In the Beginning...

by Calle J. Brookes

  So why had he?

  “Taste me, my dearest little love...”

  It was the endearment. The one that the writer of that book had used that had her complying.

  Her lips brushed against his skin. Tasted the salt and man. Had she ever tasted a man like this before? She didn’t think she had. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d dated someone, let alone kissed them. She kissed his neck again.

  “Go on.”

  Her eyes were closed. When had she done that? Mickey didn’t know. His pulse was beneath her mouth. She could feel the beating against her lower lip. She sighed, her body was telling her something that her heart found abhorrent. Her teeth—her fangs—sank deep, and the rich taste of his blood flooded her mouth.

  It was like nothing she’d ever felt. Ever tasted. It was right.

  She didn’t know how long he let her drink his blood, but it was he who pulled away first. “Time to stop. Or I will not be able to keep to my vow to not touch you, not kiss you. A Rajni bond means a sexual one, especially when a female feeds from her mate.”

  Mickey was glad he couldn’t see the flush that hit her cheeks. She’d felt it, too. For the first time she’d been aware of his scent, his body pressed against hers. His taste. She’d wanted to run her fingers through his hair, and pull him closer. Why had she felt that way?

  Was he correct? Was she supposed to be with him? Or was this some after effect from the conversion process he’d subjected her to?

  “Come. We will go eat. Be like any couple getting to know one another. The restaurant looks out over the mountainside. I think you will enjoy the view. Unless you’d rather return to the suite, and order in?”

  Mickey shook her head no immediately. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with him, not in someplace as intimate as his suite. A restaurant sounded so much safer. Then she remembered he couldn’t see her gesture. “No. I’d like to eat at the restaurant, I think.”

  “Excellent. Afterward, maybe we can take a tour of the hotel. It really is a wonderful place to live. I think you will enjoy living here eventually.”

  “That sounds nice.” As she said it, she realized how lame it sounded. But what was she supposed to do? She had to go along with him, hadn’t Mallory and Emily said to do just that?

  But what did it mean that she was actually starting to get curious about this place, or that she actually was starting to want to get to know the man beside her?

  Did that make her a traitor to her family? To herself?

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mickey was ashamed to admit it, even to herself, but she enjoyed the rest of the evening with him. And the days that followed. He was so courteous, even old-fashioned in the way he treated her. He opened doors for her, held her hand, listened to her when she spoke. As if he actually cared for her.

  When he couldn’t be with her, he somehow always managed to find out where her sister or cousins were. He’d also introduced her to the woman he claimed would marry her brother. That was a bit weird, at first. He told her not to mention it to the other woman, that if the other woman—Jierra— knew what was supposed to happen to her, she could do something to alter her future, somehow.

  It was hard, but Mickey managed to keep the knowledge to herself. She really liked Jierra. They were the same age and had very similar personalities. Jierra answered all of Mickey’s questions about the Dardaptoans. And even answered some about the things Mickey’s grandfather had done to the Dardaptoan people. That was horrible, and Mickey didn’t have any trouble seeing that Jierra was still very frightened of Mickey’s grandfather.

  When not with her sister or cousins, Mickey spent her time with Jierra in the hotel pool. She’d always been a voracious swimmer—she’d done laps every weekday for years—and the return to at least that part of her routine helped her not feel so overwhelmed in this new place.

  With her recent graduation from law school, her internship with TI, and then the revelation of her grandfather’s crimes—he’d stolen and embezzled from the company for years, and it had just recently been discovered— Mickey had driven herself at a very rushed, hectic pace. This time in the hotel was beginning to feel like a vacation for her. With the exception that she couldn’t leave whenever she wanted.

  She spent her time with her family, with her new friend, and with Theo. When she wasn’t with them, she spent her time reading the journal. A pair of glasses had appeared on the bedside table the morning after she’d told him she wore them. They made reading the journal considerably easier, and every time she slipped them on she remembered the man who’d given them to her. Though it hadn’t come out and stated anywhere in the writing that it was his, she knew Theo was the author of the journal. Knew she was getting glimpses into his life, his past. Every entry was addressed to his dearest little love. The same endearment he used with her so frequently.

  She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

  Most of the entries were simple little things, him talking of his friends, his family, and the way the world around him was changing. When the journal first started, he mentioned being in the mountains with the native peoples. As the journal progressed, he gave small glimpses into the history of Colorado. And of humans in general.

  She found it fascinating, and found his thoughts and words almost addictive. She wanted to finish the journal, wanted to just sit and read it without interruption. But somehow someone always interrupted her whenever she started reading. She’d get a few pages read at a time before she would have to stop.

  She didn’t want to share what she was reading with anyone, so the moment someone approached her, she’d stop reading and place the book aside.

  She’d spent the morning in the justice hall with him. It was located in the same wing as his suite, but on the second floor. It encompassed the entire level of the building. Large symbols were inlayed in tile across the expanse of the main judicial chamber. He’d told her the symbols represented truth, justice, objectivity, and his family crest. Said the meanings were similar to the symbols she’d seen in human courtrooms.

  She’d spent part of the day in his office, discussing with him the various cases he would preside over that day. His words had stayed with her when he’d said, “Though we are an older race of beings than humans, we are still prey to the same issues of character. And lack of character, at times. We have our criminals, just as the humans do. It is my job to ensure that all who enter this tribunal hall receive the best justice our system has to offer.”

  Mickey had been fascinated with the proceedings, comparing them to her own experiences while in law school.

  It had been a good day. One she had enjoyed. And as he was ready to dismiss the last case of the day, she secretly admitted to herself that as she watched him, saw how he dealt with everyone in the courtroom, her admiration and fascination with him grew.

  “Michaela, did you enjoy your day?”

  “I did. Thank you. It was interesting. Many of your laws are similar to the state of Colorado’s.”

  “They are. We may have had a bit of a hand in the writing of Colorado’s laws. I have been friends with many policy makers of the human Kind throughout the centuries.”

  “I see. So why have you all kept hidden for so long?”

  “Because humans are notorious for hunting and killing those that they don’t understand. There is something you must understand. Our women and children are especially vulnerable to attack. A simple injury, and a child can bleed to death. Or if the temperature drops below fifty, as it is known to do so easily here, a woman can freeze to death. We have spent centuries combating these issues to keep our people safe. If humans knew our weaknesses, we would number even less than we do. As it is, our numbers are shrinking daily.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You must always take care, my love, for your safety. Promise me.”

  Mickey nodded. His fear for her was evident in his face and tone. It had her stomach knotting, as she recalled the reason he’d given her
for converting her against her will. “Do you still think I’m in danger?”

  “I do not know. I cannot see.” He wrapped his hands around her arms and pulled her against him. Mickey let herself rest against him for a moment. When she tried to pull away he wouldn’t let her. Not for the longest time. “Promise me that you will always be careful, even here. Michaela, I...” “What?” She whispered the question against the strong beat of his heart. “I do not know if I could go on without you. Not anymore.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  She was quiet for the rest of the evening, and Theo wondered if he’d spoken his fear and need too soon. He hadn’t meant to frighten her with the intensity of his feelings. That had never been his intention. She’d wanted to eat in the suite and that was fine with him. He’d ordered their dinner and they’d eaten almost in silence. When dinner was over, he’d suggested they watch a movie together. He couldn’t see the screen, but he could hear the actions. She’d agreed, but he knew her attention wasn’t on the movie.

  But she didn’t scoot away from him when he settled onto the couch beside her. When her shoulder bumped his, he closed his eyes and breathed her scent in. And counted to fifty. To keep himself from grabbing her and pulling her over his lap.

  He had waited so long to have her so close...

  Her head landed on his shoulder, her breathing evened out. She was asleep against him as if it was the most natural thing in her world. For a moment he couldn’t breathe as the rush of emotion threatened to strangle him. He’d waited so long for her, had faith that she would one day be with him. Now that he’d actually had her next to him, how was it that he had done it?

  How had he been able to keep his faith so strong for six hundred years?

  Those six hundred years of strength were all that kept him from pulling his female even closer. He’d never felt so weak.

  “Michaela...”

  She didn’t respond. What was he supposed to do? He could not leave her to sleep on the couch throughout the night. Not when his bed waited only twenty feet away. He stood and carefully lifted his female into his arms. She snuggled her head into his neck, her lips just a hair’s breadth from his skin. Her arms slipped behind his head and she clung to him. He closed his unseeing eyes for a moment as he stood there taking in the sensations that surrounded him.

  She felt perfect in his arms.

  He carried her into the bedroom, taking more care than usual as he moved through the rooms he’d called home for so long. He did not want to jostle her or hurt her in anyway. He stopped moving when his legs hit the edge of his mattress. He lowered his Rajni to the surface, then carefully pulled the scarf free from where she’d tied it around her waist; he shifted her slightly, then slid the silk blanket down. She sighed as he slipped the blanket up to her shoulders.

  He stood over her for several long moments, not wanting to leave her. Not just yet. He took a deep breath, then forced himself to return to the living area. He would not share her bed until she asked it of him.

  He’d made a vow and he would keep it.

  ***

  Mickey held her breath while she watched him stand beside the bed. What would he do next? Would he slip into the bed beside her? Would he break his promise?

  His face was determined when he took a step backward, away from the bed. Then he took another and another. She heard his sigh. He hadn’t wanted to leave the room, to let her have the bed to herself. But he’d done it.

  Once again, he’d kept his word.

  Chapter Twenty

  Mickey got her chance to finish the journal early the next morning. The entries were more of the same until she got to the last few pages.

  My dearest little love,

  I hurt for you so. I hope you never learn what it is to be alone like I have been. I witnessed a friend find his Rajni today. They were beautiful together—he so strong and a fierce warrior, she a sweet and fierce woman of great heart and intelligence. I am happy for them, of course. But I miss having a Rajni of my own. As this war continues to rage around me, this battle that the Goddess dictated I should be a part of, I wonder how much longer until the men of your race reach the nigh on impossible and Herculean task of reaching the moon?

  You might as well be on the moon; could any greater distance between us but time and space exist?

  My soul bleeds for you...I am not sure how much longer I can go on without you. I do not know if I can go on without you.

  The moon above me mocks all the love I have for you. I can hear his cruel, cold words, echoing the beating of mine heart. Were only he as dark as the pain that fills my soul...

  Mickey hurt for him. His loneliness had shown through every page of the journal. So had his strength.

  As she closed the book on that last page, her heart was flooded with two questions. Did she believe she was the woman he longed for? And what was she going to do about it, if she was?

  “Michaela? Are you in here?”

  He stood in the door to the small sitting room. “Yes. What is it?”

  He was pale, but resolute when he approached the couch and sank down beside her after feeling around the small space. His hand landed on her knee and he squeezed. Apprehension had her throat tightening. Something was happening. And she knew she wasn’t going to like it. “There is something I wish to discuss with you.”

  “What is it? Tell me.” Mickey shifted slightly so that she could face him. Her hand tightened on the small leather bound journal. “Has something happened?”

  “You may say that. I’ve come to the decision that you will be returning home to your family. It is where you will be happiest and I cannot bear to be the cause of any more unhappiness you experience.”

  “Just like that?”

  “I do not understand. I thought you would be elated at this news.”

  “I am. I need to be with my family, I can’t be kept prisoner indefinitely. But why have you decided that all of a sudden I am free? I thought your Goddess had decreed...”

  “Screw the Goddess! I can’t stand knowing you are not happy here! Three days from now you will be returned to your home, most likely along with your cousins and your sister. We’ll use tomorrow and the day after to teach you how to survive as a Dardaptoan. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have matters I need to attend to.”

  He stood and walked to the door. His movements were firm and determined. Resolute. He meant it, then. He was sending her away. Just like that. The change was so quick Mickey had trouble processing what it meant for her. For him. “But...”

  He was gone before she said it. Before she even realized that she mostly wanted to stay.

  Mickey stayed where she was for several long moments, the book clutched tightly to her chest. His written words kept reverberating through her mind. My soul bleeds for you...I am not sure how much longer I can go on without you...It is my job to protect you and love you, not to sadden your heart... I am not sure how much longer I can go on without you...I am not sure how much longer I can go on without you...

  Mickey’s tears hit the leather book before she even realized she was crying. It was several long minutes before the tears stopped.

  A hand brushed against her forehead, startling her. She hadn’t heard anyone enter the room. How long had Emily been there?

  Emily’s face was concerned, and her eyes sad. “Where’s Mal and Josey?”

  Mickey didn’t want to be with any of her cousins, or her sister. She wanted to be with him. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen them all day.” She wiped at the tears on her face, then wiped the moisture off the cover of his journal carefully. She didn’t want her tears to damage the book.

  “Mickey? What’s the matter? Did something happen?”

  Besides her being kidnapped and turned into a vampire, then falling in love with the vampire who’d written the journal, who’d been responsible for these things in the first place? No. Nothing else had happened but the complete shattering of everything Mickey knew. What would Emily say if she told her that? “Yes.
..He’s sending me away.”

  What would that do to him? What would her leaving do to her? She didn’t want to be away from him.

  Emily sat beside her on the couch. “As opposed to letting you go?

  Where’s he sending you?”

  “Home. Back to my dad.”

  “And that’s a bad thing? I was told the same thing.”

  Mickey nodded, breath catching. “Don’t hate me, Em.”

  “I’ll never hate you.” “Why would I?”

  “I want to stay with Theo. I don’t think I can leave him.”

  “Do you think you love him?”

  Mickey nodded before wiping away a tear. “I know I do.”

  Emily’s eyes were filled with compassion...and understanding. “And have you told him that?”

  “No. He was so sure that sending me away would make me happy. So insistent that it was the right thing to do. And what about Mal, Becca, and Rand and my dad? They’d all hate me.” How could they ever understand? Mickey wasn’t sure she understood it herself.

  “They won’t hate you. Everybody just wants you to be happy. And if you can be happy with a six-hundred-year-old vampire, then you should stay with him.”

  “But you’re leaving, and probably Mal and Josey, too.” Would she be the only one who stayed? What would the rest of their family think of that? Would they see her as a traitor?

  “I told him I wasn’t leaving without all of you. I never counted on you wanting to stay.”

  “I do.” And she did. At least until she figured out just what it was she felt for Theo.