Disclaimer: Ah, do any of you read this? Can I stop writing it if I shout it here? Yes? Okay: I DO NOT OWN ANY THEMES! THEY ARE CREATED BY LJS, THE GODDESS OF GREAT WRITING!

Author's Note: Chaaaapter Four is here!!! Thanks so much to Penguin, Sally D and Leanne who commented with some of the nicest reviews I have ever received *laughs* Thank you guys! Please keep commenting! And where is everyone else? Why aren't you commenting? Come on! Please do review!!
 Yes, the pace is fast, but that's just the way the story is going. This chapter is a little slower, but still action.

Enjoy:

A Lost Tale:

Chapter four

~Wish somebody would tell me I'm fine~
~Nothing's alright, nothing's fine~

I wake up in a cold room, my breath giving off little clouds. Looking around, I notice the room is not furnished at all, save for the bed I'm lying on. The walls are not even painted. Immediately last night's—and I *know* it was last night—events come crashing down on me. I am up and off the bed in seconds, and try the wooden door.

Of course, it is locked and I bet it's too thick for me to break. Nevertheless I do try. Jumping up onto the air I place a kick square in the middle. Pain explodes into my foot and I sink on the ground with a muffled groan.

I dont think I will try that again, I think as I slip off my shoe and massage my foot. What is going on here? I walk around the room—it is very big and I explore every inch of it. Nothing.

The only window is a skylight high up on the ceiling. By now I am feeling increasingly hungry—I need blood. I consider what to do. Then look up at the skylight. An idea forms in my head and I close my eyes, settling myself in lotus position.

With one part of my mind, I collect all my mental energy, with the other I reach out, feeling for any people in this building or house—whatever it may be. There is only one, a vampire by his thoughts. His mind is not well guarded and it is easy to place a suggestion in his mind, telling him to check up on me soon.

It is only a few minutes before he does and I use the time to collect the rest of my mental power. Soon I hear the door being unlocked and it creaks open.

How original, I think. Just like a horror movie. I stay silent and stop breathing. I can only hold my breath for a few minutes maximum—unlike popular vampire myths—and hope he hurries up. He does and comes closer to me, a grave mistake it will be…for him.

"What's going on???" he says, his voice rough. He must be a hired crony, I think as I sense his movement. I do not move. He leans over and touches my shoulder, close now. I snap my eyes open and have the satisfaction of seeing him shocked before I blast him with mental power and he keels over.

Hehehe.

Smiling I step over him and leave the room. Walking quickly in the hall I discover I am being held in a quaint little house. It is beautiful, but I have no time to stare. I run into the living room and stop dead.

Drake Blackthorn is watching TV.

*How the hell did I miss him?*

He jumps up when he sees me and we stare at each other for a few seconds before he narrows his eyes. "Where is Dane?"

"Taking a little nap," I say noticing how a lock of hair falls into his eyes. "Wanna join him?" I reach over and grab the couch—it is quite large, it should knock him out—heave it up with a grunt and throw it at him. He wards up his hands, gold fire flowing out and the couch explodes while I watch in shock. "Of course," I say, dismayed but not showing it. "You *had* to be a witch as well."

He smiles cruelly at me, and I dont stay to find any more surprises—I bolt. Judging the distance between the window and me, I leap and crash through the glass. I land painfully on cement and groaning jump up and start to run. Behind me I can hear swift feet following me.  No matter how cute the house was, the garden is enormous. I cannot find a way out of it, and I run harder, though the sound of feet behind me has speeded up too. I strain my ears and faintly I can hear the sound of traffic to the right of me.

Veering sharply I change course, running harder. Oh, shit! I nearly cry as I see why the traffic sounds were so faint. There is a fifteen-foot wall built around the garden.

Not giving up—I *never* give up—I jump and my hands dig into the cracks of it. Swiftly I start to climb up and I finally can see the road and taste freedom—when a hand snakes around my waist and drags me back down. I fall backwards and someone falls with me.

We hit the floor hard and I lie there not breathing for a second. Then I move but the hand is still around my waist and it keeps me to the floor. Drake lifts his head and looks at me. "Do you know how troublesome you are, Ms Rion?"

I flash a smile at him and he sits up. I stay on the floor and put a hand to my eyes—the sun is fierce. "I give up." Though I have no intention of doing that. I peep at him and he is looking at me a little surprised.

"You have no intention of doing that, do you?"

Amazing, it is like he read my mind, though that is impossible. My mind wards are solid. I grin at him. "Of course not."

He stands up and extends a hand. "Shall we go inside?"

I stare at his hand and then him, suspicious; is he being nice? What is going on? And then I realise – he thinks I can't do anything, can't run. Watch me, I think grimly. You don't know Sierra Rion. I shoot his outstretched hand a pointed glance.

"It doesn't bite," he laughs.

Oh yeah? I'm not so sure.

Thinking there is nothing that can surprise me after what I have just been through the past week or so, I reach up and grasp his hand.

Suddenly a flash of diamond light explodes between our entwined fingers and I gasp and jerk away at the same moment he pushes me away. I fall and hit the floor hard, and already stunned, it hurts. I grab my arm were I hit it and in a flash he is beside me, cradling me like I'm something infinitely precious. He softly touches my arm where I hurt and the light is back and with a sudden jolt I realise what it is.

"Soulmates?" he whispers at me, his eyes large and the gold specks shimmering more than ever.

"Apparently," I say, trying to make a joke of it but my voice betrays me. I look down and realise I am leaning against him and he is holding me. Strangely I do not mind. Drake smiles at me and I shiver. Something is pulling us closer, and it seems he has already given up the fight. Instead he traces one of the red highlights in my hair. "So beautiful," he murmurs and leans forward to place such a soft kiss on my lips. It sends a jolt of pure electricity through me and for a moment I can't breathe, and then—with horror—I realise I'm crying.

"Hey, hey," he whispers and wipes my tears, while they fall unchecked. I have not cried in so long that I cannot remember the last time I did. With a shaking breath I stop, and I have no idea why I started crying in the first place. Drake doesn't say anything but stands up, pulling me along as well, his arms holding me in a tight hug. I sag in his embrace and finally feel all the tiredness hit me full-force. My legs can't support me anymore and Drake's holding me up. "I'm so—" I mutter.

~Tired~ he finishes in my mind, and I offer a vague smile, before collapsing altogether. He picks me up bride style, and I'm nearly asleep as I let my head fall into the curve of his neck, though I can still notice how perfect it feels. He carries me back into the house, into the bedroom, and puts me gently on the bed, pulling the covers over me. "Sleep," he says and smoothes my hair of my forehead, and within seconds I am.

~*~

I open my eyes to the setting sun, streaming in through the window. Turning I see Drake sprawled out on the big armchair next to me, asleep. A feeling of contentment washes over me, and I am surprised. I have not felt this good since…well, since forever. I study his features: that black hair, messed and falling over his forehead. His smooth skin, his full sensuous lips, all sun touched by the rays and it makes him look like an angel. My angel, and I realise I have to leave it all behind.

  I can't stay here.

It's too dangerous. Two of the Night World's most notorious vampires shacked up together? It would be a ready-made meal for disaster. And I owe it to Devon to stay away. I cannot let anyone hurt my friends.

Besides, did he not want to kill me?

Of course, there is another thought, deep but still audible to me. Aren't you just afraid of feeling something? Or maybe someone?

Am I looking for excuses? Yes.

Do I care? Oh yes.

Shut up! I yell mentally, upset. But only at how fast these sensations – feelings – are rising in me.

Leave me alone, I think. I never asked for this, never wanted this.

But that's a lie. I remember when Devon told me he'd met Incia. I'd wondered about my own soulmate, and my question had been answered by a knock on the door.

Oh, how can I do this? I can't. I can't.

The link is pulling at me now, inviting me to dip into his thoughts, to forget about running away…stay…stay…

I banish that thought and stand very carefully, not disturbing him. Enough playing around. With a sigh I close my eyes, collecting all my power. I am refreshed and am strong once more. I look at him for the last time, and lean over him. It is as if he senses my presence, because very softly he sighs my name. "Sierra."

I nearly chicken out then, sadness tightening my heart, but I force myself to lean further, and hit him with all my mental power, blocking myself at the same time. It's tricky and some of the pain does get send down the soulmate link, but its over in a flash and Drake is slumped down, and I know he will not get up for the next twenty-four hours.

Resolutely I turn, and leave the house, and the garden. I find a car and I hot-wire it and drive home, a few hours away (after getting lost a few times). I refuse to cry, refuse to let the warm tears slide until I am home and in my bed, and there I sob, and sob and finally surrender myself to the fact that I may *have* a soulmate, but that doesn't mean I *can* have him.

~I'm running and I'm crying

I never realized I was spread too thin~

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