Cranberry Blood

by Elizabeth Morgan

  Well, at least I know how we are getting in, even if I don’t know how we are getting out.

  I unsheathed my sword and took three steps toward the door before Brendan’s hand landed on my shoulder.

  “What’s the plan, kid?”

  “Go in. Find Luca, and make sure he doesn’t run again. Oh, and kill every Vampire that gets in the way.”

  “Your plan-making skills are really, really terrible,” he said softly.

  “I know, you keep remindin’ me.”

  “There will be another way to find this Marko—”

  “No.” I turned to him. “Even if there is, it doesn’t mean he’s goin’ to show up and say hello in my lifetime. If it were that easy, Brendan, we would have found him before now. But it is the way it is. Luca is my only hope.”

  “What if he isn’t? What if he lies or—”

  “Even so, I can’t stake everything on a what if.” I forced a smile. “Forgive the pun.”

  A small smile fluttered on his lips. “I don’t like this, Heather. I don’t like walking into a random building when I know that something, anything, is supposed to happen to you. It is a stupid thing to do.”

  “I agree, but—”

  “I don’t like not knowing what I am supposed to protect you from.”

  “I don’t need you to protect me, Brendan.” I bit my tongue before my tone got any sharper.

  “I know you can take care of yourself, Heather. I don’t mean I’m Tarzan to your freaky Jane. You’re a damn good fighter, and you know how to use that sword. I only meant—”

  “Are you actually giving me a compliment?”

  “I believe I just gave you two.” He sighed and stepped closer to me. “I only meant that you’re safe with me.”

  I waited for him to bang on his big chest and grin like the Cheshire cat, but he just looked at me.

  “I promise I will keep you safe.”

  “Well, yeah.” My brow tightened. “You promised my Gran you would, so, good.”

  His gaze fell and he took a step backward.

  “Just wanted to make sure you know it, Slayer.” He glanced at the fire exit and then back at me. “Because I have no idea what is going to happen, and I honestly don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “It isn’t, but I need Luca. Nothin’ else matters. My Gran had been the one with the plan, although she did usually let me in on it.” I forced a laugh. “I trust her, Brendan. Everything’s fucked up, but I trust her when she tells me I have to just go with the flow. Follow the path. She knows if I end up in danger, I will talk or fight my way out of it, so if she hasn’t pointed out the danger zones, then we have to trust that whatever is supposed to happen, we will be able to get out of it.”

  A faint smile spread on his plump lips. “You said ‘we’.”

  Aren’t you a clever Shifter?

  He studied me for a moment before giving a firm nod. “Let’s get it over and done with, then.”

  “Let’s.” I made my way toward the door.

  “I will be right behind you,” he said with a low hiss. “I promise.”

  I opened the door and stepped into a dimly lit stairwell decorated with the most hideous terracotta wallpaper I had ever seen. With a deep breath, I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter and started to descend down the stairs, ignoring the snarls of pain coming from behind me.

  Chapter Eight

  It didn’t take long for the smell of blood to reach my nose as I descended the stairs, the corridor being literally flooded with the scent. I ignored the usual tension that tightened in my limbs and stopped at the door. I had been in other nests before, but for the first time, I didn’t know what I would find.

  I pushed open the grey door as gently and quietly as I possibly could and slid through. A corridor stretched before me, the walls also in terracotta. Who the hell painted this place? Four closed doors; two on either side, all faced the hallway.

  An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as my skin tingled with the usual awareness that I wasn’t alone.

  The first door had 16D marked on it. I pressed my left shoulder to the wood; with the intention of pressing my ear to the door, but the latch clicked and the door floated open an inch. Odd. I pushed the door a little wider and stepped inside. The unmistakable sound of a TV echoed throughout the apartment. Past the open doors to the kitchen and bathroom, finding them both empty. I stopped in the open living room and saw a woman sat watching TV; not what I expected to find someone doing, especially with Vampires in the building. I turned and looked through the open bedroom door...all clear. When my gaze went back to the woman, I found her staring at me. She looked exhausted, sick; her dull caramel skin clung to her bones, her thin, black hair fell limply to her shoulders.

  “How do you want me?” she asked, standing up.

  “Excuse me?”

  She pulled open her red satin robe, and I almost choked on my own tongue. Every inch of her naked body was covered in scars. The healing, puckered, pale skin looked so disgusting against her caramel skin tone, just layers of damaged flesh.

  “How do you want me, Mistress?” She walked toward me.

  My eyes travelled to her naked thighs where someone had carved fresh marks into her flesh.

  “Who did this to you?” Such a stupid question, and one I already knew the answer to, as my gaze travelled to savage wounds on her large breasts.

  “I—” Her eyes widened, and I could see the fear clearly sitting in them as she tried to find the right answer to the strange question.

  “You can tell me,” I said softly.

  “The last Master.”

  “A Vampire?”

  “Of course,” she said, with raised eyebrows. “Who are you?”

  “Tie your robe,” I said, looking to the apartment door. “I won’t hurt you.”

  She quickly closed her satin robe.

  “What is this place?”

  “They call it a Blood House.” She laughed sharply as she tied the sash around her broad waist. “We call it Hell; where devils come for their whores.”

  My stomach twisted. “How did you get here? Are you being forced—?”

  “There is nowhere else for us to go. She came and found us all, gave us a place to live. Food. Clothing.”

  “How many humans are here?”

  “One to each flat.” She sat on the shredded purple sofa.

  From the look of the building, I guessed there were four floors above the shop. Four flats on each floor, which meant sixteen total. Sixteen humans. For fuck’s sake!

  “Who is in charge?”

  “Madame Constance,” the woman said with a sneer.

  “What happens here?”

  “Isn’t that obvious?”

  Yes, more than obvious.

  “They come one or two at a time and do what they like with us.”

  Bile flooded my mouth as anger licked along my veins. The hilt of my sword dug into my skin as my grip tightened. The entire building proved a haven for Vampires to come feed on and rape humans. I should have known about this place. Why the hell didn’t I know about it?

  “How long has this been going on?” I asked, swallowing the bile.

  “I’ve been here for two months—” Her eyes went wide as she stared at the space behind me.

  “What the fuck?” A male hissed.

  I turned to meet his blackened gaze. Fangs slid from his gums. Firm grasp on my sword, I swung, slicing through his head. The female shrieked as the top half of the Vampire’s skull tumbled to the floor, followed by his body, which landed with a thud.

  I glanced back at her. “Do you want to leave this place?”

  After a moment, she nodded.

  “Lock your door after I go, and place something heavy against it.”

  “It won’t stop them. I’ve tried.”

  “Have you got anything silver?”

  “We’re not allowed. Not even cutlery.”

  Well, naturally, that made sense. I slid a dagger from my
belt and handed it to her. “Keep it close. If one gets through, don’t let them see it. Strike at the last second.”

  “I can’t—”

  “You can.” I grabbed a light from the small string bag tied to my belt and passed it to her.

  “What is it?” She looked at the cube in her hand.

  “UV light. Shaking it activates the power. Don’t use it unless necessary; they last for an hour. Sticking them with silver hurts them, but doesn’t kill them. The UV will burn them, but it isn’t big or strong enough to kill them. Now get cleaned up and get ready. If I find any other humans, I’m sending them up here. You will be safer together.”

  Tears settled in her eyes. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I can.” I stalked to the open apartment door. “Lock it behind me.”

  She nodded and I headed to the flat opposite, searched the kitchen and bathroom. No one appeared in the living room, but I could hear thuds and moans coming from behind the closed bedroom door. I gave my anger a moment to burn through my veins. The blood drained from my fist as I tightened my grip on my sword.

  I quietly opened the bedroom door and walked in. Fresh bile rose at the sight of a male driving his dick into the arse of some poor redhead he had plastered against the bedroom wall. Her encouraging pleasured moans turned my stomach. I ran up to him—not giving him time to react—and placed the sword’s point on the back of his neck.

  “Get the fuck away from her.”

  “You have found me, brutta sgualdrina?” He gave the redhead one last, hard thrust.

  Luca. Naked. Lucky me. Do I throw up now or later?

  I firmly slid the tip along his skin, to make the faintest of cuts.

  He shuddered in response as the silver burned him.

  I stepped backward when he turned to face me, bringing the redhead around with him. He gripped the female’s stomach with his left arm while his right hand stroked her collarbone. Her dull, green eyes looked glazed over and vacant. No one was home, which meant he had glamoured her.

  That would explain why she liked it so much; he controlled her mind. Sick fuck.

  I held my sword on level with his throat, the tip pointing directly at him.

  He gave me a fanged smile. “Put your sword down or I will break her neck.”

  I had no doubt he would put his threat to action, so instead of addressing the problem, I ignored it. I had to play the turn me, please card. The thought disgusted me, but for some reason, I was a tempting piece of meat to Vampires. Every day of my life reminded me of that small fact. The urge to be the dominant Master is strong in pretty much all Vampires. The need for control over another, for power and strength, and the fact that I was a rare type of Infected—as in, born and not made—well, what could I say? Vampires had a hard-on for me, even the females. Too bad Luca already knew what I wanted from him. So I needed to use everything I had and hope that Luca was actually dumber than he seemed.

  “You could always join us?”

  My head tingled as his intense stare locked with mine.

  “In fact, you will join us.”

  I’m holding a sword at you, and you still want to fuck me. He was definitely dumber than he looks, not to mention, a total creep. The sensation of hot needles piercing my temples caused me to flinch, but I held his gaze. You’re even trying to glamour me, aren’t you, you sick bastard? His attempt was sure to give me a headache, but at least I was right; I was immune, like every other Infected. Meaning all his parlour tricks wouldn’t work on me. No first, second, or third generation Vampires would be able to control me. Finally, Fate was in my favour. Well, at least that is one piece of good information I can lock away. I was immune and he was a dumb pervert. Maybe this would be easier than I thought.

  “Don’t waste your energy.” I took a steady breath. “Your little mind tricks don’t work on me, Luca.”

  His brown eyes flooded black.

  “Where is your Mistress?”

  He laughed, moving the redhead’s neck to the side and grazing her pale flesh with his fangs. “I do not know.”

  “I don’t believe you’re telling me the truth, Luca.”

  His fangs punctured the redhead’s skin; a trail of blood began to make its way down her neck. The smell of iron and vanilla twisted in the air around us. My body shuddered in response as Luca lapped at the crimson flow.

  “You know there are more of my kind in this building?”

  “Yes.”

  “And yet, you have followed me here?”

  “What can I say? I must be a sucker for your charm.”

  His black eyes snapped to me.

  “No pun intended.”

  “I have to say, mia bella puttana, despite my curiosity, I find you most stupid.”

  “And here I was thinking y’liked me.” I lowered my sword. “Unfortunately, we can’t have everything in life. Some people get the brains.” The sword found its way back into its sheath. “Me, I got the body and the skills.”

  “I can see that.” Luca purred while licking the redhead’s collarbone.

  “Let’s talk,” I said, walking closer to him, ignoring the woman.

  “We tried to talk earlier, remember? You informed me you wanted to, what were the words you used? ‘Cut Marko’s fucking head off’.”

  “As if I could kill an Ancient.” I forced a laugh. “I only said that because of the stupid mutt who has been followin’ me everywhere. Truth is, I want to be one of you. I heard you were in town and well, if I’m going to be blood bonded to a Vampire, why not a powerful one.”

  Interest ignited in his dark eyes. “Oh?”

  “You have no idea how frustrating it is to be this powerless. And, I am constantly thirsty.”

  “You thirst, bella mia?”

  I nodded. “I am so thirsty.” My eyes wandered to the droplets of blood that crawled down the woman’s pale flesh.

  He pushed the redhead toward me, his black eyes holding my gaze. “Show me.”

  I didn’t have to lie about my thirst; my throat felt as dry as a damn desert and part of me wanted to taste her; the part of me I hated.

  “Drink.” He hissed through his long fangs.

  My stomach turned as I pulled the girl to me and wrapped the fingers of my left hand tightly in her hair.

  Luca let go of her, but his eyes remained on me. The scent of her blood crawled down my throat, causing it to burn. What will she taste like? The thought alone disturbed me.

  You have to do this, Heather. You need to get the girl away from him or he will kill her. My Gran’s voice skipped through my mind.

  Her logical reasoning for any dire situation: innocents came first. The girl’s safety was my top priority. I swung her around and pressed my head into her neck, ignoring the hot liquid that stuck to my closed lips and chin. I forced a moan as I slammed her against the wall, giving her head a good knock; she went limp in my arms. I let her body drop to the floor and turned to Luca, my entire body shuddering in response to the feel of blood against my mouth.

  “You like, bella mia?” Luca stepped toward me, paying no attention to the naked girl at his feet.

  I really wanted to throw up in the bastard’s face, but I simply nodded as my breathing became shallow, the tension in my muscles twisting when he stopped in front of me.

  “You are a messy eater.” He rubbed the pad of his right thumb across my lips, wiping away the blood. “Where is your mutt?” he asked, licking the blood from his finger.

  “Fucked off as soon as he realized there were more than enough of you in here.”

  Luca’s lips curled into a hungry grin.

  “So now I am all alone. I thought we could talk about that offer of yours, just the two of us?”

  “But of course, bella mia.”

  And the fish takes the bait. Stupid fish.

  “I’ve wanted to be changed for years but—” I stopped the lie as soon as his body pressed against my own; his erection felt like a stone column against my left thigh.

&nb
sp; He stank of blood and sex, and the sick part of me that resembled him found the odour so appealing. The smell of the girl’s blood caused my senses to peak; I could hear everything that went on in the building, the screams and moans. I could smell so much blood, and sex, and fear...the building reeked of fear.

  “I knew you wanted me, why wouldn’t you?” He pushed my head to the right and licked along my neck. “Ti voglio.”

  This creep really doesn’t waste time, does he?

  I shut my eyes and tried to push the awareness of what was happening in the other units from my mind. I had to concentrate on Luca and the bullshit I was feeding him. The girl lay unconscious and out of his way.

  “You think I don’t know who you are, mia bella puttana?” he whispered in my ear. “Because I do.”

  “I’m flattered.” I tried to sound sincere.

  “Why did you think I made it so easy for you and your lapdog to follow me?”

  My stomach clenched. “Y’knew we would follow?”

  “Si.” His cold fingertips skated up my stomach. “But then, you were supposed to.”

  “Was I?” I gasped, trying not to tense as his hands cupped my breasts, his thumbs rubbing roughly over my nipples.

  “Yes.” He hissed and placed his face at my nape, inhaled. “I am so hard at the moment for you, bella mia.” And just to prove it, he leaned closer and began grinding his pelvis against my thigh.

  “Mmm hmm.” I moaned and ran my fingers down his back. Fresh bile covered my tongue as unwanted heat flooded my body. “Why was I supposed to follow you?”

  He laughed; a haunting sound. “Part of the plan, Piccola Contagiata.”

  “Plan?”

  “Don’t worry. All shall be explained, but first, I have to taste you.” His hands slipped down my stomach. “All of you.”

  His right hand travelled round and stopped on my arse, his left eagerly toying with the buttons on my trousers. “I knew you would want to be changed. They didn’t listen when I told them you would—”

  “Told who what—?

  “Why would you want to be so weak and helpless when you could be one of us?”

  Weak? Helpless? Anger collided with disgust in my stomach. I dug my nails into his hips and he groaned. Relax a little, you prick, so I can show you what I want to do with your dick.