Dark Desire: A Paranormal Romance Novella (The After Dark Series, Book #1) (5 page)

“I followed you for a week, so I
could learn more about you.  I watched you go to school, and at the end of the
week you went to that club.  At first, I was going to simply change you and
have you, but I began to realize I couldn’t do that.  I loved you too much.  I
couldn’t do it without giving you the choice, even though it would have killed
me to lose you.  Despite all of the time it has taken me to find you, I
wouldn’t have forced you.  I am of the Draconian
Order
and honor would have demanded no less from me.  If you had refused me, I
planned to greet the dawn to release my soul.”

Juliet shook her head in sadness, for
the thought of losing him was too much to bear.  She felt so connected to him
that she couldn’t stand the thought of a world without him in it.  Yearning to
know more about him, she pressed forward.

“What is the Draconian Order?”

Damon pondered her question for a
moment and realized that a small history lesson was required before he could
explain more.  “Long ago, our people were in chaos.  Vampires killed humans
openly, hunting down their prey with no regard for the consequences.  The
humans retaliated by forming hunting parties to slay our kind.  They hunted our
people during the day and staked us as we slept.  There were many humans killed
in the chaos and even our numbers diminished.  Eventually, a committee was
formed by the some of the oldest vampires because they knew we could not
continue to kill openly and had to be more cautious.  My maker brought me into
the order and I have remained there from that day.”

Juliet listened, intrigued at Damon’s
account of the vampire race and the mobs that came after them to stake and
decapitate them while they slept.  Damon kissed her hand again softly, which
sent rolling desire through Juliet.  

“When you chose to join me, you
weren’t just deciding your own fate, but mine as well.  When I discovered what
kind of situation you were in, I was angry at myself for not finding you
sooner.  You were obviously suffering; if I could have found you sooner, you
never would have gone through that.”

Damon looked away in anger, which
grew stronger, physically manifesting itself as fire that danced in his eyes. 
His jaw clenched and he looked like stone as he spoke, “When I think of the men
at that club, I feel determined to kill every one of them.  You are
my bride
and I will not stand idly by.”

Anger sharpened Damon’s words and
Juliet feared his state, for she felt certain he would seek revenge upon the
club patrons.
Uncertain of the outcome, and
trying to avoid a killing spree, she pleaded to convince him otherwise.

“But, you shouldn’t.”

“Why not? They deserve it.”

Juliet raised her eyebrow as she
thought for a moment that perhaps, some might deserve it, but knew she couldn’t
have him killing a bunch of horny men on her behalf.

“I know some of them may deserve it,
but I don’t think all of them do.  Please, don’t do it.  It’s hard enough for
me to adjust as it is. Something like that would make it even more difficult
because I would feel responsible for you embarking on a killing spree.”

Damon listened to her as she appealed
to him on their behalf. He wondered why she would give them even a second
thought.

“Because you ask me to,” he
reluctantly acquiesced, “I won’t kill them, although they deserve it.  You are too
kind to them—they should be punished.”

“I know and you’re probably right,
but I don’t want you to be the one to do it.”

Damon watched her as she spoke,
taking in her beautiful features.  He ran his hand along her side and rested it
upon her waist. He looked as if he were studying her.

“Juliet, the night is upon us and we
must hunt. But, before we do, I want to teach you how to use the shadows to
cloak yourself.  Traveling in shadow will enable you to hunt prey without their
knowledge.  You will be fast and silent and completely undetectable if you do
it correctly.”

He grinned at her in challenge. 
Intrigued with the idea of a new way to travel, Juliet responded
enthusiastically.  “How do you travel in shadow?”

Delighted with her response, Damon
continued his instruction.  He took a step back from her to give her space.
“First, close your eyes and listen to your surroundings.”

Juliet shut her eyes and stood
still.  She heard the wind blowing outside and the tree branches creaking.  The
wood in the fireplace crackled.

“Let yourself explore further—listen
more closely.  Do you hear the deer?”

She began to open her eyes, looking
at him in confusion. “The deer?”

“Close your eyes and listen; there
are deer in the forest, running for shelter.  If you listen closely, you can
hear them as they run.  Let yourself hear them, feel them.”

Juliet reached out through her senses
toward the surrounding woods, listening intently.  She heard light footsteps
growing louder, branches being stepped upon, and grass crushing underneath
cloven hooves.

“I hear them...”

Listening even harder, a vision of
them came to her mind—a small herd, running through the forest, seeking shelter
from the storm.  They were afraid of the lightning and thunder.  Juliet began
to hear their hearts beating like a stampede that echoed repeatedly.  It
started out faint, but grew louder and louder.

“Very good. I see you have heard the
call of their blood.”

She opened her eyes slowly and
realized that despite being in the library with Damon, she could still hear the
deer outside.  The sound of their heartbeats made her thirsty.  Damon smiled at
her, ecstatic with her progress.

“I hunt in these woods occasionally
and thought that you might enjoy it.”

“But I thought vampires drank human
blood.”

Damon nodded his head. “We drink
human blood, but we can also exist on animal blood.  It tastes different, a
little gamey, but it will do. I still prefer humans, but under certain
conditions, it may be helpful to hunt animals instead.”

“But what about hunting in shadow?”

He smiled broadly at her enthusiasm. 
“You must become one with your surroundings.  Let your mind connect with your
prey, focus on it and let go.”

“Let go?”

Damon nodded. “Just let go…become one
with your prey.  Don’t let other things distract you.  Focus on the moment and
you will melt into the shadow, becoming one with your surroundings.”

Juliet closed her eyes and focused on
the deer again.  The storm was beginning to subside.  The thunder stopped and
the rain fell lightly upon the forest and its inhabitants.  She heard the
steady pulse of the deer and focused in on one.  Its heart was beating a steady
rhythm, thumping in her head; it felt as if it were her own.  A light tingling
sensation began to flow through her body, beginning at her chest and moving
outward until it reached her fingertips and toes.

Juliet opened her eyes again and was
surprised to find herself on the edge of the forest, and outside of the home.
She was hovering a couple of feet off the ground in darkness, a faint
silhouette of her former self.  Next to her, another shadowy silhouette
hovered; it was Damon.  He spoke to her again telepathically.  “
You are now
free in shadow and can move swiftly in any direction.  Follow me.” 

He swept into the forest, leading her
toward the deer.  Once near them, the deer sensed danger and froze, looking
nervously about.  After a moment, they went back to foraging berries off the
bushes that generously carpeted the wet ground. 

“When I appear, the others will run.
You will have to act quickly and take one.”

Juliet’s hunger called out to her in
waves and the anticipation of the blood was almost intolerable.  The deer’s
beating heart beckoned her, pressing her forward.  Damon suddenly appeared next
to one, grabbing it and taking the animal down.  Juliet accompanied him and
swiftly clutched another before it could run. She sank her teeth into the
animal’s flesh as it tried to bolt away, but it was no match for her strength
and began to weaken in response.  Blood filled her parched body, sending warm
waves of rejuvenation.  The animal’s blood tasted different, but wasn’t bad. 
She drank until she heard its heartbeat weaken, and then released it.

Once free, the animal bolted off into
the forest.  As it ran away, Juliet remained mentally connected.  She could see
through the deer’s eyes and felt its heart pounding in fear as it raced through
the forest.  It jumped a fallen tree and bounded through tall grass. She smiled
in amusement.

“The more intensely you focus on your
prey, the greater the connection will be.  You will see through its eyes and
hear what it hears. The connection will weaken and go away after a day, unless
you drink again from the same prey, thereby renewing it.”

Juliet smiled in amazement as she
marveled over the connection she had made with the deer.  Damon touched her
arm, returning her focus to the present.  She stood close to him, feeling no
more lingering reserve. It had melted away, for their time together had brought
them even closer. 

****

Damon walked Juliet through the
enormous home toward a darkened hallway.  He pushed open a door at the end of
the hall that opened up into a spacious bedroom. Inside was a roomy,
four-poster bed with hand-carved designs. Not to be outdone was a dresser of
equal quality and similar design. The bedroom was exquisite.

“This is my room…but now it is ours. 
I want you to stay with me,” he said as he reached for her.  “But only if you
are ready.”

“Earlier you said I was your bride;
are we married?”  She bit her lip as she asked nervously.  His sensual stare
didn’t help matters.

Damon walked over to an old trunk
that sat on the floor in the corner of the room.  He lifted up the lid and
reached inside for something, and came back to Juliet.

“When I was a young vampire, my
master taught me all of the things I needed to know to survive and be strong. 
This is the way of our people; of course, some vampires don’t teach the young
and leave them alone in the world, but that creates problems.  In the order,
when a vampire is ready to go into the world on his own, his master gives him
an emblem.  This emblem is a gift and it represents freedom.”

Damon took Juliet’s hand and placed a
golden ring into it with intricate scrollwork on the outside.

“When a vampire chooses a mate, he
gives her his emblem as a sign of devotion.  I give mine to you…” 

Realizing the significance of the
ring, Juliet understood the gravity of Damon’s emotions.  She put her hands
upon his chest and eased them upward.  She lightly rose up on her toes and
kissed him.  He pulled her in tightly and returned her kiss passionately. 

“Through the physical expression of
our love and blood exchange, we will be bonded forever,” he said softly, almost
in a whisper. 

Damon kissed her as he lifted her up
and placed her upon the bed.  She held onto him, loving how he felt pressed
against her.  Juliet began to unbutton his shirt and pulled it off
impatiently.  Damon, in return, began to lift her shirt above her head.  She
eased out of it and sat upon the bed in her bra and panties. The rest of the
clothing was disposed of quickly as their passion for each other increased with
each moment.  He reached for her with one hand behind her head and pulled her
to him, kissing her deeply.  Juliet relaxed in his arms as he slowed her
descent to the bed. 

She lay in front of him, almost
completely naked and Damon’s eyes traveled over her curves, taking in her
physical form with admiration.  He kissed her lips gently and trailed his
tongue down her neck to her breast.  He lovingly caressed the fullness of her
breast as he placed soft kisses upon it.  He sunk his sharp teeth into the soft
roundness and she gasped. Passion and pain became one, flooding her senses. 
Damon stopped drinking from her and gently healed the wound with his
fingertips. He bent down to kiss the spot and the puncture wound healed rapidly
in response.

Juliet reached up around his
shoulders and pulled herself to him.  Desire flowed through her like a wild
river pushed past its banks.  Juliet leaned in, kissing his chest, as Damon
closed his eyes and held her body.  A few inches below his right collarbone,
she lightly kissed and paused only for a moment before biting. Damon’s blood
entered her mouth and went down her throat. It felt as though it traveled into
her soul, gratifying her need for companionship and love. 

Damon’s restraint collapsed as her
lithe body pressed against him.  He collected her into his arms in a fiery
embrace. At long last, he was making love to his bride, finally able to satisfy
the craving he had endured for centuries.    

Chapter
Seven

Juliet awoke to a gentle caress that
began along her arm and spanned her entire body.  Gentle, palpations on her
skin slowly beckoned her from sleep.  Damon positioned himself over her and
began to kiss her sensuously.

“Good evening, my love,” he whispered
in her ear.  Passionately, his hands moved over her, as he ravished his new
bride.  He delighted in every detail of her body, tracing every curve and
etching it into his memory.