Vlad moved forward to kiss Louisa on the cheek. "I…. No, we thank you both, and if we share even half of love you give to each other we will both be truly blessed."
Sometime later when they were still feeling uncomfortable with each other, Vlad took her up to HER room. Instead of taking her into his room he walked past it, going into the room next door. Her disappointment was hard to mask, she would have the room connecting through his bathroom. It was a beautiful room, sporting a mixture of reds and oranges with a four poster bed and a long wall of wardrobes. Beth has always liked this room until now. She didn't want to be alone; she wanted to be with Vlad.
“Your other cases will be brought here." He knew this was not what she expected. Vlad was still angry and knew that having her in his room was just dangerous, he would ravish her and not in a nice way. So with a sigh he sat on the edge of the bed facing her.
"I don’t know where we go from here Beth. There is nothing we can do to sever the bond, I need some time to work out how we move forward. There was a reason I did not intend to bond with anyone."
"What was the reason?"
"That no longer matters. It is too late to be important."
"It is to me." Her voice was a whisper but loud enough for him to hear.
"If it had been, you would have asked me before doing it." Beth ached as she watched him leave the room. Sitting in the place he had just vacated Beth realised how out of her depth she was. She didn’t know him enough to know how to make things right. Her thoughts drifted back to Claire and the message from her father came back to her. Dialling Ben's cell she took a breath hoping to prevent the sadness she felt from seeping into the call.
Chapter 2 4
It took her a while to calm her body and mind but eventually sleep took her. Her dreams took on a bizarre twist, one that Beth struggled to understand.
Beth watched almost from outside of her own body, as the man in front of her opened his eyes; she watched as the darkness greeted him, she saw his confusion and panic. Hidden in what smelled like the cellars of a fortress, the dank, musty smell pierced his nostrils with a sharp tang, his eyes flicked from one side to the other, in movement so rapid she could barely follow it. The first thing he noted was that his arms were shackled to the wall, although he felt little pain or discomfort. His head was a different matter, the pain was excruciating. His stomach was torturing him going from intense hunger to crippling nausea. Attempting to move into the corner of the room, the noise of the chains rattling, informed him that the shackles would stop him. Cursing he dropped to his knees, attempting to empty the contents of his stomach. Where was he, how had he arrived here? Beth watched him fall back against the wall.
She had no idea what was actually happening, the last thing she remembered was falling asleep and now she seemed to be looking at Vlad from centuries ago. His facial features had remained the same. Now his blonde hair stopped at his shoulders, his eyes were a deep blue rather than the familiar stony grey. Standing he shivered while he desperately attempted to find a way to break the chains restraining him. He was strong even then but not strong enough. Blood pooled on both of his wrists where the shackles had embedded into his skin. As he calmed she heard the drip, drip of blood hitting the floor.
She watched almost from a distance amazed that she could hear his thoughts, she could grasp his feelings. She knew that initially, he thought his captivity was a prank from his soldier colleagues, yet as the night passed and the hunger struck the doubts crept in. Shouting roused no-one, yanking on the shackle tore at his wrist and still he remained captive. Slowly she watched time speed moving through the hours of his confinement into days, she watched in horror as his desperation increased. Time moved on several days, Beth continued to watch as if it were a movie on fast forward.
The room did not contain any windows leaving him unable to see what time of the day it was. Beth watched his roar of anguish, and more pulling at the shackle, this time success sent Vlad careening face first to the floor.
Standing tall he stretched; she expected him to run out of the room and watched with curiosity as he explored the cellar. He checked the brick walls, the stairs leading out of the room and the floor. He couldn’t see her but she could see him. She didn’t miss the almost feral look on his face, the red of his eyes and the pale skin, so pale it was almost translucent.
When his search was over she watched him mount the steps with extreme caution; taking them one at a time, he waited near the door ear against the wood. She knew he was just waiting patiently for the right time to open it. Although Beth knew she was watching the past and that Vlad had clearly managed to get out, she was anxious for him, fear settling in her stomach.
Gently easing the door open he slid out. Using a stealth that Beth had only seen in the wolves, Vlad manoeuvred through the door closing it gently behind him. Beth found herself transported to a long dimly lit corridor, following behind him her heart nearly stopped when a voice called out behind her.
"Well hello there aren’t you clever? Three days to free yourself, congratulations that must be a miracle."
His instinct was to lash out as he turned until sighting the woman who stopped him in his tracks. She was beautiful, her pale complexion flawless, the rouge on her cheeks made her look warm. Her dark hair fell down her shoulders in soft brown waves. Her blood red dress lifted her breasts, and tightened around her waist before falling to her feet, the colour almost matched the red of her eyes.
Beth felt nauseous, this was the first time Vlad had met of Talia and she had sexually aroused him. She watched the encounter with a feeling of foreboding. She had not known how Talia knew Vlad and now she did it galled her.
She could feel his arousal as he stepped forward, but she also felt something else, his hunger. Moving towards Talia the intense hunger over rode the arousal but it failed to override the anger now coursing through his body. Especially with the realisation that it was the woman in front of him that had been his captor.
"Now, now before you do something stupid let me give you a peace offering."
Vlad moved to stand in front of Talia, Beth watched as Talia gazed at the man in front of her. The man stood tall, his back ramrod straight, with his blue eyes hard and face turned up into a scowl. Beth moved forward, now she understood that none of the people in this room could see or sense her presence she was more daring.
When she saw a young woman peacefully sleeping on the chaise lounge her stomach churned. Beth gagged at the quickening of Vlads breath, she watched in horror as he strode into the room with wide, frantic steps. He lifted the girl from her position; she was a slight little thing. Seeing her dull, long brown hair, and clothing that was clearly inadequate thrown to the floor she was obviously a street child. She remained only in a slip that barely covered her petite body. She watched the girl wake and saw the terror in her eyes, as Vlad focussed on her vibrating pulse, he licked his lips in anticipation.
Beth turned away when Vlad bent his head towards her neck. Still she heard as his teeth pierced the girl’s neck which was followed by Vlads gulping. She had to look; the girl had stopped struggling, and was now limp in his arms. The girl's sleepy smile betrayed the sensations coursing through her now pliant body. Looking back at Talia, Beth could see her excitement as she watched the scene she had engineered. When he had finished he turned to Talia, eyes wild and with blood dripping down his chin, the revulsion at his actions evident in his own eyes.
"What have you done to me?" His voice was only a growl, a low angry growl.
"My handsome soldier, I have given you immortality. The gift of ruling with me, us standing together."
He looked about the room in confusion. "I don’t understand."
Talia laughed at Vlads lack of understanding. That was until he pushed past her out of the room.
"Where is my Pollaxe?"
"Oh darling you will not need that."
"There is someone approaching your abode I will not be chained again." The look of excitement on Tal
ia's face increased although only momentarily.
"It may be him the one who chained you. Quick let me get your weapon." She did indeed return with a weapon, it was a long stick with a blade similar to an axe attached. She watched on as Vlad prepared to fight, waiting near the door but far enough away to allow the door to open, he braced his body. As the door opened she watched in horror as a tall and well-built male entered the house. He was peering down at his boots so did not immediately see the danger he was in, the risks from Vlad.
"I found another one, training with the soldiers he is……" He seemed to sense Vlad and looked up only to see Vlad swing the weapon round, it sliced through the man's neck completely decapitating him. Vlad watched the man fall to the ground, a look of bewilderment on his face before he turned to Talia.
"Where are my boots?" Beth could see the shock and excitement on Talia's face.
"Why would you need them?" She stepped over to Vlad and proceeded to stroke his cheek.
"You are safe now, I need to return to my army and prepare for the battle."
"But you can't, you see that man he turned you, you are now a vampyre."
Vlad laughed out loud and then the truth seemed to dawn on him. "And you?"
In a small timid voice, Talia responded.
"He took me too, chained me downstairs and turned me against my will. I too am a vampyre, a weak one. A woman who is scared on her own, I need you."
And then she kissed him, soft at first but as he returned the kiss, it deepened until the frenzy between them began.
NOOOOO, please no, her brain was screaming at her. Beth couldn't believe that Vlad had been that stupid. Beth was muttering as she turned away, she couldn’t watch this.
Beth knew that the male Vlad had killed had been innocent of Talia's accusations, just another pawn in Talia's games. It was Talia, that had aroused Vlad and it sickened her. No it infuriated her, her body was bubbling with the onslaught of negative emotions.
With a start Beth came back to consciousness, only to find herself sat up in bed with sweat dripping off of her head. Beth's heart felt heavy and angry, she was confused, was it real? Had she glimpsed into Vlad's past. The bitch, at least now she knew how they had met or did she? With her mind clearing, she had to question what she had seen had it been a dream or a nightmare, was it real or not? It had to be, how could it not be?
Vlad had been intimate with Talia, manipulated by her. It shouldn’t be a surprise but it was. And it made her feel sick, sick and angry that Talia had known her man intimately. The feelings sifting through Beth's body were confusing, some were identifiable others just rolled and rolled, never stopping long enough for her to understand. That was until it dawned on her that she was jealous.
Talia had taken Vlad through choice, Beth had to chase him. Checking her watch she saw that she had slept through the day, the sun must just be setting. What now? She would just have to go back to doing her job. When she was working here she and Vlad seemed to get on well and enjoy each other's company, maybe getting back to normal would help things between them. But could she face him knowing what she did? As her stomach recoiled she wasn’t sure.
Chapter 25
Vlad woke with a start thinking of Beth, which was no surprise considering that he went to sleep thinking of her. In fact she consumed most of his thoughts. In his dreams, she was the gorgeous, sexy, bright and funny blonde haired beauty that had caught his attention. In the cold light of day; she was the woman that had trapped him against his will. And now she was the woman he had to play nice with so that Talia did not suspect there was any hostility between them.
Heading to the bathroom, he came to a standstill when he saw the silhouette through the steam converging on the shower door. His mind automatically pictured her naked, her long slender legs, her tight round bottom, with her long blond hair cascading down her back. Oh god the woman was a menace, he quickly backed away quietly closing his door before he did something stupid. Something that involved him rushing to join her, and running his hands over that delectable body, whilst he prepared her body for his by loving her with his mouth, now that wasn’t such a terrible idea.
When he heard the water stop, he closed his eyes trying to hold off the image of her towelling her body dry, the soft material connecting with her skin, running up and down her legs, drying her breasts, leading down to her core. What he wouldn’t do to be that towel.
Damn this was ridiculous maybe if he just took her, his fascination with her would be finished. Yes, that's what he would do. He would go into the room and make love to her. No, not make love; he would just fuck her. Striding forward Vlad came to an abrupt stop, he couldn’t fuck her; Beth was too significant for that. Beth deserved a man who would make love to her, and lavish attention over every inch of her delectable body.
The knock at the door had Vlad jumping back into the safety of his duvet. He knew it would only be Albert. However he did not feel the need for his butler to see his frustrated, and prominent physical state.
Albert entered carrying a tray.
"Good morning master, I have your morning blood as well as some toast and OJ for the mistress."
He watched Albert glancing around the room followed by his frown, and muttering loud enough for Vlad to hear.
"Mans an idiot, adjoining rooms what is the world coming to?" However before Vlad could respond, Albert loudly placed the glass on his dressing table before lifting the tray and leaving. He did stop at the door taking the opportunity to offer a snide comment.
"I never took you for a fool, it appears I was mistaken. Don’t worry I will check on the mistress, and see that she is well. I suggest you get your behind moving we have guests. It's amazing that some people actually want to celebrate this union, you may wish to revise your attitude."
Revise my attitude, who the hell was the master here? The man took liberties, actually he had changed loyalties. Astounded didn't cover Vlads emotions; Albert was taking Beth's side over his! Clearly serving someone for decades did not inspire loyalty. Unfortunately, Vlad did not listen to the last of Albert's words, so the commotion as he descended the stairs came as something of a shock.
Following the noise he found his ball room full, the Silver Pack and friends had descended en mass. Denissa who headed the witches, was present with many of her coven. He could see warlocks, and pixies wandering around. In the midst of the crowd he could even see a couple of leprechauns were drinking what he assumed to be his alcohol. His Elite team were mixing with the guests, music was playing, decorations covered the ceiling, but Beth was nowhere to be seen. He could however see Ben standing just to the side of him, with a frown on his face.
"Ben why are all of these people in my ball room?"
"Some of the females in my pack and Albert over ruled me after you left; they feel it is only appropriate to celebrate this union. I personally don’t agree. Although from what Albert said you would disagree. I think it is great that you want to celebrate, but I am sure you didn’t imagine this."
Ben's stern tone told him that he certainly didn’t think it was thrilling, Vlad had a small inkling that Albert may have fudged the truth a little by saying he wanted to celebrate. Right now he wanted to ravish Beth, but as for remaining bonded that still wasn’t working for him.
"Would it have been better to do this at Silver's?"
"Apparently no, it appears this is also a message to Talia and others that may want to cause Beth harm, one that I DO agree with. Basically its fuck with Beth and we all come back to exact vengeance."
"A strong message I believe. How did everyone get here?" His location was closely guarded; he was worried that everyone now knew where he lived.
"Don’t worry, other than me, Lucky and Darius, no one here is aware of your actual address."
Vlad was then preoccupied as he had turned to watch Talia enter the room, the horror evident in her eyes. It had taken him nearly three centuries to notice that her powers of seduction were ineffective on other species, only humans.
So for Talia to be in a room filled with other species, and only the odd human here and there would be torturous. Especially after Beth arrived and all of the attention focused on her.
Maybe this wouldn’t be too distressing after all; he saw Albert trying to get his attention so made his way over to him.
"Master I have asked the Mistress to remain in her room until you collect her. I considered it to be important to present as a united front, regardless of how foolish you are." And then he walked away, again! This was getting ridiculous although Albert had a point.
Unfortunately Talia stopped him on his way out.
"What on earth is going on?" Her blue gown actually suited the room, well until you looked at her face where her displeasure was evident. Before answering he ensured that he plastered what he hoped was a big smile.
"Well they are here to celebrate my union to Beth of course, why don’t you introduce yourself to some of them. Most of these people are very close to Beth and so are happy for us both."
With that he walked up the winding stair case to her room. Knocking, he was not sure of the response he would receive. She didn’t answer so he let himself in, only for Vlad to find her on the cell talking business, his business. Seeing him watching her, she ended the call.
"Good evening Vlad, for some reason Albert requested I wait here for you."
She looked like a tempting secretary, her blonde hair pinned back, a bright red skirt, white blouse with frills down the front centre and black heels. The woman was in a word, delicious. There were clothes all over the room, it was as though a tornado had hit.
"Um sorry, these are all of my clothes and I haven’t quite sorted them." She made him smile, just looking at her chaos and comparing it to his control, what a fascinating combining their personalities would be.
Two Halves of a A Vampires Soul (The Silver Series) Page 14
