I groaned and slowly awoke within a nice, big, and warm fluffy bed. I blinked and looked around the softly lit room. I had been asleep for some time now but for how long? I got out of bed and padded to the window and grasped the drapes then pulled them aside. Warm sunlight bathed me in its richness and I shivered, not realizing how cold I really was.

I looked back to the bed and wondered if the Vampire held me here. It wouldn't be against my will if he was, would it? Where was Jay? Why was I so cold? Did I harm Mark? Was he badly hurt?

I remembered shocking the hell out of him and how he refused to let go of me. Should I still be upset with him for biting me? Instinctively, I lifted my hand to the side of my neck and grew wide eyed.

No pain and no scar as smooth skin welcomed me. Unable to contain my curiosity, I ran to the bathroom and flicked on the light then looked into the mirror, inspecting my neck.

Before I knew what I was doing, I grew wide eyed. I was looking into a bathroom mirror! Remembering what happened to me in my bedroom at Glenn's palace, I quickly retreated out of the bathroom, afraid something could happen like it had again.

Anyway, my neck was as good as new. But how could that be? It usually took my body about a day to fully heal. Did Jay heal me?

'Of course you are as good as new. When you shocked Mark, you healed yourself. So no, I did not heal you, Angel.' Jay said to me telepathically.

I walked to the bed and slowly sat down upon its edge, absorbing what she had just told me.

'So when I inflict pain, I heal?'

That didn't sound right, and I frowned.

'No but when you are that worked up, you heal whatever ailments you have. But if there is someone or something that pisses you off, you will lash out. It is your Angelic side more than your Phantom side.'

I still frowned.

'So I hurt Mark?'

'He made you do it, Angel.' Jay countered.

'But did I have to do it so… badly?' I asked and worried my bottom lip.

'What do you mean "badly?" I am rather proud of you.'

I rolled my eyes.

'But Mark-'

'Mark is fine. I healed him after you fainted. Now he should be more aware of the way he treats you.'

'You healed him? But I thought you didn't like him. And, you know, this all really isn't making me feel any better.'

'I did heal him but if you want to be with him, I cannot stand in your way.'

Did I want to be with him? Sure he was handsome, rugged, and charming but his past and the beast from the Underworld was coming back and the beast wanted to kill me. Plus Mark was all screwed up with what happened to his father.

Could I accept him and try to help him with his past or should I leave and never look back?

'Would it be that easy, Angel?' Jay inquired quietly.

I bit my lip and sighed.

'No it wouldn't be easy at all.'

'Well then, go to him.'

My eyes grew wide.

'Jay I can't-'

'You will feel better once you do, Angelica.'

I sighed once more.

'Yes mother.' I said sarcastically.

'I am not a mother yet, but I hope to be in time. Now go.'

I exhaled a breath but got up and padded to the bedroom door, grasping the knob and turning it as I opened the wooden door. Glad it was unlocked, I placed my left hand on the wooden doorframe and leaned my head out, looking from the left then to the right of the room.

Nothing greeted me except a long hallway leading to the left and to the right. I eased out of the bedroom and closed the door silently behind me then looked up and down the long hallway, wondering which way to go.

I decided to go to the left and hoped that Mark's room wasn't too far from where I was. Paintings of various people and expensive pieces of furniture dotted both sides of this long hallway as I slowly walked passed.

The floor was made of black marble as a beautiful maroon rug extended the entire length of the hallway and my eyebrows rose. That was really impressive as I've never seen that before.

Wow, what people can do when they've the money.

But then, many immortals were wealthy.

I hadn't noticed I was at the end of the hallway when I spooked a wooden door with a black handle. Curious, I grasped the handle and pushed it down, opening the door. I cautiously stepped inside and closed he door behind me.

I could smell Mark's scent and my heartbeat quickened in response. Maybe Jay was right about he and I being destined mates.

It felt like to me that once it's done, there was no changing it. So I hoped the Ancients made the right decision.

I closed my eyes and exhaled then opened them once more, looking around the room. A sad vibe emitted from this room and I wondered why. I slowly stepped to the middle of the room, looking around still.

The room was darkened slightly because of the amount of dust that covered everything. The maroon drapes were drawn as they looked like they hadn't been touched in years; as I could see because of the thick layer of dust covering them.

So instead of the rich color of maroon, they were a dingy gray. My eyebrows furrowed. Ick. The carpet was still a white creamy plush color as it felt nice and soft beneath my bare feet. I turned to the left and my eyes grew wide.

A huge fireplace took up half of the wall! Wow! I've never seen one this big in my entire life!

But it looked like it hadn't been used in years, just like the drapes. Another why floated through my mind. I instinctively stayed away from it then looked to my right. A large golden framed portrait hung upon the wall as I noticed no dust was covering it. I cocked my head slightly as I walked up to it to get a better look at it.

The portrait was of a man with a crown on his folded tight arm. He held it close to himself and I could see the pride in his expression as well as his posture. As a king should look. He resembled Mark with those emerald eyes, the auburn red hair, and the near seven feet he stood.

I then realized that this man was Mark's father, the same man that saved him from a horrible death.

I slowly lifted my right hand and gently placed my fingertips on the surface and gasped.

I saw this man raising a son, training him like a disciplined soldier. Then he and his son had a meeting with other immortals as they refused to let the king and his son go to the Underworld but the Vampire king was furious and headstrong.

These visions were like flashbacks, even though I never saw it happen or was ever there. I never knew Mark's father although I wished I could have.

Then I suddenly felt intense heat as all I could do was stare wide eyed before me, as if in a trance as I watched the scenes unravel before my very eyes. The Underworld- with hot red boulders and fire erupting everywhere with lava flowing like rivers- took place of the vision.

I trembled as I couldn't move or even blink. I saw the Vampire king and his son fighting the beast I only hoped to never encounter again.

I nearly screamed by how ghastly the beast looked with its long gruesome horns protruding from its temples, red scaly skin that shined in the light of the fire around it, long black claws and black eyes.

Saliva dropped from its open mouth and the tips of its huge fangs, which were as long as my fingers. I now shook as I watched the beast stand like a man and clawed, slashed, and snarled as father and son tried to slay it.

Flames erupted all around them as the beast roared.

So this was… Hell.

His father then pushed Mark out of harms way, yelling for him to go through the portal. Mark watched on as his father was murdered before him. Oh Ancients, Mark… He witnessed his father die before him, like he had told me.

Telling me was one thing. Seeing it happen was another.

I quickly pulled my hand from the portrait with tears in my eyes as I stared down at my hand dumbly. Thoughts raged through my mind as I tried to process what I had just witnessed.

Was he alone because he blamed himself for his father's death? If so, why did he feel guilty? Did he feel like this was his fault? Was I the one to open his eyes to the truth of it not being his fault? Realization struck, and my eyes widened. Oh Ancients, Jay was right.

Mark and I were meant for each other.

I scrambled out of the room and somehow found the one that was given to me. I sat on the edge of the bed, totally shaken with what I had just seen. I wondered if he needed me more than I needed him…

After the sun had set, Mark opened his drapes and looked out at the vast grounds surrounding his palace as his thoughts dwelled on Angie. They always seemed to dwell on her now. That was another fact of her being his.

He sighed and looked up to the sky that was slowly relinquishing the day, the stars slowly beginning to show their shining faces.

He had dreamed of her; of her lovely scent and her beautiful face. Her aura was a gorgeous aqua as it enveloped everything about her, even her long black hair. She was stunning, pale skin and turquoise eyes and all.

She stood in a grassy field and had called out to him, beckoning him forward with her seductive gaze. Enthralled, he walked forward, and she rewarded him with a smile and a kiss.

He'd been so into the dream that when he woke, he sported a raging erection. He debated on slacking himself while he laid in bed, but he couldn't do it. If he and Angie were meant to be, which he believed they were, then he'd wait until they made love to slack himself.

Maybe he was a fool to wait so long but he wanted to. Even after all this time, Mark Calaway the Vampire king, was inexperienced when it came to claiming a woman.

Sure his instincts would guide him the first time but so would Angie. He then wondered if she too was inexperienced. His instincts claimed she was but was she truly? He would never really know until he claimed her, but would he even get the chance to?

Would she want him to claim her? Would she accept him as her mate? He'd already accepted her as his but sensed that she hadn't accepted him as hers yet.

He sighed sadly and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against the cool glass of the window. Would he ever be happy? Something his father always claimed Mark would find in his lifetime. But time dragged in as the years turned into centuries. Would he be happy, and would he ever win Angie's heart?

He truly hoped so and hoped that it wasn't too late to do so…