Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust by Jessica Dalton (7 ebook reader txt) 📖

the house was able to react or comprehend what was going on.

Jeeze, I was fast!

The man in front of me blinked his big dark eyes slowly as me. I tried not to be distracted by his pure and utter beauty.

“who are you?” I demanded as I casually but expertly spun the dagger around in my hand a couple of times, while keeping complete eye contact with the vampire.

“I am Mircea Dracul.” he said and for the first time I noticed the beautiful robes he wore which were a stunning red and adorned with different kinds of dragons.

“you‘re early.” I shrugged while re-sheathing both weapons. Then I stuck out my hand.

“I’m Phoenix. It‘s a pleasure to finally meet you Mircea.”

Mircea looked highly amused as he looked down at my outstretched hand, but when he took my hand he didn’t shake it as I thought he would have. Instead he gently brought my hand to his lips and slowly kissed my knuckles, keeping eye contact the whole time.

I raised an eyebrow at him but didn’t comment.

“ah Mircea my old friend, I see you have met my new Enforcer, Phoenix.” Dimitri said as he walked up to us.

Without breaking eye contact and with his lips still brushing my knuckles Mircea replied.

“I most certainly have. And isn‘t she a sight to behold.”

My whole body stilled as I watched Mircea’s eyes hold mine. They were so intense and dark, and they seemed to flame red just before he gently released my hand and turned to his King and best friend.


********************************

Vote and comment please JJJ

© jamessica stories; 2010.
All rights Reserved.
Reproduction of this story or taking of ideas in any way is prohibited; and illegal

******************************

*******************
If you see these *** around speech then that means that Dimitri and Phoenix are talking mind to mind***
*******************


Chapter 10

It was weird to be sitting in Dimitri’s office with both Dimitri and Mircea while sitting beneath the magnificent work of art that depicted them both so perfectly. If I were to tilt my head at an angle it seemed as though I was seeing double.

“- and the Balaur will arrive shortly to meet their new leader.”

I shook myself and tried to focus better on what was actually being said, that was when I realised that both Mircea and Dimitri were looking at me.

“oh sorry I was just slightly distracted there for a moment.” damn I sound so ditsy! Focus Phoenix for goodness sake. “Did Dimitri not tell you Mircea, I don‘t want complete control over the Balaur, they are your vampires, I don’t think it would be very courteous of me if I were to just appear in your life and take your army away from you. ”

A surprised grin transformed Mircea’s face. “now that is very courteous of you Phoenix, but you said you ‘don‘t want complete control over the Balaur’. Does that mean then that we will be working alongside one another for the foreseeable future?” Mircea asked with a raised eyebrow.

There it was again the fire in his eyes. I suddenly wanted to lie to him and tell him that he was to have complete control over the Balaur, that I didn’t want any, but I was pretty sure both vampires in the room would hear the lie in my voice and it would be just my luck for every other vamp in the house to hear the lie as well. Dimitri must have noticed my hesitation because when I looked over towards him for… I don’t know what, he raised an eyebrow at me and was wearing a slight frown.

So I put on a bright smile and looked Mircea right in the eye, “it sure does Mircea.” now that was so not a good idea, I should have gone with the lie, even if they would have heard it. At least then I might have got out of spending what could only turn into an uncomfortable amount of time with the man sitting right beside me. For some reason I felt like flinging myself over the table and into the safety of Dimitri’s arms.

The thought that Dimitri was safer than Mircea made me mentally shake myself and realise someone was messing with my head. I looked from Mircea and then to Dimitri. Dimitri looked at me as though he could tell that something was wrong but didn’t know what it was, but Mircea looked back at me a little too knowingly and it was making me feel very uncomfortable and unsafe. I didn’t know what he was doing or why but I didn’t like it and I knew it couldn’t be anything good.

Before I knew it I was standing in front of Mircea with my gun drawn and the barrel pointing directly at his heart, my hand steady I gave myself a few seconds for my head to catch up with my body. I had propelled myself out of my seat as soon as I realised that it was Mircea who was doing something to mess with my head. It had all happened so quickly that not even one second had passed since I was last sitting in my chair.

I allowed my mental walls to collapse when I realised that although Dimitri was still seated calmly behind his desk, he was knocking rather loudly on our wall to find out what I was doing.

Mircea’s eye’s had dulled as he stared at me, the knowing look had vanished from his eyes and the unsafe feeling had dulled.

***what are you doing Ashes?*** Dimitri’s mental voice was strained.

***he was doing something to me Dimitri, I could feel it, every time he would look me in the eye his eyes would flame red and I felt completely vulnerable and unsafe.*** and then a little reluctantly I added, ***I felt a huge compulsion to leap into your arms because I felt as though that I would only ever feel safe again with you. He was doing something to me.*** I stated again with more emphasis this time hoping that my cheeks hadn’t flamed red with embarrassment, but of course Dimitri would be able to feel my embarrassment himself through our connection, him being the gentleman though he ignored it.

***then by all means continue Ashes.***

***thank you Dimitri.***

“well Mircea, have you quite finished? ”

He just looked at me in astonishment, I could see his jaw clenching and his eyes boring into mine. I stared boldly back even though my natural instincts were telling me to look away, to look anywhere but his eyes.

Suddenly Mircea blinked and his eyes and face softened until he was grinning at me and I felt myself relax.

“Don‘t even think about messing with my head again Vampire.” I growled flopping back into my chair beside him.

***Better?*** Dimitri asked.

***much, but I won‘t be letting my guard down around him ever again, you can be sure of that.***

***good.***

Dimitri’s reply confused me, I frowned at him, willing him to explain but he only smiled an extremely happy smile.

***you are so going to explain that grin to me later.*** I warned him not being able to hide my own huge grin.

“I do apologise Phoenix,” Mircea said to me sounding almost contrite. Almost. “it is hard to break a habit of a very long lifetime.”

“you do that to every female you meet?” I asked in horror.

“what can I say, female blood has always been more alluring to me than males. And remember I have more than one hunger, I can‘t help myself when I am in the presence of a beautiful women, I just have to indulge myself.”

I looked at him in horror and he barked a highly amused laugh. My cheeks had flooded with blood, I don’t think I had ever blushed so hard before in my entire life.

***oh Dimitri! I really don’t want to ever be alone with him. He scares the shit out of me and not just because he is a vampire! I can handle myself when it comes down to a fight but what if next time I don‘t notice his mind tricks or I can‘t resist them.*** my mental voice was desperate and scared, even as I made my face blank and schooled my cheeks back to their normal pale pallor.

Dimitri didn’t reply but I did feel what he was feeling just before he acted. Pure and utter fury.

Dimitri stood so fast that his chair rocked so hard back I thought it would smash against the wall behind where he sat. I was sure that everyone in the house and possibly for miles around heard what happened next.

Dimitri’s fists came down on his beautiful desk with such force that the boom was almost as deafening as the vibration to the floor and up my legs was jarring.

I stared at the desk in wonder. It still stood perfectly in one piece not even a dent in the wood.

Mircea I noticed was frozen in his seat as he stared up at Dimitri in complete and utter shock.

“you will never ever, try to influence my Enforcer again, do you understand what I am saying to you old friend, doing so is treason and you know perfectly well what the punishment for that is. ” Dimitri bellowed, even I knew not to be naive enough to not be scared of Dimitri’s wrath.

“yes King Dimitri,” Mircea’s voice was laced with such fear that it shook as he bowed his head in reverence. “I will never disappoint you again my liege. ”

Dimitri turned to me his face still full of fury. ***he will never again try to influence you in any way Ashes. I will never allow anyone to make you feel unsafe again. You are under my protection.***

***silly me, I thought it was the other way around.*** I smiled at him and his face softened.

***it is true Ashes that you are my Enforcer but you will always be under my protection, for instance I would never have let you go on patrol if I didn‘t truly believe you were ready.***

***and even then you came with me*** I snorted.

***exactly. Never forget Ashes that I am more than capable of enforcing my own law, it is, after all my blood giving you the strength that you now have. It would be un-proper however if the Vampire King was to run around enforcing his own law when he should be in his rightful place - ruling from the throne.***

I felt a chill run through me as I heard only truth in Dimitri’s voice. I nodded my head and then looked beside me at Mircea, he was still frozen in place. All of a sudden I felt really guilty.

***I am really grateful to you for speaking up for me but I hate to come between best friends.***

“nonsense Ashes,” Dimitri said allowed and I almost cringed, “Mircea knows that we will be fine so long as he heeds my warning.”

Mircea immediately unfroze and he turned to look at me. “My Liege is correct as ever Phoenix, I overstepped the line and