Dr. Luna
The Vampires Promised Bride Chapter 58

Lucy opened her eyes to the darkness of her mind. She had been here before, she looked around expectantly. Sure enough, a familiar glow appeared. "I didn't think you actually cared." Lucy spat out angrily.

"Not now Lucy, this isn't the time. Where are you? What does it look like?" Selene asked quickly. "Hurry, there isn't much time. I can't find you. I am barely able to visit your mind now."

Lucy's breath caught. She was trying to help her. "I'm surrounded by the ocean. I'm in a tall stone-like tower. There is only one window but all I can see is the water." She watched as the light of the woman flickered and vanished. Did she hear her? Was she able to make out what she said? It seemed that Erebus made this area very well sealed. Especially if even Selene was having a hard time.

Lucy blinked her eyes and was no longer in the dark. The sunbeams from the window streamed onto her face. She winced as she tried to sit up. It had been two and half weeks since she was taken and yesterday's lesson had been incredibly painful. She was pretty sure she had a couple of broken ribs that were not healing because of whatever he was giving her.

After she first found out he was lacing her food she refused to eat. But that only got her punished and he forced it into her mouth. She didn't have a choice. She would ingest it by choice or by force. She eased herself against the back of the cool brick wall. She listened as the water crashed against the tower she was in. She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly because of the pain in her side. She wondered if that was a desperate dream or if Selene really did try to reach out to her.

"I've decided today is the day." Erebus said as he appeared in the room with an arrogant smirk resting on his face.

"The day for what?" Lucy snapped her gaze up at him indignantly.

"Today is the day you are changing your clothes. Your dress is disgusting." Erebus sneered at her dress in revulsion. It was getting hard to find her appealing in her stinking dress.

"I told you I don't want to wear anything that smells of you." She growled as she stood on shaking feet. She held her side to support her broken ribs.

"Oh, what fun... that's what I hoped you would say." Erebus said as he walked up to her. He slapped his hand across her face making her split lip start bleeding again. Yet, she snapped her defiant gaze right back at him. "It's like this. You'll wear these clothes... or none at all."

He reached his hand in front of him grabbing the fabric of her dress. With a quick movement, he ripped the material exposing the strapless bra she had on through torn pieces. And he ripped it again... this time shredding her lower half of the tattered gown away. The gown lay shredded around her waist. Her bare legs trembled slightly but she continued to stand against him defiantly. "We can do this the hard way... or the easy way. Either you take the dress off or I will. Of course, the hard way is more fun for me..." Lucy saw red and swung her fist up connecting it with his chin. She knew she shouldn't have done it but this man had disrespected her in more ways than one. When his dark eyes set on her she knew she was in for it. She was slammed back into the wall as his foot collided with her stomach. She heard the sound of a crack... another rib had broken. She coughed out fresh blood and spit it onto the floor. She watched as he marched towards her to hit her again. Then a loud thunderous noise was heard. And the next second the whole top of the building was gone. Pieces of stone crumbled around her and there was a gray cloud of dust blurring her view slightly.

She watched as someone crashed into Erebus sending his body into the stone floor creating a hole below him. A man stood over his body breathing heavily. It was a young-looking muscular man with brown hair and green eyes. His green eyes bore straight into Erebus with a malicious glare.

"Sooo you've finally found us. I've been entertaining your mate here for you." Erebus said as he looked up at the man.

"What exactly do you think you can do here? You think YOU can beat me?" Aken scoffed with an arrogant smirk. "You've lived among the demons for too long. But I can remind you which one of us is stronger."

"I don't need to be stronger than you Aken. I just need to be stronger than your weakness." Erebus gave him a smug look and nodded over to Lucy.

Aken's eyes fell onto Lucy. His eyes softened as he met with her green weary emeralds but as he trailed over her his jaw clenched. He took his shirt off and marched over to Lucy gently placing it over her body to cover her exposed skin. She whimpered slightly as he pulled the shirt on her and he squeezed his fist together. His eyes stared at her battered face and he felt his anger rising.

"You'll never be able to touch her again, Erebus. Do you have any idea who you just provoked? You didn't just mess with me moron." He turned and faced Erebus. "Selene has gone to Rogio... because you have interfered with the vampire prince's promised bride. Why do you think I haven't claimed her as my mate?" He smirked as he watched Erebus eyes widen in fear. "He will be hunting you now... he will kill you when he finds you. But why should he get the honors?" Aken glowered at Erebus and watched the flighty reaction of the despicable deity.

"No... I have a better idea. I'll just kill you now." Aken snarled and shot a powerful wave of energy towards Erebus then met his fists into the man's body.

Erebus retaliated back with a strong blow of his own. Both men rose into the sky and a colorful battled ensued. Lucy watched from the bottom but through the clouds, she often lost track of their movements. She watched as Erebus connected a powerful punch into Aken. Crashing colors of energy smashed together creating strong winds that beat down on Lucy. A black energy surged towards Aken who skillfully avoided the blast. It hurled downward into the ocean creating a dark hole. The energy manage to part a section of the ocean in that moment. The waves splashed backwards in retreat and a loud noise rippled into the air as it made impact. Soon the hole was swallowed up by the waves again. This was a deity's strength. This was a power she had no way of defeating. She could only helplessly watched from below.

Aken sent his own blast of white blinding force towards the other man. Erebus shot his darkness into the light energy making it split into tow sections away from him and into the sky. He charged behind his darkness using that moment of blindness to reach his opponent. Erebus smashed his fist laced with energy into Aken. This was intense and terrifying. They were both incredibly strong and Lucy was worried now for Aken. She looked at him in horror but was surprised to see a resting smug look on his face. The man didn't look the least bit affected by the hit. In fact... there was enjoyment in his eyes now. As if he was only testing out Erebus.

Aken reached up and touched the small droplet of blood that emerged from his mouth. A smirk rose over his lips as he kept an arrogant gaze on Erebus. "Not bad. Someone has gotten stronger... and yet... not strong enough." He flashed into Erebus grabbing onto the man so he couldn't escape. He would show him the real difference in their strengths now and began to beat him mercilessly.

Aken didn't give Erebus a chance to fight back; he just kept the barrage of deadly attacks coming. "You like hitting women? How does it feel to be hit, you sick bastard!" He landed another powerful punch that ended up sending Erebus flying down through the sky almost hitting the ocean below. Aken followed after him but Erebus used this moment to escape. He vanished. Damn. Aken clenched his jaw angrily and shook his head. He was hoping to kill the a*****e right there.

Aken returned to the exposed tower and landed his feet on the ground. He looked at Lucy quietly for a moment. His eyes traveled over her battered body and he walked over to her. She had blood running from the cut on her lip. Her right cheek was red and swollen from where she had been hit. And before he put the shirt over earlier her he noticed the deep angry purple and crimson skin around her ribs. He reached his hands out to her and very carefully lifted her body into his. He could feel her body shaking from the pain. As carefully as he could he fully lifted her form into his arms. In another instant, they were surrounded by woods.

"I don't understand... why?" Lucy whispered out as she leaned against the heat of the man's bare chest.

"Alexis..." He whispered out quietly "I can't stand her pain. She is a wreck right now. For her... I would part the seas... I would give her everything. I had to find you."

"He thought that I was Alexis. I didn't tell him. I just let him believe..."

"Shhh shhh shhh. Good girl. You did well." Aken said in a calm soothing tone.

"I had a premonition that he would kill her." Lucy said in a whimper, feeling the muscles of the man tense.

"As long as he thinks you are my mate he won't touch her. I need to make sure I stay away from her and keep her safe from him. And as for you..." Aken said as he effortlessly held Lucy in one hand and used his other to wipe some of the fresh blood from her face. "He won't ever touch you again. Selene has gone to Rogio. He is the deity that protects the vampires and let's just say he is someone you don't want on your bad side. He has the council in the palm of his hands. Trust me... I know... I angered him once and it got me cursed... Rogio had been sleeping for a while now though so no one has felt his wrath lately. However, Selene has woken him up and his rage will be directed to Erebus. And you will now be under the direct protection of Rogio."

"Why did Selene go to you? And..."

"Well she didn't come out and say it but I know why she came to me and not Leviathan. It is because she is still protective of your aunt. And just in case Erebus got the best of him it would kill your aunt as well. I was the one she deemed an acceptable casualty. Especially since I have been refusing to claim my mate."

"You know she wants you right? She plans to have you one way or another." Lucy took in a calming breath. She was free. She was safe. And having a normal conversation felt incredible. It was helping to keep her thoughts away from what had happened... Aken chuckled. "Yes, I know. I hear her talk sometimes. She comes out and talks to the darkness thinking I can hear her... well I guess she isn't wrong. I watch her often. But I need to keep my distance from her. Even more so now. Right now Erebus thinks you are my mate. I can't have him knowing who my mate really is..." He frowned as he gently eased Lucy back to her feet. "Are you okay?"

Lucy looked up into his green calm eyes. He just had to ask the question that would break her tough exterior. Her eyes began to blur as they filled up with water. As she began to sob quietly he pulled her into his arms patting her back.

"I'm so sorry. Thank you for what you did for Alexis. I'll never forget it ever. Ever." Aken looked up as two people materialized in front of him. His eyes met with the cool blue eyes of the dragon deity.

She felt a hand land on her shoulder and she looked back to see her Uncle Levi. Aken lowered his arms from Lucy.

"Gently with her. She is beaten up pretty good. I think she has a few cracked ribs. He must have been giving her some sort of block."

"Aken... thank you." Levi wrapped his arms around Lucy's trembling shoulders.

"Don't thank me... the bastard managed to escape. But Rogio will be after him now. Selene has seen to that..." Aken looked down at Lucy. "She will be safe from him now. And as long as Erebus thinks she is my mate Alexis will stay safe." Lee nodded his head in understanding. "We need to hunt him down then. Because my daughter needs you."

"She doesn't know what she needs. I'm the one who needs her... but I will protect her. She deserves better than me." Aken sighed. "Take care of her for me."

"Aken wait..." Levi said, causing the man's green eyes to flash up to his.

"I know about the premonition. Even more reason for me to avoid her, especially now. Lucy could have freed herself by saying who her mate was. Erebus would have had no interest in her then. Instead..." Aken squeezed his eyes shut tight and shook his head. He opened his eyes looking at Levi. I don't know what he has done to her. But from the looks of her clothes...

Levi clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes tight. She was wearing Aken's shirt, it was obvious from the smell and the man's lack of shirt. If that is the case... He couldn't think of what she must have gone through. And he felt guilty because she was protecting his daughter.

"How did you find her?" Levi asked quietly.

"Selene. Apparently, I am more expendable than you are." Aken chuckled. "Get her the medical attention she needs...I'll be around."

"Aken!" Levi shouted but the man had already left. "Damn him..."

"Lucy..." Abaddon whispered as he slid to his knees next to her. He looked down avoiding her eye contact. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't find you. I'm sorry."

She peered away from the chest in front of her to look down at the half-demon. Her servant... and her friend.

"Don't... this isn't your fault." She gave him a weak smile. She could see how exhausted he was. It was obvious they were searching tirelessly for her.

Lee stepped back from her and looked at her face. His eyes flickered darkly as he examined the handprint across her swollen cheek. Her bloodied lip... "I wonder if your grandmother can heal you through this block..."

"If it is blocking her own healing abilities I don't think we can heal her magically at all. The demons used similar blocks against other demons... we have to wait until it drains from her system." Abaddon rose up to his feet. Lucy's eyes looked dark and tired. Her aura was dull and there was a sadness in her eyes.

"Let's get you back," Levi said as he took hold of Lucy.

"Uncle Levi... I can't handle a crowd right now. Honestly... I just want to be alone." Lucy watched as her surroundings changed. She was now in a wide room at a place she recognized.

"It's my pad at the top of the palace. No one will come up here. Okay? Your parents will want to see you. They need to see you, Lucy. And your grandmother is a doctor... so let's have her take a look at you. And I'll have Derek brought here as well. You both need each other."

She turned to object but Levi was already gone. She held her side and felt Abaddon come next to her, helping support her. He helped her over to a chair and then he grabbed a blanket off the back of the couch. He lowered the blanket over her to help cover her better than the shirt and almost nonexistent dress that clung to her. Then he sat next to her quietly.

She appreciated him. He wasn't trying to talk to her he was just being a comforting presence. Who would have thought that the demon who her aunt killed would end up being the one who was giving her the most comfort right now? Her body hurt all over and was fatigued. And her eyes drooped with exhaustion.

Abaddon felt her head plop onto his arm. He glanced down seeing her closed eyes. His eyes wandered over her bruised face and split lip. He felt liquid flowing from him and he reached up with his other hand in shock. There were tears. It was like the first rain after a drought. His heart was broken and the liquid flowed down in constant streams. For Lucy... he cried.