Free After Dark (The Vampire Next Door Book 2) by Rose Titus Page B

Rick.”
    “I’m not done yet! Now. Okay. Pavel was tossed into this pit filled with rats and miserable souls. Then there was this emaciated guy in rags hanging from the damp cold stone wall and he turned to look at him in the semi darkness and mumbled something like, you know, what are you in for ? But before he could answer Pavel heard a terrible heart stopping scream. The guards flung a beautiful and well-dressed young woman into the dark pit. But before slamming the door to lock her in with the others, one of the thugs charged in after her and proceeded to savagely tear off her dress.”
    Laura’s eyes widened. She gripped the edge of her seat.
    “None of the other prisoners had the will or the courage to challenge the guards, many were either in chains or weak from abuse, or they were just plain terrified. But Pavel was a different sort of person. Well, you know that already. He flew into a rage and threw the guard against the wall. Even wearing his helmet, the guard was knocked completely unconscious. Then in came the other tough guys to aid the fallen guard. But Pavel took them all on, overwhelmed them through agility and cunning. He got hold of the last one to charge him and opened a vein in his throat and drank his fill. It made him stronger still, and then he proceeded to weaken the other guards as well so they would no longer cause him trouble. Pavel then stole their set of keys, tossed it to the prisoners behind him as he took hold of the frightened maiden and hurried into the dark night to make his escape. On his way out he beheaded another guard with the sword he took from one of the unfortunate men he had fed from. He stole a horse and took the girl and rode away into the dark night with her.”
    “Are there any pirates in this story?” she asked, again wondering if he was making it all up.
    “I do not think so. All these events happened well before piracy became a popular way to earn a living.”
    “You’re not making this up, are you, Rick?”
    “Not me. But this has been re-told so many times, perhaps it has been exaggerated once or twice.”
    “What happened to the girl?” she prodded. “Was she pretty?”
    “Very. And she knew it, too. Her name, according to legend, was Princess Olga, not a pretty name, but she was young, and very beautiful.”
    “What happened?” she smiled. “What went on when he rode away with her?” And she began to imagine all sorts of things that could have happened in the dark forest.
    He smiled back. “The girl was more trouble than even Pavel could handle, a wildcat. And he would do nothing with her because he was in love with Yelena, who was even more beautiful, and pure, and good, remember?”
    “Oh.” She sounded disappointed.
    “She demanded very loudly to be let off the horse, and became extremely angry. And so he stopped the horse, let her down, and started to ride away. She shouted for him to wait. ‘But you wanted to get off,’ he said, ‘You would leave me here in this wretched forest filled with bandits and wolves?’ Just then a wolf cried off in a distance, and she began to cry. And so he rode back to her, picked her up, put her back on the horse, and kept riding.”
    “She sounds like a spoiled little thing,” and then she wondered if she could have a cup of tea. He rose to get it for her, and she was surprised that he even kept it.
    But as he went into the kitchen he kept talking. “And so they kept riding deeper into the darkness of the forest.”
     
    He tried to calm her but she continued to helplessly weep. It was nearly dawn. The soldiers had stupidly come for him at dusk and Pavel knew he was fortunate that they did not come earlier. He knew a safe place to rest, and remain well hidden for the day. “No one comes here now, not for many years has there been anyone here.” He helped Olga dismount and he led the mare down the stone steps.
    “What is this hideous place?” she hissed.
    “An old sanctuary of gods long forgotten, well