Fallen Into Darkness

Elianna
Chapter One
Her tears stung her eyes, and her head pounded as her blood rushed to it, the sound
reverberating in her ears. She whimpered a tiny, animalistic sound of agony, muffled by the duct tape
plastered across her mouth. He'd taped her wrists and ankles, too, but she'd lost sensation in her
extremities hours ago. Desperately she tried to breathe through her nose, feeling as though she couldn't
take in enough air, and as her abdomen bounced on his shoulder her stomach boiled in reaction to the
pain. She longed to heave violently, but even the luxury of vomiting was denied her for she knew that
with her mouth sealed, she'd only suffice to drown in it.
Oh God, oh God, oh GOD!
Another wave of panic overcame her as she hung helplessly. She felt her blood, moist and sticky
between her legs and the throb of her sex and her ass from the brutal rape just a little earlier.
Please, God.
God had abandoned her hours ago. And now her captor and rapist carried her to the final
dumping ground. It made sense. You don't just brutalize a girl and then leave her where she can get
help, identify you, and then accuse you later. No, when you do horrid things like rape and torture you
hide all evidence of indiscretion somewhere no one will ever find it. She looked around desperately,
thirsting to see something; anything that would tell her what was going to happen; where she was.
When he'd driven with her locked in his trunk for what seemed hours she'd feared he was taking
her out to the harbour to dump her. She'd curled in a miserable ball; hot, sweaty and stifled. The trunk
reeked of something rancid, and she didn't dare imagine what he could have allowed to rot in here
before. But when he'd lifted her out, blinking into the grey dawn, it smelled fresh, green and moist. The
rustle of leaves in the breeze was music to ears that had only heard the bump and whirr of tires on
pavement for hours. They were in a wooded area; a remote wooded area.
Every serial killer flick she'd ever seen passed before her eyes; especially the parts where they
found the dead bodies buried in the forest. But he didn't have a shovel. It had made her hopeful. He'd
pulled her roughly out of the trunk and threw her over his shoulder, the impact on her pelvis making
her moan in pain as he handled her more like a corpse than a living, breathing woman anymore. Then
he carried her for a long time, stomping through the woods breathing heavily, but saying nothing more.
Finally he'd made his way into some kind of cave; some kind of abandoned mine shaft perhaps, and
they walked down into the ground for a long time.
Oh GOD! He's just going to abandon me here to starve to death! Or...
She didn't allow herself to continue with the thought.
Tears filled her eyes again and she cried in misery yet again. Who wouldn't when your panties
were soiled with your own blood, your arms and were legs bound, and your captor and rapist grunted
but said nothing else as he carried you down a rocky hallway.
Yes. It was a hallway. It seemed like a mine shaft on the outside, but as they continued inside
the floors were finished. In the dim light of his flashlight she could see peeling linoleum, concrete
walls...what kind of place was this? Perhaps there were many bodies here? Bodies of the girls who'd
denied him? She'd gotten the idea after his screaming and beating and raving that most women didn't
refuse his attentions.
And by looking at him, you could agree. He was gorgeous; dark brown hair, beautiful blue eyes,
a ruggedly handsome face. Any woman would spread her legs for him, right? Except she'd said no. She
didn't have any reasons as he'd pressed her. She wasn't a lesbian, she didn't have a boyfriend. She just
didn't want his company for the evening. That had been the wrong thing to say. Because she got his
company; in her pussy, in her asshole, and in her mouth. His condom-covered cock had invaded every
orifice on her body beating her as he did it. Now all she could do was cry and wait for whatever he was
going to do with her.
 Finally he stopped. She couldn't see much hanging over his back like she was, but she didn't
want to just quit caring. She closed her eyes and listened, hoping the sounds would give her an
indication of what was happening. Her stomach boiled again, and she swallowed back another wave of
sickness. Hanging upside down draped over his shoulder wasn't helping much with her pain and
nausea. Her ears began to buzz as she felt an even thicker darkness descend upon her, the darkness of
unconsciousness.
Then a beautiful sound echoed in that throbbing blackness. It was a song; a Chopin Nocturne
she remembered from long ago. It had been her mother's favourite one. In such a dark time, the sweet
comfort of fond memories overwhelmed her. Even as she tumbled into unconsciousness, she
remembered the song, she remembered love, and she remembered the haunting melody of a time long
gone. There was a creak of hinges and then her body was tossed quickly into a dark room. The door
slammed shut behind her.

***********

She awoke lying on the floor in thick darkness. She whimpered; the only sensations were the
cuts stinging her face, her throbbing body and her hearing. She tried to huddle into a ball. The chill of
the ground seeped into her aching body making her even more miserable.
"You are awake," said a soft, male voice. It was strange; sensual, but weary, as though the act of
living was a chore.
"Mmm," she whimpered through her gag. For a moment she rejoiced. She wasn't alone! And
then she panicked. She wasn't alone.
"I would approach you," he said. "But..." there was a hesitant pause, "I do not know my own
control."
She tried to huddle into a smaller ball. She doubted it would protect her. She was already tied
up, it wasn't as though she could fight.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Mmm," she moaned again through the tape across her mouth.
"Ah," he said. "You are gagged. You smell of blood and sex," he said. "You smell of fear, of
pain."
She choked back a few sobs bravely.
"I am going to come near you," he said after a moment. "But I must explain. I am a vampire. I
have been imprisoned in this place for a month at least, and I am greatly weakened. That is why he put
you here. He thought that I would be consumed with bloodlust and I would kill you like a monster in
order to replenish myself." The voice sighed. "He is partially correct. I am desperately hungry, but I am
also very old. Such things are more under my control than what he thinks."
She could hear him move, his step was light, though she could hear that he took deep breaths as
he approached her.
"The reason I am telling you this," he said as he drew near, "is because when I get closer to you,
I will have to drink of your blood. There is no way I can resist. I can smell it on you, and it makes
desire course through my veins. It has taken all of my strength to let you remain unmolested this long."
His voice was very close. She wanted to cringe away in fear, but she couldn't move; his words
almost seemed to enchant her.
"It is not painful," he continued in his smooth, coaxing voice. "I promise not to drink too much.
Only enough to give me some strength back."
He was right next to her and she could feel his hands upon her stroking her hair from her face
gently. As if his touch released her from the strange enchantment she screeched behind her gag and
tried to pull away.
"Easy," he said even as he took her in his arms and held her body with a strength that belied his
weary voice.
She shook her head desperately and struggled madly whimpering her protest, her heart
pounding violently, her eyes filling with tears yet again.
"Shh," he said gently. "I promise I will not hurt you." He held her head still with her hands even
as she panted in terror. "Do not move," he said in a commanding voice.
At that command it seemed her will to fight left her and she no longer struggled against him.
The command didn't keep her from choking another sob as she felt his warm breath near her neck
though. Suddenly there was a sharp pain and a wetness against her throat as his mouth latched on her
neck right over her jugular.
For a moment her eyes widened in panic realizing that he was feeding, but then they closed in
pleasure and her body relaxed. It was euphoric. Her body quivered in enjoyment as he drank. It wasn't
the bloody atrocity they showed so much on the TV shows where the vampire ended up ripping out a
person's throat, but almost like good love-making. She whimpered a little, her body relaxing and
submitting to his feed. She could feel a terrible drain, but it wasn't painful. In fact; it was strangely
sensual. His mouth was pressed against her throat, and he held her body close to his almost cradling
her. Finally he licked the wound at her neck closing it completely and sending a shiver down her spine,
then he let out a quivering sigh.
"Thank you, child," he said holding her close to him still. His voice was stronger now. It was
melodious, even more sensual than before.
Gently he picked at the duct tape on her mouth and peeled it away slowly. Despite his
tenderness, it tore open the bruises and cuts on her mouth from her captor's abuse and she felt the
coppery taste of her own blood in her mouth again.
"Are you all right?" he asked her.
"No," she wailed.
"Forgive me, child." His fingers touched her face. "If I drank more I would be able to see you,"
he explained. "But I did not wish to harm you," he paused, "and you were so brave," he added gently.

He ran his hands across her body noting her arms taped behind her back. Blindly he worked at the tape
peeling it away from her wrists until she whimpered as he finally pulled it from her skin. He took her
hands and touched her fingers making her wince for the circulation had been cut off for a long time.
"I know it's painful, but wiggle your fingers," he coaxed.
She did as he commanded.
"Good girl," he said. "Are your feet bound, too?"
"Yes," she replied.
"I will remove your binds," he said. "I can tell from the coolness of your fingertips that you
cannot feel them yet, or perhaps you feel them too much." He then picked at the tape around her ankles
until he'd removed it. "There, child," he said. "At least now you are not bound."
"Where am I?" she asked quietly as she rubbed her wrists. They were sticky from the tape and
sore from how much she'd pulled on them.
"I believe that this is some old laboratory in the forest," he replied. "This room is not a natural
cave. It is sealed with a keypad, though try as I might I have not been able to crack the code."
"Why am I here?" she asked.
"I was hoping you could tell me," he said. "I did not expect you to be brought here. I am sure it
was not to keep me alive. Rather I think it was to kill you. Why would he wish to do this?"
She shivered. "He raped me," she said trying to be calm about it. "I was sitting at a café reading
and he walked by and started talking to me. He asked me to go with him to dinner but I refused. He
kept pressing the matter, and I didn't think anything of it. I left the café a little later, but a car pulled up
beside me and someone grabbed me and threw me inside. It was him. He spent the entire night..." she
paused and buried her head in her hands sobbing. "Oh God!" she wailed.
 He took her in his arms and drew her close holding what felt like a lithe, delicate body in his
arms as she sobbed brokenly. He ran his fingers through long, tangled hair, petting her comfortingly.
"So he dumped you here to destroy the evidence," he said when she had finally settled a little.
"I guess so," she said through her tears. "There is plenty of evidence on my body," she said
shuddering.
"Do not be ashamed, child," he said gently. "That has been the way of men for centuries.
Women have always been the spoils of war, and men have raped and brutalized them when they should
respect and protect them."
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is..." he paused thoughtfully for a moment and then he sighed. It was almost a
hopeless sound. "My name is Cael," he said. "That is my true name. You are one of the few alive who
know it, for vampires keep this knowledge hidden. In today's time, though, I am called Alexander,
Alexander LeGaulle."
"My name is Anna," she said. "Actually it's Elianna, but everyone just calls me Anna. It's
Elianna Kennan."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Anna," he said.
"I never believed in vampires," she said.
"Do you now?" he asked.
"Yes."
"We do not usually reveal ourselves to humans these days," he admitted. "They have gained
power through technology and they would put vampires in one of their labs prodding and poking us
trying to learn the science behind our power."
"Is all the stuff they say about vampires true?" she asked. For some reason she didn't want him
to stop talking to her. His voice was comforting her, and taking away the horror from her last eighteen
hours.
"Mostly not," he admitted. "But my people have no desire to refute it. The more fantastic your
stories become, the less-likely they are to be believed."
"Does sunlight kill you?"
"Eventually the prolonged exposure to sunlight can kill us," he admitted. "If I were to walk out
into the sunlight in my weakened state, I would not last long. But when I am feeding regularly and am
back to my normal strength, I am very much like a human."
"Will you tell me about vampires?" she asked quietly. "I never believed in you, but you just
drank my blood a few minutes ago and now my neck is sore."
"Your neck is sore?" he asked his voice concerned. He ran his finger across the place he'd drunk
sending another shiver down her spine. "It is not supposed to hurt you."
She laughed bitterly. "I suppose everything is sore. If you saw me in the light I'm probably
covered with bruises. My body marks easily, though doctors say nothing is wrong with me. When I was
little, my teachers reported my parents twice, because if you just grab me harder than normal I bruise.
They usually fade quickly, too, though."
"Forgive me," he said. "I did not wish to bring you any more harm. I will answer all your
questions," he replied. "You are stuck with me as your cell mate. You must know what to expect from
me."
"What all that stuff about holy water, crosses, stakes through the heart, turning to dust when you
die... you know the stuff the show on TV."
He sniffed. "This is what they show on television about vampires?"
She laughed a little. "There were a lot of shows about vampires about a decade ago."
He laughed. "Humankind goes through cycles of fascination like that. I find their perceptions
amusing and thankfully far off base," he mused thoughtfully. "Let's see, what would you think? The
effects of Christianity have no power over us. We are older than Christianity. I was created beforehand,
and was alive during the time Christ was walking the earth, but in Greece and not in Israel. We do not
turn to dust, but simply dead corpses like humans. Some people say we are the 'undead' but that is a
misnomer. I have never died. I was turned long ago by another vampire. You are right, though.
Anything through the heart will kill us, as will prolonged exposure to sun light. We are creatures of the
night."
"Can you fly?" she asked.
"No," he admitted chuckling a little, "I wish. But I have power over the minds of humans,
though in my weakened state, I daren't use it. I can also move very quickly; a blur of movement to your
eyes if you saw me at all. I have other magic, too, when I am feeding regularly, and usually I am a
creature to be reckoned with among my kind."
"What's going to happen to me?" she asked quietly.
"I do not know, Anna," he said sadly. "I fear that we will both die in this place. In five to ten
days, judging by your slenderness and that you were brutalized before you were disposed of here you
will probably die from lack of water. Then I will be alone once again, except of course I shall be
accompanied by the smell of your body decomposing."
"That's disgusting," she snapped angrily.
"Yes," he admitted. "But it is also reality, I fear."
"I don't want to die, yet," she said.
"I am sorry, child," he said.
"Cael," she whispered. "I'm so tired."
"Yes," he agreed. "It is the loss of blood and probably your torture from last night. I'm sorry the
floor of this place is not more comfortable. If you like I can hold you while you sleep."
"Won't you be tempted to have another..." she paused not knowing a delicate word for sucking
her blood.
"No," he replied. "You have satiated my need for the moment." He sighed. "Believe it or not,
Anna, your presence comforts me a little too. I have been here a month waiting to die. It is nice to hear
a kindly voice after all this time."
"Okay," she said. "You can hold me when I sleep." He sighed and leaned against the door
holding the warm girl against his body letting her sleep.
Chapter Two

Anna screamed and tried to wriggle away as his cock ripped into her ass tearing her flesh
brutally. She struggled and flailed against him trying to escape the ripping pain, but he slugged her in
the side with his fist, knocking the breath out of her. She lay gasping even as he pounded into her
viciously. She begged, she pleaded, but as her shrieks grew more desperate, he grew more violent. He
started chuckling darkly.
"That's it you little bitch!" he snarled as he slammed into her. "Squeal like the little whore you
are. You know you love it. You know you wanted it all along."
She could feel the blood as it dripped down her legs. She sobbed brokenly. "No, please," she
begged. "Please..." She repeated it over and over again choking and trembling.
He pulled out of her and grabbed her turning her roughly to face him. He stuck his fingers in her
hair and twisted it around his fist, to pull her head into his lap. She stared in horror at his blood-soaked
cock.
"If I feel your teeth," he said evilly, "I'll knock them out."
She choked as he thrust into her mouth. She tasted her blood and she gagged as he pushed into
the back of her throat. She began to convulse as he pushed deeper into her.
She couldn't breathe! She couldn't breathe!
She struggled madly to get away, flailing wildly, uncontrollably. But he restrained her. He was
so much bigger...
She struggled towards consciousness.
Fight. The voice in her head screamed at her.
Fight!
Her eyes flew open only to be in darkness. Someone was restraining her; a man. She was lying
on top of him and he had pinned her arms to her sides and she could feel his legs wrapped about hers to
keep her from kicking.
FIGHT!!!
She shrieked and pulled with all her might trying to flail wildly, but his grip was like iron
crushing her limbs against her body rendering them immobile.
"No!" she wailed. "No, please! Please!"
"Easy, Anna," said a smooth, sensual voice. "Easy," he breathed.
His words felt warm and soft, and they flowed over her like a tender caress; calming her,
soothing her. It was almost like the light brush of a lover's fingertips across her sensitive flesh and she
felt her body tingling and trembling. Her struggles subsided as she let the strange, sensual warmth of
his words slide over her body and her mind. Her heart and her breathing slowed as she came off the
adrenaline high from her struggle and she breathed heavily once again, almost like someone emerging
from a deep comforting sleep.
"Cael?" she whispered at last.
"Yes."
"Oh God," she choked as the nightmare of her dream overshadowed the warmth once again.
She sobbed brokenly, but he held her close, rocking her, stroking his fingers through her hair.
Finally she quieted. She had nothing left to feel, except that strange echoing voice in the back of
her mind... fight.
"I don't want to die," she said to him after a while. "I want to go home."
"I wish I could take us both home," he agreed. "I have spent many an hour crying for my home
the same as you."
"You?" she asked in amazement. She hadn't considered that a vampire might cry, too.
"Me," he admitted. "You do not understand the agony of slowly dying after having lived for so
long. I have been left with only my thoughts and memories and demons for a long time now. They offer
me little comfort."
Suddenly she had a mental picture; a man on his knees, his head in his hands sobbing in despair.
It was so powerful that she felt her heart scream along with him, an unearthly wail of unfathomable
loss. It was the kind of loss that she could never comprehend.
"How did you become trapped here?" she asked him. "Aren't you supposed to be powerful?"
He chuckled darkly at that. "Perhaps 'supposed to be' is the key. I 'suppose' I am not as powerful
as I thought."
"I don't understand," she said.
"I was betrayed," he said his voice changing from the sensual tones that had comforted her into
something powerful, rage-filled and harsh.
"I was betrayed by my own people!" he snarled.
She cringed at the anger and malice that radiated off of him as he spat the words. Suddenly she
didn't want to be touching him. Her heart started to pound and once again she tried to pull away from
him. This time he let her go and she squirmed out of his embrace with her back to the cold door panting
fearfully.
The minute she left his embrace the cold bit into her. His embrace had shielded her from the
bitter cold of the concrete floor and the freezing metal of the steel door. She shivered and drew her
knees close to her body, wincing in pain as the tears in her body protested to the movement.
"I didn't mean to frighten you," he said quietly, his voice more controlled again. "I have been
cursing them for a month, but still my rage hasn't abated. I won't hurt you, Anna."
Sure, she thought bitterly, just wait until you're hungry again. Her fingers unwillingly brushed
the place where he'd bitten her making her shiver.
He reached out and took her hand into his much larger one, holding it tightly, comfortingly, as
though he sought to assuage those very fears. In the end she wasn't sure who was holding whose hand.
Actually, she found that thought at once disturbing and comforting.
"I am what my people call an Ancient One," he continued when she'd settled down. "Because I
am so old I have gained great power. There are very few of us left, and we respectively govern our
lands. I am responsible for North America and have been watching over it since your American
Revolution."
"Wow," she breathed. "That was 200 years ago."
He chuckled a little in wry amusement and squeezed her hand almost affectionately.
"Yes," he said. "There are many vampires here in America. Some of us are older than others.
There is one, Kaiden, who has been a thorn in my side since I came here. He isn't young, but he isn't
quite an Old One, either. In our society your power comes with age. Inevitably those who share your
bloodline die out, so as you age the power seems to grow within you. Kaiden has grown strong faster
than I would have imagined."
He sniffed, "He is probably hunting his bloodline down and slaughtering them, but I have
always been more powerful than he could ever dream of."
She could hear the arrogance in his voice. "Pride goes before destruction?" she asked quietly.
He sighed bitterly. "Yes, Anna. I had forgotten the Proverb. He got to my people. I don't know
how; blackmail maybe? I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. I was oblivious to it all. I'd always
believed myself to be so strong, infallible..." he paused thoughtfully.
"When Elizabeth, one of my closest friend's new mate, turned up missing," he continued, "I
called for a massive search. I'd been hearing about strange disappearances for several months, but never
anyone close to me. My people did their job and after several days, we thought we'd located her; in this
place."
"I should have known it was all too easy. There were so many warning signs...Jack was agitated,
Lee...even Gregory. If I had just searched their minds...but I trusted them."
 "God defend me from my friends; from my enemies.”
“I can defend myself," she said softly.
"How true," he agreed. "Of course, I accompanied the team. I owed it to Michael to bring
Elizabeth back safely, Kaiden knew I did."
He took a deep breath then. She wondered if he was trying to control his rage. She wondered
what she'd do if he flew off the handle.
"She was here," he said. His voice was quiet now; deadly.
She scooted further away from him and let go of his hand.
"Her throat was ripped out," he said. "She was still warm. When I handed her body to Lee, I
knew. I could see it in his eyes. And then Kaiden stood there with a smug smile on his face. He stood
right there, with Jack, Lee and Gregory. God, even Gregory. I used my power then, but it was too late. I
knew I was betrayed and hopelessly outnumbered." He sniffed bitterly. "That bastard laughed at me. He
shut the fucking door on me laughing."
"Why can't you use your power to open the door?" said Anna.
"I've tried," he said. "It's a vault door; solid steel. Even with all my strength I cannot break these
walls; penetrate this room." He sniffed in anger. "This place could probably survive a nuclear bomb.
Maybe that was once its purpose. Kaiden has been preparing this trap for me for a very long time."
She sighed. "So despite your great power, in this place, you are as helpless as me."
"Yes," he agreed. "But it will be several weeks before my body finally succumbs to starvation
and death. My suffering will be greater, Anna." He sighed. "Which is why, I am sure, he didn't just try
to kill me. Perhaps he wasn't sure he could, even with all those forces at his back."
Finally the vampire sighed in resignation. "And so I have fallen from glory by my own folly and
pride. Now I wait in this black hole for starvation to overwhelm me, and my long life on this planet will
end."
She was silent for a while.
She was going to die. They were both going to die...how could she fight it? There was nothing
left to fight.
The ancient vampire could feel her internal struggle. For such a tiny creature her will to live
was strong. She must have struggled against her captor like a hellion and in the process brought more
agony upon herself.
Poor little wretch.
"How old are you?" she asked suddenly interrupting his thoughts.
He paused. Usually he didn't answer this question, but why not? It wouldn't matter in a few days
anyway.
"Probably about twenty-five centuries or so," he replied.
"You're kidding," she said in disbelief.
"No, though I know mortals struggle with such things as time. I don't pay attention to it
anymore."
"Where were you born?" she asked.
"Greece," he replied, "I'm an Athenian."
Cael smiled as he still referred to himself as such. Athens was so different back then, the world
was so different. This girl probably had no clue what Athens really looked like even now.
"So twenty five hundred years ago," she said thoughtfully. "That's Ancient Greece?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied a little surprised. Most people didn't associate him with Ancient Greece. He
didn't look like the Mediterranean folk of today. Of course, she'd never even seen him; she only knew
his voice and the touch of his hands.

"Your name doesn't sound Greek," she accused.

"Not everyone who lived in Greece was Greek," he replied smiling a little. For a mortal, she
was pretty sharp.
"So what are you really?" she asked curiously.
"To be honest," he admitted, "I don't know. I was a poor wretch. My mother died when I was a
boy, and I never had a father. Cael is the name my mother gave me."
"Cael sounds Gaelic," she commented.
"It is," he admitted. "Well, it's Celtic in origin, at least. Many inhabitants of Northern Europe
spoke a form of Celtic language back then. I never really thought about it," he mused.
Here they were dying in a vault that could survive the worst nuclear attack imaginable, debating
the origins of a name he hadn't shared with more than five people since he became a vampire. He
couldn't be sure why he told her, but every time she said it, it brought him comfort. It would be the last
time he'd hear it spoken aloud. It was nice to hear it on such a lovely voice.
"What was Ancient Greece really like? Was it beautiful?" she asked curiously.
"Yes," he replied his mind lost in memory. "It was the most beautiful city in the world." He
sighed. "There were so many great things in Greece during that time, and I was such a young, arrogant
fool I did not appreciate them until they had long been destroyed."
"It seems the arrogance has followed you a little," she observed.
Cael froze in rage. No one would DARE call him arrogant! He couldn't believe it. Didn't she
know who she was talking to? She should be cowering on the floor before him!
"I'm sorry," she said when he was quiet. "That was an awful thing to say. I didn't mean to..." she
started trembling.
Her heartbeat was accelerating again and the fear fell off of her in waves. He wanted to revel in
it; power, control, evocation of fear, but then he would be no better than the bastard who'd raped her.
And he'd left that part of his own monster behind long ago.
He sighed. "You're right," he admitted at last. "Fuck," he said bitterly. "You're right."
There were several more moments of silence.
"I always loved Greek Mythology," she began again. "From the first time I read a story in fourth
grade, I was...enchanted." She sighed a little. "I hunted down every little story I could find."
"Oh?" he asked. "Did you read much Greek Literature?"
"Yeah," she admitted. "I thirsted for stories when I was younger. Now I don't remember them as
well," she admitted. "Life takes you from lusting for stories to making meaning on your own; making
your own story." Suddenly she laughed bitterly. "Our plight is a true Greek tragedy."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Everyone dies, with a wicked lament," she said with bitter sarcasm.
The vampire laughed then. It was a strange sound in that black pit; rich, warm and melodious.
"You would have been a treasure back in those days with your quick wit and your way with words.
Educated?"
"Yeah," she admitted. "Not that it mattered in the end, huh?"
"Perhaps not," he agreed.
"You speak Ancient Greek, then," she said.
"Yes," he admitted.
"Cool," she said. He could almost feel her smile nostalgically. "My brother would love to speak
to you. I can hear him now pulling out his manuscripts and debating with you the meaning," she mused.
"If you think I can't shut up.…”
Cael chuckled. He was thinking exactly that. He rather liked that she didn't shut up. It had been
silent for a long time.
"Your brother is a scholar then?" he asked.
"Biblical scholar," she admitted.
"Your family is religious," he noted.
"I guess so," she admitted. "But honestly, I hated going to Sunday school; I couldn't sit still. I
did like the Bible stories, though."
"Many of the Christian religions have strong folklore about vampires," he commented. "They
believe that we are the devil incarnate. Actually many religions have such legends."
"Are you sure it's just religious people and not everyone?" she asked in wry amusement.
"There's something a little...creepy about sucking someone's blood."
He could feel her mind making the natural connections.
"Dark things," he agreed. "Spiders, bats, mosquitoes, leeches..."
He smiled when he felt her shiver. That was part of a vampire's power, to create fear and control
the minds of others. Humans made it easier with their vampire lore.
"Um," she said squirming a little. "Right. Well, anyway I sort of gave up on religion."
"Oh?"
She shuddered. "After last night, I don't think I believe in anything. If there was someone out
there, how could he let us suffer so much?"
"I believe in something," Cael said softly. "There's some kind of being out there. As I've grown
older, I've felt closer to it."
"You think he's sending most of the world to hell?" she asked.
"No," he admitted. "When you've seen so many die like I have, you realize that Hell would be
far too overcrowded."
She sniffed in amusement. "And probably full of more interesting people anyway."
It was his turn to chuckle. "True."
"Would you tell me a story, Cael?" she asked quietly.
"What kind of story would you like me to tell?" he asked.
"Tell me about... the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Did you ever see them?"
Cael smiled to himself. What a delightful little creature. What delightful dreams she must have
had as a child.
"Yes," he breathed as he lost himself in memories.
************
The girl was humming to herself. She was getting wearier. He could feel her strength, her life,
slipping from her body.
"What are you singing, Anna?" he asked.
"It's a song that's been stuck in my head since I got here," she said. "A Chopin Nocturne," she
murmured.
"I see," he replied.
"I think you should drink my blood and end it," she said to him quietly. "At least it will give you
back your strength."
"No, Anna," he said. "You are my friend. I have been growing fond of you these past few days. I
can't do that."
"I'm dying," she replied bitterly.
"Yes," he agreed. "I know. You're breaking my heart," he added.
"I'm scared."
He kissed her gently on her swollen lips. They were dried and cracked like sandpaper against
his; a sign of her dehydration. "I know," he breathed.
She hummed to herself again.
He heard it now. Yes. It was a Nocturne.
"Tell me another story," she said. "Have you ever been to India?"
"Yes, many times," he replied. "My first was back during the time of the Dark Ages in Europe,"
he said.
She closed her eyes as he spoke, imagining the places he'd seen that had been lost to time.
Fight...It wasn't as strong as it used to be.
***************
She was being carried back down the hall to her black prison; her prison with Cael. Tears were
in her eyes and her body was throbbing again. Then she heard her mother's Nocturne as she was tossed
to the hard, freezing ground. Mom's Nocturne...
FIGHT!!!
Anna sat up her heart racing.
"What's wrong?" asked Cael. He could hear her blood pounding. He could smell her sweat.
"Do you know where the keypad is?" she asked.
"Yes," he said. "But we figured it out already. What were our odds? Impossible."
"Show me anyway," she said.
"Okay, child," he said. He helped her stand, noting that she was wobbly. She wouldn't last but a
few more days. "Here it is," he said putting her hand on the keypad.
Anna pushed every number on the pad listening to the tone. Then she started playing.
"Anna?" he asked hovering behind her. He felt strangely protective of this dying girl. He didn't
want her to suffer any more. She'd been begging him to just end her life, but he couldn't. He wouldn't
give up hope until she was at death's door.
"Little One," he said. "What are you trying to accomplish?"
"It's the last thing I heard before I was tossed in here Cael," she said. "I keep hearing it in my
dreams," she sniffed bitterly. "Besides, I have nothing to lose."
"Except every time you try it and you get it wrong it shocks you," he reminded her.
"I'm only going to try this song," she said. "I promise."
"It's up to you, Anna," he said quietly. "I understand your desperation."
Finally after about three minutes she pushed in the song. "I have it," she said quietly. "If I'm
wrong does it hurt badly?"
"Yes," he admitted. "I could only tolerate it a couple times, and I can tolerate a great amount of
pain."
He wanted to pull her away then. He couldn't bear the thought of her whimpering in any more
hurt. The shock could kill her. He didn't want her to die. If Kaiden was doing this to add to his torture,
he'd succeeded.
She took a deep breath. "Okay," she said bravely. "I'm going to do it anyway."
He pulled her close to him and kissed her cracked lips, then feathered light kisses on her cheeks
and forehead. "For luck," he whispered. He held her steady and turned her around to feel the keypad.
"Here it goes," she breathed.
She punched in the numbers, listening to the song, then hit the enter key, cringing.
"Anna!" Cael cried.
Chapter Three

"That's it baby," James growled.

Her fat, sensual lips slid over the tip of his cock sending a shock of sensation through him as her
warm, wet, mouth enveloped him. He groaned as her fingers rubbed his balls, the slut red nail polish
turning him on as he watched her fingers gently tease and caress; each touch, each squeeze of her hands
making his body spasm in pleasure.
"Fuck," he breathed as she suckled upon him sending a delightful shiver that went from his cock
up to his spine making him groan again.
Damn the bitch was good.
He laced his fingers through her satiny gold strands; they were a little short, but the curly bob fit her.
She looked up at him with her innocent-seeming honey coloured eyes even as she gave him the
wickedest ministrations with her mouth, suckling and then teasing him with her hot tongue on the
underside of his now purple head.
He watched, mesmerized as she took him deeper and deeper into her mouth, swallowing him
back into her throat and then slid up again with agonizing slowness. Those whorish nails were raking
the inside of his thighs, lightly scratching his balls, and even delivering gentlest torture-turned-pleasure
to the base of his cock. Again she took him deep, this time squeezing his sac as she went down on him
making him twitch beneath her.
Unable to contain himself anymore, he took her head in his hands and began to fuck her face,
growling hungrily. She suckled hard on him and scratched him with those nails moaning on him,
flicking his nipples and rubbing her wet sex against his leg letting his coarse hairs and the delicious
friction stimulate her, too.
Before he completely lost control he pulled her luscious mouth from him and kissed her hard,
the taste of his musk on her mouth making him smile with possessiveness.
"Come here and take this, baby," he said lying back down on his back, holding his stiff cock up
invitingly. She smiled and crawled onto the bed kissing her way up his legs, up his chest taking the
time to suckle and then nip at his nipples before she straddled him. She held herself above him for a
few moments rubbing her soaked folds over the tip of his cock smiling a mysterious smile. Then she
slid down on him with the same agonizing slowness she'd swallowed him, so he could watch his rigid
manhood slowly part her lower lips and slide inside her warm, velvety sheath millimetre by millimetre.
God!
Slowly she moved up and down on him bracing her arms on his thighs so he could watch
himself slide in and out of her. The round globes of her breasts bounced deliciously as she moved and
her blonde curls flung wildly about as she tossed her head in pleasure. He reached out and cupped those
soft, bouncing orbs, twisting her light brown nipples smiling as she gasped and moaned.
"Harder," he growled smiling as she bounced upon him wildly, and gripped him with her pussy
muscles as she moved faster and faster above him.
"Fuck, fuck..." he moaned over and over.
"Have her turn around Bradford," said a cool, smooth voice from the corner of the room.
The girl froze and looked at him suddenly unsure.
"It's okay, baby," said James reassuringly. "He's a friend. He wants to see the show you've been
giving me, that's all." He smiled lecherously. "Besides, I want to see your tight little ass this time
anyway."
She smiled at him and obligingly turned around to face the new member of her intimate party.
Rebecca froze as she looked at the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen. Yeah, Bradford was hot, but this
guy, he was right out of a catalogue. He was tall and muscular with dark hair and ice-blue eyes that
almost seemed to glow in the dim light. There was an aura to him; sex, power, and danger, and Rebecca
liked it. She smiled at him and licked her fat lips enticingly, even as she sat back down on Bradford's
rigid erection.
She looked at the new man as she began to ride up and down. She touched her breasts as she
went watching his reaction as she palmed and squeezed the soft orbs that most men couldn't keep their
hands or eyes off. He didn't even seem amused. Suddenly she yelped as one of Bradford's hands
smacked the left cheek of her ass, and the man before her grinned suddenly. Bradford smacked her
again and she yipped obligingly noting that her little screeches were turning the god-like man on. She
decided to get real noisy. She moaned and tossed her head, biting the thick flesh of her lip temptingly.
James smacked her harder than before causing her to bite her lip and draw blood. She looked up
to see the man's attention was solely focused on her. He walked towards her and knelt at the foot of the
bed watching her ride his friend.
"Play with your clit," he commanded. "Let me see you pleasure yourself," he growled.
She did as he said eagerly, and soon she was moaning even more, building up to an incredible
climax.
"Smack her harder, Bradford," the man commanded watching as she bit her lips drawing even
more blood for him. Then he saw it; the pink tone of her skin the trembling of her fingers the glassy-
eyed stare a woman gets just before she...
Rebecca screamed as she came, drawing James into the climax with her as the walls of her
pussy clamped spasmodically around his erection. At that very moment the man who had been kneeling
before her, caught her hair in his hand, yanked her head to the side and bit down viciously on her neck.
She screamed again as her world shattered into a million points of light whimpering as the
vampire fed. Her pussy clenched and unclenched around James's now softening cock deliciously even
as she continued to wail and moan riding high on those rays of bliss. The vampire satiated his hunger
with the woman's endorphin-filled blood and then licked the wounds at her neck sealing them. Then he
lifted her almost tenderly off of James's body cradling her sated and sweaty body close to his. Smiling
at Bradford wickedly he kissed her lips deeply and then with a negligent twist of his arms, snapped her
neck and tossed her to the ground.
"What the fuck!" cried James. "Damn it you killed her!"
"Don't take it too hard, Bradford," said the vampire. "The whole time she was fucking you, she
was fantasizing it was me."
James looked at the gorgeous blonde whose head was now hanging at an awkward angle in
comparison to her body and shuddered.
"Now," said Kaiden darkly. "Since you've finished your entertainment for the evening, I have
something to discuss with you."
James nodded and slipped on a pair of boxers. "How may I serve you, Great One?"
"Tell me about your trip to Alexander's tomb a few days ago," he said, his voice suddenly
deadly.
James froze. No one was supposed to know about that. How had Kaiden...
"I can read your fucking mind, you fucking idiot!" the vampire snapped angrily. "You went the
vault. You opened the door on the Ancient One's tomb and risked all my years of plotting and planning
to get him there. I want to know why."
James Bradford fell on his knees. "Forgive me Great One!" he begged. "I figured he was dead,
so I thought I could dump a body in there to hide the evidence."
"You dumped someone in there?" Kaiden said raising his voice in rage. "A human with blood
still in it?"
"It was just a girl, and there wasn't much blood left," said James. "Not after I was through with
her, that is."
Kaiden stiffened. "Ah," he said in understanding. "The screamer from the other night. You took
the girl from the café that I highly advised you against taking, didn't you?"
 Bradford shrugged. "She was hot," he explained.
"And she denied you," the vampire chuckled. "She saw right through your façade. That one had
a gift; she could recognize an evil bastard even when he appeared to be a good guy."
"The only thing it got her was a ripped body, and a resting place by a dead vampire," Bradford
said coldly. Suddenly his eyes grew distant and glazed a little. "But I did enjoy the screaming."
Kaiden shook his head. Sometimes he wondered if the human was even more fucked up than he
was. "You risked everything for a fuck," he stated in a deadly voice. "Do you understand you risked
everything!"
"Forgive me Great One," said James still on his knees. "I didn't think Alexander would still be
alive, and I thought it was a safe place to dispose of the girl. Now that her family has been all over the
news pleading for her safe return, it was an even better choice than I could have predicted."
"You're lucky," said the vampire. "You're lucky Alexander was either dead, or too weak to attack
you. Because if you'd allowed him to escape, I would have turned you and then tortured every day of
your life for eternity!"
Bradford said nothing and bowed his head. Kaiden was most unpredictable when it came to
these things.
"Get out of my sight," snapped the vampire angrily. "And dispose of your trash while you're at
it. Just not in Alexander's tomb."
Bradford bowed. "Yes, Great One."
He looked at Rebecca's body a little sadly. She was a really good fuck.
********************
"Anna!" Cael cried.
He drew her trembling and panting body into his arms.
"You did it!" he said hugging her close in jubilation.
She wrapped her arms about him and suddenly began to sob hysterically. Cael held her for a
moment and then shook her gently.
"I wish I could just let you be weak right now," he said. "But we have to get moving."
She sniffed, "You should go," she said. "I'm too tired to run anymore. I don't even have the
strength to stand."
"I do. Perhaps I have strength enough for us both. Come," he said lifting her in his arms.
He stumbled as he carried her out of that horrible chamber and through the crumbling hallway.
He was panting by the time they were out.
It was night; two hours after sunset, and Cael had never felt so alive!
The breeze was blowing gently on his face and tousling his hair. He could smell the sweet
earthy scent of the dirt, and the herbal musk of the trees that had opened their leaves to the night. He
heard the pattering of tiny nocturnal creatures about him, and the call of the night insects and they sang
their songs of evening; songs of mating, seduction and longing. He looked up at the stars; tears filling
his eyes as he'd realized that after hardly gazing at them for two thousand years, until this moment, he'd
never known how depraved an existence without the sight of those heavenly jewels could be. Cael just
collapsed on the ground, holding Anna gently in his arms and exulted in those tiny morsels of life he'd
ignored for centuries but had been bereft of in what he thought would be his final days.
The girl whimpering in his arms finally brought him back from his reverie and he tried to stand,
but collapsed back onto the soft earth.
"Forgive me," he said to her brushing her ear with his lips. "I can go no further," he said. "I am
weak, too."
"We can't escape just to die here outside our prison in weakness," she said with determination.
He didn't know how she could sound so strong when he knew she was so frail. Even as a
creature of great power, the tenacity and will of this child was overwhelming to him at times.
"I could hunt for some wary animals tonight and gain strength that way," he said. "Then we
could possibly continue on tomorrow night."
She shook her head. "They might know even now that the door has been opened," she said.
"They could be on their way." She shivered bravely. "If you drink more of my blood," she said. "Will it
make you strong enough?"
"You do not have much strength to give me, Anna," he said. "It could kill you. And..." he
stroked her cheek gently with the back of his fingers, "it frightened you so much last time."
She smiled a little splitting her lips once again and a ruby red jewel of her precious essence
formed in the tiny wound. Cael kissed away the sweet droplet shuddering at the taste and then licked
her with his tongue to moisten those cracking lips. Perhaps at another time it would have been a highly
erotic act for both of them, but in their weakness it was only a physical manifestation of their despair
and need for mutual comfort.
"I'm feeling lucky tonight, Mr. LeGaulle," she said when he'd finally released her mouth.
His tongue had healed the cuts again; he'd been doing that frequently on her less-serious
wounds, though her weakening body continued to cannibalize itself as she faded.
"I believe that luck always comes in threes. The first was the door. The second is my blood...I
know I have enough for you. The third is you; my dark angel. I trust you to get me to safety. Let's use
our luck before it runs out."
He kissed her lips a little more seriously.
"Okay," he said. He leaned over her neck his hot breath against her skin. "Are you sure?"
She nodded and put her hand on his cheek that she could sort-of see in the starlight, now. "I trust
you."
"I will only take what I need to save us, Anna," he said. "I promise I will take care of you and I
will get you somewhere safe."
He looked into her pale and bloodied face. It was the first time he'd actually seen anything of
her features. She was covered with bruises and her own blood, but he could get a glimpse that she was
beautiful.
"You will pass out," he began as he licked the spot on her neck where her life pulsed.
"Okay," she replied.
Her hands were trembling again. He could smell her fear, but he could sense her determination.
For a moment he couldn't bring himself to do it. There he knelt with his mouth at her throat; a willing
donor, but they were playing roulette now. Could he take only enough? He shuddered with hunger, with
need. If he started, would he be able to stop?
"Hurry," she urged. "I think they might be able to tell if we've broken out." She ran her fingers
through his hair. "Please Cael."

He laved the tender spot with his tongue, sending a shiver through her body, and bit down upon her
neck once again. She flinched and whimpered in pain as his fangs sunk deep into the artery drinking
her now dehydrated blood. Even though he'd only fed from her once, he found her taste addicting. He
let her thick, dehydrated blood splash on his tongue prolonging the feed but he couldn't help but savour
the flavour of her life essence; she was so sweet. He purred in pleasure against her and he wrapped his
arms about her tightly and possessively. For a moment he lost all thought; and he started to pull deeply,
but with another growl, this time at himself he closed his eyes, shaking. His powerful hands trembled
as he fought his desire to consume the last drops of her life away. He pulled away taking a shuddering
breath. His control was wavering, but he'd promised. He would only take what he needed. He licked the
wound closed and held her close to his chest listening desperately for her breaths and her heartbeat.
Satisfied that she was still alive, he lifted her into his strengthened arms again and closed his eyes;
feeling, smelling, and using what strength he had to find civilization. He could smell a town to their
north; and he made his way there, hoping to reach some shelter before dawn.
What he found was an old motel alongside the highway. He needed to get them a room and get
cleaned up. He needed to black out the sun so he could heal and he needed to get Anna some food. He
drew out his credit card that he'd managed to hide in the sole of his shoe. He'd learned the lesson long
ago about being somewhere without money. Carefully he hid his weakened Anna in some brush
wrapping her in his coat to protect her from the cold. He stroked her hair from her face tenderly then he
walked into the office alone.
"Hey buddy," said the manager. "What happened to you?"
Cael laughed bitterly. "A fucking practical joke from my friends," he said. "They got me drunk,
roughed me up and dumped me outside the city without my car. I've just made it back and blessedly
saw your place."
"Wanna call the cops?" said the manager.
"No," he said. "All I want is a shower and a room," he said. "And maybe about five extra
blankets. It's been a cold couple of nights."
"You got money?" said the manager.
"Plastic work for you?"
"As long as your bank says it does," replied the manager.
"Here," said Cael. "I guarantee you its good."
"We'll see," said the man.
Ten minutes later, Cael had five extra blankets and a key card to a room. He dumped the
blankets in the room and then went back for Anna, moving quickly in the dark to keep from the
watchful eye of the motel manager. When they were both safely inside the hotel room Cael sucked in
his breath.
After all this time in the dark, he'd never imagined she'd be this battered. Her entire body was
covered with bruises and dried blood. After twenty-five hundred years of life, human kind's brutality
did not surprise him anymore, but he felt himself aching with empathy for this girl. He filled a cup with
water and poured some into her parched mouth gently urging her to swallow. She did without protest
and without struggle. She was barely able to swallow. He needed to get her to a hospital. But in the
mean time, he was going to clean both of them up in the shower. He stripped their clothes off, Anna's as
well as his own and started the water. This place only had a shower which would make things
awkward, but he couldn't let her wallow in her blood and defilement any longer.
Even as he thought it, he saw the stains of blood between her legs and growled with that same
possessiveness he'd felt while feeding from her. It was more than a vampire's primal urge to hoard its
prey. In the last several days he'd gotten to know her. Her discussion, despite her pain and fear had been
delightful, her questions probing, her observations astute. She'd listened in dreamy contentment as he
told her about his experiences and places long lost to time, asking questions like an excited historian
who'd finally found the answers to an age-old perplexing mystery. He knew what she'd been doing;
begging him to take them out of that wretched cave into lands of beauty long forgotten. She'd been
using his tales to escape the shadowy oppression of their seemingly unavoidable demise, and the act of
sharing and listening had done just that- for the both of them.
He scrubbed at her hair using the soap that came with the room trying to remove the oils. Then
he gently cleansed her wounds, washing away the dirt from that accursed prison. The water ran brown
with her caked-on blood for a while, but when he was done, he was satisfied. He stepped out of the
shower with her and dried her off with one of the tiny towels, wrapping her long, black hair to keep it
from dripping. Then he wrapped her in a blanket and put her on the bed.
When he returned from his own shower, Anna's eyes were open.
He looked at her in shock. Those eyes were the most incredible blue he'd ever seen; like the
azure sky on the clearest of days. For a moment he couldn't move as he looked into those stunning orbs.
"Are we safe?" she asked weakly closing her eyes again releasing him from her spell.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. He poured another cup of water and climbed on the bed lifting
slightly. "Drink," he said pressing the cup to her lips. "You're dehydrated. That is my greatest concern
right now. You need to do a few sips every few minutes." He looked at their filthy clothes for a
moment. "These are the only clothes we have. I'm going to wash them and hang them out to dry," he
said. "There is a lone man two doors down," he continued. "I'm going to go feed," he said.
Her face paled.
"Remember, Anna," he said gently. "I do not kill when I feed. It’s pleasant for the human. And
when I am finished, I will erase his memory of the event. I should gain enough power from him to do
it."
"When will you be at your full strength?" she asked.
"I will probably need to feed twice more," he admitted. "Then I will be strong enough."
"Are there two more people here?" she asked.
"Like you," he chuckled. "I need to spread out my consumption or it can make me ill."
She nodded. "I'm tired," she whispered.
"Another sip," he murmured.
She obediently drank.
Cael washed their clothes and hung them to dry in the shower. Then he put on his still wet
boxers and t-shirt and shoes and went to the door of their neighbour. He knocked loudly and the man,
who was drunk, opened it.
Cael rushed him quickly, closing the door behind him. Unlike his sensual feeding with the girl,
this was violent and controlling. He lunged at the stunned man and held him in a powerful grip. He bit
into the artery viciously, letting the beast devour what he would. The human had stilled beneath him
now, the pleasure of the feed overwhelming his fear, and the vampire drank deeply, taking long pulls
growling in hunger and delight as the thick liquid splashed on his tongue. When he was finished, he
licked the wound closed hiding the mark of his fangs. Then with a strong mental command, he directed
the human to crawl in his bed and go to sleep. The vampire smiled and with his fangs bared it was a
terrifying sight. He was getting stronger. He could feel the life flowing through his veins. It felt good to
be powerful!
He returned to the room he shared with the girl, throwing the deadbolt and then he went to work
on the window. He'd need it dark during the day to help him heal. He'd been weak for a long time. If
Anna hadn't come, he would have perished in that blasted cave.
He looked at her sleeping form. Her hair was drying and her cheeks were pale, but that wasn't
why he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She was beautiful; long, black hair, an angelic face, sensual
pink lips, perfectly arched brows. Her body was slender, though now, overly so, but she had curves in
all the right places. Even so ill, near death, and covered in bruises she was stunning. No wonder the
human had fucked her so hard. He felt his fangs elongate as he thought of the wicked man plundering
her slender body noting the bruises that clearly resembled handprints. Shaking himself, he continued to
work on the window, blocking out the sunlight he knew would be coming in less than an hour. Finally
he was satisfied with the coverage and he sighed. Then he removed his wet clothes and crawled into the
bed beside the naked girl, wrapping them both under the blanket.
He wrapped his arms about her body nuzzling close purring with pleasure at the physical
contact and the warm essence that was uniquely her. In the past week...had it been just a week?...he'd
gotten used to her scent; it was warm, female and even in that dark cave, tortured and defiled, there still
lingered a sweet and flowery hint of jasmine. He inhaled her now clean fragrance kissing her soft skin
with his lips, sampling the fresh-washed taste of her flesh with his tongue. She cooed dreamily in her
sleep, nestled against him, her body pressing into his greedily for warmth and settled once again. He
nuzzled into her still-damp hair and dozed off.
He awoke late that morning, his heart pounding.
Kaiden was close. He was on their trail! Cael grinned wickedly. He was going to personally
dismember that bastard piece by piece as he screamed and begged for mercy. He would be shown none.
No traitor would be given mercy. He had ruled to gently this past century. It was time to remind the
vampires who he was and who he'd become, and that he'd accepted both sides of himself.
He untangled himself from the sleeping human's limbs smiling a little at how they had snuggled
together greedily consuming the warmth of the other. He moved gently to keep from waking her,
though the withdrawal of his warmth made her whimper in protest even in her sleep. He rose and filled
another cup with water.
"Anna," he whispered shaking her gently.
She moaned in response her stunning blue eyes opening and staring out blearily.
"You must drink some more," he encouraged her putting the water glass to her lips. He let her
take several larger gulps now.
"You need food," he said. "I'm going to see if they have any breakfast they can bring us."
He dialed out on the phone. "Hello this is Mr. LeGaulle," he said. "I have a terrible migraine
and the sunlight hurts my eyes. I was wondering if you could bring me something to eat in my room?
You could add the service to my tab," he added. "Thank you," he said.
Several moments later, there was a knock at the door. He opened it remaining in the shadows. A
surly looking woman delivered the food on a cafeteria tray. Cael winced when he took it, but did not
feel any lasting effects.
"Thank you," he said. "The sun hurts my eyes when my migraines get this bad."
"Tell me about it honey," said the woman gruffly. "I get them, too."
"Well," he said closing the door. "Thanks again."
"Okay, child," he said gently. "Let's try to get some food into you, too."
She whimpered and did her best to sit up but he noticed that she didn't have the strength. He
sighed and sat up behind her leaning against the headboard and then used his body to support hers.
With the tray on his lap, he patiently fed the beautiful little human girl that had given him her blood and
saved him from torture in that awful chamber. He would owe her for the rest of eternity.
Finally when she could consume no more, he put aside the tray and snuggled back down into
bed with pulling her slender body close again. He nuzzled into her hair and let his rest take him.
Chapter Four
The world was warm and soft. Her limbs were heavy in that comfortable, restful way, and her
mind was lingering in the aftermath of pleasant dreams forgotten where the sense of peace was the only
memory that remained. The covers felt like a cocoon over her body and the sheets were soft against her
sleep-numbed skin. She cooed happily to herself nuzzling into them, and snuggled against the warm
flesh that pressed against her from behind holding a possessive arm about her bare middle.
In the back of her mind, a concern pestered her. Something wasn't right, but in her contentment
and dream-addled brain she couldn't quite place it. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the
unwelcome sensation, wanting to float on the cloud of bliss for a while longer. However, that little
voice, the nag in the back of her mind that was usually right even as unwelcome as it might be, pulled
her towards wakefulness. Irritably she sighed and opened her eyes.
It was dark, but there was the soft glow of sunlight streaming through the corners of a window
that had been blacked out with some blankets on top of the normal curtains. She didn't recognize the
room at all. It almost looked like a nice hotel room, though she couldn't imagine why she'd be in a
hotel. Her mind was labouring as though it hadn't had to work so hard in a long time.
Had she been unconscious?
She could remember nothing. Not even the person who was pressed against her naked body. She
felt her heart begin to pound as the little part of her mind that had been trying to communicate to her
almost screamed in relief.
YES!
She was in a hotel room, naked, lying in the arms of a man she couldn't remember.
Hotel. Naked. Unknown man.
Fuck.
How? She couldn't remember.
Fuck.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she carefully tried to pull out of the embrace of the man
she couldn't even see because he snuggled against her from behind. She had a sudden fear. She didn't
want to wake him. She didn't want to be hurt...
Hurt. Rape!
Oh GOD!
Her pounding heart nearly stopped as memories overwhelmed her. Rape, torture, darkness,
starvation, salvation... and then nothing. She couldn't remember anything else. It was like her life
stopped the moment she had escaped with...
Cael.
She turned carefully now to look at the man...no...creature that held her against his body
possessively. For a moment, she couldn't move.
Was this truly Cael?
Even asleep, he was beyond beautiful. He was a god; truly some Grecian deity from the old
legends. He had wavy golden hair that seemed to sparkle in the dim light, sensually full lips that
seemed made for kissing, and handsome features that weren't too square or too fine. His body was all
muscle; not the bulky, over-developed kind, but those of an athlete; a runner, a fighter...a killer. That
thought made her shiver. He was a vampire; a beast, a creature that lives solely on the life of others; a
beautiful, godlike... parasite.
She pulled away from him and slid carefully out of bed, fearing to wake him, but needing to
orient herself. She felt as though she'd lost something. Time perhaps?
She shuffled towards the bathroom and turned on the light pausing to look at herself in the
mirror. Yes, she was covered in bruises, but they were fading, as though they were many days old.
Many of the cuts on her body were simply red scars, and even the deep bruising around her wrists was
turning yellow. She looked at Cael again.
Had she really been in some kind of coma? She closed the door to the bathroom and turned on
the shower. For a long time she just stood there, letting the warm water beat upon her skin. She felt so
dazed, confused, and...foggy. She took a long time to scrub at her defiled skin, doing her best not to
lose herself to tears again. She'd cried so much in that damn black pit that she figured she should be
finished with such things. Scrubbing away the defilement, though, brought back every moment of her
torture. She sobbed.
Finally when she emerged, wrapped in a towel she felt cleansed; body and mind.
"Are you all right?" the vampire asked as she stepped out of the steamy bathroom.
If she had any lingering doubts that the gorgeous creature sleeping beside her had not been
Cael, the smooth sensuous voice she knew so well squashed them. The gorgeous man before her really
was her companion in the dark. He was sitting at a small table in just a pair of boxers in front of a
laptop. For a moment she froze and stared at him in amazement once again. If his body hadn't been
enough to overwhelm her, his eyes were the most incredible colour of green she'd ever seen. They
literally seemed to glow in the dim light keeping her rooted to the ground hypnotized and transfixed.
Irritated at herself for staring, she looked at his...body... She swallowed...damn.
"Anna?" he asked again shocking her from her distractions.
"What?" she said almost guiltily.
He smiled a little as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.
"Are you okay?"
"I don't know," she replied quietly. "I feel like I've been out of it for a really long time. What
happened?"
"You've been unconscious for about a week," he said. "I've kept you that way."
"You kept me that way?" She didn't move. She suddenly felt very afraid.
"It has been easier to flee with you," he admitted. "The second night of our escape, I brought
you to a clinic. They gave us pain pills, antibiotics, and ointments for your cuts. I kept you under
except to tend to your needs until your body had a chance to heal a little. You were almost dead, Anna."
"Why don't I remember then?"
"I didn't want you to remember that kind of pain," he replied.
"You can do those kinds of things?" she said in a tiny voice.
He was quiet for a moment. "Yes."
For a moment she didn't know what to say. She couldn't imagine something with that kind of
power. More than just the physical power of her rapist, which he also had, Cael possessed some kind of
magic. She felt sick, terrified, and...intrigued.
"I bought you some clothes," he said. "I hope they fit, though judging by how much weight
you've lost in your sickness, they might be a little loose."
"You bought me clothes?" she said feeling like an idiot repeating him so much.
He smiled and it seemed that all her fears melted. He had a beautiful smile.
"I promised to help you and take care of you, Anna. I am a man of my word."
He rose and she found herself trying very hard not to stare at him as that godlike body moved
with the grace of a cat. He opened a few drawers in their room and smiled a little naughtily.
"I actually enjoyed shopping for you. The Victoria's Secret catalogue online is quite extensive."
Anna blushed profusely but lifted her chin stubbornly as if she dared the blush to go any further
even as she joined him and surveyed the purchases he'd made. Looking in the drawer she felt the blush
deepening and she knew that her fair skin must be scarlet. The lingerie was beautiful, sexy,
provocative...
"These are beautiful Cael," she said shyly.
 "You are a beautiful woman," he said simply. "The clothes you wore before did not do you
justice." He smiled. "And so you don't think I'm a pervert and just bought you lingerie," he said
opening another drawer, "I also bought you things to wear over it."
She looked through the beautiful clothes. They were simple but she could tell they were
designer make. She looked at some of the labels.
"Cael," she said. "This is..."
He put his finger on her lips. "You are my delivering angel," he said. "I owe you my life, my
fortunes, everything."
She didn't know how to respond to that. She was just trying to survive; she hadn't been ready to
die.
He smiled at her and kissed her lips lightly, as though he could tell exactly what she was
thinking and knew exactly how to comfort her. "Now, will you try these on? If they don't fit, we'll have
to order you some others."
She nodded mutely and took the clothes he offered back into the bathroom to change. For some
reason she just didn't feel right about dressing in front of him. She knew he'd seen her naked body for
the past week and had probably tended to her needs, but, now that she was conscious, and her lips
tingled from his chaste kiss, she felt...shy.
She shivered as she thought about those incredible green eyes, his well-muscled body, his
sensual mouth closed over hers in something far less chaste...
She looked at herself in the mirror sternly. "You've got no business thinking those kinds of
things, young lady," she scolded herself quietly. "You really must be fucked up if you're having those
thoughts so soon." She emphatically agreed with herself and pushed the thoughts of her gorgeous
companion aside. "Besides," she muttered. "What would a two-thousand year old vampire want from a
beat-up, half dead, defiled girl like you anyway?"
The clothes fit well enough, given that she was overly skinny from starvation and sickness.
She'd fill out in a few weeks. She opened the door to see Cael had dressed in some stylish jeans and a
top. He looked like some model with those clothes, not some ancient king of vampires.
"For some reason I've always pictured you wearing a suit," she commented. " Especially
when you told me how old you are."
"I usually do wear a suit," he admitted as he ran his hands over the jeans to smooth them a little
self-consciously. "It is fitting for a man of my power, but since I am dead to my world, I figured a
disguise would be appropriate." He walked up to her and kissed her cheek. "You look great."
She blushed a little. "Thank you for these," she said. "They're the nicest clothes I've ever
owned."
"Good," he replied. "There is food in the refrigerator," he said. "I did not know what kinds of
things you liked, but you should eat something. Now that you're well enough we need to get moving."
"I live in south Boston," she said. "I'm sure my family is worried sick about me." She paused on
the way to the fridge. "I need to call them."
"You cannot call home, Anna," said Cael.
"What do you mean?" she demanded "Why not?" She went to the phone anyway and made
ready to call.
"Put the phone down and turn around," he said in a low voice.
The sensuous pull of his voice seemed to call to her. His voice echoed strangely in her ears like
she was in some kind of dream and a buzzing lassitude overcame her. The hand that had been reaching
out for the phone dropped back down to her side. She turned around in confusion even as the air around
her throbbed and her body seemed to vibrate. She could literally hear her own heart pounding in her
ears now.
The vampire stared at her for a moment and then held his hand in a gesture for her to sit across
from him at the small table. "Come and sit with me for a moment," he said.
 Once again her world throbbed, her body vibrated and she found herself unable to keep from
doing what he said. She walked over to the table and sat across from him. Anna's little voice of
consciousness was screaming at her in horror. She knew this was magic. She knew he was forcing her.
She knew this was all wrong. If she had been able to react true to herself, she'd be throwing a temper
tantrum, screaming, shouting and demanding why he was forbidding her to make such calls that were
obviously hers to make. Obviously it was her life, so they were her decisions. Even if she had thought
to say it, the anger had been replaced with fear. Cael was forcing her to obey him with his magic. The
minute he let her go she was going to bolt. No one was ever going to control her. No one was ever
going to dominate her. No one would ever rape her again!
"Easy, Anna," he said gently. "I'm not trying to harm you. I'm trying to help you."
"Then stop controlling me."
He looked at her seriously for a moment and then the throbbing and buzzing was gone. She felt
perfectly normal as though nothing had happened. Anna was freaking out now.
He reached out and touched her hand. "Please let me explain."
There was something about his touch that calmed her. It didn't feel like his magic. It was just the
genuine closeness of body and soul they had shared over the last two weeks of their torturous ordeal. It
was the camaraderie of experiencing together the depths of utter despair and the intimacy of bringing
mutual comfort and support. Even though she feared him now, her body remembered the trust and
nurturing he'd provided her. She relaxed slightly.
"Okay, but whatever it is that you do to make people do what you want, don't do it on me
anymore," she said.
He looked at her thoughtfully and nodded. "I give you my word, Anna," he said. "Forgive me. I
have been manipulating so many people to keep us safe lately that I didn't think about using my power
on you. You're right; you are my friend. I should not use my power on you."
She nodded though she didn't quite believe him. People with power always abused it. That came
with having power. She decided not to push the matter. It was a moot point anyway. She needed to let
her family know she was all right. She needed to get back to her life. She needed...
"I want to go home."
The moment she said it, she felt a stab of pain though she couldn't figure out why. Her family
was worried. It was natural for her to want to go home. Right? Then why did saying the words
suddenly feel so...wrong?
"If you go home, you will put your family in danger," he said. "I have given this much thought,
so let me finish," he said.
She closed her mouth. She had been about to argue, but it seemed he could also read her mind.
She wondered if he'd agree to stop doing that, as well.
"I wish," he responded smiling a little at her. "Now that I can see your eyes, I can sense your
thoughts. There is nothing I can do about it, and you're still too young to guard your mind and hide
such things." He chuckled. "And you were thinking that very loudly because you're upset."
She nodded not so sure what to say. Damn. She didn't even have to say anything.
"If you don't look at me and you control your emotions it makes it more difficult," he said
helpfully.
She nodded and bowed her head even as she took a deep breath to control her temper. She'd be
damned if she let him read her mind.
"I want to go home."
Once again that same stab of pain, of absolute...wrong went through her as though home was
NOT where she belonged. Funny enough she was sure the little voice in her head was telling her this,
and she'd never known the voice to be wrong. She didn't understand.
"Have you ever thought about how we ended up in that cell together?" he asked.
She took a breath to talk and then closed her mouth. Actually, she'd never really considered it.
She was more focused on getting out.
"I think it means that the man who tortured you associates with Kaiden. He knows who you are
and he knows about me. If you return to your family, he might harm them or you to get to me. To a
vampire like Kaiden the lives of morals like you and your family are meaningless, and he would kill
you without a thought if he thought it would get to me. He needs me to be dead. After all, you can't
hold a coup based on the fact that the old leader is dead when he's alive and roaming around, now can
you?"
"Why hasn't he already taken over?" she asked curiously.
Cael chuckled wickedly. "Because I have chosen my successor, and he's not an easy vampire to
overthrow either. Kaiden will most likely need an army, and I am sure he is working on subverting
those around Kieran, my second, in order to undermine his power. Such things take good planning,
treachery, and subterfuge in order to be successfully done."
She smiled a little. "It sounds like you've done this a time or two," she said.
He smiled. "Kaiden has no idea what being an Ancient One really entails. He may have tricked
me once, but only because he used people I loved and trusted. He has greatly underestimated me. I am
going to show him what true power is and I am going to make sure he screams himself into oblivion in
the end."
Those jade eyes seemed to glow with maliciousness. The rage she remembered in the cave was
back in his voice, and now that she saw him, felt his power, and saw the eerie glow in his eyes, she felt
herself trembling in fear once again. His presence was overwhelming and the air seemed to throb with
his rage.
"You're scaring me," she said in a tiny voice.
He reached across the table and took her hand in his again and with his touch, the reassurance
came. "You have nothing to fear from me, Anna. I swear it."
She bowed her head. She felt so tiny, helpless. She was caught in something that was way
beyond her knowledge and understanding. Her world was simpler; family, friends, work...
"My family must think I'm dead," she said in a small voice. "Everyone must think I've been
murdered or something."
He kept holding her hand, almost as though he knew that her existence was spinning. "Dead is
safer," he said gently. "Dead means they won't be looking for you. It means they'll only be expecting to
find me. If you stay dead, you actually stay alive and so does your family."
"How can you be sure? What if they know I've escaped with you? Then they'll go after my
family and..." she sniffed as tears filled her eyes. Damn it! She hated being some weepy girl. She hated
being so weak. After all she'd been through.
"If you think about it, Anna, you should be dead. If I'd drunk my fill of your blood the night we
escaped, you would be. I have spent the last week fighting to bring you back."
"Why didn't you?" she asked. "I've just been a burden."
"Anna..." he began.
He was unable to finish because suddenly there was a rap on the door.
"Are you..." she began.
"Sh," he snapped. "Get over by the bed and lie on the floor. Whatever you hear, don't move."
She nodded and crawled on the floor by the bed furthest from the door shaking. Could they
have found them already? Was Cael strong enough to protect them? She did her best to keep quiet and
even breathe shallowly. She could hear him moving towards the door and she imagined that he was
looking out the peephole. Her breath caught in her throat when she heard him remove the latches to the
door.
"Room service?" she heard a female voice ask.
"No thank you," said Cael.
There was a long moment of silence.
 "Okay," replied the woman at last.
She heard him close the door and re-fasten all the deadbolts and chains.
"It's all right, Anna," he said.
She rose from her spot on the floor.
"We need to pack up and get moving," he said. "We've been in one spot for too long."
Anna didn't know what to say. The sharpness in his voice had frightened her. There were
people who were looking for them. It scared the shit out of her. The simple, middle-class life she'd
lived was crumbling away. She was now in a world of vampires and magic.

---------------------

Cael watched the girl pack up her things. She still looked terribly thin and weak. It broke his
heart to make her move so quickly, but he could sense Kaiden on his trail again and he wasn't ready to
confront him. For the moment, she was willing to go with him. He could sense her fear and see the
doubt in her eyes, but for now, she was coming.
Over the past few days he'd been wondering what to do with her. She was only a human, and
she was still weak from her torture. He'd considered sending her away, hiding her with some of his own
kind that he knew could be trusted, but he couldn't bring himself to part with her. There was something
about this woman. He was drawn to her. It wasn't her blood, though even the thought of how sweet
she'd tasted made his hands tremble with desire. She was beautiful, yes, but he'd seen many beautiful
women in his time. She was intelligent and intriguing; her conversation had been like a ray of light in
the darkness of his tomb. But...there was something more. In nearly 2500 years, Cael had never been so
inexplicably drawn to anyone like he was drawn to her.
He shook his head angrily at himself and continued to pack his own things up. He cared for this woman
more than he cared to admit, and by keeping her close he wasn't sure if he was protecting her or not. All
he knew for sure was that she was coming with.
"There is food in the refrigerator," he said. "I'll finish packing up. You need to eat and take your
medication."
She picked through the food and selected a few things, then sat down at the small table and ate
slowly. When she seemed to have consumed a goodly amount he brought her several bottles.
"You've got two more days left of the antibiotics," he said shaking the bottle, "and these are for
pain."
She read the bottles carefully and then opened the antibiotics and took one. She didn't touch the
pain medication.
"I would feel better if you took the other," he said. "You've been in a lot of pain."
"It's a narcotic," she said. "I don't want to take it. I'll feel strange. I'd rather hurt."
He nodded. "I'll keep it out, and if you need it later, you can take it."
Suddenly she smiled at him a little wickedly. "How long has it been since you've nursed a
human, Cael?"
"Several hundred years," he admitted.
"I should warn you, then, that I'm not a very agreeable sick person... now that I'm conscious.
You're lucky I was out of it when you took me to the clinic. I'd rather die than have anyone stick
needles and tubes in me."
"You mean that you might be difficult?" he asked.
"A little, but I'll take my antibiotics, if it makes you happy." She smiled the most diabolically
charming smile he'd ever seen. Yes. She was going to be difficult. He wouldn't have it any other way.
"Your smile makes happy," he said. "Are you ready to go?"
She nodded. "Lead on, Ancient One."
He smiled at her flippant tone. "Come then, Little One. Let's move."
 He led her out of their room and through the dim hallway in the hotel. Though the place was
old, it was nice enough and the hallways were enclosed; something he always looked for when
searching for hotels to stay in. It suited him when he hunted.
It was only an hour after sunset, and he'd been calculating their escape carefully. Though his
Anna had been ill, Cael had not been idle. Right now they were most vulnerable. He was travelling
with a weak human, and Kaiden had an entire army of humans and vampires who were hunting him.
There was no telling how deep his connections with the humans were, but Cael could sense
watchfulness around him. It was a feeling in the earth, a scent in the air. Perhaps another vampire
would never perceive it, but he was an Ancient One. He was familiar with the rhythms of the earth and
more aware of human patterns and behaviour even as they evolved and changed. He could feel the
tension, smell the watchfulness, sense the alert as it vibrated about him. Kaiden was doing everything
in his power to find him.
He put his hand on the frail woman's arm beside him gently, though he wasn't sure why. Was he
trying to reassure her or himself? So much about her confused him.
"The car is this way," he said as they left the lobby and went in the parking lot.
"Don't we need to check out?"
"They never remembered us checking in," he replied.
"But what about the maid?" Anna protested.
"She never remembered coming to our door."
He could tell his responses upset her. His power frightened her, and he knew why. She had
already been physically dominated by a human who had no special power. With his physical abilities
alone he'd tortured her, raped her, and defiled her. He could almost hear her wondering what kinds of
things vampires could do with their magic.
"I promised not to use my power against you, Anna," he said gently. "I am a man of my word."
She looked up at him with those amazing blue orbs. He couldn't get over how incredible those
eyes were. Even though he didn't turn into a screaming mass of burning skin in the daylight anymore,
he still shunned it, yet looking into her eyes was like staring into the brightest of blue sky in the
afternoon. He couldn't even remember what it felt like to lie in a field staring into the sky as the sun
warmed his body, but looking at her, he could imagine it.
She smiled wanly. "You've done more for me than the most honourable men. If I didn't know
you predated the time period, I'd say you were my knight in shining armour."
He sniffed. "Ridiculous. I always thought all that metal was absolutely ridiculous."
She laughed suddenly. "Oh come on!" she giggled. "I'd look great with a conical hat and
holding my dress pretending to be pregnant like the blessed virgin. Then you could dazzle me by
bashing someone else in a tin can as fabulous as yours with your heavy two handed sword. Ah, the
magnificent Cael!"
He chuckled a little. He'd forgotten how much he'd enjoyed her whimsy.
A large silver SUV's lights flashed and the rear hatch lifted at the push of a button. Cael put
their bags in the rear and closed the hatch again. He went around to the passenger side of the door and
opened it for her once again reaching out to steady her as she stepped in, though she didn't really need
it. She just looked so frail, he reasoned. He didn't want her to get hurt. Then, just to please her, he
bowed down took her hand in his and kissed it gently.
"My lady." She smiled at him and blushed prettily.
"This wasn't quite the metal armour I was thinking of getting you in, Cael," she teased. "How
did you get this?"
"I bought it two nights ago. You looked like your condition was improving, so I determined it
was time to get moving."
He put the car into gear and headed out of the parking lot. For a while they didn't say anything
to each other. The girl stared into the night silently looking at the lights of the small town and then
finally into the blackness as they passed into wilderness.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"I have a home in Minnesota," he said. "It's secluded, and no one knows about it. I actually
forgot about it myself until I saw a man dressed in hunting clothes the other day. I occurred to me that
I'd built a hunting lodge but had never actually gone there to hunt. My second Kieran went there last
year, but he's the only other person who knows of it. I think it shall be safe and its existence is secret."
"How do you know it's a secret?"
"When you are an important person, it sometimes becomes necessary to make places that are
secret. They enable you to escape prying eyes when you have to."
"Like now?" she said snuggling into the chair.
"Yes."
"What are you going to do with me when you reach this place?" she asked.
He was quiet then. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with her. He couldn't admit to
himself that he cared for her. He couldn't admit to himself that he wasn't willing to let her go free. He
had an uncontrollable yearning to be near this woman, to keep her, to protect her, to... possess her. It
was a desire he knew he must fight, for both their sakes. She wasn't ready for those kinds of emotions
so soon after such torture, and he had a political coup to dispel.
"I am going to keep you safe until I am sure it is safe to return you to your family," he said at
last. "Either that, or I shall entrust you into the care of people who can protect you until that time. I
promised to keep you safe, Anna, and I am a man of my word."

-------------------

Anna stared out the window in silence after that. So that's the way it was then. Of course that's
the way it was. She knew better. What could a two-thousand year old vampire want with a beat-up and
defiled little human like her? Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them away dismissing them as a
reaction to weariness. This was her first night up after all. Of course she was emotionally exhausted.
That was it. That was why Cael's honourable words made her upset. She was just worn out and weepy.
Right?
She didn't look at him. She knew he could sense her thoughts. She knew that he could tell she
was upset, though he'd mentioned that if he wasn't looking into her eyes he couldn't read her exact
thoughts. It probably wouldn't do him any good anyway. She wasn't sure what she was thinking. All she
knew was that she wanted to stay with the vampire. The thought of waking up someday without his
arms around her in a protective embrace made her soul scream.
She really was going crazy.

*****************************

James Bradford rapped on the doors to the study respectfully. He did everything respectfully
these days. Kaiden blamed him for Alexander's escape though no one could prove the introduction of
the girl is what allowed the Ancient One to get out, James knew to tread very lightly.
"Come!" replied Kaiden's voice from behind the door.
He opened the massive oak doors and stopped for a moment as he saw his leader sitting back in
his leather chair. A stunning redhead was on her knees before him suckling his cock in her mouth. For a
moment James stood transfixed. It was a mesmerizing sight.
The woman was absolutely perfect. Her hair was the colour of fire and fell about her naked
shoulders and back in loose waves. Her skin was creamy white and flawless; quite unusual for a
redhead, and her ass was pleasantly rounded. Her lips were soft pink and her cheeks hollowed as she
swallowed Kaiden's throbbing erection deep into her throat over and over again.
 He ran his fingers through those fiery tresses and coaxed to the woman in a language James
didn't understand, but the words were smooth and hot. The girl moaned as Kaiden talked to her and
redoubled her efforts. For a long time the room was filled with the sounds of her suckling, Kaiden's
heavy breathing and his dark, foreign words that he whispered in a deadly voice. Bradford felt himself
grow hard as he watched them. He imagined the redhead doing the same thing to him in that very chair
and had to stifle a groan at the thought.
Suddenly Kaiden fisted his hands in her hair and took absolute control forcing her up and down
on him rapidly. The woman moaned and ran her fingers down his thighs enticingly until with a roar the
vampire came convulsively into her mouth.
James looked away then. Kaiden was already pissed enough at him. The last thing he needed
was more torture. He heard the lovers speak for a while in that other language and then he heard their
lips press together in a deep kiss. Finally Kaiden spoke.
"I see you made it on time for once."
"Yes, my lord," said James bowing low.
"This is Elise," he said gesturing to the beautiful, naked redhead who still knelt beside him.
James inclined his head politely.
"Tell me James, have your people managed to find Alexander?"
Bradford's head bowed. "No, Great One," he replied, his voice low.
"Ah."
The vampire refastened his trousers and tucked a few strands of the woman's hair behind an ear
affectionately. "I have to leave this beautiful woman without providing her with the same satisfaction
you have just witnessed her give to me. But I think I know how to make amends." Kaiden looked at
James a little quizzically. "You'll stand in for me won't you, my friend?"
James looked at the beautiful woman in confusion. He was on Kaiden's shit list. Why would he
give him such a beautiful woman?
"Is that okay with you Elise?" said Kaiden as he pulled the beautiful woman to her feet kissing
her soft pink lips gently.
James felt a lump in his throat. Her breasts were...incredible. Creamy, round, light pink nipples
that were puckered and aroused. She was a natural redhead, too.
The beautiful woman smiled at him and nodded kissing the vampire back passionately.
Kaiden chuckled and nipped at her ear. "I leave you two to enjoy each other."
He walked past James chuckling to himself. It wasn't until he closed the door that James heard
the distinct click of the lock. He knew the door locked both ways. Hell, he'd locked people in with the
vampire many times.
Fuck.
He turned to look at the beautiful woman but to his horror he saw her canines elongate into
fangs.
Oh Fuck!
Chapter Five

Kieran Montasse put his head in his hands and rubbed his temples wearily. His neck ached, his
eyes were tired, and the reports were ominous. How had Alexander managed all this? How could things
be falling apart so quickly without him?
God. Even thinking about Alexander reminded him of how empty he felt. A friend of a thousand
years was not so easily lost, and Alexander was more than just a friend. He was a mentor, a companion,
a sounding board. Kieran smiled sadly as he thought about the three of them; Darian, Alexander and
him. The world had been their oyster, or so the saying went.
And now it was just him and Darian. He felt like he needed his creator more than ever today,
but a country and an ocean away, Darian Moiree couldn't help with the problems in America. It was just
up to him. He hated the sound of that.
"Kieran," said Kaira as she brought in another stack of reports. "Take a break for a few. You're
looking awful."
He looked up at the lovely woman who had been Alexander's secretary for years. She was
beautiful, practical, and no-nonsense. Perhaps the real reason things were still straggling along was
because Kaira was so competent. Good thing she was because he didn't know what the hell he was
doing anymore.
"Fuck!" He slammed his hands on the desk in frustration. "You know I can't! You know what's
happening."
Kaira didn't say anything. He hadn't expected her to. She'd seen his tirades before, but now there
was a different glint in her eyes. Just like the rest of them, she was afraid. The empire of Alexander
LeGaulle was somehow crumbling rapidly and the people about him were getting scared. The Ancient
One's employees and the people close to them were disappearing on a daily basis. There was someone
from within betraying them, Kieran was sure of it, but damn it! He couldn't figure out who it was. Not
only that, everyone was whispering about a coup, but no one knew who was initiating it and who the
leader would be. All Kieran knew for sure was there was a storm brewing. It was going to be nasty, and
like New Orleans in the face of Katrina, he could only watch it come.
"What does the Council say?" Kaira asked almost shocking him from his reverie.
He shook his head mockingly. "The council? Without Alexander, they don't know what the hell
they're doing. Darian doesn't think they'll be able come to a decision for another month. He's highly
recommending me to take over, but if I've already lost the power what's the point?"
Kaira touched him on the shoulder gently as she put the reports down on his desk.
"You've been going to bed after noon, Kieran. You can't keep this up. You're no good to us worn
out." She looked at him hard in the eyes. "Alexander would be pissed right now if he saw you."
"Alexander would understand," he returned. He buried his head in his hands again in weariness,
grief, and frustration. "He knew me so well."
"Well," she sighed. "I'm heading home. Please get some rest."
"Yeah."
He looked at the reports on the desk and sighed. What rest? Not only was he trying to maintain
the business side of Alexander's empire, which had been his original job, but now he was in charge of
the political stuff. There wasn't enough of him to go around these days.

************

Anna snuggled against Cael's chest dreamily. Her body was pressed against his greedily
absorbing his warmth, delighting in the softness of his skin against hers, and she reveled in his scent
each time she took a breath. He smelled like the woods after a spring rain, overlaid with an essence that
was male, warm and slightly musky. There was something infinitely comforting about resting in his
arms even though they were both naked, and they probably shouldn't be.
Drifting closer to consciousness, she noted that she had snuggled against him entwining him in
her arms and legs almost possessively. It was as though in her sleep, the strange longing in her
subconscious that she had felt and fought the day before had been unleashed. Now her body and mind
purred with happiness as though it had resolved her turmoil by laying physical claim upon his body.
If only her conscious mind could come to such resolutions so easily. Of course she would have
strong feelings for him. They had been through hell and back together, and when he could have left her
for dead, he guarded her and protected her. Upon waking, she found that her protector was more than
just a friend in the dark; he was gorgeous, smart, dark, and dangerous. He was everything a little girl
dreams about when she imagines her knight in shining armour. He was the kind of guy she'd dreamed
would come and sweep her off her feet. Nestled in the embrace of her dream-lover, there was only one
slight problem. He was a two-thousand-year-old vampire.
Damn.
She sighed and carefully removed her limbs from his doing her best not to wake him. He was so
beautiful asleep like that, and he could probably use the rest after driving all night. As she pulled away
from him he growled softly and rolled over as though to catch her in his embrace again. Curiously she
pulled out of his reach and was rewarded with another dreamy growl of frustration. It was a strange
noise; a deep rumbling in his chest that was a mixture between something fierce and a purr. Definitely
not human, but she found it rather... sexy. She could imagine that sound as he lay above her kissing her
gently, his lips pressing against hers, the velvety texture of his skin against her, his hands caressing
her...
Rolling her eyes at herself she slid out of bed and went to the bathroom to start a shower.
Everything about Cael confused her. The thought of him made her belly feel warm and moisture pool
between her thighs and she hated herself for it. It made her feel like some kind of whore whose lust was
so insatiable that she would still desire a man even after she'd been raped brutally. Was this some type
of sick coping mechanism? Did she feel so defiled that she wanted to wallow in the shame of it by
screwing every man in sight?
God she felt so ashamed.
The acts of her rapist from that night were emblazoned into her memory. Perhaps when she and
Cael had been dying in the vault, she'd been too sick and too afraid of her fate to let such things bother
her. The need to survive outweighed the need to process, grieve and cope with his brutality and
degradation. Now that she was recovering, the memories hit her like the horrible episodes her dad used
to have. As a little girl she could remember moments when he'd suddenly pause trembling and sweating
as something triggered a flashback to his time in Vietnam. They weren't as frequent now, but, he still
had moments where his eyes would gloss over and she knew he was watching his buddies getting
blown apart once again. She wondered if she'd have flashbacks of that night for the rest of her life, just
like her dad still was haunted by the horrors of war.
She tried to analyse it, compartmentalize it, and control the memory through consciously
identifying her feelings and processing what they meant. It wasn't the beating. She could take that.
Beating was impersonal. People got in physical altercations all the time. Hell. She'd been in a few
brawls when she was a kid. No emotional scars. No. The scarring came from the intentional acts of
defilement; the words, the animalistic grunting as he thrust into her were etched into her mind. The
horrible things he'd said to her as he humiliated her echoed in her ears. No one had ever called her
those words, and as she choked on his cock covered in her own blood, she'd given up to despair and
believed him. The scent of his sex and body still lingered in her nose, and several times yesterday she
felt like she tasted him still in her mouth. She'd chewed gum or sucked on mints all the night before
trying to get his taste out of her mouth and the smell from her nose.
Tears filled her eyes as she stepped under the hot water. Opening the bottle of body wash she'd
made Cael buy her at their last stop, she poured a large amount into the wash cloth and scrubbed at her
skin. The strong fragrance overwhelmed her senses, filling the shower with the perfume of clean spring
rain and erasing the scent of her rapist's body for a few moments. She hadn't mentioned at the gas
station why she needed something other than the soaps the hotels provided, and Cael didn't ask.
Perhaps the thoughts had been so emotionally charged, he'd been able to read her mind. She rinsed the
soap off and stood under the water again breathing deeply. The stale scent still lingered, but it was
weaker now. Bitterly she wiped at the tears that were in her eyes. She might never get his rancid odour
out of her nose.
She turned off the water and dried off. She couldn't be weak right now. Cael was fighting to
keep his kingdom together. The last thing he needed was some weepy human who couldn't take care of
herself at his side.
There was a light rap on the door.
"Anna?" Cael called to her.
Wrapping the towel around her she opened the door a crack.
"Yeah?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she replied quietly. "I'm okay. I'm sorry I woke you."
"I don't need to read your mind to tell you're lying to me." He pushed the door open the rest of
the way and walked into the steamy bathroom completely naked.
Her eyes widened as she saw his nude body, those muscles bunching and flexing with each
move. She felt her hands tremble and she unconsciously drew her towel about her more protectively.
He ignored her rather defensive body language completely though. He seemed totally unaware of the
fact that he was naked... and gorgeous... and...
"If you talk about it, you'll feel better," he said shocking her out of her wide-eyed stare.
"What?"
"If you tell me why you are crying, then perhaps I could comfort you," he repeated.
"Believe it or not, I have moments of occasional wisdom, for a two-thousand-year-old, that is."
She smiled at his light joke. "Quit lying about your age," she returned only half-heartedly.
"You're cutting half a millennium off."
"Tell me how to help you, Anna," he repeated. "Tell me what's wrong."
"I can't." Damn. The tears were coming again. "You see? I'll lose it."
"What's wrong with that? You've got the right you know."
"All I've done since I met you is become your burden. You've always helped me. You've always
comforted me. You have a kingdom to save, and you're trying to tell me that I need to let my feelings
out. Neither you nor I have the time for that."
He pulled her into his arms and just held her close, running his fingers through her wet hair. He
smelled good. She couldn't smell...him... when Cael held her. She closed her eyes and wrapped her
arms about him absorbing his warmth and his strength. For a moment time seemed to stand still. A
sense of safety and peace washed over her as his presence overwhelmed her. His magic seemed to hum
through her weakened body, and his strong arms enfolded her in a protective shield. He was right. She
needed it.
"Anna," he whispered softly in her ear after a while.
"I'm sorry. We should probably get going huh?"
She sighed and moved to pull out of his embrace, but he wouldn't let her. She froze and looked
up into his vivid green eyes seeing a strange glint in them. Were they cloudy with...desire?
His mouth brushed her lips gently, the velvety softness of his lips against hers stirring
something deep inside her. Whatever it was, she wanted more; not just a butterfly's kiss. She
whimpered against his mouth. The need in her voice shocked her. She didn't need sex right now. Her
body was still recovering from rape. Honestly, she didn't know what the hell she wanted.
 Cael instinctively seemed to know, even better than she did. His smooth, moist lips covered hers
once again, but this time with more intensity. She reveled in the soft heat of his mouth, even as her
body shuddered and the tight warmth in her belly she always felt when she was near him began to
consume her. The sensations on her skin seemed to electrify, and she could feel his smooth flesh and
the contours of his muscles against her. The towel was suddenly too much between them and with an
irritated pull she yanked it from her body, craving to feel the vampire's flesh against every inch of her
naked skin.
At the press of their naked bodies against each other, the sexy growl she heard from before
rumbled through Cael's body. A shiver ran down her spine at the sound and she moaned in return as his
tongue danced with hers, his lips covered her mouth possessively, and his hands roamed her body
touching her lightly with his fingertips as though she was some fragile piece of china. She nearly flew
apart in his arms, the sensations overwhelming her and sending her reeling with shivers of passion.
God. She'd let him have her right there on the bathroom floor if he asked. She wanted him to
ask...didn't she?
He growled again, but this time she could hear agony in the rumble and he broke their kiss.
"Anna," he groaned. He feathered light kisses over her face, and then put his forehead against
hers. "Forgive me."

He held her for a long time against his body, breathing deeply, as though he was struggling for
some kind of control. She could tell he wanted her. His hot erection throbbed against her belly trapped
between their bodies and she could feel the moisture of his arousal on her skin. On one hand she knew
she should step away and give him space to fight his passions, but she was weaker. She tried to
convince herself to pull away, but as tired as she was, she didn't have the strength or the desire to fight
her body's longing. The little voice in the back of her head rather pointedly told her that even if she
was completely healthy she wouldn't pull from his embrace.
"You are so beautiful," he breathed holding her close. "You are so strong. Forgive me. After all
these centuries, my passions sometimes get the better of me still."
She didn't want to say anything back. She simply wanted to remain in his embrace.
"Come back to bed," he said gently. "I need to rest for a few more hours. Lie with me, Anna."
She nodded taking his offered hand and followed him back into the bedroom.

**************

Kaiden paced irritably in his study.

Damn it! Alexander wasn't doing anything the way he'd expect.
When he first learned that the Ancient One had escaped from the abandoned lab he'd waited
patiently for him to re-emerge, march on over with an army and try to string him out in the sun. In a
way, he'd wanted it. He wanted to see the old bastard's face when his own generals turned on him. He
wanted to see that fierce rage he'd seen in the lab change to one of horror, shock, and submission. He
wanted the fucker on his knees this time!
But it had been nearly two weeks of...nothing. No word. Alexander LeGaulle was still dead to
his world and he'd made no attempts to contact them.
What the fuck was the bastard doing?!
"Maria called to say they've still heard nothing," said Elise as she entered the study without
knocking. She smiled at him, kissed his lips softly and then plopped on a leather couch. "He's not
contacting any of his people."
"That's the fucking problem, now isn't it?" He paced even more. "We know he's alive, but he's
not DOING anything. He must have access to money, but Gregory palmed his wallet. Can Maria get
access to his accounts?"
 Elise shrugged. "Don't you think his people would know he's alive, then, too? They don't."
"It doesn't make sense." He threw a glass tumbler at the wall shattering it in his irritation.
"Damn it!"
"Maybe he decided to give up his rule," said Elise. "Betrayal by one's friends is a difficult pill to
swallow."
"No. He's planning something. He'll not give his power up so easily. It's all he's had for nearly a
thousand years."
"I thought you said he just recently became king of America."
"Silly girl," snapped Kaiden. "He's one of the oldest and most powerful of our kind alive. The
only vampires that I know of who have been in existence longer are an ancient Pharaoh and his queen
from Egypt. Vampires only adopted kings the last 500 years, and from what I hear it took a lot of
convincing to get Alexander to accept Western Europe. When America started to grow and a need to
govern our people here became important, he accepted the challenge and relinquished his command in
Europe to his best friend, Darian Moiree."
"Do you have people watching Moiree?" Elise asked.
"He would not have fled," said Kaiden. "He will not surrender his rule so easily."
She rolled her eyes and stood. "For an ambitious man, you're rather dense sometimes, love."
He growled at that.
"He might be getting assistance from Moiree. We should watch him and see if he starts acting
strangely. It might be an indicator as to what Alexander is doing."
Kaiden thought about it and then nodded. At once he opened his phone. "Double your people
watching Moiree," he said. "Actually, double the watch all the other Ancients. I want to know at once if
LeGaulle calls them."
"Now," said Elise standing before him. "Are you going to quit pacing and do something
productive?"
"Like what?"
She dropped to her knees before him and licked her lips enticingly. "I bet you might think of
something."
He looked at the beautiful woman on her knees. Her fiery hair was gorgeous. Her green eyes
were dark with hunger for him and her flawless skin had the slight flush of arousal. She wanted him.
But he was in the mood for something a little more involved. He was frustrated and Elise's sumptuous
body could give him release in more ways than one. Smiling cruelly, he reached out and slapped her
hard across the mouth splitting her lip.
"You bastard!" she snapped baring her fangs in anger.
"I thought of something to do, Elise," he said in a dark and deadly voice. "Get the fuck off your
knees, because if I end up catching you before I'm ready, I'm going to fuck you till you bleed."
She rose uncertainly. Kaiden smiled as the passion in her eyes transformed to fear. He liked
them better that way. A woman's eyes were most lovely when they were wide with terror or filled with
tears.
"I'll give you to the count of ten, dear," he said in a cruel voice. "One..."
"Kaiden..."
"If you don't run little girl, I'm going to shove my cock up your dry ass right now. Two..."
Elise's pale face went white. Licking the blood off her lips she looked at Kaiden uncertainly.
"Three..."
She didn't wait to hear any more. She turned and ran, her heart pounding in fear.

*********************

Anna smacked Cael's hand playfully as he snatched another French fry from her lap.
 "You're stealing from a starving woman," she said.
He smiled and ate it anyway as they drove along. "If you keep eating junk like this, you'll get
sick," he commented as he stole yet another.
It amused her to know that an ancient vampire like Cael had a weakness for French fries.
"Look who's talking. Since when do vampires eat food? I thought you were on a strict diet. I
figured you were O-negative all the way."
His lips curled up in a slight smile of amusement. He knew she was teasing him, but he seemed
to like it. She wondered if people dared to tease such an important person like him and the thought
made her rather sad. Cael's life was probably very lonely. The last few hours of their drive she'd
watched him react to her conversation noting his body language and responses. She'd say outrageous
things just to see those sensuous lips twist in a smile. There were so many things she wanted to see
those lips do, but the smile was the only one she felt completely comfortable with.
"Obviously vampires can consume human food," he said. "My favourite is actually potato chips.
We're a lot more human than you care to believe."
"You've been a disappointment in so many ways," she agreed. "First, you don't have a cool
Transylvanian accent, then wouldn't you know it, you don't turn into a corpse when you sleep, and now
I find you have a thing for stealing French fries. I'm also seriously disappointed that you can't fly."
He chuckled at her.
"You know you could have just bought yourself some. I mean any man who has the money to
buy a luxury SUV with a GPS and nice seat warmers...which I LOVE... should be able to afford his
own fries."
"Stealing them is half the fun of eating them," he reasoned.
She sniffed. "I knew there was a catch."
For all her banter, Cael didn't seem all that talkative. Anna wondered if the worry over his
kingdom and his people was starting to get to him. She could see those jade eyes staring off
thoughtfully and she knew he must be plotting.
"Cael," she asked after a while. "Why haven't you just returned to your people? You seem to
have enough power to destroy Kaiden already. Why are we running to Minnesota?"
He was silent for a long time.
She almost thought to ask again, but she held her tongue. For all her rash stubbornness she
could sometimes think before she talked. Perhaps this was one of those times that she wasn't going to
get an answer. It was probably better that way. She was weak compared to his people and they could
pick his plans from her mind easily. It made her feel hurt that he'd exclude her, but figured in the end,
Cael was wise not to confide in her. She stared back out into the blackness of the highway and snuggled
into her seat sipping her soda. She turned up the seat warmer to counter-balance the icy coldness of the
drink so that she was just comfortable.
He reached over and stole another fry absently, but she didn't fight him. She was lost in her own
thoughts.
"I am not returning home because I know he has spies planted there," he answered at last.
"Right now, I'm driving Kaiden insane. I'm doing the opposite of what he'd expect me to do. I'm
leaving him just enough of a trail to let him know I'm alive, but not enough to tell him where I'm
going."
She wanted to smile to herself. He trusted her! "What of the people you do trust? Won't you
need their help?"
"Yes. But I must go about getting it carefully. The whole point of remaining in hiding is to keep
Kaiden in the dark. I cannot trust my people. There are only a few now that I will confide in, but I must
be careful how I even contact them. One misplaced word and we can have an outright war, and the
wisest rulers try to take care of things without getting engaged in a mass battle. That's what Kaiden is
waiting for. He's waiting for me to call in the cavalry to start a war. As long as I don't, I've got the
power."
"I don't see how that's gong to work, Cael," she said thoughtfully. "He's got you outnumbered,
subverted your people, and he's got humans working with him, too."
"Ah, he may have numbers, but I have true strength on my side. I have ancient vampires as my
allies that I know he cannot control. Kaiden has no idea what the Old Ones among our kind can do. I
am going to give him a sampling of Ancient Power that the world will never forget. I have learned from
my foolishness, Anna. I shall rise from this more powerful than I have ever been."
The glow in his eyes was breathtaking and chilling. Anna couldn't determine whether she should
exult with him or fear him. "In the mean time, what am I supposed to do?"
"Right now, just like you did in that wretched hole, you can give me company and comfort. I'll
never forgive myself if you get hurt in this battle."
Damn. It was just like a chivalrous man to lock a woman up and keep her safe from danger. She
should have known Cael would be old-fashioned; he was only three thousand years old, after all. She
couldn't really blame him. She did look pretty awful right now- all bony and still showing
discolouration from the deep bruising. Perhaps he thought such words would make her feel special, but
his rather over-bearing protectiveness had an inverse effect on her; she felt indignant.
"I want to help," she protested. "I know I'm just a human, but, this is my life, too. If you don't
beat Kaiden, I'll never be able to go home."
He reached over and grabbed her wrist gently holding it up. "Do you see this?"
She nodded. The bruising was disappearing, but it still looked pretty nasty. Most of her other
wounds were healed, but the marks on her wrists and ankles had bruised so deeply that they had turned
from purple to green and now to a rather sickly yellowish-red.
"I will NEVER allow this to happen to you again."
His eyes seemed to glow eerily with anger and for a moment she thought he'd lose it, but he
took a deep breath to control himself. He stroked her skin softly for a moment then put his hand back
on the wheel and focused on the road again.
For a moment she was aghast. She didn't know what to say. The power and passion of his words
were overwhelming... for all of about two minutes, and then her little voice got combative once again.
Like hell she'd just stand aside!
"I'm not made out of porcelain, Cael. So I'm a human. So I was hurt. That gives me just as much
right as you to fight these people. Kaiden and his people hurt me, and they're threatening my family.
I'm NOT going to back down." She could hear her voice rising in anger and she forced herself to take a
deep breath. "I have two choices; to be afraid or to fight. I'm not the type to live in fear."
"You don't have the strength to fight vampires, Anna."
"That doesn't mean that I have to just stand aside either, though." She reached out and took his
hand holding it tightly. "I want to help you Cael. I NEED to help you." She paused. "Please."
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it gently, but he didn't let it go.
Anna shook her head at herself. It felt so right to be next to him, holding his hand, arguing,
sharing French fries...how could this feel right? Once again her inner voice told her that she was
supposed to be with this strange, ancient vampire. The thought of beating Kaiden and returning home
all by herself made her soul scream. She wanted him. She wanted to be with Cael.
Fuck.
"Anna?"
She jumped, startled from her reverie. "Yeah?"
"I've got an idea how you can help, if you truly wish it."

*************************

Kieran jumped at the sound of his cell phone swearing as he banged his knee on Alexander's
desk. He'd fallen asleep in the chair yet again. He groaned and rubbed his knee that was still sending
little stabs of pain through his entire leg. He looked at the clock.
What the fuck! Who would call him at 10:00 a.m.? Who DARED call during the day!
He snatched his cell and opened it.
"This better be good," he snapped irritably.
"Hi," said a sweet feminine voice on the other end. "Are you Kieran?"
"If you don't know, you shouldn't be calling me. Good morning!"
He snapped it closed and slammed it on the desk irritably. He needed to shower and get to bed.
The ache in his neck was killing him. Grabbing the offensive little piece of technology that had
disturbed him irritably, he made his way to his chambers. The mansion was empty. Everyone was
asleep. He should be asleep, too.
He growled in irritation when his phone rang again. He ignored it. Then it rang again. He began
to swear in every language he knew as he grabbed the cell phone and opened it again.
Listen girl," he snapped.
"No," she snapped right back startling him. "YOU listen!"
For a moment Kieran was speechless. No one dared talk to him like that! He was an Ancient
One. Who did this little thing think she was?
"Are you somewhere private?" the woman demanded.
"Excuse me?" Kieran replied fearing this was some fucking practical joke from one of his
friends. It would be just like them to get some phone sex girl to call him so he could 'let off some
steam.'
"Are you somewhere people won't hear your conversation?" the girl asked again.
"Listen, young lady, I'm a busy man. Whatever my buddies are paying you, send me the bill and
I'll take care of it. Good morning!"
He made it all the way to his room before the cell phone rang again.
"Stop calling me!" he roared into the phone.
"Stop screaming at me," she returned quite calmly. "Now answer my question. Can anyone hear
this conversation?"
Kieran was just too tired to fight this morning. Obviously the woman wasn't going to give up,
and he had to leave his cell on for emergencies. He was stuck.
"I'm in my rooms, now," he replied.
There was a pause on the line.
"Okay," the woman said. "I'll have to be cryptic. You know that your own people are betraying
you."
"Yes," he replied slowly. "Do you know who they are?"
"No," she admitted. "Please just listen. I'm supposed to tell you these words and you're
supposed to know what to do."
Kieran was silent then.
"Blood, Brandy, Brothers, where should you be in 2047?"
He almost dropped his phone. "Who is this?" he asked quietly.
"Do you understand this?" she asked.
His heart was pounding. He had to keep her talking he had to KNOW! "Please..." he almost
begged.
"No," she said. "Don't say anything. Do you understand this?"
"Yes."
"Do you know what to do?"
"Yes."
The woman hung up at once.
Kieran couldn't move. His hands trembled.
Was it possible?
Chapter Six

Cael couldn't help himself as sat down on the hotel bed and laughed.
God, she'd nearly glowed in her anger; her shoulders square, her lips pursed stubbornly and the
air around her vibrating with passion. Those tiny limbs had clenched angrily as she shot back over the
phone, matching the other vampire's rants word for word, her stunning blue eyes flashing with
irritation.
If only Kieran had seen her pouting lips purse angrily, her tiny fist clench, and her eyes glitter in
rage as she literally shouted back at him! If only Kieran had seen that this slender creature was the one
who'd just stood up to one of his famous, terrifying tirades! What he would give to see his old friend's
face when he learned this fiery little kitten had stared him down with her hackles raised, claws bared,
hissing angrily? This human, merely a mite in comparison to their kind, was completely undeterred by
the powerful vampire's wrath. He could only imagine the priceless look on Kieran's face, but it was
enough to send him into another fit of laughter.
Anna looked at him curiously, her pale cheeks flushing insecurely. He knew she couldn't tell
whether he was laughing at her or about something else, and it just made him chuckle even more.
Kieran Montasse...talked down by a delicate, blushing, little human!
"Are you making fun of me?" she finally demanded, staring at him indignantly and turning her
wrath upon him now.
Her crisp tone and fiery eyes amused him even more, and he couldn't help himself as he laughed
even harder. She really was like a tiny kitten hissing and growling at a large bulldog.
She threw her hands up in frustration swearing, and then turned around to storm off. In a flash
he jumped off the bed and rushed to her, pulling her close to his body in a fierce hug.
"No, I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing because you're incredible," he chuckled. "Do you
know you just talked down Kieran Montasse?"
"So?" she returned, stubbornly remaining stiff in his arms. He figured it was just out of principle
and not because she was unhappy to be in his embrace.
"No one talks that way to Kieran. No one."
"He was an ass," she retorted as her blood boiled yet again. "And rude. I expect to be treated
better than that. I don't have to put up with that kind of crap."
Cael laughed even more and nuzzled her cheek, delighting in her softness. "You probably woke
him. Vampires don't like to be awakened. Kieran is especially grumpy when his rest is disturbed."
He could hear her heartbeat accelerate as he caressed her, and smiled as he felt the stiffness
leaving her body. He stroked her back and ran his fingers through her long, dark tresses, reveling in her
softness.
"You've never been rude like that."
"Mmm," he nuzzled his cheek into her hair, "perhaps because you're my soft-spot.”
She sniffed stubbornly.
"How could any man get angry at a beautiful angel such as you? Your glory alone keeps me in
awe. How could I possibly deny you?"
"You're teasing me," she returned in irritation.
He couldn't help himself. He kissed those luscious, pouting lips. They were so warm and soft,
like brushing his mouth against the smoothest satin. Holding her close he could hear her heartbeat, feel
the heat of her body, smell her sweet scent. Everything about her was intoxicating, even her temper. He
growled possessively as he deepened the kiss, seeking entrance to her warm moistness with his tongue,
longing to taste her again. Her rigid body softened beneath him and she opened her mouth, whimpering
slightly as he suckled.
That tiny little sound nearly pushed him over the edge. He needed more contact. He needed to
feel her naked flesh in his hands. He wanted to feast on the soft skin of her breasts and to watch her
gorgeous eyes literally flare with ecstasy as he pleasured her. He could imagine watching himself slide
into her, feeling her heat surround him, take him into her depths, and convulse upon him in pleasure.
He lost himself in the sensations that were all her; the smell, the soft coos, the taste...
"Cael!" she gasped pulling away suddenly.
"Yes," he breathed even as he looked at her hungrily.
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. He knew she could see his feral side, the side that was
part beast. That part of him ached to possess her, to take the pleasures of her body, and mark her as his
own with his essence. Whatever she was going to say seemed to die on her lips, and her passion-glazed
blue eyes looked up into his.
"I..." she stammered taking another step back cautiously. He could sense it; the confusion. She
wasn't sure what she should be doing. And she was right to question herself. Fuck! She'd just been
raped. No matter how much he wanted her, she'd just been raped. God! How could he be such a fucking
wretch?
"Anna," he said gently. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't..."
He wanted to swear when he saw tears fill her eyes. He'd hurt her. He moaned and reached out
pulling her close again, wrapping his arms about her tightly. He stroked her comfortingly even though
he ached with desire and his cock throbbed painfully.
"Why do I want you so much?" she whimpered quietly. "I don't understand. I should be...after
everything..." she shook her head, "I shouldn't want you like this. God, what's wrong with me?"
He couldn't help but to freeze. She wanted him? She was being drawn to him as strongly as he
was being drawn to her?
Damn.
"I'm sorry," she hiccoughed. "I shouldn't have said that." She pulled out of his embrace and
wrapped her arms about her body protectively. "I've made you uncomfortable."
He could feel her sudden unease. She wanted to run, to escape the moment of awkwardness.
Her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and her glorious blue eyes were glistening with tears.
He had but one moment to make a choice; either tell her or spurn her.
Did he dare tell her she was right? What would she say when he told her they both craved each
other?
At first he thought that the strange pull he'd felt in the cave was because of the emotional agony
in such a horrible situation. He'd assumed he just didn't want to hear her die, leaving him all alone to
die, too. Then they escaped and the feeling had continued. He brushed it aside, figuring he felt so
attached out of obligation. Finally, when she awoke and they began fleeing together towards his secret
home, the pull had grown even more intense. It was irrational, unfounded, and completely
uncontrollable. He desired her. His mind screamed at him to make love to her, to feed from her, and to
possess her in the way vampires possessed their mates.
A mate.
Last night during their drive there was a sense of camaraderie. She teased him, she challenged
him, and she laughed with him. It was then he suspected. She seemed to fill an empty spot he'd not
acknowledged to anyone, including himself, for nearly three millennia. In all his life he'd never
believed those silly old legends; the stories of immortals and their 'true mates' were a bunch of bullshit.
He should know; he was one of the oldest alive...but now...
Fuck.
The pull was undeniable. Even her obtuse human senses felt it.
FUCK!
She took another trembling breath and sniffed slightly and moved to turn away from him.
His body made the decision for him. With his vampire speed and strength he rushed her once
again and trapped her in his arms. Then he bent down and devoured her mouth with all the intensity he
felt and didn't stop until they were both gasping in need.
"There's nothing wrong with you," he breathed. "I feel it too. I want you more than anything. I
can't explain why or how. All I know is that I do."
He didn't give her a chance to question him. He pressed his lips against hers demanding
entrance into her warm mouth. He tasted her; the saltiness of her tears, the slight hint of the toothpaste
she'd used just a little while ago, and the sweetness of her flesh stirred his senses.
Growling possessively, he lifted her into his arms, carried her to the bed and deposited her
gently in its middle even as he continued to devour her mouth hungrily.
Her tiny hands clung to his shoulders as though he was the only thing steadying her in the
torrent of sensation. He couldn't get enough of her taste, leaving her mouth to kiss her jaw line, her
forehead her ears, even her neck where the blood of her life pulsed. Her skin was so sweet, so warm
against his mouth. He needed more. He put his hands under her soft knit shirt, feeling her warm
stomach and the faint outline of her ribs with his fingers.
She moaned at his touch and impatiently pushed him away to shed her shirt baring her lace
encased breasts for him. He moaned in blissful agony seeing her in the sexy lingerie he'd bought. He'd
always loved a woman in lace, but he'd never realized how much it would turn him on and drive him
insane to see her creamy mounds framed so delectably. His mouth traced her collarbone to her
breastbone to rest between those soft mounds, delighting in the feel of her satiny skin against the
sensitive flesh of his lips. He cupped one of her full breasts lovingly even as his mouth descended upon
the other sucking at the taut nipple through the lacy fabric.
Anna writhed and gasped beneath him whimpering in ecstasy even as her head thrashed back
and forth on the pillow. She was as beautiful as he'd imagined; her black hair framing her face, her pale
skin flushed with passion. He turned his attention to her other breast, pulling the lace away to bare her
pink nipple that stood erect, waiting for him to suckle into his mouth. He latched onto it, hungrily
suckling the tiny nub into his mouth, even as he reached behind her and unclasped the lacy bra. Now
that he'd tasted her flesh, the beautiful lingerie only frustrated him.
Desperately she began to divulge him of his clothes, and he helped her, the same desire roaring
through him to feel her warm, naked body against his skin. When their soft flesh finally met, an electric
shock roared through his body. She was so soft, so warm...she was his!
He consumed her mouth again, mating his tongue with hers, groaning as her fingers traced the
contours of his muscles and caressed his back. Those delicate hands seemed to be everywhere on his
flesh, sending shivers of pleasure down his spine making his pulsing cock throb in agony. He groaned
and pushed his pelvis into hers, the friction of their bodies teasing them both.
"Cael," she gasped. She cried out as his mouth latched back onto one of her pink nipples and
suckled, twisted and lathed it with hunger.
"Yes," he growled even as he continued to consume her flesh.
"Oh God! Don't stop," she cried even as she raked his back with her nails.
"Never," he groaned as his mouth trailed downwards kissing the protrusion of her ribs and then
making their way to her belly button.
His fingers nimbly undid her pants and quickly pulled them from her hips, growling in desire at
the thong that graced her mound. His mouth kissed the insides of her thighs and all around that small
triangle of lace, making her jump as though his lips were shocking her with some kind of erotic
electricity. He hungrily inhaled her musk even as he visually assessed her dampness, purring in
satisfaction that he'd been the one to stir such passion. He latched his mouth to the fabric, tasting her
arousal smiling as she shrieked and twitched the moment his mouth made contact with her heat.
"Cael," she wailed desperately. "Cael..." she groaned.
Her pleading cries, speaking his true name with such need momentarily shattered his control.
He ripped the panties from her body and nearly lost it when he stared her glistening sex; shaved and
hairless, red and weeping for his attention. He parted her folds and feasted on her, moaning into her
softness at the sweet taste of her arousal.
Anna screeched incoherently at his touch, whimpering with need, but he toyed with her, flicking
her clit only for a moment before kissing or licking the juices that coated her. Just before she cried out
in frustration he'd suckle or nip her again sending her beautiful head thrashing on the pillows. Even as
he licked and supped upon her sensitive flesh, he pushed a finger inside her.
Fuck! Her heat was almost unbearable; her soft walls gripped his digit longingly. He inserted
another finger and moved them within her slowly and gently at first, and then with more force and
fervour. Her pelvis moved in tandem with his thrusts, her body coated his fingers with its juices her
hands balled in the sheets with agony.
"Please," she begged her voice hoarse from desperation. "Please Cael."
He looked up at her flushed body, her almost black eyes, her tousled hair and smiled at her.
Taking pity on her, he latched his mouth over her clit suckling hard until she came screeching and
bucking beneath him.
For a moment, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath struggling for control. He could hear
the pounding of her heart, the blood throbbing in her sex, in the artery in her groin...
He groaned in agony, forcing himself away from her weeping folds and back up her body
delighting in the salty taste of her sweat, the musky scent in the air of her arousal.
She reached out to run her fingers through his hair, those tiny fingers on his skin delighting his
senses making his moans of need echo her own keening cries. His mouth supped its way up her neck,
staying away from her jugular and back to her mouth, kissing her deeply, letting her taste herself on his
lips. Suddenly she became more aggressive. With deft fingers, she unbuttoned his pants and put her
hands inside to feel him.
Her delicate hand wrapped around his cock stroking him, spreading the moisture of his arousal
around the throbbing head with her thumb. It drove him insane to have her touching him while his body
was imprisoned in his clothing.
Growling impatiently, he removed his pants and his boxers noting her wide-eyed stare with
satisfaction. There was something about seeing her angelic eyes staring in amazement that nearly broke
him and when she reached out once again and wrapped her slender fingers around him, he gasped in
agony. For a moment all he could do was stare at that delicate hand wrapped around his throbbing
erection and watch in mesmerized rapture as she stroked him. He groaned at her touch and closed his
eyes for a moment as an image of her beautiful mouth devouring his cock flashed before his mind.
Not this time, he told himself.
Fearing to lose the last threads of control he took her tiny hand in his and held it still.
"Do you want this, Anna?" he growled.
She didn't answer. Instead, she reached out with her other hand and pulled him down upon her
again, kissing him passionately and forcing her tongue into his mouth.
He smiled at her unspoken demand. Even in bed she was stubborn and willful.
He kissed her with the same intensity, slipping his fingers back into her folds, stroking her sex,
rubbing her clit, making her even hungrier for another release. In moments she was writhing beneath
him again with need, both hands clinging to his shoulders as he assaulted her with his tongue and his
questing fingers. When she was mindless with need he took his impressive length in his hand and
pushed it against her opening, slowly, trying to be mindful that her last penetration had been brutal.
Whatever pain she'd last experienced he wanted to erase with pleasure.
They both groaned as he inched inside her. She was unbelievably tight around him, and he filled
her so fully that they both lay still panting with the sensation. Cael kissed her ear and then her lips then
worked his way down to her breast, suckling on her aching nipple. She groaned and he felt her squirm
beneath him. Then he started thrusting with agonizingly slow, steady strokes, watching himself
disappear within her depths in rapt concentration.
She moaned beneath him and clasped his shoulders with her tiny hands, holding on as her body
spun out of control with sensation.
"Cael," she moaned. The sound of his name on her lips sent a shiver down his spine.
He thrust harder even as he found every sensitive spot on her body with his fingers, making her
writhe and squirm beneath him, smiling at his ability to fuel her passions so easily. She was beautiful in
the throes of lovemaking and he wanted to watch her face as she came yet again at his expert touch.
She whimpered and tossed her head from side to side, her fingers raked his back causing him to
shudder deliciously, and in return he lightly twisted one of her hardened nipples making her squeak in
bliss.
He slipped his hand between their bodies, flicking her clit as he thrust, earning a delicious
whine from her lips and he watched in delight as he worked her into the frenzy of another orgasm. She
came with a keening cry, her body convulsing beneath him, her sex gripping his cock. For a moment he
almost lost control, but Cael had mastered the art of lovemaking. He wasn't ready to find his release
yet. He had so much more pleasure to offer her with his body and his power.
She relaxed and nuzzled against him after she came down from her second orgasm, but he
chuckled in her ear. "Oh no, my little Angel," he whispered in a dark, dangerous, masculine voice. "Our
evening is far from over."
Those blue eyes looked up at him lazily, uncomprehendingly, and she could only coo her
response. Cael growled possessively. This beautiful, delicate creature in his arms was his!
He began to kiss her hungrily then, his earlier tenderness turning to forceful passion. She
obliged him, mating her tongue with his, suckling on it, nipping at his lips even as he nipped at hers.
His hand palmed her breast and his hips began to thrust against hers again.
She groaned into his mouth as her body responded to his passion.
"You are mine, Little One," he growled into her ear with a deadly voice in a language long
forgotten. "I am going to fuck you until your only thought is my body in yours. I'm going to make you
scream my name in ecstasy."
Anna whimpered at the sound of his dark, dominating voice. Her delicate fingers turned to
claws as they raked down his back hungrily.
"That's it my little kitten," he continued. "I'm going to ignite the flames of your body like no
man has ever done for you before. You're mine. Mine!"
He felt his fangs elongate hungrily, but he clenched his fist in her hair and with every last shred
of his control he forced his beast down. Instead, he plundered her mouth once again mating his tongue
with hers fiercely and ground his hips against hers, stimulating her aching clit.
"And soon, Little One," he growled, panting into her ear once again, "I'll feed from your blood.
I'll devour your essence and mark you with mine; my seed and my blood. You are mine."
She was gasping and moaning beneath him as he pounded her now. He took her legs in his arms
and draped them over his shoulders groaning as he penetrated her dripping sex even deeper.
"Cael!" she cried as she built, her tiny claws drawing blood as they sunk into his arms.
"You are MINE!" he growled into her ear.
He touched her mind with his power then, caressing every pleasure centre in her brain. This
time her moan was a scream and her body convulsed beneath him, her tight walls gripping
spasmodically around his cock. He came with a feral roar, cursing in every language he knew as he
rode out their mutual orgasm.
Finally as his breathing settled and her whimpers subsided, he caressed her hair from her face.
Her eyes were closed, but he connected with her mind and felt her body still tingling with little shock
waves from her orgasm.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
"Mmm," she replied in dreamy contentment.
"You are amazing, Elianna," he breathed, kissing her lips tenderly. "So incredible," he
whispered.
 He slid out of her and gathered her limp and sated body in his arms to hold close. He
purred in contentment and nuzzled into her slightly damp hair as he drifted off to sleep.

*****************

Kieran started as the door to his personal suite opened without a knock. He bared his fangs and
growled angrily at whoever dared intrude. He had much to think about.
"And here I though you'd be happy to see me," said a familiar voice.
"Darian?" Kieran said in amazement. "What the hell are you doing here you old bastard?"
"Glad to see you, too, son," the other Ancient chuckled. "I see you haven't lost your sweet
demeanour in the last few centuries."
Kieran stopped pacing and embraced his friend warmly. He wouldn't admit it to anyone but
having his creator beside him in such dark times was comforting. Losing Alexander had been a sore
blow, and he'd spent days awash with grief. There were still moments when he felt an aching loss, and
even though he was an ocean away, he knew Darian was feeling the same. They had been brothers for
nearly fifteen hundred years.
"So I was right," said Darian. "You needed me."
He nodded. "Without Alexander, this place is going to hell." He paused and looked around
meaningfully at the walls.
Darian nodded.
I could sense it when I arrived, he thought to his friend. The place is awash with tension and
treachery.
I got a call this morning, Kieran replied as silently. A woman. She said the ancient oath and
then mentioned the location in 2047. Even now the call made his hands tremble.
Darian stared at him for a moment his mouth gaping. Are you sure? Who called? A vampire?
I am sure she was a human.
"Fuck me..." he said aloud. He looked around at the walls curiously and closed his eyes. Kieran
could tell he was pushing his thoughts around them, trying to sense anyone listening.
They could have bugged the place. He looked at Darian pointedly. You can't sense modern
technology.
I've found a way to detect them, the older vampire replied proudly. The devices give off a slight
noise if you know what to listen and feel for.
Kieran chuckled darkly and shook his head in amusement. You have always been my teacher.
His mentor winked outrageously and continued to push out with his mind sweeping the
chambers for listening devices.
If he's alive, Alexander will be pissed that you didn't share your technique with him.
Darian chuckled. I have to do something to keep his arrogant Greek ass in line. He froze for a
moment and then walked to a small vase near Kieran's desk.
"Stop!" Kieran cried in a strangled voice. "It's priceless. God damn it, Darian!"
"You and your art-collecting," said Darian. "I remember these. I always thought they were a
little tacky." He shattered the vase grunting in satisfaction when he pulled a small black device from the
shards. "Did you really like it that much?"
Kieran swore a multitude of oaths pouring himself a drink and then offered another glass the
expensive brandy to Darian. Of course, the ancient vampire nodded growling in approval at the vintage.
"You must tell me how things are faring," Darian said aloud nodding meaningfully to Kieran.
Aha! Laughed the younger vampire silently, you don't trust your own method.
Hardly, Moiree replied as though slightly offended. There are two more, but I want them to
think I think I've outsmarted them. We'll misdirect them.
Kieran nodded in understanding. "I'm thinking of returning to Europe and leaving America to its
vices," he said aloud. "Now that Alexander is gone, I have no desire to stay."
"I'd welcome you home with open arms, Kieran," said Darian sincerely.
We have to go. It could be a trap, but he could be calling out to us, Kieran thought.
Of course we're going, Darian replied in the infuriating calm voice that always drove Kieran
insane.
Now he remembered why he'd decided to stay with Alexander. His creator sometimes treated
him like a little boy. It was rather infuriating to think that he was nearly a thousand years old, and
Moiree still looked upon him like a newly made Little One.
Kieran looked around meaningfully again. There are eyes everywhere. It will be difficult to get
away unnoticed.
Darian grinned wickedly. Not at all my son. You'll just return home with me, even as you said.
Who will know any better when my private jet deviates from its flight plan?
We'll have to be careful, Kieran cautioned. He's got to be in need...if he's even alive.
I'm always careful, replied Darian.
Kieran could sense his thoughts were dark.
Chapter Seven
Anna nuzzled against Cael in contentment. She couldn’t believe she felt as completely
comfortable as she did waking up with his arms wrapped around her. She closed her eyes and thought
back to their love-making earlier. It was the best sex of her young life- wild, erotic, passionate, and…
she’d never had three orgasms before. It seemed that being the bedmate of an ancient vampire had its
advantages after all.
She frowned. She was the bedmate of a vampire.
A VAMPIRE!
The sense of contentment faded as the reality of her actions slammed into her viciously, almost
knocking the wind from her lungs.
Vampires had…fangs. They sucked blood. They had magic to make people do what they wanted
them to do; to seduce them, to use them.
Had he used his magic on her? Had she even wanted to have sex with him?
She felt a horrible pain in her chest even as she struggled to breathe.
All those feelings couldn’t have been Cael’s doing, could they? Tears filled her eyes and she
choked back a little sob. What if it was all a lie?
Their connection was so intense it was frightening. There was something about him that
constantly pulled her towards him; she wanted him to hold her, to talk to her, to kiss her. The draw had
been so overwhelming that she’d slept with him only a few weeks after being brutally raped. It was
more than just strong feelings. It was almost a… craving….
What was wrong with her!
“Anna,” he breathed to her dreamily. “Are you okay?”
She jumped in surprise. “I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
“Not when you’re upset,” he returned caressing her arm softly.
“Really,” she lied. “I’m okay. You need your rest.”
He pulled her close and nuzzled into her hair. “I could say the same for you,” he breathed.
That sense of contentedness overwhelmed her once again. His body was warm and his flesh was
smooth against her naked body. His scent was a mixture of male musk and fresh, clean skin. She
inhaled deeply letting the feeling of his presence fill her senses. She’d never felt so treasured and
protected. His powerful arms made her feel safe and loved.
She shivered again. And that, in itself, was inherently fucked up.
Irritated at herself, she squirmed out of his embrace and headed for the shower. She’d never felt
so unsure of herself, so divided, in her entire life. The more she felt the strange compulsion to be with
him, the more it frightened her. She knew so little about Cael’s world. His magic and immortality made
her feel helpless, powerless, and worse, useless. Cael didn’t need her like she needed him. He could
take his kingdom back without her help. In that light she was really just worthless, battered goods. She
stood under the hot, pounding water trying to sort out her thoughts.
What was happening?
She’d just made love to a vampire.
Nodding to herself she exhaled and breathed deeply. She could deal with that.
She was drawn to him. She wanted him.
She took another deep breath and let it out. Absolutely normal. He was the only link to gaining
back her life…A life without him.
She felt her eyes fill with tears at the thought.
A life…without…Cael.
Her soul screamed.
Impossible. She was falling in love with a vampire.
 She couldn’t breathe.
Fuck! She was…
She shut off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. With trembling hands and shortened
panicky breaths, she dried off quickly and threw on a pair of jeans struggling to pull them up in the
moisture. Everything was fighting her, even her clothing as it stuck to her damp skin. Shakily she ran
her brush through her wet hair doing her best not to whimper aloud in panicked frustration as she
couldn’t steady herself enough to even pull through the tangles. The world around her was pounding,
and each breath was agonizingly painful and frantic. The little voice in her head that was so logical told
her she was having a panic attack, but she didn’t bother to listen. Her hands trembled, and she couldn’t
decide if she wanted to vomit, faint, or just run.
The door to the bathroom opened and she let out a little shriek in surprise and slammed her
body into the wall her eyes wide, her breast heaving.
“Easy, Anna,” Cael said gently.
She wanted to run away. She wanted him to hold her. Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him,
and her heart pounded loudly in her ears.
Cael approached her slowly, but she tried to pelt herself against the wall as though she could
escape him if she just squished her body tighter. She was trapped!
He reached out and touched her cheek gently making her flinch. She wanted to get away before
she was completely lost. She couldn’t stand this compulsion. She couldn’t stand it to be a lie.
“Anna,” he breathed. “Look at me. Look in my eyes.”
She didn’t want to look, did she? She couldn’t. She didn’t want it to be a lie.
“Anna,” he cooed.
GOD! She couldn’t think. Something inside was screaming and she wanted to scream with it.
She looked up into his stunning jade eyes. They seemed almost to glow, as though he was illuminated
from within.
“Anna,” his smooth, melodious voice chanted.
He stepped a little closer and brushed her dripping hair off her forehead. His fingers caressed
her cheek gently making her shiver involuntarily. She stared at him feeling as though she was falling
into some kind of trance. His glorious eyes were hypnotizing her.
“Love,” he breathed softly.
Her body trembled at the sound. How could a man’s voice sound so beautiful? She sunk into
him; his eyes, his touch, his voice. Slowly her labouring heart slowed, and her panting breaths became
deep once again.
“Cael,” she whimpered after her adrenaline-hyped senses seemed to come down off their natural
high. Her voice sounded pitiful and needy to her ears and she felt tears fill her eyes in shame and
frustration at her own weakness. “Cael,” she choked again despite herself.
“Shh,” he whispered. “You’re okay.” He pulled her close and held her tightly stroking her back
comfortingly. “You’re okay.”
She clung to him like he was the only thing that anchored her spinning world. He was her only
anchor, and he was…a vampire.
“Oh God!” she sobbed in frustration.
“Let’s talk about it,” he breathed softly in her ear.
“You know what I was…” she began in surprise but she stopped herself. Of course he knew. He
was a vampire. He could read her mind. He knew everything she always thought.
“I only read your mind just now because I was worried about you,” he replied to her unspoken
thoughts. “I could feel your anxiety even as I slept.” He stroked her back again comfortingly. “You
have a right to question me. I’m a vampire. I’m very different from you. Come. Let me answer your
questions,” he paused and looked into her eyes gently, almost sadly. “Please.”
It was the slightly vulnerable look in his eyes that shattered any remaining resolve to resist him.
How could she deny such a man, as powerful as he was, when he looked at her so tenderly? She let him
lead her back into the bedroom and sit with her on the edge of the bed. He kept his arm about her,
comforting her as though he seemed to know she needed him to steady her life.
“Ask me anything,” he said after a while. “What do you want to know?”
She looked into his handsome face. His stunning eyes were soft and gentle, and his wavy
golden hair was tousled from sleep. It was hard to believe that this man drank the blood of others to
live. It wasn’t the question she really wanted to ask, but it was a beginning.
“What is it like to…” she shrugged helplessly. She didn’t think ‘sucking blood’ was an
appropriate thing to say.
“Feed?” he said for her.
She nodded.
He sighed. “I don’t remember how blood used to taste to me before,” he admitted. “They say
it’s coppery, but to me it’s sweet. I suppose it’s like drinking the best, sweetest drink you can imagine.”
He stared out thoughtfully. “Strangely enough, this is the first time in a long time I’ve actually had to
hunt. Most vampires still do, but it was an inconvenience in my life with all my responsibilities.
Usually I had a supply from donors that I kept in the house. I’d almost forgotten the elation of drinking
flowing, warm blood.”
“Can I see your fangs?” she asked a little timidly.
His gentle eyes grew a little wary then and she could see a myriad emotions flash though his
eyes. It made her want to cry. Was he truly a monster and he’d been hiding it from her all this time? For
a moment she thought he wouldn’t show her, but finally he sighed.
“I can’t deny you anything, Anna,” he said, his sensuous voice sounding almost sad. “I know
you don’t understand how much power you have over me. Forgive me. I should tell you no, because I
think it will upset you, but I can’t.”
She watched in fascination as he opened his mouth. Slowly his canines began to elongate and
sharpen into fangs. It was…incredible; terrifyingly magical. She wondered if it was painful for him to
make them grow from his gums like that, and she tried to imagine those fangs puncturing someone’s
neck. She looked back into his eyes fearing that his face had distorted somehow into one like the
monsters she had seen on television. But everything other than those two, sharp, white fangs remained
the same, except perhaps his eyes seemed to glow a little. There was no hint of a “demon in disguise”
as the legends went. In fact, his fangs made him even more dangerously beautiful.
“Does it hurt when you bite people?” she asked reaching out to touch them and then dropping
her hand. It was probably not good etiquette to touch.
“Usually I suppress the sensation from their minds so they feel no pain,” he admitted.
It was a strange juxtaposition to hear him talk in such a gentle voice and while looking at those
deadly fangs. It occurred to her that she wasn’t even afraid, even though he could probably rip out her
throat if he wished.
“You fed from me that first night.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t remember it very well,” she said trying to think back.
“You were very sick.”
“Will you feed from me now?”
He froze and his fangs went back at once in surprise. “Anna,” he groaned. “You don’t
understand what you’re asking me.”
“Tell me what I’m asking, then,” she demanded. She felt an odd sense of elation as he bared his
beast to her. It was at once intimidating and empowering.
“Feeding can be very… intimate. For a vampire it can be as intense as making love, especially
when the vampire has feelings for his victim.”
She felt her eyes widen. “Victim?”
 “Anna, I would be drinking some of your blood; your life force. You’re still weak, but even a
normal human would feel exhausted after a vampire fed from them.”
“So it’s not like donating blood?” she asked.
“I suppose it is. Have you ever donated blood?”
She nodded.
“It’s a little like that, then,” he said quietly.
She bowed her head thoughtfully trying to digest all that he’d shown her. It was nothing like
what she expected. She’d expected fangs, a demon’s face, claws… but he was so normal.
“Is there anything else?”
“Like what?” he asked taking her hand in his.
She never realized how tiny she was in comparison to him. Not that she was short, but delicate.
Looking at his masculine hand as it enveloped her slender fingers she felt like a little child holding onto
an adult.
“Like powers or things I might see that would scare the crap out of me?”
“I’m a frightening creature,” he admitted. “You’ve seen my fangs when I’m at peace, not
threatening you. Yes, I have power.” His eyes glowed for a moment when he spoke. “Not just over the
minds of others; all vampires have that. It helps them to feed. Controlling minds is almost instinctual.”
“So any vampire can just make me do what they want?” she said, that panicky fear edging back
into her mind.
“I can show you how to block that power, even block me,” he said squeezing her hand. “It
should be useful for you if you have to go up against others of my kind.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m scared. I’m so scared that someone else will come and…hurt me.”
“I know.”
She was silent for a moment as she wrestled with the idea of mind control. He didn’t push her,
and she was grateful. Even though she wasn’t panicking anymore, her thoughts whirled so fast she
couldn’t follow them. There was so much to ask…
“What else? You said everyone can do mind-control. What else can vampires do?”
“I can’t explain it to you,” he admitted. “I’ll show you, but first you have to promise not to be
frightened. I’d never hurt you.”
She nodded mutely, though she cringed instinctively.
“Easy, my angel,” he said kissing her hand with his sensuous lips.
He made a slight gesture and the chair that had been pushed under the small table in the room
was suddenly flung across the room crashing against the wall.
She shrieked and jumped in alarm.
“I can control my environment without touching it,” he said squeezing her hand encouragingly.
“When I’m angry, it’s very difficult to control me. My power is almost limitless,” he paused and smiled
wryly, “other than breaking down a steel vault door it seems.”
Was he truly that powerful? He could bring the room crashing down around them. God, he was
gorgeous, his power was awesome, terrifying…intriguing. Like a moth to the flame, she wanted to be
closer than she was before. She wanted to press her body against his, let his essence overwhelm her,
become a part of him. She had an image in her mind of Cael lying above her like before, his body
inside of her, and she felt a burning desire for his mouth against her neck. Even as he thrust into her
body, her blood flowed into his mouth…
“I want you to feed from me,” she said. The image in her dream felt so right.
“No.”
She looked at him in shock. “Why not?”
“For many reasons. First, you’re still frail. Second, you don’t understand what it will do to our
connection,” he explained.
“Connection?” Her heart began to pound. This was what she wanted to know… she couldn’t
bring herself to ask, but… “I don’t understand,” she managed to say.
GOD! Couldn’t he just tell her what it meant?
He smiled knowingly, almost arrogantly. She felt a surge of irritation at that possessive,
knowing grin. It made her feel like she was completely out of control, and much to her irritation, made
her want him more. Damn. Why did she find cocky bastards so attractive?
“This feeling between us isn’t common. I’ve known only four vampires who’ve experienced it,
and only two are alive today.”
“You mean in all your life, you’ve never felt…this before?”
He shook his head.
She stared at him in amazement. In all his centuries, he’d never felt the pull they were feeling
now. There was no other woman that had this with him. More than anything he’d just shown her or told
her, that thought made her feel better. At least her feelings weren’t a lie. At least she wasn’t just another
girl. She sighed and nodded, finally allowing herself to lean into him, to let his powerful body support
her.
He held her for several moments in silence, as though he knew that was what she needed but
then he finally sighed.
“We need to pack to leave,” he said. “I need to feed tonight. Especially since I won’t be able to
for a few days once we reach the house. If you’ll pack us up, I’ll be back in a few moments.”
Her face paled at the way he talked about feeding but she swallowed and nodded. He’d gone a
couple of nights ago, too. She was going to have to get used to it sometime.

***************************************

We’re being watched, Kieran thought to his mentor.

Of course. You don’t expect them to just let you out of their sight?
It pisses me off.
Darian chuckled wickedly. “I find that there is very little that doesn’t piss you off, my boy.”
“You know, I am around thirteen hundred years old,” Kieran sniffed. It irritated him to no end
that the old vampire still treated him like he was five. As much as he loved Moiree like a father, he felt
a little too much like a father sometimes.
Darian sniggered. “See what I mean?”
Kieran chose to let it lie. So how are you planning on ditching our shadows?
We’ll just deviate from our flight plan, land at the personal airport of an old friend and get a
car. It should only take a few days.
The younger vampire nodded in approval. You’re crafty for an old bastard, you know?
Moiree smiled. “I’ve missed you, too, lad.”
They boarded Darian’s private jet and took their seats in the luxurious couch-like chairs.
“Something to drink, Ancient Ones?” asked a gorgeous vampire with long legs, nutmeg hair,
and fat lips that just begged to be devoured.
Kieran knew what he wanted to drink and it wasn’t brandy. He smiled at the little thing and
noted that she blushed appropriately.
Quit screwing with my stewardess.
She’s delectable.
She has a partner. Paws off!
Kieran smiled roguishly. Perhaps her partner would be willing to share.
Moiree rolled his eyes in irritation. “You really are a little demon.”
Kieran smiled baring just a hint of his fangs.

********************************
 “What do you mean they disappeared?” Kaiden asked.
“All we know is that Moiree’s private jet never made it back to Paris,” said his informant on the
phone.
“And Montasse was with him?”
“Yes.”
Kaiden took a deep breath to calm himself.
“Fine. You have twenty-four hours to figure out what the hell happened to them. If you fail to
produce anything useful, you can expect the girl to be staked out in the sun.”
“Please,” the other vampire begged his voice breaking. “I’m doing everything I can.”
“Do more.”
Kaiden slammed his phone shut growling angrily and paced yet again. Things had been going
perfectly. After nearly a century, he’d finally managed to get Alexander LeGaulle at his mercy. The
bastard had been locked in an indestructible bomb shelter, left to starve to death; a slow and painful
death. The empire of Alexander LeGaulle in America was getting ready to crumble.
What the fuck had gone wrong?
A girl. A stupid, fucking, human girl! That’s what went wrong. And Bradford.
A light rap on the door interrupted his thoughts, and he growled in irritation.
“What,” he snarled.
“I have news,” Elise purred as she walked in the room.
“I’m not in the mood for you right now, Elise,” he said irritably.
“Oh,” she smiled sauntering over to him.
He swallowed hard. Even pissed he couldn’t resist the seductive sway of her hips. She was
wearing a slim-fitting blue skirt and a slightly transparent white silk blouse that was unbuttoned to
show the swell of her breasts. Just the thought of being buried inside her made him growl hungrily.
“I think you’ll be in the mood quite soon,” she said smiling.
He pulled her against his body and crushed her mouth possessively; dominating her, tasting her
blood as his fangs cut into her lips. She whimpered in his arms and tried to push him away, but he
growled warningly as he began to fumble with the buttons to her blouse. Impatiently he ripped it,
sending buttons flying, growling hungrily at her exposed skin. He pushed her back on his desk flinging
things away as he devoured her skin, licking her, nipping at her and sampling her blood.
“Kaiden,” she gasped. “Listen…”
“Shut up,” he growled as he pushed her skirt up about her waist noting in satisfaction that she
was wearing no underwear. He slipped his fingers into her hot folds, finding them slick with arousal. At
his touch her hips bucked against him convulsively. He nipped harder at her skin suckling her blood as
his fingers sought her wet depths and stroked them, making her writhe and moan as he assaulted her
with pleasure and pain.
Impatiently he unfastened his pants and freed his now throbbing cock. He looked down at Elise
smiling cruelly. Her hair was mussed and her lips were swollen and red. Her shirt was ripped and her
blood was dripping in little trails from her mouth, her chest and her stomach where he’d nipped at her
flesh. Her skirt was pushed up and bunched at her waist and her legs dangled off the side of his desk.
He thrust inside of her roughly smiling as she shrieked and convulsed around him; she’d always had a
hard time accommodating his size. As her walls convulsed about him sinking him in pleasure he
groaned. God, she was just what he needed to let off some steam.
She whimpered and grimaced as her body struggled to adjust.
"That’s it you fucking whore,” he growled as he began to pound her, noting her face contorting
in pleasure and pain with satisfaction.
Her breasts bounced in the lacy bra, and she moaned as he slammed into her viciously.
“Kaiden,” she gasped. “Stop it. Listen…”
 He slapped her across the face. “I don’t want to hear you talk,” he growled.
Her eyes flamed and she shrieked angrily. “You fucking bastard!”
She made a fist to slug him, but he caught her hands and restrained them easily as he continued
to thrust inside of her.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but he closed his mouth over hers to silence her.
Seeing her green eyes glittering angrily did him in. He lost control and with three quick thrusts he filled
her groaning into her mouth with blessed release.
As quickly as he’d assaulted her he withdrew leaving her on his desk bleeding and unsatisfied.
“You BASTARD!” she shouted angrily. “Fuck you!”
“You’re right, Elise, I’m feeling better already,” he smirked in amusement.
She growled in anger and kicked out, but Kaiden dodged her easily. She slithered off his desk
awkwardly. Her fiery hair tumbled about her shoulders, her fangs elongated and her emerald eyes
glowed fiercely. Kaiden smiled to himself. She was glorious when she was pissed.
“That wasn’t why I came,” she snapped as she tried to right herself.
“Oh well,” he smiled wickedly, “it did help.”
“Well then I guess you don’t give a shit that someone spotted Alexander,” she snapped.
Kaiden froze for a moment and stared at her in shock. “Where?”
“In Minnesota of all places,” she replied as she pulled her ripped shirt across her breasts.
His heart began to pound in elation. “Are we tailing him?”
“Of course.”
“Where’s he going?” he said aloud to himself even as he began to pace in agitated excitement.
She shrugged. “I’ve ordered the tail to be doubled; humans and kin.”
He nodded. “Let’s get a team ready. I want at least a hundred. We’ve got to get to him before he
calls people to him.” He paused suddenly. “Fuck! Moiree and Montasse are missing, too. We’ll need
more than a hundred.”
“There’s more,” Elise said. “The girl. She’s with him.”
“She’s alive?” he said in disbelief.
“Yeah, and it seems that Alexander is very protective. The contact said that he couldn’t tell if
he’d turned her, but he’s definitely fond of her.”
Kaiden nodded. “We’ll use that. I’m going to make sure the little bitch suffers.”
Suddenly he raised his hands in the air and growled in triumph, his icy eyes glittering wickedly.
“I’m coming for you Alexander!”
Chapter Eight

"That's it, keep pushing on me," Cael said as he drove. "Keep your focus."
"I'm trying," Anna snapped. How could he drive and be so calm when he was pushing her so
hard?
"Because it's part of my magic," he explained.
"Ah!" she squealed in frustration. "How did you get back in?"
He chuckled rather wickedly, and in her current frustrated state it only served to annoy her.
Damn him! It was impossible to keep him out of her mind. She wasn't used to things being difficult.
Most things she tried came easily to her.
"It's good for you," he said.
"Stop it!" she screeched.
"Not until you work harder and block me," he returned. "I'm not even trying, Anna."
"This is hard," she whined.
"Your mind is more powerful than you think. You have incredible will. Use it."
"I'm trying!" she nearly shouted.
"You're funny when you're frustrated," he mused. "Almost like a petulant toddler."
"Are you intentionally trying to piss me off?" she snapped.
"If you don't like what I'm saying, then start blocking me, or I'll keep ripping your thoughts
from your mind and using them against you."
She wanted to scream and leap across the centre console and throttle him. At that thought he
began to chuckle again.
Angrily she took a deep breath and closed her eyes to focus. She'd be damned if she'd keep
letting him do this to her. She imagined a wall between them; imaginary a black line that severed her
connection with him. She felt a sense of triumph! It was working. She couldn't feel his presence in her
mind anymore, but the moment she severed their connection her head began to pound and her eyes
filled with tears. Her fingers grew cold and she began to shiver even as she felt terribly dizzy. She
gasped and let go of the wall between them panting.
"Cael," she cried. "I can't. It hurts." She shivered as a wave a pain and nausea overcame her.
"Oh God," she moaned.
She felt his hand enclose over hers.
"Deep breaths," he said. "Breathe."
The moment he touched her, she felt better. Once again it was like he grounded her; he stopped
the world from spinning and she felt drawn to him even more than before.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
There was something odd in his voice. It seemed subdued, quiet, and thoughtful.
"I feel sick," she admitted.
"We'll pull over at the next gas station and get you something."
She nodded and found herself clutching his hand. For all her tirades and seeming impatience
with things, she wasn't stupid. The sickness had begun when she had finally successfully blocked him.
Their 'connection' was getting strong; frighteningly strong.
"I think you had it," he finally said after a long moment of silence.
"Yeah, but I get the idea that it's not supposed to work against you," she said.

"It seems not. Forgive me. I understand this about as much as you do. I've never had a magical
link with anyone, let alone a human. I have no idea how it will manifest itself."
"Obviously it doesn't like it when I block you out of my mind," she said. "It doesn't like it when
I try to think of leaving you, and it makes me want to do anything and everything you ask of me. Why
do I always have to be the weak and stupid human?"
"It's controlling me, too," he said softly.
"It is?"
"Of course. I'm just a little more used to feeling the pull of magic than you are. Such things are
more familiar to me. You're not used to magic at all."
She shook her head. "I keep trying to pinch myself like this is some kind of dream and I'm
going to wake up."
He nodded and pulled off the road into a lone gas station. Anna didn't like the looks of the place.
It had that run-down feeling these isolated places seemed to have, and she suddenly wasn't so sure she
wanted to purchase anything.
"You adjust to change much better than I do," Cael was saying. "Don't forget that for all the
change you are experiencing, you've only lived for a few decades. I've been alive for two centuries."
"Two and a half," she corrected absently. She wasn't really feeling like teasing him, but she
liked how he lied about his age, and she liked that she could always tease him about it.
He chuckled. "My point was that this is difficult for me, too."
She opened her mouth to reply, but her stomach soured and she clamped her hand over it at
once. "I think I'm going to be sick."
He hopped out of the SUV and walked around the car to open her door.
She slid out of the truck and suddenly her world went dark again. If Cael hadn't been beside her
she would have fallen over, but he put his arms about her and supported her. After a few seconds her
equilibrium returned and she smiled wanly.
"What do you need?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Maybe some water and maybe some anti-nausea stuff."
"Come on," he said. "Let's get you taken care of. If you're not able to keep going we'll stop for
the night."
It was the way he said it that made her look at him. Perhaps it was their practice in the car but
she could sense his thoughts a little, too.
"You don't want to stop," she said. "Why?"
He shook his head. "I have a feeling we're being watched. In a hotel, we're vulnerable. I think if
we push we'll make it tonight. I'd feel better knowing we're in my house with its security system."
Anna nodded. She knew when to suck it up and just do what she had to. Cael was a magical
being and if he felt danger, then they were in danger.
"Let's get me some stuff and then we'll keep going. If worse comes to worse, I'll go to sleep. I
can usually sleep off my nausea."
He nodded.
After buying a barrage of water, Dramamine, and some saltine crackers to settle her stomach,
they headed back out. Anna could feel the tension in the air as they walked back to their car.
"I can feel it," she said quietly.
He nodded and took her hand. They pulled up as we were shopping. If they try to attack us, I
want you to run back inside.
Anna stared at him in surprise. He was talking in her mind! She opened her mouth to say
something.
Don't speak, just listen. I sense three vampires. If they are foolish enough to cross me, they will
probably go for you since you are weaker. Even though vampires are fast, your best defence is to get
somewhere you can lock yourself up. The car or the shop, whichever one is closer. They are foolish if
they think I can't handle them.
She could almost hear his sensuous voice chuckling darkly.
Don't be afraid, Anna. You have become my life. I will protect you.
She wanted to argue with him. She was nobody. She'd been a measly accountant getting her
MBA working for a no-name shipping company. He was a king. He was the most powerful person in
America among his people.
You are my life, the voice in her head said firmly. You will run if there is danger. You will keep
safe. You WILL. Understand?
She nodded.
As they made their way to the car she could feel eyes on her back and the malice in that stare
made her shiver.
"Good evening," said a man's voice.
Anna had been around Cael enough to recognize the strange, melodious quality of the voice.
This man was vampire.
"Do not get in my way," Cael cautioned. "You know who and what I am."
"I have no intention of attacking you, Great One," he replied. "I am here to deliver a message."
"Then deliver."
"Your kingdom is crumbling. You have outlived yourself. Kaiden wants you to know that he is
coming and this time, he will kill you."
Cael chuckled. "It seems Kaiden's near success has made him cocky. Tell him to come. I am
waiting for him."
Anna looked at the other vampire curiously. He didn't look any different from a human. He had
shaggy brown hair, and was wearing a leather jacket with jeans, but his fangs were extended and his
dark eyes seemed almost black. For a moment she felt drawn to him, as though she wanted to approach
him. She felt a strange singing in her mind and she almost took an unconscious step forwards towards
him before she realized what was happening. Without thinking she slammed up the black wall Cael had
taught her and shoved the vampire's thoughts out of her mind violently.
It snarled at her.
Cael growled angrily and suddenly the vampire fell to his knees his nose bleeding and his hands
clutching his head.
"Do not forget why I am king," Cael hissed. "I have the power to make your worthless brain
explode with just a gesture. If you dare cross me again, what I do to you tonight will be a pleasant
memory."
Anna's eyes widened as she heard the vampire scream suddenly. It was an unearthly sound;
truly the wail of a monster, and she heard two other voices echo those horrible screams on either side.
They had been surrounded. Cael's jade eyes glowed brilliantly, as he continued to do whatever he was
doing to them that made them scream in such agony. Finally their screams of pain subsided to
animalistic whimpers.
Without another word, he put his hand on her back and gently nudged her towards the car.
She didn't need to be told twice to get in.
"Are you okay?" he asked as he pulled away.
She nodded.
"Up to this point, I've been well-behaved about my driving," he said. "I know you're sick, but
we need to make it to the house. On the road we're relatively defenceless. If they bring enough
vampires, I will not be able to beat them. I'm going to push us to get there tonight. If you need to sleep,
I'll put you to sleep."
"I feel better," she admitted. "I think the adrenaline helped."
"Okay. Let's get there."
She nodded mutely.
Cael wasn't lying. He peeled the SUV out of the gas station and took to the road driving
aggressively. Though Anna didn't want to say anything, she had her foot on the "imaginary brake" and
clutched her seat as the vampire's driving far exceeded the speed limit.
"Aren't you afraid we'll get pulled over?" she said between clenched teeth.
 "No," he replied. "If an officer thinks of tailing us, I will mentally discourage him."
"Oh," she replied feeling foolish.
Obviously being a vampire meant that you could talk your way out of a ticket. She looked
sidelong at him as he drove intently. The events were starting to sink in, now. She didn't know what he
did, but it completely incapacitated three vampires without even touching them. They were literally
screaming in pain, though he didn't even touch them. She remembered in the cave how he used to boast
about how unstoppable he was...perhaps it wasn't just boasting? He seemed so normal when she was
with him. He was so handsome; God-his body, his golden hair, those strange eyes. Anna felt desire pool
between her legs as she thought about him like that and she squirmed a little in her seat.
For the last week, fleeing with him had been a fun adventure. He was so gentle, he took care of
her, and they'd just talked for hours and hours as they made their way towards his house in Minnesota.
Even when she freaked out for no good reason...okay, she had good reasons... he had been so gentle
and reassuring. Tonight, she saw what made people fear him. He'd sent three of his people to their
knees shrieking with only a thought. She started to understand his devastation at being locked in that
cell to die. A creature as powerful as him...bailed out of death by a simple, musically inclined human
like her.
She jumped as she felt him take her hand in his and bring it to his lips.
"An amazing human like you," he breathed.
"Do you always have to listen in," she asked a little embarrassed by her thoughts.
"I only came in towards the end," he admitted. "You got quiet and I got worried."
She nodded and then looked forward again. "How much further?"
"Two, maybe three hours," he replied.
"Are they following us?"
"I don't sense them," he admitted. "That doesn't mean he's not using other means to follow us.
Kaiden has been studying what I can do for a long time, now. I'm sure he knows I can sense a vampire's
presence within a mile, but humans are a different story. Their minds blend more into the surroundings
and they can get much closer than that before I recognize them. I have a feeling he's going to use the
human population to hunt us as much as possible."
"What are we going to do when we get there?"
"We're going to fortify ourselves and wait for reinforcements," he replied. "It's time to fight,
Anna."

*********

"Damn it, Darian," snapped Kieran. "You didn't tell me that we'd be roughing it like this." He
gestured to the small sedan that he was driving down the empty roads in North Dakota.
"If he's alive, you know he's going to want secrecy," Moiree reasoned. "I get the feeling you,
me, and a limo driver making our way through Montana and North Dakota isn't going to be a secret for
long."
"What if this is a trap for us?" Kieran returned. "What if whoever got rid of Alexander has his
sights set on us?"
"You," reminded Moiree. "The call was for you. So they shouldn't be expecting me. And
between the two of us, and that house Alexander set up, we'd be in a fair fight against a small army. We
could hold it until reinforcements got there."
Kieran grumbled. He didn't like it. He didn't like blindly driving somewhere without knowing
what, if anything, was going to be there to meet him. The vampire kingdom in America was shaky. If
all the key players were out of the way, whoever was trying to take over would have no problems.
"You're still trying to figure out who's doing this?" mused Moiree. "Come, son, I thought your
deductive skills were better than that."
 Kieran growled but said nothing. He had some suspicions but nothing solid enough. There was
so much about this whole thing that was a mystery. First, no one gets to Alexander. No one. He was
more powerful than any of them could imagine; the Ancient among the Ancients. Secondly, no one,
especially a woman, had the balls to talk to him like that, even on the phone. Whoever that girl was, she
either had no clue what she was dealing with, or she was mocking him. When this was all over, he was
going to find that little thing and put her in her place; message from Alexander (he hoped) or not, no
measly woman was going to get away with that.
Darian laughed. "Here I am trying to get you to think about who is behind all this, and you're
still pissy about the woman who called. She knew the oath, Kieran. She's the least of our concerns.
Kaiden Rice, that is our problem."
"Rice isn't powerful enough to pull something off like this," said Kieran.
"You're an idiot. Rice is the one who has spent the last two centuries killing off his
predecessors. It's my guess he got very close to the end of his bloodline."
"He doesn't have the age to tap into the power, though."
"Not yet, but now the raw power is there. He's been trying to get Alexander since he rebuked
him two hundred years ago for attacking his maker. He's wanted the power since the inception of this
country. He wants America. He feels that America is his; he is one of the first of our kind who was
made on this soil."
"I don't understand why," said Kieran thoughtfully. "America was populated by indigenous
peoples long before the Europeans came. Why were there no vampires here?"
"Ask Alexander," shrugged Moiree. "He has the belief that our kind is some kind of magical
creation that originated in Mesopotamia with the Ancient kings." He chuckled. "I'm sure when this is
all over, he'll give you a long dissertation about what he thinks really happened. So. All the more reason
to hurry. Do you have to go the speed limit?"
Kieran growled. "You sense for cops and I'll increase the speed."
Moiree nodded. "Done. I want to be there tomorrow."

********

"Anna," Cael whispered stroking her hair out of her face.

She cooed and moaned, then readjusted herself in the seat.
He smiled at her little sounds. They were like music to his ears. He hadn't realized how
depraved his life had been until this delicate woman was thrown into it.
"Anna, wake up. We're here."
She moaned and stretched a little sighing in sleepy contentment. Finally those blue eyes opened
and she looked around in confusion. He smiled at her as she took in the sights of the huge garage that
was under the house. It was more like a parking garage with spaces for 25 cars inside. And she hadn't
seen the large field outside in case there were more visitors. This was a dwelling of the Ancient One,
secret though it may be; it had the ability to be self-sustaining and to accommodate a small army.
"Come on sleepy," he said unbuckling her seat belt. "We both need to rest. It's almost sunrise."
She nodded and climbed out of the truck. He could tell by her squinting, glassy eyes that she'd
been in a deep sleep. Normally he was impatient with humans and the way they seemed to struggle
with transitioning from sleep to waking, but he had to admit she was just cute as she stood there
blinking groggily. Unable to resist, he covered her lips with his, delighting in the warm satiny texture of
her skin. She kissed him back, though he couldn't help to chuckle as those blue eyes looked at him with
sleepy confusion still.
"Let's get settled."
He handed her the bag with all her clothes and also another bag that had her makeup, hairspray,
and toiletries. He pulled his own belongings out of the SUV, hoisted them over his shoulder and then
led her to the entrance to the main house.
He'd never actually been to the place, even though he'd had a hand in designing it, so he had to
orient himself when they entered. The place was certainly up to his standards; dark woods, lavish
furniture...state of the art security.
"My rooms are this way."
He looked over his shoulder to see Anna looking around with wide eyes. He knew she hadn't
been the wealthiest human when he'd surveyed her clothing; middle class, average American. This was
probably an adjustment.
Anna looked around feeling like a peasant who just stepped into a fairy tale. She was Cinderella
to his Prince Charming- that was for sure. The décor of the place was...opulent. If she thought things
were nice and expensive, they were probably too quaint to be in this place. She knew people with
money: designer clothes, expensive cars, million dollar homes, but this was money. This was like the
Hoffburg Palace money; Schlosse Shoenbrun, Versailles with a modern twist. She'd never really
considered Cael's financial situation. He really was like a king to his people.
Damn. This was incredible.
She followed him up a flight of stairs and he opened a door solicitously.
"This is a series of rooms that are mine," he explained. "Usually if I was to come here, I'd be
accompanied by about fifty or sixty staff plus bodyguards. This is my 'house' inside the 'house.'"
She nodded and looked around at a well-appointed living room with a small kitchenette in the
corner. At least this place felt a little smaller; not so much like the magnificent palace the rest of the
mansion seemed to be. She followed him across the room to another door that opened into an enormous
bedroom with gorgeous wood floors covered in beautiful rugs. The windows were blocked out with
thick velvet draperies in deep green lined with matching green satin. The carved mahogany bed was a
huge, four-posted mammoth of a thing covered in luxurious velvet, and satin bed coverings in warm
greens, browns and earthy tones. It seemed to be calling for her to dive into that fluffy softness and
forget her troubles...preferably with Cael...naked...
Suddenly Cael chuckled. "Later," he breathed in her ear. "Come, sweet," he said opening
another door in the room and turning on a light.
She stood in the largest bathroom she'd ever seen; the tiles were dark, tumbled marble in a rustic
brown hue, there were elegant carven mahogany cabinets, soft lighting, but her eyes were drawn to the
huge Jacuzzi tub in the corner. It looked like it could fit five people.
“Perhaps my lady would like me to draw a bath?" he whispered in her ear.
She smiled and threw her arms around him in delight kissing him soundly on the lips. She
smiled at him as he stared at her in surprise. "Mr. LeGaulle!" she teased in mock surprise. "First the
seat warmers and now a Jacuzzi tub! You know my darkest fantasies!"
He chuckled and then his jade eyes darkened with passion. He kissed her back just as soundly
pulling her close to his body. Heat pooled between her legs and she pressed against him. It was like a
fire had suddenly been sparked in her gut. She wanted him, right there, right now. She needed him.
Cael pulled from the kiss gasping.
"Little One," he groaned. "If you keep that up, we won't get unpacked and comfortable."
She smiled a little devilishly and leaned against him a little more, feeling the bulge in his pants
against her belly acutely. "I want you," she breathed.
He growled. "I've got to take care of security."
She sighed and nodded pulling away. She hated the fact that he could be so controlled and her
emotions were all over the place. She turned to look at the tub, even without Cael, the prospect of
relaxing in there was pleasant, but...
Suddenly, he caught her arm, pulled her back against him and then kissed her for all she was
worth. He thrust his tongue in her mouth, ran his fingers through her hair, and palmed one of her
breasts making her head swim and her body tremble. When he pulled away, she wasn't even sure if she
could stand.
"Don't worry," he breathed his eyes glowing hungrily. "I have every intention of joining you in
that tub, and then the bed, perhaps on the dining room table..." he continued on thoughtfully smiling
devilishly.
Her body quivered a little at his words even as she blushed at the thought of him thrusting into
her as she lay atop that expensive mahogany table in the dining room they'd passed.
He chuckled a little, too, and she knew he'd read her thoughts.
"Now," he said pulling several decanters out of cabinets. "Here's some bath salts, some oils..."
he pulled jars of different compounds out along with several candles and a lighter. "Relax, angel," he
said gently. "When I'm done unpacking us, I'll come to check on you. There's a robe here," he added
laying it within reach of the tub along with a towel.
Anna didn't miss a beat. She started the water and dumped in the salts that she liked and quickly
shed her clothes. She pulled her hair back and twisted it on top of her head with a rubber band and then
happily sunk into the massive spa-tub cooing in delight. She pressed the button for the bubbles and then
closed her eyes to relax.
Cael made his way to the security room and checked that proper procedure had been followed
when the staff entered on Fridays. Everything looked in order. Good. With everything that had
happened he'd feared that the place had been compromised, though he couldn't imagine how. Only he,
Kieran, and Darian knew about the place. It had been designed as a retreat from their responsibilities;
and perhaps a place where they could meet and just be good old friends again. Not that they hadn't
made sure every state of the art security measure was installed. And the place had the weaponry and
technology to defend itself against a small army. It was a refuge for a time of need. A time like now.
He entered in his code and reprogrammed the system to deny everyone entry except those that
had the master code. The staff wouldn't be able to enter in a couple days unless they were screened by
him. He didn't want anyone in the place that didn't go through an intense mental screening. He would
tolerate no leaks. He programmed everything the way he wanted and then made his way back to his
rooms.
The closer he got to them, the more he could sense her. She was relaxing in dreamy
contentment. He could tell she was warm, comfortable, and delighting in the air jets that were currently
soothing her aching back and shoulders. He shed his clothes in the bedroom and snuck into the
bathroom catching his breath when he saw her. Anna was simply lounging with her eyes closed, her
hair pulled up, though a few strands clung to the side of her face in the moisture. She was so beautiful!
Not wanting to disturb her until the last moment, he tiptoed towards the bathtub and slowly
stepped in delighted that he was slipping in beside her unnoticed.
"If you're coming in," she said in a dreamy voice, "I expect some pampering."
He smiled wryly. It seemed he wasn't as sneaky as he thought. He brushed an errant strand off
her cheek and smiled. "Your wish is my command."
She opened her eyes and smiled back as he sunk down beside her.
"But I get to make a few demands of my own," he added.
"Oh?"
"Take your hair down," he breathed into her ear. "I want to run my fingers through it."
Obediently she removed the bun from atop her head letting her long, black hair tumble down
her shoulders and into the water. He ran his fingers through her tresses for a long time almost petting
her head, and even though there was nothing sexual about the gesture itself, he felt her body tremble in
arousal. He kissed her lips softly as he stroked her, his finger tracing her tresses down her shoulders
now and about her neck. Suddenly she opened her eyes and looked straight into his very seriously.
Without a word she crawled closer to him straddling his thighs facing him. She leaned in and kissed
him then softly at first and then pressing against him even more running her fingers across his cheeks
and through his golden hair.
 "Anna," he groaned.
"Shh," she silenced him with her lips even as her hands moved down his well-defined chest.
Following her fingers her lips left his to kiss his collarbone, his neck, his shoulders, tasting his
skin.
Cael ran his fingers through her hair, delighting in the delicious sensations her mouth made on
his body forgetting what it was like to have a woman's mouth worship him like this. Her fingers moved
their way down his chest and to his abdomen and finally she took his cock in her tiny hand. He literally
jumped in need as she touched him.
God. How could this little human drive him so crazy?
Anna smiled to herself as his body twitched at her touch. They'd only made love once, and the
last time he'd been so in control and had her keening in passion that she'd not taken the time to
thoroughly explore his body. As she took his length in her hand she realized how large it actually was
and she was surprised at her ability to accommodate him. Most men his size had hurt her during sex,
but Cael's body felt just right. She looked right back into his eyes and kissed him soundly even as she
moved her hand up and down upon him.
"Woman," he groaned pulling her into his arms.
She could feel his desire. He wanted her. He wanted to bring her pleasure, wanted to feel her
slender body convulse beneath him.
"No," she said firmly. She looked back into his eyes. "Sit up there," she said pointing to the top
step of the marble tub.
She smiled to herself as he looked at her curiously. Through their strange connection she could
feel his desire, but also the strange sense of power she had over him; right now he'd do anything she
wanted. As she looked into his heated stare, she could tell that he was terribly turned on by the way she
was taking control of the situation. Even though his jade eyes glowed with possessive passion, he
obliged her and stood then sat back down upon the step.
"Right here?" he asked.
"Mm," she replied as she stared at his godlike body dripping with water hungrily. "Right there."
She scooted closer to him to kneel between his legs and looked up at his body again. For a
moment she was completely transfixed by those glowing eyes staring at her with such unbridled hunger
and longing. She reached out and caressed his cheek smiling a little. At that moment she was absolutely
sure what she wanted from him. Suddenly she realized that she'd give her entire life to have him look at
her just like that.
"Anna," he breathed.
She knew he'd read those thoughts, but she wasn't ashamed, she could see in his eyes what she
needed to see. She might not be able to read his mind, but she could sense the same passion,
longing...love.
"Shh," she breathed as she ran her fingers down his cheek to trace the muscles of his chest. The
oils in the water had softened his skin making it a little slick and she felt her body shiver at the smooth,
warm texture of his flesh under her fingertips.
She wanted more. She rose up on her knees and followed her fingers with her lips as they traced
their way downwards over his ribs and then his belly. Against the ultra-sensitive skin on her lips, his
warm body felt like the finest warm satin and she squirmed and trembled as she became more aroused.
He reached out and ran his fingers through her hair again, and she purred against his flesh as she
worked her way back down, sampling his bellybutton with her tongue. He groaned at that one, and she
looked up at his passion-filled eyes smiling a little devilishly. She pulled away then and sunk back
down into the water to kiss his thighs. Slowly she worked her way up his inner thighs right towards
his...
"Anna!" he gasped as she licked him from base to tip.
"Yes," she replied softly even as she licked him again, though this time it was around the
spongy tip, her tongue flicking the tiny hole, tasting his arousal.
"Fuck!" he growled.
"Yes," she agreed. "That's a good word for it."
Cael almost lost himself when she looked up into his eyes. She made the most sensual picture
he'd ever seen. Her luscious mouth inches away from his cock, her black hair clinging to her naked
body, her electric blue eyes wide and provocative.
"Touch my hair like you did before," she whispered.
He couldn't help but to oblige her and as he did, she took him into her mouth suckling gently.
He groaned again.
"Yes Anna," he breathed. "Oh, God!"
It was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Now that he knew and understood the connection
between them, he was open to the intensity of the moment. He could sense how much this was turning
her on; even as her warm mouth and insistent tongue nearly drove him out of his mind.
She moved up and down on him massaging his balls with her hand somehow sensing from him
exactly what drove him crazy. His fingers locked in her hair as she began to pick up her pace suckling
and massaging him with her hands and he began to guide her head staring in absolute rapture as she
went down on him. It was a fantasy come to life; the visuals, the mental, the physical...He gasped and
cursed until he thought he might lose it. Groaning, he pulled her from him and kissed her deeply tasting
his own musk on her lips.
She whimpered into his mouth and something about that cry drove him over the edge. He rose
lifting her in his arms easily and pulled her close.
"Wrap your legs around me," he commanded.
Anna did as he told her, shocked by his forcefulness and his strength. She knew he was strong,
but the way her held her like she was no weight at all was breathtaking. Then he held her with just one
hand and taking his throbbing cock in the other, impaled her upon it.
She groaned as he thrust inside her, his thick length making her feel impossibly full, impossibly
excited, and suddenly dreadfully needy for release.
"Cael," she cried in desperation.
He held her against him for a moment and then leaned her against the cool marble wall at the
back of the spa. Slowly he began to thrust in and out of her body holding her with only one arm and
tweaking a nipple artfully with his other hand. She clung to him in fear, for if he let her go she'd slip
and fall into the water with a dreadful crack, but that sense of being completely at his mercy was
incredibly arousing.
Her control shattered as he mashed against her clit and she moaned as her body quivered and
convulsed about him. It was intense and prolonged as he continued to thrust inside of her driving her
higher and higher forcing keening cries from her lips even as she clutched him desperately. At her cries
Cael fucked her even harder speaking in a deadly, sexy voice, in a language she didn't understand, but
she could tell from the tone, the cadence, and rhythm that it was dark, sexual and commanding. It
turned her on even more. She wanted more. She needed more from him.
Somehow she knew what she needed; their connection was so intense she couldn't tell where
her sensations ended and his began. Her body and mind demanded more. One of his hands slipped
between their bodies and began to flick her clit as he thrust. Her nails dug into his back and her breath
came in pants, but that wasn't it. She wanted more. She needed...what the fuck more could she need?
She looked into his glowing jade eyes, glowing with arousal, glowing with passion glowing
with power and...hunger. Suddenly she knew what she needed. She wasn't scared anymore...
"Do it," she gasped.
"You don't want me to," he returned as he continued to fuck her.
"Cael," she whimpered as he flicked her clit with his fingers making her head spin.
"Do it! I need to be a part of you. You're inside of me. I need to be inside you!"
 He still refused and bounced her on his cock flicking her clit until she was squirming again in
his grasp.
"Cael!" she shrieked. She turned her head, baring her neck to him. "Please!" she cried. "Please!"
Whatever restraint he still had, left him when she bared her neck to him. He growled
possessively, pulled her even more tightly against him, wrapped his arms around her securely and bit
into her perfect neck. Her sweet blood filled his mouth, and the beast he'd been fighting for so long
growled in triumph and pleasure.
God! He'd forgotten how addicting her taste was!
For a moment he was overwhelmed; her essence flowed into his mouth, his cock was aching for
release and one spurred the other on. He pumped forcibly into her body grinding his pelvis against her
clit and at the onslaught of sensation, her body shattered in orgasm once again in his arms. As he tasted
the endorphins in her blood, and felt her body spasm and clamp down upon him he lost the last shreds
of control. His cock swelled and with a feral growl, he exploded inside of her.
For a moment he just held her possessively to his body taking little sips of her blood, riding out
their mutual orgasms, his body shuddering with pleasure. Finally, though, he mastered himself and
pulled from his bite licking the wound at her neck to seal it. Then he cradled her in his arms and sunk
back into the tub still joined with her body. They sat with their limbs entwined in the bubbling water
panting. Anna leaned her head on his shoulder and he stroked her perfect back, running his fingers
down her spine.
"Are you all right?" he asked her quietly after they both seemed to come down.
"Mm," she replied nuzzling against his neck. "I think we'll have to do that again," she said her
voice soft and sexy after her release.
"I lost control," he said quietly, "forgive me."
"Only if you promise to do it again," she returned looking straight into his eyes.
"Anna," he began.
She kissed his lips to stop him and in his sensitized state he growled helplessly as she drowned
him in the taste of her sweet mouth.
"I know I'm just a child to you," she said as she pulled from the kiss her lips barely brushing his
as she spoke. "I know that you're wiser than me, smarter than me and more experienced than me. But I
think that for a few moments in our lives, we can make each other incredibly happy. My life is too short
for either of us to let this pass us by." She kissed his lips again passionately, dancing her tongue with
his.
He groaned and felt his body stirring with passion for her again already.
"So, Mr. LeGaulle," she said against his lips, "if I ask you to bite me, don't argue next time."
He pulled away from her a moment to look into her eyes.
Damn..
Those incredible eyes stared right back into his intently. Then she smiled mysteriously.
"Besides, it felt kinda good."
Cael's heart skipped at her words. He had no response. He simply kissed her back and lost
himself again in her body.
Chapter Nine

Cael awoke to the sunset and for the first time in centuries, he regretted that it was time to rise.
Anna was snuggled against him her back to his chest, her body fitting snugly against his. He couldn't
believe how much she'd changed him in a few short weeks. For time untold he'd only viewed women as
entertainment; something to satisfy his urges for pleasure and occasionally companionship, but he'd
never imagined that he'd want to make any of his relationships eternal. Not in nearly twelve hundred
years had he even considered having a mate; and he had cared for many women. But in less than a
month, he found he couldn't live without this woman. He wanted to spend the next two thousand years
of his life waking up just like this.
She stirred against him and made one of those little coos that he found so endearing.
He sighed despondently. Why was it that the instant he felt absolute contentment, was the very
same moment that something horrible was slowly creeping up on him? For a second he dreamed of
trading his rule in America simply for peace; peace to wake up beside this woman for the rest of his
immortal life. He nuzzled into her silky, black tresses and breathed in her sweet scent. This was the
closest he would ever get to heaven. But it seemed that even for powerful ancient vampires, all good
things must come to an end.
"Angel," he breathed. "Wake up."
She whimpered again. Her eyes peeped open and she looked at him blearily.
"Good evening," he teased in his best Transylvanian accent.
She chuckled and then stretched languidly against him.
His breath caught a little in his throat as he felt her soft skin rub against his, and he stifled a
groan as he felt his body respond. He couldn't help himself; her scent surrounded him, her skin enticed
him, and those eyes were rapturous.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"Nothing," he sighed. "We need to get moving."
"No breakfast in bed?" She teased as she rolled over and laid her head on his shoulder nuzzling
into his skin, breathing in his scent.
Whatever restraint he had on his passions were gone the moment she nuzzled him so
affectionately.
Fuck it. Plans could wait.
"Of course, there's breakfast in bed," he returned his voice growing predatory with lust. "You."
He wrapped his arms about her suddenly and rolled her onto her back, locking his mouth with
hers and thrusting his tongue demandingly into her mouth. For a moment her glorious blue eyes
widened with surprise, but then she moaned in supplication to the desire she felt through their
connection. She clutched to him as he overwhelmed her with passion. Her tiny hands traced the
muscles on his back, and she ran her fingers through his unruly golden hair moaning and squirming
beneath him. Cael shivered at her tender caresses, something about the way she touched him made his
body ache with passion. She seemed to know exactly how to drive him insane with need.
Growling appreciatively into her mouth he slipped between her thighs spreading her wide for
him and grinding his erection against her soft mound. Anna whimpered and thrust her hips back against
his, silently begging him to fill her aching emptiness. Her warm skin was like satin as he traced his
fingers down her side and caressed her thighs smiling as she squirmed and moaned even more at his
touch. He was starting to learn all the little places on her body that drove her crazy and for a while he
played her like a musical instrument listening to her keening cries as he drove her higher and higher
into the heavenly realms of passion. She panted and writhed beneath him, her body sweating, her heart
pounding and her lungs gasping for air.
His heightened senses heard the blood rush beneath her skin, felt the moisture between their
bodies like warm oil and smelled the musk of her arousal. The beast inside of him roared to life
exulting in her human body's primal reactions to his ministrations and it took every ounce of his control
to fight the desire to feed from her. Last night she had given him the greatest pleasure a vampire could
experience; the ecstasy of feeding and the bliss of sexual climax combined together in the same
moment. Her human body was still fragile, and he knew it would be harmful for him to take from her
again so soon. Instead, he slipped his fingers in her wet folds making her squeak and gasp.
"Cael!" she gasped as he played with her clit. "How do you do this to me? God! It's like I'm
addicted to you."
He reached out and caught one of her tiny hands and guided it down his sweat-slicked abdomen
wrapping her fingers around his rigid erection.
"The magic goes both ways," he groaned as she explored him eagerly, running her fingers over
the tip and spreading the moisture around the aching head. "I'm just as addicted to you as you are to
me."
Her blue eyes seemed to flare with passion at his words and with her other hand she reached
out, grabbed his shoulders and pulled him down towards her once again. She kissed him demandingly,
mating her tongue fiercely with his stroking his cock and thrusting her hips against his fingers as he
alternated flicking her clit and plunging them inside her.
"Then show me," she commanded gasping from the intensity of their kiss. "Show me how
addicted you are."
Growling hungrily, he took his stiff cock in hand and thrust slowly into her soft womanhood.
Her sky blue eyes darkened to a deep indigo as he entered her and her head arched back into the pillow.
Her breast heaved as they shared the sensations of his penetration, their minds linked by the strange
magic that connected them. Cael reached out even further into her mind longing to know exactly how
she felt, wanting to bring her pleasure like she'd never imagined. Instead he nearly gasped as he felt
how tightly he fit inside her, how his skin tantalized hers, how her pink nipples throbbed in time with
the same aching need between her legs.
He took one of those breasts in his hand and caressed it, worshipped it, and smiled as he could
feel how much it pleased her through their link. The more he played with her soft mounds the more he
sensed the desire to feel him move between her legs. She squirmed beneath him, clenching her muscles
to entice him but he ground his teeth together and continued to torment her. He wanted to show her just
how addicted she was to him; and he was to her.
Suddenly, with a strangled cry, she reached out and grabbed his hair forcing him to look into her
eyes.
"Stop playing with me and fuck me," she demanded.
He chuckled sensing her impatience. Her usually musical voice was husky with need, her eyes
were almost black, and her pale cheeks were coloured a soft pink from the heat of her passion.
GOD! She was beautiful!
"I want you, my Angel," he breathed. "I want to taste every inch of your skin."
He suckled hungrily on a nipple making her gasp and her head thrash on the pillow once again.
"I want to feel your heat gripping my cock."
He pulled out of her with agonizing slowness and then slowly inched back in feeling every
millimetre of her satiny sheath as he filled her.
"I want to hear your cries as I torture you with bliss," he continued as he began to develop a
tempo to his thrusts.
"I want the only thing in your mind, the only word on your lips, the only sensation you feel to
be me."
She reached up and stroked his shoulders, lightly running her palms down his arms, then
clutching to them as he thrust into her with more force.
"That's it, my angel," he breathed as he felt her body build. "Come for me."
 Her darkened eyes suddenly widened, her swollen lips parted, and her head fell back onto the
pillow as her body convulsed beneath him. She cried out in ecstasy and as her muscles clamped down
on him he thrust forcibly. With a growl of satisfaction he released deep inside of her his body exploding
with passion. Gasping, he collapsed upon his elbows to spare her his weight and he nuzzled his cheek
against hers.
"You see, my angel?" he panted against her ear. "I'm as addicted as you are."
He lay down beside her wrapping his arms about her sated body holding her close once again.
Nuzzled against her, he listened to her heartbeat as it slowed and then grew lazy with rest. Yes. He'd
give up his rule for an eternity of this. He sighed. Why were perfect moments always destroyed by the
demands of necessity?
"Okay, Angel," he sighed sadly. "We're really getting up now."
She rolled over kissing his lips lightly and smiling. "That was entirely your fault."
He almost believed she was rebuking him except for the look of dreamy contentment in her
eyes.
"Guilty as charged," he said kissing her back just as sweetly. "Let's get a shower and get
moving."
She moaned in protest and rolled away from him, pulling the covers up around her shoulders
and burying her head in the pillow.
He chuckled to himself and slid out of bed, then walked around to her side. He ripped the
covers from her body and grabbing one arm and one leg pulled her to the edge of bed smiling as she
squeaked and giggled.
"Now, Angel," he threatened playfully. "Either get your sexy ass out of bed, or I'll toss you in
and turn cold water on you."
She rolled over indignantly. "You wouldn't dare!"
He arched a brow at her.
Grumbling, she rolled out of bed. He surveyed her naked body with a twinge of possessive
satisfaction. Her lips were still swollen, her long black hair was awry and she smelled of him. He took
her hand and pulled her towards the bathroom. Too bad they had to clean up, but he fully intended on
mussing her again later.
"Now," he said as they stood among the multiple jets in the luxurious shower. "Let me tell you
my plans for the day."
"Yes, Ancient One," she teased as she squeezed some of the expensive body wash into her palm
and began to soap her limbs.
"First," he began, "I'm going to give you a tour of the house. There are some peculiarities that
I'd like to show you that might just come in handy."
She smiled and continued to soap her body making her way to her breasts. For a moment he
stared at her in complete distraction as he watched the soap make creamy bubbles on her skin.
"Then?" she prompted giving him that look every woman seemed to have when she knew she
had a man's undivided attention.
He chuckled and kissed her pouting lips softly. "Then I'm going to go out to the security bunker
on the west end of the property and activate it. That should give us access to all the artillery that
surrounds the house."
"You're kidding. This place has weapons and such?"
"This is a dwelling of the Ancient One. It's built to withstand a small army."
"Hmm," she sniffed thoughtfully as she turned her attention to washing her hair.
"And then finally, once I've placed a few calls for reinforcements," he added grinning devilishly,
"We're going to spend some time in the dining room."
"Oh? Are you going to cook me dinner?"
He gave her a heated gaze. "Something like that."
 For a moment her eyes widened and then she chuckled to herself blushing. "I see."
Once they'd showered and dressed, Cael led her through the opulent mansion. Some wings he
didn't bother to show her; they were for staff when they stayed, but there were a few places he wanted
her to commit to memory.
"This is one of the rooms I was telling you about," he said pushing the code into the panel. "It's
a safe room. If something happens or you are afraid you need to make your way to one of these. No one
can get inside without the appropriate code."
He opened the door and walked inside. Anna stared at the room in surprise. There was a bed, a
living room, television, bathroom, and small kitchenette in what looked like a luxurious studio
apartment.
"The idea is that you could survive here for several days if necessary."
She nodded.
"Let me show you the ones on the other floors."
She followed him to the other two rooms and committed the code to memory.
Then he took her to the kitchens where they raided the cabinets for some breakfast. Cael
explained that he always had a few humans on his staff to make sure the vampires who usually
accompanied him were protected during the day. His great power made day and night seem the same to
him, but it was not so with weaker vampires. They were weaker during the sunlight hours and were
difficult to rouse when sleeping during the day. For that very reason, many vampires had human
attendants, so therefore the cabinets always had regular food. Anna scrounged and found some canned
soup and crackers; not the best breakfast, but it sufficed. There seemed to be meals in the freezer that
just needed to be defrosted so she pulled a couple that looked appetizing out and put them in the
refrigerator that was filled with...blood bags.
"I was just about to ask what you were going to do for feeding," she said. "Now I know."
Cael pulled a bag out and checked the date. "They're keeping them up to date, too. Good."
He sat across from her as she ate her soup and crackers stealing a cracker or two and smirking at
her as he did. She smiled back.
"I'm going to go out for a few hours," he said when she finished. "In order for me to activate the
defences of this place, I'm going to have to disable the security system on the house as well. I want you
to stay in the main area of the house or my rooms. Preferably close to one of the security rooms, just in
case someone enters while the system is down."
She nodded. "There isn't anyone around, is there?"
"Not for a mile," he said. "But the west side of the property is about three miles away. I'll be as
fast as I can."
"Do you know how to do all this?" she asked. She couldn't imagine this rich vampire being
much of a techie.
"I'll do what I have to," he said. "Kaiden will know better than to come here with just a few
vampires. He'll bring a decent number, probably a hundred or more. If I don't get everything up and
running now, it'll be you and me against an army." He looked away thoughtfully. "He's only a day or so
behind."
Anna nodded. Things were coming to a head very quickly.
"Come. Let's get you situated."
She followed him back to one of the many rooms on the second floor. This one happened to
have a huge flat screen television and remote. There was also a laptop charging on the coffee table.
"Watch TV," he suggested, "or," he pulled out his credit card, "you're probably due for some
new clothes. The closet here is full of more for me, but you've only got a few things." He looked her up
and down. "I know you probably don't shop the way I do, but, if things work out the way I'm planning,
my people will be coming here soon. Try to stick to designer clothing, and jeans are probably not quite
appropriate anymore."
 She looked at him uncertainly. "How about I just look but wait until you're back to buy?"
He nodded. "If you want. I'll leave you with the card anyway. Buy anything you like, Anna. I
want you to be happy here with me."
She smiled. "You make me happy," she said kissing him softly. "I don't need 'stuff' to make me
happy."
He held her close and kissed her seriously.
"One more thing."
He pushed a button on the wall and a panel slid away. Behind that panel were several handguns.
"Have you ever fired a gun?"
"A long time ago," she admitted eyeing the guns warily.
He nodded and selected a smallish one from the assortment. "This gun looks small but it's a .
45mm semi-automatic. The kick isn't too bad, and you've got seven shots without reloading." He pulled
the slide and chambered a bullet. "If anyone other than me comes in here, I want you to fire at him and
then run to the safe room. The best way to slow a vampire is to shoot him in the legs, but since you're
not familiar with shooting weapons, aim for the body. It won't kill him, but it still smarts."
Anna looked at the gun and shook her head. "Cael," she said in a tiny voice. "I can't shoot
anybody."
He put the weapon in her hand. "You hold it like this." He adjusted her fingers around the
trigger. "Use your other arm for stability," he said bringing it up and showing her how to brace with her
other hand.
Tears filled her eyes. "Cael," she almost sobbed.
"Listen to me," he said in her ear. The deadly tone in his voice made her shiver. "The people
after us will have no problem raping and torturing you again. I have to get the system up and running,
which means I need to leave you for a while. I don't expect anything to happen, but I'm not leaving you
defenceless. Remember. You can't kill a vampire with a handgun...well..." he paused. "You can kill a
vampire with a handgun. A shot to the head and a shot to the heart at point blank range ought to do it.
But don't you dare get that close. You spend your clip on the bastard and run." He took the gun from
her shaking fingers and turned her around forcibly. "Do you hear me?"
Anna nodded feeling suddenly sick.
He kissed her seriously then.
"You're going to be okay," he breathed. "I promise."
He put the gun back in her hands and started to walk away.
She turned to stare after him with tears in her eyes. She couldn't imagine shooting another
being, but he'd been so serious. Since they'd met this would be the first time he was leaving her all
alone and going more than a few feet away. She felt terribly empty knowing he wasn't just down the
hall feeding, or only a word away, and she felt very tiny and scared.
"Anna!" he called from in the hall.
"What?" she sniffed back.
He walked back in the room and after carefully pointing the gun away from his body he drew
her close and kissed her lips.
"My angel," he breathed. "Be strong for me."
She looked up into his strange jade eyes. They were so gentle and tender. She nodded mutely
and kissed him.
He sighed and then left her alone.
Anna put the gun pointing away from her on the coffee table. Then she grabbed the laptop and
opened it hoping that there wasn't a security code to get into the system. To her delight, there were
directions inside about the login information and after a few moments she'd logged in and was happily
surfing the net.
Just for kicks she went to a couple designer stores and looked at clothes. She felt her jaw drop
as she looked at the prices of things... Cael must not have been serious about designer clothes...right?
She looked around at the opulent mansion and then looked at the prices online again. She was
definitely waiting for him to shop for her, but she did have a good time checking things out. She went
to every designer she could think of, staring in open-mouthed amazement at some of the crap they
called clothes. She doubted whether Cael would ever expect her to dress like a runway model. She did
manage to find a couple things she liked that didn't seem to outlandish...until she saw the price tags.
People were insane if they expected her to pay that much for a cashmere turtleneck.
After she grew bored of shopping, she logged on to some news sites and caught up on politics
and world events. Suddenly she wondered if Cael and the other vampires even cared about human
politics...or perhaps they controlled them. Suddenly she had this vision of vampires using humans as
their puppets, controlling the outcomes of elections and other world events. She shuddered. They could.
They had the power. She wondered if they did.
Curiously she entered the name "Alexander LeGaulle" onto Google. Hundreds of pages came
up.
"New York City's most Eligible Bachelor: Alexander LeGaulle."
"ALG Corp. makes hefty donation to children's hospital...ALG Corp. the brainchild of
entrepreneur Alexander LeGaulle..."
Anna read them all curiously. It seemed that Cael existed in the human world as well, as a
millionaire entrepreneur who had shrewd business acumen and made brilliant deals to better his
company. Anna sniffed. Of course he made brilliant decisions; he was twenty-five centuries old. He
probably had money stashed away in Swiss accounts that totalled the net worth of small countries. She
began to wonder with a twinge of paranoia. Did the vampire world secretly rule the human world? Or
perhaps their dealings were separate and cursory; the superior race and the subordinate race never once
paying attention to the other...save the midnight feedings?
The more she read about Cael, the more curious she grew. She typed in Kieran Montasse and
Darian Moiree and got several more pages of articles and mentions of the high-profile vampires. As she
skimmed articles about Cael and her friends she felt a strange pain in her heart. She didn't belong with
a man or a vampire like Cael. She didn't know how to act, she didn't know about that kind of money,
she looked at a $700 shirt at Neiman Marcus and cringed when she was sure Cael would have thought
it barely sufficient. It seemed the more time she spent with him, the more removed she became from
her old life.
Her old life...
She stared at the computer for a minute and then with shaking fingers, she logged into her email
account. There were over 500 new messages. Curiously she clicked on the link and stared in utter
amazement.
There in a list of several web pages were messages from friends, family, friends of friends, and
co-workers. They all had the same title; Re: Words of Farewell to Elianna.
God. She really was dead.
Morbid curiosity took over... she clicked on them. Some of the messages were like epitaphs and
some of them were simply a few lines of remembrance. Tears filled her eyes and blurred her vision.
Her family and friends thought she was dead; a missing person for over a month. The police had
probably already given up believing that she was just another girl that had been dumped in some grave
in the forest.
How could they even imagine that she had been tossed in a vault with an ancient vampire? How
could they know she'd escaped? Would they even believe? No. They believed what everyone believed;
she was dead. Words of pain, sorrow and loss were jotted down and sent to an Anna Kennan who
would never read them, or so they believed. Almost to protest her own death, she read them all; her best
friend, her co-workers, her brother, her five year old nephew... She couldn't stop herself as she sobbed
uncontrollably just as she couldn't stop herself from reading every message. Everything she knew was
gone; her life, family, friends. The moment she'd been tossed into darkness with Cael, Elianna Kennan
had died. Just like the ache she felt when she wanted to flee from Cael, she felt that same twisting in
her gut. She'd lost everything.
Everyone.
She wept like a little girl; mourning the loss of everything she loved.
As she cried, something within her changed. She didn't know where it came from, but finally
she got the strength to swallow her sobs. She read the emails again, but this time she felt a strong
resolve. She couldn't go home. She had to protect them. Cael was right; Kaiden would kill everything
she loved. She sniffed and wiped her nose. Finally she understood what she needed to do.
Fight.
The little voice that had screamed to her so loudly when she was dying in the cave echoed in her
soul.
Fight Back.
It was the only way to protect the people she loved.
FIGHT BACK!
With a new strength she pulled herself together. She went to the bathroom just off the living
room and washed her mascara streaked face and took the remaining makeup off her eyes. Then she wet
her fingers and ran them through her long, black tresses to tame them and straightened her jeans. She
stared into her eyes in the mirror. From this moment forward, she would help Cael fight.
That was her only option.
When she emerged from the bathroom, she felt clean and refreshed. Her breakdown had been
cathartic; it gave her clarity and courage. She was ready to be strong.
Even as the thought flitted through her head, she got a strange feeling. Something was wrong.
Something was very wrong. It was simply a shiver running down her spine, but the moment she felt it
her heart began to pound.
Shit.
Anna crept towards the table and picked up the gun, her hands shaking.
Someone was in the house and she knew it wasn't Cael...she'd feel it if it was him.
"There's lights on back here," she heard a voice say just outside the room in the hall.
There was that musical quality to the voice that indicated vampire. An unknown vampire was in
the house.
Fuck!
Her heart pounding, she hurried across the room, towards the hallway that led to the safe room.
"What have we here?" said a deep male voice.
Anna froze and turned towards the vampire.
He was tall with dark brown hair and dark eyes that seemed to have a wicked glint to them. His
skin was slightly olive toned and his shoulders in the suit jacket were far bulkier than Cael's. This was
the kind of vampire that you saw in horror flicks; tall, dark, menacing and powerful.
"Good evening, Little One," said the vampire. "That's quite a handgun you've got there. Why
don't you drop it?"
Anna felt the pull on her mind to obey his voice and it almost sent her crashing to her knees.
She got the feeling this vampire was terribly powerful. She shook her head and put her mental wall up
to protect herself from his psychic powers. Slowly she started to slide towards the hallway.
"Interesting," said the vampire. "You know how to block me. Who taught you that, Little One?"
She said nothing and continued to inch her way towards the door.
The vampire growled and in a blink he stood in front of her destination.
"I don't think so," he said.
Fuck.
 Anna's heart dropped to her stomach. He was incredibly fast.
"Drop the gun, Little One," he demanded harshly. "I'm almost at the end of my patience."
Anna shook her head and backed away. She lifted the gun up and pointed it at him even as her
eyes filled with tears. She'd never imagined herself shooting another, but this dark vampire was
terrifying.
At her gesture, his eyes flashed and he growled. "Bad move," he snarled.
She screeched as he blurred again and suddenly he stood before her grabbing her wrists roughly
and wrestling the gun from her hand before she even thought to shoot at him.
Cael! she screamed in her mind.
"You don't listen well do you," the vampire snarled as he gripped her arms mercilessly. "Maybe
you need to be taught a lesson."
Anna stared at him in horror. Not again.
No. No! NO! FIGHT!
She kneed him hard in the balls. If he was a human he'd have passed out, but it seemed the
action had the desired effect on the vampire, anyway. He groaned and fell to his knees cursing. Anna
wrenched her arms from his grasp and ran frantically towards the safe room.
Her fingers shook as she tried to enter the code on the door, and she sobbed in frustration as she
entered it wrong. Suddenly, strong hands grabbed her from behind twisting her around forcibly.
"I don't think so," he snarled.
Anna screamed and struggled. She flailed and kicked wildly all the while her heart sinking.
Dear God, no! Please.
"What the hell?" cried another vampire's voice from the living room.
"I do believe I've caught a banshee," said the vampire who was restraining her. "Either that or a
human female who's contracted rabies."
"Can't you get her to be quiet?"
"She's got a mental block on me," he returned. "Here," he said putting his hand over her mouth.
"How's this?"
Anna squealed under his hand in terror.
"Better," said the other vampire. "Bring her in here."
"She's not that easy to restrain," said her captor even as she continued to flail against him. "I'll
need the hand over her mouth for that."
"Fine," snapped the other.
Anna stared at the other vampire as he walked into the hall to join them. He had white blonde
hair and silver eyes and he was dressed in a suit. He looked slightly annoyed and amused.
"Christ," he said when he got a good look at her. "She's terrified. Do you always have to scare
the shit out of everyone, lad?"
"God damn it!" he captor snarled. "I'm fifteen hundred fucking years old. Do you think you can
quit with the 'lad' crap?"
The blonde-haired vampire chuckled a little wickedly.
"Come, Little One," he said. "I know he's terrifying, but really. There's nothing you can do to resist us.
Why don't you just stop screaming and settle down? We're going to get what we want from you
whether you settle down or not. Let's just make it easier on everyone. Come, we've got no reason to
harm you."
"Speak for yourself," snarled her captor.
Anna felt her heart sink. She closed her eyes and began to sob.
No. No. No. Not again. Please not again.
"Why don't you make yourself useful and see if you can find some rope," her captor snapped.
The silver-haired vampire sighed. "She's really scared," he said sadly. "What the hell did you do
to her?"
 "What did I do to her?" he snarled. "She kneed me in the fucking groin and she almost shot me."
The other vampire stared at her thoughtfully. "I'll find some rope, just don't do anything else to
her."
The panic was starting to settle in. The voice in the back of her mind was no longer logical. It
was simply screaming...
No. No. NO. NO!
At that moment, Anna realized that she'd rather die than endure what had happened before. She
would never let some man thrust his cock into her mouth, into her pussy, into her ass while she was a
sobbing mess of despair beneath him. She'd rather die. She'd rather kill herself. Whatever strength to
fight that still remained in her soul surged forward. Anna let her legs give out beneath her, and her
captor swore angrily again.
"Damn it," he snapped. "I'm getting very irritated Little One."
His grip on her loosened so that he could pull her off the floor and desperately, Anna kicked his
kneecap hearing the snap of the bone with satisfaction. At least she knew enough about anatomy to
know what would disable someone.
The vampire roared in pain and anger.
She got back on her feet and ran like hell hoping that the other vampire wasn't near enough to
catch her. She didn't know how long it would take for the dark vampire's knee to heal, but she hoped
she had long enough to get downstairs and into the other safe room.
"God damn it," she heard him shout. His voice was dark, and murderous. "I'm going to kill you,
you fucking bitch!"
She jumped on the banister and slid down it then raced for the safe room hallway. She was
almost there...almost there...
Something hit her with enough force to knock the wind out of her and she tumbled to the
ground. She couldn't screech but the vampire tackled her growling and snarling. There was a brief
struggle and then he pinned her body with his own.
When she realized that he'd overpowered her again, Anna began to sob hysterically.
God! Not again. She couldn't do it again. Not again.
"No, no, please no," she wailed.
"Too late for please," he snarled. "That's twice you've attacked me. I've killed humans for
smaller offences."
Suddenly there was another snarl and she felt the vampire who had tackled her be physically
ripped from her body. There was an awful thud against the wall and the pictures crashed to the ground.
Anna simply huddled in a ball sobbing hysterically. She didn't have any fight left. She didn't
care anymore. She only wished she had the gun so whichever vampire won, no one would be able to
touch her.

**********************

"Alexander? Fuck. Is it really you?"

Kieran looked into the face of his ancient friend and almost didn't recognize it. The rage in those
jade eyes was unlike anything he'd seen in their ten centuries of companionship. Plus, he'd never been
overpowered so violently by any vampire, and staring into those fierce eyes, looking at his elongated
fangs, and feeling his power almost sizzling in the air was frightening, even for a vampire like himself.
"What were you doing, Kieran?" His voice was deadly.
Once again Kieran didn't know what to think. Alexander had never spoken to him like that
before. He'd never seen that almost rabid look in his friend's eyes. His eyes moved to the human that
had curled into a little ball, her slender arms wrapped about her body protectively shaking and
hiccoughing in panic.
"Shit. I wasn't sure what I was walking into."
Actually, he still wasn't sure what was going on.
"So you attack a tiny human woman?"
"There were lights on upstairs," he explained. "I was hoping it would be you." He looked at the
human again thoughtfully. "But it wasn't."
Alexander's eyes were still murderous.
"I tried to get her to give me the gun, but she protected her mind from me. Then she tried to run.
I gave chase. For a human, she fought well. She broke my knee and kicked me in the groin, and for
those two reasons alone I attacked her."
"She should have shot you," Cael snarled.
"I managed to get the gun away from her using my speed," he admitted. "Forgive me, friend. I
didn't know who she was and I surely wasn't aware that she was under your protection. I was trying to
get information and she was very unwilling."
For a moment Kieran wasn't sure whether Alexander was going to kill him or not. The power of
his rage was overwhelming and the air was still crackling. He knew better than to move. Perhaps more
than anyone, he knew the Ancient One's power. He knew that he could kill with just a thought and he
shuddered to think of the painful deaths he'd seen Alexander contrive for those of their kind that really
pissed him off. Kieran never thought he'd see Alexander direct that kind of rage at him- especially over
a human. Then, slowly his expression changed and his face calmed slightly.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kieran saw the girl was sitting up now and was staring at them
both cautiously. He didn't dare look at her much save in his peripheral vision; Alexander was being
terribly possessive, and the last thing he wanted was for the Ancient One to construe that he was
interested in the delicate, shivering human. He tried to ignore her and tried to stifle of anger he felt
towards her; he still wanted throttle her for the kick in the balls and the knee, but looking into
Alexander's eyes he knew that would earn him a death sentence.
"Cael?" she said to him in a tiny voice.
Kieran snarled suddenly. No one knew the Ancient One's true name save him and Darian.
Alexander looked at him fiercely and then threw him roughly to the floor.
Without another word, he walked over to the girl and knelt down next to her stroking her black
hair out of her face.
"Are you all right?" he asked her in a gentle voice.
Once again Kieran froze. Alexander was never gentle like that.
The girl nodded and then flung her arms around him holding him tightly. He held her close and
stroked her back tenderly.
Kieran felt strong hands under his arms helping him to his feet. He realized that he'd sensed
Darian's presence for a while now. His mentor had seen it all.
Alexander lifted the woman in his arms and held her close. She'd buried her face in his neck and
simply clung to him mutely; she was strangely strong for a creature so small. Most vampire females he
knew would be a sobbing mess, but this tiny human was almost sadly stoic. Then she looked up at the
two vampires for a moment and Kieran felt his gut wrench. Her eyes were incredible; like the bright
blue sky on the clearest, sunniest day, and those amazing eyes were haunted and tortured.
"I'll be back in a few moments," said Cael to them as he carried the girl upstairs.
Kieran didn't dare reply, and it seemed Darian was smart enough, too.
"What the hell was that?" said Kieran quietly when the Ancient One was gone.
"That," answered Moiree, "was Alexander almost killing you."
"Over that human?"
"Yes. Over that human."
Chapter Ten
Anna awoke in bed alone. It was a little after 9:00 according to the clock by the bed, and she
sighed and stretched languidly. To her surprise her body ached miserably. She couldn't remember doing
anything that would make her sore... well... not sore like this.
She tossed the covers off and made her way to the bathroom. When she turned on the lights she
looked at her bruised body in horror. There were handprints bruised into her arms and wrists, her knees
were purple and there were several marks on her abdomen. These kind of marks didn't come from her
usual klutziness, this was serious. Why couldn't she remember?
Cael.
He'd told her once that he'd erased her memories of the pain she'd been in right after their
escape. Was this another of those times? What had happened? She thought he'd promised not to use his
magic on her like that again. Her eyes filled with tears. She was covered in bruises, some of them
obviously handprints and she couldn't remember why.
Her heart started to pound and her breath shortened in panic.
Her memory was gone.
Why?
She couldn't do this.
She dressed quickly and washed her face. Frantically she brushed her hair and then tossed the
hairbrush back on the dresser. She couldn't remember. She couldn't remember. Cael had taken her
memories away.
Her hands shook with rage.
How could he do this?
Damn it! Damn it all.
She opened the door and peeked out. The house was silent; eerily so. For a moment, logic
prevailed... Maybe she should wait and confront him?
No. She was leaving now. She would not let him manipulate her. She was so angry. So...hurt.
How could he do this?
She made her way towards the garage figuring she'd take one of the Jeeps she'd seen parked
there. Surprisingly she remembered noting the keys hanging on hooks on her way in. It would be so
easy to just leave, and put all this behind her. Each step she took, though, her heart seemed to pound
harder in her chest. It was almost labouring.
Well, hell!
Tears of frustration clouded her vision as she realized that their magical connection wouldn't let
her leave him. She stifled a sob and wiped at her eyes stubbornly.
What kind of idiot runs away from their problems anyway?
She nodded angrily to herself. Running wasn't going to make things better, but screaming at him
would. Suddenly she had the urge to pick a nice little fight.
"Anna?"
She froze, but she didn't turn around.
Yeah. Screaming sounded just right.
"You shouldn't be out of bed," he said.
"So what," she snapped. "You erased my memory and kept me asleep?"
"Anna," he began his voice irritatingly placating.
"You promised not to," she said still facing away from him.
"You don't understand," he returned. "Please listen. I can tell you're panicking. You're upset.
You're afraid of me. Let me explain. Angel..."
"Don't call me that!" she snapped turning around irritably.
 She swallowed as she stared at him. He was in a pair of dark slacks and a crisp white button
down shirt; he'd rolled up his sleeves. His golden hair was neatly combed back and its soft waves were
tamed with gel. He was put together again...and he looked absolutely edible. She'd forgotten how
gorgeous he was. She'd forgotten how much she longed for him...
Damn it!
"So you're just going to run away from me without letting me explain?" he asked the gentleness
in his voice slipping just a little. "Have you tried?"
She wiped her eyes again. "I can't."
He smiled a little smugly and for a moment she wanted to lunge at him in anger to wipe it off
his face.
Suddenly he chuckled. It was arrogant, high handed and it made her see red.
"I guess that means you're going to have to listen to my explanation after all," he smirked.
She scanned the area for something to throw at him. Being softball pitcher in high school,
vampire or no, she was pretty sure she could nail him.
Suddenly he laughed again, but this time it was a little more kindly. "All right, Anna. Settle
down. You know in your heart I'd never hurt you."
She was torn between running at him and screaming angrily about how he'd betrayed her and
flying into his arms begging him to hold her and comfort her, to make love to her. She opted to stare at
him warily and see what he did next.
"Let's sit down. Let me explain."
He offered his hand, but dropped it when she didn't take it. She glared at him stubbornly.
"Okay," he said staring at her thoughtfully. "Let's go to the kitchen."
She nodded and followed him.
He gestured for her to sit at the table and then sat across from her.
Just sitting across from him cooled her temper a little. He always had that effect on her; since
she'd known him she hadn't flown into one of her famous, dramatic tirades yet. This was the closest
she'd ever gotten.
"Last night you were attacked while I was out," he began. "But the vampires who you thought
were attacking you were simply trying to restrain you so they could get some answers. The vampires
were my friends: Kieran and Darian. Remember them?"
She nodded though she was suddenly irritated at him.
Did he think she was a fucking idiot?
"You're being a little irrational you know," he responded to her thought.
"I have good reason."
"Let me continue. If you still want to lob something at me when I'm done, I'll give you a shot.
Deal?"
She nodded.
"Their attempts to capture you sent you into hysteria and you fought like a wildcat to get away.
However Kieran is a powerful vampire and in the end, after quite a struggle, he restrained you. That's
when I found you." He sighed. "At first I just put you to sleep, hoping that after resting you'd calm
down, but it didn't work. You started having nightmares like you did back in the vault, and you
screamed and screamed in your sleep. It was awful; for you and for me. After waking up for the third
time yesterday, you begged me. You begged me to make it stop." He looked at her tenderly. "So I did."
She looked at him uncertainly. She could imagine something like that happening, but...damn
him! It was impossible to remain pissed when he looked at her like that.
Finally she shook her head over and over again. It wasn't like her to be at a loss for words. It
wasn't like her to be so off balance. She felt his hand enclose around hers and with his touch came
comfort and calm.
"I'm a mess," she said. "I don't even know what I'm thinking anymore."
 "You've been incredibly brave. You're allowed moments of hysteria." He smiled wryly. "Though
running off is probably not one of your best moves."
"I have a bit of a temper," she admitted ruefully.
"Really?" he teased in mock amazement. "I'd never have guessed. Kieran thinks you're part
banshee."
Her face blanched. For some reason she got the feeling that she'd done something to him. "Is he
pissed?"
"He'll get over it."
"It is always going to be this way? Will I always go nuts?" she said in a tiny voice.
"When bad things like that happen, flashbacks will creep up from time to time. That was almost
a parallel situation for you, and you should be pleased to know you kicked Kieran's ass pretty well for a
human."
She smiled wanly. "Serves him right for the way he screamed at me on the phone the other day."
He chuckled. "Do you know how incredible you are?"
"Yeah," she sniffed. "Just don't try to grab me, or I'll go psycho."
"If it's any consolation, I had to crawl into one of the security vaults last night and I nearly
passed out from panic." He smiled wryly. "I've suddenly developed an intense fear of concrete vaults."
"Yeah," she said. "Let's not go there."
"Things like this are very normal. I have many quirks," he admitted. "Twenty centuries of
them."
"Twenty-five," she corrected.
He smiled.
"Alexander," said a male voice.
Anna started and turned around to see who had spoken. He was tall with dark hair, dark eyes
and olive skin. Suddenly she knew he was the vampire who'd attacked her and to her surprise she
remembered. She remembered the chase, his words, her terror...but she didn't feel the panic.
"Easy, Kieran," said Cael watching her closely. "Come in slowly."
Anna stared at the menacing vampire cautiously as he entered the kitchen completely.
"Anna," said Cael, "this is Kieran."
"Hello, Anna," said Kieran inclining his head. "It's nice to meet you."
She nodded.
"I need to speak to you in private," said Kieran.
Cael shrugged. "Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of Anna," he replied. "She has
good control over her mind."
Kieran eyed Cael cautiously. At once Anna could tell he didn't trust her, he didn't like her and he
wasn't going to say anything in front of her. Looking at his rather wicked eyes, she decided she was just
fine with that. She held to her first opinion of Kieran Montasse; he was an ass.
"It's okay," she said rising. "I'll just grab some breakfast and hit the TV room. I don't need to
hear anything."
She opened the cupboard and grabbed a granola bar and opened the refrigerator and grabbed a
can of soda, ignoring the blood bags.
"Anna," Cael called after her.
"Yeah?" she replied.
"Are you all right?"
She shrugged. "It's not like I have any other options."
He nodded.
She made her way to the TV room, only to find it occupied by another vampire who was
watching the news. She stared at him for a while. He was dressed nice; just like Cael and Kieran. She
got the feeling that they were used to business attire even when it was just a casual thing. They were
kings. She supposed that went with the deal. She could only see him in profile, but she got a sense of
gentleness from him. Just like Kieran felt a little dark, it seemed Darian exuded kindness.
"I've heard of wallflowers, but I've never heard of a door-flower," he called to her.
"You must be Darian Moiree," she said to him walking into the TV room.
He rose and bowed to her smiling. "And you're Alexander's Anna," he replied. "It's nice to meet
you."
"Officially," she added. "I suppose you and Kieran have every right to be irritated at me."
"No," he disagreed. "You did exactly what you should have done, exactly what Alexander told
you to do. You may fight like a hellcat, but you're no match for vampires. Your best defence is
running." He chuckled a little. "Besides, you didn't lay a claw on me, kitten."
"I've been doing lots of things to piss Kieran off lately," she said a little ruefully. "He probably
hates my guts. I'm glad I haven't managed to irritate both of you."
"Kieran's really not that bad you know," said Moiree. "He has this thing about women. You'd
think after a thousand years he'd get over the cultural bias."
"Aren't most cultures are slightly misogynistic?" she asked shrugging. "There aren't that many
cultures that were historically women-governed anyway, well, at least not from your time." She thought
about that for a moment. Actually, there were several notable exceptions. "Well, maybe Ancient Israel
with Deborah as a judge, and then there was Cleopatra, and, well Elizabeth I was a really powerful
queen...."
"What are you, some kind of historian?" Darian asked in amusement.
Anna started a little at his interruption to her thoughts and then chuckled. "Nah," she admitted.
"I just took these women's studies classes in college. It was kinda interesting."
"Now I know why Alexander is so fond of you," he mused. "He could sit and debate with you
for hours."
Anna smiled thinking back to their words in the darkness. "And so we did."
He looked at her soda and granola bar and arched his white brows. "Breakfast of champions, I
see."
She shrugged. "I'm a child of my environment."
"Are you okay with the news?" he asked.
She shrugged. "Sure."
As she snuggled up in the corner of the couch, Anna decided that she instantly like Darian
Moiree just like she instantly disliked Kieran Montasse. She couldn't imagine two so completely
mismatched companions. Moiree was like a bright white light. His smile was infectious, and his silver
eyes glittered like platinum. He was beautiful, though not in comparison to Cael. Of course, Anna
admitted she was a little biased there. She mentally compared the two vampires that were Cael's dearest
friends. Kieran was everything dark, dangerous and he had a slight aura of evil about him. She could
imagine his black eyes glittering in the night, stalking an unwary human on the street corner; just like
every vampire movie she'd ever seen. Looking at Darian, and comparing him to Kieran she got the
strangest sense of Yin and Yang; light and dark, wicked balanced with good. She wondered how it felt
sharing the same blood, if it connected them closer, if it gave Kieran just a little bit of light in his dark
soul.
Anna took a bite out of her granola bar thoughtfully not really focusing on the newscaster.
She felt a slight push on her mind and she sniffed.
"Stop that Monsieur Moiree," she said.
He chuckled. "You have a pretty strong mind for a human, you know."
"You could just ask me," she returned.
"Okay, what were you thinking?"
She shrugged. "I was thinking how you and Kieran couldn't be more opposite in appearance and
manner. I was wondering what it was like to share blood with him."
 "Alexander told you that he was my Little One long ago," he mused.
"Little One? You guys use that a lot. Does it mean something?"
He chuckled. "You're smarter than you look."
"I'm offended," she returned smiling a little. "So what does it mean?"
"We use it in two ways," he said. "It refers to anyone who is young; humans, and vampires. It is
also the term for a newly made vampire that is under the protection of his or her creator. A fledgling if
you will."
"Cael calls me that a lot," she said. "I wondered if it meant something more than what I
thought."
Darian winced and looked at her seriously.
"Anna," he said. "You can't keep calling him that."
"What?"
"You're using Alexander's true name. Kieran and I know it, but it should never be used in
common speech. It gives away some of his power."
"I've always called him that," she protested.
"You're in our world, now, Little One," he said. "You better get used to some things being a little
different. You cannot call him..." he seemed to struggle for a second, "Cael... unless it's a private
moment between the two of you." He smiled a little roguishly. "But saying his name during those kinds
of moments gives him a great deal of pleasure, so I wouldn't stop using it all together."
Anna blushed furiously.

***************

"We've got him," said Elise. "He's at an estate out in the middle of nowhere. It's about a seven
hour drive from the gas station where your messengers were attacked."
"Is he alone?" Kaiden asked.
"Our people found it this morning. There has been no movement on the property since then."
Kaiden chuckled. "Good. Seal it off. Make sure no help can get to him. This time I'm going to
kill the bastard personally."
"I wouldn't recommend it," Elise cautioned. "Your three messengers are completely mad. He's
more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
"I got him locked in that cell," Kaiden retorted. "He's grown weak with age."
Elise's eyes glowed with anger. "For the first time since this thing began, Kaiden, I really do
think you're mad! He's an Ancient One. There is no one alive who is in his bloodline."
"And I'm going to be the one to kill him," Kaiden growled. "My plan is flawless. He can't
withstand an army. When he's weak, bleeding and that fucking human he's so fond of is gutted in front
of him, I'll kill the bastard. And then I will be the Ancient One in this land."
"You better hope you can get him weak enough," Elise returned.
"Don't worry Elise, I will."

*************

Mara hid behind the dumpster and shielded her mind the best she could. She hadn't planned on
meeting any other vampires tonight. This part of town was rarely frequented by her kind, and the two
strangers in the shadows weren't weaklings. She may not be powerful, but Mara was observant.
Vampires like these didn't meet in dark alleyways like this unless they were up to no good. She knew
better than to draw attention to herself. The best thing she could do was lay low and wait for them to
move on. If they saw her, she knew she'd be in trouble.
"He wants more humans and vampires," one of them said. His voice was dark, arrogant,
sneering.
"We've almost depopulated this entire region," the other replied. "The only ones left are the
denizens of our society, and they're the least likely to respond to a summons by the Ancient One."
The dark one chuckled wickedly. "Then promise them money. The place is a mansion, there's
bound to be things they could sell or pawn."
Mara's ears perked up at that. A mansion? Money?
"Yeah, I'll try. Don't count on any numbers from that line. He's better off bringing more of his
own people."
"He wants to be prepared." Mara couldn't see his smile, but she could feel it. There was
something truly wicked about that one. "One doesn't kill an Ancient One so easily."
"Sh!" the other snapped harshly. "Never say anything like that again. If these people knew what
was really happening..."
"These people have no fucking clue what's happening," the wicked one returned arrogantly.
"And it needs to stay that way."
"Fine," he snapped. "Just get the numbers. I don't care how you do it, but get it done. We need
the numbers."
"This better work. Otherwise, we're all going to be staked in the sun."
"It'll work."
The two vampires parted ways. One got into an expensive car, and the other dashed away
passing Mara's dumpster. For a moment she feared she'd been discovered, but when he continued to
race by, she knew she was safe.
For a moment, she considered what she'd heard. They were going to try to kill an Ancient One?
They were going to try to kill THE Ancient One? The thought disturbed her. Granted, the Ancient One
didn't give a shit about her. He didn't know about her, and he didn't really care about her, but something
like this was a big deal. Why would so many vampires be joining in a fight to kill an Ancient One? Did
they know what they were really doing? From the secrecy in their voices, she didn't think so. There was
some kind of treachery going on.
For a brief moment she wondered if she should tell someone, but then she sniffed bitterly.
Replacing one Ancient One with another didn't change her life one bit. She was still just a weakling
among their kind; ugly, uneducated, and barely powerful enough to psychically control her prey. No
matter who was in charge, she'd still be stealing to survive, living in deserted buildings.
Fuck them all.
The only thing that remotely interested her about the entire conversation was the bit about the
mansion. She wasn't stupid enough to go there and fight in some battle, but when everything was over...
well, she had a knack for some things; disarming security systems was one of them. Perhaps she might
be able to make something of herself after all. Smiling to herself at the thought, she made her way
through the night.

*****************

They'd been watching TV for a while but after a while she got this feeling that something was
wrong. Anna felt strange. She felt...alone. It was worse than being alone; it was a sense of vacancy and
she knew in her gut that Cael was no longer nearby. He was at least a few miles away, just like the
night before. It freaked her out.
"Darian," said Anna suddenly. "I can't feel him."
"What?"
"C...Alexander," she replied catching herself at the last minute.
"What do you mean you can't feel him?" he demanded.
"I can't feel his presence. He's not in the house," Anna explained. "I always seem to know where
he is, but right now, I don't. It scares me."
Darian looked at her seriously. "Have you drunk of his essence, Anna?"
She thought about it. She'd not drunk any of his blood, but she had gone down on him a couple
of times and tasted him. She blushed outrageously as she imagined herself trying to explain that to his
good friend.
"Ah," said Darian smilingly knowingly.
She could feel her face growing even redder. She took a deep breath and then stared him in the eye,
almost daring him to say something. "Why do you ask?" she demanded.
"Because you're connected to him," he explained. "This sense of presence you feel with him is
usually only felt among mated pairs."
"But I'm not a vampire," she said. "Or at least I wasn't the last time I looked."
Darian chuckled. "No," he agreed. "You're still human."
"You're trying to tell me something that I'm not quite getting."
"You're his mate," he said simply.
"What do you mean by that?"
The ancient vampire sighed. "Just keep safe through all of this Anna. Alexander has been
waiting for you for a long time. It would kill him to lose you."
She looked at him curiously. Among the companions, she got the sense that Darian was a bit of
a joker; he always found a way to put in a really bad comment. He'd spent the last few hours teasing
her outrageously. When Cael and Kieran had come to talk to him, he'd been almost flippant. His lips
always seemed to be twitching in a smile, but he wasn't smiling now. He was looking at her very
seriously.
"Okay," she said looking into those platinum eyes uncomfortably. "I'll do my best."
She endured the vacant feeling for a little longer trying to focus on the rerun of CSI, but the
absence of his presence made her almost feel panicky. She felt lost, alone, tiny. She didn't like it.
"I don't like this," she muttered under her breath uneasily.
"He's fine, Anna," Darian reassured. "If there's one person I have complete faith in, it's
Alexander."
"Something's happening," she said shaking her head. "I can feel tension."
He nodded. "It's beginning. Alexander and Kieran are getting things ready for the attack
tomorrow."
"How do you know there's going to be an attack tomorrow?" she asked. "I mean how can you be
so sure?"
He winked outrageously. "I'm omniscient," he said grandly.
She arched her eyebrows at him skeptically. "Yeah, and my mother was a virgin."
"Does Alexander let you talk to him like that?" Darian chided.
"What can I say," she shrugged. "I'm sassy like that. So, Mr. Omniscient, how do you know?"
"I'm a dream walker," he replied simply.
She shook her head and stared at him blankly.
"Each of us has powers that are unique to us. We can all do mind control, run fast, and the
normal vampire things, but some of us, the Ancient Ones especially have certain...talents."
"Talents?" Her interest was piqued.
"Alexander has telekinetic abilities that are incomparable; no one else can even begin to fathom
his power. He can pretty much do whatever he wants to with just his mind. It makes him one of the
most powerful of our kind. Kieran's power is in his physical abilities. He can withstand injuries and
heal from them far faster than most of our kind. He's brutal fast in a fight and has more physical
strength than any vampire I've met. If you had been attacked by a vampire other than Kieran last night,
you would have gotten away, Anna. He heals almost instantly." He paused thoughtfully.
 "And you?" she asked curiously.
"Me?" Darian repeated. "I can invade the minds of others; read their thoughts and control them
from afar. Back in the day, we called it 'dream walking.' You might have noticed I've been a little
quiet."
She nodded.
"While you've been watching them use science to identify body parts, I have been skimming the
thoughts of our enemy. Those who are younger can't detect me, though I've stayed away from Kaiden
and his higher ups. From them I've learned that a violent storm is nearing this place. Alexander and
Kieran are making sure that the people Kaiden has deceived are not slaughtered. Together we've
worked up a plan to entrap his army."
"So you know what the enemy is planning?" Anna asked hopefully.
"I know his plans, yes," Darian said almost sadly. "They are good plans, Little One. This is
going to be a difficult fight. Despite our efforts, many humans and vampires will die."
"Can you see the future in your dreams?" she asked curiously.
He shrugged but didn't look into her eyes. "Sometimes I have premonitions, but they are only
feelings."
"You've had a premonition about me," she said.
He remained silent.
"It wasn't good."
"When the battle begins," he said, "you should lock yourself in one of the safe rooms. Bring
food in there to last you several days."
Suddenly he stood.
"Actually we should get you situated now. Alexander wants you to lock yourself in if they
manage to breach the defences. Let's get everything ready so that when he gets back he won't have to
worry."
She nodded and followed him to the safe room on the second floor. They removed the blood
bags from the refrigerator and brought up food from the kitchen. They planned enough to last for about
a week. They also brought her things; a change of clothes, hairbrush, toothbrush. Anna felt like she was
planning to stay in a luxury hotel room.
"If you end up having to lock yourself in, don't open the door for anyone," Darian instructed her
as he helped her pack. "Alexander, Kieran and I are the only people who have the code to get in these
rooms. You must wait until one of us fetches you. Understand?"
She nodded.
"He's in love with you, Anna," said Darian gently. "Don't let your human impatience get the best
of you. Wait until he comes for you. I know he will. I know he'll survive."
"But me?" she asked.
He was silent. "Just don't open the door," he said at last.

***************

Cael and Kieran returned just a little before sunrise. Anna knew Cael well enough to recognize
that his face was grim. Kieran...well, he always looked grim.
"Were you able to do anymore dream walking?" asked Cael.
Darian nodded. "Much the same as yesterday, though. I did find that there are several people on
your staff that are helping him," he said.
"I want a list," said Cael said coldly. "When this is over, I'm staking them in the sun."
Anna's face blanched, but neither Kieran nor Darian said anything. She couldn't believe they
just accepted executions like that. Of course, if Bradford was with them, she hoped Cael ripped his
heart out. But that was different, wasn't it?
 "He's got humans. We'll need to rotate today. I don't think we want to wake up with a stake
through the heart," Kieran said.
"That stake in the heart thing isn't real, is it?" Anna asked.
"Just about anything through the heart works," admitted Moiree. "Braining does the trick, too."
"Eww," said Anna as she pictured it.
"The two of us will go first," said Moiree as he motioned to Kieran. "You can take the last
watch."
Cael nodded and the three of them stood in silence.
Anna looked at their eyes and could tell they were saying much more to each other, but it wasn't
for her ears. For a moment, it made her feel like a little girl; when her parents would spell things
because she wouldn't understand or when they made the comment; 'this conversation isn't for little ears'
and then would go off and whisper. Just like when she was a little girl; it annoyed her.
Suddenly Cael smiled at her and she felt her irritation melt away. He reached out and pulled her
against him kissing her lips softly.
"Sorry Angel," he said. "We sometimes forget to speak in words. It's so much faster without."
She nodded. "It's probably safer that you don't tell me all your plans," she said quietly. "Just in
case."
He growled possessively and he pulled her tighter against him. "No one is going to touch you,"
he said.
She didn't answer, but leaned her head against his shoulder and let his embrace comfort her.
"See you tonight," said Moiree as he and Kieran left them.
"So this is it?" Anna said as Cael pulled her towards his bedroom. "They're here. The battle is
upon us?"
He nodded.
"Are we going to win?"

Cael sighed wearily. "I'm going to kill many of my people tomorrow, Anna. There is no such
thing as victory."
She looked up into his face and for the first time since she met him, she saw something that
looked like intense grief. Those glittering, jade eyes were pools of sadness; eternal, heartbreaking
sadness. She felt it like a sharp knife in her heart; his long life had been filled with moments just like
these. For eons he'd seen death, destruction; the atrocities of humankind. At the dawn of such a day, the
weight of it seemed to diminish him. For a brief moment her protector, her knight, dwindled into a
plain and weary man. The need to assuage his grief overwhelmed her. If only for a few stolen seconds,
she needed to lift his darkness.
"Kiss me," she whispered.
His jade eyes met hers and with a soft moan he bent down and devoured her mouth
passionately. She wrapped her tiny hands around his neck and clung to him, dancing her tongue with
his. He didn't let her go. She barely felt him lift her in his arms and carry her to their room. All she felt
was him; his lips, his warmth, his scent. She swooned with passion in his arms hungrily kissing him,
dancing her tongue with his, clinging to his shoulders.
She felt him deposit her in the middle of the bed; the soft mattress cradling her. She reached out
and unbuttoned his shirt impatiently, wanting to have contact with his skin; she needed to feel his flesh
under her fingers. Anna grew desperate. She needed him, she knew he needed her. She fumbled with
his shirt and his pants, longing to feel their naked bodies pressing against each other and she felt his
fingers nimbly disrobing her, too. She panted with desire and her hands shook.
"Cael," she whispered when he released her mouth to pull her shirt over her head.
She felt the shiver his name on her lips sent through his body.
He pulled her jeans and underwear from her legs and for a moment he knelt on the bed
straddling her hips.
She watched his eyes as they seemed to survey her. She could almost feel his stare caress her, as
though he was visually taking stock and cataloguing in his mind every part of her. Her heartbeat
accelerated and her breaths grew shallow. It was like staring into the eyes of a wild beast; hungry and
possessive, ready to devour her completely. But when he touched her, his hands were soft. He caressed
her stomach like she was a fragile piece of china, and he bent over suckling her nipple gently, lightly
flicking the aching tip with his tongue.
His touch made her shiver, those gentle caresses contrasting so much with his fierce eyes. Her
slender fingers brushed through his hair and across his skin. Anna closed her eyes and reveled in
sensation; his soft lips worshipping her breasts, his strong hands lightly brushing her sensitized flesh.
She traced the contours of his body, felt his silky hair, and brushed his nipples delighting in the velvety
texture of his skin, absorbing his warmth and his strength. She was surrounded by him; his scent, his
powerful body, his hot mouth worshipping her breasts, his large hands caressing her.
She recalled that when they first met, she knew him solely by sensation. In that wretched tomb
she was blind; and Cael had merely been a voice, a smell, a touch. Even then he had been her
everything.
She felt his lips on hers again and she moaned into his mouth wrapping her arms about him,
pulling him close. His skin teased her nipples, his erection pressed between their bodies, the moisture
of his arousal hot against her belly. She pulled him even closer, pressing her body into his. She needed
him to be closer; inside of her.
She pushed him off of her and he willingly rolled onto his back. Rising up on her knees and
straddling his hips, she took a moment to survey him. Every time they'd made love, she'd never taken
the time just to look at him, just to appreciate everything that was uniquely Cael. Now, when they were
at the precipice of wretchedness and horror, she wanted to commit every part of him to memory.
His body was almost hairless...except for the hair on his eyebrows and his head. So smooth...she
wondered if he was born this way or if this was the way of a vampire. She ran her hands along his
chest, following them with her lips, memorizing every muscle, every taste and smell. His flesh was like
warm velvet against her lips.
She took his cock in her hands, and once again stared in amazement at his size. Her fingers
could barely wrap around it, and yet, inside of her he felt just right. Her tongue snaked out, sampling
the taste of his arousal again; salty and somehow spicy. He groaned as she licked him, tasting him,
feeling his texture on her tongue; smooth, hot.
"Anna!" he groaned when her mouth enveloped him, his hips jumping off the bed in need.
She suckled him, running her tongue around the head, taking him deep into her mouth and
down into her throat. She couldn't get enough of him; she wanted to devour him, every ounce of him.
Her hand cupped his balls rubbing them as she bobbed her head slowly up and down. He reached out
and brushed her hair to the side. She could tell he was watching her, it was driving him crazy, he was
losing it.
"Stop!" he gasped reaching out and pulling her up his body.
Before he could protest more, she locked her mouth over his, letting him taste himself on her
tongue. Her black hair tumbled about her shoulders and over their faces, shrouding them in a silky
curtain even as their tongues mated fiercely. Cael moaned into her mouth and wrapped his arms about
her body his large hands caressed her hips and her breasts. The more she kissed him, the more her body
throbbed with need and slowly her control, her desire to tease and tantalize his body like he'd done to
her, slipped away. She needed him.
Now.
She took his thick cock in her hand and slowly impaled herself upon him noting his eyes
watching as he disappeared within her soft depths. She shuddered above him feeling every vein, every
ridge of him against her velvety walls arching her back in pleasure as he filled her.
 "God, Angel," he breathed. "You're so beautiful."
He reached out and cupped one of her breasts in his hand running his thumb across her aching
nipple. His touch made her gasp as a shiver ran through her making her ache even more. Her body
shuddered and she ground against him, needing more. Slowly she lifted herself off and then just as
slowly inched down until he disappeared completely within her. She clenched her thighs and her
muscles, developing a slow, torturous rhythm that sent shivers of ecstasy through her body.
"That's it. God yes," he whispered in a dark, husky voice.
His hands clasped around her hips, guiding her thrusts, and she saw his eyes were glued to her
watching as she impaled herself upon him over and over again. She moaned as everything around her
caught fire. The skin where his hands touched her throbbed, her own hair teased her shoulders, her
back, her nipples driving her crazy, making her hungrier. She moaned as sensation overwhelmed her;
everything about Cael consumed her. Her body shivered, trembled, sweated. Suddenly she felt a
glorious shiver starting in her womb and radiating out to her aching breasts, her fingers and her toes.
She moaned incoherently her body convulsing, her heart pounding, her skin vibrating with pleasure.
Cael couldn't imagine seeing a more erotic thing in his life as this beautiful woman made love to
him. Her blue eyes glittered, her breasts bounced, her hair tumbled about her, her lips parted as she
gasped. Her beautiful body glistened with sweat and her soft moans were musical to his ears. She was
an angel from heaven gracing a creature of the night with her glory. And then to watch her come like
that to see and feel her absolute bliss...Heaven couldn't be any better.
For a while he just held her trembling body against his, absorbing her warmth, feeling the after
shocks of pleasure that still made her shiver. Then he rolled with her again, still joined with her, and
gently laid her into the soft pillows smiling at her dreamy eyes, her swollen lips. He kissed her softly
delighting in the smooth texture of her mouth. She kissed him back, her smoky eyes glittering from her
release and her tiny hand reached up and tucked an unruly strand of his hair behind his ear.
Slowly he began to move within her again smiling at her dreamy coo of pleasure. He shivered at
the sound and thrust inside of her with more intensity. Her hips arched to meet his thrusts and her head
thrashed against the pillows as she built once again.
"Cael," she moaned.
Hearing his name on her lips as she whimpered beneath him in passion sent a shiver down his
spine. His true name! On her lips it was like magic. He thrust inside of her forcibly, the sound of their
flesh echoing in his ears spurring him on to take her harder, faster, deeper.
"Cael," she moaned again. "Feed from me."
"Anna," he groaned. "It's too soon. You'll be weak."
"Do it anyway," she returned.
She turned her head and bared her neck for him, wrapping her hands about his head and
drawing him to her.
He couldn't resist her. The vampire roared to life and latched onto her neck, claiming her blood
and her body with a primal growl. He wrapped his arms about her tightly, trapping her in his embrace
and pushed her thighs apart as he thrust deep inside of her growling and moaning as he fed from her
and made love to her simultaneously.
She convulsed beneath him, screaming in orgasm, but he held her fast, drinking, thrusting,
growling, until with a vicious roar he came inside of her, his body thrusting convulsively as her blood
filled his mouth. Gasping, he licked the wounds at her throat and nuzzled her, his body trembling and
quivering in pleasure.
He was still inside of her... he could feel his seed inside of her, he could feel her blood inside of
him. God, he wanted to be a part of her so much. All he had to do...
He moaned longingly.
"Not yet," he whispered softly to himself.
"Mmm?" she cooed softly.
 "Shh," he said gently. "Rest, my angel."
She nuzzled against him dreamily and fell asleep. He was still inside of her, and he couldn't
bring himself to let her go. He rolled onto his back, pulling her with him, keeping their bodies joined.
He wanted to be inside of her forever, but for now, he settled for being inside of her until he fell asleep.

***********

Anna awoke with her head throbbing with a migraine. She felt awful, and someone kept
pounding on the walls. God she was going to kill her fucking neighbours. Couldn't they learn to keep it
down when someone slept? She moaned and pulled the covers over her head. She couldn't remember
how much she'd had to drink last night, but this was perhaps the worst hangover she'd ever had.
The pounding and the noise was even worse.
Damn it!!
She sat up and looked around, fighting back the wave of nausea that went with having a
splitting headache.
For a moment she was completely disoriented.
She wasn't in her apartment?
Looking around at her luxurious surroundings, it took her a moment to remember where she
was. Then it hit her; the luxurious linens on the bed, her body aching deliciously in all the right places,
and the scent on the covers smelled like him.
She was in Cael's bed.
She moaned miserably and collapsed back into the pillows.
And she felt like hell.
Thinking back she remembered asking him to feed from her last night. That would do it, all
right, and she had the migraine to kill all migraines because of it. Plus that horrible pounding echoed
with mind-splitting pain in her ears.
Pounding... Why would there be pounding in this luxurious mansion?
Despite her weariness she managed to roll out of bed and stumble towards the window. She
drew aside the velvet curtains that blacked out the room and for a moment she winced in the bright
afternoon sunlight. Opening one eye, she forced herself to look.
Shit...
Chapter Eleven
There were bodies everywhere.
Oh God!
They weren't vampire. It was daytime. Kaiden was sending humans.
It was like a battleground; smoke, burning vehicles, mangled bodies, blood. As she stared at the
absolute destruction only several hundred yards from Cael's window she realized that the pounding that
was making her head throb was the pop of gunfire and the dull thuds could only have been artillery.
She'd only heard sounds like that in movies, but now she was in one; a fucked up horror flick with
vampires, rapists, war, and magic. Her head spun and her stomach rebelled at the carnage; she wasn't so
sure she even wanted to crawl out of bed today.
Get out of the window, Anna! Cael's voice nearly screamed in her mind.
She jumped in surprise then closed the drapes at once. Shaking her head angrily at herself, she
realized someone could have shot her right out of the window. She was so sick she wasn't even
considering her danger.
"God damn it, Anna!" Cael wrenched the door open and stormed into the room. "What were you
thinking?"
She cringed. She'd never known him to raise his voice at her, but it seemed that with all the
tension, Cael's temper was quick. In his anger he was an impressive creature to behold: his eyes
glittered, his breast heaved, and his presence... With a pounding headache and the grogginess that came
with it, Anna was overwhelmed by him. Her eyes filled with tears and she backed away from him even
as she choked out a strangled cry of alarm.
For a moment he froze and stared. Her heart pounded as those eyes held her with unreadable
scrutiny, and she wrapped her arms about her mid-section and backed away a little more.
"Easy Anna," he said his voice softening. "I'm just irritated. I'm not going to hurt you." He
shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair in what seemed a long-practiced habit from
frustration. "Do you realize how stupid that was?"
She nodded and sniffed. "I woke up sick and I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."
He sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have fed from you last night."
"I asked you to," she reminded him wiping her eyes.
"I usually don't follow orders."
He closed the distance between them and reached out pulling her close and enfolding her in his
arms for a moment. As always his presence and embrace seemed to give her strength. Perhaps it was
their strange connection; perhaps it was just a part of Cael's powers. All she knew was that in his arms
she felt her strength renewed, her world became centred and she had the power to do whatever she had
to.
"What happened out there?" she asked quietly.
"Kaiden had some humans try to break through our defences," he explained as he stroked her
back tenderly. "They came with a couple of trucks and tried to mow through."
"They tried?" Anna asked.
"The vehicles didn't make it within 50 feet of the house," he said grimly.
"Oh."
She jumped as she heard another shot.
"So why all the gunfire now?"
He gave her that look. The look that said, 'you can't handle the truth.'
Anna decided she might agree with him.
"I think you might feel better with some fluids and some breakfast," he said to change the
subject. "It should help with the loss of blood and give you some strength."
 She nodded. "I'll put myself together and hit the kitchens."
He kissed her lips softly. "Just stay out of the windows."
She nodded mutely.

***************

He was right. Breakfast and fluids did help a little. She took the time to raid every drawer in the
kitchen and found a bottle of aspirin, too. It seemed that vampires tried to take care of their human
attendants after all. After eating, she noticed that the pop of gunfire had stopped. She wondered if
Kaiden's human army had given up whatever they were trying to do but the silence felt just as eerie as
the gunfire.
Everything felt wrong.
People were dying outside. People were trying to get inside to kill Cael, and probably her, too. It
was one of the few times in her life when Anna didn't quite know what to do with herself. She didn't
feel right just sitting down and watching TV as people were dying and fighting outside. She didn't feel
right doing anything. She just didn't feel right.
Perhaps she should try to find the others?
Cael had never really told her what he wanted her to do when the fighting started. She closed
her eyes and tried to feel his presence. She'd never actually tried to use their strange connection to her
advantage before, but for some reason she felt pressed to find him. There was a sense of urgency as
though finding him at that moment was not optional. She wandered through the immense house feeling
like a fool, searching for a sense that only occasionally called to her in the back of her mind. He was
beneath the house. It was the only thing she was sure about, but the only thing she could imagine was
the garage and with soldiers killing each other only a few hundred yards from the house, she didn't dare
go down there.
She wanted to cry with frustration and the feeling in the back of her mind was getting more and
more urgent.
Cael.
It was a call; a need.
Cael.
Nearly in tears she stumbled upon the hidden entrance almost by accident on her way to the TV
room after giving up. It was then she noticed that in the back of the living room a part of the wood
panelled wall was slightly ajar; a hidden door. Opening it curiously, Anna found a narrow winding
staircase that looked like it led downwards towards....
More out of curiosity than from the need to find Cael, she followed the steps and found herself
in a dimly light wine cellar. Like everything in the house, the wine cellar was exquisite. Elegant
mahogany wine racks were filled with bottles of every imaginable vintage. Shelves were lined with
bottles of rare brandy; the place was an alcoholic's treasure trove. She could imagine the Ancient One
and his buddies reminiscing about old times as they sipped away at the stores in this place. She looked
around at the room a little jealously; this could be a place for good times, but all she'd ever known of
Cael and his 'brothers' was this; times of fear and aching heartbreak. Almost brokenly she turned to
climb back up into the living room until she noticed yet another doorway in the cellar.
With trembling fingers she opened the other door leading into the unknown; the secrets of the
Ancient One's house were both exciting and frightening...especially since they seemed to be
underground.
Anna found herself in a long, well-light hallway. It was strangely clinical, almost like a hospital
hallway; white walls, vinyl tiled floors, fluorescent lights and industrial looking doors on her left and
right at regular intervals. None of the doors had windows, but Anna was starting to feel a little better
about opening unknown doors...they led to such interesting places.
Curiously she peeked into the first room on her right. She stared in open-mouthed amazement
as she looked upon shelves and tables filled with weapons; machine guns, rocket launchers, hand guns,
rifles. It seemed that the Ancient One could supply his own army with weapons if need be. Still not
feeling quite comfortable with weapons she closed the door again and continued on down the sterile
hallway.
The next door on her left wouldn't open. She stared at it in disappointment for a moment until
she noted a keypad beside it and took a closer look at the door. It was some kind of vault door; steel,
thick, with huge bolts. She quickly deduced that the door was reinforced for a purpose; perhaps to hold
a vampire or two in a prison cell? She froze and dropped her hand from the cold handle swallowing a
surge of panic. She didn't ever want to see the inside of a vault or prison, ever again. There were four
doors that were similar to the first, so she bypassed them shivering a little as she walked by.
Near the end of the hall was one more door; this one was not reinforced. She reached out and
opened it curiously. The moment the door opened she heard a low growl.
Anna didn't have time to think. She let out a terrified yelp as someone grabbed her roughly,
pulled her into the room, and restrained her with lightning speed. She stared up into black, glittering
eyes and nearly screamed again until she recognized them with a shiver.
"Damn it woman!" snarled Kieran releasing her at once. "What the hell are you doing in here?"
Anna stared at the dark-looking vampire warily her heart still pounding. She didn't really like
Kieran. He made her very uncomfortable, but she also knew that he would know where Cael was and
for some reason, she felt the need to see him even more. Taking a deep breath to calm herself she
returned his angry glare.
"My name's Anna, not 'woman'," she shot back, "and don't swear at me. I'm looking for
Ca...lexander."
Kieran arched his dark brows irritably at her slip and he seemed to growl under his breath a
little. For a moment she held her breath.
"He's unavailable. Go upstairs like a good little human and wait for him to tell you what to do."
Her blood boiled.
"Were you born an ass or did it take a few thousand years? What is your problem?"
She couldn't believe herself. It was like her tongue had taken a life of its own and she almost
cringed as the words left her mouth. Was she just asking for it today?
"If you weren't Alexander's little play toy right now, I'd show you exactly what I'm capable of,"
he returned. "Now get the fuck out of here."
"Gladly," she snapped back. "If you'd just answered my first question I'd have left two minutes
ago."
"Fine. He's in the holding cell with one of our unwilling guests." His eyes grew distant for a
moment and then he stared at her a little more warily. "He's coming now."
They both stared at each other in silence. Anna admitted to herself that Kieran's dark, glittering
eyes scared the shit out of her, but she forced herself to stare him down anyway.
"Anna," Cael said as he opened the door.
She started violently from the staring match at the sound of Cael's voice and when she turned
back to face Kieran, he was staring at the monitors again.
"How did you..." Cael began, but he looked up and then back down at her. "You shouldn't be
here.
"What should I be doing then?" she returned. "People are dying outside. I just can't sit around."
He put his arm about her comfortingly. "I don't want you to see these kinds of things," he said.
"I want to protect you."
For the first time since she walked in the room, Anna actually looked at the monitors. She froze.
It was like some sick war movie. In some of the screens there were bodies lying unmoving, the blood
obvious, in others the people were twitching, and writhing with pain as they clutched bloody wounds.
There were...a lot of them. She couldn't bring herself to count, but it suddenly felt like she was
surrounded by dead or dying bodies. She couldn't look away. Morbid curiosity, the shock value, or
perhaps the fact that it was still just on TV, she couldn't bring herself to let them die in peace.
Then as she looked more closely she saw that they were attacking each other. She stared in
amazement as the people shot and madly lunged at anything and everything that moved, attacking
friend and foe. It was...awful.
"They're attacking each other," she said quietly.
"Anna..." Cael tried to explain.
It took her a moment to make the connection, but when she did, she felt her entire body shudder.
"Darian is controlling them, isn't he? He's out there somewhere controlling their minds."
Cael stared into the monitors for a moment, his eyes seeming to lose their amazing glow again.
"It's a necessary evil," he said quietly.
She wanted to do something to comfort him, but she couldn't as she stared at the screen and
watched in horrid fascination.
"Here they come," said Kieran pointing to a monitor on his right.
Other people were coming out of the brush now, but Anna could just tell by the way they moved
they were vampires. She realized that while she was wandering through the house that the sun must
have set. The vampires dashed from the brush and charged the unwitting humans ripping the guns away
from their hands and beating them, and then finally jumping on them and latching on their necks.
"Dear God," she whispered.
"Anna," Cael said trying to gently pull her away.
"No," she said quietly. "I need to see. I need to understand this."
"Don't," Kieran said his dark voice strangely quiet. "There will be plenty of time for you to
understand vampires. Seeing us at our worst is not the best way to do it."
She froze as one of the vampires ripped the throat out of his victim leaving the man vacant-
eyed, his neck gushing. It was a vision from horror movies; a vampire crouched over a body, his face
bathed in blood, his fangs glistening, his eyes glowing wickedly.
Her stomach boiled and her head pounded. If Cael's arm hadn't been around her she would have
fallen to her knees.
"Alexander," said Kieran quietly. "It's time."
"Come on, Anna," he whispered in her ear. "Let's get you to the safe room."
She didn't argue. The image of a vampire ripping out a human's throat was etched in her mind.
She stumbled through the hallways blindly beside him. Everything he'd shown her about vampires, all
his kindness...but they were still just like the monsters in the movies.
"Anna."
She looked up at him. His jade eyes were so gentle. His wavy golden hair was slightly mussed
as though he'd been running his fingers through it in frustration; such a contrast to his expensive slacks
and shirt. He was her friend in the dark, her guardian, her protector...her lover. How could someone like
him be a beast just like that?
"We all have a little bit of evil in us. Bradford was a human, but he was just as monstrous as the
vampire you saw. You know so little about us, about me. I wanted to show you what we were like; what
real, good, honourable vampires are like. I wanted to show you the glory of my kind, but all you've
seen is the horrors they can bring."
He kissed her on the lips and she melted into him clinging to him as though he alone would
keep her from falling into some unfathomable darkness; darkness that was knocking at their door.
Darkness she knew would consume her completely.
"There is so much I want to give you, to show you," he breathed. "Be strong. No matter what
you hear outside, don't be afraid. I will come for you. I promise you."
 She kissed him again; deeply. She wanted to savour the warm, spicy flavour of his mouth, the
press of his sensual lips against hers. She inhaled deeply, wanting to memorize his scent and to cover
herself in it to feel close to him. He moaned softly into her mouth, and she knew he sensed her thoughts
and understood her need for him.
"Okay, angel," he said at last. "I have to go. Now more than ever, I am determined not to lose."
She nodded and kissed him again. "I love you."
For a moment he paused and stared at her with a strange look in his eyes. "Be strong, Anna. I
will come for you," he replied gently.
He closed the door and she heard him enter the security code to seal the door. With those sounds
her heart sank.
He never said I love you.

********************

The safe room was comfortable; for a prison. When she'd agreed to go inside and wait for Cael
to come and tell her everything was okay, Anna didn't realize how much it would feel like a prison.
Yeah. She watched television. There were reruns of her favourite TV shows and since the place had
satellite, she indulged in several movies and several other kinds of movies. She felt like a couch potato;
lounging on a luxurious bed covered with the most expensive and softest linens money could buy,
watching pay-per-view, and munching on snacks in her refrigerator. But when it all boiled down to it,
she was alone. Alone, frightened, and locked in a cell that she had imposed upon herself; Anna was too
terrified to leave and miserable while she stayed.
It was hard to keep track of time. The only way she did was by paying attention to the news on
TV, and that in itself was depressing. After her third day in her luxurious prison, Anna started to worry.
She and Darian had packed enough food in the refrigerator to last her about a week if she was careful,
but she was half-way there. There had been no word from Cael and she couldn't feel his presence
anywhere near. Her only comfort was that she knew he was alive. She could still feel that much of him,
even if he was miles away.
Her fourth night, it started. She heard the chime of buttons being pushed outside. At first she
had leapt out of bed with joy delighted that Cael had finally come for her, but the buttons kept chiming
and the door never opened. She closed her eyes and felt for his presence, but Cael was still far away.
Then she realized what was happening. Someone was testing codes on the keypad outside the
door. The beeping was relentless. They were being methodical.
Fuck.
Anna scrambled around her room looking for some kind of weapon, but she found none. The
safe room was designed to keep someone safe so they didn't need to use a weapon. She prayed that
whoever was working on the keypad outside her door wouldn't find the code.
She turned off the TV and listened.

**************

It had been hours. They had been working on the code for hours.
Anna sat on the bed, her limbs pulled close to her body and she listened as code after code was
entered into the system.
Didn't Cael think of something like this? Wasn't there some kind of safeguard for this?
She couldn't sleep. She lay still on the bed and listened as the codes were attempted. The more
she listened the more she realized that there was a manual automaticity to the beeps of the keypad.
Someone wasn't pushing codes; there was some kind of code breaker doing it. That could be the only
explanation.
 Oh God. They were going to crack the code.
Cael! Where are you? Oh God. They're going to get in!
She screamed it at him in her mind, knowing that he was the only one who could talk to her like
that. He was the only one with amazing vampire powers. That was why she was supposed to be safe in
this special vault; because she was simply a weak little human.

********************

"We've got to reclaim the house," Cael snarled at Darian as he paced.

"We're doing the best we can. Our numbers are still too small to take Kaiden's forces."
"Anna's in the safe room," he said. "We should have brought her with us."
"You and I both know she would have died in the assault. She doesn't have the strength and
speed to avoid our kind. They would have ripped her beautiful little throat out, too." Darian put his
hand on his shoulder. "Brother," he said softly. "You have given her the greatest chance for life you
could."
"Darian," he whispered, "she's the one."
"I know."
"If I lose her," he shook his head. "I can't imagine continuing on if I lose her. I've waited so
long."
"You're not going to lose her."
"She's afraid," Cael said pacing in irritation once again. "Something's happening. I can feel her
fear in my heart."
"She'll be all right," Darian replied. "The code on the vault is difficult to crack. They'd have to
work on it for several days."
"Damn it!" he shouted startling the others around him. "They've had several days. We've got to
claim the house. NOW!"
"The forces should be here tonight," said Kieran as he got off the phone. "Capac's people will be
here an hour after sundown."
Cael nodded. "That should give us the numbers we need, then." He looked at the large house
longingly.
We're coming, Anna. I promise.

******************

The beeping of the keypad was driving her crazy; she was on the verge of hysterics as she
listened to the relentless punching of the numbers. Every time she heard a successful pattern of five
numbers and then a pause she started. She wasn't stupid. They'd been working on the code for at least a
day now. The odds were starting to go in their favour. Eventually the code would be broken and she'd
be helpless.
With all the time to herself, Anna had given it a lot of thought. They must know that she was in
the room. She gathered that the sense of smell of a vampire was exquisite; they would know her scent.
They were going to use her to get to Cael. Or...
She and froze. There wasn't any more beeping. The door was open!
Her heart pounded and her breath quickened. She stood and backed away from the door
shaking.
Oh God.
OH GOD!
The door opened outward.
 "Good evening, Ms. Kennan," said a familiar voice. "Have you missed me?"
She stared at him in horror.
"Ah," he purred. "Speechless I see."
He walked into the room with the grace of a cat. Then it clicked in her mind. The sensuous
sound to his voice, the inherent grace...Oh GOD!
"Silence. That's a surprise. Perhaps the Ancient One knocked some sense into you? Perhaps he
fucked you harder than me? Perhaps, all you really needed was the touch of a vampire? I'll be happy to
oblige you again my dear." He grinned wickedly and his fangs elongated. "How I did love your
screams."
Anna's chest tightened.
No. No! NO!
"Ah, little rabbit," he chuckled. He inhaled deeply his eyes glittering with hunger. "I can smell
your fear."
"Bradford!" cried another melodious voice from down the hall, "grab the girl and bring her to
me."
The face that had haunted her nightmares for the past few weeks went from arrogant and
wicked to fearful. For a brief second, Anna wondered what kind of creature could make James
Bradford, her torturer, her rapist, her captor, afraid.
"You heard him," he growled looking over his shoulder fearfully. "Let's go."
Anna shook her head and backed away.
"Don't fuck with me, girl," he threatened as she backed away even more. "If I have to chase
you, I'm going to hurt you."
Tears filled her eyes but she continued to back away shaking her head over and over again.
"Now, Bradford," snarled the other vampire.
He lunged at her quickly, but Anna noticed he wasn't nearly as quick as Kieran had been. If she
wasn't cornered, she could escape him. Her frantic, panicking mind filed the thought away as soon as it
occurred to her reserving the notion for when she could use it. She screeched in terror as Bradford's
hands wrapped around her arms and she struggled sobbing hysterically.
Her captor simply dragged her roughly out of the room and down the hallway towards the TV
room. Sitting on the couch as if he owned it, was the most beautiful man Anna had ever seen. His eyes
seemed to glow wickedly when she entered the room. He had blue eyes. Just like hers.
"Good evening, Elianna," said the vampire. "My name is Kaiden Rice."
Bradford dragged her roughly across the room and threw her to her knees before him.
"I'd forgotten how attractive you were. No wonder why Alexander took you with him."
Anna didn't answer. Her mind wasn't working. Her will to fight had abandoned her.
"You didn't really think the Ancient One would come back for you did you?" he mused reaching
out to tousle her hair like she was some kind of dog. "He's been gone for nearly four days. You're lucky
we got you out of there. He might have left you there to die."
The vampire leaned forward and sniffed her, his blue eyes glowing almost maniacally.
"You still smell like him," he whispered in her ear. "How does it feel to know the vampire
you've been fucking across the country left you to his enemies?"
She couldn't control the tears as they fell down her cheeks. Cael was coming. All she had to do
was hold on. He'd come.
"You still have faith in him, don't you?" purred Kaiden. "We'll just wait and see. You're only a
child. I've known the Ancient One much longer than you, Little One. He's used you for food and sex
and has abandoned you now that you are no longer useful to him. He's done that with all his human
women."
Anna closed her eyes. She'd never asked him about his women in the past. It hadn't mattered. It
didn't matter. He would come.
 "Open your eyes, Ms. Kennan," he growled.
Anna looked at him through her tears.
"If you don't want Bradford to rape you like he did before, you're going to be a good girl. You're
going to do exactly what I tell you, or I'll let him play out his dark little fantasies on you. Hell, I might
even join him. Do you understand?"
Anna nodded.
"Good girl." He reached out and played with her hair again like she really was some kind of pet.
She sat at Kaiden's feet, tears running down her cheeks, starting every time he touched her,
wishing that his words hadn't stung so deeply. But how could she not believe them a little?
He never said I love you.
Chapter Twelve
Elise walked in the living room and stared at the human kneeling before Kaiden. She was
stunning; her black hair tumbled about her shoulders in soft waves, her eyes were an electrifying blue.
Even though she was in jeans and a knit shirt, she could tell her body had curves in all the right places.
For several moments, she watched the girl as he ran his fingers through her hair. Her eyes were glassy
and filled with tears that were streaking down her cheeks and she flinched each time he touched her.
Kaiden was thoroughly enjoying himself. He loved it when his women cringed before him in
fear. He got off on the feeling of dominance and power. She could imagine him taking the girl to his
bedroom and using her body. She could also imagine how the little snit would weep and sob as he
graced her with his attentions spurring him on to ravage her even more.
She pursed her lips irritably. Things were not going as well as he'd planned. The Ancient One
had managed to escape and had somehow controlled half of their army making them kill each other. It
had been absolute bedlam. Their well-planned attack had completely fallen apart and they were lucky
that they had even managed to take the house. They had been in the opulent mansion for only three
days, but she was getting antsy and concerned.
The force that held the house was much weaker than they had initially planned. It was definitely
not sufficient enough to hold the place against any kind of siege, and the Ancient One now had three
days to gather his own warriors against them. Even worse was that for the first time in years, the
Ancient One knew exactly where Kaiden was, and even if his kingdom was shaky, he had the power to
bring it to heel quite easily.
She looked at Kaiden with annoyance. Now that he had a now toy to amuse himself with, a
creature that been under the protection of the Ancient One, he would want to torture her for his
amusement. She could see it in his eyes; the hunger for her blood, the need to cause her pain. She
looked at his pants, he was getting hard.
He had to snap out of it.
"We've lost about half our forces," she said sharply. "We need to pack up and get out of here
before the Ancient One is able to muster his own army."
"He's not coming back, Elise," said Kaiden with confidence as his fingers stroked the little
human's cheek. "Even with the strange behaviour of our forces, he had to abandon the place. He'll
probably run and lick his wounds a little more."
"You think he didn't mean to come back for the human?" she mused looking at the beautiful girl
at his feet again. It seemed the Ancient One had shown a lot of care and concern for a creature he was
abandoning.
"If he meant to come back for her, he surely won't now. Alexander won't risk his own life for a
mere human. He was lucky to escape himself." She shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense. What
happened to our army? How did he slip past us? How did he do it?"
"I've heard of dream walkers being able to do things like it, but the power is rare. I didn't know
he had the gift," Kaiden mused. "I thought his powers were telekinetic."
"Ask your pet," Elise said. "She might know."
"True."
She smiled as he grabbed the human by her hair and hauled her into his lap. The girl screeched
in pain and began sobbing.
"Silence!" Kaiden said sharply.
Elise smiled at the girl as she struggled a little more.
Kaiden growled, baring his fangs and twisted her arm behind her mercilessly until she shrieked
and then froze panting.
"Is Alexander a dream walker?" he asked her.
 The girl stared at him and bit her lip.
"What can he do, Little One? In order to fight him, we need to know his power."
Once again the human was silent.
"Just read her mind, Kaiden," Elise said in exasperation.
"I've been trying," he returned. He smiled and stroked her cheek again making the girl flinch.
"She knows how to block us."
"Then beat the shit out of her until she doesn't have the strength."
Irritably she walked across the room and reached out to grab the girl from him to prove her
point.
Kaiden snarled baring his fangs and pulling her into a possessive embrace. "The only one who
gets to sully Alexander's pet is me, Elise."
"Sully her?" Elise snapped. "We need answers and now, Kaiden. You can screw what's left later,
unless you've changed your mind about becoming the Ancient One in America."
She smiled in satisfaction at Kaiden's grunt of consent. Without warning, he threw the girl off of
him sending her crashing over the coffee table and tumbling on the floor. The girl whimpered and
curled into a ball trembling.
"Tell me Elianna," he snapped rising. "How did he control our forces?"
Elise smiled smugly. The human was nothing to be worried about. Kaiden was still hers.

*********

Anna lay on the floor in shock and in pain. She couldn't think clearly. The voice in the back of
her mind that was always so logical at times like these had abandoned her. She looked at the vampires
standing over her in terror.
Oh God. Please.
"Perhaps you didn't understand the question," said Kaiden. "How did Alexander control our
forces?"
It was like she was hearing his voice from afar. She shook her head. She didn't know how to
answer. She didn't know what to say.
"Bradford," Kaiden said. "Perhaps you'd like to remind her of the last time you spent time
together."
Anna's eyes widened in terror as she heard him approach. Desperately she tried to get up, to get
away from him, but he grabbed her roughly and forced her on her back his eyes glittering at her darkly.
He knelt over her, straddling her body and reached out to palm one of her breasts squeezing it painfully
and twisting her nipple crudely. Anna squealed and tried to pull away from him again, but Bradford
chuckled and slapped her hard across the face splitting her lip.
"I thought I'd already trained you to be quiet, whore," he snarled.
He reached for the button to her pants and pulled it ripping the zipper, too.
No. No. No. Not again...
She screeched and struggled then, but once again with a powerful blow, Bradford almost
knocked her senseless. He continued to abuse her breast making her whimper and cry in pain and also
in humiliation as Kaiden and the female vampire stared at them.
Bradford pulled her jeans and her underwear off her hips, leaving them bunched around her
knees and thrust his fingers roughly into her dry passage.
She sobbed in pain.
"Please!" Anna screamed desperately.
"Please what, Little One," Kaiden said as he watched Bradford molest her.
"I'll tell you what you want. Please. Please. Please."
She broke down sobbing imagining Bradford's body invading and ripping hers once again. She
couldn't do it again. She couldn't.
"Is Alexander is Dream Walker?" Kaiden snapped.
Not Alexander...but...she had to protect him and his friends somehow. Let them think he was
alone.
"Yes!" She answered through her tears.
"Did he tell you how powerful he was?"
She shook her head.
"Does he have reinforcements on his way?"
She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know what he's doing anymore."
"Well at least we know he's a dream walker," said Bradford quietly as he continued to play with
her folds.
"You idiot," Elise snapped. "We already knew that. The girl isn't giving us anything new."
"She's right, Little One," said Kaiden. "You're not being helpful. I think we should watch
Bradford do his magic."
In response he pinched her clit painfully causing her to screech and squirm, and she felt him
tear brutally at her channel with his fingers.
Anna writhed and wailed in pain.
No. No.
"Who was he in contact with?" the female demanded.
She shook her head. She couldn't betray Cael. She wouldn't. He was her love her life...
But he'd never once told her he loved her. Not even when he shut her away in the safe room,
knowing they might never see each other again. Knowing they might never see each other again.
The thought hit her again more forcibly than any of the abuse she'd been suffering. He'd
abandoned her to her rapist. He'd abandoned her to his enemies.
Whatever will to fight she had remaining in her bruised body left her as the thought sunk in. He
was gone. He'd fled with Darian and Kieran and left her to a fate more horrible than death.
Anna began to cry, but not from the pain Bradford was intentionally inflicting. Her stomach was
in knots, she wanted to vomit, her world spun. Cael had abandoned her to...this.
She didn't even hear Kaiden's voice or the female's or even Bradford's. They were screaming at
her now, but she didn't care. Bradford struck her hard across the face again and then twisted her wrist
painfully. Anna just kept sobbing in despair.
Let them kill her.

********************

"We are at your service Great One," said the vampire bowing low to Alexander.
"That should give us over 150 now," said Moiree looking at the heavily armed vampires in
green fatigues that were piling out of the large trucks.
They were the personal army of another Ancient One who lived in south Brazil who had come
to their aid. Capac and Alexander had been friends for centuries, since the European explorers had
crossed the sea had had tried to "Christianize" the native populations. As the Ancient One in Europe at
the time, Alexander had strongly disagreed with the practice. He'd seen more people die in the name of
Christianity in his lifetime than he could stand. With his assistance, he'd won Capac's friendship.
Darian smiled at his friend. Alexander could be an absolute prick sometimes, but he'd managed
to help just about every land in his lifetime. He was one of the most feared and respected vampires in
the world.
"Thank you, General," said Alexander noting the rank. "We're going to take the house. I have
the plans here and all the secret passages are labelled. I doubt Kaiden has found them."
The general looked over the plans with a professional eye. Darian liked him at once. He seemed
to have the "no nonsense" attitude that was inherent with all military folk, but he could tell by the glint
in his eye and also with his special abilities that this was a vampire not to be underestimated.
For several moments the general studied the map in silence. Sometimes he looked at the terrain
around him and then nodded.
"I am sure you have already determined this as well," he began bowing respectfully to
Alexander.
At first Darian couldn't understand the gesture, but then he cursed silently to himself. He had
forgotten that Alexander had some tactical skills. In recent years, their wars had been those of
commerce, not weapons and fighting. Alexander had become gifted in so many things, but when you
knew someone for so long, sometimes those things didn't matter anymore. Friendship; eternal
friendship was what mattered.
"I feel the best way to invade the house is here and here," he continued pointing. "Taking
several entrances at once and holding them will ensure Rice does not escape."
Alexander nodded. "I also think that getting a force in the house as soon as possible is
essential." He pointed to the underground tunnel. "This is a secret entrance to the mansion. I'd like to
send a force through here to attack from within."
The general nodded in agreement. "Adding to the confusion, but my people are well trained for
this kind of invasion."
"Capac indicated that your people have special abilities as well," Kieran said.
"Yes. I have several with abilities to move things with the mind, and many with superior speed
and healing. They have all been trained to use their abilities in their fighting."
Kieran's dark eyes glittered. "Good."
Darian smiled at his friend. There were times when Kieran's darkness and slightly wicked
tendencies were so refreshing; like now. His devotion to Alexander was obvious as he paced in anger
watching the Ancient One look longingly at the house where the little human was still locked inside the
safe room. It was obvious Kieran didn't really like the girl, but it was just as obvious that he would
fight tooth and nail for her for Alexander's sake.
He stared back at Alexander. He'd never seen his friend so close to breaking as he paced
anxiously constantly sensing the girl's emotions. In a way, he couldn't blame him. As one of the oldest
vampires alive, he'd been with many women, but had never found his 'true mate.' Now he'd found her
only to fear losing her. He was surprised to hear him gasp. For a moment the Ancient One clenched his
fists before he let out a shaking breath.
"Alexander?" he asked quietly.
Suddenly his friend's green eyes glittered with rage and his fangs elongated. Everyone standing
near him took a cautious step back and stared as his power literally sizzled through the air. He roared
into the night with rage making the vampires about freeze and stare fearfully. The last thing anyone
wanted to be around was a seriously pissed Ancient One.
"Brother?" Darian repeated. He didn't really need to ask. He knew it had to do with the girl.
"They have her," he said in a deadly voice. "They're hurting her."
"What is this?"
"A human," explained Darian as he looked sidelong at his friend's enraged face. "We were
unable to flee with her during the battle. Obviously she didn't have the speed or strength to make it, so
we secured her in one of the safe rooms in the house. It seems that Kaiden took the time to crack the
code and is harming her. She is very dear to us."
"A human?" the general asked in amazement.
Kieran growled angrily. "Yes, a human," he snarled. "Your men will help us find her and protect
her at all costs. Understood?"
"Yes," said the general bowing to him again and backing away from the notoriously ill-
tempered vampire. No one fucked with an angry Kieran Montasse.
 Darian almost chuckled as the general looked at the three of them his eyes wide. Kieran and
Alexander were pissed enough to destroy the plain, and his silver eyes glowed eerily as he continued to
manipulate the minds of Kaiden's forces from afar. Judging the way the general and his forces behaved,
they were an intimidating sight.
"When will your forces be ready to move?" Alexander asked his voice tight with rage.
"Within the hour."
He nodded and stared at the house his green eyes glowing.
"Let's gear up," he said quietly. "I don't care what you do to Rice," he said turning to Kieran. "I
just pray to God Anna is okay," he said quietly.
"So do we," said Darian.

*****************

Anna wasn't sure what was happening to her anymore. People were screaming at her, Bradford
was hitting her, but all she could do was sob. He clawed at her flesh drawing blood and twisted her arm
painfully, but still she sobbed, her heart aching with despair.
"Shut her the fuck up!" screamed Kaiden angrily as he ripped Bradford off of her and threw him
aside. "You wanna scream, little bitch?" He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to her feet.
Anna whimpered in pain even as she continued to cry.
"I'll give you a reason to scream!"
He threw her over the arm of the couch so she lay face first in the cushions, her body exposed to
him over the arm.
Anna wept hysterically.
She felt his hands clawing at her flesh and then she felt something else against her pressing
against the opening to her ass. She swallowed the panic. Kaiden was going to brutalize her.
Cael! Why did you abandon me!
Even in her state of absolute hysteria, Anna heard the explosion.
"What the hell was that?" Kaiden snarled still poised over her.
"I'll look," she heard Bradford say. There was another loud detonation and the windows in the
living room rattled.
Kaiden swore. "We're under attack."
"We need to get out of here, now," the woman said.
Kaiden grabbed her by her hair again and pulled her to her feet.
Anna wavered as she stood, her body throbbing in pain, her head spinning from being almost
upside down.
"Put your clothes on," he snarled at her.
Anna's hands shook, but obediently and almost gratefully she righted her clothing and covered
her abused and bleeding flesh.
Kaiden grabbed her arm.
"Come on, Elise," he said to the beautiful redhead. "Let's get out of here."
"You're taking this human with us?" she asked in disbelief.
"Sure," said Kaiden. "She's beautiful, and Alexander wants her. I'll have you turn her and then
I'll make her mine. Just another way to get back at Alexander."
"You want me to turn her so you can fuck her brains out?" Elise snarled.
"I'll let you have her, too," Kaiden replied. "Just think, Elise," he said as he pulled Anna along.
"Completely destroying Alexander's human. The human that probably saved his life."
"No," Elise snarled. "I won't go with you. Not with that human."
He looked at her for a moment.
 "Fine."
He pulled Anna along and left her standing there her mouth gaping.
"You bastard!" Elise shrieked.
Anna saw Elise run towards Kaiden, her fangs bared at the last moment. The woman's body
slammed into his and they both tumbled to the ground. For a moment she stared at them in horror. Elise
was screeching, clawing at Kaiden's face. She'd fallen into another language and her gorgeous red hair
tumbled about her like flames. Then she saw Kaiden slug her hard in the stomach, Elise roared in pain,
the sound more animalistic than human.
For a moment she could only stare, but then her voice. The voice of reason that had abandoned
her since her capture came back.
Run!
Anna ran back to the living room and through the hall upstairs to the TV room. She pressed the
button in the wall and it slid aside to reveal the guns Cael had shown her. She recognized the small one
he'd acquainted her with and she chambered a bullet like he showed her. She put the weapon in her
jeans in the small of her back shivering as the cold metal touched her. She'd never hurt a soul in her
life, but if these people came towards her, she prayed that she'd have the strength to change all that.
Her first thought was to just hide. Perhaps Kaiden and Bradford would be more worried about
their own hides than finding her again, so she dashed down a hallway that she knew led to servant's
quarters and opened a door, closing it behind her panting. Her heart raced and for a while all she could
hear was the blood pounding in her head. She tried desperately to calm herself and listen for the signs
of pursuit, but it was impossible to decipher anything with the cacophony below. There were gunshots
everywhere and sounds of crashing and roaring all through the house. Even though this part was
deserted she could hear the sounds clearly.
Suddenly the door slammed open and she stared in horror.
"Miss me, Ms. Kennan?" Bradford growled. "I guess I should have told you that my sense of
smell is incredible now that I'm a vampire. And I could smell that filthy cunt of yours all the way down
the hall."
He growled and lunged for her, but once again the voice in her mind screamed.
He's slower than Kieran was! Fight!
Anna dodged out of the way, though he managed to catch her wrist.
She screamed and struggled violently, but Bradford threw her sending her slamming into the
wall. It knocked the wind out of her and she tumbled to the ground gasping.
"Would you like me to fuck you on this bed?" he purred. He chuckled and walked towards her
again.
Anna's hands shook as she reached behind her back.
DO IT!
It seemed like slow motion to her. She pulled the gun in front of her and held it just as Cael had
shown her. Closing her eyes, she pulled the trigger and fired.
Bradford roared in pain.
She screamed in terror and opened her eyes to see that the shot hadn't stopped him.
Oh my god! He's still coming!
Sobbing, she fired again.
This time he stumbled to the ground cursing and swearing.
"I'm going to kill you, you fucking bitch!" he growled.
Get up.
Anna could barely stand. Her ankle was twisted and her body was abused.
Get up. Run.
She forced herself to her feet and desperately limped out the door. If she could only get away
from him, if only she could keep away...
She staggered down the hallway. Her ankle throbbed and she couldn't put any weight on it. Her
heart pounded as she realized that she was too slow to get away and she cried in despair. She couldn't
escape him. Bradford was going to kill her after all. As if her thoughts summoned him he limped out of
the door down the hall behind her, his shirt bloody, gasping for air, but the most terrifying thing about
him were his eyes. They were murderous. They were insane.
Anna took a deep breath and tried to force herself to put weight on the ankle to run, but she
tumbled to the ground screaming as pain shot up her leg.
Bradford lunged for her and more importantly the gun.
Anna screamed and struggled, as he tried to wrench it from her fingers. Somehow the gun went
off and Anna felt a sharp pain in her abdomen, but she also got control of the gun again.
She shot Bradford and he tumbled to the ground.
"You can kill a vampire with a handgun. A shot to the head and a shot to the heart at point
blank range ought to do it." Cael's voice echoed in her head.
Desperately Anna crawled towards Bradford. He was already moaning and swearing. Her hands
shook and tears filled her eyes as she pointed the gun at his head.
His eyes shot open and he roared at her.
Anna screamed and pulled the trigger. Sobbing she pointed the gun at his heart and fired. Then
she crawled away staring in horror...waiting for him to get up again. Waiting for him to come after her,
but Bradford didn't move again.
Finally she looked at her abdomen. She was bleeding... badly. She'd never seen so much blood
in her life.
Why didn't it hurt?
She suddenly exhausted, like even holding her head up was too much effort.
Where was Cael? Had he truly abandoned her?
A tear slid down her cheek. She was all alone.

*************

Cael stormed through the house alongside Capac's soldiers, but the Ancient One showed no
mercy. The closer they had gotten to the house, the more he'd been feeling from his Anna. She was
terrified, in pain, her torrent of emotions enraged him. He killed with brutal force; using his power, his
guns and his knife to annihilate anyone foolish enough to get in his path.
ANNA! he screamed over and over to her in his head. Please hold on. But she was too afraid to
hear him.
The soldiers about him watched in amazement as he blew out the windows on the entire first
floor of his house with his rage; his jade eyes glowing with unearthly light his white fangs bared. Now
they understood why the other Ancient vampires gave Alexander LeGaulle a wide berth. This kind of
power was unheard of. Kaiden's people ran from their positions in fear then, but Cael and his army
followed them attacking brutally. Such were his orders; no mercy.
Cael rushed towards the pull that told him where his Anna was... upstairs. She was upstairs.
But there were so many in his way. He slaughtered them desperately rushing to his Anna, and
yet somehow fate was against him. There were too many folk barricading his path. They were
protecting Kaiden; trying to buy him the time to escape.
Cael growled in frustration. All he wanted was to get to his Anna, and everything was getting in
his way.
He roared in anger as he drove his knife through the heart of yet another vampire in Kaiden's
service.
****************

Kieran stalked through the house quietly listening to the sounds of battle about him. He was
going to find the bastard that had brought so much pain on the American Kingdom and slowly bleed
him to death before he killed him.
He came across the crumpled body of a red-headed vampire in the hallway. Her throat had been
ripped out. Curiously he rolled her over.
Elise Craywell. His fangs elongated. Elise. She had betrayed them. He looked at her dead body
in disgust. Traitor.
He sniffed and recognized the scent of his prey on her clothing.
Kaiden Rice.
The house reeked of him already; Alexander's house. Cautiously he stalked the hall smelling for
the fresh essence of his enemy. What he was not prepared for was the sound of a gun and a sharp pain
in his side.
He roared in anger and turned.
"Good evening Montasse," said Kaiden. "I see you've come to bow to your superior."
"Rice," Kieran spat.
"Now, now," said Kaiden. "I don't think you should be talking to me like that, seeing as I've
already shot you once."
Kieran smiled wickedly to himself. It appeared that Rice didn't know about his gifts.
"Fuck you!" he snarled pretending to be wounded and in pain. He wanted the bastard to feel
overconfident, exulting in his perceived power so he could bring him crashing down in humiliation.
"I don't think I'd like that very much Montasse," Kaiden laughed arrogantly. He raised the gun
and smiled. "It was nice knowing you."
Kieran growled and lunged at him. Kaiden fired, but it only hit his shoulder. Snarling he kicked
the gun out of Kaiden's hand and then punched him hard in the stomach with the very arm that had just
been shot. The thud from his fist making contact and reactionary gasp of air were quite satisfying.
Kaiden doubled over and backed away, his face growing pale in recognition of what had just
happened.
"Impossible!" he gasped.
Kieran drew a long knife from his side flipping it. His eyes glinted wickedly. "You think you've
got what it takes to be the Ancient One in America? Then prove it!"
Grudgingly Kaiden drew his own knife.
"I'm far more powerful than you, Montasse," he growled warningly. "I've killed every one of the
ancestors in my line. I am the end of it. You don't have that claim to fame."
Kieran smiled knowingly. "What's power if you don't know how to use it? You're a bunch of
bravado and bullshit."
He moved suddenly and reappeared so quickly that not even the eyes of his opponent could
mark his movements. He slashed at Kaiden's chest drawing blood, but not cutting deeply enough to kill
him then with a vicious punch from his other arm he spun out of range.
Kaiden snarled in pain and anger. He pushed out his hand and sent Kieran crashing into the wall
with his power alone.
Kieran grunted a little and then growled. So his power was telekinetic. No wonder he thought
he could beat Alexander. He smiled a little wickedly. He knew how to battle telekinetics; he and
Alexander had been sparring since before Kaiden was even born.
"Was that supposed to impress me, Rice?" he goaded. "Notice how I'm quivering with fear."
Again he moved so quickly that Kaiden couldn't mark him and this time he slashed deeply
down his back. The vampire screamed in pain, but he turned quickly and slashed with his own knife.
Kieran simply dodged the clumsy thrust with the grace and skill of a trained warrior. He'd been
knife fighting since he was a teenager on the streets of Damascus. This ill-trained Englishman was a
fool if he thought he could compare to the art and skill of his ancestral people. He slashed at Kaiden's
shoulder, his whirring blade finding its mark and the slashed again at the other. His moves were too
quick for his opponent to follow; even if he wasn't graced with incredible speed, it was obvious the
vampire wasn't a warrior. His moves were inept; his knife was always several seconds behind. Kieran
smiled wickedly and toyed with him, slashing deftly, drawing blood with little nicks.
Kaiden growled in anger and gathered his power, but Kieran spun out of the way of his energy
blast and attacked again slashing, cutting. He was going to bleed the bastard dry.
The once confident and arrogant vampire seemed to be growing agitated and a little fearful. His
attacks grew desperate and Kieran found his roars of rage downright unimpressive. Still he goaded him,
sliced him, tortured him until Kaiden's clothes were soaked with his blood and the vampire stumbled
and cursed.
"Beg for your life, you bastard," Kieran snarled.
"Go to hell!" he returned lunging awkwardly.
Kieran growled and brought his sharp blade down on his opponent's knife hand with awesome
force, severing it. The dull thud as it fell to the carpeted floor made him smiled wickedly.
Kaiden roared in pain and turned to flee, but with a quick dash, Kieran headed him off.
"ON YOUR KNEES!" he screamed to the vampire.
Kaiden growled angrily and with his left hand drew another gun from his clothing.
Again Kieran blurred and dashed behind him, this time slicing right behind the knees sending
his opponent crashing to the ground screaming in pain. He kicked the gun out of Kaiden's hand
disdainfully his black eyes glittering with rage.
"You aren't worthy to lick Alexander's feet," he snarled. "Your treachery, your actions; you are a
disgrace to our race, a creature without honour. You truly believed that you were powerful enough to
challenge an Ancient One? I fucking played with you just now, and still you were unable to touch me.
If it had been Alexander, I would have already been destroyed. You are nothing compared to him; a shit
eating maggot!"
He stared down at the quivering bleeding vampire. "When I was a child, punishment was taken
out on your body. For stealing; a hand. For lying; your tongue." Kieran smiled as he pressed his knife
to Kaiden's lips and the vampire closed his eyes and inhaled sharply with fear. "For rape; castration."
Kaiden's eyes opened and stared up at Kieran with horror.
"Yes," he chuckled wickedly, "most men chose to die instead." He kicked him brutally in the
stomach making the vampire double over in pain. "But for treachery; there was no mercy. Death," he
hissed.
"And we killed, just like this; the criminal on his knees staring at the blade of his executioner,
knowing that his crimes had damned him to hell for all eternity."
He turned his long, curved knife, and with a violent slice slashed Kaiden's throat. He watched
him bleed for a while until almost negligently he pulled his handgun from its holster and shot the
bastard through the heart, just to be thorough.

**************

Cael was growing frantic. He could feel her presence slipping away.
Anna!
"Brother," said Darian grabbing his shoulder. "Go to her. Release your power and hack your
way through."
"I swore never again, Darian," he growled.
"If you don't, you may lose her," he said. "Do it."
Cael nodded. He looked at the forces holding the stairs against him and growling in rage
released a blow of force against them sending people flying about crashing into walls. Vampires in his
direct path literally exploded into bits as did the wooden banister behind them.
There was a horrified gasp from the soldiers around him and Alexander felt his heart cry out at
using his power like that again.
"I'll cover you," cried Darian. "Get her. Now."
Swallowing his guilt he dashed up the stairs with all his vampire speed. He closed his eyes
struggling to feel for her presence. It was dwindling. Desperately he rushed towards one of the servants'
halls but what he saw there made him roar in despair.
"Anna!" he choked out.
She was lying in a pool of blood beside the very dead body of James Bradford. He'd been shot
multiple times; three times in the torso, once in the head and once in the heart.
He fell to his knees beside her and stroked her beautiful black hair from her face.
"Anna?" he whispered.
She wasn't moving. He felt for a pulse, but there was none.
Cael bit his wrist and held it to her lips letting his blood flow in her mouth.
She didn't swallow. It ran out the corners of her mouth.
He lifted her into a sitting position and stroked her throat trying to open it and allow the blood
to flow into her body.
Any moment.
Any moment and the change would happen.
She'd wake up and be all right.
He fed her his blood, but nothing happened. She wasn't stirring. He couldn't hear her heart
beating.
"Anna," he cried brokenly. "Please try, Angel. Please."
He withdrew his bleeding wrist from her mouth and pulled away her blood-soaked shirt
dripping his blood into her wound.
"Angel," he called. "Anna."
She didn't respond.
Cael's eyes filled with tears.
"Anna," he called brokenly.
He put his wrist to her lips again and rocked her calling to her over and over again. She couldn't
be dead. The fates couldn't be so cruel.
Please.
He wept into her satiny hair and lost track of everything for a long time.

*************

Darian found him with his wrist pressed to the girl's mouth his face buried in her dark hair. Her
clothes were soaked with blood; her blood. He looked at the wound. It had been vital. She didn't have a
chance.
"Brother," he said gently. "Cael," he whispered. "She is gone."
Slowly Alexander lifted his face from her dark tresses. His cheeks were streaked with tears, but
what bothered Darian the most was that he'd never seen Cael's jade eyes so broken in his life.
"I should have turned her before," he said stroking her hair like he had done when she was
afraid.
"She wasn't ready," Darian said. He sighed sadly as he thought of his own true mate. "Some of
them never are."
"She loved me, and I abandoned her. I left her to die."
"She would never have made it out of the house," Darian reminded him. "Do you remember
how tense it was getting out? Do you remember that even we were afraid? Kaiden had nearly 300
people out there. She would have died that first night."
"At least she would have been in my arms," he said his voice breaking with emotion. "At least
she wouldn't have been alone."
Darian didn't know what to say to that.
He watched as Cael kissed her cheeks and her lips, his tears dripping on her face.
"Let's get her away from this monster," said Darian quietly. "Let's put her somewhere that she
can rest peacefully. Let's make sure in death, no one else touches her."
Cael nodded and lifted her broken body in his arms. "We'll take her to one of the vaults," he
said.
Darian led the way, hearing Cael's footsteps follow him. He couldn't look into his friend's face.
The grief, the incredible pain was hard to endure. Was that how he'd looked when Katina had died? At
the time Cael had pulled him from his despair and forced him to continue on. He sighed. Such were the
pains of friendship; together in the best of times and in the worst of times.
They made their way to the vaults below the house, and once again he gave his friend time
alone with the girl. When he finally emerged, his eyes were blank.
"Seal this entire house up," he said, his voice dead. "No one will ever come here again."
Darian nodded.

************

Three days later, the house was sealed: the windows boarded up, the doors locked the gates
closed. Alexander ordered that the security on the perimeter be maintained, but all other power be shut
off. No one was ever to walk upon the grounds again, by command of the Ancient One.
Cael stared back at the large house silently.
Two months. How could that compare to two millennia of loneliness? How could God bring so
much suffering on such a gentle beautiful woman, and leave such a wicked, undeserving wretch like
himself alive?
Kieran touched his shoulder. "Are you ready?" he asked quietly.
He stared for another moment in silence and then nodded.
Goodbye Angel.

******************
Chapter Thirteen
She screamed and screamed in agony the sounds mimicking those heard in torture chambers
long ago. Her skin was burning her blood was boiling her heart laboured, her lungs seared, her eyes
wept bloody tears. Her anguished cries echoed in the small room and she writhed and thrashed as she
literally felt her body being burned alive from the inside out. How long she screamed and cried in
misery she didn't know, but finally she passed out.
She awoke again in the dark, but strangely it wasn't all that dark; it seemed almost like a grey
dawn. The thought didn't register. It was pitch black; she shouldn't be able to see the outline of the
small cot and the bricks in the wall, but she did. Curious she tried to sit up. It was then she discovered
that she could barely move; she was exhausted, weak and the idea of sitting up left her gasping. She
wondered at this.
Why was it dark?
What was happening to her?
She tried to move again, but she just didn't have the strength. She moaned a little miserably.
Had she been sick?
That must be it. She must have been sick for a long time and was now weak. She closed her
eyes. She just needed rest. Then she'd be strong again.

****************

Mara pulled her beat-up SUV about a hundred yards away from the gates of the massive
property. She couldn't imagine that they'd cut off security, so she made sure her approach wouldn't be
noticed from any cameras on the walls. Rumours of what had happened at the place were still running
rampant in town. They were saying that the Ancient One put down an uprising here; brutally. She didn't
care either way. The house was opulent, and from what she'd heard, they'd just boarded it up leaving all
the little treasures inside.
She smiled. Getting through the security would be worth it if this place paid off the way she
hoped. She could take the stuff she collected from the mansion and start over in a new town;
somewhere no one knew who she was, who her creator was, and what she'd done. She made her way
through the woods towards the gate keeping her eye out for cameras and other forms of deterrents.
That had always been her 'gift' which was why she'd been turned in the first place. Obviously
her creator hadn't turned her for her beauty or her stunning intellect. No, he wanted her because she had
an supernatural ability to outsmart every security system on the market. As a human, the talent was
uncanny, and when she became a vampire, that ability only got better.
What he'd made her do with those abilities... she shuddered as she thought about it. He wasn't
interested in stealing, he was interested in real crime; violent, murderous crime. There had been nights
Mara had cried herself to sleep as she relived her creator brutalizing his enemies, using her abilities to
get to them when they were comfortable, in their homes, unaware. He'd even murdered children.
She'd been on the run from that bastard for nearly 2 years, now, and she thought she'd finally
eluded him. Get far enough away and even a Little One could hide from her creator. Mara wasn't young
or foolish anymore and she was determined to make something of herself. Tonight would be it. Tonight
she'd be able to steal enough to start over; a new city, a new life, hell- maybe even a new name. This
was her chance.
She felt for the security; cameras, electrified gate...that was it?
Impossible.
She swept the area visually, trying to find out what else was protecting this rich treasure trove,
but... there was nothing. The perimeter's security was pathetic; any imbecile could just walk into the
place.
Maybe it was a sign.
She easily avoided the cameras and leapt the fence. After searching around for about ten
minutes, she found a control box that linked all the cameras and the fence on the interior. It was easily
disarmed. She didn't dare bring her vehicle in, though. The house would most likely have a security
system, too.
She made her way across the grass noting that there was a strong smell of blood in the place.
Even though it had been nearly a week since she'd heard it was abandoned and it had rained twice, she
could smell it.
So the rumours were true. A lot of dying happened here.
Mara had seen more death than she cared to think about.
The house was boarded up and upon closer inspection, there was no power; nothing to support
the type of security system needed to protect the place. She looked at the boarded up windows and
doors; it looked like someone had literally blown up the front of the house. For the first time in a long
time, Mara's skin crawled. This place looked like it had been at the gates of hell. She swallowed and
remembered her purpose. Supposedly it was loaded. It had to be.
She needed it to be.
She dashed back out to her SUV and pulled it to the front of the house. In it she had all the
necessary tools to get into the place: a crowbar and hammer. She decided that the front doors looked
like the easiest way to gain entrance, so she began to work on them.
When she finally opened the door she was overwhelmed by the smell of rancid blood.
Sometimes she hated being a vampire with extra sensitive senses, especially right then. She wanted to
gag at what she smell and saw. The walls were splattered with it, the carpet was soaked in places with
it, and it wasn't human blood; it was vampire blood. Obviously the bodies had been disposed of, but the
place hadn't been cleaned, and it smelled awful. For several moments she stared in horror. She couldn't
imagine so many vampires dying in one place; they weren't an easy race to kill. Finally though, her
eyes saw past all that to...
Holy shit! Look at all of this.
Mara's eyes gleamed with triumph! She'd hit the jackpot!
She picked her way through the house taking the paintings, silver, precious stones, anything of
value and loaded it into her vehicle. Some places were more trashed than others. She wormed her way
into a living room that was formally decorated with...fuck...was that really a Renoir? She took the
painting off the wall and looked at the signature in disbelief. Not that Mara knew much about art, but
she'd heard of the big names. This painting alone could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for
the right buyer. As she pulled the painting off the gorgeous wood panelled wall, she noticed a strange
imperfection in the wood. Curiously she pushed it and to her surprise the wall behind made a click as
though it was a cabinet door and then came forward a few inches.
Mara's hands trembled and she pushed on the hidden door a little more. It opened to a small
room with an elegant spiral staircase leading down below the house. Her skin crawled as she thought
about what might be down there, but her heart also pounded. This could be the jackpot. Putting down
the Renoir she made her way cautiously down the stairs and found herself in an extravagant wine cellar.
She looked at the ancient brandies and wines and smiled. Some of these were quite valuable, too. She
pulled the ones off the shelves that she knew were worth large sums of money and then turned to make
her way up the stairs again.
She saw another door. She put down the bottles and opened it, her hands trembling.

****************

How long had it been? She couldn't move, the world was getting darker and she was getting
weaker every time she awoke.
What was happening? Was she dead? Dying?
The thought made her shudder. Perhaps she really was dying? She refused to believe it. No. She
wasn't ready to die. It was time to move! It was time to get out of this place!
Fight!
A voice in her mind seemed to scream it at her.
Taking a deep breath she tried to move one last time. With all of her mental and physical
strength she rolled and managed to roll and fall right out of the cot. She fell to the ground with a thud
and panted miserably.
"Who's there?" called a voice sharply outside her small room.
She couldn't say anything. She found she was too weak to speak.
There was a sound of steps and then a fumbling with a knob.
"The door is locked," said the voice. "Is someone in here?"
She didn't know what to do. She could barely breathe.
"Yes!" she whispered on her breath, knowing the sound wouldn't travel through the wall. "Help
me!"
"I can hear you, barely," said the voice. "Who are you?"
She thought about it. Who was she?
Oh God!
She didn't know. She didn't know her own name!
"Help me," she whispered in despair.
There was a pause. "I'm going to open this door," said the voice. It was obviously female. "I've
got a gun here. If you attack me I'll blow your head off."
"Please," she whispered weakly.
She heard more noise outside and then something scratching the lock. After the sound of
fumbling for what seemed like forever, the door opened. More darkness poured inside the room. There
was no light, and her world had been growing darker. She could barely see the silhouette of a body, but
it was female and she had a gun.
"Hello?" the woman asked cautiously. "Oh my God," she gasped.
"Help," she mouthed to the woman.
The woman rushed to her side and rolled her on her back.
"Good god, kid," she said. "Your clothes are covered in blood."
She shook her head. She didn't know why.
"I think you were turned," the woman said quietly, "but why would they just leave you here?
Why would they just turn you and then lock you up, leave you to starve?"
She shook her head. She couldn't remember her own name.
"It's okay, Little One," said the woman gently. "I'm going to help you."

****************

Mara lifted the blood-covered woman and carried her out of the vault and up to the living room.
There wasn't much blood there, so she laid the girl on the couch.
"I'm going to get you some blood, Little One," she said. "I'll be right back, I promise."
Mara dashed out to her car and opened the small chest she always carried with her when she
travelled. It had a few blood bags she'd managed to pilfer from the local blood bank just in case she
needed sustenance while she was away from town. Grabbing one of the bags, she carried it inside and
back to the living room where the bloodied woman lay.
When she returned the girl's eyes were closed and she seemed barely alive.
Mara approached her cautiously. A starving vampire was dangerous, especially a Little One just
turned. They couldn't control the frenzy when they were weak, but she had the feeling that this delicate
woman was almost dead and that she might actually have to force the blood down her throat at first.
"Little One," Mara called.
The woman's eyes opened and Mara froze. They were incredible; sky blue, like she remembered
the sky during the bright noon when she was a human. She couldn't help but to stare at her for a
moment, but then she paid attention to the task at hand.
"I have something that should make you better," she said gently. "I'm going to put it against
your lips, and I need you to bite down to puncture the bag. After that you should be okay."
The woman blinked wearily.
Mara figured that was about all she could manage in her half-starved state. Carefully she put the
blood bag against her lips and the woman obediently bit into it.
Nothing happened.
Mara swore to herself. Of course she probably didn't know she had fangs yet. She was newly
turned.
"I'll help you," she said taking the bag away from her mouth.
She extended her fangs and punctured two holes in it, then turned the bag so the blood poured
into the girl's mouth. Those blue eyes widened in amazement and suddenly she moaned into the bag
sucking against the holes for all she was worth.
Mara fed her the entire bag making sure she drained it. Finally when there was nothing left she
pulled it from the woman's lips and cast it aside.
"Feeling better?" she asked.
The woman nodded.
"My name is Mara," she said.
"Mara," the woman said in a tiny voice, "what's happening?"
"I don't know if you're ready for that yet, Little One," she replied. "I'm almost finished here. Let
me do what I need to do, then I'll get you out of here. You're still weak, and it will probably take a few
nights and a few more feedings before you're strong." She stood. "You lay here and rest. I'll be back for
you in a little bit."
The woman nodded. "Thank you."
Mara finished looting the house and loading up her vehicle with as much booty she could
possibly cram in. Then she went back for the woman on the couch. She'd passed out again, so Mara
simply lifted her up again and carried her out of the blood-filled mansion that could have ended up
being her tomb. She looked at the heavens and wondered...was there really such a thing as fate?

****************

God the pain!

Her body ached with it. Her stomach seemed to be churning with agony. Her eyes shot open.
She needed something. Her body was screaming for it.
GOD!
"I was wondering when you'd awake," said a female's voice.
She looked at the woman who stood over her. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and a rather
square frame, but she smiled kindly.
She searched her mind trying to remember her. It was like a dark dream; shadows, exhaustion
and a name...
"Mara?" she asked.
"I'm surprised you remember," she commented. "You were almost dead."
"Mara," she gasped curling into a ball. "Oh God! I hurt. I hurt so badly."
"You need to feed," she said. "You're getting better; last time you couldn't even feel the pain."
 "Do you have anything to eat?"
"Yes, and no. You won't eat like you used to anymore Little One, unless you choose to, but it
won't sustain you. The only thing that will sustain you is this." She held up a bag full of crimson fluid.
"That's a blood bag," she said in horror.
"Little One," replied Mara. "You are a vampire now. This is what you need."
She screeched and backed away from the woman huddling in the far corner of the bed. "Don't
you fuck with me!" she cried. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Mara smiled then, and it wasn't a pleasant smile. "You don't believe me?" she asked moving
closer.
She tried to pull away, but those brown eyes held her absolutely still.
Mara took the blood bag and simply held it under her nose.
Her body screamed in need the moment she scented it, but it didn't smell like she knew it
should; coppery, metallic. It smelled sweet, desirable, like the most addictive potent thing she could
imagine. Her body responded without her control. She snatched the bag from Mara, felt a tingling in
her gums and bit into it hungrily.
OH GLORY! OH GOD!
Her entire being throbbed in pleasure with the first splash of the liquid on her tongue. She drank
deeply consuming all the bag had to offer, desperately, hungrily, moaning in pleasure and in need.
When she drained the bag and the vicious hunger in her belly seemed satiated, her sanity seemed to
return. Her eyes filled with tears.
"Oh my God," she wailed tossing the plastic bag away from her. She buried her face in her
hands sobbing brokenly.
It was true. She was a monster.
She was completely overwhelmed. Her world spun, she took panting, panicky breaths, she
couldn't see. A sense of absolute horror, desolation, confusion, repulsion all of them pounded into her,
making her heart ache unbearably. It was like an incapacitating panic attack, but so much more;
agonizing, horrifying, guilt, insanity. She began to sob hysterically even as she curled up into a tiny ball
gasping for breaths her body and soul aching.
"Shh," said Mara's voice gently invading the overwhelming cloud of despair. "It's okay, Little
One. You're going to be okay."
How long she'd been repeating it, she couldn't tell, but finally she took hiccoughing breaths in
efforts to calm herself.
"Are you okay?" Mara asked quietly.
"No," she cried, the tears she thought she'd managed to stop filling her eyes again. "It'll never be
okay. I don't know my name, and...I'm a monster!"
"I thought the same thing at first," said Mara. "Most of us who are turned without consent do."
"Turned?" she sniffed.
"The only way to become a vampire is to be turned into one by another vampire. I'm not sure if
it was to save you or to harm you, though. You were locked in a prison cell, but you surely don't act
like a criminal, and your body was covered in blood; human blood." Mara put her finger on her lips
thoughtfully. "I think someone tried to turn you, but it didn't work, and yet...somehow it did."
"Why don't I remember?"
Mara sighed. "The change process isn't easy. Vampirism isn't what people think. It's like an
infection that spreads rapidly through your body and as it speeds through your system it erases many of
the things that make you human and mutates them into what makes us vampire. Think of everywhere
your blood flows; your limbs, your heart and your brain. A change like that is hard on the body; it's like
an invasion and your antibodies as a human can't fight it. You might even remember a moment of
absolute searing pain and tortured when you were in that dark cell. You probably thought you were
burning alive."
 She nodded. It had felt just like that.
"Well, anything that violent, changing and consuming has some rather drastic side-effects. It's
not uncommon for newly made Little Ones to have memory loss at first until their bodies adjust to
being vampire. Which is why a creator usually keeps the ones they turn close in order to guide them
through the first few difficult weeks. It should come back to you in time."
"I don't even remember my own name," she sobbed.
"If it's any consolation, I didn't know mine for two weeks."
She sniffed and thought about it. Even though she didn't really know her, this woman comforted
her. There was something about her that was gruffly tender.
"Besides, it's probably best for us that we don't know our names at first. Vampires never reveal
their true names to each other. If I had been your creator, I'd know it, but..." Mara sighed and shrugged.
"You'll have to wait until the memory of your life as a human comes back to you. Until then, I'll name
you."
She didn't know what to say. She felt indignant that someone other than her mother would name
her something, but...she didn't really have a choice. Just like being a vampire. Nothing seemed to be her
choice anymore. Finally she simply nodded. After all, she couldn't go about nameless.
"I think I'll name you Angel," said Mara thoughtfully. "You remind me of one; an angel that has
fallen into darkness."
For some reason the minute she heard the name a face flashed before her eyes. Stunning jade
eyes, golden hair, and from those sensuous lips was whispered that very word...Angel.

***************

Alexander sat in the Judge's chair, his advisors flanking him at their own desks and looked at
the traitors assembled coldly. He did everything coldly anymore. He didn't have any compassion left,
and looking at the vampires before him, they didn't deserve it. How many other than his Anna had died
because of them?
Since he'd returned to his opulent home in New York, the emptiness had grown. One day he
awoke in horrible agony, feeling like his body was burning alive from the inside, and now the silence in
his mind was unbearable . The feeling of her presence that had warmed his existence now left a gaping
hole of aching emptiness. There were times he could still smell her hair, and in his dreams he saw her
face. She haunted him, and yet she was gone for eternity.
"The council has decided that the evidence of your treachery is sound," he said, giving the
verdict after their deliberation.
In his frame of mind, he just wanted to brutally slaughter every suspect, but the members of his
council, those that remained loyal to him, had begged that each case be examined. Even Kieran had
pleaded with him, and though he was impatient for justice, the little voice that remained of his
conscience told him they were right; it needed to be determined whether there was appropriate
evidence of treachery to warrant death. He looked at the fifteen vampires in chains before him, two of
whom had been sitting on this very council, the evidence against them was overwhelming. He felt
nothing for them except...rage.
“It seems that my gentle hand in ruling our people in America has made you think I am weak,"
he continued. He looked over the assembled vampires and the criminals. "Do not mistake compassion
for weakness, for you will find yourselves in the same fate as the vampires before you. Your treachery
has resulted in the death of hundreds of our kind. Therefore you and all those we determine afterwards
will suffer the ultimate execution. You will be staked in the sun until you die."
A gasp rippled through the crowd. It had been rumoured for the past few days he might, but no
one believed he'd really do it again. He watched bitterly as two of the women among the traitors began
to weep brokenly. He clenched his jaw. He'd wept brokenly just like them. He had no pity.
"Your sentence will be carried out today at dawn."
He turned to the soldiers in his guard. "Take them."
The courtroom was silent. Alexander hadn't ordered someone to be staked in the sun in over a
century. As the world had changed, so had the sentiments of vampires; many believed that the
punishment was cruel.
"Cruel and Unusual Punishment," they claimed quoting the human law.
Of course it was cruel. That was the point; such atrocious actions deserved equally atrocious
reaction and a strong deterrent. He hadn't lived 2500 years to simply ignore such blatant treachery and
let the massive death toll go unpunished. He'd been a king in one form or another for a thousand years,
and had accepted leadership in the budding United States because he knew this country would be
different and challenging to rule.
Different as it was, he intended to make sure no one would ever again dare to challenge his
throne again. Some in attendance looked at Alexander with horror, some with satisfaction, and several
with the same rage he had in his eyes. Kaiden had destroyed so much. He rose and left the courtroom.
Back in his own office, he put his head in his hands. He heard his door open but he didn't look
up. Only two people could walk in his office without knocking.
"You're still feeling it," Darian observed.
He nodded.
"It takes time," his friend said gently.
There was a long moment of silence between them.
"I've been doing some more dream walking," Darian said.
"And?"
"There are more involved than just those you executed today."
Once again he only nodded.
"I shall make a list for you."
"Thank you."
"Are you going to watch?"
Alexander sighed resolutely. "I want to see it finished."
"I thought you would. As do I."
He rose. "Let's go then."
He turned to walk out of the office when he was suddenly overwhelmed by a torrent of
emotions; horror, agony, confusion, guilt, hysteria. He gasped in surprise and clutched his heart. It
seemed to ache and labour in what felt like a panic attack.
"Alexander?" Darian asked questioningly.
For a moment he couldn't answer. All he could do was let the powerful emotions overwhelm
him. Then as quickly as they overwhelmed him they faded away until he felt only a dull sense of
confusion and grief.
"What happened?" Darian asked him as he came back to reality.
He shook his head. He wasn't sure. Perhaps he was having panic attacks? Strangely, he didn't
think the emotions were really his...
"Brother?" Darian repeated.
"It was nothing," he finally replied. "I just need to feed before I rest today."
Darian looked right at him, those strange, silver eyes glowing knowingly. "Or at least you hope
that was it?"
Alexander nodded. "Otherwise, I don't know what the hell it was."
"Well. Shall we?"
Alexander led the way to the lawns where the fifteen traitors were shackled to the ground. The
shackles had to been replaced two days ago; they hadn't been used in over a century. He stared at the
traitors and almost growled again. They had contributed to her death. They had contributed to the
deaths of nearly 200 vampires by their treachery, and yet, the revenge was bitter and empty.
"Alexander," Kieran's voice pulled him from his reverie. There was something in his tone, it
was urgent.
"What's wrong?" he asked at once.
Kieran motioned him and Darian away from the others who had come to watch the staking.
"The house in Minnesota was robbed," Kieran began.
The rage he'd been trying to fight overwhelmed him, and his fangs elongated with his fury.
"When?" he snarled angrily.
"About three days ago, or so they think," Kieran said. "It was obviously a thief; they stole some
very valuable pieces."
Alexander nodded and paced in anger. "Do we have any idea who did it?"
Kieran shook his head. "We're still working on it," he admitted. He paused briefly as though he
was gauging his words. "There's more."
Alexander froze. Of all the horrible things they'd done... "What happened to her?"
"We don't know. The body is gone."

****************

"How do you feel today?" Mara asked her.

Angel shrugged. It had been almost a week since she'd been rescued. She still didn't know who
she was, what happened at that mansion, and who had turned her into a vampire. That was the worst
part of it all; somewhere out there someone changed her and then locked her away to die. She'd been
having strange dreams lately; that handsome face with jade eyes kept floating in and out of them. God,
how she wished she knew him; those eyes looked at her tenderly in her dreams, his lips kissed her
passionately, his voice was smooth and sensual.
"Angel?" Mara started her from her reverie.
"Better I guess."
"It will come back," Mara said gently.
"And if it doesn't?" Angel asked quietly.
"Then you continue on as though you never were anything before, but don't worry. It always
comes back."
Angel sighed and stared out into the moonlight. Night wasn't the same anymore. None of the
scary shadows humans feared. She smiled sarcastically. She remembered that much of being a human;
how the dark was hard to see in. But now, it was like a bright dusk. The sky was bluer, the stars
twinkled brighter and the moon... it was like a silver sun.
"We need to move on," said Mara. "We need to get out of Minnesota."
"Where do you want to go?" Angel asked curiously.
"I was thinking New York," Mara replied. "I figured two girls like us could do all right there."
Angel thought about it. "I don't know if I've been to New York."
"I haven't," Mara admitted. "Most of my life was spent on the West Coast. Maybe New York
will be different enough that I can start over." She smiled. "And maybe it will be new enough for you to
begin."
Angel smiled. "I guess I don't have anything too pressing on my agenda for the rest of eternity,"
she said sarcastically.
Mara chuckled. "Don't try to plan for eternity; it's a lot longer than you think."
Angel smiled a little. "Well, since eternity's out how about tomorrow? How are we going to get
to New York?"
"We'll drive," said Mara. "I'll teach you about vampires along the way."
 Angel nodded. "I guess it's time I started learning how to do this."

**************

"The prints at the house match a woman named Laura Jones," said Kieran. "Or at least that's her
true name. She's a vampire now by the name of Mara. We believe she was turned during the late 80's or
early 90's. Up until two years ago, her prints were showing up at the scenes of some very brutal
murders in California."
"She's a murderer?" Alexander asked.
"Actually, we don't think so. We think she has certain abilities with security systems and that
she was being used by Francisco Paola."
Alexander nodded. Paola had been another problem child in America. A complete psychopath
turned serial killer and he was old; maybe a thousand years old. He sighed. Some vampires didn't
handle the passing of time well; it seemed that Paola was one of them.
"So was she working with Paola this time?" Alexander asked.
"That we don't know. From the inventory, she stole approximately $500,000 worth of valuables
from the place. If Paola was with her then it would explain taking Anna's body. Otherwise," he paused
shrugging.
Alexander rose and paced. He was doing some house cleaning in America right now anyway.
He might as well put Paola and this Mara woman on his list.
"Put them both on a wanted list. If they are seen; apprehend them."
"It will probably take a team to apprehend someone like Paola," said Kieran thoughtfully.
"Whatever it takes. If you can get Mara by herself, bring her to me. Perhaps she'll be willing to
sell Paola out if we offer her protection."
Kieran nodded.

*************

Beautiful jade eyes looked lovingly into hers. They glittered with power and with passion as
they surveyed her naked body lying in a bed of satin and yet they were strangely sad. He reached out
and caressed her with his strong hands, his fingers running down her arms stroking her stomach, thighs,
cupping her breasts. She moaned as his caresses sent a wave of desire through her veins.
Sensual lips met hers in a tender kiss, their touch like soft velvet against her skin; so loving and
gentle. His kisses left her lips slipping along her cheek to her jaw to the sensitive skin on her neck their
soft brushes sending shivers down her spine. God! It was amazing. Every kiss sent little shock waves
through her, and she felt her body yearn for him in a way she couldn't understand. She wanted him to
fill her, to quench the ache between her legs that his kisses were flaming even hotter.
She almost opened her mouth to beg him, but she closed it. She didn't know him. How could
she? She remembered nothing. He seemed to sense it and lifted his head so he could look into her eyes
once again. He stroked her gently and the way he looked at her with those glowing yet aching eyes
reassured her.
Angel reached out for him and brushed a golden lock behind his ear, stroking his face tenderly
as she went. He smiled sadly at her and kissed her lips again, but this time it was consuming,
dominating, passionate. Hands that had been tenderly caressing her, stroked her wantonly making her
forget any fears, drowning her reason with hazy passion.
To hell with it! It was just a dream. She wanted him. She needed him.
"Please," she gasped when he released his mouth.
"I love you, Angel," he whispered to her. "I never told you. I love you."
It was like she was the wrong person in this dream. The gorgeous man lying above her, looking
at her with his heart in his eyes was a complete stranger. Perhaps he was a memory from when she was
a human? Perhaps he was a love she had lost? Angel wanted to cry with frustration. Even in her dreams
she couldn't recall the details of her past, except for this face; this man. He looked at her so lovingly.
She looked into his eyes. She needed to be loved.
"Please," she begged him again.
She felt him take his cock in hand and position at her entrance rubbing it against her clit and
coating it in her moisture. God, everything this man did to her was incredible! With a quick thrust he
filled her aching body, and somehow she felt absolutely complete. It wasn't just a physical melding, but
something else deeper, like a piece of her soul that was missing was now right again. He began to thrust
slowly his hand still between them rubbing her clit and caressing her soft folds sending shivers up her
spine, making it impossible for her to breathe other than in needy gasps. She ran her fingers along his
muscled arms; the feel of his hot skin was like warm satin against hers. He shivered from her caress
and suddenly he bent his golden head and latched upon her nipple devouring it with his mouth. Her
head thrashed on the satin pillows and she cried out incoherently as he worked her into a aching frenzy
of need.
"That's it Angel," he whispered in a sexy voice.
God, even his voice was incredible!
She couldn't bring herself to do anything else other than clutch to his shoulders as he
worshipped her. Her hips met his thrusts her and her back arched in pleasure, even as her head tossed
back and forth in agony. She could feel the slickness of their moisture and sweat between their bodies,
she could even smell the musk of their arousal, she couldn't believe the dream was this intense.
Suddenly he released her nipple and closed his mouth over hers. At the same time he pinched
her clit unmercifully and thrust. She squealed into his mouth as her orgasm washed over her. Her world
went black, every inch of her body throbbed with electrified pleasure. He released her mouth and thrust
several more times grinding his pelvis into hers, his body jerking above her and within her at his own
climax.
She lay in his arms panting, her body sated, her thighs damp, listening to their gasps. She
couldn't bring herself to open her eyes into the dream anymore; she was drifting away from it. As she
passed back into sleep she felt him kiss her gently once more.
"I love you, Anna. God how I miss you," he whispered.

***************

Her eyes shot open as she started from her dream.

Anna! Her name was Anna!
No... Elianna... Elianna Kennan!
With recognition of the name it was like a floodgate opened. She remembered her childhood,
her older brother tormenting her as a toddler. She saw the two of them running through the forest
playing ninjas as they grew into kids, then his wedding, his son, her nephew. All of it came back to her.
She saw her mother once again in the hospital bed, dying from cancer. It was like watching a movie:
Elianna Kennan, This is Your Life.
Then she saw herself sitting at a café reading a novel. A handsome businessman walked up to
her and stood in front of her blocking the sunlight.
"You're a Grisham fan too?" he asked.
"Yeah," she replied. "Most of his stuff is good for a light read."
He chuckled. "Perhaps I could buy you a coffee and we could discuss what you mean by 'light
read'?" he asked in a smooth voice.
He was gorgeous; brown hair, baby blue eyes. He was dressed in an expensive suit and had
styled his hair in the 'I'm a handsome businessman in my thirties' way that made him seem reliable, yet
cool. She almost said yes, but something in the back of her mind stopped her.
NO!
The little voice that had never steered her wrong literally screamed it.
She looked in his eyes and for a moment she couldn't look away. Her soul nearly cried out in
horror as she looked at him. There was something...wrong in his stare.
She found herself swallowing.
"Wow," she said awkwardly. "I'm flattered, really, but..." she shrugged. "Not today. Maybe some
other time?"
"What?" he asked, the smooth silkiness leaving his voice. "You have a boyfriend?"
"No..."
"You're a lesbian?"
"No," she returned getting angry now. "I just don't want to have coffee, okay?"
"Your loss," he snarled and then walked away.
She'd tried to read in her book, but he'd upset her. She decided to pack up and go. She was
supposed to visit her brother anyway. She made her way down the street and to the parking lot where
she usually parked her car, in the business district those were always in garages or behind buildings.
She turned the corner and walked along the street towards her car. The little voice in the back of her
head noted it was empty, but she didn't listen to it.
She made ready to cross the street when she heard a car turn the corner. She waited for it so she
could cross, but it stopped right next to her. The door opened and the guy hopped out. She froze.
Run! The voice in her head screamed again.
She turned to do so but it was too late. She felt his powerful arms grab her; one around her
mouth with a strange smelling cloth to keep her from screaming and one around her arms to restrain
her. Still she kicked and she flailed and she struggled. However, as she struggled, she became weaker,
and the smell in the cloth overpowered her. Her world went black.
She awoke to find her hands bound behind her back by duct tape, and she was lying naked on a
bed. The man with brown hair stood over his, his baby blue eyes glowing wickedly.
Oh GOD!
She went through every second of her torture, remembering the agony, the horrible words he
screamed at her as he ravaged her. Her body ached even now as she recalled how he'd abused her. Then
she was in a rancid smelling trunk and listening to the sound of the highway even as she struggled to
breathe in the stifling trunk and then ...nothing.
She remembered nothing more. None of the man who she'd just had mind-blowing sex with in
her dreams leaving her thighs still moist with arousal when she was awake. It was just...darkness. She
buried her head in her hands and sobbed.

***************

Alexander sat up in bed shaking. It was so real! It was almost like she had really been there in
his arms. His body still trembled and he wasn't surprised to see his boxers soaked. He couldn't
remember ever having a dream so powerful and so...heartbreaking.
His Anna had looked at him, her beautiful blue eyes so confused, so hurt. It was like looking at
a wounded child as she lay beneath him. And yet her touches were so passionate, her little sounds, her
pleas; it was like she was there for that brief moment. Her body had felt as incredible as he
remembered, firmer even, more muscular; not the half-starved frame he'd known her to have as she'd
been recovering from her abuse. He sighed. And like his time with her, the dream had been too short.
He buried his head in his hands.
Chapter Fourteen
Angel awaited the man walking down the street hiding in the darkness of the alley trembling.
This was her first time to hunt a human. She'd picked her target and had followed him through keeping
to the shadows, gauging when he was alone and no one else would see the feeding.
This is it!
Closing her eyes she reached out to him mentally and lulled him towards her. The mind control
thing was difficult, and Mara said that she should be ready to pounce if the contact broke. Angel tried
to maintain her mind control; the idea of pouncing made her blood race and she didn't want to hurt the
guy. In the last several days she'd learned the difficulties of control. The exercises Mara had put her
through showed her just how complicated it really was to be a vampire at first. She shivered and her
stomach ached a little. She was hungry. She needed to feed. This had to work.
The man turned towards the alley. His eyes were glazed and he walked up to her docilely. Angel
touched his head and bent it to the side baring his neck to her. Her gums tingled and she felt her control
waver as she leaned closer. She could smell him; the cheap cologne, his flesh, the smoke in his hair
from being at the bar, the alcohol on his breath, but most of all, the smell of his life; his blood. A shiver
ran down her spine and she trembled as she fought for control over her desire once again. The thought
of pouncing, of dominating this man was overwhelming. It was the nature of the beast and the hunger
she would live with for the rest of eternity. Mara had called it 'bloodlust.' It made her feel even more
like a monstrous beast.
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she tried to look clinically at his neck. Mara had said that
it was essential to get the right spot or the blood wouldn't flow right and the human would suffer during
the feed. She could see the throb of his pulse at his neck, and with her sensitive hearing, she could hear
the rush of blood running through his artery. She shuddered and pulled him close, wrapping her arms
about him tightly, just in case she lost the mind control, and bit down feeling her fangs slide through his
skin and into his neck.
His sweet essence rushed out on her tongue and all thought left her as she felt her body throb
with power from his blood.
Live Blood!
It was nothing like the bagged blood Mara had been managing to steal from blood banks for her
the past few weeks. It pulsed into her mouth with each heartbeat; it was warm, full of life, sweet from
endorphins, slightly tinged with alcohol. She drank deeply letting the pleasure of feeding take over her
logic; it was euphoric.
"Okay, Angel," Mara interrupted. "You're almost to a point where you should stop."
Angel snapped back to reality at her words.
Stop. She needed to stop.
She withdrew her fangs, feeling her gums tingle as they retracted, and then licked the wound at
his throat to heal the wound. The healing was important; vampires supposedly didn't exist, and it was
every vampire's duty to make sure it stayed that way.
Finally, after another wavering breath, she pulled away and mentally guided him back to his
spot where he'd left his normal routine and commanded him not to remember the feeding. Then she
faded back into the shadows.
"Angel," said Mara in a strangled voice. "That was amazing!"
She looked at her friend uncertainly. "I was just doing what you told me to do," she replied.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Angel, it takes months for a Little One to have a successful feed. The mind control thing is
nearly impossible to manage with battling your hunger."
Mara looked at her strangely and bit her lip uncertainly.
 "What's wrong?" Angel asked. "Did I do something to upset you?"
"It's not your fault," Mara said at once. She looked away for a moment. "It's just..."
"What?" Angel demanded. Mara was looking at her and she almost seemed...scared.
"That house I found you in was supposedly a secret dwelling of the Ancient One. Whoever
turned you, must have been very old and near the end of his bloodline. You've got incredible power."
"Yeah right," said Angel almost bitterly. "If someone that powerful had turned me, then I
wouldn't have been left alone."
Mara sighed. "You need to quit being so bitter and angry, Little One," she said. "Whoever
turned you probably thought you were dead, which is why you were left like that."
"If they thought I was dead why even bother turning me?"
Sometimes she wished Mara had a better answer to that question, but it was always the same.
"I don't know, Angel. Come on, let's get back to the hotel and pack up. It's still a long drive to
New York."
Angel sighed and nodded.

*************

Mara watched the road as she drove. Angel sat in the passenger seat next her, but was silent.
The poor Little One kept looking at her uncertainly, and Mara knew she was being antisocial in
comparison to the past few nights. The truth was; the girl had frightened her tonight. No one, NO ONE,
had that kind of power. Not right at the beginning, anyway, but here was this newly turned girl who
somehow did. She was an absolute wreck; woke up nearly starved, no memory, strange dreams,
completely abandoned in a prison cell in a bloodied mansion. It was the kind of thing horror movies
were made about. A Little One; an absolute mess, and yet more powerful than...she couldn't even think
about it, but it frightened her.
"Mara," the girl finally broke the silence. "Are you mad at me?"
She chuckled. "No, Little One," she replied. "I'm not mad." She sighed. "Just thinking is all."
Angel nodded.
"We're going to make a stop before we get a hotel room this morning," she said trying to be
more conversational. "I need to get some money out of my account."
"How is it that you have a bank account? Aren't you...well, dead to the world?"
"Actually, with the internet, it's become easier and easier to have an account," Mara admitted.
"This one is on an assumed name, though. My creator set it up for me using his power to get the bank
people to do what he wanted."
"I thought you didn't like your creator," said the girl. "You've never said anything but bad stuff
about him."
Mara sighed. "He's a monster," she admitted. "In the human world he's a murderer, a serial
killer, but he's an Old One. He has the power to do just about anything he wants to."
"Well, shouldn't you have that power, too?" Angel asked. "He created you."
"He created me, yes, but not from his blood." She laughed bitterly. "He knew he wouldn't be
able to control me if he sired me, so he found some other weakling street-rat to control and commanded
him to turn me. With his ability to control minds..." she shuddered. "No one can resist him, Anna. No
one. He just can tell you something, and you'll do it. He's what we call as psychic; he can control the
psyches of others."
"How many kinds of vampires are there?" Angel asked.
"We're all the same kind; some of us just have certain 'talents.' Let's see... there's psychics,
telekinetics or people who can move things with just thinking about it, vampires with incredible
physical capabilities, and the very rare dream walkers."
"What are those?"
 "They have the ability to get into your dreams and your head and consciously control your
subconscious. Dream walkers have been known to manipulate people from hundreds of miles away by
just getting into their heads and messing with their subconscious. Some are reputed to be seers, too."
"That sounds frightening. You said they're rare, so most people are talented in other ways?"
Mara nodded. "Of course your power depends on your bloodline. The fewer people behind you,
the more powerful you are. That's why Old Ones are more powerful; they have fewer vampires in their
genealogy because they've managed to die. Some vampires show no talent, it just depends on the
strength of their blood."
"Do you think I'll have a talent?"
"Only time will tell," Mara admitted. "It seems that with you time is going to have to be the key
to just about everything. You'll just have to be patient until your memories return, your power manifests
itself, and you learn how to be a vampire."
"I had another dream the other night. I remember some," Angel confessed. "I remember my
name, my childhood, everything until a moment where..."
Mara could see the girl shudder out of the corner of her eye.
"I was abducted, raped, tortured, and then...nothing."
"Were you raped by a vampire?" Mara asked wondering if she'd been some Old One's toy.
"No. He was just a man." The girl sighed and looked out the window. "But, there is someone. I
keep seeing his face. I know he's a vampire, but he's...wonderful. I see him in my dreams, but I don't
know who he is."
Mara chuckled as her cheeks flushed a little. "They must be good dreams, huh?"
"Yeah," Angel replied. "Actually, he's the reason I know what I know, he said my name."
"Well, maybe you should ask him his name in your next dream," Mara said.
If possible, the girl blushed even rosier. "I...uh...kinda get wrapped up in other things when he's
around."
Mara couldn't help herself as she burst out laughing. "Not just good dreams, then, huh Little
One?”
Angel smiled. "Great dreams," she admitted. She looked out the window wistfully and sighed.
"Incredible dreams."
Mara pulled up to the empty bank. It was the only one in this sleepy little town, so it would
have to do. She pulled out the card and looked around carefully. Everything seemed in order.
"I'm going to take care of this," she said. "Stay in the car."
Angel nodded.
Mara looked around just to make sure no one saw her, and brushed her bangs over her eyes. She
didn't want her face showing up too well on video surveillance, especially since she'd just managed to
rob a very powerful vampire's house. She'd not been able to unload as much of the stuff as she thought
she could because of Angel. She glanced back to the car to see the girl sitting in the passenger seat
watching her. She thought about that. She'd hoped the heist of the mansion would give her a chance to
start a new life, she'd prayed for it. She never imagined that her new life would involve taking in a
Little One. She'd never imagined herself as a nurturing person, but when the girl had opened those
fantastic blue eyes, so confused and so afraid, something in her soul screamed, help her!
She thought that maybe, just maybe, Angel could be her redemption.
She walked up to the ATM and got ready to take out several hundred dollars. They'd be stopping
in Chicago on the way, and they both needed new clothes. Hopefully she'd be able to sell some of her
booty there, too.
Just as she was about to enter her pin number, the car door slammed and the girl ran up to her.
"Angel? What's wrong?" she asked at once.
The girl's face was white.
"Mara," she said. "We need to leave."
 She looked at the girl and then back at the ATM again. "It'll only take a second," she protested.
"No," Angel cried her voice on the verge of hysteria. "Not here." She actually grabbed her arm
and started pulling her towards the car.
"Easy, Little One," Mara said.
Something had seriously freaked the girl out, she was relentless. They got in the car and locked
the doors.
"Just pull away," Angel said. "Just drive."
The girl was literally panicking.
She decided to humour her and talk her down with the drive. She started the engine and pulled
out of the bank, noting that Angel was looking around her blue eyes glittering. With her eyes shining
with her power she looked downright impressive for a moment.
"What's going on?" Mara demanded.
The girl just shook her head and kept looking around. Mara felt a strange sizzling clarity in the
air of the car.
"Look there!" Angel gasped as a speeding car seemed to swerve out of control and hopped the
curb at the bank. With the terrible screech of tires, the car crashed straight into the ATM crumpling like
tinfoil upon hitting the brick wall.
Mara gasped. The vehicle must have hit the building at nearly 50 miles an hour. If Angel hadn't
moved her she'd be dead. She looked back at the young woman. Her eyes were their normal sky blue
again, and the strange feeling in the air was gone. It was like the moment never happened. She
swallowed. There was something about this girl; something powerful, something terrifying. Suddenly
she was very glad the woman was on her side. Taking one look at the totalled car in front of the ATM
she stepped on the gas and sped away.

*************

Kieran looked over the report. The business side of Alexander's empire was as strong as ever.
Despite troubling economic times among the humans and the fuel crunch in the states, he was still
making record profits. The dark-haired vampire smiled proudly about that. He'd helped a lot with that.
Who knew the knife-fighting street rat from Damascus had a sound head for business? He'd managed
to almost double the size and value Alexander's business empire. And now, with news of how the
Ancient One in America had dispelled the coup and rumours of his incredible power, the vampires in
the business world were treading as lightly as the vampires in America. Word had spread quickly;
Alexander LeGaulle had returned to rule both the kingdom of America and the corporate world with an
iron fist. Kieran couldn't remember the last time he'd received so many calls from the CEO's of
Alexander's companies 'just checking in.' It seemed that even the stupid humans could feel the tension
in the air and knew when grovelling and pandering was appropriate.
He sighed.
Now if only Alexander could pull himself back together as well as he'd pulled the kingdom back
together. He would never have imagined that his friend could be so taken with a woman. Surely not
Alexander whose conquests were legendary; not the vampire who'd bedded the most beautiful and
powerful women in history and then walked away as if they were nothing. How could he have fallen
for the tiny, whiney, little Anna? She wasn't anything special in comparison to the women he'd known.
Kieran had to admit there was something a little unsettling about looking into those eyes, but she wasn't
any more incredibly beautiful than others Alexander had been with. He sighed. And yet, her death had
almost destroyed him.
He'd overheard him talking with Darian about how the girl was haunting him in his dreams still.
He growled in irritation as he looked over the other stack of reports about Mara; Francisco Paola's
Little One. Had she been alone? Why would she take Anna's dead body? Even dead, it seemed that
Anna's uncanny ability to find trouble followed her. In a way, he'd rather wished she'd lived just to
throw a wrench into Alexander's life. That woman had been like a rocket and he was sure she would
have kept Alexander on his toes for many centuries.
His cell phone rang startling him from his reverie.
"Montasse," he growled.
"Sir, we've got some information of the woman named Mara. She's been spotted just outside
Chicago."
"Were you able to get some kind of identification on her vehicle? Is there some way to track
her?"
"Well," the vampire on the other end paused. "I'm working on getting a copy of the footage
from a bank. Something strange happened..."
Kieran heard the strange hesitation in his voice. "What do you mean?" he demanded at once.
Couldn't people quit with the bullshit and say what was bothering them?
"Well, from what I've heard she went to the ATM, made ready to withdraw, but then stopped
and got back in the car. Just as she pulled out, another car barrelled into the side of the bank right into
the ATM. The driver was killed instantly. That's all I know," he admitted. "Once I can actually see the
video I'll be able to get you your information.
"How long will it take?"
"The human bank is being difficult, but I've got people working on it. Maybe this afternoon."
"The moment you've got it, get me," Kieran replied. "I don't care if you have to wake me up. We
owe it to Alexander to get this mess cleaned up."
"Yes sir."

****************

He knew it was a dream the moment he realized he wasn't alone in bed and she was nestled
against his side.
Anna...his mind sighed the name with painful recognition. In real life she was lost to him
forever, but in his dreams...in his dreams he could relive the happiness for a brief moment.
He relished every sensation as he held her close; the soft feel of her skin, the scent of her hair,
the way she breathed. He wrapped his arms about her tightly, delighting in the warmth of her body, the
feel of her soft curves, trying once again to memorize everything about her essence to take him through
the next night without her. She cooed at his touch, that sweet little sound making the beast within him
quiet. Even the vampire side of him missed her little noises.
She seemed to rouse a little for she sighed deeply and nuzzled his chest; the softness of her lips
against his skin sending a delicious tingle down his spine. He felt his body respond as she worked her
way towards waking, moving seductively against him unconsciously.
"Anna," he breathed. "If you keep that up, I'll lose whatever self-control I have left."
Her glorious eyes opened and she froze suddenly, stiffening rigidly in his arms. She looked at
him in confusion, almost fearfully, and then with saddened resignation, as though she felt lost in his
arms. He couldn't understand the emotions playing across her face. Perhaps it was his own guilt that his
subconscious was using to colour his dreams, but he hated that stare; the uncertainty, the doubt, as
though she didn't even know him. He couldn't stand that look on her face.
He leaned over and kissed her lips passionately, wanting to erase those damning doubts with
desire. She didn't kiss him back, but he wouldn't let her resist him; not in his dreams. He rolled her over
on her back, keeping his lips locked with hers in a fiery assault on her mouth. She whined weakly in
protest, but he swallowed the cry with a growl. His hands roved her warm silky skin touching her soft
belly, gently sliding over her hip, rubbing that little spot that he knew from their strange connection
sent shivers of pleasure down her spine.
 Once again she whimpered into his mouth and struggled against him for a moment as though
she knew if she didn't escape him that she'd lose herself.
He didn't let her go. His fingers slid up her soft stomach, to caress the soft mound of her full
breast, cupping it in his palm and delighting once again at how it filled his hand perfectly. As if driven
by its own volition, his fingers found her tender nipple tracing it in tiny circles, tweaking it lightly even
as his mouth devoured hers.
Whimpering softly in defeat, she softened in his arms. She could never defy him, but the
thought that in his dreams she had tried to, incensed him with passion and anger. This was his dream
and he was going to ignite every inch of her soft body with the flames of passion, and then smother her
in love, so those gorgeous eyes would look into his with loving desire once again.
He released her mouth and kissed his way down her cheek to her neck. For a moment he
nuzzled her there, recalling how sweet she'd tasted, how addicting her flavour was to him. This was his
dream. He'd take that, too, but not yet. Instead he licked her lightly brushing his sensuous lips across
her sensitive skin. She shivered in response and reached out to touch him timidly, her tiny hands just
barely stroking his shoulders.
He growled angrily. Since when had his Anna ever been timid? The thought drove him even
closer to the edge of his control. She was his lover, his life!
He grabbed her delicate hands from his shoulders roughly and moved them over her head,
holding them by the wrists with one of his own as he continued to feast on her soft flesh at her neck.
Her eyes widened and she struggled against him suddenly, but he easily subdued her, even with one
hand.

"You try to resist me, Anna," he grated, his voice harsh with passion. "Since when have you
ever been able to resist me?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but he wouldn't let her. He covered that protesting mouth with
another engulfing kiss. She struggled and tightened her body beneath him, desperately trying to shake
her head in refusal, but he kept her pinned helplessly with his body, his hand and his mouth until she
quieted again. At last, she kissed him back and her tongue danced with his returning his consuming kiss
with passion. In satisfaction, he released her mouth and smiled rather possessively at her swollen, red
lips.
"Perhaps it's time I showed you a little more magic, my love," he purred.
He released his grip on her hands smiling wickedly as she tried to move them and found that
she was still restrained.
"Please," she begged.
He chuckled darkly and traced his fingers lightly down her arms smiling as she jumped and
shivered at his touch. He liked seeing his beautiful Anna helplessly restrained with his power. Her
angelic eyes were wide her breasts were pushed forward rising and falling enticingly as her chest
heaved with each breath. Unable to resist those soft mounds exposed so erotically he cupped one with
his hand as his mouth latched onto the other. Anna's breath hitched and once again her slender body
jolted as though a shock of electricity leapt down her spine.
The more he tweaked her nipples with his fingers and lathed them with his tongue the more she
squirmed and thrashed about beneath him whimpering softly until she was a writhing mass of need. He
abandoned the tasty feast and slowly kissed his way down her stomach leaving a trail of wetness,
making sure to stroke that little erogenous zone on her hip with his fingertips on his way down. She
struggled to swallow the little whimper and he chuckled darkly.
"Still fighting me, little Anna?" he breathed. "I do believe I'm winning."
He kissed his way down her pelvis and looked at her soft folds smiling at how they glistened
with wetness despite her struggles. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her arousal and felt his
control slip.
"My, my," he scolded smiling inwardly at her wide-eyed stare. She looked so innocent right
now; her hands restrained above her head like sweet sacrifice. "You're all wet, Anna," he taunted her
wickedly. "Could it be that you want me after all?"
He gently stroked her folds running his fingertips through her wetness smiling as she jumped
from the shock of sensation once again.
"Please," she gasped brokenly.
She took a breath to say something else, but at that moment he replaced his teasing fingertips
with his tongue and latched his mouth over her clit. Whatever else she was going to say was cut off
with her strangled moan. He feasted on her flesh suckling on her clit, pushing his fingers into her tight
channel. She thrashed beneath him and closed her eyes, tossing her beautiful head back and forth
between her restrained arms in a silent 'no,' but he knew she was getting close to pleading 'yes.'
"Do you want this?" he growled noting the dewy glow of her skin, feeling through their
connection that she was close. "Just say it, my sweet. Just call my name."
"Please," she begged brokenly. "Please, yes!"
He laughed darkly into her flesh sending another delightful shiver through her body.
"Since you said the magic word, Little One," he teased.
He latched his mouth on her clit and suckled one last time sending her body convulsing beneath
him and around his invading fingers. He looked up at her beautiful face as she writhed and gasped with
pleasure. She was so gorgeous when she came.
He made his way back up her slender body watching her with relish; her beautiful eyes were
deep blue and smoky with passion, her lips were swollen, her cheeks flushed, and her body covered
with a glistening sheen sweat.
His control slipped a little more.
"One more time," he breathed kissing her lips, letting her taste herself.
He pressed her thighs apart with his own, and taking his throbbing erection in hand, slowly
entered her. He groaned at her tight heat encompassing him and smiled as she gasped beneath him in
blissful agony as he filled her aching body.
"You see what you do to me, Anna?" he demanded. "You see how you drive me to my absolute
limit?"
She shook her head.
"Don't deny me," he growled. "I can't take you denying me in my dreams."
She moaned and closed her eyes once again as he began to thrust into her; grinding into her
pelvis and then slamming his hips against hers. He put his hands under her knees and angled her hips to
allow his thrusts to penetrate even deeper. He groaned in pleasure as he felt even more blessed friction.
She struggled against the invisible bounds on her hands and her head thrashed back and forth as he
thrust and ground against her gasping in tiny hiccoughing breaths as he brought her to the brink once
more. He could feel the heat between them; the sweaty moisture at their pelvises where their bodies
were joined somehow just intensified the sensation of their coupling. He felt his cock swell inside of
her even more as he struggled to maintain control and he could tell by the trembling of her slender
frame beneath him that she was just as close.
"Open your eyes and look at me," he growled.
In the heat of passion, she could only obey.
"Say my name, Anna," he demanded. "Say it."
"I..." she whimpered.
"No!" he cried harshly, barely holding on himself. "My name; I want to hear you scream it.
Now, Anna!"
"Please," she begged, "you don't under..."
"Anna!" he screamed.
 "No!" she screeched back. "I..."
His control slipped, and with a roar he came convulsing and thrusting within her. He wrapped
his arms about her frame and at the same moment bit down at her neck, clutching her against his body
with bestial possessiveness as he fed from her sweet, endorphin-filled blood. He could vaguely hear her
cries as she lost herself again, but he could barely hold onto his raging body as he slammed mercilessly
into her riding out his orgasm and succumbing to the pleasure of the feed.
When he finally came back to his senses, she was crying beneath him. The beast was quieted at
once. With a thought her hands were released and he licked the wounds at her neck sealing them.
"Anna," he said gently. "What's wrong?"
She shook her head and kept crying.
"My love," he breathed. "Why are you crying?"
Her beautiful blue eyes looked into his brokenly. "I don't know your name," she sobbed. "I don't
know who you are!"
Cael stared at her in horror.

*****************

Alexander!
Alexander!
A voice echoed in his mind, pulling him away from his Anna's broken eyes.
"Alexander!"
"Alexander!"
His eyes popped open and he rose with a vicious snarl.
"What!"
Kieran froze and stared at him uncertainly. "Are you all right?"
"No," he returned passing his hands over his eyes for a moment to bring his racing heart back to
normal. "What the fuck are you doing waking me up in the middle of the afternoon?"
"We've got a video of Mara just outside of Chicago," Kieran began, but he paused as though
searching for the right words.
Even though he was thoroughly irritated and confused by his strange dream, Alexander could
tell that something about the video had upset Kieran. He almost looked...spooked.
"And?" he demanded, knowing he was being an ass but unable to help himself.
"You need to see it. I don't know what else to say. You just need to see it."
He nodded. "Give me a minute to pull myself together and I'll meet you in the security room."
Kieran nodded and left him.
Alexander sighed. His boxers were soaked again and his body was drenched in sweat. It had
been centuries since he'd had dreams like this; it made him feel like an adolescent boy.
He hastily hopped in the shower cleaning the remainders of his disturbing sleep from his body
and dressed in his habitual well-pressed suit. Being the Ancient One in America forced him to keep a
certain appearance; powerful, tailored, wealthy. He sighed remembering the few happy days when he
could just be a normal person, driving with his beautiful Anna, stealing her French fries. How her eyes
had glittered playfully as she smacked his hand away...he only had time for those thoughts in his
dreams anymore. It was time to put her to rest, deal with this Mara woman and Paola, and work to
strengthen the American kingdom once again.
Kieran was waiting for him with the surveillance tech in a small, dark room under the New York
mansion. They were having a discussion about the clarity of the video, and as usual, Kieran looked
pissed.
When he entered the room, the tech rose and bowed.
"Good afternoon, Ancient One," he said respectfully.
 "Let's see what we have," Alexander replied.
The tech nodded and after typing a few things on his keyboard, pulled the video up on the
screen.
The quality wasn't great, but Alexander couldn't see why Kieran was so angry about it. Granted,
just about everything seemed to irritate the testy vampire; it was part of his charm.
He watched as a woman went up to the ATM. She had straight hair, though the video was black
and white, he'd guess it to be light brown or dirty blonde. Her bangs were pulled over her eyes and she
was careful to keep her head down in order to hide her features. From what he could see, Mara wasn't a
woman to write home about. He watched her swipe her card and then froze as another woman rushed
up to her. For a moment it was like his world completely stopped; his heart didn't beat, he didn't take a
breath, there was no sound, no movement. For an endless second life was a frozen frame, a picture.
It couldn't be.
When the film started moving for him, Alexander couldn't tell because his mind and body were
still immobile.
Dark hair, slender...even with the black and white cameras you could tell she had amazing eyes.
Those eyes glittered strangely, and she seemed to be afraid.
His heart started pounding again, but it was viciously loud in his ears. He was still unable to
move as he watched her try to pull Mara away from the ATM. Her angelic eyes were wide, her
movements were hurried, her hands were shaking. She was afraid. Finally, Mara seemed to relent and
went with her. They passed out of the view of the camera.
"Play it again," Alexander demanded. He wasn't quite sure if he'd said it loud enough. He could
hear nothing over the pounding of his heart.
"Wait," replied Kieran.
Only a few seconds later a car came barrelling towards the camera and crashed violently into it.
The video went dead.
"Okay," Kieran said to the tech. "Play it again. Freeze when we get to that face shot we talked
about."
The tech nodded.
Alexander stared mutely as the video played again. This time as the girl looked in the direction
of the camera on the ATM, her beautiful eyes glittering strangely, her expression marked with fear, the
frame froze.
Alexander stared.
His heart pounded even louder.
Was he breathing?
He looked at her face once again and felt his eyes fill with tears.
"Leave us," he vaguely heard Kieran say to the tech.
Impossible. Impossible...
He fell to his knees gasping, his chest aching, his eyes leaking tears.
OH GOD!
How was it possible? She was dead. Her heart didn't have the ability to move the blood through
her body enough to force the change. She was dead. Three days later when he said goodbye to her, she
was still dead. The woman on the screen was some kind of imposter.
He looked up at the image and felt his soul scream.
Anna, my Anna, you're alive!
"Well, now we know what Mara did with her body," Kieran said quietly.
Oh fuck. She'd been alive. He'd locked her in the tomb alive!
"I left her in that room. As a newly turned vampire she would have no strength. I left her there
to die," he said brokenly.
"You thought she was already dead."
 "Good God," he gasped. "What have I done?"
"You didn't do anything. She shouldn't be alive."
"And yet, there she is," he said.
He bowed his head and struggled to control the overwhelming emotions. Joy, grief, horror,
anger, guilt, and...hope.
"Why hasn't she come to you?"
Suddenly his dreams made sense. His Anna, looking at him in confusion; drawn to him even
though she couldn't remember she loved him. Their connection was still pulling them towards each
other unwittingly. He looked up at the frozen frame; her gorgeous eyes were glittering with power; the
power his blood had given her. Then there were the strange dreams; they were too real, as though she
was really there, and there was something about them...the way his body had responded so physically
to them; he'd known those were the signs of a dream walker. In those dreams she'd been so timid,
confused, sad, and after tonight he finally understood.
"She doesn't remember me," he said quietly.
"What?" Kieran demanded. "How could she not?"
"How much did you remember after your change?"
He sighed. "It was so long ago, Alexander. I know there is memory loss with the change at first,
but she's been alive for almost a month. It should be back by now."
"The change process must have been incredibly slow," Alexander said rising to pace
thoughtfully. "Her heart wasn't moving the blood through her body. It only had its own invasive
characteristics. It shouldn't have happened. The blood isn't that strong."
Kieran chuckled darkly. "Your blood is stronger than anyone can imagine. With you, anything is
possible." He frowned. "How do you know she is suffering from memory loss and hasn't just decided to
leave you?"
Alexander looked at the screen and stared at his beautiful Anna's glowing eyes and frightened
face. There she was; his Little One, his love, his mate. She was alive, alone, and abandoned by the man
who'd sworn to protect her to flounder in their world with only an outcast of society for her guide.
She'd come to him unknowingly in her dreams, and he'd taken control of them, making love to her, but
denying her what she'd been truly seeking; answers.
"She's a dream walker. She's been coming to my dreams."

**************

Anna awoke with a start sitting up at once. Her body was still hot from the erotic dream, her
thighs were soaking wet, and her heart pounded. She wanted to let out a scream of frustration. She'd
been so bent on talking to him but he'd unwittingly done everything in his power to keep her from
asking him the one thing he'd demanded; his name. She was sure if he just told her that she'd remember
everything.
GOD!
She wanted to remember so badly. The only thing that restrained her from throwing a temper
tantrum was the sleeping Mara in the other bed. Not that much would wake her up during the day.
Over the past few weeks, Anna had learned that she and Mara were very different. Mara could
barely rouse herself when the sun was up, and she wasn't nearly as fast or as powerful. However, what
she lacked in power, she made up for in street smarts. Last night they'd managed to unload most of the
stuff she'd stolen from the abandoned mansion and their pockets were filled with money. Mara
deposited a great deal of it in the bank before sunrise, but she'd held out nearly $1000 so they could buy
some new clothes for the trip to New York.
Anna was a little excited about that. Mara was shaped differently than she was and her clothes
were ill-fitting. Even though Anna's body was less frail now that she was a vampire, she had always
been delicate and her mentor's clothes hung in all the wrong places. The sun was supposed to set at
7:30 tonight and Mara had promised they'd go shopping at the mall before they continued on. She was
ready. She was ready to go to New York and to start a new life; a life as a vampire.
She hopped out of bed and went to take a shower to get cleaned up. She smelled like sex even
though she'd not had intercourse. She blushed to think about what Mara would say to that. The hot
water relaxed her and she took time to shampoo and condition her hair. She'd been noticing strange
changes in her body. The hair on her head was thicker than ever, but she was losing it in other places.
She hadn't shaved her legs in over a week, but she didn't have stubble, and the hair at her sex had fallen
out, too. At first she panicked. The last thing she wanted to be was a bald and ugly vampire, but Mara
had laughed kindly and told her that losing body hair was all part of the change; just like dealing with
the hunger pangs, the strange urge to growl and bare fangs at irritating people. She'd noticed other
things; the tone of her voice, the sway of her hips, the glow of her eyes. She was becoming less and less
human every day.
She sighed and soaped her breasts thoughtfully. Other than the tremendous memory loss and
trauma of the forced change, being a vampire wasn't so bad...
She felt a stab of pain in her heart and fell to her knees gasping. It was like a sudden torrent of
indescribable emotions; guilt, celebration, horror, passion, elation, and aching loneliness all crammed
into a moment's breath and a few beats of her non-human heart. She shivered despite the hot water. She
was quite sure those feelings weren't hers.
Okay. So there was one tiny problem with being a vampire.
She felt things. Like the car at the ATM. She felt when bad things were coming.
She wasn't quite sure if she liked that part. She didn't know what it meant and she could tell it
scared Mara shitless.
She stood and took a deep breath and stood up again. The panic attack was over. She finished
her shower and stepped out wrapping her dripping body with the rough motel towel that was barely big
enough to cover her breasts. Sighing, she picked through her tangles staring into the cloudy mirror
thoughtfully.
Suddenly she screamed in horror. Staring back at her were shadowed, black eyes glittering
evilly.
Mara... a wicked voice whispered.
Chapter Fifteen
"Oh Angel!" cried Mara pulling a shirt off the rack. "This is gorgeous."
Angel smiled at her. It was strange going shopping with Mara. Supposedly, she was a mentor,
but in many ways it was like going shopping with someone her own age. She didn't look older or even
act older. Somehow there was still a youthful innocence about her; as though Mara's life had stopped
the moment she became a vampire nearly twenty years ago. She hadn't talked about it often, but Angel
was smart enough to read as much from, if not more from what Mara didn't say about her past. From
those poignantly painful silences, she could tell that she'd been tormented, used, harmed by her creator.
He'd manipulated her into doing things; things that made the woman's face darken with pain, guilt,
horror. Mara never even said her creator's name as though saying the word on her lips might bring him
with all his wickedness back into her life.
"What do you think?"
Angel stared at the shirt and her smiling friend thoughtfully. "It'll look really hot with some
black pants," she suggested.
Mara smiled with excitement and added it to the stack of clothes on her arm and bounced off to
find a set of black pants.
Angel picked a few things as well, though after her strange encounter in the mirror, she wasn't
quite up to shopping anymore. For the past few hours, she'd avoided looking into any reflective surface,
fearing that she'd see that wicked face again.
Since she awoke as a vampire she'd been inundated with faces and images from a hazy past.
There was her rapist; a man with blue eyes and brown hair who later, during her "dark time," as she
was now calling that time between her rape and when she was turned, became a vampire. Then there
was a god-like vampire with icy eyes that glinted as if he bordered on insane, and a gorgeous red-
haired woman who seemed dark and calculating. Angel knew these faces to be evil, wicked; people not
to be trusted. She couldn't remember who they were or what they did, but she knew they had somehow
caused her harm.
Then there was a handsome vampire with white-blond hair and platinum eyes whose lips
seemed to be twisted in a perpetual smirk and another vampire with dark hair, dark eyes and always
seemed to be irritated and annoyed. Even though they were vampires, too, she got the sense that they
were trustworthy.
She saw so many flashes of people in her memories, but none of them had the intensity of
emotion, the absolute pull of longing that she felt for the vampire with jade eyes. He haunted her in her
dreams, made love to her so passionately that she'd hurried to bed the past few mornings hoping her
dreams would take her to him again. She looked at the clothes she picked wondering if he'd think she
would look nice in them and then shook her head. She didn't even know who he was, or if he was real.
He was just a dream.
She smiled at Mara as she picked out some sexy lingerie and then held up a set in Anna's size
for her.
"Those are hot," she agreed finding herself blushing a little.
It felt good to be doing "normal" things again. Shopping, trying on sexy lingerie with a
girlfriend, walking through the mall window shopping. It was a far cry from driving in a beat-up SUV
with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen goods in the rear, learning how to be a vampire.
Tonight, she almost felt ordinary.
"Let's try on!" Mara said smiling hugely at her clothes-filled arms.
Angel followed her in the dressing room and took the stall next to hers.
She quickly shed her ill-fitting clothes and tried on the sexy bra first. She closed her eyes and
turned around to look in the mirror. God, she hoped she only saw herself in a black lace bra. She
peeked one eye open and then sighed in relief. It was just her in a seriously sexy bra. She smiled. If
only the man of her dreams could see her in this!
She tried on several outfits, some jeans, some black pants, cute tops. She and Mara smiled and
giggled like girls as they modelled for each other parading around the dressing room in their new, sexy
clothing. They ended up spending their entire budget, but both of them were smiling broadly when they
finally left the department store. Mara insisted that they change from their old rags into one of the new
outfits before they headed out, and Angel smiled in agreement. They decided to change in the gas
station bathroom before they left so Angel filled up while Mara changed. Then they switched.
Angel quickly slipped into her new clothes humming happily to herself. This was the beginning
of a new life. They were on their way to New York! She straightened her clothing and then walked over
to the mirror to check herself out. She struck a flirtatious little pose and smiled turning around to see
how her rear looked in the jeans. Smiling to herself she took one last glance.
She froze in horror. Standing behind her in the mirror's reflection was the horrible-looking
vampire from earlier. His eyes were black and shadowed, his skin was pasty and carcass-like, and about
him was a sense of malevolence. It was worse than the darkness she gathered from the face of her rapist
or the icy-eyed vampire. In this vampire's soulless eyes was nothing but pure, unadulterated evil.
She wanted to scream, but she couldn't manage to move, she couldn't manage to breathe. Her
heart pounded as he continued to stare at her. Then suddenly he smiled wickedly, baring his fangs.
Perhaps it was her mind playing tricks on her, but they seemed yellowed, like this vampire was more of
a beast than a man.
"Who are you?" she demanded trying to be brave.
"Mara," he whispered, the voice sending a shiver down her spine.
A fierce sense of protectiveness came over her for her friend. Whoever this wicked, disgusting
vampire was, she wasn't going to let him touch Mara.
"No!" she snapped turning around and baring her fangs.
Angel froze and stared in confusion; there was no one behind her. She turned back to look in the
mirror. She was alone again.
Shuddering, she hurried out of the bathroom, her playfulness gone. Just like the car barrelling
towards the ATM, she didn't know how she knew, but she knew that wicked vampire was following
them. She knew that he wanted Mara.
Mara was standing outside the SUV and waved to her excitedly.
"Angel you look hot!" she exclaimed.
"Let's get out of here," she replied quietly.
Mara froze. "What's wrong?"
"Let's go and I'll explain while you drive."

**************

"You're shitting me!" Darian exclaimed when he watched the video beside Kieran.
"Nope."
He stared at it in amazement as the video played over again. He wanted to rub his eyes, blink,
do something to fix what his mind told him was absolutely impossible.
"Unbelievable."
"Yep."
A million things passed through his mind.
Anna was alive? Anna was turned. Alexander must be pissed. Good thing he'd advised him not
to bury the girl.
He wondered about that. It wasn't a vision that told him to entomb her instead of burying her
beneath the earth; it was just a...feeling. There were times he felt like his powers were limitless; a
dream walker, a psychic, a seer. How had his power failed him like this? He'd always known when
things like this were happening. It was why he was so powerful; he knew when people were trying
something, were messing with him, especially when they were in close proximity. He'd held the girl's
hand, and damn it, he'd sensed nothing! He looked back up to the screen. There she was; obviously a
vampire now, her incredible eyes glittering with the power Alexander's blood had given her.
"Fuck," he breathed quietly as he shook his head.
"Yep."
At once his thoughts went to his friend. He'd just been starting to move on. The American
kingdom was getting back under control, his businesses were flourishing again, and even though he'd
been terribly grieved, he'd forced himself along. In the blink of an eye, all that had changed again.
"How's Alexander?" he asked Kieran.
"Ready to call a mass manhunt."
"I don't blame him."
"He thinks the girl hasn't gotten her memory back yet," Kieran said. "He thinks that's why she
hasn't sought him out."
"How can he be sure?"
The dark vampire shrugged irritably. "He says she's a dream walker."
Darian looked at the screen again and watched as she pulled Mara away from the ATM, only for
it to be completely destroyed moments later. She was having the visions all right.
"How does he know she doesn't have his memory?" he asked curiously even as he stared with
mesmerized fascination watching the scene play over and over again.
"He said that she couldn't remember his name in a dream yesterday."
"Of course. She's been coming to his dreams without knowing what she was doing," he breathed
recalling how Alexander had mourned that she'd been haunting his sleep.
Kieran nodded. "When you first changed, did you do it?"
Darian chuckled to himself remembering his ineptitude at the time.
"Yeah, I was invading dreams left and right without knowing what was happening. It took me
centuries to master doing it consciously and even longer to do things when I was awake. Back when I
was turned, the visions were uncontrollable. At the time we were called Oracles; people who could
have visions about the future. Most of the vampires I knew who had the gift ended up killing
themselves. It's not an easy gift to manage; that's why there are so few now."
"Another reason to find her then," Kieran said.
Darian smiled. "Finally admitting that you care for the girl are we?"
"Alexander loves her."
"Yeah, he does."
"So now what?"
Darian watched the video thoughtfully. "He's probably just created one of the most powerful
dream walkers alive, next to me. We really do need to get to her quickly. Sometimes the visions can be
overwhelming."
"Do I start a mass man hunt then?"
"Send out the call," Darian said, "but tell them not to approach. Just watch and report."
"What should I tell Alexander?"
"I'll tell him, but don't say anything else until we've found her. To lose a true mate is
incapacitating; if he hadn't been alone for so long I would have expected him to kill himself. Now to
find she's alive... he's on edge and dangerous. I'd keep people away from him for a while."
Kieran nodded.
"I'm going to check on him," he said turning to leave the security room.
"Good luck."
He walked through the halls of Alexander's mansion thoughtfully. He'd always known there was
something special about Anna, other than being Alexander's true mate; it had been in her eyes. Perhaps
more than anyone, he felt particularly responsible for her. With all his foreknowledge, he'd not been
able to see enough to protect her; she'd been nearly impossible to read. Even as a human, he should
have been able to recognize the mark of her eyes; the potential for what she could become. He shook
his head in regret; he'd been so distracted, and Alexander had been horribly protective. Suddenly he
smiled a little wickedly to himself. It served his brother just right to have a dream-walker as a mate.
Anna was going to keep the Ancient One busy for many a century- once he got her back.
He opened the door to Alexander's office without knocking and chuckled wickedly as he
growled, his jade eyes glinted and he bared his fangs in surprise and anger.
"Good evening," he said lightly.
He noted that his friend had been sitting at his desk reading over paperwork. His hair was
unruly as though he'd been running his fingers through it in frustration and his eyes were tight. On the
outside he looked like a calm, put together Ancient One, but Darian could feel it; the tension bubbling
just beneath the surface.
"How are you?"
By now, he'd managed to get his eyes and fangs back under control and he looked irritable. He
grunted and shrugged.
Darian walked over to his desk and looked at the stack casually. He'd been going over reports of
murders that had been expected to have vampire perpetrators. There were several vampires who loved
death, enjoyed the kill, and tortured humans as they drank their blood. Francisco Paola had been one of
them, and his Little One, Mara was obviously tied to Anna. It probably wasn't the best thing for him to
be reading about at the moment. He was upset enough as it was.
"You probably should just table all that until you're in a better frame of mind," he chided.
He put his head in his hands and shook his head. "I have to do something. I want to be out there,
actively looking for her, but I'm here in my luxurious home while she's living in danger fleeing with
Paola's Little One. Mara is a complete vagabond. She's been a thief for the past 2 years, and before that
she'd been an accessory to Paola's murders for nearly 18 years."
"That vagabond saved your Little One's life," Darian reminded him. "You're lucky she found her
and has been guiding her."
"I should be guiding her," Alexander growled. He stood, his eyes glittering with rage once again
and began pacing anxiously.
Darian watched him cautiously. He was most definitely on edge.
"Yes," he agreed neutrally. "You should. But you're here, and she's out there. We're putting out a
massive search. We'll have information soon."
Alexander stopped pacing and looked out into the darkness as though his glittering eyes would
pierce the shadows and find her. Then he shook his head irritably and began to pace again.
Darian watched him for a while knowing when to be silent. His friend would talk again when he
was ready.
"For the first time in centuries, I'm actually looking forward to sunrise," Alexander said at last.
"Oh?"
"She's been coming to my dreams. I knew the signs but..." he shrugged, "how could I believe
that she was alive?"
"So you're going to try to talk to her?"
Alexander nodded. "The last several times she's come to me, but I've controlled the dream. I
think I could force her to stay a while and speak with her."
"You are much more powerful than she is, and you know how to use it," Darian agreed. "But
don't be fooled by her youth as a vampire. Anna's having the visions, and she's got your blood. Dream
walking is obviously her talent, not yours. She might be able to pull away from you more easily than
you suspect. The fact that she's allowed you to control the dreams should actually be more encouraging
to you than anything else."
"Oh?"
"It means that part of her wanted to let you."
He watched his friend mull over that for a moment.
"Maybe I can convince her to come to me."
"And if you cannot? If you frighten her?"
Alexander's jaw clenched. "Then I will bring her in against her will."
"She has every reason to hate you," Darian said. "She's a Little One, abandoned. She might run
from you."
Alexander grunted.
"I'm just warning you. I want you to be prepared for all possibilities. We don't know what
happened to Anna in her last moments. All we know that it was brutal, she was terrified and tortured.
Even if she remembers, she might not come to you. For some reason I'm not very good at reading her,
perhaps because she's a dream-walker, too, but I see that she might run, that she might try to escape
you."
Alexander's jaw clenched angrily. "She doesn't have a choice," he nearly snarled. "A Little One
is bound to her creator. She has my blood, and is therefore mine."
Darian chuckled. "Even if she remembers you, she'll fight you about that. You didn't pick the
most tractable woman to be your mate. Be prepared for a battle."
He smiled baring just a hint of his fangs. "I look forward to it."

****************

"Promise me you won't freak out?" Angel said.

"Sweetheart," Mara laughed, "you've been freaking me out since day one."
"Yeah," Angel sighed, "me, too." She looked out the window and wondered for the millionth
time who turned her into a vampire. Whoever it was, did they know that she was seeing things like
this? Did they know how terrifying it was? Did they even care?
"Out with it."
"I was drying my hair when I got out of the shower earlier, and I looked into the mirror." She
shivered. "It was cloudy, I mean, the bathroom was a sauna, but..." as if she summoned it, the wicked
face flashed before her eyes, making her shudder. "There was this face."
"The hot guy with the green eyes?" Mara asked teasingly.
"No. He was...evil. His eyes were dark, maybe black, but I couldn't tell because it's like his eye
sockets were so shadowed that you couldn't see for sure. He looked like some kind of demon, a
skeleton."
Mara didn't say anything.
"So, at first, I thought it was nothing. I'd just gotten out of a dream with the hot vampire I keep
seeing and so I thought that maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me."
The car was silent. Mara didn't even tease her about her steamy dreams. Angel felt her heart
pound. She was right. This was something bad. She forced herself to keep on telling her tale.
"I was kinda upset, so I didn't look into any mirrors for a while. But then we were trying on
clothes and having fun and everything was fine."
Mara still didn't say anything.
"Just now in the bathroom, I could have sworn he was standing behind me when I looked in the
mirror, but when I turned around to face him, he wasn't there."
The car was silent for several moments and Angel felt herself squirming in the seat
uncomfortably. She didn't know what she'd do if Mara lost it on her.
"Is there anything else?"
 "Yeah," she replied quietly. "He keeps saying your name. I think he's looking for you."
Mara slammed on the brakes making the car swerve and skid. Angel gasped and clung for dear
life as the vehicle fishtailed and leaned on two wheels as though it was going to topple over. Her body
slammed against the side of the door as the car tipped frighteningly. Instinctively, Mara corrected the
steering, righting the SUV. Finally, after what seemed an eternity of swerving, screeching tires, and
being knocked around, they skidded to a halt.
When the dust finally settled Angel looked over at Mara. She was sitting still, clutching the
steering wheel as though her life depended on the grip. She wasn't moving.
"Mara?" Angel asked. "Are you okay?"
She didn't answer.
"Mara?"
Angel reached out to touch her but suddenly Mara came to life with a despairing wail.
"Oh God! Oh God!" she whimpered in a frantic voice. "He's coming for me. He's going to kill
me. Oh GOD!" She looked around wildly as though he was going to show up in front of the car at any
minute. "Angel, what am I going to do?"
"Maybe it's just me being stupid and the visions don't mean anything," she replied trying to
comfort her friend.
Deep down, she knew that they did. There was something too real, too pulling about her visions.
Even the strange dreams with the gorgeous, green-eyed stranger were much too intense to be normal
dreams. Half the time she wasn't even sure if she was awake or asleep; the familiar boundaries she'd
grown accustomed to between dreams and reality just weren't there anymore. It was like she was
constantly walking around with her subconscious more "conscious" than "sub." She knew she was a
dream walker, but she didn't know what it meant.
"No," Mara wailed nearly hyperventilating. "He's coming. You're a dream walker. I know it!"
"Okay," she placated, "maybe I am. Maybe I am that thing you said. It may mean he's looking
for you in California, or it may mean he's here in Illinois. We don't know. I don't know anything except
that these dreams and visions are freaking me out. I'm not in control of anything. It seems like they just
come depending on the breeze. So..." she shrugged helplessly.
"You need to get away from me," Mara said. "He'll hurt you, too, Angel. Francisco is..." She
bowed her head as tears filled her eyes and shook it over and over again.
Angel reached out and touched her arm. She peeled a hand from the steering wheel and then
clasped it tightly. For a long time they sat holding onto each other for dear life, both of them feeling
their lives spinning out of control; fearing impending doom, uncertainty, haunting shadows.
Finally, Angel squeezed Mara's hand.
"I'm going to drive," she said. "I think we need keep moving. I'm not leaving you. We're in this
together, Mara."
Her friend looked up with broken eyes, but for a moment they glinted with hope. Then she
bowed her head again and sighed shaking it.
"Come on," said Angel. "Let's get going."
They got out of the car and switched seats.
"All right Mara," said Angel. "It's time to tell your story. Who is following us? What happened
to you?"
Mara nodded and sighed. "His name is Francisco Paola..."

***************

Kieran stepped out of the limo in front of the intelligence tower that housed the most advanced
and up to date surveillance computers in the world. With their ability to control the minds of humans,
their long lives, and their unique powers, vampires had managed to dominate the technology world.
Granted, Intel and Microsoft were still running amuck with the humans, but the true state of the art
stuff; they had the ability to steal or create all of it. People bowed to him as he passed and hopped
around to make way for the Ancient One's second in command. Usually it amused him; people literally
feared his glittering brown eyes and dark persona, but tonight, he wasn't so easily distracted.
"Good evening Mr. Montasse," said the head of the surveillance division as he sketched a bow.
"This is an unexpected visit."
Kieran nodded. "We're going to initialize a massive manhunt," he said.
The vampire looked at him for a moment in shock, but quickly recovered. "I assure you that we
have located all the traitors who ran away," he said.
"Yes," Kieran agreed. "I know." He smiled to himself as the vampire squirmed a little.
"How may we assist you then?" he asked bowing again.
Kieran smiled and pulled the jump drive out of his pocket.
"Let me show you."
The video was pulled up and Kieran had them freeze on a good frame of Mara's face and a good
frame of Anna's face.
"I want these women found," he said. "They were last sited at the bank outside of Chicago. We
have no license plate of the vehicle except that it is a blue SUV, early model. You will do everything in
your capacity to locate them and then to keep them under surveillance. Do not make any contact with
them, at all. I will be notified the moment they have been located."
The people about him nodded.
"How intense is the search supposed to be?"
"I want an all-out manhunt," said Kieran. "I want these women found. I wanted them found
yesterday!"
People started scrambling when he snapped it and at once they started working.

****************

This time she was sure it was a dream. When she 'dream walked' in her sleep it seemed that she
could identify the difference between dream and reality better than when she was awake. She was in a
house; middle class, single family home. It could be any home in America. Though she didn't know
how, she knew that there was a family with two children asleep in the place. Everything seemed
peaceful.
She wondered why she'd come here. Her intent had been to seek out the vampire with jade eyes
because after what Mara had told her about Paola, she was terrified. She knew neither she nor Mara
were powerful enough to resist him, even together. Curiously she looked around. There were family
photos on the walls and toys laying around in the living room. For a moment her heart ached. This
would never be her home. She'd never have children. She was a vampire now, destined to live eternity
in the shadows, destined to be alone.
Suddenly she jumped as the front door opened. She turned and stared as a dark shadow entered
the house. Her heart sunk, the way he moved, he could only be a vampire. She wondered if she should
hide, but she figured it was only a dream, and when he walked right past her she knew that she wasn't
really there. She wondered what the dark vampire was doing in the place. Robbing them? They didn't
look like they had much to begin with. Curiously she followed as he climbed the stairs on silent feet.
It was obvious the bedrooms were upstairs and she saw him pause and consider each one. He
selected the one where the door was open just a crack; a parent's trick to listen for the cries of the little
ones.
Angel's heart began to pound. At once, she knew that the vampire's intent was evil and that
somehow he was going to hurt the people behind the door. She wanted to scream, do something to
wake this family, to protect them, but she wasn't really there. He walked into the bedroom and stood
staring at the couple on the bed. Angel walked around him and tried to touch the people, to wake them
up, but her fingers passed through them. She stared at the vampire again, thinking maybe her power
could affect him.
"Stop!" she said.
He didn't hear her.
"Stop!" she cried again.
He walked over to the husband and touched his forehead strangely.
"Wake up and seduce your wife," he said to the man his voice dripping with malevolence.
At once, the man groaned and rolled over kissing his wife tenderly, stroking her with gentle
familiarity. The woman cooed softly at her husband's touch, but Angel felt her stomach turn; this was
wrong. What the vampire was doing was wrong.
"That's it," the vampire hissed. He crawled onto the bed with them and began to kiss the woman
as well, and she moaned softly as she slowly emerged from sleep.
When her eyes opened she screamed in horror at the man lying above her kissing her while her
husband continued to stroke her.
"Good evening," the vampire chuckled.
Angel stared in horror as he raped the screaming woman while her husband simply lay beside
them and watched, stroking her occasionally as the vampire commanded. Finally as the vampire
climaxed, he bit down on her neck and simultaneously drank from her his body pulsing above her like
some kind of vicious beast. She wanted out of the dream. She wanted to escape from the vision. The
woman's broken cries and screams, the way she looked at her husband in absolute despair as he simply
watched another man raping her made her collapse to her knees sobbing. Finally she noticed that the
vampire had stopped feeding, but he didn't lick the wounds on her neck. Instead, he let her bleed.
"Momma?" cried a child's voice from behind the cracked door.
Angel felt her soul shatter.
Dear God. Please not the babies!
The vampire looked up his black eyes glittering wickedly.
"Come in," he said.
Angel screamed, finally recognizing those wicked eyes; Francisco Paola. She closed her eyes
and sobbed.
Oh God. Oh God.
She couldn't look anymore. She didn't want to see.
Please take me away from here, God, she prayed silently over and over again.

*****************

"Shh, Anna. It's all right. Stop crying, Little One."

She knew that voice; it was sensual, melodious, and rich with power.
His fingers ran through her hair and she felt another hand caress her back. She was still kneeling
on the floor and she felt the warmth of his body kneeling beside her, touching her tenderly stroking her
comfortingly.
She opened her eyes to find herself in a completely different bedroom. She looked up to see the
vampire with jade eyes looking at her in concern.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She shook her head and pulled away from him.
His face troubled and he reached out to pull her close.
"No!" she literally snarled scrambling away to put distance between them. "Who are you? What
do you want from me?"
 His eyes tightened for a moment as if he was angry, but then he sighed and stood as well.
"I want to talk to you," he said. "I want to explain what is happening to you."
Angel shook her head. "That's not what you've done the last few times I was here."
He smiled. "You didn't complain too much, either."
She bowed her head feeling like some kind of slut for sleeping with this complete stranger,
feeling guilty until she remembered that like her other terrible dream, this one was just that; a dream.
Then she shook her head. Was any of this really a dream? She knew with complete certainty that the
vision she had just seen before had happened, so was this really just a dream?
"I'm complaining now," she finally answered.
He thought about her answer and then nodded. "Very well. I'll give you my word. Let's leave my
bedroom and we'll sit and talk, if it would make you feel better."
She looked at him uncertainly. Could she somehow be trapped in these visions? Perhaps she
should flee?
"I've never harmed you in any other dream, Anna," he said as though he could read her
thoughts. "I promise not to hurt you now."
She looked at him hating herself for feeling so drawn to him. She wanted answers, yes, but she
also wanted him, and she didn't understand why. Finally she nodded.
He opened the door for her and she walked into an elaborate living area. Anna hadn't seen
money like this in her entire life; she looked around feeling like ogling idiot as she took in the
expensive décor. He put his hand on her elbow, surprising her and she jumped and turned baring her
fangs with a defensive growl.
For a moment his jade eyes flashed angrily, but then he put his hands in the air to signify he
meant no harm.
"Please," he said gesturing to the elegant sofa in the sitting area, "sit down. I'll answer your
questions as best as I can."
Angel obediently sat down, and he sat across from her in a leather chair.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
His eyes seemed hurt when she said it and he sighed sadly. "My name is Alexander. When you
were a human, we were lovers."
She looked at him in disappointment. She'd hoped that when he told her his name that
everything would come back, but it didn't. She looked at him and instinctively knew that she'd never
called him Alexander, that she'd known him by some other name. Perhaps he'd told her his true name?
He knew hers.
"That's not your name," she accused.
He smiled. "If you cannot remember my true name, I'm not going to give it to you except in
person. Dreams are dangerous places to reveal such things."
She seemed to think about it and then nodded. "I'm called Angel now," she said.
He smiled at her, and for a moment she couldn't help but to admire his beauty. She couldn't
believe that she'd been lovers with a vampire like him, but the dreams had been enough to convince
her.
"I like that. I think it is what I would have called you if I'd had the opportunity."
She looked at him cautiously. "Are you the one who turned me?"
He nodded.
Tears filled her eyes but she blinked them away angrily. "Why did you leave me? Why did you
abandon me?"
"Anna," he began.
"No!" she snapped angrily. "You don't get to call me that. You left me. You locked me in a
prison cell!"
His eyes glittered in anger. "You are my Little One," he snapped in return. "I know your true
name. You are created by my blood. You are mine!"
Angel tried to stand and flee from him but she felt her body unable to move and she knew that
he was restraining her with his power.
"You will listen, Anna," he said. "You're not going anywhere."
Her heart pounded. Was her creator just like Paola? Was he a wicked beast who was using her
for sex, and for his own devices? She felt her stomach tighten in a ball of apprehension. She couldn't
handle another horrible dream tonight. She was so close to breaking down emotionally from what she'd
been seeing the past few days, she couldn't handle this.
He seemed to recognize her fear, for his eyes turned gentle again and he took a deep breath as if
to control his temper.
"I'm sorry, love," he said more gently. "I know you're frightened and confused. I know you feel
abandoned and alone. Please believe me that if I had known you were alive, that you were going to turn
after all, I would have never left you as I did. I thought you were dead."
She didn't know what to say to that. Mara had been telling her the same thing, but after all the
wickedness she'd seen tonight, she didn't feel very trusting.
"What do you want from me?" she asked.
"I want you to come to me," he replied. "I want you to be my Little One, to stay by my side, to
share my knowledge with you. If you'll come to me, I can probably restore your memory to you, I have
great power."
She thought about that. She wanted to belong somewhere. The life on the run with Mara was
difficult for her, and despite her caution she was inexplicably drawn to this vampire. She looked into
his eyes and felt a pull in her soul. It called for her capitulation, for her to seek him out and to join him.
"Where do you live?" she asked quietly.
"I have a home in New York," he said, "but if you tell me where you are I can send people to
you. I am sure you don't have much fleeing with the criminal, Mara."
The fact that he called Mara a criminal irked her. The woman had saved her life, had shared her
earnings and had nurtured her when she was a lost amnesiac. Mara had a heart of gold. Her only
downfall was her creator whom Anna believed was hunting them. As though her thoughts about her
friend brought the memory back to her, she remembered the disgusting dream from before. Paola was a
murderer. He was wicked, evil, and he was bent on finding Mara again. She couldn't just leave her
friend and try to find this vampire. She couldn't betray Mara's kindness and leave her to a fate worse
than death; a fate where like that woman's husband she stood by and watched him commit his
atrocities, her body under his control, her soul screaming in agony.
"Mara's not a criminal," she said. "It was her creator." She looked at the vampire accusingly.
"He used his power to control her. He's a psychic."
"She's a thief, and accessory to murder, Anna," said Alexander. "She is not someone my Little
One should associate with."
Angel felt her spine prickle at his arrogant words. His Little One didn't associate with people
like Mara? She looked around at his opulent chambers guessing he was more than very wealthy. Was
she going to be some brainless pet when she joined him, like the well-bred women she'd seen and read
about? She looked at him. She didn't even know him... or at least she didn't remember him. Mara had
been her friend, guardian, and had sacrificed a lot for her.
"Mara has been a true friend and protector," she retorted angrily. "I will choose to associate with
her, and if you don't wish it, then I won't choose to come to you."
"Coming to me isn't a choice," he snapped. "You will come to me."
"So what?" she demanded. "So you can use me like Paola used Mara? You locked me in a
fucking cell, turned me into a vampire, and left me to die, and you think I'm going to abandon my
saviour and trust you? You talk about her like she isn't worthy to be a maid in this expensive house of
yours and she's been my life. She's been my friend, my saviour, and now she's in trouble. I'm not
abandoning her just because a rich prick like you told me to."
His eyes flashed angrily and she saw his fangs elongate. For some reason she could just sense
that he was on edge, and it made her very wary.
"I see becoming a vampire hasn't changed your vapid tongue much," he commented irritably.
"Guess not," she shot back.
He took a deep breath as though once again trying to calm himself. She couldn't understand why
he was so tense and irritable tonight, but it frightened her.
"Tell me about your power," he said trying to change the subject to one less volatile.
She shrugged. "I hate it. I see things and they're usually bad."
"You came to me tonight sobbing in despair. I felt your pain in my heart. Was it a vision?"
She nodded. "Mara's creator, Paola. He..." she swallowed, "murdered a family and I saw it. I
think he's after us. I just feel it."
Alexander's face grew concerned. "You need to come to me, Anna. You won't be able to resist
the power of a psychic unless I've shown you how. I can protect you."
"And what about Mara?"
He shook his head. "Mara would have to stand trial for her crimes. That is law among vampires,
and I cannot change them, nor will I. Vampires must abide by the rules just like humans. I cannot make
an exception."
Angel felt her heart grow cold. She looked at him sadly. Part of her wanted to go to him. She
wanted answers; she wanted his arms wrapped around her, his lips sensually caressing her. She wanted
him to stroke her like he had when she'd been afraid from her dream. She could imagine him
comforting her as she dealt with the horrible visions that haunted her in centuries to come. GOD how
she wanted it!
But Mara was in danger. Her friend had lived a wicked and tormented life under the control of a
madman, and Angel knew she couldn't turn her back on her. Somehow she knew that if she didn't help
Mara now, she'd be bound in misery for eternity. In all her life, mortal and immortal, Anna had never
been at such a crossroads before. She had to choose between what she wanted and what she knew to be
right.
She sighed brokenly. "Then I guess I can't come to you. I'm not abandoning Mara to that
monster. I'm sorry."
She felt tears fill her eyes again and she closed them willing herself to leave the presence of the
vampire she longed to be with but knew she couldn't go to.
"Anna!" he cried after her his voice echoing his rage and frustration.
She woke up feeling emptiness in her gut. She knew her creator wanted her and she'd just
turned her back on him. She buried her head in her hands and cried silently. It wouldn't be the last time
she wished that she didn't have the power of a dream walker.
Chapter Sixteen
Alexander awoke with a frustrated growl. It was late afternoon, he was sweating, and he was
pissed as hell.
How could she deny him? Even if she didn't have her memories, couldn't she feel the pull?
Didn't she feel the emptiness?
"Damn it, Anna!" he snarled angrily, wishing she could hear and feel his rage.
He imagined grabbing her struggling body, throwing her over his knee and pounding her cute
backside until it showed red marks from his hand. The fantasy played out in his mind; her sweet voice
mewled pleading. Gasping, she begged him to stop and promised not to disobey him again. His strange
eyes glowed at the thought of holding her soft body close and safe in his arms. God he ached for her!
The thought made him growl with even more irritation. He was a fucking Ancient One! He'd
just reclaimed his kingdom, and most of the vampire world was walking on egg shells around him.
Despite that, his fucking little one, the only vampire he'd ever made, completely defies him. He decided
he was going to do much more than just paddle her ass when he finally got her home!
The sound of his door opening startled him out of his reverie. He bared his fangs and made
ready to blow something up in the proximity of the hapless intruder. The rational part in his mind told
him he was being childish and throwing a temper tantrum like a two-year-old, but he stubbornly
decided to ignore reason. He was pissed and he wanted to make someone squirm, even if it was just
one of his servants.
"Don't you fucking dare," Darian's voice called from behind the door.
DAMN IT! Was fate out to torture him?
"Learn to knock, dumbass," Alexander grumbled. He really just needed to destroy something.
He'd feel much better.
"I see things didn't go well," Darian commented mildly as he walked in without an invitation.
"I see you still don't have manners."
His friend chuckled and did a ridiculous, sweeping bow swishing his hand with all the pomp
and circumstance of a frilly seventeenth century courtier.
"And does this suit you more, Ancient One?" he laughed.
Alexander barely held his tongue. Darian had no sense of appropriate timing, or perhaps he just
didn't give a shit. After knowing him for nearly 1200 years, Alexander figured it was the latter.
"So," Darian said flopping on one of the plush chairs in front of an elegant fireplace, "what did
our little Anna have to say?"
"What didn't she say?" he said as he began to pace once again. "First she came into the dream
sobbing. Then she didn't want me to touch her. Then she looked at me in fear like I might hurt her!"
"Fancy that," Darian mused, "she really doesn't remember you at all."
He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You came up with that hypothesis all by yourself? I'm
impressed."
"Testy aren't we?"
Alexander growled.
"I mean really," Darian continued brightly, his voice taking on that irritating mocking tone that
was usually amusing.
There were times when the flippant ways of his best friend drove him insane, and this was
definitely one of them. He'd pissed off and irritated more people and Alexander and Kieran had stood
by chuckling hysterically at his antics. Alexander wasn't chuckling today, since he wasn't sure if he
wanted to strangle him, laugh, or blow the house up.
"If I was a newly made Little One who'd woken up abandoned and covered in blood in a
deserted mansion, I'd trust vampires. Then as I just begin to understand that I was dream walking, and
meet a really pissed off, powerful Ancient One in my dreams, I'd want him all over me. Fuck. I'd want
to believe everything the aforementioned, irritable stick in the mud told me, and then do EXACTLY
what he said." He smiled brightly, his silver eyes glinting with laughter.
"Do you have any clue how absolutely annoying you are?" Alexander snapped peevishly.
"It's part of my charm," he replied with an outrageous wink.
He sighed and sat across from his friend in the other chair wearily burying his head in his hands
feeling as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. For a moment, he felt every single day
of his twenty-five centuries. He'd never struggled so much to keep his emotions contained.
"She chose that scoundrel, Mara over me," he said his voice thick with emotion. "She said that
Mara had been her life, and she couldn't abandon her." He buried his head back in his hands. "And I
was an idiot. I didn't realize how much she'd bonded with the woman and I just said that she'd have to
go to trial for her actions with Paola."
"If it's any consolation, we don't usually act our best when we're in our dreams," Darian said
comfortingly.
"Well, I was definitely an idiot. I forced her to make a choice and she chose Mara."
He stifled the rage and the pain as he thought about her words again. She'd chosen Mara over
him.
"She didn't choose Mara over you," Darian said. "She chose to remain loyal to a friend in need.
I would think that was a concept you'd find easy to understand. It's something I think you'd do in her
place." The silver-haired vampire's eyes glinted like platinum reflecting the sunlight.
Alexander could feel him reaching out with his elusive power, seeking answers in the
subconscious thoughts of the world around him, sensing the shadowy claws of the future reaching back
towards him. He couldn't understand the power of a dream walker. It wasn't his gift. Over the years,
he'd grown attuned to how it felt when Darian used his magic; with his telekinetic abilities he could
feel the vibrations in the air of power. Yet in all his years he'd found that the magic of the dream walker
was the one power he couldn't contain.
"You know," Darian went on to say. "There is a reason why I'm out of my bed in the afternoon
and bugging you."
"I thought you just loved my company," he replied.
"Not this afternoon. You're being a total prick actually."
"Thanks."
Darian shrugged. "I had a dream. I can't be sure because Anna is extremely difficult for me to
read, but I think she's in danger, as is her friend."
"I know."
Darian threw his hands up in the air in frustration. "Some days I wonder why I bother with you,
Alexander."
"Countess Maria Ann?" he replied smiling a little teasingly.
Darian grinned. "Yeah, she was worth it. There's always a woman, isn't there?"
"I'll give anything for this one; anything and everything if I have to, Darian."
He sighed. "Fine."
Alexander watched as his silver eyes grew distant and the vibration of his power unsettled the
air. For a long time, Darian was silent. His brow broke out in a sweat, and he began to breathe deeply.
Alexander knew that he was getting to the edges of his range. Dream walking had limits; and even
someone as powerful as Darian usually couldn't do much over long distances. If that had been the case,
they would have been able to find him in that vault, and he would have never met his Anna. Finally,
Darian came back, his chest heaving and his face slicked with sweat. Wordlessly, Alexander rose and
poured him a glass of ice water and a glass of brandy.
He smiled as Darian downed the brandy in one chug and then sipped the water.
"I still can't get anything," he admitted. "It's much better in my dreams than my conscious
efforts. All I get from Anna is feelings anyway. I can tell you she's upset, and determined to do
something. Paola..." he shuddered and held his glass out for more brandy.
Wordlessly, Alexander filled the glass again.
"Paola is close. Maybe only a few hours behind them," he mused. "His presence is like a black
hole and is much easier to sense than the girls'."
"So once again I'm helpless? I can't get to her fast enough to save her life?"
Alexander rose and began to pace in agitation once again. Just like the last time. His Anna was
close and yet just out of his reach. He could mentally feel her pain, her fear, her sadness, but he was
powerless to help her. The most powerful vampire in the world, but distance castrated his power. It was
more than he could bear.
"God damn it!" he screamed in frustration shattering the mirror, vases and priceless trinkets on
his expensive mantle in a fit of rage.
"Easy, brother," said Moiree soothingly. "We'll find her."
"That's what you said last time," Alexander lamented. "I was seconds too late. I was too late."
Darian smiled grimly. "No. You weren't. You just thought you were too late."
"Your powers are useless when it comes to her," he ranted. "The most powerful dream walker I
know and you can't sense my Anna. The one time I desperately need your power...," he growled again
in anger.
"You're going to be pissed at yourself for being so destructive," Darian chided. "That vase was
at least 500 years old and priceless."
Alexander nodded. He was losing it. He was finally going off the deep end. It had only taken
2500 years. No big deal. Let Kieran run the country, lock him in some padded vault, feed him some
blood occasionally...
"Oh shut the fuck up," Darian growled at his thoughts. "Since when have you quit being the
mature one among us? Since when have you turned into a useless whelp? Two centuries ago, you
would have been on your horse using your mind and your power to hunt her and nothing would have
stopped you! Get over the guilt, get over the grief and get off your ass, Alexander. Let's go! We will
find her."
Alexander stared at his friend. He was right. He'd never been like this before. It was time to act.
It was time to find Anna.
"I am starting to feel her presence on the edges of my perception," he said. "She's coming here,
or at least she's coming to the city. If you're right, and Paola is just behind her, we've got to get to her
tonight."
Darian grinned. "There's my old friend."
Alexander grinned back darkly baring his fangs. "It's time to join the hunt."

********************

"So how did your dream walking go yesterday?" Mara asked.

Angel stared out the window watching the blur of the trees as the car raced by. "I saw Paola."
Mara nodded and Angel could see the slight shudder, though her friend tried to hide it.
"He's still after us?"
She nodded. "But that's not what I saw. I saw what he did to a family. I saw..." she broke off
finding her eyes filling with tears as she relived that horrible moment.
"Angel," Mara began to say, "you haven't seen what wicked vampires are like. Some of our
people are just sick, you know? We live forever, we feed on blood and the lives of humans seem
pointless and short. Paola lost his regard for life long ago. I think the only thing that makes him happy
is to see others suffer as much as he does."
"I don't feel any pity for him," she sniffed.
 "Nor do I," Mara agreed. "But you need to understand it and you need to keep away from it– if
you have any intention of lasting long, that is."
"You saw a lot of shit, didn't you?"
Mara was silent for a long time. "Yeah," she finally said in a low voice. "And I see it every night
in my dreams."
"I'm sorry."
"Me too."
They drove for a while in silence as Angel stared out the window again. They'd make it to New
York tonight and part of her ached to seek out the blonde vampire who claimed to be her lover and her
creator. She felt an undeniable pull towards him, as though a part of her soul was missing, and the
closer they drove towards the city, the stronger it got. She sighed heavily.
"You okay?" Mara asked.
"I guess so," she admitted. "I saw the blonde vampire again, and I talked to him."
"No tales of steamy sex to entertain me with tonight?"
Angel shook her head.
"What did he say to you?"
"He told me that he was my creator."
"Yeah? So why did he abandon you in that prison cell then?"
"He said he thought I was dead. He thought he'd tried to turn me too late. He said we were
lovers," she blushed as she recalled the intense dreams she'd been having before she really knew what
was happening.
She shuddered as she imagined his sensual mouth devouring her flesh, wrapped around one of
her pink nipples and suckling. His strong hands splayed across her stomach, stroking her thighs,
running through her dark hair. For a moment, she lost herself to fantasy. His golden head was working
its way down her chest, his tongue lapping teasingly at her navel causing her body to shudder. His
hands stroked that tender spot right above her hip making her jump as his mouth caressed its way down
to her folds. God! She could lose it just looking at him; his jade eyes shining with the fire of arousal,
his lips inches away from her sex, his strong hands holding her down as she moaned and begged him to
do something, anything. She shuddered as she imagined his mouth latching onto her, his tongue licking
her folds, feasting expertly upon her, driving her insane.
Oh God! How could she have said no to that?
"Angel?" Mara interrupted.
She squirmed, uncomfortably aroused now.
"You should have fucked first, then asked questions," her friend teased.
"Yeah," Angel agreed, "stupid me."
"So I was right," Mara mused. "Not bad for a twenty-year-old vampire vagabond."
She looked over at her friend again, catching that strange shrewd glance she'd been starting to
notice.
"You know," she said, "there are times when I don't believe the vagabond shit. I don't think you
were always like this. I think you were something pretty smart, resourceful and important before you
were turned."
"Who we were before we turned is worthless, Angel," Mara spat. "You will find that in our
world, it means nothing. You could have been the wealthiest woman in the world, but as a new vampire
you're simply a toy for the older ones; something to hurt, control and use."
"So what? Maybe Paola used you, hurt you, and made you do things with his power, but you
have a choice now. You can choose to make something of yourself again. You weren't like this before
you were a vampire, I can tell. I think you were someone who was used to being in charge, someone
who had special talents."
"That person is dead."
 "Only because you choose it," Angel retorted.
"Well, it's my choice."
Angel was quiet. It was the closest to an argument she'd ever gotten with Mara. She knew there
was something more to her friend. Her ability to break into places that would daunt most experienced
thieves was a unique talent. Then there was the fact that she knew the street value and had the
connections in the Black Market to unload most of the high profile contraband she'd stolen from the
mansion. All those skills seemed to indicate that she wasn't just some homeless street rat. She wanted to
growl in frustration. The moment anyone mentioned Paola, Mara turned into some whimpering wretch,
but when it was just them, on the run, she was something much different. How she wished Mara could
become the person she'd lost.
Angel turned to look at her thoughtfully. She was so much more beautiful than she'd originally
thought when they'd met. The first time she'd seen her, she was filthy, her hair unwashed, her face had
the look of a bum; weathered and drawn. But since Mara had pulled her from the darkness, she'd begun
to change. She'd gotten her hair cut and styled in the "hip" layered look that was in. Angel had forced
her to put on some makeup, too, and with the improvement of clothes, the change in her physical
appearance was shocking. Mara was gorgeous. A man could lose his mind in her large puppy dog eyes.
Her sleek body was athletic, strong, and those shoulders that had seemed too broad before were
incredibly sexy in the stylish tops she'd bought.
Then there was the change in personality. Where she was once timid, indecisive and wary, Mara
was getting bolder. A couple of times, Angel had stumbled into some tough situations as was normal for
a newly changed Little One. Mara had backed her up and had stood her ground when Angel knew only
a month or two ago, she would have chosen to flee. Now she walked with the slinky stride of
something bold and dangerous, and it got her wondering exactly what Mara had been before she was
turned.
It was as though helping her had begun a second metamorphosis of the almost shattered woman.
In her mind, Angel saw a cocoon and inside the writhing Mara, struggling against the binds to change
and re-emerge into a beautiful and powerful creature. Part of the cocoon had fallen away to reveal
glimpses of the creature's potential, but she wasn't ready to emerge yet. It was as though all the torture
and evil of Paola's wickedness was still holding her chained in a prison of her own fear. They didn't
have much time, though. Mara needed to stop fighting the change and soon; Paola was coming, and she
couldn't hide anymore.
"So what else did your creator have to say?" Mara asked after a while.
Angel shrugged. "He told his name, but it didn't help me get my memory back. I think I must
have known his true name at one point. I don't ever remember calling him Alexander."
Mara slammed on the brakes sending the tires squealing and the SUV fishtailing once again.
"Damn it!" Angel screamed half in terror and half in anger. "Will you fucking quit it with the
slamming on the brakes crap every time you're surprised? Even though vampires are a little tougher to
kill, I really don't want to get crunched in a car tonight!"
Mara stared over at her, those liquid brown eyes wide in amazement. "Blond hair, jade eyes,
seemed pretty rich and his name is Alexander?"
"Yeah," Angel replied rubbing her elbow that had jammed in the door.
"Wavy blond hair, right?"
Angel nodded
"Built like a runner, not too bulky, nose looks a little Grecian?"
"Yeah..."
"Fuck."
"What now?" She was getting exasperated. She hated not knowing what the hell was going on.
"Angel, I think your creator is the Ancient One."
She froze. He seemed wealthy, and used to being in control and in power. His house was more
than opulent... could he really be the Ancient One?
"It all makes sense," Mara continued. "You were in his mansion. He'd been missing for some
time; rumour was he put down a coup. Even though you were bloody, you were in designer clothes, and
you're unbelievably powerful for one so young." Mara shook her head. "Fuck. We're in trouble kiddo.
We need to take you to him. I'm not keeping the Ancient One's Little One away from him."
Angel didn't say anything, and Mara pulled the car back on the highway.
"The Ancient One lives outside of New York in one of those billion dollar estates. That's one of
the reasons I wanted to come to the city; I figured Paola wouldn't want to show his sorry ass around in
the city right under the Ancient One's nose. We'll drop you off at his house and see if you are his Little
One." Mara nodded to herself. "Yeah. That would probably be best. We'll inquire where he is when we
get to town and take you there before the sun rises."
"We can't," Angel whispered.
"Shit. I'm in so much fucking trouble," Mara mused. "Maybe this will buy me a little grace."
"Mara, we can't go there," Angel said a little louder.
"Oh yes we can," Mara replied. "I'm not going to defy the Ancient One."
"It's too late," Angel replied. "I already did."
Mara slammed on the brakes again sending the car skidding once again to the side of the road.
"GOD DAMN IT!" Angel screamed. "If you can't control your foot, get the fuck out from
behind the wheel," she snapped.
Mara stared at Angel. "What do you mean you already defied the Ancient One?"
"He already asked me to go to him, but I told him I wouldn't."
"Why not? He's your creator. He's in love with you. He might be able to restore your memory."
"I know. He told me he could." She sighed and looked away for a moment. "I'm not going to
him. At least not now. I have something I need to do."
"Oh yeah? What's that?"
"I'm going to help you kill Paola."
For a moment, Mara just stared at her in open mouthed amazement. The she started to laugh
hysterically. "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. We're taking you to him. It might buy me the
reprieve I'm looking for."
“We can't go to him. He's going to put you on trial if you do."
Mara froze. "Fine, then I'll run and you'll go to him on your own."
"No."
"Angel," Mara said, her voice growing a little hysterical. "You've just defied the Ancient One.
Do you know what you've done?"
She looked straight at her friend. "Yeah. I know exactly what I've done. It hurts every second I
think about it. I'm connected to him somehow. I can feel how angry he is at me, how worried he is."
She stared at her friend insistently. "But Mara, I believe in fate. I know there is a reason why you
plucked me from death's door in an abandoned mansion; you of all people. I think it's because it's time
to quit running, it's time to fight back against Paola."
Mara didn't say anything.
"I've never had a sister, and I lost my mom when I was in college," Angel continued. "You've
been both for me. You resurrected me from the darkness; maybe it's my turn to help you. All I know is
that if I go back to Alexander now, I'm abandoning the best friend I've ever had to be hunted by a
psychotic serial killer."
"There's no way you can fight Paola," Mara said. "The minute he touches you, you're under his
control."
"Then I'm not going to let him touch me."
"You're an idiot, Angel."
 She smiled. "Yeah. But I'm an idiot who's in your corner."
Mara chuckled. "I think I'd rather run."
Angel stared into her eyes. "It's time to stop running."
"He's going to kill us both."
"I'm willing to die for you, Mara."
"Well I'm not willing to let you die," she snapped. "You're like the kid sister I never had. You're
still just a Little One. I'm not going to let you get hurt. We're taking you to see Alexander, right now."
Angel grabbed Mara's hand off the wheel and stared at her seriously.
"I won't go. I'm not leaving you. End of story. So the choice is yours. Do we run or do we fight
back?"
"We need to run. I need to run. He's more powerful than you can imagine, Angel."
She sighed. "Fine. I'll run with you. But we're going to make a pact right now."
"About what?"
"We are sisters. We will always be there for each other when we are in need, over the centuries
we will never forget. I know sharing of blood means a lot among our kind," She bit into her palm
drawing her own blood and then held her hand out to Mara. "We are sisters by our blood."
For a moment, the brown-haired vampire stared at her and then bit into the palm of her own
hand. They clasped firmly, and for the first time their blood mingled. Angel felt a shock of energy
vibrate through her body, and looking at Mara's face and wide-eyed stare, she knew her friend felt the
same. For a brief second, Angel felt Mara's mind, her spirit and her body as though it was merely a
connection of her own. She could feel her fears, but also the hope and the love of their bond.
"My name was Natalie, Natalie Latham," Mara whispered.
"Mine was Elianna Kennan, but everyone called me Anna."
With the revealing of names, Angel felt another shock of recognition race through her body. She
had a piece of Mara's blood and a piece of her soul, and now Mara had hers, too.
A knock on the window startled them both out of the moment.
A man was standing outside Mara's window, his car pulled up behind theirs. He gestured for
them to roll the window down. Angel could just tell by looking at him that he was a vampire, and she
was sure that he could tell the same about them. She'd never actually met any vampires since she'd been
turned other than Mara, and she wasn't quite sure how to handle it.
Cautiously Mara cracked the window. "Hey," she said.
"You ladies okay?" he asked, his voice smooth and musical– definitely another vampire.
"Yeah," Mara replied.
"I saw you hit your brakes and swerve off the road and drove by. Then I felt a little guilty for
just leaving you there if you were in trouble. I figured I'd come back and check on you."
"Thanks," Mara said. "We're okay. We were just talking."
He smiled smoothly. "Two pretty ladies like you should be careful about being on the side of the
road. Where are you headed?"
Angel looked directly into his soft green eyes. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was
something weird about him. Obviously, he knew they were vampires and he didn't know how powerful
they were. It could be just the opposite considering he was the one who was alone, but he was talking
with them smoothly, as though he was more curious about them than he should be.
"The city," Mara replied.
"Ever been?"
Angel nodded. "A while back," she admitted.
"Me too," he said. "My name is Jay."
Don't tell him your name, Angel thought desperately to Mara.
Her friend stared at her in surprise and Angel stared back just as shocked. Had she heard?
"Nice to meet you, Jay," she replied. "Well, thanks for your concern."
 "You mean you're not going to give me your names?" he said with a pout. "Here I come to
rescue two women, find they're vampires like me and the most gorgeous women I've ever seen. Throw
me a bone here, girls!"
Angel smiled. "Not tonight, pup. Thanks for being our knight in shining armour, though. Maybe
we'll see you around."
He looked right back at her seriously.
"Maybe you will, gorgeous," he replied.
With that, he turned to his car and pulled out again.
"Look at the car, colour and license with me," Mara said. "We'll need to keep it in mind. Letting
him pull out in front of us gives him the opportunity to pull off, hide and lie in wait us to follow us."
"You got a weird vibe, too?"
Mara nodded. "Something's happening. He was looking for us."
Angel nodded. "Paola?"
Mara shook her head. "Paola does his own work and keeps his minions within arm's reach;
literally. A psychic can't control you unless he has physical contact."
"So what was that?"
Mara smiled a little grimly. "I don't know. My guess is that Alexander doesn't take no for an
answer, even if you are his beloved and his Little One."
"He moved that fast?"
Mara nodded. "Welcome to our world, Angel."
"So now what do we do?"
"We make for the city, ditch the car, and get the fuck out of there."
Angel nodded. "You're my sister. I'll follow you."
I just don't know if I'm worth following.
Angel stared at Mara strangely and Mara looked at her with shock right back.
"You heard that?"
Angel nodded. "And you're wrong. You're worth following."

*********************

"Ancient Ones," Kieran said bowing to Darian and Alexander as they entered the security room.
Everyone in the chamber rose at once and bowed.
"Continue," Alexander said to them with a wave of his hand.
Kieran stared at him with irritation. Sometimes Alexander could be a pompous asshole. He
heard Darian chuckle and he smiled at his mentor a little. Alexander had been too distracted to pick up
the snide thought.
What's going on? He asked Darian silently.
Have we sighted Anna? Alexander interrupted.
Not yet.
I can feel she's getting closer. I'm pretty sure she's coming to New York, he said.
Then it will only be a matter of time.
We have something else, Darian thought to him. Francisco Paola is hunting the girls as well. I'd
like to hunt him. If he finds the girls before we can, they don't stand a chance. I've seen his power in my
dreams. I haven't seen a more powerful psychic in a long time.
Kieran nodded.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said aloud. "I've got another person to search. We believe he is
following our other two targets. This one you might have heard of: Francisco Paola."
There was a slight murmur throughout the room. Everyone knew about him. He was wicked and
dangerous.
 "We will seek him, but if we find him, plan on using lethal force." Kieran smiled a little
wickedly. "That fucker doesn't deserve the right to trial."
There was another slight murmur through the room.
Kieran turned to the head of intelligence. "I am going to put several teams on the ground
throughout the city. If anyone spots Paola, you are to deliver his location to the teams and they will
eliminate him. The women are to be unharmed. This is as much to protect them as it is to get rid of
Paola."
The vampire looked from Kieran to Alexander to Darian.
"Forgive me Ancient Ones," he said bowing to all three. "I do not mean to pry, but the question
is going around and I don't have an answer for my people. Who are these women we are following, and
why?"
Alexander stared at the people staring into computer screens filtering through electronic data,
viewing highway cameras. They were diligent, searching, and intense. He sighed. It was going to leak
out anyway, so it might as well be from his mouth with his words.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said to them. "I know you are working hard, and oftentimes it
comes with little thanks from me and the world. The nature of your job is to remain secret, and so I will
entrust you with one before it becomes common knowledge to the rest of our world. The woman with
the black hair is called Angel. She was once a human, thrown in a vault built to withstand a nuclear
missile to die alongside me. Instead, she was my angel of delivery, and through her memory and
brilliance was able to crack the security code that had locked me away despite my incredible power.
She fled with me across the country to Minnesota where I'm sure you know I dispelled the coup led by
Kaiden Rice."
The room was dead silent. Alexander LeGaulle was addressing them. He was entrusting them
with a story and a secret that no one else had heard.
"During that journey, I found that my angel of deliverance was also my true mate. After twenty-
five centuries, I had found her at last, but Angel was a casualty of war. Brutalized, shot, beaten, I found
her bleeding body moments after she'd taken her last breaths. Brokenly I fed her my life, but in three
days, she had not turned. So, I returned to my rule, leaving her to rest with my heart in the basement of
my home, knowing I'd lost my mate and was doomed to live without her for the rest of eternity. That
was until two nights ago, when the video Kieran showed you ended up on my desk."
"I do not believe that Angel has completely gained her memory. Her turning was most likely
violent and prolonged. The woman who accompanies her is called Mara; and she was the unwilling
creation of Paola, who is now hunting them both."
He looked imploringly at the assembly.
"I need your help. I need you to bring my Little One home safely to me. Protect her from Paola,
and find her before he does. Please. I can't bear to lose her twice."
The vampires were dead silent for a moment, but then they all stood and bowed to him. Then
they turned back to their computers and the room was filled with their intense voices, the clicks of their
fingers on keyboards and the large GPS screens on the walls flickered quickly as they sought to find
and protect the Ancient One's lost mate.
So what are we going to do? Kieran asked them.
We're going to begin searching on our own, Darian replied.
So...shall we gear up?
Darian grinned. I always love playing soldier. Let's go!

*************

Jay pulled behind some trees and made sure his car was invisible from the road. Then he looked
back at the pictures delivered to his cell phone the night before. Every vampire who was registered on
the national grid had received the same text and picture messages:
By command of the Ancient One. Look for these women. Do not detain, but maintain visual.
Contact sending number immediately if you have any information.
He'd thought the dark haired girl was fucking hot, but looking at her in the car almost made his
knees weak. She was way more gorgeous in colour. Those eyes were incredible! He made ready to dial
the phone. He wondered if there was a reward for finding them and what the Ancient One wanted with
them. Perhaps they were traitors that had escaped punishment. He hoped not. The girls were hot.
As he pushed the numbers into his phone, it vibrated and another text from the same number hit
his mailbox.
Jay was beyond curious now. He opened the new text. Attached was a picture of a familiar
spectre; Francisco Paola followed by a message:
Paola is following the other two targets. Protect them at all costs. Use lethal force against
Paola if necessary. Contact if sighted at once.
"Shit," Jay breathed.
He dialled the number at once and listened to it ring.

*******************

Alexander attached the weapons belt around his waist getting an eerie feeling of déjà vu. Would
he be too late again? God! How she'd suffered. It seemed so eerily similar; suiting up with Darian,
Kieran and an elite team, knowing that she was close and yet out of reach, and another madman was
involved. Now, they were ready for urban warfare, though. They dressed in the clothing to blend into
the streets; jeans, shirts, weapons hidden beneath jackets and tucked into the waistline of their clothes.
"You okay?" Darian asked.
He nodded. "Feels the same as last time."
"She's a vampire this time," Kieran reminded him, "and she's got your blood. She's not nearly as
delicate as she used to be."
Alexander nodded. "I wish she'd gotten my gift. It would make her stronger."
"She's strong enough. That girl is tougher than she looks," Kieran grunted.
Alexander smiled. "Admit it, you ended up liking her just a little."
He shrugged. "She's fighter. She'll be good for you."
"Sir," said one of the vampires that had suited up with them, "the team is ready to hit the
streets."
"So are we," said Kieran.
They followed the team leader to a garage beneath the building where several black cars with
tinted windows awaited them. They were unobtrusive sedans, except they'd been revved up with special
motors and technical equipment. Everything vampires did had to be covert. They had to blend in, look
normal, even though they were far from it.
Alexander stared at the car that he, Kieran and Darian would share with another operative. It
had a GPS system, computers, radio; everything one would expect in a high tech cop car. He sat in the
front next to the driver.
"Montasse..." he vaguely heard Kieran answer the phone.
Instead, he closed his eyes.
Anna, he called in his mind. Anna, he called again. He knew she could feel him, because he
could feel her.
"Alexander!" Kieran said. "They've been sighted!"
He jumped and stared at Kieran who was listening to the caller on the phone.
"Blue 4-Runner, North Dakota License 352-HGK," Kieran repeated. "They're heading towards
the city. We have a civilian on the network following them on Highway 80. They're about 20 minutes
outside the city."
Alexander sighed in relief. They'd found her. She was 20 minutes away.
The operative repeated the information on the radio to the other teams and then they pulled out
of the garage.
Alexander closed his eyes and sent one thought with all his strength.
I'm coming for you, Little One.
Chapter Seventeen
"Will you quit it?"
"What?"
"You keep looking in your mirror. Are you okay?"
Angel shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose so. I just feel..."
"What?"
"Anxious."
Mara felt her heart rate accelerate ever so slightly. Whenever Angel felt anxious, uneasy,
whatever the hell it was she felt, bad things happened. They were on the north end of the city already,
and if they were lucky they'd be able to ditch the car, hit the subway and disappear. That was the most
important part. With Paola and the Ancient One on their tails, they needed to get out of New York and
become invisible quickly. Initially she'd thought to find a new start in a different corner of the country,
seeking safety and anonymity among the sea of strangers of the famous city. Despite all her efforts, it
seemed that somehow her dark past had followed her; Paola had never been one to let his toys escape
him.
She noticed Angel shiver again and look out her window, those incredible blue eyes scanning
the streets and the darkness for something she knew was nearby, but couldn't identify. Her hands were
unconsciously clenching and she shivered occasionally as she sat. The Little One probably thought she
was being subtle, for she was working hard to restrain herself, but Mara had been watching people for a
long time. Angel was obviously distraught and frustrated; she could feel that something wicked was
coming, but she couldn't determine from where, when or how. Her expressive face fluctuated with
expressions of frustration, anger, fear and sadness, as she continued to stare intently out the window
and in the mirror.
"Easy, Little One," said Mara reaching out and taking her hand.
Angel clutched to her tightly. "I can feel him coming, Mara," she whispered.
"Alexander?"
"No."
Mara nodded. "We'll get away from him. I know it. I've been able to avoid him for two years,
and that was before I had you and your incredible talents. Francisco doesn't stand a chance against the
two of us."
Angel smiled wanly, giving her a look that clearly said 'keep telling yourself that, idiot.' Of
course, she was right. The two of them still weren't a match for an old one like Paola. Their only option
was to run.
"What if..." Mara began for the third time that night.
"No!" Angel snarled. "He said he'd put you on trial for what Paola forced you to do. I won't let
him. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you anymore."
Mara chuckled warmly. "I think you've mixed up our roles. I'm supposed to be the mentor and
you the Little One. I'm supposed to protect you."
"I'm so angry at him," she fumed. "He said he loved me, but he treated me like..." she growled
irritably. "I'm not some stupid child!"
"You are a Little One," Mara said. "And he is your creator. Maybe you should give him another
chance."
"Fine," Angel snapped. "No problem. Let's just turn ourselves in. You can take the blame for all
of Paola's shit, and I'll meekly stand at his side and watch you do it. How does that sound?"
"Anyone tell you that you've got one hell of a temper?"
Angel growled again and stared out the window.
"Come on," Mara said shaking her head in amusement at Angel's moodiness. "We're almost
there. Settle down. We're going to be okay."
Angel just shook her head and continued to peer into the darkness as they drove through the
city. Every once and a while, she flinched or started only to close her eyes for a moment and then open
them to stare once again.
Mara sighed. She couldn't imagine how difficult it must be to see things and feel things,
knowing they were going to happen, but unable to understand how or when. For so long she'd wished
for a special gift, not just the strange affinity to disarm security systems, but as she watched Angel
flinch she wondered. It seemed sometimes gifts were blessings and sometimes they were curses.
Mara started looking for a place to stop and dump their SUV. They'd passed a few subway
stations on the way already; it was time to abandon their identifying vehicle and make their way
underground. She only caught the lights in her peripheral vision, but it was enough to make her turn. In
that single second her brain registered everything. Angel's eyes glowed with power even as she stared
looked hopelessly and horror stricken out the window at the oncoming lights of a large SUV. She
debated about whether to slam on the brakes or punch on the gas to avoid the vehicle that would
obviously broadside them, but she found her body frozen, much like Angel's, as she stared in surprise.
The last thing she observed was that the vehicle wasn't braking, it was accelerating, and it was going to
ram right into the passenger's side with incredible force.
Mara screamed.

**********

Oh GOD!
Was she even alive? She hurt, she couldn't move and she was so...tired. She smelled her own
blood, dripping from her nose, pooling about her body. She could hear her heartbeat, pounding in the
silence. She was dying. She wanted to cry. There was no one to hold her as she died.
Fight! A tiny voice in the back of her mind echoed.
She was so tired.
FIGHT!
She just needed to rest. She hurt so much. Was there no one to even hold her hand?
"Easy, Anna," a smooth sensual voice echoed in the darkness. "Easy," he breathed.
The melodious voice was soft and gentle and it slid over her body like a gentle caress, soothing
her and comforting her.
She knew that voice. Somewhere in the dark recesses of her mind, a memory stirred. She
recalled darkness, and those very words spoken in that beautifully powerful voice. Suddenly she was
there again. His arms were strong and gentle as he held her, stroking her hair comforting her as she
shivered in agony.
"Cael?" her own voice echoed from the past.
In the lassitude of pain, images that had been shunted away for the past month suddenly
overwhelmed her. They were centred on one man: Alexander LeGaulle, Cael. In an agonizing moment
a whirr of memories assaulted her. She remembered him holding her defiled, blood-covered body in a
dark and dirty vault; his sensuous voice running over her body like a tender caress. She remembered his
stories, their heart wrenching escape, their trip across country to Montana. Their story played in her
mind like a movie; it seemed to last for hours though in reality she knew the knowledge was
overwhelming her in merely a few seconds as she sat in agony.
Then finally she remembered her last moments, lying in despair as James Bradford and Kaiden
molested her. Her last memories were jumbled and shaky. She recalled running through the house with
the sounds of warfare about her. She saw herself shooting the vampire that was Bradford as he attacked
her in madness. She remembered the shot to his head, and his heart even as her body bled dark blood
from a wound in her abdomen and then...nothing. The rest was black.
 Cael must have found her in that hallway, bloody and broken, and given her his blood. Cael...
her Cael had come too late; or so they all thought.
Oh God! Cael!
Her mind recalled the little things; the way he smiled devilishly as he stole a French fry, how he
straightened his jeans so self-consciously, uncomfortable with the casual dress. She could smell the
spicy male scent combined with the sweet scent of his flesh that was uniquely his. She remembered
was the way his hair curled when he ran his fingers through in frustration, rebelling against the rigid
constraints of his meticulous style almost stubbornly. She could almost feel the comfort of his touch;
the way his hand always seemed to find hers when she was afraid. She could see his eyes glittering
dangerously as he hovered over her protectively.
Cael, her mind sighed in weary longing.
She'd lived for the past month in the shadows of a former life and yet she knew something
horribly important was missing. Finally, everything made sense. She'd been feeling the ache in her soul,
but never understanding what it meant. The darkness of forgetfulness had at last been filled, but now it
only increased the ache and pain in her heart. She was going to leave him alone yet again.
Cael, oh my Cael, I'm so sorry.
She closed her sightless eyes. She was so tired.
FIGHT!
There were noises outside now. Crunching and creaking. She didn't really care.
"Good God," an unfamiliar voice said. "You're really hurt. I'm going to help you."
She felt someone reach over her and unlatch her seat belt, then carefully lift her out of her seat.
He pulled on her legs to free them from the crumpled vehicle, and she moaned in agony.
"We're almost out," he said gently. "Be strong. We're almost there."
She moaned but did her best to relax and allow him to free her. Finally, he pulled her from the
crumpled heap of Mara's SUV and pulled her close comfortingly.
"I've got some blood in my trunk, kiddo," he said. "You're going to need it to heal."
She felt him carry her for a moment and then lay her gently on the ground. For a moment she
was left all alone, but then he took her hand again and held it tightly.
"Hang on," he said. "I know this feels awful. I can tell by your eyes, you're a Little One. I know
you don't believe me, but I promise, you're going to be okay."
"I'm not going to die?" she breathed wearily.
"Nope."
She felt something press to her lips. It was cold, soft, and plastic, but at once she knew the
smell; blood. Instinctively her fangs elongated and she bit into the bag purring in need as the chilled
liquid splashed on her tongue. She didn't care that it was bagged. She didn't care that it wasn't warm,
flowing from the veins of a live donor; her body was way beyond such things. She consumed it with
desperate swallows exulting in the strength of the powerful healing essence as it flowed through her
body.
"That's a girl," said the man holding the bag to her lips. "Drink up. It'll help you heal. You've
lost too much blood to do it on your own."
She didn't reply. She simply swallowed with animalistic hunger, whimpering with need, longing
for more to consume.
"Okay, kiddo," said the man. "That's probably enough for now. Give your body some time to
heal."
She nodded, comforted by this stranger who gently stroked her hair and held her hand as she lay
on the hard ground. Slowly she felt her body begin to battle its broken state, making her gasp in pain.
The discomfort of healing wasn't the same as hunger; it wasn't an ache in her stomach that drove her
need to consume. Instead, it was an agonizing pulse of energy radiating out from her core seeking out
imperfections, and injury and repairing them to their original state. She could literally feel her skin
closing and regenerating around her wounds, her internal organs repairing themselves, her bones
painfully mending together while the adrenaline from shock faded from her system.
She whimpered and cursed in agony.
"That's it," the man said holding her hand tightly.
"Oh GOD!" she cried. "Oh God it hurts!"
He chuckled. "Yeah, tell me about it."
Finally, it seemed the agony of healing was over, though for a while she could only lay gasping.
The strange vampire sat mutely with her, holding her hand stroking her hair comfortingly. As the last
shudders went through her body, Angel's eyesight returned and she was able to look at him for the first
time. He had soft green eyes and dark brown hair. He looked vaguely familiar.
"I know you," she said.
"Sort of," he agreed. "I saw you stopped on the road and offered my assistance. Remember me?
My name's Jay."
Angel shook her head and tried to sort through the jumble of thoughts. Jay... she'd met him
when he'd pulled over to check on Mara and her.
Mara!
She sat up in horror.
"Where's Mara?" she demanded.
"You were the only one in the car," he replied. "Someone came and took her out of the vehicle
and carried her off."
"Oh God," she cried. "He's got her."
"Who? Who is after you?"
"Francisco Paola," she whispered. "He's taken her. That's what this was about; he hurt me and
took her with him."
"Your friend looked pretty tough," said Jay. "I'm sure she's okay."
Angel shook her head again. "Paola is a psychic. She can't resist him."
Jay was quiet for a moment. "Listen, Little One," he said. "I'm going to make a call real quick
and get some help. You're not well enough to just go off on your own."
Angel nodded and laid her head back down on the cool cement. She was slowly feeling better,
but she was horribly exhausted. She wanted nothing more than to find a bed and sleep, but her heart
ached. Mara was in trouble, she was afraid, in pain. She had to be strong for her friend, she had to
recover. She forced herself to sit up again.
"I got her some blood," she could hear Jay saying. "She's weak but okay. Her friend is nowhere
to be seen."
Suddenly, it occurred to her who Jay might be calling. She could only hope that she and Mara
had guessed correctly when he'd stopped for them earlier. "Who are you talking to?" she asked.
"Just some friends," Jay replied a little too evasively to be believable. Angel could tell he wasn't
used to subterfuge.
"You're talking to the representatives of Alexander LeGaulle, aren't you?"
Jay was silent.
It was all the confirmation she needed.
"Can you call Alexander?"
"No one calls the Ancient One," he replied emphasizing the words as though she didn't have the
right to call him by his name.
She forced herself to her feet, even though the only thing she really wanted to do was to sleep,
and walked over to where Jay was talking on the phone pacing. For a moment she was dizzy and she
had to take deep breaths to steady her reeling head. She cursed her aching body. She didn't have time to
be weak; or rather, Mara didn't have time for her to be weak.
"You need to rest, Little One," said Jay, his brow furrowing at her as she struggled to stand and
walk. "Yeah," he replied back into the phone. "We're on..." he swore in amazement as she ripped the
phone from his hand.
"I want to talk to Alexander," she demanded into the phone.
"Are you Angel?" a man asked her.
"Yeah," she replied. "I want to talk to Alexander."
"He'll be there in a few minutes, if you'll just wait," said the man.
"I don't have time to wait," she said. Tears filled her eyes and she cursed herself for being weak
and weepy. "Please," she begged her voice breaking. "Paola's going to kill Mara. Please let me talk to
Alexander."
"We're sending help your way right now, Angel," said the man.
"I understand that," she replied. "I just want to talk to Alexander."
The man on the other end was silent.

************

"They're heading down Broadway," said the voice over the radio.
"We'll be there in 20 minutes," said their driver.
"We've got them, brother," said Kieran grinning at Alexander.
He was rather proud of the team and their intelligence; something he'd worked hard to establish
over the last decade. They'd managed to locate Mara and Anna within 24 hours of initiating the all-out
search. Considering the system was run exclusively by vampires and many couldn't get through the day
without seeking rest, he was quite pleased.
"Not too shabby," he added in satisfaction.
Alexander, however, was silent. He'd not said much of anything as they'd begun to head towards
the north end of the island. Once again, he was somehow lost in the strange connection he shared with
the irritating girl. Kieran privately admitted to himself that the only reason he found her so irritating
was because she was willful and stubborn; something he'd never tolerate in a woman of his own. He'd
never imagined Alexander falling for a woman like her, though he admitted that it kept the Ancient One
on his toes. He didn't doubt that Anna would drive Alexander to hysterics with her antics for many
centuries to come.
"You okay?" Darian asked Alexander startling Kieran from his musings.
"She's afraid," he said curtly.
"You're feeling her more," Darian replied. "We're close."
"Yeah," Alexander replied. "Close enough to feel her fear, but once again, too far to help her."
Kieran wished he could say something to comfort his friend. This was all too similar for his
taste, too. The Ancient One could feel his mate's fear, but he couldn't get there fast enough; there were
too many roadblocks in his way. Alexander had been nearly beside himself last time, and though he
was restrained right now, Kieran could feel his power crackling in the air. He was just a hair away from
losing it once again. The last time he'd nearly destroyed his own house; Kieran couldn't imagine the
damage he'd do to the city if something happened to Anna again.
"We'll get there, brother," said Kieran comfortingly. "We've got a civilian following them, and
he's doing a good job about reporting their turn-offs. He's leading us right to them."
Alexander nodded and was silent.
Kieran felt a little prickle on his spine and turned to see Darian's silver eyes glowing slightly. It
seemed that he was also bent on helping more than he did last time. He knew his creator's inability to
sense Anna was a huge frustration. He felt as though he'd let Alexander down by not being able to see
that she was going to turn into a vampire. While Darian didn't talk about it, Kieran knew that he took it
very personally when he'd learned that Anna survived. As a dream walker, he felt it was his right to be
able to know such things, especially when he wanted to help his best friend. Anna was like a black hole
in his sea of visions and it drove Darian to distraction. Even standing next to the girl he could only
vaguely see her future and the events that were happening or were going to happen.
After a few moments, Darian let out an irritated sigh and shook his head.
"They're still heading south on Broadway," said the dispatcher who was in communication with
the civilian tail.
Suddenly Alexander gasped and then he let out a growl of fury.
"She's been hurt!" he cried angrily. "I swear to God I'm going to personally dismember whoever
just touched her."
"The SUV has just been in a serious accident; they were broadsided on the passenger's side by a
silver Chevy Tahoe," said the dispatch.
"Is Angel on the passenger side?" asked Kieran.
The driver asked the question on the radio.
"That's a yes. Angel is on the passenger side. The tail says it's a bad accident; the girl is
probably seriously injured. He's going to get out and see if he can help... wait...the driver of the Chevy
has gotten out of the car... he's kin."
"Paola," Darian breathed his eyes glittering again.
"He's going to the driver's side of the vehicle." There was a long pause. "He's got the other
target, Mara. She's unconscious. He's heading down the street with Mara, towards the subway."
"Is Angel in the car? Is she okay?" Alexander demanded taking the radio away from the driver.
"She's still in the car. The tail is going to tend to her, his name is Jay Martin."
"Tell him to stay on the line," said Alexander.
"He just hung up to tend to the Little One," said the dispatcher.
Alexander growled. "Get him back on the line, NOW!"
"What is their location?" said Kieran pulling the radio from Alexander's hand.
The Ancient One snarled angrily, but Kieran ignored him. They needed to get to Angel quickly,
before the human police showed up at the accident. She might need Alexander's blood to heal if she
was in serious condition, too.
"Claremont and 120th," said the dispatcher.
"We're on our way," said Kieran. "Go as fast as you can," he said to the driver. "The three of us
will discourage pursuit."
Their driver nodded and swallowed slightly. Kieran could tell he was a little nervous. It wasn't
every day when one was the driver for three of the oldest vampires alive. He could probably feel the air
sizzling with their respective powers. It surely made for a very nerve-wracking experience. Kieran
could feel Alexander and Darian reaching out with their minds 'discouraging' any police officers from
finding their outrageous speed offensive and smiled a little wickedly. After all these years, there was
still something boyishly exciting about evading the law and getting away with it.
Suddenly he jumped as his cell phone rang. He pulled it out, frowning at the number; he didn't
recognize it. Only a few people had this cell number, though.
"Montasse," he snarled.
"Kieran?" a frantic female voice demanded.
"An...Angel?" he replied catching himself. The world didn't need to know her true name.
Alexander snarled suddenly and turned to his friend.
"Is Alexander there?" she asked.
Kieran quickly assessed the sound of her voice. She sounded afraid, tired, alone and frantic. All
his anger at the girl quickly dissipated to concern.
"Yeah. Are you okay?"
"No," she cried her voice breaking.
Alexander pulled the phone from his hand angrily.
 "Angel?"
Kieran watched as his friend's hand tremble and his eyes soften. Even though he didn't have the
phone, his excellent hearing enabled him to hear what the girl was saying.
Listen in, Darian thought to him. I'll focus on the police.
Kieran nodded slightly.
"He's taken Mara," the girl cried to him. "He crashed his car into us and hurt me so I couldn't
help her. He's taken her!"
"We're coming, Angel," said Alexander soothingly.
"You're going to be too late!" she cried. "He's going to kill her! I know he will. I kept seeing it
in my visions."
"Angel," said Alexander calmingly. "We'll get there and then we'll track him. I promise you.
What I said before was wrong. Mara helped you, and I owe her much for it. I'll protect her, just stop
running from me."
"You're going to be too late!" she cried. "I know it. I can see it."
"Angel," he breathed. "There's nothing you can do. You've got to rest in order to recover. I know
you don't remember when you and I were fleeing together, but even I had to rest. No amount of blood
will help you without it."
"But I can't," she said. There was a pause. "Oh my God," she said. Her voice was awed. "Oh my
God," she almost breathed again. "I can feel her!"
"Angel?" a voice in the background called. "What are you doing?"
"There's a gun in the glove box," she said.
"You can't do much to a vampire with a gun," her companion in the background said.
"He's right, Angel," said Alexander. "Just wait for us. We'll be there in 10 minutes."

**********

Angel pulled at the glove box latch, but it wasn't working, the side of the car was too crushed to
make it function properly. She opened the back door of the SUV and pulled out Mara's crowbar.
"In 10 minutes she'll be dead," she replied to Alexander. "Hey Jay," she called. "Talk to
Alexander for me while I get this." She chucked the phone his way and he reflexively caught it.
Even though she was tired, she felt empowered. She could feel Mara's presence. It must have
had something to do with their sharing of blood; just like they could hear each others' thoughts.
Suddenly she wondered if she could call to her.
Mara! She tried shouting in her mind. Mara! I'm coming.
She put the crowbar in the seam of the glove box and pulled with her strength. Even though she
was weak, it gave easily. There was Mara's handgun with an extra clip. Angel grabbed it, chambered
the bullet, remembering Cael's lesson, and put it in the back of her jeans along with the other clip.
"Ancient One?" she heard Jay saying. "Do you want me to tackle her and hold her until you
arrive?"
Angel pulled the gun from her jeans and pointed it straight at him. "You try it and I'll shoot you
a couple of places I imagine would still smart like hell!"
"He wants to talk to you again, Angel," Jay pleaded.
"Put him on speaker phone," she replied.
Jay nodded and pushed the button.
"Angel?" Alexander called to her.
"Hey again," she replied in a tiny voice. Somehow he always did that to her. There was
something about him that softened her temper.
"You can't go after Paola. He's powerful and he'll hurt you. He'll try to control you."
"Just like he's doing to Mara?" She demanded. "What about you? What if it was Kieran or
Darian? They're your best friends, would you wait for reinforcements, or would you go?"
"I'm a different story," he replied. "I have complete control over my power. You've barely began
to touch on yours. You're almost as helpless as a human. Besides, the power of a dream walker isn't one
that is very useful in battle."
Angel nodded. "I've never been one that's very useful in a battle," she agreed. "But that doesn't
mean I'm going to quit fighting." She turned to Jay. "Are you going to help me or not, Jay?"
"Go with her, Jay" said Alexander on the phone. "Protect her until we can get there."
Jay nodded. "I will, Ancient One."
Angel sighed and felt tears fill her eyes. "Alexander," she whimpered her voice breaking. "I
love you, I'm sorry."
"My beautiful Angel," he breathed in return. "I've always loved you. I'm coming for you, even if
it is nearly two months too late. Forgive me."
"There's nothing to forgive," she replied. "Hurry, please."
"We're driving 90 miles an hour right now," he replied. "We're coming."
"Okay." She swallowed and turned to Jay. "Are you ready?"
"Give me a sec," he said. He went to his car, pulled something out, and then locked the doors.
Then he walked up to her, pushed her trembling gun aside and put a Bluetooth in her ear, then he put
his cell phone in his jacket pocket. "Keep close to me or you'll lose contact with him."
She sniffed and nodded. "Thanks," she said.
He nodded in reply. "Let's go, Little One. I'll help you as best I can."
She closed her eyes and tried to feel for her friend's presence. "They went this way."
"Which way are you going?" Alexander asked her.
"I don't know," she replied. "I'm just following them down a street, I don't know New York."
"How can you feel her?" Alexander asked.
"We um..."
"Shared a blood oath?" he finished for her.
"Yeah," she said. "I didn't know it would do this, but, I'm glad it did." She looked around and
felt a shiver run down her spine. "I think we need to be quiet. I get the feeling that Paola is close."
"Okay," said Alexander. "I'll just listen."
Angel was silent and with Jay she walked down the street. They were right next to Columbia
University, but she couldn't see Paola deviating from the street; he wasn't going to the University with
Mara. She gathered he was trying to keep away from people as much as possible.
At this time of night, the city was eerie. Perhaps it was the "city that never sleeps" but in the
current situation, it just felt creepy. Maybe it was because she'd seen what the monster they were
following was capable of, and maybe it was because the smell of the water was wafting in on the
breeze, but it was decidedly chilling. The streets were empty, and she couldn't shake the feeling of
something wicked creeping down her spine.
"There," whispered Jay. "There's the subway stop Columbia."
"I think they're going there," she said.
"If you go in the subway station," Alexander said, "you'll lose service. We're maybe five
minutes away, Little One. Can you wait that long?"
"Not if he hops on a train with her," Angel replied.
He growled into the phone, and it sent a shiver through her. She knew he was getting irritated.
"Dear God," whispered Jay. Suddenly he grabbed her and pulled her into the shadows.
"What are you doing?" Angel hissed.
"Didn't you see him turn and look right at us?" he growled. "He knows we're coming."
Angel shuddered. The last thing she really wanted to do was face his evil in real life. Even
seeing Paola in her visions froze her marrow, she couldn't imagine him; his voice, his evil, his beady
eyes staring down at her.
 "Come on," she whispered. "We're running out of time. If they make it on a train, we'll lose
them."
Jay nodded. "Stay close, Little One."
"God damn it," she heard Alexander say to his companions. "Can't we move any faster?"
She and Jay hurried down the street and towards the subway. It seemed to beckon them with its
twin lights glowing in the empty streets signifying the gaping hole that lead to an underground world of
trains, tile and stairs. For a moment, she paused under those two globes. A feeling of foreboding ran
down her spine, as though something was trying to tell her that if she descended, her life would
somehow be altered forever.
"You okay?" Jay asked her quietly.
"They went this way," Angel confirmed, "but something's not right. Something's going to
happen down there."
"God, Angel!" Alexander cried in exasperation. "Just WAIT!"
She shivered as a slight breeze chilled her sweating skin.
"Mara's ahead of us," she said simply. "I have to go."
She hurried down the steps with Jay behind her and peered around. It was like any other station,
with the white tile walls, turnstiles and stairs. She saw the famous mosaic that had graced the walls for
more than a century. She hadn't been in a subway since she was a kid, but it met her expectations; dirty,
tiled walls, musty smelling. She closed her eyes and felt for Mara's presence again. They'd gone down
into the tunnel.
"Where to now, Angel?" asked Jay.
"Down," she replied.
"Angel..." Cael called his voice already breaking up. "Don't let Paola..." She couldn't hear the
last part of his caution, for the phone went dead.
She closed her eyes, took off the blue tooth and chucked it at Jay. "Let's go."
They hurried down the stairs, Angel following not only the connection she had with her friend,
but also her sense of smell. They were close enough that she could scent the soft perfume they had
bought just a few nights ago; Mara had been so excited to buy something that made her feel so
beautiful. Angel sniffed and wiped at her eyes. She couldn't let Paola hurt her again.
"That's the sound of a train," said Jay. "It's leaving. Angel, I think we've just lost them."
Angel shook her head. "She's not on the train," she said. "They're still here. I can still feel her
close by."
Jay shook his head at her but followed alongside without further comment.
Angel could feel Mara even more strongly now.
Mara? She called to her friend. Can you hear me?
Angel? Mara replied. Oh God! Angel RUN!
I'm coming for you, Mara, she replied.
He knows you're following him. He's going to hurt you.
Keep him distracted, would you?
I'll try, but if he reads my mind, you're done for.
Angel shivered. That's why I'm not telling you my plans.
"You okay?" Jay whispered.
"Mara's awake," she said. "Paola knows we're following him."
"If he's as powerful of a psychic as you say," whispered Jay, "he might try to use Mara to stop
you. He knows you won't hurt her."
Angel nodded. "I'll hurt her, but I won't kill her."
"Look!" Jay pulled on her arm. "That service door..."
"It's cracked," Angel finished for him. She closed her eyes and tried to reach out to Mara again.
"They went that way," she confirmed.
 "The service tunnels in this place are creepy, Angel," he warned.
"I had a weird feeling when we got here," she agreed. "I suppose it was a warning."
Jay laughed darkly. "You haven't listened to any of them yet," he said. "Not even from the
Ancient One. You're a stubborn one, aren't you?"
She shrugged. "It's part of my charm."
They crept towards the door. Jay reached out, keeping Angel behind him. She didn't mind,
really. In reality, if she thought about what she was really doing she would probably be too terrified to
do it. Staying close behind him they crept inside, noting that the cleanliness of this new tunnel was
seriously neglected. Tiles had fallen off the wall, and several yards into the tunnel the tiles were
completely gone and it was just plain cement.
"Are you coming for me, Little One?" a wicked voice called to them. Angel thought she'd
turned to ice as the sound slid down her spine. "How honourable, coming after a fucking wretch like
Mara, here."
"The fucking wretch isn't Mara, Francisco," she called back hoping her voice sounded much
braver than she felt, "it's you."
"You've got spunk," his voice echoed back. "Perhaps I'll find you amusing for a while, too."
Angel shivered. Suddenly there was a low growl beside her. She turned and stared in horror at
Mara, whose fangs were bared and whose eyes were glittering viciously. Looking into those eyes, there
was no trace of her friend.
Mara! She shouted the name in her friend's head. Mara, STOP!
It was the last thing she thought before her friend charged at her viciously.
Angel didn't have time to react, but Jay did. With a graceful move he stood before her, grabbed
Mara's hand and with an astounding karate move, used her momentum against her and flipped her onto
her back with a loud thud.
Angel winced at the sound, but was suddenly very grateful that Jay had accompanied her.
"It worked out exactly as I thought it would," Paola's voice whispered in her ear.
Angel screeched, but she was too late. He pulled the gun from her jeans and wrapped his arm
around her body holding the weapon to her head.
"Don't move!" he shouted to Jay. "I'll blow her head off, and you and I both know even a
vampire will die with a head shot."
Jay froze.
Listen to me, Little One, a wicked voice called in her head. You are mine now. I own you. Just
like Mara, you will do what I demand.
Angel listened to his words, but she found that they held no power over her. It seemed that the
mental abilities of being a dream walker somehow shielded her mind from the powers of the psychic.
She didn't have to do anything. Suddenly she knew how to outwit Paola. She willed her body to relax in
his arms, trying make it seem that she was submitting to his control. If she could convince him that she
was under his power, she might be able to help her friends.
That's it, his voice purred in her mind.
The wicked sound made her shudder involuntarily, but Paola didn't seem to notice.
I'm going to give you this gun and you're going to shoot at your friends with it. Once you've
killed them, I want you to point it at your own head and kill yourself. Do you understand?
Angel nodded, sickened by his plan.
He put the gun in her hands and then released her. She raised her gun up towards Jay, who
remained frozen, his eyes filled with horror. He knew Paola was a psychic, and it was obvious what
he'd just commanded her to do when she lifted her gun. For a moment, Angel pitied him. He was torn
between protecting her as the Ancient One commanded and giving up his own life. She winked at him
encouragingly and then turned and fired a shot right into Paola's chest. The sound of the gun in the
tunnel was deafening, as was Paola's shriek.
 "You fucking bitch!" Paola screamed.
Angel made to fire again, but in a blink he was gone. She swore. He was incredibly fast.
"Get back over here, Angel!" Jay cried.
Before she could move, Paola was on her reaching for the gun snarling. His vicious black eyes
were glowing with rage and his powerful body easily restrained her. She screeched and struggled
against him even though she knew that in her exhausted state she'd never be able to resist him.
"Angel!" Jay cried jumping to her defence. He kicked Paola in his side making the vampire
grunt and release his grip on Angel's wrist.
Without thinking she fired at Paola again this time she saw the bullet make contact in his
shoulder.
Paola roared in pain, his fangs glittering in the dim light, spittle dripping from his chin.
He really is a monster, Angel thought to herself.
"Get Mara and run!" Jay cried.
"If he touches you, he'll use you as a weapon!" Angel returned. "Get away from him!"
Jay jumped out of Paola's reach even as Paola tried to grab him. Angel fired again, but this time
he jumped out of the way.
"How do you resist me, Little One?" Paola snarled. "No one resists me."
"Guess what, you bastard," Mara's voice snarled. "I will resist you until the day I die!"
Angel gasped in surprise as Mara launched herself at Paola her fangs bared, snarling with rage.
For a brief second, Paola's face paled but then he smiled and caught her assault allowing her to take
him to the ground. Suddenly Mara went still in his arms and Angel swallowed a lump in her throat.
He'd taken whatever control Mara had gained over herself back.
"He's got her again," Jay whispered to her. "We're in trouble, Angel."
She nodded. "I know."
Mara and Paola both rose standing side-by-side their eyes glittering at Angel and Jay.
"I've got Paola," said Angel. "I kinda get him by default."
Jay chuckled. "You're a funny kid," he said. "I hope you make it, but I'm not counting on it for
either one of us."
Angel nodded. "Here we go!"
Jay leapt toward Mara, and Angel began to unload the weapon at Paola. He was too quick for
her, though, and easily dodged her attack. In what seemed like a split second he was standing in front
of her and had grabbed the gun. She screamed and struggled kicking and clawing at him viciously,
desperately trying not to lose control of the gun. If he was able to rip it from her hands, he'd kill her.
The gun fired as they fought for control, though Paola's awesome strength against her
diminutive size and exhausted body mad it no contest. He pulled the gun from her hands and shot it
point-blank into her chest.
Angel gasped as she felt the bullet pierce her lungs and she stumbled backwards gasping. To her
surprise she didn't gush blood and she didn't cough it up, either, but she felt even more exhausted than
before. She stumbled backwards and looked up at Paola stubbornly. She figured that she might as well
go down cursing him, if that was how she was going to go. He shot again, but she dodged as quickly as
she could. It clipped her arm, and once again she gasped in pain.
"Good night, Little One," Paola chuckled to her wickedly.
He pulled the trigger, but suddenly Angel was knocked to the ground.
For a moment she simply gasped, as she tried to get air back into her lungs.
"You okay, Angel?" Mara whispered in her ear.
"Are you?" she whimpered to her friend.
"Pain usually snaps me out of it," she admitted.
"What happened to Jay?"
"I kinda knocked him out," Mara admitted.
 "Paola's going to kill us," Angel whimpered.
"I'm sorry, Angel. You should have just returned to the Ancient One. This is all my fault."
"No, you are my saviour," Angel breathed. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you like you helped me."
"Come here, Mara," Paola called to her. "You belong to me."
Angle felt Mara wrap her arms around her body protectively.
"I'll never come to you willingly, Francisco," she snarled. "I never have."
He chuckled. "I don't care if you're willing."
He walked towards the two women huddling together on the ground, his beady black eyes
glowing with wicked triumph. Angel felt Mara pull her close and hold her tight.
Suddenly there was a vicious snarl. In the blink of an eye, the once triumphant Paola was
overwhelmed by another snarling, vicious vampire. Angel clung to Mara shivering as Paola struggled
with the new attacker. Her body throbbed, and each time she breathed it felt like her lungs were on fire.
Her eyes blurred with tears and a strange buzzing sensation spread through her limbs. She was going to
pass out.
The last thing she remembered before she lost consciousness was his voice.
"Drink, Angel. Just drink."
Chapter Eighteen
She stared mutely at the Ancient One and his companions, trying to comprehend what had just
happened. When Alexander LeGaulle, covered in Paola's blood, had viciously grabbed Angel from her
arms, Mara was terrified. His eyes were glowing like neon in the dark, his fangs dripped with his
enemy's blood and the air was crackling with his power. For a minute, she thought that he'd kill her if
Angel wasn't okay, but the moment he held her abused and nearly comatose form in his arms, his
wicked demeanour changed. His eyes grew gentle, his fangs retracted and he stroked the girl's bloody
hair out of her face, speaking to her in a tender, crooning voice.
Mara felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched them. Alexander had bitten into his own
wrist, feeding his Little One his blood, whispering words of love and encouragement as she drank his
healing essence. That was how a creator was supposed to treat the woman he turned, showing her she
was loved, protected and cherished. Paola had only tortured her; forced her to use her knowledge and
talents for evil. He'd raped, debased, used, and tormented her to satisfy his sick urges. She looked at the
bloody remains of the wicked vampire who had forever damned her to a life filled with darkness and
despair. Even dead, with his throat ripped out, his body battered from the Ancient One's fury, she had
no pity. She wiped the tears irritably from her face and reminded herself once again that she didn't need
anyone. She was better off alone.
Finally, it seemed the Ancient One was satisfied that Angel was going to be okay. He licked the
wounds on his wrist, stroked her hair again gently and kissed her pouting lips softly. Then he stood
looking meaningfully at a vampire with white-blond hair and silver eyes, cradling Angel protectively in
his arms. His companion smiled warmly and shook his head chuckling, as though an unspoken joke had
passed between them.
"Come, brother," he said still smiling, "let's take her home where she belongs."
Alexander nodded and then turned to another vampire with dark hair and dark eyes.
"You'll take care of things?"
The vampire nodded and bowed. "If you don't get her home, she might manage to get herself
into more trouble," the man teased.
For a moment, Mara smiled. That was Angel, all right. She seemed to have a knack for getting
into some strange messes.
The Ancient One carried his mate out of the tunnel, leaving an entire team of vampires to clean
up the remains of Paola, modify the security cameras to hide what had happened, and remove the blood
from the walls and floors. For a few moments, she watched the team efficiently clean away all traces
that this place had been a battleground of the supernatural. She'd heard of this when she became a
vampire, and she'd seen places that had been cleaned up like this before when she was a human, but the
way that these people hid the very existence of vampires was strangely intriguing. She thought back to
all those crime scenes that had been wiped clean just like this...
Suddenly the dark-haired vampire turned his gaze upon her, his almost black eyes glinting with
power. She shrank away from him a little; he wasn't someone to fuck around with. Of all the vampires
she'd ever met, there was something about him that made her hands tremble. He wasn't wicked; she
knew what wicked looked like. No. There was a sense of arrogance, impatience, and rabid wildness to
him that was at once terrifying and alluring. His deep voice sent shivers down her spine and his glinting
eyes made her breath catch in her throat. She watched him walk towards her feeling suddenly like a doe
pinned in the corner by a lithe tiger; his deadly grace made her heart pound in fear.
She stared at him, her eyes wide, heart thumping in her chest, while his dark eyes seemed to
grow predatory. She felt the cold cement of the wall against her back and started in surprise, she didn't
even realize she had been backing away from him. She held her breath as he moved closer even still
until he stood inches away from her, glaring down into her face. She could feel the heat of his body
next to hers, the warmth of his breath, the power of his presence... it was intoxicating and absolutely
overwhelming.
"Miss Natalie Latham..." he purred in a dark, dangerous voice.
Mara felt her body surge as he used her true name, and then her heart pounded even more in
panic. He knew about her! He knew who she was! Oh God!
"Or should I say Special Agent Latham?" he continued.
Mara gasped.
"Who would have thought that the serial killer you had been hunting twenty years ago was a
vampire? Who would have thought that he would have taken you, turned you and forced you into doing
the very thing you'd been placed on a special team to stop?"
Mara's eyes filled with tears. Who would have thought? She surely didn't. If she had known she
would have never...
She bowed her head unable to answer, but he caught her chin in his fingers.
"For what it's worth, none of it was your fault," he said quietly.
She stared up at him in shock. The tenderness in his voice was so...unexpected. Surely this dark,
powerful vampire hadn't just shown her kindness? For a moment Mara couldn't help but to stare in his
eyes, lost in their shadowy depths. It was like staring into a midnight fire; black, hot, and consuming.
"Lord Montasse."
A voice shattered the intense moment, and Mara bowed her head again doing her best not to
shake fearfully in the powerful vampire's presence.
He turned growling.
"You're needed above ground," the vampire said even as he took a step back, his face paling as
those black eyes stared him down.
The dark-haired vampire nodded and grabbed her arm firmly, as though he knew she'd try to
elude him given the chance.
"Move it, girl," he growled as he pulled her along.
Mara didn't resist. She was too tired and beat-up and she knew at once that she'd never best this
vampire in a direct confrontation. Besides, after the last two decades, she'd learned how to be patient
and to wait for the right moment.
A limousine arrived for the Ancient One and Angel, and the silver-eyed vampire joined them. It
was obvious to Mara that she wasn't invited, and it made her sad and angry. She loved Angel like a
sister. She'd taken care of her and taught her the ways of vampires as best as she could. As she watched
them pull away, she wondered bitterly if she'd ever see her best friend again.
The dark vampire was instantly bombarded by others asking him questions and getting orders
for the clean-up. Mara looked at them curiously. Even though they were dressed in street clothes, she
could tell they were specially trained and were carrying concealed weapons. It made sense for vampires
to blend in with the human population, but seeing so many people with earpieces and other technology
that denoted a special force dressed in street clothes seemed inherently out of place to her.
As the teams asked questions and reported to her captor, she did her best to listen in and learn
how the special teams of the vampire world worked. Unlike human police that were so concerned with
preserving a crime scene, their intent was to completely erase it from existence. She listened as they
reported on the status of the clean up. Videos were erased, traces of blood removed, and the minds of
any potential witnesses were altered; another good use for a vampire with psychic skills. In a moment
of distraction, the dark-haired vampire released her arm as he continued to give orders and make
decisions. Mara did her best to control her sudden elation. Vampires could sense the feelings of others
around them, and if the dark vampire was as old as she guessed, he'd sense her excitement and would
quickly grab her again.
Taking deep breaths, she cautiously looked around the subway stop. There was enough chaos
going on that she could easily slip away. Now that she knew Angel would be safe and protected, and
Paola wouldn't follow her anymore she was more determined than ever to start over. She looked back at
the vampire the others had called "Lord Montasse." He'd been trying to tell her something before they
were interrupted. He might believe she was innocent, but she remembered Angel's words; the Ancient
One would put her on trial for all of Paola's deeds.
Mara took a deep breath and made up her mind. Slowly she started to move away from the
distracted dark-haired vampire. Instinctively, she knew he was the one she should fear the most and he
was obviously the oldest. Then when she was sure she'd put enough distance between them, she turned
and dashed away, running with all her strength. Hopefully New York would live up to her expectations
and be a good place to hide.

**************

Kieran had dragged Mara up the stairs even as he shot off commands to secure the area. While
he was normally a businessman and handled Alexander's many companies, he was also the security
chief of the vampire world in America. It was his job to make sure the events that had transpired
tonight never became human knowledge, and it was a mess. First, there were the damn security
cameras in the tunnels. Granted they had access and they were already reviewing the footage and
erasing all shots of vampires, but it was a hassle, and the result wasn't perfect. An observant human
might notice things had been tampered with. Then there was all the blood, the gunshots and the overall
mess. It would take the crew several hours to clean everything up.
When he'd been relatively sure that the crew could handle things on their own he turned to grab
the other girl and make his way back to the mansion. Alexander would want to question Mara rather
extensively, especially because she had seen Angel right after turning. There were so many questions he
hoped she would be able to answer. To his surprise, though, there was no trace of the brown-haired girl.
Kieran growled angrily at himself for letting her go. For some reason he figured that she was
still too shaken to flee; after all, the moment was violent and traumatic. The vampire who had been
tailing them and than later helped the girls attack Paola was still terribly groggy, and he didn't look
nearly as bad as Mara did. The fact that she'd had the balls and the clarity of mind to flee almost made
him respect her; almost.
She had run, after all, and no one ran from Kieran Montasse and got away with it. He closed his
eyes and sniffed the air, catching the soft perfume that she wore. It was a pleasant smell, and for one
who didn't like the flowery scent of a woman that said a lot. It seemed that Mara had good taste, too.
"Lord Montasse?" said one of the men on the team, noting his strange stare.
"Mara is gone," Kieran said quietly.
"Would you like us to assemble a team to search for her?"
Kieran shook his head. "No. I will hunt her. It's a beautiful night to chase."
The vampire on his team smiled a little. "Indeed it is," he agreed. He bowed low to the ancient
vampire and then returned to oversee the clean up in the Columbia tunnel.
Kieran followed his nose, using his hyper-sensitive body to follow Mara's sweet scent. Unlike
Alexander's telekinetic powers, his were physical. His nose was better than any bloodhound's, his ears
heard sounds imperceptible to others, and his physical stamina couldn't be paralleled. He'd been one of
the greatest trackers of all time, and in situations such as these, his prey never eluded him.
"Mara, Mara," he breathed wickedly. "Don't you know that it's impossible to escape me?"

**************

Alexander held Anna close to him as they rode back to the mansion. He was somewhere
between a state of euphoria and rage as she slumbered so wearily against him, just like she'd done when
he'd first carried her out of that dark pit. Greedily he absorbed her; the sweet smell of her hair, the
warm softness of her body, the odd sense of peace that almost seemed to reach his soul. He'd forgotten
what she'd done to him, how she'd made him feel. He couldn't believe he'd imagined going on without
her. Now if he could only get his Anna to remember who she was, what they meant to each other, and
how important they were to each other again.
"We'll work on it as soon as she's awake," said Darian quietly.
He smiled at his friend. Darian was always pushing into his thoughts when he grew silent.
"She told me she loved me before she went in the subway," he said.
"Then perhaps she has recovered her memory on her own."
"If not, you can find them," Alexander said.
Darian laughed. "You're always so presumptuous of my talents, brother! Did anyone tell you
you're an arrogant ass?"
Alexander smiled. "No one in the last thousand years," he admitted, "no one but you."
"Kieran thinks it," Darian added.
"Many people think it," he agreed. "But you're the only one with the balls to really say it."
Anna whimpered in his arms and for a moment Alexander felt a slight tremor run through her
body. Through their strange connection he felt a hazy sensation of distress.
"She's dream-walking again," Darian confirmed. "She's horribly powerful for her age,
Alexander. She's doing things at a young age that took me many years of survival to achieve."
"I don't know how to help her either," Alexander sighed. "I want to protect her from pain, and
no matter how I try, I can't seem to manage it."
"Your presence is a comfort," Darian replied. "Subconsciously she knows that you're holding
her and that she is safe." He sighed rather bitterly. "It was why I rarely slept alone for so many
centuries. Being in bed with someone was a way my body could remind my mind that even though it
was seeing such horrifying things, I was really warm and safe."
Alexander nodded and stroked her hair again. She whimpered slightly and then sighed, her body
relaxing into his embrace again.
"What are you going to do now that she's back?"
"You mean politically?"
Darian nodded.
"The intelligence team already knows she's my true mate," he conceded. "It will only be a
matter of time before the world finds out."
"It will be good for you to have a dream walker at your side," Darian conceded. "I'm not much
use in Europe." Alexander watched Darian's usually bright face grow sad and thoughtful. "This was
fun, hanging out just the three of us again."
"You're thinking you'll need to return."
How many times had they had this conversation? It still made his heart ache. Brothers, bound
by blood; the centuries of adventure just like this...
"It gets harder each time we get together," Darian admitted.
"I figured deep down, you were still angry at me," Alexander said quietly.
"About Kitianna?"
He nodded.
"I was for so long," Darian admitted. "I believed she was my true mate."
"Believed, as in past tense?"
"Yes."
Alexander stared at his friend thoughtfully. The last several centuries, their relationship had
been strained. He hated to even think about the painful words they'd flung at each other; Darian's in
grief, and his in anger. Darian had believed that Kitianna was his true mate. He felt her emotions, he
craved her, he desired her, and she'd wholeheartedly returned his affections even if she didn't feel the
close connection between them. Desperately Darian fought the courtly battle, pretending to be human,
trying to win the girl he was sure was his soul mate, but when he'd revealed himself to her, she'd been
horrified. She loathed him, would have nothing to do with the 'spawn of the devil.'
At last in frustration, Darian decided to turn her and make her his own against her will. He and
Kieran had stopped him that night, believing that to turn a human without consent was wrong.
Alexander had long ago admitted to himself that he'd been protecting Darian. As the oldest, he'd felt
responsible for the other two. He'd been trying to save his best friend the pain of creating a woman who
would loathe him and herself, calling them all demons. It was what the people of that time believed
vampires to be.
Finally, after an intense debate before the girl's home, Darian agreed to continue his pursuit
without forcing her to turn and they left to enjoy themselves and to get his mind off the woman for a
few hours. It ended up being a splendid night; they'd gotten drunk, kicked ass in a few fights without
revealing their abilities, and stumbled home before sunrise singing old songs tunelessly and loud
enough to wake the neighbours
It wasn't until sunset the next night, when Darian returned to see his Kitianna and plead his case
once again that they'd heard the news. She was dead. Raped and murdered in her bed by a coveting
servant in the household who had been missing all day. Darian went mad; furious at himself, at his
friends and at that wretched servant. With all his magical abilities to see the future, he never dreamed it,
or if he had, he'd been too drunk to see it. That plagued him with guilt even more than anything else,
but the pain quickly turned to rage. He searched for the killer and found him later that night and then
literally ripped him to shreds. Kieran and Alexander had been silent, allowing their companion the
justice he needed. Then, for a long time, his friends watched him fight his broken heart. He'd lost his
soul mate. He was devastated for centuries.
Somehow though, Darian still blamed Alexander for not allowing him to turn her that moment
they had argued before her home. The words between them had been hurtful, but he understood,
perhaps better than his silver-eyed friend understood himself. Sometimes blaming something on
someone else turns the grief to anger, and for Darian, anger was more easily dealt with.
He'd been surprised that the little jibes weren't present after he thought he lost Anna. After all
these years, something about Darian's beliefs had changed.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I'd never seen true mates before," his friend admitted. "I thought my infatuation with Kitianna
meant we were soul mates. But seeing you with Anna and her with you, I understand. I didn't lose what
I thought."
"So you believe your mate is out there for you still?"
Darian's silver eyes glowed as he looked out the window thoughtfully.
"I do."
Alexander smiled warmly at his friend.
"Perhaps when Anna is settled, we'll have to begin searching again."
"If it takes being thrown into a nuclear weapon-resistant vault, nearly starving to death and
almost losing my kingdom, I think I'll pass," Darian chuckled.
Alexander smiled warmly at his best friend.
As usual, people were waiting for them when the limo pulled up, but he noticed that there were
many faces peeking out of the windows. Servants, courtiers, ambassadors, friends; he was sure they'd
all heard the news that he'd found his Little One again. He wondered how many already knew she was
his true mate.
"Ancient One," said Thomas, one of his closest advisors who had staunchly remained loyal as
the kingdom crumbled around him. "Congratulations on your success."
Alexander nodded and smiled, but walked past him and all the others who were waiting to talk
to him, intent on getting Anna back in his bedroom before anything else could happen. He wanted her
safe in his bed, so he could snuggle close during his sleep and try to recover from the absence he'd felt
in his heart.
Many people started to protest, but he ignored them.
"Patience," said Darian gently to them. "He's been through a harrying night. A serial killer
attacked them and the girl was hurt. He's on edge and needs some space. Besides he's been waiting for
her for twenty-five centuries. Give him at least a few nights."
"It's true then?"
"Yes," he heard Darian reply. "She's the one."
His heart started to accelerate the closer he got to his rooms. His Anna was in his arms and he
was carrying her home to her bed with him! A guard opened the door for him, noting that his hands
were full.
Alexander grinned at him.
"Lock it, will you?" he said. "Instruct everyone to stay away from me for the day, too."
The guard bowed and looked at Anna. Even though his eyes were curious, Alexander felt his
fangs elongate and he had to hold back a possessive snarl.
"Definitely keep them locked out," he confirmed, struggling to control his fangs. "Darian and
Kieran are all right, of course."
"Yes, Ancient One," his guard replied.
Alexander heard the lock click and smiled. He admitted to himself he was like a greedy child
running away and hiding with a stolen cookie jar, but he didn't feel one bit of guilt. Instead he carried
her to one of his couches and laid her gently down to survey the condition of her wounds. Carefully he
peeled away the bloody shirt she wore, though by now the blood was mostly dry. Her beautiful body
was covered in its own blood, but she wasn't bleeding anymore. The wounds had all sealed, and with
the extra help of his blood, she'd been able to overcome the shots to the chest, too, without spending
days in agony as her weakened body fought to recover on its own.
Other than the skin being slightly pink at the entry wounds, she seemed okay. He checked the
exit wounds, noting the spots were larger, but still just slight imperfections in the skin that would heal
with feeding and rest. Even though she was unconscious and bloody, he felt his body stir as he
surveyed her. The emaciation she'd struggled with since he'd known her was gone, and now as a
vampire, she was strong, fleshy and curvy. He looked at those beautiful breasts, they were fuller now,
too. She wasn't wearing expensive lingerie but on her...
He swallowed and focused on removing her bloody jeans and her shoes. He felt another hungry
growl in his throat as he pulled those jeans down her long, sexy legs. Swallowing his desire he checked
her wounds to note that the places where her legs had been crushed in the accident were also just
slightly pink.
He stared at her with admiration. Not just because he found her so beautiful, but because she
had chased a murderer with these wounds, ignoring the pain and weariness from her injuries. Anna had
always been determined, but to see how much sheer will she'd used to save Mara reminded him once
again of her strength in that horrid tomb. She'd even shared it with him; a beast though he'd seemed to
her at the time. Even dying, she'd fought for love and life.
He couldn't help himself as he kissed her lips softly.
"You really are my angel," he whispered in her ear.
She whimpered softly and turned her face towards him. She'd always been drawn to him in her
sleep, nestling against him, craving his touch.
He rose almost reluctantly and went to start the water in his bathtub. He couldn't let her wallow
in her own blood any longer. Then he stripped down himself and carried her naked body into the tub
where he simply sat with her and used the sprayer to wash away the remnants of the battle with Paola.
When she was finally clean, he let the water fill the tub and for a while just luxuriated with her in his
arms, letting the warm water soak away his stress and worries.
 He caressed her soft skin pensively as she rested wearily in his arms, grateful for the large
bathtub and for the ability to cleanse her sitting down. This was so much better than trying to manage
her poor emaciated body in that wretched shower after their escape just a few months ago.
She cooed again at his touch and her beautiful blue eyes opened blearily.
"Am I dreaming?" she whispered.
"That depends," he replied softly. "Is it a good dream?"
"Mm," she moaned. "If I'm dreaming, I hope I never wake up."
He chuckled. "Sleep for now, Little One. Let your body rest."
She sighed against him and shook her head almost stubbornly as though she was too tired to
fight, but really wanted to. He closed his eyes and pushed a little on her mind, sending her back to sleep
with a soft sigh. He wondered if he'd ever be able to use his mind against her when she recovered. An
unrestrained Anna was a bit of a frightening thought.
Finally he rose from the tub, dried her off and carried her to his bed. The housekeeper had
already turned down the sheets for him, so he deposited her on his bed. For a moment, he couldn't help
but stare at her again, wanting to remember this moment; the first time she'd ever really been home
where she belonged, in his bed.
Then he towelled himself off, threw the wet towel on the floor in the bathroom, and crawled
into bed beside her, pushing the button to turn off the lights. He snuggled against her, smelling her
sweet flesh, and feeling her soft, naked body against his. He closed his eyes and reveled in it.

************

She's a crafty one, Kieran thought as he followed the elusive yet sweet scent of Anna's
vagabond friend, Mara.
When he couldn't find anything about her in the public files, he'd gotten more than just curious.
This woman was something in the human world, and that something was classified. Not one to allow
the humans to keep anything from him, he instantly assigned a few of his best investigators to find out
about Natalie Latham.
When he'd learned she was a special agent in the FBI who'd spent three years hunting Paola
before she'd disappeared, he was shocked. The vagabond? She was a homeless vampire, living off the
streets, according to his people. Mara, an agent? Clearly Paola had tortured her, broken her, turned her
into a frightened, weak woman. He'd destroyed her with his horrible hobby for murder. It had been a
long time since Kieran had felt sympathy for someone like he did for her.
Then, when Mara met Angel, her behaviour changed. She'd become more self-assured and
decisive. She grew bold and daring, using connections in the human world that even though they were
almost two decades old, were still good. She'd known exactly how to avoid being followed, when they
were pursuing her, and now that she was running again, she was still a tricky creature to hunt. He was
getting closer; the scent was stronger. She probably believed she'd lost him after weaving through
streets, hopping in taxis and on subway cars, but she wasn't slowing. She was smart; she knew he
wasn't someone to be fucked with.
At last, after nearly two hours of the cat-and-mouse game they were playing, he finally saw her.
Her long, brown hair tumbled messily down her back, her hips swayed unconsciously exuding sex and
confidence as she walked. She was looking about as she walked, almost as though she was searching
for something.
What are you looking for, Mara? He asked himself.
She looked up at the sky and quickened her pace.
Of course! It will be daylight in less than an hour.
He followed her stealthily for a little while longer, until he finally decided it was time to make
his move. He dashed forward and grabbed her from behind, but he was shocked when she used his
momentum against him, twisted her body and flipped him over her shoulder. He landed on his back
right on the concrete with a loud thud, the air whooshing out of his lungs.
"Damn it, woman," he gasped even as he bared his fangs and snarled.
"Why can't you just let me go?" Mara demanded, backing away from him. "Don't you think I've
already been through enough shit? Don't you think I've suffered enough? I don't need the Ancient One
to put me on trial for my crimes. I've suffered a consequence worse than death!"
Kieran leapt to his feet and rushed her again. His first thought was to beat the shit out of her, but
for some reason he loathed the thought of striking this woman. Snarling angrily at his weakness and at
the residual pain in his back he tried to grab her again.
She blocked his assault with skilful moves, deflecting his hands, avoiding his grasp even though
he was using his incredible speed. She didn't seem to have any qualms about attacking him, though, for
she punched and kicked with all her skill, and though her efforts didn't find a mark upon his body, he
was still impressed.
"You must have excelled in hand-to-hand combat in the academy," he said as though they were
talking over tea.
"I worked hard on it," she admitted, panting at her exertions.
"I can tell. Most people couldn't have resisted me for so long," he said. "Of course, I figure I've
only got to hold out for ten minutes when the sun rises and your strength and agility will wane."
She looked at him angrily and he smiled back charmingly.
"You know I'm right. You have two options, Mara. Give up before you get burned in the sun and
come with me now, or you'll suffer the worst sunburn of your life as I wait long enough for it to
incapacitate you and then drag you with me anyway. Which will it be?"
Mara stepped back and looked at him, her brown eyes hardening with anger even as her breast
heaved. Then she looked at the sky and a shiver ran down her spine.
Kieran had forgotten what sunrise felt like, because he was so old the sun pushing over the
horizon didn't affect him.
Mara was a young vampire, though, and she knew that once the sun rose, she'd be weak. Her
beautiful brown eyes grew dull with resignation. "I don't have a choice," she finally admitted, her voice
sounding sad and defeated.
For a moment Kieran felt a pang in his heart. He could almost hear that same broken voice as
Paola used his power to control her and make her commit atrocities. The woman who had seemed so
strong only a moment ago appeared to diminish before his eyes, and she seemed somehow tiny and
delicate. She couldn't be over five foot seven, and even though her body was muscular, her bone
structure was average. She wasn't as slightly built as Anna, but when her fists weren't balled and her
legs weren't aiming for the more tender parts of his anatomy, she seemed absolutely delicate.
"Neither Alexander nor I are going to hurt you, Mara," he said, shocked at how gentle his voice
was.
"The sun's rising," she replied. "It doesn't really matter anymore."
Kieran looked over his shoulder and nodded. "We need to get you underground or inside," he
said. "Come on!"
Mara's face had grown pale, though, for the sun was over the horizon, even though they couldn't
see it in the city. It wouldn't be long before she was completely exhausted. He grabbed her arm and
pulled her along. Then he pulled out his phone and using the GPS system tried to locate the nearest
subway stop. She wouldn't last long in the sunlight.
"Come on," he said pulling her.
Mara stumbled beside him, her creamy skin looking white as a sheet as she walked. Kieran
glanced over at her frequently as they hustled down the street, his black eyes glittering with agitation.
He would be able to move much more quickly if he didn't have to pull her alongside, he wasn't worried
for himself. He bit his lip for a moment, knowing that she'd protest violently, but he figured that in her
current condition he had her completely overpowered.
He didn't even stop; he simply scooped her up in his arms. She squealed weakly, but he knew
she was frightened; she'd never been out this close to sunrise.
"Put your arms around my neck and hang on," he said gruffly.
She nodded and wrapped her arms about him, and buried her head between his neck and his
shoulder. For a moment, Kieran was overwhelmed by sensation. The sweet scent that had been
tantalizing him all night was overpowering. It was a combination of smells; her hair, her perfume, her
skin. Her warm body was lighter than expected and soft to the touch, and the way her breasts pressed
against his chest made him swallow hard.
What is this woman doing to me?
He dashed with all his speed towards the subway station, praying that the sun didn't rise over
the buildings and hurt her before he got there. He let out a gasp of relief as he descended the stairs; the
weakened girl in his arms simply clung to him.
"How is it that you aren't exhausted?" Mara asked in a voice that was husky with weariness.
Kieran shivered at the sound.
"I'm over fifteen hundred years old," he replied. "The sun doesn't hold much power over me."
"Everything is more powerful than I am," she said. "I have weak blood."
"Paola's blood was strong," Kieran argued.
"Paola wasn't my creator," Mara returned.
Kieran was silent for a moment. "Only you would really know that," he said at last. "But I can
tell you, you're not as weak as you think."
Mara chuckled wearily. "Yeah, right."
He shook his head. "Good news is you're too tired to argue with me now." He looked around.
"Let's see if we can find one of those service tunnels to hide in for the day, now, shall we?"
"You could have just let the sun take me," she said quietly.
"And waste a good night of chasing you?" he returned playfully. "I always get what I want,
Mara," he said, his voice growing dark and dangerous again. "Don't forget that. My prey never escapes
me, the American world bows to me, and those who run from me are always caught."
He carried her until he came upon one of those service tunnels. He could tell by the smell
behind the door that it wasn't just a small mechanical room. This tunnel wound back into the system for
a long while. With a violent kick, the lock broke and he pushed his way inside, closing the door behind
him as best as he could.
It was pitch black, but to vampire eyes, it was like a dusky grey. The walls were concrete and
the floors were dirty, but it seemed sheltered and safe for a while, especially if they wormed their way
several hundred yards back.
"Reminds me of the old days," Kieran said under his breath.
"Mm?" Mara replied.
"I said it reminds me of the old days. There was a time, when tunnels and caves like these hid
many vampires during the daylight. Especially during the Dark Ages when people hunted us because
they thought we carried the plague. Little did they know their own rats and uncleanly habits were
breeding the lice that brought about their downfall."
"Has it been hard to live so long?" Mara asked.
"Yes."
"Where are you from, originally?"
"Damascus."
"Oh. You're Jewish?"
"No."
"Oh."
"This looks like a good spot to sleep," Kieran said. "I'm afraid the ground is cold in caves like
this."
He gently lowered her down to the ground, knowing that she could barely keep her head up.
Mara curled up in a ball and for a moment, he watched her shiver miserably. He sat down and sighed.
He was going to be cold, too. It seemed that over the centuries he'd grown soft.
"Lay close to me, Mara," he said in resignation. "Our bodies are the only way to keep warm."
"Aren't you going to sleep, too?" she asked, her voice even huskier with weariness than before.
Kieran felt another shiver go down his spine at the sound of her voice.
What was this woman doing to him?
"I'll sit up," he said. "I don't need as much sleep as you, and subway stops aren't always empty."
He stroked her hair impulsively, the silky texture of her hair on his fingertips making him tremble.
"I'll protect you today, Mara, but tonight, you're coming with me."
She nodded and snuggled against him, greedily absorbing his warmth.
Kieran's black eyes softened slightly, but then he growled at himself angrily.
What is wrong with me?
He closed his eyes and shook his head. He would never understand women.

***************

Anna awoke in her favourite dream. She was in his big, luxurious bed again. His spicy male
scent filled her nostrils, and the soft sheets caressed her skin. Her back was pressed against his front
feeling his erection pressed against her, and he had draped an arm possessively over her middle. For a
moment she luxuriated in the sensation of being close to her lover; her life.
"How do you feel?" he asked her gently.
"Mmm," she replied.
"Let's see how you recovered," he said gently turning her on her back.
"Recovered?" she asked blearily.
"From the gunshot wound," he said.
"Oh," she said, trying desperately to piece together what he was talking about.
Suddenly it occurred to her that this didn't feel quite like dream walking; the sensations were
too real. Could it be true? Was she finally in her lover's arms, his home? The last moments of the attack
on Paola rushed across her eyes like a surreal dream. She remembered his sickened mind connecting
with hers, commanding her to attack her friends, his disgusting hands upon her, the gunshot wounds to
her chest.
"Are you all right?" his voice whispered softly.
She looked up at her lover and visually devoured his face like a starving man devours food. His
golden hair was slightly awry, his square jaw, jade eyes, slightly Grecian nose, his full lips; her eyes
took account of them all. She was finally in his arms!
"Anna?" he demanded when she was still silent.
"Yes," she breathed, her emotions whirling.
He smiled beatifically and tucked a tress of hair behind her ear tenderly. That simple gesture
sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly his eyes glinted devilishly and he caressed ran his fingers down
her throat to her chest. He ran his fingers across a tender spot just below her right breast and she
winced a little.
"Hmm," he said, "still tender." His hands continued to touch a few other sore spots making her
wince, but also making her shiver and her heart pound.
He smiled at her, his beautiful jade eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Tell me," he whispered, "are these still tender, too?"
His fingers lightly stoked a nipple; a feather's touch, and she felt a tingle of pleasure run down
her spine. She did her best not to show her reaction, she hated how he was so masterful at tantalizing
her body, but she couldn't help the little gasp and the slight shiver that racked her body as he continued
to tease her and the little nubs hardened.
"Yes," he said in a breathy, seductive voice. "Those are still quite tender."
Without another word, his glorious golden head bowed over her and his mouth captured one of
her now-aching nipples, enveloping it in the warm wetness of his mouth.
She couldn't help herself when she squeaked a little this time. His tongue suckled and lathed her
over-sensitized skin mercilessly while his hand enveloped her other breast. He continued stroking her
flesh with that soft, feathery caress that made her body jump with little shock waves of pleasure, her
breath hitched each time and she whimpered softly. She reached out to touch him, to hold onto him, as
his ministrations sent her careening with sensation, but he caught her hands with his own and hoisted
them over her head like he'd done in another dream.
She whimpered helplessly as he dominated her body and held her hands immobile. Then he
traced his way down her slender arms with his fingertips lightly brushing her sensitive skin, teasing her
once again with his touch. Desperately she tried to get more of his touch, his light brushes served only
to torment and tantalize her. She struggled to move her hands, but found them locked in place with his
power. Moaning in frustration, she arched her body pressing it firmly into those gentle caresses like a
cat arches into a stroke.
His mouth released her breast, the cool air making her already stiff nipple even harder, and he
chuckled at her.
"No, no my little kitten," he teased, his voice husky with his own desire, "I have to make sure
you're not sensitive anywhere else."
Anna moaned indignantly. She hated it when he did this! Didn't she? She squirmed, feeling the
moisture between her legs. If she hated it so much, then why was she so incredibly turned on?
Her thoughts shattered as his mouth enveloped hers, but there was nothing gentle about his kiss
this time. It was hard, demanding and forceful, his tongue pushed inside her mouth and danced with
hers. She melted under his force, feeling her body supplicate to him, her legs spread to reveal her wet,
aching core.
His hands once again took up their caresses, but this time he firmly clasped a breast in his hand,
kneading it as he flicked and twisted her aching nipple with his fingers making her wince in pleasure-
pain. Her body pressed seductively into his, pleading for even more contact, and she moaned
pleadingly into his dominating mouth. Suddenly he pulled away from her lips, leaving her gasping. She
struggled wildly against her bonds, longing to pull him close to her again, to lock her mouth onto his
and get drunk off his taste. His eyes roved her possessively, and she knew how wanton she must look to
him; her eyes were probably black with desire, she could feel her lips swollen from his kiss and she
was wet and sweaty with anticipation.
"You're so beautiful, Anna," he breathed. "God, you're beautiful!"
"Cael," she begged. "Oh God, please."
He started, his hands froze upon her body, and then he stared at her in amazement.
For a moment she was unsure of what to do. She tried to read the emotions behind his jade eyes
as they flickered with amazement, triumph, and then grew even darker with desire.
"Say my name," he growled his voice grating with hunger.
Her eyes sparkled mischievously. She remembered the dream where she couldn't remember,
how he'd tortured her with pleasure, wanting her to screech his name in climax, but she'd broken both
their hearts when she couldn't recall it.
"No."
Suddenly he chuckled. "So you want to play again, kitten? Do you want me to fuck your tight
little pussy until you scream?"
Anna shivered. Cael had never talked like this to her before, but she wasn't about to give in now.
 "Let me go, and I'll say your name."
He smiled, his eyes getting a predatory gleam, flashing like fire. "Prisoners don't get to bargain,
Little One."
His fingers traced their way down her pelvis to play in her soaked folds, flicking her aching clit.
She whimpered a little and bit her lip, but said nothing.
"Unacceptable," he growled. His mouth latched over hers, taking her breath away with his
force. He twisted her nipple and traced his fingers through her folds stroking her clit. Involuntarily her
body arched against his, wanting his fingers deeper inside of her, wanting his hands groping her breasts
with hunger. She whimpered in frustration and he chuckled with male arrogance and satisfaction into
her mouth.
"Let my hands go," she gasped when he finally released her mouth.
"No," he growled. "I'm not letting you escape me until I'm finished with you, woman."
He continued to kiss her with his velvety lips, suckling on her as he went down her neck, her
throat and her sternum.
"You're torturing me," she cried as she arched her chest against his mouth and her hips tried to
thrust into his fingers as they stroked her folds.
"It's nothing compared to the torture you've put me through," he returned mercilessly.
He kissed his way down her chest, between her breasts and traced her lowest ribs with his lips
for a moment as his fingers caressed that sensitive spot on her hipbone. She gasped and jumped at his
touch, her back arching off the bed but he was relentless; his mouth descend upon her navel, licking at
it teasingly and then continued its way down her pelvis. His hands firmly grasped her legs and spread
them to so that he could stare at her dripping core. She panted in anticipation as he studied her, the
world around her awash with sensation. She could smell the musk of their desire in the air, her body
was throbbing in time with the beat of her heart, and the cool air licked at her fully exposed sex.
Whatever jade that was left in his eyes turned black with desire as he stared at her most intimate parts.
She squealed in surprise as he descended like a predator licking at her juices, teasing her over-
sensitized folds with his tongue. His gorgeous golden head bent eagerly between her thighs as his
fingers lightly followed his questing tongue and thrust inside her was a picture of pure eroticism. This
powerful vampire, worshipping her like some kind of goddess tantalizing her senses... it was too much.
She screeched as she came hard, her back arching off the bed, though he held her thighs down
with his hands as he continued to tease her. She was numb. Her heart raced, her body jumped and
shivered as her pussy convulsed beneath his mouth.
Suddenly he looked up, his mouth glistening with the juices of her orgasm and licked his lips
wickedly at her.
"Very tasty, kitten," he purred. "You're as sweet as I remembered."
"Alexander LeGaulle," she gasped, trying to sound firm and demanding. "You release my hands
at once."
His eyes glinted wickedly. "Or else what?"
She shrieked angrily and struggled against his power, but the way his smile seemed to grow
broader at her struggles made her stop suddenly.
"You're enjoying this," she cried indignantly.
"And you're not?"
"I want to touch you," she pleaded.
"Say my name and I'll give you what you want," he growled.
Anna wanted to resist him, she hated giving into him, but she was beyond caring anymore. She
wanted him. She needed to feel his skin on her fingers; she needed to worship him like he'd worshipped
her.
"Cael," she whispered. "Cael, I need you."
That arrogant, dominant stare instantly melted from his face. He caught his breath and stared at
her, his eyes softening with emotion. For a moment, she felt what it was like to be him; his aching
loneliness, how his centuries of longing had weighed so heavily upon him. She reached out for him,
pulling him towards her, wanting to hold and comfort him; to somehow assuage that loneliness that had
consumed him for his long life.
"Cael," she said gently stroking his face, "I need you."
"God, Anna," he groaned as he pounced on her again, covering her mouth with his.
She could taste the salty tang of her juices on his lips and once again moaned in supplication as
he devoured her. There was desperation in his kiss now, desire for comfort, desire to possess, and the
aching need to be inside of her and feel her warmth envelop his aching cock.
She pushed on his shoulders with eager, trembling hands, silently demanding that he lie on his
back. He only partially complied, pulling her with him as he rolled, drowning her surprised squeal with
his mouth. Anna lay atop him and kissed him with passion, surrounding their faces in a silky curtain of
her black hair, as they mated their tongues fiercely.
She ground her aching clit against him in a frenzy of hunger, longing to feel him deep inside
her. She was past the point of words and sweet talk. She pulled her mouth away from his, gasping for
air and kissed her way down his chest, licking his nipples and stroking his body hungrily. She heard
him gasp and moan at her touch, but she didn't dare look up into his eyes yet. She knew the minute she
saw those shining eyes glittering with hunger she'd be done; the look alone could make her orgasm yet
again.
"Anna," he gasped as she trailed her way down his stomach.
His flesh was so warm and soft to her lips. He tasted like sex, like heaven, the saltiness of his
sweat making her even hungrier. She slipped her fingers around his cock, noting once again how tiny
her little hand seemed in comparison. She stared at it with the same appreciation he'd surveyed her;
licking her lips at the glistening fluid on its tip, luxuriating in the smell of his musk. She licked the bead
of moisture on the tip, tasting his essence, and he gasped at the tiny flick.
"You better quit playing, Little One," Cael warned with a husky growl.
She chuckled and began to lick and suck at the throbbing head. Whatever scathing remark he'd
had on his lips disintegrated into a needful groan as she pleasured him. It turned her on even more to
know that at this moment, she had one of the most powerful creatures in the world begging her...well, it
wasn't quite begging, but it was probably as close as she'd ever get. She took him deeper and deeper
into her mouth, reveling in the velvety texture of his skin on her lips, the hot tightness of his balls as
she caressed them, and the shuddering gasps he took each time she suckled him and swallowed him
into her throat.
He ran his fingers through her hair, stroking her, encouraging her with a dark sexy voice.
"That's it, Anna," he groaned. "Oh fuck!"
Suddenly he cried out, grabbed her roughly and pulled her up his body. He pulled her down
dragging, her face to his and kissed her hungrily. She struggled a moment, but she knew at once she'd
pushed her lover over the edge of his control. He rolled with her once again, pinning her slender body
beneath his panting desperately.
Anna could only stare at him wide-eyed and gasping as he kissed her punishingly again even as
he pushed her thighs apart with his. He didn't speak. She could see the need boiling in his eyes, the
primal part of him completely in control. He took his cock in his hand, pointed it at her entrance, and
with a powerful thrust slid deep inside her body.
Anna shrieked in pleasure and pain. She'd not been intimate with anyone since she became a
vampire, and she realized that her body had regained some of the tightness she had when she first
became sexually active. Cael was almost too big for her, and yet she wanted him deeper, and harder
inside of her. Her fingers turned to claws and raked down his back eagerly and she wrapped her legs
around his waist pulling him deeper inside.
He began to thrust; long slow strokes, his muscular body bunching atop her with his effort to
maintain his control. Anna thrashed her head from side to side in exquisite agony as he moved within
her; she felt every ridge of his cock penetrating her tender depths. Despite the obvious hunger in his
eyes, Cael's hands once again roved her body, flicking all her tender spots, driving her higher, letting
the sensation of their lovemaking build inside her like a coil about to snap.
His pace quickened and the sound of their flesh and their gasps filled the room as they both
climbed toward climax. Anna clung to him as his thrusts grew more desperate, her world was spinning,
she was barely holding on by a thread.
"Now Anna!" he gasped out desperately grinding his pelvis against her clit.
She screeched as the tightly wound coil in her body snapped. Her body throbbed, she couldn't
breathe, she couldn't see, she could barely hear her hoarse cries. All she could feel was the buzz in her
body, the pounding of her heart, and her powerful lover convulsing above her, his arms wrapped about
her as he came inside her with one, two and then three uncontrollable thrusts.
For a moment she simply luxuriated in the satiated feeling of her body as her heart still
pounded, and her sex still quivered around Cael's cock. He buried his head between her neck and
shoulder, supporting his body to spare her his weight, but gasping and shuddering above her still. Then
he groaned and rolled on his back pulling her with him yet again. Anna didn't have the energy to protest
this time, she simply clung to him limply.
Finally when she'd cooled down, and her heart rate returned to normal she cooed dreamily and
nuzzled his chest affectionately. His flaccid organ was still inside of her and his arms wrapped tightly
about her. She'd never felt so wonderful. It was as though her heart was finally at peace, as though she
finally knew where she belonged.
"Welcome home, Anna," he breathed softly.