Chapter 15

I informed Fran of everything that had happened this morning, not bothering to leave out any of the details, which of course was the norm for us. Whether either of us liked what the other had to say, we told the brutal honest truth.

A look of surprise shown on her face and the blush of anger was beginning to grow. I knew she would end up being upset with Dimitri as well as Alex, but at least now the playing field was even.

“So who is this Montclaire? Are you going to have to meet him? Why all these games? It's not like Dimitri is here to fight for you, and I'll be damned if you spend the rest of your life alone all because he died before his time.”

“Oh Frannie. I do not know. The more I try to figure things out the more hectic and confusing they become. Unfortunately I have a gut instinct that meeting Micah is just going to cause more questions without answers, however we still have to do it. Let's head there after lunch.” Fran agreed and we headed to grab a bite to eat.

I could feel Dimitri nagging at the fringes of my consciousness wanting to get our discussion over with so I decided it best to deal with it right then and there.

“You may as well speak your mind Dimitri, putting it off is not going to make it any better.” I stated in my mind. I was beginning to like this form of conversation. It was so much easier to feel someone's emotions and hear their words at the same time. It made it almost impossible for them to lie.

I could hear Dimitri fighting to control his voice as he spoke. “When I was near you your blood to me was a fragrance that every fiber of my being reached for. I had no power to resist except my heart would not destroy that which I loved. I could only imagine when our time had come and I finally allowed myself to kiss the vein along your throat and feel it pulsating beneath my lips, to pierced your skin with my teeth, the sweet taste of you as your heart pulsed its warm nectar into my eager mouth, and your blood flowed over my tongue, and slid down my throat. I have often imagined the look of sweet ecstasy on your face as you in turn drank my blood when I embraced you the first time. I had endured much to restrain myself while I waited for the right time between us. All of this I felt and still I knew better than to dare even smallest taste of you just once. I would not have drank your blood because my thirst was too dangerous to you until it was time.”

I feel betrayed by Alex because he should have known better than to put you in danger like that. Alex had just finished fighting. He was worn out and he'd been injured and was losing blood which is never good for Vampires. Losing blood is like draining our life force right out of us. He did not think! It was wholly reckless! Believe me he was not just saving your life.....he was preserving his own to boot, Raelyn Avangeline!! He vowed to take care of you and keep you safe instead he put you at risk. I will not apologize for what you overheard, you are mine until I release you or you die, that is how it works. Why should I release you so that he can have you and possibly put you in more danger?”

“I for one would have liked to have a say so Dimitri in how my life is run. It's getting rather damn annoying having everyone else make decisions for me, instead of allowing me the opportunity to do so myself. I trusted Alex enough to know that he would have found the will somehow to stop.

“Sometimes I forget how innocent you truly are. It is times like these that I am reminded.” Dimitri said sounding tired.

I only growled. I could not stand when Dimitri and Alex treated me like I was some love struck teenager that couldn't make decisions.

It sounded as though Dimitri exhaled a long slow breath, even though I knew better. “Alex had not drank human blood in over two years. You do not understand what it can be like to taste it again after so long. But I know. And what's worse is he knows. I'll tell you another thing.. He did not know until he pulled away from your pulsating neck that he could do it.”

I simply could not believe Dimitri's words.

“How is it you could trust him to look out for me before, but not so now? You do not have the right to hold on to me Dimitri. Am I sad that your life ended without rhyme or reason? Yes. Does it still kill me that you are gone? Yes. Do I still love you? You know that I always will. But I refuse to be a pawn for you and Alex and any one else to fight over. I want to see Alex, Dimitri. That is my decision. I like him for the person he is, and for because bits of him remind me of you. I do not want to have to go to this Montclaire person, but if you force the issue, I will. You and Alex should be working together, NOT fighting over me....

I changed the subject to try to calm myself. I didn't want to argue right now.

“Thank you for all that you left me. I only kept a few items from the house. I did find the notebooks and the chest. “I took the dresses you left me. Thank you. You always know what looks good on me.” I paused and took a deep breath. My eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

“Raelyn?” Dimi called after a long pause.

“I found two of your shirts in the bottom of the closet. You used to leave them in there as if the whole bottom of our closet was your personal dirty clothes basket.” Tears spilled one by one over onto my cheeks. “It used to make me so angry because after I'd done the laundry I'd always find a stray shirt or unmatched sock that I'd missed...”

“Oh honey, please don't.” Dimi whispered his own voice unsteady.

“They smell like you..” I continued as if he hadn't spoken. My voice barely audible. It made no difference. Dimi could feel my pain like an open wound that had been left to fester for months. He didn't need to hear my words.

“And all I could think was that I would give anything if you could leave them there again....” My tears flowed freely now.

“It was my choice.” Dimi whispered “I'm so sorry, Raelyn but I had to protect the Pride. It was my oath and my duty to them.”

“It was never mine!” I shouted letting my anger and grief flow through me like water rushing down a rapid. “You didn't give me time to find a way! Oh God Dimitri you didn't even let me try! I could have found a way...” I finished softly, my anger had ran it's course for the time being.

“I know and will always love you Rae for not going against my wishes. My decision has cost us both dearly. I didn't know.. I couldn't have known what kind of crushing pain this would cause us both; but even now that I know I wouldn't change what we did.”

Dimitri couldn't think of anything else to say. If he had a body he'd be crying and now I felt his pain as raw and festering as my own. Suddenly all I wanted for both of us was not to hurt anymore.

“I'm sorry.” I whispered. “Sometimes its hard to accept that we had...”

“Sshhh now my love.” Dimitri's drive to comfort me was so strong that it took on a physical manifestation. At first all I felt was a tingling like electricity dancing along my skin so strong that I shivered and rubbed my arms. Then it felt almost itchy but it was Dimitri's presence and I did not fight it. The scent of his cologne filled my nostrils and then I felt his arms softly closing around me.

“I'm here.” He whispered to me, the words going deeper than thought. “I will always be here for you.”

I relaxed into his embrace but too soon I felt him start to pull away.

“Don't leave!” I cried.

“I can't stay this way too long my love, it takes way too much energy. I'm sorry I am not strong enough to stay with you longer.”

I felt him move away from me and I wanted to scream and rail against whatever it was that pulled us apart in the first place, but I knew he had given all that he had to give and my screaming and crying would only serve to hurt us both all the more.

“Thank you, I'm better.” I lied. Sometimes I felt I would never be better again.

Dimitri knew I was lying but he let it go. It was all either of us could do. So much senseless pain between us. Only time could make it hurt less..or so he hoped.

I went back to what we were talking about. It was safer ground for the both of us.

“The weapons and jewelry in the chest are exquisite! These were some of the objects you first told me about aren't they?”

“Yes those are the items I told you about. Keep them safe. Dimitri sounded exhausted.

I still felt a strong pull on his energy as though he couldn't bare to pull back all the way. I felt in our brief contact that his arms ached to hold me as much as I missed being engulfed in the safety of his embrace.

Hugging me had taken a lot out of him. Expressing our love lately only seemed to bring pain to the both of us.

“Will you be ok?” I whispered.

“I'll be fine really.” He replied.

His voice was riddled with the frustration of not being there for her. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms and kiss away her tears and make it all right again. It was bad enough that he had to deal with his own warring emotions with out having to feel her broken heart and not being able to do anything about it. Now she was in danger and he could do nothing to help except try to warn Alex when he could.

“Damn!” He swore out loud.

It could never be the way it was; it would never be all right again between them.

“Dimitri?” Raelyn questioned.

She was confused. Dimi rarely cursed.

His guilty conscious was riding him hard. He knew that her being with Alex was the best thing for her. The longer she was with Alex, the more he could feel her pain lessen a little bit. Despite what he knew, his jealous heart just wouldn't allow him to tell her that it was ok. It felt too much like giving up. His death had taken away all of his hopes and dreams. It had taken Raelyn so far away from him he could never feel her warmth against his skin again. He wasn't ready to give up on the last thing they had left together. Their love. Even as he thought this he knew one day he would have to let her go so she could live and breath freely...without him.

Part of her pain came from his trying to keep her near him and the bond they had through his Vampiric right. Their love held her in limbo. Stuck between death and life, not truly part of either place; but it was only in that place that he could hear her thoughts and feel her love surrounding him, renewing his soul like a warm summer rain after a long dry spell. Her essence made him remember vividly that he was once alive and all that the gift of life bestows on a man.

When he surrounded her with his presence like he did just now, for a few seconds, she made him truly live again. He drank from her, but not of blood. Without a body he didn't need that any more. He felt her heart beating, her blood flowing through her veins, he smelled her skin and felt the air breeze in and out of her lungs and he was able to endure the separation from the one he loved more than his own life. No one knew that he fought a vicious battle with the angel of death so he could stay in his self imposed isolated prison to protect her. He was alone in this battle that was not over and couldn't be, until he surrendered. The archangel Morthiel was so powerful he had never lost a battle with anyone man or beast. Dimitri had done well to back him off and create this place where he could exist. But Dimitri knew he was only delaying the inevitable to a more convenient time. Right now he couldn't even bear the thought of his truly leaving Raelyn. He was being selfish and he knew it. Something was coming....for her. He could feel the stirrings of it even now. It was more dangerous than anything he had ever known. He simply could not leave her on her own.

“It's nothing.” He sighed raggedly. I had a mental picture of Dimitri shaking his head. Sometimes our bond was strong enough that I could see him in my mind as though he were standing in front of me talking. This time I thought that breaching his bonds of death to come to I had left a sweet taste of him in my soul like a favorite piece of caramel that lingered in my mouth long after the candy itself was gone.

“Raelyn, maybe I just can't bear the thought that if you go to him that you will forget me altogether. I hate that I was taken so soon and that next week we would have been married and on our honeymoon. Now instead of happiness, my soul aches to touch yours again and is left wanting. I have abandoned you to protect you so I thought, and now you must quickly learn the skills to protect yourself and those left for you to love.”

Dimitri was so very tired. His anguish was evident. I could feel his driving need to protect me as though he had been starving for ages and my blood was the only blood in the universe that would satisfy his ravishing hunger.

He reprimanded himself trying to calm his raw nerves.

“I just need to leave it alone. There is no clear answer for either of us right now.” It was hard to shed his sense of urgency around me.

He went back to talking about the objects in the house.

“I already knew what it was that you would keep. Yes the stuff in the chest are the objects I told you of.”

“Well I do not want to fight with you and I do not want you fighting with Alex. You know me well enough to know that I am going to do what I want; when I want, so please release me and let me make my own decisions here.”

To draw away from her was to die. Dimitri was not human. Was there a heaven or hell? Was there a different place for him to rest in peace because he was a vampire? Dimitri didn't know. He was a little afraid of that last battle when Morthiel finally won. He was glad for once that she couldn't understand what she was asking. It would only cause her more pain to worry about him when she could do nothing to help him. He nursed that gaping wound of helplessness daily. He did not want her to feel it too.

“I will attempt to, is that enough?” He manage to say it more brightly than he felt.

“I'll take what I can get at this point.” I said. “Your attempt will have to do for now. Please know though that I plan on kissing Alex more.”

Dimitri winced. He was glad I could not see his reaction. He paused a little before he replied to make sure he had control over the tone in his voice.

“I am fair warned, although I cannot bring myself to accept the idea of you and Alex together..kissing..Just as you could not abide me kissing another woman and you standing there helpless to prevent it. I'm still in love with you.” He finished with great emotion coloring his voice.

“I know, Dimi, I know.” I answered him softly.

“I must ask a favor of you. The necklace that you found in the chest that looks like fangs, will you promise me that you will wear it at all times?” Dimitri's voice sounded stronger now. More sure. Concentrating on my safety helped.

“I already had planned on doing so. It's quite beautiful. Thank you.”

“I'm glad you liked it enough to want to wear it.” He said.

“I have to go now Dimitri, we are at the restaurant now, then we are off to meet Micah.”

“Enjoy lunch my love. Have fun with Micah, you'll really like him.”

“Dimitri” I said softly not wanting to leave him with only my new affection for Alex ringing in his ears.

“Yes.” He braced himself for something else he could not hear.

“Thee” I said with all the love I still had for him.

He was so touched he could barely speak. “Thee” He managed to whisper.

We had written our marriage vows together. And because I so passionately insisted that one day I would become a vampire; Dimitri had finally consented after much discussion and down right arguing. He wanted me to live. Wanted to feel the beat of my heart and warmth of my skin against the coolness of his for as long as he could. And I agreed to live until we had a child and then I would wait no longer. We both decided that our marriage vows would contain not only the consistency of marriage, but of the change that would come when Dimitri finally embraced me as his wife. When I wanted to tell him how much I loved him, months before our marriage I used this one word to remind him of our vows and that I would eagerly give up my life to be with him forever. I was going to give Dimitri the most precious thing I owned. He was always humbled by the intensity of my love.

My vow to him was:

“My love was a chrysalis imprisoned in grief, before thy love found me. Whatever thou will have me change I will change. Whatever thou will have me be I will be. My love for thee is as fragile as butterfly wings floating on the cool breeze that is thy life. Winging its way into thy heart. Its brilliant colors are only for thee.”

 

His reply was:

“Change not my love! My heart was dead and cold as the grave before thy warm light shone upon me. It is thy beautiful love that flows through my veins and brings me life. With you I am continually satiated. Fear not! My love is for thee and no other. Come fragile butterfly and let thy love rest safe forever within me.”

I felt him pull away as though we were holding hands and he pulled back slowly at the very end just leaving fingertips touching before he was truly gone. At our barest touch I felt the peace he took with him. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to focus back on Fran, she knew I was preoccupied so she had just waited for me to finish.

“You were talking to Dimitri weren't you? Did you know that when you do that, you go into a blank stare like you are daydreaming? You do not hear or see anything, so I would be careful doing that in public. And you know I don't really care, but you having arguments with Dimitri in public spooks people. Could you manage to do that in private?” She said smiling at me arching one of her eyebrows.

I had sense enough to blush as I looked around the parking lot at the frowning people around me.

“Yep. I better get control of that...” I replied sheepishly.

Fran laughed.

“Do I have that ability? I just want to know because if I start staring into space and start what looks like talking to myself out loud, I want to make sure I don't do that too much in public by myself so people don't get notions of locking me away somewhere safe with padded cells.”

It was my turn to laugh.

“Too late! You already talk out loud to yourself when you have too many things on your mind. People already think you're crazy! But as to the esp thing that I am not sure about, we'll check with Alex and Micah.”

Fran laughed and shook her head yes. Talking to herself was a bad habit she'd had since childhood and had no intention of stopping now.

I'm starving let's eat!” I said.

“I agree. Over lunch we will talk some more. I can tell there is more you want to tell me.”

We smiled at one another and entered the restaurant. It was crowded but not to the point that it would take long for us to get a seat. We were seated in a booth in the corner within about fifteen minutes, and the hostess told us our waitress would be with us as soon as possible.

Claire was her name, she told as as she rushed over to take our drink orders and give us a run down of the specials. She was a robust lady, in her mid thirties. Jet black hair that came to her lower back even in a high ponytail, and she was a wiry little thing, then again I guess you would have to be in this line of work. It was similar to our work at the hospital, always on the go.

We both ordered sugar-free lemonade, over the last year Fran and I had become hooked to a particular brand of the stuff, and it was hard to find in the stores to buy for at home, so we made sure that if we were out to eat and they had it that we ordered it. We told Claire we needed a little longer before deciding what we wanted to eat. She told us she'd be back with our drinks and was gone again.

“Okay I need to get this out quickly before I explode. I've never loved Zayne as anything more than a friend, but man was it hard today. When I saw him Fran I felt as though someone had taken and shaken me a million times. I was angry at him for the fight we last had, sick to my stomach with nervousness. I was breathless and saddened, yet I also felt as though my mind just stopped. Which is quite impossible, but for a few seconds I could not think. My whole body was shaking so it was a good thing I did not have to pick anything up. I was just an odd response to someone that I've known for so long. I'm completely baffled.”

“Well Rae it's a normal response. You could not be sure that another fight would not happen, or that either of you would know what to say to one another. It was an odd choice of Dimitri to make, in choosing Zayne to represent his estate, yet I think Dimitri knew you may need Zayne in the picture.”

“Yeah I get that but at the same time, I know Zayne and with Dimitri out of the picture he'll think that he can try to get in the running to date me. Even though we have been through it over and over again that dating him is not an option for me, I guess I just am afraid that we'll end up fighting again.”

“Rae that is something only time will be able to tell. Besides Zayne is not bad on the eyes and can give Alex a run for his money. Some competition will do him good, and you deserve to have them fight for your affection a little bit. And its not like you are already dead set on Alex right?”

I took a deep breath because this was the same question I kept asking myself and hearing it aloud from Fran only made it more real.

“I just don't know..... I've been asking myself the same thing. I like Alex and the way I feel when I am with him, the simple way he makes me smile. Yet I miss Dimitri every day, then if I throw Zayne into the mix and I just feel so confused and frustrated. I know no one can help me make a decision. However I do not want a fight when I do finally make that decision. I want to take my time with this. And if I decide I want to spend time with one more than the other I do not want any grief about it.

“Ok...In the real world...” Was Fran's catch phrase to me to let me know I couldn't have everything my way.

I eyed her suspiciously. Something else was on her mind and she was going to make me work for it.

“AAhhh Poor you! Three men all in love with you! What's a girl to do? When will you find time to wax your floors and dust the furniture?” Fran giggled rolling her eyes. “That we should all have your problems!”

I punched Fran on her shoulder. Mostly because there had been a time in my life when I despaired ever having a boyfriend at all. She was trying to remind me of that. I used to complain that our house was too clean, because I had more than enough time on my hands to clean it. Now with my confusing love life and our busy schedules at the hospital, neither one of us hardly did any housekeeping at all, which is why we now had a housekeeper to do all that stuff. She was insinuating that I was being lazy stringing all these men along when in the end I could only pick one. Most importantly though, she was making me regret my situation less and I knew there was an inherent problem with all this....male attention. It wasn't as fun as it she made it sound. I continued, daring her with my eyes to say another word. She was supposed to be making me think less about my situation....not more.

“I already told Dimitri that I plan on kissing Alex some more and he needs to find a way to deal with it. All I really care about right now is finding out what all this drama is about, why those closest to me are getting hurt, and how to stop it! Is that too much to ask for?”

“No Raelyn it is not.” This I heard aloud from Fran and in my head by Dimitri and Alex. Yet there was a third voice in my head, Zayne's!

Just as I closed my eyes to concentrate on this new voice, I could see the exasperation on Fran's face. She was shaking her head and laughing.

“How in the HELL can I hear you Zayne? Can Alex and Dimitri hear you?”

I took a deep breath trying to calm myself but at this point I'd had my fill. I could only assume that no one else could hear us, because no one spoke other than Zayne and I now.

“Zayne explain!” I demanded.

“Well I'm not really sure why. I just know that it started when you showed up this morning. I am sorry for your loss and for the unknown issues you are having to deal with now. I can't express how sorry I am for the fight we had. Although it doesn't change the way I feel. And you are correct, I am going to put in with the others to date you and take you out. Even if it only turns out to strengthen our friendship. I regret our fight and have worried about you this last year. When Dimitri came to me it caused me even more worry because he knew my feelings and I thought I was the last person on earth I thought he would turn to.”

“All of this is so strange to me right now. I will fair warn you Zayne, my feelings have not changed. I still think of you as my family more than I do as a potential boyfriend. And I am spending a lot of time with Alex and am interested in getting to know him better. Whether or not Dimitri, Fran, or you approve.”

“DaMartine, why would it matter if Dimitri approves, he's dead, its not like he can voice his opinion.”

“That's where you are mistaken Zayne. There is a lot that you do not know right now. Do me a favor though, please do not listen in to my conversations or thoughts. If I need to speak to you I'll contact you.”

“Of course DaMartine, you know I'd never invade your privacy like that. Although you should know...I can't hear anyone but you. Nonetheless,your conversation was playing in my head like a song,you know how you hear a song and cannot get it out of your head for the rest of the day. Well that is what your conversation has been doing, that is the only reason I thought what I did, I had no idea that you would hear what I thought.”

“That's acceptable. I'm sure I'm making a scene. I'm supposed to be having lunch with Fran. I need to get back to her now. I'll speak to you again soon.”

“Alex can you hear her?” Dimitri questioned his voice riddled with anxiety.

“No Dimi, I cannot.” Alex countered. “We need to find out what has cut her off from us right now!”

“What's going on? Where the hell is she?” They both questioned into the empty air. “The severing is complete.” Alex whispered. “I thought..”

“That she couldn't be separated from us?” Dimitri continued. “Up until this minute, I would have said that she couldn't be separated from us either. But...but...there is something about this...It is not only someone else I sense that is causing this but I don't think that this is entirely against her will either.”

“Mon Dieu! You mean she wants us unable to protect her?” Alex protested.

Dimitri laughed.

“I don't think she sees it that way exactly. She just wants some privacy...some distance to figure out what she wants.”

“What...WHO is that? I Feel...” Alex stopped and concentrated his whole being focused on the place he last felt Raelyn and Fran.“

“Dimitri who is this that I feel?” The hackels were rising on the back of Alex's neck. “There is great danger near...” Alex whispered still delicately sending tendrils of power into the restaurant to find Raelyn. “There is...”

“Death.” Dimitri finished. “If Raelyn is still in that place she is flirting with death itself.

“AAhhh get out of my head you b*****d!” Alex screamed grabbing his head and falling heavily to his knees.

It felt like someone was reaching through his mind and pushing evil energy hard and fast down into his chest slashing and clawing trying to rip out his heart. The gut wrenching attack in his brain and chest caused him to fall onto the floor and writhe in pain. People from all over the house were shouting and racing frantically up the stairs to find him.

Dimitri sent a rush of power to Alex and set up a shield to block the attack. It was as though both of them were arm wrestling with a giant. The evil slowly receded from Alex's chest and he panted with relief. When they combined power, both of them PUSHED and the evil was moved farther back up into his head. Alex felt hands on his body and heard shouting all around him. He could no longer make out what anyone was saying. Not even Dimitri. He was straining for all he was worth to win the battle that was raging within his body. Finally, slowly the evil was repelled and was gone from Alex's mind. The pain receded with it. It left him trembling completely depleted of any energy he had left.

The last thing he heard was Paul's voice. “He needs to feed.”

Alex tried to tell them it was too late. He didn't have the strength, but his tongue felt thick in his mouth, and he couldn't open his jaw. His throat would make no sound. It didn't make any difference in the end because a cloud of darkness overcame him and the weight of death pressed upon his soul.

“This is not possible.” He thought dimly and then he lost consciousness.

“He is as though the sun has risen.” Paul whispered to Dimitri in wonder. “He sleeps the eternal sleep of our kind.”

“We've got to find Raelyn now!” Dimitri shouted. “Everyone in the house search for Raelyn! Whatever attacked Alex is in the same place as she I fear!”

I felt as though my head might explode. Too many voices talking at once made for one heck of a headache. I couldn't help but smile at the simple fact that I now had a way to block Alex and Dimitri from my head and thoughts, what a surprising relief I now felt as I snapped out of it, only to get a look from Fran before I could say anything though something caught her eye over my head. I was almost afraid to turn around. Before I could though the figure was next to me. It was Michael, our house supervisor from work, which was odd but a nice relief. I still had an uneasy feeling about him, but I was definitely glad that it wasn't trouble or bad news at the moment.

“Well hello Michael, what a pleasant surprise.”I stated as I turned to greet him.

It was at that moment that I felt the unease increase to the point where I was struggling to control the panic. Something definitely was not right. I could not for see what would cause this. It wasn't until I heard Dimitri's frantic voice in my head again, that I knew something was wrong.

“Raelyn Avangeline,what in the hell happened to you? I've been trying to contact you!”

I started to get angry. I didn't do anything and I didn't have to account to Dimitri for my every move. I started to tell him so, but he didn't give me the chance.

“Whatever you were going to say save it! We'll discuss this later because right at the moment you and Fran need to get out of there now! I do not know who or what it is, but you are near great evil. This is not a request, I do not issue orders often, but I order you now. GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!!!”

I looked at Fran and she could read the panic in my eyes. I looked at my watch then back at Fran.

“Oh s**t, Fran we are late for that appointment, we got to talking and completely spaced the time. Michael I apologize greatly for having to run, but we have been waiting for weeks to get this appointment. Please forgive our rudeness, but we really must go.” I said getting up quickly.

Dimitri had some explaining to do, but I could hear the strained worry in his voice and I knew he had a good reason for wanting me to move. I was just glad that Fran followed my lead.

We got into the car and proceeded to merge out of the parking lot, it was not until we were away from the small restaurant that Fran began questioning me.

“What in the world was that all about Raelyn? We have known Michael for awhile now, and we just ran out of there as though he was a mass murderer, so start explaining!”

“Honestly Fran I am not sure what is going on. All I know is that Dimitri sensed danger where we were and ordered me to get us out of there immediately. I doubt that it has anything to do with Michael though. But I am speaking to Dimitri as soon as we are done meeting with Micah.”

“Where was Alex in all of this?” Fran questioned.

I suddenly realized I hadn't felt him near me at all.

“Dimitri?”

“For your safety.” He whispered raggedly. And then for the first time in a very long time, I felt nothing and I heard nothing from either of them. The loneliness made me shiver.. Dimitri had slammed shut all communication between us.

“Everything is well Raelyn.” I heard Paul speak softly into my mind. “Promise me that when you finish your meeting with Micah you will come straight back to the manor.”

“Yes.” I whispered and before I could ask Paul about Alex he was gone.

I felt uneasy but I had just turned into the driveway of Micah's shop. I sighed. My concerns could wait until later. We might as well see Micah since we were already there. I couldn't shake this feeling that there was something wrong with Alex. If Paul hadn't assured me everything was ok, I would have turned the car around and gone to the manor, no matter how close to the store we were.

Author's Note

*This is my first time writing for others to read, so please feel free to comment and/or critique. All feedback welcomed!*