Blood Sacrifice: Vampires of Blood and Bones

by B. A. Stretke

  “All myth and no substance.” Lisa sounded so disappointed.

  “Pretty much, but isn’t that usually the case.”

  “Yes, but there was so much mystery and secrecy around DuCane that I was hoping for something worthy of the hype,” Lisa added.

  “Sorry to disappoint you.” Theo sat up.

  “I’ll let them know that your report will be submitted by end of day, Friday.” Lisa returned to a more serious attitude. “See you Saturday, Theo. I’ll buy you a drink, and you can regale me with your adventures.”

  “See you Saturday.” With that, he closed the call and slid his phone back into his pocket. He sat on the edge of the bed and let his mind wander, and instantly, he was hot and hard again. Bastian was forever front and center in his thoughts and would not be dismissed.

  The sex in the bathroom was so surprising and so wild that he found himself beginning to crave the man. Bastian could own him if he weren’t careful with his emotions and was stupid enough to let his heart lead him. This was a one-off, nothing more, he tried to convince himself as his body continued to thrill at the thought of Bastian’s touch. He’d never considered himself obsessive before, but that was exactly how this was beginning to feel.

  He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his notebook. Inside he’d written down an address he’d found during his research at the Sheriff’s office this afternoon. It was a cabin, not much of an address, but Theo knew how to read a plat book and could find this location easy enough. It was a hunting cabin Korbin leased several years ago. He looked out the window, and it was well after dark, but he was compelled to go now.

  Maybe it was the desire to focus on anything other than his obsession with Bastian DuFort or his dedication to the job, but he had to go. There were some clearly marked State forest roads, so finding the place would be no problem. Besides, showing up after midnight might be his best move if Korbin were staying there.

  He checked his gun and his flashlight before heading to his car. He noticed the lights in the room next door were still on. The couple there for the conference were still up. There were days he wished all he had to worry about was running a Bed and Breakfast.

  He headed out of town North towards the State land, which occupied much of the land in the Northern corner of the county. It would take him probably forty-five minutes to reach the rough road that would get him as close as his car would take him. From there, he would be on foot. He was aware that apparently bears were present in the area but confident that unlike Deputy Clark, he wouldn’t be overtaken. Something about that accident felt off, but again feelings don’t equal evidence.

  With the thought of bear came the memory of the beast that attacked him last night. He had no real memory of it in terms of size, shape, or features, but the feeling of something otherworldly remained in the back of his mind. The bear didn’t scare him, but that thing, whatever it was, did give him pause. But the desire to check out Korbin’s cabin was quickly overriding his apprehension.

  As he pulled to a stop on the side of the narrow dusty road and parked, he began to think about the wisdom of trapesing through the woods in search of Korbin’s cabin. He was already this far, so he convinced himself it would be silly to walk away now.

  Theo got out, tested his flashlight, and without further consideration, started making his way through the woods. The cabin should be approximately six hundred yards Northwest of where he parked his car.

  He would find it and investigate the area and question Korbin if he happens to be there. Continuing on for quite a ways, he saw nothing that indicated a shelter of any kind. Of course, it was supposedly a hunting cabin and probably quite primitive, so he kept watch for anything that could be used as a shelter.

  Finally, his light reflected off of what appeared to be glass, and as he got closer, he could make a small dwelling probably less than five hundred square feet. It looked abandoned, but it wouldn’t take long in this environment for something to look that way.

  He moved slowly with caution with his gun at the ready. There were no lights on, but that didn’t mean no one was at home. He approached from the left, keeping his light low to the ground, noticing that the ground showed evidence of recent activity in the area. Someone had been there recently; he was sure of it.

  Approaching the front door quietly and keeping his light trained on the structure, he was surprised by a noise off to his right. It was moving through the wooded undergrowth. Whatever it was, his mind told him it was large.

  He scanned the area with his light and was stunned when the beam of his flashlight landed on a beast so frightening that he knew in that instant that it was the same thing that had attacked last night.

  The stupidity of coming out there alone at night swamped him, but it was too late for regrets. The thing stared at him as it took a step forward. Theo held his gun in one hand and the light in the other as he took a careful step back.

  While his attention was fixed on the beast, the cabin door suddenly burst open, and another creature similar to the one before him charged out. He got off two shots hitting it in the shoulder and midsection, but it had little to no effect.

  Before he knew it, both of those things were bearing down on him as he made a dash through the woods back the way he’d come. It was a long shot that he’d make it to his car before one of those things took him out, but it was his final option.

  Just as all hope seemed lost, out of the darkness came something that raced past him as Theo stumbled and fell. He rolled, hoping to protect himself from the attack when he heard a crash and a battle ensuing behind him. Someone was beating back the beasts.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Bastian, along with Rawl and Terence, followed Theo when he left the motel. He hadn’t mentioned going anywhere when Bastian had dropped him off, so he was at a loss as to Theo’s intentions or destination. That was until he turned off the highway towards the densely wooded State lands North of town. He was looking for Korbin’s hunting cabin.

  They’d searched it right after Korbin had taken off and then again when they were made aware of the letter of complaint. The area had been cleared, but with the incident of last night still fresh in Bastian’s mind, he was not going to take his eyes off his beloved. The woods of Isabella County were rough and wild, and no place for Theo to be wandering around in the dead of night. There were many things in the woods that could cause him harm, and not all were paranormal.

  He should have pressed to stay rather than letting Theo dismiss him. He would have made sure his beloved was much too exhausted to be slogging around in the woods looking for clues. From now on, when dealing with his beloved, he vowed to follow his instincts and not social decorum. They watched him exit his vehicle and head into the woods on foot.

  They silently got out of the car and began to follow. Bastian followed directly behind Theo while Rawl and Terence took the flanks. They were each armed with a long sword and a short sword and ready for whatever presented itself. Guns were often unreliable when dealing with the supernatural, but iron swords never let you down.

  He watched Theo’s light swing from side to side as he made his way through the dense forest. Korbin had a hunting shack that he used from time to time straight up ahead, and it was obvious that was where Theo was headed.

  Bastian admired his beloved’s fearlessness but was also troubled by his apparent lack of concern for his own welfare. On the heels of what happened to him last night, he decides to go searching in the dark woods for Korbin after midnight and all alone. There’s brave, and then there’s just plain foolhardy.

  Theo was approaching the front of the shack when all hell broke loose, and two beasts similar to the one from last night came barreling at him out of the darkness. Theo managed to get off a couple of shots before he turned and started to run, but the bullets were useless and only succeeded in angering the beast further.

  Bastian rushed forward, jumping between his beloved and the beast that was closing in on him. Rawl and Terence took
on the other in a fight that was fierce and bloody. Bastian saw Theo stumble to the ground and roll to his knees as he took in the battle that was waging behind him. He wanted to reassure him, but there was no time as he swung his sword and sliced the beast forcing him back and away from the love of his life.

  …

  Theo was stunned and watched as Bastian and the man from next door, the owner of a bed and breakfast, and another man, presumably his partner, fought off the monsters that had been intent on shredding him. They wielded knives and long swords like the samurai or highlanders of old; Theo had no current point of reference that would explain what he was seeing. They were warriors going hand to hand against these monsters with a precision and skill that was lethal.

  Bastian was vicious and brutal in his handling of his weapons, slicing the beast over and over until it collapsed and in one swift thrust ran it through, pinning it to the soft ground and held it there until all life bled out. The strength it must have taken to hold that thing down was beyond Theo’s comprehension of who Bastian DuFort was supposed to be.

  Bastian glanced back at him with eyes that were blood red and a look of pure destroyer and then pulled his sword free and swung in an arc, bringing it down with swift precision to slice off the head of the beast. The vision before him was something from the dark ages, ruthless and brutal. He didn’t know what it was he was witnessing, but he was transfixed and could not look away.

  The battle ended, and the monsters were slain, and Theo could not seem to pick himself up off the ground. He sat there taking in the carnage and the men who saved him, wondering why and how and what the hell. Bastian turned to him again, but this time, his expression had softened slightly as he looked at him. The slayer was still present, but there was concern in his eyes.

  “Who are you?” Theo finally found his voice and shifted his gaze for a moment to take in the others standing over the vanquished body of the beast they’d destroyed. It was so far afield from anything expected that his mind struggled with understanding what his eyes were staring at. He slid his gaze back to pin Bastian with a stare that tried to look into the depths of his being.

  “I told you who I am, my love.” Bastian took a step towards him, and Theo jumped to his feet, ready to defend himself. “Please, you’re safe now. We will not harm you.” Bastian said while tossing his long sword to Mr. Bed and Breakfast and sliding the knife inside his jacket. Bastian held out his hands towards him in a non-threatening fashion, but Theo didn’t know what to do. He backed up but kept his eyes on Bastian, whose expression grew steadily more pained.

  Theo grabbed for the cell phone in his pocket. “I have to call this in. I have to report this.”

  “No, you can’t. Sweetheart, please try to listen, try to hear me.” Bastian was reaching for him, and Theo began to frantically fumble with his phone in an attempt to make contact with someone. Bastian took the phone from his hand and shut it off. “You can’t report this, Theo.”

  “I will,” Theo stated defiantly.

  “You won’t,” Bastian stated, resigned and reached up and wrapped his fingers gently around Theo’s throat, and kissed him on the forehead. “Forgive me, my love.” He said, and that was the last Theo remembered.

  …

  It saddened him to have to do it, but he needed time to calm his beloved and explain this reality. He used a pressure hold that didn’t harm his love but rendered him unconscious for a while. Once out, he swung Theo up into his arms and carried him out of the woods. He called for the clean-up crew and made an incident report to Ismael, including the unfortunate introduction his beloved had with the paranormal.

  He buckled Theo in the seat beside him and headed to the Palace. His love would be required to stay at the Palace until he understood the severity of the consequences to Bastian’s people if word of their existence ever got out.

  Seeing Theo’s fear and distrust caused a pain in Bastian’s heart that he hoped to never experience again. But he knew that things were probably going to get worse before they got better. Theo was about to have his world flipped upside down.

  He carried Theo to his quarters on the fourth floor. He had a large apartment and hoped to make Theo as comfortable there as was possible under the current circumstances. He was going to be angry and distrustful, and Bastian had to prepare himself for the pain that would bring him. But there was no way around it, and he wouldn’t have cleared Theo’s mind even if he could. His beloved needed to be aware and accept this new world of which he was becoming a part, for one day soon, he would be taking his place at Bastian’s side.

  Bastian sat Theo on the sofa with his head against the cushion and went to the kitchen to get him a glass of water. He would be waking soon, and the hard part would begin. Theo was an intelligent man with an open mind, which was made obvious by their discussion earlier in the evening. He believed in the paranormal in theory; now, Bastian would have to see if he could accept it as fact.

  Both Ismael and Master DuCane came to his quarters to assist in acclimating Agent Theo Hawke. It was going to be a very long night. Rawl messaged him that the clean up was underway and would be completed before morning. As he was placing the glass of water on the table beside Theo, his door opened, and Master DuCane stepped into the room, followed by Ismael.

  “I’ve handled this rather badly, I’m afraid,” Bastian admitted as everyone took a seat in the living room with Bastian sitting on the sofa next to Theo. Master DuCane sat in the chair opposite, and Ismael sat on the window seat to their right.

  “You had no way of knowing he would be attacked by more of those mutants. You did what you had to do. Theo Hawke is your beloved; he will come around, and in time, he will be a valuable member of my Coven.” Master DuCane was being considerably gracious. It wasn’t long, and Theo began to awaken, and all attention was on him.

  Bastian saw that his first instinct was to jump up, but he was being held to the sofa by a force of will put there by Master DuCane. It wasn’t a restraint so much as a means to keep him still and make him listen. The fear in his eyes spiked the moment he realized he couldn’t get up even though there were no visible restraints.

  “What have you done to me?” He burned Bastian with an indignant stare.

  “I’m keeping you seated so that you will be more apt to listen to what we have to say to you.” Master DuCane answered his question, and Theo swung his gaze around the room, taking in everyone present.

  “Master Louis DuCane.” He said in acknowledgment, and Master DuCane nodded. He turned to Ismael. “Ismael Patronne second in command of Coven DuCane.” Ismael likewise nodded. He then brought his attention back to Bastian with a look that was bruising, to say the least. “General Bastian DuFort.” The tone was harsh. “What have you done to me?” He repeated his words to Bastian.

  “I didn’t hurt you. I couldn’t have you calling in the cavalry. Too many lives depend upon our existence remaining a secret.” Bastian told him honestly, and Theo blinked a couple of times and dropped his gaze to his hands that he held clasped in his lap.

  “I know you didn’t hurt me. I’m just angry.” Theo admitted. “You and the other men saved me from those things whatever they were. I recognized one of the men with you. He’s my neighbor at the motel.” Theo looked over at him again before continuing. “Does he fight monsters besides running a bed and breakfast or have you been watching me?”

  “Rawl and Terence are my men, and they were at the motel to watch you as was I,” Bastian added.

  “You were at the motel?”

  “Since the day you checked in,” Bastian explained himself, his actions, and the reasoning behind it. Theo appeared to listen and accept what had to be done.

  “You saved me from that thing that attacked me the other night?” Theo asked, deceptively calm, clearly trying to put a timeline on all the weirdness in his life since arriving in Mt. Pleasant.

  “Yes.” Bastian wanted to reach over and take Theo’s hand and channel some of what he was feeling, so Theo could
recognize the truth of what he was saying. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible at the moment as Theo continued to hold his hands knotted tightly together in his lap.

  “I put you to bed, and my team cleared the minds of everyone present. I didn’t clear your mind. The beast knocked you out and caused your memory to be blurred. I didn’t clear it up because you weren’t ready for the truth yet.”

  “I was injured. How did you heal my wounds? There were no marks when I woke in the morning.” Theo kept his eyes on his hands, waiting for an explanation. Bastian looked across to Master DuCane, who was watching the exchange with an intense concentration.

  “You didn’t ask why your mind wasn’t cleared like the others at the motel. Why you were allowed to keep the hazy memory of what took place.” Master DuCane interjected.

  “You have that ability. Why didn’t you just clear my slate then and now?” Theo was looking at Bastian directly now, and his question was demanding. Bastian could sense that he had an idea as to why but was looking for confirmation.

  “At dinner, you told me what you knew of vampires what you believed to be the myth. Do you recall the beloved that you spoke of and what that person, the beloved, means to their Fated vampire?” Bastian had a thread of comprehension to go on, and he planned to spin it as far as he could in getting his beloved to grasp who he was to Bastian and his importance his sacred importance in Coven DuCane.

  Theo nodded slowly but did not comment. His mind was working and putting all the words and actions together. Bastian could see the tenseness of his brow and the shadow of worry. His poor love had to hear and understand so much.

  “I cannot clear your memory, nor could I allow someone else to touch your mind. You are my beloved Theo. I recognized you when you walked into Sheriff Keller’s office. I knew you as my Fated match.”

  “His blood cured your injuries, healed your wounds as is the power of Fated couples.” Master DuCane spoke.

  “You fed me your blood?”