A sharp, burning sensation in my throat and lungs woke me up. Snapping open my eyes, I found that the room was filled with a strong haze of smoke.
“Cassius! Wake up.” I called out in a panicked voice, shaking him up. “Our house is on fire.”
He sat up, blinking, and then rubbing his eyes. He looked so adorable in that daze, but there was no time to admire him. I grabbed his arm and led him out of the house at vampire speed. We had just moved into the courtyard when Boom! The house exploded; sending pieces of debris flying in all directions.
I spun around quickly, pushing him to the ground and covering him with my body. Pieces of cinder and rocks pelted my back, but I held on.
“Miraya, Cassius, Don’t just stay here. Come with me.” Alpha Azarel’s voice sounded as he helped me up and led us both further away.
My mouth hung open, and I gaped as the long tongue of flames flared brighter. There was another explosion, and the house crumbled to the ground like a house of cards.
“I am sorry, Miraya. I should have warned you earlier.” Alpha Azarel said, placing his hand on my shoulder as a gesture of support.
My eyebrows furrowed. “You knew that there was going to be an explosion?”
“Andres isn’t the kind of person to let things go easily. Since he couldn’t enter your house, he must have set it on fire.”
A long sigh escaped my lips, and I massaged my forehead. “How I wish he would just leave me alone.”
“I don’t think Andres will be satisfied until he gets his revenge.”
“Revenge? Why does HE want revenge?” My nostrils flared and my jaws clenched. “HE killed my parents. HE turned me into a vampire. HE is the one who destroyed my perfectly peaceful life. Shouldn’t I be the one who wants to take revenge?”
“You ruined his opportunity to become the Vampire King. He couldn’t turn you into his puppet, even though you are sired to him.”
“Can’t he, you know? just go and turn someone else into his puppet!?”
“He can’t. Because there is no one else like you in this world.”
The frown on my forehead deepened. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
Alpha Azarel’s restless gaze drifted around. “I will tell you everything, but we have to get out of here first.”
With a resigned sigh, I held Cassius’s hand. “Let us go to my house.”
“I think it would be better if we go to my house. My parents have gone abroad and Andres doesn’t know where I live.”
“Umm…” Alpha Azarel rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t know if you would like this suggestion, but I think it will be better if you both come with me. Andres won’t dare to enter my territory.”
Alpha Azarel had saved our lives twice, and I felt like I could trust him. So, I agreed to go with him. We sat in a horse carriage and took off. Trotting through the stony paths and grassy meadows, we traveled non-stop for two days.
The morning of the third day brought with it a change in the landscape. We entered a region of high mountains and deep gorges. The fresh air drifted through the foliage of lush green trees, bringing along the sweet scent of moist earth.
“We are almost there,” Azarel said, lifting the flap of the coach. “My pack lives in the forest of Blackenwood; far away from human establishment; thus allowing all of us to exist without disturbing others who share the planet with us.
Over the two days, Azarel had told me all about werewolves, vampires, and witches and also the reason they wanted to target me.
I was born with a rare magical blood that gave me unique powers. Andres had turned me into a vampire, hoping that it would awaken my real powers. However, his plan backfired when I didn’t turn fully into a vampire.
Though I had acquired the speed and prowess of a vampire, I wasn’t blinded by thirst like them. It felt good to finally get answers to some of my questions.
The carriage came to a halt in front of a large, two-storeyed mansion with sloping roofs and large windows.
“This is my packhouse. You can live here till you want. The members of my pack will keep you safe,” Alpha Azarel said in a sincere voice, helping me and then Cassius out of the carriage.
My gaze drifted from the mansion to Azarel. “I want to ask you a question before I step into your house.”
“Sure.”
“Why are you helping us, Alpha Azarel?”
Conflicting emotions flitted across his features and he let out a sigh, “I won’t lie to you, Miraya. The Lycan King send me to the city to find you. Just like the vampires, werewolves want to be the ones who control you.”
A small gasp left my lips. I knew that he had some motive behind helping me. I just didn’t expect him to be so blunt about it.
He placed his right hand on his chest. “I don’t want to trick or deceive you, Miraya. Instead, I want our relationship to be based on friendship and trust; benefitting from each other’s help.”
“Why are you telling me this, Alpha Azarel?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Aren’t you afraid that I would leave after knowing your true intention?”
“If you want to go back to the city, I will ask the carriage to drop you safely at the place of your choice. Like I said earlier, I want our relationship to be based on mutual trust and friendship.”
“In that case,” I held out my right hand. “I would rather work with you than be compelled by vampires or tricked by the witches.”
His lips curved into a warm smile, and he shook my hands firmly.
“Do you trust him, Miraya?” Cassius asked once we were alone. I turned to face him, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips. “I am just biding my time till I can figure out everything.”
“That is good, then.” He leaned over and rested his chin on my shoulders, wrapping his arms around me at the same time. “Something seems off about him. He has been anything but helpful and honest. He even saved us many times. But I always get this weird feeling that he is hiding behind some mask.”
“Don’t worry, Cassius. There is only one person in this world whom I can trust blindly; you.”
His fingers traced soft lines along my back, lingering softly near the zipper. His soft lips pressed against my neck, his warm breath caressing my sensitive skin. Goosebumps rose on my neck, and the tingling sensation traveled right to my core.
“You know I love you, right? More than anything in this world. I can do anything, be anything for you.” His sweet words caressed my insides, filling me with warmth and healing the depths of my battered soul.
He unzipped my dress and took it off, his fingers tracing the contours of my back; pausing once in a while. “I know that you can heal fast, but I don’t like it when you get hurt.”
He pulled away and cupped my face, brushing the pad of his thumb against my lower lip. “In the future, you are not allowed to get hurt because of me.”
“But….”
My statement was cut off by a sudden gasp that left my lips. Cassius lifted me in my arms and carried me to the bathroom. He took his time, washing every inch of my body; carefully removing all the traces of the explosion.
Once we were done, he wrapped me in a soft towel and carried me to bed. Tucking me in, he placed a soft kiss on my forehead. “Just relax and go to sleep. I am here for you.”
It was too tempting a proposition to refuse. My lips curved in a smile as I snuggled under the covers and let the exhaustion take over.