Pretty Bloody

by K. A Knight

  I wasn’t enough.

  Just a fucked up experiment gone wrong. He soon abandoned me after he tried to kill me, and tossed me away like I never happened. That’s how Raph found me and saved me, raising me as his own. He knew what I was straightaway, but rather than disgust, he watched me with interest, curiosity. Every time I flinched away from his touch, pushed the boundaries to see if he would punish me, he observed me patiently. Caringly. I often wondered if whatever god or fate controls this world had sent him to help me, protect me...but why? I’m nothing. A mistake. My powers are nothing more than a twist of nature, an abomination. I can’t even blend into my own kind, they would see me as nothing more than a fuck up, not knowing I existed.

  The council thought they had collected us all, stopped the experiments, but I knew better. I observed them round us up and turn us into their slaves. I snuck in that night, watching as they killed Gabriel for what he did. They called him mad, some a revolutionary, but they agreed in the end he had to be stopped. He had polluted the genes, his power, and that was his final punishment.

  In my eyes it was too fast, he deserved more pain.

  The door opens, making me jump. I turn my face away and wipe my cheeks, clearing my throat. “All ready, or do you need to find a mirror to check your hair?”

  “No, I checked in inside...Bella, what the fuck? Have you been bleeding?” he roars, his power filling the car, suddenly making it hard to breathe, but I know he would never use it against me.

  “I cut myself, that’s all,” I mutter, starting the car and ignoring the infuriated and protective vampire in my passenger seat. He reaches across and tries to turn my face, but I jerk away, and he roars again.

  “Bella, look at me!”

  Sighing, I do, and his eyes widen, searching my undoubtedly blood and tear stained face. I see it, actually see the red covering his vision and freeze. Fuck, I didn’t expect him to react like this. He looks like he’s about to get out of the car and start killing people until he figures out who hurt me, he doesn’t realise it was my own memories.

  With no option but to talk before he starts a war, I reach across and lay my hand on his arm. He freezes, his eyes locking on mine. They are pitch-black and his whole body vibrates with power and anger, and I realise just how powerful he is. This man is a god, one stilled under my hand, but I know I need to proceed carefully, because I’m not speaking to Ciar the tease right now. No, this is Ciar, the original vampire protecting his mate.

  “Ciar, look at me, breathe. I’m okay, I swear, no one attacked me…” Licking my lips, I carry on nervously, I don’t want to answer too many questions, I’m not ready, but I know I need to give him something, let him behind my wall just a fraction. “It was just a memory. I was searching for the fallen when it hit me. I wasn’t ready, that’s all, I can usually brace myself, but I couldn’t this time.”

  “Show me,” he demands, and I swallow.

  “I—”

  He leans closer, flashing fangs. “Show me,” he whispers, deadly serious.

  Fuck, think.

  “Ciar, please,” I start, and he narrows his eyes. “Fuck!”

  Turning away for a moment, I cover my face. If I show him, what will he think of me? Will he know what I am from it? Will he attack me? Turn me in? Toss me away, finally realising I can’t be his mate because I’m so fucked up and unnatural?

  It all races through my head, but he doesn’t move an inch. He’s frozen like a statue, and he will keep waiting, not giving in. I know it, so I force my panic away and pull off my gloves. He watches each movement cautiously.

  Reaching across, I slap my hand down on his arm, and before I can change my mind, I throw myself back into the memory, but my anger and panic at my own stupidity throws me into another one instead, and I can’t pull away. He covers my hand, stopping my retreat. Forcing me to watch it with him.

  “I’m sorry, please, I’m sorry!” I sob, as the door slams shut in my face. Struggling to breathe, consumed by panic, I slam my fists into the wooden door again and again, tears streaming down my face until I can’t see. “I’m sorry!” I scream. “I just wanted a friend!”

  Sliding down the door, I press my head against the scarred wood. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to be alone anymore,” I whisper.

  Just then I hear the click, and a panicked hiccup escapes me as I turn to the room, it’s pitch-black like always as I strain to see through the unnatural darkness. “Please,” I beg in a small voice, but I should have known it wouldn’t work. He wouldn’t be moved by tears, he would just think it was another sign of my weakness.

  The click comes again, and I curl into a ball, wrapping my arms around my body so I don’t have to look. I know he’ll leave me in here until he’s satisfied, but I can’t, I can’t face it again. It nearly broke me last time.

  I hear the crackle before his voice comes over the speaker. “Look, look what you did. Look at what weakness gets you.”

  I lift my head, unable to help myself, and what I see sends me screaming backwards into the door. Jason, the kid from next door, is there. His face is empty, his eyes dead as he comes towards me, no longer human. No, just a slave, another proof of his power.

  I slam myself backwards, panting, my eyes dropping to the console between us. I’m unable to look into his eyes after what he just saw in my head. Fuck, how did I think I could do this? I’m messed up, he made sure of that.

  “Bella,” Ciar whispers softly. “Look at me.” I can’t, I refuse. I can’t bear to see that same hate and disgust in his eyes when he realises how weak and fucking messed up his mate is.

  He reaches across and I flinch. I hear him swear under his breath before he exhales, presses his finger under my chin, and tilts my head up. Unable to resist, I raise my head and meet his gaze. He cups my cheek, his eyes searching my face, and I see something strange in those depths...is that respect?

  “My Bella, I can’t imagine what you survived...if that was only a glimpse.” He shakes his head. “I don’t know how you lived and became this amazing, smart, kind, and sometimes crazy woman that you are today, but I know, Bella, you could never lose me. Never push me away, what you lived through—Bella, it astounds me. You are a fighter, a warrior, I knew it when I met you, but I have never been so sure in my life. Your strength, your stubbornness and courage...I’ve never met anyone like you. I have lived through wars, the fall of countries and dynasties, but you, Isabella? You are what takes my breath away, all of that pales in comparison to the strength in you. I won’t push or ask, just know I’m here whenever you wish to talk about it.” He leans closer. “Bella, my heart breaks for what you went through, but I promise you, you will never be alone again, and no one will ever hurt you. Never again. We will conquer this world together, my love, we can take on anything.”

  I search his eyes repeatedly, clinging to his words, but I see the truth there. He means it, he isn’t disgusted or pulling away, he’s watching me like I’m everything to him. Like he can’t believe I’m here with him.

  “I can’t…God, Bella, to think I could have lost you…” He shakes his head. “No, I can’t or I’ll lose it. You are here, and whenever you’re ready, we will tackle your past together, my love. I just have one question.”

  I stiffen but nod and he carries on, “Is he dead?”

  “Yes,” I whisper, surprised, and he grins.

  “Fucking hell, I wanted to hunt him down and use my many years of torture techniques on him,” he mutters. “There was this one the French taught me…” He sighs, eyes alight. “Back then, the French really knew how to make people scream in pain, it was an art form.”

  I snort out a laugh, unable to help myself, and his face softens. “There she is. Come on, my little warrior mate, I don’t ever want to see that doubt in yourself again. You are worth a million of whoever that man was, you are alive, and he is not, and that makes you stronger, better. Now it’s time to kick some ass. You ready, or do you need me to kiss you better? I’m okay with both.” He wigg
les his eyebrows, making me laugh again as I push him away.

  “Come on, Romeo, let’s get him.”

  Ciar

  I watch her when she isn’t looking. The question from when I first met her is lingering in my mind...what is she? I’m patient, but seeing that memory of her being tortured as a child for wanting a friend only raises more questions, but I know I can’t ask her. She isn’t ready and she will shut down, use it as an excuse to keep me out. So I wait, watching, protecting, and reassuring. I had never seen my Bella so nervous, so fucking devastated simply because I saw her memories. If only she saw mine from a kid, it would make her feel better.

  We are both damaged, unloved by our parents. Tortured, hurt, and forgotten. I was never the strongest or the most powerful of my brothers, so I blended into the background, into the dark. It was hard to stand out in a house filled with gods...maybe that’s why I’m so over the top, always drawing attention now.

  My mate and I have more in common than we could have ever thought. Pushing my thoughts away, I focus on the mission. We are close, she didn’t tell me how she knew and I didn’t ask, knowing she wouldn’t answer. She seems okay now, though, not hurt and back to herself, which settles me down enough to concentrate on the fallen I have to find.

  We enter the city, winding through a forest that gives away to tarmac and skyscrapers. She drives like she knows exactly where she’s going, but when we get to the other side of town she hesitates and looks at me. “He is somewhere around here,” she offers, nibbling on her lip. “I don’t know exactly where though.”

  That’s my cue. Time to show off a little and prove to my mate how strong and powerful I can really be, so she never has to worry about being unsafe ever again. Until now I had been hiding it, not wanting anyone to feel me awake or read me as a threat, but now? Now I don’t care. Let them come, let them see that I have such a powerful mate. If they try to kill us, to attack us for power or out of fear, then we will destroy them. Together.

  Winking at her, I get out of the car, and she follows me onto the side where I stand. I let my power flow out of me and into the city, touching anyone and everything. I feel the humans, could get into their heads and control them if I wanted, but I don’t, I pass them by, stroking every supernatural’s mind. I feel them all look towards me with fear in their eyes at the ancient power crossing their awareness.

  I stroke through their powers, discarding those I don’t need, but one makes me a falter, located in a destination out to the left of us. I turn towards it without thinking, feeling his power...a god? Interesting, but he offers no threat. He tips his head in acknowledgment of my power and I move along, finding a fallen up in the air, but it’s not the one we want. This one is hunting a woman, his mate.

  Where are you?

  Then I feel him. He’s trying to conceal himself deep within a nest on the edge of the city not far from here. She was right. He is scared, and waiting for the council? To betray my mate. I feel no one else with him, so it makes sense that he wouldn’t have told anyone, wanting whatever credit he thinks he will gain for turning her in for himself.

  He’s strong, but we are stronger. I pull back before he notices and gets spooked and then look at my mate to see her gaping at me. Did she feel all that?

  “Fuck yes I did, vamp. You have been holding back,” she mutters, shaking her head.

  “I’ve got to have some surprises to keep you interested,” I tease, and she smirks as she starts to walk in his direction.

  “Is that right? I suppose I do get bored easily,” she purrs.

  Grabbing her hand, I twine our fingers together, and a thrill goes through me from being able to touch her like this. Mate.

  “Calm down, Romeo. Killing first, then we can do all the touching you want,” she scoffs, but she squeezes my hand and doesn’t let go, even as she tugs off her other glove, stretching her fingers like they are aching.

  We pass a shop just as the door opens and a blonde comes out with a knowing grin on her face, her eyes flashing black for a moment. She passes Bella, accidently catching her, and my mate freezes, her bare hand inadvertently touching the woman.

  She stops next to me, her eyes faraway for a moment, locked on the blonde retreating down the sidewalk with a swing of her hips. There’s an aura around her, a power, something dark and old...and familiar, but I can’t place it. I look at my mate to see her shaking her head as she sucks in a breath, quickly drags her gloves on, and looks at me. She must see my question.

  “Wow, did you see that?” she asks, and I shake my head, looking back to where the woman was, but she’s gone.

  “No, who was she? What did you see?” I question curiously, as we start to walk again. She pulls me along as we head towards the fallen, her mission still in her mind, so what she must have seen can’t be too bad.

  “I don’t know who she was...but she was powerful. So fucking powerful I could taste it. I saw some of her current life and future, she will be important, Ciar. Very important. She will shake up this world, turn it on its head, and if we don’t interfere...”

  “Yes?” I prompt.

  “Well, let’s just say we one day will meet again, but as equals. As long as we don’t interfere, otherwise it won’t become the future.” She looks at me then, her eyes older and wiser, she sees it all. “And we need it to be, this world needs it to happen. Or the death count will be unimaginable.” She blinks and smiles. “Anyway, ready to kill?”

  I want to ask for more, but I have a feeling she doesn’t even know herself. Clairvoyants are like that, only seeing for a moment. A knowing, prophecies, and if that blonde woman is part of one, I pray she makes it out alive, especially if Bella felt so strongly that we needed her to.

  That’s when I realise why she felt so familiar. She reminded me of my brother, her power is the same—a skinwalker. How strange.

  Bella

  We find him easily enough. Honestly, I was expecting it to be harder after we spent the last week or so hunting him. After all this worry and panic, I now have a chance to stop it, to keep myself and my mate safe. Because I know when they turn on us, hunting me, he will be right there with me. Killing, protecting, but it won’t be enough, and I don’t want to risk him. I want a life, and it’s within reach now. Only one fallen stands in the way of that, and I have never been so determined before, never had so much on the line.

  He’s in what looks like a fallen halfway house. I heard of them from Raph. They are places for the council’s soldiers to stay when on missions or on the road, like a safe house. I only sense him inside though, clearly waiting for his meeting with the council to tell them what I am and help hunt me down.

  “Do you have a plan?” Ciar inquires, I think more out of interest than worry.

  I look at him and wink, starting to walk backwards to the front door. “Sure I do, kick down the door and kill his ass.”

  He grins as he watches me. “I’ll take the back door,” he offers.

  “Hope you’re talking about the house!” I call, as I watch him start to walk away, and I see him stumble in shock and turn to me. Laughing, I leap up the steps to the front door and hammer on the wood. When I glance over my shoulder, Ciar is gone, so I turn back, waiting patiently. I hear a whirr, a camera no doubt, but no one answers.

  I try again and then I get bored. Fuck this, I’m hungry and I want at least two orgasms before we sleep, so we need to get this show on the road. Pulling my boot back, I kick down the door and rush inside to see the fallen racing for the backdoor like the hounds of hell are chasing him.

  Rolling my eyes, I watch the door open to show Ciar there, grinning. The fallen yells and turns to face me. Eyes wide and face pale. “H-How did you find me?” he asks, but straightens, backing against the wall as Ciar comes through the rear door, sandwiching him between us and not in a good, sexual way.

  The fallen grabs a sword and holds it before him, his eyes darting between us nervously, but I see him analysing the situation. He’s thinking of a way to get out,
how best to kill us...I know, because that’s what I would do.

  “It was easy.” I shrug casually, and he raises the sword.

  “I have to turn you in, they have to know...what you are isn’t right!” he almost screams, his eyes wild.

  “That would make you the same,” I retort and try, only once, to reason with him even though he killed Raph and has to die. “All I want is a chance to live, to be left alone, not…not be a fucking experiment for the rest of my life.”

  Realising he can’t get through to me, he turns to Ciar and goes cold. “Do you know what she is? You can’t, or you would be helping me turn her over to the council!”

  Ciar looks at me for a moment. “It doesn’t matter.” I almost grin, but then the fallen carries on and my blood turns cold, my breathing stops, and my heart slams in my chest.

  “She’s a half-breed, like me. Half angel, but her mother wasn’t human, no, her mother was a mystic. She’s the only female to ever be born from an angel union. She’s an abomination, an experiment that should have never happened. She has no purpose, she can never be a warrior or serve like us. Gabriel knew that, so he hid her away to figure out what had gone wrong before he tried to kill her, but she didn’t die! Look at her! She’s too strong, her powers are unknown, she has to be turned in!”

  I look to Ciar. With all my secrets now lain bare, terror races through me. What will he think...what will he do?

  Time seems to stop as his eyes go to me, watching me for a moment, but I can’t hear his thoughts, not this time, but he doesn’t speak, does not deny what the fallen says, and he doesn’t protest. The fallen laughs as he looks at me and turns with his sword. “He knows I’m right, you have to come with us. You should never have been born, Isabella.”

  I blink in shock as his head is suddenly cleaved from his body, and I watch as he falls to his knees. Ciar stands behind him, holding the head like a trophy. “Ciar?”