TO BITE WITH LOVE

CALLING DOREN

CHAPTER #15

CALLING DOREN

SARAH’S POV:

Shannon and I took my Lexus SUV back to my small home on Lenox Ave in Miami Beach. My home was small but sat back into the palms and greenery making my residence appear highly private. I could never see myself living in a condo like so many others did, I needed a private home. As the leader of a coven, the girls would often meet at my home, and discrepancy was the height of necessity. I took my privacy very seriously. As we walked into the front door I felt a rush of cold air ripple across my neck, causing me to freeze mid-step.

“Someone is here.” I whispered. Shannon took a step forward and inhaled deeply.

“Vampire.” She whispered in response.

“Fuck.” I muttered, I hated vampires, and I knew Shannon was right, but who would be lurking around my home, and why? Nothing made sense, until I walked slowly, cautiously around the corner and into the kitchen. Sitting at the kitchen bar was none other than Karl himself.

“How dare you enter my own without permission.” I growled as I closed the distance between myself and the retched vampire. He smiled flickering his fangs at us, his blonde hair slicked back, yet a forward bang threatened to drape over his eyes.

“One of your ladies, your witches, recently casted a blocking spell.” He growled, standing slowly. He was tall, strong, and very intimidating even in his human form, we needed to be especially careful with this particular vampire more so than any others.

“I can be sure I haven’t a clue what you are talking about Karl.” I retorted with a light snort. The vampire chuckled and stalked over to us slowly, deliberately, in an attempt to unhinge us. I had noted this power play before. Vampires were masters of deceit and mind control, hence why they were such a formidable species and had lived so long. He gently gripped my long black ponytail and let the silky strands of my hair tumble through his fingers. I smiled, acutely aware of his game, but as careful as I needed to be of him, he needed to be equally cautious of me. I turned facing him and tenderly placed my hand onto his chest just over his heart. His eyebrows rose with amusement and a smirk gripped his expression as my smile faded to a sinister scowl.

A electric current exploded from my finger tips and went directly into his chest, causing him to scream in agony and be tossed back against the wall across the entirety of the room. His massive form slammed against the wall and caused a large hole in my drywall. He laid against the wall for a moment, however I hurried over to him and raised my palm, directing it right back over his chest as I kneeled down to meet his eyes.

“You do not come here to make demands my blood slurping fiend, and you are not welcome within the walls of my domain forthwith. Take your leave demon, as you will receive no cooperation here.” My voice echoed throughout the house as I casted a forbidden spell over him. It would keep him from ever entering my home again. Vampires were technically supposed to be welcomed in a home, only the boldest beings would not abide by supernatural code.

Karl’s eyes flickered red and hissed at me, showcasing his fangs as a intimidation ploy, but I simply stared at him blankly. I was over 200 years old, this blood sucking kid had a lot to learn frankly, everything. He was livid, yet aware enough to know he would receive no satisfaction here and slowly stood.

“You made a terrible mistake.” His voice was low, dangerous, as he stood. I could see the discomfort in his face, my spell made is painful to be within my walls, and if he didn’t depart quickly, the pain would be overwhelming until it finally killed him.

“I did not. In fact, you often miscalculate your power and advantage. Don’t underestimate your opponents. I can assure you; I have lived far longer than you and will far out live you.” My snarl was so dark, one could feel the black magic radiating about me, a gift that I was very careful only to release when direly necessary. However, this vampire needed to have a healthy fear of me if I would be successful in protecting my coven and Jade. It was terrifying to know that a vampire had mated a human and I needed answers and quickly, Karl was at this point, a horrible nuisance.

The handsome vampire growled furiously at me yet ceased to comment further. He was obstinate perhaps, yet recognized he was powerless here. He had lost, I had gotten the upper hand, he had overplayed his his. He stormed out of my house and after a few moments, when both Shannon and I sensed he had indeed departed, collapsed onto my sofa.

“What is happening?” Shannon asked breathlessly, almost as if she had been holding her breath the entire time he had been in my home.

“I honestly don’t know, nothing good apparently. I mean, why in the hell would he be so interested in that human girl? Why would Alexi mate her, that’s not like him.” I took a deep breath and snagged my phone from the pocket of my leggings. I dialed a number I had sworn I would never call. I had it, because there was always a possibility something so dire would occur, I would need this man, like now, that I would need answers, only the answers I could get from an ancient vampire. The phone rang multiple times before a sultry foreign voice answered, calling my name seductively, nearly like a lover would.

“Sarah.” He breathed, it was the most erotic thing I had ever heard, and I felt my core beginning to burn. I closed my eyes shut and cursed myself, damn my body betrayed me like that. The fact was, Doren and I had met in France in late nineteenth century, and I had been charmed by his wit and sophistication, his charm, not to mention his beauty. Doren was a sinisterly handsome being and I had been drawn to him, dangerously so. We entered a torrid affair for nearly a decade, until finally I chose to return home and take over the coven after my mother was murdered. Doren refused to come, and we ended things abruptly, and quite bitterly.

“Doren.” Was all the power I could expel, my brain felt like a jumbled mess. I was still bitter, and the tone in my voice alluded to such.

“Ahh, not a social dial.” He mused after a moment; he was always eerily coherent to my moods. “What can I then assist you with.” I could hear a tinge of irritation and I forced myself to gather myself and answer.

“What are the odds of a vampire mating with a human?” I asked truly needing to get some answers. I heard a slight pause on the other side and then a chuckle.

“Vampires are very s****l creatures, as you are well aware.” I heard the distinctive peg in his voice, and I couldn’t help but feel my cheeks flush with irritation.

“I am aware you f**k, mates Doren, true mates. A vampire and a human.” I snapped, much more viciously than I had truly intended. Doren cleared his throat uncomfortably and a moment of silence passed before he spoke.

“It’s rare, very very rare. Almost impossible. Typically, never ends well.” He paused once more before continuing. “What’s going on Sarah? What happened? What do you know?” Doren was a brilliant vampire, and ancient, and he became ancient because he was so brilliant and cunning. He was also cautious and rarely took chances. I had been his one and only risk. It took me a few moments to gather the thoughts in my head before I answered.

“One of my witches, Shannon witnessed a vampire come home with a human girl Saturday night, one of yours.” I lowered my voice as I spoke, afraid of potential ears. “He mated her Doren. And it gets worse, that same girl is being hunted by another vampire. One of my witches placed a blocking spell on the girl.” I felt Shannon tapped my leg gently, drawing my attention to her before she spoke.

“I don’t think the girl knows she’s been mated. I saw Jade this morning and the morning prior, and she looks like she’s suffering from the mother of all hangovers. And he didn’t know a man had accompanied her back into the condos.” She added our conversation. Doren cleared his throat, something he often did when he was unsettled and knowing the ancient vampire as intimately as I did, I couldn’t help but feel for him. This news was very distressing to us all.

“None of this makes sense. When a vampire is gifted with a true mate, they are hard pressed to leave them. The bond is incredibly strong., especially if they have mated. It will draw on the human as well. She will feel it. She may not understand it, but she will be as drawn to him as he is to her. It’s not something a vampire can walk away from.” There was another long pause before Doren continued. “But if the mate is in danger for some reason, well, anything I guess could be possible.”

“He has not been around her since that one night to my knowledge. I have not sensed him.” Shannon told us. Again, Doren cleared his throat, and I knew he was thinking.

“What vampire is it? You said he was one of mine?” That was the question we were all dreading, but we knew it had to be answered.

“Doren, it’s Alexi.” I said as softly as I could muster. There was a silence that was so cold I shivered while I waited for a response from him. I heard a low growl after another painful moment of pause.

“I will have to call you back.” And with that, the call was ended. Shannon and I sat staring at each other, the phone still in my hand.

“Now what?” she whispered. I glanced back over at her blankly.

“I don’t know.”