Chapter 43

Back in Alaska.
“I am going to the higher council to take care of a few things. Perhaps I can get a lead on Jessica,” Michael said to Ann, that was sitting in his arms at the compound.
“Ok, please call me as soon as you have word,” Ann said, worried sick about Jessica.
“I will,” Michael said, leaning in and kissing her soft lips, thinking, ‘I can never get enough of her kisses.’
Michael sped off, leaving Ann with her fingers on her own lips, savoring his kiss.
Ann walked home, wondering where Paris was and if he was ok. One hybrid already told her he left the higher council a day ago.
***
Paris was speeding towards Canada and took shelter at Dario and Hanna’s loft for a day before continuing his journey to the location in Canada that he saw in Torvald's memories.
‘I just have to see her. I need to know if she is still alive,’ Paris thought, conflicted. ‘Will my feelings change for Ann? No, Ann is my true love, but I need to get closure with Soraya,’ he thought as he neared the location.
Paris arrived at a compound where a nest of vampires has established themselves and waited at the gates, not knocking as he knew they most likely knew about his presence the moment he entered the town.
“What brings you to our side of the world?” a beautiful vampire asked from behind Paris, touching his shoulder and walking to his front.
Paris knew she was behind him, so was not startled. “Just traveling a bit, looking for a place to stay for a short while.”
“Mmm, you are such a pretty thing. Where is your other half?” she asked, believing there was no way that the most beautiful being she has ever seen didn't have a partner.
“She was stolen,” Paris started, but then stopped himself. “I am currently single.”
“Make sense, a pretty thing like you must have a few women worshiping the ground you walk on,” she said.
“You can be one of them if you let me stay for a while,” Paris played her game.
“You can stay,” another female vampire jumped off the roof, already smitten with Paris.
“Come, I will show you my room,” she said. Paris allowed them to walk him into the compound and he soon realized that there were only women around.
“Please tell me I am not the only male right now?” Paris asked nervously.
“You are not. Our leader and his brothers are inside,” she said.
“Don’t worry, you will have a good time. We are one too many women here to be satisfied by them and our leader has a human wife,” one woman told him as they walked to her room.
“Should I not meet your nest leader first?” Paris asked.
“Sure, let us go meet Merch,” the woman said, changing direction.
Merch was a beast of a man sitting in a chair with a few humans at his feet, none of them Soraya.
“Who do we have here?” Merch asked, interested in Paris.
“He will stay for a short while,” the vampire woman said.
“Good. All of you give some space so that I can get to know our guest,” Merch said.
Paris picked up Soraya’s familiar scent, thinking, ‘after so many years she still wears the same perfume.’
“What is the matter?” Merch asked.
“That scent,” Paris said.
“Tell me about it. My wife had me create a perfume factory since the original manufacturers stopped producing her fragrance. Made me buy the patent, and she is the only one in the world wearing it. I won't have any other woman smell like her,” Merch said proudly.
“So which one of these lovely ladies is your wife?” Paris asked.
“My wife is most likely at the library. I have every book in the world available to her but she still goes to the library, to smell the books and watch the people read,” Merch said, laughing, “I think she just wants to get away from the vampire death smell.”
‘Sounds like Soraya but not the running away from vampire scent,’ Paris thought. ‘So what is she running away from?’.
“It is just something about libraries, you should try it,” Paris suggested.
“I think my wife will like you,” Merch said.
“Matori, take him to the library,” Merch ordered.
“What, why?” Paris asked.
“I like to make my wife happy and I think you will make her happy, pretty boy,” Merch said.
“Boy?” Paris asked, slightly offended.
“Yes, you look like a kid,” Merch said, laughing.
“Let us go, pretty boy,” Matori said, laughing.

Matori left Paris outside the Library, “it is a 24-hour library.”

Paris picked up Soraya’s scent, thinking, ‘will she remember me? Has her mind been wiped?’

Paris entered the library and followed the scent that was all over the place but he focused on her human scent and then he saw her, her nose in an ancient-looking book, ‘one would think she has read all the books there are to read by now.’

Paris sat across from her and picked up a random magazine from the table and pretended to read while he watched her, thinking, ‘she is just how I remember her, so pure, so beautiful.’

‘How did she end up being married to someone looking like Merch?’ Paris wondered, as Mech had an older appearance.

Soraya looked up from her book, a familiar scent hitting her nose. Paris put his magazine high so she could not see his face.

Soraya stood up and stood in front of Paris, putting her finger on his magazine and pushing it down. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Paris said.

“Sorry, I thought you are someone I know,” Soraya said, thinking that Merch send one of his brothers to spy on her again.

“Really? A friend?” Paris asked.

“Did Merch send you? I know what you are. That shine in your eyes gives you away,” Soraya said.

“You got me. Yes, your husband sent me. He thinks you would like me as a friend,” Paris said.

“You should run. He will try to kill you the next time he sees you,” Soraya said, sitting down again.

“Why? I did nothing wrong,” Paris said, smoothly, not scared. There has only been one person who has almost managed to kill him and that was Andre.

Soraya continued reading her book, but Paris stood up and stood in front of her, pushing her book down with one finger the way she did with his magazine. “Are you happy?”

Soraya looked up at him, “tell Merch that he already knows the answer.”

“I would like to know the answer as well,” Paris said, holding her eyes.

Soraya bit her lip, making Paris smile, thinking, ‘she still does that when she is unsure.’

“Do you want to leave here?” Paris asked.

“No,” Soraya said, but Paris could see that there were many emotions on her face.

“Your face gives you away. I just need to feed to regain my strength and we can be on our way,” Paris said.

“Are you mad? Merch doesn’t allow anyone to drink from me, not even he does,” Soraya said.

“Why not?” Paris asked.

“I don’t know, he just doesn’t, and if a vampire manages to drink from me, he kills them before they can say a word,” Soraya said.

“A secret is locked in you and if a vampire drinks from you, they will know what it is,” Paris said.

“Sure, that is the obvious reason,” Soraya said.

“I don’t have to drink from you to tell you the secret,” Paris said.

“Who are you?” Soraya asked, frowning.

“Paris,” he gave his name, “what is your name?”

“If you know my secret, then surely you know my name,” Soraya said.

“Soraya, Persian princess,” Paris said.

“Thaula,” Soraya laughed.

“You look very young for a human that is over 900 years old,” Paris said.

“You know as well as I do that vampire blood keeps me young,” Soraya snorted.

Paris took her arm and turned it with her palm showing up. “This is an S for Soraya.”

“No, it is a snake,” Soraya said.

Paris bit his own wrist open, offering it to her, “see for yourself.”

Soraya shook her head. “No, I drink only from Merch.”

“By compelling or by choice?” Paris asked.

“Both,” Soraya said.

“How do you know it is both if you are compelled?” Paris asked.

Paris took his shaman necklace out of his pocket and tried to release her from her compelling before offering his palm to her again, but she still does not want to drink.

“I guess by choice,” Paris said. ‘I should leave. She is fine and Ann must be worried about me,’ Paris thought, about to leave, but Soraya grabbed him by his hand.

“Why are you so familiar to me but I don’t know you, do I know you?” Soraya asked.

“Drink and you will know just how well you know me,” Paris said, picking up on her fear.

“Merch is the devil himself,” Soraya said, looking at the skin tattoo on her wrist.

“I always thought this was a snake. He said he burnt it into my skin, marking me as his. All his woman has it,” Soraya said.

“Trust me when I tell you, he did not burn that into your skin. Maybe he marked all his property using your symbol, but it is not a snake. Does it really look like a snake?” Paris asked, rubbing his thumb over the S scar.
‘I know his touch,’ Soraya thought, looking up at him. “Show me.”

“Perhaps a quieter place?” Paris suggested, looking around at the one other person sitting nearby, reading a book.

Soraya stood up and took his hand. “Come.”

Soraya took Paris to one of the aisles of the library, the history section, since it was almost always empty.

Paris bit his wrist open and offered it to her. Her soft lips around his wrist brought back memories that he showed her.

Soraya saw more than their memories. She saw Ann.

Paris got lost in the moment and touched a piece of Soraya’s hair before touching her cheek, stroking her soft skin.

Soraya stopped drinking his blood. “Why do I have no memories of this?”

“I don’t know. It must be more than a compelling, perhaps an enchantress spell,” Paris suggested.

“Take me away from here,” Soraya asked.

“Right now, I can’t. I am too weak,” Paris said.

“Wait here,” Soraya said, and went over to the librarian's desk.

“Excuse me, I am looking for a specific book, but can’t seem to find it. I think someone thought it was funny to re-arrange all the books in the history section.”

“Really,” the librarian said, frowning.

“Come look for yourself if you don’t believe me,” Soraya said.

The librarian followed Soraya, which lead her straight to Paris's fangs.

“I don’t see that anything is wrong,” the librarian said, looking at the books on the shelf.

“Don’t scream, don’t struggle,” Paris compelled the librarian before sinking his teeth into her neck.

Paris drank until the librarian’s body gave in and he laid the librarian down gently.

“I need more,” Paris said, sealing his bite marks on the librarian’s neck.

“Really?” Soraya questioned.

“Yes,” Paris said, smiling, as she did not change one bit.

Soraya turned to go get another human.

“Excuse me, the librarian collapsed in the history section. Can you come to help me?” Soraya asked the first person she saw.

“Sure, I will call an ambulance,” the woman said, taking her phone out of her pocket.

“No need. She is already awake. She just wants to get back to her desk, but I don’t think I can support her alone,” Soraya said.
“Sure, ok but I am still calling an ambulance,” the lady said.

“I wanted to do the same thing, but she said she just forgot to drink her meds,” Soraya says, stopping her from making the call.

“I thought you need my help but here stands a man that looks capable,” the lady started, but Paris interrupted her.

“Keep quiet, don’t run, don’t be scared, and come over here,” Paris compelled her.

The lady walked over to him against her will, fighting every step.

Paris took her palm and sank his teeth into her but instead of drinking until she collapses, he stopped and compelled her again, “wait here with the librarian until she wakes up.”

Paris picked Soraya up and sped off, not giving her the opportunity to have second thoughts.

The sun rose before Paris could reach Barrow and they waited the day out at one of his homes.