Develyn's Tale

by Shannon Bailey

  They both knew what she was doing and this time there was no persuasion necessary on her part and no hesitation on his.

  Wrapping his arm about her waist, David pulled her close. Shoving her coat off her shoulder, he sank his stryker fast and deep into the vein in her neck. Emily gasped in pain, but then smiled. She knew for them to begin their night, their new life together, it was necessary.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Reveling and Revealing

  David drank just enough to make himself warm and then kissed her deeply, but only briefly before sweeping her up into his arms and carrying her to the house and up to his bedroom.

  Just like the first time she had been there, Emily was struck by the stark beauty of the room. She thought it suited him, a vampire from the Victorian era, perfectly.

  There wasn’t a single lamp or piece of unnecessary furniture in the room. The walls were done in a cobalt and black baroque patterned wallpaper, but nothing hung on them. Multiple Persian rugs of blue, gold and black carpeted the hardwood floor. The high ceiling was painted to look like a sunny day, with only wisps of clouds throughout. A fireplace, similar, but smaller than the one in the parlor, was stationed against the left outer wall and a fire burned steadily in it. Along the wall facing the front yard, were a pair of tall narrow windows. They were dressed with heavy black brocade drapes that were tied back with black tasseled ropes allowing the bright moonlight, magnified and reflected by the snow, into the room. In the center of the floor sat a massive, high-off-the-floor, black four poster bed with squared posts that spired over eight feet and narrowed to points at the top. It was positioned as if David wanted to sleep directly under the painted sunny sky and face the fireplace. A black and silver Paisley duvet of thick velvet, draped over the bed. Multiple feather pillows encased in silver and white velvet aligned along the wide and tall headboard and crisp stark-white linens could be seen where the covers had been turned back in preparation for them.

  David set Emily on her feet and as he stared down into her face, his eyebrows furrowed over his glistening dark eyes. “I have, for over a century now, wondered why God had forsaken me. Why He allowed me to be Cursed into a hellish existence and I believe I finally understand. Whether it right or wrong, I choose to believe that you, Emily, my dear, are the reason I was allowed to exist as long as I have. It was so that I may find you at last. The woman I was meant to love. The only woman I would ever love,” he murmured before lowering his lips to hers.

  Reluctantly, David broke their kiss and both began frantically stripping each other of their clothing.

  Sweeping her back into his arms, David carried her to his bed where this time, their first time was fierce and frantic, burning with a passion experienced only by those who knew they were blessed with a second chance.

  Afterwards, as they lay side by side, allowing their breathing to calm, David turned to her and propped himself up on one elbow as he peered down at her. His dark hair was tousled in a sexy way and handsome face was flushed, but serious, as he began to speak, “I know it seems like we already have lived and loved and lost a lifetime, but I want to learn and experience everything with you first hand. All of it, my dear. I want tell you about Camille and my life before I was Turned and what it was like after, if you really want to know, and I want you to tell me about your life. What makes you happy, but only happy. I want meet your parents and your family, even your unpleasant cousin,” he said, as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I want to marry you and become part of your family. Play those board games you’re so fond of, have picnics in the park, compete in your family tournaments and win that precious potato trophy,” he said, chuckling at the absurdity of it.

  “But most of all,” he began, becoming serious once more, “I want us to have our child again,” he said, reaching out and placing his hand on her bare flat stomach. “And a life together for as long as possible.”

  David had seemed almost giddy. The deep rich rumble of his laughter and his perfect white smile, had rendered Emily temporarily speechless and she couldn’t stop the tears of happiness that sprang to her eyes. With a sob, she cried, “Oh David, I do too! For as long as we can have it.”

  Ignoring the sobering question of how long that would really be, Emily turned to him and kissed his mouth until the future, and the fear of it, faded away.

  David drank from her again and they made love again and after the third time, he urged Emily to get some rest and she conceded only if he promised to be there when she awoke.

  **************

  David reveled in the feeling of Emily’s warm naked body molded against his. He had never known such happiness and contentment in his entire existence, not just the physical satisfaction, but total emotional joy and fulfillment. He had been just a young man when he was Turned so he hadn’t yet experienced love as a Natural. And once he was cursed, he was certain he would never know true love and be doomed to be alone for centuries. He never imagined he could have the love of a woman, especially that of a Natural woman as extraordinary as Emily. Develyn had been right. When he first saw her, it was more than love at first sight. More than her beauty that drew him. It was as if their souls recognized each other as being their missing halves. His suffering soul calling out, and her healing one, answering.

  David looked down at Emily’s sleeping face against his shoulder and smiled. Her dark lashes fanned against her pale cheeks. Her full lips, still swollen from their passion, were parted slightly, emitting soft steady breaths.

  It took some convincing to get her to go to sleep, but after what she had been through the past week and the vision of the future, David didn’t blame her for being afraid to close her eyes.

  Because of their strong connection he had experienced everything she did and it had been nothing short of pure hell. Emily suffered through his death, became over wrought with guilt and grief because of it and nearly lost her own life. She had experienced the wonder of being with child and giving birth, only to lose that child within a blink of an eye. She had witnessed Robert, who she clearly loved like her own grand father, dying slowly on the floor and then of course, through it all, there had been Develyn to contend with. . .

  With the thought of his brother, David’s arms tightened instinctively around her and his cooling blood managed to boil.

  Develyn had killed him. Not out of anger, hate or jealousy, but out of love. To end his suffering. To end the torture Develyn clearly blamed himself for. In a bizarre fashion, one that could be only understood in their particular Order of the vampire realm, David was touched that Develyn had done it.

  There was a time when David had contemplated ending Develyn’s existence, but he feared his underlying bitterness toward him would negate the gesture and Develyn’s soul would be lost. Plus Develyn never seemed to really resent his existence. In fact, he not only appeared to have adapted well, but he seemed to flourish.

  However, that was before the truth was revealed. Before David heard, through Emily’s ears, his brother’s confessions and seen, through Emily’s eyes, his brother’s face in the mirror. The incredible anguish, the grief, the guilt.

  As unnatural as it seemed, David understood why Develyn did it and he accepted it. He could even forgive him for it, but not for what he had done to Emily. It was inexcusable. Unforgivable. Develyn had deceived her in the most lecherous of ways and he was going to pay for that.

  . . . As the image of Emily, in throes of passion in his brother’s arms in the shower, flashed through David’s mind, murderous rage coursed through him and his slowing heart thudded painfully in his chest.

  The fire had died down to embers and the room was growing cold, just like he was. Carefully extracting himself from Emily, David climbed out of bed and pulled the covers up and tucked them around her.

  Crossing the floor to the fireplace, his naked body, a perfect example of male form, glowed iridescently in the moonlight that flooded the room. He stoked the fire and added a few logs before he dressed and went down
stairs to confront Develyn upon his return.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Deja’ Vu Again

  Emily stirred and stretched, smiling at the achiness of her limbs and body. She turned over and hugged a pillow close, breathing in the scent of sandalwood. How she loved that smell. It was David’s smell.

  David!

  Eyes popping open, she saw the fancy patterned wallpaper. Springing to a sitting position, she looked around the room. Moonlight poured through the windows and a fire still burned in the fireplace. She was in David’s room. In David’s bed. But David was gone! He had promised to be there. No! Not again! her mind screamed. This can’t be happening! Things were different this time. They hadn’t made love in the shower. Develyn hadn’t been lying in wait for her return to David’s bedroom. They hadn’t killed David. Or had they? She wasn’t sure what was real and what was a vision.

  Heart pounding, she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. Grabbing the robe he had been wearing, she tied the belt about her waist and flew to the door. When she flung it open, she heard the sound of shattering glass. Please, God, no! She prayed. Please don’t let this be happening! Not again!

  As she ran, Emily saw Robert pass at the end of the hall heading toward the stairs. His long hair was loose and mussed from sleep and he was wearing his old blue robe over his blue pajamas.

  Her heart leapt at the sight of him and she desperately wanted to run up to him and hug him, but she wasn’t sure if any of it was real or just another horrible vision. Hesitantly, she called out.

  Robert stopped short and waited until she neared before he anxiously whispered, “Miss Emily! Are you all right? Did you hear it too?”

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine. Do you have your pistol?”

  Robert looked confused, but he nodded. “Aye, but how did you know?”

  “I can’t explain it right now, but can I have it, please,” she asked, turning her head toward the noise coming from below.

  With eyebrows meeting over his nose, he withdrew it from his pocket and handed it over.

  Not exactly sure why she wanted it or what she planned on doing with it, Emily hurried down the stairs on trembling legs. The sound of a man’s growl turning her blood cold.

  AUTHOR’S NOTES

  Readers, thank you for choosing Develyn’s Tale. I hope you enjoyed the continuation of the story begun in Forever David’s.

  In the third and final book, The End of the Order, it will start at the very beginning with Count Konrad and Valaree Von Wahran’s love affair, the early Natural and Unnatural lives of David and Develyn, up to the present with Emily, and onto the dramatic conclusion.

  Shannon Bailey