back from her before gaining his feet as clear panic set in. You could then see the way his mouth opened as he no doubt started screaming.

But I wasn’t watching the vile mortal, I was watching my girl and I swear the pride I felt was beyond compare to anything else in this world. Especially now when watching her get swiftly to her feet, seemingly unphased as she merely made a gesture as if to wipe the blood from her face on the back of her arm.

Then she focused back on her enemy and it clearly wasn’t enough that she had stabbed him in the face. For her next crowning glory came in the form of her yanking the weapon from what looked to be his eye, before then kicking out his knees and making him go down this time. Then she grabbed a smoky handful of what I assumed to be his hair and said something to him just before she yanked his head back and rammed the weapon then into his neck.

Then she closed her eyes as she held on until what time I didn’t know, my guessing was until the sound of his death. After this she yanked her weapon free and let go, where the aura fell forward and like the others, landed face forward into the real bloodied vessel.

But soon after this point, I was forced to watch her capture, as she dropped her weapon when she was shot. This was with what I assumed was a tranquilizer, as she was too important to them to risk killing. But still knowing the fact did nothing to ease the pain at seeing it, especially when I could easily make out it was by Layla’s hand.

Gods but that bitch was going to die soon!

I took a deep breath, now calming myself in the knowledge that she had won, despite how it ended. As, all in all, she had been fucking spectacular and if she had been here right now, then nothing in this world or the next would have stopped me from fucking her raw! Doing so as I uttered the three words I had still yet to say, but by the Gods was now unashamed in my fucking desperation to say them!

In fact, I didn’t even realise that during this whole climax, I was back to my usual self with my demon fully sated enough now that we knew that our girl hadn’t sustained too great an injury.

“Fuck me, but are we sure this girl of yours is human?” Clay asked in astonishment and I had to try not to react to that particular question.

“Wow, that was just…wow,” Percy said in a dreamy tone and Ruto simply said,

“Now that was kick ass…for a human of course.”

“The little one did well,” Caspian said begrudgingly, which for him was a major compliment but then it all stopped when Clay suddenly shouted,

“No fucking way!” I turned quickly and snapped,

“What is it this time?!” This was when I found him now holding up a long blood soaked stick before then rolling over the dead body of the big bastard, I wanted to bring back to life just to kill all over again. Starting with taking his other eye…or better yet, I would leave that so he could witness the horror of seeing his own body being torn apart!

“It’s a fucking pencil!”

“What?!” I snapped yet again.

“Holy shit, she did all that with a fucking pencil!?” Clay said now getting closer to the body and seeing for himself the carnage she had inflicted with an item only a few days ago she had been using so innocently. Gods, but if I had known at the time that something so small would end up saving her from such violation and possible deadly fate, then I would have stored a fucking arsenal under there. Gods, how I thanked the urge to run my fingers through her beautiful hair at the time, first needing to rid her of the pencils she had stuffed in there to keep handy.

“Wow, she even pierced the jugular…I have to say, Sire, I am liking this badass chick of yours…in fact, what are we waiting for, let’s go get your girl, so you can just fucking marry her already!” Clay commented making me close my eyes and take a deep breath as I let that information wash over me…

Marry her?

4

Rude Punk

Marry her!

Gods, but why would I fucking need to do something like that! She was already mine and I didn’t need some preaching prick in a robe and a room full of flowers and shit to declare it so! If anything, Clay’s words surprised me and even more so when I looked around the room to see the rest seemed to be in agreement.

I was fucking dumbfounded!

Which was why I snapped,

“Hardly the fucking….” This, however, was cut short as the sound of a phone ringing which thankfully brought me from this mortal notion of marriage and just how ridiculous an idea it seemed. Clay on the other hand was trying in vain to hide his smirk, knowing that he had gotten a rise out of me in the way I suspected he had meant to.

“It’s the phone I took off the bitch,” Liessa said coming forward and handing it to me, despite the hold Caspian had on her, something she squirmed right out of.

“Speak!” I demanded the second I accepted the call.

“We have your little bitch,” a male said making me roar in anger before giving him a little insight as to what his future held,

“By all the Gods in Hell, I swear you will fucking beg me to kill you by the time I am through pealing skin from your worthless flesh!” I said, with my demon snarling at the end.

“You can make threats all you want, it won’t change the fact we have her and in exchange my client wants the box and the real one this time.” But of course, they fucking did! I looked to the table where Percy had placed the box when prompted to do so, finding myself willing the fucking thing to burn to ash just to have done with the fucking Hex it had brought on my life!

I closed my eyes and tried for even a shred of calm, one I felt myself losing like the Devil himself was pulling on the thread.

“I want proof of life!” I snapped, hating the fucking words that I had no choice but to force through my lips.

“You want proof, fine, I will send you proof but mark my words Vampire, the next time you demand evidence of her capture then I will be sending you a far bloodier picture, in the form of a piece of her mailed to your fucking door, assuming you still have one!” The human said and just before ending the call I threw my head back and couldn’t stop my demon from erupting once more, as he roared up at the ceiling, making the building shake. Luckily Ruto had the foresight to at least rush to my side and grab the phone, before spinning out of me and my demon’s reach. And all before I hammered the hand that once held the phone into the wall. I swear there would be nothing left of this building before long and right in that moment I didn’t give a fucking shit if it fell into the fucking ground and became a ruin at the gates of Hell!

All I wanted was my fucking Chosen One back!

“Sire, he sent a picture.” Ruto’s voice was enough to bring me back to a simmer of anger and I snapped my gaze to his, knowing my eyes didn’t hold a single pinprick of grey steel they usually did. The term of a person seeing red with rage was a very real statement for me right in that moment, for it was as if the world around me had been painted a darker shade of crimson. Fuck, but I just hoped it was a sign of things to come because all I wanted right in that fucking moment was to bathe in the blood of my enemies and paint the Gods be damned walls of Transfusion with it!

“Show me!” I barked in between my heavy breathing as I tried further still to bring myself down from my rage. My people had seen more emotion and uncontrollable wrath in me during these last few days than the entire time they had been one of my turned. So, it was little surprise that everyone around me was beyond wary.

Ruto came forward and showed me the phone, purposely not giving it to me in fear no doubt of what I may do to it and seeing it was our only way to communicate with the bastards, then I was more than thankful for his caution. Especially when I saw the picture of her torn, bloody dress being held up. Well, it wasn’t surprising when I took my anger out on the nearest thing, and before I knew it my demon tore the head from the already dead piece of shit Amelia had killed. Killed with a fucking pencil! Seconds later I had his spine hanging from my hand like a knotted bloody rope after first ripping it from his body as easily as if I was opening a fucking package!

“When?!” I snarled like some wild Hell Beast that could barely get out the single word.

“They just sent through the details now…”

“WHEN!?” I roared making Ruto flinch.

“Layla is to lead us to their base where we will make the exchange.” I growled low before slapping down the spine like a whip until it landed on top of the body it once had been a part of, feeling slightly better for the sight.

“Well, that’s shit, I was hoping we would get to kill the bitch this time!” Liessa said with a pout.

“Oh, don’t worry, I have plans for that demon and that special place in Hell will be what she fucking begs me for by the end of it! But until then, get the bitch some blood, she’s not much good to me with a broken neck and the inability to speak!” After issuing this order I walked from the apartment as the evidence of the attack on my girl was fucking with my head, no matter how proud I was of her for killing these men. But then I paused and snarled at the door leading into her bedroom as I detected the heartbeat, telling me of the one still alive. Then I felt my crimson soaked hand fist, relishing the blood I felt pool between my fingers before looking over my shoulder and issuing one last order,

“And someone torture the fuck out of that piece of shit and get me what you can before the Hex takes his life…I want to see a pool of human waste on the floor by the time I get back!” Then I left, going back to my own apartment before I ended up losing my shit completely and for good this time.

Besides, healing that bitch would take at least twenty minutes and when I got my girl back, then I didn’t want her seeing me covered in blood and thanks to my vessel growing, now wearing fucking rags! And get her back I most certainly would do, for nothing else mattered.

So, with this in mind I tore the rest of my clothes from my body, material that was barely still holding together thanks to erupting fully into my demon form only moments ago. A form that was considerably bigger, as were most when allowing their demons to fully take hold when in Hell. But doing so topside, well most didn’t have enough power for it to happen and for those that did, that power came at a price. Because the strength of will it then took to overpower and master your demon back into submission was easier said than fucking done!

I showered quickly, then walked into my closet, grabbed the first fucking thing that would clothe me, forgoing the suit for dark grey denim and a black Tee, just so if blood were spilled, then it wouldn’t show as much for when I finally got Amelia back in my arms. I had no idea what she was currently enduring at the hands of my enemies and wanted to take her state of mind into consideration. She was all that mattered right now and not knowing what was happening to her was fucking with my head!

Half of me wanted to know and the other half was fucking terrified of finding out! The thought of what they could be doing to her, Gods, but I very nearly found my demon facing me in the mirror rather than the face of rage that did. One that blood lust made my irises crimson and framed by infected black veins that overshadowed my eyes. Well, I could at least be thankful my horns hadn’t emerged I thought with a distasteful shake of my head.

After then grabbing a thick leather glove to hide my demonic abomination, I walked straight into the vault. One look at what I had done to the door in my haste to beg the fucking Gods to save my girl and keep her safe, and I knew I would now need my collection sent to Königssee. There was, however, one piece that was staying with me, so I picked up Caliburnus, the sword of Kings and walked back out with purpose, testing its weight once more with one swing.

It was the moment to get this shit done and this time, death would come from much more than a fucking pencil!

“No fucking way, I am not getting in the car with you!” Layla shouted and I swear I just wanted to break her fucking neck again! We were outside where most of the cars were parked and I was very aware that the police minds could only be controlled for so long and I didn’t want to fucking have to deal with that shit too.

So far authorities had been led to believe the building was too much of a risk to enter after there had been a gas explosion. One that the sprinkler system had managed to contain in preventing the flames from consuming the building entirely but the building itself was still too unsafe to enter.

I had therefore put Clay in charge of sorting out the shit with the humans, which had not been to his liking. In fact, after I ordered all my men to back down and sort out the clusterfuck that was my club, it had been Ruto who had stepped up, backing up my order. Of course, he also knew why I did this, as he had read the instructions that followed the picture of Amelia’s dress. Meaning he also knew that if I was seen heading to this base of theirs with a fucking convoy of my people, then the likelihood of getting Amelia back would be none-fucking existent, and an all-out war would be the only outcome.

But then war was inevitable, for no-one took what was mine and lived. Oh, they might have been blessed enough to see the coming sunrise, but pretty soon that sunrise would be their last. For I didn’t care how long it took me, I would see every single fucker pay for their crimes against me and my Chosen! A vow made to the Gods and paid for by my blood down a length of steel.

“The instructions are clear, they are sending a car for me, once it gets here you will follow us, and we will take you to where the exchange will be made,” Layla said, now surprisingly less cocky and confident since I had come but a mere second away from killing her. I released a low growl at this but knew that I also had to play this their way for now, because I couldn’t afford to lose my shit so close to getting her back.

“Fine, then I suggest you make a call and get that fucking car here now!” I snapped before throwing her the phone, for her to do just that. She caught it and instead of giving me shit, she did as she was told, eyeing the box in my hand as she did. Gods, but even then, I tried to crush the fucking thing in my grasp, but it didn’t give, not even an inch. It was Gods be damned indestructible and other than burying the thing inside a fucking volcano, then I didn’t see this thorn in my side being yanked out anytime soon!

“They are here and need the space clearing,” she said nodding to the destruction I had left to prevent what I thought at the time was my girl from being kidnapped. Something that turned out to be a fucking decoy!

I saw the headlights bathe the now twisted metal in a yellow glow and with a flick of my wrist pulled what remained of the gates back inside the open space, with little care about what cars they hit when doing so. Time was of the essence here and taking the seconds needed to manoeuvre around parked cars wasn’t something I was wasting what little patience I had on. So, they crashed into anything in their way, now giving enough room for the main objective.

“Good, now give me the box,” Layla said making me snap back,

“If you think I am that fucking stupid, then I will first ask for you to donate your severed head in return…or I could just ask those assholes in the car and let’s see just how fucking loyal they are to you!” At this she paled considerably before shaking her head.

“No, I didn’t fucking think so! Now get your bony ass in the car and let’s go, before I just lose my fucking patience all together and just slaughter the fucking lot of you!” I snapped out this threat without knowing if it was idle or not, because I was that close to the edge here and just the sight of this traitorous bitch was making my gloved hand clench.

“Fine! Just be sure to keep up!” she snapped back, and I looked behind me to the sound of my car being brought to me from my private underground parking and said,

“Oh, don’t worry, that won’t be a fucking problem.” Then I watched as my customised black and blood red Lamborghini Centenario was stopped in front of me. Gods almighty but I loved this fucking car. It’s very meaning meant a hundred years in celebrating its ancestry and was made as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini, the man who managed to create the world-class brand.

It was black carbon fibre all over with the hint of crimson accents, which included it’s side skirts, calipers, a red line over the door and matching line on the wingmirrors. The whole design was created with aerodynamics in mind like most supercars, but with the extended front air splitter it meant it gave the car a mean and intimidating presence that looked as if I was driving a beast on the road.

Of course, the fact that it could do 217 miles an hour and get to speeds of 62 miles an hour in 2.8 seconds meant it could practically fly without wings. So, when Layla warned me to keep up, it was a fucking joke when getting into this car.

Ruto got out and handed me the keys, before looking to my left to see Layla getting into a blacked-out Mercedes G wagon.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked when he deemed it safe to do so.

“I can’t risk anyone being seen,” I told him.

“And the box?” he asked, and it was one I couldn’t help but look down at, seeing as it had been in my hand all this time.

“First comes the girl, then we will wage war for the box.” Now this made him grin and out of habit his thumb circled the top of what I knew was his favourite knife.

“About fucking time,” he agreed as I knew he would.

“In the meantime, you’re in charge, I want this place cleared out, the vault, the cars, even all of Amelia’s belongings, I want everything in Königssee by tomorrow,” I informed him, making him nod and hand me my phone so I could keep in contact with my council.

“And our people?” he asked referring not only to those that played nightly at the club, but also those that lived far beyond Germany.

“Bring them all home,” I said as I lowered myself into the sinking dip of the bucket seat and reached up for the red leather strap ready to pull down the door, but before doing so I told him,

“And tell them, that their King is about to go to war.”

Thankfully at this time of night the roads were clear and would have been ideal for punishing my car and getting my frustration out in the form of a fucking good engine roaring its way through the city. However, with the car in front that I was being forced to follow, then my speeds were considered conservative at best. But then it made me think back to Amelia and how she had reacted when I had driven the stolen Aventador out of the mansion’s grounds. Doing so like what she wanted to say was a bat out of hell. I would have laughed had I not been killing mad at the time. To be honest I had been surprised she had even known of the car, seeing that now it was of considerable age, just like the Centenario was now. But it was also her father’s obvious love for Ferraris which made me question now, was it solely a rebellious thing or did she like Lamborghinis because she knew of my personal preference for the car brand?

She certainly would have learned common facts of my life had she wanted to, more easily through Pip who had stayed at Afterlife throughout her life. Now, as for her mother, she could fool herself into believing Pip being there was down to something she wanted and in some ways she would be right. However, Adam was my more permanent second in command and had been for hundreds of years, since I turned him.

Meaning that if I deemed it so, he would be back by my side and aiding me in ruling my world after a single phone call. But then by him being there, he was also a secret guardian to my Chosen One, which was why I hadn’t yet called them back home. And even if for the last seven years Amelia hadn’t lived there, she still went back on occasion, holidays and such, so it was still a natural base for them to be.

As for now though, well that was a different matter, which meant that particular phone call wasn’t long in coming. As in the next few weeks ahead, I knew that I would need my most loyal and powerful beings that I had sired standing where they belonged…by their King’s side.

I couldn’t help but look to the seat next to me where I had placed that damn box and just wished that I had learnt more about it before now. The markings on the outside spoke of a great weapon used against Vampires, about the shift of power in Hell’s greatest leaders and something of sacrifice. It spoke of the secrets it held inside its core as something that had the power to destroy a King’s entire race. But it was as cryptic as these fucking things came!

However, one thing was as clear as fucking day, whoever had created the box knew of me and knew me well enough to know how to destroy me and with it, my people. And now I was about to hand it over to a fucking cult fully intent on making that happen!

But really, what was the alternative, for I couldn’t let them have her. I couldn’t let them hurt her! Even if with my death that same outcome would become inevitable.

Gods be damned, but this was like having that fucking gun pointed to the back of her head all over again! Well, this time there was no calling their bluff and getting the box back would be something I would have to plan for, but only once I knew I had her back safely in my arms. Back to where she belonged and fucking locked away in my mountain fortress, something admittedly now, I should have done the very first second I knew her life was potentially in danger. However, my arrogance and belief that I could protect her at Transfusion had been my failing…something that wouldn’t happen again, that was a fucking vow to the Gods!

I continued to follow them and was forced to cut through the lights, tapping on the large carbon fibre shift panels at the side of the steering wheel so as to speed through before traffic could prevent me from keeping on their tail. I then continued on past the Westin Grand Munich hotel and on to the Effnerstraße road, now being able to reach greater speeds on the duel carriageway. However, I was still restricted due to the car I unfortunately couldn’t overtake as I would have liked. Fuck, but I hated driving at these speeds when I had a vehicle like this to play with!

I continued on heading towards the Föhringer Ring and was soon on the bridge crossing the Isar river which was when I noticed another Mercedes G wagon now coming up behind me. Well, fucking peachy, it was now a convoy. What were they expecting, a one man battle on the side of the road?

Well, the road had now turned back into a single lane so there was little they or I could do at this point other than all follow the Mercedes 4x4 in front. But I obviously spoke too soon, as I heard a shitty dirt bike coming up and weaving in between the cars, trying to overtake everyone and making me frown at the punk with an obvious death wish. Really, with the maneuvers he was pulling you would have thought him riding a better bike, not a shitty two stroke engine. One that I could now see cut dangerously in front of the Mercedes behind me making them beep their horn angrily. I could even see the smoke from here bellowing behind it as it was obviously burning too much oil.

But then its rider waited for the traffic to clear on the opposite side before unbelievably the brazen little fucker decided to be brave enough to overtake a fucking Lamborghini! Something I would never have allowed had I not had a car in front I was supposed to be following.

Then it got stranger still, as when overtaking me, the rider purposely stuck up his middle finger at me, making me frown in question. But then if I thought that surprising, what I saw next had me cursing in utter fucking disbelief!

“You have got to be shitting me!” I said a second after the rider pulled in front of me having only just enough room to do so, clearly having adequate skills with a bike. However, this was an insignificant thought in sight of what I could now read had been hastily spray painted on the back of a leather jacket. Three little words that I could barely believe I was fucking seeing sprayed down the rider’s back, words I couldn’t now ever ignore…

‘Make

It

So’

And then underneath was an arrow pointing off to the right which I soon understood the second I could see the slip road, that the rider was veering off towards. So, the second I saw this I let fucking hope cloud all judgement and doubt and went with my gut. Deciding to follow the rider and doing so at the last second. The car behind me didn’t react in time and other than being forced into driving into the barrier, it continued on, now running parallel to us. But I didn’t care, as all I was focused on was that rider and praying like I never had before that beneath that helmet was the face I was beyond fucking desperate to see.

“Come on, fucking pull over already!” And as if hearing me, the rider pulled over onto a grass verge on the left hand side, giving me enough room to do also. Then, before I had chance to get out of the car, I watched utterly dumb-fucking-founded as the rider kicked out the stand, got off the bike and removed the helmet like some Gods be damned sex kitten all dressed in leather. Then she shook out all that black hair of hers and I swear my fucking mouth went dry and my cock threatened to split my damn denim!

Oh, but now I was out of the car, doing so with enough strength it broke the fucking door! A little factor I didn’t give a shit about, as there was only her!

Only my Amelia.

But then, as if needing to confirm that this wasn’t a damn dream, I was at her before she could blink, taking her face in my hands and tilting it up to me. At least I did so in a gentle way, for I could see the bruises to her skin, ones I would have been furious about had I not been too busy being in total fucking awe at seeing her again.

And this was why I ended up saying the first fucking thing that came to my mind. And it was two words I would have never believed would have ever come from my lips.

But they did.

And I meant every fucking syllable…

“Marry me!”

5

Missing You

Amelia

Okay, so it had to be said, when I formulated this plan, I never expected it to go as perfectly as it did. Especially being on the crappy bike I had been on. But then, when I had seen his Lambo speeding past and doing so at a forced speed I would actually have a chance at keeping up with, then I sent a thank you up to the Gods that must have been looking out for me. I also couldn’t help but flip him the bird as I was overtaking him, just to be sure he would take it as another signal that it was me.

After all, it had been what I had done when locked in his safe and thinking he would likely put two and two together, the other two being in the form of my main plan. Because if that didn’t work, then I knew the words of Picard would certainly do the trick, especially after what he had said this morning. And well, other than writing ‘this is your girlfriend, so please follow me’ on my back, then I didn’t know what else was safe to do without the assholes seeing it first and taking me out.

Which brought us to now and being unable to resist getting off the bike and removing my helmet in a way all cool chicks did in the movies, with a sexy shake of my hair of course. Well, from the look of things it worked for other than a second of clear astonishment from him inside the car, the next heartbeat and he was in front of me, framing my face in his hands and asking me to bloody marry him!

Okay, so I know he was only joking but let’s just say it hadn’t been my first guess on what he would say to me when we were finally reunited. But then again, it was probably at the very bottom of a list of five hundred things, with ‘hello Jedi master butt muncher’ being about a hundred before bloody ‘marry me’!

“Erm,” was the only response I could give in that moment and it was thankfully one he ignored as instead, he focused on kissing me. Doing so now as though I had been gone a year, or if I was looking into this with the depth it fully deserved, then it was more like he didn’t know if I had still been alive or not. And that thought broke my heart just as his kiss bound it quickly back together again.

His kiss was one of desperation, relief, love and salvation all rolled into one. To the point that I didn’t know if he was ever going to let me go and it was only when I heard a vehicle reversing and now crossing the grass verge we were parked at the side of, did I think kissing me was probably something that should wait…like, I don’t know, maybe until we had made our speedy getaway or something equally as smart.

So I pulled back, ignoring the way his hands were now at my back and fisted in my stolen leather jacket as if he didn’t want to let me go. So, I thought it best to point out the obvious,

“Erm, shouldn’t we deal with that first?” I then nodded to the car that had now only just come to a stop and Lucius in his total bad ass way, grinned down at me before looking to the side, with eyes glowing red and dangerous.

“Oh, don’t worry, my sweetheart, I intend to,” he said and before even a door had chance to open, Lucius narrowed his eyes and after turning to face it, he raised his hands giving me that inner ‘oh shit’ moment. The car began vibrating as if the energy around it was humming to Lucius’ commanding tune and I could hear the screaming begin even from where I stood.

Then, when one tried to brave opening a door, in what was obviously a desperate attempt at escaping a Vampire King’s mighty and Hellish wrath, Lucius made a quick fist. This caused the metal around the doors to groan in an angry, twisted sound before the roof actually started boiling. The paint started to form large black bubbles that slid down the sides and onto the windows, popping and causing a strange reaction with the glass. Then, the now molten roof started to slide down the sides of the car and seem to fuse the doors shut as if they had been welded.

After this Lucius seemed to be satisfied enough that none of his victims could escape which meant he was now free to lift the car and send it hurtling in the air, flipping it so it was now making its way overhead where we stood. It was suddenly as if time had slowed down to the point where I actually had time to lift my head and watch open mouthed as the vehicle travelled over us.

However, Lucius obviously now finished with needing his hands, reached out and grabbed the front of my jacket. Then with a fisted hand, I was suddenly tugged into him, where he caught my head with his other hand. His fingers threaded through my hair where he then roughly forced my head back so he could continue where he left off, now drawing my attention away from the fact there was a flying car overhead.

The kiss was heated and all-consuming and other than the sound of the car now crashing into the woodland at the side of the road, I would most definitely have placed it in my top three. But then, with a man like Lucius, I guess it stood to reason that at least some point in our relationship, him kissing me to the sound of murder would be the norm for him. And as for me, well as long as they were in the bastards category who had tried to, attack, kidnap, rape or murder me, then I was okay with that.

“Are you alright?” he asked me once he allowed the kiss to end. Something, had we not been on the side of the road next to where he had just flipped a car like a bloody superhero, I doubted would have ended without us getting naked. But with his forehead to mine and the deep sigh he released as he asked me this question, then I could just tell that he had been going crazy with worry.

So, I raised a hand to his cheek and told him in a breathy way,

“Yeah, I’m okay.” After this he raised my face to his and ran the back of his fingers over what I guessed was my very bruised cheek. He looked as though he wanted to say something else but decided against it, so instead he took my hand and led me to his masterpiece of a supercar. He then fixed the door, one he had obviously broken in his haste to get out, then lifted it up for me like a wing on a bird. But then before letting me sit down, he reached inside and took hold of the box that had been on the seat. One I was more than a little relieved to see was still safely in his possession.

Then, whilst still holding my hand this whole time, I was lowered into the car. It was almost as if he didn’t want to lose our connection, as I don’t know, maybe as if he was afraid to.

The second he pulled down the door, he was around to his side and seated next to me with a speed that blurred my eyes. Then he tucked the box in the small space behind my side, telling me that by it being here, he had been ready to hand it over for what he believed was my ransom. Thank the Gods for foolish rash actions, tranquilizer guns, idiot mercenaries that don’t consider them a threat and my ability to swim.

But then, when seeing for myself where he had now stowed the box, I noticed that it shared the space with something else…Lucius’ sword, better known as Excalibur. I wanted to ask what exactly his plans were when bringing that kind of weapon but seeing how Lucius was focused on getting out of here, I thought it could wait.

So, after this, he flipped up a red fighter jet style switch and pressed the start button, making the impressive car sound like a beast had just been awakened from hibernation in some demonic cave somewhere in Hell. Gods, but I don’t think I had heard a car so loud before or where it actually sounded as if it roared.

“Put your seatbelt on sweetheart, because this is one ride, where I am afraid, the speed limit just isn’t an option.” Then he pressed a button on the centre console that said corsa, flipped the overly large paddles at the side of the steering wheel, and we were hitting over 60 miles an hour in what felt like two seconds flat! It threw me back into the curve of the deep bucket seat and made me find the side of the door to hang on to. Then, doing what I deemed was crazy speeds, he continued on, weaving in and out of cars now that it was back to being two lanes. He did this until we came alongside oncoming traffic, where the second there was break in the centre, he said,

“Hold on.” Then he pulled an illegal U turn using his handbrake to aid him and the car wheels screamed against the tarmac road. I had even closed my eyes for this only to open them soon after and find that unsurprisingly, we were now heading back towards the city. Of course, I screamed during this near collision, but it had to be said, Lucius could most certainly handle a car!

Then he took it up a gear and sped on, taking advantage of the light traffic and overtaking most of the time, obviously being averse to whenever there was a car in front of us. Now normally I would have tried to at least try and prevent him from driving killing speeds but considering this was about to turn into a high speed chase, I didn’t think that was a bad thing.

“We are being followed,” I said the second I saw the blacked out Mercedes now on our tail.

“I know,” was Lucius’ calm tone as if this was nothing but a leisurely Sunday drive. Hell, I almost expected to tap on the media icon on the large centre screen and Easy by the Commodores to start playing!

We quickly approached the bridge and I instantly recognised it as not far from where I had escaped so said without thinking,

“That’s where I jumped from the helicopter.” At this I heard a low, rumble of a growl before Lucius said in a dangerous tone,

“You did what!?”

Ooops, in the words of my aunty Pip, ‘My bad’.

“Erm…I mean stepped safely from it?” I said in a questioning tone that asked if this sounded better for him. This time when he growled it was followed swiftly by a,

“We will be discussing this! Now hold the fucking wheel,” he told me making me reach across and at an awkward angle trying my best to steady the wheel. And before I could ask why I noticed another Mercedes coming towards us on the other side of the road and I knew that with the one behind also, that they would try and block us in. But then, just as we were in the centre of the bridge and the two G Wagons were close enough to create a barricade Lucius’ eyes started to glow an intense fiery amber. It was as if this time he called forth his Angel side, one that I had only heard rumors about.

His whole body started to glow also, coating his skin in a luminous hue, and just as the two cars started to turn their wheels towards us, Lucius crossed his hands over his chest. Then holding his fingers curled as if he was holding something in his hands I couldn’t see, he roared out and at exactly the right moment before we could hit the one in front, he threw his hands out with fingers extended. This strange action caused the two vehicles to go flying through the air and over the edge of the bridge at exactly the same time creating a mirror image of destruction.

Then Lucius calmly retook the wheel and I leaned into my side window so I could get a better look at the car that had been behind us now sinking into the water with its occupants now trying to get out before it was consumed entirely by water. One of which of these was none other than…Layla. I just caught her kicking out the side window before snaking her body through the gap.

“Well, that’s annoying,” I commented as we reached the other side of the bridge.

“What is?” Lucius asked now looking as he once did.

“Bitch face survived.” He scoffed at this and promised,

“Not for long.” I decided not to ask, not because I didn’t want to know, as yeah, I totally did. But I just figured with him driving like he was already on the Autobahn, I didn’t think it wise to piss him off any more than he clearly was. Especially seeing as I had a feeling it would have been the accelerator that would have got the brunt of his frustrations.

“Are we heading back to Transfusion?” I asked thinking this was the safest question right now.

“No,” was his simple answer and one I didn’t find enough to satisfy me.

“No?”

“Transfusion is compromised,” he stated and I could tell with the tense line in his jaw that just the thought of what they did to the place pissed him off.

“Okay, so where to then?” I asked next, with the sinking feeling I already knew the answer.

“To where I should have taken you and the box the second you arrived in Germany,” he said sternly, as it was clear he blamed himself here. So, I decided it was time to be lighthearted and say,

“The police station?” I asked as a joke, one he obvious didn’t think was funny, not if the glare was anything to go by.

“Königssee.” Ah, his mountain fortress, but of course that feeling had been correct.

“You weren’t to know this would happen Lucius, and locking me away in some…”

“Gods be damned, Amelia, I should have fucking shackled you to me the moment you set foot in my club!” he snapped making my jaw go slack.

“Erm…that’s a little caveman, don’t you think, even for someone with an obviously big club,” I said this time thanking the Lords in Heaven it at least got me a slight lip twitch, one that nearly made it into a small smile when I wagged my eyebrows at him.

“Big club or not, the temptation to chain you to me is increasing by the day, princess,” was his equally possessive reply.

“Wow, how Jabba the Hut of you…what’s next, a gold and red bikini and a chained collar around my neck, because you know, that shit didn’t end so well for Jabba,” I said and one look told me he had no clue what the Hell I was talking about. His next comment confirmed as much,

“Okay, so I am liking the idea of the gold and red bikini, especially the chained collar to match…however, I have no idea what a Jabba is,” he told me, making me throw my hands up dramatically and say,

“Seriously, where were you in 1977, hibernating in a coffin somewhere in Transylvania?” I said making him roll his eyes and reply with a curt,

“Really?”

“And in the early eighties at least?” I asked trying to even picture him in that era.

“Probably wishing I was fucking hibernating, that’s where” he said making me smirk before saying,

“What’s wrong, weren’t a fan of shiny shirts, white suits and big hair?” I asked giggling at just the thought. He granted me a look as if to say, ‘what do you think’.

“Oh wait, I have just the thing!” I said getting excited and pressing the media button on the centre console screen. Then I found the music player and knowing the car had its own access to the internet I tapped in the song I wanted.

“This one is just for you, lover boy,” I said as 80’s ‘Missing you’ by John Waite started playing, making Lucius groan and shake his head as if he didn’t know what to do with me. Then I started biting my fingers, smiling around the tips of two just before I asked in a cheeky way,

“Come on, handsome, admit it…”

“Admit what?” he asked trying to be stern but failing when his lips twitched again at my playful mood, one that I needed right now just to keep from focusing on what had happened to me in the last Gods only knew how many hours.

So, I teased,

“That you had a blonde perm.” At this his face was a picture and his reaction was so funny, that I threw my head back and roared with laughter when he shouted,

“Fuck no!” Then he growled the rest of the way through the song, speeding through the streets of Munich, with what I knew was him trying to keep his face straight the whole time. Well, at least I was laughing instead of crying and I had to say, when I was falling from that helicopter to what I knew could have been to my death, I didn’t think the day would end by me laughing my ass off to the idea of Lucius once having a perm!

“All that neon, I am not surprised it was my aunty Pip’s favorite era,” I said smiling at the thought of her back then.

“I am going to take a wild guess here and say that she made quite an impression on your childhood, giving your obvious love for old pop culture?” he asked and I wondered if he really wanted to know or just knew that I obviously needed the distraction from the reality of what we had just endured. Either way, I was grateful for both.

“That she did. Although, I can’t say that my dad was grateful, seeing as he was always the one that ended up taking me to Comicons,” I said making Lucius look incredulous for a moment.

“What?” I asked with a frown.

“I am shocked that he would.” I frowned harder at this and asked,

“Why, because he is King? He is also a dad and seeing as he is an overprotective one at that, he wouldn’t have trusted me going with anyone else…besides, I think he felt guilty because there was so much I wasn’t allowed to do,” I said making Lucius look thoughtful a moment.

“Your protection came first, as it should have,” he commented and I released a sigh and with it, all humour left me.

“What, you didn’t approve?” he asked, and I shrugged my shoulders before telling him,

“Not really, but then again, he isn’t the only one to continue underestimating me, so what else was this mortal princess to expect.” I think my deflated tone was easy to detect as he said my name in a soft but reprimanding tone,

“Amelia.”

“It’s fine, let’s just drop it okay,” I said looking out the window and seeing my sullen expression looking back at me, now that the bright lights of the city were behind us. I suddenly wondered how long it would take us to get to his fortress and would have asked but Lucius got there first, obviously having something to say. So, after this moment of silence Lucius cleared his throat before he told me,

“I saw what you did to those men, Amelia.” I closed my eyes and swallowed hard just thinking back to that last fight and what I had to do to survive it. Meaning now I wasn’t sure how I felt about him knowing what I had to do just to keep breathing, as it wasn’t as if he would have been opposed to the violence. No, it was more the guilt I knew he would have felt at seeing what could have happened.

I released a sigh before turning to face him, seeing his features now only lit from the reds and blues from the illuminated display in front of him, no doubt telling him a speed that was way past the limit. Or at least it would have done had we not been on the Autobahn, which technically, didn’t have one.

“Yeah,” was all I had it in me to say, as like I said, not fully understanding how I felt with him knowing what I did…that was until he replied with,

“Your father would have been proud of you.” I sucked in a shuddered breath, as he had no idea how much that meant to me but then I was about to find out, it wasn’t quite as much as what it meant to me when he added,

“I was proud of you.” This time when I closed my eyes, I did so as the emotions filled me with peace. I was just about to say something else, probably a joke or something equally inappropriate in that moment just to lighten the mood, when he beat me to it.

And when he did, I really wished that joke had made it out first, as dread now filled me,

“Now, as for jumping out of a fucking helicopter, well it’s time to explain that to me and be warned, princess, it better not start with…” I quickly cut him off and finished that sentence for him with what actually happened, doing so before the echo of one pissed off demon boyfriend…

“I shot the pilot.”

6

Jump of Faith

“You did what?!” he shouted making me wince and I had to ask myself why the hell I just blurted that shit out like that! Seriously, what was wrong with me, well apart from the obvious verbal diarrhea…eww.

“Okay, so that sounded bad,” I admitted, not that this helped much.

“So, it didn’t happen that way then?” Lucius said with premature relief coating his words, which I didn’t think wise to let him believe for too long. Not seeing as I had already tore the band aid off, so didn’t see any point in putting that sucker back on there.

“Oh no, it happened that way, but just sounded worse being blurted out like that.”

“Gods give me fucking strength,” Lucius uttered under his breath and closed his eyes for a moment as he rubbed the top of his forehead. I tensed the whole time, and decided it was wise to bite my lip on making a remark like, ‘shouldn’t you be watching the road’, or ‘hey honey, please don’t kill us because I pissed you off’…that type of something.

“Hey, but shouldn’t you be contacting your council, you know, to let them know what happ…”

“They can wait, this however, cannot!” he snapped and for the moment I allowed his little freak out, knowing it was done solely because he cared about me and most likely, he had been going out of his mind with worry. I could tell that in that single look alone when he finally saw that I was alright and also, well let’s face it, saving the fucking day, thank you very much!

“Alright, I will tell you but first just for my peace of mind, is there any way I can just sugar coat this for you seeing as you are currently driving what must be a million dollars’ worth of…” This was where he swiftly cut me off in his usual pissed off way.

“One point nine million and no, there is no way you can sugar coat you purposely shooting a pilot and having no other choice but to open the door and jump from a fucking helicopter into the fucking Isar river!”

“Does it help that I killed those on board too?” I asked thinking back to him being proud that I had kicked ass back at the club. He raised a brow my way and said,

“Then consider it slightly frosted and continue, whilst my patience isn’t spent and therefore going to cost me that one point nine million.” I rolled my lips again, trying really hard not to smile at that, making him shoot me a look and say on a growl,

“Don’t you dare fucking laugh.” So, I tightened my lips and tried to hold it in because really, Lucius was pretty funny with his dry wit, even when he was trying not to be. But then, when I felt it breaking free, I covered my mouth and shook my head, making him roll his eyes and scoff at me.

However, as usual I could see him trying to hide his own amusement at my childish behaviour, no doubt slightly glad that I was acting this way instead of falling to pieces. Because really, I had lost count of the amount of times I could have died tonight, therefore it was little wonder why I didn’t exactly want to think too much about it. But then, how far I could get ‘not thinking about it’ when Lucius was expecting a minute by minute recap on what had happened, I didn’t know. So, I decided to tell it in a matter fact type of way, as much as I could and wondered if it would come across as not just being downplayed like I was hoping.

“Okay, so the short version, I woke up on the floor of the helicopter, managed to grab what I thought was a gun and threatened to shoot the two soldier boys if they didn’t land and let me go. Then, after they informed me it was a tranquilizer gun, I called their bluff and threatened to shoot the pilot,” I told him thinking this was reasonable…his face said otherwise.

“Good Gods, Amelia,” he said shaking his head.

“Well, I knew I had to do something because it didn’t take a genius to know that they would use me to get the bloody box and we both know how that can’t happen!” I snapped making him rub a hand at the back of his neck and groan before forcing out,

“Continue telling me what happened next.”

“Are you sure you can handle it?” I asked in a tone that suggested I didn’t think he could. However, he just shot me a look that I knew not to argue against because there was no point. He was like a dog with a bone and wanted to know everything, despite how obvious it was that this was difficult for him to hear. Which is why I said,

“Okay, so just remember that before I tell you this next part that I am here, I didn’t die, I am safe, and I am in the car with you…yeah?”

“Yes, and by the grace of the fucking Gods so it would seem!” he snapped, making me frown before telling him,

“Err, I hate to point shit out here Lucius but shouldn’t you be thanking the fucking Gods that you have a girlfriend who didn’t just sit in a corner, lose her shit, and cry for someone to save her but instead actually was the one that just saved the fucking day!?” I shouted back, finally giving him enough to think on. Only instead of saying calmly, ‘Yes Amelia, you’re right, you’re brave and courageous actions did in fact save the fucking day and I love you dearly for it!’ no, this was Lucius we were talking about… clearly, I thought with a frown.

“Yes and I would like to remind you that your life is too fucking important to me for you to risk, so I will kindly ask you not to do so ever-a-fucking-gain and instead wait for me to come and save the fucking day! Got it?!” he growled making me fold my arms across my chest and pout, deciding I was too pissed off right now to argue against that statement. So, instead, I looked out the window, again seeing myself instead of the world we were passing at speed. I heard him release a heavy sigh before saying my name, this time in a softer tone than ‘Mr Angry, I look hot in denim pants’ from seconds ago.

“Amelia.”

“What!?” I snapped back.

“Sweetheart, look at me.” This time I was the one to release a sigh before eventually giving in and looking at him, seeing that his gaze had finally softened.

“I am proud of you. You were incredibly brave and yes, I thank the Gods that it turned out the way it did. However, you must admit, that your actions could have gone very wrong and in a way you would not have come back from. So, given this fact, surely you understand why being the person who very much wants to keep you alive for a fucking eternity, would be pissed off at hearing the way his Chosen One had risked her life to… how did you put it, save the fucking day…yeah?” Okay so when he put it like that, then yeah, I guess I could see his point.

“Now please, tell me the rest.”

“Alright, but please try and reserve your judgement until the end or at least try and be less growly.” He raised a brow but that was it, so I continued,

“So, instead of just calling my bluff, they tried to take the gun by force which meant the gun went off, by accident and shot the pilot…so, not entirely my fault with that one. But then seeing as neither of them could fly, I saw we were headed for over the river and decided to take my chances,” I told him and tried to ignore the way his knuckles on his one bare hand turned bone white from holding onto the steering wheel that hard.

“So, you pulled the door and jumped,” he surmised and I could see that it was taking a vast amount of restraint from losing his temper again.

“Well, not exactly.” I confessed quietly, wondering why I did. Jeez Fae, next time your big bad broody boyfriend asks you a question like that, you just, smile and nod. That way it’s not really a lie if you don’t speak.

“Okay, so I tried that but then the asshole had it in his head that if he was going down then I was going with him, seeing as he was a bit pissed off with…well, you know, the fact I’d just caused their deaths and stuff…anyway, he grabbed my dress and to get free I needed to…”

“I think I am seeing where this is going,” he said cutting me off seeing as they had found my dress and sent him a picture of it as proof of life.

“And do I want to know the reason you’re dressed in leather?” he asked nodding down at my rock biker chick attire.

“You like?” I asked winking at him making his lips twitch again and shake his head before informing me,

“Sweetheart, when I get to fuck you in leather, it won’t be some skinny guy’s worn biker gear, but something skintight that needs to be clawed off you just to free your skin from it,” he said making me swallow a whopping great lump named lust! Holy mother of a moon goddess, that was quite a picture he just painted. I just hoped I wasn’t visibly panting.

“Mmm, I see you like this idea…this pleases me,” he informed me now adding to that secret pant with a not so secret blush.

“So, you stole some clothes, adding to the reason you smell of Marijuana,” he said after voicing his sexual fantasy that had momentarily just stolen my voice. Which was why when I did finally speak, I didn’t fully think about my words or the way I should have worded them.

“Oh, that, no I just stopped for a quick spliff with my new homies, only well…let’s just say that they weren’t as accommodating as I would have liked, so they needed a little convincing to give up the goods. But then, I didn’t exactly feel bad for breaking a guy’s nose and then some other guy’s arm seeing as they made their intentions pretty clear when seeing a half-naked soaking wet girl, who was obviously in need of aid.” I said making him growl dangerously enough to tell me it was coming more from his demon this time.

“For fuck sake, Amelia! Is there ever going to be a fucking day, just one, where you are not intent on getting fucking attacked!?” he snapped making me frown and finally I officially lost my shit and in a big way!

“Stop fucking swearing at me! And may I remind you that up until that fucking box came into my life, then the only danger to me was my own clumsiness and shit like falling off the toilet whilst painting my own damn nails was the only reason I ended up in an emergency room!”

“Amelia, sweet…” I cut him off as I wasn’t finished with my freak out rant,

“So, can you at least cut me some fucking slack, as it’s not like I have a damn sticker on my forehead asking for this shit to happen and who wants to see what it feels like to be stabbed by a damn pencil! I mean don’t you think that all I want is one Gods be damned night in my pajamas, on takeout Fridays, a Lego set to make, whilst spilling shit on my rug for like the millionth time whilst watching the USS Enterprise getting wrecked for the gazillionth time, instead of killing people with stationery like John fucking Wick!” After I had finished, I was now panting for a very different reason. I was that angry and didn’t realise until he was out of the car that he had actually pulled over. Then, just before I had chance to get out of the car and ask what the hell he was doing, my door was opened, my seatbelt was undone, and I was being pulled out the car!

“What are you…” I was cut off the second I found myself in Lucius’ arms, and this time he simply held me to him, cradling my head to his chest and I wasn’t sure in that moment who needed this more, him or me. But whichever it was, the fact remained that the second he took me in his arms, the flood gates opened and I found myself with tears in my eyes, as the entirety of the night slammed back into me. Because I may have been strong and brave when it all happened but right now, well I could be vulnerable. I could be emotional. I could be…human. And I could be all these things because I trusted Lucius to take care of them. To accept them as being me and to know that this was all I needed right now.

And because he knew this, well it just made me love him all the more for it.

“I…I killed people, Lucius.” I whispered into his chest as I felt the tears get too heavy and fall, soaking his dark T shirt. I felt the crook of his finger under my chin and as he raised my face up, I found him looking down at me tenderly. Then he wiped my tears away and said,

“You only did what you had to do, sweetheart.”

“I know but…” At this he placed a finger over my lips and said more sternly this time,

“There is no but with that one, Amelia, there is only death and suffering to those that try to take you away from me and for doing so without hesitation on your part, is what makes me proud…you did so well, sweetheart…so well,” he told me, whispering this last part over my lips after tipping my face up even more, so he could seal his words with a soft and gentle kiss.

“So, you’re not mad at me?” I asked in what I knew was a shy voice.

“No, I’m not mad at you, I am angry at myself for not being there, for not protecting you the way I should have.”

“Lucius that’s not…” I tried but he cut me off.

“But that changes from this moment on, do you understand, for you will always be by my side from now on, where you will remain,” he told me making me visibly gulp before needing to clear my voice.

“But Lucius that’s not…”

“No, Amelia! There will be no fighting me on this and that is final,” he vowed and I knew in that moment it was useless even trying to get him to see sense. But the reality was clear…he felt responsible.

So, I just released a heavy sigh and remained silent, that way I wasn’t disagreeing or agreeing to anything. But instead, I looked up at him and said the only thing in that moment that was needed, for both of us.

“Kiss me.”

And thankfully…I didn’t need to ask twice.

* * *

A little time later and we were back in the car heading towards Königssee. I had to say, the moment we left the city behind I had wished it had been daylight outside, as I just knew the views would have been incredible. You could almost see it, the vast fields, woodlands, and lakes in the distance only lit by the soft touch of the moon. And to say that after Lucius’ vow to never let me leave his side, well then, I needed the solitude in that moment to try and sort out exactly what that meant in his mind.

I would have asked, but to be honest, I was actually too afraid to. Because I was rapidly losing the life I had built around me until I could barely remember what it had been like. And in my rant I had conveyed as much. Because once upon a time my life had been simple. It had been the same as most people. The route of life that consisted of getting up in the morning and going into work, whilst juggling at the time what felt like a million things.

Things that only ever mattered in that safe normal life. Things like if I had enough clean panties to last me the rest of the week? Would the rest of the milk last out just one more bowl of cereal before I have to buy another? How many toilet rolls were there in the cupboard under the sink and did I remember to pay my internet bill that month before Netflix was cut off?

These were the extent of my worries, even with who my parents were and with the knowledge of the hidden world around me. This had been my world. And now, in such a short space of time, my life had been turned upside down and shaken a few times at that, just for good measure. Oh, and then add a couple of bad guys, a few fights to the death, guns, and psycho ex and a ridiculously hot Vampire King who just happened to become my new boyfriend and all that safe, normal, ‘the milk might have gone sour’ life had unravelled the second I stepped inside Transfusion.

“That looks like a lot of heavy thoughts there, sweetheart,” Lucius said breaking through the silence as he had obviously been giving me this time to sort my head out. But I didn’t exactly think now was the best time to get into it.

“I am just tired,” I lied, something he actually laughed at.

“What?”

“Gods, but you’re a shit liar,” he said calling my bluff…annoyingly so.

“I don’t think I have done too badly, after all your stupid ex bought it.”

“Yes, and emphasis on the word stupid,” he remarked in a knowing tone.

“You bought it,” I argued making him shrug his shoulders and say,

“Under the circumstances, then yes you’re right but now, well I know when you are lying to me, so stop trying to change the subject and tell me, what is on your mind, Amelia.” I released another heavy sigh and decided to be honest, telling him,

“I just don’t know how any of this is going to work.”

“Ah, this again,” he commented. However, his tone was empathetic and non judging.

“I take it this has to do with what I said earlier?” he asked making me nod.

“Alright, sweetheart, we still have over an hour to go, so let’s talk.” Um, me and Lucius talking about the future of our relationship, well this should be fun, as in not at all. Because even though I had pretty much won the love lottery with finally getting to be with the man I had been obsessed with since I was sixteen, it still didn’t mean I was ready to throw my entire, independent life away for a guy.

“I think this is the part where you start talking,” Lucius said trying to prompt this awkward conversation into gear. Which is precisely why I stalled it by saying,

“I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, what are your biggest fears?” he asked and again, I went for the easy answer this time,

“That I wake up one morning and find out that Sci- fi never existed and Star Wars was just the name of some lame reality tv show, where famous people try to kill each other,” I said making him shake his head, but at least I got out a few deep chuckles from him.

“Let’s try and focus on reality right now.”

“But that’s just my point!” I suddenly shouted.

“Your point, sweetheart, you haven’t made a point yet, that is my point,” he said, making me shake my head a little and ask,

“Wait, I am confused, whose point are we focusing on?”

“Mine, because you haven’t made one yet!” Lucius snapped making me giggle before pointing a finger at him and saying in a cheeky tone,

“Gotchya!” He gave me an exasperated look and then one of those ‘trying to find patience from the patience tree’ type of ways, he said my name…yet…again…

“Amelia, please, I am trying to have a conversation with you about this, which is increasingly difficult when two things are happening.”

“Them being?” I asked in earnest this time.

“You stalling, and you being cute when stalling.” At this I couldn’t help but smile this time, doing so like a cat licking the cream off her paws.

“You think I’m cute?” I asked in that knowing, cocky way that was now totally teasing him, I knew this when he rolled his eyes at me.

“You fucking know I do, so stop playing with me and just tell me…”

“I miss my Lego okay!” I blurted out, then quickly frowned at myself for starting with something so lame.

“Come again?”

“Well, not just Lego, I mean that was way down the list really but somehow just ended up at the top and should have even been under Crunchy Nut Chocolate Clusters.” Lucius shook his head as if trying to make sense of my craziness and his conclusion was,

“You miss playing with toys?”

“No! Okay, so for starters Lego is not a toy…I mean, well, yes it is if you’re a kid, but to an adult collector, it is so much more, like a puzzle you frame and put on your wall.”

“People do that?” he asked with a frown that said, ‘why the fuck?’ without the words.

“Yeah…wait you’ve never seen that?” I asked realising before he said anything my mistake in asking that question. Because really, a Vampire King and puzzles? He confirmed this blunder of mine when he said,

“When in the Gods long list of names, would I have ever seen that Amelia, do I look like the puzzle junkie to you?”

“See, now that is called making a point,” I commented with another smirk, one that had him muttering,

“Gods give me…”

“I am pretty sure you’re strong enough there, honey and anyway, just because…”

“Wait, what did you just call me?” he asked me suddenly cutting me off again and I had to say that this conversation was thankfully off the rails. In fact, it was more like flying off the track and currently hurtling into space. Although now I was unsure as to whether this was a good thing or not, considering his reaction to being called honey. Which is why I tentatively said,

“Erm…honey? Or if you don’t like that, you could be a babe, sugar, sweetie, but then that’s too close to my own pet name and there will just be sweets all over the place and left, right, and centre… but then there are things like, hottie, sexy pants, or my personal favorite, Master of the Vampire Universe, although on reflection that might be a bit too long to shout in a supermarket when I can’t find you…like when people name their cats Miss snuggle mittens…I mean, who the hell wants to be shouting that at two in the morning when you need to get the damn cat in ‘cause its thundering…please by the Gods will you stop me already!” I ended up shouting at him even though it was clear he was enjoying himself far too much to do such a thing, seeing as this was when he threw his head back and laughed at me.

“Seriously, could you be any more fucking cute!” he said through his laughter, making it hard to hold back the smile, because well one, I loved being able to make him laugh and secondly, I seriously loved it when he called me cute. But then he started shaking his head as if something had just hit him, making me ask,

“What?”

“Well, sweetheart, you are a fucking enigma.” I frowned, all traces of happy ‘cute endearment’ glow gone.

“Why?”

“Because you can be fucking adorable and cute and fucking funny in one instance and then I think back to the four broken bodies I found in your apartment that you brutally took down, then I find myself still asking how you can be the same person?” I couldn’t help but start biting my fingertip at this, both embarrassed that he had pointed this all out but liking that he was proud all the same. Which was why I commented in what I knew was a shy way,

“Well, I couldn’t exactly see the Chosen One of a Vampire King being weak and scared…not like I had been when I first came to Transfusion.” At this he granted me a soft and tender look and before saying anything he took my hand from near my mouth and pulled it to his lips to kiss.

“You are right, I am blessed with both the funny and cute personality I adore and the bad ass warrior woman that I can’t wait to get back in my bed after first showing off her new home,” he told me and this time my smile wasn’t hidden behind my fingertips or suppressed by a roll of my lips.

“I am glad you think so,” I commented when he released my hand, after first biting the tips for himself of course.

“Besides, I am looking forward to getting you on my mats and seeing what you’ve got.”

“Erm…your mats?”

“In my training room,” he told me making me gulp at this and before I started panicking that he might mean what I really hoped he didn’t mean, I asked,

“And what would I be doing there?” At this Lucius granted me his own version of total badass, in the way of a bad boy grin, before saying,

“Isn’t it obvious…”

“You will be fighting me.”

7

Money Fights

“You will be fighting me,” he said making me tense.

“Erm, yeah okay, that is so not happening!” I scoffed making him raise a brow at me.

“Oh, it’s happening sweetheart, make no mistake about it, for I will have my way.”

“Oh yeah and what makes you so sure…what exactly is in it for me?” I asked with a fold of my arms.

“Well, apart from learning all I can teach you and adding to what skills you already possess…”

“Yes, apart from that, what else?” I said quickly before he could make any more of those all-important ‘good points’ of his.

“Well, then there is also the end of our training when I get to fuck you raw on those mats but just to add to the incentive, what about if I buy you all the fucking Lego sets you want…will that be enough for my arm breaking, little princess?” he asked making me burst out laughing before saying,

“Yep, that will do it!”

“Which part?” he enquired making me grin.

“Well, you will just have to wait and see, won’t you? Besides, I have always wanted the Hogwarts castle…it’s over six thousand pieces.”

“The what now?” he asked clearly clueless on yet another geek cult masterpiece. Reason why I muttered to myself,

“But of course, he hasn’t heard of Harry Potter.”

“I am taking this as yet another passion of yours?” he surmised making me wonder just how long it was going to take me to bring him up to speed on all the cult classics beloved the world over.

“Well, I do have many,” I said with a wink.

“Um, yes and I have a feeling one will take precedence over them all, starting from when I finally get you there.” I laughed at this knowing he was talking about sex and well, I had to agree with him on that one. I was getting horny just sat in this car for over an hour and well, let’s just say the leather pants weren’t helping much. Still, I felt the need to enquire,

“You seem very keen on getting me there and I have a feeling it’s not solely down to getting me into bed, seeing as if that were the case we would have just stopped at a nearby hotel for the night.” He granted me a look and again there was enough light from the dash to show me his features had turned serious.

“It is the safest place I can keep you.”

“Keep me? You make me sound like a diamond necklace,” I replied on a laugh but then he looked far too thoughtful in that moment that it compelled me to have to remind him,

“You do get that I am not a possession…right?”

“Well, you are mine,” was his blunt response and in a way that was as if he was pointing out the obvious and simply stating facts. Something that really started to worry me.

“Lucius!” was my own shocked reply.

“Alright, but you do get, that you were born for me, the Gods chose you to be mine, what do you think that means?” he asked with a raise of his brow.

“That you’re going to put me on a shelf and light me up so I look pretty?” I joked making him frown and groan.

“Oh, come on Lucius, you know what I mean,” I complained.

“No, it’s you that doesn’t understand, Amelia. You. Are. Mine. Which means this is it for you. Now, I understand this maybe a lot to take in but ask yourself, when your mother met your father, did her life stay the same?” Now this thought really had me frowning because I knew for a fact that it most certainly did not. Of course, she had been at college when she met my dad and started working for him as a waitress as a side gig. Which was when she caught his eye and after that, well destiny had already set a course for them, seeing as she was his Chosen One.

However, I also knew that because of my dad and all the things surrounding how they eventually got together, that it had taken her quite a while until she finished college. This was mainly because she got pregnant with me shortly after they were married, or at least, that’s the story they told. As I don’t know why, but I had a feeling that my dad had knocked up his Chosen One, that being my mum, before the church bells rang. And what gave it away was my dad’s face any time my mum ever told stories of the past. One time he even patted a desk in a suggestive way that totally grossed me out seeing as it was obviously to relay a secret message to my mum.

But that was my mum’s life, and this was mine we were talking about here, which was why I focused back on that.

“So, what exactly are you saying here, Lucius, that I have no choices anymore?” I couldn’t help but snap out the question.

“No, just that they are limited,” was his tactful and pragmatic response. Needless to say, he was fooling no one.

“And what is that supposed to mean!?”

“Exactly how it sounds, sweetheart,” he said still keeping his tone at an even level, unlike my own which was hitting highs only dogs could hear.

“Oh, don’t you sweetheart me! Exactly how it sounds isn’t my idea of how it should sound!”

“And how should it sound?” he asked, again keeping his tone calm and even, which infuriated me more.

“Like we are in a relationship, not like I am your bloody pet to be cared for and carried around like one of those poor handbag dogs that has no choice but to find themselves in Louis Vuitton staring longingly out of a net window wishing they could just be free to take a piss on the grass whenever they want!”

“What, by the Gods, are you talking about, woman!?” This was a bloody good question.

“Oh, I don’t fucking know, it’s not like I am saying pull over so I can squat on the grass here, Lucius! I am just saying that I want a say in my life and just because you are my boyfriend it doesn’t mean that I am handing over all of my important life making decisions to you.”

“Gods Amelia, but I am not your fucking boyfriend here.” Oh, now he snaps!

“Then what the hell are you!?” I asked unable to help sounding offended. He growled in frustration before snapping back,

“I am your soul mate, your eternal life partner, your King, your fucking Chosen One and who knows, maybe one day the word husband will make it in there too, but boyfriend, Gods Amelia, it sounds so…so…” Okay, so the marry me part of the night had just been confirmed as a definite joke then, although had to say…Not. Fucking. Funny.

Which was why I yelled,

“What?!”

“Juvenile,” he answered in frustration, raking a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, well it may sound juvenile to you, but that’s exactly what you are, because I am not going to start going around and introducing you as my ‘eternal life partner’ because for one, that sounds hippy and will just make me want to braid daisies in your hair, which I am pretty sure you would be opposed to?” At this he granted me a stern look and said,

“What do you fucking think?”

“Apart from you looking pretty, that you would rather shave off your eyebrows and wear comedy stick on ones from a dollar store for the month of June…” Well, at least at this point he burst out laughing, as I carried on,

“But that is beside the point here, as until we are married then I am not introducing you as anything other than my boyfriend.”

“Until we are married?” he asked, suddenly catching me out on my words and I swear I don’t think I had felt my cheeks get so hot so quickly.

“I just mean… well, I didn’t…I mean of course I don’t think that we will…you know… erm what was I saying…I mean really, what did I even say, ‘cause I can’t remember now…so this car, does it get good mileage?” At this Lucius burst out laughing again before telling me,

“Gods, but how I do love to watch you squirm.” At this I shot him an ‘I am not impressed look’ and knew instantly with his smirk that it was one he didn’t take seriously. But then again, when did he ever?

“Can we please drop this subject,” I asked knowing that there was no way to dig myself out of the marriage hole, one he seemed far too happy watching me trying to scramble out of.

“As you wish,” he said again fighting that knowing grin of his before he went on to say,

“So, getting back to our conversation, before it was swayed by me getting you in my training room and talk of marriage.”

“Oh, you wanna talk about Lego instead?” I asked with a smirk of my own.

“Not really no, but I would like you to elaborate on why that statement was blurted out…above your favorite cereal,” he asked letting me know that he had most definitely been listening. It was sweet, how he wanted to talk through my fears. But seeing as the more he spoke about what my future held, the more freaked out I became, I knew this wasn’t going to be a conversation in my favour. That he would probably end up railroading me into making decisions I wasn’t ready to make yet.

“Okay, so it’s like my job, I love my work.” At this he looked thoughtful a moment and I knew he couldn’t just say what I wanted him to say. Like he would move to London for me so I could continue working. Which led me on to my next biggie,

“And it’s like my flat.”

“Amelia, really…it’s just a flat.” I couldn’t say that I particularly cared for the tone he used, which is why I told him,

“But that’s where you are wrong, it’s not just a flat, it’s my flat.”

“So, you intend to live there your entire life and never move?” he asked making something of a point.

“I am not saying that, but you have to understand where I am coming from, that flat isn’t just a place I live for the time being, it’s mine.”

“I know this,” he stated believing in his words.

“No, you don’t, and how could you, you are thousands of years old and have lived in I don’t know how many places. You’re also probably richer than a bloody sultan and can afford to buy whatever you want. I bet you couldn’t even list all the addresses of the buildings you own.”

“Yes, and if I recall I am not the only rich person in this car.” I frowned at him realising that he really had no clue, which is why I stated,

“That is where you are wrong.”

“And your parents, what of their fortune, for you can’t tell me…”

“Exactly…my parents…not mine, it’s their money, Lucius.” At this he rolled his eyes at me and said,

“Then you are foolish.”

“Excuse me!?” I snapped.

“Do you really think that just because you didn’t earn it that it isn’t yours?” I folded my arms across my chest, making the leather of the jacket groan.

“That’s exactly what I think, and I don’t see how that makes me foolish.”

“Sweetheart, your trust fund alone would be one greater than that Sultan’s fortune,” he informed me like this was a certainty.

“I don’t have a trust fund,” I told him making him laugh and in turn, me frown.

“Yeah, okay, whatever you say, beautiful,” he said in that condescending way that people weren’t exactly thrilled about.

“What, I don’t!”

“And you know that for certain, do you?” he asked with a raise of his brow like he sure as shit didn’t believe it.

“Lucius, my dad gave me a credit card with no limit on it when I left, do you know how much I have spent on it?”

“Knowing you, not a penny,” he said guessing right and telling me that he knew this about me. I was very similar to my mum in that sense, as she was the same way. She believed in paying her own way and struggled with my dad’s extreme wealth for years after they were married. I had always been independent, and yes, naturally when I was a kid, then I was spoiled rotten, mainly by my dad. But despite this, I still knew when I finally left home, that I desperately wanted to make it on my own.

“Exactly,” I said, making him quickly reply with,

“Exactly nothing, as you just proved my point.”

“How so?”

“You may have not spent any money on that card but just the fact that your father gave it to you proves my point.” Okay, so now I was really frowning because despite the answer I gave, I now had that nagging feeling that maybe there was truth to his words.

“No, it doesn’t!”

“Oh, so you think it is beyond the realms of reality to believe that he would give you a limitless card and not also think of your future. You think your overprotective and extremely rich father wouldn’t have set up a trust fund the day you took your first breath.” Okay, well there it was! As with the way he just worded it then yeah, now I did, and my face must have said as much.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Not that any of this matters,” he added in a tone that suggested what he meant was obvious, which yet again in Lucius’ world, it so wasn’t. Which was why I asked,

“What do you mean?”

“I care not for any money your father wishes to thrust upon you, so it should be of little concern.” Oh Gods, but this sounded like another can of worms to me.

“Erm, well I agree it’s of little concern, but I have a feeling we don’t mean the same thing when we each say that?”

“You won’t need his money,” he said as more of a statement and yep, totally a can of worms.

“Care to elaborate,” I asked, knowing instantly that this was most likely a mistake, one I made despite knowing this.

“I think we established I am rich, comparable to a Sultan wasn’t it?” he teased but I ignored this and moved straight along with,

“Yes, but I fail to see what that has to do with me?” At this Lucius rolled his eyes and started muttering to the roof of the Lambo and doing so in a language I didn’t know this time.

“I think we established already that you are mine, Amelia, and seeing as you are a smart girl, then it wouldn’t be hard for you to figure out the rest.” Okay, so at this my mouth dropped at what he was implying.

“Oh no! We are most definitely not opening that financial can of worms, in fact, let’s just bury it now and never talk about it!”

“You’re right, we don’t need to talk about it as there isn’t really anything to talk about, for it is simply an absolute that is happening.” Now I was the one to roll my eyes and start muttering, only unlike him, I did my asking the Gods for help in English.

“I am starting to understand what my mother went through,” I said before thinking about it, always feeling weird about mentioning my mum around Lucius for blindingly obvious reasons.

“Yes, and it is also common knowledge what a pain in the royal ass she is, so I am starting to understand what your father went through,” he replied back in a curt tone.

“Oh, because wanting to pay your own way in life is such a bad thing, is it!?” I snapped.

“It is when it gets in the way of getting me what I want!” he snapped back.

“And what is that, some gold digging eye candy on your arm with the IQ of a 90’s turtleneck?” Well, at least now he was laughing.

“I don’t think your IQ will ever be in question, sweetheart, and as for eye candy on my arm, I would rather that eye candy in my bed laid out for me like a feast, after all, I know how fucking addictive you taste,” he said making me blush and have to roll my lips to stop my smile.

“I think it’s safer we don’t talk about this either,” I said in a shy voice as it was clear we would never agree on this and I already knew how pushy Lucius was in trying to get his own way.

“Do you mean sex or money?” he asked with a smirk he wasn’t trying to hide.

“Until we get to where we are going, then I would say both,” I said then nodded down at the obvious erection straining against his jeans in an overly obvious way due to his size. He chuckled and said,

“Yes, well around you, it is a common occurrence, so you’d better get used to seeing it, sweetheart,” he said in a totally unashamed way that had me blushing and secretly high fiving my inner sex kitten.

“Mmm, looks like my girl likes this,” he said to himself making me unable now not to bite my fingertips giving into my habit. Of course, Lucius noticed this and reached across so he could pull them from my mouth. But then he didn’t let go and instead brought them to his own lips to nibble on before sucking them into his mouth. Gods, but it felt so possessive and was undeniably hot!

It was only after he had released them, that he asked,

“Why do you bite your fingers?”

“Well, I started off biting my nails, but then I would make them bleed and they would get sore, so I decided to force myself out of the habit…because, one oww, and two, I like have something to paint. So now, instead of biting my nails, I sometimes find myself biting my fingertips instead, but I am in the process of trying to break that habit as well.” This last part granted me a look before he asked,

“Why?”

“Why what?” I asked with a little shake of my head as I was taken back by what it was I had said that he would be questioning.

“Why are you trying to break that habit…does it cause you pain or damage?”

“Well, no but…” I started to say but Lucius getting enough of his answer, interrupted me.

“Then don’t stop.”

“But it makes me look…”

“It makes you look fucking cute and adorable, that’s what,” Lucius said, interrupting me yet again and in a way that was sweet because, really, could any girl ever get enough of being called that by someone as hot as Lucius…err no, I don’t think so!

“Is this you asking me not to stop?” I asked in a shy voice.

“Yes Amelia, this is me asking you not to stop doing something that’s cute and obviously brings you comfort,” he said in a gentle way that melted my already gooey insides.

“Okay,” was my breathy reply, because like I said…gooey.

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay I won’t stop.” He laughed once and muttered,

“And this she doesn’t argue with me on.”

“Well, you asked nicely,” I told him with a wink, and he shook his head at me a little before the sign for a gas station was coming up.

“Are we stopping?” I asked knowing that I could very much do with using the bathroom and also a drink after it.

“I need to fill up, and I take it you need to use the facilities.” I frowned in silent question asking how he knew.

“Because you have been sat cross legged and bouncing in your seat for the last ten minutes.” I suddenly looked down at myself and noticed that he was right, I had been. I decided not to comment on this but instead remained silent as he pulled into a Shell station. One that was empty other than one car that was already driving away. So, we pulled up to a pump and Lucius turned off the engine before getting out of the car. I did the same, only to find Lucius by my side granting me his hand so I didn’t struggle. Because, well I may have been a bad ass, but I was a clumsy one at that!

Once I was out of the car, I mumbled about not being long and turned about to walk inside when his question made me pause.

“Do you want to get anything?” he said nodding to the store,

“Yeah, I was going to get a few…erm, no, actually it’s fine, I don’t need anything,” I said quickly knowing that he had asked me this because he had pulled up to a ‘pay at the pump’ and knew that if I did want anything that he would need to pay for it. Damn it! Okay, so I know this may have been petty. But considering I had spent what felt half of this drive trying to explain what my independence meant to me and how I liked to pay my own way, then I think only minutes later for him to hand me some cash over was so not proving my point, but the exact opposite in fact.

So naturally, I backtracked.

Problem was, he knew it too. He proved this as when I took my first step away from him and doing so trying to purposely avoid his eyes, he snagged my hand. Then, after a quick tug I was pulled back, practically falling into him. But he wasn’t satisfied with this as his leather hand fisted in my hair so he could pull my head back so I had no choice but to look into his eyes. I swear but the look he gave me had me desperate to bite my fingers. His eyes practically danced with mirth and narrowed a little when he growled down at me in a playful tone,

“I call bullshit.”

“What? I just changed my mind is all,” I said making them deepen and near glow with that knowing look he gave me.

“Uh huh.” He made the disbelieving noise as he nodded in that patronizing way that Gods if he didn’t look so bloody sexy doing it then it would have been infuriating.

“Lucius, I swear…”

“I’d rather you not, considering it would be a lie, so let’s try this another way…” This was when he paused so he could get really close to my ear to whisper the rest in that totally dominating way of his,

“You are going to walk into that store, do what you need to do and then you are going to pick out whatever it is you want and I will be in shortly after to buy it for you…pride or no fucking pride…am I understood?” I tensed and was about to shake my head, when I was forced to stop, and this was down to two things. One was the way his hand fisted in my hair to the point of pain had I moved an inch and the second was the way he suddenly had a mouthful of my neck held between his teeth. And I knew it was nothing short of a warning, something he confirmed about ten seconds later when he released me, licked at the ghost of where his teeth had been to soothe the sting and said,

“Now go and be a good girl.” Then he spun me and smacked my ass to get me moving. And I swear had I not been momentarily blinded by the lust he just forced upon me, then I would have said something witty or snippy in return. As it stood though, for once I simply did as I was told…damn him!

But then I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder at him only to find him now leaning back against his gorgeous car, looking every single inch of the sexy bad boy he was! Especially with his arms folded, his upper body resting his weight back against the frame and his eyes solely on me, watching my every move as I walked away from him. Now, if I thought he looked sexy before, well then, this was a whole other level of hot!

And in that moment, it was a hotness I tried to ignore. You know, just so I could focus on my bladder and not on my libido. So, I finally made it into the store and quickly located the restrooms at the back. I tried not to think too much about what I must have looked like, so ignored the obvious stare from the woman behind the counter. I hurried into the bathroom and headed straight to a cubicle, determined not to look in the mirror to see if I looked as bad as I felt.

I swear these tight leather pants actually squeaked as I pulled them down and I sat there the whole time having a pee worried that I wouldn’t be able to get them back on again. Visions of me trying to climb through the small window and actually land without breaking something, all so I wouldn’t have to run through the shop half naked, was all I could focus on. Oh, I could just picture Lucius’ face now after running for the car half naked and my shame when I had to tell him why.

Well, no way! Not going to happen! I would rather catapult myself into the buggers than do that. Or I wondered then about stealing some thread? This was so I could cut up the bloody things, just so I could then sew them back together like some lame version of cat woman. Like when she hit ‘bat shit crazy’ levels (see what I did there) in Batman Returns and started sewing like…well, like a crazy cat lady!

Okay, well pee done, and it was the moment of truth, oh and time for me to discover that I had been worrying for the last three minutes for no good reason…the pants did up just fine.

However, my victory was short lived as with all these thoughts about leather pants and I forgot my rule not to look in the mirror when washing my hands…jeez, I was a mess.

“Oh dear, Fae.” Suddenly every hit came back to me and my hands found the edge of the sink. I knew my elbow was bruised along with my stomach, as I felt the tenderness there from being kicked and falling to my side. And looking down at my hands when I felt the sting of soap was from killing that one guy with the lamp cord, one that ended up cutting into my hands. Thankfully though, these weren’t deep, but that’s where the thanks ended as it was my face that was the worst.

I remembered being punched in the face and then having my head hammered into the floor, which would explain the cut above my nose and the angry purply red mottled skin around my cheek, eye and nose. It all seemed mainly on one side at least and I raised my hand first to pat it before then moving to the back of my head to find the large lump there. I winced one more time before turning away from the pitiful sight, hating that Lucius had seen me like this.

All I could hope for is what little blood of his I had in my system, that it would heal me sooner than a bruise this size would normally take to heal and let’s face it, a yellow and green face wasn’t ever going to look sexy.

After this and my plummeting self-confidence freak out, I walked back into the store and had no choice but to walk past the cashier again. She was a middle aged lady who looked as though all of her facial features had been pinched. Everything was close together and looked small in such a round face. She narrowed her eyes at me and then, just as I was making my way to the door, said something to me in German.

“Sorry, I…” I muttered this at the same time trying to translate in my mind what she had said.

“You American, huh, it all the same with you girls!” She scoffed and tutted and I knew I should have just left it alone and walked out of the store, but I couldn’t.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I snapped back given that her tone with me was less than friendly.

“He is rich so it’s worth it…worth the pain,” she said shaking her head and I swear my blood started to boil. Because Hell no, I wasn’t letting this woman insinuate what I think she was! It didn’t matter what Lucius was, or had been reborn into, a woman beater sure as shit wasn’t one of them!

“Oh no, you have that completely wrong lady,” I said but she just huffed again, making her large chest puff out before she waved a hand at me.

“I know your type.”

“Oh really?” I said in a sarcastic tone and folding my arms across my chest, because no, she fucking didn’t! I just beat the crap out of four guys, killing three of them for attacking me, so yeah, in reality I was so far from her ‘victim type’ that I might have lived on a damn space shuttle for the distance apart I was from the picture she tried to paint.

“He rich, good looking, the bad boy…” oh she had no idea!

“And you stay with him, because that matters more than your body. Where is your pride?” Oh no she didn’t just say that! This was when I took a few steps closer to her and said,

“Right, now listen up lady, that man out there has saved my life more times than anyone should ever have to. He is kind and thoughtful and has never laid one Gods be damned finger on me in anger! He has never physically hurt me and would kill anyone who tried. You get me?!” I paused to see that, no she totally didn’t get me, so I carried on,

“That man out there, the one that you think to judge so easily, well he is the type of man that holds you when you cry, soothes you when you’re worried, leaves you little notes telling you to eat because he heard your stomach growling, arranges to get your whole flat refurnished because it got trashed and even remembers to buy your favorite cereal…all because he cares for me!” I shouted this time making her eyes go wide as if she was starting to accept her mistake, but I still wasn’t done,

“You see my bruised face and you automatically assume that it must be the man at my side! Well, shame on you lady, because you just accused one of the best Gods be damned people on this planet and the man I love more than anything else in this world, so you should be ashamed of yourself!” After this I turned on my heel and was about to storm out of there in the biggest huff, when a single sight stopped me.

A gorgeous sight and one that looked as though he had just witnessed something mythical. Which was why his name escaped on a breathy question, asking him without any added words if he had seen everything I think he just did.

“Lucius?”

And with one look in return. The one that spoke of so many things. So many emotions. I knew that in that moment he hadn’t just witnessed the last few seconds of this fight for his honor.

No instead, he had heard…

Every. Single. Word.

8

In a Nut Shell

“Lucius,” I whispered softly as time seemed to standstill for both of us, although Lucius recovered a lot quicker than I did. And the second he broke free, he only had one destination in mind…

Me.

I suddenly found myself with his hands framing my face and lifting it up so he could kiss me, being mindful of my bruised face for his touch was gentle, even if his kiss wasn’t. No, this was because the second his lips touched mine it was as if someone had lit a fuse and the burning passion between us simply ignited!

I swear but it felt as if it had the power to consume me whole and, in that moment, I would have let it. Because if I had died right then, I would have done so having known how it felt to be loved by just a single kiss alone. Because Lucius had said once that we didn’t need words, and despite the many things that he could have referred to at the time, it still rang true now in this moment.

We didn’t need words.

Because we had spoken of so much more in actions alone. It was the desperation I knew he felt. It was the gentle touch in which he cared. It was the taste of his essence bursting across my tongue and drowning my senses in everything that was him. I swear, just the feel of his fingertips on my skin and I was lost to all else in the world. Now this gentle hold was enough for me to lose myself but then for him, he wanted more. More of me, more of us and I swear the thought of it created a heat in my belly that felt as though I had swallowed a small sun. Like he was lighting up my insides.

It was what I imagined kissing an Angel blessed by Heaven was like.

One that loved me.

But then my angel turned dark and that once bright warming sun was replaced by fire. A burning desire that needed more than a kiss, and I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Lucius’ hands left my cheeks and instead found my ass, lifting me from the ground and wrapping my legs around his waist as he started walking us both backwards. I didn’t know where he was headed, and I didn’t care as long as his hands didn’t leave my body. His lips however, travelled from my own towards my neck and it was only then that a brief niggle in my mind forced me to look to the woman I had been shouting at only moments ago. But what I found was her frozen in place.

Then I looked to the windows and saw that a darkness was sweeping through the whole gas station, clouding it in a thick black rolling fog, making me suddenly grow scared. It travelled along the floor and started to consume the car, swallowing it whole before coming closer to the glass.

Lucius felt me tense in his hold and left my neck so he could look at me, seeing for himself the worry in my gaze. He glanced back over his shoulder and just when I thought his own concern would now show for what was happening, instead all I received was his knowing grin.

“Lucius?” I said his name in question, as it was clear that he obviously knew what it was but then with a single look, so did I …as he was the cause.

“I’m not sharing you with the world…you’re mine.” Then he crushed his lips to mine and claimed me again, making me release a breathless sigh that was swallowed up by his kiss. And as his tongue duelled with mine, my hands found their way to his hair as I ran my fingers through it, before they fisted at the back. One at the base of his neck and the other at the crown, just so I could anchor him to me. He growled low in his throat and just as I started to move them, thinking I was doing wrong, his demon spoke to me,

“Don’t you fucking dare pull away from me.” This growled warning only managed to turn me on even more as it had been combined with the feel of his hands fisted in my jacket. In fact, I could hear the leather groaning in protest over the pounding of my own heart and this combined with my heavy breathing made for an exhilarating backing track for what was about to happen. Seconds later and he pushed me up against another space I discovered was somewhat softer than the other shelf, and when I heard the crunch I knew why, seeing with just a glance it was a display stand full of potato chips.

“I have to have you, damnation of Gods, but I am going out of my fucking mind!” he hissed before he pried my legs from his waist and the combination of his words and actions didn’t mix as he let my feet touch the ground. But then, the second I felt him yank my button open in haste, I knew why. He then ripped my leather trousers from my legs making me briefly smirk to myself when thinking back to my earlier inner turmoil back in the bathroom. Seeing as they were coming off now no matter what and sort of in front of someone…frozen lady or not.

Then, once the sound of my boots hitting the floor, along with a slap of my trousers, he ripped open the bottom of the bodysuit I still had on underneath my clothes, tearing it at the crotch. After this he unbuckled his belt and yanked at his own. But unlike mine, he just did it enough to allow his straining erection to burst free. And with a startled breath I was back in his arms and a single action later I was being impaled on his cock, making me throw my head back and cry out in screaming pleasure.

Then he hammered into me, the sound of the chips being ground to crumbs in their bags behind me. But then, when the stand started to bend due to the strain, we rolled and found ourselves against another stand, this time one with candy bars. I only knew this as the second I placed my hands back against the shelf to hold on, I felt them fisting chocolate in their wrappers that snapped in my hold.

“More…I need fucking more!” he growled before moving me again, this time it ended against the fridge doors which were substantially more stable…or at least they were until we turned up. Because the second I felt it start to build inside me, I squeezed my thighs around him, and started to rock in a frenzied way on his cock. This drove him even wilder, if such a thing were possible. But it did so until the point that the second I screamed out my orgasm, I heard a mighty crack of glass, and barely looked to the side where in a blur I saw his hand flat to the glass. One now framed by cracked branches cutting through the glass, like tiny lightning bolts from his fingers.

This was when he decided the doors weren’t up to the task either, so he moved me, now finding a small chest freezer with a clear lid that kept popsicles and ice creams in. However, the second he placed my ass down on it I screamed,

“Fucking cold!” I shouted thinking he would move me. However, he just gave me an evil badass grin and said,

“Then I’d better be quick, sweet cheeks.” Then he thrust into me even harder and I cried out again, feeling myself on the cusp, as he continued the maddening rhythm that I was quickly getting addicted to. Also, from the sound of things I wasn’t the only one as the second I lifted my now freezing ass up, both to relieve myself of the cold and push him inside me even deeper, I knew he wouldn’t last. And neither did I, for a heartbeat later and I too was screaming my release yet again, one quickly followed by Lucius.

“Fuck…fuck…FUCK AHH!” He roared quickly, his hand finding the base of my spine, so he could force my body to stay locked to his, and as close as I could get the second he erupted into me, spilling his seed as deep as it would go. I felt him shuddering inside the core of me and I never expected to get such a high from the feeling. Then I felt him lean forward, resting his forehead to mine as his breathing evened. But then he said the very last thing in that moment that I thought he would,

“I love you too, sweetheart.”

And there it was.

The words we didn’t need to say but both found ourselves declaring anyway and in the most unconventional of ways. Mine was about him said to a stranger when arguing in his defence and his was after fucking me on a freezer. Which in a way kind of summed up our relationship, I thought with a hidden grin. Which was why I knew I could raise my hand to his cheek and whisper back,

“That’s great, honey, but can you get me off this fucking thing before my ass gets frostbite and falls off.” To which he burst out laughing and lifted me off with one arm banded around my back.

“And we can’t have that now can we, not when it’s one of my favourite bits.” At this I rolled my eyes and he shot me a knowing look before saying,

“Did you just…”

“Roll my eyes, yes so you can just go right ahead and knock yourself out Mr Slap Happy McGee, as right now, it’s not like I would feel it anyway!” I said making him chuckle before lowering me to the floor and tapping me on the nose saying,

“Poor baby.” Oh lordy, but even the way he said this made me want to go for round two, only on something warmer this time…like the sun! Especially the way Lucius then zipped up his jeans and buckled up his belt, which seriously made me wonder if I had a screw loose, seeing I found something so simple so much of a turn on!

But then again, there was just something so raw and passionate about two people that wanted each other so badly, that they couldn’t even wait the seconds longer it would take to strip each other naked. That frenzied need, one so great that nothing else mattered in that moment but the connecting of two lovers.

In fact, I could barely function which was why I think Lucius took my hand and led me over to where the leather pants had been discarded on the floor.

“Oh, I am just going to quickly run and clean up first,” I said finally coming to my senses before walking in the direction of the bathrooms. But then, once again my hand was snagged and I was tugged back to Lucius, as was quickly becoming his habit. Then he tipped my face up to his so he could get closer before telling me,

“I need this on you…” He paused and I sucked in a startled breath when I felt his fingers run through the soaked folds of my abused sex so he could gather up some of his release before he brought them back to my lips.

“…The scent of me on you…inside you…it helps erase the scent of another male you wear and makes me feel less murderous…now open that pretty mouth for me,” he said and to be honest, my mouth dropped in surprise anyway without him needing to ask for it. But then he slipped the tips of two fingers inside and nodded for me to taste him, which I did, doing so with a blush upon my cheeks. It was also one he growled at when he saw it. A response he repeated the second I swallowed his seed down, moaning around his fingers when his unique flavour burst across my tongue. Then suddenly he quickly pulled them from my mouth and replaced them with his mouth, tasting himself on my tongue.

It turned out to be a short kiss and had dazed me enough that before I knew it, my leather pants were yanked back up my legs. Then they were refastened at my waist before he patted in between my legs, as if sure of himself now that his leaking seed would stay where it was supposed to be.

“Good girl, now pick out what you wanted to get before trying to bullshit me earlier and let’s go.” Then he turned, walked to the counter, placed a note down and left the store. I then watched as he walked through the thick, dark blanket of fog as it curled around him, as if responding to his presence in a sinister way. Then, with a flick of his hand, it started to roll away and evaporate around the edges of the gas station it had once kept hidden from the world.

“Kaufst du etwas?” the woman’s voice asked, which translated into if I was buying anything. I shot her a questioning look, that only prompted a reaction out of me when she nodded down to the large bill Lucius had left. Then she looked even more confused as I quickly stuffed my feet back into the men’s boots before saying,

“Erh, yeah.” Needless to say, that after this, I got my cold ass in gear. So, I grabbed a packet of chips, ones that weren’t from the stand and therefore more than just humped crumbs. Then I grabbed a bottle of water, a box of pain killers and a chocolate bar, one that hadn’t been squished and had my nail marks embedded. Then, as she was about to give me money back in return, I took one look around the mess we had made and said,

“Keep the change.” Then I left the nosey and judging woman to the rest of her night.

I found Lucius waiting by my side of the car and as I approached, he asked,

“Did you get everything you wanted?”

“Yeah, thanks,” I said with my booty nestled in my arms, resting against my lady shelf…thank you C cup breasts. But then, as I was about to lower myself into the seat, he stopped me,

“Hold up, beautiful, do you want to tell me what those are?” he said suddenly plucking the pain killers from my arms and now reading for himself the packet, even though he’d just asked me.

“They are just ibuprofen,” I said now dropping the rest of my stuff on the seat so I could reach for them, something that wasn’t easy to accomplish thanks to him being considerably taller than me. Meaning he didn’t have to try very hard to keep them out of my reach.

“Yes, I can see that, now do you want to tell me what you need these for?” he asked, his tone serious and suddenly stern. But despite this demand, I didn’t really want to tell him as I knew it would just piss him off more. In the end, however, I knew that I had no choice, especially when he asked in a regretful tone, one that seemed difficult to ask for fear of my answer.

“Did I…did I hurt you?”

“No! No of course not, I just have a headache, and well looking in the mirror I don’t have to guess why. I know I look a mess.” I said, unable in that moment to look at him, so I found my ‘too large for me boots’ instead. Of course, this was Lucius I was stood in front of, which meant that he wouldn’t allow this for long.

“Give me your eyes, Pet.” His soft demand was combined with the slight pressure under my chin as he lifted my face up to his. His gaze was so tender, it could have been classed as a weapon against my senses and I swear I felt my whole body relax. Gods, but the power this man held over me and my heart, well, it was near terrifying.

“You are beautiful and although I wished I could have been the one to kill the bastard that did this to you, it doesn’t change the fact that seeing this mark upon your face is only a reminder of how strong my girl is, and it makes me proud that she made him suffer,” he told me and I swear it was so sweet that I couldn’t help but throw my arms around his neck and kiss him, which I could tell took him by surprise. But even then, the second he felt my body plastered against his own, it was like an automatic response for him to wrap his arms around me, lifting me slightly so I didn’t have to strain to get to him.

“Thanks my handsome, bloodthirsty warrior man,” I said making him smirk down at me before saying,

“You know, I think I will pick that over honey.” Of course, I burst out laughing and shook in his hold.

“Come on, my pretty, bloodthirsty warrior woman,” he said making me chuckle and tell him,

“You know, I think I will stick with Sweetheart, but thanks for giving it a shot.” His lips twitched at this before he nodded to the car and said,

“Right, well in that case, it’s time to get your ass in the seat…sweetheart.” I huffed and folded my arms after first plucking my tablets out of his hand and said,

“Nice to see you’re back to playing my bossy manhandling boyfriend that wishes to be called my eternal life partner,” I said making him growl at me playfully.

“Get your ass in the car, Amelia!” he snapped, now only pretending to be grumpy. Then I watched him walk around to his side and I gave him a salute and said,

“Sure thing, Bossman Hippy.” At this he growled louder this time and I laughed as he grumbled under his breath,

“Shackles and a gag…I am getting shackles and a gag.” At this I folded into my seat trying in vain to keep the smirk from my face, because well, teasing Lucius was almost as much fun as when he teased me. Which is why I couldn’t help but ask,

“That could be fun, did you want my help putting them on you? As I can imagine at least one of them being tricky to do on your own.” Again, this granted me a lip twitch before a full-blown bad boy grin emerged as he pressed the start switch, then he revved the engine, telling me what revenge he had planned.

“Lucius, don’t you dare…AHHH!” This ended in a shout as he sped out of the gas station like he was coming out of the pits on a racetrack. Smoke billowed around us as the tires burned on the tarmac and he spun the car, now doing doughnuts and making me grab onto the door just for something to hold onto as I screamed. I mean there was no danger, I knew this, as it wasn’t like there was anyone else here but still, the action kind of made you want to hold on for dear life!

Then he pulled out of the continuous circle and the car whipped around before straightening up so he could drive up the slip road before rejoining traffic, still doing so with speed. Then, once we had joined the fast lane, he opened her up and drove with ease.

“I think you are safe to let go now, Amelia,” Lucius said with humour in his tone.

“I would but I am afraid I would kill you and if I throttled you to death then we would crash.” At this he laughed and said,

“Still think I need those shackles, sweetheart?”

“Most definitely, actually no, make it an iron maiden only without the spikes, because lucky for you, I like your handsome face,” was my witty reply.

“Lucky for me then,” was his cocky retort, one I couldn’t help smile at. Then he asked,

“How’s your ass, still cold?” I could tell he was also trying not to laugh but failed when I growled at him.

“Cold enough not to feel you spanking it!”

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we.” Lucius then flicked a switch and was soon making me moan in pleasure.

“Heated seats, oh my, there is a God, and wouldn’t you know it, he works in the car business,” I remarked, making Lucius chuckle back,

“Amen to that.”

After this, Lucius actually made a conscious effort to slow down, at least somewhat. But then, just as I was about to speak, I noticed flashing headlights behind us, as a car seemed to come out of nowhere.

It was weaving in and out of the lanes at speed and I swallowed hard, knowing that once again, our time was up…

The bad guys had found us.

9

A Drive to Remember

The second I saw them my whole body went rigid and I was in half a mind to scream, ‘not this shit again!’ and the other half of me wanted to curl up and pretend they weren’t there. Seriously, could we not catch a break!

“Amelia, what’s wrong?” Lucius asked me as it was obvious by his concerned tone that he had felt my unease and no doubt heard my heartrate kick into high gear and speaking of high gear,

“I think you should go faster!” I said in a panic.

“What?”

“Go faster, as in as fast as this thing will go!” I screeched suddenly wishing we were in a James Bond car with every corny gadget known to man!

“Amelia, you’re not really making sense here…oh,” he said once he finally caught sight of the car behind as it flashed us one more time, only what it hoped to achieve by this I didn’t know. Were they trying to intimidate us, or warn us that if we didn’t stop, they would ram us off the road?!

“Yes oh! So hit the damn gas would ya!” I shouted making him reach over and place a hand at my shoulder, so he could tap his thumb on my pulse point, before saying my name, this time in a comforting way,

“Amelia, sweetheart…just relax, there is no need to wor…”

“No need to worry! Are you joking, they are…”

“My people,” he stated quickly before I could hit XL on the panic mode.

“Oh,” was my calmer reply.

“It’s Clay driving, I called when you were using the bathroom to let them know what had happened,” he told me softly, and thankfully not mocking me for my brief moment of panic. After this I didn’t say anything as he explained most of his people had been ordered to leave Transfusion, now that it had been compromised. Instead they were all to meet at Lucius’ stronghold. Which was basically, on all accounts heard, a mammoth castle hidden inside an actual mountain!

Clay and Ruto had been the last to leave after tying up loose ends, which I gathered was getting rid of the bodies before the ‘human officials’ were allowed to enter. What this job actually entailed I really didn’t want to know, but for some reason visions of a great big vat of green steaming acid came to mind, with body parts melting on the surface. Of course, the less gruesome part of this vision was that it was painted in my mind in a cartoon style. Admittedly not quite Disney but leaning more towards Looney Toons, as come on, that shit was violent! It also made me wonder out of the two, who would be holding the big stick, getting to stir the dead bodies?

Now to Lucius, my silence during this time obviously meant that I was worried, which was why it was a few minutes later he said,

“They won’t get you again, Amelia, I can promise you, for nothing can break inside my winter home.” Yes, and nothing can break out of it either, I thought without saying anything. No, instead I nodded, and Lucius then left me to my thoughts, ones from the looks of things, he knew what they focused on.

Ten minutes later and my headache reminded me of what I still held in my lap. So, I opened up my water and took two tablets, after first gulping down half the bottle. Lucius watched me out of the corner of his eye and waited until I was done before telling me,

“I will heal you once I get you home.” It was such a caring statement I almost kicked myself for saying,

“Home?” Then he shot me a look and said,

“I’m sorry, did you want me to unearth that can of worms you so intently wanted buried?”

“Good point, moving on,” I replied knowing that if he wanted to refer to his home as such, then that was fine…fine, fine, just dandy, in fact and wasn’t even freaking me out in any way, shape or form…yeah right!

“Are you in a lot of pain?” he asked, and I found it sweet how this big broody Vampire King, who was a total badass and was, let’s face it, rude to most people, was now fussing over me because I had been hurt. So, I reached across the centre console and placed my hand on his thigh to squeeze before saying in an equally tender tone,

“I’m fine, really.” He didn’t comment at this, but simply nodded as if accepting it. Besides, it might not be completely true at the moment, as I was most definitely sore. But it would be fine when the tablets kicked in, so I didn’t think there was any harm in answering prematurely.

After this we sat in silence for a bit and I wondered why he kept glancing over my way, or more to the point at my lap.

“Are you waiting for something?” he finally asked and at first, I had no clue what he meant until he then nodded down to the bit of food I still had nestled in my lap.

“Do you mind if I eat in here?” I asked, to which he just gave me a pointed look.

“Are you hungry?” he asked in return.

“Yeah.”

“Then do you really think I would care more about this car than about my woman gaining substance and erasing some discomfort, something she would need after jumping into a freezing, fucking river from a Gods forsaken helicopter?” was his pissed off reply, making me want to ask if he was Bipolar at all.

“Erh…no?” was my own unsure reply.

“Fucking eat, Amelia,” he said making me now question,

“And if I hadn’t jumped into a…and I quote, ‘freezing, fucking river from a Gods forsaken helicopter’ would I get the same answer?”

“What do you think?” was his curt reply.

“Erm…no again?”

“Nice to know you catch on quick, Princess,” was his naturally dry response.

“I thought we agreed you wouldn’t call me that anymore.” At this he smirked and teased,

“No, we agreed that I would and often, but wait, what did you hear…not something different I hope?” he mocked making me sneer at him.

“Yes, because the way I heard it, every time you slipped up and did say it, then you had to bend over and let me spank your ass.”

“Yes, and that will be happening never,” he replied. I laughed and then folded my arms and asked,

“Now how do you know if you like it or not if you have never tried it?” he raised a brow at my teasing and said,

“I will remind you of that when walking you into my playroom.” At this I laughed, and in a way, I hoped wasn’t a foolishly naïve way of believing this was a joke, otherwise…oh Gods!

“Wait, don’t tell me, you’re a secret pinball junkie!” At this I received an unimpressed eyebrow raise.

“Board games.”

“Oh, there is a board, and once you step inside, most definitely something I will want to play with, now as for being considered a game, well, by the end of it I will most definitely consider myself the winner.” I had to say the erotic picture he painted now was one that had me swallowing hard and almost wishing for that room to be real…if it wasn’t already. Something that was starting to look more and more that way when he continued,

“Now, as for being addicted, the door does have a lock, so I am well and truly covered when it comes to getting my fix.” This statement ended with him winking at me and smirking when he saw me squirming in my seat, something he had also told me he enjoyed watching. Which is why for peace of mind on my part I shouted,

“You’re teasing!” A tone that said, I really hoped that he was, considering I was already nervous about walking in the place, let alone the potential surprises he had in store for me.

“Am I? For I wasn’t aware,” he said mockingly making me now nibble my fingertip again. Naturally he saw it and grinned.

“Now eat,” he ordered nodding down at my bag of chips and chocolate bar. So, I did as I was told, opening the bag slowly at least so the thing didn’t just explode open, spilling them all over what I already knew was a mega expensive supercar…because really, this was me here.

“What flavour are they?” Lucius asked after smelling the air like some hungry cartoon character. So, I held the packet at arm’s length and read the front,

“They are called, Chipsfrisch BBQ, so I am going to take a wild guess and say, smokey meat was involved.” This granted me another lip twitch, which I had to say, I was most certainly racking up tonight.

“Mm, I wonder when they will bring out a rare meat flavour,” he said and I laughed and said,

“What like the Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat, only I think Chipsfrisch may struggle with that one…what, you said rare?” I joked making him roll his eyes before pointing out the obvious,

“I also meant bloody.”

“Ah, but of course, I was forgetting your new pet name, my bloodthirsty warrior man,” I said nodding to myself and then picking up a handful of chips and stuffing them in my mouth.

“And may I enquire as to why you suddenly dropped the handsome?”

“You may enquire, yes,” I answered with a mouthful.

“And?” he pressed, continuing on the playfulness.

“Oh, you wanted me to tell you…it’s so you stay pretty and don’t get a big head…I’ve never seen you in a hat and with Christmas not too far away, well then I have to think ahead…get it, A head!” I said laughing at my own joke and then muttering the punch line to myself again as I took another swig of my water. I noticed him shake his head to himself again in that typical, what am I to do with my goofy girlfriend/ eternal life partner.

“Alright, well I will make it easy on you, I don’t wear hats and I don’t celebrate Christmas.” Okay, so talk about dropping a massive bombshell on a girl! He didn’t like Christmas?! Okay, so given what the origins of this particular celebration was, then yeah, I could understand considering I knew he had a real problem with Jesus Christ. But seriously, not even a tree?

“Okay, why do you now look like you’re about to cry?” he asked giving me a double look after needing to look at the road as he overtook what he considered to be a slow car. I, however, considered it a normal speeding car but hey ho.

“So, not even a tree, or a single stocking…not even one present?” I asked, with the sound of my voice telling him of my utter heartbreak.

“Trees are for outside, stockings to peel off a woman’s legs and I can buy whatever the hell I want, whenever I want, so why would I wait until a single day of the year in hopes of receiving it from someone else,” he said making me go completely silent, not even a crunch which promoted him to look my way.

“Gods woman, but you look like I just maimed your childhood teddy bear!”

“You lay a fang on Mr Smooney and we are so over,” I warned making him laugh before saying,

“Do I want to know why you slept with a spoon as a child?”

“Oh, he wasn’t a spoon, he was a moose,” I informed him, and he rubbed his forehead a little before asking in a strained tone,

“I know I am going to regret this, but why was he named this.” At this I laughed and said,

“Because he used to smoon me and I will give you all of one guess as to who named him this and I will even give you a clue, the moose was dyed green by the same person.” Lucius chuckled and said,

“Ah, it’s making sense now,” he said whilst checking his mirror to once again overtake.

“I miss my aunty Pip,” I said mostly to myself as I continued to munch my chips. Lucius shot me a look but didn’t comment, so instead I decided to continue the Christmas talk, testing the waters so to speak,

“So, it looks like I will be going home for the holidays then, oh but don’t worry, I will stay clear of the mistletoe,” I said before crunching some more and making him growl.

“You will be going nowhere!” he snapped, obviously furious at the idea.

“Well, it’s not like I can invite my family to spend Christmas with us, seeing as you are the Grinch’s long lost cousin and all.”

“Amelia, what in the Gods names are you talking about?” he snapped, again having no clue.

“What I am saying is what if I want a Christmas, are you going to refuse me something I have celebrated since I was born?” Lucius again looked thoughtful a moment and instead of giving me his answer, he decided to remind me yet again,

“I think this also constitutes as that can of worms, sweetheart.” I scoffed at this knowing he was so using this as an easy way out. But despite this, I didn’t reply. As he was right, it was most likely another argument for another day, one in the long list of arguments that was currently growing longer by day. But then again, I had to ask myself, could I really see Lucius spending any time with me and my family? Not even bringing into it the awkward ‘mother thing’, but mainly my dad who I was pretty sure wasn’t exactly going to warm to the idea of us dating any time soon!

Oh yeah, I could see it now, us all stood around the piano singing, with some very real nuts roasting on an open fire, although I could pretty much guarantee that they weren’t the type anyone wished to eat!

Gods, but this thought actually made me shiver, because that was one family announcement I didn’t ever want to make! Maybe an email was going to be in order.

A very short email. Something like…

Mum, Dad,

Guess what, I am dating…

Lucius.

Bye, love Fae.

This was why the next thought to form and make it out of my mouth was,

“Wow, we are going to have a lot of worms to sort out, aren’t we?” I commented making him mutter back in annoyance,

“Or step on.”

“I will pretend I didn’t hear that,” was my reply,

“And I will pretend that you did, whilst naked…” I shot him a questioning sideways glance.

“Well, whilst I am pretending, I might as well enjoy it to its fullest.” At this I burst out laughing, making him grin at obviously being able to make me laugh. I think this was one of the things that shocked me most about Lucius, he was actually a really funny guy, especially when he was teasing me. But then this was another shocker, how playful he was, and I had to say I was starting to become addicted to that side of him. Oh, but who was I kidding, I was addicted to all sides of Lucius even his growly side, because even when directed at me, it was still panty melting hot!

Which was why I found myself more and more trying to either make him laugh or I was trying to encourage more banter between us. Reason being why I looked down into my nearly empty bag of chips and smirked.

“Oh sorry, did you want any?” I asked now holding out the bag to him and like I said, after I had finished consuming most of the bag first. Lucius glanced over and then gave me a look as if I had just offered him dirt on a plate. Then he said,

“Ah, I see I get the scraps, you must love me indeed.” At this I would have laughed but instead I blushed to my roots, remembering how he had first heard those words being said. Or more like shouted at some random person.

“Aww come on, I will tell you what, how about I create a new flavour for you, I can let you bite my finger so I can bleed all over them and then we can call it BBQ Princess, Lucius Limited edition…sound good?” I asked loving the way he threw his head back and laughed, gifting me the sight of that sensational smile of his…another addiction of mine to confess.

“Ah, well now it is confirmed, you must really love me,” was his reply, making me smirk as I granted him a wink. Then I shook the bag at him in a tempting way which in the end despite all his teasing, he declined. So, I rolled up the bag and tucked it out of the way so I could move onto my next target. The best course…dessert.

“Are you aware that you are humming to your food?”

“But of course I am, its chocolate,” I said like this should have been obvious. Then I broke a few squares off my Milka Caramel Chocolate, and instead of just biting into it, I broke it open and started scooping out the dripping caramel with the tip of my finger before sucking on it. I did this a few more times before all that was left was a chocolate shell that I popped in my mouth. Then I repeated the process.

“Gods in Hell, grant me strength.” The sound of Lucius muttering to himself had me pausing just as the caramel was hanging off my finger. Then, just before I could pop my finger into my mouth, it was snatched from me and in between his lips in less than a second. Once there and held captive, he sucked on it, making sure to tease his tongue round to gather every sticky drop. Only then did he let me go.

“Mmm, delicious,” he said as though he really did enjoy it, and this was confirmed when he added,

“Save me some.”

“You like chocolate and caramel?” I asked with wide eyes.

“Melted and dripped over your body, then licked from your skin like I intend to do at the first chance I get, most definitely.”

“You’re teasing me again,” I stated, wondering if he was because his knowing grin told me differently. And besides, with Lucius I could never tell.

“We will just have to wait and see now won’t we, because look, we are almost there.” Lucius nodded to the first sign that said Königssee and I knew then that my time was quickly running out.

Because I hated to admit it, but instead of feeling as though I was coming home, I felt instead as if I was about to step inside a prison.

A prison as Lucius’…

Willing Captive.

10

Wrapped in Leather

Lucius

A short time after seeing the first signs for Königssee, I realised Amelia was more than just silently contemplating our arrival, questioning what would soon become her new home. But she was in fact, fast asleep. Not that I was surprised at this, as her mortal body had endured a lot throughout the night and it was bound to take its toll. However, it wasn’t her body that concerned me, although somewhat bruised and no doubt sore, it was her mental state of mind that was my biggest worry.

But of course, on the drive she had been her usual playful self, but I was no fool and knew this was a coping mechanism she defaulted back to when hiding the true nature of her feelings. Fears and doubts I had tried to get her to speak of during the journey in hopes of easing her hidden anxiety of the future.

But despite trying, I soon learnt that I wasn’t yet able to break through her defences and if I were honest, after what she had been through, then even I knew when not to push too hard. Because even the few fears she had mentioned, had given me more than enough food for thought. This being down to an array of questions I couldn’t yet give her the answers to, not in regards to what her future held.

Because I knew the depth of near desperation she clawed at, one that would enable her to try and keep the life she had built for herself around her.

Her safety zone.

But seeing as I knew that the truth would only panic her more, I refrained from answering her questions, as keeping her old life would simply be impossible. Because in reality, she simply couldn’t have both. No matter how much she believed she was able to merge the two lives, she just couldn’t be my queen and continue her ‘normal’ and safe little mortal existence in a world that was as far from my own as you could physically get. So, I knew the day would come that she believed she would have to choose. But what she didn’t yet know was that it had in fact been chosen for her a long time ago.

For she was mine.

And I sure as shit wasn’t letting her go, not even if she begged me to do so. No, instead I would simply spend my time trying to convince her that she wanted this new life more than her old one. But my plan was simple and based on the hope that it wouldn’t come to that, not when I was intent on making Königssee a home for her. Which meant surrounding her with the things that made her comfortable and at its most basic nature, manipulating her mind until it forgot all about the world she’d left behind.

For I would become her safety zone.

I had hoped spending more time at Transfusion had been the key into easing her into the new life I had planned for her, but well, that plan had literally crumbled and was no doubt still crumbling as these thoughts assaulted me. My anger at this made my hands tighten dangerously on the steering wheel. Because I didn’t like it that my options had practically been taken from me and now I had less time to put my plan into motion. Because I had a list in my mind, a list of her fears that I needed to conquer and now fucking Christmas being one of them!

Gods, but just her look of disappointment when I told her I didn’t celebrate the fucking pointless holiday, one that left nothing but disdain in my mind. Oh, but there had been times in the past that I had let Pip decorate the place as she saw fit, knowing that left to her own devices, she would have done far worse. But other than this and giving her the day off to celebrate alone with her husband being the usual practice that time of year, then it was just another fucking day in my eyes.

But speaking of eyes, well, I couldn’t then help but remember the way hers had gotten wide and beseeching, after hearing what she no doubt classed as a character flaw of mine. Well, then it almost made me want to swallow my fucking words and choke on them and with it that fucking smelly tinsel shit mortals seemed to love putting on fucking trees!

Oh yeah, the drive had most certainly ended up adding to my already mounting list of shit I had to try and figure out. But I knew the problem was one of my own doing. This was thanks to my actions seven years ago that had given her the last push away from her own people that she had needed. I had been the one who had pushed her into embracing the mortal world and therefore foolishly managing to sever ties between her’s and my world too.

Her energy was then spent on building the safe one she believed she had independently built. And now I just had to figure out a way to tear it down without her even knowing. I had to destroy her world and rebuild it around my own, doing so in a way that she wouldn’t even notice until it was too late. Until she was so deeply entwined in my net that she couldn’t escape it even if she wanted to. I wanted to consume her world and make it all about my own.

This was my plan.

It always had been.

Granted that during this drive I had taken the opportunity to discover the obstacles set against me, something admittedly she had given me very little to go on, other than playing with Lego, having a constant supply of her favourite cereal and spilling shit on a rug, something I hadn’t understood in the slightest. Oh, and then there was her all-important pop culture obsession, which was one problem I knew how to solve, with the aid of a little expert help of course.

But then there were harder aspects to face, like her job and apartment, both of which I knew she was attached to in a way that wouldn’t be as easy to dislodge as I’d first hoped. And now there was bringing her here, which I knew from only one panicked look she viewed as being more of a prison than a potential new home.

I confess, that knowing she felt this way was a blow, not to my ego but solely in a sentimental way. For it was true, I was greatly attached to my home, knowing that throughout all my years on this Earth, Königssee had been the first and only place I felt connected to. And in such a way that became rooted to my soul.

Naturally, being who I was, I wasn’t a sentimental person by any means, but with this place, well there was always the exception. But then I had to force myself to view this from her point of view. And seeing as she had fought herself on whether to try and run from me or not, doing so since being at Transfusion, then by being here now simply took that option away from her. An option I didn’t believe she truly wanted in the first place, but that was beside the point for it wasn’t the outcome she was looking for, but simply the choice.

Choices in her life she was quickly losing control of making. Because it was true, I was rapidly taking them from her one by one and if I wanted her to eventually admit defeat and submit to me fully, then I needed to slow the fuck down. No matter how much my dominant and selfish ways were screaming at me to simply take, take, and take, until everything that was her was mine.

Which meant I had to give her the illusion that she had a choice when really, she didn’t. But then I knew it was like breaking something beautiful and then expecting her to trust me to put it back together the way she wanted. When in reality, I would only do so the way I wanted, with the picture of her being the same, but then placing it inside a box for safe keeping.

Because yes, she was perfect for me and I wouldn’t have changed one Gods be damned thing about her. But all that surrounded her, yes, I would change it all.

She wanted to be free, whereas I wanted what was mine safe and pretty much locked away in a clear glass cage she couldn’t see. But she wasn’t stupid, far from it and knew the true nature of Königssee. For it was a fortress I controlled and one she would have no way of escaping. Gods, but I was a sick bastard seeing as that thought alone had me growing hard.

And deep down she knew this.

Now, as for her family, then yeah, I agree that shit was going to be awkward. Me and Dom had history that was like a fucking thorn bush overgrown with far more thorns than flowers. And then there was Keira, who for me, the past had been a mere flicker in time.

Amelia was my eternity.

But Amelia didn’t know this, and I knew making her believe it would be my biggest challenge yet. But that wasn’t to say that Keira meant nothing to me. As like I said that history may have been a mere flicker but the respect I held for her now was down to what she had gifted me… My Chosen One.

And as much as it fucking pained me to admit, then in turn Dom also deserved that same respect, even though I was pretty sure he would want to rip my fucking dick off when he found out about who his daughter was to me. Did I care, Hell no. Would it ever happen, fuck no!

I was Dom’s equal in a fight and he fucking knew it! But my winning hand over him and his fucking rash temper was something he could never ignore. I had saved his Chosen One’s life more than once and in doing so had made her one of my turned. Meaning that like all my people, she was literally bound to my life, one Dom would not ever dare risk taking. For I was her Sire.

So yeah, to say shit was complicated was an understatement and one I knew Amelia would struggle with far more than I. But then again, I knew my ties to Keira in the past had only been because of what the Fates knew she would one day grant me. So, they had used me to protect her, just like the rest of the Kings who had found their Chosen Ones thanks to their ties to Keira.

And mine had been their fucking daughter! Talk about a fucking cosmic joke, one I would kill over if ever I heard a single being laugh about it. But it was a fated connection even Keira knew about and thankfully encouraged, after of course she first tried to kick my ass when she discovered it. But then Amelia had only been sixteen at the time and still considered a child by both of us. So, I vowed to protect her and keep my distance until after she was of age, as was best for both our sakes. Because even though my connection with her was strong, even at that age, I wanted a woman in my bed, not a naïve, spoiled girl who was still yet to discover the world.

Meaning it was a promise to Keira I made easily but then as the years had gone by, that promise turned into my own vow, for the timing was never right. Something I was now starting to regret, for at the time I had made a deal with Keira to wait until after she was twenty one, before I came to claim her. Also stating explicitly that I would be doing so with or without Dom’s fucking approval!

But that time had come and gone, allowing her to not only discover the world, but forge her own into a comfort she was still now clinging on to. And really, after all she had been through since that box turned up in her life, then could I blame her?

Then again, thinking back on all she had endured and overcome in a way that I could have never imagined she would, then she was nothing short of astonishing! I thought I had known her. I thought I had seen it all where she was concerned. I had watched her life from afar and been arrogant enough to believe that I knew her inside and out. Gods, but how wrong I had been.

I remember all the times I had been handed a daily report on her routine, most of it very much the same as the day before. It was mundane and more than anything else, it was safe. Mainly because I made it that way and wouldn’t have allowed it to be any other way. But as for everything else, then I would watch as her mortal life blossomed around her into something so far from my own world, I worried when the time came how she would cope.

Well, those fears were well and truly ground to dust, from not only witnessing her bravery firsthand, or the fact that she was clearly able to handle herself in a fight, but mainly from the second I saw her getting off that shitty bike, all dressed in leather and shaking her hair from that helmet as though she was some fucking warrior woman getting from her horse after conquering the battle.

And as much as I had been furious with her for risking her life like that, I was also in fucking awe of her as well! She had indeed saved the fucking day and one glance behind her seat to see the box sitting there and not in the hands of my enemies, then her courageous actions couldn’t be ignored.

But like I said, hearing her account of events, I swear to the Gods, it had nearly sent me into a rage. The only things that held me back, was one, I didn’t wish to frighten her, and two, she was finally safe, alive and within my reach to touch, something I found increasingly difficult not to do. Because the second I got her in my arms, I felt my world and soul right itself again. However, the moment I got her in the car, I could focus better and what I scented made me want to growl. She smelled of two things, the river Isar and of another male, one of which was driving me to near fucking insanity!

So, instead I focused on her conversation, which was playful and lighthearted, which still surprised me given the circumstances. Reason being why I endured and tried to ignore it the best I could, all the while feeling like some wild beast needing to stake my claim. And well, short of pissing all over her, which I was almost certain was a sure way of getting my balls kicked… or knowing her, my arm broken… then I knew it would have to wait. Because I needed her in my bed, with more of my blood in her system and my seed leaking out of her sweet core. Only then would this calm my primal and demonic instincts.

But then we had stopped for fuel and thank my fucking sanity that we had, for two wonderous things had happened next. One that had quickly led onto the next. I thought back to it now, glancing over at her sleeping form and remembering how she gallantly defended my honour to some clueless, insignificant mortal. Yes, for anyone to insinuate that I had harmed her in such a way had pissed me off, for I would rather cut off my own fucking hand than lay it on her in anger.

However, her words had started to penetrate and when they did, they cut to the core and would stay there forever. And it looked to be that I hadn’t been the only one this had happened to. As it started with a list of my past actions and what they had meant to her. This telling me instantly that I had also cut to her own core in the best way possible and remained there ever since…a place I very much intended to fucking stay!

But then I had never been affectionate with a woman before and romance wasn’t exactly something I believed myself capable of. In the past, I had picked a female, fucked her and then swiftly moved on after sating the sexual thirst.

Then came Amelia and I found that these things weren’t something I needed to work on but found myself just…doing. She simply brought it out in me. Like when seeing her upset or worried, I had instinctively wanted to soothe her or hold her until her tears ran dry. But always done through choice, not as just some unspoken duty. I hadn’t once asked myself what to do or how best to act during these times. It had just been like a hidden part inside myself that she had dragged to the surface unknowingly.

Like when hearing her stomach growling, my instincts then had been to feed my woman and take care of her. Just like when she had been hurt, the need to heal her was one I ended up battling myself with, as I knew time was of the essence and I needed to get her safely situated inside my mountain home before anything else could befall her. After all, I had underestimated my enemies once, I most certainly wasn’t about to do that again!

But then this mission had gone out of the fucking window the second she had said,

‘Well, shame on you lady because you just accused one of the best Gods be damned people on this planet and the man, I love more than anything else in this world, so you should be ashamed of yourself!’

After that, then nothing in this world would have stopped me from claiming her, as a frenzied need had taken over all other senses. I was even surprised that I’d had enough thought of mind left to focus on bringing forth the demonic fog that surrounded my home in Hell. It was one that had the energy to destroy anyone who dare cross it, but topside, it only had the power to disguise and keep people at a distance without understanding why.

That way, I had been free to make her mine after I had also dealt with the mind of a single mortal, knowing that claiming Amelia was for my eyes only. And her passion had been fucking addictive to experience, for she may have been inexperienced in ways of the flesh, but she was by no means lacking in the bedroom.

She was naturally beyond compare and quite frankly, the best I’d ever fucking had.

But the lingering smell of another on her skin had still been fucking with my head. Something which had gotten mildly better once I could scent my seed seeping out of her. But then I was also a sadistic bastard for I enjoyed the way she squirmed in her seat whenever I knew she felt it there captured in between her legs and leather. Needless to say, that I spent the rest of the drive hard as the fucking rock I could see above the tunnel I was now driving into.

From a distance you couldn’t see much, and the secret access road was one no mortal would ever find. It was the only way in or out of my castle and again, you had to be welcomed or one of my turned to gain access.

As was the same with leaving and I instantly looked to my sleeping girl to know that there would be no escaping me now. I had to confess the thought put me at ease for the first time since she walked inside my club. One I had believed secure given the amount of security I had inside Transfusion. But if there was one thing I had learned about Amelia and it was that if she wanted something, then she would always find a way.

She was and mostly likely always would be…

My cunning little Princess.

I drove down the tunnel and soon found myself in my underground parking which mainly consisted of my private collection of classic cars. There was another level to this where others parked, but this one was all mine. It was an overly large, well-lit space with the raw mountain stone above us, that was neatly mirrored below on the spotless marble floor. The cars were staggered in their places for ease of access which I knew would have to change when the rest got here from my club’s own underground parking. Because this place was about to get packed and pretty quickly.

The only space that would remain was the central driveway, which was the one I made my way up now so I was close to the doorway. There were many different ways to go from here, depending on where you wanted to get to. My castle was a honeycomb of tunnels and passageways leading all over the place and an easy place for someone to get lost in. Another reason why I would be keeping my girl close whilst here. The other reason was as simple as I fucking wanted to!

However, one of the main tunnels led straight to my personal space, which was the largest natural cavern that had been transformed into practical and even comfortable areas that all connected. This made me wonder what Amelia would think of it when I finally led her down there. I knew that I could have done so now, but I didn’t think having her waking up in a cave was probably a good idea, not when I was trying to ease her into this new life. And I wanted to let her sleep, for I also knew how much her body needed it.

So instead, I cut the engine, and got out of the car, noticing as Ruto and Clay pulled in close behind the Lambo.

“Fuck me, but I can’t fucking wait to hear what your girl pulled this time.” This was Clay’s response as he got out of the car and when he slammed the door, I tensed and hissed,

“Shut the fuck up will you, she is asleep!” He winced a bit then leaned round me and saw that, thankfully, she was still asleep, meaning he felt free to comment once more,

“Well, if she didn’t wake to that, then I would say she is well and truly out for the evening.” I looked myself and had to agree, for she hadn’t moved.

“Were my orders carried out without issue?” I asked.

“Yes, my Lord, finally something went smoothly,” was Ruto’s reply.

“Yeah, about fucking time something went our way!” Clay replied and he looked again at Amelia and I swear I was a hairsbreadth away from knocking him out. Instead I sidestepped, putting myself in his line of sight and folded my arms across my chest before snapping,

“Can I fucking help you with something, Clay?!” At least he had the good graces to look contrite.

“Sorry Boss, just curious to know how that’s all.” I raised a brow but even Ruto then agreed, speaking up,

“We are all curious, Sire.” Now this did surprise me, as Ruto didn’t usually give a shit about most things, least of all mortals. But then again, she was to be my queen, which meant she would rule by my side one day and one day soon. So, perhaps this was why. Then again, with my council it was a belief that actions spoke louder than words and in Amelia’s case, well recently she had been nothing but action.

I released a sigh and said,

“She shot the pilot and jumped from the fucking helicopter.” This made Ruto’s black ringed eyes grow wide and Clay release a low whistle.

“Fuck me, Boss, your chick is hardcore!”

“That unfortunately isn’t where it ended,” I informed them sardonically.

“Gods, but what else did she do, blow up their base with stolen C4?”

“No, but had she had the means I wouldn’t have put it past her,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck with my hand, showing just how fucking tired I was at nearly losing my girl!

“She dragged herself out of the river Isar nearly naked, beat up a couple of punks, stole their clothes and a bike and then overtook me so that I could read the words spray painted on the back of her jacket, giving me a clue to follow her,” I said. Clay then looked to his side, thankfully at the car this time and then straightened to look back at me,

“She overtook you?”

“In the Lambo?” Ruto added making me growl low,

“I was following Bitch face, so I wasn’t exactly going my usual speeds,” I said arguing my point.

“Bitch face?” Ruto then enquired.

“Amelia’s name for Layla,” I informed him making him shrug his shoulders and agree,

“Mmm, that fits.”

“What kind of bike?” Clay asked this time and I suddenly wanted this conversation over with.

“A fucking dirt bike, alright!” I snapped making them both grin at each other.

“Right, well if you two have had your fun pointing out the fucking obvious, Clay, get the box and my sword to my private vault. Ruto, call a meeting, I need to get her settled first, but I want you all to be ready to discuss our next move,” I ordered, this time making them both really grin, and as I reached inside the car and lifted my beautiful bundle into my arms, Ruto asked,

“And our next move would be?” This was when I granted them both one more look before saying on a growl,

“My fucking revenge.”

11

Bruised Ego

Amelia

“Finally, you’re home, sweetheart.”

The second I heard Lucius’ voice whisper in my head, my eyes snapped open. I found myself in a room I had never been in before and quickly bolted upright, moaning in pain as I did. This was thanks to my bruised stomach. Fortunately, the room wasn’t too dark, as someone had left on what looked like a bathroom light. Which meant I could also see enough to tell me that it looked as though I was in a hotel room, making me wonder if Lucius had pulled over somewhere before we had made it to his castle.

Maybe he saw that I had fallen asleep and decided it was best to wait until morning. But then again, he also seemed pretty Hell bent on getting me there and with my safety being his main concern, it now had me questioning if I wasn’t already at Königssee.

I glanced around the room again and winced because when I scrunched my face up it hurt. Damn it but I really needed to start remembering about these stupid bruises! I also wondered where Lucius could be and why he had left.

I hated to feel needy here, but I did kind of just wake up in a place I had no clue as to where I was. And other than waking with his voice in my head, then I had been expecting a little more than just dumping me in some room somewhere and walking out the door. But then again, knowing Lucius, he probably had people to kill or at the very least, order to be killed. Well, he was my handsome bloodthirsty warrior man after all, I thought with a smirk.

But still, despite this argument in his defense I was having with myself, I had to say, it was a hit to my ego.

“Well, there is only one thing for it,” I said aloud before whipping back the covers and finding that other than my leather jacket, I was still wearing my stolen goods. I found this odd also, as I was sure Lucius would have wanted to get me out of these clothes as soon as he could.

In the end, I shrugged my shoulders and got up, ignoring the aches and pains my body was trying to complain about and padded over (as my boots were also gone) towards one of the windows. However, I soon discovered this was a pointless endeavour, as it offered me nothing. I then gave up squinting at the glass and walked over to the bathroom. I opened the door fully, which then managed to flood the room full of light and now offered me a better view of the space.

It also meant that I could find the light switch, which unsurprisingly was by the door. I raised the lights, as they were on a dimmer switch. This made not only the spotlights on the ceiling illuminate but also a feature wall that had a recess above it that cast a soft white glow downwards. This wall was covered in what looked like reclaimed wooden panels that had been painted with the black and white silhouette of a winter forest. Only with the light now shining down on it, ended up giving it a cool 3D effect.

The rest of the room was neutral colours, with dove grey walls and white and grey bedding, with a dark grey comforter covering the bottom of the bed. The bed was a plain wooden frame, one whitewashed to match the bedside tables. There was a large black rug on the floor underneath the bed so this was the first thing your feet touched when getting up in the morning, not the light grey tiled floor.

The bed also faced a floor to ceiling window that at first glance you would have believed might have been a door onto a balcony. However, it wasn’t and the view outside could have been facing a stone wall for how dark it was.

I decided to check out the bathroom and found it mirrored the bedroom décor. Grey tiles, white bowl sink, white roll top bath and slightly darker grey tiles in the shower. The only difference was like the rug in the bedroom, there was a single statement of black.

It was the onyx stone vanity top, one that the sink sat on top of as an overly large bowl. Once again, it looked like something you would have found in a fancy hotel and right now, after what I had been through, it was like finding Heaven. Especially when all I wanted to do was strip naked and wash every inch of my body until I no longer smelled like river water, weed and leather.

So, I did just that.

Of course, getting naked now and I had no choice but to see the damage for myself thanks to the large white framed mirror over the sink. I turned one way and then the other to see it was worse than I first thought. For starters, there was actually a boot shaped bruise forming sideways on my stomach and just under my breasts. But there was also a bruise on my upper thigh which looked to have grown in size and one on my elbow from my fall. There were also a few on my back, both by my shoulders and one just above my backside. I remembered that the one on my shoulders must have been from when he threw me to the wall. And the other must have been from when that bastard had held me down to the floor with his knee to my back.

Gods, but Lucius was going to freak!

This certainly made me get in the shower quicker, trying to get done and maybe wrapped in one of the robes I could see on the shelf before he came back. I mean, this was Lucius we were talking about, so I doubted I could hide it for long. But right now, well I just didn’t have the strength left in me to deal with the angry Vamp.

But oh, Gods in Heaven, just feeling the heat of the water on my aches had me moaning aloud and staying under the water longer than what was needed. I did find myself having to be gentle when washing my hair, so as not to forget about the lump I had there, doing the same when washing my body in gentle circles around my bruises. I also washed my face with my fingertips, even though I would have loved to have given it a good scrub. But hey, it was most definitely better than smelling as I did, even if I was now washing away the evidence of Lucius which he had demanded I leave behind.

I had to say but even the idea of washing him from my skin felt as if I was committing a sin, no matter how uncomfortable it had been in the car. But this was overridden by how much of a turn on it had been. It was so possessive and primal, it made me wish I had the time to pleasure myself whilst in the shower just thinking about it. Admittedly, I even checked to see if the shower head came off the wall but unfortunately not. Damn it, but what was with me since being with Lucius? Could I not even go a few hours without an orgasm!

Gods, but the man was addictive.

But then should I really be surprised? I mean this was Lucius I was talking about. The man I had been obsessing over like some religious cult I had unknowingly signed up to years ago. I laughed at the thought and turned off the water, purposely ignoring my sexual frustration. Then, after stepping from the shower and as I was reaching for my towel was when I heard it.

An angry growl.

It was one I knew well, so when my head eventually braved looking up, I knew what I would find before I found it.

“Lucius?” I whispered his name in question the moment I saw him stood in the doorway panting like some wild beast. He had both hands on the door frame and it was as if this was helping in holding him back. The rest of his body was leant forward beyond the frame in an intimidating way and one that made the large muscles at his shoulders and arms stretch the fabric to near splitting.

Gods, but what was it about this man that made his casual clothes look beyond amazing on him. The dark denim that moulded to his perfectly muscular thighs, the belt buckle that was just slightly bigger than regular but not overly stated like some wannabe cowboy. Then there was the way his black T-shirt was moulded to his muscular frame, like a second skin. One that was now raised slightly from the position of his arms that allowed me a tantalizing strip of skin to be seen at his waist. A strip of skin that was teasing me with the abundance of muscle and solid abs I knew were there barely hiding underneath.

Then there was the powerhouse of a man above all this in the sheer mass of upper body strength I could now see was barely holding himself in check. Even the doorframe started to give way in his hold, and I knew in that dangerous look of his, that he barely even registered the fact. Because that deadly gaze was rooted elsewhere and it wasn’t at my face, but at my body.

“Lose the towel,” he ordered, his voice strained and tight. I looked down at myself to see in fact he was right, I was now holding it to my front as if at some point my body reacted on its own accord in self-preservation. I looked back up at him in surprise, before my eyes changed and spoke of something more. A pleading, beseeching way that asked him silently not to do this. Because as much as I would have liked to have thought his reaction was one done out of arousal, I knew it wasn’t.

It was one bred from rage.

Because I knew what he had seen beneath this towel and that was the full extent of my injuries. A sight that had him seething mad and had quickly warped his once silver grey eyes into crimson pools of fire. Which was why I decided to add words to my gaze,

“Please Lucius, don’t do this”

“I said, lose the fucking towel!” he snapped back making me sigh and look down at myself knowing that there was no use in denying him. Not when he was like this and as much as I hated what I was about to show him, he would see it eventually. So, I did as I was told and let the fabric fall from my grasp, leaving my wet, bare bruised body for him to see.

I also heard the curse word being hissed from his lips, but I still couldn’t look at him. I wasn’t brave enough, not after tonight. But then I felt his presence get close and before I even had a chance to move, his finger and thumb were gripping my chin and he was forcing my head back.

“Look at me,” he demanded, at least somewhat softer this time. Which was why I did as he asked and looked. His eyes, even though still blood red and burning, at least managed to soften slightly or enough to know that he was capable even in his rage of being gentle with me.

“Amelia, my sweet, adorable girl…I…fuck…I am so sorry.” He whispered this last part after first hissing the curse, and I swear I did a double-take. Because I swear I just heard him apologize? But why? Why would he…oh, and finally this was when it hit me. I knew why he was furious. As yes, he no doubt wanted to kill the bastards that did this to me all over again, but right now, he was more angry with himself. Which was why I raised a hand to his cheek and stroked the pad of my thumb under his eye before doing the same across his lips. Then I told him in a soft voice,

“You have nothing to be sorry for, honey.” At this he closed his eyes and lowered his head to mine, holding himself utterly still and immobile. Doing so without touching me as if now he was afraid to. As if he would only end up hurting me more than what he irrationally believed he had. Then he confessed his thoughts and Gods, my heart broke for him,

“I took you hard…took you rough.” Of course, he was referring to the gas station.

“It’s okay, honestly you didn’t…”

“No! You don’t get to do that, Amelia,” he snapped making me flinch before I asked,

“Don’t get to do what?”

“You don’t get to ease my suffering when it is only yours that matters here.” I frowned at this before pulling back slightly, something he allowed because he still wouldn’t hold me.

“Why is it mine that only matters and excuse me, but I think you will find I was screaming my release right alongside you in that store, or did you forget…or better still, did you momentarily go deaf because of them?” I snapped making him growl,

“I could never forget.”

“Good, that means you will also remember, did I once ask you to stop?”

“Amelia.” My name was said in reprimand, but I was having none of it.

“Other than when you decided to try and freeze my ass off?” I added making his lips twitch, but I didn’t get the full smile that I had aimed for, as they soon turned back into a hard line.

So I pushed,

“Answer me. Did I ask you to stop, Lucius?” I asked, this time more forcefully.

“No,” he growled.

“And when I cried out, did I do so in pleasure or pain?” I asked, making him turn his face from mine.

“I don’t…”

“You remember, Lucius, so answer me,” I interrupted and when he wouldn’t answer me, I once more placed my hand on his cheek and forced him to look at me this time.

“You know the answer,” I told him again making him drag in a deep breath instead of answering me, so I told him,

“It looks bad, I know it does, but I am not made of glass, Lucius, despite being human, I am not as breakable as you or your kind would believe.” At this he finally looked up at me and said,

“It is my job to protect you, not hurt you.” Gods, but my heart ached for this man.

“You do protect me but more than anything else, you give me what I want and what I need, and right in that moment after I said I loved you… well, Lucius…I needed what you gave me,” I told him fervently before then crushing my lips to his and thankfully not having to wait too long before he took the hint and kissed me back, doing what he did best and dominating it. Then when I realised he still wouldn’t touch my body with nothing more than a gentle hand on my neck, one to hold me to him, I pulled back a little. Something he allowed, now being overly cautious with me. So, I told him on a whisper,

“So, give me what I need, Lucius.” At this he growled low and instead of doing as I asked, he unfortunately let me go. He quickly turned his back on me and raked an angry hand through his hair, one done out of frustration.

I would be lying if I said it didn’t hurt, especially after the tender moment we just shared.

“Fuck, Amelia! Why didn’t you stop me! Why didn’t you fucking say anything?!” he shouted in annoyance and I quickly snatched up my towel, ignoring the bite of pain as I did. Then I wrapped it around me, tucked it in at my breasts and without answering him, stomped my way out of the bathroom. Or at least I would have had the door not slammed shut before I had chance to. So, I just folded my arms over my towel covered chest and turned to face him.

“Open the door,” I demanded but he just mirrored my stance and folded his own arms, making me try really, really hard, to ignore the delicious way his biceps bunched…damn him!

“No,” he stated firmly.

“Fine, then do what the fuck you want!” I shouted back before walking over to grab another towel so I could start drying off my dripping hair, ignoring his irritated growls and standing purposely in front of the mirror. This continued for a few minutes before I heard him release a heavy sigh. Then I felt him step up behind me and I finally allowed my eyes to find his as his hands came to rest on the vanity top either side of me. Then he lowered his head to my shoulder so he could confess gently,

“I’m struggling here.” On hearing this I stopped breathing, holding my breath as I waited for more.

“I…fuck… all this…us…I am not used to these emotions, Amelia.” Once again it came out as a confession and one that eradicated all my anger before even his last word was uttered.

“It is beyond my control and…” the moment his sentence trailed off I couldn’t stand it, I had to ask,

“And…?”

“I think you get that I like control here, sweetheart,” he said, telling me something, like he said, I already knew.

“And me?” I braved the question.

“You are not something I can control, no matter how much I try.”

“Then stop trying,” I offered, making him laugh once without humour before he kissed my bare shoulder and lifted his head up to pin me with a knowing gaze.

“That, I am afraid, is not in my nature.”

“Then where does that leave us?” Again, it was a question that took all my bravery to ask, as I feared the answer.

“When one of us learns when to submit and the other learns patience for when it doesn’t happen,” he replied and I actually closed my eyes as his words hit me. That’s what he needed, my submission. I decided now was not the time to discuss this and because I didn’t have the answer he wanted, instead I reverted back to my greatest defence…

Humour.

“Fine, then I will learn patience as I wait for you to get down to your knees and worship me.” At this I saw the flash of his teeth as he grinned, before swiping away my wet hair and whispering in my ear,

“I have to say, Pet of mine, I like your idea of submission and look forward to seeing it…soon.”

“Good, I’ll get you a cushion.” To which he chuckled and kissed his way up my throat making me relax back and let out an involuntary moan. But then this ended in a shriek as I was suddenly swept up in his arms and carried from the room, after he made the door open on its own of course.

“Where are we going?”

“I am going to give you what you need,” was his husky toned answer and I sucked in a deep breath having to stop myself from muttering up a thank you to the Gods. But then something in my face must have given away my thoughts as he lay me down gently on the bed before placing a fist either side of me. Then, whilst looking down at me, he said in that annoyingly knowing tone of his,

“To heal you, Pet, not fuck you.” At this I rolled my eyes at him and tried to squirm out of his space, which he wouldn’t allow. I knew this when one hand came to my neck to still me and his head lowered, all the while holding his body weight up with one arm. It was as if he was doing a one armed press up with his body at an angle seeing as his feet were still on the floor.

Gods, but just the sight had me near panting and flooded my mind with delicious images of him in his training room. Of course, in this flicker book of sexiness he was always shirtless and holding something heavy enough that it tensed his muscles. Or maybe he was just beating the shit out of a punching bag before coming to me to throw me over his shoulder, his sweaty shoulder. Oh, but there was always the option of him tripping me up and lowering me to the floor and making love to me on the mats like he promised.

Okay, so I was most definitely starting to see the benefits of letting him train me in his style of fighting, especially if it ended in one of my sexual fantasies.

Now making me wonder when he was just going to crawl up over me already! But instead of doing as I was screaming at him in my mind to do, he gently ran his nose up along my cheek, the one not bruised, and asked me in that dangerously seductive tone of his,

“Did you just roll your eyes at me…again?” At this I smirked and lifted my head as much as his hold on my neck would let me. Then I said in a challenging voice,

“Yeah, I did, so what you gonna do about it…stud?” At this his lips twitched as he fought a grin and told me…

“Oh sweetheart, you have no fucking idea!”

12

Tree of Death

Cold…I was so cold.

I don’t know what had happened but when I opened my eyes, I found myself outside surrounded by snow and a near crumbling arched wall. I gasped at the sight before me, asking myself had I been sleepwalking? By the Gods, but it was one of the most spectacular sights I had ever seen, like stumbling into some winter wonderland that was equal parts exciting as it was disturbing.

It was that eerie silence that was as if the entire world around you had been put on pause, for not a single thing moved. Nothing that was, but me. It made you feel like an intruder. As if nothing living was welcome here and as stunning as it was, you had to decide if seeing it was worth what it could potentially do to you. The secrets it held. The memories written into the very stone that surrounded it. It was as if the entire garden was an entity of its own and its spirit started to warn you against entering its domain without its master’s permission.

It was a feeling so strong that it made me wonder if a witch was involved or was it some kind of casting that Lucius himself had someone put in place. Either way, I decided to brave it as the sight of the place was just too alluring to ignore.

I started to scan the vast space, starting along the wall that framed this secret winter world. It was one that seemed to be held together by the roots of some fallen tree. Either that, or it was the thickest vine I had ever seen that ran along the top of the wall. A wall that framed a truly incredible space and one you would never expect to find here.

The garden didn’t hold much in way of design. Nothing more than snow covered hedges that seemed to line the wide walkway in the centre. Something that led to a single dead tree in the middle that was all twisted roots and beaten bark that was nearly as white as the snow that surrounded it. But the difference was the shape, as its base was big enough to actually fit people inside, as it was hollowed out. It also had a sizeable opening facing me and one that looked as if an age ago some beast had ripped it open at the belly and peeled back the edges to create a door.

Despite its harrowing appearance I found myself drawn to it. And even though it was dead there was a startling beauty about it and I couldn’t help but find myself taking my first steps in its direction.

So, I walked closer, feeling the cold penetrate my bare feet as though I was stepping on icy shards, something in itself that should have stopped me. But despite this, I still continued on, feeling compelled to do so as if something inside its bare core was calling me to it.

I walked down the centre walkway, briefly looking to the side and expecting the view of the mountains from the strength of the moon’s light. It was the brightest I think I had ever seen and it lit the whole garden in a midnight bluish glow that made the floor sparkle and glisten. The only sound to be heard was the crunch of snow beneath my own feet, and one I made with each footstep I took.

It was surprising then that by the time I made it to the tree, the faint sound of laughter could be heard. It was almost as if a ghost had made the sound and I frowned before whispering the only name I could think it belonged to,

“Mum?” I asked, knowing that I would have recognized her laughter anywhere. It was just so familiar to me that I even found myself running my hand along the bark, as if this action too was also familiar. As if I was actually stepping into history and being led to do this by someone in the past that was trying to pull my presence back there. Could these have been the actions of my own mother, some 30 years ago?

This thought made me shiver as it was far from a pleasant thought for obvious reasons. The story went that Lucius had kidnapped my mother and held her ransom for something he wanted in return from my father. By this point they had been enemies for a while, since the second world war, so it stood to reason that my father wasn’t Lucius’ biggest fan.

But once again I knew little of the details as it wasn’t like anyone was telling me anything of the past. I knew this was to shield me in some way but to shield me against what, was another question. But then, looking around my surroundings now, and I felt anything but shielded. For starters, I didn’t even know how I’d gotten here and I looked down at myself to find I was wearing Lucius’ black T shirt and for once my usually tanned skin was deathly white.

But then my heart froze, and my fingers curled, with my nails scraping against the bare tree. Because this time when I heard the ghost of laughter, it most certainly didn’t belong to my mother. My head whipped one way and then the other as I tried to search out the cause, my loose hair fanning to the sides and looking even darker than usual.

Then I heard it,

“You don’t have his love.” I frowned and narrowed my eyes as I tried to find the person that would dare question how Lucius felt about me. The whole garden was vast in its size and went far beyond the tree, with what looked like a thickly dense woodland at its end. I knew then that the voice had come from that direction and I looked back over my shoulder at where I knew was the safety of the castle.

“You don’t believe me…come…see…for…yourself.” The voice spoke again, in a taunting way that had my teeth on edge. I wanted to discover who it was, I really did, but then something inside me was screaming in my mind that it would have been a mistake. That it was what they wanted, and they were using my fears against me. So, I pushed away from the tree and instead of being fooled into going nearer to the forest, I stepped away from it. I turned back towards where I knew I could gain access back inside but after one footstep the next voice I heard was directly behind me, making me silently scream,

“The silent garden wants your blood…and it will take it!” This last part was hissed at the same time I felt a painful hand take hold of my shoulder and turn me suddenly. I was whipped around with force giving me no other choice but to face my stalker in the night. A blood red cloaked figure stood looking down at me with a hood framing nothing but ominous darkness. Then two white eyes started to glow, and I opened my mouth to scream but yet again, the sound was stolen from me.

“This place will feed from your screams young one, and the tree of death will feed from the blood of Kings…once it has been found.” A voice spoke from within the darkness of the hood and I shivered in the spirit’s grasp. Then it raised a rotted hand, one made of nothing but chipped and hacked bloody bone, barely buried beneath burnt flesh. Blunt, bloody fingertips void of nails, gruesomely looking as if the tips had been chopped off. I thought the sight a sickening one but as it pointed towards the tree I screamed again with no luck of a soul hearing it, for the spirit had been right.

The garden had stolen my scream.

A scream that should have disturbed all life around me had there been any, as the horror that faced me was worthy of the reaction. For the tree had been transformed and mutated into the stuff of nightmares! Gone was the alluring tree of stark beauty, now being replaced by one of death as it was covered in so many dead bodies it was hard to make out where one began and another ended. Pieces of people all wrapped around it and held in place by thorns of the likes I had never known. Its spikes were impossibly big, like daggers that had managed to pierce right through even the thickness of thighs, pinning them to the wood in a bloody mess. The whole tree was covered in blood as it seemed to pour down from the branches, overflowing over the bodies and pieces of people, I thankfully couldn’t make out.

It was the most grotesque sight I had ever seen in all my life and I fell backwards, ripping myself from the hold of its bearer, the one who wanted me to witness this nightmare. Then, just as I started to fall in a slow motion, doing so now as if time had slowed right down, the person spoke one last time,

“The blood of Kings must be spilled…

“Soul bearer.”

13

Finger of Punishment

I woke with a start, but I wasn’t screaming like I thought I should be. No, instead I just had my mouth open as if I had wanted to do it, but my voice had been robbed from me. A sight that I could imagine was nothing short of creepy. Especially when finding me suddenly awake with my eyes opened wide with fright and my mouth open agape, screaming with not a sound penetrating the air. Well, it was no wonder I was just glad a certain someone hadn’t woken up and seen it.

And speaking of that certain someone…

Lucius was still asleep next to me with an arm still curled around my waist and a hand curled possessively at my hip. I had to say that the sight and feel of it there certainly helped to make me feel safe, which was why I sucked in a deep breath before releasing it again.

It had been nothing but a dream. Just a stupid dream that’s all and one most likely as a result from the night I’d been through. But I knew instantly it was one that would rid me of sleep for the rest of the night and I looked to the window to see that it wasn’t yet near to morning. So, instead of disturbing Lucius with my fidgeting, I decided to get up and use the bathroom. Besides, I could imagine that after the night Lucius had also had, then he could most definitely do with the sleep.

So, ever so gently I lifted his arm, knowing I had a chance to escape when it felt like a dead weight in my hands. Then I shifted from under it before placing it back down on the bed as gently as I could. After this I grabbed the first thing I could feel and put it on, before quietly tiptoeing to the bathroom, only putting on the light after I was inside, and the door was closed.

Once inside I used the toilet at the far end as it was tucked away behind a wall. Then I started thinking back on what had happened before Lucius had exhausted me enough for me to basically pass out on him. As it turned out, Lucius’ punishment wasn’t a spanking to my ass, as was per his usual threat. No, this naturally was because I wasn’t yet healed. Something that was established earlier as being a definite sore spot for him. So instead, he decided a more fitting punishment for me was more of the prolonged suffering kind…sexually speaking.

Now it has to be said this wasn’t fun for me, that was until he finally allowed it to be very fun for me. Something that started with him sitting upright in the bed and the second I also sat up to give him space, he snagged me under the arms before dragging me up to him. This ended with my back being held to his chest and sat in between his legs with us both now facing the window. This was also when I started to squirm.

His answer to this was by way of banding an arm across my chest as his other hand collared my throat. I sucked in a quick breath and this time, it wasn’t in fear or trepidation, it was pure lust. It was such a dominant hold that it had me swallowing hard, something he could feel sliding down his palm.

“Ssshh, my captured little bird, it’s time for me to play with you,” he whispered seductively, making me actually feel like some erotic pet of his. Then, in one swift action, my towel was gone and a girly shriek followed. And well, if I thought I was squirming before, then now I was really moving, something that seemed to amuse him greatly. But I also noticed with the way he held me, that he was avoiding hurting me further by staying clear of my bruises, which was why when I didn’t still, he whispered,

“Be still, or you will hurt yourself.” I did as I was told, because he was right, I needed to stop twisting and force myself to relax. After he was assured that I wasn’t going to move again, his arm over my chest relaxed too before his gloved hand went exploring. The feel of leather clad fingers caressing gently over my skin felt amazing and soon had my head falling back against his shoulder. I knew he was looking down the length of me and with his head angled to one side, that obviously gave him the best view, he muttered,

“Fucking exquisite.” Naturally, I blushed at the compliment, before releasing a series of soft moans when his hand cupped my breast, testing the weight in his palm before digging his fingers in for a firmer hold. Then he started plucking at my nipple, one already hard from being exposed to the cool air and I swear my moans increased in speed and volume. I even found myself arching my body and therefore pressing the round soft flesh firmer into his hold. But then with his other hand still shackled around my neck, he held me to his shoulder so I couldn’t move too far.

“Now for your punishment, my pet,” he hummed against my cheek before swiping at me with his tongue and kissing the wet mark he made. At the same time his hand left my heaving chest and my now beautifully abused nipple so it could travel further south. But his journey took him along my ribcage and then to my belly, where his feather light touch caressed the worst of my bruises, making me feel so protected that I released a breathy sigh.

“I wish I could have been the one to make him suffer, for no one marks my beauty and no one touches what is mine and lives to recall the memory…now spread those pretty thighs for me,” he said making me try and take in all the things he’d just said but other than asking me to open my thighs, I couldn’t think. Which meant like the good girl he owned, I did as I was told, letting them fall open. I thought that this would be enough and waited for the moment that his leather hand would snake further down to where my sex was exposed. Something that was both exhilarating and shameful at the same time, messing with my emotions.

“Good girl, now spread yourself for me,” he whispered in my ear and I tensed in his hold.

“Wwhhat?” I asked again on a stutter, one he chuckled at.

“I said spread yourself for me.”

“But I…No, I can’t do…” Again, I tried for words.

“Yes, you can, and you will…now start by touching yourself,” he demanded more forcefully this time and when I still didn’t move, he reached across me and took hold of my wrist. Then he brought my own hand to the juncture of my open thighs and even extended a finger before placing it at my core. Then he applied enough pressure that he swiped my finger through my folds, gathering up my obvious arousal before raising it up for him to see it now glistening on my soaking wet finger.

“Mmm, too tempting not to taste,” he said before forcing me to bend my arm and bring my hand to his lips, so he could suck in my slick finger. His tongue swirled around the digit and it soon became his turn to release a moan. Then he let my finger go with a pop and said on a growl,

“Fucking delicious!”

After one last wet lick with his tongue, he forced my hand down and said,

“Now again, only this time, fuck yourself and feed me from your dripping core.” I shuddered at his crude demand finding that ‘my core’ just gushed with even more arousal thanks to his rough and sexual demand of me. So, with his forceful guidance, yet again I was made to touch myself, only this time he angled my finger in the right spot and using his own fingers against mine, forced two digits inside, making me finger myself. Then once he pumped them a few times, causing me to cry out at the building sensation, he pulled them free and fed from them again.

And this was to become the start of my torture.

Over and over again I was made to repeat this action, and each time he would force me to pleasure myself for longer and faster, letting it cruelly build until again pulling my hand away from completion. Then his mouth would suck and lick every bit away before guiding it down once more.

“Please.” I ended up begging and I could feel his pleased grin against my cheek. Only instead of granting me my request for him to let me make myself come, his hand left the column of my throat. He did this so he could play with my breast, making me cry out even more, as the pleasure became almost too much to bear. But yet, it still wasn’t quite enough to push me over the edge and he knew it, the bastard!

“Say it again,” he said as his hand worked me with my own, this time paying more attention to my clit.

“Please,” I uttered as I felt it building but then the second the word was out, he forced me to stop.

“No! Please, please Lucius, don’t stop, don’t be so cruel,” I pleaded making his chest rumble with a different type of growl this time.

“But I am cruel, Amelia, it’s who I am…it’s what the Devil made me,” his Demon whispered and this time when I shook against him, it was his Demon that cooed me,

“Ssshh, my delicious one, a feast for the eyes and for my tongue must be rewarded…now, say it again like I asked.” This time he went back to working me but stopped directing me with his fingers as they were no longer over my own. No, instead he started running his leather fingers up through my dripping wet folds and I swear I was close to meowing and crawling up him like a damn cat!

“Please…oh no, please don’t stop, I am doing as you asked!” I cried out in dismay when his hand shackled my wrist and started to pull it away and damn him, I had been so fucking close!

“That is not what I want to hear you say, sweetheart,” Lucius whispered down in my ear before biting it a little and adding a clue,

“Now, tell me what I really want to hear…said only to me this time.” This was when it finally hit me, and he let go of my wrist and urged me to continue as he started to do the same, so we were both now working the tight bundle of nerves. So, I turned my head, to reach his ear and told him,

“I love you, Lucius.”

This was when his reply was to finally grant me what I was desperate for. Only added to it was when he suddenly inserted a finger inside my channel, fucking it and fingering me with incredible speed. I rubbed my clit only a few more times before I was coming, doing so now by screaming out my release for the power of it felt as if it could tear me apart!

But this wasn’t enough for Lucius as he was far from done. Something I discovered when he pulled back a little from behind me, so he had room to bring his own wrist to his mouth. I only caught a glimpse of this before he was placing his bleeding wrist to my mouth and telling me in a forceful, demanding tone,

“Now drink me down, my love, and come again!” Then I had no choice but to do both, as he added an extra finger at the same time thrusting his wrist to my lips and snarling,

“Open your fuckable mouth and drink!” I did as I was told and the second I did, he groaned in pleasure behind me, making me feel the abundance of muscles at my back all tense from his own pleasure gained at having me feed from him. But soon this became a shadow of my own, for once again, I was screaming out yet another release, one not as strong as the first but one that lasted a lot longer. I ended up convulsing as I rode each wave of pleasure that assaulted me, at the same time drinking down as much of his blood as he wanted me to have.

Then, before I knew what was happening, he tore his wrist free and grabbed a fistful of my hair before yanking my head to one side.

“Again! Give me another one!” he shouted and just before I could utter in protest that it would be impossible, he swooped down and sank his fangs into my neck and feasted on my blood, and at the same time added yet another finger.

I cried out at the double assault, as he fucked me harder with the extra intrusion, one that made my insides clamp down on him, and I screamed in pleasure with the sensation he created when touching what felt like every erotic nerve. Then with his thumb he worked my clit himself, as I had nothing left in me to do anything but sit in his hold and let him take complete control.

Unsurprisingly, a few seconds later I was screaming my release up at the ceiling in such a powerful orgasm that my vision blurred, and my body started to sag. This was obviously Lucius’ cue to stop and he retracted his fangs, making them slide out of my pierced skin. I vaguely felt him licking up the mess he had made and when he softly whispered down at me one last order, I could do nothing in my power but to obey,

“Sleep now, my sweet, tasty love.”

14

The Beast Awakens

I finished on the toilet and walked over to the sink to wash my hands, still deep in thought and only just noticed that my bruised face was no more.

“Ha!” I said making a happy noise as I lent closer to the mirror and at the same time prodding at my cheek and nose, where the worst of it had been. Then I straightened up and looked down at myself, lifting up Lucius’ T shirt to check out the rest of my body. I was rewarded by the sight of unmarred skin, and even poked at my stomach just to check, smiling when I felt no pain.

In fact, I was still smiling when I looked back up at myself and the sight that welcomed me, quickly snatched it away and replaced it with a scream.

“Lucius!” I shouted his name in fright as there he was, a looming figure behind me, completely naked and looking less than happy. Actually, he looked positively pissed off! Then he took the last steps into me, doing so from behind and crowded my space. This in turn meant that I had no choice but to step right up to the slab of marble, putting my hands out on the cool stone so as to steady myself.

“Have to say, Princess, not a fan of waking up and finding you gone,” he said in a dangerous tone and I knew I was in trouble seeing as I was back to being ‘Princess’. Something I had quickly learned was a sure sign.

“I just…well, I just needed to use the bathroom,” I said in a shocked voice.

“Then you wake me.” I frowned at this, totally blindsided,

“Erh…come again?” I asked, now making my dumbfounded state fully known. This was when he leaned in close and said,

“You heard me. If you wake up, then you fucking wake me!” he snapped making me now narrow my gaze at him,

“Are you serious?”

“Deadly,” was his single word hissed back at me and my next question was a toss-up between ‘why’ and ‘are you fucking insane’! Thankfully, the first one won, seeing as he was seething mad.

“Why?”

“Why? Because I fucking said so that’s why, because when your body is in my bed, then your ass is abiding by my rules,” was his infuriated reply.

“Your rules?” I questioned with a little shake of my head, thinking that this was totally barbaric behaviour.

“Yes.”

“Your rules?” I asked again, needing this repeated in case I did, in fact, believe I was the one that had gone insane and was now hearing shit. But it was at this point that his hand curled around my waist, fisted his fingers in his own T shirt I wore and yanked me back hard against him.

“My. Fucking. Rules!” he said this time growled against my cheek.

“That’s wacked!” I said making him snarl.

“No seriously, I don’t know what is worse, the fact that I am getting reprimanded for not waking you up because I needed a piss, and may I add was considerate enough not to wake you, or the fact that you have a set of rules I must abide by if I am to be in your bed!” I shouted, losing my own damn temper now!

“Okay, sweetheart, then let me fucking elaborate this for you. I am not a fan of waking up in a fucking panic to find you not there and fearing the worst only a few hours after…the worst fucking thing happened and you were taken from me! that is one!” Okay, so he was making somewhat of a point here, even if he was using his super scary voice to say it.

“Secondly, seeing as it is you and you are my Chosen One, a person who I think you will get by now, means the most to me in this fucking world, then yes, in my bed, you come with fucking rules!” he snapped only I managed to focus on only one part of that as I asked,

“I mean the most to you in the whole world?” At this he closed his eyes and groaned down at the floor, as if speaking directly to Hell this time,

“But of course, that is the part she focuses on.”

“Oh, I am sorry, would you like me to go back to focusing on the part where my boyfriend is being totally irrational and barbaric?!” I snapped back, now trying to dislodge his hold on me, something that wasn’t exactly working out the way I’d hoped.

“You really think that after tonight my request is irrational?” Again, this question was snapped at me in annoyance.

“Request?” I said knowing that this was bloody far from it!

“Demand,” he reiterated, now using one more fitting with both his mood and his irrational needs.

“So, let me get this straight, you seriously want me to wake you every time that I want to get out of the bed, even if it’s just to take a piss?”

“Even if it’s to take a piss,” he repeated making me shake my head before telling him,

“That’s crazy.” To which he shrugged his shoulders and said,

“My bed, my rules.” I frowned back at him through the mirror where this strange and totally ‘beyond my normal world’ argument was taking place and said,

“Okay, so I guess I am not sleeping in your bed anymore.” Then I shrugged my shoulders and tried to move from his hold, one that told me not a chance when his arms tensed around me.

“Newsflash for you, sweetheart, any bed you find yourself sleeping in will be my bed and I. Will. Be. Fucking. In. It!” he seethed, grinding out each word.

“Oh yeah, and how do you figure that, uh?”

“Because I will have chained you to me until you can learn my fucking rules!” he said, taking my challenge and crushing it, especially when he looked down at me side on and started to trail his fingertips up the back of my naked thigh.

“These fucking legs of yours, this perfect peach ass…” he said on a growl and forced my ‘peach ass’ into his crotch, letting me feel the length of his hard cock now pressing along the line of my ass cheeks. Then his hands came to the front of me, with one snaking under his over-sized tee, so he could palm a breast, taking a firm hold at the same time cupping my now dripping wet sex with the other.

“These perfect tits, and this fucking addictive pussy…all fucking mine…whenever I want it and it is always, and I mean always…In. My. Fucking. Bed!” he said and suddenly his hands left their bounties and came to frame my hips. Then with his fingers biting into my flesh in a painful but erotic way, one that made me want cry out in pleasure, he yanked my ass back. Then he angled me down so my chest was being pressed firmly against the marble slab.

“Mine!” he roared as he entered me quickly, making me cry out and instantly claw at the vanity in a hopeless attempt at holding on. Then he pulled almost fully out of me and then, like the first time, thrust in deep and hard, bringing me to the tips of my toes from the force of it. Gods, but I was sure it should have been painful, but it wasn’t. No, instead it was pure and raw and intense and to the point that it only took him six more times for this action to have me coming quickly around his cock, screaming out his name,

“LUCIUS!”

The very second I erupted, Lucius fisted my hair and pulled me back, so I was forced upwards where he growled down at me,

“I want to see the woman I love come again!” And he did, oh boy did he! I threw my head back, despite his hold and screamed at the mirror, trying my best to keep sight of him as he powered into me. Gods almighty, it was incredible, coming to the sound of him calling me the woman he loves as it echoed through my mind to the feel of him taking my body in a hard, rough and unyielding way! As if it was his to use how he wanted it and there was nothing I could do to stop him. And by the flaming rivers in Hell, that thought was fucking hot and turned me on more than I ever had been in my whole life!

“Just look at you, look at yourself! Fucking spectacular, the way you take me so perfectly into this hot little body, one made solely for me and me alone! Fucking. Perfection!” Lucius growled and the sight of him behind me, still forcing me to take even more pleasure, had me unsurprised to find it building again.

Suddenly, thoughts of him tying me to the bed and spanking my ass, or playing with me as he had earlier, all the pleasurable ways he could punish me…Gods, it was all assaulting my mind and twisting all thoughts of what I thought I wanted sexually, until these dirty scenes were all I could see.

It was unsurprisingly then that my body was so close to coming again and the second he felt it, he held my body to his in a near crushing hold as he growled in my ear,

“You come when I say you can, for we find our release together…now hold the fuck on,” he said fucking me now with greater speed and I had nothing to do but as he demanded of me. So, I held on to his arm, one banded across me under my T shirt, with my breasts slapping against his forearm with the force. Now this truly was fucking…wild and untamed fucking that felt deliciously like being owned…

Like being claimed.

“I can’t…please…please Gods hurry, Lucius,” I said begging him to find it and soon because I could barely hold it off much longer. As every quick and powerful caress his cock made inside me was driving me near crazy with the need to erupt.

“Fuck! Come, Amelia! Come now! Fucking my Heaven made, fucking what’s mine! Now milk my cock and come!” he shouted at me and I erupted full around him, my core quaking against his length and dragging him inside me as far as his impressive size would go. Lucius in turn threw his head back and roared at the ceiling, swearing,

“Fuck, FUCK!” The sound was unbelievable and true untamed beauty to my ears, for I knew that I had done that…

Me.

A moment later and Lucius curled his body over mine and held me to him as we both came down from the immense high together. Naturally, Lucius recovered first and lifted me into his arms. Then, as he was walking us both back towards the bed, I nestled my head against his chest and said in a mumbled, out of breath way,

“Maybe you’re right…maybe waking you up in the middle of the night is a good idea.” On Lucius hearing this, I soon felt my body begin to shake with his quiet laughter. Then he placed me down, whipped his tee off my body and then used that to soak up my dripping core below, cleaning me where I clearly didn’t have the strength to. And I had to say, it felt so intimate to be cared for in this way, I couldn’t help but smile. Then I felt him get into bed behind me, and position my back to his front, wrapping me in his arms and resting my head on his bicep.

“It’s not just a good idea…it’s the best idea, love. Now go back to sleep,” Lucius said, giving me a squeeze. This was one order I had no problem accepting as the second my eyes closed, I felt myself drifting.

And that morning…

I woke with Lucius cupping my sex possessively.

15

Torn Hell

The next day Lucius woke in a far better mood and I suppose it was easy to put this down to a number of reasons, the main one being he was essentially home. This became obvious when the first thing he declared that morning was the day’s plans, this being a tour of his mountain castle.

However, before this better mood began, two things happened. The first being that after I had woken to finding Lucius’ hand resting in between my legs, I had strangely fallen back to sleep, and doing so with a knowing grin on my face. Then the next time I had woken, it was to find Lucius gone. Which lead on to the second thing to happen and that was realising how sore my eyes were.

I sat up and tried to focus, blinking away the sleep that seemed to cling to my vision thanks to sleeping with my contact lenses in…again. Unfortunately, this also meant that by the time Lucius was walking out of the bathroom already dressed for the day, he caught me like this. And well, naturally one look at me when I started blinking rapidly and I soon found my head framed in his big hands, as he started tipping my face up to look at him.

His growl of disapproval wasn’t a surprise.

“Amelia.” Again, my name being said in the same disapproving way also, wasn’t a surprise.

“It’s okay, I just need…”

“What you need to do is remember to fucking take them out!” he snapped making me narrow my blurred and sore eyes back at him.

“Well, I would have done but then I didn’t exactly fancy a day of feeling for the walls and walking around like Mr Magoo!” I argued back, knowing that just from his face alone, he had no clue as to who Mr Magoo was and really, was I surprised? If anything, I think I might have fainted had he said, ‘oh yeah, that’s true, honey, you do resemble that cartoon of a near sighted retiree that finds himself in comical situations’. But of course, instead of this I got a clipped,

“Who the fuck is Mr Magoo?!”

“Never mind, the point being I don’t have my glasses as I packed them in my bag and left them at…”

“You mean that bag over there,” he said interrupting me and motioning to the sofa in the room where I could kind of see a dark spot.

“Oh,” was my award winning, witty reply. After this he cut me some slack and walked over to where my bag was to retrieve my glasses for me. Then, as I got up from the bed, ready to grab his Tee, yet again to wear, he snatched me up in his arms making me squeal.

“Hey, what are you…?!”

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself…Miss Magoo,” he said making me chuckle as he walked me into the bathroom. Once there he placed me on my feet in front of the vanity.

“Now time to get ready, sweetheart, and I will be back in a little while, as I have a bit of business to attend to,” he told me, whilst running his fingertips down the valley of my breasts to my stomach and making me shudder against him. Then when he paused, his hand splayed out against where the worst of my bruise had been and said,

“It eases my soul once more to see you as you were.” I inhaled a quick breath and held it there, letting his words roll over me like a warm blanket.

“I…”

“Twenty minutes, Amelia, no more,” he said interrupting whatever it was I was about to say in response to his tender words.

Then he placed my glasses down and put one of my hands on top of them, letting me know where they were. I pursed my lips and frowned.

“I’m not that blind!” I shouted back as he walked from the bathroom and but of course, doing so now,

Chuckling.

* * *

A little time later and after what felt like trying to win a losing battle to gouge my own eyes out, I was just putting on a pair of sneakers when Lucius walked back in. He also found me wearing a pair of stonewash skinny jeans with zips up the ankles and a navy blue T shirt that was dotted with little white stars clustered at the hem. To this I’d added a navy and white striped long knitted cardigan that was soft and baggy in its design, even to the point of being called slouchy. It also had large pockets to keep my hands warm just in case as I had no idea how cold it would be when walking around inside a mountain. As let’s face it, it wasn’t exactly the type of advice TripAdvisor would be able to offer.

I had also tied my hair up into a messy bun, and was wearing my trusty thick black rimmed glasses, that yes, I knew made me look like a geek. However, it was clear that after last night, my eyes needed the rest.

Lucius found me kicking my feet into my shoes and I looked up, speaking as I did,

“It’s a great view out…whoa!” This ended because I found myself in his arms and plastered to his front before he grabbed my soon to be even messier bun and kissed me as if he hadn’t seen me in days, not the twenty or so minutes ago.

The kiss didn’t last long, but it was one that would have curled my toes had I been an evil Disney villain. On the other end of the Disney spectrum, it was also one that would have had birds singing and mice blushing, before a pixelated screen flashed up with a warning saying, ‘no longer suitable for younger audiences’.

Needless to say, my glasses were slightly steamed, and I was panting by the time his lips left mine. Then he tipped my head back and said,

“There’s my beautiful girl.”

After this he took my hand and started to walk me to the door, but I pulled back slightly and asked,

“Where are we going?” as I didn’t know why, but I found myself nervous.

“We are going to have breakfast in my private living space.”

“Erm, but I thought this was your room?” I asked, looking back behind me now and if I was honest, even thinking to myself that it seemed a little tame for Lucius’ taste. That and smaller than I would have imagined. He laughed once and said,

“No, Amelia, this is just one of the guest rooms, my space is…well, let’s say it’s a lot more…spacious.” He said this as if it was an inside joke, one I would no doubt get once I had actually seen it for myself.

I had to say I was surprised by Lucius’ behaviour as he seemed almost excited for me to see it, grinning a lot more than usual. But then, this could have been down to seeing the trepidation in my eyes and he was enjoying making me squirm. Something that was fast becoming his new favorite hobby, I was sure. Well, other than making me come a lot, I thought with a hidden smirk and a silent Hail Mary for that one!

I had to say that his home was a strange mix of castle meets manor home, meets a large network of tunnels inside a cave. Some parts were long large hallways, with smooth walls and hanging tapestries made to depict what I imagined was Hell in its different beliefs. For example, there was one that was clearly Ancient Mesopotamia, as the Sumerian afterlife was a dark, dreary cavern located deep below the ground, one which was shown on the tapestry.

It also showed where Hell’s inhabitants were believed to continue a shadowy version of life on Earth, a bleak domain known as Kur. It was also believed to be ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal, if memory served me right. Which was why I asked to be sure,

“Is Kur ruled by the goddess, Ereshkigal?” Lucius paused, with my hand still in his and looked up to see what had triggered that question. Then his eyes came back to me and they crinkled at the sides with the smile he gave me.

“You know of Sumerian history?” He looked impressed, which in turn made me blush.

“Yeah, a little,” I said lying. He raised a brow in a way that told me he didn’t believe me.

“Sumerians believed that all souls ended up in the same afterlife, and that a person's actions during their life had no effect on how that person would be treated in the next world to come,” Lucius said in a way that made this belief sound utterly foolish to him.

“A bit contradictory then when it was also believed that the souls in Kur were thought to eat nothing but dry dust and was the reason why family members of the deceased would ritually pour drinks into the dead person's grave through a clay pipe, thereby allowing the dead to drink,” I said thinking out loud and Lucius gave me a look before commenting dryly,

“Oh yes, a little, indeed.”

This was in reference to my earlier comment about knowing only a bit about the history we spoke of. But then I was often used to downplaying my knowledge, as I always feared that I came over as a know it all and also, well…boring. In fact, Wendy flatly refused to watch any more quiz shows on TV with me, as I would just spend the entire time blurting out the answers and moaning when they got them wrong.

So, naturally I ignored his comment and went back to focusing on the dark and gloomy scene in front of me.

“Mmm, I wonder which other cultures you will recognise?” Lucius wondered aloud, now setting a challenge for me.

“Well, back there was somewhere in Asia, as I noticed a red dragon, but I confess I don’t know too much about that one.” He smirked at this but didn’t comment, instead nodding for me to continue.

“And you also had, Africa, with the Hell of Swahili mythology that I believe is called Kuzimu, and it is thought that this developed under the influence of Muslim merchants at the east African coast,” I told him no longer holding back. He folded his arms and leant his body against the wall next to the Sumerian Hell and said,

“And I am curious, what in the art gave that one away?”

“Well, it’s believed to be a very cold place, unlike most depictions of Hell and well, the scene of people all looking like they are freezing their asses off, kinda gave it away.” At this he threw his head back and laughed before pulling me to him, holding me close and rubbing his chin on the top of my head.

“Mmm, rightly so, my smart little scholar.”

After this sweet endearment we carried on, with me pointing out those I knew, which was almost all of them. Of course, I got so excited when I saw my favorite subject,

“Ancient Egypt!” I shouted, quickly pulling him back. I then stared at the tapestry and it was so beautiful I actually reached out to touch it, stopping myself just in time. I then looked to Lucius and blushed, mumbling a quick,

“Sorry, I couldn’t help…”

“Amelia.” He said my name again in that soft reprimanding way of his before explaining why,

“You’re my Chosen One.” Erm…or should I say, more like just adding to the confusion with that statement.

“I don’t understand, what has that got to do with…”

“It means if you want to touch it, then touch it… fuck, make a dress out of it if you want to, I don’t care so long as you treat this place like your own,” he said in his usual forceful manner.

“Erm…” This was when he got closer and said,

“Which means you are free to touch whatever the Hell you want, for if it belongs to me, then it belongs to you…now do you understand?”

“I, erm…well, I’m not sure…” I started to say when he decided for himself,

“She understands,” he muttered to no one, as if this was final. So, I went back to the art on the wall and to prove a point and (to basically make Lucius happy) I reached out and started to trace one of the forty two divine judges it was believed a dead person faced at a tribunal. This was to determine if they had led a life in conformance with the principles of the goddess Maat. A deity who represented truth and right living, who would welcome the person into the Heavenly reed fields.

However, on the opposing end of this, if a person was found guilty, they were thrown to Ammit, the "devourer of the dead", and would be condemned to the lake of fire, which showed on the image below the divine court. It was also believed that the person taken by the devourer was subjected first to terrifying punishments and then annihilated. So not really a very happy ending I thought wryly.

I felt Lucius watching me with great interest, which meant I felt the need to fill the silence.

“It does make me wonder…”

“Um, about what, Pet?” he asked in a knowing tone as if what I was going to say next was a sure way of amusing him. This being one of the reasons I chose not to look at him, as I could see even from the corner of my eye the way he was tapping two fingers over his mouth as if to hide his grin.

“I wonder if these depictions of punishment may have influenced the medieval perceptions of the inferno in Hell found in early Christian and Coptic texts?” He made a ‘humming’ sound and said,

“That’s a coincidence, as I was wondering the exact same thing.” At Lucius’ comment I totally fell for it when asking in an excitable tone,

“You were?!” At this his gaze softened and he ran the back of his finger down my cheek before saying,

“No sweetheart, I was wondering how soon I can make it so as I am fucking you again, only this time on my bed.” At this my eyes widened before I smacked his arm and said,

“No, you weren’t!”

“Oh, I can assure you, I fucking was, and despite how adorably cute I find your intelligence and passion for giving me a history lesson, I also find it a fucking turn on of the likes you wouldn’t believe.” Okay, so now my eyes really widened, and I uttered a breathy,

“Seriously?”

“I swear to all these Hells and back,” he said getting closer and whispering it only an few inches from my face. Then he straightened and said,

“So, if you are finished with your studies, or should I say, finished with mine, I have something far more interesting for you to focus on.” This sentence ended with a wink and I groaned before commenting,

“You mean your cock, don’t you?” He turned with a smirk, took my hand and said in a confident tone,

“Yes, yes I do.” I laughed at this and let him pull me along, but then at the very last tapestry I couldn’t help but notice the major difference in this one.

First, it was from classic Greek mythology. The image of what I could make out, was a deep, gloomy place, like a pit or abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering of those that resided within Hades’ domain. But then below this, was something far worse and the moment I saw the fiery mountain in the middle of a vast wasteland, I knew exactly what it was.

Tartarus.

Of course, nothing about this version of Hell depicted on this tapestry would have screamed out of place, for it was just another belief. Another civilization’s version of Hell and where the sinful ended up. And this should have been it. This should have been like all the rest.

But it wasn’t.

Because this one wasn’t like the rest.

No, this one had met a destructive end. This one had met the force of someone’s temper.

Someone’s claws.

Had met…

Lucius’ rage.

16

Sigil of Lucius

Tartarus

This was what my thoughts were stuck on and it didn’t take long before Lucius started to notice my mind was elsewhere. However, on this occasion he must have chosen to give me this time, no doubt putting it down to how strange my surroundings were. I mean, just trying to get your head around the fact that you were inside a castle, cocooned inside a hollowed out mountain, was enough for more than just a few deeper thoughts.

But then this was me we were referring to, so naturally my thoughts were still rooted in Hell. I just wished that I knew all the details surrounding the past. Or should I say, his past, as I just knew it was something big. It had to be if it was purposely being kept from me. In that moment I couldn’t help but look to his gloved hand and ask myself if that had something to do with it?

Of course, I knew that Tartarus was real, as Hell and Heaven were not as a single person would have believed them to be. No, it in fact consisted of everyone’s beliefs. Just like the Gods, whose greater power came from the strength of that mortal’s belief in them. And this was no different in Hell. Each of the tapestries do, in some way, actually exist in Hell and the ferrymen simply get you to your final destination depending on factors that surround how you live your life.

This was similar to Heaven in a sense, but then again, each of the two were worlds just as complex as the Earth was in between. Factors, consequences and rules were everywhere to be found, just as there were species, deities, fates and angels, who all ruled their own pieces and ran these sectors with their own set of rules. It was literally a minefield and Hell was no different, if somewhat more brutal in its punishments.

But Hell wasn’t exactly all fire and brimstone like most depictions would have you believe. There was order, there were rules and with these the rulers that enforced them. There were palaces, realms and kingdoms that were fought for and conquered by the strongest. There were rivers and mountains, deserts and fortresses, strongholds and castles and more. Jeez, but even my father had his own palace in Hell!

Of course, I was solely mortal, so I had naturally never been there as unless you croaked it, then it was impossible. I had heard it slip out once that my mother had been there a few times, even encountering my grandfather on one occasion. A high ranking Demon who was actually the Prince of Lust and part of the guild of the nine circles. But then, the nine circles of Hell did make up for seventy percent of Hell, so it meant he was kind of a big deal down there.

My mother, of course, hadn’t actually been completely human, hence being granted access without needing to die first. Which made me now wonder, did Lucius have a place there?

“Now that look intrigues me,” Lucius said not exactly bringing me out of my thoughts, but instead choosing to voice them when I blurted out,

“Do you have a home in Hell?” At this he burst out laughing and the sound echoed down the tunnel we were currently walking down.

“Why do you wish to know?” he enquired without answering me.

“I was just curious, you know after…” I let my sentence trail off and instead looked behind me to indicate where we had come from.

“Yes, Amelia, I have a home in Hell, an entire kingdom actually and one I have no inclination to rule as of yet,” he said surprising me.

“But then if you’re not there who rules it?” At this Lucius’ features hardened and his curt reply only ended up adding more questions I felt I couldn’t yet ask,

“Someone in my place.”

Naturally after this serious tone, I decided not to push.

After this we continued walking and I wondered at this rate if we would ever get there. The place was as incredible as it was intimidating, seeing as I knew it would take years for me to get used to a place like this without getting lost. It was tunnel after tunnel, many of which all looked the same and I couldn’t help but say,

“You know I am thinking you should invest in some signs. That or an app on your phone, that acts like a sat nav.” To this he chuckled and then suddenly I was tugged into his hold, the flaming torch he had been holding to lead the way, now held back. Just the sight of the flames flickering against his skin was pulling me in. This, combined with the alluring shadows of the dark space which were creating equal strips of darkness against his handsome face, made it nothing short of striking.

“But I like the idea of you needing me to guide you…that way I know you won’t be able to get yourself into trouble.” I grinned up at him and said,

“Well, that’s going to be annoying for you every time I need to take a piss.” At this he threw his head back and laughed again, the sound this time echoing through the tunnels with greater strength, making me wonder how far it travelled.

“I think I would cope,” he commented before placing a sweet kiss on my lips, one that didn’t deepen but was still a tender gesture all the same.

“You know how to get to this point?” he asked after retaking my hand in his and leading the way, with the torch in front.

“I think so, why?”

“Because beyond this tunnel you will find your first sign,” he said, something that only made sense when we finally reached the door at the end. This opened up into a large room which the only purpose of was like a lobby in its barest form. Carved rock walls that only showed themselves when Lucius raised an arm and lit some sort of shelf that surrounded the whole room. I then watched as it caught alight and flames travelled along the narrow reservoir that framed the room about a foot from the ceiling. This created enough light that it enabled me to see the room in detail, not that there was much to see at that.

It was pretty much a space you stepped into before picking your chosen destination, as what faced us now were four large doors. Each were the same size, being about eight foot high, arched and heavily studded. The only difference was the demonic looking symbols that had been carved into the dark red wood.

“I will take what’s behind door number three please, Monty,” I said making Lucius laugh and say,

“Lucky for you that’s the door you will want.”

“Your sigil I take it?” I asked referring to the marking on the door that was different from the rest. This was something that influential demons were usually issued with. But then, the most powerful of these were granted a different sigil, and these were usually two circles, one fitting inside the other. Then within that ring were symbols that basically indicated rank, power, strengths, loyalties and the strength of your army, that type of thing.

It was a little like trading cards and the thought always tickled me. Of course, I didn’t understand the ancient language as unfortunately it wasn’t as if there were books to teach you. No, it was a case of, if you were in the demonic club, then you were just reborn with the knowledge. Which I think sucked to be honest. Especially for knowledge thirsty bookworm mortals like me.

“It is,” Lucius replied with a grin playing at his lips as he looked down at me.

“So, what does it mean?” I asked making him now raise a brow.

“Oh come on, I am the daughter of a Demonic Angelic King. Are you really surprised that I would know this shit?” Lucius’ lips twitched and he said,

“No, I am not. I am however surprised that you would have to ask.”

“Oh… right… well, I uh…may know what it is, but I can’t decipher it,” I admitted taking the hit to my intelligent ego, which was basically the only ego I had.

“This surprises me, you were never taught?”

“Erm, that would be a no. Basically if it wasn’t in a book that I could get my hands on, then I didn’t learn it,” I confessed making him give me a gentle look.

“They protected you too much,” he stated, one that could have been a question also. I scoffed a laugh and said,

“Erm, yeah, that’s the understatement of the year.” Lucius made a ‘umm’ sound as if deep in thought before he announced,

“Then I will teach you.” At this my eyes grew wide and I couldn’t help my reaction as I blurted out loudly,

“You will?!” He laughed softly and nodded,

“If you wish.”

“Aaahh! Oh my Gods, yes! That would be, Oh my Gods so awesome!” I said before throwing my arms around his neck so I could kiss him. He wasn’t expecting this clearly as he actually went back a step when I launched myself at him. But his arm automatically banded my waist so as to pick me up to his height. Then he started chuckling and told me,

“Gods, but finding you gifts for occasions will be fucking easy.” I laughed at this and pulled back a little from his face, and said,

“What, you mean like a Christmas present?” I then winked at him making him groan before muttering a noncommittal,

“We shall see.” And I swear my love for this man just soared to even greater heights. Oh, and I think he could tell when he saw my face light up at just the hope of that statement. He then kissed my forehead before placing me back on my feet so he could walk over to his door.

“Many Sigils have names around the outside with a single symbol at its core. These are known even in the mortal world. In mortal demonology, sigils are pictorial signatures attributed to demons, angels, or other beings. They were used for ceremonial magic, mainly in the Middle Ages, where they were used in the summoning of these beings and were the symbolic equivalent to their true name,” Lucius said giving me a little lesson and insight, which I confess, I found fascinating. In fact, I didn’t know whether I wanted to pull up a chair and pop some corn or jump on him and thank him in other, more delicious ways.

Of course, I knew which I would prefer and would win given the choice.

“However, in our own world these Sigils show something more than just our names… come and I will show you,” he said nodding to me seeing as, strangely, I must have looked rooted to the spot and on the other side of the room. So, I walked over to him and he quickly positioned me in front of him so that his arms came around me. Then he took my hand in his and told me gently,

“Extend your finger.” I did as I was told and his own hand covered mine just as he had done last night, assaulting me with the memory enough to shudder in his hold.

“Behave Pet, for I know where your thoughts venture to,” he told me in an amused and knowing tone. Then he ran my finger along the grooves of the symbols, starting with those at the top of the ring.

“This one symbolizes my origins,” he hummed close to my ear and I swear but could his voice be any more seductive? But then with his free hand, he started to walk his fingers along my side, gathering back the sides of my cardigan so he could get to my waist, making it increasingly more difficult to concentrate. Even as he shifted my hand to the next symbol down, my mind was screaming sex.

“This here speaks of the many legions at my command,” he said again, using that voice of his as if luring me into something only he knew what. Of course, his hand continued exploring until it crept under my t-shirt finally making contact with my skin and enticing another shudder from me. His knowing smirk could then be felt at my neck before he started kissing up its length.

“Concentrate, Pet,” he hummed against my skin and I released a sigh before saying,

“I am trying but that’s hard…oh…” I ended this sentence quickly, as thanks to when I said the word hard, he suddenly pulled me back against him even harder, so I could feel what else was ‘hard’ now digging into my back.

“Hard indeed,” he said before moving my hand on to the next.

“This is a mark of power,” he said and I found myself asking,

“And if it increases, what then?” Again, I felt his smile against my flesh before he whispered,

“Ah, my clever little scholar, that is a good question.”

“Well?” I pushed.

“The Sigil will change and re forge itself in accordance with its bearer,” he answered more seriously this time, making me twist back and look at him over my shoulder to say,

“Well, that’s convenient.” He grinned down at me and said on a tease,

“Yes, indeed and saves me a fucking fortune on doors.” I burst out laughing and this in turn caused him to grant me another gentle look.

“So, what about the next?” I asked turning back to the door.

“This one speaks of what type of demon I am.” I ran my finger along its grooves and confirmed,

“So, this means Vampire?”

“It does,” he answered in a firm tone that went alongside the possessive squeeze at my side. But then his hand started to move on and continue exploring.

“And the next?” I asked now somewhat breathy as his fingers reached just under my bra line.

“Who I am loyal to.” I narrowed my eyes at the scorched edges and just before I had chance to ask, he said

“It has changed throughout the years.” Then he moved my hand to the last on the outer circle and said,

“This stands for Kingdom.”

“Your own?” I asked and this time I felt him humming just below my ear before kissing me there.

“And this one?” I finally managed on a breathy whisper as it was the last one in its centre and suddenly I was flipped around to face him, and he pushed me up against the door.

“It means I am a King!” he growled and then lifted me under my breasts so I was at the right height for his lips. He then pinned me to the door and kissed me fervently. In response, my arms rested on his shoulders so my forearms trapped the back of his head and locked his lips to mine. He growled low again and nipped at my bottom lip before kissing me once more in a rough and demanding way.

“I see I am going to enjoy teaching you the ways of my people,” he said over my lips and this time I was the one grinning as I asked,

“I agree, only at this point I am a little unsure as to what I will be learning exactly, as the subject lines just got a bit blurry, professor.” At this he laughed long and hard, a sight that I had to admit, I fucking adored!

He lowered me back down and then retook my hand and said,

“Then I’d better get you there quickly, before your next lesson ends up being taught against my Sigil.”

“Mmm, that doesn’t sound so bad…hey, maybe we could make a few of the symbols change, you know…as you ‘powered’ into me,” I said wagging my eyes at him and making him chuckle, only this time it was with a shake of his head, as if he didn’t know what to do with me. But then, he decided exactly what he was going to do to me as he growled,

“Fuck it!” Then, I was over his shoulder with a shriek and he was kicking open his door and striding down the tunnel now with greater purpose.

“Erm, I can walk and fast when given the right motivation, which I think this would easily constitute as being one of those times,” I remarked.

“Good to know, but still not fast enough,” he said before snagging an unlit torch from the sconce, and with a snap of his fingers by my legs, it ignited. Then I muttered from dangling behind his back,

“You know, I think living here I am going to have to invest in a bulk pack of matches.” This granted me a little shake from his silent laughter, before he said,

“Or you simply agree to become my shadow, little pet.” I growled at this making him chuckle out loud this time.

“Well, like this and I don’t really have a choice,” I grumbled and the second I felt his hand running up the back of my thigh he said,

“I could make the journey more pleasing for you, just give the word, sweetheart.” Then he skimmed his fingers down the centre of my ass making me squirm against his shoulder.

After this he continued on, not really giving me much of a view to speak of. He did, however, give me lots to think about as he continued to tease the backs of my legs, ass and even skimming my sex when I wiggled enough on his shoulder to allow him access. This was naturally done on purpose but not so as it was obvious.

I swear that I was so turned on, that by the time we got there I was worried the only appreciation for my surroundings I would show would be for his bed! I swear, the man was turning me into some sex crazed lunatic who was in constant need for it. Of course, this was prompted not only by Lucius’ sexual teases, or his constant touches, but also by the mere sight of him!

To say that he was the sexiest man I had ever encountered felt like too weak a statement. He was beautifully raw with a presence that was born to dominate those around him, including me and most definitely in the bedroom.

Oh yes, I was becoming well aware of how much Lucius craved control.

These sexual thoughts were jarred from me when he pulled me forward and I soon found myself opposite yet another set of doors.

Only this time, these looked more like a fitting entrance into,

Well, into…

Hell!

17

Dave is the Key

The crimson doors that faced me right now didn’t exactly scream welcome, come on in and put your feet up. No, all it screamed was run for your life, DANGER, DANGER, DANGER. Needless to say, I wasn’t getting fuzzy warm snuggly vibes coming from whatever was behind that door.

The set of double doors in question stood at least ten feet high of solid wood and each was coated in a deep blood red colour painted in a high gloss that made them look as though they were bleeding. Both sides were also adorned with lots of thick heavy ironwork, like the hinges that were curled three times over before a point in the middle pointed towards heavy iron rings. It reminded me a bit like a wilting flower on its side, one minus the head with a spike taking its place. And as if the doors weren’t intimidating enough, they were also framed by two solid pillars, reminding me of guardians standing to attention in the sizeable stone corridor. I looked back over my shoulder to see Lucius watching me with interest and after ignoring the multiple entrances at his back that led into this space, I spoke.

“Erm, who did you say lives here again, Dracula?” I teased making him snarl playfully at me before he grabbed me to him as quick as a heartbeat and flashed his fangs down at me. Then he snapped them twice as if he was going to bite me, making me flinch back to avoid them further.

“You were saying, Pet?” he asked when I swallowed heavily.

“Erm…That those doors are awesome and very fitting for a badass Vampire King who doesn’t resemble a corny Dracula in any way shape or form?” I answered making him grin before his fangs sank back to their normal size and he kissed my forehead, telling me,

“And there’s my good girl.”

After this playful reprimand he released the one hand he had fisted in my cardigan so he was free to place the flaming torch into a holder on the wall. The pointed metal spike that Lucius had been holding then scratched its way down into the natural grooves marked in the stone. This from the Gods only knew how many years of use.

Then, once he had both his hands free, he used them to push both doors open, bending his torso slightly as he put his weight into it. This offered me a delicious sight of his T shirt tightening as his back muscles tensed.

“Ah!” I shouted suddenly when the sound of them booming echoed in the space beyond as they hit back against the walls inside. Another click of his fingers was all it took for the space ahead to erupt into light making me turn to him and say,

“You know, it’s like dating a magician.” His lips twitched and his eyes spoke of his amusement.

“Mm, well that would make you my lovely assistant…in that case I should invest in a skimpy gold outfit for you and a box and handsaw for me,” he commented with a wink before walking past making me giggle. But then I started to take in the room we had just stepped into and my mouth dropped open.

Holy shit, now we were in a castle!

This was because what faced me now was a room totally worthy of the title. Three large open arches stood opposite me and had been cut from the mountain stone, being as smooth as the walls that surrounded us. I watched as Lucius stepped down into the square room that acted as a lobby of some type, making me wonder if his private space would finally be beyond the arches? Something I would only discover once I had descended the steps after Lucius as from up here, I couldn’t see beyond them, making me question, was his space below? Well, there was only one way to find out as I followed him down the steps towards the grand arched entrance.

The white marble floor looked like liquid for how shiny it was and as my eyes followed the diamond pattern along, I found the expensive looking stone now carved into something much more than just the floor.

“Wow!” I uttered to myself as I took in the two massive statues of pure white that stood like sentinels either side of the three arches in between them. Okay, so the red Hell door had nothing on these guys in the intimidation department!

They each carried a sword that was held upright almost touching the high ceilings they were aimed at. They reminded me of Egyptian warriors, with the lower part of their bodies covered in carved skirts hanging low on their hips and touching the floor hiding their feet. Each was also adorned with a long belt hanging down the centre.

But then stone flames were carved into the design, as if these warriors had to endure the tortures of Hell by being burnt alive whilst still remaining steady enough to serve their king. It was most certainly symbolic.

Just like on their bare chiseled, muscular chests that, at further glance, had pieces of their smooth flesh cut away to reveal the hidden reality of their true nature. These mortal bodies were nothing but a façade, with hints telling you a story in the way of spiked flesh. Small palm sized window frames of flesh displayed an armored demon beneath the marble skin.

However, moving on from their impressive torsos, ones that mirrored both sides of their beings, I found the top half was all demon. Two massive horns grew outwards from their shoulders and curled around, coming to a point at the tops of their gold masked heads, ones that gleamed bright in the firelight.

Their demonic features hidden to the world with nothing but painted thin black lips and holes where the eyes should have shown through. Like I said, the whole scene was nearly as grand as the first entrance way, but far more intimidating. However, this was also me we were talking about and nothing kept me from exploring. So, I stepped right up to one and ran my hand down the lower half, making Lucius growl low. My hand dropped away and I glanced at him over my shoulder to find him looking annoyed.

“What?”

“I would rather you didn’t,” he snapped.

“Why, are they expensive or something?” I asked totally missing his point.

“No, it is, however, a male form and you feeling it up isn’t an image I want branded to memory.” At this my mouth literally dropped before words took over the dumb looking action.

“Lucius, it’s a bloody statue!” I argued but my only reply was in the form of one pissed off male now folding his arms and giving me a pointed look. I shook my head, reserving the roll of my eyes for when I faced it again before muttering,

“Sorry dude but looks like my old man’s being a drag.”

“I heard that!” Lucius declared and was something I also chose to ignore. Meaning I moved on and was just about to walk through the centre arch when Lucius’ arm banded around my waist stopping me.

“Not so fast there, sweetheart, it’s not safe yet.” I frowned at this now wondering exactly what was beyond this archway and how he intended to ‘make it safe’. I didn’t have long to wait. Lucius walked us both back in front of the statue and I couldn’t help but comment dryly,

“Oh look, it’s my other boyfriend. Hi, Dave.” Lucius tugged me closer, growled low and nipped at my neck before holding the tender flesh captive between his teeth.

“Aa aah.” I moaned as he did this until it was just on the cusp of being too painful. But before that happened, he let go and soothed the bitten skin with a kiss.

“Behave, little pet,” he warned with one last squeeze before letting me go.

Lucius then walked up to the statue I had just dubbed as Dave and grabbed its sword, before twisting it around so it’s tip now pointed down to the ground. After this he reached up and pulled down on the golden mask making it open thanks to a hinge at the chin. Naturally after this, I moved closer and side stepped to get a better look as I was curious to see what was beneath it and the second I did, I sucked in a breath.

“Okay, so Dave isn’t looking so hot right now,” I commented making Lucius chuckle as I now referred to the demonic face hidden beneath the face of wealth. Its face now looked to be made more out of baked cracked sand, with high cheekbones and elongated features. Its mouth was open in a creepy, overly wide way and was framed by rows and rows of deadly looking teeth. Ones that didn’t seem to be anything but real this time.

But it was hard to pinpoint just one animal involved as there looked to be everything from tiger’s fangs to shark’s teeth. Even more startling was seeing Lucius now actually putting his hand in there and I couldn’t help but hiss,

“What are you doing!?” But then he made a motion like he had released something inside the mouth before he was pulling his hand back and walking over to me. And what he had released was a hidden doorway off to one side that had appeared from behind the smooth rock wall.

“What did it look like?” Lucius replied stepping up to me.

“Like you could have hurt yourself!” I exclaimed making him smirk down at me before patting me on the cheek and saying in a condescending tone,

“Aww, were you worried about me, Princess?” To which I huffed, folded my arms and said,

“You know what, I missed it the first time, could you just do it again please, only this time, give your hand a good wiggle and have a nice long feel around in there!” Again, Lucius walked away chuckling.

I followed him, because, well I didn’t have much choice in a place like this and when I did, I did so walking through the secret door muttering,

“What is your aversion to keys anyway, because I will tell you right now, there is no way in Hell damnation I am sticking my hand in Dave’s mouth…oh… my… good… Gods!” I ended this on an astonished whisper the second I noticed the sight now in front of me, as it looked as though we had just found the belly of the mountain!

It was an utterly enormous sized cavern that could easily have been the size of a cathedral. Its ceilings went up forever and its floor was a made up of a series of deadly drops. Falls that if by some miracle you managed to survive then the colossal spikes from a playground of lethal stalagmites would most definitely turn you into a human Shish Kebab! And well, there was just no dancing away from that.

The door he had created, or should I say Dave had created, led to a small platform roughly the size of a car, which then led onto steps down to a larger platform. This one was directly in front of the three open arches on the opposite side. But then it was no wonder I wouldn’t have gotten far, seeing as two steps in and I would have seen the sheer drop down. Especially seeing as the platform I was now stood on was a good four metres away. Meaning that the arches hadn’t been doors at all, they had been large glassless windows.

“Okay, so now this is so cool!” I said seeing a bridge across the deepest part of the cavern, about a metre wide. Lucius gave me a curious look as if something about this moment struck him as strange.

“What? It is cool and in fact reminds me of one of my favorite movies growing up, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, which got me into wanting to be an archaeologist,” I told him, as I crossed the bridge with no problems. However, I couldn’t miss the way Lucius kept close behind me as if he feared I would trip and fall. Which, seeing as this was me, he was right to be cautious.

“You’re not scared of heights.” He stated as it clearly wasn’t a question but more like a surprised observation. I chuckled and said,

“Uh, I think it would be a bit silly to be, considering my dad has wings and all, plus I always sat up in the cockpit when my dad flew his private jet.” I made it to the other side without incident and was standing on the large platform when I threw my hands up and said,

“Tadaa, see I made it…Whoa!” This ended up with me tripping on some uneven floor and nearly falling to my side when Lucius caught me on a growl.

“Okay, so almost,” I muttered embarrassingly. Lucius scowled down at me and then hissed,

“I am starting to rethink things.” I didn’t know what to make of that and would have asked, only to be honest, I chickened out. All I could hope for was that it didn’t include bringing me down here or even worse, being with me down here. Or even worse, worse…being with me altogether.

An irrational thought that disappeared back into stupid land the moment he decided that instead of letting me walk, he thought it safer to simply scoop me up in his arms. Meaning I had no choice but to let Lucius carry me the rest of the way. It then clicked that this had been what he had meant when saying he needed to rethink things.

Damn that stupid land!

To one side of the raised platform we were now on after crossing the bridge there was yet another passageway, but at least this one looked as if it may lead further into the cavern, as it cut through the rock. Like I said, I knew the place was huge from when we had been stood near the arches. But with the way the rocks were formed, it had been hard to see much beyond it other than the sheer size of the place from the vast stretch of its rock faced ceilings. Meaning it was mainly below that had been hidden.

I had to say that by the end I was glad Lucius had picked me up as it was so dark inside the tunnel that I fear tripping this time would have been inevitable.

Thankfully though, it led out to the other side pretty quickly and after blinking a few times, I was awarded with an amazing sight.

An incredible sight and one startlingly beautiful just like its owner.

It was…

Lucius’ home.

18

Vamp Cave

“Gods, Lucius.”

I muttered this in total awe, as I scanned the large open living space and the first thing I noticed, one that surprised me, was how warm and inviting it looked. The walls were bare and untamed natural rock, but it seemed softer with the warm glow reflected against it. This was from the many lit lanterns that were fitted to the walls and I was amazed to see that, unlike on our journey getting here, they were actually electric.

“This place has power?” I asked too astonished to comprehend what a feat that must have been.

“It took a bit of engineering, but it was accomplished only a few years ago,” he told me and I couldn’t help but look up at the incredible chandeliers that hung down on lengths and lengths of cable. They were a work of art in their own right, with layers and layers of twisted black ink coloured branches in what could have been dipped metal. Attached then to this giant knot of branches was an abundance of blown glass shards in the same glossy black. It was overflowing with them and each hung down like deadly, stretched tear drops. The light part was a huge cluster of bulbs inside the black rooted sphere that cast shadows against all the rocks in a gothic display of beauty and elegance.

Even the jagged rock of the mountain that surrounded us didn’t take away from the fact that it was clearly a home. Just the staircase alone was more than just rough carved stone. It was one that led down to the first level and had been decorated with charming intricate patterns carved into each step. Swirls of interlaced symbols even kind of told a story as each step was different, giving it an almost whimsical feel and, combined with a black iron banister, it felt like being in a fairy tale.

It was only when he descended the steps into what was obviously the main living space that Lucius put me down, lowering me to my feet. This was also inviting and instead of the usual shades in Lucius’ contemporary living space back at Transfusion, this was totally different. The room, if it could be called that seeing as it was without walls and was basically a large island, was as big as an apartment itself!

Other areas could be seen as everything was all open plan, except a few doorways that were this time cut into the rock face, situated against a cavern slightly above where we stood. There was even a kitchenette on one of the connecting, smaller platforms, as well as a grand dining set on the one closest to it. Then I took a wild, stalagmite stab in the dark and guessed the other enclosed caves were no doubt a bathroom or a bedroom.

Each of these different living spaces were connected by a series of connected walkways or decorated steps that had been carved right out of the rock, creating a unique living space. It certainly gave a whole new meaning to the ‘baddie’s lair’ persona. Which was when I couldn’t help but say,

“Wow, I take it back.”

“What?” he asked clearly intrigued to know my thoughts. So I turned back to face him and said,

“Dracula has nothing on you, babe.” At this he rolled his eyes but again, he was getting really bad at hiding the smile that wanted to come out and play.

“Come on, my little comedian, let’s get you fed before I decide to make a meal out of you just to shut up that pretty little mouth of yours,” he said dragging a thumb down the center of my lips and walking away, catching my hand as he went so as to drag me with him.

Although, one look at the extra deep, rich navy blue sofa and all I wanted to do now was sink into it. The cream cushions and soft knit throws also gave it a homely touch, along with the scattered array of rugs in greys, creams and blues that all crossed over at some point on the stone floor.

Gods, but was that…

“Is that a TV?!” I shouted in excitement, as there was a cabinet at the far end of the space that the sofa faced. It was one that looked as if it could be hidden inside the dark wooden frame it was situated above, at just the click of a button.

“Later, food first,” he said walking up the curve of steps onto what I discovered was the dining area I had seen from below. The table was again in keeping with the décor of the place, being made from thick heavy wood. It was one that was smooth all the way around three sides, with one edge that still had the rough bark along it. It was a long straight rectangle in shape but that natural side remained in the curve from the tree it had been cut from. It was highly polished and had a beautiful grain.

I then glanced at all the food spread out on the table and then back at the kitchen level that was only three steps up and looked as though it could be fully equipped and much more than the kitchenette I had first thought it to be.

“Has it always looked like this?” I asked curious to know.

“The TV is new,” he replied with a knowing look, making me blush because he was saying without words, it had been installed for me. Then he came to the back of me and pulled out a chair, combining the gentlemanly gesture with an order, as was very Lucius,

“Sit.”

I did as I was told, mainly because there were donuts involved and delicious looking pastries. Lucius took his seat next to me, which of course was at the head of the table, one big enough to sit twelve people at least.

“It has changed over the years and added to when electricity was available.”

“Hence the kitchen I gather,” I commented making him nod and I removed my napkin from my plate and started to reach for an array of stuff, all of it sweet.

“I am starting to think that you are addicted to sugar,” Lucius said nodding down at my selection.

“So?”

“You are sweet enough, Pet.” I smiled at this and then took a big bite, then to make a point, I spoke with my mouthful. Only admittedly, doing it in a way that wouldn’t end up showing him my food or spitting it out. More done so for comedy value.

“I could always be sweeter.” Then I winked at him making him grin one of those bad boy ‘I am going to eat you like a hungry wolf’ type way.

“That sounds like an offer,” he returned and I laughed before saying,

“Or a challenge.” He hummed once and said,

“Indeed.”

* * *

After this we ate breakfast, or more like I devoured it, before Lucius continued to give me the tour, which consisted of very few places left. One of which was a hot springs pool hidden behind a massive boulder in a bathroom carved right from the stone. It was also one made private thanks to the connecting wall. The same wall that contained the countertop and sink, both of which were a smooth wave of curves, the same as the toilet. There was even a small waterfall over what was essentially a giant bathtub, that acted as a shower and seemed to be continuously running, feeding the pool below. In fact, the sight made me want to strip off and dive on in there, as it looked so inviting.

But then came the last room in the cave and that was Lucius’ bedroom. He led me up there as it was at the highest point and I didn’t know why but I suddenly became nervous as to what I might find. For some reason a BDSM club sprang to mind!

I walked inside and I had to say, I hadn’t been too far off the mark with his bed alone. The room, like the rest of his home, seemed to be on different levels, with the bed being at the highest point and situated in the centre like a statement, which it was. For it was unlike any other bed I had ever seen before, and consisted of four massive beams, that were square cut carved wood. On top of the wooden beams were large heavy iron brackets that held four thick chains fixed there, chains that were easily the width of my arm.

These chains were then fixed to the four angles of the bed’s frame by even thicker brackets, each bolted to the corners so as the bed didn’t touch the ground. On top of this was a thick mattress covered in a rich deep red material that matched all the dark wood in the room and light soft neutral colour of the natural stone walls. All other furniture in here matched the chunky wood of the bed, and even framed a doorway into another room off this one. The only things decorating the walls were old fashioned wrought iron lanterns with big glass tops that held modern day lighting.

“That’s…erm…quite a bed you have there,” I said making Lucius chuckle.

“I had something similar once before, but had it redesigned, replacing it with wood,” he said letting me know without being obvious about it that he had a new bed. Even so I found myself asking,

“How new?” He tugged me to him, after hooking a finger in the belt loop of my jeans and said in a husky voice,

“Very new.”

“And the chains?” I asked, my voice thick and also now husky.

“They make great support,” he said rubbing his chin down my neck and shoulder.

“For the bed,” I surmised.

“Yes, amongst other things.” This time his reply was whispered by my ear and his knowing grin followed my sexually induced shiver. I decided it was best to focus on something other than being chained to his bed and nodded towards the doorway.

“And in there?”

“Nothing but a closet and another bathroom,” he said in a nonchalant tone and as I walked away towards it, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back to him.

“I don’t think I am finished showing you my bed yet.” Then he leaned down to kiss me, doing so in a way that I knew would soon land me in this bed. But then he started to move from my lips, and I couldn’t help but ask,

“Does it rock?”

“Only when it needs to,” was his reply whispered against my jawline, his flaxen stubble brushing roughly against my skin. The bed was at his waist height which meant that instead of me trying to figure out a way to get into it, he was one step ahead of me. As he just framed my waist and lifted me onto the thick mattress, so I was now sitting on it, with my legs dangling over the edge.

I was surprised that the bed barely moved, well that was until Lucius placed his hands either side of my hips and leant all his body weight towards me, making the bed shift from the strength of him. This was when I giggled nervously, which was ridiculous considering how many times we’d had sex now.

But then I felt my bladder scream at me and thought it best to use the facilities before we started getting into it. So, just as he was moving back up my jaw to claim my lips again, I quickly said,

“I need to use the little scholars room.” He groaned in annoyance making me chuckle and said,

“Very well, but may I suggest using the one down on the main level.” I jumped off the bed with a swing of my legs once he gave me room and told him,

“Nah, it’s okay I will just…” I was saying this but stopped when Lucius grabbed my hand, stopping me from going further and said more seriously this time,

“Use the other one, Amelia.” I frowned up at him, knowing that he was hiding something from me, which I didn’t like…as in, at all. Which was why I nodded and pretended to walk back through the door we had just entered, only at the last second, I bolted for the closet door, running through it before he could stop me.

“Amelia!”

The room was bigger than what a normal person would have considered ‘just a closet’ as it was bigger than my whole flat back home. And well, speaking of flat, I took one look at the now empty side of the closet space and then again to the floor. A floor that was half consumed by boxes labeled with only one name…

Amelia.

I then looked back to Lucius with accusing eyes as there was only one question left to ask him,

“Why is all my personal stuff here?” He released a heavy sigh as if he knew what was coming next and replied sternly,

“Because I ordered it to be here.” An answer that was swiftly followed by an astonished,

“But why”

His reply this time was most definitely one for concern…

“Because I moved you in.”

19

Moving In

“You did what?!” I shouted this time, making him fold his arms and grant me a look.

“Oh no, you don’t get to act like the injured party here and be all, I am macho man, you little woman will do as I command, shit!” I snapped, whilst mimicking his bad ass stance and making his lips twitch.

“Amelia.”

“You don’t get to do that either!” I added when he said my name in that soft, reprimanding tone. He released a sigh and took me in his arms, now going for a totally different tactic. I decided not to make this easy for him and started squirming in his hold.

“Come now, be still for me,” he cooed making me scowl back up at him as with my arms trapped by my sides, pulling his ears just wasn’t an option!

“How about you hear me out and then decide…yes?” I rolled my eyes and said,

“Fine!” He didn’t comment on my behaviour, but his look said it all… annoyingly, he was finding it adorable. So, I let him pull me back into the bedroom and even pick me up to put me back on the bed, so I was once again opposite him. However, this time swapping the end of the bed for the side of it. And I knew when he didn’t join me that he was going to use his size to intimidate me in some way. I just needed to wait for it, knowing it wasn’t long in coming.

“It was no longer safe, and as your flat had been compromised once before I thought it best to get your personal stuff packed before it could once again get damaged,” he said making me resist the urge to roll my eyes and instead made my feelings known in another way,

“And naturally you had it sent here,” I said dryly, now crossing my arms over my chest after first pushing up my glasses.

“I think you can guess that Transfusion was no longer an option,” he stated and I snorted in an unladylike fashion and muttered,

“Conveniently.”

“Hardly,” he responded and yeah, so I knew he was right but still, I felt like he was just using this as an excuse to get what he wanted.

“You could have arranged for it to be put in storage…in England!” I said, adding this last part in a tone that was trying to make my point.

“And why the fuck would I do that?!” he snapped, dismissing said point.

“Okay, so I guess it’s time to let the worms out then, yeah?” I said making him now cross his own arms across his chest and Gods, when he did it, I had to force myself not to look at his gorgeous body. Bloody Hell, but those arms… was it hot in here or just me?

“Open that can all you want, Amelia, but I am telling you now, if you think this conversation will end with me agreeing to send your shit back to a fucking storage unit in England then I would save your breath for something more productive.”

“Ha, like what?!” I yelled, making him uncross his arms and get in real close like he usually did when he had a point to make.

“Like for when I ravish that talented mouth of yours.”

Well, okay then.

Seriously, can a person’s libido actually fan itself?

“I see my girl likes that idea,” he said leaning in further and like he did before, placing his fists either side of me, caging me to the bed.

“Wait, we aren’t…”

“Oh yes we fucking are,” he growled before kissing me and when he did, he did it hot and heavy.

I was then being dragged up the bed with his arm curled around my back, and once he had me there, he lowered down over me, holding himself just slightly above so as not to crush me. Then I felt his hand trail down my thigh before lifting it so my leg was being hooked over his very, very, fine ass. After this he started kissing his way down my neck, yanking my T shirt to one side to give him better access to my bare skin.

“Lucius, we need…”

“I know what you need, sweetheart,” Lucius replied and when pressing his hips into me I could feel the hard length that was obvious as to what he needed also.

Needless to say, two things happened after this.

The first being Lucius gave us what we both needed and the second was a discovery. As he was right,

The bed only moved when it needed to.

* * *

About an hour or so later after Lucius had exhausted me to the point I could barely lift my head up from his chest, one I was now making circles around with my fingertips, currently focusing on around his nipple.

“And if I tell you we still need to talk about me moving in, will that translate to you as round two?” I asked only half joking.

“Technically, I think you find it will be round three, as I took you twice,” was Lucius’ cocky reply, making me smile. We were both naked, and in his bed, which wasn’t exactly a surprise. We were also entwined together with me held to him with his right arm curled around my back resting at my shoulder. This ended up with my body plastered to his side and my leg bent, resting against his thigh. His left hand was at my hip, making the leather groan slightly every time he squeezed.

“Lucius.” This time I said his name in that telling way and he released a sigh and said,

“Alright, here it is Amelia. I want you to move in with me, it is where you belong…”

“But…” his hand left my shoulder and covered my mouth quickly before he said,

“Please, let me finish.” I nodded letting him know that I would, making his hand go back to holding me to him.

“I also know that you have your concerns, and I understand that this may be going too fast for you, which is why I am willing to compromise here.”

“That’s good of you.” I replied with dry humour making him this time pinch my nipple and as I shrieked, he said,

“Are you going to behave, Pet?”

“Okay, okay!” I shouted and once satisfied he let go and went back to explaining making me now rub the sore spot.

“Now, if you decide things need to change after a time, then we will discuss our options, as having your stuff here doesn’t mean they can’t move again if we decide they need to. But whilst the threat is still out there, then it makes sense for their relocation and really, what is the harm with you feeling more comfortable here?” he asked, sounding remarkably sensible about the whole thing.

“Okay, so put like that, then yeah, maybe it kind of makes sense,” I admitted as really, he annoyingly made a compelling case. But then he smirked as if he had just won a victory making me quickly add,

“But it’s not permanent! It’s only for now…okay?” At this he nodded in that condescending way that made me smack his stomach and say,

“Stop it!”

“Stop what?” he enquired with fake innocence.

“Stop looking so damn cocky like you just won something or are thinking, ‘yeah right, my girlfriend’s words mean shit’ that type of stop it!” I snapped making him laugh so I smacked his stomach again.

“Oww,” he moaned, feigning pain and rubbing his hard abs. But soon was laughing again in the hilarity of his pretense.

“Baby,” I muttered and rolled my eyes, pausing the second I realised my mistake and I knew it when his eyes narrowed at me in a stalker playful way.

“Did you just…?”

“NO! No, I didn’t and besides, even if I did, if you want me to unpack, then you are definitely letting this one go,” I said making him laugh and he pulled me to him for a kiss, before agreeing,

“I’ll let this one go.”

And my cheeky reply…

“Good call, Captain.”

* * *

Shortly after this, we both showered and dressed, after first fooling around in the shower. A time which ended with me on my knees recreating a not so distant memory. Needless to say, Lucius ended up having to once again fix the tiles in that bathroom too.

We were now walking down into the living space after I had asked if there was anything planned for the evening that I needed to know about. Lucius had told me sweetly that he wanted to give me time to settle.

Which meant that I was just in the middle of convincing him that the whole settling in process would go a lot smoother with a movie night and eating junk food in front of the TV. To which he would have replied with something equally as compelling, had his phone not decided to ring in that exact moment. Or should I say, had a certain person not decided to ring him in that exact moment.

“Speak,” Lucius demanded in his ‘I am King, bow down to me now’ kind of way. Now, I should point out that I was fortunate enough to be curled to his side with his arm around me and resting at the curve of my waist. This then meant that I could hear the whole conversation.

“We have a situation, boss.” I was sure this was Clay on the other end who said this.

“Elaborate,” Lucius said and I cleared my throat and made a motion with my head that I would leave him to it. However, he shook his head and held me tighter to make his point.

He wanted me to stay.

“Sometime today, Clay, for I think I made it clear I was not to be disturbed, which leaves me one of two options, either I am pissed at you or pissed at the other person who caused this…so which is it?”

“It ain’t at me,” Clay answered quickly.

“Clay.” Lucius said his name in warning.

“Let’s just say you’re not the only pissed off party here and unfortunately I am the fucking go between.” His head of security replied making me frown at the way it was worded. It was as if there was something he was holding back because he knew I was there. I knew I had guessed right when Lucius looked down at me and said,

“Right… well, it looks like he found his limit on waiting. I will be there shortly.”

“Sire.” This was Clay’s way of saying goodbye before hanging up the phone. Lucius stood before slipping his phone into his jeans’ back pocket, and it had become obvious quite quickly that, unlike my first thoughts of Lucius, he was more a fan of casual attire than the suits I first believed him to prefer. But then again, before stepping foot inside Transfusion the second time, I had mainly only ever seen him wearing a suit.

“I guess being King never stops,” I said in a lighthearted way making him give me a warm look.

“Having you here in my home, then it makes me wish that it did,” he said before pulling me up and raising my face by the chin to kiss me and this time it was as sweet and tender as the look he gave me.

“It’s alright, I will just see you tonight and hey, if you play your cards right, I may even let you pick the movie,” I said waggling my eyebrows at him, making him grin.

“I thought I’d already played my cards right…twice.” This comment naturally ended up with us kissing again and when I heard Lucius’ phone beep, he growled low and said,

“Next place I buy will be on a fucking island with no fucking reception!”

“Well, who knows, I may just have the gold bikini and chain by then,” I said winking and making him groan before grabbing me to him so he could mutter against my forehead,

“That doesn’t motivate me to leave, Pet.” I chuckled and said,

“You can always stick around and watch me shave my legs if you want?” I asked making him laugh.

“Oh, but I think you have a lot more to do than that,” he replied making me still in his hold. Because now my internal panic consisted of images that included me sat up in bed with my legs spread and knocking down a safety visor, saying, ‘Ladies, I am going in’ before going at my private parts with a weed wacker / hedge trimmer! I mean jeez, just how much hair can a girl grow down there in the space of a few days…So, knowing my luck, consuming his blood acts like some sort of miracle grow, making me wish I had read the small print!

Of course, I didn’t express these thoughts in quite that way. Instead going with the tamer version of that question.

“Erm…you mean like my pits?” Again, this made him throw his head back and laugh harder this time, before telling me why,

“I was referring to unpacking, sweetheart.” Okay so big phew on that one!

“Oh that, oh well that won’t take me long, I mean it’s only a bag of clothes and…wait, why are you scowling now?” I asked because, well, he was.

“Because I told you to unpack, Amelia, not just hang up a few fucking clothes.”

“That is unpacking, Lucius,” I said with a shake of my confused head.

“No, it’s not, that is staying for a few days, a week at best. That is not unpacking,” he said emphasising his words with an impatient growl.

“You can’t be serious?”

“Do I look like I am fucking joking?” he asked crossing his arms yet again, making me refrain from muttering, ‘oh, here we go again’.

“So, you’re saying you want me to actually unpack all my stuff, as in …here?” I said looking around the super stylish place and trying to imagine how I was possibly going to mix the two. Lucius however took this statement completely the wrong way and looked as though I’d just slapped him. He even jerked back before growling,

“And what the fuck does that mean?!” Yep, totally the wrong way, so I told him,

“Lucius, you live in a cave.”

“And?” he snapped getting more pissed off by the second, so I thought it wise to make my point and make it quickly before he got even more of the wrong idea than he already was doing.

“And it is a very cool cave. An awesome, stylish cave,” I said making him now frown at me, not in a scowly way, but more in a questioning way. I was calling this progress.

“I am not following.”

“Lucius, come on, you have seen where I lived, you have seen my stuff…and well, as much as I may think my stuff is cool, in a place like this…so not cool.” Lucius looked as though he was giving this some thought and then said,

“So, what you’re saying is that you won’t unpack because my cave is too cool for you, am I correct?”

“It’s not exactly Twickenham, Lucius,” I said thinking this would make my point. Which it didn’t, as in so not. No, instead it simply became a challenge he set me. I knew this when he said,

“Then make it so.”

“What do you mean?” I asked confused and thankfully resisted the urge to call him Picard.

“You want it like home, then make it like home,” he stated.

“Lucius, you don’t mean…” This is when he stopped me, and he did this by walking me backwards until the back of my legs hit the couch and I had nowhere to go but backwards. I fell back on my ass into the seat with little choice but to stay there. Especially when he placed a hand either side of my head on the back rest before lowering his face to mine.

Then he said in a serious tone,

“Make it home.”

“Eh…?” He narrowed his eyes and said, more forcefully this time,

“Make. It. Home.” This time I visibly gulped at this and nodded quickly. This I could tell made him happy as he grinned and kissed me lightly on the forehead before telling me,

“Good girl.” Then his presence was done dominating my personal space, giving me room to take a breath.

“Now, I would ask you to remain only in this personal space and not to leave it, for without me you may get lost, for you don’t yet know…”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry handsome, I have no urge to go getting my ass lost in the middle of Mount Doom.” Oops, probably shouldn’t have called it that, not seeing as he was obviously touchy about his home and well, trying to force me into making it my home too.

“Mount Doom?” He nearly snarled the words. I laughed nervously and said on a giggle,

“Did I say Mount Doom, what I really meant to say was Mount Pleasant, Mount ‘come on in and take a load off…that type of Mount…but hey if Doom means something different in your world, then hey, that’s your bad.”

“Um mm,” was Lucius’ disbelieving reply with a raise of his brow.

“Just so you know, had I been awake when we arrived then I would have been able to see for myself the very inviting entrance complete with welcome mat by the front door.” At this Lucius leaned into me one more time and said,

“Alright, you’ve made your point, love.” Then he kissed me quick and said,

“Now, I really must leave, but do me a favour, Amelia…”

“Hum?”

“No getting into trouble this time.” I winked at him and said,

“I make no promises, handsome, after all I am sure there are knives kept in the kitchen.” At this he groaned and walked away shaking his head, muttering under his breath the same threat as before,

“Shackles… I need fucking shackles and a gag.”

After this he left and like the good girl I was…

I unpacked.

But like the naughty girl I aspired to be, I did so to make a point, saying out loud,

“Oh yeah, this is going to be fun.”

* * *

I didn’t know how long it took me exactly as there wasn’t a clock in sight and without windows, well then, it was pretty much a crapshoot in the dark. But it didn’t matter as I certainly kept myself busy. This started by going back into the massive walk-in closet and finding one whole side of it had been cleared out ready for me to ‘hang my shit’ as Lucius had said when we had been talking it out in bed. This had been straight after sex…twice, when his first question had been,

“Does this mean you’re going to hang your shit in my closet?” Now if this had been said by any other male in existence then I was pretty sure any woman would have been peeved to hear her stuff being referred to as shit. But this was Lucius and that meant, this was actually him telling me that he wanted ‘my shit’ there and for me to basically, go and ‘fucking unpack it’.

But I had convinced myself that he would totally regret trying to convince me to do this and in fact the safer option would have been to simply unpack my clothes, a few girly things and that was about it. Because one look around this kickass cool cave of his, and well, I couldn’t exactly see all my geekiness fitting in.

He disagreed.

He was also about to learn.

So that was precisely what I did. Doing so in the most over the top way possible, because really, I had a point to prove. Of course, I also could have done with spending my time a little wiser, like working further on the damn cursed box for example. But seeing as I had no clue where it was and had already embarrassingly felt all the walls for a hidden safe, then I had no choice but to swiftly move on to plan, ‘Prove my point to a stubborn ass Vamp’.

This plan started with the kitchen as the first box I found was all of the gorgeous new stuff that had been bought to replace all my smashed stuff after the break in. It was a good job too as Lucius may have had a kitchen built, but filling it with stuff needed to cook with, wasn’t exactly a priority for him. However, one thing this kitchen wasn’t lacking was food and mountains of it…ha, see what I did there!

The cupboards were full of, well, strangely all the stuff that had once filled my own cupboards. Okay, so that had been weird number one. Weird number two had been the lack of a fridge. This had taken me a while to locate as it was actually hidden behind the wall of cabinets. I imagined this was so it wasn’t as much of an eyesore seeing as this kitchen had been made on a platform without any rock face to call a wall. Which meant every bit of it was free standing.

The whole kitchen space was solid dark wooden cabinets with what I first thought was minus all your usual appliances. But like the fridge, that was because these too were hidden. It was only when I started to lift open cupboards and pulling on handles that I started to discover what lay beneath. Like one cupboard arched upwards and had been hiding a counter space behind it that held a state of the art coffee machine, blender and other gadgets.

Another of these handles when lifted actually disappeared into a slot above and showed the standing twin oven and grill. Another handle pulled turned out to be a microwave and yet another hidden cupboard was a dishwasher. I also tried the fancy tap and found it was one that had instant boiling water.

But back to the fridge and the stainless steel door I found behind the ‘fake wall’ of cupboards. I pulled it open and found it was a walk in design that had on one side a cooler section, with shelves stocked full of everything you could ever imagine for either putting on a sandwich or if you were the healthy type (which I clearly wasn’t) making a salad. The opposite side was a wall of freezer drawers, again all packed with my favorite foods.

However, the best drawer I opened was by far the one that made me laugh the hardest, as it was the one filled with my heavenly Cereal. This took me back to when I first moved back into my apartment, after Lucius had arranged to refurnish it when it was trashed. The next day he had left me a housewarming gift outside my door that had been the same box of cereal tied in a red bow and with a card that said a simple,

You’re welcome

Lucius

It was no wonder then that I sat eating my first bowl at the table, smiling the whole time I ate thinking back to how confused I was at the time as to why he would have done this for me. Now though, it seemed blindly obvious, but at the time I was still stuck somewhere between, ‘I thought he hated me’ and ‘Gods, I hope he doesn’t hate me’.

All I can say is I am glad I am past all that heartache bullshit!

Shortly after placing all my new dinner set and kitchenware in the cupboards that were free, I then moved onto other stuff. Or should I say…The fun stuff. Of course, this started with first needing a shelving unit and seeing as there was one in the closet, one I was pretty sure I was supposed to use for shoes, I started trying to carry it all the way into the living room.

This was how Caspian, of all people, found me.

“Just what do you think you are doing, human?!” he bellowed as I was struggling down the steps. I paused and stuck my head around the side to see him stood there, almighty puffed out chest looking impressive and intimidating. However, I just scoffed and said,

“I think that’s obvious,” but his stern face and folded arms said otherwise. An intimidating stance, that had to be said, looked like a feat in itself due to his mountain man sized arms. When he didn’t respond but instead continued to silently expect an answer, I said,

“Well, I did come all this way just to steal a shelf, so be a doll and just pretend you didn’t see me...yeah?” This he didn’t find amusing and once again his silence told me so.

“Jeez, what does it look like I am doing?!”

“You look like you are trying to cause trouble.” I rolled my eyes, knowing I could totally get away with it now and said,

“Yes, that’s exactly what I am doing, so are you going to help me or what, before I break my damn neck!?” I snapped as I was currently trying to make the bloody thing walk down the steps like a flat robot out of battery. Needless to say, the, ‘side, tilt, tip and repeat’ technique wasn’t working all that great. At this Caspian sighed and then walked up the steps, taking three at a time and then grasped the large unit like it was nothing but a flagpole he was about to stake in the ground to claim land.

“Where?” he all but snarled.

“Erm, over there I think,” I said pointing to the only side that wouldn’t hide anything behind it. I mean it wasn’t exactly easy deciding on where, seeing as ‘the room’ didn’t even have any walls to put it against. Caspian put it down and I made an ‘umm’ sound before showing him which way to turn it more. He rolled his eyes and twisted it an inch, then looked behind his mammoth shoulder to see if this was acceptable. I nodded my head to the side twice more and he took the hint.

“There! So, what do you think?” I asked wondering why on earth I bothered.

“I don’t give a fuck.” Yep and there it was.

“Oookay then. So, in that case, what can I help you with?” I asked now turning my back and rearranging all the pretty scatter cushions I had added from my place, along with my pride and joy, my pink Star Fleet cushion. One, I might add, with its bright pink piping my aunty Pip had given me, totally did not go with the rest of the décor or the kick ass navy blue U shaped couch. But seeing as that was the whole point here, I was pretty happy.

“Luc wanted a report on your activities.” I laughed at this. But of course, he did, wanting to know if I was being a ‘good girl’ no doubt.

“And let me guess, you were the poor bastard that drew the short straw,” I commented with a chuckle.

However, when silence was all I got, I turned around and saw him frowning. Then he totally surprised me by saying,

“No, I requested to.” I didn’t know why this gave me chills, maybe it was the serious way in which he had said it. Something that was ridiculous, as what else did I expect, him to sing it at me in Soprano! I mean the dude always sounded serious and pissed off and with an ‘I am looking forward to the day that I can hunt you down at the first chance I get’ attitude. But then, despite this, something about it sounded totally off, as if he was even struggling with the idea of what he was about to do next.

I swear if a regular person could have had Spiderman’s spidey sense, then watching Caspian approach me now was definitely making it tingle. Fuck that, it wasn’t tingling…it was like the Gods be damned Hunchback of Notre Dame was ringing his damn bells at me!

And I was soon to discover why.

Because he wasn’t just walking towards me with purpose, he was now doing it whilst pulling something from behind his back. And my only two thoughts now were, there was no way I would win against him in a fight.

And two,

I was a dead woman.

A dead woman, now staring at…

His knife.

20

My Hands Are Tied

I started to move and wasn’t sure that I was even backing up at all, seeing as he was at me quicker than my eyes could take in. Making me now question if I was even moving at all?

“But why, I just…” I just uttered these words, expecting this mountain of a demon to crush me any second, because let’s face it, I could be kickass, but with this guy, then I wouldn’t stand a chance!

I was a dead woman.

“It is my duty,” he confessed as though the words had been torn out of him and whatever he was about to do now, two things were clear, he was struggling with it and he fucking hated that he couldn’t fight it!

This was when I finally realised I was in fact moving and unfortunately this registered when I saw myself getting closer to the edge as I was backing away from one danger only to find myself heading towards another.

So, I tried one last time.

“You don’t have to do this,” I told him in a pleading tone.

“But I must,” he said before shocking me enough that it nearly knocked me down. But then out of us both, there was only one of us going to our knees and insanely, it wasn’t me. Caspian started to lower himself down to one knee before holding out the blade as if making some kind of pledge.

“Err…what’s happening?” I asked in that dumbfounded kind of way. Then he turned the blade back on himself and sliced it across his hand deep and long. After this he fisted the meaty paw now letting it drip onto the floor. Then he bowed his head to me, lifted his now blood soaked fist and held it to his forehead. This ended up leaving an imprint there thick enough that blood dripped down his nose over the many metal bars there from all his piercings. Eyes now burning with not just an intensity but glowing white as if he was speaking to me from behind his demon.

“With my blood I pledge my eternal loyalty to you, for my life is in your service should you need the sacrifice to ever save your own.” Then he took his bloody fist down to his heart and pounded it twice. This left crimson stains all over his Iron Maiden T shirt, making the bands mascot, Eddie even more demonic looking. Especially as he was already holding a busty redhead in the skimpiest red hooker dress in existence to his demonic body.

“Err…what now?” I said again, in that same dumbstruck voice I couldn’t seem to get past.

“I pledge my life to you,” he repeated hitting his own chest again like this act was both final and understood.

“Oookay…can I ask why?” I said now backing away from the edge I had been getting closer to and putting a safer distance between me and it.

“You tried to save my wife, you protected her, worried for her safety, for this I am in your debt,” he said as if the idea wasn’t exactly a happy one but more one forced upon him. I released a sigh thinking that he believed he had to do it but just needed letting off the burden, so I said,

“Ah, don’t mention it,” I said waving it off moving now to walk around him but as I did, this was when he decided to finish what he started. Suddenly he was on his feet, with surprising stealth for a man his size. Then he quickly flattened his hand against my chest and suddenly, I found that I couldn’t breathe. I took a few staggering steps back, now holding a shaky hand to my chest.

“Push past it, human,” was Caspian’s stern advice and if I’d had enough breath at the time to yell profanities at him, I would have…especially now knowing he owed me a life debt and I was pretty sure that meant he couldn’t rattle me to death!

I don’t know how much time passed as he just stood there watching me with his arms folded and looking as if he would rather be doing his wife’s laundry than stood here watching as I tried to ‘push past it’, whatever the fuck that meant!

In the end, I finally had enough breath to speak and could finally feel the pressure on my chest ease until the point it was no more.

“What the fuck was that?!” I shouted making him scoff, a sound that lifted up half his body an inch.

“Your soul accepting my vow, you now have my life. Now I can go.” Erh…what now? He had turned his back to me not even bothering to wipe the blood from his forehead.

“Whoa there, hold on big guy, let’s just back this way up and start again,” I said after reaching for him and grabbing his arm to pull him back…Gods, but it was like grabbing a tree trunk!

“Start again?” he asked looking down at me as if I were a bug on his arm, one he was no longer allowed to squash.

“Or at least to the part where you said I now have your life…yeah, explain that bit exactly,” I said really hoping this was just one of those, ‘I will bend the knee’ type of things here.

“It means just that. You own my life as debt,” he stated so matter of fact, it was as if he were just saying, ‘here’s my car to pay off that loan’. I mean jeez, it didn’t even sound like that ‘car’ even meant much to him either! I mean seriously, who just threw away ownership of a soul?

“Okay well you helped me with the shelf, and then we can call it even.” He frowned down at me before looking to the shelf before raising a wiry brow at me.

“Because I helped you with a shelf?” he repeated as if he was trying to figure if he had heard me correctly, telling me this wasn’t going my way. So, I thought to embellish my reasoning with,

“Yeah, we can just say you may have saved my life with that one, as let’s face facts, it’s a high possibility with how clumsy I am.”

“No. You own it and what’s done can’t be undone,” he stated in clear annoyance.

“But I didn’t ask for that!” I said throwing my hands up dramatically.

“You don’t ask for one, you’re granted it. So, I granted it. Why is this hard for you to comprehend, human?” he asked as if questioning my intelligence when really, it was totally the other way around because this guy was clearly riding the loopy train to crazyville!

“Oh, I get it alright! I just don’t think you are getting that I don’t want it.” Oh no, back up Fae, back up right now! And I did, take a step back that was as saying this clearly didn’t go down well as he folded his arms again and scowled down at me. And let’s just say, that it was a long way down and pee my pants worthy, which thankfully my bladder stayed strong throughout.

“What is wrong with my offering?!” he snapped.

“Okay, so granted that came out wrong as I am not saying there is anything wrong with your soul per se…”

“Per se?” he repeated impatiently.

“Nothing at all other than offering it to me was totally unnecessary. Now let’s say, you had come in here with a bottle of wine or box of chocolates to say thanks then yeah, I would have totally snatched those out your hand but your freakin’ life…dude, seriously?” I said and on reflection I wasn’t really sure why I threw the word ‘dude’ in there, especially as it wasn’t even a word I kept in reserves. But I guess it just felt like a dude type moment and besides, someone giving you their soul kind of did that to you.

“I don’t do gifts,” he stated firmly.

“No, no, but souls, yeah sure thing, got loads of them lying around,” I muttered again without thinking.

“You are insulting me,” he stated and this was when I released a big sigh and said,

“Yes, well I don’t mean to, it’s just a bit of a shock when one minute you’re wondering where to put your frilliest scatter cushion so your Vampire boyfriend will see it and it will piss him off, and the next you find out you own a person’s soul!”

“I don’t understand you,” he said this time and in pretty much the same tone as he used for everything. The permanently pissed off kind.

“Yes, well I don’t exactly understand myself right now either,” I said slumping down on the sofa and looking down at my hands. Of course, I was also hoping they held the secret of how to return a soul, free of charge, as I doubted even Google could help with that shit!

“Alright, human, you want simple, here it is. You are trouble, this is fact. You are with my Master, which means you are sticking around, also fact. So, you get into trouble next time, I will know. Then I can repay my life debt and you can return my soul’s oath. That is it… it is done…now can I fucking leave or what?!” he snapped making me think that for a guy who just came all the way down here to tell me he would basically die to protect me, then he sure was pissy about it!

“Err, yeah,” I said forgoing the part where I added, ‘please do’ at the end. He nodded and then stomped off in his usual, I hate all humans and basically everything but rock bands, beer and my wife, manner. I even had the urge to ask him before he went, if owning this soul meant that I had to do anything. You know like water it or make sure it didn’t eat after dark, that type of thing. But then I thought that would have really pushed him to the edge and I didn’t know enough of this owning his soul shit to do that just yet. However, if it meant he couldn’t hurt me in any way then I suppose this could be fun. Like my new hobby whilst here…how many different ways I could piss him off. Oooh, maybe that way he would just give up and take it back. Okay, so that sounded like one of my usual insane plans.

Naturally after that last boat load of insanity, I didn’t really have much choice but to carry on with my ‘Prove a point to my Vampy boyfriend’ plan and this included the next job on my list…Lego.

Which was why a little time later Lucius came back to find me sat on the floor, in front of a coffee table I had moved from the side of the sofa to the front. Oh, and I was currently making a show of cleaning my movie figurines whist watching Buffy the Vampire slayer (on purpose as I wanted to get a rise out of him) on TV.

The living space had also been transformed as now either side of the TV held my biggest pieces of Star Wars Lego, along with a shelf full of my geek stuff. My girly cushions were scattered around the U shaped sectional, and my funny T shirt patch blanket had been folded over one arm. I even had some candles and girly magazines dotted about the place, along with my nail kit that looked a mess on one table after doing my nails and leaving my shit there. Because let’s face it, he needed to know the full experience of living with a chick and bonus, my nails looked great!

He took one look at me from across the way and his lips twitched in that telling way of his. Then, without saying anything, he descended the steps and made it to the living space, stopping when he was only a few feet away. I tried to keep my face straight and not smile as I knew he was staring down at me expectantly.

“I think this is the part you welcome me back with a kiss, sweetheart,” he stated and I said,

“I think this is the part when you say, ‘honey, I’m home’, Sugar plum” To this I ended up jumping when his lips were by my ear and he whispered,

“Honey, I’m home.” Then I suddenly found myself with my back to the sofa and him lowering his weight over me, my shiny Terminator head rolling from my hand along with the cloth.

“I guess it’s my turn,” I said referring to his welcome kiss, trying not to sound as breathless as I did and act cool instead. In the end, it didn’t matter as Lucius totally took over and kissed me first anyway, something that ended up with us fooling around on the sofa. But then, this was when things obviously started to catch his eye, as his distracted glances said as much. But shockingly, he didn’t say anything.

“Anything the matter?” I asked faking innocence and just waiting for the ‘what the fuck?’ I knew was coming. But then something happened that I wasn’t expecting, as Lucius’ eyes lit with amusement, he simply buried his face in my neck, silently chuckled and muttered,

“Not one fucking thing.” This I took was in reply to my question. To say that I was utterly astonished was an understatement and I came close to saying, ‘Why the Hell not?’

But then he went back to kissing me and his amusement turned into arousal. Which meant after about ten minutes of getting hot and heavy on the sofa, that nearly ended with me begging him to make me come already, my stomach chose that moment to growl. This then became priority number one on Lucius’ list of importance and I knew that when two things happened so fast I ended up doing a double take at the blur of motion above me. The first was followed by the absence of the body above me and the second was suddenly finding myself being tugged upright.

“Okay so…whoa, Lucius, I can walk!” I ended this in a shout as I quickly found myself over his shoulder and now being carried up the steps to the next few levels. But seeing as this was in the direction of the bedroom, I was more than pleased…well, that was until he veered off towards the kitchen.

“Where’s the fun in that and besides, it’s time to feed me, wench!” Lucius declared suddenly smacking me on the ass and then setting me down before I even had chance to fully register the sting. Therefore, I pushed the now loose parts of my hair back, pushed my glasses back up my nose and said an unamused,

“Ouch.”

On hearing this he took my face in his hands and kissed my nose before saying,

“Aww, poor baby…that’s what happens when I come home from a hard day at work and dinner isn’t on the table waiting.” Now at this I had to laugh, as the thought was indeed a funny one. However, instead of asking him if he’d left his briefcase at the office or to be honest, one of my many other witty replies I could have gone with, I decided on,

“Well, sweetheart, if its feeding you want, then I think you will find we are in the wrong room, if memory serves me right, or should I say, serves you right, then a bed is more suitable for the act.” Now at this he smirked, and I prematurely waited for him to agree and in some caveman style of his whisk me up to his room to do just that. But like I said, prematurely.

He tugged me to him and growled down at me and said,

“Behave, little troublemaker.” Then he let me go and walked straight to the fridge, amazing me to see him looking so at ease in the kitchen, even if it was his own. I didn’t know why but just the thought of him even in here seemed strange and bizarrely…human.

“Erm…so you actually want food?”

“That is what tends to happen when people eat dinner together or am I really that out of touch in the human world these days?” he remarked, this last part an obvious tease.

“Well, it usually starts with a sacrifice these days, so I don’t suppose you have any virginal beauties lying around ready for the altar, do you?” I joked and once again found myself in his arms because of the comment, his beer bottle now discarded unopened on the counter. This happened just as quickly as most of Lucius’ actions when he was being demanding as one second I was facing the countertop and the next I was spun around to face him and my back was now pressed up against it.

“Not anymore,” he growled before grabbing my messy bun in his hand, yanking my head back and claiming my lips in a rough and demanding way. Gods, but it was glorious and I couldn’t help but fist my hands in his hair, holding him to me, just as he did the same.

But once again my stomach decided to ruin my fun and growled again making him pull back and in turn making me moan at the loss.

“Oh, come on!” I suddenly shouted without thought and he raised a questioning eyebrow at me making me instantly feel the heat in my cheeks. But then I thought, you know what, to hell with this shit, as he wasn’t the only one who got to call the shots here. And besides, I was pretty sure my plan was going to work big time once I got him inside the bedroom, although now I was hoping it was after and not before.

“Something to say, sweetheart?” Lucius said now leaning back against the counter opposite with his hands to the edge either side of him and space between us.

“Oh, fuck saying it, I am just going to do it!” I decided and I started this by suddenly whipping my T shirt over my head and throwing it at him before I took off running and I did so in the direction of the bedroom.

“Mmm, run, run now little rabbit, for I do enjoy the chase,” I heard Lucius warn from behind me, but then when I turned around to glance over myself at how far away he was, I noticed that he wasn’t there at all. I came to a stop just in the doorway to his bedroom, panting because well, I was crap at physical activity. Well, with Lucius being the exception.

I looked around nervously, expecting any second for him to just jump out and scare me.

“What’s the matter, Pet…?” The second I heard his whisper so close to me I quickly spun on a heel but again, was met by nothing there. And here I was, now panting in just my jeans and sea green lace bra that managed to make me look a size bigger than I usually was.

“…Scared you will get caught?” This time he finished off his sentence with the feel of his hand caressing across my collarbone before he was gone again. Seriously, but where was he? I had no clue but thought to myself that there was only one way to try and take control back and that was to tease him as he did far too often to me.

So, I started this by backing up into the room, looking over my shoulder one last time to check that it was empty. Then I started to unbutton my jeans and it was only when I could feel the tall thick bedpost at my back that I braved slipping my hand inside the waist band on my panties, saying first,

“Two can play at that game.” Then I swiped my finger up through the seam, gave the wood at my back my weight and moaned whilst arching my body.

“Yes, but only one of us will win it,” Lucius said, and suddenly I was grabbed from behind, with the post in between us. I cried out in surprise, pulling my hand from inside my jeans only to find both my arms captured and pulled back behind me so they were awkwardly hugging the post from behind my back.

“Lucius what are you…!?”

“Quiet, girl!” he snapped in a dominating voice that snapped my mouth closed instantly. Then I felt something soft and silky tie around each wrist before being pulled tight, and only when I felt his hands leave me, did I trying tugging them free, to find them well and truly caught.

Lucius had tied me to the large bedpost with thankfully enough length between my hands so the corners of the wood weren’t cutting into me. Only when assured I wouldn’t break free did Lucius then stroll out from behind me, looking as masterful as ever coming to stand in front of me.

“Now it’s time I get to play, Pet.” he whispered after stepping into me and dragging the pad of his thumb down the centre of my lips, as he had once before. But unlike then he started to press in and said,

“Open your fuckable mouth, beautiful.” I swallowed hard as the pure lust for this man was making it hard to think of anything other than obeying him. To the point where I felt I should have questioned if there was anything wrong with me, that I found this demanding, rough treatment of his such a turn on?!

But like I said, I just couldn’t find it in me to deny him, as I seemed to get just as much pleasure being his good girl and pleasing him as I did when I was sucking his cock and being the one to make him come at my demand.

He inserted his thumb inside my mouth and then leant his face closer into mine and snarled,

“Now suck it.”

Again, I did as I was told, sucking it inside and swirling my tongue around his thumb as if it was something else. Something considerably larger. Then he pulled his thumb from me abruptly and suddenly my cheeks were being squeezed together in one hand, as he brought my face closer to his.

“Gods, but how I love this fucking mouth!” he declared on a growl before crushing his lips to mine for a bruising kiss that set me on fire. Swiftly after this I felt my breast being freed as my lace cup was torn down now hanging from its wire, and my nipple was being twisted and pulled in a painful but sexual way. One that yet again, had me moaning in pleasure not wanting him to stop his delicious torment. I was so turned on that I could feel my arousal dripping down my inner thighs, soaking my panties and even through my jeans.

Lucius tore his mouth from mine and said,

“Fuck, Amelia! The scent of you, the scent of your wet pussy is fucking with my senses, making me blind to all else…” Then both his hands went to my jeans and, like in the gas station, I felt them being tugged roughly down my legs, before they were gone completely. My panties, however, were torn and instead of being thrown to join the trousers, Lucius had other ideas for them as he put them in his back pocket.

Then, once risen back to his full height and looking down at my body, now mostly naked save for one breast still in its cup and the other hanging free, his smirk deepened as he took a leisurely scan back up until at my mouth, where he said,

“Blind to all else but this sweet mouth of yours, one I am going to enjoy fucking.” I sucked in a shuddered breath and his eyes seeped into a warm glowing amber at the sight. Then with a hand on my elbow he stepped close enough to whisper down in my ear,

“Now get on your knees for your King, my pretty little Princess.” Then with a little force more so to start guiding me, I was lowered to my knees like he commanded. But even through his dark and dominating control, I still noticed the way he took such good care of me. Like how he helped me to my knees, making sure my tied hands slid down the length of the wood at the same time my weight landed on the floor. Then he ran a gentle, soothing hand back over my hair before cupping my jaw in an almost tender way.

I looked up at him, over the rim of my glasses, keeping eye contact until I heard the sound of his zipper being lowered. Naturally, my gaze shot to the sight of his hard length as it burst free from behind the denim. But his growled demand stopped me,

“Give me back your eyes! I want them on me the whole time, do you understand?” He barked out his order and I nodded looking up at him once again. He caressed my cheek and praised,

“My good girl, now take me in your mouth and relax your throat before sucking me down… As much as you can take, Amelia.” he told me and I swallowed hard before doing as he wished and opening my mouth wide so I could take him, getting a high from the control he exerted over me.

Now I had done this before and seeing as I had made him come and he clearly enjoyed it, I knew I was capable of this. However, as soon as it started, I realized the major difference was control. Or should I say the lack of, as without my hands, I was completely at his mercy to take me to my limit and trust him to do this and not take it beyond. And oh boy did he take me to my limit!

“That’s it, that’s it, take me down into that sweet fucking mouth of yours…Gods, how I love this mouth!” Lucius growled out the praise and when I saw his head fall back, I felt myself trying to take him even further as the pleasure witnessed by what my mouth could do was fucking addictive! I wanted to make him come so badly but not just that, but to make it the best he’d ever had. I wanted his orgasm to be so powerful that it would be burned to his memory for the rest of eternity!

So I did as he said, I kept my eyes locked to his, even if he wasn’t looking and relaxed my throat as much as I could, working through gagging around him and holding him there for as long as I could.

“Fuck, FUCK!” Lucius shouted whenever I did and I combined this with the quick bobbing motion down his length, alternating between going fast, and sucking hard, to then holding him down for as long as I could keep him there.

“Gods in fucking Heaven!” he hissed through his teeth as if he could barely even cope with the level of pleasure I was forcing upon him, as I may have been the one tied up, but right now, I knew that I was in control.

“Yes! Fuck yes, my girl, I am going to feed you my cum and you are going to swallow it down like such the good girl you are,” he told me and I nodded slightly with his cock still deep in my mouth to tell him that I would. He liked this, I could tell as his eyes burned brighter before he said,

“Do you know how fucking spectacular you look right now, on your knees before me, my cock deep in that talented hot little mouth of yours, ready and eager to swallow me down, swallow every drop I fucking give you! Do you have any idea how fucking beautiful you are!” he said now with his hand at the back of my head, ready to hold me prisoner around him should I suddenly wish to escape. His hips then started pumping to the speed he wanted and all I could do was relax, open wide and let him have his way with my mouth.

“You’re a fucking Goddess is what you are! Now fucking swallow me down, Amelia! Swallow it all, my girl, my fucking heart!” he snarled and just as his fist embedded with a painful bite in my hair, he pushed himself in the furthest yet and roared up at the ceiling like a fucking demon loose from Hell. All the while as he pumped his cum down my throat, making me gag and swallow around the intrusion.

I continued to swallow and swallow until it finally stopped, and his hand relaxed in my hair pulling me slowly from his still hard, wet length. He was breathing heavily, obviously needing to come down from the extreme high and as he did, his hand smoothed back my hair and ran a gentle thumb along my now aching jaw.

God, even after his rough treatment of me, he managed to make me feel so cherished, like the way when I gave him one last lick and he uttered a tender,

“My sweet girl.” Then he took hold of both my elbows this time and raised me to my feet, making sure I was steady. As soon as I was to my full height, he started to kiss me, but starting with across my chest, then up my neck and finally along my jaw to my mouth. This was when he ravished my mouth, gripping my waist and holding it to his hard frame like he wanted to try and merge our bodies as one. To the point that I was so in deep in his kiss that when he pulled back, I even found my face falling forward a little. This he found endearing as he pushed my glasses back up my nose and ran the pad of two fingers across my tender lips.

“Now it’s time for me to play with my girl,” he said and the second his hand snaked down in between my legs, I gasped at the connection, for I had been desperate for it. Desperate for the contact, being as turned on as I was, it literally stole my breath. Oh, and judging by his grin, he knew it, as the second he inserted the first finger inside me I cried out at the pleasure, one I had been near frantic to find.

Then with his free hand he collared my throat and held my head back to the post to keep me still, even though there was nowhere for me to go being tied the way I was.

But he did this all the same, along with pull his finger free, despite my moan of protest. Then he brought the coated finger not to his own lips this time, but to mine.

“Here, now you get to taste both of us,” he said forcing his finger in my mouth and letting the flavour of my sex burst across my tongue before he then pulled it free and kissed me again, keeping his finger close enough to slip in there as well. This was so we were both experiencing the taste together. Gods, but it was so erotic, so raw I wondered if I wouldn’t come from that alone. But then the answer to that came when his hand went back to my entrance and just as he forced two fingers forcefully inside, he said this time,

“Now it’s time to abuse that pretty pussy of yours.”

21

Coming Home

Lucius

Watching Amelia as she came all over my fingers, soaking them from forcing her to squirt a release on them was like staring into the face of perfection! The way her head fell back, and mouth permanently open, panting and moaning as she was forced the pleasure upon her. The way she begged for me to stop so sweetly, Gods, it was fucking music to my ears! But yet, I would not stop, for I knew there was more in her yet. And each time, she would wheeze out a plea for me to stop, but seconds later begging me to continue. I was such a fucking sadist when it came to my addiction and she was every fucking inch of the only drug I craved!

The way her body arched into the force of my thrusts as I fucked her with my fingers, adding to the size after each orgasm I demanded from her. Her hot little curvy body, bouncing, shaking, shuddering and quaking to my every touch, it was like the most beautiful plaything. A fine-tuned instrument and one I swear I could have continued performing with for hours. But the purpose of my hand at her neck was not just to hold her steady so she wouldn’t hurt herself with her thrashing, but it was also to monitor her pulse, knowing through that when she had finally had enough. Because my owned and used little doll needed to be taken care of and as much as I was having fun, I knew it would only take its toll on her fragile and mortal body.

And with her being my first mortal taken since my change, then I knew I had to give way to caution, no matter how hard or rough I wanted to take her. I had to be conscious of what she could handle, for my size alone could hurt her if ever she was not completely ready to take me. And there was the sexual pain to get off from and then there was just pain.

But with this being said, she continued to take me to the edge of losing all control, pushing and pushing at the beast in me every time I took her. I just wanted her in chains! I wanted her spread out on a crux decussata, better known as the St Andrews cross, restrained in a spread-eagle position. Shackled to the X frame so I could do as I did now all over again. I would then release her legs from the crux decussata and fuck her senseless!

But that was what she did to me. She flooded my mind with everything that was her, consuming my thoughts. That infallible icy demeanor I was famous for, all of it gone the second she merely uttered my name. Gods, but just getting her down here in the first place had been a challenge, as leaving her in bed in the morning when waking had been a fucking chore in itself. I had awoken, possessively cupping her sex and it was no fucking wonder considering earlier in the night I had woken to find her missing.

Gods, but the sheer fucking panic had me ready to tear down my own fucking walls to find her! I had been in such a rage, that the second I heard her in the bathroom I couldn’t help but react like a wild irrational beast, actually letting my Demon take more of a lead this time.

And in truth, I had felt like an utter bastard for it! Especially seeing as my main objective was to try and make her feel at home and at ease here. But instead, on the very first night, she finds me furious simply because she got up to use the fucking bathroom! Of course, the encounter had thankfully ended well, as in that moment entering her body and fucking her was the only thing that I had needed in order to calm the fuck down. As I needed to take what I owned and her fuckable, hot little body was all fucking mine to take advantage of.

So, I had.

And just like all other times before and since, Gods it was incredible. It was like nothing I had experienced before, as she was that something sweet in my life that I wanted to gorge myself on. I wasn’t joking when telling her that I was addicted. And since healing her, then I knew I was finally safe to take her the way I wanted to, without feeling like the utter bastard I had felt when seeing the true extent of her injuries beforehand.

Gods, but I had been so furious with her for letting me take her that way. The thought of causing her that type of pain, was enough to cause a physical reaction within me. For it wasn’t often a Vampire would feel nauseated.

But like I had said, I knew the difference between sexual pain and just regular pain, as one she got off on, the other only a true masochist would feed from. And my sweet Amelia was simply an innocent little submissive in need of a firm hand and patient training. Especially when she started questioning why she got off on the things I had made her get off on. Because my girl was a fighter, through and through and I fucking loved that about her.

But the misconception that every submissive was like that in every aspect of their life and not just the bedroom was usually false, for each being was different. Simply put, it depended on the person, along with the hand that led the submissive, as some exercised the need for control continuously. And there were those who liked asserting dominance in the bedroom after spending the day being challenged.

I had always believed I had been of the first type, given my position as ruler. It was well known my need to exert my control over my Kingdom and with a firm fucking hand at that! But since Amelia, then fuck me, the way she turned me on with her playful banter and witty remarks, that personal preference I had been holding on to went and took a flying fucking leap out the window!

The way she most certainly challenged me and at every turn at that. Gods, but it was like a breath of fresh air after being forced to live underground for a millennia. In fact, I never seemed to know what she would fucking do next and the excitement in me at finding out was only making it harder to be without her. For when I was, I constantly questioned what it was she was doing. I worried over the simplest of things. Like had she eaten enough? Had she had a moment of clumsiness and fallen or hurt herself? It was near fucking exhausting if truth be told.

As for her stubbornness, like the battle of having her move in. I knew that I couldn’t have hidden the fact her stuff had been delivered sooner than I thought it would have. Which meant I therefore had to tackle the subject matter with her yet again and sooner than I would have liked, as I had believed it wouldn’t have been quite so fast but, in a way, I was now glad it was done, for it was one more thing I could cross off the list, one nearly as long as my fucking arm where she was concerned.

It was why the second I took in the changes she had made in my personal space I knew instantly what her game of play was. And well, speaking of play…

“Please…oh Gods, please Lucius no more, I can’t…I can’t…” she said weakening now to the point she could no longer remain on her feet. Nor the shuddering muscles in her legs, as I had to leave her throat during that last screaming orgasm to keep her upright until finished.

“Alright, ssshh now, I will give you the rest you need,” I told her in hushed tones as she was very nearly asleep already. So, I snapped the length of silk I had tied her with. One I’d had at the ready knowing I would spend the night with her tied to me this time, so she couldn’t leave again without first waking me.

But then this had more than served a purpose as well, I thought with a hidden grin. However, when she started to slump forward, I feared I had taken her too far. I lifted her fully into my arms and carried her around to the side of the bed, before laying her down to sleep. After this I tore my T shirt over my head and used it to clean her up. She moaned in her sleep and squirmed in the way I fucking adored, trying in vain to get away from my hand. One that touched what I knew was now a well and truly abused pussy, and one I also intended to take again later.

Oh, but she would soon discover my increased appetite for sex now that she had finally been situated firmly in my life. And well, I had a lot of making up for lost time to do. As well as teaching my sweet little scholar a thing or two about her role in my bed and out of it. Starting with getting my way and making her unpack. Something I had most definitely achieved much to her vexation and the reason I grinned now.

But like I said, her game had been clear from the start. For she had thought to purposely irk me by displaying everything she owned, including an array of very feminine pillows now on my couch. This along with a new display unit for all her ‘toys’.

When Caspian had told me what he caught her doing then I had been furious. For she could have fallen and hurt herself, or worse, making me decide instantly after that, to change aspects of my home to make it safer for her. To be honest, this had been something I had decided when watching her navigate the bridge. It was one that led into the tunnel entrance to my private quarters and a place that she had nearly fallen over on from her premature victory dance. Something I would have found charming had it not been followed by the possibility of hurting herself.

So, by the time I had arrived back I had been fully ready to reprimand her about moving furniture around without aid, being thankful for Caspian’s arrival when he did. This despite his actions that I discovered after the fact!

But then I had walked into my home and the sight that greeted me, had me too moved mentally to do much else other than stare. I knew she hadn’t yet spotted me for I watched her for a good ten minutes before letting my presence be known.

I was utterly fascinated. Not just by the sight of her, one that was far beyond fucking adorable but with the way she cleaned her toy figures and added her commentary to whatever nonsense she had been watching at the time. Things like, you go girl, bazooka that demon’s ass!

It had actually made me wonder what she was watching at that point, especially when she was so engrossed, she wasn’t looking at what she was doing. Something that caused her to catch the pad of her thumb on a pointed piece of her figurine. Then I watched as she sucked it into her mouth and Gods but the sight of her sat there had me hard in seconds. She looked the very epitome of innocent virginity, even one after I had staked my claim and taken it for myself. The way she had started sucking the pain from her thumb, wearing those fuck me glasses and that tight T-shirt that clung to the delicious curve of her breasts. Gods, but my cock could have carved out the fucking rock surrounding us!

I knew then how I would have her sucking on my own thumb, watching those wide blue eyes of her staring up at me in question over the rim of the thick frames. Oh, the corruption, and what fucking sweet delights it had brought me! But then once again as was the way with my girl, the second her delectable mouth had swallowed down my cock she had quickly stolen my control and claimed it as her own.

I had to say, I was looking forward to a future where this little power battle between us would continue and not just in the bedroom. Hellfire, but I just couldn’t seem to get enough of her! Even now, looking down at her as she slept, and I wanted to wake her with the slide of my cock penetrating her from behind, doing so as gently as possible and seeing how long it would take for her to wake and realise.

Mmm, perhaps tonight I would sleep with my length still nestled inside her, for staying hard around her wasn’t a problem. For that was the damn understatement of the year, for my problem was trying to walk around here without a constant hard on!

Even earlier when dealing with the business of her family, I had entered my office to find my council waiting but with only a glance at my desk and I was assaulted with thoughts of taking her hard against it. This then meant walking the length of the room with the very obvious imprint of my cock down my leg pressing heavily against my jeans. I even snarled and threatened violence at Clay who openly laughed at seeing it. Of course, it was a threat he didn’t take seriously as thankfully I had taken her only hours before. However, I found that trying to keep a level head when I hadn’t, was becoming a difficult endurance. Like an irritable alcoholic that needed a drink.

Something I thankfully didn’t have added to the annoyance of Clay’s emergency phone call…fucking Dominic Draven. To be honest, I had been surprised it had taken him this long and no doubt this was down to his wife’s influence in trying to keep her husband under control. Obviously even she had exhausted her talents.

* * *

Earlier…

“Is there anything to report?” I had asked when taking my seat behind my overly large carved partner desk, one topped in red leather. As far as offices go, it was old school, with lots of dark mahogany that both panelled the walls as it did with the coffered ceilings. A grand fireplace made from Egyptian rose marble dominated one side of the room, whilst my desk dominated the other. The stone floor was the same marble as the heavily carved fire surround, done so in the design of two Roman warriors standing guard. A sight that always took me back to a different time. One filled with politics, corruption and the backstabbing pastime of murdering Emperors. And I would know seeing as I was one of them when I seized power shortly after the death of Emperor Pertinax back in 193, this during the Year of the Five Emperors.

But this was my office, a reminder of the many lives lived throughout my two thousand years plus on this Earth. Like the picture above the fireplace that was my first home and place of birth. Queriot, a town located south of Jerusalem in Judea. But no one knew of this or could guess that the mountain in the painting was Mount Hebron. This was the highest point and comprising the bulk of the central Judean Mountains.

However, no one knew much of my past, other than the stories my people fed on like the fucking mortal world of the rich and famous. As even Angels and Demons loved fucking gossip and well, when you were King, it unfortunately came with the territory. But it also made me wonder how much of my history Amelia knew.

She had never asked, and it made me wonder what would come of that conversation. I knew that for her, she had been extremely sheltered so it stood to reason she knew very little of my past, as I couldn’t exactly see daddy dearest divulging in our sordid history. Like the fact for more years than not, I had been his personal assassin. Admittedly a role I had much preferred at the time to that of king, a rule I didn’t relish in for many years after I had been turned.

In fact, it was only a title to me and not one I had taken seriously until after I had severed all ties between myself and my old friend. Oh, but then it had been a kingdom I would not strengthen and grow in size but use to my advantage when seeking out my revenge.

But that past was long gone and buried beneath my very flesh with the blood of Christ forging my soul into what had been owed to me long ago.

Fuck, but just thinking back over my long life and it made me wonder how such a conversation between myself and my Chosen One would even start. This, of course, included my gloved hand that until yesterday when my rage had consumed me, no-one had ever seen. But seeing as she had never asked me about it, I was at a loss as to her feelings on the matter. Which in the end, had been one of the most surprising things about her, for I knew she wanted to ask, as I had seen her glance at it enough times to know this for certain. My only conclusion was it was the fear of my reaction to such a question that prevented her from doing so and like the bastard I was, I was thankful for it, as it wasn’t a story I was yet ready to tell her.

Like many others.

Hell, but I could just imagine the questions now. In that way she was very much like her mother, always asking fucking questions! However, as much as it had been an annoyance with Keira, I was curious as to why I never found it so with Amelia. No, instead, I found her curious nature an endearing quality and her eagerness to learn of my people’s history and culture was nothing but encouraging. Despite how much her father had wished to keep it from her, the fact was that now she was mine and that meant she was my responsibility. She was in my care, so his wishes were a fucking moot point as far as I was concerned. She was my girl to protect and that included what I felt prudent for her to know and not know. And besides, I was the one being gifted the sight of her pleasure when providing her with the source of her addiction for knowledge. The way her eyes had lit up with excitement had been fucking adorable! And well, having her throw herself at me in gratitude was only another bonus for granting her what she desired.

If anything, I guess I should be thankful for the sheltered life they had deemed necessary, as I was the one benefitting from it now. And speaking of overbearing fathers, it was my time to have to deal with hers.

“Nothing to report as such, just a pissed off King threatening to storm the castle should we not have his daughter returned and have her ass on his private jet within the hour,” Clay replied and Ruto rolled his eyes at this, muttering,

“It’s thirty fucking years ago, all over again minus an Imp.”

I scoffed at this and rolled my own eyes, thinking again back to my Amelia and when I caught her doing the same.

“But of course, he did.” I answered dryly.

“When was this?” I asked making Clay smirk when answering,

“Sixty nine minutes ago.” Now this made me smile.

“Well, I’d bet not keep the royal dick waiting then,” I said then nodded to the door for my people to leave, picking up my phone and tapping on the one number named asshole. It was also a number that had changed many times throughout the years, as his anger usually got the better of him and ended up destroying the phone. I wondered then with a smirk if the current one would last the call.

Part of me hoped not. Oh, who was I kidding, all of me hoped not.

A hope that seemed almost absolute when the first sound I heard on the other end was a vicious growl, making me both grin and respond with a dry…

“Draven”

22

Friend, Old Foes

“About fucking time!” Dom snapped on a growl, telling me he was already at seething levels. Of course, hearing me call him by his last name wouldn’t have helped, I thought with a grin. This was something only his wife called him, and he knew instantly the point I had made, for he was no longer my fucking King to kneel to, and I could therefore call him whatever the fuck I wanted to!

But just as I was known for my unsettling and deadly calm, he was known for his temper. So, his reaction was nothing new to me and highly predictable.

“It’s good to hear from you too,” I said dryly.

“Cut the bullshit, Luc, and just tell me what time my daughter arrives!” Oh, now this made me really grin and gave me a depth of satisfaction like you wouldn’t believe.

“I fear you’re mistaken, old friend, for if someone gave you the impression she would be on a flight heading your way, then I will find the guilty party responsible and demand an apology on your behalf.” I said and then pulled back the phone in preparation for the roar of his demon that was to ignite. Naturally, he didn’t disappoint and my smirk turned into a full on grin.

“Don’t fucking test me, Vampire, I want my fucking daughter!” Dom roared again and in that moment I would have liked nothing more than to have informed him that she was my claimed Electus and for him to fuck off and take it up with the Fates!

But then I knew that to do such at this juncture would do more harm than good, as I may not only be declaring war but doing so by putting Amelia in the middle of it. Besides, I refused to go behind her back in that way unless it was beyond all reasonable doubt that it had to be done. And unfortunately for me, right in this moment that was not a claim I could make.

“Calm the fuck down, Dom, and uncurl your wings. Amelia is fine and unharmed.”

“She is…” he started to say and again I snapped, interrupting him with a growl of my own words,

“She is safe and that should be your only concern right now considering the shit storm you brought down on her thanks to that fucking box!” I threw at him, knowing that I was using what would essentially be his guilt as my weapon here. Oh, and did it ever fucking work!

“Like I fucking knew that would happen!” was his frustrated argument.

“Yes, and lucky for you, my friend, I took it upon myself to continue protecting her, even when I found her sneaking into my fucking club and trying to steal the fucking box back.” I informed him knowing Amelia would be pissed but it was this or the truth.

“She did what?!” he shouted in disbelief.

“Oh yes, my friend, that daughter of yours can be quite cunning.”

“Gods, but what the fuck was she thinking?!” he snapped and I frowned, disliking this comment and before I gave it thought, I snapped back,

“Perhaps she was fucking thinking of others before herself and ignoring the dangers her actions possessed in order to try and aid us in deciphering the fucking thing!” A moment of silence was all it took to realise my fuck up. This was confirmed with her father’s voiced opinion.

“Now that is a curious thing,” Dom said making me bark,

“What!?”

“Why you would feel the need to defend her, someone who tried to steal from you no less?”

Fuck!

Damn it, for I let my emotions get the better of me without thinking. I could only hope that my recovery was a believable one, for Amelia’s sake if nothing else.

“What can I say, Dom, her brazen actions and reasons behind them endeared me to her cause.” Dom scoffed at this and muttered something about getting soft in my old age, a comment I chose to ignore, because well, I was fucking his daughter so didn’t think there was anything he could say right now to beat that fact.

“Besides, when I discovered that she had been targeted…”

“What the fuck do you mean, targeted?!” he barked interrupting me this time.

“Multiple kidnap attempts have been made, Dom.” I told him, letting him know how serious this situation was.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!” he roared again, as I knew he would. Gods, but like I said, he was a predictable bastard.

“Why by the Gods…”

“It is obvious, Dom, they wish to use her as a bargaining chip to get the box, which considering what it is and who I am sure you are well aware it will effect, would be a bad thing.” He growled knowing exactly what I meant by this, seeing as he stood to lose his Chosen One, should anything befall me. But what he didn’t know was that he stood to lose both of the woman in his life, for Amelia was also tied to my soul and not just from being my Chosen One.

But that was my pain to bear.

My secret.

I shook these thoughts from my mind to focus on the problem at hand, that being an overbearing father.

“I can protect her here,” I told him firmly, before continuing,

“I think we both know that Königssee is the better option. Besides, I can’t risk trying to get her to you without another attempt being made,” I said knowing that I was about to completely twist events and play them to my advantage, something I was a fucking master at.

After all, I always got my way.

“What attempt! Was she hurt?” he demanded.

“Check Munich news and you will see for yourself,” I told him knowing what he would soon find but as usual with Dom, he had no fucking patience, something I was counting on.

“I want to hear it from you, Luc!” he snarled anxiously.

“Very well, as you wish.” I said playing the age old King.

“First they hit the club,” I informed him, knowing this would come as a surprise.

“Fuck! How bad?”

“Bad enough that it is barely still fucking standing!” I snapped because well, the thought of it pissed me off!

“Who?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“I have my theories and have my people working on discovering the source but what we do know is that Rogues are banding together and using the mortal society Skull and Bones as a financial front. Hundreds of mercenaries have been hired and not enough of them have died yet for my liking. Which is precisely why I will not risk them getting Amelia,” I told him.

“You sound very protective there, Luc, do I have something else to fucking worry about here?” he asked coming right out and saying it!

Yes, you fucking do.

“No, you fucking don’t, other than I am not particularly fond of the idea of handing over my life in exchange for hers and risking the lives of an entire race I rule over…you fucking getting me now?!” I growled making him scoff but not reply with anything more.

“And the Rogues, how is it you haven’t dealt with them yet?” Alright so this was the part of the conversation I didn’t exactly relish in divulging, as neither would he if ever in my shoes, for no king as powerful as we are would be in a rush to admit a weakness in our armour. And unfortunately, this was a big fucking weakness in mine.

“They have a grade six witch.” At this he hissed,

“Impossible.”

“I witnessed their strength of will firsthand, Dom, I assure you the threat is real,” I replied in annoyance.

“Fuck!”

“My sentiments exactly, which makes the Rogues immune to me being their Sire and exerting my will,” I said, telling him something he knew already.

“Hence why you are pulling your people in,” he surmised, obviously having his lackies keeping tabs on my movements still. Well, at least he hadn’t yet lost his edge and grown soft in the last thirty years!

“And why I am amassing my armies, yes,” I added, knowing it would give him food for thought.

“You believe this will lead to war?” he asked in surprise and I ran a frustrated hand down the back of my neck and said truthfully,

“The fuck if I know, Dom, but what would you do if you were me?”

“The fucking same. Alright, you have my loyalty,” he said shocking the shit out of me!

“I do?”

“This is my wife and daughter we are talking about, of course you fucking do!” he snapped in irritation and I could imagine why. For him to grant me his loyalty meant giving me rights to the use of his army also and that most certainly tipped the scales in our favour big time.

“And what of Theo and his people?” I asked, knowing the strength in that force alone was enough to make the difference. After all, he was as strong as his father, even if not as ruthless as his twin.

“Now I know more I will set up a meeting, call in the table of Kings.” Dom agreed.

“And what of…”

“Don’t.” Dom said cutting me off, knowing of whom I would ask about next.

“So, no changes there I take it?” I enquired sincerely.

“With a demon inside of him stronger than my own and one to battle against daily, what the fuck do you think?!” he snapped and I released a sigh.

“We did all we could, my friend,” I offered wondering why the fuck I did. Although I did feel somewhat responsible seeing as he had been placed in my care.

“Yes, and maybe one day it will be enough,” was Dom’s reply in return, for I knew that he struggled as any father would.

“And his whereabouts?” I asked for I was curious.

“Last I heard from my source, Japan and lost in the masses as he prefers,” he replied somewhat bitterly as was understandable.

“He always did,” I scoffed knowing this firsthand seeing as I had been his mentor.

“Are we done?” I asked after some extended and awkward silence.

“Can you assure me she is safe there and can’t be reached?” Dom asked and had he known who she was to me then he would have known how insulting this question was. For you never questioned the ability of a master over his Electus. But he didn’t. Which was why I bit back the snarl of anger and instead, threw at him a bitter sting of the past,

“You tell me Dom, did you manage it with Keira?!” At this he growled low and menacing, warning me,

“Be careful, old friend, for you will not like the outcome of reminding me of such a time!”

“As is the same for you, old friend…” I said mocking his words with a hiss and continuing on,

“…So, I suggest not questioning my abilities again!” At this point I hung up and did so with enough control left, that I wasn’t the one who ended up crushing my phone in my hand or throwing the fucking thing against the wall! But in all honestly his words had hit a nerve, because she had been reached and I hadn’t been the one to save her, for she had saved herself, twice over!

To say this knowledge didn’t sit well with me was a fucking Hell sized understatement and was the reason why last night when finding her not in my bed next to me, I had lost my fucking temper with her. Something I knew I needed to control if my plan at making this a home for her would work. Which reminded me, it was time to check on my girl.

“Ruto, get everyone back in here,” I said into my phone after first calling him, for I needed to tie up a few loose ends. Minutes later and my council found themselves spread out in the different chairs in my office once more.

“So, how did it go?” Ruto was the first to enquire.

“Mainly as expected, although he has offered me his loyalty,” I told them fully expecting the array of shocked expressions.

“Wow, they must be wondering why there is suddenly a blizzard happening in Hell,” Clay commented making all but Hakan chuckle, as he rarely ever did. Liessa was the only missing party as I had put her on an assignment of shopping for a dress for Amelia. There was an annual ball coming up that was one I refused to postpone, despite Clay’s suggesting I do and regardless of his growing concern.

But it was one I held every year for my kind and this year by letting it continue to happen would end up being a show of strength to my people. For the slight sign of weakness seen in their King was not ever an option.

“How are preparations coming along for tomorrow night?” I asked and just as Clay was about to speak once more, I held up my hand and stopped him.

“Save it Clay, it is happening. Now tell me.”

“I have tripled security and at your request, I’m having your witch flown in from Norway,” Clay replied quickly giving up on trying to talk me out of it. I knew of his apprehension, being my head of security, this naturally came with the territory. But seeing as there was no chance at any Rogues entering my home without my knowledge, then I didn’t see the harm in continuing on with the yearly celebration. Even if its reason made me want to roll my eyes and tear my hair out for how ridiculous its cause was.

“And our people?” I went on to ask.

“They started to arrive as of last night once we put out the call but most will be here before the ball,” Ruto answered this time as he was in charge of keeping track of the comings and goings of my sired. Reason enough why the mention of Rogues was one that irked him especially.

“And what of the state of the guest accommodation?” I asked, aiming my question at Percy this time who had been put in charge of making sure everyone was situated where they needed to be.

“Iith hasth all been takkken care ofth, Stthhire,” he answered, with his nervous stutter adding to his lisp and catching on the word taken. I nodded and then looked at the time, seeing now that Amelia had gone too long without being checked on, but with some things left to do I had no choice but to give the order,

“I need someone to go down to check on my Chosen.”

“I will do it,” Caspian said first before all others and rose to his feet. I raised a brow in question to which his reply was a clipped,

“I’m your enforcer, not a fucking party planner.” Then he bowed a head and left the room with the heavy pounding of his steps.

“I am almost inclined to push it upon him next year, just to see what it is he would plan if forced to,” I commented making the others chuckle.

“My guess, it would be bloody and barbaric,” Ruto said grinning.

“Sounds like a good night out to me,” Clay remarked making me grin and reply now with quiet contemplation,

“Indeed.”

Because let’s face it, if there was one thing I could do with after this last week and that was breaking somebody until beaten and bloody. Which was why I said,

“Then next year, fuck the masks, gladiators will be our new theme.”

Naturally, everyone in the room agreed.

* * *

A short time later Caspian entered my office, making my blood boil at the fucking sight.

“EVERYONE OUT!” I roared making everyone leave pretty damn quickly. But before the door closed behind Clay, he said before leaving,

“Err, good fucking luck mate.” Then closed the door and left me to prove that there would be no such luck for him on this day!

“Tell me you did not just do what that blood on your forehead tells me you fucking did!” I all but roared.

“It had to be done,” Caspian said making me growl low and dangerously. I took a deep breath and rose to my feet, demanding in a seething tone,

“Fucking kneel!” To which Caspian did without question. I then walked over to him and in my anger grabbed the wiry hair that was knotted on top of his head and tugged it back on a snarl to see for myself the evidence of the vow he had made.

“It is done,” he said again and I growled down at him and bared my fangs seeing only the barest of flinches from him. Then I threw his head forward as I let go, making his head bow down, his long pointed beard now touching his chest.

“Get the fuck up and sit your ass down!” I snapped walking back to lean against my desk as he did as I commanded.

“Why?!” I snarled.

“It is the way of my people, I had no choice,” he explained without regret.

“And the reason you didn’t first ask my permission?” I asked with a bite of anger, very close to losing my shit seeing as I knew what he had done.

“Because you would have prevented me, and I would have had no choice but to obey your rule. This way, you couldn’t stop me,” he said being honest even without needing to be, for I already knew this to be the reason.

“So you thought to vow a soul of life on my Chosen One!!” I shouted.

“It is my…”

“Don’t you dare fucking say it again, Caspian, for I will hurt you if you do!” At this he released a deep sigh and said,

“She protected what was mine, my demon would not have found peace without it, you know this, Luc.” Caspian said, now appealing to me not as his King but as his friend. I, too, released a sigh and found myself slumping down in a chair, dragging a hand through my hair.

“You of all people remember what my demon was like before her,” he said, reminding me of more testing times, for he was right, Caspian was, well sometimes a fucking rule within himself. He was a loose cannon and had been made to come to heel more times than I could fucking count before he had hunted his wife.

But still, I wouldn’t let him off so easily.

“And if I had done the same to Liessa, without seeking your permission, what then?” I asked trying to maintain my cool and at least try and see if anything good could come of this.

“I would have had no choice but to accept it.”

“Yes, no choice indeed as you gave me!” I snapped before he grunted a snort and said,

“Permission to speak, Sire,” I rolled my eyes and snapped,

“Just fucking speak it, Caspian, before I lose my shit and make you bleed!”

“I would now die for your Queen should she need saving, which let’s face it, Luc, she is a fucking disaster magnet on legs.” I growled at this and warned,

“Watch your tongue, enforcer.”

“Luc, she jumped out of a fucking helicopter after shooting the fucking pilot, I think the past speaks for me.” I fucking hated that he was right and instead of agreeing, kept my silence for I wasn’t exactly in a rush to agree with him.

“Is it really that bad knowing one of your own would lay down their life for the girl?” he asked making his point as no, it was not. But the real reason for my anger was because it was my job to protect her and up until now, well, it felt as if I had done a piss poor job at it!

“And this vow you made, what did Amelia think of it?” I asked as now I was curious, especially as he grinned in amusement.

“She said that I should stick to buying wine and chocolates when I want to say thanks.” I scoffed a laugh and said,

“Of course she did.”

“She also tried to give it back, told me that we were even because I helped her carry some fucking big shelf down the stairs so she wouldn’t break her fucking neck,” he said shaking his head as if seeing it again for himself but as for me, I instantly saw red and this time it was no longer aimed at Caspian, but now at my human.

My very breakable human.

Which is why I hissed in a dangerous tone…

“Come again?”

23

Now That’s A Date

The next time Amelia woke it was to the feel of me running my fingertips down her spine and up again following the line of her shoulders. I had long ago rid her of her torn bra and removed her glasses, placing them on the bedside table before I brought the covers around her so she wouldn’t catch a chill. For most of what I remembered about mortals was how breakable they were and how susceptible they were at catching illnesses. Now how the fucking cold air did such a thing I did not know, but never the less, I found myself caring enough to coin the phase, ‘just in case’.

But then, as I had been lying next to her sleeping form, one that had curled on its side with her back facing me, I had found that sheet travelling further and further down by the minute. Her skin was beautifully golden, and so perfectly soft that I knew being close to her and not touching her wasn’t ever going to happen. Every now and then she stirred in her sleep, and half of me wished to wake her and the other half knew she could do with the rest, although she would most likely wake up hungry.

In the end, I gave in to her needs and not my own, but caressing back her hair and softly commanding her to go back to sleep, only the last time I had done that she had mumbled,

“I would, but you stroking my back feels too good to sleep through.” I grinned at her back before kissing my way across her shoulder blade and giving her some of my weight as I leaned into her to brush back the hair from her neck to kiss. Her little breathy moan was all the gift I wanted, for I was already addicted to enticing these sweet sounds from her.

It was another reason that by the time I had left Caspian in my office to go and confront my troublesome little human, all I had needed to do was take one look at her and all anger fled me. Oh, I would still be reprimanding her about it, but right in that moment I had wanted nothing more than her body in my arms and my lips on her skin. Both of which won every time over starting a battle with her.

I was also beginning to understand that with Amelia, it was all about picking my times and using her weaknesses to my advantage in getting what I wanted. For example, if I had followed through with my hot headed plan of demanding her explanation to me why she would be so reckless, thus inviting potential bodily harm to herself, then she would have argued back, tried to make her point and no doubt get angry doing it.

However, now having her like this, nice and pliable in my hands and at the mercy of being naked and in my bed, then I knew my time for making my point was now. So, I suddenly flipped her over onto her back and pinned her arms above her, so she had no chance of squirming away from me.

“Err…hello there,” she said in that unsure, comical little way of hers, making me grin down at those wide, questioning blue eyes and in return I no doubt resembled the hungry predator I was, looming over her.

“Mmm, my beautiful, Amelia,” I hummed as I ran my nose up her jawline taking my time to breathe her in, closing my eyes as the strong scent of her hair filled my senses.

“I just adore this soft skin of yours, and these pretty blue eyes looking up at me…from many angles.” I said reminding her of earlier when she had been looking up at me from on her knees and seeing the expectant blush that ever so slightly warmed her skin because of it.

“This radiant yet shy smile…” I said running the pad of my thumb over the seam of her lips, lips that parted slightly, giving me the small glimpse of white from her perfectly straight teeth.

“All of these things, Amelia, and many more as to why you are utterly perfect for me, but do you know what isn’t perfect for me…um, pet?” I asked, still luring her in with my tone, one she was falling under, as the soft look upon her face told me so. One I soon robbed her of the second my hands tightened on her wrists and my tone changed to hard and unyielding, as though someone had flipped a switch,

“What isn’t perfect is for me to come back here and find the utter perfection I own in you, now a broken, dead and bloody mess at the bottom of the fucking cavern after being impaled on some fucking stalagmite!” I hissed in anger making her freeze in my hold. Then before she could get angry herself, she did a curious thing, she stretched her neck up so she could reach my face, one that was currently in her own, dominating her space. Then she ran her own nose along my rough stubble covered jaw and whispered in a soft soothing tone,

“Honey…I’m sorry.”

I had just been ready to continue my reprimanding when suddenly all my anger evaporated to dust just with three words spoken. I then found my hold on her loosened, just as my gaze softened to what she would class as tender. Then I gathered her up in my arms, buried my face in her neck and as I squeezed her tight, whispered,

“Don’t do it again.”

Her delicate hand reached up and started combing her fingers through my hair, scratching slightly at the scalp as she replied,

“Okay, handsome.”

This whole thing left me with only one thought lingering on my mind,

By the Gods, I was so fucked!

* * *

A short time later we found ourselves in the kitchen with me sat on the countertop, a beer in hand resting in between my parted legs and enjoying the show of Amelia cooking at the stove. I also had to be honest here, but if someone had ever painted this picture to me before labelling it one that would have featured in my future, then I would have punched them for the insult. As let’s face it, I was far from fucking mortal normality.

Yet here I was, watching my woman stirring a pot of chilli she had made, all because she had a craving for chilli topped fries with what looked like would soon be loaded with cheese. That was if the near overflowing grater on the plate was anything to go by.

“Okay, just so you know, my chilli fries are amazing.” I didn’t laugh, as I knew if I didn’t she would be curious enough to see what my reaction to this was and look my way. She may not have realised this, but this was something she did often. Which meant that I too found myself often holding back the reaction she wanted.

But this wasn’t just so she would turn and look at me. No, it was mainly down to how she would continue to try and make me laugh until she had accomplished her goal. Something that wasn’t too hard for her to achieve, as my girl was pretty fucking funny.

Unsurprisingly then, she looked back at me and said,

“Seriously, they will blow your mind.” I couldn’t stop my lips from twitching this time as I nodded and made an ‘mmm’ sound, which was all I would offer her now. This time she became more forceful, something that I will mention was a little difficult to take seriously when she was wearing what she was. After she had woken up I had given her time to shower and change, telling her I would be in the living space. The reason being was that I had taken her roughly with my fingers and didn’t want to be tempted to do the same with my cock so soon in the shower, as that’s what would have happened. So, after grabbing a new t-shirt and smiling to myself as I fingered her used wet panties still in my back pocket, I left her to get herself ready.

This meant that it gave me time to see the full extent of her unpacking, grinning to myself when I did, for I knew what she was playing at. She had been on a mission to prove a point and thought that by displaying all of her stuff that I would take an aversion to this. Oh, how wrong she was! In fact, by the time she emerged and joined me in the living space, I was currently staring down at the assortment of nail varnish that she had gone so far as to spread out on the table, after it had been in use.

She then asked in a knowing tone,

“Is something the matter?” No doubt expecting me now to express my displeasure. Which is why I looked down at her feet, saw the cute girly shade of pink she had used and said,

“Not at all, it looks good on you.” Then I went back to checking emails on my phone when I heard her huff. This was when I granted her my eyes and when I did, I did so laughing.

“What are you wearing?” I asked, still highly amused.

“My pyjamas, I thought they were fitting.” I smirked at her, seeing the black T shirt had a cartoon Vampire on the front with bat wings and the line underneath said, ‘Mornings Suck’. The pants were also black and were covered in bats and fangs in the same colour as the character on the front of her chest.

She looked fucking adorable.

And she continued looking fucking adorable, even when in the kitchen cooking and trying to convince me she had just made something only a pure genius would make.

“No, no, no, I can see you’re not taking me seriously, Lucius,” she said with a shake of her head.

“Is that so?” I enquired with a knowing grin, because five, four, three, two and here it was…she was now coming at me with a large spoon in hand, cupping the other hand underneath in case any chilli dripped. Meaning that as soon as she was within reach, I removed her hand in case she got burned. Then just in that moment as she was looking up at me, over her steamy glasses, I found myself compelled to tell her that I loved her. A sentiment I never got chance to say as she stole the moment from me when she whispered secretively,

“We are talking the unicorn of chilli fries here.” At this I could no longer help myself, I threw my head back and roared with laughter.

“Alright then, pet, let’s have a taste.” Then I took hold of her wrist and guided the spoon to my lips, so I could see for myself if there was strength behind the claim. I had to admit, there most certainly was.

“So, come on, tell me…it’s great chilli isn’t it…? Now come on, don’t hold back,” she said acting dramatic by making cute little hand gestures and I moved my beer bottle to the side. Then after a little tug on the wrist I still held, I wrapped my legs around the upper part of her body, trapping her to me whilst holding her arm stretched out to the side. After I had her where I wanted her, I used my gloved hand to tip up her chin and I lowered my neck so I could only just touch her.

After this I whispered the words she wanted to hear but for me, they were words that meant far more than what she would believe,

“The best I ever had.”

* * *

Shortly after, we were sat at the dining table, eating our ‘out of this world, only in the land of unicorns would you find better’ (naturally her words) chilli fries and yes, cheese played a very big part in this. But as nice as her cooking was, made even better for experiencing her make it, it was the conversation that was better still.

Finally, I was able to ask her all the questions that over the years of watching her, I had been burning to know. This included everything from her upbringing, to her education, school days, etc. all the way up to working at the museum. Her love for her job was blindingly obvious, and after now getting her unpacked and soon settled, I knew it would be my biggest challenge yet.

Because I knew just from listening to her that Amelia would never be happy or contented just living her life sitting by my side. Or even, Gods, I cannot believe these words coming from my fucking mind, playing the little wife. She was too full of life and burning for knowledge. Waiting to experience the next item of history for her to study or one day in hopes of being the one to discover these things for herself.

It was, like most of Amelia’s many attributes, an endearing and admirable one. Which meant that I knew if I was to try and dampen that spirit of hers, even just to make it safe and have her be the Chosen One most convenient for me, then it would have been like caging an exotic bird in a dark room for only myself to see. When really the world would have been a loser as well as the bird, who clearly needed to soar to new heights and bask in the sun.

My firebird.

Amelia, in turn, asked very little of my own life, which I sometimes answered. But after steering the conversation back to her, she was a smart girl and got the hint pretty quickly. Because now wasn’t the time and I could chance slipping up, saying something that she could equate to the truth I hid. I knew it couldn’t be this way forever, but for right now, then it was the safest way to play it. Because she needed to trust me and only then, when I knew without a doubt she wouldn’t try to run from me, that I would start explaining my past.

As for the rest of the evening, it went as followed. Amelia decided that popcorn was to be our dessert, this along with enough candy to eat into a ship’s hull like acid. Or so it seemed. To say that my girl had a sweet tooth was a little too tame of a description, for I was thinking that buying a fucking company or buying shares in cane sugar was going to have to be in my future.

So, she popped the corn, the sound echoing in the vast space making her giggle and then the second she reached into the microwave drawer to pick up the steaming bag, that was when I had decided to take over that particular chore. She had laughed and shook her head as if I had done something other than potentially save her from first degree burns.

But then she was extremely clumsy and something I was only now understanding the full extent of, as she proved this fact when different coloured beans spilled over the floor when she opened the bag and, in her words, ‘wasn’t her fault as the bag had exploded on her’.

Then opening a bag of chips had ended up with half on the countertop, which her solution to this was to swipe an arm along so they fell back into the large bowl. Even her bottle of beer had nearly overflowed when reaching the living space. As I knew just from watching her that it had been shaken around too much. But Gods, she was utterly fascinating to watch. She was like a cute whirlwind of small destructions, as even the most basic of tasks didn’t make it to fruition without incident.

Amelia naturally didn’t let me pick the movie, which was a blessing, for one, I would have had no clue as to what to choose and secondly, it gave me something to tease her about. And seeing as I was counting my blessings, I could also add on the one where I got to witness her utter excitement when choosing her childhood favorite about some adventurer by the name of Jones.

“This one is the sequel, but you can watch them out of order and this one is my favorite as he has a sidekick in this one called Short Round, an 11-year-old Chinese kid,” she said explaining all this to me as she put the disc into the player, one from her own collection. Then she grabbed the remotes and came and sat back down, happily arranging the bowls on the table like a buffet to kill a diabetic, as the disc loaded.

“It’s called the Temple of Doom, and other than having spiders…”

“Temple of Doom…as in, Mount Doom?” I asked interrupting her and making her roll her lips inside her mouth, as she usually did when trying not to smile. This was before leaning all her weight into me and saying,

“Yes, but yours is so much prettier now.” I couldn’t help but laugh at her playfulness, as she had started walking her fingers up my stomach and chest. But then she came to my mouth and with speed I knew she couldn’t react in time to, I captured her fingers in my mouth, holding them there with my teeth.

“Oww,” she moaned making me grin around them before I let go, as was becoming our usual tease.

“Baby,” I whispered softly to which her new reply now was to whisper back,

“Bully.” Making me laugh again.

* * *

After this the movie started and soon had captured her attention, much to my irritation. However, I too soon got pulled into the story, and was somewhat enjoying it… other than when she had chosen to comment,

“Now why didn’t the helicopter have an inflatable dingy I could have landed on?” This naturally made me growl and just before I could snap at her from cursing me with the memory again, she suddenly jumped at me, kissing me before I could open my mouth. This I found easily worked in distracting me from being pissed off and took advantage of the fact.

But by far my favorite part of the night was sitting on the couch, reclining with my feet up and a beer in hand as Amelia was nestled into my side. Granted, she had also made us both into an island surrounded by a junk food ocean, with my legs playing a major part in this, seeing as they were currently being used as a convenient place for her to put a bowl of popcorn along with a smaller bowl of sugar coated E numbers.

Gods, but considering how small she was, she certainly could consume some food. Not that I was complaining, as such food had gifted me the abundance of curves to play with at my leisure. Something I would have been doing now, had I had the freedom to do so. But this was difficult seeing as she continuously had a bowl clutched to her chest for the next thirty minutes.

However, eventually, one by one the bowls disappeared and soon she was leaning enough of her weight against me that I knew she had slipped into a sugar induced coma and was now fast asleep. Of course, what also gave this away was the fact she had stopped explaining the plot as the movie played out, doing so seconds before it actually happened for me to watch. Things like,

‘Oh, this is where she is expected to eat monkey brains.’ Or ‘This is the part with the fireplace and its secret entrance’. Naturally, I had teased her about this too, which ironically ended with her shushing me and tell me to just ‘shut up and watch the damn movie’. Something I also teased her about making her fight a grin.

But now she was asleep, I tried to look down at her to see her face but was only granted with the top of her head, as it was resting against my stomach. Her arm was draped across my waist and her fist was gripping onto my T-shirt. This was when I knew that the last few days had definitely started to catch up on her, along with her body now adapting to consuming my blood.

This was something I was hoping to increase as this, combined with my seed, would both start to repair any damaged cells in her body, along with create new, stronger ones that wouldn’t degenerate like they did in mortals. It was how I intended on making her immortal. The other perks would be faster healing time, increased speed and strength, but not to the extreme where she would be like one of my own kind. No, this was more like an Olympic mortal athlete.

But all of this would take time before it started to fully take root and the more exchanges we made, the stronger the bond would become. I was simply fortunate enough that there had been only one other who had been gifted my blood and absorbed the Venom of God and that had been her mother.

Now the reasons for this had been fated for she needed this part of me inside her for the prophecy to be fulfilled. For her to be strong enough to survive what she had. But as a rule, and something I had been forced to experience firsthand, was the Venom of God that now lived inside my veins was fused with the soul of the bearer who made the sacrifice. It wasn’t ever intended to be passed on, and other than attaching itself to Keira that one time, then it had only ever taken, never given.

Hence the glove I wore.

I felt my left hand, the one in question fisted at my side, whilst with my other arm I held Amelia tighter to me. This was my life now, and this was the hand I had been dealt with…literally.

Now all that was left for me to do was spend every day I had with her, protecting her from not only what could happen, but also…

From what already had.

* * *

The movie ended shortly after she had fallen asleep and after a death defying moment on a broken rope bridge over a river of crocodiles, all was well in Amelia’s ‘make believe land’ once more. But as far as movies went, it wasn’t bad but I did have a feeling this was mainly down to the sleeping form now in my lap. A little sleeping beauty who had unknowingly been turning me on most of the evening.

But for now, well I lifted my slumbering princess in my arms and carried her off to my bed, only realising just how out of it she was when she never made even a murmur. I decided that, although against my wishes, I would keep her in her cute but funny pyjamas so as not to disturb her. I also knew that tonight wasn’t the night that I would get to sleep with my cock inside her like I had planned.

But at the very least and for my piece of mind, I located the strip of silk I had used earlier and like then, tied one end around her wrist. The other end however was for me and I wrapped it around my fist a few times.

After this, I shifted her so she was cradled to my body, with her back to my chest and our tied hands closer together. I heard her release a sweet sigh before whispering her own good night to me and I had to say, it was something that made the sweet night even sweeter,

“Now that was a date...best ever.”

I tugged her close and whispered back in her ear,

“Most definitely.”

* * *

I didn’t know how long we had been asleep for but when I awoke it took me a moment to realise what it was that had dragged me from my sleep.

The room was like ice.

I frowned in annoyance as I tried to shake off the last spiderwebs of sleep clinging to my mind. But then I thought back to that feeling I had. That niggling in the back of my mind that something wasn’t right. This was the first level of dread I felt start to seep into my conscious thoughts and as I reached out for the covers, I knew I was right to feel this way. Especially when my first concern was focused on Amelia’s comfort, making me start to pull the covers up, intent on covering her. This was then when the second level of dread hit and hit me fucking hard as I realised there wasn’t another body in the bed with me.

I was now alone.

I bolted upright the moment the third and final level hit me. As I had tugged hard, knowing I should have felt resistance, only when I hadn’t, it made me look down in utter blind rage.

A rage that now saw a length of silk that should have kept her shackled to me.

I roared in anger, for it was clear to see…

Our ties had been cut.

24

Blood and Snow

Amelia

Burning sand.

That’s all I felt scorching at my feet.

Each step an agonizing feat of strength to continue on. I don’t know how long they had made me walk, or what torture they intended to inflict once we got there. Once we arrived at an unknown destination. Just how far into the desert were we to walk? Those of which I once called friends, my brothers on horseback with water at their saddles. I had long ago given up my pleas, trying to get them to understand the truth.

Trying to tell them that nothing was as it seemed.

It was all a lie.

But he would save me, wouldn’t he? There was still time yet, wasn’t there? Surely, he would not let me die in vain, not after all I had sacrificed for him, only now to join him in his own. For death was only the beginning, that was what he had told me when he set this plan into motion. But nothing was spoken of my brothers turning on me, calling me traitor. Was this to be my end also?

Why, God? Why this burning sand, sand that had long ago stripped the skin from my feet. I had fallen, many times, but miles ago discovered the pain of doing so far worse than that of walking. Maybe this was simply my test. A test of will, of God’s mighty plan that I must still find trust in. Maybe my second life was waiting for me out there, in the haze of baked earth rising from the ground like Hell was merely on the horizon taunting me.

A test between good and evil.

But the biggest question of all, if his Lord didn’t save me, like he promised, then…

Which one would I choose as they spilled my blood?

“We are here.” This was the voice of two, both man and woman speaking over the other until each became an echo of the truth. I looked up in that moment to see where ‘here’ was and found myself looking at a dead and twisted tree in the distance. It was the only one in a sea of nothingness and there hanging from one of its thickest branches was a body swaying on a rope.

No, not swaying.

Thrashing.

“Oh, Gods no!” The second I heard my own voice, one belonging now to the panic I felt, was when I finally started to come out of this nightmare. I then started running, despite the pain, I ran and ran for I knew who it was fighting for their life at the end of that rope. But the further and faster I ran, the further away the image of the tree was being dragged back. As if the whole scene was being plucked from existence, pulled back into the oblivion waiting to consume it whole. That was when suddenly the earth around it started to crack.

“NO!” I screamed, this time seeing the ground opening up like a giant mouth of Hell and with it the tree tilted, its roots not strong enough to keep as part of this world any longer. The desperate cries of a man as he faced the mouth of Hell was the most chilling and haunting sound I had ever heard, for it was one I knew.

It was one I loved.

Because I knew now what it was that I was laying witness to.

This was the death of Judas. The death of a mortal man who Christ forgot to save. A sacrifice chosen in the name of God only to end in renouncing a faith, making that sacrifice in vain. For nothing could save him from his fate now…

Not now the Devil had claimed him.

I screamed as the earth swallowed him up and the tree with him, before nothing more than a mound of dead earth offered up one single root remaining. A branch in the desert like the twisted hand of life desperate to survive, reaching up at the Heavens and asking it why.

Why had God forsaken one of His loyal children?

“No, no, no…Lucius…my heart,” I whispered as I lowered my head, for it was done and there was nothing I could do left to save him. But then as I looked down and saw the bloody footprints in the sand they began to change. First my burnt feet became smaller, starting off as that of a man before morphing into the smaller feet of a woman.

My feet.

Then the very burning began to fade, and an icy chill stabbed at them as if suddenly they had been plunged into a bucket of snow, being forced to stay there until barely any feeling was left.

Nothing but the cold.

This was when the sand began to be swept away by a wind that started at my feet before the sands of time began to disappear into the snowy dust that now whipped at my face. This was when I finally saw the truth. For I opened my eyes again and lost the image of the past altogether. Lost the image of death that seemed to cling to me.

The death of the man I loved.

But then that wasn’t right, for he hadn’t yet become that man and I wasn’t meant to witness his rebirth.

No one was.

I knew in that moment I hadn’t really been there, not at all, but the pain I felt was real. For the second I had woken from my dream I was to realise the horror of what I was doing. I knew this when I realised my hands weren’t empty as they should have been. And instead of sheets at my feet, there was nothing but blood and snow. I looked up in my panic and now what replaced the flickering image of where the tree had once been was a cloaked figure in the distance. A crimson silhouette luring me to my own death and in doing so, making me the bearer of destruction, for down in my hands was none other than…

The box.

But I had woken up too soon. I knew this when I heard the growl of anger start to shake the trees around me. It was the dead of night with only the moon beaming against the snow, lighting the way. A path that was clear of all life as if waiting for me all this time to set a foolish foot down on it. A pathway framed by the dense forest, one dark and ominous. One where glowing eyes of blood could be seen watching me from low and crouched positions to the ground. A growl, a snarl and rumble as I continued on before forcing myself to stop.

“Come to me!” A voice I knew demanded and I looked up to see the cloaked figure too far a distance away to have been the one to say it. So, I turned around and looked back, a line of bloody footprints in the snow leading the way, and a single hissed curse ahead of me was all I heard before I suddenly started running.

Running back to where I knew Lucius was searching for me.

“No!” was my only warning, from the figure in the trees and then a forceful order issued.

“Go get her!” This was when I knew that the chase was on and it was one from both ends, for I now had a pack of wild demonic wolves at my back and a Vampire King at my front. The question was,

Which would get to me first?

I held the box as tight as I could and ignored the searing pain in my feet, pushing myself despite my agony, using my fear as a weapon to drive me forward. I could now feel them closing in on me but instead of taking me down they meant to cut me off. But I could see it now, the clearing up ahead. The vast white space beyond it, like a desert of snow. It was the garden, the silent garden where no one can hear you scream. It was right up ahead, my own blood leading me back there. If I could only just make it, then maybe I had a chance.

Yes, yes, I was going to make it, despite the blur of black I could see at my sides, overtaking me. I just needed a little bit more in me, to give it everything I had!

I just made the edge, even if now I was seeing the snarling shadows surrounding me, the wolves starting to cut off my escape.

‘No!’ I opened my mouth, trying to force the scream out but having the garden steal it from me. This was the second I felt both my ankles being grabbed, tipping my world as I went down hard, landing on the box and hurting my chest. I reached out, now scrambling in the snow that merely crumbled in my freezing fingers for I wore nothing but what Lucius had laid me down in to sleep last night. But then that’s when I saw it, that single piece of silk tied around my wrist, one knotted there. Its length, and one that had only hours before connected me to Lucius, now cut.

This is what gave me the strength needed to suddenly scream at the top of my lungs, claiming my fear back from the garden.

“LUCIUS!”

A mighty roar was my only reply, but it seemed too far away. Was it him, or would he fail to save me just as I had failed to save him in my dream?

After this I felt myself being dragged backwards, and I twisted my body around, trying to kick out at what it was, or should I say who, for the cloaked figure was now walking back into the forest dragging me behind them. So, rather than let this happen, I kicked out again, this time making contact, and I wasn’t the only one crying out in pain from my torn feet.

The cloaked figure grunted at the kick and momentarily let go of me. So, I quickly started to scramble away in the snow with one hand desperately trying to gain momentum in order to get to my feet. The box tightly held with the other arm, cradling it to my chest, knowing that I would die protecting it!

However, the one who brought me here wasn’t done with me yet, as I felt a body start crawling over me, trying to drag me under it. It grabbed at my clothes, my skin, pulling at me and climbing up over me trying to pry the box from underneath me.

“No!” I shouted on a grunt when the person above started to gain enough of a grasp on me that I was suddenly flipped onto my back. Now straddling my waist was the cloaked figure, glowing eyes looming down at me in the darkness of the hood. I didn’t know what else to do so I reached out, grabbed a fist full of snow and then bolted up quickly and slapped a hand in the center of that darkness. Now stuffing the face full of snow. The figure, who I knew now to be a woman, started screaming, falling backwards off me before scrambling to her feet, crying out like acid had touched her face.

I frowned in confusion at the reaction and it was only when I looked down at my hand did I open my fingers to reveal the bloody snow. I looked back and saw the handful I had grasped had been from one of my bloody footprints.

“The blood of Kings is in you!” the cloaked figure hissed as one slim hand started to cradle her face, now flashing in between one of beauty and youth and the one of death. The same one I had seen in my first dream the night before. That was when I realised,

“You’re the witch!” She hissed at me but suddenly I was assaulted by reason. It must have been the connection she had used to get me to come here. One, that to achieve it, had to be open both ways, telling me now something important about her.

“You’re a witch caught between life and death. That’s why you want the box, because the soul you sold will be paid if you don’t,” I said not fully understanding how I knew all this but like I said, feeling the connection. She snarled at me again and told me,

“Blood must be paid…to us all.” Then she looked up at the sky quickly and the second she saw something she obviously feared, she shouted out an order in another language and ran into the forest, her red cloak quickly disappearing into the darkness.

But I couldn’t think about her now, as I had something else to fear. I turned in time to see a rush of about twenty or so demonic wolves all running at me. She had given them the order to kill me and I knew there was no use in trying to outrun them, I would never survive.

Never survive the hungry beasts snarling at the thought of me. Drool dripping down, overflowing jaws full of oversized fangs and multiple rows of teeth, watering with just the thought of tearing into my flesh and ripping me limb from limb.

In that moment, instead of facing death, I looked down at the reason for it, cradled in my arms. It was a noble cause and my only hope was that Lucius was proud of me for trying to save his people. Trying to save my mother.

Trying to save him.

“Goodbye, Lu…what the Hell?” I uttered in disbelief as the second I placed both my hands on the box it started to vibrate in my hold, shaking as if trying to get at something. But then my mind was ripped from the box and back to the danger racing my way. Because this time it was no longer just the sound of beasts growling and snarling my way. No, now it was the sound of the sky splitting open as a roar so loud tore through the night, creating it from only one place of origin…

Hell.

This was when a demonic figure suddenly dropped from the sky just as the first wolf leapt and lunged for me. This turned out to be a mistake, its last in fact. As the second it did, it quickly found itself caught in the grasp of a Devil on Earth!

Mighty wings spread out, and it truly was a demonic sight to be seen. Leathery skin hung from two enormous horns like some Asian water buffalo, as each was over a metre in length. Long skeletal fingers looked hooked on to each section of the horn and ran down the length of the wing, bending at the many knuckle joints, creating a shape similar to a bat’s wing. The end of each of these bone fingers was a razor curled talon that looked the size of my hand, as though they could do serious damage.

The rest of his body seemed bigger somehow with what bare muscle I could see tensed and ready for the fight ahead. But his entire being seemed to have a demonic presence surrounding him, like a pulsating power just waiting to be absorbed and used with the promise of blood as its payment.

He stretched out his wings as far as they would go the second I saw the other wolves now trying to get around him. To try and get to me. But he had just blocked off the sight, creating a barrier between him and me. After this I heard the deep whine of an animal in pain and watched as Lucius raised up the wolf in his demonic hand, before snapping its neck in one sickening crunch of bone.

Lucius looked as though he had brought with him the wrath of the Gods, for the second the wolves all thought to dive onto him as one force, I screamed in panic,

“No, don’t hurt him!” At this Lucius looked behind at me, over his shoulder and the burning crimson in his eyes was like staring into the pits of Hell. His handsome face was still there but warped into something truly sinister. Black around his eyes, like the demon had infected the host and was holding him prisoner until the deadly deed was done.

But then he grinned at me, the length of his fangs growing and this time when he spoke, it belonged solely to his demon,

“This is when you run, pet.”

25

A Demon’s Wings

“This is when you run, pet.” The moment his demon said this, he erupted into flames, and the earth beneath me started to shake with the power of his rage. The snow on the ground vibrated around me as if it too feared the wrath of a God.

But he didn’t need to tell me twice and I managed to scramble to my blood soaked feet and start running as fast as my injuries would let me. I did so to the sound of murder behind me, as one by one the demonic beasts fell to the sound of their dying brethren before them. A chorus of howling pain before the very last whine of death could claim each of them.

In the end I could go no further and fell to my knees first before the rest of my body followed. My glasses were flaked in snow, surprising me that they had even survived the fight with the witch. But then, I guess in getting me, she had needed me to be able to see, which still made me question, how had she accomplished it? How had I managed to get the box for her, even with the obvious control she had held over my mind to do so? Making me now question,

How had no-one seen me?

I shook these questions from my tired mind and curled in on myself, pulling my knees up and hugging the box to my chest, creating a cocoon of flesh around it. I then opened my eyes and looked through the flakes of snow on my lenses, to find in the distance the fight was quickly coming to an end. And to be honest, it didn’t look like much of a fight in the first place.

More like an eradication of one’s enemies.

The demonic wolves weren’t any match for Lucius, and each time I opened my eyes, I saw something new. One wolf caught in both his hands, just before he literally ripped it in half. This before he threw away each end of the now very dead wolf until the two pieces skidded to a stop in the snow, leaving a long crimson road leading to their lifeless body parts.

Then on another flicker of my eyes opening, one wolf was currently being set alight and ran into the forest howling in pain, causing it to set the trees on fire. But Lucius, unconcerned by this, just raised a hand in the air and made a fist that instantly extinguished the flames. My eyes closed again, for longer periods this time, as the next eye opening revealed more bodies on the ground, now with their fur coated with blood and matted with their spilled insides.

Again, came another wave of exhaustion as my eyes fluttered shut but still my mind was not ready to give up on consciousness and forced my heavy lids to open. However, this time he turned to face me with the very last wolf still in his demonic hold. Then when finding my near sleeping form in the snow, he merely ripped the head from the once squirming form in his hands and threw the pieces aside.

Then he took a determined step towards me.

It had to be said that it was a truly terrifying sight, no matter that I knew who he was to me. Or more importantly in that moment, who I was to him.

But that didn’t dismiss the fact that to see what essentially looked like a version of the Devil walking towards me was a sight that stole the air from my lungs in a gasp of fright. A sight, which admittedly this time was why I closed my eyes. Because I didn’t fear what he would do to me, I feared what he would think I’d done.

Now finding me lying here with the box in my arms, one I had no knowledge of even stealing this time. Well, let’s just say that given my prior history, it was a sight that could have been taken as me trying to escape him yet again. And what if he just believed that the witch had been watching and waiting for me to make my move?

So naturally, I didn’t want him to think this. Because I hadn’t wanted to leave. Not for a single second since being here. Since being with him. Yesterday had been one of the best days of my life, our simple but sweet date night especially. Because in that single day he had proved to me that even if those moments were to be the rare ones, then they were worth spending a lifetime of unknown factors just at the promise of those alone.

That was what Lucius had given me.

A glimpse into the life he was willing to build for me. One done out of love and care for my fear of losing the old one I had built. I had tested him yesterday and yet no matter how I had pushed, he had simply continued to give.

And now he must have thought that his reward for that was my attempted escape. All I could hope for was that he would believe the truth. One that I tried to tell him when I barely had enough strength to whisper his name,

“Lucius.”

I then forced my eyes to open and watched as each time I did he was closer and closer in a flicker of heavy lids. But then the last time I did, I found boots at my body and darkness overshadowing the moon, casting me into the ashes of the night. This was all from his wings that blocked out the light, and the sight above me was one that should have had me quaking in fear like before. But instead, I simply let my head fall back into the snow as the last of my strength left me, the box now safe, rolled from my frozen fingers. I could now only make out a blur of motion as Lucius picked up the box, seeing for himself how I had protected it.

If I’d had the energy in that moment, I would have asked him if he was proud, but then why should he be, he probably thought I was trying to steal it again. Gods, but all I really wished for right now was for him to have said something.

Anything to stop this inner turmoil!

But instead, I simply felt myself being scooped up from the snow and hoisted up in his arms before he rose to his full height, the box being put back in my care. Then, without a word, he turned around and started walking back towards the silent garden as if it too had the power to steal his voice. In fact, it was only when I felt the whoosh of his wings folding to his back, tucking themselves in tight, that I opened my eyes again.

“Luc…ius.” I uttered his name again and this time a rumbled growl was heard before his demon spoke to me.

“Save your strength, little human, you are safe now.” I did as he said and didn’t try to speak again. Not that I think at this point anything would have come out, as my lips wouldn’t stop quivering as I started to shake in his hold, making him hiss a curse. Then suddenly he snarled,

“It can’t fucking wait!” Then he dropped to his knees, barely even jarring me. I opened my eyes to see his enormous wings open and suddenly they were pushed forward, cocooning us now in his impressive wingspan. Only then did I feel him lower me and I released a sigh as this time it wasn’t on to the freezing snow but instead on to warm skin. I shuddered again at the feel and the difference in temperature, then I felt a callused hand come to my face and with little pressure it was lifted up to his face. One now bathed in darkness as most of his demonic features were lost in shadow, all except for the burning Hell in his eyes.

“You will drink…yes?” The deep grate and depth of his demon’s voice speaking to me in what was a soft and tender way, was astounding, as the two combined made me suck in an astonished breath.

“My mortal, you will drink,” he declared then in a more forceful tone before raising his wrist to his lips and biting into the flesh, making a sickening sound. This was when I could see the difference in his hands, one that was barely the hint of what it usually was. But it was his left hand that had drastically changed. For it now looked consumed in a metal gauntlet this time, as long gone was the leather. No, this was a black armoured glove that looked forged in Hell, tipped with deadly talons I wanted to stay clear of, fearing by just one touch they would sheer my skin right off.

“Drink” The sound of his order dragged my eyes from the hand that was essentially a deadly weapon. I didn’t speak, for fear of disappointing him, so instead nodded before he placed his wrist to my lips. His uncovered hand was that of a demon, longer than before and rough, hard skin taking the place of the manly hands of Lucius that I loved to feel on my skin.

But I knew it was still him. He had simply given way to his demon side and to be honest, it was quite exhilarating being able to witness it. Even more startling to be able to witness its kindness and caring side, for it obviously wanted to heal me before all else.

So here I was, wrapped up in the wings of a demon I belonged to and at the first taste of his blood I couldn’t help but moan in pleasure. It just rippled through me, a warmth unlike any other. A rumbling sound started from Lucius’ demon and I realised that he too was experiencing the same pleasure I was.

In fact, I worried that I would take too much as the warmth and feeling started to come back into my body, so I started to pull away. But then that pleasing rumble turned into a snarl of disapproval and his metal hand suddenly came up to touch me, making me flinch back from it. He stopped it from coming any closer, pausing with it in midair and for a moment, the burning red in his eyes disappeared meaning he had closed his eyes.

“I won’t hurt you, little one,” his demon told me in obvious strain and with wide eyes, I nodded after first pushing my glasses up my nose, ones that were blurring the edges of my vision from dirt. He too nodded again before reaching out, this time without me flinching away from him. He then cupped the back of my head with the demonic glove being as gentle as if it hadn’t even been there and then he nodded down at his wrist before telling me,

“You’re not done. Now drink.”

“But you will need…” I started to whisper, stopping when he gave me a pointed look and growled more forcefully this time,

“Drink, girl” So I latched my lips around his dripping wound and did as he said for me to do, which was drink him down until he deemed it was enough. This took a while, but he was right, once he pried his bloody wrist from my lips, I felt amazing. The pain in my feet was gone and the cold that wracked my body was nothing but a mere chill. Then he licked at his own wrist and I watched as his skin started to knit back together now that his head was angled enough to let in a small beam of moonlight.

After this he gathered me up close, amazing me that he could be so careful with his taloned tip fingers. His wings uncurled from around us at the same time he rose to his feet, lifting me once more in his arms. Then he walked down the length of the garden, and this time he did so with my arms around him and my head buried in his neck.

The neck of my Demon.

The Demon that saved me.

The Demon I loved.

26

Washing Away My Demons

Lucius carried me back inside, which turned out to be through a maze of tunnels and hallways, after first being faced with a narrow turret of steps to contend with. This turned out to be the only way into the garden, which made me shudder just thinking about me making this journey without even knowing it.

I took one look at the small space and reached up with a hand and tapped him on the cheek to get his attention.

“I could walk,” I offered in a quiet voice, to which his demon scoffed, a deep grunt made at the back of his throat, that sounded more like a pissed off bull. So, I retracted the offer with a small,

“Or maybe not.” However, his answer to the steps had been a rumbled demand for me to hold onto him at the horns as he shifted me around to facing him. But then he could see the trepidation in my eyes as I was unsure if I really should or not.

“Go on, little one, now do as you are told,” his Demon said, his voice trying to take on a more gentle tone, making me do as he asked. I was even surprised to find them so smooth, and I gripped on in between where his wing fingers were curled around at different points. I decided to avoid them in case they moved, and it freaked me out as I didn’t think screaming in fright right now was going to help in keeping this beast tame.

But once he felt me gripping on he then lifted me further up his body, holding me tight to him after first taking the box from my lap. Then, with only one hand he held me there, with me now clinging onto his front and my legs wrapped firmly around his waist. Meaning that now he was free to walk us both down the narrow steps. I had to admit it felt like such an intimate position, that I couldn’t help but bury my head in his neck, my lips peppering little kisses there that made his chest rumble, like he was tiger purring.

So, with my legs squeezing him tight and his one hand on my ass, I clung on until we reached the bottom where before I could even ask what now, I was tapped on the leg as a silent command to let go. Which I did expecting to find the ground beneath my feet. But instead found my legs quickly swept to the side so I was once again being carried as I had been before.

I had to admit, that I would have loved to have seen what we had looked like together. Me in the arms of Lucius’ Demon, with my arms still clinging on around his neck and held tight to his chest like I was the most precious thing to him in the world.

Like I was his to protect.

It wasn’t long until we were soon at the three arched entrance and instead of bothering with any opening or bridge, he simply walked to the center arch and to the small ledge beyond it. Then with only a deep and guttural demand,

“Hold on,” he stepped from the ledge falling a little way so he was clear to release his wings. I wasn’t scared of heights but even that made me cry out in fright. But then he started lifting us thanks to the large and effective drag of his wings, capturing the air beneath them. He flew us back up and over the ridge of stone that had the tunnel running through it that led straight into his home.

A home that quickly came into view before he started to fly us down, now aiming for where the carved stone bathroom was. He landed with a soft thud of heavy boots against the stone, before folding his wings back so he could fit us both inside.

Once inside he lowered me down, but not to my feet, as I would have thought, seeing as there was nowhere else he could take me. Or so I believed, as I ended up being lowered into the hot springs bath that was a constant stream of hot water that smelled like natural minerals. This made me hiss as the heat licked at my skin making it itch.

“You will get used to it,” he rumbled and I nodded before his arms slipped free from my body. Then he turned to leave and in that moment the vulnerability of the night hit me. Meaning I suddenly called out,

“Don’t go…please.” I then looked over my shoulder at him to see him now frozen in the doorway, his back tensed with his wings tightly pulled in, doing so in what I swear was a flinch.

Finally, he said,

“I need a moment, Amelia.” His voice was tense and strained, for this time it was Lucius managing to push through. That was when I knew what he meant. He needed time to come back from his demon side. Which was when I said shyly,

“I don’t mind.” At this there was a rumbling sound that got louder and if I had to equate it to anything I would have said it sounded this time like a demonic purr.

“I can’t get too comfortable here.” This time it was a strained mix of the two voices that spoke as one, making me swallow harder knowing what it was that he was saying. If he let his demon continue to take charge then Lucius was in danger of losing all control and never getting it back. Gods, but I had heard rumors once that this had actually happened to my father and it was said that my mother saved him. How she did this I was unsure, but the way Pip had told the story she had made it sound like it was achieved by reminding my father of his humanity. Of course, the story also said that to achieve this she first had to go to Hell to do it.

So, for my mum, the saying ‘to Hell and back’ was a literal meaning when it came to doing anything for my dad and oh boy, did he know it!

“I understand,” I told him softly and then turned my head away, not wanting to watch my brutal saviour walking away from me. Not when I didn’t know when it was that I would ever see him like this again.

But then I felt his presence still dominating the room and just before I turned to check, I felt a hand reach for my chin. My face was turned towards him and I found him bending on one knee so he could reach my level. Then he tipped my head back even further, with his demonic features much clearer now. It showed the same handsome face of Lucius, only one made to look more deadly. More sinister and dangerous. But even now, with eyes burning through the darkness that swirled under his skin, he still managed to look tenderly down at me.

I felt his taloned thumb come to my lips, but only the callused pad caressed down them, pulling them open slightly. I wanted to kiss him so badly in that moment, but I didn’t know if he would let me. Now he seemed to be holding himself back. And I knew I was right when he said,

“Such sweet temptation.” Then he skimmed the back of his talon down my neck, continuing down until running it over my breast. One free of a bra but still covered by the cotton of my t-shirt. I sucked in a quick breath at the feel of it flick over my nipple dangerously making it hard and erect. He was staring down at me and I watched as the lust burning in the eyes, those of a demon, seemed to ignite. I knew he wanted me and Hell, I wanted him, even like this!

But just before I was about to make that step towards telling him. He released a heavy grumbled sigh before looking back into my eyes and cupping my cheek.

Then he said,

“I thank you for the gift you bestow.” He rose back to his feet and just before he left, I had to know,

“What gift?” I quickly asked him. To which he told me on a soft rumble,

“The gift of you.” Then he bowed his head to me before he was gone, this time having no choice but to watch as he walked away, leaving me with a single tear to fall.

A tear for my brutally sweet Demon.

* * *

I don’t know how long it was before I jolted awake next, but I found myself still in the bath and also dressed, with my pyjamas clinging to me. I had done nothing in here, like clean my body or my hair. I had simply watched my Demon saviour leave and then silently cried asking myself why.

The gift of me.

That was why.

Lucius had said some beautiful things to me in the past but I was startled with the knowledge that the most beautiful of all would come from his Demon.

But now, I felt my body being shifted forward and Lucius’ gentle voice was at my back as he said,

“Time to let me in, pet.” So, I shifted forward with his help and then once he too was sat in the bath, he guided me by the shoulders until my back was flush with his chest. Then he playfully tugged at my wet top and teased,

“Bathing whilst dressed, how very old fashioned of you.” I would have chuckled had my mind not been weighted down by all the emotions I clearly didn’t know how to process.

“Hey…” Lucius called now turning me to face him and the second he looked down at my face he knew something wasn’t right.

“Sweetheart…” Yep and this was all it took! Just hearing this sweet endearment was all that was needed before I opened the gates and let my own Demons out.

“I am so sorry!” I shouted and threw my arms around him as the tears started to flow.

“Amelia, why…why are you sorry, sweetheart?” he asked, his tone worried and above all sincere.

“I swear I didn’t try and steal it this time, I don’t even know how it happened! One minute we were watching Indy kick ass in that temple and then I was in bed with you. I don’t even know how I got it, or where from! And then I was on the rooftop garden from my dream…but I swear, I swear to you, Lucius, I wasn’t trying to run, I wasn’t trying to run from you…I promise you!” I said in a rush and he just silently let me until it was clear I had said enough. Then he pulled the back of my head to his chest and held me there before he told me tenderly,

“I know that, sweetheart. None of this was your fault, I know this…” He said this last part in a whispered promise before telling me,

“But I have to confess, that hearing it from you warms my heart.” I then pulled back and he let me look up at him before he used both thumbs to wipe away my irrational tears. One hand in particular now back to being covered in leather.

“I love you,” I told him making him take a moment to close his eyes before he demanded in a strained voice,

“Say it again.” So, I crawled further up his bare chest, kissing my way up his skin from where he had been holding my head and said more firmly this time,

“I love you.”

“Again,” was yet again his firm command.

“I love you,” I said this time with a smile in my tone as I reached his neck, kissing my way to his jaw.

“Again,” he gritted out and this time I reached up over his lips when I whispered,

“I love you, Vampire.”

Then he crushed his mouth to mine with a possessive hand at the back of my head, holding me captured to his lips. Our kiss was one of pure desperation this time, as the only time we broke our connection was when my top was dragged up over my head. This before being tossed back in the water with a slap. At the same time my hands were busy freeing my legs and once they were, I sat astride Lucius with the aid of his hands gripping my hips. This meant that we both lowered me down after I first took hold of his hard length in my hand, lining him up at my entrance.

“You’re fucking mine!” he growled, swiftly impaling me down on his cock. The reaction to this was simultaneous as we both sounded out our pleasure at the connection. His on a hissed curse and mine letting my head fall back to groan at the ceiling. Then I started to move my hips, something his hands on my ass encouraged with each lift as I took him inside me over and over again. My cries of pleasure growing louder and louder the more my orgasm built. Because like this, he was so deep, oh so deliciously deep it was almost too hard to take. But even this thought ended in driving my lust to maddening depths, as I wanted to be used by him. The thought of belonging to him, his plaything, his lover, his pretty doll he called Goddess, all of it I fucking loved! And because he knew it, knew this dirty side to my lust, he added to it by nodding down to my breasts before demanding,

“Offer yourself to me,” he all but snarled and again the order only managed to sink me further into his sinful domination of my body. Enough that I did so without making him even wait a second for it. Now reaching down to cup my breast with both hands and like he said, I offered it to his waiting teeth.

I felt the sting instantly as he started biting it, rolling it in between his teeth and just before it got too much to bear he would soothe the sting with a roll of his tongue. This before sucking me in deep. This combination continued as did my riding on his cock, which unsurprisingly meant it wasn’t long before I was throwing my head back and coming over his shaft. My core contracting around him as I lived and breathed through the waves of pleasure that assaulted me.

Gods, it was nothing short of glorious!

But then Lucius hadn’t yet finished with me and cared little for the mess we were making in his bathroom as small waves crashed over the end of the bath, splashing onto the floor. No, now with my body near spent of energy, I was left with nothing but pleasure and the need to hold on. Lucius then tore his mouth from my nipple before snagging me at the back of my neck, to yank me hard to his lips, first for a demanding kiss and then for something more. He then fisted my hair and tugged my head to one side roughly, telling me on a growl,

“I fucking love this soul I own!” Then his fangs emerged, no longer slow and in a show of strength but one of desperation for his next meal…me. His head disappeared into my neck as he buried his fangs there, and I was crying out at the rush of sexual energy the act forced me to endure. He sucked harder and harder all the while still pumping his cock into me, but before long, even this it wasn’t enough, for he still wanted more.

I knew this when he grabbed my ass with both hands and stood, walking me now through the water towards the wall at the far end. Then he pushed us both through the waterfall until we were both against the wall. And now being firmly trapped between his solid frame and against the smooth rock at my back he was free to power into me with greater speed. This time he removed his fangs from my neck and pushed my breast up as far as it would go so he could get his feast from somewhere else. He then sank his fangs around my nipple, and started sucking harder at what blood he could get.

The rain of water over his shoulder, along with the feel of his cock stroking my every nerve that mattered and powerful pain at my nipple, Gods, but it was intoxicating! To the point I nearly feared what was coming, for I knew it would be almost too much to bear. It felt as if it had the power to tear me apart and break me beyond repair.

But then his roar came in the form of a demand,

“You will come! Come for me…COME FOR YOUR MASTER!” his demonic bellowing was enough to allow myself to get past my fears and let go completely. I did this to the deafening sound of his own powerful release and this time when I screamed my own, I did it with his name coming from my lips,

“LUCIUS!” And at this I came and came and continued on and on, until I didn’t think it would ever stop. It was like a continuous motion and the only thing keeping it going was Lucius and his control over me and my body. It was only when all motion stopped and I felt myself relax in his hold to the point I would have drowned had he not been holding me, for I had no strength.

This was when we both knew that he had taken too much from me, but I didn’t care. Not after what I had just experienced. The fucking Heaven of it all! And not when I felt his hand smooth back my hair after first bringing us back through the waterfall.

“Gods, I love you, Amelia,” he whispered down to me and then without even having the strength to open my eyes, I felt his wrist for the second time tonight being pressed to my lips,

“Now drink, my love.” I did as I was told, but to be honest, I had little choice when I felt his thumb pull down at my chin making my mouth open so he could fill it with his lifeblood dripping straight past my lips. I drank him down, swallowing as he fed me his blood, doing so now to make me stronger. And all the while praising me for being his good girl. For drinking down his blood like he wanted me to.

And suddenly through the haze, that was when it hit me. What the witch had meant.

Why my blood had affected her.

Because it wasn’t just my blood was it?

No, it was the…

Blood of Kings.

27

Blood of Kings

A little time later and I was being placed down on the sofa wrapped in a fluffy black bathrobe by Lucius. He originally wanted to put me in bed. But after a little shake of my head, telling him without words that I wasn’t ready for that, he understood. Especially as I knew what was coming. He didn’t say it, but I knew just from the hard lines of his jaw that he was about to tell me something he didn’t want to.

So, I beat him to it, making it easier on him.

“It’s okay, I know you have to go.” His gaze softened and he lowered to one knee before me, reminding me of his demon earlier. Both of which were a powerful sight to behold, for a powerful being like Lucius, well he didn’t kneel for just anyone.

“Tell me that you want me to stay and I will,” he said fervently bringing his forehead to mine, holding himself there for long seconds.

“You need to go and be king,” I whispered back knowing it was true. His people needed to know what had just happened. Orders needed to be given and demands needed to be made.

After all, Lucius was King, and I knew this. A role that, unlike many foolishly believed, wasn’t an easy one. Your freedom came secondary to your people and your needs were often left behind in the shadows of others. I had seen this too many times before when growing up. But I had also learned from it the strength that a good soulmate could provide. Even in just a knowing nod granted from my mum, that said so much. It said, ‘go on and be king, we will still be here, loving you as you are.’ Which helped soothe the soul of any guilt that I knew my dad had, more often than not, felt to his core.

So right now, it was what Lucius needed. And after all, he had put me before all others by giving me what I needed first…his care. That in itself I knew was huge, so this was the very least that I could do in return. Even though I knew that with only a word from me and he would have stayed.

So, I let him rise to his feet without a word of protest and I watched as he was about to pick up the damn box from the table. One that he intended to take back to wherever it had been before I had unknowingly stolen it. This was when I stopped him.

“I would like to examine it again, if you don’t mind.” He raised a brow at me in question, so I told him,

“The witch, she said something, and I know it’s probably nothing, but I just wanted to be sure I hadn’t missed anything.” Lucius looked unsure at first, making me ask,

“Can anyone get to me in here?” And it was a valid question as the witch had been powerful enough to make me take the damn box to her and right under Lucius’ nose, which I know must have been a blow to his ego.

“No, I have taken precautions against it happening again, as for anyone getting in here, it is impossible,” he said sounding certain and rightly so, annoyed at it being able to happen at all.

“Then it should be okay…right?”

“Alright, I will leave it for the moment, but only for you to examine…yes, Amelia?” I nodded knowing what he was secretly saying, behave and don’t get into trouble. And really could I blame him?

“I won’t be long and have stationed my people at all exits that surround this part of the castle, they won’t enter unless you permit them to…okay?” he told me in a serious tone.

“Okay, so scream if I’m in trouble and then shout, ‘welcome in’…got it,” I teased.

“Amelia.” He hummed my name in soft reprimand and I said,

“Aww come on, if I don’t make jokes then I will cry and if memory serves me right, I did the girly crying thing already.” At this Lucius gave me a gentle smile before coming back to me, granting me a kiss goodbye on the top of my head.

“Go on, honey, I will be fine, I promise. Now go and be your kick ass king self.” Now at this he really grinned, and he tipped my head back so I was looking up at him. Then he caressed the backs of his fingers down my cheek and told me,

“You will make a fierce and glorious queen, Amelia…” Then his hand trailed away, and I was left to watch his back as he walked away. Then I watched as he released his wings, this time with his angel on glorious display. For now the demonic skin stretched between taloned fingers was replaced by the burnt sunset colours of the phoenix coating every one of his feathers.

But just before launching himself up to into the air he looked back over at me and finished that sentence, shocking me now to my core with…

“My queen…when I soon make you my wife.”

* * *

I don’t know how long it was I sat there for, still staring at the place he had been standing when he told me that he intended to soon make me his wife, but it felt like an age ago. Had he been serious? I mean, in a relationship it surely wasn’t a usual thing for the man to joke about that type of thing…was it?

“Oh, Gods, Fae, what are you even thinking!” I said scolding myself aloud. For starters, this was Lucius we were talking about, so I think it was safe to say that all normal relationship rules went up in a puff of smoke and sucked out the window.

But marry me?

Did this mean what he had said at the side of the road had been real?

“Okay, time to focus here Fae, starting with the box that is constantly trying to get you killed, kidnapped or most definitely injured,” I said talking to myself as I often did when I was alone.

So, with this in mind, I picked up the box and like I always did, ran through all the obvious text carved there and all the text that whoever had made it had tried to keep hidden. It was like a network of information you couldn’t really see but knew was there. All of it interlocking and telling a story, but only when read in the right order and well in this case, there was what looked like a million ways to tell it!

Or more like in our case, a warning needing to be told.

It spoke of what lay inside having the power to destroy all Vampire life, that much had been clear enough to read. But with that also came a million questions. Like what did it mean, was there some kind of weapon inside or was it like the ark in Indiana Jones that basically killed everyone who looked at it?

(Conveniently, so Indy didn’t have to)

But most importantly, what was it that the witch had spoken of, about blood. She had said that blood had to be paid to all of us and I wondered now if she had been referring to Lucius. Maybe to the blood he gifted when making one of his turned. Did she believe his blood was owed? Owed to who, to all he had turned?

But wait, that wasn’t right, for what had been the actual words she had used…

That blood will be owed to us all.

Not all of us. So, what if she hadn’t been referring to Lucius at all, but what if she had been referring to the box or more like what the box could give them.

Had we all gotten this wrong?

What if the box didn’t take the life of Vampires but in fact was the only other power on Earth that could gift it as Lucius did? Gods, but that would mean that anyone who had the box also had the power to build an army of rogue vampires!

But then what was the proof, other than the twisted words of a desperate witch? A witch who had reacted that way to my blood. Now why had she done that? And what had she called it?

“The blood of Kings.” I repeated on a whisper as a sudden and crazy thought came to mind and before I could stop myself, I snatched the box and ran to the kitchen.

“Oh, this is bad, this is bad…” I muttered as I wrenched open the drawer and was now faced with a blade in every size. So, I tried not to think of Lucius’ warning for me to be good and grabbed a large kitchen knife, holding it steady.

“Not a good idea, Fae…most definitely not a good idea,” I said before closing my eyes and suddenly slicing into my palm, gritting my teeth against the pain as air was sucked through them. This before I could chicken out or convince myself further on just how bad of an idea this was.

“The Blood of Kings,” I said again, and then without pause I grabbed the box, coating it in my blood and holding on as it started to shake in my hold as it had done earlier.

So, this time I said again, only more forcefully,

“Open for the Blood of Kings!”

And this time…

It opened.

Rise of Ashes

The Transfusion Saga #4

Copyright © 2020 Stephanie Hudson

Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.

This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it wasn’t purchased for your use only, then please return to your favourite book retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Rise of Ashes/Stephanie Hudson – 2nd ed.

ISBN-13 - 978-1-913769-39-0

About the Author

Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her in the form of dyslexia has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. Afterlife is her first book in the series of twelve, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.

When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her loving family and friends, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course, spending as much time with her supportive partner and personal muse, Blake who is there for her no matter what.

Author’s words.

My love and devotion is to all my wonderful fans that keep me going into the wee hours of the night but foremost to my wonderful daughter Ava...who yes, is named after a cool, kick-ass, Demonic bird and my sons, Jack, who is a little hero and Baby Halen, who yes, keeps me up at night but it’s okay because he is named after a Guitar legend!

Keep updated with all new release news & more on my website
www.afterlifesaga.com

Never miss out, sign up to the
mailing list at the website.

Also, please feel free to join myself and other Dravenites on my Facebook group

Afterlife Saga Official Fan

Interact with me and other fans. Can’t wait to see you there!

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Acknowledgments

Well first and foremost my love goes out to all the people who deserve the most thanks and are the wonderful people that keep me going day to day. But most importantly they are the ones that allow me to continue living out my dreams and keep writing my stories for the world to hopefully enjoy… These people are of course YOU! Words will never be able to express the full amount of love I have for you guys. Your support is never ending. Your trust in me and the story is never failing. But more than that, your love for me and all who you consider your ‘Afterlife family’ is to be commended, treasured and admired. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough, so one day I hope to meet you all and buy you all a drink! ;)

To my family… To my amazing mother, who has believed in me from the very beginning and doesn’t believe that something great should be hidden from the world. I would like to thank you for all the hard work you put into my books and the endless hours spent caring about my words and making sure it is the best it can be for everyone to enjoy. You make Afterlife shine. To my wonderful crazy father who is and always has been my hero in life. Your strength astonishes me, even to this day and the love and care you hold for your family is a gift you give to the Hudson name. And last but not least, to the man that I consider my soul mate. The man who taught me about real love and makes me not only want to be a better person but makes me feel I am too. The amount of support you have given me since we met has been incredible and the greatest feeling was finding out you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me when you asked me to marry you.

All my love to my dear husband and my own personal Draven… Mr Blake Hudson.

Another personal thank you goes to my dear friend Caroline Fairbairn and her wonderful family that have embraced my brand of crazy into their lives and given it a hug when most needed.

For their friendship I will forever be eternally grateful.

I would also like to mention Claire Boyle my wonderful PA, who without a doubt, keeps me sane and constantly smiling through all the chaos which is my life ;) And a loving mention goes to Lisa Jane for always giving me a giggle and scaring me to death with all her count down pictures lol ;)

Thank you for all your hard work and devotion to the saga and myself. And always going that extra mile, pushing Afterlife into the spotlight you think it deserves. Basically helping me achieve my secret goal of world domination one day…evil laugh time… Mwahaha! Joking of course ;)

As before, a big shout has to go to all my wonderful fans who make it their mission to spread the Afterlife word and always go the extra mile. I love you all x

Also by Stephanie Hudson

Afterlife Saga

A Brooding King, A Girl running from her past. What happens when the two collide?

Book 1 - Afterlife

Book 2 - The Two Kings

Book 3 - The Triple Goddess

Book 4 - The Quarter Moon

Book 5 - The Pentagram Child /Part 1

Book 6 - The Pentagram Child /Part 2

Book 7 - The Cult of the Hexad

Book 8 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 1

Book 9 - Sacrifice of the Septimus /Part 2

Book 10 -Blood of the Infinity War

Book 11 -Happy Ever Afterlife /Part 1

Book 12 -Happy Ever Afterlife / Part 2

Transfusion Saga

What happens when an ordinary human girl comes face to face with the cruel Vampire King who dismissed her seven years ago?

Transfusion - Book 1

Venom of God - Book 2

Blood of Kings - Book 3

Rise of Ashes - Book 4

Map of Sorrows - Book 5

Tree of Souls - Book 6

Kingdoms of Hell – Book 7

Eyes of Crimson - Book 8

Afterlife Chronicles: (Young Adult Series)

The Glass Dagger – Book 1

The Hells Ring – Book 2

Stephanie Hudson and Blake Hudson

The Devil in Me

Other Authors at Hudson Indie Ink

Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Sloane Murphy

Xen Randell

C. L. Monaghan

Sci-fi/Fantasy

Brandon Ellis

Devin Hanson

Crime/Action

Blake Hudson

Mike Gomes

Contemporary Romance

Gemma Weir

Elodie Colt

Ann B. Harrison

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my dear friend, Caroline Fairbairn, who is one of the most talented and warmhearted people I have ever known. A strength she may never truly believe she possesses, but to me, it is one that is offered daily and given without question. She is one of the most selfless and giving souls, who puts all those before her and never questions why she should. She is fierce and protective of those she loves and kind and warm to those fortunate enough to know her. She is funny, and silly and full of life, that makes you want to be around her and miss her terribly, when you are not. She is loved and adored and valued for being all that she is. She makes you want to be a better person, just so you are worthy of her friendship. And a hundred reasons more why I am utterly honored to not only call her a business partner, to not only call her my friend, but also to call her a soul mate, for I truly would be lost without her.

She is my rock and the silly string that surrounds it.

I love you dearly my forever clumsy friend x

Warning!

This book contains explicit sexual content, some graphic language and a highly additive dominate Vampire King.

This book has been written by an UK Author with a mad sense of humour. Which means the following story contains a mixture of Northern English slang, dialect, regional colloquialisms and other quirky spellings that have been intentionally included to make the story and dialogue more realistic for modern day characters.

Also, please remember that this is part of a 12 book saga, which means you are in for a long and rocky ride. So, put the kettle on, brew a cup, grab a stash of snacks and enjoy!

Thanks for reading x

Prologue

Glass Heart

Is this how it ends?

The second I pressed the start button I was gone. I was gone to the sound of a twin-turbocharged V8 engine kicking out 986 horsepower. This was thanks to the Ferrari SF90 Stradale I had just stolen, which was now my getaway car. And I was doing all of this, not only to the sound of a powertrain engine, but also to the sound of my glass heart breaking as Sam Tinnesz hauntingly sang the lyrics that mirrored my own shattered soul…

‘It's waiting, in shadows, my every turn feels haunted.

It hits me, like arrows, so deep, the blood is scarlet.

Is this how it ends? Is this how it ends?

This glass heart, is shattering to pieces, shattering to pieces…

This glass heart, is shattering to pieces, shattering to pieces.

Cold waters, too shallow, to keep me from the fire.

The harder, I swallow, the more it paralyzes.

Is this how it ends?’

And I really wanted to know as I ran from everything I knew and everything I thought I’d ever loved…

Is this really how it ends?

1

Cocktails and Party Girls

“The blood was the key,” I uttered in a breathy whisper the second I heard the click of a mechanism being released and sure, there was an inner voice that was screaming at me as to whether this was a good idea or not. It was one that was near begging me to question if this was worth it…worth the risk. My mind said no and was in fact battling against the driving force behind my actions. Actions many would have thought were being led by the hand of curiosity. But they would have been wrong.

It wasn’t curiosity that drove me to recklessness. No, it was,

My Heart.

I could barely explain it. Barely explain why I felt this way, a sense of empowerment that overtook me, powering me well beyond the realms of rational thought. Every clue, every symbol and text had been translated as a warning against opening the box, yet in that moment back in that silent garden I had felt something else. As if the box had been communicating directly to me. It had started when the small amount of blood-soaked snow had touched it. The whole thing had started to pulsate with life as if it held inside it a beating piece of heart.

Looking back now and no longer shadowed by the terror I was experiencing at the time, it almost told a story. Like ‘The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe, it was beating at me, where no one else could hear it. But instead of a story of the guilty pounding soundlessly against the floorboards, it was telling me not of the death I would cause but instead of the lives I could save.

So, I had opened it and now here I stood, faced with the option to trust in my heart or in the logic I had depended on for most of my life. Lucius’ little scholar, the Dravens’ good girl, the heart of an historian. Facts. Dates. Evidence. Science. This had been my life so far.

But now?

Well, now I was the girl who had defied logic for love. I had chosen danger over safety. I had picked his world over my safe mortal one. All had been a leap of faith and this was just another one that I had to trust in. So, I took hold of the top of the box and after taking a deep breath and pushing my glasses up my nose, I started counting down,

“Three, two, one…fuck it!” I shouted and lifted the lid, praying unlike ever before to every God in Heaven and Hell that may be out there listening to me that I wasn’t bringing on the end of days! Lucifer’s blood, but I even had my eyes closed and I swear that every muscle in my body was tensed so hard, I wouldn’t have been surprised in that moment if the first thing I heard was a fart before the destruction started. And wouldn’t that have been fitting for the shit show of a girlfriend I was being right now.

Holy Hell, but Lucius was going to fucking kill me!

But then, as I waited with my mind going a million miles around the Armageddon tree, I was awarded with nothing but silence. There was no sound of the world crumbling around me. No signs that the belly of a mountain was erupting with me as its seed inside it, asking its forgiveness for causing its destruction.

This meant that after a very tense few minutes of waiting for nothing visual, I actually braved opening one eye, doing so in that slow and uncertain way.

“Well okay, can anyone say anticlimactic much?” I muttered as I now stared down at a folded piece of parchment inside. Now I knew better than anyone that to just dive right in there and grab it may end up contaminating it in some way.

Hello, but of course I had seen the Da Vinci Code. Which meant that these things could often be booby trapped to releasing all number of contaminants that would erase the contents should I accidentally trigger something inside when trying to retrieve it.

Besides, I was still bleeding from my self-inflicted injury that, looking at it now, was most likely a little overkill. Something I was also wondering on how to explain to my overprotective bloodthirsty boyfriend who, let’s just say, was going to notice shit like that quicker than I could say ‘hello honey’.

I quickly located a tea towel that, damn it, just had to be white.

“But of course, why not just wave a blood-soaked flag at him, stupid Fae...stupid,” I said chastising myself as I wrapped the thing around my palm, hissing with pain the second I fisted it to keep it in place. Of course, before deciding on the tea towel I had first looked for a first aid kit, which made me laugh at how pointless that had been. As why would Lucius have any need for one, even with me around? Hell, but cutting myself was only going to end up as foreplay when I came screaming his name as he healed me, something that would no doubt end with him spreading me wide and filling me up, inciting another scream from me. Well, at least I could class my clumsiness as a plus when that was the outcome to look forward to. But then how he would feel about self-inflicted injuries didn’t take much guessing as I was pretty sure he was going to be pissed at that as well.

Either way, the towel would have to do for now but at least it was my left hand, something I wisely decided was best to keep far from the box at this moment in time as who knew what would happen. Maybe it would be like the demonic plant in Little Shop of Horrors and grow massive and start demanding chopped up body parts. Fortunately for me I didn’t know any biker singing dentists that liked to cause pain, so that was off the menu if it did. I did, however, at least have one name on my list I would be happy to feed to it… first name Bitch, second name Face.

“Zeus’ balls, Fae, where is your head at?” I muttered as I started looking for any utensils I could use to extract the paper without touching it. In the end I found a pair of metal cooking tongs like you would use to turn meat on a BBQ, to use to remove the paper. I was then assaulted with a mental picture of what I looked like right now and the word ‘overkill’ came screaming to mind! I swear if any of my peers at the museum saw me now, I would die of nerdy shame.

“When means must and all,” I said talking to myself as I usually did when working. I took hold of it in a feather-light hold and then lay it carefully down on the kitchen counter before tossing the tongs into the sink scared that my clumsiness might strike at any minute. Because even though I was normally fine with keeping it on lockdown for most of the delicate parts of my job description, there was also a first for everything. Gods, but what I wouldn’t have done to get my hands on my kit right about now. Gloves, tweezers, brush in every size, flashlight, Hell, I even had a toothbrush in there for those really stubborn bits.

“God Fae, just man up would ya!” I told myself and rolled up my sleeve, if not a little awkwardly thanks to my bleeding hand. Then I rolled my shoulders, licked my dry lips and took a deep breath,

“Let’s do this,” I said aloud before I started to unpeel the folded paper that I couldn’t yet age, but knowing it was at the very least a good few hundred years old. Nothing as old as the 11th century, when papermaking was first brought to Europe and nothing as refined as it was by the 13th century when paper mills utilized waterwheels in Spain. Which instantly told me that the box and the paper inside didn’t match in age, meaning only one thing…

I hadn’t been the first one to open the box since its existence.

“Erm…okaaayyy,” I said stretching out my very confused words as I finally got the paper unfolded and flat on the worktop. Because no matter how much I squinted my eyes or spun it around, flipped it over and stood back and glanced at it, there was no mistaking what it was and that was…

“Utterly useless,” I muttered as it literally gave me nothing. Okay, so that wasn’t being completely fair to the seemingly pointless piece of paper. But then, in my defence, it was only one step away from being completely blank, as all it held was nothing more than a painted image of a mountain view that could have been literally anyone of the million mountains we had in the world!

It was done in a very ancient style as if it had been painted with a Chinese calligraphy brush with fading black ink that was merely a series of rudimentary peaks and curved lines for rivers. But without an edge to the landmass it was near impossible to distinguish which continent it was, let alone the country! And of course, there wasn’t a single symbol or word written to give you a clue.

It reminded me of an old Exodus Route Map I had seen once which had been framed in an Antique shop by someone who had no clue as to what he really had. I had bought it and naturally donated it to the museum, because it was beautiful and needed to be shared with the world…or at least it was to me and probably people of a similar geekish nature.

But now this, well what it was supposed to tell me I had no clue. So, I turned my attention back to the box and looked inside only to find it was as useless as the phantom map to nowhere was. Because inside there was nothing but a series of grooves and carved lines that made about as much sense as the map did. Which was when panic started to hit me, what if I had been wrong?

What if this was simply a ruse for some mug to keep the box open for longer? Longer for what I didn’t quite know yet but what if it had held some kind of curse, one only catered for Vampires? What if I had been a complete idiot and listened to my heart, my gut or whatever other stupid body part I had inside me that I listened to over my head, like any intelligent person should have done!

“Shit!” What if right now Lucius was in danger or even worse…what if it was already happening to him? What that was or even could be I didn’t know yet but the thought of it wouldn’t leave me, as dread had replaced all earlier thoughts of opening that box being a good idea.

What if he needed me?!

I suddenly scrambled back from the counter as the full extent of what I had done started to seep into my conscious, now becoming fully aware of the ramifications of what I could have done.

“Gods!” I shouted before grabbing the map, folding it back up and then grabbing the box, before taking off running. Okay, so granted I only got to the living room before I stopped and I did this by looking down at myself still dressed in a bathrobe, holding two of the most wanted items on the planet right now. An open box that had been the cause of I didn’t know how many deaths and one where collateral damage was probably written into every mercs contract in small print on the bottom.

“Okay, so new plan,” I said aloud before racing back up to the bedroom, deciding clothes were a good idea. So, I stashed the box and the map, after first checking the walls again for any hidden safe and coming up empty. So naturally, I improvised before I grabbed a pair of stonewash jeans that had a bit of flare at the hem and frayed pockets and then the first shirt my hand touched, which unfortunately for me ended up having smears of blood on as trying to get dressed one-handed wasn’t fun. But seeing as it was still bleeding a little, then I had no choice but to keep it covered.

And anyway, I didn’t have time to worry about it, I just had to find Lucius and make sure he was okay and what I had done hadn’t brought about my worst nightmare.

“Fuck! Fae, what the fuck were you thinking!” I shouted at myself as I ran out of the room, after kicking my feet into some sneakers, stretching my arms into some chunky knit cream cardigan and wishing I could beat my own ass!

Then I ran back to the living space knowing this was the only way that would get me back inside the main part of the castle where I had no doubt Lucius was to be found. Now where exactly he was, well that was where shit could get tricky seeing as he told me not to go exploring on my own. Something once again I was disobeying, but then again, I was claiming the ‘when needs must’ card on this one.

Besides, Lucius had mentioned something about the exits being guarded, so my plan was simply to demand that I was taken to wherever Lucius was. Doing so with the threat of getting lost if they didn’t as I knew which was the worst of two evils and hoping they would too. So, hopefully, they would just show me the way being in fear of their master’s wrath. For really which would be worse for them, turning up with me in tow where Lucius was or with news that I was now missing…yet again.

Something I think that at this juncture, I didn’t think Lucius would be able to cope with, not considering the number of times I had gone missing on him in such a small period of time. I mean I was starting to think that the guy really needed a break, especially when even tying me to him as we slept hadn’t worked out so well.

Maybe that private island home wasn’t a bad idea after all, I thought as I took the steps up from the living space and towards the tunnel. But then my first hurdle faced me as I was now confronted with the bridge that, when looking at it now minus my wonderful winged boyfriend at my back well, let’s just say I wasn’t feeling half as confident as I once had. Which meant taking a more conscious effort not to be a clutz and go plummeting to my death. Because really, I think that would be the straw that broke the camel’s back…as in, the permanent kind where that camel actually dies a horrible death by becoming a shish kebab.

So, needless to say, I took it slow and steady and, all but getting down on my belly and dragging myself across it like a slug, I did everything I could not to trip over and plummet to s shish kebab death. Meaning that after this was pretty smooth sailing in reaching the main entrance where the three arches looked over Lucius’ personal domain. But once there I was quickly faced with two main differences from the first time I had been led here.

The first was the obvious difference to the room as it looked as though the Hulk himself had grown wolverines claws and suffered a massive man paddy! The black and white diamond floor was now cracked from what looked like a giants steps taken and there were crumbling holes in the walls from what was most likely a fist. But this wasn’t the strangest part. No, it was the demonic-looking claw marks that had been slashed down one of the statues that had taken deep, long hollows out of the length of stone.

The second difference was the man I now found standing guard there. He was cute and had kind of a Zac Efron thing going on, with startling blue eyes that gave him an eternally handsome babyface. He was also someone who, I must say, not only was faced with the shock of having me suddenly appear, but also who had me manhandling him. This was because the first second I saw him I grabbed the top of his arms and started shaking him when he didn’t reply quickly enough after I fired my question at him,

“Are you a Vampire!?”

“What?”

“Are you a fucking Vampire!?” I shouted again making him frown down at me and then say,

“Uh…kinda obvious.”

“No, obvious would be high collared cape, ass crack hair and a creepy sidekick named Renfield…now answer the fucking question!” I informed him making my demands quickly after. In turn he gave me a pointed look and one that said if I wasn’t his boss’ girlfriend then he would have proven it a different way, like when his fangs pierced my jugular.

“That’s Vampirist,” he informed me making me laugh before swallowing it as he was totally being serious here.

“Erh…sorry, look I am just asking you to prove it for my peace of mind, that’s all, no biggy,” I said folding my arms and waiting expectantly, oh and also making his baby features frown before he rolled his eyes as his fangs grew in length.

“Yeah, okay, so you remember who I am right, fangs aren’t gonna cut it,” I said knowing this was the same as demons and yes, that I was also going overkill on the questions.

“Gods, you’re annoying,” he said making me agree,

“Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“The fact that I am inside the castle is proof enough, as only those he sired are granted entrance and those he invites...clearly,” he informed me, adding this last part by looking down at me as if making his point. But I didn’t care, as this knowledge had an instant effect. As now I could finally relax and take in a deep breath, as what he said was true, meaning that if he was alive then so was his Sire.

“Now, is there anything else I can help you with, human? Maybe I could slit a vein for your inspection, or would you like to ask my husband to come down here and you can question him too?” he asked making me grin before I said,

“Only if he is more polite.”

“I doubt that, although he is slightly more impressed with you now he knows you’re not completely hopeless with a knife,” he said making my mouth drop open in shock,

“Your husband is Ruto!?” This time he granted me a knowing one-sided grin before leaning against the massive pillar that framed the large red doors, one that wasn’t damaged.

“You’re cute,” was his strange response.

“Thanks…I think.”

“You’re also bleeding, and I am pretty sure our Sire is going to have fucking skinless kittens if he finds out.” I pulled a face and said,

“Eww…jeez, what did the cute little furballs ever do to you?”

“I am more of a dog person,” he said shrugging his shoulders in that nonchalant way.

“Anyway, moving swiftly on, that being away from our favourite pets and the unspoken rule about caring for them and their fur…I need to find Lucius.” His lips twitched as if he found what I said funny before pushing away from the pillar and saying,

“Yeah, I will agree with you, party girl, considering you will need healing…that or stitches seeing as you’re still bleeding.” I couldn’t help but frown at the idea of stitches, that and his strange nickname for me.

“Well, come on then, let’s get you to him before you start making a mess of the floor…I hate mess,” he said and well, from one look at how immaculately he was dressed, then this wasn’t surprising. What was surprising however, was that he looked like some cute high school jock with hair perfectly styled, fashionable clothes without so much as a wrinkle and muscles that looks sculptured ready for some designer clothing ad in some glossy magazine.

That or he was going to be in one these cologne ads where they basically just walked through a stylish and modern room full of beautiful people who seemed to swarm towards him. One with club lighting, a view of some cosmopolitan city, before getting into some expensive car at the end of the night with some gold-digging beauty on his arm. This all as if trying to fool the consumer into believing this lifestyle was within reach for even plumber Billy, who is sporting a beer gut, and just wanted to smell okay for the pub before getting shitfaced on eight pints of lager.

“You need to add more pressure,” he said bringing me from my thoughts about make-believe Billy.

“Um?”

“That’s why it’s still bleeding, add more pressure,” he told me nodding down to my hand and he was right, the tea towel wasn’t exactly cutting it.

“Thanks,” I muttered as I started to follow him through the maze of tunnels and basically now going a new way I hadn’t been before, telling me that it was a bloody good thing I’d convinced him to take me to Lucius as getting lost would have been my next drama. But then again, with my blood dripping on the floor, it was like dropping bread crumbs and would make me easy to find for a Vampire.

“I’m Keto by the way,” he said making me need to suppress a giggle seeing as he was married to Ruto.

“You mean like the diet?” I asked before thinking, making him frown down at me as he informed me,

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Erm never mind…so pressure, eh?” I said making him once again grin down at me.

“Well, only if you want to stop the bleeding before lover boy finds himself a Bloody Mary served by a party girl.”

“Why do you keep calling me that?” I asked with a frown and pushing my glasses up.

“No reason,” he replied with a smirk, one that showed the hint of a fang. It was a look that made me shiver and quickly do as I was told by applying pressure. Doing so now without answering him because let’s face it, I was going to be in trouble either way.

Because when Lucius had found out what I had done, then one thing was for sure…

The Party was over.

2

My Little Nerd

Lucius

Gods give me patience but that private island was getting closer to becoming reality by the fucking day!

Because waking up and finding the cord that bound us together cut in two was all it took for me to welcome my demon to consume me. I had slashed the bedding to shreds as I roared out my wrath to the damn Gods who seemed dead set on allowing the Fates to continue down this fucking path! A roar in utter astonishment and fucking disbelief that she had been taken from me, yet a’fuckin’gain!

So yeah, putting it mildly, I had lost my shit and in a way that, at the time, I wasn’t sure I would ever come back from. Because it was as if my entire soul had been swallowed up by the darkest part of me, one that ruled with the hand of a fucking Titan!

Pure fucking evil wasn’t just a title, it was walking reality with every step I took after that moment, for all I needed to sate my need for death was seeing those responsible for taking her from me writhing in fucking agony at my feet, before I then stepped on their fucking hearts!

As expected, furious wasn’t a strong enough word to describe what I had been at the time, but with this being said, I also knew the best way in finding her was by using my council to their fullest capabilities. Of course, they knew the second the Demonic side of their King had emerged, for every being I had sired would have felt my wrath humming within their very veins!

Which was why, by the time I had released my wings and flown to the entrance of my personal quarters, my people were already there waiting. I had bellowed my orders, barely even getting the words past making sense over the roar of rage. I hammered my fist into the walls, and the second anyone spoke, I ended up answering them with my talons raking down the nearest statue. This was just for something to take my fury out on as I remembered the irrational jealousy I felt seeing Amelia when trailing her fingertips down the sculptured form.

Even the black and white floor had cracked with every footstep my demon took, demanding Hakan retrace her steps and to do so fucking quickly. I had then ordered every single being within the castle to look for her, search behind every door, every stone wall, every fucking inch of my home! I just couldn’t understand at the time how she could have left the castle without being seen…it just wasn’t possible! Which was why I had been convinced that she was still here and just needed to be found.

So, I had torn through my domain searching for the other half of my soul with my Demon side questioning me as to why it felt so hard to breathe. Because even through my blind fury I could still feel that foreign emotion my Demon struggled to understand and that was out of my fucking mind with worry. I had even found myself stopping as I stormed through my castle, crashing into the walls as if my mind was screaming at me. I would take pause with my forehead to the stone, before hitting myself over and over again as I tried to regain some shred of control that would allow me to focus. Gods, but I was glad none of my people were there to witness my twisted demonic fallout, a title given and one named ‘my hellish turmoil’.

I felt as though there was some ticking clock, echoing every second it counted down telling me I was losing her with every minute stolen from me. In the end I had found myself fucking running through my home until I came to the first fucking door that would get me the fuck out of there!

I just couldn’t breathe!

I felt as if I was fucking drowning in carved bedrock and couldn’t take a fucking breath. So, I had launched myself up in the air high above my mountain just with the hope of silence. Just to stop the screaming in my mind long enough to concentrate and cease the roaring panic of my Demon who didn’t yet understand what I did.

For this was what love did to you.

Dom had said it best once, something I had foolishly mocked at the time, but the stronger and more powerful we are the harder we fall at the feet of our Chosen. I had never believed it at the time, believing myself immune to such sentiments. Believing in my own strength to rise above such weakness. Gods, but how fucking wrong I had been! I had naively once thought Keira to be at the core of my only weakness but since Amelia came into my life I knew just how wrong I had been. My ties to Keira had been one the Fates had forged purely because of what destiny would grant me if I formed that bond. That overwhelming sense and need to keep her safe all those years ago and now I knew why.

My gift from the Fates had been entirely in her hands.

But then I had needed to fucking focus because in that moment that gift was in danger of being taken from me! I had known this. So, I took to the skies and bathed in the moonlight, taking a moment to absorb its essence and repaying it back with my rage as it was being drawn from me. This gave me clarity and finally stole the sound of my own agony, doing so just long enough for me to hear her.

For me to hear her screaming my name.

After that I had dropped from the skies like some Hellish, avenging Angel ready to wreak havoc and destruction upon the Earth. And oh yeah, there had been destruction alright, that and much more.

Revenge cast in blood and snow.

This was what the night held the second I saw the first hellhound leap for my girl, ready to tear into the perfection I owned. Needless to say, it took no time at all before I tore into them, in what may have appeared to Amelia, with startling ease. And it had been for my demon and I, taking these dogs apart was as easy as fucking breathing!

Now trying to keep it together long enough so as not to terrify my girl was the real battle I fought. Which had been the reason I had told her to run, knowing that I would simply catch her once it was over. Also knowing that I would do so with as much ease as ripping apart Hell’s summoned scum from fur, down to flesh, to shattered bone, painting the snow crimson. It was quite beautiful and once finished I took a few calming breaths to quench my thirst for revenge and extinguish my rage by taking in the sinister beauty I had created.

But then it wasn’t enough, for there was only one beauty this beast had wanted, and I looked back at her seeing her now lying amongst the snow. She looked like some fallen angel, and I swear in that moment had I seen blood pooled at her back, I would have not been surprised to find a pair of wings torn from her gifted vessel. I winced at the notion, tensing and cursing myself for the fucking thought, because I knew exactly what she was.

“My little mortal.” My demon had growled before we took our first steps towards her. I had hoped that by the time I had reached her my demon would have released his claim on me, but this hadn’t happened. This meant I had no choice but to force her to endure this side of me.

I swear walking to her at that time wondering which side of her would welcome me, meant that each determined step was also one shrouded in fear…another emotion that was solely foreign to my demon and one it struggled with enduring.

But her strength had astounded me, for even after seeing all the darkness in me, her trust in my demon to take care of her was like a fucking gift. Something I had informed her of after she made it clear she hadn’t wanted me to leave her in the bathroom. Fuck! But it had been nearly too tempting to take her in my other form, and one I nearly gave myself the freedom to indulge in. But I knew in that moment the dangerous side of me was too close to the surface and I wasn’t exaggerating when I warned her how I couldn’t afford for my demon to get too comfortable with the control I had momentarily allowed.

And he would.

Of course he fucking would!

Because Amelia was my only fucking weakness in life and that wasn’t just a man in love, or an angel consumed… it was also as a demon obsessed. Gods, but it made me wonder how I’d ever managed it in the past. How had I managed to keep her at arm’s length for so fucking long? Looking back on it now and it seemed like an impossible task and one I would never be strong enough to accomplish again.

Once again, it made me think back to what Dom had been through with his own Chosen and all the impossible decisions he had been forced to make. Decisions I knew at the very core of me that there was no way I would have been able to make as he had once done!

No, I was too selfish for that and his daughter was rooted far too deeply into my soul that there was no chance at ever carving her out again and it was the only way I ever fucking wanted it!

So, I had carried her from the crimson snow after feeding her the way my demon craved to do. An act I was completely unashamed to say had been done whilst I found my release without her knowledge. Wasteful, as spilling my seed was beneath the confines of denim, it couldn’t be helped, for it was just the sight of her consuming a piece of that Hellish side of me, one straight from the source, that did it. It filled my mind with images of taking her back to my home in Hell as my prisoner, my claimed victory and one I would chain to me… her new master.

Lucifer’s blood, but images of her on her knees taking my cock into her mouth, not as she had earlier but instead doing so with me in my demon form. Then with her own blood dripping down her naked form from my latest feed, well, it was no fucking wonder I had found my release.

But then I was also forced to think back to the way she had protected the box. Seeing the way it had rolled from her cradled form, tumbling in the snow from her frozen fingers as if the moment she saw me, she knew she no longer had to take on that burden. By the Gods, she had made me so proud! So, so fucking proud, it was near bursting from me. The strength she held inside her heart and soul was unlike anything I had ever thought possible, let alone witnessed from a human. I had once believed her mother had been the strongest mortal I had known. But then I knew that this had been something that had grown inside her through years of experience and endurance that had no choice but to strengthen with greater time spent in Dom’s world.

But with Amelia, this hadn’t grown, this had simply been a quality she had been born with and it angered me that Dom was too fucking blind to see it! That he’d missed that side of his daughter, being too shortsighted by the mortal cloud that tainted the sight of it shining from her. Gods, but she was the bravest fucking being I’d ever known, and similar to her mother in the sense that she would risk everything for what she believed in or everyone she cared for.

I knew this the moment her main concern after she had been saved, had been mistaking my thoughts, thinking that she had been trying to escape me by being on that rooftop garden. And I hadn’t lied in my response when I had told her that it had warmed my heart to hear her say this. For keeping her by my side of her own free will had been my main goal since making her mine.

Which meant I was finally at ease with the knowledge that she would no longer try and run from me. Knowledge that managed to simmer down the rage I felt at the latest attempt at having her taken from me.

Which was why the second I walked into my office after forcing myself to leave her, I did so on the fucking warpath, slamming the door behind me, doing so with enough force that Ruto wisely healed the broken hinges and cracked frame behind me so I didn’t have to.

Naturally, my whole council was there, after I had summoned them all to do so after leaving Amelia in the hot springs pool so I could get a handle on myself and my demon. A handle I only managed to grasp when I had been facing our bed, with my head lowered and my horns butted against the support pillars. I hit out against them, seeing that the tips of my horns surpassed the width of the bed, as I tried to get my head back in fucking gear. Of course, it was also a chosen state of mind that I kept my wings in place, for walking through the doorway they had evaporated to enter the room with ease before remerging.

But hitting out against the pillars was something I did every time my demon got the urge to turn back around and join her in the pool in this form. Needless to say, I ended up needing to fix them from the cracked grooves my horns had created by doing this more than once.

Strangely enough what had the strength to bring me back in the end was the sight of my girl’s humour now fixed to the wall and something I had missed up until that point. But then again, with her in the room with me, then it was of little wonder how I had missed it, for she captured my attention like no other.

“Fuck me, my little nerd,” I had muttered on an amused growl the moment I saw the framed poster of a man in a blue uniform. He was a strange-looking being, with a harsh black haircut, hard slanted eyebrows and pointed ears. But it wasn’t the man himself that did it, it was the words written beneath that made for a startling reminder as to my own role in life.

Words that were more than enough to drag me from the Hell that I had allowed to consume me for a short while. And what exactly were those words a man named Spock had spoken…

‘The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few.’

3

Bloody Regret

I took one look at my council and knew, despite my anger, that each of them had felt this latest hit. They each felt responsible for having someone who would one day soon become their queen nearly stolen from them yet again, as the failure settled deep in their eyes was easy to see.

However, this did nothing to diminish the fury I still felt clinging on, clutching at my Demon and near begging him to take back control.

“Now would someone like to explain to me how the FUCK that bitch infiltrated Castle Blutfelsen!” I roared the second I made it to my desk and forced myself to resist the urge to destroy it. To say that I was pissed wasn’t just an understatement but at this rate it seemed to be a permanent state of fucking mind!

“Simply put…she’s fucking hardcore,” Ruto answered and like I said, looking just as pissed off as the rest of my council did. They each hated weakness of any kind and this personality trait was a requirement in all of those chosen to sit at my table.

“Not helpful.” Liessa muttered side on to my second, receiving a shrug of his shoulders in return.

“Did you get a track on her at least?” I asked Clay this time, who had been the one to receive my call ordering him to call off the search for I had found my girl. My next demand had been for him to hunt her ass down for she had disappeared into the dead forest beyond the silent garden. Named as such, for nothing with a heartbeat ever survived in it for long as it had been cursed with my own witch’s wards years ago. And since then only two had ever infiltrated such power and those two events had been thirty years apart. The first time belonging to Amelia’s mother when Malphas had tried to claim her in his attempt to use her as a sacrifice during the Triple Goddess ritual. The Mother and the Crone had tried to lure her away from my protection and thankfully had failed to do so at the time. However, it seemed as if history was fucking destined to repeat itself!

“Fucking vanished, seriously it was as though the bitch had never even stepped foot there…even Hakan couldn’t get a trace of her essence.” Clay replied surprising me, making me turn to the powerful being in question.

“Is this true?” Hakan nodded his head respectfully, before speaking,

“It is true, my Chieftain, I have never seen such power to be able to ghost her essence from one such as I,” he said, unable to help that spark of annoyance from darkening his eyes, making the strip across them vibrate with anger. A rare sight to see on my tracker, that was for sure. Even in battle he would wield his deadly barbs with calm and collected precision. But then his greatest weakness was that of casting his gifts into the shadows of others that were immune. A master of his craft stumbling backwards to nothing more than mortal abilities. It was a hard blow for any of my people, let alone that of my council who were the strongest of the strong.

“When does Nesteemia arrive?” I asked enquiring about my own witch who needed to be the fuck here already!

“Her flight lands within the hour,” Clay replied and then when he opened his mouth to speak again, I warned,

“Fucking save it, Clay, tomorrow night is still fucking happening and that is that…I will not appear weak in front of my people, is that understood?” I snapped, with half of me hoping he wouldn’t get the hint for I needed a good fight right then, and Clay was one hard mother fucker!

But then luck was not on my side, for he obviously would not chance igniting my wrath once more, for he answered quickly,

“Yes, my Lord.” But of course I didn’t let my disappointment show and instead continued on with running my Kingdom and doing so whilst trying to ensure its queen was actually fucking safe for once!

“Now what is being done to ensure that this shit doesn’t happen again, and my FUCKING CHOSEN ONE IS SAFE?!” I roared the last part of this as I hammered down a fist on my desk. Each of my council members looked awkwardly around the room for I knew that not a single fucking one of them had a plan and unfortunately this also included myself. Which was why I forced myself to take a deep and hopefully calming breath before taking a seat and getting down to all the shit this new attempt had caused.

“Let’s run through it all again,” I said knowing that with these words said it was going to be a long fucking night.

Too long without my girl…or so I thought.

Because a little time later suddenly the door was being opened in a way that Amelia literally burst through it in nothing short of blind panic. Naturally I stood, my whole being turning to fucking ice and stone the second I saw her, asking the fucking Gods what now!

But in her face, I could see that it held something more, something at that moment I couldn’t comprehend or give it greater time to try to. Not as another importance quickly overtook the first, now taking priority. One that started with the quick scan of her body as I was trying to detect the reason she had desperately sought me out. And the second I saw her hand behind her back I breathed deep, taking in the scents of the room, and coming back with one very distinct smell…

Her blood.

Blood now mixed with the very scent of my own. This was after having shared more of it each day, and something that was stronger now she had done so when feeding straight from my demon. Blood, that I could now scent wasn’t entirely inside her body like it fucking should be!

“Oops, so sorry to interrupt with your…uh meeting and stuff, I just…well, I just had to…erm…see you.” She added this last part with that delicious blush invading her cheeks and I had to say that both the admission and sight of her here now helped to at least ease the rage I could feel mounting at the scent of her blood. But I knew that it would only last so long. So, without taking my eyes from her I snapped,

“Everyone, get the fuck out, now!”

“Oh…erm, that’s okay I can just…wai…t,” she started to say but this last word whispered was in response to the pointed look I gave her telling her without words to be silent. Something she thankfully took seriously enough to do so. Along with each of my council, as one by one they all rose and started to walk towards her. And each of them all couldn’t help but smirk down at her quirky choice of shirt, one that given her confused gaze in return told me that she had been in a hurry and no doubt simply grabbed hold of the first thing her hand touched.

Which had me questioning again as to the reasons why?

I waited until my council left, which wasn’t easy when I could smell her blood and was already close to the fucking edge, something I constantly seemed to be around her. Then I allowed myself a quick glance beyond her and saw Ruto’s husband Keto who had been placed at the main entrance of what was known to my people as my Herz des Berges. This translated meant ‘heart of the mountain’ in German as that was precisely what it was. I was in effect the heart and life source of my people so having my personal space at the very core of the mountain had my people giving it the adopted name.

But one look at Keto and at the very least I could account for him being a good choice to lead her to me. For he was as trustworthy as any on my council and right now, that was my main priority. As until all rogues were taken out and sent back to Hell, then I was taking no chances.

The door closed behind her, yet she still remained by the door, hiding what I knew was a bloody hand behind her back.

“I must say, for someone who desperately wished to see me, now that we are alone you seem far from certain of the reasons you came here,” I told her seeing that she was still yet to come forward. So, instead I rose from my chair and went to stand in front of my desk before leaning casually back against it, which of course was a front for how I really wanted to react to her suddenly being here, bleeding. But then I knew what she had been through tonight and the last thing she needed was any added stress or just one more reason to find herself beyond her limit.

So, with this in mind I swallowed my demon’s instincts and buried the impulse to grab her, hauling her over my shoulder and taking her on my desk just to remind myself what it felt like being connected to her body and dominating that perfection.

Which was why I gestured her forward with a jerk of two fingers. However, when I saw her gulp, I knew the reason she was here now was due to her own instincts and impulses, which now begged the question as to the cause.

“It’s not wise to keep me waiting, pet, not with the scent of your blood dripping on the floor,” I said knowing in that moment she would turn to look, thus giving me a chance to see for myself what she hid behind her. Of course, the second I saw the blood-soaked towel wrapped around her palm I knew it wasn’t just bad, but it was worse than I first thought. Meaning that my plan to take it easy evaporated in a single heartbeat of hers and instinct and impulse was back to being my action.

Which meant that I had her in my arms before she even knew that I had moved, only instead of tossing her over my shoulder, I swept her legs from under her with an arm around her back. Then I carried her to my desk, placing her down just as the first surprised yelp had finished passing through her delectable lips.

“Lucius I was…”

“…Taking too long,” I finished off for her and at the same time I tried to reach for her injured hand. But this was met with resistance, now finding her holding it back from me. Something naturally that pissed me off. Which was why I growled her name in warning,

“Amelia.”

“It’s nothing okay, I just cut myself by accident,” she said lying badly and continuing to do so when I raised a disbelieving brow at her, combining it with the blatant sound of my scepticism,

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, it’s…hey, I said it was…” she snapped yanking her hand back and giving me but a glimpse of the deep laceration in her palm, one I knew was only achievable by that of a blade. After all, I had seen enough of them in my time and couldn’t count any injury I couldn’t recognise after so many years inflicting them upon others on the battlefield.

“…fine,” she finished off stubbornly.

“And that happened how exactly?” I tested as I really was hoping it wasn’t the reason I feared it looked to be. Because if it was then I wouldn’t just be pissed, I would be blinding fucking mad!

“It’s nothing, I was just cutting something in the kitchen and slipped is all,” she said lying once again, so I leaned forward getting in her space and whispered in what I knew was a dangerous tone, one that if she were as smart as I knew she could be, she would choose to take seriously,

“Bullshit.” Her eyes grew wide and also, fearful.

Now why would they do that I wondered?

“I am sorry, I shouldn’t have come,” she stammered as she slipped off the desk, something in the height of my surprise, I momentarily allowed before I snapped back into action. For why would she say that?

“Oh no you don’t, sweetheart,” I said as I banded an arm around her waist before picking her up once more and putting her right back on the desk. Then, as I took in the worry in her eyes, I thought back to the other look she had held when she first burst inside my office…

Fear.

She had run inside with fear on her face before it had morphed quickly into…

Relief.

Gods, but how did I miss that or the fucking importance of it? Because now I was starting to fit all the puzzle pieces together and it was unfortunately painting a picture that chilled me to the fucking stone cold core!

This was confirmed when she had tears rise in her beautiful eyes, morphing them into a sight I believed far beyond spectacular. I knew of the depravity in such a thought, for witnessing her tears should not have been a sight I found half as beautiful as I did. But just because it was what convention would class as being wrong didn’t make my thoughts mute, or the sight any less profound.

But those tears, the ones that glittered in her eyes like moonlight caressing the forbidden depths of a lake, the ones that threatened to fall any moment…those were the tears of guilt.

The knowledge of such making me now having no other choice but to question,

“Amelia…what have you done now?”

And my answer ended by being confirmation it wasn’t just bad… no, it was a potential killer. For it had been a risk she had been willing to take.

As she now opened up her hand, unwrapped the bloody towel to show the self-inflicted injury and said,

“Lucius…I’m so sorry.”

4

The Gentle Hand of Hell

Amelia

I could tell with that one look alone that this was a big ‘oh shit’ moment for me. I knew it the second he took one look at my hand and he just knew what it was. Sure, I had tried to pass it off as an accident at first, but he wasn’t stupid, as he knew…he knew what I had done.

Which was why I had broken the second he had asked me what it was I had done now. Giving me no other option but to unwrap the crimson soaked towel that had been masking my guilt and say the only words I had left.

“Lucius…I’m so sorry.”

And I was.

I was sorry for doing something so rash without considering all of the risks. I had allowed my heart to rule over logic, letting the words of a witch manipulate me into making that decision. I mean, yeah sure it seemed as though it hadn’t brought on my worst nightmare by taking those I cared for from me, including the only man I had given my heart to. Because, even though Keto was alive, something he wouldn’t have been had the one that sired him been dead, I had found myself running the rest of the way because I was desperate to see for myself that Lucius was fine. Caring little at the time on how I would explain my interruption.

Okay, so sure, I knew that I would have had to admit to him at some point the reasons behind my sudden panicked appearance, along with letting him know what I had found inside the box. Because I wasn’t stupid or foolish enough to believe I could deal with it on my own. For starters, I didn’t even know what the map held seeing as it looked as if it could have been a million and one places on Earth!

But right then, looking at the caged fury he was keeping on lockdown the best he could, I was wishing I could have just texted him what I had done and then gone and found some closet to hide in.

However, there was no escaping him, not when Lucius looked down at my hand and took it into his own to hold. He hadn’t said anything and I was starting to worry, feeling a stray tear escape, rolling down my cheek.

“Please, say something,” I pleaded making him raise his eyes to mine for a moment before he said in a stern tone, one that was laced with nothing but disappointment,

“You did this to yourself.” It wasn’t so much a question as it was a need for confirmation and I lowered my gaze, no longer with the strength to withstand that look of regret.

He suddenly dropped my hand and turned his back to me, taking what I knew must have been needed space between us. Then his next question near crushed me.

“And was it worth the risk… was I worth the risk, my Šemšā?” I swallowed hard as even more tears overflowed this time, and I tried in vain to wipe them away in an angry effort to rid myself of my guilt, one I felt myself drowning in. A river I couldn’t swim through and one made even worse with the sound of him calling me his sun. But yet I still tried,

“I…Lucius I…I didn’t think that…”

“No, you fucking didn’t!” he snapped suddenly making me jump.

“I’m sorry, I…”

“Yes, you said that already!” he barked in a dark tone that hurt, but again, could I really blame him? As far as he was concerned, I had opened the box that could have destroyed him and truly, I wanted to hate myself for it! But then how could I now describe the overwhelming feeling I’d had at the time, believing that it wouldn’t happen, that opening that box had been the right thing to do? How could I describe, in that moment when looking at him, looking beyond furious as he did, why I had been so sure, when even I didn’t fully understand it myself? How could I make him understand? To understand that my panic had only set in after it was opened, and not before I was slitting my own hand and actually doing it.

Yes, I was drowning in a river of ‘hows’ with each one seemingly more hopeless than the one before it. For there was no explaining. There were no words to express a reason beyond all doubt, for there hadn’t been any. As those feelings had been a lie. A witch’s trick in making me believe in nothing else but the opening of what could have had the power to destroy not only an entire race of demons, but more importantly…the man I loved.

Which was why I didn’t deserve his forgiveness and was why I felt I had no other choice but to choose my only option left.

“I should just go,” I said in a small voice as once more I was about to slide from the desk, which was when he whipped back around to face me and warned dangerously,

“Oh, but you are not going anywhere, Princess!”

I would have snapped back at that one, knowing that he only called me this to tell me how pissed off he was at me, something I didn’t need as it was already blindingly obvious with his tone alone. So, I flinched, scooting further back on his desk, something for a single moment he softened his harsh gaze at.

“So now what?” I asked quietly.

“Now I am going to fucking heal you, that is what!” At this I frowned and clutched my hand to my chest, thankful that the bleeding had calmed before this point. But then with that movement alone, I had spoken too soon in my mind, as I hissed through my teeth and cursed the fresh blood that started to drip down the side of my wrist.

But despite this I was appalled at the idea, snapping back,

“No, you most certainly are not!” A reaction that caused him to growl at me,

“The fuck I am not!”

“Lucius, I can’t let you do that, not now…not with us like this,” I said hoping he would finally get my point, something he obviously didn’t, not when he folded his arms across his chest before demanding,

“And pray tell me why the fuck not?!”

“Because we are not doing…well, that…” I said, trying again and failing when he snapped,

“That?!”

“Yes that…you’re angry at me,” I said adding this last part when he still looked confused.

“Oh, sweetheart, I am not just angry, I am fucking furious!” he snarled leaning forward and making my back go rigid.

“Yeah well, I am not going to have an orgasm while you’re ‘fucking furious’ at me!” I said making quotation marks with my fingers and going red with both embarrassment and anger, as was anyone’s natural response when being shouted at, even though I was still fully aware that this was my fault.

“Oh yes you fucking will! Now all that is up for debate is if I can wait until after I have put you over my fucking knee or not!” he threw back at me literally making my mouth drop.

“You have got to be kidding me,” I muttered in disbelief, shaking my head as if he had lost his ever-loving mind! But then he was suddenly at me, his hands on the desk either side of my hips and leaning his large frame into me, consuming my space as he whispered down at me,

“Do I look as though I am joking, beautiful?” Then, without waiting for my reply, he was lowering his face to my neck after first brushing the loose hair away, placing its length down my back. He started to slide the chunky knitted cardigan from my shoulder so his lips could replace it, making me suck in a startled breath the second I felt his gentle kiss against my skin. The feeling of his gentle action, even though knowing that he was furious with me, was almost making my head spin. Especially as now he started to rid me of my cardigan altogether, taking care when slipping the sleeve over my injured hand. Then he threw the item to the floor, discarding it as if it never should have been there to begin with.

But, as amazing as his touch felt, I still couldn’t allow him to heal me, for I refused to let him do that to me until we were past our argument.

“Are you at least willing to listen to my reasons first?” I asked, admittedly in a tone that didn’t come out as forceful as I had hoped. He pulled back a little, and then took possession of my hand, prying my own fingers from it. Then he lifted it up, taking care not to hurt me with the movement.

“There is no reason in this world to ever take a fucking blade to this skin,” he said before licking up my skin, starting at the bottom of where the blood had dripped down my wrist and forearm, now making a show of it. Making a show by not once breaking eye contact with me as his tongue travelled the tempting line of blood that I knew he craved. I could see it all written there in his eyes…eyes that darkened with his desire.

A desire to suck, fuck and feed from me.

I could see it all.

“No reason to spill blood I own, unless I deem it by my own doing, for nothing more than to feast on for my pleasure. To drink from you, binding you to me and tying you to my life. No other reason my Šemšā…do you understand?” he said whispering this last part against the inside of my blood-stained wrist after he had licked it clean.

“But I…”

“Say the fucking words, Amelia, say them now,” Lucius said interrupting me on a growl telling me he was on the edge, especially when I saw his eyes flash dark crimson. So, I gave him what he wanted and told him in a small voice,

“I understand.” At this he seemed to relax a little, now taking in a deep breath, still with my arm captured in his hold, as if he was not yet prepared to let it go.

“Good girl…now I will listen,” he said once there was nothing left but a crimson smear along my arm from where he had licked the length back up to my wound. Of course, just because he said that he would listen, I knew it didn’t mean that he was going to make it easy for me. I knew this when he grabbed my hips and slid me closer to him before his lips once more went to my neck. Now leaving my hand in sight of my pulse point, one that had quickened thanks to where his lips were, along with his fangs. Yet he didn’t bite me, he simply decided to tease me with them. Running the length across my tender and sensitive flesh like a warning of what was to come.

“Speak!” he demanded on a throaty growl that vibrated against my skin. Oh yeah, cause this was going to be easy…not!

“Can’t we just take a minute to…”

“Lose my patience? Yeah, you take those minutes, sweetheart, and see where it gets you,” was his response, one that made me hurry the hell up after he proved this by finishing his warning with my neck held at his mercy. This was in the form of a bite, one that stung even if he hadn’t yet pierced the flesh.

So naturally, I took the warning seriously and hurried the hell up.

“Something the witch said to me made me realise that I had translated it all wrong,” I told him.

“And you truly believed this…yes?” he asked after releasing my bitten flesh but still with his lips held against my skin. For he didn’t let up and was now kissing up the column of my throat, making me melt into him. This was despite wishing I had the power to resist him, as I didn’t want to be like this together, not until we had sorted through this latest fuck up of mine. Lucius however, obviously felt differently about that and had other ideas. Ideas that included manipulation and using my body to get what he wanted.

It was a cruel game.

A cruel game that a Vampire King played so well.

But it was also a game I had no other choice but to allow him to continue to play, despite knowing it was one I would never win.

“I do, I mean I did at the time, strongly enough to want to open the damn thing!” I told him making him tense a hand at my waist.

“And now?” he asked, wanting to know that if that was the case, then why was I there in his office? I also knew it was an important question for him to ask, as he ceased all movement and simply held himself still, with his lips hovering over my neck.

So, I told him,

“Well, after I opened it I panicked, obviously, which is why I ran straight here needing to see proof that you were…well, you know…still…”

“Still hungry for you?” he teased by nipping at my flesh, which I took as good sign as at least it was obvious I had passed some sort of test. Yet despite this, there was still more I needed to say.

“But I swear to you, Lucius, I would never have taken that chance if I hadn’t felt it was the right thing to do…down to my core,” I told him and doing so in a tone that spoke of every word being said in earnest. And he heard it…heard the heart of it. That was why he finally raised his head from my neck and this time looked down at me.

“Your blood was the key?” he asked nodding down at my hand, one he still held in his grip.

“Actually, it was yours.” He raised a brow at me, so I elaborated.

“The witch, she said something about the blood of kings was in me and it made the box shake in my hold when my blood touched it…she also seemed freaked out by me after that.” Lucius pulled back a little so he could raise my hand between us and then he ran a finger around the wound making sure not to touch the torn flesh.

“My blood in you,” he murmured to himself and I nodded.

“And what did you find?” was the question he finally asked and one I would have thought would have taken precedence over everything else…Evidently not.

“Well, obviously not the destruction of all Vampire kind, but it may be something that leads to it,” I said making him grant me a look of curiosity.

“A map?” he guessed.

“Yes, although a pretty useless one at that, as it tells you nothing…I mean a bloody child with a crayon playing pirates could have done better!” I complained making him grant me a warm grin.

“So, this feeling you had, the one that compelled you to open it, do you believe this was something the witch intended or was it something potentially fated?” he asked and it would have been a total cop-out to tell him with utter certainty that yes, I believed it was. But at the very least I knew she had planted the seed. So instead, I went with diplomacy.

“I think so, I mean I don’t know for sure other than the feeling I had at the time. But either way, her words stuck with me and festered until I believed no harm would come from opening the box. Now had that been her plan all along, I don’t know because let’s face it, if she had taken that box, where would she have got your blood from? Could she have got it from someone you sired?” I asked obviously giving him enough food for thought as he continued to stare down at my hand

“No, once my blood has been gifted and the change has taken hold, it will no longer hold the same strain, but becomes something new…it is not the same as when you feed from me.” I listened to what he was saying and hated to ask my next question, already feeling a sickening emotion rise the moment I forced the words from my lips,

“And what about…erm…past lovers?”

“What of them?” he asked, obviously not understanding what I was getting at, which I found odd…well, at least until he explained it further, something he did after I asked,

“What about past lovers that have fed from you?” At this he grinned, and I swear I wanted to slap him, that was until he put me out of my misery,

“As adorable as this spark of jealousy is to witness, I have never gifted my blood to a lover before and no other but one has ever fed from me more than once,” he said but then before I could ask, it dawned on me who that ‘one person’ would be.

“But of course,” I muttered before I could stop myself as I turned my face away but then he didn’t allow this for long before my chin was in his grasp and being used to force my face back to looking at him.

“My blood is yours. It belongs to you and no other…do you understand?” he demanded in a stern voice that vowed his words to be true. So, I nodded making him growl,

“The fucking words, Amelia!” This I knew was a big thing with him, as he always wanted my words. Words that obviously helped soothe his frayed soul that I had pulled at too much lately.

“Your blood is mine, Lucius,” I told him making him release me after giving me a firm nod.

“Good…Now it is time to take in which belongs to me in return,” he said before releasing his fangs, allowing them to grow in length. Then he raised his own palm and I winced when he sliced a line in the same place where the knife had sliced through my flesh. Then he grabbed my hand, interlocking his fingers with mine, yanking me forward the second I felt his blood mix with my own.

And the impact was instantaneous.

I cried out as the intensity struck me, a scream that ended being consumed by his kiss. This was as he fisted a hand in my hair and anchored me to him to ensure I couldn’t escape, not that I would have wanted to…ever.

After this my world started to tilt as I felt myself falling with the strength of my orgasm building and ripping through me so fast, I wasn’t prepared for it. But I was the only one who wasn’t, as Lucius was prepared. Which was why I realised I wasn’t falling after all… I was being pushed. I felt the pressure of his hand at the back of my head the moment it hit the desk as he began climbing up my body like some jungle cat crawling over his kill.

But at the same time this was happening so was my back arching up, pressing myself further into him as a silent scream shuddered through me before it ended by panting his name over and over again. I was so lost in my pleasure that I didn’t realise what was happening until Lucius was no longer over me but instead was stood at the desk. And I realised this when he suddenly grabbed the back of my knees and was dragging me to the edge.

I started to sit up which ended quickly as he tutted back at me, before quickly collaring my throat and pushing me down until my back was again flat against the desk. Then with the full length of his arm held straight, he held me prisoner this way, free now to do as he obviously intended. And what he intended was to share me with a slice of his demon side.

“Now you’re all healed…do you know what comes next, my pet?” He almost purred down at me and my eyes went wide, questioning if he could mean what I thought he might mean. But then he made a show of holding up his left hand, one gloved as it always was. However, with a click of his fingers it started to transform into what it had been earlier when I had been faced with his Demon.

Hellish armour seemed to come from nowhere, as if the air around him had started crackling as he drew in some unseen demonic essence from the air. A black mist, circling his hand before growing like giant scales overlapping in a wave against the leather until his entire hand was consumed. Then it started to harden and form the same demonic gauntlet as before. But this close up I could now see it in fine detail, and it was as equally beautiful as it was terrifying.

It was made up from layers of triangular interlocking plates that were framed by strips of smooth black metal with a rough centre. It looked more like volcanic rock forged with the only smooth piece being that of a thick band just below his elbow, one that held etched demonic symbols, one of which I could now see was his personal sigil. One I knew the meaning of thanks to the lesson he had given me when being faced with one of the doors that led into his personal quarters.

I moved away from the sigil of a Vampire King and along to the pointed plates that tapered down to his hand. They continued down until each finger was encased in metal knuckles, ones pinned and riveted for movement. But it was the gleaming black talons that tipped each finger which worried me the most, especially as they started to move towards my waistband.

He even grinned down at me when he felt the hard lump in my throat being pushed down past his hand at just the sight of them.

“But…but I explained and…” I mumbled quickly not knowing how I felt about what I thought he was going to do next.

“That you did my sweet, good girl,” he agreed, pausing before telling me,

“But even a good girl can turn bad…” he told me, still holding me still as the back of his talons started to caress along the strip of bare skin between my top and the denim of my jeans. A dangerous action that made me shudder, as he watched himself do this.

Then his eyes found mine before he growled,

“…And in my world…

“Bad girls get punished.”

5

Bad Girl Falling

I sucked in a deep startled breath,

One named…punishment.

For this was my only warning before I felt the first tear in my clothes as his talons hooked my waistband and started cutting into the material as if it had been nothing but paper. And I was powerless to do anything more than lie there being torn between wanting to squirm away and being too fearful to move a single inch! However, with my decision taken away from me thanks to his hand still holding me down in my place, then there was little option left than to just lie there and let him continue.

Soon my jeans were cut open down the centre, so my panties were on show underneath the denim. Which meant that I could now feel the back of a single talon caress down the centre of my barely covered sex, something that had me shuddering in his hold. It was as if he was igniting some darker side of me, some deep taboo that was feeding from my fear and morphing it into something sexually addictive…something alive. And all the while he watched me, as if not just looking but actually absorbing every breath I took, every flinch of my body, every single reaction was being filed away and memorized, calculated and abused.

I didn’t know whether this was what turned him on the most or whether he was simply watching me, making sure he would notice any signs that told him to stop. I really didn’t know, but one thing I did know was that he got off on watching me squirm. Now how far he would take that I didn’t yet know…

Well, not until he showed me.

But first he released my throat and plucked my glasses from my face, slowly folding them and placing them down on the desk, telling me,

“You won’t be needing these.” Then suddenly I was flipped over, making me shriek in surprise, a reaction he chuckled at and just as I started to push myself up from the desk, Lucius took the option from me. The hand that had once collared the front of my throat, switched so it now gripped the back of my neck, once more forcing me down flat. Then I felt those talons of his continue to tear through my clothes, only this time doing so up the line of my ass, tearing through denim until it cut through the waistband at the back. Then I felt my jeans start to roll down my legs without aid as there was nothing more to hold them in place. After this he released the back of my neck so I could move again now that it was safe to do so, making me realise that by holding me down was so he was assured I wouldn’t make any sudden movements with his talons so close to me.

I had to say that the mixed feeling of both care and rough treatment in doing so was a heady mix I could barely quantify. I tried to make sense of it, and question why the two combined turned me on so much, but no answers were found. The dominance, the commanding and masterful way he controlled me was only driving me forward towards something that felt mythical. Something just there within my grasp if I was only brave enough to reach out and take it…or more like, allow him to push me into reaching it. It was like leaping without the safety net and trusting that he would be there to catch me before dropping me safely into his dark world.

And by the Gods, did I want to fucking fall!

I felt Lucius leaning down over me before his right hand curled back round to the front of my throat, doing so to raise up my face. I was lifted from the desk, with his thumb pressing my chin up, keeping my head from the desk. This allowed his gauntleted hand to palm my breast, making me suck in a shocked and fearful breath.

“Easy,” he whispered as he stilled his dangerous hand, and then told me,

“Just close your eyes and allow yourself to feel it.” So, I did as I was told, placing my trust in him and closing my eyes. It was only then that I started to feel what he wanted me to feel. The heavyweight of his demonic hand squeezing my breast felt amazing, and the fear of him hurting me unintentionally faded away. But I wanted more and wished the rest of my clothes had been taken from me so I could have felt the texture of his hand against bare skin.

To feel such strength, to feel the hand of destruction being so gentle was like being stroked by a weapon made to hurt, not one made to soothe. It was an arousal like no other and even when the very tip of his talon gently circled my nipple, pulling at the material that covered them, I only felt myself dripping even more with anticipation.

But then that weight was soon gone from my breast and was at my neckline, joined by his other hand so both could be used to suddenly tear my top in two. I jumped at both the sound and the feeling of having my clothes literally ripped from me, making my chest heave with eagerness and with only my bra in the way of giving him what he wanted, it was nothing more but a mere of a flick of his talon in the centre, making my breasts burst free.

After this his gauntleted hand went back to playing with me and any minute I was expecting him to enter me from behind, wishing it would happen soon for I was near out of my mind wanting it! I was so desperate for his cock. Which was why the word slipped out before I could stop it,

“Please.” I heard him humming behind me before a talon tapped at the side of my breast making me shudder.

“Mmm, I must say, I do enjoy hearing you beg me for it,” he told me, making me lower my head in shame, something he didn’t like. I knew this when I felt my hair being twisted in his hold so he could yank my head back and growl in my ear,

“Don’t you dare be fucking ashamed of that…now fucking own it and say it again!” he demanded. But when I didn’t do his bidding right away, he bent over me to take my tender flesh in between his teeth, with his lips now at my neck causing a small nip of pain. This happened before his demon was now demanding it of me,

“Fucking say it again!”

“Please.”

“Again!” he growled.

“Please…please, please,” I whispered again and again, making him smile at my neck before telling me,

“Alright, my pet, my good little human…now, let’s see how well you beg for your punishment.” I froze in his hold and started to mutter,

“Uh, but I…” This was when I felt him pull back and the moment his hands left me, I nearly did beg for it. Well, that was before I felt the sting of a slap to my backside.

“Ah!” I shouted making him scoff in amusement.

“That wasn’t you begging me, pet. Now let’s try this again should we?” he said slapping me again, this time twice, with a swift one to each cheek.

“AH!” I shouted again, only this time a burn added to the sting. But now when he leaned down over me, getting close to my ear, there were no bites or kisses, only a whispered,

“I know you can do better than that.” Then I braced myself for another slap, but it never came, instead he palmed my cheek before caressing around the palm mark it felt that he had made.

“Such a beautiful sight…fucking stunning.” He almost hissed this last part, and then just before I could speak, he slapped me again, making me scream and push up with my hands.

“Uh huh, no you don’t,” he told me and suddenly I found myself being pushed down flat to the desk and the ruined, torn top and bra being pulled back down my arms.

“I see I will have to do something to contain my willful girl.” This was my only warning as once my top was gone, I heard the tearing sound. I chanced a look over my shoulder and saw that he was tearing down the length of material, now gaining a thick strip from the middle.

“Eyes upfront, pet,” he ordered making me do as I was told. But this wasn’t all as the second he tapped the lowest part of my back, he ordered,

“Hands together here.” I swallowed hard and did as he said for me to do but not before I needed something in return, so I whispered his name, the trepidation easy for him to detect,

“Lucius?”

In response to this I felt his bare hand run down the length of my spine, free to do so now that I was completely naked, all but the denim still caught at my knees and my soaked panties.

“Do you trust me to take care of you?” he asked me and I swallowed again before nodding.

“Words, beautiful,” he said softly, reminding me of the rules.

“Yes.”

“That’s what I want to hear…now be good for me and do as you are told,” he ordered, tapping my lower back again and this time I put my hands behind my back without hesitation, leaving me little choice but to allow more of my weight to press down against the desk.

“Mmm, but the Gods have blessed me with such rewards with a sight I will never forget, for you are simply exquisite, my Amelia,” he told me as he wrapped the length of torn material around my hands making sure to tie it tight enough that I wouldn’t be able to get away from him any time soon.

“Now where were we…ah yes,” he said before another sting burned its way across my ass making me cry out again. Then came the soothing hand that I was starting to crave. But this was when things started to get confusing, for I didn’t know which one I was starting to crave more, as I knew which one it should have been. However, with each crack on my cheek I found myself losing the will to try and dislike it, now switching to the opposite. I was actually holding myself still and actually pushing my ass back into it, to gain more of the powerful swing.

But of course it hurt, but nowhere near as much as I knew he was capable of. And I didn’t even fully understand why or how or even when it had started to happen. When exactly the time switched, and the pain had started to merge into pleasure. Gods, but I wanted him to fuck me so badly that pretty soon I was doing as he said I would…

Begging him.

“Please…oh Gods, please…please Lucius!”

“And there it is…there is even more of my beauty…now shout it for me this time,” he said with a controlled edge to his voice that told me he was as deep into it as I was.

“Please! Please…Please!”

“Ah, such pretty punishment, you take it so well…so fucking well,” he praised slapping me again, and this time his gauntleted hand went to my neck and raised up my head, taking care as he held me steady to take the last of his hits.

“Fuck! Please, Gods, please Lucius!”

“What do you want me to do to you, pretty girl, umm? Say it now, for I can see you dripping for me, soaked and ready for me…is it my cock? If it is, then say the words and I will give it to you,” he told me softly… so fucking softly…so close to my ear as he had turned my head to one side in that rough hold, something that contradicted his gentle tone.

“Yes…oh please, yes!” I begged again but he growled low and reprimanded me,

“That is not what I asked of you…now give me the fucking words I demand!” I shivered in his hold and after one more powerful smack, one that made me burn and leak even more from my shuddering core, I told him,

“I want it! Please, please… GIVE ME YOUR COCK, SIR!” This came out on a shout of desperation the second the pain burned all the way to the junction of my thighs making my back bow into his hard torso leaning over me.

“There’s my good girl,” he praised again, turning my head, yanking it to the side and holding it there by my chin as he kissed me in a rough and demanding way. This was at the same time he suddenly ripped off my panties and reared up inside me. I screamed in his mouth as I quickly found myself impaled on his length as his cock thrust as deep as my body would allow. I cried out desperate for him to move, with him still kissing me. He grinned before biting my lip and making me whimper before he started to hammer into me, still with his lips to mine. I could barely move, with no other option to just take all he had to give, for his other arm was banded across my chest. I was anchored to him, completely imprisoned by muscle and flesh. His hold on me was one that was steady enough for his hard, punishing thrusts. And by the Gods it was out of this world amazing and as we both knew it would, had me coming in seconds!

“AAAHHH LUCIUS! Yes, yes, yes, yes!” I screamed again and again as he continued to drag the never-ending orgasm out of me. Only then did he leave my lips, licking at the cut he’d made to heal it before then moving back. Doing so, so he could take hold of my hips and really start to drive into me. Then, just as I flinched the second I felt a tiny prick at my skin, he moved his gauntleted hand to a safer spot. Now with it positioned at my lower back and fisted in the material around my bound hands, he used it to pull my body back into his, using it as leverage to pound into me.

This meant that once again I felt it building up, higher and higher. So high that I even feared the moment I was forced to the peak before being made to tumble back down to earth. For it felt like the force of it was powerful enough to completely shatter me!

But I obviously wasn’t the only one who felt this way for Lucius was nearing his own limit, that much was clear the moment he started growling down at me. It was a mixture of his demon and the Vampire King that commanded him. I knew this when I felt another smack to my ass and I cried out as it only managed to drive me beyond that peak and the sound of my scream did something to Lucius. As just as I was about to come and come fucking hard, his demonic hand-hammered down against the top of the desk, landing by my head and his other hand yanked my head to the side before suddenly he sank his fangs into my neck.

And with that first pull of my blood leaving me and being sucked down by my King, I exploded.

“FUCK! YES, YES, YES, YES, AHHH!” I came harder than ever before as I went hurtling off that mountain top and shattered around the length of him buried deep within me.

But the last thing I heard, saw and felt was Lucius roaring his own release, feeling his seed coating the walls of my sex. This was as his taloned claws, ones so close to my head, started to curl deep, gouging into the wood. Dark, razor tips creating curls of wood, now being peeled back under gleaming talons of a demon that fucked me straight to Heaven.

For this time when I fell unconscious…

My winged demon was the one to catch me.

6

Tickled Pink

The next time I woke I did so faced with Lucius’ chest rising slowly and it took my confused mind a minute to piece together the moment. I was currently lying with my head rested against Lucius’ pecs with my arm draped across his torso. His hand was curled around my forearm and the other was alternating between softly trailing his fingers up and down my side and squeezing my hip.

I was stuck debating whether or not just to go back to sleep seeing as I was so comfortable like this, it felt like I was going against my body by waking fully. But then again, I also wanted to know where I was and how I had got there. Because unless I had missed the massive bed in his office, then I doubted we were still there.

Of course, this decision was taken from me as Lucius must have known the moment I had started to come to, as his hand left my forearm and hooked under my chin before tipping my head back to look up at him.

“Hello, my little party girl,” he said making me frown in question before asking,

“Why does everyone keep calling me a party girl?” At this Lucius chuckled and replied,

“Well, not anymore after I shredded the words and had no choice but to re-dress you in my own shirt so I wasn’t carrying you back here naked.”

“Sorry?” I asked not quite understanding and again he started laughing before surmising,

“I am going to take a predictable guess here and say you were in a hurry to get to my office…yes?” Again, I frowned still confused.

“Your shirt, before torn once said…I like to party, and by party, I mean take naps.” Hearing this and I couldn’t help but moan, now understanding all the smirks and chuckles I had received from his council members as they each left the office.

“Great…I bet that was sexy,” I commented on a grumble, as I loved my aunty Pip but sometimes her funny t-shirt tradition was best left for those private days inside and not when trying to look hot in front of your new boyfriend.

“Actually, it was very sexy, especially when it was in pieces and used to bind you whilst I fucked perfection,” he said making me blush to my roots, to the point that I purposely face planted back onto his chest and groaned against his skin, making him chuckle as I murmured,

“Don’t say that.” Then I felt him force my gaze back to his and he told me with a throaty growl,

“Burned to my mind.” Then he ran the backs of his fingers down my heated cheek before leaning down to kiss me softly. It was a gentle gesture done before he could ask me,

“How do you feel?”

“Erm…a little sore,” I admitted because I could still feel the heat across the skin on my ass and his hand left my hip and caressed my cheeks softly,

“Poor baby…however…” He paused so he could grip my ass cheek, making me suck in a breath at the bite of pain, one that was drowned out when he growled down at me,

“I am glad, for it will remind you how I feel about you hurting yourself and be a lesson never to do it again.” I swallowed hard and nodded before telling him,

“I promise.” He nodded once and then eased his hold before going back to caressing the new hurt.

“I really am sorry,” I told him making him nod before telling me softly,

“I know you are, sweetheart.” Then he lifted the newly healed hand to his lips so he could kiss my palm.

“I didn’t like seeing it,” he told me tenderly and I had to say, it was sweet the way he cared and wanted to protect me, even if strangely that also included slapping my ass as punishment.

“Along with that…” he said shifting his eyes to the side where I had put up my poster of Spock and one he had missed previously. But I knew why as unless you were at a certain angle in the room then it was easy to miss. Which was what I had been aiming for as it had all been part of the ‘annoy my boyfriend with all my shit being around plan’. Something I knew I had finally accomplished when he told me,

“I am not sure how I feel about having homage to another man on my wall in the room where I fuck my girl.”

At this I burst out laughing and ended up burying my head in his side as I continued to chuckle, but then as I did this I felt something from Lucius that I had never felt before…he flinched. This was when I froze and lifted my head slowly, pushing my hair back as I did.

“What?” Lucius asked and by the Gods it was one of the cutest things I had ever seen…Lucius was squirming!

I knew it when suddenly I blurted out,

“You’re ticklish!”

“No…no, I…well, I am most certainly not ticklish…that’s absurd…of course I am not,” Lucius said and by the Heavens above, he was actually acting embarrassed by it. He was even talking quickly, the way people do when they are trying to lie…badly. My eyes widened and I raised myself up from his chest, getting almost giddy from both the thought and also how he was acting so…well, so bloody human about it.

“Oh, my Gods, you so are!” I shouted on a laugh making him frown, before getting close to my face and saying,

“I am not.” I rolled my lips to hold back the laugh so I could then argue,

“Oh, you so are!” I then giggled making him growl and in return I laughed harder.

“Amelia, I am King of all Vampires, do you really think a being like me would be fucking ticklish?!” he snapped and again I burst out laughing making him suddenly flip me to my back so he could loom over me, no doubt trying to intimidate me. But it so wasn’t happening, not after what I knew.

“I see my girl needs another lesson,” he growled making me frown back before coming to a decision.

“Alright, I will make you a deal, you prove to me you’re not ticklish and I will take any punishment you dish out, mister!” I said making him frown before sitting up, putting his back to me and saying a definitive,

“No.” Again I couldn’t help but bite a lip so as not to laugh.

But trying to stop myself from laughing wasn’t easy, as he was clearly sulking. So, I allowed myself a silent giggle behind him before trying a different tactic. I got on my knees and plastered myself to his muscly back and wrapped my arms around him, smiling when a hand came up and held my arm across his chest, telling me he wanted me there. I then rested my chin on his bulging shoulder and looked down at the sexy, muscular sight before me. Lucius wearing nothing but a pair of jeans was utterly drool-worthy.

I also knew that had I not been wearing his T-shirt and been currently pressing my naked breasts to him that I would have had more chance at sweet manipulation.

“What if I say please?” I whispered getting closer to his ear before kissing his neck and making him moan and this time it was because he was cracking, not because he was getting annoyed.

“Amelia, I am not…”

“Then prove it, show me your skills, Vampy,” I teased making him growl this time, but thankfully in a playful manner. Then, after releasing a deep sigh, he suddenly grabbed me tighter and pulled me so I had no option but to be dragged around him. I now ended up in his lap with his T-shirt twisted and tangled up near my breasts.

Once there I wrapped my arms around him and continued to kiss his neck, getting to his ear before I whispered,

“Be brave, my King.” He scoffed at this before telling me once again.

“Fine woman, if it is the only way you will cease this ridiculous notion,” he complained, making me grin against his skin before I came back to his face, kissed his nose and said,

“Thank you, honey.” To which he rolled his eyes but even I could see the way my soft words had affected him. So, I shifted off him, back on to the bed as it was clear I wanted to get started.

“Lie back,” I told him gently trying to coax him and it was the very first time I could see trepidation in his eyes. I don’t know why but it gave me such a strange thrill. Maybe it was because I was usually the one he was pushing into new situations and now here I was, doing the same to him.

“This is ridiculous…I am not even sure what you’re trying to achieve here,” he argued making me hold in my laughter but not quite managing to prevent the smirk as I said,

“We will just see, won’t we?”

He shrugged his shoulders, clearly acting as though I wouldn’t be able to make him laugh by tickling him, yet despite the act, he still tensed his muscles. In fact, he lay down as if his back had been replaced by a wooden board. Seriously, he looked as though he was ready for me to attack him any minute!

“Wait, what are you doing?” he asked sounding panicked and I laughed, as I was just getting lower to his belly. So, I looked up at him and said,

“Relax, handsome,” then smirked down at the tensed abs bunched at his stomach knowing that this was going to be way too easy. For starters, he flinched the second I first touched him, and I knew he was holding himself rigid, forcing himself from reacting the way he wanted to.

Gods, but it was fucking perfect!

So, I decided to build it slowly, instead of just going in for the easy kill…after all, I had received my punishment and now…well, now it was time for his.

And I intended to enjoy it.

Which was why I ran my fingertips featherlight across his belly, making him shudder underneath my touch, and I found him staring down at me. Combined with this uncertain look were his fists in the bedsheets, which I was only now realising were torn. I would have to remember to ask him about that later, but right now I had a mission to accomplish.

The expression on his face looked almost pained and for a moment, I nearly granted him mercy…almost.

“Raise your arms up above your head,” I told him making him frown down at me before saying,

“Not happening.” I laughed and said,

“Well, if you’re not ticklish like you claim, then doing so won’t be a problem for you, will it, Vampire?” I challenged and I swear I had never seen him looking so freakin’ cute. He released a sigh before doing as he was told and the way his biceps hardened and bulged, made my mouth dry. Gods, he was utter perfection. The body of an Adonis!

“Close your eyes,” I told him, making him frown down at me before complaining,

“Anything else, Princess?” I leant down and started kissing near his belly button before looking up at him and murmuring softly,

“Play nice, baby.” To which he released another sigh before doing as he was told and making me grin against his skin yet again at my first victory. Then I pulled back and enjoyed the moment at just being able to look down at all that perfection that was mine to explore. But he must have been getting impatient waiting for something to happen as he growled,

“Is there any reason nothing is happening?” I rolled my lips before breaking into a large grin. Then I placed both my hands on his chest and swung my leg over his body, holding myself above him on my knees so I could get closer to his face. I saw his muscles tense as I lowered myself to kiss down his jawline. Then I whispered,

“My rules this time, handsome...so shut up and let me play.” I bit playfully at his lobe making him growl again and this time he was fisting the top of the pillow above his head, looking near pained. My reaction to this was a chuckle before licking at his neck.

“Word of warning, sweetheart, I have my limits here,” he informed me as I started kissing down his chest and I stopped to look up at him, to see him cheating by watching me beneath hooded lids. So, I told him,

“Mmm, let’s try and have fun finding them then, yeah…now close your fucking eyes, Vampire,” I demanded forcefully making his chest rumble again and his fists turn white-knuckled. But amazingly, he did as I ordered and closed his eyes. So, I sat back, lifting up the large T-shirt I wore enough that it put my bare sex to his crotch, and I grinned when I heard him suck in a breath.

Good, it was about time I was the one igniting these types of responses from him. Man, but I don’t think I had ever felt so powerful in all my life. In fact, if anyone had ever told me a month ago that I would be here teasing this big bad Vampire King, then I would have told them to pop whatever bubble they were trying to put me in!

But then, as sexual as I was tempted to take this, I had a goal and I was sticking to it. So, I trailed my fingers down the centre of his defined pecs and in between the line of his abs watching as he tensed as I did so. I also looked to see the strain on his face as he was trying hard not to react the way I knew he really wanted to. Well, if he thought this was as hard as it was gonna get, then it was time to pop his own bubble.

It was time to drive my point home, I thought, which was why I went for the sweet spot and with his arms still raised above his head, it left his sides wide open. This naturally became my new target and the next destination for my featherlight fingertips to trail up. Now this was when I knew I was really hitting the mark, as the further I danced my fingers up the side of his torso, the harder he tried to fight it. I knew this when he suddenly crossed his legs and actually bit his lip!

Holy shit, he really was ticklish, I knew this the second he started squirming more beneath me, soon shaking his head as if this would help, but the closer I got to under his arms, was when he finally lost it. Suddenly I hit my mark and he burst out laughing hysterically!

Gods above, but I swear I had never heard anything like it!

Of course, I had heard Lucius laughing before but not like this. Not so carefree and lighthearted. He sounded years younger and acted like someone so full of fun and full of life. The way he strained his neck, putting his head back to the pillows as he let it all go and I ended up half wrestling him just so I could keep it going. I pinned him down, in a way I knew would at least work for a short time, as his untamed laughter was preventing him from stopping me as he couldn’t concentrate.

In the end we were both laughing so hard, that even I had tears in my eyes. But then finally he managed to get the upper hand by holding at least one of my hands at bay. Then, still laughing, he rolled me under him and with stunning grey/blue eyes gleaming with hilarity, smiling down at me, he cupped my cheek before telling me softly,

“So yes, I’m ticklish.” But then the answer to this didn’t come from either of us. No, instead it came from a scream of excitement at the doorway in the form of a high pitched screech.

One I knew well…

“Gods be damned bollocks hockey, I freakin donkey balls knew it!”

7

Peace Shattered at Blood Rock

“Oh, my Gods, Aunty Pip!” I shouted on an excited squeal that matched her own, only I was now poking my head around my half-naked boyfriend.

“The one and only bitch from Down Under Hell without a BBQ!” she said and as usual not making much sense to anyone but herself. Lucius groaned and then lowered his head to my chest, muttering,

“And just like that, peace is but a thing of the past,” making her giggle.

“Master boss man, how you rocking…or should I say who you be rocking, as it looks like my baby doll I see? I mean finally! Jeez, dude, but how long does it take a guy to ask the girl they love out on a date…?”

“Winifred!” Suddenly my Uncle Adam’s voice came echoing from beyond the door, making Lucius mutter,

“Thank the Devil.”

“I told you to wait, my love…and for good reason, Winnie,” Adam said, adding this last part the second he saw us both half-naked in bed together.

“Yeah, I know but I wanted to surprise them and just look at them about to have sex, don’t they look sooo cute together…just darling really.” I closed my eyes, and this time hid my face in Lucius’ neck and groaned,

“Oh, by the Gods, kill me now.” This made Lucius chuckle and say,

“Only if we make it a pact, call it a double suicide and end up in some bed in Hell together.” I smirked up at him.

“Well, you do have the castle there…I’m sure it must have a bed in it somewhere,” I commented making him grin before telling me firmly,

“It does indeed.” Then without moving his eyes from mine he said,

“Adam, if you would be so kind.”

“Sire, but of course,” Adam said with a grin before suddenly flinging his colourful little wife over his shoulder and turning on his heel to walk out the door. All the while my Aunty was grinning at us but then said in a panic,

“You’d better not be long before setting loose those Vampy swimmers, Mister, as I brought gifts…toodles!” Then we heard her complaining from a distance,

“Oi, aren’t you forgetting something, Mr Immortal…OWW…there you go, Tiger, GRRR!” she said after Adam had slapped her ass, something I was actually used to seeing considering it was a normal sight when growing up, or at least once I had become an adult.

To say that my Aunty was a little unusual was a planet-sized understatement and we were not talking about one of the small ones, we were talking a freakin’ gas giant here. Hell, but she ate unusual for breakfast and I was pretty sure that if there was a possible way to shit out rainbows and belch glitter then Pip would have accomplished it!

In fact, I couldn’t actually imagine a period of time in history where Pip would have been forced to live through before the invention of neon colours and glitter. But first, a few things to know about my Aunty Pip, who granted wasn’t really my aunt, as she wasn’t related. But she was my mum’s best friend…this happening shortly after kidnapping mum first. But that was a can of worms while lying under a certain Vampire, I never wanted to open.

She was also hundreds of years old, looked a very young side of twenty, was short and skinny, had green hair with bright pink tips, that in Pip’s words had been blue for a donkey’s age. She had tattoos everywhere, piercings, and her dress sense could be described as Tank Girl dipped in a vat of sparkly rainbow paint. Oh, and it just so happened that she was married to the most powerful being in existence who only she could control if he ever went…well, Hulk like. Ironic really when his vessel looked more like a handsome GQ model who could have been, A, an accountant, B, an Architect, or C, a professor dressed in tweed.

But despite how different they were, one thing was blindingly obvious, Adam utterly adored his wife. Actually, besotted wasn’t even a strong enough word to describe how they were with each other. It was cute and the older I got, it became apparent that Pip’s quirks weren’t restricted to just what she wore and how she spoke. So, this was why hearing him smacking her ass and her giggling like a loon, wasn’t exactly a surprise.

“Der Frieden in Blutfelsen brach erneut zusammen,” Lucius muttered in German, and I translated it as ‘Peace shattered at… something… once more.’ So I asked,

“What is Blutfelsen?” Lucius looked back at me as this grumble had been said in my neck.

“It means ‘Blood Rock’, it is the name of my castle here,” he said making me smile before saying,

“But of course, it is. So, didn’t fancy Castle Greyskull, huh?” I mocked which kind of failed seeing as he probably had no clue what I was talking about. But then he flipped me again, so now I was lying on top of him, and I felt his hand run up the back of my legs to my bare ass, before he said,

“I might be blonde but even I wouldn’t look hot with that haircut and fur underpants, now what I can do with my sword is another matter.” Then he squeezed my cheeks and pressed me into his very obvious erection.

“Holy shit, you know who He-Man is!?” Lucius laughed before saying,

“Are you joking, you might have had twenty-seven years with her but I’ve had hundreds, so trust me, there is shit I know thanks to that Imp that I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to…oh, and trust me, sweetheart, I want to.” At this I burst out laughing before pushing back his blonde hair and kissing his stubbled jaw. But then his fingers brushed through my hair seconds before it made a fist, which became the start of him taking over, doing so by bringing my lips back to his own. So that this time he could kiss me deep, delicious and most importantly… undisturbed.

“Now, I like this one, it feels like an invitation,” Lucius commented in my ear later, only it wasn’t quiet enough for no-one else to hear as Pip started laughing like a madwoman. This was in reference to the light blue T-shirt I was now holding up which had two yellow pots over the breasts and the childish lettering written underneath that said,

‘Come Play with My Doh’

But let’s rewind a little and explain where this all began in what was to become the latest addition to my funny shirt collection that Pip had heard needed replenishing. This had been because the majority of my others had become a patchwork comforter that Lucius had commissioned to be made for me after realising how upset I was at seeing them in pieces…after the bastards has trashed my flat, I thought with a clench of my teeth.

So, Pip being Pip, had brought gifts as she always did, with the theme being T-shirts. I had already opened one that was blue with white lettering across the chest that said,

‘I do yoga because punching people
is frowned upon.

And in small print at the bottom…

Plus

Save the Pandas, because those lazy

Bastards won’t save themselves’

Now, when I had informed her that I didn’t do yoga, she nodded at the tight pants I was wearing and said, “No, only ten minutes ago it sounded like you did, without the trademark Fae Fart.”

Then she giggled when I placed my forehead to Lucius’ shoulder and said, “Just how Hellish is that castle of yours, and could I get away with sunscreen without burning my skin?” He smirked down at me and said,

“I like you hot.” I laughed which turned into a groan when Pip said,

“Oh, just look, honeypie bean baby, aren’t they uber adorable and when I say uber, I mean the kind that knows where they are going.” I looked to Adam and saw him mouth the words ‘sorry, honey’ at me making me hide my smile so as not to get him into trouble with his wife.

We were all currently sat down in the living space after I realised it was actually the next day and that Lucius had dressed me in his T-shirt after I had passed out in his office. Not that it was any wonder because if the crazy night of running from demonic wolves in the forest and crazy-ass witches wasn’t going to do it, then amazing sex twice with Lucius certainly would. And that’s not even mentioning stupid reckless mistakes like slitting my own hand open and unlocking stupid ass boxes!

Something else I had learned was that after Adam had taken his wife from the room, keeping her busy long enough to give his master time with his girlfriend, was that Lucius hadn’t slept. No, instead he had stayed awake and spent the entire time watching over me to ensure nothing else could happen. This I had found out after getting out of the shower and finding Lucius getting dressed in what was now our shared dressing room.

Of course, this question only managed to make it past my lips after I had first spent time perving on him for a good few minutes. A show of watching him zipping up a pair of charcoal jeans, feeding a belt through the loops, buckling it up, and then adding a burgundy shirt that he folded to his forearms.

Unfortunately for me, he had known I had been there the whole time even though he had his back to me, for he said,

“Now, if you would like me to take it all off again only for you to enjoy seconds, I will happily oblige…for a fee of course.” This last part was said when looking over his shoulder at me and telling me with his leisurely gaze down the length of me in just my short towel, exactly what that fee would be. So, I smirked before telling him,

“You know what, I’m good thanks but hey, you can hold this for me if you like.” Then I whipped off my wet towel and threw it at him before turning to my side of the room, smiling when he growled playfully. But of course, this wasn’t the end of it as I shrieked the moment I felt myself being spun around and pressed up against my hanging clothes, which enveloped our bodies in material as we kissed.

Naturally, it took me a lot longer than Lucius to get ready, this was mainly down to him making me come with his fingers and his tongue in my mouth tasting my screams. And later also ended with me being smacked on the ass and being told to meet him down in the living room when I was…and I quote, ‘finished hiding temptation from him’.

And hiding that temptation resulted in me picking the tightest clothes I could find just to get a reaction out of him, something I accomplished in five seconds flat, as the moment he saw my black yoga pants that had cut out mesh-covered stripes across the thighs, ones I had matched with a baggy black mesh top that fell off my shoulder, his eyes grew heated. It was also a top that knotted high at my waist, so it showed off my belly and one that was definitely becoming more toned thanks to all the sex I was having.

Hell, maybe my Aunty Pip was right, maybe I could class it as yoga!

But his reaction to this was to look at me over his shoulder after I had shouted down to them that I was grabbing a drink. He slowly scanned the length of me before casually standing. Then he tugged down his shirt before excusing himself, releasing his phoenix wings and suddenly landing behind me in the thirty seconds quicker than it would have taken had he used the stairs. After this he had my hips in his hands and pushed me up against the counter I was stood facing. Then he growled in my ear in a rough tone,

“You do understand the meaning of temptation, don’t you, pet?” I grinned down at the countertop and said,

“I do have some basic conception of it, yes…Helen of Troy comes to mind.”

“Fuck Helen of Troy! For starters, she didn’t have these fucking pants I now want to tear off you…” he said fervently.

“I think you did that already,” I reminded him after pushing my glasses up my nose and swallowing hard.

“…with my fucking teeth,” he whispered in my ear on a demonic growl that turned me on even more when at the same time he yanked me back hard against the proof of his words.

“Now don’t keep me waiting, pet, for I want this ass in my lap in under a minute, for that is all my patience will allow,” he said before parting ways with his demanding words. So, what did I do, I made the quickest tea, thanks to the boiling water tap next to the sink and was down there in forty-five seconds. Something I discovered the moment he reached up, took my hot mug from me, before yanking me down into his lap and telling me,

“Good girl…fifteen seconds to spare.”

“Mmm, then I’d better use them wisely,” I replied before quickly kissing him, something he deepened the moment I tried to take my mug off him. But he held it from my reach, plucked my glasses off and kissed me properly this time, despite our company. Something I was starting to get used to with Lucius as my boyfriend, as it was clear if he wanted something, then he just took it regardless of who was around to witness it. Then, once he had finished, he gave me back my glasses as he had done this morning. This was before I had grabbed a shower, doing so after first cleaning them for me. I don’t know why, but I found the gesture both sweet and sexy in that charming and old fashioned gentlemanly way that seemed ingrained in Lucius.

Something I secretly adored.

But then there was very little about Lucius that I didn’t adore. Like the way he seemed to always want to touch me and it made me question if this was down to all those years he watched me from afar and never allowed himself the temptation to do so. I mean, even Pip had commented,

‘…but how long does it take a guy to ask the girl they love out on a date…?’ which would suggest that even she knew how he felt about me all that time ago. Had he forbidden her from saying anything to me? It would seem so, along with forbidding a lot of Lucius’ past to be discussed around me. I could even claim my mother as being someone who also kept things from me about his past, as it had been many a time before my heart was broken that I had asked her about him. Obviously, she had told me very little and after that first night I set foot in Transfusion, I had always put it down to their past together. Now, however, I wasn’t so sure. Could there be more to it? Could my mum have known how he felt about me or that I was always destined to be his Chosen One?

This only managed to bombard my mind with questions. One of which felt like the ultimate question when thinking about my family and that was one member’s reaction to finding out who I was now dating,

What was my Dad going to say?

Or should I say…

What would he do to Lucius?

8

The Only Day That Matters

After this little internal freak out of mine, one that I was surprised I managed to get away with without the hawk eyes of Lucius suspecting anything was wrong with me, the afternoon continued. And it continued, but not without its hiccups. As there was one thing about Pip that you could have bet money on and that was her mouth getting her into trouble. In fact, the term should have been ‘letting the Pip out of the bag’.

And this day was no different, other than the fact that what she let slip proved that… yes, it was.

This began when yet another gift was being thrust at me.

“Open, this one! This one is saucy awesomeballs!” Pip shouted excitedly as she passed me one wrapped in kid’s dinosaur wrapping paper. I had also opened one gift where the T-shirt had been the wrapping and the inside was a ball of screwed up gift paper. Another had been wrapped in a blue wig of hair and tied with a bow by what would have been the fringe at the front.

But this unique way of wrapping wasn’t new to me as growing up and being spoiled by Pip on a daily basis, then that came with some imaginative extras. Like the time she made me a Lego picture frame wrapped in printed paper covered with pictures of her pulling silly faces.

Of course, that was Pip, and she was utterly perfect! Because, as silly, funny and quirky as she was, she was equally kind, generous, sweet and one of the most loving people I had ever known. She never failed to make me smile, even during my darkest times. And this also meant that as the only person who knew exactly what I had been through after Lucius had broken my heart all that time ago, then she had been the only one there able to offer me comfort.

But then how anyone could not love Pip was beyond my comprehension, as just looking at her now she brought sunshine and rainbows into your life. She was currently wearing a pair of black tights that were covered in colourful graffiti underneath a pair of cut off frayed denim shorts that were spray-painted with arrows pointing to the crack of her bum and the words, ‘Adam was here!’ by the waistband.

But this wasn’t all Pip was wearing as she combined this look with a set of jewellery made from plastic bread clips of different colours, graffiti makeup over her eyes that said ‘love’ over one eye and ‘Adam’ across the other. But I think overall the craziest accessory was the knitted beanie hat she wore over her curly pigtails, one that made it look as though she was wearing a green zombie brain. Sneakers covered in smiling sloths completed the look along with the green T-shirt she wore. One that was just begging for someone to ask the obvious question written on the front.

Of course, I had asked the question moments after being allowed to shift off Lucius’ lap to sit next to him. Her T-shirt had the words,

‘Ask me about my Tit Rex’

So, I did and my answer had been in true Pip fashion, as she had took hold of the hem and lifted it over her head to reveal her own laughing face printed on the underneath that now covered her actual face. Then, on her bra were two T Rex faces roaring at each other. Of course, I snorted in my tea, making Lucius laugh more at me than at Pip’s funny dress sense.

“I would have got you one but didn’t think Mr Macho el Fango would have been too pleased with you showing your tits to everyone…Lucky for me Adam’s rule is no nipplet sniplets and we’re all gravy on the dress front!” Pip informed us making Lucius shift the arm he had resting at the back of my shoulders so now he could band it across my breasts. This naturally ended up putting me snug into his chest, one that vibrated as he let his demon growl playfully,

“Mine.”

“I most certainly understand that sentiment, my Lord…even if achieving its good behaviour is a constant battle,” Adam commented making Pip suddenly throw herself in his lap as she raised a tipped toe in the air and dramatically threw the back of her hand to her forehead.

“Oh, but Heavens to Betsy, Mr Ambrogetti, just how do you survive me?” Adam smirked down at his wife currently draped across him before growling down at her,

“With a firm hand, my dear.” Then she patted his cheek and said,

“Hell yeah, you do, you sexy pussy slapping tease, you!” Naturally this ended with me twisting in Lucius’ hold so I could face him and say,

“So, this castle in Hell, does it have running water so I can wash my hair?” Lucius smirked down at me and replied,

“I’ll even pack the soap.”

* * *

It had been after this that Pip had jumped up from my uncle’s lap and grabbed the ‘Dinosaur’ present, telling me impatiently,

“Quick, quickie, quick…open it already.” Clearly in true Pip fashion, she was getting so excited and doing what she normally did when she thought I was taking too long to open gifts. This was quickly coming over to help me, tearing into it with gusto. This revealed a tank top with a picture of a rhino covered in rainbow war paint stood over a pile of bones with the line written underneath,

‘My Battle Unicorn eats dinosaurs for breakfast’

“Oh my Gods, Pip, I think this is my favourite one so far!” I shouted grabbing her to me and hugging her.

“Whoa, don’t squash my Tit Rexes…ahh, who am I kidding, squash ‘em all you want, Little Toot!” she said now purposely smushing her chest into mine and making me giggle. Little Toot was a nickname she’d had for me for as long as I could remember. This was because she called my mother Toots, or should I say, a catalogue sized variation of Toots. Anything from Tootsypop, to Tootie pants, Tootmaster, Tootanator, Big Titty Toots and the list went on. So, on this front I considered myself lucky I just got Little Toot and very few variations and thankfully none that included my tits.

However, I did get some nerdy nicknames instead, due to my cult sci-fi following.

“Now no ripping these, you feelin’ me, mighty fang master?” Pip said sending a pointed and knowing look to Lucius who simply grinned at her and said,

“I promise nothing, little squeak.” This was when I elbowed him in the ribs combining it with a pointed look. Then I said,

“Of course he will behave, Pip.” And boy did this make her grin. Especially when Lucius made a show of rubbing his ribs and faking an ‘Oww’ down at me which made me roll my eyes. But all the while I couldn’t help but notice the soft looks my Aunt and Uncle were giving us, as if they had been waiting just as long as we had for this moment to happen.

Pip handed me a pyramid of boxes, starting with a huge one on the bottom. It was even wrapped up like one, with limestone blocks printed on paper and used as wrapping. If the wrapping paper didn’t exist in the world with what my aunt wanted on it, then she would simply make it herself.

I tore into them, with Pip’s help, and squealed in delight the second I saw all the Lego boxes, with the biggest one being the Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle, complete with the light set so you could illuminate inside once it was made. The other sets were a combination of things I loved, like the London skyline model set that included the London Eye, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge. This, Pip told me, was so I didn’t miss home whilst I was here. I thanked her but didn’t miss the look Lucius gave her, making me question what it had been about. Was it because she had reminded me of my flat back in London or because she had said, ‘whilst here’ implying that I wasn’t going to stay?

I didn’t know either way and at that moment, I didn’t think it was the best time to ask, so I decided to just let it go. And in doing so I then found the next Lego box pyramid was all Star Wars themed. This included a Yoda, Obi-Wan’s Hut, complete with a Princess Leia Hologram. And last was Anakin’s Podracer which had a cute little Padmé Amidala included.

“Seriously, is it like my birthday and I forgot about it or something?” I asked after thanking them both for all my gifts.

“Well no, but funny you mention it as it is… what? Why are you both shaking your head at me…oh yeah, now I remember…it’s err…my rabbit’s birthday…yeah, that’s it…” Pip said this after obviously taking some unspoken hint not to spill the beans which, like I said, Pip usually did…and often.

“You don’t have a rabbit,” I said giving her a pointed look.

“Yes, I do,” she argued, making me put down all the boxes piled on my lap so I could fold my arms.

“Alright, so what its name?”

“Fresh Prince,” she said making me scoff a laugh.

“You named your pet rabbit Fresh Prince?”

“Yeah, why not, he’s black, cute and handsome.” At this I burst out laughing and asked,

“Then why not just call him Will Smith?”

“Because that name is boring, now Fresh Prince, he should totally own that shit and change his name by deed poll, I think Mr Prince has a nice ring to it and my furry Fresh just loves it when I call him that, especially when I want him to eat his pizza and wear his little booties.” I gave her a sceptical look side on before turning to Adam and saying,

“There is no rabbit is there?”

“Damn it! What gave me away?” she asked looking back at her husband who was dressed in brown slacks, white shirt, and red tie under a ribbed sweater the colour of oatmeal. His dark hair was perfectly groomed and his thick black glasses were currently being pushed up his nose as he answered,

“I believe it was the pizza and booties, Sweetpea.”

“Bum chins, I knew I went too far,” she said throwing her arms down and making me laugh before telling her,

“So come on, fess up.” This time she shot a panicked look to Lucius. This was before I noted the subtle nod Lucius gave Adam prompting him to suddenly get up, lean down with no effort at all and pick his wife from the floor, where she was sitting cross-legged like a child. He hooked her around the waist with one arm letting her dangle there by his side like a limp log with four branches dangling. Then he said,

“It’s time to unwrap my own present…My Lord, little Bean,” he said, calling me the nickname he’d had for me since I was a kid. A comment that made his dangling wife’s eyes go soft, as she framed her own face with her hands as if her elbows were now resting on an imaginary table.

“Aww, just look honey, she’s all grown up and now sexing it up with Lordy man…oh wait, did you say unwrap me…does this mean I get to wear my big bow underwear first, cause you tore the last six sets and this one has cute little pink love hearts.” Adam just groaned before swinging her around so she was now fully in his arms, before he said,

“Only if you promise not to chain me to the bed again.”

“I promise nothing!” she said with an over-exaggerated evil laugh, which in turn made my own head fall into my palm and moan,

“Oh, Gods.”

Lucius, on the other hand, was just chuckling next to me, well that was until Pip obviously had one thing left to say. As, despite Adam’s effort to obviously save his master from his wife’s outburst, Pip shouted,

“Enjoy the rest of your birthday, Luc but don’t step on the Lego ‘cause that shit hurts…Laters, Toodlepip!” I heard Adam and Lucius both groan and my head whipped around to turn accusing eyes on my boyfriend. Something I did to the sound of Pip sighing out a loud,

“Ooops, My Bad.” Which was like Pip’s personal catchphrase in life.

“And you were so close,” she added as Adam walked away with her, referring to her husband nearly saving the moment and obviously that moment was Lucius not wanting me to know it was his birthday.

“That I was, my Pretty Pickle…that I was,” Adam said and doing so in such a way that it sounded as if this was the story of his life and being married to Pip, then it so was.

I, on the other hand, naturally ignored Lucius’ groan, as he looked up to the Gods and muttered a French curse. But despite how sexy he sounded when speaking French, I still folded my arms and said,

“So, it’s your birthday, uh?” My tone spoke for itself and screamed how annoyed I was.

“Yes, and one that, thanks to that pissed off look you’re now sporting, will be anything but Happy.” Oh, he wanted pissed off, then he would get pissed off alright! So, I got to my feet and snapped,

“Damn straight!” Then I stormed off in the direction of the bedroom, doing so now to the sound of him groaning behind me, muttering something about irrational women. Meanwhile, I was just about to reach the arched doorway leading into his bedroom when suddenly I was faced with Lucius landing in front of me. Doing so now with his massive flame-coloured wings stretched out to the sides causing me to come to a standstill.

Now this was the thing with wings, as no matter how many times I had seen them, they were always going to be an awe-inspiring sight to behold when they were shown to you. And despite growing up with seeing them regularly throughout my life, it was still the same as watching a sunrise over water…it was a beauty that never faded.

It was still a sight you stopped to stare at and appreciate its magnificence. My favourite pair of wings had always been my uncle Vincent’s. As King of the Angels he had, without a doubt, the most stunning pair of blinding white wings. It was a sight that, even as a child, I used to suck in a quick breath the moment they appeared. But then he would see my reaction, smirk down at me and then he would swing me up onto his back. Once there I would be nestled between them as he took flight, giving me a wild ride, one I adored.

Oh, he might be an Angel, but he was most definitely the one who taught me about speed, and I swear my mother would have had a heart attack if she’d known half of the stuff we did together whenever her and dad weren’t around. This naturally including teaching me to ride a bike with some skill. Obviously, I adored my uncle Vinnie.

But despite these fond memories, when seeing Lucius’ fire wings, then I most definitely had a new favourite, as they were nothing short of incredible. Like Heaven and Hell merged into one, which was exactly how they came to be…well, if the stories were true. As like all things Lucius, I didn’t have a fucking clue!

Including knowing that today was his birthday! Which was why I suddenly turned my back on him and was about to walk away. Something that ended in a scream of fright the moment I was suddenly surrounded by a cocoon of feathers.

“Ahh!” I shouted and I had no choice but to stop my escape as I felt Lucius step up to my back and wrap his arms around me so he could tell me his own thoughts.

“Listen to me now when I tell you that the only day that mattered to me…wasn’t the day of my rebirth, but it was…” He paused before he put his lips to my ear and whispered the only words that seemed to matter,

“…was the day I first met you.”

9

Not Letting Go of Everything

“was the day I first met you.”

Naturally hearing this and my heart melted despite the fold of my arms and holding my whole body tense.

“I still feel like I know nothing about you,” I told him firmly, because it was true.

“The way I feel about you is all that should matter,” he told me and I knew on some level this was true. But then again, was it fair that the same could be said about me when he knew everything already? Which was why I turned around to face him, and said,

“And what about me, can you say the same when you seem to know everything about me?” He looked thoughtful for a moment before admitting,

“I make it my business to know everything about you for a reason, pet,” he admitted quickly.

“And that is?”

“Because you were mine long before you stepped through the doors of Transfusion,” was his firm answer and again it had me frowning in question and the reason I then told him,

“That makes no sense.”

“To you it may not do but to me, it makes all the sense in my world.”

“But I…” I started to say but he interrupted me with his firm reply,

“But nothing. You are my Chosen One, which means it is my job to protect you and with protecting you also comes the responsibility to find out all there is to know about all aspects of your life,” he said and I could tell with his tone that in his mind he believed this to be an absolute and brook no argument decision, even though this wasn’t exactly a fair exchange.

“And in return, I get what exactly, to become the very last person here that knows it’s your damn birthday?!” I snapped because shit yeah, I was angry. At this his gaze softened before he took hold of one of my folded arms and used it to pull me into him, something I tried to resist at first. But then resisting Lucius was easier said than done and not just because he was hotter than all of Hell. Not even because with his feathers on glorious view he looked even more masterful than usual. No, this time it was all down to those eyes of his. Those steel grey-blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through to my soul and command it with ease.

But to this he added gentle coaxing with that velvet tone of his and I knew I couldn’t hold myself rigid any longer.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Naturally I allowed my body to be pulled forward until he had his arms wrapped around me and as if it was on instinct, he also wrapped his feathers tighter around us until they curled back behind him. So, with my cheek pressed to his chest, listening to his heart beating beneath the flesh, he placed his leather-clad hand to the back of my head to hold me there. Then he gave me something I knew was huge for a man like Lucius. For a being with his power and authority, well I knew the next three words to be uttered from his perfect lips weren’t ones heard often.

“I am sorry.” After hearing this I put pressure on his hand and looked up at him to find him looking down at me.

“You should have told me,” I said, this time without the pissed off tone as he had just apologized. But I wanted it confirmed, what he was saying sorry for, something he did when he agreed,

“I should have told you.”

“Does this mean you are willing to share more of yourself with me?” I asked and to make my point, I took his leather hand and held it between us, something he didn’t allow for long as I already knew he didn’t like it being touched. This was when he closed his eyes and looked pained for a moment before his wings retracted back fully and he walked away from me. I had to admit that it hurt, and I was suddenly regretting pushing, wishing I could have the moment back instead.

But it was too late, for I knew I had lost that side of him for the moment as he turned his back on me. I even closed my eyes, expecting to feel the brush of his feathers as he was so close, I was surprised when the force of them didn’t knock me over. But when nothing happened, I opened my eyes to find them gone, disappearing before they could touch me.

“That is not something I wish to share,” he told me and I swallowed down the pain and said something stupid. Something I knew would only cause more of it, more that I would potentially choke on.

“But she knows…doesn’t she?” At this he whipped back around to face me, the shock of my words plain to see.

“Really Amelia, you think it wise to throw the past in my face, one I cannot change, for yes, she knows as she was fucking there!” he snapped, emphasising the mention of her as I had done. Which was why I withdrew back a step and looked away, hating that there would forever be a void between us and hating even more so that it was one forged with my mother’s name at its core.

“I don’t understand why you fixate on the past when it is only the present that matters to me.” he stated and I tried to swallow down the tears I could feel rising, but then the moment I braved a look back at him, there they were, warping my vision under a veil of pain.

Tears that were rising up, as this was when I knew I would have to admit the reason why.

“Because Lucius, it means that she will forever get a part of you that I never will…a part that you refuse to give me,” I said as the first tear fell and so he couldn’t see them anymore, I walked away, going to the kitchen, as right then it seemed like the only safe place to be. And even though I most definitely could have done with something stronger than a cup of tea, like a bottle of vodka, I started to make myself a cup. Of course, I got clumsy and ended up burning myself on the fancy hot tap, as I wasn’t concentrating.

“Oww FUCK!” I screamed, throwing the cup in the sink and smashing it in my anger.

“Ah!”

“Easy.” Lucius’ voice soothed behind me after I yelled in surprise at suddenly finding him holding me. Then he took my hand in his and looked at the red blotch over my forefinger and knuckle. After this he turned me to face him and raised my hand to his lips. One that was held in his as a gentleman would before he could kiss the back of a hand in a welcoming gesture. This was so he could blow over the skin and I marvelled at the cold air that came from between his lips, near-freezing the skin instantly so it wouldn’t blister. It also quickly took out the sting.

Then he picked me up, taking me in his arms and holding me close to his chest and doing it so quickly that we were halfway to the bedroom when I asked,

“What are you doing?”

“I am reminding you of the only part of me that no other has ever owned but you,” he said firmly as he walked with purpose through the arched doorway into his room.

“And what part is that?” I asked as he placed me down on the bed, because right in that moment my vulnerable mind needed to hear his words. Words he soon gave me along with the proof of them.

“A heart you taught to beat once more,” he whispered over my lips after following me down and kissing me. A move that made me start to melt beneath him. And just like that, my insecurities fled me and evaporated into nothing. Because he was right. Why shouldn’t I trust in his words, for I was the one there in his bed and I was the one he confessed his love for.

Then what was holding me back?

A question that seemed to die the moment I felt his hands running up my body, taking one leg with him so he could hook it over his backside. Then he started to do something different and that was pull back from the kiss, now using his other hand to push my hair back from my face. After this he simply stared down at me, doing so for so long I started squirming.

“You really have no idea, do you?” he asked as he swiped a thumb across my recently kissed lips.

“I just want to know you,” I replied in a quiet voice trying to keep the tremble from it. His reaction to this was to place his forehead to mine and whisper back,

“You know me…you know me unlike any other.” After this he ran his nose down the length of my face until he was at my neck, then he breathed me in deeply before his lips at my ear whispered,

“When will you understand that?” I swallowed hard asking myself the same. When would I finally allow myself to trust it…to trust all of this?

“I want to, I really do but…”

“But?” he asked now pulling back and looking down at me, scanning the length of my face.

“But it’s hard when I always feel as if there is something you’re hiding from me,” I told him and the second I saw that demonic glow flash in his eyes like a heartbeat, I had no choice but to question why yet again? Was it because there was something and I was right or was it because he was shocked that I would think so?

I would never know because suddenly I was in his arms and before he could crush his lips to mine, he growled down at me,

“I am yours!”

After this no more words were needed as he made love to me, making me feel whole again the moment we were connected. But even feeling whole didn’t mean that it wasn’t surrounded by the only question that mattered…

How long would I feel whole before that secret he kept from me was revealed and tore away what was mine?

How long until this overflowing heart started to rupture and crack from the force of what it could be?

How long did I have of this perfection?

How long did I have of being his whole world before the real truth of it ripped us apart?

For something was coming, I could feel it. And the only question that remained was…

Would we both survive it?

Survive it with…

Our hearts intact?

10

Jealousy Knows Everything

“So come on, pet, time to show me what was in the box,” Lucius said sometime later as making love to me wasn’t something that a man like Lucius did quickly. Something that four orgasms later me and my body were more than grateful for.

“I hid it,” I told him playfully as I walked my fingers up his chest and flicked his nose. We were both now back in the living space after we had showered together, a place I had received my last orgasm and he’d had his after I found myself on my knees before him. I was starting to learn quickly that Lucius wasn’t the only one who liked receiving oral sex as I most definitely got off on giving it to him. I think this was because of the power switch that would always happen, for even with his fisted hand buried in my hair holding my mouth tight to his erection, I still felt that level of sexual control over him.

But I knew this was down to the reactions I had the power to ignite from him. The strain in both his muscles and voice drove me on to needing more from him. It made me want to push his limits and see what happened when he finally snapped. The crack in the tiles and stone was usually a good indication of being able to achieve this. As whenever I heard the sound of destruction echoing in the space above my head, I would find myself smiling around his cock.

Needless to say, that it didn’t take much effort from his side before I was crying out as my orgasm ripped through me, doing so to the taste of him still coating my tongue after swallowing as much of him down as I could manage. But it wasn’t just the act itself or the control I felt, it was also the way he handled me. The rough way he would hold me down on his length, forcing me to take it, liking it when I gagged around him before he released me. Then would come a gentle, tender caress at my jaw, stroking and praising me for being his good girl.

Just like when I felt the sharp tug of my hair before he soothed it back, telling me just what it was that I did to him. Gifting me with his thoughts, how beautiful he thought I looked as I worked so hard to please him and please him I did. But above all, it was when I was finished cleaning every last drop that he would hook my chin and guide me back to my feet so he could then whisper passionately,

“No other…no other ever made me feel so fucking good!” Then he kissed me, tasting himself on my tongue as he took command of my mouth. Gods, but it was so unbelievably hot when he did that and it was his words that I came to. That and his fingers playing me like an instrument of his.

“My perfect little doll to play with and fuck!” He called me and that was when I screamed his name.

“Yes…Yes, yes… Lucius!”

My masterful lover.

And well, here we were on the other end of that hot, erotic spectrum being gentle and playful with each other, on the sofa acting like teenagers. Kissing, tickling, and tugging at each other’s clothes as though we couldn’t get enough of each other…and really, we couldn’t. But then I guess years of wanting and waiting for each other would do that to you.

However, as usual, the reality bit into our dreams for I knew he had put it off for as long as he could. After all, he was obligated to his people. And to be honest, I had been surprised he hadn’t demanded to see it the second I had confessed in his office what I had done the night before.

“I am not surprised. Now, as to where my cunning little mortal decided to hide it this time is the question I really want to know,” he said after I told him what I had done with the box and the map I’d found. Which meant I replied with a great big grin and a teasing tone,

“Oh, that’s easy, as I hid it where no one would dare to go.” At this he raised a brow in question, combined with the twitch of his lips. So, I leaned further into him and whispered in his ear…

“Under your bed.”

At this he burst out laughing and it was both a sight and sound I absolutely adored.

“But of course, you did, you brave girl, you,” he teased back with a snap of his teeth at me, making me giggle. After this I quickly went to the bedroom and as I said, retrieved the box and map from under the bed.

At the time, when looking for a hiding place, I had found a recess on the underside of the frame that the mattress sat on. One that was just the right size to stash it and well, without a man-sized vault to throw it in, then it was the best I could come up with so quickly.

By the time I made it back to the living space I found Lucius holding up one of the funny t-shirts my aunt had given me, now shaking his head a little, clearly amused at the idea of me wearing it.

“You can borrow it whenever you want, no need to be shy, just ask,” I said with a smirk, making his lips twitch as he fought a grin.

“I was just testing the material to see how easy it will tear, after all, I wouldn’t want to get into trouble and receive another elbow to my ribs,” he said rubbing his side, and making me scoff,

“Baby…hey!” This ended on a squeal as he suddenly grabbed me, fisting my top and yanking me hard into his lap, which I ungracefully fell into. Thankfully, he hadn’t torn the clothes I’d had on earlier so I was back to wearing them again, as it wasn’t as if they had lasted long since putting them on. Lucius, however, was in his usual jeans and T-shirt combo, complete with one hand concealed in a glove.

“Now these fucking pants of yours, now those I will happily tear from your skin…shit, but I will have to peel them off you… near fucking indecent.” He muttered this last part to himself making me laugh before slapping the box to his chest and saying,

“Here, this should help in keeping your mind from my ass.”

“Fucking apocalypse couldn’t keep my mind from that temptation, sweetheart.” I swear this nearly had me melting at his feet. Gods, but the way he made me feel, it was addictive…he was addictive.

But instead of blushing like a schoolgirl, I kept myself composed and acted cool by replying,

“Well, it's close enough.” This I said before unfolding the map and placing it on the coffee table for him to see.

“Right, well...” Lucius said with a frown and I agreed,

“Yep, can anyone say vague, I mean it tells us nothing!” He granted me a look and could see for himself the frustration I was feeling even without the dramatic tone.

“And you say your blood opened this?” he asked now picking up the box and examining its inside like I had done.

“Not exactly, like I said in your office, it was your blood that did it.” He raised his eyes to mine for a second responding with a short,

“Right.”

“So, what do we do with it, and I mean clearly whatever warning was carved to the front was either misread or was put there as a ruse to prevent the wrong person from getting that map,” I told him to which he replied,

“And the right person would be?” he asked making a good point, so I threw my hands up in the air and said,

“Oh, I don’t know! It beats me, but if I were to guess, then I would say anyone who doesn’t want to inflict genocide by eliminating an entire race.” Lucius’ eyes glanced at me before he said,

“It will take more than this fucking box for me to go down, have no worry about that,” he commented on a growl.

“Then do you think that whoever wants this box has no clue what’s inside like we did, but are just hoping it holds a way to bring you down?” I asked obviously giving him food for thought.

“Well, unless this map leads to something that has that power, then I see little use as to what they could do with it. Even if it told us more than just some crudely painted mountains and little else.” It was true, as unless the map was used for something else then, like Lucius, I failed to see what use it could be, even in the wrong hands.

“Well, my best guess is that no one knows what is inside or how to open it…unless…” I let the sentence trail off and Lucius dropped the box and turned now to face me.

“Unless?”

“Well, the witch, I was just thinking about what she had said, as though she knew about my blood, so maybe she always knew that it was the key.” Okay, in hindsight saying this to Lucius and basically pointing out that I could again be in danger, giving them a new reason to want to kidnap me, wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

“Fuck!” Lucius said getting to his feet and walking away dragging a hand through his hair after cursing venomously.

“But then I could be wrong,” I said in an unsure voice making him snap back around to face me,

“And just how often does that happen, sweetheart?” he asked in a sarcastic tone.

“Okay, well not often no, but still, I was wrong about the warning.”

“Yes, and you were also the only one smart enough to fucking open it in the first place, so I can’t say that offers me much comfort here, Amelia.” I released a deep sigh and then said,

“Well, surely being here I am safe…” He raised a brow at me considering what had happened last night, which was why I quickly continued,

“…I mean unless the witch comes back, which can’t happen again…right?” I said making him bark out another curse, only this time in a language I couldn’t detect.

“Lucius?” I said his name again to try and get him to answer me.

“I have my own witch,” he stated making me try for humour,

“Did you buy her on eBay?” Lucius obviously didn’t appreciate my joking side as he just said my name in that, ‘it’s time to be serious now’ sort of way.

“Amelia.”

“Fine, so you were saying, you have a witch…one you didn’t get like a mail-order bride,” I muttered this last part to myself, one he heard but instead chose not to comment on other than with a silent roll of his eyes.

“Nesteemia arrived early this morning and since her arrival I have had her casting wards against it happening again,” he told me with the anger still lingering in his tone.

“Okay, so what about any rogues, can they get inside the castle without you knowing?” I asked trying to cover all bases and in doing so, hoping that with his answer it would end up reinforcing the fact that I was safe, despite the little setback last night.

“No, they cannot,” he said in a stern voice as though he was seething and on the edge. So, I decided it was time to try and tame the beast. So, I got up from the sofa and walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him from behind, telling him softly,

“Then, honey, there is nothing to worry about.”

“Where you are concerned there is always something to worry about,” he replied and I had to say it hurt and I took the hit to my ego for sure.

“Gee, thanks,” I said letting my arms fall as I stepped away from him, to the sound of his frustrated growl. But then as I turned, he grabbed the top of my arm and stopped me.

“Be reasonable, Amelia, and think back to why I would say this…”

“Lucius, don’t…”

“Car chases, break ins, near beaten, a blade to your fucking throat, getting yourself kidnapped, shot at, jumping from fucking helicopters, attacked by hellhounds and now this latest attempt at trying to give me a fucking heart attack, you opened the box when I specifically asked you only to examine it and nothing more!” he shouted down at me and unfortunately ending this accurate account by pointing to the evidence on the table. Meaning that I had no choice but to look guilty because he was right, it had been one thing after another and each one could have easily gotten me killed. So, of course I could see his point. I could also understand why he was still furious with me. Because if it was the other way around and he had been the one continually putting himself in danger by making bad decisions, then yeah, I would be pissed too.

“Okay, so I know I haven’t made good decisions,” I admitted.

“No?” he questioned sarcastically, one I wisely ignored,

“But I am here and yes, as risky as they were, you also have to admit that it is thanks to some of those rash decisions I made that I am.” At this he scoffed,

“Dumb fucking luck, honey!” To which I yanked myself free and squared up to him, getting in his face and pointing at his chest now being up on my tiptoes, to gain a little more height.

“Now you listen to me, Mister, if it wasn’t for some of those foolish decisions, then just imagine where I could be right now, as you could be receiving my body parts in the fucking mail!” I shouted, referring back to jumping out of the helicopter.

“I would never let that happen!” he roared and I roared back,

“Yeah, well neither did I! I made my choice and whether you like it or not, it was my fucking call to make and I made it!”

“And last night when opening that box, you think that too was your call to make, or maybe it was mine!?” he snapped back and I knew he was right with that one but right now there was no way I was going to back down, so I yelled,

“Yes, well seeing as it seems to keep being my ass that is getting targeted because of that bloody thing, then I would claim that I had a bloody big say on the matter!”

“Fuck me, Amelia, but I can see the appeal in how your father wanted to just lock your mother up in a fucking tower!” he said after turning away from me and raking an angry hand across his neck.

“Yeah and why is that?!” I questioned back sarcastically, hating the turn this argument had taken.

“Because both of you are fucking infuriatingly stubborn and seem to make it a fucking hobby of getting yourselves in danger!” he said now turning back to me in time to see me taking a step back as if I had been struck.

“Don’t fucking compare me to my mother, Lucius. Don’t you fucking dare!” On his hearing this, I knew instantly I had gone too far, or should I say, he had for forcing me into shouting it. I knew this when he took a menacing step towards me and said,

“Have you even listened to a single word I have said to you?!” I looked away hating that once again we were back to this and I wanted to slap myself for not being able to just let it the fuck go!

“Oh no you don’t, you don’t get to say that to me and hide away from the consequences of it! Now fucking look at me!” he hissed angrily, so, I looked, quickly slapping his hand away when he went to hook my chin to force the issue.

“Is that really what you think I am doing here, spending my fucking time comparing you both and seeing which one of you I prefer?!” he snapped on a barely contained growl of anger and I had to say his words cut like the fucking blade to my palm all over again, only this time it would have been drawn across my heart.

“You were the one who said we were both stubborn!” I argued even though I knew it was weak.

“Yes, and you also share that trait with half my fucking council but if I had said Caspian’s name then would it have made you related? No, it fucking wouldn’t have, so I picked words that were relevant and you fucking know it!” This time when I looked away, he did grab my chin and force me back to see the rage burning in his eyes.

“I will not be made to feel guilty every time I mention the woman who brought you into this world, despite what you foolishly believe I feel for her…”

“Through your own doing!” I snapped interrupting him.

“Yes, and I have more than paid my dues for that fucking mistake, only years of suffering obviously are not enough for you!”

“That’s not true!” I shouted back at him.

“No? Then why is it you feel the need at every fucking chance you get to lash out at me with a jealous venom, when I am already forced to suffocate on my regret!? What do you want to hear from me, for clearly, being buried inside of you and telling you I fucking love you isn’t enough, so what more is it you want from me, Amelia!?” he shouted and this time I couldn’t help the tears from falling as his words tore me apart. So, I pulled myself from him and walked away standing there now with my back to him as I thought about what it was I wanted. All those years of being made to feel as though I was the only one left in the dark. The shadow of my own mother who knew everything there was to know about a man who was supposed to be destined for me!

About the man I was obsessed with, the one I loved and continued to love even through all the heartache I suffered. The man I had long ago declared to be my Chosen One, even if he had shunned the claim.

But here he was and yet it still felt as though I had no right to have him.

No right to his heart.

“Alright Lucius, do you know what I want?” I started, making him growl,

“What is it you want!?”

“I want to know what happened to you, the full story on how you became a Vampire…I want to know what happened that day you turned…I want to know how you turned my mother into a Vampire and tied her life to yours, when I wish only I could make that claim!” I said now going on to add each new demand with every step closer to him I took,

“I want to know why your hand is always covered and why you don’t like me touching it. I want to know why you pushed me away for as long as you did. I want to know why you and my father became enemies all those years ago and why you kidnapped my mother… and I hate myself for it, Lucius, I really do but I can’t stop myself from needing to know what happened between you and my mother that made you so close…” I finished, now with tears streaming down my face. But even as I swiped angrily at them, I continued for there was one last thing left to say,

“I want to know everything, Lucius…everything that I should know, but more importantly, I want to know…”

“Everything that she knows.”

11

Insane

Everything she knew.

And there it was. The real root of my problem. The snake of jealousy that sickened me to my poisoned core because I loved her like no other. Because how could I do anything but love my mother. My wonderful dear mother, who was flawless in my eyes. Who loved me unconditionally and gave me everything I ever needed, both as a child and an adult. And yet, I continued to let the jealousy consume me. I let it eat away at me as it festered deep within my mind, always there trying to convince me that I wasn’t good enough…

That I wasn’t ever going to be as good as her.

And yet none of this was her fault. In fact, it was no-one’s fault. It was just a triangle of mistrust with my mother innocently sat at the top with no clue that the two points underneath her were about to crumble. And really, it felt like just a case of when it would all start collapsing around me. Because we were all joined and there was nothing any one of us could do about it but simply let go.

Lucius had let go.

My mother had let go.

I had not.

I was the only one clinging on to my doubts. I knew this. I knew I was the only one with the problem here and because of it, it was now Lucius’ problem as well.

“Oh Amelia, is that what you think, that because she knows more of my past that it makes her more important to me?” he asked, all anger vanished from his tone but instead pity had taken its place. One I hated the sound of. Which was why I slumped down on the sofa and raised up my hands before slapping them to my knees, telling him,

“I don’t know!”

“Amelia.” Gods, but even the way he said my name, made my heart ache.

“I don’t know, I just…Lucius, I just don’t know anymore!” I said again, hating the tears that wouldn’t stop. Hating myself for letting it get to me as deeply as it did. Hating that he didn’t trust me enough with his past and hating the jealousy I felt that he trusted another with it.

I heard him sigh before coming over to kneel in front of me. Then he took hold of my face, wiping my tears with his thumbs and raising it to look up at him.

“Gods, so fucking beautiful,” he whispered after sucking in a breath. It was a reaction I didn’t need to question as I remembered him saying once that when I cried he found me beautiful and I didn’t know if that was a good thing or not, as it felt more like the latter.

“You have it all wrong, my Khuba…my heart,” he told me after a deep sigh, and I frowned back at him silently asking him how.

“I don’t care what Keira knows about my past and the reason for this is because she is not the one I care about.”

“What do you mean, I don’t understand?” He took a deep breath at my question and told me,

“I care about what you know because I care about what you will think of me. The things I keep from you, I do for a reason, sweetheart, and it is far from why you think it is.” At this my eyes got wide and I could barely speak. Had I really got this so wrong? All this time, had I believed it was because he was closer to my mother than he felt with me? That he trusted her with his past more than he did with me because of some sort of bond I foolishly believed them to have?

Which is why I asked, after first rubbing my nose,

“Because you don’t trust me?”

“No and yes, but not in the way you think,” he answered making me frown and just as I started to open my mouth to ask why, he got there first,

“I don’t trust you not to run from me.” At this I jerked my head back a little in surprise.

“You think if I knew your past then I would leave you?” I said in that accusing tone that said it all. He shook his head a little and then pushed his hair back in frustration before telling me,

“Parts of it yes, and right now, it is not a chance I am willing to take. As for Keira, she can know whatever the fuck she wants as she is not my Chosen One. Nor is she the woman I love and am trying to keep in my bed.” Okay, so I had to say it felt amazing to hear the words I’d always longed to hear. But then, discovering the root of why he kept his past from me, I couldn’t help but utter,

“You’re afraid?” At this he suddenly stood up and turned his back
to me before he turned suddenly, slashing a hand to his side as he snapped,

“Of course, I fucking am!”

“Lucius, you shouldn’t think that I would leave just because…”

“Shouldn’t I?!” he snapped, interrupting me before continuing on,

“Let’s turn back the clock should we, Amelia. You have spent more time trying to run from me than you have convincing me of all the reasons why you want to stay. I, however, have spent more of my time trying to convince you of why you should, and I doubt any stories of my past would have aided me in that goal,” he said making his point, but he wasn’t the only one with a point to make.

“Well, did you ever consider that had my own fears been laid to rest that I wouldn’t have needed any convincing on whether or not to stay, seeing as my biggest fear here is waking up one day and finding you no longer want me around.” At this he actually snarled at me.

“Are you fucking shitting me!?”

“No, of course I am not shitting you!” I snapped standing and putting my hands on my hips.

“Fucking Gods, you’re insane if you think that would ever fucking happen!”

“Don’t fucking shout at me!” I shouted.

“I will damn well shout at you when you are acting insane!” he yelled back, making me growl this time,

“Don’t call me insane!” This is when his lips twitched and he stepped right up to me and said slowly, over pronouncing each syllable,

“IN fucking SANE!” So, I did the only thing that came naturally to me when we were fighting, I pulled my hand back and slapped him right across the face. This made it snap to the side with the force and I knew it was a good hit as my palm stung like a slap-happy bastard! But then as he slowly turned his face back to me, with eyes now glowing like the sun, I had no choice but to give in to my next impulse. A desperate one as I grabbed his face and frantically pulled him to me for a desperate kiss!

Lucius quickly took over and he started this by grabbing my ass and lifting me so my legs could wrap around his waist, holding me to him as though he never wanted to let me go! And the second he pulled back, he growled down at me,

“Fucking insane if you think I would ever let you go!” Then he kissed me again and the next time I broke away was to tell him,

“You make me fucking crazy!” Then I kissed him back, trying to take over the kiss by running my hands through his hair and yanking him hard back to me. He growled when I started nipping at his bottom lip before biting it, tempted to see what he would do if I bit it hard enough to make it bleed.

“You haven’t fucking seen crazy yet, sweetheart!” he told me before suddenly letting his fangs grow and burying them into my neck making me cry out at the pain, sinking into a pleasure so great, I made it a mission for him to hold onto me as I shuddered in his hold, screaming out my orgasm in seconds, for it was one he hadn’t let me build up to.

No, instead it just exploded from me in such a way that I felt as if I was being pushed off a cliff and barely caught in time before hitting the bottom. He only took enough blood from me for the time it took me to finish shaking from my release, as he was soon pulling his fangs from my flesh, licking the holes he had made to stop the bleed. Then, before I had time to question why, he let a demonic talon grow, still making me silently question what he was planning? Something I didn’t have to question for long. No, not when he stabbed the tip into his own neck, letting the blood pour down his T-shirt, soaking the material so it stuck to his skin like black water.

Then he started to guide me to his neck and demanded,

“Then we fall into madness together.”

It was all the prompting I needed, as I lowered my lips to his neck, licking up the dripping blood, whispering,

“Always together.” I latched onto him and drank him down, sucking harder and harder the more he moaned out as his own pleasure built. And just like mine, it didn’t take long before he was roaring out his own release, only when he did it, he actually began to fall. Something he did first on a stumbled step, getting us to the sofa just in time so we both landed on something soft. He also turned his body at the last second so I wasn’t the one to take all his weight but instead, he took mine.

After this he turned his head to the side and closed his eyes as I finished sucking his blood, his essence he offered to me like a gift of life.

The gift of him.

For we were connected. We always would be and now it was time for me to trust in that. So, I pulled my lips back and watched as the moment I did he allowed his body to heal itself as the hole he made started to close. I licked around the wound, as it fused shut, cleaning him of his blood, making him hold me tighter to him with arms wrapped around my back.

I lifted my head and when I did, he turned back to face me, opening his eyes that had now shimmered back to blueish steel.

“So, I might have over-acted slightly,” I admitted sheepishly making him burst out laughing before hugging me to him and holding me tighter still.

“And I am learning that when you do, it usually ends well,” he replied making me roll my eyes, despite still grinning. Then I looked down at the very obvious wet patch between us and said,

“And messy,” to which he grinned big and replied,

“Another plus.” Then he sat us up and told me to wait for him whilst he left me to clean up and seeing as his T-shirt was covered in blood and his pants were now… well, sticky…then I couldn’t help but smirk when he did. Of course, it also gave me the time I needed to go back over all the things he had said to me. And to be honest, even as explosive as the conversation was, it was one I would forever be thankful for. Obviously, the outcome had been a mind-blowing bonus but it actually came secondary to what I had learned.

Because now I knew that I had gotten it all wrong before. The reason he kept things from me wasn’t what I feared. That my mother meant more to him on that level, or that he trusted her more. No, I had totally let my own insecurities infect that part of my mind, warping his reality into my dramatic fiction.

But no more.

This was to be my vow from now on. I was going to let go of the past, one he had proved to me time and time again didn’t mean to him what I had let myself believe it did. What I had convinced myself it did.

No, now I would trust him and that meant also trusting him to tell me his past when he was ready to. Something I decided I would no longer try and push for. Because it was me he needed to learn to trust, not the other way round. Meaning, there were only two ways to do this. The first was to try and stop being insane and the second was just as simple…

To stop running.

* * *

By the time Lucius came back, after his second shower of the day, his hair was deliciously wet and curling at the edges, making me want to run my fingers through it. But then at the time I would have only ended up probably getting mayo on it as I was making us both a sandwich. Or at least I was ready to make him one as I didn’t actually know what he liked.

So, whilst waving a knife in my hand, one I’d used to cut my own in half, I shouted,

“Any preference on your sandwich?” He paused, took in the sight of me and then continued to walk my way and only answered me after plucking the knife from my hand, telling me,

“Yes, one without my Chosen One’s blood in it please.” I smirked and replied,

“Ah, okay, so you’ve turned vegetarian then.” This joke enticed a silent, ‘Ha, Ha’ from him whilst looking down at me, which made me giggle back.

“I will eat whatever you make me, so long as you do so without wielding a knife around in the air like a madman,” he told my neck after brushing back the loose parts of my hair and kissing it. I pushed my glasses up and said in a haughty tone,

“Excuse me, but I think you have seen what I can do with a knife.”

“Exactly my point, I fear for my life, pet,” he replied, making me roll my eyes even if it was pretty funny. Then he patted me on my ass and walked away, after making a show of dropping the big knife I had been using, in the sink with a clatter.

“Party pooper!” I complained, making him chuckle as he made his way back down to the living room. Meanwhile, I finished making our turkey sandwiches and carried them down to the same level catching myself when I nearly stumbled. Of course, Lucius saw it and flinched, making an action as if he was going to try and catch me. Even though I would have been too far away. Then he started mumbling something about railings and getting them installed, throwing a few F words in there for good measure.

“You know, I am starting to think that is your favourite word.”

“What can I say, since you stepped through my doors, it has become increasingly more popular in my vocabulary.” This time I mouthed the same mocking silent action back at him, ‘Ha, Ha’ making him grin.

“Well, it is German in its origin, meaning to strike, so it had its uses even then,” he replied casually, leaning an arm along the back of the sofa.

“But of course, well here you go my bloodthirsty, slap-happy Vamp, get your cursing fangs around this,” I said handing him the plate and making him scoff, before telling me,

“Carry on with that smart mouth, woman, and you will see what else I can wrap my cursing fangs around.”

“I think you already did that, handsome,” I said, taking a big bite of my sandwich, crunching the lettuce and making a show of it by moaning. But then I nearly ended up choking on it when I felt his gloved hand run up the inside of my leg the moment he added,

“Mmm, I remember the first time…maybe I will save your clit for dessert.”

“Maybe I should go and swap this for a nice big T bone steak. You know, for all the extra iron I will need as it seems like I might need it.” He laughed before biting into his own sandwich and saying,

“I think you’re safe, my little Šemšā, at least for a while yet.”

After this we ate our lunch and I braved asking him about his birthday, something I was kind of freaking out about seeing as I hadn’t known anything about it. Which meant that naturally, I hadn’t bought him anything.

But he told me that it was a tradition his people insisted on celebrating, as it was more about the rebirth of his kind. He went on to explain that before he was turned and declared King of all Vampires that the race was more like wild, uncontrollable beasts, demons that roamed the Earth, bloodthirsty and without purpose. Mindless creatures that needed more than a king and leadership, they needed a whole new bloodline to purify them.

Lucius had been that new beginning.

This was something he called ‘The Cleansing’, a time he didn’t want to go into as I guessed that it was basically how it sounded. Something that no doubt ended in a lot of bloodshed for those that didn’t particularly want to be ‘cleansed’ and found themselves with a new ruler on a throne that never used to be there. But even as accurate as my assumption may be, I still made a mental note to ask Pip about it when I saw her next.

Yet, despite how gruesome this event was, it obviously wasn’t a period in Vampire history that Lucius’ race looked badly on. Not if it was a time they wished to celebrate every year, for I guess it marked the new chapter in the lives of those who gladly chose to kneel to their new master. Chose to accept his blood in exchange for tying their soul and pledging their loyalty to Lucius in a way that usually meant death if ever such a vow was broken.

Naturally, this led on to a question about the rogues, which he explained that usually it was only the weak that could pull away from his control as the strongest of his kind relied more heavily on his command. But now, with the aid of what would seem like the most powerful witch on Earth, then Lucius didn’t know the full extent of who could break away from his rule.

Either way, the celebration was to continue as a show of strength among his kind, despite what had happened the night before or the attack on his club. As Lucius refused to let anything or anyone make him appear weak in front of his people.

And Lucius was anything but weak.

However, for me this was when I learned which part I was to play in this show of strength of his and it included one excitable Imp by the name of Pip. One who showed up with a long black garment bag in one hand, shopping bags in the other and screaming in excitement as the dreaded words, both myself and my mother always loathed to hear…

“It’s human dress-up time!”

12

It’s Gonna Be A Ball!

“Holy shit, Pip, does it really need to be that tight!?” I complained the second she placed her small foot at the base of my spine and used it as leverage to tighten the corseted part of my dress.

“Just a little wiggle more,” she said and I could see in the mirror in front of me that she had her tongue sticking out of her mouth on one side and was squinting at all the laces at my back as if she was trying to solve a maths equation.

But let’s rewind a moment as of course, our afternoon didn’t begin there. No, it began after Pip announced her presence by declaring me her doll for the next five torturous hours.

I had, of course, turned my accusing eyes to Lucius who merely grinned back at me and said,

“Will you be my date?”

Well, what else could I say to that? As of course, I would be his date. How I felt about doing so dressed up in a massive ballgown, and in a room full of Vampires all celebrating immortal life, I didn’t quite know. But how I felt about being brushed, pinned, pulled, yanked and painted, I did know and that was…exhausted.

However, at least I got to spend some quality time with my aunt, who I had missed, as in a lot. So, I had swallowed every complaint…well, almost all of them, and let her do her thing. I had at least been thankful to learn that Lucius had appointed Liessa with the job of buying my outfit. Which meant it wasn’t a dress that was either edible, painted, growing, playing music or something that could melt, as these were all types of dresses I had witnessed Pip wearing at least one point in my life.

My dress, however, was a stunning blood-red gown that was a flowing skirt of satin, with lots of body thanks to the layers and layers of underskirts giving it shape. The top was corseted, so it pulled in tight at the waist and every inch was encrusted in sparkling red crystals. It also fell off the shoulders in a classic style, with a sweetheart neckline that gave my breasts a great shape, or should I say my ample looking cleavage a great shape.

The matching satin shoes had a wicked heel that could have been classed as a weapon as they were bone-thin and made from metal painted red. I was, however, a little worried about them and just hoped that I could walk in them without falling. It was a shame really as they were mainly hidden thanks to the bottom part of the dress that trailed along the floor and included a substantial train at the back of the skirt. One that I had to keep gathering up in my arms to walk anywhere.

But I had to say, where my Aunty Pip really excelled was when doing my hair, as it looked stunning and more importantly, in an understated way that didn’t include fairy lights like she had originally wanted to add. No, instead it had been curled and put up in a loose style so the curls cascaded down my back at different lengths so it gave the style volume. At the front a few curls framed my face and at one side a large and beautiful blood-red velvet rose edged in black had been pinned to the body of curls.

As for my makeup, I had insisted on doing that myself, especially when I saw her box of makeup that looked like a melted down rainbow that had been coughed on by a glitter monster. Thankfully, she hadn’t taken offence to this but instead just laughed it off and giggled when I kissed her cheek.

So, I had left her to do her own makeup and hair whilst I did my face. Well, that was one thing about having all my stuff here as it didn’t take me long to find the box of makeup I had. Meaning I had no problems creating the smoky, sultry look I thought would go with the dress Pip had shown me.

Once I had finished, I faced myself in the mirror where I found a woman staring back at me that I barely recognised. My eyes were silver fading into black at the sides that brushed along the thick eyeliner flicks that Pip had been a master at helping me with. This managed to make my bright blue eyes look a few shades darker thanks to the darker shades chosen. Of course, it also helped with them being framed by thick curling lashes that I had inherited from my mother.

Combined with this were highlights at my cheekbones and dark red lipstick that was supposed to be kiss-proof, and pretty much stain my lips for at least twenty-four hours. Now, as for being kiss-proof, I had never put it to the test before but was hoping tonight was the night.

“Wowzers, that poor bastard won’t know what has hit him!” Pip said making me blush and try to hide my smile.

“Aren’t you getting in your dress yet?” I asked her, looking around for it but just at that moment my uncle walked in carrying what I assumed was her dress, even though it looked more like a giant birdcage. He was also dressed in a black and white suit in 1800’s style that made him look like Jane Austin’s Mr Darcy.

“Why kind sir, I be thanking you later with the many accomplishments my mouth doth claim,” Pip said skipping up to her husband and kissing him on the cheek before snatching her dress from him and I didn’t even bat an eyelid at her comment as I was far too used to it over the years. To say that Pip was a highly sexual being would have been a Great Pyramid of Giza sized understatement.

I walked over to my uncle and kissed him on the cheek, noting one point for the lipstick that stayed put.

“You’re looking very dashing, Uncle.” He gave me a warm grin and said,

“And you are looking very beautiful, my niece. My King is blessed and will indeed be most pleased.” At this I blushed before the moment was added to when Pip smacked my ass and said,

“I know right! Isn’t she just the sexiest biatch you ever saw?” I laughed, moving out of the way when Adam grabbed his wife, spun her around before pulling her firmly to his chest, then he whispered in her ear from behind,

“No, for I must claim that title for my wife, for it is a sin to lie… now hurry, my little Winnie, for I am hungry for the sight once more.” Then he bit her neck playfully and let her go, winking at me before leaving us to continue getting ready in Lucius’ bedroom. Something Pip continued to remind me was now mine too. This was after she basically swooned back on the bed dramatically after Adam’s affectionate display before leaving.

“Pip, can I ask you about something?”

“Anything you want, sugar bumkins,” she answered as she completely stripped naked with only her tattoos on show. The beautiful soft colours of the earth and sky covered her entire arm thanks to the tattooed sleeve. I remember as I child I used to sit on her lap and trace the clouds in the sky with my little fingertips, which used to make her giggle.

But this wasn’t the only one as she also had Adam’s name written in different languages on different parts of her body, some surrounded in hearts, some flowers, some rainbow thorns. They were different fonts, everything from calligraphy, graffiti, ornate script to that of a typewriter. It was cute the obvious love they had for each other and it made me wonder how Lucius would feel if I ever had a tattoo with his name on my body?

But this wasn’t my question.

“Lucius mentioned something about the celebration, about how it was his rebirth and…”

“When he became Kingy almighty…yeah, those were some fun days to hear about,” she said as she started to shimmy the large dress type thing up her waist.

“You remember it?”

“Well, yeah, I mean I wasn’t topside then or one of his turned, but I heard it was a freakin’ bloody riot!” she answered with a grin.

“So, you know all about the cleansing?” I asked making her grin fade as she turned from the mirror to look at me.

“Alright Faebear, I guess this is the part where Luc mentioned some stuff to you, told you only half of it and kept anything grizzly out of it. Which basically means the cleansing was the big bad end of days for any smuckadoodle who didn’t want to kneel to Lucius when he was declared as King. Which didn’t end so great for them as they, Queen of Heartsed it…did that make sense?”

“Erh…all but the last word, which doesn’t exist,” I replied making her tap a pointed fingernail to her painted lips. Nails that were painted as chess pieces, with her thumbs covered in a tower of rings that covered her whole digit. Her lips were also painted black with a white liner to match the black and white theme she was going within her strange outfit.

“What I am saying is, it was an ‘Off with their heads’ moment and Loverboy was the one swinging the axe.”

“Oh, Gods.”

“Yup and let’s just say a lot of heads rolled that day, but that’s the thing with rogues, mindless little buggers who didn’t exactly welcome change and those pesky little rules Luc was throwing their way. But then, I guess standing at a small mountain of heads covered in blood with a fecking big sword was one way to make a statement to all who crossed him.”

“Tell me you are exaggerating here?” I asked after my mouth had finished its fish impression.

“Nope, if anything I am probably underestimating it to save your delicate human mind, but I kept telling him that he needed to get that shit painted as a portrait to hang in the main hall, then no biatches would say shit to him! Those bastard rogues need reminding of that day, that’s for damn surely bob!” Pip said after finally twisting and jumping her little body into the strange dress. One that made her tight corkscrew curls bounce. Her hair had been plaited tight to her head all on one side with the rest of it all flicked over to the other side. A large blackbird skull was fixed at the point the curls were at their thickest.

“I can’t imagine him like that,” I muttered as I walked over to her to help her zip up the back after she first lifted up her small breasts, doing this so what she did have was now mainly on show, minus the nipples, which we had learned recently was an Adam ‘no, no’ rule.

“Watcha think?” she said, stepping back and twirling in the contraption as that was the best way to describe it. If I was even to try and describe it, I would have said it was a cross between demonic armour and a leather birdcage. The top part was made up from strips of leather crisscrossed over her torso wrapping around to shoulder sections that looked like two black horns rising up to the height of the top of her head.

The skirt, however, completely exposed her legs beneath as it was just connected straps of leather that looked like a giant spider’s web. One that was stiff at the top by her waist so it was moulded outwards in the shape of a bell ballgown, with a giant black bow at the front. The ribbon also reached the floor along with the rest of the skirt.

“Wowzers, I think Holy Hole in a Doughnut, Batman, you look amazing!” I said in ‘Pipspeak’ making her jump up and down clapping at herself.

“YEY! It’s Piptastic isn’t it, but wait, I forgot the light-up dead birds, now where did I put them…tada, here they are!” She grabbed a clear bag full of bones from a holdall and raised them above her head in one of those, ‘Tada, I found them, aren’t I great!’ poses.

“Erm…please tell me they aren’t what I think they are?”

“You mean plastic bird skeletons painted with glitter and with little battery-powered disco balls glued inside their ribcages…yeah?” she asked, making me rub my forehead as my mind tried to process all she’d just said.

“Erm, no, that wasn’t going to be my first guess.” Alright, so even on the Pip scale this wasn’t exactly the explanation I was expecting her to say.

“You didn’t think they were real, did you…? ’Cause eww, Faemymunchkin, that’s gross and crazy ass!” she replied looking horrified at the idea and making me want to burst out laughing with the way she scrunched her nose up. But this might have something to do with the black and white feathers she had glued to her face in the shape of a mask, obviously continuing with the bird theme. But also it was the gold beak she had stuck to her nose that made it funny whenever she pulled a face.

She had even framed her lips with tiny little feathers to match. But it was the two gold commando stripes on her cheeks I didn’t get, but then again, this was Pip, so getting her choice wasn’t a requirement, just accepting her for her, was.

“Okay, so where are they going?” I asked because with Pip nothing was obvious. Then she looked down at her skirt and pointed to the inside. I released a deep sigh and then said to her,

“Any ideas how that is going to happen?” She shrugged her shoulders and said,

“You don’t happen to know any Jedis do you?”

“Sweetie, I don’t think even Yoda could help with this one,” I replied, to which she shrugged her shoulders and said,

“I am good at cocking my leg if that helps.” I laughed once, looked down at my big ass dress and said,

“Yeah, it helps.”

* * *

Ten minutes later and if someone had told me how this evening would start with me sitting under Pip’s ‘cage spiderweb’ skirt just wearing my sexy underwear, tying illusion wire to the wired scaffolding by her hips, that was attached to bird skeleton disco balls, then I wouldn’t have called bullshit, no I would have said,

‘Why, where is Pip?’

“Erm…I don’t think you thought this out, Pip,” I said after having no choice but get myself back out of my dress just so I could fit underneath her skirt as no matter how talented she was at ‘cocking her leg’ even a Russian ballerina wouldn’t have managed it.

“Umm, maybe not, but hey, look on the bright side, at least the beastie boys aren’t here to see…Uh-oh!” Suddenly I pressed my face in between one of the large sections in her skirt and looked up at her through it and said,

“Uh-oh what?!”

“Three, two, one…that,” she said counting down, as in that moment both Adam and Lucius decided now was the time to walk inside the bedroom and what faced them was a sight that would no doubt be burned to their brains and not for any of the right reasons.

“ARGG, DON’T LOOK!”

“CLOSE YOUR EYES!”

Me and Pip both shouted as this was down to a number of reasons. The main one being that neither of us wanted the first time they saw us dressed nice and ready for the ball ruined by the sight that met them now. Mainly me being half-naked, sat under my aunty’s cage, hanging stuff with my head next to the crotch of her disco hot pants, which was the underwear she’d chosen to wear.

Lucius’ eyes widened at the same time Adam’s did as it was obvious this had been the very last sight they’d expected to see. And this shock would have been right along with finding us both dressed as astronauts jumping on the bed and pretending we were on the moon!

But then Lucius must have taken one look at me in my underwear and after allowing three seconds for his eyes to glow heated, he must have then realised another male was in the room as he reacted quickly. And he did this by grabbing the lapel of Adam’s jacket, and dragging him out the door, mumbling about how they would meet us down in the hall. This I found shocking and completely irrational seeing as it was Adam, who was pretty much an uncle to me and also madly in love with his wife, who I was currently sat under.

In the end, me and Pip just ended up nearly falling over laughing so hard, which needless to say, also ended with me needing to re-attach half the birds.

And something that was totally worth it!

* * *

Sometime later Pip led me down a series of hallways that were all carved cold stone that dripped with damp in some places. All the while I could hear a faint rushing of water that sounded as though I was on the other side of a waterfall. We were also both being escorted to what I was told was the main hall. But seeing as I was yet to be shown around the rest of Lucius’ castle, one I’d learned was named Blutfelsen, meaning Blood Rock, then I really had no clue where I was.

Our escort was the growing familiar face of Keto, who Pip told me was actually named Ken Tobias. Which was therefore shortened by taking the first two letters of his names. Something that was his husband Ruto’s idea. Apparently, they hadn’t known each other long, less than thirty years, which to Pip was like a shake of two lamb’s tails at a shindig…whatever that meant.

“You know I can hear everything you are saying…right.” he said in front of us making me giggle.

“I don’t know him that well as he was added to the party after I left for a Tootie sabbatical…although he fills out a suit nicely, don’t you think?” she said even though he’d just said that he could hear her, which made me wonder if it was a test, one he passed when he turned around and said,

“Yeah and I heard all about you, missy. Ruto said you’re nuts and that we will get on well because I am the gay side of gay, whatever the fuck that is supposed to mean. But now, meeting you and I am digging your style and freaky dress, so I guess now I know why I like you already.” At this she swallowed hard, then popped the bubblegum she was chewing and said,

“I think I just had a mini orgasm.”

“Pip!” I screeched making Keto chuckle.

“What! It’s not like I don’t flick the bean just ‘cause I am married, besides, just look at him, he looks like freakin Zac Efron for the Gods eat and must like noodles sake!” she said fanning herself and looking down over her neon pink glasses at the length of him. Glasses, I should mention that were minus the lenses being that they were made from a giant curly straw. One she was currently sipping, thanks to the free end being poked into a whisky flask that she told me held a cocktail called Adios Motherfucker.

I had also made the mistake of asking her what was in it, which was rum, vodka, tequila, gin, blue Curacao, sweet and sour mix and 7-Up. Then she had asked me if I wanted any, which I declined, telling her that I didn’t fancy spending the night with my head in the toilet, discovering whether or not Lucius was any good at holding my hair back.

Keto winked at her, before continuing on and I rolled my eyes at her antics, knowing that she was just a big flirt and mostly acted this way to get a rise out of my poor uncle. This was because, in her words, ‘a naughty world is a fun world that equals getting punished in said world of mine’. I can’t say it was going to rival the likes of philosophers Aristotle or Plato of Ancient Greece any time soon but hey, it worked for her. Especially seeing as she had been teasing my poor uncle since the 17th century.

“Hey, are you not putting your lights on yet?” I asked nodding down to her skirt, wondering how she could even walk in it, let alone the crazy heels she wore to match. They were knee-high boots which were made up of leather bones that looked like a rib cage was wrapped around each leg. The heel was a bone spine, with the section over her foot, being what looked like a pelvic bone.

“Nah, I am waiting for just the right time, boo yeah, can’t wait to show those bitches!”

“Erm, what bitches?”

“Oh, just the other Vamps that don’t like me…but then they are just jelly bellies as they are sour they aren’t in the Lucius fold, you know.” Keto scoffed at this and held out his fist for her to bump with her own saying,

“Hail fucking Mary up the ass, sister!”

“Oh great, I am so not getting the warm and fuzzies about this night, Pip,” I complained making her pop her gum again and then hold out another hand to me and say,

“Wanna suck on my pop ring…it’s cherry?” I looked down at the edible jewellery on her finger which was a lollypop shaped like a giant red diamond.

“I’ll pass, but thanks.”

“You will be fine, I mean those jelly peeps probably won’t see you anyways as they will be lost in the crowd somewhere.” Keto again scoffed a laugh at this making me frown as if I was missing something and knowing Pip, it would be Ghostbusters Stay Puff man-sized. I also translated that jelly peeps was a nickname for jealous girls. It was that or there was some demon I didn’t know about that expelled a jelly-like substance and if this was the case, then no wonder they weren’t in the ‘Lucius fold’ as… eww.

“Master wanted to remind you of his orders,” Keto said, passing Pip a box as we neared a large pair of double doors.

“Oh panties, I almost forgot!” Pip squealed in excitement before pulling me off to one side and telling me,

“I have to put this on you.”

“Why? What is it?” She opened a white box that looked like a standard jewellery box you would get at the store and grabbed something black and lacy before throwing the now empty box over her shoulder.

“Luc got you this, as he didn’t want anything that covered…oh, what were the exact words he used…that’s it, ‘a perfection he owned’…romantic eh?” she said showing me a cut of black lace that was roses, thorns and had holes cut out for the eyes. It was also one that stuck to your skin so it lay completely flat, after she removed the backing. And this was the moment I realised why Pip looked like a bird wearing glasses…

It was a masked ball.

Which was why I let her put it on me, hoping this was the only surprise of the night. I looked to Keto, who was dressed in an embroidered white and gold suit, one gleaming with a double row of gilt buttons making him look very regal. However, he wasn’t carrying a mask, so it made me wonder if Ruto had his waiting for him. Aww, maybe they would be matching, as that would be cute, I thought without expressing as much.

“Ready, ladies?” he asked as he stood at the double doors ready to open them both.

“We twin titties were born ready, right mini Toot?” I laughed, somewhat a little nervously before running my hands down my crimson dress, taking a deep breath and nodding. This was Keto’s cue to push the doors wide open allowing us to see for ourselves the entire room below.

And what did I find.

Every single inch of it was decorated in black and white. This, of course, also included every single person in it.

Everyone but…

Blood red me.

13

A King’s Crimson Claim

“Pip!” I whispered her name making her pause and turn to look back at me to ask innocently,

“What?”

“Erm, don’t you think you forgot to mention something kind of big here!” I hissed, looking around to find everyone on the surrounding balcony that framed the upper level staring at me. Oh, and one that currently had a few hundred people all situated along it.

“Nilly nope, I don’t think so,” she said with a knowing wink making me growl and her giggle. Of course she bloody knew! She knew that I would be standing there, sticking out in the crowd like a bleeding severed thumb, that’s what!

This was because everyone in the room was wearing black and white as it was clearly the theme of the freakin’ party, and I was the only one in the whole colossal space wearing red! And speaking of colossal spaces, the great hall was exactly that, nothing short of greatness. In fact, it reminded me of some gothic church, not so dissimilar to Afterlife in that way. Only Afterlife looked more like the night club it was and this looked like some mighty King’s hall.

The stone walls were covered in layers of black material that looked like demonic waterfalls thanks to the uplighters focused against them and at each centre a beacon of blood red. One that was the only colour decorating the room…well, other than muggins here who was staring at the sigil, one that I recognised as belonging to Lucius.

But it was in this grand hall that it finally felt like the castle it had been declared to be and right then, I was stood at its entrance, looking down into the belly of Lucius’ masterful domain. To be honest, I was astounded by the sight, as you couldn’t have found anywhere more different from inside the walls of Transfusion. A club where its interior could be described as gothic, grunge and industrial.

But as for this place, well, this was pure gothic opulence and royal grandeur and it spoke only of the dark Vampire King who owned it. Even the dual staircase warned you of its true nature, with its ornate railings of twisted iron that rose up from the steps like the flames of Hell were trying to reach the Earth.

Even touching them could put you in danger of bleeding before you even made it to the main floor, for massive shards pierced through the smooth parts of the railings making it anything but safe to use. The rest of the room had obviously been decorated for the ball, in what looked to be bleached white thorns, making it look like some deadly fairy-tale was trying to take over the entire room. They were entwined around the massive wrought-iron candelabras, with flames flickering on top of black candles. The thorns also trailed over archways, framing the edge of the room, dance floor and around the stage, as though it was a living creature trying to branch out with deadly fingers.

The whole room was a statement of strength and power, but to me there was also something hauntingly beautiful about it. Like the rustic beauty of its natural stone walls that had been carved smooth in some areas and left deadly and jagged in others. Or the imposing, yet elaborate, chandeliers that hung down from the cathedral ceilings on thick black chains. Each chandelier was the size of a small car, and the round frame held ten winged griffons. All of which were sat with lanterns held in their beaks and with skulls piled at their feet.

It was breath-taking.

And it was freaking me out. Especially seeing as I had no chance of blending in and hoping to find Lucius without the fuss of making an entrance.

“Everyone is wearing black and white, and I look like a bloody steak amongst the wolves!” I snapped after grabbing her arm in a serious way that was needed to keep me from turning around and running. Something I wanted to do in that moment more than anything considering all the people looking at me from the top level.

No one was wearing one particular fashion, as there seemed to be outfits from every era. There were dresses in every style, from A line, to sheath, empire waist, mermaid and ones named the trumpet cut for good reason. This was because the skirts bunched out in lots of ruffles low at the thighs and was a little like the mermaid design but with a lot more umpf. And of course, there was the classic ballgown style that I wore, which most opted for.

But every single one was either black, white or a combination of the two and even if a hint of anything more was added, then it was either gold or silver, nothing more.

The same could also be said for the men, as there were styles of suits that spanned the ages. Even military-style suits were worn, some of which were embellished with weapons. In fact, I think I could see costumes as far back as the 14th century, although most did prefer this side of the 1800’s. I also think it was fair to say that nearly all guests were beautiful, or at least they would have been had it not been for the masks they wore.

Many of which were horrifying, or at least might have been. That was if I had not been born a Draven but been the type of person who was frightened of monsters. However, the monsters under my bed were the type that would have been there playing hide and seek with me, before reading me a bedtime story and tucking me in at night.

Demons didn’t scare me. Not when you grew up with them being the type that welcomed you with a hug or snuck you handfuls of candy when your parents weren’t looking. How could I have been frightened of that? But then, I wasn’t claiming that none of them ever affected me and let’s just say that I stayed well clear of my father’s prison for good reason.

But just like those demons, not every mask worn was gruesome or shocking, as there were also those that were as beautiful as the faces I knew were hidden behind them. Masks made in every material you could think of… leather, lace, metal, ceramic, paper, even glass and all of them handcrafted and moulded to fit their owners perfectly. There were faces of smiles, snarls and sadness, with crowns of feathers, beads, animal ears or horns. And like the costumes worn, not a speck of colour could be found on them.

“You do remember that I am a mortal right, did we really think it wise to dress me like a giant blood bag in a room full of Vamps?” Pip chuckled and said

“Chillax dudette, you’re like the safest person in here right now.”

“Oh yeah, how do you figure?”

“You’re Luc’s bed buddy girlfriend of course, so don’t sweat it…besides most of them haven’t even noticed you yet so you’re all…Ooops, spoke too soon!” At this I shot her a panicked look the moment the music suddenly stopped, a song that had been playing from the stage in front of us. It was one that faced the staircase and reminded me of one where you were more likely to be watching some gothic opera. It was framed by great lengths of the same black material that was against the walls, only it was one that had been draped over a massive stone beam above the stage. One that had been carved at the end so it looked over the whole room. It was a massive black and gold gargoyle of a horned demon, with wings that resembled those of Lucius’ in his Hellish form. In fact, the similarities between the carving and his demon were a little more than a coincidence.

And speaking of the demonic king in question, suddenly the sea of people below started to part, making a clear path for their master as he came into view. And boy what a masterful sight he was, as even Pip sucked in a breath and muttered,

“Holy wet panties, Batman.”

A sentiment I had to agree with.

Lucius, I quickly noted, was the only other one wearing red as it soon became obvious the statement he was making. Telling me he was the reason I was now wearing the same colour choice. And unlike anyone else, he was wearing a typical suit of the 1800’s only with a Gothic and royal twist. Basically, if Mr Darcy had been a demon sent to retrieve you for Hell, then the image of Lucius currently walking down the centre of his people towards you would have been it.

He most definitely stood out, that was for sure and by the Gods, I could barely breathe at just the sight of him!

He was wearing a black pair of trousers tucked into high boots, a black shirt with cravat tucked in the high folded neck of a gorgeous double-breasted, tailored jacket. One that was crimson in colour, with black filigree embroidered at the double collar, and down the centre where the jacket was buttoned in parallel lines.

The same design was on the large cuffs that rested at the wrists of black leather gloves, this time covering both hands. At his waist lay multiple belts, holding two black sabres that were slightly different in size, and a dagger at the other, all sheathed and what I was hoping would end up staying that way for the duration of the night.

But despite all of this, it wasn’t the most menacing part of his outfit, for that claim was made by the mask he wore. As, unlike like the rest, his was the most intimidating of them all. It was a dark red colour, smattered with a rough black patina, making it look more like a demon’s skin. And if words could fully describe it, then I would say it resembled the skull of the devil, with its over-pronounced bone structure of angry features, frowning brows and a pair of horns that rose up towards the ceiling above. These were there to mirror the ones I knew were on his back, only seen when his demon had consumed every ounce of his Angel.

The mask covered his nose and arched down, either side of his jaw, framing his lips and stopping with wicked points. And through this mask I watched as he took in the sight of me, a pair of steel-blue eyes scanning the length of my body, looking sinister with the black paint on his skin, beneath the dark demonic mask he wore. This too, along with his outfit, made it clear who the ruler of this dark world was, for he stood out amongst a sea of black and white, like some crimson soaked God, the blood of life, with the sight of him being nothing short of symbolic. It reminded all around him the very reason they breathed life, one connected to him from the gift of blood he gave them. It was a show of the strength and power he represented…

His powerful rule.

And now there was me.

I knew this the moment he nodded to the band on the stage as its singer suddenly stepped up to the mic and covered it with his hands as he started to sing. It turned out to be a dark, slower rock cover of the song, ‘Every breath you take,’ by the Police.

And as the lyrics sang out, echoing through the hall to the haunting beat, the words penetrated my very soul, for I knew why Lucius had silently demanded it be played the moment I arrived. For it wasn’t only a message, it was a vow singing out as he walked towards me…

‘Every breath you take and every move you make

Every bond you break, every step you take, I'll be watching you.

Every single day and every word you say,

Every game you play, every night you stay, I'll be watching you.

Oh, can't you see you belong to me,

How my poor heart aches with every step you take,

Every move you make, and every vow you break,

Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, I'll be watching you.”’

And it was because of this intimidation that I hadn’t yet moved a muscle, still stuck at the top of the staircase unable to take my eyes from the sight of him. Like some handsome nightmare who was now raising his hand to me, beckoning me to come to him with the barest flicker of his fingers.

“Go to him, Fae.” I heard Pip whisper as obviously this was when I needed to make my move and in all honesty, I was beyond terrified. And just like the words in the song being played said, he watched every single move I made. Every shuddered breath I took. Every unsure single step I took down towards him. He watched me as though he was burning the sight to memory. But despite the way he made me feel, I continued on, knowing that I needed to reach the bottom by the time he reached the last step. As for a man like Lucius, well… he waited for no-one.

Not when there was something he wanted.

And this Vampire King had clearly claimed me.

I swear that for the whole descent I couldn’t breathe for fear that if I did, I would end up screaming. Because the way the moment was affecting me may have seem irrational but at the heart of it, I knew why it did. Because it was taking me back to the first time I had ever set foot inside his domain. Back to when he had been cruel and unfeeling. Back to when I was nothing but a silly little virgin he toyed with. Gods, but he had been intimidating, it was little wonder why I had been scared out of my mind.

But at that moment, then I didn’t know why I was so afraid, for I knew at heart that behind that mask was the man I loved. It was the man I knew could be soft and gentle and tender with me. He was the one who could be funny, witty and caring.

But then he was also the man who spoke of my ownership. He was the hand that brought me unspeakable amounts of pleasure, some inflicted by a rough hand at my throat, and the other at my core. He was the masterful figure stood at my back that dished out punishment he deemed I needed. He was the hand that fisted in my hair as he lowered me to my knees before him, ready to swallow all he wanted me to. He was all of those things.

But right then, there was only one of them that stood before me now and that was…

My Master.

And he didn’t want to be kept waiting. So, I finally ignored the parted sea of people that, like him, watched every step I took, and finally I made it to the last step before I found myself on the same level as him. And at the same time, he took the very last step needed before bringing him right up to me. This was when the music changed to one far less sinister and instead spoke of what he looked to be feeling. Because now his eyes were no longer eyeing me up like prey but instead as if he was simply in awe of me, scanning down the length of my body and finding himself taking in a sharp breath.

He even lifted a hand to his chest, placing a fist there for a second before that same hand came to my cheek, doing so slowly and above all, lovingly. It was as if he didn’t care about the hundreds of people all staring at us, witnessing this moment between us. As no one in that moment would dare try and take it away from him by making a sound. So, even though we were surrounded by life, it was as if not a single person took breath and time stood still for his entire world,

Stood still until finally…he touched me.

This was what broke the spell for the moment he did, he was awakened to me being there, as if I suddenly became a reality he could claim. One he wasted no time in doing. Because a second later I was in his arms, taken in his dominant, possessive hold as he kissed me so passionately that I knew I would find myself surprised when it ever ended.

It was by far one of the most profound moments in my entire life, for it was the first time I ever felt the life I had been born into.

The first time I had ever been made to feel like a Princess.

His Princess.

14

A Rose Amongst the Thorns

That kiss.

The one that was nothing short of a statement made to his people, letting them all know who I was to him. It was one that told the entire room that he had claimed me and dared anyone who was suicidal enough to touch what was his. It spoke of ownership, possession, and belonging solely to him and him alone.

It was that type of kiss.

Which was why it was also one that I almost felt myself getting drunk from. His gloved hands were a contrast as one was held tenderly cupping my cheek and the other a firm and unyielding grip at my waist. And what was the rest of the room doing during this blatant display of ownership, they were completely and utterly silent…that’s what!

But then his kiss ended, and he silently looked down the length of me, not giving a damn that the entire room was obviously waiting for their King to allow the evening to continue. I watched as he took in every inch of me, taking his time to do so and the moment his eyes became a heated crimson beneath the mask, I blushed. Then, with his hand still to my face, he slid it back so his palm was positioned under my ear against my neck. Then he caressed his thumb along the apple of my cheek over the lace at my face, before telling me,

“Your beauty far surpasses any other the world has to offer, as tonight, you are the only rose amongst the thorns.” I sucked in a quick breath as his words seeped into my very soul and took root. His words, along with every inch of him, was beautiful and utterly perfect.

“Lucius…I…you…” This was as far as I got in response to such a compliment and he smirked because of it. So, I swallowed down the lump in my throat and tried again,

“Thank you, you look…are, very handsome,” I told him making him bow his head to me at the compliment and before I could try and get him to move us from being the centre of attention in the room, he took a step back. Then, after bending at the waist slightly he held out one hand to me and asked,

“May I have this first dance, my Princess?” I ended up rolling my lips inwards and fisting my hand to stop myself from biting my fingertips. As for once it wasn’t a nickname spoken in a mocking tone but one of sincerity and for the first time in my life, it was a title I started to feel as being my own. For my hopes of one day being asked to dance by Lucius at a ball was finally happening and my dreams were coming true.

“I would be honoured to,” I told him and he granted me a grin before turning back to the stage where I noticed that the singer had gone and instead four men were all sat in a line at the front of the stage. Then Lucius raised up a hand and circled two fingers signalling for them to start. That was when each swung around a black cello from the back of their chairs and dug the end pins into the stage, making an echoing sound around the large open space.

And then they began to play and instantly I knew the song, as most would.

“Phantom of the Opera?” I questioned the moment he had led me into the centre of the dance floor, one framed by a crowd of masked people all staring at us.

“I thought it fitting,” he told me with a grin, one that looked handsome and demonic at the same time thanks to his mask.

“And speaking of fitting…” he said before suddenly tugging me closer to him and doing exactly as he said he would, which was fitting me tight to his tall, muscular frame. Then, just as the song started to play out, Lucius started to move me around the dance floor in a waltz with such ease it made me question just how many others had been given the gift of a dance with Lucius.

“Many, but none as precious to me as you, nor half as beautiful,” he told me and I couldn’t help but ask in shock,

“Are you reading my mind.”

“No, I am reading the question in your eyes as, unfortunately for me, my gifts do not extend to a mind such as yours,” he answered as he continued to hold me close and swiftly propel us gracefully around the room, which I was only barely keeping up with and was thankful that he had hold of my waist and my hand clasped tightly in his own.

“Trust me when I say that it is a blessing. Oops, sorry.” I said the moment I stepped on his foot, missing my step. However, this just made him grin and the longer I went without speaking, the more it seemed to amuse him.

“You’re very quiet, my Khuba…any reason for that?” he whispered this last part down at me after first calling me his Love in what I now knew was Sumerian.

“I am trying to concentrate and remember the steps,” I told him on a whispered hiss, at the same time looking around the room and seeing every single person following our every move. I wished in that moment that we weren’t the only couple dancing so my mistakes wouldn’t have been so easy to detect.

“Been a while has it?” he asked with a smirk and laughed when I clenched my teeth and replied with a short,

“Something like that.”

“Then hold on, sweetheart, and enjoy the ride,” he said suddenly before taking me by the waist and at the crescendo, lifting me up and spinning us both around, making my full skirt flare out majestically around us. I had no other option than to hold onto his shoulders as he did this before he lowered me back to my feet, doing it slowly down the length of his body, his eyes never moving an inch away from mine as he drank in my reaction.

And suddenly, in that moment, it was as if we were the only two people in the room, and as the music continued to echo around us our steps had frozen with our bodies becoming captured and entranced by each other. We were both breathing heavily as we continued to take in the heat of the moment, one that spoke only of each other and our ignited passion that felt sexually charged between us.

Then suddenly the room seeped into darkness and all I felt was Lucius crush his lips to mine in what this time was a kiss of burning desire. It was one he didn’t want to share with the world, and he made it so he didn’t have to. As the music still played on, our kiss continued like some hidden love painted in sight of every eye I still knew could see us in the dark. For we weren’t surrounded by those of mortals, but those of the Vampires he had sired.

But it didn’t matter, for my heart was lost and consumed by this man and in just that one kiss alone, it spoke of our future, our eternity together. As a man like Lucius would never let me go…and I prayed to every God out there that he would never want to.

“La perfection,” he uttered down at me in French after first placing his forehead to mine the moment the song ended and all we could hear was our heavy breathing and the beating of our hearts. Then, before I could say anything in return, the lights suddenly came back on and at the same time he swept up my legs and with an arm around my back he picked me up. Doing so now to the sound of the whole room erupting into applause.

He walked over towards the right side of the hall where a raised dais, higher than all the rest, stood waiting for us. It held a large U-shaped seating area, that looked fit for a King. It was black to match the rest of the room’s décor, but unlike the rest of the seating in the room, which looked to be Gothic style Chesterfield booths, this was a work of art. It almost looked like a giant throne, as at the centre were three tall arches that reminded me of a church window without the glass. They even resembled highly decorative church benches, that were heavily carved wood and painted with glossy black lacquer. The side sections were designed like the lower backed pews you usually found lining each side of a church, ones that were covered in white thorns, as was most of the hall.

But this wasn’t the only reason it stood out as the main part of the room. No, this was down to the fact that the whole piece looked to be consumed by hammered iron flames, as if Hell itself was trying to swallow it whole into a blazing inferno. To say that it was an intimidating sight was an understatement, but then again, it was utterly fitting for the king who was now about to take his place at its centre.

Thankfully, the closer we got the more I could see that, at the very least, it still managed to look comfortable with its black velvet cushioned seat and back. And even the tall metal flames were cleverly incorporated into the design so as those deadly spikes at the back didn’t touch its occupants. But the whole effect was made to look as though the people sat there had the power to command Hell itself, and one look at Lucius and I truly believed it was possible.

Lucius took the last few steps up to where he was clearly about to sit and let my legs go, lowering me back to my heels. Then he playfully tapped me under the chin before he turned back to the room, ready to address his people. So naturally, I took a step back to give him this moment without me by his side, but the second I went to move, he snatched my hand and pulled me back to his side.

“You are exactly where you need to be, my Šemšā.” Then he raised my hand to his lips to kiss before letting me go, now assured that I wouldn’t try to move again.

Then he removed the glove from his right hand with his teeth and with a dramatic draw of his sword, he raised it in the air before sliding his hand down its length slowly. I sucked in air between my teeth, knowing first-hand how painful that was. Yet, looking at Lucius and well, he hadn’t even flinched.

But then he slid his sword back into the sheath hanging at his thigh before he raised his bloody hand to the room, fisting it and letting the crimson rivulets travel down his clenched fingers until they dripped onto the pale stone floor.

“This day we celebrate the lifeblood of our people, a rebirth and a day known to us all as the Cleansing and Rise of Ashes!” Lucius’ voice boomed across the room as a powerful and masterful presence and each of them respectfully lowered to one knee as a wave of bodies moving as one. It was so profound that even I felt myself about to lower, following them all, but then Lucius snatched my hand once more and tugged on it the second he felt the movement. This was before he glanced down at me over his shoulder,

“You don’t ever kneel to me, not unless I command it of you,” he whispered before going back to address those now all on the floor, which even included my Aunty Pip and Uncle Adam, even though she was helped to do this by her husband’s hand at her waist. This was thanks to the crazy dress that she could barely move in. And they weren’t the only ones, as even his council who stood nearby all did the same. Which meant the only ones who weren’t currently down on one knee were the only two people wearing red.

Oh yeah, this was Lucius making a statement alright!

“Now all rise and let’s get this fucking party started!” Lucius bellowed making everyone do his bidding, as they rose to their feet and started clapping, shouting and basically celebrating the start of the night. Then he tightened his hold on my hand and turned us both around so we could take our seat. Or should I say, I was about to take a seat next to him, when Lucius had other ideas. He tugged on my hand to stop me, meaning that I was left facing him with a questioning look.

Then, without taking his eyes off me, he unbuckled his sword, as obviously it was about to get in the way of his comfort. Something I knew he was going for as he also undid his jacket, revealing a tight fitted waistcoat matching the jacket underneath. Gods almighty, he looked so unbelievably sexy, that I swear my mouth went dry and made it difficult to swallow.

He threw both jacket and sword off to one side before he was ready, making me wonder why I had to wait for him and if it was some kind of proper decorum or something.

However, I wasn’t left wondering for long as the second he sat down, he grabbed my hips and pulled me down, so I had no choice but to sit in between his legs. Luckily the seating was huge and wide enough to accommodate both of us. But just to be more comfortable he raised a foot up on the seat, resting an outstretched arm on his knee and lounged back, taking me with him.

“Erm, this doesn’t look very Kinglike,” I commented, knowing I was tense in his hold making him scoff behind me,

“That show you just witnessed is about as ‘Kinglike’ as I get, sweetheart…now relax,” he said, lifting his mask up his face so it rested on top of his head, showing the slashes of black makeup beneath that reminded me of two thick brush strokes.

“I’m wearing a corset, Lucius, this is about as relaxed as you can get in one,” I commented on a laugh. But then it died in my throat the second I felt his gloved hand rise to my pronounced cleavage as he ran his fingers over the curves.

“Mmm, then I thank you for the sacrifice for the sight definitely outweighs the discomfort,” he told me with a knowing purr to his voice.

“Ha, for you maybe,” I commented dryly.

“Indeed,” he agreed in a sexual growl at my ear, before he left my breasts alone. As for the rest of the room, they had started the celebration which meant that half of them were now dancing. I even saw Pip and Adam dancing and the sight melted my heart. They were utterly adorable together and the love between them was near blinding.

But then a cover of Conquistador by Thirty Seconds to Mars started to play and Pip plucked a little control unit out from between her breasts and just as she was about to press the button I muttered,

“Oh, here we go.” Lucius then burst out laughing behind me as the second she did all the hanging dead birds inside of her skirt burst into a rainbow of colour, all spinning like mini disco balls.

“But of course,” Lucius commented making me look back at him over my shoulder to see him grinning.

“Come on, did you really expect Pip to stick to a black and white theme…speaking of which…” I then nodded down to myself pointing out the obvious and silently asking him why.

“My people needed to know that I had claimed you,” was his self-assured answer.

“Well, mission accomplished, as I think other than tattooing your name across my forehead, then it’s safe to say I think everyone got the message loud and clear, bucko.”

“Bucko, is it?” he whispered in my ear before capturing my chin and bringing my face back around to look at him. Then he ran his leather-clad thumb across my forehead and said,

“I would never taint this beauty with my name, but now on your ass, well then that could be easily arranged, sweetcheeks.” I scoffed a laugh and said,

“Yeah, keep dreaming there, Vampy.” Then I turned to look back at the crowd as he chuckled. This was before he brought his right hand around to my front, one that was still bloody but no longer bleeding thanks to the slash in his flesh being healed.

“Living with you is a dream…now, open that pretty mouth for me and suck,” he said surprising me twice. The first with how incredibly sweet that statement was and the second for the sexual demand that had me near squirming in between his legs.

“I can’t do that here!” I hissed, unknowingly prompting him to start kissing his way up my neck, with his gloved hand going to the front of my throat, dancing gently along the skin.

“Nothing in this world will stop me from tasting that which I own, as nothing will ever stop me from feeding my girl…now be good and open up for me,” he said, raising his hand to cup my jaw from behind and using his thumb to pry open my mouth. Then, once this was achieved, he inserted one of his bloody fingers, commanding me on a demanding whisper,

“Now suck.” I did as I was told, having no choice but to close my eyes as I tried to shut out his world during what I considered nothing short of a dominant display and masterful ownership over me. One where I could feel every eye watching me and, needless to say, it was a sexual act I wasn’t used to displaying in front of others. Hell, up until recently I was a bloody virgin for Gods’ sake!

“Hell’s damnation, woman, but this delectable mouth of yours will be my ruin, one chosen gladly, if an eternity of its gift is my reward,” he told me after I had finished being ‘fed’ his bloody fingers one by one. I curled my tongue around the last finger before licking up to the tip only letting him go once it was clean.

As it turned out, the act was one I soon got used to and my shame was quickly replaced by the heat in my belly and the arousal I could now feel seeping from the ache in between my thighs. But then he must have sensed this because he inhaled deeply at my neck, as if he was catching the scent of my sexual heat rising up my body. Lucius released a knowing growl against my skin and suddenly he grabbed the tops of my arms at the front of me and pulled me back tight against his chest.

“Gods, but I can’t wait to fuck you again…you make me burn for you, ache to be inside you…my good, bad girl,” he whispered making me blush at the strength of his words, as I swear my heart felt as though it would soon burst. In fact, this night was quickly becoming one of the best nights of my life.

It had always been a dream of mine to be included in a ball, one filled with who I should have regarded as my own people, for I had been born into this life. I had always been called Princess, yet I had been made to feel segregated for most of it until eventually the childish title had felt more like a lie.

But tonight, well it was the first time in my life that I had truly been made to feel like the Princess I was.

And it was all because of Lucius.

Lucius, who didn’t treat me as if I should be sheltered from his world. Sure, he wanted to keep me protected, but in his mind that didn’t mean keeping me from his people or the way of his world. It meant entwining me in it and nurturing the roots he wanted to see growing around me, forging me here right by his side. It was why he had made the decisions he had, by moving me in when he knew I would have argued against it. Because that was what I was used to. Being overly cautious when something was new and unsure. To take a step back and over analyse everything and all that could go wrong.

When really, I should have just done what Lucius had wanted me to all along, his words when dancing had been simply, to hold on, sweetheart, and enjoy the ride. And life with Lucius was most definitely that, and one I never wanted to get off!

“I know I am just guessing here but I am gonna say that I think people might notice if we went missing,” I told him making him growl,

“Like I fucking care if they did.”

“Well, I am sure your council would, and speaking of which, they are still waiting to come up here and…” Lucius cut me off with an animalistic snarl and tightened his hold on me as he said,

“Let them fucking wait, I will summon them when I am ready and right now what I am not ready for is sharing you with anyone!” This made me melt further back into him before telling him teasingly,

“Play nice, honey.”

“With you in my arms, not a fucking chance of that, sweetheart!” I laughed before turning around in his arms, waiting for him to relax enough to allow me the movement. And when he did, I pulled my skirt around to give me more space to bring up a knee, resting it against his own. This was before I placed my hands on his cheeks, framing his face so I could tell him,

“You know what, handsome?” He smirked down at me with soft eyes despite the intimidating darkness around them.

“What’s that, beautiful?” he asked in a tender tone and with a gentle caress on my back.

“I love you, Lucius.” Then I kissed him, feeling my heart overflowing with the emotion and putting it into every second of the kiss. Also proving yet again the marvel that was my smudge-proof lipstick and naughtily wondering just how far I could take that test. Especially seeing as he enjoyed my mouth so much.

Lucius kissed me back, holding a hand to the back of my head, and being careful with my hair, even though I could tell he wanted to clench a fist there.

“Not that I am complaining but I have to ask, what was that for?” he asked obviously curious once I had finished the kiss by peppering gentle ones across his smoothly shaven jawline.

“Because it may be your birthday we are celebrating, but you have no idea the gift you have given me tonight.” He raised a brow in a questioning way after first granting me a look of surprise.

“And what would that gift be?” So, I leaned in and told him exactly what gift he had given me, this time being the one to say the same words that his demon had not long ago said to me.

Because it was the truth of my heart and one whispered over lips I wanted to kiss forever…

“The gift of you.”

15

Masked Flirting

“The gift of you.”

The moment I said this he hooked me at the back of my neck and kissed me again, no longer giving a damn about my hair, or my dress or anything else for that matter as he practically dragged me up his body, his bare hand fisting the material of my skirt. A rough and primal action that told me exactly what he wanted to do to me and I had to admit, a large part of me wished that he would.

“Now that is the only birthday gift I could ever wish for,” he told me, once he had finished kissing me in the most thorough way a person could be kissed. But he had said this whilst holding his forehead to mine, which was something he always did when trying to express the intensity of his feelings.

“You big softy, you,” I teased making him smirk before telling me,

“Not all of me, no… especially with you pressed against my body and with the scent of your cream soaking that scrap of lace barely concealing that sweet, tight little pussy of yours I own,” he told me making my mouth drop, a reaction he smirked at before tapping my open lips telling me,

“I didn’t just pick the colour of your dress.”

“You picked out my underwear?” I hissed out the question making him laugh before informing me,

“I like to think of it as the right of any Birthday Boy to get to pick the wrapping he wishes to tear off his gift…one I cannot wait to open and play with later,” Lucius told me with a sexual depth to his voice that made me shudder in his hold.

“Well then, you’d better behave, or I will just make you wait,” I said as I didn’t know what else to do but tease him…well, it was that or throw a dramatic hand to my forehead and release a breathy sigh, Scarlett O'Hara style. But then this just managed to invoke images of Lucius kissing me passionately before picking me up and running up the staircase with me in his arms.

“Behave? Um now, that’s a novel notion, yet not one that is ever possible around you and the constant temptation you force me to endure,” he replied making me smirk, as it seemed I wasn’t the only one with romantic thoughts running through my mind. Although, I could imagine that his included something a little more X-rated than just being passionately kissed and carried up a staircase. Oh, but who was I kiddin’, a lot more X-rated!

And speaking of X-rated, it was hard not to notice the glaringly obvious section of the room that catered for those who wanted to indulge in the sexual act without caring who watched.

It looked as though someone had picked up entire rooms from a high-class sex club and dropped them either side of the staircase. Everything from Saint Andrews Crosses, to sex swings, cages and spanking benches were situated on their own personal platforms. Meaning that the space was raised so its occupants could easily be seen by a gathered crowd. There was even a large metal frame that was the size of a bed hanging down from the ceiling, that I gathered was for strapping a body to whilst people below got to play, as the cuffs and spreader bars kind of gave it away.

But at least for the moment these items remained unused, although looking around the room and I didn’t hold out much hope for it remaining like this for long. I mean people weren’t exactly dancing as Lucius and I had. No, now the music had changed to a heavier rock that gave people the excuse to screw decorum and this included very near screwing each other on the dance floor! Something I could see was already close to happening in the booths on the opposite side of the room.

“Do most of your parties end in sex?” I asked curiously. Lucius chuckled behind me and at the same time he raised a hand to motion for his council to come forward, which was what they were all waiting for.

“Only the best kind,” was his reply, making me turn to raise a brow at him before snapping,

“Actually, I don’t want to know!” I said folding my arms and facing the rest of the room again. But this snippy response of mine obviously amused him as by the time his council joined us, they found their master with his head thrown back laughing. Of course, this only managed to piss me off even more and I huffed in annoyance.

“My past sexual exploits ended long before you entered my bed, sweetheart,” he told me softly and suddenly my head whipped around to see if he was being as serious as he sounded.

“But what about the two blondes, the ones…the ones you had…well, that night…you know.” I asked losing my bravery the moment that night came back to my mind, now making me want to curse my thoughts for going back there. However, Lucius gave me a soft look and hooked my chin with his thumb and forefinger the moment I tried to hide my shame.

“That night was nothing but an act, one with the sole purpose of pushing you away,” he told me making me take in a deep breath before asking,

“But why? Why would you need to, I mean I was right there and what were the words you used…ripe for the picking.” Hearing this Lucius had the good grace to look regretful.

“I was a fool, but a cautious one at that, for I knew the time wasn’t right,” he told me choosing his words carefully.

“Yes well, I didn’t exactly get a say in that decision, did I?” I snapped making his chest rumble before he ran a thumb across my lips, doing so gently, unlike he had done that night where he had smeared my lipstick down my chin.

“When it is your safety in question, then I will always be the one making those decisions, my Khuba, and you did not yet know the dangerous ways of my world. But trust me now when I say that you were not the only one whose soul suffered that night,” he told me with such sincerity that I could do little but believe him.

“Now, no more of talk of the past, for this night is to mark our future and that is all that matters,” he told me and I had to say, I agreed that it was best we moved past it, as I would have been lying if I hadn’t said that the memory was still, and no doubt would continue to be, a sore spot with me.

“That, and no more blondes on tap,” I commented making him laugh before squeezing me to him and telling me,

“They were gone the moment you were out of sight, Pet, and sat there merely for show…for there has only ever been one beauty I want on tap, and she is exactly where she should be…finally.” I looked down and grinned, feeling the heat of his words in not just my blushing cheeks but also in between the juncture of my thighs. But instead of telling him what his words meant to me, I poked him in the chest and said,

“Yeah, well it took you long enough, Mister.” At this he chuckled, before framing my face so he could tip my head down and place a sweet kiss on my forehead, doing so over the lace of my mask, telling me,

“That it did, Princess, that it did.”

After this our moment was disturbed by the obvious presence of his council as they each took their seats either side of us. And it had to be said that even without all the theatrics surrounding them, they were a diverse bunch to say the least. But now in all their masquerade glory, well now they each looked incredible.

First to take his seat was Clay who was dressed like a Roman Gladiator, complete with spiked helmet that was also the face of a roaring demon, with Clay’s face positioned in between the open jaws. Large fangs that looked as if from a sabre tooth tiger, came down past his forehead. The whole thing was matt black with a brushed white effect, with only the fangs being gleaming white. He also wore typical body armour to match what he obviously classed as a mask, instead of a suit like most of the other men did.

Next in line to take his seat was Ruto, doing so on the other side of Lucius, however I did notice he left a large space in between and I wondered if this was because Adam was back. After all, Ruto was only filling in Adam’s place whilst he had been situated at my father’s table, doing so on loan for the last twenty plus years. Basically, since I had been born because Pip had said many a time, there was no way she was missing out on me growing up. So they had basically lived at Afterlife with us all, after my father gave them their old quarters back.

Because according to what little I had heard about the past, Pip and Adam, although loyal to Lucius, had once been a part of my father’s world back when Lucius was my father’s right hand. But many of Lucius’ council had been away on missions or whatever else Lucius had deemed they should be doing at the time. After all, there was only so many people needed on a King’s council and my father already had his seats filled.

Which meant that Lucius’ current table of the powerfully turned had only been seated at his side since world war 2, which was rumoured to be when the fight between the Two Kings first began. A fight, according to Pip, that had only ended thanks to my mother…or in Pip’s words, (along with a shit donkey’s load of other reasons too’)

But again, being the only person not exactly privy to this information, it was all just pieces of things I had heard over the years and ones filled with more blanks than actual facts. And seeing as I was all about the facts, then needless to say, this didn’t help me much.

However, getting back to Ruto and his obvious stepping down from the rank, I would have been concerned at some show of bitterness on his part. But by allowing that space to be filled told me he wasn’t bitter at all, but perhaps welcomed the reprieve of being Lucius’ right hand, as he didn’t exactly look bothered about it.

Then again, he did have his husband sitting down next to him, who surprisingly, he looked utterly besotted with as he couldn’t keep his hands off him. In fact, it was the first and only time I had seen Ruto look genuinely happy and not like some angsty teenager who had been told to pick up his dirty pants. For starters, he wasn’t even playing with one of the many blades attached to his black ‘Assassin Creed’ style outfit. It was also difficult to see with the large hood up hiding most of his face, but I think his mask was like a jagged piece of metal following no particular style or shape.

Keto however, like before when guiding us here, still looked like some dashing fairytale prince in an embroidered white and gold suit, one gleaming with a double row of gilt buttons. But unlike before, he also had on a mask, which matched his style as it was typical of a Venetian Mask. One with a full painted face, including the perfect heart-shaped lips of gold against pearlescent white skin and black glittering swirls around the eyes. Gold edged curls of stiff black material tipped with bells completed the elaborate mask. Of course, the bells served a purpose as Ruto was in the mood for a drink and he started flicking the one closest to him, making Keto lower the mask and roll his gold painted eyes dramatically.

“I am sure our King is in need of a drink!” Ruto shouted loudly, getting the attention of a passing waiter, one naked apart from what looked like a clay soaked loin cloth. Of course, matching the black and white theme his entire body had been painted in a layered white, hard substance that resembled thick chalk. The only black on him was the large handprint that looked as if someone had slapped him head-on and then pushed his face back.

Lucius, on hearing Ruto’s comment, spanned a hand on my stomach, one concealed by steel bones in my corset and pulled me back a little, before brushing the stray hair off my neck so he could whisper seductively in my ear,

“The King needs a drink indeed.” I coughed to clear my throat before putting up my hand and saying,

“A bottle of beer is needed over here.” To which he started laughing against my neck at the little joke I made.

“Mmm, not what I had in mind, Pet.”

“Erm, sorry make that a strawberry milkshake!” I shouted in jest, this time making him throw his head back and laugh even louder,

“Little minx, behave now…A beer and a champagne for the lady,” Lucius ordered still with a huge grin in place after playfully reprimanding me for my joke. However, the rest of his council seemed to enjoy the show. Liessa granted me a wink through her stunning mask that was clearly a mermaid theme. It was encrusted in different sized pearls and shells and it was also topped with long narrow shells that were coiled tight in a twist, with the larger one at the centre of her forehead pointing up at the ceiling like a crown.

Her outfit had been chosen for the white mermaid idea also. A theme she had picked that naturally went perfectly with her living hair that was currently coiled around twists of curls, with each tentacle having been brushed with a gold dust making them shimmer. Her dress was a long, white fishtail design that not only looked hard to walk in but it also looked hard to move in the way she wished as she couldn’t exactly do her usual trick of crawling up her husband. Not unless she first pulled up the dress-up to the top of her thighs, as it was that tight.

Speaking of her husband, Caspian, whose soul I now apparently owned, something I was going to have to have words with Lucius about as soon as I found the right time to do so, was also dressed for the occasion. However, his outfit, like the others, reflected his menacing appearance and he was wearing a black armoured biker suit with white piping. Lines of white that outlined what would most definitely have been a muscular torso underneath, including an eight pack set of abs. Added to this was a bone-white demonic skull mask, complete with horns and spiked cheeks. It was a full face one with his eyes painted black underneath like most of the males had done for added effect.

Which, I had to say, looked odd as he was currently playing the perfect gentleman to his wife as he held her hand and kissed its back after he had seated her next to Clay, and had been sure to lower her down slowly, as looking at her towering heels tonight, then I wasn’t surprised by his caution.

After this he took his own seat, getting comfortable by draping a heavy-looking arm at the back of Liessa’s seat, now caressing a tattooed hand along her bare shoulder and toying playfully with one of the suckers there. I saw the drips of ink seeping from this and he would coat the tip of his finger before raising it back to his lips to suck on.

Talk about a match made in Hell…jeez.

“And once again, where is that little fucker, Puck?” Ruto asked as two waiters, who were all dressed the same, started handing out drinks. This of course, started with Lucius’ and mine first. But then once more Lucius had to be the one to hand me my drink, taking it first from the waiter before doing so. It was an action that took me back to London and how he was the same even then. How he wouldn’t let his driver open the door for me or even his friend in the restaurant pull out my seat for me. Making me now question if this too wasn’t a sign of possessiveness.

“I ttthink he isth with a girl again,” Percy said coming to join the group. He was wearing a black cloak with a hood that framed the full square mask he wore, that was jutted at the chin and looked like cracked white marble riddled with black veins.

“Oh, don’t mind that little crackerjack titty lover, I saw him under some earth Imp’s skirt licking her out, and I wasn’t sure why but she was licking the spoon that sticks out of his head…I mean, why would a bitch do that…brain juice is just wrong,” Pip said as she was now dancing up the steps and everyone naturally reached for their drinks off the low table in front, to save them from Pip’s radical skirt knocking them everywhere.

“Squeak!” Liessa squealed in delight before they embraced, as clearly, they were close. Adam followed and as always showed respect to his King as he bowed and commented,

“Sire.”

Lucius nodded in return and then after Adam had finally coaxed Pip into sitting down, after she first fist-bumped Clay and growled playfully at Caspian, Lucius then turned to his second and said,

“It is good to have you back, my friend.”

“It is good to…” Adam started to reply but was quickly interrupted.

“OMGeeBees, it is soooo good to be back, like we must have spent three hours in bed screwing, as tying my Cockbear to the bed when it’s surrounded by a giant cage is so much more fun than our other beds…oooh, waiter, can I have ‘sex on my face’ please!” Needless to say, half of the council groaned, and the other half chuckled, Adam being on the groaning side of that group and me being on the chuckling side.

The poor waiter nearly dropped his tray as he instantly shot fearful eyes to Adam who was literally the most powerful being alive, so it was no wonder. Naturally, I had never seen my uncle in his other form and from all accounts, never wanted to either. As let’s just say he was the only monster in existence that had even Lucifer shaking in his boots.

But thankfully, it was that same unassuming badass uncle of mine that came to the poor Vamps aid.

“It’s a cocktail, and the lady will have an Amaretto, cherry liqueur and pink champagne instead,” Adam said making Pip clap and say,

“Oh yes, a cherry Bakewell fizz, I haven’t had one in donkey’s...Good call, honey beaver!” Pip said and it also went without saying that my aunty liked donkeys and actually owned a sanctuary for them. Now as for the nickname honey beaver, that was one mystery I didn’t want to discover.

“My Chieftain, it has been done,” Hakan said, suddenly appearing from nowhere, after which he took his seat as the last of the council members to do so. He was wearing pretty much what he usually wore, meaning he was bare from the waist up and wore a pair of wide black pants that were tied at one side with a flap of material, appearing like a half skirt.

He didn’t wear a mask, as he always had one painted across his face anyway. However, he did now wear a headpiece that was a crown of raven feathers and a twist of the same barbed wire that was wrapped around the upper part of his body.

“Chieftain?” I questioned silently.

“Don’t ask,” Lucius said with a roll of his eyes, telling me he seemed embarrassed by the title.

“Okay, but what does he mean by ‘it has been done’?” This time I asked the question, not just mouthing it.

“My witch, Nesteemia, has been shown where I wish her to cast the first of her wards, so a certain someone won’t slip past my clutches and is able to escape me again.” I ignored that comment in favour of the first part, wondering now what Lucius was up to.

“And that is where exactly?” I asked, making Lucius smirk down at me before saying with a wink,

“Our bed.”

16

Dancing with Jealousy

A little time later when the night was in full swing and after six glasses of champagne, then let’s just say I was feeling pretty warm and fuzzy. Enough, so that when Pip suddenly unclasped her massive cage skirt and declared,

“Time for this Pip to make the floor squeak! Come on, sugar tits, let’s boogie!” Then she reached for my hand and tried to pry me away from Lucius who growled at her, making her fold her arms and pout.

“She is happy where she is,” Lucius exclaimed making me turn back and frown at him,

“Oh, is she now?” I said crossing my arms copying Pip.

“Oops, looks like you’ve gone and done it now!” Pip said laughing.

“You wish to dance, then so be it, but you can do so with me,” Lucius declared stubbornly.

“Are you saying I am not safe to dance with my aunt not twenty feet away from you?” I challenged making him frown as he clearly knew which answer he wanted to give me. Yet it was one that would have been controlling and domineering, and although I adored how possessive he could be, there were definitely times he needed to give me space and trust that I would always come back to him…or Gods forbid, that I would be safe for once.

“Very well, you wish to dance, then I give you leave to do so…” he said making a show of releasing me by holding his arms stretched out at his sides. But then, as I started to shift off the seat, he quickly leaned forward and whispered in my ear,

“I look forward to the entertainment, pet.”

“Yey! Time to get our titties in a twist!” Pip said grabbing my hand and pulling me up the rest of the way as after what Lucius had just said, it had made my whole body pause. I was suddenly questioning whether or not this was a good idea, because I had overlooked the main factor in all this, and well, let’s just say, I wasn’t exactly like a graceful gazelle on the dancefloor. And with Lucius watching me like a hungry tiger, well it wasn’t like it was going to help matters.

Oh yeah, this was going to be fun…not…but hey, at least my aunt was excited.

“No titty twisting, my Winnie,” Adam warned making me laugh when, with her back to him, she just made a ‘yap, yap’ expression with her hands like a quacking duck but to him, she blew a kiss over her shoulder and said,

“Sure thing, my mad monster cock!” At this I groaned and like earlier, so did Adam. But she didn’t care as she now led me down to the dancefloor and to a spot that unfortunately was directly in front of where Lucius sat, so he could be…entertained.

“So, earlier when I was sat under your dress in nothing but my underwear, did you not think to mention that your skirt opens up?” I asked, seeing her minus the skirt, with only her rainbow hot pants and the top part of her dress left.

“Ooops, my bad…Woohoo, I love this song!” she shouted as the music had changed from heavy rock to a dance track. So, I listened to the words, and started to recognise it.

“Is this a dance cover of…”

“Losing my Religion, yeah ironic right!” Pip answered laughing as we both started to move to the beat as it was just one of those songs you couldn’t help but move to. So, as I finally let myself relax, I also allowed my body to get lost to the beat, starting with swinging my hips as the song started to build up. Then once it did I raised my arms up in the air, closed my eyes and let my whole body sway to the music, at the same time singing the lyrics I knew…and the words, well they were right, this whole night…it did feel like just a dream.

“Damn girly, you got yourself some moves!” Pip shouted before smirking over at Lucius and adding,

“And I am obviously not the only one who thinks so.” I then looked for myself and saw that Lucius was indeed looking at me. And he was not just staring, but he actually looked transfixed. He was even leaning forward before he nodded his head, motioning silently to Clay. At first, I thought Lucius was asking Clay to come and tell me that he wanted me back but it wasn’t the case. No, Clay was coming down the steps to stand guard, as he folded his massive arms and watched the rest of the crowd like a hawk. One ready to rain down terror and pain at the slightest sign of anyone getting too close to me. Which was when I turned around to see that others had in fact started to move closer, something that stopped instantly the moment Clay made his appearance.

I looked back at Lucius to see his eyes glowing and making a show of licking his lips before winking at me. I smirked back at him and then continued to dance, now doing it in what I hoped was a slightly more provocative way. Pip, on the other hand, was swinging her arms wide and moving in such a way it was as though she was creating a non-existent wave. The lights in her hair flashed to the beat, one we were both getting lost in.

But then, as the next song came on, I noticed three girls all dressed like Greek goddesses coming closer to the raised dais where Lucius was sat. Each of them was in a low-cut flowing dress of white with gold rope twisted around their bodies. They each held a mask painted in the same style. However, I couldn’t see the details of them, seeing as one by one they lowered the sticks holding them to their faces as they each made a show when walking past Lucius. I couldn’t help but frown as all three bowed, no doubt giving him more than an eyeful. But of course, they were beautiful, with glittering hair, each a different colour, black, blonde and red, but each face held the same beauty, for they were obviously triplets.

“Who are they?” I couldn’t help but ask as I instantly took a hit to my confidence, especially when Lucius nodded back in return. Alright, so it’s not like he invited them up to take a seat with him but still, he didn’t exactly tell them to piss off either.

“Eww yuck, just the wicked witches of Eastwick that’s all,” Pip snarled pulling a disgusted face.

“They are witches?” I asked before Pip admitted,

“Nah, I just call them that, along with Ticks.”

“Ticks?” I questioned as they each started to try and entice Lucius to dance with them in a teasing way that made me want to grow fangs and snarl at them.

“Yeah, it stands for Triple Idiotic Cocksucking King’s Sluts…Ooops…”

“Don’t say it!” I snapped after realising what she had just told me and I didn’t have the patience for her, ‘my bad’. So, Pip took my arm and turned me away from the sight and, having to shout over the music, told me,

“Okay, so yes, technically, they used to be his bitch fest of choice but that was a donkey’s balls ago… now they are just sad mad fang hangers on.”

“How long have they been around?” I asked folding my arms. Pip release a deep sigh making me snap,

“Pip!”

“Alright, so they are some of the first Angels he turned and yes, he used to fuck ‘em, being as back then he obviously wasn’t picky and clearly…he was a dick…but just look at them, they are as bitter as a dead man’s pruney bollock,” she replied making me pull a face and not just at the dead man’s pruney bollock comment.

“Why, because he’s not given it to them in the few weeks I have been on the picture!?” I snapped.

“No, try since the day he first laid his besotted eyes on you.” I gave her a sceptical look that said I didn’t believe it.

“Look, pretty girl, why else do you think they are currently trying to fry your pretty noggin with non-existent laser eyes?” Pip replied making me glance as they went past to see that she was right, each of them now looked as though they wanted to gouge my eyes out with a toothpick.

“You’re the only one wearing red for a reason, so if I were you, noodle, I would own that shit and wear it like a fucking badge of Starfleet!” Pip added making me take her advice and I started to do this by looking down my nose at them as they openly sneered at me. So, I did something totally out of character, one because I was the right side of drunk and second, because I was fucking pissed off.

So, I slapped the back of my hand to my palm in warning, making them look totally shocked that a mortal would dare threaten to backhand them if they continued with their shit. But someone else who noticed was Clay as he burst out laughing, winking at me as a well done.

“Whoohoo, that’s called being owned, bitches! Boo yeah, my Fae girl is in de house!” Pip said before throwing her head back and pretending to howl at the missing moon. But then I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder to see that Lucius had been watching the whole scene play out. Meaning that when he raised a brow at me in question, I whispered only one word,

“Trouble.”

Then I went back to ignoring him as the next act started to come onto the stage. It was a girl with a violin in the shape of a coffin, making me scoff a laugh. But she was dressed in a torn and ragged white wedding dress, complete with shredded veil. She also came with six backup dancers that stood either side of her. Each of the girls were dressed in black tux suits and had masks that resembled demonic white wolves. The girl with the violin wore a black mask of a rabbit with red tears flowing down her cheeks.

“Oooh, she is going to play Artemis,” Pip told me as people stopped to watch the show, one that quickly started to resemble the demise of a woman, thanks to the wolf of a ‘man’ who breaks her heart and tries to tear her apart. This was shown by them trying to chase her throughout the dance, all flowing as one reaching for her and as she moved one way they moved the other. They would try and lash out at her dress as she continued to dance, all the time playing the violin with such perfection and beauty, it was incredible to watch.

But then, not long into the song, I watched as everyone around me started to give me a wide berth, taking large steps backwards until whoever, it was deemed it far enough. I turned around in the circle, looking for the cause and finding Lucius now walking down the steps in that masterful way of his, motioning with his gloved hand for people to move back.

I even took note of Pip who was giving me the thumbs-up behind him as she skipped back to Adam, now leaving me to his mercy. Then he came to me, only dressed as he had been without a jacket and a waistcoat that framed such a powerful looking torso. The way he prowled towards me now was like a sleek beast ready to strike at its prey.

I knew this when, instead of just grabbing me to him, he continued to circle me slowly. When he deemed it so, he clasped my waist just at the crescendo and yanked me hard to his frame. Then he started to pull me into a dance, only this time it was one far from classic. As now we started to tell our own story and it was one based on lust, addiction and burning passion. I knew this when he wouldn’t allow an inch between us but stepped with me around the space in a dance I didn’t know. It was hard to keep up with him but with his hands on me, I had little choice but to follow his lead. Thankfully, this time there was no stepping on his feet as the second it looked as if I might, he simply spun me out on an outstretched arm before tugging me back into his chest.

But the last time he did this I ended up so close I practically fell into him. At the same time the music slowed and in response he simply looked down at me as I slowly looked up at him. It just seemed in that slow moment as if nothing else mattered but the two of us. That singular heartbeat in time, one that slowed only for us to nothing but the sound of beauty in the background going at our own pace…it was beautifully profound. A stunning moment and one etched to my very heart and sealed with the most gentle kiss I had ever received as he lowered his lips to mine.

Then the moment the music continued, the spell was broken, and he spun me away from him again, only to bring me right back to continue the steps of our dance. By the Gods, but where had this man learned how to dance this way…talk about sexually aroused!

I swear by the time the dance had come to an end, I was panting and it had nothing to do with the steps he had taken me through.

“My Amelia,” Lucius hummed down at me and I was so out of my mind with need for him that I suddenly blurted out the first thought that came to mind,

“I need the toilet!” He frowned down at me, the obvious question easy to see but instead he simply said,

“Okay…I will have Liessa escort…”

“No!” I shouted and before he could say anything more I said,

“Come with me.” Then I started to pull him to where the obvious choice for them to be found was, as there were doors either side of the stage I had seen people going into and coming back out again. So, through the still beautiful notes by the girl on stage as she had started to play her next song, I made my way through the crowd with his hand in mine. Thankfully, this was easy to do seeing as Lucius’ people parted for him quickly. But by the time we reached the doors Lucius nodded to the ladies one and I pulled him in that direction. Then once we were by the door, he started to tell me,

“I will wait here for…Amelia, what are you…?” he began to say when I started to pull him inside, walking backwards with my hands locked around his wrist, telling him with a wink,

“Ssshh, just go with it, handsome…” Then I leaned into him, knowing that it was time for a little demanding of my own, and whispered,

“…Trust me.”

17

A Sinking Sexual Encounter

Then I pulled him inside with me and to any of the women that were still in there primping themselves at the sinks, I circled a hand in the air and said,

“Alright ladies, everyone out…gehen, partir, idti, andare!” They all turned to us both in astonishment before quickly doing as I said. After Lucius jerked his head to the door, of course, telling them to do my bidding.

“Mmm, I think that covers all bases, love,” he said in reference to my multilingual words for ‘go’ in German, French, Russian and Italian.

“Not yet it doesn’t,” I said slapping a hand to his chest and walking him backwards until he was against the wall. Then I grabbed the back of his neck in one hand and fisted a hand in his hair with the other so I could yank him down to me for a desperate kiss. Of course, this was Lucius I was kissing, so naturally he got the hint pretty quickly. And that meant him taking over the kiss, turning it from passionate to possessive in a second.

He wrapped his arms around me and held me so tight I could only just manage to breathe, and I felt his fingers at my ribs pulling at the metal spines he could feel in the corset. I knew then that he was close to tearing my dress in two, so I pulled my mouth from his, ignoring his growl, telling him in between kisses

“No ripping…room…full…of…people.” He snarled but this must have sunk in as he eased his hold on me, instead going to my cleavage and deciding that was his next target. Because one second he was being gentle, caressing across my breasts and then he was snarling down at me,

“I can’t fucking wait!” Then he yanked the corset part of my dress down what little it would go, so he could free a breast. Then he took it in his hand and lifted it to his mouth so he could bite my nipple. I threw my head back and released an echoing moan in the room. One that someone was about to walk into as the sound of the door opening could only just be heard over the sound of my pleasure.

“OUT!” Lucius roared and threw out an arm so the door slammed shut, and I watched as the door handle bent back against the door frame like a lock as it melted to it.

“Well, that solves that problem,” I told him making him grin back at me before telling me,

“Now for my next one,” he said tearing open the front of his trousers before raising up my massive skirt by walking his fingers up the material by my thighs and gathering it at the same time, Then once my legs were free, he bent, ripped off my panties and grabbed the backs of my thighs. I was quickly hiked up at the same time he turned with me so now I was the one against the wall.

“Yes!” I cried out the second he started kissing me, switching between my lips and down my neck before finding my needy mouth again. The heavy beat pounding through the walls was creating a sexual baseline for our actions and only managed to turn me on even more. But then he pulled back a moment and looked down into my eyes, ones I knew were glazed with lust.

“Mine…all fucking mine!” he said before suddenly thrusting up inside of me and making me cry out, this time screaming the word,

“YES, YES, YES…Gods Lucius, yes!”

“Look at us…look at how we fit…look at how fucking perfect you are for me…LOOK!” Lucius said after looking over his shoulder at the two of us reflected back in the mirror that filled the wall. So, I did, and as he pounded into me, he snarled the moment I looked away,

“NO! Keep looking, keep your eyes to the mirror and do not move them! I want you to see what I see every time I fuck perfection.” I sucked in a quick breath at his heated words and let them wash over me, doing as he told me to. And I had to say, that watching the two of us connected in such a way, well he was right, it had my pulse racing as I felt it build like a fuse inside me. One that travelled the length of my body until it ignited every single part of me as I exploded, now doing so to the sight of our love, lust and passion coming alive.

Naturally, I came screaming and did so with my head arched back against the wall. But Lucius didn’t stop. He was merciless, commanding more and more in every delectable way, as with each thrust of his cock I could feel the walls of my sex pulsating around him. The way I sucked him back inside the moment he tried to leave me, if only for a millisecond of time. I wanted him there inside me for what felt like forever.

“Gods yes, more…give me more!” I shouted, demanding it of him as I clawed at the shirt on his back, wishing it was flesh beneath my fingernails. But then he walked me over to the sinks and placed me down on the countertop in between two sink bowls. Then he hammered into me with such speed, I had no other choice but to cling onto him and let him use my body to its fullest, crying out for a second time and coming hard from it. I heard the sound of cracking and saw the mirror above my head branch out around the fist that had been suddenly embedded into it. Then he started to come inside me, and I knew this the second his hand left the mirror and instead found the edge of the basin. He fisted the edge so hard it rattled in his hold, but I quickly shifted my gaze to a far more pleasurable sight and that was my own perfection that was Lucius.

“FUCK! RAWWWR” he roared throwing his head back and bellowing his release at the ceiling, captivating me by the sight. Gods, but it was so raw and beautiful at the same time, I couldn’t help but raise a hand to his cheek, even as his orgasm continued as he thrust inside me a few more times as he emptied himself. But then as he started to come down from his high, he lowered his head to my chest as he breathed in deep, kissing my exposed breast tenderly.

“Insatiable girl,” he whispered against my skin before looking up at me, as he raised his head slowly.

“Perhaps…or maybe I just wanted to remind you who you belong to,” I told him, making him smirk before saying,

“Ah, the troublesome three…but of course,” he said making me growl at him, which of course, amused him greatly.

“They mean nothing, but you know this, for there is only one who is currently caressing my cock, which will continue to be so until the day I turn to ash once more,” he said making me frown at the strange end to that statement. And just as he could see me about to ask him about it, he tapped me under my chin and said,

“Now, I believe we still have a party to attend.” Which I knew was his way of saying we had to get back. So, I looked down to where we were still connected and stated,

“I believe there is only one of us currently preventing that.” His roguish grin said it all. Then he bucked his hips forward making me moan once more before he pulled out of me, chuckling at my reaction. Then after he righted himself, he took me by the waist and lifted me down from the counter. Then he began tucking my breast back inside my dress making me laugh before teasing,

“I think this dress is so tight that it might need punching back in there.” To which he smirked down at me before saying,

“Take a deep breath.” I did as I was told and the second I did, he yanked my top up, doing the job of covering me. Then I looked towards the wall at the scrap of torn lace on the floor and then back at him with my hands on my hips.

“Right, well, got any ideas about how to fix them while you’re on a roll re-dressing me?” He shrugged his shoulders and said,

“My birthday, my wrapping.” To which I smacked him on the arm making him laugh. Then he looked down the length of me as my skirt once more touched the floor and said,

“I think your modesty is safe under there, sweetheart.” I held back my smile and got up on my tiptoes closer to his face and hissed,

“Yes, but now I feel naked.” Then he leant down closer to my face and replied,

“And I wish you were.” Then he clasped my chin and held me there whilst he quickly kissed me. After that he released me and said in a cocky way,

“I will give you a moment to…compose yourself.” I growled again at this last part making him chuckle and tell me,

“I will send Liessa to escort you back to me…so be quick, my pretty ravished princess.” Another swift kiss later and he was fixing the door handle about to leave, but not before first making a show of bending down to the floor and retrieving my panties. Then, when I made a strangled sound in the back of my throat, he looked at me over his shoulder and said,

“Spoils of war.” Then with a wink he left me to ‘compose myself’, which he was right, I most definitely needed the time to do so. Meaning, I quickly used the toilet, which wasn’t as easy as it sounded with such a big skirt on. I swear, but I felt like an upside-down mushroom by the time I had managed to get my skirt up around my waist. And then there was the ungraceful monkey arm as I tried to wipe myself. Well, I was just thankful Lucius had left, as ‘composing yourself’ was about as sexy as dressing up as a turtle and dragging yourself across the floor to the bed.

Once finished, I found myself at the sinks, seeing now the damage Lucius had done to the mirror and I looked down at the now loose, wobbly sink which was a carved piece of white marble. Well, at least he hadn’t burst any pipes or that would have been a double whammy on things exploding. I moved away from the damage with a smirk and focused on myself, now trying to re-pin my loose hair back in place and rubbing at the smudges under my eyes and around my lips, seeing that it hadn’t passed the Lucius test.

Well, I didn’t care, as it had been more than worth it. In fact, I was so deep into thinking about Lucius kissing me that I only realised I was no longer alone when I could see the three masked faces staring back at me in the mirror. Great, just what I needed, it was the troublesome three, AKA, the TICKS!

Each had their masks in place, held there by the sticks they grasped. Masks that were similar to Keto’s as they were the typical Venetian style. Only the blonde’s was an angelic glossy white face, with gold around the eye holes and lips. The redhead’s was the demon, with horns and reddish-gold around the eyes and lips. The one with black hair like my own had the mask of a human, and the only face that was screaming in terror, with black around the eyes as if looking hollow to represent the death about to befall her. I knew in that instant what the three sisters were trying to achieve with their choice, no doubt trying to intimidate me. Yeah, well they didn’t know who they were fucking messing with!

“Human…Gods, but how does he tolerate the stench of mortality?” The Angel said, as she lowered her mask before stepping up to the cracked mirror admiring herself. I rolled my eyes and said,

“The only stench is the rolling wave of desperation you three keep giving off.” I said now turning to face them and putting my back to the mirror, folding my arms and showing them that their shit wasn’t going to work.

“Ha desperate, please but we have thousands of years of the King’s…” this was where I’d had enough and held my hand up in the ‘human’ one’s face as now all masks were off so to speak.

“Let me just stop you there and fill in the blanks for you as it’s clear you’re all lacking enough of an IQ between you to grasp this for yourselves…but I don’t give a damn what you did with Lucius in the past, so you can save your, ‘I had his cock’ and ‘we will get it again’ and your ‘mortal stink shit’ for… I. Am. A. Fucking. Draven!” I shouted this last part before getting in their faces after they each took a step back from my obvious rage.

“And that means that I am the only one here that was fucking born to be his! So, unless you want me to go back in there and ask your King to gift me the three of your heads as a reminder to everyone else never to fuck with me, then I suggest you shut the fuck up! And word of warning girls, I would piss off quickly before I decide which one of you will be nailed to my fucking wall as the monkeys see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil!” I snapped, making the redhead and ebony-haired one both take another step back, before muttering something about me being crazy as they quickly walked to the door.

But then they stopped, looking back and the confusion on their faces now told me something was wrong and most definitely not for what they intended.

So, I followed their gaze to find the blonde was currently leaning against the countertop with her palms flat and her head hung down, the mask now discarded to the floor by her feet.

“Sister?”

“What is wrong?” They both asked one after the other. But then this was when she started shaking, as if something beneath her skin was vibrating trying to get out. I knew something was wrong even if her own sisters hadn’t yet guessed it. So, I started to take a few steps back, and the second I did, it became a real ‘oh shit’ moment for the blonde’s head quickly snapped to the side, in my direction. And the second she did, it was easy to see that something was very, very wrong. Because gone was the angelic face of beauty but instead the pure bloodlust of a rogue Vampire gone insane staring back at me.

I knew this the second her eyes seeped with blood, veins turned to black and skin to a faint reddish ash. Her fangs dripped with saliva and deadly looking claws grew from under her fingernails, flicking the once perfectly manicured ones off to the floor in a splat of blood.

Then she snarled at me, and I was once again faced with a deadly moment, only this time I wasn’t facing a mortal man I knew how to fight. No, this time I was facing the strength and speed of a vampire I had never fought before.

This time, I was facing death.

And death…

Lunged for me.

18

Sinking Shoe Feeling

And here we go.

The moment she lunged for me I quickly sidestepped, making the crazed bitch run into the wall as I had slipped into the end cubicle. Then I saw her push off the wall with a snarl, coming back at me, so I kicked the door as hard as I could, making it slam into her, knocking her back against the wall, this time next to the sinks. She roared like a wild cat and just as she was about to lunge again, her sisters were quickly there, holding her back.

“Cleo, what is wrong with you!?” The redhead said struggling to keep a hold of the clawing sister.

“Why do you…” The one with black hair started to say but the second I saw her suddenly tear her head to one side, I knew some serious shit was going down. Because it wasn’t just affecting one sister. No, it was starting to affect the other two. I knew this the moment I saw her start to vibrate just like her sister had done before turning into what I could only assume was back into a savage rogue. Only this wasn’t like the two I had come across back in Munich, but more like the stories of the mindless rogues Lucius had eradicated during the Cleansing.

“Oh no,” I said the second the blonde broke free of the redhead’s hold who, for the moment, wasn’t a raving lunatic like her sisters were. Which was why I let her deal with the black-haired one as I once more had to fend off the crazed blonde bitch coming at me again. So, I did the only thing that I could think to do, and that was to kick out at her the second she came at me, lifting my skirt at the same time.

Thankfully, my metal heel did a pretty good job at stabbing her in the belly, something that at least gave me enough time to turn and grab my next weapon. While she was howling in pain, looking down at the bleeding hole in her gut, I was busy trying my hand at a bit of plumbing. I reached for the back of the toilet and with a quick tug I pulled off the toilet’s system lid just in time as she was once again coming at me. So, I swung it upwards just before those claws of hers reached me, making it connect hard with her jaw, that ended up snapping her head right back. It was like watching it in slow motion as I swear that was how focused my mind was.

Zombie blonde staggered back from the force, allowing me enough space to get out of the cubicle. The second that I did, I spun to face her, and didn’t hesitate to swing my unconventional weapon again, this time doing so side on like I was holding a bat. The force of which ended up breaking her jaw so badly that half of it now hung off the rest of her face. Well, there went her good looks, I thought with a grimace, openly wincing at her.

But amazingly she took a pause and turned her head to look at herself in the mirror in that super creepy way, reminding me of a crazed owl. Her sisters behind her had all paused watching this little scene play out as if in some kind of trance. Then she raised a hand to her hanging jaw and rubbed a finger across a pair of lips that were not really where they should be.

“Yeah, no amount of lipstick is gonna help with that one, blondie,” I said, unable to help myself and her response to this was a very permanent way to solve the problem, as she suddenly ripped her jaw off completely and threw it at the mirror in anger, making it splat against the glass.

“Eww,” I hissed but then she screamed and when doing so in the ultimate of all-girl paddies, she grabbed a fist full of her hair and suddenly ripped it out, patches of scalp and all.

“Uh…okay, well, that should help,” I commented sarcastically, before she suddenly ran at me again. This also signalled the sisters to do the same which ended up in another moment, best described by the next words out of my mouth,

“Ah shit.”

Then I ducked out of the way, coming up at the same time she passed, punching her in the gut, one that was bleeding from the impact of my shoe. But then I was dodging another sister as she too tried to get to me, swiping out at my skirt and slashing through the material as I jumped back. Well, lucky for me there were enough layers in this baby to withstand a slash happy maniac. Especially one that didn’t seem too hot and high on the brainpower scale right then.

But at least this move put me on the door side of the bathroom and I intended to bloody use…or at least try, as the second I nearly made it to the handle, it opened and Liessa was stepping through the door.

“What the fuck?!”

“Welcome to the party…Ah!” I said which ended with me being grabbed from behind and thrown into a cubicle, making me twist as I landed against the back wall awkwardly over the toilet. Then the cubicle doorway was being filled by the redhead, only this time she looked solely intent on finishing the job the other two hadn’t yet accomplished. Which, I was pretty sure, was to rip my head off and use it as a cocktail bowl for three!

Either way the second she lunged for me she was suddenly being dragged backwards, disappearing from sight… Thank you, Liessa.

“Come here, Bitch!” I heard my new best friend growl as she started fighting with the red-headed rogue by the door. I quickly got my bearings and the second another one was coming for me, I looked up at the cubicle frame. Then I grabbed the bottom of my skirt and tucked it down my cleavage and made a quick decision to jump for it. I swung myself forward like a kid on the monkey bars and let my feet fly. They both hit the dark-haired chick in the chest and made her go flying back, where she fell, cracking her head on the edge of the counter before knocking her unconscious.

“One down,” I said after letting go and falling back to my feet, where I found a broken faced blondie crouched low to the ground as if ready to pounce.

“You need to get out of here!” Liessa warned and I took a quick glance to see her now fighting the redhead, and in doing so having no choice but to snap her arm before getting her in a headlock.

“Yeah, I will but first, me and blondie got shit to finish,” I said then I turned back to her and said,

“My turn.” I said rolling my neck and nodding for the bitch to step up. She snarled a demonic hiss at me before she made her move and attacked me. So, I sidestepped, grabbing her arm in time to twist it behind her and not hesitating to break it, making her howl in pain the second I snapped the bone. Then, with her trapped in my hold, one that wasn’t easy given a vampire’s strength, I watched as Liessa grabbed hold of the redhead’s jaw, forced it open and at the same time used her teeth to pull off her glove. Then, once free she held it above the redhead’s open jaw and bent her hand back so the poisonous ink could drip down the inside sucker on her wrist and force the bitch to swallow it down.

“Damn it, now why don’t I have that?” I said making her wink at me, before I decided to improvise yet again, doing so quickly before blondie slipped free. So, I grabbed her by the hair, kicked out her legs and slapped her head against the countertop at the same time, allowing both the force of gravity and my strength to do its job. Then I quickly kicked my leg up backwards and grabbed my shoe, before raising my hand up and bringing it down full force into the side of her head.

The second it struck, landing inside her ear, she exploded into a cloud of red ash and I took a step back in time to see that the redhead also did the same after first falling forward, choking on the venom.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that,” Liessa commented staring down at the red ash floating around her feet.

I walked towards her, fully intent on getting the hell out of there when the black-haired one started to moan on the floor. So, without thinking I picked up the sink that Lucius had knocked free when he was…well, knocking me. One hard yank was all it took, and I was using all my strength to lift it off the counter before I literally dropped the whole thing on her head, making her instantly burst into a cloud of crimson dust.

“That’s what happens when you forget to wash your hands, bitch,” I said before stepping over the gathering pile of ash and walking to the door with Liessa behind me, chuckling at my parting line. But then when we walked back out into the main hall, my satisfied smug expression ended with my mouth dropping open. Because what faced us now was nothing short of utter chaos!

“Oh shit.” I heard Liessa say beside me at the sight of all the crazed vampires now attacking anyone that was closest to them, making me realise that the three bitches of Eastwick in the bathroom weren’t the only ones that had turned rogue. So naturally, my hands flew to my mouth as I uttered in gut-wrenching devastation,

“What have I done?”

Because the horror of what had just happened started to infiltrate my mind the second I saw the whole room fighting. There were groups of masked people all trying to hold back different snarling wild vampires. Whilst others weren’t trying to contain them, but outright kill them. And well, considering what I had just done in the bathroom, then I wasn’t exactly one to judge.

I instantly went to where Lucius and I had been sitting to see it empty. Thankfully, I didn’t have to look around for long until I saw him cutting through the rogues that surrounded him with frightening ease. Okay, so there was one thing that became very apparent with Lucius in that moment and that was the man knew how to handle a sword…Mighty lords in Hell, did he just!

I saw him driving a group of five rogues back to the side of the staircase, as each tried to dodge his advances, meaning they were now cornered. Which I assumed was Lucius’ plan all along. But then the biggest of them, a man dressed in a medieval-style tunic, jumped up like a fucking cat intent on taking Lucius out from above. However, before he could land on him, Lucius merely caught him by the throat at just the right moment. Then, whilst dangling him by the end of his arm, Lucius slammed him back down on the spanking bench, holding him prisoner there by his throat. Knowing that Clay was nearby swinging his own heavy weapon, Lucius held out his free arm behind him and shouted,

“Axe!” Clay not thinking twice, kicked the rogue he was fighting, and threw his axe to Lucius as his master requested of him. Lucius grabbed it without even looking and the second he had it in hand, he let go of the rogue’s throat, took a step back so as to hammer the axe’s blade down, severing the rogue’s head in one go.

The body of the rogue burst into red ash, like all the others and I could then see the axe swinging back to Clay just in time. As he too grabbed it and at the same time spun out of the attack of the rogue he had kicked as he lunged for him with claws out at the ready. But Clay brought his weapon back up, slicing up the rogue’s torso with a bloody spray that turned to ash in the air, before the body joined it. After this he grabbed one back from joining the group Lucius was fighting by the back of her dress, yanked her hard to him and at the same time headbutted her with his helmet, knocking her unconscious before she too got the axe.

“Get someone to that fucking bathroom, NOW!” Lucius barked the order at the same time as kicking a rogue so hard that this particular one ended up flying through the air and landing against the St Andrews Cross. Once there Lucius wasted no time before driving the tip of his sword into its infected heart, one that burst like the rest of him.

“On it!” Ruto said, releasing a set of metal wings and after pushing his husband behind him, he started to make his way over to us when another group of rogues descended on him. This meant he had no choice but to deal with them first and his way of doing this was more than a little effective, as he threw his wings forward releasing a shower of blades that all flew from the shards of feathers, cutting through the crowd of rogues. One of which managed to get Caspian in his shoulder. Caspian turned back to snarl over at Ruto in anger before yanking the metal feather out of his flesh and using it to stab a male rogue in the head.

“His bad!” Pip said laughing before snapping her leg right up like some deadly ballerina, catching a male rogue dressed in a tux under the chin. He stumbled back into Adam, who easily snapped the rogue’s head, breaking its spine and making it burst into a red cloud in two seconds.

“Aww, it’s kind of pretty,” Pip commented before Adam nodded behind her and said,

“Try to concentrate, petal.” Pip winked at him before spinning quickly to gut punch the female rogue trying to sneak up behind her, then she grabbed her head and slammed her down on her knee making her nose burst. Then, just as the screaming rogue was bent over double, Pip jumped up and hammered her elbow down into the back of the rogue’s neck, making her hit the floor. After that Pip stomped on the overhanging edge of a discarded silver tray the waiters had been using, making it flip up off the low table so she could catch it. Before the rogue had chance to get up, Pip gripped the tray with both hands raised it above her head, at the same time coming to stand over her. She then proceeded to smash it down into her neck, severing her head instantly.

It was, without a doubt, utterly badass!

Especially when she looked back at her husband, who currently looked close to drooling over his wife’s actions, and spotted another female rogue coming up behind him. Pip, as if acting on instinct, looked down at all that was left of her victim and yanked the embedded tray from the stone. Then she threw it with such precision that it was inches from hitting Adam’s head but instead missed him and hit the rogue so hard that she went flying backwards, crashing into a table. After this she skipped over to Adam who was looking behind him to see what had just happened and patted his chest before saying sweetly,

“Try to concentrate, flower bee.” Then with a smirk walked past, found the girl, and stomped on her head snarling down at her,

“He’s taken, bitch!”

Now that really was badass!

19

Rise of Ashes

I looked to Liessa and the first thing that came out of my mouth was the immeasurable amount of guilt I felt. As there was only one possible reason this was all happening now.

“This is all my fault,” I whispered, and without saying a word in return, she took my hand in her gloved one and gave it a squeeze. It was a small comfort in light of what I had done, but it was a comfort all the same. Because the night before, by giving that box my blood, I knew what I was witnessing now could be no one else’s fault but my own. I had caused this. There was no doubt in my mind.

But this self-pity was cut short, as my ‘oh shit’ moments of the night were just about to get even worse, upgrading into what I uttered,

“Oh fuck.” This was said because the first rogue suddenly got wind of the only mortal in the room and well, for them I was an easy kill and more importantly…

An easy meal!

Which was now why about eight of them all raised their heads up in the air and started snarling as soon as the scent of mortal blood started to caress their senses. That was when they started to come for us and in turn Liessa turned all business the second she let go of my hand and said,

“Never mind that now! Here, I take it you know how to use this,” Liessa assumed after ridding someone of the weapons they wore as part of their costume like Lucius had done. And it wasn’t as if they were going to deny her, not when it was me she was protecting, as saying no would have meant a death sentence had Lucius ever got wind of it. So, I caught the sword she threw at me by the handle and said,

“Fuck yeah, I do!”

“Good, then follow me,” she said, coming in front and protecting me the best she could as we made our way into the fray, as it was clear she was trying to get me back to Lucius as quickly as she could. I didn’t know how many rogues there were that had changed, but there seemed to be enough that it was a group effort in trying to get them under control.

It was also easy to recognise some of the faces I had walked past when being led to Lucius’ council seating area that were now part of the unfortunate souls to be infected by whatever this sickness was that turned them back into rogues. Because it was obvious that certain vamps were being turned back to what they once were before Lucius had gifted them his blood. Only it must have been in a more mindless, bloodlust kind of way, because surely such a creature couldn’t function in the mortal world like this. As there was blood lust and then there was a rabid dog, foaming at the mouth and out of his mind, crazed with aggression and hunger type of lust.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly the best time to be trying to work out all the reasons or coming up with theories. Not when right ahead of me was the sight of Lucius commanding his people with a sword in hand. One, that I noted was bloody and coated in red ash. This wasn’t surprising as he was still surrounded by rogues intent on killing him. But then he suddenly found me across the room and for a single moment I froze unable to do more than mouth to him,

‘I’m okay,’ knowing this was what he would want to know. But then it looked as though I was about to speak too soon.

“Fae, look out!” Liessa shouted and I quickly reacted when I saw a blur of motion in the corner of my eye. So, I spun on one bare foot after already using my shoes as weapons and losing them to the cause of survival. But I didn’t need them in this fight, not when I finally had a weapon in my hand and it was one I knew well.

Which was why, the second I saw the rogue coming at me, it didn’t take me long before I put him on the ground. I slashed the sword up the length of his body with a roar of my anger. Then not taking any chances I finished the kill by thrusting the length of the sword into his neck, taking an appreciative moment to note the quality of the blade.

On hearing a growl behind me I spun, wrenching my sword out of the spine of the rogue, who like the others evaporated into a cloud of red ash. But with this next one, I just had enough time to see myself being surrounded by more rogues, which I knew made sense seeing as I was the only human in the room. So, I took my defensive position, remembering my training so my footing was my strength as well as the way I held my sword across my body.

“Let’s do this,” I said to the one snarling at me, bent over and claws at the ready, taking in the seven rogues all spaced out behind him. Each looked beyond all reason of sanity, as the only thing they wanted right now was the taste of my blood.

And how I did enjoy disappointing those that underestimated me and wanted me dead.

“COME ON!” I screamed in anger as the first one lunged, making me bring my sword up the second he did, catching him up the belly as I ran into the move, before spinning quickly and bringing my blade up again at the same time slicing up his back. The second he went down, I was ready for the next, bringing my blade back up and quickly finding myself going down on one knee. This was so I both dodged an attack and could swipe out my blade at the height of my shoulders, slicing through a rogue’s belly. The strike ended up cutting so deep this time there was no chance for blood to spray, so instead of getting a face full of blood, I was momentarily consumed by a cloud of crimson ash.

However, this was obviously the point when Lucius had fought enough rogues off around him to do something. And well, let’s just say on finding that his girlfriend was surrounded herself, in a ballgown with a sword in hand, battling rogues was probably the last image he expected to see.

So, it was little wonder that seconds before the next rogues attacked, I suddenly found myself being captured around the waist and pulled away, before Lucius was suddenly standing in front of me. Then, in a blurring flash of motion, Lucius managed to take down all the rogues that had been trying to get to me.

For the next few seconds Lucius was nothing more than a blur of motion as he spun from one enemy to the next, slicing through his victims with startling ease and deadly beauty. But then the more he killed, the more he became consumed by clouds of ash that only grew thicker with each rogue that fell by his sword.

This meant that by the time he was finished, he was walking back towards me, emerging like the Devil from a portal in Hell itself. This was thanks to the fog of red mist that shrouded his masterful figure before he stepped free of it and it floated to the ground behind him. It was also when I finally took note that it was Clay who had me in his arms, still holding me from behind no doubt to prevent me from running into danger to assist.

But Lucius looked like a man possessed and with only me in his sights, then it was no wonder why I tensed in Clay’s hold, unsure on how those next few minutes would go. Did Lucius blame me as I blamed myself for what had happened? It wasn’t as if I could blame him if he did. Because there was no mistaking it, Lucius looked beyond furious and the murder in his eyes was painted crimson and black. He stormed right up to us both with purpose and growled low in his throat before saying in a deadly tone,

“I like you, Clay, but if you don’t take your fucking arm off my woman right now, then I will fucking kill you with it and…”

“You got it, boss!” Clay replied quickly and at the same time letting me go before Lucius had time to finish his entire threat. Which was only when Lucius placed his sword back in the sheath that I noticed had been buckled back around his waist. One minus the other smaller sword and dagger.

“Just keeping her safe for you, Sire,” Clay added as way of explanation and Lucius nodded, for it was clear he understood this. But still, seeing another man’s arm around me must have flipped something inside him, because suddenly the sword I was still holding was snatched out of my hand and tossed angrily to the side before I was tugged towards him. Then, just before making impact with his chest, he bent and I found that impact on his shoulder as he stood with me over it.

He clamped my legs to his chest in one arm, along with the length of my dress before he nodded to Clay. After this he walked over to Adam, who had just snapped the head off one rogue that had tried to lunge for Pip’s back who was busy fighting another.

But Pip’s style of fighting looked more like a gymnast going through a routine on the mats, as she looked nimble and twice as fast. To the point that the male rogue she was fighting couldn’t actually get a hold on her and before he knew it her legs were around the top of his head. And then with a squeeze of her thighs, she let her body fall backwards off him. As she fell, she did a backwards handstand, managing to take the guy somersaulting over her head, causing him to be thrown backwards until he smashed into the far wall. To say it was impressive was a huge understatement. I just wished I had seen it the right way up.

“Report!” Lucius snapped at his right-hand man.

“Most have been dispatched or detained. I ordered those captured to be taken to the cells below as I knew you would want to ascertain as much information as you could from the ones who were weak enough to be subdued. I ordered Ruto and Caspian to do a sweep of the entire castle just to be sure there are none of the turned hiding…Hakan has been on the hunt for those that fled since the first of them changed,” my uncle said making Lucius nod in response, making me realise why Adam held the position he did. Damn, he was good.

“Good, I want every fucking person not on my council detained and on lockdown in their assigned rooms. Then I want you in my office and Pip in my quarters as soon as it’s done!” Adam bowed his head and replied,

“It will be done, Sire.”

However, Lucius never heard this respectful response, as he was currently walking through the destruction left in the wake of such a short battle, as I couldn’t tell how many rogues had turned in total. But by the look of all the red ash that now coated the floor, then I would have to say it had been more than enough to turn this night into a nightmare.

Lucius walked with purpose, creating footprints in the layer of death, with ash still floating to the ground like blood-soaked snow. But then I watched as his discarded Devil’s mask came into view on the floor, and I wasn’t sure if he saw it too, as he simply stepped on it, crushing it under his boot. I had to say it ended up being a symbolic sight for how this night had ended and I couldn’t help but feel so badly for him. It just seemed that his world was crumbling around him, first with the attack on his club and now his home, making me wonder what was next?

Of course, I also knew that, yes, as much as the box had been the start of all his troubles, I also knew that it wasn’t the only common denominator in this equation.

I was.

I was the other end of that blame and I knew that. And really, when all the reasons he’d explained had been why he had kept me at arm’s length, were starting to come true, then could it really be argued against anymore? Not after all the things that had happened since I had been forced into his life had been nothing but one disaster after another. Gods, but why, oh why, did I have to open that stupid box!?

I had been so foolish.

Too arrogant in my own ego by believing I knew what was best and allowing my knowledge and intelligence in my field of expertise to convince myself that I had been right. When thousands before me had also been foolish enough to believe them right in their findings. Science was only as strong as its believer at the time until the next belief came along and destroyed theory with fact. It was like American Astronomer Carl Sagan once said, ‘Science is a way of thinking, much more than it is a body of knowledge.’

Needless to say, that my mind was at its height of self-torturing mode by the time Lucius had made it to the top of the steps before he reared back and kicked open the doors. Something which jarred me from my self-pity. It also meant that the second he walked a few steps into the hallway, after first checking it was clear, I was near bursting with guilt. He suddenly pulled me forward, letting me slide down his body and pinned me to the wall, looking beyond furious.

So, I blurted out at the same time he did,

“I am so sorry!”

“Are you alright?”

After this we both looked at each other for a few still seconds before we both spoke at the same time, and once again, mine was a statement and his was a question,

“It’s all my fault!”

“You blame yourself?”

“Maybe one of us should pause before this conversation gets too confusing,” I suggested making him release a sigh before nodding and telling me in a tense tone,

“Then you can answer my questions, starting with the first, something I consider the most important to me right now.” It couldn’t be denied that to witness his concern for me, even over everything else that had just happened, was like a gift and one I treasured. Which was why I let my head fall forward, leaning my forehead to his chest as I told him on a murmur,

“I am fine, just ashamed of myself for what I might have caused.” I felt his hand cradle the back of my head, his fingers embedding themselves in the mound of curls amazingly still pinned there. A testament to Pip’s hairdressing skills no less.

“You’re not hurt?” he asked, as if needing to confirm it. So, I lifted my head and told him,

“No, although I can’t say the same for the bitches of Eastwick.” He raised a brow in question adding to it a questioning,

“Bitches of Eastwick?”

“Erm, I hate to break this to you, as much as the bitchy jealous side of me doesn’t, but your triplets turned rogue and attacked me in the bathroom.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and for a moment I thought this must have upset him. As well, they did all have history, and a lot of it, according to Pip.

But then he said,

“First of all, they are not my triplets, for they mean nothing to me and haven’t for a long time, and second, they fucking attacked you!?”

“Yeah, but don’t worry, they went poof,” I said, even using my hand to gesture the effect by joining my fingertips before suddenly spreading out my fingers in an exploding motion.

“They went poof?” he asked with a twitch of his lips at the terminology I used and after watching my hand add to the explanation.

“Yeah, and lucky for me before they had chance to do anything more than shove me around a bit, even though I was pretty sure they wanted to do a lot more than that, namely rip off my head and use it as…”

“Yes, yes, I am getting the picture and not one I fucking want to ever have, so get to the point where they went poof,” he said mocking me by using the same word and making me smile.

“Well, me and Liessa handled it,” I told him and again, this prompted another eyebrow raise,

“Handled it how exactly?”

“How?” I repeated, wondering what he wanted here, like a play by play action replay or just the highlights?

“Yes how, as last I checked, sweetheart, I didn’t exactly leave you in that bathroom with a fucking axe.”

“No, but you should probably do that from now on,” I joked, one he didn’t see the funny side of if the low growl was anything to go by, especially when it was added by the reprimanding tone of him saying my name.

“Amelia.”

“Okay, so let’s just say there is a reason I am no longer wearing shoes and I also have to thank you for loosening that sink bowl, as it came in handy…but I might need to add that some remodelling costs may be in your future.” At this Lucius took a step back, looked down at my feet a moment and dragged a hand down his face in frustration before admitting,

“I seriously don’t know where to fucking start, for I have no words.”

“Well, it looked as though I wasn’t the only one who had problems,” I said trying to steer the conversation back to his fighting.

“I am not sure what triggered it but my people they…they just started to turn back to their natural vampiric state, only it was worse, as if it was even before they had stepped foot in the mortal world,” he told me making me frown.

“You mean like when they were first spawned in Hell or something?” I asked and Lucius thought about it for a moment before agreeing,

“Yes, exactly that. It was as if they had forgotten everything about themselves…so many people and all of them with me for so long…in fact…” Lucius stopped mid-thought and looked away as he was clearly trying to piece together something important.

“In fact?” I asked, trying to nudge him into continuing, something he didn’t do but instead stepped into me and once again I found my back against the wall. Then he tipped my chin up and said,

“Thank the Gods you weren’t hurt.” I would have pushed the matter on what he was about to say only moments ago but was stopped in my tracks the second he suddenly crushed his lips to mine. His kiss was hot and heavy. As if the thought of me fighting three against one and with vampires no less, well it was as if he needed to reassure himself that I was still alive and well. Something I happily allowed him the time to do, especially seeing as it came in the form of him kissing me, which was nothing short of toe-curling blissful and utterly divine.

But then, just as I was happily getting lost in the act, I saw a flash of something creeping up behind his back and my instincts kicked in quicker than even I knew possible. Because I suddenly had my hand around the handle of Lucius’ sword, drew it from its sheath and drove it forward the second the rogue lunged for Lucius’ back. However, I wasn’t the only one to react in time as Lucius twisted at the right second and slashed out with what was now a demonic hand cast in Hellish armour. One that I had become used to seeing these days.

It was so powerful a strike that the rogue’s head literally severed from his body and as it flew to the floor it burst into a small cloud of ash the second it hit the ground. Lucius then spun back around to find my arm out straight behind him and he turned in time to see the body part of our victim break away into the same red ash. Only now doing so around the blade I had imbedded into his gut.

Then he looked back at me in what was a mixture of shock and open awe.

“I think that’s what we call a team effort,” I said needing to break the silence and get an idea of what he was thinking. Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long as he suddenly had his hands framing my face, including his Hellish gauntleted hand that, granted, was extra gentle with me. Then he tipped my face up so he could tell me on an aroused growl,

“Gods, but you’re fucking magnificent!” Then he kissed me, doing so to the sound of the clatter as his sword fell from my fingers. Fingers that quickly gripped onto him to hold him to me as if I never wanted to let go. And if I thought the first kiss had been a passionate one, then compared to this, it could have been classed as an entrée! As this, well this was most definitely the main course!

But then, like most delicious feasts, it had to come to an end, as Lucius was a King and necking his girlfriend all night after his people had just suffered a tragedy meant only one thing, Lucius needed to focus on damage control. I knew this when he swung my legs from beneath me and started carrying me in the direction I now knew was towards his private home.

“That’s okay, I can walk, just…” His pointed look was what killed this sentence dead in the water.

“Not when you don’t have shoes, you can’t,” he told me nodding down to where my feet were currently hidden by layers of material, a dress that had mainly survived other than for the claw marks slashed across the skirt. Something he growled at the moment he noticed it.

“Do I want to know?” he all but snarled.

“Not really no, but if you like I can really embellish reality and say a ginger pussy cat didn’t take kindly to me gut-punching her sister after first knocking off her jaw with the back of the toilet or when I stabbed her in the gut with my shoe for that matter… so naturally, I got her claws.” Lucius stopped walking and stared down at me before asking,

“And exactly which part of that story is the embellishment?”

“Err, the part where she is a cat,” I answered cautiously.

“That’s what I thought…Gods alive, woman, is there anything you do by halves?” I rolled my lips inwards and finally gave in to the urge to bite my fingertips, before saying,

“Not really, no…although I should point out that Liessa was the one to break bones this time.”

“And you didn’t?” he asked as if he knew the answer already,

“Well, yes I did but she did it first and besides, I needed some way to get her to her knees and let’s just say that extreme pain really helps in getting what you want.”

“On her knees?” he asked, clearly very interested to know.

“Yeah, well it was easier that way when smashing her head onto the counter before I stabbed her in the head with my other shoe.” Lucius cursed through his teeth before saying,

“So, you stabbed her twice with the same shoe?”

“No, different shoes, as it’s how I lost them both and to be honest, looking back now and blondie really did get the worst end of the fighting stick.” Lucius’ eyes widened before he shook his head as if he was trying to picture everything I’d just described but was still coming up empty.

“And the other two?”

“Liessa took care of the redhead by forcing her to drink her ink and the black-haired chick, well I kind of might have dropped a sink bowl on her head.”

“Ah, hence thanking me for loosening it,” he surmised before saying,

“I think it’s safe to say that you are the most resourceful person I have ever met.” I smiled but then the reality of the reasons why hit me, and I swallowed hard before saying,

“Yeah, that might be true, but Lucius, what if by me opening the box caused this…those three sisters would still be alive…all those people…your people…what if I am…?” Lucius again stopped walking so he could lift me higher to his face and whisper down at me,

“Don’t go there, sweetheart.”

“Don’t go there?! How can I not? Hell, here I am making jokes about killing them and…”?

“They did try and kill you first, pet, so it’s not like they didn’t deserve it,” he told me making me scoff,

“Yeah and what if the only reason they turned that way was because I opened that fucking box! What then?”

“I said don’t go there, Amelia.” I released a shuddered breath before sucking one back in again, the moment I felt the tears of guilt rising.

Then, as the first tear fell, I told him honestly…

“But I am already there.”

20

An Era to Ashes

Lucius

“How is she?” I asked Adam the moment he set foot in my office. This was once the rest of my council had been given leave and after an hour of me being beyond pissed off and barking orders at everyone! Adam shrugged his shoulders first of all, and said,

“She blames herself and as you know, guilt is a torturous emotion to live through.” Fuck, but he had that right!

Adam was one of the only beings alive that knew the full extent of the guilt I had good reason to feel and the main reason why I had kept her at arms-length for so long. Something he had even had to keep from his wife. A feat in itself, as it was to date the one and only thing he had ever kept from her.

But, if such a thing was possible for a being like me, then Adam was what convention would class as being my best friend, however juvenile that sounded. But then he was my right hand for a reason, as he was loyal to the very core and even had he been without the gift of my blood, making him what he is today, then I knew without a doubt he would still have my back no matter what.

But our genuine friendship was one that others rarely saw for what it truly was, as in front of the rest of the world he seemed to be the most cordial servant. However, behind closed doors like this time, he was simply a friend who was free to give me shit and speak to me however he damn well pleased. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Because I needed that honesty in my life and being King, and one with an often deadly and icy temper, well let’s just say there weren’t many brave enough to challenge me.

But well, Adam was…different. And that was putting it mildly considering he was the most powerful being ever created and created he was. Lucifer’s idea of an experiment gone wrong and when I say wrong, what I mean is the destroying all of Hell variety.

Before he merged with Adam, the man before me now and the mortal vessel the beast lived within, he was actually a colossal beast, by the name of Abaddon. For many years Lucifer managed to contain him, first needing to give him his own level of Hell to roam as an unsuspecting prisoner. But Lucifer’s beast would grow irritated and if such a word could be used to describe such a creature… he also grew bored.

So, Lucifer, not wanting to waste his beast, put him to good use as the final punishment when passing the cruellest of judgements. The same punishment that was cast upon a fortunate Pip, after first being tried for the part she unknowingly played in bringing the black plague to London, causing the deaths of at least 40,000 people.

This meant she soon found herself being given to Abaddon as a plaything, one he usually ate after he was done amusing himself with them. However, what no one expected was that the beast would never get bored of Pip and in fact, beyond all comprehension, actually fell in love with the Imp.

But when Lucifer got wind of this, he feared the power she would hold over Hell, knowing that Abaddon had the ability to destroy his Kingdom, should she merely ask her beast to do so. Which meant that what he did next was the grave mistake of having her taken from him. Or at least they tried, for the moment Abaddon discovered her gone, his rage ended up causing the 1667 Shamakhi earthquake that killed about 80,000 people, ironically double the death toll his little Imp had accidentally caused.

What came next was time for Lucifer himself to pay her a visit, when he tried to convince her that if he revoked her sentence then in return, she must control the beast to his needs. But what he didn’t count on was that Pip had also fallen in love with Abaddon and utterly refused to allow anyone to use her beast.

This naturally didn’t go down well with Lucifer, so as a punishment for disobeying him, he revoked her sentence anyway, doing so in such a way that Pip had no choice but to be sent back to the mortal realm. In doing so he believed he could then use Pip as bait, controlling Abaddon by threatening to keep her from him for eternity if the beast refused to do as he commanded. Needless to say, that Lucifer, also known as my father, was a bit of a bastard in this regard.

Unfortunately for the Devil, Abaddon didn’t take too kindly to this and quickly started to destroy Hell, despite Lucifer’s armies trying to stop him. Which meant that he had no choice but to plead with the Imp to find Abaddon a host and one strong enough that he could accept such a beast out of Hell and contain him in a mortal body.

Lucifer then called upon his good friend, King Asmodeus who rules over the Circle of Lust and just so happened to be the father of one Dominic Draven. Seeing as at the time I was Dom’s right hand, I was then commissioned to find the shadow Imp and help her in her mission to find a host. One who, to survive the transformation, would first have to die whilst being turned into one of my sired. And furthermore, at the same time Pip had to bring forth Abaddon, drawing him out through Hell and fusing him inside his new host. The only way it worked was because it had simply all been fated to happen this way, as my abilities to sire a human can only achieved if it has been granted the power to do so by the Fates themselves. Which I assume was how the past version of me was able to achieve this with Keira. For I have no knowledge of the act other than what Keira has conveyed to me herself about the events that happened all that time ago.

But as for Adam and Pip, the pair never left my side other than for the last thirty years or so that they have been at Afterlife. Something at the time I encouraged at first for Keira’s sake due to the deep friendship she and Pip had forged. Then secondly, after meeting Amelia for the first time and discovering who she was to me. Well, then it served its greater purpose by having the most powerful being alive, one loyal to only me, situated where my Chosen One resided.

Which also meant that Adam had been the first to discover my true feelings for the girl and had aided me in keeping tabs on her since the tender age of sixteen. Pip, of course, eventually learned the truth of my feelings for her ‘niece’ as it became harder and harder to keep my obsession from her, especially when I had her husband doing my dirty work for me.

Of course, eventually this knowledge also got back to Keira and made for somewhat of an awkward conversation to say the least. But then she admitted that there was always a part of her that knew this would happen. And it was like she had said, ‘who was she to get in the way of what is fated to be’. Of course, since being the one fated to prevent the end of days, then let’s just say that Keira’s ‘personal thoughts on the Fates and their plans’ had changed somewhat over the years.

“Yes, I am somewhat familiar with the sentiment.” I said drily in response to his guilty comment, as he walked to the opposite side of my desk and help himself to a seat.

“She fears that you blame her too,” Adam informed me making me rub a hand down my face as was a habit when frustrated.

“I blame the fucking box, the bastards that want it and a fucking witch I want to see burn by my feet for manipulating her into opening it!” I snarled.

“Are you sure she did, and our girl wasn’t just too curious to stop herself?” he asked, playing Devil’s advocate as he usually did behind closed doors. For Adam would never question me like this in front of anyone else.

“She planted the fucking seed and that is enough for me!” Adam smirked at my response and replied,

“It’s good to know you don’t have it in you to blame her.” I rolled my eyes and snapped,

“Do you blame your wife for half the shit she does?” Adam rolled his wedding band around his finger, whilst smiling down at it and said,

“Oh, I blame her, only in a way she enjoys. But out of the bedroom, no, not ever. To begin with, you know full well the beast won’t let me, for in our eyes my Winfred can do no wrong.” I walked over to the wet bar, grabbed two glasses and the only bottle that would do. Then I walked back to my desk, having good memories infiltrate my mind and unable to help myself when my lips twitched in a knowing grin that wanted to emerge at the sight of the damage I had done to the desktop. Claw marks I purposely kept there as a reminder of taking Amelia on my desk. Then I wisely poured us both a drink and left the bottle within reach.

“You soft sentimental bastard, you.” I said on a laugh after passing him a glass of Henri IV Dudognon Heritage Cognac, one aged for a hundred years and worth every single penny of the expensive price tag it came with. But let’s just say that tonight, it was a two-million-dollar drink moment. Of course, the drink itself wasn’t worth the majority of the expense. No, that was mainly down to the bottle it came in which was dipped 24K gold and sterling platinum and decorated with 6,500 brilliant-cut diamonds. A drink fit for a king I thought with an inner roll of my eyes. Fuck, but I hated all that king shit sometimes, and thought back to the easier, simpler days when I left all that up to Dom. Meaning I was then free to take on the assassin role I was most comfortable doing.

“Yes, and I welcome you to the club, my King.” Adam replied raising his glass to me before taking a sip as if he had just known exactly where my thoughts were. But that was Adam, he often knew what I was thinking even when millions of others wouldn’t dare to try and guess.

“Well, you can do this sentimental bastard a favour and cut the king shit, yeah?” I said, re-taking my seat opposite him at my desk. He smirked again and nodded his head.

“So, what are you going to do?” he asked making me relax back into my seat, rubbing the day’s growth of stubble at my jaw before telling him,

“Hope you have some ideas and they don’t start with the one I refuse to do,” I said making him shrug his shoulders before saying,

“Then my advice is not to ask me, for you won’t like my reply, Luc.” I groaned and hissed a venomous,

“Fuck!” Then I downed the drink in one, before swiping the bottle for a refill.

“Did you get the names of all the fallen?” I asked, quickly changing the subject.

“I did.”

“And is it as I suspected?” I asked offering him a top-up in a silent gesture but with a shake of his head he declined and told me,

“All that turned rogue were the first of the new kind, the oldest of your sired, like you thought.” At this I lowered my head a moment and hissed an ancient Persian curse. I thought back to all I had sired in that time, knowing that most of the ones here tonight we’d had no choice but to take out and turn to ash. Something, I had never seen happen before and had to wonder at its cause. Was it a curse of some kind? Was this the witch’s doing for looking at the box’s contents, being that it held nothing more than a seemingly pointless map, then I had to question why? It had held nothing suspicious or anything to make me believe that Amelia was the cause of this by opening it in the first place.

Or perhaps Adam was right, and I was looking at this with a biased mind. Either way it didn’t change the outcome, as nothing could be done to change it now, so why torture the woman I loved with a guilt my words of reprimand would only make worse. She had already received my disappointment and annoyance when first hearing of her actions, she didn’t need more.

However, when I thought back to all that had been lost tonight, and in all honesty, my only thoughts had centred on Amelia. Barking orders at my council in getting to her, for she needed to be protected. Orders I knew should have been centred on the safety of my people. But then I had failed in my duties as King, for I knew in that moment I would have sent any of my people to their deaths in order to save her from her own.

But then this was the power of a Chosen One, as I remember what Dom had been like all those years with Keira, something he remained to this day, extending it now to his precious daughter.

“I need as many of my youngest turned on the hunt, for it is possible that right now there are thousands of rogues out there hunting the mortal world like mindless, rabid dogs out for blood,” I told him and he informed me,

“It has already been done, but you know by doing so it will not be long before he hears of what has happened and my suggestion, don’t wait for him to call you,” Adam said, referring of course to Dom, who was essentially the King of Kings, the first and overlord of all supernatural life, despite us being on equal footing. Although, when it came to his daughter, then I doubted he would see it that way.

“Point taken. Now, what of the others, are there any showing signs of turning, ones not quite as old but close in age all the same?” I asked.

“Nothing as of yet but seeing that we have no clue as to what this even is, then it could be hours, days, weeks, or even never, and just the oldest were targeted because they were of the weakest you turned at the time,” Adam replied and it was true, as at first, I wasn’t exactly picky who I turned. Besides, I was put there to do a job and that was to change the first of my kind. Savage beings that were unruly and often too bloodthirsty to see sense. However, they were nothing like the mindless beasts they had turned into tonight. But then they’d had years to adapt to mortal life and even managed at times to keep their existence hidden. Of course, there were those of them that were sloppy in that one rule Lucifer had set, hence why he deemed it necessary for a change…cue me.

But since then and as time continued on, I preferred to turn only demons, angels or other subspecies who were the strongest of their kind. Morphing them into something so much more and tapping into their potential, doing so by enhancing their abilities and strengths. But then I thought about all my people inside these carved walls and now every single one of them became a potential threat to Amelia. Which now begged the question, where the fuck was safe for her next!? Well, Adam had his ideas about this, and they were ones I didn’t want to fucking hear right now, even though I understood his reasoning.

“So, what is our next move?” Adam asked making me hammer my glass on the desk after I had downed the last of the expensive liquid making it crack, before saying,

“The fuck if I know!” I snapped in frustration and about five seconds away from ripping my fucking hair out! Because it was true, I had no clue where to go from here. I literally had nothing to go on. I had already been down to my dungeon, one kept at the lowest level of the mountain and was cut off by a large body of water that continually seeped down the large crack at the top of the castle as snow melted or rain fell. It created a waterfall that ran down the centre which fell into a pool by the cells, the constant sound of running water often driving my prisoners mad. Nature’s natural torture if you like.

However, the twenty or so rogues imprisoned there now were already lost to madness and the sight took me back to my first day setting foot into the mortal world once more, in my new body. It had been the time of the great Cleansing, as all that wanted to survive it had to kneel to their new master before accepting my blood. An act that brought about their change.

They would then grow stronger, but the price was doing so under my control, for I could literally command them to do as I wished and they would have no choice but to obey. But, like the two rogues I’d faced back in Munich inside that mansion, I hadn’t been able to control their minds, just like the snarling mindless prisoners that had faced me inside the cells.

I couldn’t see anything inside their minds other than rivers of blood and rage. It was as though whatever had done this to them had infected their minds to such a degree, that they no longer had the knowledge of who or what they were. Had mortals witnessed such a being then the terminology they would have used to label such beings would have been mindless zombies, for right now it was a fitting description. As they had been stripped of all personality, leaving nothing behind other than their most basic instincts…their need to feed.

I had even ordered some blood to be given to them in hopes of calming one enough to get a read on their mind, or in hopes even a primitive level of communication was possible. But unfortunately, this merely seemed to drive them into wanting more. Which I believed if allowed to, all that would eventually happen was they would simply gorge themselves to death.

Either way, unless I found a way to stop this or at best case scenario, reverse the effects, then these poor unfortunate souls would be sentenced to death. And in all honesty, it was doing them a justice, for being left down here to die was no way to go. Not after over two thousand years of fidelity to me and such loyalty.

My added frustration quickly came when thinking of all the rest I had turned over the years, wondering which would be the next wave of people it would affect. I thought about those closest to me and the council I had surrounded myself with, which had essentially become family. But then, with these thoughts attacking my mind like a never-ending river of questions flowing through me like acid in my veins, the worst of it hit my heart the second one name slipped through my lips,

“Keira.” Adam straightened in his chair and asked,

“What is it?”

“Fuck!” I was up and out of my chair, this time raking a hand through my hair and growling like a caged beast, only hearing my name being spoken bringing me back from the blinding rage brewing like a storm in my mind.

“Luc?”

“What if this is all about time?” I said as my thoughts all travelled at such speed, I was surprised it allowed enough energy left to form fucking words.

“What do you mean?”

“The first of those I sired, they were the first to change. Well, what if it doesn’t stop there but starts to change the next of those I sired and so on, and so on and doesn’t fucking stop!”

“You mean it is like an infection travelling along a family tree of those you sired,” Adam deduced and I nodded, making him now look grave, for that would only mean one thing.

The eradication of our entire race.

“I had assumed that whatever was inside the box had the strength or means to end my life, which was how we interpreted the end of all vampire life, seeing as each is tied to me and my blood, but what if we were wrong.”

“You believe the eradication of our kind now has nothing to do with your death but instead, is death itself?” he asked forcing me to admit the severity of what could be our future.

“Yes, for after tonight’s events it would make sense, seeing as I am still standing and yet the first of my people to turn are not and now nothing more than ash coating the floors of Blutfelsen,” I replied giving him food for thought as he raised his glasses further up his nose and asked me,

“Then why is it this witch and whoever she works for, want it so badly?” It was in that question that the answer started to really hit me, and I hammered a fist down on the desk, and swore viciously,

“FUCK!”

“What is it?”

“I have been so fucking blind! They don’t want the box to kill me, they never did! Gods, how blind I have been.”

“Then why do they want it?” he asked placing down his own glass and doing so with far less anger than I.

“The same reason we now need it, to stop the end of our existence.” I told him, for it seemed so fucking obvious now!

“You believe the box will lead you to the way to stop it?”

“It has to, for that can be the only reason for it in the first place if not to destroy us,” I replied, for it was true, what other reason could there be!?

“I hate to play Devil’s advocate here, Luc, but don’t you think it’s possible that this infection could have been released when she opened the box?” I thought about that and told him,

“No, because such a thing would not have been able to focus on vampires of age. No, it has to be something else driving this and I think that box is the means of stopping it. Why else would Amelia have found a map inside when she opened it?” Adam looked thoughtful a moment and I continued on to say,

“And I will remind you that there were nearly twenty hours in between her opening it and the first wave of deaths to infect our people. It wouldn’t make sense for it to take so long and target only a certain age of vampire, for why didn’t it target me first and what was its purpose to do so if its reason was complete eradication?”

“Put like that, then yes, I have to agree, but what now, for didn’t you say that the map is useless?” I leant my weight back against the desk as I ran a hand at the back of my neck, looking up to the ceiling as I tried to think what it could possibly lead to, as like Amelia had pointed out, it seemed utterly useless.

“I don’t know what the map is trying to tell us, but I now know one thing and that is whoever is pulling the strings to all of this, is not telling his rogues the truth of why he wants that box. I would bet my fucking fangs that he is simply trying to find a way to save his own ass!”

“You think he’s maybe a rogue of age and one that has gone under the radar for that long?” Adam asked now clearly coming round to my way of thinking.

“It is possible and their desperation in retrieving that fucking box would certainly suggest so. A desperation that has now become our own, for I fear time is not on our side here,” I told him making him nod before asking the hardest question of all,

“And what of Keira, surely she is safe for she was turned less than thirty years ago?” Adam said forgetting the biggest part of that turning… the fact that it wasn’t the ‘me’ he saw standing here now who actually had sired her.

“You’re forgetting one important part about that, my friend,” I said making him raise a brow in question, so I told him the severity of the matter,

“Keira was sired by me yes, but by me in the past…”

“Two thousand years ago,”

21

Snapping the Cord

“How is she?” I asked as soon as I finally made it back down to my quarters, looking down at Amelia from above the living area. Pip had known I was there, hence why she came up to meet me, and I had to say the grave expression on her face wasn’t one I was used to seeing. This alone told me it wasn’t good, something her words only confirmed.

“She blames herself.” I released a deep sigh as I took in the sight of my girl, who was currently still in her dress. Only now instead of the regal rose she had been when entering the grand hall, she now looked more like a wilted flower. She was currently sat on the floor, shoulders slumped as she concentrated on building something on the coffee table in front of her. Her glasses now replaced her contact lenses and they were currently sliding down her nose as she fitted what must have been a tricky piece.

“What is she doing?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“I don’t know, but she isn’t even following the instructions, so that just goes to show how upset she is!” Pip exclaimed dramatically, still giving me no clue as to what Amelia was doing. But then I noticed all the torn boxes and clear plastic bags around her and through the power of deduction, I guessed it was making her precious Lego sets I had asked Pip to bring her.

I knew then that what she was doing was deflecting, trying to take her mind off the night’s events. I had to confess that the sight of her forlorn face caused my heart to ache. I just wanted to go down there, pick her up off the floor and carry her to our bed, simply to hold her until she slept. She had been through so much since I had stepped into her world and commandeered every aspect of it. But then she had stepped into mine willingly and that had been the last of my restraint, for it snapped declaring that she would never leave my side again.

Well, now I would have no choice but to break that vow, for I knew I would soon have to leave her. This was so I could discover who or whatever was causing the death of my people. And I couldn’t risk her safety by taking her with me, not when my blood mixed with hers simply made her a target. Unknowingly, I had done this to her when binding myself to her, making her a living, breathing key to the box, and one that could potentially be used at any moment to destroy my race. Because, after speaking with Adam, I now knew that it was possible that the reason the box existed was as a safeguard in case this ever happened. Something that would only come to light once it was needed. Now an army of rogues wanted it before they lost their lives to the crazed sickness that consumed those of them that had turned tonight. And what if they got their hands on the way to stop this epidemic first, as let’s just say that I doubted they would be inclined to share.

No, my guess was that as soon as they found the cause or antidote, it was one they intended to use against me, trying to overthrow my rule with one of their own. After all, the one who had the power to reverse the infection or offer a cure of life held all the cards and what good was I, as their ruler, if I was no longer the one to save them?

Of course, I couldn’t be certain on this plan of theirs, but it stood to good reason, as what else would there be? Very little else made sense. So, after this discovery, it was time to get plans in place, which first of all meant getting my Chosen One to a safe location before I had to leave to deal with this shit storm!

Now this thought didn’t exactly fill me with joy, as leaving her would be like willingly tearing my fucking heart out and handing it to her on a platter for her to keep until my return. So, agonising was the consensus on that one.

But it was a necessary evil that had to be done, for there had been far too many attempts on both her life and stealing her away from me so far. I wasn’t about to let it happen again! Which was why I had Adam working on some alternative locations where keeping her safe would be possible. Something that, putting it mildly, I knew she would not like.

She hated to be made to feel weak and not be included in everything, something I knew was a by-product of being made to feel isolated and segregated from her father’s world. And truly, I hated the idea of doing it to her, knowing it had the power to affect our relationship and the solid foundations I had near broken my fucking back trying to cement between us!

So, unless she was suddenly willing to see reason and not let her stubborn beliefs overrule what I deemed was the best for her, then maybe I had a shot at keeping the peace between us…but let’s just say that I wasn’t holding my fucking breath with that one!

Which was why I had made the decision only to tell her my plans to leave once I had gotten her to wherever it was that I decided was for the best in keeping her safe. Of course, I knew where Adam had tried to convince me would be safe, but I had not wanted to hear of it so I told him to keep looking.

“What will you do?” Pip asked in a small, sad voice that I hated hearing on one usually so full of life and exuberance. But then again, Pip had been with her since the day she was born and thought of her as the daughter she never had. So, having to witness her heartache was one that would only end up mirroring her own because of it.

“Whatever I have to in order to keep her safe,” I told her with a nod towards the door, telling her that I was here now to relieve her in protecting Amelia for me and adding to the silent order,

“Go and aid your husband and tell him that once he has researched all options, for him to come and find me.” Pip released a deep sigh and leant her head against my folded arm, asking me,

“It will all be okay…right?” I tensed before forcing myself to relax before turning to Pip, and it was very much like being a father to a child, despite how old she was. Her innocence was something that she never outgrew with age or by her years of experience, but instead only seemed to nurture it. Which also made it increasingly difficult to ever be angry at her. Meaning that out of all the people under my rule, without a doubt, she got away with the most.

Besides, I fucking hated seeing her upset and she knew it!

So, I took her chin and raised her endearing face up to mine and told her,

“I am not worthy of being King to my people if I fail and seeing that saying I would die trying is out of the question, then I will say this instead, for as long as there is breath left in but a single vampire upon this Earth, then I will not give up trying to put an end to this.” She blinked back the tears forming in those deep forest green eyes of hers before she finally graced me with a childish grin I secretly treasured.

“Now go to your Khuba, whilst I go to mine,” I told her nodding to the exit, something she did but not before grabbing me by the lapel of my waistcoat and kissing me on the cheek, telling me,

“Sure thing, boss man.” Then she skipped off to the door but before walking through it she paused and called my name,

“Oh, and Luc…”

“Yes, little Imp?”

“I know you won’t let us down and die.” Then she winked at me before skipping through the tunnel entrance. I turned back to the sun in my life and muttered,

“I sure hope not, Winnie. I sure as all of Hell hope not.”

As silently as I could, I walked into the living space and simply watched her until she realised she was no longer alone. She was so deep into her activity that this took her nearly five minutes. But I found her utterly captivating to watch. I was fascinated by her level of concentration. I could imagine the same level of commitment in her work and could even picture it for myself. Her sat at a desk scrutinising and analysing over every inch of some ancient artefact she would have sat in front of her. That same adorable look on her face where her glasses continually slid down her nose. I fucking loved it when she did that, like some damn librarian that made me hard at just the thought. The idea of taking her up against some bookshelf, with a hand over her mouth in order to keep her abiding to the rules of her workplace. Just the thought of feeling every breathy moan or captured scream of pleasure against my palm…Gods, but it made me want to build a fucking library just so I could act out the fantasy.

But then it was also the way her big, beautiful blue eyes widened one moment and started narrowing the next as she came across something new in her discovery. Gods, but I confess I didn’t know what the sight of her made me want to do first, bend her over as I had done in my office or simply pick her up and bury my face in her neck, holding her to me. However, then those big blue eyes finally found me standing there, leaning casually against the single stone wall near the living space and just seeing the redness in them, then I knew she had been upset. Which was why I went with the latter option of the two, knowing that comfort was what she needed right then.

However, as was usually the case being around Amelia, she surprised me when she suddenly raised her palm to me and shouted,

“Stop!” Instantly annoyed and narrowing my eyes, I said in a warning tone,

“Excuse me?” As let’s just say nothing and no one kept me from my Chosen, not even her and I didn’t give a fuck how barbaric it sounded.

“Don’t come any closer!” she said again and I swear I could feel the rage of such a demand building up inside me, with my demon leading the way. Which was why the next sound from my mouth was her name said as a firm warning against whatever reason she could have to try and keep me from her.

“Amelia.” I took what I knew was a determined step towards her, one that probably looked quite menacing considering the furious mood I was now spiralling towards. But then the moment she said her reasons, all my anger evaporated in an instant and was replaced by nothing but awe.

“Please, I haven’t quite finished yet and I don’t want to ruin the surprise,” she said, getting to her feet and rushing over to me, despite first struggling with her large dress. Which meant that by doing this, there was no reason for me to continue to be angry with her. Not when she was now freely giving me what I wanted, which was her body in my arms. She placed both her hands on my chest and looked up at me in that beseeching way of hers and one that rendered me powerless to say no to her.

“I won’t be long, I just need a few more minutes and then I can show you. So, just close your eyes and I will lead you…”

“I have a better idea,” I told her after she had grabbed my hand and started leading me away from the living space. I released my wings, summoning them from both realms of Heaven and Hell, before picking her up by the waist and flying her over to the bedroom. She squealed in surprise but was back on her feet again in seconds and before the breathy sound had ended.

Then I took her hand and led her into the bedroom, happy to see that Nesteemia, my witch, had cast her wards along each of the bedposts like I had commanded she do. In fact, I could even feel the strength of them the moment I walked inside, knowing that it would take me a while to grow accustomed to the dark signature she had used in binding the protection spell around where we slept.

At least tonight I might have a chance of getting some fucking sleep, as I hadn’t since she had been lured to the silent garden for fear that it would happen again.

“Where are we go…?” she started to ask before she soon found the answer, as I then led her inside the dressing room. I had to say, it still warmed my heart when seeing one side full of her stuff, knowing that I had finally made it happen, despite the underhanded tactics I’d had no choice but to use to make it so.

“I want you to get out of this dress, get yourself into something comfortable and whilst I have a shower, you can finish your surprise,” I told her, knowing that since she first sat down between my legs at the ball, she had been uncomfortable. And no matter how utterly breath-taking she looked in it, she had been in it far too long now, and it was bound to start making red marks against her skin. I knew this for a fact as I could feel the metal boning beneath my fingers when having her against me in the grand hall.

“But I…”

“No buts,” I told her firmly before letting her go and walking away to give her privacy when suddenly her words stopped me.

“I can’t get out of it.” I frowned before looking back at her,

“Come again?” She took a deep breath and released a heavy and embarrassed sigh before admitting again,

“Pip wasn’t here long and all the time she was, she was busy in the kitchen forcing me to eat the sandwich she made me before you showed up. So, even though I tried to ask her, she was…kind of in a talkative mood, so I didn’t really have chance to explain…”

“You can’t get out of the dress yourself?” I concluded making her blush and I swear the sight made me want to fucking howl, as it was delectably cute.

“No…but it’s because Pip got me in it and no matter how hard I tug at the cords, I can’t get it loose enough…I was even tempted to try and take a knife to it at one point…” My growl of disapproval made her frown before snapping,

“I obviously didn’t.”

“I am glad to hear it, as it would have been a sure way to make me fucking furious,” I informed her, hoping the threat would resonate into making future decisions that included any type of blade coming into close contact with her skin.

“I gathered as much…hence my aching ribcage,” she said making me sigh, before walking back over to her and cupping her cheek, caressing a thumb across the blush of her skin.

“My poor baby,” I teased making her give me an adorable pointed look which made me chuckle before telling her softly,

“Turn around, pet.” She did as she was told, along with keeping still when I warned her of such. Either way, just to be sure I placed both her hands together on the black marble top of the centre island. Then I held them there with my right hand. After I was satisfied she wouldn’t move suddenly, I pulled on that Hellish side of me, summoning the true nature of what my hand had become thanks to decisions made in the past. Then, once my fingers were now tipped with a demon’s razor talons, I simply dragged two claws down the centre of her back, being cautious of her flesh so as not to catch her skin accidentally.

The second the tight cord started to snap back, freeing her of her constraints, Amelia took in a large gulp of air as if she had wanted to do this all night before releasing a big sigh of relief. Then, holding the corset to her front, she turned around and threw her arms around my neck, meaning I had to quickly hold my left hand away from her so as not to catch her. I would have growled in warning, but she started kissing my jaw and cheek in thanks and I didn’t want to ruin the moment.

“Oh Gods, thank you, that feels amazing!” she said making me grin and instead of my reprimand, I wrapped my right arm around her waist and told her gently,

“You’re welcome, pet.” Then I released the power of Hell I had summoned so the threat was taken from her, and now I could use both hands when removing her dress completely.

“Uh…I think I can manage it from here,” she chuckled making me grin down at her before explaining,

“Call it my payment and we are even.” She looked amused before brazenly holding her arms out to the sides and saying,

“Alright, handsome, have at it.”

“Mmm, now that is an offer I wouldn’t ever refuse…don’t mind if I do.” And ‘do’ is precisely what I did…

Twice.

22

The Gift of Bad Decisions

A little time later I got out of the shower still thinking about Amelia in that little scrap of lace that granted, hadn’t survived long in the grand hall’s bathroom but was enjoyable all the same. And it was like I told her, they had been my spoils of war, for I still had her torn panties in my pocket. However, it was what had come after ripping them off her that was the real treat and it was one I made sure to savour. Something I got to do again when cutting her free from her pretty dress and finding her bare and ready for me.

Which meant that Amelia had no choice but to join me for the first part of my shower. This was seeing, as per usual, I had made a mess of such beauty, marking her body in the most dominant and primal way possible. A sight I fucking loved, for there was nothing else like the sight of my release dripping from her abused pussy.

But once in the shower I had tenderly washed her perfect little body, banding an arm around her the whole time and keeping her tucked tightly against my frame. Then I cared for my Chosen One, as any mate should do, making sure to soothe out the red marks the dress had caused. Ones that now matched the light bruising finger marks my aggressive hold on her hips had caused. However, I knew at the time that the small bite of pain it caused only managed to drive her hurtling deeper into her release. And besides, with my blood inside her merging with her own, then her body would start to heal, meaning the slight bruising would be gone within the hour.

What’s more, when she kissed me in thanks, my knowing grin developed because I knew she was remembering my grip in her mind and enjoyed the replay. I knew this just from her eyes alone, and the heat in them that only made me want to take her once more. But then I knew that after fucking her as hard as I had done both times, that she would also benefit from the hour’s respite on her pussy as well. So, I let her leave the shower, smirking down at her when she told me to take my time, for she had a surprise for me.

Strangely, I felt myself almost excited as to what this surprise of hers could be and be assured that it was a sentiment as foreign to me as it would be for Pip to be depressed.

But, however sweet and thoughtful this gift of hers was at its core, I also knew that its focus was a tactic of hers, as it was clear she didn’t want to get upset in front of me. I knew this when in the shower I had tilted her head back to look up at me and asked her if she was alright. She nodded her head a little and told me that she was fine. However, the second her body tensed against my own, I knew she was just putting on a brave face.

She still felt guilty.

And knowing Amelia as well as I did, I also knew she wouldn’t want to burden me with the worry of knowing her feelings, as she had no doubt assumed I had far bigger problems on my hands than having to deal with her feelings. But she was wrong.

Amelia didn’t yet fully comprehend the fact that no-one in this world meant more to me than she did, and she was my first and main priority in all things. Admittedly, even that of being King, which was why, instead of simply ordering one of my men, or even Pip or Adam, to take her back to my private quarters, I had done so myself. Even though I was letting my people deal with the fallout of what had happened in the grand hall.

However, she was my Chosen One and my people knew this and therefore expected nothing less, for the claiming of your Electus took precedence over all else. Yet she failed to understand this or maybe it was that such a being as one fated to another was something that had never been fully explained to her before. Something I intended to rectify should this be the case.

Either way, she had been busy making something as a way to channel her mind and keep it from wallowing in self-pity by the time I arrived back. It was what was commonly known as a coping mechanism. Well, if it helped ease her wounded soul, then I would naturally indulge her, which was why I took the time she’d asked me to take and got ready without haste. After first assuring her with my words, then before she left the shower, I grasped her chin and forced her to look up at me. Then I gently ran my finger around where the lace mask had once been over her face, something she must have removed after the first time I left her. I took my time into doing this and finally when I knew I had her full attention, I told her,

“It was not your fault, none of it was…do you understand, Amelia?” She rolled in her lips and nodded as much as my hold would allow. Then I pulled her into me, plastering her naked front against my own and held her until I was assured that she had gained the comfort in both my words and my body.

After this, she had left the shower to dry herself and dress, and in turn I concentrated on washing myself and taking my time to do so.

Then, once finished, I got out and was ready to dress. I ended up grabbing a pair of soft flannel trousers that I rarely wore, as let’s just say that at the end of my day, I found myself naked in bed, not lounging on the couch in front of a TV watching Sci-Fi, like my little geek did.

However, doing so with Amelia tucked up tight against me, entangled with me in some way, was quickly becoming my new favourite pastime and well, if truth be told, it was something that was starting to make me feel, unnaturally human.

I decided to forgo the T-shirt as I knew Amelia liked the sight of my body and her reaction to seeing it always amused me. She would blush, fidget, bite her fingertips without knowing or I would simply feel the heat of her eyes on me whenever she thought I wasn’t looking. And well, I wasn’t a fucking saint, which meant I took full advantage of this and did so feeling smug. Arrogance came with the territory of being King, and even though I’d had no problems in getting a woman into my bed in the past, now that there was Amelia, then there was only one I intended on keeping there. Something better achieved when attraction fuelled the flames of desire from both sides. Which was why her reaction to me being near-naked was something I relished.

Meaning of course, the moment I appeared back in the living space, and she took one look at me, her reaction didn’t disappoint. The very visible gulp she took was a start and the blush that quickly followed was utterly charming. Then she added to this endearing sight as she had to clear her throat first before speaking, a single word that ended up becoming a high-pitched sound.

“Hey!”

Fuck me, but she was adorable, something that was only added to by the sight of her in tartan pink pyjama trousers and a white tank top that I thanked the Heavens for being tight across her ample breasts. Although what a snickerdoodle was exactly, I had no clue, but on her then it was most definitely something I wanted to pinch, as the shirt claimed I would. Especially as there seemed to be two cookies over her breasts, giving me a clue as to the delicious parts I would be paying most of my attention to.

But then I liked that my girl had curves, as I enjoyed the feel of them in my hands, hands that fucking itched to take hold of her again. Gods, but I was like a man possessed, for the more I had of her, the more I fucking wanted! Making me wonder if my desire for her would ever be sated?

Naturally, I wouldn’t be making that bet anytime soon.

“Fuck me, you’re cute,” I told her letting her know my thoughts and doing so in order to see that blush deepen. I also drank in the sight of her squirming from the compliment, after muttering a quiet,

“Thank you.” She shyly pushed a damp strand of hair behind her ear and pushed her glasses up her nose.

My beautiful, shy little geek.

Gods, but how I fucking loved her!

I looked beyond her just to save her from her clearly embarrassed state, to see something large now hidden under a throw that had been on the couch or what she called the ‘sofa’.

“Is that for me?” I asked looking back at her and catching her gaze travelling the length of me,

“Um?” she said telling me her mind had been elsewhere. Good, then the obsession wasn’t as one-sided as I often believed it to be. I gave her a knowing grin in return and then grabbed her hips, enticing a breathy gasp from her before I leaned down a little, getting closer to her face and dominating her personal space as was my right to do so. Then I said,

“Under the blanket, sweetheart.” She rolled in her lips, which was another endearing habit of hers before nodding, adding to it a little unsure,

“Oh…oh right, yes, yes, of course.” I smirked down at her and let her go…begrudgingly.

But I was also curious to know what she had been working on, as it wasn’t exactly often that I received gifts, unless they were from Pip. If they could be called that, seeing as they were often something ridiculous and completely impractical. Like a book featuring toilets around the world or the donut shaped soap, labelled ‘for your dick’.

She had even bought me a puppy once, a pug she named Mr Little Fangy Pants. My response had been, ‘Am I expected to kill it before I eat it?’ Thankfully, this had been a sure way for her to take the dog away and become its new owner, as I knew it would. It wasn’t that I disliked the animal, even if this particular one looked as if it had been hit in the face with a frying pan. It was just that I hardly had time for a fucking pet and even if I had, it most certainly wouldn’t have been a fucking lapdog!

So, like I said, I was curious as to what she had been doing and now that I did look intrigued, she, in return, looked unsure. Because she hadn’t yet moved towards it and was biting the tips of her fingers. This being the reason why I took them from her lips, brought them to my own and started nibbling on them myself in a teasing way, before asking her,

“Come now, you’re not shy, are you?”

“No, it’s just…well…” She started to struggle to find the words and I leaned closer to her lips and whispered in a teasing tone,

“Well, what?”

“I am worried you might think it’s lame,” she said making me jerk back a little as it never occurred to me that this would be her main concern. It was in that moment that I realised how much my opinion was going to matter to her and it warmed my heart to know she cared for my approval as much as she did.

“You made this, yes?” I asked confirming as much when she nodded.

“Yeah, I did but still, it’s not exactly your thing. It’s just that when I heard it was your birthday, I wanted to get you something but…well, I just…okay, so I doubt Amazon would successfully deliver here,” she said struggling with her words at the end making me grin before assuring her,

“Anything you give to me will not be ridiculed, sweetheart, I can promise you that.” She gave me a shy smile in thanks and finally nodded before walking over to the throw that was peaked in several places from what was hidden underneath.

“Okay, so just remember, it’s not something I am expecting you to keep or no way display or anything…it was just mainly for a bit of fun and well…”

“Amelia, my Šemšā, show me,” I said prompting her to continue, as it seemed to feed my soul to see her so concerned as to whether or not I would like it or how much my reaction to such would mean to her. At this rate there could have been a collection of empty bottles under there and I would have thanked her, for disappointing her wasn’t something I ever wanted to do.

“Okay, here goes!” she said, lifting the throw carefully with both hands and revealing something it took me a moment to fully comprehend. But then I stepped closer and really started to take it in, realising suddenly what it was she had made me.

I was in awe.

“You…you made this?” I asked stumbling on my own words this time, unable to help the moment as I took in the extreme detail of the model she had built. I walked closer still and sat down opposite it just to see it better.

“I did…do you like it?” she asked rolling on her heels in an endearing way as she awaited my reaction.

“Like it, I fucking love it! How could I not, Amelia…? You made a model of our home,” I said making her blush again, only this time there was something more there as unshed tears glistened in her eyes. That’s when I knew she liked the sound of me calling it ‘our home’.

“Phew, I am so glad you like it,” she said and I couldn’t help but growl a command at her in a raspy tone, one that let her know exactly how I felt,

“Come here.” She gave me a shy grin but did as I asked, coming to sit next to me. I leaned back and framed her waist with my hands so as I could lift her to straddle me. Then with her knees either side of me, I ran my hands up her back, my thumbs framing her spine before resting my fingers at her shoulders. I applied pressure so she was forced to lean into me, something she did eagerly.

“I don’t just like it, I love it, my darling sweet girl…thank you for such a thoughtful gift…I will forever fucking treasure it…now kiss me,” I told her before showing her just exactly how much I appreciated it, with my tongue.

A while later, and only when I was ready to do so, I released her so she could show me her creative little world in more detail. She explained that she had used all the Lego sets Pip had bought her so she could create the exact replica of the Heart of the Mountain. Something she remembered, for the words, ‘Our heart of the mountain’ was on a flat, miniature brick plaque at the bottom.

The surrounding base was the peaks I had seen under the throw, where she had built up beige coloured rocks mimicking the ones that indeed framed our living space. Then, in the centre, she had recreated small platforms with block made furniture in each room, trying to match it the best she could. She had even managed to make our bed swing, but it was what was next to it that made me throw my head back and roar with laughter. My hilarity was also one I had found myself unable to get a hold on for a quite a while.

For next to our bed were two small figures, one was the female with dark hair, who had been bent over the end of the bed, whilst the male one, which I noted had blonde hair to represent myself, was stood behind her giving her a good time. And if the cartoon grin was anything to go by, it was a very good time.

Gods, my girl was fucking funny!

“But seriously, I am not expecting you to keep it,” she said making me shake my head at her before saying,

“Not a single fucking thing will ever make me part with it.” At this she melted into me and gave me another gift,

“Thank you, that means a lot that you think that way…although, I am not sure where you would put it,” she finished looking around the room.

“I will have a glass case and stand made for it,” I told her as I most certainly would and again, because of it, she was beaming up at me. I was just about to kiss her once more when I sensed one of my own entering my domain and I tensed before discovering it was only Adam. I gave him a knowing nod, silently telling him he could approach, seeing now that he too had changed from his earlier attire worn at the ball into something more casual.

He stepped forward and when Amelia finally realised we weren’t alone, she looked up.

“Uncle, is Pip alright?” she asked making Adam grin,

“She’s fine and currently passed out after overdosing on jellybeans.” Amelia laughed and I automatically squeezed her when she made the sound. She had a comical laugh, and you couldn’t help but smile yourself whenever hearing it. It had different layers to it and would change often depending on what she found amusing at the time.

“But what is this, did you make this, my niece?” Adam asked coming over to see the model and Amelia beamed, telling him proudly,

“Well, it’s no Picasso, but he’s having it put in a glass box and on display, so I must have done something right.” I laughed giving her a firmer squeeze this time and telling her,

“Picasso is overrated, Lego is clearly where it is at,” to which she burst out laughing and as usual, I congratulated myself on being able to make her laugh. I liked that she found me funny in return, something I knew she had been shocked to discover after spending more time with me. And it was of little wonder really, considering my past treatment of her. When I think back to how stern I was with her, it made me feel ashamed of myself. Even despite wishing that I had the freedom to be as I was now, I had still maintained the belief in keeping her at arm’s length. But after spending even such little time with her, I knew it would become an impossible task.

“Little Bean, would you mind if I stole a moment of my master’s time?” Adam said, calling her this for the second time and I had to force down the urge to growl, as I didn’t like anyone else having a pet name for her. But then I also knew it was a feeling born from an irrational jealousy and served me no purpose right then. So instead, I granted myself one last touch before I let her go, doing so the moment we rose from the couch when I pulled her to me.

“Go to bed and wait for me, I won’t be long, sweetheart,” I told her making her grin back up at me and answer sweetly,

“Alright, honey.” And Gods, but I fucking adored it when she called me that or any loving endearment and I didn’t fucking care if it made me sound anything but the hardass I was!

“She is a sweet girl,” Adam commented once I had watched her leave, making sure she was safe on the steps, seeing how clumsy I knew she could be. And had it been anyone else to say these words, I would have knocked them unconscious, or ripped their throats out, depending on the level of my mood. But Adam was like her family, so I let his words flow over me.

“That she is…so tell me, where are the safe options for my sweet girl to be when I have no choice but to leave her?” I asked fucking hating the thought already of what I would soon have to do.

“Like I said, you’re not gonna like it, Luc.” At this I slashed a hand down in the air, wishing it was about to land on someone’s head instead of the nothing it cut through.

“Fuck!” I hissed, making sure at least to keep my outburst low enough not to be heard by Amelia.

“There is only one place on Earth that can protect her and that is the one place no one else lives but a single soul that was sired by you…but you know this,” Adam said and I growled, knowing it was fucking true and he was fucking right!

I swear just the thought of taking her there was like swallowing fucking acid. Besides, not to mention it fucked with my future plans in a big way, as I had been fully intent on keeping her here for as long as possible. Or at least, keeping her by my side or safely hidden in one of my many domains and untouchable from the memory of the life she had before me. I knew it sounded barbaric and yes in many ways it was, but it was not my intent to do this forever. Only until I was completely assured and could trust that it would never be a life she wouldn’t want to return to.

She was mine.

But now, after what had happened, I knew Adam was right. I couldn’t afford to take the risk, as it wasn’t safe for her to be around any of my people. Even Adam and Pip were pushing it, and as for the rest of my council, then they had each been forbidden to go near her.

So that obviously left me little options here and knowing that Amelia’s safety came first, I had no choice but to tell him,

“Make the arrangements and have the jet ready to go as soon as I give the word.”

“And the destination?” Adam asked, needing it confirmed. So, I released a growl of resentment and said the very last place I wanted to and the one I was most loathed to say…

“To Afterlife.”

23

Witch Ever Reasons

The moment Adam left with my reluctant orders given, I joined Amelia in the bedroom, expecting to find her in bed waiting for me. When in fact, she was simply stood at one of the end posts, shadowing her fingers along the scorched markings an inch from actually touching them. These were the ones Nesteemia had made when casting her wards. I could tell that her natural curiosity had drawn her to them, and that she was no doubt in that very moment trying to decipher what they meant. In fact, she was so deep in her concentration that when I wrapped my arms around her, she screamed in surprise before her natural instincts took over. And when they did, two things happened to me that in all of my two thousand years plus on this Earth, had never happened before.

The first was being so startled, that it stole my breath. And the second was the reason for the first, as I suddenly found myself on the floor, being put there on my ass by a female mortal!

She did this by suddenly stepping out with her right foot into a crouch, before her left foot stepped behind my right leg. Then she stretched her left leg out, creating a barrier for me to fall over, as she grabbed the backs of both my thighs. Then, at the same time, she let her left leg go straight at the same time her right squatted down before falling to the side. This defensive move ended up taking me down with her, slamming me to my back. Then she rolled quickly into me and had her elbow at my throat applying pressure, until she realised that it was me.

“Shit! You scared me!” she accused releasing her hold on me and looking both embarrassed and guilty that she’d attacked me. On the other hand, I was equally impressed, shocked and fuck me but I was turned on! Gods in Hell, but her skills at fighting were more remarkable every time I was forced to witness them! And now she had managed to take me down, which was utterly unheard of. And really, how could I reprimand her for doing something like that, for accomplishing such a feat should only be rewarded and praised.

She quickly got off me and held a hand out to help me up.

“I guess I am a little jumpy after tonight and well, I didn’t hear you and kind of reacted without thinking,” she said giving me her reasons and obviously worried about what my reaction to her attacking me would be.

“Remind me never to piss you off, sweetheart.” I said after taking her hand and getting up, making sure not to rely on her to take too much weight, for I wasn’t light at over two hundred pounds of muscle.

“Erm okay, so this is me reminding you that by you getting pissed off at me for mistakenly putting you on your ass…will piss me off.” she replied straightening her glasses and tightening the tie in her hair that kept it all back from her face. This also made me smirk down at her. Gods be worshipped, but for someone so cute, she was surprisingly ruthless when she wanted to be. As I couldn’t help but recall her recap of events when taking out the triplets in the bathroom, and my shock on hearing how she had killed not one but two. And without being hurt at that! Well, it was nothing short of astounding.

Even some of my own people had their difficulties in accomplishing such a task. I had even found myself asking Liessa about her account of events, once I had carried Amelia back here and begrudgingly left to have a meeting with my council. Liessa had naturally shown her own astonishment at seeing the way Amelia had handled herself, admitting that by the time it had taken her to kill one of them, my Chosen had managed to knock one unconscious and stabbed the other to death with a shoe…both killed in Liessa’s word…brutally.

And I could believe it too after seeing for myself how well she handled a sword. Her moves had been precise and fluid, obviously doing so after years of training with her father. And after seeing her with the particular weapon, quite possibly Takeshi as well. A being who was Dom’s own seeker. But Takeshi had once been known as Grand Master, Miyamoto Musashi, before he was turned and made into a member of Dom’s council. Of course, I too had learned many skills from him.

But before he’d died and was reborn, he had been known as one of the Rōnin, who was a samurai without a master during the feudal period in 1185–1868. They were known as the wanderers, who were forced to live with great shame upon their name. As those who became the Rōnin, were those who did not honour the Bushido Shoshinshu code. This code was when a samurai committed seppuku upon their master’s death, which basically meant to fall upon your own sword until disembowelment. As for Takeshi, he only did this after first meeting Dom and being convinced to do so, knowing what was to meet him in his Afterlife.

A higher calling.

Naturally after this, he became mine and Dom’s teacher in the art of the samurai at the start of his rebirth back in 1630. And well tonight, it had been easy to see some of the skills I myself had learned from him coming out in Amelia. Especially when taking down the rogues with a blade in her hand.

“That’s good to know,” I told her in response to her ‘pissed off’ reply, deciding in that moment that before we had to leave, some of our time would be spent tomorrow down in the lower level of my home. As it was about time I introduced her to my training room and after the move she just pulled, well I knew I wouldn’t have to fight fair. Besides, with this firecracker, then I didn’t think it would bode well on me to go too easy on her. After all, if I did that then I doubted I would manage in getting her pinned to the floor like I intended to do. Mmm, but the idea made my cock hard at just the thought of what tomorrow would bring!

“I really am sorry, but then, you should really learn to be heavier footed, unless you enjoy the idea of being put on your ass on a daily basis by a girl,” she commented in a sassy tone, adding a wink. I couldn’t help but grin, knowing now was the time to give my girl a little insight as to what awaited her tomorrow.

So, I held my hand out to her, and the second she placed her own in mine I yanked her to me, and performed a shoulder toss, making her land on the bed with a bounce. In doing so, she landed in such a way that it put her head staring directly up at me from the bottom of the bed, with her feet next to the pillows. I smirked down at her, bent down to kiss her forehead before telling her,

“Oh, but so trusting, pet.”

“You cheated,” she grumbled making me laugh.

“All’s fair in love and war, sweetheart,” I told her quoting a proverb attributed to John Lyly's Euphues.

“Yes, well let’s leave the Anatomy of Wit out of this, should we?” she replied making me smile as she had obviously heard of the 15th-century poet. Reason being why I teased,

“Ah, there she is, my clever little scholar.” Then I tapped her on the nose, before leaving her on the bed growling. I walked into the dressing room and as I was about to remove my trousers, I heard her shout from the bedroom,

“So, these are the wards you mentioned your witch casting…oww fuck!?” she yelled suddenly, and I stopped just with my thumbs hooked inside the waistband before I ran back in there to find her cradling her hand, sat on the edge of the bed.

“What happened?!” I asked sitting next to her and taking her hand in my own so I could see it for myself. Then the bed shifted with the extra weight, swinging ever so slightly as she turned to face me.

“I don’t know, I just touched one of the markings and something sparked and felt like it burned me, but there’s no mark, just a tingling up my arm…it was so strange, almost as if it was calling out to me.” I looked for myself to see that she was right, there was no mark there. But the fact that Nesteemia’s power had been drawn to her was concerning, as there was no reason for something like this to happen.

At least, not to a mortal.

My witch’s power was one used to ward off, not only my own kind, but any supernatural life that was not granted access to our bed. This was as literal as it sounded, for even I could not have had access, had my sigil not been added to the castings, allowing me to be the only one near it.

Unbeknown to Amelia, it was practically a cage without bars, and not one I was about to admit to. But once she was in bed, nothing could release her from it but me. Which meant that if the rogues’ witch managed to access her mind again, then it would be no use as she would not be able to slip out of it without my knowledge. This was because the wards cast were linked to me, and my control on them allowed me to be aware of when they were trying to be breached.

However, should my girl wake in the night and take it upon herself to get up for a drink or need the toilet, then I would automatically wake, sensing her breaking the ward and instantly allow it to happen. Or at least this is how it should have worked, but after what Amelia had just said, by it connecting with her…well, now I wasn’t so sure.

“I want to have my witch check for herself that it is nothing more than a charge of leftover power, if this is alright with you?” I asked, making up the reason so as not to worry her or give her any hint as to what these wards really meant. As let’s just say, I think Amelia would have found a problem with me imprisoning her in my bed. Meaning it was a fact I wanted to cover up for as long as I could.

“Okay, all things considered lately, I don’t think being overly cautious is a bad idea.”

“I have to agree,” I replied, not revealing the fact that I had been overly fucking cautious in all things Amelia since the day I first met her!

“I won’t be long, I will come and get you when she arrives if you want to rest?”

“That’s okay, I’m not that tired anyway, besides, I could do with a cup of tea.”

“Ah yes, caffeine usually helps when you’re trying to get to sleep,” I commented, teasing her with a knowing grin.

“Maybe not, but I hear it’s good for the soul…maybe you should try some, Vampy,” was her playful response and I snapped my fangs by her neck and whispered by her ear,

“Why would I do that when I have my favourite beverage right here.” Her breathy sigh and increased heartrate was all the reply I needed in making me grin, doing so after kissing her neck against her perfect sun-kissed skin.

However, Amelia almost always came with a sassy response and she didn’t disappoint.

“You know, if I ever walk back in this bedroom and find a giant-sized teacup for me to sit in, then me and you are gonna have problems,” she said the moment I released her and found myself laughing at her quip. What a witty Chosen One the Gods had granted me, and I had never found myself enjoying someone’s sense of humour as much before. There was just so many layers to Amelia that it made me question whether or not I would ever get to the core of them all. I adored our playful banter just as much as I loved having the ability to render her speechless and shy.

She could be fiery one moment and submissive the next and I found myself enjoying the fact that I didn’t know which side of her I would be on the receiving end of next.

“Don’t tempt me, sweetheart, as swap that teacup for you naked in a giant champagne glass and it will be here before you can say cheers,” I told her making her laugh, another fucking sight I adored! Gods, but I was fucking lost to all that was her and quite honestly, I found myself asking how this had happened so fucking quickly.

Yes, she had always been my obsession, ever since I first laid eyes on her that night, even at the young and naive age of sixteen. Because I knew instantly who she was to me. But I had wisely been cautious. Not only due to her young age, but also to the dangers my world represented. At the time however, I had been led to believe that she was living the life of a spoilt, sheltered princess, when in fact, only one of those was true. And Amelia was far from spoilt.

She had been sheltered and so much so, that it had naturally made her resentful, for it was easy to see that her relationship with her father was strained at best and no doubt they both suffered from it. However, as much as it pained me to say it, I had to admit that from Dom’s point of view, I was somewhat inclined to agree with him on many aspects of her upbringing. And I too had to thank him for protecting her so well…unbeknown to him, doing so for me… I thought with a hidden grin.

This had me wondering for many years just what the bad-tempered royal bastard would do when he discovered the truth and who his precious daughter was to me. For not even he could stand in the way of the Fates, as he had tried that once before and look how that had turned out for him. Besides, I would go to fucking war before he tried to attempt taking her from me, even if the act would be fucking karma after I had once done the same to him.

“Ha, you and champagne, I don’t think so, more like being trapped in a giant beer bottle like a genie in the lamp!” she responded making me chuckle this time.

“Oh, I will rub you to wake you up any hour of the day, sweetheart,” I said with a wink before grabbing her hand and pulling her up.

“Now come on, all this talk of drinking has given me a giant thirst…so unless you are willing to…”

“Slit a vein?” she interrupted, this time making it hard not to laugh again, but instead I held it in, grabbed her by the hips and pulled her hard into my body. Then I growled down at her,

“…Become my willing victim.” She feigned a casual look, with an added tap to her lips with one finger. But she couldn’t hide her first reaction to the idea as she shuddered in my hands. Oh yeah, my girl liked screaming her release to the feel of my fangs latched onto her flesh, as I sucked back the sweetest, most divine blood I had ever fucking tasted. Addiction wasn’t the fucking word for it!

“Umm, can I think about it over a cup of tea first?” she teased making me kiss her forehead and say,

“Alright, seeing as I am a gentleman and such.” She chuckled and teased,

“Uh…my ass disagrees, especially when in your office.”

“I bet it does…well, I’d better not disappoint then,” I said before slapping her biteable ass and making her yelp as she started to walk away, teasing me with it when rubbing the one cheek I had abused. Gods, but how I wished she was still wearing those tight yoga pants when I had done that, although, if she had, then I doubt she would have ever got her tea.

I shook my head and tried to rid myself of the sight, one now with the power to give me a constant hard-on and not something I wanted when I was about to speak with Nesta, a shortened name for my witch. So, I reached out with my mind and summoned her to our private quarters once more, giving her all she needed to know by allowing her to access to the memory of what had just happened. I also added my concerns so as not to speak of them in front of Amelia. Her reply was a simple,

‘Five minutes.’

And like she said, down to the last seconds, it was five minutes later that Nesteemia was walking up the steps to the kitchen where Amelia and I were currently stood. Or should I say, where I was busy kissing her neck after first ridding her of the danger of hot tea so she couldn’t burn herself again this time.

“My King, you summoned me.” I turned to face her and in doing so gave Amelia a view of her for the first time…or so I had thought had been the first, as the second she saw her, she suddenly said in an accusing tone,

“It’s you!”

“What do you mean?” I asked Amelia, not Nesta this time, as I wanted to know how she knew her, especially when I had never given the witch permission to approach her. Something all of my people would have needed to get close to her for doing so without my consent and behind my back was a rule I set to be punishable by death. Needless to say, if this was true, then Nesteemia was on thin and deadly ice right about now.

“I remember seeing you once, you were outside my school.” I turned my own accusing eyes on my witch and said in a tense tone,

“What?!”

“My Lord, I can explain,” Nesteemia started to say but Amelia continued.

“You convinced me to go on that school trip to London, even though my dad wouldn’t let me go…you even forged his signature for me…I was sixteen,” she finished this when putting her hand on my arm, and the moment she told me her age, I quickly pieced it together.

“You were the reason we met?!” I asked, now in a less stern tone but one that was pissed off all the same. After all, I should have been informed of this long before fucking now!

“I might have had my hand in it, yes… but it was fate that brought you together,” my witch replied making Amelia scoff, making me shift my gaze back to her, annoyed that she would snub the idea.

“Erm no, fate had nothing to do with it. I, on the other hand, did.” I frowned down at her before asking,

“Someone please explain this and fucking quickly before my patience snaps.”

“My dreams are what told me to go to London, you turning up at my school just gave me the small nudge I needed,” Amelia told me, while still looking at Nesta.

“Your dreams?” Okay, so this was the part that I knew I had missed a big fucking thing here and one look at Nesteemia and the guilt was plain to see. But it was Amelia’s next confession that rocked me to my core.

“I have been dreaming of you for years, Lucius.”

“For how long?” I asked, relaxing somewhat for I knew I had been playing a cruel part in her dreams after we first met, doing so more frequently as she grew older. Dreams that dominated her thoughts and ended up granting her, her first sexual experience, as was my right to do with both her mind and the taking of her sweet flesh.

But her answer was not what I expected.

“Since I was seven years old and…”

“Since the first time I met your witch.”

24

Bound to Dream

“Explain to me just what the fuck you think you were doing!?” I snapped the moment I was alone with Nesta, after first asking Amelia to give us a moment, something she agreed to considering how angry I looked in that moment. The witch at least had the good graces to look guilty.

“I can only apologise my…”

“Fucking explain!” I snarled cutting her off, for I didn’t want her apologies right then, I wanted her fucking reasons!

“It was never meant to happen,” she said and when I started growling, she started fidgeting with the many bangles that covered her wrists. As always, she was dressed in the typical style of a gypsy, with multiple scarves wrapped around her head in reds, yellows and purples. This matched a heavily embroidered sleeveless, cropped jacket and long skirt in the same burgundy design.

These were worn over an off the shoulder shirt with a tasselled edge that clinched at the waist from a thick black belt, adorned with coins. However, her physical appearance wasn’t always what it appeared to be. Her vessel looked old and haggard, with yellowing teeth as if she chain-smoked and tanned weathered skin awash with so many wrinkles, that her eyes and cheeks almost folded over themselves. One red star was tattooed close to her right eye and it was one that hid the mark of true power.

Because this worn appearance was the creation of deception and projected to the rest of the world by the power she possessed. For in reality, she was actually quite beautiful. However, she had also been the target of a particular Goddess’ wrath thanks to the wandering hands of an unfaithful husband and therefore she used this physical mask as a way to hide her true identity. Something I aided her in since becoming her master. My payment of course was an eternal life of loyalty.

“Nesteemia, you are on my last warning, now fucking explain!” I snapped, finally getting somewhere with my threat as she started speaking,

“You charged me with finding the King’s Chosen One all those years ago when she was but a child, so you could keep watch over the development of her life and therefore know the moment she found her fated mate.”

“I fucking recall the past, Nesta, so kindly get on with the parts I don’t fucking know!” I snapped, as it was true, back then I had ordered her to do this. Although my job of keeping Keira safe until finding Dom hadn’t exactly gone to plan considering the trauma she had suffered.

“Well, in order to find her as a child, I had to first be granted the powers of the Janus, and as the God of past, present and future, I was then able to locate the right girl. This however came with a price.”

“What type of price?!” I asked.

“I was granted this gift only if I swore to find all of the fated Chosen Ones and set them on the path of finding their Kings. The easiest and kindest way to intervene was to simply make them dream. That way, by the time they are found, they subconsciously feel the connection, even if they don’t fully understand it.” I ran a frustrated hand through my hair and growled,

“Why the fuck am I only hearing this now, Nesta?”

“Because until I was asked, I was not allowed to speak about it…you know the Fates, my Lord, you know whatever they grant, they seek in return and they cannot be denied,” she told me in earnest, and it was right, the Fates were as she said they were, which made me speak out my next thoughts,

“And now? Why are you free to do so now?”

“Well, seeing as you are the last King to find his Chosen, then now my promise to the Fates is complete.”

“And Keira? I don’t recall her dreaming of…” I asked but she quickly interrupted me,

“Her mind, as you know, could not be touched, which was why I granted her the sight of our kind, thinking this was the only way I could prepare her for the life ahead,” she replied with something I actually knew.

“But Amelia’s mind is just as powerful as her mother’s, for I, nor any other, have the power to access it,” I reminded her, and as frustrating as this fact was, I was glad for it, as it meant none of my kind could feed from her essence.

“Ah yes, all but one,” she said, reminding me of the night before and making me curse,

“Fuck! You mean the other witch?!” My tone was venomous.

“Her power is unlike anything I have ever come across before and as you know, I am no stranger to power.” This was true, as up until recently there had only ever been a small handful of witches that rivalled her gifts and one was her cursed daughter.

“And the dreams?”

“As your intended mate, it was something her mind welcomed naturally, so I didn’t have a fight on my hands as I did have with Keira, a child who knew nothing of the world she was being thrown into.”

“And because Amelia did, you say that her mind was more open to the idea?”

“Precisely, my Lord.” Well, this certainly made sense and as much as the idea of her mind being manipulated angered me, I also couldn’t argue too much against what the Fates had deemed a necessity, especially in bringing her to my attention. It is true that I had seen her once before the age of sixteen, as it had not been long after she had been born. A time I barely remembered at the time, if only at all thanks to that one moment that ended up changing everything for her.

But at the age of an infant, then it was never a time when a Chosen One was to become known to you, as even Dom wouldn’t have known had he found Keira at that age. This was understandable, seeing as the temptation to influence such a young life would only end up being detrimental later on. For lives first needed to be lived, along with experiences gained. The Fates made it this way for good reason. For example, had I intervened in Amelia’s life then she wouldn’t have been the person I fell in love with today. All her personality traits I adored, all came from her passions, her loves and her hates, her intelligence and so forth…all gained through living her own, free life.

Who an Electus became in both nature, heart and personality was a gift to her intended King.

“And London?” I asked, intent on hearing it all.

“Like she said, Sire, simply a little nudge to get the erm…ball rolling.” I frowned before saying,

“Indeed.”

“And what of my next possible annoyance, does this mean your wards won’t work on her?” I asked seeing as she knew that which I spoke of having seen it all for herself in my memories. The ones I allowed her access to when reaching out to her over what we called, the Void.

This was an astral plane of sorts, where the conscious mind could access others, along with memories if such were shared between two beings. It was also a tool we used when teaching at the academy, for the once young and Chosen souls that the Fates had selected long ago we mentor and guide into their new roles.

It had been a safe way to channel their new powers and energy when in training. Aiding them to contain those gifts until it was safe to use them in, for lack of a better term, the ‘real’ world. It had worked quite well for all the teens back then…well, all but one, I should say, as nothing it seemed could contain his power or his demon.

“She is…different,” Nesta said with some caution and for good reason.

“Of course, she fucking is…you think after all this time I would have forgotten that!” I snapped because any reminder of that day and let’s just say it was a sure way for me to lose my temper.

“Then it stands to reason, my Lord, that the more you exchange your blood with her, the more chance it will be in bringing that side…” I cut her off with a growl.

“Enough! Just answer me, will the fucking wards hold or not!?” I snapped, interrupting her and the shit she didn’t need to say. As now was not the time for me to worry about that, as well as everything fucking else I had going on.

“In all honesty, I have no idea, for her connection to you, her blood now mixed with yours, means that she is recognised by your sigil. However, it should still mean that no one else can gain access past it, so even if this particular witch tries again, she will not succeed.” At least hearing this took some weight off my mind, for that was what was most important. So, it wasn’t the cage I had hoped for. Which meant I had no choice but to trust Amelia not to go wandering off on her own at night. But then, if she woke and this other witch was waiting for this moment, she would then possibly be able to lure her out that way.

“I want the wards cast at every exit, at least that way if she wakes and I do not, I know at least she is safe within our home.” Nesta bowed her head and told me,

“It will be done within the hour, Sire.”

After this I left her to do my bidding, making sure it was safe for Amelia as I refused to allow what happened that night happen again, for nothing or no-one was going to try and take her from me again. I would see to that!

But then, after our conversation it had left a sour taste in my mouth as it did whenever the past was brought up, something only Nesta and Adam knew the full extent of. This was because after the day it happened, I had sought out her help in trying to fix it. Something she had been unable to do.

After that, I had no choice but to put the event to the back of my mind, seeing as little could be done. But then, when I had found out that she was my Chosen One, then by the Gods, it had felt like Janus, the Fates and fucking karma had played one big fucking joke on me!

Because what I had done to Amelia as a child could never be undone. Because I had bound her to me long before she had taken my blood. Bound her to me in such a way, that not only was she tied to my life, but also, she was eternally…

Bound to my curse.

25

Muscles and a Punchbag

Amelia

The next morning I woke briefly to a gentle kiss on my forehead, making me moan from both being woken and how sweet the gesture felt.

“Ssshh, my sleepy little Šemšā, find your dreams once more and I will see you when you wake,” Lucius whispered down at me and I snuggled closer to my pillow mumbling some response which made him chuckle softly.

After that brief moment, I had no idea how much longer I slept but when I woke, I did so feeling refreshed after what I knew was my first good night’s sleep in a while. But then again, just waking up and not being outside in the snow, being lured by a witch and surrounded by hungry hellhounds was what I classed as a bonus these days.

But as I stretched out my arms, I felt a piece of paper that was folded and wrapped up in something black. This was, of course, instead of finding my boyfriend, who I would have much preferred. But then I remembered him saying goodbye to me and grinned at the sweet memory. Then I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, gave a yawn and reached for my glasses off the bedside table that was as natural to me as breathing.

Then I grabbed the note and frowned down in question at what it was that was tied around the square paper.

“Oh, you naughty bastard!” I said on a laugh the second I saw that he had used my torn lace panties to tie the note. The very same ones he had pocketed in the bathroom back when I took advantage of him last night at the ‘disaster ball’. Although, this was an unfair name as up until everyone turned into attacking zombie, vampire hybrids, then it had been a pretty good night and had been well on its way to being ranked as one of the best nights of my life.

But then I had to think back to the other ‘almost contenders’ and frowned, starting to think I was cursed on dates or something. I mean the first on the rooftop had ended with being shot at, and pretty much beaten up before I jumped from a crashing helicopter. And now this one, where it ended with me losing my awesome shoes, killing a couple of Lucius’ ex-girlfriends and then heading into battle in a corset.

Seriously, at this point I was wondering if even going to the movies was safe or was some axe murderer going to jump out of the screen and start taking out anyone not sharing popcorn.

I decided it was best not to think about it and instead focus my attention back to the note that was wrapped up in Lucius’ sexy humour. I pulled on the end, unravelling the lace and unfolding the note.

It said,

My sleeping Angel,

Get ready for payback, Pet,

For this time, I am aiming to get more than
just the spoils of war…

So better dress for battle.

Love, your warrior. x

After this I released a deep sigh, held the note to my chest and looked down at the torn panties, wondering now what was in store for me? Which was why only one thing was uttered past my lips,

“Heaven help my girly parts.”

* * *

About an hour later I was being guided down into the lower levels of Lucius’ castle by Pip, who was currently talking about the walls. This was because in this particular section of the castle the walls were utterly breathtaking. This was due to the large chunks of deep aquamarine colours, of sea blues and lagoon greens embedded in the stone, reminding me of the colours in a peacock feather.

“It’s called Kupfernickel which means copper demon, but if you wanna get all techno and shit, then Azurite and Malachite are the better-known names, which are copper-based gemstones giving it that razzle-dazzle mojo,” she said making me grin…she certainly had a way with words, that was for sure. But then she was right, as the second she flipped a switch on the wall, the whole tunnel lit up and suddenly it was like walking inside a giant geode.

“Cool, huh…last time I was here they didn’t have electricity installed in this part of the castle…any woo, we must Star Trek on, I doubt Lucky Luc will wait all day,” she said directing an arm in front as if she was leading a bus full of tourists, minus the flag. Although, what she was wearing had enough colour to make it impossible for you to lose her.

Her leggings were a pretend knitted pattern in different colours reminding me of a rainbow scarf. And her yellow T-shirt was a take on the 80’s kids show, He-Man and She Ra. Only her version was obviously her tribute to Gay pride, as across her chest she had the two swords pointing in different directions in an equals sign and in the same font it said underneath,

‘She Man, Shim Ra …Mistress of her Own Mastered Universe.’

It was brilliant and as soon as I told her so, she tilted her head right over to one side, tapped her temple and told me,

“Mental note for Christmas,” which meant I was now to expect the same one under the tree this year. She was also wearing cyber knee-high boots that looked mirror shiny and very space-age, with I don’t know how many pink straps across the front. To this she’d added edible candy jewellery, which I knew was a favourite of hers, she had used a bra as a headband to push all the tight curls back which created a colourful afro. Painted flames over her eyes and lips covered in cake sprinkles completed the look.

“Is it much further?” I asked, knowing we had already gone down one spiral staircase and I don’t know how many tunnels and hallways.

“Nah, just one more level down and we will be at the snack smack whack happy place!” Pip exclaimed excitedly with a clap of her hands, her pointed neon nails tapping against each other. I looked down at myself and tugged at the high waistband under my breasts, hidden by the zip-up I wore, suddenly feeling self-conscious for when I had to take it off. My plan, when getting ready, had been to look more sexy than practical but then, what if Lucius was in the mood to take this ‘battle’ seriously? Either way, surely the power of distraction was a weapon…right?

Well, I couldn’t change it now, not when I was nearly there. So there I was, wearing a pair of cut off yoga pants that again, were super tight around my ass. They were also in a cute light baby pink camo pattern with a thick, strappy waistband under my belly button. To match was a two-tone top of light pink and darker dusky pink, that was also strappy, low cut and only covered my breasts.

But it was after Pip’s wolf whistle that I grabbed the zip-up hooded top to cover myself up. It was black and didn’t match but at least it did the job in covering my breasts.

A pair of sneakers later and I was ready for what was to be my ‘work out’. Honestly, with the amount of gym wear I owned, then anyone would have thought it was my favourite place to be. When, in actual fact, I only ever bought them for the comfy pants and half the time, the skimpy tops just came with the set. Which was why this was the first time I had worn the complete outfit, matching the look with my hair in a high ponytail and of course, contact lenses. A swipe of pink-tinted gloss later and Pip declared it was, in her words, ‘time to guide you to a different kind of ball, the one where there are two of them, that I should try and kick em, to make the boys go down’.

My answer had been,

“But I like Lucius’ balls.” She had howled with laughter.

“And here we go!” Pip announced getting to a pair of double doors that looked made of bamboo painted in a black glossy paint. Pip pushed open the doors and the first thing that came to mind wasn’t exactly what Pip muttered in a breathy tone,

“Holy Uncanny Photographic Mental Processes, Batman!”

On the other hand, I went with something a little less confusing,

“Holy mother of Gods in Heaven…”

Both of these breathless reactions were at the sight of the living God that was Lucius, who was now stood with his back to us, looking utterly exquisite and beyond sexy. He was topless, with only a pair of loose black training pants, and was currently pounding into a punchbag that looked seconds from exploding, given the battering it was receiving. But as hot as this was, it was more about what the exercise was doing to his body, as every single muscle was now tensed and readily on show, covered by only a fine sheen of sweat that I swear I just wanted to lick off him like a damn candy bar!

His hands were wrapped in red strapping, one of which was strapped over a single glove, and one in a long combat style that he wore concealing the whole of his left hand and forearm like usual. Oh, and did I mention the muscles…so many muscles! Gods, but what was this man going to do to me?

In fact, this was exactly the point when I started to get nervous and nudged Pip to say,

“Psst, I think he’s a bit busy, maybe we should just go and…”

“Whoohoo hunka, hunka, burning lover boy!”

“…leave.” I whispered this last part as the end of the sentence I never got to finish properly, as I had already started moving backwards towards the doors in hopes of making my escape. Well, thanks to Pip she kind of made this impossible, as the second she opened her mouth, Lucius caught the punchbag on its swing back towards him instead of punching into it as he had been doing. Then, with the bag in his arms, he turned his head to see us both standing by the door.

I swear that his grin was pure undiluted, bad to the bone and spoke only of all the despicable things he wanted to do to me.

“Oh lordy, boy am I getting some mega fuck me like, you Jane, me Tarzan vibes coming from him and sending solely your way, chickbee,” Pip said fanning herself as Lucius left the bag and rubbed a hand through his hair, brushing the longer strands back.

Gods, but I was never going to survive this!

“Erm, you were saying something about holy uncanny photo…something or other…” I mumbled the minute he twisted his torso and snagged a towel so that when he started to walk towards us, he was wiping down his large defined chest and too many abs to count. Every single muscle was now tensed and at the ready.

“In season two, episode ‘Batman's satisfaction,’ Batman notices that three distinct letters are missing from a bowl of alphabet soup. Robin is so impressed with Batman's mental acuity that he lets him know it via his "’holy uncanny photographic mental processes’ statement…or at least that is what it says here on Wikki,” Pip said and I finally tore my eyes from Lucius long enough to see her reading this from her phone. One that, I should mention, had a rubber dick on the back as a holder, meaning she looked like she was currently giving her phone a handjob.

Great, because something to remind me of sex was all I needed right then. Gods, but I was the one trying to look sexy but right now, in front of Lucius, then I had no hope! Hell, I couldn’t even be sure or not that I wasn’t drooling at the sight of him. As he didn’t just walk closer to us but looked more like a wild jungle cat stalking me, as he cut through the distance between us.

The room looked exactly what it was, with its huge open space that had been sectioned off by the different equipment on show. There was the gym side, where machines and heavy-looking objects sat on rack shelving along the floor. There were also bars and railings above one part probably used for chin-ups and other muscle building things.

A row of punchbags hung from where he had been stood and another piece of equipment I recognized and knew well, having spent many an hour in front of it. A wooden post on legs, known as Mook Yan Jong. It was basically a wooden free standing dummy with thick branches sticking out to help train those who wanted to master the art of Wing Chun.

Which is a traditional Southern Chinese Kung fu and a form of self-defence, also known as ‘beautiful springtime’. I used to smile at the name seeing as it always seemed too pretty a name for what was essentially a tool to learn how to kick ass. But then I learned to appreciate the fluid beauty of it and the story that, according to legend, was created by Ng Mui. She was an abbess who taught it to her student Yim Wing-chun as a means of defending herself against unwanted advances.

Although the idea of a load of nuns all practising how to kick a man’s ass before prayer did make me giggle. But to be taught this by Takeshi did make me question it to my dad once, as he was Japanese. His answer had been, ‘Only a narrow mind doesn’t embrace diversity.’

There was also a large open arena-style space at the very back of the room, that looked to be surrounded by weapons all hanging on the walls. This was above the panels of bamboo that, like the doors, were painted black, with a warm tan tone bare concrete above. The flooring was solid hardwood, but not one of the highly polished kind. Instead it was more worn, rough and rugged, with knocks, and dark knots in the wood, which most definitely went with the vibe of the room.

But then the room beyond faded into insignificance as Lucius took the last steps needed to bring him only a foot away.

“Finally, my sparring partner has arrived, I was getting lonely.” Lucius said raising a strapped hand to my cheek and running two fingers down my skin. He also only acknowledged Pip with a brief head nod as his eyes were solely on me, currently scanning the length of me with a knowing grin.

“Yep, all ready and primed with a kick-ass sexy little number hiding under there…”

“Pip!” I shouted making her fake a ‘what did I say’ look but then it was Lucius’ response that said it all, especially when it was nothing more than a short,

“Goodbye, Pip.”

She smirked and gave him a salute before replying,

“Ay, ay captain, gonna get me some…little toots, have fun, kicking and all that jazz!” After this parting goodbye she skipped out of the doors singing ‘I’m sexy and I know it, but Fae be the girl to show it!’ and my only response to this was to groan out loud.

But then these embarrassing thoughts fled me the second Lucius quickly tugged me to him, igniting a yelp out of me, Then, he grabbed my ponytail, wrapping his fist around the length of hair near its tie at my scalp. This was so he could yank my head back in a possessive, dominant manner. I couldn’t help it, but his name left me on a breathy whisper,

“Lucius.”

His response to this was only spoken after he lowered his head to my ready lips, growling as he said,

“My time to play.”

26

All’s Fair in Love and War

After Lucius had let me know what he had in store for me, he then kissed me deep and just as I was still in the euphoria of it, he released my lips far too suddenly. Then he grabbed my hand and started to pull me towards the back of the room as my head was still spinning.

This meant that I was only semi-aware that I was being pulled towards the back of the room, where half the floor was covered in training mats. They were large interconnecting slabs that were black with a red border running around the length. The walls were also decorated in every type of none firing weapon known to man and I couldn’t help but tease,

“Wow, you and my dad must have the same decorators.” Lucius growled playfully at this and warned,

“Behave, my little student.”

“Uh, who are you calling student here, mister?” I asked with my hands on my hips.

“I would think that’s obvious, seeing as you are here to learn,” was his cocky reply.

“I think I know all I need to know, Lucius and I believe that recent history proves my point,” I told him making him raise a brow at me.

“Is that so?” he asked in a knowing way. I didn’t answer but instead let my body language do it for me when I folded my arms and gave him a pointed look.

“Well, you won’t have any trouble putting me down then, will you?” was his cocky reply, so I shrugged my shoulders and reminded him,

“I think I already proved that I can do that just fine, or are you forgetting things in your old age?” I bantered, making him smirk before pointing a finger at me and saying,

“Oh, but you will pay for that one, sweetheart.”

“What’s the matter, old man, you touchy about your age?” I replied again feeling overconfident. Then I watched as he kicked off his shoes and motioned for me to do the same. I didn’t walk towards him like he wanted but instead kicked my sneakers off where I was, slipping the sports socks off with them. Then I watched as, with a knowing grin, he walked into the centre and motioned me forward with a few jerks of his straight fingers. Gods, but why did he have to be so fucking sexy!

“Oh come on, can’t you at least put on a t-shirt or something?” I confessed making him chuckle.

“What’s the matter, sweetheart, am I distracting you from kicking my ass?” he teased, making me think, well alright, if he wanted to tease me in that way, then two could play that game. So, I shrugged my shoulders before I unzipped my hoodie, hoping that what he found beneath it meant that I wasn’t the only one affected. And I had to say, I wasn’t disappointed by his reaction. A response I received the second the zip was down and I opened it up before slipping it from my shoulders. I dropped it to the side with confidence and the hissed curse word coming from between his lips told me all I needed to know. Which was why I smirked when I heard it,

“Fuck.”

“What’s wrong, sweetheart, am I distracting you this time?” I asked in an overly sweet voice, making sure to emphasise the sweetheart and you part of that sentence.

He looked down and chuckled to himself whilst shaking his head, muttering,

“Damn.” Then he rubbed a hand at the back of his neck, before looking back at me, and with a bite of his lip, he told me with a grin,

“You don’t play fair, pet.” I couldn’t help but start biting the tip of my fingertip as I shrugged my shoulders again before reminding him of his own wards last night,

“All’s fair in love and war.” He smirked back at me and said in a knowing tone,

“That it is, pet, that it is.”

It was at this point that I winked at him before I quickly made my move, running at him before he knew what was coming. Then I sidestepped one way and then the other and just as he went to grab my arm, I slid down the middle. I managed to get in the centre of his legs, so I could catch him behind the leg, trapping one and scissoring both, so I could sweep his feet from under him. Like I predicted, he went down, landing hard on his back. The shock on his face was pure astonishment and as I crouched over him, I kissed his nose quickly and said,

“That’s one for me, handsome!” Then I spun away to the sound of him groaning.

“And that’s the last one you will get, beautiful,” he vowed after kicking his legs up and flipping back to his feet, which was an impressive move for a man of his size.

“We will see about that,” I said feeling pretty damn good about myself. But then again, the both times I had taken him down had been using the element of surprise on my side and now, well now he was most definitely ready for me.

“Okay, how about we set some ground rules…huh?” I asked making him grin.

“What do you have in mind?” Oh, I don’t know, how about I tie you to a chair and have my wicked way with you, I thought with a cheeky grin.

“Naughty thoughts, pet?” he asked as if reading my expression that obviously gave me away. So, I ignored his very accurate comment and instead said,

“No super vamp speed, no using your enhanced strength or anything else I don’t have, for that matter,” I said making him shrug his shoulders this time, before saying,

“Suits me.” I nodded wondering if he would actually stick to these rules or not. Well, there was only one way to find out and the second he stepped into the first attack, one that could probably have killed me had his full strength been used, then I got my answer.

Which meant I was able to block it with my forearm before punching him in the gut, something he too blocked before my fist made impact with his abs. He then grabbed my wrist, and tried to put me in a lock, which I slipped out of before he had time to apply too much pressure. And this was how the fight continued, and I had to say, hell but he was impressive. As, other than that first time, I was yet to get the upper hand on him again. And it was as he had said, that was the last time he was going down…or was it.

I finally managed to get a kick to his side, before he grabbed my ankle on the return and flipped me so I landed on my front, with my palms flat to the mat and hands tucked in beneath my chest. I felt him lean down over me before saying,

“That’s one for me, beautiful.” I growled in annoyance before hitting the mat in anger. Then I rolled over, ignored his offered hand and flipped up to my feet just as he had done, making him smirk at my stubbornness. Then we went after each other again, only this time I increased my efforts and at one point thought I had him in a lock, but it lasted a mere few seconds before I was gripped in a lock myself and thrown over his shoulder to the floor, landing with a bang to the mats. Again, he offered me his hand and again I ignored it, knowing I was being obstinate, but I hated being beaten in a fight.

So, I got up, ignored his grin and said,

“Again.” He nodded and once more came at me. This time when he had me in a double arm pin from behind, he whispered in my ear,

“Had enough yet?” I made sure to put a foot back in between his own stance and say,

“Why, you getting tired, Vampy?” Then I twisted side on into his torso so my arm slipped free of his hold, and I could then spin round so I was behind him. Once there I delivered a kick to his lower back. This made him stumble forward a little but not as much as I had hoped. But then he spun and the next set of moves I could barely keep up with, as I was left with nothing else to do but block them one after another. It was exhausting but I managed to keep up without getting hit…barely. Then, as if sensing that I needed a moment to catch my breath, he took a step and said,

“Good, that was good.” I stood there panting and he wasn’t even taking a single deep breath! But instead he just motioned me forward after about thirty seconds and said,

“Again.”

I felt like snarling at him, but instead I did as he said for me to do and I gave it to him again, only this time going in for the attack. I was just hoping I could keep it up a little longer than before. So, I started with a couple of combinations to his torso, every one of which he blocked, be it my fists, elbows or my knees.

He was like lightning and I knew that he wasn’t even using his added vampire gifts to do this. The natural skills of this man were astounding! Even so, I still gave it my all and just as I kicked out at him, he grabbed my ankle and spun me. But this time before I could land fully, I pushed up on my hands, and finally caught him with a kick to the chest. This was before flipping side on, twisting to my feet and kicking out again, catching him as he blocked it with the top of his arm. Then I really went for it, changing my style and punching him in the face, barely just clocking the side of his chin before he blocked the next one.

One two, one two, and each one blocked, before I then kicked out at the back of his knee, trying to take him down. However, the second I got him in a bit of a chokehold, he slipped out of it with ease and spun now having me in the same hold but obviously trying to show me how to do it right. Because no matter how I tried I couldn’t get free. Which was when I remembered what he had said last night. So, I decided enough was enough of fighting fair.

“OWW!” I shouted making him quickly let go and as I stepped away, he lowered his guard coming towards me to make sure I was okay.

“Shit, Amelia I am sorry, where did I…” He never finished as I grabbed his outstretched hand as he had done with me yesterday and I yanked it down, stepped an arm over it and used my body’s weight and momentum to roll to the side and take him with me, slamming his body to the mats. I moved with him, which ended up putting my crotch to his neck, where I sat on him.

The look of utter shock was clear to see, and I was most definitely claiming this as a victory, especially when I mimicked his words last night and said,

“Oh, but so trusting.” At this he grinned up at me and it was one that only spoke of the trouble to come. And I was right as he grabbed the tops of my thighs and as he gained leverage with feet to the floor, I soon found myself flipped to the side, landing on my back with Lucius now on top on me this time.

“That was a dirty trick, pet,” he said down to me with his palms either side of my head. I shrugged as if relaxed before I joined my hands together around his one arm in a gable grip and forced my arms down suddenly. This made his one arm bend at the elbow, then I quickly grabbed his wrist and was about to grab his elbow so I could tuck my leg in and roll out of the hold. A move that would have taken him down and to the side. But he was too quick and jerked his arm backwards out of my hold. Then he grabbed both my wrists and pinned them above my head.

“Oh no you don’t, you are right where I want you for the time being, my little fighter.” But I wasn’t done yet, and I raised up my knees under his ass. Then I started to slide one arm he had pinned to the side of my head up ever so slightly so it was positioned further above. A move he didn’t seem too concerned about. Then I raised my head up at the same time so I could whisper,

“Is that right?” His cocky smirk told me his overconfidence would be his failing, as the second he lowered his head to reply, I stamped my left foot down on the mat and pushed up at the same time, cocking my left hip up and taking him off to the side, before rolling with him until I was on top again. Then I placed my forearm against his throat and applied pressure.

“You were saying?” I said winking and making him laugh, despite the weight against his throat.

“You’re just full of surprises aren’t you, pet?” I sat up a little on his abs and said,

“Never underestimate your opponent,” I told him, and he just answered with a single,

“Indeed.” Then just before I could respond, he snapped a leg up and twisted his hips so the back of his leg went across my chest and ended up pinning me to the mat with it after first pushing me backwards and off to the side. Now this time he really had me pinned and this wrestling match of ours had quickly come to an end, as this time he wasn’t going easy on me. I knew this when he said,

“Do you yield?” I shook my head as I still tried to get out of the lock. But then he grabbed my wrist and forced my arm to stretch out as he held it in such a way that I knew with barely any pressure at all that he could have snapped it.

“Ah!” I said, not really from pain but from knowing it would be easy should he decide to inflict it.

“Now do you yield?” I groaned before growling at him in anger, knowing he would soon beat me.

“Stubborn girl,” he said squeezing my torso with his leg and making me moan before he clearly had enough waiting and stated firmly,

“You yield.” Then he let me go and stood, with me still flat on the ground. I rubbed my face with both hands, holding my palms to my forehead as I panted, making him stand to the side of me and bend over slightly before saying,

“It was a good fight, partner.” I nodded a little, before suddenly taking him off guard, twisting my hips, and swiping my foot out which took him off his feet completely. He landed on his back, with an echoing thud, lying over my outstretched leg. Which was when I said in a breathless tone,

“Yeah, it was.” He then burst out laughing and I was soon doing the same and I continued to do so until the muscles on my stomach started to ache. He sat up and extracted my leg from under his before offering me a hand to do the same, so now I was sat facing him. I then had my elbows to my knees and held my head in my hands as I tried to catch my breath.

“I think it’s safe to say that you most definitely have skills, my girl,” he praised, making me grin and I let a hand fall from my head to point at him without looking, telling him the same,

“Right back at you, handsome.” He chuckled before getting to his feet and then before I knew it, I was being lifted off the floor and put over his shoulder.

“Hey!” I shouted before I was slapped on my ass, making me follow up this complaint with a yelp of another,

“OWW!” This was also one he ignored as he started walking with me towards a different part of the room, towards a door at the back. But it was one I could hardly see, so I pushed up on his lower back and looked around him as he walked through into this new space of darkness.

But then he flipped a switch and just as my eyes took in the rest of the room, one now filled with equipment of a very different kind, I asked in panic,

“What are you doing!?” Which was when he suddenly pulled me forward, dragging me down the length of him before he growled down at me only three words…

“Spoils of War.”

27

Sexually Suspended

The moment Lucius put me down on my feet, he started walking me backwards with his hands framing my hips. I looked around the room seeing bars, ropes, benches and other equipment I couldn’t name. Which was why, at first, I thought that he had brought me into some kind of sex dungeon. However, it was then that I realised this was just an extension of his training room, obviously used so more aerial activities could be practiced. A space, no doubt, used solely for those who had wings.

It stood to reason seeing as in this part of the gym the ceilings stood so high, that it looked as though it could have been at the bottom of a massive hollow peak in the mountain. Even though the walls were smooth at this level, it was halfway up where they were jagged, and decorated with stalactites. It was also a roundish room, reminding me of some naturally formed castle tower.

But right then, all that concerned me was the section in the room Lucius was walking me towards. One which strangely held lengths and lengths of red straps that curled as they gathered on the floor. There were so many, that it formed a sort of curtain, and each was a different thickness. But every one of them rained down from the high frame of bars they were fixed to above.

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when a stern looking Lucius shook his head at me, telling me now that the masterful dominant Vampire had come out to play. And from the looks of things, I was his intended toy. Or should I say…his spoils of a battle won.

After we reached the curtain of straps, he raised my arms above my head, telling me exactly what he meant to do with them. So that when he grabbed a thicker length and started wrapping it around my wrists, I wasn’t surprised. No, I was just incredibly turned on!

Once secure, he took a step back and took his time scanning the length of my body, even going so far as to walk around me, dragging back the rest of the hanging straps as he did, so it opened up for him to pass through. I turned my head one way and then the next trying to keep an eye on him behind me, that was until he snapped an order,

“Eyes in front!” I did as I was told because gone now was the playful Lucius and behind me was the man I could do nothing but obey.

“Good girl, now this sweet ass, the one that has been teasing the fuck out of me this last hour, will tease me no more,” he said, before taking hold of my hips and yanking me back hard against his erection. I moaned at the feel of it, getting high now from his control over me, as back on the mats I had wanted nothing more than to beat him. But now, well now I wanted nothing more than to become his willing slave, his submissive little pet for him to do as he pleased. All with the promise of making me come screaming his name.

I felt his fingers caress across the thick waistband of the pants, teasing just beneath the stretchy material as if any minute he was going to rip them from me.

“These fucking skin-tight pants of yours…Hell’s Blood, but do you know what this ass does to me!?” he snarled in my ear and I shuddered in his hold, now gripping on tighter to the strap that bound me above. And it was a good job too as he suddenly yanked them hard and rough down my legs, ridding me of them and leaving me in nothing but a thong and a crop top.

He caressed a gentle hand down the curve of my ass, being a total contrast to how he got it bare in the first place. He then hooked a finger under the band of my thong and he followed the thin strip of material down, pulling it out from in between my cheeks before he fisted it suddenly. This made it twist and as a result, the front part tightened over my pussy.

“Ahhh,” I moaned making him grin against my neck, before biting it playfully without breaking the skin.

“Fuck, but I just love this racing heart of yours, this delicious pulse I feel just beneath my tongue…this life I own…this blood of mine…just waiting to be tasted…waiting to be consumed…it drives me fucking wild…fucking insane with my need for you!” Lucius said on a growl and I swear his words made my arousal start to pool at my opening, before I felt it soaking into the material of my thong. One he still had pulled tight over me, in his unruly grip. He then tugged at it, and with his fist still wrapped in the back section, I had nowhere to go, but on my tiptoes as I was rocked back towards him.

“I can wait no longer!” he snarled before he banded an arm around me and sank his fangs into my neck, making me cry out and this time, with the pain subsiding into screaming pleasure almost instantly. I was coming quickly, as it gave me no time to build up to it. Not as the orgasm ripped through me, exploding my senses with the first few pulls of my blood being sucking and swallowed down by him.

He didn’t take much, just enough for me to come and him to have a taste without making me pass out on him. As it was clear that he needed me conscious for what he had planned next. I knew this as he quickly yanked at my thong, ripping it from me. This was before taking hold of my hips and spinning me around to face him, making the straps above me twist. After that he took hold of the back of my thighs in his large hands and hoisted me up, stepping into me at the same time. Then with my arms still tied above me, I had no choice but to rely on him to take my weight so my wrists didn’t suffer from no longer having my feet on the ground.

But Lucius had other ideas about this as well, as he reached up to grab another length of strapping before he began wrapping it around the top of my thigh.

“What are you doing?” I couldn’t help myself from asking, and this time instead of commanding me to be silent, he simply answered me,

“What does it look like, I am tying up my winner’s prize, my conquered prisoner, so she can’t escape me.” I released a shuddered sigh just as he started to do the same to the other leg, taking his time in wrapping the strapping around the different parts of my body. Winding them around me, so that eventually when he took a step back, I was now hanging there unaided, with my legs spread wide and ready for him. It was as if he had made a sex swing, only one I was actually tied to.

All along the upper parts of my legs were wrapped in red straps all the way to my knees. This also included two straps at my waist and even more around my arms, for extra support. There was even one around my neck, which he did solely for the look he wanted. I knew this when he said,

“Time to collar my wild beauty,” making me gasp.

After he was satisfied, he made short work of opening up his pants and stepping back into me, his large cock now straining forward ready to take me and glistening at the end with precum I was near desperate to lick.

But he took his own length in hand and instead of guiding the tip to my opening, he teased me with it, getting it wet from my earlier orgasm, and rubbing it up and down through the soaked fold of my sex and playing special attention to my clit. I let my head fall back, making the strap tighten around my throat as I let loose a moan of pleasure. One that was strangely enhanced by the slight constriction around my neck.

“Gods, you have no idea how you look right now, so perfect, so fucking beautiful all wrapped up and nowhere to go. No way of escape, I could do anything I fucking wanted to you and you would take it…wouldn’t you? You would take it for me, like such a good girl,” he said making me moan again and rub myself against him with the small amount of movement I had.

“Words…give me your fucking words!” he snarled, making my head come back up and tell him,

“Yes, I would take it all for you.” At this he growled and suddenly reared up inside of me, making me grip the straps tighter just for something to hold to as he pounded into me with speed. Then he growled down at me and told me,

“I want all of your fuckable body wrapped up for me, every bit tied so you know exactly who owns you!” Then without further warning he ripped open my yoga top, freeing my breasts and letting me know now what he meant by that statement. Watching him now when he reached up and grabbed hold of one of the thinner straps before he started wrapping it around each breast. Then making me cry out when he yanked on the end so it tightened and at the same time he thrust up harder inside me.

“Lucius! Gods, Lucius!” I said in a pleading tone, but then he grabbed my ass, holding me to him, as he leaned down and told me in a stern tone,

“You can take it!” And he was right…I could.

After this order he lifted the end of the strap still attached to my breasts making one rise to his awaiting mouth. There he sucked in a nipple and used his teeth to create that delicious pain I fucking craved! Meaning that seconds later I was coming once again. I ended up shaking in the straps from the force of it hitting me, making me swing, as I continued shuddering in the lengths of material holding me captive and suspended in the air.

In fact, the only thing that grounded me was the length of Lucius’ cock seated inside me, thrusting and still doing so at a maddening pace that it soon had me building up the next wave of an orgasm. Only to then have it coming crashing down around me, even seconds after the last one had barely left me.

But then I knew he was near as there was one last thing Lucius wanted of me, and I knew this when I felt him cupping the back of my head. I looked up at him through hooded lids, so close and on the cusp of passing out from what I knew would be a mind shattering last orgasm.

“Not yet, first you feed,” he told me on a demonic growl he had no way of controlling. So, he guided my face to his neck and when I was about to ask the obvious question, he told me,

“This time, you pierce the flesh…now bite me, bite me fucking hard, my Khuba and mark me as yours…claim me!” he ordered and the second he shouted this last order I did as he said, biting down as hard as I could, and feeling his flesh giving way to my teeth. Now feeding me with not only his blood but also with the power I felt in doing so.

As he was right, it felt as though I was claiming him this time!

And I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as Lucius roared out his own release seconds later, rearing up inside of me and going as deep as I was physically able to take it!

But the more I swallowed him down, the more it started to affect me, making me feel drunk off him. I was dizzy, and I wanted to know why I was suddenly spinning by the cords above. But then the moment I thought it, the spinning stopped as well as everything else. Including my mind, as it seeped quietly into a beautiful darkness.

A darkness that was thanks to Lucius’…

Demonic wings.

28

Wrong End of the Vampy Stick

“I can’t help but think this is a bad idea,” I muttered the second we pulled up to a private hanger and facing us now was a sleek looking Gulfstream G550. Which was basically one of the most expensive private jets money could buy and one that only yesterday I’d been informed exactly where this particular one was taking us to. I shook my head just thinking back to last night…

* * *

“Are you going to eat that?” I asked leaning across the table and stabbing my fork into a crispy potato and doing it quickly before Lucius had chance to answer.

“Hungry per chance?” Lucius asked with a hidden grin.

“Yes, and I wonder why?” I replied making his lips twitch before he answered with a cocky,

“No idea.”

“I’m not exactly a gym bunny you know,” I told him, making him laugh before saying,

“No, you could have fooled me, although I am thinking a ‘gym bunny’ should most definitely be your next outfit choice for round two.” Needless to say, I nearly choked on that stolen potato. And speaking of being back in that gym, I had once again passed out on Lucius after mind blowing sex. But this time it had been the moment his demon side had burst through, wanting a taste of what I had been offering… or should I say…more like taking.

Lucius had told me not long after waking, that the moment I’d bitten him, his demon had also recognised the claim and Lucius had no choice but to allow him to surface. His demon had, in fact, been the one to carry me back to our living quarters once I fell unconscious, and in doing so, first covered my naked form in his arms with one of his wings folded over me like a blanket.

This meant that when I woke up, lay with my head in Lucius’ lap, I was instantly confused. What was even more confusing though was that I found Lucius sat on the sofa, watching TV, with me spread out next to him, wearing one of his oversized T shirts. Then, the second I shifted my gaze to what it was Lucius was watching, I could barely believe my eyes. To find him currently sat watching the third episode of Star Trek Discovery, season one on Netflix made me believe at first that I was still dreaming.

But he was also playing with my hair and it felt way too nice for it not to be real. Which was why I muttered a sleepy,

“I think someone has been converted.” He chuckled making my head jiggle thanks to it resting on his lap with my legs folded, and on my side lay out next to him. Five minutes later he explained to me how I’d got there, hence the conversation about his demon. But it was also when I sat up and because his tee was pulled tight and tucked under me, it meant that it stretched the neck, so I could now see for myself the bloody teeth marks I had made low on his neck by his shoulder. Marks he had purposely not allowed to heal so he could keep the scars!

To say I was a little shocked was an understatement but his only explanation to this after he rose from the sofa was a firm,

“You claimed me.” Then he left me sat there with my mouth hanging open in utter shock. A little time later, I still found my eyes wandering over to the sight, even though it was once again hidden under the neck of his black t-shirt. It was also one that had me smiling the second I saw it, as it had the red Transfusion club logo across the chest. I didn’t know what shocked me more, the fact his club had merchandise available to buy or that he was wearing it himself.

He explained that it had been Liessa’s idea a few years ago and had actually been quite a profitable one, seeing as it also advertised the club as well. This made sense and was actually something my own father had allowed my Aunty Sophia to do, seeing as the running of the club was mainly her doing.

But the one Lucius now wore was also the same T-shirt he had put on me and I had to grin knowing that we matched. Although, I had to giggle in the dressing room, wondering that if I wore an Afterlife one, would that mean it would end up being a battle of the clubs?

I laughed the silly thoughts away and finally forced myself to change, now opting for a pair of jeans and long-sleeved navy-blue top. One that had white flowers sketched across the hem and bottom of the sleeves.

But just because I removed the Transfusion T-shirt, it didn’t mean I wanted to part with it. So, I walked out of the bedroom waving it around before asking him, the second I made it to the kitchen, if I could keep it. His answer had been a chuckle before he gave me a soft look, pulling me towards him after first hooking his fingers in my belt loops.

“You own my heart, Amelia, and with it comes everything else I own.”

“So, is that a yes?” I asked thinking his words were sweet, but as for owning everything he did, well that was a little much seeing as we were only still classed as being at the dating stage. Even if being each other’s Chosen Ones meant so much more.

“It’s a Hell yes,” was his response making me melt into him. But then, thinking about our relationship, I was leaning more towards his view on it, than my own. As according to Lucius, he wasn’t my, and I quote, ‘fucking boyfriend’. As he thought the term sounded too juvenile. Oh yeah, but eternal life partner sounded so much better I had thought with a smirk.

Although being unable to think of anything else but those marks on his neck, the ones he purposely wanted to scar, well, then I had to say how he labelled our relationship sounded a lot more apt for that type of commitment. I mean, it was like getting my name tattooed on his body or something!

So naturally I was fascinated, as I had never heard of this before. Of course, claiming a Chosen One was something well known for the Kings of my father’s world. But as for having their Chosen One’s teeth marks scarred there purposely like a badge of honour…nope, this was the first I had heard of it.

But I also knew that he was fully aware of where my eyes would wander to, if his trademark knowing smirk was anything to go by. However, surprisingly he didn’t comment, not even when he watched me as I cooked our evening meal.

I had decided on a typical English Sunday dinner of roast chicken, stuffing, yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, vegetables and homemade gravy…which unfortunately turned out to be a little gloopy. But hey, my roasties were the donkey’s bollocks, as Pip would have said. Fluffy on the inside and golden and crispy on the outside. The trick was two things, part boiled and shook in the pan to rough up the outsides before placing into the hot oil in the oven. The second was roasting in duck fat which, when I found it in the fridge, had been the whole reason I had decided to make the meal.

But then Lucius hadn’t complained as he had pointed his fork down at them and said,

“Now these are the stuff of legends and I’m sorry, but they blow your chilli fries out of the water, love.” I laughed and secretly congratulated myself on the fact that he liked my cooking. But then our meal had finished and without making anything for dessert, I ended up grabbing a tub of chocolate ice cream out of the freezer. One I had discovered when trying to decide what to make. I also took two spoons with me and was just about to dive on in there when his words made me take pause. Pause with my spoon suspended mid-air.

“I am afraid we need to talk, pet.”

“Erm…that doesn’t sound good,” I remarked, leaving the ice cream and putting down the spoon. Lucius, for the moment, looked both frustrated and awkward, even unsure, and it was then that I started to panic.

“I’m not even sure how to say this or even approach the subject, but…” I never let him finish as I bolted from the table and said in a pained voice,

“Oh Gods, this is it, isn’t it…?” Lucius frowned at me and also rose from his chair, doing so as it must have been obvious I was about to run out of the dining room any minute and he wanted to be at the ready to prevent this or even chase me. Although, after what he was just trying to say, I wasn’t sure why he would want to stop me from doing anything.

Especially leaving.

“It is…unavoidable, pet,” he told me and I gasped, taking a step back as his words started to sink in, holding a fist to my heart as I felt it start to break.

“But why!? I don’t…don’t understand…I mean, we have been getting on fine here, great even! I thought…well, I thought that you…that you wanted me here!” I said my voice trembling and Lucius hissed a curse before dragging a hand through his hair before telling me,

“Of course, I fucking want you here! But it just isn’t possible anymore…not now,” he told me and I swear my whole chest felt like it was cracking wide open and I was drowning on his blood I’d recently consumed that was pouring out of it.

“Why, is it because I opened that fucking box?!” I snapped, hating the tears I could feel coming. Gods, but how could he do this to me and why now?! He closed his eyes in frustration and told me,

“I just can’t do it…I can’t chance…”

“You fucking coward!” I shouted at him, suddenly so angry! Unbelievably so! Which was why I cut him off, making him growl at me for the insult.

“Careful, pet, for I am not accustomed to such disrespect,” he warned and I swear the bastard had some gall!

“Fuck you! Actually, you know what, screw you and screw your fucking castle!” I yelled at him, as I stormed off despite the growls behind me.

“Gods, give me fucking strength!” I heard him mutter as he followed me into the dressing room, where I went straight over to my clothes and started stuffing everything back into the empty boxes still left there in the corner. Gods, I had been so fucking stupid to trust moving in here! I was an idiot for trusting him with my heart and I knew once the anger had subsided, then what would be left of me I had no clue. Because Lucius had the power to totally fucking destroy me!

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?!” he snapped and I slammed the armful of clothes I had ripped off the hangers into the box.

“What does it look like I am fucking doing! Packing of course and getting out of your hair, seeing as you no longer want me!” Lucius seemed to take a few steps back as if I had just slapped him, as he looked totally dumbfounded. A reaction that started to confuse me.

“Say that again?” he asked in a deadly tone and a disbelieving jerk of his head, telling me that I was possibly missing something huge here. Either way, I continued down the road he himself had set me on, so I wasn’t backing down now.

“Gods, I just don’t understand, I mean you were the one who forced the issue of me moving in the first place! I just cooked you dinner after we had the most amazing and hottest sex of my life, where you asked me to claim you, for fuck sake and now you tell me over ice cream that you are breaking up with me and after you told me my potatoes were the stuff of legends! What else do you expect me…?” It was in this moment that Lucius didn’t just growl, no, he sounded like a vicious beast on the verge of losing it completely. Which meant that I suddenly screamed when I found the box being thrown back against one wall and I was being pressed against the other!

“I don’t know what fucked up shit you just got from my words down there, but let me be perfectly clear and I suggest, sweetheart, you fucking listen and listen good, because what I tell you now is fucking law!” he said after first raising my arms above my head and making it impossible for me to escape him or his anger…something that was terrifying. So, I wisely let him say his piece until he got the hell off me.

“You and I are for an eternity! There is no fucking breaking up and there is no ending this relationship. It is for life… and soon I will seal that fucking vow with a ring on your finger and a title of both wife and queen! But until then, you DO NOT get to throw that fucking shit in my face ever again! Now, do you understand or do I have to remind you who owns you by chaining you to my fucking bed this time and sleeping with my cock deep inside you?!” he snapped in a way that I had never heard him so angry before. But then his words started to finally seep in and the main part I got from it all was what I blurted out in a quiet voice,

“You want to marry me?”

After this he growled low and pushed himself away from me. Then he raked an angry hand through his hair and snapped,

“I will be in my office and for your sake, Amelia, I suggest that by the time I come back, your shit had better be out of that fucking box and back on those hangers or so help me my girl, I will not be held accountable for what I do!” he roared before he suddenly turned and stormed out of the door, leaving me to slump to the floor and ask the empty room,

“What just happened?”

* * *

A few hours later and Lucius still hadn’t returned. However, he must have told aunty Pip to come to me as the second she turned up I burst into tears and told her everything that had happened. Because since he had left, I had started to replay the whole thing in my head again and that was when I stupidly realised that I had totally overreacted, as he hadn’t once said anything about breaking up with me.

In fact, it all became clear the moment Pip filled me in on what he had been trying to tell me and it had been the very last thing I had accused him of, meaning that I was feeling like shit and guilty as Hell, begging Pip to take me to his office so I could apologise. Because no matter how scary his reaction had been, or how aggressive he had turned, he had never hurt me. Shocked me, yes, but then his anger had been fuelled by being accused of something that he could barely even fathom. That obviously cut to the core and hurt him deeply to even think about.

No, he hadn’t just been angry.

Lucius had been…upset.

Which was why Pip finally caved in and took me to him, although she must have had her orders not to let me leave at all. But she took the chance and did it anyway. I knew this the minute she knocked on the door and the first thing she shouted was,

“She was crying and upset, there were tears everywhere and I couldn’t say no…okay, bye!” Then she pushed me through the door and slammed it shut behind her. Which was how I found myself in his office for the second time. But just like the first…I was in trouble again. Which was why I found Lucius sat at his desk, looking beyond pissed off, with a nearly empty bottle of some expensive drink within arm’s reach. The glass in his hand looked to have been a permanent fixture since entering the office hours ago. I decided that it was best I say what I came here to say and to do so quickly,

“Okay, so turns out I’m rather A, an idiot, B, about to get my period and therefore way, way over sensitive or C, foolish enough to still fear you’re gonna leave me and I have a bit of a hang up about it due to what happened in the past…” I paused taking a deep breath and, pushing my glasses back up my nose, decided to carry on, seeing as he hadn’t yet said a word. No, he just continued to watch me, so I added,

“Of course, you can also choose option D, which is a combination of all three. Either way, I just wanted to come and tell you that I am sorry…I, don’t know what I heard but I realise now it wasn’t what you were trying to tell me, admittedly too late, but had I just shut up and listened then…well, we would probably be in bed together right now discussing how the hell we are going to face my parents tomorrow. ” The moment I finished and he still hadn’t said anything I was seriously starting to panic, so said in a pleading voice,

“Please, Lucius, say something.” Lucius released a deep sigh and downed his drink before placing his glass back on the desk. Then he ordered in an even tone I couldn’t yet detect,

“Come here.” I swallowed hard, knowing that I wanted to go to him as much as I didn’t. However, I also didn’t think it wise to let him wait. So, I did as he asked and walked over to him, pulling the side of my white hooded sweater over my shoulder as the large neckline kept slipping. It was one I had grabbed to put on as walking around the castle was definitely on the chilly side of comfortable.

He watched me as I fidgeted in an unsure manner, as I approached. But when I reached his desk, now stood opposite him, I swear it felt as though I had been called to the headmaster’s office. However, I obviously wasn’t where he wanted me to be as he turned side on in his chair and pointed directly in front of him, telling me without words where he wanted me.

So again, I did his bidding and walked to his side of the desk and over to him. Then, the second I was within reach, he framed my hips with his large hands and did something uncharacteristic of him. He leaned forward and placed his forehead to my belly and breathed deep. I didn’t know what to do at first, just holding my arms up without touching him, but then I heard his deep sigh and decided to take a chance. So, I ran my fingers through his sandy blonde hair, amazed as I always was at how soft it was. Then I held his head to me before telling him again.

“I am really sorry, honey.” This was when he moved back, straightening but still gripping my hips, he tightened his hold enough that when he suddenly stood, he lifted me onto the desk. Then he looked down at me,

“I know you are, sweetheart,” he told me as he brushed one side of my hair back behind my ear, as it was currently loose around my shoulders and flowing passed my bra line.

“Just so you know, I wouldn’t have got so upset if I didn’t love you so much,” I pointed out, making him get closer to my face, grip my chin between his thumb and forefinger and this time whisper,

“I know this too.”

“So, does this mean we have made up…’cause I remember that part going particularly well the last time you called me out for acting insane?” I asked waggling my eyebrows in a comical way. I knew this the moment he started laughing, before pulling me into his chest for a hug and muttering,

“Gods, but what am I going to do with you?”

“Erm, take me to the Himalayas, so I can be a goatherder as I hear it’s a safe enough occupation…you could even give up being King and join me.” At this he burst out laughing and muttered,

“I will think about it.”

“It’s all I ask,” I replied keeping up with the joke. Then I looked down at his desk and could now see for myself the extra copies of the map he must have had replicated, along with the original folded next to the box.

“You planning on setting a really crummy treasure hunt where the winner gets to kill a Merc, a witch and find out there’s no Narnia through the wardrobe after all?” I asked making reference to the book. His lips twitched before he told me,

“I have had a few copies made for the Kings in hopes they have more luck in deciphering its meaning.”

“Ah, but of course, let me guess, a meeting of the Table of Kings.” I said with a sigh, knowing exactly where such a meeting was going to take place. Lucius then raised my face to his, applying a slight pressure under my chin and told me,

“It is the safest place for you to be right now and trust me, you have no fucking idea on how much it pains me to say so.” This was true for I could see it in his eyes and the tension and obvious burden there. So, I raised my hand to cup his jaw and said,

“I know.”

* * *

After this we both spent some of our time looking at the map and once it drove us a little mad, I walked around his office asking him about the things I found. Like the books or collection of different globes, and even the winged brass figures I found on one shelf. He told me of the things he had collected over the years, many of which were spread out in the different homes he owned and in the different places he had lived throughout the years.

But then I came to a painting on the wall above the fireplace and was about to ask him about it when suddenly his phone started ringing. The moment he then hissed a curse I looked back at him in question.

However, when I heard him answer with a particular name I froze, knowing exactly what fate held in store for us next…

“Hello, Dominic.”

29

Gung Ho Happy

A plane back home.

This was what faced me now. I was about to walk on to what I knew was a state-of-the-art luxury jet, and I swear my feet didn’t want to move an inch. Because ever since that phone call in Lucius’ office I couldn’t stop thinking about what would happen next. I had been so hot and bothered about it that I had needed to take off my hooded sweater and lift my hair off my neck to fan myself. Lucius had known exactly why I was having this reaction, because he gave me a tender look before silently beckoning me to go to him. So, I did and the second I heard my father’s voice on the other end, I tensed in his hold, which made his arm tighten further around me.

“Yes, I am listening, Dom,” he had needed to reply when I heard my dad snapping at him. I hated the sound of him being so angry and taking it out on Lucius. Which was only one of the many reasons why I had released a silent sigh knowing that my dark fairy tale was cracking around me and would possibly shatter the moment Lucius took me from his castle.

But then Lucius had made the phone call short and I had a feeling this was more for my benefit than his. He did this by telling my father that what needed to be discussed was to be done in person, for we would arrive tomorrow and yes… daughter in tow. This had been one of my father’s first questions, along with wanting to speak to me. I had shook my head, when Lucius looked down at me in question. Then he told him flatly,

“She is currently otherwise engaged.” My dad had argued at this, and started to make his demands when Lucius suddenly snapped,

“Very well, I believe she said she was going to have a bath before calling it a night, but if you insist I go in there and…No, I didn’t fucking think so,” Lucius said ending this last part after my dad rescinded his offer for fear that his daughter’s precious modestly would be in jeopardy of being violated by a Vampire King. Ha! Gods, if he only knew the half of it, then I think even the Heavens would shake from the force of my father’s rage.

And after Lucius gave him the details of our flight and when we would be arriving, he hung up, signalling for the next awkward conversation we needed to discuss. The talk on what we were going to do about my parents. Lucius hadn’t hesitated in this, wanting to tell them both the second we arrived. On the other hand, I had given him a look of disbelief before explaining that giving my father a heart attack in the first five minutes probably wasn’t the best of ideas. To which I received a pointed look in return.

Hence why this conversation turned heated before it turned pleading. The pleading part coming from me in the form of me begging him not to say anything.

Not until I was ready.

Something I wasn’t sure I would ever be, which was why I was staring at the jet now as if it was a wild beast that wanted to eat me up before spitting me out into a place I didn’t want to be…like the doors of Afterlife.

I was also wondering if I could get away with being ‘ready’ in about fifty years or so, because it wasn’t as though they would have aged. On the other hand, I had no clue what would become of me. It was said that taking the blood of your Chosen would extend your life, and for at least one of the other Kings I knew about, then this was true.

Not that it had happened like that for Ella, my cousin. Who’d had a complicated time to say the least seeing as it was obvious that she was destined for Jared Cerberus, who was King of the Hellbeasts. But once again, that was a whole supernatural can of worms right there.

Thankfully though, Lucius had agreed, but in his words, ‘for only so long,’ which in Lucius speak, meant until his patience snapped. And considering this secret relationship of ours meant not being able to touch each other in front of anyone, I couldn’t see it lasting long. Not whilst we had to act as though we were nothing more than friends. Let’s just say then, that I would be surprised to find it lasting even a whole day.

Which was precisely why I flinched the second I felt Lucius’ hand at the small of my back, guiding me towards the steps of the aircraft.

“Come on, heart of mine, let’s get you on board.”

“You mean before I pull an Iron Maiden and I ‘run for the hills’?” He chuckled and said,

“Something like that…not that you would get far with the ‘number of the beast’ chasing you.” This last part was growled in my ear playfully as he had used another Iron Maiden song in return, making me grin back at him over my shoulder. Then I told him in an impressed tone,

“Oh, now that was smooth.” He smirked down at me and teased,

“What can I say, you and your wit must be rubbing off on me.” But then, as we walked on board and took our seats next to each other, I looked down at my lap and confessed,

“I’m going to miss this.” Lucius didn’t allow this for long as he raised my face to his in his usual manner and told me,

“Then let us tell them.” I released a deep sigh and said,

“We can’t…not yet.”

I also wanted to add to this that it was because I liked him handsome and didn’t particularly want to see him and my dad tearing into each other in their demon forms.

Lucius allowed this, no doubt not wanting to go over the old grounds of last night, as we had finally left his office still arguing about it. Although, we did so a damn sight milder than the explosive argument before it. But then I had excused myself and told him I forgot my sweater, so ran back into his office and grabbed it, doing something I knew I shouldn’t have done in the process.

I watched as Adam stepped inside with the box with a guilty, sinking feeling in my gut and one I couldn’t help. Of course, the rainbow in his life quickly followed, bouncing up the steps like an excitable puppy. Adam and Pip were the only two of Lucius’ council that were to accompany us there. And as the lockbox in his hand suggested, Adam had been charged with looking after the box. One which was now secure in a wide metal looking briefcase.

Before we left Lucius’ office I had watched as he placed the original map back inside the box in which it came and sealed it, using his blood on the lid this time to lock it. He then explained to me how he thought this was for the best, at least until they were safely at Afterlife.

So yes, I had a lot to be nervous about, which meant that before long we were up in the air and being asked if we would like a beverage by a pretty brunette in a blue flight attendant’s outfit. I opted for champagne, whilst Lucius order his usual beer.

“YEY, it’s like a road trip, only without the road…’ Where we are going, we don’t need roads. Ha, classic drop the mic moment, once again, Winifred!” she said congratulating herself before continuing to inform us,

“In fact, we named our first goldfish Doc Brown…didn’t we Pookie?!” Pip said leaning into his arm and looking up at him in that adoring way, making Adam grin back down at her before agreeing,

“That we did, my Little Bo Pip.” The second he said this nickname she purred at him before walking her fingers up his arm and shaking his glasses, telling him,

“Mmm, you liked that outfit if I do recall, Mr Ambrogetti.” Adam actually blushed at this, making me laugh.

We had been up in the air for about ten minutes with the drinks still not in sight. This was also when Pip started complaining. So, I told her,

“She might be getting snacks or something else ready for us…relax.” This pacified her for the moment until Adam informed her that he needed to use the restroom and would be back in a few minutes, making her embarrass her poor husband further by throwing a hand up in the air and shouting,

“Okay, enjoy your poo, honey POO bear!” The she sniggered the moment she heard him groaning his reply.

“He really hates it when I do that,” she said leaning over the centre aisle to whisper this behind her hand. I rolled my eyes making her laugh before sitting back in the luxury cream leather seats, that looked more like double armchairs for two people. They were situated along the plane rather than positioned side on, facing the windows or like the ones we were sat in now, that were two facing each other with a walnut table in between.

I hadn’t been left to wonder for long why Lucius opted to sit next to me rather than face me, as his hand was held to my thigh. Then he squeezed to get my attention and let me into his thoughts,

“Not touching you will be difficult, pet,” meaning that he was now getting in as much of it as he could before we landed and had no choice but to act as friends and unfortunately, not the kind with benefits.

I had been giving it some thought on what the next week, or however long we had to stay for, would be like when I noticed a serious lack of comical catchphrases that usually surrounded Pip. I glanced over to her and I don’t know what caused it, but she just seemed really agitated and I was starting to question why. She kept scratching at her skin and shifting in her seat as if uncomfortable.

“Aunty Pip, you okay sweetie?” I asked making her give me a vacant look before answering,

“Uh, yeah…yeah, I am okay.” I frowned and turned back to Lucius to whisper,

“Something’s not right, she seems on edge.” Lucius, who had actually been busy reading what looked like emails on his phone, looked first to me and then over my head to Pip. Then the moment he did, the stewardess appeared, with a tray of drinks and, just like I thought she would, snacks.

“So sorry about the wait, your drinks will be with you shortly,” she said sweetly and I smiled at her before turning back to Pip and telling her,

“See…snacks.” I mouthed this last word at her and motioned to the stewardess who had her back to us as she was busy preparing our drinks at the small wet bar. She was currently pulling the bottle of champagne from an overly large silver ice bucket, one that held three bottles. Personally, I thought it was a little overkill, as what did she think the four of us were gonna have, a party and spray it all over each other!

I mean, I know there were some eccentric billionaires out there but please, you had Lucius in a dark grey suit with red tie, you had Adam who looked like his travelling accountant. Then me, who could have been his unprofessional looking PA in my skinny jeans and black sweater over a white shirt and flat boots. Needless to say, I was going for the smarter side of casual seeing as I was going home and all.

As for Pip, well then yes, she could have passed for a party girl in her roll neck, knitted sweater dress. One with stripes of pastel colours and covered in coin sized plastic lips sewn in a particular pattern. It was a dress that was also pulled in at the waist with a Kermit the frog belt, that looked like the actual muppet had been wrapped around her, with his hands holding his own legs.

Her hair was twisted up into a retro rockabilly roll, with a bright pink bandana wrapped around her head. So, all in all, we were a pretty mixed bunch.

“Hey, what are you doing…no, no, no, chickee…” Pip said when she noticed the stewardess struggling with the champagne bottle, now getting up to show her how to do it.

“Nah, you are opening it all wrong… see you twist your…wait a minute, my Spidey sense is doing the whole shiver me’ tinglings thing here…shouldn’t you know how to open one of these by now?” she asked and I had to say, she had a point. The stewardess looked sheepish but shrugged her shoulders and said,

“I confess, I’m new at this.” This peeked Lucius’ interest and now he asked,

“And what of Freda? She is my usual…”

“Oh her, yes well she couldn’t make it today, her kids are sick,” the girl said, before adding,

“It’s just me and Tammy in the back, she’s getting your…” She was quickly interrupted.

“Freda doesn’t have kids.” This came from Lucius who obviously knew his human staff and the second he said it, the stewardess shot us each a look of panic and just as Pip went on to say,

“Who in the Donkey’s…” she was suddenly stopped when the bitch suddenly blew something in her face that she must have had concealed in her hand. But then at the same time, she also brought up the champagne bottle so hard, it hit Pip square in the jaw, making her head snap back. It even knocked a tooth out of her mouth before Pip hit the floor with the bottle landing intact next to her.

“PIP! What the fuck did you do to her?!” I screamed standing quickly, as did Lucius. I was about to rush towards her when Lucius quickly held me back.

This was now at the sight of our new problem.

As that was just what we needed…

Another fucking gun.

30

Winging It

“NOBODY FUCKING MOVE!” A blonde guy shouted, coming from around the corner, dressed as an air steward and holding a gun to the window, before telling us,

“If you try anything, I will shoot out the window, and I think you can guess what will happen next!” Lucius started to growl low and menacing, as he started to shift in front of me.

“He said don’t fucking move, Vampire!” the female said, now producing her own gun from underneath the ice bucket, telling me why it had been so big...big enough to conceal a weapon on board.

“You sure that shit the witch gave you worked?” the guy said to his partner, who snapped,

“She’s fucking unconscious, isn’t she!”

“What do you want?” Lucius asked, eyeing up the gun and also weighing up his options in getting to both of them in time before a single shot went off. I also knew that, like the others in the mansion, it was obvious that Lucius couldn’t control these two.

“Like you don’t fucking know!” the woman snapped before the guy started issuing orders,

“Here is what is going to happen, you are going to give us the box and our pilot is going to land this plane where there will be a team waiting for us and will blow this fucking plane up the second they sense any trouble. So, unless you wanna see your bitch die today, then I suggest you’d better not try anything!” the guy said making me look up at Lucius and say,

“Aww, look honey, they actually think this is going to happen.” Lucius scoffed and said,

“Deluded humans.”

“Shut the fuck up, bitch, and get over here, I have heard about you and want you down on the floor next to your crazy friend here, right where I can keep an eye on you,” the girl snapped making me say,

“Nice to know my reputation for killing you bastards is growing stronger by the day.” I moved to do as she said because, well I had a plan, but then Lucius’ arm snapped out and grabbed me, holding me to his side.

“NOW!” the woman said again, but it was me that he listened to as I looked up at him and said,

“It’s okay, all’s fair in love and war, remember?” This was when he finally understood what I was trying to say and that he needed to trust that that I could do this. He nodded once and let me go. So, I walked closer to her and when the bitch motioned to the floor with her gun, I got down on my knees and then on my hands, making sure I was positioned close to what I needed.

Then I moved in a way so I could check that Pip was still breathing. The relief when her pulse was still strong was immeasurable. But this was when our biggest problem hit me as I looked first to Lucius side on and then to the back of the plane, telling him with a single name mouthed silently, the real threat in all of this. Lucius looked at me and the second they weren’t looking, he mouthed back, ‘be ready’.

Because this plan of theirs didn’t include one very important detail…we had a monster on board.

Oh, yeah and these morons had just attacked his wife!

The moment Adam came from the back of the plane and took in the scene, this became a big oh shit moment for us, and Lucius was the first one to know it.

“Fuck!” he hissed, the second Adam started to lose his shit and when I say this, I mean he suddenly roared like ten fucking lions were all on board with us and it made the plane start to shake. Then his head started shaking, doing it so fast that it was morphing into something else right in front of us. It was as if a monster version of him was trying to break free of his skin. But Lucius and I both knew that if that happened, then it was bye, bye, for all of us. Well, all except for the one who had wings. Although, I liked to think that I would be the first choice of wing buddy. However, it was Pip and Adam that were my major concerns. Which meant taking out the threat.

“What the fuck!” the guy shouted at the sight of Adam desperately fighting his rage and the beast from coming through. So, Lucius made a move to go to him and the bitch shouted,

“I told you not to fucking move!”

Lucius snarled at her, his fangs and crimson gaze now showing her exactly who she was threatening, which was why I said,

“If he doesn’t go to him then this whole fucking plane is going to be ripped apart and all because you knocked out his wife, you dumb shits…but hey, I’m sure you two can sprout wings and fly…right?” They both looked at each other exchanging a moment of panic before telling him after the plane rocked again,

“Alright go, but don’t try anything, Vamp, or I am taking my chances and putting a hole in your bitch’s head!” Lucius snarled low and looked ready to pounce on the guy and rip him to shreds just for the insult alone. Which was why to get him back on track I shouted,

“Lucius go, help control him!” This got him moving and now with their eyes firmly on Adam, who was changing bit by bit every second, I could grab the bottle like I had wanted to. I then looked behind my shoulder when another mighty bellow from the beast shook the floor and again the plane dropped from the force of his rage. This made the girl reach out quickly to steady herself. Lucius looked back to me and nodded, indicating with just a look that I should be ready for when it happened again.

But then to help us in this, the pilot chose that moment to shout something from the cockpit, which gained the guy’s attention. This was when Lucius made his move, momentarily letting go of Adam’s beast and making the plane rock again, only harder this time. Both of them reached out to steady themselves, which was when I jumped up, shaking the bottle as I went. Then, with a little pressure, I made the cork fire off before spraying them both with champagne. Just as the bitch screamed, I quickly kicked the gun out of her hand, and threw the nearly empty bottle at the guy, who was covering his face so as not to get it in his eyes.

It hit him on the shoulder, jarring his arm back, long enough for me to pick up Lucius’ beer bottle and throw that at him too. This was something that managed to hit him in the head and smash on impact. But then the bitch was coming back at me, running straight and intent on tackling me down the aisle. However, I positioned my feet to prevent this so that when she did hit into me, I was ready to grab her head. Then, when I got her locked in my arm, I punched her in the face three times with an uppercut, feeling the pain in doing so and quickly ignoring it.

Then I swung her away from me and into the guy who was bleeding in the head and now looking for his gun on the floor. But with blood in his eyes he thankfully couldn’t see it. However, once more the plane shook again and this time, I knew Lucius was failing to keep the beast contained. I looked back and the sight of Lucius trying to keep Adam in his own head lock looked to be a sight even the Gods would struggle with. It was like watching someone wrestling with a crazed brown bear!

Which was why I knew I had to wake Pip up, as she was the only one who had the power to control him and this was by letting both beast and Adam know she was okay. So, I crouched down to her with my only hope that whatever had been done to her, was only temporary.

“Pip! Come on Pip, you needed to wake up! Please, oh please, wake up, honey!” I shouted and the second I saw movement I knew I had to put these two down for good. So, I stood up, and blocked the bitch’s attack before kicking her in the stomach so she landed into a wall. Then I was raising my forearm for another block, only this time it was side on as the guy also came at me. But he was clumsy with his vision impaired, which meant I had chance to grab his head and slam his face onto my knee as I brought it up at the same time.

Then I dropped him to the ground and picked up his hand, bent it in such a way, that with one quick twist, it broke his wrist making him bellow in pain. I was just about to kick him in the gut, when I was struck from behind. This was obviously by the bitch who was back for another round. I fell forward at an awkward angle, hitting one of the fancy tray tables with my hip, and banging my head on the side by a window.

“Pip, waking up right about now would be fucking swell!” I shouted before kicking back at the girl and catching her before she could attack. But then the plane shifted way over on its side and we all started to slide making the pilot’s shouts grow louder and more panicked. Of course, this finally managed to jar Pip enough into groaning, which I took as my first good sign.

“PIP, time to get up, NOW!” I shouted the second Lucius was thrown off, as even more of the Hellish beast was breaking free. In fact, now one whole arm was forming into the stuff of nightmares and it was growing bigger by the second. And what was that underneath his skin…was that, skulls?

Okay, so yeah, time to wake up the sleeping Bo Pip! So, I thought of the one thing that just might do it.

“PIP, ALL DONKEYS ARE GONNA DIE!” I screamed and suddenly Pip was lifting herself up and shaking her head, asking in a grumbling voice what had happened.

“Oh nothing, just that we’re are all about to plummet to our deaths unless you get your husband under control!” I said trying to help her up, when suddenly I felt a gun pressed into the back of my head and the hammer was being clocked back. Damn it, but the bitch had found her gun again.

“Aww shit,” I muttered.

“Amelia!” Lucius shouted and I could see him still fighting for control and now he was unsure what to do, as either decisions might mean my death.

“Back the fuck up, bitch!” I did as she said, seeing Pip looking up at me and quickly taking in the scene. So, I continued back, telling her,

“If you shoot me, you could end up bringing this plane down.” However, reminding her of this just made her snarl at me,

“Yeah, but it would be fucking worth it, so time to get on your fucking knees!”

“Alright, okay, I will do as you…” This ended with the sound of a loud dong, before the girl’s eyes rolled back up into her head. Then she fell forward and hit the floor, making me have to jump out of the way first. Behind her was the culprit with the large ice bucket in her hands after she had just bashed her over the head with it.

“That’s for wasting good booze, biatch!” Pip said making me clear my throat and say,

“Err, Pip.”

“Yeah.”

“You might want to continue saving the fucking day and go get Adam back.” Right in that moment Lucius bellowed,

“PIP, GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE!”

“Eeek, sure thing boss!” Then she dropped the bucket and the second she did, just to be sure, I picked it up and used it on the guy, who was still barely conscious. However, right then, even slight movement was too much for my liking. So, as it had worked well for Pip, I snatched it up and hit the guy at the back of the head with it making another satisfying dong sound.

But it was at that moment that I realised the plane was losing altitude and I frowned back at Lucius to see them both now trying to contain Adam. Something that was only achieved by Lucius holding him in a head lock whilst Pip was holding his monstrous face and cooing at him, telling him that she was alright.

Well, other than the plane about to take a nosedive, at least the rocking had stopped. So, I snagged the gun off the floor and went to see what was happening, knowing from what they said, the pilot was one of the bad guys. The moment I peered inside, I saw his co-pilot was dead and looked to have had his neck cut from behind. Which made me question if this was what the fake steward had been doing before making himself known.

I raised the gun towards the last man sitting and said,

“Bring this fucking plane back up!”

“You can’t shoot me, if you do that we will both get sucked out of here!” he said looking over his shoulder at me and appearing confident that I wouldn’t.

“Oh, don’t worry, I have no problem in getting creative,” I told him.

“I was told that I am to bring this plane down in Stuttgart and that is exactly what I am doing!”

“Then you are a dead man!” I snapped making him sneer at me and say,

“You’re the one that is dead, as I will crash this fucking plane just to kill every last one of you blood sucking bastards!” Okay, so this was when I knew that this guy was a lost cause, and rather than trusting him not to kill us all, I decided to act. So, after a quick ‘creative’ think, I ran back into the main part of the plane, briefly noticed that they had finally managed to get Adam under control, and I grabbed what I needed.

“Amelia!” Lucius said my name in warning making me wink back at him. Doing so as I raised the bucket up and shouted,

“I have everything under control!” Then, without waiting for a response, I ran back into the cockpit to see that the lunatic was now close to crashing the plane, if he continued on his current course, as all the instruments were screaming at him to pull up and level out!

“Oh, you are so dead!” I said making him laugh in a sinister way,

“You first, you dumb fuck, as you can’t kill me, no one can fly the plane.”

“In that case, class this as your retirement and have a drink on me!” I said, then dumped the large ice bucket over his head and before he could struggle, I put my gun underneath it, aimed at his head and fired one shot before a back blow of blood splatted his neck and shoulders. Just in that moment Lucius ran into the cockpit, took one look at what I had done and shouted,

“Fuck! Amelia, what did you do!?”

“I took care of a problem, now quick, get him out of the seat!” Lucius did as I asked and lifted the dead weight out, as I quickly slipped in the seat.

“Now get the other guy out of here and then take a seat!” I ordered. Lucius did as I told him to and the second the seat was free, he shook his head in disbelief.

“I can’t believe you shot another fucking pilot!” Lucius said looking down at me and the second I started to level the plane back out, pulling her back up, I turned to him and said,

“Oh, don’t worry…” Then I looked back out through the front window and finished,

“This one, I know how to fly.”

To be continued…