“I know, Gram,” I said as I hugged her tight. She was afraid Mom would never come back.
“Why don’t you go see her? She’s in the altar room.”
The altar room was Gram’s little space in the house reserved for casting. The walls were lined with magickal supplies and in the center of the room, inside a very decorative hand painted circle adorned with powerful magick symbols stood a hand carved round altar. It was older than I could fathom. Even as a child I could feel the age and power radiating from it. She had told me the altar had been passed down through the generations, a lot of generations. The altar room was our family’s sacred space.
I walked quietly into the room not sure what I expected, and found my mother perusing the shelves along the wall, picking up jars, reading labels, placing jars back on the shelf.
“Mom?” I asked quietly, afraid she wouldn’t respond.
She turned to look at me. Her eyes were filled with life, understanding and…her. She was actually in there.
“Anwyn, I’m so glad you came.” She walked over to me and pulled me into a tight embrace. A warm embrace. A mother’s embrace.
I choked up. It had been so long since my mother held me.
“Anwyn dear, are you all right?” she asked and pulled away, holding me at arm’s length to look at me. “Why honey, you’re crying, whatever for, sweetie?”
Why? Why? Maybe, because my mother hadn’t been this lucid in over fifteen years. “It’s just been awhile, Mom,” I managed to choke out.
She pulled me back into an embrace. “I know sweetie, I know. But I’m here now. And I have something for you.” She pulled away, smiled, walked over to the altar, and picked up a necklace. “You’re father gave me this necklace a very long time ago. I’ve added protective shields and wards to help keep you safe. I know you’ve followed in your father’s footsteps with the law enforcement, and I want you to be protected. I want you to have a part of both your father and I with you at all times. Will you please wear this?” I took the necklace in my hands, the silver cool to my touch.
How could I refuse her? For the first time since I was a little girl she worked her magick and was offering me a gift. Something my father had given her. The necklace was beautiful, an antique silver heart shaped locket pendant hanging from a long silver chain. The locket was inlaid with roses and vines that formed Celtic symbols. The chain was long enough it would nestle between my breasts and not be in the way while I worked.
“Of course I’ll wear it, Mom.” I tried to keep the emotion minimal but it was hard. I’m so not a crier, but this was all too much. I opened it to find photos of my parents when they were young—in their late teens or early twenties I would guess. Probably from when they had started dating. “Mom, it’s so beautiful.”
“And it’s long overdue to be yours. I should have given it to you years ago.”
“Thank you, Mom. Thank you so much. You have no idea…”
“Ssh, of course I do,” she said taking the locket from me and placing it over my head. Then she once again wrapped me in her warm embrace.
I didn’t want to leave, but I had to get to work. And I had to find Galen. I prayed my mother would stay lucid and still be like this when I came back.
“Mom…”
“I know dear, you have to go to work.”
“I do.”
“I’ll be here when you come back.”
I wanted to ask if she really would be here when I came back, but I was afraid I’d jinx it. I gave her another hug and left out the front door. I couldn’t talk to Gram right then, my emotions ran too high and I was feeling much too fragile. If Gram and I…I think we’d both melt down, and I just couldn’t do it right then. I needed to focus.
Scrubbed the tears from my eyes and blew my nose, and then pointed my car in the direction of the station.
On my way to work, I decided to make another detour.
It had been two days since the Vampire Ball and still there was no sign of Galen. I was so desperate to find him, rescue him from Devlin and possibly from Roark, I decided to stop at Galen’s apartment to see if I could find any clues or pick up any information on where he might be. If I had something personal of his I could possibly put a tracking spell on it, or maybe have Mel put a tracking spell on it, since I wasn’t exactly good with the spells. Maybe I could scry for him. Maybe not. I usually didn’t have any luck scrying, which was one of the first things a young witch was taught how to do.
I should have asked Mel to go with me, but I had a feeling she’d say it was just a dead end. Honestly, I wanted to be close to Galen’s things so I could feel close to him. I wished he could be there so I could tell him about my mom. Plus, I just wanted to soak in his essence and inhale his aroma.
As soon as I walked into the apartment, Galen grabbed me in a bear hug. A ferocious bear hug. He looked terrible. His eyes were bright green and filled with fear and need, his clothes were dirty and ragged, and his face was smeared with dirt and dried blood.
“What the hell?” I screeched, then wrapped my arms around him. “I’ve been so worried about you. What happened? Where have you been? Galen, are you hurt?” I tried pulling away so I could get a better look at him. “You look like hell!”
“You smell so appetizing!” His nostrils flared, his movements were wild, his eyes, oh his eyes were like green fire. What was going on? I kept getting flickers and images of blood and fire…and Devlin and those awful demons. I never received any images from Galen before. He must have been too weak to block.
“I don’t understand,” I stammered as his eyes held me captive. My fear was growing. I had never seen him like this before. What did that bastard Devlin do to him?
“You are bleeding; it is your time of the month. You smell of the most intimate blood—when I have not fed in days!” The words hissed from him. A feral sound so unlike the calm and cultured Galen I knew.
Oh, I was so stupid. How could I overlook something like this? I had started my period last night. I then remembered something I’d learned about staying away from animals during that time of the month. I guess right now Galen was more animal than…well he wasn’t human to begin with.
Damn, I shouldn’t have come searching for him while I was literally dripping blood. He had obviously not been feeding. Galen had been abstaining from blood before this craziness. I didn’t know what had happened since he’d been gone...and now…I came waltzing in, a walking buffet.
My fear spiked, yet my desire surfaced, he could smell it, and I know it drove him wild. He moved so fast I didn’t realize what was going on. His lips touched my neck and his hands ripped at my clothes, the room spun. I couldn’t fight him. I didn’t want to fight him. I wasn't thinking clearly and I didn't care.
I wanted it, I wanted him. I needed him inside me. Any and all of him. I didn't care if it was wrong. His grip tightened and suddenly his teeth slid right into me. I groaned, the rush was amazing, my knees gave out. He caught me in a tighter embrace, holding me in his arms while he drank fiercely from my throat, a sexual high only better. My breath was fast as I clung to him, wanting him, wanting more, not wanting him to stop drinking from me. What if he didn't stop, what if he lost control? No, I couldn't think of that, he wouldn't, I trusted him. This was my sweet Galen.
But it wasn’t my sweet Galen. It was a starving vampire who had lost control.
The room kept spinning. I grew very hot, very weak. I couldn't move. It felt like I was far away, underwater somewhere. Extremely drunk. I was lost in his embrace, flowing into him. It hurt. I could feel him pulling my blood from me now, like he’d been drinking forever. Shouldn't he stop, had it been too long?
“Galen? Galen! Stop!” I tried to yell, but it came out a hoarse sob. It was really hurting now. The pain ran down my neck in burning trails. “Oh, Goddess help me, Galen please stop!” This time he heard me. I think. His hands ran up my neck then he suddenly reared up pulling his fangs from my throat. His body propelled across the room where he cowered ag
ainst the wall, my blood on his lips, his eyes wild with fear.
Then his eyes cleared. Fear quickly replaced with horror. He crept over to me. “Oh Anwyn, what have I done?” He cried. Then he very carefully and so gently picked me up off the floor and lay me on the sofa.
“Anwyn, Oh God, I am so sorry. I lost control. I drank too much.” His eyes were no longer filled with green fire and he didn’t look so wild. All the craziness replaced with shame. “I have to get you water, orange juice, something to replenish you. Maybe I should call a doctor. Hold on, please hold on. I'll be right back.”
The anguish in his voice was unbearable. He looked so lost, so afraid. I think I saw a tear slide down his cheek. His movements were so quick, so hurried he turned into a blur. My mind went fuzzy. He took too much. I should have denied him. Not that I really had a choice. This is so not how I imagined our first time, the first bite.
I tried to sit up. I was dizzy, nauseous; warm blood dripped down my neck. The room spun, colors swirled, I was going to pass out. “Galen!” I screamed before everything went dark.
I woke up; Galen hovered over me, paler than I thought possible. I’d never seen him so frightened. I felt much better so I tried to sit up.
“No, you must not!” he put his hands gently on my chest and stopped me.
“Quit freaking out, I’m all right.”
“I almost killed you.”
“No, you didn’t. I’m just not used to the blood loss. I should have told you the one time I tried to donate blood, I got nauseous and passed out.” I felt sheepish, remembering donating blood made me pass out, yet I had been dating a vampire. Stupid, girl. This was all my fault.
“I drank too much, unable to stop, I did not want to stop,” his voice was low, harsh, labored. He stank of fear and shame. “You have no idea how lucky you are to be wearing silver today.”
Silver? My fuzzy brain questioned, then I remembered my mom and the necklace, but what did that have to do with anything. Oh, right Galen has silver issues. Wow, Mom’s magick really did protect me today.
“Galen, it’s not your fault; I’ve been goading you and tempting you for weeks. Flaunting my body in front of you, having sex with you all while you’ve been denying yourself the blood you need. Then you’ve been missing for days… oh Galen, the ritual…the demons… Devlin…what did he do to you? I had this feeling you would be here or I could find you by coming here, so I came, never thinking you might be starving…and I am bleeding. I’m so sorry Galen; I walked in like a buffet on legs. It was just too much. It’s my fault.”
“Shh. No, it is not your fault. I never should have drank from you.” He reached for me, then stopped. I didn’t know if it was Mom’s locket or the wound on my neck that kept him at bay. “I have to seal your wound but I do not want to give in to the temptation to finish drinking you.”
“You won’t Galen, I trust you. Just trust yourself.”
He quickly leaned over and licked the blood off my neck making sure not to touch the silver of the chain around my neck. He tongued the wound quickly, just enough to seal and heal the bite.
Then he pulled away like I was poison and fled from the apartment.
Still too weak to move, I lay there until I fell asleep or passed out again. I’m not sure which.
When I woke up later, it was dark. When I stood up I wasn’t dizzy or nauseous so I moved slowly and made it to my car. I barely remembered the drive home.
The next morning I woke up to light streaming in my bedroom window. I was in my own bed still in my clothes. It felt like I had a serious hangover.
Chapter 35
Good thing I didn’t keep regular hours at work or I’d have a lot of explaining to do about not showing up. I couldn’t tell Malone about Galen, he would surely seek Galen out and stake him. So, I called Mike and apologized for not showing up the day before and used the attempted rape by demon as an excuse for needing some time alone. I felt bad about it because I knew he felt bad about the whole situation, but it was all I could think of at the time.
I stood on my porch and took a deep breath of the cool autumn air as it gently whooshed around me. Not too strong, just enough it made the leaves dance around me. The sun shone bright and dazzling in a perfect blue sky, not a cloud in sight. A breeze kept moving around me, gently lifting my hair and caressing my skin like an invisible lover.
It made me think of Galen. I gently touched the place on my neck where Galen had bit me. It healed but still hurt, not as bad as the emotional ache inside me. Galen was avoiding me. I couldn’t blame him. He didn’t want or need to be tempted by the scent of my blood again. I still couldn’t believe I had been so stupid. I think my subconscious pushed me to get him to bite me. I wanted it. I wanted to be ravaged by a vampire, no—not just any vampire, by my vampire...
Still, the experience was not how I had imagined our first time, his first bite.
I sighed and took another deep breath. I breathed in the rich October air. Nothing compared. The scent took me away from worrying about Galen and made me think of apple cider and donuts, hayrides and Halloween. The autumn air was as thick as syrup; I could almost taste apples, dying leaves and crisp air mingling on my tongue.
My favorite time of year, cool but not cold, it was a time of celebration, harvest time, festivities and to make merry before the long cold winter. The ancient part of me understood. Somewhere deep inside I remembered bonfires, the taste of mead and ale, and Samhain celebrations. I ached for it as I ached for my childhood memories of Halloween parties, hayrides and trick or treating. Maybe it was a past life reaching its ghostly fingers into my mind or a part of my ancestral collective conscious. Whatever, it was as real to me as my childhood memories.
Bittersweet and nostalgic feelings flooded me as I walked down the stairs and into my garden alive with the flaming rich colors of fall—red, gold, and orange leaves, the brilliant burgundies, deep purples and burnt oranges of mums, and the yellow and brown of late blooming sunflowers. Bright orange pumpkins peeked out from under green leaves and vines.
I sat down on a wooden bench and enjoyed the spectacular beauty surrounding me. I mourned the end of summer and hated the short days and long nights coming. I hated winter, hated how long it seemed to last. Already, I longed for spring and planned new gardens in my head. Gardening was one of my talents. Whether it was one of my supernatural abilities being in tune with nature or being blessed with a green thumb, didn’t know. But, it was my escape, my relaxation to work the land and watch beautiful things grow and bloom around me, a place of reflection and tranquility.
I shook myself to get rid of any lingering melancholy feelings about winter coming, the mess hexing Flint, and about Galen and the murders, the situation with my mom…and there was also the complicated thing with Malone. I prayed Malone didn’t hear about what Galen had done to me, he would stake him in less than a heartbeat.
I wanted to enjoy the splendor of my garden before the first frost came and stole it away from me. Or before whatever the hell bound my powers and worked at taking over Flint to destroy it.
Samhain officially started at midnight tomorrow. There weren’t going to be any hayrides and celebrations this year, at least not for me. I needed to be ready. Pretty sure all hell would break loose.
Chapter 36
I was already in my nightgown when a quiet knock rapped at my door. I knew without looking it was Galen. Maybe Mel was successfully unbinding some of those spells on me because it seemed like my powers were finally coming back. Hoped so.
I swung the door open and stepped to the side ushering Galen in, but instead he stood there and looked at me.
“How are you? Are you all right? Are you in pain?” he asked in a rush.
“I’m fine, completely healed.” I wondered what else to say that wouldn’t make him bolt. “Are you ready to talk about what happened?”
He shrugged. “Not really but you deserve to know what is going on.” He sauntered in and sat down on the sofa. I’d never seen him
look so distracted. He put his head in his hands and sighed, then sat up, nervously running his fingers through dark wavy hair.
“What’s the deal with Devlin, why does he want to hurt you?” I asked, trying to get the conversation started.
“Because I killed Roark, my sire, at least I thought I had killed the sadistic bastard.” Anger blazed in his green eyes.
“What do you mean your sire, isn’t he Devlin’s sire too?”
Galen paled, if that was possible, seeing how he already looked pretty damn white. “No, I am,” he said quietly.
I sat down next to him in a state of total confusion. “You are? Why? How?”
He looked up at me, shame all over his face. “Devlin was a lackey, a real Renfield to Roark. He did errands for Roark, brought him rich customers…and victims. Devlin really loved to watch and sometimes decided to join in, but he could not take the real hardcore stuff, not stuff being done to him anyway. He loved to dish out the pain though, he really got off on other people’s pain and pleasure,” Galen’s voice quivered with the memories.
I wanted to touch him and comfort him, but I didn’t dare for fear all his memories and feelings would rush into me.
He wiped a tear from the corner of his eyes and continued, “Roark strung him along promising to turn him for years, but he never did. He decided Devlin was not good enough to have the full dose of his power. So he forced me to do it, to change Devlin. He is the only vampire I have ever sired, and it was an experience I would rather not repeat.” His head fell back into his hands as his shoulders slumped in shame.
I really didn’t know what to say so I asked another question, “Why does he need you now?”
“He needs my blood. I am closer to the master than he is. He has tried for years to bring Roark back but his blood is not strong enough to complete the ritual. He tried to get me to help several times over the years, but I never would. Since asking had not worked, this time he took me against my will. I do not understand how he has amassed enough power to bring Roark here. Roark was inside him. It was Roark’s power of teleportation used to snag me from Sati’s. I cannot even teleport.”
Hex and the Single Witch (Vehicle City Vampires) Page 20