The Love of a Dark Prince

Prologue

         Keegan McKenzie could feel the tension forming between them as he gripped tight to the steering wheel, causing his knuckles to whiten.

        He hadn’t meant to yell at her that morning, or fight with her the night before for that matter.

        “Keegan?”

        The voice was so soft that it shook him from his thoughts as he turned his eyes towards the young woman sitting beside him.

        “What?” He had literally growled the word and the young woman jumped slightly.

        Whatever had happened, whatever she had apparently done had aggravated him deeply.

        She swallowed the lump in her throat as she timidly asked, “Why did you yell at me? You know last night? And even this morning. What's going on Keegan? Why won't you talk to me?”

        Keegan gritted his teeth and turned back to the road, this wasn’t exactly a conversation that he would like to have before going to work at his nightclub The Underground.

        “Keegan?”

        Her soft voice echoed in his ears and he knew that she was hiding many emotions behind that softness but she always had, and he didn’t want to start another fight.

“You never exactly told me what I had done to make you upset. You just…”

Keegan held up his hand as his eyes reddened and his fangs flashed as he said, “Shut up about it Arya, I’ve already got enough on my mind tonight.”

Anger burned in Arya O’Malley’s chest. She wanted this resolved and she wanted the air between them not to be so thick. Her teeth bit into her lower lip to stifle her shout of aggravation as they began to turn into the back parking lot.

But her eyes widened as she saw a car heading towards them.

“Keegan!”

Arya’s scream rang in his ears and he returned his gaze to the road, but it was too late. The car before them hit them in a head on collision.

The sound of metal scraping and giving, brakes schreeching and the deafening silence that follows after filled the parking lot as Keegan realized that there was no way for him to control the outcome of the accident.

Keegan felt the breath leaving him as the airbag hit his face while Arya lay unconscious and bleeding from where her head had hit the window.

Keegan struggled to keep his eyes open, but the force of the wreck was even enough to cause him to pass out.

All too soon, he lost his struggle and the world went black.

Sirens rang through the air and Keegan’s eyes flew open.

Pain surged from a deep gouge in his side; he knew that it would heal soon enough, so instead of crying out in discomfort he cried out for Arya.

Just a moan from her and he would be a little content.

But no sound came to his ears and he could smell the scent of blood, causing his eyes to tent an ever so slight red.

Keegan began to shout for help as anger and concern swelled within him.

He knew that he was strong enough to fight the urge, but he also knew he was wounded.

His very being ached for Arya. She couldn’t die, not so soon after he had fallen for a human although he knew the price that would come from it.

Paramedics ran over to the Benz and began to carefully wrench Keegan from the twisted metal of the car.

“No, get Arya first! You have to make sure she’s okay!" He demanded as he struggled against the medics.

Suddenly his eyes fell upon the limp form lying in the passenger seat and they quickly flashed full red. He realized his change and he struggled to clear them as his heart ached for his life mate.

“AryaSamone! No, doona you dare leave me this early! Get up!” He roared as he willed her to obey.

The paramedics struggled to keep Keegan’s strong body in their grasp as they tried to calm him but he couldn’t stop shouting.

She had to wake up.

He couldn’t go one night without her, let alone the centuries to come. But she didn’t move, she didn’t call out, and she showed all the signs of death.

Tears burned Keegan’s eyes as he heard her heartbeat began to fade and he finally let the paramedics take hold of him.

"Dear God, please Arya." He whispered as he felt himself become numb.

But then a soft whimper came from the destroyed car.

Keegan began to fight once more as the whimper soon turned to frightened and disoriented cries and her heartbeat came back fast and strong.

“Go help her!” He demanded. “I’m perfectly fine, damn it! Go help her!” He shouted as he knew that the cut on his side had finally healed shut.