Life Behind the Shadows, Wendy .D. Gardner [book club reads TXT] 📗

The streets of Ember lane were not as safe as they use to be twenty decades ago. The defenses had fallen and with its fall so did right and wrong. The darkness was an ever present sight, it was almost as if it belonged, and in truth these days it did……

‘Tonya my dear, we missed you at dinner this eve.’

‘I was in no sense to dine with the boorish aristocrats of your court my lord.’

‘Tonya have I not stressed that you should call me Alexander? And did I not make it clear that as my guest you are expected to dine with my company?’

‘Too many times you have done just that and as I replied then I shall reply again, I am not your guest but a captive to your evil schemes. You vampires are all alike with your blood sucking selfishness. It irritates me to be in your mere company much less that of your court.’ She had turned mid way in her speech to face him haughtily. She had realized that her powers could not affect immortals and that her plan had been fool hardy for now she was a prisoner in this palace with this man who had the ability to make her blood boil with longing and hatred.

‘Now now princess, you are in this situation because you walked right into it. I do wonder what your initial plan had been. Was it to storm in here and murder me? Your powers don’t work that way witch.’ Alexander’s cool, easy manner only managed to aggravate her.

‘I came here to attempt making some form of compromise. Your kind is murdering too many mortals, causing suspicions and speculations.’ Tonya’s blue eyes turned black as the rage within here began to boil uncontrollably.

‘My question now is why do you care?’

‘I care because you blood suckers are going against the treaty in which all immortals signed to the secrecy of our existence. Mortals are starting case studies, they stopped putting the murders of their kind on animal encounters, some have already figured out the truth as you may have heard.’

Her reference to the earlier uprising of an anti-vampire group in the south-east brought his facial expression to stony seriousness. The members of the group had been slaughtered and disposed of causing more speculations. He was ashamed of his kind and the way they had begun to live but what could he do? His father had left behind a trend he was expected to follow. His kind was being starved living off the blood created by sorcerers. He would not be placed in a position that would mean the death, and sure extinction of his kind.

‘What do you propose I do? Doom my kind for the sake of those filthy mortals whose life’s goal is to destroy the world they live in? I am sorry but that I cannot do.’

He started to leave but Tonya stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He had feelings after all; he was just trying to protect his kind. ‘I may have a solution if you wish to hear it.’

Her voice had softened, sweetened, and her hand on his shoulder burned into his marble hard flesh. He turned to look at her and his gaze was drowned within the depts of her blue eyes. Her raven black hair framed her oval shaped face, emphasizing her beauty. The black gown she wore swept long, and flowing at the back and was short at the front giving him perfect view of her shapely white legs. She wore no shoes but instead black laces that reached up to her knees. Her creamy white breasts rose and fell as she awaited his response. Her red lips parted slightly as his gaze moved to them. Alexander could feel the heat building between them and he was sure she felt it too. He moved closer to her and hesitated before cupping her chin in one hand and lowering his lips to hers. The flames of the fire which had awoken between them on their meeting a month ago, lashed at his senses as she opened her mouth to his tongue’s assaults. He could tell she was an innocent for her response was hesitant, but she caught on quickly.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing herself to be consumed by the desire that was welling up within her. She loved the feel of his male body against hers. She ran her hands over his broad shoulders and splayed her fingers over the muscles of his chest.

Alexander drew her closer to him as their kisses became more urgent. Tonya felt the strength of him press into her lower abdomen. A red flag went up inside her head and a voice screamed at her, ‘what are you doing? Have you lost your mind? Stop this! You are putting yourself in danger!’ She pushed at his chest and broke the kiss. His golden eyes stared down at her questioningly. Tonya wriggled out of his arms and backed into the far corner of the room.

‘Get out.’ She whispered and jumped at the sound of her own voice. Her voice was husky and sounded nothing in comparison to the one she had known for the past seventy decades.

‘Did I do something wrong? I am sorry.’ He stepped towards her.

‘GET OUT!’ now that’s her voice.

He stared at her as if she had lost her mind but complied with her wishes, slamming the bedroom door shut behind him.

Tonya released her breath and touched her trembling fingers to her swollen lips. She sank to the floor as what just took place began swimming around in her mind. What was she doing? She could not allow herself to get that carried away again.

Tonya slipped out of the room as silently as was possible. The hallway was dark and completely devoid of any form of life. She closed the door behind her softly and tip toed down the hallway. She had no plan, just the need to do something. Her heart began to beat uncontrollably and she sighed in annoyance. Her stupid heart would give her away to the vampires. Unlike other immortals, her heart maintain its steady beat, and once cut she would bleed, a annoying characteristic of being a witch . Fortunate for her vampires were repulsed by a witch’s blood, but they could still smell it.

She stopped for a moment and listened. No sound. It was completely silent. Everyone must be in the ballroom. She continued down the hallway. She was almost at the end of the hallway where there was some amount of light when a hand like solid rock clasped tightly around her upper arm and dragged her inside a dark room. Tonya was too stunned to mutter a sound. She was shoved onto something soft which she quickly realized was a bed. Fear welled up inside her chest at what would follow. She heard a match strike and soon the room was bathed in light and she could see here assaulter. A feeling of relief and rage replaced her fear as to who stood staring down at her through scarlet eyes.

‘Where did you think you were going?’ Tonya could see him fighting against his rage. Why he was upset she was completely clueless.

‘To find something better to do other than sitting in that damn room!’
‘Yet you turned down my invitation to dine with me and my guests.’

‘That was far from appealing. That would be a punishment I will not force myself to endure.’ Their voices had risen a great deal and she was sure their voices would be heard downstairs.

Alexander ran a hand through his tousled white hair and turned away from her. Tonya could not help admiring the beauty that white hair gave to the vampires, especially Alexander. Alexander had a grace he could not help. A beauty in comparison to his could only be found in a painting. His pale, white skin looked like pure silk. His natural eye color was honey gold. She had seen it more than any other because around her he always smiled, he always seemed happy. His face was breathtakingly, handsome. His lips, to the gods, with the unspoken pleasures they hid, were enough to drive one insane. His broad shoulders and the muscles of his arms, and chest rippled in the white chiffon shirt he wore at the slightest movement. The black trousers he wore hugged his lean, narrow waist. Tonya felt her pulse begin to race, and she found it hard to breathe. What was happening to her?

‘Why have you come here to torture me? Do you not believe I have had enough to deal with over the past decades?’ he turned to face her again. ‘You play games with a man’s sexual needs like the harlot you most likely are and, you play with their minds like a lysocops.’

Tonya felt herself flinch as if hit. His words wounded her soul but she refused to let him see that. ‘Excuse me.’ She had to get out this room and away from him.

‘You are not going anywhere. You popped up here causing havoc in my life and you believe you can just up and leave as you please, well news flash, that’s not going to happen.’

‘I beg your pardon?’ By now Tonya was outraged by her conflicting emotions.

‘You are going to stay right her until I permit you leave.’

Tonya stared at him for a few seconds before her lips broke into a smile and she said, ‘Watch me.’ But to her horror Alexander stood in front of her before she could even secure her balance on her feet. She looked to the corner of the room where he had stood and back at him. What was it with vampires and speed?

‘I needed a better view. So what is it I should watch you do my love?’ Alexander could feeling his anger dying, and a ache begin to grow from deep within his loins.

Tonya’s heart beat escalated as she felt the heat emanating from his body. He was too close. Her only means of escape was the bed and that in itself was another danger she feared she may not be able to save herself from. The gods be with her.

‘Have you had a change of my mind?’ Tonya could tell he was not referring to her plans but what had transpired between them earlier that night. Had she changed her mind? What on earth did she want?

He reached for her then and she could not stop him. Her body betrayed her by leaning in for his kiss. ‘Do not stop me, just feel.’ Alexander’s lips claimed hers with a passionate kiss and all her defenses fled. She was going to do this. She placed her arms around his neck and allowed him to lower her onto the bed. His lips laid a trail of kisses down her neck to the exposed portion of her breasts. She gasped at the intense pleasure that was building inside her.