Lured From The Shadows - Part One

The night air was claustrophobic to Ehlena as she stared out into the darkness. She was restless and worried about how long she'd been away from Rehvenge. Apart from the loneliness that was plaguing her every hour, she was hungry, and food wasn't giving her respite or satisfying any of the needs that were gnawing at her consciousness and her body. When she'd left the mansion, she hadn't meant to be away for weeks on end. She hadn't even told Rehvenge she was leaving at the time. His annoyance had been tangible when she'd called him and told him she was staying with her father and Lusie for awhile. He was caught up in business and she knew he saw her leaving as punishment to him for being too busy to spend time with her.

For a time she'd wondered herself if his suspicion wasn't truer than she wanted to admit. But she really did just want to be away from constant watchful eyes and surrounded by people. The other shellans were wonderful to her and she loved them, but she was still separated from them by many things, not the least of which was Rehv's status as Symphath King. She was his queen, a title shared by only one other person in their world. But, Beth was the Queen of the vampire race, and Ehlena was a name, a queen to Rehvenge, yes, but those he ruled would destroy her if she ever ventured into the colony in that position. They would bow to Rehvenge because they were terrified of him - they would not bow to her even with his presence.

Restless and agitated, Ehlena went to get her coat. The small cottage she'd rented wasn't far from her father's home, but was isolated enough that she had the illusion of independence. She smiled, irony in her expression when she opened the door and stepped into the night. Somehow, despite appearances, she didn't really believe she was alone as she went to her car. A short while later, she pulled into the parking lot of a small mall and decided to go shopping.

An hour after she'd entered the small plaza, she dumped her purchases into the trunk of her car and looked around. It was still relatively early and the streets were busy with people walking, talking on cellphones, arguing in alleys as well as connecting in more intimate ways. The scents and soft sounds of sex stirred a ripple of longing in her veins, and once again her mind was filled with Rehvenge. She took in a deep breath and locked the car, pocketed the keys, then headed down the sidewalk. She had no destination in mind, she simply wanted to clear her head and think.

Before she'd gone too far, she heard a low moan coming from deep in one of the dark alleys she was passing. Her footsteps faltered when the sound of pain drifted out to her again, this time in greater anguish. Her gazed darted around, but no one appeared to be aware that there was anyone in distress. Some part of her knew she should walk on, Rehv would have ordered her away immediately. She took a single step to leave and agony spilled into the night air, low, profoundly aching. She turned to the alley and approached slowly, heading into the blackness, her eyes adjusting swiftly to the lack of light as preternatural vision kicked in naturally.

She found him close to the dead end of the alley, and he was crazed and writhing in his hunger. She had the distinct sense of a trap being sprung, and she took a step back, ready to demat to her car. He spotted her, his eyes blazed swirling hunger, burning into her. She shook her head, and he sprang at her, his weight slamming her into the cold bricks of the wall. Her terror rose instantly, and she gasped in horror when his fingers curled around her wrist and he held her immobile against the wall. She tried to scream and he hit her hard, his fist thudding against her head, knocking her into semi-conscious stupor. She was aware of her screams of horror echoing around in her mind, then his fangs tore into her and she fainted.

As the darkness enveloped her, she was aware of another presence, this one smug and satisfied... words blurred, and she collapsed as the young man fed hungrily from her vein... her last thought was that he had only delayed his death, because the assault he'd just committed would end his life once Rehvenge found him....

(to be continued...)