“We are human as well, Princess. Always remember that. We just have been gifted these abilities and responsibilities by our parents. At this time, we have decided what resides inside of this young girl possesses no threat to herself or anyone or around her.”
“But can she be released from them?” I ask again, afraid of what the answer may be. After a moment pause, I receive the answer I’ve been dreading.
“She cannot be released from these powers, no more than we can. We must continue forward and find a way to close the gates in order to eradicate everything supernatural in our realm.”
I let the words sink before I stand and kneel again. I say a polite ‘thank you’ before I rise and leave the room. I feel defeated as I slowly walk down the hallway to the sleeping quarters that have been assigned to Darien and his family. I wanted to return to them with good news and a quick solution, but instead I am only delivering them new decisions to be made.
I’m pulled by my thoughts as I hear John’s laughter filling the hallway. I look up and see him and Morgan racing down the walkway with small packages in their hands. They quickly disappear into the bedroom and I can’t help but quicken my pace to find out what all the commotion is about.
“Look what we got!” John calls to get everyone’s attention. I stand in the doorway as I watch Darien and Elizabeth turn to see what he is so excited about. John plops his package on the table and Morgan follows his motion as John quickly unwraps the package to reveal freshly baked donuts.
“Those were meant to be a surprise for tonight,” I say, making my presence known. I look at Morgan who tries to ignore my stare. I have a feeling that he is responsible for getting something special for John. A part of me wonders if Morgan is starting to grow an attachment to the young boy.
“But I feel like I’m starving,” John is quick to defend. I can’t help but smile as I walk over to the table and break a donut in half, handing a half to John before I take a bite.
“So, what did they say?” Darien asks, ignoring the food on the table.
“Let’s wait till dinner,” I start as I finish the donut. “That way I only have to repeat myself once.”
“And will you be requiring my assistance this evening?” Morgan ask as he steps away from the table. I look at him and glance over at John who has stopped eating to watch what will happen next.
“I think we can manage without you for a small time. I’m sure you’ve complete whatever task my mother has assigned you. But if I find a need of your services, I know where to find you,” I explain as I tilt my head towards John. Both of them exchange a knowing smile before Morgan leaves the room. John seems to relax as he sits down at the table and offers Elizabeth a donut.
“I’m not hungry,” she says quietly as she stands and walks into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Darien stands to follow her but I quickly grab his hand and stop him.
“Just give her some time, Darien. It’s a lot to take in, for everyone,” I say, trying to comfort him with my touch. I hand him a piece of donut and finally he sits and enjoys the small morsel of food.
We sit at the table for a few minutes as John tells his brother of all the things he’s been seeing with Morgan throughout the day. He’s seen the kitchens, the arena, the school rooms, and has even been able to see a few of the races the dwell inside the Kingdom. John mentions how Morgan reacted when he came across a group of werewolves who had stopped by to deliver a new shipment.
“Werewolves make excellent traders. They are not as nearly effected by the cold like we are,” I pipe in.
“And what exactly is Morgan? I’ve noticed his eyes are black. Does that mean something different amongst your people?” Darien asks as he takes another donut and splits it between him and John.
“Has Morgan told you what he is, John?” I ask instead. John gives me a swift nod as he eats.
“Morgan is a vampire,” I tell Darien after I have confirmed that Morgan has shared his identity with this family. I let the words sink in as Darien considers them, his mouth agape at the realization.
“I guess that makes a lot of sense,” he says after a while. Finally, Elizabeth comes out of the bathroom, her face freshly scrubbed but I can tell she has been crying by the red skin around her eyes. She comes and stands next to me as I loop my arms around her and bring her close for a tight hug. I can feel her chest heave as she fights back the tears.
“Well, let’s head to dinner,” I suggest as I stand and lead Elizabeth after me. In the hallway, I receive several greetings from the people we pass. I try to be polite and return their looks but I also can’t ignore the way they stare at the family around me. Never have I ever seen a normal human in the Kingdom, so I know it’s an unusual sight. At least my title and position will give me a little leverage of what I can get away with.
I lead them to a well light dining room where a fire is burning in a large fire place. The room is exceptionally inviting as I offer Elizabeth a chair at the table and instruct John to sit next to her. I have Darien sit towards the head of the table and I sit directly across as I wait for my mother to take the head of the table.
“Well this is nice,” Darien comments as the double doors open and my mother and brother appear.
“Anastasi! I’m so glad your back,” Marcus exclaims as he rushes into the room and swoops me up in his arms.
“And I’m glad to see you’ve gotten your strength back. Does this mean you have finished your research?” I ask but before he can answer my mother motions for both of us to have a seat at the table. I relinquish the seat next to my mother to my brother as I sit next to him at the table.
“Anastasi. Would you be so kind to introduce your guests for this evening,” my mother suggests as she takes her seat.
“Of course. Melinda and Marcus Juravinski, may I introduce you to Darien, Elizabeth and John Mathews. They have traveled with me to receive council concerning Elizabeth’s coming of age,” I explain as I settle down into my seat.
“It is an honor to meet you Mrs. Juravinski,” Darien speaks as he extends his hand towards my mother. My mother smiles as she shakes his hand and then begins dinner by folding her napkin across her lap. Prompted by my mother’s gesture, dinner is quickly served and we fall into an awkward silence as we enjoy a few simple dishes.
“Marcus, I’m dying to know how your research is going,” I speak up after I have made sure my plate is completely cleared before I speak.
“Actually, I am hoping what you have to report will shed some light on my work. I’ve come to a standstill with my research and I’m hoping a new perspective might help me out,” Marcus replies as he glances over at our mother. She gives me a swift nod, inviting me to continue speaking.
“When I was inside the token trap, there was a djinn and his slave muse. Together they created a powerful token. During my time there, the djinn betrayed his muse, tricking her into thinking she would be free. Once she realized what had happened, she told me about the reality of the trap we were in. She explained that we had been pulled into my subconscious and that I was only dreaming. When I had touched the token, we all became trapped in my mind. I simply had to wake up to escape. She explained that when we travel to the supernatural realm, our spirits travel through and our bodies are left behind.”
“So, your saying that you were able to reach the supernatural realm through dreaming?” Marcus asks as he finishes his food.
“The more I think about what happened, the more it makes sense. When I let my powers burn everything around me, I woke to the same position I had fallen unconscious in. Only the token was no longer active. I’m thinking that if we can find a way to trigger an unconscious transition into the supernatural realm, we may be able to destroy the gates without having to go through them,” I explain.
“But how will this help me?” Elizabeth speaks up. I look over at her and realize she has hardly touched her food.
“By closing the gates and sealing the supernatural realm fr
om ours, the fire we control may be sealed in that realm since our powers originate from that place,” my mother explains. I wait to see if she is going to say anything more but eventually she turns her gaze back to me.
“The masters agree. There is nothing we can do at this moment to withdraw the powers from our beings. For now, we must precede with finding a way to destroy the gates and the remaining tokens on Earth,” I conclude. I can’t look up at Darien, afraid of what this news might affect him. My mother looks pleased as she dabs the edge of her mouth with her napkin and lays it across her plate.
“I will inform the generals in the morning. I’m sure they would appreciate your rendition,” my mother says as she stands and pushes in her chair. I nod in agreement as Marcus stands and follows my mother out of the room, leaving me only with a weak smile for encouragement.
“So, that’s it then,” Darien says harshly as he tosses his napkin on the table. “We just sit around till your people can defeat this unseen evil so my family can return home?”
I’m not quite sure what to say because I don’t have a different option to give them. “There is a school Elizabeth and John can attend while they are here. And if they choose too, they can attend the training session with the other children their ages,” I offer.
“I don’t think they should be around your people,” Darien scoffs as he stands and motions for Elizabeth and John to do the same.
“You’ve been around my people your entire life, Darien. You just didn’t realize it till now. Your parents dealt with antiques and always sent token our way anytime they found them. They knew of this world and so should you,” I say sternly. I feel Darien is over reacting, but I can neither blame him or try to change his mind. Before he can speak I raise my hand to silence him. “We can talk more about this in the morning. For now, please get some rest. Tomorrow I’ll take you around the Kingdom so you can become more familiarized by your new surroundings.”
The three of them leave without saying another word. As I stare into the fire in the fireplace, anger boils within me as I throw my plate against the wall. I see the blue flames rising from my skin as I remind myself to calm down. I take a few deep breaths before leaving the room and returning to my chambers. I quickly undress and pull on a simple black nightgown before climbing into bed where I disappear under a thick layer of furs.
I can’t help but sob as I think of the way Darien looked at me once he realized he wouldn’t be leaving any time soon. A part of me felt betrayed compared to the way he had kissed me and held me in his arms just a few nights ago. Eventually, I coax myself into calming my breathing and stilling my shaking body. Now that I have returned to the Kingdom, I need to start acting like the warrior I was raised to be. I remember my mother’s council. I need to forget my emotions and focus on the most logic path to follow. If I am ever going to have a chance of being with Darien, I need to help my people find a way to destroy the gates and banish the supernatural realm, and our powers, forever.
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The Vampire’s Desire
(Book 1 of the Fatal Allure Series)
Martha Woods
© Martha Woods
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Chapter 1
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I am sitting at home sipping my glass of Shiraz and nibbling on cheese and crackers. I roll my eyes as the credits roll to a romantic comedy that ended with a stereotypical happily ever after. I scoff. I don’t know why I watched it. I knew the ending would be made up of a predictable plot where the characters’ love is the most important thing in this world and completely outweighed any rational logic for what would happen after the credits stopped rolling.
“Happily ever after.” I smirk. I know that there is no such thing. At least not when it came to romance. Why did a woman need a man to make her life complete?
What happened to self-esteem? To knowing that actually, you don’t need the stereotypical bad boy to change overnight and run off into the sunset with you? I always thought these movies would have a happier ending if right at the end, when the man had “changed,” the woman laughed and told him it was only ever about sex, and walked off into the sunset on her own.
Cara, my best friend, would describe me as cynical. She would say it’s a defense mechanism – if I don’t believe in love and romance, then I don’t have to admit that it’s just never happened for me.
I would describe myself as a realist. I just don’t think we’re programmed for monogamy, at least not long term. I have to agree with Cara on one point, though. It probably will never happen for me.
I’m a twenty-seven-year-old forensic scientist working for the LAPD. I am smart. I can hold my own in situations that would turn most people’s stomachs. Yet, here’s the kicker: whenever I find myself with a man who I find attractive, I turn into a clumsy thirteen-year-old who can’t string together a sentence. I’m the one who will trip up, knock something over, or say something really awkward.
One of my least disastrous recent dates, in fact, featured me getting so flustered when the guy had bought me a bouquet that I managed to knock over the entire display of flowers, causing who knows how many dollars of damage. There went that week’s pay. Needless to say, I declined a second date.
Maybe that’s part of the reason why I’m a cynic. Sorry, a realist.
But I’m not heartbroken about it or anything. I have Bella, my adorable and loyal puppy, and right now, she’s the only housemate I want or need. She’s been my constant companion since the day I picked her up from the pound. With my crazy work schedule, she’s really the best partner I could ask for, and she doesn’t mind a good long run. I reach out and run my hand over Bella’s soft fur. She wags her tail and snuggles closer to my side.
I reach for the remote and flick through the channels. I’m looking for a horror movie, maybe a sci-fi at a push. No more icky love stuff. Sometimes I’m in the mood to leer at a Rom Com, but the inclination usually doesn’t last long. I know it’s all totally contrived. Real love doesn’t exist. And commitment just isn’t in our DNA. I’ve had enough personal experiences to know that – and worked enough cases that reinforced the idea. People would probably agree with me about my “cynical” outlook if they knew how many murders were perpetrated by lovers. Cheating spouses, insurance scams, arguments gone horribly wrong…if that’s what love is all about, count me out. Something catches my eye, and I flick back a channel.
There. A good old fashioned newscast. No fairytales here.
“We can confirm that the body of an unidentified female has been found just moments ago in the parking lot of The Watering Well.”
Great, I think. I count to five, and sure enough, as I hit five, my pager lights up. With a sigh, I lift Bella off my lap and set her on the ground, reaching for my cell phone. I call in and let the dispatcher know I’m on my way.
I grab my car keys and my purse and lock the door behind me. I get into my car and set my bag on the passenger seat. My cell phone, I place on the dashboard. My pager goes in the little alcove in the center console, where I can see the screen clearly without taking my hands off the wheel to pick it up. I have a system. Some people might call me obsessive, but I prefer organized. Obsessive, organized. Cynic, realist. Cara would say I’m just trying to justify my personality flaws. She’s a lawyer, but she likes to think she’s also my therapist. I don’t mind, though. If nothing else, she keeps my ego in check. I chuckle a little to myself at the thought. Cara would keep anyone’s ego in check. She’s gorgeous, successful, always at ease, and always kind. It’s hard not to compare myself to her and come up a bit short.
As I drive towards The Watering Well, I sigh. I
can’t believe a reporter heard about this before I did. I’m the chief forensic officer for the LAPD, and I found out about a murder through a newscast! Heads would roll of people found out about this.
I push the thought away. It’s not like Rick doesn’t already have enough on his plate without me making trouble for him.
I know before I’m even close to the scene that it will be Rick. Rick Gordon. And I know before I arrive exactly what I’ll find. Rick is the lead officer investigating a series of grisly murders in the city. They have happened over the course of the last month. All of the victims are women. All of them turn up in parking lots, alleys and other outdoors places. And all of them are mutilated.
The bodies look as though a wild animal has been on them, but there is never a trace of forensic evidence to back up such a theory. These murders are very much man-made. I find that fitting. The things human beings do to each other are far worse than anything a wild animal might do.
The public is becoming restless, spurred on by the unrelenting media coverage calling for action. A resolution. You know, in case the LAPD actually have solved the case but don’t want to reveal it until public pressure builds. Because of course, that’s how it works. Not.
It’s hard not to get irritated with the media during cases like this, but I know it’s not really them I’m frustrated with. I’m frustrated because my job, my purpose, is to find the evidence that will allow Rick to do his job, that will see justice done, that will give some measure of peace to the families of the victims. But the murderer is meticulous. He must be. I haven’t found so much as a hair, a skin particle, to trace back to the killer. I feel useless. And after seeing these women, bloodied and torn, I desperately want some closure for them. I don’t really believe in ghosts or spirits or even the soul, but I still feel compelled to help the victims, even in death. How can I do that if I can’t find a shred of evidence at the crime scenes?
Escaping the Demon's Trap + bonus content Page 9