by T C Galinari
“You’re stunning,” I whisper, and she titters in amusement.
“You sweet boy,” she whispers as she moves into my personal space. “You’ve made this way too easy.”
Furrowing my brow, I blink and replay what I think she just said in my mind.
How––and what––did I make too easy?
Stretching one of her hands toward my head, she gently runs her fingers through my hair. Her bright blue eyes lock on mine, and in that instant, she has me under her spell. The hand in my hair slides down to the base of my neck as she raises her other hand and places it on my chest over my heart. With this slight movement, she brings our bodies closer, and without thought, my arms instinctively wrap around her waist. Grasping my new treasure, I’m surprised at how cold she is. It’s as if she’s made of marble, and she feels just as hard.
The corner of her mouth quirks up into a devilish smile, drawing my attention to her crimson lips. I ponder stealing a kiss. That is until I notice two white objects dripping with blood protruding from each side of her mouth.
What is…? Oh, hell. This can’t be real. What did those men call Giselle? Hunter!
Slowly the thoughts fade as I stare into her eyes. I’m completely under her spell, but some part of my brain must be resisting because the realization crashes into my consciousness.
Shit! She's a vampire!
Jerking back, I attempt to shake myself out of the trap this creature has me in, but her grip on me tightens. She might look dainty and feminine; however, she’s anything but. Her long nails dig into my neck as she pulls me closer and dips my head down.
“You poor fool. You can’t escape me,” she murmurs, tilting her head up before her lips connect with mine.
While her body is hard as stone, her lips are definitely not. This kiss. It starts soft and filled with more passion than I could’ve ever imagined, but it quickly changes.
I should stop this. Hell, I need to stop this, but damn, it feels too good.
Indescribable pleasure courses through me before inexplicable pain follows, overflooding my senses. The pain is what I’d imagine being burned alive and ripped apart all at once would feel like. Yet the pleasure––oh, the pleasure––reminds me of sitting around a warm campfire roasting marshmallows and making s'mores. Sweet and delicious. The aroma of honeysuckle fills my nose and is like the cherry on top of the most delicious sundae.
My mind is lost in the moment, and I can’t get enough of her and our kiss. I crave more even as warning bells sound in my head.
Fight this! She's…kil-l-ing…a small part of me screams, but I don’t listen.
I can’t. I’m hers.
She abruptly ends the kiss and plunges her fangs deep into my neck as my blood trickles from the wounds onto my chest. As she pulls more blood from me, my vision becomes a little hazy, and I start to feel light-headed. It takes all the concentration I have to keep my body upright, but it’s a losing battle. Slowly, as the blood leaves my body, my legs weaken, and I crumple to the ground. Darkness clouds my vision, and once again, I blackout.
In the distance, two voices compete for the little bit of awareness that remains.
“You’re mine now. Drink,” whispers one voice.
“Sebastian, I’m coming…. Oh, God, I’m too late!” the other screams.
I want to respond, but my throat is too dry, and I’m so weak that I can’t form the words or even open my mouth to speak. Lukewarm liquid drips onto my lips, and my tongue slips out greedily to soak up the bit of moisture.
There’s a coppery but salty taste to the liquid…and I crave more.
Chapter 6
Giselle
Something is wrong, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
"Vlad, drive faster. We need to get to the hospital––now," I grit out as tension tightens my muscles.
My fingers curl into a fist, and my knuckles go white.
"What is happening?" Vlad growls as he shifts gears.
"I'm not one hundred percent sure, but it feels like Sebastian is in danger," I reply as Vlad steps on the gas.
"Your uncle could have sent one of his creatures after the boy. You know how he likes to collect things. If you did not kill every being that pursues you, he would have collected you long ago," Vlad adds downshifting as we approach a red light.
"I should've called for backup. I thought I was going to be able to dispose of the body and get to Sebastian before Anthony's goons," I justify, closing my eyes and tilting my head back.
A lukewarm hand touches my arm, and I open my eyes to glance at Vlad.
"There is nothing more you could have done. We need to be certain that no matter what happens, he remains with us," Vlad soothes, his attention back on the road.
If something happens, it's all my fault. I haven’t protected him like I should have.
“Stop thinking in that manner. There is no way you could have predicted what was going to happen,” he adds, but I remain silent.
If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times…I really hate it when Vlad reads my mind. Maybe if I had one of the cool vamp abilities, I wouldn't have such an issue with it. But that wasn't something I got from my lineage. Instead, my parents gave me an extremely long life, a metabolism that lets me eat anything and everything I want, and the ability to find and destroy vampires and the like. I don’t think that was exactly something they planned. In fact, I’m positive it wasn’t.
“With that mind-reading ability of yours, I really need to have you listen to one of my favorite vampire series books. Either Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, Molly Harper’s Half-Moon Hollow series, or Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire Series. All of which have vampires with special powers,” I explain, glancing around the car and looking for his phone. Right now, I’ll do anything to distract myself.
Removing his hand from the steering wheel, Vlad pulls his phone out of his coat pocket and hands it over.
“Why not download all of those onto my phone?” Vlad suggests as I take the phone out of his hand.
“Would you prefer to listen or to read the books?” I ask, swiping his phone screen to get to the app I need.
Unable to unlock Vlad’s phone, I glance up at him. “Really? You locked your phone? Since when do you lock your phone?” I question, furrowing my brows at him.
In all the time since I woke––and cell phones have been in existence––he’s never, ever locked his phone.
Vlad huffs. “I added a lock to my phone after my…guest took the liberty of answering when you called.” I roll my eyes. “The password is the day Alonso brought you to me.”
It takes only a minute for me to remember the date, and I quickly enter it. The lock screen disappears, and I maneuver to the app store and download everything he’ll need. Since he never responded to whether he wanted to listen to the books or read them, I purchase both the ebook and audio versions. As he pulls up to the hospital doors, the last book finishes its download.
Tossing his phone at him, he catches it with grace before glaring at me. “What have I told you regarding how to take care of nice things?” he grumbles, and I smirk. “Children,” he mutters.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to apologize when his irises change from a dull, dark green to bright emerald, and his pupils narrow into pinpricks.
Shit! This is not good.
“Go to him now,” he growls, his hands tightening on the wheel. “He is in danger.”
Not needing to be told twice, I slam the door and storm into the hospital. In the lobby, the hairs on my arms stand on end, and the aroma of decay fills the air.
Black magic. How the hell did Anthony unearth a black magic witch willing to help him?
Whatever enticed the witch, it must have been really good. After what happened to my mother all those centuries ago, most witches stay away from vampires. They also used to be able to cover their scent, but this one left a trail.
Either she’s stupid or weak. Or this is a trap.
; Betting on the latter, I make my way to the stairwell and follow the breadcrumbs. The stairway is fairly empty except for a few hospital employees. Some glance in my direction as I pass, but none say anything. As I move up the staircase, I see fewer people, which isn’t all that surprising. What is surprising is the murmuring of voices––and the lack of breathing in between phrases––coming from two floors above. I stop in my tracks.
Trap.
Taking stock of what weapons I have on me, I realize I left all of my gear back in my rental car. Which Vlad had Christopher drive here. But I don’t have enough time to run outside to grab any of my arsenal.
Freaking A.
Vlad is going to kick my ass. How many times did he and Alonso tell me to always keep my weapons on hand, and I left them in my friggin’ car? Instead of berating myself any further, I glance around to see if there is anything I can use as weapons close by. Of course, besides the walls and railings, the only weapon is me and my martial arts training.
Never going to hear the end of this.
Taking a fortifying breath, I roll my shoulders back in preparation for what’s to come and march up the last two flights of steps.
“Look what we have here,” one of the vampire guards snarks. “You look good enough to eat.”
“Oh, my God. I can’t believe you just used that line. I thought Nikolas had better taste in minions,” I quip, eyeing the man speaking.
The vampire blinks twice as his irises begin to brighten. “So you’re the little thing everyone is so freaked out about––what idiots. You’re nothing but a little half-breed girl,” he adds, eyeing me up and down.
It’s vampires like this that really make me happy Vlad made me watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the like after I woke up. What this moron doesn’t realize is that I was dusting vampires long before he was a twinkle in his great-grandparents’ eyes.
“Really? All you’ve got is half-breed?” I scoff. “I’ve been called a lot worse than that.” I glance over at the vampire who hasn’t said anything yet.
“Bitch,” mister vampire-with-the-lame-pickup-line calls out.
Sighing, I roll my eyes and glare at both men.
“Step aside, or you’ll get your asses handed to you,” I command as the quiet vamp rushes me.
Didn’t see that coming.
I spin out of his reach as he topples down the stairs, hitting his head against the concrete wall.
Watching as his friend hits the floor before making his move, the chatty vamp grits out, “You’ll pay for that.”
Unlike his friend, this vamp decides to try a different attack. He punches out, trying to hit me in the face, but I duck and come back up swinging with a left hook. The vamp stumbles back and tries again. This time, I don’t let him make the first move. Instead, I shift my weight onto my back leg and kick with my front. There’s a cracking noise as my foot connects with his chest, and he, too, falls to the ground, his head bouncing off the wall as he goes down.
Straightening my clothes, I count to ten and make sure neither vampire tries to attack me again. When I’m satisfied they aren’t getting up anytime soon, I open the metal door of the landing and step into the hallway. The stench of decay almost drops me to my knees it’s so strong. Covering my nose and mouth with my hand, I try to limit how much of the stench I breathe in. Off to my left, I hear the ping of the elevator, and I pray it’s Vlad.
Advancing slowly, I creep down the hall toward the nurse’s station, where the scent is at its strongest. With no one manning the desk, I scan the rest of the open space but don’t find anyone at all.
“Giselle,” Vlad calls out, making me jump, and I spin around to find him within a foot of me.
Letting out a long breath, I narrow my eyes at him as he grins.
Very funny, Țepeș.
“Yes, it was quite amusing, and you are surprised by it each time, my dear.” Vlad snickers, still grinning as he comes to stand beside me. Sobering, he adds, “The black witch remains close by.”
With a nod, I take the lead, and we make our way over to Sebastian’s room. As we enter, we are horrified to find the witch bending over Sebastian and draining his life force. Only she’s not just a black witch. No, my uncle did the one thing my father had not––he turned her.
Frozen to the spot, Vlad pushes past me, knocking me to the ground as he charges the witch. Lost in her feeding, she doesn’t release Sebastian until Vlad has his arms wrapped around her. As she withdraws her teeth, she writhes in his arms.
“Giselle, I could use some assistance, please,” Vlad bites out.
Still slightly dazed, I reach for her legs to stop her movement. She kicks out, but I hold fast, tightening my grip. She whines in a language I haven’t heard in centuries, yet it doesn’t phase Vlad one bit. As I try to remember the words she’s speaking, Vlad gives me a slight nod of his head as he loosens his hold. Playing weak, I release her legs, and she tries to escape. Getting to my feet, I dart toward Sebastian as the witch slides down Vlad’s body as if trying to duck out of his hold. She kicks out again, trying to trip me but misses. When she gets to just the right spot, Vlad’s arms tighten around her again. I close my eyes for the briefest second, making my peace with what’s about to happen. This is Vlad’s second favorite move, and one he’s taught me well. With a quick twist, he’ll break her neck. A long moment passes, and when I don’t hear the crack of her neck breaking or her dropping to the floor, I open my eyes just in time to see a group of men walking into the room. Glancing back at Vlad and the dark witch, I see him using the silver knife handle to knock her out. She slumps in toward the bed, but Vlad catches her. He slides his silver blade back into his boot before dragging her over to the chair.
“Check Sebastian. I have this abomination,” Vlad growls out.
Chapter 7
Sebastian
Waking from the strangest dream I’ve ever had leaves me uneasy, and yet, feeling quite rested as if I've slept for days. Opening my eyes to a dark room adds to my uncertainty and disorients me even more.
Are they still running those tests on me?
Without moving my head, I glance around the room but can’t make out much. The beeping of machines is the only indication that I’m back in my hospital room. Realizing I slept longer than I expected, I try to stretch but find that there are a lot more wires attached to me than before.
What the hell?
Reaching for the call button, I find that it’s not where the nurse had placed it before they took me out for testing. Flustered, I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves when my focus once again falls on the machines…and the lack of acceleration it shows, proving to me that something is amiss.
That's odd. Why is it staying at a steady rhythm?
The urge to scream bubbles up my throat, but instead of it coming out, I start to cough and find it difficult to do so. Which is when the realization hits. I have a tube down my throat.
Why am I hooked up to a ventilator?
What I thought was panic before is nothing compared to the sudden and overwhelming sensation of dread, or the fact that I feel as if I’m choking. There’s a tightness in my chest, making it seem as if I can’t get enough oxygen, which I know is all in my head since the oxygen is literally being pumped into me by a machine. The strangest thing, besides that dream, is my racing heart…or rather, the lack of it.
Here I am, freaking out and having a full-blown panic attack, and yet, my heart isn’t racing like it should be. Hell, if the steady beep the machine is making is anything to go by, I’d say my heart is barely beating.
How is that possible?
Taking another deep breath, I try once again to find the nurse call button. With my free hand, I reach through the bed railing for the bedside table, and the first thing my fingers touch is the cord I hope I'm looking for. Pulling my hand back, I'm thankful when I see the call button and push it.
"Sebastian, we'll be right in to help you," a woman tells me.
With help on the way, I
relax into the pillows and wait. It only takes a few minutes before two women dressed in scrubs open the door and walk into the room. One of the women flips the light on low, letting my eyes adjust to the light, which seems awfully bright even though it’s extremely dim. Once they can see, they each step farther into the room and make their way over to the bed, one on each side of me.
“Sebastian,” the one on my left calls my name, and I make eye contact with her. “I need you to blink for me to answer my questions, alright?”
I blink in response.
“Good. Now, we’re going to remove the tube so you can talk, but this might be a bit uncomfortable. After the tube is out, we’ll give you some water and go from there. Okay?”
I blink again.
“Try and relax,” the nurse on my right adds as they unhook the machine from the tube.
"Sebastian, take a deep breath in and blow it out slowly," one of them instructs, and I take the breath. As I exhale, they work to remove the tube from my throat.
It feels like it takes an hour when, in reality, it only takes a few seconds.
“Thank you,” I croak out, wincing as my throat aches from having the tube down my windpipe.
“You’re welcome. Your throat will be sore for a bit, so try not to talk if you don’t have to. We’ll get you some water and ice chips to help soothe it,” the nurse on my left tells me as she gathers the trash and prepares to leave my room.
“Can I go to the bathroom?” I manage, my words coming out in a scratchy whisper.
“When you passed out on your way for testing and wouldn’t wake up, they put a catheter in. That’s also when they put the breathing tube down your throat. So, for right now, you need to stay in bed. When the doctor comes in, he’ll let us know if we can remove the catheter.” This explanation comes from the nurse on my right, a grim expression on her face.
“How long have I been out?” I wonder, furrowing my brow.
I passed out? I don’t remember that. I thought I just fell asleep and had that bizarre dream.