by J. E. Taylor
I narrowed my eyes and hopped to my feet unsure of where my fury was coming from. “Wasn’t that your intent with this little game?” I waved at the interior of the garage.
“No,” he said and felt the back of his head again.
His tone diffused me completely and when his gaze returned to mine, I couldn’t help taking a step toward him.
“You never offer your open wrist to a wounded vampire.” He pushed himself to his feet and took an unsteady step toward the door.
“Why not?”
“Because when we’re wounded, we usually don’t have the sense to stop.”
“But you…” I started, thinking about how he offered himself up to me more than once last night.
“Yes, and you could have killed me, but you seem to have a very strong sense of self-discipline,” he stumbled out into the night.
I followed, letting his words sink in as well as all the ramifications of what he had done since he sank his fangs into my skin struck me silent.
“I need to eat,” he whispered and headed toward the wood line.
“Is that what I’ll turn into?” I asked pointing back toward the garage as I caught up with him.
He offered a tired smile. “Honestly, I have no idea what you’ll turn into. The fangs are supposed to come out as a defense mechanism, but yours didn’t.”
“They came out on the roof last night and I think they made an appearance during the day, didn’t they?” I asked.
“Yeah, I guess,” he said and stopped as we stepped into the forest.
“So…”
“Shush.” He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. A slow smile spread on his lips. “I’ll be right back,” he said and sprinted. Within three paces, magnificent wings pounded the air and he soared into the treetops, leaving me alone and acutely aware of the silence surrounding me.
Chapter Fourteen - Damian
The cool night air shuffled through my feathers and I glanced down at her as I pounded the wings, taking me higher over the forest top heading toward dinner. The forest opened to a small glen filled with deer and I swooped down from the heavens and snatched the largest doe in my talons before any of them understood the danger.
The flight back was harder considering my already exhausted state of mind and when I landed, pinning the deer beneath my talon, I turned my hawk gaze to Naomi.
She stared at the deer and then brought her shocked gaze to mine.
It was clear she didn’t understand and I willed myself back into human form. Without the strength of my talon holding her to the ground, the doe struggled to her feet.
“Food,” I said to Naomi and again I got the dumb stare. “If you’re not going to take her down, I will,” I snarled and caught the deer before she was able to find her footing, my teeth buried in the soft flesh of her throat and I was rewarded with the warm rush of blood. Of course, it wasn’t nearly as sweet or hypnotic as Naomi’s, but it was food none-the-less and it would bring me back to full strength, which I desperately needed.
With every ounce I drank, I could feel the expansion of my cells, the strength returning and I closed my eyes, pulling every last one of the hundred ounces out of the carcass. When there was no more, I dropped the dead husk on the ground and wiped my mouth with my shirtsleeve willing my teeth to retract.
Naomi still stared and I approached her, exhilarated by the blood. Her gaze pulled from the dead deer to me, and I had to remind myself she was new at this, but the horror reflected in her eyes caught me off guard.
“It’s more palatable than tearing a human’s throat and draining them,” I said. “Besides, this will give the people living in the house a couple weeks worth of venison, so it’s a bonus.”
Her eyebrows rose and her glance jumped from mine to the deer.
“I thought you said you had been hunting before.”
She nodded and licked her lips, still unable to speak.
“Naomi, you have to eat tonight.”
“Why?” she asked with a voice no more than a whisper.
“Because come daylight, your training begins and you will need all the strength you can get,” I said and pulled her into my arms and planted a kiss, exploring her mouth with my tongue, letting her taste the remnants of blood. I prayed that would set her appetite on fire and I smiled at the shift. Her fangs finally made an appearance.
When I pulled away, the feral hunger in her eyes sent a warning siren through me and I pointed in the direction of the glen. Her gaze landed on my throat and I stepped back, turning and taking flight, drawing her in the direction of the herd.
She sounded like a hungry pride of cats running through the woods and I knew with that approach, she would find herself standing in the field alone. I swooped behind her, wrapping my talon around her waist and started toward the treetops. When we cleared the brush, I soared, hearing her gasp at the dizzying height.
She held onto my talons like a frightened child and I wanted to tell her she was safe, but a hawk can’t speak, at least not in the way human ears would understand. I made a lazy pass over the glen, making sure the herd was still there and Naomi panted in my grasp, her eyes locked on our prey. Her hunger and impatience overwhelmed me and I dove toward the meadow, dropping her right on the back of a large buck.
I swooped, landing on a thick branch at the edge of the woods, turning in time to see the remainder of the herd galloping into the forest underneath my perch. Naomi had her hand wrapped around one of the antlers and her face nuzzled into the deer’s throat despite the animal’s struggles. She wrestled it to the ground, still drinking as the beast huffed and tried to shake her off.
The death throes of the buck slowed, and then stopped altogether, but Naomi kept her grip, tilting the massive head to get better access until she finally released, and slowly stood.
I transitioned and jumped off the branch, landing on the soft grass in a crouch, my gaze locked on her in case she was still overwhelmed by the shadow thirst. Her chest rose and fell, signs that the blood was working her muscles and when her dark gaze shifted to mine, her lips stretched into a feral smile, revealing the razor sharp teeth we were known for.
She moved faster than I did, and the hard ground met my back with the force of her tackle. I stared up into her wild eyes and grabbed a fistful of her hair, keeping her teeth away from my throat with brute strength. They snapped together in a click, followed by a growl so fierce it struck fear in me.
“Naomi!” I yelled and rolled, pinning her below me.
She struggled, snarling like a wild cat caught in a snare and I held fast, knowing the effects would wear off in a matter of minutes, but I was exposed with my hands wrapped around her wrists and my knees squeezing her hips.
She lunged, her teeth scratching my arm and I shifted, widening her span.
“Naomi.” This time I whispered, soft and seductive, hoping my charm would calm her.
Her eyes locked with mine and her struggling ceased. The fangs retracted and she blinked up at me before her gaze turned to the meadow surrounding us in confusion.
I released her wrists and sat back on my heels, mopping my face with my palm.
“What happened?”
Chuckling, I swung to the side and took a seat on the grass next to her, pointing at the massive antlers peeking out of the long grass.
She sat up and stared, her eyebrows arching before her head swung in my direction.
“I did that?” she asked, her graceful finger pointed toward the dead buck.
“Yes.”
Silence settled.
“I don’t remember anything beyond you kissing me,” she whispered.
I stretched out on the grass and stared up at the stars, trying to remember those first days and nights and I came up blank as well. In two thousand years, I never got through more than a couple days with a fledgling before disaster struck in some form, so I never had a chance to really talk to those I cursed with this existence.
“I don’t remember much about those first few
days either,” I said and she turned her beautiful brown eyes in my direction. When she stretched out next to me, I continued, “Of course I was locked in a pit and when I came to my senses, every last vampire was in pieces.”
She reached over and pulled my hand off my chest, lacing her fingers through mine, the gesture silenced me and I stared at her. I realized in that moment that I really didn’t want anything bad to happen to this girl and I swallowed the lump in my throat. Being associated with me seemed to be bad luck and I pulled my hand out of her grasp, getting to my feet without meeting her gaze.
I crossed to the buck and stared at the carcass.
“Do you want the head mounted?” I asked when she joined me and she flinched. “You don’t want a trophy of your first kill?”
“God, no,” she gasped and disappointment flushed my skin. “My father asked me the same thing when I shot my first deer a few years ago. I said no to him, too.” She met my gaze.
It was nice to know it wasn’t just this situation and I nodded. I glanced around the meadow and sighed. “I’m not going to be able to bring you and the buck back in one trip.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“Deerskin and venison,” I said and glanced at the buck. “Although I think it’ll take me the rest of the night to skin these and pack the freezer.”
“Damian?”
I turned to her. “Hmm?”
“When are we going after Luc…”
I clamped my hand over her mouth and shook my head. “Not here,” I whispered and her eyebrows creased. “When I think you’re ready,” I answered and waved her back, “Until then,” I closed my eyes and the transformation took hold.
Chapter Fifteen - Naomi
One moment he was in human form and the next, the giant hawk spread his wings and with the buck in his claw, he took off, leaving me alone in the quiet meadow. I glanced up at the unobstructed view of the stars and sighed. I had never seen them so clear and crisp and I stretched on the grass waiting for him to return.
My thoughts wandered back to the prior evening. The last thing I remembered was sitting at dinner with Mark and sipping the wine he ordered. A black rage gripped me and I sat up, my fists clenching and my skin tingling with the power of the vengeance filling my soul.
The bastard drugged me and the walk from the restaurant to the apartment building across the street was a haze. I don’t remember the elevator ride or much of the conversation Mark had, but I do remember his unfeeling gaze when he handed me over to that crazy demon.
His words pulled a growl from my throat.
“I don’t know why you want her, she’s nothing but a tease anyway,” he had said and then the door closed behind them.
Mark had me completely snowed.
My foolish belief in him burned in the pit of my stomach and I tightened my jaw. The flap of his wings fell over the clearing and the grass swayed under the breeze he created. Instead of gripping me in his talons like I expected, his hand landed on my shoulder and he took a seat next to me.
He didn’t speak. Instead, his hands fidgeted until he finally sighed. “Your ex is a supreme asshole.”
I burst out laughing, giving Damian a sideways glance. “Right now I think all men are assholes.” The fallen expression and quiet “oh” amused me and he looked away. I took the opportunity to study him without the flush of hunger roiling in my blood. He had a handsome profile and when his lips formed a smirk, I knew he was hearing my thoughts, but this time I continued staring, trying to figure this creature out.
“Have you been alone all this time?”
He twitched and picked a blade of grass, twirling it around his finger slowly, not answering right away. “Yes and no,” he said and stood. “Come on.” He reached a hand out to me and I took it, surprised when he led me into the thick woods by foot.
“You must have been very lonely,” I said as the forest swallowed us.
His light laugh filled the air. “You have no idea.”
“So no vamp mistresses in all this time?” I teased.
He sent a silent grin in my direction but as we walked, his smile faded and his expression turned contemplative. “No,” he said and ran a hand through the loose waves of his thick hair. “I’ve destroyed every vampire that has crossed my path and anyone I turned only lasted a couple days before something bad happened.”
The admission stunned me. “Have you ever been in love?”
His gait slowed and he turned toward me. “Once, when I was human,” he said and shrugged. “I vaguely remember the feeling but the crushing devastation of losing her can still drop me to my knees if I let it.”
Truth rang in his words and the emptiness in the center of my body grew along with a profound sadness. I crossed the distance and wrapped my arms around him. Damian stiffened under the warm hug.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in his ear and his arms encircled me, holding me tight.
“I haven’t felt any deep emotion except rage since she died,” he whispered with a trembling voice and his hands dropped to my waist, pushing me away. “Until you bit me.” He offered up a crooked smile. “And since then, I’ve pretty much been scared senseless.”
“You afraid of dying?”
He laughed and his shoulders relaxed. “No. I’m not afraid to die.”
I believed him. “Then why are you scared?”
His smile slowly faded and he took a deep breath. “Because you are someone I don’t want to lose.”
My mouth popped open and I stared into the bright blue of his irises. Something deep within me stirred and I reached up, running my hand over his smooth cheek. His eyes closed and he leaned his forehead against mine.
“Well, well, well,” a voice boomed and Damian reacted, spinning around to face the owner of the voice.
I stood on my tiptoes to get a glimpse over Damian’s shoulder and he blocked part of my view, but what I saw chilled me to the core. Pristine white wings fluttered and I had a good idea who interrupted the tender moment.
The sudden shift in Damian’s stance along with the tightening of the muscles in his back conveyed the growing tension.
“What in the name of heaven do you think you’re doing?” the angel growled, his voice rippling through the trees like a hurricane gale.
“Michael, I, uh,” Damian stuttered but stood his ground.
He trembled under my hand and I moved to his side, jutting my chin out in defiance at the angry angel.
The angel was as glorious as Damian was, and his dark eyes snapped to mine. For a moment, the angry features softened but then the hardness returned and he glared at Damian.
“I should have ground you to dust years ago,” he growled.
The sudden wave of heat hit and I stepped in front of Damian blocking whatever punishment this angel was hell bent on delivering. “Don’t!”
Michael blinked, and his hands dropped to his side. Chilly air settled between the three of us.
“Why not?”
“Because he didn’t intend to turn me.”
“I know. He intended to kill you,” the angel said. “And that goes against every rule I set down when I pulled him out of that dark pit.”
“No matter what his original intent was, he saved me from Lucifer,” I said. “If he hadn’t been blinded by his hatred, he wouldn’t have been there to pluck me out of the sky.” I could tell my argument was softening the mighty archangel. “I am still alive.” I spread my arms.
“You are a shadow,” he spit.
“Damian says I still contain the light.”
Michael studied me, his eyes narrowing. “He would have been there to save you if he hadn’t lost sight of my bloodline.”
I couldn’t find a strong argument for that except that Damian couldn’t be everywhere at once and I wondered how many distant relatives I had. “How can you expect one man to be everywhere, overseeing all of us at once?” I asked voicing the thought as it popped in my head.
“I gave him wings to oversee my lineage.”<
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That’s why he can shape shift into a hawk. I glanced over my shoulder at Damian. His gaze was glued to the forest floor at his feet, and shame heated his cheeks. I turned back toward Michael.
“Why aren’t you protecting your lineage?”
Anger transitioned back into his features. “Watch your tone, child.”
“Naomi, don’t,” Damian whispered and his hand settled on my shoulder at the same time Michael spoke. I shook it off, sending a glare at him before turning back to my distant kin.
“Damian may be immortal in some respects, but you can’t expect him to be everywhere like you can be. After all, he still is human.” A raw anger bubbled up inside me at the audacity of this being.
“I am not God. I can’t be everywhere, either,” Michael growled.
“Why weren’t you there to protect me?”
His jaw tightened and he leveled his intimidating stare at me. “I think it’s time to send you back to hell.” His gaze transitioned to Damian.
I reacted before either of them could. When my fangs sank into Michael’s throat, both Damian and the angel gasped. Knowledge flowed with the archangel’s blood, overwhelming me. Snapshots of information danced on my eyelids.
The promise of heaven.
Michael’s love for humankind.
His hatred for Lucifer and every last nocturnal creatures the demon created.
His joy and love of Athena’s mother.
The creation of my bloodline.
His devastation at his daughter’s death.
His fury when he pulled Damian from the pit of slaughtered vampires.
The covenant Damian made to protect Zoe and the bloodline.
Pure light fused with my shadow cells and I moaned. Arms grasped me around the waist, yanking me away. Stunned, I stared at Michael, while Damian whispered softly in my ear, begging for me to stop before Michael lost his temper and reduced me to ashes.
“You were Athena’s father?” I asked when I found my voice. I realized how stupid that question was considering the amount of information his blood infused in me.
Michael stared, just as dumfounded as Damian was when I bit him that first time. He blinked, swiping the remnants of blood still speckling his neck. Michael stared at his hand and then his gaze snapped to mine.