My Blood To Rise
Page 4
“I might like it,” she replied. “But what about…”
Andrei interrupted her. “We could share so much more than just our bodies. We could be joined in the cosmic heights through a bond that lasts the rest of your life.”
“That sounds like marriage,” she said.
“Human marriage can’t compare with the bond between a vampire and a consort,” he told her. “This bond goes all the way to the soul. It transcends death, because the consort’s blood becomes part of the vampire’s body. The consort shares the vampire’s immortality. No other human being can hope for that.”
She shook her head, but she couldn’t answer. She couldn’t say no to him. She cast her mind back over the brief time they’d spent together, but she couldn’t remember a moment when she wasn’t already his. From the first moment she sat down next to him on the park bench, she was his.
Still, she wasn’t going to just give in. “I don’t know,” she started to say.
“Come with me to Sanctuary,” he urged. “Leave this life behind. I could promise you riches and luxury and power, but you wouldn’t believe me until you saw it for yourself. You’ll be my princess. You’ll be the envy of all, and you and I will be joined beyond life, beyond your wildest imaginings.”
“What about my job?” How pathetic all these excuses were. Her job was a joke. Her parents had died in a car accident when she was a teenager. She had nothing holding her here.
She knew she was going to agree to go with him. He had to know it, too.
“Do you love me?” he asked. “Do you love me with all your heart and soul?”
Her eyes swam with tears. “Yes.”
“You’re human,” he went on. “You love me with a human heart. But I’m not human, and my love for you is deeper and more powerful than anything you can imagine. Think of the love you could feel if you lived forever. Think of the depth to which you would cherish humankind. You would hold every human soul precious. You would love every single person on the face of the Earth. That’s how I feel.”
“Do you love me the same as every other person on Earth?” she asked. “How could you love me for myself, then?”
“Dara,” he murmured. “I do love you for yourself. I love you more than any other human being could. Let me show you. I’ll be your family—me and my kind. You’ll see.”
Her heart shuddered in her chest. “I don’t think I can do this.”
His eyes wouldn’t let her go. “Would you rather I walk out of your life forever? Is that what you want? If you don’t come with me, I’ll leave, and you’ll never see me again. I won’t come back to feed from you. You can go on with the same life you have now. Is that what you’re telling me to do?”
“No, but…” She faltered.
“Let me show you the wonders beyond the human realm,” he told her. “You can’t imagine how rich and varied the universe is outside this apartment. Come with me. You won’t regret it.”
She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. He collected her into his arms with his eyes still locked on hers. She didn’t feel him get out of bed, but the next thing she knew she was gliding upwards toward the window. The curtain moved away on a cushion of air.
The cool night breeze bit into her skin, and she curled into Andrei’s arms. He held her close. She caught a glimpse of the city lights passing below her, but she dared not look down. She kept her gaze fixed on Andrei’s face. She would lose her courage if she looked anywhere else.
Higher and higher they flew, up over the city, until the lights and skyscrapers dwindled into little toys in the distance. A bracing wind tore at Dara’s hair and clothes. She saw another light to her side, and when she looked over, she found herself looking directly at the big round moon. Mellow golden light outlined the clouds sailing past.
In another moment, the air changed, and Dara looked over her other shoulder. Bands of blue and green streaked the sky, and on the horizon, the bright halo of the rising sun nosed into view.
Andrei sped up, flying through the sky away from the sun. The light behind them faded away into the black night.
to be continued in
My Blood To Give
About The Author
Paula Paradis has had a life-long obsession with all things paranormal, having grown up with a grandmother who spun tall tales of the mysterious and unexplained.
She currently lives on a beach property in O’ahu, loves swimming, sunning, and travel.
Visit her at PaulaParadisBooks.com
Table of Contents
My Blood To Rise
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
About The Author