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Thomas doesn't seem to think very highly of me. As my bride, your life won't change as much as you probably fear. The vampire had moved to stand behind me again, but didn't touch me. You plan on killing me, making me feed off human blood and from the sounds of things impregnating me. think that means you are changing my life more than !ust a little. "o have any say at all what is going to happen to me# Your time will for the most part be your own. e$pect you to partake in raising our child, but other than that, won't place any re%uirements on you. There are of course things hope to happen between us, but will only force myself on you if have to. had no plans of willingly partaking in relations with him, so if he wanted a child he was going to have a fight on his hands. &hy are you doing this to me# There has to be a number of willing females that don't know what you are and what being with you would mean. still hadn't turned around to face the vampire. didn't want to see him because knew would become violent and he would decide to restrain me again. 'eing outside of his touch was my goal for as long as he would allow it. There are females out there that know e$actly what am and would willingly give themselves to me !ust for a chance to feel my bite, some women really en!oy it. The commoners can't carry my child though and you can. don't believe you. Turn around and look at me, (elena. You'll see immediately that 'm not the monster you think am. You killed everyone 've ever loved, how can you say you aren't a monster# asked finding a tree could kind of see in the dark and stared at it. There have been a few times that 've regretted taking them from you, but your father refused me your hand when asked and he needed to be taught a lesson. f he would have allowed us to wed, things would've been different, but he believed you to be too young. (e tried to convince me your sister was the better choice. (e made it sound like my family's death was of little conse%uence and that finally got me to spin around to face him. (e was as tall as e$pecting, which meant he towered over my rather average height. couldn't see well in the darkness to make out other features, but could see he was wearing dark clothing that made his white skin stand out. t didn't glow as brightly as the other vampires 'd seen, which was the only odd thing could really see about him. (ow is killing my entire family a way for you to teach them a lesson about not allowing you to take me away from them# That makes no sense. )y words didn't really make sense as rambled them out, but was sure he'd figure out what meant. f you want to get technical about things, wasn't the one that killed them for you. &hen left your cabin they were all starting the transition. The lesson that wanted to teach your father was that would do anything to make you mine and when he completed his transition, he would never be able to tell me no again where you were concerned. Thomas is the one that temporarily killed them for you. "id you ever really look at their bodies# have a feeling you know Thomas and if you do, then you would know what he'd have done upon finding a house full of !ust turned vampires. f he did kill my family, 'm surprised he didn't kill me as well. Thomas is smart enough and has been hunting for me long enough that he knows left you alive for a reason. You may think that your friend and mentor has always been honest with you, but he's only ever told you enough to keep you from asking more %uestions. (e's been using you as bait all of these years and stole you away from your family to do so. *ven his actions !ust a few minutes ago were all an act. had no reason to believe the things he said and didn't. wasn't na+ve enough to believe that Thomas had told me everything, but it didn't change things for me. ,ampires were the enemy and -ain, which assumed was his name because he hadn't stated another, was the head of the enemies from what could tell. don't want to talk about my family anymore. (ow far are we walking# &e might as well get to where 'll be sleeping for the night. A part of me still hoped he wouldn't turn me that night and 'd have a chance to escape in the morning when all the vampires had to go into hiding.

)y castle is up in the mountains above the town, so a walk would be rather daunting. hope you don't mind that 've procured us another source of transportation. You've found a horse that actually likes you# thought they rather distrusted your kind. (orses don't have a problem with me personally, but thought could show you that there will be some perks to being my bride. will need to touch you in order to travel though. -an you stand my chill for a few more moments# t is rather cold out tonight and forgot my gloves at home. As long as after those few more moments you grant me time away from you. 'd rather be alone tonight to ponder my fate in peace. There is one other thing we have to take care of tonight, but after that, you will be free to roam the castle as you wish. will make no re%uests of you other than to try to be happy. .ine. Take me to your castle, said as started to make plans of my own. f was as free as he claimed would be, !ust had to learn what part of the castle he stayed in and work to escape from the other side. (e moved so %uickly that one second was standing and the ne$t was cradled in his arms. didn't approve of the change and struggled to get out of his arms. )y fight only lasted until reali/ed he no longer stood on the ground and we were many feet in the air. 'm sure you're going to say that vampires can't fly, but you'll reali/e very %uickly that 'm not e$actly a vampire. &hile we fly home, 'll go ahead and tell you a little more about myself so we can become ac%uainted. don't want to be ac%uainted with you, so you can save whatever story you are planning to tell, interrupted before he could get started with his speech. Yes, well, good luck with that idea. Anyway, your Thomas knows a lot about vampires, but he doesn't know everything. (e got my name right though. t is -ain and 'd be what most would call the father of the vampire race. was cursed to have to live off the blood of others for reasons 'm sure you'll learn soon and the person that gave me the curse thought it would be amusing to make it so was stuck with my new diet forever. understand why he thought would regret having to live a life alone, but was able to make a life for myself that wasn't horrible. t didn't take me long to reali/e could make others like me and that alone was enough to make it so didn't feel alone in the world. As a side note, since mentioned the others, you should know now that you won't be like the ones you've seen previously. There isn't anything wrong with them, but all the vampires running around the world now are generations removed from me, so they aren't as powerful. &hich is why 've never run into a vampire that could read my mind, fly, or scare Thomas into leaving me alone with them. -are to e$plain why he called you a primary# And why would someone curse you, but at the same time give you all these wonderful abilities# had managed to pull away slightly from him, but he corrected my positioning before talking again. t's a silly label that some hunters give vampires with e$tra abilities. 0ike said, am the father of vampires and the abilities were probably a mistake, but accepted them with pleasure. A long time ago had a few men that traveled with me that were first generation vampires. They made more and the first generation of their offspring or so contained e$tra abilities. The ones most prevalent today don't have any e$tra powers and are easily killed by your little weapons. 1est assured, you won't be one of those. f you wanted to show a big force in the clearing, why didn't you bring your best men and why have never met one of them if you live close by# The farther we went, the more began to think close by wasn't the right words for the distance from town. couldn't see where we were or where we were headed because of the darkness, but it was getting colder as we went. &hen you are someone like me that doesn't really have a weakness, you don't need to show any kind of force. )y original group of men aren't around anymore. do have a group that has replaced them, but they have been staying close to the castle as of late for personal reasons. tried not to show it, but his words gave me hope. "ead vampires made by him was a great thing in my book. !ust needed to figure out how they had died and was sure could get out of the horrible life he was planning for me. (ow many vampires live in your castle# asked wanting to change the sub!ect as %uickly as could. *ventually he would have to leave me alone and could test different ways of killing myself. Thirty full2time residents. t will probably be a while before you are officially introduced to most of them though. You need to have a chance to get used to me prior to unleashing my children on you because they will want to know everything about you and doubt 'll be willing to share you for many months. You said could go anywhere wanted in the castle. (ow do you plan on allowing that if you don't want anyone else to see me#

3hh. &e are here now, he said as felt him land on something solid. (e stood and held me close to him not moving. You are beautiful, (elena, and am honored you were chosen for me. wasn't chosen for you. don't know what gave you that idea or how you somehow know 'll be able to carry your offspring, but it isn't true. You should !ust kill me now before you learn the truth and have to do it anyway. struggled to get out of his arms and he gently placed me down so was standing on my own two feet. had full use of my arms and reached for a gnarly hunk of wood kept tethered around my waist. t was his own fault for not disarming me. figured if he knew so much about me, he should've known all of my weapons. -ain didn't flinch as charged at him in the limited space had and drove the pointed wood into his heart. 'd whittled the piece of pine myself and it's sharp end met no resistance as it slid into his chest. 4sually at that point, the being on the other end either went up in flames or !ust died if they were human. A direct strike to the heart was deadly for anyone as far as knew. -ain's hand came up and held mine in place. allowed that to prove to you it is pointless to try again. am also hoping you will reali/e that you won't be able to hurt yourself in the future. (e pulled the wood out of his chest and held the wood up between us. 'm going to find a way to kill you. Thomas will be out there finding a way to fi$ me and will be here finding a way to kill you. Thomas has you very confused. allowed him time, for reasons 'm still not sure. 5art of it was out of my control, but could have tried harder to find you. wanted you to mature before your looks were fro/en forever. was right that you needed that time because you grew to be what you are now, but should have either kept you closer or provided you with a more stable home. You said we're here, can you please take me to your dungeon and leave me# grew weary of listening to him talk. )y life was over and was his prisoner6 there wasn't much else to be done. 7f course, your dungeon is right this way, -ain said dropping the stake he held and placing his arm around my back to turn me the right direction. You will find your dungeon is of course the highest %uality and surprisingly comfortable. (e led me through a terrace door into a room filled with candlelight. 3eeing the e$travagantly covered bed with mountains of pillows and blankets in rich purple made me wish he really had a dungeon picked out for me. *verything in the room, the dressers, the washing table, the rugs, even the lighting, looked like it belonged to royalty and felt unease as stood taking everything in. f you would please take your place on the bed, we can get the part of the night mentioned being re%uired before leave you over with. t won't take more than a few minutes and then you can decide what redecorating you will re%uire. had hoped you would like the original design, as was assured everything was in your favorite colors, but it is clear you don't approve. &hatever you want to do with me, you can do it right here. 'll fight you against any of the things that can think of that would re%uire me to be on a bed. You needn't worry your head over what plan on doing with you in the bed, he said picking me up again and walking closer to the bed. fought with everything had, but !ust started wearing myself out so stopped by the time he gently put me down and climbed on top of me to hold my hands above my head. was e$tremely tired of him manhandling me and then being delicate about releasing me. would've much rather preferred him !ust tossing me around. 'm sorry about this ne$t part, but you do need to be still and don't trust you not to move. -ain gripped my wrists tightly and then let them go. )y initial reaction was to reach up and smack him, but %uickly found couldn't move my hands. 0et me go, said as he got off the bed altogether and looked down at me. tried to move the rest of my body, but something was holding it all in place. got a look at his face for the first time and was surprised to see he didn't look at all like the chalky white creatures hunted. (e had wavy, short blonde hair that hit !ust below his ears. (is face was thin and his cheekbones were visible, but not in a sickly way. (is eyes didn't look starved and oddly enough there was warmth in them as he stared at me. really hope she looks !ust like you. As a man, should want a little boy, but think you will do better with a girl. (ave you ever wanted a daughter# Talking to the creature was making my head hurt. &here he got his ideas for proper conversation confused me. 3ure, 'd love to have a nice human daughter. 'm guessing you don't happen to have one sitting around in

this castle looking for a mother. do like your sense of humor, even if you aren't trying to be funny. have to grab something from the washroom, so be a doll and don't move. assumed that was -ain's idea of being funny, but with me being immobili/ed didn't get the !oke. couldn't even move my head to follow his movements. t wouldn't have mattered because he was back and standing in front of me before would have been able to move my head. &hen he returned he was holding a medical syringe in his right hand. "o want to know what is in that or where you plan on in!ecting it# The answers to both parts of the %uestion were no, but it was no secret was a glutton for punishment. This is the part of me that will combine with a part of you to make our daughter. 'm guessing you would prefer this method over a more traditional one. The thing you have to get done before leaving me alone is impregnating me# "on't you think that can wait# There is a slim possibility would let you do it the other way. &e both know that is a lie. Your body is ready for it tonight and there is no need to delay the inevitable. You will carry my child. 5lease don't, said as he sat on the edge of the bed. had tried my usual gruff ways of getting things done and they hadn't worked, so a change in tactic seemed appropriate. wasn't even sure how he e$pected to complete his task with the tool he'd brought. didn't know a ton about reproduction, but had the basics down. (e didn't reply immediately and instead lifted up my top to reveal my lower stomach. plan to in!ect it right into the route it would've traveled if we went about things the other way. That should get my part to yours in a timely fashion and it will leave out the part where would have to force myself upon you. 'm trying my hardest to take things slow, but really do need to have you pregnant tonight. 'm sure you'll understand that reasoning in the near future. t wasn't like could fight him off. (e could do whatever he wanted and would !ust lay there and take it. A small part of me was grateful that he wasn't planning on physically raping me, but the result would be the same. watched as he took the needle he was holding and started tracing the tip of it around my stomach. You mentioned wanting a human daughter and am sorry that can only partially provide that for you. 'y creating her now, before start the process of turning you, she will not be fully like me. 7ne of her kind has never been made before, so can't know what she'll be, but from two parents such as ourselves am sure she will have all the advantages the world has to offer. 3he'll be a monster and you know it. You still haven't answered why you believe 'm able to carry your child when no other female can. 8o, have been very successful at avoiding the e$act reason why believe that to be true. promised wouldn't keep things from you, so guess that means will have to e$plain myself. hope you know you are the only person that will ever have this advantage over me. (e seemed to find a spot he liked on my stomach and stopped moving the syringe around. felt the tip of it press below my skin and shut my eyes hoping that when opened them would find myself in the forest waking from a bad dream. Your soul is one 've met before, (elena, and since you're the reason was cursed into this e$istence, it would only be fitting that you would be the one that could provide me with an heir. never believed it was possible until the day saw you walking through town with your father. Your soul called to me, seeking me out after all these years. 've figured out you don't carry the memories of your previous lives, but can provide you with proof if you want to see them. The man was completely deranged and he was in the process of pushing a needle deep into my flesh. hadn't looked closely at the needle before he started pushing it into me, but it had to have been longer than thought saw at first. At the point where thought it would never be inside of me where he wanted, he stopped pushing. felt nothing, so didn't know if he had pushed the plunger down or if he was !ust taunting me. 'm not the person that cursed you -ain. The revenge you think you'll achieve by trying to impregnate me will be hollow when you figure that out. 7h, this isn't out of revenge. 'm creating our child, and very soon you, out of love, (elena. &e're finally going to be together the way we should've been centuries ago. As he finished saying my name, felt it. didn't know what felt, but something was moving inside of me. kept my eyes closed hoping it wasn't my body welcoming him inside like it seemed to be doing.