Dark Love (Sequel to The Last Alpha)

Chapter Five

Arius POV

Blood. I needed blood. Every human I passed on the dark streets of the nearest town to Cora’s house was like a walking meal ticket. The sound of their pulse and the blood flowing through their veins pounded in my ears. Control of my demon side was slipping the longer I took to find my victim.

It had been nearly a week since I last fed. I hated it. This part of me. My father’s legacy handed down to me. Being a devil of the night. But no matter how much I tried to hide it or focus more on developing my warlock side, it was always there. Reminding me of what I truly was. A monster.

Since the age of five, my father had forced me to drink the blood of innocent humans. By the age of 8, he made me kill a young girl and drink her dry. Her face still haunts my dreams at night. After many traumatic years of being forced to kill and drink innocents or to feel the formidable iron fist of my father, I found ways of switching a part of myself off. Shutting down to do what needed to be done. But now he was gone.

I had control of my own behaviour. I had control of my monster and the power to change my kind. They were not all happy with my decision. When I had told the vampires that there was to be a new law, no drinking from innocent humans unless they consented, there had been uproar. After all, I was changing the way we had fed, killed and lived for thousands of years. As vampires, the thrill of the hunt is more fun than the killing or drinking itself. So I compromised. I had my trusted warriors compile a list of names of the scum of the Earth. Rapist, Paedophiles, criminals. A data base full of names that were given the green light. Hunt them down and do what they like. That soon cheered them up. However, I hadn’t quite countered in the fact that sometimes you cannot always plan ahead.

Things were different for me. I was a hybrid, which meant that the more I used my magic, the more energy it took from my vampire side, which in return causes an insatiable thirst for blood. After using the masking spell to hide my identity and then sending that arrogant wolf who thought he could put hands on my mate flying across the room, I was desperate for a live feed. What didn’t help matters, was the raw rage that was coursing through my body, fuelling my demon side to release hell.

I slipped into an alleyway and closed my eyes, leaning my head against the brick wall. Breathe. Control.

Flashbacks of seeing her walking down the stairs, arm in arm with him. His hand on her lower back. His arms wrapped around her waist. Her body pressed up against his on the dancefloor. Their hips swaying.

My fangs protruded as my breath became ragged. Stop. Control.

I pushed the images back and focused on her. Her lips, so plump and kissable in that shade of red that matched her dress. Her curvaceous figure hugged by that sexy silk fabric, her breast so full and perked. Her stunning grey eyes shimmered with intrigue and lust when I pulled her behind the curtain. The white curls that bounced at the side of her face as I span her on the dancefloor. The feel of her skin against my lips as I kissed her jaw. My d**k hardened against my suit trousers as I replayed the images again and again until I had calmed down. She was mine. Not his. She will always be mine. And I have her. Finally.

The last few weeks had nearly killed me. Giving her time to come to terms with our fate, but I couldn’t stay away. I used my magic to enter her dreams every night just to see her. I never kissed her or took it further, even though I could feel her need for me, for my touch in her subconscious. I wanted to wait until she wanted me for real.

Finding her was terrifying. Not just because she was a wolf from my enemies' pack, but because I never wanted to find my soul mate. I never wanted love or someone to rely on me. I would only disappoint them. I am not built for love. My father made sure of that. After seeing what Celeste’s death did to my father, how he raped my mother and spent his life abusing his only son because he could never love me for who I was. I reminded him too much of what he had lost. His wife and unborn son. How he spent the rest of his life obsessing over her death and wanting to kill every single wolf to avenge her. All because of the unconditional love of soul mates.

I didn’t want it. And then I saw her. I knew I loved her the moment my eyes fell upon her in Ruislip woods when we ambushed the wolves. I spent days refusing to accept it but she consumed my mind. I had to see her again. I started spending my nights outside her window in London, watching her from the shadows. Wondering how this could be. I tried to stay away. Forget about her. I would be no good for her. I am not someone you can easily love and I have no idea how to show love. I could not make her happy. I would only cause pain and suffering. But when I found out that she had been hurt by our vampires protecting that Alina girl, I couldn’t stay away. I found her at Cora’s house and for days I would sit with her in the woods in the form of a Hawfinch bird that she named Cedric. She became my obsession and I knew I could never leave her alone.

“Ahhhh! Help!” A woman’s scream interrupted my thoughts as I opened my eyes and stared down the dark alleyway. In the distance, I saw two figures struggling against each other and my heart quickened. Using my vampire speed, I glided to the pair and observed the scene before me. A large, unkept man has a teenage girl pushed up against the brick wall, his hand covering her mouth as tears rolled down her cheek. His belt was unbuckled and he was pulling at her skirt.

With the little energy I had left in me, I used my powers to freeze him. “Run,” I said calmly to the girl, who looked up at me gratefully before sprinting down the alley way out of sight.

I strolled over to the man who only had control of his eyes as they widened in fear at what had happened to him. “Name?” I hissed at him and clicked my fingers, allowing him to talk but not move.

“What’s going on?! Why can’t I move? Who are you?” he panicked and I smelt stale whiskey on his breath.

“Name?” I repeated, allowing my eyes to turn red. My demon shared control.

“Rick…Rick Knowles. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, man. She was a tease. Begging for it!” he tried to explain himself, but I couldn’t give two shits. I pulled my phone out and googled his name. Hmmm, just as I thought. Prior convictions of rape and domestic abuse. An evil grin spread across my face and his eyes bulged.

“No!” he screamed as I plunged my fangs into his neck. I may be a monster, but at least I am ridding the world of one more.