8 comments/ 21500 views/ 16 favorites Esmerelda Ch. 01 By: Eleclya Two emerald eyes gleamed at her. White fangs were bared in a silent snarl. She smiled at him in the darkness, knowing that he could not hurt her. So this was her initiation test. She felt her father's presence in her mind *Kill him child, take all he has to offer, he is strong, strong enough to feed you properly, make me proud* She looked down at herself; taking in the clothing her father had ordered the servants to dress her in. Her breasts were encased in a black leather corset, amplifying their size to maximum emphasis. The stays were pulled tight which not only pushed her breasts up but also drew attention to her tiny waist. She wore a long black skirt that was partially see-through, allowing tantalising glimpses of her firm legs as she moved. Her dainty feet were in black high heels. Though she could see fairly well in the dark she wanted to study her prey and so lit a solitary candle. The flame was faint, throwing a soft pool of yellow light around the room. She turned to examine the face belonging to those captivating green eyes. As her eyes focused on the vampire she drew in her breath sharply. His facial features looked as if they had been hand carved by angels, it was perfection in every way, save for a scar that ran the length of his face from eyebrow to mouth. Unable to resist she reached forwards to feel his jaw. He snapped his fangs at her and glared, causing the hasty removal of her hand from the reach of his fangs. Instead of touching him she surveyed the rest of his body. Sculpted muscles were visible even through the black t-shirt he was wearing. His black jeans appeared to sport a nice bulge even though she could sense he was not yet aroused. Though he was tied down she could tell he brushed about six foot when standing. She flicked a glance at the bonds that tied him. The magically reinforced chains could force a fully-grown werewolf to submission, so she did not fear that they could break. She noticed that he had burned his wrists trying to escape, a glance at his ankles confirmed that during his struggle for freedom he had used his own brand of magick and the cuffs had recoiled and burned him quite severely. Her gaze was drawn back to his own only to see a sneer curving his face, "Afraid I'll get free and ravish you?" he spat. She shook her head lightly, a twinge of a smile hovering at her lips, a smile of pity? *Esmerelda what are you waiting for girl!* **Father, leave me alone, I am playing** *You should not play with your food, it is not seemly* **And the way I kill isn't?** She heard her father's snot of annoyance in her head again before he snapped, *Just hurry up and finish, I'm going out, I expect him dead by the time I get back* Esmerelda disconnected the mental link with her father as he left, then turned back to her meal. "You do not ask what I am, nor why you are here." She stated quizzically. "You are an enemy, and I will kill you before you do whatever you intend." The vampire scoffed arrogantly. "In that case I should like to know the name of my killer," she purred, placing her hand lightly on his thigh. She saw the debate in his eyes, whether to pull away and appear weak, or to endure her touch, he remained where he was. "My name is my business." Esmerelda shrugged, "Then I shall name you." Fire blazed in his eyes as anger coursed through his veins. "Andron." She said decisively, "Nice strong name." He ignored her until her hand on his thigh moved up to feel his goods. "We are a big boy then aren't we?" she said with a smile. He felt her hands smooth over the t-shirt before ripping it from neckline to hem, displaying his muscles for her viewing. She trailed her fingertips over him, marvelling at the smooth, cold texture of his skin, until she found the light dusting of hair on his chest. It tickled her fingers and she giggled. Her hands dipped lower and lower until they reached his jeans. Slowly she dragged them down, noting that he wore nothing beneath. Having done that she wished the remnants of his clothes away. His body was left gloriously naked and a neat folded pile of black clothes appeared at the foot of the bed. She moved them to the side table and then returned to him, sitting down by his waist. Her eyes took a slow perusal of his body, widening almost imperceptibly as they took in the size of his prized manhood. That thing must be as long as her forearm! There was no way all that would fit inside her, not on her first time. She moved the palms of her hands over his chest again, delighting in the way his muscles automatically flexed beneath her roving hands. Her small hands closed around the base of his penis and she picked it up, as if to weigh it. She feathered the length with her delicate hands; unable to use just the one hand around him she used her two hands together. She could feel the blood beginning to stir beneath the flesh in her hands and continued feathering for a bit before stopping. The vampire fixed his gaze on her and she could feel him trying to probe her mind for answers, for weaknesses to exploit. His eyes widened slightly in pain as he probed too far and set off the magical restraints, burning his wrists and ankles badly. "Now, now, poking around up here uninvited is not nice." She said, tapping the side of her head. He watched as she undid the back of her corset, taking her own sweet time, and then saw her breasts emerge from their prison, almost springing free. She dropped the corset on the floor and removed the skirt too. Clad in only a black thong she turned back to him. "You like what you see?" she asked. "No." he lied. "Too skinny." She gave a pointed look at his manhood, which had risen to half-mast. "Your body appears to think differently." "Good thing my brains aren't down there then." He snapped. She straddled his chest. "I'll put on weight after feeding." She said sweetly. Esmerelda leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his chest, letting her long plait fall over her shoulder and land by his side. Then she giggled again and picked up her hair, letting the end of the plait tickle through the fine hairs on his chest, swirling it around his nipples. She felt another psychic snap in the air as the cuffs prevented him from blasting her off him. The smell of burning flesh filled her nostrils as the cuffs snapped and cracked, turning his own magick back upon him. "My little vamp is going to hurt himself real bad if he doesn't stop trying to use magick on me." She warned. She glanced up at his wrists and saw how badly he was burned; surely that amount of pain would make him whimper at least. It must be pride keeping all that emotion bottled up. If she could tap that power and turn it to arousal then it would make her job so much easier. She leaned up and laved his wrist softly, letting the healing agent in her saliva coat the wound. She watched as his face relaxed ever so slightly as the pain eased. As she leaned over to do the other wrist he snapped his fangs at her breast, which dangled dangerously close to his fangs. She drew back sharply and glared at him. "Do that again and I'll file them down to nothing." She warned. "I'm trying to stop the pain." She turned around and laved both his ankles, feeling the tenseness leave his legs slightly. "Now, lets try again." She said softly. Moving back up to his wrist. He allowed her to heal his wrist but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't happy about it. "That wasn't so hard." She whispered. She kissed his chest again, and then moved up to kiss his neck. For a vampire one of the most sensitive areas on their bodies is their neck, and she felt his response rise high behind her. She bit down gently on his skin and heard him stifle an involuntary moan. Slowly she pulled back and smiled lazily down at him, before scooting down his body to take his penis back into her hands. Gently she rubbed the skin again before flicking out her tongue to taste his skin. As her tongue danced over his skin he failed to stifle to moan that welled up inside him. He lifted his hips up very slightly, trying to get her to take him into her mouth properly. "Not yet Andron." She whispered, blowing onto the damp flesh to make him moan a bit louder. Slowly she drew her thong down her legs until she was finally free of it. "Do you like the scent?" she asked, wafting it under his nose. He growled at her as the aroma of her sex fired every arousing hormone in his body, making him harder than ever before. She flicked her tongue over him again before taking him completely by surprise and swallowing the whole of him. The suction in her mouth was incredible as she lashed the head with her tongue. He hissed at her, trying to deny how good her mouth felt around him. He felt his energy gathering as his balls became heavy. He was about to shoot his load straight down her throat. Sensing he was close she encircled the base of his cock with her fingers, squeezing the vein that ran on the underside. Then she took her mouth off him. He hissed at her again until her hands began a slow and steady rhythm to finish him off. His balls tightened and tried to shoot their load but her finger pressing on that vein prevented his release and he experienced a dry orgasm and a fair amount of pain. "Bitch! What are you doing to me?" he growled low in his throat. "I'm not done with you yet." She said smiling sweetly at him. "However I want the use of my hands so..." He watched as she pulled the band from the base of her plait and then squirmed and writhed as she attached it to the base of his cock, tighter than her hand had been. She then sat on his hips and hummed a little tune as she undid the plait and let her hair cascade down her back. Her hair was her best feature. A deep rich brown waterfall that curled ever so slightly and reached down to her waist. If the vampire breathed normally he would have let the air out of his lungs in a rush as he beheld her sitting there like that. "Now," she mused, "If I make you eat me will you bite?" Of course he would. He'd bite her, tear her and then drink her blood until she was drained. She smiled at him and moved up towards his mouth. Pressing both her hands firmly on his forehead to pin his head to the bed she ordered, "Now lets see if that tongue of yours is any good." Thoughts of resistance melted away as the scent of her arousal seeped into his every cell. Slowly and carefully he raised his tongue until it came into contact with her flesh. She moaned as his tongue flickered over her clit and then stole inside her, seeking out a taste of the liquid that was driving him insane. It seemed like she let him take her to the very verge of pleasure and then she suddenly tore herself away from him. His moan of frustration echoed slightly as he pulled a face that reminded her of a child denied his favourite treat. "Shhh," she soothed. "I want a ride now." As she said this she impaled herself on his cock, her pussy muscles pulling him all the way in to the hilt. "My that's an impressive weapon." She gasped as her eyes watered slightly. He smiled smugly until her hips began to move and drive his thoughts from everything but her movement. Her moans became louder as she moved closer and closer to her climax. Her clit rubbed against the band at the base of his cock. He experienced another few dry orgasms of pain and pleasure as she rode him. Desperately needing to cum but knowing that if he did then all this would stop, which brought mixed feelings of disappointment and relief. He whimpered as she pulled off him completely. She sat on his waist and he felt her juices creating a damp patch. "I want to watch the effect of blood." She said softly. She bit her finger until a single droplet of blood glistened on it. "Stick your tongue out." She said softly. He did as she told him and she let her blood drip onto his tongue. He moaned and writhed as her blood fired straight through his system, his orgasm denied him again. Through the whole experience she calmly watched him, noting his every move, from the throbbing of his need for release to the way his eyes flickered and shone in the candlelight with ecstasy. Once he stopped moving she gently removed the band from his cock and slowly sank back down on it. Slowly rocking in a delicious momentum until he was ready to fly. She stilled and looked into his eyes, "Is there anything you want?" she asked softly. He frowned at her. "Your orgasm will kill you." She said quietly. "Do you have a last request before I take you over the edge to death?" "You're a succubus." He breathed. She nodded. "So, any requests?" "Free me." "Can't do that. I need to feed." She whispered. "I haven't fed for over a month, it'll kill me if I don't feed tonight." "Free me, once I'm releasing inside you, by that time it will be too late for me to escape. I want to die free, buried deep inside a beautiful lady." "I thought I was too thin?" "You are perfection." "Very well." She said softly. "I will free you once your orgasm starts." Her lips briefly touched his before she resumed moving. True to her word she undid the chains that bound him as his orgasm hit and her body began to drain him. He reached up and brought her body flush with his, kissing her softly, his strength dwindling with every pull of her muscle walls. Then, moving too quickly for her to prevent it he dipped his head down and sank his fangs into her neck. She screamed as her own orgasm broke in crashing waves. As her body drained his energy he drained it back through her blood. She couldn't pull away from him. Her energy levels rose, her skin warmed and her curves filled out properly as she took from him. He kept death at bay by taking her blood. Finally her orgasm faded and she couldn't take any more. She threw herself off him and broke into racking sobs as her body writhed on the floor. He licked the wound on her neck to heal the wholes his fangs had punctured. She scrambled away from him. "Are you going to kill me now?" she whispered suddenly terrified. "I should." He said softly. "You teased me and pained me for ages." She trembled; her powers ebbed at full but would do her no good against the vamp now he knew exactly what she was. He could kill her quickly, slowly, painfully, whichever way he chose and she could do nothing to save herself. "But I have to say I'd be loath to part with a sex partner like you, who can satisfy me both sexually and for blood without dying yourself." She glanced back up at him. "You... you want me as a sex slave for food?" she whispered. "Well, your blood was some of the most potent I've tasted." He shrugged. "But I think I'll have to teach you a few lessons, punish you severely for teasing me tonight." He smelt her fear level double. Instinct warred within him. The animal wanted both to kill her for her fear and keep her for her sex and blood. His pride had been pricked under her ministrations, craving revenge, but it also craved the ego boost of having a succubus to control. If he could control her. "I think I'll keep you as a pet." He stated, watching her reaction carefully. Her eyes filled with tears but she remained silent. "Heel." He said softly. Esmerelda crawled to him on her knees and looked up at him with beseeching eyes. He ran his hand down the side of her face and then cupped it gently. "Will you serve?" he asked. She hesitated for a second. His eyes flared and she flinched. The front door opened and closed and a picture of pure terror descended over her face and she dove under the bed and curled up in a little ball. The vampire turned to the door expectantly and waited for the creature to approach. Esmerelda trembled as she felt her father draw closer and closer until she heard him enter and make a sound of annoyance as he discovered the vampire very much alive and well. "Where is she?" he demanded. The vampire seemed to smirk but did not respond. Esmerelda felt her father come over to the bed and he dragged her out by her hair. "You useless child! Cannot even kill a vampire!" She quivered and said not a word in her defence. "The things I'm going to do to you..." her father threatened. "I want to buy her." The vampire stated softly. Her father looked at her terrified face and sneered. "You can have the useless pathetic whore. I have no need for weak daughters, she has disgraced herself. Drain her life. I care not." He turned to face Esmerelda again. "You are dead to me as of this moment." She felt a cold hand grip her shoulder and turned to see the vampire's smile. The next moment they were back in his rooms and he slung her against the wall. "I'll deal with you later." He shrugged, "One more feed and then I think I'll sleep." Esmerelda cried out as his fangs once again sank into her neck. He drank until she began to get dizzy and her legs gave way. She felt the click of a collar around her neck and found herself chained to the wall, destiny unknown, watching the vampire walk out and leave her in the dark. Esmerelda Ch. 02 Darkness. It was pitch black. Esmerelda could not see her own hand in front of her face. She was exhausted from her tears. Most of the energy she had gained from the vampire had been burned up with her emotions. She was curled up in a small heap on the cold floor, shivering with apprehension and a healthy dose of fear. Slowly the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and the psychic snap in the air let her know that she was being watched. She raised her head and looked up into a pair of glittering emerald eyes. Eyes that burned with anger and a promise of revenge. Without conscious thought she automatically pressed herself back as if trying to go through the very wall to escape, curling up even tighter. "I need to feed." He stated simply. She whimpered slightly and then said softly, "Will you take this off then?" "The collar stays for now." He responded, almost absentmindedly. "Then how will you feed?" "There are other points on your body from which I can feed you know." He said smiling evilly. Esmerelda frowned at him in confusion, before glancing at her arm and tentatively extending her wrist. "Not there either, pet," he grinned. "There is no other pulse point." She whispered to herself softly. "Do you know how much pain you put me in last night, pet? Restricting my release like that, it wasn't nice, not fair play." Esmerelda lowered her gaze back to the floor. "I didn't know it would hurt." He continued as if he had not heard. "I intend to exact my revenge, my pet, I intend to hurt you too." Esmerelda gulped, "Your going to feed from…" She shuddered and tried to get even further away from him. "Now, now, pet." He mocked. "It will only hurt for a minute, your blood is potent, I shan't need too much." She shook her head, nearly choking herself on the collar trying to move further away as he stalked closer. Suddenly he grabbed her legs, spread her open and sunk his fangs into her pussy. Esmerelda screamed as pain coursed through her entire body only to refocus as a knifepoint of pain at her clit, which he'd torn. She screamed, cursed, frantically trying to escape, but in struggling she only succeeded in hurting herself further as his fangs slid deeper and deeper into her most tender flesh. He withheld the hormone in his fangs that would ease her pain with pleasure, listening intently as her screams of pain dampened into whimpers as her strength was sapped. Once her whimpers had begun to reduce he finally pulled out his fangs and licked the wound closed. Dropping her unceremoniously on the floor. He watched as, too weak to scramble, she slowly crawled back to the wall, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering. She raised her eyes to his as he said her name, before dropping her gaze back down to the floor. The pain and humiliation in those eyes was clear to see. He contemplated her for a while before ordering her to stand, watching as it took two attempts; maybe he had taken slightly too much blood. "You need energy." He stated simply. She looked up at him again, wondering if she was strong enough to kill him. Wondering if she was clever enough to trick him into giving her more power than she actually needed. "Don't try it pet." He said softly, "I know what to expect now, I can give you as much or as little power as I wish." He ran his hand down the curve of her breast and watched the arousal war with the fear and humiliation in her eyes. As he pressed his other hand over her clit and exerted a firm constant pressure the arousal won out and she let out a tiny moan. Slowly he began to rotate his thumb in tiny circles, building up a deliciously slow friction. Her body moved in time with his, grinding herself into his palm. Her instinct had taken over, her eyes closed and she let out another, louder moan. The blood was rushing down her body into her most sensitive areas as the bud he rubbed gradually grew. One long finger dipped casually into her and came out glistening with her juices. He began slowly pushing his finger in and out of her entrance, keeping up the movement on her clit. Quite suddenly he drove his finger decisively into her and she gasped with sensation, but he withdrew his hand from her completely. Her moan this time was one of frustrated desire. He stared at her for a minute before slowly placing his finger back in and feeling round. His finger came back into contact with her hymen and he pulled out, frowning, it was not possible, he himself had sampled her insides last night, how could she be a virgin all over again? "What breed of succubus are you?" he asked quietly. "A hinuae," she said softly. "They do not become born again virgins." He said quietly, "Do not lie to me." He watched as she flushed slightly and dropped her eyes to the floor before she mumbled an answer so soft only his vampiric hearing enabled him to catch it. "I'm a halfling," "And your other half is?" Her voice dropped even lower, "A witch" Well that explained a lot, mainly, why her blood was so potent for him to drink. A succubus has some forms of magic running through their veins, which makes their blood richer, but a witch was basically full of magic. Her genetic composition had allowed a combination of the powers, which made her blood magic content extremely high. "And the reason you healed?" he prompted, referring back to her healed hymen. "I have not killed." She said simply. "You were my initiation, and I failed it the minute I let you free. It is the first true killing of a being which marks a succubus as a fully fledged adult, because I did not kill you, I will remain a virgin until I do." "A halfling, you are a rarity aren't you?" he asked rhetorically, "Why did your father let you come to me?" "He is not my father," she said quietly, "He sired me, then once I was born he killed my mother, because I was a half-breed he wanted very little to do with me. I cleaned up after everyone, and kept my head down." "Were there others born at the same time?" he asked. "He sired seven full blooded hinuae at the same time as me, they all grew up faster because of the DNA boost he gave them all. I was left to fend for myself most of the time, he wanted little to do with me, a half breed is a disgrace and were it not for my latent abilities I have no doubt he would probably have killed me before now." "Latent abilities?" She nodded, "I can manipulate the four elements, water, fire, air and earth, which allowed me to dispose of their meals and open portals for them to travel through." "And?" He prompted as she hesitated. "I can sometimes wish for things and have them happen, but it doesn't always work." He raised his eyebrows, that was interesting. "Well then pet, it seems you have traded one form of slavery for another." She blinked up at him, "From my viewpoint I am better off." She said hesitantly. "Are you now?" he asked softly, "Are you really?" She nodded, whispering, "You have not beaten me and left me bleeding, nor starved me to the point of near death, you have not loaned me out to friends for their amusement, nor have you made me feel totally and completely worthless. Even being a chew toy and food source is better than what I had before." He watched as she tentatively came forward on her knees before him, she wrapped her arms around one of his legs and clung there like a child, "You look after me more than he did." Something in him twisted as she lay there at his feet, looking up him with such an innocent honesty in her gaze. He realised with a start that it had been a beat of his heart. He took hold of her shoulders and brought her gaze up level with his, searching her eyes for any and all hints of emotion. Slowly he slipped a finger back down to her bud and stimulated her back to her moaning state. "Please," she whispered. That one word was all he needed, as she submitted to him he felt that twist in his chest again. Her beautiful eyes filled with tears as he let her orgasm take hold, and he watched as the power swirled within her, waiting until the silvery glow of a well fed succubus would appear in those crystalline depths. Her breath returned slowly, and her focus shifted to his eyes, "Thank you." She said quietly. Knowing of the swelling confusing emotions that can arise with feeding he let her envelope herself within the circle of his arms. She rested her head on his chest and shivered slightly as she attempted to push the emotion back down within herself. It made him feel oddly protective towards her, having her in his arms like that. He moved his hands so that they trailed through her gorgeous long hair, letting the silky strands slip through his fingers. She sighed softly and stirred in his arms, and then snuggled closer. He was so warm and being in his arms felt so safe. She lost track of time as she stood there encircled by the warmth of his arms, eventually though he pulled back and she leaned back against the wall for support. She opened her mouth to ask him something and then changed her mind, which produced a frown on his face. "What were you going to ask?" he demanded. She shook her head violently and dropped back down onto the floor curling up, covering her face from the expected blows. Blows that never came. Tentatively she raised her head and saw that he had backed off a little and sat on the bed. "I'm not going to hit you, pet." He said quietly. He watched as she relaxed marginally but the fear that had reappeared in her eyes lingered, as if she wasn't sure. "I give you permission to ask anything." He said softly. "I may not grant what you ask, nor answer if it is a question. But I give you permission to ask." She hesitated again and saw him try and reign in his anger at her stubbornness. Taking a deep breath she braced herself in case he decided to hit her anyway and whispered out, "Please, may I have some food?" He appeared momentarily baffled by her question. "Pet you just ate." He reminded her. He watched as she blushed and then she mumbled, "I need human food for my witch half." He stared at her for a few moments; almost struck dumb he had not made the connection himself. Then he frowned as it occurred to him that he was unable to fulfil her request. "And how do you propose I procure this food for you?" he asked. "I cannot go out to get it, for I cannot go into the sun. I have no servants to get it for you either. And if I let you go to get it then I risk you running away." Esmerelda sighed. She wanted to tell him he could trust her to go and come back, but she knew it would be a lie. She needed the food, but then she could not deny that she would escape if she could. "I suppose my word to return will not be enough." She stated. "No." he said with a small smile. "I'm afraid not." "What if…"Esmerelda bit her lip. "What if I make a Blood Promise that I will return?" He waved his hand dismissively. "You would be able to break it. As you are not a vampire it would not be binding." "He lied to me." She hissed to herself. He surmised that she must have believed that to be an honest method of holding her. It was probably one her father had tried, and one she had been too afraid to try and break. "You could make a Sex Promise." He suggested. She shook her head, "I am only part succubus and as such until I become an adult I can't make a Sex Promise." "You are an adult." "In human eyes. I have not killed, remember? I am not a succubus adult yet." "Looks like you're stuck then. I can't get food, you can't get food, and therefore you can't eat. Can you survive without it?" She shook her head slowly. "Not for very long." "And you can't wish food into existence?" Esmerelda shook her head again. "It never works with food." "Well, it remains a problem then. I am going out. I have a few people I need to meet. You can do what you like within this room, I will return shortly." She nodded and watched him disappear. She sat still for a while; savouring the fact that she had no direct orders for a change. Then realising she could not sit and do nothing all day she rose, and finding nothing else to do, cleaned the room out of sheer boredom, before unearthing what looked like a good book. She crawled over to the bed and pulled a pillow down from it. Curling up on the pillow she started to read. Soon though she felt the need to sleep. She had had very little sleep recently, and somehow, on this pillow she felt safe. The bed was too big and kept reminding her why she was being kept alive. She dragged the coverlet off it and curled up to sleep. Hours later the vampire returned to see her in exactly the same position. Curled into a foetal position, clutching his book, fast asleep. He sat down and regarded her while she slept. She looked so peaceful like that. An innocent. No one would suspect that she was capable of, and had tried to, murder him. He left her sleeping until she awoke naturally, which, given that she had not slept properly for some months, was a long time. By the time she awoke, a full two days had passed and the night was a good halfway gone. She woke to find herself on the bed and frowned, not remembering how she got up there. It was not until she felt a hand on her thigh that she realised that the vampire must have moved her. "Good evening." He said quietly. Esmerelda blinked at him stupidly. Just after waking was not one of her best times. She thought he must want to feed and tilted her neck accordingly with only a slight flinch before remembering that she had the stupid collar around her neck. She offered him her wrist, but he didn't take it. Fearing what he had done last time she tensed and locked her legs together by wrapping them around each other. "Relax pet, I'll not do that to you again. It was cruel, and I forgot how much it hurts to be bitten. Even the inner beast knows that we went too far when I tried to pay you back for your little tease act." Esmerelda started to ask why he had suddenly remembered the pain of biting when she noticed fang marks all up his arm, and a few on his chest. Not wanting to ask where they had come from in case it had been from a female of his kind, she simply re-offered her wrist for him to drink. Again, he ignored it. Finally she said. "You'll need to drink to heal." He shrugged. "I'll be fine for now." He seemed to swim in and out of focus for a minute. She frowned, feeling sleepy again, although she had no right to be even remotely tired. "I need food." She said quietly. "Certainly." He said with a smile and his hand crept further up her thigh. But she shook her head. "No I need human food." "When did you last eat?" "About 3 to 4 days ago." She said softly. "How often should you eat?" "Once a day." She answered. She heard him curse softly. "Can your witch skills create a scenario where you can leave but have to return?" "They can, but I have not the strength to perform the spell, nor am I sure I have the skill to do it properly." "Then there is only one option left." He said with a sigh. "Either you can work up the mind to negotiate a Bond with me, or you will slowly die of starvation as I can only care for one half of you." "A Bond?" she asked shocked. "But… that's forever. No escape, no changes, no nothing. Whatever we agree will be permanent." He nodded slowly. "You gave me your life anyway." He reminded her. Slowly Esmerelda nodded and then taking a deep breath, said, "Alright, I'll negotiate." They spent the good part of the night trying to come to and agreement, and finally came to one that worked out evenly between them. As the dawn came, Esmerelda knelt before him, and spoke the words they had agreed. "I Esmerelda, daughter of Desmonda bind myself to you Adrian, son of Jason. I vow that as long as I live I will follow your orders providing that they do not cause me undue physical or emotional pain. I accept that as a half-breed your orders will include tasks sometimes specific to only one half of myself. I accept that as part of a previous arrangement, that it is your privilege to both drink my blood and own my body. In return for this you have agreed to provide me, or allow me to procure for myself, food, shelter, clothing, and any essentials I deem necessary. I will answer only to you, and you have not the power to loan me out to anyone, for whatever reason. If I earn it you have agreed that one day I may be freed from this vow by your word, and your word alone. These words I vow and use to bind myself to you." Slowly he took her shoulders and brought her to her feet. "Very good." He said, "Now finish the binding." Esmerelda laid a scorching kiss upon his lips and then pulled back slowly. "My freely given kiss seals my vow," she intoned, and they felt a rush of connecting, as her words and actions bound them together. He allowed her to leave for food upon the understanding that she would return immediately as soon as she had finished shopping. She left, dressed in one of his t-shirts and a pair of jeans to find suitable clothing and food for herself. Once finished she felt a tug, and knew the bonding had worked. She returned to him and he looked pleased when she showed him that she had enough to survive for about a week without leaving again. He left as soon as night fell to take care of some business and she busied herself putting away her shopping and then organising herself a massive meal to make up for the days she had gone without food. She had just finished when felt a psychic snap in the air. She turned round with a small greeting smile, her succubus ready to feed and give, but found herself facing a vampire she did not know. He smiled viciously at her. "Well now," he said, rubbing his hands, "I came to kill a vampire and found his human. What a spot of luck, I'll leave your used corpse as a calling card, seeing as I have missed catching him in." Esmerelda being a halfling smelled completely human. Even though she wasn't human, it was only her human half that was at full strength. She ran for the door, desperate to escape, but she hadn't moved fast enough. He caught her around the waist and sent both of them crashing to the floor. Then he quickly pinned her beneath him. He made short work of her clothing, and then even shorter work of his own. He made sure she couldn't get up and then took his time looking at her body. Icy blue eyes glittered down at her, the dancing malice in them chilling her to her very soul. "Anything you want to say before I use you, then kill you, human?" Esmerelda closed her eyes, and wished for either Adrian, or a quick death. Esmerelda Ch. 03 Esmerelda stared up into the icy blue depths of the vampire's cruel, glittering eyes. She was pinned to the floor, completely unable to move. He looked down at her and grinned in satisfaction as the tears swam in her eyes. He shifted his weight to pin her legs and then pinned her arms above her head in one of his hands. Slowly he ran his finger over her satiny skin and smiled further as she shivered and tried to move away from his touch unsuccessfully. He traced the shape of her breast and watched as it bounced slightly when she wiggled away from his fingertip. Then he traced the shape of her nipple, watching her squirm more. Then he pinched it cruelly and laughed when she shrieked in shock and pain. Growing bored he trailed his finger lower. She was as dry as a bone. Perfect, he would get some nice sound effects. He rammed himself inside her. Her screams echoed off the walls and filled him with power. Then he watched as her face changed. It softened and developed a sensuous smile. She moved beneath him. Not to escape, but to help him get deeper. Her insides wetted themselves to ease his passage. She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes and moaned softly. He'd not heard such a sexy sound for ages. He leaned down and moved her hair away from her ear, leaned down and, as he buried himself even deeper inside her, he whispered into her ear. "It won't save you." He was astonished when she leaned back up and whispered back into his own ear. "And it won't save you either." Before he could react to the statement with derision a mind blowing orgasm shook him from head to toe, and he felt her suck his life out of him. He had time only for a single gasp of disbelief before he died. His weight dropped onto her and she struggled to throw him off her. Then the weight of what she'd done sunk in. She expelled all his energy, and sent out what Adrian had given her as well. Feeling weak, and miserable that Adrian had not answered her call for help, she crawled onto the bed and curled up. She shivered from the cold, and horror at herself. Then gave a bitter laugh. She was an adult now. Her virginity gone to a stranger, who now lay sprawled on Adrian's floor. How ironic, she had bound herself to one vampire, giving up all chances of freedom; a mere few hours before she could have struck a deal that would have been temporary at best. Now the said bonded vampire was going to be furious with her. He might even kill her in a fit of rage over her disobedience. Life was just not designed to go right for her. *** Adrian arrived home to find Esmerelda curled up on the bed, shivering. Her hair was damp, her face streaked with tears. She looked thin as a bone and had a deathly paler to her skin. She looked at him with anguished eyes, shivered even more, flinched and dropped her gaze. He stared at her, unable to comprehend how, in such a short space of time she had gone from a deep trust to a shivering ball of fear. He approached her and watched as her face went through a whirl of emotions. She seemed to be stuck between throwing herself at him and throwing herself as far away as possible. As he slowly settled on the bed the warmth of his arms seemed to hold more allure and she threw herself into them. Sobbing anew and soaking his shirt. "Pet, what on earth is wrong?" he asked gently. She looked up at him, made an effort to respond, but merely shivered more violently and buried her face in his chest, seeking to hide from the shape on the floor. Adrian glanced down at where she was avoiding and cursed loudly. Then regretted the action when she stiffened in his arms, expecting him to hit her. Softly, he disentangled himself from her and wrapped her in the bed linen before turning back to the body on the floor. It was a vampire. Couldn't have been dead more than an hour yet. A satisfied grin etched permanently on his face. A grin of satisfaction, and an eyebrow raised in astonishment. As he turned back to Esmerelda he began to understand. She had killed him, and then her human half had rebelled at the idea of taking another's life, leaving her to fight herself, her revulsion, and as he felt it sweeping through him, he knew she was justly afraid of the anger swelling through himself. ""Get overzealous with a playmate, pet?" he asked, in a dangerously calm voice. He watched with a weird sort of detachment as she vigorously shook her head. Of course she must be lying, how else could the vampire have died looking like that. She had killed him. "Forget your succubus strength?" he whispered, "Did you conveniently overlook that you no longer decide upon your bedmates? That you belong to me?" "I..." Esmerelda started, but he cut her off with a furious swipe of his hand. "You belong to me, body and soul! Mine." Esmerelda opened her mouth again, but at his furious look she closed it, swallowing hard. "Who is he?" Adrian demanded. "Tell me what happened." Esmerelda found that her throat was restricted. She closed her eyes and wished. An image flickered against the wall, as she projected her memories at it. It grew stronger and Adrian could hear her gasp of shock when the stranger arrived, watched the smile she had been wearing vanish. That smile on her face had made his heart flip in his chest for a moment, and then he watched her face close off, become guarded and then blank. He heard the stranger threaten her and his fists clenched in anger. He couldn't stop himself from imagining coming back and finding her dead on the floor. A calling card that indeed could not be ignored. He watched her wince as the two of them crashed to the floor and saw red when it tore her clothes from her body to expose her to its gaze. Possessiveness swelled to a crescendo inside him, making his head pound. When the vampire asked her for last words he watched her close her eyes and knew she was wishing. With a jolt of shock he realised that must have been when he heard her calling his name inside his head. He felt guilty over ignoring it, having assumed that he was just horny and wanting to assuage his lust. He watched her scream out as the vampire first mauled her. Then the tears in her eyes as he tore her open. Then, quite suddenly, she stopped fighting, and he watched as her face changed. It hardened and he could see the succubus in her take over. The vampire couldn't believe his luck. "It won't save you." It whispered in her ear. Adrian watched as she leaned up and whispered back, "And it won't save you either." It took her mere seconds to drain the vampire dry, and then he watched as she looked horrified, threw the body off her and drained off all the energy she had stolen from him, before curling up on the bed where he had found her. Slowly, he walked back to the bed, and watched as she flinched. Sighing he turned from the bed and stood facing the wall. He took a breath and said softly, "I understand that it wasn't your fault." He heard her draw in a shaky breath and whisper, "You do?" "I understand, but I never want it to happen again. Next time, I want you to just incapacitate them until I arrive. I can't question a dead man." "There will be a next time?" she faltered, terrified. "Highly likely, until I find the vampire who is sending these cronies to see me." She looked so shaken by this news that he had to wonder how safe she had thought he could keep her. Surely she knew that, as a vampire, he would have just as many, if not more, enemies than her father. Judging by her face, this thought had not occurred to her. He sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her wrapped up in the linen bedspread, looking so small and defenceless. He gently tucked a curl back behind her ear and watched as she slowly raised her eyes to meet his gaze. "You're not mad?" she whispered hopefully. "As long as you understand you are mine, I will not be angry." He said carefully. He watched as she crawled across the distance between them and placed her head in his lap, gazing up into his eyes, searching for something. She smiled faintly and then said, "Then I am yours to command, my lord." "You were always mine to command." He said dryly. She flushed slightly and then said, "Yes, my lord, I belong only to you." His eyes glittered for a moment before he whispered, "I'm going to claim every inch of you." Esmerelda felt her insides turn to liquid as his gaze slowly heated and travelled up and down her body. His hand cupped the back of her head and brought it up for his kiss. A moan escaped her as he gently explored her lips, before tugging on her lower lip with his teeth and exploring the inside of her mouth. He massaged her breasts through the sheet before she impatiently pushed it down off her, freeing herself for his gaze and touch. Her hands reached down and cupped him gently, lifting the weight in her hand and softly caressing the tip. He groaned and moved her hands up and pinned them gently to the pillow. "Keep those there, or this will be over before it starts." He ordered. She nodded and then moaned as he suckled on her neck. He slowly trailed down her body, literally caressing and kissing every inch of her, until she smelled of his scent as well as hers. When he latched onto her breast for a moment she cried out and moved her hands down to cup his head to keep him there. He raised his gaze and growled at her softly, "Do I have to tie your hands pet?" he whispered. She shivered in response, but he wasn't sure whether it was a mild fear, or anticipation. He trailed lower and lashed her clit with his tongue, swallowing her juices as if it was the sweetest nectar. Her whole body was quivering in response to his lightest touch, her nerve endings strung out, waiting, in anticipation, for every little contact with his skin. "Please," she whimpered, lifting her hips. "Ah, you even beg sweetly," he whispered. Any answer she may have given was muffled by her moan of pure joy as he finally filled her, driving her to instant climax and feeding her the energy she needed to survive. The fluttering of her muscles drove him over the edge and he gave a hoarse shout as he came and filled her with his seed. Unbelievably sated they collapsed into a tangle of limbs onto the sheets gasping for breath. 'I love you'. The words came into his head as he lay there with her, it was only by sheer force of will that he kept them inside his head and not let them tumble out of his mouth. The words shocked him, almost as if they weren't his own. But of course they could belong to no other. He couldn't fathom why he should feel so strongly about her, not unless she was his Fated Chosen. Esmerelda felt him stiffen above her and pull away and wanted to cry. She felt so complete when with him, but he only wanted her for food and sex. She had to remember that, and try to repress and forget these foolish notions of love. She was nothing but a convenience to him, and the attack on her should prove that she was merely a source of manipulation. Feeling alone all of a sudden she reached for him, needing the circle of his arms, but he turned from her with a frown and she dropped her hand, trying to bite back the tears that welled. She turned and buried her face into the pillow, and felt him abruptly leave the bed. When she glanced up she found herself alone. He had been angry with her, forgiven her, warned her and had sex with her. He had practically banded her as his own, making her smell of him. But not his own woman, just his own slave. His scent was a tantalising spicy aroma that made her think of hot nights in the Caribbean of love making on a beach under an orange sunset. The thought amused her; here she was, bonded and trapped as a slave, and she was picturing sunsets and hot sex. He appeared before her again and she jumped, having failed to detect the snapping in the air that signalled the arrival of a vampire. When she looked up at his face the light in his eyes only served to make her feel more used. It was a light of hunger. Turning her face from him she tilted her head back and moved her hair to give him access to her neck. He trailed his fingers through her hair before fisting it in his hand to tilt her to exactly the right angle, and then gently sank his fangs into her throat. He quickly released the hormone in his fangs to ease he pain of the penetration. She moaned as it sped around her body and her hand unconsciously went to is shaft and freed it. Then she began a tantalising caress that was very hard to ignore. He groaned into her neck and as the hormones reached their peak, he pushed into her warm heat and felt her slick walls grip him in welcome. Once he finished feeding he licked the wound on her neck closed and was pulling out of her when she suddenly leaned up and suckled on his neck. The effect on his body was instantaneous and he came with a shout loud enough to shatter the glass of water she kept by the bed. They lay panted together in a tangle of limbs until they gradually drifted off to sleep. After that night an uneasy truce seemed to have been struck between the two of them, she was willing to give blood and sex, any time he asked, and he in turn gave her the comfort of his arms to sleep in and the luxury of being well fed. A month passed by so quietly it took them both by surprise, when two had passed the truce was slowly evolving into a friendship, although of course, Esmerelda always caved in the arguments as he still held the higher rank. She had been with him for about four months when she first noticed the slight curve her stomach was gaining. Thinking initially she was probably just eating too much, she cut back on food, but the slight curve only grew slightly. She was fixing herself dinner one evening while he was out with friends when the first wave of nausea hit her stomach. She ran for the bathroom and only just made it before being violently sick into the basin. In between bouts of retching she tried to work out when her last monthly cycle had been but days had long since begun to fade into one another. When leaving the bathroom brought the aroma of food and another wave of sickness, she was forced to admit to herself the possibility that she may be pregnant. When Adrian returned she asked for, and was granted permission to go out to shop for food. She picked up some ice cream and a few other things she had sudden cravings for, before grabbing hold of two self-test pregnancy kits, just to be sure. She paid for it all and then went to the ladies room and took the test, praying it would come up negative. Her luck was out. The stick turned a definite solid blue colour, as did the second test. Now what should she do? Adrian was the only possible father of the baby, and she had no idea how he would react. Her hand came to rest protectively on her stomach, in an age old habit of mothers. But she had delayed long enough, and the bond tugged at her, urging her to go back quickly. She was quiet all evening, not even protesting when he playfully swatted her ass with the dish towel. Sleep was slow in coming and when she did sleep it was uneasy and disturbed. Every time she closed her eyes she pictured him reacting in different scenarios. ** Adrian was annoyed, he couldn't sleep. He knew something was wrong with Esmerelda and he was miffed that she wouldn't tell him what it was. When she began tossing around in her sleep he tried to wake her but her hand shot out and punched him in the nose. Clutching his nose and growling he shook her until she woke. As soon as she did wake she shot out of bed like a bullet and ran for the bathroom. He heard her being violently ill and was disturbed to find himself concerned. He knew he had to face up to what was happening between the two of them. "We need to talk." He said when she finally emerged. She nodded solemnly, "Yes, I have something to tell you." "Alright, you first." He said. "I... erm, I..." she seemed to be unsure of how to phrase whatever she was trying to tell him. Unable to stand the tension he grabbed her and pulled her close, so he could inhale her sweet scent. He heard her swallow before she finally whispered. "I'm pregnant." She looked up at him. "Congratulations. You're going to be a father." His arms gripped her so tightly she thought he might crack her ribs, but before he could even utter a single syllable they were interrupted. "Well, well, this was a good time to break in." an amused voice smirked from across the room. Esmerelda Ch. 04 Adrian growled and put Esmerelda behind him, out of harms reach. "What do you want?" he spat. The vampire smirked, "Nice greeting, you might want to work on your hospitality, especially as you killed my messenger." "Actually," Adrian said, with a grim smile, "I didn't." The vampire sneered, "I felt him die, and I had sent him to you." "It is true that he died here, but I didn't kill him." Adrian shrugged. "Then what happened? There's no sunlight down here." "Your vampire succumbed to my Esmerelda." Adrian said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "He what?" "He raped my Esmerelda, and she killed him for it." Adrian said in a deadly calm voice, but Esmerelda felt the slight tremor of anger that passed through him. The vampire hissed angrily. "He was not sent to do that." "Not sent to die?" Adrian mocked, "Well, you shock me." The vampire sneered at him but seemed to be having trouble saying anything specific. "Why are you here?" Adrian asked again. The vampire shrugged, "I came with the intention of finally killing you." Esmerelda gasped indignantly, but Adrian merely laughed. "You can't kill me, Anthony; the laws of the Elders forbid it." Anthony shrugged again, "I was going to try anyway, but now... now I think I'll just take your little human and see how you do without this little chew toy. I'll take her as my own, dispose of the brat and then have fun and discard her." "Over my dead body." Adrian growled. Anthony grinned and then threw himself at Adrian, claws aimed directly for his throat. Adrian gracefully moved out of the way, pushing Esmerelda under the bed, into relative safety, before turning back attacking Anthony. The two vampires both had vicious claws extended, two pairs of red eyes glittered, fixed on their opponent. Fangs had extended to full length and power radiated from them in waves. The two slowly circled each other, then one would lean in and take a swipe, before recovering back a distance and resuming the circling. Adrian drew first blood with a swipe of his claws down Anthony's side, leaving clear blood trails across Anthony's side and stomach, and ruining his clothes. Anthony managed second blood with a shallow cut down Adrian's chest. After that the two began attacking more frequently and drew increasingly more damaging blows. During one attack Adrian managed to catch one claw against Anthony's throat and tear it slightly, but the cut wasn't deep enough to be fatal. Anthony, however, became incensed and dove at Adrian, knocking him to the floor, before scrambling over him and grabbing Esmerelda from beneath the bed. He tangled one set of claws into her hair and placed the other set at her throat, stilling her struggles. Adrian stood slowly and came forward with a deadly grace that was almost beautiful. Anthony tightened his hand in her hair and warned, "No closer or I'll slit her throat," Adrian smiled grimly and took another three steps before halting. This was obviously too close for comfort for Anthony, who backed up until he hit the wall, putting two more steps between the adversaries. Adrian took two more steps forward and looked like he was going to come even closer but Anthony placed the tip of one claw into Esmerelda's neck until a single bead of blood ran down her throat. Adrian stopped moving. "Maybe I wasn't clear in my demands," Anthony said with narrowed eyes, "Or," he said softly, trailing his claws down Esmerelda's front, "Maybe I was threatening the wrong life," he finished when his claws came to rest on her stomach. Esmerelda's hands shot protectively to her stomach and managed to be between Anthony's claws and her baby. However the movement proved that the baby was important to her. Adrian on the other hand now looked less tense. Anthony noticed this, and his claws went back to her throat, watching as instant tension returned to Adrian's shoulders. Esmerelda saw the change too, and tears gathered in her eyes at the thought that maybe Adrian didn't want the baby. She gently tried to secure a mental link with Adrian and, after a little resistance, managed to establish the link. *Adrian?* she pressed gently. *Esmerelda?* *Yes, it's me.* she confirmed. *How can I get you out of harm's way?* he asked softly. *Just me?* she asked, unable to separate herself from the hurt for a moment. *You and my child, of course,* Adrian thought back immediately, *The two of you are going to be the most important things in my life, but I have to worry about you more for the moment because without you, both you and the child are lost.* Fresh tears of joy established themselves in her eyes as he said that. *I love you.* she thought at him. *I love you too, more than I thought possible* he thought back, *You being pregnant is the best news I've had since I learned that I could keep you for my own.* She was rendered speechless with happiness when those words entered her head, and was only able to send those feelings to him in an almost incoherent babble before he gently cut her off. *How close are his claws to your veins?* *Don't know, quite close I think. Why?* *I want you to drop all your weight on him to surprise him and then I'll get his throat before he can even think of getting yours.* *I don't weigh that much, can't I just kick him where it hurts the most?* She almost smiled when she felt Adrian's mental flinch at such an action. *His grip on my hair's too tight.* she whispered, flinching as Anthony gave it a vicious tug. Adrian frowned, then scowled when Anthony's claw trailed down again but stopped at her breasts. *Shall I let the succubus loose on him as a distraction?* she asked tentatively. Adrian growled, not liking the idea, but unable to come up with an alternative, he agreed. He watched as her face changed and became sultry, her eyes became smoky and her whole posture relaxed. Anthony smirked and trailed his finger around her nipple, a smug smile spread across his face when he felt it stiffen beneath his finger. He trailed the finger over her flesh in intricate patterns and her hips began to rotate slightly and she let out a small moan. Anthony smirked some more at Adrian who looked like he was going to punch a hole into the wall. Esmerelda ground her hips more insistently and he pushed his hips forward against hers. His arousal was immediately apparent to her and she sent a soothing reassurance to Adrian when Anthony's hand in her hair loosened considerably as he went to cup the back of her neck to pull her body closer to him. She moaned again at the full contact and felt his hand untangle from her hair to seek purchase on the back of her neck properly. He rotated his hips in counterpart with hers and she sought out Adrian again. *When I kick him and drop my weight, will you be ready?* *Definitely* Adrian responded, heart in his throat, tense, waiting for the exact moment to strike. Esmerelda sent a barrage of erotic imagery towards Anthony which slipped easily into his mind and made him groan with want. He closed his eyes for no more than two seconds in pleasure as she moved deliberately against him. Within those two seconds Esmerelda kicked up her leg, catching his crotch with her heel, and dropped her weight completely, male instinct overrode vampire instinct and he let her fall to the floor so that he could cup his aching manhood and protect it from further harm. Once Esmerelda was on the floor Adrian leapt for Anthony, it took mere seconds to sever his head from his shoulders. Anthony crumpled to the floor and Adrian immediately scooped up Esmerelda and took them both into the bathroom to clean up. Having cleaned her, and himself, he tucked her back into his bed and she tugged him in with her. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed softly. He could still feel all her emotions coming at him through the bond they shared, her main emotion seemed to be overwhelming relief of being safe with him, and a tiredness that had formed because of the yoyo of emotions she had experienced throughout the ordeal. She could also still feel him and could sense the slight jealousy he still felt over the enjoyment she had taken from Anthony. She placed her hand against his face to get him to look at her eyes, "Hey," she said softly, "My succubus enjoyed it, I'll not deny that, but you are the only person I wish to touch. You are the only one I love, to whom I would willingly share my heart, my body, and my soul with. The only one whom I will ever allow to give me children; and you are the only one I want to spend the rest of my life with." He knew he would never be able to reciprocate those sentiments as eloquently, however sincerely he may wish to; instead he uttered just one sentence, "You are my heart and my world." She smiled through watery tears at him and snuggled into his chest to sleep. Esmerelda woke when Adrian began gently shaking her shoulder, "Darling," he whispered, "We have company, the Elder Vampires are here." She blinked sleepily and stared at the five vampires who had formed a semi-circle near the foot of the bed and were looking eerily calm yet vicious. She sat up and leaned against Adrian as a wave of tiredness shook her, "What are they here for?" she whispered to him, un-nerved by the emotionless stares aimed in their direction. Before Adrian could respond the middle vampire spoke up, "Adrian Devenoux, you are being formally charged in front of this council with the unsanctioned killing of your brother, Anthony Devenoux, and the foundling he sent to your lair, the penalty for such an action is death. How do you answer the charge?" Adrian sighed, "I answer that it is true that my brother perished under this roof, as did his foundling sent here, however, I did not kill the foundling, and I have Justifiable Cause for Execution under the Protection Law for the unsanctioned killing of Anthony." The Elder sighed, "Explain the death of the foundling first." Adrian opened his mouth to explain when Esmerelda timidly raised her hand into the air for attention and asked quietly, "May I be permitted to show the council how I killed the foundling?" The Elders stared at her for a moment and she could feel five minds try to enter her own. She resisted and could feel their surprise; it seemed that they, like the foundling, had assumed she was human. "Who, and what are you?" one spoke up after a moment. "I am Esmerelda, daughter of Desmonda, a halfling combination of succubus, witch, and human, sired by Sithruous, and Bonded to Adrian, son of Jason." She stated clearly. "Very well," the lead Elder stated, "You will allow us to read the memory from you." Esmerelda shook her head, "No. I don't want you all in my head; there are too many bad memories that have nothing to do with this up there that are insufficiently protected from scrutiny." The Elder rolled his eyes in exasperation and tried to push in again, she threw up the shield again with a whimper and turned into Adrian. The other Elders looked shocked; this sort of behaviour was not expected when questioning a non-vampire. It was, in fact, against their laws to attempt to breach by force the mind of another immortal. An older looking Elder stepped forward and after waiting patiently for Esmerelda to look at him. "How do you intend to show us?" Esmerelda looked straight out at them and said, "I can project my memory of that specific event onto the wall. You will be able to tell what is truth and what would be a lie just as if you were inside my head, but you won't be able to see anything except that specific memory." The Elder nodded encouragingly, looked back at the others, who shrugged, and he said quietly, "Alright, my dear, show us what happened." She closed her eyes and focused onto the wall, projecting the memory clearly and the Elders watched with grim faces as the scene of her rape and her retaliation played out in full detail. Silence reigned when the memory finished and faded until Adrian said dryly, "Well, are the charges against me for the foundling dropped?" "Of course," the Elders assured him. "And Esmerelda?" He asked. "Self-defence and nature," the Elder confirmed, "Now, as to the killing of your brother..." Adrian looked mildly peeved, "I already stated that I have Justifiable Cause for Execution under the Protection Law with regards to that killing." "Which is?" Adrian's jaw clenched, "He appeared uninvited into my lair with the declaration that he had come to kill me. However he had overheard Esmerelda tell me that she was pregnant with my babe and proceeded to attempt to take her life. He threatened her life, and directly threatened the life of my unborn child. I saw him as a threat to the woman I intend to mate with and acted accordingly." "You are willing to be searched for the memory, of course?" the first Elder spoke up again. Adrian nodded grimly and felt them all poke around inside his head for a while before withdrawing. "Dismissal of charges?" he asked. The Elders nodded as one before the leader spoke up again, "Certainly. The threat of ending the life of a youngling alone would condemn Anthony to death; therefore, as you do intend to mate with this woman, the Protection Law covers your unsanctioned killing." "Then I have the Council of Elders permission to make her my mate?" Adrian asked. Five curt nods were his only answer before four of them disappeared. Only the older, kinder Elder remained behind and smiled at them. "Father." Adrian stated in greeting. "You are lucky Adrian, to have found your Fated Chosen in such a strong and special woman. I hope, my son, that you will be as happy with her as I was with your mother." Adrian nodded, "She's more than I could have ever hoped for." "We haven't been very close for the last few hundred years, but would you mind, could I be present for the birthing?" Adrian looked to Esmerelda for guidance and she sent him assurance that whatever he decided would be fine with her. "Father, it would make me proud to have you there." He stated with utter certainty. "I will see you soon then?" "Definitely," Adrian assured him. **Six months later** Esmerelda sat in bed, propped against a mountain of pillows as Adrian returned with the bowl of ice cream she'd woken him up to request, her stomach a huge mound under the covers. Adrian watched amused as the lump shifted and slid over to the left, dragging the covers with it. He handed her the bowl and settled next to her with his hand on her stomach, smiling contentedly as the baby inside responded and kicked. Quite suddenly, Esmerelda gasped as her waters broke. She made a grab for Adrian's hand, "The baby's coming." Adrian sprang into action, setting everything up within reach and prepared to help her through everything, and called his father. Jason arrived very promptly, before Adrian could even hang up the phone, the Elder appeared in the room. Things moved very quickly from there, Esmerelda gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, whom Adrian immediately scooped up to cradle before exclaiming as another baby head appeared from between Esmerelda's trembling thighs. "Twins!" Jason exclaimed, "Adrian you are so lucky, babies are so rare for us, and yet you have two in less than a year of meeting your Fated Chosen!" Adrian passed the boy to his father to clean to assist an exhausted Esmerelda with the second, unexpected, birth. The second birthing did not last as long and as the baby was finally free both men gasped in surprise. Esmerelda, worried that something was wrong with the second infant, immediately moved and picked it up to cradle it, smiling when it emitted a little gurgle. She looked at the shocked faces of her mate and his father and frowned, "What's wrong?" she demanded, "She's a gorgeous baby." She took the boy from Jason's unresisting grasp and settled the pair onto her breasts to let them feed. When they had fed she emitted a little sharp inhalation as both bit into her with perfectly formed tiny fangs. She looked up and saw Adrian and Jason still staring at her daughter. "What is the matter with the two of you? I have two perfectly healthy vampire twins here and neither of you have a word to say?" Adrian finally snapped out of his trance and sat down on the bed, placing his arms around Esmerelda and encompassing the two babes as well. "My three miracles." He whispered. At Esmerelda's confused glance, Jason cleared his throat to explain. "Children are very rare as a vampire, many vampire couples can go for centuries, millennia even, before even being graced with just one child, which makes our children all the more precious to us, and is why, had Adrian not killed him, my son Anthony would have been executed for even considering harming one. The fact that you have had twins is extraordinary." "Even more extraordinary is the fact that you've given birth to a girl. Female vampires are almost none existent; all those alive currently have been turned into vampires as mates for males. No female vampire has been born for over five thousand years, it was thought that our race had developed some sort of genetic disorder that prevented conception of females." "You have had twins, and even better, you have had both a boy and a girl. The birth here today will give generations of new vampires hope." Esmerelda finally understood why Adrian had been so over-protective of her during her pregnancy, and the startled looks the men had had on their faces when she delivered the second twin. "What are we going to name them?" she asked Adrian. "Well..." he paused, "we had already both liked the name Lucian." Esmerelda nodded, "And this little one is the Hope for the future." She said softly. Adrian smiled and nodded, "I like it, Lucian Jason Devenoux and Hope Miracle Devenoux." He glanced up at his father and smiled, gathering Esmerelda, Lucian and Hope even tighter to him, he held his hand out for his father to join them on the bed. He looked from Esmerelda cuddling the two infants to his father, who had a tear in his eye for the first time since his wife had died six hundred years previously. Jason soon after excused himself to go and boast to the Council of Elders about his son fathering twins! A boy and a girl! So quickly as well, a prouder father and grandfather there could not be anywhere in the world. Adrian settled down with Esmerelda and kissed her lightly, "My love," he whispered to her, then he leaned down and kissed his children, "My family," he added and hugged them all breathing out, "My whole world".