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Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 01

By: ArtForm



NB: Hi all! This is the continuation of To Love a Were.

In this chapter, I'm going to go all out romantic and gooey to describe THE wedding of the year. So if you're a hopeless romantic like me, then I hope you'd like the fantasy that I've tried to create but if you're not, then I'd say 'why are you even reading this?'.

However, in this new series, Fiona and Eian will take a back seat as we explore other relationships. I do hope you'll enjoy.

Cheers!

-ArtForm-

***

"Fiona! Have you taken an inventory of the new stock like I told you to?" shouted Erika from the doorway. The petite woman was currently balancing on a small stool trying to fix the electronic bell at the entrance of the bookstore. She had installed it a few months ago to alert her of any incoming customer but right now the bell goes off every five minutes whether or not someone walks through the door. It was getting annoying.

"Not yet... I'll do it in a while!" Fiona shouted back. Wiping the sweat off her brow, she gave a sigh. There was just so much work to do. Even with the two of them, there always seemed to be something that needed to be done. She wondered how Erika had managed on her own for so long.

At the sound of the bell, Fiona looked up from her task of cleaning the tables.

"Fuck you!" Erika was cursing, pacing back and forth and flinging her left hand up and down.

"What happened?" Fiona left her task to rush over to Erika's side.

"Jazzed my finger on the circuit. Damn electronics. Why don't they have proper manuals?"

Fiona couldn't help but chuckle at her response. "Erika you never read the manuals. Just yesterday I saw you chuck the manual for the new ceiling fan into the dustbin."

"That's different. A fan's not an electronic device.... Is it?" she scrunched up her face as though thinking then shrugged. "Ah well, screw that. I guess we'll just have to do without a bell for now."

Fiona frowned and tried to think of another solution to their problem.

"Do you have any old fashion bells? We could fix them to the side of the door. That way, when someone pushes it open, the bells will ring!"

"Why didn't I think of that!" exclaimed Erika before disappearing up the stairs into her apartment. Fiona always thought it was really cool that her boss actually lived right above her workplace. It was convenient and saved so much on transport and meal cost.

When she came down a while later, Erika was holding up a gigantic bell and looked at Fiona excitedly.

"Will this do?"

"Erika! Is that... Where the hell did you get that?" Fiona's eyes widened at the sight of the bell.

"A man once gave me this bell as payment for a book. I think it's a cowbell. He convinced me that it was going to be a useful item to have around." Erika shrugged as she examined the bell. "Guess he was right after all."

"Erika... that's a cow bell."

"Yeah, I know."

Fiona rolled her eyes at her boss and new found friend and went back to cleaning the tables. She had been wiping every surface of the furniture with anti-bacterial solution as they were having reading sessions with some children in the store later that afternoon. Glancing at the grandfather's clock at the end of the shop, Fiona noted that they still had half an hour before opening time.

She was soon so lost in concentration over her task that she didn't hear the footsteps coming towards her. It was only when the intruder stood directly behind her that her senses went on full alert. Her first instinct was to clamp her fingers around the person's neck but she had to restrain herself. This was a human inhabited area. No human could possibly be of a real threat to her.

However, she kept a grim expression as she turned around and then gave a shout of joy at the sight of Alaron.

"You're here!" she squealed in excitement.

"Yeah yeah... The dog... I mean Eian told me you were here. Like I couldn't scent you out on my own."

"Shh!!! Keep your voice down Al! There are humans!" she hissed, slapping his arm. "So why are you here?"

"Checking on you... Seriously Fi... why are you working in this dump?" he gave the store a once over and shuddered.

Out of the corner of her eye, Fiona saw Erika coming towards them. Even without turning, she knew that her boss was irritated. Apparently she heard snippets of their conversation

"Excuse me, we're not open yet. And we don't accept assholes in our 'dump'. Now scram before I call the cops. You're trespassing."

For a second, the room fell silent that you could hear a pin drop. Fiona looked from Alaron to Erika and back to Alaron, preparing for a physical intervention should he attack her. He was looking at Erika with such intensity as though she was prime meat, ready to be bitten. However, to her surprise he didn't. In fact he was laughing, a deep, thunderous sound that echoed in the room.

"I'll check on you later Fi. Ciao," he said before turning on his heel and walked out the door.

Erika turned to look at Fiona with an open mouth.

"I have only two things to say to you. One, is that guy hot or what? And then two, why is that jerk an acquaintance of yours?"

Fiona let out a resigned sigh. Erika was almost right on both accounts. "He's not a friend... he's actually my..." Fiona stopped herself. Was a 'Sire' the same as 'father'? If she said 'father' that would sound really weird as Alaron looked as old as she did. On the other hand, 'Sire' was not such a human-friendly word. So she had to lie for the sake of the human. "He's my brother and yeah he can be quite a jerk at times. It's his way of showing affection."

"That's some way of showing affection. But on a completely different note, do good genes run in your family or what?"

Fiona blushed slightly, unsure how to respond to the compliment. Instead she went over to the coffee maker and poured a cup each for both of them.

"I really like that we had this installed," she said instead, gesturing to their new coffee maker. "A good cup of coffee is always a great companion for a good book."

Erika smiled and raised her cup as a form of salute.

"So, will you be coming to my wedding this weekend?" asked Fiona as she sipped the mild brew. She was starting to have somewhat of an addiction to it and was thankful that coffee or any liquid for that matter seemed to be something her body was adaptable to.

Erika was silent as she savoured her first sip of coffee. Then she grinned.

"If your family members are as beautiful as you are then I would love to come," she gave a laugh then patted Fiona's shoulder. "I'm kidding. Of course I'm coming. I wouldn't miss it for anything."

***

Eian had picked her up after work in one of his luxury cars, much to her annoyance.

"Haven't I told you that I am perfectly capable of going home on my own?" she asked, fastening her seatbelt.

"Then, haven't I told you that I absolutely love you and will go all out to make your life so much easier?"

Fiona couldn't resist a laugh but threw him a furtive look anyway.

"You think you can use the 'L' word and get away with everything," she commented as they neared the pack grounds.

"Yeah, pretty much," he replied with a smile. "So how was your day at work?"

"Oh it was fine. We had a read along session with some children today and I had so much fun. Those children smell so wonderful... it's like holding a bouquet of roses in front of your nose all the time."

Eian raised his eyebrow but didn't look at her. "And you contained yourself around them?"

"Of course I did! I would never harm children ever! Their innocence presents no threat to me."

Eian didn't say anything. He was still worried about her working in close proximity with humans; the incident at Dominic's wedding was always at the back of his mind. However, Fiona seemed to be coping very well indeed and aside from her sudden outbursts, she was slowly learning to control her powers. Her trial week at the bookstore had also paid off for she was now in her second month of employment, although Eian wouldn't really consider it as such. She was hardly paid and even though her boss covered her meals, he knew that she was just being polite when she stuffed whatever food down her throat; possibly throwing it up later.

"Sweetheart? Don't do that... I know you're worried about me, but I'll be fine," coaxed Fiona. Eian had always been protective of her but ever since they mated, he was becoming exceedingly so. At times she had even caught him sniffing at her as though scenting for some human blood. That had always been a cause of annoyance to her and the trigger for the use of her abilities on him.

"Oh, are we dropping by Pearl's place?" she asked when she noticed that they were not turning into their driveway.

"Yeah, Dominic and Sydney are home. They spent a month at her parents' place after their honeymoon."

As usual, Pearl's house was a hive of warmth and comfort. She had gone out of the way to welcome her brother by baking a huge cake and cooking various other foods. From the amount, Fiona wondered if they were expecting a party crowd. Shaking her head, she went over to help Pearl lay out the table.

Sydney and Dominic came in a moment later and Sydney immediately jumped towards Fiona and hugged her close in lieu of a greeting.

"Oh Fiona guess what!" she squealed, taking a glance at Dominic. She waited a heartbeat, and without waiting for Fiona's reply, exclaimed, "I'm pregnant!" Then she went around hugging everybody. Clearly she was dying to tell everyone the news and by the looks of it, was beyond thrilled at the knowledge of her pregnancy.

"Oh, that's wonderful Sydney! But I can hardly see anything yet!" said Fiona.

"Not yet! Maybe in another three months or so then I'm going to be really huge and I'll have to sit on my ass all day!"

Fiona's eyes widened in shock. Sitting on her ass all day doesn't sound like Sydney at all! Marriage does change people, she mused. For the better she hoped. Her gaze flicked briefly towards Eian and noticed that he had an amused look on his face. He was looking straight at her, as though reading her mind for he gave her a thumbs-up.

What's that supposed to mean? She slanted her eyes at him.

What's what supposed to mean? Fiona almost dropped the bowl she was holding. Where the hell did that voice come from?

Testing. Are you the voice of my conscience?

Yes.

Eian watched his mate's eyes widen slightly more. She clearly had no idea that once they mated, they established a bond that ran deeper than the mere physical connection. They had an ability to communicate with each other if they wished to; have privy to each other's emotions and desires. It wasn't as accurate as the gift of mind-reading that Draven might have, but Eian always considered the wolf bond to be much more unique and intimate.

But for now, he was going to enjoy playing with his little Vampire just a while longer. She looked really adorable when she was confused. No, correction, she looks adorable regardless of what emotion she's wearing on her face; be it anger, amusement, confusion, lust, love...

At that moment, he heard soft footsteps rushing down the stairs and turned to find three toddlers hurrying towards the dining table. The only boy out of the trio stopped briefly to eye him suspiciously before giving a toothy grin.

"Fafa!" he squealed then ran to his father who was slowly coming down the stairs.

"Alex is still having trouble with his vowel sounds except 'A'. So at this moment, Fafa could mean Papa or Alpha or remotely even, Fiona," explained Mike, picking his son up. The toddler was currently climbing his father's shoulder; his mass of black curls so striking against his fair skin. Unlike his sisters, he took after his mother in terms of complexion and skin tone and by the looks of it, in size too for he was much smaller than the girls.

Later on after they had dinner, the women went upstairs to help get the children to bed. Fiona watched as Pearl expertly managed three highly energized toddlers with the skill and finesse of a mother. When she gave them the stern look, they yielded immediately, although Fiona noticed that Alex had glanced towards her and winked.

"So Fiona, what does it feel like knowing you're going to be the Alpha female soon?" asked Pearl as she wrestled one of the girls into her pajamas.

Fiona stood openmouthed at Pearl's question. She hadn't even thought about that issue at all!

"I... I don't... I mean, I don't know..." she stuttered.

"Oh don't worry Sweetie, it'll be fine," said Sydney, placing a reassuring hand on Fiona's shoulder. "Your task is to make as many babies as possible."

Fiona gave a gasp and Pearl gave Sydney a reprimanding look.

"You're not making her feel better Sydney. But really, it's not so bad. Eian's a great Alpha and has been so for centuries. If he requires your counsel, he'll seek it. If not, he won't burden you with anything. That's just how he is and you know that."

"Well, I suppose you're right... but it sure sounds like a daunting position. Alpha female. What characteristics do you think an Alpha female should have?" asked Fiona.

"That's such a biased question Fiona," said Pearl, gesturing for each of them to keep an eye on one of the children. As they walked towards the children's bedroom, she continued, "Some Alpha males in other packs are ruthless, aggressive and very temperamental but Eian's not like that at all. If anything, he handles everything in a calm and cool manner... almost icy at times but he never raises his voice if he can help it. Similarly, some Alpha bitches are equally aggressive as their mates or as sweet natured and gentle as someone I know," she said, winking at Fiona.

"In other words, you're both made for each other so don't worry about it too much," said Sydney. "Right now, you should be more worried about the wedding. Hell, I know I worried incessantly over mine."

Fiona gave a laugh as she tucked one of the girls in. This one was called Clara and she was the only one who had her mother's blue eyes and straight hair. Her skin was smooth, as babies usually are and the colour of milk chocolate. Fiona thought that she smelled like one too. Simply wonderful. The other one, Mira had the same black curls as her father and brother, along with deep brown eyes that looked black in the dark.

"Pearl, do you think I could include your children in my procession?" asked Fiona, pressing a soft kiss on Clara and Mira's forehead. "Flower girls... ring bearer?"

"Of course you can Sweetie! Anything at all! Plus, these little monsters would be thrilled to help. Wouldn't you my babies?"

Fiona watched the girls give a shy smile before hiding under their covers. Alex however was wrinkling his nose.

"What? No good?" asked Pearl, watching her son shake his head.

"Garls..." he whispered but Fiona caught it. Pearl chuckled then tucked him in.

"Sounds like he doesn't think it's manly to be a ring bearer. Well mister, we'll talk about this tomorrow. Now go to sleep... all of you," she said with an added emphasis on the last few words.

***

The wedding day

Fiona was sitting in front of her dressing table, watching the hairstylist pull her lush brown hair up into large loops and pinning them at various junctures on her head. The hairstyle looked good on her small angular face and all that was left was the right accessories. Fiona's eyes landed casually on her right. On the table was a small cushion on which a lovely tiara was nestled on. It had belonged to the first Lady Culzean; Aramis's first wife.

"Your hair's all ready, my Lady. Would you like me to help put your tiara on?" asked the hairstylist. Fiona nodded and watched as the woman placed the beautifully crafted silver carefully on her hair; its blue sapphires twinkling brightly in the light.

"You look beautiful."

Fiona looked at the mirror to see the reflection of Alaron leaning against the door.

"You look dashing yourself. What are you doing here?"

"To steal you away." Everyone in the room suddenly became silent and all eyes turned to him. "What? Kidding okay! Jeez," he mumbled, raising both hands up as a sign of defeat. "Anyway, Father says that we are leaving in half an hour. The private jet's already at the landing pad. Won't take us long to reach the castle."

Erika who was sitting down with Pearl's daughters suddenly stood up. "Wait, we're going to another castle? You mean this place is not grand enough? Oh my god Fiona, just exactly how rich are you?"

"Oh she's much richer than any of us could imagine!" said Pearl. "I didn't even know that Eian was a Duke until like... last night! Seriously! No one would have thought he was anything more than a simple business man."

"He's a what?" exclaimed Sydney. "You mean this isn't just a fancy wedding but like a real real royal affair? It's no wonder Eian insisted that we need not worry about the details! We're hardly... qualified."

Fiona turned sharply towards Sydney and pursed her lips. "Don't say that Sydney. It's my Grandfather really. He had the caterers and decorators and almost everything else on stand by since a year ago. Please don't take it to heart? You ladies did a wonderful job at my bridal shower remember?"

"If we knew, we would have made it even grander," said Amber who had been silent so far. "But come on ladies... the point here is that Fiona doesn't care that we're simple people. If she did, we wouldn't be her bridesmaids. Aren't I right Sweetie?"   Fiona was relieved to hear that and nodded her head.

"Yeah yeah, less with the yapping ladies and get your asses out in five," said Alaron before he left the room.

As soon as the women were alone, Fiona got up and admired herself in the full length mirror. The lovely princess-cut dress flared down copiously from her waist with its intricate embroideries trailing like vines down to the hemline. The off white duchess satin felt cool over her skin and glided effortless when she swayed from side to side.

For a moment, Fiona truly felt like a princess... or to be precise, a Duchess to a Scottish peer. The dark blue and red stripes of Eian's clan tartan were currently wrapped as a sash around her waist while another was pinned to her right shoulder, flowing down her back.

"I know it's too late to ask this... but do you think this heart shape neckline is really a good idea?" she asked, daring herself to look down. The seamstress had done a wonderful job ensuring that it wasn't too low a cut but Fiona was still slightly conscious of her body.

"Honey, you have a wonderful figure. Besides, the lace wrapping around your chest and sleeves ought to give you some coverage. I think you look beautiful," said Pearl kindly.

"I suppose I do look beautiful," said Fiona with a laugh. "Oh my god... I'm getting married today!" she suddenly screamed in excitement. "Can you believe it?"

"Only to the most gorgeous man around!" added Erika with a laugh.

"Then we shouldn't keep him waiting for his bride!" said Amber, opening the door for the others.

***

The jet ride was speedy even though they had to cover more than 300 miles to MacFarlane Castle. Fiona knew that it was probably known under its more archaic name for the castle was named after its estate. However at the moment, the name didn't matter to her. All she knew was that Eian once lived there and she was extremely excited to see it.

The moment she saw it through the windows, she began to point excitedly and all the women began to squeal in awe and fascination at the expanse of the grounds. From their vantage point, the view was simply magnificent and picturesque. The castle itself was nestled between lakes and forests and harked back to a more 13th century time with its Romanesque architecture.


Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 01



A few minutes later, the jet safely landed a distance away from the main castle and everyone scrambled to get off, leaving Fiona and Aramis the last to descend the jet steps.

"Close your eyes my child. Let me guide you," he said, offering his hand to her. Fiona smiled and obliged. She vaguely heard giggles and whispers but did not peek. Aramis was leading her forward towards the sounds of... hoofs?

"Horses?" she asked in bewilderment. She had never seen real horses before!

"Yes, you may open your eyes now." Fiona couldn't help feeling stunned. There were three horse drawn carriages right in front of her. She turned to Aramis and saw him smile. "Alaron's idea," he said, cocking his head in his son's direction.

Fiona stole a glance at the other carriage and saw Alaron's nonchalant face looking at her. He was acting tough but she knew deep inside he was happy that she was happy.

The carriages took them closer to the castle and Fiona saw that her Grandfather had really gone all out with the preparations. The white marquees stood out against the grey walls of the castle and formed a sort of walkway from the entrance all the way to the reception area which was facing the lake. Fiona was so grateful that they were having a day reception for it would give her a chance to really admire the beauty surrounding her.

"Come," Aramis's voice called gently. He offered her a hand to help down the carriage and they were then greeted at the entrance by Draven who looked poised and elegant in his black suit.

"Everyone is seated. Are all of you ready?" he asked as he led them through the great hall. Fiona had no idea where they were heading to but for the moment, both she and her bridesmaids were gawking at the magnificent art collection hanging on the wall and the various sculptures lining the pathway. Eian's taste ran towards the late Renaissance and Baroque periods; a contrast to the more dark, gothic and medieval art found back in her home.

Fiona liked the warmth that Eian's homes always seemed to exude and became increasingly anxious to see him. Draven had led them to the end of the hall where she saw Big Mike and little Alex waiting for them; their faces adorned with smiles.

"Alright everyone. Line up as we've practiced," said Draven, as he got in line beside Amber. Right at the front was Alaron and Erika followed by Draven and Amber then Sydney and Big Mike. Pearl stood alone for she was the Matron of Honour and behind her were her three adorable children; the girls with their baskets of petals and Alex holding the rings on a pillow.

When the ceiling high door opened, the procession was bathed in the warm glow of light from the Orangery. Then the music began the play and slowly the bridesmaids and groomsmen made their entrance.

"Are you ready sweetheart?" asked Aramis, looking down at his beautiful grandchild holding his arms.

"I'm having butterflies in my stomach," she admitted. They were still standing outside the door, away from everyone's gaze. "I love you Grandfather..." she whispered as they took their first steps towards the altar.

"I know. And you'll always have me," he said softly; his lips curling up into a wide smile as they entered the Orangery. Fiona followed his cue and put on her best smile. Everyone turned to look at the both of them and Fiona saw familiar faces beaming at her.

However, there was only one face that mattered to her at that moment and he was staring at her, his smile never wavering as she walked closer towards the altar. Fiona blushed slightly at the intensity of his gaze but didn't take her eyes away from him. He looked truly dashing in his traditional outfit; his tartan kilt with a formal sporran resting neatly in between his thighs and his jacket tapered neatly at the sides to enhance the broadness of his shoulders and lean body. There were silver links on his jacket that matched the silver crest pinning another tartan on his right shoulder. Fiona decided that she liked this look very much.

When they finally reached the altar, Aramis let go of her hand and moved to stand beside Dominic who was the best man for the wedding. Fiona then took her place beside Eian and listened as the priest began the rites of marriage:

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here this morning to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony.

Keiran Alexander MacFarlane, do you take this woman Fiona Reynolds Culzean to be your wife? To love, honour, comfort her and keep her in sickness and in health and forsaking all others for as long as you both shall live?

"I do," said Eian, squeezing Fiona's fingers gently in his. He thought it was nice of Aramis to officially allow Fiona's real last name as her middle name. Apparently she thought so too for she squeezed his fingers back. The followed through with the consent and exchanging of vows, listening intently while trying not to be obvious that they were just brimming with joy and excitement to jump into each other's arms.

May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each other as the sign of your love and fidelity.

They exchanged their wedding rings and patiently waited for the priest to pronounce them.

I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.

Eian let out what sounded like a sigh of relief before pressing his lips lovingly on his wife's. His kiss was soft and fleeting but what stirred inside him was a great tornado of emotions, all culminating into the tears of joy that were slowly escaping his eyes.

When he finally pulled away, he saw that she too was blinking back tears. They smiled at each other before she took his arm and walked down the aisle together towards the reception area.

***

The newly weds sat on a long table with the view of the lake behind them. Every so often, Fiona would turn to gaze at the sparkling water and whisper a word or two to Eian.

In front of them, the guests were seated in round tables draped with white linens. It seemed as though the Vampire guests were seated separately from the Werewolves and the few human guests. Just as well, Fiona thought, since they won't be eating much of anything. However, everyone seemed to know each other, conversing on a range of topics in a variety of languages.

"I'll introduce you to some of them after we have our first dance," whispered Eian, turning his body slightly towards her.

"What makes you think I want to be introduced to them?"

"I can see it in the way you scrutinize our guests. Besides, it would be customary for me to introduce you to the other nobles in our midst. The very old ones would see it as a dishonor on my part," he said. When she gave him a confused look, he continued. "I'm sure you can scent that not all of them are humans. The Vampires especially, who like your Grandfather, are extremely archaic in their thinking. Everything has to be done exactly right, according to all the rules."

"Yes and they are currently pretending to eat out of courtesy," she mused and caught the flash of humour in Eian's eyes.

"Well then. Let's entertain them before they get bored. Shall we dance?" he asked, offering his hand to her.

"I'm a terrible dancer," she replied bashfully.

"Yes I know. You've established that fact before. Not to worry Sweetheart, no one's going to fault the bride on her wedding day if she has two left feet."

The music was soft and slow as it opened for them to begin the first dance. Eian's hands were steady as one clasped Fiona's hand and the other rested at the base of her spine. He moved elegantly with the grace of an experienced and cultured gentleman. Fiona had no idea how he managed to avoid stepping on her long dress but was enjoying herself too much to care. She loved the way he was holding her: gentle as though he was holding a fragile porcelain and yet sturdy enough to let her know he was always going to be there for her.

There was no question, in the guests' minds, that the two were so in love with each other. Aramis was looking on as though he could cry any minute.

Meanwhile, the other guests were starting to get up to dance. Pearl and Mike were already on the dance floor, along with Sydney and Dominic.

Alaron had refused any offers to dance; scowling at anyone who dared approach him. He solemnly wanted to enjoy the view of Fiona dancing happily, hoping to bear that image in his mind forever. However, his eye did glance occasionally towards the human bridesmaid. She was dancing with another Vampire at that moment. Alaron snorted and rolled his eyes. Boy was she in for a surprise if the guy took her home for a snack. Somehow the thought made him frown.

"Fi would kill me if anyone snacked on her pet. Damn," he swore to himself as he got up and made his way to interrupt their dance.

Draven watched as his brother got up and cut into the path of a Vampire. Does that boy even know how to respect his seniors? That Vampire was probably a century or two older than him. Was Alaron so desperate for a dance that he had to choose one already on the dance floor?

As for him, he wasn't in the mood for dancing. He was happy leaning back in his seat and watching his lovely niece in the arms of her husband. If it wasn't because of her, he wouldn't bother to come for any wedding. All the planning, stress, noise, waste of food and then casual sex with strangers was just not his thing. He preferred a quiet room with a good book or even a nice game of chess. Furthermore, formal events such as these meant that his father had invited all the other Vampire nobles from around the country to attend. Aramis had given up trying to match make his son to suitable Purebloods but he still made the effort to expose him to as many of them as possible.

In fact, in the last half an hour alone, Draven had waved off a couple of female Vampires and maybe annoyed a couple more humans when he told them he was gay. Of course he wasn't. It was just a last resort excuse he'd make when they were so insistent.

Lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't notice when the she-wolf came up and took a seat beside him. He was about to read her mind when he decided against it. He'd let her speak first before he checked what she really was thinking about.

"You should follow your brother's example and join in the dance," she said, although what Amber really wanted to say was that that he looked like an ice cube stuck to his chair but thought otherwise. This was after all a formal, happy occasion and she didn't want to end up arguing.

"Go away," he said, without looking at her. "I'm not interested."

"To dance?"

"No, in you."

Amber bit her tongue slightly. This guy was as annoying as he was blunt. Apparently sweet-natured kindness skipped a generation. Draven turned slightly to look at her with his eyebrows raised. Obviously he had heard that.

"What can I do for you, Doctor?" he said through clenched teeth.

"I'm deciding if I should be nice... or not."

"Be nice," he replied. "Go away."

She was about to retort when Fiona came bouncing lightly towards them.

"Oh Draven! Come dance with me!" she exclaimed, pulling at his hand. Then she stopped. "Oh... I'm sorry. Did you want to dance with her?"

Amber watched Draven's eyes widen as he shook his head in denial.

"You both should dance too. I'd like that," she said. "Anyway, I have something I want to ask you. Ask Al to meet me at my table in a while okay?"

***

When the four of them were seated, Fiona began to speak excitedly.

"I've been thinking...since I can now take in the wolf bite and all, can all of you please help me get pregnant?"

"Hell no," said Alaron instantly. Fiona's smile dropped into a sad pout, causing Alaron to let out a smatter of curses under his breath. "Don't look at me like that Fi. I hate that! What I mean is... I'm not a baby doctor or whatever the word is. I'm just a bio-chemist. What the hell do I know about babies?"

Fiona seemed cheered at his answer but was still adamant on her request. "How about the two of you then? Will you help me? Please?" she asked, turning to Draven and Amber.

"Of course I will Sweetie. I've delivered so many pups before. However, I don't know how well the Vampire body can adapt to a wolf's pregnancy but we'll work on that," said Amber with a smile.

Draven on the other hand had a deep frown between his brows.

"I'm actually with Alaron on this. We're bio-chemists Fiona... I don't know how much of an input I can give."

"It's one thing for Alaron to say mean things to me... but you're the kindest person ever in the world... surely you'd help me right?"Fiona immediately gave him a puppy-eyed look, blinking innocently at him. That did it.

"Okay okay... I'll take a look into it," he said in a defeated voice. "I'm only doing this because I love you more than Alaron, it seems."

"Hey!" said Alaron but was immediately silenced by his brother.

"We'll do a check up at the end of the week. I'll do my best to help you," said Draven, looking at Fiona with soft, loving eyes. He watched as she nodded and went back to Eian's side and felt a small tug in his heart. If she were to have babies, would that make him a grandfather?

A ghost of a smile appeared on his face. Hell, he was old enough to be anyone's grandfather... even the little wolf still standing adamantly by his side. Did he really have to dance with her?

***

Meanwhile, Fiona was being introduced to one noble after the other. Her grandfather had wanted to introduce her again to some of the more prominent Lords and Counts in the Vampire world. Apparently, he had invited almost all of the remaining Vampire clan heads and Elders in the European continent.

To her surprise, Eian seemed to know most of them, nodding politely when introduced and making small talk when required. She was truly impressed that he managed to remember almost everyone's names and titles. Clearly, she was having a hard time just remembering a few.

"Well then Aramis my friend, I think it is time to introduce her to my family. Would you like to come along?" asked Eian after being introduced to the last Vampire guest on Aramis's list.

"Oh, I don't know. They're still rather peaky about that whole Count Chervenkov massacre you know?" whispered Aramis softly. "I don't want them thinking I'm going to bite them."

"Oh please. That was centuries ago... Werewolves don't hold a grudge."

Aramis only smiled as he patted Eian's shoulder. "Not all Werewolves are like you Keiran."

Eian gave a sigh then gave a slight nod as he gestured Fiona towards the pack tables.

The Weres sitting there immediately stood up and began to cheer somewhat loudly as Eian came nearer.

"Ah... Fiona I'm sure you remember Rousseau?"

Fiona nodded and smiled at the wizened old man who cared for Eian's château in his absence.

"And this is his second eldest son, Leon who is also my half brother," said Eian, introducing them both. "Leon is the Alpha of his own pack now, am I right?"

The man called Leon bowed slightly towards Fiona. "Yes, south of France. It's a relatively new territory for us Weres. I'm thankful to Keiran for giving us permission to settle there."

Eian nodded kindly then turned to Rousseau. "Where's Pierre? He's been such an illusive guest that I hardly saw him today."

Rousseau's face immediately turned grim.

"Oh I'm sorry Master Keiran... but my son... he has left right after your ceremony. He said he has matters of the state to settle. I hope you will not misread his actions," he said in his most appeasing tone. "However, your reigning grandnephew is here as his representative. I will fetch him for you."

"No, that will not be necessary. I'll just call him," said Eian in a resigned tone. Pierre had always been a difficult person. It was perhaps best that Fiona had not met him on such a joyous occasion. However, the current reigning grandnephew was someone Fiona has to meet. Closing his mind off to the sounds surrounding him, Eian tried to recall the scent of the young Werewolf before calling out to him in his head.

Phillipe, I would like you to meet my wife. Would you please come here? I'm with Rousseau.

Not so long later, a handsome young man came towards the table with a woman in his arms.

"Your Highness," he said giving a gentle nod of acknowledgment to both Eian and Fiona. "This is my wife, Nina."

The petite woman held out her hand first to Eian for a kiss before curtseying politely to Fiona.

"Enchantée," she said with a smile. Eian turned to Fiona slightly and introduced them to her.

"This is my great grandnephew, as you already know... in the ninth generation," said Eian. Fiona gave him a bewildered and he continued. "Meaning great, great, great, great... you get the picture right? He's the current Duke MacFarlane representing me in court."

"Wow..." was all she could say. Philippe gave a small chuckle and held out his hand to take hers in a polite kiss.

"That was my exact reaction when I was told I had to inherit the title," he said smiling at her. "Of course, surely you don't expect the general human population to believe that their Duke never grows old right? Humans have this need to pass things on... like titles. They'll grow bored of seeing the same person in the chair for too long."

Fiona laughed. This guy was hilarious.

"But then... why does everybody still address you as though you're still in office?" asked Fiona turning to Eian for answers. Somehow this whole family tree thing was giving her a headache. Eian smiled and held her hand.

"Because Werewolf bonds are forever; transcending titles or even generations," he said with a warm smile to the other Weres standing before him. "I am still their Alpha even if they have moved on to create their own packs."

Fiona watched as many of the Weres nodded. She could see in their eyes that they weren't just nodding out of politeness but out of a genuine respect towards him.

"Master Keiran has been kind enough to share his estate, his wealth and even his title with my descendents..." said Rousseau when he saw the look on her face. "I am a nobody but he made sure my children and their offspring live an easy life... But... but now that you're both married, we will gladly return the title once your child has come of age," said Rousseau humbly.

Oh... that's why Pierre's so upset... thought Fiona.

Something like that.

Fiona's eyes widen at the response. Her eyes tried to locate the source of the voice and finally settled at scrutinizing Eian's face but he was showing no flicker of emotions at all.

Eian! If you're doing this thing on purpose, stop it! It's scaring me!

His face was unflinching and Fiona wondered if she was truly imagining things. It was seriously starting to annoy her. Not wanting to take any chances, she turned to her guests and made a polite excuse to take her leave.

"That's very kind of you Rousseau. Well, I'm very thrilled to have met all of you and I'm grateful that you have made the time to attend our wedding," she said with a wide smile.

She and Eian bade their farewells and walked back towards their table. Meeting all those people made her tired and edgy. Fiona knew that she was still susceptible to bouts of irrational anger and didn't want to risk endangering anyone or herself. Somehow she was sure it was her husband playing pranks on her and by the looks of it was going to be seriously punished.

"Eian sweetheart," she said in a gentle, melodious voice; batting her eyelashes slightly as he looked at her.

"Yes my love?"

"Mated wolves don't have a secret mind reading bond or whatever do they?" she asked, watching his face closely.

"Ah... I... I wouldn't know anything about that. I haven't mated with anyone before remember?"

"Oh really? Then why is it I seem to get a sense that you're quivering inside?"




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 01



"Oh I'm just quivering out of my undying love for you."

Fiona slapped his chest playfully. "There you go again with that 'L' word. It's not going to get you out of this mess this time."

"What mess?"

"Oh you know..."

Eian raised an eyebrow and looked at her apprehensively.

"Until I get some definite answers about this secret bond..." she paused and wound a finger under his chin. "Would you like to sleep in the garden alone tonight?" she asked sweetly and watched as the smile got wiped off his handsome face.

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 02



NB: Special credit and thanks to my editor wildheartedangel for helping me edit and fine tune the scientific terms in this chapter as well as the previous chapter. I'm really grateful for her help so hopefully it will be a better read for all of you. Also, my appreciation goes out to those of you who took the time to comment; be it here or via my blog posts. It has really helped shaped the development of this story so far.

On another note, for the purpose of plot development, sex scenes will only be added from Chapter 4 onwards so do bear with me. I will try to post Chapter 3 and 4 within a few days from each other.

So for now, have a good read!

***********

"Do I really have to sleep alone in the garden tonight Sweetheart?" asked Eian sheepishly as he stared at her back facing him.

"I can always make you do it unwillingly," she replied without turning back as she brushed her hair in front of the mirror.

"I'm already unwilling," he said, trying his best to pout. "Does that mean if I say I'm willing you'll let me sleep here?"

Fiona caught his eyes in the mirror's reflection and raised her eyebrows.

"So what you're saying is that you're really innocent and that you haven't been messing around in my head and that you really deserve to sleep here tonight?" she asked turning around to look at him. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest to mirror the fierce look on her face.

"Uhuh..." he stammered, nodding slowly. Fiona seemed to be considering his words seriously; her face lost in thought. Finally she shrugged and came closer towards him.

"I'll let you off this time," she whispered, untying the knot of her bathrobe to reveal a sheer chemise underneath. Fiona smiled when she heard the sharp intake of his breath.

Did he really think he was going to get off that easily?

For the briefest of seconds, she caught a slight flicker in his eyes but then it was gone; replaced with a look of intense desire.

"Don't change your mind..." The plea in his voice was unmistakable but Fiona chose to reply by pressing her lips onto his.

He gave a sigh of relief as their lips met; the heat unlike the tenderness of their matrimonial kiss. They were desperate for each other, their hands pulling away at articles of clothing that were in the way.

I shan't bother wearing anything to sleep next time if all he does is tear it off.

Fiona felt Eian's slight smile against her lips. She knew that he could hear her! Her lips then moved slightly to suck on his lower lips, luring him into a state of false assurance before sinking her teeth slowly to pierce the soft skin.   The metallic taste of his blood elicited a soft purr from her throat.

"You're biting me Sweetheart..." whispered Eian without making any effort to move away from her. He knew that she was merely nipping at him and was not of any threat at the moment.

"I'm sorry... I did that on purpose," she replied, finding it hard to pull away from the exquisite taste. She licked the wound seductively and watched as it healed back to its original condition.

"Mmm," he growled softly at her response, nuzzling the side of her neck. "I'll let you mark me as much as you want... if you want..."

"Mmm... make love with me first Eian... We'll sort out your marks later..."

"I hope I get a hundred..."

***

A while later, limbs still entangled, Fiona laid her head on Eian's chest, listening to the accelerated pounding of his heart; evidence of their vigorous gymnastic skills on the bed. At the moment, he was still hard inside her; a feeling she was getting used to each time they mated. A smile of amusement lit up her face as she looked up into her husband's eyes.

"I'm sorry about all the biting..." she whispered. "I didn't know you tasted so good."

A warm hand crept down her body, landing with a smack on her butt. "Don't get used to it," he growled. Eian didn't want her to know it but his wolf had been ecstatic at the thought of its mate finally marking it back, even though Eian knew that her tentative little pricks were just a punishment for lying to her earlier.

However, his beautiful little Vampire was nestled so innocently in his arms that surely no one would believe she was such a vindictive creature with various well-thought out ideas on how to punish him. Oh yes... he had been privy to them.

"What are you thinking about Eian?" she whispered... as though she didn't know...

"You're such a vindictive little vixen," he replied; another smack landing on her butt.

"Me?" she purred with feigned innocence. "You're here, buried deep inside me on our warm bed instead of sleeping in the garden and you say I'm vindictive? That's just so mean..."

"I'll show you mean," he replied, rolling her onto her back; watching her eyes roll back in pleasure at the feeling of his hardened manhood plunging even deeper inside her.

***

When Alaron entered the bookshop that morning, he wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. He knew that Fiona would not arrive until half an hour later so he had to come up with a reason to enter before he chickened out and walked away.

A while later, he let himself into the store, pacing the carpeted floors. Erika was nowhere to be found. He leaned lazily against her cashier counter and surveyed the place. It was really a dump. How in the world could Fiona put up with it?

He waited for a few more minutes and heard the slight thud of footsteps.

"Excuse me? We're not opened yet." Alaron looked up to the sound of the voice and found her staring at him from the stairway. So... she lived upstairs.

"I'm uh... I want to get Fiona a book before she comes," he regurgitated the script from memory. It had taken him five whole minutes to come up with the suitable line.

Erika looked at him doubtfully but took the bait. "What book?"

"Uh... some baby book. She's trying to conceive you know? I thought maybe I should get her something to uh... help her along."

Erika's face suddenly lit up with amusement and she pulled her head back in laughter.

"She doesn't need help in that department. Did you get a load of the guy she married? Now, Fiona can be a little soft around the edges but her husband is not.... Definitely not," she replied, as she moved towards the coffee maker.

Alaron didn't know why her sentence irked him. It was bad enough that Fiona compared him to that mutt... but this stranger? What does she even know about them anyway? Fiona's not going to have an easy pregnancy like any other human. Sure he said he wasn't going to help her with the baby thing but since when did he ever mean anything he said?

"Just help me find the damn book," he growled in an irritated voice.

"Find it yourself. I'm not on duty right now so we are two perfect strangers in a public space," she said, ignoring him.

Alaron couldn't believe this woman. Why couldn't all women be as gentle and sweet as his mother or Fiona? Okay... maybe they were scary when they got angry but generally sweet-natured. But this human was just unyielding!

Alaron let out a snarl but didn't reply her. Obviously she was playing hard to get... which makes hunting the prey all the more thrilling, he thought. Just as well. He turned his focus to the bookshelf in front of him and began perusing the baby book collection that they had.

"Baby names, Pregnancy Journal... Belly laughs..." he muttered, obviously amused at the titles. "No wait... this one sums it about right: What's going on in there?"

Alaron was actually amazed that people actually write stuff about babies and what to do about them. That was just as weird as him standing in front of the baby section looking for the right book.

"Al? What are you doing here so early?"

Alaron quickly hid the book he was holding behind his back as Fiona approached him. Her eyes flicked to the titles on the shelf.

"Baby books?" She looked puzzled then frowned. "Did you get someone pregnant?"

"No I didn't silly!" he replied, giving her a playful push. "It's kinda like for you..."

Fiona was about to reply when Erika shouted across the room at them.

"Get your hands off her! Fiona! How can you just stand there when he just manhandled you like that?"

Fiona looked up at Alaron. She knew he had pushed her, albeit playfully, but she hadn't moved an inch; a normal human being might have flown across the room. It wasn't a big deal... but apparently Erika thought it was for she was fuming as she marched towards them.

She was jabbing a finger against his chest and delivering various threats and curses. For a moment, the two Vampires just stood rooted in shock.

When she managed to snap out of it, Fiona eased away from them before she laughed out loud and ruin the moment. She had caught Alaron's eye and saw the plea in them but all she could do was cover her mouth to stop the giggles.

When he left a while later, Erika went over to Fiona.

"Sweetie, you really shouldn't let him push you around like that. I know he's your brother and all but he sure is rough. If you get pregnant, it's going to be unsafe for him to behave that way around you," she warned.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Honey... don't you know anything about pregnancies? Bugger... that bloke was right about you needing help now aye? Well, if you fall, it might increase the chances of a miscarriage... and we don't want that now do we?" she said kindly.

"Oh..." Fiona wished she was already at that state of worrying about a miscarriage... but she hadn't even conceived anything yet. With a sad sigh, she looked at Erika and tried to change the topic.

"You know Erika... Alaron can be quite... aggressive at times but I've thrown him against a wall myself so you can say shoving each other is our favourite pastime."

"Surely not!" she exclaimed in exasperation.

"Well... okay maybe I exaggerated. But my point is that he's a very misunderstood person... sometimes I think he behaves that way because it's his self-conscious defense mechanism."

"Against what?!"

"Women... He wants intimacy but he's afraid of getting too close. Losing his mother was really a turning point for him."

"Oh...I'm sorry," said Erika. "You don't share the same mother?"

Fiona smiled and shook her head. The Culzean family tree was a bit too complicated for her to explain to the human at the moment.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't be too hard on him then..." said Erika, moving to the door to turn the 'closed' sign to 'open'. "But he's still an asshole."

Laughter bubbled in Fiona's throat. "Ah... yes he is..."

***

Later that evening, Fiona headed over to the medical centre for her first check up with Amber. Eian had also given Draven special permission to enter the pack grounds, so she was also hoping to see him for she had yet to thank him properly for helping with the wedding preparations.

The instant she entered the facility, the smell of anti-bacterial sanitizers reminded her of the first time she was admitted. Somehow, that seemed like a distant memory but still a very real and integral part of her. And Eian had been part of all that, right from the start. Her hand rested gently at the base of her stomach; her heart hoping to whatever higher power up there that she could somehow have a child together with the man she loved. It was the one thing she could do for him... after all that he has done for her.

She knocked softly on the consultation room and stepped inside.

"Hi Fiona, take a seat," said Amber, gesturing to the chair in front of her desk. "Draven should be here in awhile." When Fiona was seated, she continued, "In the meantime, we'll do the standard checkups. I have a feeling that we might need to update your previous medical records since your body has gone through quite a few changes."

"I hope they're all good changes..." said Fiona softly as Amber took her pulse and blood pressure.

Amber murmured something unintelligible before moving to her laptop to key in the information she had just gathered.

"On the average... your vitals are in good shape. Your body temperature is still on the lower end of the normal human spectrum but it is definitely higher than when you first came here. That's a good sign."

"Will that be a problem?" asked Fiona, trying not to appear too worried. "I mean having a lower body temperature?"

"I don't know yet... we've never had inter-species breeding before. Werewolves generally have a much higher body temperature than most humans. Gestating mothers especially can get really feverish since they might be carrying an average of three to five pups at a time.

"Okay..." said Fiona sadly.

"Don't worry so much about it Fiona... Draven and I will be with you every step of the way. Don't forget, you're our Alpha female too so it is my duty to serve you and your needs."

Fiona blushed. "Don't say that... I'm still me... Don't treat me any different than the others."

Amber let out a small laugh. "I wish. You'll learn soon enough that the pack survives because of our awareness of our place within the hierarchy. Acting otherwise could result in banishment from the pack." Amber took Fiona's arm and dabbed a cotton wool soaked in alcohol over the skin. "But I'm doing this because I want to. Somehow the prospect of a hybrid child fascinates me... And I get to work with Vampires... how intriguing."

Fiona raised her eyebrow at Amber. "You mean Draven right?"

Amber looked at her for a minute before bursting out in laughter. "Oh god I'm so obvious aren't I?"

"Just a little," laughed Fiona.

Amber gave a wide grin as she inserted a needle into Fiona's vein to draw a blood sample.

"This is to check your glucose level, blood cholesterol and so on. I'll give a portion of it to Draven to do the DNA test. We're not really equipped here for that sort of microbiology procedures."

Fiona nodded, watching Amber stand up to keep her blood sample in a small box.

"I just have a few more questions regarding your fertility cycle and then we're done," said Amber cheerily. "I'll also start you on a journal where you have to record down the usual things like daily body temperature, the start and end of your period and also a list of what you eat daily..." she said absently before stopping. "Oh, I'm sorry... it slipped my mind..."

"It's not your fault..." said Fiona kindly, trying to hide the fear and worry in her voice. "I guess we can skip that part since you know I only need to feed once every few months or so."

Amber looked at Fiona and thought of the best way to explain to her the problem.

"I am aware of that... but we might have to start you on real food once you've conceived... it's integral to the development of the baby."

"Oh dear... you mean like human food?" Fiona hadn't thought of it before. If the baby's going to be part Were, it will want real food right? Or would it take after her Vampire's diet?

"Mmm... I won't recommend changing anything for now. If you successfully conceive then we'll worry about it."

"I can take in liquids fairly well... maybe that'll help?" asked Fiona sadly. Amber didn't know what to say so she just smiled and watched the Vampire hung her head down dejectedly.

"I'm sorry Sweetie... I didn't mean to make you sad. Like I said, we'll just have to wait and see. For now, we need to get that egg hatching."

A ghost of a smile crept up Fiona's face but she still looked forlorn. Amber felt guilty. She hated seeing the sadness in Fiona's eyes but she was equally helpless; she had no answers to the questions that were usually of second nature to her.

"Do you want me to call Eian to pick you up?" she asked instead. Fiona shook her head but Amber was already picking up the phone to dial for her Alpha. She then walked Fiona out to the main waiting area. Amber had a feeling that it wasn't going to take long for Eian to come.

She was right.

Minutes later, he tore into the building, his senses searching for Fiona with a slightly anxious look on his face.

"Alpha..." called Amber. "Over here."

"Hey... Sweetheart, are you feeling alright?" he asked, taking a seat beside his wife before looking at Amber for some answers.

We talked about some of the difficulties she might face and I think it made her sad.

What difficulties? Why is she even here in the first place, Amber?

Amber gave her Alpha a stunned look. Did he not know of Fiona's intention to conceive? She bit her lips, wondering what to do. Would it a breech of patient's confidentiality if she told Eian what Fiona would have otherwise kept from him?

Amber...

I'm sorry Alpha... the Hippocratic Oath doesn't allow me to divulge anything that the patient doesn't want to share...

I'm her husband!

I know Eian... but you have to ask her permission first.

Eian gave a scowl and looked at Amber with narrowed eyes.

Your Alpha just gave you a direct order.

Amber swallowed hard and tried not to look too fearful.

Fiona is also my Alpha and she hasn't given me the orders to share anything with you... please Eian, don't make this hard for me.

Eian who was on the verge of rage suddenly blinked back with surprise. Somehow he had totally forgotten that his wife now held the same status as him. With a resigned sigh, he leaned back against the chair. He knew he was being difficult on Amber but she was right. He valued her expertise and her ethics and he wouldn't have it any other way...on a sane day.

"I'll just take her home then," he said, lifting Fiona gently into his arms. He was glad that she wasn't fussing but was pliant to his handling. He had no idea what she was so upset about but he could sense her raw emotions inside of him too and it broke his heart.

After buckling her up in the passenger seat, he got in the car and simply sat there quietly.

"Fiona Sweetheart... would you like to tell me what's wrong?" he asked patiently. "I had no idea you had an appointment with Amber today. I would have come along."

Fiona didn't say anything but smiled weakly at him.

"Sweetheart?" he asked again.

I want to go home

"We're not going anywhere until you tell me why you're so sad... you're a strong woman... surely whatever it is can't be that bad?"

The moment the words came out of his mouth, he knew he was in trouble. He had just replied to her non-verbalized question. He knew she had been annoyed about him not being truthful about their mental bond and now he had given her a chance to get angry at him.

Her face was looking straight ahead but her eyes were turned to stare at him. He didn't really need to see them to know she was angry; he could feel it in his gut. That and his hands were moving towards the steering wheel on their own accord.

Angry's good... better than sad right? He tried to persuade her but to no avail.

"Drive home, Eian," she commanded in a cold voice.

***

Meanwhile, Amber was sitting in her office, printing out the data from Fiona's first visit. The blood results will be back in a day or two. Plus she still had to wait for Draven to take a look at Fiona's blood sample.

Amber frowned. Just where the hell is he? He had missed the whole consultation! If he had been around, maybe Fiona wouldn't have been that devastated.

"He's freaking Ancient for god sake... surely he'd know more than me?" she muttered to herself.

Somehow that seemed to be the magic phrase, for a knock later; he entered, looking solemn as always.

"You're late," she said accusingly.

"Yes, I was caught up with something. My apologies."

Amber leaned back in her swivel chair and crossed her arm. He didn't even look at her when he said sorry!

"Right, so where's her blood sample? I'll just take it and be on my way."

"You were supposed to be here for the consultation!"




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 02



"I told you I was engaged," he replied tonelessly.

Arrogant bastard!

Draven turned to look lazily at Amber before moving towards the storage box to help himself to the sample. He wasn't really interested in interacting with this Werewolf, even though she smelled divine. He gave a small shudder to dispel the thought and picked up one of the two test tubes containing Fiona's blood.

"How soon can you give me the results?" she asked, clearly annoyed.

"I'll fax it to you when I'm done," he replied, moving towards the door.

Amber gave an irked huff, finding herself staring at the man's back. Initially she had pegged him as self-absorbed, haughty, and annoying but on hindsight decided there was only one word to describe him: frigid.

What was it about cold, emotionally-unavailable men that just attracts her? In other words, Draven exuded the same calm yet icy demeanor as Eian did before he met Fiona. The only difference was that the man beside her was of the Vampire variety. Still, she wouldn't deny that she was attracted to him; superficially or not.

"Have dinner with me." The words blurted out of her before she could stop herself.

Draven who was about to leave, stopped in his tracks even though his hand was already on the door handle.

"Pardon me?" he said, turning around slowly.

"Have dinner with me. You know... eating and drinking... being civilized."

He gave her a considering look and leaned his back against the door.

"I do not have mortal needs of eating, unless you're offering yourself as my meal. Now that would be uncivilized. I don't do wild animals."

Amber was taken aback. Part of her was insulted yet the other part was curious. He was looking at her without an ounce of emotion and yet his sentence seemed loaded with innuendos... or was she just imagining it?

"I can't figure you out, Draven... seriously. We're supposed to work on this together and you act as though you're superior to me; walking in whenever you want, taking whatever you want. I am as equally qualified as you are, if not more."

Draven tilted his head back and laughed.

"Wolf, you may have a MD but I have been around much longer than you have and so I am superior to you."

Her eyes widened slightly to express the shock she was feeling. It took her awhile to get over it but when she did, she looked up without an expression on her face.

"I see. Well then, I'll wait for the fax," she said, watching as he opened the door. "Oh, just for your information, Fiona was heartbroken when she left."

He heard her but didn't stop this time. Walking himself out of the medical centre, he felt slightly guilty. He knew she wasn't lying when she said Fiona was heartbroken. He had read it in her mind. Maybe she was right... he should have been there for the consultation. Looking at his watch, he decided it was too late to call Fiona. He'll probably do it tomorrow.

Draven massaged his temples slightly to quell the headache he was getting. Clutching the test tube, he decided that the best thing to do right now was to get to work.

That should give him time to mull things over.

***

The next morning...

Fiona was putting back books that others had browsed, back to the respective shelves. She was feeling better today or rather; she was feeling neither sad nor angry. She tried to immerse herself in work to forget the whole baby issue. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to push for a baby so soon.

Her hand picked up the next book on the trolley: Pregnancy Journals.

"Oh god..." she moaned, pressing her head against a shelf. She gave herself two minutes to self-loathe then breathed in deeply to get some control over herself. "I can do this... I am happy and contented with my life..." she said, repeating the suggestion over and over again, like a mantra.

It didn't work. It seems that anger was still the only spark to ignite her abilities. Chucking the book carelessly, she made her way to the counter.

"Erika... I'll be back. I don't feel well..." she said before dashing out of the bookstore. Erika was clearly stunned but didn't protest. Fiona knew she'd have to come up with some excuse later but for now, she needed to get somewhere quiet in case she lost control.

The moment she got outside, she leaned against a brick wall and tried to breathe calmly.

"Fi?"

Fiona looked up and saw Alaron stepping out of his car. Her mouth quivered slightly before she burst into tears and ran up to hug him.

"Get me away from here... please..." she begged.

"Ok, get in."

He kept on driving until they reached a secluded section of the city and parked his car. He didn't say anything but looked at her with concern. She was still crying.

"Alright Fi... at the risk of being subject to your scary abilities, I'm going to ask the painful question: Why the hell are you crying? Is it that dog? If it is, I'll kill him for you."

Fiona gave a sniffle and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I'm a bad wife..." she mumbled in between sobs.

Alaron wasn't prepared for this. What the hell does he know about being a good wife? He decided to just remain silent for now.

"I... I went for a checkup... yesterday," she started, hiccupping slightly. "And... and it's not going to be easy Al... I might not even get the baby past one month..." she moaned and buried her face closer; tears drenching his shirt.

"Shh..." he tried to soothe her as he patted her head gently. "We don't know anything yet Fi... don't lose hope like that..." he said. "Remember the first time you took in Father's blood and you felt like you wanted to die? Remember what you told me?" Alaron rolled his eyes. He couldn't believe what he was about to say. "You said you'd take the pain as long as you have Eian; as long as you know you can always go back to him. Remember?"

The sobs stopped and she turned her head to look at him. "You... you remembered that?"

"You're evil Fi... really. Now I need to scrub my tongue off the aftertaste of that sentence."

Fiona sniggered a little and put her arms around him. "Thank you..."

"Ah... don't mention it," he said, smiling a little. "Now will you please get off me? You're so ruining my shirt."

Fiona pouted her lips and took a closer look at his shirt. Suddenly, she pulled him by the collar and took a look at the label at the back of his neck.

"Hey!"

"Valentino? Looks like someone's trying to look impressive..."

"I am not..."

"Yes you are... admit it!" she exclaimed with a laugh.

"Yes!" he blurted out then rolled his eyes. "Damn it Fi! Don't do that! It's not fair when you always use your abilities to get what you want."

"No I don't." The laughter died only to be replaced by a soft voice. "I wish having a baby would be as easy as suggesting it to myself."

Alaron kept quiet for a moment. Hadn't she realized that she had issued a command without being angry? However he could be wrong. Patting her thigh gently, he tried to cheer her up.

"You know Fi... maybe you could try that. Who knows? Eian's little soldiers might just do your bidding," he said before bursting out into laughter.

"Hey!" she giggled and slapped his arm playfully.

"Okay, okay..." Alaron took a deep breath and tried to stop laughing. "On a more serious note... I think you shouldn't worry too much. I read that stress isn't going to help with the conception."

"Aww... are you saying you did some research for me? That's so nice of you..."

"I'm always nice."

"No you're not." She sniffed at him. "You still smell the same... wait, what's that smell? Is that cologne?"

"No it's not!" When she raised her eyebrows at him he stuck his tongue out. "Alright, alright, yes it is."

"Oh my god... you like her! You like my boss!" she exclaimed suddenly, all her worries forgotten as excitement washed over her. "Oh my goodness! How could I have overlooked this?"

Alaron stiffly tried to adjust his shirt collar and looked at himself in the rear view mirror.

"No, I do not like the human."

"Oh this is so exciting! I'm gonna tell her!" Fiona literally squealed the last few words.

"Oh no you are not because there is nothing going on!" said Alaron firmly. "Do not... I repeat, do not say a word to her!"

Fiona wasn't listening.

"Wow... all those awkward visits to the bookstore, finding excuses to get me a book..."

"Fiona!" he shouted in exasperation.

"What?"

"Please don't tell her... please?"

A sly smile curved at her lips. "You do like her..."

Alaron gave her a soulful look. "Promise you won't tell her?"

"Only if you don't work hard to help me get pregnant," she replied with a laugh. At Alaron's stunned expression, she continued, "I'm kidding! Oh... but this is such a weapon..."

"Who is this woman I'm sitting with..." he muttered, shaking his head.

***

Fiona managed to get through the rest of the day, fueled by her excitement at the thought of Alaron finally finding someone.

"Someone sure is happy," whistled Erika as she counted their daily sales.

"Well, just a little," smiled Fiona, turning to study Erika. The woman was clearly of mixed heritage with the Irish tilt in her voice obvious every now and then. Her jet black hair was long, growing past her waist and yet always carefully tamed into various braids and hairstyles. However what was most striking about her was her fashion sense. Today she was wearing something that didn't even remotely looked like an actual dress. Fiona knew she wasn't really wise in the clothing department but if anyone could put together random shawls tied around the body without looking like a mummy; that would be Erika.

"You know Erika... I guess I should apologize about earlier today. I was feeling uh... nauseous."

Erika smiled but didn't look up. "Is that the good kind of nausea or the bad kind you get from food poisoning?"

"Eh... neither." Fiona walked closer to the counter. "We're still trying..." she sighed. "Oh Erika, I really want to have this baby so much."

"Then maybe you should try again," she replied, humour twinkling in her eyes. "I just saw your husband park outside."

Fiona turned sharply and saw Eian's figure leaning against his car.

"You go ahead. I'll see you tomorrow," said Erika, flashing a broad smile.

"See you." Fiona kept her smile until she reached the front door then scowled. Why was he picking her up again?

She wanted to be angry at him but somehow the thought seemed to dissipate when she saw the bouquet of red roses in his hands.

"Are you trying to bribe me?" she asked, taking in the scent of the flowers.

"That depends... is it working?"

"Mmm... maybe..."

"Well, then it's a bribe," he said, opening the passenger door for her.

Before he started the engine, Eian turned slightly to look at Fiona. "You know Sweetheart... I've decided that I'm not going to push you to tell me about the thing at the medical centre yesterday... If..."

Fiona gave him a suspicious look. "If what?"

"If you promise not to be angry anymore at me."

"How can I not be when you lied to me!" she exclaimed in exasperation. "You made me think I was going mad inside my head!"

"Well... then we're equal now aren't we? You kept your secret and I kept mine."

Fiona stared opened mouth at him. He was just inconceivable!

"Are you trying to argue with me about lying?"

"I didn't lie... I just... didn't get to the whole truth," he said defensively, hitting the accelerator to be on their way home.

Fiona crossed her arms around her chest and leaned back, fuming to herself. She wanted to remain angry at him but knew that she was angrier with herself. This mate bond connection was a good thing so why was she acting like it was something unforgivable?

"Sweetheart... tell me what's really bothering you?" said Eian gently, placing a hand on her thigh. "I can't always tell what you're thinking..."

"I thought you can?"

He patted her thigh lovingly. "I am only given privy to your thoughts when you allow me to. But you're closing up... and honestly, it's breaking my heart..."

Fiona sat quietly in her seat for a few moments, the guilt settling in. They were nearing the compound when she finally spoke, "I want a baby but I'm scared I can't."

Eian froze, slowing the car down as they approached their home. "And... you went to the medical centre to do what exactly?"

"I... I don't really know what has to be done... but I'll do anything to have one."

Eian let out a long, deep sigh as her brought the car to a stop. He was in a dilemma: his inner wolf was clearly overjoyed but his rational human mind wouldn't allow it. He's happy with how things are at the moment but who knows what a pregnancy could do to her.

He unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to look at her. "Fiona my love... I don't need anything from you, except yourself... so don't put yourself through this agony," he said, assuring her in his kind and gentle voice. "I've waited a very long time to find you and I am happy that we are together. I don't need more... I promise."

Fiona lifted her gaze to stare into his eyes and knew that he was just trying to say the right thing.

"Don't you want children?"

Eian smiled and caressed her cheek gently with his fingers. "Of course I do... but when the time is right."

"And when is that?"

"I do not know when... but the important thing is to let nature take its course."

She didn't seem convinced but she just nodded anyway.

"I mean it Fiona," he said with a hint of warning in his voice.

***

Draven was seriously annoyed. He had been staring at his computer screen for the past eighteen hours, analyzing the blood sample he had taken from the medical centre hours ago. He had no idea why he was so agitated or why he was pushing himself without rest for the past 36hours.

He told himself it was for Fiona's sake; that he wanted to deliver the results to her as soon as possible but he knew that was just the icing on the cake. The truth was, he couldn't quite wipe the image of that she-wolf's disappointed face out of his mind. She had been really hurt when he told her that her MD was meaningless to him.

But he was just stating the obvious. He was at least a few hundred years older than her and his years of research had resulted in various advancement in the medical and biochemical field. Hell, she probably studied the science that he had pioneered along with other scientists over time. What did she know?

When the light of dawn began to illuminate the sky, Draven's head shot up to look at the time. It was almost seven o'clock.

Resting his head on the desk, Draven gave a loud sigh. His father had raised him up to be too much of a gentleman that it was inexcusable for him to behave like that in front of a woman. Sure, he was a noble and she a commoner but that didn't give him the license to treat her like dirt. Now that was Alaron's territory or so he thought. Somehow his brother seemed to have mellowed down a lot since Fiona's marriage.

Whatever it was, he had to apologize to her. Otherwise it would reflect badly on the Culzean family name and as the eldest son, it was his duty to preserve their reputation. With a resigned sigh, he calculated how much time he had, considering that the centre opened in an hour's time. If he wanted to reach there on time, he mustn't take more than ten minutes to get ready.

"The lengths I go to for this family," he muttered to himself as he whizzed his way through a shower and got dressed, taking just a minute more to make sure his hair was combed back and that he had slapped on some aftershave.

Rushing over to the computer, he saved whatever data he had analyzed, gathered the rest of his reports and sprinted to his car.

His watch showed it was 7.20am. He had roughly forty minutes to cover 180miles...

"Okay, so I took two times longer than planned... I can get there on time..." he assured himself, hoping that he wouldn't have to break the speed limit. He really wanted to catch her before she started work, and then at least they'll have some time to talk before the whole rush hour starts.

By 7.52am, his car was parked neatly in a lot outside the medical centre. It had him speeding on the highway close to 200 mph, if not faster. For all the hassle and possible fines, he didn't want to waste anymore time but headed straight to her consultation room, not even knowing if she would be there. Without knocking, he barged in.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, spilling coffee all over the front of her blouse. Annoyance, more than anything flashed across her face as her daily ritual of savouring her first cup of coffee was ruined.

Apparently that didn't put him off for he was currently looking at her with sharp, intense eyes. Amber was sure that one could actually melt in the heat of that gaze. Not in the sexual sense... but in the volcanic destructive sense.

"Yes?" she asked irritably and watched him take a deep breath before slapping the files he was holding on her desk.

"Alright, here it goes... I'm sorry Dr. Amber MacFarlane at my lack of civility and human compassion with regards to yesterday's incident. I acknowledge you as a highly trained medical professional and I take back whatever insults I said yesterday." He paused, gauging her face for a response. When she remained silent, he shifted uncomfortably. "I don't... usually apologize to women, regardless of species."

"And I don't usually ask obnoxious cold-blooded Vampires out for dinner either. That's a mistake on my part and I apologize for my lack of foresight." Taking her gaze away, she looked down at the files on her table and opened them. "Are these the results?"

He nodded, watching the arrogance disappear from her face, replaced by a look of pure concentration.

"I'm impressed... you did all this in less than 48 hours? Damn... my own lab hasn't even started working on my sample yet."

Again he nodded and watched the arrogance returned to her face.

"Thank you. You can go now. My shift's starting at eight."

Draven heard her order and yet he was still standing rooted to the ground. It was the lack of sleep, he reasoned, that was propelling his feet forward, grabbing her by the back of her head and yanking her out of her seat.

His actions were so fast that Amber almost didn't register the sensations of his lips pressed against hers. However, when she did, her eyes widened in shock and she valiantly tried to push him away.

He didn't budge an inch and she was slowly losing the strength to resist. His kiss was firm and strong, yet tantalizing enough to make her insides go mushy. Very soon, she found herself surrendering to the onslaught of his kiss, her tongue willingly wrestling with his.

I want you... but I can't. This is a public place and the nurses might barge in at any time.

He must have heard her for he pulled away reluctantly and looked straight at her, seeing the disappointment and lust pooling in her eyes. Just for a second, he felt the need to respond to her lust as though it was calling out to him. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of him being subject to this Were's mating pull. That can't be.

Draven gently let her go, distancing himself from her.

"I've got to go now." He had to leave before something unavoidable happened. "If you need any clarifications, just email me."

Then he was gone before she could protest.

***

He needed to get away from her... needed to forget that he had been attracted to her on such a carnal level for it was unacceptable for a Vampire of his stature and lineage. Feeling somewhat lost, he followed his instincts and drove towards the Alpha's home. Checking up on Fiona might put his mind off the incident for awhile.

As he pulled up along their driveway, he saw that Fiona was locking the door while Eian was in the car waiting for her. It took her less than a second to sense his presence. A bright smile flashed on her face and she walked towards him.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 02



Lowering down his windscreen he looked up into her pretty face.

"You're smiling but you look so grumpy, my little princess," he said and watched her scrunch her face.

"I'm not grumpy," she said with a laugh. "What brings you here?"

"To check on you of course. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it on time the other day..." he said, seeing the hurt in her eyes at being reminded of the appointment.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said but one look at her, Draven could tell that she was desperate to talk to someone. He didn't even need to read her mind.

"Why don't you ask Eian if I could send you to work instead?" he suggested. Fiona thought for awhile then went over to Eian's car to relay the message. He caught Eian's eye looking at him through the rear view mirror and pretended to remain calm. Even though he wasn't saying anything, Draven knew what was on the Alpha's mind.

Clearly, he was annoyed at the fact that Draven hadn't bothered to ask his permission by himself but used Fiona as a messenger. However, Draven couldn't risk it. He smelled of a very leggy blonde Were doctor at the moment and if Eian caught a whiff of it, she might get into a lot of trouble.

Thankfully, Eian relented and after kissing his wife, drove off without a backward glance towards Draven's car.

"Eian's crossed," Fiona commented as she settled herself in the passenger seat.

"I expected as much... It was kind of last minute."

"Don't worry too much. I know how to uncross him," she replied with a smile.

Draven couldn't help smiling too as he began to drive off. "So tell me my dear, what's bothering you?"

Fiona recapped everything that had happened since her appointment with Amber, including the slight tussle she had with Eian the previous night when she told him about it.

Draven listened; interrupting only to clarify certain things but on the whole, he was quiet. Only when she was finished, he began to speak.

"You should listen to your husband," he advised. "When you've live long enough, you usually know all the solutions to such worldly problems. I know I said I would help you but if Eian says no, then you shouldn't go against that."

Fiona stared at her uncle open mouthed. How could he take Eian's side!

"I'm not taking anyone's side my dear. Trust me."

"Hmph. Why should I?"

"Because you stubborn little girl, I analyzed your blood sample and trust me, you need to relax and let nature take its course... just as he says."

I don't understand...

"I did the usual tests for fertility and noticed that you have very high levels of Prolactin. That's the stress hormones and it's inhibiting the other hormones responsible for your egg development."

"So you're saying I'm too stressed out?"

"To the point of obsession don't you think?"

Fiona was silent. What he said hurt but it was right. "So you're saying it is still possible for us to have children?"

"Yes of course. We still have human bodies regardless of our genes. It's like producing a canine hybrid of a dog and a wolf. So meaning that even though they are of different species, they belong to the same genus, namely Canis and so they can reproduce,"

"Draven... I work in a book shop, not a science lab. In English please?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I mean we all belong to the same scientific category of Homo sapiens or humans so we should all be able to reproduce with each other."

The burden in her heart melted away slowly upon hearing Draven's words.

"Oh thank you Draven... I feel so much more at peace now. I love you so very much you know that?"

"If you love me very much then you'll listen to me when I say listen to Eian... and be a good girl." His tone was firm but laced with affection as he parked the car neatly into a lot in front of the bookstore.

"I will," she said happily, unbuckling her seatbelt. Leaning over she gave him a peck on his cheek. "Come on in. You look like you could use a cup of coffee before you go."

Draven checked himself in the rear view mirror. His eyes were indeed puffy and tired.

"Yeah, I guess I could," he said, giving a weary smile.

He realized that it was the first time that he set foot in Fiona's workplace and he immediately approved of it. Although it did lack a certain level of class and sophistication, the warmth and coziness of the place made up for it. The smell of books; old and new mingled in the air and he knew that a truly avid reader could get lost in it.

"It's a nice place," he commented as they walked further in. "I'm glad you enjoy working here Fiona..."

She smiled and told him to sit down while she made a cup of coffee. When she brought it to him, he leaned back and examined the surroundings.

"Have you ever thought of pouring funds into this place?" he asked.

"Oh... I don't think that would be right would it? I'm just a worker."

"Yes of course... a worker who is worth at least five to eight times of her boss's assets."

"But that's not my money!" she protested. "Don't talk about this anymore... especially in front of Erika," she warned upon hearing footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Good morning Erika..."

"Hey," she replied, bleary eyed. "Give me one moment... I'm not fit for human company yet..." Her hands reached for a cup and poured some coffee. Taking a sip, she tilted her head back and felt her senses finally waking up. "Okay, I'm back."

"Erika, you remember my uh... you remember Draven right?"

"Oh yeah. Hi!"

Draven smiled as a response before raising his cup for an invisible toast.

"You have a lovely store here," he said after awhile. "Did you handpick all these books by yourself?"

"Actually, yes. How'd you know?" she asked.

"Ah well, I just do," he said nonchalantly. She didn't need to know that he could read her like an open book. The pun made him grin slightly to himself.

"You think that's funny." It wasn't a question.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I got lost in my own musings. Please forgive me." He paused awhile, listening to her running through various responses in her head. Before she could speak, he cut in, "I wasn't joking when I said you have a lovely store. Do you carry non-fiction books on science academic writings?"

"Of course. Would you like to see them?" she asked excitedly. She was currently thinking of a few titles to impress him. Draven decided to pick one of her choices.

"Do you have Burstein and Keijzer's book?"

Instantly her face brightened and she nodded enthusiastically. She led him towards the shelf and they stood there discussing about her favourite picks for the next ten minutes.

That is cheating Draven

Fiona was watching them with interest. She knew that he had read her mind and replied to every single one of her response accordingly.

Are you trying to get her to close the shop for the day and go home with you?

I'm just being nice. She doesn't have a very good opinion of the Culzean men at the moment so I'm trying to change that.

Are you sure...

Fiona gave him a doubtful look from across the room.

Okay I better go before she really closes the shop for the day...

"I'm sorry Erika, maybe another time. I need to get going. I trust that you will take care of my princess?"

"Oh," she replied in surprise at the sudden change in topic. She moved closer and asked bashfully, "Will you be dropping by again?"

One moment he was giving a friendly pat on her shoulder and the next he was flung halfway across the room, crashing into rows of bookshelves.

Fiona only managed to catch a glimpse of brown hair before Draven was once again flying to the other side. She could tell that he was tired and not at his best form so his reactions were slower. On the other hand, she could smell the fury and jealousy mingled with a scent she was familiar with.

"Alaron!" she hissed, grabbing Erika before the woman got injured from the broken shards of glass and wood flying around. In fact, she made it just in time for plank was heading towards Erika's direction but she was too stunned to move on her own.

"Stay here, understand?" Fiona settled the shaken woman safely at the back room of the store before heading out to stop the fight.

Despite being tired, she saw that Draven was resisting Alaron's attacks; but he was alert enough only to block the blows for he was too slow for an offense strike. She tried to get in between them but they were moving too fast for her. It was like the practice with Aramis all over again.

The only sound she heard in the next few seconds was the crack of bones breaking. Alaron's next hit had broken Draven's bone on his right arm and his nose.

It was only then that the two of them stopped and she quickly scrambled towards them before they disappeared from her sight again.

"Draven! Breathe through your mouth," she shouted in exasperation, moving him as quickly as possible towards a nearby wall. Easing him back gently, she tried to assess his injuries. The split lip and cuts on his arms were slowly healing but she wasn't sure if Vampires could heal bone fractures on their own. "Sit here... I'll call Grandfather," she instructed, not knowing what else to do.

When she turned, she saw that Alaron was staring at them, the anger in his eyes slowly dissipating, turning into regret. The brothers must have had a shouting match inside their heads for she had not heard a single sound from them throughout the fight. At the moment, they seemed to be communicating but she was too angry to find out about what.

The men had ruined the shop; the only one thing that she could call her own! Books were strewn everywhere, flyaway pages and broken hardcovers lying pathetically on the floor and on dust covered seats. The shelves were destroyed beyond repair; evidence of their existence was currently reduced to broken planks, shards and sawdust.

"Don't move a step Al or I swear... I swear I will snap your neck off. And you!" she turned to Draven. "Couldn't you at least say something to me? All I saw were blurry shapes and then bam! A vase is broken, a cupboard is destroyed!"

"I'm sorry Fi..." mouthed Alaron. When she didn't respond, he dared himself to justify his actions. "He was mauling her Fi! And you know how I feel right?"

"I wasn't mauling anything you idiot!" shouted Draven back.

"Oh... then what is that scent you reek off? I could smell it ten blocks away!" he shouted back and made an attempt to move forward.

"I'm warning you Al..." said Fiona slowly. "Do not move." Not wanting to risk it, she laced her order with enough power to ensure he won't resist. Then she walked back towards Draven. "What scent?" she demanded, seeing the look of absolute disgrace in his eyes.

The wolf doctor

His admission startled her and she lost her hold on Alaron. He was moving towards them but she was too stunned to stop him.

Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erika coming out to view, the look of pure fear and trauma on her face. Fiona walked towards her but she simply backed towards the wall, shaking her head in distress.

"Just who are you people?" Her voice strained in exasperation.

"Erika... I'm so sorry for all this... Please let me explain," pleaded Fiona.

"Just get the hell out of here... Stay away from me... all of you!" she shouted before running into the back room.

"Either one of you morons please call Grandfather and then get the hell out of this place by the time I come back. Just be grateful that you also broke the telephone line or the police would be here soon," she snarled, looking at the two Culzean men with venom in her eyes. 

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 03



NB: I am forever thankful to my editor, wildheartedangel for her speedy editing and wonderful comments and suggestions. Hopefully she has made this chapter a much easier read. And of course, to all my readers, thank you so much for your support! I wouldn't even be writing if not for all the great comments.

With that said, I'm sorry this story took a little longer to get posted but Chapter 4 is coming right up! There are a few surprises installed in these two chapters but I'm always open to suggestions and speculations.

-Artform-

***

"Now look what you did." Draven's tone was not of accusation but of resignation as his eyes assessed the damage.

Alaron didn't bother to reply. He was calling Aramis Culzean's office to let him know about the situation. Vampires cannot mend broken bones as fast as they could heal mortal wounds. So in other words, Draven needed to go to the hospital but which one was the problem.

Meanwhile, Draven tried not to move too much in case he had other fractures, especially in his ribs. If just one were to stake through his heart, then he might die. The thought pissed him off.

"Alaron, get off the damn phone. We'll just do this our way without involving Father. You know how he is..." said Draven, wincing slightly as he shifted his body. "He might blow up the matter and have both of us locked in the house for the rest of our lives."

"Hell no." Alaron immediately disconnected the call. "So what do you want to do? You can't go to a human hospital."

"I know that. Call Eian and tell him we're coming over to use his facilities."

Alaron shot his brother the most disgusted look. "You want wolf magic hocus-pocus instead of proper medical treatment? You have got to be kidding me," he complained but helped his brother up nonetheless. It didn't take him much effort to lift the full grown man in his arms but he felt weird doing so. "When we get there, you're getting into a wheelchair mister. We look like newlyweds."

And sound like them too.

"That is absolutely sick," said Alaron as he gently laid his brother in the back seat of his car. Turning one last time to look at the shop he muttered. "So which one of us is going to pay for the damages?'

"You," they both said in unison. Alaron rolled his eyes as he started the engine.

"At this moment, you don't have much bargaining power. You're even incapable of getting yourself to the hospital," he pointed out. "Plus you've lived so many centuries more than me. Don't be mean."

Draven was quiet for it was tiring for him to breathe through his mouth and talk at the same time. Furthermore, the pain was becoming increasingly unbearable. At times like this, he was thankful that he could communicate mentally with others if he wished to.

Mean would be me taking away the precious memory of you skirting around that girl.

Alaron immediately stiffened; his hands gripping the wheel tightly. "What girl?"

The reason why we had this fight. Oh please, don't try to hide it from me... I practically raised you.

Alaron shut his mouth. There was really no point in denying it since Draven would find out anyway. Why did he have to have a brain nitpicker for a brother?

I heard that

"I didn't say anything..." said Alaron; a smile slowly forming on his lips. "You'd better rest. I'll call Eian once we're closer. He has wolves stationed at the entrance of the compound waiting to pounce on us."

He gave us permission to enter the pack lands after they got married remember? It's an extension for family members.

"Still, you smell like rotting flesh and I am not a wolf-lover so I'll just call in case. But if that doesn't work, then I'm leaving you to the dogs."

That's so kind of you.

Alaron's eyes darted to the rear view mirror to catch his brother's gaze. Any other Vampire would have ripped his throat out once they had the chance but Draven didn't even reprimand him. He was as calm and collected as always and was exceedingly patient with him. In fact, Alaron couldn't remember Draven ever raising a hand to strike him. Nag and curse yes but never beat. The thought made Alaron guilty.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

Forget it.

"I can't. It's just that you've always had everything... looks, swordsmanship, intelligence, abilities... Father's approval... and I had nothing. It sucks to be your younger sibling... really. And the thought of you taking her away was just too much for me. It's like I'm a curse or something you know? Mom got taken away then Fiona got taken away and now you want to lay claim on the human."

"You have so much and more if you just take the time to appreciate," said Draven in a coarse voice. It had taken a lot of energy just to say that one line but he thought it was important for Alaron to hear it out loud. "And I am not laying claim on that human."

"Really?"

Yes. Can you just up and drive now?

"Come on... we just had the best fight of our lives... okay maybe for me coz this is the first time you lost. " Alaron waited a heartbeat and heard Draven's grunt of response. That'd do as a 'yes'. "So you're really not interested in her?"

I hate to repeat myself

"Man... Do you even dig women? I've never actually seen a woman inside your quarters ever. Well... not that any sane female would want to enter it. It's like nerd-zone."

Excuse me... I have taken female companions into my room before.

"Like during the Neolithic period maybe. Way before I was born- or anybody was born for that matter. But seriously Draven... just how long have you not had sex?"

I am not discussing this with you

"Yikes! That sounds like a long time. Wicked!"

You'll understand in another two or three centuries.

"No way. I think I'll want to have sex till I die. I don't understand how anyone could get tired of it."

I did not get tired of it

Alaron ignored his brother's protest. "I'd like to do it every day, maybe two or three times a day. I mean, they also work as convenient food."

Alaron! You're not supposed to do that!

"What... it's not illegal here! This is Europe... not America anyway. I mean that's the whole reason why we helped them invent the blood pill in the first place right? It's because they have such a low supply of willing blood donors."

I want to die

"Don't be such a spoilsport!"

However, they were already at the main entrance of the compound so Alaron had to stop tormenting his brother and placed the call to Eian. Come to think of it, it was the first time he had ever asked for permission to enter the pack lands. Mostly, he lurked about at the outskirts, watching over Fiona.

As Eian's voice filled at the other end of the receiver, Alaron snapped out of his thoughts.

"Hey, we've got a problem here. Draven needs some medical attention."

Eian sounded somewhat annoyed on the other line but responded, "What happened?"

"He has broken bones and needs to have them recast. We can't mend them on our own and the human hospitals are just too dangerous."

"But... don't you have your own hospitals? You own the biggest blood bank and medical facility in Europe!"

"Here is nearer. Plus we're trying to keep Father out of this... so we'd appreciate the discretion."

He heard Eian sigh. "Okay, enter after five minutes. I'll send someone to guide you." Then he disconnected.

A while later, two wolves came into view. Alaron eyed them warily but followed after them into the rugged terrain of the compound. He didn't see any houses at all and figured that Eian had given the wolves instruction to avoid bringing them near the pack settlement. Besides, the medical facility was almost at the edge of the compound on the other side as it served the small human community there from time to time.

When they finally saw the white and grey building, Alaron gave a relieved sigh and turned to Draven.

"We're here. Prepare yourself for some mumbo-jumbo Bro."

Do not call me that. You know I hate to be called that.

***

There was an operating bed waiting for them outside the emergency area. Alaron gestured to the two medics on standby to tend to Draven while he went to park his car. It was of no surprise that when he entered the facility, Eian was already waiting there for him.

"Don't you ever go to work?" he asked, considering it the most polite thing he had ever said to his new brother.

Eian gave him his usual calm, gentle smile but Alaron saw the coldness in them... or maybe it was just reserved for him.

"Tell me what happened or I will not take responsibility for anything that might happen from here on."

"It's a long story."

"Then we better sit down," said the Alpha, gesturing to Alaron to follow him. Eian could roughly tell what had happened. He had scented his wife on the two men the second they entered his compound. On top of that, they smelled of wood, dust and coffee, which meant that they were from the bookshop... or what was left of it.

They finally reached the cafeteria and Eian got two cups of coffee.

"From the top," Eian said it calmly but with enough force to make sure Alaron knew it was a command.

Alaron hated being commanded by anyone but somehow at the moment he was in enough trouble and Eian was trying to help them... or at least he thinks Eian's going to help them.

"Well... I overreacted about something... and we ended up fighting in the bookshop..."he started slowly, watching Eian's expression remain passive. "And I broke his bones."

Eian's face remained unchanged but he nodded to show that he was listening. Alaron swallowed the mixture of intimidation and annoyance in his throat. So this was what it was like talking to the Alpha when he meant business.

"Fiona's angry at both of us... That's a change. She's currently consoling... or trying to console the bookstore owner coz the human sort of saw us."

Alaron saw the slight flicker of annoyance in Eian's eyes before they disappeared.

"You're in a lot of trouble, young Culzean. Tell me why I should collude with the two of you instead of going to your Father?"

Alaron contemplated his answer. That was a good question to which he had no answer except the obvious one which was embarrassingly selfish.

"Because Father will lock us up for the rest of our lives," he said slowly. That and he would skin them alive.

"Let me get this straight... you left my wife, who is in a state of unbridled anger with a human and drove away without telling anyone until now?"

Oh oh... I'm dead. Alaron nodded and heard Eian let out a stream of curses under his breath.

"Were there any witnesses?"

Shit!

"I don't think so... It was an hour before opening hours and there aren't many glass windows. There are security cams but other than that, that place is a ghost town."

Concentration filled Eian's face as he thought of the next course of action. After a few minutes, he spoke in a stern voice.

"We need to contain the exposure of your kind to the minimal. First I want those tapes destroyed. Burn them if possible. Next, I'll send some of my Betas to scout the area to see if anyone saw the incident. The following step will be more difficult," said Eian, pausing to make sure Alaron was listening. When he nodded, Eian continued. "I do not know how long your brother will be in surgery and how well he can perform his memory-wipe in his condition. So, if he is unable to do so within the next 24hours, I will need all witnesses to be rounded up and kept somewhere safe until their memories can be erased."

"Wait... that might not be necessary. Fiona can modify their memories by suggesting something else into their psyche."

Eian considered Alaron's proposal then shook his head. "She's too volatile at the moment. You know how she needs to use anger to actually fuel her abilities right? I won't risk it. She might actually kill rather than heal."

Alaron kept quiet. Hadn't he witnessed her having control over him when she was overjoyed too? But that was such an isolated incident that he didn't dare suggest it to Eian.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this..." sighed Eian. "Your Council Bureau has enough Enforcers on duty to handle these types of situations. Your brother would know since he used to be in the Damage Reversal unit. "

"The what?"

Eian raised an eyebrow before realization kicked in. "You're too young to know much. Never mind. Just head over to the scene now and get those tapes. I'll call in my Betas."

Alaron nodded and watched the Alpha get up with his phone in his hand.

"Hey Eian..." he called out softly; humility clearly on his face. "Thank you. I owe you one... I mean it," he said before leaving the medical centre to clean up the mess.

***

"You're a WHAT?" exclaimed Erika for the tenth time.

Fiona was really trying to reel in her impatience for the sake of friendship and the safety of this human. She couldn't believe it was so hard to convince Erika that Vampires exist.

"Yes Erika... I'm a Vampire or at least that's what you humans call us."

"Oh my god... you're going to kill me aren't you?" she stammered in fear.

"No... please Erika... I'm not... I mean, have I done anything to hurt you at all in the past months?"

Finally! The fear slowly melted from Erika's eyes but her guard was still up. "But I wouldn't know would I? I mean you could have drunk my blood and then erased my memory or something."

"It's not like that! I would never hurt you Erika! We're friends aren't we?" pleaded Fiona although at the moment she was unsure if they would still remain friends after this. "I was Sired by a Pureblood so I don't need to consume blood that much; once every few months and we have our own private blood banks for that."

Fiona watched as Erika's fear got replaced by curiosity. She was obviously interested to know more. That was good... at least she wasn't shrieking and cursing anymore.

"So let me get this straight... Vampires exists AND you guys have a hierarchy going on? I am going insane aren't I?"

"No you're not. We do exist and we have a hierarchy with a Council of Elders to enforce rules as well."

"Rules?"

"Yes... for situations such as these I suppose..." said Fiona sadly. "Erika... listen to me. The only reason I'm trying to make you understand is so that they won't take you in and have your memories wiped. But they might have to anyway if they deem you as a threat."

"Whoa... hold up a minute there lass. No bloody hell am I letting anyone wipe anything! This is all just a sick joke isn't it?"

Fiona wished it was but she was getting weary from the stress of explaining to Erika over and over again. Fiona felt her lips tremble and her eyes threatening to cry. She really didn't want to lose her friend. This was all Draven and Alaron's fault. She was going to punish them severely for this. She had no idea why she even bothered to try and explain this to Erika. It was as though she was hoping her friend would accept it without question just as she had and then keep the secret.

"So if you're a Vampire and so are your brothers, then is your husband and all those other people I met at the wedding Vampires as well?" she asked with a shudder. Fiona felt her heart sink. It was one think to say Vampires exist but saying Werewolves exist too was just going to open up a whole new set of problems.

Fiona saw the intense eyes of her friend demanding for answers and knew that hiding the truth was just a useless feat now.

"Please promise you won't freak out..." she pleaded as an afterthought.

"I'll try... nothing could be more sick than what I've just heard right?"

Fiona gave a weak smile. "My husband... and all the other bridesmaids and groomsmen... they're Werewolves."

The stunned expression of Erika's face was priceless. Then she broke out into a hysterical laugh.

"Oh my god... oh my fucking god. Vampires AND Werewolves? This is a whole cart of bullocks. How in the world did I get myself involve in this blistering madness anyway?" she said, pacing up and down, mostly talking to herself. "I should have known it... You don't eat anything and drink so little. Duh! Vampires don't eat do they? Of course I'd offer myself if I had known but that would just have been weird. No forget I said that. That's just bull."

Fiona watched the petite woman try to absorb the information and internalize it but was clearly having a hard time. Knowing full well that Erika would be subjected to a memory wipe broke her heart. She would cease to exist in this woman's life... forever.

Turning to look at her friend, Fiona blinked back her tears and enforced her suggestion.

"Erika... I need you to sleep now and forget everything that ever happened here today when you wake up."

The woman fell like a log, collapsing on the floor into deep slumber. Fiona was too distraught to notice that she wasn't angry when she used her abilities. Picking the woman gently in her arms, she carried Erika upstairs to her bed and laid her down.

"Sleep tight my friend. I'll wake you up when everything is over," she whispered, squeezing Erika's hand gently.

Closing the door quietly, she made her way down and came face to face with Alaron.

***

"What are you doing here Al? I'm too depressed to kill you."

Apologies later, he thought. Clean-up first. "Eian sent me. We need to destroy the security tapes right now," he said, moving behind the counter to search for the camera feed.

"Wh... what? Eian knows about this?"

"He sent some Beta wolves to canvass the vicinity to see if anyone has seen or heard the uh... commotion this morning."

Fear crept down Fiona's spine. "Then what Al?"

"Then Draven will erase their memory..."

"Is he well enough to do so?"

"I'm not sure. The mending of bones is a bitch so they're gonna give him drugs to suppress the pain. That will interfere with his pain receptors and his mind might be in too much of a bliss for him to fully concentrate on erasing minds... Aha! Found it!" He raised his hand to show a disc but Fiona wasn't paying attention.

"What are you going to do in the meantime?"

"We'll have to bring the witnesses to a secure place and hold them there until he's better."

"No!" she shouted then frowned. "Wait... why isn't Grandfather handling this matter? This is our mess. Why did you involve Eian in it?"

Alaron crushed the disc and the recorders carefully in his hands before moving away from her to look for the cameras. Those have to be destroyed too.

"He will lock us up Fiona..." he said softly as he smashed one of the cameras into a flat disc. "We can contain this... don't worry..."

But Fiona wasn't buying his unusual reassuring voice. "Something's wrong isn't it..."

With his head hung low, Alaron turned to look at her with a serious look on his face. "The reason why Father lets me get away with almost anything is because I am still underage. That goes for any Vampire below the age of 100. As odd as that sounds, it weighs a lot in the Vampire world as to how they assess your punishment. I've been under house arrest for some time after your family's... I'm sorry Fi, demise. They will look at this incident as a child's lack of control and simply lock me up at home again but Draven is old and will be subjected to much harsher punishment."

"Wait... you're saying you only got house arrest for killing people? What is wrong with this system?" she shrieked.

"It is in place to protect our kind Fiona; above others. Do you know how many younglings and newly turned Vampires were staked and burnt in the past? Our kind almost went into extinction because all the young were too slow to evade human capture. And even now... do you think we can survive in prisons? If you're placed in an isolation cell, you'll probably just die from lack of feed. Either that or you'll go mad with the burning need to kill and feed."




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 03



Fiona slumped to her knees, clearly shocked at what she was hearing.

"Does Eian..."

"Yes he knows..." interrupted Alaron. "That's why he was adamant on keeping you under his guardianship even though he's a Werewolf. Because... one adult is only allowed to be guardian for one underage Vampire."

"What! Are you saying that I was under house arrest without me knowing it?"

"Hello... you attacked a man and sucked his blood till he fainted remember?"

"Oh..." she said, recalling the incident.

"And you tried to drown yourself which I thought was so stupid. But that's beside the point. The council would do anything to keep their young alive... especially if they're born into a Pureblood family or Sired by one."

"Why?'

Alaron rolled his eyes. "You're obviously not thinking clearly right now," he commented, smashing another camera that he had found. "It's better to breed Purebloods and Nobles as they only need to feed once every few months. Hello..."

"Oh. I forgot," she replied as she massaged her temples, trying to ease the headache that was slowly creeping into her head. Then she reached into her pocket and took out her phone and begin dialing.

"Sweetheart," came the gentle voice on the other line. Fiona couldn't wish for anything more calming than his voice at the moment. "I'm sorry I didn't call you... I figured you're still talking to Erika and that it might get a bit stressful for you..."

"Yes, she's asleep now... I'm so tired Eian," she whispered and heard his comforting words. "Have your Betas finished with their canvassing?"

"Why?"

"I'll modify their memory right now. I refuse to let anyone be taken anywhere."

A moment of silence passed.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Fiona felt a strange bout of comfort in his question. Even though he doubted her, he didn't straight out refuse her help or order her not to intervene.

"It occurred to me that I had just put Erika to sleep and I wasn't even angry. I don't think I can wipe memories but I can suggest to them to forget what they saw or to pretend it was a dream or something."

"Okay Sweetheart... Is Alaron there? Close the shop properly then stay with him inside until I get there with the Betas and the witnesses. Is that alright?"

She nodded her head slowly, mumbling a 'yes' into the receiver.

"I love you," she heard him say before he disconnected.

"I love you too..." she whispered to herself.

***

"Big Mike, report your status." Eian's voice was firm and just a bit weary. He had been walking down the street for the past hour, interviewing possible witnesses and viewing surveillance tapes from the pizzeria across the street from the bookstore. It was the only store that installed a dome-shaped camera that was equipped for 360 degree surveillance and true enough, it had captured parts of the commotion in the bookstore.

It had taken Eian some time to convince the owner that he needed to view them, saying that he was representing the insurance and legal authority dealing with the bookstore's repairs and needed some verification as to how it happened.

Honestly, to the naked eye, it looked as though nothing had happened. One minute the store looked fine and the next it was disheveled. As the camera was set on a ten minute rotating basis, it didn't manage to capture anybody going in or out from the bookstore. That was a relief.

Perhaps Alaron was right. At the time of the incident, the street was practically deserted, or so he thought. Stepping out of the pizzeria, he overheard two men talking about a 'massive explosion' inside the dingy bookstore and Eian perked his sense of hearing to capture more information.

"I'm telling ya Nook... something happened in there!" said a man.

"You're just imagining things you old boozer. You're just egging me on to sneak into that shop and steal us some cash!" replied the other man.

Eian didn't want to hear anymore. He turned into the corner and spotted the two homeless men, probably in their 50s, looking as though they were about to run at the sight of him.

"No, wait," said Eian kindly, taking out his wallet and flashing a ten dollar bill in front of them. "Tell me what you know about what happened and this is yours."

One of the men eyed him warily but at the sight of the money inched forward.

"I ain't seen nothing." This came from the man called Nook.

"I see. Then maybe your friend here saw something?" replied Eian, moving a step towards the other man.

"No! I mean who's asking? I ain't no snitch for anyone," said Nook.

"I don't care for snitching. Gimme the money and I'll tell ye."

"Tell me first and you'll have the money." His bored voice matched the look in his eye; as though he didn't really care if they were going to tell him anything or not. The man who didn't mind snitching understood the look that Eian was giving and decided to spill the beans before Eian changed his mind.

"There were two lads. Handsome and tall. I was thinkin to meself that they'd be strapped with cash and I'd nick just a wallet... or two." The twinkle in his eyes told Eian that he had considered nicking him as well but one cold stare from Eian changed his mind.

"Then?" Eian passed the man the ten dollar, watching as the Nook's eye gleamed with lust over the money. Pulling out another ten dollar, Eian held it up and waited for either of them to take the bait.

"It was like magic me thinks. Things were breaking and crashing everywhere but no one except your little missus standing in the middle looking like she's bout to cry. Know what I mean?"

Eian stiffened when he heard the man call Fiona his missus. Had they been watching the shop and the two women?

"The shopowner?" prompted Eian. "Where was she?"

"Your missus took her away... no wait, she carried her away. Yes I was thinkin that's one strong fine lady..." Eian's stare stopped the man mid sentence.

"Do you always watch my wife?"

"Hey... it's a free country! She's a looker that one. Pleasin to the eye."

"We don't mean her no harm. She gives us food sometimes. Very kind young lass, never treated us like dirt..." This came from Nook.

Eian cursed silently in his head. Yeah, that would be his wife. Naïve to the point of not knowing what's best for her own safety. There was no way he was going to let her work here anymore. He shouldn't have agreed to it in the first place, knowing the kind of neighbourhood she was working in.

She'll protest and beg, that's for sure but he'll just have to enforce his decision on her, even if he has to chain her up. However, he hoped such drastic measures need not be employed. She'd withhold sex from him for a lifetime if he ever did that to her.

The thought made him worried.

"Come with me," he said, motioning to the two men. When they didn't budge, he grabbed them by their wrists and pulled them along towards the bookstore. Indeed from the exterior, it looked pretty intact but the moment he peered inside, it looked like a hurricane had passed through it.

"What the hell..." whispered one of the men.

When Eian approached the door, someone opened it from the inside and Eian gave a nod to the Beta. Dragging the two homeless men inside, he let them go only when the door was locked once more.

"Alpha, I've tried my best to cover the windows with some newspapers. That way no one can see in. Also all electrical and communication wiring have been disabled."

"Okay, good. Where is Fiona?"

"She's resting in the back room with that Vamp... I mean Alaron." Big Mike cast a nervous glance at the two humans in the room and saw that they were looking at him with much curiosity.

Ignoring them, Eian nodded. "Any other witnesses except these two?"

"None Alpha."

"Okay good. Keep those two under control," he instructed before heading towards the back room to look for his wife.

He found her, looking exhausted and slumped over the dining table. He could see thick dust matted in her hair; her skin looking pale and sallow. His instincts went into overdrive with the need to comfort and protect his mate. He would have carted her off and hid her in their room for the next 48 hours or so but he knew that she needed to settle this problem.

In fact at that current moment, he could hear her thoughts screaming 'it's my fault' over and over again.

"Fiona," he called softly, watching as her head lifted to reveal a tired looking face. "They're waiting for you outside."

"Okay," she replied softly, getting up and moving towards him. He felt her fingers daintily linking with his and he gave a gentle squeeze of support.

You shouldn't blame yourself for this Sweetheart...

I should have just listened to you in the first place and stayed at home.

Shh... we'll talk about this later. I need you to be strong now for these two humans.

She glanced up wearily into his strong, steady eyes and gave a weak smile.

"Missy!" hissed one of the men as Fiona approached them. She instantly recognized them and told them to sit; assuring them that it would be okay. They did as they were told, ignoring the fact that they were sitting on top a pile of broken wood.

What should I say to them?

Tell them that there has been a fire, the shop is completely destroyed but both you and Erika and safe. Tell them also that they had been drinking so they passed out and didn't see anything. We'll leave them where I originally found them. Have them convinced that they just woke up and everything was just a dream. Better yet, make sure they forget the dream once they wake up.

"Okay," she replied and did exactly as she was told. She watched as their eyes glazed with something that looked like confusion. Turning to Eian, she asked, "Do you think it worked?"

"We'll find out soon enough. Ask them to walk over to their usual spot then you've got to make them believe they've really passed out from drinking too much."

***

Half an hour later, Eian was standing in Erika's studio apartment with Alaron and Fiona by his side. The other Weres had been dismissed seeing that the situation has been successfully concluded.

Fiona had been amazing, he thought. She had somehow learnt to harness another type of emotion to fuel her strength but Eian wasn't sure how stable or reliable it would be in the long run. His gut feeling told him that her abilities needed some kind of extremity; be it anger, sadness or even happiness, for it to work but the element of control was still uncertain.

The two men almost didn't wake up; passing out for a whole fifteen minutes simply because Fiona was too consumed with the idea that dreaming was a much safer place than reality. He had heard her thoughts and knew that she was worried about Erika; the dilemma battling within her as to whether she should modify her memory or not.

"What should I do now?" she asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Can't you just suggest that her shop really burned down and that she was having a really bad dream? That way we'll all still be in her life but she'll just forget the whole Vampire lesson," suggested Alaron.

"It's really not as easy as that. Fiona cannot wipe her memory meaning that the knowledge is still embedded inside her. She may forget but any small thing might trigger the memory and unlike those two, she saw everything that happened and was given an explanation," said Eian in a resigned voice.

"We'll take her home," said Fiona, looking at Eian for permission. "I'll suggest that she's staying with us because her shop's under renovation." This time she looked at Alaron, silently telling him that the shop was going to be renovated by them. "I'll continuously suggest it to her so she will stay under control... until Draven is well enough to remove her memory permanently."

Eian wanted to say no but he could hear the edge in her voice and knew that she was struggling to keep herself in control. There was something about this human in front of her that she wanted to protect desperately.

"Alright," he relented. He loved Fiona too much to see the disappointment in her eyes.

***

Meanwhile, Draven was feeling woozy- if that was even a word to describe his current state of being. He knew they were administering drugs to him to keep the pain at bay but that did not mean the pain was gone. The cast around his right arm looked rather stupid but he knew that unless the bones were aligned, there was no way his own body could begin to heal it.

As for his nose, he wasn't sure what had been done to it for there was no cast or plaster on it. Making sure he was absolutely alone in the room, he tried to focus both his eyes towards the centre of his face, to get a better look at his nose.

He was looking cross-eyed and silly when the door suddenly opened and a tall blonde woman walked in.

"Self examination I see," she commented, leaning against one of the walls. When his vision returned to normal, he saw that she wasn't in her usual white coat but was dressed casually. He knew that she did not preside over his surgery and was curious as to why she was making herself comfortable on the visitor's chair in his ward.

"Stop scowling at me or that nose will never heal," she warned. "Then you're going to stay ugly forever."

Draven felt a desperate need to run over to a mirror to see his face when he heard her words but fought to restrain himself. Instead, he observed the way she was sitting down with her back upright and her bright blue eyes equally observing him back. She was wearing some kind of high-collared frock that cinched at the bust instead of the waist. Draven wasn't one for fashion; never keeping up with the words they use to describe women's clothing nowadays so he wasn't even sure if 'frock' was the right word.

Why are you here anyway?

It was an unconscious question; meant as a self-pondering but she heard it.

"I just got off my shift but I thought I'd drop by and see how well you're coping. From what I hear, they want you back on your feet within 24 hours to deal with damage control, whatever that is."

Draven was irked at the fact that she could hear him too but figured now wasn't the time to debate on such technicalities.

You came to check on me?

"Don't get any ideas. I'm leaving in a while. I just wanted to tell you that whatever happened the other day in my office... let's just pretend that never happened. It's much better for both of us," she said in a grim and unaffected tone before getting up on her feet to move towards his bed.

While she was fiddling with the machine beside him, Draven's eyes flicked down to see a pair of toned legs perched on sharp stiletto heels that looked like they could poke an eye out. Maybe it was best not to mess with this woman so he kept quiet and watched her walk to the door.

Just before she stepped out of the room, she turned to give him one last look.

"Sleep tight," she whispered, giving a wry smile.

"I'm not sleepy!" he protested but the door was already closing.

And stay out of my head.

Then she was gone.

As if I wanted to get inside her head in the first place. And what did she mean by damage control?

Draven found himself staring fixatedly at the ceiling; his eyelids feeling heavy.

What was I thinking about just now? Damn it. Why is my brain working so slow? I can't seem to think... so... sleepy...

His eyes were closed even before his head landed on the pillow. In his dreams, Draven saw a very nasty looking wolf transform itself into a sexy, naked woman, holding a really big syringe with a fat needle pointing directly at him.

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 04



NB: Credit and thanks goes to rayneluver for her help in editing and proof reading this chapter. 

I know I said in chapter 3 that there are supposed to be surprises right? But on hindsight, I'm not sure if there were many surprises... or maybe I read my chapters too many times that I can't pick it out. =p 

Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

-ArtForm-

***

He was wide awake and pissed. He had been reduced to begging the nurse from the night shift to stop the IV drip for it made him less in control of his thoughts or his dreams. Draven didn't like that one bit, even if his dreams involved a really sexy naked doctor doing all sorts of acrobatic acts. 

It didn't help either that the sexy naked doctor looked like a specific blonde Head of the OB/GYN. 

With a sigh, Draven tried to think of something else and assessed his injuries instead. He was half considering ripping the damn cast off his right arm but was unsure if it had completely healed yet. Instead, he used his left fingers to try and squeeze through the gap between his skin and the cast; feeling for his bone. 

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" said a very irate voice. Draven didn't even bother to look up. That voice had been plaguing his dreams the whole night; moaning and whispering lewd suggestions. Besides, when did she even enter the room?

"You were too busy trying to take the cast off that you probably didn't see me," replied Amber, moving around to take a look at his chart. Immediately his head shot up, giving her a warning stare.

"Put me on drugs again and I swear I will bite you," he scowled. Amber stood rigid and for a moment, Draven caught a flicker of pleasure on her face before it was replaced with a look of amusement. 

"Try me," she dared, staring him straight in the eyes. Her heart was beating fast, hoping that he didn't call her bluff. They stared at each other for a whole minute. He blinked first. 

"Right, thought so," she said, putting his chart down and moved casually to sit by his side. "I know I promised not to come here anymore but I couldn't help myself. Plus I wanted to make sure they were giving you enough fentanyl for the pain."

"Why is this hospital administering fentanyl instead of morphine? This is such a simple procedure!" he said accusingly. Fentanyl was almost a hundred times more potent than morphine! 

"You think they didn't try? Vampires must have blood of steel or something. Your chart showed that they were short of administering an elephant tranquilizer to put you under."

Draven didn't say anything but grumbled silently to himself.

"Anyway, that increased dosage gave you a good rest didn't it?" Her voice was gentle, trying to be supportive.

If you considered getting a hard on every hour a good rest, he thought. And the worst part was that he couldn't even relieve himself because firstly he was in dreamland and secondly jerking off with his left hand was awkward. 

Her sudden laughter shook him away from his thoughts. When he turned to look at her, she had tears in her eyes. 

"Seriously Vampire... you need to be around women more and not just those you feed on. Don't you worry, the nurses and doctors here are used to seeing male erections at every hour of the day."

Draven frowned. He must have looked confused somewhat for she explained, "I know the nurses on this floor are attractive and thus the erections? I don't blame you," she said with a laugh. Draven continued to stare at her in disbelief. Obviously she was mistaken. 

"You don't happen to be a gymnast on the side do you?" he asked. 

"Hell no. Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Nothing. Why are you here anyway?" he added quickly, hoping that she wouldn't see the blush on his cheeks. 

"My shift starts in thirty minute, thought I'd drop by since you haven't had any visitors since yesterday."

"I do not need you to babysit me. You can go now." His voice was calm but inside he was just a little shaky. Was it pathetic to feel upset that his brother and niece had not visited him? 

He felt her pat his left arm softly. "No it's not... Alaron and Fiona had some things to settle. They'll probably visit in the evening." 

Annoyance flashed across his face. "Can you stop that?"

"What?" she asked innocently. 

"Listening to my thoughts!" he exclaimed. "Honestly woman... and get off my bed!"

She got up but didn't move away from him. "I can't! You're thinking so damn loud that I cannot differentiate it from your normal speech."

"Then don't talk to me!"

"Fine!" she retorted and grabbed her purse from the visitor's chair. Why was he being such an ass? She just came by to bring some fresh flowers to cheer him up. It wasn't just that he intrigued her but he was by default also a part of the MacFarlane family now. They were supposed to be working together for god sake! 

She snatched the small bouquet of carnations that she had placed on the chair with the intention of placing it by his side table. But on second thought, narrowed her eyes angrily at him and threw the flowers towards his face. 

"What the..." His left hand tried to block the bouquet but his aim was way off and it smacked him straight in the face. "I hate that woman," he snapped but she was already gone. 

She was intolerable! Coming in here, poking into his thoughts, being nice to him... just what the hell does she want? 

Grumbling to himself, he tried to think of other things but found his thoughts wandering back to the she-wolf.

Remembering the kiss from the previous day, Draven suddenly sobered up. Was she making implicit moves on him? God no! Werewolves do not seek out mates from the Vampire community and vice versa. Period. 

What if it was just sex? Okay, that made more sense. If she wanted to sleep with him, why didn't she just say so? It wasn't as if he was a prude... okay so maybe he couldn't remember the last time he was with a woman... but you can't forget how to have sex, could you?

A headache was brewing slowly and Draven's left fingers unconsciously began rubbing his temples lightly. What the hell was he thinking? Was he contemplating sleeping with that woman? 

This needed sorting out immediately. He needed to talk to her seriously and with as much civility as possible. 

Sitting up straight, he turned to look at the various machines connected to his body via tubes. There were catheters for various fluids going in and out of him. Did they really think he was that incapable of anything? They even connected a tube to drip urine from his bladder. He broke his arm not his dick for crying out loud. 

He began pulling out all the tubes, ignoring the warning sounds that alerted the nurse into his ward. She came promptly within the minute, fighting with him over them. 

His left hand touched her cheek gently and suddenly she was walking out of the room with a confused look on her face. 

"Okay, that still works," he breathed out. Basically he erased the part about the alarms going off so she forgot why she had gone into his ward in the first place.

"Now, it's your turn." He peered at the cast warily and wondered which was the best and most efficient way to cut it off. However, after much debating he decided to keep it on. "You might prove useful for empathy points from the wicked Doctor," he said, patting the cast before sneaking out of his ward. 

Thankfully, no one stopped him or asked him any questions. It was possible that he had been isolated from the other patients and staff because he was considered an 'unnatural' patient in the medical centre. He was thankful that the antiseptic smell of the place was overpowering his own scent. At least that gave him some cover. 

"Culzean, what the hell are you doing out of your bed!" she cried the moment he entered her office. "Oh my god you took out your tubes!"

"Please restrain yourself Doctor," he said coldly, stopping her from getting up to inspect him. "I came here to talk. Civilly," he said, emphasizing the last word. 

"I start work in two minutes," she replied grumpily but leaned back in her chair nonetheless. 

"Okay," he breathed deeply. "Be honest with me Doctor and I will try to be honest with you. No peeking into my thoughts," he warned as an afterthought. When he was sure that she was listening, he continued, "Are you in any way desiring to mate with me?" 

Amber's eyes widened. He was so direct! She wanted to divert her gaze away from him but knew that it would scream 'yes' without her even saying a word. 

"No," she said instead, trying to keep her voice as calm and confident as possible. She deliberately cleared her mind and thought only of an empty white box; hoping it would provide him no chance to read her. 

Draven considered her answer carefully and did his best not to read her mind. He had promised himself to be civil with her and that meant no mind reading. 

"So the kiss meant nothing to you?" he asked suddenly, watching the way her eyes went all cloudy and defensive. 

"That... that was a mistake. Didn't I say so yesterday? So no, it meant nothing. You should leave now. My first patient is up in a while."

He was looking at her intensely with his dark brown eyes. Was she telling the truth? It was really very tempting to take a peek into her mind. 

Instead, he replied blandly, "I see." He covered the distance between them in two steps and moved his face within an inch of hers. "I'm not reading your mind so I hope you're not lying." 

A small explosion went off in her head as his lips covered hers. She knew it was hopeless to resist when it was what she wanted desperately from him. She let him urge her lips apart, rasping her tongue against his with a wild hunger. Her fingers raked through his hair, bringing his head closer to her, feeling her body pressed against his. 

For a nerd, he sure has a hard upper body, she thought. 

I do work out. She heard him correct her. It was a good thing that he didn't pause to reply her verbally because she really didn't want the kiss to end. 

"Ehem." There was someone clearing his throat behind them. 

"Shit!" she pushed Draven away with all the force she could muster and wiped her lips using the back of her hand. "Oh Mr. Andrews, I'm so sorry that you had to see that. It was very unprofessional of me," she began to apologize. 

I'll take care of it. 

"Hi, Mr Andrews," said Draven, holding up his hand for a handshake. The middle aged man eyed him suspiciously but took his hand and shook it. Amber watched the man's eyes turn glossy for a minute before returning back to their usual green hue. 

"I'm sorry," he suddenly apologized, looking at Draven in confusion. "Were you saying something? My mind was somewhere else."

"It happens," said Draven with a smile before making his way out. 

What the hell was that?

I made him forget he saw us kissing.

He gave her a small wink before closing the door but he did not walk away immediately. He stood outside her door for a minute before deliberately calling out to her in his mind.

Amber?

What! You're still here? I need to work. Get lost!

What time is your break?

One o'clock for lunch.

Okay. Come by my ward.

***

Amber had come up with a hundred and one reasons why she should not be heading towards the Vampire's isolation ward but so far she was heeding none. Her wolf almost drove her insane with the desire to run off every few minutes to see him. It was of no surprise that she wasn't paying very much attention to her patients for her eyes kept flicking to the clock; counting down the minutes till lunch time. 

She knew why he had asked her to come; she had scented it on him. 

Making sure that no one saw her enter, she quickly closed the door behind her and locked it. When she turned, she saw that he had a handsome smile on his face. Now that was rare. 

"Scared little wolf?" he asked playfully. Amber raised her eyebrows at him. So far she had not seen this side of him before. 

"You're not on the drugs again are you?" she asked, moving to his side to check the drips. 

"I don't think I should be, seeing that we only have an hour..."

Amber swallowed hard and attempted a pass at resisting. "I really shouldn't do..."

But their hands were on each other even before she could finish her sentence. She kicked her shoes off and threw her coat on the chair before climbing on top of him. Their lips met in frenzy; rubbing and pressing hungrily against each other.

Amber wanted to slow down but his left hand was already under the hem of her dress, slowly caressing her inner thighs. She moaned slightly when his fingers grazed her pussy lips from the outside of her panties. 

"Seriously... I need my right hand right now," he cursed. 

"No... don't take off the cast just yet. We'll just make do," she said in a raspy voice. Her fingers hurriedly pulled at the drawstring holding his hospital pants together and whimpered slightly when she found the treasure she was looking for. 

Pulling away from their kiss, she turned her body such that they were in a sixty-nine position; her mouth covering his hardened cock almost the second she was comfortably in position. 

You're so hard... and big

I'm not the only one who's ready... you're soaked Little Wolf...

She bit her lips in an effort to stop her cries as his fingers slipped tenderly into her warm pussy. He was right, she had been so excited in anticipation of this moment that she spent the whole morning entertaining all sorts of lusty thoughts. 

Meanwhile, Amber was having some trouble getting all of his cock in her mouth so she concentrated on pleasuring the top half of it; lathering it with saliva and pursing her lips to make a tight 'O' while her free hand caressed his shaft up and down. 

Then she was sucking him, making him so wet that he didn't notice when his hips started bucking back and forth, fucking her mouth for all he was worth. She was so damn good! He was never given head this good before. 

She vaguely heard him taking a deep breath and suddenly he pulled his fingers out of her. 

"I can't... I promise I'll do it right when I get to use my right hand again. Right now I want to be inside you," he pleaded breathlessly. Amber nodded unsure of what just happened for he was doing such a good job but she wanted him inside her just as much too. 

"Another time... I promise. How much time do we have left?" Amber glanced at her wrist watch. 

"Shit. Thirty minutes."

"Okay, stay still," he instructed and watched as confusion washed over her. Draven would have loved to please her tenderly, taking his time to lick every inch of her milky skin but at the moment, both of them wanted release and they were running out of time. His nails were slowly elongating into sharp points and with as much caution as possible, he ran a finger through the material of her panties, tearing it neatly across. 

He watched as her head turned sharply, showcasing eyes that were wide in shock and anger but before she could protest, he lifted her body in one swift movement and impaled her on top of his hard cock. Her scream pierced through the silence and she immediately covered her mouth with both hands and looked at the door in alarm to see if anyone had barged in. His move was too sudden that she was not anticipating the sudden explosion of both pleasure and pain racing through her body. 

"Move your hips slowly," he urged gently, seeing that she was uncomfortable and somewhat in pain. He had thought that she was wet enough for him and had overestimated her ability to take all of him in one thrust. 

However, he saw her nod and leaned backwards; her hands on the bed supporting her as she moved her hips slowly up and down his shaft. Draven sucked in his breath as he felt more of himself slipping inside her. She was adjusting to his size; relaxing and contracting her pussy muscles accordingly until he was completely engulfed inside her. 

Satisfied that she was now well stretched, Draven moved his body slightly into a sitting position and pulled her backwards so that she was leaning against his chest. He hated the fact that there were still clothes separating the feel of her skin against him but they had to compromise for now. Using his left hand, he hiked her dress up and snaked his fingers up towards her breasts. 

"Let me..." she whispered and unhooked the front clasp of her bra to give him free reign over them. A low hiss escaped her lips when she felt him pinch her left nipple and roll it between his fingers roughly. In return, she ground her hips wildly to get as much friction as possible from his cock inside her pussy. 

His fingers at her nipples stopped what they were doing as the pleasure took over his whole system. He knew that she was going to be hot and wild but nothing prepared him for this insane lust that was overwhelming both of them. 

He couldn't remember the pleasure from sex being this explosive. It was as if his brain was hit with wave after wave of ecstasy that was almost unbearable and yet he kept driving into her, brutally pounding her pussy; her cries and moans spurring him on. 

That was when he felt her body convulsing, reaching her first orgasm with him. Draven wished that he could see her face at the moment but all he could feel was her body becoming taut, her pussy muscles tightening painfully over his cock. But he didn't stop; he wanted to drive himself into her, pushing her to her next orgasm- one that would be much harder. 

Draven pressed his face against her neck, taking in her deliciously wild smell. She was a mix of antiseptic soap and wild berries and bark and... blood.

He felt his fangs elongating unconsciously, his desire for a taste so great. It was only when she started to cum again, letting out a piercing scream that it jolted him out of his bloodthirsty daze. 

Fuck! He needed to cum soon or he wouldn't be able to stop himself from wanting a taste of her. 

"Amber, turn and face me please," he managed to say, as if the words were stuck in his throat. When she was turned, facing him, he caught sight of her beautiful face, framed by her messy flyaway hair and felt a slight jolt. Shaking it away, he pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers. He reveled at the softness of her breasts against his hard chest and once again cursed the material between them. Amber's hips were moving up and down once more, her pussy so slick and hot, clinging to his cock like no tomorrow. It was all Draven could take before he impaled her with all the force he could muster, driving his cock deeper and harder inside. 

She pulled her lips away, burying her face in the pillow behind him and he heard her scream as another orgasm came crashing through her system. He was at his limit now. 

"I can't hold it in anymore," he announced breathlessly and tried to push her body up but Amber was strong; resisting his action, knowing full well that his left hand was not strong enough to push her away. 

"Cum inside me... please," she begged. 

"No." Draven was gritting his teeth now. He needed desperately to cum and she wasn't helping either for her hips were moving on its own accord, in erotic circles, as if testing his limit. "I'm not going to risk it Amber..." he moaned as the tension started to build to an unbearable point.

"I'm not moving... Cum inside me," she pleaded... or rather her wolf pleaded. Amber was going to go insane if he kept making her cum and her wolf was whining loudly, wanting the Vampire's seeds inside her. It had taken all of her will power not to bite him to force her will on him. "Please..." she whispered one last time before covering her mouth with his. 

I need you to.

Draven's eyes flashed open before fluttering rapidly as the force of his climax overtook his senses. He could feel spurt after spurt of his semen ejaculating into her; her pussy was milking him, tightening its muscles as though to draw more of his cum inside her. Draven felt the last spurt leaving his body before everything went dark...




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 04



When he woke up a while later, he saw that she was already standing up and his pants were pulled up and held together by the drawstring once again. Did he just pass out?

"Yes, you passed out. That has never happened to me before but I'll forgive you for now since you're still on medication."

He looked at her, feeling scared. Passing out during sex was not a good sign... or rather, it wasn't a good sign if it was after having sex with a Werewolf. With a sigh, he looked into her blue eyes desperately.

"I'm sorry I couldn't pull out. You were really adamant."

"No... don't apologize please. It will be okay."

He didn't reply but watched as she pulled her hair back neatly into a bun. Even that simple act was making him have impure thoughts again. It was as if his desire for sex was reawakened and he was insatiable. 

"Why couldn't you just tell me to take off my underwear instead of cutting it up like this?" she asked after awhile, dangling the useless material then tucking it into her lab coat. 

"We were in a hurry," he replied, leaning back with a slow smile on his face. "Besides... I like knowing that you're walking around for the rest of the day without any panties on."

"Pervert," she laughed. "But honestly, that was one fine silk panty." With a sigh, she started walking towards the door. 

"I'll get you another," he said matter-of-factly. Amber didn't reply him. She knew he was just saying that to humour her. 

"What time does your shift end?" he asked as she was about to leave. 

She didn't reply but stayed glued at the door. He saw that her eyelashes were fluttering and she even had the decency to blush knowing the implication of his question. 

"8pm," she whispered before running out of the door. 

***

It was slightly after 5pm when Alaron and Fiona came to visit him. 

"Oh... my... god..." was the first thing that came out of Alaron's mouth the second he entered the ward. "You did NOT!" His expression was a cross between amusement and jealousy. 

"Did what?" asked Fiona from behind him. A minute later, her eyes were wide open; staring at Draven in disbelief. 

Somehow his brother and niece's shock didn't seem to bother Draven much for he was leaning back in his bed with his eyes closed, humming a tune from The Beetles. 

"Honestly, this place needs to be fumigated," said Alaron, desperately opening the windows and turning up the speed of the fan. 

Feeling just a little awkward, Fiona sat at the edge of Draven's bed and patted his left arm lightly. "How's the other arm?" 

His eyes fluttered open and he smiled. "That's not what you want to ask me."

"Well, it's embarrassing. So let's just concentrate on the arm. Is it healing?"

"Yes. In fact, Alaron come here and help me get this stupid thing off. I can't think with it on."

Alaron moved to the right side of the bed and peered at his brother's face. "Hello Major Tom, are you receiving?" 

At Draven's annoyed look, Alaron chuckled, "Oh he's receiving alright. Plus it's not that you can't think with it on but that you can't fuc..."

"Don't tease him like that Al!" Fiona cut him midsentence with an embarrassed flush. "And Draven you are not taking that cast off until the doctor says that you can!" chided Fiona, trying to give both men a stern glare. 

"It'll be fine, my dear... I just needed the bone to be aligned and then I can heal it on my own. It has been more than 24 hours so I think it should be fine."

Fiona looked at him doubtfully before shaking her head. "I don't believe you. And don't think I don't know why you're so eager to take that thing off!"

"That goes to show that he is thinking straight, no pun intended of course," said Alaron winking at Fiona. "Judging from the reek of this room, I'd say you did pretty well even with one hand in a cast. Way to go Bro."

Draven rolled his eyes. "For the hundredth time Alaron, I hate to be called that!" Feeling self conscious, Draven sniffed the air. "Do you both have extra sensitive noses or what? I can't smell a thing and the nurses definitely did not smell anything either."

"Of course you're not aware of your own stench," said Alaron.

"Okay enough you two, it's time for you to feed," said Fiona, taking out a couple of blood bags and removing the clipper on the transfer tube. 

"My blood type?" asked Draven. Fiona gave him a harsh look. "Okay, just checking. Don't be angry, princess..."

"I'm not angry," she replied but stuffed the tube into his mouth with much more force than intended. "Drink," she instructed, holding the bag for him. 

"Anyway, Eian and I were discussing last night on how best to fix the problem of the bookshop," she said slowly. "And we came up with two options. The first is that we restore the current shop to its exact state, including purchasing all the books that are supposed to be in stock. The second option is that we move the shop to a more upscale location and let her start rebuilding it from scratch."

Draven watched her intently, reading her mind in advance but he asked his question anyway. "What's the catch?"

"No catch."

"Fiona..." He gave her a warning look but Alaron answered instead.

"Eian won't let her work in that old dump anymore... what? It was a dump okay?" said Alaron when Fiona gave him a murderous look. "So if we pick the first option, you have to erase all of Erika's memories pertaining to all of us." His voice was monotonous but they heard the slight emotional inflections in it. "The second option, which I would prefer is to suggest to her that she sold her shop ages ago and is planning on opening another one in a much safer environment. Best of all, Fiona can continue working for her!"

And you can continue dropping by I suppose?

Alaron shrugged. 

"Erasure of memory is best. Trust me. You can suggest an idea into her but there is a chance that she might fight it someday and overcome the suggestion."

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tensed. Fiona looked away; Alaron shuffled his feet and stared at the floor. 

Draven listened to their thoughts silently and considered the situation. If it were up to the council, the human would have her memory modified and these two would be under house arrest for the rest of their lives... and he? He would be imprisoned and forced to go cold turkey without blood for decades. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of that. 

"Okay children, that's enough mopping. I'll take a look at Erika tomorrow and assess her state of mind. If she can handle our secret, then we'll take her into our protection. If not, then I will take away just the event when she saw us fighting in the store. Is that alright?"

"Yes!" exclaimed the two at the same time. Draven shook his head then glanced up at the clock beside his bed. It was 7:30pm already. How time flies. 

"Alright you two, time to go home," he said. 

"But we just got here!" protested Alaron. A heartbeat passed before he narrowed his eyes at Draven. "You have got to be kidding me! Ok, ok. We're leaving."

"Why?" Fiona was puzzled. 

"Someone has a hot date at 8pm." 

"Oh!" She blushed slightly then took the empty blood bag from Draven's chest and placed the other one by his bed. "I'll put it inside the holding box to keep it warm for you. You're... going to need it," she whispered shyly. 

"Thank you," he replied, giving her a smile. "Fiona my dear, could you do me a favour?" 

She looked at him dubiously. What favour could he possibly want from her?

"Could you suggest to the nurse or doctor that perhaps I could be discharged tomorrow?"

He could see that she was struggling between saying yes and no. 

"Please? The sooner I'm out, the sooner we can settle Erika's problem." Her nod was tentative at first but then she nodded confidently and smiled. 

"We'll leave you then... and uh, come by tomorrow morning. Have a good rest Draven," she said as they started towards the door. 

***

Draven was waiting for her, but this time he wasn't in his bed but leaning by the window, looking out at the vast expanse of forest. He supposed that this was a peaceful place to recuperate but he had to get out of here soon. The place was suffocating him and he didn't like being around Werewolves too much. Their scent was too enticing; even more than humans and it took a lot of his willpower not to have a taste. 

An irony perhaps, considering that he was about to have sex with the she-wolf who just entered his ward. 

"Hi," she whispered. "I told the nurse I was just going to be in for a while... so I don't think I should stay here too long in case she gets worried and comes in."

"I'll take care of that," he said, moving towards the door. Amber quickly cut in front of his path and placed a gentle hand against his chest. 

"No, don't..." Whatever she was about to say was forgotten as his mouth claimed hers; his left hand eagerly running down her body, pausing briefly to squeeze her breast with enough pressure to let her know his intention. 

"We'll just let her walk in and catch us then," he whispered against her lips, pressing his erection suggestively on her stomach. 

"Oh god... I want..." Once again he kissed her words away; the passion leaving her breathless. It took all of her self control to push him away for a second. "I need to talk." 

Draven looked down at the woman in front of him; tilting her face upwards to study her eyes. "Okay, talk." 

She tried to look away but the intensity in his gaze stopped her. There was no way around this. She had to tell him the truth. 

"Draven Culzean... you are my mate." 

He blinked once, trying to process what she had just said. Then slowly he stepped away from her. 

"No... it's just sex. You want me and I want you. There is nothing going on here..." His voice was calm and cold; his mental shield on guard to prevent her from entering his mind. No Vampire had access to it without his permission and this... wolf could slip in and out of it as though he was a wide open book. 

When she moved a step forward, he took two steps back. He could see the hurt in her eyes but he wasn't going to address them. 

"Please," she pleaded softly. "Please don't walk away from me..." 

The instant the words left her lips, she felt him standing close behind her, his left hand holding her jaw tight; his sharp talons drawing blood from the strength of his grip. She didn't need to see to know that his fangs were out and held precariously close to her neck artery for she could sense it.

"One bite is all it takes..." he whispered, moving nearer such that the sharp tip nicked her flesh slightly. She felt his tongue licking the droplets of blood oozing out from the prick. Swallowing hard, she calmed herself down. Getting panicked would only increase her heartbeat and cause more blood to spurt. 

He must have heard her thoughts for he slowly released his grip on her jaws and retracted his fangs. 

"Not scared of death? Very well then," he hissed, placing his palm gently against her cheek. "I will never be your mate... because you won't even remember meeting me..." 

A teardrop escaped from the side of her eyes as the first wave of blackout hit her. 

Help me. 

The next thing she knew she was standing on fours, a familiar snarl coming involuntarily from her throat. Her wolf had taken over!

She thought he would have come for her but he was simply leaning against a wall, staring at the wolf and somehow also at herself. An amused smile danced across his lips but his eyes were no longer brown but pools of silver; hard, cold and unmoving. 

"Resistance is futile Amber," he said in a nonchalant tone. "I'm almost five hundred years old and how old are you? A hundred?" 

He heard the defensive protest from her mind and laughed, "Sixty? Then I must apologize. I've never bedded anyone underage before." The flash of anger in her eyes amused him even more and he began to laugh in that cold, unfeeling tone. "Go home little wolf."

When she did not budge, he straightened his back and approached her, knowing full well that she would not hurt him seeing that she saw him as her mate. 

"Here are my options... One- I take away your memories and you can go on with your life. Two- I let you keep your memories but I kill you."

The wolf blinked at him, obviously disappointed with his options. Her reaction caused his eyebrows to rise in intrigue. Apparently this wolf was much more demanding than her human host. It would be interesting to negotiate... or humor this wolf's demands. 

Therefore, it came as a surprise when she began shifting back into her human form; her body naked and looking almost fragile against the hard floor. Damn animal! It knew just how to distract him. 

"She... she wants me to decide," whispered Amber, her eyes glistening with sadness. Draven was tempted to go over and wipe the tears that escaped, knowing that he had caused them in the first place. However, he stood his ground, staring down at the naked woman without a flicker of emotion on his face. 

"So what's your decision? One or Two?"

"Let me get this right; Option two is where I get to keep my memories and then you kill me right? Word for word?"

Draven frowned but nodded slowly, wondering if she was seeing a loophole in his option. 

"Then I'll take option two," she breathed, watching his silver eyes flicker with annoyance. Obviously he had expected her to take option one. "But... since you didn't say when you'll kill me, then I would like to dictate the moment."

"What!" he burst out, hurling himself towards her, his hand around her neck; firmly enough to hold her in place but not choke her. 

If after you've mated with me and you still believe you're not my mate, then I'll let you kill me.

He glared at her but loosened his grip slightly; his eyes slowly reverting into dark brown irises. For just one moment, Draven hated the fact that she was a Werewolf for he desired her, wanted her... needed her in his life. 

"Oh god..." he moaned, taking his hand away from her and pressed it against his eyeballs, trying to quell the thumping headache that was starting to build there. He felt her sitting up to hold him but he didn't resist; her soft fingers touching his forehead then feeling the pulse at his throat. 

"You're burning up." She tried to pull him up but he refused to budge. "You can't sit here all night..."

I can and you will sit here with me

"I'll still sit with you but on the bed, so my ass won't turn into an ice-cube by tomorrow."

"I could thaw it with my tongue," he replied, watching her eyes flick towards him in surprise. Was the fever making him forget his anger?

"We are not having sex tonight," she clucked her tongue, placing her fists on her waist. "Now get up and sit on the bed."

He growled at her but did as he was told and watched as she slowly climbed into the bed with him. It would be nice to cuddle with a soft naked body for a change. He hadn't had much opportunity in the past centuries. However, the naked woman that climbed into the bed was not the same as the one currently lying on his chest. 

Draven peered into the blue eyes of the wolf currently nestled against him. 

You didn't specify which form.

Chicken.

No I'm not! 

Yes you are. You just want to make sure we're not having sex tonight. 

It's not always about sex.

I know...

They both seemed satisfied with his answer, knowing that it was a temporary truce. 

Draven looked down at the wolf curled up against him and felt guilty when he saw the marks from his assault earlier. The wounds were slowly healing beneath her golden brown fur but he hated knowing that he had caused them. 

He wanted to say something assuring but instead, nuzzled his face close to her fur and felt himself drift off to sleep. 

***

His first stir of consciousness was accompanied by a whiff of wild berries and bark. Draven stretched lazily and opened his eyes to the sight of a wondrously naked female curled against his body. Immediately he stiffened; his motion jerking the woman into consciousness. 

Her blue eyes flashed in alarm before softening at the memory. Draven was about to reach out to kiss her good morning when he came face to face with the snout of a snarling wolf. 

"Did you take advantage of me in my sleep?" he asked, nuzzling her nose with his. It felt strange talking to the animal but he knew that she was listening to him. 

Of course not. It was uncomfortable enough sharing the bed. 

"Then explain that," he said in amusement, pointing to the little tent in his pants. "Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

The wolf ignored him and turned her head expectantly to the door, just in time to see Alaron walking in with a nurse holding the release papers.

"Oh man..." he said the moment he saw them on the same bed. 

Tell him it's not what he thinks it is!

But Draven lips were curling up in a wicked smile. "Are you here to take me home?"

Alaron rolled his eyes and dismissed the nurse after she passed him the forms. "Unless you'd rather stay here? You look so comfortable and well rested, brother."

"Yes, it seems that some needs have been met."

Amber's eyes widened and she was just thankful that no one could see her blush in embarrassment since she was in her wolf form. 

"I bet. Now get off your ass you two. We're going home."

Can you drop me off at my place first? I refuse to be naked in front of him.

I thought you Werewolves aren't ashamed of being naked?

Oh okay then.

Draven regretted it the moment she shifted back into her naked human form. The morning erection that had subsided minutes ago was gearing back to life. If that was not bad enough, he watched Alaron's eyes taking in the sight in front of him.

Keep your bloody eyes away from her unless you wish to have no use for them any longer. 

Alaron flicked his gaze towards his brother who was slowly getting up from his bed.

How can I avoid not looking at her when she's walking towards me? 

Draven kept his eyes on Alaron. "Give me my clothes," he said gruffly, snatching the bag away from Alaron's eyes. 

Are you keeping her? I bet you guys have amazing monkey sex at every minute. Just look at her ti...

Shut up or I will personally tie your tongue around your neck. 

So you're keeping her?

She's not a pet Alaron!

That's a yes then. 

Draven looked up at the ceiling, muttering curses under his breath. He stripped facing away from Alaron and began pulling up his jeans and buttoning his shirt before turning back to see both Amber and his brother staring at him.

"Are you really going to walk out of here naked?" he asked, unconsciously passing her his hospital garb.

Yes. This is my compound. 

There are humans!

So? 

Put on my shirt at least. You are not letting my brother see you naked for a second more. 

Amber cocked her head slightly as she caught the shirt. 

Jealous?

Never.

Alaron was watching the two of them. They looked as though they were trying to outstare each other, possibly arguing in their minds. He found it amazing that the Werewolf could communicate with his brother mentally. That was odd. 

"Okay lovebirds. Chop chop. We need to head down to Fiona's house to do our mumbo jumbo. Do you need us to drop you off first?" he said, looking at Amber. 

"Yes please."

"Right, now that you're decent, let's go."

***

The ride had been most uncomfortable for Alaron. Even though Amber was seated in the backseat, he could literally sense the tension between her and his brother who was seated next to him. And the worst part was- they weren't even talking to each other. He wasn't sure if all of that tension was sexual and the tiny flickers of worry started to gnaw at him as he wondered if there was more to them than just sex. Surely Draven wouldn't be that stupid. 




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 04



"Just drive straight up to that house over there. From here you just make a turn at the front and drive uphill towards the Alpha's house," instructed Amber, leaning in between the front two seats. 

After they dropped her off, the brothers headed off to Fiona's place so that Draven could take a look at Erika's condition. As soon as they made the turn and were out of sight from Amber's house, Alaron stopped the car. 

"Why are we stopping?"

"Switch shirts with me," said Alaron, watching his brother stare opened mouth at him.

"Why?"

"That way we'll both smell like we slept with her."

"What! No." For the first time in his life, Draven really wanted to smack his brother across the face. Amber wasn't a sex toy for them to share! She was... she was...

"She's what?" asked Alaron impatiently. "There better not be an answer to that. Now take your damn shirt off!" He tugged his own off and threw it on Draven's lap. However, before Draven could put it on, Alaron pulled his shirt back and started driving. 

"You still smell like her. This won't do," he muttered, driving past Eian's house towards the lake where Dominic and Sydney had held their wedding reception. He parked a distance away from their home and got out of the car. 

"Take a dip right now and get that reek off your body."

"She doesn't reek!" protested Draven. "For god sake Alaron, why are you so adamant that I not smell of her?"

Alaron stopped for a moment, staring at his brother with an incredulous look on his face. 

"Has sex loosened the screws in your head? We are going to Eian's house; her Alpha! Do you want him finding out that you're rolling around with his kind? What do you think he'll do huh?"

Draven stared blankly at his brother. He knew the answer and wasn't looking forward to the words that were about to come out from his brother's mouth. 

"We can't afford another situation right now... we messed up enough Draven and the only reason Eian's helping us is because he's only protecting his mate. He knows what the council will do to you especially and that would break Fiona's heart. But we can't expect him to keep bending the rules for us..."

Draven knew that Alaron was right. Slowly, he unbuckled his jeans and splashed water on his body, feeling the sudden coldness shocking his system back to life. 

"Here," said Alaron, handing him a towel. 

"Thank you... for looking out for me," he said gently, watching the way Alaron tried to shy away from his gaze. 

"You did raise me..." he replied softly, before walking away to the car. "I don't think I could live either if anything were to happen to you."

Draven heard Alaron's soft mutterings but chose not to comment and instead smiled secretly to himself. 

***

Fiona opened the door, her face lit up in a bright smile at the sight of the two men. She tiptoed to kiss Draven lightly on the cheek before frowning.

"When did you take off the cast?" she interrogated.

"Err... it was getting in the way, princess. Plus it's healed. See?" He took her hand and urged her to touch his arm, making sure that she felt the bone. 

"That doesn't mean there aren't cracks. So no heavy duty for you and most importantly, no more fighting," she said sternly, looking at the two of them to make sure they understood. When they nodded, she cheered up and ushered them in. 

"Erika should be down soon and Eian's still in the shower. He's not going to work today so we can discuss the next course of action together," she said, walking towards the kitchen. "Do you guys want anything? I'm feeling hungry and I don't know why. Maybe I'll make some scrambled eggs and bacon."

The news that she was eating real food didn't seem to alarm her but Alaron and Draven were. However, they kept quiet, watching the way she went about preparing breakfast for herself, Eian and Erika as though it was the most natural thing for a Vampire to do. 

We'll talk about this later. Don't bring it up until after we're finished with the Erika problem

I agree.

The two brothers sat quietly at the dining table, watching Fiona scooping out food into three portions and laying them on the table. 

A while later, Erika entered the kitchen and stared at the two male Vampires with a confused and fearful look on her face but Fiona must have been controlling her for she soon sat demurely and didn't say much as she started eating. 

"She's been slipping in and out more frequently lately. Especially at night when I'm sleeping. It's like I'm unable to control her anymore. It's... tiring." 

"Yes it is... so I hope we can resolve this matter as soon as possible," said Eian, walking into the kitchen with a towel in his hand. The brothers watched as he took a seat beside Fiona and helped himself to the food. He too didn't seem disturbed by the fact that his wife was eating and that was really starting to bug the two Vampires. 

Draven in particular was wondering if perhaps Fiona's body was adjusting because she now had the wolf gene in her. But whatever it is, that bacon sure looked delicious...

"Would you like some, Draven?" asked Eian, unconsciously responding to Draven's thought. He was almost not aware of what just happened until Fiona pointed out to him that Vampires don't eat and that he was being unfair for only inviting one brother to eat while ignoring the other. 

At that moment, Eian looked up, concentrating first on Fiona and her mouthful of food and then at Draven. The look he gave Fiona was gentle and somewhat of understanding but then it turned cold and almost murderous when it landed on Draven. 

Nod if you can hear me. I will know if you're lying. 

The Vampire suddenly felt afraid of the Werewolf sitting opposite him. Draven tried his best not to show his fear and instead kept a straight face as he casually nodded. He saw the fury flash across Eian's eyes but the Alpha simply sat in his place and continued eating. It was obvious that he did not want to drag Fiona into it. 

We'll talk about this later

"Sweetheart? Is everything alright?" Fiona asked, patting his arm gently. "Is no body listening to me except Alaron? Can the two of you stop staring at each other?" she frowned as she looked at Eian and Draven. 

"I'm sorry... What were you saying Sweetheart?" asked Eian, his voice turning gentle and his eyes softening as he turned to look at her. 

Her lips were pursed. It was obvious that it was uncommon for him not to pay her any attention. "I was saying that maybe I should stop controlling her now and let her decide for herself which option she would prefer." Fiona looked at Eian desperately. "I know what it's like to have choices forced upon you... and I don't want the same thing to happen to my friend."

Eian's eyes softened further upon hearing her words. His hands automatically reached out to caress her cheek before he nodded. How could anyone deny such a sweet, loving creature her few requests? With that said, maybe they could try out the baby making thing again... or a few times later tonight. 

"Let's ask her shall we?" Everyone knew that his question and his smile were meant for Fiona. 

A second later, Erika seemed to snap out of her daze and began staring at every one of them; Fiona to Eian to Alaron and Draven, then back again to Fiona. 

"Am I on today's menu?" she asked despite knowing how inappropriate it was to be such a smart mouth in front of such... carnivores.

Fiona looked expectantly at the men seated around her before speaking. "Umm, Erika, do you remember everything that happened at your bookstore the other day?"

"Bits and pieces mostly but most importantly I know I'm the only human in this room."

I can bury that memory away. You only seemed to have numbed her mind for awhile.

Fiona looked at Draven, considering his suggestion. 

"Erika... I and everyone else here do not want to lie to you anymore but we want to make things as easy and as comfortable for you as possible. I'm not sure if you remember but my relatives here have destroyed your bookstore," she glared at Draven and Alaron for a second before continuing. "While we plan to help you restore it, we would like to know if you'd like your old store back... or would you like to build a new one? Preferably in a safer neighborhood?"

Fiona was trying her best not to push her suggestion into Erika's head and let her decide on her own. At the moment, the petite woman was leaning back in her chair, looking at every one of them intently as she thought her options through.

"Is it safe for me to be walking around with knowledge of your existence?" she asked. "I already have a feeling that I'm not here on my own accord right? I mean I don't remember why I'm even here."

"I'm sorry..." said Fiona but Alaron cut into her sentence. 

"It all boils down to whether you'd like to keep your memory of us or have them taken away. If our existence disturbs you then you have all the right to have us removed from your life completely and return to your original bookstore, fully furnished as you remember it."

"There's a but isn't there? I can hear it," said Erika. 

"No buts. Truth is, we would have made that decision for you but Fiona wanted to give you a chance to choose your own future first. So technically you should be grateful instead of sitting there being a smart mouth. Just tell us what you want," snapped Alaron. 

"Alaron..." warned Draven before turning to look at Erika. "It is not safe for you to know about our existence. We have had too many of our young killed because of humans exposing our secret. Alaron here and Fiona are still considered younglings and they are the ones in great danger should you choose to use your knowledge to turn against them."

Everyone watched as Erika's eyes widened at that piece of information. 

"Him I don't mind, but Fiona's been... kind to me. And she's a friend... so no, I do not want her to get hurt," she paused and looked at Fiona briefly. "I still want to be a kind of Aunt to your baby when you have it... wait is that even possible Fiona? Half Werewolf and half Vampire?"

"It is," assured Draven, watching Erika's frown turn into a smile. "So what's your decision Erika?"

"Let's rebuild the shop together," she said, smiling at Fiona. "I'll let you choose the location but make sure that there's space for a studio apartment on the second floor. I like knowing I can wake up late for work and still be on time," she said grinning like a Cheshire cat. 

"Oh Erika!" Fiona was beaming, moving over to hug her friend. "I'm so happy!"

"Is there any other demands? You better let us know now," said Draven, obviously reading the mortal's mind. 

"Yes, I have one request... could you please take away the memory of that fight between the three of you in my bookstore? As much as possible, I want to keep my knowledge of all of you at its peak- the wedding." Erika put a hand up as Fiona was about to protest.

"Okay," said Draven. "Give me your hand." 

The moment he touched her, he saw the memory of the fight and slowly pushed it as deep down into her subconscious as he could; burying it deep enough so that no trigger could awaken that memory... for now. Besides, he had read her and saw that she was of no threat to them. Her feelings for Fiona were genuine and if anything, Fiona would act as a protector to this human...

"How are you feeling?" asked Fiona once Erika's eyes returned normal. 

"Just a little faint... I think I should lie down." Fiona nodded and tried to help but Alaron was already on his feet and carrying her in his arms, despite her protests.

"Show me the way Fi," he said gently and together the three of them left the room, leaving Eian to speak to Draven alone. 

When he was sure that they were not within earshot of the others, Eian looked at Draven; his eyes filled with shock, anger and just a hint of weariness. 

"Do you know why I can hear your thoughts?" he asked kindly, dropping his furious demeanor. 

"Yes," said Draven slowly, his head bowed down.

Eian didn't prompt but waited for the Vampire to look up and tell him the words that he dreaded.

"Because you're my Alpha now."

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 05



NB: Thank you to my editor, wildheartedangel who edited my work within 5 hours! I'm really grateful for her efficiency and patience with all my questions always. So I hope you all enjoy the story!

****

"I sense that you resent the fact that I'm your Alpha," said Eian calmly. 

"I did not choose for this to happen Eian. I'm not the type to embrace change very well and this definitely constitutes as a major change in allegiance. Heck, I'm still trying to adjust to not calling you Your Excellency or Your Grace in every sentence."

"So you resent it." It wasn't really a question but a statement of his observation. Draven merely nodded to affirm Eian's words and heard his Alpha give out a long sigh. "Perhaps we should take a walk," he suggested, getting on his feet. 

The two men walked side by side down the path towards the forest, keeping silent. It was only when they reached a small river that Eian spoke.

"I remembered finding Fiona here; passed out after feeding on a man. It broke my heart but I knew from that moment that I would never turn her against her will ever. So while she's a pack member and also an Alpha female, she is not a Werewolf and never will be."

Draven listened to Eian, unsure of what to say so he merely nodded as they continued walking. 

"It is an option for you," said Eian. "I had thought it was odd that you could read her when you couldn't read the other Weres but at that time, I was more concerned over Fiona so I dismissed it. On hindsight, I probably shouldn't."

Draven stopped in his track and turned to face Eian. "You knew?"

"I suspected it. Just like that time you refused to face me when you came by to send Fiona to work. It was not a nobleman's conduct."

"I apologize," said Draven quickly, looking down at his feet. "I knew you would scent her on me if I was too close and I didn't want her to get in trouble... yet."

"Mmm," replied Eian, obviously not convinced. "Then why did you accept her as your mate? You know you shouldn't have."

With a long sigh, Draven looked up at Eian. "I wanted to kill her right there and then. I swear I would have but I couldn't bear to. Then I gave her the option of removing her memories of me so she could move on with her life and find another mate..."

"Let me guess... she'd rather be killed?"

Draven gave a resigned nod. "If a woman would die for you to prove that she's your mate what would you have done?"

A weak smile curled at the corners of Eian's lips. "I see." 

Draven didn't reply him but looked away. 

Empathy filled his heart as he observed the Vampire. He knew what Draven was feeling at the moment. Hadn't Fiona risked her life to prove to him that they were mates and that he should bite her? 

"You should have just removed her memories Draven, instead of facing this agony. But now you cannot reverse it because you've answered her mating call."

"I haven't answered a damn thing Eian. We only had sex once and that hardly counts as mating. I don't even know what mating constitutes or how to go about doing it. As far as I'm concerned we have not mated. Period."

"You accepted to mate with her first and then kill her. Am I right? That's why you and I now share this bond."

Draven looked upwards and cursed. "Father will kill me." 

"He might not kill you... but Aramis is the kind of man who might... disown you. Ah... yes he will. So what do you want to do about it now?"

Draven was stumped. Would his father really do that? Disown his eldest son whom he had spent centuries grooming? But Fiona...

"She is not in line for the title, you know that. Besides, she's under my guardianship and from an economic perspective, your family stands to gain from her marriage to my title."

But being just a member of the pack... a commoner was not Father's choice for him, Draven knew. Eian was right about Fiona... for not only did she inherit the Duchess title but also the position of Alpha female within the pack. He, on the other hand will lose everything... 

Being subordinated to Eian was not a new concept, seeing that he is higher on the peerage than the Culzeans. However being just another pack member; living here in this compound... seemed like a far cry from his pampered existence. Living simply was not a problem but leaving his responsibilities to the next in line was unthinkable. Alaron is still a baby and worth a lot of trouble. As the elder, it would be unfair to suddenly dump everything on the younger Vampire's shoulder. 

Draven knew he had to make a decision soon. 

"Has there ever been an incident where a mate refused his or her mate?"

Eian nodded, knowing the direction the Vampire was heading towards. "It didn't turn out well, I must say."

"Tell me Eian..." he replied sadly. 

"It's easier when a mate dies because the one who survives can still live off the pleasant memories; feeding off the loss. But to be separated while both are still alive is like putting two magnets at opposite ends of a table- they keep attracting one another, even unconsciously."

"Pardon me asking but why would there be a problem between Werewolf mates? Have there been Vampire-Wolves mating before?"

"No. After the Count Chervenkov incident, our packs kept away from Vampire clans as much as possible, for fear of having a pack ravished by another wolf-blood loving Vampire. So you can consider my marriage the first of its kind. As for your first question, the Werewolf tried to distance himself from his true mate because she was already married to another at that time."

"You mean you can have a family with a non-mate?"

Eian shrugged. "Sure, why not? They just don't share the special bond that mates have with each other; the ability to communicate in their heads, the desire to bear as many children as possible... all that." Eian paused as though not knowing whether to continue or not. If he encouraged this man to deny his mate then it would be dreadful for the both of them but if he allowed their union, then Draven might have an estranged relationship with his father... for eternity; not to mention what Aramis might do to Amber. Eian didn't want to think about that.

"Sometimes... it can take a Were decades or even centuries to find their mate and some just do not have the time or patience to wait around any longer." Eian didn't know why he was telling the Vampire this. Was he trying to encourage or discourage him from joining the pack?

"I had hoped to find my life mate with a human... not a Werewolf." When Eian gave him a curious look, Draven smiled a little. "Full grown Vampires tend to be really arrogant and difficult to yield, especially if they are older than you. It's worst for the females I think because they've lived so long as an independent individual that the thought of you asking them to do housework or anything can spark off a quarrel."

Eian couldn't hold back his laugh. "That's so sexist Draven! Besides, Amber is not that easy to handle. She's stubborn and is also intelligent, independent and a tad arrogant at times. Besides, you have domestic helpers to do the housework right?"

"I don't see any in your house," Draven pointed out. "And anyway, Amber is still young. Sixty... is that even legal to get married?"

Eian rolled his eyes and laughed again. "My dear brother, the legal age to get married is 18, I believe."

Draven smiled a little at Eian's response. Even if they were really mates, he couldn't claim her... so he knew what his next course of action was.

"I have to stay away from her Eian... It is not just for my sake but for hers. You know how much influence Father has in the Council right? If he says she's a threat, they will hunt her down," said Draven with a hitch in his voice. Then turning to Eian, he gave him a desperate look. "I will return back to the castle and alternate between there and our other accommodations. I hope... you'll help stop her from following me. She will listen to you." 

"As an Alpha, it hurts me greatly to forcefully separate mates from each other, especially when I know Amber will be devastated by it. But as your brother... and your father's friend, I understand the situation, more than you think I do..." Eian stared at the pleading eyes of the Vampire and nodded sadly. "Alright, I'll try my best. Then you should leave now Draven..."

Draven bowed his head slightly in gratitude and also respect for this man who was not just a superior but also a part of his family... and possibly a friend. 

***

That night, Eian lay in his bed thinking about the conversation he had with Draven earlier and wondered how he was going to break the news to Amber. 

"Sweetheart... you're still awake," whispered Fiona, moving closer to feel her husband's warmth. "Did I not tire you enough?" 

Eian looked to his left and curled an arm around Fiona. "I would never grow tired of you," he whispered back, kissing the top of her head. He knew that was not what she meant but he didn't want her getting aroused again. They just had two rounds of incredible sex and while they were both limber and satiated, he knew that just a small thought could trigger their lust again. 

Apparently she thought so too for she didn't bother to correct him and instead tried to talk him out of his worries. He had resisted telling her about the problem; unsure if it would upset her too much. She still had the whole bookshop business to take care off and that would be enough stress for her. 

"I'll be fine. The whole building a new shop experience excites me more than worries me... so you shouldn't worry that I'll be stressed out or anything. It's my first real adult responsibility and I'm more than ready for it. I promise I won't let you down," she said, leaning her head on his chest. 

Eian gave a sigh. It seems that he was the one who was going to let her down. 

"I know you'll be fine my love... I trust you," he reassured her, caressing her hair gently. "Sleep..." he whispered and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep. However his mind was still working, thinking about the dreaded conversation he was going to have with Amber in the morning. 

Amber is a prized Beta because of her medical knowledge and experience and he was afraid that denying her mate could potentially turn her into a rogue. He hadn't indulged Draven in this little piece of information nor tell him what actually happened to the female Were who refused her true mate out of loyalty to her then spouse. It was a sad episode in his life as an Alpha; something he'd rather not remember.

With a sigh, Eian brought Fiona closer to him. Sometimes when you've waited so long to find the right one... how could you let her go?

***

It was still before dawn when he woke up. Disentangling himself as gently as he could from Fiona, Eian got up and took a cold shower. Fiona always chastised him for his freezing preference, yelping each time she stepped under the shower after him. 

The thought brought a smile to his lips. He wondered if she did that on purpose so as to make him come rushing into the bathroom to help her. It must be a ploy because they'd end up making love and right after that, she'll chase him out and adjust the water temperature on her own. 

But at the moment, he craved the coldness of the water on his face; his thoughts sharpened to alert points to get him mentally prepared for later. 

Within the hour, Eian was downstairs in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee and placing a call to Pearl. 

"Eian? Is something wrong?" was her first reaction at receiving his call at 7am. 

"Will you and the kids be free today?" he asked instead. 

"Oh of course! Do you need us for anything?"

"Actually yes. Fiona and her friend Erika are going to London to scout for possible locations for their new shop," he paused listening to Pearl's questions. "It's a long story but the main point is that, I want you and the children to accompany them."

"Of course Alpha! I guess I am the only one who's free at the moment since everyone's at work..." 

Eian smiled. This woman never misses a thing. "That and also I think it'd be good opportunity for the children to see the city. Somehow I think the adults will unconsciously choose a much safer location when they have children along with them."

He heard Pearl's laughter at the other end of the receiver. "Am I driving?" she asked once her laughter died. 

"Mmm, Alaron is driving. He doesn't know it yet though but since there are seven of you, I'm loaning the MPV."

Pearl was laughing again. "So what you're saying is I'm not really babysitting the girls but specifically the boy? Oh come on Alpha... how old is he? He'll be terribly insulted if he knows I'm keeping an eye on him."

"He's thirty-one or so... still a boy I agree and very prone to getting into trouble."

"As is Fiona."

"Yes," laughed Eian. "That is why I want you keeping an eye on the three of them. Erika's human so I don't want any accidents to happen."

"No problem Alpha..." said Pearl. 

"Thank you very much. I owe you one for this." With that he put down his phone and went upstairs to tell his wife the plan. He knew she would rather he come with them but the knowledge of being able to take the children sight seeing should cheer her up. 

***

"Good morning Amber," said Eian when he stepped into her office. The alarmed look on her face told him that she wasn't expecting him to find out about her and Draven so soon. 

"Alpha..." she mumbled. "Uh, please sit down."

"This might take a while and so I've cleared you this whole morning from work. I'm sure you know why I'm here."

He watched her nod slowly; her eyes downcast to avoid his gaze. Eian took a deep breath before speaking.

"I forbade it." 

It was only three words but it had the exact effect of fueling her anger as a polemic would.

"Why!" she exclaimed, suddenly rising to her feet. At the expressionless look on his face, she sat down again; self-consciously aware of her lack of control. "I thought you'd understand..." she whispered sadly.

Eian felt the first strings of sympathy in his heart and knew he had to push that aside to do what was best for them all. He knew that she had expected him to be angry for not telling him about her Vampire mate but she hadn't expected him to say no. 

"I do understand Amber... and that is why I cannot allow it," he said, placing a gentle hand on top of her own, trying to calm her down. "You yourself know how stressful it is for Fiona to want to have children. Imagine the stress you would undergo when your wolf demands to have pups but you know he cannot fully mate with you."

Amber was solemn, obviously trying to rationalize with herself. "But... the drug thing that they created..."

"That is a blood pill. Are you a Vampire like Fiona, Amber? That technology is designed to alter their bodies not yours. Don't think for one minute that I will let you risk your life to ingest that thing. You are too valuable to the pack for me to let you go rogue."

His admission scared and surprised her. "Ro...rogue?" she stammered. "I would never..."

"Not now at least... but when you realize your mate doesn't want you... you will. Either that or you will experience what Dominic felt when he thought Sydney didn't accept him- losing the will to live."

Her eyes widened into saucers and she got up to turn away from him. "He... doesn't want me?" she asked, stricken with grief. "That's... impossible. He promised..."

"Promised what, Amber?" asked Eian patiently. 

Amber turned to him slowly, her blue eyes blinking back her tears. "I don't mind dying Eian... if it's worth it to know that I've found my mate; even if he's the one who lays the killing blow..."

Eian cursed inside his head and clenched his fist tight. This was turning out to be more difficult than he thought. 

"Amber... this pack needs you. Please don't think of death so readily." Eian's voice was calm for he knew that it would be unwise to fight fire with fire. Already, he could sense the wolf inside Amber whining and protesting against its human's more rational instincts. 

"How do you know... that he doesn't want me, Alpha? Did he tell you?" she asked after awhile.

"Yes."

"I don't believe you," she said stubbornly. 

"He has left the compound Amber and doesn't want to be found."

"You're lying!" she burst out, not caring if it was disrespectful anymore. "I'm going to find him.'

"No. Sit," he instructed but she was lunging halfway to the door. He barely caught her and struggled to control and force her into her seat for she was clawing at him. However, his grip never faltered even as she struggled to get off the chair; kicking and screaming at him. 

It was only out of exhaustion that made her stop struggling after awhile but her eyes were unforgiving, furious orbs of madness. Eian knew that the wrong words could tip her over towards losing control of herself. 

"Amber... Having a mate is not just about you," he said soothingly, rubbing her arms gently. "Think about what he has to give up to join the pack..." 

When the anger in her eyes slowly melted away, Eian felt a sense of relief. Her body began to relax and she slumped back in her chair. 

"Forgive me Alpha... I lost it just now," she whispered, her hands covering her face in shame. "What should I do...?"

Eian was about to suggest having her memory removed but remembered that it would need Draven's help. So the next best thing would be...

"Fiona could help..." he said. He doubted that Fiona would do it willingly but it was a necessary evil that needed to be done to keep the Doctor sane and within the safety of the pack. Even now, he could see her struggling with his suggestion. 

"Okay..." she said finally; her human mind had won the argument with her wolf. "I'll come by later at night after work." 

***

"You are to hold hands at all times, is that clear?" Pearl stood over her brood; hand fisting at her hips to make sure they understood her unspoken warning. 

"Ya Mama," said Alex, looking upwards to Alaron who was currently holding his hand. The Vampire looked terrible stricken by the fact that he was responsible for such a tiny child. He had argued with Pearl about it throughout the car ride but she eventually won when she said Alex refuses to go to the female toilet when he needs to pee.

It also didn't help that the boy had grabbed Alaron's hands the moment they got out of the car, as though claiming his guardian for the day. He was giving a toothless grin at the moment; pulling the lanky man along to catch up with the women. 

"Are they running a marathon or what?" he muttered under his breath as he watched the three women and the two girls chattering excitedly, pointing to this and that while walking really fast. Just how exactly is one to take in all the sights at once when there were so many female opinions to listen to?

"Alaraaan..." the boy began to whine when the girls turned a corner and disappeared from their sight. Alaron looked down to the boy and winced, obviously unaware of what just happened. 

"Do you want to go uh potty?" he asked, trying to figure out the boy's gibberish sign language. 

"Na! Mama!" he pouted and pointed towards the corner. 

"Where's your Mama? I thought she's there... oh shit!" He barely registered the boy's gasp at his use of a vulgar word for he had scooped up the child, breaking out into a jog to see where the women went. 

For a moment, Alaron was truly lost. Unlike Draven or Fiona, he had no special abilities and could only rely on his five senses to seek them out. However, that proved to be extremely difficult for the street was crowded and the smell of food, sweat and drains were starting to confuse him. 

"Fana!" squealed the boy suddenly and Alaron turned, hoping that he was referring to Fiona. However, to his alarm, Alex was dangling his handphone precariously between his two fingers. Just how did that little rascal manage to take out of his jeans pocket?




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 05



"Oh no..." warned Alaron but it was too late. Alex had thought the phone was a teething ring and Alaron could only watch in dismay as the little wolf's teeth chewed on the plastic exterior of the phone. 

"Oh my god! Is he chewing on your phone? Take it off of him!" cried a voice from a far. Alaron's head shot up; relief flashing across his face at the sight of Erika rushing towards him. 

"Oh thank god... save me from this thing..." he said, trying to pry the child from his chest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she chided, giving him a cold stare. "Oh come here my little baby... are you hungry? Want Aunty Erika to get you some nibbles?"

Alaron watched in horror as Alex dropped his phone on the sidewalk and opened his arms for Erika. When the child was in her arms, Alaron gave him a sideward glance. 

"Traitor," he sneered and watched the boy laugh, hiding his face shyly at the crook of Erika's neck. What is it with women and babies? She was currently cooing at the baby, saying all sorts of nonsense and non-intelligible sounds to the child while ignoring him and his plight. 

"Hey... don't leave me!" he shouted after her when she started to walk away. 

She didn't even turn when she replied to him. "Pearl should never have left poor little Alex in your care." He was about to retort when he saw Alex gurgling happily and kissing Erika on her cheeks. She in turn began to drown the child back with kisses, cooing senselessly once again. 

Rolling his eyes, Alaron caught up with them; narrowing his eyes and scowling at the little Werewolf child. 

"How come he gets kisses?" 

Erika raised her eyebrows slightly and turned to face him. "Coz... Alex is cute and cuddly and is such a coochiecoochiecoo isn't he?" she replied, nuzzling her face against the child's cheeks. 

"Oh my god... can you like stop that? He's not retarded! Hey Alex, don't think I don't know what you're doing okay? Just because all the women fall at your feet don't think I'm gonna fall for that cute baby grin thing you have going on okay?"

Erika suddenly stopped in her tracks and glared at him. "He's just a baby!" she hissed and kicked his shins. Alaron yelped slightly, knowing that she probably ruptured a few capillaries under his skin. He knelt down to rub the pain away but before he could insult her, he saw Fiona running towards him.

"Al! Are you okay?" her face displaying a look of concern. 

"Yeah," he said, standing up straight. 

"We were worried about you! Me and Pearl don't know this place too well so Erika volunteered to retrace our steps and find you."

"Yes I'm fine. Can you stop fussing already?" he snapped, flicking his hands at her as though she was a fly. 

"You are such a jerk sometimes," said Fiona, rolling her eyes. "Come on! We found this cozy little bookstore. Erika's planning to purchase some books for our new shop!"

"Wait a minute... you girls haven't even decided on a place yet," he said as they approached the group. 

"Sometimes when you find what you like, you've got to get it before it disappears off the shelf." This came from Pearl. Nobody seemed to have heard her though except Alaron and he caught her eyeing him suspiciously.

She waited until everyone else had entered the bookshop before speaking.

"You like her don't you?" she said in that all-knowing tone that mothers usually use. Alaron found himself blinking back memories of his own mother. Damn. It was hard to lie when they use that tone on him!

"Err... yes," he admitted sheepishly. 

"So?" Pearl was crossing her arms and looking at him expectantly.

"Err..."

"Don't you go errr with me young man. So are you going to ask her out or not?" she chided, giving him a frown. 

Alaron swallowed hard under her watchful stare. Damn this she-wolf! She'd better not go babbling to others about his weakness against mother figures! He'll be doomed. 

"I uh... I don't know how to..." he stammered; a embarrassed flush rising from the side of his neck. Immediately her gaze softened and she went into coochie-coo mode. 

"Aww, baby... you poor thing! Let's see... Fiona and I could arrange for it... yes! Now clothes... Umm, yes I think that'll be fine... location... mmm..." Alaron was staring at her open mouthed, apparently unsure what just happened. It was as if she was talking to herself but specifically about him, in front of him but not engaging him in any part of the conversation. 

"Uh... Pearl?"

"Shh, I'm thinking!" she snapped, pushing him into the store instead, urging him to leave her to her own thoughts. 

Alaron shrugged and hurriedly entered the store- the further away he was from Pearl the better. She was starting to scare him! Trying to take his mind off the weird conversation he had just had, he began skulking around to look for the others. 

There were rows and rows of shelves, two metres high crammed within a few feet interval of each other. It was almost impossible to walk along the aisle but he managed to squeeze through two shelves to find himself standing in front of the military history section. His eyes roamed the book collection and found that so many of the books looked really old and dusty. Some looked extremely ancient and were even handbound. 

Somehow, his eyes rested on a particularly old book, "The Antiquarian's guide to the House of Lords". He didn't know what compelled him to pull it out, but he did; his eyes scouring page by page as it described in detail the various Lords that had come into the title in the past. After a while, he found himself sitting down despite the lack of space and leafing through the book. A warm smile crept up his face as he came across a rather recent family portrait of Lord and Lady Culzean. 

"What's that you got there?" said a voice from behind him. Alaron looked up to find Erika bending down to take a closer look at the book he was reading. She was actually smiling at him, which was a rare occurrence. 

"Umm, it's just a book I saw. It's nothing," he said, trying to hide the book from her. 

"Let me see," she said, moving closer to inspect the book despite his attempts to stop her. "Alaron Culzean! Can you please let me see that damn book before I punch you?" she snapped. 

He gave her a sulky pout before passing the book to her. "You're so violent," he remarked. Erika smiled as she turned to look at the book. "Oh come on. You were kicked through a bookshelf and didn't even get a scratch. What's a kick or a punch from a weak female mortal like me to you? Probably felt like an ant bite."

Alaron stared opened mouthed at her. She was just ridiculous! 

"Checking yourself out huh?" she teased, ignoring his expression. Instead, she opened up the book gently to the page he was looking at. When her eyes rested on the portrait, she frowned. "I didn't see her at the wedding." 

His jovial demeanor evaporated. 

"She's dead," he replied curtly, getting up to his feet. Erika looked up and immediately felt bad for being so insensitive. She had forgotten that Fiona had mentioned something about losing his mother but she couldn't remember much about it. 

"I'm sorry... I know what it's like to lose a parent too," she whispered, trying to make him feel better but he simply walked away from her. He vaguely heard her following him, asking him to stop but Alaron wasn't in the mood anymore. He didn't want to talk about his mother. Period. 

However when he reached the entrance of the shop, he found Pearl and Fiona looking excitedly at him. Pearl was giving him a thumbs up and Fiona was mouthing something. "Ask her out!" she hissed. He mouthed back a "No!" but she didn't seem to accept his reply for she moved forward to greet them both. 

"Hey Erika. Oh are you getting that book too? Give it to me," she said, taking the book away from her. "I'll go pay for these. Pearl's going to bring her children to get some ice-cream. Could the two of you fetch the car and bring it here? We've got quite a few books to carry."

"It's okay Fi, I can go myself..." said Alaron, walking away from her. 

"Erika, would you please go with him?" 

"Oh... I don't know..." she said guiltily. "I think he's mightily pissed at me."

"Erika dear, please go with him," she replied softly. Erika turned wordlessly and walked off towards Alaron. Fiona bit her lips slightly as she watched Erika catching up with Alaron. 

***

Damn that Fiona! Did she use her abilities to get that woman following him? Alaron tried to walk faster but Erika kept on catching up with him. She didn't appear to be under a suggestion trance but looked as though she was actually there on her own accord. 

"Whatever." He was almost at the car and knew that there was no way to escape Erika now. 

"I'm sorry," was the first thing she said when she came up to him. 

"Doesn't matter. Get in." He got into the driver's seat and waited for her to enter on the other side. If it were up to him, he would have left her on the street.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again once she was seated.

"What are you sorry for?" he said in an indifferent tone, turning to look at her. 

Strangely, she was looking surprised. "Uh... I guess it's what people normally say when they think they've hurt someone's feelings? I don't know... I hate hurting people's feelings whether on purpose or not."

"So... you're not really sorry," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

"No! I mean, I am sorry for your loss but I'm not sorry I mean... oh crap."

Her little blunder seemed to amuse him for he smiled a little then turned to her. 

"So it's okay to kick me but not okay to make me feel sad? How does that work out?" 

She smiled back, realizing now that he seemed to have forgiven her. "That's different. You were an arse so I was returning the favour."

"Right..." he replied, trying to hide his amused grin. 

"Anyway Alaron, has anyone told you that you look like Ian Somerhalder?" she asked suddenly. Alaron gave her a disgusted look and Erika widened her eyes in alarm. "Is that insulting? I'm sorry... I didn't mean it in a bad way... shit, I mean yes Damon is bad but not the actor playing his role..." she stopped when he gave her a blank look.

"I should shut up now," she announced and Alaron pulled his head back and laughed.

"First of all, never ever put my name in the same sentence with Eian. Second of all, who's Eian whatshisname or Damon whatever?"

Erika's eyes widened in shock. "You mean you don't know? Damon Salvatore in the Vampire Diaries? Don't you guys watch TV at all?"

Alaron raised an eyebrow and peered at her. "Is this... Damon person good looking?"

Laughter bubbled in her throat as she nodded. "Well, if you go for the whole deadly sexy bad boy routine... which I'm sure you don't 'cause you're straight which I think you are but I might be wrong and you might be gay... Oops! Right... moving on... I'm babbling."

Alaron was laughing as he started the engine. "No, no... continue please," he said; his eyes twinkling with laughter. 

"Hey! I'm talking about the actor okay? Nothing to do with you."

"But you said I looked like this Damon person."

"Apparently looks can be deceiving."

"And I'm not gay."

They both burst out into laughter. It was nice bantering with Erika and knowing that she was warming up somewhat. Perhaps he should take Pearl's advice and ask her out but somehow he was too nervous and too shy to do so. Getting a girl into bed and getting a girl to go out on a date are two different things.

Instead, he drove around the corner in silence; listening to the sounds of her breath and inhaling the citrus scent of her perfume. 

As the car came to a slow halt, Alaron heard her shift slightly in her chair. Their moment alone was coming to an end for he spotted Pearl and the children walking towards the car and Fiona was coming out of the shop with one of the staff carrying huge boxes. It was now or never.

"I like you," they said in unison before backing away from each other in surprise. 

"But you hate me!" he exclaimed.

"Hello... what about you? You're always insulting me!"

Whatever Alaron wanted to say next was put on hold as Pearl opened the back door and let the children clamber in. When she entered, she gave the two adults a knowing look and smiled.

***

When they returned back to the compound, it was dark so Alaron dropped Pearl and her kids first before heading back to Fiona's home. He was about to enter the garage when he noticed Eian standing at the porch, gesturing him to stop. 

Lowering his window, Alaron waited for Eian to come up to them. This is his car anyway. 

"Fiona dear, could you go inside first?" he said, the moment he reached the MPV. He waited a moment as she got off the car in confusion and didn't say anything until she was inside the house. 

"I need a favour from the two of you," he said softly before turning to face Erika. "Erika, my home is not safe for you tonight. If you'd like, I'll put you up in one of the hotels nearby or you can stay with Pearl or Sydney. I'll arrange for it."

"Oh," she exclaimed. Obviously she hadn't expected this. "Umm, why don't I just go back to my old place? I know it's in ruins but..."

"It's a dangerous neighbourhood Erika," said Eian, cutting into her sentence gently. Erika was surprised at the concern he was showing her. 

"I've lived there for five years... I'll be fine," she insisted. When he still gave her a doubtful look, she continued, "Alaron can keep me company for the night. I mean muggers and drunks seem so tame in comparison to a Vampire right?"

Eian's lips twitched in amusement but he nodded. 

"You heard the lady. Take the car," he said to Alaron. "Don't worry about Fiona..." 

Alaron though doubtful was reassured by Eian's words and drove off silently away from the house. With a sigh, Eian turned and walked towards his front door, preparing himself for World War Three. 

Sure enough, his wife was leaning against a wall, arms crossed and staring at him. Judging from the look of worry and annoyance on her face, he presumed that Amber must have told her everything. 

The she-wolf in question was sitting on his sofa with a blank expression on her face. For a moment he wondered if Fiona had suggested her to clear her mind of her worries. If she did, then it wouldn't be so hard to convince her to suggest a bit more to help Amber out...

"I'm not doing it..." she said in a warning voice as he approached her. 

"But you know why it needs to be done Sweetheart..." he replied, moving closer to hold her. He could feel her tense muscles relaxing slowly at his touch but knew that her guard was still up. 

"It is wrong to separate them like this..." she said softly. "I'll talk to Grandfather about it... he will understand."

Eian looked at Amber then turned to his wife. "No he won't Sweetheart. Aramis is a Pureblood through and through. If a union doesn't benefit him, he will not allow it."

"But... he allowed us," she pleaded. "Why would Draven be any different?"

With a sigh, Eian kissed her forehead and whispered, "Because he's an heir." Turning to look at Amber, he continued, "Perhaps you should stop controlling her now."

"I won't. She wanted to kill herself just after she told me the problem. I need to think this through. Don't worry, I simply told her to relax and tune out to everything around her."

Eian looked at his wife curiously. "What emotion did you use to carry out that suggestion?"

Fiona gave a shy smile and shook her head. When he raised his eyebrows, she simply placed a finger on her lips and smiled. 

"I'm sure there are... other ways for me to find out," he said with a laugh. "Now back to the problem at hand. Are you going to suggest to her to forget him or not?" 

Her eyes looked up gently into Eian's green ones and shook her head. "When I was newly turned... I remembered a time when I went to see Draven and asked him to take away my memories of you." 

"What?" exclaimed Eian in surprise. 

"Well, somebody stormed out of the banquet held in his honour remember? So anyway, Draven refused because he said those memories were shared between me and you so it is not my property alone to have them wiped out like that."

Eian kept quiet, silently thanking the One above for not having her memories of him erased. 

"But sweetheart... you're not erasing her memories. I'm only saying you should suggest for her to forget him... or at least the pain of not being with her mate. She's too valuable for this pack Fiona..."

Fiona gave a sad sigh and turned to look at Amber again. "But the memories will still be there Eian... and it will resurface time and again especially if she becomes strong enough to overcome my suggestions. I do not have the heart to keep on controlling her on a daily basis Eian. That's like administering hallucinogen to an unwilling patient."

Eian pressed a hand over his forehead as though trying to stop a migraine from building. 

"I realize that after centuries of being an Alpha alone, having another on board sure complicates things."

Fiona narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you saying you're regretting finding your mate? Hmm?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that I used to make all the decisions myself, damn the consequences but now I still make the decisions but you get to sway them. I'm sure my male ego will learn to adapt," he replied with a gentle smile. "Somehow I hope that makes me a better Alpha."

Fiona smiled sadly at him. "It must be hard to make decisions like this... I know I have to do this... but I really don't want to Eian."

"I know sweetheart... but I'm not just thinking for the pack but for her as well. At the moment, Draven is flitting around, trying to get off the radar and even if she tries to find him, she might fail because he doesn't want to be found. Knowing that your mate doesn't want you is enough to cause her to go rogue... and I do not want to be the one to place the orders to have her terminated should she attack others."

"You have different laws from us then..." she whispered sadly. 

"Yes we do," he replied, looking into her eyes. "Werewolves weren't hunted down and burnt at the stake in the past centuries Fiona... but with that said, rogue Vampires are still terminated by your Council if they are deemed to be of a matured age and mentally sound."

Fiona remained silent, taking in the things that he had told her. She wanted to argue with him on that point but decided that it was not the most pressing matter at the moment. She breathed a slow sigh as she studied Amber's face. 

"Do you think Draven loves her, Eian?"

"Yes he does Sweetheart... and that is why he is doing this."

Fiona nodded although she did not understand why. Draven and Eian seemed to know a lot more than she but at the moment, she was contented knowing that at least Draven had loved Amber and consented to what she was about to do. 

Moving away from Eian, she settled herself on the sofa next to Amber and released her hold on the woman. Amber blinked a few times before looking at Fiona with an expectant sadness in her eyes. 

"I'm ready," she whispered. 

"I promise you won't forget him... ever," said Fiona as softly as she could so that Eian won't hear her. "But for now... hold on to the euphoria of finding your mate; love him from afar and carry on with your life, here with your pack, where it is safe and happy... Can you do that for me, Amber?" Fiona watched the woman nod slowly. 

"Sweetheart... she's going to ache with need if you say that," said Eian in a resigned tone. She needs to burry the pain of losing him. 

Fiona didn't respond but instead took Amber's palms into her own and squeezed it gently. 

"Amber dear... tell me truthfully; can you live with the pain of loving your mate from afar?" 

"No," she answered, looking up into Fiona's gentle eyes. "But I will if you tell me that he's dead..."




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 05



"Amber... I can't do that," whispered Fiona, holding her close. 

"Then... tell me that Amber is dead," she replied, looking up into Fiona's startled eyes. 

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 06



NB: Once again, credit goes to my editor, wildheartedangel for her help in editing as well as the formulation of ideas for this chapter. I am always grateful. =)

For this chapter, I posted a flowchart of the Vampire hierarchy as well as the Council organization on my blog if you're interested. It might also help explain some of the things that I have written [and will be writing] with regards to the classes of Vampires and the Damage Reversal Unit, which some of you asked earlier.

It amazes me time and again when I have readers telling me they like my story, urging me to write more. Honestly, it's like a daily aphrodisiac to see the comments and emails so keep them coming! It is the only form of payment that authors here get. =)

-Alice-

***

"Do you think everything's okay back there?" asked Erika, looking out the window towards Eian and Fiona's house.

"It should be. They probably have some pack business to settle and don't want us in the way," replied Alaron, his eyes making a quick flick towards the rear view mirror. He didn't want to say it out loud but he had a hunch it had something to do with his brother. It worried him but he was confident that Draven knew how to take care of himself. He would have to worry more later for at the moment he was somewhat responsible for the human beside him.

"Okay, that sounds really official," she said with a sigh. This whole non-human business was starting to sound even more complicated than she thought. Turning to Alaron, Erika decided to change topic, "So umm, now that we're friends, what do you want to talk about? I mean it's quite a long ride back to my loft you know," said Erika absently, twirling her hair around her fingers.

Alaron wasn't sure how to respond to her question. He wasn't one for having civilized conversations with women. In fact, his only interaction with them so far was for sex or the occasional bite or two to quell his desire for warm blood. Bagged blood was more wholesome, sure but it lacked that freshness and triumph that came from hunting a real human being.

"Umm... Al?" Erika's voice snapped him out of his daze. "You don't mind if I call you Al right? I mean, I know Fiona calls you that. Alaron's a nice name but it's too archaic for me. Did your parents accidentally add an 'L' in your name or something?"

Alaron gave a sideward glance towards his passenger. Was she always this talkative? Yeah, especially so when she's berating and insulting him about something.

"I don't think they made a mistake... and I do mind you calling me Al though."

"Why? Fiona gets to call you Al."

"But you don't call her Fi do you? Nah. It's just weird. I mean me and Fi developed this short name system because I didn't want her to waste too much breath when she wanted to call for me."

"That's a weird reason," she replied dryly.

"When she was uh... younger, she was always... uh sick. I mean, she would scream a lot at night, mostly in pain and sometimes she'd forget to breathe. So I used to sleep on the floor of her room to keep her company and Alaron is quite a mouthful when you're in an asthmatic state."

He saw Erika raise one shoulder in a shrug. "Yeah... I suppose that makes sense. So... you're like her brother?"

"We're so close in age that I suppose we're more like siblings than Draven and I are. Weird huh?"

"Wait... so you're not like centuries old?" she asked in surprise.

"You sound almost disappointed," he laughed. "Nah, I'm only 31. But I think most of us stop counting our age after awhile. We just go by the century. At least that's how Draven and my father remember their age."

"Was your mother..."

"No, she was human."

"Oh," she whispered and kept quiet until they turned into the corner of her shop. Best not bring that topic up; she sensed that it was a sensitive issue for him.

"This is so surreal," she commented as Alaron brought the car to a stop outside her old loft. It looked practically the same from outside but once they got in, it looked pretty much like a hurricane had passed through it.

Erika was aware that a man was following her into her home and was suddenly conscious of the state of her house. She had clothes strewn everywhere! A blush of embarrassment crept up her neck at the thought of him finding her soiled underwear lying around.

Alaron had sensed her tension the moment they climbed the stairs to her loft. What was she so worried about?

"I'm fine with sleeping on the couch or floor or whatever so can you stop with the whole worrying thing?" he commented the moment they stepped through the door. "I won't go near you or bite you or anything," he added when she gave him a fearful look.

"But that wasn't what I..." she said, stopping midsentence when she saw him taking off his shirt and heading towards her couch. She wanted to tell him that he'd leave his sweat on her cushion but somehow the words didn't materialize. Her eyes were literally eating the view of his back; smooth and even though it was dark, she could see the lean muscles and the way it tapered to a 'V' into his jeans.

"Shit," she muttered, turning away sharply to avoid imagining wild thoughts in her head. The guy said he liked her but was gentleman enough not to make any moves on her so far. Isn't that a good thing? Shaking her head slightly, Erika managed to make her way to her room without giving a second glance towards the couch.

Half an hour later, Erika was feeling fresh from her bath and despite telling herself she wasn't getting lucky tonight, she put on the sexiest pair of undergarments that she could find. Swallowing timidly, she opened her room door and peeked at her guest... only to find him asleep and snoring.

"Alaron," she whispered but only received a lazy grunt as a reply.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" she berated herself, slamming her door and jumping into her bed, face first.

***

It was a cloudless night, with no moon so it was dark and provided Draven an ample cloak as he watched Amber walking soundlessly towards her own home. In fact, walking was a tame word to describe her lethargic movements; she was trudging lifelessly.

Draven knew that he was partly to blame for her soul-less demeanor and part of him wanted desperately to reach out and hold her but instead, he remained in his hiding spot. He wanted... no, needed to take his fill of her image before he disappeared from her life forever.

Would she even remember him? The realization that she might not elicited a soft sigh from his lips. He was almost five hundred years old for god sake. Why was he acting like a dejected lover; walking around with his broken heart on his sleeve for all to see?

"Pathetic," he hissed. He had tried to convince himself over and over that what they shared was just sex but he knew he was in denial. The fact that they established a mental bond shared between wolf mates even before they made love was enough to alert him of her specialness.

It was a special thing, he supposed, to be able to communicate with your loved one like that; to complete each other's sentences without having to even say a word, to sync each other's movements in tempo with the other, to be privy to each other's emotions without having to even read each other's minds...

That was what makes her so special. With his abilities, he could simply read any human or Vampire's mind with or without their permission and erase whatever bit about him that he didn't like. Life would be so boring that way. But this wolf... she could read his mind back and even stop him from erasing her memories at will. Not to mention that she's smart and sexy too.

Smiling to himself, Draven glanced towards the single lighted room in her house. He couldn't really see through the windows but he was satisfied knowing that she was inside; alive and safe.

It was time to leave now...

***

Fiona's back was pressed against Eian's chest as they both looked out their living room window; observing Amber's movements until she disappeared out of sight at the corner of the street. Even then, Eian did not move his hands from around Fiona and simply stood there, holding her close.

"You did what you had to do Sweetheart," he murmured into the top of her head. He knew that she was feeling guilty and sad about what just happened so he was trying to distract her. He had made countless of difficult decisions in the past and knew that if he harped on them constantly, it would rip his soul apart and make him miserable.

Right now, she needed a distraction...

His hands were slowly going under her blouse; his fingers trailing lightly up her torso. Taking a deep breath, he took in her scent. God she smelled wonderful, he thought.

Fiona smiled as she turned slightly to look into Eian's eyes. "Looks like your plan to distract me backfired," she mused, pressing back against his growing hardness.

"You mean it's not working?" His smile was mirrored in his eyes as he scooped Fiona into his hands and marched towards the stairs. "This calls for desperate measures then."

She laughed as he started walking up the stairs; her fingers slowly pulling her blouse up and over her head and throwing it carelessly on the over the railing. It was only when she unbuckled her bra to toss it aside that he stopped in his track and raised his eyebrow at her.

"Do you want to make it to the bedroom or not?" he asked in surprise.

"That depends," she whispered back silkily, pulling his face down to meet her kiss. Eian's body stilled for a moment as his mind registered her dare. She was kissing him gently in an almost questing way but her fingers were already impatiently unbuttoning his dress shirt.

"You want me now?" he murmured against her lips, hearing no answer but a moan in her throat as her tongue slid out to invade and demand more from him. He supposed that meant a yes then. Lowering her to her own feet, he pushed her gently until her back was pressed against the railing before hungrily kissing her, cupping and fondling her breasts until she moaned into his mouth with pleading.

Not caring about being gentle now, he pulled her skirt down roughly and pulled away to study her body. It was exquisite and every inch of her pale milky skin was his. Every inch was now exposed except the tiny triangle of a thong that she was wearing. Licking his lips, he made sure her eyes were on him as he took off his shirt, taking in the look of pure lust on her face. Her eyes were taking in the expanse of his chest; almost caressing him visually, down his abdomen and navel towards her end prize. Her gaze alone made his cock harden considerably inside the confines of his jeans.

"What do you want Fiona?" he teased, watching the way her eyes flicked up in pleasure. "Come and get it then," he whispered, curling his fingers in a welcoming gesture. Fiona needed no other invitation. Her lips began trailing kisses down his neck and chest as her fingers busily unbuckled and unbuttoned his jeans. She pushed his boxers down together with the jeans, letting it pool at his ankles.

He was about to kiss her when she suddenly got to her knees and began working her mouth on his fully erect cock; her tongue swirling over the tip and licking down the sides, lathering it with her warm saliva before engulfing the first few inches into her mouth. He felt her hand rubbing his balls gently and couldn't help moaning as she went about her task of pleasuring him.

Eian was almost unaware of the fact that he was holding her head and fucking her mouth, thrusting his hips back and forth. It was only when his body tensed with the need to cum that he stopped and gently coaxed her off his cock.

"I don't want to waste a drop," he said, eyeing her lovingly. "I want it inside you."

Despite having made love to Eian for quite some time now, Fiona still managed a blush at his words. Not wanting to waste any more time, Eian pulled her up and pressed his lips against hers, sighing as he took in the taste of his mate. His fingers gently reached down between her thighs to search for that sweet spot of hers. Pushing the thong slightly to the side, he dipped two fingers inside her warm pussy and caressed the inner muscles sensuously. When he felt the warm liquid slowly secreting onto his fingers, he began to move his hand faster, in and out of her wetness, making sure he rubbed directly at the swollen g-spot.

In no time, Fiona was moaning; clamping her muscles tightly around his fingers as she felt the first wave of her orgasm taking over her system. Still, he didn't stop finger-fucking her and before she could stop him, her body was pushed into another orgasm.

"Eian!" she screamed, turning away from his kiss to bite into his shoulder. That was going to leave a mark, he knew. When her orgasm subsided, lifted her up and sat down on one of the steps with her on top of him.

"You know what to do," he smiled, looking her seductively in the eye. Fiona lowered her eyes slightly to hide her shyness. "How can you still be shy after all this time?" he asked as she climbed on top of him.

"Because you look at me like I'm the only beautiful and desirable thing in the world," she whispered, lowering herself on top of his hard cock. Eian's reply immediately died on his lips as the sensation of her pussy enveloping him took centre stage. She had completely taken every inch of him inside her, grinding her pussy in slow circles against him before pulling out all the way and impaling herself down once again.

Eian leaned back on his elbows and watched his wife move. She was moving in quick strokes now, her pussy gripping his cock tightly, making loud sucking sounds each time she descended. Eian was beginning to feel that familiar tingle in his balls and knew it was time to change positions. He didn't want to cum too soon.

Still embedded inside her, he held Fiona tightly and stood up to press her back against the stair railing. She let out a shout of surprise as he placed one foot down but hooked the other in the crook of his elbow. His cock felt so big and deep in this position that her pussy tingled with anticipation of a mind-blowing fuck but much to her dismay, he pulled out all the way until only the tip of his cock was inside her.

"Eian?" her confusion apparent on her face. "I need you," she pleaded when she saw that he didn't respond. Her hips started to move but his strong hand held her in place, his head shaking as he looked down at her.

"Tell me first what emotion you used to control Amber..." he prompted, pushing his cock in slightly before pulling out all the way.

"Eian!" she cried. This position made her so exposed and vulnerable! She couldn't even move without losing her balance.

"Tell me Sweetheart and I'll fuck your pussy into oblivion..." he whispered. Fiona stared wide- eyed at him.

"Cum inside me and then I'll tell you," she replied and smiled when his hips pushed forward slightly on its own accord to push a few inches of his cock inside her.

"That's so unfair," he groaned as his body moved even closer to her, burying the whole length of his cock deep inside her pussy. "Bad little Vampires will have to sleep in the garden tonight," he managed to breathe out because at that moment, her pussy was squeezing him so tight; a gush of hot liquid creaming all over his cock and dribbled down her thigh.

"Oh my god Fiona..." he whispered, lifting her other leg and hooking at his elbow. Apparently she had released her hold on him when she came. Which was good because he was going to punish her now.

Her eyes flared open when she heard his thought but all that came out of her mouth were loud screams as he began brutally plowing her sweet pussy without abandon, slamming her back against the railing. Fiona felt so helpless in this position for the only support she had were her hands on the rails and it was slowly slipping as Eian kept thrusting harder into her each time.

She could feel her pussy stretch as his cock grew slightly larger; a sign that he was about to cum and mate with her.

"Yes Eian! More! More!" she screamed and felt his body growing still for a moment before the blast of hot cum seared her pussy walls, cueing her into cumming once more. The moment his orgasm subsided, Eian leaned all his weight on her body and the next thing they knew...

"Ahhh!!!" they shouted.

"Oh my god Eian Sweetheart..." said Fiona as her eyes now stared up at what was left of their stair railing. "That must have been a really forceful punishment."

His head immediately snapped up. "Did I hurt you baby?"

She smiled slyly. "Nice of you to bring that up."

"What? I hurt you? Really? Where?" he panicked and tried to move only to realize that he was attached to her body. "Damn!" he hissed, looking down at their entwined bodies.

"Not that Eian," she chuckled. When he gave her a confused look, she burst out happily, "I'm two months late!"

Still he looked at her in confusion.

"I might be pregnant!" she translated, hugging him close.

"Oh..." was all he managed to say for words escaped him at the moment. He held his wife tenderly close and slowly stood up from the mess.

***

It was another two hours drive up to Culzean Castle but somehow Draven didn't feel like returning home yet. He didn't think he could face his father and not blurt out the truth by accident.

He needed a distraction. But what?

Draven needed company but everyone he cared about were south from where he was at the moment. Roaming his eyes, he caught sight of a few brothels and bars; their neon fluorescents blinking attractively in the night.

"Yeah, that'll do," he sighed and stopped the car. If alcohol and sex with other women was what it took to forget her, then he'll be damned.

Taking long strides across the uneven ground, he took in the reek of alcohol, stale perfume and piss from the drains; his face kept straight while his peripheral vision observed the crowd.

He'd classify the place as sleazy with dodgy characters smiling or sneering at him, depending on the gender and of course the sudden need for some men to flex their beefy bodies at him; an invitation or a threat? A thin smile crafted on his lips.   "Whatcha smiling at gorgeous?" a silky voice purred at him as he entered. Draven's eyes flicked slightly to his left and saw a buxom blonde leaning against the door frame, staring at him. It took him just a second to return his gaze forward; her mind wasn't even on sex. Sex was a job to her and he was a potential customer.

It was useless. He could read her too much and that was just boring.

Walking on, he slumped himself on a stool at the bar and ordered a Black Russian. Maybe dulling his senses for awhile might make reading women less easy. Then he wouldn't give a damn if they wanted to rob him blind for the night.

He was onto his third glass when he sensed someone slipping into the seat next to him. Draven grunted. Obviously if he could still sense anything, he wasn't drunk enough.

"Another Black Russian!" he called to the bartender. Maybe he should have ordered pure Vodka or Whiskey. A Black Russian seemed so mild...

"I'd say otherwise," said the person beside him. Draven growled slightly but didn't reply and instead took a deep gulp of his drink. He could tell that it was a woman beside him but he couldn't read her much... must be the alcohol finally taking effect.

"I think that's enough Black Russians for now," he heard her say when the bartender arrived with his fourth glass. He growled when he saw a dainty cocoa-coloured hand taking his glass away from him.

"Give me one more... that's for the lady," he snapped; staring at the bartender with an implicit threat in his gaze.

"No, don't worry David... he's just joking. Why don't you go and serve the others? He and I are leaving," she said sweetly before grabbing Draven's arm and pulling him out of his seat.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 06



On another occasion, Draven might have been thrilled to be escorted out with a woman in such a short time but at the moment, his head was buzzing with annoyance. Just how the hell did this petite woman manage to heft his weight up like that?

"Where's your car?" she asked impatiently, sounding annoyed. What was she annoyed at him for? Draven wanted to curse her but the words stopped in his throat and instead he began to vomit uncontrollably on the ground.

"Fuck! Culzean, you arse. Now look at the mess you've made," she snapped, pulling him up and literally dragging him across towards his car. "Keys!" she barked. Draven wasn't even registering her question anymore but he felt her digging in his pocket... and the next thing he knew he was belted up in the passenger seat and on the road.

"Oww..." he groaned, clutching his head in his hands. "Am I dead..."

"Yeah, you would have killed yourself at the rate you're drinking!" the woman chided. Draven winced at the sound of her voice. She sounded so familiar and yet so...

"Who are you?" he croaked. "Where are we going?"

"To my house," she said stiffly. "You need to feed."

Draven rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat. "I don't eat... food."

"I said feed, not food. Good god Culzean, you're such a mess!"

"How do you know my..." he trailed before blanking out.

***

Draven groggily opened his eyes at the sound of hushed whispers and stomping feet. His head hurt and his body ached.

"How're you feeling mate?"

"Like shit..." groaned Draven. "Where am I?"

"You're at my house!" he exclaimed and clapped his hands in excitement. "Can't believe you're here in the flesh!"

Draven growled. If he was having a hangover, this pest was making a hell of a racket.

"Where's the woman..." he said suddenly, remembering the woman from last night. His first instinct was to sit up and look at his pants. "Phew..."

"Aye, you mean she? My missus?" laughed the man, slapping Draven's back teasingly. "Natasha my love, come here!"

Natasha? She'd better not be Natasha Semenov...

"Oh yes, that's the one mate!" he heard the man chime. "Although she's Natasha Kelly now... or ó Ceallaigh depending on where you're at!"

"Good god... Kelly as in Patrick Kelly? You two got married? Oww..." Draven groaned as his head burst into a series of mini headaches, throbbing all at once.

"Aye. Now, lie back... Natasha'll give you something to drink to sober ye up!"

Okay... in the meantime can you please shut up Patrick? My head's going to burst.

He heard a soft feminine laughter and then felt his head tipping back before a warm liquid was sloshed down his throat. He sputtered slightly but managed to swallow the liquid down. It was bitter.

"Urgh..." Draven wiped his mouth with the back of his hands and opened his eyes again slowly, making out two faces staring intently at him. The male was as white as can be; his blue eyes staring curiously at Draven while the other, a warm cocoa-toned female with brown eyes looking down with amusement at him.

"Black Russian..." Draven croaked slightly then smiled. "Thanks."

Natasha smiled back before getting up and smacking Draven's head. He heard her cursing him in her native tongue as she sashayed away from the two men.

"She wasn't too happy to drag you home last night," said Patrick, shaking his head. "She's a screamer that one and having guests around makes it less enjoyable."

Draven rolled his eyes. "Some things never change I see," he said dryly then burst out laughing. "What's she doing in a bar anyway?"

"She had an assignment."

"Ah I see." Draven didn't want to push. "So how did you two end up together anyway?"

"Ah well you know... we got paired during one of those crime fighting days. Then we really paired up if you know what I mean!" he laughed, winking at Draven.

"Right... can you please stop thinking with your dick Patrick! Anyway, thank you for uh, bringing me here... I guess I'd better leave now."

"You're not going anywhere Culzean," reprimanded Natasha as she came out of the kitchen, holding two cold blood bags. At the doubtful look on Draven's face, she rolled her eyes. "B plus, yes I know. I remembered..."

Draven took the blood bag a little too eagerly. The alcohol in his system was making his body work overtime and it needed replenishing.

"So... do you want to talk about it?" she asked, settling herself beside Patrick and watching Draven's eyes intently.

He shook his head. But I'm sure you're going to read my mind anyway. Go ahead.

"Oh please, I'm not that rude," she replied, earning a laugh from Patrick.

"Oh yeah, she is that rude. We're just being the gracious host and letting you tell us the problem. It's just a formality. So tell us, who's the lucky babe?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"It seems Natasha's mind reading is not as good as it used to be," teased Draven. "Obviously she only picked out the juicy bits..."

"Oh, sorry... that was me," laughed Patrick. "Oh the details!" When Natasha sent him a cold look, he immediately stopped laughing and gave her a sobered grin.

"Culzean, we're not going to pry and force anything out of you... but we just want you to know that you still have your friends... you needn't isolate yourself all the time."

Draven kept quiet. If both Patrick and Natasha could read him so easily, that must mean that his mind was in a very vulnerable state for he was much older and stronger than the both of them. So, with as much strength as he could muster, he tried to put his guard up, thinking of nothing but an empty room.

"There's no need for that," said Natasha with a sigh. "I already know everything... so why don't you just talk to us?"

"Yeah Drav... come on," urged Patrick. Draven lifted his eyes slowly to meet their gazes.

"Are you both still with the DRU?" he asked slowly.

"Yeah we are," said Patrick with a shrug. "Unlike you, we don't have much of a brain... okay, I don't have much of a brain," he grinned at his wife's annoyed look. "Plus, we're not from a rich family and us commoners have to work for a living too you know?"

Draven's grim expression softened a little. Patrick was always touchy on the subject of his heritage; a common level Vampire was at the bottom of the hierarchy but because of his rare ability to read minds, he was accepted into the Council forces, working alongside the other Nobles and Purebloods. It was always a struggle for him.

"It had always been a great pleasure of mine to have worked with you Patrick... I have never met anyone from the Damage Reversal Unit who's more funny, down-to-earth and meticulous in his work."

"That's right my twinkle-toes," said Natasha, rubbing her nose lovingly on Patrick's nose.

Right... twinkle toes. Very creative Natasha...

Natasha simply rolled her eyes and laughed.

"So when are you going to return to work? I mean... you're not going to do all those science gizmo experiments anymore are you?" asked Patrick. "Girls don't dig that Drav... and honestly, it's too Einstein for me."

"Honey, I'm sure his Doctor companion loves that about him," said Natasha. "Am I right Culzean?"

Draven narrowed his eyes at her. Obviously she wanted to dig more about Amber. "You play dirty Natasha..." She smiled and shrugged casually. "Maybe getting drunk was a blessing in disguise," he said carefully. "Meeting you both reminds me how much I miss being on the force..."

"You're going to come back?" asked Patrick in excitement, his curiosity about Draven's problems forgetten. "Wow... this is great. They'll probably put up posters 'The Legend returns' or something!"

"Huh, I bet," replied Draven dryly as he got to his feet. "I uh, I want to go out to get some fresh air. Be right back." Truth was, he wanted to think without having either of those two reading him at every opportunity.

Draven leaned against the balcony railing and stared out into the night. So, he's going back to join the Council force huh? He smiled slowly and shook his head in disbelief. For the first four hundred years of his life, he had dedicated his time and energies in erasing memories of humans and Vampires alike for the preservation of his species.

Accidental sightings of Vampires by humans always caused an uproar, often ending with a witch hunt in the past. At times, he couldn't contain the exposure so instead of blanking out the entire village's memory, he erased the Vampire's instead, in hopes that he or she will not disclose their secrets. Oh he remembered all the ridiculous garlic chains and silver crosses. Once or twice, he had feigned fear and pretended to kneel in pain at the sight of those anti-Vampire charms.

Oh the days of youth, he mused. He was relentless back then. As his powers grew stronger, so was the desire for more minds to read and erase. It was like a drug to him. He liked knowing other people's secrets and knowing that he was the last one to ever know them before he wiped their memories to a clean slate... yes, not even a single strand left. It didn't matter to him if they had precious memories of their family or loved ones. They were just his job and he was damn good at it.

In fact, it was only during the last century when blood banking started to take fore that he took more interest in the scientific field; considering a permanent switch to the Engineer positions. Despite his dabbling in the scientific and medical field, his main passion still lie in his position as an enforcer.

But then Father got married to his human stepmother... and they had Alaron. For centuries he was alone and neglected and suddenly there was a child, always touching him, following him around, asking him this and that...

He began gaining a conscience; leaving memories of loved ones untouched in the humans and Vampire's on his assignment lists. He had seen it as a weakness and resigned immediately. Initially he had buried himself within the Engineer labs but later installed one in the Castle and lived a reclusive life accompanied only by his family.

Love was a weakness, he knew... and now, the only way to make himself strong again is to return to that cold, heartless Council enforcer that he used to be... right?

"No Draven... It isn't right."

"How long have you been standing there reading me Natasha?"

She shrugged, "Long enough."

"I know why you're here... but I'm not going to talk about it." He heard her sigh and move beside him.

"I can erase her memory for you..."

"No!" exclaimed Draven, a little too forcefully for Natasha stepped back in alarm. Slapping a hand down his face, he cursed and apologized. "I'm sorry Sasha... really."

What exactly he was apologizing for she wasn't sure but she didn't reply him but looked at his face sadly instead. "For a very long time, I couldn't forget you... but now I can because I found him," she said, gesturing to Patrick who was seated inside. "So I know what you're feeling now and I guess it's worst 'coz she's your real life mate."

"How'd you end up with Sir. Sexalot over there?" Draven asked, smiling a little.

"Sex a lot?" she replied, laughing. "Well, secondly, we can't read each other... isn't that just so funny? I mean it's not unusual if he can't read me but when I realized that I couldn't read him at will, I was stunned!" Draven nodded in understanding. Vampires were ranked by the percentage of Vampire blood that they had; the lesser they had, the less powerful they usually were and thus more susceptible to attacks by both humans and their own kind.

Natasha being of Noble descent usually meant that she could read all Common levels and humans so Patrick must have been really special if she couldn't read him.

"Yes he is," she replied almost automatically to his thought. "He's so ridiculously funny and annoying at the same time. Kind of the opposite of you," she added as an afterthought.

"Oh that's nice," he replied bitterly. "Does he know about us?"

"Of course not. That happened way before he was born." Draven raised an eyebrow at her. "Patrick's only two hundred years old. You know that."

"So?"

"So, there's nothing to tell because there's nothing going on between us for the last three hundred and ninety-nine years!" she replied angrily.

"Right, always the calculative one," laughed Draven. "Okay, I get your point. So when are you two planning to have children already?"

"Soon I guess. I've got to plan it right since we can only have one child per century. I mean at the rate Sir. Sexalot is going, I'm going to get pregnant every 9 months!"

Draven rolled his eyes at her as he laughed.

"It's really nice to hear you laugh Draven... It's almost like you're not the same person I knew anymore. You seem... like a person worth loving. It must be really hard for her to let you go..." her voice somber. Then looking up, she spoke, "So, do you want me to take a look at this... Amber?"

Draven's laughter died immediately as he understood the implication of Natasha's question. Letting out a deep sigh, he nodded slowly. "Just take a look at her and see what she remembers and what she doesn't... then let me know. But not now."

"Huh? You want to drag this on?"

"I want to be back in the Council first before you see her."

Shaking her head at him, Natasha walked back towards the living room, leaving him alone to his thoughts.

***

Draven ended up staying with the Kellys for over a week. He usually kept to himself and went out to do his business without getting in their way.

So when Natasha woke up the one morning, she wasn't surprise that Draven was no longer in her house. Rolling over, she curled closer to her husband and thought about her plan to visit Amber. Sure, Draven had forbade it but he's not going to know anyway. She was just going to watch the woman.

Truth was, she didn't manage to read everything in his memories. Even in his drunk and vulnerable state, his mind was still strongly guarded and took her quite some time to penetrate. Draven was an experienced enforcer and a very strong one at that because of his Pureblood status. Therefore, it made her even more curious to know about this Amber... just who was she? And how did she manage to break his heart until he was willing to return to the Council?

Oh yes, she knew he was just joining back to try and forget Amber but the question was why...

She had sat up immediately and went to her computer. It shouldn't be hard to find Dr. Amber on the Google directories. Natasha knew that Amber was an OB/GYN and that she was working in London... or somewhere south from here. So it shouldn't be difficult.

However, it turned out that there was no such doctor listed with the name Amber. It was frustrating for Natasha had searched every medical database and even made a few calls to her friends for help but to no avail.

Either this woman gave Draven a fake name or he made her up. Natasha was leaning more towards the first option. A woman with a fake name was sending up red flags immediately in her head. If this woman was really Draven's life mate then she was going to make sure that she was the not out to hurt him.

***

Draven was walking back to the Kelly's apartment when he saw Natasha exiting the building and going inside her car. He had simply gone to get breakfast- odd as it sounded; he was actually hungry for real food. However, the croissant that he was holding in his hand immediately fell to the ground when he read Natasha's thoughts.

"No..." he muttered under his breath and began to run towards her but the car was already speeding off. "Damn it Sasha! I told you to wait!" he was fuming as he got into his own car, slamming the door hard. As soon as the engine geared to life, he was accelerating southwards towards London.

Once again, breaking the speed limit to see the sexy doctor, he mused. She must be worth a lot of fines by now. The sudden awareness that he was pleased to be driving to see her startled him. Then slowly the ache of needing her started gnawing at his insides.

"Maybe I shouldn't..." he said out loud. "Draven Elias Culzean you are to take the next exit and make a turn. You will not cave in to your desires!"

Of course that self-ordered instruction was useless. Not only did he not take the next exit, he also failed to take the next one and all the rest that did not point towards London. With a resigned sigh, he drove on, partly cursing himself for losing sight of Natasha's car and partly also cursing himself for missing Amber so much.

***

Natasha wasn't sure where to start. If this Amber was a doctor then she should at least be well known in the medical circle in the city. But doctors are always so secretive when discussing their field. They'd give her the whole 'It's confidential' routine and she'd just get bored as she'd have to pick their brains instead of having a decent conversation. So the next best thing she could do was to visit the best medical faculty in the city. Somehow students like to talk a lot, always so informative.

She would have stopped at Cambridge and Oxford but decided to go straight to London for she had scented something on Draven that reminded her of the musky streets and human infested roads of London. A few centuries ago, it had been musky and crowded with humans... and now, even more so, she mused.

UCL was such a big university that when she finally found the medicine faculty, she was tired and somewhat relieved. Her long legs stretched out of the car, one high heeled before the other. Natasha prided herself with her legs for they were long, lean and toned. Over the centuries, they have been useful in helping her entice her meals... and of course to elicit information from their enemies or lure targets into dark corners to have their memories wiped.

Natasha was walking around aimlessly, trying to see what she could find out just by observing the place. She had never made it to university; never found the need to so her curious eyes wandered over the bulletin boards as well as the young men and women walking around the campus.

She spent about an hour walking around, peeking into classes and lecture theatres now and then and was about to head back to her car when she bumped into a group of chattering girls. They excused themselves politely and continued walking talking excitedly among themselves.

"I heard there's a guest lecturer today."

"Really? You mean for our class?"

"Yeah! I think it's a Dr. MacFarlane or something. She's supposed to be a really experienced obstetrician so I'm quite excited."

Natasha froze amidst her steps. MacFarlane? Yes... she picked that up in Draven's memories but as the pieces were so disjointed she had no idea of its significance... until now. Turning around, she shadowed the girls and entered with them into a large auditorium.

Not wanting to be noticeable, she went right to the back and settled herself at the corner of the room. The auditorium was slowly filling in but no sign of the lecturer yet. Natasha didn't mind. Crossing her legs, she folded her arms and leaned back and waited.

***

Draven was confused. He had followed Natasha to London and by scent alone, tracked her down to a school. Why did she stop here when she already knew where Amber was? Unless she did not manage to read all the information clearly from his memories. That was possible, seeing that he is much older and experienced than her.

With a sigh, he followed her scent and continued walking. He had no idea what Natasha was up to, skulking around in a place like this? Since when was she into sciences anyway?

He must have been distracted with his own thoughts for he walked right into another person as he turned a corner.

"I apologize most sincerely," he said, clambering to his feet. That felt more like an asteroid collision than just a bump! As he looked down, he noticed that the redhead was bent over, hastily picking up her books and scattered papers. "Here, let me help," he offered, squatting down to help her.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 06



"Here you go..." his last word trailed in a whisper as he stared at the woman smiling at him. She didn't recognize him one bit.

"I'm awfully sorry... I've been clumsy these days. Must be coming down with a cold or something," she apologized with a sweet smile then continued walking. "I have to go now... I'm running late for class!" she called out, waving at him.

Draven stood dumbstruck at what just happened. She coloured her hair! All those lovely blonde curls... gone. But worst of all... she didn't even know him. Draven leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to stop the ache that was slowly eating inside him.

If she didn't recognize him... then it wouldn't hurt to see her again right? Even from afar? He knew he was in denial but he chased after her nonetheless.

***

Natasha saw a tall red-haired woman enter the auditorium, carrying a load of books and files. This was Amber? She looked so... nerdy! What's with the huge black framed glasses and untidily tied bun? And that gaudy skirt! This woman was a fashion disaster and so unlike the type of female that Draven would normally go for- that is if this woman was even the one that's bothering Draven in the first place.

"Good morning class," she mumbled shyly into the mike, fumbling a little as she settled her books down.

"Good lord... she's dowdy and clumsy," muttered Natasha under her breath.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Natasha caught another movement at the door and to her surprise, Draven peeked in and sat in the front row, right in front of the podium. It wasn't so much as his presence but the way he looked at her that confirmed Natasha's hunch that this woman was the one.

"Tsk. So much for wanting to stay away from her," she hissed, rolling her eyes irritably. This human seemed mild and unthreatening so why was he kicking up such a big fuss over the matter?

Even so, Natasha sat back and listened to the gentle voice of the doctor droning on about some birthing procedure. It was interesting until she started speaking in medical jargon.

"Guess it's time to leave now," said Natasha, growing bored. She got up slowly and inched towards the backdoor when suddenly she heard someone calling her.

"You there, thank you for volunteering! Please come down here," called Amber. Natasha froze.

"Err..." she was just a few steps from the door but everyone had turned to look at her. Damn! "Uh, okay..." she stammered and walked down the stairs towards the front.

What the hell are you doing here Sasha!

Natasha caught Draven's eyes but pretended not to know him and instead walked up stage towards Amber.

I'm trying to understand what's wrong with this huma... oh my god!!!

Draven covered his face with his hands as Natasha stared mouth opened and wide-eyed at Amber.

"Uh... Miss? Are you feeling alright?"

I'm going to do it now Draven. Now or never.

"No!" he burst out and climbed up the stage, slapping Natasha's hand away from Amber.

The room fell silent.

This is such a non sequitur moment.

You think? Just say I'm your sister or something and get your butt off the stage now.

"Err, I'm sorry... My sister she's hypoglycemic. I better take her out before she faints," Draven grinned stupidly as he grabbed Natasha's hand and pulled her quickly out of the auditorium.

The moment the door closed behind them, she began to slap at his chest.

Just what the hell do you think you're doing? Werewolf?!

"I told you to wait didn't I?" Draven cursed as he grabbed Natasha and pulled her away from the door. "You are worst than my brother and niece combined!"

"Oh that's cute. I'm worth fifty years old altogether now."

"Natasha!" cried Draven in exasperation. "I told you to check her out not take her memories away! Why did you even threaten me like that... in front of her?"

"She did not hear a damn thing. She's an animal! They don't hear our thoughts!"

The instant those words came out of her mouth, Draven's hand was aimed for her throat but she was quick enough to stop him.

"Security cameras," she said dryly then released his hand with a spat.

"Fine. Don't ever... call her an animal again you hear me?" Natasha glared at him and watched as Draven's anger subsided to be replaced by a look of worry. "She can hear my thoughts Natasha..."

Natasha's glare turned into stunned horror. Is she a Vampire-Were?

No... she's not.

Then?

I'm her mate... like her wolf mate.

"Good Lord... Draven," muttered Natasha, shaking her head. "And this is why you want to join the Council?"

Yes... to prevent any hunts arranged explicitly for her head.

You mean memories right?

Or termination.

Natasha sucked in a deep breath. Who would want to terminate her?

My father.



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 07



NB: Credit goes to my editor, wildheartedangel for her efficient and constructive work as always. =)

To my readers, thank you for your comments from the last chapter! I have taken some of them into consideration and hopefully I've managed to address some of the questions too in this chapter. However, we're going to focus a bit more on Alaron and Erika in this chapter but don't worry, Chapter 8 is going to be filled with Draven and Amber's story, so be patient. =)

-ArtForm-

***

"His Lordship?" Natasha was clearly surprised. "Why would he want to do that?"

"We'll talk on the way to the car. It's not safe here," he replied; his eyes taking count of the various cameras and humans present. As the two of them walked further away from the auditorium, Draven felt the urge to keep looking over his shoulder every few seconds... hoping that Amber would come out after him.

"She's not coming," said Natasha coldly as they reached his car.

"I know that. Get in," he muttered gruffly.

They sat in his car in silence for a few minutes as Draven tried to calm himself down. It was only when Natasha began entertaining herself with an annoying Talking Tom app on her iphone that he turned to face her.

"Just what in the world is that annoying voice?"

"It's the voice of God," said Natasha, not to Draven but to her phone; giggling uncontrollably when Tom's high pitch voice mimicked her, albeit exaggeratedly.

"Right... put that away Sasha."

"Put that away Sasha!" chimed Talking Tom. Natasha grinned as she slipped the phone into her bag and then turned to give Draven a solemn look.

"Serious mode now," she announced. "Ready to talk?"

Draven ignored her mocking tone. "I need you to promise me that you won't breathe a word about this."

"Tell me what your father has got to do with this and I'll consider it."

Draven cast a sideward glance at her. "Is everything a transaction to you?"

"Only when someone else made the offer first," she replied with a nonchalant shrug. "So tell me."

Eyes narrowing to study her, Draven considered whether it was better if he just removed her memory of meeting him. He must have been staring at her for a whole minute for she suddenly cleared her throat and pressed a finger in the middle of his forehead.

"I can remove your memory just as you can remove mine," she reminded him in an annoyed voice. "I might not be as good but I'd chop up enough of the chronology to make your life miserable."

"Fine," said Draven through clenched teeth. Memory manipulation needed physical contact and at the moment Natasha did have the upper hand, literally, he noted.

"So tell me, why would your father want to have her hunted down? You don't even know if he will do that," she said accusingly.

"Well, I spoke to my..." he was about to say Alpha but caught himself. "My friend... and he predicted that father might disown me should I take on a wife outside of the Vampire nobility circle."

"Wait a minute... didn't your father marry a human? What? Suddenly he decided to be endogamous?"

"He produced me with a Pureblood Vampire didn't he? He considered it his duty to produce a legitimate Pureblood heir as is mine. After that, it was up to him what he wanted to do."

Natasha sat up slightly, taking her finger away from his head. "He... didn't love your mother?"

A smile curled at Draven's lips as he shook his head. "Neither did she love him... or me for that matter."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's alright," whispered Draven, trying not to remember the loneliness he had felt centuries ago. "If he could make the sacrifice, he won't understand why I won't."

Natasha was silent but Draven could read her like an open book. He knew that she felt sorry for him and was mentally berating herself for asking him questions in the first place. Unlike him, her parents were true life mates and she had many siblings to keep her company as she grew up.

"Why don't you try and talk to him, Draven?"

"He'll say no," he replied affirmatively.

"You haven't even tried..." she whispered sadly, watching the way his eyes tried to avoid looking at her.

"I've been raised with the constant reminder of my duty to my class. Do you know how many Pureblood women have been thrust under my nose in the past centuries? Father has been relentless but he's been patient so far... hoping I'd meet someone I like. Trust me, if I tell him I want to take a Were as my first bride, his first course of action would be to eliminate her."

"Then you have to convince him not to kill her," Natasha whispered patiently. "I will be with the wolf when you talk to him. If he sanctions her immediate termination then I'll help her run."

His gaze immediately flicked towards her. "You would do that for me?"

"Yes."

Letting out a long sigh, Draven began nodding slowly. "I'll talk to him..."

***

Alaron had been camping on Erika's couch for the past week, keeping her company and being her guard dog as she persistently calls him. Honestly, it was a good life; sleeping, watching TV, walking around to search for a suitable place to rent and most importantly, keeping an eye on a beautiful woman. The downside was that he had to sit through Vampire Diaries, Glee, Desperate Housewives and god knows how many other TV shows because Erika only had one television and it was in the living room. He also disliked the fact that he had to carry all her things when they went grocery shopping or book hunting. But worst of all was being called her guard dog - that was akin to being called a wolf and he resented that.

However, it seems that the torturous week was coming to an end. Eian had told Dominic to help source out suitable locations for Erika and Fiona to decide on for their store venue and the girls had finally settled on one that was situated just outside Bloomsbury. The rent had been pricy but Alaron had urged her and Fiona to get it, insisting that he and Draven would chip in the cost.

So this morning, they were going to head down to MacFarlane Realty to sign the lease forms and then they can begin moving all the boxes that were currently lying around in Erika's apartment. She had spent the last two days packing her personal things as well as the precious inventory that she had salvaged from the ruined bookstore below. Alaron had found her organized and meticulous nature particularly desirable, although he had never brought it up.

In fact, he had not made a single move to clarify or advance their relationship. As far as he was concerned, he was comfortable with the normalcy in which they snipped and insulted each other.

"Are you ready to go?" he heard her ask from inside her room.

"Yeah. I'm at the door," he replied, tapping a foot impatiently. She had been getting dressed for the past hour and was still not ready. Why does it take so long to get dressed anyway?

"Okay, give me a minute!"

"Sure... take your time. My butt is practically paralyzed from standing too long. A minute more won't matter."

A crash and a smattering of curses later, she emerged from her room wearing what looked like a mini dress made out of feathers... or was it grass? Alaron was almost recoiling out the door at the sight of her when he realized that she was staring at him expectantly.

"What? No good?" she asked, twirling around. She was obviously waiting for his approval or otherwise. "It's a Louis Vuitton Spring collection you know," she added when he gave her a blank look.

"Well..." Alaron didn't make it past his first word for she was walking back into her room, leaving him standing at the door with his mouth hanging open. What did he say?

Taking off his shoes he went back in and pushed open her room door. "Hey! Why'd you walk away? We're running late... whoa!" Alaron gave a surprised shout at the sight of her standing in her lingerie.

"What are you doing here!" she said, reaching out for the first available thing to throw at him, which unfortunately was a table lamp.

Thankfully he had quick reflexes for he caught the lamp and set it down.

"Look, whatever you were wearing is fine. I don't mean now," he frowned looking at her from head to toe. "I meant before. We need to go now unless you want to be late. We still need to swing by and fetch Fiona and I do not want her to be angry at me."

She cocked her head to the side, obviously aware that he was still standing there watching her rifle through a box of clothing. What was annoying though was that he didn't even give a damn that she was barely dressed and was instead looking annoyed.

"Fiona's not coming," she replied tartly, pulling out a pair of jeans and a boring black t-shirt. "She called last night to say that she has scheduled an appointment with her doctor or something."

"Hmm," he said, looking first at his watch then at her. "In that case, you still have about an hour." When she began tugging on the jeans, he laughed. "That means you don't have to put on jeans if you don't want to. I know they're too ghastly for your taste."

She pursed her lips and pushed down her jeans unhappily. It just occurred to her that Alaron might actually be gay and was lying to her when he said he wasn't in the car. He had practically stayed in the same house with her for a week without making a move and was now seeing her in her lace thong and all he could say was that her jeans were ghastly?

"Why are you scowling at me?" he asked suddenly. Erika narrowed her eyes at his curious expression. "What!" he exclaimed in defense but she simply responded by tilting her head haughtily. Truth was, Erika was feeling extremely embarrassed. Hadn't she always worn those sexy baby dolls to sleep every night, hoping that he would come into her room? Sure, he'd come into her room only to use the toilet, grunting sleepily when he saw her.

"You're gay aren't you?" she said accusingly.

"No I'm not!"

"Oh god... just admit it will you? It spares me the humiliation."

"Humiliation?" he asked, confused. "I don't understand..."

"Just get out of my room Alaron," she replied with a resigned sigh, turning around so that her back was facing him.

Alaron was really unsure what just happened. One moment she was happy then she was angry and now she was disappointed.

"Erika..."

"Get out."

Alaron frowned at the slight wavering of her voice. Was she... crying? This time he didn't call her name but simply moved forward, almost instinctively, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't cry," he whispered, holding her tighter. "I'm sorry... for whatever it is that I did."

Her voice was soft but he heard her barely audible words. "It's more what you didn't."

Alaron had no idea what she was talking about but he hated it when women cry so he replied reassuringly, "Okay, I'm sorry for what I didn't do too..."

Obviously she knew that he was just saying that to appease her so she began clawing at him to release her. However, Alaron simply held on tighter, unsure exactly what Erika really wanted. Alaron had to admit that he hadn't had much experience dealing with female whims. It was different with family, he thought, thinking of Fiona. He could be a hard ass with her and still she would love him because well... they were family; a taken for granted assumption.

But it was different with Erika. He didn't want to treat her like the other women he'd use for convenience food or sex. In fact, he had been on his best behavior ever and still she seemed upset by it. And what's with her obsession about him being gay?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden limpness in Erika's posture. Apparently she had given up fighting to get free and was leaning all her weight on him as though hoping it would make him fall backwards.

"What are you doing?" his question was addressed as though he was scolding an insolent child.

"Trying ways to get me out of your embrace," she replied in a stiff voice. Alaron frowned slightly at her choice of words. He didn't think of his hold as an embrace but more of a measure of control. Somehow that knowledge scared him and he released his grip immediately.

"Okay. I give up. Get dressed in ten minutes. We're leaving."

***

They had been silent throughout the drive to the company headquarters but Alaron was too annoyed to bring up the issue. At that moment, he just wished he could read her mind and know exactly what she wanted. That must be why Draven always seemed to get women to like him. Frowning a little, Alaron figured if he was going to land this impossible woman, he's got to do it the old fashioned way... whatever that means.

He considered asking Eian but shuddered at the thought. Eian and his brother were as old as earth and their idea of wooing a woman would probably take him back to the Renaissance. Besides, Fiona had conveniently landed on Eian's lap and Draven...well, the guy was in love with a Werewolf for godsake! Not the best choice.

For the briefest moment, Alaron wished that his mother was still around. She would know what to do. Suddenly his hands froze on the steering wheel. That's it! He couldn't believe that it took so long for him to realize the answer: Pearl!

With his mood cheered up a little, he began whistling as they entered the underground parking lot of MacFarlane Realty.

Ten minutes later, he and Erika were going up the lift; straight to the board of directors' level. Alaron wasn't sure why they couldn't just let the lower level managers handle the matter. Frowning, Alaron stepped out of the lift and gaped at the plush settings of the reception area. He gulped. If Eian had entrusted a board director to handle such a pathetic leasing agreement then it must be a really expensive location.

He was mentally recalling the amount of money he had in his savings when the receptionist came up to greet them. She was a slim brunette, dressed in crisp business attire and had pouty lips and a derriere that would make any man look twice. In fact, Alaron himself was giving her a considering look but only because she was eyeing Erika with derision. She obviously disapproved of Erika's fashion sense.

"Hi, we're here to see Mr. Dominic MacFarlane? I'm sure we have an appointment," Alaron spoke up, drawing the receptionist's attention to himself.

Immediately her attitude changed and she flashed him a warm, almost flirty smile, "Well, hello. Yes, of course." Alaron tried not to grimace. He knew that he was good looking and was used to women paying him attention. Her eye flicked most briefly on the expensive watch he wore to the family signet ring on his right hand. She smelled money and she liked that smell.

In fact this one, like all the others he had met in the past, eyed him with the same lustful contemplation and because she was staring at him for far too long, Alaron casually slipped his hand into Erika's before speaking, "Would you like to show us the way?"

Both women stiffened in their place. The receptionist, upon realizing that Alaron was not up for grabs, immediately turned on her heel and went to her desk to call for Dominic MacFarlane.

"What are you stiffening for?" asked Alaron with concern when he realized that Erika's breaths were shallow and her body almost catatonic. It was only when he spoke that she forced herself to relax and pulled her hand away sharply.

"Nothing," she snapped.

"Sure?" he asked, peering into her face. "Holding my hand won't deprive you of blood I swear," he added when she gave him a fierce look.

She was about to say something insulting when Dominic came walking towards them. Erika immediately forgot what she wanted to say. She remembered seeing Dominic at Fiona's wedding but she had been too busy eating and dancing that she had not noticed how the men in Fiona's life looked extraordinarily handsome. Or was it just her?

"Hi, we've met at the wedding. I'm Dominic, in case you forgot," he said, extending a hand towards Erika. Snapping out of her daze, Erika shook it and followed him into his office with Alaron close behind her.

"Snap out of it. He's married," whispered Alaron out of nowhere.

Erika hissed. "What you can read minds now?"

"You have that moony look on your face," he replied before pushing her inside the room gently. That was to mark the end of their discussion for Dominic was seated and smiling sweetly at both of them.

"Have a seat," he said, watching as the two of them complied. "So, Miss O'Brien, I understand that you've sold over your current property and will be renting out the loft and retail space outside Bloomsbury?"

Erika nodded.

"Right, so here's the lease agreement. I need you to read it through and sign at the bottom when you're ready. Your co-owner has already agreed and signed so it is now up to you."

Erika nodded once again and took the form from him.

"I'll leave you to read. I'll be back in a while," he said, smiling once more at her. Alaron rolled his eyes as Dominic got up and left the two of them alone. It was obvious that Eian had purposely set Dominic to the task of charming off Erika's pants so that she would sign the damn form with little consideration.

They all knew of his concern for the women's safety. It was almost a point of obsession, he thought but on hindsight, he didn't think he'd like Fiona to work in that dump either. In fact, he didn't like Erika working there either.

The last thought annoyed him somewhat. Turning to Erika, he scowled, "Lemme see that." He plucked the form neatly out of her clasp and frowned as he studied the details and immediately his jaw dropped.

"This is blasphemy! It's ruddy expensive!" he exclaimed. "£536 per square foot? What is this? Daylight robbery?"

"What? Are you sure..." she asked, taking the paper back from him. Obviously she wasn't paying attention; excitement clouding her judgement for she wanted to simply sign the paper and be done with it. However, Alaron was right. It was a pricy sum to pay and she knew that he was making such a big fuss only because he was partly paying for it.

"I'll go find Dominic and have him renegotiate this," he muttered irritably as he got up and left Erika alone.

Truth was, Alaron didn't mind helping the girls pay for the rent. Even if Draven was missing and did not chip in, Alaron had enough savings to reimburse them for the damage he and his brother had caused. However, what about after that? Would they make enough money to actually have profits?

Feeling surly, Alaron sniffed out for the Beta and found him in another director's office. A glance at the title told him that Dominic was with his wife. He didn't think they'd sneak off to make out during office hours especially since the door wasn't fully closed.

He was about to knock when he heard Sydney's voice.

"So have you made the necessary alterations to her files?"

"Yes I have. It wasn't easy seeing that her credentials were almost 30 years old but she looks younger than that." There was a pause and some shuffling around. "But I'm not sure if it was right for Eian to send her to live amongst the humans as though she's one... you know that the university provides accommodations for their teaching staff right?"

"You know you have to do it honey. Even with her memory suppressed, staying within the compound might trigger her memories by accident and cause her to go rogue once she remembers that her mate doesn't want her..." she paused. "Then she'll become the target of both the pack and the Vampires."

A long silence filled the room before Dominic spoke, "Do you think the Vampires are really coming after her?"

"Eian seems to think so... and you should stop doubting your Alpha."

"Yes but he's putting her away from the compound... how is that suppose to keep her safe?"

"If the Vampires are really coming after her, then the first place they'll search is the compound and the medical centre. Even a quick check on the medical directories will not direct them to her... because you've removed her from it right?"




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 07



Dominic must be nodding for Sydney continued talking. "It will take them time to track her down to where she's at now. And even when they do, they will not take her out in front of the humans. They might be ruthless if she was in our midst because we already know they exist but they will not expose themselves to the mortals."

"I never thought of it that way... but what if they do find her? Who's keeping guard of her? I know Eian hasn't sanctioned any of the Betas to stay and keep an eye out for her."

"Stationing too many Beta wolves at the same location will only give their hiding location away! No... Eian has sent some of the younger Weres to study there remember? Some of them still have not expressed their wolf-qualities yet and they smell just like any other humans. I think they report back daily. Besides, she is going by her official name now right? I doubt even the Council knows that."

"Yeah, Fiona really put a big whammy on her. She doesn't even respond to 'Amber' anymore. It's kinda funny though coz I think one of the guys shortened her name because he thought her eyes looked like amber. He must be blind or something for her eyes are blue not yellow! But she immediately loved it and started going by that name."

"You're just stupid honey. Her eyes are like amber; the blue varieties. Anyway, Ambrosia sounds so... old fashioned. I don't blame her for choosing to be called Amber instead."

"Thank god you didn't shorten your name to Syd or something. I mean, imagine me moaning out Syd when we're making love. Totally not sexy."

Alaron had heard enough. Suddenly he forgot why he was standing outside the door in the first place for his mind was occupied with worry over his brother. If they had put a 'big whammy' on Amber as Dominic had said, it must mean that Eian had found out about it! Damn! That was sooner than he expected.

Walking away as fast as he could towards the reception area, Alaron dialed Draven's number. His brother picked up on the third ring.

"Are you in trouble?" was the first thing he asked.

"I'd rather say you are. Where are you?" asked Alaron, glossing over Draven's question.

"I'm on my way home. Why?"

"Which home?" Alaron's voice was brimming with impatience. "You better not be going back to Father."

Draven kept silent.

"Oh god... you are? That is seriously the most stupid thing to do at the moment. I'm guessing if Eian knows it, Father will know about it by now. He'll be enraged!"

A soft sigh accompanied Draven's voice, "Don't be so dramatic Alaron... everything is fine. Eian will not tell Father anything because there is nothing to tell. I want to go home and let Father know about my decision to return to the Council."

This time, Alaron kept quiet. Draven's decision to return to the Council had obviously stunned him.

"You're all grown up now Alaron... surely you don't expect me to be around to take care of you right?"

"But the lab..."

"I'm sure you can handle the work there. You're a smart, resourceful boy. You were quite a genius in isolating that gene for Fiona remember?"

Alaron was quiet. He knew that Draven was just trying to cheer him up when in fact his brother was the one who needed it. In all his life, he had never seen Draven taking more than a glance at a woman and yet he had been enamored by that Doctor, even forgetting the consequences of his actions.

"Brother..." whispered Alaron in what almost sounded like a plea. "Please don't go to Father... he can scent out a lie from a mile away."

"It will be fine Alaron... Unlike you, I've had centuries to practice the art of lying. Besides, I just want to let him know about my decision to return to service."

When Alaron didn't say anything, Draven continued, "Alright then, I've got to go. Take care and stay out of trouble understand? Everything will be fine."

Then he disconnected. Alaron looked down at his feet and whispered sadly, "You're lying..."

***

"You're lying," said Aramis matter-of-factly as he raised his head slightly from staring at the reports on his desk. His eyes glanced blandly at his son. He had no idea what brought about this sudden urge to return the Enforcers' service but he knew that whatever concoctions Draven had just told him was just that- a lie.

"Please Father. I have been out of the service for some time now. I am bored. I've been doing research for so long now that inventing doesn't hold much appeal any longer..."

Aramis raised a hand, causing Draven to halt mid sentence. "If you want to be on the Council so much, then take my place. Or have you forgotten? It's our family's turn to sit on the board of Elders this century. I've already served for the past ten years; nosed around more like it but it doesn't appeal to me."

Draven stared open mouthed at his father. He had not forgotten but he was just shocked at the responsibility his father was conferring to him. The Elders had reserved one token seat for the Purebloods to play a supervisory role. In actual fact, the Pureblood in that position hardly ever meddles with the Council affairs unless it concerns their class directly.

Draven was unsure if this was meant as a good or bad news. Good in the sense that if he was serving as an Elder instead of an Enforcer, he would have much more control over the decision making pertaining to termination, should there be any, with regards to Amber. But the bad part...

"You're not saying anything."

"I am most grateful for this opportunity Father... but perhaps it is still too early for me to take on such a great responsibility."

The pen that Aramis was holding fluttered down from his fingers. "My son, you are half a millennium old. Still relatively young but you have proven much to the Council in the past years. Surely they will not object to this decision. Furthermore, it's just another ninety years. It is not a long time."

Draven tried not to falter his gaze on his father but he knew that there was a 'however' coming...

True enough, Aramis clasps his palms together and spoke, "However... if you wish to take up this position then I have one request."

It took every nerve in his body not to swallow in fear. "What would that be, my Lord?"

"You will take a wife."

Unable to control himself anymore, Draven balked. "No! I mean yes but no!"

Aramis raised an eyebrow curiously over his son's strange response.

"I'll take that as a yes. You can see yourself out," he said before returning his eyes to his reports.

Draven knew it was now or never. He knew that by 'wife' his father meant a Pureblood which was why he said 'no' initially but then he did want to take a wife... he already knew who she should be but the thought of punishment made him blurt out another no.

"Father, what if I choose not to marry a Pureblood?"

The startled gesture of his father was nothing compared to the anger in his eyes. Even though he kept his voice calm, Draven knew that he had now entered the dragon's den.

"What nonsense is this?"

"Father... I just don't want to marry for the sake of marrying."

"It is your duty!"

Draven swallowed his saliva down slowly. Was his father really this archaic in his thoughts? This was the 21st century for crying out loud!

"I will produce an heir but with the woman of my choice... and not now."

"Then I forbade you from returning to the Council... in any position." His voice was firm and unyielding.

Fear washed over Draven's face at his father's reply. He had to get on the Council no matter what! It was the only way for him to ensure that Amber would be kept safe from his kind. Draven was caught in a dilemma now. If he refused his father's condition, he might be powerless to stop his father's orders should he ever find out about Amber.

"Let's say... for argument's sake that I concede to your request and produce a legitimate Pureblood heir, would I then be free to marry the woman I choose after that?" There was a silent 'like you' behind it and Aramis was aware of that.

"That would be your liberty," he answered casually.

Braving himself, Draven continued, "Even if it's a human or a... werewolf?"

Aramis's eyes widened into large saucers as he stood up. Draven tried not to give in to his fright at the sight of his father coming closer.

SMACK!

Draven felt the sting of his father's palm and smelled the blood from his nails but he kept still and stared expressionlessly at Aramis.

"Do not compare Fiona to yourself! I have secured her a political marriage that benefits not just our status but also our kind. An allegiance with the Orginal Wolf is bound to grant us a lot of concessions."

"Was Fiona just a pawn then?"

"Don't you dare speak to me like that Draven," warned Aramis. "What I choose to do is my prerogative. Even you, my heir, have no right to question it."

Draven turned away in disgust. He knew this was coming but somehow hearing it from his father's mouth made him angrier. His father has no notion of his children's happiness.

Draven was raised to be a warrior with harsh military training, no emotional connections and a polite but cordial relationship with his father. His mother hadn't even cared about him for she left soon after he was weaned. Then when it was Alaron's turn, Father had no idea how to raise him and had left Draven to do it but at least this time, his stepmother was around. He wasn't sure if she loved him as much as her own son but she showed him kindness and affection. But when she died, Father didn't do anything to help Alaron but simply told Draven to take care of things. And Fiona? The moment she was turned, she was literally carted away to live with the Werewolves.

Draven's heart was slowly turning bitter and he refused to look at his father anymore. Keeping his eyes down, he turned and gave a quick bow before walking towards the door.

"Since you dare to turn your back on me while I'm still speaking, then the decision is mine to make. I will find the suitable girl and you will marry on the day of the equinox."

Draven's hand stilled on the door handle. Surely his father did not mean the March equinox? That is in eight days!

***

"How about Equinox?" asked Erika as she and Alaron stared at the empty retail space.

"What about it?"

"For the name!" she exclaimed, "It's befitting. Equinox means there's equal day and night right? And Fiona's the dweller of the night and I'm the sunshine of the day!"

Alaron gave her a sideward glance. "You're kidding right... dwellers of the night? You make us sound so exotic."

"Aren't you?"

"Aren't I what?"

"Exotic?"

"I'm not a tropical fruit Erika!" he snapped, quickening his pace. "And besides we can go out in the sun."

"Poo! You are so spoiling my image of Dracula. At least he's much more exciting and scary."

Alaron rolled his eyes but before he could retort, she turned suddenly and said, "So? What do you think of the name?"

"How would I know? I'm not the co-owner of this place!"

"Yes you are now. You signed at the bottom of the form too remember?"

Yeah, only after she whined and begged like for half an hour.

"Uh... yeah but still you've got to discuss it with Fiona. I'm what you call, the sleeping partner."

"Sleep all you want. You hold 51% of the shares so that makes you the owner."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Owner, slave... whatever," he muttered, ushering her inside. He had no interest in the shop whatsoever and didn't even bother telling Erika that both she and Fiona were the owners as far as he was concerned.

"You're such a sour puss," she said, making faces at him. "Wanna check out the loft? I bet it's just spacious!"

Alaron didn't even bother saying no for she was already dragging him by the wrist. Her initial shriek caused panic and alarm to streak through his body. Instictively, he pulled her back and stepped forward to face the danger... only that there was none.

He turned and narrowed his eyes at her. "Why did you scream?"

"Just look at the space! Oh I can just die from excitement! Come!" she squealed, pushing away from him. "Oh, I'm going to install the kitchen area here and then maybe a sitting area by that corner. Oh and I think I'm going to put my bed by this wall over here," she rattled on.

"Actually I think it'll be nicer if you place your bed under the window. That way the sunlight will shine on your face to wake you up."

"Ouch. I can literally feel the sun zapping at my skin cells."

"It's tinted see? And I think treated for UV too. Please, you're renting an expensive property. It's not the cheap see-through glass that you used to have in your old loft. Besides, I think you look beautiful when you wake up with the light in your hair and all."

Erika twirled on her feet to face him with surprise. "Was that a compliment?"

"What?" he asked in alarm. Did he say something wrong again?

"As in, that's the first compliment you've given me," she explained then smiled. "Thank you."

"Oh, err... welcome."

Erika was smiling as she tiptoed to press a kiss on his cheek. "You're actually quite a nice guy Alaron. I'm sorry about this morning."

Alaron didn't reply her; his mind whole concentrated on not making a move he'd regret. She had kissed him, in a friendly way and here he was thinking of the most lustful things he'd rather her do to him. Instead he closed his eyes and tried to stay calm and logical. He liked this annoying woman... a lot and he didn't want her to think he was a horny bastard.

"Alaron?" she asked nervously. The air in the room was suddenly electric and there were no sounds except for their soft breathing. Her hand gently laid on his shoulder, jerking his attention to her before she jumped back in surprise. Alaron's eyes were blazing, a bronze hue taking over the dark brown irises.

"If you leave now, I wouldn't do things I'd regret later," he said as calmly as he could.

"Like what?"

Alaron muttered a curse under his breath before growling at her. "Like this."

Erika could feel the violence in him as he claimed her with his kiss but while his lips and hands were demanding, she knew that he would stop if she asked him to. It took her a few seconds to decide between asking him to stop or to kiss him back. Erika chose the latter only to groan in disappointment when he stepped reluctantly away from their embrace.

"I think we better leave," he suggested, tearing his eyes away from her lest he maul her right there and then.

Disappointment and embarrassment flashed over Erika's face as she understood the dismissal.

"Okay."

They stood staring at each other for a few heartbeats.

"I was thinking my bed but if you'd rather the cold floor, I don't mind either," he said slowly.

It took Erika a while to understand what he meant. She flared her eyes when understanding finally kicked in. His bed... wow.

She shook her head slightly and whispered, "Here... now."

No sooner had those words escaped her lips, he was already tugging at her dress, his lips pressed against hers once more. She in turn was pulling his shirt out of his jeans, impatiently unbuttoning them to touch the body she had only seen in the past week.

She was kissing him back this time, with equal passion, her need mingling with his as he pressed her against the nearest wall. He was already shrugging out of his shirt and Erika suddenly felt eager to have her own dress out of the way so that she could feel his naked flesh against her own. Her fingers moved down to the hem of her dress and she helped them both by pulling it up and over her head, tossing it careless to the floor.

She heard him groan slightly when his eyes rested on her nearly naked body but he made no attempt to touch her yet. Instead, he bent his head to trail his lips along the column of her neck, licking and kissing it till he reached her ears.

"Tell me to stop Erika," he half moaned, half whispered for she was currently unbuckling his jeans and reaching inside his boxers for his hardening member. A hiss escaped from his lips when her fingers closed around him; her warmth sending shivers down his spine.

She continued to stroke him, aware of the sharp intake of breaths he took or the occasional moan that told her she was doing it right. There was no way she was going to stop now. She could feel him pushing his jeans further down for her and that was permission enough for what she had in mind next.

"Erika, what!" she heard him gasp as she went down on her knees, pulling both his jeans and boxers all the way to his ankles. "I don't think you should... oh god your mouth is so warm..." he could no longer think as he felt her mouth engulfing his cock. He was hard now and looking down, he could see her having some difficulties trying to get the whole length into her mouth.

But it was the sounds that she was making that were turning him on beyond reconciliation; she sounded so needy, so horny and ravenously hungry... for him.

Alaron braced himself by placing his palms on the wall, trying not to give in too much to the sensations. He had planned to be the dominant one and here she was doing all sorts of delicious things to his senses. Reluctantly, his hands moved to pull her head away from his cock.

He noticed the sexy way her wet lips glistened from all that sucking. How did something so simple look so erotic? He needed to taste those lips again. He pulled her up in one stroke and crushed his mouth against hers, hearing the soft protest die on her lips. Strawberries and coffee invaded his senses as he sucked on her lower lips. So that's what that shiny stuff on her lips taste like, he mused. Maybe he should make her try on every lipstick she has then kiss it off and make her reapply again.

He'd like that very much.

"Are you going to kiss me the whole day Alaron?" she groaned, pulling away from his kiss with some effort. She leaned her back against the wall and wrapped her legs around his waist suggestively. There was only so much that a woman can hold on to when she's horny.

"What do you have in mind?" he whispered in amusement at her brazenness. She merely whimpered against him, her lust flashing boldly in her eyes. "Tsk tsk Erika... I didn't know you were such a horny girl."

Despite her previous boldness, Erika blushed.

"That's so cute," he chuckled before covering her lips with his again. This time, his fingers began working on the bra that she was still wearing; eager to release the warm flesh from their confines.

Tossing the material aside, he pulled his lips away to examine her firm breasts without the lacy bra in the way. He traced a finger down the centre of her chest to her belly button, noting the way her nipples suddenly turned hard even though he wasn't touching them directly.

"Don't stare at them," she pleaded, jerking his attention to her face but Alaron simply smiled as his hands moved to cup her breasts gently. They were much smaller than the breasts of the women he was used to but he liked the way they fit perfectly in his palm. Giving a gentle squeeze, he bent forward to capture a nipple between his lips and heard her moan.

He didn't give in to her silent plea when her body arched against his, desperately wanting more than his torturous licks and gentle bites. Her need brought pleasure to his ears as he heard the rush of blood from her heart down to her throbbing centre.

Carefully stepping out of his jeans, he carried her and laid her down on the pool of clothes they had tossed carelessly earlier.

The sight of her thighs parting slightly made him swallow in fascination. It wouldn't hurt to have just a taste now would it?

His fingers deftly eased the elastic band of her thong down her thighs, slipping them off her legs. Parting her legs carefully, he hooked each knee on one of his shoulders and began running his tongue along the smooth skin of her inner thighs towards her sweet throbbing pussy. He inhaled the scent of her arousal and immediately moved closer to begin pleasuring her. He lavished her clit with as much attention as he could; licking and sucking the sensitive bud until he could hear the blood singing in her veins next to his ears. She was going to have her first of many orgasms, he mused, listening as she screamed out in pleasure; her body rocking with intense sensations. Turning his head, he sank his teeth deep into the vein at her thigh, taking in her essence and her pleasure as though it were his own.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 07



When her orgasm subsided, he licked the punctured marks to allow the wound to heal before moving his body to align it with hers.

"I want you," he whispered, staring into her eyes. It wasn't his forte to ask for permission but he'd make an exception this time.

"Please..." That one word was loaded with desperation, need and protest. "No more teasing..."

A warm smile curved at the corner of Alaron's lips as he felt her fingers guiding his cock towards the entrance of her pussy. He liked it that she knew what she wanted and wasn't being coy about it.

He pushed his cock slowly into her, feeling every muscle of her pussy gripping him. She was so snug and warm that he was afraid he might lose control of himself. It didn't help that she was arching against him, grinding her pussy impatiently to accommodate all of him. Not caring about being gentle now, Alaron plunged himself fully into her, feeling the wetness of her earlier orgasm lubricating his passage. He didn't stop plummeting into her even when she cried out at the onset of her second climax.

Her legs were wrapped around his waist, arching desperately to meet every one of his thrust. Alaron had to lean forward to hold her for fear he'd snap her back from their rough interlude.

When he saw her eyes open slowly as her orgasm subsided, he stopped moving and smiled at her.

"Welcome back to earth," he teased. "Maybe you should be on top now." It wasn't really a request for he was already flipping her up, changing their positions so that he was now at the mercy of her administrations.

She had a lustful smile on her face as her hips began moving up and down; her pussy muscles squeezing his cock like a vice. She was so tight that Alaron wondered if perhaps she had been a virgin. He made a mental note to ask her later because for now, she was driving him crazy, bouncing up and down like a little nymph in heat.

Her hands were on her breasts, squeezing them as she moaned in pleasure. Just watching her do that elicited a growl from his throat. His hands immediately went to her hips to steady her and hold her in place.

"Are you on birth control?" he asked.

"No," she shook her head as she tried to continue moving her hips against his strong hold.

"Reach into my jeans pocket for my wallet," he instructed, still holding her in place. When she narrowed her eyes stubbornly at him, he warned, "I'm not moving until you find my wallet."

"I'm going to get you for this," she complained even as she reached out to take his wallet from his jeans lying under his feet. She knew what he wanted her to do so she rifled through the compartments until she found the square foil. "There's only one."

An amused expression crossed his face as he heard her say it. "How many times do you want me to cum huh?"

She didn't answer but ripped the condom packet with her teeth and held the rubber out to him.

The second he took his hands off her waist, she ground hard against him before pulling off completely. Alaron's face was a look of pure agony as he felt the sudden cold on his still throbbing member. Slipping the condom down, he motioned for her to come close; watching the way she crawled seductively on top of him.

They both groaned the instant her warm pussy made contact with his cock. Alaron couldn't believe that he almost came from that one stroke alone. He let her bounce erotically atop of him for a little while before taking over the rhythm. He felt her lean forward as his hands held on to her slender hips, thrusting upwards again and again into her. She was screaming and quivering against him, letting him know that she was reaching another climax.

"Oh god Erika... cum with me," he barely breathed the word out as he was seized by the delicious pleasure of both his and her climax intermingling with each other.

***

"Definitely not gay," she whispered in contentment a while later, as she rested one thigh on top of his legs.

Alaron smiled. They were buck naked, lying on a pool of rumpled clothes on a cold, dusty floor and the first thing that came out of her mouth was that he wasn't gay. The thought made him want to laugh. God this woman always had the most ridiculous things to say!

Alaron loved women and wondered if it was too young for him to be monogamous. However, the lithe body currently entwined with his so comfortably seemed to make him think otherwise. He didn't think he'd grow tired of making love to her... even if she were to grow old and turn wrinkly and sick.

Alaron's body jerked suddenly at the realization. She was going to grow old, wrinkly and sick and he was going to watch her die while he continued to live on. Sure, at first they would look like a Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher pair but a decade later, people will start to think she's his mother and a decade after that, his grandmother.

It was all his fault. He had used up his one and only opportunity to turn a human on Fiona by mistake and now, even if he wished to turn Erika, he could not. The penalty for turning more than one human was death and the Council did not take age into consideration for that. To keep their numbers small, the Council will consider the life of the second newly turned as a replacement for the Sire's life.

Alaron closed his eyes, suddenly fearful of his considerations to turn Erika. The only time when he was so overwhelmed with the need to turn a human was with Fiona because she looked so like his dead mother. He had been so consumed with his thoughts on whether to turn her or not that he didn't realize how much blood he was feeding from the little girl's body.

Her hair had turned white by then and it had made him panic. Stupidly, he had sliced a vein on his wrist and frantically poured his blood down her throat, hoping to revive her. Alaron had no idea that doing so would turn her until Draven pointed it out to him.

Most of the time, although not always, the Sire who turned the human did so because she was his mate. The bond shared between the Sire and his turned was special and significant just like a mother and her child. Sharing the same blood meant they were closer in mind and body than with any other, usually sharing an unnatural protectiveness and a heightened sense of love and forgiveness for each other. Plus, the turned Vampire cannot kill his or her Sire. It is akin to matricide or patricide and punishable by the Council.

Thank God for that. Fiona would have killed him over and over again otherwise.

With a sigh, he reached for his jeans underneath his legs and took out his phone. It had been vibrating like crazy over and over again but he had been too distracted by Erika and had ignored it.

"Hello."

"Al!" exclaimed an over excited Fiona. To prevent him going deaf, he turned the phone on speaker mode and placed the phone on his chest.

"What?"

"Guess what! Guess what!"

"Err..."

She didn't even last two seconds of waiting when she blurted out, "I'm pregnant!"

"What..." said Erika in a groggy voice as Fiona's voice woke her up. "Hey Fiona..."

"Who's that?"

"It's Erika, Fi. We went to take a look at the new shop remember?"

"Oh! Double good news for me!" she squealed. "Oh, Al, why don't you come and celebrate with us tonight? Eian's in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. I think that's his way of coping with the excitement."

A laugh bubbled in his throat. He doubted it was excitement. More like stress. Now that was just amusing. Eian the Alpha, stressed over a baby?

"I don't eat Fiona..."

"But I do!" she squealed once more. "Come, come okay? Erika can come too. This is so exciting!"

Then she disconnected.

Rousing slightly from her position, Erika sat up. "I guess we can't say no now."

Alaron laughed, "She'll drag us both out of here if we dare say no."

"Think she'll be upset to find us sweaty and naked?"

Once again he laughed. "Oh no, I think she will be very happy."

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 08



NB: Heartfelt gratitude goes to Mokkelke for proofreading this chapter and helping me out with the improvements. To my sister, Josephine for fiddling with my work Nazi-style and last but not least, to my editor, wildheartedangel for sorting out all my other grammar and vocab errors.

To my readers, I really apologize for the delay. Chapter 9 might take a while so I thank you for your patience!

-ArtForm- ***

Fiona wasn't exaggerating when she said Eian was cooking up a storm. Every available space on the dining table was filled with a plate of something- roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables, stewed meat, creamy soups, risotto and various other dishes that Alaron couldn't identify.

"This is to celebrate your pregnancy?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Uhuh," nodded Fiona with a chicken drumstick in her mouth. "Eian says I need to eat more."

"But you don't even eat Fi... I mean we don't even eat."

She frowned at his words. Somehow that had escaped her notice. "I think the baby wants to eat," she commented instead. "It's still part wolf right? I can't just survive on blood once every month alone."

"Yes... but that doesn't mean you stuff yourself," he said in annoyance. "You'll grow fat."

Fiona stiffened then laughed happily. "Then I'll be pregnant fat. That's different," she corrected, watching Alaron roll his eyes before turning to Erika.

"Would you like me to get you something?" he asked, unaware that Fiona had suddenly leaned forward in interest. Erika nodded and started to get up but Alaron was already walking towards the table, debating with himself over what to choose for her. Fiona watched as he plunked a bit of everything onto the plate he was holding.

"He never does that for me," she said in amusement. "Although that doesn't count since I didn't use to eat."

"Oh," said Erika, unsure of what to make of that observation. Fiona was also staring at her in a strange way, making her squirm slightly in her seat. She was sure that Fiona was about to ask something embarrassing but was saved when both Eian and Alaron came into the living room carrying plates loaded with food for the women.

"Sweetheart, you need to eat more," said Eian nervously, taking her empty plate away from her then standing to make sure she was eating and not throwing up.

"Seriously Eian, you're going to make her fat," said Alaron, even as he passed the plate he was holding to Erika.

Eian raised his eyebrow at the heap of food that Erika was now holding and then laughed, "Speak for yourself. At least I can finish her food for her, you can't," he said, caressing Fiona's hair.

"Aren't you going to eat Eian?" she asked, looking up at her husband. He flushed guiltily at her then nodded quickly before taking a few steps back.

"Err... I will, right after I'm done with the muffins," he said before rushing off to the kitchen to tend to them.

"Your husband is such a romantic!" exclaimed Erika the moment Eian was out of the living room. "He's sexy, smart, loving, protective and best of all, he cooks! He's going to spoil you silly Fiona! Trust me, a guy like that will go berserk once the baby arrives. He'll coddle you non-stop."

The two women laughed heartily, chattering non-stop; first about the sex of the baby then clothes, then to the shop, then books, then men and finally back to the topic of babies. Feeling slightly ignored, Alaron walked towards the kitchen, only to find Eian sitting on the floor with his back slumped against the wall.

The Alpha wolf has fallen, mused Alaron to himself. It was clearly an unusual sight for him. Who'd thought this regal and commanding man could be utterly stressed out by the idea of a baby?

"Need some help?" asked Alaron. The shocked look on Eian's face told him that the Alpha was obviously caught by surprise. For his heightened sense of hearing, this sure was unusual.

"Why are you here? Is something wrong?" he asked in panic, getting up quickly.

"Relax. You looked better when Fiona turned into a scary mind-control machine."

Eian simply scowled at him. "That's different."

"How so?" he asked in amusement. "It's just a baby, Eian..."

"But we never had a hybrid before. What if something goes wrong? What if I'm not there with her when she's in pain? What if her labour changes her even further? What if she doesn't eat enough food? Oh no! What if I gave her the wrong food!" his last words were almost a cry before he lunged towards the living room.

"You're losing it. Seriously," said Alaron, catching Eian by the waist and settling the tall, muscular man gently on a chair. In another situation, Eian might have bitten Alaron's head off at such manhandling but at the moment, he just sat quietly, staring to the floor.

"She'll be fine... you've got to believe it," said Alaron in the most reassuring voice he could muster. Seriously, this was not a situation he wanted to be in. Draven would be a better candidate in this sort of 'man to man' talk. In fact, he was just a baby compared to these two ancient artifacts...

When Eian still remained silent, Alaron decided it was time for a change of topic. "What's going to happen to my brother?"

The worry on Eian's face was immediately replaced by a hardened look. "Why'd you want to know?"

"He's in trouble isn't he?" asked Alaron, watching the way Eian's eyes looked at him curiously.

"I'm sure he knows how to take care of himself."

"Especially since you've taken care of half the problem?"

A flicker of worry flashed in Eian's eyes but it did not materialize on his face. He kept calm as he replied, "There is no problem, Alaron. Even if there is, you are too young to understand it and might cause more trouble for him."

"But he's my brother! I care for him."

Eian gave a long sigh. If the young Vampire intended to take his mind off Fiona and the baby, he surely did succeed but there was no way Eian was going to discuss Draven's problems with a youngling. Alaron was prone to fits of unreasonable anger and actions. He might rage against Aramis or worst, go to Amber and make her remember things that should otherwise be kept buried.

"If you won't tell me, then I'll just ask Fiona. You know she'll tell me."

Eian turned to look at him in alarm. "No... please don't do that. She might get upset and I don't want her to worry... the baby... Please Alaron."

Alaron was taken aback by Eian's behavior. He had expected the Alpha wolf to threaten him, knock him against the wall or something but instead he was just pleading.

"I'm sorry," said Alaron slowly, aware that it was the first time he'd apologize to Eian. Taking a seat beside him, Alaron looked up to the ceiling and sighed. "I know my brother's been sniffing around with that she-wolf of yours. At first I had thought it was just sex but then again, I don't think so when I found out that you've ordered for some major alterations to her name and memories."

Eian stiffened and turned to face Alaron. "How do you know all this?"

"It doesn't matter," he shrugged. "What matters is that I know but I'm not going to do anything about it unless his life is in danger. He went back to the castle earlier today and I'm just worried."

"He's back in the castle?" Eian was surprised that Draven would return so soon. He had thought the Vampire would have hidden out in his New York home for a few months at least.

"Yes and I suspect he's going to talk to Father. You know how he is right?"

"Who?"

"Father. He's going to overreact to everything that Draven says and then try to take everything into his own hands."

"What do you mean?" asked Eian in alarm. Surely he wasn't going to sanction a hunt for Amber without asking Eian's permission right?

"Well, I mean just take Fiona for example. You take her to him to have her fed and what does he do? He arranges for you two to get married. I'm just saying he's going to do the same thing to Draven. If he finds out that Draven's in love with Amber, he's just going to force him to get married to someone else to settle the issue."

Eian felt relief wash over him for a second, replaced only by a feeling of sadness at the knowledge that what Alaron told him might actually be possible. Separating mates while both were still alive was already a cruel act and now to force Draven into a marriage he does not want would wipe the reason for living out of the Vampire. But...

"It is for the best Alaron..." he said softly. "Unlike you, your brother does not have as much liberty when it comes to his life. He was born to take the title, to be exactly what your father wants him to be. He is a Pureblood."

Alaron understood that. Although he, Fiona and Draven shared the same family name, they were in fact of different classes. Draven, conceived by two Purebloods was born as one. He on the other hand was born to a human mother and Pureblood father, making him an Augustus. However, seeing that he had turned Fiona, though still of Noble blood, she was a class below him; a Caesar.

The Purebloods were a dying class, he knew. At the moment, there were only thirty five Pureblood families left and the Council had been trying to encourage the Purebloods to intermarry for the sake of the continuity of their species.

"Does he love her?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes."

"Okay." Alaron gave a resigned sigh. He felt bad for being envious of his brother in the past. Right now, he could bet that Draven wished he was in his place instead. Eian was right. He does have more liberty than his brother in choosing the paths in his life. Even if he chose to mate with a human, there would be no violent objections from his father. In fact, he didn't think that the Lord Culzean would mind at all. He already had the best of both worlds; an heir to retain their Pureblood status and a granddaughter that would provide an heir to a Duchy. He didn't really need Alaron.

The thought made him sad.

"I'll leave you to your muffins now," he announced as he got to his feet and walked away.

"Keep this to yourself Alaron," said Eian gently, watching the young Vampire nod wordlessly.

***

"Hi, umm, Professor. We met the other day at the auditorium remember?"

Amber stared at the beautiful black woman in front of her and nodded. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your name the other day," she said with a smile.

"Oh, I'm Natasha. And you are?"

Amber frowned slightly at the woman. Perhaps she had misheard; surely this student knows her name?

"Actually, I'm running late for my next class. Are you here to see me for a consultation?"

Natasha had no idea what a consultation is but she had promised Draven to keep an eye on the wolf so she was.

"Uh... I'm going to the same class you're going," she replied instead, watching Amber's eyes lighten up in delight.

"Oh that's great! Do you know where tutorial room sixteen is? It's only my second week on the job so I'm still not familiar with the place."

Damn. Okay, I can handle this... I'm a trained, experienced enforcer. How hard could it be to find the tutorial room?

It turned out much harder than she expected. By the end of the hour, both women were panting, having climbed various stairs and run across various corridors.

"Are you sure you're a student here?" asked Amber, leaning against a wall to catch her breath.

"Yes. It's kind of my first term here. Sorry..." apologized Natasha. "I think the class is over by now. Do you want to grab a drink before the next one?"

Amber looked up at Natasha and grinned. "Okay."

When they were seated at the school canteen, Natasha pondered over the drinks menu while Amber sat quietly, observing the stranger sitting in front of her.

"What would you like?" she asked.

"Anything cold is fine," she replied sweetly, taking out her purse and passing some money to Natasha. The enforcer stared at her in surprise then shook her head.

"My treat," she insisted, pushing the money across the table to Natasha. "You're still a student. I know you don't have much. Go ahead. Get whatever you want," she said with a smile.

Natasha got up as quickly as she could and dashed to the drinks counter. Was that woman just naturally sweet or was she glazed with honey every morning? That kind of sweetness was just abnormal! Every woman has a bitchy side to them and as much as she could tell from this Amber person, she had no notion of what it is to be angry, sad or hurt. Natasha wished that she could read this wolf's mind but that's akin to talking to a dog she supposed.

She shook her head slightly at Draven's reminder not to call Amber any form of animal. Well... that was quite a hard thing to do, considering how Vampires had been groomed from young to shun the Weres, thinking of them more as an inferior race. But then again, the humans were worst. They were helpless against both Werewolf and Vampire attacks.

Right, I'd better stop being such a racist or Draven will kick my butt.

Ordering two Pepsis, she headed back towards their table.

Amber smiled as she took the can and poured it into the paper cup that Natasha had passed to her. Taking a sip, she stared at Natasha over the top of her cup.

"Is there something wrong with me?" asked Natasha.

"You said you two are siblings? You don't look very much alike."

It was then that Natasha realized how lame their cover had been. No wonder Amber was suspicious of her! She was Black with an obvious Russian accent and Draven was clearly Caucasian with an Irish/Scottish thing going on.

"Oh well, we're step siblings I suppose but he doesn't like to say that. His mother married my father and so on. Long story. Boring. Let's talk about you."

"Me?" she asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Tell me about your family; how many siblings you have and all that."

"Oh," amber frowned as though trying to recall something; faltering a few times but eventually shaking her head and apologizing. "I'm sorry... I can't remember..."

Oh oh. Someone's been tampering with her memory.

"It's okay... why don't you tell me about your work. You said this is your second week?"

Amber's face lit up slightly as she nodded. "Yes. I was fortunate enough to get a place here. I used to practice before this but now I feel more comfortable teaching. So which field are you planning on majoring in? I mean, I know you won't get to decide until you finish your first year of residency but it's always good to have a goal in mind."

Why did I ever volunteer for this job? I have no clue what she's talking about and worst of all, I can't go back and erase her memory if I make a mistake!

Somehow, Natasha was saved by the sound of her ringing phone. Grateful for the reprieve, she quickly picked up the call.

"I'm coming over in half an hour. Make sure she stays within your sight at all times."

He hung up before she could say anything.

"Problem?" asked Amber in concern.

Natasha tried to smile but she was clearly worried. If Draven was going to arrive on such short notice, it could only mean one thing- bad news.

"Umm, Professor, do you think you could keep me company for another hour maybe? I haven't made any friends here and I'm just a little afraid of being alone."

Understanding filled Amber's eyes. "It's perfectly fine Natasha. I know it must be daunting to be in this strange place all by yourself. You'll make friends soon, I'm sure. Why don't we go to my office? That way you could keep me company too while I do my work."

"Oh, thank you Professor Amber."

Amber went rigid at the sound of the name. "I'm sorry dear, you must be mistaken. My name's not Amber. You can call me Professor or Doctor... but I suppose I'm not sure if it's the norm to address me by my first name."

Natasha stared open mouthed at the woman in front of her. This is not Amber?

"I apologize um, Professor. Perhaps we should go to your office now," she suggested instead. Inside, Natasha was feeling a sense of dread. Would Draven be angry if she was taking care of the wrong woman? There was only one way to find out... she'll have to look at the name on this woman's office door.

Natasha followed behind the red haired professor, keeping a focused eye out for any impending danger. They continued walking down a corridor before entering the faculty offices. It was relatively quiet but a quick scan around told her that there were a few humans around. In fact, they were all human, except for this woman in front of her. Natasha didn't think that even the redhead knew that she was a Werewolf.

"My office's kind of messy at the moment. I hope you don't mind," she announced before opening her door.

Ambrosia A. MacFarlane.

"Oh boy... wrong woman..." muttered Natasha under her breath. She stopped by the door and took out her phone to call Draven.

"Answer damn it."

She waited quite some time before he answered. "I just parked. Where are you?"

"In her office... or I think this is the right one. This is the same red head we met the other day right?" she whispered, walking a few doors down to make sure Amber did not hear her.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Hell yeah. She says she's not Amber."

"I see. It's okay. Keep her safe. I'm coming."

"Why? Don't trust me to take her on a run on my own?"

There was a slight pause before he answered. "I'm coming to bring her home."

"What?! You're bringing her straight to her own death?"

Another pause.

"I'm becoming desperate Sasha. My father is unyielding but It thought... since he has worked with her before... he knows what she's like and. I may be a fool for thinking he might change his mind... but I've got to try."

"And what if he doesn't?"

"Then I'll stay with her in wherever he chooses to hold her. I'm not staying away from her one more minute. It's killing me."

"How much time do you have to convince him?"

"Not too long; about a day or two at most. I think he plans for me to marry on the equinox."

This time, it was Natasha who kept silent. When she finally spoke, there was worry and understanding in her voice.

"Don't do it Draven... please..."

But he already hung up.

Natasha cursed as the line disconnected.

***

He had searched under MacFarlane and found Amber's office location. He was aware that her first name was registered under something else but he had no doubt that she was the same woman he loves.

Striding down the corridors, he finally reached the offices and trailed after her scent, leading him into a small room that had been labeled with her name on the door.

The moment he entered, his first command was directed at Natasha although his eyes were solely on Amber.

Get to the Dean's office and to whoever else in charge of this place and make sure you wipe their memory of ever having her here. You can leave this office as it is but just make sure no one knows I've taken her.

Natasha looked up in alarm at Draven then flicked her gaze to Amber who was staring at them in confusion.

She can hear you!

I know. Just go Sasha. I'll handle this.

No. Why don't you just run? You have resources... you can live in seclusion.

Draven took his eyes off Amber for a few seconds to glare determinedly at Natasha.

And be labeled a rogue? Deserting my position is one thing but kidnapping a Were sounds like a crime to me. The hunters will go after our heads without question.

What the... and bringing her home is not kidnapping?

She'll be my guest and my wife. That's different. Now just get the hell out Natasha. I can't stand not being near her anymore.

Natasha glared at him for one last time but got up to leave as instructed. She did not approve of what he was about to do but knew that there was nothing she could do; short of physically restraining him on the floor and she really didn't want to do that.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 08



Meanwhile, Amber was staring at Draven with what looked like fear mixed with curiosity. She had obviously heard most of the conversation; at least the parts where Draven was communicating and she was scared. Her body was tensed, her fingers gripping her table until her knuckles went white but her eyes seemed to recognize him and were intrigued.

"Who are you?" she asked softly, watching the way his eyes flickered with pain at her question.

"I'll explain later. Come," he replied, moving closer towards her and clasping his hands around her wrist.

"No! I'll... I'll scream and... call security!" she squeaked, pulling her hand away and backing towards the window. This man was planning to kidnap her!

Hurt was now evident on Draven's face as he watched Amber moving away from him. It wasn't that she didn't want him for he had caught flashes of her curiosity but her fear of him broke his heart.

I won't hurt you again... I promise.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Did... did you just speak to me? But... in my head?" she stammered. Draven nodded. "What do you mean by again?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked, offering his hand to her. He kept his gaze gentle and unthreatening even though his heart was pounding with adrenaline, hoping that she would take his hand.

He watched as her natural blonde lashes fluttered against her cheeks when she looked down at his outstretched palm. Draven noted how she seemed to be on fire now that her red hair was in the glow of the sun. She was still beautiful.

She must have heard his thought for her eyes looked up in shock once again at his face before blushing lightly.

"Please don't be afraid of me. That is the last thing I'd want from you," he said pleadingly.

"But you're going to kidnap me!" she blurted out before desperately turning around to find something to use as a weapon. Her eyes rested on her long umbrella resting at the corner of her desk.

"Please don't," he said wearily. He didn't even need to read her to know what she was about to do. He looked at his watch and noted that while they didn't have much time, he needed to convince her to follow him. If this was the Amber he had known, she'd have jumped at him by now- a thought that brought a wry smile to his lips.

So after closing her office door, he sat down quietly on one of the chairs in front of her.

"Why are you sitting down?" she asked in surprise.

"To convince you that I'm not a kidnapper... well, at least not in the traditional sense." He saw her eyes widen and quickly amended him words. "What I mean is, I want to bring you home to meet my father. It's a matter of life and death... for both of us."

Her eyes roamed expectantly on his face then narrowed suspiciously. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because a part of you acknowledges that you know me... intimately even."

Her suspicion didn't wane. "But why should I meet your father? I don't even... know you."

Draven closed his eyes for a moment. This was really not the time and place.

"Sweetheart... we don't have much time. I will explain more later. To convince you that I'm not a kidnapper or some criminal, I'd let you take all your things, including your phone and whatever else you need from this office. If at any time you feel I'm dangerous and you'd like to call the police or whatever enforcements, I won't stop you."

Amber inched forward, grabbed her handbag from her desk and rifled through the things to make sure her phone and wallet was inside.

"But I won't hurt you... I promise," he said in an almost sad tone. Getting up, he offered his hand to her once more.

Amber's expression softened slightly at the tenderness in his voice and she placed her palm in his. For a moment, their hands stayed one on top the other, before his fingers curled up over hers reassuringly as though telling her that from that moment on they needn't be apart anymore.

"Come," he urged, tugging her hand gently and was grateful that this time, she followed, hurrying after him; heels clicking against the concrete pavement before entering his car.

He didn't say anything to her as he started driving but his tensed demeanor gradually became relaxed the moment they were out of the main city area and driving on the expressway.

She had been alarmed when his hand had reached out to hold hers but she didn't pull away; his hand was broad and warm, covering her slender fingers effortlessly. Amber was afraid of him but at the same time she found a strange bout of comfort in the way he was touching her.

"What is your name?" she asked, watching him turn to glance at her for a second before looking forward again.

"You don't remember?" he replied in lieu of an answer.

"I... I would remember if you had told me before won't I?" her question was uncertain. "I don't think I would forget such a person like you."

Draven smiled at her innocent admission. It felt as though they were just getting to know each other all over again and realized how right Eian had been. Mates would always gravitate towards each other, subconsciously or not. However, the woman sitting beside him was certainly not the same woman that he had fallen for in that hospital room but he'll work on her memories later.

Truth was, Draven had never resurfaced buried memories before. All his life, he had either read them or buried them so deep within one's subconscious that it was as good as being erased. The erasure of memory was a painful process and the reliving of them would be equally painful, if not more.

He didn't want to hurt her anymore, so they will take it slowly.

"You can call me Draven. What would you like me to call you?"

He felt the woman stiffen at his question for she was aware that he wasn't asking what her name was. When someone asked how you'd like them to call you, it denoted some sort of familiarity and intimacy.

"Would you mind if I called you Amber?" he asked casually. "I know your name is Ambrosia but I'd like to imagine you as a precious stone."

"Okay," she whispered shyly. "That's a pretty name too."

"Yes it is. A pretty name for a beautiful lady."

Draven smiled when he felt the pulse in her wrist throb faster. God! Just what did Fiona do to his Amber such that she was now behaving like an innocent virgin?

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, pulling her hand gently away from him.

"To my home," he replied, unaware of the fright registering on her face. It was only when he glanced in her direction that he saw the way her eyes stared at him in desperation. He smiled as reassuringly as he could, "I won't do anything that you do not want me to Amber... trust me. I will explain everything when we get there."

I'm scared

Draven didn't say anything. He noticed that Amber had placed some distance between them and was now pressed closer towards the window. It was difficult for him to accept the fact that she was afraid of him. It made him even more eager to begin resurfacing the memories that had been forced into seclusion.

When they reached the castle, he sensed that she had tensed up. Was it because she remembered coming here during Fiona's wedding or was she intimidated by its dark and gloomy exterior? Draven guessed it to be the latter. He just hoped that his own quarters on the entire west wing of the castle would not seem too morose for her taste.

"You live here?" she stammered partly in awe and fear. Draven didn't blame her. Culzean Castle does have that certain gothic Dracula thing going on. It wouldn't surprise him if she started anticipating seeing bats and various coffins lying around.

"Yes and this will be your home too for the next few weeks at least," he replied, offering her his elbow in the courtly fashion. His lips curled up in pleasure when she slipped her hand at the crook of his elbow; feeling almost as though he was bringing her to a ball rather than a Vampire's lair.

As an afterthought, he realized that he'd like that; bringing her to one of those ridiculously lavish balls, showing her off to the other Purebloods during their biannual gatherings...

"Young Lord," greeted the majordomo the moment he stepped through the front doors; his eyes wandering briefly towards Amber then back to Draven's face. Draven gave him a polite nod. He knew that the domestic never meddled in the affairs of his masters and never spoke of anything unless asked. That was for the best because he wanted to spend some time with Amber before speaking to his father about her.

"Please help me prepare something for my guest to eat," he said before walking away. The domestic would understand what he meant for he would have scented that she was not the blood drinking type.

***

His quarters were decent. He never considered them as lavish as Eian's castle had been but it was still cozy enough to entertain guests. Draven had thought of bringing her straight to his room but decided against it for he didn't want her to think he was only trying to get her into bed. Of course, he did want her in that sense but that would have to wait a little longer.

"Please, sit," he offered, ushering her towards one of the plush sofas in front of his unlit fireplace. Crouching down, he struck a match against a slab of charred wood, hoping that it would start burning in a while. He hadn't much use for the fireplace but he wanted to keep Amber warm, even if she was shivering, although not from the cold.

He watched as she gingerly sat, placing her palms gently on her thighs before looking up at him. Her face was one full of questions, worries and excitement. Draven liked that last bit. It made him hopeful that he could make her remember.

Kneeling down, he came closer to her and rubbed his knuckles tenderly across her right cheek; hearing the soft sigh escaping from her unwilling lips. It was an instinctive response- the kind made by a long lost lover. It made him desperate to kiss her and make love to her right there and then but he had to reassure her first of the reason why she was here.

"Amber... do you remember who I am?"

She shook her head but her eyes seemed confused and hesitant. Draven tried again.

"Do you know what I am?" he asked instead, watching the confusion escalate even more in her eyes. Still stroking her cheek, he whispered, "I'm what humans call a Vampire... and you my darling are my mate."

Her eyes widened in shock then he saw what looked like denial flash in her eyes as she turned away from him. One step at a time, he told himself. She had shown no awareness that she's a Were and from what he could tell, she did not believe in Vampires either.

"Why am I really here, Draven?" she asked. "You said you'll explain... but you're not. You're scaring me... and I don't want to be here."

Draven sighed sadly and cradled her face with both hands. She struggled and pulled away at his touch.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to see into your mind," he said simply but she was batting away his advances.

"First of all, no one can see into another person's mind. And second of all, you don't have touching privileges yet."

Draven raised his eyebrow questioningly. It seems her feisty nature was shining through and he knew it was because emotions and personalities were very difficult to mask even with a lack of memory.

"Trust me Amber, once I've found a way to heal your mind, I'll definitely want those privileges... again."

Ignoring her gasp, he quickly placed one palm at each side of her cheek and felt her sag against the sofa. He didn't like seeing the blank look on her face but it was necessary for him to try and see what exactly were left of her memories. He knew that Fiona could not wipe them but she had put a powerful suggestion over her that doesn't seem reversible at this point, or at least not reversible by anyone other than herself.

However, what he saw alarmed him. Fiona had built layers upon layers of suggestions such that he could not actually see the bottom of Amber's mind. It was as good as burying her memories, he thought but only in this case, she was able to replace them with some very powerful images and ideas that were antithetical to who and what Amber was. Only a very powerful and old Vampire could uncover her real memories and Draven doubted he was either.

The top layer was a suggestion that she was a thirty-five year old human who had gotten tired of her practice so she had taken a job as a lecturer at the university. Draven frowned as he tried to remove it. It then occurred to him that he had never removed suggestions before. Perhaps it was better to delve in and understand more before tinkering with anything.

Frowning, he went deeper, seeing the second layer: Her name is Ambrosia and she has no known family but she's happy with her life and has no worries. Draven nodded before delving deeper, this time encountering a few meshed up layers as though Fiona had given a suggestion then taken it back before placing another thought. This went on for a few layers until he came up with the one that suggested: there is no such thing as Vampires or Werewolves and that only humans roam this earth.

Draven stilled at that knowledge. Suggesting that there are no such things as Vampires or Werewolves meant that the concept of mates would not resonate with Amber any longer. In other words, she needed to be wooed all over again. But then, what about her wolf? Surely that animal is aware of the pseudo memories imposed on its' host?

His own mind was tired but he pushed on, searching deeper for the wolf's subconscious. Draven never had the opportunity to look into a Werewolf's mind before and it provided him with a wealth of knowledge at how amazing it was. It was almost as though there were two minds blended into one and yet they could keep separate from each other; one choosing to be more dominant than the other.

He had caught the image of a pair of blue eyes flashing lazily at him before it disappeared. Draven was sure that was the wolf. Pressing on, it annoyed him that he could not read anything anymore but instead had been overwhelmed by the fatalistic emotions of dejection and withdrawnness. He wanted to look deeper but was suddenly expunged out of her mind so suddenly that he stumbled backwards and fell on his bottom.

"Are you okay?" he heard her ask in concern. She had gotten up from the sofa and was kneeling beside him, holding his arm in alarm. Amber had no idea what had happened for she recalled snapping at Draven about something and then the next thing she knew he was on the floor.

"Yes... I'm fine... but I'm afraid you're not," he whispered, moving to a sitting position. "I should have taken care of your memories on my own."

"My memories?"

"Yes, well, I think the medical word for it is amnesia. You recognize me but you can't seem to recall from where or why... am I right?"

Amnesia? Amber didn't think she was having amnesia. If she was, wouldn't she be in a hospital... or at least with a family member to get her through her life? But as far as she knew, she was alone and she just got a job as a lecturer and was happy... right?

But this man in front of her, with his beautifully sculpted face and wavy black hair was telling her that she should remember him or at least recognize him. A part of her wanted to agree with him but the other part was afraid he'd hurt her. And most importantly he was... weird. He was 'talking' to Natasha in their head for godsake! And he was planning on kidnapping her... and did.

"So maybe I might remember you... but what's the significance?" she asked warily.

He simply smiled then murmured, "Would you mind telling me what you feel when you see me?"

She blushed as a response, getting up to her feet instantly and turned her back to him. Even if she didn't remember him, she was certainly attracted enough to envision him naked and doing all sorts of things that might have been illegal in some places. Some of those images had been so vivid she was almost convinced it had happened.

Damn! Who gets the hots for their kidnapper?

"Oh, I see," he grinned. She had literally shouted out her thoughts even though it was not verbalized. So that she remembers. Ok, that's a start...

Clambering back to his feet, he moved closer until he was a few inches away from her body. Her back was still turned from him but he could hear the sudden rush of blood through her arteries. There was anticipation in them, he mused... but of what?

His hands slipped smoothly around her waist, finally bringing their bodies in contact with each other. He could sense that she was hesitant but somehow curious enough to stay still. Head tipped down, he took in the scent of her hair and reveled in the warmth of her body. Definitely a Were's body; no human could be this warm.

"God, I miss this scent..." he breathed out, nuzzling behind her ear and down her neck. He was aware of the throbbing vein suddenly exposed to him and recoiled at how much he wanted to bite her for a taste. He'd bet that she'd taste as delicious as she smelled.

Her soft whimpers were starting to take effect, he realized and sighed. This woman hadn't even done anything and he was already hard thinking of all the lustful things he'd do to her. He turned her around slowly gazed into the piercing blue eyes that he'd missed so much. And those lips... lips meant for kissing was slightly parted as though calling out to him. He wanted to kiss her so bad.

Amber didn't really want to believe that she just heard his thought out loud and she was fighting with herself whether to let him act them out or not. She didn't really trust him but her body seemed to have an instinct of its own. It wanted... no, it craved for Draven.

"Would you like to?" he heard her whisper and his eyes immediately went up to catch her gaze. So she could still read him. That's good. He nodded slowly.

Yet, her eyes were hesitant. "Are you controlling me, Draven? Making me... want this too?" she asked suspiciously.

Hurt flashed briefly across his face before he shook his head.

"What you feel is entirely your own," he whispered sadly. And he was going to make sure no one else forces her to feel or think she was someone else. Never again.

"Would you let me?" he asked tentatively, never taking his eyes off hers. She was still fighting within herself, he could see but her rational self was losing out...

Please.

Her mental plea was permission enough for him. His mouth immediately covered hers, his sigh signaling his relief and desperation at holding his mate in his arms. She was here now and yet she wasn't.

It pained him but somehow the hungered way in which she was kissing him suggested that all was not lost. She was reacting to him instinctively, molding against his body like a tailor made suit. Draven managed a smile as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips slightly to tangle his tongue with hers. One of his hands was at the back of her head, bringing her closer and tighter against him and he was aware of her fingers clutching painfully on his shoulders as though desperate to hold on.

A painful degree of madness and self-control was what it took to release her and step back. He saw the disappointment and lust in her eyes but he remained in his place.

"I didn't bring you here for the sole purpose of satisfying my insatiable lust for you," he admitted. "There's something important we need to discuss..." And then we can jump onto each other...

Her eyes twinkled in amusement at his thought, bringing a smile to his lips.

"I didn't know you jump from first to second base so quickly," she pointed out.

"Are you denying that this chemistry between us?" he was grinning; a wild flicker of lust on his handsome face. It made Amber tick.

So instead, she ignored his suggestive question and posed her own, "So what are these important things we need to discuss?"




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 08



"Do you believe that I'm a Vampire?" he asked carefully. She shook her head.

"There are no such things as Vampires... are there?"

Draven pursed his lips as a response, trying to think of another way to put his question.

"Surely you could scent how different I am from you?" he asked, knowing that one's senses will still function despite the lack of a memory to associate it with.

"Of course," she replied and he felt relieved until he saw the blush creeping up her neck. He must have looked confused for she explained, "You smell different because you're a man..." She paused, looking at him with uncertainty in her eyes. "But you also smell so intoxicating... like a good bottle of wine or maybe a slice of cheesecake..."

"Cheesecake?" he asked suddenly, alarmed. Did she just associate him with a confectionery?

Her eyes suddenly fluttered in embarrassment, "I only indulge in it once in awhile... it's my favourite sweet treat... and you remind me of that."

Draven tipped his head back and let out a rumbling laugh. "So I'm good enough to eat?"

She blushed again and he knew he was right.

"Okay, I won't tease anymore," he said after awhile, grinning at her. Guess this change in approach didn't help either. They kept gravitating to the topic of sex.

"I guess there's no other way to this but the truth," he said, pausing to make sure she was listening. Reaching out to take her hands, he gave a gentle squeeze and continued, "I know you don't remember me and you can attribute that to amnesia for now but I'm sure you cannot deny that a certain part of you acknowledges that we have been intimate and that I'm not lying to you."

She gave him a considering look and paused for a minute, as though shuffling inside her own mind for the truth to what he was saying.

When she finally nodded slowly, Draven felt as though a large stone had been taken off his chest.

"You are very special to me and we can hear each others thoughts and communicate intimately if we so wish."

At her doubtful look, he spoke in his mind. I want you to be my wife

Her eyes widened and almost bulged out upon hearing his words. Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hands and shook her head.

"I don't even know you!"

"Yes you do... you just don't remember it, my love..." he replied sadly. "But I will try and help you recover. I promise."

Amber felt the first strings of caution wear away. This man was very likely telling the truth. "Did I love you, Draven?"

Her question stumped him. Did she?

"I don't know for sure my love... but I know I love you."

She looked sad at his admission but nodded nonetheless. "Then I hope I would learn to love you back," she whispered.

"I'd like that too," he replied, clutching her fingers tighter. "I'm telling you this because I need you to understand that there's no one else that I'd want other than you. I only want you."

Amber was crying as she listened to him but she had no idea why. She was relieved that she stopped thinking of him as a criminal but still his admission didn't soothe her. Shouldn't she be happy that a man as gorgeous as Draven was telling her he loved her and wanted her? She could tell he was sincere and almost desperate for her to believe him... Then why was she so sad? The tears were escaping her eyes even though she did not will it.

"Amber..." he called, capturing her attention once more. "I will do whatever it takes to make sure you're safe and that we can be together..." He paused to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I was hoping my father would come to like you and make things a little easier for both of us."

It was his turn to cry now; blinking his tears back in a last attempt to retain his dignity.

"But there's something that's stopping all this isn't there?" she asked softly before looking down sadly. "It's more than just my amnesia isn't it?"

"I have to produce an heir."

Her eyes fluttered up to his, expressing the understanding in them. "I see..." Then she pulled her hands from him and tried to walk away. "So you want me to stay here and be your mistress."

It sounded worst when she said it that way.

Draven tried to place a hand on her shoulder but she merely shrugged it off.

"Amber... please listen to me," he pleaded. "I want you to be my wife, not my mistress."

When she turned to face him, he wasn't expecting the sharp slap on his face but he supposed he deserved it. It was his entire fault that she was in this state.

"Do I look stupid or naïve to you?" she exclaimed in exasperation. "You live in a castle... you're not just any working class citizen. And you said heir, not child! You do not have an heir with a common woman like me!"

She was clawing at him, slapping his chest in raw anger. Draven didn't know what to say. It pleased him that she was jealous but it also pained him to know she was trying to mask her hurt with anger.

"Are you saying that once you get a child you'll divorce her? Is that why you're keeping me here?" she asked. Draven didn't even dare to answer her. In her anger, she hadn't noticed that her claws had elongated and she had slashed his shirt and his chest, drawing blood.

She was absolutely seething as she turned from him. "How cruel of you to do that to her! Imagine having a child with your husband who doesn't love you and wants someone else! Having a baby is not a transaction, Draven! And worst... I can't imagine you sleeping with her... then with me. It's just not... right."

"We could just do an IVF and she doesn't even have to stay here," he suggested hopefully. "I do not want to make love to someone I do not love Amber... otherwise it would be like rape."

"And have her pregnant with the baby all on her own without you? Then what of the child? Who's going to take care of it?" she slashed out at him.

Draven admited that this was not turning out well for him. His own temper was starting to rise.

"I've already told you that I only want you. Everything else doesn't matter to me; not the woman, not the child. I'm only doing this for my Father and for your safety. So to hell with everything else. You are the one that I love."

Her eyes flashed with irritation and anger. "Yes, but I have not loved you back."

Her response stunned and incensed him all at once. He could feel his temper rising as he grabbed her by the arm forcefully and began to pull her towards the door. When she began resisting too much, he simply scooped her up and let her claw at him for all she wanted.

***

Aramis was sitting quietly in his office when his door burst open and Draven came in carrying a woman that seemed as fiery as her head of hair. He raised an eyebrow at him curiously but didn't rise from his seat until Draven had settled the woman on her feet.

"Father," he greeted tersely. "I am here to blatantly express my desire to marry this... woman as soon as my duty is done. As of now, she is officially under my guardianship and I will not tolerate any harm done on her, even if it comes from you." His eyes were cold and hard as it met his father's gaze.

Aramis seemed pleased with this news, despite the fact that his son had just threatened him.

"Very well," he replied.

Draven gave his father a weary look. That was too simple.

"I'm serious Father. I will marry whomever you choose for me for the period of one year, in which during that time I will ensure that she bears a child, inside or outside of her body; I don't care. Once the baby is weaned, she is free to go. But in the meantime, if you hurt even a hair on this woman, I will hunt you down."

Shock was clearly on Aramis's face at his son's proclamation. Had he really passed down this selfishness to his own son? Had his treatment of Draven's own mother resulted in this retribution?

"Are you really this cruel, my son...?" Aramis asked sadly.

"I am not the cruel one," replied Draven in a cold voice. His gaze stayed sharp on his father's daring the latter to challenge him.

Indeed, Aramis broke away from the gaze first. It wasn't like his eldest son to burst out into unreasonable anger like this. Draven could always be counted on to do anything. He was the one that kept everything in order when it was chaotic... he was the perfect son.

Sighing slowly, he turned his gaze to the red haired woman that was standing still beside Draven; her eyes watching him expectantly. Aramis frowned as he stared at her for she was giving out such confusing scents. Shaking his head solemnly, he decided to address the matter at hand first. He will seek her out later to confirm his hunches.

"Where do you plan to keep her? In the dungeon?"

Aramis ignored the sharp gasp from the woman and observed the way Draven stiffened and narrowed his eyes.

"I have said that she will not be harmed. She will stay in my quarters."

"That doesn't sound much different than a prison, my son. You are still locking her up."

Draven looked like he was about to argue his point but closed his mouth instead, shaking his head.

"And where will your new wife stay?"

"She can stay in the dungeons for all I care."

"Draven!" the shrill exclamation came from the woman and Aramis watched with interest as she slapped his son so daringly in front of his own father. Leaning back, Aramis decided that keeping her might prove entertaining.

They were staring at each other so intensely that Aramis was sure a fire would start if he didn't break them apart. It was obvious that Draven was communicating with her in his mind but Aramis found it interesting that she could read his mind back when she wasn't a Vampire... just what is she?

"Who is she, Draven?" he asked, suddenly aware that his son hadn't even bothered to introduce them.

Draven stared at his father in shock. Didn't he remember?

She's the woman that was with us when Fiona gained her powers... in New York... Don't you recognize her?

If Aramis was surprised, he didn't show it for his gaze was unflinching as he looked first at Draven then at Amber. He supposed it was the hair that threw him off. She had been... blonde before wasn't she? And she had distinctly smelled like a Werewolf then... and yet here she was sending him mixed signals. Interesting.

"It doesn't matter who she is and I do not care where you want to house her. But you do not disrespect my guest. Your potential brides are all aware of this arrangement and are only arriving here out of pure courtesy."

Draven didn't say anything. He was holding his breath, waiting for Aramis to continue.

"I will house her in the east wing; far away from you such that she will not be subjected to your disrespectful behavior."

"How much are you paying her family Father...?"

Aramis raised a lazy glance at Draven and shrugged. "Enough." Then looking at Amber, he smiled, rather uncharacteristically. "Will you take care of the baby after that?"

"Me?" she responded in surprise. Obviously she hadn't expected to be part of this deal at all. "But why?"

"Ah, but you are my son's mate aren't you?"

"How did you..." stammered Draven.

Aramis shrugged nonchalantly. He didn't feel like sharing such knowledge with his son seeing that he had been clearly treated with disrespect.

"Come with me young lady," he said instead, getting up and moving towards Amber. "It seems we have much to talk about." He knew she was eager to get away from his son at all cost and offered a hand towards her, not surprised when she took it.. Draven however was.

"Father! What are you doing?" he asked angrily but Aramis was already leading Amber away, towards his reading room, waving lazily at Draven.

"I won't kill her, I promise."

"You are not drinking her blood!"

"See yourself out my son."

The connecting door to his reading room closed sharply against Draven's face, leaving him flabbergasted, annoyed and extremely worried.



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 09



NB: First and foremost, my gratitude to wildheartedangel for reading my (godknowshowmany) drafts and being so patient and efficient about it. Next to Mokkelke for giving some amazing ideas and also for patiently proofreading my work. Really appreciate it! Thanks also go out to those of you who gave comments and suggestions on my blogs regarding the plot for this chapter. So I hope the next few chapters please you.

****

Once the door was closed behind him, Aramis led the beautiful red headed wolf towards the sofas. Of course he wasn't going to take a sip out of her. That would incur the wrath of her Alpha and Aramis didn't think he'd like that. It was serious enough that his son had literally kidnapped this woman under her Alpha's nose. That would have to be dealt with later on.

Aramis let out a long, resigned sigh. Why did Draven choose to mate with one of Keiran's wolves? Or any wolf for that matter? It was for this reason alone that Aramis did not immediately have her locked up. It annoyed him that he had to extend his courtesy to her; treat her like his guest when she was an obvious liability to his plans.

For godsake! That boy had enough women, both mortals and immortals alike thrust under his nose for the past centuries and he chose this one?

Oh, she was beautiful alright; fair skinned, blue eyes and long auburn hair that looked like it was on fire all the time. He had no doubt this little wolf was just as feisty, if not more. However, she is still a wolf... and although she appears more docile than the last time he met her, he wasn't sure if he'd be willing to lose another offspring to Keiran.

It was different for Fiona. She was already adopted into the pack before she came to him and thus her allegiance was never to him or their race. Besides, daughters and granddaughters alike were almost always dispensable, having to follow their husbands when they married.

However, Draven was not. He was aware that he would have to allow his first born to live within the pack, where his loyalties would no longer be to his own father or his race... but to his Alpha. Aramis didn't think he'd like that.

Humans have been intermarrying Vampires and Werewolves for many centuries but the latter two often stayed away from each other as much as possible... as should his son and this wolf.

"You're hungry," he commented with a sigh, settling himself on a sofa opposite her.

She was nodding but she never took her eyes off him. Aramis gave a grunt as a response. Her stomach was literally bubbling in its own acid since the moment he met her. Turning to the phone on his table, he picked it up and called directly for his head of the household. It seems that some shopping is needed.

When he turned his attention back to the woman, he saw that she had begun to relax but her guard was still up. He didn't blame her. She didn't look like she even knew who he was. And he was beginning to think that she followed him only to spite Draven for manhandling her.

That thought put a smile on his face.

"I apologize for the rudeness that you witnessed earlier on. It is sordidly humiliating on my part to have raised a son like that."

He watched confusion flicker across her face before she spoke, "I thought he was just addressing you formally when he called you 'Father'... I thought perhaps you were a member of the clergy. Are you? You look too young to possibly be his father."

Laughter bubbled in Aramis's throat at her reply. "And how old do you think Draven is?"

She was biting her lips, as though thinking. "Probably around my age; thirty five at most."

This time, Aramis didn't bother containing his laughter, "When he was thirty-five, he was already a trained mercenary and bore witness to the Münster Rebellion," he said in amusement. "That's in the 1530s if I'm not wrong."

Her eyes were wide with surprise. "Impossible!"

Aramis couldn't help but frown at her response. "Surely you know who we are and what we are?" When she didn't reply, he frowned deeper. This was strange. This woman had seen Fiona's awakening and was even one of the few unfortunate recipients of her power. Surely she would know? Or had Draven tampered with her memories?

Aramis decided that it was better if he skipped the Vampire history for now. Her mind might be too fragile to recall too many things if it had been modified not too long ago. He was planning on returning her to her pack and wanted to make sure that she did not sustain any form of damage under his roof.

"Well then, please forgive me for my lack of manners. It seems I have much to apologize for today," he said with a smile. "My name is Aramis Culzean and I am the Lord of this castle... not in the religious sense of course," he smiled again before adding, "The Lord below the Viscount on the peerage system." When she nodded, he continued. "My eldest, whom you've already met, is heir to the title and born from my first wife. His brother and my youngest son, Alaron Culzean is born to my second wife. I don't suppose you remember him either? He has quite a penchant for trouble that one."

Amber was clearly fascinated. Aramis didn't appear to be as cold hearted as Draven painted him to be. Maybe he was joking about Draven being born centuries ago. In fact, he wasn't threatening her in any way and she wondered why Draven had been so upset and paranoid about his father. It made her all the more determined to get into Aramis's good books. If she did it right, then she might not have to stay in the dungeon and even better, she might be allowed to go home!

As such, she almost had a compulsive need to stand up and curtsey before she replied. Was it the rule in the house to do so? She wasn't sure but didn't think it would be appropriate not to since he was clearly nobility and she was... nobody.

Clearing her throat, she got up and did what she thought was a curtsey and was about to introduce herself when she saw him get up on his feet, laughing.

"You're doing it all wrong my dear. You're supposed to place one foot behind the other and bend gently down with your body leaning slightly forward."

Amber grimaced. What a way to make a mess of herself! She did as she was told and watched Aramis's eyes smile as he observed her curtseying a few times.

"Good, you may put your hands at the side of your skirt and bow your head just slightly if you wish," he added, watching her comply. When she was standing upright, he smiled and commented, "Actually... there is no need for you to curtsey when speaking to me."

She was smiling back and shaking her head as she did a proper curtsey this time and introduced herself as Ambrosia Alexakis. He found it interesting that she did not use Keiran's family name as her own... or maybe she didn't want to be associated with them. Is that possible?

"Your father was called Ambrosius?" he speculated, watching her face frown in confusion.

"I... I'm not sure," she stammered slightly. "I don't... remember him. Did you know him?"

Aramis shook his head. The wolf looked young. If she said she couldn't remember him, it could be that she was born during the war and lost him...

"No I do not my dear... but Alexakis is a rather common Greek family name and when I was still friendly with them, I know the daughters always took the feminine form of their father's name."

"Oh, I see..." she replied, rather impressed with what he told her. She really didn't recall anything much and it surprised her to know that her name was Greek at all. She just thought it was a terribly old fashioned name...

Amber started frowning as though she recalled having said that before. Shaking her head slowly, she sat down once more, as though trying to chase after that fleeting thought... but to no avail.

Aramis must have sensed something was wrong for he came closer and peered at her with concern. Strangely, he was beginning to like this young woman. She had been there for his granddaughter and now she's trying to be brave even though she had no idea what she has walked into.

Aramis had to face the truth: She was good for his Draven... if only she was a Pureblood Vampire instead of this confused little wolf inside a human's body.

"Come my child. You need to have something to eat," he said, offering her a hand to get up. He noticed that she was a little weak and the grumbling in her stomach was more pronounced that it was a while ago.

The dining room that he brought her to was reserved for the family use. He was pleased to see that there was human food already set on the table and also a goblet of blood for himself.

"Please eat," he offered, pulling out a chair for her to sit. He watched with interest as she tore a chunk of bread and dipped it in some sort of stew in the bowl in front of her. Her eyes were fluttering, signaling that the food was good and she began to eat some more before realizing that she was the only one eating.

She immediately put down her spoon and looked up guiltily. "Would you like to have some?"

Aramis shook his head, "Do continue... It used to bring me joy to watch my second wife eat. Of course, she was a beauty to watch all the time but mealtimes were especially entertaining."

Amber didn't continue eating as told but gazed at Aramis with a sad look on her face. "You must have loved her very much... and you lost her."

That sentence seemed out of place and he wondered for a moment if she was talking about him or about herself. Instead, he smiled and urged her to continue eating, getting up only a few minutes later to return to his office.

Not surprisingly, Draven was still there.

"Father! What have you done to her?" he asked in accusing tones.

"I would really appreciate it if you'd mind your tone with me young man."

Draven simply gave a huff and glared at his father.

With a resigned sigh, Aramis sat at his desk. "She's well. I just had her fed... human food of course," he added when he saw the worried look on Draven's face. "I give you my word that I will not harm her in exchange for your compliance. Rest assure that she is safe and return to your own chambers. I have no desire to prolong this conversation anymore."

Draven was clearly aware of the dismissal but part of him was still worried. He knew that once his father gave his word, he will keep it but he was sure that the old man had something up his sleeves.

"I'd like to see her please," he demanded in as civil a tone as he could muster.

"No."

"But Father..."

"No."

Draven gritted his teeth. He hated it when his father speaks with that sort of finality for it was impossible for anyone to continue arguing with him...

Maybe he was raised too well; taught never to speak unless spoken to, never to raise one's voice against an elder and most importantly, to respect and remain loyal to one's Sire who in this case were his parents.

Fine... I'll admit it. I don't dare to raise my voice and argue with him unless Amber's here to give me moral support... not that she was giving me any. Tsk. She even conspired with the enemy!

Draven rolled his eyes at the recollection of how demurely she followed his father without any hesitation.

To spite me of course. Fine. I'll give her the space she needs... to sulk.

"I'll come back later to fetch her then," he replied grumpily, fully aware that it was he who was sulking. "I lay my trust on your word Father."

Aramis gave a gentle nod as Draven started leaving the room.

"Ah... to be in love," he murmured to himself, opening the stack of returned RSVPs on his desk.

His smile was broad as he mentally took note of the guests who were coming. Putting the letters aside, he picked up his phone.

Someone on the other line picked up, "Elders Office."

"Lord Culzean speaking. Put the line through to Léon please." Léon was one of the two permanent Nobles sitting on the board of Elders. Aramis waited a few moments until the line was reconnected.

"Lord Culzean, how may I be of service today?"

"Have you received my invitation?"

"Yes I have sent my RSVP saying my family and I will be attending."

"Very good. I need another favour old friend," said Aramis.

"Yes of course, Aramis."

"I wish to have the Council enforcers present at the ball tomorrow night."

The other man was silent for a little while. "Are you afraid of a security compromise, Aramis?"

"Mmm, something of that sort. It's more for insurance," he replied with a broad smile.

"Very well then. I will have them present."

"Thank you, Léon. That will be all."

Aramis sighed as he placed the receiver down. It was a necessity. To be sure that his son does not violate their agreement, the threat of violence needs to be present. Draven shouldn't have been so stupid to have brought his bargaining deal into this castle. If he had thought that bringing the Were here was to ensure her safety, then he was wrong.

Aramis would have her terminated on the spot should Draven refuse to uphold his side of their deal. Satisfied now that the matter of his heir was settled, Aramis placed another call to his other son...

***

"You what?" exclaimed Alaron, almost frightening little Alex off his lap. Alaron had taken a trip down to Pearl's house for a visit and the boy had latched himself immediately to him the moment he entered.

"Father, this is ridiculous. You are having a ball tomorrow and you only let me know about it today?" he complained, looking down at his watch and groaned. It would take him five hours at least to drive up north. He listened while his father continued talking on the other end of the line, nodding ever so often before bursting out in a shocked, "What the hell!"

This time, Alex jumped off from Alaron's lap for the Vampire was scowling at the phone.

"Damn right I will. I'm coming over right this minute," he growled then disconnected angrily. The nerve of his Father!

"Alaron dear, is everything alright?" asked Pearl, walking into the living room. She had gone to the kitchen to get some tea and had rushed out when she heard him swearing.

"Oh... uh, yes. It's a family thing," he replied awkwardly. "Anyway, I have something important to ask you and I'll be real quick about it because I have to leave soon."

"Oh, ask away then!"

"Err... I'm not sure who to ask for relationship advice and I thought, since you're a woman and all... surely you'd have more tips for me..."

Pearl was giggling as she sat down and ushered him to do the same.

"Erika I assume?"

Alaron nodded. "Why is it... as in... why does she cry but say there's nothing wrong? And then sometimes she's crying but she says she's happy. How does that work?"

"Oh dear..." said Pearl with a laugh.

"Right. Then there's the part where nothing I say or do seems to be the right thing and then she tells me it's not what I did but what I didn't do that's the problem. How the hell is that even logically possible?"

"Alaron, you cute little thing. Well, it's obvious she likes you and wants you to do something about it. So for example when she cries and says there's nothing wrong, obviously she means there's something wrong and wants you to ask her what. That doesn't mean you'll get an answer straight away of course but girls like that kind of attention I suppose," giggled Pearl. She was obviously delirious with amusement at his plight.

"Who has time for that?" asked Alaron in utter amazement. "It's like opening a door and then seeing another one and another one. You'll never actually get inside the room!"

"Oh pish! Men are such ignorant creatures," she clucked her tongue. "So what did you do when she started crying or saying that you weren't doing things right?"

"I said sorry of course! But she doesn't seem to believe them."

"Of course she doesn't. You've got to grovel a little dear."

Alaron's jaw dropped, clearly appalled at Pearl's suggestion. Did she say grovel?

"Like on my knees?"

Pearl was nodding with an amused smile on her face. "Do whatever it takes. Flowers would be nice too and then of course make-up sex after that."

When Alaron just stared at her, she laughed and continue. "Oh trust me... all husbands have done that. Just ask Mike... or Dominic or even Eian. Oh he's tough alright like a cookie but inside he's still warm and chewy and just as malleable."

"No way..."

"Oh yes way. Now if you want her to like you back, then you've got to start treating her like a lady... not keep biting her head off at every chance," she said in a nagging voice. "Don't give me that look like I don't know. I've seen you two. You're always insulting each other or arguing. Sure that's nice as a precursor to sweaty sex but you're not going to get her to open up to you if you only snipe at her all the time."

Alaron raised an eyebrow at her then pursed his lips in contemplation. Perhaps she's right... well, mothers always know best don't they?

"Okay, I'll give it a try. I've got to go now Pearl. Thanks for the advice! I'll come back for more if I need to!" he gave her a warm smile then started towards the door.

***

Aramis returned to the dining room and smiled when he saw that his guest had finished her meal.

"Do you know how to dance?" he asked.

"Oh... I don't..." but he was already raising a hand to stop her and instead offered her a hand to help her out of her seat.

"I'll teach you."

"Oh, I'd rather not..." she started but he solemnly shook his head.

"First, we bow," he instructed. "Then the man will offer his hand and you shall place it like this," he continued, grasping her right hand and placing her left hand just beneath his right shoulder.

She jerked a little when she felt his right hand resting behind her shoulder blade but he didn't seem disturbed by her discomfort.

"Trust me; some of my guests will be less civilized than how I'm holding you right now. It is then your right to make sure their hand remains here," he warned.

"Why are we learning how to dance?"

"Ah, because I want you to come for the ball tomorrow night. I'm going to announce who he's marrying."

"My Lord?" she whispered, unsure about his request. "Wouldn't it be painful for Draven if I attend this ball as well? Surely you are not so cruel?"

"You are my guest here, not my prisoner. I do not wish for you to be treated otherwise. Perhaps it would be a good way for you to help him choose the best wife."

"Oh..." Amber wasn't sure what to say. Yes, Draven's kiss had knocked the wind from her lungs but then again, she didn't remember much about him. What if she couldn't love him back? Wouldn't it be better to just let him get married then leave when she had the chance?

"Right now, let's not get distracted. What I'm going to teach you is called a Viennese Waltz. It's the opening dance and almost everyone will be involved."

Amber snapped out of her thoughts and nodded, letting him continue, "We begin with the forward step, side, back then side again like this," he demonstrated. "For this dance, you must count everything in threes, so one, two, three, one, two, three... there you go, very good."

Amber wasn't sure if she was going to feel good for much longer. Her head was spinning from the way he spun her around the room. He may call it a box step but she sure felt like he was twirling her around endlessly.

"Just follow your partner's lead... you are doing great."

When she accidentally stepped on his foot and lost her own footing, she let out a series of hysterical laughter as her butt hit the floor.

"Oh!" she gasped. "Good god! You sure can dance for an old man!" she teased and saw Aramis laughing as well.

"It's years of practice my dear. Now would you like to try again?"

Amber got up on her own, refusing his help. Determination was all over her face as she concentrated on the steps once more.

"You're not going to start teaching me some cha-cha or something are you?"




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 09



"Cha cha? You mean those things you youngsters like to do nowadays?"

"It's not that young! I think I remembered dancing..." Amber started blinking. She remembered what? Sudden flashes of music, dancing... and a comment about an ice cube stuck to a chair...

"I think we should stop now..." said Aramis in concern. This was the second time that she was showing signs of fatigue. "I'll see you to your accommodations."

Amber tried to smile but her head was throbbing so suddenly.

"You will not return to Draven's quarters tonight. I want you to stay in the East Wing. There should be some clothes in there as my granddaughter used to sleep here so feel free to use them. You will also find some of my late wife's dresses. Take your pick of what you wish to wear tomorrow night. I will be expecting you," he said with a smile, releasing her hand gently.

If it wasn't for her headache, she might have protested but instead she merely nodded. "I see. Then I'd best be going."

He brought her to the East wing himself, letting her into the same room that his late wife and then Fiona had used. It was only after he left that Amber flopped herself on the bed in exhaustion.

So many things had happened since she arrived here that she wasn't sure what to believe anymore. As she stared at the ceiling, it occurred to her that she was in the East Wing. Didn't Lord Culzean said something about housing his guest in the East Wing? If she was going to be here that would mean...

Amber covered her face with a pillow and groaned. Of course. Draven's new wife was going to be in the West Wing with him. She was the guest... and the mistress.

***

The next morning...

"Alaron! You're here?" Draven was shaken awake by his brother after having dozed off while waiting for Amber to come to his room.

"Duh. Father's having a freaking ball tonight, in case you've conveniently forgotten. I've come here to kidnap you."

"What! Have you gone mad Alaron?"

"I'm just trying to help!"

Draven ignored him and rubbed the sleepiness away from his eyes. "What do you mean tonight? The balls's tomorrow, on the day of the Equinox."

"Yes, which is today. Hello... it is six in the morning."

"What!" Draven immediately shot up from his sofa and frantically searched his quarters for any signs of Amber. When he couldn't, he turned fearfully to Alaron. "Have you met Father yet?"

"I plan on kidnapping you remember?"

"No! Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Amber!"

Alaron was staring at his brother with his mouth hanging wide open.

"You kidnapped the wolf under her Alpha's nose? Are you crazy? And you brought her here?!"

"Shut up brother and get out of here now."

"I won't! I'm not leaving you here to get married to some cold blooded woman!"

Draven stopped pacing and stared hard at his brother. "How did you know that?"

"Father called me yesterday to let me know that he's going to choose a bride for you tonight."

Whatever remaining colour on Draven's face palled immediately. Did he miss something? "What's happening tonight?"

Alaron raised his eyebrows and stared incredulously. "The ball?"

"He invited all the Pureblood families didn't he... oh god."

"Which is why we need to leave now."

"I can't... don't you see? I brought Amber here as a guarantee that I'd marry whomever he chooses and have the heir. I thought he was just going to present the woman to me and then we'll get her eggs hatching and be done with it. Oh but no... he has to invite all the debutantes and make sure that I do not disgrace the woman that I choose."

Alaron stared blankly at his brother's face before crossing his arms in irritation. "Just what the hell are you talking about?"

"You've been to our balls right Alaron? What do you think is the purpose of these things?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I just watch the pretty ones and then get bored afterwards."

"Exactly. You're just a little boy. No one pays you any attention. However, I'm like a piece of rare steak that has blood dripping all over. Everyone knows I have to sire an heir someday and my first wife has to be from one of the Pureblood families. So everyone expects the whole courting ritual once I've made my selection. The other families will extend invitations to us as a couple to various receptions, gatherings and what not. Not to mention I'll have to go over to her house and meet her family and smile; pretend I like the woman and make silly talk and bow incessantly because I have to protect her family's name as well as our own."

"And the problem is..."

"It's supposed to be just a transaction Alaron... I get her pregnant, then she delivers and she can get the hell out of our lives. That's it. Father's paying the family for our rights to keep the child and I don't see it beyond that. But if the other families keep on calling upon us to visit for this party or that function... I don't think I can stomach that... I don't want to pretend she's my wife when she's just..."

"The baby maker?"

"Yeah..." whispered Draven with a sigh and slumped against the wall. "And I suspect Father's kept Amber somewhere or worse, locked her up to ensure that I do not make a fool out of myself tonight. The moment I toe the line and commit some etiquette sin, he'll probably have her killed."

"Father's not that harsh..." whispered Alaron, although he was doubtful of his words. "But brother... you know you've got to do this... Father did it too and he had you. Now it is your turn."

The two of them kept quiet, each lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes.

Alaron felt sad for his brother. If he were born a Pureblood, he'd readily take his brother's place and save Draven all the pain that he was feeling.

"Who knows? You might even like the girl Draven..." he tried say but then knew that it was useless.

Draven's head was bowed down between his knees and Alaron didn't want to acknowledge that his brother might actually be sobbing so he inched further away until he was out of the door.

***

His first stop was Aramis's office. When he saw that his father was not there, he went into their drawing room and true enough his father was sitting on a rocking chair, staring up at a portrait... of his mother.

"Ah... Alaron, you're here," he spoke without turning back. When Alaron didn't say anything or move from his position, Aramis offered, "Come and sit with me... please."

Alaron moved closer to his father's rocking chair but didn't sit down as instructed. He simply stood beside him and stared up at his mother's face. He missed her terribly.

Forcing himself to take his gaze away from the portrait, he looked down at Aramis and frowned. "Father... I want to talk to you about tonight."

"You want to talk me out of finding a bride for your brother," he said simply.

"Yes, if that is possible."

"You know I can't do that my son. We all have our responsibilities."

Alaron kept silent for a long time before blurting, "Then what is mine? Am I just the useless son that you had without needing?"

Hurt was clear in Aramis's eyes as he shifted his gaze from the portrait to Alaron's face.

"I needed your brother... but I wanted you," he admitted softly before returning his gaze to the portrait. "Sit down Alaron..."

Alaron was confused and hurt too. It was the first time that he had ever blurted out his true feelings to his father like that and they were finally going to talk about it.

"I'm sorry Father for my rudeness," he began but Aramis simply shook his head.

"It is I who has to apologize. Your mother would have been very disappointed with me if she knew how I've treated you since her death."

Alaron didn't say anything but waited for his father to continue.

"I loved your mother so much. She was my life mate and I wanted to spend the rest of our centuries together. I wanted to turn her but she always kept procrastinating, saying that she wanted to live as a human for a few more years before she'd agree to turn."

The knowledge shocked Alaron. He had always wondered why his mother chose to remain a human all those years. If only she had turned... she wouldn't have died the way she did.

"You were the baby that was born out of our love for each other and I named you in the image of myself; three syllables, starting with an 'A'. But I had no idea of course how to take care of children. Draven was raised by wet nurses and governesses and I expected the same for you but your mother would not hear of it. You should be grateful that at least you knew what it's like to be loved by your mother... I'm sure your brother envies you for it."

Aramis paused to close his eyes as though trying to recall a memory. "But then your mother died... raped and kill by those human bastards. I kept thinking, what if I had turned her earlier, what if I had been there for her, what if, what if... And I started to blame you for it. You were such a willful child. You ran away from home because I reprimanded you about something and your mother ran out in search of you... She shouldn't have of course. She should have known you are an immortal that cannot die so easily. But she loved you and now she's left both of us."

"I'm sorry Father... I really am..." Alaron was blinking back tears. He had remembered finding his mother all broken and dead. The rage within him for her loss had made him hunt the men down... and that's when he lost control and attacked Fiona's family...

"It is I who should be sorry, not you..." said Aramis in a choked voice. "I couldn't even look at you after she died. You were coping with her loss by unleashing all your anger and tantrums and I envied that because I couldn't. Instead, I left you alone and withdrew into my own chambers when in fact we were two angry Vampires; angry with ourselves and wanting to lash out at each other," he admitted with a smile.

Alaron couldn't even bring himself to say anything anymore. His words were stuck in his throat and his eyes were welling so much that he couldn't see clearly.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been the best father to both you and your brother... but I love you both... in my own way."

Alaron looked up, seeing the way his father smiled sadly at him and the tears began to flow.

Aramis blinked at his own tears, realizing the truth of what he just said. Part of him yearned to cave in to Draven's decision on his mate but part of him knew that he had to stand firm with his own stand. It was enough to sacrifice one offspring for a political alliance... but another? What was the point really in allowing them to mate? Was conception even possible between the two species?

He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be subjected to an eternity without having any children. Hadn't he loved once too? As much as Fiona loved Keiran and Draven loved Amber?

But the Culzean bloodline needed another heir and truth was, he had really come to miss the feel of a child in his arms. Perhaps he might consider marrying again... or maybe not.

Aramis wasn't sure.

***

"So? How do you like it?" this came from the woman who had been fussing with Amber's hair and face for the past two hours. Amber simply wrinkled her nose and examined her reflection in front of the full length mirror. She did not even recognize the woman looking back at her.

She was wearing a red velvet gown that hugged her body almost like a second skin. It made her cringe at first when the woman had suggested she wear it. It had been a sweetheart neck dress with a plunging backline that made it impossible for her to wear a bra.

"Edna, are you sure it is legal for me to wear this?" she asked worriedly, turning around to stare at her exposed back.

"Oh please Madame! The women who'll be here tonight will dress much more daringly to catch the young Lord's eye. Surely you don't want to be a wallflower?"

Amber smiled. Oh yes, she'd rather be one! She didn't think she'd like having any attention at all.

"I look like I'm on fire Edna... red hair, red dress... you even dyed my lips red."

"You're gorgeous... I never failed to dress the ladies of this house in anything but the best. So tut tut. We have to go now."

Amber lifted her hands in resignation as she slipped into a pair of strappy shoes. She was dreading this ball and it hasn't even started...

***

Draven was scowling. He hated social events and was hating it even more for every minute he stood waiting for his father to arrive. He was convinced that Aramis had had Amber locked up somewhere and he was eager to get over with this bride selection and tear the castle down to find her.

"You should probably relax," said Alaron, slipping beside his brother. "Scowling like that won't get you the ladies."

I'll scowl all I want. Now where the hell is father? I want to get this stupid thing over and done like now.

"Be patient," he replied, ignoring his brother's snarl. "Not all the families are here yet. It's not even eight o'clock."

"Whose side are you on huh?" snapped Draven, glaring at his brother.

"I'm a neutral informant. My job is to keep you sane throughout the ball tonight."

"Yeah right," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest impatiently. The unmated females had been giving him the eye ever since he stepped into the room. It seemed almost inappropriate this time to claim he was gay seeing that this ball was organized for him to find a bride. That had always been his gambit and he was annoyed that he couldn't make use of it tonight.

His sour disposition was suddenly interrupted by a silence from the orchestra, followed by an announcement that one of the Pureblood family had arrived. This was followed by another announcement and another. Clearly uninterested, Draven turned away only to face Alaron.

"Father's here," he pointed out and Draven turned. His scowl was immediately replaced by a shocked expression as he watched his father coming down the stairs with a beautiful woman in his arms. No, beautiful was too tame a word. She was drop dead gorgeous, sultry and dripping with sexual undertones.

"Good god... Amber looks like Jessica Rabbit," said Alaron, trying not to gape.

Draven gave an inward groan. He had no idea who this Jessica Rabbit was but there was no way in hell that he was going to let his mate walk around looking like that. He gave a low growl deep in his throat, sounding like a prowling lion approaching its dinner.

He was halfway across the ballroom when someone cut in front of his path. He was about to throw his guest a murderous look when he felt a clap on his back.

"Ah, young Draven! I heard that you will be taking a seat on the board of Elders tomorrow!"

"Léon," he acknowledged in surprise. Did he say tomorrow? And what was this Noble doing here? Surely his father had meant it for a Pureblood class only? Trying to sound as casual as he could he asked, "So, are you here on official Council duties or as my guest?" Draven tried to make it sound like a joke and was grateful that it worked.

Léon was laughing and said, "Both."

Draven tried to hide his displeasure at this news. Why would the Council be called in on a social event unless...

His eyes darted around the room, picking out the few Enforcers amongst the crowd. Why that old, evil fart...

It took Léon clearing his throat to snap him out of his mental cursing.

"Draven, I'd like you to meet my wife, Pamela and my daughters, Calliope and Clio," he introduced, beaming happily. Draven forced a smile on his face as he bowed his head slightly at the introduction.

"You named your daughters after the muses; how apt," he commented politely. "They must be very intelligent."

He vaguely heard what Léon was saying; nodding here and there, making appropriate comments along the way. However, his eyes were always glancing to wherever Amber and his Father were standing in the ballroom.

"Who is that delightful creature standing beside your father?" asked Léon, catching the line of Draven's gaze.

"She's a guest," he replied between gritted teeth but before he could make an excuse to leave, Léon had thrust one of his daughters closer to Draven.

"The opening dance," he simply mouthed and stepped backwards into the shadows. Draven's mouth was slightly gaping. He had forgotten all about the dance! Looking down, he saw Calliope or was it Clio staring expectantly at him.

Damn! He was cursing in his head but smiling sweetly to the young Vampire who had just curtsied in front of him. She was young; probably just under a hundred years old but like all Vampires, never looked older than thirty. Draven knew that this was just a courtesy dance. She wasn't a potential because she was of Noble birth and somehow that thought made him relax slightly.

"Let me, I am without a partner," interrupted Alaron, taking the young Vampire away from Draven. Go on. Go to her. I know you want to.

Draven gave a silent prayer of thanks for his brother and hurried away towards Amber and his father. The orchestra had started playing...

"Good evening Father," he greeted, the moment he reached the both of them. Without even waiting for his father's reply, he took Amber's hand gently away and led her to the centre of the ballroom.

The serenade for the opening waltz was beginning and the floor was soon filled with other couples. Draven held her right hand tenderly and placed his own right palm appropriately beneath her shoulder blade. He could feel the softness of her skin but chose to ignore it, just as he was trying to ignore his desire to look down unto her valley of voluptuousness. His mental health was already suffering from it.

"Draven?" she whispered. "You've got to start moving."

"Oh," he responded stupidly and fell into step with the others, twirling her with the grace of a seasoned dancer. She was smiling at him and Draven couldn't help but recall the one and only time she had forced him to dance with her during Fiona and Eian's wedding. In fact, she had called him an ice cube stuck on his seat. But he was no ice cube right now. His body was responding to her sensuous curves like an animal in heat.

"You look exceptionally breathtaking," he murmured, looking into her eyes.

"Thank you," she replied carefully, letting him twirl her once before slipping back into their hold on each other.

"Everyone's looking at you," he whispered, watching the way her eyelashes fluttered. "And everyone knows that I want to tear your dress off your body and take you right now."

She had the nerve to blush and Draven couldn't help but smile. On another occasion, she wouldn't think twice about walking about fully naked. It was a Were thing.

He was sorry when the music faded and they had to stop dancing. He had caught his father's eyes and read his mind telling him to take another dance partner. The longer he dragged the selection, the longer the night will be.

With a sigh, he released Amber's hands and watched her step away towards his father. Apparently she found some comfort in his presence and Draven was thankful for that. She was the only Werewolf in a nest of Vampires.

***

"Doesn't he look miserable?" Aramis commented as he watched his eldest son move across the dance floor with one female Vampire after another.

"Oh yes, he does," said Amber dryly. "I'd wish he'd hurry up and make up his mind. I don't quite like the way everyone is looking at me..."

"Well, they're looking at you because you're very beautiful and also a very unusual guest."

"Unusual?" she asked with a frown. She'd think Aramis's guest were the unusual ones. She'd been ask to dance by at least a dozen men in the room and everyone of them kept sniffing her neck like they were about to give her a hickey. Of course she didn't think they'd be that daring on the dance floor but some of them had been unbelievably rude! Clutching her buttocks and groping down her back! It was then that she decided - no more dancing.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 09



"So, who do you think would make my dear son a good wife?"asked Aramis, jolting her out from her thoughts.

"Shouldn't he be the one to choose for himself?"

"Ah, but he already has," said Aramis with a smile. "You already know that."

Amber raised an eyebrow at his knowing look.

"But you're still pushing forward with the announcement?" she asked wearily.

"I suppose it is inevitable my dear. This ball was arranged for that sole purpose and everyone has been looking forward to this announcement for centuries."

Amber gave him a weak smile. Deep inside her, she kept hearing a strange sound that seemed to resonate with sadness but she couldn't understand why. She knew that Draven loved her and that perhaps in the past she might have loved him back but right now? She didn't know anything about him other than his name and the fact that he's going to get married tonight.

The time period from yesterday when he brought her here to this moment of the equinox was certainly not enough for her to know him... much less fall in love with him.

This arranged marriage was the best for both of them. She'd rather be alone for the rest of her life than be trapped here as his mistress.

"My dear, it seems you are lost in thought," said Aramis softly. Amber raised her eyes to look at him and saw that despite his comment, he seemed lost in his own thoughts too. His eyes were watching the way Draven moved from woman to woman, with the grace and politeness of a gentleman but none of the passion of a man looking for a betrothed.

"It is time," he said after a while. "Come, let us find my two sons and prepare to make the announcements."

After they found Alaron, the three of them walked towards the orchestra where a small podium had been arranged for the announcement to be made. Draven was already standing there, waiting for them.

Amber wanted to scream "No!" with every step she took behind Aramis but restrained herself. She could hear Draven's thoughts becoming clearer and louder the closer she got to him and every single one of them were painful to hear. When they finally reached his side, Amber allowed herself one look at his face and instantly regretted it.

He was smiling but it never reached his eyes for they were void of emotions or recognition; refusing to settle on her; skimming past to prevent a betrayal of his true feelings inside. Amber wanted to say something but she didn't want to shout her concern over the din of music and chatter. When she tried to speak to him in her mind, she found that he had put up some sort of barrier between them.

It hurt that he was trying to distance himself from her but she knew it was necessary. No crying or sudden outbursts of emotions could be tolerated in front of such an upper class audience. The realization humbled her and made her desperate to leave. She may be dressed in fine material and expensive jewels but none of them were hers; she didn't belong here and most important of all, it made her feel like a cheap imitation of the woman Draven needed but did not want.

She knew what needed to be done. Once Aramis has announced the betrothed's name, she will make arrangements to leave. She will not stay here a second longer and drive them both towards their insanity.

Aramis must have sensed her distress for he laid a gentle hand at her elbow as a warning for her to stay in place. When she began to relax, he tugged her gently away from his sons.

"Have you chosen someone?" he whispered.

"I don't know how or where to begin..." she admitted.

"Alright then, let's put it this way. If you were to choose one woman in this room that would be suitable say for a friend, who would it be and why?"

Amber bit her lips slightly as she concentrated on the faces around the room. "For a friend you say? Like for yourself perhaps?"

"If it helps you choose," he replied with a shrug.

Amber didn't reply him. She didn't want to be anybody's mistress and Aramis knew that. So she was going to find for Draven a nice woman whom he would hopefully come to love and then she'll ask Aramis for permission to leave.

Her eyes continued to roam around the room, glossing over the faces and bodies of the countless beautiful women until her eyes rested on a tall willowy woman standing alone. She was dressed elegantly in an off shouldered burgundy dress that trailed a little behind her when she walked.

"Is that lady over there married?" asked Amber curiously. "She doesn't look like she wants to be here."

"Your exact sentiments I recall," mused Aramis before he followed her gaze to the woman in question and his smile vanished.

Dame Josephine. His first thought was that it had been so long since he had seen the woman that he couldn't even recognize her at first. Had she come here alone? Or perhaps she had brought her children with her?

"Pardon me for a minute my dear, I'd like to have a word with her. Why don't you ask Alaron to keep you company?" he said suddenly, leaving her to walk towards the woman in question.

***

"Dame Josephine," greeted Aramis in what sounded almost like a whisper. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Ah, Lord Culzean... of course you didn't know because you didn't invite me," she replied sweetly.

"Are you here alone?" he inquired suspiciously.

"I have every right to go wherever I wish --alone or otherwise."

"Of course. I did not mean any disrespect."

"Is that your way of asking me if I'm married?" she asked coldly, stifling a laugh when she saw him narrowing his eyes.

"It is not my place to inquire such details. I was merely wondering if perhaps you came to introduce a daughter... or two to my son."

He watched her eyes ablaze with fire at his reply but her lips smiled sweetly at him.

"I wouldn't think that'd be appropriate now would it Aramis?" she replied with a demure laugh.

"Then why are you here Josephine?"

There was a long pause before her eyes fluttered to meet his.

"To see my only child choose his bride of course."

Cold eyes tried to outstare the other.

"He is not your child," replied Aramis through clenched teeth. "If you remember, you turned him over to my custody five hundred years ago."

She waved her hand nonchalantly as though she didn't recall that fact. Turning lazily to look at him, she replied, "I don't think it was called 'custody' in that era was it? As I recall, it was, 'I, Josephine Blythe Draefend hereby grant Lord Culzean the purchase of this property for which I honourably, peacefully and freely render'."

He was still glaring at her when she gave a smiled, "Stop baring your decrepit old teeth at me."

When he said nothing, she continued, "We should discuss about our son's situation with that delicious little werewolf he kept eyeing the whole night."

"That is no longer any of your business Josephine. I'll have an escort for you to leave."

Her smile faltered slightly; almost barely. Flicking a stray tendril from her face, she turned away sharply from him and walked towards the exit. Aramis was almost relieved when he saw her leaving until he realized that she might actually be going towards Draven. Growling, he stormed the room to find his son. There was no way he was letting Draven meet that cold hearted, vicious woman... so he'd better get to him before she does.

***

In the meantime, Amber found herself suddenly abandoned when Aramis left her side,. The realization annoyed her for she could see a few men coming towards her, possibly wanting to have a dance. Shuddering slightly, Amber realized that this was probably the best time to make her escape. She already told Aramis her choice and she didn't want to be here a second longer...

She inched closer towards one of the patio doors, hoping that it would lead her straight outside. But before she could exit, she sensed someone coming towards her.

"Dance with me," she heard him say and then felt a hand wound around her waist. She was about to snap at the man when he twirled her forward and she came face to face with her partner.

"Draven..."

He had pulled her away from the main ballroom to an adjacent balcony, giving them privacy for the first time that night but Amber knew these were just stolen moments before the grand announcement. She had chosen someone for him... he was no longer hers.

"I want to leave now," he whispered desperately.

"You can't do that... this ball is for you," she whispered back.

"I can't stand the thoughts that are flying around in the room."

"What thoughts?"

"I can hear those bastards wanting to rip off... whatever's left of this skimpy thing you're wearing."

"Oh!"

She could hear him growl almost possessively and it made her smile. Jealous?

Never

Amber suddenly stopped mid step and stared at Draven. Didn't they have this conversation before? Flashes of white walls and antiseptic smells came flooding her mind. Draven was telling her to put on his shirt... but why? God... her head was spinning.   It doesn't matter, she told herself. She had chosen someone for him; relinquishing whatever hold she had over him.

"Amber?" his voice was full of worry and concern as he led her away towards one of the chairs. "Do you want to lie down for a while?"

Not the hospital bed...

Draven stiffened at her response. Was she remembering things?

"Is... your memory coming back?" he dared himself to ask, not wanting to sound too hopeful.

Amber smiled weakly at him. "Maybe. Just flashes now and then." But not enough to make her remember what they were before.

"Tell me what you saw." It wasn't a command but a gentle request. He leaned her body against his, waiting for her answer.

"We were in a hospital... and you asked me to put on your shirt. Why?"

Draven fingered her hair between his fingers and smiled, "Because you were naked and nobody else can look at you that way except me."

The possessiveness in his words sent an unexplained whimper deep within her. "Why was I naked?"

He considered telling her that she had just shifted back into human form but he wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Just remembering the hospital had staggered her.

"What do you think happens between a naked man and a naked woman alone on a bed?" he asked instead.

She blushed; the heat flushing against her milky skin. Draven swore he would have taken her against the railing of the balcony right that moment if they had been alone.

"You're... thinking dirty thoughts," she accused with such an innocent voice that Draven almost choked back on his laughter.

Rubbing his knuckles against her cheek, he teased, "Want to know how dirty?" Like maybe I'll tear off that little thong you're wearing under that dress, wrap those legs around me and pound into you so hard against that railing over there.

This time she turned a shade of red close to that of her dress and tried to push him away but his arms around her were too strong. Grinning, he dropped his hand for the first time that night to touch her plump ass and froze.

"Why... are you not wearing anything?" he wasn't grinning anymore.

Amber was too stunned from his touch that she didn't respond at first. Then narrowing her eyes, she tried to be brave; remembering that this man was not hers to have... so she said, "This is my body. I can do what I want with it."

He gave out a growl that would make a wolf proud. "No, this is my body."

Something snapped inside Amber. She thrilled at the idea of being claimed...

"Why didn't you ask me to wear my own clothes?" she asked suddenly.

Too distracted this time with lust, he blurted out, "Because you just shifted back from wolf."

Her eyes widen at his admission. Wolf?

Amber closed her eyes and caught a pair of blue eyes flashing in front of her --they looked like hers but she knew they were not. She had seen those eyes before hadn't she? Her mind started to push for more answers, desperately trying to chase after that image but nothing. The effort was starting to give her headaches.

"Amber sweetheart? Oh god...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to shock your mind like that," exclaimed Draven in panic. Holding her close, he turned his head towards the ballroom and made a mental plea for his brother.

Within the minute, Alaron was coming towards them.

"Hey, what's up bro?" he said jovially but stopped the moment he saw Amber. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Yes. I'm taking her upstairs. Just... keep an eye out on things here for me okay? Let Father know where I am if he asks."

"Of cou..." but he was immediately cut off for their father had found them and was currently gripping Draven by the wrist.

"Podium, now," was all he said.

The moment Draven lost his grip over Amber; Alaron quickly took her hands to steady her.

"Will you be alright?" he asked in alarm.

Her smile was faltering, but he could tell she was trying her best to walk.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said weakly. "We better go... your father wants to make the announcement because I've chosen a wife for Draven..."

Alaron was appalled at her words. Did she just say she chose a wife for her own mate? How sick was that? He wanted to desperately argue with her but one look at her face caused him to change his mind. She didn't look like she could even hold herself together for the next five minutes.

Bracing her against him, he guided her to the podium and was about to lead her towards Draven when she shook her head.

"Stand with me on your father's side. Just slightly behind his spotlight." Alaron rolled his eyes but did as she instructed. He argued with the women in his life on principle but not when they were not at their hundred percent.

With his back facing them, Aramis appeared not to have noticed the two standing behind him but suddenly he turned around; gave both of them a once over and frowned.

"Brace her slightly with your hand on her back," he said in whisper only meant for Alaron's ears. Then turning to Amber, he smiled. "We'll be done soon. Be strong."

Amber barely had the strength to nod for her heart was thudding so loudly in her head that she could feel the pressure at the back of her eyes. She barely registered when Aramis's started making his announcement.

"It seems the time has come for me to make a toast." The orchestra had already stopped playing and Aramis's voice seemed to echo across the room, causing everyone to pause and pay him attention.

A few waiters began filing through the crowd, passing out blood-filled wine glasses.

"To my eldest son, heir to the title and my replacement on the Council," he toasted, raising his own glass up high. Everyone did the same but murmurs of excitement scattered across the room. "It seemed not too long ago that we saw the union of my own beloved granddaughter and today I am happy announce another joyous union."

Aramis turned slightly to beam at Draven but his son did not smile back but instead looked down on the floor.

I wish it didn't have to be this way...

Even though she was weak, Amber managed a quick glance at Draven's face.

"Promise me you'll be happy," she whispered, aware that Aramis was holding her elbow as though trying to steady her. She heard him saying something into the microphone but everything was slowly turning black...

"To the future Lord and Lady Culzean," announced Aramis, one hand still firm on Amber's elbow as the other reached out for Draven's hand.

Unfortunately Draven was looking up with confusion. "Father?" he whispered, looking around for the Pureblood that his father had chosen.

Take her hand before I change my mind

Confusion was still apparent on his face but Draven turned to reach out for the only hand he wanted to hold at the moment but the sight of her body slumped against Alaron's caused panic bells to ring in his ears. He quickly moved towards Amber and clutched her close.

Murmurs erupted everywhere but then slowly the guests started clapping. Draven tried to block them out but there were just too many thoughts running amok in the room.

Some were shocked, some were appalled... a few of the female Vampires were cursing in their heads and the males... well; their thoughts of 'heating things up' with Amber were thrown out the window.

"Father..." his eyes looked fearfully towards Aramis. "Something's wrong..."



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 10



NB: Credit goes to wildheartedangel, my editor for helping me weed the kinks out. It must be tiring to edit two chapters straight but she did it so I hope it will be a pleasant read for all.

This series is coming to an end soon so most of the things have been resolved here and the rest will be dealt with in the next chapter or two. =) Happy reading!

***

"Take her upstairs," said Aramis; in a tone that was firm yet gentle enough to let Draven know that he cared.

The moment Draven left, Aramis turned to Alaron and spoke in a serious tone, "I'm leaving the hosting of the event in your hands for awhile. Don't let me down."

When he moved, his stride was purposeful and his eyes focused, as though hunting- which was precisely what he was doing of course. He had caught the brief whiff of her scent brushing pass during the announcement and knew that she was up to something.

Josephine was more trouble than anything and he had to get to her before she got to Draven...

He had no idea why she had come tonight and more importantly, how she came to know about the event. He had explicitly avoided sending the invitation to her whole family and was sure that none of the other families told them. Everyone was aware that the Culzeans and the Draefends had fallen out of each other's favour the night Josephine left the castle.

"That woman tests my patience," he cursed as he found himself trailing after her scent. Even though he was annoyed, he couldn't deny the tiny flickers of heat gnawing at him, at the memory of her scent. He never loved her --or so he told himself --but she was his first... and no one forgets their first.

He followed her scent along the secret corridors that only the family members knew of and knew that he needed to move faster...

A flash of chestnut hair caught his eye.

"Josephine!" he called out and was relieved when she stopped.

The second her eyes turned to face him, all he saw were two silver orbs staring at him. Aramis felt his body stilling. He recognized that look.

"What are you seeing?" he asked, suddenly concerned. The only time he had seen her eyes that way was when... she left him.

"They're coming..." she whispered; her voice breathless. "The wolves..."

***

Draven laid Amber gently on his bed since he had no idea where his father kept her previously. If it was the dungeon, there was no way he's letting her sleep there. Truthfully, he was still in shock that his father had conceded so readily. It made him slightly wary about his father's true intention. It must have been something he missed because Aramis Culzean never made any uncalculated move.

He wanted to turn back and question his father for a satisfactory answer but the woman beside him was his first priority. Her eyes were closed and he could tell that she was exhausted physically and mentally. When he tried to enter her mind, it was nearly impossible to penetrate for she had put up some sort of shield against him.

That knowledge alarmed him. Weres' minds were generally impenetrable and the only reason why he could read Amber's mind was because of the special bond conferred between mates. But if she was putting up barriers against him, does that mean that their bond had weakened? Or worse... broken?

Dread and panic washed over him as he desperately stroked her hand, hoping to rekindle some memory of them being together.

"Little wolf... I know you can hear me... please, please don't leave me," he pleaded, resting his head on her abdomen. "I finally have you... I can't lose you now. Please... don't cut me off like this."

Nothing.

Shaking off his suit jacket, he undid his bowtie and the top three buttons of his shirt, before slipping under the covers, fully clothed.

Amber was still dressed and he could smell the perfume on her skin, the make up on her face and the wax in her hair but he didn't care. He curled behind her, spooning her body and pressed his face to the top of her head.

I love you Amber... my little wolf. Don't leave me...

A small tear slid out of his eye as he held her close, hoping that his mental plea would reach his beloved's subconscious.

***

Amber...

Amber? That's her name... right? Then someone was calling out to her but whoever it was seemed so far away...

Amber found herself walking towards the source but she wasn't really sure where she was. It was really dark and beneath her feet was more darkness- as if she was floating instead of walking.

You are too valuable to the pack for me to let you go rogue.

"Who said that?" she asked suddenly, looking around her in panic. The voice sounded so familiar and she felt such a strong connection to that voice but who was he?

Amber... this pack needs you. Please don't think of death so readily

Again that voice.

"Pack? Wait... am I dying?" she called out to the darkness but there was no answer. Amber was confused and scared; desperate to get out of all this darkness.

She continued walking, thinking about that last voice. Who needed her? And what is this pack? Like... wolves? Yes, isn't that what Draven had said?

At the far plane of the darkness, she saw something... or was it someone watching her?

"Are you here to help me?" she whispered but somehow the sound seemed magnified, almost echoing within the darkness. Moving closer, she managed to make out her companion's features...

"A wolf..." she whispered. "Like a pack..."

Kneeling down, she beckoned the golden brown wolf closer to her. She had no fear for the animal, somehow knowing that it was a friend...

The feel of the animal's fur felt so real against her skin that looked so pale in the eternal darkness. It was as if, the two of them were the only ones present in the void, glowing in an attempt to shine light upon themselves.

"Am I... here to die little wolf?" she dared herself to ask although she instinctively knew the answer. The wolf nodded.

"I see... are you dying too?" It nodded solemnly.

Can you live with the pain of loving your mate from afar?

The wolf wasn't talking... but that voice sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? Unlike the previous two, this was spoken by a female...

"Our mate?" she asked the wolf and saw it nod once more. She wasn't sure she understood what it meant but she could tell something was wrong. "Is he dying too?" The wolf shook its head. "Oh..."

Amber tried to think who this mate was and why she was dying... was it from the pain of loving him from afar? She didn't think that was possible... was it?

Ruffling the wolf's fur, she whispered, "I don't want to die little wolf... who is this mate? Did he hurt us?"

She thought she heard the wolf whimper in her arms and the next thing she knew, she was thrust into one vision after another:

White walls, white sheets. Antiseptic scents. Sterile and cold.

Wild heat. Hard muscle against soft skin...

"I will never be your mate... because you won't even remember meeting me..."

She could feel his hand around her neck, so warm... and yet as brutal as the sound of his fangs at her neck...

His fangs?

If after you've mated with me and you still believe you're not my mate, then I'll let you kill me.

She recognized her own words and this time, realization and comprehension finally kicked in...

"I'm dying... because you do not want to be my mate..." she whispered to herself. "I am nobody's mistress... Draven."

Being unwanted by a mate was like dying a slow and painful death; every strand of their bonds breaking off one at a time. When two minds and hearts accepted the mating bond, it was as though they become one and to separate that, well, it's like severing your own limbs without anesthesia.

In the real world, a tear managed to escape from her eyes even as her fragments of her memories fueled her towards her own agonizing end.

"Help me... please..." she whispered in her sleep.

***

Many miles away, Eian jerked up from his bed.

"What's wrong Eian?" asked Fiona sleepily, pressing a hand over her husband's chest.

"Amber just called out to me. She's in distress," he replied. "She should have no awareness of being a Were... so she must be in dire straits for her to subconsciously call on her Alpha."

"Where is she?" asked Fiona, sitting up fully alert.

"I... I can't tell. The signal's weak... it's like she's already dying. I have to go Sweetheart."

"I'm coming with you," she said stubbornly, getting up on her feet. Instantaneously, his hand came around her waist and he pinned her down gently.

"No. You must stay at home," his voice came out almost in a snarl. He couldn't help it for his wolf had become exceedingly possessive and paranoid ever since he found out about her pregnancy.

"I'm fine Eian. I am a pack member too. I want to help," she said defiantly.

"Sweetheart, I know you do... but you're pregnant and I get irrational and protective when it comes to you so could you just humour me, please?" Eian tried to smile, hoping to charm his wife.

She narrowed her eyes slightly at him then gave a sigh, "Alright... just this once. But just so you know, I can run much faster than you or your wolves."

He snarled at her. "Not in your condition you won't. No running, no heavy duty, no... nothing. You're confined to the bed as of right now Mrs. Keiran MacFarlane... and no arguments."

With that, he pressed a kiss to her lips and left the room.

As he pulled on a pair of jeans, he sent a distress call to all his Beta wolves. It may be two in the morning but he knew they would never question or deny his orders.

Grabbing a clean t-shirt from the pile of folded laundry, he started towards the door and began thinking of all the possible locations to begin searching for her. Amber was their healer and also the only female Beta. He needed her for the stability of the pack and was regretting his decision to have her housed so far from the pack's safety. He had thought it was best to keep her far away so her memories wouldn't be triggered so easily... but perhaps he was wrong. Whatever it is, his pack wolf needed him and he wouldn't let her down.

By the time he got to his front door, three of his Betas were already there: Mike had already pulled up his SUV; a feat within record time. Eric and Stephan were also there, stifling their yawns. It was only after he locked the front door that he saw Dominic jogging towards them. He couldn't blame his Beta; Dominic's house was the furthest away from his own home.

"Alpha," said Dominic in a serious tone that was unlike his usual cheeky self. "Is it Fiona?"

"No, she's fine. It's Amber. Dominic, here are the keys to my SUV. I'll brief you along the way," he ordered, throwing his keys towards Dominic. Turning to the other three, he began his briefing.

"I received a distress link from Amber just a few minutes ago. I'm very sure it's her subconscious calling out to me because she's in dire need. So we're going to split into two teams. Dominic will come with me." The three men nodded.

"My last intel from the younglings was on Friday and she was still in school then."

"But it's Sunday now. Anything could have happened," Mike pointed out and Eian nodded.

"They did say that she didn't turn up for her last class but said that she must have gotten lost. But on hindsight, I should have asked them to check on her. So, I want the three of you to head down to the University and scent her out. Follow her trail from there. Dominic and I will head to where her mate is. He might know where she is." If she's not already with him.

"Yes Alpha. I'll report our status every hour," said Mike, moving to his SUV to start the search.

His vehicle left just as Dominic rolled Eian's own SUV out of the garage.

"Where to?" was his first question when Eian got into the passenger seat.

"Culzean castle. It's the last place that Draven was said to be at. I'm calling him to check."

The dial tone kept going forever.

"He's not picking up," said Eian dryly even as he punched in another number. "Come on Alaron... pick up."

Nothing.

"So are we still heading North?" asked Dominic.

"Yes. Better be safe than sorry," replied Eian.

***

Meanwhile, Aramis found himself leaning Josephine against a pillar along the corridor; simply waiting for her to return to her normal state. He really didn't want to play babysitter right now but she had gone mum after her few warning words earlier and Aramis needed to know how much time he had before Keiran came barging into his castle.

That might be ugly.

He had to evacuate the guests soon and then get to the she-wolf. If Keiran was coming, having her in a coma-like state was bound to get him in trouble. Family or not, Keiran would not think twice about annexing his father's title and position within the peerage system should he consider Aramis an untrustworthy ally. Not only that, he had nine generations of wolf packs loyal to him throughout the region. Their sheer numbers alone could outlast the few Enforcers within the Council.

Vampires may be stronger and faster but not all of them had abilities that could prove advantageous against the wolves. What good was mind reading for example when wolves have impenetrable mental shields? And most importantly, not all of them were Purebloods who could heal fast enough in battles without the need to replenish blood continuously.

"Josephine, you've got to wake up soon or I'm leaving you here," he said, giving her shoulder a shake but she was like dead to the world.

Folding his arms impatiently, he stepped away and leaned against another pillar and just stared at her. Had it truly been five centuries?

She never looked a day older than the four and twenty that she was when he first met her but he had seen her eyes; they echoed of a much older woman's wisdom and sadness.

The sadness in them clawed annoyingly at the back of his mind but he chose to ignore it for now. Moving forward, he knelt down and gave her another shake.

This time, she responded.

"Yes, yes, stop your caterwauling," she complained even as her eyes blinked back to normal before widening in surprise at how close his face was to hers. Her lashes fluttered slightly but she forced herself to turn away. There was no need for this right now.

Aramis seemed to have come to the same conclusion for he suddenly backed away and thrust a dispassionate question at her.

"How much time do we have? Are they already on the way?"

She looked up at him, masking her erratic heartbeat with an irritated look on her face. "You know fairly well time collapses when you're looking forward or back. All I can tell you is that it is dark; probably night or early morning. Possibly even now."

"How many of them?" he demanded, pretending he couldn't hear how fast her heart was beating... for him.

"Five. But one of them is the Alpha. It's in his eyes."

Aramis locked his gaze with hers for the briefest moment before breaking away. "Stay here. I need to let the guests out," he informed her and on hindsight, added, "If I don't find you here when I return, I'll hunt you down Josephine... to every nook and cranny of this goddamn country."

Then he disappeared into the shadows.

"How romantic," jeered Josephine as she got up to brush the dust off her dress. This was exactly the state he left her after she told him about her vision the last time. It was obvious that he didn't trust her any more than she trusted him. That's why she kept certain things to herself- like seeing her son in pain.

She needed to get to her baby and his mate.

Moving along the dark corridors, she followed her instinct and sense of smell alone to navigate her way to Draven's quarters. As expected, there were guards stationed outside his doors.

Blending into the shadows, she slipped into one of the secret passageways that the domestics used. She remembered it well because it was through there that she escaped from the castle.

The stuffy passageway was littered with cobwebs by now; a sign that it hasn't been used in years.

"The servants probably don't need to carry hot water to the bath anymore. They have plumbing now," she told herself. "Just as well. I don't need them mouthing off to Aramis about anything."

She continued walking until she reached the bathroom.

It still looked the same, she realized... and for a moment, her eyes went totally silver once more.

She was in the bathtub, soaking and cuddling baby Draven; giggling as he kicked and splashed around. Oh, she'd never let any of the maids wash him for it was her special bonding time with her baby.

Josephine blinked and this time she saw only herself in the tub but she felt warm, strong hands caressing her neck down to her...

No! She wouldn't let her visions continue. Josephine clenched her eyes shut, disrupting the memories from materializing and willed herself only to think of her son. Her son.

As her eyes slowly returned to it's usual brown hue, Josephine forced herself to take deep breaths to calm down. The only reason why she came here was for Draven and there was no way she was going to let that old bat creep into her mind.

She missed her son so much and it was all his fault that she wasn't allowed near the child. Of course, she had kept up with any news regarding his development- gasping in fear when he went out for war, clapping in delight when he got his first job in the Council... and crying with pride when she found out he expressed the ability to read and erase minds. There was only a fifty-fifty chance that he would inherit the gene from her and she was glad he did, for it was evidence that she played a part in his life once.

And now once more.

She came because she had a vision of him crying. Her baby never cried, ever. Though she promised she wouldn't interfere in his life, as per Aramis's request, she couldn't bear to see that vision over and over again.

Opening the bathroom door quietly, she tiptoed into the bedroom and was relieved to find him there, snuggled with the wolf. A smile crept at the corners of her mouth.

"Take that you old bat," she murmured to herself. He may have agreed to let them marry but she was betting that it was driving Aramis insane that his Pureblood son would want to mate with this wolf. It was against his supremacist policy.   Moving closer towards the bed, Josephine was glad that the children were decent --fully dressed actually --and reached out her hand to shake Draven to wake up.

But before her hand could touch his shoulder, she felt her wrist being grabbed suddenly and viciously. The strength of it almost broke her bones but she didn't flinch.

"Very good instincts," she commented, as though his hold on her was nothing more than a gentle caress.

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" he growled; eyes shining dangerously in the dark even as his fangs elongated threateningly.

Josephine tried not to recoil at his question. Perhaps it was dark and he couldn't see her features distinctively... but she knew she was deluding herself. There were no paintings or portraits of her anywhere around the house and odds are, her little baby never got to see his mother's face.

"What?" there was an edge to his voice as his eyes widened in shock. Then it was gone, replaced by suspicion. "Are you here to kill me, mother?"

Josephine was smiling even though her son was looking at her murderously. She had forgotten that he could read minds!

"You've been crying. Is it because of her?" she asked softly, settling herself at the edge of the bed.

"That's none of your business," he growled, holding Amber closer to him, as though afraid that his mother would harm her. He had no idea how she knew about him crying but there was no way he'd let her wheedle her way into his life. His father had told him she was merciless and five hundred years of absence proved it.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 10



"This isn't the best time to argue with me about what is or is not my business. The wolves are coming. I don't know why but I'm guessing they want their kin back. Your father's dispersing the guests as we speak and I know for a fact that he's going to come up here and grab the girl in exchange for some sort of truce."

Draven didn't say anything but stared at her determinedly.

"Read my mind for all you want. You know it's true," she said gently, daring herself to pat his arm. "And next time baby boy... don't kidnap wolves."

"But why are you here? I don't care anymore for anything. I just want to stay here with her..."

Josephine's eyes flicked towards Amber. "She's not well."

Draven felt the last bit of resistance break. He needed to talk to someone so bad that even his estranged mother doesn't look like a bad option at the moment.

"She's blocking me out, refusing me as her mate. I... I just don't know what to do."

"You can read her?" asked Josephine in confused amazement.

"I can't anymore."

Josephine wanted to know more but time was really running out.

"We have to leave now my baby... her presence here is a danger to both of you."

Draven didn't move but held Amber tighter.

"I won't let anyone take her away again," he protested but his eyes flicked ever so often towards the door, as though expecting someone to barge in.

Josephine pursed her lips then suddenly went still.

Flashes of wheels against tar; wolves sniffing out a scent... trailing it out from a small room, down a corridor...

"Mother?" His tone was not one of questioning but of curiosity and amazement. Until Fiona, no one in his family had displayed any ability. Logic informed him that he got his from his birth mother but it was fascinating to actually see what her ability was first hand.

The silver glow in her eyes started to wane and when she blinked, her eyes returned to normal.

"The wolves... they were in this small room along a corridor filled with other such small rooms. They're tracking her down..."

"They're at the university then," replied Draven, clearly impressed. Forgetting his disdain for the woman in front of him, he turned slightly to take a closer look at her. "You can see the future?"

Josephine smiled, "This is really not the time for chit chat baby boy. Do you want to leave or not?"

He gave her a considering look; torn between trusting her and refusing her help. "Only if you promise to teach me what you can do," he said after a long while.

A warm sad smile filled the corners of her lips. "I will my baby... I know it took you decades to perfect your own ability. It shouldn't have taken you that long if I was around," she said sadly. "Come, we must leave now. Carry her."

Draven carefully lifted Amber in his arms and followed his mother into a secret chamber behind his bathroom wall. He hadn't even known that secret corridor existed until now.

"The servants used to use this path to carry hot water here. I know... because this used to be my bathroom," she said as though picking up his thoughts.

The knowledge that his quarters used to be hers surprised him but it did nothing to mask the excitement in his voice when he asked, "You can read minds too?"

"I can't baby boy. It's just that you were sucking in your breath in shock so I'm just explaining."

"I can read both human and vampire minds at will. I can also access their memories and erase them accordingly," there was pride in his voice.

Josephine simply smiled. She may not know her son that well but she was sure that he was trying to impress her; the same way children love to show their mothers' their work of art, no matter how hideous they may be.

"I know," she replied. "And I am very proud of you."

"You kept up with my progress?" he asked in surprise.

"Of course I did."

"Then... why did you wait only until now to see me?" His voice croaked somewhat with hurt, disappointment and anger.

She didn't want to answer him. Not now and definitely not when she's trying to help him escape and betray his own father- the same thing she had done many centuries ago.

"We'll talk later. This path leads to the servants' kitchen. It's the last place Aramis will look for us. From the kitchen, there is a trap door that goes to the chambers below the castle. Do you know what's beneath there right now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it used to be a wine cellar and the dungeons when I was here. I'm not sure what it is now."

"I think the vehicles are there. I'm not sure... I don't usually park them," he replied guiltily. It was true of course. There was always someone who'd take the keys from him once he alighted. How'd he know where they parked?

"It's alright my baby. I have an idea. Can you reach out to your brother?"

Draven winced at constantly being called a baby. He wanted to argue but instead turned a suspicious eye at her. "Why?"

"Ask him to meet us at the end of the driveway behind the kitchen cellar. Tell him to get a vehicle out for us."

"How'd you know he'll help."

"Oh he's already helping my dear. He's searching for you both as we speak."

Draven didn't want to question his mother at the moment and tried his best to reach out and locate Alaron's mind. It was almost impossible to concentrate for they were on the run and Alaron wasn't anywhere near him... but he tried his best.

Alaron!

Nothing. Draven tried again.

Please hear me...

Draven! Just where the hell are you? Father's dismissing the guests frantically but the Enforcers are still here, as though they're preparing for some sort of confrontation.

I'll explain later. Just get a car to the end of the driveway behind the kitchen area. I'll meet you in ten minutes. Hurry!

"Done," he announced, just as they exited the dark passageway into the lighted kitchen.

"Madame! Young Lord!" shrieked one of the maids.

"It's alright my dear. We just need a safe passage out of here," said Josephine, putting a finger on her lip.

Give me the girl Draven and erase the maid's memory of seeing us. It's for her own safety. I don't want your father torturing her for answers.

He hesitated slightly.

"I'm just going to hold her," she assured him, opening out her hands to take Amber from his grip.

The moment Draven's hands were free, he placed a palm at each side of the maid's cheek and erased her memory of seeing them.

"I'm really sorry," he whispered as he leaned her weakened body against one of the cabinets and hurried off behind his mother.

She was already walking towards the end of the kitchen where a small glass door separated them from the outside.

"I think he's here," she informed him. "We'd better hurry. Your father's in your room now."

"That's fast," he replied, taking Amber back into his own arms.

As soon as they stepped out into the cool early morning darkness, Draven saw Alaron sitting in a car behind one of the trees.

"A coupe Alaron?" he said with a frown as he opened the car door.

"I wasn't expecting three of you!" he protested but moved the front seat slightly to make room for the two women at the back. "It should fit the both of them. Now hurry up and get in."

Alaron didn't even bother to ask for a destination for he was already pressing the accelerator. There were other cars slowly exiting the castle grounds and if they were lucky, they'd be hardly missed among the crowd.

Draven dared a peek at the side mirror to see if anyone was following them and was relieved when he saw none.

Alaron wasn't saying anything to any of them at the moment. His mind was confused but worried at the same time. He had seen Amber's pale face and scented her lukewarm blood. It was a sign that she was extremely ill. His eyes flicked to the rear view mirror and caught the silver eyes of their other companion. The stranger worried him.

"I'm your brother's mother," she said serenely when she caught his eye.

A heartbeat passed.

"I apologize for meeting under such circumstances," said Alaron politely even as he expertly swerved into a sharp turn. "How may I address you?"

Draven suddenly stilled beside him then turned to look at her. "I'm sorry... it escaped my notice to ask for your name too," he said guiltily.

Josephine let out a small laugh then beamed at the two men in the front seat.

"My name is Josephine Draefend. My family came from Lusitania or what is now Portugal. As for how to address me, you both can call me Mother."

"Oh," gasped Alaron; his hand gripping the wheel tightly. "I already have a mother," he said determinedly and felt Josephine's hand gently resting on his shoulder a while later.

"I'm not asking you to replace her in your heart my dear," she said kindly. "In the meantime, you may call me Dame Josephine." Turning slightly towards Draven she continued, "As for you young man, there are no excuses."

Draven looked like he was on the verge of saying something nasty when Amber suddenly let out a soft whimper.

"She's burning up," said Josephine, holding Amber closer to her. "Alaron dear, is there a hospital nearby where we can bring her? Oh my!" Josephine gave a shriek as the woman lying on her lap began contorting.

"She's shifting," said Draven in alarm. "But something's not right. She shouldn't... look like that."

Alaron dared a peek at the backseat.

"Holy shit. She looks like a half..."

"Shut up Alaron! Eyes on the road," warned Draven even as his eyes inspected Amber's half wolf, half human form.

Alaron didn't reply but stepped on the accelerator; heading to the one person he knew would help them.

***

"You what?!" the outburst came from a half-awake and very annoyed Fiona as she stood at her doorstep to inspect the brood. "Do you two babies have any idea the mess that you're in? Don't even try to answer that Al," she snapped when Alaron tried to open his mouth.

"Don't take it out on him Fiona," said Draven quietly. "It's all my fault for..."

"Damn right it is! You made me do such horrible things to her and you couldn't even last a week apart. God I'm so angry!" her last words bordered on hysteria. The instant she steamed, Draven felt his own hands going to his throat.

"That's enough!"

Fiona blinked so suddenly at the sound of the feminine voice; dropping her mental hold on Draven. She eyed the tall beautiful woman warily for a moment before flicking her eyes to Draven and back again at the stranger.

"Oh!" she gasped in surprise. Draven and Alaron may have inherited Aramis's dark hair and eyes but there was no mistaking the sharp features that only Draven shared with this woman. Politeness outweighed her curiosity for she gave a small bow to acknowledge the elder.

"I hope you're not angry at me for being angry at him," she said guiltily watching the way the woman's eyes seemed to glitter in amusement.

"Oh please. I'd have done that myself if his sister hadn't already done it for me," she chuckled.

"Niece," corrected Fiona. The woman smiled.

"I extended the right for Alaron to call me Mother and I'm doing the same for you," she said with a smile. "Now, enough with the formality. There is a patient that needs to be tended to."

Fiona watched in amazement as the woman ordered the two men around. Despite the situation, she was very organized and handled it with as much grace and kindness as she could muster. Within fifteen minutes, she had Draven lay Amber in Fiona's old room, made Alaron search the cupboards for more blankets and ordered Fiona to prepare a bowl of water with some towels.

"Why is she like that?" asked Fiona in shock the moment she entered her old room. "I mean... I've seen them shift but it's always so quick you don't see the transformation."

No one answered her for they themselves had no answers.

Josephine took the bowl from Fiona and began soaking the cloth in the water. A moment later, she was dabbing Amber's body with the cool towels, hoping to lower her fever.

Fiona simply stood rooted in position, unsure of what to do. Part of her wanted to call for Eian, to tell him that his search was over but the need to stay and keep an eye on Amber was so strong. She supposed it was the bond she had with Amber as her Alpha's mate and thus this overwhelming need for her to protect her pack member from these three...

Well, she was about to say Vampire before realizing that she was also one. In fact, the situation itself was ironic and almost ridiculous. Four Vampires --trying to decide what to do with a wolf that was in midshift mode --that was just mental.

"It's not that Fiona," said Draven softly, having read her thoughts. "Everything was so chaotic and I just needed more time to help her. God knows how much time I'll lose if I have to stay and explain to Eian and Father everything from the start. She'll die by then."

"I'd better tell him she's safe now," she announced and was about to leave the room when Josephine called out to her.

"Give us some time before calling him," she said. "I'm sure a little jostling around with the wolves will do your old man some good. But I want all of you in this room right now."

When Fiona gave her a wary look, Josephine merely smiled and pointed out, "You need to talk. There's a white elephant sitting annoyingly between all of you. So... get it out."

Fiona had no idea what the elder woman was talking about but there was something in the tone of her voice that just compelled her to remain where she was. Before she could say anything, Draven spoke first.

"Fiona...just what did you do to her?" his tone was accusing although he kept his voice calm and level.

"She's not doing anything! She can't keep her powers of suggestion from afar; you know that!" defended Alaron.

"Yes she can and she did it so well that Amber is now breaking. Her mind is collapsing. Take it away please... please Fiona."

Fiona narrowed her eyes at Draven. How dare he accuse her of doing what was necessary for his sake? He should have handled Amber's memories on his own but instead he shoved all the responsibility... and now the blame on her.

"Sweetheart... now's not the time to argue whose fault this is," said Josephine calmly. "Come here and see if you can undo some of the barriers that you've placed on this woman."

Her voice was so calm and controlled yet Fiona sensed a strong power luring her towards the direction of the woman. It was as if she could by-pass one's conscious rationalization process; simply skipping to the 'agreeing' part.

"I'll try... but if it fails, we have to call my husband... he'll know what to do," said Fiona before turning to face everyone. "Would it be okay... if all of you leave us both for a while?"

"Yes of course... boys, outside please," said Josephine, ushering the two men out like a shepherd herding her sheep.

***

When they were alone, Fiona closed her eyes and wept for the woman in front of her. This was her fault. She knew that her powers were still tentative and experimental, yet she had forced those layers of suggestions on Amber.

"Amber... I'm so sorry," she whispered, placing a gentle palm on Amber's head- or what was now a cross between a wolf's head with red hair.

She couldn't see anything of course. She had no ability to read minds and suggesting the reverse to Amber would not remove any of the artificial layers previously in place but simply add new ones on top; effectively burying all of Amber's real subconscious.

"Right... I've got to try another way." Fiona bit her lips as she thought; concentrating on the knowledge she knew of this wolf as well as what she had learned from being in the pack for so long.

She had no idea what she was doing but she took one of Amber's hand/paw and placed it on her tummy.

"Thank god it's just you and me Amber because this looks really silly," she said sheepishly before using Amber's hand to rub gently over her stomach. The wolves used touch often when they're afraid or hurt; almost as though they could harness the other pack member's strength to calm them.

"Guess what?" she said. "I'm pregnant! Can you believe it?"

As expected, there was no response, so she continued.

"And I hope that you'd be there to deliver my baby boy or girl for me. I'd really like that. What do you think?" she paused. The hand/paw that she was holding was looking more like paw than a hand... or was it a trick of her mind?

"Anyway, you're here... in our pack compound... where you're safe. I want you to know you're safe here... so don't hurt yourself like this Amber... because it's hurting everyone... it's hurting our Alpha, it's hurting me... and I think even my baby feels hurt for you."

Fiona watched as more golden brown fur replaced skin, albeit slowly but surely.

"Once, when I thought isolating myself from everyone would save them from me... remember what you said to me? You said that sometimes you can't save everyone but I think you're wrong. You saved me remember? You made me feel stronger and more determined about myself so now it's my turn to save you."

She moved closer to the almost completely transformed wolf and nuzzled her face against the soft fur and murmured, "You have to wake up Amber. There are people who love you and most importantly, there's a very annoyed Vampire outside my door who keeps intruding my thoughts every five seconds to see if you're okay. And you know what the best part is? When you wake up, you can have him grovel a little... okay, maybe a lot and get a chance to kick his ass if you'd like. That's who you are Amber... you don't take shit from anybody."

Fiona paused only to take a deep breath.

"Amber MacFarlane, wake up right now. That's an order."

Fiona released the fully formed paw from her tummy and smiled at the wolf staring at her with its sky blue eyes.

"Welcome home," she said, drawing the wolf into her arms.

Fiona

The sound startled her and Fiona pulled away to stare at Amber. It wasn't words that she was hearing --at least not human words -- but it was a thought transmitted to her; translating itself into words inside her mind.

"Did you just..."

Yes.

"But how?" She certainly didn't speak wolf.

You're also my Alpha. Pack bonds run deeper than blood... haven't I told you this before?

"Ah yes. The hierarchies," she replied with a smile that slowly faltered when she realized that she was talking to the animal half of Amber. "You didn't succumb to my suggestions?"

A low rumble could be heard from the wolf, as though she was laughing.

You forgot that your powers don't work on me.

Fiona was so amazed at what she was learning. Did these Weres really have dual consciousness? Oh, she remembered all right when they were in New York. Amber refused to be in her human form when Fiona was first learning to control her powers. It seemed as though Vampire powers do not affect the wolf in her at all.

"But you could communicate to Draven. How?"

The wolf stared at her for a long while before answering: Because she wanted him.

Fiona raised an eyebrow at the wolf. She was certainly the reason for Amber's stubborn streak. Fiona knew that it was the animal part of the Weres that could scent out their mates, not the human part.

"So... would you like to see your mate now?" she asked in amusement, watching the wolf's eye glow in arrogance. A moment later, she simply curled and hid her face with her long bushy tail.

Fiona couldn't help rolling her eyes now. She knew that look. It was the same look that Eian would give her when he was pretending not to sulk; pretending that he didn't want his mate to come up and stroke his ego... and other things.

Blushing slightly, Fiona got up and slowly walked towards the door; her mind seeking out her own mate's subconscious. Whatever she and Amber shared apparently tired her out and she desperately wanted Eian right now.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 10



Eian my love... please come home soon... I need you.

***

Eian was already at the Culzean castle gates when Fiona's soft voice called out to him. Every muscle on his body froze.

"Eian, what's wrong?"asked Dominic worriedly. They were about to enter enemy territory and their Alpha was hesitating.

"Fiona needs me."

Dominic frowned. "You cannot abandon us Alpha. Your loyalties are to the pack," he reminded.

"My loyalty is first to my mate and then to the pack," corrected Eian, taking out his phone to dial home.

At the first ring, the phone was answered.

"Baby? Are you alright?"

"She'll be fine. You do what needs to be done and come home right away my dear," said a feminine voice on the other line. Eian immediately stiffened.

"Who's this?" he asked gruffly. How dare this stranger enter his home!

At his outburst, the other Betas instantly went on alert; their bodies turning slightly towards the car in preparation to head home at their Alpha's command.

"I am Draven's mother... and by extension also Fiona's kin. She's not in any danger, I promise. Do what you need to do at the castle and come home soon. I implore you Keiran..."

Then she hung up.

Eian's mouth gaped slightly. Did the woman just end the conversation on her own terms? And since when has Eian ever taken an order from a stranger?

"Alpha? Are we changing our plans? Does Fiona need us?" asked Mike.

Eian stood silent for a minute before looking past the castle gates.

"No," he replied. "She only needs me." Then his eyes turned cold and authoritative once more. "Dominic, I'm putting you in charge. This is a cordial visit so no claws... unless necessary."

Dominic already knew what needed to be done. "Yes Alpha."

Eian blended into the darkness as he watched them leave. This wasn't a confrontation with the Vampires... this was merely a social visit.

***

The four Vampires stood at the entrance of the room; their eyes all focused on the golden furred wolf on the bed.

Fiona wanted to leave Draven alone with her but had a feeling that her old room might not survive destruction should they claw at each other and not in the good way. She knew that Draven would never lay a finger on Amber but he wouldn't defend himself either. That didn't seem like a better option either.

"Alaron, Fiona, let's sit in the living room," Josephine's voice broke the silence surrounding them. Fiona hesitated to move.

"Trust me, it's not that easy to kill him."

Fiona wasn't reassured but the gentle hand coming down on her shoulder was slowly pushing her out the door.

"Behave," was all she said before she closed the door behind them.

A sense of dread washed over Fiona. She was sure that World War Three would ensue in five... four... three...

Something... or someone fell on the floor with a thud.

"That was fast," she breathed out, catching Alaron's eye.

"Oh let them be," said Josephine serenely. "I want to have a talk with the both of you."

Fiona found herself sitting beside Alaron a while later; both looking at the beautiful woman smiling from the opposite sofa. It felt like they were two naughty children being called in by the principal.

"There are some things I need to understand. Would you help me?" she asked.

They both nodded wordlessly.

"Fiona my dear, I am curious but who exactly is your Sire? You said you're Draven's niece am I right?"

"Yes, Alaron is my Sire," she replied politely.

Josephine frowned. "But you do not express any abilities am I right my dear?" The question was directed at Alaron.

He looked so forlorn at being asked such a question; shaing his head silently.

"Interesting..." said Josephine after a while. She had assumed Draven inherited the gene for expressing abilities from her because Aramis had never expressed any form of power ever. It was a known fact among the Pureblood families. Yet, Fiona who was sired by Alaron, whose mother was a human, was expressing pure Vampiric powers. How? Unless Aramis had some latent ability... or had powers that he kept hidden from the general populace.

Josephine was intrigued. The fact that the gene could survive a half-human child and then a turned Vampire points to the fact that that it was a dominant gene. She began speculating Aramis's abilities and whether or not Alaron might start expressing any soon.

A loud crash jerked her head up to the second floor. Her face was full of worry and panic but after a while it relaxed. "Let's give them... another two minutes before we check for casualties."

Fiona almost smiled at the woman's words. "You said you had some things to ask? That's just one."

"I was hoping you'd tell me what you've done to my son's mate." The voice was not threatening but it held a calm that could only be characterized as maternal protectiveness.

Fiona lifted her gaze slowly to meet Josephine's.

"I placed suggestions inside her mind to make her forget Draven and their mating bond. It was a preemptive move but Draven was convinced that Grandfather would have Amber terminated the instant he found out about their relationship."

"Suggestions? How?"

Fiona bit her lips, unsure of how to explain and instead turned to Alaron for support. He simply clasps her hand in his and spoke on her behalf.

"In layman's terms she can brainwash someone. Basically, she manipulates the synapses between two neurons in the brain; directing their signals to other neurons."

"I'm guessing that's like disrupting the original thought and implanting another?"

"Yes, the mind stores much information but not all of the pieces are connected to one another at the same time. So when she suggests for someone to choke himself, she's only relying on an existing image in that person's head and link it together."

"So she cuts logic and plants illogical ideas?"

Fiona nodded her head. "You make it sound really bad."

"It is sweetie... especially when you don't know how to reverse it."

"But Amber turned back into a wolf!"

"But her human mind is still running on illogical loops. She may remember certain things but certainly not in a logical manner. Your Father announced them to be married and still her mind thinks her mate is lost to her."

Fiona pouted. Josephine was right.

"So what do you suppose we do now?" asked Alaron.

"We better check on them first. Then I'll let you know," said Josephine quietly.

***

While the three of them were talking downstairs, Draven had been engaged in a staring match with the stubborn wolf on the bed.

Talk to me.

The wolf stared dispassionately at him.

"Talk to me," said Draven sadly, aware that the wolf was shaking its head; a sign that it could only hear his vocalized thoughts. It reaffirmed his earlier hunch that their bond might have been broken...

"You're my mate and you know that little wolf." The second those words left his lips, the wolf pounced on him; throwing Draven off balance and sending both of them crashing onto the floor. Teeth snarling, the wolf dug its' claws deep into Draven's chest but he didn't even bat an eyelid.

"I think blonde suits you better wolf," he said calmly, raising one hand to stroke her golden brown fur. A low sound emanated from her throat; a cross between a warning growl and a breathy whimper of pleasure. "You know, my offer on the balcony is still up." His eye twinkled with mischief. "But of course, I'd prefer you in your human form for that to happen."

The wolf narrowed its eyes and sank more of its claws under his skin. Draven tried not to wince at the pain as he maintained his eye contact.

"I'm not even fighting you little wolf. I'm yours... don't you understand?" The wolf didn't.

Despite the pain in his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled the wolf closer to him... close enough that her teeth were now at the side of his neck.

"My life is also yours," he said, in an attempt to let her know that he'd die for her; die with her; die by her. "One bite, is all it takes to kill me... and you know that." Do it.

The wolf blinked and moved its head down. Instead of sinking its teeth into flesh, it bit over the lapel of his shirt and tossed him against the wall in one smooth stroke.

Draven heard his mother's panicked cry in his head but he needed more time with Amber.

Give me two minutes.

The wolf was still growling at him and this time, Draven knew that it was really angry but he couldn't help smiling. She had heard his silent words... which meant that they still had that mating bond. So why was she being so mean to him?

"Are you angry at me little wolf?" he asked, slowly moving towards her again.

You caged me!

Draven was shocked to hear the voice... or rather it was his own mental voice translating words into his mind. It was the animal talking to him; something impossible if not for the mating bond.

I promise I will never again. I'll heal her I promise...

Then getting down on his knees, he pulled the wolf into his embrace and whispered, "Let me hold you... both of you. Please..."

He felt the animal shift; a second later to be replaced by its human half. Amber's body was cool; her fever gone but her eyes were still closed. Angling her head up slightly, he pressed his lips over hers in a soft kiss, watching her stir awake.

"Hey," she whispered weakly.

"Hey back." He was smiling at her.

"I'm a werewolf." She sounded stunned.

"Yes... and you're home, in your pack compound now. But that's not the best thing you've heard today," he said, nuzzling her neck.

"Then what is?" she asked in puzzlement even as his lips touched hers once more.

"I'm moving in with you."

Something inside her was exploding... but in a warm, happy way. Her wolf, she thought... yes. It is happy and so is she.

A second later, the door opened. Draven looked up to see his mother's face smiling at him.

I love you my baby. I guess... my job here is done. You're happy now.

Draven tensed at her words. No one... apart from Amber had ever told him he was loved.

No... please stay mother.

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 11



NB: Credit goes to my editor, wildheartedangel, for making the necessary checks and changes. Anyway, I realize that there are actually quite a few loose ends to tie so I might have two instead of one chapter more to write for this series. I know that this chapter ends with a mother of all cliffhangers so cookies and steak are welcomed since the muse is unwilling at the moment. Lol.

On another note, I really appreciate those of you who suggested possible locations for the sequel. (yes there will be one. The first chapter is already done; a draft is somewhere on my blog.)

Happy reading everyone!

*************************

Josephine smiled upon hearing Draven's thoughts. Never in her life would she have imagined her baby wanting her to stay.

"Everything alright in there?" asked Alaron, trying to peek through the doorway but Josephine blocked him. Amber was naked and she knew the two of them needed their privacy.

"Yes it is. Fiona dear, why don't you get something for Amber to wear? We'll meet you three downstairs in a while. Your husband's coming home isn't he?"

Fiona flushed guiltily before hurrying towards her own room to get some clothes.

"Guess that just leaves you and me Sweetie," said Josephine, smiling at Alaron.

Alaron was staring at her suspiciously. "Why do I feel like a trapped rat? I fell for the moldy cheese. Damn."

"Language," she said, waving a finger absently.

A while later, Alaron found himself alone in the living room with Josephine. She intimidated him but he was also intrigued by her.

"I can collapse time," she said softly, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

"Like... stop time?"

"Well, not to that extent. But I have a certain degree of foresight and hindsight. It's hard to tell sometimes when it doesn't concern me."

Alaron frowned. Why was she telling him all this?

"Did you see something about me? Is that why you've pulled me aside?"

Josephine shook her head; much to his disappointment.

"I had always assumed that your brother got his abilities from me. It's always the case with our race; at least one parent needs to have the gene for expressing abilities or the child doesn't inherit them. But Fiona has them and she's Sired by you." Josephine paused to let the words sink.

"But my mother is human..." said Alaron slowly. "Are you saying Father..."

"Yes, and that means you should express something too although you are still considered young. Some Vampires don't express any powers until they reach a century old."

"But Fiona did... although I accidentally pushed her limits."

This time, Josephine raised her eyebrows in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Err... Draven and I have been working on this blood pill for the American Council and I sorta fiddled with it..." he flashed her a guilty look. "I managed to isolate a strain of protein to enable her to mate with a Were... but of course it wasn't tested yet and the side effect was a premature unleashing of her powers."

"Very impressive. This science thing makes my head spin!" laughed Josephine. Taking Alaron's palms she patted it and smiled. "I think it is natural for you and your brother to have this obsession with science. It could be related to your individual abilities. He can read minds, Fiona can control minds. Take Fiona's abilities for example; neurons and what not... don't you think if she can 'see' it, so can you? You did provide her the blood."

Alaron could see where this is going.

"So you're saying that I might have something that may heal Amber's mind?" he was hopeful but he shook his head. "But... that'd take years to perfect. Even if I do have it, it's still dormant."

Josephine smiled. "I know baby... but that's only because you didn't have the right trainer. Your brother took a long time to discover his own powers and an even longer time to get it under control because your father didn't help him with it."

"But he helped Fiona..."

"What?" Josephine was truly shocked. "He helped her control her powers?"

"Umm... yeah. They had some sparing session with it. I'm not quite sure what he taught her but soon after that she managed to gain some control."

Josephine frowned at his answer. Why didn't Aramis help Draven? Or was her son just too stubborn to ask for help?

"I'll help you."

"Why?"

"Because I want my babies to be happy. And right now I still see that image of Draven crying and I really don't want that."

Alaron didn't want that either. He had seen Draven cry and he wanted to help... with his abilities or not.

"When do you want to teach me?"

"As soon as possible... but not tonight my dear. I can sense the Alpha wolf returning and he is not happy. I need my energies for his welcome."

"He has a soft spot for women. You'll be fine," said Alaron with a smile.

As though on cue, the front door opened and there stood a very virile and territorial man; his eyes more wolf than man.

"Explain." His voice was calm but leashed with fury.

"Eian?" Fiona's gentle voice was like a balm to his anger. The soft padded soles of her slippers flapped as she hurried down the stairs into his arms.

"Are you alright? Is the baby..."

"Yes, everything's fine... more than fine actually," she said, letting him nuzzle against her neck; no doubt trying to sniff for her and the baby's heartbeat. "Amber's upstairs with Draven... and she seems well. She's safe for now Eian, stop growling!"

"I have strangers in my home," he growled. "I don't mean you Alaron although sometimes..."

A slap on his chest stopped him midsentence. "Don't be rude. Eian sweetheart, this is..." Fiona paused, unsure for a minute then, "My grandmother."

"Dame Josephine Draefend," she introduced, lowering herself into a curtsey, "Your Grace..."

Eian stopped growling; his eyes returning to the striking green that was his own.

"You look different now Josephine," he replied, bowing his head slightly to acknowledge her.

Everything in the room fell silent then Fiona exploded.

"What! You two know each other? And yet you act so uncivilized?" she snarled at Eian. "That is so rude!" she continued, punctuating every word with a playful slap on his chest.

"I was young and pregnant then. Of course I looked different," said Josephine. "Time changes people." She meant him of course. When Eian first came to Culzean's castle, he had been a young warrior; cold and without mercy. She didn't blame him for war was a constant during the medieval times. Now look at him --older, wiser, mated and a father to be. The last bit certainly put a damper on his cold, unyielding personality. Josephine could almost see him going all soft and pliable to the woman in his arms.

"Since my mate has accepted you into the family, then I shall extend a welcome for you," he said --although he didn't trust her yet. "And you saved one of my pack and brought her here safely, so the debt on your life is paid."

"Eian," hissed Fiona. "Don't threaten her like that!"

Josephine merely laughed. "It's the way of the pack sweetheart. I entered pack lands without permission. I ought to be dead by now. But he's right. I brought Amber here, with some help of course, and so I'm spared."

A shuffling sound at the top of the stairs took their attention. Draven was coming down with Amber in his arms but his eyes solely on Eian. However his Alpha held no contempt in his gaze; only a quiet understanding as he watched the way Amber curled herself around Draven. They were mates and he should never have separated them.

Eian drew his gaze from Draven to his mother and was surprised to find love in her eyes. He had always thought of Josephine as someone cruel and heartless, but the woman in front of him was clearly misunderstood. He'll find out the truth later.

Right now, she had returned Amber safely to the pack and clearly had no objection to her son mating with a Werewolf. That earned her a few more respect points.

"I'll have a segment of the compound set aside for you to build a home." It wasn't an order but an acceptance of this Vampire into the pack.

"Yes. Thank you," whispered Draven. "I apologize for intruding on your private space for tonight."

"No, don't say that," said Fiona. "You're family... and now you're Pack too."

Alaron let out a mock cough. "I feel so left out. Guess that's our cue to leave," he winked at Josephine and made her laugh.

"Yes, everything seems to be in order. Keiran, I will try and find a way to help you heal her but for now, keep her safe... for my baby."

"On one condition..."

Everyone became silent; all eyes on Eian alone. "Will you... keep an eye out for Fiona as well?"

Josephine nodded. She didn't need to have a strong sense of smell to scent the young brewing inside Fiona's body.

"She's mine as much as she is yours," she said kindly then laughed. "Alright now, I have to return to fix things up with the old bat. I hope you've drawn enough blood for him not to scowl at me."

"Oh!" Eian totally had forgotten about that. "I should recall my wolves back then... We were intending to merely pay a call."

"I'm sure of that," said Josephine with a knowing smile. "Come Alaron. We'd best leave."

***

The drive back to Culzean Castle was long mostly because Alaron was tired.

"I don't really need you to drive me all the way up Sweetie... plus I think the castle's not going to be a conducive place to rest tonight. I am almost positive that your father and I will go at each others' throats the second we see each other."

"You make it sound like you're going for war," he mused, feeling the tiredness seeping in more and more.

"Well, it is... I'm not the young woman anymore who was bullied into abandoning her baby. I'm not leaving Draven ever and I'll go to war with your father if I have to."

Alaron laughed. "I like you."

Josephine smiled. "Thank you. I like you too."

Alaron flashed her a boyish grin. "I do have a place in mind... but I think I should drive you home first."

"No. You're tired. You might end up killing us both. I'll drive up on my own."

"You can drive?"

She laughed. "Of course. Now scoot over and tell me where to go."

An hour later, they were outside Erika's loft.

"A human?" Josephine raised her eyebrows. Alaron grinned; too tired to reply. "Okay my baby, we'll talk about this later if you want. Have a good rest."

Alaron stood outside the car, looking at Josephine with calm, unguarded eyes. Then he leaned down and kissed her cheeks.

"Thank you..." he whispered then he was gone.

Josephine touched her cheek gently and felt the first measure of control breaking away. Life was funny, she thought. She lost a child so many years ago because of her fear and stupidity... and now, fate not only returned her baby, but had given her two more...

That is worth fighting for isn't it?

***

Josephine caught the slight scent of wolves as she entered the castle grounds. She needn't bother with the guards since she was entering through the secret passage that she had discovered during her stay in Culzean Castle.

She wasn't sure where Aramis would be so she followed her instincts and walked down the quiet corridors towards his study. He enjoyed brooding there and she was sure that was what he was doing right now.

And she was right.

"Happy are you?" he said to her the moment she stepped out of the darkness. Josephine didn't flinch at the tone of his voice. Apparently he was expecting her to return. "Where are my children?"

She let out a peal of laughter. Aramis didn't find their situation amusing.

"How's that feel?" she retorted once she calmed down. "To have your children taken away from you like that?"

"I'm warning you, Josephine," he countered, leaning forward in his armchair and staring at her angrily. She merely shrugged and crossed over to where he was; her eyes taking note of the portraits hung over the walls.

It hurt. It hurt not to see herself in any of them.

The one sole picture of a dark haired woman caught her eye, drawing an unconscious growl from deep within her throat.

"I'm waiting Josephine..." Aramis's tone was growing impatient.

"A little bit of waiting won't hurt you," she said in an icy tone. "Look what five hundred years of waiting did for me."

Aramis didn't appreciate her sarcasm but he didn't approve of the hurt in her voice either.

"You're still hurting," he said softly. "Why?"

She didn't reply him but continued staring at the portrait. She had seen this... human and she knew that things happened for a reason. If she had been just a little bit braver, a little more wise, then Alaron and Fiona would never have existed... and she wouldn't have come to know them.

"Josephine..." there was no warning in his voice but a gentleness that she wasn't sure she liked.

"What?" she snapped then moved away from him. "How old is Alaron?"

Aramis felt his lips curved involuntarily. "You're not asking what you want to ask."

She shot him an ice cold look. "You don't read minds... do you?"

"No. But I know."

Josephine gave a huff and decided to hell with pride. She was over five centuries old. "When did you meet your human wife?"

"Is that... envy I scent on you Josephine?"

"Answer the damn question."

He laughed but made no move towards her. "Language, language..." he shook a finger at her. "Well, she died six years ago. Alaron is thirty-one now... so do your math. Humans don't live as long as us."

Josephine frowned. "You didn't turn her? Why?"

"She didn't want to."

Silence.

"I'm sorry for your loss..."

"No you're not."

"No... because it's nothing compared to losing my baby. Death has finality but knowing the one you love is still there, keeping up with his development... that's true loss."

"Why'd you come back Josephine?"

"You made my baby cry Aramis! My baby never cried!"

"He's not your baby... anymore."

Her eyes narrowed angrily. "He'll always be."

"Then why'd you give him up so easily?"

That was obviously the wrong thing to say for she charged at him with her nails out and fangs at kill point. But he was ready.

To an untrained eye, it would seem like the room was empty except for the sudden crack on the walls and the sudden broken furniture.

A loud snarl at one corner then a female gasp in the other but it was like the sounds were made by ghosts for they were moving so fast that it was impossible to see them.

"You swine!" she swore, scrapping her sharp nails against his dress shirt, drawing blood. He didn't answer her of course and instead collided with her head on; using her own force of energy to throw her crashing backwards against the wall.

She was panting; her eyes reflecting the dark red of her dress, which was now tattered and torn. The lovely coiffeur she had earlier was now tumbling in a mess down the side of her neck.

"I detest being compared to an animal... much less one that is served on human tables."

"And yet you let your offspring mate to them. You're such a hypocrite!" she shrieked, trying to get up.

"Don't move much. You've twisted your ankle." He came closer to try and straighten it out but she kicked his chest instead, sending him reeling back on his ass.

"Argh!" he shouted, getting to his feet and marching towards her. "You're beyond my patience woman!" the words came out almost a roar as he took a fistful of her hair and pulled her up brutally against him. "Yield!" he snarled before crushing vicious, hungered lips against hers.

She struggled and tried to claw him but he didn't release his grip on her. The more she tried to break free, the harder he pressed her body against his, demanding her surrender.

And she did... except that it wasn't what he wanted --her body went totally limp and it took him a few seconds to realize that she was crying. Pulling his lips away, he desperately wiped her tears then held her close as gently as he could.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry Josephine. Shh..." the hand that had held her hair unfurled to caress her head lovingly. She didn't stop crying but rested her forehead against his chest and poured out centuries of pent up tears. Aramis could feel her tears soaking his shirt but he let her. He could feel every ounce of her self restraint breaking down as she cried more and more; the anger and sadness slowly leaving her body...

"Why didn't you love me back Aramis..." she sobbed.

"Shh..." he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back, feeling her burying her face harder against his chest. "I'm sorry for hurting you Josephine. I truly am... I waited century after century for you to come back but you didn't. And... I thought perhaps I had read you wrong."

She immediately stiffened. "What do you mean read me wrong?"

He smiled and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I can... feel others' emotions. It's not a very macho ability so I suppressed it all my life."

Josephine's eyes widened at his admission. No wonder he didn't train Draven... or Alaron for that matter. Training another to awaken and control their abilities required some form of unleashing of their own capacities; to 'stroke' and entice the youngling's powers. Fiona's powers were unstable and a threat so Aramis had no choice back then but to teach her control. Maybe that's what made him so sentimental all of a sudden.

"So you... sensed my feelings?"

"I thought I did... but I was wrong. You left."

She closed her eyes. "I had my first vision that night... but I had no idea that it was the future. All I saw was you and that woman," she pointed to the portrait. "You were happy... in love. And she was holding a baby. Not my baby but another baby."   "It broke your heart..."

"Yes..."

"Why didn't you tell me Josephine? You lied to me."

She didn't lie... she just told him half truths...

"I said I saw you with another baby... which is not lying."

"I thought you meant our second child."

She kept silent; suddenly unsure of what to make of his response. He had told her to wait and left her alone... in the dark where the visions/nightmare might return. Damn him!

"I went to check on the baby. I felt the fear in your voice Josephine... and my first instinct told me to check if the baby was safe. Your premonition could have meant anything... and you know that we were under constant threat of war. They could have taken Draven that's why you suddenly had a vision of another baby. Anything could have happened."

She narrowed her eyes at him, unsure whether to believe him. After he left her, the first thing she did was to search for her baby... only to find that his cot was empty. She almost went berserk looking for him and was told by one of the guards that Aramis had taken the baby out not too long ago. She had never felt so alone and discarded in her life before. So she left.

"Then why did you make me sign that damn contract?" she wanted to scream.

At first he didn't say anything; his fingers trying to work on the zipper at the back of her dress. She froze.

"Forgotten my touch?" he asked with a cunning smile.

She gritted her teeth. "Answer the question or I swear I'll kick you again."

Her reply made him laugh thunderously. "God! I swear that this attraction for stubborn women is hereditary!"

Josephine bit his shoulder.

"Ouch... okay I'll answer!" he rubbed his shoulder. "I was hurt Josephine... truly truly hurt and embarrassed as hell. I was a warlord at that time and my own wife ran out on me. What do you think the other families were thinking? I could feel their pity. I know they thought you found another lover and abandoned us... and I chose to believe them... because you did run away from me."

"Why those goddamn rumour mongers!"

"I knew they were just gossip of course... I had seen the way your eyes gleamed with love at the sight of the baby but I didn't want to risk being hurt again. So... I protected myself in the only way I knew."




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 11



He cut her off from his life; their child's life.

"You suppressed your abilities soon after didn't you?"

"Yes, I thought they were... unreliable. I was still young then and unsure of the extent of my powers. I decided in the end... it was best not to develop something so unreliable."

"Is that why you didn't train your sons to awaken their powers early?"

"Draven had hoards of trainers in the Council to rely in should he need assistance. He certainly never approached me for help."

"Then what about Alaron?"

"He's just a child Josephine... and prone to temperamental behavior. I didn't even want to consider it until he's much... much older."

Josephine widened her eyes at his admission. "What ability does he express?" She was being hopeful.

"I'm not exactly sure what it is since we never explored it but he has an unnatural rate of healing. I'd know because he'd always get into fights be it with humans or Vampires but somehow he never sustained a scratch."

"Or he's just very fast," she commented, watching Aramis frown as though thinking.

"I don't think so... he'd come home with his clothes torn and bloodied but not a scratch. It can get quite annoying especially when I can't punish him for getting into fights when there's no evidence."

Josephine felt the corners of her mouth twitch in amusement.

"I wonder where he got that annoying streak from."

"I wonder too," he smiled, pushing the dress away from her shoulders and pressed a warm kiss at her collar bone. "Josephine...?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, aware that he was distracting her.

"Now that Draven is going to marry Amber... I think we have a problem."

Her eyes snapped alert. "No we don't. They are perfectly compatible and happy. Don't you dare split them apart!"

His teeth nipped her shoulder gently. "I'm not... and that... is the problem."

Josephine was furiously working up a response but at the moment, Aramis was trailing kisses up her neck to her jaw. When his hands toyed with one of her breasts, she forgot all about thinking.

"Don't you want to know why?" he teased.

"What?" she asked slightly dazed. God... it had been centuries since she was touched and he was pushing her dress, or what was left of it, down to her waist; exposing the corset that was hugging her body.

"You still wear these..." his comment was sensuous; meant to illicit memories.

"I had to wear something under that dress..." she breathed out.

"So... I was thinking..." he murmured, nipping her earlobe gently before whispering in her ear, "We should start working on that second baby."

Josephine felt her words choked in her throat.

"That sounds like a yes," he replied; not bothering with gentleness anymore as he sliced her corset neatly with an elongated nail. Josephine managed not to buckle under his ministration as he bent his head to capture a nipple between his lips. He was whispering something against her skin but Josephine was deaf to everything but her own heartbeat.

"You used to let me suckle milk out of these," he whispered, smiling when he heard the catch in her breath. "I'd like to taste it again... soon."

"Aramis!" she gasped as his tongue rasped against her other nipple before trailing down towards her navel. Josephine managed to gather enough control to growl, "One of us is seriously overdressed."

He smiled against her skin. "So you forgive me?"

"No, not really."

He chuckled, moving his lips further down to her navel, to the exposed curls above her...

"What the hell is this?"

"What?"

"This abomination!"

She looked down. "Oh, that. That's a g-string."

"It's a piece of triangle cloth!" he frowned, snapping the flimsy string with his teeth.

"Oh pish! Everyone wears one of these nowadays... oh!" her words died in her throat as his hands parted her thighs roughly to dip his tongue into her wet heat. Josephine shivered; her thighs trembled as she tried to push them close.

"Stay," he ordered. "You... taste very sweet."

She wanted to say something but somehow her brain forgot how to string words together. It was as if it fused in an instant the moment his rough stubble grazed her soft flesh.

"You can't do this!" she said in exasperation. "You've... never done this to me!"

She felt his lips smile against her pussy. God... it was embarrassing...

"Of course. It was illegal back then but now it's not," he murmured. "Plus... this sweetness is addictive. Want some?"

Josephine gave a gasp and immediately regretted it when his stood up suddenly to press his mouth against hers. She could taste herself on him!

Unconsciously she moaned, only to have his tongue thrust inside her mouth. Her eyes widened in shock. Obviously this man had learnt a few tricks over the years. Damn him. She moved her knees up, aiming for his crotch.

A firm hand grabbed her thigh, lifting it up to wrap around his waist.

"Baby if you're going to do that, I'm not going to play nice."

Her eyes burned. Even through her hazy lust-filled state, she could still huff haughtily at him. He nipped her lips playfully as his fingers worked on his pants. "Why are you angry?"

"Stop trying to read me!" she struggled against him, balancing precariously on one leg.

"Can't help it... you've awaken such bad habits in me," he teased; a smile breaking over his face.

Josephine snarled. Damn him if he thought he was going to charm her into his bed... again. She tried to stiffen against him; not wanting to let him know she was enjoying this... fornication. She was going to keep her mind far, far away from this heinous act reserved only for the married...

"Oh god have mercy," she moaned as his fingers found its way inside her slippery pussy. Okay she had no sense of control over her body and didn't protest when he lifted her other leg to carry her to an adjoining room... into his bed.

She didn't dare to open her eyes after he laid her on the soft mattress. She could hear his clothes hit the floor but refused to see him naked.

A second later, he crawled into bed beside her; his body warm and hard against her soft flesh.

"Open your eyes," he murmured, nipping her earlobe with his teeth. Josephine let out a sigh as she opened her eyes to curiously look at his body. He wasn't as lean as he was back then but there were serious muscles now that whispered of many years of sword wielding.

"Approve?" he mused.

"It's alright," she replied, pretending she didn't care. Yeah right. She was trembling beneath him and a moment later when he rested his weight on his hands to stare down at her, Josephine forgot that she was supposed to not like this.

Her fingers traced the smooth planes of his chest down to his abdomen... then no further. She could see his erection jutting proudly, resting near her thighs but she chose to look away.

"Touch it," he whispered.

"No... that's..."

"Scared?"

"No." Josephine was intimidated. Had it looked and... felt that big the last time? Her memory was fuzzy so she was going to refresh it. Using just one finger, she dared herself to touch the ridge of his cock, surprised to find a coat of pre-cum already glistening on its head.

When he sucked in his breath, she pulled her hand away quickly, afraid that she had hurt him. But he didn't say anything so curiosity got the better of her and her fingers daintily curled around the hot hard flesh and gave a tentative squeeze. His groans alarmed her so she pulled away again.

"Josephine... you're not a virgin. You've done this before... so don't tease me like that," he groaned, burying his face at the crook of her neck. She pursed her lips at his response. Didn't he know he was her only lover? She could be a virgin once again for all her body's lack of use!

"Get on your back!" she scowled, pushing against him. When he didn't oblige, she used her own force to roll him over. "Stay."

Aramis wanted to say that she was too bossy but the words never came out of his lips for that moment, her lips closed over his cock; such soft, warm caresses that showed both eagerness and inexperience. He could feel the slight scrapping of her teeth on the hard muscle and almost came at the feel of her mouth engulfing the whole length of him inside her.

"Oh god... baby... stop..." he moaned, trying to pull her head away. "I don't want to waste my first round in your mouth. Come here..."

She ignored him and continued her torturous ministrations; alternately trailing her tongue along his whole length and taking him fully inside her mouth. Josephine couldn't help it. She was craving for the taste of him and anticipating the sensations that she was about to feel the moment he penetrates her body for the first time...

Just the thought of it was making her wet. In fact, the thought that she could actually torture him by controlling the amount of pleasure he could feel was also making her wet. Smiling against his cock, she pulled her lips away to press soft kisses down the side of his inner thigh, trailing slowly up his hipbone.

She continued pressing those barely-there kisses upwards; all the while making sure that no other part of her body touched him, except for the briefest scrape of her breasts over his swollen erection. Just once.

"Josephine are you trying to kill me?" Aramis managed to croak when her tongue flicked over his nipples.

"Not yet," she whispered playfully, finally sliding her body sensuously on top of him; rubbing her hot centre suggestively against his abdomen. She knew that if she just moved slightly back, he would be deep inside her... but she wanted to play a bit more. He wasn't protesting either --maybe not yet.

Kissing past his collarbone, she licked up the side of his neck, growling slightly at the scent of another woman there. As if to punish him, she pushed her hips back slightly, making sure just the tip of his cock penetrated her then she pulled herself off. Their moan was simultaneous.

"That's it!" he groaned; all self control replaced only by a hunger to feel himself embedded inside of her. His hands grabbed her hips and pushed her back roughly, impaling her on his hardened cock in one swift motion.

It was insane not to scream at such pleasure.

Josephine could feel him moving his hips, pistoning himself in and out of her, eliciting moans and screams that she didn't even know came from her own throat. She pressed her face against his neck as the rush of pleasure washed through her; ripples tingling through her skin that seemed to grow bigger and bigger until it culminated in an explosive orgasm; her body trembling as wave after wave hit her body.

When she finally pulled away from his neck and opened her eyes, she saw that he was smiling.

"Marking me already?" he teased.

"What? Oh!" she gasped, noticing the slowly healing bite marks at the side of his neck. She licked her lips unconsciously even as she gave him a guilty look.

"I'm sorry, I... oh my god!" She repeated the last phrase like a mantra as Aramis switched their positions; pressing her down on the bed and thrusting himself inside her mercilessly. She was tight from years of underuse but he wasn't planning on being gentle with her. Josephine always seemed to bring out these wild, untamed desires in him --his lust just as cardinal as it had been when he first laid eyes on her.

"Look at me," he demanded gently, watching her eyelids flutter as another wave of orgasm subsided. "Look at me when I take you... when I make you surrender under my body," his whispers like a caress on her skin. "When I make you mine, mine, mine," he punctuated each 'mine' with a deep thrust inside her, sending her reeling into another orgasm.

Aramis wanted to go longer but at the rate that she was clenching around him, he didn't think he'd last long without driving himself mad. Scooping his arms beneath her body, he felt her legs clasp around his waist automatically but he didn't move... yet. He held her intimately against him; their erratic heartbeats synchronizing with each other then he let his fangs out.

She didn't deny him his right to mark her --his fangs sinking deep in the artery in her neck --before he moved his hips in a downward thrust, again and again, harder and deeper until he could taste the sweet adrenaline in her blood, warning him of a violent orgasm coming close.

This time when her climax claimed her, he rode the waves together, letting his body feel her pleasure like it was his, even as he came in hot spurts deep inside her warmth.

This was right; as it should always be. The only woman he'd ever mark as his was Josephine.

***

A long time later, when she stirred awake, Josephine wondered if she had been dreaming. Sometimes she couldn't tell when dreams, visions, memories and reality separated from each other for it was as if she could walk through them all at the same time. How many times had she woken up from sleep only to be thrust back into visions of the past?

She pinched herself. "Oww... okay, I'm not dreaming... which also means. Oh dear!" she turned to see lazy brown eyes staring at her. "You're real right?"

"Josephine, how real can this get?" he said, pressing himself against her, making sure she could feel him slowly getting hard again.

"This is wrong. I shouldn't have..." she whispered, pulling the blanket away from them to wrap around her body.

"Why?" he asked, catching her wrist and holding it firmly.

"I... I don't get into bed willy-nilly with men. What we just did was wrong..."

"Come here," he said, moving closer to her and pulling her into his embrace. "It's wrong that we made love?"

He could feel her trembling. "Yes. It's reserved for..."

"Married couples?" he interjected; curving his lips as he watched her blush slightly. "I didn't hear you complaining a while ago. In fact I recall you asked for more."

"You're so mean Aramis. Now let me go. I cannot afford to lose more dignity than I already have."

He didn't oblige her and instead threw himself backwards on the bed with her in his arms. "You talk too much. Sleep now."

"With you?"

"I don't see any other person here."

Josephine bit her lips as though thinking then gave up and curled close to him.

He sighed as her soft body lay enclosed in his embrace. "Call me selfish but it thrills me to know I can still scent only my mark under your skin after all those years."

She didn't say anything. Five hundred years is a long time for a woman to be celibate. Josephine had no idea how she even managed that.

"You like to bite me every time we... do it," she said in an even tone, not wanting to betray anything.

"Good. Guess you'll just have to get used to it again."

She pretended she did not hear that. Old bats with mouths that sweet are dangerous.

***

The next morning, Draven woke up to find that Amber was not by his side and panicked. Rushing out of the room, he almost tripped as he hurried down the staircase.

"She's off for a run," came Eian's voice from the living room. "She'll be fine."

"Run?"

"Well, her wolf needs the run. It has been caged too long under her subconscious and is dying to be free."

"Should I go look for her?"

"You should. I just hope you have stamina." His eyes twinkled with amusement. "Mates always go for runs together. It helps with the bonding. Besides, her wolf would welcome the challenge... as long as you're fast enough to play with her."

"I'm a Vampire Eian... a predator just like you."

"So? I can outrun you."

Draven smiled. "We'll put that claim to the test someday but excuse me I have a mate to chase after right now."

"Have a shower and change of clothes first. I've got some spare ones in the guest room. Help yourself."

A while later when Draven came down the stairs having freshly washed up, Eian opened the front door for him.

"Here are Amber's house keys. It's a very small place, meant to house the single pack members but it'll suffice for now. You two need to get a room and not in my house."

Draven flashed his Alpha a wicked grin.

"For godsake Draven! I mean it. No sex in the woods... well at least not in broad daylight where the pups might see you."

"Where is your sense of adventure Eian?"

Eian rolled his eyes. "I'm going to pretend I did not hear that and start working on the lease for a family unit right now. You both will need a bigger space once you have pups around. Wait... you do want pups right?"

Draven's face paled. Pups? "Umm, yes, I suppose I do."

"Oh that's good 'cause she's already pregnant."

"What!" Draven was going to have a heart attack right about now. He was about to give in to his worries when he heard Eian break out in laughter.

"That's for teasing me earlier." At the sight of Draven's still shocked face, he continued, "Man, you Vampires have no sense of humour. Now scram and find your mate."

"Geez Eian. You've got one hell of a wicked streak," said Draven, snatching the keys from his Alpha's hand but he was smiling now. The thought of having a baby with his mate sounded wonderful but he had to take that pill that Alaron perfected first before a proper mating could take place... whatever that meant.

Draven knew that he had much to learn about Pack rules and customs but he didn't mind. He'd do it for Amber. However, there's still the issue with the Council. He had to assume office today but seeing how the circumstances have changed, he wondered if his place as an Elder will be compromised or returned to his father.

But he'll think of that later. Right now, he needed to find his mate. As he started walking towards the forested areas, he was aware that her scent was strong and fertile in the air. She must be lurking somewhere, obviously wanting to play, so he'll play.

He continued walking deeper through the foliage, keeping his senses on alert. Like in many combat situations, Vampires with Draven's abilities do not have an upper hand for they could only rely on their five senses. Heightened as those senses may be, Draven was still susceptible to being attacked and experience in the battlefield has taught him that.

But he was just chasing after a wolf... how hard would that be right?

"Amber sweetheart, ready or not, here I come!" he shouted just before he began running. Once or twice, he caught her scent close to him but then he lost it every time he stopped to look.

Then he saw the flash of her tail and he smiled.

Making sure that she was still hidden, he jumped up and landed silently on a tree branch. He saw her looking confused at the sudden loss of his scent. As she moved, he moved along with her; balancing precariously from one tree to another until they reached a small clearing.

She was still looking around, obviously confused for she kept sniffing the ground and then the air before walking about in circles... clearly frustrated.

Then, as silent and as agile as only a Vampire can be, he pounced on her; rolling to make sure that he did not crush her body with the impact of his jump.

"Caught you," he murmured against her fur. "Okay, can you get naked now?"

He swore he caught a glint of amusement in the wolf's eye before she licked him playfully.

"No?" he asked in confusion. "Want to play some more?"

The wolf began to run in response to his question. It left Draven with no choice but to follow her, running alongside the wolf that he had come to love within such a short time. She wasn't running fast and Draven understood that she just wanted to share this forest with him, let him get to know her in the most intimate way the wolf knew. This was her territory... and she wanted to welcome him into it by making him understand that her love for the earth, the greenery and the sacredness of the pack was as much as her love for him.

The thought humbled him.

A while later when they finally reached the edge of the forest, they stopped simply to look at the houses on the outskirts.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 11



"Hmm? What is it you want little wolf?" She was nudging at his pocket, sniffing and howling.

When she nudged his pocket again, Draven laughed as he pulled out the keys that Eian had given him earlier. He let her sniff it for a second before she surprised him by shifting back into her human form.

"Sexy," he murmured. "You know baby, I don't know how the other wolves do it but I cannot help but feel aroused when I see you naked like this."

Amber laughed as she leaned against him. "We're used to it. We are technically naked in our wolf form." Draven growled at her response. "But unfortunately only a certain arrogant, mule-headed Vampire has the privilege to touch my nakedness."

Draven raised his eyebrow slightly. "Is it just me or is my sex kitten... sorry, I mean wolf back?"

"Take off your shirt please."

"Eian says no sex in the forest."

"I know that. Unless you'd rather the patrol wolves see me naked, you'd better hand over the shirt."

Okay Amber's back, he mused and grinned but as he watched her don his shirt, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness.

"Amber my love... just how much of your memory do you think you've recovered?"

"Bits and pieces. They don't all make sense but they're there somewhere I'm sure. Letting my wolf out helped a little to refresh certain things like instincts, personality and tastes. At least I remember this feeling of belonging to this place and the rules of the pack. That's important for us."

"I've missed you," said Draven, picking her up in his arms. "Maybe being home will help you remember a few more things. Would you like to go home?"

Amber smiled and nodded. She knew it was ridiculous to have him carry her like that but she felt like she deserved some pampering at the moment. So what if she was the pack healer; the one everyone turned to when they were injured, sick or needing someone to talk to? So what if she was a dominant wolf who's supposed to be some hard-assed Beta in the pack? She is still a female who could turn putty in her mate's arms... especially since he looked like a god.

"Thank you for that compliment," said Draven in amusement at hearing her thoughts. "I like having you turn putty in my arms... in more ways than one."

"Pervert."

"Yeah? But you still love me."

She didn't reply him but nuzzled her face close to his neck all the way until they reached her house. He remembered where it was for he had spent some time watching her from the shadows.

Amber reached out to stroke his cheek lovingly. "Draven my love... will you mate with me?"

"Yes, tonight. I promise. There are some things that I need to do first but I promise I'll come home and fulfill my end of the bond."

"Promise?"

"Promise," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

***

It was much later during the day that Aramis found himself reluctantly untangling his limbs from Josephine's. He had to admit that five centuries of pent up sexual frustrations can be quite exhausting to soothe. She had been insatiable... okay, he was insatiable too and now he was paying for it with a backache.

He was sauntering to the bathroom when his personal phone line rang. Aramis frowned. Not many people call him on this line... so whatever it was must be important.

"Yes?" he said upon picking up the phone.

"Lord Culzean, I apologize for calling you on private line like this," said Leon. "I would just like to confirm the appointment of your son as a replacement for your seat on our Council."

"Yes."

"But my lord, would it be to the best of our interests to have him on the board of Elders? I do not mean to question your decision my lord but he is relatively young and..."

"He is capable."

"Yes my lord, I am sure that he is..."

"Leon, you know as well as I that the seat reserved for the Pureblood family is simply honorary. We merely oversee things and do not intervene unless necessary."

"Yes my lord..."

"I'm coming by the Council headquarters to see his Appointment."

His announcement clearly surprised the Elder on the other line for he gave a loud gasp. "Oh my! Yes, yes Sir... I will make the necessary arrangements."

"Will that be all Leon?"

"Yes my lord."

Aramis placed the receiver down with a sigh. He knew that his actions last night would reap consequences. A Pureblood was supposed to embody all the qualities that determined the purity of their race --blood status, abilities, and political marriages. It had always been that way for centuries. And to have a Pureblood with an unorthodox marriage at the top of the hierarchy may pose a threat for the whole Council. He understood that.

"Do you want to talk about it?" came Josephine's voice from behind him. Aramis turned to find her wrapped in his blankets and smiled.

"Don't tempt me," he replied, eyeing her up and down.

"I'm serious Aramis! I managed to pick up pieces of your conversation..."

"I knew you would," he said with a sigh then took a seat on the nearest chair. "It seems the board of Elders is questioning my appointment of our son for the supervisory seat."

"He's qualified." Her voice was calm but Aramis could hear the pride in her voice.

"Yes he is," he replied, holding her gaze. "Where is he Josephine?"

She hesitated. "What are you going to do to him?"

Aramis smiled at the protectiveness in her tone. "I'm not going to argue with you because I'll just lose the moment you come within an inch of me. So I'm just going to ask if he's safe and well."

"Yes he is."

Aramis had to fight the urge to cross over and throttle a more satisfactory answer out of her. Mind-blowing sex or not, she still didn't trust him enough. Boy does he have a lot of work to do.

"I want to be at his Appointment ceremony and I need to know if he's coming."

She flashed him a wary look then closed her eyes for a minute. She wouldn't risk calling the MacFarlanes and expose her son's whereabouts so she had to improvise. Josephine wasn't one to have foresight on demand but she was going to try. Sometimes when she was emotional, she would have flashbacks very easily. It might work.

Focusing on the memory of Draven; the worried look on his face when she last saw him and his last words to her, Josephine waited for the images to come. They might not be what she wanted but they could provide a clue.

Six men. Hushed whispers. She recognized some of them. They were going to vote about something. Draven looking calm.

Then suddenly, she was pushed into another vision --rows and rows of fetuses in a laboratory. It's so dark. Antiseptic... cold.

Josephine screamed.

"Josephine?" Aramis's voice seemed to pierce through the darkness, jerking her back. "What did you see? Tell me..." he soothed, holding her close.

She shook her head against his shoulder. Those... experiments what did they mean? Surely those two visions are not connected. Sometimes it happens and she'd get visions with no concrete meaning or timing.

"He'll be there... Not all of them are happy and they're going to vote about something," she said slowly, trying to catch her breath. "But it's ominous... I can't help but feel something bad is going to happen."

Aramis smoothed the hair on her head and cradled her body close. "I'll make sure nothing bad happens to him... I promise."

She nodded. "Just bring my baby back home safely..."

"I will," he reassured her.

***

When Aramis had left the castle, Josephine realized that she could not stand simply waiting around for news. She trusted Aramis to some degree to deal with their son but right now she still had her other children to take care of --there's Alaron and Fiona and by default Amber as well. She needed to get busy.

But first she needed to get dressed. The gown she was wearing the previous night was torn beyond repair and she didn't like the idea of wearing Aramis's clothes. Josephine considered herself quite fashionable but never seemed to like wearing the tight fitting pants and jeans that grace the walkways these days. Skirts and dresses were more her taste.

Fetching one of the terry cloth robes, she went over to Aramis's private line and called for a domestic staff to assist her. There had to be some female clothes around for she knew that Fiona used to stay in the castle for a period of time.

And she was right.

The head domestic staff, a man she didn't recognize, told her that the late Lady Culzean has a room in the East wing and that she was welcome to pick out an outfit from there.

Josephine didn't bother to hide her scowl at the sarcasm in his voice. He was treating her like she was some cheap whore who climbed into his master's bed.

"What of the young Lady Fiona's clothes?"

"Oh, yes they are all stored in the same room. Would you like my assistance to show you there?"

Over my dead body you cotton stuffed scarecrow. Does he wish to humiliate me by making me walk in the castle in this robe?

"I resent the tone of your voice. I am a guest here and the first Lady of this house. But most importantly, is this how your Lord teaches you to behave in the presence of a Pureblood?" She was so pulling rank on him...

His face paled. "How may I assist you my Lady?"

"Get me some of the dresses here. I will not walk across to the East wing."

He didn't say anything but bowed low and scurried off.

When he came back, he was not alone but with other female staffs who were carrying all sorts of dresses and undergarments for her. She smiled to the women but scowled to the man before thanking them and sending them off.

Truth was, Josephine didn't want to wear clothes belonging to another woman; especially not one who used to share Aramis's bed. It was pure jealousy and uncalled for. Alaron's mother had been a kind, loving human whose son was now one that she would call her own.

"I suppose that cancels out each other," she said with a sigh. Picking up a simple green dress, Josephine tried it on. Apparently its owner was slightly shorter than she was so the hem stopped at her calves. Twirling once in front of the mirror, Josephine combed her hair with her fingers and smiled at her reflection.

"Thank you for the dress," she said out loud, knowing full well that the dead cannot hear her. "I'll watch over your son for you."

About two hours later, she returned to the same location that she had dropped Alaron off the previous night. In the evening light, she could see the building much more clearly and noticed that it was some sort of bookstore. Alaron did not strike her as the bookish type and it made her even more excited to meet the human woman that had taken his heart.

When she stepped through the door, she scented none of the musty and dusty odour of old libraries but was instead greeted by a lovely floral scent that complemented the pastel coloured walls.

"Grandmother?"

Josephine turned in surprise to see Fiona greeting her with an equally shocked expression.

"Are... you looking for something?" she asked quizzically.

"Actually I'm looking for someone. Is... Alaron here?"

"He's uh... well, he'll be down soon. Would you like something to drink?"

Josephine smiled and shook her head. "You work here?"

"Yes I do... or rather I co-own this place."

"With the human?"

"You mean Erika? Yes that's right although Alaron has some shares in the shop as well."

"Ah, would Erika be free to talk?"

"She's uh... occupied at the moment," she replied, unaware that Josephine managed to see the blush creeping up her cheek. The older lady simply gave an amused smile.

"It's alright my dear. Why don't you sit down with me? I'm sure you have lots of questions to ask about your pregnancy?"

Relief, fear and excitement flashed all at once on Fiona's face as she nodded slowly. Satisfied that Fiona was not afraid of her, Josephine placed a gentle hand on her elbow and eased them towards some sofas.

"I'm all ears my dear," said Josephine.

Fiona bit her lips once as though hesitating then started spilling out all her worries.

"I'm so scared," she whispered. "Will I be strong enough to carry the baby to term?"

"Of course you will Sweetheart... miscarriages are very rare among our kind. It has never been studied or proven but there's something about being pregnant that restores the body's optimal condition. Everything is efficient and in perfect health. Just make sure that you get enough nutrients," she said before leaning very close to whisper, "Blood."

"Oh! I haven't had the chance to..." Fiona started to look worried; rubbing her tummy absently.

"How long are you into the pregnancy?"

"About four months now. Oh Grandmother... I haven't had any you know what!"

"At all?"

"I forgot... only because I'm always so full! Eian feeds me too much."

"Feed you?"

"Oh! Food I mean... yes like real food," she said, answering Josephine's unspoken question.

"Well then, I don't think that should be a problem now. The food will break down eventually into nutrients and build your own blood... but as a precaution I'd say have one or two bags of you know what every fortnight. I used to have one every week just to build strength."

Fiona smiled in relief. "Thank you..."

"Don't thank me yet... wait till I spoil your child silly then you can thank me."

Fiona was about to reply when they were interrupted by soft laughter coming down the stairs.

"Oh!" gasped Alaron upon seeing Josephine. "Hey..."

"Good evening children," she replied, turning to look at Erika. "I'm Dame Josephine, Draven's mother. It's nice to finally put a face to your name, Erika." She bowed her head slightly as a greeting.

"Oh, it's uh, nice to meet you too Dame Josephine," said Erika inching closer to smile at the woman. It was evident that Alaron had talked about her "How may I help you today?"

"Actually I'd like a word with the three of you. Is there somewhere private where we can speak?"

The three of them cast worried glances at each other before Erika nodded, gesturing towards a room behind the counter. Josephine noted that it was some sort of pantry but she couldn't be sure for there were odd kitchen gadgets that she had never seen before in her life. Do humans not use kettles and stoves anymore?

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Josephine took a seat at the dining table in the middle of the room.

"Ladies, would you mind standing by the door please?" It wasn't really a request but an order. Fiona and Erika stepped back just a little, feeling a sense of foreboding.

Their worry was not misplaced. The moment they stepped back, Josephine had already reached Alaron's slide and had slashed a deep wound on his chest.

"Fuck!" he shouted, staggering backwards a little; his eyes turning gold at the sudden attack. He wanted to slash back at her but the wound was holding him back. Damn that woman!

"Don't move much," she said calmly, settling herself on the edge of the table. Then without turning, she said, "Don't even think of it Fiona. It'll be fine. Just watch."

Fiona dropped her focus on Josephine for the Ancient was too strong for her to manipulate. Beside her, Erika had gone perfectly still; one hand clutching Fiona's arm in fear.

Alaron was trying to growl at Josephine but all he could do was grimace in pain. The location of the wound meant that he couldn't physically lick it to heal the cut. He could tell that it was a flesh wound but she had cut close to an artery and ruptured a lot of veins and capillaries along the way. What a mess.

"What do you need?" asked Josephine who didn't seem disturbed at the fact that he was bleeding. In fact, she was watching him with an intensity that meant she was looking for something.

He refused to look at her but every few seconds he'd glance up at Erika.

"Oh for crying out loud!" cried Fiona, moving past Josephine to place her wrist at Alaron's mouth.

"No, don't let him bite you," said Josephine, moving forward to pull Fiona away. Looking down, she rubbed his cheek gently and angled his chin up. "What do you need my dear?"

"Grandmother!" cried Fiona in exasperation. Alaron was turning blue. He needed some goddamn blood right this minute!

"Wait," she warned, grabbing Fiona by the hand and shoving her backwards. "Stand by the door Fiona. I want to awaken his powers." Then she slashed him again; directly over the wound and this time, puncturing the artery.

The room suddenly went silent.

"No!" Erika's scream was so loud that Josephine jerked in surprise. When she turned, she saw the young human running towards Alaron but before she could reach him, Josephine had grabbed her by the waist.

"Heal yourself or I'll kill her," said Josephine in a flat voice. "Fiona, don't move and don't use your abilities." Then as a precaution, she added, "Don't push your powers or the baby will suffer." That did it. Fiona stood still at the door; her eyes transfixed on the trio in front of her.

"You bitch..." scowled Alaron, trying to hold on to the pain. He was on his knees now; his hands pressed against his chest in an attempt to stop the blood flow but there was just too much blood...

He could feel himself growing cold; the hunger for blood to replace the loss growing stronger by the minute. If he didn't close the wound within the hour, he might actually bleed to death. What a way to die...

The sudden choking sound from Erika forced him to look up and his eyes widened in alarm. Josephine was holding her so tight that he could see that Erika was having difficulty breathing.

"Let her go," he managed to croak but Josephine didn't move a muscle. "Fiona..." he pleaded.

"Grandmother, please, please stop this! He needs blood now!" she shrieked but didn't move from her position. Apparently Josephine's earlier warning scared her enough that she was staying still.

Despite his pain, Alaron lunged forward to try and grab Erika from Josephine but every move he made only made him bleed faster.

"Heal yourself," she said a little forcefully as she raised a hand to clamp around Erika's neck. Alaron could hear her wheezing in an effort to breathe but he couldn't do anything anymore. He was too weak and so cold...

He was scared.

But he was so goddamn angry too.

Did she ask him to heal? How the fuck was he going to do that? Oh, but he'll heal alright so that he could kill her! He couldn't believe he trusted her!

Alaron curled himself up; festering all the anger inside him. He blocked out all the sounds and all the voices around him and focused just on that one spot in his damaged artery, applying just enough pressure on the wound; enough to give him one last chance.

One clean swipe across her neck should do it.



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 12



NB: Firsly, thanks goes to my editor wildheartedangel; efficient and meticulous as always. I really appreciate it. Next, to my readers who've given me encouragement and support, you guys rock!

So, enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

**********

Meanwhile, Josephine released her hold on Erika --just enough to let the woman breathe. Erika had already fainted but she could still hear a soft heartbeat. That'll be enough for now. She moved quickly, settling Erika on the floor beside Fiona before walking towards Alaron.

"Stay here and watch over her. It'll be okay, I promise," she said. "He's going to want her when he pulls through." Fiona nodded mutely.

Josephine approached Alaron as cautiously as she could, knowing that he was going to aim straight for her head the moment he came to. However, it was the only way to awaken healers --and she'd know for she had some in her family. They needed to be wounded to the point that their body would exhaust or even kill itself trying to repair the damage.

Josephine felt her heart ache at the sight of his suffering but she knew this was just momentary. She could see that his body was turning blue; his curled up position turning slack until he was lying limp against the cold hard floor. He wasn't breathing... but his eyes were wide open and staring at her --intense orbs of brown with a thin golden line of fire right in the middle where his pupil should be. Some would describe it like that of the tiger-eye stone and Josephine agreed.

Just like the stone, those eyes symbolized the ability of the Vampire to bridge between the body that focuses on earth and the mind that deals with spirituality. They'd become more sensitive to listening and understanding not just words but the vibrations at the cellular level and manipulate them accordingly.

However, the Vampire staring at her wasn't a healer... yet. He had unleashed his maximum power but his real ability still needs awakening. Moving closer, she crouched down and gently pushed back the hair covering his face, feeling the coldness beneath her fingers; confirming that algor mortis had already taken place. This meant that his body had shut down right after healing and was 'dead'.

At least she knew he wasn't going to aim to strike her head... yet. When she pulled down the flap on his shirt that had gotten torn, she noticed that there was a thin scar over the gash she had inflicted earlier. Good.

Tilting his head back, she held his chin down to force open his mouth before slicing the vein on her own wrist and letting her blood flow down his throat. She wasn't surprised when he flicked an angry look at her even as his teeth automatically sank into her skin. Josephine didn't wince as she felt her own blood being taken in by the youngling but kept a close watch on his pallor.

"Don't be so angry at me darling. I'd imagine your father might be more merciless. Besides, it is not impossible for a youngling Vampire to acquire their abilities at a young age," she soothed him. "Only the blood from a Pureblood Ancient can awaken your powers this prematurely."

Which was true, she thought. She'd awaken at twenty-four, simply because Aramis enjoyed biting her and letting her bite him back each time they made love. When a Pureblood invested emotions into a certain youngling, that's when they 'stroke' the latter's latent abilities to the fore. From there, it just took a bit of push to awaken their potential. Josephine began thinking about Fiona and had a feeling that either Aramis or Draven must have been feeding her their blood because she would not have otherwise expressed her abilities as such an early age.

A sudden movement jerked her out from her thoughts but that split second dazing made her too slow to react to the swift hold of Alaron's hands on her throat.

He kept his grip on her neck even as he drained out her blood but Josephine did not do or say anything. Instead she simply smiled at him. He was still glaring at her when a soft feminine voice called out to him.

"Alaron..."

He blinked and turned his gaze towards the direction of the voice. Erika had regained her consciousness and was looking at him with tearful eyes. Alaron was still weak but he could understand the emotions behind those eyes --it was that of a woman who thought the man she loved had died.

The realization that she loved him snapped Alaron out of his rage for he immediately released his hold on Josephine's neck and pushed her wrist away from his mouth. Although his body was still weak, he managed to half crawl and half drag himself over towards Erika; cradling her close to him and whispering, "I'm here, it's alright..." over and over again.

Meanwhile, Josephine was staggering backwards to lean against a wall. Alaron had taken a bit too much blood from her but she hadn't stopped him even after he had gained back heat and colour in his cheeks. By now, his body would use her blood to complete his healing. Josephine suspected that when he was deeply injured, Alaron used to drain blood from those who got into fights with him.

"Grandmother," said Fiona, getting up and moving towards the weakened Vampire. "Should... should I do something? I've... never really seen anything like this before but I trusted you... why didn't you just tell us?"

Josephine smiled. "If I told him, he'd get overexcited and his body wouldn't react naturally on its own fight or flight mechanism. It's the instinct to survive that pushes our race into acquiring these abilities you know."

"Will he be okay?" she asked worriedly. "And Erika?"

"Bring her to me."

"What? No! I'm too afraid you'll kill her."

Josephine managed a small laugh before flicking her gaze away. "Alaron my dear, bring the girl here."

When Alaron turned, his eyes were no longer the fiery hue but his natural brown. "No!"

"Come here."

Alaron was gritting his teeth for he couldn't control himself now that her blood was inside his system. He had to respond to her words. Damn that woman.

"Erika dear, I'm sorry you had to watch that... and I am so sorry for being so rough on you..."

"Rough? You fucking wanted to kill her!" snapped Alaron angrily.

"Language," she reprimanded without glancing at him. Still looking at Erika she continued, "Do you love him?"

Erika nodded. Josephine laughed. "Well, are you strong enough to handle his temper, his foul mouth and his occasional need to challenge authority?"

Erika managed an amused smile. "You bet."

"Would you like me to turn you?"

"Grandmother!"

"Mother!"

Alaron and Fiona shrieked at the same time then turned to each other in alarm.

"Oh, that's very nice of you," said Josephine, looking up at Alaron with a gentle smile. "So sweetie, would you like to join us and live the rest of your life with my son here?"

Erika bit her lips and looked from Alaron to Fiona to Josephine and nodded her head. "Punching a Vampire with human force isn't fun," she joked.

"Oh Erika..." said Fiona, hugging her friend close. "I guess this is like welcome to the family huh."

"Yeah," she replied with a laugh. "Will it hurt?" she asked Fiona.

"Yes. Like hell."

"Which is why I should do it and not you Fiona," said Josephine slowly, watching Fiona turn to look at her in surprise.

"How did you..."

"Of course I know. As soon as I found out that Alaron was in love with a human, I knew that he only had two choices --one is to turn to his father and the other is to turn to you. Draven has his own issues to settle so that leaves him out. Besides, I'd say you have more emotional connection to this woman so you'd offer to turn her yourself... eventually."

"Just wait one damn minute here," said Alaron, clearly having regained more strength now. "Why must it be you? Why are you sacrificing your only chance at turning a human on... her?"

Josephine tilted her head to lean it against the wall. The loss of blood was starting to make her dizzy but she knew she needed to allay their fears first.

"Because I love your father too darn much that even if he died, I don't think I'd have wanted another mate. Besides, Fiona's already a Caesar. If she does the Siring, then Erika would be an Unnatural Caesar which is not much different than a Common level Vampire. She will need blood on a daily basis and you know how much our race frowns on that."

"And the Pureblood transformation is much more... smooth," added Fiona quietly.

"Yes," Josephine nodded. "It will be painful but the change will be much easier and faster if the Sire is a Pureblood."

Alaron wanted to protest some more but Erika came closer to Josephine and said, "I'm ready."

***

Meanwhile, Council was in session...

"Young Lord, how can we be certain that this... alliance to the Wolves is beneficial to our Council?"

Draven turned his attention across the table to one of the permanent Elders on the Board --Aiden. He was an old Vampire; not as old as Leon or Aramis but old enough to be considered a permanent position. His acceptance of Draven on the Board would be crucial to future cooperation.

"As you know, my niece is already married to the Alpha of the MacFarlane pack. Outside of his pack, he is of royal birth and his descendants stretch nine generations. My position as a member of that pack assures mutual loyalty as well as mutual access to the resources from those nine generations. Surely the Council cannot ignore such a politically beneficial alliance?"

The table was quiet but Draven could see that Aiden was not satisfied.

"But Young Lord, you mentioned mutual loyalty and access... we certainly do not come to the Wolves' aid should they need us. We are not their servants! We are superior to them!"

Draven tried not to grit his teeth or cross over to choke the Elder. How dare he speak of his Alpha like that?

"First and foremost, it is only I, in my position as a pack member who is assured of mutual loyalty and access --not the Council."

"That's a cause for mutiny!" this was voiced by a gruff sounding female Vampire. She was the only female on the Board and her name was Benedicta. Draven noted her concern.

"The benefit of my association would have remained so even if I am not part of this Board. And for what cause do I need mutiny for? Our positions here are equal; none more than the other."

Benedicta snorted. Draven understood why. Purebloods were always given overriding powers on the Board, he couldn't deny that.

"Let me put it this way. For as long as I am on this Board, I will have access and loyalty of the largest wolf packs in Europe and should I be in danger or in need of serious help, the Weres will come to my aid, as will I come to theirs should they need it. This aid is extended to the Council only through my association --otherwise you are on your own."

"Young Lord... you make it sound like there is an impending war," she said. "And while we are at that, how do we ensure your loyalty is to us first?"

"Conflict of interest," said Aiden.

"His Grace is not a man who digs secrets. My position here is first as a Pureblood representative and also a pack member. Whatever decisions are made to implicate either of these two interests, I will act accordingly. If we ever plan to go to war with the wolves for whatever reason, I state clearly now that I will give them prior warning. Similarly, if the Nobles wish for a civil war with the Purebloods, the same prior warning is given."

"Surely you are aware that even if you're not on this Board, your influence over a certain... unit in our Council means that you will implicate our kind in this... mutual aid for the Wolves?"

Draven kept silent for a while. Since when had the Council been this supremacist? Have they lost the concept of helping others?

"Young Lord, if I may speak freely," said Leon. Draven nodded. "It is undeniable that you have great influence in the Damage Reversal Unit... for you pioneered much of the techniques that were used in the recent years and you've trained almost every one of the new Enforcers there. However, I would like to point out that mental combat abilities are rather useless on the battlefield; working alongside wolves that we cannot communicate with... would you risk these Enforcers' lives should you need to enlist their help?"

"Loyalty is not about following a leader blindly. All Enforcers enter a combat situation knowing that they might not survive, especially when pitted against sheer number of Werewolves. And yes, while they cannot communicate mentally with the Weres, I can. And my Enforcers can communicate with me and with each other. In the Were's terms, we are our own pack."

His revelation stunned everyone; including Aramis who was seated at the back of the room. The idea that the DRU existed like a 'pack' whose communication line was impenetrable by non-mind reading Vampires was shocking.

"So you will sacrifice a whole unit should those wolves need your help?" asked Aiden.

"I do not expect blind obedience or stupidity. Only those who wish to help will be enlisted and they are with me not as Council Enforcers but as my friends. That, apparently is a concept this Board has problems understanding."

Another Elder spoke up; this time, one of the male elected board members. "Young Lord, please forgive us for our ignorance but I accept your case. In fact I see this alliance with the Werewolves beneficial for us all. For centuries after the Count Chervenkov massacre, our communities have lived apart, hoarded knowledge and shared nothing with each other."

"Of course! This is self-preservation!" exclaimed Benedicta.

"You mean for them right?" said Draven. "They were the ones who had an entire compound wiped out. We are the villains here not them. Don't you dare make it sound like those wolves deserved to die."

"No, my Lord..." she muttered.

"As I was saying," continued the male Vampire. "Intelligence has it that there is a high percentage of medical graduates from the MacFarlane packs. Apparently, they are top notched graduates from some of the best universities in Europe. This might be a good way for us to learn from them." He paused and smiled shyly at Draven. "Since you left our labs, we have been lacking good scientists... I fear that at times, we rely too much on natural abilities rather than nurtured ones."

Draven smiled. Yes, Henry was the Elder who used to head the Engineering arm of the Council.

"So perhaps we should vote," said Draven, looking around. "Those in favour of me staying on board, raise your hand."

Three out of five hands were raised. Draven noticed that there was a split between the two permanent Elders; Leon was in favour but Aiden was displeased. As for the elected members, Draven had not won Benedicta's vote but the other two, Henry and Anthony were on his side.

"Well then, my position here is settled. I shall assume office as of now," announced Draven.

"Wait," said Aiden. "You are traitorous to our kind young Lord. With your association with a wolf, we have lost a very good specimen of Pureblood."

"No, we have not," interjected Aramis. "Don't you dare accuse my son of anything of that kind."

Everyone turned to look at Aramis.

"I will have more children," he said simply. "One every century. That should be a good replacement rate."

"Lord Culzean! Congratulations!" Leon exclaimed. "This is good news for us."

"What about you, young Lord? Would you be able to produce kin?" asked Aiden to Draven. He let a moment of silence to pass before continuing, "We do not know the nature of this mixed breeds and should they be a threat, we have to terminate them."

"I agree," said the female Vampire. "For the continuation of our species, we cannot have a class below the common level. What if these abominations need to feed every hour? That is intolerable!"

Murmurs spread like wildfire across the room. Draven stiffened as he picked up their fearful thoughts. Good god... they want to kill his precious baby? Not that he had one yet... but if he had, he wouldn't let anyone touch the baby. And Fiona! Oh god...

"But what if they exhibit the best of both worlds?" asked Anthony, who had been quiet so far. Draven knew that Anthony was more of a thinker and headed the Administrative arm of the Council. He was the richest amongst them all, having a hand in all their financial banks and infrastructure. Draven was pleased to have a useful ally.

"Then they might start the creation of an entirely new race! This would cause Werewolves and Vampires to mate without restraint! How is that even possible?"

Draven didn't want to answer Benedicta. This was a secret for him and his pack only.

"We should keep an open mind," said Anthony stiffly but did not elaborate. Draven was thankful for that. He knew this had to be reported to Eian straight away. This was of concern to his child!

"Let's cross the bridge when we get there," said Leon forcefully. "Speculation is useless."

Everyone agreed. Leon nodded and turned to Draven with a smile.

"Very well then, as the most Ancient Elder on this Board, I extend a welcome to you, young Lord Draven Culzean. I hope your remaining 90 years of service will be fruitful."

***

"That was intense," said Aramis awhile later to Draven. "But you held your ground well. I'm proud of you."

Draven looked at his father quickly then lowered his gaze. "Thank you Father..."

"I'm not angry at you."

Draven kept quiet. Either Aramis was pretending not to be angry or his mother must have really worked some magic on him. Didn't he just say he was going to have more children?

"Father... what's this about you having children?"

Aramis turned away from his son but Draven caught the slight blush on his father's cheek.

"Well, I don't know if she wants me but I'll ask her."

"May I ask who it is?"

"Well, your mother of course."

Draven didn't know what to say. Didn't they hate each other's guts?

"She's a really nice woman Father... Somehow I think you've misunderstood her all these years," said Draven, trying to defend a woman he barely knew.

"Perhaps I have..."

"So you're going to ask her to marry you? Aren't you afraid she'll claw your eyes out or something?"

Aramis let out a loud rumble of laughter. "She probably will at first. Then I'd just have to bleed until she says yes."

"She's not going to yield... give me a minute," Draven responded, pausing to pick up his ringing phone.

"Draven! Please come quick! Oh god... we need blood... like a lot!" Fiona's voice sounded frantic.

"Slow down... why and where?"

"Bookshop... Josephine... Erika turned..." She was incoherent.

"What? Okay... bookshop right? How many bags Fiona?"

"A lot! Just come quick!"

Then the phone disconnected.

"What's wrong?" asked Aramis.

"Fiona said something about needing blood. I don't know why but she mentioned Erika and Josephine."

Aramis stiffened immediately. "Josephine as in your mother?"

"I reckon so."

"And this Erika?"

"Oh..." said Draven wondering how he'd try and explain his and Alaron's involvement with Erika. He'd obviously have to edit the part about them wrecking her previous bookstore.

"Fiona's working at this bookstore with a human by the name of Erika..." he said, hoping that would suffice.

"My granddaughter is working? This is ridiculous but never mind, tell me along the way. Now head down to the blood department and ask for some emergency O type. I'll get the car."

***

Draven was sure that his father had ordered their driver to break all speeding limits to get to the bookstore. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that his father was actually concerned for his mother but Draven doubted so. He probably did not want to lose his potential wife. After all, it would be easier to be with someone you already knew instead of going through the whole courting ritual again.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 12



"I didn't know Fiona was working. And Keiran allowed this?"

"Yes Father, he did. It is what she wants."

"But she is a Lady. What does she need to work for?"

At that precise moment, the car stopped in front of the bookstore and Draven was saved from answering. These kinds of situations were reserved for Alaron to debate and argue with his father. Somehow he had a penchant for that sort of behavior.

When they entered, there were a few humans milling around; reading or simply browsing books. None seemed to notice them at all which was good.

"I think they're either upstairs or at a back room somewhere. Give me a minute," said Draven, mentally calling out to either his mother or Fiona.

"She's on this level," said Aramis. "And she's very scared."

Draven wanted to ask his father how he knew that but decided that this was not the time. His eyes scanned the area and finally saw a door hidden slightly by a dark curtain behind the counter.

They didn't bother knocking but opened it quickly.

"Josephine!" Aramis words sounded like a hiss --a cross between worry and concern --as he moved swiftly to her side. "What did you..." he started to nag before noticing Alaron's bloodied shirt and scented a human in the midst of turning.

"Hello Aramis," whispered Josephine with a smile on her face. Aramis narrowed his eyes at her.

"What the hell were you thinking? I could throttle you right this minute Josephine for being a brainless twit!"

"Father!" cried Alaron. "Lay a hand on her and you'll regret it."

Alaron laid Erika down gently before moving slightly closer to Josephine in an attempt to protect her from his father. It was an adorable gesture. However, he wasn't the only one. Draven had already placed himself between Aramis and Josephine and Fiona had crouched down beside her.

"You made them gang up on me?" he asked in amusement. "Good god woman, you never fail to amaze me," he added with a laugh as he took out one of the blood bags from the portable cooler.

"It's okay children... he won't hurt me," she managed to wheeze out before taking the blood bag offered to her. "Alaron, take one for yourself and then take another for Erika."

Alaron did as he was told although his eyes still kept a close watch on his father. It was only when Erika started thrashing and moaning in pain that he turned to look in panic.

"Maybe you should bring her up... her screams will get louder and I should probably close the shop early for the day," said Fiona, getting up on her feet. It was then that Aramis noticed the bulge in her tummy.

"Bless the Lord... Fiona my child, are you... pregnant?"

She let out a gasp of surprise then nodded slowly. "We were planning to visit and tell you but... things got a little complicated. I'm sorry Grandfather..."

"But... but how is that possible?" he exclaimed. "Never has this happened before."

"You mean there had been incidents of cross mating?" asked Draven in surprise.

"Well, there were probably one or two but they never had children. It was just impossible. The descendents were often orphans who were turned and sired by the Vampire. Oh god Draven... the Council..."

"We'll deal with them later Father. Right now, we will keep Fiona safe and the child will be guarded at all times. I will not let the Council touch the child."

Aramis didn't look too convinced but before he could say anything, Josephine stopped him.

"It will be fine Aramis... we'll take care of the children and train them to control whatever abilities they may express. Don't take away their chance at seeing the world because of what the Council thinks is desirable or not."

"I don't..." want to use my abilities to train them, was what he wanted to say but one look on Josephine's face made him stop. "Fine, now explain that," he said, pointing to Alaron and Erika. "Why is she turned, who turned her and why is Alaron bleeding?"

"I turned her," said Josephine softly. "Because she's our son's mate. And he's bleeding because I wounded him."

Aramis scowled at her. He didn't know which was worst --knowing that his mate had sired a human or that she attacked his... did she say 'our' son?

"You're healed," he said looking at Alaron in displeasure before turning an accusing glance to Josephine. "Explain, Josephine..."

"He's a healer Aramis. Stop looking at me like that!"

"I can look at you whatever way I want," he snapped before cupping Alaron's face and staring into his eyes. "Your eyes are normal."

"Should they not be?" said Alaron, struggling for release against Aramis's hold.

"He's not wounded so he's back to normal. Won't you release him?" chided Josephine, pursing her lips.

Alaron gave her a grateful grin. "I should probably bring her up now. Fiona, you should close the shop soon."

"Yes Fiona, you should my dear," said Josephine before returning Alaron's grin. "I'll see you again soon and teach you control. But for now, take the rest of the blood and tend to your mate."

Alaron nodded before lifting Erika in his arms to walk towards the connecting staircase at the back of the room.

"Well then, I guess I really should close the shop," said Fiona apologetically but mostly she was looking at Draven. With Alaron, Erika and herself gone, Draven was the only one left as a buffer between what looked like an escalating argument between her grandparents.

He flashed her a pleading look but she had dashed out through the door much too quickly for a woman with supposedly swollen ankles. Draven reluctantly turned to face his parents.

"Um, Mother, Father, would you like to return back to the castle now? I do need to return to Amber..."

"Just wait one minute young man," said Aramis, raising an eyebrow in his son's direction. "Why did you leave the castle last night?"

"I told him to," said Josephine.

"I'm not asking you," he said warningly although his eyes flashed amusement.

"I'm not letting you take Amber away from me Father... so I ran."

"To the compound?"

"Yes."

Aramis kept silent for a long time, looking first at Draven then Josephine.

"You did this didn't you?"

"Then spare your son any punishment," she said it so sarcastically that Draven actually frowned. In the past 48 hours, he'd seen her as someone in control and authoritative with a touch of gentleness but somehow his father brought out a rather feisty streak in her that he found rather... amusing.

"Fine, he's spared but I'll just re-direct the punishment," he replied, narrowing his eyes at her. Draven realized that he should intervene now before his parents actually start civil war between themselves.

"Father, his Grace is a very kind and compassionate leader. It is an honour really to be conferred his loyalty and trust for not many outside the wolf pack is given that privilege."

Aramis looked up solemnly at Draven and nodded.

"You are not Fiona, Draven... and so I do not expect you to be submissive to Keiran. I know how the hierarchy works in the packs but you should not let your priorities to your own kind be overshadowed by your duties to the pack." Aramis let out a long sigh. "What I mean is that... you're an Elder now Draven. Do not let the board ever find out that you hold a subordinate position within the pack or they will find ways to use that to their advantage."

"He'll be brilliant Aramis. You should have more faith in him," said Josephine, beaming slightly at her son.

"I do," he said. "You're named after two strong Pureblood families --your mother's and mine and we expect great things from you. So... don't let us down."

"I won't Father..."

"Right then... we should go now. Are you strong enough to... ah never mind," said Aramis, bending down to scoop Josephine into his arms. "As for you, I want you to stay out of trouble. So I'm giving you a project to do."

"What?" she asked with a laugh.

"There are three weddings to be planned."

"Three?" Draven and Josephine asked simultaneously.

"What? Am I too old to get married?" he replied jokingly. "You and your brother are not the only ones who deserve to get hitched you know," he said to Draven.

"And who do you plan on marrying, if I dare ask?" Josephine raised her eyebrows at him suspiciously.

"I'll tell you later. This particular woman is very difficult to please... so I've got to grovel a little more before she says yes."

Draven rolled his eyes as he opened the door to let his parents out. First they quarrel then they flirt with each other... what is the world coming to?

***

By the time Draven made it back to the compound, he was exhausted. He had accompanied his parents back to the castle to retrieve the blood pill he and Alaron had perfected; resting in his room for an hour after ingesting a tablet. It was close to nine in the evening by the time he dropped by the city to buy a bouquet of flowers for his mate.

Draven didn't want to return to Amber empty handed and for the first time, realized that he had never given her anything but rejection, pain and confusion. It had taken him a whole half hour to decide on the type of flowers to give her for he wanted something that symbolized passion yet was unique enough to reflect his feelings for her.

So he bought red chrysanthemums. They represented love and fidelity and best of all she could brew them into tea. The Asian lady who sold it to him said chrysanthemums had good medicinal properties and aided conception. So, what the hell, he bought a dozen of them.

Despite his desire to return to Amber's home as soon as possible, he knew that his first stop was to see Eian and relay the news of the Council. Fiona needed immediate protection. What if the Council sent spies to track her down or something? Draven couldn't risk that.

Switching off the engine of his car, he stepped out and walked towards Eian's house. It was late he knew so he was just going to be quick. After pressing the bell, Draven waited; looking around and admiring the scenery. It was then that he caught a small movement a short distance from where he was but before he could investigate, the door opened and he forgot all about it.

"Hey Draven," greeted Fiona. "Would you like to come in?"

Draven nodded. "Is Eian around?"

"Yeah, he's in the living room."

As Draven entered the living room, Eian looked up from his book and frowned. "It's late."

"Yes, but I have something important to discuss with you both."

Eian didn't say anything but gestured for Draven to sit.

"Today, I went to the Council to accept my position on the Board of Elders but I'm afraid I have some rather disturbing news." He paused, looking first at Eian then at Fiona. "There were some concerns regarding the possibility of a hybrid child and some of the Elders are in the favour of extreme measures."

Draven saw Eian's hands clutching Fiona's knee slightly. Yes, his sentiments exactly.

"At the moment Fiona's pregnancy is not so visible especially if she's wearing loose clothes but in a few months time, she's going to be impossible to hide Eian."

"I understand. I am grateful for this information Draven. It is a sign of loyalty," said Eian, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "But, does the Council know of our ability to mate with each other?"

"Ah, that. You see, Father told me that in the past there had been instances of Weres getting together with Vampires but they never had offspring. Without the exchange of blood, true mating could not occur and thus no conception. As you know, we had to alter Fiona's DNA structure so her body will not reject your wolf gene but back then, the technology was practically nonexistent."

"Keep this secret Draven. God knows what would happen should the knowledge fall in the wrong hands."

"I agree. I'm sorry Fiona..."

"No, I understand. Alaron can take over my job since he's literally living there anyway. Plus he's not going to complain because he knows this is for my safety too."

Draven couldn't help smiling. "You give him far too much credit. He'll whine about it but yes, he will do it for your safety."

The three of them remained quiet for a minute, each aware of the dangers that would befall their pack in the coming years.

"You have not mated yet," said Eian after a while, breaking the silence.

"I plan to... later," said Draven rather shyly. Do Weres in the pack talk about sex this openly?

"Well yes we do," said Eian seriously. "Amber's been in heat on and off for the past year yet she's rejected every male offer until you. I won't deny that wolves are generally very fertile... so just be prepared to protect her and the baby. Leave me to worry over my mate. You worry for yours."

"Yes... Alpha."

"Good, now can you please go and answer her wolf call already? She's been making so much noise since dusk."

Draven frowned. "I didn't hear anything."

"A wolf can hear decibels even a human can't. Trust me. Now would you please go give her what she wants?" Eian's command couldn't hide the slight amusement in his voice but Draven caught it.

"Try not to listen in," he said with a grin.

"Like I would. Now go."

"Going..."

***

Taking a deep breath, Draven walked towards Amber's door; hands holding the bouquet behind his back. Truth was, his heart was pounding so loud that he could hear it in his head. Part of him was excited but part of him was also afraid of what this mating might actually entail. He didn't experience any physical changes --nothing of the sort that Fiona had felt so he wasn't sure if the pill was working. What worried him most was the thought that he might actually kill Amber by accident.

He knocked gently on the door, hoping that she hadn't gone to bed yet. If she had, he'd probably have to camp in his car for the night. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long, for a few seconds later, she opened.

"I'm sorry I'm late..." he started to apologize but stopped when he saw her standing in a lacy see-through mini dress --or whatever it's called --that should technically be illegal except in the bedroom. "Okay, now I'm really sorry..."

She laughed sweetly and peeked behind his back to look at the flowers. "For me?"

"Oh yeah. I hope you like them," he replied; his throat suddenly parched.

She plucked the bouquet from him and took in the floral scent with an innocence that he found adorable.

"Did you always buy me flowers?" she asked, rubbing her nose against the petals.

"I promise to buy more from now on," he replied, locking the door and moving towards her. "If it makes you happy."

She didn't reply him for she was walking... no, sashaying her hips, towards the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers. Draven felt like a love sick puppy following his master; trailing after her and her scent like it was a drug calling out to him. When he entered the kitchen, he almost groaned out at the sight of her bent over trying to look for something in her cabinet. Why was she walking around literally naked under that flimsy little thing? Draven had seen her naked a few times but somehow having scraps of material over her skin made her more seductive than when she was naked --not that he didn't like her naked. He did.

"Baby, are you trying to punish me for coming home late? Coz if you are, it's working."

"Hmm?" she asked innocently, straightening her back with a tall vase in hand. "I know you had things to do."

She smiled and brushed past him, a shoulder rubbing against his chest --oh so subtly --as she filled the vase with water. Taking a last whiff of the flowers, she arranged them into the vase and placed it on her kitchen counter.

"Thank you for these," she said, moving past him again but this time, her fingers trailed sensuously over his crotch just for a second. But before she could lift her hand away, his fingers gripped slightly on her wrist, pressing her warm fingers roughly against his growing erection.

"My, I see flowers aren't the only surprise you have for me tonight," she whispered. "Should I... open up my present now?"

"We should make it to the bed first," said Draven with as much control as he could.

"Oh, we'll get there... eventually," she whispered before jumping on him to wrap her legs tightly around his waist; her arms around his neck. "I can tell you want me now." She ground her hips against his stomach; bare, moist flesh against his shirt. Her intoxicating scent was threatening to drive him insane.

"I want to take my time to please you," he said through clenched teeth. "Lick... every inch slowly... we didn't get much of a chance to do that the other time."

Something flickered in her eyes at his response and she looked away. "I... don't remember the other time."

Draven smiled and started walking out of the kitchen with her clinging on to him like a baby koala. "It's okay, I'll refresh your memory tonight. I'll mark every single spot on your body so you'll never forget," he teased, nipping the side of her throat lightly with his teeth and heard her low growl of approval.

He bit harder and heard her moan.

"You're using your teeth..." she complained, gripping the back of his head tight. "I want canines..."

"Mmm, not yet," he murmured, licking the spot he had just bitten. "Besides, I don't have canines..."

She began protesting; rubbing her body against him in the most wanton fashion. Okay, his little wolf really wants to mate... now. Gripping her butt tightly, he began walking up the stairs to her room, feeling her fingers unbuttoning his shirt impatiently, her palm pressed over the exposed skin of his chest.

Then he felt her claws -- gently raking over the flesh; flicking over a nipple before travelling down his taut abdomen to toy with the hair arrowing south beneath his trousers.

"Bad little wolf," he whispered, catching her earlobe in his teeth. "Be patient... I promise I'll be good."

Amber let out a sultry whimper at his words followed by a sigh as they finally reached her bedroom.

"Are you going to be gentle with me?" she asked in a throaty whisper as he walked towards the edge of the bed.

Draven stopped but didn't look at her. "Do you want me to?"

"No."

"Okay then," he replied, lowering his eyes and locking it with hers in a look that could only be described as primal. The heat of the gaze alone made Amber's insides turn warm but before she could blink, he threw her onto the bed and started climbing on top of her.

With his thighs pressing down on her legs, he took both her wrists and held them above her head in one swift movement before bending forward to claim her lips with his own. The urgency of his kiss was met with her body's desperate arching to feel more of his skin against hers. Draven simply used his other hand to push her back down in a silent warning.

His lips were so hot and yielding against her; his tongue probing and wrestling with hers and his teeth... oh he enjoyed nibbling at her lower lip over and over before returning to ravish her mouth with his lips again. Amber could only moan when she wanted to touch him... no, she wanted to scratch him and mark him and buck underneath him but he was too strong... and that turned her on just as much.

He smiled against her lips as he heard her last thought. Pulling away slightly, he began trailing his kisses down her jaw to the side of her neck, to her shoulders and up the length of her left triceps that was vulnerable in its current position. He licked the smooth skin before sinking his teeth onto the tender flesh just below her elbow and heard her moan. Then he did the same thing to her other arm.

"Draven... please..." she moaned, arching her back. "I want you now..."

He gave her a mischievous grin but didn't let her go. Instead he moved his head down and captured one nipple through the lace material and sucked hard. When she screamed, he was sure that her neighbours could hear her. The thought made him smile and switched to her other nipple, leaving wet spots on the thin lacy material.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 12



"Are you going to wear this every time I come home from work?" he murmured, kissing up her throat.

"Or... I could not wear anything," she said breathlessly.

"That's so mean... then I wouldn't have anything to tear off now wouldn't I?" At the word 'tear', his free hand pulled at the flimsy material roughly, catching her off guard.

"Oh!" she gasp as he flung most of the material aside. "Draven did you really have to... ohh!" she moaned as two of his fingers dipped suddenly into her wet pussy. The unexpectedness of his caress sent shivers down her spine but she managed to moan out, "I'm not wearing anything else if you keep ripping them off."

"I'll buy you more," he replied, pulling his fingers out. Making sure she was still looking at him, he licked her love juice off his fingers in the most sensuous way as though that very same tongue was licking up her pussy. "Tastes really good," he said with a wink before pushing his fingers back into her pussy. Amber couldn't breathe for a moment as the intensity of his fingers thrusting inside overwhelmed her body. It seemed so long since she last felt this good that her hips began bucking against his hand, demanding him to fuck her harder.

"Why don't you take off your damn clothes and then we'll both feel good?" she said through gritted teeth.

He simply laughed and wiggled his fingers inside her; feeling for her g-spot and pressing against it hard. The moment she screamed, he felt her pussy muscles clamping around his fingers tightly before it was greeted with the warm liquid of her orgasm. Satisfied that she had climaxed once, he withdrew his fingers and gazed at her. Nothing looked better than his mate with a satiated smile on her face.

"I want you... don't want fingers," she croaked, looking at him through half hooded eyes. Draven responded by pressing his lower body down; making sure his erection rubbed against her wet pussy even through his pants material.

"You mean this?" he teased, grinding himself against her sensitive bud over and over.

"Oh god... Draven, give it to me please," she pleaded, thrashing beneath him. "Release my hands please... and fuck me."

"Maybe. Beg me."

"What!" Amber's eyes widened at his taunt.

"I thought wolves like to play?" he smiled. "Or you'd rather be played with? Okay, I can do that too."

The moment he released her hand, she attacked him; her fingers desperately working on his belt before lust took over and she ripped the material off to expose her prize underneath.

"Mmm, good girl. Now you're playing my game," he moaned, feeling her hands wrapped hungrily over his hard cock. God knows it had been dying to be released after all that foreplay. He let her stroke him to maddening hardness as he kissed her with lustful frenzy.

"Get on your knees," he mumbled against her lips but it wasn't an instruction. He'd already pushed her and tossed her face down onto the bed, smelling her anticipation thick in the air. He knew that she was more than ready for him.

Kicking the remnants of his pants and shirt away, he finally laid on top of her body; skin over skin, moving the flesh sensuously against each other as his cock teased the entrance of her pussy.

"Now, now!" she pleaded, pushing her hips back.

"Now what?"

"Fuck me!"

"Like this?" he asked, plunging himself deep inside her in one rough stroke.

"Oh god yes!" she screamed, her hands clenched into fists as he plummeted deep inside her repeatedly, their bodies slapping violently against each other. "More!"

He obliged. After all, he was horny for her too. Leaning forward, he bit the muscle on her shoulder as he gave her another deep pounding thrust that left both of them moaning. The more he thrust himself inside her, the more he wanted to taste her pleasure; the adrenaline in her bloodstream. He could hear the blood bubbling just beneath the skin and as he fucked her through her second orgasm he was sure that he'd have to bite her properly soon to satisfy his need.

When she finally settled down from her orgasm, he turned her around gently, leaning forward to plant a kiss on her lips.

"Welcome back to earth," he teased, watching the way her lashes fluttered to meet his gaze.

She made a guttural sound in her throat and held out her arms for him and he knew that it was time. Pushing her thighs apart, he eased himself into her once more but this time with as much gentleness as he could muster. However, the entry was marked by a slight pain on his cock as though the insides of her pussy had sprouted soft bristles.

Don't move

This was the wolf coming to the fore, claiming it's mate. Draven stayed still as he felt Amber move her head slightly to the muscle on his shoulder and sank her teeth deep under his skin.

The first rush of her wolf venom swept through his body like it was an aphrodisiac but then it started to hurt. He could feel his heartbeat pounding at the back of his eyes and suddenly he could not longer block out any thought for his brain was bombarded by every single thought and memory within at least a five mile radius. They came in a cacophony of noise that threatened to make his head explode...

But then he felt her soft fingers rubbing against his cheek, soothing him, calling out to him in her gentle voice.

Draven my love...

She was kissing him now and Draven lost himself to the feel of her, to the smell of her scent mingling with his own; the million voices in his head dying slowly until all he could hear was the steady sound of his heartbeat.

"Guess the thing worked," he whispered, opening his eyes to look at his mate. His mate! He was one damn lucky bastard to have caught the eye of the most beautiful creature on earth.

"You're just biased because you only have eyes for me," she laughed flirtatiously, entangling her fingers in his hair. Pulling his head down so that they were within an inch from each other's face, she whispered, "But if you look at other girls, I'll gouge your eyes out."

Draven smiled, catching her lower lip between his teeth and growled. "I didn't know my wolf is so possessive... but I like it," he almost purred the last words before he kissed her tenderly. As their lips enticed each others', he moved his hips slightly; aware that the pain was gone and all he could feel was warm slippery wetness. He was only semi-hard now but that wasn't a problem that couldn't be solved. Draven began to ground his hips slowly in a circle, feeling her muscles clenching him as he pressed down from different angles.

He continued to move languidly in and out of her, feeling his cock hardening slowly at the sounds of her encouraging moans and the feel of her claws scratching his back in pleasure.

"Marking me again?" he murmured playfully against her lips and was rewarded with an upward thrust of her hips. "Mmm, my turn now," he countered, thrusting his hips down in a hard stroke that left both of them groaning with lust.

Resting his hands at either side of her head, he straightened his back and began pummeling with all the energy that he had left. Amber began screaming each time he bottomed out inside her and then again when he picked up speed; his hard cock rubbing against her pussy muscles without restraint.

"Baby, I'm going to cum," she moaned, clenching against his hardness as her legs wrapped around his waist to bring him closer and deeper inside her. Moving her hands around his neck, she pulled herself up so that they were in a sitting position with his cock embedded inside her in the most erotic fashion.

When Amber started grounding her hips against him, Draven knew that it wasn't going to be long. Holding her closer, he pushed away at the fiery red hair around her neck and sank his fangs deep into her pulsating artery.

The taste of her blood --adrenaline, pleasure, desire, memory, emotions --coursed through his veins, invigorating him to move faster; to feel more and more of her pleasure... to finally feel the force of their combined orgasm robbing him of his breath. So this, is what mating was like, he thought in amazement. It was fucking amazing.

I love you Amber... I love you, love you, love you. He chanted it out in his mind even as his body rocked against hers; his sexual release depositing inside her.

I love you too Draven...

Draven smiled at her words, feeling her muscles clenching around him in what felt like a tight vice before everything blanked out. Darkness greeted him like a friend; a warm blanket after an intense mating.

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 13



NB: So here we are at the final chapter! I want to thank wildheartedangel for being patient and helping me edit this chapter. Also to all my readers and fellow twitters who have encouraged me and sent me comments and emails, thank you so very much. They really make my day. =)

***

When Draven stirred awake, he was greeted by the scent of the forest; warm and earthy and it tickled him. Wrinkling his nose, he slowly opened his eyes to see golden brown fur tucked under his chin.

"I slept on my wife..." he groaned, lifting his head up slowly to meet Amber's sky blue eyes. The wolf obviously resented being called a 'wife' and would rather the term 'mate'. Huffing in displeasure, she pulled away from him and curled up with her tail covering her eyes.

"Stop sulking and come here," he muttered, rolling onto his back and patted his chest. "I'll let you lie on top of me now so we're even." He smiled when he heard her shift; the almost inaudible slide of fur against skin and the contortion of bones. "Does it hurt?" he asked suddenly.

"What hurts?" she murmured as she curled up against him.

"Shifting. It sure looks painful."

"It's hard to explain what it truly feels like because you've got to experience it yourself. But I don't think you ever will... but it doesn't hurt." She traced his chest lightly with her forefinger.

He snorted as a reply, staring up at the ceiling. He was stalling and he knew it. They've been through so much in the past couple of weeks that he didn't think they were ready.

"What's on your mind?" she murmured. "Don't even try to lie because I'll know."

Draven drummed his fingers lightly on her arm then decided to hell with it. He was going to ask her.

"Do Weres still need to marry after they mate?"

"It is not necessary," she replied, trying to hide her laugh. "Usually those who mate with humans get married to appease their human families."

A pause. Then...

"Will you marry me?"

Amber managed to stifle a laugh before rolling on top of him to stare into his eyes. "So those flowers, the amazing sex and all that biting stuff were to prep me for the proposal?"

"All that's missing is the ring. So what's it going to be?"

"You're a bully."

"Honey, you literally branded me until I passed out. I mean I loved it. I mind-blowingly love it. So who's the bully now huh?"

Amber smiled a little then shook her head. "I want to remember things Draven... I want to remember what's your favourite colour or your biggest regret in life... I want to be able to remember what a brilliant scientist you are or that you're the most annoying hardass I've ever met --and I know you are although I can't remember. And it makes me feel like a shell because all I can remember right now are bits and pieces of things."

"Shh..." he soothed her; caressing her hair gently. "Marriage is just a contract baby... you're already bounded to me for life. Now you should be more afraid of that."

Burrying her face against his neck, she tried to stop the tears from falling but to no avail. "Mating is for the wolf... marriage is for the woman."

"I swear I bit the woman last night and she tasted so damn good." Her head jerked up and she narrowed her eyes at him. "What don't believe me? I can do it again," he teased lightly, tipping her chin up lightly to examine her reddened face. "But I'm not biting cry babies."

She giggled before dropping a kiss on his nose. "How many babies do you want?"

Draven immediately turned quiet.

"Draven my love? Did I say something wrong?"

"No... it's just... well, let's just help you get your memories back first and we'll think about the babies some other time okay?"

Amber was not satisfied with his reply. Was he doubting her because he saw her as weak? Was he afraid she'd pass weak genes to their baby?

Slapping his chest angrily, she snarled, "No, I want to talk about it now. And you will talk to me about it Draven because like it or not, I am a Beta wolf with a fertility success rate of 50% -that's much higher than even a normal human --and I will get pregnant. Now tell me," she demanded, gripping his arms tightly.

"How did you remember that?" he asked in surprise. Amber tilted her head slightly and frowned.

"I... I don't know I just do. But don't change the subject Draven Culzean." Her nails dug into his skin.

"Okay, okay! See I told you you're a bully. Especially now that you've used my full name and all..." he grinned. When she didn't grin back, he dropped into his serious mode. "Okay I'll tell you."

He pressed a kiss on her lips and continued, "Well... firstly, the rules of my kind states that we can only have one child every century. It's expected seeing that they don't want to have a bigger feeding population as opposed to the feed."

"That's so crude."

"Yes it is. It's like you eat... whatever it is you eat and I consume blood. It's my sustenance, I can't help it. I was born this way."

"But..."

"But, we don't know exactly what our children would be like. Neither do Fiona and Eian and we're all scared... and you should be too my love."

She shook her head. "No, they'll be perfect combinations of our best traits. That's how nature selects."

"But what if you're wrong?"

"There's no rewind switch after you mate Draven!" she snapped.

"No... I'm not saying that. I'm just... worried about the future of our children. They will be hunted down Amber... They will be seen either as a threat or as some scientific miracle and taken in to be studied and dissected like some experiment..."

Amber's eyes widened at his words. "Your... it's your..." she scrunched her eyebrows as though trying to recall the term.

"The Council," he offered.

"Yes... they --no, you are suppose to be part of them... something..." she frowned again and covered her face with her hands, trying to force the information to come fore.

Draven didn't bother saying anything anymore but pulled her close and kissed her mouth shut.

"That's hitting below the belt," she mumbled a few minutes later; lips swollen and body tingling with endorphins. "You only let me bully you because you love me." She pouted.

"Yes I do and it works. Now explain to me how the microwave works."

"What?" she sat up in laughter.

"I'm hungry."

"I don't have blood in this house and you have already taken a pint or two from me last night."

"I mean like food."

"Like food? Like sausage and eggs kind of food?"

"Yeah... I think so. I need to eat and so do you. So can you cook?"

Leaning over, she kissed him and smiled. "You bet I can."

***

An hour later, Draven was staring at a piece of sausage suspiciously.

"What is this thing?"

"You're much bigger than that. If you don't want to eat it, I will. I'm starving," she said, snatching the fork from his hand. Draven winced when she bit into the sausage and reached for some toast instead.

He bit into it and turned green. "It tastes... like cardboard."

"How'd you know what cardboard tastes like?" she asked curiously before settling herself on his lap.

"It's just an allusion."

"Draven love, you are a carnivore..." she paused as though thinking. "Do we call bloodsuckers carnivores?"

"No we do not. Now can you please stuff something into my mouth so I can stop this ridiculous hunger?" he pleaded. "But none of those... things."

"Okay, bacon then," she decided picking a slice up and rolling it into his mouth. "Chew, that's it... good boy!" Ruffling his hair, she kissed him lightly.

"This is good," he answered once he had swallowed and reached out for more.

He let her feed him a little more but after a few mouthfuls, he felt sick and decided to stop. His stomach was still going to get used to solid food and at the moment, it was confused.

"Will you be going to work today?" she asked.

"I have to. Although the Board only convenes once every fortnight or so, I still oversee some of the staff's daily operations..." Draven stopped when Amber started crying. "I'm sorry baby... okay I won't go to work if you don't want me to. I mean I don't really have to go because I'm a Pureblood and I get to do what I want..."

"No... it's not that," she sobbed. "I just... I don't know what I'm supposed to do now. Do I just sit at home and wait till I get better? Or do I go back to the university to teach or do I go to whatever I was doing before? I... I'm just scared Draven. I'm scared because I don't know what's my purpose in life is anymore."

Draven held her close and tried to comfort her slowly. He understood what she felt. In fact, he could feel what she was feeling because of their mating bond.

"Tell you what. We'll drop by the clinic later and have a walk. I'll show you around then maybe you'll remember something. Or we could take a look at your office and you can ponder over your notebooks and stuff okay?"

She looked up and smiled sadly at him. "Were you this kind and mushy when we first met?"

Draven cleared his throat. "Uh yeah. I'm the man of your dreams remember."

"Liar," she teased, lifting her face up to let him kiss her. "But I know I love you."

"I know you do and boy am I glad you picked me."

She nipped at his ear playfully before jumping off and running to the bathroom to shower.

***

Back in Culzean Castle, Josephine and Aramis were waiting for Alaron to arrive for his first proper lesson.

"I should have tired you out more last night," complained Aramis.

"Oh you mean this morning? As if," she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"I must be insane," he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm about to marry a stubborn, mean old bat and I'm going to be using my less than macho abilities on a boy... a millionth my age."

"Watch whom you're calling old mister," she warned. "I already feel old just by knowing that two younglings are coming to see us today."

Aramis laughed, draping a hand over her. "So my golden girl. Would you like to grow older with me? I'm putting my dignity on the line here by admitting I'm old --okay ancient... stop looking at me like that!"

Josephine smiled but Aramis could not feel the joy in her expression.

"You're sad... why?"

This time she laughed but it wasn't the happy kind of laugh. She was mocking him. "You've lived for a very long time Aramis. Figure it out. Right now is not the time to talk about us. The children are at the door."

Then she walked away, moving towards the great doors to welcome Alaron and Erika; leaving Aramis bewildered.

She opened the door even before the two of them reached it but Josephine had already seen them; both nervous yet grateful though for totally different reasons. Alaron was nervous to begin learning but grateful for having his gift while Erika was just grateful to have him alive and was nervous to actually meet his father.

Josephine had to hide her laughter the moment they came up to her with greeting smiles. If she were Erika, she'd be nervous too to meet Aramis. He was a nasty cold hearted bat and ironically, fate decided to give him emphatic abilities which he tries hard to deny.

"How are you two feeling today?" she asked, even though she already knew the answers.

"Oh, we're great," said Erika, trying not to peek behind Josephine. "Umm, Alaron's well healed and uh...we're good."

"You'll need to feed a few more times from me then you'll be really good okay?" said Josephine kindly. "But you choose when you are ready. I know it takes a while to get used to this new diet."

"Thank you..." Erika whispered in relief. "But I'm a... I mean I'm one of you already right?"

"Yes dear, don't doubt that."

From the corner of her eyes, she saw Alaron squeezing Erika's hand tightly and she smiled. These two were good for each other and she was about to throw one to the sharks.

"I know it must be a lot for you to take in all at the same time but just take it like you're meeting your boyfriend's family for the first time," said Josephine, pulling Erika closer towards her. "Don't worry. My first time was just as terrible. I actually peed in my drawers and trust me... when it was the fashion then to wear six or seven petticoats --not good."

Erika giggled and looked up thankfully. "But you're not scary."

"Well, I try not to be," Josephine replied. "But you'll be fine. Lord Culzean is a real softie who acts mean." Erika smiled again and nodded.

"I guess you two should start practicing then," said Erika, letting go of Alaron's hand.

"I'll be fine," he said when she gave him the worried look. "I can't die easily. There's a mini library here somewhere if you want me to..."

"Your father will show her around," Josephine interrupted. "Won't you darling?" said Josephine, fluttering her eyelashes at Aramis who had just joined them. Before he could say anything, she had whisked Alaron away to another corner of the hall.

"Won't I what?" Aramis looked at Erika. "I'm sorry. She's been grouchy and mean towards me today. I hope none of that spilled on you."

Erika managed not to burst out laughing. Josephine and Aramis were really cute.

"Alaron said I could wait in the library. I love books you see..."

Aramis smiled when he heard that. He had built the library for Alaron's mother and had loved sitting there just watching her read all day.

"Right this way then," he said, placing a gentle hand on her elbow.

***

"Do you think he'll maul her?" asked Alaron as he watched his father lead Erika away.

"Don't worry about them right now. You have to focus."

"But..."

"No buts."

He scowled. "No sneak attacks."

Josephine smiled and nodded. "Good trade. Okay. We'll do... theory then."

Alaron raised an eyebrow doubtfully at her. "There's theory for this?"

She raised an eyebrow back. That was as good as an answer.

"Right, so today we'll play a game."

"Oh come on..." he rolled his eyes. "Seriously?"

She raised another eyebrow at him.

"Fine."

"Good boy. So I'm the patient and you're the doctor. I give you my symptoms and you decide what to do next."

Alaron couldn't help but gawk at her. "How the hell am I supposed to do that? Guessing games aren't real. I can't heal fake injuries!"

Josephine clapped her hand once; the sound thundering throughout the hall. Alaron tried not to look too intimidated.

"If you're going to ask a lot of questions, then you'd better take down notes."

"Okay okay... what are your symptoms, patient?"

She smiled widely. "Umm, I have chest pains and I can't breathe."

Alaron gave her a weak grin. "Am I suppose to like check for your heart rate or something? Cause that's just weird. I mean I like you and all but you're like... old."

That earned him a slap on his head.

"Oww... am I a hitting magnet or what? Erika hits me and now my stepmother hits me."

"Just tell me what you'll do," she said with a serious frown.

"I'd uh... listen to your heartbeat and check if your breathing is normal."

"Good. Listen to your heartbeat and check if your breathing is normal," she said, pointing to him.

"Oh, you mean me? I thought I was the... okay okay... don't be so scary."

Alaron closed his eyes and focused on the sound of his own breath; narrowed it down to every moment in that process --the inhalation and exhalation... then down to the oxygen moving to his heart; the steady beat of contraction and relaxation of the muscles as it pumps all that oxygen down to his body.

With a broad smile on his face, Alaron let out a long steady breath and opened his eyes.

"Now, remember that feeling. Remember the sound and the pace of that. That is your normal heartbeat and breathing rate. Any time you sense that it goes out of control, you'll know something is wrong."

"Okay... but I'm alright... right?"

"Yes, but I'm the patient."

"Uh, right. So uh your breathing's erratic and your heartbeat is weird?"

Josephine had to control herself from laughing. "Yes, that's the scenario. So how do you diagnose this problem?"

"What? I can't do that! I don't have any medicine or technology to do anything!"

"Alaron!" she snapped. "The basics baby... What are the basics to finding out the problem?"

"Err... proof that something is wrong?"

"Good. And how do you find that proof?"

"I'd say x-ray or something. Blood test that sort of thing."

"Right... in other words," she concluded but patiently this time. "You need to find out something that you can see or touch or even smell so that you can analyze it."

"You have a way with words..." he teased.

"Thank you."

"Are you giving my father hell?"

"Yes I am," she laughed. "Now stop trying to distract both of us."

He grinned. "But say I have bad lungs or whatever right? I can freaking dig my hands into my chest and touch it can I? I won't like develop x-ray eyes or something right 'cause Erika's not going to like me staring at other people's boobs."

"Oh God have mercy!" Josephine covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing too hysterically. "Good God. No! No x-ray eyes!"

"Damn!"

"Now now, focus," she said, trying to regain composure. "So do you remember how you healed yourself the last time?"

Alaron paused a while, trying to recall what happened the other day. "I remembered focusing on my wound very hard. I mean I already know the location of it so I imagined myself trying to stitch it together."

"Good. So you imagined stitching up what?"

He paused and frowned, thinking hard. "I just wanted to stop bleeding so I focused on closing the gap on my chest I think."

Josephine didn't say anything but simply nodded and paced about. Her silence worried him.

"What? Did I do something wrong? Am I going to die now because I didn't do it right?"

Still she remained silent and continued pacing.

"Mother!" he exclaimed and was relieved when she finally stopped to look at him.

"Yes?"

"Say something!"

"Baby boy... learning an ability is individualized. You can't just have someone tell you what to do. You need to think about it too instead of just relying on me." Josephine wasn't reprimanding but it was a reminder. "Now, you need to understand something. Severe injuries may force your body to act on its own accord because that's just how healers are built. They repair themselves whether you expect them to or not. However remember what happened after you lost focus on that whole stitching up the chest thought?"

"My body went into shut down mode..."

"That's right. Now what's the point of using all your energy just to close a wound; only to find yourself immobilized and at the mercy of your attacker again?"

He winced and shivered just a little at the thought. Seeing his reaction, Josephine came close and stroked his hair gently.

"The key to any ability is control."

"Control," he repeated. "How?"

Josephine smiled at him. "We'll just have to learn your threshold then. However... as I promised, no sneak attacks today so we'll just cover the theory."

Alaron wasn't sure if he was grateful or fearful of the thought that he'd actually have to get hurt to learn something.

"So for today, we'll do some practices. I want you to focus and isolate all your senses to only one part of the body that I choose."

Alaron shrugged. "Okay, sounds doable."

"Ah... but you still have to keep full control over your other senses and body parts."

"What! That's insane!" he burst out.

"Who's going to learn from an old, insane woman right?" she teased and watched him grin. "But it's possible. Now let's practice. Less talk and more thought."

***

Meanwhile, Draven was walking with Amber; hand in hand towards the medical centre. She teased him about holding hands like silly teenagers but Draven loved it. He loved knowing that she was his and holding her hand meant that he was hers as well. The nurses and other staff who greeted and welcomed her were all aware of the protective and possessive nature of the man standing beside her --the women kept their conversation light and the men kept their distance. Good for them.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 13



"You're scaring them but I don't think it's any more than normal," she teased.

"You don't seem scared of me," he replied, moving forward to kiss her lips. "Come on, I'll show you to your office. Eian told me they kept the place untouched."

Amber wasn't sure what to make of his comment but she braced herself as they entered the room and the first thing she did was frown.

"We argued in this room... why?"

Draven smiled and led her to her chair to sit. "Well, I was attracted to you and you were being a prude."

Amber gasped then narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "Are you sure... I don't believe you."

"No?" He placed both his hands on her chair rest and leaned forward so that his face was inches from hers. She wasn't intimidated.

"No sex for you tonight if you don't tell me the truth."

"That's such a hard bargain!" he exclaimed. "Alright fine. You asked me out to dinner and I said I don't eat unless you're offering yourself."

"I knew it was the reverse!" she clapped her hand gleefully.

He patted her cheek gently and smiled. "I'll leave you to take a look at your notebooks and talk to your friends. You'll be fine here. It's the safest place for you right now. I'll come by and fetch you home later in the evening okay?"

"I'll be fine," she reassured him and let him kiss her one last time. Truth was, she didn't want him to leave but Amber wasn't selfish. Plus she didn't want him or anyone else to keep thinking of her as an incapable nutcase who just cannot take care of herself.

With a sigh, Amber picked up an organizer off her desk and started to flip through it. Seeing what she had written for the past couple of weeks might help her remember things.

"Oh dear," she pouted. The organizer was last year's. What was it doing on her desk anyway? Amber began to search high and low for her current organizer and was frustrated when she couldn't find it. She continued pondering where it might be and suddenly remembered that she had left it at the university. In fact, her things were still there and she needed to take a look at them. What if Draven's birthday is coming up or their anniversary or something stupid she shouldn't have forgotten about?

Taking her purse, she quickly got up and tried to recall if she had a car of her own. A quick chat with one of the nurses cleared up the dilemma --the clinic provided her a vehicle in case she needed to go for emergency home calls.

Not wanting to trouble anyone anymore, she took the keys from the nurse and hurried off to the university. The good thing was that the memory of the university was recent so she had no trouble recalling the directions.

***

Unknown to Amber, someone had been watching her the whole morning.

"I knew it. Dirty little whore's off to find her wolf lover. I knew it! Vampires just cannot mate with these pathetic lowlifes!" hissed Benedicta to herself. She had been appalled at the way the Pureblood had tainted his lips by kissing the animal. Maybe she had been just a little jealous but she was mostly disgusted. If it was up to her, she would have killed that self righteous bitch right there and then for touching one of their Purebloods.

But her orders were just to watch the target; learn her strengths and weaknesses. Sure, they had plans to eliminate her... but not now.

At that moment, Amber's car entered the main entrance of the university and Benedicta followed. The wolf was so oblivious to her shadow that she was actually smiling and humming. In fact she was still smiling even when she dropped her files as she got out of the car.

That only served to incense Benedicta. How in the world did the Pureblood Elder ever fall in love with a scatterbrain like that? Not to mention careless and having no sense of safety. Any Werewolf would have picked up the tail within minutes but Amber was oblivious.

Keeping close to the shadows, Benedicta followed her; wondering where in the world Amber was heading to. The university sure looked too public for a rendezvous but Benedicta had orders to shadow her so she would. It was then that a soft wind blew in their direction and it carried Amber's scent directly to where Benedicta was standing --and she froze.

"No!" she screamed but no sound could be heard. Her eyes flared slightly as the scent bombarded her over and over again. Leaving her position, Benedicta moved swiftly to close the distance between them. She needed to corner her prey and then demand the answers to her questions.

No more hiding and watching.

Benedicta considered it a blessing when Amber walked into a building and started down the corridor to what she assumed must be the offices. Even better! A confined space for her to carry out her interrogation.

She smiled. She couldn't help it. Small spaces made her abilities much more powerful and she knew it was going to be a useful one for the task she was about to do.

Benedicta waited for Amber to enter her office before stepping inside. She didn't even make the pretense of knocking.

"Oh! Are you here to see me?" asked Amber with a surprised look on her face. "I'm sorry I haven't been here for a while. Is the replacement teacher okay?"

Benedicta nodded her head then closed and locked the door. Satisfied that they were finally alone, she clapped her hands once and a visible vibration radiated from her palms outwards until it reached the four walls of the room.

"Do you know why I'm here?" she asked.

Amber could see the woman's mouth open but no sound actually come out and yet she could hear it loud and clear inside her head.

"No..." Amber replied and recoiled at the lack of sound coming from her vocal chords. Her eyes immediately rose to look at Benedicta fearfully. "What have you done?"

Benedicta laughed and in an instant, moved forward to grip Amber's neck tightly in one hand.

"No sound can enter or exit this bubble now. There's just you and me now little wolf."

Amber's eyes fluttered frightfully and she tried to scream but the strength of the hand over her throat simply made her wheeze. She tried to claw at Benedicta's hand but was rewarded with a sharp slap on her face.

"Stop moving!" she ordered before grabbing Amber's wrists. Amber's eyes widened at the knowledge of what her captor was about to do but she was not strong enough to stop --

Amber screamed; piercing wails of pain and terror as her wrist was broken in the blink of an eye.

"So weak! Pathetic!" laughed Benedicta. Amber closed her eyes to try and will the pain away. She wanted to scream for help but she knew her voice was gone and the woman would choke her to death if she even dared move too much.

"Wh... what do you want?" she managed to scramble out. It was really hard to talk with someone trying to choke you.

"Are you pregnant?" she asked, loosening her grip just a little to let Amber answer.

Not wanting to anger her, Amber answered quickly, "No. I can't be. It's too early."

Apparently that was the wrong answer for Benedicta gripped her throat so tightly that part of her nails pierced the side of Amber's neck.

"You lie! Bitch! Tell me how?!" Benedicta was screaming.

"I... I am not..."

"Liar!" Benedicta raised Amber up from her hold on the neck then tossed her angrily against the wall. There should be a crashing sound but instead there was just silence.

The silence was eerie.

Without the use of her wrist, Amber had to prop herself up using her elbows and was about to take a breather when Benedicta began attacking her again.

"Tell me how mating is even possible!" she demanded.

"I don't know... I swear! I don't remember anything!" Amber pleaded but Benedicta wouldn't accept the answer. Instead, she began ripping off Amber's dress and extended one nail to sharp knife point and punctured Amber's abdomen.

There was no fighting the pain this time for it was too much. She couldn't scream to relieve her disstress and couldn't move because Benedicta was holding her down by the throat and had broken her wrists. So she did the only thing she could do --she called for her mate even though she knew he was too far to hear her.

"This is your last chance wolf. I want to know how is it you carry a Pureblood's scent and have his baby? How is this even possible?!"

Amber was crying and could only shake her head; even breathing was too difficult at the moment. Benedicta had begun to tear at her as though searching for a fetus and screamed when she found none. Her eyes looked down to her bloodied body and fear started taking over. What if she was really pregnant? The mad woman had literally torn her up! There was no way she was going to survive this.

But her wolf kept pushing Amber to hold on; howling softly inside her head to remind her that she wasn't alone. However the rampage had caused Amber to bleed at an alarming rate and the cold darkness was starting to take over...

Help me... please.

It was a plea by the wolf inside the woman; awake and keeping them both alive just for a while longer...

***

There was so much blood that Benedicta felt tempted to bend forward and have her fill. However the thought of being tainted by the animal stopped her. She still needed answers and the stupid wolf had just fainted.

Benedicta didn't know what to do anymore. The strange scent she had noticed earlier was still there even after she had tore at the flesh to find the baby. It was just impossible! She didn't think she made a mistake for she had clearly discerned the Pureblood's scent then the wolf's and then there was another --a floral kind that was nothing Werewolf or Vampire in its nature. It was an abomination. Benedicta knew what she had to do.

Kill the mother and there will be no baby.

The solution was so simple that it had her laughing... but not for long. The door was suddenly kicked opened and three young wolves --probably juveniles from their scent --rushed towards her.

Their appearance took her by surprise and the bubble she was holding over the office disappeared as she was knocked to the ground by a very angry male Werewolf in his wolf form. It was snarling at her but she did not feel threatened. Even though the weight crushed her legs and pinned her down, she did not wince.

"I'm stronger than you," she taunted, laughing at him. "How could you even hear her screams? There's no way you could have heard anything!"

No one answered her. She had seriously underestimated communications between wolves --they do not need sound or technology to connect to each other. Even if the three young wolves had not been in the university at that time, someone else would have come; anyone within the vicinity would have heard her screams... and Eian was already on his way.

The young female amongst the trio took Amber's torn dress and tried to press it against her open wound. There was just so much blood that she didn't even know where to place her hand to stop the bleeding.

"Amber please stay with us..." she begged but Amber was still unconscious. Then suddenly, she sensed another... no two more Vampires at the door. The other male was already in his wolf form, crouching low in preparations to attack the newcomers when one of them spoke.

"We are Josephine and Alaron Culzean. Yes, you know that name don't you. We're not with her. We're here to help," she said reassuringly before gesturing to Alaron towards Amber's side.

The juveniles all looked at her; partly in fear but partly in shock. She understood. They were afraid Amber would die and yet they were too young to understand what to do. Most importantly, the wolf currently on top of Benedicta was having conflicts with himself as whether to kill the Vampire or not. Josephine had seen his face and understood.

"You bitch I'm going to kill you!" Alaron shouted.

"No! Leave her. Save Amber!" warned Josephine. Alaron sent her a questioning look but did not disobey her. As much as he wanted to rip the other Vampire's heart out, he knew that Josephine was right.

"Move!" he told the female wolf guarding Amber. "Go get me clean towels and a pail of water. Go!"

The girl ran off but the other male wolf stayed by his side. Alaron ignored him for there was no time to argue. At the moment, he had to focus all his ability and concentration on the dying wolf in front of him. She was badly wounded --butchered really, and her heartbeat was faint. For the first time in his life, Alaron was scared. He was just learning how to heal himself and wasn't ready for something this drastic but he had to try.

Placing his hands over her abdomen, Alaron tried to assess the damage. Benedicta had ruptured a large part of Amber's colon and liver; which Alaron thought was strange because she of all people should know that the heart is located higher up in the chest.

"What the hell was she doing?" whispered Alaron to himself. The wound gap was big enough that he could fit his entire hand inside to feel around for the damage. He felt like an invader and had no idea how to begin healing her. She was a Werewolf for godsake. They didn't even share the same body or blood...

"Wait..." Alaron remembered her biting him; remembered having to take the pill to counter the effects of her venom. "Mother..." he shouted to Josephine. "Will it kill her if I feed her my blood?"

"No!" The reply came from Benedicta who was screaming out to him. She tried to get up but the wolf on top of her pressed her down even more. It was then that the wolf beside Alaron decide to get up and help pin Benedicta down while Josephine went over to Alaron's side.

Alaron had no idea why she was still keeping the Vampire alive but he trusted Josephine and he's come to rely on her for so many things... like now.

"I can't be sure my dear... but you need to do what you think is right," she said, soothing Amber's hair back. "Do you want me to look?"

Alaron nodded. He knew she meant seeing the future; unreliable as it was but it was his only hope. Sharing blood was dangerous because of the different blood types and he didn't want to take a chance. It would be different if they were mates but Alaron knew that he did not have time to wait for Draven to come --if he was even coming.

While Josephine was concentrating, Alaron tried to repair as much surface damage as he could. The young female wolf had returned with some towels by then and he'd manage to apply enough pressure to stop the bleeding. The fact that only the liver and colon were affected meant that Amber still had a fighting chance to live as long as she was breathing and her heart was beating. However, the longer they waited, the higher the chances of infection or permanent damage.

"Mother, please... tell me if you see anything," he pleaded but he knew it was useless. Josephine was in her trance-like state and oblivious to anything around her. "Damn it. Screw this."

Alaron made a thin slice across his wrist and bent forward to open Amber's mouth and feed her when he was suddenly pulled away brutally and slammed against a nearby wall.

He felt the wind knocked out of his lungs and then he saw Draven crouching over Amber for a second before he lifted his head to stare at Alaron with his fangs out and his eyes a frightening shade of gold.

"Draven no!" said Josephine and Eian together. Alaron had no idea whose command worked but Draven stopped mid step.

"He's trying to help to heal her," pleaded Josephine, clutching Draven's arm and pulling him away. "Draven, listen to me. Give her your blood. Now." Then she turned to Alaron and nodded.

"Josephine."

Josephine turned to look at Eian and nodded. "I know what I'm doing."

***

Eian gave a somber nod before moving towards his two juvenile wolves keeping guard on Benedicta. They didn't budge because he didn't order them to and stayed still, keeping her pinned down.

"Who sent you?" he asked calmly but Benedicta only laughed and rolled her eyes. "You dare to openly attack a pack member so I'm asking you if this is an order and from whom. Tell me and I will be lenient with you."

Alpha!

The two wolves had looked up at him in surprise. They had been waiting for him to deal with her and had not expected him to negotiate; they'd expected him to kill her on the spot.

Patience. I need information.

They were still young and wouldn't understand. The open confrontation could mean a subtle invitation to go to war with an unknown enemy and Eian did not want that --not when Fiona was pregnant and Amber was lying half dead just a few feet from him. So he was hoping this was a single, individual attack that had nothing to do with the Council. Eian did not want to put Draven in a spot so early in his career.

When Benedicta refused to answer and kept laughing, Eian had no choice.

"Draven, read her mind and tell me who sent her."

***

While Eian was interrogating Benedicta, Draven had just fed Amber enough blood to help Alaron begin healing her body. Josephine hadn't been able to see anything within the hour of the future but she had seen years to come with Amber still alive.

When he was done, Draven remained crouched over his mate; tears already betraying his control. Josephine wanted to go over and cradle him but she knew that he did not want her to baby him in front of everyone so she simply reassured him in her mind; softly encouraging him to remain strong.

As for her other son, he was doing very well for someone who had just learned to use his abilities. With Draven's blood coursing through Amber's veins, it accelerated the healing rate especially since Alaron was directing most of the blood towards the injured organs and literally stitching them up with the blood acting as sewing thread.

Josephine was very proud of him but she knew that Alaron would exhaust himself very soon and pass out if she didn't intervene. It was already amazing that he could work this efficiently on a Werewolf seeing that they are radically different from Vampires.

"Alaron dear, I need you to close up as much as you can to keep her alive until we can get her to a proper medical centre. You cannot restore her to her full health so don't push yourself. Just close her wound. Focus on that," she whispered, placing a reassuring hand on Alaron's shoulder.

"Mother, she'll be fine right?" asked Draven, looking up at Josephine with worry on his face.

"Yes, I have seen her. She will be fine."

Then Eian called Draven to read the Benedicta's mind.

***

"Benedicta, who ordered you to come here?" Draven asked with as much control as he could. "You know you cannot disobey me. Tell me!"

She looked up; fear now clearly in her eyes but there was still arrogance on her face. Her lips were moving as though she was answering but Draven could hear nothing. She was toying with him, using her abilities to block the sound from reaching his ears.

It was then that Draven didn't feel like talking anymore. He began to raid her mind --or attempted to at least. Benedicta was slightly older than him and had an incredibly powerful mental shield; a result of her sound waves possibly. They were interrupting Draven's own mind, contorting images and sounds and visions to the point where it hurt to actually try and look into her mind.

"She's resisting me," he announced through clenched teeth. "Get off her!" he ordered the two wolves and to his surprise they actually moved. Eian had seen the unspoken power play but didn't say anything. Instead, he ordered the boys to get to the car park and wait for Dominic and Mike to arrive.

Eian didn't move or say anything when Draven held the Vampire by her throat --the same way she did to Amber --he didn't comment when Draven's hands turned to sharp claws, nor did he look away when Draven beheaded her in one clean slice.

As her body fell to the ground, Draven staggered back slightly until he eventually collapsed onto his knees, holding his head in his hands. Immediately Eian moved forward to catch him.




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 13



"It hurts to go inside her mind Eian... and I found nothing," he whispered.

"She's gone now... it's okay," said Eian quietly.

"No... no it's not. I don't know who sent her. I couldn't find out why she hurt Amber. I couldn't do anything..."

"You did all you could Draven...You tore at her mind didn't you? I could feel it," Eian placed one of Draven's arm across his shoulder and helped him to his feet.

Draven nodded for he was too weak to speak. It had hurt to break into Benedicta's mind because of her shields and when he couldn't read anything, he started tearing apart every strand of thought, memory and consciousness that the Vampire had. She had been screaming but he was the only who had heard it yet it did not stop him from taking away every piece of her until she was just an empty shell. Then he beheaded her.

That was supposed to be justice but Draven didn't feel fulfilled.

***

When Draven woke up many hours later, Amber was lying on a bed next to him; hooked up to various tubes and medical equipment. He tried to move but he was feeling very weak.

"I hate drugs..." he moaned at the sight of the intravenous tube on his arm. Unsure of who was outside, he just called the first person on his mind: mother.

She came in a moment later, in her usual gliding way, moving over to press a kiss over her son's forehead. Draven didn't even bother to tell her no. She was going to coddle him and there was nothing he could do in his semi conscious state.

"Council..." he murmured. "I want... go..."

"No. You are staying here my baby. I won't let you leave. You have to stay here with Amber. She'll look for you the moment she comes to," she told him, pushing back his hair from his eyes.

He groaned and turned to look at his mate.

Talking hurts.

"So does trying to use your mind. Those sound waves almost wrecked your mental capacities," she chided. "Hush now, sleep... don't worry. I've placed a lot of security outside this door. No one can get in. I promise."

She kissed him once more before moving to Amber's bed and giving her a kiss too.

"You'll be fine you hear me?" she whispered kindly. "I want to see my grandchild."

When Josephine left the room, the door was immediately shut and locked with an electronic key pass. Eian had provided four of his best soldiers to stand guard while Josephine had asked permission for Natasha and Patrick from Draven's Enforcer unit for added protection. Josephine knew that they were colleagues as well as friends and she trusted them.

"Is he lucid?" asked Eian a while later when Josephine entered the rest lounge where Alaron, Eian were waiting.

"Barely," she replied, looking at everyone's worried face. "But I can tell that he wants to go to the Council --he has blood lust."

"I would do it for him," said Alaron, standing up.

"No," said Eian. "Blood lust would mean he's not thinking rationally. We don't know if this was a personal vendetta or an organized attack."

"Come on! She was part of the freaking table or whatever it is Drav's on," said Alaron angrily.

"Alaron..." warned Josephine. "Sit. We'll wait for your father to arrive. Eian, I suggest you bring Fiona here as well. I know there are guards at your house but it'll be safer for her in numbers. I don't know what's going on but I have a feeling that the Vampire that attacked Amber was under orders to watch her."

"What!" exclaimed both men.

"Explain," demanded Eian.

"I thought hard about it because at first I assumed she was some jilted lover that wanted to kill Amber out of jealousy. But if I were her, my first instinct would be to cut off my competitor's head or maybe take out her heart --symbolic right? But no, she went for Amber's abdomen as though looking for something."

"I thought the exact same thing but the only thing she damaged was the colon and liver. Weird huh," said Alaron.

"Yes because she doesn't know where to find what she was looking for," said Josephine with a sigh.

"I don't understand you..." said Eian. "What was she looking for?"

"Amber is pregnant... or well, you can't actually call a fertilized egg pregnant but the Vampire must have sensed the extra scent and attacked accordingly. I don't think she meant to attack unless triggered."

Eian and Alaron were stunned. Alaron quickly got up and started to rush out of the room.

"I've got to see if the baby... or egg whatever is fine. I must. Oh god I can't believe I missed it!" he babbled as he rushed off. Josephine didn't even have time to stop him.

"You think she was after the baby?" asked Eian worriedly. When Josephine nodded he gave a long sigh. "Draven warned me about this... that's why Fiona's kept within the compound's boundaries at all times. But... she's much more visibly pregnant. Why didn't they come after her first?"

"It's suicide to come into a Were's compound uninvited. But it's not just that Keiran... Fiona is not regarded as important in the Vampire community. Her marriage to you and her staying here makes her more Werewolf than she is Vampire. I know some Purebloods who still haven't acknowledged her. Draven on the other hand was supposed to marry one of his peers and carry on the Pureblood line. Some consider him a blood traitor and this attack could have easily been to hurt him as well as her."

"Do you think the Council is involved?"

Josephine didn't reply him but simply stared up onto the ceiling. "I can't say Keiran... I haven't seen anything and I can't speculate without endangering more lives."

Eian nodded and the both of them just sat quietly, lost in their own thoughts for a long time.

Eventually, Eian broke the silence. "Aramis is at the border. I'll fetch him."

Josephine looked up and smiled weakly at the Alpha. "Thank you..."

***

When Eian came back with Aramis, Fiona and Erika were also by his side. The two women had huddled together; Erika holding Fiona's hand protectively. Aramis on the other hand was looking extremely worried and distraught. It was only when he spotted Josephine that some of the worry washed away and he hugged her with relief.

"I was so worried," he murmured, holding her close. "How are they? Has Amber woken up yet?"

Josephine shook her head; her nose was reddened and it was then that everyone realized she was crying. Eian gave her one look then ushered the two women away.

"I'll bring them to see the patients," he announced and left the two Vampires to their private conversation.

"This is all my fault," said Aramis, settling himself down beside Josephine. "I should never have let Draven take up the position. Now I've put his life in danger. It's all my fault!" Aramis covered his face with his hands.

"We can't assume it's from the Council directly Aramis," she replied, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I don't want any more innocent blood to be shed. The girls need their mates by their side... I won't risk losing them should we go to war unnecessarily."

"What do you propose then?"

"I'll keep on trying to see if I can spot anything about the recent past or the near future. There has to be something that I saw and disregarded. Or maybe I wasn't seeing enough."

Aramis took Josephine's hand and squeezed it tight. Then they both leaned back and sighed.

"It's tough being a parent," he said. "I really love them... all three of them and now they have their own mates and I can't help but love them too."

Josephine didn't say anything; simply leaning back and listening to Aramis talk.

"I want you to be a part of that Josephine. Somehow you marched into our lives and you made us love you..."

She turned slightly to look at him, unsure of what to say. Did he say 'us'?

"You're still wearing your ring," he said after a while; rubbing the metallic band on her finger. "Why?"

Josephine pulled her hand away. "Aramis, our child and his mate are in the intensive care unit. Is this really the right time to talk about this?"

"Josephine... what if it had been you? You of all people can see the future. You know how unpredictable it can be. At times, you don't even know what you're seeing and at other times you don't get to see what you want. Who's to say that someday you might get attacked?"

"And your point is?"

"You really want me to say it don't you?" he replied with a broad smile. Josephine simply raised an eyebrow and eyed him warily. He had somehow taken her hand and was playing with her ring again; twisting it around with his fingers as he looked her in the eye.

"You're a very stubborn woman; hard headed, confident, strong and bossy. It's hard for me to admit it but I have those qualities too. For a Vampire with my ability, it should be natural for me to be kind and understanding and compassionate but it isn't. So saying heartfelt words isn't easy for me."

He sighed and got off the chair to get down on his knees in front of her. "But I will try... because I don't want to lose you again and because... I love you. God yes, I do... And I want you to be a part of my life and all our current and future children's life. So... please say yes?"

Josephine laughed; her body shaking with every breathe she exhaled. Then the laughter turned into cries as tears started escaping her eyes, rocking her body violently.

"Josephine?" Aramis was stunned. This was certainly not a reaction he had expected. He was at a loss as to what to do. "I'm sorry Josephine. Oh God... I said the wrong thing didn't I? Please... please don't cry..."

Then she stopped and stared at him in disbelief. "Aramis you silly old bat! I'm crying because I'm happy... because my baby is safe... because I love you. Ooohhh!" she gasped and started to tear up again.

Feeling slightly stupid, Aramis peeked at her and asked, "So is that a yes?"

Josephine smiled. "Come, let's go and see our children."

***

Meanwhile, the intensive care ward was crowded as everyone tried to cram inside to get a better look at Amber and Draven.

Alaron who had been there to check on Amber turned to scowl at the unwanted guests. "What are all of you doing here?" he hissed.

"How is she?" asked Eian, ignoring Alaron's question. "Is the baby...?"

Alaron ignored the gasp from Fiona and Erika. "It's just a clump of cells right now --so minute that no naked eye could have even spotted it. Her uterus wasn't touched at all," he reported. "But her body has taken a lot of stress and if it can't cope..."

"Don't say it Al!" gasp Fiona. "She'll be fine!"

Eian turned to his wife and held her close. "We have to wait and see Fiona..." he said calmly. "If she manages not to miscarriage then we'll have to increase security around here. Both of you will have to be watched at all times."

"What? Why?" asked Erika. "I understand Fiona needed to stay here because she's getting bigger but why the increased protection?"

This time Alaron answered. "Whoever attacked Amber was searching for a baby inside her. At this moment, we don't know if it's a single random attack or a planned one. It's the latter that we're worried about."

Fiona gasped. "No... it's not just the baby that they wanted," she whimpered. "They specifically target hybrid babies --that's why you're putting both Amber and I under close watch."

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Erika, covering her mouth in shock. "Eian, yes please do everything you can to watch her. Maybe we should close down the shop for a while and stay here with you..."

"No!" said Fiona. "You must continue as usual or they will suspect something is wrong and try and track you down. The more Vampires we have in the compound, the higher the chances that they'll find us."

At that moment, they heard a soft groan coming from Amber's direction and everyone stopped talking; looking down expectantly as she fluttered her eyes open slowly.

"Drav...en..." she croaked. "Where?"

"He's in the bed beside you Amber," said Eian gently as he moved to her side. "He's alright; he's sleeping." When she nodded, he patted her hand and continued, "I know you're in a lot of pain right now, so don't try and talk too much," he said, looking around as a warning to the rest not to ask her too many questions.

"It's okay," she croaked. "Water..."

Eian poured her a glass from the pitcher on the table beside her bed and helped her sit up slightly before placing the glass at her lips.

"Thank you Alpha...," she said after downing every drop. With her wrists still in cast, she had to rely on his help to do even a simple thing like drinking water. It made her very sad. "Eian, is the... the..." she stuttered fearfully and Eian understood.

"Yes, she's dead. It's taken care of. Now I need you to rest and get well. Can you do that for me?"

Amber didn't reply but shifted her gaze from Eian to Fiona and stared. "She wants to know Eian... about the baby. You must keep the secret," she was panting as she spoke but refused to stop. "Alaron don't let them get the secret..."

"You mean the blood pill that helps mating?" asked Alaron. "Don't worry. The data is in an encrypted file. No one but me and Draven can open it."

"Okay..." she whispered, leaning her head back on her pillow. "Can... you get Draven to wake up please?"

While Erika went to fetch a nurse to help take Draven off the drugs, Alaron told Eian how much progress Amber had made in terms of recovery --both bodily and mentally.

"It seems as though she pushed herself to a breaking point just before she passed out. But I took a look at her and undid some of the blocks in her mind. I imagine if it were a scan you'd see like a black spot shrouding the memory part of her brain."

"I'm so sorry Amber," said Fiona as soon as Alaron was done talking. "Oh Eian... you have to tell her now. Tell her about the security."

At that moment, the nurse came in with Josephine and Aramis, crowding the room even further. Eian waited until Draven was somewhat conscious before speaking.

"Amber, based on the circumstances, you and Fiona will be kept company at all times --be it with me or Draven personally or with one of the Beta wolves. You will have to stay within the compound at all times so Culzean if you want to see Fiona, you have to come here and visit. I'm not taking any more chances."

Nobody argued. Fiona held Amber's elbow gently as a sign of solidarity. The future was unpredictable and they had to stay close to each other. That's what pack is for.

Draven who was slowly snapping out of his groggy state, sat up and cleared his throat to speak. "I'll send some of my Enforcers do discreet checks within the Council... there has to be whispers if this was an inside job."

Eian nodded in agreement. "Draven, be careful with your internal investigation. We don't want to suspect anything more than necessary."

"No, Eian... we have to," Aramis spoke out. "The last time the Vampire Council ignored the Werewolves' concern, one of our kind actually wiped out an entire pack. I will not let that happen again. These are my children that we're talking about. I will not let anyone harm them. You have my military at your disposal should this lead out to some confrontation," he pledged.

"As is mine," said Josephine, lowering herself to a courtesy. "We may not be militarily strong but the Draefund Pureblood families have resources in the financial and legal arms of the Council."

"Thank you, Aramis, Josephine," said Eian with a smile. He bowed his head slightly out of respect for the two Ancient Vampires who had laid their family names and fortunes on the line to protect those they love.

***

A month later, a small gathering was held at the MacFarlane compound to celebrate the marriage of the three Culzean males.

Aramis and Josephine had agreed that a small, quiet wedding was the most appropriate so as not to attract unwanted attention. As the family gathered inside the great hall of the compound, Eian watched as the wedding vows were recited and rings were exchanged. There were no grand orchestras or horse drawn carriages. Instead, the women were dressed in simple white dresses and the men in their smart tuxedos.

Beside him, Fiona sat with one hand clutched in his while the other rubbed gently over her growing tummy. Turning around, he took in the view of the wedding guests.

The hall was filled with most of the higher ranked Weres and some of the Culzeans most trusted family and friends. It may be a small crowd, but it was a happy one and most importantly --loyal to one another.

Much later when it was time to take a family picture, Eian was sure that the frame would not fit Fiona and him; the three handsome Culzean males with their equally beautiful brides had taken up most of the space. Yet, they had laughed it off and squeezed close to each other; faces smiling as they looked into the camera.

This is his family now --the Ancient Vampires: Aramis and Josephine, the centurions: himself and Draven, then the Younglings: Alaron, Fiona, Amber and Erika, and the future: the two hybrid babies.

The future may seem uncertain for them all but at least they have found one another and will always have each other.

***



Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 14 Epilogue



NB: Finally, closure. Thank you to wildheartedangel for editing this chapter and to Mokkelke and Whiteboy11475 for proofreading it. J

Also, heartfelt thank you goes out to my readers for sticking through this story to the end. I've tried my best to tie all the loose ends so I hope you will have an enjoyable read.

-ArtForm-

****

Epilogue -- 6 months later

Amber was leaning back against the sofa with her feet up on a stool and feeling really frustrated. Ever since she hit her second trimester, Draven and Eian had cornered her into what felt like house arrest and she resented it. Amber needed to work; keep her mind off the uncertain future of her baby and more importantly, keep busy enough so her memories would return at a controlled pace --not in torrents each time she relaxed.

And she was just too goddamn relaxed at home right now that she wanted to throw things around just so she could clean up the mess --not that Draven would allow her to do any housework either and there was no use lying to a mind-reading mate.

"I'm pregnant, not bedridden!" she yelled into the empty house. Eian had it built within a month after she was discharged from the hospital and while it was a lovely split level family accommodation, Amber felt really lonely in it since there was practically no one inside but her.

Rubbing her tummy absently, Amber got up from the sofa and decided to rummage through her kitchen for the tenth time that morning.

"Why are there no chocolates when you need them?" she muttered then turned to look at the wrappers in the sink. "Oh! Guess I --no, I mean we ate them all," she laughed, patting her tummy. Craving unfulfilled, she trudged back to the living room to sit on the sofa.

Then she started to cry.

"I'm fat," she moaned. "I ate all the chocolate in the house --including the secret stash I keep in my desk drawers. And that's not all! My ankles are swollen, my breasts are aching and I keep peeing every few minutes! With my body temperature so high, I feel like a walking oven and what can I do? Nothing! I am going to die from inactivity!"

As pregnant and frustrated as she was, Amber knew that her Alpha's orders were meant for the safety of the pack. She was a high ranking wolf; she should understand the sacrifice that she has to make. Didn't Fiona make the same sacrifice too? She had to stop going to work and stayed home pretty much all the time until she gave birth a month ago.

But Fiona had no complications during her pregnancy or delivery. She didn't even have cravings or swollen ankles or ugly stretch marks on her pretty white skin! And her mate was with her all the time! It's so unfair.

Amber didn't want to sulk. It wasn't really her fault that her mate happened to be a Vampire right? And it wasn't her fault that he had to be a Pureblood sitting on some important sounding Council either.

"It's all his fault," she nodded to herself, feeling slightly better. "If he wasn't, he'd be here massaging my feet and spoiling me and suffocating me..." she sulked.

Right at that moment, she felt a strong kick and vaguely saw the bump against her tummy where her baby's feet had kicked. Amber stopped sulking immediately.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. Mummy's feeling cranky and neglected. I didn't mean that of course. I wouldn't have you if I hadn't found my mate..." she tried to soothe the baby, rubbing her tummy constantly. Although she couldn't remember how it was even possible for them to mate safely, this child inside her was truly a gift and she would do everything to protect it.

Amber had pretty much remembered who she was, what her position in the pack was and how she ended up being mated to a Vampire but that tiny puzzle of how they could mate still gnawed at her mind. Draven must have bitten her during mating but why wasn't she dead?

Closing her eyes, Amber tried to relax; knowing that the moment she stopped being agitated, her mind would clear up and she'll begin remembering things.

In an office far away, someone else was also puzzling over the same question as Amber.

***

Meanwhile, Draven was thinking of Amber as he sat in his office poring over the daily reports from the various Council departments. He didn't like the idea of leaving her at home with guards at the door and had contemplated being absent from work for the next few months. However both Eian and his parents had advised against it.

It was normal for the Pureblood on the Board of Elders to be on hiatus as and when he or she liked but Draven's absence in particular would raise red flags because of his association with a Werewolf mate and the MacFarlane pack. Draven hated it but he knew this was necessary. It was the only way he could keep his mate and his baby under the radar of whoever it was after them.

Every fortnight, for the past six months, he had kept his participation to the minimal and made sure he read the minds of his fellow Elders at every opportunity he could. However, it was no easy feat seeing that most of them were older than him --not just by the centuries but by millenniums --their minds were capable of blocking even his strongest penetrating focus.

So, in other words, he learnt nothing.

A knock on his door jerked him out of his thoughts and when it opened, he was not surprised to see Patrick walk in.

"How are you doing?" he asked kindly. And she?

Draven smiled at the mental question and nodded. "Close the door Patrick and sit down."

After doing as he was told, Patrick looked at Draven in the eye and started delivering his report.

Rogue Hunter Unit received orders from the Intelligence Unit seven months ago to keep a watch on Elder Benedicta for suspicious misdemeanor. The order was to terminate effective immediately.

Draven raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. It was no wonder that the loss of Benedicta hadn't caused much surprise or outrage amongst the Council ranks. However, he had a feeling that everyone had assumed that she was taken out by one of the Rogue Hunters as ordered. But that would mean that everyone already knew she was being targeted and yet gave her no advice. Or...

Patrick, is the source legitimate?

Patrick gave a smile and shook his head. Even amongst us there are those who look down on the common-level Vampires and it is truly their loss. We're invisible and ignored so when they talk, they don't care if we're around because they think nobody will believe us. But I know you believe me Draven. One of the common-levels working in the RHU told me something very interesting. Apparently, that specific order was only added recently but was made to look like it had been scheduled seven month ago.

But whoever placed that order made the mistake of not conscripting our unit's assistance.

I agree Draven. No assassination is allowed to be executed without the Damage Reversal enforcers on standby. Hunters never bother to dispose of the body or worry about witnesses. I feel like their freaking cleaning crew sometimes.

Draven smirked at Patrick's response. Did your source say who drafted that order? Or who manipulated the system?

No Sir. He only told me that the Head of RHU was unhappy when he was approached by one of the Elders regarding Benedicta's assassination. The Head was sure that the order hadn't been there seven months ago and they had a big argument about it.

Draven frowned. Now that Benedicta was out, there was no use asking if it was a male or female Vampire who argued with the Head of the RHU.

Is that all Patrick?

Yes.

Okay, then you're free to go.

When Patrick had left, Draven leaned back in his seat and considered his next move. If he approached the Head of RHU right away, it might alarm whoever that argued with him. The Elder might run and Draven would have no actual person to interrogate. But whoever it was that argued with the Head is not necessarily a suspicious character. He could have seen the discrepancy and wanted to find out the truth.

Sighing to himself, Draven picked up his phone and called the Head of the RHU in. He'd take the chance for this was his only lead.

***

An hour later, Draven was sitting in Elder Leon's office; mind focused to penetrate the Vampire's mind the moment he let his guard down.

"Young Lord, what brings you here today?" asked Leon kindly. Draven always thought the Ancient was very gentle but the fact that he argued with the Head of RHU made him a suspect.

"Leon, how many centuries have you served on the Board?"

Leon frowned at the strange question but answered politely, "Close to nine, my Lord. Are you... dissatisfied with my services?"

"Do you consider yourself the head of the organization? That you have perfect right to interrogate Heads of departments and send termination orders without discussing with the others?"

Leon's eyes widened partly in fear and partly in shock. Blinking guiltily, he looked away for a minute before lowering his head humbly.

"Young Lord... I have looked after this Board and this Council for almost a millennium and I consider every one of our staff as a part of my family. And never... never in all my centuries of service has one of my own been assassinated without my prior knowledge. There are proper channels to correct misbehavior --termination of life is always the last."

"What are you saying Leon?"

"Pardon me, young Lord... but I fear that something has slipped past my awareness; right under my nose even and I sought to right a wrong..."

Draven raised an eyebrow warily. "You don't trust me."

The Ancient's eyelashes fluttered rapidly --a sign that Draven was right.

"I... I stood up for you young Lord during the voting. But now I do not know... Benedicta had many disagreements with your position on the Board and her sudden death makes us all suspicious of you. Please forgive me young Lord... but I had to know the truth."

"So you went to RHU and argued with the Head?"

Leon nodded slowly. "I wanted to know for sure who sent the orders..."

"And only a Pureblood could override any orders in the system," replied Draven with understanding. "Well then, Leon... I will tell you who killed her if you let down your guard and let me read your mind. We both want the truth don't we?"

Leon widened his eyes and hesitated. He was much older and stronger but Draven was a powerful Vampire in his own right too...

"I won't obliterate your memories. I promise," assured Draven. He had seen the fear in the Ancient's eyes and understood. "We'll ask your secretary as witness. If I do more than read your mind, then she has the authority to demand my removal and termination effective immediately."

Leon nodded and buzzed his secretary in. A moment later, he relaxed; dropping his guard down as Draven gently placed his fingers at the side of the Ancient's temple.

Images after images flooded Draven's mind, almost pushing him backwards and out of the Ancient's head.

So this is what it feels to read the mind of someone so ancient...

Draven had to scale through the many centuries worth of memories; glimpsing occasionally at the members of the Board and seeing how they've been elected or replaced accordingly. It was a tiring process but Draven finally narrowed the time line to ten years ago; the day Aramis Culzean took office as the Pureblood representative on the Board.

Benedicta had been there and while she was vocal, she never raised her voice when Aramis spoke. Draven rifled through the memories of what Leon saw or heard and was feeling upset that he found nothing useful... until he noticed Benedicta at his wedding announcement ball. She shouldn't be there. Apart from Leon and the Enforcers, the ball was strictly for Pureblood families.

Draven tried sifting through for instances of contact between Leon and Benedicta and eventually found it. His father was talking to Leon about security when a tall, handsome Vampire came up to introduce himself. Draven read Leon's assessment of the Vampire as being a Pureblood from the New World families; possibly some of the earlier families who moved from Europe to America.

That didn't surprise Draven. His father had wanted him married to a Pureblood so desperately that inviting American families wasn't out of the ordinary. Draven saw the Pureblood introducing his sister to Aramis and Leon, quoting her talents and abilities and ensuring them that she was of a fine stock. However, what interested Leon, and Draven too, was the Vampire standing slightly behind the Pureblood.

It was Benedicta --the Pureblood's wife.

Draven didn't think much of it at the moment and continued leafing through Leon's other memories --in particular the ones just slightly after Draven's induction into office and after Benedicta's death. Leon was telling the truth after all. He had been doing his own investigation regarding her death and was convinced that it was not an ordered assassination.

Taking his hands away from Leon's temples, Draven stumbled back slightly and took a seat. That had drained him considerably.

"Leon, who am I and who is this?" asked Draven, pointing to the secretary.

"You're the newest addition to our Board; young Lord Culzean and that is my secretary Trina."

"I assure you that I did not remove any memory of yours. Trina, you were my witness right?"

"Yes my Lords..." she nodded her head and waited to be excused.

Once she was gone, Draven looked over at Leon and admitted, "I killed her... but not for the reasons that you think."

"Young Lord! How could you!"

"She nearly killed my mate Leon. And I am not accusing lightly. She stalked and attacked my mate and almost ripped her abdomen out."

Leon covered his mouth to hide his horror. "But... but why didn't you just tell us young Lord? Why did you pretend it was an assassination by the Rogue Hunters?"

"I had a hunch that she was doing it under the order of someone stronger within the organization. Benedicta was a smart and vocal Elder but she does not do grunt work like stalking after someone. We have trackers for that and they are much more qualified and efficient."

"I apologize Draven," Leon looked sad. "How's your mate? Did she...?"

"She managed to survive. Benedicta went against our basic law with regards to the other races. As the strongest race, we were told not to attack humans and Weres unless in dire circumstances and trust me Leon, my mate did not even leave a scratch on Benedicta. Not one. And you know what she did to make sure of that? She broke my mate's wrists. Broke them Leon! How inhumane is that?"

"But why was there the false order when she's already dead?"

"That's the question I'm going to ask our culprit. It's safe to say that whoever made that order wanted to increase suspicions within the ranks towards me. If there were enough opposition to me being on the Board, then I could be removed from office."

"But the orders... if they didn't come from you then who? Any override in the system needs the seal of the Pureblood in order for it to go through."

"You mean like this?" asked Draven, pointing to the signet ring bearing the Culzean crest.

"Yes," said Leon and for a moment the two of them stared at each other before rushing out towards the Rogue Hunter Unit department.

***

Draven and Leon took the documents with the seal and went back to Leon's office. They did not say a word to each other until they were within the safety and confines of his office.

"Whose seal is it?" asked Draven. "As you can see, it is not mine."

"It's not a European seal," he muttered, laying out the family crests of all the Pureblood families under the Council's tutelage. Draven looked at them and frowned.

"We couldn't possibly have allowed anybody to just... wait. Did Benedicta wear her family crest with her?"

Leon frowned, "Nobles do not carry signets around. Surely she would know that."

"Yes but she's married to a Pureblood isn't she?"

"You think her husband came here to cover up her own death? That's such a terrible thing to say!" exclaimed Leon.

"If she was wearing it, anyone could have had access to that signet and place that order."

"That surely enlarges the pool of suspects now young Lord..."

"Yes but I need you to check if her husband was here recently. He must have come to arrange for her body."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"I'm afraid Lord Russell did not make the trip young Lord. He gave instructions to return Benedicta's remains to her family and to give her a Noble's burial."

"Benedicta is married to the Pureblood running the American council?" asked Draven in surprise.

"Well... she's his second wife if I'm not wrong young Lord. After his first wife died, he left for America and has been there ever since. He even left his son here with his brother and hardly comes to visit."

"Leon... we need to know who sent that false order. Whoever sent it has to be the one who gave orders for Benedicta to follow my mate. I want to know what exactly they wanted from Amber."

"I understand my Lord... We shall have to bring this up during our Board meeting tomorrow. Only the Elders are allowed into the RHU system."

"Yes... I think that's what we should do. And Leon? This time, I want Enforcers outside the doors and at all exits while the meeting commences. Can you help me arrange it?"

"I will."

***

When Draven finally reached home that evening, he was exhausted but feeling hopeful that the meeting tomorrow would yield some answers. After relieving the two guards standing outside his home, he entered to find Amber asleep on the sofa with her feet up on the table.

She looked so fragile lying there but upon closer inspection, had an annoyed expression on her face. Draven had a feeling that he had put it there.

"Guess I'll have to kiss it away then," he mused, tiptoeing closer to his mate. Even though she was wearing an oversized tattered t-shirt, with her hair messy and unkempt, he still found her sexy. Rubbing his nose against hers, he roused her slowly with gentle kisses on her lips.

"Can I have sex now?" she murmured, waking up and stretching slightly. "I've been bored and waiting all day," she complained, blinking her eyes to look up at him.

"What?" he replied in surprise. "Aren't you getting too big for that honey?"

Her eyes widened immediately and she sat up in anger. "Are you calling me fat? Oh god you just did didn't you?" she squealed before pushing him away.

"No! That's not what I meant!" he protested but she was already yakking about her ankles, chocolate and a host of other complaints as she waddled away from him. Her hands were flagging around and Draven was sure that if he came too close she might accidentally smack his face.

"Shower with me," he suggested as he leaned against the wall behind her. Amber stopped complaining to turn around and look at him.

"Why?" she asked suspiciously then started to sniff at herself.

"Come here," he laughed as he took her by the hand and walked up towards their bedroom. "I want to see you naked so you'll know I still love you."

Amber stopped resisting. "You're using the 'L' word to get away with it."

"Yeah, but it's working," he smiled as he took off the t-shirt from her body. As expected, she wore nothing underneath.

"I'm a burning oven and I was alone at home..."

"I didn't say anything!"

"Oh please. You're my mate. I can read your mind like an open book."

Draven nipped her neck lightly as he helped her into the bathroom. "I'll draw a bubble bath to soak your tired body okay?"

"Or I can soak and you can shower. There's no space for the three of us."

"There will be," he said firmly as he began to undress. "If not, you can sit on top of me." He winked playfully. "But for now, I want you to soak and relax, while I wash away this grime in the shower. I won't be long, I promise."




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 14 Epilogue



He made sure she was comfortably settled in the tub --which was built for two --before he headed to the shower. Keeping his eyes on her through the glass door, he took the quickest shower in his life; scrubbing the dirt and sweat off his body as quickly as he could.

When he joined her a while later, Amber was glowing happily at the feel of the bubbles and jet spray massaging her body. Draven had been warned by Pearl that pregnant Werewolves were easily agitated and get emotional over very minute things. They were also territorial and would bite anyone daring to come close --which was why her guards stayed outside their home.

"How was your day?" she asked sweetly when he slid in. But before he could answer, she told him about hers. "Can we please get more chocolate? I want to get out for some fresh air too. I didn't do anything today except read and sleep and watch tv. I did some exercise too but nothing strenuous but I have too much pent up energy Draven... I'm dying for a run."

He hooked an arm around her and kissed the top of her hair.

"You can run all you want after the baby's born okay? But I'll take you out later to get your things and maybe we can swing by Eian's house to see the baby okay?"

She nodded and leaned her body slightly against his broad chest. Using his free hand, Draven rubbed it gently over her tummy.

"Does the baby kick a lot?" he asked.

"Not really. Only kicks when I'm whiny," she laughed.

"Don't you want to know if the baby's a boy or girl?" asked Draven.

"No... I want it to be a surprise."

Amber had been adamant on that point although both of them could already scent the gender of the baby but she was right --a little surprise would always be nice. Their fingers linked each others' as their hands lay on her tummy.

"Draven... do you think that if you and Fiona hadn't taken that blood pill, Weres and Vampires could still mate?"

Draven looked down in surprise at her question. "Did you just remember that?"

She shrugged. "The memories come back whenever I'm relaxed and I'm too relaxed these days."

"Well... I'm not sure Amber sweetheart. Our bites are lethal to each other but conception is another different thing. Mating is about the bond you build with another person; not just about marking each other... although I think your wolf loves being marked," he teased.

"I do too. Scent marking is very important Draven... especially when you have pups. They're born deaf and blind and rely only on their sense of smell. They need to recognize their parents' scents; not their individual one but the one that links the mates together. It reassures the baby because they smell exactly like that mating bond and it's unique only to each couple."

Draven was impressed. Amber was beginning to remember more things these days and he was really grateful to his brother for it.

"I love you so much," he whispered; trailing kisses from her ear down her neck. "And I want our babies to always know our scent."

Amber giggled as Draven bit lightly at her collar bone before lifting her up on his thigh. "Are we having sex now?"

Pushing her hair away from the back of her neck, he grinned, "Yes."

"Thank god," she moaned, reaching underwater to claim her prize.

***

When they finally got out of the house, it was already dark and the air was cold. Draven draped his coat around Amber and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, despite her protests. But he couldn't help it. She was his mate and he was protective over her and his soon to be born child. Amber wouldn't admit it, he knew, but she actually enjoyed being coddled and was just pretending to get annoyed over it.

"I thought you promised me chocolate?"

"Yes I did and we'll get some soon."

"At Eian's house?" Amber wrinkled her nose suspiciously. "Are you up to something?"

Draven grinned and nipped her lips playfully. "Of course not."

Amber was not convinced. She had a feeling that he was going to distract her with cooing over Fiona's baby and talking about pack stuff till late into the night instead of heading down to the nearest convenience store to satisfy her sweet tooth.

"Stop scowling sweetheart. The baby can sense when their mummy's grouchy," murmured Draven as he bent forward to kiss her pouty lips until she began giggling. "That's my girl," he beamed before knocking on Eian's door.

The moment the door opened, a loud "Surprise!" echoed from inside, causing Amber to actually jump back slightly in shock. Thankfully, Draven was there holding her or she would have collapsed.

Eian held the door as Draven ushered Amber in. Familiar faces greeted them --Josephine and Aramis, Alaron and Erika, Dominic and Sydney, Big Mike, Pearl and their three pups --Clara, Mira and Alex.

Amber was still in shock when Fiona came up to her a minute later.

"It's our baby shower! Do you like it?" she almost squealed out the question. "They've brought gifts. Come on. I'll let you open the first one."

Amber blinked at Fiona then broke out in laughter. "Oh my god! A baby shower!" She took in deep breaths to calm herself down then asked, "Is there chocolate cake?"

"Yes there is sweetie," said Pearl from the opposite sofa. "I'll go get you a slice."

Amber nodded mutely then looked at Fiona. "Do I get to choose which one to open first?"

Fiona laughed and tugged gently at Amber's arm to lead her to the nursery where all the presents were stored. "Go on. Pick one," she encouraged.

Amber stared at her. There were so many presents! But one stood out --unwrapped, except for a small bow --it was a beautiful carved rocking chair.

"Oh Fiona," sighed Amber, hugging Fiona tight. "Are you sure I get to choose first?"

"It's yours," said Fiona gently, giving Amber an encouraging push into the room. "Try it."

Like a dream, Amber walked towards the chair and settled herself in, feeling her body moulding into its curves. Then she started to rock... and all her worries and tension seemed to ebb away.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I'll get the girls and we can all unwrap the other presents. Would you like to hold my baby?" asked Fiona before she left. Amber nodded and watched as Fiona walked towards the cot and lifted baby Keona into her arms. "She's a quiet little thing. Hardly cries," she smiled. Amber could hear the joy and pride in Fiona's voice and felt her own heart skip a beat at the thought of holding her own baby soon.

"Hey there sweetheart," murmured Amber as Fiona passed Keona into her arms. "I'm afraid we'll have to share some space here," she joked as she laid Keona against her chest, resting the baby's feet just above her bulging tummy.

Amber was humming and rocking when she heard soft footsteps coming into the room. She needn't turn to recognize the innocent scent of young pups and their curiosity.

"Shouldn't you three be downstairs?"

"Aunt Fiona said we could help open the presents," said Clara.

"Actually, she said we girls could help open the present but Alex wanted to come along," chimed Mira.

Amber turned her head to the side and smiled at the three of them. "Want to see the baby?" she asked, gesturing them to come closer. "Her name's Keona."

The three of them immediately rushed to her side. The girls were tiptoeing to get a better look and were giggling with each other at the sight of the baby.

"She looks ugly," said Alex, the youngest and smallest of the three. Even on tiptoes he couldn't see a thing so he had climbed up Amber's lap and was looking down at the baby with a disgusted look on his face. "And she smells funny."

Amber couldn't help but laugh. "You look just like that when you were born too and you smelled funny all the time." Alex gave her a scandalous look like he didn't believe her. At that moment, baby Keona belched right at him and Alex jumped off Amber's knee in alarm.

"I don't like her," he huffed.

"Alexander MacFarlane!" At the sound of his mother's voice, Alex ducked behind his sisters but Pearl managed to grab him by the scuff of his neck even as he shifted into a fluffy puppy to try and run away. "You'd better apologize to Aunt Fiona right this instance!" she chided.

Behind her, the other women were laughing. "Don't be so hard on him Pearl. Just look at those eyes. They're so cute and innocent," said Fiona. "And I'm sure he didn't mean it, did you, Alex baby?" she cooed, taking him away from Pearl's hands to cuddle him.

"So have you come up with the baby's name?" asked Fiona as the women settled around the presents.

"I have an idea for her name," she replied with a grin. "But it's a secret."

"Oh come on! Dish!" said Erika excitedly.

"Yes come on Amber!" chimed Sydney.

Amber laughed and shook her head at the two of them. "When are the two of you going to get pregnant already?"

Sydney and Erika looked at each other and laughed.

"Well..." said Sydney looking around sheepishly.

"Oh my god! My baby brother's going to have a baby too?" squealed Pearl, rushing over to hug Sydney. "Now Erika, the pressure's on you to catch up."

Rather than feeling pressured, Erika actually laughed and patted her tummy. "Maybe I should hang around more in the compound. This pregnancy thing might actually be contagious!"

The women burst out into laughter. Presents were unwrapped, cake was being passed around and last but not least --when women get together --they talked about men.

***

The men in question were seated at the dining table, away from the prying ears of the women, except for Josephine, who had chosen to be in the room with them while they discussed. She'd promised Fiona to join the women as soon as she was done with the men and it gnawed at her each time she heard the squeals of laughter coming from the nursery.

Even though Amber is a Werewolf, Josephine made no distinction between them and loved her as much as she loved her own children. Furthermore, Amber is her natural son's mate and there was something about that inexplicable bond that linked the three of them together.

"She'll be fine love," whispered Aramis into her ear, gently rubbing her arms to rouse her back to their discussion.

Draven had just shared what he had learnt earlier during the day and was delivering his plans regarding the meeting with the Board the next morning.

"I've ensured that the entrances and exits are secured so no one can attempt to escape during the meeting," he added.

"You have to be prepared for an attack should the perpetrator get desperate and turn on all of you," said Alaron. "Then... should we all be there for back up?"

"Not all of us," said Aramis and Eian at the same time. The two men looked at each other then nodded. Eian spoke first. "My presence would alert any others in the Council of the Were's involvement and our top priority at this moment is to keep the pack out of the problem. The children need a safe and stable environment to grow up and I am not willing to risk it unnecessarily."

Everyone concurred by nodding or grunting in reply. Only then did Aramis speak.

"I will be there --not in the boardroom itself but close enough to lower everyone's defenses..."

"Why?" interrupted Draven.

"I may be out of practice, but I can put them in a relaxed and calm state long enough for you to penetrate their mental shields. From what you've told us, you're far too young to be powerful enough to read their minds."

Draven pondered over his father's words. He wasn't sure exactly how Aramis's abilities worked but according to his mother, his father could tweak emotions and manipulate them according to his will. Draven had never seen that in action but he'd have to trust his father on this.

"Draven, how sure are you that it's one of the Elders who's responsible for what happened?" asked Eian. "It could have been anybody in the Council."

Everyone turned to look at Draven expectantly. Making sure everyone was paying attention, he began to explain.

"All termination orders have to go through either of two channels. Through the first channel, a consensual decision by the Board has to be made regarding a Vampire's termination. Only then can the Pureblood on the Board pass his or her family seal of approval. The order will then be sent to the Judicial and Disciplinary Unit for review and at this time, any Pureblood in the Council can appeal to reverse the order and override the system."

"With your permission?" asked Eian.

Draven shook his head. "I know the system sounds flawed but the Council was set up with the purpose of protecting the Pureblood population and the younglings. If a termination order is seen to compromise any Pureblood's personal or financial interests, then the JDU will permit the override."

"I don't understand..." said Eian, clearly confused now. "How does this relate to how you know one of the Elders is involved?"

Draven smiled. "See, the second channel for termination is reserved for non-forgivable cases such as attempted or actual murder of innocents. When the Intelligence Unit reports this to the Board, we send an immediate termination order to the Rogue Hunter Unit see? So there are no appeals or override."

Eian nodded slowly. "And this order as you said was sent directly to the RHU right?"

"Yes," said Draven. "Only someone on the Board could have been given authorization into the RHU system."

"But you still need the family seal to activate the order right?" said Alaron.

"Yes. And any family seal recognized by the system will pass through. The Pureblood doesn't have to be personally there to activate the order. The document bearing his or her seal would be enough."

"You guys seriously have to work on security," said Alaron. "And not to mention improvements on the archaic methods."

"Thank you Alaron," said Aramis, glowering slightly at his son. Alaron looked like he was about to say something but Josephine shook her head and he kept quiet. Draven and Eian exchanged looks before bursting out in laughter.

"We shouldn't be so serious guys. The women can sniff our distress a mile away," said Dominic for the first time during their discussion.

"Yes, in fact we have a nosey fella hiding behind the doors right this minute," said Big Mike jovially. "Come out Alex. I know you're there."

A naked toddler peeked shyly from behind the door; his eyes roaming the room to see who was inside. At the sight of his Alpha, he gave a gasp and shut the door.

"You're too scary," said Dominic to Eian. "I'll go get him."

Dominic got up from his chair and opened the door to find a fluffy wolf pup curled into a ball with his tail covering his eyes.

"Come here little fella. Why aren't you with your sisters?"

Alex peeked from behind his tail. Clara says it's for girls only.

"Geez that sucks."

Alex nodded. Will you please have a baby boy Uncle Dominic? Pretty please with cherries on top?

"Uh. I'll try. Can't promise you though little buddy."

The pup bowed his head down sadly.

"Talk about guilt trip," muttered Dominic, passing Alex to his father. Big Mike took Alex in his arms; the small furry puppy looking even smaller against his father's huge chest. Anybody who didn't know Big Mike wouldn't have guessed that he was the gentlest person ever.

"Alright then, I guess we should join the women soon or they'll wipe out the entire food supply," mused Eian before turning serious once more. "But for now, we will all remain on standby and wait for Draven's findings tomorrow."

***

Draven tried not to be too nervous as he entered the board room that morning. His father was in the room directly below them while Alaron was somewhere in the building in case any of them got mortally hurt.

But Draven wasn't counting on getting hurt.

"Young Lord, how nice of you to finally join us," said Aiden as Draven took his seat. The other Elders were already seated and waiting for him to begin their meeting.

"My fellow Elders, I have two things on my agenda today," began Draven. "The first is to suggest a suitable candidate for the position previously held by Benedicta. We've mourned her loss for six months now. I am sure it is time we move on."

"I agree young Lord. Do we send in our nominations to you or shall we just let the departments elect someone?" asked Anthony, the head of the Administrative arm of the Council. It wasn't surprising to hear him suggest efficient ways of electing an Elder.

"What do the rest of you think?" asked Draven instead. Everyone started talking at the same time.

"We should pick the best candidate not the most popular one."

"We should let the departments decide. That's the fairest way."

"Why don't we just leave her place vacant for the time being my Lord?" Aiden's voice was clear amidst the mayhem. "Our Board is still able to function and the odd number would come in useful during voting don't you think?"

Draven considered his answer. It was true what Aiden was saying because previously with six Elders, they often had a tie on certain issues which made resolution difficult to achieve.

"Then we cannot have two permanent and two electoral positions Aiden. It would create an imbalance," said Leon. "As permanents, we were mentors and advisors to two Elders each remember?"

"Are you saying I should step down?" asked Aiden angrily. "Why don't you? You're too old to be on this Board anyway."

"Aiden," warned Draven. "Leon was merely pointing out the imbalances. And while I think your idea of the odd number voting is really good, I think we should also have at least a female on the Board. I might even suggest a lesser Noble or Common-level to take up the position."

"Young Lord!" gasped Henry and Anthony. Draven knew it wasn't the suggestion of a female that shocked them but the idea of a lower status Vampire as an Elder than rendered them speechless. Draven took their momentary state of shock as a chance to delve into their psyche.

Henry was the easiest to read. His shields weren't so strong because he spent most of his time in the engineering labs and at that moment, his mind was too focused on his shock; allowing Draven to skim through his thoughts and memories.

Anthony was a different story. Even though he was shocked, Draven encountered many layers over his memories as though he had placed fake memories over them. Draven didn't think that was possible unless someone with Fiona's abilities managed to hoodwink the Elder into believing things he otherwise wouldn't. Draven almost managed to go down to the last layer when he was interrupted.

"Lord Culzean?" Leon was calling him. "Are you alright?"

Draven had to snap out of his concentration to answer Leon. "Yes."

"Aiden and I think that we will compromise on a female Noble but nothing less my Lord. It would send the wrong message to the community should we let a common level on the Board. I... I am not demeaning their worth young Lord. The blood given by the Pureblood is what keeps order in the society. We cannot simply go against that."

Draven kept quiet for a minute then nodded. "I hope things can change someday but for now, I will accept that. We will each give a nomination but give it to Henry. He will collate and present at the next meeting."

Henry widened his eyes but nodded to acknowledge the responsibility given to him.

"Very well then. My next agenda is very simple. I would like to know who arranged for Benedicta's things to be returned to her family."

"That would be I," said Anthony; much to Draven's surprise.

"I see. And did you happen to find her family signet ring or pendant amongst her belongings?" he asked carefully.

Anthony frowned, as though trying to recall something then shook his head. "She shouldn't even have a Pureblood's family seal with her. Nobles aren't allowed to carry them."

"Young Lord, why are you asking us such trivial questions?" asked Aiden. "Let the woman rest in peace."




Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 14 Epilogue



Draven almost lost control at Aiden's words. Rest in peace? That woman didn't even deserve to die by mere beheading. She should have been staked and baked in the sun.

"What do you know about her death Aiden?"

"I know nothing of it young Lord. You were the one who drafted the order to have her terminated. I'd say you'd know best."

Draven was about to say something when he felt a strange buzz in his mind. It felt like someone was trying to read his mind except that Draven knew it wasn't. Mind readers glided through memories and thoughts almost invisibly --not with a buzzing sound and definitely not with this uncomfortable feeling.

"Young Lord, if I may suggest, perhaps you could read all our minds and see for yourself what we know about Benedicta's death," said Leon. Suddenly the buzzing sound stopped and Draven was able to blink his eyes.

"I have nothing to hide," said Henry. "Draven has worked with me for centuries. I trust him."

Draven managed a smile even though his head was starting to hurt.

"Wait... why should he read us when he was the one who sent the orders to terminate her? Shouldn't it be the other way round?" asked Anthony perplexed.

"It wasn't the young Lord," said Leon quietly. "The seal of authorization was not his..."

Anthony blinked in confusion then looked at Draven. "It was me... I did it."

Draven forced himself to push away the headache and concentrate. "Did what Anthony?"

"I used her seal..."

Everyone exchanged uneasy looks. Then the doors opened and the Enforcers stormed in to take Anthony away from his seat.

"No! Wait!" ordered Draven. Alaron, come up here now. Something doesn't feel right. Hurry!

Everyone stared at Draven but the Enforcers did not let Anthony go. Meanwhile, the Noble looked so forlorn and wasn't resisting one bit. It was like he believed he deserved to be punished.

"Sit everyone. Right now. I want to know the truth and I want it now." Draven sent a mental instruction to the remaining Enforcers to stand behind each of the Elders to keep them in their seat. "Anthony, tell me. Why did you draft that termination letter and when did you submit it to the system?"

The Noble looked up and sighed. "Not too long ago... I did it... for you."

"What!" exclaimed a few people in the room.

"What do you mean for me?"

"Cover... you..."

Anthony looked exhausted. Telling the truth shouldn't be exhausting unless it wasn't coming from him. Draven was about to push him for more answers when Alaron came into the room.

The atmosphere in the boardroom was extremely tense but Draven wasn't going to give away why Alaron was there. No one knew of his brother's recent ability except the family and he was going to use that to their advantage right now.

I need you to see if his mind was like Amber's. I tried to read it earlier but saw too many superimposed layers.

Alaron nodded and came closer; placing two fingers at the pulse throbbing on the Noble's neck.

"What's he doing?" asked Aiden. "Are you killing him before he tells us the truth?"

Keep working Alaron. Don't get distracted by what I'm about to say.

Draven looked at Leon for one brief second before turning to Aiden. "Benedicta killed my mate so I killed her."

From the corner of his eyes, Draven saw Henry covering his mouth in shock.

"Then why is Anthony saying he sent an order to have her killed? I don't understand..." said Henry. "And why didn't you tell us?"

He's messed up Draven. The layers are even more intense than the ones in Amber's mind. They create deep and almost realistic images that seem irreversible.

Draven looked at his brother sharply, understanding the seriousness of what was happening.

"Lower your shields Aiden," said Draven softly. "You're the only one whom I have not read. You have nothing to fear now that Anthony will be charged right?"

"No! I will not!" said Aiden defiantly... then he relaxed almost against his will --Aramis's doing. Draven didn't waste another second but delved straight into Aiden's mind to see what actually happened.

But Aiden's mind was a labyrinth. Draven had never seen anything like it before. These were constructed memories --most of them fake but unlike what he had seen in Amber and Anthony's mind, this maze was created inside Aiden's mind, possibly by Aiden himself.

Draven continued moving; each time coming up against a dead end. The mental labyrinth looked almost impossible to maneuver and the more he pushed through, the narrower was the 'pathway' leading towards the centre.

He's resisting me Draven... hurry before he puts his shields up again!

Draven heard the voice of his father in his head and began to move faster. In all his years of experience, he had never come across a mind as intricate as this. However, his instinct was warning him to hurry. If he didn't get out in time, he might actually get trapped inside someone else's mind.

Then it hit him. Draven wasn't just a mind reader! He could erase memories too! Draven tried even though he was unsure whether it would work on pseudo-memories.

He was getting tired but he managed to break down one wall. It was much easier than actual memories because these were just illusions and a few minutes later, Draven could see the actual core of Aiden's mind not too far away.

Each time he came across a difficult path, Draven thought of Amber and his baby girl and it made him push on. He didn't want them to live in isolation or in fear. He wanted the only worry for him to be when boys start to notice his girl. Other than that, he wanted her to be able to run free in the forest or play with her packmates without being afraid that someone would kill her.

There --he was almost at the core now, just a reach away...

Aiden's memories were organized to the precise date and time. It was an amazing contraption and Draven was actually impressed by the Noble's ability. Selecting the date of his inauguration, Draven began investigating.

Benedicta had approached Aiden a few days after Draven was placed on the Board where she expressed her unhappiness at Draven's alliance with the wolves. Many Vampires were supremacists and she wasn't spared.

Aiden wasn't as interested in who Draven was mating with as he was interested in the 'how' and 'what's next'. Benedicta felt the Council was disproportionately pro-Culzean and she resented that so she asked if there was a way to get rid of him.

Aiden had said no. Killing Purebloods would result in her termination. Instead, he had asked her to watch Amber. He was convinced that perhaps they have not mated; have yet to draw blood from each other and wanted to know the moment there were reports of her death.

The two of them argued quite a bit about the issue but she quickly relented, albeit unwillingly, as though it was suggested for her to do so.

"So this is what Fiona's abilities might develop into..." thought Draven to himself. It was then he realized the possibility that every member on the Board could have been manipulated to some extent by Aiden.

Draven was about to continue when he heard the sound of something crashing behind him. Like dominoes, the walls of the maze began to collapse on itself; self-destructing --and by the looks of it, moving faster and faster towards him. Draven was contemplating whether to keep on digging when he literally felt someone yanking him backwards and out of Aiden's mind.

Have you gone mad? Alaron was glaring at him.

How'd you know I was in danger?

I've been freaking holding his hand for the past half an hour. I can see you in his head

Draven gave his brother an apologetic smile before turning to Aiden. The Vampire was looking up at him; his face serene and innocent.

"Why did you send the fake termination order?" asked Draven.

Aiden shrugged. "Make it look like you had a personal vendetta?"

Draven gritted his teeth furiously. So he was right that the order was to raise suspicions within the Council about him.

"Why do you want to know about my mate?" asked Draven.

Aiden raised his eyebrows, almost in amusement and shrugged his shoulders. "I thought the high and mighty Pureblood would have gotten his answers by now."

"Tell me!" demanded Draven, clamping his fingers around Aiden's throat but the Noble simply laughed.

"I have nothing to tell you. By the end of the hour, every shard of memory that I ever possess would have been destroyed. You may choose to enter my mind again if you'd like... but I can't promise you'll survive," he said with a broad smile on his face.

"Why you..." Draven had raised his hand to smack the insolent Noble but Leon stopped him.

"That is enough! You have what you need, young Lord. Entering his mind would kill you this time."

Lowering his hand slowly, Draven took a deep breath and calmed down. Leon was right. He had failed to get the answers because he was not fast enough...

Don't beat yourself up for it Draven...

Draven looked at Alaron for a minute before gesturing for him to tend to the other three Elders. At the same time, he sent an Enforcer to get more healers to help Alaron then made the necessary arrangements for Aiden's termination.

"I sentence the Noble Aiden Lazure to a century of imprisonment for the misuse of his abilities in manipulating his fellow Nobles and for the intentional policing of a Pureblood's mate without his prior knowledge."

"You should just kill him!" spat Anthony whose mind was slowly repairing itself with the help of the healers.

"Beheading would be too kind a punishment," said Draven. "There is a chance that his mind can rebuild itself again and I want to be there when that happens. Killing him brings me no answers."

"We will put him in our most secure and isolated chambers," said Leon sadly.

Draven nodded at the Ancient Elder's words and turned to the remaining Enforcers to give his last instructions:

"The Condemned has a very powerful ability to manipulate your mind so I want all Enforcers to work together. Natasha, you're in charge of ensuring that everybody's shields are intact. His mind might be disintegrating but his powers might not be. So keep watch."

***

"Isn't this punishment too cruel young Lord?" asked Leon.

"He did not commit murder Leon... but for treachery and plotting to harm my mate --this is the kindest punishment I could give."

True to Aiden's words, his memory had been wiped completely clean within the hour such that he could not even remember his name or what he was doing in the boardroom. A quick scan of his mind showed that he was literally just a shell that was empty... and yet Draven did not trust him.

The Vampire Noble's hands and feet were bounded on a metal pole; a stake driven through his heart while he was left to bake in the sun for the entire period of his imprisonment --a century. The stake would stop his heart from beating and eventually his body would die from lack of nutrients as he could not feed. In Draven's mind, a century was far too short a time but without blood to replenish his bodily functions, Aiden would wish he was dead within a year.

But for now, it seemed that he and his family can rest in peace. Aiden can no longer pose a threat to them. In time, Draven hoped to piece together the rubble left by his memory-destruction and learn to strengthen his own abilities.

He had a feeling that while the future was still uncertain, at least now he could go home and tell his mate that it was finally safe for her and their daughter to live freely.

And while the children grow up, they, as parents will always keep a watch over them to ensure that they'll always be safe and protected from harm.

****

The End