Chapter 1

Things are not always what they seem to be

She had to have been scared out of her mind, yet onward she continued her journey through the forest. If science fiction, no a murder mystery could have scripted a more ominous setting I would be surprised. For her bravery and tenacity alone, I would have protected her, but beyond that, she had the look of an angel, with sweetness and innocence personified. Nothing would harm her that night and if I could, never would she need fear anything again; for I was the Alpha predator here, none save me would survive my wrath and I had deemed this girl would forever be under my protection.

I wondered what she had been thinking, out on a night such as this was almost ludicrous for anyone, man or beast, yet she struggled on. First against gale force wind, then sheets of rain, then waves of cold air. (Sounds like England maybe) Her thin dress was soaked, everything she wore was soaked yet she pressed on. If there was such a thing as super human strength or effort, I was seeing it now in her. This mere slip of a girl was as they say; giving it ‘her all’, she had meant to accomplish her task at all costs. I emerged quite near her and so not to frighten her called out.

“Little one, what are you doing out on such a dreadful night as this? May I offer you any assistance?”

She stopped, looked over towards me and as I stepped forward to shield her from those wicked elements she almost fell into me saying, “Oh please Sir! I am lost. My mother is very ill and I was trying to reach somewhere and find medicines for her.”

One sniff was all I required to discern her identity. She was as devious and accomplished an actor, as she was young and beautiful; I played along, for now.

“I am not a chemist child but we can attempt to reach the village through this forest or I shall accompany you home and see what can be done to aid your mother.”

She clasped my hand in hers, or tried to; her small size and dainty appendages could barely give purchase to mine. She led on; I followed. Upon reaching what might be her abode she slowed, opened the door and pulled me in. It was not the pull of a child however.

“Oh thank you kind sir!” She lifted up, threw her arms around me and began what could be called ‘the kiss of death’, only this time the results would not be what she expected. First her lips found mine, they slowly, sensually traced down to my neck, lower she traced her tongue then when the vein was just within her reach extended her small, but sharp fangs for the ‘coup d’état’. It was not to be. She was very good, I told her that, as I had to laugh. Had she tried to continue those fangs would have been shattered?

“You intrigue me child. When I saw you, I vowed you would have nothing to fear except from me of course. Now it seems you did not even fear me, until perhaps now you do.”

“What are you? Who are you? Why can I not take your blood?”

“I am your better, little one. Now perhaps you need show more respect and give homage to one like me, for as much as I am amused by you now, my good nature has its limits if stretched to thinly.”

It was as if candles were lit in her head. She fell to her knees and said, “Lord, forgive me, I did not know.”

“I have seen much little one, but never any more talented than you. I was fooled until I was close enough to catch your scent. You are quite good you know?”

She smiled.

“I must admit when I look at you now, my feelings are much more than mere amusement, I find you attractive, even enough to keep you with me. A mate you will never be but even a ‘pureblood’ Princess might fail when compared to your overall beauty. If we would do this, you would gain some things. My protection for one, a much longer existence and the need to feed would grow less and less. What you would lose however is any choice or freedom you may think you have now for you will obey only me and do as I command losing whatever emotions you have left.”

By the look on her face, she did not understand what I had said to her. If she accepted, she will learn, for learn she must if she is to survive.

“Little one; tell me what you are called and I will attempt to relate better what I mean by what I say.”

“I am called Mira, Master?”

“Fine Mira, it is a good name but I am not your Master; yet. You may call me Lord Zen or Zen if you rather. I have told you that you very much interest me; even the way you are now. I have told myself no harm will ever come to you that I or my minions may protect you from all others you do not have to do or become anything else; you have already earned that boon.”

There was a pause.

“Mira, I find you quite beautiful and very desirable that said by one from a race that shows little, if any emotion. Long ago we came to this world and found it was teeming with food, humans and animals abounded and their blood fed us. We have had little use of them beyond that.”

“The ‘kindred’, a name for our kind, those of pure blood have always been separated into distinct groups. Our family, our Sire, The Alphas and the remainder of what are called ‘pureblood’, offspring of two vampyre. When we came here, some humans were spared, more by chance than reason. They turned into what are called Vampires, part human and part kindred. From these half-breeds come what you are I think, neither human, nor Vampire; they are, referred to only as beasts. They thirst for blood but have few, if any real powers or abilities.”

Lord Zen spotted a chair and sat. He pulled Mira close, sat her on his lap and continued.

“As a beast you live in that world between life and death, you crave the blood but have no end other than what results in death. Your beauty will remain, for a while, eventually even that will change and in a 100 years or so you will be no more. What I had offered you was to change you into a Vampire at the least. Your youth and beauty will remain longer, some powers and abilities would soon appear and death becomes a very distant end. That was before you wove some spell over me, I do not believe that may be enough for you now; yet you are not a witch, are you?”

She actually laughed at that, but did not answer me. One could tell by the look on her face she had begun to consider what had been said to her.

“No I am not a mere witch my Lord; at least I do not think that is what I am called. It is so difficult to remember such things.”

“No matter, even a true witch can be turned. Think long and hard on the prospects of what I offer you child. You will die eventually in any case, however several thousand years or perhaps longer might have some meaning for you. That longer is both a benefit and a curse though. There will be times you will wish for death to hasten to you, but it will not, wish as you may you will not die until your appointed time. Even a ‘purebred’ will end existence here, the ‘nothingness’ overcomes us all, and even I am bound to meet my end here. That will be a long time however, my child.”

Another pause.

“I have said you will never be my mate, what I should have said was should we ‘mate’ the child would be an abomination. It must be destroyed at birth if not any ‘pureblood’ would perform that on sight of it. We brook no exception to that. Let us think more pleasant things. I have told you that you have nothing to fear from me the way you are. You have a choice, remain as you are, become a Vampire and perhaps even something more than that. Will you come with me, see and learn exactly what I mean for I think you still do not fully understand what I am saying to you.”

“I ... I am afraid my Lord, I truly do not understand why you would do such a thing for me.”

“My dear child, some live life as it falls to them. A few, like you are life itself, you live each moment as if it were your last, life a precious gift. I wish merely to extend that passion that I see in you. The fact you are beautiful is also not unnoticed. You might never become my mate but having you near will not be boring for either of us, that I assure you. There is something about you that makes me...”

She nodded. It was enough as I wrapped my arms around her small body a mist appeared and as my arms unfurled from her we were seated this time in my home, perhaps more a lair.

My minions were summoned, and then instructed to protect this creature, she would be under my protection and I would broach no interference from any other on that. Her scent was still that of a beast and her thirst would still need to be quenched. Of small consequence but still like a new pet, she would need to learn new rules.

A portion of those rules I did not tell her. That part she would need to see and judge for herself what the consequences of disobeying them would result in. Unlike what you human readers may believe there are not very many of the ‘kindred’, even less of those like me. We do not cover the world nor live old castles and mansions couched in gold, precious gems abounding with lavish parties. Mostly our existence is like a dream, one fails to distinguish the real and unreal of it. That is why Mira is so important to me. Her life is real, she lives every moment of it and never would I wish to change that. She has something I will never have, a remembrance of life; of what it was like to be alive. Oh how I envied her for that memory. Possessing her would be as close as I could get to know that feeling.

For that alone, I would grant her any wish. I further want her wishes to be true ones, not based upon false hopes or things born out of ignorance and emotions. She was to know what she would gain and at what cost. Nothing is perfect and if a dream can suffice her needs, her fondest wishes would come true, until ... yes the time will come when even a dream must end, but, until then.

Chapter 2

Sweet Dreams are made of this

I had no idea that having this sweet angel so close would change me. She was to see and learn about me, rather it seemed that I was to see and learn more about her.

I had called her a beast, for upon our meeting the closest I might categorize the scent of her that was what it seemed to me to be, a beast in the hunt. I later discovered that she indeed was hunting, but more of that later.

Our time together was just that, together. She ‘gave as good as she got’. We hunted, walked, ran and now slept together. (Or in my case rested, since I had no need for sleep or even rest) I was changing, not her. I had signs of it, several in-fact. One, the most unusual was I was eating. At first, she would place a morsel of something from her plate into my mouth, then more; soon it seems I was being provided my own plate of food. Highly unusual since I had no need to eat, yet with her it seemed natural to do so.