Blue Blood (PULSE Vampire Series #4)

by Kailin Gow

  Octavius sighed. “It’s the Hotel Olympus in Selcuk, Turkey. Once a palace for a great and powerful member of the Ottoman dynasty – famous as a refuge for supernatural types in that part of the world. I’ve been there before; I recognized the place immediately. I didn’t understand this woman in the photograph at first – but if you say she’s your mother…”

  “But what about the orphanage?” Kalina insisted. It was the one part of her life that she had to hold on to – the one truth that she knew for certain, in this web of deception that had been woven around her life. She had been chosen by her parents, adopted from a Nepalese orphanage; they had loved her – they had chosen her. It had taken away the pain of the loss of her birth mother, thinking that her parents had picked her out, chosen to love her, to take care of her. And now Octavius was asking her to believe something else entirely?

  “I’m afraid,” Octavius said quietly, “my dear girl, I don’t think there ever was a Nepalese orphanage.”

  “But Justin said!” Kalina couldn’t stop herself. “He’s been there!”

  “It’s funny,” said Octavius, “how children learn. It’s not uncommon for a child to hear a story his parents tell – a story that involves him – and then begin to remember it the way he was told to remember it. It’s quite possible that Justin believes that he’s been to such a place without having ever left the United States. He has invented his own memories to explain the discrepancy between what he knows and what he was told.”

  “I don’t understand…” Kalina felt her voice faltering. It was all too much; it couldn’t be a lie – not this, too!

  “Kalina, my girl,” whispered Octavius. He took her hand and again Kalina could not breathe. “My darling, it seems you’re an interesting case – a paradox.”

  “A paradox?” Kalina could feel her heart beating so quickly she almost tasted her pulse in her throat. “Octavius, what are you talking about?” Her voice rose. “What am I?”

  “You were conceived, I would imagine, by that woman Max – the Carrier in the photograph. Who your father is – I can’t say; I wouldn’t presume to know…”

  “A vampire-turned-human?” Kalina furrowed her brow. “I mean, Carriers are supposed to fall in love with vampires, right? It’s how we’re programmed.”

  Octavius held up a finger, silencing her. “I don’t know,” he said at last. “Ordinarily, I would say yes – he would have to be. Vampires can’t bear children, and humans cannot earn the love of a Carrier – at least, that is the general legend. But this hotel, the Hotel Olympus…Kalina, back in the 1980’s, it was a refuge for a certain kind of supernatural. An order called the Bringers of Life who were reputed to use it as a kind of safehouse to hold their meetings. An order devoted to the teachings of that very Chinese doctor whose experiments brought Life’s Blood into being. An order staffed by doctors specializing in blood – like your parents – who would be able to perform experiments, to watch Carriers, to help generate a breed of human beings with vampire blood, strong enough to fight vampires – to save mankind…”

  “Like an experiment?” Kalina cried. She thought back to her parents, her real parents, the ones who had raised her – had taken her to the beach in summer, had played with her and bought her lollipops at the annual fair. Could she have just been an experiment to them?

  “I doubt that very much,” said Octavius. “Nobody…nobody could know you and fail to love you, Kalina. But your parents may well have been involved in this Order. There were rumors about it, of course, but nothing concrete * certainly, nothing got out that a vampire like me could have gotten hold of, information-wise. And the Hotel Olympus is notoriously well-guarded against vampires…And if your parents were involved in this order, chances are that they were involved in seeking out all the Carriers in the world.”

  “More Carriers?”

  “They chose you to raise,” said Octavius. “Max couldn’t have raised you – a Carrier herself, she was a direct target. Your parents – David and Joan – could have adopted you. They knew Max. They knew what you were. They knew how to protect you. But I believe there are other Carriers out there, Kalina. The Order was rumored to be involved in tracking them down, in encouraging that Carriers reproduce, in the hopes that Life’s Blood would reappear down the line.”

  “Why haven’t I heard this before?” said Kalina. “Where are they? The other Carriers?”

  “They would be younger than you are,” said Octavius. “Or else vampires would have sensed them long ago. But it is only when a Carrier turns sixteen that the blood ripens, that it becomes…what it is. We would not be able to smell it before that; indeed, you would never know a Carrier from a normal child. But in recent weeks, I’ve started sensing something in the air – another Carrier, maybe more, coming into her abilities. Carriers who may not know that they are Carriers, who are in danger…”

  “And my parents wanted to track them down – to help them understand their abilities?”

  “When your parents died, it would seem their work was stalled. But if there are more Carriers out there, Kalina…” Octavius looked down. “It was dangerous. A vampire can smell a Carrier in the air. He becomes obsessed with her blood – inflamed with desire. He must track her down: across cities, states, nations – to find her, to drink her. Each time a Carrier comes to maturity, it is a race to quench that thirst…” She could see Octavius blanch; she could see the memory of his desire for her flicker across her face; she knew that he, too, was remembering the hunger with which he had first pursued her. “But I’m too old for that now, you see,” Octavius added, with a weak smile. He had fallen in love with her – was that it? Kalina looked into his eyes, trying desperately to find an answer in his penetrating stare.

  “This whole time,” Kalina said. She felt numb, as if her insides had turned to ice. “They raised me – and I never knew. They died before I turned sixteen. I would never have known. If Aaron hadn’t found me, I’d be dead! Leonardo or Mal would have gotten to me first.”

  “I am grateful,” said Octavius, “profoundly grateful that it was Aaron who fund you first. And I know his sacrifice was not in vain.” They both fell silent, thinking of Aaron, of Stuart, of all the ones they had loved and lost because of Mal.

  “But the others?” Kalina felt her Life’s Blood prickle at the very mention of them. Were there others out there – like her – teenage girls as confused, as overwhelmed as she was? “How do we find them?”

  “Aaron and Stuart,” said Octavius, “were vintners. They had some of the finest noses of any vampire. They were the best trackers in the world, and they were my men. Now…I don’t know. It would be difficult, if we were to seek out the others.”

  “They’re just kids!” said Kalina. “Children – sixteen…and what if Mal finds out who they are when they’re younger? Before they start showing signs?” She knew what would happen, and the idea filled her with disgust. “We can’t just let Mal and Leonardo get to them first!”

  “Your mother – this Max,” said Octavius. “She could be an asset. She is a powerful fighter – from what you say, from what I’ve seen of her. She is a trained warrior; that much is clear. And with the powers of Life’s Blood – she is perhaps our best bet.”

  “If she’s still alive,” said Kalina with a shudder. Where was Max now? Had she been taken prisoner by Leonardo and Mal – or had she been… Kalina didn’t even want to think about it.

  “A beautiful woman, this Max,” said Octavius. “I can see where you get your power.” He drew her closer, wrapping his arms around her. “Your strength. It is uncommon for a Carrier to train as a fighter, the way this woman did. Far more normal for a Carrier to find a vampire lover, a vampire protector. But not Max. And not you. Two brave women.” He stroked her cheek, his fingers soft and caressing.

  Kalina couldn’t stop herself. He was too close; his scent was too strong. The desire of her blood was overwhelming. Before Octavius could finish, she pulled him towards her, standing on her tiptoes to envelop him i
n a kiss.

  He pulled away, and in the space between them Kalina could feel her heart break. “I’m sorry, Kalina,” Octavius whispered. “But this isn’t the time. Not now.” He straightened his back, and Kalina could see the pain clear upon his face. “You are…a temptation…please – don’t make me choose. Don’t make me hurt you. Not when there is so much at stake.”

  Kalina looked down quickly so that Octavius would not see the tears forming in her eyes. “With Aaron and Stuart gone…es.   she said. “We need to find these Carriers ourselves.” She focused her attention on the photograph. “When Max was around in the hospital – I felt her. I sensed her Life’s Blood. My blood has the power to find other carriers.”

  Octavius gave her a slow smile. “Amazing girl,” he whispered. She couldn’t look at him.

  “My blood could find these others, too – if they’re out there. These children…they’ll be lost, confused, easy target for vampires like Mal. If I know where to look.” She looked up, filled with steely resolve. “I have to find them.”

  Chapter 15

  Kalina spent the rest of the morning staring out Octavius’ window, leaning her arms along the balcony. Octavius had slowly grown haggard, grown exhausted with the combinations of his wounds and the punishing sun, and he had slipped away alone into his bedchamber to sleep away the day. He had not, Kalina reflected, asked her to go with him. She felt a pang when he left her, a pang that turned into a dull but persistent ache as the day went along. She was worried, still, about Max, about Justin and Jaegar. She had tried communicating telepathically with Max, but it was no use. Max was either too busy to listen to the voices in her head, or else… She couldn’t bring herself to call Jaegar or Justin. She’d have to, she knew, but to telephone them would render everything solid, everything real. She would have to tell Jaegar that his brother was dead; she would have to tell him that she was at Octavius’ villa – she would have to imagine the pain in his eyes, contorted with jealousy. She couldn’t do it. Not yet. Better that Jaegar wait, worried though he might be, than that she tell him the truth.

  The villa was as beautiful as ever, but in Octavius’ absence it soon became stultifying. Kalina wandered from room to room, mentally cataloguing the Old Master paintings hanging in gilded frames, the jade Chinese vases, the vast collection of leather-bound volumes in Octavius’ library. She felt like a caged lioness, roaming in circles, trying to distract herself from her fear and loneliness by running her fingers along the spines of Octavius’ books, or watching the sun grow whiter and more fervent with every hour over the treetops of the Villa Borghese parks. She stared down some of the servants, unsure of how to communicate in anything but the most basic Italian, and with muttering obsequiousness they relented and served her a plate of breads and grapes and cheeses. But Kalina found, for all her hunger, that she could barely force the meal down.

  At last sunset came, and then at last Octavius appeared in the doorway. He looked somewhat better for having slept – his hair ws ruffled by sleep, but less tangled than it had been, and his eyes had a stronger shine. He wore a black silk dressing gown that trailed to the floor, opened at the chest where his broad bare chest was exposed; Kalina wanted to rush to him, to trail her fingers across the smooth silk, to bury her face on his smooth muscular chest.

  Even now, he looked weak; he was leaning on the doorway for support. Sleep may have refreshed him, but only blood could revive him. She could see the hunger in his eyes, and her own blood called to him. She wanted him to rush towards her, to sink his teeth into her, to feed from her willing veins. “You’re hungry,” she said. Octavius only looked down, trying to disguise the ravenous desire in his eyes. “You need to feed. You’re hurt – it’s the only thing that will heal you.”

  “I know!” Octavius’ speech was clipped and short. Kalina felt her face blush magenta.

  “I mean – you should drink…” Kalina stammered over the words, her heart fluttering within her chest. “From me!”

  “And become a human?” Octavius snapped. “How would I protect you then? With a human dagger, a human pistol?” He stopped, ashamed. “I don’t mean to frighten you, Kalina. It is only…” He sighed. “You present a very great temptation, and I’ll be struck down if I’m not fighting it with every fiber of myself. I cannot – please, Kalina, do not make this any more difficult for me.”

  Kalina fell silent. Of course she couldn’t give Octavius her blood. Once, she had been afraid to do it – knowing that it might turn a vampire insane with bloodlust, if she didn’t love deeply enough. And yet now she was afraid for a whole different reason. She had no doubt in her mind that if she fed Octavius, he would become human. He was her love – her true desire. And he was also one of the few vampire protectors she had left.

  “I’m sorry,” said Kalina. “I couldn’t…I shouldn’t have…” She knew the rules of Life’s Blood. As long as she remained a virgin, the Life’s Blood would turn her vampire love human. She knew one way to solve her problem – her body ached for it – but she could not bring herself to suggest it. To give into her desire was to give up the possibility of transforming Octavius, of any of the vampires she loved, forever. She would be able to feed Octavius, but she would have to sacrifice her dream of turning him human: one day, when it was safe for both of them; one day, when he finally put down his defenses…when the danger was over.

  “We know the consequences,” said Octavius. He paced across the room, his body slumping on each step. Kalina rushed to him, pressing her palms against his chest, keeping him upright.

  “You can’t leave the house in this condition,” said Kalina. “And you won’t drink my blood. Is there any Vampire Wine in the house?”

  “I – I don’t keep Vampire Wine,” said Octavius, and Kalina felt another flush of desire come over her. No, Octavius didn’t hold back the way Stuart had. “I find donors,” he added. “Willing women.” He looked away. “And sometimes unwilling.”

  Kalina looked down, too. It was so easy to forget, when Octavius was with her, that he had once been one of Rome’s most feared vampires – a legendary warrior. A legendary killer. There wasn’t a vampire in the world – even Stuart, whose guilt had so racked him – that hadn’t killed dozens, if not hundreds, of human beings to stay alive. In the days before Vampire Wine, that had been the only option. And even in the days after…it was all too easy to slip up, to give into desire.

  “I’ll find you a donor,” Kalina said quickly. “There’s no other way. Where do you usually go to…” She shuddered as she spit out the word. “…hunt?”

  Octavius looked ashamed. “You don’t have to do this,” he said. “I don’t want you to see that side of my life.”

  “There’s no other way to cure you,” said Kalina. “And it’s not like I can just get Vampire Wine in stores.”

  At last, after a long silence, Octavius relented. “Very well,” he said. “There is a bar on Via Veneto I used to frequent in the ‘60s, at the Hotel Morilli. The concierge there – the night shift – he knows me. He’s…like me.”

  “A vampire?”

  “A well-connected vampire,” said Octavius. “He sets up all the vampires of Rome with donors. Those vampires – few though we may be – who prefer to prey on those willing to feed us. Perhaps it’s not so surprising, is it? In any city with a sizeable population, a subculture of beautiful women who are willing to exchange their blood for cash, and sometimes pleasure. Discreet donors can make quite an…enjoyable living.” He gave a little laugh.

  “The Via Veneto.” Kalina remembered the last time in Rome; they had been to a bar there, together. Had he taken her to that bar; had they had drinks next to other women, other donors, on whom Octavius had already fed? Did they think that was what she was, too – a beautiful woman who knew how to keep a secret, willing to trade a few pints of blood for a night of luxury?”

  Kalina headed out into the night alone.

  She found the concierge at the Hotel Morillio – just as Octavius had promised. He
was a vampire – easy for her to spot, now, even at a distance. His eyes were full of lust when she told him what she needed.

  “Octavius?” The vampire leered at her. “Sent you to find someone?” He gave a sniff. “When you’re so…tasty?” His English was heavily accented with Italian vowels.

  “I’m under his protection,” Kalina stared him down.

  “Doesn’t mean I can’t look, does it, cara?” The vampire gave her a wink. “Now there,” he pointed at a beautiful, buxom brunette sitting at the bar, dressed in red velvet. “Does that look like the sort of thing your Octavius would like?”

  Kalina swallowed hard.

  When she arrived back at the Villa, Camilla – the donor – was giggling, teetering just slightly on her high heels. “I hear Octavius is very charming,” she said. “I have wanted to work for him for a while!”

  Kalina didn’t’ say anything as she led Camilla into the drawing-room where Octavius sat, stroking his chin. He looked up as they entered and Kalina saw his eyes fill with desire. For Camilla.

  “Signora.” He bowed low and kissed her hand.