MAIL ORDER BRIDE: ARISTOCRAT: The Duke’s Engagement (Historical Victorian Duke Romance) (New Adult Romance Short Stories) (70 page)

Darian grabbed her wrist and pulled her along the streets.

“Don’t touch anyone.” He ordered.

Because that’s not common knowledge.
Even if this was a prank, she had to play along in order to slip him up.

“They can see you if they really try right now, but most of them are too focused on living their own lives. They’d have to look deeper than most people are willing to do.”

“What do you mean?”

Darian took a deep breath and fell silent.

He thought he’d be able to do this. To explain everything, but here he was trying, and failing.
How am I supposed to explain it?
He stopped in front of an ally and turned down it. He looked through the window of a house. No one was there.
Good.

Darian opened the door without any effort- really, no one kept their doors locked in this time, if they even had locks.

He turned to face the woman behind him and stared at her. His eyes locked on her green eyes and he felt himself let go of her.

“What I mean, is that there is a whole other world out there. One that most people can’t see. Some can, but normally it takes effort from them, they have to concentrate and focus their will. They have to
try
to see that world, and most people don’t want to.”

Her brow furrowed as I padded into the house. It was small, hardly even a house.

“Look around you, Becky. What do you see?”

Clay plates, a small wooden table, cots instead of beds.

“I...”

“It’s not the time you grew up in, it’s not even the country. We’re years in the past.” She didn’t say anything for a long time. She just stood there, frozen, staring at me.

“How can you expect me to believe that?”

Danial knew she was right. There was no way he could expect, or even ask, her to believe him.

“Look around you.”

She didn’t. Her eyes locked on mine.

“Why are you doing this?”

It had to cost money, it had to cost a lot of money to put on this show so why were people doing it? It was stupid.

“Becky, I’m not doing anything.”

“Then how did you do this.” She waved her hard around, motioning to everything around them.

“I… I can time travel.” His eyes locked on her and he stared.

Becky started at him blankly. “You’re full of shit.” She muttered breathlessly. How did he actually expect her to believe that?

She looked around. She had to still be dreaming, right?
I totally forgot this was a dream.
She took a deep breath looking around. She had to admit, it looked good- it looked authentic.

It wasn’t overtly pretty like a lot of things would be these days.

It was simple, most of the house was dirty. She looked outside. There were still people walking outside, in groups and alone.

“I wish I could tell you otherwise… I wish you would believe me.” He blew out a deep breath. “No one else had this much trouble.” He muttered, more to himself than her.

“Trouble with what?” Becky raised an eyebrow.

“Their-” He paused and forced a smile over his lips. “No point in worrying about that. Let’s find you some clothes.”

Becky’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

“You’re in ancient Japan.” He gave her a soft smile. “If we were going to a Nine Inch Nails concert it would be fine, but we’re not quite in the time of sweatshirts and jeans.”

“What about you?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll be fine. I normally get by with what I’m wearing.” He looked around. “I might need a different coat though.” He muttered.

Without another word he walked over to the beds and rummaged around. After a couple of seconds he pulled out a green silk kimono. “This will have to do.” He gave her a smile and tossed it over to her. She stared at him as she caught it.

“I’m...” She was still trying to process everything. He wanted her to steal someone's clothes? She stared at him, her jaw dropped. “Wait, you expect me to change when you just
stand
there?”

He stared at me blankly, then laughed.

“Of course, I will turn around.”

Becky watched him closely as he turned his back on her. She slipped out of her clothing quickly, not even sure why she was doing it.
Just go with it. If it’s a dream it’s going to happen anyways.

But this dream… she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

“This isn’t a dream, is it?”

Could she really be willing to admit that there was something more going on here?

“No. It’s not.”

Becky didn’t faint. She didn’t scream, or even try to deny it. Her heart didn’t skip a beat. She just stood there taking it all in.

How could this not be a dream? Or some prank. How could this be real? She was in…
No.
She forced herself to look out the window. The costumes, no not costumes- it was clothing. It looked so beautiful.

She stared down at herself. She looked beautiful in it. She crossed over to the window and peered out at the people passing.

“How is this possible?”

“Come for a walk with me?”  Darian asked, following her to the window. “We um, shouldn’t stay here too long in case someone comes back. We got lucky that no one was in here to begin with.”

He was right. It was past dark, and despite that there were people outside walking around.

“Alright.” Becky didn’t need to know what was going on to know that he probably didn’t own this house.

She let Darian take her hand again and lead the way out of the house.

She took a second to look around. Dirt road. How had she not noticed that before? The road outside the cafe wasn’t dirt. Someone wouldn’t be able to fake that in a prank.

I can’t believe I actually believe him.
She thought. But what other explanation was there? She knew it wasn’t like any dream she had had. Not just because of the content, but it was too long- too boring. She’d had to sit through an entire day of class. She’d peed! You don’t pee in dreams, she knew that much. No one ever peed in dreams.
Oh god.
What if this was a dream and she’d peed her pants?

She couldn’t help glancing down at herself. As if that would answer her fear.

She mentally shook herself and focused on following Darian, not that it mattered. His cold fingers tangled around her wrist pulling her wherever he wanted her to go. Not that she minded much. She was happy to follow him, I mean if this was real she’d already left the freakin country with him by the looks of it.
And the time period.
She thought.

She still didn’t understand what was going on.

It took all her effort to follow him without making a big deal.
But he said something about drawing attention to us.
So she wouldn’t. She didn’t know what would happen if she drew attention to them, and she didn’t want anything bad to happen.

They made their way out of the city, not that it was very big, and into a small field. Becky had gotten used to the darkness, and by now her other senses had kicked in. She could hear the water rushing near them.

She looked around. There was no sign of anyone around.

Alright. Enough is enough.

She came to a stop.

It didn’t do anything. Darian didn’t stop, instead he just tugged her effortlessly.

Becky gasped, stumbling forward.

“Wh-” Darian didn’t finish his sentence.

Becky could feel herself falling. She closed her eyes bracing for it.

Cold hands touched her hips, holding her against his cold body. Becky’s heart skipped a beat. She opened her eyes and stared up at the man in front of her. His eyes sparkled, even in the darkness. Becky’s heart skipped a beat as she stared at him.

“I think it’s time you explain what’s going on.” She said, her voice a hell of a lot stronger than she felt.

“You’re right. You’ve been kind enough to let me deflect your question several times now. But you deserve the truth.” He held her tight against him.

Coldness touched her lips. She didn’t realize it was him until his lips moved against hers. The kiss was soft and only lasted a fraction of a second. He pulled away from her, well his lips did at least. He still held her tightly.

“What I’m about to tell her… you will not believe. But I ask you to give me the benefit of the doubt.”

“Alright.” Becky took a deep breath. Was she actually going to give him the benefit of the doubt? She had no clue, but she was going to hear what he had to say. She had to.

She needed to know what was going on, and right now he was the only way to find out.

“As you may be able to tell, I can time travel.” He said, his voice soft.

He said it, but part of her wanted to deny it- even though she was here with him and she
knew
this wasn’t where they had been when they first met.

“And,” He cleared his throat. “I…” He paused.

Becky pushed against his chest, trying to pull away. He didn’t budge. He stared at her, his head tilting to the left.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a couple seconds. “You’re trying to push away. I… I didn’t realize. I’m sorry.” He stepped away from her quickly, his eyes on the ground.

“It’s okay.” Becky said, wrapping her arms around her chest. She stared at the man she was with.

She wasn’t scared even though she knew she should be. She wasn’t worried about what he was going to say.

“How do you feel about the vampire class?” He asked abruptly.

Becky’s brow furrowed. He was trying to distract her and she didn’t like that. “I don’t mind it.” She said. “Why?”

“I mean how do you feel about vampires?”

“They’re overdone.” She shrugged. Becky loved the idea of vampires, but she had to admit that the media had jumped on the vampire train a long time ago, and it was still going.

Darian snorted.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” Becky raised an eyebrow.

“I mean, how do you feel about vampires… like if they were real. Like if I was one.”

Becky stared at him with wide eyes. Was he really trying to tell her that he was a vampire? Was she really supposed to believe that?

“So,” Becky coughed, trying to wrap her head around that. She took a deep breath. “I’m supposed to believe that you’re not just a time traveler, but you’re also a vampire. A time traveling vampire.” She paused. “You should speak to Professor Brought. I don’t think he covers that in his class, you should let him know he’s missing information.”

He actually expected her to believe this. She couldn’t believe that he thought she would.
But why would he tell me that if it wasn’t true?

Why did anyone lie? To gain something. But what was Darian going to gain by telling me he was a fucking time traveling vampire?

Becky took a deep breath trying to calm herself.

Darian watched her slowly. “I understand that you don’t want to believe me.” He gave her a soft smile. “I know this is a lot to take in.”

Becky stared at him. She tried to process what he was saying.

It was beyond crazy.

“Prove it.” She said, her eyes locking on him. Were real vampires like werewolves? Did you have to enter a stare down with them to be dominate?

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Too bad.”

Darian took a deep breath. He closed his eyes.
I don’t have a choice.
He thought. “You have to understand, when I show you my teeth it’s going to… change me. My teeth are for feeding. I’m going… want you.” It wasn’t going to help that she was his fatebound. They were meant to be together, whether she realized it or not.

I can’t tell her that.
Not now. She was taking too much in already. Darian couldn't afford her having a panic attack.

Darian took a deep breath. He stepped away from her, slipping his hand into his pocket. “Alright fine.” He reached into his pocket and pulled a knife and held it out to her. “This won’t stop me, but it will distract me, if anything goes wrong.”

Becky took the knife tentatively. He could hear her take a deep breath as she gave him a single nod. Darian didn't like what he was going to have to do next but he knew it was the only way.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the change that was about to happen to him.

He took a deep breath. Pain seared through him as he felt his gums break in two points. Up until 200 years ago he’d scream when it happened, then the pain just became part of everyday life. It became normal.

It became a reminder of what he was. Darian’s fingers clenched into a fist.
Keep it together.
He told himself.

Becky couldn't see what was going on, but she didn’t have to be a genius to see that he was in a lot of pain. She clutched the knife tightly in her hand, having something to hold just showed her how much she was shaking. She took a deep breath trying to pretend it wasn’t happening. Trying to pretend she was okay.

Oh god. He wasn’t lying to me, was he?
She took a deep breath,

Her heart raced.

Darian’s eyes snapped open.

He stared at her, his eyes glowing like an animal. Is that what he was?

He stepped away from her. “You have to understand, being here… with you… it makes things… hard.” Becky was pretty sure he didn’t mean it in a sexual way. “It… I…” He took a deep breath. “I want to come over there and take you, Becky. I want to taste you.”

Becky’s heart raced.

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Because… fate.”

Fate?

That was what he thought was going on here? That fate had brought them together in some way.

“No.” Becky held the knife out to him, her hand shaking as she tried to look fierce.

“I’m sorry.”

He truly sounded sorry. He turned away from her and she could hear him inhale deeply.

Wait.

“Vampires don’t breathe.” She snapped.

“Says who?” He turned his head, just enough so she could see the smile on his lips. “You can learn a lot from a scent.”

Becky’s eyes widened. She tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t bring herself to utter a word.

“I’m going to go for a walk, it will help me… relax. When I come back, I’ll be back to normal. We can talk more. Just please… stay here so I can find you. It could be dangerous for you here if you got lost.”

Becky watched as he walked away without another word.

Chapter

“I have to admit, I’m surprised you’re still here.”

“What was I going to do? Run away? You told me it would be bad for me to do that.”

Darian closed the distance between them as Becky turned to face him. He looked normal. His eyes weren’t glowing anymore, but she couldn't forget that look on his face. Or his words.
Fate.
That’s what this was about? Because she’d told him that she believed in fate?

“I don’t get it. I mean, I
get
it.” She hadn’t needed to see the fangs to believe him. “But… all of this. Why are you showing me? Shouldn’t someone be trying to kill you for showing me this? Are you supposed to be hiding?”

“Not from you.”

Becky didn’t like that. She didn’t like that one bit.

“Well what the fuck is so special about me?” She snapped.

Darian closed the distance between them and sat down. He reached out and took her hand in his, his cold fingers brushing over hers. A shiver ran down her spine. She tried not to let it show.

“I don’t know.” He whispered. “I just… have this… pull to you. And clearly you have it too.”

Becky raised her eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“You came to me in that dream last night.”

“So?”

“So you don’t just project to people if they don’t mean anything to you, and you sure as shit don’t find them in 1949.”

“No, but you found me, didn’t you?”

“No Becky. I didn’t. I wasn’t expecting you to find me at all… I wasn’t expecting you.”

“What do you mean?”

Darian bit his lip. It reminded Becky of the glow in his eyes earlier. Her heart skipped a beat.

“There is a lot to take in, but I’ll try to start with the basics.” His hand moved from hers to the grass, running his fingers through it.

Becky sat there totally still as she watched him, her fingers still clutched the knife tightly.

“First, I’m much older than I look.” He gave a soft smile. “I’ve been around for a very long time, and it is my job to… make sure some things stay the same in history.”

“What?” Becky’s brow furrowed.

“You don’t think Hitler lived all those years just by luck, do you?”

Becky’s jaw dropped. “You… you saved him?”

“Personally? No, but an associate of mine has. I’ve handled other situations. You have to understand… while we’ve suffered loss that no one can ever put into words as a human race, there are some things that can’t be changed. Saving just one person from The Witch Trials could change the course of the whole world.”

“So that’s your choice to make?” Becky snapped. “Who are you to decide who lives and dies?”

“I didn’t. I don’t.”

Darian paused. He looked up at the night sky, laying down as he let out a soft sigh.

“Then-”

“Fate has already worked her hand. It is my job to make sure that she doesn’t have to keep coming back and correcting everything. It’s my job to make sure that people don’t play with the past. The past is there for a reason, and it is not meant to be changed, Becky.”

“So… you’re a vampire and it’s your job to make sure no one kills Hitler?”

Becky couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She tried to wrap her head around it. She’d said she would give him the benefit of the doubt. She was trying.

Darian laughed softly. “I told you, I haven’t saved him. But there… are some downsides to working for Fate.” He made it sound like it was a person. “She… didn’t know what she was doing.”

“She?”

“Yes. You didn’t think Fate was a man, did you?” He raised an eyebrow. But he didn’t wait for Becky to respond. “She needed help, so she sought out her sister- the queen of the vampires.”

Becky’s mind raced. Some said Lilith was the queen of the vampires. That she had been before Eve in the garden, but she had been too dominate. She had been banished, and Eve brought in.

“Lilith?” She asked tentatively.

They’d just studied it a couple weeks ago for class, she knew it wasn’t an old theory. Not as old as it should be.

“No. That isn’t true.” Darian said. “No, we do not know her creation, but we do know that she is not Lilith. Her name is not something anyone can speak now. We simply call her The Queen. She was Fate’s sister. She created something that could help Fate as a gift, after seeing humans play with the magic. They tampered with fate. They tried to take advantage of. Fate cried, she was so heart broken, so The Queen created something that could live longer, move faster, and even lived by killing those humans who would destroy Fate’s hard work.”

Becky swallowed dryly. She could feel a bead of sweat run down her back.

“And now, here I am. I am what The Queen created. I do Fate’s bidding, but the more of us created the longer it takes.”

“Wait, so all vampires can time travel?”

“Maybe. Depends on if they were taught. Most of them are not taught. Most of the vampires do not need to, there are so few humans who try to tamper with Fate these days. So few even believe she is there. Most vampires live their lives normally these days.”

Chapter

It was all so much. Becky tried to process everything. She tried not to let it get to her but as she sat on the ground she could feel her body not wanting to react. She was limp.

“Here.” Darian reached into his backpack and pulled something out. “I should have fed you before now. I’m sorry.”

Becky took a candy bar from him and tore into it.

“The traveling can take a toll on anyone who does it.”

“What about you?”

“I will eat later.”

Becky’s stomach turned as she realized what he meant. “You mean, someone?”

“No. I don’t eat people…. Just from them.”

He said that like it made everything okay.

Becky thought she might puke as she stared down at the candy bar in her hand. Suddenly she had no intention to eat. She couldn’t bring herself to even open it.

She’d thought he was nice.

“So, I’, guessing it’s true; vampires only care about one thing from humans.” She spat the words.

“I have limited choices.” Darian spoke softly. If she had thought vampires could blush she would say he might have been. “Do you mean to tell me that a deer or a dog is any less important than a person?”

Becky opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything. Did she?

“Humans are the only ones who sin because they
want
to. A wolf will kill to save themselves, a human will kill because they find pleasure in it.” Becky swallowed dryly. “I don’t kill.” He sounded offended when he said it. “But I will not pretend that animals are less deserving of life than humans. I feed off those willing to feed me, and if I cannot find someone I make a stop to a blood bank, which is a last resort because I’d rather not have someone die because I like Type A-”

Fine he made a point.

Becky stared down at the chocolate bar and opened it. She took a bite and focused on chewing.

“I want to take you somewhere.”

“Where?” She asked through a mouthful of food.

“Where do you want to go?”

Becky mulled it over. She took another bite, the candy was good for her. She could already feel herself feeling a little better.

“I’d like to go to the old west, can you do that?”

“Of course.” He laughed softly. “Though we’ll have to change when we get there.” His eyes locked on her.

He moved without Becky even realizing it. His lips touched hers. She stared at him blankly.

“I want you to experience all the joys of traveling.” He whispered.

He stood and held his hand out to her. Becky took it without hesitation. Darian took the candy bar from her and stuffed it into his pocket. He pulled her close to him, his cold fingers wrapping around her.