Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 08

Meanwhile, Amber was staring at Draven with what looked like fear mixed with curiosity. She had obviously heard most of the conversation; at least the parts where Draven was communicating and she was scared. Her body was tensed, her fingers gripping her table until her knuckles went white but her eyes seemed to recognize him and were intrigued.

"Who are you?" she asked softly, watching the way his eyes flickered with pain at her question.

"I'll explain later. Come," he replied, moving closer towards her and clasping his hands around her wrist.

"No! I'll... I'll scream and... call security!" she squeaked, pulling her hand away and backing towards the window. This man was planning to kidnap her!

Hurt was now evident on Draven's face as he watched Amber moving away from him. It wasn't that she didn't want him for he had caught flashes of her curiosity but her fear of him broke his heart.

I won't hurt you again... I promise.

Her eyes widened in shock. "Did... did you just speak to me? But... in my head?" she stammered. Draven nodded. "What do you mean by again?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked, offering his hand to her. He kept his gaze gentle and unthreatening even though his heart was pounding with adrenaline, hoping that she would take his hand.

He watched as her natural blonde lashes fluttered against her cheeks when she looked down at his outstretched palm. Draven noted how she seemed to be on fire now that her red hair was in the glow of the sun. She was still beautiful.

She must have heard his thought for her eyes looked up in shock once again at his face before blushing lightly.

"Please don't be afraid of me. That is the last thing I'd want from you," he said pleadingly.

"But you're going to kidnap me!" she blurted out before desperately turning around to find something to use as a weapon. Her eyes rested on her long umbrella resting at the corner of her desk.

"Please don't," he said wearily. He didn't even need to read her to know what she was about to do. He looked at his watch and noted that while they didn't have much time, he needed to convince her to follow him. If this was the Amber he had known, she'd have jumped at him by now- a thought that brought a wry smile to his lips.

So after closing her office door, he sat down quietly on one of the chairs in front of her.

"Why are you sitting down?" she asked in surprise.

"To convince you that I'm not a kidnapper... well, at least not in the traditional sense." He saw her eyes widen and quickly amended him words. "What I mean is, I want to bring you home to meet my father. It's a matter of life and death... for both of us."

Her eyes roamed expectantly on his face then narrowed suspiciously. "Why should I believe you?"

"Because a part of you acknowledges that you know me... intimately even."

Her suspicion didn't wane. "But why should I meet your father? I don't even... know you."

Draven closed his eyes for a moment. This was really not the time and place.

"Sweetheart... we don't have much time. I will explain more later. To convince you that I'm not a kidnapper or some criminal, I'd let you take all your things, including your phone and whatever else you need from this office. If at any time you feel I'm dangerous and you'd like to call the police or whatever enforcements, I won't stop you."

Amber inched forward, grabbed her handbag from her desk and rifled through the things to make sure her phone and wallet was inside.

"But I won't hurt you... I promise," he said in an almost sad tone. Getting up, he offered his hand to her once more.

Amber's expression softened slightly at the tenderness in his voice and she placed her palm in his. For a moment, their hands stayed one on top the other, before his fingers curled up over hers reassuringly as though telling her that from that moment on they needn't be apart anymore.

"Come," he urged, tugging her hand gently and was grateful that this time, she followed, hurrying after him; heels clicking against the concrete pavement before entering his car.

He didn't say anything to her as he started driving but his tensed demeanor gradually became relaxed the moment they were out of the main city area and driving on the expressway.

She had been alarmed when his hand had reached out to hold hers but she didn't pull away; his hand was broad and warm, covering her slender fingers effortlessly. Amber was afraid of him but at the same time she found a strange bout of comfort in the way he was touching her.

"What is your name?" she asked, watching him turn to glance at her for a second before looking forward again.

"You don't remember?" he replied in lieu of an answer.

"I... I would remember if you had told me before won't I?" her question was uncertain. "I don't think I would forget such a person like you."

Draven smiled at her innocent admission. It felt as though they were just getting to know each other all over again and realized how right Eian had been. Mates would always gravitate towards each other, subconsciously or not. However, the woman sitting beside him was certainly not the same woman that he had fallen for in that hospital room but he'll work on her memories later.

Truth was, Draven had never resurfaced buried memories before. All his life, he had either read them or buried them so deep within one's subconscious that it was as good as being erased. The erasure of memory was a painful process and the reliving of them would be equally painful, if not more.

He didn't want to hurt her anymore, so they will take it slowly.

"You can call me Draven. What would you like me to call you?"

He felt the woman stiffen at his question for she was aware that he wasn't asking what her name was. When someone asked how you'd like them to call you, it denoted some sort of familiarity and intimacy.

"Would you mind if I called you Amber?" he asked casually. "I know your name is Ambrosia but I'd like to imagine you as a precious stone."

"Okay," she whispered shyly. "That's a pretty name too."

"Yes it is. A pretty name for a beautiful lady."

Draven smiled when he felt the pulse in her wrist throb faster. God! Just what did Fiona do to his Amber such that she was now behaving like an innocent virgin?

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, pulling her hand gently away from him.

"To my home," he replied, unaware of the fright registering on her face. It was only when he glanced in her direction that he saw the way her eyes stared at him in desperation. He smiled as reassuringly as he could, "I won't do anything that you do not want me to Amber... trust me. I will explain everything when we get there."

I'm scared

Draven didn't say anything. He noticed that Amber had placed some distance between them and was now pressed closer towards the window. It was difficult for him to accept the fact that she was afraid of him. It made him even more eager to begin resurfacing the memories that had been forced into seclusion.

When they reached the castle, he sensed that she had tensed up. Was it because she remembered coming here during Fiona's wedding or was she intimidated by its dark and gloomy exterior? Draven guessed it to be the latter. He just hoped that his own quarters on the entire west wing of the castle would not seem too morose for her taste.

"You live here?" she stammered partly in awe and fear. Draven didn't blame her. Culzean Castle does have that certain gothic Dracula thing going on. It wouldn't surprise him if she started anticipating seeing bats and various coffins lying around.

"Yes and this will be your home too for the next few weeks at least," he replied, offering her his elbow in the courtly fashion. His lips curled up in pleasure when she slipped her hand at the crook of his elbow; feeling almost as though he was bringing her to a ball rather than a Vampire's lair.

As an afterthought, he realized that he'd like that; bringing her to one of those ridiculously lavish balls, showing her off to the other Purebloods during their biannual gatherings...

"Young Lord," greeted the majordomo the moment he stepped through the front doors; his eyes wandering briefly towards Amber then back to Draven's face. Draven gave him a polite nod. He knew that the domestic never meddled in the affairs of his masters and never spoke of anything unless asked. That was for the best because he wanted to spend some time with Amber before speaking to his father about her.

"Please help me prepare something for my guest to eat," he said before walking away. The domestic would understand what he meant for he would have scented that she was not the blood drinking type.

***

His quarters were decent. He never considered them as lavish as Eian's castle had been but it was still cozy enough to entertain guests. Draven had thought of bringing her straight to his room but decided against it for he didn't want her to think he was only trying to get her into bed. Of course, he did want her in that sense but that would have to wait a little longer.

"Please, sit," he offered, ushering her towards one of the plush sofas in front of his unlit fireplace. Crouching down, he struck a match against a slab of charred wood, hoping that it would start burning in a while. He hadn't much use for the fireplace but he wanted to keep Amber warm, even if she was shivering, although not from the cold.

He watched as she gingerly sat, placing her palms gently on her thighs before looking up at him. Her face was one full of questions, worries and excitement. Draven liked that last bit. It made him hopeful that he could make her remember.

Kneeling down, he came closer to her and rubbed his knuckles tenderly across her right cheek; hearing the soft sigh escaping from her unwilling lips. It was an instinctive response- the kind made by a long lost lover. It made him desperate to kiss her and make love to her right there and then but he had to reassure her first of the reason why she was here.

"Amber... do you remember who I am?"

She shook her head but her eyes seemed confused and hesitant. Draven tried again.

"Do you know what I am?" he asked instead, watching the confusion escalate even more in her eyes. Still stroking her cheek, he whispered, "I'm what humans call a Vampire... and you my darling are my mate."

Her eyes widened in shock then he saw what looked like denial flash in her eyes as she turned away from him. One step at a time, he told himself. She had shown no awareness that she's a Were and from what he could tell, she did not believe in Vampires either.

"Why am I really here, Draven?" she asked. "You said you'll explain... but you're not. You're scaring me... and I don't want to be here."

Draven sighed sadly and cradled her face with both hands. She struggled and pulled away at his touch.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to see into your mind," he said simply but she was batting away his advances.

"First of all, no one can see into another person's mind. And second of all, you don't have touching privileges yet."

Draven raised his eyebrow questioningly. It seems her feisty nature was shining through and he knew it was because emotions and personalities were very difficult to mask even with a lack of memory.

"Trust me Amber, once I've found a way to heal your mind, I'll definitely want those privileges... again."

Ignoring her gasp, he quickly placed one palm at each side of her cheek and felt her sag against the sofa. He didn't like seeing the blank look on her face but it was necessary for him to try and see what exactly were left of her memories. He knew that Fiona could not wipe them but she had put a powerful suggestion over her that doesn't seem reversible at this point, or at least not reversible by anyone other than herself.

However, what he saw alarmed him. Fiona had built layers upon layers of suggestions such that he could not actually see the bottom of Amber's mind. It was as good as burying her memories, he thought but only in this case, she was able to replace them with some very powerful images and ideas that were antithetical to who and what Amber was. Only a very powerful and old Vampire could uncover her real memories and Draven doubted he was either.

The top layer was a suggestion that she was a thirty-five year old human who had gotten tired of her practice so she had taken a job as a lecturer at the university. Draven frowned as he tried to remove it. It then occurred to him that he had never removed suggestions before. Perhaps it was better to delve in and understand more before tinkering with anything.

Frowning, he went deeper, seeing the second layer: Her name is Ambrosia and she has no known family but she's happy with her life and has no worries. Draven nodded before delving deeper, this time encountering a few meshed up layers as though Fiona had given a suggestion then taken it back before placing another thought. This went on for a few layers until he came up with the one that suggested: there is no such thing as Vampires or Werewolves and that only humans roam this earth.

Draven stilled at that knowledge. Suggesting that there are no such things as Vampires or Werewolves meant that the concept of mates would not resonate with Amber any longer. In other words, she needed to be wooed all over again. But then, what about her wolf? Surely that animal is aware of the pseudo memories imposed on its' host?

His own mind was tired but he pushed on, searching deeper for the wolf's subconscious. Draven never had the opportunity to look into a Werewolf's mind before and it provided him with a wealth of knowledge at how amazing it was. It was almost as though there were two minds blended into one and yet they could keep separate from each other; one choosing to be more dominant than the other.

He had caught the image of a pair of blue eyes flashing lazily at him before it disappeared. Draven was sure that was the wolf. Pressing on, it annoyed him that he could not read anything anymore but instead had been overwhelmed by the fatalistic emotions of dejection and withdrawnness. He wanted to look deeper but was suddenly expunged out of her mind so suddenly that he stumbled backwards and fell on his bottom.

"Are you okay?" he heard her ask in concern. She had gotten up from the sofa and was kneeling beside him, holding his arm in alarm. Amber had no idea what had happened for she recalled snapping at Draven about something and then the next thing she knew he was on the floor.

"Yes... I'm fine... but I'm afraid you're not," he whispered, moving to a sitting position. "I should have taken care of your memories on my own."

"My memories?"

"Yes, well, I think the medical word for it is amnesia. You recognize me but you can't seem to recall from where or why... am I right?"

Amnesia? Amber didn't think she was having amnesia. If she was, wouldn't she be in a hospital... or at least with a family member to get her through her life? But as far as she knew, she was alone and she just got a job as a lecturer and was happy... right?

But this man in front of her, with his beautifully sculpted face and wavy black hair was telling her that she should remember him or at least recognize him. A part of her wanted to agree with him but the other part was afraid he'd hurt her. And most importantly he was... weird. He was 'talking' to Natasha in their head for godsake! And he was planning on kidnapping her... and did.

"So maybe I might remember you... but what's the significance?" she asked warily.

He simply smiled then murmured, "Would you mind telling me what you feel when you see me?"

She blushed as a response, getting up to her feet instantly and turned her back to him. Even if she didn't remember him, she was certainly attracted enough to envision him naked and doing all sorts of things that might have been illegal in some places. Some of those images had been so vivid she was almost convinced it had happened.

Damn! Who gets the hots for their kidnapper?

"Oh, I see," he grinned. She had literally shouted out her thoughts even though it was not verbalized. So that she remembers. Ok, that's a start...

Clambering back to his feet, he moved closer until he was a few inches away from her body. Her back was still turned from him but he could hear the sudden rush of blood through her arteries. There was anticipation in them, he mused... but of what?

His hands slipped smoothly around her waist, finally bringing their bodies in contact with each other. He could sense that she was hesitant but somehow curious enough to stay still. Head tipped down, he took in the scent of her hair and reveled in the warmth of her body. Definitely a Were's body; no human could be this warm.

"God, I miss this scent..." he breathed out, nuzzling behind her ear and down her neck. He was aware of the throbbing vein suddenly exposed to him and recoiled at how much he wanted to bite her for a taste. He'd bet that she'd taste as delicious as she smelled.

Her soft whimpers were starting to take effect, he realized and sighed. This woman hadn't even done anything and he was already hard thinking of all the lustful things he'd do to her. He turned her around slowly gazed into the piercing blue eyes that he'd missed so much. And those lips... lips meant for kissing was slightly parted as though calling out to him. He wanted to kiss her so bad.

Amber didn't really want to believe that she just heard his thought out loud and she was fighting with herself whether to let him act them out or not. She didn't really trust him but her body seemed to have an instinct of its own. It wanted... no, it craved for Draven.

"Would you like to?" he heard her whisper and his eyes immediately went up to catch her gaze. So she could still read him. That's good. He nodded slowly.

Yet, her eyes were hesitant. "Are you controlling me, Draven? Making me... want this too?" she asked suspiciously.

Hurt flashed briefly across his face before he shook his head.

"What you feel is entirely your own," he whispered sadly. And he was going to make sure no one else forces her to feel or think she was someone else. Never again.

"Would you let me?" he asked tentatively, never taking his eyes off hers. She was still fighting within herself, he could see but her rational self was losing out...

Please.

Her mental plea was permission enough for him. His mouth immediately covered hers, his sigh signaling his relief and desperation at holding his mate in his arms. She was here now and yet she wasn't.

It pained him but somehow the hungered way in which she was kissing him suggested that all was not lost. She was reacting to him instinctively, molding against his body like a tailor made suit. Draven managed a smile as he deepened the kiss, parting her lips slightly to tangle his tongue with hers. One of his hands was at the back of her head, bringing her closer and tighter against him and he was aware of her fingers clutching painfully on his shoulders as though desperate to hold on.

A painful degree of madness and self-control was what it took to release her and step back. He saw the disappointment and lust in her eyes but he remained in his place.

"I didn't bring you here for the sole purpose of satisfying my insatiable lust for you," he admitted. "There's something important we need to discuss..." And then we can jump onto each other...

Her eyes twinkled in amusement at his thought, bringing a smile to his lips.

"I didn't know you jump from first to second base so quickly," she pointed out.

"Are you denying that this chemistry between us?" he was grinning; a wild flicker of lust on his handsome face. It made Amber tick.

So instead, she ignored his suggestive question and posed her own, "So what are these important things we need to discuss?"