Chapter Two

The vampire wrapped his arms around the girl's waist tightly, his eyes connecting with the clansmen. His faithful companion, an outdated but powerful .45 Caliber, made sure the advancing men got the point, 'Advance further and you die'. A soft whimper brought his gaze down to the girl in his arms. Her blood, which was now spilling onto the hem of her low cut black dress, sang sweetly in his veins, telling him the girl's story. She was 22 years old and a priestess. The later explained why she had this effect on him, why he couldn't help the possessive snarl rise from his lips when one of the men stepped nearer. Her virgin blood drove his senses mad with lust. Petrified lavender eyes connected with his, as her lips moved silently, forming the words 'Let me go'. He allowed a smug smirk to stain his face before he leaned down to her ear and whispered his reply.

"No."

With that last word he began drinking from her again. His eyes surveyed the men before him, deciding whether or not any of them would be considered a threat. When her heart slowed he pulled away slowly, licking his lips clean. The same man that had advanced before yelled and charged forward, his sword pointed at the vampire. Before he got close enough the vampire and Angelie disappeared.

They reappeared inside a grand room. Her head had lolled back, black hair cascading down his shoulders, eyes shut in exhaustion. If he hadn't known any better he would say she was sleeping peacefully. But the reality was that she couldn't survive very much longer without his blood. So he did what he had been planning to do since the first moment he held her. Pulling the sleeve of his shirt back he bit into his wrist, waiting until the tangy taste of blood filled his mouth. He pushed the bleeding wrist near Angelie's face, making her eyes snap open. A few droplets of blood fell into her mouth and she swallowed them slowly. Her brow furrowed but she didn't resist as brought her face up to meet his wrist. Her lips covered the wound, sucking the blood out of James' body. James moaned softly, the feel of her lips on his skin and feeding from him was amazing and sent shivers up his spine. He couldn't find enough words to describe it. But Angelie soon got more aggressive, latching onto his wrist with her hands. He frowned and started to pull away which caused Angelie to strengthen her hold. He growled and finally pried her fingers off of his arm and yanked her away, holding his wrist as far away from her as he could get it.

She fell back on her elbows and looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face. When he opened his mouth to talk Angelie gasped, falling onto her back and clutching her stomach. Her eyes were clamped shut and tears had formed in the corners. She rolled on her stomach, arms wrapped tightly around it, moaning in pain. The vampire knelt beside her and turned her onto her back again and holding her head in his hands, placing it on his lap. She began to convulse and he grabbed her arms with one of his own to prevent her from injuring herself. When the convulsions passed she opened her eyes, connecting with his. They widened and she pulled her arms out of his grip, getting to her feet quickly. She gasped at the cold of the floor on her bare dirty feet, unused to walking on anything but dirt and straw covered ground. Angelie took in the room from its glass floors engraved with intricate gold drawings, to the matching golden walls and finally rested on the enormous chandelier hanging from a cathedral like ceiling.

The vampire walked over to her, resting a hand lightly on her shoulder. She looked at him.

"Where am I, who are you?" She asked in a demanding tone. The vampire gave her a small smile, showing his teeth. Her eyes fixated on them and she shuddered.

"My name is James Akerson," He gave a small, graceful bow and righted himself, "And you are currently in my home. Come and allow me to give you the tour." He held his arm out for her to take. She did nothing but look at him as if saying 'Are you kidding me?'. He chuckled softly and lowered his arm before walking out of the room, Angelie behind him.

The first place they visited was the gardens, and Angelie made sure not to step on anything sharp or prickly, unsure of what a vampire would have in his garden. It was a vast stretch of land, nearing at least a few acres in total, filled with multiple night blooming flowers, ivy, and various other bushes, plants, and fruit trees, nothing potentially harmful in sight. The scent of the plants wafted towards them, making Angelie close her eyes, savoring the moment. James watched her reaction with a smile. She opened her eyes, a light blush spreading across her face when she saw him watching her.

"What?" She said defensively. James shook his head, "Nothing. Are you ready to move on?" Angelie nodded and once again followed James as he led the way.

"Your room is up these stairs." James said as he looked back down to make sure she was paying attention, climbing the stairs to the second room. She nodded and looked around the foyer they were leaving. There were two staircases, the one they were climbing and one on the opposite side of the room. They were built onto the wall and connected to a balcony like second floor, a rail bordering the edges so no one fell off the sides. Several rooms were connected along the joining walls, including what looked like a kitchen at the very back wall. James stopped in front of the second door the stairway led to, opening it for Angelie. She walked inside but quickly backed out. The floor covering was so soft -softer than any blanket she'd slept on or under - and it felt as if it were alive and moving under her feet. She looked at James in confusion.

"I take it you've never walked on carpet before?" Angelie shook her head. James took a hold of her arm gently and walked in, his heavy boots leaving small dents in the plush carpet. It reminded her of when the first step onto fresh grass and footprints are left behind as you move on. But this was more comfortable - and so much stranger - than grass ever was. She stepped in after him being careful to step where he already had. The indented carpet felt less foreign than before but still made her want to jump off of it and back onto the wooden floor they'd been on before.

"This is your room," James told her, allowing her to look around the room carefully, "There's a connecting balcony that over looks the grounds through these doors," he motioned to a pair of glass sliding doors that were heavily shaded. Angelie's attention was focused on a cherry wood coffin, the lid leaning against one of the sides, before they flitted over to a large four poster bed draped in red silk blankets.

"What's the purpose of the bed if you have a coffin?" She asked and crossed over slowly to the bed, gradually getting used to the carpet, and took a seat on the bed. It sank gently under her, supporting her just right. She smiled and smoothed out a few creases on the blankets.

"That is for other purposes. Although the room has heavy curtains you are still required to sleep in a coffin."

"But why?" She looked up at him with a scowl on her face. There was no way he was going to get her to sacrifice a comfortable bed for a wooden box.

"The curtains cannot suppress all the light of the day. If you were to sleep on the bed, come noon you would be burned to a crisp." James said simply. Angelie didn't reply but lay down on the bed.

After a few hours of silence Angelie asked, "James, why are you doing this?" The vampire was silent for a moment before he calmly replied, "Because, Angelie, you are mine and mine alone. This is your home now, you are one of us."

This made Angelie sit up straight quickly. "Come again? I don't think I heard you correctly. What did you say?" She stared up at him.

"I said you are mine. You're a vampire now Angelie and therefore you will remain here with me unless we can find you a decent home." Angelie stood up and stared at James, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"I belong to my God and no one else, James Akerson." She said venomously, "I am a priestess in a powerful clan; they will not allow you to get away with this-"

"But my dear, they already have. You were conscious while we were there; they did nothing to stop me from taking you. Yes there was one outburst but nothing threatening."

"That's only because you were hiding behind that piece of machinery you call a weapon!" Angelie yelled. James let out a soft, predatory growl.

"I suggest you lower your voice, Angelie. You do not know who you're messing with."

"Neither do you." She spat, walking up closer to him, staring up at him. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get a word out she kneed him in the groin. He groaned and she took the opportunity to run out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time. She had made it to the front door and tried to open it but was rewarded with a strong shock of electricity. She cursed and tried it again and received another strong shock.

"Damnit!" She cursed loudly before running across the floor into the room she'd woken up in. She tried her best to remember where she was heading, and finally came across a familiar door, the one leading out to the gardens. But just as she had pulled the door open a hand grasped her shoulder and yanked her away. She fell on her backside and stared up, only to find James staring down at her as he shut the only door to her freedom. Angelie stood up quickly, not wanting more of a disadvantage than she already had.

"That was a very stupid thing to do," James remarked softly as he walked closer to her. She stood her ground and clenched her fists to try and stop her hands from shaking so much. 'Get a grip!' Angelie thought to herself.

"Oh yeah, according to who?"

"It should be to you if you care at all for your health."

"Why do you care? Aren't I just some girl you can suck the life out of whenever you want? You can't intimidate me, James."

"Oh can't I?" James was standing right in front of her now, and Angelie wouldn't meet his eyes, but he tilted her chin up, forcing her. She stopped breathing for a moment at the sight. Instead of the gold she'd seen when he had first captured her they were fire red, burning into her own eyes and searing her soul.

"You say I can't intimidate you but your body says otherwise. You're shaking Angelie and it's in fear, I can smell it on you." James was still speaking softly, which only added to her shaking.

"Get away from me." She hissed, "Stop touching me, don't look at me, get away." She pulled away from him and he let her, crossing his arms across his chest. The two were silent for a minute before James spoke.

"What am I to do with you, Angelie?"

"What do you mean 'do with me'? Why must you do anything with me?"

"Well, first of all, should I allow you to walk away with or without a warning? That's a rhetorical question so don't answer it." He said as she opened her mouth. Angelie shut it quickly with a contemptuous look at him.

James was silent again, thinking it over before he announced her sentence, "You're getting off with a warning and I don't recommend you do that again. Otherwise, trust me Angelie, you will be very sorry."

"You can't keep me here forever, I'll get out." She said.

"If you do you will not be out for long, if anyone takes you in will pay with their life. You do not wish to be the source of murder, do you? For example, say your friend who tried to get you back took you in. He would not survive the night and you would be forced back here with his death on your conscious."

Angelie stared at him unbelievingly, tears starting in the corners of her eyes and spilling as she tried to blink them away. After wiping the tears away she glared up at James, her eyes still glassy.

"You're a bastard, did anyone tell you that?"

"My mother when I turned twelve, thank you so much for bringing it up." James snarled.

"Well good, I'm glad you at least know your family heritage."

"Keep pushing Angelie, I dare you to."

"I think I will."

"Do not test me girl!" James shouted as his cold exterior cracked. Angelie was silent. She tensed up as James grabbed a hold of her chin, forcing her eyes up to his.

"I warned you and you are very close to my breaking point. I can only be so kind Angelie, my hospitality only reaches so far." His voice was shaking with the effort to restrain himself.

"Why are you keeping me here if I annoy you so much, James?" She asked. He released her and didn't supply her with an answer, much to her annoyance.

"You know its common courtesy to answer a question." She said. When he once again remained silent, she scoffed and said under her breath, "You mother was right, you are a bastard."

Before her brain could register what had happened she found herself on her stomach on the floor, her cheek burning. Her mouth was open in shock as she touched her cheek.

"What did I tell you Angelie? I can only take so much of your rude remarks before I snap. You knew it was coming and you brought it upon yourself." James told her coldly. Angelie stood up slowly, keeping her distance from him and her mouth shut.

"Now come, dawn is fast approaching and as I said the curtains can only prevent the sunlight from entering for so long." His voice had evened out again. He held out his arm and she refused it again.

"Suit yourself." He started walking up the stairs, Angelie following a few steps behind him, making sure to distance herself just in case he lashed out again.