Awakened (manxman)**Halloween Story

Chapter 11

"Hello. What's your name." I politely asked my sour faced guard dog.

The man stood up from the chair he was seated in directly across the hall from my bedroom door. He was a tall one.

"Good evening, Master Seth. My name is Corbin. I am your protector until you Master Etienne rises. Is there something you need. I be happy to get it for you." The stern looking man replied and I had to wonder how true that was. His expression had barely changed from the bored displeased expression he was wearing like a mask.

"Thank you, but no thank you. I am going to the library to chose a book to read." I responded and took a tentative step into the hallway and closed my bedroom door behind me.

"I'm sorry Master Seth, but my instructions were to make sure you remain in your room until Master Etienne comes for you." He informed me and stepped forward like he was getting ready to block any further steps I might make down the hall.

"Corbin, is it? I wasn't aware that I'm a prisoner in Etienne's home. I am not leaving the house. I'm just going to the library and returning to my room. You can escort me if you want, but I am going to get a book with or without you so what will it be?" I outright challenged him. I hoped I was giving off a confident front because inside I was shaking like a leaf. Here I am challenging a being that could probably snap me in two with a flick of his wrist, but I was confident that they feared what Etienne would do to them if they one hair on my head was out of place under their watch.

He was taking forever to answer me, so I just turned and proceeded to walk away from the vampire. I'd barely taken two step when I felt my arm being yanked backwards and my shoulder protested the action. Anger welled within my chest as my shoulder throbbed and a shiver of pain spiked down my arm into the elbow currently being held in a punishing grip of the obtuse vampire.

"You are hurting me, please let go." I spat through my clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry but I have orders from Master Etienne, and I am stuck babysitting you so I might as well follow them. Now get back into that room human." He dared to demand and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. This fucker seemed to have a problem with me being human and his assignment to guard me. Well to bad for him.

"I said, let go of my arm." I snapped and tried to pull my arm of his iron tight grip. He held firm and once again my anger spiked and cloaked over me like a cloak of living energy. I reached back with my free arm and swung fist aiming for his face. My eyes went wide as I watched a ball of bright, white light shoot out of my clenched fist. The ball of energy slammed into Corbin's jaw with enough force to throw the vampire's head back and knock him off his feet.

My first sailed through empty space as Corbin's back slammed into the floor and he and the carpet runner on the floor went sliding down the hall before he brought to an abrupt halt by the wall at the other end of the passageway. His body slumped at an odd angle and he just laid there unmoving. I slapped both hands over my mouth in surprise and went to take a step to see if I'd somehow unknowingly managed to kill a vampire when I heard an amused chuckle behind me and I spun around on my heel to face none other than my very amused fated.

"So tell me what poor Corbin did to deserve such punishment? What? He didn't deserve to be turned into a screaming piglet or something?" Etienne's deep voice rumbled over me like a warm, soothing balm.

Nearly tripping over my own two feet, I stumbled my way over to him, threw my arms around his waist, and buried my embarrassed, flushed face in the dark cashmere sweater stretched over his wide chest.

"I just wanted to go to your library to get a book and he wouldn't let me. He grabbed my arm and it hurt, and I got mad. I went to punch him in the face when he called me a human like it was a dirty word, but somehow a ball of light slapped him instead and he wound up over there. Is he dead?" I mumbled from my hiding spot under Etienne chin.

"No little one, he's not dead, but he is going to feel the effects of your energy ball when he does wake up. What am I going to do with you?" The big vampire chuckled.

"You can go ahead and change me already so you won't have to be so paranoid about my safety. I am in your house, yet I can't even walk down the hall without a shadow. And if other members of your coven feel like Corbin over there feels about me, then they don't like the fact that I'm human, meaning they don't like me." I stated as I pulled out of his arms and backed up a few steps so I could look at his face without having to crane my neck.

"To be honest, I wanted to go the library to get the book of spells I saw there on one of the shelves the other night. I also saw a book about warlock history I wanted to look at. You don't want to change me because you don't have all the pieces that make up my puzzle. I understand your point of view, but how are we going put the pieces together if you won't let me out of the house to talk to my parents, or the people at the University. They obviously know something." I pointed out and folded my arms across my chest and glared at him while waiting for him to answer me.

Etienne just pursed his lips and stared at me for a minute before he responded. "Point well made, my fated. But I don't want you experimenting with your magic on your own, it's too dangerous. I would prefer to find out for sure which line of warlocks you came from. I also need to know why you were attacked. I was waiting for Jacques to get back from an assignment I've sent him on so I can have him at my side when I go to question the people involved at the University, and like explained to you the other night. Your parents know something and I need to know what that is as well."

"I just don't see why locking me up in my room and not fulfilling our mating factors into all of this. Wouldn't we both be happier to be together. You are the one who pointed out that I am your fated the one person predestined by whomever to be yours for as long as we exist. You asked me if this is what I wanted and I've made it clear that yes it is. Before you came along, I was a nobody, a student like any other at the University."

"Someone people looked over and cared nothing about. Then you came along and all of a sudden I have someone looking at me, touching me, and treating me like I am their reason for living. I can't explain the feelings you evoke in me just by being in the same room with me." I looked up at him and he went to reach for me, but I was too worked up to let him anywhere near me. I was frustrated and confused. I just wanted to move on and learn about my new path in life with this man at my side. It was like being stuck in limbo.

"Little one, I..."

I held up my hand and cut him off mid sentence. "No, Etienne. You need to decide where we go from here. Ask yourself, is there any information out there that you'll find out from my mother, the people at the University, and whomever else this fact finding expedition of yours may lead to. Will any of it change how you feel about me and my place at your side as your fated mate? When you can answer that, then you come and find me, until then find Remy and send him back to me." With that being said, I left my stunned vampire standing in the middle of the hallway as I walked back to my room and slammed the door.

I made sure I threw the lock in place just so he can hear it and make my point. I knew full well that a flimsy lock wouldn't keep my badass vampire out if he wanted in, but it was the meaning behind the action he need to get dammit. With a tired sigh, I plopped my ass down in the chair by the window and resigned myself to having to wait for Etienne's decision. I hope I don't have to wait too long.