Chapter 1~Years Past

He heard the shot ring through the air, the loud bang echoing through the noise of the cars and people below that talked amongst themselves. “Shit!” he breathed out breaking into a run, his heart un-beating within his breast. Despite the exertion. He was supposed to be watching over her and if it was as he feared the boss was going to have his ass.

His heightened sense of smell immediately picking up the scent of fresh blood. Faster than the human eye could see he ran dodging people, cars and various objects until he found the alley where the body lay.

“You stupid bitch…” he snarled, realizing just how bad he had messed up. Jayden Alatoré had failed for the first time; there was no doubt of that as he stared into the lifeless icy blue eyes of Trysten Marcel, the boss’s, his benefactor’s wife. Had he been human he would have tried to find her heartbeat, but his body knew without a doubt for her heart did not beat, her blood had changed in its aroma.

Death’s scent clung to the thick exhaust and smog filled air of Nighthurst City. “FUCK…FUCK…FUCK!” he screamed into the darkened alley slamming his fist into the brick building, the crunch of his bones going unnoticed as he hung his head in anger and shame. If only she had not snuck away, he could have prevented this, had enough time to change her, but the stubborn bitch had gone against his orders and now the boss would probably kill him…

Lydie stared at her reflection in the mirror; she did not feel any better than she had that morning when the police arrived at her door. Ripping her away from the baby sitter to take her to her grandmother’s, twenty years before. When they found her mother’s body in a dark alley… “Well it’s time,” she sighed to herself sadly; it was always the same every year.

She would awaken to find a gift box at the end of her bed, with a note attached, the same fluid, and curvy writing gracing the envelope. The small trinket inside bringing her the briefest amount of joy, before Lydie would head to her mother’s tombstone to ring in yet another year of heart wrenching aloneness and sadness.

The first time had been when she was nine, one year after her mother’s death, the gift a teddy bear.

Year after year something different, something along her age. The memory of the eighth past year of her mothers death, brought a faint smile to her face as she remembered how she and her grandmother had been surprised to find the brand new car in the driveway. Both a sixteenth birthday gift and an attempt to ease her pain...

She had always known, by some indescribably force that it was her father, despite having never met him in all her years. Just as she knew within the depths of her heart, he loved her. She couldn’t explain it, nor had she ever tried but Lydie could speak with him in her mind. She knew his voice, his scent.

That smell of freshly turned soil and dew intermixing with a sweet tobacco. Something she chopped up to fantasy, a fairy tale of sorts that gave her enough imagination to pretend he couldn’t come to her for a reason. A comforting thought to a young woman who had lost everything in her life, a game of that played little to the truth.

Yet today’s card was different, as well the rather revealing red dress he had gifted to her, an expensive gown that she could have never afforded on her teacher’s salary. Today’s note had given her instructions. Something that excited her as much as it unnerved Lydie, for after twenty eight years she was finally going to put a face and a name to the man who had been a part of her creation. Finally, she was going to meet her father…

Carter Marcel sat behind the massive mahogany desk, his dark eyes narrowed into angry slits, twenty years and he still could not get past it. Could not get over the loss of his only true love, the only in which out of nearly a thousand years on this earth had captured his heart and soul. More disturbing to him was the fact that once again he was in need of the bastard’s help, despite the man’s failure so many years before. Still Carter could not deny, there wasn't another that he believed could do the job, no other he would remotely trust to do what needed to be done.

“Mister Marcel, Jayden Alatoré has arrived,” Phinnie’s voice cooed across the intercom, the nasally sound grating his nerves.

“Send him in,” he snapped irritably, turning his vicious gaze towards the door, yes he was still filled with anger towards Jayden, who had so miserably failed him. Yet he could not deny the man was the best he had, the only one he would truly trust with his daughter’s life. As well Jayden was the only besides him, that would be strong enough to turn her when the time came, and with the current happenings, especially the ever growing knowledge that he was soon to depart, she needed protection.

Sighing he dropped his head into his hands, he had promised Trysten that he would stay away, promised her that Lydie would have a normal life, unfortunately thanks to the deflection of his right hand man, he’d no choice now… “I’m sorry love…” he growled, the hissing sound reverberating through the air.

Jayden stalked into the dark office, his pale green eyes darting uncomfortably about in search of anything amiss. For the last time he’d been in the office had been that fateful night, the night when Carter had nearly bled him dry and ordered him from his protection. Jayden had to admit he was nervous, for twenty years without talking to the big Kahuna of the underground, twenty long years of living as an outcast had definitely turned him sour.

Stealthily he entered the room, noting there was no other present but Carter Marcel, who looked pale even for his normal pallor, his deep chocolate, green and gold flecked eyes held a sense of discomfort. “What do I owe the honor too?” Jayden sneered finally placing his hand on his hip in indignation, feeling that for the moment all was well.

Carter skimmed his eyes over the vampire before him, a temporary flood of memories invading his vision, as he remembered coming across Jayden when he had been a boy of three, living in a squalid alley in London. The child clinging to his mothers rotting corpse, he had been a relatively young vampire, yet he knew better than to change a child. In that instance, he had made up his mind to make a meal out of the youth but, as he gathered the boy into his arms, the child had snuggled in whimpering ever so softly. The innocent gesture enough to convince Carter to keep him, provide the protection that only a vampire could.

That was until Jayden’s thirtieth birthday, when the boy questioned him as to why he didn’t age. Expecting to lose him, forever Carter had explained everything in detail, and much to his joy and chagrin the bastard had been intrigued. Even went as far as to spend the next year begging him for the change. A change he had been unwilling to give, yet Jayden had been quite persistent and eventually Carter relented.

“I got a job for you,” Carter snarled darkly, hurriedly putting an end to his musings as he adjusted in his seat his dark eyed gaze resting intently upon the man who looked no older than thirty, yet was in fact nearly 800 years of age.

“And if you fuck this one up, I swear I won’t stop until you are nothing but a pile of dust,” he added in a matter of fact growl that reverberated from the depths of his throat.

Jayden hitched his breath at the comment, he was taken aback. Twenty years without the one he had grown to look upon as his father, twenty long years with nothing but the memory of Carter's attempt to end his life and now the bastard was asking him for help.

“I don’t think so boss,” Jayden coldly declined, turning on his heel and beginning to walk away. Making it merely a few steps before a sudden blinding force pounded him into the wall. His mouth was instantly filled with the taste of his own blood and a sharp pain shot through his back at the impact. “What the fuck!” he hollered in agony and disbelief, swallowing at bilious fury that arose.

Carter glared in disbelief upon his adopted son. “I didn’t give you an option; I said I got a job for you!” he snarled, baring his fangs threateningly, his dark eyes slit menacingly. “You’re the only one I can trust,” he spat out as if admitting it burned him like a bath in holy water.

“You will be compensated when the job is completed,” the elder vampire added a little more civilly as if to sweeten the deal, releasing his grasp ever so slightly and ignoring Jayden’s attempts to access his thoughts.

Knowing full well, he would surely not accept if he were to find of the truth behind his comment. “Victor deflected to the other side, taking with him some very private information.” He stated, mostly to provide the younger man a reason to listen.

Jayden could hear the slight fear in Carters voice, a deep-rooted heartache that the elder would never out and out admit. Sighing heavily Jayden glared upon Carter Marcel, “Why the fuck do I feel like this has something to do with that human bitch?” he spat out, receiving a hard knock against his jaw that had he been human would have snapped his neck.

“You don’t ever refer to Trysten or Lydie that way, understand you ungrateful son of a whore?” Carter roared at the top of his lungs, his anger shaking the very walls in the basement office each word thickly coated with an ethereal ghostly quality.

Jayden couldn’t help the surprise at Carter’s comment, “Who the fuck is Lydie?” he questioned without thinking, scanning through his memories in an attempt to place the name.

“Trysten’s and my daughter,” came his reply, Carter’s voice taking on a soft edge, an urgency that did not escape Jayden's notice. As the elder vampire released his grasp, stepping away from him and began to pace about the office nervously.

“Victor found out about her existence and with that son of a bitch, Rourke trying to take over in the absence of the Master no one is safe,” Carter's hands were shaking violently with rage as he continued. “Rourke’s always been power hungry and although I can’t prove it, he’s behind Trysten's murder. Bastard wanted her dead to begin with cause she refused him.” He snarled venomously each word coated with lethal hatred.

“I’ve kept her existence safe all these years, I promised Trysten when she had the baby I would let her live a normal life. She looked past my condition because of love for me, until Lydie, that’s why we ended.” Jayden heard the heartache in Carter’s voice, all these years he had never understood why they had separated, how they could have just let go of their obvious love for the other until now.

“Why didn’t she ask for the change, protect her and the child?” Jayden whisperingly questioned thoroughly shocked.

“Trysten didn’t want to live forever, she thought it to be unnatural, and to change her would have put Lydie in harm’s way.

Remember how hard it was for you when you first changed, how you couldn’t control your cravings?” Carter questioned his tone filled with annoyance, waiting until Jayden shook his head in response before continuing.

“Along with the fact that she wanted to be a part of all the childhood things Lydie would be part of, teachers meetings, sporting events the works. So night living would never suffice,” He breathed out painfully, his thoughts obviously on Trysten and Lydie.

Despite his non-receptive attitude towards the idea, Jayden was incapable of declining Carter and after an hour of specific instructions and directions on where he’d arranged the meeting, Jayden parted ways with Carter. A smirk crossing his face at Carter’s final comment, “Under no circumstances are you to remotely think of touching my daughter…” the thought rolling through his mind once more erupted a strong wicked laugh from Jayden.

“Don’t worry boss, I doubt I would even want to touch her,” he whispered under his breath, his attention drawn to the voluptuous secretary Phinnie, who had plastered a bored look across her thin face. “Hey Phin, want to re-consider that date?” he breathed, knowing full well the impudent little twit would decline.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass that the boss has taken you back Jay, stay the hell away from me,” She growled narrowing her silvery eyes in indignant fury.

“No matter how much cleavage you show, nor how short your skirt may be. You do understand Carter ain’t going to take a second look at you.” Jayden cruelly laughed out, his mouth close to her ear as he gained his revenge against the woman.

A chilled cackle escaping his throat as he hurriedly turned and exited the building, heading towards his next destination…

Lydie had begun to think he would never show, she’d been waiting at the nightclub for over an hour now, her head beginning to throb from the pulsing bass and flashing lights, re-affirming her beliefs that this type of a place wasn’t for her.

Coughing slightly she gazed about the room, her eyes falling upon a couple of young adults who were getting hot and heavy on the dance floor, the sight bringing a blush to her face and the small ache of longing to her heart, for no one had ever looked at, or touched her in that way. Yet another reason she chose to isolate herself.

Jayden caught scent of her before vision; there was no denying that smell was Trysten's, the scent of sun, wildflowers and ever so faint ocean.

Angrily he growled, he hated these places, they drove his senses mad with the rumbling of the bass, shrill chords, and the ever-present increased heart beats assaulting his ears while the sweet scent of blood caused his stomach to twist in agonizing hunger.

“Maybe just a quick bite before I collect the bitch,” He thought to himself, eyeing a particularly tasty looking young woman in a too short dress.“nah, I promised...” He hurriedly dismissed resuming his trek across the room his eyes scanning every face until he found her.

“Fuck!” He breathed quite taken aback; he had spoken to soon…

Lydie was gorgeous, too pretty to be trusted around, he thought to himself deciding immediately that his job would have to be from a distance.

Shaken by the immediate and over powering sense of lust that over took his dark soul as he stared at her plump mouth and dark eyes, “Carter's eyes, Carter’s daughter,” he quickly reminded himself making an unwilling bee line in her direction.

“You Lydie Marcel?” Jayden gruffly snapped despite his knowledge, overcompensating for his attraction while he peered at her through the dark lenses of his black sunglasses, soaking in every inch of her body and wondering why she had chosen to meet her father in such a revealing number. “And if so, why did you wear that to meet your father?” He smirked feeling the increase of her heart beat as he spoke.

Lydie had seen him staring at her from across the room; at least she figured he was staring although she could not be sure for he wore dark glasses over his eyes.

“Yes I am Lydie,” She snapped equally venomous, at his less than kind remark.

“And you obviously aren’t my father or else you would have known I was told to wear this,” She snarled snapping her gaze upwards and resting her hands on her hips. Instantly disliking the darkly handsome yet frightening man before her, the lack of her mouth movement escaping Jay’s attention.

Jayden's smile faded at her words; while he wondered what the hell Carter was playing at dressing the girl in that dress, suddenly all to uncomfortable around her.

“Yeah you got that right,” he muttered irritably, “now if we can go, I am to take you to him,” he snapped before turning and beginning towards the door, only to stop and turn around. “You coming or not?” Jayden questioned impatiently, realizing she stood immobile in the same spot.

“Why didn’t he come himself,” Lydie responded her tone relaying the fact that she was on the verge of tears.

“Great! Now I am gonna have to deal with a whimpering chick,” Jayden snarled to himself. “Your father sent me as a matter of protection, you’re a grown woman, but if you really think I am going to kidnap you, I suppose I can let you fantasize.” He grinned wickedly, a smile that turned to a frown as he envisioned her handcuffed to his bed.

“Look Lyd, I am not a nice guy but you are my boss’s daughter so I swear I won’t harm a pretty hair on your head,” Jayden added guiltily. “But I am more than willing to return and tell him you weren’t interested,” He finished somehow knowing it would work, Jayden’s smile returning as she hurriedly grabbed her purse and ran across the room to him. His eyes falling on the gentle sway of her breasts and hips as she moved. “Get it out of your head Jay, Carter’s daughter.” He growled silently.

“Damn…this was going to be a difficult job,” Jayden knew that for sure, especially when he had promised to not touch her…