Chapter Two

Thank you to those of you who read this. Happy.

Lucy spent most of that day in the small room she had woken up in. She didn't talk much- Darren did most of that. What she heard she had trouble believing. Her world had just caved in around her, and she felt nothing.

"There's something wrong with me," she whispered.

Darren looked at her questioningly.

"I don't feel…… I don't hate……" She stood up and stood aside from the window, behind the curtain. Darren had bandaged his wound and explained how he'd gotten it- fighting of strange creatures known as the 'Vampaneze.'

"I know how you are feeling. I lost a friend of mine to the dark, he did this." He pointed to his side. "And still I couldn't kill him."

Lucinda narrowed her eyes.

"Why does he hate you? Why did he hurt you?"

Darren sighed.

"I still have a lot to explain Lucinda. He just…. fell. He fell like you did and lost everything. Took me with him. And all I ever wanted to do was help him, like James."

She winced at the mention of James. It stirred something within her, something strange.

"Is it him, the one who stabbed you. Is it him who's after us?"

Darren sat very still for a moment. His face changed as he tried to deal with the difficult question.

"No. No it's not him."

"Well who then? Or won't I know them?"

Darren decided that Lucinda had had enough to deal with for one day.

"I will explain as much as I can soon. But right now there are some things we need to do."

"So I can stay with you? Only I have no-one else, and I can't go back. And you….. I just feel right with you."

Darren smiled.

"Good. But listen to me Lucinda. You must choose now. This minute. If you come with me now, you can never go back. From now on you are with me."

There was a pause. She looked out of the window at the quiet street below. She saw James, sitting on the bed, telling her he was leaving her, she'd be alone. She saw the cold grey eyes, staring down at her as she was hauled up and saved from death. She saw her new life, who she was.

"I'm with you."

A muscled twitched in Darren's cheek. He stood up heavily and went to the door.

"I have to go somewhere. You can come or you can stay here. You will always be free to make your own choices."

She smiled. This was new. James had always called the shots before.

"I'll come. Where are we going?"

Darren led her down several flights of stairs, and into a dark street outside of the shabby building which appeared to be a hotel.

"We are going to meet someone. A friend of mine, and yours too, now."

They walked for a while in silence, staying mostly in the back streets. As they came to a corner Darren held Lucinda back, signaling for her to be very quiet. When he was satisfied that they were safe, he led her out into the main street.

"So tell me about James."

Lucinda took a deep breath.

"He's Scottish. A lord in fact. His parents own like half of Scotland, but pack him off to boarding school so he's not in their way. They don't get on that well. But he's due the inheritance."

Darren smiled.

"A lord."

They came to a large house, with a long path leading up to it. Darren looked around them and started up the path towards the front door.

"If only he knew what that will come to mean."

"I don't understand."

"There are certain duties that come with being a lord. Some of them are impossible to hide from, and they consume you."

He stopped in front of the door and knocked on it twice. After a short pause it opened and they were ushered inside.

Lucinda did not have much time to look around her as she was half dragged into a large Edwardian style dining room. There were crystals hanging from the lights, casting light patterns all over the bare walls. Heavy curtains kept the room from any light outside, and a large armchair stood in one corner. In it sat an older looking man, with black hair. Everything about him was black, from his clothes to his gaze. He surveyed Lucinda with slightly downcast eyes, piercing her as Darren's eyes had done on their first meeting under the tree.

"Mika. Lucinda, this is Mika Ver Leth. He is a vampire prince, like me."

Lucinda took a few steps further into the room.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" she asked.

"These are dark times my dear." His voice was low and cool. He was a friend, she knew that.

Darren strode around the room, and leaned against the fireplace.

"Mika, you agree with this?"

The prince cleared his throat and stood up, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Does your friend agree to this?"

Lucinda looked up. The room was dark and it was difficult to see.

"Me? Agree to what?"

"Yes she does. She is with me now."

Lucinda nodded.

"It's true, but agree to what?" she gasped as her arms were clamped behind her back, and she was held steady. A woman entered the room, dressed completely in black like Mika.

"Darren? I can't move!"

"Don't try. Just keep still."

Lucinda struggled against the strong arms holding her.

"What? Let me go!"

Darren stood in front of her, revealing that it was Mika that was holding her.

"Do you trust me?"

She saw his eyes once more as he saved her from falling.

"Yes."

"Then relax."

She did her best, as the woman replaced Darren in front of her.

"Give me your right hand my dear." Her voice was husky, an arm protruded form her cloak, covered by a long glove.

Lucinda felt Mika's grip on her right hand release, and she drew it in front of her.

The woman held out a knife, as Darren held out his left hand.

"Lucinda, this is Evanna. She is a sorceress," Darren said quietly.

Evanna held Darren's hand in one of hers, and Lucinda's in the other. The knife appeared to be levitating, above their hands. She held them flat, their palms facing upwards.

Lucinda gasped as the knife drew across her palm, then across Darren's. Evanna clasped them both together tightly as blood began to drip down their arms.

"You will always be with me Lucinda, I will always find you."

The room seemed to swirl around Lucinda, falling down around her. Darren was now a part of her, and she of him. They were united. She felt herself fall and Mika caught her, lowering her gently to the floor. Darren knelt down too, and Evanna sheathed the knife.

"Don't be scared."

"I'm not." Lucinda sat up, feeling something very new inside of her. Something strong.

Mika went to the fire place and stood with his back to them.

"It has worked. You are tied."

Evanna bowed deeply.

"You are one of us. Stay with Darren always. And find me should you need me." With that she disappeared.

"I think I know now, what this is all about."

"You will know much more soon." Darren lifted her to her feet and studied her face. She smiled lightly. Those grey eyes. How much they had changed her world. Now they were her world. Darren strode to where Mika stood.

"We must leave Mika. Lucinda needs to rest."

The two princes bowed to each other and Mika turned to Lucinda.

"You have a good soul. Be sure to protect it." He nodded and turned back to the fire. Darren led Lucinda out of the house and back to the hotel.

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The small room was filled with silence as Lucinda sat on the bed, her eyes vacant as they stared at the carpet. Darren was bandaging her hand, his own covered with dry blood. He tied a final knot, and lowered her hand to rest in his own.

"I barely know you and now you own me," she whispered.

"No." he wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled.

"No-one will ever own you again."

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