Saturday afternoon when Aya awoke, Liya was not in their room. She knew exactly where she was. The Library. The girl practically lived there. She sighed, got out of bed, showered, dressed, and carefully groomed herself. She felt guilty that Liya had a terrible time the night before. She really should have known better. The whole party scene was too soon for her. Liya was way too naïve. She knew exactly how to make it up to her though. Her father invited her to a charity auction for tomorrow night and gave her two tickets. She would take Liya. Anna would certainly understand if she didn’t take her. That way there was no pressure on Liya to meet someone, but just enjoy some artwork. Aya wasn’t too keen on going, but she knew Liya would enjoy the night. She stuffed a few items in her purse, threw on her jean jacket and left the room.
When Aya entered the Library twenty minutes later, she easily found Liya pouring over several medical textbooks. All she had to do was lookThe next evening, Aya had managed to find a very elegant black strapless empress style evening gown for her. It was light enough to keep her cool on a hot evening. She had to pick up the hem to walk because it trailed behind her somewhat. Aya gave her a silver sheer wrap to wear with it. It matched the flower beadwork throughout the material. Regardless of the night before, she was impressed with Aya’s choice. “Aya I think you’ve redeemed yourself.” She smiled looking down at herself.“I’m saved!” She teased raising her hands to the sky. Aya wore a white three quarter length strapless number that definitely showed her best attributes.Liya thought she was stunning.Again Aya pinned Liya’s mass of ebony curls on top of her head to show her elegant neckline.However several hours later Liya’s confidence quickly faded when they entered the Oregon Museum of Contemporary Art, she was overwhelmed by the famous faces present
Damon crotched beside Liya’s sleeping form again that night. He managed to ditch his date at her apartment when they left the charity event. She was not the least bit shy about her disappointment of him not joining her, but he made up some excuse that he had to be somewhere in an hour for a meeting. She didn’t believe him and he didn’t care. Models were frustrating, spoiled and selfish. It was all just show for him. He insisted on being who he was in the mortal world so he had to play the part. Yes, he could have stayed and had sex with her, but he really wasn’t interested after seeing Liya. Especially after being reminded how desirable she was.Being a confirmed bachelor just made it easier to flit around from one woman to another and denying any commitments that might cause questions. Beautiful women in Oregon were not in short supply, but there was only one woman like Liya. He smiled at the thoughts that Lydia had when she spotted Liya and him together. Sh
Damon walked into his house several hours after the art auction ended and by the look of Nathan’s expression he’d been pacing in worry for that long. He smiled arrogantly at his protector’s scowl.“It’s not funny Damon!” Nathan seethed. ”You can’t keep taking off after her alone!”Damon pursed his lips to prevent his smile from spreading and raised his hand in surrender, “All right, point taken….put someone on her.”Nathan shook his head in anger, not feeling as amused as Damon was, “I’ll put Jules on her now, but you know that’s not what this is about! I’m not done with you.” He snarled out the last bit as he pulled out his cell phone and shoved his other hand into his pants pocket in frustration while his searing eyes remained on Damon’.Damon remitted the smile and went to his study. He sat down and proceeded to sign papers that Nathan had left for him. About ten minutes later Nathan came in unannounced. He could t
Time flew fast and before Liya knew it, Spring break was done and the next week went by entirely too fast and Liya threw herself into her classes because it seemed to be the only way that she could try and erase the tall handsome stranger.That following Friday Anna sat in the bleachers beside Aya, while Friday afternoon track practice was occurring on the field below. She was working on an essay that was due on Monday. While Aya, being her usual self, was watching football practice.Aya’s latest obsession, Jeff Dillian, was the star quarterback and Captain of the football team. He was tall, and had an athletic build which was tanned by the weeks of practice in the sun and his dirty blond hair was now sun streaked. Aya knew he was using his football scholarship to get a degree in psychology. She found a lot out by just being nosey. Although, she didn’t really care what he was there for, he just looked good. Most importantly, he was single.Liya ran the track that ci
THAT following night Damon was seated in his study at his desk supposedly working. However, couldn’t concentrate on business that night or for the last week for that matter. He kept thinking of her. He kept thinking of Liya. He signed a couple of receipts and then pushed his ledgers away from him and leaned back in his high back leather chair folding his hands behind his head. He really tried to concentrate on other matters hoping to drive her memory out of his head. Nothing seemed to work. He meant it when he told Nathan that he didn’t have a choice in pursuing her. He had wanted her from the moment he first laid eyes on her. She held an inexplicable lure over him, and if he ignored it any longer, he swore he would go mad. What sort of intoxicating power did she hold? He’d never known of a mortal to be able to summon him or one such as him before. Yet, she did and without her knowledge. The only explanation was to say she was not human, which he already knew she was. He h
Aya, Anna, and Jeff sat in the waiting room. Jeff felt responsible for what had happened to Liya, so he insisted he come along. Much to his chagrin, Aya was more than happy to agree. He also couldn’t shake the image of her sitting on the track holding her ankle, with tears welling up in her eyes. He was infatuated. If he could have done anything for her at all in that moment to take away the pain he’d caused, he would have. He couldn’t get her sweet face out of his mind. He spared a glance at Aya. She introduced herself on the way over, not that she needed an introduction. He already knew who she was. Her reputation preceded her. She was well known on campus, for her beauty. She was also known for her lack of moral concern for others. She was one of those girls that you publicly display and screw, but never get serious with. He’s had more than enough experience with women like that and has grown bored of it. He knew first hand of her conquest, because his best Friend and t
“Can we see her Dr. Stephan?”Stephan shook his head, “She said she didn’t want visitors right now. So maybe you should all go home. I will release her in the morning after we cast the leg.”Aya jumped in at that statement, “Excuse me Doctor, but it’s late and we’ve been waiting all afternoon and into the evening to see her.”Stephan stared at the beautiful blonde for a moment considering her words, “I’m sorry, I must go with the wishes of my patient.”“Have you heard of my father, Senator Stanten?” Aya beamed. ”I’m sure he would be grateful if you were to help us out.”Ted rolled his eyes.“No, I’m sorry Miss. Liya is my patient, not your father.” He didn’t care who her father was. Yes, he knew of him.She became defensive, “Look, if you value your job….”Stephan gave her a look of disgust, “…My job is safe, I assure you. This is a private hospital”
Damon was raging for a taste of her. Unbeknownst to her, he was telling her exactly what he wanted to do to her body with his own in perfect Latin. Of course she didn’t understand any of it, but her reaction told him that her physical being did. However, he did more on raising his own lust than he’d meant to. Christ almighty, he wanted her. His erection was a painful testament of that. He wanted her writhing beneath him, hot and wanton. He wanted her to let loose the powerful unrelenting passion that he felt within her. He wanted to show her the sexual violent need he had for her in every possible way there was and when she reached her peak, he would taste her and heighten their ecstasy. Of all things he wanted to do to her, he couldn’t do it here. “No. This isn’t what I wanted. Not now.” He rasped out in ragged restraint. God forbid if he gave in to temptation and did kiss her, nothing on earth would have stopped him from possessing her.Suddenly she felt th
Natalie shuddered with fear as the dark demoness stepped forward. “Aren’t you happy to see me?” Latoya asked in mock innocence.Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at Aiden and Latoya, and gently laid Natalie on the floor. He pulled his long black coat off and carefully wrapped her in it before he scooped her up.Natalie tried to ignore her throbbing body as he stood and shifted her in his arms. The pain from everything Ellish had done to her was still fresh, though not as sharp as it should have been. Her shoulder screamed when she was jostled, was the “inner” pain that hurt most. All of her blood vessels shook, and the underside of her skin trembled from the seizure-like state and the burning sensation that had coursed through her. Her mind still reeled from Ellish’ invasion, and she was so weak.Somehow what he’d done to her body paled in comparison to the rest of it. She remembered him laughing at her “primitive fears” and saying that he could do something much more terrible to her.
He shook her violently so that her teeth clacked together. “What do you have to say to that? Do you still want to insist on your innocence? Where is that device?” He clawed at her body with his free hand.“I don’t have any ... device!” she cried. Tears Stabbed her swollen eyes and the room swam. She didn’t understand why he was doing this again.“Liar!” He threw her to the floor. Her elbows locked painfully, but she saved her face from slamming into the concrete.She tried to roll away, but he knelt down quickly and grabbed a handful of her hair in his fist. He used it to pull her head back and force her to look at him. “Where is it?”“There isn’t one! I don’t know what you’re talking about!”Cain stood behind them, his arms crossed over his chest and a sneer on his face. “Then how did he find us?”He? Could they mean…? A white hot spark of hope filmed inside her. “He’s here?” she asked, unable to stop he
The vampire who’d spoken a moment ago asked, “How doyou know she was ever at his den? Surely Aiden is smart enough to keep her in a less incriminating place?”“Now you’re suggesting Miles lied?”Ellish asked lightly. “Or do you suggest his brother lied to him?Do you think he made up a false location, intending to go andretrieve her himself and return her for his freedom? Are youimplying he intended to let his brother die for his sins?”The vampire looked exasperated. “I don’t know whatI’m implying. I wasn’t here when you interrogated Miles.”“You’d be sorry you missed it,” Cain commented,snickering. “He screamed and begged– ”“Enough.” Ellish motioned him to silence. “Miles Informed me that the plan was Aiden’s from the beginning, as part of our little war. He and Marcus were brought into it, so to speak.”Natalie tensed at the mention of Marcus’s name,but she tried hard not to make her interest obvious. Did this h
The room was a large one, like an open basement complete with cement floor. A glowing chandelier hung above her andin front of her sat a large wicker chair. Draped lazily in it was ayoung man who might have been sixteen. He had blonde hair, coldgreen eyes and a face made for boredom, snobbery, and cruelty. Hewas flanked by two large men. A host of others were visible outsidethe ring of light, all moving closer and gazing curiously at thenew prisoner.“Who is she?” the boy in the chair drawled. Hisvoice was bored and peevish.Cain answered from behind Natalie’s prone body,“It’s Marcus’s human, the one Gabriel’s claiming now.” He snickeredand prodded her in the side with the toe of his boot.“Interesting.” The blonde stood from the chair andwalked towards her languidly. “What’s so special about her that twomen would go to such effort?” He walked around her in anever-tightening circle and finally bent down to examine her faceclosely.
Natalie sought a nonexistent escape and tried to figure out what she was going to do. Despite LaToya’s concern,she doubted Gabriel would return in time to save her. He’d alwayscome before, just when she had no hope left, but somehow she couldfeel that he wasn’t going to this time. And when he didn’t whatwould happen? Would they really take her to Ellish? Would he kill her? Was this really how her life was going to end, to die in a pool of blood and terror?LaToya stood over her looking thoughtful, then suggested casually, “She has enough blood on her to look like a battle, but you should rough her up a little to make it more convincing.”Cain nodded in the affirmative and grinned. “Don’tworry. I’m sure she’ll be plenty roughed up by the time we getthere.” He turned his head and called over his shoulder, “Won’t sheboys?” Two voices agreed with him from the obstructed depths of themotel room.Natalie’s stomach dropped at the sound of
Natalie woke. She blinked in the dimness, her eyesdrawn to the open bathroom door. Light flooded out of it and gaveshape and depth to the small motel room.Gabriel was still next to her on his back, his arms under her head. His dark lashes lay on his pale cheeks and hisraven hair pooled against the crisp white pillowcase. He wascovered from the waist down in the ugly bedspread and the bathroomlight gleamed on the smooth expanse of his chest.She looked away from him to the water stainedceiling. She closed her eyes tightly to blot out the world andasked herself the requisite “what have I done?” morning-afterquestion, only she truthfully felt no regret. It was simply a gameshe played out of habit, a society imposed guilt complex thatfailed to actually make her feel guilty. No, she knew what she’ddone and she wasn’t even slightly sorry, only vaguely excited atthe warm memories.She rolled towards him and tentatively brushed hisnaked f
After the strange silence in the warehouse, the car seemed too loud. Gabriel’s anger was palpable; the air seemed to pulse with it. Natalie didn’t know what to say to make it better.She stuttered a question, “Aiden wouldn’t really…” but couldn't bring herself to finish it. Would Aiden really kill her because his wife had been killed? As if it was all Gabriel’s fault.“No,” Gabriel said with force. “He wouldn't dare.”She nodded but found no more words for fear of enraging him more. She wasn’t afraid that he’d hurt her, or even be mean to her. In truth she wasn’t sure what she was afraid of, but she didn’t want to make him any angrier. They pulled into the motel and, after parking the car, walked around behind the building to their windowless room.Once they were inside, Gabriel shut the door and clicked all of the locks into place. He absently ran his fingers through his long,dark hair before he threw himself on
The silence was so thick she felt she would choke on it. Her ears strained for every tiny sound: a rat scampering across the floor, the breeze whistling softly through the broken windows,the flap of a sheet of plastic that hung against the wall. Her eyes searched the gloom and she tried not to jump at every shadow.Really, she didn’t understand why Gabriel’s business couldn’t have been in a nice restaurant, or at least somewhere with electricity!She was so busy eyeing a pile of mysterious refuse that she didn’t notice Gabriel stop suddenly and ended up bumping into him. He held his body rigid, so completely still that Natalieswore his heart had even stopped beating.Her search for the gloom revealed nothing, but her clutch on his sleeve grew tighter. She opened her mouth to ask what was going on when he broke the silence with a single word,“Latoya.”The woman seemed to appear from nothing. Her dark skin gleamed in the pale light, a
Gabriel joined her. “Here,” he said as he handed her one of the motel keys. “Go on in. I have something to attend to but then I’ll be alone.”She opened her mouth to ask him what pressing errand waited for him elsewhere, but thought better of it. She didn’t see anyone in the gloomy shadows, but how did she know that some creature of the night wasn’t camouflaged in the darkness? Ifvampires were real, then what other monsters from the nightmares of humanity were lurking and listening to them?He walked down the sidewalk and she watched him until he turned sharply, and disappeared around the far side of the building. Her curiosity piqued, she thought about following him,but resisted the urge. The memories of the vampire manor were still too fresh in her mind.The key didn’t want to fit into the scarred lock,but finally it surrendered with a groaning click, and she opened the door and was met by the smell of stale cigarette smoke. Shewished she