The Predator

James and Damien

Chapter 28

James POV

Opening my eyes I found I was face down in a dirty alleyway. Fuck, I let her slip through my fingers. Hopefully I have planted a seed of doubt in her head about the royals. That's what I came here to do. I heard she a couple of weeks ago that she had joined the royal guards. I knew it would happen. But I lied to her, she isn't their pet, every vampire knows that she isn't to be touched. She isn't just a royal guard to them she is practically part of the royal family from what I heard. But I need her to believe me, there is a group of us vampires that are planning to move against the royal family, but we need Lexi to succeed. She is the unstoppable force we need. If she joins us we can take down the royal family and guards but if she doesn't we dont stand a chance of taking them down or surviving. The darkness in her should be pushing for her to gain more power, not be a measly royal guard. I knew she would be here tonight, I have my own person on the inside. My second beloved and she is in the best position possible to find out what is happening in the royal family, like finding out prince Kyle is Lexi's beloved, but she doesn't want him either. I let the darkness claim me when Lexi broke our bond. I didn't think it was possible to, it must be because she is so powerful that when she completed letting the darkness claim her it broke our bond, painfully. I couldnt take the pain from the loss of our bond, so I let the darkness claim me. I dont feel the connection to her anymore as a beloved but I can't deny the lust she causes in me.

                        I played the part of the pissed off beloved well. The royals mind was completely open, allowing me to see everything he knows about Lexi, including who she has been fucking. What's even more pathetic is that fool Damien is falling in love with her. She is dead inside. I couldnt even read her thoughts, I got nothing from her, not even a reaction when I told her how Damien felt about her. She is perfect, just the way I want her, a cold calculating predator, who's only thoughts should be about the power she can gain. She will be the one to come looking for me and when she does, I will play my part as her beloved til the time is right, she will be the one doing all the hard work and I will be the one to claim the power for myself. I will find a way to kill her, unlike the royals, I know she is too strong to let live, she will always be able to take that power from me once I claim it.

Damien's POV

Watching Lexi talk to Marcus I knew something was going on, I could see the panic clear on Marcus's face. I watched them closely as the moved towards the dance floor looking for someone. My thoughts were confirmed when I saw her shoving through the crowd, literally throwing people to the ground as they made their way to the back exit. I waited a few minutes to see if they back in, but when they didn't I got up from my seat ready to find them, Rhys and Mark must have been watching too because they followed behind me. We made our way through the crowd and out the back door. I didn't know what to expect but I didn't expect Lexi to be holding Marcus at bay while she has a stare down with another vampire that has a human pinned to the wall by her throat. When he spoke, I was shocked, he is Lexi's other beloved. I felt jealousy and fear rip through me, afraid that she will want him and that I will lose her to him, those thoughts alone hurt, I couldn't understand the change happening in me, but I did know one thing and that is I am falling deeply in love with Lexi. I can see a change in her too but she is fighting it, I'm not, I want her, even if the darkness still claims her, I want her whatever way she will allow me. I watched her for a reaction when James told her I am in love with her, but she didn't even acknowledge what he said. She just kept her eyes on him, making my fear grow. But she shocked us when she used her powers on him, she got to the girl reassuring her as she pried James fingers from her throat breaking them in the process. When the girl walked straight into Marcus's arms I knew then she was his beloved. She stood there looking at James as Marcus tried to make me leave. I didn't want to leave her with him, what if I never see her again after this, she could leave with him now and I would be powerless to stop her. Eventually Marcus dragged me into the club, leaving Lexi behind with her beloved. I wanted to scream at Marcus, tell him I will never forgive him if she leave with him, that he lost the one person that is making me feel again and to know what falling in love truely feels like.

                                  But I knew I couldnt, his need to protect his beloved is his main priority and he doesn't doubt for a second that Lexi won't return with us and I praying he is right. We got to our car and got in, this time me in the drivers seat and Marcus and his beloved in the back. Considering everything that has happened to her, she isn't frightened of Marcus. But then again a bond a royal has to their mates is stronger and even if she doesn't know what she is feeling towards him, she will know she is safe in his arms. She is a tiny little thing. I have never seen Marcus so content. Amelia is with her beloved, they are already heading back to the manor. I got lost in thought, worrying Lexi won't come back, that I didn't even notice her approach the car til I heard Marcus sigh with relief. I looked up to find my beautiful girl getting closer to us. I couldnt help the smile that broke out on my face. She returned it with her own. She opened the door and sat in beside me.

"Thank you for saving me" I heard a timid voice say, I looked around to find Marcus's mate looking at Lexi.

"Your welcome honey, your safe now " Lexi said smiling.

"Thank you lil sis, you have no idea how grateful I am to you" Marcus said, leaning forward to hug Lexi. She hugged him back and smiled.

"Time for home, I think guys, Marcus and Amelia have someone very important for the royals to meet" she said smiling, a genuine smile. I can see the change now, she has emotions in her voice when she speaks and when she hugs Marcus I can see how much she cares about him. I just hope she won't fight what were feeling towards each other.

I turned the car on and pulled out heading for home. When we got onto the straight road, I moved my free hand and took Lexi's hands in mine. I glanced at her smiling to find her looking at our hands with her own smile. I know this must be scary as hell for her, she wanted the darkness before her beloved cheated, she wants to feel strong and by accepting the darkness she got exactly that. I know she doesn't want to feel weak again and get hurt, but she is different now, she is stronger, she will never be the weak Lexi she is afraid of becoming again. She has a family that loves her now and wants to protect her every bit as much as she wants to protect us.