The Blade - Part 4

"Follow me," he whispered.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" she whispered back.

"Gia, some of the king's men are threatened that we let a witch into the castle. Once you are turned, you'll be safe."

"So, turn me!" she exclaimed.

"This isn't the appointed time," he replied, grabbing her hand. "No time to argue." He dragged her through the servant's hallways and below into the underground tunnels. They traveled for ten minutes before they entered a hidden room, and he sealed them in.

Locked in the room with this stranger, she was frantic, asking, "Who the hell are you? No one knows a soldier by the name of Travis?"

"None of that matters now. Your safety is my top priority."

In her anger, she reached out and touched his face. Tendrils of electricity flew between them as she saw his memories. A lifetime's worth in mere seconds. Shocked, she stepped away from him, screaming, "You! You killed my father! And I trusted you!"

"Gia, I can explain." He tried to hold her, but she pushed him away.

"You bastard. I hate you. Leave me to the wolves for all I care!"

Tears were streaming down her face. She could barely breathe.

Calming down, she asked, "Why? Why didn't you tell me the truth? Now, I can never be with you."

"Gia, please. I didn't tell you while we were in the woods because we were fleeing. I meant to tell you everything. Please let me explain."

Shaking her head, she cried, "No! There's nothing to explain. I saw what you did. End of story."

"No, Gia. You cut off the memory the minute you saw my blade strike him. Come here and take the rest of the memory. Please."

He waited as she decided what to do.

If it were safe for her to escape, she would have, but instead, she stayed. She walked up to him and held her hand to his face again. Closing her eyes, she watched her father ask Prince Juri to kill him before the darkness devoured his daughter. The prince knelt by his side, begging for a way to save him, but King Reginald walked in as they talked, ready to take her father's soul.

Juri, aka Travis, stood, pierced her father, and fled to her room before the Dark King could steal her father's soul.

He sweetly whispered, "I'd never have harmed your father. Never! Gia, it was too late. I couldn't save him, and the thought of the Dark King taking his soul was inconceivable."

Gia threw her arms around him, questioning, "Why didn't you tell me your real name? Why hide from me the truth?"

"I needed to hide my identity until you reached the safety of my land. Our land. My father was afraid that if they captured you, you'd reveal my identity. I fear that the Dark King already knows, but I'll turn you when you're ready, and then you'll be one of the most powerful vampires in our kingdom. Most will fear you. Others shall revere you."

She looked at him, full of curiosity at his emotions. Could he love her, or would he fear her? "And you? Will you fear me?"

"No. I'll adore you," he replied, resting his forehead on hers. Sighing, he teased, "Perhaps if I called you a witch in the wrong moment, perhaps then, I might fear you."

"As well you should," she laughed at the look he gave her.

"On a more serious note, you'll be safe here. You can turn now if you want. Get it over with."

She looked nervous, fearing he would immediately demand intimacy in the bedroom. She was not ready for that with this stranger. "No, we should wait."

"Gia, we can wait for intimacy, but we shouldn't wait to turn you. I need to keep you safe."

She gave him her best "fine" and a pout, but he laughed at her antics.

Leaning in, he kissed her sweet lips gently before pushing her gown off her shoulder. She cried out as his fangs sank into her skin, and he drank from her for the first time. Taking his fill, he picked her up and sat on the stone floor, waiting as the venom took hold.

The next twenty-four hours would be pure agony for her, and he needed to stay focused to keep her safe at all costs.

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Author's notes

Thank you for reading my story! It means a lot. If you really loved this story, please check out my other stories, leave a comment, or share with other readers.

Here are the links so you can read the entire series:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 5

Finally, if you have a story that you think I might like, feel free to leave a link in my comments, and I will check it out. I really love fantasy stories, if you can tell. Oh, and good food, too!