Never a Bride

Once more a brides-maid and never a bride. Going home after attending another school friends wedding left her feeling a little down. Actually downright depressed. At twenty-eight and still single, she had yet to meet a guy who could take her breath away. Maybe she'd read too many romance novels.

As she looked out the plane window she thought she glimpsed an owl, a very huge owl. Owls don't fly that high, do they? Nah, it must be her tired brain. The weekend activities taking its toll on her she drifted off to sleep.

Drago could not comprehend what just happened. In the body of an owl flying through the night sky, the brightness of the stars almost blinded him. He is seeing in color. He is feeling. After all the long centuries of no emotions and no colors, he is feeling and seeing in color. He almost lost his concentration and shifted from owl form.

He could hear the jet plane near by. Turning into a cloudy mist he slowly drifted toward the plane. A young lady next to the window was sound asleep.

He touched her mind. She was very tired. His breath caught in his throat. After all this time he'd found her. His lifemate. He smiled. He felt like shouting. He tried to control himself.

The misty cloud entered the back of the plane. So as not to frighten the humans he materialized in one of the men's restrooms. Making himself presentable as one of the passengers.

Slowly walking down the isle, he approached her, and sat down in the empty seat next to hers. So overcome with emotions he was shaking. What now? He tried to recall everything he'd heard through the years. Only true psychic human women can be converted with three blood exchanges. She is his lifemate no doubt about it. She must be a true psychic.

Adriana was so tired. She was in deep sleep yet something disturbed her. She shifted in her seat and started to wake up, slowly. Stretching her arms out she hit Drago in the face.

"I am so sorry "she mumbled, "I thought this seat was empty." Bringing her arms down, embarrassed.

The gentleman smiled at her and she thought her breathing would stop. The man of her dreams, come to life.

"No harm done, my name is Drago, what is yours?" He asked as he reached out for a handshake.

"Adriana" she answered softy, too softly but somehow she knew he heard.

"I am so sorry I hit you" she said, "I must be more tired than I realized. God, I hate flying." She said under her breath.

Drago tried to hide a smile. She was attracted to him. That was a start. A good start. He let his breath out slowly.

Adriana looked over to the handsome stranger, under her lashes hoping that her tongue was not hanging out. Through the rest of the flight they made small talk. Every time he smiled at her she thought she would melt. Drago made sure he smiled a lot.

At one point Drago was saying something and she could not remember a word if her life depended on it. His mouth, she could not stop looking at that mouth. What would it taste like she thought as she ran the tip of her tongue over her top lip.

"Why don't you find out for yourself?" Drago whispered softly with a very heavy European accent, as he brought his head down towards her lips. Once those lips touched her she thought she would fly out of her seat.

"Easy" whispered Drago. Holding her tight in his arms as if he would never let her go. He kissed her softly and gently at first and then this kiss deepened, became more intense. "Open for me love, open your mouth I want to taste you." He encouraged.

The moment he entered her mouth Drago thought he would explode with longing and desire. He was hanging on to his self-control by a thread but he was not about to take her body in the middle of a plane either.

He was reading her thoughts and desires. He knew she wanted him and he knew she was a hopeless romantic as the humans call it. She thought him to have "animal magnetism". He'd give her all the romance and animal magnetism she wanted even if it killed him. He gentled the kiss and let his lips track over her face and down the side of her neck.

The kisses were so soft and tender Adriana thought she would melt from them. He was kissing her neck as if he was devouring it, starving for it. She became slightly dizzy and light headed, at the same time experiencing the most earth shattering orgasm of her life. From one kiss. She tired not to panic. She felt so embarrassed.

Drago looked at her flushed face and smiled. "It is all right my love, there is no need for you to feel embarrassed. I am very pleased that my kisses bring you so much pleasure.

For some reason Adriana wanted to punch him. "You don't have to look so smug," she mumbled. Looking at him she said, "Who are you? Or better yet. What are you? Why did you drink my blood?"

Drago stared at her "You remember?"

She snorted, "How could I forget?" then blushed.

Drago laughed. His laughter rang throughout the plane. Passengers started to smile and look around to see where that wonderful sound was coming from. Holding her close to him he answered her very slowly. "What I am about to tell you might shock you. I am a male Carpathian and by nature predatory. I might look human but am not. Our species has existed from the beginning of time. I have lived many years, actually centuries." he looked at her with a grin.

"Hold it right there, buster." She whispered to him harshly. "What are trying to do? Drive me crazy? First you kiss my head of and now this. Not to mention the most earth... Never mind," she waved her hand at him. "Centuries you say?" She looked so frightened, as if she would run any minute.

Drago held onto her and would not let her go, in spite of her struggles. "I did not mean to scare you love," he whispered to her in a soft velvet voice whishing only to comfort and sooth. "I could not help myself. I had to taste you. You are the light to my darkness, my other half. Heart of my heart, soul of my soul. I have been searching for you all my existence. I could not believe it when I saw you on the plane that I have found you."

"What does that mean?" Adriana asked him even though she knew the answer already.

"The Carpathian male cannot be without his lifemate. He needs her. You are my lifemate. I need you!"

"English translation if you don't mind?" she wanted to shout making herself talk in a whisper.

Drago looked at her wanting to claim what was his right there and then. Instead he answered her. "I am smitten, I adore you. I need you. You are heart of my heart, soul of my soul and I want you for my wife. Your word "love" does not even come close to what I am feeling for you." With a pleading look in his eyes, "Would you be mine for all time, for all eternity?"

Adriana just stared at him. She was scared, so scared. Why do these things always happen to her? God, she thought he is the most handsome man she had ever seen. The man of her dreams. . .or just another weirdo?

"O .K. let me get this straight. You just met me. Drank my blood. Now you are crazy about me and you want me to be your wife? What is wrong with this picture Drago? Look at me? Are you blind? For one, I am not a beauty as you can see! I am overweight, a human, hate the site of blood, and flying makes me sick. Besides one day I will get old and die and you will be" waving her hands at him, "well you, forever young and handsome if what you say is true. Besides we just met!"

She could see that Drago was trying very hard to be patient with her. "My love, to me you are beautiful, overweight, I don't think so," he sighed deeply. To make a point he draped his arm around her back and with his hand he reached for her right breast cupping it in his palm. He grinned at her. "Just right. As for the ageing, we'll deal with it when the time comes."

" I don't think I want to know this." She mumbled under her breath. "Drago please let me get up. I need to go to the ladies room," Adriana said with a shaky voice.

He slowly and reluctantly moved out of her way. Merging his mind fully with hers he knew how frightened and scared she felt. He did not want to lose momentum now and slowly followed her down the isle to the back of the plane.

He knew what he needed to do. Adriana turned around and looked up at him. "And just where do you think you are going?"

Drago just looked at her with one eyebrow arched in a question of his own. He used his "animal magnetism" as she called it to the fullest. Adriana blushed and continued to the back of the plane. Drago gave her the privacy that she needed.

When she opened the door and started to step out of the bathroom, Drago hugged her stepped to her side and had them both locked inside before she could blink.

"What are you doing? Are you nuts?"

"Yes, I am. For You!" Still holding her close he started to show her how crazy he was for her. Bending his head down he started to kiss her. Very, very slowly her eye lids, down the side of her face and her neck.

"My Love, you never answered my question." He whispered softly as he continued to kiss her neck and assault her senses. "I need to claim you for my own. You are the light to my darkness. I need you, love. I need you. Will you be mind for all time?"

"What will happen if I refuse?" Adriana asked.

"I will turn into the vampire of your legends. Would you willingly condemn me to such a fate?" Drago asked in a whisper. "Or will you be my savoir?"

" I know that I don't know what I am getting myself into. But, I cannot say no to you. Yes, Drago Yes!" She answered him helplessly.

Drago held her close, lifted her at the waist to sit on the bathroom sink.

"Drago, I am too big and too heavy, it will break!"

"It will not, you are not that heavy. I will hold you up. Lean on me."

She never felt like this. Free and light. Next to Drago and in his arms she felt petite beautiful and cherished.

"That is because you are" he whispered to her. "I cannot wait much longer my love, I want you. Now."

Adriana held on to Drago for dear life as in a blink of an eye their cloths disappeared and Adriana discovered Carpathian magic in Drago's arms.

Drago spread her legs as he continued to kiss her shoulders, chest and trail the kisses to her breasts.

Adriana thought she would melt right there on the spot, and then she felt the gentle probing of his manhood. So hot, so hard. She thought she would faint. Very slowly but firmly he entered her.

As he pushed forward she heard him chant first in what must be his native language and then English. The words called to her heart, brought tears to her eyes. Her body melted in response.

"I claim you as my lifemate. I belong to you. I offer my life for you. I give you my protection, my allegiance, my heart, my soul, my body. I take into my keeping the same that is yours. Your life, happiness, and welfare will be cherished and placed above my own for all time. You are my lifemate, bound to me for all eternity and always in my care." Drago could not stop the ritual words from pouring out of him even if he wanted to. He knew his lifemate needed more time and he regretted that he could not give it to her. He claimed what was his.

His head came down to her breast and as she cradled him, he fed. She'd given him her body and now she gave her lifeblood. He could feast on her for all time. He was very careful to take just enough for an exchange. Inhaling her sent he closed the two small pinpricks on her chest leaving his mark on her.

She was very strong for a human, resisting the compulsion to feed but his will prevailed.

Adriana's mouth found the pulse beat of his heart on his chest. He opened a small wound himself. As she fed he continued moving gently in and out of her, driving himself crazy with need, desire and lust. When he was sure she had enough for an exchange he closed the wound himself. Seeking her mouth, he kissed her with all the love and emotions overwhelming him in that moment.

Adriana was kissing him right back. Never in her twenty-eight years had anyone made love to her or kissed her like this. She was falling apart in a stranger's arms. She was hot. So hot. She could not hold still.

Drago was holding on tight. His mind fully merged with hers, he could feel what she was feeling. There was no Drago without Adriana and no Adriana without Drago. Adriana was holding on to Drago for dear life. When she reached orgasm her body arched and she cried out against his chest. At the same time Drago reached his release, turning his face away so she would not see the tears shinning in his eyes.

Adriana could not believe what just happened to her. She had the most earth shattering climaxes of her life with a total stranger. On a plane, in the bathroom of all places.

"I am no stranger. Not anymore. Your heart and you body recognized me before your mind did."

Drago spoke to her gently, softly regulating both hers and his breathing and heart rates.

"You are mine. Light to my darkness. My life, my breath, and the very air I breathe. You have no idea what you just did for me. I need you as no human can need you." Gently he kissed her once more. As if he could not get enough. Just as before he took their cloths off, now he dressed them both in a second.

Adriana could not believe. She was all cleaned and refreshed as if she never made. . . She had to stop herself from thinking along those lines. She could feel herself blushing.

She looked up at Drago who was just standing there drinking in the site of her.

"I still want you!" He whispered in her ear with husky voice full of desire. She just stared at him wide eyed. He was all dressed again just like her. Making sure no one was around in the back of the plane he opened the door and they walked back to their seats.

Drago was still merged with her. He could not bring himself to let go. He could feel her aches and soreness. He felt guilty for not taking better care with his lifemate, and the emotions, the intensity of his feelings, all too new to him.

As she carefully sat down she heard Drago say, "I am sorry love, I should have taken better care with you."

"I am all right Drago," she said, "It has been awhile for me. Let's just say I am not use to such a well endowed male." Sighing she said, "What I would give for a nice hot bubble bath right about now!"

"Rest for now love, I will waken you when the plane is ready to land." Grabbing a couple of pillows he tried to make her comfortable. Covering her with a blanket he mentally unbuttoned the buttons and unzipped the zippers so she could rest in comfort.

Her head on Drago's shoulder, Adriana fell into a deep sleep. Holding his lifemate in his arms Drago had a sense of peace and contentment. For the first time in all the centuries of his lonely existence he was truly happy.