9 comments/ 16191 views/ 21 favorites Forever Love Ch. 01 By: marie_fantasy Hey my lovelies! This is the new story I've been working on... I know starting a new one before ending Silver Eyes can be difficult but this was a special request, a request I couldn't say no to... so I think I can overcome those difficulties and keep writing both of my stories... Please don't forget to rate, vote and comment... because without them I'd be totally lost... I want to thank Uriziel for his awesome help... yeah you're the best!! Now I wont bore you with my yappings and let you read! Enjoy!!! Hugs Maire * * * Lelam Cardon sighed as he gulped down the last mouthful of rich blood and looked at the woman in his arms writhing as her orgasm swept through her body. She was a pretty thing, standing maybe 4-5 inches shorter than him, blonde with baby blue eyes. She had a sinfully curvy body covered with the smoothest skin but he didn't care about any of those. The sole purpose of him bringing her to his apartment was to quench his thirst... as selfish as it may sound, one has to survive. He pushed her away and got up to put his shirt on as she looked at him with half-dazed eyes. "That was amazing..." she whispered extending her arm and grasped his, trying to pull him back to bed. He gently pried her fingers open and threw her dress at her. He didn't want her here even for a minute more. "It is almost 7 in the morning. You should get dressed and leave." He said; irritation evident in his voice. He turned to meet her gaze and she looked hurt. He groaned, rubbing his face with his palms. Huge waves of emotions were coming off from her: hurt, confusion, disbelief... he cursed under is breath and left the room. Human emotions were so difficult to deal with! * * * Marie Savel looked around the club she was in. Her favorite music was on and the whole place was up with the beats except herself. Lisa, her BFF had literally dragged her here, when all she wanted to do was get in her comfy PJs and sit down in front of the TV with a bucket full of ice-cream. Bloody Jeffery, how dare he cheat on her? After 4 years of being together, he'd gone fucking that whore Miranda! "I didn't bring you here so you could mope over him again!! Common, get some alcohol in your system, let yourself loose!" Lisa cried out from beside her, bringing her back into the bar. Yeah, she was right. But she'd loved him... Marie sighed. What was the use of bringing Lisa down with her? So she quaffed down the three tequila shots that had been standing there for the past fifteen or so minutes. After a while, she could feel it getting to her brain so she pulled Lisa from her seat and started towards the dance floor. "That's more like it!" Lisa exclaimed as her body moved with the music. She wanted to forget everything, cheating boyfriends, heart-breaks... she just wanted to lose herself and dance. Then next thing she remembered was some random dude's arms around Lisa. "Let go of me..." she was trying to wrench herself out of his hold. Marie didn't realize when her fingers curled into a fist and when it hit the guy square on his nose. She was short, tiny actually standing only at 5"2, that guy was a lot taller but her punches needed no height. "What do you think you're doing?" he growled at her, inching towards her but she was not backing out. "She told you to get your paws off her. I did what I had to do." She retorted back, squaring her shoulders and staring at his eyes. "You bitch!" he yelled and lunged at her but instead, she felt herself being picked up and carried away. "Put me down...!!" she yelled and twisted but the grasp around her waist was immovable. It was only after she was put down did she see the person who'd carried her. He was tall, so tall... more than a foot taller. He had shoulder length dark hair, she couldn't make out the color in the darkness but it was the way he smelled that caught her attention. She couldn't pin point the smell but it was so delicious, it made her want to run her tongue along his jaw and maybe all over his body... but no, he'd carried her out of the club against her will. "What the fuck are you doing? Why did you bring me out here? Who do you think you are..." she continued screaming at him. How dare he come stop her from putting a thing or two into that asshole's head? And where was Lisa? "This is my club Miss and I won't tolerate any sort of misbehaving here." he replied in a harsh tone. "And as for your friend, she's waiting over there in that cab." How dare he? So what if it was his club?? He turned around to leave when she caught his arm and made him face her. "I was not looking for trouble, that dude over there was. If you can't keep asses like them out of your club, better shut it down and stay home. All I did was defend my friend and if that is wrong, I don't see what could be right. But you had no right dragging me out here against my will!" With that, she stormed away and got into the cab. Next time she went to a club, she would have to check out about the owners first. Damn she hated uptight people who thought they were the only ones who mattered. Lisa was looking at her wide-eyed. "Oh please, don't act like this is the first time I got into trouble..." she groaned, stretching her body. Her mind went back to the guy with his awesome smell... and damn he had strong arms!! * * * Lelam couldn't concentrate on the conversation he was having with his mother. All he could do was think about the brown-eyed girl from the previous night. "Are you there Lelam..." her crisp but warm voice rang through the phone. "Yes mother, I am here. What were you telling me?" what was wrong with his head?? "Terrence wanted to know if you're free this Saturday. We have a pack meeting and we need you there." "Yes mother, I am free. Just tell me the time and I will be there." Yeah he had a weird life interwoven between Weres and Vampires. Long story cut short, his mother was a Were and his father was a Vampire. Confusing huh? But he remembered every detail, the down side of being a vampire; your memories never grew old. He remembered everything as like it was yesterday, his mother and he'd been picking berries in the nearby forest. He never understood why she loved berries so much, he always thought they were too sour and father had warned them not to go near those forests but he tagged along anyways. It was then, he heard a growl from behind the bushes and an animal sprung at his mother. He was little but he had punched that thing maybe once or twice. Still, the thing didn't back away. He wanted to pick his mother up and speed away but he was too small so instead, she picked him up and ran but she was too slow. The animal got to them and bit her. He couldn't do anything, just sit there and feel what his mother was feeling... she was in pain, so much pain. His father had arrived within minutes and so had others who looked like the animal that bit his mother. One of them changed into a human and came over to look at her. He'd so wanted to kill that man but his father picked him up instead. "She is the mother of my heir, how could you let a rogue loose?" His father literally roared. "I am sorry but we were trying to capture him... we never thought there would be someone in the woods." The man crouching beside his mother replied with remorse in his voice. "The rogue bit her and now the change is inevitable..." He felt something change inside his mother and he blurted something he never thought he would. "That guy is mommy's mate..." everyone had looked at him wide eyed. "You better take care of her through her changes..." his father said again. Lelam could feel that his father was beyond angry but was trying to control it. After that they'd left and he saw his mother only after 3 months. Father was less angry by then and he'd been correct. Terrence was indeed his mother's mate. And hence, Lelam was a vampire and his mother Lilliana was a Were. Later, his father found his true mate and now was happily married to Eleonora and he had a half brother Irvin, who had caused so much trouble last night. Last night... his mind went back to that feisty little thing. She was so tiny in comparison to him. He was 6"4 and weighed 230 lbs, most of which were muscles. She looked so fragile, almost breakable but something about her pulled at him. All he wanted to do was pin her up against a wall and have his way with her till she screamed out his name... just the thought of having her tiny body all to himself made his shaft throb painfully against his jeans. What was up with him? No girl ever had this effect on him; no girl was allowed to have this effect on him. He groaned and headed towards the bathroom. Maybe a blast of cold shower would calm him down. In three hours, he was back at the club. He liked it here and well, it was his job to keep the place out of trouble. He was standing at the bar, looking around when a familiar scent caught his attention. He followed it only to find her dancing away at the dance floor. He stood at a distance and watched her. She had a short ruffled dress on which ended a little too soon. He had to fight the urge to carry her off into his office. The way her body moved, she was so little and yet she was curvy. There was a sweet smile on her face as she talked with her friends; he wanted to ravish those lips with his... Someone called out to him from behind so he was more than thankful when he had to walk into the main office. Inside, there were three of his men and another man was on his knees in front of the desk. "What is it?" he asked, trying to hide the irritation in his voice. "He was found working for one of those non-coveners and he was conspiring against Philip." Lelam cursed. He hated doing the dirty work but if someone was conspiring against his father and his coven, there was only one punishment. "No, I can explain..." he was mumbling but Lelam's sharp talons slashed against his throat and his head landed next to his body. Thank god the place was soundproof else the whole neighborhood would have heard that scream. He washed his hands and made his way upstairs. Rafael, one of his most trusted friends nodded at him and went off towards the office to clean up. He looked for her but she was no where to be seen. He was scanning the crowd when he finally spotted her with a fledgling. His arms were around her and she was laughing at something he said. Lelam knew very well what the fledgling wanted and he also knew it was none of his business to interfere but his legs were already moving before he could think. "What is going on here..." he said and the fledgling's head snapped up and as soon as he recognized Lelam, he scampered off. Marie couldn't believe it. She was talking to this gorgeous guy and she was finally feeling like she was moving on when someone made him run away. Not like she was going to fuck him or anything, but a little flirting never hurt any one, did it? She whirled around; ready to lash at whomever it was when his smell made it impossible to think correctly. He was there, standing so close to her. His face bore a look of confusion and anger at the same time. Was it weird that even such a dangerous look on his face turned her on so much? She didn't even know the guy and she was ready to do a lot of naughty stuff to him... After the alcohol left her this morning, she was determined to return to this club. She wanted to confront him about why she was dragged out while that ass was still inside? But now he was in front of her and she couldn't utter a word. She involuntarily licked her lips, her mouth was suddenly feeling dry and her legs were turning into jello. She was about to brace herself against the wall when he pulled her towards his personal office upstairs. He didn't know why he was doing this but this urge he had, he couldn't suppress it. Once inside, he pinned her against the door, looking into her eyes. He could sense how turned on she was. He could also sense a hint of fear but mostly her body craved for his. She licked her lips again and he lost it. He held her hair and smashed his lips against her. She whimpered against him, maybe because of his sudden move but he kept on kissing her. She tasted so sweet; he had to taste more so he dipped his tongue inside. Within moments, he could feel her kissing him back, her hands around his neck and her heat was pressed up against his thigh. He felt like he could get lost in her mouth. He pressed her delicate frame into his body, feeling every inch of her with his hands. What was this girl doing to him? Why did she make him feel so wanton when during all these years he had successfully won over his emotions? He knew very well that there was no place for emotional fools in this world, especially in the Vampire world but this girl was getting under his skin. His mouth moved to suck at her neck while his fingers toyed with her nipples. God, this man was amazing... all she could do was stand there, pressed up against the door and moan while he had his way with her. "Oh god yes!" she moaned as his mouth latched on to one of her nipples, sucking and nipping at it. She thought she would die of pleasure when he let one of his hands slide beneath her thong and touched her slick folds. She never thought she'd do this, at a club with a man she didn't know at all, but here she was, acting like a total slut and loving each moment of it. She felt him insert one of his fingers, she wanted to ride on it with all she had until she came but then someone rapped at the door. "What the fuck..." he cursed as he slowly moved away from her while she adjusted her clothes and moved away from the door. "What is it?" he growled as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. She had no idea what to do, was she supposed to wait for him? Would he even come back? Should she forget that all this happened and just go home? She held herself as the passion faded away and uncertainty took over. Maybe she could wait for a few minutes, maybe he'd come back. She stood by the door for what seemed like hours but he didn't show up. Yeah she'd acted like a slut and maybe he thought she was one. Why would she even think he'd come back? If that person hadn't knocked on the door, then maybe he'd just fuck her and leave her there... at least her dignity was saved. She didn't know why she felt so hurt. That man was a stranger and when strangers leave, it's not supposed to hurt. Still, it felt like a piece of her heart had been ripped out. She slowly opened the door and rushed downstairs. She didn't even care to tell her friends, all she wanted to do was get home. When Lelam was done finalizing the deal, it was almost past three in the morning. All the time, he'd been thinking of her but this business deal was far more important to him. He knew she'd be long gone but still a part of him seemed to wish she would be in his office when he got there. He hurried back and flung the door open but she was gone but her scent was still there, mixed with the smell of her arousal... what had taken over him? He didn't know but he knew it was better for both of them this way. He kept himself as far away as possible from attachments and she was a fragile human... he had many enemies and he didn't need any reason they could use against him. He took a large whiff of the air. This would be the last time he'd ever smell her again. Marie felt so lost... why would her heart ache for that man when he didn't even care to come back? She wrapped her coat tightly against her as the chilly winter wind threatened to blow it away from her. The forecast had said it'd snow... a typical Chicago winter. For no reason, tears started flowing from her eyes. She'd never felt so rejected before, not even when Jeff cheated on her... she had to forget about this night, she had to forget about him. She unlocked her door and flung her coat on a chair. She didn't even care about arranging her clothes. She kicked her shoes off into a corner and headed upstairs. After stripping off her dress, she got into the shower. Full blast of hot water hit her, washing away the chill but the pain inside her remained still. It was senseless, why would she feel so unwanted?? She hadn't felt this broken even when her boyfriend of four years had betrayed her then why would a stranger have such an effect on her? All she wanted to do was scream but instead, she sat down under the shower and hugged herself as the water washed away her silent tears. * * * "These non-coveners have become a huge problem... Especially in the past century or so, they've succeeded on gathering a lot of new vampires. I know we discuss about this in ever meeting but two days ago, one of Philip's most trusted men was found to be betraying us.... Isn't that right Lelam?" Terrence turned towards him with his question but Lelam's attention seemed to be someplace else. "Lelam..." Lilliana touched his arm. "Uh... yes mother..." he mumbled bringing his attention back to the room. They were seated around the Alpha's dining table. There were total of 12 people there, 9 Weres and 3 Vampires and all of them were looking at him with questioned expression on their faces. "Yes Terrence, that is true." He replied. He remembered the vision he had very clearly. He hadn't been able to see the face but he had heard a few names being called. So he asked Rafael to keep an eye on all of them and the traitor had been one of them. It was one of the special gifts he had- vision dreams. He could see snippets of the future but only related to the things or people he'd touched. That was the reason all new members of the Council and the coven had to introduce themselves to him first and that was how he found out about the betrayal. "We were lucky this time because that man was going to the Vampire Council meeting with Philip as his bodyguard and we all know Philip is one of the main links in the truce between the Weres and the Vampires." Terrence continued. "Had his plan succeeded we wouldn't only lose a valuable friend but also the reason we are living so peacefully." There was a murmur of agreement around the table. "So what do you want us to do?" Gabrielle, representative of another Vampire clan asked. "We have to make sure, new comers should not be allowed near the leaders of the clans and also away from meetings such as this one. Until we find a better solution to this problem, that is all we can do without rising suspicion among the enemy." "There is only one solution to this problem, and we all know it..." Antonio, another vampire leader said lazily. All of these meetings were fancy but if there was a permanent solution to this problem, a bloodbath would definitely be included. "We know, Antonio..." Lelam said. "But keeping our existence a secret is the pressing issue. If we start a war, we may or may not win but it will certainly bring chaos among the humans." "Aren't the rebels doing the same thing? They are threatening us that they will reveal themselves and that's the whole point of them going into reckless hunting!" Antonio was definitely irritated. "So, either way our secret will no longer remain a secret." "The main thing to worry about is we do not know who else is involved... are the elders of the council in this as well?" one of the Weres put out another question. "Sadly, we do not know..." Lelam hissed. He hated being uncertain. Even with his gift, he felt so helpless. "Anyway, we have to be careful. We have to keep our eyes open if we are to save the ones we care about..." Terrence concluded and everybody else agreed. Forever Love Ch. 01 "I can see there's something on your mind..." Lilliana said stepping beside him. "I don't know what you're talking about..." he replied looking away and into his glass of wine. He didn't want to meet her gaze. "Honey, I am your mother and I know you very well. Now tell me, is it a girl?" His hands stopped in mid air at the question. How could she know? "You know, love and relationships are not forbidden things... I don't know why you're so determined on keeping yourself away from it." "Mother, I've explained it to you. You have Terrence to take care of you and well everyone else I care about can take care of themselves. But she's a human mother and I can't have her turn into my weak spot. It's good for both of us. And what is the guarantee that she'll accept me?" She was silent. She understood his emotions. When she first met Phillip, she'd been... well, smitten. He looked so strong and yet he had so much grace in him... even when she found out he was a vampire, she wasn't scared but everyone else wouldn't react like her. "But I won't be having any grandchildren..." she said, with a look of mock disappointment on her face and he smiled. She could go through lengths to make him smile. "And it won't hurt to smile every now and then... I love it when your eyes light up when you smile..." she said cupping his face in her hands. No matter how old he gets, he'd always be her baby boy. "I should leave now. Father will be waiting for the decision we made here." He said kissing her forehead and giving her a tight hug. She was the only person in front of whom he could let go of everything else and be himself. "Ok. Give him a hug from me." She said winking as he walked away still smiling. * * * "What is the matter Marie?" Lisa prodded for the umpteenth time. "Nothing's the matter... what makes you think there is a matter?" she replied as she mashed the potatoes for dinner. She kept on telling herself that would forget the man, she would forget the incident but even after three weeks, she kept dreaming about him and the sinful things he did to her body. "I know something's wrong. We've known each other for fifteen years; you can't hide your sadness from me. You're awfully quiet these days. I know it's not about Jeff because you're over him... I just want to make it easier for you..." "I know...you're asking because you love me. But really, there's nothing to worry about! I'm just... I just don't feel like talking..." she turned away from her best friend so she could hide the pain in her eyes. Why did her heart still ache for that man? "Ok, I'm late for my dinner with dad but I really wish you'd tell me..." Lisa said as she got up and hugged her. She hated seeing Marie so quiet but there was no way of making her talk either... "I just hope dad will be ok with me dropping out and opening the bakery... but whatever happens, I'll be back by 11 and then we can watch that movie we rented earlier." She added. "You have a good time..." Marie smiled. She didn't want to keep secrets but right now, she had no idea what was going on. It was half past twelve when she sat down on her chair. She'd finished her assignments, cleaned her room and even baked some cookies but now there was nothing left to keep her busy and her mind was in turmoil. She wanted to know why he had that effect on her. She was tired of her eyes tearing up every time his face crossed her mind, she was fed up with how her body reacted every time she remembered his deep voice... she wanted this to end, she'd had enough pain in the past month. That's when she heard a loud thump come from Lisa's bedroom. For a second, she was scared as to what it could be but then she grabbed her baseball bat and headed towards the room opposite to hers. She quietly made her way across the living room, gripping the bat tightly. She could see a dim light from under the door. It could not be Lisa because had she come home, she'd come to meet her first and she hadn't heard the main door unlock. She could hear her own heartbeat as she grabbed the knob and turned it. It was not locked so she flung the door open and raised her bat preparing for the worse but shrieked and let the bat fall when she saw who it was. "God, I'm so sorry Lisa..." she said quickly turning towards the door and was about to leave when his smell assaulted her senses again. Her eyes widened as she whirled around and looked at the face of the man who'd left her in so much agony. She couldn't do anything, she couldn't say anything. All she did was stare at the hazel eyes as tears started blurring her vision. She tried to blink them away and looked at Lisa who was literally mashed in his arms, she looked dazed. Her eyes moved back to him. She could feel her soul screaming and her heart twisting at the betrayal. Earlier, she'd only felt rejected but now each cell of her body was crying for something she didn't know. "What the fuck... are you doing..." she managed to say as sobs took over her ability to speak and tears flooded her face. How dare he hurt her like that? How dare he have that sort of control over her feelings? Why was she hurting? Why did she feel so betrayed by him... he was a stranger, he shouldn't mean anything to her!! Earlier, she had a glimmer of hope that maybe he'd wanted to return but couldn't. She'd held on to the thought that maybe if she saw him again, things would be different but now she was sure she meant nothing but a fuck to him... hell he was in her apartment, in her friend's bedroom sucking her face... now everything was over... she didn't know what she felt for him before but now, she hated him. Lelam stood there, his senses had stopped working. He'd smelled her as soon as she entered the bedroom but he couldn't escape. He couldn't risk her seeing him and he cursed at himself for forgetting who the girl was. He'd found her drunk at the bar of a restaurant. He was there for a meeting and his hunger was driving him crazy so after he checked her license; he had brought her home thinking he could feed there. How could he have forgotten who she was? His berated himself for letting his hunger get over his senses. Now he stared at her, standing in the middle of the room, tears gushing down her cheeks. Every fiber of his being wanted to gather her in his arms, to soothe her and to tell her that it was ok but he couldn't. He had gone through extreme measures to make sure he would not reach that stage. No matter how much he longed, he would never touch her. He would never hug her. No matter how much his heart twisted inside him, he would never let himself go there. "Get out!!" she whispered, unable to speak over the sobs. She wanted him out of her home and out of her life. She watched him as he lowered Lisa into her bed. For a moment, he stood in front of her as if he wanted to say something but she didn't want to hear it. "Get out get out get out!!" she yelled, she didn't have the energy to deal with him... For a moment he looked almost sorry but the expression was gone within seconds and without another word, he left. Forever Love Ch. 02 Hey dearies, I'm back again with the second chapter... I want to thank Uriziel for the awesome editing work... and also, the real Lelam for the superb threads of ideas form which I could knit out this story... you're just too good... J please do rate vote and comment... Enjoy Marie * * * Marie sat on the dining table staring at the half-empty mug of coffee. It was 8 in the morning and she hadn't been able to sleep all night... what was happening to her? She'd never felt so helpless and miserable ever! "Oh god, my head is killing me..." Lisa groaned from behind her. She turned around to look at her friend who'd just woken up. She tried to shake off the mental image of last night from her mind but it refused to go. She knew Lisa had been drunk and half-conscious but still a part of her felt so betrayed. Her head was telling her to forget about it because Lisa had no fault but her heart ached at the image... she groaned inwardly, why did her heart ache? For the hundredth time she wanted an explanation but there was no one who could do that to her... "Good morning..." she said flopping down into a chair next to her. "God, last night was a disaster... but I don't remember how I got home..." "Well, what do you remember?" Marie asked, trying to hide the bitterness in her voice. She was mad at Lisa but she knew Lisa was innocent... god these mixed feelings were a pain in the ass. "Dad and I got into this huge argument... he completely blew up when I said I wanted to drop out... and when I said I could do it as a part-time thing, he refused to lend me the money... Oh man..." "Is that all you remember?" Marie interrupted... all this whining was getting so annoying! "No, after that I got pissed so I started drinking... then I think I passed out and I woke up this morning... though I did dream of this delicious guy... man he was hot..." Marie couldn't take it anymore... that wasn't a dream that was a nightmare. It had been haunting her ever since. "I am so sorry, I can't do this..." she mumbled getting up and grabbing her coat. She had to get out of there. "What happened Marie... what's wrong--" she was out of the door before Lisa could finish. A wintery sun was peeking from underneath clouds as she made her way to the library. She hadn't been able to concentrate on her studies lately and bad grades were the last thing she needed right now. "Good morning Mrs. Thompson!" she greeted the librarian as she made her way to her usual spot. It was in the farthest corner of the room where no one would come disturb her. She sank down into the leather chair and took out her textbook. She so wanted to concentrate but she couldn't. Even after 30 minutes of staring into her book, she couldn't understand a single word written there. Just then, her phone began to vibrate. It was an unknown number but she rushed out to answer it. "Hey there chipmunk!" a familiar voice came through the speaker and her heart leapt with joy. "Oh my god, Alex! Is that really you?" her voice cracked as tears of joy washed over her cheeks. "Now now, don't be a cry baby. It is me... god it's been so long since the last time I heard you..." she could hear genuine love in his voice. Alexander Laake had been her closest friend. They'd been neighbors when they were kids and well, he'd been her first kiss. Though he was two years her senior, they were inseparable and spent practically every day together. For the 14 years they'd known each other, she couldn't think of a single time he'd hurt her. They'd even gone on a few dates but she never felt for him in that way. Everyone knew he loved her and she loved him too but only as a friend and he understood when she said she could never think of him as a lover. After that, his family moved away to Australia and it made things a lot less awkward and although the conversations had decreased with the increase in distance, their love for each other stayed the same. Still, she felt the same warmth every time she heard his voice. "Yeah, it's been a year and half to be exact..." she said in a small voice. The last time she'd heard him was when his mother passed away. She'd called him and they'd cried together. She knew, he would only cry in front of her. "I've missed you... so many things have happened and there is so much I have to tell you..." he sounded exited. "Go ahead, I'm all ears..." she said laughing. She could imagine his face all exited. "No not over the phone, I want to see you." "But how? I'm not flying all the way down there..." she teased. "You don't have to... I am in Chicago." Her heart almost stopped. "What? When did you get here? And you're telling me now? I can't believe it, why didn't you tell me before you left? Do you have any idea I much I want to see you?" "Whoa!! Now, I'm going to put my phone on the counter for the next 10 minutes so make sure you're done with the screaming by then..." he said with a laugh. He very well knew her screaming could last more than mere 10 minutes. "I will bloody murder you if you move the phone so much as an inch from your ear..." she said smiling. She missed the petty bantering they had, the way he teased her and then spend hours trying to make her talk to him again. "So where are you right now, I'll come pick you up." "I'm at the library but I'll see you at the college gate in 15 minutes." She replied making her way towards the building. She still had to borrow a few books and finding those would take her at least 10 minutes. "Ok see you in 15..." he said. In 15 minutes, she was standing impatiently at the gates of the University of Chicago. It felt like ages since the last time she felt this happy. "Gah!!" she screamed as someone picked her up and spun her around and as soon as she was back on the ground, Alex smothered her with a huge bear hug. "Oh my god, you're suffocating me..." she mock-complained as she poked him at his ribs. "I don't care, I've missed you..." he said burying his face into her hair, his voice muffled. She sighed and stood there in his arms feeling so at home. It was minutes before he finally released her and she looked into his deep sea blue eyes. "I've missed you too." She admitted. "OK, let's go eat something... I'm starving!" he exclaimed as he pulled her towards his car and she followed him with a huge smile on her face. * * * Lelam crouched on the highest branch of the maple tree. He made sure she could not see him but he could see her without any hinder. He didn't know why he was here but lately he was doing a lot of things he didn't understand. All of this started the day after he'd been in her house. His mind unconsciously drifted to her and within moments he found himself trying to sense her. He finally felt her but along with that, he felt this huge wave of pain. He could see her, lying in her bed as she cried silent tears. He couldn't understand why she was crying... he knew it was because of him, but what he didn't understand was why she was going through so much pain and why it caused him pain seeing her like that. After that day, he'd started visiting her almost everyday. There was an old oak tree beside her house and one of its branches reached the window of her bedroom. He would sit on that branch all night, watching her. She barely slept, most of the time she would be crying and even if she dozed off, she would wake up screaming. How did he end up hurting her so much? It took up all his will power to stop himself from climbing into her room and hugging her, telling her it would be ok and she needn't hurt anymore. And today, he was watching her hug another man and it ignited a new fire inside him. He wanted to be the one who hugged her, he wanted to be the one who made that beautiful smile appear on her face and he wanted to be the one who brought her that amount of happiness. Rage was bubbling inside of him, he couldn't watch her touch another man... he wanted to rip his heart off. That man had no right making her feel so happy when all she'd done till now was cry. His talons dug on the hard branch as if it were butter. But all he could do was stand there and watch her leave. He had no other option. * * * She couldn't remember when she'd laughed this hard the last time. Her cheeks felt flushed and the sides of her tummy were aching. She knew everyone in the restaurant was looking at her but she didn't care. "OK, control now..." Alex said. He loved making her laugh... even after all these years, she still meant a lot to him. He would never tell her this but she still had a very special place in his heart. He still loved her. He looked at her teary eyes as she tried her best to stop laughing. He'd missed this. He'd missed being her shoulder to cry on, he'd missed being there with her on every possible moment of her life. He sat back and watched as she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked even more beautiful. "Why'd you cut your hair short?" he asked. He loved her waist long dark wavy hair but now it only reached her shoulders. "Uh... after Jeff left, I needed a change. What would be better than a make-over right?" He couldn't believe that guy... he had the most precious person in the whole world and he'd let her go. That bastard had hurt her and he wasn't there for her when she needed him the most. "But its ok, I'm over him..." she said with a bright smile. "Then what is bothering you?" he asked, looking deep into her chocolate eyes. He knew she was sad, he thought it was because of her jack ass boyfriend but if she says she's over him, what else is bothering her? "That's it, there's nothing else..." she said looking away. She couldn't face him. "Excuse me, I have to use the ladies room..." she said finding it difficult to keep the tears at bay. Why did she tear up every time his face flashed across her mind? Hell, she didn't even know his name! She took a tissue and wiped her eyes. She'd have to get over it! She was not a school girl who got her heart broken for the first time. And, this wasn't even a heart break... she'd met him once, the other two times didn't count... she splashed some cold water on her face, praying it would calm her down. As she looked back into the mirror, she had to clamp a hand over her moth to stop herself from screaming. Looking at her in the reflection was the same face, the face that had haunted her dreams. She spun around, wanting to make sure she wasn't hallucinating but he was really there. "What are you doing with that man?" he said in a low voice. What the fuck was wrong with him? Why did he care? "I don't see how this is any of your concern. I do what I want to..." she replied as coldly as she could but what she felt was anything but cold. Within moments he was standing in front of her, his hands holding the counter on either side of her. This was the first time she'd seen him this close in light. He had the most amazing eyes she'd ever seen. They were hazel, with amber rings around the irises... she felt like he was hypnotizing her with those eyes. His face was inches from her and she could feel his cold breath on her lips... she remembered how those felt against hers and all she wanted to do was feel them again. It was as if he read her mind, he moved and their lips met. She couldn't believe how amazing he smelled and how amazing he felt... her hands moved around his neck to grab his hair and her legs automatically parted and wrapped around him. The kiss was deepening as both of their tongues fought an erotic battle with each other when her phone beeped and brought her out of the trance. She pushed at him but it was like she was pushing a concrete wall. He wouldn't budge... "No..." she mumbled against his lips and he let go of her. "I cannot let you do this to me! I've let you hurt me enough and I don't want it anymore. I don't know what you've done to me and I don't care... but please leave me alone..." she added looking away from him. For a moment he stood immobile but then he backed a few steps, letting her get down from the counter but still blocking her exit. "What do you want from me?" she asked, fresh tears had started hazing her view. "Why are you doing this to me.... what have I ever done to you that you're making my life this miserable? Why is it that my heart aches for you? Tell me, why do I hurt for you when I don't even know you?" He stood there, staring at her as if she'd spoken a completely different language. "I- I don't know what you mean..." he said finally. God, that voice of his... even that made her knees go weak. "If you don't know what I mean, what the hell are you doing following me around? What do you want? Every time we meet, you- you... I have to tell you, I'm not a whore! I don't get it why you treat me like one!" she wanted answers because she was tired of the stuff that was going on with her... "I never thought you to be something like that..." he said in a low voice. Yeah right! That's why every time they met, he felt her up, got her swooning with desire and then dumped her. "Forget it; I don't care what you think. Just leave me alone! I don't want to see you ever..." with that, she walked out of the restroom. Wasn't she supposed to be scared that a huge guy was following her around? But instead she felt much safer when she was with him... she sighed. She needed to go see a shrink, she was definitely going crazy. "What took you so long?" Alex asked once she got to the table. "Uh nothing... a little make-up mishap..." she replied smiling. He didn't need to know about her agony. "So shall we?" he asked getting up and handing her coat to her. She nodded and followed him out. She wanted to get out of that place as soon as possible but she didn't want to go home yet, she couldn't face Lisa. "Can you drop me back at the college? I left my car there and I do need to get studying..." she said once inside his car. "You want to leave already? I wanted to spend the whole day together... it's been so long." He said looking at her with pleading eyes and she gave in. "So what else is new?" "Hmm... as I told you earlier, I'm here for a project and as I am the head of the engineering team, I got a hell of a lot of work to do. I'm done with designing the new office building now I have to supervise the work." "So that means you're going to be super busy?" "Yeah... but I'll find time for my chipmunk!!" He said ruffling her hair and using the nickname he'd given her years ago. She smiled and relaxed on her seat. This day was treating her far better than she had anticipated. * * * "Marie..." Lisa knocked on her door. She sighed. What was she supposed to say? A day with Alex had cleared her thoughts and she knew she'd wronged Lisa. "Common in!" she called out from inside. "I don't know why you're mad at me Mer... I don't remember doing anything wrong." She said tucking her hair behind her ears and sitting down on a chair beside her bed. "You didn't do anything wrong..." Marie replied fidgeting with the pencil on her hand. "I'm the one who's supposed to apologies... I don't know what came over me and made me walk out like that..." "You sure I haven't hurt you in any way? If I have tell me... I love you and I don't want to lose you because of something stupid I did..." "No really, it's ok. Guess what? Alex's in town!" she exclaimed hoping it would change the topic. "What? When? God I haven't seen him in years..." Lisa replied suddenly enthusiastic and happy. "Yeah, he's a hotshot Engineer now... but I'm so happy he's here. He always makes thing right for me... you know." "Yeah... well I should get going now. You've got a test tomorrow and I've got the 4-page essay to write. Good night..." Marie sat on her bed staring at the door with a smile. Her love life may be a disaster but she had some awesome friends. She turned the page on her Antony and Cleopatra hard cover when her phone beeped beside her. It was a text from Alex. "I've a dinner invitation from my boss tomorrow evening, would you want to join me?" She smiled. Dinner sounded great but with his boss? "Uhh... dinner sounds awesome... but boss?" "Yeah, you're the only person I'm so close to in the city. Don't worry it's not a date, no candle light I promise." She could feel her smile grow wider. "Ok then. Time and place?" "Will pick you at half past seven and dress formally! ;)" "Kay, see you tomorrow... Gnite!" She hopped off her bed and opened her closet. There weren't a lot of formal dresses in there but there was one she loved. It was a black sequined dress that came down to her knees. It was a sober dress which meant minimal show of skin. It would be perfect. She sighed as she hung it on the door of her closet. No one could ruin the time she would spend with Alex. * * * "Lelam!" the urgency of the voice brought him back into his room. He'd been watching her, how exited she looked as she put on the last of her make up... maybe she was going out on a date... after that, he'd concentrated on the new employees his father had hired for his firm. It was necessary to keep an eye on everyone. "Lelam, open up!" Rafael banged on his door harder. He sighed and got up to open the door. "What is it..." he groaned. Some quality time alone was so difficult to manage these days. "She's been kidnapped..." Rafael was panicking. "Who's been kidnapped?" he demanded, he could feel the panic too but it was not his... he was feeling someone else's distress. "Marie..." Lelam was walking out of the room before Rafael could finish his sentence. "How do you know?" "Uhh... well I saw the way you were following her. You were busy today so I sent one of the youngling to keep an eye on her. She was with a man, and she looked happy too until both of them were taken. He couldn't do anything because there were 4 of them and he was alone..." Lelam growled under his breath. Who could dare do something to her? He didn't know. All he wanted to do was rip everyone's head off until he had her safe. "Where was the last place he saw her?" "The parking of a restaurant..." He couldn't contain his anger. She was in danger and he didn't even know from whom. He had to use all his willpower in stopping himself from attacking Rafael. Within moments, they were at the parking. He scanned the surrounding but he couldn't pinpoint anything. All of his senses were in disarray, he couldn't concentrate. "Lelam, calm down..." Rafael said from beside him. He was correct, he had to calm down. He had to track them down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He sniffed the air and froze. Her abductors were vampires... and that could only mean one thing. His enemies had found his Achilles' heel. * * * The chill from the cold stone floor woke Marie up. Her head throbbed like it had a heart of its own and her throat felt dry. She tried swallowing but ended up coughing instead. She tried moving but she found that her hands were tied behind her back. Opening her eyes slowly, she was thankful that the place was dimly lit. Light would have made the pain in her head worse. Where the hell was she? The last thing she remembered, she was returning from the dinner with Alex... Alex, where the hell was he? "Alex..." she called. Her voice was raspy and her throat hurt but she had to find him. Someone groaned from the other corner of the room. She crawled towards the person lying there and was relieved to see it was him. "Common, get up..." she said nudging at his back with her knees. She was scared as hell but they had to get out of here. Forever Love Ch. 02 "Marie... what happened?" he whispered, trying to sit up. "I don't know... but we have to get out..." she said trying to help him get up. He sat up with difficulty and she could see bloodstain on his forehead. The bleeding had stopped but the gash still looked ugly. "Turn around; I'll try to untie the knot." He said as soon as his mind registered what was going on. She nodded and let him feel the knots, praying it would be easy to untie. He ran his fingers over them patiently and after some 10 agonizing moments, it came undone. "Going sailing with dad and his mates has finally paid off..." he said, trying to make her smile but she was working on the rope around his hands as soon as her hands were free. It took her a bit longer but at last both of them were free. "I'm so glad you're ok..." he said pulling her into a hug. It felt better now that they could move freely. She was sort of thankful he was there with her... else she'd have lost all hope. "Alex, what is happening..." she sobbed. She hadn't felt this scared in years. "Shh... everything will be ok... I'm here with you. We'll be fine..." he whispered, running his fingers through her hair. He hated seeing her so scared. She had always been a strong-willed person but right now she reminded him of that five year old girl who used to come crying to him because some mean boy had pulled at her pig tails. He looked around the room, the door was shut tight and he was sure it was locked as well. There was only one window in the room and that too was barred. He looked outside the window and gasped. It was the construction site of the building he'd designed! What could that mean? They suddenly heard the door unlock and Alex instinctively put himself in front of her. Whoever was coming inside would have to deal with him first. No one would ever hurt her as long as he lived. "Well, Mr. Laake, I wasn't expecting you to be here..." Alex recognized the voice immediately. It was his boss; the guy was the right-hand man of the president of the company. He'd never met the president because he was supposed to follow this man's orders but what was he doing here? "What does this mean, what do you want from us?" he demanded. Boss or no boss, he had no right treating them like this. "No no Mr. Laake. We want nothing from you. It's the girl we're after. If you promise to keep this affair a secret, you're free to leave any time you want." He replied calmly as he made his way towards them. "What the hell? What do you want with her? I'm not leaving without her and I'll make sure you won't harm a single hair on her body..." Alex replied angrily. "Now, why would you put your life in danger for this little whore? She's only good enough for a fuck you know..." he whispered, walking around Alex, trying to pull her out from behind him. Alex couldn't see anything with rage... how dare he address her with such a degrading word? "How fucking dare you call her a whore?" he said glaring at the calm face of the man. He moved one of his hands to pull her closer to his back and he could feel her trembling. She was afraid and she was crying. "Now mind your language, I'm still your boss. Why are you so concerned about her? Is she fucking you?" "You son of a bitch..." Alex yelled as he lunged towards the man but the man was quick. Before the punch could land on his face, he caught hold of Alex's throat and smashed him against the wall. "Alex..." she screamed. She couldn't see him getting hurt because of her. "Please let him go... I'll do anything you want just let him go..." she sobbed falling down on her knees. She wouldn't let him die for her, his life was too precious for her. The man laughed and let go of him. Alex braced himself against the wall trying to catch his breath but when he saw the man pick her up, he couldn't stand it. He couldn't let those filthy hands touch her. "Keep your paws off her..." he growled and jumped at the man again but it was too late. "Alex... Please nooo...!" she screamed as sharp talons ripped through the air and splashes of hot blood fell on her face. Forever Love Ch. 03 Hello everyone, chapter three is here but I apologize for the length of this chapter. As the plots started developing, I couldn't find a more suitable ending than this one and the rest of the ideas I had in mind were better fitting for the starting of the next chapter so I left it at this. Again, my deepest apologies... Uriziel, my ever so wonderful editor, I want to thank him for letting me borrow some of his editing skills and how can I forget my real Lelam... J Enjoy!! Maire "We've got to get in there..." Lelam hissed from behind the pile of concrete blocks. He couldn't wait a second more... he didn't know why but he was feeling so scared. It wasn't like him to feel scared but right now, he was literally trembling with fear and anger. She was in there, all by herself surrounded by vampires... "No, keep patience Lelam, I've called Terrence for backup... this place is closer from the Weres' compound... we can't go in there just the two of us..." Rafael replied holding him back. She was the first being who'd gotten past the shields Lelam had put up around him and he had no plans on losing her so easily. "But the Vamps will sense them... I could easily rip them into fucking pieces..." he countered, his talons growing dangerously long. "Not if we take them by surprise..." Rafael replied. Even the few minutes they waited seemed to be agonizingly long especially when they heard a terrified scream from inside. "Marie..." He whispered. He didn't care if the Weres were coming, he had to save her. He roared as he flung himself at the guards who were standing around the building. "Oh shit..." Rafael groaned as he watched his friend literally rip the head off a vampire. He sighed and followed him into the bloodbath that was going on. * * * "Why..." she sobbed as she looked at his mangled body lying in a pool of blood. He'd done so much for her in the past and even now, he gave up his life for her, without a single thought. "I don't see it, why is everyone so madly in love with you? There's one who'd rather torture himself than let anyone harm you and then there was this poor soul who gave up his life and a promising career in our company to save you. I don't see what they see in you..." he said taking a strand of her hair and smelling it. She winced and her tummy rumbled. She felt like throwing up in his face... who was this guy? How did he slice Alex up so easily? This must be a nightmare. "Though, I can see one thing." He continued circling her and leering at her. "You're such a small thing... I wonder how snug I'd feel when I hammer you with my large dick..." No... he wouldn't! "What do you want from me?" she said, her voice barely a whisper. She just wanted to wake up from this hellish dream but she knew it wouldn't happen. She was stuck here, this was her reality. "I want nothing from you. What could a petty human possibly give me other than a few moments of pleasure... but apart from that, I have you here because of your boy friend..." "Jeff? What does he have to do with anything?" "Who's Jeff? No dear, I'm talking about your vampire boyfriend, Lelam..." What the hell was he talking about? Who the fuck was Lelam and vampires? Seriously? "Aww... you don't know it yet? I feel bad for giving out the secret..." he said, crouching beside her and running his knuckles against her cheek. She automatically shrunk away, disgusted by his touch. That man was a lunatic... he'd killed Alex for no reason... tears brimmed her eyes when they moved back to the motionless body sprawled on the floor. She gasped when he took hold of her chin and forced her to loot at him. During any other situation, she'd think he was handsome with that dirty blonde hair and the strong jaw line. He had blue eyes but they looked icy cold. She hated him. She hated him for what he'd done to Alex, for what he was doing to her. She tried turning her face away from him when he smashed his lips against her but he held on to her hair tightly. Within moments, he was ripping her dress from her body. "No... please don't..." she wailed as his hands traveled all over her body. He was groping her and she knew he didn't care whether it hurt her or not. She just wanted to die... she wished nothing more than death at that moment. She was running out of energy, he was too strong and she had put everything she had trying to push him away. Everything was fading away and he was still pawing at her like a maniac. This was the end; this was how she was supposed to die. She could barely open her eyes when she felt something pull him roughly away from her. She could hear someone swear followed by a long gurgling scream. In the dim light, she saw something that looked like a Husky, only larger... Oh, a dog to the rescue! How sweet is that... she thought as darkness finally took over her senses. * * * He couldn't contain himself; he was getting into a killing rampage. He didn't care who came across his path, they were destined to die that day. He simply twisted the arm off of the guy who lunged at him with his elongated talons. These younglings were so easy to kill... the one who came next was going to miss his head. The Weres had arrived by the time he got to the main entrance. Together, the six of them took out most of the guards but getting in was one of the big problems. He stood for a moment and tried to smell her but all he could smell was blood. Rage was boiling inside him like molten lava and once he got his hands on the bastard who did this; only then would his anger subside. He didn't know what he'd do to him but whatever it was would be slow and agonizingly painful. When he finally got to the room which was the source of the smell, the sight left him immobile for a second. There was a mangled body lying in the corner but that was not what bothered him. He saw Narek, one of the vampires who'd betrayed the council. His filthy hands were all over her body. That did it, all he saw was red as he reached for that swine and pulled him off of her. "What the fuck..." he muttered as he spun around and met blazing hazel eyes. He would have to die for ever touching her. "What did you think? Just because you erased the trails and your scent, I wouldn't be able to find her? You son of a bitch, how dare you touch her..." Lelam all but roared as he threw Narek against the wall. She was his, no matter how much he tried to deny it he knew he loved her. Ever since the first day he'd seen her and smelled her he'd loved her. "Well, I don't care. I've done my damage and that's all I care about. I broke your mate, Lelam Cardon" He spat back, gritting his teeth as Lelam's nails dug at his throat. Lelam was shocked with that answer and turned to look at her. She was lying motionless on the floor but he'd have to get closer to her and smell her to see if he was telling the truth. Narek took that chance to rear his legs and kick him on the torso. Lelam staggered back as he lost focus from the sudden attack but he didn't need focus to make him pay for what he'd done. Narek was an elder but he didn't care, he would have to pay and the payment would be his life. "You've done nothing, I know it. And I'll make sure you won't be able to do anything ever again." Lelam growled as he sprung at hum and tackled him. Once he had the upper hand, he ripped his arm off. The resulting scream was so fulfilling. Next he inserted his talons into his cheat and tore his heart out. That's how he made him feel when he was touching her and it was only fair he felt the same. The scream was music to his ears as blood flowed freely from the hole in his chest. Lelam stared at him as his body shuddered on the floor in agony but he was not dead yet. For a vampire to die, he had to be beheaded. After watching him scream some more, Lelam finally beheaded him "Lelam, Alex's still alive but he wont make it... what do you want me to do?" Rafael asked from behind but Lelam didn't hear him. He slowly made his way to her, lying half naked on the floor. There were nasty looking scars on her arms and torso but still she looked so pretty. He took off his shirt to cover her but he stopped when he saw that it was covered in blood. He wouldn't let their stained blood touch her so instead. Kneeling beside her, he did what he'd longed to do since a long time. He gathered her in his arms and held her close to him. He sniffed her throat and confirmed the fact that Narek hadn't mated with her against her will. She was his and he made a promise himself that no one would so much as lay a finger on her. She smelled wonderful, like summer rain and he loved it. "Lelam, what do we do about him?" Rafael asked again, handing him a blanket he'd brought from the car. "Father will not agree on changing him, so let the Weres do it. He almost died saving her... he should get to live..." he replied wrapping the blanket around her and picking her up. He was going to do everything possible to make her understand what had happened today and the fact that they belonged together. * * * She tried moving her arms but they felt like they were made of lead. Every muscle in her body was sore. She could feel the warm sunlight on her body and she wanted to wake up, open her eyes. Finally after moments of effort, she opened her eyes and looked around. The room looked beautiful with pure white walls. There were French windows and the air that blew the curtains smelled wonderful. She hadn't felt the sun in so many days... maybe finally spring was coming. But suddenly her mind switched to what she last saw. "Alex!!!" she gasped as she sat up but winced. The skin on her elbows felt raw. "Thank god you're up..."someone was by her side in a flash and held her in a crushing hug. She deeply inhaled the familiar smell... god that was probably the best smell that had hit her nose ever... it did help clam her mind but it triggered something else. What was she doing in the same room as him? "What's going on... where's Alex? I need to see him." she asked, her eyes tearing up and trying to push him away. This time, he let her go. She knew it would be something she didn't want to hear because she very well remembered the conversations she had last night... how long had she been out for? "Alex is fine, he's doing ok you need not worry about him..." he replied tucking a strand of hair that had fallen across her face behind her ear. She stared into those beautiful eyes, unable to decide what looked so different about him. Maybe it was because she was seeing him for the first time in broad daylight? She didn't know and she didn't care. She had seen Alex bleed to death. How could he be ok? "You're lying, I saw him kill Alex... please take me to him, I have to see him even if it's for the last time... I don't care what you do to me after that, just let me see him one last time..." she sobbed trying to get out of bed. Alex had been one of the few people she had in her life who knew her inside out. "Look at me, look at me..." he whispered holding her face gently in his hands. "Does it look like I'm lying? Why would I lie to you? Alex was hurt badly and he is recovering. You can't see him now, you have to rest but I promise you, I'll take you to him as soon as he's good enough to see you..." For some reason she knew he wouldn't lie but still a part of her feared losing Alex... she'd seen him go down and bleed. And there were so many questions in her mind! Who was that guy and what did he want from her? Why had he killed Alex? "Who are you... and why do you always manage to get my mind into a messy heap? Why is it that just your memory is enough to get my system into a nervous frenzy?" "I... I am Lelam Cardon..." She couldn't believe it!! She'd been kidnapped because of this guy? She'd been tortured and raped for him? She could feel her anger rise to the maximum level. "It was because of you Alex had to lose his life!" she yelled. How dare he act so normal when he was the cause of everything? Before this, he'd only hurt her emotionally but now she was being assaulted and he was the reason! "Marie... Alex is not dead and please listen to me I will explain everything..." "No! I will not listen to you and I don't need to listen to you. I don't owe you anything. Thank you very much for taking care of me but I don't think I should stay here any longer." She replied getting up. She didn't care what she was wearing; she had to get out of here; away from him. "Marie..." he pleaded grabbing her arm but let go as soon as she winced. That pain was nothing in comparison to what he'd made her feel in her heart. He was the root of everything that had gone wrong in her life in these couple of days. She'd yelled at her best friend and she'd lost one of the most important people in her life just because some psycho wanted his revenge on Lelam Cardon. She didn't even know how she fit into all of this but it didn't matter. She was never seeing him again. "Don't! Don't touch me... you disgust me! How can you behave so normally? Don't you have a heart? Don't you think you've caused enough damage to me and my life? Everything was so good until I met you, you've ruined everything..." she said in a determined voice as she looked steadily into his eyes. Tears were flowing down her cheeks but she stood strong. She would not go weak for him. "Don't you think I deserve a second chance? Why would I hurt you? What would I gain from ruining your life?" he asked wearing a pained look on his face. "I don't know what you could gain Mr. Cardon and believe me when I say I don't give a fuck! I just have one last request, please make sure that our paths never cross again I beg you." with that she stormed out of the room. She would get a cab home and stay in her room for the rest of her life. As she got into the lift, she broke down. How could she live a life knowing she'd never see Alex again? How could she bear not seeing those sparkling blue eyes, how could she stay sane knowing he died for her... he had been the one person she could lean against and now he was gone. * * * "MARIE...!" He yelled straining against the chains that bound him. There was this fire building at the pit of his stomach, and it was eating his insides. What was this place? Where was she? What did that freak do with her? This was so frustrating. The fire was growing and now it had reached the point where it turned into pain. Marie... I am so sorry I couldn't save you... he thought as beads of perspiration streamed down his body. What was happening to him? The pain was excruciating and he didn't know how long he could stand it. The first time he'd gained consciousness, he had been lying in a bed and a pair of kind hazel eyes was looking at him. She was beautiful and yet she had this look of authority on her. "Go back to sleep Alex, you've been very brave. We're giving you a power, call it a gift call it a curse it's upon you, but I know you'll use it for the betterment of the people you love." she'd said. He tried to answer but he'd felt so tired and had lost consciousness almost immediately. Next, he found himself in this holding cell and he couldn't see any other living being around. "Don't fight it, now I'm a part of you you'll have to accept me..." a voice said inside his head. Great, now the pain was making him go insane. He strained at the chains hoping they would give up and he could crawl and lie on the floor instead of standing but they were very strong. "It will hurt less if you don't fight it..." the voice repeated. "Fight what?" Alex yelled into the empty room. What the fuck was going on? Why was he hearing voices? He waited for a response but everything was quiet except for the pain which had doubled. He screamed until his lungs were empty and his throat hurt. It felt like he was being turned inside-out. Every inch of his body hurt; it felt like his bones and muscles were being crushed into a single heap. He let out another long agonized scream as the pain further flared and consumed him. But after a while, it faded away leaving a dull throb in his head. "Hello Alex..." there was another voice in his head. He opened his eyes and looked around, there was no one there. "Who the fuck are you..." he tried speaking but it came out as a growl. He gave out a surprised yelp at the sound. "What the fuck!" he thought, unsure about opening his mouth again. "Alex, look behind you..." the voice said again. He almost tripped when he stepped on his tail... hold on, tail? What the hell? He held his hands up to look at them but they were paws instead of hands! Oh no, oh no... what is happening he said to himself. He tried speaking but it came out as another growl. "Alex, calm down and turn around..." the voice said calmly. How could he sound so calm? Alex turned around to meet a pair of grey eyes set on a huge black dog... it was huge, about 5 feet tall and jet black. Hell, he'd have pissed his pants if he had any on. What is going on? Where am I? What am I? Who are you? His mind was reeling with questions he needed answers to but the main question he had to ask was different. "Where is Marie?" he asked, looking at the black dog like animal in the eyes. "Marie is safe now Alex' and I am not a dog; we're wolves." the voice answered as the animal walked towards him. "Whoa... I was human the last time I remember I cant be a wolf now! I have to see her; I have to be with her. I need to leave!" he replied impatiently. Just because the wolf says so doesn't mean he wouldn't be worried about her. "You can't leave Alex, at least not now. There are lots of things you need to know and learn." "Look, I don't care! I have to go see her and you can't stop me. Just get me back into my own body... this is freaking me out!" "Alex, you have to listen! You cannot go out now; you'll remain like this for at least another day. You need to understand..." "I don't care! I have to go see her, you're the one who needs to understand I can't stay here, I have to be with her!" with that he made a dash for the door. "ALEX! YOU'LL HAVE TO STOP!!" his voice sounded louder than thunder and Alex's knees trembled at it. He whimpered at the strength of that command. He felt like there were a thousand bolts of lightening striking him at the same time and he couldn't stop this urge to turn around and face him. "I'm sorry Alex, but I had to do that. You were not listening to me. I know it can be difficult but you have to understand." It was weird, Alex knew he was supposed to feel anxious and freak out but the power that brought him to his knees brought certain calmness to his mind as well. He was ready to listen and understand whatever that had happened to him in the past god knows how long. "We are wolves and not just any wolves, we are Werewolves..." With that, the big black wolf related to him their history that went back hundreds of years. Through their mental bond, he showed him images of everything he'd seen and been through including rescuing Marie. "I'm glad to know you're the good guys... but I have to see her, I cannot stay here knowing she could be in danger." "She will be ok, believe me, but you should take care of yourself. This is the first time you've changed and it will take a while for you to change back. And don't panic because the first few transformations tend to hurt." "I cannot thank you enough for saving Marie and me... I will never be able to repay you." he replied. It sure was weird communicating in this way but he didn't mind. "But I will start by pledging my loyalty towards you and this pack. I will fight along your side till the day I die." Forever Love Ch. 04 Hi I am back... but am not sure how long I can stay... My muse has taken a long vacation especially regarding Loving silver eyes but thankfully I was able to get this chapter out of her... and my editor InflamedSensuality was a big help... I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart.. J Please enjoy...and don't forget to rate, vote and comment!!! Marie * * * As soon as she got into her room, she locked the door. Lisa would ask a lot of questions and since she had no money on her to pay for the cab, she had to ask Lisa for help but she was in no condition to answer anything. The image of sharp nails slicing through his neck was still fresh in her mind. How could she ever forget that? She'd lost him forever and there was nothing she could do about it. She sunk into the carpet at the foot of her bed. Lelam Cardone had not only messed up her mind, he had messed up her life as well. Why? What could he possibly gain from her misery? This was more than she could take... she felt sick from all the crying and her body trembled. She hated him, she hated him with all that she was and yet she couldn't stop herself from yearning for his touch. She couldn't stop herself from hoping he'd come and wrap her in his arms, telling her all that had happened was nothing but a nightmare. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on the bed. "Lelam Cardone, what have you done to me? I know I should hate you but why do I still want you?" she whispered out loud. She felt so lonely and there wasn't a single person she could relate to. She sighed as her mind replayed the moments she had spent with Alex. Memories were all she had. She sighed heavily as silent sobs shook her apart again. She was utterly alone in this world, no one would ever understand what had happened to her Alex and there was no one she could talk to so as to lighten the weight she had on her heart. Alex had died trying to save her and now she had to carry the burden of that truth all by herself. "No... No don't..." she mumbled, trying to shout but she couldn't. "Please... I beg you stop!!" she tried to speak up again but in vain. That man had him by his throat and those talons looked even scarier. She knew what he was going to do, she'd seen it all before and she knew she wouldn't be able to save him. She could see his back; his shirt was torn and covered in blood. He shouldn't die because of her. But the man who had him in that death grip had other plans. He threw him to the floor and raised his hand to kill him and that is when she saw the face. "Alex!" she screamed as the talons shredded his skin into ribbons. She crawled towards the unmoving body, knowing he was dead but still hoping... she reached out a hand to turn it over and when she did; it was not Alex who was lying in the pool of blood: it was Lelam. She sat up shaking. She was crying uncontrollably. Seeing Lelam like that triggered something in her: a fear of losing him. "Shhh... I am here..." he was beside her in a flash. Was she still dreaming? It had to be a dream. Why else would he be in her room? "Marie, please don't cry..." he whispered holding her. She had wanted this consolation for so long... she wanted to hate him but the fear of losing him was greater than the feeling of hatred. "No... no! He died because of you! I can't forgive you..." she sobbed, hitting his chest with her fists. Her soul yearned for him but how could she forget the death of her best friend? "Marie, he is not dead... believe me! Hurting you in any way is the last thing I want to do please try to understand..." he replied, burying his face in her hair. She couldn't say anything; she didn't know what to say. There was a genuine pain and regret in his voice and she wanted to believe him but she couldn't. She'd seen him die. She just sobbed against his chest; mixed feelings were overwhelming her. On one hand, she was crying for Alex but on the other hand, the tears were of joy. His hug suddenly made her feel like she had everything. "I know I caused you a lot of pain in the past but believe me, I didn't mean to... I would rather die rather than cause you pain my little one..." he whispered. She sighed. She was so tired of this. "You should get back to sleep, you're still weak..." he continued laying her back on her bed and tucking her in. "I don't want to fall asleep... I don't want to see all that again." She said in a small voice. "Don't worry; I'll be here with you..." She'd been through a big trauma and he promised himself he'd do anything to get her out of it. When he moved to sit on her chair, she held his hand. "Please, I don't want to go to sleep alone..." He sighed. He didn't know if he could stop himself once he was in the same bed with her. He looked at the flimsy cotton shirt she was wearing and his body immediately reacted to what he saw. But he had to... she hardly knew him; no matter how he felt inside, he had to be patient. He nodded and got into bed with her. This was going to be a long night... * * * She stretched herself under the covers and froze when she felt a warm body beside her. She turned her head to look at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful while he slept; he looked so different. The hard and uncaring face he usually wore was gone. She couldn't stop herself from tracing a finger over those lips that had haunted her thoughts for so long. Suddenly a hand snaked to grab her wrist and those eyes snapped open. She almost jumped off the bed if it weren't for his hands that kept her close to him. He kept on looking at her and smiling and finally he spoke. "God, you're so beautiful," he whispered cupping her face with his other hand. She tried to look away blushing but he wouldn't have it. He slowly pulled her towards him until their lips met. It was meant to be a chaste good morning kiss but as their mouth opened and their tongues met, it started heating up. Lelam knew that no matter how much he yearned for this, he had to stop. When he broke the kiss, she was out of breath and panting. She looked into those hazel eyes, full of emotions and she knew she believed in him. "I don't know why but I believe you. But is Alex really alive?" "Yes, little one. Why would I ever lie to you?" "I have to see him. I don't know why you say I can't see him now but he almost got killed saving me and he means a lot to me..." she said looking away. She felt somewhat guilty about telling him how much she cared for Alex. "You've known him for very long, its natural for you to care for your friend." He replied as if he could read her thoughts. "So does that mean I get to see him?" she asked; her face lighting up almost immediately. He smiled, finally seeing her happy. "Yes you can... but aren't you hungry?" he asked, still smiling. She was about to deny when her tummy rumbled loudly and she blushed again. He laughed as he gave a small peck on her forehead and got off the bed. He was still fully dressed so he threw a towel at her. She smiled and walked towards the bathroom. Hmm... Breakfast and Lelam Cardon... interesting... * * * Lelam was pouring coffee when he felt another presence in the kitchen and he knew whom she was. "Who the hell are you?" she asked from her bedroom door. "I'm Lelam, nice to meet you..." he replied looking back at her and smiling. "No, what are you doing in my house?" she asked again, visibly irritated. "Uh... Lisa, he's here with me..." Marie chipped in from her room. Lisa looked stunned. Her friend disappears for four whole days and then comes back as an emotional wreck and now after shutting herself in her room for two days; she suddenly had visitors staying over? "Marie... you're getting me worried," she continued as she walked towards her friend. She still looked weak but there was a visible brightness on her face. "It's okay Lisa, he's the one who took care of me..." Lisa knew what she meant but still, she was worried. "Breakfast anyone?" Lelam interrupted and the smell was mouth watering. Marie made her way to the table and Lisa followed. No matter how uncomfortable she was with Lelam around, she was hungry. "Mmm... Bacon, toast and eggs!" Marie exclaimed clapping her hands... just the thing she'd been craving. She dug in as soon as she got on the chair and it was minutes before she realized Lelam only had a mug of coffee in front of him. "Aren't you hungry?" she mentioned, her mouth full. It was a simple meal but it tasted so good. "You go ahead, I need to make a call about the thing we were talking about..." he replied, his eyes twinkling. He could see her smile get wider but it also meant their secret would be out in the open. He hoped and prayed with everything he had for her to accept him. He excused himself and walked out of the house. "Terrence, its time." He said after Terrence answered the call. "Are you sure it's worth it? It would have been a lot easier if you had told her he was dead." "Terrence, you know I can't lie to her or see her sad. She is worth everything..." he answered. Terrence sighed. She was his mate and the mating thing they had was crazy. He just hoped she'd take it just as well as Lilliana had. "Ok, I'll let him know. I'll see you later." Lelam hung up with a heavy heart. Today was the first time he'd spent some time with her but this also could be the last they he'd ever see her. It made his soul ache but it was the truth and all he could do was hope. * * * "Alex, she will be here any minute..." Terrence said from the doorway while Alex paced around the room, still in his animal form. He looked at him and growled and continued with the pacing. "You will have to face her, you will have to meet her... she is worried about you Alex." He stopped and paused to phase back then hurriedly put on a pair of shorts and a shirt. They usually walked around naked because when they transformed, their clothes would be ripped into pieces but he was still new, he still felt kind of awkward walking around with no clothes on. "I cannot see her like this; I am not the person she knew..." "You still are the same person; you just have some added qualities in you. And I've told you everything about Lelam and Marie; she's bound to find out some day." He very well remembered the discussion he had with his Alpha regarding Marie and her 'mate' Lelam. It had hurt him, she meant the world to him and though he tried a lot not to bring it up, it still hurt. But he couldn't stand her being worried either. Would he be able to control his anger when he saw her with Lelam? He'd been the only reason she had to go through hell. According to what Terrence said, Lelam was innocent but... she had seen him die, how would he explain everything to her? He knew he was allowed to tell her the truth but how would she react? Would she accept him? Whatever happens, he would have to see her. In ten minutes, he was looking out from the window at her. She was getting out of a car with another man he guessed to be Lelam. She looked so much thinner than the last time he saw her but she looked exited and once Luke -- one of the younglings -- showed her the direction of his cabin, she was running for the door. He smiled to himself and walked to the door and stood there with open arms as she ran to him. "God, I was so scared, I missed you so much..." she gushed out as soon as she reached him and he crushed her in a big hug. "I know... I am so sorry I couldn't do anything for you then..." he replied bitterly. Had that man done anything to her? "Its ok Alex, I am fine now... I saw what he did to you, I'm just happy you're okay" she said looking into those blue-green eyes. The scene flashed across her mind again and she squeezed her eyes shut to push it away. It was all in the past. Alex was ok and that was all that mattered. "But, how did you make it out alive?" she asked again, not sure if she wanted to know the answer... "Terrence, Lelam's step-dad saved me..." he replied slowly like he was weighing the words he spoke. "But how? Whatever I saw... that man literally ripped you apart..." she said, her eyes tearing up again. "Shh... don't cry." He said, leading her inside and letting her sit on one of the huge armchairs. "I'm ok now. It's a long story Marie and I'm not sure how you'll take it. You mean a lot to me and I don't want you to look at me like I'm insane or a freak..." "Whatever it is that saved you, I want to know. I'd never judge you..." He took a deep breath. This was supposed to be his biggest secret and she would be the only human to know this. "Marie... I'm- I'm a werewolf..." he said looking away from her. He didn't want to see the reaction that phrase made on her face. There was silence for a moment. It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds but to Alex, it felt like eternity. Finally a small hand reached up to his face and made him look back into those chocolate colored eyes. "If it is the truth, there's nothing to be ashamed of... I just am happy to be here with you, to be able to talk to you. No matter how you were saved, it would always feel like a blessing to me and no matter what you are, you'll always be Alex." She said looking straight into his soul. The joy he felt was immense. He pulled her back into his arms in another crushing hug. "But how does Lelam fit into all this? Why was that man after us?" She asked all of a sudden. But then she felt ashamed; she'd never given Lelam the chance to explain. "Lelam... he is the single heir of a really big coven..." Alex trailed. He didn't know how much he was allowed to say. He knew he was her mate but still, he couldn't stop a selfish part of him from wishing she'd hate the vampire. "Coven?" she asked pushing away, wanting to know more. "Marie, Lelam is a vampire..." She was stunned. "A vamp- vampire?" she didn't know how to react. When Alex told her that he was a Werewolf, it had been difficult to believe but she'd known Alex for so long and she knew he'd never lie to her but Lelam was a stranger... no matter how safe she felt with him, she'd known him only for some weeks. She'd slept in the same bed with a vampire? She knew it was not fair to simply accept the changes in Alex and start feeling weird about Lelam but she couldn't help it. He was a vampire and vampires fed on humans... well according to the myths at least; that made a chill run down her spine. "You okay?" Alex asked kneeling in front of her. She had suddenly gone still and he could sense that she was shocked. "Umm... yes I am okay." She replied as normally as she could but her mind was full of questions. Lelam had saved her and he'd been nothing but nice to her. She turned her head and looked outside. He was standing under a tree talking to some guy. Just look at him... she thought. He was huge; he looked dangerous... could she trust him? What if he had something to gain from all this? She didn't know a thing about vampires or covens or any of that shit but she had seen a vampire before and she had also seen what he could do... what if saving her and acting all nice was just a put up and there was something else to it? She could trust Alex with blind faith and her heart was trying to tell her that she could do the same with Lelam but her mind was telling her something different. She could not trust Lelam Cardone. She'd been mentally as well as physically hurt and now she didn't want to get hurt again, in any way... she was going to stay as far away as possible from him. "Alex... can we go someplace away from here? I-... I" she stammered. Everything around her was a swirling mess and suddenly her lungs seemed to disobey her. "Marie..." Lelam was by her side in a moment but Alex stopped him. "I think she needs to go back home," he said in a low voice. With that, he carried her and after giving a nod to his alpha, he ran off towards the road.