Do Mine Eyes Deceive Me...A Gorgeous Sadistic Vampire?

JOANALIE

Why did it always happen to me? I'd woken up at about 5:00 in the morning, screaming from a nightmare I couldn't remember. It wasn't the first time this had happened. But, unlike the other times, Devlin wasn't there to comfort me.

I tried calling for him for the past ten minutes, but I got no response. It seemed that immortal men I wanted to get close to liked deserting me. I didn't know what to do. There was still a week until the party. I didn't know where to go in order to get there. I didn't know what to do in a palace for 8 days all by myself.

So I began walking through the corridors. I figured that I might be able to find one of those human workers at least that might be able to help me out. Hence, I found myself getting lost in the house . . . again. I began opening door after door, but it wasn't until after I closed each one that I realized I never actually looked inside.

Then, I heard it, and it was like sweet music to my ears. "Joanalie!" a voice called. I would have replied - my mouth was open and everything - but he appeared in front of me before I could make a sound. My prior feeling of loneliness abandoned me, and I couldn't help myself from smiling for a moment.

"Where were you?" our two voices sounded simultaneously and it was then when I noticed how unmelodious, scratchy, and unharmonious my voice was compared with Devlin's.

"Me?" I asked, surprised. "Well, after I woke up from anightmare dream, I couldn't find you, so I went looking for you. Where have you been?" I demanded, slightly hysterical.

"Don't be mad . . ." he warned. I nodded as he took my hand and we wandered into one of the rooms I had looked in but not actually seen. It was equipped with a chaise, a small kitchen, table included, and a balcony. He sat me down on the chaise, with him next to me, holding my hand lightly.

"I went to see Harrison," he admitted. My jaw clenched and so did my hand that was trapped inside of his. Why was he allowed to see Harrison, and I wasn't?

"Go on," I said shakily.

"I guess you could say he's doing alright. He's on vacations in the forest somewhere across the country. I think he's living off the natives. I went to see him, so I could confront him about you," Devlin explained, holding my hand tighter, too. I think my shoulders must have been shaking.

Harrison was on vacation - doing what? Swinging from vines? Getting away from me?

"What did he say?" I whispered. Devlin sighed and lay down against the chaise, pulling me down with him so that his arms were tight around me as I lay against his side.

"Not much. He wanted to know how the mentoring was going. But he also had something to tell me," his voice got quieter, and I knew bad news was coming. I turned my head to look at him and found his face already surprisingly close to mine.

"Joan . . . he killed your family."

I shot up away from him and off the chaise. I hurried to the balcony and just stood out there, letting the cold breeze arise goosebumps on my arms and freeze the moisture in my watering eyes. I wouldn't cry though. If Harrison did kill my parents, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

I had developed feelings for Harrison. I had probably even begun to fall for him. All of those feelings were trying hard to evaporate right now, and most of them did. But somewhere hidden within my darkest prison, I felt pity for him. I actually felt sorry for the murderer of my family, and he who ruined my life.

Boy, did he ever have something coming when I saw him at our party. I had no idea what I was going to say to him, but all I knew was that I needed to start training with Devlin, now. I knew practically all the basics of Immortal nature and history. Now, it was time to being customs, such as fighting and hunting.

Long, strong arms wrapped around me from behind. A chin was rested on my bare shoulder (I was wearing a tank top), followed by a pair of soft lips.

"I'm so sorry, Joan. I wish I could have done something, but he ran away from me, and he's faster than I am. Is there anything you need?" he asked soothingly, unintentionally seductive.

"Yes," I said, feeling the undeniable passion that had been building up inside me since the first day I met Devlin. "There is."

He must have read the thoughts running through my mind of what I desperately wanted at the moment, but I couldn't care less. I was vulnerable, broken, and furious. I needed a vent for my emotions, and the strongest one right now was desire.

I could see the lust in Devin's eyes, too, but he was still hesitant not wanting to scare me off. I laughed humorlessly. As if he could scare me off now.

I shifted myself in his arms so that I was facing him and my arms slid around his neck naturally. I was about to have my very first kiss, but all I could feel was ruth. I was feeling ruthless right now, and I couldn't explain why.

But I didn't have time to think about much more. I was standing up on my tip-toes with my eyes close and lips pursed. He was too tall for me to do all the work. Devlin had to meet me half way. And he did.

Our lips met in an intense frenzy. He wasted no time in pulling me back to the chaise and lying down on top of me. My tongue seemed to already know what to do as it licked his bottom lip that was encased between mine.

If I had known that making out would feel so good . . . so right . . . so perfect, I would have kissed Devlin so long ago.

Our tongues dance ceremoniously and I knew that the passion was only just getting started.