Blood Craving

by Gabrielle Bisset

  Solenne wiped her cheeks and asked, “How did you find me?”

  “Someone named Emily told me you were here.”

  “Emily? I never thought after all that happened that she’d…” Solenne’s words drifted away as she buried her face in his chest.

  Saint didn’t want to think about what had happened to the woman he loved more than life itself. If he thought about it, he’d want to find Marc Verrater and tear him to pieces and now wasn’t the time for that. He needed to get Solenne out of there and safe. The time for fucking up Verrater would come later.

  “We need to leave, Solenne. You need to be home where you belong.”

  For the first time in months, he held his wife in his arms and kissed her long and deep. From this point on, he was going to make sure he protected her, even if it meant giving his life for hers.

  Looking up into his eyes, she smiled. “Take me home, Declan.” Turning her head, she looked around at the room she’d been held in. “And when you kill this fucker, I want to be there to see it.”

  This was the Solenne he’d fallen in love with—the strong woman who made him stronger. He’d get his revenge on Verrater, and when he did, she’d be right beside him. He owed her that.

  Holding her tight, he focused on their home in Greece and took her out of that place forever.

  They arrived back home but even knowing she was safe, Saint didn’t want to let her go. How could he have given Verrater a chance to take her? And no matter how tough she acted, he knew they’d have to deal with the reality of what that fuck had done.

  Solenne turned in his hold and leaned back against him. Bringing his hands to her mouth, she kissed his knuckles and in a quiet voice, much smaller than he’d ever heard come from her, she said, “I love you, Declan. I know you’re blaming yourself, but don’t. You had no idea that a simple trip to Lucrecia’s would end up like it did.”

  Saint kissed down her neck and let his lips rest on her collarbone. She knew him better than he knew himself. He slid his lips to the mark on the back of her neck that told the world she was his.

  Nuzzling her skin, he held her close. “You don’t have to be tough with me, Solenne. I’m your husband. Let me be strong and take care of you.”

  She was silent for a long time, but when she finally spoke, he knew something had happened that they’d have to deal with sooner or later. “I have always loved you, Declan, no matter what I’ve had to endure.”

  Solenne kissed his hands again and walked away toward their bedroom. As he stood alone in the center of their living room, her words echoed in his mind. What had she been forced to endure all those nights she was away from him?

  *

  Stripping her clothes off, Solenne wrapped a towel around her body and ran a bath. All she wanted to do was put the past few months behind her—behind them—and live the rest of her life with the only man she’d ever loved. Was that too much to ask? Fate seemed hell-bent on making their life together anything but smooth, but she wasn’t going to let what Marc had done ruin the happiness she’d found with Declan.

  He’d told her she didn’t have to be strong, but she didn’t have a choice. It’s what she was. Even more, it’s who she was. Yes, there had been more than once when she’d broken down and cried, sure she couldn’t hang on for even one more night. And yes, she’d been forced to endure Marc’s hands on her more than once.

  But she’d done it. She’d closed her eyes and pushed the horror of him and everything he was away from her, never letting that touch her heart or mind.

  She slid into the hot water and let it cover her up to her neck. It made her feel as if in some small way she was washing away all the terrible moments she’d endured in the past few months. No matter what he’d taken from her, he hadn’t taken what mattered most.

  “I missed seeing you there every night.”

  Solenne turned her head to see Declan standing in the doorway leaning against the wall like he often did when she relaxed in the tub. He was trying to act like everything was alright—that nothing had happened.

  “I missed being here.”

  He walked over to the edge of the tub and crouched down behind her to put his arms around her shoulders. The feel of his touch on her skin made her truly feel like she was home. Closing her eyes, she let it sink in to every part of her.

  “Solenne, tell me what you need. I’m out of my zone here and I don’t want this to ruin us.”

  She leaned her cheek against his strong arm and smiled. If the world only knew how gentle this man could be when it was just the two of them. “This won’t ruin us, Declan. I won’t let it and either will you. We were apart for almost a century. We can handle a few weeks.”

  He let out a deep sigh and lifted her hair off the back of her neck. Pressing his lips to the spot where his mark sat in her skin, he whispered, “I don’t know if I can deal with what you have to tell me.”

  Leaning back, she turned her head to find his lips in a kiss. “We’ve never had an easy road. What we are isn’t what we’ve done with these bodies or what’s been done to us. What we are is that mark on my neck and the matching one on yours. I need you to remember that.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “I need you to get the rest of the Sons here as soon as possible. I have some information I think will help against the Archons.”

  Declan caressed her cheek. “That can wait. You don’t need all of them sitting around on your first night home.”

  “I’ll be fine. It’s just seven other males. While I get done here, get Nico to gather everyone up.”

  Saint let out a heavy sigh. “It won’t be seven, Solenne. Sion’s gone to find Kali in Prague.”

  “Okay, then it will be six. We have the room.”

  “It won’t be six either. Thane’s gone. We lost him in Rome.”

  Gone? Solenne’s heart sank at the news that Thane was dead. The very thought of one of the Sons gone at the hands of the Archons made what she had to tell the remaining Sons of Navarus even more important.

  “I’m so sorry, Declan. Is Ramiel okay?”

  “That’s a much better story. The prophecy said the born vampire Noele and Thane would have a child that would be the key to us defeating the Archons. Even though Thane’s gone, she had the baby—a little boy named Theron. Ramiel and she are together and raising the child.”

  A baby vampire? Things had really changed in the few months she was away. But the baby was good news. “I need to speak to everyone about what I found out. I think it could help.”

  Declan pulled her close to him. “Okay. I’ll set it up.”

  Solenne sat down next to Declan and looked around at the five other men who sat in their living room. She hoped what she was about to say would help them finally get a leg up on the Archons.

  “Before I explain what I found out, I want to say I’m very sorry about the loss of Thane. If I could have done anything to prevent it, I would have. Anything at all. But I never heard about any plans for any of you the entire time Marc had me.”

  “We’re just happy you’re safe, Solenne,” Nico said as he took her hand and squeezed it. “We all know the risk we take every night.”

  Nodding, she began. “The drug called Bliss that the Archons are now pushing on every vampire is from me. The reason Marc Verrater kidnapped me and would still be holding me captive tonight if it weren’t for my husband is that there’s something special about my blood. I have no idea what it is, but his doctors found something in my blood that produces some kind of drug-like feeling. I can’t explain it, but that’s what Bliss is.”

  “Are you saying that Verrater took you and replicated your blood to make a drug the Archons are now using to keep our kind as addicts?” Dante asked in his usual indelicate way.

  “Yes. I don’t know why my blood has this effect, but it does, at least on him. What he did to it to make it a drug I have no idea.”

  All eyes settled on Declan next to her. Finally, Vasilije asked the question that was likely in al
l their minds. “Saint, does Solenne’s blood have that effect on you, or is it just Verrater?”

  She turned to see a pained look on her husband’s face, but that vanished as quickly as it came and he answered flatly, “I can’t say it’s like a drug, but there’s definitely something different about her blood compared to any other vampires and any humans I’ve ever had.”

  Nico shook his head. “I probably know the answer to my question, but do you know what the Archons plan to do with Bliss?”

  “Control the vampire population so after they defeat you and the Order they’ll have a world in which they can do whatever they want.”

  “Then we need to find out what’s so special about your blood and find a way to stop them,” Nico said. “I’ll get the Order’s doctors on it as soon as I get back. I hope you understand they’re going to have to do some tests.”

  Declan squeezed just above her knee, a sign he wasn’t as understanding about that as Nico had hoped, but said nothing. Solenne understood. At least with the Order’s doctors she didn’t fear that she’d die one night from one of their tests.

  “You know I’m ready to help with whatever I can. I’d gotten Declan to agree to letting me help more before I left for Lucrecia’s, so if this is how I can help, I’m happy to do it.”

  “I think this is much better news than we may think,” Terek said quietly. “No disrespect intended, Solenne, but we have the solution to the Bliss problem in you. All we have to do is wait for the Order’s doctors to find it.”

  “We better hope they find it fast,” Nico said in a worried tone, his mouth turning down in a frown that took something away from his classically Greek features. “From what Sion tells me about Prague, that place is overrun with Bliss addicts. He even thinks Kali might be part of that. We need her to figure out the rest of the Prophecy of Idolas, and every night she’s not working on it, the Archons are. We can’t afford to let them figure it all out before we do.”

  “Then I’ll do everything I can to help the doctors.”

  The group began to filter out of the apartment, each Son stopping to tell Solenne how happy they were to see her back alive and where she belonged. When Ramiel actually reached out to hug her, she stood stunned, unsure of how to react to the one Son who had never even really spoken to her.

  “I hope when things settle down for you two you’ll come over to see Theron and Noele. I want you to meet them.”

  Solenne looked at Declan, who seemed to be used to this new Ramiel, and looked back at the former Visigoth’s smiling face. “Of course! I can’t wait to meet them both. It’s nice to see you so happy, Ramiel.”

  As he moved to join Dante who stood on the other side of the room talking to Nico, Declan whispered in her ear, “I hear they just found out the little boy’s a clyten too.”

  So much had changed, but that was a change for the better, thankfully.

  One by one, the men filed out of their home until only Vasilije remained. He stood silently near the door, and Solenne had a feeling there was something on his mind. Without a word, he took her in his arms and hugged her with more emotion than she’d ever felt from him.

  “Thank you, Vasilije.”

  In her ear, he whispered, “I’m happy to see you’re safe. Saint was out of his mind with worry, love.”

  Solenne returned his embrace and stepped back to look at him. Something was different about him, but she couldn’t place it. There was a faraway look in his blue eyes that seemed almost heartbreaking.

  “How are you and Sasa holding up? Declan told me about what happened in Romania. I’m so sorry you lost everything there.”

  In his usual smooth tone, he said, “It’s just another home. There will be others.”

  Declan joined them and put his arm around Solenne. “How about Ramiel having a son? I’m not sure I’ll be able to believe it until I see the little guy.”

  “Vasilije, how is Sasa?” Solenne asked, knowing how hard it was to leave home behind. He might be cavalier about losing everything in Romania, but she was sure Sasa was feeling more sadness about it.

  That faraway look in his eyes morphed into one of pain, and he answered slowly, “I released Sasa. She’s still here in Greece, but she’s not with me anymore.”

  Solenne worked to keep her face calm and not show how stunned she was at the news that Sasa was no longer in Vasilije’s life. Declan looked surprised too, but she knew if she wanted to know why they’d separated she couldn’t rely on her husband asking.

  “Vasilije, what happened?”

  The pain filtered into his voice now as he said, “She left to go to Thane in Rome.”

  The familiar sound of betrayal covered his words, making Solenne wish she hadn’t asked. To disobey a sire was bad enough, but to betray him with another male was grounds for much more than simple release. She knew all too well what a sire could do to a vampire who had gone with another male. Vasilije, unlike Teagan, had chosen to cut Sasa out of his life, no matter how much it hurt him.

  “I’m sorry,” was all she could mutter, sad for him even after all the terrible things she’d thought about him throughout the years. Vasilije could be a bastard, especially with women, but she believed he truly loved Sasa. The pain in his eyes told her he still loved her now, even after everything she’d done.

  He quickly regained his usual cool composure and grinned one of his trademark devilish smiles. “Everything passes, love. I’ve been on this earth long enough to know that all too well. What matters is that you’re back and safe. Saint here is the man of the hour.”

  Vasilije’s expression of caring for her felt nice, even if she thought it was merely a ploy to deflect the attention from himself. No matter what he said, she knew he was hurting from the loss of Sasa.

  Solenne turned to see Declan looking uncomfortable from the Romanian’s compliment. She gave him a peck on the cheek and smiled up at him, hoping he knew how much she loved him and how thankful she was he’d finally brought her home.

  “He is. I never gave up hope, no matter how much time went by.”

  Her husband leveled a steely look on Vasilije and said flatly, “We’re pretty practiced in handling being apart. Nearly a century of dealing with it makes you an expert.”

  His jab at Vasilije for being part of why they’d been separated all those years ago hung in the air like a heavy blanket just above their heads, making the room seem small all of a sudden. Turning to look at Vasilije, she saw an even broader smile and what she thought might be a twinkle in his stunning blue eyes.

  “And with that from my favorite martyr, I think it’s time for me to go. Enjoy the homecoming, Solenne. You deserve it.”

  Leaning in, she kissed him goodbye and watched as her husband barely gave him a chin nod before he left. Once he was out of earshot, she said, “He misses Sasa. You can see it written all over his face.”

  Declan snorted in disgust. “All I ever see on his face are a million reasons to smack the hell out of him. If he misses Sasa, it’s his own fault. She loved him and he did what he always does—acted like a domineering prick.”

  Solenne couldn’t help but chuckle. All these years and nothing had ever changed between Vasilije and her husband. As he stalked away, she felt thankful for that constancy he provided her. It had been what had given her the strength she turned to all those nights she was away from him when she wasn’t sure she could go on another minute.

  But she wondered if he’d be able to give her that when he finally came to grips with what Marc had done to her.

  Four

  Sion lay in bed dreading the night ahead of him. News that Kali was bedding down at a bleeder house just two blocks away had come in right before dawn, and his cell phone alarm had awakened him while the sun was still well above the horizon so he could be there to catch her before she fled again.

  He couldn’t remember when he’d last gotten up in the light, and it just felt wrong. Everything about what he faced that night felt wrong. Kali and he had shared a closeness he�
�d grown to appreciate back at the monastery, and to know that she’d been intentionally running from him for weeks made him wonder if there had been anything real between them at all. He still struggled with the idea that she was an addict too. That wasn’t the female he knew. The one he knew had a sharp mind and a kind heart, but most of all, she was someone who appreciated logic and balance.

  How did that woman become like the strung out pathetic soul he’d seen the night before lying at his feet?

  God, he was the wrong Son for this job. Kali was going to need someone who could take care of her. Someone like Thane or even Nico could be what she needed. Not a machine like himself.

  The thought of Thane brought out emotion in him that he hadn’t let himself feel in decades. All seven of the Sons were like brothers to him, even if he didn’t let that show through, and the loss of Thane hit hard. The time he’d spent with him while they and Kali worked on the prophecy was some of the happiest moments of his life as a vampire.

  Perhaps it was Thane’s death that had sent Kali into a tailspin of Bliss addiction instead of the coldness he’d imposed on their relationship. He wanted to believe that. He needed to believe it.

  His alarm sounded again and this time he rolled out of bed, accepting that he couldn’t put off the inevitable anymore. Whatever he felt about his task, he had a responsibility to the Sons and their world to save Kali from herself. Without her help with the prophecy, he doubted they’d be able to defeat the Archons.

  Even more, he had a duty to her as a friend to help her. Even if she didn’t want his help.

  The moment the sun set behind the horizon, Sion transported to the address where Kali was hiding. He entered through the side door as he’d arranged with the owner of the house and followed the man’s directions to the room Kali was in.

  Sion’s stomach twisted into knots as he marched down the long, dark hallway knowing that in mere seconds he’d find what he’d searched so long for. Would she even recognize him? Would he recognize her in the state the drug had her in?