The Vampire: The Life of Katherine

Chapter 11

The next night, throwing open the mansion front door, Katherine waltzed into the mansion just as the light brightened the dark sky. The housemaids and the mansions footmen Katherine had commandeered after murdering the mansions original owners, followed Katherine in a half running pace.

Katherine threw off the cloak covering her shoulders, then the long gloves that were up her arms, and removed the clips from her hair, letting her blonde hair fall long down her back. As the carriage pulled up to the mansion, Katherine felt the familiar tightness in her chest and blanket of warmth covering her body. She knew Arius was near. The clacks of her heeled shoes ricocheted off of the stone walls.

Coming face to face with the large wooden door of the library, Katherine threw it open and entered inside to see Arius crouched at the fireplace, feeding another dry log of wood into the flames. He wiped off his hands and turned to Katherine with a slanted smile.

"I was wondering when ye'd be arriving." With the flick of her hand, Katherine sent the staff following her away.

Then Bartholomew, bowed his head and closed the door behind Katherine as he exited, giving the vampire's their privacy.

"Breaking and entering again, are we?" said Katherine, moving into the library.

"I noticed Amon hasn't shown his face in some time. Ye two wouldn't've had a fallin' out, would ye?" Katherine smirked.

"You ask as if it were your business, Mr McMyler." She says to him.

"It's a deep concern of mine." Arius held a hand over his unbeating heart.

"It's a dangerous and cruel world out t'ere, and I'd hate for ye to be taken advantage of." He tells her with a smile.

"Because I am a woman?" She says sounding offended.

"Precisely!" The slight arch of Katherine's brow rose. Arius shook his head.

"Nay, Lady Katherine ye mistaken me. It's because ye're a fine lass." He tells her.

"Oh, because I am a woman and pretty?" Her expression stoned over with annoyance, once again finding this vampire aggravating. Arius' dark eyes glistened with aroused excitement.

"I like it when ye get mad, Trina. T'a way t'a flicker of t'a fire brings out yer soul, It's breathtakin'." He says to her

Katherine smirked and crossed over to the drink chart, pouring two glasses of the brown liquor in the decanter.

"You are mistaken, Liam, I have no soul." Arius eyed her strangely, with a gliding smile across his face, as if he knew something Katherine did not and this annoyed the hell out of her.

"T'at may be, but, ye're not immune," said Arius, earning a confused look from Katherine.

He stepped away from the fireplace, holding his hands behind his back.

"Since becomin' a vampire, I don't feel much anymore. Most of t'a time, I feel angry. I'm angry at everyone in my past t'at gave up on me. I reckon, I did not give enough reason to put much stock in me, in the first place, but nonet'aless, I'm still wrecked wi' t'a thirst of revenge." Arius said as he slowly moved around her.

Katherine folded her arms across her chest, seemingly terribly bored with this conversation. Arius stopped moving around when he faced her directly. He stood tall, towering over her. Katherine stared at him, still unsure where this conversation was going. She wasn't sure what she wanted more, to punch that devilishly handsome look off of his face, kiss him, or toss him into the blazing fire.

Violence and fierce desire waged war in her dead unbeating heart.

"Feelin' emotions other t'an anger and desire, I never had t'at luxury. Not even when I was alive, until ye." Arius admitted, stunning Katherine where she stood.