Dr. Luna
The Vampires Promised Bride Chapter 59

The voidless kept marching and marching. The bodies piled up and yet there was no stopping them. The vampires were beginning to tire. It was fatigue that was becoming the real enemy. Derek knew something seemed off but there wasn't time to think as they continued to smash against them.

A blue energy shot over the voidless. And the exhausting battle instantly came to an end. Derek watched as Levi materialized in front of him. This was the strength he was missing. This was the strength that took Lucy. Who could battle against that? What was tiring his army out, Levi instantly combusted them. Damn... deities were scary. "Levi!" Jasper called as he ran over to greet the deity beside Derek. He glanced over at Derek and could see he was anxious as well. If Levi was here that means he had news of Lucy. But he didn't have her with him... Which didn't seem like a good sign. "Thank you. We were starting to wear out." Derek said as he panted to catch his breath. His amber eyes were locked onto Levi studying his face.

"We have her." Levi said quietly.

"You found her! Thank goodness." Jasper sighed and patted Derek's back.

"Aken found her. He saved her." Levi answered quietly while keeping eye contact with Derek.

"Take me to her."

"I will... just..." Levi frowned. "Derek... I want to prepare you."

Derek felt his chest squeeze in pain. And he waited with bated breath for what Levi was going to say. He felt Jasper squeeze his shoulder showing him that he was there for support.

"I don't know what she has been through. But physically she is in bad shape. She has broken ribs, bruising and cuts. She has something in her that won't allow herself to be healed by her magic or any magic. And... I don't know what else he did to her. Aken had to give her his shirt to wear... As her soul mate, you are going to see and know what happened to her. You need to be prepared for what you see... Lucy will need your strength. I've never..." Levi shook his head and closed his eyes at the memory of seeing his niece. "I've never seen her look like that..."

Derek clenched his hands together so tight his knuckles turned white. "What about the man who took her?"

"He got away. But he won't come back for Lucy. Selene has woken up Rogio... Rogio will make sure nothing happens to her or your kind. Erebus will not dare come near you because that is one deity he does fear. He fears his power over the council. Don't worry Derek. I will continue to hunt Erebus down for what he did to Lucy. And Aken will as well. Lucy protected my daughter... if she would have just confessed that she wasn't Aken's mate... But she didn't. I'm sorry Derek. I'm so sorry..." "Derek!" Ryan jogged over from the side. "Has she been found?" He watched him nod his head. "Thank the heavens. I've got things covered here. You and Jasper go." When Derek had ordered the full assault on the witch Ryan took his rightful place as the head of the elite soldiers. And now they had built up a relationship. It was his job to lead the soldiers and they already respected him before thinking he was the prince. It was a bit of an adjustment to realize who is the prince and who is the soldier. But now Derek could take care of what was important.

"I can bring you both back but... Lucy doesn't want to see anyone." Levi said quietly.

"Wait... when you say anyone..." Jasper said, glancing over at Derek.

"As I said... we don't know what she has gone through. But if there is anyone she needs it is Derek. If you are ready to handle that..." Levi met with the amber eyes of the young prince.

"Whatever happened doesn't change anything for me. I'll be there for her and will help her through this. I'll give her the time she needs and just be there for her. This soul bond will really come in handy. She won't be able to hide what she is feeling. I'll be able to give her exactly what she needs."

"It's also why you need to be prepared and careful. Expect the worst. And you know what I mean by that... Your feelings flow through each other. And if you feel like you need to walk away to let your feelings out then do it." Levi watched the calm amber eyes in front of him.

"Levi, whatever happened would never have me thinking anything bad about my Lucy. I may feel like killing someone. But none of that matters. I just want to be near her and smell her. I can't help it though. I'm probably going to bawl like a baby when I see her." Derek rubbed the back of his neck with a small smile. He already felt like crying just in relief hearing they found her. "Ryan... take care of things here. I'm going to Lucy."

"Don't worry. Everything is in good hands." Ryan said as Derek nodded to him appreciatively. He wasn't too worried since Levi had wiped out the voidless army. It would probably be quiet for a while.

"Okay, Levi. Take me to her." Derek said firmly. Instantly Levi had taken them back to the castle. He brought them near the bottom stairs to his upper pad. Standing there was all of the family except for Lilly, Freya and Wyatt.

"Jasper, wait here." Derek said with a small smile.

"Take care of her for me..." Aiden said quietly. He didn't know how she was but for Lucy not to want others around... she must be pretty bad.

Derek nodded his head and Levi immediately transferred him up the stairs.

"I'll be at the bottom waiting with Rhea..." Levi said and left Derek standing in the room. He glanced up to see Abaddon standing there staring at a closed door.

"How is she?" Derek whispered. He was shocked to see Abaddon's red puffy eyes. It was obvious he had been crying. And this made his stomach turn anxiously.

"She's been beaten up pretty bad. She hasn't talked to anyone about what happened... but some of it is obvious." Abaddon shook his head. "She fell asleep on me. She was so exhausted that even when her parents arrived she didn't wake. Her father carried her into the room there. Her grandmother is examining her." He nodded to the door.

"Go and relax. I know you have been searching non-stop for her. I'll handle everything from here. Jasper is downstairs. Why don't you go and stay with him?" Derek watched Abaddon nod his head and turn to leave.

Derek took in a deep breath and slowly pushed the door open. Freya was sitting near a bed while Wyatt had his hand leaning on the wall with his head pressed into it. Lilly was finishing wrapping a bandage around Lucy when she lifted her eyes up to his. He walked in closer and his eyes landed on Lucy.

She laid there in the bed with her eyes closed. Her lip was cut and she had a red swollen mark across her face. Her lower body was covered with a sheet but her arms had bruises of all different shades. From older-looking bruises to fresher colored ones. To the side of the bed, he saw the shredded dress that he last saw her in. He turned his eyes away from it and walked closer to the bed. Lilly immediately got up to make room for him to be closer.

"She has four broken ribs and needs to stay still until she can be healed. When she wakes you'll be able to see what happened through her thoughts. Instead of us talking to her about it you can come out and tell us later. It will be less stressful on her this way." Lilly watched as Derek sat on the bed next to her.

"Wyatt... Freya... why don't you two come back with me. Let's have some tea. You two need to rest as well. There is nothing more to be done here. Let's leave the rest in Derek's hands. He will come and talk with us when things are settled." Lilly understood the soulmate bond. Derek would know everything and he would know exactly what Lucy needed. And they couldn't help her more than he could.

Wyatt looked at Lucy, his eyes full of pain. He was also struggling with not being strong enough to rescue his own daughter. It made all of them realize that no matter how powerful they were there was another level of strength above them. He felt Freya's warm hand intertwined with his and she nodded at him in understanding. Slowly he allowed her to lead him out of the room.

The door shut leaving Derek alone with Lucy. He shifted slowly in the bed so that he could lie next to her. He just laid there staring at her. He missed her so much. His sweet precious little mate. He felt his eyes burning as hot liquid began to seep from his eyes. The tears kept coming as he looked at her. Deep down he was terrified he would never see her again. And seeing her now flooded all of the weeks of worry out of him.

He reached his hand up and smoothed her hair back from her face. His fingers ever so slightly brushed against her face and he felt the surging tingles rush from the contact. Lucy had felt it too because her eyes fluttered open.

Green stared into amber. No word. Just silence. Their lives, their hurt, their pain... their everything flashed between them. She knew his pain and his worries. He knew hers. He saw her memories and how she was beaten. How she fought and how Erebus forced his kisses on her. But that was all he had forced on her. He didn't take her completely. And yet he could feel how Lucy still felt tainted because of it. Instantly they knew it all. And they knew how the other felt about it. Absurdity from both ends. Lucy didn't blame Derek and Derek didn't think any less of Lucy. They both wanted the other completely.

"I love you, my little mate." Derek brushed his thumb against her cheek. "Everyone is here. They are all worried about you."

Lucy reached her hand up and met with his hand. Their fingers tangled together and she closed her eyes enjoying the touch of her mate. "I didn't know if I would ever see you again."

Derek squeezed her hand and breathed in deeply. He understood her feelings there. He had also felt them.

"I would kill for a shower." Lucy said with a chuckle.

"Sorry baby. I'll get a washcloth and wash you but you need to stay still. You have four broken ribs." Derek felt his heart sting. His sweet Lucy had endured so much. A smirk played across his lips as Lucy's thoughts entered into his mind. "Don't even you little temptress. Strictly a pure wholesome sponge bath. That's it. But once you are healed... I plan to make sure I mark every single part of your body. Leaving my scent on every inch of your skin."

He watched her close her eyes as she rested quietly. He scooted into her more and leaned his head against hers. He kept a hold of her hand with their fingers interlaced together. This was enough. They both just needed to be near the other. All their worries and concerns instantly vanished. They could see exactly how their mate felt. They needed this quiet moment together. Breathing in one another's scent and feeling the other's touch. Something so simple and yet so powerful.

Derek leaned up and brushed his lips over her forehead before leaning it back into her to watch her face. He felt as her body drifted back into unconsciousness. His eyes watered as the flood gates released. All of his emotions flowed out of him as he watched over her. And for the first time since Lucy had been taken he also felt relaxed. He had been tirelessly fighting and hardly sleeping. So with his head against hers, their fingers intertwined they both slept. Two halved souls... finally reunited.