Blood's Voice

by Aine Massie

  I wiped at my face and sure enough, it was drenched with blood tears. “S-Sorry, I – I don’t know what happened. I was here, then the flashing started and I was chained to a wall and she was there. Then all I remember is cutting and searing pain.”

  “Flashing?” Jonathan asked.

  “Yes, bright flashing lights, like strobe lights. She was talking and then hurting me. That’s not important right now though. Where’s Declán? How bad is he hurt?” I didn’t really want to dwell on the pain and fear I had just felt, and to an extent, still felt.

  “I healed the bite though he’s still a little weak. He doesn’t remember exactly what happened to him,” Nicholas said gently. A strange look passed between him and Jonathan, almost fast enough for me not to notice . . . almost. “We need to get you out of here and back home. Declán’s home already, but he’s not alone, don’t worry. His parents just think he got sick while out. Geoff told them that you were ill too.”

  Don’t worry, he says. Ha, but I did allow him and Jonathan to take me home.

  Nicholas and Jonathan both came in and walked with me to my room. Odd, Jonathan never comes in like that. “What are you two not telling me? I feel as if you’re guards or something.”

  “Well, I guess we are, in a way,” Jonathan murmured nervously. “You terrified Nic and well, I’m a touch worried about you both right now. I saw the ashes, Anya; you did that just by screaming at her. You shattered her or something.”

  “I am sorry, to you both, but I don’t know what I did. I told you what I remember. That room and the pain and whoever she was . . . I’m still shaking from it.” I held out my hands to show the trembling.

  “Well, at least we know what they meant about lethal.” Nicholas had this uncanny look of wonder or awe as he spoke, “You were truly frightening, terrible yet glorious.”

  “I don’t want to be dangerous! I just want to be me. I’m no killer. At least I did not use to be . . .

  “Are you sure Declán is safe? She may not have been alone, and even if she was, someone’s going to be upset when they find her gone.”

  “Peony is patrolling and Geoff is in Declán’s room, watching him. They won’t let anything happen to him. He’ll be fine, I promise,” Nicholas said sitting and curling me up in his arms like a child. “I am so sorry she got past us tonight. We’ll just have to be more careful.” Nicholas rocked me gently as he continued. “What I can’t believe is that she chose him, of all humans, to bite. I couldn't get much from her thoughts prior to her demise; she was too frightened to think through much.”

  “Nicholas, Jonathan, what was it that I saw? Did that actually happen?”

  They were both quiet for a minute. Jonathan finally broke the silence. “If she was one of your Educators – seeing her, fearing for Declán.” Shaking his head with a sigh, he continued, “You may have experienced a true memory, Anya. I cannot imagine what you must have gone through if that is your first true memory and its result was the death of the one that had caused you such obviously unrelenting pain and fear.”

  “That was a memory?” I asked, shuddering slightly. “I kept hoping that, in time, I would remember something. Now I think I’d rather not know anything about who I was before; not if that’s the part I get to remember.”

  “You’re moving to Ithaca this summer with your humans, yes?” Jonathan asked calmly, shifting gears on me.

  “Um, yes, that’s where Declán and Kayla decided to attend college. They have both been accepted and with Declán getting the scholarship . . . I plan to take a trip right after graduation to find a home there. Star knows this, part of why the club surprised me. I had thought she was planning to move too. Why?” There was some sort of strange conversation going on between them. “You know, I hate when you do that.”

  “Anya, love, we have been discussing your move previously, but in light of what just happened, I think it’s a bit more of a necessity that we move close by you . . . if you don’t mind. Six is better than three for protecting you and them,” Nicholas said.

  “And,” Jonathan added. “We have been here for long enough, I think. Amber would love the area; it’s quite beautiful I hear.”

  “You, you want to move with us? But, your home, your life here. Amber works.” Could they really want to move with me?

  Jonathan smiled shaking his head indulgently, “Dear one, did you really think Nicholas would let you move away like that? Rather, that he would let you go without him? Not again.”

  “Actually, I hadn’t thought about it that way. The others only just decided where we were going. Declán just received his scholarship letter. I mean, I couldn't leave Nicholas either; it just didn’t occur to me that this would uproot you and Amber too. I do apologize for that. But, are you sure you want to move?”

  “You two cannot be separated anymore than you could let Declán go without you. And you are picking a great area for one such as ourselves to move – cloudy, cool, forests everywhere – what more could we ask?” He was so giving; Nicholas truly lucked out with such a great sire and father.

  “Agreed.

  “Now, I have a couple of questions for you two.”

  “Yes,” Nicholas said tilting his head slightly.

  “I thought you said binding Declán to me should stop others of our kind from doing things like what she did to him. Why did neither of us feel he was in danger? What am I missing? More to the point, will he really be alright? I – I . . .” I continued, my voice trailing off, not sure of what to say or how.

  “I’m not sure why we didn’t feel the danger. Perhaps she had some form of ability to hide, or maybe he wasn’t truly in danger from her, though I doubt that. Why she would risk it with him, I’m at a total loss to explain, love,” Nicholas answered. “As to his health, he’ll be fine. He will be weak for a little bit, maybe a touch anaemic but she didn’t take enough to do him any real damage.”

  “There is a possible concern she should know about, if you haven't told her already.” Jonathan looked pointedly at Nicholas before he continued. “He swooned when he was fed upon. He may now crave that sensation. Not all humans react that way, but his body was excited and his mind clouded, you may have issues with him after this.”

  “That’s not going to be her biggest concern Jonathan. If he now craves the bite . . . if she gives in, she will crave his blood even more than she does now. She’s never – by her memory – tasted human blood,” Nicholas countered. He was clutching me closer to him than before, his expression torn.

  “I don’t understand, Nicholas. You said that we can control how much we take if we choose to bite, and why would he want to be bitten?”

  “That is true, usually. My concern right now is that you are obviously not fully in control of yourself. There is also the issue that you haven’t tasted human blood, it is very different from animal blood. I worry about the first time you taste it, if you would be able not to get caught up like a fledgling with their first kill.” Nicholas shifted me away enough that he could look directly at me. “I wasn't worried as much before, but I didn't realize how little self-restraint you had when overwhelmed. Please, I do not mean that as an insult, but as I said before, I do not want anything to happen to Declán either, especially not at your own hand.”

  “I will not bite him! Of course, his scent is always a temptation, but even a taste would be wrong. I know that.” They both cowered slightly in response to my words, or rather, to how I said them. Working to soothe my voice, I restated, “Sorry. I won’t bite him, I promise. There’s nothing he could do to cause me that kind of fear and pain. You should try to have a bit more faith in my control. But, that didn’t answer my question of why he’d want to be bitten.”

  “No, it didn’t. I’m not sure how to explain it to you, Anya,” Jonathan began, looking uncomfortable. “Some humans enjoy the sensation of being bitten and fed upon. Think of it this way before you argue – and I know you two are going to be put out for the comparison – but you enjoy being bitten and fed on.�
� Jonathan was not meeting either Nicholas’s or my eyes as he explained.

  “That’s different!” Nicholas snapped before I could respond. He truly seemed upset that Jonathan had brought up our intimacy.

  Holding up his hands in defence, Jonathan spoke softly but with conviction, “Yes and no, Nicholas. She needs to understand that for some humans it’s very erotic. We aren’t the only ones that feel pleasure while feeding. And, as Anya has never feed on a human, she wouldn’t know that draw, on top of the taste and power rush. I just want to make sure she understood the danger.”

  Nicholas and Jonathan stayed with me the rest of the night. Star came in eventually – some time near dawn. Jonathan excused himself then and went to speak with her. I could hear them discussing what had happened and how worried they both were over my actions. How would I ever make this right with any of them?

  I waited until around nine in the morning before I broke up the ‘let’s watch Anya’ fest. “Nicholas, please, I need to check on Declán. I know Geoff and Peony have been keeping him safe, but that’s only physical protection and that doesn’t help with the concerns I have about his health, both physical and mental.”

  Nicholas released me, but the worry was clear on his face. “Anya, I know you’re worried but are you sure you want to go out right now? You’re still shaking.”

  “I need to. I cannot expect you to understand completely, but this is my fault. I need to check on him. And, I can’t just stay here, hold up in my room. I’m supposed to be some lethal vampire, yet what am I doing? I’m hiding in my room with you while my mom and your da lurk downstairs, worrying. This is ridiculous!”

  I fluidly got to my feet, went and grabbed a simple pair of jeans and a t–shirt, and changed.

  “Um, Anya, I’m still here.” Nicholas said with a weird, nervous chuckle.

  “Close your eyes if it bothers you, I need to go.” I was probably more annoyed sounding than I meant to be but, oh well.

  He followed silently, only stopping when he reached the front door. Getting into my car, I could still feel his eyes on me.

  “Anya?” Declán asked as I entered his room. He looked even paler than normal. He really did look ill, ashen with a light sheen of sweat.

  Shutting the door quietly, I answered, “Yes, a ghrá. I needed to see you. To make sure of how you were doing. I am so very sorry about last night.”

  With the lightest of thuds, Geoffrey was suddenly perched in the window. “He slept fitfully, but his only physical problems are nerves and mild anaemia. It took forever for him to fully snap out of the swoon though. Is he always so affected by us?”

  A slight smile crept onto my face. “Yes, you should’ve seen how he reacted trying to touch Nicholas or me before the blood-kiss. We were the only two he had ever met so I’m not sure if he is extra susceptible to all or just us. And, thank you for staying with him.

  “Declán, love, how are you?” I asked, sitting carefully on the edge of his bed.

  “Mmm, better now that you’re here. I don’t really understand all of what happened last night. I do get that I’m being guarded though,” he said glancing quickly at Geoff and then back to me.

  “Ha–ha. I think that’s my cue to exit, stage left – or window in this case.” Geoff flipped backwards out the window landing in a nearby tree.

  “He serves you well, Anya. He’s only left, that I was awake enough to notice, when the parentals checked on me. But, what happened to the woman? Are you okay?” I could hear the stress and worry building in his voice. He was trying to sit up but seemed a little dizzy.

  Gently touching his face, I replied, “She will never bother you again, I promise. She was dealt with, don’t stress yourself. I believe I’ll be all right, as well. Nicholas and Jonathan stayed with me right until I came to see you.” My touch seemed to have the unusual effect of clearing his eyes of the residual disorder in his thoughts. Huh?

  “Why? Were you in danger too?”

  “No, they were worried for a different reason than why you had Geoff and Peony here. We discussed my memory flash and the move this summer.”

  He looked puzzled as he replied. “Memory? The move? I don’t understand and I’m getting really tired of saying that.”

  “Relax, Declán; some things happened after Geoff took you home that were kind of important to me. I had a memory flash last night, which is the best explanation I have. It was the first time I’ve remembered anything from before.” I didn’t really want get into the details with him; he didn't need to have nightmares of my reality. “More important for you is that Jonathan has decided that they will be moving this summer, as well. Somewhere nearby, probably Dryden. Unless,” I was suddenly worried, “you don't still want us to move with you. I would understand if you wanted out of my dangerous, insane influence.” Would he finally see how dangerous my world was and have the sense to want to live only within the human realm? “My reality is not a safe place for humans, not even ones that keep fit and are trained in combat as you are.”

  “Oh no you don’t,” he said with a gentle but firm voice. “No sending me off for my own good, if that’s what you’re thinking. You don’t always affect me like that; Geoff and Peony didn’t. I’ll just have to learn how to be more alert and careful, that’s all. I’m a little surprised that Nicholas’s parents want to move though. I mean, I figured Nicholas was part of the us already, but his parents?”

  Laughing now, “A ghrá, so little you understand. They’re a family, where one goes the other does. In this case, it was a matter of Jonathan officially informing me that they would be moving, as well. Six is better than three for protection and Nicholas wouldn’t want to let me move so far away anyways.”

  “Ugh, when am I going to stop feeling so weak? And, no, I’m not wanting out, I was just surprised they would uproot their lives to move with us.”

  “I don't know how long you will feel like this. Your mother said they were going to take you to the doctor if you don’t get better soon. There’s no mark, so they won't know why you are anaemic at least. Nicholas healed you early on.”

  “I hate doctors; they always want to bring in needles.”

  “So I’ve heard, but love, I can smell your blood and it’s weak, thin. You need your strength. Oh, thinking of that, I’ve already found a place for you to continue with your kickboxing once we move.”

  There was something odd about the house when I pulled in that evening, having stayed with Declán all day I was out of the loop. Star was waiting outside, looking nervous.

  “Star, what’s wrong?”

  “You have a visitor, Anya; he swears you know him and that you will defend his right to exist. But I don’t know him. Nicholas and Jonathan are with him inside.”

  “Why didn’t you call me, I would have come home earlier.” What is with them yelling at me for not calling, but they don’t call me for things like this? Seriously!

  “His name is Thomas and he only just arrived.” She shrugged.

  “Thomas?” Oh no! “Why would he be back already?” I practically flew into the house, searching.

  Entering the front room, I saw Thomas sitting with Nicholas and Jonathan towering over him, fangs bared. Wow, glad it’s not me that they’re doing that too. “Back off you two,” I said with a slight shiver. “This is Thomas; he won’t hurt me. Will you?”

  “No Anya, I’m not here to hurt you; not that I could even if I wanted to,” Thomas said weakly.

  “Wow, you two must have done a number on him before I got here. Nicholas, Jonathan,” I snapped, motioning for them to back off. “I told you about this visitor. He’s the one that warned me about the House, Educators, and all. Not to mention, you could just check his thoughts for intent.”

  “Sorry. He’s not one of us . . . look at his eyes! And there was some kind of weird feedback when Nicholas tried. What were we supposed to think?” asked Jonathan.

  “I’ll talk with Thomas and then you two will explain to me why you’re still here? They can’t
hurt Star, and I wasn’t here to protect.”

  I then turned my attention back to Thomas. “Back off, guys, really, he won’t hurt me. Thomas, come, walk with me, unless you really like being guarded, of course.”

  He tentatively stood, looking warily at the two that had backed off some but were obviously ready to pounce at the slightest provocation. I motioned him ahead of me, taking him out back.

  “Why are you here again? Not to be rude but you said you were being recalled and that it wasn’t safe for you and Caria to linger.”

  “That was true, but when they chose to send Ashley it was also decided I should be sent back in case anything . . . happened. They wanted you brought into the House, but she can be a bit obsessive, and well, you defied her before.” He had that same awe mixed with fear look Nicholas had had last night. “I was supposed to stay back and not interfere unless there was a need. But, something happened last night. She never returned from watching you at the club. I was just going to snoop here, make sure she hadn’t gotten to you when I overheard them, your two wannabe pit bulls, talking about how you had destroyed Ashley. That is when I decided to come directly to you.”

  “You’re risking both your existence and that of your mate's by doing this, you understand that right?”

  “Yes, I do. Caria knows what I'm doing and agrees it is better to protect you, even being as you are, than to ever let you fall under their control.” He only showed a twinge of disgust, improvement. “But the real question is; how did you destroy her?”

  “You will just report back to them whatever you find out.”

  “That depends on what you tell me as to what I tell them. But, I still need to know what happened.” He waited patiently, looking for all the world as if he would wait forever if need be.

  Sighing, I explained, “I cannot tell you the answer to that.”