The Blood Will Run (15 page)

Vanstrauss flew through the air and landed head first into the grand piano.

Devin freed the girl and helped her off the altar. Erica came out of nowhere and pulled the girl toward the exit door. Mercy and Demeetrie stood together holding up their hands in front of them and began to chant in Latin.

Chace lifted Alivia off the floor, cradled her in his arms, and then dashed to the exit door.

Demeetrie and Mercy backed out of the church still chanting.

Chace buried his face in Alivias’ hair. “Damn it, I told you to stay outside.” He lowered her to the ground slowly until she stood on her feet. “Why do you keep putting yourself in danger?”

“I agree with Chace, that was a stupid move Alivia,” Erica said standing over the girl that was now lying on the ground.

“Stupid move or not, Alivia did distract Vanstrauss long enough for us to trap him in the church,” Devin said.

“What do you mean trap him in the church?” Erica asked.

Chace walked over to the girl and Alivia watched as he bent down. “I won’t hurt you. Stay still so that I can take your pain away.”

The girl nodded and Chace placed his hand over her stomach and within seconds, the wound closed.

Alivia smiled and shifted her gaze to Devin.

Devin glanced at Erica. “Mercy and Demeetrie performed a spell to keep Vanstrauss prisoner in the church until Orion and his clan get here,” he explained.

“So you’re just going to offer them Vanstrauss as a gift and hope that they take that offering?” Erica shook her head. “Do you honestly think that will stop the clan from killing all of us?” Erica asked.

“It’s worth a try,” Devin said.

“Now what?” Erica asked. “What are we suppose to do until the clan gets here?”

“We have to take shifts and make sure no one goes into the church.”

“Well, at least it’s Tuesday. Mass isn’t until Sunday. It should be easy enough to keep people out of there for a few days,” Mercy said.

“If I know one thing about Vanstrauss, it is that he’s an old vampire. He’s had his fair share of imprisonments. He knows that the holding spell will keep him in, but if a human stands precisely in the middle of the exit door, he can switch his body with theirs and escape,” Demeetrie explained.

“Well in that case we have to make sure no one goes anywhere near the exits. From what I’ve seen, there are only two entrances to that church, the side entrance and the front entrance,” Chace said now standing beside Alivia.

“What about the girl? What do we do with her?” Devin asked.

“I can finish the job that Vanstrauss started,” Chace said.

Alivia elbowed him hard in the ribs.

“I’m just kidding babe.” Chace smiled and kissed her on the tip of her nose.

“I’ll take the girl home,” Devin said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“She’ll have to be compelled into forgetting this ever happened,” Chace said. “And Devin make sure you give her new happy memories.”

“Don’t worry I’ll take care of it,” Devin said.

“Then that’s all settled. Demeetrie and I will take first shift,” Mercy said.

“Alivia and I will take over at 9:00 a.m.,” Chace said.

“Then Devin and I will be here at 5:00,” Erica said.

Everyone nodded again.

“Come on my little daredevil, I need to get you home. You haven’t slept in the last twenty-four hours and it’s time you get some sleep,” Chace said and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and led her to his car.

T
hat night
, Chace held Alivia as she nestled her head against his chest while she slept. Her bedroom was a closet compared to his, but it had a cozy feel to it.

He traced his finger along her arm and she moaned. He wondered about what Vanstrauss meant when he asked her what she was. He too felt that surge of power flow through him when she touched him.  It was something he never experienced, until now.

He had been with plenty of woman and he could barely feel their touch. But when Alivia touched him, he felt a tingling wave of energy awaken inside of him. With every caress of her hand and every tender kiss of her lips, he felt as if he were in a deep gratifying trance. It made him feel as close to being human as possible.

That’s why, he thought, Devin believes Alivia is his soul-mate because he felt it too.

“Hey handsome, did you get any sleep?” Alivia asked staring at him.

“We vampires never sleep,” Chace said and kissed her forehead.

“You know I’ve been thinking about what Devin said about you turning me into a vampire.”

“I’m not turning you into anything,” Chace said.

Alivia sat up in her bed. “But that’s not fair. How is forever going to work, if we can’t have a possible forever?”

“Do we really have to talk about this right now? We have plenty of time to argue about this after we’re married.” Chace pulled her back to lean on his chest.

“That’s the thing. I can’t marry you knowing that someday I’ll die of old age.”

“At the rate your going you’ll probably die a lot sooner than that.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?”

“Well you’re always putting yourself in some kind of danger. It’s as if you’re asking for it.”

“Asking for what exactly?”

“Asking for some vengeful person to take your life.”

Alivia slid off the bed and glared at him.

“Listen just because I’m not afraid of anyone it doesn’t mean I’m trying to get myself killed. It just means I am the type of person who stands up for what I believe in.”

“And what do you believe in?”

“I believe that no man or woman should ever back down because they fear what may or may not happen to them.”

“But what about what happened last night with Vanstrauss? He could’ve killed you. What would have happened if I wasn’t there?”

“I was working my way up to kicking him in the balls.”

Chace laughed. “Seriously, what do you think kicking a vampire in the balls would do? I’ll tell you, nothing. The vampire will laugh in your pretty little face and then in one second flat he would snap your neck.”

“Well honestly I never really thought about it that way. Okay, you got a point, but so what. At least I would have died trying.”

Chace leaped off the bed and stood in front of her glaring angrily into her eyes. “Die trying? You don’t have my permission to die. You hear me?”

“Listen here Mr. King of the jungle. You can’t just order me around. I won’t listen to you.” Alivia glared back.

Chace threw his hands up in the air. “I’ve never met anyone like you before. You are so damn stubborn.”

“I am not stubborn,” Alivia said.

“You are too. You’re so damn stubborn, that you don’t even realize that you are so damn stubborn.”

“Real funny, ha, ha, ha, and what about you with that I want, what I want, when I want it, attitude. That’s not being stubborn?”

“No, that’s knowing what you want and going for it because you have nothing to lose. But you, I can’t lose you. I really wouldn’t be able to go on without you.”

“Ah that’s really sweet Casanova, but I’m not falling for your charming ways like I usually do. I’m sticking to my guns and you’re not going to weasel your way out of this conversation by seducing me.”

Chace moved closer to her and placed her hand over his heart. “I’m serious. My heart beats to the rhythm of your heart. This feeling I have for you is more than just love. It took me centuries just to find you. I can’t let go. I won’t let go. I’m never going to survive without you. You stepped out of my dreams and right into my life and you are the one I will love for eternity. So please, I’m begging you to keep yourself safe and stop putting yourself in danger.”

Alivia stared at him.

Chace had put her under a spell. He was dreamy.

He was the most beautiful person she had ever laid eyes on.

Chace leaned in and kissed her lips. “I love you.” Then he butterfly kissed her on the nose. “I want to have as many happy years together as we can get. Do you understand?”

Alivia wrapped her arms around his neck. “I will try for you because I love you too and want to be with you forever.”

“Thank you, that’s all I wanted to hear beautiful.”

Alivia stood up on the tip of her toes and kissed his nose. “But when the time is right for the both of us I want you to promise me that you’ll turn me into a vampire just like you.”

“I can’t promise you that. But I’ll promise you we will talk it over, just not right now.”

“Well that’s better than a no.”

Alivia kissed him lovingly on his lips.

“I’d better jump in the shower. We have a few hours before we have to be at the church,” Alivia said.

Chaces’ smile widened. “Are you inviting me into the shower with you?”

“No, I’m afraid, you my handsome guy, are going to have to wait downstairs for me.”

“You can’t kick a guy down for trying.” Chace pouted.

“See you in twenty minutes.” Alivia walked to her bedroom door and opened it.

Chace sighed.

Slowly he made his way toward her.

“Our usual booth then beautiful?” he asked.

Alivia nodded and shoved a reluctant Chace out the door and closed it in his face.

☼

When Alivia went downstairs, she saw Lawson washing the dishes.

“What are you doing here?” Alivia asked.

“Jules needed help. Really the only thing I can do without being spotted is work back here.”

Lawson stopped what he was doing and wiped his wet hands on the apron.

“I’m happy to see that you’re back in action again.” Alivia wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Lawson hugged her tightly before he gently pushed her away. “But all this mushy stuff has to stop.”

“Okay got it.”

“Hey Livy this thing with Chace, it’s pretty serious right?”

Alivia nodded. “I really love him, Laws.”

“You haven’t called me that for a long time Livy. It must be very serious.”

“He asked me to marry him.”

“And you being the logical sister that you are you said no, right?” Lawson said sarcastically.

Alivia scrunched up her nose at him. “Very funny, buddy.”

Lawsons’ face went serious. “You’re not going to marry him are you?”

“I said yes, Laws.”

“For crying out loud Livy, you need to get your head together. Chace is a freaking vampire. How is that marriage going to work?”

“What marriage?” Jules asked as she walked in with Erica right behind her.

“Yeah, what marriage?” Erica mimicked.

“Chace has asked our little sister here to marry him,” Lawson said sounding exactly like that little tattle tale boy, who use to get her in a heap of trouble when they were little.

“Come on now Liv, that’s just ridiculous,” Jules said, grabbing the trays and began loading the condiment bottles on top of them.

“Well I’m completely happy for you both,” Erica said hugging her.

“Shut up Erica,” Lawson said.

“No you shut up, jerk. What’s wrong with Livy marrying Chace?”

“It doesn’t matter what’s wrong with it, because Alivia isn’t marrying anyone. She’s too young first of all, and second of all, Chace is a damn vampire. No way, it’s out of the question,” Jules said.

“Oh, oh, everyone run. It’s about to get ugly in here,” Lawson said in his annoying sarcastic voice. Alivia wanted to deck him.

“Who died and made you the boss?” Alivia said raising her voice.

Jules stopped what she was doing and whipped around to glare at Alivia.

“What a complete iditard thing to stay,” Jules said eyeing her as if she were about to slap her.

“What’s an iditard?” Erica asked, looking confused.

“It’s an idiot and retard rolled into one,” Lawson explained.

“I didn’t quite mean it like that,” Alivia said. “What I meant to say is that you are not my parent and you don’t get to decide what I do and when I do it.”

“Oh really? Is that what you tell yourself these days? Here’s a news flash, Miss high and mighty.

You’ll do what I say whether you like it or not.”

“Erica you know what’s coming next don’t you?” Lawson said.

Erica nodded.

“Screw you. Ever since mom died, you walk around here on your high horse and boss everyone around including me. The

Cafe was left to the both of us in mom’s will, not just you miss princess,” Alivia said.

“Well fine then. Start pulling your weight around here and maybe I’ll consider letting you take care of half of this Cafe.”

“Really Jules? I’ve worked my ass off since mom died. I only started taking days off when I met Chace. And FYI, I hired all the extra waitresses while you did nothing. For the first month, Erica ran this place. You were in your own little bubble too for a while. Remember that?”

“Jules, Livy has a point. She could do with some days off too,” Lawson said.

“I wasn’t in my own little bubble. I was too busy helping you with your guilt, remember? Anyway, none of that really matters anymore does it? The past is the past. What I’m saying right now is that there is no way that you’re marrying that freak of nature.”

“Shut your mouth Jules and don’t say another bad word against Chace ever again!” Alivia screamed.

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me you little ungrateful brat.” Jules glared at her.

Alivia drew in a deep breath. “Okay, why are you acting like such a bitch? Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to decide when and where I marry Chace. Like it or not. Get on board with it or go screw yourself,” Alivia said harshly and stormed out of the employee door.

“Nice going Jules.” Alivia heard Lawson say as she went through the swinging door.

Alivia stormed passed Chace and went right through the front door of the Cafe.

She kicked the mailbox at the curb of the street. When it didn’t budge she kicked it over and over again until Chace grabbed her from behind.

“Let me go!” Alivia yelled.

“No, not until you stop,” Chace said holding her tightly.

Alivia stopped struggling and leaned against Chace. The tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Jules was only being protective,” Chace said softly.

Alivia turned and buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

“This will pass. Jules will come around, don’t worry beautiful,” Chace said stroking her hair.

Alivia lifted her tear-filled eyes to meet Chaces’. From the ache that she felt in her chest, she knew she wouldn’t forgive her sister so easily.

“I don’t care what they say or what they think. I’m going to marry you and if they can’t get on board with it then they won’t be a part of our lives.”

Chace placed his hands on each side of her cheeks and wiped the tears away with his thumbs.

He stared into her eyes. “Nothing or no one will ever come between us. Promise me that.”

“I promise,” Alivia said and buried her face in his chest again.

☼

When Chace and Alivia showed up at the church, Demeetrie and Mercy were sitting on the bench in front of the side exit.

Demeetrie smiled at Alivia. “Good morning, Bella.”

“Good morning, Demeetrie,” Alivia said.

Demeetrie then looked at Chace. “I was wondering if I might have a word with you
mio ragazzo
.”

Chace nodded and followed Demeetrie as he sped down the street and into the woods.

“What’s with all the secrecy?” Chace asked Demeetrie.

They stopped at the top of the hill across from the cemetery.

“There is a situation that I must address,” Demeetrie said.

Chace stared at him and shrugged. “Okay fire away.”

“Do you know everything there is to know about your fidanzata?”

“I know that I love Alivia, What else matters?” Chace eyed him curiously.

“Alivia is what we immortals refer to as a Whiteglider.” Demeetrie paused and seemed to be lost in his own thought.

Chace stared at the headstones in front of him and waited.

Demeetrie cleared his throat and then said, “The whitegliders’ are spirits that can astral travel through the different realms. These astral travelers existed before the time of Adam and Eve.