Prologue

To have a willing body warming your bed at night could possibly be every mortal man’s dream, but to have someone as succulent and innocent as Tony; unafraid and eager to please with a heart as pure as his soul was a hard thing to come by; yet he was mine. He’d given himself over to me completely and without doubts, making it viciously difficult to part ways with him; but I had no choice.

He wouldn’t survive an hour in my coven and it would be selfish of me to take him into my world completely unprepared. He was too flighty; too emotional and terrifyingly innocent.

It still baffled me to no end every time I thought of how far we’d come. Almost a year ago I’d thought of taking his life as he’d followed me through the streets of his old town.

He’d figured out what I was without even seeing me in action. He was a smart kid after all. Yet despite his knowledge I hadn’t been able to carry out the deed. Something about his trusting eyes and easy smile had captivated me and to this day I’d stuck by him and he by me.

As I stood on the roof of the abandoned hardware store, I watched him tear through the darkness with two men at his heels. He’d been stealing again. Always up to the same mischief and always expecting me to make it right and I suppose it was my fault; I’d spoiled him rotten; my little innocent one.

I continued to watch the chase. He was agile; that boy. Easily making his way through the crowd, twisting this way and that to pull himself out of harm’s way but while he was agile he wasn’t faster than the men following close behind him. His capture was inevitable and I suppose it was my time to swoop in and save the day like I always did.

A master class vampire playing baby sitter to a mortal boy; it was simply unheard of. How could I take him with me; amongst my own kind, when I couldn’t take my eyes off him for a second? They would tear him apart. He needed to change otherwise what we had was doomed.

It was that thought that left me unmoving as I watched the men latch onto the back of his shirt and pull him aside. Maybe it was time he learned to take responsibility for his actions. If I kept coming to his aid, how could he possibly change?

He tried to fight back, as I knew he would, but he was no match for them. I wondered briefly what it was that he’d stolen this time; it was always something inconsequential in my eyes; something I could have easily given him if only he’d asked, but I suppose it was the feeling of getting away with something his society deemed immoral that drove him. He was a rebel; it was in his blood.

I fought to remain where I stood as the men sought to teach him a lesson for his crime but I found myself gritting my teeth with every blow they landed on his soft flesh. Yet I was firm. This time he’d learn and every time after that.

It wasn’t to be so however, because when he screamed my name in fear I was helpless to his needs and without a thought I was jumping from the roof and to his rescue. The rest was history.

………………………………

“Was she any good?” he asked as I gently laid the girl onto the soil at my feet. She wouldn’t remember a thing when she awakened.

I turned, appraising him with a bloody grin. “Delectable.”

“When are you gonna start drinking from me. I bet I’d taste better than any one of these idiots.” Tony grumbled. His jealously was always rearing its ugly head.

“I’ve told you. You’re not ready for that. What are you doing here so early? Don’t you have some form of mischief to get on with?”

He shrugged, a gesture he knew I hated, then pulled a small stack of papers from the waist band of his pants. I took them from his weak grasp, my brows furrowing when I commenced reading.

“My friends dared me to do it. I didn’t have a choice.” He explained. I glanced up briefly to watch him stoop next to the girl to check her pulse. Satisfied her heart was still beating, he pulled up again and glanced around the cemetery in what seemed to be boredom.

“You joined the army? On a dare?” I questioned just to be clear and at his nod my teeth clenched.

“I’ll never understand how you can be so absolutely careless. Tell me something. If your precious friends dared you to throw yourself from a bridge, would you do it?” I asked, then watched as he shrugged again.

“Of course I would. It’s not like I’d get hurt right? You’d be there to save me.” He said without an ounce of hesitation.

“And therein lies our problem.”

“Anyway.” He went on completely disregarding my words. “The army people expect me to show up a week from now and they say if I don’t then it’ll be a breach of contract and I’ll end up in prison or something so I need you to fix it okay?”

Most people upon hearing this conversation would think him a spoiled brat who enjoyed the easy way out just a bit too much and they’d be right.

I glanced at the papers again. The army; where men were taught the importance of discipline and the meaning of responsibility. Where men quickly learned to become brave souls and where mischief could get you nowhere but in the ground.

I looked back at him; taking in his lazy stance and nonchalant disposition. My coven did not stand for cowardice and weakness. They respected discipline and spat in the face of immaturity. As a vampire of the master class it was my duty to present the perfect example of what a mate should be and anyone I presented who turned out to be less than what was acceptable for one in my position would not have his life before the day was out.

Tony would not survive there. We had pledged to always be together. I’d made a contract with my heart to love him for as long as I breathed but as he was, he would not make it and it hurt me deeply every time the thought came to mind.

“I could make it so that you won’t be bound by this.” I said holding up the papers and he smiled; cheeks dimpling as he did.

“Or you could join the army. Finally learn what it is to be responsible and disciplined. Finally do away with all the trouble you keep finding yourself in. It could be a better life for you Tony. If you continue the way you are now I fear you won’t last very long.” I explained.

“I have responsibilities towards my coven and if I cannot take you there with me then you’ll have to stay here and during that time I cannot protect you.”

“Then take me with you.” He said then; the excitement in his eyes was heartwarming and I hoped that if the time finally came for me to take him there; that excitement would grow.

“I’ve already explained that you can’t go there as you are. My coven looks up to warriors, you are but a child.”

“Nineteen is hardly a child Rien. Plus who cares what they think. You’re one of the top dogs there right? You can just tell em to shove off.”

It was these illogical statements he made that reinforced the point. He didn’t understand. No matter how many times I explained, he never understood and he would never understand until he gained maturity. He could not survive in his own world and he certainly wouldn’t be accepted into mine if he didn’t grow up, so with that my decision was made.

I handed him the papers. “You’ll honor your agreement. It’s time you started taking responsibility for your actions.” I told him and he gazed at me in horror.

“But I can’t be in the army! I have a life here; those guys are like prisoners!” he shouted and I smiled.

“Maybe it’s time you joined them.”

And that was when he broke down into tears. I didn’t listen when he begged me to help him or when he told me over and over again how much he loved me and couldn’t survive without seeing me every day. I refused to back down when he sobbed into my chest and promised he’d change; that he’d be good; that he’d be perfect.

No. His first step at change would be taking responsibility for his latest actions and though denying him what he wanted felt like I was driving a stake through my own heart I held steadfast.

 Three weeks later as I stood atop his barracks and watched as he broke down in tears before his drill sergeant I told myself I was doing what was best for him. He would learn what it meant to be a man and one day when I was satisfied he had become the person he needed to be in order to survive in the world, I’d come back for him and I’d finally make him mine; utterly and completely.

When I turned away from him minutes later I pledged not to return until that day came.

                                           AUTHOR'S NOTES

NB! There is a difference between the Marines and the Army ..if you read on you'll realize why Tony is referred to as a marine even though he is in the Army.

I'M SO EXCIED TO REALLY GET INTO THIS STORY! HOPE YOU'LL ALL ENJOY IT!

THANKS FOR READING!

-DoUbLe.A

-unedited.