Page 10 of The Prophecy
What would her father think of the monster she had become?
He’d always told, drilled into her, that a vampire doesn’t have to kill, and that she should never feed on the blood of the unwilling. How could she face him with the blood of so many innocents on her hands? Have him look at her with revulsion? She smoothed her features into blankness.
“I’d rather you killed me.”
***
Pain wrenched through him at her words. She would prefer death to lying with him.
He stared at her and slowly took in the tenseness of her muscles. Strain showed in every line of her body as she held herself rigid. Her posture reminded him of how she had stood before Sorien, how she had taunted him, tempted him to kill her. What had life shown her that she should choose to live? What could she know of love?
The thought brought him up short. Love? His people had always found love within their own kind, and when they had been wiped out by the fire-demons he had put aside all thoughts of ever finding a true mate. Now he looked at Raven and experienced again that curious stirring in his heart. She was meant to be his.
But he owed her. If he’d offered her the protection of the Council all those years ago, rather than a sentence of death, then she might never have been taken by the fire-demons. And, if the life she had led now made her crave the peace of death, could he deny her that? His mind went back to his sister. She had spent a year imprisoned by the fire-demons, and she had begged for death. Could he do less for Raven?
“Do you really want to die?” He had to force the words out.
“I’ve longed for death many times.”
“I won’t kill you.”
She sneered. “Will you rape me instead, then?”
He turned from her, his fists clenched. He had no clue what to do. He’d seen her fear, her pain. But he couldn’t just kill her, couldn’t just put her out of her misery like a damaged dog. His whole being fought against it. Besides, he’d also seen glimpses of what she could be.
He forced himself to concentrate; there was something else here. Raven was a fighter, he’d seen that. She wasn’t afraid of pain. So why was she so willing to die? He took a deep breath and turned back to her.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said. “Allow me to do what I must. Don’t fight me and afterwards, if you still wish to die, I will see to it that you get your desire.”
She hesitated, and his hands fisted at his side.
“Raven, I promise you, however distasteful you find sharing your body with me, it will cause you no pain.” He took a deep, calming breath. He knew there was something between them, some bond. Instinct told him that what they would have together would be special, magical. He needed the chance to show Raven that, to prove to her that life was worth living. “I have to go,” he said. “But I will return tomorrow before sunset. Think about what I’ve said. The choice will be yours. To live or to die. I don’t think you’re a coward, Raven. But if you wish to prove me wrong, then it’s your right,”
She stared at him her eyes narrowing. “You’re leaving?”
“I have things to arrange. But I’ll be back.”
He could see the doubt in her eyes. The lack of trust, but why should she trust him? Maybe with a little time, she would come to see this was the only way.
He stepped closer, and her muscles tensed with the need to run. He ignored the guilt that twisted his insides into knots and lowered his head and slowly kissed her. She tasted sweet. He’d never kissed a vampire before. For a moment, her lips softened, then tension ran through her and she stiffened and stepped away.
He didn’t try to hold her. Instead, he glanced around the cell, picked up his T-shirt, and willed the change over himself.
***
He was gone.
Just vanished.
A faint glow of light remained, and a tiny blue moth hovered in the center of the room. She watched as it fluttered its wings and then disappeared through the bars in the cell door. She ran across the room, was brought up short by the chains, and stood, staring at the last glimmer of light. Then that too was gone, and she was left in darkness.
Would she ever see him again?
