A Love Forbidden

Part 1 - The Truth Hurts, But Will Set You Free

I sat on the cold dungeon floor, my arms hanging from the shackles that were secured around my wrists. My clothes, the tattered mess that they were, barely covered my shivering body. One of my breasts was bare. My skirt was still intact, thank goodness.

I was exhausted, weak. Completely drained. And the putrid smell in the air was hellish. Why did dungeons have to be so digusting? Human bones were scattered everywhere. The place reeked of decaying flesh. I swear, I felt the bile rise in my throat and slide back down more than once.

If that wasn't unbearable enough, my body was racked with chills. Goosebumps formed up and down my skin. I couldn't tell if it was from the pain, the realization that I was about to die, or the lack of heat. Maybe it was a combination of all three.

I had a deep gash on the left side of my cheek, blood seeping out of it. That will definitely leave a damn scar, I thought to myself. There was a continuous throbbing ache on the left side of my neck. And I could still feel my lifes essence trickling down my chest and back. At least it wasn't flowing like a river anymore.

What happened? I'll tell you what happened. One of his damn lackey's bit me. Stupid bastard plunged his fangs deep into my throat and almost drained me dry. He would have, too, if his master wouldn't have stopped him. Saying something about I was his territory, or some shit like that. I can't remember his face, just his hypnotic voice, because it lulled me to sleep.

I had heard the many myths about vampires, from movies and such, growing up. Now that I recall every single one, I want to laugh, sarcastically. For one thing, they are not repulsed by anything holy. Sunlight does not burn them to a crisp; and if you stake them in the heart, well, it only immobilizes them. Only I, as well as others like me, knew the real, true way how to eliminate an undead creature of the night, a vampire.

Fire. That is the major secret, the key. Think about it; a fires scorching hot flame incinerates anything and everything in its path. Therefore, a damn immortal, with their god-like appearance and strength, is no exception.

Yet here I am, awake and waiting for the master vampire to put me to death. Speaking of the devil, out of the corner of my eyes I watched him walk up to me and I couldn't help the questions running through my thoughts. This gorgeous man standing in front of me is one of them? And not just one of them, but the leader? The master vampire I had been hunting down ever since this atrocity had started? No fucking way.

I felt his gaze boring down on me not only with dominance, but with amusement as who could blame him? He had the upperhand. I was at his mercy. I was the prey who was tracked down and caught by the preditor. And, now, I'm the scared lamb in the wolves den.

He circled me, examining every part of my body, my presence, with a victorious smirk plastered on his face. I wanted to wipe that grin off of his luscious lips..what am I thinking? His hand bunched my long brown locks, relishing in its soft texture. He then placed his index finger under my chin and raised my head up. Our eyes locked.

I gasped. His eyes were an orangish-red. The color of molten lava. To look into them made you feel hot all over. Like he had control over the element of fire. I'm telling you, one glance into those powerful eyes made you steamy. Not painfully, no. But sexually.

It made me wonder what types of vampires were really out there. I had never felt any way, besides hate, toward a blood-sucking fiend. Nothing like this. God, my nipples were hard. My sex was wet. I was practically panting.

"Not so confident, now, are we?"

Again, that was not the first time I had heard him speak. His voice was very baritone and husky. All man. Every word that escaped his lips was precise and clear, pronunctuated perfectly. To be honest, his voice, the tone of it, sent chills down my spine. And not unpleasant ones either.

Damn him. His eyes and voice brought forth emotions I hadn't felt so strongly before throughout my whole existance. Lust, excitement, seduction. Did I mention lust? It sent my world spiraling in a whirlwind of dark sexual fantasies.

But I did not want him to discover those truths. However, it was too late. Far, far too late. He knew. So, I did what anyone would do. I acted defiant and crude. I became a complete bitch.

"Go fuck yourself." I replied venomously, my bright blue eyes tearing into his. I was trying to imagine myself slicing his head off and lighting him on fire with a damn torch. Anything to get these thoughts of him fucking me against a wall out of my head.

He laughed in his throat and he pushed the bangs from my eyes. "There is so much boldness in you. Such hunger." He leaned down to my ear, his breath brushing against my lobe. He inhaled my scent. "And I can smell the type of hunger all over you."

My eyes widened. "I don't know what you're talking about. I hate you blood-sucking bastards."

Again he chuckled. I wanted him so badly, it was maddening. "There's no doubt in my mind that you do, Livia. For your eyes hold complete hatred when beholding my kind."

I instantly retorted. "And I wonder why?"

He grinned. "Oh, I know the reason. And, trust me, they all tasted so delicious."

I pulled on the heavy chains, the shackles already bruising my wrists. I put the most threatening expression on my face. He backed up before I could grab hold of him. That son-of-a-bitch had the audacity to even remind me about the death of my family. My husband, my mother, my father, my brother. Lastly, my child. My little girl of only five years old. I made the decision right then that I would make him suffer, just as he made them suffer, before I escaped this hell and destroyed him.

"Did I strike a nerve, slayer?" he questioned. "My, my..if looks could kill..."

"I could only be so lucky." I seethed, looking up at him, my gaze sharp.

He rushed at me with blinding speed and gripped the back of my hair, pulling my head up and slightly to the side. His mouth hovered where I was bitten previously. He inhaled my scent again and a growl rumbled in his chest. He drug his tongue against the incisions. After that, it was downhill from there.

In a bloodlust frenzy he ripped my shirt completely from my body. His tongue lapped up the remains of my blood from my breasts, my neck; any and everywhere it had spilled. My heart raced with a mixture of fear and excitement. This fiend was igniting unknown feelings in me and it was..I believe the word would be, forbidden.

It was so wrong. But it felt so right. So good. Absolute bliss. I was panting more. My breasts rising and falling each time I breathed. It was scary because I thought he would soon dip his fangs in my flesh as well. End my poor excuse of a life. However, let's get something straight, when his fledgling had done so, it hurt like hell. And I did not want to go through that anguish again.

He stopped licking and sucking up my blood, confusing the hell out of me. His deep chuckle caused my hands to shake as he again smelled what his ministrations were doing to me. And to tease me even more, he touched my neck gently, gliding his fingertips down to cup my waiting right breast inside of his palm. His tongue then began to swirl around my already hardened nipple.

My breath immediately hitched. Who would have thought that a creature so evil could entice me so well? Everything that he did to me was more erotic than anything I had ever experienced with a man. Even my husband had never made me feel that way.

Remembering that this vampire was the monster who murdered my love, I struggled to get him off of me. I bucked against him, chest first. The collision caused him to back up a bit. In an instant I kicked my legs around his waist and flipped him through the air. He landed on his rear and slid a few feet back.

To anyone else, the sight would have been quite comical. To me, it was survival. And it was revenge. I wanted him to hurt, just as he hurt me. I was going to make him pay for what he had done to my family. Make him pay dearly.

I knew that he would be on his feet in no time. And I had to act fast, so, in a poor attempt to free myself, I jerked my wrists forward. A scream erupted out of my mouth as I sliced them open. Blood oozed down my arms. I hadn't had enough strength to break them. I had failed.

Realizing the complete mess I was, I started to believe that there was no hope for me. "Just kill me. Get it over with."

The master vampire stood and flicked his eyes to mine, holding them. He walked up to me and stroked my cheek, ridding my sweaty face of my tangled hair. He pushed each strand behind my ear and he did it almost lovingly. Something a lover would do. He was not, nor would he ever be, my lover.

His eyes pinned me. "I am not going to kill you."

"Why not?" I almost whined. "I would be with my loved ones, whom you slaughtered and took away from me."

He waited a minute or two before answering me, almost as if he regreted everything. "I had to."

"You had to?" I shrieked. The look in my eyes was mutinous "That is your damn answer? Your fucking excuse?"

"Yes," he said as a matter of fact.

"Why?" I hollered.

He placed his hands on my cheeks and gazed into my eyes. "You cannot have anyone close to you alive. I was simply preparing you for the many heartaches you would endure in the future. Tis the life of a slayer, my sweet."

He leaned into me and the look inside of his lava-colored orbs was full of remorse. "Everyone you love dies because of who and what you are."

"And instead of forming an alliance between us, you go and kill them all..knowing I will hunt you down?" I was beyond angered.

His eyes saddened moreso. "I took that chance, yes. But I am not the master vampire you seek. I did not murder your family."

My brow lifted and I pushed his hands aside. "What? But you just said..."

He silenced me with a finger to my lips. "I know what I said. The truth is this.." He had caught my attention completely. "I was going to kidnap them and bring them here. Just to protect them. However, he got to them first."

His tone became intense and his expression hardened. "But he left them there, bleeding to death..suffering. It pained me to watch. Believe me, when I feed I make sure the person is completely dead afterward. I don't leave them, tormented with the knowledge that their lives are soon to be over."

He lowered his head in shame. "I ended their suffering. Forgive me. I-It wasn't suppose to happen like this. They weren't suppose to be killed. It was planned for me to befriend you and to train you."

"Train me?" I asked.

"Meredith.." He saw the shock in my eyes and smiled. He actually smiled. "Yes, I know who you are. I've known for a long time."

"You've been watching me?"

"Protecting you, silently." he whispered.

"I don't need protection, vampire." I hissed. "You need protected from the likes of me."

"You cannot even take me down." he told me. "And you cannot deny the pleasure my touch makes you feel."

I turned my head to the side. "I don't know what you are talking about. Why do you keep saying that? I don't even find you remotely attractive."

I then said heatedly. "Let's get something straight, unlike every human who lays their eyes on you and wants to worship the damn ground you walk on, I'm different. I cannot be charmed."

He chuckled. "You have no idea. Do you?"

I glared at him. "Idea about what?"

He leaned down to my ear. "I didn't try to charm you, Meredith. Those feelings were genuine."

My eyes widened. "You didn't? Not even slightly?"

He answered, "Not even slightly." He rose to his feet. "Let me ask you something. Have you not realized the one who bit you isn't here right now?"

"Now that you mention it. What happened to him?"

"Me!" he exclaimed. "He put his mark on you. Something he was not, as well as any other fledgling of mine, allowed to do. I simply killed him."

He turned to his fellow vampires. "Let that be a warning to you all. She is not to be harmed or touched without my say so."

"I did hear him arguing with himself if he should taste me or not." I told him. "Why aren't they "allowed" to touch me?"

"I am protective and possessive over you. When I smell any others scent on you, I become animalistic. When I seen his mark marring your flesh, Meredith, I wanted to rip him apart. And I did. Piece..by..piece."

He caressed my neck tenderly. "You tell me what that means. What it implies when a vampire feels such emotions towards a mortal."

I was at loss for words. There was no way. My husband was my soulmate. Not him. Not an enemy of my kind. Slayers do not fall in love with vampires. It is forbidden. They are enemies for a reason. I pulled my face out of his reach, recoiling from his touch.

"Never!" I replied aggressively. "We are enemies, leech. Not lovers. And we are definitely not soulmates."

He smiled sadly. "I felt the same way once I figured it out."

"Then you know how ridiculous it sounds." I spoke to him through gritted teeth.

"It does, I agree. However, no one can run from their fate." He cupped my face in his hands again, demanding my full attention. "The sooner you accept it, the better your conscience will be towards you. No more confusion, love. And you'll feel true peace within yourself."

I heard him murmur very softly, barely catching his words, "I know I do."

"How do I know that this is not a trick?" I questioned. "Vampires are known for their deception."

I hated to admit it, but when he called me "love" it was so endearing that my heart skipped a beat. I felt like butterflies were fluttering in my stomach. I was almost drunk with passion. This hypothesis had to be correct for me to recognize such feelings for this man; this vampire.

"I love you."

"Pssh, whatever." I retaliated, secretly melting inside.

He then said something that caused tears to cloud my vision. "I, Alexander Paul Knox, master vampire to the Blood Guardian Coven, swear on my coven that I love you, Meredith Olivia Martin."

Let me explain something, yes, vampires are liars and deceivers. But when they swear upon their coven, you better believe that what they are saying is the complete honest truth. Especially if it is a master vampire telling you such.

The reason, if they swear on their coven and lie about it, their coven magically disappears. Every member of a master vampires coven explodes into ashes. Leaving them vulnerable. Therefore, they become a target and an easy kill.

Hearing and finally accepting his words was too much to handle all at once. My vision got very blurry. I felt him unlock the shackles and lift me into his arms. He embraced me, like a groom does his bride. He transfered me out of the dungeon to a beautiful and spacious bedroom, from what I could make out.

"Alexander.." I whispered, enjoying the sound of his name coming from my own lips.

I saw him smile down on me tenderly. He stripped my torn clothing from me and draped the sheet over me. My eyes closed and he kissed each of my lids. The last thing I heard was his sweet promise to me. "I will protect you, Meredith. Rest, my love."