This Blood

by Basso, Alisha

  Each and every bite Seth placed on my body was featured in the openings of the leather straps, like little picture frames across my breasts and back. They stood out like big signs that announced “Seth was here.”

  I walked back to the bed. Sitting down hard, I grumbled to myself.

  “You look lovely, dear. I know Mr. McPhee will be immensely pleased.” She patted my cheek again and turned toward the door. Before she left the room, she turned to me. “You will stay until you are escorted to the floor. Then you will be presented to the coven and shall take your place at our new Lord’s side.” She smiled reassuringly, then shut the door on her way out

  I stood again and walked to the mirror. I traced the small punctures on my breasts. They were red against the white of my skin and painful looking. I had more bites than I remembered receiving. Two stood high on the round swell of my left breast, but the bite by my nipple was mercifully spared scrutiny.

  The first bite I received had already faded more than the others on my neck. I turned and looked over my shoulder. I had one bite on my shoulder and two a little lower on my back.

  I sighed. It would be obvious to everyone that Seth and I had been intimate. There were too many bites in strange places not to suggest sex. I wanted to cover them up, but I knew doing such a thing might anger him. I feared he might hurt one of my friends, or according to that blond monster, give me to another vamp just to teach me a lesson. That was something I was not willing to chance.

  TWENTY

  I was pacing, the skinny heels of my shoes sinking into the thick carpeting. I hated waiting. Damn, didn’t it take me long enough to get ready? I would have thought they would be standing at my door, tapping their toes with impatience.

  Then the door opened, I turned to see who would escort me to the party.

  “Oh great, it's you two,” I whined, as Eden and Ael approached me.

  “Miss Allen, how delicious you look. I am so happy to see you up and about.” Ael sure was talkative. I knew it wasn’t Eden, only because he was glaring at me as if I were the devil. His stare was so intense; it made me fidget a little.

  “We came to escort you to the celebration,” Eden finally spoke, his eyes losing some of their venom. His voice was gravelly, much deeper sounding than Ael’s, “You will come without a scene?” He held his hand out. I stepped back.

  “You won’t try anything funny?” I asked, scared out of my wits! I observed his handsome visage; which was identical to his brother’s. Their attire was modern and much different from the last time I saw them. They both wore suits of burgundy silk that matched their hair perfectly, making it difficult to distinguish where the hair ended and the suits began.

  They were incredibly good looking, but still no match for the raw masculinity of Seth, or Lucian, for that matter.

  Thinking about Lucian made me steel my resolve. I stepped close to Eden and placed my hand in his. Plastering a smile on my face, I tried to be the picture of acquiescence. Ael quickly took my other arm and they led me through the door and into the long hall. I was tense, my mind on alert. Damn, of all the people to escort me anywhere, these two had to be the worst choice. Eden was breathing down my neck and Ael had a death grip on my arm that was sure to leave dents.

  “Ease up a bit, guys! I’m not going anywhere.” I stopped walking, only to be dragged into step with them again “We must arrive with you promptly. Any delay will arouse Seth’s anger.” Ael sounded as if that were the worst thing ever. “He is testing us,” Eden sneered. “Behave,” he says, “as if we were dogs!”

  They pulled me along for several more feet until we came to a halt in front of a pair of large doors. They opened to reveal the interior of an elevator. I remained quiet as we stepped in and descended. The doors opened and we entered a small room. It was Eden who broke the silence. ”We must wait to be announced; the crowd is in an uproar. They are all anxious to meet The Madea.” He sneered, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

  My nerves danced wildly, making me shiver, I certainly wasn’t ready to be shoved in front of dozens of vampires and Lord only knew what else!

  “Are you ready, beauty?” Eden leaned in and pressed his lips to my neck. The kiss was so quick; I barely had time to react. I turned my angry eyes to him a moment before a small door opened to our right. We walked through the door and I instantly knew where I was. It was the gaudy room where they had held Ann. My God, how big was this place? This was not what I was expecting. I tried to control my fear, only to end up shaking in my strappy heels at the roar of conversations coming from the other side of the curtains.

  I heard a woman’s voice booming over the din, which sounded very familiar. I had a pretty good idea it was my favorite little pixie. My nerves were willing me to make a run for it. Ael seemed to sense my tension and placed his hand on the small of my back. I heard the crowd cheering and suddenly, he pushed me hard through the curtains. I stumbled out. The light radiating from what seemed to be a hundred fires blinded me.

  A warm hand grasped my arm in a familiar hold. The scent of spice filled my nostrils and I knew Seth was just handed my proverbial leash. My eyes adjusted to the light and I was able to see into the crowd. I was shocked. I expected to see a few dozen people, but the hall was filled with what appeared to be a few hundred.

  A hush fell over the room as I was pulled forward by Seth’s strong grip. I looked around; we were on a large stage. In the center sat a huge throne gilded in gold. Black satin cushions made it look like a throne straight from hell. Several flat, golden pillows were scattered around the bottom of the flashy seat. I tried to take a step back. I would not sit at his feet like a goddamned pomeranian! My eyes scanned the rest of the room. People and other things milled about in huge groups. Some were staring at me, while others were staring at Seth. I let my eyes wander around the rest of the room, only to land on another view from a nightmare.

  In the center of the room was a small round platform. It was about three feet off the ground and maybe five feet wide. A slender, white pillar rose from its center, shooting high into the ceiling, and a large ring hung about three quarters down. Long, white chains were looped through the center and shackled to them were my friends. “Oh God!” I whimpered. They looked like they were waiting to be sacrificed to King Kong or the Kraken!

  I quickly stifled a gasp and tried to jerk my arm out of Seth’s grasp, causing him to snap me to his side.-. a clear warning.

  We moved to the throne while the room continued to murmur. I spotted Chloe; she glared at me for a split second before she turned to the crowd once again. “Behold the slave, Madea.” She motioned towards me as her sneer resonated loudly throughout the room. I felt every eye slide over my skin. Ice water filled my veins and I was startlingly close to hurling all over the overdone chair. That could dampen the evening a little, I think.

  The crowd burst into turbulent applause. The joyous cries of Seth’s loyal coven were surely the sounds of purest hell. Seth hugged me close, and then released me, keeping a hand on my arm. As if I could get away with this many monsters in the room! I’m optimistic, not delusional!

  I turned my gaze to him. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and his hair was pulled tightly back from his face. He had it folded in a way that made it appear much shorter. My gaze traveled to his face. He was startling in his beauty. He dripped sophistication and elegance as much as he threatened danger and death. Then his eyes met mine, startling me. I was shocked to discover that they were silver and shone like mercury. What the hell had happened to him? I tried to pull away. His transformation fueled my fear.

  He jerked me close to his side. “You will behave,” he whispered in an angry hush. “Your friends are not in the safest of situations. It would be wise for you to stop struggling.”

  I glared at him. “Why are they here? They don’t need to be here!”

  “I will decide what is needed and what is not! You will do well to remember that, sweet!”

  “I’m not your sweet, but I will coo
perate, for the sake of my friends, not for you.”

  “I shall take whatever I can get,” he said.

  The metallic glint of his eyes was upsetting. I wondered again at what changed him so drastically. He looked normal when he left me not so long ago. At least I thought he did.

  He turned his attention back to the crowd, and spoke. “This is a sacred night.” His voice thundered through the crowd. “I have welcomed you here, to bask in the glory of our victory!” He raised a fist into the air. “I hold the ring, and now I possess the only living Madea left in this world to wield It!” He stepped closer to the cheering crowd, his left arm raised, whipping the crowd into wild cheers. “We are now invincible,” he continued when the cheers died down. “We will rule the world and all the beings within it. All who have yet to pledge fealty, will find they are now eager to join us!” Cheers rang out. The elegantly dressed audience seemed crazed. It was like a satanic Amway meeting.

  He lowered his arm, regarding me he spoke again; this time, his voice held an edge. “This woman,” he began again, “the sole surviving Madea in the world, has given herself freely to me.”

  I gaped at him. Freely? Like hell!

  “She will be my most valued possession. I hold her life above all others.” His eyes pierced mine; he removed his hand from my arm, only to place it possessively at the nape of my neck. “Now, my loyal children, gaze upon her and rejoice. She is the Madea and she is ours!”

  The crowd went nuts. I wanted to cover my ears and scream. I was shaking. His speech gave me the most clear and direct definition of what I meant to him, to his people and to his grand plan. There was no way he would allow me to escape. I was in way over my head.

  The cheers died down. The show seemed to be moving along as Chloe began to speak again. He pulled my arm, leading me to the gaudy chair. First, he sat, then pulled me down to sit on his knee. I felt like a child, sitting on the lap of a demonic Santa. I wanted to run from the room screaming. I looked down at my hands; they were trembling. I fisted them, afraid to show my fear.

  Chloe stalked across the stage. She was so petite, it was like watching a child. When she spoke, however, her voice was booming. “Bring them,” she ordered. Then someone or something standing at the edge of the stage began to move through the crowd. It was Thorak. Chloe turned on her heel and approached the throne. Her eyes were all for me. That worried me. She seemed pleased, which worried me even more. I shifted on Seth’s lap. Looking out into the large room. I noticed Thorak was leading Lucian and Ann toward the stage. I tried to stand. But I was quickly held in place as Seth wrapped a strong arm around my waist.

  “Remember, sweet, we hold more than your life in our hands.”

  “Let me stand. I have to go to them.” I was struggling to suppress tears.

  “In a moment,” he said, “they will be with us soon.”

  The big ugly creature was almost to the stage with my friends. I noticed Lucian first. He looked okay, extremely pissed, but healthy. Ann was trailing behind. She also looked well, only scared out of her wits. Yeah, welcome to the club.

  They were led to a narrow staircase. Thorak stood to the side and pushed them forward.

  I felt Seth tense as Lucian stood before him. He was so tall. They dressed him in a leather loincloth with large leather cuffs, placed on his wrists. He looked like a pissed-off Tarzan. His nostrils were flaring as he breathed. The golden skin of his chest rose and fell rapidly. His anger was almost a tangible thing. He was glaring at Seth with sheer odium.

  My poor Ann was just as scantly attired. She was dressed in a short white toga that barely covered her stomach. The white panties she wore were woven with threads of gold, and her hair was braided with golden cords and bits of green ivy. She looked like a sacrificial virgin. Her eyes were darting everywhere, occasionally landing on me, only to fly off to some other object in the room. Maybe I was premature in thinking she was well.

  Seth rose, taking me with him. Lucian’s eyes finally found me and grew huge with shock as they fell on each of the bites. His inspection was quick, but thorough. The revulsion in his eyes grew to cold fury as his gaze fell back on Seth.

  I held my emotions in check. This could get real bad, real quick. I didn’t want Seth to have any excuses to kill them.

  I stared at Lucian, my eyes pleading with him to stay calm.

  “Well, how is our great hero?” Seth stepped up to him and began to pace a small circle around Lucian’s chained form. “I see you have yet to be tasted by your keeper. How fortunate for you. Chloe has been known to lose control, but perhaps your dear Grace will fail to please me one day and Chloe will get her chance.” Seth looked at me. I kept my mouth shut. No need to fuel the fire.

  He continued circling.

  “That is the only thing that will earn you a night in Chloe’s oh-so-loving arms. So, you have your lovely friend to thank for your continued good health.” Seth stroked my cheek, a sardonic smile plastered on his face.

  Lucian eyed me again. His anger in full force “Did you force yourself on her?” It was a snarl, his eyes flashed as he turned his head to follow Seth’s pacing.

  “Of course not,” he replied, and had the balls to sound insulted. “As I said, she came to me willingly.” Seth was baiting Lucian, making him even angrier. I had to stop this, or Lucian would snap, allowing Seth the perfect excuse to terminate him. I stepped up, placing myself close to the two men.

  “No Lucian,” I said, sounding calmer than I felt. “I went to Seth willingly. I would do anything to make sure you and Ann remain safe and unharmed.”

  Seth stopped. His eyes narrowing as he looked at me. “Careful, sweet, or my people might believe that is the only reason you came to my bed.” His look held a tacit warning. I bowed my head, despising him with my every breath. “Yes,” I said, “I went to Seth of my own free will. I belong to him wholly and completely.” I wanted to scream the truth - I was manipulated and coerced! But I knew the safety of my friends was more precious than these monsters thinking I was huge slut.

  I faced Seth. His smile was one of genuine pleasure. Looking around the room, he puffed out his chest and pushed me toward Lucian, a show of confidence in his ownership of me.

  I fell into his arms and breathed in his scent. His skin was warm, real warmth that came from a living, red-blooded man, not the borrowed heat of the undead.

  “Holy shit Grace! Look what he’s done to you!” His bound hands came up and grazed my skin. Soft fingers brushed the tooth marks on my shoulder. “You look so different. Pale. God, I’m so terrified for you. I’m sorry for getting myself captured.” He made fists with his large hands, his brow furrowed. “I have only served to help these bastards keep you in line.” He snarled between his tightly clenched teeth.

  He wrapped his arms around me as far as his chains would let him. His mouth smashed the side of my face. “We are being held one floor below, in a single chamber guarded by Thorak. Chloe and Ael come and go, but they never stay.” His voice was muffled and very low, but I heard it.

  The cage Lucian’s arms made were pulled up harshly and I was suddenly jerked out of his embrace.

  “Enough.” Seth said. My close contact with Lucian was his idea, but apparently he wasn’t as confident as he was a moment ago. “Now, Grace, would you care to see your lovely friend?” Seth spoke softly, his voice cool. I took a step toward Ann and she fell into my arms in a sobbing hug. Her hands were free. They still didn’t see her as a threat.

  “Oh God, Gracie, I was so worried.” She buried her face in my neck holding me tight. I felt my eyes flood with tears, and I had to bite the sides of my cheeks to try and stop them before they started. I didn’t know if crying would anger Seth, and I really didn’t want to push his buttons. I was so worried about her; I never knew she could be so vulnerable. She acted so fragile. That alone should have told me something was up. She was always stronger emotionally than anyone I knew. She bounced back from trauma like a superball.

  Her whisper was barely a
udible. “We have a plan; we might be able to get rid of Ael and Chloe, but we need you to take care of Thorak.” Her words came fast and clear, as if she had been practicing, preparing for any window of opportunity when she would see me again.

  I was stunned and very impressed. It seemed my buddies were making plans, not sitting like pathetic victims cowering in a corner. I wanted to scream hurrah or something. Instead, I sniffed and held Ann close.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Seth’s fingers circled my arm again. A feeling I found myself growing accustomed to. His hand was gentler, this time, tender. “Now you may take comfort. I have honored my side. You know your friends are well.”

  Ann and Lucian were, again, being secured to the long white pole. They were there as decorations, I felt so ill.

  We descended the stairs. I was expecting to be swallowed by the crowd, but no one touched me. I assumed I would be pawed and prodded within an inch of my life, but everyone seemed to keep a respectable distance.

  People parted as we walked through the horde. Seth’s presence was powerful and intimidating even to his own kind. The creatures we passed looked normal enough. I would never have guessed they were all vampires. That is, until we reached the other side of the room.

  I jerked and stopped short. Bile rose to the back of my throat and my vision began to swim with unshed tears. I turned away, pressing my face into the soft fabric of Seth’s shirt. I felt his hand on my neck. “Does this offend you, my delicate one?” His soft voice suggested concern, “Then I shall take you to a place where such things are not visible. But you must understand, this is a gathering for my coven. A coven of vampires, Grace, not the PTA.”

  He led me away, but nothing would ever remove the horrible image seared into my eyes. Several men and woman lay on their backs strapped to long tables. Their naked bodies were strewn with flower petals and long IV tubes stuck out of their bodies from every major artery. Vampires were milling about, filling crystal stemware with the hapless victim’s blood. My God! It was like some macabre, undead kegger!