Dr. Luna
The Vampires Promised Bride Bonus Chapter 4

A little girl around the age of five was hiding in the nearby bushes. She cupped her hands over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing. A blonde haired boy was searching out in the distance and slowly picking up on her trail. A hand landed on her shoulder and she jumped slightly startled. Another boy raised his fingers to his lips and the girl nodded slightly. He grabbed her hand and quickly took her away deeper into the forest. "Lucy you really need to find better hiding places. Jasper will find you in no time there." The little boy with brown hair and amber eyes said as he continued to pull Lucy deeper into the woods.

"Well Derek, if you and Aiden hadn't left me all alone so fast... You both vanished and I didn't know where to hide." Lucy panted as she tried to keep up with the faster boy. Derek felt her stumble slightly and he stopped, turning to check on her. "Are you okay?" He asked looking her over with concern.

"Of course I am fine. I'm just not as fast as you yet. But one day I will be." Lucy said proudly.

Derek gave her a smug grin. "I don't think you will even be as fast as me but I think you are adorable. And you will always be more adorable than me."

Lucy pouted and folded her arms over her chest. "I will too be just as fast."

Derek chuckled and stepped forward patting Lucy on the head. "If you say so Luce Luce."

Lucy looked around under the dark canopy of heavy pine trees around them. It looked very gloomy under the shade of the pines. She inched a bit closer to Derek.

"Don't be afraid Lucy. I'll always keep you safe." He said placing his arm protectively around her shoulder.

"Really?" Lucy lifted her head up to look at him.

"Of course silly. You are my future wife and we are friends too right?" He smiled down at her green eyes that lit up.

"Well, then I will protect you too. When I get bigger I'll be stronger." Lucy said with fierce determination. "I guess when we get married we will get to play together all of the time, huh? I'll be living here with you and Jasper."

"It will be like one continuous sleepover. It will be fun. I promise I will always be there for you Lucy. No matter what."

"Me too." Lucy beamed up at him happily. She reached her hand and grasped his with her own. "We've already formed an alliance."

"Shh Lucy... someone is coming." Derek pulled her hand closer to a lower pine branch. He then released her hand and gently pushed her down to crawl under. "Hide under there Lucy. And don't come out."

Lucy got on her hands and knees and crawled under the prickly pines. She leaned up against the tree trunk and felt some sap on her back. She looked under the hooded opening but Derek was gone. She could no longer see his feet. She heard the sound of footsteps coming closer and closer.

"I know you are here somewhere Lucy," Jasper said as he began tracking. He was naturally gifted as a tracker and one day planned to be one of the best around.

Lucy pulled her feet closer as she tried to control her breathing. She could hear Jasper getting closer to her location. She could even see his feet approaching the tree now. Then another sound was heard and another set of feet appeared. "Derek, where did you come from?"

"You still have to catch me, Jasper." Derek grinned and led the chase away from Lucy.

She listened as their footsteps faded farther and farther away. And now she really was alone in the dark. Her night vision sight still wasn't developed and everything looked dark like it would for a normal human. She gnawed on her lip nervously as an eerie silence came over the forest.

Then something happened that made the hair on the back of Lucy's neck stick up. A chill raced down her spine as a familiar sensation hit her arm. Tiny legs were crawling over her arm. She glanced down to confirm her fears were true. A deadly ninja assassin with eight legs was preparing to end Lucy's life. She let out an ear-piercing scream and frantically tried to escape the evil murderer.

She tore through the painful pine needles that became intertwined in her hair. Panic began to set in as she felt like she was trapped in the prison of needles. She jerked fiercely to free herself and tumbled out from the tree and into a set of arms. Her eyes were clenched shut as she shook and rubbed her hands over her body.

"Is it on me? Is it on me? Get it off! Get it off! I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead!" Her panic-stricken voice cried out in desperation.

"Lucy, calm down. There is nothing on you." Derek said in gentle tones as he brushed his hand over her.

"I don't see anything Lucy. What is it we are looking for?" Jasper asked as he began to scan over the area for the threat.

"Are you sure? Check my hair again. It could be anywhere." Lucy shuddered and braced herself for impact from the spider's bite.

"Lucy, I promise there is nothing on you. You are safe." Derek reached down to pluck the pine needles out of her hair gently.

"What is happening?! I heard Lucy's scream." Aiden said crashing towards them. He looked at his sister and glanced around the area. "Seriously Lucy..." Aiden shook his head.

"You didn't see it Aiden!" Lucy spat out defending herself.

"I'd like to know what IT is..." Jasper grinned as he looked over at Aiden.

"I'm betting it was a spider..." Aiden said in annoyance.

Derek and Jasper turned to look at Lucy who stared back at her brother defiantly.

"It was going to kill me." Lucy looked up at Derek. His lips were curving upwards and then all the boys began laughing loudly.

"Here we were worried something bad was wrong and it was over a spider?" Jasper laughed loudly planting his hands on his knees to brace himself.

Lucy furrowed her brows and began pouting. She felt Derek's hand land on her shoulder and she lifted her gaze to him. She could see the amusement in his eyes as he was smiling down at her.

"I'll be your spider protector Lucy. It's okay. But what you are most in danger of..." He said reaching his hand to her hair. "Is getting this sap out of your hair. It is pretty tangled."

Lucy reached her hand up and felt the mess of sap and pine needles in her hair.

"Come here." Derek pulled her back towards his back and he knelt down. "Hop on I'll give you a lift back." He felt her climb up on his back and wrap her arms around his neck. "Okay, Lucy hold on tight!"

He took off running as she squealed happily. When he first met Lucy as a baby he wasn't sure what to expect of his future wife. But the more he got to know her the more he liked her. She was someone precious to him. He was still young and didn't completely understand the magnitude of having a mate. What he did know is that he really enjoyed Lucy's company. She was fun to be around and already he was very protective over her. It was his goal whenever he saw her just to make her smile. Whatever this feeling he had for her was... he liked it. He never wanted to lose it and always wanted to keep her close.

Derek opened his eyes and looked at his mate sleeping peacefully next to him. He stared at her closed eyes with a smile on his face. That dream was a very pleasant memory he had with Lucy when they were young. It was the earliest time he can remember feeling the budding feelings of love forming for her.

A grin formed on his face as he remembered how terrified she was of the spider at that time. And it was something he had forgotten about until he met her again as an adult when he was pretending to be Ryan. As soon as she told him what she was panicking about it all clicked. It made perfect sense. But more than that... she was still his same sweet precious Lucy.

While he had to be away from her he wondered about her and her personality. He had Jasper reporting back to him all the time so he could feel connected to her. Secretly he was incredibly jealous of Jasper during those times. He was able to freely spend his time with Lucy. Because of that the two of them grew close and had a tight bond. He worried she may end up feeling more for Jasper than for him.

One of his biggest regrets was distancing himself from Lucy. He wished he could go back in time and inform her of everything. Maybe then he could have snuck some precious time to visit her as she grew. He knew he was lucky. The girl he fell in love with was the woman he now had laying beside him. Few people got to experience such a sweet love as he had.

He reached his hand out brushing her hair away from her face slightly. Her eyes immediately popped open and he stared into her eyes. He watched a sweet smile reach her lips as she stretched slightly.

"Good morning my love." Lucy smiled as she went through his thoughts. "Really... that is when you remember starting to love me?" She giggled and pushed her face into his hand.

"I don't exactly remember when... but that memory I remember the way I felt with you. And from that point on it only continued to grow. I would get so excited when it was time for us to meet again. Up until... well until I turned fifteen and then everything changed after that. Being away from you then was incredibly painful. I missed you so much, Lucy." He shook his head. "I don't even want to think about those days. I just want to take the now in. I've never felt such happiness as I feel when I wake up next to you." "These are my happiest moments too." She smiled and looked up at the ceiling as she thought about that day. She projected her memories so that Derek could also see what she was thinking about clearly. She started thinking about a moment that was later on the same day when she had come to play with Derek. She remembered a sweet moment she had with her father later that evening...

Her father had just finished reading her a bedtime story after their long day visiting the vampire kingdom. She had her eyes closed thinking about the story of the princess waiting to be saved. She didn't want to have to rely on anyone. She would be able to save herself. This was the way her mother was raising her to be. A strong woman who could handle her own fights.

"Daddy?" She opened her eyes as she saw her father creeping away and to the door. He really was the best father she could have asked for. Even though he was tired he came back and entertained her thoughts. But when she mentioned that he didn't have to worry that she was going to marry the prince his expression completely changed. Thinking about it now it was probably really tough for her father. She knew he treasured her and was probably constantly beating himself up over the whole treaty idea. It must have been a tremendous relief for him when he found out her fiancé was also her fated mate. It was a relief to her as well.

"I'd like to know what IT is..." Jasper grinned as he looked over at Aiden.

She looked over and smiled at Derek. She was a young girl then but she was right about her future. She did marry the prince and together they united their species. But more than that she married the man she loved. She ended up marrying the boy who always took care of her. The boy who grew to be the man who doted on her constantly and loved her unconditionally.

Derek grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips creating tiny tingling sparks on her skin. He smiled as he gazed into her eyes. She was precious to him then and even more so now.

"You are the greatest treasure I could ask for. I thank the gods... well not all of them..." He said with an annoyed look as a slight smirk spread on his lips. "But I thank those responsible every night for you. I love you, my little mate."

"Love me enough to serve me breakfast in bed? Your little mate is a growing mate and I am eating for three of us."

Derek chuckled. "Done. Lay here and relax my love. I will bring you everything you could ask for and more."

Selene leaned into Endymion's side as she closed the viewing. She looked up at the man she loved and smiled. "We did well with those two."

"We did. Their children will be vital to the future." Endymion pulled Selene close and kissed her forehead.

"I thought we were done with all the meddling. I feel like we finished the battle only to enter into another war." Kali clicked her tongue as she walked into the room. "They have no idea what is coming."

"And that is the way it is supposed to be." Selene turned and gave Kali a sad smile. "But we will give them everything they need to persevere. It may take time... but their moment of triumph will come. It has to..."

"Yeah... after the world is almost destroyed and all hope is lost." Kali snorted and rolled her eyes.

"But all hope won't be lost. There will be a chance to save this world. It isn't much but this is all we can do. Keep gently pushing things in the right direction." Selene wished they could do more but they learned their lesson. She wouldn't risk losing Endymion or anyone else.

"All this is for naught if the other fairy princess is killed. If she never produces her heir with Aken then the holding world won't be created. Their child will be the only one who will be able to connect with the vampire fairy princess." Kali looked down and shook her head. "We are riding on so many what-ifs..."

"If things do not fall into place exactly there is no hope for this world." Endymion squeezed onto Selene. "But that is why we are doing what we can now. We know the paths that are needed and the children needed for the future."

"Once again, I am afraid it is up to the Locke family ancestors and the new generation of guardians. The guardians will be the key to safeguarding the world. And the fairy princesses will hold the fate of magic in their hands. I believe in them. This time we aren't stacking their family for our selfish gains. We are doing everything we can in order to protect their future. We owe them this much." Selene squeezed her hand into a ball tightly while Endymion placed his own hand over hers gently. "You are doing everything you can."

"What if the Kraken and Leviathan choose to fight to protect the world?" Kali watched as Selene shook her head.

"The gods won't be able to interfere. If we interfere with what is to come the war of the gods will come to be. Just like how we back the Locke family there will be gods backing the other. Because of this if we directly interfere the gods will be divided and war will break out. And in this vision, the universe will be destroyed."

"One grim outlook after another." Kali spat out folding her arms over her chest.

"The dark will come first. But there will be a chance for the light. And we must put our trust in them. It is all we can do." Selene and Endymion stared at each other quietly. What they were doing now was for the Locke family. She selfishly already had everyone she needed. And they were safe from the future devastation. But the Locke family was not. Because they have done so much for them they would do everything they could to aid them for the future that was to come.

The family had fought many battles and they had won them all. But a war was coming. One that made the demon war shallow in comparison. It would be this war that would separate the tight family. Elysium would be sealed with part of the family inside. While some of them would remain to defend the world.

They had a ways to go before this future would come. But it would come... that much was certain. Selene would offer all the Locke family a safe haven, but she could foresee they wouldn't accept it. They would do what they could for the magic and species of the world to protect them. That was the kind of people they were.

The Locke family didn't realize it but once again the fate of the world would rest upon their shoulders.