Blood Rose (Blood Books Book 1) (7 page)

“She looks so happy,” I said.

“You were,” a voice said from behind me.

I dropped the lanyard and spun around, taking a step back.

“Are you still happy, Avah? Are they… taking care of you?”

The woman standing before me was the same woman in the broken frame that now lay on the bedside table. The woman holding the happy girl.

I shook my head and took a few more steps back, tears threatening.

“Avah, you have to accept who you are. You can’t fight fate. This happened for a reason. Please don’t forget that. You were chosen for a reason,” she said with a smile.

My eyes burned. “No,” I said, shaking my head.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to hide anymore,” she said as she took a few steps toward me. She reached her arms out, waiting for me to fall into the hug.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I finally gave in. I leapt toward her. We fell to the ground sobbing. She caressed my head, brushing hair from my eyes. “I’m so scared,” I said. “I’m so alone.”

“You’re never alone. I will always be with you,” she said as she planted a kiss atop my head.

I nodded, and she wiped away the tears.

“Now, stop crying. We don’t have a lot of time. Listen to me. Believe in yourself. Fight your hardest, and don’t let them change you. Your heart is so full of love. You’re strong. You can make it through this. I miss you, Avah, and I’ll love you forever.”

I woke to the blaring alarm on my bedside table. Reaching over, I slammed my hand down on the top button, silencing the abrasive beeps.

7:15 pm.

I rolled back over and stared at the ceiling. With thick shades hanging over the windows, darkness engulfed my room, yet I could see everything, as if the sun was setting, casting shadows in corners while illuminating patches of floorboards. I ran my fingers through my matted hair and took a deep breath. I yanked the covers off and walked into the bathroom.

Staring at a set of violet irises, I leaned against the countertop. Stopping just inches away from the mirror, I curled my lips and ran my tongue over my teeth, emphasizing the pointy tips of my canines. They were retracted, but they hung ever so slightly lower than a human’s, giving away their hopeless attempt at normality.

Fangs: meant for ripping through flesh, tearing away everything that being once was. Fangs meant death. No, fangs meant murder. Vampires needed blood to survive.
I
needed blood to survive. Whether that meant killing a human or an animal, it left an acidic sting in my gut.

Murder. No matter what word you chose to describe it, it was wrong. Like I should know better. Immoral. Could vampires have morals? Witches fought for morals, for life. Vampires fought for blood… for life. The sickening twist of what life meant for two different beings left a bad taste in my mouth. I pulled away from the mirror and shook my head. I swallowed hard, grabbing a bottle of toothpaste.

After brushing, I jumped into the shower, letting the water rush down my body, swirling into the drain at my feet. I curled my toes and then shot them forward, flinging water as they returned to their rightful place. After what felt like hours, I stepped out of the glass enclosure. Wrapping myself in the towel, I padded across the bedroom floor, leaving a trail of wet footprints in my wake.

I opened the door to the closet and gawked at its enormity. To my left sat an array of clothes. From tops to bottoms to evening wear, each section was color-coordinated and sorted neatly together. To my right sat all the shoes money could buy. At least, that’s what I assumed. Boots, heels, and sneakers, they sat in special, perfectly-sized cubbies. I ran my fingers against the clothes that hung on hooks. Shelves were stacked against the far wall directly across from the door.

I walked toward the shelves, dropping my towel as I grabbed a black sports bra with a crisscrossed back. I slipped on the bra and grabbed the matching pair of boy-shorts. Sliding them on, I yanked a pair of calf-length leggings off a hook. I pulled on the closest shirt and stepped into a pair of ballet flats, kicking the door closed with my foot as I left.

I twisted my long hair into a French braid that wrapped around my shoulder and hung down the side of my chest. With one last look in the mirror, I closed the door to my room behind me.

My mother was right: I had to give this new life everything I had, even if being this
thing
was more than I could bear. Embracing my new destiny as a Hunter would enable me to kill the Rogues who stole everything from me. I was stronger and faster now. Once I learned to control my power, nothing could stop me. I smiled at the thought, sucking in a deep breath and walking the few steps down the hall to Jasik’s room.

“Come in,” a voice said before my hand had touched the wood of Jasik’s door.

I turned the handle and stepped inside, closing the door behind me.

His room was almost identical to mine. Rather than maroon, his was navy blue, and where my make-up table sat, his room contained a desk. Stacks of books were piled on the floor next to an overflowing bookshelf. Their musty smell filled the room with a familiar, home-like aroma. Pictures of cities and landscapes were staggered on the walls—each beautiful in its own way. A city skyline, a country cabin, mountains, and oceans, their diverse images had one common theme: a sunrise.

Jasik stood next to his bed, shirtless. His hair was damp, and water droplets trickled down his forehead. Thick layers of muscle covered his torso. My heart thumped faster as I admired his body, just as I had his room. His chest rose and fell quickly, matching my breath. His arms rested by his sides, his hands clenched with white knuckles. My vision became blurred; the space between us, though distant, felt somehow intimate.

“I’ll just—I’ll wait outside,” I said, turning away and grabbing onto the door handle.

He said nothing as I slipped out the door and slammed it behind me. Leaning against the wall, I tipped my head back and closed my eyes, waiting for my sputtering heart to slow. What was wrong with me? I hated what I was, what
he
was. But I couldn’t deny the attraction. After several deep breaths, I opened my eyes to find Jasik beside me, his eyes hard, concerned.

“Time for that tour?” I said, hoping we’d never have to mention what had just happened. My arm brushed his as I walked past. The tiny hairs rose, and a tingle shot through my body. I told myself it was just physical attraction. My body didn’t understand what he was. I hoped the attraction would fade in time.

He nodded his head toward me and let his eyes trail down my body. As his gaze lingered, I felt oddly vulnerable. As if it were purely instinct, I stood straighter and pulled my stomach in, noticing how the leggings and short-sleeved t-shirt tightly covered my skin, as if they were merely an extension of it. In my human life, I had been a gymnast. My small frame was thin, muscular, but under his blue-eyed gaze, I felt as though
I
would never be good enough, as if I couldn’t compare to his perfection.

I glanced over and took in his attire. He wore black athletic shorts that cut off just below the knees and a dark gray, sleeveless t-shirt. My eyes lingered on his muscular arms before shamefully looking away.

“The manor has four floors, an attic, and a basement. The coven’s bedchambers reside on the top two floors. The attic is for storage. We will spend most of our time today in the basement, where we store weapons and have rooms designed for training.”

His final words caused my eyebrow to rise, but I remained silent as we walked down the hall.

“This is the Hunters’ wing. We’ll begin with the main level.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to separate the Hunters? I mean, it’s our job to protect the manor from Rogues, right?”

“Yes, from Rogues and other things.”

“Other things? Like what?” Deep down, I knew what he meant, but I wouldn’t admit it. I
couldn’t
admit it. This new life had too many rules, too many changes.

He exhaled loudly and brushed a hand through his hair. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“What things?” I asked again, daring him to answer.

“Your first lesson: you are a Hunter, Avah. It is a Hunter’s job to protect his or her coven from any threat. We remain united, since our strength lies in our gifts. Our abilities connect us. Separating would make us vulnerable, and if the Hunters fall, the coven will soon follow.”

His words stopped me abruptly, and I couldn’t help what I blurted next. “Have you killed witches here before?” I knew it was a stupid question. Of course he had. It’s what vampires do, but I needed to hear him say it. I needed to know. I needed a reason to hate him.

He stood before me, furrowing his brows and frowning. Years seemed to pass before he spoke. The conflict on his face betrayed his need to choose his words wisely, so I braced myself for the moment—the moment I’d hate him forever. Hating him granted me freedom from this place, because leaving seemed as simple as walking out the front door. Or so I thought.

“As you well know, I, too, have done what I’ve needed to do.” He began walking away as if that alone would answer my questions.

Unsatisfied, I said, “What does that even mean?” I brought my arms up in question. When he didn’t stop, I reached for him, but he slipped from my grip. “Jasik!” I yelled as my fangs dropped and a force erupted within me—powerful and pissed off. It rippled through my body, pushing out in waves through my core. An iridescent glow slammed into his back, thrusting him into the air before he tumbled to a stop.

Dazed, he looked up at me from the ground, gripping the back of his head. Standing, he brought his blood-coated hand before him and wiped it on his black shorts, removing any evidence.

I brought my hands before me in a silent plea and stared at my palms. I looked for traces of difference. My hands, my arms, my stomach, they looked the same, yet foreign. Nothing had changed physically. The force was powerful, like nothing I had ever felt.

I met his gaze, scared and confused. I fell into him, letting his strong embrace maintain my weight.

“What’s wrong with me?” I asked.

“Avah,” he said, pushing away strands of hair from my face. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“I can’t control it. This power. I don’t know what it is; I don’t understand it,” I said as tears dripped down my face. All I wanted was to go home. To run to my mom, to the elders, to my friends, and beg for forgiveness and to be taken back. This new world was awful and confusing and too hard.

Ever so lightly, he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumb.

“I promise you will learn control.”

“How can you be so sure?” I said between hiccups.

“I will teach you.” His words were soothing. They continued to have that effect on me. I didn’t like his control over my emotions, but at that moment, I was thankful. Though, I was sure I couldn’t survive without him. “You tapped into your ability. That was your shield.” He smiled.

I dropped my arms and placed my fingers across my teeth. My thumbs rubbed against the fangs. Tapping into my vampire powers forced my fangs to retract. They lowered as my emotions rose—their own fight or flight response.

“Take a few deep breaths. It’ll pass.”

A door slammed shut behind us, and I whirled around, growling at the idea of an intruder. I was too vulnerable. I needed to learn control and master my senses.

“Calm down,” Lillie said. “And put your game face away. You wouldn’t stand a chance.” She pushed her shoulder into mine as she passed. I imagined a vampire coven would be similar to wolves. In a pack, I was the weakest. I needed to earn my place. Simply being sired by Jasik wasn’t enough.

“Lillie,” Jasik said. “Enough.” If I had any doubt that he wasn’t the alpha in this Hunter pack, then his stance now eliminated my concern. His tone was hard, demanding. His look was challenging. Lillie shrugged off my worry and walked away.

Jasik turned back to me and held out his hand. “Come on,” he said softly. “You need to feed.”

I grabbed his hand and stood. Taking his advice, I swallowed hard, closed my eyes, and forced myself to relax. As I released each breath, I felt a calmness wash over me. I brushed my tongue across the edges of my teeth and was relieved to feel normal again. I opened my eyes.

“Better?” he asked with a smile.

“Better,” I said. “Is this going to be the most awkward breakfast I’ve ever had?”

“In time, they’ll learn to accept you just as you will learn to accept them.”

We reached the lounge and began walking down the stairs and into the foyer. I remained silent, taking in my surroundings again. There were only a few lingering vampires, but mostly, the room was empty.

“After breakfast, we’ll spend the day training. To stay, you must prove your worth,” he said, without meeting my eyes.

“My
worth
? What does that even mean?” I said as we reached the bottom step.

“Vampires are always welcomed to join a coven, but Hunters must fight for their place. Your duty will be to protect the coven. You will need to know how to use your gift, how to fight, how to think, how to kill.”

Jasik opened the two large double doors to our right. “This is the grand hall. We often hold parties, council meetings, events. New Year’s Eve masquerade ball is next Thursday.”

“A ball? People still have balls?” I said, stepping into the room.

“Yes, often.”

I wondered if he would ever relax. His answers were always serious; his voice was always concerned. He seemed to fear for me more than I feared for myself. That realization made me question everything I thought I knew about vampires. At the moment, hiding behind a masquerade mask seemed highly appealing.