Midnight Pleasure [THE PLEASURE SERIES BOOK 1]

Chapter Nine - Melora

The look in Drystans eyes made her shiver with excitement. She reached up and touched the spot where he had bitten her.

She loved it.

She didn't think that she would have, but she had wanted him to bite her badly. She still wanted him to feed on her, but she didn't know how much she could take before it would be considered dangerous for her. Melora stood up slowly and sat down on the bench beside him. She smiled as Drystan placed his hand on her knee, rubbing his thumb in small circles.

"Are you sure you've never done that before?" He asked her. He lowered his head and started to nuzzle his nose against her neck.

Melora chuckled. "I've never done that before. You're my first with everything, Drystan."

He nodded as he patted her knee. There was a look on his face that Melora couldn't quite place. "You need to get some rest, Melora. We'll be leaving at first light."

----

Melora woke up the next morning cold. She shivered uncontrollably as she sat up. Drystan was gone and the carriage was moving again. She wondered how long they had been moving when she pulled back the curtains and looked outside.

The sun was just starting to rise, shining a soft glow on the snow.

Snow.

Melora smiled like a child as she saw the beautiful, fluffy snow. She had never seen snow before. Where she lived there was only heat. Endless, horrible heat that scorched everything.

The carriage stopped suddenly. Melora shut the curtains quickly as she heard Drystan jumping down off of the carriage. She wasn't supposed to be looking outside without him next to her. She wrapped her arms around herself as she smiled. She loved how protective he was. It felt to her like he wasn't just doing his job, he truly was protective.

He had told her that she was his and she believed it. He was hers as well.

Melora's head picked up when she heard the carriage door swing open. Her heart dropped. The man who was standing in the doorway of the carriage was not her Drystan. This man looked more like the werewolves they had seen a day or two ago. His yellow eyes looked at her with a crazed, proud look.

Melora backed up against the opposite carriage door. "W-who are y-you?"

The man chuckled as he stepped into the carriage, closing the door behind him. Melora's heart dropped even lower as she felt the carriage surge forward.

"W-what's going o-on?" She tried to back away even further from the man, but there was no more room. "W-where's-?"

"Your mate?" the man interrupted with a manic laughter.

"M-mate?" Melora's eyebrows scrunched together. She couldn't have a mate. She wasn't like what this man was or a vampire like Drystan. She couldn't have a mate. Right?

The man rolled his eyes and he nodded impatiently. "Yes, Princess, your mate." He sat down by the door on the opposite bench and sneered at her. "Your mate is six miles back the way we came with a stack through his heart."

Melora felt tears start to form, threatening to fall down her face. "W-what are you talking about?"

The man leaned back with a smug look on his face. "It's not every day that one of us are able to take down a vampire. Let alone one with a mate." He leaned toward her. "They're more feral. But, he's dead. Now, we're taking you back to your husband."

Melora shook her head. "Back?"

The man nodded. "Yes, your mate was taking you in the opposite direction of your new husband." He shrugged. "I guess he wanted you all to himself. Can't say that I blame him." His eyes traveled down her body as his tongue darted out and locked his lips. "Too bad I can't have a taste."

Melora stared at the man in shock. Tears streamed down her face. Drystan was dead? He couldn't be. He couldn't die. He was supposed to be invincible.

"Our reward is going to be huge for bringing you back," the man continued talking. He laughed and slapped his knee. When he stopped laughing, he looked straight at her. A menacing smile creeping over his face. "Sit back and enjoy the ride, Princess." The man pulled something out of his pocket and blew it into her face.

Melora shook her head, trying to clear herself of the powder floating around her face. Suddenly, he vision started to blur. "W-what did you do t-to me?" She fell down onto the bench.

The man loomed over her and chuckled. "This is easier for us, Princess. I'll wake you up when we get to the castle." He chuckled again. "Sweet dreams, Princess."

Melora's vision started to grow dark. She prayed to whoever would listen to her that Drystan wasn't dead. That he was somehow still alive. He couldn't be killed. That's why her father had appointed him as her bodyguard.

Before she could think or say anything else, her vision turned black.

----

My love, she heard a soft voice call our to her. She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't budge. Her heart started to race.

Who's there? She had thought that she said those words out loud, but her mouth wouldn't move either.

The voice sighed. Melora, the voice cautioned. I need you to remain calm. She knew the voice now.

Mother? She wanted to cry. It had been years since she's heard her mother's voice. She missed it.

You need to remain calm. The fates will now allow you to marry this man.

How mother? she scoffed. Drystan's dead.

Do you really believe what that werewolf told you? Her mother's voice laughed softly. The fates would not have let you be with someone who was so easy to kill.

He's alive? Melora's heart leap in hope.

He's badly damaged, but yes, my love. He is alive. That werewolf was right about one thing.

What's that?

Vampires go feral when their mate is in danger.