Love of the Night Lord

Chapter two

Victor awoke from a horrible nightmare! In it he had taken the child he longer for and made her into his true bride and as she was transformed into a vampire his family came and seized him and his new bride and had tied them both to a stake and burned them to death! He could still feel the flames as they ravaged his flesh from his bones and he could still hear the child screaming! He decided he needed to talk to his grandfather immediately!

He quickly bathed and dressed in his most formal clothes and then set out to his grandfathers study on the 5th floor of their mansion.

He was about to knock when he heard his mother talking about him. “He still has time Father! You can’t do this!” She screamed. “I have no choice! He only has 98 years left!” His grandfather yelled back. Mustering up his courage Victor knocked on the large oak doors. “Enter!” His grandfather boomed. The doors opened on their own accord and Victor walked in with his head held high. “Grandfather I have something to report!”he said. His grandfather looked at him with interest and said “What is it? It must be highly important or you would not have interrupted this conversation with your mother!” Victor could see his grandfather was genuinely intrigued but also was slightly annoyed for the interruption. “I found her grandfather! I found my true bride! But…” he cut himself off hesitant to say the bad news. “Well spit it out before I die of old age!” his grandfather demanded. “She is a child. A human child. An orphan.” The look on his grandfather’s and mother’s faces were not as he had suspected and also not what he wanted. They were confused. “How do u know she is a child!?” His mother demanded. “I found her scent while I was out tonight. I followed it to the orphanage just across the bridge. I found her sleeping with the other orphan girls.”

His grandfather was silent for a long moment. When he spoke is was as if he was contemplating what he said as he said it. “We must find out the child’s age and determine whether she is eligible before your 300th birthday. If she is too young we will have no choice but to change her into a vampire on her 18th year. Also you will have to stay away from her until such time!” Victor was torn between elation and despair. Elation at finally having his true bride and despair because he desperately wanted to see her, to touch her, and to be with her as her true master. He wanted to mate with her and leave his mark or her! But she was far too young! It was wrong on all levels! And his grandfather’s words were law. If he disobeyed that command he would be better off dead! Death was a much better outcome than exile! And far better than being the one to ruin such a precious child’s innocence! He wasn’t a monster! His urges would not turn him into one! He swore that he wouldn’t!

“I understand and will do as you command grandfather.” Victor then bowed and turned to leave. “That includes staying away from the orphanage Victor!” his grandfather said. Victor cursed inwardly as that had been his plan to ease the stress in his heart. “Yes grandfather. I will stay home and abide by your rules.” he’s said with more sorrow than he had intended. “You are dismissed!” his grandfather said and with that Victor and his mother left the office.

“Why must I wait so long mother?” Victor asked. “Because your grandfather is lord of this country!” His mother said. “No I meant why must my life be a waiting game! I’m almost 300 and still I must wait!? Why!?” he sounded like a child and he knew it. He didn’t care. He hated how he had to wait for so long while others his age already had grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was embarrassed to say the least. “I know you wish to make her yours. But the law is very clear! She is too young and can’t give herself to you! As for why you have had to wait for so long I don’t know. Fate has a plan for you. That is all I know” she was trying to sooth him as she used to when he was a child. But no soothing words or placating could sooth the pain in his heart. He felt cold and empty and wished to fill the void that grew ever bigger with every passing second.

He longed to see her. He hoped he would soon! She was his angel and his world was empty with out her. But he would abide and stay home. For her, he would do this. He only prayed that she would accept him when the time came.

But that didn’t stop the child from visiting his home. Several days passed by and Victor had locked himself in his room with only one window open. For the past few days he had begun to sit and stare out at the orphanage when his bride lived and he would try to see her playing outside and wished the breeze would send him even the finest and tiniest of her scent. He spent hours just sitting and watching and praying. That was until the night when the child snuck out with some other children and had wondered to his very home. To his garden no less! As he was sitting in his usual place at the window, he caught her scent and noticed it was growing stronger. She was coming closer! As he watched, he saw her and several other children scale his garden walls and after the last child was safely on the ground Victor made his way down to greet them. After all they were trespassing! And his grandfather and mother couldn’t be mad if Victor was telling them to leave.

He stepped out into the night air and her scent hit him like a wave! The sensation it gave him was more than he could bare! He now understood why his grandfather had said he was to stay away from her! The urge to take her was so strong and it was so tempting! But if Victor really loved his family and this child he would abide! He walked closer and closer and when he was close enough to see her, he spoke. “Who goes there! You are trespassing!” He yelled. The children all jumped and saw him and were suddenly scared stiff, but none spoke or moved. Then Victors bride stepped forward. “I’m so sorry! We though this place was abandoned! We just wanted to play in the flowers and have fun! We will leave and never come back!” She started to back away when Victors curiosity became too much. “Wait! What is your name child!?” he demanded a bit too harshly. He didn’t want her to leave, not really. So he said in a much softer tone “ I am sorry but if you wish to play here I must know who you are so my servants don’t have you all arrested.” The children looked at him then at each other then at him again. Finally the child that would be his bride spoke up again. “My name is Sharea!” (Pronounced Shir-EEha) “and these are my friends. Michael, Lara, Judith ,and Shelby. We live at the orphanage my lord. We are sorry we came in without permission!” She seemed on the verge of tears. Victor hated to see her so scared and sad. So he decided they should b allowed to play. “You can play here as long as you don’t pick anything from the plants and you do not enter my home! And you may call me Victor.” he said hoping she would take his offer. “Thank you Lord Victor! We promise we will do as you say!” They all beamed with joy! Victor turned to leave when he realized he needed to ask another question. “Miss Sharea, may I ask how old you are!?” She was shocked and confused but said “I am 11 in 2 days time my lord!” And with those words a wave of relief washed over Victors heart! He had time!

“How old are you my lord!?” She ask so innocently. He wanted to tell her but also didn’t want to frighten her. So he simply said “Old enough to know you and your friends can be trusted.” He started to walk away when a tiny hand gripped his and when he turned he saw his little Sharea holding his hand. She motioned for him to kneel and when he was at her level she whispered in his ear “I know you are a vampire. I can feel it. I don’t understand why but I feel a strange likeness for you. Like we are meant to be friends! I wish to b your friend if you would allow that!?” He smiled at her and whispered back “I would love that!” So when the night ended and the children left he knew she felt the same pull and soon would b his. She came by several more times with her friends and as they played he would watch from his window. But one day she came alone. When Victor went to see why he found her crying in the far corner of the garden under an old oak tree. “My dear friend why do you cry!?”he asked. She sobbed so hard that her answer came out in halted bursts. “My… friends.. all have been… adopted!! I am… alone again! I want… a family.. too!” His heart clenched at her words and he could feel her sadness. He then gently picked her up in his arms and cradled her as if she was an infant. “I will be your family then! And you will never be alone!” He said hoping she would like the idea. She said “But vampires can’t adopt humans. You will get in trouble!” “I don’t care! You are my friend and I wish for you to be happy!” he said. She looked at him with tear filled eyes and said “How will you be my father!? Your family will hate you!”. “My family is not yet complete! I am yet to marry. So until such time I can be your family. Then when your older I will make you one of my kind! Then you will truly be part of a family!” “And what of your bride!? What will she say to this?!” She asked. Victor knew he shouldn’t tell her but he wanted her to know how he felt. “I will tell you a secret but you must promise not to tell anyone else! Ok!?” She nodded and used her tiny finger to draw an X over her heart. Victor said “Ok I trust you. My bride is too young for me to marry. She must b 21 years old. Right now she is 11. And she has been crying. Can you guess why!?” She shook her head no. “She is crying because she feels alone and she wants a family! My bride is you Sharea! And when you are old enough you and I will b married and will have a life together! I’m not supposed to tell you this! So don’t tell anyone! Ok!?” She was shocked and a bit frightened. “Is this why I want to be near you all the time!? Why I want to see you more and more!? Is this why I always see you in my dreams!?” She asked. “Yes it is my little bride. And it will happen if it is what you truly want. I can’t make you be my bride. When you are older you will decide if you want me or a different person. Do you understand?!” She nodded and smiled. As he set her to the ground she pulled him with her. She had pulled him to her level as though to tell her a secret but instead she kissed him on the lips!!! The kiss was tiny! Really just a peck! But it meant more to both of them!! She left that night full of happiness and love. And Victor couldn’t suppress the smile that was forming on his lips. She had accepted him for now. And he hoped she would accept him when the time came. But after they had separated that night the same pain returned. The pain of a missing piece. Of a hole that still wasn’t fully filled.

And as time passed and the seasons changed Victor could feel the child’s own pain in her heart. He knew she missed his presence and longed to be his as well. But as she got older his fears of her wanting a father started to become more and more present and he feared her need to b his bride would become less and less of a desire to her. He feared that she wanted a father and she would want Victor to b that father! He wished he could change that law. But he was not an elder. And she was still destined to b his bride.

He prayed that his fears would b proven false and that she would want him as her true master and love him as he did her. But only she would be able to prove or disprove those fears!