Blue Moon (18 page)

             
“Glad I’ve found you as I want to show you reality as we know it,” He tells me with a sneer.

             
“You mean your reality! Tell me, why you are so twisted Richard? Who hurt you so badly for you to be so cold and heartless?”

             
“That’s enough, let’s get on with this shall we,” He says holding out his hand to me, which I laugh at, but I’m soon cut short when he viciously grabs me and transports us to the dungeon like room, before I can blink.

             
“What’s going on?” I ask him coolly, but inside I am frightened. Very quickly, I cut my connection off from Dallah and Angus. The last thing I want is her coming to find me, and getting hurt. Angus and the Brothers’ are strong, but not as strong as Richard is. I will not risk their lives, not for the punishment this sick bastard is so keen on giving me.

             
“You see Zara, you think these men love you, want to take care of you, but everyman has his weakness. Sallack with his women, Den with his ego, and Parrise...well Parrise is a Vampire.”

             
“Why do you want to hurt me?” I ask confused.

             
“It’s what I do, it’s who I am,” He tells me simply.

             
“That is enough! No more Richard” I tell him in disgust whilst taking a step back from him. I will transport myself away from the situation I have stupidly put myself in.

             
“You will stay here and take what punishment is given. If you choose to leave, I will replace you with one of the wolves...or precious little Dallah, how does that sound? Shall we make a trade?”

             
“You bastard!” I tell him through gritted teeth.

             
“You are strong Zara, you will get through this, it’s more a test for Parrise... though, how dare he come to my Palace and think he can get away with killing one of my best men, the ignorant bloodsucker. I will enjoy seeing his face when he sees you broken.” He spits out with menace.

I take his face in my hands, and look deeply into his eyes.

              “Why are you doing this, I’ve done nothing to you?” I ask him gently.

His eyes soften slightly, while he takes a deep breath.

              “What, are, you?” He asks almost in worry for my answer.

             
“What happened to you Richard?” I ask him so gently, that it almost comes out in a sweet song. I want to know what has happened to him to make him this way, why he gave up on himself and took in the darkness.

He steps away from me abruptly, and walks across the room to lean against the wall.

              “Don’t do that Zara!” He shouts at me full of anger and confusion.

I start to get a bad feeling, more than fear of the beating ahead of me, something far worse…

A man walks through the
doorway and into the dimly lit room. He is wearing an expensive suit much like Richard’s, but he wears it well. There is an air of power and respect around him, but with that, there is fear. My heart pounds against my chest, and my breath hitches when I see his face.

             
“This is her?” He speaks calmly and in what I think is an Italian accent.

             
“She is the one yes,” Richard replies straightening his stance.

The man walks over to me in a slow motion and pulls me by my arm to stand before him and look him in the eye.

His hands are cool to the touch, and his eyes are a brilliant shade of red, Vampire! I sense old, very powerful and the blackest heart of all.

He has long brown hair that is tied back; he is breathtakingly handsome, but terrifying at the same time. His chin is strong and his nose straight, he is perfection, a Warrior. Looking at him is
hypnotizing, I cannot work out if he is just a Vampire or the Devil himself.

             
“Richard here, does not like you Bella Donna,” He says, running his finger down my chest.

I want to move away from him, but my body is
paralyzed to the spot by his presence alone, the power that seeps through him is mighty.

             
“The feelings mutual,” I tell him boldly, trying to show no fear.

             
“Strength and such beauty, what a loss, you would have made a wonderful pet,” He tells me in a sexually charged voice, “What is your age child?” He questions.

             
“What’s going on?” I ask disregarding his question with my own.

             
“I would be careful around her, she is different,” Richard tells him, annoyed that he speaks to me so gently.

             
“I was not speaking with you! Bring Parrise here now!” He shouts at Richard in irritation.

Richard leaves us alone while he goes to find Parrise. Being alone in this ancient Vampires presence as he slowly studies me showing no emotion, I feel he wants me dead.
The realization hits me; I am never going to see Dallah, Ruk, Den, Brothers’, or my lovely Angus again. I won’t be there to save Dallah at her bonding. My chest hurts with the pain. I may be immortal, but no one is truly immortal.

Parrise enters the room with Richard, looking fearful for me.

“Leave Parrise, it’s me he wants to hurt,” I tell him, pleading.

              “You do not care for your own life?” He asks longing out every word, and with every word he speaks, my heart skips a beat.

Before I can answer him, Parrise is at my side and has his arms wrapped around me protectively in a heartbeat.

              “What is going on Demitri?” Parrise asks in a panicked tone, the first time I have ever heard, or seen Parrise show fear.

Demitri, he
cannot mean his sire! What is he doing here? Has Richard bought him here to torture me in front of Parrise?

             
“How have you been Parrise? Where is my child Angus?” Demitri asks.

             
“He is here with me Demitri. Why are you here, are you and Richard allies now?” Parrise asks him, while his grip tightens on me to the point where it is painful.

             
“Take your hands off the girl, and stand by me,” Demitri orders Parrise in a captivating tone.

Parrise releases me, just like he is told to and stands beside his sire, the man that turned him into the Vampire he is.

              “Demitri, I have never asked anything of you, don’t do this!” Parrise pleas with him.

             
“You have become weak in my absence!” Demitri shouts at Parrise, angrily striking him, sending him soaring across the room with speed.

             
“Richard, I want 6 of your men in payment for this, and if she lives, I will come back for her when I’m ready,” He tells Richard heartlessly.

Richard nods his head to Demitri, agreeing the terms.

He then comes to my face once again, brushing the back of his fingers down my face. I turn my head away from him in disgust, which angers him further. He slowly bends down with his face almost touching mine, with anger radiating off him.

“Never turn away from me, Bella Donna,” He tells me, his last words ‘Bella Donna’ slowly, letting them roll of his tongue. They are words that I do not recognise, and I don’t think I want to either.

              “Then never touch me!” I spit back.

             
“TAKE YOUR HANDS Off HER!” Parrise roars at him as he stands to his feet.

             
“Parrise, beat this woman, and drink from her like the monster you are!” Demitri orders.

I watch in fear as Parrise’s eyes turn a violent red, his fangs
descend, and his whole face changes to that of a violent monster.

             
“Richard you are weak, you will pay for this, and you!” I look to Demitri, “What a powerful men you are, getting another to beat a woman! You will fucking pay!!!” I scream with an urge of power.

             
“Parrise! Don’t listen to him, snap out of it!” I scream as I see him coming forward, but this is not my Parrise, this is someone I have never seen before.

             
“Goodbye Bella, I hope you survive, I will look forward to my payback,” He taunts, “Parrise, it was a pleasure as usual. Richard come with me now,” Demitri orders.

Parrise grabs me by the hair and throws me violently to the floor, as I lay there, I see Richard give me a final smug look before he follows Demitri out of the room.

             
“Parrise, please?” I beg him.

He lifts his hand high in the air and connects with my cheek and
I am slammed into the wall. Pain seers through my entire body as I try to escape his grasp. He holds me by the head as he pushes me down, letting his knee connect with my stomach, this is when I fall to the floor with a thud. My body has no life left in it, and if I were human, then I would be dead, by just one of his lethal hits. He roles me over onto my back and climbs on top of me.

             
“Parrise, don’t do this...it’s me...your Zara...we love each other...I love you...” I weep while looking into his eyes, hoping that he will recognise me. He stares blankly at me with those haunting red eyes, and then savagely bites down on my neck, as his head moves from left to right, tearing at my skin, my screams echoing through the room.

I feel so we
ak as he drains my life, but from the inside of my soul, I beg it give me strength to get away. With the little strength I have, I beat my hands against him and thrash my legs, but it is hopeless. Then he just stops and stands, as if given a command, his eyes still burning red as he turns and leaves the room.

As my eyes roll in the back of my head, I fight to stay conscious, I know if I let the dark take me
I will be lost forever. I beg with all my being to be with Dallah and Ruk.

Transporting my almost lif
eless body to them, I hear the Brothers’ Angus and Theo, as they all in Dallah’s room shouting at each other, I fall strait into the arms off Ruk.

Cracking my eyes open, I’m met with teary eyes and angry faces as everyone I care for are surrounding the bed watching me. My body is repaired, but my heart and soul have left me as an empty shell.

Den’s is the first face I see, looking at me full of concern. I turn away from him, feeling nothing

              “Get out!” I shout with anger whilst closing my eyes tightly, needing to erase the sorrow that lingers in their eyes.

             
“Let me speak with her,” Dallah tells them gently.

They all start speaking at once making my head near
to explode.

             
“I said, let me speak with her!” Her voice booms through the room, as do their growls and snarls as they get up and reluctantly leave us alone.

Dallah holds my arms and looks me in the eyes as fresh tears fall.

              “Why did you block me and Angus? We could have stopped this. Tell me where Richard is?” She asks in fury.

             
“I knew you would come, then you would be hurt, I don’t want you hurt, any of you.”

             
“For fuck sake Zara! You try to be the hero, but who is there to save you? Let us in! Stop being this shell of the Zara we know and love, we want to love and protect you. Where is Parrise, was he hurt?”

             
“HE MADE HIM DO IT” I scream at the top of my lungs.

             
“MADE WHO DO IT?” She screams back in frustration.

             
“Parrise!” I tell her through gritted teeth, while my hands fly to my head, trying desperately to stop my stomach contents from re-appearing.

The men rush back into the room, looking more angry
than I have ever seen them.

             
“He did this to you?... where is he?... let’s find him!” I hear as they all shout and growl their questions to me.

Sitting up I call Angus to me and take his hand firmly in mine, looking him in the eye as I tell him,

              “Demitri is here, he compelled Parrise to do this to me, in return Richard gave him 6 of his men as payment. It wasn’t Parrise’s fault, you need to find him and make sure he is ok,” I tell him as the men start shouting again.

             
“SHUT UP!” I shout with all the power I have in my fresh awakened body. The room goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They are all looking at me with anger still on their faces, as I get off the bed and speak to them,

             
“This was not Parrise, do not blame him, he had been compelled to by Demitri, his and Angus’s sire!” I tell them knowing that they will understand that as their sire, Demitri has all power over Parrise, he can make him and Angus do or say anything he wishes them to, and they have no power against him.