Dr. Luna
The Vampires Promised Bride Chapter 21

"Ryan you're back..." Zach said trailing off quietly as the new people walked into the room.

"These people are our guests tonight. These are Lucy's parents and her aunt and uncle. I expect you to treat them with respect." Derek set a firm gaze over his vampires and watched them all nod in acknowledgment. "So that is why Lucy took off... we thought you were ditching Ryan here." Sabrina giggled.

"Go about your business. I know there are things you all should be doing." Derek said sternly. He watched as one by one the group dissipated. He sighed and walked over to the couch sitting Lucy down. He frowned and knelt in front of her. She looked paler all of the sudden and he kept getting random jolts of pain that he knew was hers. He reached his hand up to smooth her hair behind her ear. "Lucy... you are burning up."

"Okay, Lucy let's see what we are dealing with." Freya pulled the pant legs up on her daughter. She inspected the wound carefully.

"I don't understand. We have taken hits from this vervain before. It has never affected us like this..." Derek said quietly.

"This special mixture wasn't meant for vampires solely," Freya said with disgust. "This mixture is intended for someone who is both werewolf and vampire." She shook her head slightly as she ran her finger alongside of her unhealing wounds. The silver wasn't bothering her daughter, but the vervain was. However, it was the strange mixture that was making it harder on Lucy. What the hell did that witch get into. This wasn't normal witchcraft. It was dark... it was demonic. Still though... this wasn't why Lucy wasn't healing. "Freya." Wyatt walked up and stared at her concerned face. That seemed to be getting agitated over something.

"They were healing mom. I just reopened the wounds." Lucy said trying to alleviate her concern.

Lucy.

Lucy looked up her mother confused. Why was she mind linking her?

Take it down. Freya ordered. The barrier you have set up guarding yourself against your mate.

Lucy gasped. How did her mother know about that? It was the reason it was harder for her to feel the soul mate connection. It may have leaked through a bit but the reason she wasn't constantly feeling it was because she had been guarding her heart. The truth was that she always had her guard up. She never wanted to overly expose her feelings too, so this helped guard them. She had to be strong. For her pack, for everyone. And letting people in scared her a little. The truth was she was a bit anxious about having a soul mate. Someone able to see her true self. What if he didn't like the person he saw? There was no hiding herself from that.

Freya smiled at her daughter knowingly. And she felt a bit at fault. She should have explained to her daughter a long time ago the importance of letting people in on a deeper level. Especially your mate. Though to be fair she didn't talk about the mate stuff since she didn't want her to feel bad. But it was different now that Derek was her fated mate and a soul mate at that.

Lucy, you have nothing to be afraid of now. You are allowed to claim your mate. He isn't someone you have to reject. You don't have to guard yourself anymore. You are blocking your energy from flowing properly. And connecting to your mate will make you stronger. Freya gripped onto Lucy's wrist for a moment. She should have noticed this a long time ago. She felt guilty. Lucy was the one she never worried about and because of that, this slipped by her.

What if he doesn't like who I am on the inside? It feels incredibly revealing... to be connected on that deep level.

No, Lucy. It is freeing. Trust me. I went years being isolated and having no one. I didn't think I could trust anyone or bare myself to anyone. But once I met your father, I realized how wrong I was. Having someone to share your soul with is very comforting. It is someone who truly accepts you for who you are. There is no reason to hide from someone like that. Look at him Lucy. There is only concern in his eyes. No judgement. That is what is so amazing and special about having a fated mate. It is something I never talked to you about before because of your situation... but there is nothing more amazing than the feeling of pure acceptance.

Lucy turned her head to look at Derek slightly. She met with his amber eyes that were full of concern. She looked back at her mother who had a small smile resting on her face. The problem wasn't just her blocking her mate. It was that deep down she always guarded herself so much that she wasn't quite sure how to bring those walls down.

She was sure if people knew she blocked a part of herself off that they would be shocked. She was always outgoing and helpful. Yet deep down she was guarded. And she remembered when it first happened... It was the time she was ten and she had gone to spend a week with Derek over the summer. It was the summer he turned fifteen and changed completely. She was hurt and didn't want to feel on that deep of a level. While her emotions were still there, she was able to build up an almost numbing wall around herself. No matter what, the pain would never be devastating. She could almost laugh at herself. Here it wasn't even Derek then. It was some stand-in. A stand-in was the reason she closed part of herself off.

Lucy took in a deep breath. She tried to focus on her mental barrier but the moment she deep a stab of emotional pain seeped out. She immediately halted. She didn't want to feel that. She didn't want to feel that moment again. You have to Lucy.

Lucy shook her head and looked at her mother. "I can't-"

Freya narrowed her eyes at her. "A child of mine is telling me they can't? We don't know the meaning of that word."

Lucy smiled. "I can't do this in front of everyone is what I was going to say."

"Oh... well that's more like it." Freya looked at Derek. "Take her someplace quiet where she can concentrate. Which way to the kitchen? We better get Jin her chocolate before she faints." She stood up and winked over at Wyatt showing him everything was okay. "I'll show you and put some coffee on," Jasper said walking them towards the kitchen.

Derek reached his arms around Lucy and pulled her up into his chest. He wasn't sure what was going on but was doing what he was told. He felt her curl into his chest as he carried her back to his bedroom. He took her in and shut the door behind him. He very tenderly laid her onto the bed and adjusted the pillows around her so she could sit upright.

He slid beside her facing her. His hand came up and gently brushed across her cheek as he stayed locked onto her green eyes. "Are you okay?"

She nodded her head. "I'm okay. I just need to do something..." She watched him waiting for her to explain patiently. She didn't know why but she felt embarrassed over it. "You once mentioned that I wasn't feeling the soul mate connection because I wasn't viewing you as my mate. That isn't entirely true... I-I-I also have built up my own little barrier in here." She tapped on her chest. "To protect myself..."

"What happened? Why did you do that?" He could feel his anger rising at whoever hurt her. Who had hurt her enough to make her build up an emotional wall?

She looked into his amber eyes. "When I was ten... and I came to visit you only it wasn't you I was visiting. But that moment really bothered me." She watched as pain reflected in his eyes. And she started feeling twinges of his grief again.

"I'm so sorry Lucy." Derek looked away from her ashamed. He was an i***t. Why didn't he think about how he could be potentially hurting her. For one, he expected Ryan to be more accommodating. Though he couldn't blame him either because Ryan couldn't risk Lucy falling for him. It was all a big mistake. And there was nothing he could do to change it.

Lucy reached out and took his hand in hers. She watched him turn back to face her. "We can't change the past. You were too young to really understand the choices you were making and how they could affect others." She smiled and bit her bottom lip. "I'm a bit nervous, to be honest."

He smiled at her warmly and leaned closer to her. He reached up and cupped her cheek in his hand. "Everything about you is also me and everything of me is yours. There is no you and me, but it is now us and ours." His eyes traveled to the lips he had been craving to touch. Even though it was taking all of his self-control he would wait a bit longer before he claimed them. He could wait until she was ready.

In a shocking motion, Lucy closed the gap between them. She captured Derek's head with her hands and held him in place. Not that she had to hold him but her possessive nature had pushed through. She squeezed her fingers in his silky hair soliciting a low throaty noise from him. Her first kiss. It wasn't awkward. It didn't feel weird... it felt right. And she was the one to initiate it.

She pulled her barriers down as she moved against his lips. She wanted to feel more. She wanted to belong to him. She wanted a connection like her parents. But she was shocked. As she disintegrated her guarded barrier it wasn't pain that she felt. It was love. The feeling she had locked up tight was her love for Derek. She didn't understand the feeling then only that she hurt when he brushed her off. So inside of the barrier, she tucked away her feelings for Derek.

He was pleasantly shocked when her lips crashed into his. It was like being liberated from a torturous situation as he tasted her sweet soft lips. He felt a strong warmth swell inside of his chest. He held her cheek tenderly in his hand as he continued to taste her lips. The feeling intensified and he could feel a rush like the floodgates opening inside of him. He realized that he was only ever feeling a fraction of Lucy. What he was feeling now was all of her... and her own feelings for him. This was the greatest treasure he had ever received. The feeling of the love of his mate. And this feeling... this connection would only grow after he marked her. And knowing this made him excited. How could life have worked out so perfect for him? That Lucy would end up being his everything. She felt it all. His love, his desires, and the depth of how much he cared. It all poured into her. And instead of getting jumbled up by words, they all made sense to her. She could understand him and understand his thought process. Her mother was right... this was a gift. She could understand his thought process and why he did the things he did. And she could feel how much he longed for her. Then and now. It was like reading his personal diary.

His feelings for her encouraged her and she pushed into the kiss deepening it. She was pleased with his reaction to her as he seemed just as eager. She finally broke apart for air. She leaned her forehead into his as they panted for air.

"This was way better than your dream." Derek said with a wry smile.

Lucy giggled. "Shut up." She bit her bottom lip and nudged her nose into him.

"I love you too Lucy. You are everything to me. So much that it hurts. The very idea of being apart from you makes me crazy."

Lucy looked into his amber eyes. "I never realized I was already in love with you then. I guess it was our soul mate connection?"

"I don't know. I didn't feel it when I first met you. Of course, you were a drooling baby who needed their diaper changed." Derek grinned at her and sifted his fingers through her hair. "But after that... the more I was around you... I don't know why, and I don't care. All I know is that I have loved you since we were kids."

"I'm still a bit in shock over all of this. I can't believe you are my mate..." She raised her hand up to touch his that was resting on her cheek. She leaned into his hand, "Don't leave me again."

"My sweet Lucy. After this business with Beryl we won't be parted."

Lucy went to nod her head absent-mindedly and then stopped. Wait a minute. After this business with Beryl? She lifted her head up and looked at him confused. "Wait, when you say that what are you saying?" "I'm sending you home."