Haunted

"Long lost words whisper slowly to me
Still can't find what keeps me here
When all this time I've been so hollow...inside"

Azrian POV

It had been so long.

The last time I had been this close to her was when she was a young girl. It was hard to see that she didn't recognise me, but then I did not expect her to. Those eyes of hers had been so trusting then, yet now they were fearful as she turned to look up at me with horror when Lord Xanver announced me. She took an involuntary step backwards which made me smirk arrogantly. She had been trying to run away from this place a few minutes ago and now she had nowhere to go. I admit the predator in me relished her fear, let it sink in, enjoyed the fast rate of her heart, her panicked breathes, smelled her blood pounding through her veins. I wanted more than anything to be alone with her, to bury my face into the hollow of her neck, sink my fangs in and possess her... in every way possible.

Xanver and the rest of the guests must have noticed the determination in my eyes. It was a well-known fact that my temper was... let's say unpleasant, and I knew that most of these vampires wanted to stay clear of me. Even Charles, my most trusted companion, was weary of me.

I fixed my gaze on the girl and heard distantly heard Charles say in his humorous English accent that they had all better leave me and the girl alone so that we could get better... acquainted. I smiled again at the girl's fear over these words. But I knew that before I took her into my suite I had to take care of one small problem. I looked at Xanver in his traditional ceremonial robes.

"That Informer was attempting to taint my Bleeder before I arrived here. I want him punished and disposed of immediately," I declared in an uncaring drawl, yet I knew that my low voice was laced with menace and Xanver even flinched before he uttered "Of course! Of course!" before snapping his fingers at the two thuggish vampires to drag away the struggling Informer.

After the hallway was cleared out I placed my hand on the small of her back and led the girl into the nearest room. I knew she wanted to run away and I had to concentrate to read her mind but her thoughts were incoherent with panic so I decided not to waste my energy.

Once inside, I closed the door and turned to face her. I was pleasantly surprised to see that she had fled to the other side of the small, yet finely furnished room, and had picked up a bedside table lamp as a weapon of some means. I gave a low chuckle, knowing that she would never be strong enough to hurt me. She must have realised this too as she have a large gulp, which brought my attention once more to her throat. So lovely. I had waited so many years for this and I could not wait to taste her. I have been told that Bleeder blood was amazingly sensual and delicious for Ancients. I looked her over and decided that I wanted her out of that hideous modest white dress. Though I must admit that it did make her look like a sacrificial lamb. At that thought I gave another small laugh which incidentally made her heart rate increase.

I was over there in a flash, using my vampire speed to disorientate her and provide an opportunity to grab the useless domestic object out of her grasp. I moved behind her before she had a chance to run away and wrapped my long arms around her waist. Oh Gods, she was so soft. I breathed in her hair and my head started spinning. She smelled like rain and wild flowers mixed in with the vanilla-scent of her innocence. She smelled so delicious that I was tempted then and there to take her, but I stopped myself as I wanted to savour the moment. I had waited centuries for her, what was a couple of hours or more.

Her small soft body tensed in front of me and I groaned into her neck, wanting her to relax and enjoy this moment as well. Instead she began shaking, with fear or with cold I did not know but it was annoying. I decided to reassure her, Gods know why, so that she would melt into me a bit more.

"No need to fear little girl, the Informer is gone now and will be punished severely for what he almost did to you."

Was it possible that her heart sped up even more? Did my voice have that affect on her? I hoped so as I continued to breathe her in deeply.

"What do you mean by 'punished severely?'" Her steady inquiring voice asked. I was surprised to hear that she didn't stumble over her words like before; she must be attempting to be brave in front of me. How... endearing.

"His life is forfeit now by his wishing to harm you. It is a direct insult towards me by his actions and by law he should be punished for it."

The girl gave a small gasp and tried to twist around in my arms. I was intrigued so I let her loose to see what she would do or say. Perhaps, she would try to run away again? However, instead she twirled to face me and I was further amazed to see that the look in her eyes was defiant and that she was shaking with anger, not cold or fear. Maybe she was a lot more durable than I initially thought? I mentally shook myself; remembering that she was as fragile as a feather and not strong in comparison to defend herself against any man, even a mortal one.

"A 'direct insult' to you?!" She all but screeched at me, "How about an insult to me! This whole time I thought Adam was the answer to a haunting voice calling out to me in my dreams, only to find out that he was a pawn sent to me in order to bring me into a world that I didn't want, bringing me into your world. I feel betrayed and so, so angry! And it's your entire fault. I don't care that I'm 'meant' or 'destined' or whatever for you. You will never have me."

Her pathetic rant brought on my own anger and I sped towards her and picked her up in order to hold her against the yacht's wall. She gasped and squirmed and wriggled against me, not realising that her struggles were actually exciting my vampire instincts, as well as exciting... other parts of me. Her stormy blue eyes opened wide in realisation as she must have felt my erection against her leg.

"P-p-put me down, a-at once!" Although still enraged, a small part of me was amused to see her scared-mouse side return.

"You will not order me around, little girl. I own you so it is an insult of that Informer to try and take you from me. And I will have you, you can count on that," I demanded through clenched teeth as I brought my face close to hers to whisper in her ear. "And I can do whatever I want with you, whether it's to taste you or to drain you dry. If I want to kiss or kill you I will." I moved back to catch her reaction and saw that her eyes were swimming with unshed tears. A small part of me that I immediately tried to suppress felt dismayed and anguished at seeing her upset. These feelings must be a fluke but to shield this regret before she noticed, I reached down to hold one of her hands.

Her defiance, however, still continued as she tried to pull her hand away from my grasp. To teach her to submit to me I slid my fingers down to her wrist and snapped it. She cried out and her tears were unable to hold back. A stirring and foreign sensation burned through me at her reaction. It felt a lot like remorse. For a second time in the last few minutes I regretted hurting her. I hadn't regretted hurting anyone in thousands of years. I abruptly stepped back; appalled at myself and even more appalled that I had put her in pain. What was wrong with me?

When I moved away, her softly rounded body fell back against the wall and she winced as if she had knocked her broken wrist. When she slumped backwards her blonde hair briefly fanned out around her, the curls waving and cascading down her shoulders. I noticed that there were a few blonde strands of hair that caught the light and other golden ones that shined. Goldilocks. She looked like an angel, an angel that I had hurt.

Against my wishes, my body moved forward to comfort her and to apologise for hurting her, but when she saw me coming she flinched away and I stopped myself.

Again I was shocked and horrified at myself for harming her that I turned to run away.

Once outside I locked her door and was still shunned at myself that for the first time in my life I had run away from a defenceless girl and that I was ashamed at myself for causing her pain. As I pressed my back against her door I thought, Oh Gods, what is wrong with me?