Did I just… What was that?? My hands radiated light. My palms were hot. Dario screamed. Was it me? Did I cause this? I looked at him and his face… half of it was gone! A huge hole replaced where his eye and cheek should have been. The skin around the hole had been burned black, the flesh fused and melted, the bone was smooth underneath.

I pushed him off me, crawling away in terror. He fell to the floor. I looked at my hands. The light was gone now but I could still feel it. The heat and the power. I looked over to where Dario was splayed out on the floor. He was dead. He was dead, and I killed him.

Was I really that strong? The sound of his screams filled me with a feeling of power, something I had never experienced before. It was... exhilarating! He had been trying to hurt me, but I put an end to it. Me alone. That's what I did.

I approached the bed and grabbed my clothes. I tried my best to step around Dario and what was left of him. There was no reason for me to be here any longer. I was free of that horrible man.

I needed to find Raoul. I remembered the way Dario defeated him and how injured he was. I had to see if he was still alive; I didn’t know what I would do if something terrible happened to Raoul. He was one of Viktor’s closest friends. Even if he left us here alone and I was still angered by that, I should make sure nothing happened to Raoul. I rushed away and found Raoul in the hallway where he fell. He was still unconscious but I could hear him breathe weak puffs of air. He was still alive.

Relief washed over me. I knelt down and gently shook him, whispering his name. He slowly opened his eyes, looking at me with confusion and pain in his gaze.

“Lucy? What happened? Dario-” he started to say but I quickly interrupted him.

“I killed him,” I said calmly, my voice barely a whisper as the words escaped my mouth. Raoul studied me for a few seconds before he let out a loud laugh and hugged me tightly. He pulled away and looked into my eyes, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You did it! You actually did it! You defeated Dario all by yourself! I'm so proud of you Lucy!” he exclaimed with joy mixed with awe in his voice.

I smiled shyly, looking away from him as heat rose to my cheeks.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more useful," he said, sounding disappointed in himself.

"Don't be ridiculous," I replied, helping him to sit up. "You've been my rock all along."

Raoul smiled weakly at me and I helped him to stand up. We made our way to room 12, where Dario's corpse still remained, and I helped Raoul to lie down on the bed. He looked exhausted, but his injuries were not fatal. Being a vampire, he would soon recover.

"Get some rest," I told him. "I'll come back for you later."

He nodded and closed his eyes, and I quietly closed the door behind me as I left the room. I took one last look at Raoul before heading back into the hallway, ready to continue on with our mission to rescue James.

 

James...

 

We came to rescue James, even if he didn't deserve my compassion. I took a breath. I tucked my unruly blonde hair behind my ears and straightened out my torn dress. This was the first time James would see me after he abandoned me. I wanted to look perfect.

I was frustrated with myself for being so anxious... I hated to admit that I wanted my ex-fiance to see how pretty I was now. Why was it that I wanted him to acknowledge me? He was a piece of shit who left me for someone else.

I didn’t know why I cared so much. Sure, he was the first man I ever loved... but I didn't love him anymore. I had Viktor. James tore my heart to pieces. A lot had changed since that fateful day, since he ran away with another woman. I was no longer the naive and oblivious girl who was taken for granted. I needed him to see what he could have had and what he missed out on.

I walked to the door. This was it, the only thing left between James and me. No turning back. The handle of the door was broken, so I had to force it open with pure raw strength.

I inhaled deeply and then exhaled, trying to relieve my nerves. I slowly walked into the room, my gaze settling on him. He was lying still on the bed, but he seemed alive. I could see his chest rising and falling with each breath he took.

He looked exactly the same. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, so I could see his broad shoulders and the way his artfully mussed gold-blonde hair fell onto his handsome face, cascading down to his chest. Then I noticed that he wasn't wearing any pants either. I couldn't help but admire his body. His torso was chiselled and toned, his legs were long and strong, his arms were muscled, and his skin was pale cream. His large cock lay against one thigh, looking inviting even in its limp state. This was actually the first time I had seen him fully naked and I couldn't help but blush. Heat came to my cheeks but I also felt it... down there. I didn't want to be aroused, not by this fucking idiot! It must've been because I was tired and thirsty for blood…

My heart pounded fiercely in my chest as I moved closer to him, not sure what to say or do next. As I approached, I realised he was reeking of alcohol. He must've passed out from drinking too much. Finally, I walked closer to him and shook him gently as I called out his name.

His eyes slowly opened and met mine and they were filled with a mixture of shock and confusion as he stared at me. My heart skipped a beat when those dreamy blue eyes finally looked me up and down, recognising me, and his face split into a wide grin. Damn him. He was still so handsome, and his smile so fucking charming.

James spoke. “Lucy… What are you doing here?” he asked softly, his voice raw with emotion.

“Hi, James.” I greeted him. "Are you all right?" I asked, my voice full of concern.

He groaned and rubbed his forehead. "I'm fine, Lucy. Just a little hungover... I must admit I had a bit too much to drink at dinner." He admitted.

"Did you hear anything outside? Did you hear any commotion?" I asked, scanning his face for any sign of recognition.

James shook his head. "I was out like a light. I didn't hear anything."

I wondered internally if he had only drunk alcohol or if he had taken something else but I decided not to ask him about it.

James suddenly realised that he was naked and quickly covered himself with the sheet of the bed. "Sorry about that," he said, embarrassed.

"It's okay," I said, trying to keep my focus on the task at hand.

"Did they do anything to you?" I asked.

He frowned and shook his head. "What? Who?” he asked, looking genuinely confused.

My heart sank as my suspicions were confirmed. Dario must've located James and was standing guard in his room, but they actually did not make contact with him. Dario's plan was probably to just stop James if he tried to leave the hotel.

I sighed in relief, glad that James wasn't hurt and thankful for once that he had passed out from drinking too much because at least that way he didn't realise he was in danger.

"I saw a dangerous-looking man near your room earlier. He was trying to open it but then he broke the handle and he ran away when he saw me," I said.

James' expression instantly changed from confusion to alarm as his eyes widened. "What?! Are you sure?"

I nodded, my heart still pounding against my ribcage. "Yes, I'm quite sure," I replied firmly. "But it's ok, he's gone now."

James shook his head slowly, his eyes looking straight into mine. After a few moments of silence he finally spoke again.

"Thank you for saving me then," James chuckled softly. "I truly appreciate it."

And then he took my hand and squeezed it. And I gulped. It had been so long since I felt his touch... My cheeks flushed again in response to his gesture. I quickly released my hand from his and cleared my throat, not wanting him to see how much he affected me. "You're welcome," I said hoarsely.

James raised an eyebrow and then he smiled. "So... What are you doing here in Paris, Lucy?"

I sighed and looked away from him, my mind flashing back to the memories of our past together. "I'm here with my husband," I said softly.

His face fell at the mention of the word 'husband'. Was he, perhaps, jealous? Or maybe feeling guilty?

"We're staying at this hotel and I saw you, but I was too embarrassed to approach you after what happened..." I continued.

"So you're a married woman now?" he asked, an unreadable expression on his face.

"I am." I replied plainly.

"Congratulations..." he whispered. "I'm sure you will make him happy."

I tried not to think about Viktor. Did I ever make him happy? It was hard to know...

"Lucy, can you sit with me for a second?" James asked suddenly, gesturing towards the bed.

I hesitated for a moment, but then relented and sat down next to him. "What's the matter?" I asked.

James took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For everything that happened between us. I know I messed up, and I regret it every day."

I stared at him, my eyes filled with rage and bitterness, my mouth set in a hard line. A lump rose in my throat as a wave of sadness swept over me. There were so many things I wanted to say to him. So many nights I wasted crying for him, wondering why I was so unworthy of being loved... But instead, I just said "James, it's okay. We've both moved on."

He nodded. "I just wanted you to know that I still care about you. And I always will."

What did he mean he cared about me? He left me at the altar and ran away with another woman, a maid at that! He ruined me. He broke my heart! I didn't know how to respond, so I just swallowed my feelings and smiled at him. "Thank you, James. I... appreciate that."

He nodded again and then took a deep breath. "I left the maid a few days after running away,'' he spurted out, gazing at me with his big, beautiful puppy eyes. "I never wanted to be with her. I didn't love her. She was just someone who I could run away with, you know? I was scared," he said sadly. "I can never forget myself for what I did to you. You were the only good woman I ever knew, the only one I ever truly loved... and it pains me to know that I can never be back together with you." He shifted in his seat and grabbed both my hands. "Since we parted, I've been partying and gambling all across Europe, trying to forget you, Lucy… but even so, here we are." He moved his right hand up my arm, sending chills down my spine, and with the other he softly caressed my chin, coming close enough to where I could smell the alcohol in his breath and feel his body heat radiating against mine. My face flushed further in response.

This was not what I was expecting at all! Tears pricked my eyes as memories of James' infidelity flooded back into my mind. Despite everything, however, part of me still wished we could go back to how things were before. And I hated myself for it.

James seemed to sense my internal struggle, and he quickly dried my tears with his fingers in a way that was both intimate and sexy. He leaned in closer and planted a soft kiss on my cheek. "I'm so sorry, Lucy," he whispered into the crook of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I could feel myself getting lost in the moment, but I couldn't help it anymore - I started to sob uncontrollably against his chest. He held me closer and  kissed the top of my head as if to reassure me everything would be ok.

Tears streaming down my face, I opened up about all the hurt and betrayal that I'd been feeling for the past year-and-a-half since he left me at the altar. James listened quietly, not saying a word until I was finished.

Finally, after what felt like hours had passed, James pulled away slightly and cupped my face in his hands. There was a moment where we just stared at one another until he spoke.

“My God, you look incredible,” he said. “When did you get so… Perfect?”