Dark Beauty

I waited expectedly for the answer from this dark stranger. I knew the answer, and I knew what it would mean. It would sadly mean that I was dreaming. I was back in my dorm room dreaming about a handsome Carpathian hunter who had come to save me. I wished it was real…but then again, things in books usually are better. I knew by asking this question, I could ruin this dream. I didn’t care. I wanted to be able to act how I felt in this dream…even if it was shameless.

“How do you know of us?” The man asked cautiously. Emotion. I had ruined the dream. He had a lifemate waiting for him somewhere. She was watching us through his eyes. It made me sad to know this. Even in my dreams, the prefect man was already taken.

I shrugged before I finally answered him. “You’re all characters in romance novels. And this was a very nice dream.”

“No dream,” the man said standing. He held out his hand to me and I took it. I felt a little woozy as I stood up and tried not to swoon. I was beginning to look very pathetic; I thought I was made of tougher stuff.

“It has to be a dream,” I insisted as I regained my equilibrium. “Vampires don’t exist. And neither do Carpathians, though I wish they did. It just doesn’t happen.”

“You doubt I exist?” he asked.

“Well, duh. Anything can happen in a dream, even make believe characters,” I informed him. It was a rather odd conversation to be having with a figment of my imagination, but it was a dream. Why shouldn’t I be having an odd conversation?

Now it was his turn to take me by surprise. I had never been kissed before. Like most girls though, I thought I knew what to expect from it. I guess that’s what I get for thinking. I couldn’t describe what this was though. It was bliss and fear. It was desperation and exaltation. I wanted it to end but I wanted that moment to be eternity. “Do such things happen often in your dreams little one?” he asked in a soft, husky whisper that brushed my lips.

“No,” I almost squeaked the word. What was happening to me? I had never felt anything like that. I had never known that I could feel things like that. But I had just moments again. Maybe this wasn’t a dream after all. It took me a minute before I was able to regain my bearings. “Y-you know,” I stuttered, “your lifemate probably isn’t happy about the fact that you just kissed another woman.”

The Carpathian raised an eyebrow inquisitively. “You believe me to have a lifemate?”

“You have to have a lifemate. You have emotions and you are way too powerful to be under two hundred years old,” I reasoned.

“You know much about us.”

“I already told you,” I sighed exasperated. “You’re fiction characters. I’ve read about you in romance novels. Why wouldn’t I know these things?”

“We exist. This is not a dream. And I had not found my lifemate…until tonight.”

Sadness overwhelmed me. I wished I could be his lifemate. “She’s a lucky girl.”

“I am lucky to have found her. I have waited many years to find my lifemate. I think that maybe I shall even kiss her again.”

I groaned. “Then don’t tell me about it! Go to her and just-” The rest of my sentence was lost as I was kissed for the second time in less than ten minutes. It again took close to a minute to regain my composure after that kiss. “Isn’t your lifemate at all upset?” I asked quietly.

“I thought she was very pleased with the kiss,” he said with every bit of masculine pride her had showing through.

“She allows you to kiss women other than her?!” I demanded outraged.

“Never,” his voice was a low hiss. “The only woman I have ever kissed is my lifemate.”

It a moment for that to sink in. “You said what?”

“The only woman…that I have ever kissed…is my lifemate," he spoke slowly enunciating each word.

“That’s impossible, because you just kissed me twice.”

“I know this very well little one.”

His smile was more of a smirk. God I loved how it looked on him. No, bad thoughts! I shouted to myself. “That would make me your lifemate which is impossible," I insisted trying to ignore my thoughts.

“And why would you think that little one?”

I sighed. I really didn't want to give this list. Good-bye self-esteem. “One: I’m not pretty, not even remotely so. Two: I have no psychic abilities. Three: I can be the most ruthless person you could ever have the misfortune of meeting.” I told him defiantly.

The Carpathian smiled. “No,” he told me certainly.

“Excuse me?” I asked a little taken aback. “Do I not know myself now?”

“You’re wrong,” he said stepping forward and wrapping his arms around me. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Your soul is pure light. There is no evil there…no cruelty…no ruthlessness as you say. You are good, kind, caring, and everything that is good in this world ma seul. I consider myself lucky to have found you.” I started crying and wrapped my arms around him tight. “What is wrong meine Seele?”

“How do I know this isn’t a dream? How do I know that I’m not going to wake up and you’ll never have existed?” I demanded. If he was mine, I didn’t want to lose him because he was only in my head. I didn’t know if I could handle that.

“I have told you already little one, I am no dream. And I swear that I would never leave you. You are the other half of my soul. How could I ever desire to leave that?” He said those words. One part of me knew that he meant it all with his whole heart and soul and being. But there was another, more doubtful part that was still afraid that I could never be good enough for someone like this man. And this other part had a firm grip on my heart telling me that one day…even if this wasn’t a dream…I was going to lose him…