Title:Dark Angel
Author:Tapestry
Email:Shaddow_Cat@hotmail.com
Rating:R
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Teahouse/5879
Standard Disclaimer Apply
27/4/02
* denotes mind speaking

"Woman was created from the ribs of man
 Not from his head to top him
 Nor from his feet to be walked upon
 She was made from his side to be his equal
 From beneath his arms to be protected
 From very near his heart to be loved."
         --Anonymous--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AN: Okay, this is my first R rated fic, so bear with me on this. And yes,
    I seem to be insane because I have just started another story. :p
    I just got into this mood cause I'm currently stuck on reading
    Christine Feehan's Dark Series which I adore and would recommend 
    reading. If it seems similar to Ms.Feehan's series. I assure you,
    it won't be, but the vampires are based on Ms.Feehan's. Anyway...on 
    to the story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 He was of a dark and ancient race on the verge of extinction,
 She was a mortal thriving on the light and beauty of the world,
 They met on a night of unspeakable horror...
 With her strange abilities, she ensnared him in a web of desire even as 
 their souls called out to each other,
 Promising eternity and a passion more fulfilling than anything on earth.


 ~ Chapter 1: Mate for Life ~

  He had been wandering the streets when the first screams reached him.
With the preternatural speed of his race, he had sped to the origins of 
the screams.
  He had been feeling uneasy all night. The stench of evil had been in the
air. He reached the site with a sinking feeling. That was when he saw her...

  There was blood and death all around her. There was blood on the ground,
on her clothes. Blood on her face and hair. Her eyes were wide with fear
and her skin unbelievably pale. Her mouth was opened in a silent scream
at the horror of it all. At the terrible deed that had happened before her
very eyes.

  He cursed himself for not pinpointing the danger earlier. Had not used 
the amazing abilities inherent to his race to track the source of uneasiness
and because of his mistake, one mortal had perished. He vowed to himself he 
would save this one even if it meant his life. He could not allow the 
abomination that had murdered the other mortal to live. 
  With a grace few others of his race possessed, he landed in front of the 
mortal woman.

  The grotesque being in front of him had once been of his kind. This one
had been younger than him. It sometimes saddened him that many of the males 
in his kind were turning. Giving up their souls to become the undead. 
  His race was already so few and growing smaller every century. His race
was a dwindling one and still the men were choosing the path of the undead.
Forcing hunters like him to destroy them. 

  His race had no name, but had existed from the beginning of time. Mortals 
had long called his race, vampire. His kind had accepted it, accepted it 
like they had everything else in this changing world. But now, his kind was 
close to extinction as many of their women had perished due to the 
'vampire and witch hunts' in the medieval times. And as a result, many of 
the males had turned, unable to find mates.

  "Hunter..." hissed the creature in front of him.

  "You have terrorized your last night, evil one." he intoned, emotionless.

  "You have no business here, hunter. I am your own kind."

  "You have long ceased to be my kind from the moment you became undead.
I am a hunter and justice has found you."

  The creature leapt at him, hissing in anger and hatred. Fangs bared and
talons outstretched.

  The petite woman behind him cried out. "No!!"

  He moved swiftly...striking out at the creature before it even reached
them. Black blood spattered on the ground as a pulsating black organ was
withdrawn from the undead's body. The blood landed on the ground with a 
hissing sound as the blood ate away at the cement of the sidewalk like acid.

  A putrid stench filled the air, trying to smother them. To take anyone 
with the defeated undead. He dropped the dead creature onto the ground and 
sighed, bringing in a gust of wind to disperse the terrible poisonous smell 
of the undead. The victim and creature had to be destroyed. To safeguard 
his kind.

  There had been a time when mortals and immortals had mixed freely. But
now, immortals had to hide in shadows. Keeping their existance from the
knowledge of mortals.

  His sapphire blue eyes turned to eye the petite mortal woman behind him. 
She had suffered a terrible trauma this night. He was glad she would not 
remember any of this once he had completed his distasteful task. Destroying
all evidence of the undead and wiping this woman's memories.

  Suddenly, her blue eyes glared at him.

  "You are NOT wiping my memories!"

  Surprised, he stared confused. Had he said it aloud?

  The woman continued to glare at him. "No, but your thoughts are loud 
enough to wake the dead."

  He stared at her in surprise. 
  *You can read my mind? Other people's minds?*
  
  "I can yours. With ease, surprisingly. And no, I can't always tell what
people are thinking. I only get impressions sometimes."

  *I see...*. "I'm sorry, but I have to cremate your friend. I cannot allow
human coroners to examine her remains."

  Her eyes suddenly watered. Her mouth going tremulous.

  His every protective instinct suddenly swamped him as well as desire that
flooded his veins like thick molten lava. It was impossible...

  "But...she, Claire, deserves more than dying without people knowing. She
had a family who cared about her! She had friends! She was MY friend!"

  Fighting down instinct to hold the woman close and shield her from 
everything in the world. He merely shook his head.
  "I'm sorry. But I can set her remains up to be found and identified if 
you wish. But there cannot be enough for coroners to examine and determine
her cause of death."

  The woman merely turned away and nodded.

  He could feel her tears as if they were his own. He could feel his desire
raging at him. Raging to claim this mortal woman as his own. Battling with 
the feral side of him, he directed a ball of flaming energy at the remains 
of the undead, turning it into fine powder.

  After the victim's body was taken care of, he finally turned to face the
mortal woman. "You will come with me."

  He surprised himself at his own words. He had demanded it. His tone was
possessive and dominating. The woman had heard it too.

  She turned to face him. "I am not a child to be ordered about!"

  "You must come. You cannot be found here when the body is discovered."

  She backed away slowly, her eyes wide. She shook her head even as he 
neared her. She stumbled, her legs felt like jelly.
  He moved suddenly, catching her to him before she fell.

  "You are coming." he growled.

  Before she could say another word, he had already swept her off her feet
and launched himself into the night sky. She gave a small cry, tightening 
her arms around him.

  He laughed and looked down at the bundle in his arms. Really looked at 
her. She was probably the tiniest woman he had ever encountered over the
centuries. She was a blonde with large sapphire eyes and intriguing silver
flecks like stars in her eyes. She was perfect.
  Right now, her eyes were squeezed shut and teeth caught at her pink mouth.
Her arms were clinging onto him for dear life.

  But he knew he would never hurt her. Could never in this world hurt her.

  He felt possession and desire for this woman. Jealous at any other male 
who dared to come too close to her. He felt the protective and dominating 
urge of his species. He felt the slow burn eating at him. The mating heat
of his kind that was as old as time. By the heavens...he could not keep his
mind off her and at that moment...he knew he could never let this woman go.

  A male of his species felt emotions. But never so strongly as he did now. 
The male of his species definately never felt jealousy or possession. True, 
every male had dominating and protective tendancies towards their women. 
But they only felt such strong desires for their mates. And only true mates
could fill the raging emptiness that ate at the soul of the males.

  The reason for the males turning was because they could not cope with the
strange pull all males felt to find their mate when they reached the age of 
sexual maturity. The instinct was like a predatorial beast, black and dark, 
spreading like poison over their souls the longer they did not find their 
mate. The emptiness would expand over the centuries, rage and hatred would 
fester in their beings. Rage and hatred at the world for not being able to 
find their mate. And with so few women, the males could not find mates.

  He had struggled with the demon in him for nearly a thousand years and he
was a powerful ancient of his race. He could remember several times he had 
nearly lost his soul to the demon within. He did not understand how it was
possible that this mortal woman, not of his race could be his mate, but 
she was. The gaping emptiness and the strange drive to find a mate had been
satisfied. In the blink of an eye, he would never turn, would never lose
his soul to become undead...for he had found his mate for life...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  He landed on his feet, still cradling her in his arms. Her face was buried
in the crook of his neck. He smiled and tucked his chin over her head 
protectively. She was as light as a feather and the sweetest bundle he had
ever carried.

  "We are on the ground now, little one."

  He felt her lift her head slightly and pop one eye open. She glanced 
around slowly. When her eyes had indeed confirmed herself they were on the
ground. Slowly, she slid down his body, making him grit his teeth as she
left burning flames wherever they touched. He fought the urge to crush her
to him and plunder her mouth.

  "My name is Darien." he told her.

  The woman bit her lip as she looked up at him with those blue eyes with
their flecks of silver.
  "Serena James." introduced the woman. She bent her head and scuffed her
sneakers in the dirt.
  "Why did you bring me here?? Where is this place?"

  *We are outside the city, little one. I brought you here to get you away
from the undead murder site.* he told her through his mind.

  She looked at him, her eyes growing watery once more. "Claire.."
  Her shoulders shook at the tremendous effort of holding her tears in.

  Darien felt a wrenching in his heart. She looked so sad. So pitiful. He
knew most of the sorrow was hers. Even without a blood bond, their link to
each other was already so strong. He could feel her sorrow and hurt. He
moved, gathering her within the confines of his strong frame.

  She buried her face into his chest and cried. "Claire was my bestfriend.
She was so sweet, gentle and kind to everyone. She didn't deserve that 
death!!" sobbed Serena, her tiny hands clutching at Darien's crisp shirt.
At that moment, she didn't care what he was or that he was witnessing her
weakness.

  *You cannot change what has happened, little one. If I could...I would
do so for you.* came his voice. She knew he hadn't spoken aloud. She didn't
care about that just yet.

  "Why did that monster have to target us? We never did anything to it!"
sobbed Serena harder.

  *The undead do not care who their victims are, baby.*

  Serena cried until her eyes were swollen and red before she finally 
stopped and looked up at the creature that held her in his arms.

  "You can speak with your mind." said Serena.
  He merely nodded.

  "The monster called you his kind. That monster drank Claire's blood.."
stuttered Serena shakily. "You...are you..a vampire?"

  *I suppose. 'Vampire' is a human term, little one. My race has no name.*

  "You, you drink blood then? Just like that- that creature, that monster!"
exclaimed Serena.
  *I am not undead, baby. I am a living breathing individual. Except of 
course I am an immortal.* he grinned.

  "Stop that." glared Serena. His voice made her weak in the knees and
heated her blood to boiling point. "No mind talking. And I'm not your baby."

  "You will not leave my sight, little one. You are mine."

  "What? Since when!??" snapped Serena.

  *From the moment you were born, you were mine, little one. You are mine,
body, mind, heart and soul.* came his caressing voice in her mind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Serena felt desire heat her blood at the sound of his voice. At the
stark naked possession in it. The way his mind brushed hers. The way wind
ruffled his ebony hair that hung low into his eyes. The way his sapphire
eyes stared possessively at her with desire and lust. 

  His words conjured up visions of them, locked together in passion. Of 
silk bedsheets and steamy nights.

  She shook her head to clear her mind. The cad! He was trying to seduce 
her. It was just sex! Hot steamy sex. Granted she had never felt desire for 
any other man before. It didn't help when the damn ass in front of her was 
so handsome and exuded power and raw sexuality.

  She took a step back from him. His eyes flared and his jaw stiffened.

  "I don't know what's going on, but I need to go back. The police will be
looking for me. I need to comfort Claire's parents...I- why am I even 
trying to explain? I don't even know you very well." exclaimed Serena
exasperated at herself.

  "Because your body recognizes me. Because you belong to me and now that
I have found you, I will never let you go." came his voice.

  It was all so simple to him. She belonged to him. Well, hah! The jerk 
could go drown his head for all she cared. He was sounding like a caveman.
Or at least a wildman. Me Tarzan, you Jane. 

  *Do not be impudent, baby...or I'll be tempted to turn you over my knee 
and spank you.* came his irritatingly bone melting voice.

  She glared at him. "Stay out of my head."

  She didn't know why she wasn't running away screaming yet. The darn man
was an honest-to-God, vampire and she was here standing calmly. Maybe she
did have to seek psychiatric help. But somewhere deep inside her, she knew
he wouldn't hurt her...

  "Please...take me back. I won't tell a single soul what happened tonight.
I promise. I'll never breathe a word of it. You'll never have to see me
again." whispered Serena shivered.

  Darien saw her shaking and shivering and cursed. It was cold out here and
he'd been insensitive and stupid enough to let his mate stand out here in
the cold. Shrugging off his coat, he draped it around her shoulders.
  She seemed to be engulfed by the coat, his frame so big and hers so small.

  "You are mine, baby. You will not go anywhere without me. I would not
allow it."

  Serena let out her breath in a hiss. His domineering attitude was REALLY
getting on her nerves. This wasn't the 14th century anymore and the idiot
really needed a attitude adjustment.

  "Idiot? I'm never an idiot. I am one of the most knowledgeable and 
powerful hunters of my kind."

  "Apparently, the knowledge doesn't seem to extend to the women's movement
and liberation rights. And what did I tell you about reading my mind?"

  "That I am most welcome anytime." he grinned unrepentantly.

  "Oh, now you're just plain sassing me. Go away." said Serena trembling at
his pure unadulterated sexiness. Gods, why did the man just have to be so
damn sexy. The damn vampire was just plain dynamite.

  "Mm-hmm...dynamite. I like that." smiled Darien.

  "Take me back!" exclaimed Serena angrily. She was about to turn away and
walk off, when an arm snared her around the waist, and she was once again
lifted into the air. She gave a little cry of surprise.

  Squeezing her eyes closed once more, Serena let out a ragged breath.

  "Perhaps now might not be a good time to mention it, but I hate heights."
she squeaked. Her heart was beating abnormally fast. Her pulse practically
racing with the fear and adrenaline pumping through it. The thought of
falling to the earth below.

  "Please, please...don't drop me." pleaded Serena.

  Warm air brushed her ear as she heard him chuckle, sending jolts of 
electricity down to the pit of her belly.
  "Relax, baby...I would never drop you."

  Serena placed her plans about running away from this overwhelming, dark 
and dangerous creature into the back of her mine. Her thoughts currently
centered only on landing on the ground safely.

  *I know you think of running, baby. But I will not let you go. Never in
this world for you are mine and I do not share.* came his silky voice, his
mind brushing hers in a caress that evoked a passion that was sure to 
swallow her whole....

  She was falling already, falling into oblivion fast.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  They landed on a balcony of a very LARGE mansion. She doubted this was 
the Hilton. The city was miles from the mansion. The whole place reeked of
money and elegance. Of course, anybody could tell the owner was stinking
rich just by the lawns and gardens that stretched for a good 4 acres. Why
anybody needed that much space, she would never know...

  "Where are we now?" asked Serena breathlessly.

  "We are in my home, little one." smiled Darien as he smoothed her hair 
back from her face.
  "There aren't any bats or wolves roaming around in the house are there?"
came her small frightened voice.

  Darien chuckled. "No, but there could be if you liked." he teased. His
arm was still locked around her waist, anchoring her to his side. They 
almost seemed like they were joined at the hip.

  "No!" shuddered Serena. "I don't want to see any bats, please..."
"Please, Darien, I just want to go home." she pleaded.

  "Even if I am to return you to your apartment, you are far too pale for
my liking. You must eat, baby. You will have nourishment and then you will
sleep. You must take better care of your health, baby. I would not allow 
you to place yourself in risk." 

  "I don't want to sleep. I can't forget about the monster and Claire.."
whispered Serena. The images..the blood. It was all still there. In the
back of her mind. She was STILL covered in blood. Claire's blood....

  Her eyes snapped open and she gave a cry of terror. She pushed at Darien,
wanting to get away. To get away from even herself. There was so much
blood. The vampire's brutal murder. The way Claire's eyes had looked at 
her, pleading her to save her life. Oh God! It was terrible!! She had
betrayed her friend...

  In the midst of madness and nightmares, he came...the soft purity of his
voice, washing away the terror. The horror. Strong arms coming around to
hold her. To reassure her.

  *It wasn't your fault, baby. If it was anybody's fault...it was mine. I
failed to detect the source of my uneasiness. You are blameless, darling.*
crooned his voice in her mind. Comforting her. Taking away the terrible
pressure, the burden of guilt. Replacing it with warmth and comfort.

  Serena burst into tears once again as Darien held her, rocking her small 
shaking body wracked with sobs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  The strange sight that greeted Raye and her mate, Jayden came as a 
surprise. Her brother, Darien was holding onto a tiny blonde that was 
covered in blood. The blonde was sobbing, her face buried in her brother's
chest.

  A quick scan confirmed the woman was mortal, but with the most unsual
brain patterns she had ever seen. Her heart broke for the woman, sobbing
so pitifully.

  Her eyes were then drawn by her brother, holding the woman so tenderly.
So protective and yet possessive. Then, the thought struck her. Her brother
was being possessive! Her eyes flew in question to her mate.

  *Do you notice his posture, mate?* questioned Raye.
  *I do.* acknowledged Jayden.

  Another man appeared behind them. The man had dark chocolate hair and
midnight eyes. He approached the pair slowly before Raye could stop him.

  Raye watched in horror as her brother suddenly looked up and snarled, his
fangs showing and his eyes hard and cold like ice. The pair blurred and 
Darien was standing, holding the blonde in his arms. The blonde was looking
at them confused and frightened. Her hands were clenched tightly around the
front of her brother's shirt.

  "Darien?" came Raye's uncertain voice.

  Her brother's eyes rested on her, but swiftly jumped to the faces behind 
her. The others had sense Darien's agitation and had arrived. Darien's dark
scowl seemed to increase.

  Raye's breath caught in her throat. Darien had never looked at them that
way before. He seemed ready to do battle...
  Darien was their leader. They had come to America on the order of their
Prince to hunt the undead. Darien was the one who protected them and did
most of the hunting. The Prince, their father had known what a danger it
was, sending the heir to the throne to hunt. There was a possibility Darien
could turn and wreak destruction on their race. Was he turning already?

  "Darien? We are your friends." said Jayden.

  Darien eyed all of them with distrust. It just wasn't logical. He had
known all these men from the cradle. Had trusted them. But now, with his
mate here...still unbonded to him, he was wary and jealous of any of the
other males touching her. He didn't know why, but this instinct was stronger
than any ties of friendship.

  He felt a small hand push at his chest. "Please...I want to get out of
these clothes. The blood.." whispered Serena softly.

  There was a curious wrenching in his heart at her soft plea. He had
forgotten about the blood on her. The blood of her friend. He would have to
burn those darn clothes once she was out of them.

  *I'm sorry, baby. I have been insensitive.* he whispered into her mind.

  "Raye.." he called.

  Raye moved towards her brother despite the attempts of her mate to 
restrain her. "Darien?"

  "Please take Serena to a bathroom. She wants to clean up." he said 
quietly, setting Serena down on her feet. Though it came out as a request,
nobody could miss the subtle command and hint in the tone of voice.
'If anything happened to her, there would be hell to pay.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  When the two women left the room, the other males turned to Darien for
answers. Darien was no longer snarling at them, but ice still stayed in his
eyes.

  "Darien? Who is she?" asked Malcolm.

  "I saved her from one of the undead." answered Darien.

  "Why have you brought her here??! Why have you not wiped her memories?
It is dangerous. We have a female in our midst and there are not many of
them left. They must be protected. The mortal is a danger to us." protested
Jayden.

  A growl was emitted by Darien. "Serena is not a threat."

  "You cannot be sure, Darien. She may expose us." pointed out Nathan.

  "She is a mortal." nodded Zachary.

  "She is my mate." snarled Darien menacingly.

  A gasp came from the doorway. Raye's violet eyes stared unbelievingly at
her brother.

  The men stared at Darien in confusion. 
  "She can't be. She is mortal. She is not of our kind." exclaimed Jayden.

  Malcolm nodded. "She cannot possibly be your mate, Darien. The undead
have tried making mates of mortal women. Those women became mad, undead
themselves. They wreaked havoc on anything and everything. Even the undead
that turned them..."

  "She is MINE. I do not understand how this is possible, but there is no
mistake. She is MY mate. If I must, I will live until she dies and I will
follow. She is my mate, and she is the one who has filled the emptiness and
satisfied the darkness in me. The darkness of our species that drives us to 
find our mates, or to go insane." snapped Darien, his hand running through 
his thick ebony hair.

  "Darien..."

  "No, little sister. She is the one. And if need be, I will take her and
leave the rest of you to your ways. She is the only one that prevents me
from becoming undead." said Darien in a low menacing voice as lightning 
cracked behind him in the night sky.

  "Does she know?" asked Raye.

  "No."

  "You must tell her...I sense her fear and her desire to run, but her
overwhelming compulsion to stay."

  "It is the call of the souls."

  "She is not bonded with you yet, brother. Do not be so arrogant and think
she cannot escape." snapped Raye.

  "She is my mate for life...she cannot escape that which has been 
preordained from before our birth." answered Darien smugly with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be continued...

Okay, the whole killing the undead technique is Ms.Feehan's, but I'll try 
to think of some other techniques later on. Also,I recommend anyone to 
try reading her books. I know I love it. Right now, I'm waiting for her 
latest book. Can't wait! :) 
Email/Review people! Tell me if you like it so far. And if you don't, I'll 
just scrap the story.
28/4/02