Blood Mates (4 page)

“Vampires are vampires…” she shook her head. DAMN! OH! I soooooo wish I couldn’t say that! She thought silently.

“Not quite….” Sloane shook his head. “You really should be resting---- can I at least know your name?”

“Ava… Ava lane.”

Sloane smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ava. I have to say you do look a lot better than when you first arrived. I didn’t think you were going to make it.”

“And why do I NOT have a scratch on me now? I know I had broken ribs…I felt them when they snapped.”

“I’m a good doctor...” he shrugged. “Are you hungry? Alfred said he would bring some soup down when you were hungry.”

“Who’s Alfred?”

“He takes care of the house. You will love him. We would be lost without him...” Sloane pulled his cell phone from his pocket and hit speed dial. Ava watched him from across the room. He held the phone against his shoulder as he straightened the covers on the bed. “She is awake, Alfred. I think she can handle some soup---- yeah bread too…. She might not be able to keep much down at first---“he looked up at her. “Alfred wants to know if you would like something to drink: Tea, coke?”

“Milk…” she said without thinking. Sloane smiled.

“Got that, Alfred? Yeah… she is going to be fine.” Sloane hung up and slid the phone back into his pocket before stepping back from the bed. He waved his hand. “Please humor me… I know you probably feel alright, but you still need a little more rest. I’m not going to hurt you. I didn’t bust my ass to save you just to turn around and hurt you.”

“Where am I?”

“Somewhere safe. Those bastards are dead just so you know.”

From some reason she believed him and moved back toward the bed. He nodded when she pulled the covers back over herself and leaned back. He moved to sit in the chair near the door. She didn’t feel threatened. He looked normal except for the whole vampire thing. He said immortal and half breed.

“Can you tell me what happened, Ava? Where they took you and what they did? Talon--- one of the brothers that brought you here--- he said there were several cages in the basement.”

“Yes…” she nodded. “There were other girls there. I don’t know where they took them…”

“They didn’t kill them?”

“No….” ava shook her head. “There were three. They were taken away right after they took me. “Ava told him as much as she could and about Lucy. She wiped a tear away that she didn’t even realized had fallen. Sloane brought her a tissue. “Thank you… do you have any idea what happened to them?”

“No, but we will find out.”

“We?”

“Ava, there are a lot of differences between immortals and half breeds. The brothers like Talon and Rhage-- the ones who brought you here. We all belong to the legion and we hunt the half breeds down. They don’t possess any humanity.”

“I believe that.”

“Well it is our job to keep them from hurting humans and we destroy them. I know you have a ton of questions, but just because we do have similarities doesn’t make

Us like them. While you are here you will learn the differences.”

“I’m not staying here!” she shook her head. “I’m going home.”

“That is impossible right now….”

Ava’s head snapped to the doorway where another man stood. She hadn’t even heard him approach the room. He nearly took up the entire doorway. He stood with his hands in his black trouser pockets. He wore a black t-shirt. He looked maybe thirty, but she had a feeling she would be wrong. He had an older presence. He didn’t scare her, but yet there was something about him.

“I’m a prisoner then?” she asked.

“An honored guest is what I’d prefer to say…”

“Making it sound pretty and nice doesn’t make so…” she arched an eyebrow at him.  Sloane cleared his throat quickly to keep from laughing.

“Lucien…this is ava…. Ava, this is Lucien… our----“

“King…” Lucien supplied.

“King of what? ----vampires?” Ava crossed her arms over her chest.

“Immortals. I thought I heard Sloane explaining there was a difference.”

“He was, but I haven’t really agreed on it yet.”

Sloane couldn’t help it then. He laughed and Lucien turned his head to glare at him. “Sorry, Lucien… I like her. She isn’t a mouse.”

“I guess she threw the lamp…”

“Yep… she has good aim. She almost got me.”

Lucien shook his head before looking at Ava again when she spoke. “Sloane said the ones who took me are dead… so why can’t I go home. If they are dead then I’m safe.”

“From them yes…, but not the one who sent them.” Lucien watched her eyes widen in realization she could still be in danger. She wasn’t stupid by any means. He watched her closely. She was beautiful… long midnight raven hair and aqua eyes…. He closed his eyes for a minute and focused.  He felt it then. A slight memory, but couldn’t quite recall it… he quickly opened them and peered at Ava.

“Where were you born ava?”

“I don’t know…” when he looked at her confused she shrugged. “I was adopted.  My birth mother left me at a church in Seattle. I was adopted at eight months old. I was adopted by a great family, but they are dead now. So I have no idea.”

“Damn…” Sloane muttered.

“I survived... it was December so social services gave me December 17 as my birth

Day, but they weren’t really sure since I was probably a couple weeks old when they found me and I was suffering from hypothermia. They said I wouldn’t have survived another hour.”

“I’m sorry for that…” Lucien told her.

“I survived…”

“Tough as hell...” Sloane nodded. “From what Talon told me you managed to hold your own.”

“I wasn’t going to let jock boy kill me without a fight…”

“Jock boy?”

“Well I never really asked his name. He was the one who gave the others orders and I named the others as dumb shit, dumb fucker and dumb ass…” Lucien and Sloane both chuckled. “I know you say there is a difference between you, but I am not jumping in trusting you...”

“Fair enough…” Lucien nodded. “And just so you know…. I give the orders around here…I expect them obeyed.”

“I’m not a vampire…”

“No… you are special. And that makes YOU my top priority.” He gave her a look that said ‘I mean business. ’Ava rolled her eyes. And Sloane chuckled.

Alfred came in and took over basically dismissing Sloane and Lucien both which made ava giggle. She knew Alfred was human. She could tell and it was slightly amusing to see a human give orders to two BIG BAD vampires. One of them being the king and all. They didn’t argue, but told her goodnight and they would see her later. She then realized it was a couple of hours after dawn. Alfred reminded her of the man who always took care of batman/ Bruce Wayne in the movies. And with the same name she couldn’t help think of it.

While she ate her soup which was homemade tomato and the bread was even delicious, Alfred left her for a few minutes coming back with a pair of jogging pants and slippers for her feet. He left her long enough to put them on.

“These will be too big, but I have ordered you some clothes which should arrive in a few hours. I expressed them.”

“You didn’t have to do that. I have clothes at home.”

“Yes… and I will take care of all your stuff. It isn’t gonna hurt Lucien to buy you a few things while you are with us…and I’m sure I can talk you into some more online shopping.” Alfred smiled. “Women need lots of things.” He winked. “I will enjoy spoiling you.”

“I don’t plan to stay long… I have a life, Alfred… it might not be much to someone else, but it’s mine… I have a job and an apartment. I even have a cat, Alfred.”

“A cat? I will make sure your pet is brought here! Do you think it has been alright while you have been away?”

“I’m sure Jill my neighbor has taken care of him. She looks in on him when I have late night classes.”

“I will take care of it…don’t worry about anything, Ava. I will make sure you have your job and I will arrange your classes to be online.”

“Alfred?”

“This is what I do...” he nodded. “You won’t have to worry about anything while you are here...” he smiled. “Are you ready to go upstairs? I’m sure you will like the main house.” Ava could only nod. She had a feeling Lucien might be the king in all of this, but no one argued with Alfred. He was the one who ran everything. She took Alfred’s arm when he held it out. He escorted her from the clinic she found out was where she was and down the hallways/ tunnels that twisted and turned. He told her that below were all the bedrooms for the ‘brothers’ that lived here who were members of the legion and were brothers by oath and blood ,but not by birth. That upstairs in the main house was where everyone gathered for everything else.

Alfred ran the house and made sure everything was taken care of. He was the eyes and ears for Lucien and the men when they couldn’t do it during the day. Alfred showed her around the enormous two story Victorian home which kept Ava in awe. Her entire apartment would fit in the dining room alone. It was all beautiful and she could tell Alfred took great pride in it. They reached a room on the second floor at the end of the hall. He reached for the door knob.

“I know you will fuss, but last night when Lucien told me you would be staying with us...” when she scowled he nodded. “No, you weren’t aware of it then, but I prepared a room for you. “He grinned when she rolled her eyes. “That isn’t attractive, you know…”

“So I’m being told…” she said with a slight smile.

“I want you to be comfortable and feel at home while you are here so anything you want to change we will. It will give us a reason to redecorate. I have been after Lucien for years to let me. He is slightly stuck in old fashion sometimes.” He opened the door and Ava sucked in a breath. The room was beautiful. It was done in a dark burgundy hue and a light brown accent. The white bed spread was one of those thick down ones with a thin lace trim. It was gorgeous. She loved it.

“It’s beautiful, Alfred.”

“I was thinking that maybe some throw pillows and little more white.”

“Maybe, but I don’t want to change much. I like it the way it is.”

“Good…” he nodded watching her walking around the room and to the windows. “The windows are treated with a special tint that keeps the UV rays out and the brothers can move around the house during the day if they wish without harming their skin.”

“Will they burn to a crisp in the sun? Like in the movies?”

“No…, but they will get a severe burn if out in it long enough. Because the sun damages your skin even as a human they will need blood to reverse the damage it is just better if they remain nocturnal. Half breeds are totally different. They will burn really fast in seconds. That’s where the myth came from.”

“It’s quite confusing…”

“I’m sure it is and I will try to answer your questions and what I can’t Lucien has tons of books in his library you can read.”

“How old is Lucien?”

“He was born in the fifth or sixth century I do believe.”

Ava looked at Alfred with her mouth wide open. “What? B.C. or A.D.?”

“B.C.”

“What?” she gasped. “Vamp------“she paused when Alfred gave her a stern look for the word. “I meant immortals have been around that long?”

“Yes… they have been around for a long time. From what I have read I am under the impression they were the creators of Atlantis even though I have never seen that word used in the books I have read in the library.”

“I don’t know what to say….” She actually had to sit down and did in a nearby round back chair. Alfred nodded.

“I know… this is a lot for you to absorb in a short period of time…, Ava. It is a different world all together.”

“I see that… and the others of the legion? Are they that old? Sloane doesn’t look, but maybe thirty.”

“Sloane was born in 1349. Their ages vary. An immortal goes through a transition somewhere around puberty. They aren’t born with fangs. They are born almost human.”

“So they are born and not turned?”

“Some are turned…Lucien would be better explaining the hows to you. It’s not done lightly. There are laws about turning at will.”

“Laws?”

“Oh yes…. Immortals have laws set by the council….it ensures that humans don’t find out about immortals and humans are to be protects as well that is where the legion comes in.”

“Wow!”

“Yeah…” he smiled. “I think that’s enough for now….”

“Yeah…. I think my brain has turned to mush…”

Alfred chuckled. He held his hand out. “You are a strong woman and you haven’t fallen apart yet soooooo I don’t see that happening any time soon.” He pulled her to her feet. “If you don’t tell Lucien where I have hidden a half gallon of rocky road I will share it. It’s his favorite.”

“Deal…” she nodded. “I think I’m gonna need it...”

“And while you enjoy it I will see to getting your cat and personal stuff brought here so you will feel more at home.” He led her from the room and downstairs chatting as they went. Ava adored Alfred already. “And after I have taken care of your stuff I am going to force you to shop online for at least two hours. We have plenty of time before the brothers get up for dinner to do it.” he saw the look on her face. “Lucien won’t argue. I guarantee it.”

Lucien couldn’t really sleep. He kept remembering the day his family was murdered and mostly he dreamed of his sister Lissette. They had been very close even after she found her mate. Lucien had always felt it was his responsibility to watch over and protect her even though that was supposed to be her mate’s job.

Dreaming of Lissette and remembering her so vividly always made him terribly depressed because he would give anything to have her back. Their time together had been so little compared to how long they actually lived.

He rose earlier than he normally did focusing on the female he had left with Alfred. He wondered if she was actually still in the house. Alfred hadn’t woke him to say she had stormed out. The female had taken on half breeds so he didn’t see Alfred being a problem for her. Alfred had a soft spot so Lucien just couldn’t see Alfred locking the spirited female in a closet to keep her from leaving.

He still hadn’t figured out what he was going to do about her. She was indeed a blood mate, but yet she was completely human. That puzzle was driving him crazy. She existed when she shouldn’t. It made no sense and should be impossible. Blood mates weren’t born outside of their world. And yet she did and he had seen her with his own eyes. He had to know how it was possible.