“Huh?” Sergio exclaimed with a double take.
“She's our only hope. To get out. She needs to be strong enough to face him if Cian...if Cian can't.” Samantha was looking worse and Innocente gently rubbed the girl's wrist.
“I can feed just enough to make myself strong. I have that control.
Cian taught me,” Amaliya said after an very tense moment of utter quiet.
“I'm game if you'll give Samantha some of your blood,” Jeff said after careful consideration. He knew vampire blood could suspend Samantha's life.
“Eww,” Samantha uttered.
“What will that do? Make her a vampire?” Amaliya looked uneasy.
“No. Give her some of your blood and...” he hesitated. “Lick her wound.”
“Double eww,” Samantha whispered.
“I'm kinda with her on this,” Amaliya said with some distaste.
“It will make the wound heal and keep her alive,” Jeff said in a firm voice. “Just like Cian kept Roberto alive for a hundred years with his blood.”
“I don't want to be her servant,” Samantha protested.
“What she said,” Amaliya said.
“Just feed her once then,” Jeff said in a short tone. He knew Samantha was starting to fade fast as was their chance of getting out alive.
“Do it, Amal, if it will keep her alive,” Innocente urged.
“Yeah. Do it. Then you can have some of my blood,” Sergio decided.
He folded his arms over his big chest. “Yeah. Do it. She came here to save you.”
“Cian,” Samantha corrected. “I came to save Cian.”
Amaliya slightly laughed at Samantha's comment. She knew the other woman couldn't stand her, but she rose to her feet. “Fine. But I can't promise you guys that I can beat The Summoner.”
“No, but we don't have many options,” Jeff answered, and looked down at Samantha. He didn't want her to die.
Amaliya nodded and came over to them. Innocente took the dress, stood and spread out the skirt over their heads with her hands as a precaution against the sunlight. Under the makeshift umbrella, Amaliya leaned over Samantha.
“I know that I'm not your favorite person, but I'm doing this 'cause it's right,” Amaliya said.
Samantha looked toward Jeff. “I'm going to kick your ass later.” Her voice was raspy and full of pain, but her words made Jeff smile.
“I know.”
“I'm Amaliya,” the vampire said to him, extending her hand.
“Jeff Summerfield.”
“The vampire hunter,” Amaliya said with a wry smile. “You are definitely going to have to tell me how you two hooked up later.”
Jeff smiled back at her. “Sounds good.” He could see how Amaliya had intimidated Samantha. The longer he looked at her, the more alluring she seemed.
Amaliya carefully untied the makeshift bandage and looked at the deep, nasty wound it had covered. The blood was black and bubbly over the wound and Jeff could see hunger spring into her eyes.
“What do I do?”
“Give her some of your blood, then lick her wounds closed,” Jeff answered.
Amaliya looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then shrugged.
“Okay.”
***
Amaliya leaned over Samantha. “Never thought it would be like this between us.”
“Oh, shut up,” Samantha answered and rolled her eyes.
Amaliya could feel Samantha's life fading and she felt sorry for the girl. She really wasn't too bad. Just rather zealous when it came to her boyfriend. But then again, that passion had brought her family and Jeff to their rescue. She owed it to the girl to save her.
“Okay, let's do this,” the vampire said.
She let the blood lust fill her and felt her body pulse with the erotic pleasure of it. Her teeth ached as they descended, sharp and ready.
She quickly bit into her own wrist, feeling the sharp pain of her action.
Holding her torn wrist over Samantha's mouth, she rubbed her flesh to get her cold blood to run out.
“Gross,” Samantha managed to mutter and the blood trickle hit her lips. She almost jerked away, but Amaliya grabbed her chin with one hand.
“Drink,” she ordered, and held her dripping wrist firmly over the young woman's mouth.
Samantha weakly responded to her order and Amaliya felt Sam's lips locked over the wound and drink for a few wonderful tantalizing moments.
As Samantha drank, Amaliya craved Cian, but knew she had to keep her blood lust in check. She pulled her wrist away and drew her tongue over the wound, willing it to heal. Such an action would drain her a bit more of blood and power, but there was a feast waiting for her.
Before Samantha could protest, she fastened her mouth to the terrible wound over Samantha's left breast and tasted the infection. It was gross and she spit it out, but the blood just below the surface called to her. She pulled hard on the wound with her lips and the dark blood slowly gave way to richer, redder vitae. She drank only enough to clear out the wound and refresh herself from what she had given Samantha. She drew her tongue over the ragged edges of the wound over and over again until she felt it knitting shut. It should have been repulsive, but her body reacted as though it was the most erotic of actions.
“This shouldn't be kinda hot, right?” Sergio said behind her.
That broke the moment and Amaliya laughed as she drew back.
Samantha managed to give Sergio the finger, but she already looked better. There was color in her face once more.
Amaliya stood up and stretched out her body. The few sips she had taken were already revitalizing her. With a sly smile at Jeff, she said, “Next.”
Nervously, he stood up.
“Don't worry,” she said in a comforting tone. “I'll be gentle.”
And she was.
***
Nightfall came too soon. Even though Amaliya was now well fed, she didn't feel ready to face The Summoner. As the sun descended, she felt her body growing more alert and she welcomed the feeling. They knew The Summoner would be coming soon and they had prepared the best they could.
Samantha was on her feet and her wound was nearly completely healed. She was stronger, much to everyone's relief. There was an uneasy truce between them now and she could tell Samantha was uncomfortable with what had passed between them. Amaliya wasn't a fool. The pleasure she had felt had gone both ways and it made them awkward with each other.
Innocente had pulled out some granola bars from the tote bag she kept clutched at her side and the mortals had eaten. There was actually a pump in the kitchen and Sergio managed to get the water to run clear after a few minutes. Everyone looked bedraggled and anxious and Amaliya didn't blame them.
They gathered in the bedroom where Cian slept in the closet to prepare for The Summoner's arrival. They had talked about trying to feed Cian as well, but instinctively Amaliya knew his wounds were too dire and he would need her blood. And she could not risk her blood until The Summoner was vanquished.
Samantha and Jeff seemed cozier than they both realized and Amaliya watched them thoughtfully as they took up their positions. Samantha was clutching a baseball bat tightly and Jeff had a machete. Sergio had a piece of wood with rusty nails beat into one end of it like a makeshift mace. He had expended all his bullets trying to shoot his way through the crowd of the dead. Innocente had a machete in one hand and her tote bag over her shoulder. Amaliya was sure The Summoner would hate the Virgin of Guadalupe t-shirt her grandmother wore. It made her shiver every time she drew near it.
As she felt the sun about to slide down under the horizon, she knelt down beside Cian. Her hand rested on his chest and she waited.
He took a deep breath and his eyes flashed open. It was not a good sign that his teeth were sharp and cruel behind his lips. His hands lashed out and gripped her tightly. Those beautiful hazel eyes were full of hunger and desperation. His gaze darted over the room beyond Amaliya.
“Where are we?” he hissed.
“We escaped, but we're trapped in a house with about a hundred dead things outside. Oh, yeah, Samantha is here with a vampire hunter, my cousin and my grandmother,” Amaliya said.
“I think I missed a lot,” Cian said as he visibly tried to control himself.
Amaliya helped him stand and he leaned heavily against her.
“He's coming now, you know?” she said.
“I will do what I can,” Cian answered. He pushed free from her and steadied himself against the wall.
Samantha awkwardly raised her hand and waved at him.
He smiled at her slightly and looked to Amaliya. His fingers barely brushed hers and Amaliya had to respect his discretion. She knew he wanted to bury his fangs into her and feed.
“How much longer?” Sergio wondered.
“If Cian is up it shouldn't be-”
The ceiling collapsed. Everyone shouted and dove backward away from the falling rotted boards and shingles. The Summoner landed in their midst and stood brushing off his Armani trench coat.
“Ah, how lovely. This should be delightful fun.”
Amaliya stepped toward him and had no freaking clue what to do next. “Yeah, well, fuck off.” Her voice sounded surprisingly firm.
The Summoner smiled at her cruelly. “Let us play.”
“Yeah, let's,” Sergio said, and swung his mace straight at the vampire's head.
The Summoner easily ducked under it and with a thrust of one hand sent Sergio crashing into the wall.
Samantha bravely tried to take advantage of this moment and swung her bat full force at The Summoner's head. He caught it in one hand and used it to sling her into Sergio. Her scream was abruptly cut off as she landed hard.
Jeff went low and managed to strike The Summoner right below the knee with his machete. His moment of triumph was short lived when The Summoner simply reached out and shoved him off his feet. Jeff flew backward and crashed into a pile of debris.
Cian and Amaliya attacked together, teeth bared. Cian managed to get in a few hard blows, his actions a blur. The Summoner fell back and Amaliya attacked him from behind, her nails ripping through his coat and flesh. With an angry shout, he began to fight both his offspring simultaneously, his movements too fast for even the vampires to track. Cian managed to deflect a few blows, but then The Summoner's long nails caught his throat and ripped it open. Blood gushing from the wound, Cian staggered back and collapsed at the mouth of the closet.
With a scream of rage, Amaliya punched The Summoner hard in the face a few times before he caught her by her neck. Lifting her off the ground, he held her firmly as she thrashed in his grip. She managed to kick him a few times before he slammed her through the wall behind her. Pain filled her and blood flowed into her eyes. Then he dragged her back through the debris of the wall and shoved her down hard onto the floor at his feet.
“Do not defy me,” he hissed.
Her nails clawed at his hand as his fingers dug in harder. Her blood flowed over his hand and down her front as he crushed her throat.
“I will kill you if you continue to defy me,” he said in a low voice. He smiled his cruel smile. “And that would ruin the fun of killing all your friends in front of you, then fucking you in their blood.”
Looking up at him through her bloodied eyelashes, Amaliya tried to form words, but could not. His face was terribly handsome and cruel with his fine features and glowing white eyes.
How could going to coffee one night after class end her up here?
His white eyes suddenly flashed to blue and his lips parted in a silent scream. His fingers released her and he staggered back from her.
Arching his back, he tried hard to reach behind him, but faltered and fell to the ground.
It took Amaliya a few seconds to realize that her sweet, little Mexican grandmother had creamed him with the Virgin of Guadalupe statue.
Not only struck him, but had broken the statue over his back. As he twisted on the ground, she saw that the statue had struck his bare skin where Amaliya and Cian's nails had torn open his clothing. A huge bubbling, festering wound was pulsating beneath the torn fabric.
Innocente stood staring at the broken remains of the statue in her hand, then down at the vampire thrashing at her feet. He was so overwhelmed with pain, he did not even notice the old woman until she thrust the top half of the statue into his corrupted flesh. It lodged there between his shoulder blades, the flesh blackening and dripping off his spine.
The Summoner swung his arm in a desperate bid to fight off the old woman and it caught Innocent's legs and sent her tumbling to the ground.
“No!” Amaliya staggered to her feet and grabbed hold of her grandmother tightly and pulled her away from The Summoner. She screamed as the old woman's shirt hit her bare flesh and the Virgin's image burned her. Rolling away, Amaliya crouched low and watched The Summoner writhe.
He managed to grab hold of the embedded statue and screamed in pain as his hand burst into flame. Most of the statue came out of his back, but a big white sliver remained firmly in his body. Whirling about, he howled at the mortals slowly crawling to their feet.
Amaliya's grandmother whimpered and Amaliya could hear the old woman's heart beating at a terrible pace.
The Summoner let out another terrible scream, then launched himself upwards. Amaliya scrambled after him, trying to grip his legs, but she failed. Looking up into the gapping hole in the roof, she saw The Summoner's form slowly dropping downwards beyond the house.
Not even sure if she could follow, she tensed her body, ran, and leaped. She sailed out of the hole in the roof and flew over the dead.
As her body slowly dropped downward, the blood from her grievous wounds dripped onto the dead below her and she felt her power unfurling within her. She landed hard and fell to her hands and knees. Turning around, she saw a few of the dead licking drops of her blood from their flesh. They were very old corpses and looked like mummies made of leathery skin and bone. But as they licked at her blood, they began to look more human.
As this registered in her shocked mind, she felt her power flash out, a dark tentacle of exhilarating magic. It snagged the few that were covered in her blood and they turned to face her fully. She felt her power coursing into them and understood at last what it was that let her control the dead.
It was her blood.
Turning back to the graveyard, she saw the wounded man who had created her leaning heavily against a broken mausoleum. The mass of dead began to move toward her. These were his and she could feel their intent to destroy her. Summoning her own dead, she backed slowly toward the graveyard determined to draw them all away from the house, the wounded mortals, and Cian.
***
Sergio knew his arm was broken, but there wasn't much he could do but hold it stiffly at his side as he hurried to his grandmother.
Samantha and Jeff were bloodied and bruised, but okay.
He had seen his cousin fly out of the house after The Summoner and he could only hope that she could handle the wounded vampire. It had been amazing to see his grandmother nail the asshole with the blessed statue.
“I think we're okay,” Sergio said when he saw his grandmother was fine except for a bruise on her cheek.
“Um,” Jeff said, and pointed.
Sergio looked up to see Cian slowly rise to his feet, his long hair hanging over his face.
“I think this isn't good,” Samantha said softly.
Cian raised his head and hissed at them, the hunger distorting his features. His feral expression sent the humans scrambling backward.
Innocente quickly pulled out a handful of rosaries and holy medals from her tote bag.
“You can't kill him,” Samantha said firmly as Cian advanced slowly on them. “He doesn't know what he's doing!”
“Okay, we just...keep him back until Amaliya gets back,” Jeff said looking uneasy with this plan.
Sergio held out his cross and watched Cian shrink back. “If she comes back.”
�
�She will,” Innocente said firmly.
As the four mortals faced down the famished vampire, they all knew that if she didn't return soon, it was going to become unpleasant very quickly.
***
Amaliya strode toward The Summoner just ahead of the dead that were intent on killing her. She wasn't afraid of them anymore. Her own tiny group of dead trailed behind her. Blood was still flowing from her neck and she let it. She understood the power in her blood now.
The Summoner raised his head as she drew near. The expression on his face was terrible. It was clear he was in agonizing pain and beyond that, he was furious. A tiny old lady had reduced him to a shivering weakling and she could see what a terrible blow it was to his ego.
“You shouldn't fuck with little Mexican grandmas or their family,” Amaliya said as she drew near him.
“Take it out and I will let them go. Stay with me and I will forgive you,” he said through gritted teeth. His eyes were white and burning.
She knew her eyes were also white and glowing just as bright. She could feel her power filling her and flowing around her like dark whispers. Her magic was not quite like his. It was different. He had accidentally made her and his power had been mutated by her transformation. Her magic was uniquely her own.
The dead he controlled scrabbled at her flesh, but did not rip into her.
If they drew her blood, she could seize them from him and she was not afraid. She could feel that he was holding his minions at bay and preventing them from tearing her apart. He truly wanted her. His need for her was strong. At last she could see him for what he really was. A truly old, bored, over-powered creature that was terribly lonely.
“Take the holy relic fragment from my back and I will spare them.
Come to me and I will teach you how powerful you truly are. We can raise armies together,” he said in his rich, seductive voice.
He was sweating blood and she could see his struggle to remain upright. “You remember how it was when you first rose. When we made love in the blood of your victims. It can be that way again.”
Frater, Rhiannon - As the World Dies 04 Page 32