Blood Ties (The Edge of Forever Book 2)

by D. C. Gambel

  Obviously! Anton went into a psychotic rage and because of the damage he inflicted of Grayson when he kidnapped him, I was forced to convert him, but something must have gone wrong, I wanted to blurt out. Instead, I simple answered, “No, they weren’t.”

  Damien slowly smiled at me, almost like he was reading my unspoken words. “Nothing went wrong, Gabriella. It is because you are from me that he is able to walk in the sun or have your immunities. It is not a bad thing.” I looked over at Jade nervously. I wasn’t used to discussing this with people I didn’t know. I knew I needed my father’s help, but who’s to say Jade wouldn’t take this information and spread it or come after us. She was propped up on the couch looking like a queen waiting for a servant to pop a grape in her mouth while another fanned her. Damien followed my gaze. “Do not worry about Jade. If anything she can help.”

  Help? How could another vampire help?

  “What are the problems you are having with his transition?”

  I was beginning to think this was getting us nowhere. All this time spent tracking him down and he didn’t even know what the issues were, yet he said he’d seen it before. “His thirst, his lack of ability to tolerate human blood and I worry that with his increased thirst, that his immunities are fading.” I looked hesitantly to Grayson who was watching me with uncertainty on his face. “He has to feed from me more frequently and take more each time.” We had never acknowledged this to each other, but he didn’t seem alarmed that I knew.

  “Well,” Damien sighed as he crossed the room back to his desk and taking the seat behind it. “The thirst for his sire’s blood is not surprising. I’m sure you know the laws and know why this is prohibited for a reason. What did you expect when you turned a witch or in his case a warlock?”

  I stood there stunned to silence. Damien’s words didn’t make sense. Grayson wasn’t a warlock. He had no alters or spell books. He wore no medallions. He had always presented himself a 100% human. I lived with him for months now. If he were a warlock, I was sure I would have noticed it.

  I turned hesitantly to stare at Grayson, realizing he hadn’t uttered a single protest to Damien’s allegations. “Grayson?” He didn’t turn towards me. His eyes stayed focused on the ground. “It’s not true,” I declared to Damien. He put his head down, waiting for me to come to my own realization.

  “Can it be fixed?” Grayson questioned ignoring me pursuit for his contradiction of Damien’s claim.

  “Yes,” Damien stated. “You just need a witch to cast a spell. It just so happens I have one in my pocket,” he smiled with a signaling glance at Jade, who stood and exited the room quickly.

  I remembered when I told Grayson that I was a vampire and how well he’d taken it, too well, I thought. I had never really assessed it since his acceptance had been exactly what I had wanted, but now with this new information, it made me wonder.

  “You wanted this!” I spat with accusation at Grayson. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. His brow knitted, appearing wounded by my words. “When I first told you I was a vampire, you weren’t shocked. You accepted it entirely too easily. I didn’t care at the time because it was what I had wanted, but now I see it was because as a warlock you were already aware of my existence.”

  “Gaby, I’m not a warlock.”

  “Then why are we waiting for a witch to fix you?”

  “You misunderstand.”

  “Then explain it.”

  “My great grandmother was, on my mom’s side. We always just thought she was a little off with all her supernatural babble.”

  “Grayson, as you sire, I command you to tell me the truth.”

  “That doesn’t work on him.” Damien chimed in reminding us of his presence. “Because of his witch lineage there was never a sire bond.”

  If I hadn’t been so upset at that moment, I would have rejoiced in the knowledge that Grayson had been honest about his choice to become a vampire, but instead it fueled my anger.

  “When you found out that I was a vampire you didn’t freak.”

  “I didn’t because I grew up being told vampires and other creatures that go bump in the night exist. I was entirely sure if it was true until that moment.”

  “And you had hoped I’d turn you?”

  “No,” he stated blatantly. “Gaby, it was never my desire to become a vampire. It was my desire to be with you for as long as possible. The thought to become a vampire had never even crossed my mind until after we had been together for a while.”

  “How can I believe you, Grayson?”

  “How can you not? I have never lied to you, Gabriella.” I was about to open my mouth to protest, but he silenced me as he continued. “This, me being a warlock, was not a lie. The only thing that my great grandmother passed on was her lack of ignorance. I never thought my ancestral lineage was an issue. Would you think that your great grandmother would be relevant to our relationship? Cause I sure as hell didn’t.”

  Part of me felt wounded, but also thought he was right, about everything. Before I could speak, there was a knock at the door.

  “That would be the witch, but if you two are not done arguing, I can ask her to come back at a more convenient time,” Damien announced. I wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic, since his tone lacked the edge.

  “No, let’s do this.”

  Without waiting for an invitation, the door opened and in walked Jade with a graying older woman that I could only assume was the witch. She halted when her eyes took in Grayson. It wasn’t the same way that countless women before had gaped at him. She seemed to be almost studying him. I saw Grayson shift uneasy under the weight of her stare.

  “You are right, Damien. This one was definitely one of ours, and changed by an original no less.” Her gaze shifted to me. “Your daughter, I presume.”

  “She is. What do you need from me Maria?”

  She smiled showing a missing tooth in the front of her mouth. “I have everything I need, except for the blood of the fallen.” Blood of the fallen? That sounded awfully rare.

  “Will mine do?” Damien asked. My head swung to stare at him. He was a fallen? A fallen angel, I reminded myself.

  “No. It must be one that is untainted.”

  Damien nodded then looked to Jade, who without uttering a word, slipped from the room. The old woman went to Damien’s desk and plugged in a hot plate. She began pouring ingredients into a bowl. A pinch here, a dash there.

  “What are you doing?” I wondered aloud.

  “Making a potion,” she declared without turning from her task.

  “On a hot plate?”

  My question froze her. Eerily slow, she turned to glare at me over her shoulder. “Well, if it would please you, perhaps I could set a fire up here on your father’s desk, if my way isn’t authentic enough for you.”

  “No, that’s…”

  “Or perhaps you don’t think that I know what I’m doing.”

  “No, I just…”

  “No one is questioning your talents, Maria,” Damien butted in, giving me a wide eyed look that suggested he knew she was irrational.

  “Good. Because if they are…” she began as she raised the bowl of the ingredients she had been mixing.

  “Not at all. Please continue.” Damien muttered as he defused the situation.

  She continued her task. After a short while she began speaking. I wasn’t sure if it was to anyone particular or simply to herself. “See the problem is, witches are guardians of nature,” the witch said as she continued over her potion. “Vampire’s are an abomination. So as punishment for breaking the sacred bond, witches that are turned can only survive by feeding on the blood of those who made them and we all know that vampires can’t survive on vampire blood alone.” She poured in some liquid that smelled of rotten eggs. “Getting close,” she spoke to herself. “Now, over the centuries, a witch came to realize, that on rare occasion, it is not always the witches fault for being turned. So she came up with a spell to remove the witch’s essen
ce from them, allowing the true vampire nature to take over.” She peeked a glance over her shoulder and saw the shock and worry on my face. True vampire nature? That sounded terrible. Would that turn Grayson into a blood thirsty, killing machine that only come out at night? “Do not worry day walker. He will be the same as he is now, but will no longer have the need to feed from you unless it is desired between the two of you.” I felt myself relax.

  “And the day walking?” I inquired hopeful that he would keep the ability.

  “A day walker? Really?” That notion seemed to grab her attention away from her potion just briefly before she shrugged. “Not my area. That’d be your father’s.”

  I looked to Damien, pleading with my eyes for an answer, but before he could speak, the door opened and I became momentarily distracted by the same pull I felt before as it slammed into me causing me to inhale sharply. I turned and saw the blonde stranger I had met prior walk in behind Jade. When he entered, like earlier, I felt this connection to him. My skin began to prickle in a way that I wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t goose bumps. It was something deeper. Almost like my blood was tingling. Normally when I met a supernatural, it was a ripple, but with him, it was a damn tidal wave crashing down on my senses. My entire body became alert to his presence. He was powerful and I knew it.

  “One fallen angel. I’d have brought him in on a silver plate, for effect, but he’s too much of a stick in the mud to participate,” Jade poked at him in a sisterly way. I felt a twinge of jealousy that quickly subsided at the realization that they were close, but most likely not lovers. Then I felt uncomfortable at the thought that I cared. Why should I? I didn’t know the man, but for some reason I did care and I didn’t like that I did.

  “Sebastian, Maria needs your blood for a potion to reverse my daughter’s mate’s condition,” Damien emphasized, all the while Sebastian’s eyes rested on me. Remembering that Grayson was here, I didn’t want it to become awkward so I did my best not to stare back at Sebastian, even though the tether inside of me begged me too. I reached for Grayson’s hand and like earlier the tension I felt dissipated. I sighed in relief.

  “Anything to be helpful,” Sebastian stated before walking over to Maria.

  “I need your blood too, day walker.”

  I wanted to groan, but I didn’t. Instead I released Grayson’s hand with a nervous smile and felt the pull reestablish.

  I walked slowly towards Maria, all the while being drawn to Sebastian who stood next to her. I could feel his gaze on me as I approached. I tried to ignore it, but I could feel my blood hum being near him. Maria held out a knife. Without taking his eyes off of me, Sebastian held his hand out to her. She sliced his palm then moved to place it over her concoction, but stopped just before a drop fell in. “Oops, I’m sorry Sebastian, but I’m going to have to do that again. I need it last.” I wanted to be upset with the word oops, but when the scent of his blood hit my nose, my eyes flared to the honey green color and the oops was momentarily forgotten. It was different than anything I had ever smelt. I followed the knife in Maria’s hand around with my eyes like a child who wanted to lick the spoon after their mother made cookies. And I did want to lick it.

  “Your turn.” She washed the knife clean then ran it across my hand spilling my blood into her potion. Only her and Sebastian saw my eyes change and neither of them said anything.

  “Why do you need my blood?” I challenged, trying to distract myself. It became easier when Maria dipped the knife into her potion easing the scent of blood in the air.

  “You want him to keep it down, don’t you?”

  “He has to drink it?” I spoke a bit stunned. It made sense, but the smell of it was so toxic that I couldn’t image having to stomach the vile concoction down.

  “Of course. And it ain’t gonna be pleasant either.”

  “Painful?” I pleaded that it wouldn’t be.

  “Not sure. I’ve never seen it used, but I image ripping the essence out of someone would be excruciating.”

  “And what if we decide not to?”

  “Gaby?” Grayson chimed in. His tone telling me that he didn’t want that as an option, but he had been through enough and I didn’t want him to suffer anymore.

  “That’s your decision,” she spoke to Grayson. “But I must warn you,” she turned to me, “that if you continue allowing him to feed from you without doing what I’m offering, the effects of your blood will diminish until they no longer work.”

  I swallowed hard past the lump that was forming in my throat. “If the effects diminish…”

  “You’re a smart girl. You don’t need me spelling it out for you.”

  I looked to Grayson and he stared back at me. A small knowing smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. We knew that we had no choice.

  “While they finish up here, Gabriella, would you please follow me? I know you have questions you wish to have answered.”

  Remembering that I did and desperately so, I moved towards Grayson even though the tether pulling me towards Sebastian was still tugging at me. It was like walking against the wind. I asked Grayson if he would be alright.

  “Of course, baby,” he replied then placed a soft kiss on my lips. I tensed as he did. For some reason it felt awkward. Never had I reacted like that to his touch, let alone a kiss. I wanted to think it was because he kissed me in front of my father, but I knew I was just lying to myself. Not liking how I felt about it and seeing the confusion on Grayson’s face, I quickly stood on my toes and pulled him to my lips. There it is. The familiar sensation I had always felt. The one that made the rest of the world disappear. I could feel my body starting to react to the kiss and remembering that we were still in a room full of people who had in fact not disappeared, I pulled back and beamed up at the love of my life, who seemed surprised that I had pushed it that far.

  “Don’t let us distract you,” Jade announced. “I don’t mind the show.”

  Later, I mouthed the word because in a room full of supernaturals, I knew I’d never be able to whisper it quietly enough for them not to hear it. Grayson chuckled then nodded. I turned to Damien, who gave me an approving smile. Not in a creepy way. In a way that said he approved of my happiness.

  Once we were outside the room, we began walking the floor. “As I’m sure you are obviously aware, I once made my first vampire too.” I had never really thought about it, but of course Damien had to make at least one vampire for the race to begin. I nodded. “I did not know what to expect. I had been cast down from heaven for some time and had fed from many humans. It became clear to me that if I did not predict my cravings, I would savagely kill without meaning.” I looked at him, slightly shocked that he too experienced the same hunger we all did. “It was the way God wanted it. Angels were never meant to stay on the human plane for long periods of time. The hunger was his way of making sure we didn’t. It was also his way of cursing me.” His stride stopped and he turned to me, stopping me too. “I know it may seem surprising, given that I am the father of a savage race, but I am remorseful for what I have done to mankind. The guilt weighs heavily on me as it was meant to.” I nodded, seeing the pain in his eyes. Damien began walking again and I followed. “As I was saying, my first vampire was never something I planned. I was trying to save a girl’s life the same way I had once been saved; by feeding her my blood. I did not think. Instinct and the need to save her took over. I bit my wrist and fed her from myself. When she died, I thought I failed and nothing more. The next night, however, at dusk I felt this light turn on in my head. It was the sire bond clicking into place, like a beacon directing me to her, but I did not realize it at the time. I tried my best to ignore it, which I regret now, but at the time I did not know what it meant. It was not until sunrise that I found her…” He trailed off. I could tell whatever he was remembering was bad. “I knew then that God had forgotten to remove the task he had assigned me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I am still the angel of death; just instead of killin
g them permanently, I touch them with death and turn them like me, to feast on the blood of humanity.”

  “What happened when you found the girl?”

  He paused almost like he was trying to summon the strength. “She had killed her entire family as they prepared her body for burial. I found her weeping over her little sister, with the sun beating down on them both.” The sun? “That image is something that will be burned into my mind until the end of time. She begged me to help her sister, but it was too late.”

  I felt guilty for making him relive that, but my curiosity hadn’t been satiated. “What came of the girl you turned?”

  Just as Damien opened his mouth, another voice cut through. “Are you telling our story again?” Jade pried, peeking her head out the door.

  “You’re…” I couldn’t even finish, I was too shocked.

  “The first vampire ever turned? You bet your sweet ass I am.” I couldn’t believe it. Almost like she heard me, she elaborated, “I know, right? I look damn good for my age, but you don’t need to keep checking me out. I mean Jesus, your boyfriend is right in there.”

  “Fiancé,” Grayson corrected from inside the room.

  “Mazal tov,” she exclaimed before turning to Damien, “The witch says she’s almost done, if you wanna come back.”

  “Are you even Jewish?” I questioned as she turned to reenter the room.

  “Have you ever seen a ginger jew?” she muttered with a roll of her eyes. “But I’ve got nothing against them. Jesus was a pretty awesome guy,” she spoke as she disappeared, the door swinging shut behind her.

  “She met Jesus?” I queried.

  He chuckled. “She did. She is an easily adaptable soul, which is good considering she is well over two thousand years old.” My eyes widened. “Being adaptable is extremely important to an immortal.”

  “How is she a day walker?” I pleaded for answers before Damien entered the room while the remained shut hoping that since I hadn’t heard anyone while in there that it meant the room was soundproof.