CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

POSSESSION

LEAH LUCIER:

I was possessed by the demon vampire Daniel. In trying to do what was right I had managed to achieve the complete opposite. I stopped Daniel from killing people, but he was killing me instead. Bit by bit I was losing myself to him. Etienne had never discussed this with me at all when he told me all about his kind. Who knew vampires could drink other vampire's heavily laced venom blood? Who knew it would make you bind yourself to the drinker and become a slave to them in all ways? I didn't. Etienne surely didn't? How did Daniel know? Ah my husband had been so right when he said I shouldn't change Daniel into one of us. I should have listened. Now, it seemed too late to save Daniel, to save myself and most of all to save my marriage. I had dug an almighty deep dark hole and even my vampire strength and keenness couldn't pull me out of it. I tried to fight it, but Daniel had a strong hold over me. He looked at me and I became like jelly. He kissed me and I swooned. He bit me and I succumbed. What a mess! I loved Etienne so badly but I knew I was hurting him. Daniel had been diverting all of my attention away from Etienne. Why did I not listen to my inner voice warning me? Why did my visions of Daniel as a devastatingly attractive and seductive vampire not hamper me? So many unfulfilled questions. I had no answers though.

I sat alone in the large living room of our home. Twilight was descending and the sky was a lovely blush of deep pink. Bella had just called me. I must've have frustrated my good friend no end as I had nothing to say to her. She told me how perfect Kat and Embry's son was. I still had the photograph Embry had text to me. Nathaniel was indeed gorgeous and I was a proud Aunt. I had sent a brief message back to Embry stating I would be home soon for a visit. Home was really Vancouver now. Home was now an exquisite trap from which I could neither see nor sense escape. My visions did not include Daniel any more. I suspect he had something to do with that. I saw Etienne but he always looked sad. His twinkle was gone in my visions. This was also true of real and present time. He was morose and definitely not himself. I knew this was because of me. I must escape from this hold Daniel had over me! If I didn't let him drink from me I knew he would escape and run rampage through the night streets. How was I going to stop him? After the first time he drank from me I was enslaved to him and my strength was useless against that hold he had over me. I would have to tell Etienne. Oh dear god! He would be so upset but I must do something. I had made Daniel and I felt deeply responsible for him. Etienne would tell me to leave him be, let him get on with his existence. How could I have innocent human murders on my hands though? It would just be the same as if I'd killed them myself! I sighed with exasperation. Etienne had escaped the house for now. He said he had business to attend to. I didn't know if that was true or not. He probably just wanted to get away from the oppressing darkness which had fallen over our usually happy home.

The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as I felt Daniel's presence behind me. I tensed my body waiting for his attack. I felt his index finger trace my spine, his hand lifting my hair away from my neck, then his cool lips trailing down my skin gently. I shivered with desire. I couldn't help it. I didn't want to. I struggled internally with my feelings and emotions. Daniel roughly turned me towards him and pressed his body up against me, a low growl escaping from his lips. He fastened his mouth to mine eagerly. My lips disobeyed my brain as I kissed him ferociously with red hot fiery passion. My brain clouded over as his scent and taste bound me to him. I weakly tried to push him away from me but didn't succeed as his lips found their way down to my neck and onto the swell of my breasts in my low cut vest top. He growled again as his teeth grazed my neck. I felt the burning pain as my marble skin broke. He drank greedily from me this time and I felt all my strength zap away. When he was done he gazed into my hazy eyes with adoration and lust. "I love you Leah." he said huskily in that beautiful voice of his. His hands easily ripped my top from me and it fell to tatters on the ground. I clutched my arms around my near naked top half. Daniel bit his bottom lip with desire as he pulled my hands away so he could gaze at me in my scarlet red bra. "Beautiful" he whispered reverently.

He dropped to his knees and held me tight around the waist as his lips and tongue traced the smooth skin of my flat stomach. I gasped and let my hands wander roughly through his hair. This was wrong, so wrong! I was in love with my husband, only he should touch me this way. His nails were lightly raking my back as he kissed and licked every inch of my exposed skin. I felt as if I were falling into a spiral of pleasure and pain mixed together. I loved what he was doing to me, I was caught up in the excitement and passion. I had no strength to stop him. But a little far away voice in my head was screaming no no no, over and over! I knew I was letting the situation go way too far this time but I was in a trance, powerless to resist Daniel's touch. He easily picked me up and carried me to the large Persian rug in front of the big fireplace. The orange flames of the fire danced and writhed in a wild cacophony as Daniel laid me down. His shirt was off in a flash and he was on top of me, his arms pinning me down, his lips singing with frenzied desire on mine. His cool skin slid against mine as we melded together. My passion and lust for him was as hot as the flames which cast shadows on our pale marble skin. I was lost to him. How would I ever find my way back. I tried to release my arms but my body had gone soft and weak. Daniel was whispering hoarse words of love and passion against my ear, his lips moving down to my neck and beyond. His strong hands were deftly undoing the zip on my skin tight jeans. I sighed as I tried to push my body upwards. Daniel moaned lustfully as he mistook my movement for passionate abandonment.

This was going way way too far now. I couldn't resist him.

Suddenly the large dark oak door of the living room opened and in a whirlwind Etienne flew in, his face even whiter than normal with sheer fury. He flung Daniel away from me in one swift movement and picked me up in a fireman's lift as he flew out of the room with me. It all happened so quickly. "Alice was right!" he was muttering under his breath as he carried me out of the front door like lightning away from the city lights of the frosty November night. He carefully placed me down on a bed of Autumn leaves in the woods just on the outskirts of Vancouver. He took off his long black overcoat and placed it around my half naked body gently. Our kind didn't feel the cold but I knew this was Etienne's way of trying to look out for me. His beautiful eyes were sad but laced with venomous fury. I couldn't look at him. I turned away and put my shameful head in my hands. If I could've sobbed my heart out I certainly would have done so. I was scared to look at Etienne's disappointed and angry face. I felt his strong arms envelop me and his embrace tighten around me. "Leah, I know what that monster has been doing to you! Bella was worried after your phone call so she asked Alice to try to "see" what was happening. She called me right away. I am so sorry my love, please forgive me! I've let you down!" he cried out against my hair. I gazed up into his beautiful kaleidoscope eyes which were becoming dark, "Oh Etienne! It is I who have let you down. I was concentrating so much on making things right with Daniel that I didn't see this coming! I am so sorry my darling! I didn't want to be intimate with him, I swear!" I swore solemnly.

His gentle familiar lips sought out mine with a forgiving sweet kiss. I was so happy he was here. Hopefully we could sort this out together now. I prayed we could because I loved this husband of mine with the whole of me. Right down to my immortal bones. I smiled weakly at him, my mind clearing quickly now I was away from Daniel. Away from the house and his presence I began to feel more like myself and I hated myself even more for falling under his spell. "What did Bella say about the situation?" I asked meekly. Etienne squeezed my hand tightly as we sat amongst the leaves under a large shining full moon. "She asked Edward and Carlisle for advice. They are not happy with you I'm afraid Leah. Making another vampire without them knowing has annoyed them immensely. But that's by the by, my darling. They did have advice for us though" he said with another strong squeeze of my hand. I sat quietly waiting for him to speak again. " Carlisle said that when a vampire has their blood drank by another of their kind, they become beholden to that vampire unless the bond is broken. Edward also said that vampire's are not known for doing this heinous crime to each other normally, only when the vampire committing the act wants to possess the other for whatever reason. Daniel is in completely besotted love with you Leah! Even before the change. He wants you for his own. Drinking your blood gives him the edge. Soon he would have possessed you completely. You are his maker so that made the bond even stronger. Victoria tried to drink my blood once you know." he added with his head bowed. I gasped and shook my head in horror. "What happened?" I asked. He sighed, "I distracted her with a fresh young male that I'd found working on a farm close to our home. Thankfully it was the only time she tried it. I escaped from her shortly after that." I kissed him and hugged him close to me, my hands stroking his dark curls. "So did the Cullen's mention a solution?" I queried my husband. Etienne's even darker eyes stared deep into mine. He desperately needed to feed. "Yes" he simply stated. I gazed into his face impatiently, "Tell me Etienne!" I demanded. Etienne stared directly into my eyes as he uttered the answer to my demand.

"The preying vampire must be destroyed Leah, it's the only permanent way to break the bond between you".