Underworld - The Turning
Written by
Wendy Dale Smith
st7ci-at-hotmail.com
I'm posting chapter 6 and 7 this weekend because 6 is so tiny, and 7 is the largest chapter. I'll let you sit on chapter 7 for a few days…because I get this feeling it's a fairly radical notion to digest.
Okay!...Being a multimedia designer, I tend to be very visual, very sensory-dependent. When I write, I need to "see" and "hear" everything perfectly in my mind's eye, almost as if I'm watching a movie or a play. To help that purpose, I typically create images to go with my stories. I created one for The Turning that I think you might enjoy. It shows some of the people and places I talk about in this story (most of the places – like Vivienne's Charenton Street apartments in Paris, or the farmhouse in Austria – actually exist). I have the link below, but this site – for some reason – won't let me post the entire link in one single line. All you have to do is cut/paste the URL into the address box of your browser and then add that next line to the end of the URL [see link below].
www.wdsdesign.com
/websites/underworld/Underworld-The-Turning-17.jpg
To Reviewers: Just a reminder, I've moved the review replies to the end of the chapter.
"I can't sleep," Michael said aloud with a sigh.
He looked over at the bed again. He'd been brooding over the bed's sleeping occupant for two hours now. He turned his head to the clock ticking quietly on the small fireplace mantle. Make that two and a half hours. He sighed. It was past noon. He was hungry. He was bored.
Admitting defeat, Michael sat up and stretched aching muscles. While the chaise lounge looked comfortable and inviting, it wasn't. Standing cautiously, he silently walked to the foot of the bed to resume his vigil. He never thought watching someone sleep could be so fascinating, but Selene managed to make even that an enthralling activity. He watched her torso rise and fall with each slow shallow breath. She barely moved. She looked almost dead.
He had suspected she'd been exhausted. Selene had been more irritated and impatient than usual, despite the circumstance they were in. He had walked out of the bathroom and found her fast asleep, in the middle of cleaning the weapon she insisted he carry. As gently as he could, he had moved her to a less awkward position and covered her with his blanket. Much to his regret, she did not stir. Looking at her face now, he could not believe how angelic she seemed, how young and innocent. It made him ache to hold her. He would have been content just to do that.
Liar, he thought instantly. He quietly snorted in derision. The moment he had first laid eyes on Selene in that Budapest subway, he had imagined what it would be like to make love to her. That hadn't changed. But something had, he thought. One thing had changed. And he would have been deluding himself if he said it didn't matter.
He shook his head slowly as unconscious awe crept across his face. Since the moment she confirmed her virginity with staunch silence, he couldn't get the thought out of his head. Not once, not one time in his considerable repertoire of sexual fantasies had he imagined her as a virgin. He just could not comprehend how someone so experienced in so many other respects, and someone so beautiful, would not have had at least some firsthand knowledge in lovemaking. The notion that no one had touched her immediately intoxicated the lycan in him, had nearly consumed him with a wave of intense possessiveness. But his human brain had gotten that primitive part of himself quickly under control with one simple realization.
He was a complete idiot.
He should have known. He should have realized it. All the signs had been there. She'd practically hit him over the head with it on many occasions. Selene was born into an era that held a woman's purity to the highest standards. Even he had studied enough history to know that much. She had been a maiden when she'd been turned. That her vampire sire had been Viktor put her on a pedestal that no ordinary male could touch. And she had hated the one male that might have been suitable, that son of a bitch who shot him, the one she called Kraven. Selene had confessed to him that the bastard tried to claim her on several occasions. Michael knew instantly what she had really meant. Kraven had tried to rape her. Her training as a Death Dealer and Kraven's persistent fear of Viktor had been the only thing that kept him at bay.
Though she showed no lingering pain from the ordeal, Michael hurt for her anyway, and felt she had every right to be cold and unyielding. How could someone exist in such a cruel and brutal environment and not be deeply affected? The path she had chosen as a vampire, to be a Death Dealer, only made her isolation from her own kind that much more pronounced. Michael failed to grasp the consequences of that emotional rigidity. That her sexuality would be shut down as well never entered his mind. He felt callow and insensitive for not seeing that from the beginning. He felt like shaking her awake just so he could confess to being a self-centered, stupid ass of a male. But he didn't. He doubted she would appreciate his earnest apology.
Instead, he sat back down again on the chaise lounge. He looked at the clock. Three hours.
He heard quiet footsteps out in the hall again. It was the fifth time in three hours he had heard someone walk past their door. He found it odd that vampires would be up and around in the middle of the day. Selene had told him vampires were instinctively compelled to sleep during daylight. He sat up straighter. He skewed up his nose sharply. There's that smell again, he thought, now completely curious. As quietly as he could, he stood up and walked to the bedroom door, and listened.
His eyes widened in alarm as a shadow appeared below the door. Someone's standing right there. The person seemed to hesitate, then suddenly walk back they way they had come.
Coming to a hasty decision, Michael dashed for his bag and pulled out his sneakers. Forcibly pulling them on his feet, he hobbled back to the door. Giving Selene one last check, he opened the bedroom door and silently closed it back again.
No daylight penetrated the darkened hallway. It was only slightly better illuminated than their bedroom. He heard one of the main elevators at the end of the hallway open with a ding. Creeping silently, he tried to catch up to the snooper before they disappeared down the elevator. Michael peeked around the corner just as the doors closed. Hesitating for just a moment, Michael looked back at their bedroom door. She can take care of herself, he assured himself, and hit the elevator button going down.
Relying on intuition, he hit the lowest button, "B2" for basement level 2. The smell was exceptionally strong in the elevator. As he felt the elevator come to a stop, he suddenly heard a raised angry voice just outside. As the elevator began to open, he saw four grimy looking men being reprimanded by a fifth dark headed male who was facing away from him. As the dark-headed man turned in his direction, an instant, evil memory came to Michael. He recognized him immediately.
Wrath in it purest form engulfed Michael. Without thought, he snarled a deep, thunderous roar, and attacked.
-.-.-.-.-
Selene's eyes shot open.
In a flash, she grabbed her Beretta from under the pillow and sat straight up, pointing the weapon blindly in front of her. Looking quickly about, she instantly sensed Michael's absence. "Shit," she fiercely whispered as she flew the cover off and ran for the bathroom.
Three minutes later, Selene, fully dressed in one of the new Death Dealer uniforms, marched out of her quarters, gun in hand. She was several steps down the hallway when Vivienne rounded the far corner in her direction. At seeing Selene in her new warrior gear, with a weapon at the ready, Vivienne became instantly angry. "Put that away. You're in no danger here."
Selene held the pistol up warily, with the clear intent of doing no such thing. "Where's Michael," she said threateningly.
Before she knew what happened, Vivienne snatched the pistol from her hand and slammed it on the hallway table. "Do as I say!" she barked. Vivienne then abruptly turned and walked back the way she came. "Come, before it is too late," she said urgently over her shoulder.
Selene scowled murder at the woman, and hurriedly followed, having no choice but to leave her precious handgun on the hallway board. She was too afraid for Michael to argue.
They took the service lift down to basement level two. As the doors opened, Selene finally noticed the faint smell Michael had caught earlier, the vaguely familiar odor he could not identify. She instantly became alarmed for it was very familiar to her. Her hands started to shake. She wished desperately for her weapons. With frightened hesitation, Selene followed Vivienne out into the basement's stark hallway.
Seeing and feeling the other woman's fear, Vivienne was brought up short. She looked at Selene with a piercing intensity, but her voice was gentle and sincere. "You must trust me, Selene. No harm will come to you or Michael in my home. I swear it. Do you understand?" Selene's eyes darted to the turn in the hallway. She heard Michael's low growl, could smell him in his hybrid state. She could smell the others as well. Her lips trembled, but she managed to nod once. Vivienne sighed sharply. "Come now," she said as she walked around the corner. Selene steeled herself and followed.
Nothing could have prepared her for the sight that greeted her.
They were standing in the shadowy lobby next to the main lift banks. Michael, fully transformed into his much stronger hybrid form, had Kraven suspended in midair with one clawed hand around his throat. He was enraged, and choking the life out of the hated vampire. Blood poured from Kraven's throat where Michael's claws had penetrated flesh. But what made Selene draw her breath sharply in fear were the four lycan males standing on the far side of Michael, just off the hallway beyond. Two were in their wolf state, towering almost two and a half meters in height. All the lycans were shifting and trembling as they fixated their gaze on Michael. By their stance and their smell, it was clear to Selene they were overwhelmed with terror. Feeling exposed as she stared at the lycans, Selene reflexively opened and closed her hands into fists at her sides. She had no defenses, no weapons.
"You must tell him to stop. Put him down," Vivienne ordered Selene.
"Why?" she replied coldly as she continued to eye the lycans. Almost absently, Selene noticed Kraven. He seemed on the verge of unconsciousness. He croaked out a gasp as Michael growled again. Despite her initial surprise at seeing Kraven, she could have cared less if Michael broke the bastard's neck.
"Just do it! Before he kills him!" Vivienne's voice held desperation that was uncharacteristic of the woman. It distracted Selene enough to shoot her an annoyed frown. With a reluctant twitch of her mouth, Selene cautiously stepped toward Michael.
Making sure Michael stood between the lycans and herself, she moved to stand at his side. Never once taking her eyes off the four frightened males, she leaned in and brushed her shoulder against his, effectively capturing his attention. He growled. Selene twitched her nose at the smell of Kraven's blood and looked up. Michael held the vampire aloft without effort. She knew all Michael had to do was squeeze his hand into a tight fist to rip Kraven's throat out. What was holding him back? She couldn't quite fathom. Then Michael turned black eyes in her direction. She realized with shock that he was in full control of his faculties, knew perfectly well what he was doing. He was simply overwhelmed with rage. His black eyes questioned her, asked what she wanted him to do.
With a reluctant sigh, she said, "Put him down."
Michael stared at her for a few moments more, and then turned his head back to Kraven. With a quick flick, he tossed the vampire across the room. Kraven slammed into the steel lift door and collapsed, unconscious. Cautiously, Vivienne moved to Kraven, bending down to check his condition.
Selene knew he would live, despite his seeping neck wounds. To her disappointment, it wasn't the thick, bubbling red of arterial blood. Dismissing Kraven, she instead kept her eyes fixated on the lycans. Seeing the two transformed into giant wolves made her want to escape. But like the dogs they were, she knew they would instinctively chase after her if she tried to run. She put her trust in Michael instead.
Michael turned his head slightly back in her direction and blinked his black eyes, gauging her emotions. Her fear made him angry. With a low growl, he turned his fury toward the four lycanthropes. Michael walked slowly to them, feeding off his anger and instinctive protectiveness. He felt alive with power in his feral state and feared nothing, especially the four lycans trembling in front of him. He could taste their terror.
Michael approached the largest in wolf form and roared, daring him to try anything, wishing that he would. The eight foot lycan raised his chin and immediately began to shrink back into human form. The young man he became was drenched in sweat and shaking as he kept his chin in the air. He exposed his neck to the hybrid, keeping his arms to his sides, not threatening in any way. Michael walked up to him, getting within an inch of the man's neck. He blew out through his mouth and nose violently, smelling, making the young man flinch and shut his eyes. Michael snarled deeply, but did nothing else.
He then moved to the other lycans, in turn performing the same instinctive ritual. They all showed him the same supplication. He walked back up to the largest young man, who still had his eyes firmly closed. Michael stared at the lycan and took deep, drawn out breaths, calming himself just enough to change back into his human form. Slowly, the other man opened his eyes and found Michael's blue-green ones staring back at him. He immediately looked to the ground, still terrified of Michael. The other three lycans followed suit.
"Very fascinating," Vivienne said under her breath, still crouched at Kraven's unconscious form. Selene looked down at the woman and saw she had been analyzing Michael's actions with great interest, just as Selene was doing. Vivienne didn't seem at all surprised or alarmed at Michael's hybrid form. In fact, Vivienne seemed exactly as she had just professed. She was fascinated with Michael. Selene just shook her head at the baffling French woman.
Michael was shaking violently now, not from fear, but from pent up rage. Breathing deeply, he was doing everything in his power to maintain control. The air crackled with the energy he was attempting to contain. The lycans didn't move. They stared at the ceiling, the walls, at anything but the hybrid. They certainly did not stare at the women standing behind him. Michael took a couple of steps back from them, hoping some distance would help. He didn't want to kill anyone, and he quickly realized that's what his rage would have led him to do.
"Michael," Selene said softly, suddenly. With a wary look at the lycans, he turned to her. With the slightest movement of her head, she commanded he approach her. With a warning look back at the four frightened men, he slowly walked up to her. He was shaking still, completely tense. She had seen this before, when he had slaughtered a sheep during full moon. Calmly, she took hold of his hand and laid her palm on his chest. She looked unblinking into his eyes. Michael stared back as he took several deep breaths. He then looked down and closed his eyes. Finally, he nodded he was okay.
Selene then turned her head to Vivienne and nodded. The other woman stood slowly, riveted on the couple. Finally, she shook her head in quiet amazement, and turned her attention to the four pitiable young men.
"Damien," Vivienne said softly. Selene saw one of the lycans jump. "Go and wake Jacob, please." The lycan bowed to her with great reverence and took off down the hall, but not without skirting Selene and Michael in wary fear first. The behavior was inexplicable to Selene. One moment they were the embodiments of malevolence, and now they were acting like abused pups. Michael hadn't even touched them.
In fact, Michael wasn't even looking in the lycan's direction. He didn't want to risk eye contact that would send him back into a rage. Instead, he stood rigidly next to Selene, with his head up, arms crossed, and simply stared blankly at nothing. To Selene, Michael looked imperious and arrogant, traits she had never seen from him before. You snob, she thought, silently amused at his unconscious alpha display.
Vivienne then ordered one lycan, called Batiste, to take Kraven to the infirmary. Batiste, the large one Michael first put down, cautiously walked around Michael and Selene and picked up Kraven, throwing him brusquely over his shoulder. The lycan was still in his boxers, Selene noticed with further humor. She understood that the extreme tension of earlier was giving way to the release of lighter emotions, now that she knew she was in no danger. Michael looked at her in puzzlement then, picking up on her sudden change in mood. She shook her head slightly, not wanting to alarm Michael further by laughing outright.
As Batiste turned around, she then noticed the brand on his muscled shoulder. It was the letter V set in a circle. She instantly recognized the mark, Viktor's brand. It was just like the one Lucian had on his shoulder. With a start, Selene then realized it wasn't Viktor's mark at all, but Vivienne's. She couldn't quite hide her shock at what the brand entailed.
Vivienne ordered the last two lycans. "John, Darrel, go tell Eleanor to make the rest of the floor safe for me and my guests. Thank you." As they bowed low and ran to do Vivienne's bidding, Selene noticed the other half nude lycan had the same V-shaped brand.
Vivienne finally looked back at Selene and Michael, and noted Selene's shocked astonishment. The older vampire instantly became alarmed. "What?" she said, and looked about her.
"You're the collaborator," Selene accused. "The one who was sending money and weapons to the lycans, to Lucian!"
Vivienne just stared at the younger woman for several seconds. Finally, she couldn't help it, she snorted in laughter. "If you have just figured that one out, then you had better brace yourself, ma fille," she said, still chuckling. She turned and moved toward the opposite hallway. "Come with me," she ordered with no small amount of humor, as she headed for two large double-doors.
-.-.-.-.-
-.-.-.-.-
Lady K2 – Thank goodness someone liked the nightgown scene! Given the rather rank and disheveled state Selene was in, I don't think any woman could have resisted the tactile seduction of an exquisite satin nightdress. This was Vivienne's gentle, yet crafty way of reminding Selene that she was, indeed, still a woman. Being well over a thousand years old, I imagine Vivienne would have the shrewd perception of a near clairvoyant. She's seen it all, heard it all, and probably done it all many many times. To Vivienne, Selene is a child, one that's been abused for far too long.
Redd – Wow! Thanks! Yes, I will make the attempt to update twice a week now. It all depends on how much time I have to post and reply to everyone who posts a review.
Nickyjay – I read your story and I see no fault with your reasoning. It works great! I just went that much further – she's a woman who remained celibate to pleasure and married to the hate-filled crusade of revenge. I just see Selene as an all-or-nothing type gal.
XxVampire QueenxX – Whew! I was worried no one would like this chapter, or Vivienne for that matter.
Iridescent eyes – I just read Heart Veneer a couple days ago…THAT was a great story! In that light, I think you might like what I have in store for Selene.
Marix – I dearly appreciate your support. grin
Luwana-Fluff-Dragon – Story. Story. Story. That's everything. If there's no set plot, then even the best characters in the world will fall flat on their ass in the end. It's the plot that drives and evolves the characters. It's the plot that makes you care about what happens to them. On the other hand, keeping the characters in character makes the plot more viable and believable, so adherence to that is a must as well. It was a huge challenge to keep them in character with the set goal I had in mind. I sure hope you enjoy how I end up solving my dilemma. I'm very flattered that you're enjoying the story so far.
Jubillie-gurl – I explain the whole virginity thing a little bit more thoroughly in this next chapter (chapter 6). It's kind of tragic. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story!
Josh Maxwell – I'm very happy you like Vivienne! Regarding your request…I think I will accommodate you very nicely. [grin]
Lal – Heh…oh she was more than a little jealous at what Vivienne did…her reaction later in their suite was a direct result of that jealousy. You'll see more of that.
Bina – I'm glad you're enjoying Vivienne…and I think you'll be very happy with how I answer your question. Please, keep reading!
Katylar – I don't want to upload all at once because it gives me the opportunity to do one final grammar check with each chapter, and it allows me to break up review responses. I think it's important to give each and every one of you a decent reply. It matters, and this way I get to respond in kind.
Hanachan2 – Good God, you're French. I'm so busted. Svp, pardonnez mon Français horrible! Je suis heureux que vous appréciez le fic.
Orchadlo667 – I'm very glad you're enjoying the story. But…I have to say…this story is going to go R-rated in a big way toward the end…just to warn you younger folks! I'll be giving a big heads-up when that occurs.
Agent Alana – See my response to Katylar. Hopefully, these next two chapters will make you happy for a little while. [grin]