Chapter 18

Arianna stumbled through the darkness, walking further away from Tyrell and losing all hope. He wasn't following her. Why didn't he want her? With everything she learned in such a short time, she couldn't understand how Tyrell was declared to be her lifemate, but continued to push her away. Sure, she knew he wanted her safe, but that wasn't enough. Her heart actually ached for more. And she didn't even know him. This lifemate business was powerful stuff. And when she told the Falkland twins about her and Tyrell exchanging blood, Arianna learned why the bond had grown stronger. One more exchange, and she would turn Carpathian.

After being with the twins and Carissa for only a short time, she wasn't afraid of turning into one of them. It was the answer she'd been searching for all her life. She hated vampires, but she hated those who captured them in the labs even more.

She stopped walking with this thought. If Tyrell turned her, would she be a vampire too? Or would she be Carpathian? From what little she knew, this hadn't ever happened before. The twins didn't have much for an explanation as to what would happen if Tyrell actually claimed her. Would it save him? Carissa seemed to think it would, but her lifemates had doubt in their eyes.

The wind picked up and the trees began to sway as the moon completely disappeared behind the clouds. It was now so dark, she couldn't see anything. She stood there, shivering and afraid, hoping Tyrell would come for her. But to her dismay, she didn't feel him at all.

Her face was struck so quickly, Arianna had no time to even scream. She was knocked to the ground and before she could gasp, someone was lifting her back up and slamming her back against a large tree. Terrified, she realized two glowing red eyes were staring at her. The moon came back, and the light revealed a vampire only inches away from her face. She screamed in reaction and tried to jerk away from him. His hand on her neck easily held her in place and he laughed.

"What are you doing out here all alone, hmm?" asked the vampire. His other hand came up, a razor claw extending and touching her cheek. "Such beautiful skin." He licked his lips. "I can just imagine what lies underneath."

Arianna whimpered in pain as his claw began to slide down her face and drew blood. He was going to drink her dry. "Please make it quick."

He smiled, his fangs elongating in a mouth full of yellow teeth. "Quick? I think not. You are special. You will be mine for all eternity."

And then the vampire was gone. One moment he was there, leaning into her, the next minute Arianna was free. She heard a loud crash and realized the vampire had been thrown against a far off tree. It hissed and quickly got to its feet as a large, dark figure unfurled and began to rise in front of her. Even with his back to her, Arianna knew it was Tyrell. She trembled as he spoke to the vampire in such a deep voice, the ground shook.

"No other will take her. Leave now, while you still can."

"This is not your domain," snarled the vampire. "She came to me."

Tyrell laughed low, sending chills down Arianna's spine. "This one is not meant for you."

"No? Then come, old one, try and stop me from claiming her."

"Tell me, where are your fellow vampires? And what will you do to keep them away from her?" When the vampire was silent, Tyrell's spoke in a cool voice. "Or do you hope your albino master will help you?"

"He does not control me!"

"Then by all means, try and claim her."

The vampire launched himself into the air, intending to attack Tyrell head on. But Tyrell easily stepped aside. Arianna screamed as it headed straight for her, only to find vampire was yanked away at the last second and thrown to the ground.

"No!" screamed the vampire as Tyrell punched through its chest. He easily extracted its heart and tossed it aside. Moments later, Arianna looked away as lightening came from the sky and disintegrated all traces of what was left.

xxxx

Tyrell turned to find Arianna huddled against a tree. She was cold and shivering, yet he didn't care. An unspeakable anger was rising in his chest and he bared his fangs at her. "Was this how you wished to die?" he demanded. "Throw your life away to a worthless, young vampire?"

To his surprise, she raised her chin. "Would it make you feel better if I found an older one? Maybe an ancient, like you?"

"That, my dear, would be extremely unwise." He approached her, his eyes now black. "I do not think you can even imagine what a real master vampire would do to you. If you think you suffered in Morrison's lab, it would pale compared to what torture you would face from a real vampire."

"Why do you even care?" she shot back.

"I do not."

He could see her eyes grow angry. "Then leave me alone!" She turned and began to walk defiantly away from him, deeper into the forest. She was determined to die.

Tyrell dissolved into mist, easily catching up with her. He transformed back into human form right in front of her. She gasped and almost walked right into him. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. "You should obey me."

"Obey you? I owe you nothing! You left me!"

He grimaced. "I already told you that I failed. You are free from Morrison. You could live out your life." Tyrell's voice grew softer. "You could have the life you deserved long ago."

Her small hands balled into fists. "What life? Don't you understand?" He saw tears forming in her eyes. "My life is incomplete without…without…," she couldn't finish as she choked and turned away.

Something inside him twisted with pain. "I refuse to be moved by your tears," he said in a low voice. Which was a complete lie. He found this surprising, as he had the urge to do anything he could to make her stop. Her pain made his chest grow tight.

"Don't you care about me at all?" she whispered.

Inwardly he cursed at himself. He had the urge to actually hold her. What the hell was wrong with him? If he even touched her, there was little doubt the darkness would quickly rise and feast on her. She suddenly touched his mind and he hissed as a crashing wave of pain almost brought him to his knees. She immediately withdrew as he almost stumbled back when she turned around.

Tyrell held his head as it throbbed. "Do you see?" he rasped. "You are not meant for me."

"I don't understand. Why is it when I touch your mind, it hurts you?"

"Does it matter?" He gave a low laugh. "Look at me. I am nothing but a monster, thirsting to kill you." An emotional wave of pain now hit him hard. "Arianna," he said as he began to tremble. "I need you to understand. This is the only gift I have left to give you. Take your life and be free."

"I have no life without you!" she blurted.

Tyrell swallowed hard. "You are only feeling this way due to the bond we have." He cursed. "I never should have exchanged blood with you. This is my fault for what is happening. But you need to recognize that."

"Recognize what? That you are my lifemate and don't want me? How do you think that feels?"

His voice lowered to a growl. "I did not say I did not want you."

Arianna's blue eyes widened. "Then, please stay with me."

Tyrell actually felt compelled to protect her. He obviously failed when it came to just leaving her out here on her own. He could have let the vampire take her. For a moment, he closed his eyes as the thought made him want to kill the young vampire all over again. The very thought of another male's hands on her made Tyrell feel like he was ready to murder anyone or anything that even tried to look at her.

Ah yes, the bond of a lifemate. How the hell did he let this happen?

As she continued to shiver, Tyrell knew deep down that he could not just abandon her. "You need warmer clothes," he said gruffly. He waved a hand and she was immediately covered in a long coat.

"Does this mean you are staying with me?"

"Only until the sun rises."

Those blue eyes shimmered with tears again "If you think I'm going to just watch you die-"

"Before you give me another lecture about having no life without me and running off into the woods again, I only meant that I need to go to ground when the sun comes up."

She had a look of surprise on her face. "Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me," he muttered. "I still have no idea what to do with you." Tyrell jumped when she reached out and touched his hand. "Do not touch me!" he hissed.

To his dismay, she kept moving closer. "But you are my lifemate."

"Arianna, stop," he choked. She had the most intoxicating scent and the darkness was rising up in him fast, thirsting to take her blood. His back suddenly hit a tree and she stepped close and then to his complete surprise, clung to him. She was so petite, her head rested against the lower part of his chest. Her beautiful dark hair fell down her back. It looked so soft, he had the urge to touch it with his hands. He realized he was shaking with an effort to try and control himself. "Step back," he warned her.

Slowly, she looked up at him. It felt like those deep blue eyes were glowing, looking right into his soul. "I don't care if you kill me. I just can't be without you."

In an instant, he traded positions with her, slamming her back against the tree while his hand embraced her throat. The demon was dying to take her, thirsting for the taste of her sweet blood. "Do you see what I am?" he hissed. "Look at me, Arianna. Look at the monster I am. I will drink you dry and the blackness on my soul will be complete. Is that what you want?"

"Do it," she whispered.

He was so close to her mouth now. He stared at her lips, almost fascinated with how perfect they were. "I want you," he said in a growl. "I have wanted nothing more in my life than in this moment right now." He was about to roughly throw her aside in a last effort to avoid such horrible temptation, but Arianna gave him the shock of his life when she reached up and kissed him.

Tyrell groaned and within seconds invaded her mouth. He pulled her tightly against him, then was annoyed by the long coat he'd made for her. He suddenly wanted to feel every inch of her. He pushed her down to the ground, pinning her hips with his. With a mere thought, their clothes instantly disappeared and he was lost. His fangs lengthened as he positioned them on the side of her neck while he prepared to take her at the same time with his hardness.

A growl broke from somewhere behind him and Tyrell was astonished to find himself being lifted off of Arianna by someone who had claws which dug deep into his shoulders. He vaguely heard Arianna's cry of alarm and Tyrell twisted around, ignoring the pain. With all his strength, he pushed free of his attacker, but his shoulder ripped open as a result. Furious, Tyrell launched himself at whoever dared to do such a thing, and he found himself engaged in a battle he had not anticipated. The darkness hid his attacker's face. It was not a vampire, but a hunter. Time and time again, Tyrell dodged blows, but only by inches. This hunter was extremely skilled and stronger than any he'd encountered. And why he chose to disobey Mikhail was beyond his understanding when he did not appear to be vampire.

"Stop!" cried Arianna. Tyrell's heart froze when she ran toward them and his fear for her safety drove him to the edge.

He took a blow to his wounded shoulder on purpose, waiting for the Carpathian to be close enough for him to quickly strike back. The pain to his shoulder was immense, but years of experience gave him the discipline he needed to not react, much to the hunter's surprise. Tyrell viciously bit into his attacker's neck, stunning him as he began to feed deeply. The hunter gasped and tried to break free, making Tyrell tighten his hold.

The Carpathian suddenly grew still, and Tyrell heard him chant something. Too late he realized it was some type of spell, and Tyrell was thrown back with an unexplained force he'd never known. As Tyrell stumbled to his feet, Arianna rushed over to him. "Get back!" he hissed at her.

"Yes, we wouldn't want your prize damaged," said the hunter. The bleeding from the neck began to slow and he stepped into the moonlight.

Tyrell grew still when he realized the hunter had a face similar to Mikhail. Confused, he frowned. "Are you Jacques? Brother to the Prince?"

The hunter gave a low laugh. "No, but we are indeed related. Tell me, vampire, does it worry you that I'm part of the Dubrinsky family line? Perhaps you fear the justice I'm sure you deserve."

"I came here for justice," he replied in an annoyed tone.

"I'm sure," replied the hunter as he circled to the right. "Leave the female with me and walk away."

Tyrell looked at Arianna. This hunter, for whatever reason, wanted to protect her. This was a Carpathian, and of the Dubrinsky family line. She would be safe. Tyrell began to back away.

"No!" she screamed. "Don't leave me. You said you wouldn't leave me."

He waved a hand, and the long coat appeared over her once more. "Goodbye, Arianna." She cried out again, but he dissolved into mist, disappearing before she could stop him.

Arianna couldn't stop the tears from streaking down her face. She angrily turned to the hunter who attacked her lifemate. "Why did you do that?"

"Your welcome," he said in a sarcastic response. "He was about to kill you."

"That was the point!"

The hunter reacted with surprise. "Excuse me? You wanted that vampire to rape and kill you?"

"He's my lifemate!"

The man looked at he as if she were completely insane. "Who the hell are you?"

"Don't you know? My name is Arianna Castillo!"

"And that means something?"

"That was Tyrell Pankov, the vampire who was declared to by my lifemate!"

The hunter shook his head. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Tyrell was gone and they were wasting time. The sun would be rising. Would he face the dawn now that he thought this hunter was going to protect her? She glared at the man. "The Prince ordered no one to touch him. Why did you disobey Mikhail?"

"You are saying my uncle actually ordered his hunters to not defend a innocent woman?"

"Uncle? Who are you?"

The hunter suddenly bowed low, an old world elegant style she'd only seen in the movies. "My name is Nikolai Dubrinsky." He straightened. "I live by my own laws and have not been here for quite some time. But if my uncle is giving such ridiculous orders, then perhaps the timing is perfect."

Arianna backed away. "What do you mean?"

He smiled at her. "I am…different than him. Perhaps I am more like my father. Have you heard of him?"

"I-I don't think so."

"I'm sure you soon will. Come, Arianna, it is time for a new leader to emerge and you will be safe by my side."

"I don't want to go with you! Tyrell is about to face his death. I need to be with him!"

He walked closer, and she suddenly felt very afraid. Arianna sensed enormous power from him. He was similar to Mikhail in the way he carried himself with confidence. But she didn't trust him. He spoke to her like she was a child. "You are confused with what should be done. If it is true that this vampire is your lifemate, you simply cannot be with him. They are mindless creatures that cannot turn. In fact," he said with a smugness in his voice, "I have a plan to control them. I will be the one who brings these creatures to an end. And the Carpathian race will once again return to the powerful race it should be."

Author's note: Me and my twisting plots...-Anne