by VJ Dunraven
“Why did we have to leave?”
“I sensed that we were being watched. My suspicions were confirmed when I spotted someone who wasn't human following us on the beach. I immediately knew he was one of the Duke's men. The European Army would never spy on us. They would go to the house and pay a proper call. Knowing this, I had to bid farewell to Danny and Lorraine. I loved them so much that I did not want to endanger them. It broke my heart to say goodbye.”
“The Duke's men—, were they the reason why we were always moving?”
“Yes. They were relentless. I had to change identities multiple times and go from state to state in order to lose them. You suffered for it and I am sorry. I wish I could have done things differently.”
“Why didn't you, Mom? Why didn't you go back to England?”
“I was afraid. John Drake has a very large, powerful army that spans continents. There is a chance he could overwhelm our army. If that happens, our family members, men and women alike, including the King, your father, would be forced to go into combat.”
“But isn't our clan the most powerful of all?”
“Supposedly—, but our clan hasn't been at its best due to the lack of Purification in two and a half centuries. The possibility that we could lose is quite real. I could not allow that to happen.”
“Two and half centuries? Why so long? Doesn't a Pure One come every one hundred years?”
“Yes, but in my case, after my Conversion at age eighteen in 1764, it took another 130 years before I crossed paths with your father, my Twin Flame. No other Pure One was born during that period because there can only be a single Pure One searching for her Twin Flame at a time.
“After we married, it took yet another one hundred years for me to conceive you and then, I was abducted by the Duke. The Pure One after me never came, because I was carrying you. You were the next Pure One, Elizabeth. I had no idea until you were born holding the black pearl in your hand.”
“And you kept my identity a secret.”
“I had to—, at least until the Mark of the Omni appeared and you could follow your destiny. If John Drake learned you are the new Pure One, he would lose interest in me and turn his pursuit on you.”
Elizabeth gaped at her mother, realizing the implication of what she had said. She was about to reply when the doorbell rang.
Chapter 54
Confessions of an Alpha Deimon
“Colonel Gunter!” Elizabeth's mom exclaimed as she opened the door. Right behind her, Elizabeth came up to peek over her shoulder.
“Your Grace, Your Highness” The Colonel inclined his head at both of them.
“Chad?” Elizabeth slowly took his appearance in, from his immaculate blue and black uniform adorned with medals and silver eagle epaulets on the shoulders, to his gleaming leather boots. “Why—, what on earth are you wearing?”
Colonel Gunter glanced at Elizabeth's mother. “Your Grace, may I speak in private with the Princess?”
“Of course, Colonel. Would you like to come in?” Elizabeth's mom opened the door wider.
“Thank you, but perhaps it's best if we speak on the porch. I won't take long.”
“As you wish.” Elizabeth's mother stepped aside to let Elizabeth pass. “I'm upstairs if you need me,” she said, as she closed the door.
Colonel Gunter met Elizabeth's confused eyes. He knew she would react to his uniform, which he had purposely worn to make it easier to reveal his identity.
“My mom called you Colonel.” She gazed at him warily. “You lied to me.”
“Yes.” He restrained himself from going into lengthy explanations, waiting patiently for her to lead the way. She had all the right in the world to be incensed at him, rebuff him and hate him for misleading her.
“Why?” she shot back. “I thought you were my friend!” Tears pooled in her eyes and she abruptly turned away.
“Eliza—,” He paused and swallowed, reminding himself to address her formally, the way it should be. “Your Highness—,”
“Your Highness, yourself!” She sniffled angrily over her shoulder. “Don't ever call me that!”
He took a step closer behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. “What do you want me to call you, then?” he asked in a gentle voice.
She glared at him and shook off his hands. “Don't you know my name?”
His heart leaped a little. She wanted him to call her by her given name and that was a good sign. “If I do that, then, that means we're still friends. Am I still your friend, Elizabeth?”
She darted him a dark look and made an unladylike grunt, rolling her eyes heavenward.
He hid a smile. Damn and blast, but he loved everything about her! She was so unpredictable—, like a fragile little flower bristling with hidden thorns. One moment she was on the verge of throwing a big fit and giving him a hard time, then the next, she seemed almost ready to forgive him.
“Wipe that silly smile off you face,” she snapped, poking his chin. “Your dimple is showing.”
He grinned wider at her. At least, they were off to a good start.
“Don't look so smug.” She glowered and jabbed a forefinger at his chest. “You're not off the hook yet! You have a lot of explaining to do and it better be good, Chad, or Colonel—, who are you again?”
“Alexus Gunter. My friends call me Alec.”
“Alec.” She snorted and made a vexed face. “I like Chad better.”
“My middle name is Chadwick,” he supplied, yielding.
“Good. Because I intend to keep calling you Chad. What about Alistair, your last name?”
“I have no idea where that came from,” he replied truthfully. “Intelligence supplies the pseudonyms and we use what's given without question.”
“And the part about your family?”
“All true. I'm a Fifth Generation descendant, eldest son of a Duke. I do have two younger brothers, all in the military like me, and I think I failed to mention that I also have two younger sisters.”
“So—, you're not really an exchange student.”
“No.”
“And you're not American either.”
“British.”
“I could never tell from your accent.” She narrowed her eyes.
“My job requires that I speak several languages with a perfect accent.”
She regarded him with an assessing gaze. “How old are you?”
He cleared his throat. “A hundred and fifteen.”
She looked doubtfully at him from head to toe. “And here I am, thinking you're nineteen or twenty,” she said irritably. “You got me duped.”
“I'm sorry, but my job—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she interrupted with the wave of a hand. “Your job requires you to adapt to the situation, right? Speak like an American, act like a student, blah-blah-blah.” She reached out and touched the medals on his chest. “What are these for?”
“Medals of honor. For leadership and valor in combat.” He glanced at the silk ribbons attached to various metal shapes embossed with military insignias.
“Combat?” she repeated. Then, her expression changed into mortification, as she realized the meaning of what he'd said. “Have you ever—?”
“Yes.” He met her gaze. “I'm an assassin, Elizabeth.”
Her eyes grew very round and he braced himself, hoping his profession would not repulse her. The last thing he wanted was for her to be terrified of him. “I was mistakenly sent to guard you.”
“Mistakenly sent?” She drew her eyebrows together.
“Yes. Which is the reason why I must leave.” He sighed. “I just came by to say goodbye.”
“No!” Her immediate distress startled him. “Chad, I don't want you to go.”
“I have to,” he replied sadly.
“Why?”
“Don't worry—, you'll be safe with my men.” He glanced at the SUV parked not too far away.
“But—” her eyes glittered.
“E
lizabeth.” He touched her cheek. “You're a Pure one and I'm an Alpha Deimon. I can't be around you.”
“What do you mean, Alpha Deimon?”
He exhaled audibly, preparing to bare his heart—, literally. He began to unbutton his uniform.
“What are you doing?” she gaped.
“I need to show you something.” He shrugged off his jacket and draped it carefully on the back of a porch chair. His black tank shirt came off next, exposing his muscled chest. He pulled aside the twin silver identification tags he wore on a chain around his neck.
Elizabeth visibly gulped, her eyes riveted on the distinct triangular mark above his heart.
He took her hand and touched her fingers to its outline. “This is the mark of an Alpha bloodline. We are an extremely aggressive breed, in war and love.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she whispered breathlessly, her hand resting over his birthmark.
“Because for all our passion and ferocity, our weakness is innocence, an ideal trait we seek for in our chosen mate.”
Her eyes flew up to meet his.
“I chose you, Elizabeth. I couldn't help myself.” He laid one hand on top of hers over his heart and caressed her cheek with the other. “Forgive me,” he rasped, then broke all contact and stepped back.
Elizabeth watched him put his shirt and jacket back on, in an efficient, methodical manner. She didn't know what to think or what to do. All she knew was the heavy, sweeping sadness that enveloped her. She suddenly felt alone and vulnerable, out of balance and without an ally. “You can't leave,” she heard herself saying.
He paused from fixing his cuff and looked at her with those intelligent scarlet eyes that had always reassured her in times of turmoil.
“You promised.” She swallowed the tears rising in her throat.
“I can't stay,” he said softly.
“Then, why did you make that promise to me?” A tear slid down her cheek.
“Because I was hoping I could keep it.” He wiped the tear off with the back of his forefinger. “But I cannot.”
“Yes, you can.” She caught his hand and pressed her cheek against it.
“No. I know myself enough to recognize that I could slip and forget my place when I'm with you.” He tugged his hand gently from her grasp. “You're not safe with me, Elizabeth. Alpha Deimons like me have a tremendous ... craving for our chosen mates,” he said in a sterner tone. “I could compromise you. Do you understand what that means?”
“No—, and I don’t want to know,” she replied stubbornly. “I just know that you'll never do that to me. You're my friend and I trust you.”
Colonel Gunter suppressed the urge to gather her in a tight hug and never let her go. She was so tenacious, so loyal, that it made her all the more beautiful to him.
“But I don't trust myself,” he asserted. “Not around you. Not with the way I feel for you.” His heart hammered faster as he gathered the courage to say the words he had been trying so hard to hold at bay.
He looked her straight in the eyes. “I'm in love with you, Elizabeth.” He drew a deep breath as he watched her eyes widen and pressed on, before he lost his composure. He must make her comprehend his reasons and bring closure to their parting. “Every day, every single moment that I'm with you, makes it harder for me to control my feelings for you. I must remove myself before I do something that I'll regret forever.”
“Oh, Chad . . .” she murmured, and the way she looked at him made him want to believe he had a glimmer of hope. But he knew with utmost regret and woe, her heart belonged to the Prince and there wasn't room for him—, nor for anyone else.
The knowledge felt like a leaded weight on his chest.
“Thank you for loving me,” she said, her eyes shining. “And you know I love you as a friend, and there's nothing more I want, than for you to stay and watch over me.” Another tear cascaded down her cheek. “I want my knight in shining blue jeans back.”
“It's impossible—.” he protested, but she gripped the lapels of his coat and regarded him with unwavering resolve.
“You're my protector,” she said in a resolute voice. “You'll never do anything to hurt me.”
“Elizabeth—”
“I can prove it.”
And before he could discern what she was about, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.
The simple contact generated a scorching heat that reverberated throughout his body. It ignited, exploded, and incinerated his restraint, rousing his latent desires. His tightly wound self-control loosened and cracked, until it burst open with a need so great, it blinded him into obedience and follow its dictates.
He wrapped his arms instinctively around her and pursued her innocent kiss. His lips parted hers, his tongue plunging her mouth with torrid, hungry strokes, drinking in her delicious purity. He couldn't get enough of her, couldn't satisfy his thirst; his appetite for her. Her softness, her scent, her sweetness, was like a hypnotic elixir in his blood, intoxicating his senses, overriding all logic, blurring the fine line dividing right from wrong.
Elizabeth tensed with sudden alarm at Chad's unexpected, bold response. He'd imprisoned her in his strong arms and had deepened the simple kiss with such urgent demand that she began to understand why he'd kept his distance from her.
She tried to push him, but her body was pressed tightly against his iron-like physique. His hand cupped the back of her head, preventing her from twisting away and another hand was splayed on her back, holding her firmly in place. She was like a rag doll in his grip, his mouth crushing her protests. There was nothing she could do to escape.
Apprehension began to pound in her chest as he encircled his arm more securely around her waist and lifted her off the floor, as if she weighed no more than a feather. She wanted to fight him—but for what? He'd been trying to warn her of this and she'd unwittingly pushed him over the edge. Any objection on her part would be useless.
Furthermore, she couldn't blame him for his actions. He'd cautioned her of the consequences. This whole incident was her fault.
A thunderous curse pierced the air and almost instantly, Chad released her.
Both of them turned to see Prince William swiftly striding towards them with pure rage blazing in his silver eyes.
Chapter 55
The Prince and the Colonel
Prince William couldn't fathom what he was seeing. After much contemplation by the side of the road after Elizabeth had left him, he'd decided to follow, beg her forgiveness and plead for a reconciliation. He knew she was livid and perhaps had acted out of spite—, but this? How dare she do this to him?
He stared at the startled couple, their intimacy a sufficient evidence of what had undoubtedly been an ongoing affair. Just as he had suspected. His temper sparked like fire, shooting straight to his head.
“So this is the real reason why you won't come with me to England!” he growled, shaking with shock and extreme anger, as he yanked the Colonel by the back of his collar and punched him on the jaw with a clenched fist.
Elizabeth screamed as Colonel Gunter skidded along the length of the porch, knocking down furniture from the force of the blow.
“What's going on here?” Elizabeth's mother appeared from the doorway.
“Stay out of this!” Prince William darted his eyes at her mother, then stabbed a finger towards the Colonel's men who had rushed to aid in the situation. “Go back to your vehicles!” he commanded.
The men reluctantly backed away.
“Your Highness.” Colonel Gunter staggered to his feet. “I take full responsibility for my actions.”
“You better—, you bloody bastard!” He pounced, baring his teeth.
“William! No!” Elizabeth threw herself in his path and took the brunt of his weight, knocking her backwards.
He caught her by the upper arms and yanked her to her feet. “You little hussy!” he snarled and shook her until her teeth rattled. “After all that drama about your virtue—, you're n
othing but a damned light-skirt!”
Elizabeth gaped in fear at the furious face of the Prince. He was so enraged that his eyes glowed wildly and his fingers dug painfully into her skin. “I am not!” she screamed and pummeled his chest with her fists.
“You expect me to believe that?” He regarded her with eyes full of contempt. “You were tonguing him in full view of my own army! Have you no respect for me? You self-righteous, hypocrite—”
“Your Highness.” Chad's hand materialized on the Prince's shoulder. “I beg you to release the Princess,” he said in an eerily calm voice.
Elizabeth felt the rising tension in both men. A muscle twitched on the Prince's cheek and his eyes narrowed into bright silver slits.
“Unhand me, Gunter,” he growled in a deep, dangerous voice.
“Gladly, Your Highness,” Chad replied evenly. “As soon as you let the Princess go.”
In a lightning-quick movement, the Prince clamped a hand on Chad's throat, all the while keeping his other hand on Elizabeth’s arm.
“I am your Supreme Alpha,” Prince William drawled in distinct warning, shoving his face at Chad, his canines lengthening. “You'd be wise not to challenge me.”
“I am well aware, Your Highness,” Chad rasped, his own eyes blazing crimson, his cuspids pointing. “But my mission is to protect the Princess from anything and anyone—, even a sovereign.”
“Then you've sealed your fate.” The Prince pushed Elizabeth on a porch chair and released Chad's throat with a strong jerk. “Amuse me.” He began to circle him.
Colonel Gunter followed the Prince with his eyes, his senses heightening, tingling with the anticipation of bloodshed. As his Supreme Alpha, he knew that the Prince possessed powers beyond imagination. No other enemy could be more dangerous than the Prince. Only his mastery and skill at combat could equip him with the chance of survival. But then, even if he did come out the victor, he would still be executed for assaulting his sovereign. Indeed, he had sealed his fate.
