Blood Torn

by Karice Bolton

  “You think it’s over?” I asked, knowing the answer.

  “I think it’s only just begun.” He slid another book off the shelf and looked for a false front inside. “Lux was thorough.”

  I nodded. “So was our work over the last several years.”

  Going from town to town across the globe, ensuring vampires were at the ready—at Lux’s ready. Decker had always been at my side, which made his betrayal so much worse.

  But now there was no Lux.

  “You know, Lux only told a few vampires about your disobeying him. Any vampire who swore to go after you swore on the Realm in Between that they wouldn’t say a word.”

  I didn’t expect this. I thought it was a widespread bounty. “How many did he tap for help?”

  Decker smiled. “I think there’s only a handful more.” He glanced at the clock. “And they’ll be here by tomorrow night.”

  “Interesting.”

  Decker smiled. “I thought so.”

  Ivy stopped her search and stared at a piece of paper that had caught her interest. She motioned for Christy to come over and look.

  “I know there’s not much I can do to make things up to you.” Decker grimaced. “I never should have switched allegiances.”

  “Your alliance was always first to Lux. All of ours were.” I shook my head. “You did nothing wrong.”

  Decker pressed his lips together. “I don’t see it that way, but thank you.”

  I nodded, knowing I’d never trust him again. “Not a problem.”

  “I’ll stay here and take care of the others who are coming tomorrow. I don’t think you should be here.” He glanced at Violet. “I have my crew. They didn’t know about any of the stuff that went on between you and Lux. It’s why I didn’t bring them to the twins’ house.”

  Surprise washed over me. “Is that why I didn’t recognize any of them?”

  Decker nodded. “I’ve been conflicted on many levels.”

  I laughed, unsure of what to make of it.

  As of now, we’d managed to cut off Lux’s ability to infect others, his kind, or the mundanes, but that didn’t mean the prophecy wasn’t in full swing.

  I noticed Ivy tucking several pieces of folded paper into her back pockets.

  “If I can handle this last batch of vampires, I think we can move forward as if nothing happened.” Decker leaned against the bookshelves.

  “How do we explain what happened to Lux?” My brow arched.

  “I’ll start the rumors.” Decker grinned. “You know vampires eat that stuff up. I’ll tell them what I saw. The cardinal sin of the vampire world played out right before me.”

  I stared at Decker who was looking for my approval.

  “No one will believe that Lux did that to himself.”

  “If I show the scene that I found to the crew coming in, the info will spread like wildfire. With what Ivy did to him, it already looks somewhat plausible.”

  It was true. His body looked like he’d spent ample time cooking himself, but I wasn’t sure anyone would believe it.

  “Just let me handle it. I need to make things up to you.” Decker gave a quick nod before turning to look at Ivy.

  And I wondered if he felt the same pull to her as I did.

  Decker turned to look at me. “There’s something about her, huh?”

  I gritted my teeth and nodded.

  “Oh, no,” Violet whispered, and we all turned to look at her. “There’ve been five more victims.”

  Anger sparked through me. “They aren’t victims.”

  Violet shook her head. “How can we be sure? What if there is a rogue vampire doing this?”

  “I know what I saw that night. No vampires touched her,” I argued.

  Decker nodded. “It’s true. I saw her too.”

  “But that doesn’t mean the others aren’t.” Violet shrugged and turned her attention back to the news.

  If Violet, who loved everything about us, was starting to wonder, that meant the truth might not be on our side.

  Ivy walked over to Violet and watched for a few seconds before turning to me. “I think I should get into the Bureau and see what’s going on.” She brought her hand up to her throat and squeezed it softly.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah. Just thirsty.”

  “I’ll take you to the kitchen.”

  Ivy nodded. “Thanks.”

  She followed me out of the room. “Before everything happened, I’d already spoken with my supervisor. I can go in tomorrow, see if I can sniff anything out.”

  “That might be a good idea.” I hated to think the Bureau was involved.

  Ivy cleared her throat and smiled. “Man, I swear I could drink a gallon of water.”

  “It’s probably all that playing with fire stuff.”

  She giggled. “I still can’t believe I did that.”

  “I’m kind of in amazement too.”

  She brushed her hand against mine, and a shot of electricity ran through me.

  The desire to be with her was growing stronger by the second.

  “If it turns out the Bureau is involved or knows who is, I have no idea what we’ll do with the information.”

  I laughed. “Good point.”

  We walked into the expansive kitchen that was equipped with two large marble islands and three walls of lacquered white cabinets. It looked like no one cooked in the kitchen, which was accurate. But Lux liked to keep up appearances that he was more mortal than not.

  I went to the cupboard where the glasses were kept and filled up a glass for Ivy.

  She quickly gulped it down and went to the sink to fill it up again.

  Ivy repeated the process five times and turned to me, sighing. “It’s not getting better.”

  “I can see that.”

  She laughed and shrugged, placing her empty glass on the counter.

  “If we don’t find out who’s behind the attacks, it will make your transition into power more difficult.”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “I don’t think I’ll be in power very long.”

  Ivy’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why not? You’re the next in line.”

  “It’s never that simple.”

  She chuckled and stepped closer. “Don’t be such a negative Nancy.”

  I laughed, shaking my head. “I’ll try not to be.”

  Ivy looked into my eyes and circled her fingers against my chest. “I wonder what it’s like dating the lord of all vampires.”

  “I wouldn’t know.” I winked at her, and she leaned into me.

  My gaze fell to her luscious lips, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her.

  “Don’t leave me hanging, Carter. It’s been a rough day.” Ivy’s glorious smile lit up her face. “I need this.”

  My lips crashed down to hers as she ran her fingers through my hair. The gentle gesture made me hungrier to be touched by her.

  She let out a little moan as her full lips brushed against mine, teasing me to go deeper.

  I quickly obliged, pressing my mouth against hers as she backed up to the counter and hopped on it while still holding me close. Ivy wrapped her legs around my waist, and I knew I’d never been this happy in my entire life.

  Ivy ran her fingers along my back, longing pulsing through me as she parted her lips, her mouth taunting me with each deepened kiss.

  The sweet taste of her mouth left me wanting so much more than this place and time could give us.

  She broke our kiss, her lavender eyes locked on mine. “I was so scared when you went into the house.”

  I ran my thumb against her moist lip. “You were?”

  “Really scared.”

  “But we made it.”

  “We did. So far.” She licked my thumb, and the world we lived in fell away. I craved every part of the woman in front of me. I wanted to consume her and earn her love, her body.

  “Carter?” she whispered, looping her arms around my neck.

  “Yeah?”

 
“Promise me we’ll continue this.” Her eyes locked on mine. “When this is all over and we go back to our normal lives . . . that you won’t forget me.”

  “Ivy, you’re impossible to forget.” I smiled, stroking her hair as she pressed her head against my chest.

  If a vampire were to experience true heaven, this would be mine.

  Right here.

  Forever.

  In Ivy’s arms.

  “I had no idea I could make the fire do that. It must be why I’m so thirsty.”

  I nodded, holding her closer. “You called the darkness, Ivy.”

  “What do you mean?” She shook her head and scowled as I pulled her closer.

  “Fire lives in the dark. You touched the Blood Ward with that magic.”

  “But it lights the way,” she said softly. “It can’t be dark.”

  I shrugged, wondering how she could do so much and know so little. The thought of her ever stepping foot into the Blood Ward made my insides recoil.

  “Do you think this could last?” she asked, bringing her head back and looking into my eyes.

  “What?”

  “A vampire and a girl like me?”

  “You’re no girl, Ivy. You’re a powerful sorceress.”

  “Well?” Her brows rose.

  “I think it would be my version of heaven.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “You didn’t answer me.”

  I let out a deep sigh and brought her into my arms, wondering the same thing, praying there was a way to make her mine.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ivy

  We’d dropped Carter off at his home, and Christy and I had just parked in my driveway.

  Everything looked exactly as we’d left it, but the energy seemed different—calmer, somehow.

  I couldn’t wait to see Glinda. It felt like an eternity had passed, and in some ways, it had. Spending any time in the Nightfall Realm really confused the days.

  “I have got to get a glass of water,” I told Christy. “This is getting crazy. I don’t think I’ll ever use fire again unless it’s an emergency.”

  Christy laughed, nodding sympathetically. “It’s going to take some getting used to, all your new abilities. How do you think Violet is taking it?”

  I stopped on the porch and turned to look at Christy. “I don’t know. She hasn’t said much when I’ve asked.”

  “Did you know she agreed to be the bait for us?”

  My jaw dropped open. “Bait? What? Who asked her to be the bait?”

  A chill ran over me.

  “Carter said she more like volunteered . . . wanted to be part of something.”

  To say I was mad was putting it mildly. “Why wouldn’t he tell me something like that?”

  “He knew you wouldn’t agree.”

  “For a good reason. She almost died.” I shook my head in frustration.

  How could Carter think it was okay to hide something like that?

  On one hand, he wanted me to believe that he and I had a future, and on the other, he hid things from me.

  Big things.

  I turned around and unlocked the door to hear Lydia singing in the kitchen with Glinda howling beside her.

  When I got into the kitchen, Lydia turned around and screamed, dropping the pot to the ground.

  “What happened to you?” she hollered.

  Glinda began growling at me, backing up to the back door very slowly.

  I shook my head, not realizing what she was talking about.

  Christy came up behind me. “It’s your eyes,” she whispered.

  My hands flew up to my face.

  So much had happened since the change, I hadn’t even remembered.

  Glinda’s growls turned to barks, and Lydia flew toward her.

  “What did you do?” Lydia’s little mouth puckered. “Why would you do this? Agatha would be so upset.”

  I shook my head and bent down, trying to coax Glinda toward me. “I didn’t do anything. It just happened.”

  Christy nodded, squatting next to me. “It’s true.”

  Lydia fluttered around the kitchen in hysterics. “Oh, no. It’s begun. Agatha was right.”

  Glinda slowly waddled in my direction as I held out my hands. She finally nuzzled into me as I scratched her ears and squeezed her.

  “What are you talking about?” I stood, wandering toward the kitchen cabinet to get a glass for water.

  Three glasses later, I still wasn’t satiated.

  “What’s the matter with you?” Lydia flew over, inches from my face.

  “I used a fire trick, and—”

  Lydia gasped, flying backward. “Why would you ever call the world of fire?”

  I closed my eyes and ran my fingers over my lids. “It just happened.”

  “Things like this don’t just happen.” She held her head and moaned. “It’s really begun.”

  Christy took a step toward Lydia. “Tell us what you know.”

  Realization began to settle over Lydia. She parted her tiny lips but shut them abruptly.

  Lydia fluttered toward the door. “I need to call Bakula and Dace. They need to tell the others.”

  Before I had a chance to ask who she was talking about, she was out the door and Christy was shaking her head.

  “Sprites are worse than pixies about leaving people in the dark,” Christy muttered.

  “Who are Bakula and Dace?” I asked. “I never heard my grandma mention them.”

  “I have no idea, but there’s no point in running after them. They won’t say a word until they’re ready.”

  I filled my glass up with water again and drank it down. “You know, I’m not feeling so well.”

  “Do you want to lie down?”

  “I think just for a little bit.” I wandered into the living room and noticed a missing railing from the bannister. It was leaning against the wall and had a piece of fabric attached to the end.

  “Carter must have used it.” Christy laughed. “We’ll have to ask him to fix it.”

  I chuckled, making my way to the couch.

  To say he needed a talking to about my sister was putting it lightly, but I was so exhausted, I didn’t even have the energy to be angry.

  I pulled out the papers I’d taken from Lux’s house and put them on the table next to me before crawling onto the couch. I tugged on a blanket hanging over the back, pulling it over me so only my eyes peeked out.

  “Have you ever seen something like this?” I asked, batting my eyelashes at her.

  She smiled and shook her head. “No, actually, I haven’t.”

  “Who knew your best friend was going to turn into a freak?”

  “You’re not a freak, Ivy.” She shook her head. “But I think there are things going on that can’t be easily explained.”

  “Much to Lydia’s dismay,” I muttered as Glinda hopped onto the couch. “At least my dog’s accepting me.”

  Christy smiled. She looked like she had something on her mind. “Do you mind if I go search your attic while you rest? I doubt I’ll find anything, but I just can’t believe these things are happening to you and there’s not some sort of clue left behind.”

  I nodded, smiling. “I’d actually appreciate that. I keep racking my brain, trying to remember conversations with my grandma, looking for any sort of clues. I just don’t understand how she could keep something like this from me. It’s one thing to have a green thumb, and it’s quite another to be able to use the entire natural world as a war chest.”

  Christy snickered and nodded.

  I was quiet for a moment. “She would tell me that someday, it would all make sense.” I shrugged. “But she’d tell me that in between my weeding the flower beds and making simple tinctures for chicken pox.”

  “Maybe she wasn’t certain which of you would have these powers, and she didn’t want to sway either of you.”

  I nodded. “I’ve thought about that too. Violet had absolutely no interest in Grandma’s studies for us. I’d be
the one learning the botanical names, whipping up lotions, and tending to the gardens.” I shook my head. “But none of that even scratches the surface. I mean, I can make the sky crackle, Christy. What the heck? Wouldn’t that be important to tell someone?” Just the thought made me even more tired.

  Christy grinned. “Well, you’d think so, yeah. I mean, I’d like to think I’d mention it to my grandchild.”

  “I’m just glad there are no secrets between us.” I let out a sigh, feeling my lids get heavier and heavier. “It feels like that’s all there is between Carter and me. Secrets.”

  Christy’s expression fell, and she drew in a long breath. “Ivy, there’s something I should tell you.”

  I sat up on my elbows to see her. “Yeah?”

  “You know how I’ve always told you I’m half pixie?”

  I nodded, barely able to keep from nodding off.

  “My father is from the guard. My mother is a pixie.”

  My brows shot up. “The guard? As in the demon guard?”

  She nodded slowly.

  “As in he’s a demon in the guard?”

  The guard kept watch over the gates to heaven and hell. It was the one and only realm that couldn’t be tampered with. It didn’t matter the magic or the creature that attempted to get in, nothing could get past the guard.

  I was stunned.

  “How did that happen?”

  Christy laughed nervously. “She didn’t know what she was getting into.”

  I nodded. “I bet. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be married to . . .” I didn’t want to offend Christy, so I stopped talking.

  “I think she thought her child would take on more of the attributes of the pixie, but genetics are what they are.”

  I chuckled. “You’re kind of a badass.”

  She shrugged. “Kind of.”

  I hid a yawn. “If you wield so much power, why do you police for the mundanes?”

  Even though what she’d just told me was fascinating, I could barely stay awake.

  Something like this would have kept me up for days with questions and imagining what it all meant.

  But between the aggravating thirst and the extreme exhaustion, I could barely stay up for her answer.

  “The mundanes need my help the most. They don’t have magic in their lives. They refuse to embrace the unexplained, so their crimes are far more heinous.” She shrugged. “Ruthless, really.”