Chapter 10

Stefano's POV:

It was typical of Carlita to just show up like this at the most inconvenient time. Unfortunately the power that was contained within this slip of a woman stopped him from refusing her entry. Carlita was one of the most powerful Vampires on the council at around 500 years old, there were very few men who managed to avoid her bed when demanded.

Talking to her and even considering sex with her, with Liz in the closet just a few meters away sent an angry spark through Stefano's mind, knowing she could hear every unjust and unfeeling word he uttered. Trying to keep his emotions from flickering across his face and clamping physiological steel walls around his mind just to keep a casual persona Stefano took the conversation upstairs away from Liz's ears to convince Carlita that this was a bad time for them to "do the dirty" as she so lovingly called it. He had more important things to attend to. Such as illegally converting his soulmate for his own selfish means so that he can love her unconditionally for the rest of eternity. If only it wasn't so risky to both of them, he wouldn't think twice.

A small flicker of excitement flared in his chest when he thought of what he could do with her when she was so much more unbreakable. Oh the "bedroom dancing" they would experience.

Terror overcame Liz as she shrieked and struggled against the body behind her, attempting to kick the person, bite the hand crushing her mouth, tear at the arms covering her waist, but it was all in vain.

"Keep still" growled the male voice from behind her. "I could snap your neck with a touch of my hand, human. We are going to go for a little jog now and I want you to stay silent. If I move my hand you are not to scream or try to run. Seeing as you just came from little ol' Stefano's house I'm assuming you know exactly what I am, and exactly what I can do. Is that correct?"

Liz knew the only way she was ever getting out of this was by cooperating, so dutifully nodded her head.

"Good. Now stay silent."

The hand that was clapped painfully over her mouth disappeared and Liz bit back the urge to scream knowing it would do no good. Turning within the arms still embracing her waist Liz looked into the eyes of her captor.

He had to be the second most beautiful male she had ever seen, after Stefano. His pale hair shone in the silver moonlight and his dark eyelashes enhanced the deep gaze.

Catching a gasp in her throat Liz couldn't help but notice his hard body pressed against hers. He had to be at least six foot, plus. Her neck was craned up just to see his face, and she watched as his eyes scoured her features and his gaze dropped down to her unprotected throat, and finally to her uncovered cleavage.

A shiver ran down Liz's spine, and she reached up to attempt to touch her throat, hiding it from his view, but he caught her wrists in a vice like grip and she winced at the sudden pinch of his fingers.

"You, are a very unlucky girl, do you know that?" He whispered, as if there were people around who could hear him.

"Why are you doing this?" Liz whispered back, afraid of raising any louder than he had.

"What's your name human?"

Liz hesitated. What harm could her name do?

"Liz"

"Well, Liz, my name is Richard, and you have been so unfortunate to have been cursed with being soulmates with steffy baby up there" he shrugged towards the house up the drive behind them in the dark. "I saw everything from here, quite a looker isn't he? Well I'm sorry to have to tell you, but you are now what they call in the world of revenge, leverage. And I fully intend to use you as such. Your Stefano managed to kill, my own soulmate, a weak human, just like you. A little bit of blood thirst combined with not being able to keep 'it' in his pants, and my life was destroyed forever. Now, the tables have turned and it seems I have everything I need to make his life a misery just as he did to me."

With this final statement Richard reached down Liz's quivering body to her hips and placed his hands on either side. With a firm yank, he ripped at the material on her right side, steadying her with his hand on her left and ripped a large chunk of white chiffon down to the bottom and off, leaving a gaping hole down the length of her leg.

Shocked, Liz jumped backwards and started to shiver as the cool night breeze swung her dress out behind her. Trying to protect her modesty she clung at the material to cover herself up. She glanced up to see what her kidnapper was up to, and saw him tie the material to one of the gates that were open at the bottom of the drive behind them.

"And now, it is time to come with me Liz. I must say, you are nothing compared to my Megan, but Stefano was a lucky man to have had you as a soulmate. I understand that killing you may put a damper on this friendship, but I just can't allow Stefano to not suffer as badly as I have. Killing him would be futile compared to the pain he will receive when you're gone."

"You're wrong" Liz mumbled at her feet." He doesn't love me"

Richards P.O.V

Richard stopped to stare at this beautiful, if dishevelled human. It seemed even she didn't understand the full extent of her soulmate's feelings towards her. What a shame she would never understand. But Richard knew. He knew how even if you wanted not to love, you had no choice. It pained him to know that this innocent human was never going to feel the pleasure of knowing that that love was returned, but there was nothing he could do about that. Nothing could bring Megan back, but this...revenge would sweeten the blow for him.

Leaving the material from the shivering girls dress on the gate would achieve four things. One, it would mean Stefano would know that his sweet love had been taken. Two he would be able to smell Richard's hands on it, so he would come after him. Three, it would imply that he had caused her harm or at least touched her inappropriately, (something he hadn't quite dismissed just yet), and fourth and finally, it would give him a glimpse of the fine legs under that dirty dress.

Scooping up the shivering girl into his arms, careful to make sure the gaping material fell away awarding him with a long expanse of leg, Richard started to run at break neck speed down the country roads towards his home 50 miles away.