Seduction in Blood

The snow fell to the ground, laying a blanket of white across the grassy knolls. As the sun slowly began to set behind the leafless trees, the snow glimmered like millions of diamonds. His light steps crunched the thin blanket of snow, leaving grooves from the soles of his shoes. A cool breeze whipped across the land, creating swirls of white dust to litter the open field. There was one lone tree, white as a ghost and taller than the walls of the castle. Pulling his black, leather gloved hand from his deep gray coat pocket, he touched the smooth bark that reminded him of a rock beaten by the rivers powerful current. Closing his sapphire blue eyes, he let his head fall between his powerful, muscled shoulders.

“I asked to be alone, Nikolas.” His voice was sharp and dipped in venom, but his rigid, tall figure stiffened making him more threatening. The hand he had pressed on the tree clenched tightly and he whirled around. Nikolas stood five paces away, hands behind his back, eyes direct, face still, and stance relaxed. Darrien Delacroix was a vicious and cold-hearted person, but he was a vampire lord, so it was to be expected. “Leave me at once!” Darrien commanded harshly, his dark brown shaggy hair falling into his eyes.

“My apologies, sir, but there is a message from the council.” Nikolas’s sky-blue eyes watched Darrien carefully. “Your answer is requested.”

“She’s already dead to me, tell them to do as they will.” Darrien turned around, fighting back the need to scream and runaway. He didn’t really mean what he said, but there was no other choice; the council would do as they saw fit.

“Darrien,” Nikolas spoke gently, looking to his master. “I’m sorry.” He walked away, his steps crunching the snow. Once the sound had faded away, Darrien looked up at the blood red sky as it faded to black. There was no moon that night just thousands and thousands of stars, twinkling like diamonds in a crown.

“Goodbye,” he whispered softly into the wind, falling to his knees. That may have been the very first time that Darrien shed a tear for a person. Her voice echoed in his mind, constant memories plagued him like a sickness. Everything he had tried to do to save her had failed and he didn’t have a clue why. One day he would find out what went wrong, even if it meant killing his own twin brother. “I know you, Ethan. This was your doing.” His teeth were clenched tightly, his fangs poked his pale pink lips, causing thick red blood to trickle down his chin.

One day the truth would be revealed.