The coven sisters stared at her until Paula broke the silence.
“I’m glad we did this, because you need to know that you can’t use Rachel for any sacrifice. It won’t work!”
Her eyes met Paula’s in puzzled enquiry. It was the first she had heard about this. Paula shook her head, a tiny frown between her eyes.
“Why do you all think this is such a bad thing?” Gretchen responded. “Once we have raised the more powerful sisters, they can raise Rachel back to life. And let me be clear - she’s going to die even if you have to go with her, so which is it, Paula? You let her be sacrificed for all of us and give her a chance to come to life? Or you die with her, and I tell the ancestors to leave you dead?”
“Are you deaf? She can’t be used. That big black cloud following her, it’s her bloodsucker, he’s in her blood and she’s in his. Blood-mates.” Paula yelled the last words.
The other sisters in the coven moved to encircle them, and Rachel and Paula turned until they were back to back.
“I shouldn’t have come,” Rachel said, her shoulders drooping. “You are not here to listen, but to perform your sacrifice, even if I die for nothing.”
Her stomach dropped knowing they were outnumbered, but it would not stop her from trying to live, and to keep her aunt alive as well.
“Now that we have cleared up why we are here, are you going to go willingly? Or do we have to force you?”
Calling on strength from deep down, Rachel decided to reply with action, rather than words. Though her heart was beating fast and her palms were sweaty, she lifted her hands, yelling a spell to send Gretchen flying. Her triumph was short-lived; the other sisters started chanting, crippling her hands and silencing her mouth, leaving her with no means to defend herself. Her aunt started a weather working, summoning heavy clouds and a fierce wind and calling up a storm. A sudden, violent gust of wind blew the sisters off-balance, breaking the circle and causing their hold on Rachel to fail. She looked down at her hands, relieved beyond measure that she could use them again.
“We have to go, Paula, we can’t stay! They are going to kill us.”
The look on her aunt’s face made her uneasy. She didn’t want to hear anything bad. She just wanted them to return to their bodies.
“Rach, listen. When I caused the storm, it erased our circle in the field. It’s not all gone, some of it is left, but we can’t go home.”
Her eyes were brimming with disappointment, and though Rachel wanted to say it would be okay, she couldn’t, because it was not okay. The sickening feeling of defeat overwhelmed her and she fell down crying, knowing there was no way Markus could come for her.
“I’m done playing with you two,” Gretchen spat out, giving the nod for Rachel and Paula to be walked back to the original area.
Defeated, knowing there was nowhere to go, Rachel and Paula submitted to the magical cuffs the sisters placed on their arms. These cuffs prevented them from doing any magic.
With each step she took, Rachel could feel her heart hurting for Markus. They had just started their life together, and it was going to be over because of a sacrifice, a sacrifice she didn’t want to have any part of. Now it was too late, and her blood-mate would watch her die.
When she finally pulled herself away from her thoughts, she was being tied to a tree with her aunt. Two of the witches had surrounded them with a ring of fire, blocking them from escaping. Fire was part of the ritual, but it would not be used to kill them; when the time came, Gretchen would cause the fire to subside and then cut their throats.
“Rachel, baby, I’m so sorry… you think Max knows what’s happening?” Paula wonders.
“I’m not sure. All I know is I’m never going to experience what’s it like to love without being on the run for my life.” Tears began to roll down Rachel’s face.
Gretchen and the other sisters began chanting as they started lighting dozens of small candles. A pathway was lit so Gretchen could walk forwards and finish the ritual, but as soon as she started walking towards them, the sky darkened, and leaves started falling from the trees.
“He couldn’t have…” Gretchen looked into the sky and back out into the woods.
Rachel also looked up at the sky, wondering what could be happening. She heard a loud roaring sound approaching. The ground shook. She had no clue what was happening.
“Get ready for battle,” Gretchen yelled.
Even though it should’ve been impossible, Markus was running toward them. Some of the sisters were backed away, clearly reluctant to engage with a vampire.
“MARKUS, NO!” Rachel yelled at him. Though she was happy to see him, she didn’t want him to die as well.
As Markus reached them, the witches standing in front of them began a chant to disable him, but he didn’t stop moving forward. A few of the Sunart witches started to run away, but Gretchen remained.
“You thought you could kill my mate, now you will die.” His voice was rough, full of rage.
“You can’t walk through fire,” said Gretchen, “so she’s going to die anyway, and my ancestors will rise.”
He easily lifted Gretchen off the ground with a single hand around her neck. She started to raise her hand, but before she could form a spell gesture, he snapped a cuff on her wrist, the same kind of magic-proof cuff that Rachel and Paula were wearing.
“Markus please don’t kill her,” Paula pleaded. ”She’s an elder. I can make sure the witch community everywhere knows about this. Please.”
He snapped a cuff onto Gretchen’s other wrist, still holding her above the ground, and choked her until she lost consciousness. Only then did he allow her to slump to the ground.
“Markus,” Rachel cried. “You can’t risk getting set on fire.”
“I’m already dead. I have to save you and your aunt.”
To her surprise he leapt into the air, landing right next to her. Effortlessly, he ripped the cuffs off her and Paula, grabbing them both and leaping out of the fire. He ran back to his own circle.
“You came for me,” she cried into his chest.
“I will always come for you, my love. I can’t be without you, ever.”
Paula hugged them both and then pulled back.
“We have to get in this circle and leave, right now.”
Closing their eyes, they held hands and returned to their bodies. When Rachel opened her eyes, not only was Markus waiting for her, but his friend Ida was there as well.
“Rachel, sweetheart,” Paula said as tears rolled down her face. “You’re free now. You don’t have to worry about them coming after you any more, not ever again. It’s over. Maxine and I weren’t completely happy with your blood-mating with the vampire, but it’s saved you in the end. We’ll still be around, because we love you. Plus, I think when the coven finds out Gretchen was willing to sacrifice me as well, she will be locked away forever.”
“Yeah,” Maxine shrugged. “He’s still on my shit list, though.”
Rachel smiled as tears of joy filled her eyes.
“Thank you for protecting me and standing by me. I love you so much. Will you both give me away at my wedding?”
“Wedding? You’re getting married? You really are going all the way, aren’t you? Yes, we will be honored to give you away, won’t we, Maxine?”
“Yeah, I guess,” growled Maxine. “But we’ll have some words to say to him at the ceremony.”
“Okay, let’s go home!”
Chapter Twelve
They were back in the land of the living, so to speak. Markus had never experienced anything like that before, but there was no regret. He had to save his blood-mate, because there would be no life without her.
As he felt himself return, he glanced over his shoulder and saw Ida and Floyd standing above him.
“So was that shit scary? You look a little frightened.” Floyd teased.
“Have I told you how much you annoy me?” he responded, although he was happy to see his friends.
Markus turned his hea
d and saw Rachel lying there, with tears in her eyes.
He rushed over and scooped her off the floor, holding her close. As he held her, his thirst started to subside. He was right; her spirit leaving her body had been what had caused his thirst to return. It had fooled the order of life, and caused him to need her in the land of the living.
“You saved me! They will not be using me as a sacrifice because of you.” He heard every word she was saying, but all he could think about was how she had saved him.
His friends glanced at each other. They seemed as confused as he was about what she was saying.
“Baby, I’ll always save you.”
“I’m no longer purely a witch, because your essence runs through me as well. So I’m no good to them anymore; the sacrifice requires a pure witch, not to mention they are scared shitless of you now. They will not seek me again.”
Markus let out a loud growl. He was not going to have to worry about his mate being in danger again.
If they were not going to use her for their sacrifice, he reasoned, that would stop The Directive as well. They only wanted to make sure no one was secretly trying to acquire more power.
He swung her around, happy and excited about life now that the worst was behind them. Her aunts sat together on the couch, all deadpan. He set down his beloved, kissed her cheek and ran out of the penthouse.
He was getting on the elevator when Floyd jumped on.
“Why did you run out like that, where are you going?”
“You do know I owe you nothing… but I’m going down to the jewelry store and get her a ring.”
He was proud to say the words out loud and let someone know, even though it was only one person.
“You’re marrying her? I thought fucking her and sucking her blood sealed the deal.”
“Floyd, I swear I’m going to knock you out one day.”
“Yeah, yeah, but not today. You’re busy trying to get a ring, so you can marry someone you’re already shackled for life with.”
“You don’t understand because you’ve never felt the way I do. You know, to be honest I hope you never do. I think you would be crazier than me, and gods help us all if Ida ever gets it. She would go on a murdering streak for sure.”
“Well I’m not getting married at all. That’s for the weak. Besides, I like tasting other women. In every way. Hey, have you thought how you’re going to miss that? The variety?”
“Whatever, Floyd. Just keep your stupid shit to yourself. As a matter of fact, don’t even think it. I might still rip you a new one just for thinking that crap about her.”
He glared at his friend and emitted a warning hiss. He didn’t fuck Rachel. He made love to her, he thought. Anything else would be disrespectful.
“She deserves a special day, to get pretty and we say vows and shit.”
Floyd hands came up in a gesture of surrender.
“It’s cool. I don’t know anything about this personally, only what I’ve read, but I think it’s great. I hope one day I find a blood-mate.”
It was the first time he’d heard Floyd even thinking about a blood-mate for himself, but he remembered that his friend Floyd had been the one who had told him he was looking up information.
“The thirst part is fucking hell,” Markus said, grinning. “but finding your blood-mate is worth it. Every time I taste her sweet ambrosia it’s better than the last. It’s just a joy. I hope you do experience it.”
He stepped outside, dialed his favorite jeweler and told him to meet him at the shop. He knew he only had a few hours before the sun came up, but he couldn’t go to sleep without buying her ring. He decided running would be best, with the little time that remained before dawn. He took off toward his jeweler’s shop, with Floyd on his heels.
Markus couldn’t wait to present Rachel with a ring.
The next night he was up and dressed before she could come to greet him. He wanted to get her out of the house and propose properly. He walked out into the living area and found her with her aunts, playing a game of cards. They were drinking wine and laughing.
He was happy to see her so carefree, laughing with her aunts. He knew the blood-bond he had with Rachel had placed a strain on her relationship with them. Nothing would please him more than if they were happy for her.
“Can I interrupt?”
“If you’re coming to join the game to help her, you both are going to lose,” Paula said, a twinkle in her eye.
“I actually would like to take you out tonight, Rachel.” He loved the way she blushed.
“Sure, let me get pretty.”
He stopped her as she passed him.
“You’re already the most beautiful girl in the world to me.”
He waited while she changed into a black dress with a red belt, black heels and red purse. The colors seemed to him to have been expressly chosen to represent him, and their bond. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it, gazing into her eyes, then led her out the door.
Once they were on the road, Rachel turned on the music and rolled the windows down. She hung her hand out of the window, playing with the slipstream. It was the most relaxed he had ever seen her, and he realized just how much stress she had been under, ever since he had known her. When they arrived at The Signature Room, she looked over at him and smiled.
“Have you ever been?” Markus asked her.
“No, I haven’t. But I’ve always wanted to go.”
“You’re going to love it. The owner is a friend of mine.”
He smiled to himself, thinking of the arrangements he had made. They entered the building and got on the elevator, and he pressed the button for the ninety-fifth floor. As the elevator halted he hung back, wanting to observe her surprise and, he hoped, delight at the arrangements he had made.
She turned around and looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “You had them go to all this trouble for me?”
“It’s no trouble at all.”
All the tables had been removed except for one by the window, which had candles lit. There were fresh roses everywhere. To one side of the vast room, a saxophonist played softly.
He took her hand and conducted her to their table. She looked out of the window and smiled. The city was full of lights and at night, from so high, it was sublimely beautiful, all of its imperfections shrouded in the dark. He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “I didn’t ask you right the other day, but now I am.”
Markus stood and got down on one knee beside her. Concealed in his hand was a five carat diamond ring.
“Rachel,” he began. “I know this would not have been your choice, being with a super like me, but I think you are the kindest, smartest, most beautiful woman I have ever known, and I would be delighted if you would consent to be my wife and have my children.”
He didn’t know if he sounded stupid, or where all the words came from, but he spoke from his heart. She had made him happy ever since they were blood-mated, and it was not just because of the blood. When he woke she was the first thought on his mind, and she was the last thought of his day. He wanted a home and children with her, and he had never thought he wanted offspring, but in the time since he had been with Rachel it had become clear to him that he wanted a family.
Her voice was soft when she responded. “You may question why I didn’t love you from the start. I can’t picture anyone being my mate but you. You’ve saved my life so many times, and you even took in my family when you didn’t have to. You’re the man of my dreams, and marrying you will be an honor, because I’m in love with you and I love you, Markus Black!”
He slipped the ring onto her hand, and she wiped away tears as she gazed at the massive stone.
“I would like to show you something, okay? It will only take a minute. We’ll be right back so I can watch you eat.”
She laughed and nodded okay.
He took her hand and led her through a door and up some stairs. He pushed it open, and they were outside looking down on everyone.
&nbs
p; “Do you trust me, baby?”
“Yes, I do.”
He pulled her to his side and took off into the air, flying. She screamed with excitement. He looked around and allowed her to see what he saw while flying. The city in its night-time illumination was very beautiful. Below on the pavement, people moving about looked very small. They flew, swooping down, soaring back up even faster, and the wind of their passage tangled her long hair and whipped a glow of warmth into her cheeks.
“It’s beautiful, Markus, I love it!”
“You are more beautiful, and I love you!”
Together they flew over the city, the sparkling world their oyster, tomorrow their prize.
THE END!
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read Markus. A great way to let others know about this book is to write a review from which site you purchased.
Solease
Other Books By This Author
The Draglen Brothers Series
Draken BK1
Showken BK2
Layern BK3
Gemi BK4
Domlen’s Way BK4.5
Warton BK5
A Draglen’s Wedding BK5.5
Domlen BK6
Beauka BK7-Coming Soon
A Silvia Demetri Story:
Devious
Revenge
Secrets of the Ghosts Trilogy
The Sleeper BK1
AWAKENS BK2
Redemption BK3
A Zodiac Shifter Romance
Passionate Roar
Passionate Yearning
The Reigning Sisters: Desired Revenge
Tempting Destiny (Coming Soon)
These are all her current books, but Solease is always releasing new stories for your pleasure!
A Vampire's Thirst : Markus Page 10