Into the Vampire's Lair Ch. 08

"Do you believe that I'm a Vampire?" he asked carefully. She shook her head.

"There are no such things as Vampires... are there?"

Draven pursed his lips as a response, trying to think of another way to put his question.

"Surely you could scent how different I am from you?" he asked, knowing that one's senses will still function despite the lack of a memory to associate it with.

"Of course," she replied and he felt relieved until he saw the blush creeping up her neck. He must have looked confused for she explained, "You smell different because you're a man..." She paused, looking at him with uncertainty in her eyes. "But you also smell so intoxicating... like a good bottle of wine or maybe a slice of cheesecake..."

"Cheesecake?" he asked suddenly, alarmed. Did she just associate him with a confectionery?

Her eyes suddenly fluttered in embarrassment, "I only indulge in it once in awhile... it's my favourite sweet treat... and you remind me of that."

Draven tipped his head back and let out a rumbling laugh. "So I'm good enough to eat?"

She blushed again and he knew he was right.

"Okay, I won't tease anymore," he said after awhile, grinning at her. Guess this change in approach didn't help either. They kept gravitating to the topic of sex.

"I guess there's no other way to this but the truth," he said, pausing to make sure she was listening. Reaching out to take her hands, he gave a gentle squeeze and continued, "I know you don't remember me and you can attribute that to amnesia for now but I'm sure you cannot deny that a certain part of you acknowledges that we have been intimate and that I'm not lying to you."

She gave him a considering look and paused for a minute, as though shuffling inside her own mind for the truth to what he was saying.

When she finally nodded slowly, Draven felt as though a large stone had been taken off his chest.

"You are very special to me and we can hear each others thoughts and communicate intimately if we so wish."

At her doubtful look, he spoke in his mind. I want you to be my wife

Her eyes widened and almost bulged out upon hearing his words. Gasping, she covered her mouth with her hands and shook her head.

"I don't even know you!"

"Yes you do... you just don't remember it, my love..." he replied sadly. "But I will try and help you recover. I promise."

Amber felt the first strings of caution wear away. This man was very likely telling the truth. "Did I love you, Draven?"

Her question stumped him. Did she?

"I don't know for sure my love... but I know I love you."

She looked sad at his admission but nodded nonetheless. "Then I hope I would learn to love you back," she whispered.

"I'd like that too," he replied, clutching her fingers tighter. "I'm telling you this because I need you to understand that there's no one else that I'd want other than you. I only want you."

Amber was crying as she listened to him but she had no idea why. She was relieved that she stopped thinking of him as a criminal but still his admission didn't soothe her. Shouldn't she be happy that a man as gorgeous as Draven was telling her he loved her and wanted her? She could tell he was sincere and almost desperate for her to believe him... Then why was she so sad? The tears were escaping her eyes even though she did not will it.

"Amber..." he called, capturing her attention once more. "I will do whatever it takes to make sure you're safe and that we can be together..." He paused to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I was hoping my father would come to like you and make things a little easier for both of us."

It was his turn to cry now; blinking his tears back in a last attempt to retain his dignity.

"But there's something that's stopping all this isn't there?" she asked softly before looking down sadly. "It's more than just my amnesia isn't it?"

"I have to produce an heir."

Her eyes fluttered up to his, expressing the understanding in them. "I see..." Then she pulled her hands from him and tried to walk away. "So you want me to stay here and be your mistress."

It sounded worst when she said it that way.

Draven tried to place a hand on her shoulder but she merely shrugged it off.

"Amber... please listen to me," he pleaded. "I want you to be my wife, not my mistress."

When she turned to face him, he wasn't expecting the sharp slap on his face but he supposed he deserved it. It was his entire fault that she was in this state.

"Do I look stupid or naïve to you?" she exclaimed in exasperation. "You live in a castle... you're not just any working class citizen. And you said heir, not child! You do not have an heir with a common woman like me!"

She was clawing at him, slapping his chest in raw anger. Draven didn't know what to say. It pleased him that she was jealous but it also pained him to know she was trying to mask her hurt with anger.

"Are you saying that once you get a child you'll divorce her? Is that why you're keeping me here?" she asked. Draven didn't even dare to answer her. In her anger, she hadn't noticed that her claws had elongated and she had slashed his shirt and his chest, drawing blood.

She was absolutely seething as she turned from him. "How cruel of you to do that to her! Imagine having a child with your husband who doesn't love you and wants someone else! Having a baby is not a transaction, Draven! And worst... I can't imagine you sleeping with her... then with me. It's just not... right."

"We could just do an IVF and she doesn't even have to stay here," he suggested hopefully. "I do not want to make love to someone I do not love Amber... otherwise it would be like rape."

"And have her pregnant with the baby all on her own without you? Then what of the child? Who's going to take care of it?" she slashed out at him.

Draven admited that this was not turning out well for him. His own temper was starting to rise.

"I've already told you that I only want you. Everything else doesn't matter to me; not the woman, not the child. I'm only doing this for my Father and for your safety. So to hell with everything else. You are the one that I love."

Her eyes flashed with irritation and anger. "Yes, but I have not loved you back."

Her response stunned and incensed him all at once. He could feel his temper rising as he grabbed her by the arm forcefully and began to pull her towards the door. When she began resisting too much, he simply scooped her up and let her claw at him for all she wanted.

***

Aramis was sitting quietly in his office when his door burst open and Draven came in carrying a woman that seemed as fiery as her head of hair. He raised an eyebrow at him curiously but didn't rise from his seat until Draven had settled the woman on her feet.

"Father," he greeted tersely. "I am here to blatantly express my desire to marry this... woman as soon as my duty is done. As of now, she is officially under my guardianship and I will not tolerate any harm done on her, even if it comes from you." His eyes were cold and hard as it met his father's gaze.

Aramis seemed pleased with this news, despite the fact that his son had just threatened him.

"Very well," he replied.

Draven gave his father a weary look. That was too simple.

"I'm serious Father. I will marry whomever you choose for me for the period of one year, in which during that time I will ensure that she bears a child, inside or outside of her body; I don't care. Once the baby is weaned, she is free to go. But in the meantime, if you hurt even a hair on this woman, I will hunt you down."

Shock was clearly on Aramis's face at his son's proclamation. Had he really passed down this selfishness to his own son? Had his treatment of Draven's own mother resulted in this retribution?

"Are you really this cruel, my son...?" Aramis asked sadly.

"I am not the cruel one," replied Draven in a cold voice. His gaze stayed sharp on his father's daring the latter to challenge him.

Indeed, Aramis broke away from the gaze first. It wasn't like his eldest son to burst out into unreasonable anger like this. Draven could always be counted on to do anything. He was the one that kept everything in order when it was chaotic... he was the perfect son.

Sighing slowly, he turned his gaze to the red haired woman that was standing still beside Draven; her eyes watching him expectantly. Aramis frowned as he stared at her for she was giving out such confusing scents. Shaking his head solemnly, he decided to address the matter at hand first. He will seek her out later to confirm his hunches.

"Where do you plan to keep her? In the dungeon?"

Aramis ignored the sharp gasp from the woman and observed the way Draven stiffened and narrowed his eyes.

"I have said that she will not be harmed. She will stay in my quarters."

"That doesn't sound much different than a prison, my son. You are still locking her up."

Draven looked like he was about to argue his point but closed his mouth instead, shaking his head.

"And where will your new wife stay?"

"She can stay in the dungeons for all I care."

"Draven!" the shrill exclamation came from the woman and Aramis watched with interest as she slapped his son so daringly in front of his own father. Leaning back, Aramis decided that keeping her might prove entertaining.

They were staring at each other so intensely that Aramis was sure a fire would start if he didn't break them apart. It was obvious that Draven was communicating with her in his mind but Aramis found it interesting that she could read his mind back when she wasn't a Vampire... just what is she?

"Who is she, Draven?" he asked, suddenly aware that his son hadn't even bothered to introduce them.

Draven stared at his father in shock. Didn't he remember?

She's the woman that was with us when Fiona gained her powers... in New York... Don't you recognize her?

If Aramis was surprised, he didn't show it for his gaze was unflinching as he looked first at Draven then at Amber. He supposed it was the hair that threw him off. She had been... blonde before wasn't she? And she had distinctly smelled like a Werewolf then... and yet here she was sending him mixed signals. Interesting.

"It doesn't matter who she is and I do not care where you want to house her. But you do not disrespect my guest. Your potential brides are all aware of this arrangement and are only arriving here out of pure courtesy."

Draven didn't say anything. He was holding his breath, waiting for Aramis to continue.

"I will house her in the east wing; far away from you such that she will not be subjected to your disrespectful behavior."

"How much are you paying her family Father...?"

Aramis raised a lazy glance at Draven and shrugged. "Enough." Then looking at Amber, he smiled, rather uncharacteristically. "Will you take care of the baby after that?"

"Me?" she responded in surprise. Obviously she hadn't expected to be part of this deal at all. "But why?"

"Ah, but you are my son's mate aren't you?"

"How did you..." stammered Draven.

Aramis shrugged nonchalantly. He didn't feel like sharing such knowledge with his son seeing that he had been clearly treated with disrespect.

"Come with me young lady," he said instead, getting up and moving towards Amber. "It seems we have much to talk about." He knew she was eager to get away from his son at all cost and offered a hand towards her, not surprised when she took it.. Draven however was.

"Father! What are you doing?" he asked angrily but Aramis was already leading Amber away, towards his reading room, waving lazily at Draven.

"I won't kill her, I promise."

"You are not drinking her blood!"

"See yourself out my son."

The connecting door to his reading room closed sharply against Draven's face, leaving him flabbergasted, annoyed and extremely worried.