DARK SECRETS
Tempted
Chapter Two
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Aramis was in the middle of kissing her when he felt the vampire. ~Damn it.~
Zared felt him stiffen (A/N: no not like that, though I'm sure he wasn't that far off) and set back to look at him. She blushed when she finally realized their position.
Aramis smirked at her and nipped her lip gently, "Come, there is much you must know, lemme." (a/n lemme is Estonian for sweetheart)
Zared found herself shaking her head and following him. She knew that there was something that would frighten her. She had come to grips with that when she had touched his soul and knew that it would be hard to deal with because of what her grandmother had said. "What is outside that you must deal with?" She whispered, positive that he had heard her.
Aramis turned and looked at the woman before him. "The darker side of our future, but by no means the ending." He was surprised that she knew so much.
Zared's eyes narrowed and he knew she would want more information later. And he knew he must give it to her.
"Zared. . ." He breathed out and watched as she shivered in pleasure.
Zared couldn't help herself. She loved the way her name rolled off his tongue. "What?" She whispered back to him.
He leaned and kissed her forehead. "Know that I will protect you with my life."
Zared looked at him. Her heart was somersaulting at his confession. "And I will protect you with mine."
Aramis groaned softly from the look in her eyes. He could not tear himself away from her, even though he knew he must destroy the vampire.
"Come, love, there is much you must learn."
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Zared blinked and looked around. One minute ago they were in the club and now they were in a dark, scary cemetery. Wow. Whatever he was, he was good at it.
Aramis turned and looked at her. His woman. She didn't know anything about him or what she would become and he didn't want to start her knowledge of his race with this, but you cannot chose your destiny, only meet it with open arms and pray for the best.
"I want you to know that what you are about to see--"
"I trust you." She whispered, interrupting him.
His head jerked sharply to the left. Others.
"Hello brother." Lucian said formally as he and Gabriel stepped out from the shadows. They bowed formally to Zared and introduced themselves.
"I am Lucian Daratrazanoff."
"And I am Gabriel. We are Aramis's younger brothers."
"Hi. I'm Zared McLeod."
"We have come to help you brother." Lucian said, turning his attention back from Zared to Aramis.
Zared sent her mind out, searching, while the men talked quietly amongst themselves.
A call, sharp, desperate, and painful shook her to the quick. ~Zared!~
Zared sent her mind out again, this time with spells to back up the strength. ~Lydia?~
~Zared, some men have me! They want to kill you! Don't go to meet them. Please Red. Please don't go.~
~I'm already here. Don't worry—I'm not alone.~
~Please--~
Zared's breath caught in her throat. Her sister was cut off from her. The people knew that they were talking and had stopped their contact somehow. Quickly, Zared summoned the earth to create a circle of protection around her body, small vines twisted and turned to encircle the place were she stood. Zared took a gulp of air and sent her soul outside of her body, using her sister's soul as a guiding light.
Her spirit landed a few feet away from a battered, matted body. The bright golden hair and pale skin set her heart racing. While no one was looking, Zared turned her sister over with a spell and looked at her. Purple bruises marred her beautiful skin, and a wicked looking cut ran all the way across her forehead. The skin around Lydia's eyes was sunken in and blue from being hit. She was thin and too pale. They had not fed her and she was guessing that they were not letting her sleep much. Zared placed a small, unnoticeable protection charm on her sister. Just as she was going to heal some of Lydia's wounds, she felt a sense, like being burned. Zared quickly turned to her right and looked straight into the red eyes of a decayed, hideous body. Zared glared, sending him the challenge, and left, quickly racing through time and space back to her own body.
Aramis looked over to the small woman who was standing so straight and looking so alone. He could tell she was off but when he touched her mind he felt a block, stronger than most Carpathians could perform.
Lucian and Gabriel turned to the woman as well. They too felt the strange power she was emitting.
Zared's soul landed back into her body and she breathed deeply as her soul conformed back to the shape her body placed on it. These men had hurt her sister. They would not live past this night. She would make sure of it.
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Dominic Dragonseeker landed along side Aramis. "I have come to join you. If you do not mind, that is."
"We welcome you and your help." Aramis stated, still staring at his woman. His.
They all stopped talking as they heard her murmur, "Lydia."
"Is something wrong, lemme?" He whispered quietly.
"They have my little sister, Lydia." She whispered, knowing they heard her.
The men grew solemn and knew they would have to taken an even greater care than before.
Finally, she could sense them coming without sending her mind out. She could not sense Lydia's aura, but knew she was there. Lydia was still unconscious.
Aramis came and stood by her, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her close. She gave a shuddered breath and straightened her resolve. He felt her love for her sister and her outrage at these men. Around her, the air sizzled and cracked. The trees groaned at the amount of power they felt from her.
"I want you to know," he began, knowing he had to prepare her for the shock, "that I am a powerful man and do not have human limitations."
"That's alright. I don't exactly have human limitations either." She looked up at him then and sent him a weary smile. Leaving one's own body took a large amount of energy, and though she was more powerful than almost all other witches, it still took much out of her.
"You do not fear?" He asked. "Yet you feared me a few years ago."
"I did not understand your power a few years ago. I understand much more now than I did then. Do not think I do not fear. I do not fear for me, because I know I can win. I do not fear you, because I know that even though we've only just met, you love me. I do not fear for you, because I know that you are powerful, beyond anything I have ever imagined, just as those three are. I fear for Lydia, because she is hurt and does not know any of the situations that will take place on this night. And her life is in danger. She has no way to protect herself against these. . .men." Zared held her tongue, not knowing a word that could supply her contempt for the kidnappers.
Aramis was in awe at her spiritual strength. He had never seen a mortal as strong as she. She would fight to the death to save her sister.
He captured her lips gently, crushing her hair in his hands. "I will protect the both of you." He whispered when he had finished.
Zared closed her eyes—she was quickly losing herself in this man. This was the night she would show the world that she too was a force unmatched. ~What are you?~
Aramis answered her softly, ~I am of the earth. I am Carpathian.~
"It's time." Lucian said, interrupting them.
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The stood, facing off like some shootout in a western. Lydia lay at the feet of their adversaries. Her body was more battered since even Zared had seen it last.
~Dominic will take your sister to be healed. Is that alright?~
~Yes. . .she has many wounds internally as well.~ Zared whispered back to Aramis.
"Well, witch? We'll let your sister go if you come with us."
Zared looked at the leader. She felt the four Carpathians prickle at what they thought was an insult. She took it as a complement.
"I remember you. You're the one that wanted to talk to me of my family history. You should know better!" Zared said vehemently. Her eyes pushed at the mortal men—sending them waves of heat, even on the cool breeze.
Lucian's eyebrow rose. He didn't like surprises, but he was sensing a great big one.
The leader pulled out a silver cross. "Back Satan's whore. We're going to send you back to your master."
This time, all the Carpathian's eyebrows rose. This was insane.
Zared smiled slightly. She took pulled out her own silver cross, one that hung from her neck. "I don't know what you're obviously on, but give me my sister."
The leader was shocked, to say the least. But he had back up. He pulled out a large container of salt and through a handful at her.
"You know, if those four weren't vampires, and your sister didn't look like that—I'd be laughing." Gabriel told her.
Zared's eyes hardened. These men had hurt her sister and done God knows what to her body and mind. They were going to know fear and pain and the wrath of a woman.
"So you want an evil thing. Black, evil magic. Fine." Zared said, filling her body with her power. Lightning and thunder tore at the skies, splintered trees, and shook the earth with their force. Using the ancient spell, she began in an ancient Druid language. "From the ashes you were sown, from the four winds blown, and now from the ashes I call you. Come, rise, and to me be true. Come for all to see." She shouted and as she looked into the eyes of the leader, she whispered, "As I will, so mote it be."
From the graves, grotesque and misshaped skeletons burst forth. The dead were coming to her calling, they were there to save the one that had called them and protect the one that would save the world.
Aramis looked at her in surprise. His woman was a witch. Power beyond many, she had called the dead from beyond to destroy those that had hurt her sister, an innocent.
Zared called on the energy in the earth, and white light burst from the ground, encircling her body. Her will took over and the men who had taken her sister burst into flames. The smell of burning flesh never got a chance to permeate. No, they turned to as in a fraction of a second.
Lydia's felt the underlying healing spells from her sister's power enter her body, though she didn't know what it was. She looked over to were she sensed Zared and watched in awe as her sister's rage took control—she watched in awe as Zared formed fire from thin air and sent it to her attackers. All at once, Zared sent her the information and she knew. She knew that her sister's book was true. And Zared was more powerful than their great-grandmother.
Lydia also felt the power envelope her in protection and love, comforting her, easing all the pain. She also felt the protection spell that guarded the path of the man that was coming towards her.
Dominic was in awe as well at the powerful punch the small woman held. He quickly made his way over to Lydia, her body looking like a rag doll. She was awake, he concluded that Zared had healed her a little while she was fighting. Dominic held down the emotions that swirled when he looked at the young woman—a girl really. Lydia was the answer to his prayer.
"My name is Dominic Dragonseeker. I am acquaintances with your sister's lifemate, Aramis. I am going to take you to be healed. Do you trust me?"
Lydia was mesmerized by the intoxication his voice had created. His voice was so soothing. She had the feeling that if she had the time, she'd listen to that voice for the rest of eternity.
"Yes. I trust you." She whispered and watched as his eyes swirled with something. Power, understanding, ultimate love, and oddly, color swirled into his eyes.
He picked her up and quickly sped to the mountains.
Back at the battle, Zared was wavering. Her energy was depleting rapidly and she was losing consciousness. The light around her faded and the dead made their way back to their graves. When they were in their graves, Zared used the last bit of her energy to cover their resting places and make it look as though nothing had ever happened.
Aramis caught her as she slid to the ground. He weaved a protection around her body and went to fight the creatures she had not destroyed. Two of the four vampires had not been destroyed. They were wounded and weak, but she had lost too much energy to destroy them. It apparently takes quite a bit of magic and energy to destroy the undead.
"Do not worry over these two. We shall take care of them. Care for you woman." Gabriel said gently, looking over her injuries. She was physically and spiritually drained. There was no telling how much energy she had used to help heal her sister and perform all of those feats.
"I am in your debt." Aramis said, picking Zared up. He quickly followed the line that Dominic had made to the mountains.
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OKAY!! Please read and review!!
Tempted
Chapter Two
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Aramis was in the middle of kissing her when he felt the vampire. ~Damn it.~
Zared felt him stiffen (A/N: no not like that, though I'm sure he wasn't that far off) and set back to look at him. She blushed when she finally realized their position.
Aramis smirked at her and nipped her lip gently, "Come, there is much you must know, lemme." (a/n lemme is Estonian for sweetheart)
Zared found herself shaking her head and following him. She knew that there was something that would frighten her. She had come to grips with that when she had touched his soul and knew that it would be hard to deal with because of what her grandmother had said. "What is outside that you must deal with?" She whispered, positive that he had heard her.
Aramis turned and looked at the woman before him. "The darker side of our future, but by no means the ending." He was surprised that she knew so much.
Zared's eyes narrowed and he knew she would want more information later. And he knew he must give it to her.
"Zared. . ." He breathed out and watched as she shivered in pleasure.
Zared couldn't help herself. She loved the way her name rolled off his tongue. "What?" She whispered back to him.
He leaned and kissed her forehead. "Know that I will protect you with my life."
Zared looked at him. Her heart was somersaulting at his confession. "And I will protect you with mine."
Aramis groaned softly from the look in her eyes. He could not tear himself away from her, even though he knew he must destroy the vampire.
"Come, love, there is much you must learn."
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Zared blinked and looked around. One minute ago they were in the club and now they were in a dark, scary cemetery. Wow. Whatever he was, he was good at it.
Aramis turned and looked at her. His woman. She didn't know anything about him or what she would become and he didn't want to start her knowledge of his race with this, but you cannot chose your destiny, only meet it with open arms and pray for the best.
"I want you to know that what you are about to see--"
"I trust you." She whispered, interrupting him.
His head jerked sharply to the left. Others.
"Hello brother." Lucian said formally as he and Gabriel stepped out from the shadows. They bowed formally to Zared and introduced themselves.
"I am Lucian Daratrazanoff."
"And I am Gabriel. We are Aramis's younger brothers."
"Hi. I'm Zared McLeod."
"We have come to help you brother." Lucian said, turning his attention back from Zared to Aramis.
Zared sent her mind out, searching, while the men talked quietly amongst themselves.
A call, sharp, desperate, and painful shook her to the quick. ~Zared!~
Zared sent her mind out again, this time with spells to back up the strength. ~Lydia?~
~Zared, some men have me! They want to kill you! Don't go to meet them. Please Red. Please don't go.~
~I'm already here. Don't worry—I'm not alone.~
~Please--~
Zared's breath caught in her throat. Her sister was cut off from her. The people knew that they were talking and had stopped their contact somehow. Quickly, Zared summoned the earth to create a circle of protection around her body, small vines twisted and turned to encircle the place were she stood. Zared took a gulp of air and sent her soul outside of her body, using her sister's soul as a guiding light.
Her spirit landed a few feet away from a battered, matted body. The bright golden hair and pale skin set her heart racing. While no one was looking, Zared turned her sister over with a spell and looked at her. Purple bruises marred her beautiful skin, and a wicked looking cut ran all the way across her forehead. The skin around Lydia's eyes was sunken in and blue from being hit. She was thin and too pale. They had not fed her and she was guessing that they were not letting her sleep much. Zared placed a small, unnoticeable protection charm on her sister. Just as she was going to heal some of Lydia's wounds, she felt a sense, like being burned. Zared quickly turned to her right and looked straight into the red eyes of a decayed, hideous body. Zared glared, sending him the challenge, and left, quickly racing through time and space back to her own body.
Aramis looked over to the small woman who was standing so straight and looking so alone. He could tell she was off but when he touched her mind he felt a block, stronger than most Carpathians could perform.
Lucian and Gabriel turned to the woman as well. They too felt the strange power she was emitting.
Zared's soul landed back into her body and she breathed deeply as her soul conformed back to the shape her body placed on it. These men had hurt her sister. They would not live past this night. She would make sure of it.
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Dominic Dragonseeker landed along side Aramis. "I have come to join you. If you do not mind, that is."
"We welcome you and your help." Aramis stated, still staring at his woman. His.
They all stopped talking as they heard her murmur, "Lydia."
"Is something wrong, lemme?" He whispered quietly.
"They have my little sister, Lydia." She whispered, knowing they heard her.
The men grew solemn and knew they would have to taken an even greater care than before.
Finally, she could sense them coming without sending her mind out. She could not sense Lydia's aura, but knew she was there. Lydia was still unconscious.
Aramis came and stood by her, placing his hand on her waist and pulling her close. She gave a shuddered breath and straightened her resolve. He felt her love for her sister and her outrage at these men. Around her, the air sizzled and cracked. The trees groaned at the amount of power they felt from her.
"I want you to know," he began, knowing he had to prepare her for the shock, "that I am a powerful man and do not have human limitations."
"That's alright. I don't exactly have human limitations either." She looked up at him then and sent him a weary smile. Leaving one's own body took a large amount of energy, and though she was more powerful than almost all other witches, it still took much out of her.
"You do not fear?" He asked. "Yet you feared me a few years ago."
"I did not understand your power a few years ago. I understand much more now than I did then. Do not think I do not fear. I do not fear for me, because I know I can win. I do not fear you, because I know that even though we've only just met, you love me. I do not fear for you, because I know that you are powerful, beyond anything I have ever imagined, just as those three are. I fear for Lydia, because she is hurt and does not know any of the situations that will take place on this night. And her life is in danger. She has no way to protect herself against these. . .men." Zared held her tongue, not knowing a word that could supply her contempt for the kidnappers.
Aramis was in awe at her spiritual strength. He had never seen a mortal as strong as she. She would fight to the death to save her sister.
He captured her lips gently, crushing her hair in his hands. "I will protect the both of you." He whispered when he had finished.
Zared closed her eyes—she was quickly losing herself in this man. This was the night she would show the world that she too was a force unmatched. ~What are you?~
Aramis answered her softly, ~I am of the earth. I am Carpathian.~
"It's time." Lucian said, interrupting them.
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The stood, facing off like some shootout in a western. Lydia lay at the feet of their adversaries. Her body was more battered since even Zared had seen it last.
~Dominic will take your sister to be healed. Is that alright?~
~Yes. . .she has many wounds internally as well.~ Zared whispered back to Aramis.
"Well, witch? We'll let your sister go if you come with us."
Zared looked at the leader. She felt the four Carpathians prickle at what they thought was an insult. She took it as a complement.
"I remember you. You're the one that wanted to talk to me of my family history. You should know better!" Zared said vehemently. Her eyes pushed at the mortal men—sending them waves of heat, even on the cool breeze.
Lucian's eyebrow rose. He didn't like surprises, but he was sensing a great big one.
The leader pulled out a silver cross. "Back Satan's whore. We're going to send you back to your master."
This time, all the Carpathian's eyebrows rose. This was insane.
Zared smiled slightly. She took pulled out her own silver cross, one that hung from her neck. "I don't know what you're obviously on, but give me my sister."
The leader was shocked, to say the least. But he had back up. He pulled out a large container of salt and through a handful at her.
"You know, if those four weren't vampires, and your sister didn't look like that—I'd be laughing." Gabriel told her.
Zared's eyes hardened. These men had hurt her sister and done God knows what to her body and mind. They were going to know fear and pain and the wrath of a woman.
"So you want an evil thing. Black, evil magic. Fine." Zared said, filling her body with her power. Lightning and thunder tore at the skies, splintered trees, and shook the earth with their force. Using the ancient spell, she began in an ancient Druid language. "From the ashes you were sown, from the four winds blown, and now from the ashes I call you. Come, rise, and to me be true. Come for all to see." She shouted and as she looked into the eyes of the leader, she whispered, "As I will, so mote it be."
From the graves, grotesque and misshaped skeletons burst forth. The dead were coming to her calling, they were there to save the one that had called them and protect the one that would save the world.
Aramis looked at her in surprise. His woman was a witch. Power beyond many, she had called the dead from beyond to destroy those that had hurt her sister, an innocent.
Zared called on the energy in the earth, and white light burst from the ground, encircling her body. Her will took over and the men who had taken her sister burst into flames. The smell of burning flesh never got a chance to permeate. No, they turned to as in a fraction of a second.
Lydia's felt the underlying healing spells from her sister's power enter her body, though she didn't know what it was. She looked over to were she sensed Zared and watched in awe as her sister's rage took control—she watched in awe as Zared formed fire from thin air and sent it to her attackers. All at once, Zared sent her the information and she knew. She knew that her sister's book was true. And Zared was more powerful than their great-grandmother.
Lydia also felt the power envelope her in protection and love, comforting her, easing all the pain. She also felt the protection spell that guarded the path of the man that was coming towards her.
Dominic was in awe as well at the powerful punch the small woman held. He quickly made his way over to Lydia, her body looking like a rag doll. She was awake, he concluded that Zared had healed her a little while she was fighting. Dominic held down the emotions that swirled when he looked at the young woman—a girl really. Lydia was the answer to his prayer.
"My name is Dominic Dragonseeker. I am acquaintances with your sister's lifemate, Aramis. I am going to take you to be healed. Do you trust me?"
Lydia was mesmerized by the intoxication his voice had created. His voice was so soothing. She had the feeling that if she had the time, she'd listen to that voice for the rest of eternity.
"Yes. I trust you." She whispered and watched as his eyes swirled with something. Power, understanding, ultimate love, and oddly, color swirled into his eyes.
He picked her up and quickly sped to the mountains.
Back at the battle, Zared was wavering. Her energy was depleting rapidly and she was losing consciousness. The light around her faded and the dead made their way back to their graves. When they were in their graves, Zared used the last bit of her energy to cover their resting places and make it look as though nothing had ever happened.
Aramis caught her as she slid to the ground. He weaved a protection around her body and went to fight the creatures she had not destroyed. Two of the four vampires had not been destroyed. They were wounded and weak, but she had lost too much energy to destroy them. It apparently takes quite a bit of magic and energy to destroy the undead.
"Do not worry over these two. We shall take care of them. Care for you woman." Gabriel said gently, looking over her injuries. She was physically and spiritually drained. There was no telling how much energy she had used to help heal her sister and perform all of those feats.
"I am in your debt." Aramis said, picking Zared up. He quickly followed the line that Dominic had made to the mountains.
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OKAY!! Please read and review!!