The Harem- The Burning Beauty

Chapter Fifteen-Dreaming

Dreaming...

It was dark as usual and it was no surprise to Julius. Sleep was one big endless void that kept him bound until the sun retired for the day. It would help if he could simply sleep, but the luxury was not one afforded him. As master of so many, he had to stay aware at all times and it was always only the darkness that kept him company. It was astonishing that he had not been driven to madness by it. He smiled to himself because of the thought that had crossed his mind; there was no way madness would find him in this darkness, when he had a reason to rise. Cassandra.

"All the sun I should ever need..."

       He spoke into the silent obscurity. Only a few seconds had lapsed since he'd uttered the words, when a small light appeared in his peripheral. Confusion furrowed his brows; what could it be? Julius turned in attempts to face the light, but just as soon as he moved a muscle, the restraints that held him tightened. Swiftly he was reminded that his movements were limited, so he relaxed and as he did, so did they. The light was so profound in the ominous dark now. Julius wanted to see, wanted to know what the cause of it was, but there was no winning against The Pull. The light was either getting brighter, bigger or he was drifting closer to it; whatever the cause, he was squinting from its luminous glare. Julius tried moving forward again, but received the same results.

"What is this?" He whispered with no expectation of an answer.

 "Julius..."

            His heart took a violent beat in his chest and jerked him forward from the abrupt twinge. His rib cage felt shattered from the effect of his heart beating erratically, but he was beginning to recover. His eyes were golden and brilliant with power as it answered to the call of another power.

 "Julius?" The angelic voice called again, and he felt his restraints subdue under the jolt of his heart.

"Are you there?" The voice asked.

       Julius pulled at his arms and they came free. He fell forward and landed on something solid. Without much hesitation, he pulled his legs free. What was going on? Of all his years of being a vampire, he had never experience anything such as this, especially when he was under The Pull.

"Please, if you are there, answer me..." The female beckoned; her voice so serene and enchanting.

 Julius got to his hands and knees, squinted up into the pale light and groaned under the answering pain of his heart.

"I am here..." he strained.

"Julius...come to me." There was a humming sound that appeared to pulse all around him. The vibration of it was strong in his ears and shook the very foundation beneath him. He stood though his legs were quite tremulous, and reached for the light that beckoned to him. The Pull had disappeared under the power that called Julius, and for that reason only, he responded. He could be walking into the sun for all he knew, but there was no hesitation to make him want to stop; he was going.

          The darkness was gone and the hazy light did not burn his skin as he’d thought it would. Encompassing him were tall bare tress wrapped in thick blankets of fog. It was a dead white forest. There before him convolved a shallow slope and he approached it as if he knew where it would take him. As he ventured up the hill, he took notice that his upper body was bare and he adorned only white, loose trousers that hung low around his waist. Though he wore no shoes, he was thankful not to feel any jagged rocks or twigs pressing into his skin. There was only the sound of his movement, which was little to none, to give account for noise.

             Julius had finally scaled the top of the hill, and what he saw was not what he'd expected, but all that had taken place so far was beyond the norm. A large, circular stoned wall encased a silent fire that danced mutely with life. The stone was washed white even though there should have been some sort of charring from the flames. Warmth blushed from the fire the closer he got but still he heard no sound. And then Julius had a thought; would it burn him? Julius reached for the flames, and just as he was about to touch them, a hand shot out from the fire and grabbed a hold of him. It had startled him, but he was quick to act. Julius heeled his weight backwards and pulled at the little dainty hand that held onto him for dear life. He latched onto her forearm and kept pulling. Was she seeking help or was she trying to trap him in the flames as well? Surely the latter because no matter how much strength he used to pull the person out, they kept trying to pull him in. Perhaps he should just let go. But before he could decide what to do, Julius lurched forward, becoming imbalanced from the fierce little hand that tugged him and when he fell, it was face first into the fire and onto...a bed? Completely disoriented by what he was seeing, he ran his palms over the silk black sheets of the four post bed that was a polished onyx. What was this and how was this possible? With brows furrowed and lips slightly parted from being winded, he got to his knees slowly. Two things registered quickly to him; He wasn't burnt from the fire and his trouser was suddenly black. He touched it and his hands did not come away soiled from soot; it was the true color of the pants. His pale, porcelain skin against the black was stark and stunning. The way his wavy black hair was tousled against his skin made Julius look like a forbidden temptation.