The wait is over - it's September 25, and the new season of Grey's Anatomy begins today! And after much agonizing and sweating the details, I've decided it's time to begin to post my new story for you. I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous about this one, since it's so different from other fics here, so I hope you give it a chance!


Kiss of Darkness
(An AU Fic)

Disclaimer: I do not own Grey's Anatomy, or any of the characters, though I have created a few new 'beings' for this story. This is a work of fiction, intended for the enjoyment of fans only. And my own amusement…. ;o)

Story Premise: Derek Shepherd is a vampire, sent to protect Meredith Grey from forces that seek to harm her. Under his sensual protection, she will have to confront her extraordinary destiny of danger and the darkest desires that he awakens in her...

Rated: Mature, due to the explicit nature of sex in my stories, and there will also be danger and intrigue mixed in. As always, please read responsibly!!

Comment: I know that now the Twilight books, and the True Blood series on HBO are bringing vampires into the forefront again, but that isn't the main reason I started this story. I had an idea for this last year, just didn't have the time to write it! I've also been reading a lot of Sherrilyn Kenyon's books lately, so I've been influenced to some degree by her Dark-Hunter series. I know there are some of you out there who may be fans of hers as well, and I don't profess to be anywhere near as good as she is! But I do hope to bring that other-worldly fantasy to this MerDer romance, and I hope you enjoy this fangtastic little fic. I do appreciate all the time you take to read and review, and I make sure to read all your comments and feedback. (Oh, and I can't say I will be updating as frequently as I have in past fics, but I will do my best not to leave you hanging for too long between chapters!)


Chapter One

Inside the large mansion well set back from the road, surrounded by leafy trees and acres of manicured lawn, the dark haired man looks around the elegantly appointed room, noting the fine antiques, and the understated paintings on the walls. The air is cool, hushed, as he waits for the owner of this house to join him. As he waits, he prowls quietly around the room, too restless to sit down. He has been summoned here without explanation, and he is admittedly curious to discover what is going on. This house in London belongs to his mentor, and is palatial, well kept and away from prying eyes. The windows are kept covered from the daylight, but now it's near midnight, and the darkness outside the glass is comforting. Darkness is what they need, though some light is acceptable, in small doses. For he and his mentor are both creatures of the night...vampires…

Derek Shepherd has been a vampire for centuries now, and his power grows with each passing decade. He had been a courtier during the reign of King Henry VIII, in the tumultuous times of Anne Boleyn, and the King's subsequent divorce from Queen Katherine of Aragon. Derek had been in the prime of his life when he was turned, and he is an amalgam of the easy elegance of his inherited good looks, and the graceful movement of the vampire; the arrogance of aristocratic upbringing, combined with the intelligence honed over his years as undead. He exudes sexuality and virility – his body had been lean and toned at the time of his change from years of fencing, jousting and horseback riding, and will remain that way forever. He has thick, full black hair that has made women through the centuries want to run their fingers through it, and piercing blue eyes that seem to see into one's very soul. Though his body will never age, his hair still grows, and the dark facial stubble only adds to his masculine appeal. Tonight he is dressed in an impeccably cut Versace suit, and crisp white shirt, with a blood red silk tie, making him appear polished and urbane. Despite this façade, there is a dangerous air about him. Usually, he favors more casual attire, but this is a command performance, and the old man prefers more formal dress.

His ears pick up the sound of approaching footsteps, and he turns to face the door before it even opens. He can hear a pin drop two hundred yards away, or hear the delicate pulse beating in a mortal's body without even thinking about it. Preternatural senses are always heightened, giving him the advantage he needs to find his prey - and mortals are prey, though at the moment it is not prey he is anticipating.

The heavy oak doors swing open on silent, well oiled, hinges, revealing the man Derek is waiting for. Tall and gaunt, with long silver hair and hooded black eyes, Lukos van Arden is ancient and vastly powerful. He has been a vampire since medieval times – he had been a priest in his former life, which is ironic when you consider what happened to him. It has given him a wisdom and patience that has served him well in his long tenure, earning the respect and obeisance of the others he commands. Now he nods at Derek, waving his pale hand towards the huge leather sofa.

"Sit, Derek, don't pace like a caged animal," he comments dryly, as he sees Derek at the other end of the room. "My apologies for keeping you waiting, but I had a last minute phone call to take care of." Dressed also in a black suit, though his includes a brocade vest, and black tie, Lukos looks more austere than Derek; his whole demeanor commanding attention.

"A phone call?" Derek asks, raising one brow. "Since when do you need to use the phone?"

Lukos laughs gently. "I need to maintain a mortal presence in this world, my friend. Business dealings require phone and computer usage. I may be an old man, but these modern methods must be dealt with. I find the Internet quite fascinating, actually." A sly smile touches his mouth, but his eyes remain cool, as he takes a seat in the wing chair across from the sofa.

"Of course," Derek agrees, with a small grin, as he drops elegantly onto the sofa cushion, and crossing one ankle over his other knee, adjusting the sharp crease in the pants. His supple leather ankle boots are highly polished, gleaming richly in the soft light of the Tiffany lamps that flank both ends of the sofa. Though his curiosity is consuming him, he keeps his thoughts shielded, until his leader informs him of what is going on.

"Derek, I need you to do something for me. Almost a personal favor, if you will," Lukos states without preamble. "You are one my most trusted and capable men, and I need your vow that you will not breathe a word of what I am asking you to do to any of your companions."

"Absolutely. You know can trust me, sir," Derek assures him.

"Good. Now, there is a woman that needs our protection, and our guidance, so that no harm befalls her. You need to watch over her, Derek, keep her safe."

"A mortal woman?" Derek's tone is skeptical, yet intrigued. Why would Lukos want a mortal protected?

Lukos sighs heavily. "Not exactly mortal." His dark eyes are thoughtful, as he considers how to tell his young friend this tale. The silence between them extends as Derek continues to wait. The huge black grandfather clock in the corner of the room tones the midnight hour, before Lukos speaks again. "This woman is not a mere mortal. She is half vampire, with her powers only to come into being when she turns twenty-five. Which will be in two months. She has no idea of her lineage, or what is going to happen. It has been kept from her to keep her safe. But I fear that she will be killed before she can come into her powers, which is where you come in."

"Wait…half vampire? How is this possible?" Derek asks, confused. He has heard tales of vampires mating with mortals, but never truly believed it was possible.

Lukos nods sagely, understanding Derek's confusion. "The tales are true, Derek. There are times in this universe when the planets align, and you are with your true mate, that a vampire and a mortal can produce a child. A child who can become full vampire on their 25th birthday. Sometimes they are aware of their heritage, however, in this case, the child was raised without being informed of what would happen to her. And because the father of this child is a very strong and powerful vampire, the girl will also be very strong."

"That is astounding, sir. And this female, she is in danger? From whom?"

"Danger from some of the Renegade vampires who intend to stop this. You know of course, there will be a power struggle when I am ready to pass on my role as leader. They would have me killed if they could, and force their bloodthirsty ways into the forefront, killing and causing havoc in this world. We can't have that, Derek. Mortals are capable enough of killing each other without urging, but it would be total chaos if Zorayas and his coven took over."

Derek is well aware of those whom Lukos is speaking of. The Renegades, the banished ones who are evil incarnate, who kill without regard. Their lust for blood is the only thing that drives them, and makes them search for more victims to kill. And the worst of it is that Lukos's own brother, Zorayas, is their leader. "So they want to kill this woman. And I am supposed to keep her safe, and tell her that her world is going to be turned upside down in two months. I do not believe she is going to take that news well, sir. Mortal women in this century are very strong willed and like to lead their own lives." Derek knows he sounds overly skeptical, aware that he should not be questioning Lukos.

Lukos nods again, a trace of a smile on his lips. "That is true, Derek. But a vampire of your, shall I say… skills… should be able to get her confidence, get her to listen to you."

Derek grins wickedly, his fangs flashing for a moment. He has had his share of willing female company through the centuries, enjoying their bodies, the flush of blood beneath the skin, the delicate touch of their warm breath on his cool skin. Never biting them so much that they were in danger, but enough to taste their blood and give them a powerful orgasm at the moment his teeth pierced their skin. Always leaving them sated, and then wiping their memory of his bite, so that they only remembered the intense satisfaction and pleasure he had given them. He has not been tempted for more than that, not since he had been turned. The last love of his life had died, from the plague, along with their infant son, the same plague that nearly killed him. Kiera had been perfection, and no other woman since that time had matched her ethereal beauty and sweetness. And he is quite sure that no woman ever will again.

"I may be old, but not senile," Lukos reminds Derek wryly. "Women respond to you. You will need that to gain her trust, to tell her the truth of her destiny."

"Is her mother still alive?"

"No, she died many years ago."

Derek looks sharply at the older man. There is something else Lukos isn't telling him, there is a note of sadness in his voice that seems unusual. "You knew her mother, didn't you?" he asks quietly. There is no way he can read Lukos's thoughts, the shields are tightly drawn, but his finely tuned senses are picking up the undercurrent in the air.

"I should have known I couldn't keep it from you, Derek." Lukos pauses, debating whether to tell Derek the whole story. Derek is the closest thing to a son that Lukos could have, and he deserves the truth. "The girl is my daughter. I fell in love with her mother, and despite my best intentions, we were unable to stop this from happening. She was my true mate, my destiny, Derek. Ellis was beautiful, strong and yes, stubborn. When she discovered she was pregnant with my child, she was ecstatic, totally unaware of the consequences. I tried to tell her, I tried to warn her that it could mean trouble and sorrow, but she wanted this baby so badly."

Derek tries to comprehend all of this, taken by surprise that his mentor, the man who turned him, has a child. "What happened?" he asks quietly.

"She had the baby, and for a few years, she lived happily. She was a doctor, a surgeon, with great skill. I did my best to protect both of them, but unfortunately, Zorayas discovered my secret. He savagely killed Ellis one night as she walked home from the hospital where she worked, ripping her throat out and leaving her to bleed to death before I could save her."

"You mean she was still living in the human realm? Not under your protection?" Derek asks. Vampires who mate with mortals generally bring their loved ones into havens of protection, to avoid situations like this. Though Derek has never had the urge to do so, he knows there are some of his companions who have, and are living in protected compounds.

"As you say, Derek, women in this era cherish their independence, and Ellis wanted to keep working, to save lives. She was very adamant about that, and to this day I regret that I hadn't tried harder to get her to stay with me. We even quarreled about that very thing not long before she was killed. Then I was lured away to London, by a report of gangs of Renegades attacking here. It was merely a diversion to keep me occupied, unfortunately. I am still saddened we parted on a bitter note, and that she died alone before I could save her.

"Thankfully, the child was being cared for by friends, who managed to keep her identity shielded. As soon as I realized what had happened, I made sure she was safe. I have stayed away from her to keep from giving away her location, but I fear the Renegades have just been biding their time, waiting to pounce on her before her birthday. And then they will kill her."

The cold grimness of the statement makes Derek determined to protect this woman, to the best of his abilities. "Then I will do everything I can to keep her safe, until you can claim her as your daughter, for her place at your side."

"Thank you, Derek. I knew I could count on you."

"Where do I have to go?"

"She is in Seattle, Washington, in America, where she is an intern at the same hospital that her mother used to work. She too, wants to be a surgeon someday. Something that will never come to pass, but her skills as a healer will be useful in her new life. I know you will be able to find her easily, but I do have a photograph of her as well." Lukos reaches into his jacket pocket, and withdraws a small photo, handing it over to Derek.

As soon as Derek's gaze fixes on the picture, his whole body is rocked with a sense of shock. The picture obviously doesn't do justice to the beauty of the young woman, whose long blond hair and soft green eyes are caught as she is laughing at whomever took the shot. "Damnation, Lukos…" he mutters softly, tracing his finger over her mouth in the picture. "She could be Kiera, reincarnated…the same face, the eyes, the mouth…" Emotions that Derek has kept locked away for centuries are flooding him, assaulted by the memory of his wife.

Springing to his feet without effort, he goes to stand at the large windows facing the dark gardens of the night. He struggles to rein in his thoughts, to be able to do the job that Lukos expects. Feeling the older man's presence behind him, he lets his shields down. I will protect your daughter with all my skills.

Lukos feels the pain that Derek tries to keep in check. He knows too well the torment of losing someone beloved. And he knows that Derek needs someone in his life again. Admitting to himself that it's rather selfish to ask Derek to protect his daughter, but it will be to both their advantage. They will just need to find that out in time.

Good. I believe you. I'm sure you will do the best you can for her.

What is her name?

Meredith…her name is Meredith Grey….