Within The Shadows (19 page)

The effect
of the heat was amazing against my cold, damp skin, and it
instantly revived me. I ignored the now smouldering blemish that
had been easily hidden when I drank the energy of my feeders. It
had been almost a week since my last fix, so concealing the shadow
was becoming more difficult. I lay there for half an hour, trying
to clear my mind. I had to try to forget my mother and Marc. I
could not be with Leonid, and have them there, ready to fill my
head with more hurt and regret.

Once dried,
I rummaged through the closet. I looked for something decent, and
not over the top to wear, but all I found were dresses and heels. I
was not the kind of girl to dress up like this, and I certainly did
not have the confidence to parade around here in a house full of
vampires.

I decided on
an emerald green chiffon dress. Its neckline was not too revealing,
and it came to just below my knee. I chose a pair of gold kitten
heels that complemented the dress perfectly. I did not look too
bad, but my hair was a mess, and my complexion was not at its best.
After a quick dab of mascara, blush, and gloss, I brushed my long
hair, and left it loose. I thought I looked presentable, maybe even
pretty.

At exactly
five p.m., the door was opened, and Mariella walked in. She wore
the same clothes, and seemed surprised at my appearance. She looked
me up and down, and a smirk appeared upon her lips. Almost
casually, she handed me a box.

“
Leonid would
like you to have this.”

I opened
it
, and saw the most beautiful white gold
and emerald green bracelet. It was the single most dazzling piece
of jewellery I had ever seen. Ovals and round cut diamonds sat
flawless against each other, shimmering in the light of the room.
It looked incredible against my skin, and set the dress off
beautifully.

Mariella
looked at me approvingly. “Best not to keep him
waiting.”

She was out
of the door in a flash, and I followed, trying not to break out in
a sweat. Nerves were getting the best of me, and my heart pounded
as I walked quickly, trying my best to keep up with her. She took
me to a room separate from all the others. It was situated at the
back of the property. To access it, we had to walk through a long
narrow hallway. Once outside the door, she knocked gently, and then
retreated, leaving me alone in the hall.

“
Come!” I heard a voice from beyond the door.

Taking a
deep breath, I turned the handle. I knew exactly what would happen
between Leonid and me.

Chapter
Fifteen

ENTERING THE
ROOM
, I gasped. It was like entering a
small apartment. A fire roared, and the lights were dim. Leonid sat
by the fire in a large ornate chair. He wore grey trousers, and a
black shirt, open at the neck. His green eyes shimmered in the
light, and only a tiny hint of red flashed through them every so
often. To the left of the room were two separate doors, and towards
the back was a large glass door that led out onto a balcony. To my
immediate right, a doorway led to a small kitchenette. This was
obviously his private quarters. Feeling nervous, I stood still, my
feet refusing to move forward.

“
Please, take
a seat,” he said, pointing to the empty chair in front of
him.

I slowly
made my way over. He got up from his seat, and waited for me to sit
down before returning to his previous position. “You look beautiful
tonight,” he commented, handing me a glass of wine.

“
Thank you,
and thank you for the
gift,” I replied, gently touching the bracelet on my right
wrist.

“
I knew it would please you.” He shuffled in his seat before
moving close to the edge.

“
Now that you
are here, I suppose there is no point in wasting time with idle
chat.”

Feeling my
heart race, I gulped down the liquid. To my astonishment, I
realised it was not wine. I swallowed the blood, and it ignited my
thirst. I knew that smell. It was the same scent from before.
Looking over at Leonid, I soon realised it was his blood. It was
still warm, and I knew there had to be an open wound somewhere on
him.

I toyed with
the idea of just going for it, pouncing on him, and searching for
the line of crimson. I knew what would follow, however, and I was
still unprepared for it. He knew what I was thinking. He saw the
desire in my eyes. Without any ceremony, he stood up, and removed
his shirt. Just under his beautiful collarbone was a cut, only a
few centimetres wide, but it was enough for me to drink
from.

I cautiously
stood up
, and did a double take of the
room. The pelting rain hitting hard against the window was enough
to distract me from my thirst. Looking out into the blackness, I
thought about my own brooding darkness, and what lay ahead of me.
As I walked to the window, Leonid watched me, confused by my sudden
change of heart.

“
Where have
you taken me?” I asked as I looked back at him.

“
What does it matter? We’re some place Alexander would never
consider travelling to.”

“
It matters to me. Why can’t you be honest with me for once?
Please!” I inquired, my voice broken.

“
We have
taken you to The Kerguelen Islands.”

“
Oh?”

“
The Southern Indian ocean. I’m sure Antoine has already
given you that information.”

“
Well, yeah, but . . .”

“
What is the problem? I promise you, there is nothing to be
frightened of here. You are perfectly safe.” His voice was so
gentle.

I was taken
aback by his honesty. I did not have to fight, scream, or shout for
an answer. He willingly gave me what I wanted. I could feel the
glare of his eyes on the back of my head. I knew, then, that I was
obliged to fulfil my part of the deal.

Leonid stood
behind me, and rested his cool hands on my shoulders. I could smell
the sweetness of his breath as he whispered gently in my ear. “I
promise you I will never hurt you.”

Turning me
around to face him, he placed his hands on either side of my face,
and brought his lips down to mine. They were soft, and, unlike
Alex, he kissed me tenderly. There was no need to rush. He had
complete control of me, and I let him draw me closer. Surrendering,
I kissed him back, gliding my tongue over his. The taste of him
rekindled the fire inside of me.

As he pushed
me up against the cold glass of the window, the intensity of the
kiss left both of us breathless. He looked deep into my eyes, as if
he were drinking from my soul. Without any warning, he bit into me.
His fangs cut sharply into my neck, and the pain left me weak. As
he drank from me, I could feel my pulse race, and my back arched as
the familiar feelings of pleasure ran through me. I did not want
him to stop. I wanted him to drink me up, devouring every last
piece. I could die like this, and longed for death to take
me.

Pulling away
from me, my blood dripped down his chin. He smiled, his thirst
satisfied. Lifting me up into his arms, he carried me into one of
the rooms. In the centre of the room was a four-poster bed. The
windows had no drapes, allowing the stars in the sky to look in on
us as though they were a million eyes.

He stood me
upright next to the bed
, and undid the
back of my dress. Soon, I fell onto the cold silk covers. Like some
ancient God, he stood before me, naked. His body was like a marble
sculpture. He was unbelievably beautiful, and he wanted me. He
moved on top of me as his lips caressed my naked chest. He brushed
his mouth over the dark shadow, and refused to be startled by its
presence.

My body
shivered as goose pimples covered the surface of my skin.
With ease, our bodies became one. Kissing me,
his hands gently brushed up the side of my thigh as he pushed
further into me. Gasping, I let out a gentle cry. He moved with
skill, and my body became his. Burning desire consumed us both.
Shifting positions, I straddled him, taking him deeper into
me.

My fingers
traced over the line of blood under his collarbone, and found it
was still moist. I lowered my mouth, and my tongue tasted the fresh
line of crimson. Its sweet, woodsy aroma filled my head with want
and lust. I slid my nail across the cut, easing the flesh open, and
I gently drank from him. It satisfied my thirst, leaving my body to
crave more of him.

I wanted to
feel more of the surge of electricity that was building up, ready
to explode. Slowly, it kept on rising, gradually intensifying as I
came closer and closer, until my body could not take any more. With
an explosion of ecstasy, I moaned out loud as both of us reached
the peak of satisfaction.

Together,
our bodies trembled from the urgency of our orgasm. His hands held
firmly onto my hips as his eyes remained fixed on mine. We stayed
like that for a few minutes, both of us gasping for air. My
heartbeat began to steady, and my breathing became less rapid.
Exhausted, I lay down beside him. He wrapped his arms around me,
and kissed me gently on my forehead.

I felt
sickened by what we had just done. Guilt over my mother and Marc
ran through my mind. When he touched the side of my face, a flicker
of something else came to me, and the thought scared the hell out
of me. The last words I heard before sleep came startled and
excited me.

“
You’re mine now!”

* * *

When I awoke
from my sleep, I found Leonid had gone. Beside me, a single rose
lay in his place. Holding the rose between my fingertips, I
sleepily got out from under the sheets, and wrapping one loosely
around me, I walked over to the window. The rain was still pouring,
making the bleak and barren environment look even more hostile.
Nothingness surrounded us. The thought of being so far away from
home made me feel nauseated and completely defenceless. Yet, I felt
calm knowing Alex could not get to me.

From behind
me, a voice startled me. “I trust you have rested well?” Mariella
asked.

“
Yeah, I, um . . . still feel quite tired,” I answered,
wishing she and her goddess body would leave me alone.

“
Miss Bergman, it is after five. Surely, you have mustered
up enough energy to eat?”

Her remark
irritated me. “Food? Um, yeah, sure. I’ll be ready in
five.”

“
No need to rush. I have had a tray prepared for you. It is
waiting for you in the lounge.” She turned, and left the
room.

I walked
over to the bed, where a white silk robe had been placed. I let the
sheet fall, and put the robe on, tying it tightly around my waist.
I walked barefoot into Leonid’s lounge, and saw a table had been
set for me. Upon it, was a choice of breads, croissants, ham, and
cheese. I piled some of the bread and cheese on a plate, and filled
my cup with hot steaming coffee. Stuffing my face, I looked around
the room. No pictures, no hint of his family adorned the walls.
Unlike the estate in Armenia, this room felt cold and unloved. It
gave me the creeps.

Finishing my
coffee, I heard the door open. To my surprise, Antoine walked in.
He had a book in his right hand, while his left held the door
open.

“
It is always a pleasure to see you, Giselle,” he said as he
bowed
, and a hint of devilment flashed in
his eyes. “Of course, I have never seen you look as beautiful as
you do now.”

Swallowing the last of the
coffee, I could feel my face turn a nice shade of rose.

“
Oh, come on. Surely, you of all people know when to take a
compliment!”

“
I’m not sure what you’re on about, but, thanks . . . um,
okay.” I felt uncomfortable, and wanted to pretend I had not seen
him.

“
Come, we
have lots to do,” he said.

“
What? I haven’t even washed yet. Can I have at least ten
minutes to make myself a little more human looking?” I
sarcastically blurted out.

“
Mmm, for you, yes, but don’t tell anyone. I don’t want my
staff to think I’ve gone soft.”

He made
himself comfortable in Leonid’s chair, and opened the book. “Well,
go on, then. Tick, tock, tick, tock . . .”

I gave him a
scornful look, and ran to the bathroom. I showered quickly,
forgetting to rinse out the conditioner, and tried in vain to make
myself look somewhat decent. I failed, yet again. Lank, limp,
lifeless hair, and no make-up in sight. I felt and looked like a
frump. The only thing that looked good on me was the black
three-quarter-length jumper and dark blue jeans that had been left
on the bed. There was no hope for my hair, so I tied it back, and
tried to forget that my face was a blank canvas.

Antoine was
getting impatient, and his arrogance flowed when he called me. “As
much as I’d like to sit here all day, and wait for you, I have more
pressing things to be getting on with. Bloody women!”

“
Hey, I’m done! Okay, this is as good as it gets for me
today.” I awkwardly shuffled over to him.

Looking me
up and down, he rubbed his chin. “Well, I guess you’ll have to do,
but that hair . . .”