by Tara Sampson
Leo shook his head as if he was shaking away the memory. He had once cared for the child as a guardian should. Now that she was of age, he had fallen irrevocably in love with the woman that she had ultimately become. Opening his eyes, his lips curled up into a grin.
“And I wouldn’t change a thing if I had the chance to go back and do it all over again. I would still have bound you to me that day in order to save you. You belong to me Shelby as I belong to you. Nothing and no one can change that.”
She didn’t know what to say. No one had ever said such sweet or such heartfelt words to her. He made her feel like she mattered; like she was treasured and that felt pretty damn good.
“Thank you,” she whispered, standing on her toes to kiss the line of his jaw.
He cocked his head to the side.
“For what?”
“For caring…for saving me…for making me feel special.”
Leo bent down, locked one hand under her knees and the other around her back. Picking her up, he started towards the pool of crystal water.
“I will always care, Shelby, always. I love you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tight.
“I love you too.”
Taking his time, Leo stepped down into the steaming water so that his bride could slowly adjust to the temperature. Once his feet touched the smooth rock floor, he waded across the pool to the opposite edge where there was a natural built-in seat.
“So,” he asked, sitting down and positioning Shelby comfortably on his lap, “what do you think?”
She kept one hand wrapped around his neck and sighed with pure unadulterated pleasure. The hot water felt like heaven against her skin and being held in Leo’s strong arms was an extra bonus.
“This feels great. Perfect,” she gushed, dipping her free hand in the water. “It’s so warm and what’s the word I’m looking for…soul nurturing, I guess is probably the best way to describe it.”
“That’s an interesting way to put it,” Leo noted, enjoying the feel of just holding her in his arms. He rubbed his hand up and down her spine, reveling in the delicate expanse of her back. For the next few minutes, the two of them just sat there in the spring, letting the steam curl around them while the magic of the water worked their muscles. Leo was perfectly content with just sitting there. As long as he had Shelby with him, he would forever be content.
But the calm air they were enveloped in wasn’t meant to last.
“Ow…” Shelby suddenly winced, and pressed her hand to her temple when a sharp pin point pain struck in her head.
Alarmed, Leo sat up straight and turned his bride so that he could peer into her face.
“What? What’s wrong, my sweet?”
“I, I don’t know,” she bit out just as another shard of pain stabbed her head. This time, she squeezed both of her hands against her forehead. Red blooded tears began to spill from her eyes. “It hurts!” she choked on a broken sob and rocked herself back and forth. She closed her eyes, trying desperately to wish the horrendous pain away. “Make it stop! Please,” she begged, opening her eyes back up. “Make it stop.”
Leo dipped into her mind and the moment that he felt it, he knew exactly what it was.
“Your being summoned,” he told her, lifting her shaking body up out of the water. “Why? Why would they summon you though? This doesn’t make any sense.”
Nausea rolled in her gut. The pain started to vibrate through her body.
“Summon? Who? What are you- Argh!” She held her head and forced herself to breathe through the next wave of agony. When it finally ebbed, Shelby breathed out, “What do you mean by a summoning, Leo?”
Leo’s eyes looked wild. He only spared a cursory glance down at Shelby. He wouldn’t face her which spurred her fear. Whatever he was talking about must be pretty bad. She continued to hold her head in her hands and pushed back the bile that was building up in the back of her throat.
Leo lifted his hand and in seconds, the two of them were fully dried and clothed.
“It’s the Council, Shelby. The Vampiric Council and they’re summing you through a mental link.”
She swallowed hard, refusing to allow herself to get sick.
“The Council? What Council and why are they summoning me?” As soon as the last word left her mouth, another spasm of pain rocked her body. “Leo!” she called out, and gripped the lapels of his jacket. “Please, it hurts!” she cried, scared half to death. “Please, just make it stop.”
Bending down, he kissed one of the many blood red tears snaking down her cheek. He had a bad feeling that this summoning had to do with the Prophecy. If so, then this was not good, not good at all. He wasn’t even sure that the consecration pendant around her neck would be enough protection for her against four of the most powerful elders of their race.
She whimpered again and he knew they had to answer the summons. They didn’t have a choice in the matter. Besides, it was the only way to effectively stop her pain.
Squeezing her small frame to him, he waved his hand above their heads.
“Hold on baby,” he whispered at her ear just before cloaking them both in the veil of night. “I’ll make it stop.”
He would make it stop because he would get her to the ancient chambers and answer the cursed summons. But, he would be damned if he would let any of the old fools lay even a finger on her. She belonged to him now. She was his bride and would be treated as such. She was a Risso, bounded to a Royal and he would make sure that every single one of the elders was made aware of that enlightening fact. And if they valued their precious coveted immortality, then they would respect her as they would respect him. When it came to his bride, he would accept nothing less.
Chapter 27
Isabella peered out into the darkness while she patiently waited for Marko at the top of the bell tower. She glanced at the delicate watch she wore on her wrist just in time to see the second hand pass over the twelve, indicating that it was midnight.
Raising her head up, she breathed the night air in deeply. She was anxious for this meeting. All day long, she had schemed and planned on the most effective way to rid herself of her little problem. Marko had been a long-time friend of her beloved Alfred so it didn’t surprise her at all when he caught up with her in the hallway and said that he wanted to meet with her.
“Isabella, may I say that you look absolutely ravishing tonight.”
She spun around in shock that she hadn’t heard his arrival. She instantly covered her shock and in turn, gifted him with a saccharine sweet smile.
“Marko,” she embodied, “You always were one to compliment the ladies.” She stepped away from the wall and Marko noticed how the light of the moon haloed her shadow beautifully, making her look that much more regal. She eyed Marko up and down with a distinct air of feminine appreciativeness. “And may I say that you’re not looking so bad yourself.”
Marko stepped forward and grabbed Isabella’s hand. Slowly he brought it up to his lips and with his eyes fixated on hers; he gallantly kissed her knuckles, letting his lips linger a little longer than any respectable vampire would. His black orbs shimmered with unbridled lust that didn’t at all go unnoticed by Isabella. She lowered her lashes half-mast and sensually outlined her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue.
Straightening his spine, Marko reluctantly released Isabella’s hand and masked his desire.
“Shall we get down to business Mrs. Risso?”
“Yes Marko, business,” she all but purred. “That is what we’re here for after all.” Isabella folded her hands in front of her. “I’m going to be blunt with you, dear friend. I want this Shelby Tanner exterminated. Prophecy or not, this girl cannot be allowed to live. I will not have some human turned slut as my son’s bride.”
“He chose her, did he not?” Marko kindly pointed out.
Isabella casually waved her hand at him and blew the statement off.
“Leo is simply blinded right now. That thing has enchanted him
somehow. She’s after his money and his power and I’ll be damned if I’m going to allow the little shit to get any of it. He belongs with Tatiana. She’s in his social circle and will make a more than suitable life partner for him.”
Isabella was on a roll now. All day long she had stewed about this. Marko was her last real chance at garnering support to handle Shelby once and for all and she didn’t want to mess this up. She started to pace the length of the tower and continued to press her reasoning.
“But then there is this prophecy business. At first I thought that my son’s servant was crazy, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. If she is the one the Prophecy speaks of, then she could be the one to alter my husband’s plans.” Isabella stopped her pacing and turned to him, nailing him with her stare. “Your plans Marko,” she said pointedly, “the very same plans that the Council has been working on for the last half of a century. You and I both know that we are far more superior to those measly humans. We should be the ones to run this world, not them. They should be made as our slaves. That’s all they’re really good for, well…that and dinner of course. So, do you see now Marko, why she shouldn’t just be held and questioned? Questioning incites doubt and if there’s any doubt, nothing will ever be done. We can’t chance it Marko. Too much rides on the existence or rather, non-existence of this one stupid little girl. There’s only one viable answer to this problem…Shelby Tanner must die!”
Marko’s grin widened as he listened to Isabella go on and on with her rapture. Now he understood precisely why Albert Risso had been so infatuated with this lovely vampire woman. Her passion knew no bounds. If she got this worked up over a simple turned newborn then he could just imagine what she would be like in the throes of an intense orgasm.
“You make your arguments well my beautiful Isabella. I agree that something needs to be done but since the Council is involved, we must handle this with gloved hands if you know what I mean.”
Isabella froze and studied Marko for a long moment.
“You’re going to help me?” she asked, not bothering to hide her hesitation.
“Yes,” he said simply and with a quick flash of his hand, he dematerialized, only to reappear behind Isabella. He pushed his hard body up against her and bent down at her ear.
“I’m not just going to help you, love. I’m going to kill her for you.”
She felt his hands as they stroked up the side of her body, bringing to life a myriad of sensations. Instinctively, she let her head drop back onto his shoulder, offering him her neck.
“If you do this for me Marko, I will make sure that you are fully compensated in any way that you see fit.” Lifting up her arm, she maneuvered it behind her and wrapped it around Marko’s head, pulling his mouth down to the throbbing point of her neck. At the same time, she pushed back on him so that his hardened groin was nestled in the crack of her ass.
“Any, way?” he whispered huskily, licking at the place on her skin that beat with her pulse.
“Any, way,” she confirmed with a whimsical laugh and urged him to drink from her.
Marko didn’t fight it. Her scent was just too tempting to be denied. Opening up his mouth, he felt his fangs elongate and then struck with the quickness of a viper.
“You can have all of this and more Marko; so much more,” she breathed out. “We could be good together, love,” she spoke again as she tangled her hands in his mass of dark locks while he drank greedily from her neck, “As long as you kill the bitch!”
After taking several long, deep pulls of Isabella’s life essence, Marko regrettably lifted himself from her neck and turned her around to face him.
She couldn’t help but to notice how sexy he looked with her blood draining down from his mouth in curvy rivulets of red.
Using the back of his hand, he wiped his chin clean and then like a cat, he licked the last of her sweet fluid from his hand. Heat flashed in her eyes and he pulled her against him.
“Consider it as good as done my lady,” he said as a sinfully wicked grin lit up his face. “In seven moons, this Shelby of yours will no longer be an issue,” he stopped and unable to help himself, Marko leaned over Isabella and captured her mouth with his own in a fiery passionate kiss that left them both panting for so much more. When he finally pulled back from her and met her dazed gaze, he confidently added, “for any of us. Albert’s grand plan will come to fruition. Mark my words, Isabella; I’ll see to it myself.”
Leo materialized in the center of the Great Hall that housed the Vampire Council with Shelby writhing in his arms.
“We’re here damn it! Cancel the summons,” he angrily yelled out, his voice echoing in the large corridor.
Shelby turned her face inward, clutching Leo’s shirt tightly in her hand. Instead of the pain lessening, it was getting worse…much worse. There was a high-pitched shriek piercing her ear drums. There was a pulsating in her head where it felt like someone had taken a hammer and went to town on it. Even her teeth ached.
“Please,” she cried into Leo’s shirt. “It hurts so badly. Make it stop.”
Leo looked into the face of his bride, reading the pain that was so deeply etched in her eyes; blood red tears streamed down her milky white cheeks.
“Alex! Victor! Marko!” he bellowed, “I know at least one of you is here. Show your face now and turn off the damn summons.”
“Calm down Leo, it has been handled.”
Leo whirled around and came face-to-face to see Alex; a man that he had looked up to all of his life; a man that he thought of as an uncle. He looked so calm despite the pain they had just put his darling Shelby through.
“How dare you?” he hollered at the ancient vampire. “How dare you do this to my bride Alex?” he asked. “She’s less than a week turned…only a newborn.” He stalked towards him, feeling his eyes glaze over with the blood lust burning hot in his veins. He wanted to tear the man apart, limb from limb. Of all the Councilmen to summon her in this manner, why had it been Alex?
Alex wasn’t the least bit phased with Leo’s raging temper. He had planned it this way so his response was to be expected. He wanted to truly gauge how strongly he felt for this new bride of his and by the looks of it, he felt very strongly for her.
“Look for yourself,” Alex gestured to the small, motionless body in Leo’s arms. Her eyes were now closed and she looked as if she was in a deep peaceful sleep. Alex didn’t miss the natural beauty in her refined features. Even in sleep she was very beautiful. Leo had chosen well. “The summons has been cancelled.”
Leo looked down to see that what Alex had told him was indeed the truth. Shelby had gone into a healing sleep. Raising his hand, he wiped the blood tears from her cheek. The anger inside him simmered.
“Why?” he asked again, his voice low and cold. “Why was this done to her?” Lifting his head, he glared at Alex. “Why was she summoned by the Council Alex and don’t you dare try and give me some bullshit answer. I want the truth.”
Alex stood very still, looking every bit of the ancient vampire that he was. Watching Leo, he could see so much of his good friend Albert in him, it was uncanny. His attachment to his bride was more than prevalent and he knew that anyone who dared to mess with her would pay hell. Even if this young girl was the one the Prophecy spoke of, Alex could not, in good conscience, allow harm to come to her. Not just because of Leo, but because he could already sense the budding new life taking shape in her flat abdomen.
“There are many things that we need to discuss son; things that involve your new bride as well as yourself. But what’s more important right now is her health,” he said, staring directly at Shelby. “I have already had the Renaissance room readied for the both of you and shortly I’ll send up replenishment for your bride. When she wakes, she will be starved.”
Leo was stunned. First, he summoned Shelby in the most archaic and barbaric way possible and now he wanted to treat her like a guest?
“What is going on Alex? None of this makes sense.”
<
br /> “All will be revealed in due time, Leo. Be patient, son. First things first; let’s take care of that woman of yours and then we will talk.”
Before Leo could question him any further, Alex vanished from his sight. He was left there in the Great Hall once again, holding his sleeping bride. He wasn’t sure what was going on but he had a suspicious feeling that his mother was behind it. Alex’s peculiar behavior confused him as well. He wondered if this had anything to do with the Prophecy that Anissa had warned him about.
Sighing, he glanced down at the sleeping Shelby and agreed with Alex. Her health was what mattered most. Already knowing where the Renaissance room was located, Leo flipped his hand in the air, wrapping the both of them in the cloak of night and transferring them directly into the bed.
Leo pulled the covers back and gently laid Shelby down in the bed before covering her back up. Bending over her, he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and slipped into her mind.
Sleep my sweet, and dream good dreams for I’m here now and I’ll watch over you. No one and I mean no one will ever hurt you again love. I promise.
Very carefully, Leo slipped back out of her mind and lay down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. He may not know what was going on, but he would be damned if he would let another hurt his bride. If even one person dared to lay a finger on her, he would simply have to kill them. Shelby was his world now and he would protect her at all costs—even if it meant going up against those that had helped him find his way—even if it meant going against his own family.
Shelby was all that mattered now. She held his heart and his soul. She was his everything.