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CHAPTER SIXTEEN

(Southern Svetyland)

•T–––M–––V–––P–––L•

Darius got to the werewolf territory the next morning. It was so early out, but he could still make out a couple of werewolves going about their business. He pushed the hoodie closer to his face to avoid being easily recognised.

The golden door that obstructed the world from stepping into his abode, pulled him in like a magnet. The Luna’s daughter was in there. He could sense her presence, even from where he stood.

A child of about eight, came out of the house, clutching a black trashcan. His face was masked in disgust. Darius averted his gaze, and blended into the shadows for fear that the child might see him. Children were a different breed on their own. They always perceived strangers, and this child mustn’t sense his presence.

He was as still as his surroundings as he waited for the boy to be done. He could easily pick the sounds he made. It was charming, and sweet at the same time.

Finally, the click of the door. He took his time, turning towards the door. This side of the town was rough from what he could see. Two wolves were out, growling and circling each other. It was evident that they did not care about the humans that were leaving at the other side of town. They just behaved like the animals they were.

Darius was disinterested and slightly disgusted. He shook his head slightly. He had to focus on why he had come, and not this wolves. He hoped his scent wasn’t intense. He had masked it as best as he could, but if anyone looked towards his direction, they could easily spot him. These was a pack house, and not just human soil.

After fifteen minutes, the wolves transformed to their human form. It was a boy and a girl, probably fifteen. He willed them to go back to their homes, and it worked like a charm, as the duo went into their homes. His hold on them snapped at that very instant.

Just a few more people were around, but they were definitely not paying attention to their surroundings. Darius moved slickly, and stood at the front of the door.

This door separated him from the Luna’s daughter. He had no idea who was in with her, and if he should approach her in this way. What would her reaction be when she saw him out here? Did she even like him?

‘Damn it! You haven’t thought this deeply in all your time as a vampire. Darius, have some courage and knock on the door like a man.’

He rose his hands then, and at that moment spoke directly behind him. He had been too engrossed in what he was doing, that he could not make out what was said.

He stood still, hoping that the creature would leave.

“Johnny, he is a weakling,” a teen shouted from somewhere.

Darius felt his body go tout with relief. He wasn’t the one they were talking about. The presence he felt left as quickly as it came. Once again, he rose his hand up to knock on the door.

The light footsteps he heard made him slide over to the other side of the house. There, he watched as the woman who kept him restless at night, stepped out into the sun.

She was as stunning as ever, her hair sweeping wildly in the back. It was completely angelic, and so electrifying. He brought down the urge to go to her, and touch those curls.

“Is anyone here?” She called out.

Her voice almost pulled him to his knees, but he would not buckle. He opened his mouth to accept that he was right there to talk to her, but his courage failed him. He couldn’t speak at all.

He watched as she swayed as she walked away from the sun, and towards the door. At that moment, his footings failed. But, he didn’t trip as he was stabilised by the firm hand on his shoulder.

“Who are you?” A new voice queried.

It sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t place who it belonged to. Calmly, he turned to face a face that was so stunning, and breathtaking, and insanely familiar.

“I…”

“Darius?” She said in disbelief. “How are you here? And, why are you hiding like a thief?” The lady queried at once.

Darius blinked twice. It was evident that she knew him very well. But, where? He scanned his memory, and then it clicked. She was the Luna of this pack. They had met the night he had come with his master.

A soft smile touched his lips. “Good day to you, Luna,” he bowed his head in respect.

She pulled her hands back, not without giving his shoulder a light squeeze. She looked at him with her hard eyes, but a smile rested on her lips. He had a feeling she was safe.

“Well, I was around the neighbourhood, and thought I should take that beautiful cashew fruit you all have,” he said weakly.

Ugh!

‘I’m such an idiot1 Is that how to lie? You could have a made a better excuse, right? What the hell is that?’ He scolded himself inwardly.

The Luna’s eyes flicked to the right. “I see,” she said in retrospection. “Now, you can get the cashew nuts, and be gone. I don’t like you hanging around here,” she stated with authority.

Darius bowed once in respect. “Thank-you, Luna,” he said politely, and made a move to leave.

“Wait,” she said softly.

Darius turned to her, and he noted the soft gaze she wore on like a blanket. It was strange, and slightly out of place. She folded her hands across her middle, and then, looked right at him.

“I hope all is well, Luna?”

She shook her head. “Yes, of course. There is nothing to be worried about.” She said softly.

He nodded.

“Well, it’s been so long I saw you. Don’t you miss me? I loved to think that you came here because of me, but…” she stopped suddenly. “Leave this place,” she ordered as she left.

Darius was filled with confusion as he made his escape.

•T–––M–––V–––P–––L•w

‘The morning sun was so much better than all the darkness I’ve been forced to love. I hated the dark, and no matter what my present conditions were, I still hated it.’ Elizabeth thought as she breathed into the morning air.

She didn’t see any of the vampires around. She had noticed something, they craved the darkness, and would literally do anything to have it.

Ugh!

‘I need to stop thinking about all these, I have a bigger fish to fry,’ she thought to herself.

With that, she stood up from the elegant plastic chairs, and walked over to the fake leaves that had been planted to make the vampires feel good about themselves. She lightly caressed the leaves, feeling its paper-like quality graze her palm.

Master Elbert’s words played sneakily into her mind, making her shiver. He wanted to mark her. What did that mean? She thought back to the little she knew of vampires. They turned the ones they marked to their puppets. The movies had depicted them as sadists who craved nothing more than blood.

Fiction and reality were somehow interconnected. But, how well did those fictional characters get the truth?

‘Are you simply scared of marking or something else?’ Her inner voice taunted.

Elizabeth shook her head wildly. She was becoming so ridiculous. What other thing was there to be worried about? Nothing.

Her eyes scanned the perimeter, but once again, but she saw no-one. A sigh escaped her lips. Maybe, she had to give into the Master. But, her family?

The image of the man who burnt to ashes in front of her came into her mind’s view. She shivered slightly. It was one of the most horrifying things that she had ever witnessed.

The thought of going through that once more left nothing to be desired. She didn’t want to see those people ever again or bear the mark on her skin.

“If being marked by the vampire master will make me free from the hell that those people signified, I will gladly do it,” she whispered to the leaves.

It flapped in response, stunning her slightly. She pulled away from it, and took delicate steps towards the house. Master Elbert was much better than what those people signified. He should have some good left in his heart.

Inside, there was no-one in the dark living room. The master didn’t have meetings at the moment. It was like luck was on her side today. Her nightwear caressed the ground, as she made her way to the master’s study.

She didn’t need to ask questions, she knew he was there as always. He literally loved staying in that study, more than he did his room.

“Don’t shiver in the sunlight,” the master’s voice rang out.

Master Elbert.

She paused in front of the door, waiting for him to speak again, but he said nothing. Elizabeth would do anything to hear him speak. His voice was calm, velvety, and like potent wine. She needed it right now, to calm her fray nerves.

‘Just go in,’ she encouraged herself.

With that, she stepped into the room, which was as dark as the night. Her eyes found Master who was seated in his chair, holding a book. The door behind her snapped shut, and she looked at it in panic. Then, turned her attention back at the master.

He rose his delicate neck to look at him, and she could swear, she heard him whisper, ‘Camille’ and she didn’t know how to feel about that. She only stood there, looking at him.

“Is this what you want?” He asked, jarring her to the core.

She had not uttered a word. “How did you…?” She stammered out the question, with quivering lips.

Elbert looked at her from her head to her toe, she pulled the nightwear closer to her skin, feeling goosebumps dilate through her skin in waves. She was aware suddenly of how underdressed she was.

“It’s not hard to figure out, Elizabeth. I like to pride myself on knowing almost everything about a person. But, that is a topic for another day. Is this what you want? Do you crave to be marked by the vampire Master? There is no going back when you give your assent.” He informed her softly.

Elizabeth took a step into the room, though she almost thought she might faint at how fast her heart was palpitating. “I’m ready. I need to do this,” she said firmly.

Her voice and heart was a contrast. She wasn’t sure how she managed to let out a word, all she knew was that looking at Master Elbert made her feel a million things including desire.

Her eyes trailed his every move. She watched him stand up from his chair, and walk towards her. He stood in front of her now. His hands slightly lowered the glasses he wore, exposing his red eyes. It illuminated every single thing including her.

“There is no going back now,” he said once more.

She swallowed hard, and nodded. It was all he needed as he pulled his hoodie over his head, and let it drop to the floor, leaving him in a dark T-shirt that outlined his abs to the max. Elizabeth could not take her eyes off him.

Boys changed all the time in front of her during gym class, but she had never seen one who was everything rolled into one without looking unattractive. Master Elbert was a man, and not a boy.

She looked at his beanie, hoping he would remove that, but he did not. Instead, he carried her over his shoulder in one swoop movement. There was a short distance, and she was placed at the edge of the desk.

His fingers touched the inner part of her thigh through her gown, and she closed her eyes softly, stunned at the sudden need she felt. It was shameless, and raw. All the things she had never thought she would feel. She felt them now.

“Camille,” he said once more.

She swallowed hard. This Camille was everything to the master. Could she…? Her thoughts had barely solidified when she felt his hand curve the mole at the side of her thigh, making her arch her back.

“You’re exactly like her,” he said darkly.

Elizabeth licked her lips. “And, does that repulse you?” She found herself asking.

He stood straight, and she held her breathe as he lowered his face to hers. ‘He wants to kiss me,’ she thought, but he didn’t do that. His face was barely centimetres from her, heating her everywhere. If she were fair skinned, she would have been red all over.

“Lips, eyes… Camille,” he said as form of worship.

His fingers slowly touched her chin. She pulled into him like he were a magnet, and she was an iron. All coherent thought had ceased to exist. All she knew was the fingers and red eyes lighting her aflame through their touch.

“You’re her. She is you,” he said fervently.

Then, suddenly, he pulled back. He looked at her as she sat there, and a cold smile outlined his lips.

“Elizabeth, do not fear. I will mark as it should be,” he said tersely.

I noticed his muscles were sewn tight through his T-shirt. He was nervous. She jumped off the desk, and touched his arm. She felt the zig once more, and looked at him to know if he’d seen it too, but he offered nothing.

“I’m not scared,” she contradicted.

An inhuman sound came out from his mouth, and left her stunned. He grabbed her by the ass, and sat her back on the chair. The feelings that he evoked at the moment was something else, and she didn’t know how to make her mind work.

His fingers touched her hair, slowly feeling the texture. Elizabeth closed her eyes at the feelings that came unannounced into her soul.

“Never be scared of your master, la belle,” he said softly.

Her eyes snapped open, and she looked deeply into his eyes. It was almost as if she were swimming in it.