The Blood and Light Series (Six Books Boxed Set)

by Rue Volley

  I grunted as I laughed.

  “Really...? You ask me?” I said.

  Carver shook his head and pointed at the chair. I hated the fact that I was smarter than he was. I really do. I bet no one would notice if I was pushing the chair and he was in it. I looked up at the birds resting high up. I saw clouds passing over.

  I looked up at Carver.

  “Was I alone in here?” I asked him.

  He shook his head and started to push me out.

  “Yep, why did you see a gnome or something?” he asked me.

  I looked at my hands and decided that I didn’t even care that he was making another “crazy” joke. I could get along with him, even though he sucked. I just really wanted to get the opportunity to run into that boy again, whether he was real or in my mind. His mouth, oh my god. I would love to kiss him.

  ***

  Josh pushed himself up and smiled. He had just cheated. He saw Rue. Unfortunately it was in the asylum. He had focused his mind on her and knew that he only had a moment. Just one… quick and painful. She still had his blood in her, so he still could activate his bond. He needed to sever it though; she would be in so much danger if she remembered him at all.

  He stood up and rubbed his hands. He thought if he could just see her, just once, that he could say goodbye. Of course not. If Sophia felt what he had just done, he would probably be killed.

  He looked around him, waiting for the wrath to appear, but nothing. He sighed and looked at his hands. They were trembling. He wanted to touch her so badly he could taste it in his mouth. He turned when a voice called out to him.

  “Joshua Barrington.”

  “Oh… it’s you,” Josh said as he straightened up.

  Mikah steadied herself and flipped her blades in her hand.

  “So funny how things work out,” she said.

  Josh stared her down and stepped to the right.

  Mikah was always a bit psychotic and Josh had made that even worse when he kicked her out of his bed.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked her.

  “It’s your trial, Joshua. Why did you summon me in your mind...? Perhaps you wanted to stab me in the heart again...? Or maybe you needed company,” Mikah said as she stepped back and forth, still flipping her blades in her hands.

  Josh laughed. “No… I don’t wish for either,” he said.

  “Oh, come now, Joshua… we had fun, correct? I won’t say that I particularly liked you, but I did enjoy the time in your bed.”

  Josh grinned at her.

  “Well, we did come up with some creative ways to entertain ourselves.”

  Mikah laughed and flipped her blades into the ground. They hummed as they swayed back and forth. Josh looked at them and then back up at Mikah. She walked towards him slowly as she pulled at her straps on the front of her leather. Josh sighed and flashes of Rue welled up in his mind. Mikah stopped in front of him and smiled.

  “Why do you think of her...? I am right here.”

  She stepped forward and placed her hand on his face. He closed his eyes and tried to push Mikah’s touch from his mind. He had been alone… far too long. After a protector bonds, everything becomes a little harder to control… well, you know. Mikah leaned up and whispered in his ear.

  “Let me help you with your frustration, it must be awful.”

  Josh turned his head and looked at his hand. It trembled and he clinched his fist.

  “I do not want you,” he whispered.

  Mikah stepped back from him and then she lunged at him, knocking him on his back. Josh rolled her over and stared down at her. Mikah leaned up and barely brushed his lips with hers. He sucked his breath in and grabbed his blade. Mikah stared at it in his hand.

  “Cut me, Joshua, please… Drink my blood and give me what you know I want,” she whispered.

  Josh cried out and raised the blade over her.

  “I do not want you!” he yelled. He brought the blade down and it hit the ground.

  He opened his eyes and Mikah was gone from his sight.

  He rolled over and held his hand up to his head.

  “Damn it,” he muttered to himself. He pushed himself up and looked up at the sky.

  “Stop torturing me!” he cried out to the sky that had no response to give him.

  ***

  Johnathan stood there staring at Theodore as he flipped through the black book. Theodore muttered to himself a few times and Johnathan decided to walk to the large tree in the middle of Rue’s library. She had never even really used it yet… God. Johnathan looked up at the tree and ran his hand across it; it felt cold… with no life. He closed his eyes and turned around quickly when Theodore ran past him and to the door.

  “What?” Johnathan said.

  Theodore ignored him.

  He opened the door up and peeked out. Brooke sat behind the desk, reading as usual.

  “Brooke, my dear… would you please come and join us?” Theodore asked her.

  Brooke laid her book down and walked to him. He grinned at her and slipped back in to the large room. Brooke stepped in and looked at Johnathan as he stood by the tree. Johnathan stared at her and then looked at Theodore.

  “What is it Theodore?” he asked him.

  Theodore sat down on the floor and flipped the book open. He tapped his finger on the page and looked at Johnathan. Johnathan walked over to him and looked down. The page looked blank to him. He looked up at Brooke and back down to Theodore.

  “Do you want to share or what?” he asked him.

  “Brooke… please come,” he said as he held his hand out to her.

  Brooke walked to him as she glanced at Johnathan.

  He took her hand and she sat down in front of him. Theodore looked at her and grinned.

  “You must go into memory with Johnathan, my love.”

  Brooke looked up at Johnathan and back to Theodore.

  “I thought that you said I could not really go… because I am human. I mean, we did the meditation thingy, so I could tell you what she remembered already.”

  Theodore smiled. “Well, I would like for you to feed from Johnathan first.”

  Johnathan took a step back and looked at Brooke. Brooke crinkled her eyebrows at him.

  “I don’t have cooties,” she said as she sighed and raised her hand. Theodore laughed.

  “Oh, no… you are a cute girl. I didn’t mean it that way,” Johnathan said as he took a step towards her.

  Brooke crossed her arms on her chest.

  “Oh, okay… sure,” she muttered.

  “No it’s not like that… I just, well… I get excited,” Johnathan said as he looked at Theodore.

  “Oh, My, God,” Brooke said as she stood up and looked at him.

  Theodore stood and held his hand out to her.

  She kept her arms crossed on her chest as she looked at Johnathan.

  “Now… this is true, but I assure you that Johnathan will not do anything that you do not wish to happen.”

  “I don’t want him humping on my leg like a dog,” Brooke said.

  Theodore laughed as he held his hand up to his mouth. Johnathan held his hands out.

  “I am not a creeper for god’s sake...! I just thought I should tell you!”

  “Well, we appreciate your candor,” Theodore said as he continued to smile.

  “I don’t know about this, Theo… I mean, what if we can’t get out?” Brooke asked him.

  Theodore walked to her and placed his hand on her face.

  “Oh, do not worry… I will retrieve you, love,” he said as Brooke’s face relaxed.

  She glanced at Johnathan and raised her finger to him.

  “You better behave,” she said.

  Johnathan shook his head and held up his hands. Theodore pulled his blade and looked at the two of them. Johnathan rubbed his neck and Brooke twisted her heel.

  “Please, sit,” Theodore said as he waved his hand.

  Brooke and Johnathan sat down on the floor of the library, not f
acing each other.

  Theodore sat down and looked at both of them. He sighed.

  “Do you think that we could possibly face each other?” he asked.

  They both turned and Johnathan kept his eyes towards the floor and Brooke looked around, glancing at him every now and then. Theodore grabbed Johnathan’s hand and quickly sliced the blade across his palm. He didn’t even wince, but Brooke’s eyes got wider.

  “Oh crap,” she whispered.

  Theodore held out his hand and she looked at her hand before she placed it in his.

  She turned her head away and started to mutter.

  “Now, you need not be upset,” Theodore said as he unfolded her hand.

  She gave him some resistance.

  “Wait… wait,” Brooke said as she pulled her hand from his.

  “Oh my,” Theodore said.

  Johnathan looked at her and remembered why they were doing this to begin with.

  He decided to try to distract her.

  “Brooke,” Johnathan said, calmly.

  “What?” Brooke said as she peeked at him.

  “I think that you are a very pretty girl. I would love for you to drink from me,” Johnathan said, hoping that it would woo her.

  “Oh come on,” Brooke said sarcastically.

  Theodore looked at Johnathan and waved his hand. Johnathan sighed and scooted towards her. Brooke barely glanced at him, wondering what the hell he was doing. Johnathan scooted up to her and leaned in her ear.

  “I mean it, Brooke. It is like nothing you have ever known before. The feeling that the blood gives you is almost overwhelming.”

  Brooke closed her eyes and let his words linger near her ear. Johnathan raised his hand and touched her face. She closed her eyes and sighed again. Theodore lifted her hand slowly and raised the blade to it. He sliced it across her palm quickly and she “oww’d” really loud. She grabbed her hand and started to cuss.

  Johnathan grabbed her hand and raised it to his mouth. He pressed his hand to her mouth and she struggled for a moment, then she let the blood flow into her mouth and down her throat. She moaned as she closed her eyes and held his hand tightly. Johnathan gripped her hand and closed his eyes. He felt her heartbeat, growing louder in his ears. He started to scoot towards her and she started to scoot closer to him. Theodore grabbed their hands and leaned down.

  “Okay… I think that will do,” he said as they both swayed a little where they sat.

  Brooke reached up and touched her lips as she looked at Johnathan and he gritted his teeth. He leaned towards her and she leaned towards him. Their mouths almost touched when Theodore waved his hand at the two of them and they slid away from each other.

  “Now… I will not say that I don’t understand, but I would suggest that we focus on the mission at hand… unless you would prefer that I dump cold water on the both of you.”

  Johnathan cleared his throat and stood up, shaking out his hands.

  Brooke pushed herself up too and blushed.

  “I… I, don’t even know where that came from,” Brooke said as she looked at the floor

  “I agree,” Johnathan said as he barely glanced at her.

  Truth was his heart was still pounding in his ears and so was hers. He could hear it in his head. He shook his head and walked to Theodore.

  “So, how do we get in?” Johnathan asked as Brooke came up and brushed his arm.

  He closed his eyes and stretched his neck.

  “Could you, ummm… not touch me right now?” he said as he glanced at her sideways.

  “Yea, sorry,” Brooke said as she grinned.

  “Okay then… we will use the mirror designed for Rue here in the library,” Theodore said as he headed towards the back.

  Johnathan and Brooke looked at each other for a moment and then they both shook their heads and followed. Theodore stood there writing symbols all over the mirror. He dropped the chalk and let it roll back to Johnathan. Johnathan picked it up and put it in his pocket. Theodore started to chant loudly and Johnathan reached down and grabbed Brooke’s hand.

  “Thank you,” he said to her.

  Brooke smiled and nodded at him. They watched the mirror roll like water and they ran towards it as Theodore jumped out of the way.

  “Johnathan!” Theodore yelled at him.

  Both he and Brooke disappeared through the mirror.

  Theodore rubbed his hair.

  “I did not take your memory,” Theodore whispered as he watched the mirror settle down and go back to solid form.

  Sam came flashing into the library and looked at the desk. Brooke did not man her post as usual.

  “Theodore?” Sam yelled out.

  Theodore came walking out of Rue’s wing of the library and closed the door behind him.

  He turned and smiled at Sam.

  “Hello,” Theodore said as he started to walk towards her.

  “What did you do?” Sam asked as she placed her hands on her hips.

  “I just sent two willing participants into Rue’s memory,” he said, like he was telling her what they were having for dinner.

  “What the fuck Theodore!” Sam yelled out. It echoed in the library.

  Theodore held his finger up to his mouth and shooshed her.

  “I don’t care!” Sam yelled out.

  Theodore took her arm and walked her to the door with him.

  They stepped outside and Sam pulled her arm from him.

  “What do you think that you are doing, Theodore?”

  “Samantha Barrington, I am doing everything I can to make this horrible situation better… Is not the loss of our brother enough to make you want to make one thing turn out positively...? You act as if you are the only one who has felt the loss.”

  Sam relaxed her arms and looked into Theodore’s eyes.

  She raised her hands to his face and placed them on either side. He closed his eyes and sighed.

  “Oh, Theo… I miss them both, I do,” she whispered.

  “I just don’t want to lose anymore.”

  “I will see that the tragedy ends with Joshua, my love.”

  Sam threw her arms around him and he hugged her, for the first time in thousands of years. Sam backed away from him and grinned.

  “Why, Theodore Barrington, you are sentimental.”

  Theodore cleared his throat.

  “I just miss ‘movie night’.”

  “Oh okay.” Sam leaned up and grinned at him, “Your secret is safe with me.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  Sam laughed and grabbed his hand.

  They ran down the steps and to the car that sat running, door open… on the sidewalk.

  Chapter 3

  Vegetarians

  Sara tapped on the front door and then kept rubbing her hands as she backed away. She traced her fingers over the scar that ran the length of her right arm. Theodore had healed her body after Caine attacked her, but no one could heal her heart. Theodore had offered to strip her memory, but Sara refused. She wanted to know what part she had played in the mess that existed now. The door started to open and Sara took one more step back, almost to the edge of the porch. Jonah stood there and leaned in the doorway, looking Sara up and down.

  “Well, if it isn’t the human,” Jonah said as he grinned.

  Sara swallowed and tried to look past him, into the house.

  “Is Theodore or Sam here by any chance?” Sara asked as she continued to rub her arm.

  “No. It would seem that it is only Lily and myself,” he said.

  Sara grinned, but it wasn’t really the grin that she always had before. Jonah smiled and then tapped his hand on his leg. He felt something for her, some weirdness that he was not used to experiencing. Maybe pity? Oh, how bizarre.

  He sighed and waved her in. She hesitated. Jonah tilted his head.

  “You will be excited to know that Lily and I are practicing vegetarianism.”

  Sara stepped towards him.

  “You what?” she asked.<
br />
  Jonah smiled and rubbed his neck.

  “I will not say that I do not get any urges to fall back.”

  Sara cleared her throat.

  “Well, that’s just great… but I came to check on, you know.”

  “Oh, yes… that,” Jonah said as he moved to the side and Sara walked in to the living room.

  She looked at Lily, who gave her a finger wave. Sara looked back at Jonah.

  “So… what is the deal?” she asked him.

  Jonah bit at his lip and walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and grabbed Sara a drink. He walked back to her and tried to hand it to her. Sara looked at it and shook her head.

  “I don’t drink any alcohol at all,” she said as she looked down.

  “Oh, you must not torture yourself by taking simple pleasures away from yourself.”

  “Alcohol is not a pleasure,” Sara said as she glanced at Lily.

  Lily tilted her head at Jonah and Jonah waved her out of the room. Maybe with Lily’s absence Sara’s heart rate would decrease and Jonah could stop thinking about how sweet she would taste to the pallet. Old habits were hard to break.

  Lily stood up and looked at Jonah.

  “Sweetness, go into the forest and terrorize some animals,” Jonah said.

  Lily’s eyes lit up. She had been drinking Theodore’s concoction for almost three weeks and the thought of blood put her in the best mood. She grinned and he nodded to her. She ran to the door and Jonah held up his hand.

  “Lily be mindful,” he said.

  She stopped and looked back at him. She smiled and darted out the door.

  “Well, I hope that doesn’t count against us. I just knew that she wouldn’t leave unless she had a hope of tasting blood… be it a forest creature, how disgusting.”

  Sara cleared her throat and Jonah waved his hand towards the couch. She looked at it and then made the decision to sit down. She sat there rubbing her hands, feeling completely out of place in a home that she felt she had caused so much sorrow. Jonah walked up to her and decided to take the chair across from her. Perhaps Sara would feel less threatened by him, if he didn’t get so close to her.

  He leaned back and crossed his legs, placing his hand on his chin. He waited for her to speak. Sara looked up and had tears in her eyes and Jonah leaned forward as he had another strange feeling wave over him. He interlaced his fingers and put them on his knees.