Blood Rose (Blood Books Book 1) (10 page)

I pushed against him, using all of my strength, screaming as he slowly drank. His fangs felt no differently than the seax’s deathly encounter only moments earlier.

My nails against his skin drew blood. The smell of it was intoxicating, and slowly, the dull ache in my neck began to fade. My fangs lengthened. Seeing a way out, I turned my head, further exposing my neck but enough to bite into his shoulder.

I savagely tore at his skin, but he didn’t flinch. As I pulled away, his skin glowed and healed. Weakening from blood loss, I released his arms from my grip.

“Please,” I begged breathlessly.

He released my pinned arms, shifting his weight so that his body blocked my view of the mirrors. He lowered his free arm to my bare side, tracing circular, soothing patterns on my skin with his thumb. His gentle caress was comforting.

He pulled back, staring into my eyes. His irises were a shade of neon I hadn’t seen before. They were brighter than when he’d used his magic, and the color was speckled with blackness. His eyes spoke of a hunger he wouldn’t dare speak of. His gaze drifted to my mouth, and briefly, he leaned toward me. Ever so slightly, his lips brushed against mine but stopped short of forming the intimate connection.

He returned his mouth to my neck and suckled. My fangs dug into his lower neck, missing his artery, but getting a mouthful of blood, nonetheless. I heard a distant rustle, and the door to the room slammed open. The wind shifted.

“Enough,” she said, an order he could not refuse. His fangs retracted, and he pushed himself off the ground, holding my limp body in his arms. The blackness within his eyes vanished as he stood, and he looked at his priestess. “What did you feel?” she continued.

“Her power is great. She would, Milady, be an invaluable asset. We can’t lose this power to another.”

Her eyes drifted to where I was cradled—unable to move even as my body began to heal. She watched me as she decided my fate. I prayed she would hand down leniency.

As much as I hated Jasik for what he’d done, I couldn’t deny that I understood his motives. I too would have stopped at nothing to protect my coven.

“Train her. Make her an asset, or it will be your head,” she said before leaving the room. The other vampires that had followed her into the room took heed and swiftly guarded her exit. The door closed, and we were alone.

“Avah, I’m so sorry,” he said as he wiped a tear from my cheek. “We had to be sure the threat Lillie foresaw wasn’t you.”

I swallowed hard, my throat painfully dry. My head throbbed.

“Your wounds are healing, but you must drink,” he said. “You’re weak.”

“They’re… watching,” I choked out.

He shook his head. “Not anymore.” His thumb traced circles on my temple.

I slowly nodded, my neck stiff. I reached an arm out to point at the mirrors, but it fell.

“They’re not there. I promise. Listen,” he said. “Listen with your heart.”

My heart? I had no idea how to listen with my heart. I could barely keep my eyes open. They threatened to flutter shut with every word.

“Drink,” he said. “Please.” He pulled my broken body into a sitting position and rested my head against his neck.

“My room,” I said weakly. I wouldn’t be able to stay awake much longer, and I needed to know that I was safely tucked away in my room—anything that separated me from
them
. I felt like a fool for trusting him, and now that I needed him, I felt sick. “Please,” I said as my eyelids became too heavy to bear.

When I opened them again, I was in my room. I didn’t know how much time had passed—minutes, days, weeks; it all felt the same. My body ached even though my wounds had closed before his priestess had even left the room.

Jasik stood over me, and in a swift motion, he took off his shirt and dropped it to the floor. Effortlessly, he lowered himself onto the bed, lying beside me. His forehead brushed against mine as he propped me up against his bare torso. His eyes were once again wide and speckled with black. He lowered my lips to his neck, and I bit down, taking long, deep gulps of blood, welcoming its sweet embrace.

He groaned, turning so I straddled him. As his blood filled me, I got stronger. I continued drinking, unable to stop—even after I no longer felt the twinge of weakness. I sucked harder, taking in every drop.

When I no longer needed to feed, but still drank, I began to feel. I felt everything he was. I felt the encaged animal inside of him, I felt the power his years had given him, and I felt his affinity for healing. His blood, full of emotions, told his story. I felt the pain he had once endured when he lost his family. I felt his love for his high priestess. I felt his fear of the Rogue vampire race. I felt his sorrow for the witches he had killed. And finally, I felt his love. An abundance of love nestled deep within him. A love so pure, so true. A love he had never unleashed. A love he was slowly beginning to unravel.

I sucked harder, hoping to look deeper. He unlocked the door to the night we met. His attraction was immediate. His disgust with himself after leaving me to die was overwhelming.

I was brought back to reality as his fingertips tickled my lower back. When I was no longer digging into his past, he ran a hand up my back until it settled against my neck, the other finding its place by my hip, grinding my body against his. His fingers scratched at my sports bra, careful not to rip the straps.

I lost my control. I knew this was wrong, but I was driven by pure animal instinct. I felt the need, the hunger, nestled deep within me. The animal inside was itching to be released.

“Avah,” he whispered. I released his neck to meet his eyes and was shocked at what I saw: vulnerability. I knew he would completely give himself to me, if only I’d ask. I could take his body, his blood, his power… his life. His fate sat at my fingertips. He leaned forward, placing his lips against mine, inviting, daring… begging.

And I faltered. I gave in, breaking under the pressure, the need.

My body curved into his, and I noticed how we fit together perfectly. I hadn’t expected to find my match in a vampire, but as he wrapped his arms around me, the world became hazy just as it had when we stood together in his bedroom earlier today.

The space intimate.

We were connected beyond the physical. Each time his hands brushed against my skin, each time he spoke my name, showing just a hint of an English accent, I felt as though I lived for him.

He brushed his lips teasingly against mine, urging me on to make the first move. Parting my lips, I opened my mouth, fangs throbbing at my need. His breathing became heavy as he pushed against me. I bit into my lower lip, dragging my teeth against it until releasing it back in place. I dug my fingers into his arms as he reached down and grabbed my thighs. I grazed my tongue against his lips before quickly pulling away. I leaned into his neck, the marks from my earlier bite gone, and took a deep breath.

Old Spice.

He gasped as I brushed my fangs against his neck, a thin layer of blood trickling onto my pillow. His skin glowed around the cut and then healed, eliminating any trace of my mark.

His fingers dug into my skin as I licked the leftover line of blood away. He groaned long and deep and drew his face back to mine.

Satisfied with teasing, I pushed my lips against his, welcoming their smooth caress. His tongue playfully slipped into my mouth, and I returned the gesture. I pulled him against me, needing to experience every inch of him

My hands found his arms and chest, rubbing against the curves, emphasizing every ridge of muscle. The kiss seemed to go on forever, and I accepted that fate—frightened at the thought that it might end, that I might lose him. I urged him on, but he pulled back, glancing at my neck with fangs peeking out past his opened mouth. Our chests heaved as we gasped for air. He glanced from my neck to my eyes, asking for permission.

I hesitated, the seconds drawing by slowly as I considered his request, but he patiently waited. Slowly, I nodded. He rolled over so that he was on top of me. His fangs pierced my skin quickly, cleanly, and I moaned in sheer pleasure. The searing pain that once burned my insides to my core was gone, and in its stead was a wash of ecstasy.

I had no idea what my actions tonight would bring with them tomorrow, but I didn’t care.

There was only Jasik.

There was only me.

There was only blood.

I woke to the slow, steady beat of his heart. Careful to not wake him, I glanced down. Fully clothed. I don’t know why I was surprised. I remembered everything from the night before. I remembered my fear and distrust. I remembered my hunger, my need for him. I remembered his equally powerful need for me. I remembered it all. And I certainly would have remembered sex.

I bit my lower lip. I almost had sex with him, with the man I had only begun to trust, to know.

I turned to face him. He slept on his back, his face away from mine. The blanket was by our feet, and in the heat of the night, he hadn’t redressed. His chiseled torso was exposed to lingering eyes, and I felt mine pausing far too long.

I jerked my head away so that I stared at the ceiling, and then I squeezed my eyes shut and bit down hard on my lip. He shifted, the quick motion of my discomfort the obvious culprit.

Why was I so worried he’d wake? It wasn’t as if we’d never see each other again. Our relationship passed one-night stand the moment I walked into the house—and I was sure we’d had the vampires’ version of sex. At least, I felt dirty thinking about everything we’d done.

I slowly moved my right leg so that it was hanging off the bed, hovering over the floor. I shifted ever so slightly, maneuvering until I stood. I released the breath I held.

“Sneaking away?” he said before turning on his bedside light.

“Creep much?” I faced him, forced a smile, and shrugged. I felt like my mother had just caught me stealing cookies before dinner. That feeling couldn’t possibly be a good start to a relationship.

He smiled and licked his lips, an innocent move that shouldn’t have felt so… provocative.

Truth is, I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to wake in his arms night after night. I wanted to see that face, hear that voice, each and every evening. But giving in was harder than I had imagined. I needed to know that I still wanted this relationship when my life wasn’t in danger, and at that moment, the lingering feeling of his lips on mine made it hard to concentrate on what I
really
needed. And all I needed was to learn how to track and kill a select group of Rogues.

“I think it’s better if we have some space.” The words came out harsher than I intended, and the pain they caused him reflected in his eyes. “I mean, I just think, you know, I think it’d be better if we—”

“I understand, Avah. You do not need to explain.”

In a swift motion, he stood, pulled on a t-shirt, and walked to the end of the bed. His fingertips trailed the footboard as he slowly approached me.

“I betrayed your trust. You need time. I understand.” He spoke softly and smiled.

I looked away, unsure of what to say. He was right. He did betray me. The betrayal hurt, but I understood. I would have done the same had the roles been reversed. I knew of the importance of a coven—and your vow to them. I couldn’t tell him the truth. I couldn’t tell him the reason I needed space was because I wasn’t scared of him; I was scared of me, of my feelings.

He eliminated the space between us. With his fingertips, he pulled my hair behind my ear, letting his fingers linger on my earlobe before bringing his thumb down the curve of my jawline.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, and my breath caught. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I was sure he heard it, too. I felt my cheeks heat as blood rushed toward them, and I instinctively looked away, embarrassed as my cheeks grew hot. With his fingers below my chin, he brought my gaze back to meet his.

“I’m so sorry, Avah, but if you’ll let me, in time, I will prove that I am worthy of your trust. I give you my word.” His voice was sincere, and I had no doubt that his word meant everything to him.

He lowered his hand and stepped back. His eyes lowered briefly, and I found myself wetting my lips.

“If you need me, I’ll be across the hall,” he said, and I smiled. Jasik may have been a lot of things, but unchivalrous would never be one of them.

I had hoped being alone in my room would give me a sense of escape. Instead, I felt trapped. I paced the floor, watching as the walls closed in around me. I had to get out of here.

I closed my bedroom door behind me and sprinted down the hall. As I turned to take the stairs, the door to Amicia’s bedroom opened. One of her guards, wearing only black leather pants, stepped out. Before he quickly closed the door behind him, I glanced inside. Amicia lay nude on her bed, feeding from her other guard. He moaned as she ran her hand up and down the length of his torso. I looked away, embarrassed. The guard cleared his throat. Two lines of dried blood caked his neck.

I ignored his look of curiosity and ran down the stairs, rushing through the front door. The air was moist. My feet pounded against the frost-covered ground. In my haste, I hadn’t changed. I didn’t care that I was running away barefoot or in clothes that covered no more than undergarments. I just knew I needed to get away. I needed space.

The air washed away my guilt, my fear, my hatred. I felt at peace again. Calmed by Mother Earth. I slowed until I was only walking through the brush. Twigs snapped beneath my feet. I smiled as I reached my arm out to let the pine needles scratch my skin. I knew I wasn’t in northern California anymore, but I found pieces of home everywhere I looked.

The woods opened to the water’s edge. A small creek that dribbled down what had to be the world’s smallest waterfall and into a stream sat before me. I fell to my knees, ignoring the squishing sensation I felt as my legs burrowed into the cold, hard mud. I scooped the clear water into my palms and took a sip.

It tasted like water—only better. It was crisp, clean. I swished the cool liquid around my mouth, lathering my tongue before swallowing it down. The sensation trickled down my throat and into my stomach. I could feel the cold in the air. I could feel the icy water, but the feeling didn’t bother me. I wondered what the new parts of me could withstand. I ran my fingertips across the almost-still stream.

Twigs broke in the distance, and I jumped to my feet. My stomach grew uneasy and made it almost impossible to concentrate on the sounds of the woods.

Though I couldn’t see them—yet—I knew they watched me where they stood. I slowly took a step backward, still scanning the forest. I released deep breaths, forcing my heartbeat to slow.

I needed the predators watching me to consider me a threat. I was not their prey.

I refused to back down. After all, killing these Rogues would be good practice for the ones I really wanted. I stood tall, threateningly. My hands were clenched at my sides. In a final attempt to scare them away, I lowered my fangs and released a low growl. The only vampires I had encountered were those in my new coven. They saw me as a threat, but made no move to eliminate it. I wasn’t sure how other vampires would react to me—and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

They emerged from the tree line. There were three. All men. They were strong, old. I sensed their age the moment they appeared. Older vampires transmitted a powerful scent. It smelled of ash and death. These vampires wore bloodstained clothes. Their skin was dark with dirt. As I assessed their physique (and my survival rate), they continued approaching me. They splashed through the stream, walking toward me with a confidence that shook me to my core.

I cursed under my breath for not bringing a weapon. When they were only feet away, their fangs lowered, and they charged. I stood my ground. I would not falter. The first approached me from the front. A fatal mistake. I lunged forward just as he became within arm’s reach. I twisted to the side, my arms before me. I spun around until I stood behind him. My hands wrapped around his neck and jerked. His neck snapped. I knotted my fingers in his hair, digging my nails against his scalp, and pressed my free hand against his shoulder. I yanked his head up while pushing his body down. He tumbled to the ground.

I spun around, facing the final two attackers. They no longer pursued me. Instead, they stood, jaws ajar in disbelief. I lifted my right arm in display. The vampire’s head hung from my fingers, and I tossed the member toward his friends. His head rolled to a stop at their feet.

I took their moment of uncertainty for my advantage. I raised my arms to my sides, my fingers flicking them toward me in a daring move. My eyebrow arched, and my lips curved into a smile.

“Well, boys. Let’s dance,” I said.

The larger of the two growled. His muscles tightened as he threw his arms out to his sides and curled his fingers. His thick nails lengthened, and his face morphed into a disfigured monster. His skin paled and fell sunken against his bones. His ears grew to points as veins protruded from his forehead. His beady eyes turned black, and  I took a step backward, unable to look away from the monstrosity before me.

The vampires I grew up learning about truly did exist. The creature before me unleashed the demon within him—and I instigated it.

He released a deep bellow as his limbs began tearing through his clothes. He continued to grow until he towered over me.

The other vampire had not changed. Instead, he ran toward me, his feet slapping against the water. He slammed into me, and I flew backward. I crashed into a tree, its branch piercing my core. I cried out, frantically trying to relieve the pressure. I gasped for air and hacked up blood as my lungs filled. I brought my legs back and placed the soles of my feet against the thick trunk. Pushing against the base of the tree, I slowly began sliding myself off. With the tree no longer holding my weight, I fell to the ground in a thump.

The vampire stood beside me, laughing as I attempted to stand. I thrashed around, inevitably failing to hold my weight. He stepped away as the monstrous leader grabbed me by the neck and lifted me until we were eye level. My legs swayed in the air as I tried to fight him off.

His hand slipped to the back of my head, yanking my neck to a more revealing position. My breath came unevenly. The blood that coated the wound on my stomach turned thick as my body slowly healed from the damage done.

“
Incendia
,” I breathed. But nothing happened. I was too weak—weak enough to lose my magic. A single tear slid down my cheek. The vampire leaned in, inhaling dramatically. He was only a fang’s length from me now. I used what little strength I had left, pushing forward, falling into his arms.

He was startled. It was a move no one would have expected. The move left me vulnerable and displayed a show of affection Rogue vampires could not comprehend. I threw my head back, lowered my fangs, and dug into his neck. His blood soared through me. His strength healed my wounds and left me stronger, more alert than ever before.

I drank until there was nothing left. At some point, he had fallen into my arms. I held his limp body, his disfigured disguise melting away as he slowly shriveled. I tossed his body to the ground. His friend had gone, leaving his leader to die.

I licked my lips and ran my hands over my healed stomach. I closed my eyes as I looked toward the sky and inhaled deeply. I found him almost immediately. His heart sputtered beneath his chest; his feet slammed against the ground as he tried to escape me. I ran toward him, catching him within seconds.

I grabbed the back of his neck and tossed him into the air. He tumbled to a stop, quickly moving to his feet, facing me. I slowly walked toward him. I eliminated the space between us, and he fell to his knees in a pleading position. He had given up. I was surprised by his actions.