NYC Vamps: Roman: Vampire Romance

by Sky Winters

  “Please, Murdina,” he begged.

  “Murdina no longer exists. She was forced out of her home for her own safety and taken in by a group of Highland rebels who have shown her more love and compassion than her own brother. My name is Anna. I will not be returning to the throne, but neither will you, dear brother,” she told him.

  “You can’t kill me. I’m your brother!” he replied.

  “I’ve no intention of killing you, Marcus. I think you should spend years contemplating the harm you have done to people who looked up to our family and trusted that we would do the honorable thing for them. I suspect your remaining days in the prison tower with some of the people you sent there for little or no reason might be just what you need,” she told him.

  “You can’t send me there! I am the King!” he shouted at her.

  “I can and I will. When I tell our cousins what you have done, they will support me and you will be dethroned and punished,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” he scoffed.

  “You should be,” she replied.

  “You heard her, secure him and we’ll take him back to the castle,” Rory said, turning toward some of the men that had gathered behind him.

  Anna’s heart raced. There was some part of her that still loved her brother, but she knew there would never be peace for herself or anyone as long as he was allowed his freedom. She was lost in thought when someone suddenly snatched her sword from her hand. It all happened so fast that she barely had time to register what was going on. Her brother was on his knees, the sword driven squarely through his heart.

  “That . . . was for my husband, you miserable little man!” the Widow O’Connor shrieked.

  Marcus fell to the ground and she pulled her sword free, wiping it on her apron as she walked slowly back toward Anna and handed it to her. Anna looked at her, wild eyed with disbelief. Where had she even come from?

  “I’m sorry for your loss,” Widow O’Connor told her before walking back toward the small hut her husband had built the day before Marcus caught him out hunting on land he deemed his and had him beheaded.

  Rory and Anna stood looking at one another as the bears surrounding Marcus shifted back into the men they had been before. Two of them picked up Marcus and asked what to do with him.

  “We can’t go hauling a dead King into town, even with his sister in tow,” Rory told her.

  “Toss him over the cliff. It’s where he would have had me go if Rory hadn’t intervened. I’ll take care of things from there,” Anna said solemnly.

  The following day, she and Rory rode into the kingdom alone. She explained to her cousins that Marcus had taken a nasty spill and gone over a cliff.

  “You are next in line for the throne, Murdina,” her cousin Edward told her.

  “I don’t want it,” she told him. “You are next after me. I want you to tell people that I have died in the accident with my brother and take the throne. You will be a good king. Rory and I will stay the night here and be gone in the morning for you to make your announcement,” she told him.

  “You can’t just give up the throne,” Edward chastised.

  “I can and I am. I would like to get some of my things that I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to take when I left here and you will never see me again,” she replied.

  “If you are certain that you wish things to be that way, then it is what will be done,” he told her. “Just know that if you ever need anything, you can come to me. The world may think you are dead, but I will know you are not.”

  “I appreciate that, Edward. However, I don’t think I will ever need anything from this place ever again. I have all I need right here,” she said, looping her arm through Rory’s. On the way back to the Highlander’s camp, she asked him the question that she had been wanting to for some time.

  “Why did you not tell me that you were the boy that saved me from Marcus all those years ago?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think you would remember me as I remembered you,” he said.

  “I did remember you. You’ve just changed so much. That boy seemed so timid and shy,” she replied.

  “A lot of time has gone by since then. The harsh realities have a way of changing a person,” he replied.

  “I suppose so,” she replied, knowing that she too had changed quite a bit since her parents had died and she had seen so much cruelty. Rory surprised her by pulling the wagon over and turning toward her.

  “I want to marry you, Anna. Will you marry me?” he asked.

  “Yes! Yes, I will. Can we do it today?” she asked.

  “If that is what you want,” he replied.

  “It is exactly what I want,” she beamed.

  “Then you will be my bride by the end of the day,” he replied, putting the wagon back into motion.

  Later that afternoon, they were married in a ceremony performed by Duncan, who just happened to be an ordained minister. The entire village surrounded them and cheered for them as they were joined as man and wife. Anna caught sight of the Widow O’Connor beaming radiantly and looking happier than she had ever seen her. Apparently, vengeance does do the soul some good.

  Six months later, Anna stood by the river talking with the women who were washing clothes as they handed them to her to hang on the makeshift clothes line that ran between two trees. Ordinarily, she would be helping them, but it was hard getting down to the water in her current condition. She smiled as she saw Rory approaching her with a broad smile. He put his hand upon her growing bely and spoke to their unborn child softly.

  “We’re going to have a great life, my son,” he replied.

  “How do you know it is a son?” Anna laughed.

  “Because this world can only stand one beauty as great as yours, my love,” he told her with a kiss on the cheek.

  THE END

  Clan of the Dragon

  The small carriage rattled through the darkness. It had been light when her journey had begun, but as the long miles distanced her from home, the grey of the late afternoon cast a shadow over her heart and was soon followed by the blackness of night.

  Only that morning she had been kissing goodbye to her aunt and uncle outside the old stone walls of Glennick castle, her home for the last 16 years. She had never known her mother and father; they had died when she was two years old. The circumstances had never really been explained, questions on the subject hadn’t been encouraged and so she hadn’t asked. Although, she was often haunted by dreams of them surrounded by a fiery light.

  The thought of home added an extra weight to her heart. She was tired but could not sleep. The constant bumping and swaying of the carriage did not help, but the journey played heavy on her heart. Lord Edmond McConnel was the reason for her travel, her final destination, her fate.

  Lady Davina could bring no blame to the door of her aunt and uncle, her legal guardians. They had been kind to her growing up, but even they could not shield her from the brutal facts of life.

  Over the years their lands had dwindled, some taken by force during the wars, some sold to make ends meet until there was nothing left to sell. The last few years had been hard, her aunt had been taken ill and nearly died; the castle walls were crumbling around them and another bad winter could prove to be much for the old place, having fallen into disrepair and part ruin over the last few decades.

  Fortunes had been lost, and there was little else of any value left, except for Lady Davina; the last hope of the McDougall clan.

  Lord Edmond had the reputation of being a brutish man, a cold and heartless fellow with little time for compassion or love. Yet he had wanted Lady Davina the moment he had set his eyes upon her. For a man with such an ugly soul he craved beautiful possessions around him, to fill the black void of his heart. He waged war for lands and property, stole and ravaged the wealth of the neighbouring clans for all they possessed. He wanted Lady Davina and nothing would get in his way. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he would own her
. With the might of his men he could have easily taken her by force, but he did not want to seem an utter brute in her eyes, not until after they were married anyway.

  He had promised the aunt and uncle funds to restore their castle. Once they were dead he would claim the property as his own, so there would be no loss to his purse.

  She had accepted willingly, there had been little choice, no other alternative open to her. Her aunt and uncle would not survive another winter.

  Lady Davina peered out through the small carriage window and out onto the bleakness of the countryside. The moon picked out the shapes of tree’s and hedges, ghoulish in the wintry white glow and she shivered inwardly. Only her face reflected back through the glass, a pale and wide eyed young girl, lost in the bleakness of the night.

  She had never been so afraid of anything before in her life and the feeling left her helpless; half sick with apprehension.

  There were lights ahead and soon the grey high walls of Castle McConnel came into view. Her hand was shaking and she breathed deeply several times to calm herself before the door of the carriage was finally opened. A footman approached to help her down the steps and to the castle doors.

  A line of servants graced the entrance, shivering in the bitter air to welcome their new mistress, all eyes keen to catch sight of their master’s bride to be.

  Lady Davina felt her heart in her mouth as she approached the line of grim faced employee’s. Life was hard at the castle and the people that worked here had not much to smile about. She tried to meet their eyes with kindness and warmth, but there was none in return, only cold stares and something almost akin to hatred; something she had never known in her short and sheltered life.

  She was marrying the master, and they assumed therefore that she too must be like him; cold, cruel and heartless.

  The focus of attention soon shifted to the great oak door at the top of the steps as it suddenly swung open into the night. Two large mastiff dogs leapt down the steps and disappeared into the darkness, closely followed by a loud and bellowing roar; a noise almost beast like in its tone.

  The line of servants visibly shuddered as Lord Edmond McConnel appeared like a demon in the night, raging at the top of the steps. The candles from inside the hall lit his backdrop like the fiery hue of hell itself.

  His figure was tall and dark against the doorway, yet he swayed visibly as he shouted something incomprehensible into the night. He was clearly drunk and in a state of anger as he waved his arms aggressively against the small crowd of people gathered outside.

  “What do you think you are doing out here, get inside and bring me more wine.”

  The men looked at each other until one of the older men stepped forward tentatively to speak.

  “Sir, your bride to be has just arrived, the Lady Davina is here. We came out to greet her as instructed.”

  For a moment Lord Edmond stood silently, looking at his man with a fixed concentration whilst taking the words slowly into his brain. His hand swept back the thick, black hair that had flopped across his forehead before spinning around to face the young girl, now cowering behind him.

  Her beauty stopped him in his tracks. He had forgotten how bewitching the child had been. Now she would be his. He licked his lips in anticipation of the pleasures to come and clumsily lurched towards her.

  She had only seen him on one occasion. At the County Ball six months ago, where all the great and the good had paraded themselves like great pompous beasts. She had been shy and had inwardly shrunk as her aunt and uncle had introduced her to the Lords and Ladies present. She had smiled politely and nodded in response at the appropriate moments, not knowing the effect her beauty had on all those who met her. Anyone with a keen eye would have noticed her hand shake slightly as she offered her hand unwillingly to those earnest young men wishing to dance with her.

  Lord Edmond had not asked her to dance, but after their brief introductions his eyes had followed her around the room like a jealous husband. He had known he would have her from that moment.

  Lady Davina had been afraid of him from the first moment he had clasped her small hand within his own clammy palms. He had been handsome enough, but there had been something of the wolf about him, the eyes cold and unfeeling, even in his own lust.

  She was already feeling quite faint. She was tired; the journey had been a long one, and she was ready for bed. Her last meal had been at the small Inn, almost 7 hours ago and it had been a simple dish of bread, cheese and ale; she was so ravenous that she was past being hungry.

  Ever since their betrothal had been announced, she had tried to picture Lord Edmond as a kind man, someone she could live happily with, even if she could not love him. The sight of him now put all such thoughts out of her mind and she was filled with an overwhelming feeling of dread. What had she agreed to?

  As his sneering lips parted in front of her, the stench of his foul breath, stale alcohol and tobacco hit her full in the face. She almost wretched and had to turn her face away from him, stepping back a little in repugnance.

  Lord Edmond was in no humour to be greeted in such a way. He was used to his servants and men fawning over him as he played the great Laird. The fact that his bride-to-be seemed almost repulsed by the sight of him caused him some embarrassment, how dare this girl, his property, turn her face away from him.

  The men and women in line caught their breath at the sight of their master; they knew him well and could sense his displeasure. His whole body bristled and they waited for the backlash, but there was none. Lord Edmond’s face was white in the moonlight as he calmed his inner rage. There would be time enough to tame the girl; he had dealt with wilder beasts in his time and they had all been broken in the end, there was not one battle that he had not won.

  Lady Davina looked slowly back towards Lord Edmond. She hadn’t known what to expect, but not silence. She was half cowering before him, as if he might strike her at any moment but he did not. His red rimmed eyes narrowed and looked unblinkingly into hers and there was something that made her shudder deep inside.

  “You are cold my dear, what am I thinking?” his voice was cold and sharp in the night air as he reached out a thin and grasping hand and laid it heavily upon her arm.

  “Now, let’s get you inside and up to your room to warm you thoroughly.”

  He licked his lips with the merest hint of malice in his voice that she stood unmoving, her feet unwilling to follow the vile man.

  “Come my dear,” his voice was now impatient and his grasp on her arm grew tighter as he pulled her away from the carriage and towards the entrance to the castle.

  She felt numb as each step took her nearer to the castle doors, up the steps past the line of servants, seeing the pity in their eyes as she approached them. Up close they could see she was just a mere girl, a slip of a thing; the beauty and the beast.

  The room that had been prepared for her was beautiful and yet lacked the warmth and comfort of her slightly shabby rooms back home. Home; this was her home now and she could feel the tears start to prick at the back of her eyes as she conjured up happy memories. Would she ever be happy again?

  Her trunks and boxes were brought up and stacked neatly against the wall. With some relief Edmond had taken his leave at the doorway to her room and she had shut the door with pleasure. A plate of hot food was to be brought up to the bed chamber and she pulled off her slippers, stockings and outer garments before climbing onto the bed. A huge fire had been set in the grate and was blazing away, filling the room with the only cheer that she had felt all day.

  She loosened her undergarments to feel more comfortable and untied her hair, releasing it into its natural state of long dark ringlets that tumbled around her face. Finally her shoulders sagged as the weight and worry of the day slipped away into the soft pillow beneath her head. She closed her eyes and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

  Her dream was filled with fire and fury, and her new castle was surrounded by an orange glow. She was being chased by a wi
ld beast and could not find a way out. With no exit from the castle she found herself running up the stone stairs and along the castle wall towards the turret. When she arrived in the tower, she held her breath and hid behind a pile of grey stones. Outside of the tower she could hear something calling for her, a sound that reminded her of her childhood. She looked down toward her skin and could see it was turning as grey as the walls around her. She gasped when she realized her skin was turning into scales. “He is coming,” a distant voice murmured.

  The dream could have lasted hours or merely minutes, but when she opened her eyes the Laird stood close to her at the foot of the bed, his face twisted into a smug leer.

  “The sleeping beauty awakes I see, I have brought you your dinner Davina,” there was no warmth or charm to his voice yet he appeared to be sober.

  It was a second or two before she remembered her state of undress and sat up quickly, pulling her bodice up to cover her modesty. The silk of the garment had slipped down and exposed the soft curves of her breasts and she felt the heat blush across her pale cheeks.

  A sadistic smile spread across the face of Lord Edmond. “Come, come my dear. There is no need for blushes. You will soon be my wife and your young, soft body will be mine, and mine yours of course. Let me look at you a while longer, you are more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.”

  Stepping closer he reached out and his hand touched the delicate lace work of her bodice, brushing the warm and soft flesh encased within. His ardour was aroused and his eyes glittered with lust for his young virgin bride. It was not a loving feeling but one of pure animal desire and domination.

  Lady Davina had never been kissed before, let alone touched so intimately by a man, alone in her room. Her initial reaction was to back away from his probing fingers and she pushed herself deeper into the bed, turning her face away from him for a second time.

  “Oh no you don’t. If it wasn’t enough for you to humiliate me in front of the servants. I will not be refused by my future wife in my home.”