by V L Friends
Shock was setting in. I was just letting them take over as I allowed myself to be carried around like a lifeless doll but, with eyes open, I had the horrifying thought cross my mind.
Had I just made friends with the devil?
Chapter 14 - Leland’s Voice
The creature before him was not what he had expected. His first assessment of her was that of a lost, scared, worried little child. Leland sat mounted on his horse completely still and used his cloaking powers to hide from her as he quietly observed his prey from one hundred yards away. This did not seem to be the character of a fierce, relentless warrior that the stories led him to believe. This could not be the girl Louis told him about, the one Louis had called “the half breed threat to our kind.” The one who could escalate a war between heaven and dark walkers. Louis had summoned Leland’s help to bring in and tame what he called a “menace to his kingdom.” Louis all but begged for Leland’s help after a failed attempt at capturing the girl himself. Leland rarely got involved in aiding other kingdoms but this was even worse because Louis was beneath him and, quite frankly, irritated him. Louis had the nerve to demand Leland bring the girl to only him for breaking. The bastard warlord would pay for making demands like he was dealing with some sort of servant. Leland would take care of the sorry excuse for a walker later. For now, the girl was in his sights, Louis was desperate, and Leland had plans to take every advantage of that. The warlord was nothing more than a weak, spoiled child who thought more of himself than he ought to. Somehow Louis had managed to gain a large following and had become a powerful warlord. Of course, Leland could bring down his regime with a flick of his finger but had decided Louis may be at least useful to him, if not entertaining for a short time. So he let the imbecile continue to exist, for now. How a fierce warlord had become so panicked over a young half breed, well, Leland just had to check her out for himself. Now he felt a twinge of disappointment as he stood there observing her quietly. Leland let out a sigh of boredom.
Well, since he was already there, maybe he would get a little fun out of her before ending her. Time for introductions. He stepped forward, dropping his magic cloak spell. As her eyes fell on him, to his surprise, he felt a twinge of intrigue. She did not run or even look fearful, and to his even greater surprise did not even look away when he looked her in the eyes. Even when he snatched her up in his arms and began to ride away, there was no trace of fear. Although her words were inquisitive and, well, a bit forceful, but there was not even a hint of shakiness.
She didn’t know it but for several miles he was reading her and assessing her reactions to determine how he could best pull her into trusting him. It was a game he played with many of his victims. At the stream, where they were crossing, he tested her by getting a bit rough to see if she would react with compliance or defiance. Without warning, she boldly leaped away and floated down the river. He cocked his head with intrigue, watching her float away. This human did not act like any other humans. Normally he could have detected her distress or even a hint of anger or fear, but this was not the case. She merely acted as if on instinct. He had seen this sort of instinct from animals but not in humans. His jaw twitched and he cracked a half smile as he watched her float down the cold river away from him. This game just got even better. Leland assessed that her quiet strength was what led many to underestimate her. This girl held much more than met the eye. Had she been reading him as well? She must have sensed that he had ill intensions and it would be better for her to risk her life in the cold wilderness than ride with him. She could die in the cold river if she could not get warm again and, seeing that the sun was not out, hypothermia was a possibility. She had suddenly weighed things out and decided that she was better off risking a cold death than staying with him. She, of course, was right. A plan was forming in his devious mind. Finally, he had something worthy to play with.
Leland easily tracked her along the river but kept his distance. He camped a mile or so from the river and waited. Knowing there was a distinct possibility that he would find her lifeless body in the morning, still the chase thrilled him. He was getting more charge out of this than he had in years. The challenge and excitement of the unknown caused his heart to pound. He couldn’t wait to see what this creature would do next.
His supernatural hearing enabled him to hear the sound of her dragging herself through the woods a mile away. She was coming! Excitement roared through his veins. The creature was showing her strength, and elements she battled along the way were doing the job of taming her for him. When she got to him there would be no fight left in her. She would be putty in his hands. He could bask in the delight that she now thought of him as her safety and he would milk that for all it was worth. He would play the part well. He knew now what kind of game this was forming to be and was delighted to play. A rush came at the thought of how he would become her closest friend and she would trust him thoroughly. The thrill and anticipation of imagining her face just before he tore her to pieces, or perhaps he would merely break her and make her his, was overwhelming. Those beautiful blue eyes would look at his in unbelief and horror. His heart began to beat wildly at the thought. He began to pace with excitement as he readied himself for her. He would have to tread softly and gently with her to gain her trust. It was more work than simply tying her and gagging her and threatening bodily harm but still this made things much more interesting. This game of deception was always much more of a thrill. In the end, the horrified look of betrayal from his subjects was priceless and gave him more thrill than anything else.
Leland calmed his excitement and prepared to play his part as he sat down and reclined back against a log near the fire and waited. He was tempted to go after her and retrieve her a few times when his sensitive hearing had picked up on her falling and crying out in pain. Once she even just laid there for a few moments and he had thought she had just resigned herself to die. Then he heard her crawl and eventually get to her feet slowly as she felt her way along the dark woods.
When she finally got to him he held himself still and tried to act casual even at the horror that walked out of the trees. She was so battered and her skin was so pale. Her face was bloodied and mud caked her body. She looked like a scene from a zombie movie.
What a mess, he thought before jumping to his feet and enveloping her in his arms. He went straight to work, warming her, washing her, changing her clothes, and braiding her washed hair as he bandaged her many scrapes and wounds, all as he spoke softly to her. He told her it would be alright, that he would take care of her and that he understood how she would want to get away from him so badly because of how he had treated her and that he would not mistreat her again.
Finally, he wrapped her in a warm blanket and held her in his arms, stroking her hair lightly as she drifted off to sleep.
She was a mess but still responsive and let him take care of her. It was working! Surprisingly, she even let him hold her. It took so much self-control not to sink his teeth into her. Vampirism was not a necessity to him but he sometimes indulged. So much about a being could be read in their blood and he wanted to find out everything. Strangely, even though all of her injuries had made her look hideous, he felt attracted to her. Her natural scent was intoxicating to him. He lay next to her with his arms wrapped around her, breathing her in, and an idea came to him. Maybe he would not kill her. Maybe he would make her his pet. A devious grin curled on his mouth at the thought. It would take time to groom her for this but he was patient.
They entered a town the next evening with ease. She was still healing from her wounds so she gave him limited questions. He guessed she was more trusting of him now.
Late that night the female creature lay asleep and he watched her. Something about her felt irresistible to him. Her long, wavy, auburn hair and fair skin made her look so fragile and sweet yet there was something about her that made her deadly, though he could not pinpoint why he felt this. Her lush lips and long lashes were a perfect touch to the beauty that drew him in like a m
oth to a flame. As he lay next to her, gently stroking her face, he found himself thrilled with the idea of spending time with her. Still, there was something inside him that wondered what he would do with her. He could sense that she was different than other humans but he needed to see more. So far, he could not see any evidence that she was this extraordinary creature of power that Louis had described to him. The temptation to drink her blood was overwhelming once again.
Leland let out a soft chuckle at the thought of finding out that this creature was actually Julian’s daughter. The news was a surprise. Now he couldn’t stop the grin on his face at the delight of seeing Julian’s reaction if he knew his precious daughter was with him now. Julian was extraordinary in his abilities and quite intriguing as a walker. Of course, they were enemies now but Leland remembered when Julian had been like his son. One never knew what the extraordinary walker was going to do. One second, Julian was his to control and the next his enemy. Oh, sure, Julian had come back, but only to betray Leland before he left for good. Leland had not seen the betrayal coming and this angered him most of all. Julian learned to play the game and had understood what it was to be ruthless. As a human, Julian was sweet, smart, and a real charmer. His heart was pure and this is why he was chosen as a companion, to mold and corrupt at Leland’s pleasure. His daughter reminded him of Julian. This is why making Julian’s daughter his would be the ultimate revenge. The decision was made. Anaya would belong to him.
The next morning, Leland was out for hours as she slept but when he returned, the sound of her heavy breathing still filled the room as he settled on the bed next to her. Her scent was now becoming familiar to him. Lying next to her on the bed, he felt her stir and turn to face him. Deciding to pretend to be asleep, Leland felt her watching him and heard her breath on his face, and even felt the beat of her heart as he lay there taking her all in, as he could sense her watching him. She crept closer as he waited for the moment he would open his eyes. Finally, upon opening his eyes, he found that the creature was just a few inches from his face. Fixed on her peering into him, he was hit with a sudden reaction of excitement, desire, and it was so intense he could not control the beating of his heart. Her braid was pulled out and her hair was tousled but so beautiful as the waves lay wild about her shoulders with strands leaping out at him, beckoning him to embrace her. Her face was a vision of purity, childlike, innocent, but what she was doing to him was not so innocent. She was scanning his soul! Where did she learn to do this? Supernaturals only did this and here was this human pulling at his soul for information. To his shock, he felt the tug and could not move. He wanted to push her away but every part of him was too intrigued. He reached out to her in his mind, trying to counteract her and gain the upper hand. His lips twitched in a sly smile at the shocked look in her eyes when she felt his dominance, as the tables turned and he began to scan her as well. The girl was so young and fragile but he would teach her, train her, and tame her. This was the moment when Leland knew what lengths he would go to in order to make her his.
Feeling a thrill and yet annoyed at this revelation, it distracted him and he allowed his guard to falter for a second, just a second, but it was enough for her to make a discovery he did not want revealed yet. She was beginning to see the distinction between the demon that was Leland and the soul inside this human that he had taken over. This was a complication but it was nothing the demon could not handle. The female’s reaction was unexpected. Seeing her leap backward, flipping off of the bed onto the floor, was quite amusing. Already, he could see that she was proving to be much more entertaining to him than her father. She was frightened at her discovery and this gave him a thrill because she was going to see that he was one who held great power but it also disturbed him. She was not ready to uncover this about him yet. Leland knew that there would be a time in their relationship this could become both a bond-forming moment and also a time where she would begin to see him and appreciate that he had chosen her. This was not the right time.
There needed to be more of a slow building familiarity and trust. Female humans needed to feel like there was a deep emotional connection being formed. At the beginning of their journey, during the long ride, he took special care of her and it seemed to be working, but to his surprise she turned on him. At the waterfall he was telling her a story, showing her that he trusted her, and began revealing personal things about his life, making himself seem vulnerable. It was all a part of the plan and it was working. Then, without warning, she became suspicious and started to figure things out. She tried to run and threatened him with a knife. Blood pumped through Leland’s veins wildly as he saw once again how unpredictable she could be. Just like her father. Ah, one more reason to make her his. This one had some fire in her veins! He overpowered her but she managed to put a knife in him. It gave him the excuse to take her blood and that only proved to make him even more attached to the girl. That was also when he sensed her gifts, through her blood, and how those giftings were vast in her but also very dormant. Never had he tasted blood like hers. The fact that he had stolen her right out from under Julian and God was such a discovered bonus, but the blood tell had made this more complicated and he would need to tread more carefully, so as not to let her slip away, nor make the discovery of his intentions.
Leland had to make a stop in a town along the way to set some things right with some old friends but could not risk her getting hurt or worse. She would only interfere, so he left her in an abandoned building with instructions to meet him later. Okay, it was also a test. He had her firmly in his grip so did not worry about her escaping. Now that he had her blood inside him, he could detect her anywhere.
Javier thought he and his thugs could kill him to free themselves. What a surprise that they came very close to killing the body he had for so long. He had underestimated them, and the girl creature saved his skin. That is when he made another discovery about the girl. She had fierce loyalty for her friends and this had proven very useful to his demon pleasure. Her sense of fair play and goodness was a bit annoying but he could work with that, he thought. Even when she stole his weapons and refused to let him kill those who betrayed him, it only thrilled him more to be chasing down this woman with guts and fire. To his surprise, he did not want to kill her for helping those he aimed to destroy. He had patience and would eventually be able to teach her to heal. When she ran from him, the chase only thrilled the predatorial nature in him. When he caught up to her in the mountains with the idea of punishing her, he couldn’t do it. Not just yet. Instead he found himself once again observing her. He watched her talking to the wildlife and discovered more of her powers. He held back, stalking her, but remained out of sight for hours in awe of her.
Louis contacted Leland and insisted on an update in which he revealed very little and even lied. Leland let him know they would be there in a few days but, in reality, they were about to embark on a different journey in taking this wondrous human to his home in Africa to complete the ceremony to bind her to him forever. The demon had tried to do this to a number of other humans but it proved to be too difficult on them and they died. Humans made the best pets but he had not been successful with making any of them his mate. She would be different.
Something else had complicated things, however. Leland sensed someone following. His crows had told him of some walkers tracking them. Though they were in the distance, he needed to work faster now to get them off the mountain and onto a ship. He needed to convince her to come with him.
They camped overnight in the mountains as he continued to lay the foundation for their relationship. It was the next morning when she awoke from a dream and looked at him with fear. Leland knew God had intervened with a dream to warn her. It was then he felt in his gut that a battle was in his near future. He did not, however, expect it to be so soon. He did not expect Julian and the ex-vampire king to appear and fight to rescue her. This was most disconcerting and definitely put a damper on his plans. Leland had underestimated Julian once again. The walk
er general, my rival, took the head of his host body. He had been in that body for the last seventy-five years. You served me very well, he said to the body as essence drifted into the air. Julian would pay dearly for that.
His essence drifted to his pet crow, who was in the trees, and that is where he traveled until he found a suitable new host. It was just as well this way, he thought. Now he could track her more efficiently through many creatures. The thrill of the chase was on once again. The game was becoming more and more intriguing and the treasure he hoped he would obtain one day suddenly became more valuable than ever.
Chapter 15 – Joy for Mourning
My eyes shot open and my body sprung up, taking a deep breath as if I had been holding my breath in my sleep.
“No!” was the shriek I heard, only to discover it was coming from me.
I reached for my throat as I recalled the image of the curved steel blade swinging in the air, and the sound of it slicing through flesh with one smooth swish. I recalled the whistling sound of the wind, as the metal cut the air before striking echoed in my ears still. The head that fell from the large body of my friend tormented me as I replayed the scene over and over in my mind and it was even haunting my dreams. As I sat there reliving my haunted memory, I took in my reality. The room was dim so I could not make out my familiar surroundings, but it was familiar enough that I recognized that I lay on my bed back at the Alexander home. How did I get here?
I tried to stand but my legs gave out briefly. Had I been drugged?