Alex
~London England 1815~
âYouâre so pretty.â Her fingernails scraped across my naked back while I dressed. âWhen can I see you again?â
I slept with her because I wanted toâno other reason.
I didnât love her.
And I sure as hell didnât ~like~ her.
But the invasive heat inside my chest demanded to be let loose, so I slept with her, which wasnât saying much since I slept with anything and everything that gave me relief from the pain.
God, I just wanted relief.
Once in my life.
And the one woman I wanted to spend that life withâwouldnât understand, I couldnât tarnish her with what I was.
Though God knew I wanted to, every touch with her was pure torture making it so I had to leave and find my pleasure elsewhere.
There was love.
And there was sex.
This? This was sex.
âIâll find you,â I said in a haughty tone so sheâd know I was dismissing her. âI always do.â
Because I was desperate.
Because I protect those I loved.
Because I was a bastard.
She grinned, her smile once captivating, was tired. Iâd taken too much of her energy, even now her heart beat slowed, but when you were a human, you died.
Cause and effect.
By the looks of her, she wouldnât last another ten years.
Pity because Iâd have to find someone else that tasted like she did, and her taste was rare.
Not as rare as some.
But rare all the same.
My mind flashed back to the woman waiting for me, the one my heart sang for, the only one I desired.
Control.
I had to control myself because Iâd always had this sickening feeling that if I didnât â if I hurt her â all would be lost. And not just between us â but the world.
It was insanity.
Complete and utter madness.
I rarely shared my fears with others, least of all her.
And I wouldnât burden her ever.
It was not hers to carry.
The minute the lingering perfume dissipated, and the sound of her footsteps ended, I collapsed against one of the large chairs in my study and waited for it.
Within minutes, Cassius charged into my room.
âPlease, do come in.â I reached for a glass of wine, but it was hit out of my hands by a very pissed off Dark One.
âDo you have ANY idea what weâve been going through? And youâre here screwing humans? We need ~help~, Alex. We saved you so you could do a job.â
âI just did it.â I forced a smirk I didnât feel. âFour times.â
âHell.â Cassius looked ready to toss me into the fire. âThe elves are nearly extinct. Their race can only do so much to keep hope alive and here you are, carousing with a human whoâs going to die in a few years from an STD she catches by trying to find someone who matches up to you!â
âAhhh,â I snapped my fingers. âI knew something was weird about her body chemistry butââ
âAlex,â Cassius glared daggers at me. âGet off your ass and protect the last few. It is your job! There are only five women left since the Great War. I swore Iâd protect them, and protect them I will.â He stormed off.
And I sat there.
In a trance.
And I had no idea why, why the idea of protecting the innocent made me angry, especially considering what I knew of the elves.
An hour later, I finally grumbled out a curse and walked down to where I knew the defenseless little elves were waiting.
Where she was waiting.
I knew the females would judge me by my indiscretions and for once, I didnât want to have to deal with it, deal with another womanâs scent on my skin while I made promises I knew I would never be able to keep.
The hotel was new by London standards, hardly big enough to house more than a hundred or so guests.
The door was opened for me by a man in a black hat and white-gloved fingers.
I glided through the open lobby, enjoying the stares of women as they moaned behind their fans.
I passed a gentleman who nearly ran into one of the plants and laughed when the elderly lady walking with him whimpered.
It did wonders for my bad mood; it was like marching to my deathâ if the elves only knew.
Theyâd probably kill me themselves.
Once I made it to the correct room, I let myself in. And froze.
Blue, shiny blood was everywhere.
Everywhere.
Four elves.
Were dead.