“Help!” Only a thread from afar, making its way through the haziness on my slumber. “God, it’s too much!” A whisper, barely there, anguished, tormented, then pain. Horrible and excruciating pain ripping through my insides, tearing everything in its path.
There was only one time I felt this kind of pain, and it was when Liz died in my arms. I was so consumed by guilt and hatred, the devil in me rose to the surface and I spared nothing or anyone on my path.
I snapped my eyes opened as one more jolt of electricity coursed through me, frying my flesh. I bared my fangs and hissed as my body heated to a searing point and convulsed. What was wrong with me? Late punishment for my evil deeds?
“Please… Stop!” The yell was stronger this time, and another wave washed over my skin. Each of my muscles cramped in such a terrible way I swore they were being reaped open or something, the agony too much! When I thought death would welcome me, my body relaxed, leaving me painting and gasping for air. “You’re dead.” It was a menace, and the last I heard of the voice.
“Liz!” I whispered and dragged air into my burning lungs. She was in trouble. But how? Power surged, overrunning me, and in one swift movement I exploded from my resting place. Rocks, stones, and dust erupting all around. I fell to the ground on my knees, breathing large amounts of fresh cold air, coughing and vomiting. I felt so disoriented, and after so long, I looked to the sky so full of stars, and it spun out of control, making me even dizzier.
“Alizandra!” I looked at the chilly night sky and her name came out in a low growl. As they felt the disturbing power, animals scurried and flew away from the monster who had risen once more. I was back again…
Dark Ages, 1457. Wallachia, Romania.We had just left Bucharest towards the north, my contingent of about five hundred men and I, and Târgovişte was up ahead, so it should be one of our resting stops. My enemies were all around me, and every single day I had to fight to be alive. I forced myself to build my reputation as a ruthless, cold-blooded bastard, because one thing my short existence taught me, it’s much better for you to be feared than to be loved, and believe me everyone feared me to the core, but that, didn’t stop my blood-thirsty enemies to hunt me down and try to overpower me, yet I was not about to let my beloved land and my people fall into their hands. I didn’t come through this route for pleasure; I had a purpose in mind, and some people would regret being alive. My foes had assassinated my eldest brother Mircea, and according to my informants, the boyars of Târgovişte were the ones to account for such a crime against my family. I didn’t want to believe in such treas
Dark Ages, 1457. Town of Târgovişte, Wallachia.I felt so warm and protected; I didn’t want to wake up and try to see my bearings, but something wasn’t quite right, my head hurt so much it made me nauseous and the smell of blood mingled with sweat made it worse, besides I could feel I was with someone on a horse. My heart-rate escalated. Maybe those two got their way with me. I didn’t remember and dread filled my soul, but I couldn’t pretend to sleep forever. Slowly, I opened my eyes to meet two beautiful forest green ones staring down at me. Without thinking, I flinched and recoiled in his embrace. Who was he?“Don’t fear me,” he said, his voice strong and rough, but somehow soothing. “I’m Vladislav Draculea.”“The dragon…” My breath caught in my throat and my eyes widened. He noticed I tensed in his arms.“Or the devil, as I’m known by everyone.” He gave a light, husky chuckle.He may think he didn’t mind what people thought of him, but his eyes said otherwise. I’ve heard horrendous
Dark Ages 1457.Her eyes widened and darkened, making those beautiful lavenders almost gone. I knew she feared me, but those men deserved the punishment they’ve got, and I would never let it pass. “Why did you say such a blasphemy? Everybody deserves salvation!” God, she made things difficult. She had hit her head and needed rest. I tried my best to contain myself, but if she kept saying those things and looked at me like I also deserve salvation, I wouldn’t respond to my actions. I had already lost my soul, I wouldn’t think twice to force myself and have my way with her, but she was different. She made me feel protective of her and other things I was not used to, and these things went to places I didn’t dare to talk about, and I knew she meant well about me and those miscreants. “Alizandra…” She had such pale and beautiful skin, my fingers burned to slide on it and feel its softness. My scrutiny was so obvious that she blushed and averted her eyes quite a few times, and every time,
Dark Ages, 1457. My blood boiled, and my heart went out to them. How could he behave like that and not show a stitch of remorse? “You can’t do that to human beings! What have they done to deserve such a fate?” “I don’t need to explain myself, nor my attitudes to you or anybody, but since you insist, they helped to betray my father and kill my brother, as for those I have sentenced them to slavery.”He boasted to me in the most merciless bitter tone I’ve heard in my life and with no room for arguments. Was all this for vengeance? Although he told me I wasn’t a slave, I worried about my safety, who knew my fate once we got to our destination. I may not be a slave in his eyes, but he held me hostage. What was the difference? None in my point of view, I didn’t know which would have been the worst of fates, ended up in the hands of those two perverts or the devil himself. “Will it be worth losing your soul, so you can carry on with a vengeance?” I couldn’t shut up, I was too astonished
Dark Ages, 1457.Three months, three months of the hardest self-control I put myself into, and I lost it, right there, as soon as I got close to her, not only because I didn’t find a fragment of fear in her eyes, but also I saw the defiance in her face. She affronted me! I went for the kill; I wanted to snap that long sinful neck like a twig under my fingers. How dared she questioned my actions and how I treated my opponents? I was a ruler; I had a country to build and enemies to banish away by any means possible, and she would have to come to terms with that.Everything I used against them, every means of torture, every piece of strategy I learned from the best teachers, my foes! And they were no less cruel than me, and knowing your opponents well is the only chance you had to outsmart them, and I fought hard every day, so we didn’t fall under their power again. Yet, my walls crumbled to the ground, getting closer to her body, inhaling her sweet floral perfume, and unable to resist he
Dark Ages, 1457.Everything was so perfect. Why did he stop? I didn’t want him to stop! My skin caught on fire, I needed his touch, his hands were rough but did miracles to my burning body.“Chase my demons away, Liz,” he whispered to me, cupping my face. It was such a raw, desperate request. How could I ignore his plea if it made my soul cry for him? I had to do what he asked me to. The hurt and loneliness in his kiss was heart-wrenching. I kissed him back, pouring all my passion before he met me with his own savage fire. I’ve felt nothing like the sensations he was awakening in me, and the sweet agony he was putting me through. He was desperate for branding me his, but trying so hard to control himself and be gentle in his ways.“I will,” I said to him, staring into those tormented eyes. “Just let them loose…” I didn’t say more, and all his control evaporated. He threw me in bed with him, holding my hands above my head, giving an almost full view of my naked body. He peppered kisses
Dark Ages, 1457.Traitors surrounded me! How dared this feeble little bastard raised an army of his own and instigated a revolt against me? Didn’t he cherish his dear life enough? It was then Anton and three more of my guards came to me in the courtyard with two hostages.“Sire, these two belong to his army. We caught them lurking around and talking to the peasants.” Anton threw one of them on his knees by my feet. I was so enraged I grabbed him by the hair, pulling his head up to face me, making him yelp in pain, and I didn’t get the frightened look I was expecting, what it made me even more ravenous for blood.“What did your pitiful master plan against me?” I yelled at him, pulling harder on his hair, almost ripping out of his skull. “I don’t care what you do to me, I’m already dead. Do whatever you want, because you’re getting nothing out of me,” he spitted every word in defiance, and I had to control myself not to break his neck right there.“Maybe you’ll think twice when sliding
Dark Ages, 1457. The movement in and out of the castle in the next few days had been harsh. Vlad didn’t stop for one minute and his men came and went at all times. I spent my days alone if it wasn’t for Liana. He would join me for dinner, and our nights were full of passion until the morning came, and I’d wake up alone. And he didn’t let me in fully into his world. He put me in some sort of limbo and it was maddening.“Vlad? What’s going on?” I had to ask one night while we were having our dinner. “You seemed to prepare for a war.” I was already growing to know his ways, and when he got himself in a heavy silence he was pondering on what to say to me and I wouldn’t get the whole truth out of him. “Your left eye is twitching…” I said, my eyes in slits. “Watch it, Vlad. I want the truth!”“Liz, I rebuilt this castle because as you can see, it’s not big and it’s on top of this precipice almost impossible to suffer an attack.” He stood up and extended his hand to me. “Come, I want to show
Liz“WOMAN!” I was in the kitchen and almost jumped out of my skin when I heard the booming voice coming from the bedroom. The bear just woke up and he got angry, but instead I got scared of him, all I wanted all that tyranny for myself. His domineering tone crawled on my skin like a caress and traveled straight to the right places in my body, and coiled i
My father came from behind and grabbed my waist, raising me from Vlad’s body and bringing me hard to his chest. I cried so heavy, and I was so fucking broken, I would kick at Tony’s legs and extend my hands, trying to reach Grizzly at all costs. At that point, I couldn’t understand my life without him, I couldn’t devise a future for me in the coming days. How does one live without a heart pulsing inside the chest? Mine was lying torn, in silence, on that very floor!
When I heard Vlad’s words resounding the place, my blood froze in my veins as doom was about to descend on us. I found myself exhausted with my head cushioned in Doctor Blake’s lap, and fatherly eyes looking down at me. Yes, he had redeemed himself; he was a good person after all, and as much as a victim like me or my sister. Warmth filled my heart for this man, but also guilt. It was as if with this new feeling I was betraying Tony. He was my father in my heart, and as if he picked up my mixed feelings, he was there in my head.
Lights came from the other side, and the entire room charged. I didn’t know what was going on, the only thing that had my focus was the hilarious look on my brother’s face. He didn’t know with whom he messed with; he didn’t know the power she yielded. The shock and confusing shadow behind the reason she had defied him, backing out on his threats.
Those were the longest and excruciating minutes I have ever had to live. The entire time I prayed to God, not to let it be true, but the sinking feeling in my stomach didn’t lie. I caught myself stepping back with shaky hands, until I hit the bed and fell, sat on it, as the door opened, and a gorgeous smile but cynical greeted me.With wide eyes and trembling lip
“Welcome to my home, brother, I hope you feel comfortable here.” He was there, standing in the middle of the room, holding a box. His face was a grimace and scintillating eyes at me.“Stop with the crap, you puny bastard, and spit it!” With very slow movements, I planted my feet apart, preparing myself for an attack. With a quick side look to An
I knew Liz had said something to him when he cursed. He was pissed, but not with her. Something else bugged him. “Don’t let me out of it, Anton. I’m trying to reach her and she blocked me,” I said, my patience running thin.“My little girl is about to have one more disappointment, if she hadn’t had enough already. I knew it was comin
I stood like a statue in the middle of that room, staring at the blond woman with a puzzled face by the corner. The silence was oppressive and to tell the truth I didn’t know what to say, where to start or what to do. She looked at me with an awkward face and puzzled eyes.“Do you know who I am?” I asked the first thing that came to my mind. She gave
Shane- Alex, I’m in trouble.Alex-