I wanted so much more. His body hard on mine, his touch enchanted, he kissed my lips, nibbling on them lightly, tugging gently between his own. I bit back, and he tasted of strawberries.
My hands reached to pull him closer; even a millimeter was too far away. I wanted all of him. He moved from my mouth, kissing my jawline and down to my neck. I leaned into the pleasure and waited for his bite. I wanted it; I wanted the best of him as only he could do it. He had me in his hands, and all I wanted was him, touching me like I so desired. The feel of his clothes rubbing against me charged me further. I didn’t know what I wanted, but the intimacy of the friction told me this was a great place to start. Like hot lava between my hands, I felt his heat through my pants and liked it. I shimmied closer to him, feeling his hardness pressed against me.
His hands roamed down my side, along my ribs, hips, and thighs. He paused as if waiting for permission. I gulped and nodded. The closer he inched toward my core, the more the anticipation built. Even through rough jeans, his touch sent an electric current flowing. His fingers moved in small circles, forging a flame I never knew needed to burn. I panted, and his lips landed back on mine. Under his attention, my body hummed and demanded more. Wanted more.
A rising tide, my body clenched, and I moaned into his mouth and our tongues tangled. He was my drink, my desire, my thirst. I wanted more, so much more, and it was just out of my reach. Close to begging for the release I knew he could bring, his prodding intimate touch seared me. Only he could save me from this ever-rising torment.
Finally, as my body tightened, his fangs bit into my neck, and overwhelmed with pleasure, my muscles tightened, my eyes clenched, and my toes curled. Love mixed with ecstasy as his fangs bit into me. I panted as the desire worked into a taunt frenzy. Every nerve was aflame. My body shook and tremored under his touch, a pent-up release that I hadn’t expected. I exhaled him as he inhaled me. He held me strong in his embrace, and I knew he, too, was mine. Ryder.
I saw stars. He brushed his lips one last time over my own, and the taste of copper, and that akin to whiskey, mixed.
Again, not hearing Faith’s entrance, she coughed. “Time.” My hands lingered, and I reluctantly released him. Something within me growled. His kiss could have saved me from hell.
When he left, the coldness seemed misplaced.
And once again, Faith passed me the cup of elderberry potion. “Drink. One more to go.”
“I thought only three?” I asked. Isi had mentioned only three mates.
“The elders want to make sure that you are indeed accepting those who are meant for you and just not anyone. They have accepted one volunteer.”
I was sure the elders had their reasons for their response. I tried to shake away the remnants of the past three kisses—those moments where each touch was akin to sparks dancing on my skin and allowing me to feel zinged. I’d dreamt of a time when Marcus might have been interested in me enough to move forward with some sort of PDA—public display of affection—but the most I’d gotten was holding hands, maybe his hand around my shoulder. But nothing that compared to what I’d just experienced.
This connection formed tonight propelled me into the equivalence of a night storm, and the elderberry brew wasn’t helping with my clarity. Instead, I took the offered washcloth and wiped the traces of Ryder’s caress away.
The sound of the screen door squeaking open, combined with that of the floorboards creaking under number four’s weight, I wondered who this could be. Number one had to be Sebastian; number two was Axel, and number three was Ryder. Although I’d never considered that we’d have anything besides a friendly connection, evidently, we did. My reaction to each of them had been unique, more than what I’d ever known or experienced.
Whoever this was, well, he was up against a whole lot if he wished to convince me that he belonged to this magical and blessed circle.
He didn’t wait like the others, but instead, dove right in, as if he owned me. There was no prelude to the kiss. His lips did not yield, and the awkward kiss had more of teeth hitting than passion, and wet. His kiss wasn’t as heady as what I’d experienced. My stomach curled and jumped. I tried to kiss him back, but it was cold, and not what I thought a mated one’s kiss should be like.
I couldn’t wait for Faith to come back and drag this guy away. It was like the worst kiss ever, and one I never wanted to do again. It could only have been worse if he’d been eating garlic covered onions.
In my head, I counted to ten, hoping that would be enough time to satisfy the kiss requirements. No matter what, I couldn’t escape the yuck of it. His lips were rough, like sandpaper; his touch abrasive instead of tender. It was only to be a kiss, but this was torture. His scent was so familiar, like that of long-gone summer days and motorcycle oil—Marcus?
It dragged on, and finally, I heard the screen door. Before Faith could say anything, I pulled away. Whoever it was, it was not him.
He was not mine.
“Time,” Faith said, and once the screen door slammed closed, she removed my blindfold. “Are you okay?”
I didn’t know how to tell her a bunch of hopes and dreams had been shattered, knowing that Marcus and I just weren’t a fit. The gods had chosen my three, and he wasn’t a part of the trifecta. With that reality, I nodded my head, took the offered washcloth, and wiped away his kisses. I then tossed back the remaining bit of elderberry potion to be rid of his taste.
“So how was it? Have you chosen your three?”
Chapter 9
Cole entered the tiny room making it feel smaller than even I knew possible. Power exuded from him, and like always, I felt safe.
“It’s time”—He paused, pulled out a seat, and flopped down— “I so wanted your mother to prepare you for this. We knew the time was coming. With every full moon, the chance rose higher.”
“Full moon?” I asked and noticed the bright white light shining inside from the moonlit sky.
“Yes, the gods and ancestors have blessed us so that you can enter into the holy service of the slayer, but it is only possible with the full moon, like tonight.”
Everything was still too fresh. I couldn’t keep his gaze and looked away. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
“You can. You are the daughter of the slayer.”
“But they sure don’t seem to like me. Let’s be honest.” I sighed. “The gods are thumbing their noses at me and not giving me a break.”
“You have to, Sunny, and the gods will show you. You are the glue that will bind us all together, and we will be there with you to help and guide you and your mates along the way.”
Death comes from loving too greatly. Death comes from everything.
“You must save Tom, and for that, you need to awaken your mother’s gifts inside of you. And for this, you must complete the final task of the ritual.”
It was up to me to choose: life or death.
“What more am I supposed to do?” I could feel myself beginning to fall apart, and the effects of the drink had started to wear off.
“You’ve been bitten by the wolf, the vampire, and kissed by the fire demon. You will drink one last brew, and then be buried only to rise again. The sands from Croatoa, where the first slayer rose on the New World to protect us, will be placed over your coffin. When your strength is full, you will climb out anew and be blood sealed. And the new slayer.”
“And what if it doesn’t work? What if we’re all wrong, and I’m not to be the slayer? What if this is all a mistake?”
Cole came and gathered me up in his tree-trunk-sized arms and held me tight. My body shook, and tears streamed down my face. “Just as the gods spoke then, they do so now. Baby girl, she will return to us when the gods decree. You will do her proud.”
The screen door opened, and Isi entered. “It is time.”
Cole nodded his head and took my hand to lead me back outside where the elders with Faith, Ryder, Axel, Sebastian, Neo, and Marcus sat. Everyone looked at me expectantly. Cole leaned over to me a
nd whispered into my ear, “Shh, you are to say nothing as to who your chosen are. Instead, remain mum about it. They know just as you do, as I fear not everyone here might be our friend.”
In the center of the circle, rested an open grave and a glass casket.
Cole released me, and panic tap-danced on my spine, and anxiety wrapped around me. On unsteady feet, I ventured forward. A deep drum beat, but I couldn’t tell the difference between it and my own heart.
This was the changing point, where destiny and I might meet, where I would forever give up life before this new stage, where I must perform.
The casket was lined with a white pelt and, etched in the glass, were Norse runes. How did we connect to that world and pantheon?
Isi assisted me into the coffin, and the shaman handed me a cup of steaming brew. The ceremonial cup appeared to be made out of a human skull. An invisible hand of terror stroked me. What had I gotten myself into?
The drums shifted, moved, and were punctuated by an owl’s hooting; the metric stirred in me as they slowly lowered the coffin. I stared at the night sky and the star trails above.
Then the first bits of dirt hit the glass. My mouth went dry, my breathing shallow. Tribal music beat above, and in my head, and pulsed in my veins; the beat lulled me, and the casket rocked.
This was death. This was the lowering of my body into the grave to hopefully rise again.
In the darkness, things changed, and a vision began. Suddenly, I was stripped away from the coffin. The gloom from the grave unfolded to a wheel of color.
Shades that had once appeared muted were vibrant. It overpowered my senses, whereby they were so rich that I could taste the yellows, greens, and blues. The bright fuchsias that rested on the bountiful trees contrasted to that of the evergreen grass. A bright light beckoned me toward a cave’s mouth.
And I walked through a cave to arrive at a rainbow bridge. It shimmered like glass, and light reflected on it—as if it were a prism that had just happened to be placed at the angle to catch the light: red, orange, yellow, blue, green, indigo, and violet were all present, and next to the bridge stood a massive man. His orca brown skin shimmered as if refracting light, highlighted only by the beauty of his ornate golden armor. His head was covered with a carved helmet, leaving his face visible. He held a large sword like one the mightiest of kings might have used centuries ago. “Welcome, brave warrior!”
I paused and took in the site.
“Enter, dear Sunny, as they have been awaiting you.” He waved his hand toward a gray steed, and the large gate opened. An eight-legged horse waited me to mount him. Once on, he neighed; I gripped the leather reins for dear life, and we raced toward the tall, luxuriant, and golden building with a roof made of shields.
“What is this place?” I wondered aloud.
When the horse stopped, a woman with flowing wheat-colored hair and alabaster skin stood at the portico of the building. A slight wind must have been around her as her heavenly blue gown fluttered with the slight breeze. “Good job, Sleipnir,” the woman said and moved down the stairs toward me.
“Welcome to Asgard. The gods will see you now.” The large door opened, and she led me to the eternal circle where faces I knew nothing of watched, leered, and glared at me.
“What is this one doing here?” one of the men asked. His hair was ink black and combed back. His eyes, though, were as green as the forest.
“Loki, we need not be rude to our guest. As she is here to help us right what you have ruined.”
“I have ruined nothing, Freyja, just made the playing field more level. This one here is to be the new slayer?”
“Are you friends or foes?” I asked.
“They can be either,” Loki said. “You see, we do all that is in our own best interest.”
“I do not know who any of you are,” I countered.
Thunder rolled. “Must be the return of the glorious son.”
“Pay him no mind,” Freyja said. “But things are quite complicated. Come with me, and I shall tell you all that you need to know.”
This couldn’t be heaven or hell. This was a place none of my mythologies had prepared me for.
She must have read my thoughts. “Dearest Sunny, time is different around us all, but one thing you must know is, that truth remains the truth across all realms. That being said, you will fight the great adversary, and will need our help.”
“Your help? Where were you to help my mother?”
“We did. We helped her transfer her power to you, and now we must seal that union. We must speak it into existence in you so that you may rise and be filled with the power of creation and destruction.”
“I don’t understand.”
I followed her, and she led me to a balcony that overlooked the city proper. “You see all of this? It has stood here for ages, but it, too, almost crumbled when Baldr, my beloved son, was lost to me and taken to the realm of the dead. But before he died, his wife became the first dragon, but not the only one. Other dragons were created through magic. These two families now fight for dominion.”
“Dragons?”
“Vampires are created from the blood of the dragon, but only those who are of the blood of Baldr can enter the safety of the pantheon. You now carry that blood, of vampire, dragon, fire demon, human, and wolf.”
“And how does that make me special?”
“You will shift into a hybrid unlike any before you, but even more, we the gods, will endow upon you grace, agility, and ability.” She removed her beautiful and bright necklace. “Until such a time as you have learned what you can do, this will protect you.” She placed it around my neck, and my skin absorbed it. She then handed me a silver stake. “For you to break through that glass ceiling. Now go, dear slayer, your world awaits your help.”
With a snap of her fingers, I awoke in my coffin.
With the silver stake in my hand, I punched through the glass, shattering it. Dirt seeped in, and I continued to punch through. I could hear the beats above calling me out.
The ground shook and rattled and, with dirt under my nails, between my fingers, and my blood mingling all around me, I pulled myself free.
A loud cheer went up, “The slayer is reborn! The slayer is reborn!”
I licked my lips and felt sharp teeth. My nails had grown longer—a weapon in their own right. I tucked the stake into the edge of my pants. It was to be my holy weapon for sure.
“Are you okay?” Axel, Ryder, and Sebastian rushed to my side, each helping to wipe the dirt off of me. My new family. They would be mine, loved by me, and I would love them. Their gazes were filled with concern, much more so than they had been earlier that day. The ceremony had been a success, but that didn’t mean it would be any easier to make this life work.
Either this could be like a freshly dried towel, fluffy and light, or rub me like sandpaper. My choice, my decision on how I was to lead the squad.
“You were down there a long time,” Faith chimed in. “What was it like?”
“Death and meeting the gods. Come, we need to reassess.” My head turned seeing Marcus trying to approach us. His face was peaceful, friendly even, and before I could say anything, Axel and Faith began to growl; Ryder’s canines became prominent, and Sebastian’s hand was on the handle of his gun. Neo walked up to join us.
“What? Why are you guys treating me like that? I’m just trying to help,” Marcus said. He raised his hands and stepped back. My new family circled me, and Axel shifted, chasing Marcus away.
In all my time, I’d never seen Axel just jump into his wolf form.
Secrets would come out, those once hidden, and something told me that much of what had been happening, Marcus had a hand in it. But would my boyfriend, well, now ex-boyfriend, really betray my family and me to the Vampire Authority? I thought he cared about my family, me?
The sound of his motorcycle gunning it, confirmed that Marcus had gotten away.
If he’d betrayed me and helped cause what I’d lost, I’d come a
fter him with everything I had.
I cleared my throat. “Let’s get some sleep. We regroup tomorrow and plan to get Tom back. We’re on a ticking clock before the vamps act.”
The morrow would be full of opportunities, and I tried to shake the gnawing fear that I was out of my league. I might be inadequate, the worst chance this world had to be saved from the rising vampire elite that sought to cull and enslave us all, but I would do everything within my power to fulfill my duty as the Slayer.
With my Sunny Squad, nothing would stand in my way. My eyes watered; tonight, I’d lost my brother, almost my mother, and now I was losing my best friend.
But no matter what, I’d be ready for the task. I was blood sealed and had the best chance to stop the rising blight.
Nothing would stand in our way.
Not even Marcus.
* * *
The End
Thank you for reading Blood Sealed. It is the first installment of a new potential series, with more to come. Until then, want more vampires? Then check out the Order of the Dragon series. When you sign up for Tina Glasneck’s newsletter, you can download the prequel, ZERO HOUR, for free!
About the Author
Tina Glasneck is a USA Today bestselling author of magic and myth. As a theologian by training and lover of Norse mythology, she enjoys infusing her stories with myths, folklore and legends. She looks forward to one day traveling to Asgard to find out what all the fuss is about.
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