Ancient Darkness (On HOLD)

Chapter Eleven - Lucian

Owen tightened his hold on the young woman as he felt her shudders peak - with the thick clouds blanketing the region in snow and the wind picking up speed with every passing second, a human such as she would easily feel the bitter cold.

If he and the others had been forced to find her within the woods through human means, she would not have survived.

As his family had flown over the highest branches, they had tracked both her slovenly movements and those of the hunting pack. It was true that the wolves had seemed more agitated then was normal for when they followed humans within their territory but there had been no signs of suspicious creatures.

Instead of sending Sang further into shock, Owen silently ordered his brothers to use their feet to find their way back to the house. It prolonged their time amongst the deadened trees but he felt that flying before they had had time to explain about their species would only damage her mind.

Humans were usually fragile and he wasn't willing to risk Miss Sorenson's sanity.

"We're nearly home, sweetling," he murmured into the top of her head as the lights coming from the house became pronounced enough for even her weak eyes to see.

"Wh-wh-what happens-s-s now?" Sang's breath stuttered as she tried to make sense of what was happening with her life. Apparently the creatures walking her back to their home had no intentions to allow her escape and they had yet to decide whether she was to survive their acquaintance.

The eight warriors surrounding their leader and the young woman that had managed to capture his attention closely watched as Owen hugged her and picked up his pace to ensure that Sang was not exposed to the cold for longer than was necessary. Normally they had the ability to protect anyone they wished from the elements with a simple burst of power but things had to be taken slowly with someone so new to their world.

It made most of them uncomfortable knowing that this small and undeniably delicate woman had managed to slip her way into their circle without doing anything more than speak to Owen, their uncrowned prince.

They also couldn't deny that she fascinated them; a human that had the capacity to use her mind in ways that they had seen in no other. Some of them had lived for uncountable centuries and never had there been such a thing.

Humans were the weakest of the species, left blind and without natural defences, they had also been largely ignored which was why their numbers had managed to reach the billions.

Sean Green as he was now known looked at the expression on his friend's face as they finally reached the first step to their shared home. It was soft in some undeniable way; for as long as he had been alive, Sean had looked to Owen as their leader, a warrior and king, who had given everything in the defence of his people. The ancient one had sacrificed more than anyone should ever be asked to and the suffering of past conflicts had drained them all of their humanity until only a veneer remained.  

Each of them had been born with different names but as their people grew smaller, it had become necessary to hide, hide who and what they were. To the nearby humans, they were eccentric bachelors who had moved into the region so that they could explore the history of Romania but in truth, they had simply come home.

Sean found his heart clenching at the prospect of spilling Sang's blood but he was not prepared to see any of his brothers die should she be found as a traitor. It was always family and Immortal first; no human would prove to be their downfall.

Sang once again found herself in front of a stranger's fireplace as she tried not to think of the bed that stood only meters behind her.

Owen and his brothers, as he called them, had wasted no time in dumping her into a bedroom before they drifted out to continue their talks. She could sense that they were ensconced in a room close by but she could no longer tell what they were speaking of even as she concentrated on linking into their thoughts.

With the significant distance from any other human, Sang found herself truly alone for the first time in her life. There were no invasions as she tried to block out the floating voices of her neighbours and she felt deeply unnerved.

"Relieved," She tried to assure herself, sticking her frozen fingers even closer to the fire. Owen had managed to keep the largest part of her warm as they all walked back but both her hands and feet had suffered. They were numb and she was largely grateful to be back safe and warm even if she was the prisoner of what appeared to be a coven of male vampires.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she heard the sound of knocking upon the enclosed bedroom door. There had been no footsteps and the first bang had her heart jumping into her throat.

Anything, even death, would be better than this constant need to be on guard.

She whispered out a 'hello', wincing as she heard the weakness. She had run into a field of snow to show her strength and determination but the pull of the unknown and the knowledge that she probably wouldn't escape again had her quivering.

The door opened slowly to reveal a young-faced man with shaggy blonde hair and the face of an angel. Standing metres from her, she couldn't tell the exact colour of his eyes but she knew that they were focussed upon her with an unnerving intensity. His clothes consisted of black pants and a long-sleeved blue shirt which was barely buttoned.

By the time she could think of something beyond his startling beauty, the man had managed to get within feet of her seated body and he was slowly lowering himself onto the fur rug beside her.

Discovering that his eyes were a warm brown, she flushed with absolute embarrassment and glanced to his hands, hoping that that that would prove safer. They were filled with neatly folded articles of clothing.

"Miss Sorenson, yes?" His voice was as deep as any man's but it made her cock her head slightly as she recognised something old.

Another reminder that he was of a kind with Owen Blackbourne.

"Yes?" He asked again, as she refused to answer; her eyes also remained tilted down even as he lifted the clothing as an offering, "My name is Lucian Taylor and Owen asked that you be given these to make your night more comfortable."

She tried to clear her throat but her voice came as nothing more than a croak. "No, thanks." Her mother had warned her against accepting gifts from strangers, doubly so if they were attractive men.