The Blood Bargain (Book 1)

by Macaela Reeves

  “Yeah. Yeah I am. I’m not sitting on the sidelines this time.” Cole, Ben and I exchanged looks. There was a reason Adam was in the tower and not on the wall. We’d lose the guy if he walked over a wide crack in the floor.

  “All respect bro. Think you should stay here.” Cole spoke gently. Not wanting to offend.

  “I’m not a child, besides you may need me.”

  “Not using you as a human shield.” Ben joked.

  “I’ll stay. Cover for you guys.” Ryan pushed his glasses up on his nose. “This has to be a one night operation though or it’s gonna get hard to explain.”

  Cole threw a piece of ice at him. “Duh.”

  “So what night are we doing this?” Adam tried to sound tough, but his voice squeaked.

  “Let’s wait a week. We.re going to need to get our hands on some extra ammo for the long range and handhelds.” Ben continued, counting the list on his fingers. “Emergency med and food supplies case this goes wrong.”

  “Let’s not fool ourselves. If it goes wrong we’re likely gonna be lunch.” I felt no reason to sugar coat it.

  “Can we wait that long though?” Cole asked. “They are gonna know we capped their pets.”

  “I don’t think so.” I quickly, then took a mouthful from my cup.

  Cole looked at me like I had grown a horn. “Because?” He pressed.

  “My friend said it violated their agreement? He was gonna cover like he slaughtered the deadheads in the meat locker.”

  “Seriously?” Adam looked shocked. I nodded enthusiastically.

  “Okay maybe I don’t completely hate bloodsuckers.” Cole chimed in, to which we all laughed.

  “Liv!!” It was Candice. She was stumbling over to our booth wearing skin tight jeggings and a low cut shirt. She fell into me, giving me a huge hug. “I’ve missed you. Come play pool with me?” She begged. Her eyes sloshed to the other guys in the booth, lingering from Cole

  to Adam to Ben. She passed over Ryan entirely.

  “Whoa...gonna introduce me to your hot friends?”

  “Candice! Oh my god...” I blushed for her, apparently she was too far gone for shame. “Guys this is Candice.”

  “Hi Candice.” Ben smiled at her, all male recognition of her being an easy conquest for the night. That jerk. What about Sammie? I wasn’t gonna let her get taken advantage of or Candice for that matter.

  With a large amount of effort, I get my drunken friend off of me then wiggled out of the booth.

  “We’re gonna go play pool guys...I’ll see you later?”

  “Why don’t we play doubles?” Cole suggested. “Ben you want to pair up with Candice?”

  “You bet.” At his response Candice giggled. I shot Cole a pissed off look when Ben and Candice turned away. He knew about Ben’s girlfriend just as much as I did. This stupid bro code was total BS.

  We played until the candles burned low, Candice purposely falling all over Ben. Cole tried to lean over me on a couple of shots, but I did my best at avoiding his touch. I hadn’t had the official ‘I.m not your girl don’t ever do that again’ conversation with him yet. Partly because I was attracted to him on a low level I suppose.

  Not at all what I felt for Dimitri.

  In the end, they beat us; mostly because I wasn’t paying attention, too concerned with avoiding Cole while trying to save Candice.

  “It’s getting late, Candice how about I get you home?” I offered.

  “Oh I’m sure I can escort Candi.” Ben offered. Candi? Really? Still she ate it up, nodding enthusiastically.

  “Okay, Liv I’ll see you around.” She gave me a big hug. I wanted to protest-order her to leave with me and throw a drink in his smiling face-but she was an adult and could do as she well pleased. To my horror, Cole announced he would also walk me home. Something I planned to stop as soon as we got outside.

  “Cole I’m fine...”

  “Nonsense, I’m walking my gal home.”

  “I never said I was yours in any way shape or form.” I retorted, cutting through the alley that led off the square.

  “No you just showed me.” He winked. I spun on my heels, ready to give him an earful on how his cornering domineering kiss was not welcomed.

  “I knew it!” A baritone voice called from behind us.

  Zack.

  “This is why you postponed the wedding. Him?” Zack stumbled around the corner, shooting an arm out to point towards Cole. “I.ve been watching you two all night. Laughing...playing pool...what the hell man. What the hell...” I didn.t even know what to say to the guy. I hadn’t even seen Zack inside. Looking at him now I wasn’t sure how I could have missed him, he wasn’t a small man or a quiet man by any means. I guess my defense was I had been kind of preoccupied on the whole super secret spy stuff and Candice’s honor. Mentally I kicked myself, some agent I would have made. I couldn.t spot a problem ten feet away.

  “Dude you.re drunk, go home.” Cole yelled at him. Zack just shook his head and laughed.

  “That's my wife. Mine. I picked her and you can’t have her, go get some other wretch in this colony.” Zack continued to approach, his eyes focused on Cole like he wanted to throw down. Idiot. My money was on Cole if it came to that. It wouldn’t though, because this was stupid and I was not property.

  Cole seemed to think otherwise, he was cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders, a wicked smile on his face. Did Zack not realize this guy was a black belt?

  “Nobody owns me so knock it off!” I chimed in.

  Stupid Neanderthals. I stepped in front of Cole, facing Zack.

  “I don’t want to get married right now. Okay? It’s not Cole’s fault. It’s mine. So if you’re going to be drunk and act like a jerk direct it at me.”

  “The only reason I voted to save your sorry life is our dad’s said you would be mine. Wanted to be my wife. You used me.” He stumbled. “I shoulda voted to ship you over the wall, let them dead things eat that pretty face.” Zack’s arms shook, showing a temper I’d never seen. He pointed at me. “Fangers ain’t enough for you, gotta have the meat heads too? What you gotta sleep with every guy in Junction before you marry me? Slut. You manipulative little slut.” And that did it.

  Cole pushed me out of the way faster than I could react to the garbage spewing from Zack’s mouth.

  His arm moved in a blur, airborne to contact with Zack's face with an audible crack. Zack countered with a cheap shot, kicking Cole below the belt.

  Then they were wrestling on the concrete in the alley, Cole landing three times the blows as his competitor.

  “Stop it!” I shouted at both of them. This was not going to be good for Cole, Daddy Graham would have him in jail for this. Regardless of his son starting it. I ran my hands through my hair, watching them tussle. This was so stupid. Incredibly stupid.

  Cole kicked Zack off and the two of them scrambled to their feet. I took the opportunity to wedge myself between them as they circled.

  “Get out of the way Liv. You know he deserves it.” Cole growled.

  “You are gonna get thrown in jail!” I hissed at him.

  “Excuse me.” A familiar voice called from the edge of the alleyway.

  Oh hell. If tonight could get any worse.

  Dimitri walked toward us, confident and calm despite having a smaller physical stature than the other two men. Having recently fed, he looked almost human in coloring. His clothing helped to falsely emphasis his harmlessness, a black hoodie and worn jeans was so very normal guy apparel. His face carried a whole lot of irritation as his eyes examined both of the men, and then

  focused on me.

  “Are you alright?” He asked.

  “Who the hell are you?” Zack spit blood on the concrete. I didn’t miss Dimitri’s eyes focusing on the splatter. A growing worry started in my gut. The last thing that was needed at this particular moment was for Dimitri to go horror movie on the young Councilman.

  “An inquiry that would be applicable to you as well. Why are you subjecting the
lady to such uncivilized theatrics?”

  “It’s between us buddy, just move on.” Cole growled at Dimitri. Who inclined his head in agreement, much to my surprise.

  “Very well. Liv. Let us move on.” He extended his hand to me.

  I didn’t waste a heartbeat.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow Cole.” I muttered and took Dimitri’s hand. Together we walked out of the alley, leaving two very confused human men in our wake.

  Chapter 12

  The short walk from the square to my new house was taking longer than I had ever imagined. I was rattled by the rooster behavior in the alley and calmed by the ease in which Dimitri’s stride met my own as we walked. It was like we had walked in tandem for years, our forms complimenting each other’s movement.

  “What were you doing out there?” I had to break the silence.

  “I came home, you were gone. I went to find you.”

  I squeezed his hand. “I’m glad you did.” Understatement of the century.

  “What was your involvement in the context of their scuffle?”

  “The really bloody one is the guy my dad wanted me to marry; the other is a friend of mine that was defending my honor.”

  “It needed defense?” There went the inquisitive eyebrow.

  “Zack called me a...well he called me a slut among other things.” Dimitri’s grip on my hand tightened, his eyes losing their soul.

  “Hey it’s over okay? Cole knocked him around a bit and you rescued me.”

  “You shouldn.t need rescuing from words.”

  “I know.”

  “You are mine.” The possessiveness in his statement made me worry for Cole’s safety.

  “I know.” I squeezed his hand to reassure him. Time to change the topic before someone got hurt. “How was your patrol?”

  “Busy, there are many by the road to the north.”

  “Why don.t they decompose into uselessness? It’s been a decade.”

  Dimitri shrugged. “I have lived countless lifetimes and still I do not decompose. Who are we to question the ways of the gods?” Plural. I thought back to his origins.

  “You still believe in Zeus?”

  “I always will, even when the world has forgotten.”

  “When we get home, do you want to play a game?” I offered. It was after all our routine.

  “Risk?” His eyes lit up with mischief. This was the side of him I loved, the side that made him just another guy my age.

  “Deal.”

  It was a horrible mistake to play Risk with him.

  To say he beat me was an understatement. I more actual summation would have been that he ground me into a fine pulp using dice and plastic swordsmen.

  “I wish you weren.t doing this.” He muttered, his jaw tight as he carefully returned the little pieces to their box.

  “You can come with me, or better yet go look for the files I need.” I knew he wouldn.t take the bait, but I tried anyway.

  “I cannot.”

  “Before it was you won’t. Now it’s can’t?” I put my hand on his cheek. “D, what’s going on?”

  “Caius believes I’m getting too attached to you.”

  I winced. “Does he now.”

  “He’s dignified, raised in the old way. Our integration with humans was a necessity not a choice in his mind.”

  “He doesn.t like me then.” I’m sure I sounded mopey. It was the closest thing I had to attempting to impress his father, which apparently I failed out without ever officially meeting the guy.

  “He doesn’t trust your kind. You are illogical and volatile children.”

  “Ouch.”

  “You deny that truth?”

  “No, it’s pretty much true for most. Not all of us though. There are, were I should say, those who stand above the others, brilliant selfless people.”

  “For every one of those, there is a million morons spouting nonsense. Well, a thousand now would be a better number I suppose.”

  “There are no ignorant vampires?”

  “Oh there are.” He smirked. “There are just less of us, so one does not notice as often.”

  “How did you become a vampire?” His jovial mood faded like someone had flipped a switch.

  “No.”

  “What?”

  “We will not discuss that now or in the future.” Dimitri snapped. When he snapped he scared me.

  “Okay fine, I was just making conversation.” I forced a yawn. “I’m going to bed.” Without another glance I rose and patted down the hallway to my room.

  I awoke to a plate of freshly prepared eggs and a note sitting for me in the kitchen. I picked up the small piece of notebook paper, yawning I read the scripted hand.

  Sorry for the temper.

  D

  I rolled my eyes. Perfect handwriting. I took a bite. Perfect eggs. Perfect perfect perfect. He truly made me feel like a donkey at a horse show. Even so, as I took bite after bite I found myself losing my irritation with him.

  I am pushy, I am whiny. I told myself, I got what I deserved by being well...me. I could be easier to get along with, less hardheaded. Maybe. I was a lot like my Dad in that regard. He was ancient and still acted that way, so what did that say for me? With a huff, I cleaned my plate and flipped the apology note over. In my scratchy hand I wrote.

  It’s okay, I’m a pain. See you tonight.

  Liv

  PS. Eggs ruled.

  I frowned at the paper when I was done. My handwriting had seriously suffered in the collapse of society. Overall it was a petty thing to worry about, so I went off to take my shower. The barely cresting sun was enough light in the backyard for me to not need a candle. I made quick work of the clean routine as it was extremely cold outside and the water was no better. My teeth chattered as I dried off. Not exactly morning coffee but it did the trick.

  I dressed for work; Steel combat boots, jeans, my favorite pac man shirt and a leather jacket. The last pair of jeans that hung in my closet were now on my legs, the rest were all piled in the corner in a hulking dirty pile. I wrinkled up my nose at the mess.

  My old room had no such messes because my old place that these other wonderful humans that lived with me and did laundry. Here it was just me and D and he didn’t strike me as a fan of the washboard. Gathering up my pile of unmentionables and miscellaneous, I dumped them outside the back door. It didn.t make them clean, but it made my room clean.

  Out of sight. Out of mind.

  With a triumphant smile I flipped the lock on the back door. Bow in hand, I was off to work.

  The day sucked from there.

  We had no activity at the wall, which should have been a good thing. I honestly missed those months of quiet when I did nothing but walk around and chat with Adam all day. As I stood there doing exactly that it felt odd to me. I hadn.t had a peaceful day in...well since the day I picked up that signal on my radio. Thinking of it now reminded me how long it had been since I had seen

  my dad. I needed to patch things up with him, I just wasn.t ready yet.

  I’m sure he wasn.t either. Still, I kinda wanted to see him before we made our trek north, just in case I didn't. come back. I didn’t want him to live with that bad blood for however long he had left. I absentmindedly clutched Mom’s little angel around my neck.

  “You alright Liv?” Adam called down to me.

  “Yeah I’m good.” I shot him a don.t worry about it smile.

  “Okay well it’s your turn.” I scrunched up my nose, that's right we were still playing that wonderful game.

  “Oh is it now? Well I spy with my little I something...green.”

  “Grass.”

  “You win.”

  “You hate this game don.t you?”

  “Adam, we’ve been playing I spy for like two hours now. It sucks.”

  “Well what do you want to do instead?”

  “Any good books up there?”

  “Little women?”

  “Bleck.”

  “Oliver Twist?”
/>
  “Please sir do you have anything else?” I mocked him in my best English accent while he rummaged about.

  “Ha. Okay hmm...how about Tolkien’s epic saga?”

  “Throw it down.” I caught the trilogy over my head.

  Sitting in the grass I cracked open the first one. I lost myself in the beautiful scenery and the birthday celebrations. When the journey was barely in its in infancy, my light was blocked out by a hulking shadow.

  “That time already?” Over the edge of the book I peeked up at Cole, who appeared to be in a good mood.

  Not that I could see his face that well, the ball cap he had thrown over his head was pulled low, casting a shadow over his eyes.

  The weather had finally gotten the best of him as he’d traded his signature muscle tank for a long sleeve crew shirt in a heather grey color. The grey made the black crisscross straps of his katana holsters pop against his chest. Even I couldn’t deny that it was a sexy look.

  “Slow day huh?” He drawled while I stood and stretched, my spine cracked.

  “Not a sighting.” Unclipping the walkie, I passed it over to his big palm. Then I waited. I was for sure he was going to mention what had happened the night before.

  “Going to the Garage tonight?” Cole kicked up the bill of his cap with an index finger and winked at me. His eyes held that same playful sparkle they had since he’d successfully cornered me in Smittys. Up close I looked him over, not a blemish or bruise on his face that I could make out.

  I bet one couldn.t say the same for the other member of the late night brawl.

  “Nah I think I’ll pass.” I held my breath for a mention of the antics with Zack and snide comments about Dimitri.

  “Okay cool, I’d love a rematch at pool tomorrow; we can.t let Candice and Ben off that easy.” Cole lightheartedly teased me. Fine if he didn.t want to bring it up. I wasn.t going to either.

  “What about Sammie?” I had to sneak that in. Ben’s two timing was a low move. The male to female ratio -much more males in our bracket- of Junction aside, it was dirty to play with any one's heartstrings; let alone someone who was my dear friend.