A/N: Okay guys, as promised here is a chapter update yay! I want to take a moment and say thanks for reading this and voting. And i want to say an extra special thank you to Ethan and Kira for not letting me get discouraged and drop this again. We've been two years getting to this point and with all the support from my lovely fans, we might turn this into a series!
Damien slammed his study door behind him, locking it immediately. Something had to be done and now. The hunter had gotten so close to their home, to HIS home. This cannot be allowed, he must protect Sera at all costs. He grabbed a book off the shelf and leafed through it before tossing it across the room where it harmlessly struck the stone wall and crashed to the floor. Sera had killed a hunter, but she had gone behind his back to do it. She had snuck out and defied him, risking her own life in the process. His eyes stung with held back tears as he imagined what would have happened if things had gone differently. In his mind he could see his precious mate lying dead on the forest floor. He growled as another book slammed against the wall, the phone in his hand before he even sat down.
He waited for the man on the other end to pick up and began barking orders. "Drake, Damien. I need the security in the woods stepped up, one got through. No we're fine Sera got her. No Drake I am not kidding you, Sera handled it. No, now you see why I need this done tonight. Not tomorrow, not at sunrise, not next week. Tonight. Yes I will cover the costs. Whatever you feel is necessary, but do not, under any circumstances, allow such a thing to happen again, or else'. He growled as he slammed down the phone, he detested working with Drake but some sacrifices had to be made to protect Sera.
He leaned back in his chair and mentally slid the bolt free of the lock, letting the door swing wide as he took a deep breath. Sera would be coming bounding down those stairs at any moment, he wouldn't allow her to see him upset. He fired up his computer and began to type, silently handling business that had been put off since the last night. When he looked up, Sera was leaning against the frame of his office door smiling sweetly.
Damien drew in a short breath unsure of how long she had been standing there watching him. He visibly relaxed as she approached him, the soft sounds of her bare feet echoing off the stone walls of the room. He watched her, amazed as always by the amount of grace she carried in her step. She was a small creature, years ago she might have been called pictish, but now, she just carried with her this aura of calm and beauty. He wondered absently what her prey must think of her as she overtook them, this small pixie of a girl with her supernatural speed and agility. His eyes darkened a bit as he remembered the one thing of himself he was not able to give to her when he brought her into this life. For some reason, Sera would never be as strong as a normal vampire, but with her many other talents she more than compensated for it.
He couldn't hold back a laugh as an uninvited image of a large and particularly interesting butterfly invaded his mind. In some ways Sera would always be a child, she would always have that curiousity and wonder at everything, partly he felt that this was his fault as she had been so young when he changed her, but he knew that he had no other choice. Unaided, his mind floated back to that day as Sera settled herself on the edge of his desk, now trying to watch his thoughts.
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She was pale already, stricken with fever as she lay on the bed. The moon had just risen over the mountains as she stared out the window. She could see nothing but the eerily large moon, distorted by the delirium this sickness had brought on her. Her family had done their best to help her but there was nothing more they could do, the sickness had taken its toll on everyone, and now it seemed that the beautiful brunette daughter of the Duke of Summermill would die.
Outside the castle walls a stranger stood, his cloak and hood pulled close to hide him from those who might see. Checking to ensure that no one watched, he easily bounded over the wall and crept to the bushes under the beautiful girl's window. Rumors had reached him that the young Duchess was ill and on the verge of death. He had encountered her once before and she had left him spellbound. He and he alone had the means to save her, although the life he offered would be nothing close to what she was used to. He had weighed his options and decided that he could not live without her, he would save her, he would do it tonight before it was too late.
He stepped through the open window and into her room, her eyes flashed with a distant recognition, but in her current state, she could say nothing to him. He leaned over her, placing a soft kiss on her lips before lowering his mouth to her neck. She whimpered as his fangs pierced her soft flesh but was too weak to offer any resistance. He paused as he heard her heatbeat begin to slow, raising his hand to his mouth, he pierced his skin, allowing his own blood to fill his mouth before leaning down to kiss her, allowing the saving liquid to fall between her parched lips.
The stranger kept a silent vigil over the girl as she began to change, her cropped brown hair began to grow and turn a vibrant crimson. He placed his hand on her skin and could feel the fever burning away under the power of his blood. Her skin remained pale, but her sparkling grey eyes cleared and darkened, becoming like smoke rings. He smiled as she sat up and looked at him, her new vision drawing her into every light and shadow.
The girl gasped "Damien! My darling, what are you doing here? If my father finds us like this he will kill us both". She stopped suddenly, marvelling at the sound of her voice. All trace of the sickness was gone and she was beautiful and healthy again. She giggled as he scooped her into his arms and kissed her.
"Sera my darling, you no longer need to fear anyone. But we cannot stay here, if your family was to discover what has happened to you, they would kill you before you could speak'. He pulled his cloak around her and fastened it, pulling the hood up over her striking crimson locks. 'We need to go and we need to go now, before the sun rises. I promise you i will explain everything, but our time is running out'.
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