Chapter 3: The Departure

As soon as I was well enough to leave, we fled as quickly as possible.

I grabbed a few photos of my mother and I and a fresh pair of clothing and we left the house I grew up in forever.

As he drug me through the streets, walking much faster than I could, I asked, "Could you at least tell me your name?"

"Dante Antonio De Luca," he answered with a smirk.

"I'm Victoria Dawn Miller," I said, blushing. "So, how did you find me, anyway?"

"Shh!" He said as he pulled me against a wall.

"What, what is it? What do you see?" I whispered in a panic.

He was looking around the corner of the building, shaking his head in despair. He looked toward the ground and said silently, "I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry for what?? What is it, Dante?!"

"Your mother…" his voice trailed off.

"What's wrong with my mother?! Is she over there?! Do you see her?!"

"You must be quiet!" he hissed at me.

"I knew it," I looked down, defeated, "why did she have to go by herself?"

"I'm so very sorry, Victoria. But we must leave, there is no time. They will be destroying this place soon, and all of the evidence that is here."

"Destroying?" I said in horror. "What did we ever do? I just don't understand it. I don't understand any of it!"

"There are things in this world that no one can explain. But if you are patient, we may arrive somewhere safe and I can tell you what I know."

"Okay," I said softly.



He didn't let me see my mother. It must have been too horrible for me to comprehend. At least that's what I kept telling myself.

I couldn't believe I'd never see her again. I'd never see my home town again, or any of my friends. I'd never see the home I grew up in again. And it was all because of these creatures that I didn't even know!

I was angry. I was frustrated. But I knew I was safe now. With Dante at my side, nothing could harm me.

It's not that I didn't know he was one of them. But he was different. There was something about him that intrigued me, something that kept me wanting more.

We arrived at a very large, beautiful home. It was dark yet I could see it clearly. It was a home I'd always dreamed I would own some day. It was a log cabin looking home with two large wooden door on the front and a porch that wrapped all around. There were beautiful pink bushes that lined the outside of the house, bringing even more beauty that I could imagine.

"Is this your home?" I asked, speechless.

"Yes," Dante answered, opening the front door for me.

The beauty of his home knocked the breath out of me. I looked around speechless as he walked to the living room.

In the middle of the main hall, there was the largest chandelier I'd ever seen. It was beautiful. It was made of crystal, the finest in the world, I'd believed. I wondered how Dante could afford such a luxury by himself.

There was a large staircase right when you walked into the house and the largest painting I'd ever seen at the top of the stairs. I had no clue who the people were, a woman and a man, the woman sitting in a chair with (I had guessed) her husband standing at her side. They were beautiful. The woman had long, dark brown hair that curled beautifully. She was dressed in antique clothing, a light pink corset with white lacing. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean. The man had long, blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. He was also wearing antique clothing, but he wore a black suit with coat tails. He 

looked in control, dominant. He, like his wife, had eyes that sparked like the midday sky.

"Are you coming?" Dante asked, now standing next to me.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I'm just in such awe over your home."

"Come, have a seat," he put his arm out over the black leather loveseat.

I walked over slowly to the couch and sat, looking up at him.

I watched him as he paced back and forth. He had his hand resting under his chin, his face in thought. He was so graceful, he walked as I would imagine an angel to. I wondered what he was thinking, what he wanted me to say.

"Is something wrong?" I finally asked, curious as to why he was pacing as he was.

"No, nothing, I'm just thinking of a way to tell you what I want to tell you."

"Well, take your time, I'm in no hurry," I looked down, saddened as I thought of all of my neighbors…and my mother, and how I'd never see them again.

He sat down next to me and took my face in his hands.

"Victoria," he finally said, "I am…one of them, but I am not one of them."

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.

"I chose a different path, a different life for myself."

I was silent, intrigued by what he would be explaining to me.

He looked at me with his sparkling emerald eyes and I realized I wasn't breathing. He was a god, a god in the flesh. I couldn't get over how flawless he was. How I knew almost nothing of this man but I loved him. Something about him was so different, so amazing to me. Yes, he was one of the retched creatures that had killed everyone in my home town, including my mother. But he was different, he was caring, sympathetic, and I wanted to be with him.

"When I was…changed," he said, still staring into my eyes, "I knew I didn't want to be like them, I didn't want to be one of them, I didn't want to kill 

innocent humans. Because, after all, I use to be one of them. I couldn't live like the others. I tried. But every time I would look a woman or man in the eyes before I mercilessly killed them, I would wonder who they were, who their families were, who I would be hurting by killing them. It ate me up inside. I knew I couldn't live like that anymore. So I had a new idea. I began to hunt criminals. After all, they were full of blood, too," he said with a half smile.

"I see," I was seriously interested in his story, I wondered how he was changed, who changed him, I wondered everything about Dante, and I would listen forever if I had to just to hear his story.

"Victoria," he whispered, holding my face tighter, "I couldn't leave you there, I couldn't just let you die."

I was confused at the change in the subject. I didn't understand, and I'm sure the confusion showed in my face.

"I smelled you miles away, your blood. It smelled as nothing I've ever smelled before. Once I smelled you, I knew you were in trouble. I knew I had to save you. It was as though it called to me, beckoning me, beckoning me that I needed to save you," he lowered his face to my neck and rubbed his nose up and down, "And then I saw you. I saw you lying there, sound asleep. I wanted you. I needed you. And most of all, I needed to save you, to take you away from that hell."

"And for that, I am eternally grateful," I sighed, relieved he was there, yet in sadness also.

"I know nothing of you except that I want you all to myself," he whispered.

"So, my blood called to you and told you I was in trouble?" I asked, bewildered. I didn't understand why my blood was so much different than everyone else's to Dante. I didn't understand why he didn't just kill me like everyone else. Why was I so special?

He started, very quiet at first, staring directly into my eyes, "For a vampire, if a human's blood calls to him, that is very special. I've never heard of another instance of this except with someone else I once knew..." he looked at the ground now, as if in deep thought.

I finally understood. I was his one. That's why I was so special. "So, I'm your soul mate then?" I asked, giggling a little.



"Hey! This is serious!" He said loudly, but I knew he was amused also. "This has never happened to me before, Victoria. I am nervous. I mean, you're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I know nothing about you but I already know I love you. It is the greatest feeling. Especially since I really can't feel anything anymore."

"Oh sure, compared to all of those angelic vampires, I'm the most beautiful woman you've ever seen. That's kind of hard to believe, Dante."

"You have no idea," he sighed, letting go of my face.