Back! I love three day weekends; God's gift to stressed out women everywhere. I'm hoping you all enjoyed the last chapter and I'd like to give a little shout out to ForverACharmedOne for the one of the nicest reviews I've yet to receive. I've also got to thank cheryljulia, Elwyndra, and topgallant for continuously leaving wonderful reviews and everyone else who's been nice enough to comment on the story so far.
YOU'RE ALL THE GREATEST AND YOU MAKE THIS AUTHOR VERY VERY HAPPY.
Enjoy the chapter.
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"This isn't so hard," Damien scoffed, touching down onto a secluded ridge far up in the mountains and expertly shimmering back into his human form. It was obvious indeed this once mortal man had a knack for vampirism. Already his master had started schooling him on the basic principals of his new found power, and much to his master's pleasure, he had picked most things up immediately. Damien could now partially and fully transform into his beast form; a skill he both loved for the power it invoked and distained for the terrifying appearance that came with it.
"Although," he thought, shifting his still unconscious bundle in his arms as he followed his master into their new resting spot, "fear certainly has its advantages." Nothing in Damien's previous life had ever sent such a feeling of raw control through his veins than when he'd soared over a small village and had the pleasure of watching the townsmen run in fear at the shadows of the vhampyrs.
"Mortals," he thought, but then caught himself; had it not been him only yesterday that would have jumped to his feet at the alarm of a highblood vampire sighting? It seemed liked years instead of hours ago.
"Damien stop dwindling!" the impatient voice of Dracula commanded, snapping Damien effectively out of his thoughts. Already Damien was beginning to understand the ever complex mind of his new master. The master was sarcastic and condescending to those beneath him, but could switch to nonchalant and downright charming at a whim. His temper was something to be avoided at all costs and to be feared should you be the unlucky soul it was released upon.
Damien could only pray he never pushed Dracula to that point, for it was one he guessed few came back alive from.
Damien paused for a second at the mouth of the small cave and gazed at the ever lightening sky. The new layer of virgin snow that littered the ground was the only remains of the furious blizzard that had raged but earlier that night. Light was beginning to seep from the horizon and as it shone brilliantly off the crystal flakes Damien felt his eyes drooping and his sight becoming more and more sensitive. Sensing dawn was almost upon him Damien hustled inside the cave and let a long sigh out as he seeped in the cool frosty air. Had he ever felt so vivacious?
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Dracula turned as he sensed Damien enter the cave. Wanting to examine his prize more closely, Dracula walked up to Damien and calmly held out his hands. "The girl, if you please," he said without preamble.
Damien hesitated, although even he was not completely sure why, before slipping the huntress into Dracula's waiting arms. Finally able to get a proper look Dracula took his time taking in the woman's features. Dark silky hair fell softly over one side of her face as she unconsciously shifted in his arms moving towards the warmth of his body. Every inch of her was covered in a light leather armor that went from the top of her neck all the way down to her ankles. Even her hands were covered with thick brown leather gloves.
The only part of her uncovered, he noticed with a grin, was her face and her feet. Obviously Damien had over looked the fact that she didn't sleep with her shoes on when he picked her up. Her skin was a dusky golden tan that spoke of warmer climates and days spent in the sun. Dracula could see where Damien had bruised her though, blue and black marks peeking out from the top of her high collared armor.
Gently he lay his hand along her neck, ignoring how she flinched in her sleep and moved slightly away, as he slowly circled the skin with his thumb, lightly applying pressure and allowing his healing powers to seep into her injured neck. The bruises quickly disappeared and Dracula moved on to the substantial lump she had on the back of her head from where Damien had slammed her against the cave wall. He repeated the process, much to the awe of Damien who had been watching him with open envy, before moving on and lightly laying his palm across her eyes as he fell into concentration.
Finally Dracula seemed satisfied and, on seeing Damien's questioning gaze, explained, "We don't need her waking up while we're resting do we now? No, I've arranged it so she'll sleep a while yet."
Damien reached out to take Fleur back but Dracula only shifted her before turning away. "I will be watching her tonight Damien," he said.
Dracula sensed Damien's frown and turned back momentarily to face him. "Explain something to me my young vampire," he asked making Damien meet his azure gaze, "you slaughtered your men without a thought, betrayed your family and kingdom in an instant, and yet you are protective of the little huntress. Why is that Damien?"
"Fleur," he said.
"Excuse me," responded Dracula, raising an elegant eyebrow.
"Her name, it's Fleur. And to be honest with you master, I don't rightfully know why I feel this way," answered Damien, his brow knotted in thought as he struggled to find the exact source of his emotions.
"I suppose," he started slowly, as thought struggling to find a way to put it into words, "It's because when I gave up my country and my race, my family and my men, they were things I had already had. I knew what I was giving up; I weighed the options and found mortality to be lacking when compared with the alternative. But with Fleur…well I suppose you can't give up something you've never had. Be tired of a flavor you've yet to taste. Trade away an object when you don't know its value. I know it sounds confusing, but she is a mystery to me I have yet to satisfy my curiosity of. It is not who she is or what she looks like that interests me, although I will admit when I first saw her she caught my attention, but really it is the fact that I have never been around someone so long and yet known them so little." He shrugged. "In the end I suppose it's simple curiousity and fleeting attraction that effect me so. I hope you can accept that answer master, because it is the best one I have."
Dracula was silent for a second taking in all that Damien had said before he responded. "Very well. But," he said, his eyes narrowing, "You will accept that the huntress is mine. I will do with her as I please, and it would behoove you to forget about your curiosity and forget about her. Find another mystery to peruse, this one I claim as my own. Is that understood?"
Damien nodded obediently, as much as he liked what little he knew about the tracker, he was not willing to put his undead soul of the line for her…although he was still very curious, and he was surprised to feel a little guilty about being the one to betray her. Trust was such a burdensome concept.
"Very good," Dracula responded, "Now get some sleep; we gave a long flight ahead of us tomorrow. We will be meeting the rest of my highbloods at Bucharest in two days time and I hate being late."
With that he turned away and effortlessly began walking straight up the cave wall with Fleur resting limply against his chest. The ability to control the direction of gravity had always fascinated Damien and he watched closely as Dracula walked across the ceiling as easily as if it had been the floor. Even Fleur seemed to be caught in his power since her hair continued to fall softly down her shoulders. Damien moved a ways off before finding his own sleeping place, one of the first things Dracula had told him was that he slept alone and ate alone; with the obvious exceptions of his bed companions and his victims, or sometimes both at the same time.
Dracula found a suitable resting place in the deepest reach of the cave and hung calmly upside down as his brain gradually slowed preparing for sleep. The huntress squirmed in his arms and Dracula glanced down. Little puffs of air were appearing each time she exhaled into the still frosty morning air and Dracula realized she was shivering in her sleep. Damn Damien for not grabbing her shoes! Dracula quickly unbuttoned his outer cloak and slipped her in up against his still warm body. He probably wouldn't stay warm too long, he thought absently, the stolen blood would cool off in a matter of hours; but for now he smiled cockily as Fleur tucked her cold feet in between his calves and molded her curvy form up against his body. Dracula shut his eyes for a second savoring the contact.
He could defiantly get use to being wrapped up in this little hunter. How long had it been since he felt the beating heart of another against his chest? At least forty years…far too long for his peace of mind. Dracula smirked; it was only a matter of time before she would be his. He would make sure of it. Patience, he told himself, forcing his body to calm. He would wait till he got to Bucharest then he would seduce her mind…or break her will. In either case, she would be his.
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PLEASE REVIEW READERS! I KNOW YOU 'HITS' ARE OUT THERE!!!
I Havn't Decided What the Hell to Sign my Author Notes as…
Don't worry, it'll come to me in time. Plus it'll probably be very cheesy and over done, like all great authors….maybe something like "Black Lung"….LOL.
P.S.- I know this chapter is short so I'll probably be uplaoding agian very soon. Chow.