by Black, C. E.
"No, he is not taking her," Sean said.
"He didn't say anything about taking Rebecca, Sean. We need to all sit down and talk about this," Nathaniel said.
"Actually...,"
They all turned to look at me and no one looked happy. Even Stephen looked grim. Oh well, I did not care what they thought. I just wanted Rebecca.
"We do need to take her back with us."
Next thing I knew the room erupted into a catastrophe of sound. Yelling and cursing filled the room to the point that I wanted to cover my ears. It was almost painful. The red head was calling me names I couldn't even comprehend. Something to do with a pig headed jackass I thought I heard. Sean looked like he was trying to bust out of Nathaniel's hold, his eyes set on me.
The other guards in the room were howling and cursing, yelling things like "You can't have her" and "Go to hell." Their side of the room was not the only ones making a fuss. Stephen was yelling in my ear, "What the hell are you thinking?" Bruce and Derek were echoing him. The only calm ones were Christensen and Jessica, but both looked plenty upset.
I'd had enough. I stood up.
"Enough!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. When everyone became quiet again I said, "It's our right to question her."
Before chaos could come back, Nathaniel raised his hand. "First, I want to say that I don't think Rebecca could have murdered anyone and second, it doesn't sound like your Master was such a good man to have threatened you into turning into a vampire. Why do you care who killed him?" The peaceful beach bum wasn't looking so relaxed anymore.
I was getting pissed. This had to end. "It doesn't matter. All you need to know is that we are taking her back with us for questioning, whether you like it or not."
"Over my dead body!" Sean shouted.
I glared at him and nodded. "That can be arranged. Now, you can hand her over or we will take her. Either way she comes with me."
I turned away and walked out. No one stopped me, but I could hear the commotion start up again as I left. When we got into the limo, Stephen punched me in the arm. I stared daggers at him, but it didn't faze him at all.
"What the hell man?" He practically shouted.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes knowing I was in for it.
"What were you thinking? Everything was going just fine until you blew it. Why did you have to add the part about questioning Rebecca? They would have let you talk to her if you just said you wanted to catch up or something. Damn man, have you gone nuts?"
I groaned because I knew he was right. Shit! Maybe I had gone crazy.
"I know Stephen. I just lost it." I look back at him. "And did you see that Sean dude? Something's up with that?"
Stephen nodded. "Yeah, I saw, but what are you going to do now? Maybe you could talk to them. Explain everything. Apologize. They might let you get close enough to talk to her then."
"No, I'm not apologizing. You saw how they were acting. I'm just the newbie Master. If I go in there saying how sorry I am they will know I’m just some loser pretending to be this great Master vampire. I am not doing that. I gave them my word. If they don't hand her over, we're going in to get her."
"Man, you are crazy." Stephen said shaking his head. "You know they won't let you take her without a fight. Are you saying you're willing to start a war just to talk to her?" He asked, disbelief layering his tone.
I stared straight at him. "Yes, I am. One way or another, I am going to have her next to me again, even if it's just for her to say, 'Go to Hell.’”
Chapter 5
I was lying awake in bed waiting to see if Sean would come by. I was almost certain he would, but it was getting late. I looked at the clock again, only two minutes had passed. It was one o'clock in the morning.
Part of me was excited with the idea of being with Sean, but the other part was dreading his arrival. I had never had sex before. Drake and I knew each other our whole lives and even through our hormone filled teenage years we were waiting until after our mating ceremony.
Most mates did wait. I was not entirely sure why. I was told the ceremony made the bond complete and therefore making love was much more intense. There was also a strange compulsion to wait, which was odd because that wasn't there with others.
Werewolves tended to take lovers while waiting for mates and if their mate died, they sometimes took lovers again. In other words, there would not be a true ceremony for Sean and me. We would just move in that direction without one.
The longer I thought about it, the more it seemed wrong somehow. I felt like I would be cheating, but that wasn't possible. Drake was gone. I was so confused. I had not felt that way a couple of days before. Only since that dream, I thought. Maybe it was just my guilty conscience. I decided it was better to wait and think it over more before jumping into anything serious with Sean.
Just when I was drifting off I heard a knock at my door. After getting out of bed, I glanced down at myself. I wore a t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms so I didn't bother with a robe. I hesitantly unlocked the door and opened it a crack.
Sean was standing there looking unusually disheveled. His hair looked like he had ran his hands through it one too many times and he was practically bouncing on his toes. Something must have gone wrong at his meeting.
I opened the door a little wider. "What's wrong Sean?" I asked.
"Rebecca, we've got to get you out of here." He sounded close to panicked.
"What are you talking about?"
"Becky, that vampire is the new Master of the...listen, let me in and I'll explain."
I let him in, shutting the door behind me. I didn't lock it. As soon as I saw him, I knew I wasn't ready to take our relationship to the next level. Luckily, he didn't seem to be in the mood either.
"Where's your suit case?" He asked abruptly.
Before I could answer he was on the floor looking under the bed where I just so happened to keep my bags. He pulled the big one out and threw it on the bed then opened it up.
"What's going on Sean?" I asked, but he ignored me and started pulling my things out of my drawers. This wasn't like him at all.
"Sean!" I shouted.
He finally stopped and looked at me. He swallowed hard. "That Master vampire that's in town is your old Master's replacement." I stopped breathing for second thinking about what that meant. I let my breath out in a whoosh when he continued. "And he wants to take you in for questioning on the previous Master's murder."
I couldn't speak. I just watched as Sean started packing my clothes again. He kept talking though so I tried to pay attention.
"He wanted us to hand you over, but we said no. He said he would come take you. We're not letting that happen. I am not letting him have you. We're going to get out of here."
I finally found my voice. "Where would we go?"
"Anywhere. Doesn't matter.”
He finished my packing and zipped the bag.
"Come on, let's go." He lifted the bag and started for the door.
"Wait, I'm not dressed and I don't have any shoes on." He was going too fast and I needed a minute to think and take a breath.
He shook his head. "There's no time. You have clothes and shoes in this bag and can change later."
I nodded and followed him out into the hallway.
Immediately I knew something was wrong. Guards were running down the hall towards the stairs, some shouting orders. Sean cursed, but I was too anxious to notice.
"Come on, we'll hide you until they leave."
Sean started heading down the hall the opposite way of the stairs and I was about to follow when shouting started down stairs. I could hear someone yelling for them to send me out or they would start fighting their way in. I knew right away I wasn't going to let that happen. I would not hide while my friends, my family, got hurt because of something I did. I killed Master Logan and no matter how deserving he was of that death, I had to take responsibility, no one else.
I headed toward the stairs with Sean shouting after me. I
ignored him and kept moving. When I reached the balcony, the noise was deafening. The place was chaotic. The guards were moving around still shouting orders and getting ready for a war, it seemed. I couldn't believe they would risk their lives just to keep me from being questioned. My heart swelled for them and I knew I had to stop this.
"Stop!" I yelled, but no one heard me.
I took a deep breath and closing my eyes. I shouted at the top of my lungs, "STOP!"
There was immediate silence and when I opened my eyes, everyone was looking at me. I blushed at the attention.
"Please stop," I said in a lower voice. "I'll go with them. There is no reason to fight over this."
Sean had caught up to me and grabbed my shoulder. "No, Rebecca, don't do this. They can't just come in here and take you. I won't let them. We won't let them."
He went on, but I stop hearing him. My attention was on the other person talking.
"Bring her to us now. There's no reason for us to fight. We just want to talk to her."
I couldn't believe it. That man's voice sounded just like...no, I shook my head. I must be imagining things.
A guard down stairs gestured to me. "Rebecca, are you sure you what us to let him in?" I numbly nodded my head yes, anxious to see the face of the man who had a voice from the grave.
When he came in flanked by fifteen or more werewolves, my heart stopped. He looked right at me with his beautiful baby blue eyes I had not seen in over five years. I thought I would never see them again.
"Drake?" I whispered.
He continued to stare at me and I was a little surprised at the anger he was directing towards me, but I was too shocked to care.
"Drake?" I asked again.
I could feel the tears dripping off my chin. I didn't even move to wipe them off my face.
"Drake," I said and fell to my knees on the balcony.
Oh my God, I thought. He was alive and here. How was it possible? When I fell, he had started up the stairs. He reached me quickly and dropped to his knees beside me.
"Rebecca?" He asked, concern replacing the anger I saw earlier.
As soon as he was beside me, I jumped and wrapped myself around him as tightly as I could. He held me just as close as I sobbed into his chest.
He smelled so good, like pine, and home. I heard him murmuring and shushing me gently and I realized I was speaking incoherently.
"Oh God, Drake, I thought you were dead. Oh, God, thank you, thank you. I can't believe you're alive. I thought you were dead. I've missed you so much," I cried.
"Shh," he said. Drake pulled back and tipped my chin up so I was looking at his face. "Honey, I'm so sorry. I can't believe you thought I was dead. I've been thinking all this time that you left me, and to think of all this time wasted. I’m sorry baby. I have missed you so much." He was rambling almost as badly as I had been.
"No, Drake, I would never leave you on purpose. I am so sorry you've had to think that all this time. Logan told me he killed you. I felt you die. I thought you were dead and I just couldn't be there without you."
"Shh, it's okay now, Rebecca. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere without you."
Someone cleared their throat and I looked around to see Nathaniel standing over us.
"Could you explain to me what's going on here Master Evans?" He asked.
Master Evans? Why was he calling Drake a Master? I looked at him while he explained to Nathaniel that I was his mate and how I thought he was dead and left. I watched him speak and saw a peek of one of his fangs. I gasped and pulled away.
At first, he was reluctant, but when I began to panic, he let me go.
"What's wrong Rebecca?" He asked concerned.
I quickly scampered back away from him, my back hitting the railing. A vampire, I thought. Drake was a vampire. I didn't want to believe it, but I could see it with my own eyes and Nathaniel called him a Master.
He reached out to me, but I shook my head. "No, no, no, no," I repeated over and over. How could this happen, I thought?
His lips tightened and his eyes narrowed. I could tell he hurt badly by my reaction. He leaned back slightly giving me more space.
"I'm the same Rebecca, I promise."
I shook my head. Rational thought had gone at that moment and I couldn't listen to his promises right then.
Drake sighed and stood up, but kept his wounded gaze on mine.
"I'll leave for now. I can tell you're not ready to hear what I have to say, but we will speak about this. We are still mates. Can't you feel it?"
I didn't reply. I just watched as he strode down the stairs. When he reached the door, he looked back at me. I could see the love and pleading for understanding in his eyes, but I was beginning to feel numb. I had felt like this only one other time in my life and that was when I felt him die.
As soon as the door shut behind him Sean was there helping me to my feet.
"Are you okay?"
I looked at his guilty face and realized he knew.
"You knew, didn't you?" His face crumpled and he closed his eyes. "You knew he was alive and you were just going to hide me away? You should have told me. You should have warned me of what he had become."
"Rebecca, I...,"
I never let him finish. I ran around him and went straight to my room, locking the door behind me. I fell to the bed and stared at the ceiling. The numbness was spreading and all I could think was that nothing was going to be the same again. I fell asleep with one thought crossing my mind. Not my first or my second chance was going to work out.
~~*~~
I knew I was dreaming before I saw him, so I didn't jump or scream when I turned over to see Drake standing next to the bed looking down at me. I sat up and waited for him to speak.
"Can I sit down?" He asked gesturing to the bed.
I thought about it for a moment. I was not sure I wanted him so close, but I reminded myself that this was a dream and I could wake up at any time. I nodded for him to sit.
He sat down and turned towards me leaning his back against the headboard.
"Rebecca, I..." He stopped whatever he was going to say and just looked at me. "Tell me what you're thinking?" He asked instead.
"I'm thinking so many things right now. I'm so happy you're alive. I have wished for you thousands of times in the past five years. I'm also thinking that you're a vampire. Nothing is going to be the same again. We can't be together," I said, whispering at the end.
Finding out he was alive only to lose him again was so unbearably hard.
"Honey, we can be together. Really, not much has changed."
The way he said that made me wonder who he was trying to convince more; him or me.
I shook my head. "Stop pretending here Drake. Everything has changed. You're a vampire."
"I know Rebecca," He said, gritting his teeth. "But nothing else has changed. We're still mates." He swung his arms out. "I'm here dream walking with you. Is that not proof enough? The only major change is that now we have two ceremonies to do. We'll have the traditional mating ceremony then we perform the Enduring Kiss. We will be together always. I'll feed only from you and..."
I raised my hand to stop his words. I had begun to feel lightheaded as soon as he said the word feed.
"No! I will not be your feeder," I said more sharply than I intended.
His eye opened wide. "But, for us to be together..." He started, but I didn't let him finish.
"No! I said I would not be your feeder. Never, never again, will I feed some...some...,"
I stopped when I saw such mixed emotions crossing Drake's face. The wounded expression was what made me feel the worst. He also looked confused and angry. Seemed those were becoming common feelings lately. Hurt, confusion, anger, it was like a merry-go-round of emotions.
Drake’s face began to show something else, shock and awareness. "Tell me, have you fed a vampire before?" He asked.
Oh gosh, he didn't know? All that time I was feeding Logan to save him and he didn't know.
"Yes."
"Who?" He growled before I could finish.
"Logan." His face crumpled before my eyes and I hoped it wasn't because he thought I willingly went with Logan. "I didn't want to, but he pretty much forced us with threats."
He was shaking his head in confusion and disbelief.
"No, no he said you were safe. He said, if I took my punishment, you would be safe."
He was talking mostly to himself and I felt so sad for everything we had been through. We both had been lied to and betrayed.
"He told me and the others that we had to feed him to keep you and the other guards alive." I looked down at my hands in my lap. "I can't go through that again. I'm sorry, Drake. I love you more than anything, but to be a feeder for rest of my life...Please don't ask me to do that," I pleaded with him to understand.
He reached for my hand and I let him take it. He held it tightly in his while he spoke.
"But baby, it wouldn't be like that with me. I have been told it's pleasant to be fed on. I would never do anything to hurt you."
I shook my head. "I know that in my head, but you just don't understand. Just the thought of being bitten again...I can't," I said simply.
His gaze darkened a little and I would have thought he was angry with me, but his hand was gently caressing mine letting me know it wasn't me the anger was directed towards. He looked away staring at the wall. His gaze may have been on the flowered wallpaper, but his thoughts were definitely somewhere else.
"I understand more than you think. He fed from me too and it was awful. The thought of you going through that..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath obviously trying to pull himself together.
When his eyes opened, they were wet with unshed tears and looking at me.
"I can promise you this; I will never treat you like he did. I will love you and protect you every day of my life. That means protecting you from me also. I will never hurt you Rebecca."
I understood what he was saying, but I felt like I had a long way to go before I trusted him to feed on me. Maybe we could be together without feeding. He could feed on others. I would be okay with that, but when I mention it, he shook his head.
