The Dark Prince

Chapter one

Anica could not hold her breath any longer. Finally giving up she opened her mouth to take one final gasp. The second she opened her a mouth a gush of air filled her lungs. Her eyes shot open in surprise. She had been expecting the icy water of the lake to engulf her body as she breathed her last. Steadying her breathing she slowly began to take in her surroundings. They were riding on a dusty pathway. On both sides of the road were empty terrain. There were a few scattered houses here and there, along with maybe one or two trees. Everything looked grey. Thunder clouds loomed over them. Far in the distance, at the end of the road a tall castle came into view. It looked like it had come out of a horror movie. Huge wrought iron gates guarded its entrance. A dwindling pathway led to a majestic staircase. Tall towers arose from parts of the castle, appearing as though they were reaching for the stars. Lightning cracked through the sky. Great. Just Great. It can't really get any better, Anica thought.

The bike skidded to a halt just before the castle gates.

It looked even scarier now. A Chill ran up her spine. Please lets not go in, she prayed. The castle looked frightening as ever from the outside. She did not want to even imagine what it looked like from the inside.

"Ok. Let's go." The Red head said.

"Go where?" She asked the red haired woman, worried. "I'm not going in there. It's creepy and scary."

Robin was beggining to lose her patients with this girl. Ray was inside there and she had to get to him. If he was hurt, or worse dead, the organisation would never forgive her. They would fire her and she would be left to the mercy of... him! Lord Drake. He'd kill her in the most painful way imaginable. She despised him, wished he was dead. But none of them had he power to kill him. None of them except for Ray. He knew how to cause Drake great pain and despair. And this stupid girl was wasting her time.

The longer they took the less the chances of Ray being alive were. Frustrated she grabbed the girl by her arm and dragged her through the Castle gates. Agreed the castle was pretty intimidating but seriously! Grow a pair.

Robin knocked on the castle doors. Her palms were sweaty and her breathing was short and shallow. She would never get used to this. Nervousness is something even an agent like herself could never really get over. But masking ones nervousness, now that's the trick. To the shivering girl standing by her Robin looked confident and not even a trace of fear was visible on her face. But deep down only Robin knew that she would rather be anywhere else but here.

The door was opened by a slightly chubby butler.

"Yes. May I help you?"

"We are here to see Lord Drake."

"I see." He said nodding. "I'm afraid he is busy at the moment but I will inform him about your visit. Thank you." He said closing the door.

Robin stopped the door with her foot and forced it open.

"Where is he?" She said grabbing the little man by the collar.

"Upstairs in the tower." he said fearfully.

She released him and with Anica in tow marched up to the tower. Anica did not want to imagine what was waiting for them there. Who was is it that they were talking about? What did he want with Ray? What did he want with her?

The Butler lightly knocked on the door before opening it.

 "Master" He said humbly. "You have visitors. They said it was urgent."

Anica hid behind the red head as the tall figure turned. He had short dark brown hair and pale skin that like everything else in this godforsaken place looked grey. He looked decently built and his silver eyes were full of hatred. Anica took a step back when her eyes glanced upon his teeth. Immediately she knew he was not human. He had long sharp fangs that were dripping with blood. Ray's blood she realized.

Anica gasped. Behind the tall figure was Ray. Tied to a chair and bleeding. He looked as though he had been badly beaten.

"Lord Drake." The red head said bowing.

Anica bowed along with her.

"I am Robin  Whales. I bring to you a proposal on behalf of The Grey Council." She grabbed Anica's arm and thrust her forward.

Drake stared at the girl completely shocked. She was the spitting image of Juliet. His Juliet, the most wonderful woman known to man. A goddess whom that filthy animal took from him. His blood boiled in rage as the thought about that night. He'd kill him. In the most slow and painful way he could come up with. He looked back at the man who had brutally murdered Juliet. For years he had dreamed of this moment. He planned to savor every moment of his revenge.

Robin could see the Lord was getting angry.

"My Lord." She said distracting him from his thoughts.

"The Organisation is willing to give you the girl in return for Ray. And you must promise that under no circumstance will you hurt him or attempt to kill him."

Drake did not want to let the boy go. He'd take the girl. Keep the boy and kill Robin he though smiling to himself.

Robin had anticipated Drakes thoughts and so, in one fluid movement she pulled out a gun and pressed it against the girls temple. "If you do not wish to give us the boy then I will kill the girl." 

Anica's blood ran cold. Wait what?! Kill me? Or worse give me to this monster! Hell no! She had not agreed to this. She had only hoped on to find Ray. Now that he was found her job was done. Couldn't she just go home! Her mother had warned her a million times about speaking to strangers, let alone getting on a bike with them! 

Drake was weiging his options. He looked at the boy. Bleeding and pathetic. About a thousand years. A thousand years he spent hunting him. 

He moved towards the girl.

"All this time I have been searching for him." He said disgusted. "When I should have been searching for you." He lifting her chin for a better look at her. He could not believe his eyes. It could no be. It was not possible. But there was only one way to be sure. He brought his face closer to hers.

 Please dont kiss me. Please dont kiss me. Anica thought as he lowered his head towards her. His teeth or rather fangs did not make him appear very kissable. But just before his lips met hers he tilted her head and kissed her on the crook of her neck. 

Uh oh! She did not like where this was going. His lips parted and his fangs tore into her skin. She yelped in pain and tried to push him away but he was much stronger than her and her desperate attempt to free herself from him were in vain. Tears trickled down her face. The pain was unbearable.

"Please." She sobbed. "Please let me go." Her body shook in his arms but he barely noticed. She began to feel lightheaded. "Please" She cried, though it was barely a whisper. "Please stop."  Her pleas confused him. Juliet was never like this. She did not cry but would offer him her blood rather willingly. Maybe she had changed. Or Maybe it was not Juliet. But it had to be.

He could not believe it. Her blood was the same. Only her blood possessed the power to drive him insane. To make his taste buds go wild. It had to be her. There was no mistake. 

"Fine. " He said. Turning to Robin. "Take him and leave my castle immidiately." After they had left he smiled to himself.

"I have found you at last" He whispered to the unconscious body in his arms. "And this time, you won't get away."