Bleeding Love

Chapter One: A Forbidden Love

The Bernabeu's were the Royal Vampire Family of Europe and it was customary that they were given gifts by the nobles of the land to protect them from rogue vampires.

It was the reason that Catharine Bishop was walking around the dark castle that over looked the Catalonian city.

Catharine had been given as a gift when she was nothing more than a baby; she was now the handmaid to Princess Liliana, who was currently away hunting for the night leaving the brunette to her own devices.

Catharine was wearing a brown amah dress paired with classic black simple ballet flats that showed off her status in the castle; she wasn't much and she knew that her time was running out before she was killed.

Now that she had turned twenty, Catharine had started to become a little wary of the vampires that she had served; they didn't keep servants for very long and her time was running out, something that she knew about.

Catharine yelped as she was yanked off the main corridor into a dark corner out of the sight of anyone that could see her if they walked past, a hand covered her mouth to prevent her screaming.

"It's me Catharine," a familiar voice said making the brunette relax as he uncovered her mouth, she blinked as her brown eyes adjusted to the darkness making him chuckle; it had been so long since they had last seen each other with the war going on.

"Don't scare me like that Gerard," Catharine murmured softly as she wrapped her arms around him, the male vampire nodded as he held her close.

Gerard Piqué wasn't a direct member of the Royal Family, he still held some royal status; even if he didn't want it, he wanted nothing more than to settle down into a normal life with his mate.

Gerard brushed some hair from her face and sighed as he looked at the human that held his heart, he knew what he was doing was risky and he would get into a lot of trouble if they were caught together.

"I had heard rumours... whispers, they said you'd been killed," Catharine said softly as she held back her tears, she had feared for his life and she knew that there was a chance that the rumours had been true.

Gerard shook his head as he made her look at him, the war against the werewolves was taking its toll on everyone and the castle was filled with whispers daily of someone's death or fall in battle.

"None of it true amor," Gerard said softly as he lowered his lips to hers; however he stopped as he heard someone moving down the corridor, the two held still for a moment as the person passed them.

Catharine sighed in relief, their love was forbidden in the Royal Family's eyes and if they were caught it would be her that would receive the punishment; something that would hurt Gerard even more since he wouldn't been able to help her in anyway.

Gerard's blue eyes searched her face, his ears perked for the sound of anyone else coming; she was all that he had thought about while he had been away fighting, it was the thought of her alone that helped him through the months of endless battle.

"I missed you," Gerard said as he dipped his head to kiss her softly, the brunette kissed him back before they heard someone again; Catharine looked at him and smiled as they pulled apart.

***

Catharine stepped into her mistress's room, she was glad that she hadn't had any other run in's on the way back to the bedroom; she loved Gerard but the other vampires scared her slightly.

Liliana smiled at her maid who quickly tidied around her room; she had no doubt in her mind that the brunette had run into her cousin while she had been out of the room.

Liliana knew of Catharine's love for her cousin, she could see how happy the two made each other and hoped that one day that they could finally be together.

Liliana wasn't like the rest of her family; she envied the humans for their humanity, that they could live their lives the way they did.

While her mother, father and brother feed from humans ending their lives without a second thought, Liliana refused and feed from the animals that surround the castle.

"Did you have a nice hunt, Liliana?" Catharine asked her as she glanced at her mistress, if it wasn't for her then the brunette would have been given to Prince Viktor where her life would have ended before she had turned fourteen.

Prince Viktor wasn't known for keeping his slaves alive, either he feed from them or broke them in other ways; no one lasted long under his control.

Liliana smiled at her maid, she saw Catharine as a friend someone that she could confided in; she knew what awaited the brunette human when she reached the age of twenty-one and she hoped that she would be able to save her from it.

"I did Catharine... I hear my cousin Lord Bernabeu has returned from battle," Liliana said making the brunette glance at her and nod, standing quietly and gracefully the vampiress approached Catharine.

She didn't have to smell hard to pick up her cousin's scent on the maid; she would have to speak to Gerard about being more careful with Catharine. 

Adrian, her father's adviser, was starting to take notice of how beautiful the brunette had become; she had overheard him discussing with her father about possibly turning Catharine to be his mate.

Liliana knew that Gerard would never allow it; he loved the brunette too much to allow a snake like Adrian to claim her as his own, even if it meant stealing Catharine away to turn her himself.

Though Liliana knew that the brunette wouldn't mind, she loved Gerard as much as he loved her.

"Why don't you head home Catharine... it's nearly dawn," Liliana said making the brunette nod as she moved to finish preparing the Princess's bed before closing the curtains.

***

Stepping into her home away from the castle, Catharine smiled as she spotted Gerard waiting for her; his blue eyes took her breath away as he stepped out of the shadows and embraced her.

"It's been too long mi amor," Gerard murmured before he captured her lips with his own, Catharine wrapped her arms around the Spaniard who gently picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

The two of them had missed so much in the months that Gerard had been fighting in battle; the vampire had every intention of making this a night to remember for the both of them.

However neither of them noticed the figure that watched them, he frowned as his brown eyes focused on Gerard as he made love to Catharine.

Pursing his lips, he knew what had to be done, if he couldn't have Catharine then neither could Gerard; he would make sure of it, he would do whatever it took to make Gerard suffer for his indiscretion.

Slipping away from his spot, he looked back one last time at the couple; hatred burning in his eyes as he heard a delicate moan fall from Catharine's mouth as Gerard kissed down her neck.

He knew what he would have to do to make sure that Gerard suffered for what he had done; disappearing into the shadows with a smirk, he left the couple behind allowing them one last night together before their world collapsed around them.