Darlings of Paranormal Romance (Anthology) (117 page)

He noticed the small bottle of potion
on the floor and sauntered over to where it was. “She’s still in
wolf form then?” He picked the bottle up and examined it carefully
as he spoke.

“
I’m afraid so. We
wrestled, and I knocked her out,” I lied. In my haste, I had made a
grave error.

“
Pity. I was hoping to get
a look at her this evening before the hunt. I hate hunting on the
grounds, but perhaps the tents by the stadium are set up already. I
may go over there. Care to join me?” He strolled around my desk in
his hunting outfit which consisted of a long red riding coat over a
silk shirt with white slacks stuffed into black leather riding
boots. He tossed the bottle near a stack of my books.

“
I have my blood tea. Thank
you just the same.”

He arched his eyebrow at me, clearly
displeased with my answer. He was extremely hungry, and it showed.
I wasn’t letting him anywhere near the she-wolf. His wrinkled face
and sunken eyes reminded me of the welcoming globes that would be
used to light the roads leading to the stadium for the
games.

“
Perhaps another
time.”

“
Certainly,” I replied as I
impatiently waited for him to make his way across the room and out
the door.

“
My boy?”

“
Yes, Father?”

“
Just because your mother
was a sorceress doesn’t mean I want you dabbling in Black Magic.
You were born a vampire, and you’ll remain as such. I’ll not have
you become a threat too, so no hocus pocus.”

Before he could finish his second
threat for the day, I added ‘or else’ and nodded with an
over-exaggerated bow of sarcastic respect. “I may be a warrior,
protecting the Dark Place, but I know my place in your city. I’d
never jeopardize my standing among the guard,” I
announced.

“
Just so we are
clear.”

“
Crystal,” I snapped, not caring if that implied I’d be
consulting my crystal ball later. I didn’t own one. The realization
that he referred to my mother in past tense startled me.
She couldn’t be dead. You, cocksucker, if you
killed her…

I turned around to return to the
bedroom when I heard the library door open again. I hissed and
dropped my fangs in that direction, ready for the threat. Father
stood, holding the door ajar for two of his staff members as they
slunk into the room. One deposited the bathing supplies on my
leather couch while the other dumped several feet of chain and a
black dog collar on the Persian rug in the center of my
library.

Both held their heads low until Father
summoned them with a cluck of his tongue. He followed the
domesticated hellhounds to the door.

“
By the
way genius, silver paralyzes the movements of werewolves. Unlike
the others,
these
chains should keep your pet in her place. I
will
see her the next
time I visit.”

Mentally I heard the threat with his
‘or else’ words again being added despite the fact I had not heard
him utter them. My father, Lord Alichino was spectacular at being
an asshole. I had to come up with a plan and fast.

Chapter 2 - Emily’s
Awakening

This chapter is told from Emily, the heroine’s point of view.
Remember each chapter goes back and forth, sharing the hero and
heroine’s point of view.

The
minute I awoke, I knew I was alone. For how long I had been alone,
I didn’t know. “
Move, Emily.
Move
,” I thought to myself. Cold steel
stung my naked flesh, and I realized I was finally in my human
form. I opened the door to the cage and wiggled my way
out.

The bedroom was sparsely decorated
with only a few items positioned strategically in the room. The
enormity of it halted me in my tracks as I searched for something
to put on. A square dining table that doubled as a writing desk and
nightstand was pushed against the wall next to the largest antique
four-poster bed I had ever seen. A pile of books and papers was
scattered on the table amid a few small blue glass bottles, bowls,
and ceramic cups. Almost touching the seven-foot-tall wooden
ceiling, the bed was made of the same red mahogany wood and had a
coral colored bedspread and curtains lined with gold tassels. The
bed stood on a plush ivory rug that peeked a few feet out from
beneath the bed.

“
I hate hunting on the
grounds this close to the games. Will you join me
perhaps?”

When I
heard voices in the other room, I dove into the closet.
Weapons,
I
thought.
Clothes or weapons.
What can I use as a weapon?
I stood frozen in fear, contemplating, questioning my every
move.
How was I going to do this?
My hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
Control, Emily. Get control of
yourself.

Immediately I called upon my wolf sense, the wonderfully
intuitive side of my lunar nature that kept me balanced, focused,
and ready to take on the world. A warmness settled in my stomach,
and I stretched my neck through a man’s long-sleeved shirt that
reminded me of silk. Problem one solved. I realized I’d be sore for
weeks after shifting half a dozen times because of my human fright,
but I pushed that to the back of my mind. I continued to search
through the closet, and then suddenly felt cold steel.
These will do.

Exiting
the closet, I raised my nose in the air and breathed in, hoping to
understand my surrounds.
Wolf, where are
we?

In the land of
demons.

***

When the door partially opened, I took
aim at a large, dark figure and threw the first knife of several. I
stood behind the massive bed, using it as a bunker, as the person
came into view. This demon was not going to take me
alive.

The figure grunted, slumping slightly
to the ground.

I heard the weapon I had thrown at him
fall to the floor.

My aim was bad and had not found the
demon’s heart. I was at a great disadvantage. “You stay back,
demon!” I shouted, hoping to sound far more threatening than I’m
sure I appeared to be. “I’ve got more where that came from!”
Dripping wet, I was maybe one hundred pounds. Cold, weak from
hunger, and nearly naked, I was half of that I was sure. Or at
least I felt like that. Adrenaline and self-preservation would have
to see me through so I could complete my mission.

“
Do your worst,” the tall
figure announced. “However, I’d like to ask if I may turn on a few
lights before you continue your attack. If you don’t
mind?”

He mocked me, which should have
infuriated me even more, but I held my position and watched as he
illuminated the room. He flipped a few switches by the door frame,
and the room took on a blue hue as if it had been bathed in the
soft, gentle lights from beneath the sea.

I looked up at the ceiling just as the
wooden beams filed away to two corners. “How did you do that?” I
gasped, forgetting my defensive stance all together.

“
I can’t handle fluorescent
lighting, so I had these installed. Blue is my favorite color
actually, even though I wear a lot of black. Here let me show you
one more thing. I just had this done.”

He raised his muscular arm upwards and
pressed a button at the top of the door frame.

I blinked my eyes several times,
getting used to the various colors I saw forming on the ceiling. An
image was being constructed.

The
lighted design was magnificent and astounded me. A variety of
shades of blue, green, and purple illuminated behind the picture of
a warrior standing besides a fierce wolf. The enormous wolf, with
its head held high and proud, stood with the warrior on a set of
rocks jutting out from the edge of a cliff. The warrior wore silver
armor, waving a lance in one hand as he looked across the horizon.
His other hand was propped on the wolf’s head, in a manner of
affection, not discipline.
A strong image
of a strong warrior and his companion preparing for battle. Why
would a demon have such an image promoting the bond of man and
animal fashioned on the ceiling of his bedroom? It didn’t make
sense.

“
I’ve never seen anything
like it. Is that you?”

“
More or less. My friend,
Michel created it and installed it for me. I’m not really an
admirer of art or paintings. I’m more interested in books,
mythology really, but Michel thought this would dress up my
bedroom. I mainly like it for the quiet motivation it gives me.
Each day is a test, a determining factor of what kind of man I am
going to be that day. It helps me remember, despite everything, who
I really am.”

“
What kind of demon are
you?” I blurted out.

Instantly he crossed the room towards
me. He had his large hands wrapped around my elbows before I could
grab another knife. I was pinned against his brawny chest. The
minute our eyes met, a bolt of lightning felt like it had
ricocheted through my body. My eyes widened as he let me go and I
wrapped my arms tightly around my body, so I wouldn’t fall. He
staggered for a moment too as if he’d been hit by the same burst of
energy.

The immediate recognition of a soul
mate was something that did not occur outside the pack. It had to
be a mistake. But was it? It felt so real. In that second, I
re-evaluated my course of action.

“
I’m not a demon. I’m a
vampire,” he replied as he put some distance between us. “My mother
is human, so I’m only half-demon. I’m not a full blooded demon.” He
retreated to the table and sat down. He remained quiet for some
time. Finally he added, “If you must know, I prefer to be called a
warrior above all else.”

I thought
about asking a second question like ‘Why did you kidnap me?’ but I
remained silent. It didn’t really matter as long as I found my
target. I had heard of a demon mating with a human and bearing a
vampire child, but I didn’t think it was possible. Just a myth. The
accusation of calling him a demon seemed to have gravely offended
him, and I didn’t want to offend him again. Instead, I wanted to
comfort him.
Why would I want to do that?
He was the enemy.
I opted to use my charms
on the man.
Violence would get me nowhere
with him.

“
I like the ceiling
painting,” I offered.

“
Thank you. It’s very nice,
isn’t it?”

“
Do you have a name, vaaa?”
I abruptly stopped before I insulted him again.

“
Vincent.”

I waited for him to ask my name. He
studied the table instead.

“
I’m Emily.”

“
Emily.” He repeated my
name slowly and carefully as if it was a foreign word he didn’t
want to forget.

“
Your name is very unique.”
A few compliments couldn’t hurt. “What does Vincent
mean?”

“
I’ve never thought to look
it up. I don’t know.”

I watched as he drew a few curves and
lines along the table, absent-mindedly tracing something. “If my
memory serves me right, I think Vincent means healer or maybe
guardian. I’m not sure.”

He grunted.

Knowing I’d probably upset him again
if I said it too loud, I mumbled under my breath as I attempted to
process the realization. “A healing vampire? A fanged guardian?
Weren’t those oxymorons?”

“
Perhaps it is,” he
answered. “You forget. I have excellent hearing too. What does your
name mean?”

The second knife flew from my hands
and slammed into the wooden table, a few inches from his
hands.

He didn’t flinch one inch.

“
The Light,” I announced as
I swiftly bent over to retrieve another knife lying on the
bed.

“
Well
that’s good. I like that.” There was a trace of laughter in his
voice. He paused for a moment before he continued. “I know this is
highly unorthodox, and you’re in an extremely frightening
situation. I want to put your mind at ease, however. I’m not
interested in harming you. I know you are of immense importance to
your people. I’m going to try to get you out of here, but you’re
going to have to trust me. It’s as simple as that. Do you think you
can do that?” He yanked the knife from the table and with an
ironically tender touch, he bent the blade into a slight arch,
disabling it so it couldn’t be used for another but holding a
bottle of wine or large orange. I swallowed hard so my mouth
wouldn’t fall open.
This vampire could
kill me in an instant.

Suddenly
a vision from my wolf state hit me. I recognized his voice.
I’ll help you get out of here, but you’ve got to
trust me.
I closed my eyes and relived the
moment again. “
Una bellezza come nessun
altro. Così bella. Calmati. Calmati. Io non ho intenzione di
permettere a nessuno di farti del male
.”
Over and over again, that voice. A ripple of awareness surged
through me. His voice was the same as the man who had come to me to
console me in my agitated wolf state. It was deep, almost sensual,
yet tranquil and protective. This man before me had calmed me. “The
wolf chant. That was
you
?”