The Vampire Lover's Diary

Here is the next instalment of The Vampire Lover's Diary. As I said yesterday I am re posting this until I have finished my edits for Sleeping Love and can commence writing a new chapter for The Hanged Man & The Ghost Writer. Please also note that I will also be continuing the Vampire Lover's Diary from where I left off so this is your chance to now catch up.

Happy Reading and have a great weekend!


The Vampire Lover's Diary

I carried on down the street seeing one of my neighbours come out of her house and get into her car. She looked cross and paid me no attention when I called out to say hello to her. A man came out of the house behind her as she drove out of the drive. He bellowed at her, 'Where are you going? If you are going where I think you are . . . Claire, it's not safe . . . he won't listen to you.' But she was away and passing me by in her car.

I made my way on to the field and let Puzzle off the lead and took in a large breath of icy air. I trailed after Puzzle admiring the wintry landscape and the red plump berries on the holly laden down with snow. I carried on down the path that led to the woods. It was good to get out.
I called for Puzzle as I rounded a corner between the trees and prepared to find my way out when I stumbled on something. I fell flat on my face and landed hard on the frozen ground. I banged my head and when I tried to lift myself up I felt woosey and dazed. I tried to focus on what it was that tripped me up and to my horror found it was a woman's arm. I looked sideways with fright and found myself looking at the full on dead body of a woman.

There was blood everywhere but it was dry and caked. The smell was awful. Part of the young woman's face had been ripped away and it looked as though she had been savaged by a wild animal. I scrambled to my feet watching my world spin and then I heard a noise. With a gasp I turned to the trees behind me and could of sworn I saw a figure. More rustling in the undergrowth and the person was getting close. Terrified I looked around for Puzzle but she was nowhere to be seen. I saw a figure run from behind the tree towards me in a blur and I decided to make a dash for it in the opposite direction.

I could feel the person behind me and I didn't think I was going to escape. But I was brought to a sudden halt when I ran straight into a tall dark man. I looked up to find Roman Price holding me in his arms. That wasn't exactly how I'd planned to get in his arms but there we were. I felt woosey again and had difficulty in focusing. I sank but he held me up asking me what was wrong? And how did I get the cut on my forehead?
I told him all I could as he cradled me warmly in his arms gentling me with words of reassurance that I was safe with him. His fingers swept around the side of my face to tilt it to one side and examine the cut.

'We must let Julian take a look at that. He's a doctor,' he turned to his son who was standing at his side looking at me with shock. 'Connor, I want you to stay with Amanda and don't let her leave. It is very dangerous for her to be alone. Do you understand?'

'Yes, father. I won't let you down.'

'Good.'

Roman made sure I could stand and then disappeared in the direction of the body. I suddenly remembered Puzzle. I called her name but she was nowhere to be found. Distressed I wanted to go and look for her but Connor caught my arm when I tried to leave.

'No, you must not go anywhere. You will be safe here with me,' he commanded with a bit too directness for a child his age.

'I appreciate your concern , Connor, but I am worried about my dog. I will be fine. Let go.'

'I can't. You are in danger . . .'

His grip tightened. I couldn't have moved if I wanted to.
I was about to remonstrate with him when Roman returned carrying Puzzle. He handed the dog to Connor and took firm hold of my arm from Connor. He nodded with approval to his son before a speaking to me.

'Let's get you home and call the police. I want Julian to have a look at your injuries and you need a drink,' he told me softly slipping his other arm around my waist. 'Then you are going to tell me exactly what terrified you so much last night and I am not going to listen to any of your excuses to avoid talking about it. There is a dangerous predator on the prowl who has his eyes on you and Julian and I are the only ones who can protect you from him.'


Evening


I am at home and the police have just been. Roman has taken command of the whole situation. Not sure I approve but then I feel too sore to object and its quite nice somebody wants to take care of me for a change. Julian is in the kitchen cooking my tea. I can't believe it. I can't remember the last time a man cooked for me. It feels kind of cosy and I do feel more safe knowing they are here but Roman has been looking at my back door and I think I am about to get the third degree about last night again.

He is like a dog with a bone between his teeth and I have begun to feel as though I am being interrogated. I don't think he believes my story about it being a dog. In fact he raised his eyebrows with impatience and shook his head. And he is still yet to explain why only he and Julian can protect me from this so called predator. Scary chat up line if I ever heard one. Oops, better go he wants my attention. He's giving me a rather sexy do as your told for your own good and don't push me look. Will write later.

Roman made me go through the whole story again and again. He wasn't too happy when I casually mentioned the man standing outside in the garden for two nights either.

'I wish you had called me when I asked. You don't realise how much danger you are in. It's not safe for you to be left alone ,' he told me abruptly giving me a look that said he was not convinced I was capable of looking after myself. 'I will stay here with you tonight.'

What??? Now don't get me wrong the man is gorgeous and boy did I want him staying the night but we'd only just met and I'm one of those good boring types who don't jump into bed on the first date. Not that this was one, of course but hell he was forward and I'm not used to that. I'm an old fashioned sort of girl . . .

'Amanda, relax. I am not inviting myself into your bed,' he said with a small laugh as he towered over me at the back door. 'I will sleep on your sofa.'

I gave him a startled look. He wasn't giving me a choice and I am really sure now that he can bloody read my thoughts.

'I didn't think for one moment that . . .' I blushed and blustered. I felt so embarrassed.

'Not yet anyway,' he added with a grin and a wink.

I was speechless. He laughed again and gently took my arm telling me he was sure Julian would have dinner ready for us now.

'When are you going to tell me why I am in danger?' I demanded.

He gave me a thoughtful look and opened his mouth as though to impart the truth and then thought better of it. He smiled. 'It's just with all of the burglaries and abductions I was telling you about, not to mention the shock you had today and that you have concussion. It isn't safe for you to be alone and as I said we look out for each other on this street. Besides after last night I thought you might be glad of another companion in the house. It might make you sleep better,' he said softly, firmly as though expecting an argument.

I didn't know what to say. So much for my resolve to be independent but I have to admit I craved a decent night's sleep and to my feminist shame I did so relish the prospect of a man being present to fend off any impending danger. Suppose I really am old fashioned. I don't want to be but . . . I nodded and no more was said.

I have to say I enjoyed my evening after that. The food was wonderful. I am not a very good cook and what Julian served up was pure delight. Steak au poivre with French fries , and a crisp green salad. Yum. I hadn't eaten so well in ages. I get rather neglectful of my food when I am writing and tend only to concentrate on feeding my daughter well. I was enjoying my food and the company. My home hadn't felt so warm and safe since I'd moved in. But all of a sudden I kept seeing that poor helpless girl lying there with half her face ripped away.

I put down my knife and fork unable to wipe the image from my mind, wondering if it would ever leave me alone. I couldn't help wonder who she was? Why she had been in the woods? What she done the night before? Who her mother was??? You get the picture?
I felt Roman's hand on my arm.

'What happened to the girl I found in the woods? I've never seen anything like that before. And who do you think was following me and why? And come to mention it, Roman, why were you suddenly there?' I couldn't help it. I felt compelled to ask. There were so many unanswered questions and both he and Julian had done their best to evade giving me proper answers.
I didn't miss the uneasy look Roman's identical twin Julian gave him.

'The police think she has been savaged by some wild animal. I can't believe they accepted that idea so easily. Here in Peachum? It isn't like we live in Kenya or somewhere and a lion....' Then it struck me. I stopped dead feeling an icy shiver quiver along my spine. 'That animal, that dog, no that wolf at my door last night and the man,' I gulped. 'You think that's what killed her? You think that is what is going to happen to me? What if my daughter had been here? I don't understand. Why me?'
I could hear the hysteria rising in my voice. 'What is it that you aren't telling me? What's happening?'

Roman caught my hands in his and covered them, squeezing them tightly for reassurance. He made sure he captured my gaze and held my attention.

'First of all I am not going to allow anything to happen to you or your daughter. You are safe and under my protection and Julian's. But I cannot lie to you any longer. There is something I must tell you, Amanda. Something you will find hard to digest. You are special, different to the other women that you know and I believe a part of you will have always known that,' he paused lifting one of his hands away from the tight clasp in which he held mine to gently wipe a tear that had dropped from my eye unchecked. I tried to move away embarrassed but he held my hands fast. There was no escape from his tight grip as he continued his speech.

'Unfortunately there are some men in this world who wish to possess you because of your wonderful difference and others who want to tear you apart for it,' he informed me in his warm gentle voice. 'Let me explain.'

21st December, 12.01am.

I think I stared up at him like a wild frightened rabbit for most of the time he spoke or maybe a startled deer caught in headlights might be more of an accurate description of how I looked. Well, what would you do if you were told you were the child of a Taleian human hybrid vampire and a lycan. I mean it's a bloody mouthful and not something you hear every day, is it??? And wait for it . . . we children of these unions are born human but at some time in our lives we will make a transformation into a fully fledged Taleian vampire with the prowess and powers of a lycan.

At first I couldn't work out if Roman was completely bonkers or that I might be hallucinating with my concussion or something. I stared at him dumbfounded as he continued his disbelieving story whilst fighting the temptation to make a cool sharp exit and call the men in white coats.
But that wasn't the best bit! Oh no . . . Apparently all Taleian vampires and hybrids are provided with a mate by fate, even us lycan variations. And after the change he will just turn up and knock on my door ready to claim me. How sweet, NOT! But there's more . . . there will be challengers to this mate's claim upon me, and it is up to my mate to fight them off before we can bond together. If he doesn't do his job properly I am done for, tied to some Neanderthal wife beater or a used car salesman with bad breath for life and eternity without reprieve. I remember swallowing hard when I heard this last bit. But this is Peachum, Essex not Sunnydale my mind kept screaming. This kind of thing doesn't happen somewhere like this, it's too boring a place. It shouldn't even happen at all!

The wolf at my door and yes it was most definitely a wolf at my door the other night I was informed and not to mention the man in the garden were all potential mates or challengers. With lycan hybrids the identity of the true mate would not be known until my transformation was complete. These men, for want of a better word and for the sake of political correctness, were all drawn to me because I was nearing my transformation. Unfortunately, some of them were desperate for a mate and would not wait to see if they were the chosen eternal partner and would simply make me their own in the most brutal fashion.

'Describe brutal,' I insisted pulling my hands away from Roman's to close my knife and fork together before pushing my plate away from me. I looked up at him again frowning at his silence. He rested his hands on the table and couldn't seem to make contact with my eyes. That just fuelled my suspicions and I found myself trembling. I noticed his brother Julian did not proffer an answer to my question either. Silence hung uncomfortably in the air around us. Finally, Roman looked up at me and had obviously made a decision to be totally frank.

'They will bite you, draw your blood and rape you at the same time to consummate the bond. And once it happens no one will be able to reverse it.'

I stood up at this point. 'This is all mad. I don't believe what I am hearing. Maybe you should both leave now before I start sharpening some wooden stakes and show you my Buffy moves,' I shouted with irritated fear.
Roman raised one sexy eyebrow in disbelief and then frowned. He didn't move a muscle. His brother gave a small laugh and when I turned to my side to glare at him he was leaning back in his chair, his arms folded behind his head totally relaxed and sighing with a wide smile.

'I love this part,' he said. 'Hybrid children never believe you when you tell them what they really are. It's the human in them. It makes them cynical and narrow minded,' he told his brother. 'There's always denial at first then acceptance and then surrender. Good luck with this one Roman. Looks like you've got your hands full. I'm off. I want to check in on Louise. I'll stop by later.'

I never saw him move out of the chair. Julian was a blur of speed. I heard the front door go and he was gone. It was my turn to raise an eyebrow with disbelief. In a panic I moved to reach for my bag on the chair next to me and fumbled inside it for my phone ready to call the police. But it was being snatched out of my hand before I could blink. It flew through the air and Roman caught it elegantly as he stood on the other side of my round glass dining table. My jaw nearly hit the floor.

'Calling the police is not going to help you, Amanda. They cannot protect you from this. That girl you found in the wood was the victim of a lycan desperate for a mate. He is abducting women he thinks are potential mates only to find he was wrong and in his temper he is killing them.'

Roman slipped my mobile into his trouser pocket and watched me with serious concern. It made me shake with fear.

'My guess is that he is looking for you. I, others of our hybrid race, lycans and Taleians alike have sensed your presence and that you are about to change . . .'

I interrupted him.

'You make it sound like the bloody menopause. You are one of them as well?'
He didn't answer me. I started to shake just that little bit more. I folded my arms trying to hide it.

'So , they are moving in like vultures waiting to take me for their own. Is that it?' I asked.

His handsome features remained hard and serious and I knew he was going to give me it straight from the hip again.

'Yes, they are. But they aren't the only ones you must be protected from. There are others. The slavers look for female hybrids. Female hybrid flesh and organs are rich in healing properties that can assist humans with their debilitating diseases and even cure them if they eat it.' Roman became passionate with his anger as he told me about these monsters.

'The slavers grow rich in wealth and power in the human world by imprisoning our women and cutting their flesh away to give to humans to consume. The humans will pay any price to prolong their lives and cure their loved ones of cancer or other disease. These unfortunate women are kept in a life of pain and servitude. Their organs grow back and they can be used again.'

I dropped back down into my chair feeling the blood drain from my face and pool in my feet. It was all too much to hear. Roman stood quiet.

'My daughter, she . . .? Her father was human.' Well that was one word for him.

'No matter. She has your genes. They are stronger than those belonging to a human. She will also make the change at some point in her life just like my son. I am sorry but you need to know the truth,' he said firmly.

'What am I going to do?' I whispered to myself as my mind raced with fear.

Roman moved to my side and gently placed his hand on my shoulder. It felt warm and comforting but I couldn't look at him. I was too afraid. I felt his fingers caress and hold the side of my face, lifting it up towards him as leaned down to look at me.

'I will take care of both you and your daughter,' his voice was soft, deep, soothing and more importantly, convincing. 'I will make sure you are safe and well protected. I give you my word.'

I stared up at him, a frightening thought searing into my mind.

'You said you were one of them, Roman. Which are you? A challenger or my chosen mate?' I ventured.

His dark hypnotic eyes narrowed ever so slightly with what I fancied was determination.

'I don't know yet. I won't have that knowledge in my mind until you complete the change.' His voice deepened and although it remained soft and coaxing it sharpened ever so slightly with menace. 'But I will do whatever it takes to make you mine. I've waited too long for you to arrive in my life. I won't let you escape or be taken by another.'

He brushed my forehead with a light kiss that almost made me melt as quickly as a chocolate fireguard. Oh hell, I'm doomed.