Taste For Blood: Stir (Nephil-Vamp Series Book 1)

by Jenna Bernel

  "At me?" Alec asked innocently, like it wasn't obvious.

  "Yes, I'm mad at you, Alec. It's hard enough leading a double life, and then you walk in, and manage to screw them both up for me, in a week's time." I said spitefully. He was taken aback by my bitterness over his presence, considering the heated kiss we just shared.

  "Thanks for clearing that up. For some reason, I had this crazy notion that you were starting to enjoy my company." Alec said with sarcastic arrogance, but I could hear the underlying hurt in his voice.

  "Don't go turning the tables on me. You’re the one at fault here. Thanks to you, everyone at school is going to think I slept with the new guy while doing Evan on the side," I said, crossing my arms.

  "I'll only own up to half of that," Alec said, uncrossing my arms to lay his hand over my waist.

  "And…" I egged on, waiting for an apology.

  "And nothing, you're super-hot. I think a sex rumor with you did miracles for my rep, and helped me put Evan in his place. There can only be one King of Mapleton Prep," Alec declared.

  "What?!" My stomach leaped into my throat with a sharp inhale, feeling like his words just knocked the wind out of me, and I sprang upright in bed.

  Without a beat to take a breath, Alec sat up beside me, tangling his fingers into my wet hair, as cold droplets ran down my back. When his lips pressed onto mine with such fire, the water sparked under my skin, and I thought I would melt right into the floor. Alec pulled away and I was speechless, his own winded breath matching mine. The rings of light in his eyes flickered like stars in an endless, dusk-colored curtain, and I could see nothing but the piercing abyss of passion and assurance in his expression.

  "A connection like ours can't be manufactured, and you know it. You don't actually care about or believe a word of that garbage, even though you're trying to convince yourself otherwise, to avoid whatever it is that's really upsetting you. None of that stuff matters, Dani. None of it. We are dealing with life and death here, not high school crap. Now I need to talk to you about what happened tonight, so tell me what's really bothering you, because you have to trust me!" Alec's demand came out unsteady through heavy breaths, as naturally as if he were truly in need of the oxygen. The devotion in his eyes was merciless, refusing to let go until my heart comes pouring out. That was it, right there. That was exactly the problem.

  How could someone you just met see you more clearly than you saw yourself, creating feelings you never thought possible, and look into your eyes as if it were merely a portal for him to see into your soul? In that moment, I saw him as clearly as he did me, and I knew why he was really here. I knew what he had done to save me from Stella's wrath. I felt like I was struck by lightning, split in two all the way down to my toes, and spilling onto the ground like a pile of worthless mush. Alec held my face in his hands, waiting for me to bear my soul, and tell him my greatest fear and how he could fix it, but he couldn't. He wouldn't.

  "I'm scared," I whispered.

  "Of who? Stella? I swear I won't ever let her hurt you, Dani," Alec said, moving his hands from my face to hold my shoulders reassuringly.

  "I'm scared of you," I said, dropping my eyes.

  "Why?" Alec asked, tilting my chin up to look at him.

  "Because I can see it in your eyes now, and I trust you, Alec. I trust that you'll do anything to protect me." My voice was wobbling. It all seemed so obvious now. Alec was always a step ahead.

  "And that scares you?" Alec asked softly, trying to understand.

  "Yes, because you didn't come here to make up with me, did you? You came here to break my heart instead," I said, tears filling my eyes.

  "I had to make choice," Alec said shamefully as understanding crossed his face.

  "It wasn't your choice to make," I said. The tears started rolling down my cheeks.

  "I'll always choose you, Dani. Always." Alec brushed my tears away with his thumb.

  "I'll die before I let you take him," I tried to sound threatening, but my voice was stuttering and broken.

  "Daniella, he's already gone." His voice whispered, like if he said it quietly enough, it wouldn't rip me in two all over again. Alec had to choose to save the blood or the brains. He chose the blood.

  Chapter 22: The New Mission

  "Eli!" I kicked my foot into the door until it splintered open before running into his apartment. I couldn't believe he was really gone. I had to see it for myself.

  "Dani, stop. He's not here," Alec said calmly, walking in, and I pushed him into the wall.

  "Don't talk to me. Don't you ever talk to me again!" I shouted frantically, running around the living room, searching for clues to nothing. I raced through red lights at unimaginable speeds, taking out street signs along the way into the city, all the while, never shaking Alec from my tail.

  "Take me to him. I want you to take me to him right now," I screeched as tears began running down my face. They have hardly stopped since learning Eli was taken to that evil witch. The pain won't stop. It will never stop until I get him back.

  "I can't do that," Alec explained, his own stubbornness setting in.

  "You said you'd never hurt me," I cried out. The agony overtook me and I buckled to my knees.

  "I never wanted this. It was an impossible decision. I had to keep your heart beating even if it ached. Dani, you're too important, and not just to me," Alec pleaded, begging for me to understand, but I didn't. I couldn't understand for one second why my life was worth saving over Eli's.

  "So instead, my partner has to die?" I asked, looking up at him, wide-eyed, from the floor.

  "No! That's not what I meant. I had to give Stella something. Eli went willingly once I explained. Please hear me out." Alec picked up my elbow to help me stand, and I ripped it out of his grip.

  "Of course he did! We're a team. We have each other’s backs, no matter what. If you understood that for a second, if you understood what we've been through together, you wouldn't be standing here asking me to calmly listen to your bullshit justification. I don't care why or how you talked Eli into sacrificing himself behind my back. I don't give a damn what you have to say. I just want to save my partner!" I was seething. My human self didn't recognize this kind of anger. It sat unnaturally on my skin, weighing me down.

  "That's what I'm trying to do, but I can't get Eli back if you refuse to listen!" Alec shouted, becoming impatient. I stepped back, my mouth agape. I couldn't believe he had the nerve to raise his voice to me, after the bait-and-switch move he pulled to ruin my life. God knows what kind of experiments Stella was doing on Eli as we argued. She was probably torturing him, branding his skin, severing his limbs, until he gave up the list of all we turned. The 7th Circle now had the ultimate power in their clutches. They could use his precious, super-human blood to develop some sort of biological weapon in order to take over the world. For all I knew, he could already be dead!

  "Dani, I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed be this way, but I'll do everything in my power to make it right." Alec's eyes softened with a warmth emitting from his core, asking for forgiveness. He stepped toward me, holding out his hand for me to take, but I stepped back.

  "You're sorry? You're sorry?! I am so sick of hearing that." I approached him.

  "My dad is sorry," I shoved Alec in the chest, and he faltered back, not fighting my rage.

  "Evan's sorry," I shoved him again, nearing the back wall.

  "Now you're sorry." Another push, and his back cracked the glass of the window when he hit it.

  "You want to show me you’re sorry? How about you bring back the only man in my life who never had to say it!" I shoved Alec with such force, he went flying through the window, glass spraying down with him in a glimmering shower against the backdrop of the night. Below, a car alarm blared upon the impact of his body. The car ringed and whistled, setting off others next to it. Dogs began to bark and lights started to illuminate in apartments as sleeping neighbors woke up to investigate.

  I looked out down below to find Alec standin
g on the roof of the car, now crunched and flattened beneath his feet. He looked up at me, searching for something on my face, searching for a way out of this, and back into each other's arms where we fit together so easily. I only shook my head. I was so done with sorry. I stepped back from the window. I couldn't bear to even look at him anymore.

  My stomach turned and needles stabbed at my insides with every step. I was feeling so much and nothing, all at once, that my body could only register the pain. I took a deep breath and turned the handle to Eli's lab. The door squeaked when I pushed it open as if it hadn't been used in years. I stepped into the room, swallowing down the tears, and taking in the empty space. All the files and research were gone, and in their place, a broken dream of helping people. I couldn't take anymore tears. They burned against my skin, tattooing me with every searing streak so I'd never forget, even if I wanted to. The heart monitor sat sad and lifeless by the stainless steel table, as if it too, gave up all hope, but I wouldn't. I would never give up.

  I closed my eyes. "This is your purpose," I whispered to myself. My senses filled with blood orange and cherries as though he were still in the room. I snapped my eyes back open, and on the stainless steel table, I saw a small piece of paper resting on the pillow that I could swear wasn't there before. I gulped, afraid to look as I reached out tentatively to turn it over. It was in Eli's handwriting. The words I had heard so many times before somehow held new meaning. I picked up the note, holding it to my heart, remembering the first time I heard his beating. From that moment on, both our lives changed for the good. I could almost hear him whispering it into my ear, right before I kindled the flame of my most precious Gift. Life. I read the words once more, vowing they wouldn't be his last.

  Remember Dani…

  Forever grateful.

  ###

  TASTE FOR BLOOD: SAVOR (Nephil-Vamp Series, Book 4)

  Coming Christmas 2016!

  Jenna Bernel Books Available on Amazon!

  http://jennabernel.com

  Other Jenna Bernel Books Now Available on Amazon!

  Taste for Blood: Stir (Nephil-Vamp, 1)

  Taste for Blood: Pour (Nephil-Vamp, 2)

  Taste for Blood: Simmer (Nephil-Vamp, 3)

  The Secret Trinity: Unearth (Fae-Witch Trilogy,1)

  The Secret Trinity: Ignite (Fae-Witch Trilogy, 2)

  The Secret Trinity: Reign (Fae-Witch Trilogy, 3)

  The Secret Trinity: Glass Castles (Fae-Witch Trilogy, Prequel Novella)

  To learn more about Jenna Bernel, or to sign up for new release alerts (under news and updates page), visit her website: http://jennabernel.com

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  Thank you to my amazing fans for reading STIR! If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a short review on Amazon here.

  I hope you enjoyed the debut of my new Nephil-Vamp Series, and I can't wait to share what happens next in Dani Madison's world.

  Click Ahead for an Excerpt to Pour (Nephil-Vamp, 2)

  Preface

  One Year Ago

  I looked over the dusty room as I sat on the bed, feeling as nervous as a vamp can, but doing my best to hide it. My grandma, Ulla, warned me if I planned to go through with this, and dared to venture into what I now know is called The Basement, under no circumstances could I show that I was anything but a cold-blooded vampire. The young Infinity I met merely hours ago, and who, in reality, was not so young, sat down on the bed beside me and gave me a reassuring grin.

  "You look nervous. This really is your first time... Don't worry, it won't hurt," he said encouragingly, as I cursed myself for already failing my grandma's warning. Hiding my emotions, which were much more obvious in me than most of our kind, was quite a task.

  I looked up at the vamp who introduced himself as Eli, and found surprising warmth in his amber-ringed hazel eyes. Maybe that's why I agreed to join him in this private room of The Basement. My first few trips here so far had been nightmarish. I saw a newly turned vamp bite a blood whore on the dance floor, after which he was promptly dragged away by a bouncer. His last sound was a haunting scream. I shuddered at the memory, and wondered why I felt the need to come back here after that. I was sure the horrifying scene I witnessed didn't even scratch the surface of the macabre, unsettling behavior that regularly took place down there.

  Eli put his hand on my shoulder to get my attention, and I looked into his comforting eyes.

  "It's going to be okay. We don't have to do this if you're not ready. I've been searching for you for hundreds of years. I can wait another week," Eli said. I looked at him curiously, my breath hitching ever so slightly at the words he used to reassure me: It's going to be okay, the same words my faceless maker chose to comfort me as my life was changed forever. I wondered if that was a common vamp sentiment. I tried to shake it off and just focus on Eli.

  "You've been searching for me for hundreds of years? Is that some sort of lame vamp pick-up line?" I asked and he laughed.

  "That depends, is it working?" Eli teased, and I gave him a small grin. This is why I was first drawn to him. I knew I had so much more to learn about our kind and this peculiar hierarchy of power, but Eli was the only vamp I had met so far that I cared to say more than three words to. He was the first one I ever talked to in this dark, demented club, and the first person who didn't make me feel like a choice piece of meat. He somehow managed to retain a decent, human sense of humor as well, which I had yet to find in anyone else since first visiting The Basement.

  "No, I'm ready. I'd like to try it at least once. I don't know if I'll be back next week. Honestly, I'm not sure this place is for me," I confessed. I knew it was dangerous to open up to him, but something about him urged me to trust him, even with my biggest secret.

  "I understand. It wasn't always this way, you know? We weren't always so…" Eli trailed off, seeming at a loss for words to describe their behavior too, and how it evolved over time. He sighed and looked at me, almost enviously, brushing my long auburn hair past my shoulders with his fingers to expose my neck. I nodded absently, not really knowing what he meant. Since he had almost five hundred years on me, I couldn't begin to know what our society was like during any period of time, but this one, and I didn't particularly like what I saw. I took a deep breath as he leaned into my neck, and the cold tip of his nose grazed my skin. I closed my eyes, intoxicated by his cologne, making me think I walked into a scrumptious bakery instead of the dingy room. The scent of blood oranges and cherries was filling my scenes.

  The bloodlust started to take over. I was losing control of my instincts, and for the first time since I was turned three years ago, I allowed the full vamp to shine through. It felt good. Nothing scared me. No emotions clouded my thoughts. I could think only of blood, his blood. My fangs sprang so swiftly from my gums, I almost punctured my lip.

  "Do you want to go first?" Eli asked with a husky voice as he tried to control his own bloodlust, still dipping into my neck. He must have heard my fangs springing. I smiled to myself. I knew I picked a gentleman for my first time. I nodded my head, eyeing the spot where his pulse would thump, if he had one, and he slowly sat upright to look at me. His pupils were almost fully dilated, the fiery amber ring now only a small sliver of light. It made them look like the sun during a partial eclipse. I was completely rapt in his eyes as I combed his features. They looked like little halos adorning his chiseled face, and something deep inside me knew what I was doing was right. Eli was destined to be my first taste. I swallowed as he tilted his chin to the ceiling and braced his hand behind my head, guiding me towards him. Then my chilled lips touched his polished skin. I took one last, deep breath, closed my eyes, and bit down. A few moments later, I pulled away, afraid if I didn't stop then, I never would.

  "Wow…" I said, wiping my mouth clean, and resisting the deep hunger instincts that kept urging me to leave the room, and sea
rch for a human on the dance floor. My body was coursing with power, and I could tell that his Infinity gifts instantly made me stronger and faster than I already was. But there was something else too, something that I couldn't put my finger on.

  "It's my heightened telepathy. Can you hear me?" Eli said, holding my face to look at me. My mouth fell open, realizing his question was being spoken into my mind.

  "Yes," I answered mentally, slapping my hand over my mouth in awe as he smiled.

  "That's incredible!" I said out loud, completely elated by this newest Infinity Gift that I never even knew was possible.

  Eli dropped his hands from my face. "Thank you, I have found it quite useful over the years," he said with a playful smirk, while looking at me knowingly, which I didn't understand.

  "I imagine so. Do you have to be touching?" I asked, eager to go back to the main room and try this out.

  "Yes, and you have to channel it. Someone has to be trying to speak to me as we touch, or I have to be actively trying to eavesdrop. Think of it as having a conversation through a wall. Someone has to press their ear against the wall as the other one speaks up," he explained, and I shook my head, dumbfounded.

  "Amazing… how long will it last?"

  "An hour or two," he said, eyeing my neck with his own bloodlust, eager to know what Gifts I had to offer. Truthfully, I had no idea what a taste of my blood, or what I now know is called Infinity blood, would do to him.

  I wondered if he would be able to turn back into a human for a few hours, since I could turn voluntarily. But maybe that was the last thing a vampire would want: to feel human, and be vulnerable. I was suddenly anxious, realizing how much danger I was truly putting myself in by coming here. Being here only confirmed what I had already known to be true, deep down. It didn't matter which world I chose to reside in, because I didn't fit in either of them. I was as alone above as I was below at The Basement. At least above, in the daylight, no one could kill me. I should have listened to my grandma. That was not smart. But as those thoughts swirled in my head, at the same time, I sensed I had to know.