“For one month, Stacey. Julian only got Marcellus to agree to one month.”
Stacey goes still, her face growing pale.
“Maybe we can find what his father was hiding. With that, we can barter with the Council for our freedom.”
She inhales, then exhales. “Fine. I’ll help.”
We go in separate directions, Stacey searching the far-right stacks of shelves, while I go left. After an hour of finding nothing but book after book of poetry, I descend the ladder and slide down to a sitting position. My head falls back into the shelf. “Ouch,” I groan.
“Find anything?” I ask Stacey.
“Nothing. They’re all history books over here.”
I sigh, feeling as though this entire idea was pointless. Not that we had anything better to do. I’m about to suggest we head back to my room and clean up for lunch, when the large mahogany desk that sits in the middle of the room catches my attention.
Standing, I walk toward it as though it’s beckoning me. I open drawer after drawer, rifling through the papers to find nothing of significance. My gut tells me not to stop. Pulling open the bottom drawer, I find it empty save for an emerald-green decorative box embellished with ruby jewels. It sits in the palm of my hand, heavy and awkward. It’s so familiar—like something I once owned—something I lost. The top pops open in my hands and I’m disappointed to find it empty.
Why would Julian or his father have something so insignificant from my home? It doesn’t even make sense. There’s no way it’s mine. I probably had something similar to it at some point. Lowering it to its place, my hand hits the bottom of the drawer. The reverberating sound is deep, as if the drawer is hollow beneath. My hand slides across the wood, looking for a catch, but the wood slides backward, unveiling a secret compartment.
“Stacey,” I hiss. “Come here.”
She comes to my side, peering down at me.
“What did you find?”
I pull a worn, brown leather journal from the dark crevice.
Standing, I place the journal on top of the desk and open it to the first page.
April 1994
Something has changed. Julian and Lawrence are filled with joy. Everything from their birth on has been overshadowed by the thirst. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen them happy. At the same time, Marcellus has fallen into a deep despair. He hasn’t left his chambers for weeks. The last I saw him; he was disheveled and crazed. He said it felt like his heart was being ripped out.
Could it be? Could the legends be true?
I skip to the next page, eager to see if it speaks of the legend referenced on the last page.
June 2000
Lawrence came to me the other day and asked if he could be excused to take an extended trip. When I questioned where he was going, he said the Midwest. Why would he feel compelled to go to the Midwest of all places? More concerning, Julian also made an off-handed comment about wanting to visit Ohio. What could make two brothers wish to visit an area that neither have ever been before or shown an interest in? A place with very little to attract them. I wonder. Could it be happening?
October 2000
I saw them. They were asleep, curled up in their beds. The smell of their blood pumping through their veins made it almost impossible to linger for long. If they are the key, draining them of their blood would not be wise. There were only two, though. I’m undecided as to whether these children could be the answer to our family’s survival, but I have hope. I found Lawrence nearby, which means one of their blood is beckoning him. I would’ve stayed longer, but one woke, seeing me. I fled—like the coward I am.
When I finish reading the last entry, my breathing is heavy. So many coincidences—Ohio, two girls, a vampire waking a child—I can’t dismiss the possibility. Could he have been watching me?
“Does any of this mean anything?” Stacey asks.
“I don’t know yet, but I think we’re getting close to something.”
Closing the journal, I reflect on the words. Julian’s father’s journal admits that he and Lawrence were in Ohio. I think it’s time I get to know Lawrence Bellamy a little better.
Chapter Twenty
Stacey and I eat in silence.
I’ve been thinking about all the reasons why the Bellamys might have been drawn to Ohio—and I keep coming up short.
A slurping sound grates on my nerves. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Stacey with her spoon positioned in front of her lips. Lawrence and I exchange glances. His brow is tilted upward in amusement, while my eyes are narrowed in on Stacey. She’s one of the most poised people I’ve ever met. The sucking of the soup is very unlike her.
“Everything all right, love?” Lawrence asks Stacey.
Her head lifts, and the spoon comes to rest atop the bowl.
“Fine. Why?”
“Do you have something against that soup?” Lawrence smirks.
“Oh.” She tilts her head back in a laugh. “Was that awkward? No more than the silence in this room. Can somebody please start a damn conversation?”
I snort, then quickly try to smother it with my arm. I’ve only known her for a short time, but one thing is for sure—she doesn’t hold back, no matter the company she keeps.
“I apologize. I’ve been distracted.”
“The party?” I offer.
“Indeed. It shall be a fantastic night.” Lawrence beams. “I’ve invited twenty of the New Orleans elite to dine and dance with us at my home. Opulence is the theme.”
Stacey and I smile because Lawrence’s excitement is infectious.
“What can we do to help?” Stacey asks, eager to help party plan.
I’m also interested in what lengths a vampire goes to in order to host a dinner party with humans.
“Mostly, I’d love some suggestions on the menu. Everything else is done. I was hoping to have a few hours to get to know you better.”
“Bacon-wrapped shrimp, chicken skewers, egg rolls, mini quiche, crab cakes, and a massive dessert table.” Stacey rattles off, obviously having food on the brain.
“What kind of desserts?” Lawrence prods with a hint of a smile.
“All the desserts.” Stacey says matter-of-factly.
I laugh. “Lawrence, you’ll have to excuse us. We’ve been deprived of sweets of late.”
“Please, call me Law. As for the deprivation of baked treats, I will fix that.”
Stacey and I both smile.
The lull in the conversation gives way for my thoughts to wander to Julian and where he might be.
“Will Julian be back soon?” I ask, knowing that Katina said it would be a week, but hoping it’ll lead to some information.
“I’m afraid not until the end of the week. He has quite the drive ahead of him.”
“Drive?” I press.
“He’s in Seattle, dealing with some pressing issues.” Law provides an answer, but he doesn’t elaborate. I should leave it be. A smart girl would enjoy the freedoms she’s been given, the food she’s allowed to eat, and the life that has yet to be snuffed, but not me, not now. I go for it.
“What is he doing in Seattle?”
Law puts his fork down, grabs his napkin from his lap, and gingerly wipes his mouth.
“There are some things I’m not at liberty to discuss.”
My eyes remain on his, not backing down.
He huffs in exasperation but acquiesces.
“He’s helping new bites transition. In cities, vampires are often created and left to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting urban area. Julian has made it his mission to step in when an issue arises and the death toll begins to mount. Many times, a city will think they have a serial killer on their hands. They aren’t wrong—it’s just not a human.”
My stomach flips at the thought of Julian stepping in to essentially tame a wild vampire. He’s saving lives and the thought has my heart softening where he’s concerned. If he wasn’t there, more innocent bystanders would die. Admiration for a vampire is not something I ever th
ought I’d possess—yet I do.
“He’s quite remarkable, my brother,” Law remarks with a proud smile. “I only wish I could be there to help him. Alas, I’m on guard duty.”
Which brings me to my next topic of discussion.
“What exactly are you guarding, Law?”
He grins. “That, Marina, will have to remain my secret.” He winks at me.
For now, I won’t press. He was good enough to fill us in on Julian’s whereabouts. That’s a win for today.
“Let me ask you ladies, if you could do anything today, what would you do? Mind you, it has to be on this property.”
Glancing out the window, I see the grey overcast sky threatens rain and eliminates all possibility of going outdoors.
“I’d love to watch TV,” Stacey says hopefully.
I nod my head in agreement. Television would be amazing.
“That can be arranged. I need to finish up some last-minute details for the party, then we shall watch a show.”
Stacey squeals in delight, and all the while my mind is hundreds of miles away on the West Coast with Julian.
“Let’s revisit the evidence,” Stacey suggests, while we wait for Law to come get us for the show.
“The journal. That’s all we found, and it gives very little away.”
“Recap what it said. Paraphrase, please,” she insists.
My eyes lift heavenward.
“In April of 1994, something happened to the boys. Julian and Law had a rebirth of sorts, while Marcellus didn’t leave his room. Six years later, Law wanted to go on an adventure and their father questioned whether it had something to do with the legend.”
Her brow lifts in question.
“Legend? What legend?
“No idea. I’ve heard Lawrence and Julian reference a legend before, but I don’t know what it is.
“Strange,” she says, deep in thought. “You lived in Ohio. You saw vampires. This has to be connected to you, right?”
Inhale. Exhale.
“I don’t know,” I admit. At the same time, there are a lot of questions. “I awoke one night to a vampire at the end of my bed. After reading the journal and considering everything, I wonder—could it have been Julian’s father? What if it was me he was talking about? Or Maggie?”
Stacey remains quiet for a couple of minutes. Whether she doesn’t know what to say or is deliberating what this could mean, I can only guess.
“Why didn’t he kill you?” she asks.
My mouth forms a straight line and my eyes squint. Something pokes at my psyche, just out of reach.
“I don’t know, but we have to figure out what this legend is.”
“Legend?” Lawrence says from the open doorway.
Stacey’s eyes widen at Law’s voice. He overheard us talking, so now would be the time to press for information.
“Is there some vampire legend, Law?” Stacey asks.
He walks in with his hands clasped behind his back. His blond hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, making him look like a modern-day Thor.
“You’d rather discuss things of myth than watch reruns of Castle?” he asks, brow raised and dimple appearing.
“Nope. I’m over it. Let’s watch it,” Stacey chirps, eliciting a scowl from me.
Oh, how quick she is to turn away when we are so close. Something deep within tells me that Law will tell.
“Just a few questions, Stacey. Then we’ll watch.”
She huffs and crosses her arms, but ultimately allows me to continue.
I understand her need to do something normal, but our lives aren’t normal anymore.
We need to embrace the change and uncover everything we can. If we don’t, there is no hope of her returning home someday.
“Tell us, please.”
He seems to consider my request for a minute. Is he forbidden from talking about vampire legends?
“Every Born has a familiar—or so they say.”
“A familiar?” My eyes squint in confusion. “What’s that?”
“It’s a vampire’s one true blood match. If I were to find mine and drink from her, I’d come into more of my powers—what those are, I haven’t a clue. It is said if my match drank from me, she’d have all of my abilities as well. That’s really all I’ve been told.” He narrows his eyes. “Why the interest in familiars?”
I can’t tell him I was snooping and uncovered his father’s journal, yet I don’t want to get Julian in trouble either. What if he wasn’t supposed to tell me about it? While I’m contemplating what to say, Stacey opens her mouth.
“We have reason to believe your father might’ve been stalking Marina and her sister, Maggie. The only thing that makes sense—because she’s still breathing—is that she has something to do with this legend.”
I shoot daggers in Stacey’s direction, but I don’t miss Lawrence’s reaction. His eyes widen before he schools his features.
“I don’t know. It seems unlikely. If, for example, Julian was your match, he would be drawn to you in ways you couldn’t understand. Besides, you’re not a triplet. Our perfect matches would have to be triplets.”
Stacey’s eyes meet mine.
The air whooshes from my body. Triplets. My stomach turns while my mind races with the possibilities. This whole time, were we being watched by their father because he thought we were the legendary familiars to his sons? No. It’s ridiculous. More ridiculous than seeing vampires? Nothing about my life has ever made sense. It’s not too far-fetched to believe that a vampire could’ve mistaken us for the key to his family’s survival, but he was wrong.
I don’t hold any special powers, and Maggie is dead. If the legends were true and we were the legends, another brother would be broken, just like Marcellus. Yet, here is a perfectly sane Lawrence, and Julian doesn’t appear to be affected.
Law sets up the television in my room and Stacey watches with rapt attention, not saying another word. Perhaps she desperately needs to process all of this. Or maybe both of them have forgotten that I am a triplet. I can’t concentrate on anything other than what Law has said. The truth is, a part of me aches to be something special—something more than a mundane human.
Stacey appears to be in her happy place, curled up in my bed, watching the television. All the while, Law’s steady gaze never wavers from me. He sees too much.
“Marina . . . Marina!” Stacey yells across the room, garnering my attention. “Look.” She nods her head toward the TV screen.
A news reporter with long dark hair, wearing a tight black pencil skirt and white blouse, talks animatedly into a microphone.
“Jerry, I’m here just outside of Toledo, Ohio, where a small village has banded together to look for clues in the disappearance of a third young girl this year. The town’s population is only twelve hundred, so this string of bizarre events has rocked their small community. They are now in search of a serial abductor, and Mayor Callum Stahl urges residents to stay vigilant.”
I listen to the reporter, but my eyes are fixed on the photo on the screen. My abduction has made the national news.
“Marina Drake went missing almost two months ago, only six months after the disappearance of her twin sister, Magdalena Drake, who was last seen jumping from Widow’s Peak—a cliff overlooking the river.”
My heart thumps as Maggie’s picture flashes across the screen. Still, after everything I’ve been through, the loss of her cuts deep. The screen goes back to the reporter.
“Just last week, the town suffered yet another shocking disappearance, when twenty-four-year-old Shannon Cline went missing after visiting the home of Maggie and Marina Drake. Shannon’s mother, Susan Cline, said she went to check on her friends’ parents, Lena and Michael Drake, and never returned. Investigators are asking for any tips in helping locate Marina and Shannon. Local law enforcement believes that the fall from Widow’s Peak took Maggie’s life, although a body was never recovered. This is Annabel Starr reporting live from Liberty, Ohio. Back to you, Jerry.”
>
I’m numb. Shannon is missing. This can’t be happening.
“Marina, do you know her?” Stacey asks in a whisper.
I nod, unable to speak the words. Why? Why would anyone take her?
My head turns to Law. “Could this be the auction? Law, you have to find out. She’s my best friend. Please.”
His eyes are narrowed on the screen; he’s no longer looking at me.
“That made the national news,” Stacey says. “Your people are getting sloppy.”
“They are not my people,” Law declares. “I’ll get to the bottom of this, Marina. You have my word.”
A sweat breaks out across my forehead, hands shaking and legs bouncing in unrestrained nerves, as I do my best to not break out into hysterical tears. What could have happened to Shannon? Is she all right? Have vampires taken her? Could she be dead?
The last thought makes my heart thump loudly and my throat go dry.
Stacey comes to me, pulling me into her side. “Law will find her,” she promises, petting my hair in a soothing motion. He has to. If they have her, this is my fault—again.
Chapter Twenty-One
By Sunday night, Julian has come back and Law has returned to his home. I’m pacing my room, waiting for word about Shannon, when my door creaks open and Katina pops her head around the doorframe. “May I come in?” she asks, sounding unsure.
I motion with my hand for her to enter.
“Where’s Julian? Has he come to the estate yet?” I spit questions rapid fire, wanting to speak with him immediately. If Law hasn’t found anything out about Shannon, Julian will.
“He’s at his home,” she says, tipping her head up and watching me closely.
“Go get him,” I demand. “I need to speak with him now.”
Her head moves back and forth. “He’s asked me to come retrieve you. Stacey is dining in her room tonight. Lawrence left the television for her, so she’ll be entertained all evening.”
Blood That Binds: A Vampire Romance (Blood Legends Duet) Page 18