Redemption: My Vampire Lover Part #2 (A Dark Realm Novella Series) (4 page)

“If you want to use those knives, I suggest
you go for my heart. But it won’t do any good. In a place like
this, I lost my heart long ago. You can’t kill me. I was born as a
vampire, a pure blood. I can’t die.”

How far could I get if I tried to kill
this vampire? Was a vampire the same as a demon? I had heard only
the vampires born were beyond death. Was that what he was? I
couldn’t stand the thought of killing him, even if it didn’t
work.
My heart and soul raged at me.
Maybe he could be an
ally instead.

“Do you promise to help me escape?” I asked
the question with as much innocent I could muster for a princess, a
princess of a Werewolf King surely going mad. My world was turning
into one of kill or be killed.
Should I kill this vampire and be
done with it? Could I kill him despite his proclamations against
the latter?

His hands continued to rest on my now exposed
thighs. I felt his fingertips delicately massaging the curve of my
buttocks. It sent shivers of delight up my spine.

“I will help you, Caroline,” he whispered. “I
must.”

“What will they do to us if we are
caught?”

“Don’t worry about me. I can handle it, but
you. I’d rather not think about what they’d do to you before they
kill you.” His voice drifted off, and his brilliant blue eyes
glazed over. He turned his attention to the disarrayed shirt of his
I was wearing and gently smoothed it back into place. I marveled at
how warm his touch was, how satisfying and soothing. The Wolf
flashed a startlingly realization into my mind’s eye.
Despite
his inward struggles, it was obvious that this man’s allegiance was
to a greater good, not the evil permeating in the Dark realm. It
was clear to see that he was above that. Raphael was a good man, a
vampire warrior I had only read about in my aunt’s books, the
existence of which was rarely heard of anymore.

As Raphael’s hands paused on my shoulders, I
asked, “Could you help me find some clothes I can travel in,
please?”

“Of course. I apologize. You can’t travel in
just this shirt, now can you? I have to say blue suits you well.”
He chuckled. Whisking me off the bed, he headed for the closet,
never once letting go of my hand. “Do as I say. Follow my lead and
you’ll be home before you know it. Agreed, Caroline?”

“Agreed.” Hearing his congenial, yet
authoritative tone, I gritted my teeth.

***

Raphael led me through a secret door in the
closet of his bedroom I was surprised I had not found. We followed
a long staircase down along a cave made of red stone that was hot
to the touch. I felt clumsy and awkward wearing his oversized
clothes, which consisted of a dark green jacket, a black
long-sleeve shirt I tied into a knot at my waist, matching jeans
and boots, and a knit cap he requested I stuff my hair under. As
the delight of smelling his masculine scent on the articles of
clothing washed over me, I tried my best to focus on the steps and
stay close behind him so I wouldn’t fall against the wall. Once the
staircase ended, we stood before a four-foot steel door that didn’t
seem to have a doorknob.

“How are we going to get through that?” I
asked, motioning to him that both of us were taller than four
feet.

For some reason, he found my question
amusing. “Like this,” he replied.

Suddenly he vanished before my eyes. All I
could see was an immense cloud of blue smoke. Then I heard
Raphael’s voice. “I’ll open the door from the other side.”

When the door flew open, he stood there,
fully clothed in his long black trench coat, T-shirt, jeans, and
leather boots like nothing had happened.

“Now that’s some trick.”

“I’ve got a few up my sleeve.” He locked the
door, checking the hinges and making sure all the corners of it
remained secure. I admired his magnificent stature in the dim
light. As I glanced around to see where the light source was coming
from, I realized it was from a red moon that peeked out
occasionally from behind dark clouds.

“I’ve never seen a red moon,” I commented,
not really expecting a reply.

“I wouldn’t expect so. We’re near the center
of the Earth.” He paused for a moment and studied me. “Have you
been to the center of the Earth?”

“No,” I replied, hoping I sounded
convincing.

He continued. “Have your eyes adjusted
yet?”

“Almost. Why?” I asked.

He nodded. “We have a long distance to cover
quickly. I want to make sure you can keep up.”

“I can keep up, fanger.” My mother’s blind
arrogance immediately flared up in me, a trait I instantly
regretted showing off.

His pleasant disposition turned dark.
Momentarily, I took a step backwards, waiting to see what he’d do
next. Being low on energy, I’d be unable to summon the Wolf in a
moment’s notice if he attacked me.

“Let’s get something straight, Caroline,” he
said.

“I meant no offense,” I offered gently,
hoping to derail a fight.
I needed this man on my side.

He sighed loudly and gathered my hands up in
his. The warmth of his touch startled me and I felt that spark
again.
Weren’t vampires ice cold to the touch?
I studied his
hands enveloping mine for a moment. In the low light, I couldn’t
see the details of his wonderful large hands, but I felt the
strength, the raw energy charging through them. I was helpless to
move as he towered over me and held me in his clutches. For a
fleeting moment, fear surfaced in the back of my throat. I wanted
to scream, yank my hands away, even if I didn’t flee with both of
them. I wanted to tell this vampire I needed no one’s help,
especially his. I was on a mission. I had to avenge my brother’s
death. And yet, I couldn’t move. His presence overwhelmed me. His
touch soothed me. His brooding stare mesmerized me. He was the
essence of the Legend of Vampyre I had read about, the stories my
aunt had shared with me as a child. She favored all supernatural
creatures that fought for the well-being of others, not the demons
who only understood pain, torture, and death. Unfortunately, I had
no understanding of that while my younger brother had learned
firsthand what the demons would do, but this vampire was different.
In the short time I had known him, I already understood that. Aunt
Elizabeth’s words filtered through my mind.
“We have a lot to
learn from them as well, Caroline.”

“I know we don’t have much time, so I’d like
to ask for your respect. I actually need your help. If you want to
get out of here, I would expect you’d want to help me, right?”

“I was rude. I shouldn’t have…” Raphael cut
me off, continuing his dialogue.

“Yes, I’m a fanger, but there is a difference
between me and the demons here. The people who will set you free
are fangers too. They fight for good, not evil. I fight for good.
You must understand that now. Just because you’re a princess of the
Golden Realm doesn’t mean you are the only one fighting for good.
We’re here, in the trenches every day, fighting for our salvation
and yours, for the humanity of our worlds. If the Dark realm ever
infests the Golden realm and extinguishes the Light, it’ll be all
over. Surely you can understand that, Caroline?”

Hearing his declarations of justice astounded
me. I had found an ally and I understood his concerns only too
well. He didn’t know it, but we were on the same side.
He’s one
of us,
I told the Wolf. My heart exploded a second time. Each
time he addressed me by my name, it collapsed my very soul. This
vampire who I had known for as many hours as I could count on one
hand spoke to me as an equal. Me, the kidnapped princess. Me, the
assassin seeking revenge. I wasn’t as innocent as I wanted Raphael
to believe. And he wasn’t as haughty as I wanted to presume him to
be. I was a princess of a realm that held few joys for me since
losing my brother and aunt. A realm that was in trouble because of
my father’s grief. His heart was growing darker by the day, and I
knew I had to stop him. It was true, what my aunt had said to me
the last days of her life. He’d follow my mother to a very dark
place if someone did not stop them. And that would mean war. My
world wasn’t so different from this vampire’s. Perhaps the Moon
Goddess did have a plan for me after all, as my aunt had said.

Deciding to make a bold statement and seek
his affection, I pushed my body into his. At first, our clasped
hands rested just above my breasts, but I found my way into the
side of his neck, letting my head rest there. Raphael was several
inches taller than me at my stature of 5’ 7”. Then just as quickly
as he had gathered my hands in his earlier, he wrapped his arms
about mine. His moves were faster than my vision could understand.
I relied on feeling his touch instead.
His embrace felt too
right to be wrong
, I told myself.

When he finally spoke, Raphael’s voice was
only a whisper, but crisp and clear. “If I can do this, if I can
get you out of here, I’ll have saved at least one person. I
couldn’t save the others, but maybe you, Caroline, you will be my
redemption.”

My entire body went rigid in his arms. “What
do you mean?”

“This is part of the demons’ game. It’s the
hunt that entices them. When Asmodeus brings an unsuspecting person
here, he sets a new path for them across this wasteland. If they
fail to make it to the river, they die. We have to get to the river
before they find us.”

“How do you know he’s after us?” I asked as I
looked into his dark eyes, wanting to meet this Asmodeus and
introduce him to the Wolf straight away.

“Trust me. I know. In his mind, the Season of
the Games has already begun. And if he has realized you aren’t in
my rooms which I suspect he has…” His voice trailed off as he
looked out across the dark horizon. A great struggled raged in his
soul. For a long time, he remained silent.

Then finally, he embraced me again. “Not this
time. He won’t succeed this time.”

The moment I felt his hand on the back of my
neck, I moaned quietly. The emotions in me rose to the surface. I
couldn’t control it. And I couldn’t deny it. I had found love in
the most unlikely place, at the most unlikely time. I remained
frozen in this vampire’s grasp. If my freedom was at the hands of
this vampire, so be it. If it meant losing my heart to him in the
process, so be it. I wanted to spend eternities being in this man’s
arms. Forever. My mission? It could go to Hell.

Caroline, think with your head not your
slit. This vampire is the enemy too. We must destroy them all.

For the first time in my life, I ignored the
Wolf.

“I’m sorry about before. I didn’t realize my
words would hurt you, Raphael. Please forgive me.” I swallowed down
the Wolf’s words as I recognized the fact that my priorities were
quickly changing.

You must avenge your loved ones’ deaths.

Raphael’s arms tightened closer around
me.

“If you can help me escape, I’ll be in your
debt,” I stated as I returned his embrace, resuming my part.

Pulling away from me as he gazed into my
eyes, he tucked a portion of my long blonde bangs under my cap
again. He searched my face for answers. A million problems seemed
to be knotted up behind his eyes. His brows drew together in an
agonized expression. “You don’t owe me anything. This is between me
and Asmodeus, not you. These games must end now. I know that now.
He’ll never stop unless someone steps in.”

His discourse didn’t seem directed at me.

“I can say that I only wish we had met under
more favorable circumstances because I fear that when you leave you
will be taking my heart with you,” he added.

Tears rose in my eyes and I pressed my face
into his chest. “I’ll keep it safe, Raphael. I promise. But first I
must tell you something.” After realizing he had just handed his
heart over to me, I decided to come clean and tell him everything.
Would he understand?

Would the Wolf remain quiet if I shared the
truth with Raphael?

Chapter 3 – Raphael’s Offer

Author’s
Note: This chapter is told from Raphael, the hero’s point of
view.

“We’ll have time for that later. Let’s get
going.” I didn’t give Caroline a chance to respond. Instead I
grabbed her head and we ran as fast as we could across the
wasteland. “We have to move. Try to keep up.”

She replied with a few choice words that I
elected to ignore. I wondered if she realized just how far from
home she was, being in the Dark realm. Didn’t she understand the
danger waiting for her if we were caught? Didn’t I risk too much by
trying to save her? I knew I was risking everything and that was
fine by me. I’d never felt more alive than that moment when we
touched. The electricity radiating through my veins was undeniable.
The revitalization of my heart overwhelmed me. We had to make it to
the river in time.

***

“I have an idea,” I announced as I paused
near a large rock.

“What?” Caroline asked. She was out of
breath.

“So we can understand each other
telepathically if something comes up. The language. You’ll
understand the language too. Well perhaps.”

She watched me in amazement and wonder.

“I’m not making any sense, am I?” I asked. I
threw my trench coat to the ground, beginning to pace manically
before her. I stopped and collected myself. It wouldn’t do for me
to lose control of the situation. I’d be useless to her then if my
dark side rallied.

Caroline continued to stare at me.

“Okay, I apologize. I’m moving too fast. My
blood. If you drink some of my blood, you’ll understand the
language of the Fanged world. The language I use to speak to others
in my realm who practice the Magics. The blood may help you with
your wolf strength too. You haven’t fed or anything, have you?”

I saw the hesitation written across her
lovely tanned face. She looked ethereal, almost unreal in the dim
light. Her facial bones were delicately carved, her mouth full, her
cheekbones, exquisite, even exotic. Her eyes were large and
questioning as her mouth curved into a tempting smirk like she
naturally disagreed with most anything I said. She had been doing
that at every turn. It was exhilarating to see. I wanted to devour
her in kisses. I glanced at a blonde curl of her hair peeking out
from beneath one of my knit caps she wore. It had taken ten minutes
to convince her to hide her hair. The more camouflaged she
appeared, the better. Along the desolate landscape, Father’s hounds
would pick out her blonde hair instantly. Finally, at my
insistence, she had tied her mass of golden-bronze hair up and
stuffed it under the cap.
Delightfully defiant
, I
thought.