The Blood Will Run

by E. A. Abel

  Alivia stayed silent.

  “You wanted me to tell you the truth and well that’s the truth.” Chace reached for her hand.

  Alivia pushed it away.

  Chace pulled the car over onto the side of the road and turned it off.

  Alivia got out of the car and started walking toward the Cafe.

  Suddenly, Chace was in front of her blocking her path. He grabbed her by the shoulders.

  “I love you, please don’t shut me out.”

  “I can’t talk to you right now Chace.” Alivia tried to break away from his grip.

  “You are the one that wanted me to tell you the truth. Why? I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.” Chaces’ voice was harsh.

  “Let me go Chace. I don’t want to be around you right now!” Alivia shouted.

  “No, you don’t get to act like this. You wanted the truth.”

  “I wasn’t expecting to hear that you slept with my friends Chace.”

  “I can’t change what I did.” Chace was angry.

  “I don’t care!” she screamed. “I just want you to leave me alone.”

  “Fine, I’ll leave you alone for now. But don’t you think for one minute that I will leave you alone forever.”

  Chace let her go. Alivia continued to walk down the road.

  “At least let me drive you home!” Chace yelled after her.

  But, Alivia ignored him and started running. She was sobbing uncontrollably.

  She couldn’t go home and talk to Jules because her and Jules had had a fight. She couldn’t talk to Erica because Erica had sex with Chace. She felt so alone. She changed her direction and cut through the woods.

  Minutes later, she walked down the street to the Witchittin shop. When she pulled open the door and Mercy looked up, she rushed to where Alivia fell to the floor covering her hands over her face.

  “What’s wrong Alivia?” Mercy asked.

  Alivia couldn’t speak. Mercy held her as she cried.

  When she finally calmed down and stopped crying. She explained everything to Mercy.

  “It seems to me like you’ve had a terrible couple of days. Come to the back and lie down for a bit. We’ll talk about all of this later.”

  Alivia nodded and let Mercy lead her to the back of the store.

  Once she rested her head down on the pillow of the bed, she realized her head was throbbing. Minutes later, she drifted off into a deep restless sleep.

  ☼

  Chace walked back to the car and drove down the road with his lights off. He must have driven for at least five minutes, but Alivia was nowhere in sight. Chace pulled the car over and sped back to where he had left her. Still, there was no sign of her.

  He messed up this time, he thought.

  She will never forgive him.

  Chace stopped in front of her mothers’ grave, but she wasn’t there either. He pulled out his cell phone.

  Have u seen Alivia? He texted Devin.

  No. Devin wrote back.

  We had a huge disagreement and then she disappeared

  She’s not here Devin wrote.

  Do u know where she might have gone? Chace wrote back.

  Did u check the cemetery?

  I’m here and she’s not

  What was this disagreement about? Devin wrote.

  I told her that I slept with Erica

  Seriously Chace? u could have just kept your mouth shut for once

  She wanted the truth and I told her

  Do u want Erica to try and call her?

  No, she’s pissed at her

  Do u want me to call her?

  Sure, It’s worth a shot

  Chace waited for his brother to text him back.

  Nope, it seems her cell is off Devin wrote.

  Chace wrote back. Thanks for trying I’m going to track her down text you when I find her

  Chace sped off through the woods toward the Cafe. His cell went off in his pocket. He pulled it out and answered it.

  “Hi Chace, it’s Mercy.”

  “I can’t talk to you right now. I’m looking for Alivia.”

  “Alivia is here at the shop. She’s asleep in the back.”

  “Okay, I’m on my way.” Chace pressed the off button and slid the phone into his back pocket, before he sped across the woods, to the Witchittin shop.

  “Where is she?” Chace asked once he had stepped inside the shop.

  “She’s in the back room.” Mercy said and frowned.

  Chace sped to the back room. He shook his head when he saw her tear stained face. He had caused her so much pain. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her, but she hated him right now and he couldn’t handle anymore rejection. It pulled at his heart when she pushed him away. He pulled the rocking chair in the corner of the room and placed it right beside the bed. He stared at her while she slept. She was so perfect. He couldn’t believe he had hurt her yet once again. This time she wasn’t going to forgive him. His heart began to ache.

  Hours later, she began to toss and turn.

  No, no, no, Chace don’t do it. Alivia cried out in her sleep. Chace I love you, don’t leave me.

  Alivia began to sob hysterically. No, please come back.

  Chace got up off the rocking chair, went to the side of the bed, and shook her gently.

  “Alivia, my beautiful angel, wake up it’s only a dream,” he said softly.

  Alivia opened her eyes. Once she saw him, she leaped into his arms and cried.

  “It’s okay my love it was only a dream. I’m here and I’ll never leave you. I promise.” He held onto her tightly. He couldn’t hold back his tears. They escaped down his cheeks. “I love you,” He whispered and rocked her in his arms.

  Alivia lifted her eyes to meet his. “You’re crying.”

  Chace nodded. “I was so afraid that you would never forgive me. I thought I had lost you.”

  Alivia raised her hand to his cheeks and wiped away his tears. “I love you Chace De Luca. I will always love you for eternity. You’ve captured my soul and my heart belongs to you.”

  Chace buried his face in her hair. “When I found you, I found the greatest gift from heaven. If I don’t have you, I have nothing. I never want to feel that pain of losing you ever again. It was as if a part of me had died. I know it now. I know that everything I’ve done, every road that I traveled, every girl that I was ever with was because all of those things were leading me to you.”

  Alivia kissed his ear. “Nothing or no one will ever come between us,” she said and then brushed her lips lightly to his cheek. She brought her lips slowly to his and kissed him with all the passion she had felt for him right at that moment.

  Chace responded with the same eagerness.

  “I want you,” she said.

  “I want you too,” Chace replied.

  “Make love to me,” she whispered.

  Chace slid his hand under her shirt and cupped her breast.

  Alivia moaned.

  “I love you,” she whispered and wrapped her legs around him and began to rub against him seductively.

  Chace suddenly pushed her off him. “No,” he said harshly, “I’m not going to make love to you. Not like this. I can’t.”

  “But I thought that’s what you wanted?” Alivia asked, looking down at him puzzled.

  “I want to make love to you more than anything I have ever wanted before. But I want to wait until we’re married.”

  Alivia shook her head. “I’m ready now. I want to feel your body against mine and share with you just how much I really love you.”

  Chace stood and wrapped his arms around her. “I have dreamt about our first night together as husband and wife. It was the most amazing dream that I have ever had. I refuse to give that up. You’re not in your right mind right now. You’re hurt and vulnerable. There is no way I’m taking advantage of you in this state. Besides, just imagine how special our wedding night will be if you want me as much as I want you.”

  Alivia smiled. “Yo
u’re right De Luca. You’ve changed. I see that now.”

  Chace pressed his lips to hers. He knew waiting to be with her was the best decision he had ever made. Sex meant nothing to him anymore. All he needed was Alivias’ love.

  Chaces’ phone went off in his pocket.

  He slid it out and answered it.

  “Did you find Alivia?” Devin asked.

  “Yes. She’s here with me at Mercys’ shop,” Chace answered and kissed her nose.

  “Good, Erica and I were so worried,” said Devin.

  “Everything is just perfect,” Chace said.

  “Okay then, talk to you later,” Devin said and hung up.

  Chace slid the cell back into his pocket. “Let’s go talk to Demeetrie and find out if Jules has any abilities, okay?”

  Alivia nodded and let Chace lead her by the hand to the front of the shop.

  ☼

  Devin hung up with Chace and walked back to the bench where Erica was sitting.

  “Chace found her,” he told Erica.

  “Well that’s good news. What happened that made her run from Chace? Was it that whole thing that happened with Bex?” Erica asked.

  “No, Chace spilled the beans about what happened at Ticklers between you and him.”

  Erica looked upset. “Oh boy, Alivia is never going to forgive me.”

  “She has already forgiven Chace. Don’t worry, she’ll come around and forgive you too.”

  Devin glanced at the woods just as something moved around inside them. He stood up to take a better look. There was another movement, but this time it came from the left side. Then there was another movement coming from the right side.

  “What is it?” Erica asked and rose from the bench.

  “I’m not sure. I saw someone over there.” Devin pointed behind the church. “Then again, in two separate spots over there in the woods.”

  “It could be an animal and its babies,” Erica said.

  “Could be,” Devin said, but he was convinced it was humans.

  But, before Devin could investigate, there were about ten guys that jumped out from behind the trees and surrounded them.

  Devin whipped around from one to the other ready to pounce.

  “Well, imagine my surprise,” Miles said in a wicked voice as he walked toward him.

  Devin stared at the patch covering his eye and smiled.

  Miles continued. “When Jimmy here said that you and a girl were sitting at the church. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to come here with my friends and teach you a lesson for what happened at the cabin.”

  “You are a vengeful wolf,” Devin said.

  “Well, vengeful or not Devin, I have been waiting for you and your brother to be alone for quite some time now and frankly I’m tired of waiting.” Miles growled.

  “I’ll rip every single one of your heads off,” Devin warned glaring at Miles angrily.

  Miles grinned. “I thought you would say something along those lines. I don’t plan on losing another eye. So this time,

  I came prepared.”

  Miles pulled out a palm sized, skull shaped, selenite crystal, from the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He held it up to the full moon. The skull drifted up out of his hand and began to draw light from the moon.

  Devin fell to his knees.

  “What the hell are you doing to him Miles?” Erica screamed and bent down to check on Devin.

  One of the guys reached out and grabbed her around the waist. He held her back as she tried to fight him off.

  Miles took a few steps closer to Devin, while two other guys picked Devin up off the ground and held him up to face Miles.

  “While you and your brother were busy hanging out with all these girls, I did some investigating.” Miles smirked. “To my surprise, I came across the very weapon that weakens you sunvamps.”

  Miles grabbed the skull and held it in the palm of his hand in front of Devins’ face.

  “You see, this skull is made from pure selenite crystal. It draws its power from the moon. But that’s not all it does. It happens to be spelled by a powerful witch to trap its host in a conscious slumber.”

  “Get away from him, you monster!” Erica screamed.

  “Seriously Jack, can you shut that girl up?” Miles said, staring at the guy holding her angrily.

  Jack turned her toward him and slapped Erica across the face.

  “Screw you!” She screamed.

  “Screw you,” Jack said and punched her with a closed fist hard in the face. Erica fell back and landed on the ground. Devin figured she must have passed out because after that, she didn’t say another word.

  “I’m going to kill you,” Devin said with a determined stare. He struggled to break free, but he couldn’t. He was too weak.

  Miles grinned. “The best part about all of this is that I get to watch you sleep for a lifetime where no one would ever dream of looking for you.” Miles laughed. “The end of the world is a fitting resting place for you to rot away.”

  Miles pushed the skull to Devins’ chest. Devin watched in complete horror as the skull sunk deep inside of him. Seconds later, the two guys let go of him and he fell to the ground.

  “Pick him up and put him in the truck,” Miles ordered.

  Devin tried to move, but his muscles wouldn’t cooperate.

  “What do we do with the girl?” One of them asked.

  “She’s no use to us. Leave her here. Someone will eventually find her,” Miles said.

  ☼

  Alivia sat in the Den with Demeetrie while Chace took a shower.

  “I gather Chace has explained what you must do Bella, when Devin is sent to Hellsgrave.” Demeetrie smiled and lit his pipe.

  “I don’t understand how you know that I have the ability to astral travel.” Alivia stared at him as he puffed on his pipe.

  “Centuries ago, I had the privilege of meeting a Whiteglider.

  Actually, I fell in love with the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. Rosella Massena had the gentlest touch. She could make my immortal body surrender to her every touch, to her every kiss. At first, I did not quite understand how she could make me feel as the humans described in many a great novel about passion.”

  Demeetrie paused and puffed on his pipe. “At the time, and this was around the fifteen hundreds, I was good friends with a man by the name of Stephano. Stephano was traveling along the Mediterranean Sea toward the Atlantic with stolen goods onboard. What no one knew was that Stephano was stealing Greek artifacts from a number of the Olympian Gods and selling these artifacts. I happened to be on one of those shipments when Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton had the ship raided. They found all the precious artifacts that were stolen abroad the ship. The men who managed to survive the massacre were exiled to Hellsgrave. I was one of those men. Rosella found my location, after she had searched for me for months. She traveled through the spiritual realm to Hellsgrave and helped me escape. So, you see I know what you are because of what Rosella was.”

  Alivia listened and thought for a moment before she said,

  “Chace can feel it when I touch him?”

  “Oh, yes Bella. And from what I have heard about the boys’ exotic sex craving, your touch must be driving him utterly insane,” Demeetrie said and then laughed.

  Alivia did not smile. She never once asked Chace how he felt when she was kissing him or even being close to him for that matter. But she couldn’t worry about that now. She promised she would talk to him about how he felt after everything was over and done with.

  “I want to know if my sister Jules has any abilities like me and Lawson do?” Alivia asked completely changing the subject.

  “I cannot tell you Bella, whether your sister is gifted or not. I’m sorry,” said Demeetrie resting his pipe in the ashtray.

  “Do you know anything about my ancestors and how I became a Whiteglider?”

  “All I know is that Rosella had said that Whitegliders were created before the creation of Adam and
Eve. She said, at that time, a war was raging through the realms. One of the fallen angels sought revenge on the almighty God for power over the spirits. Sometime, after Adam and Eve descended onto what we today call Earth, the almighty God made a hasty decision to inhabit several of Adam and Eves’ offspring with the Whitegliders’ spirits. The almighty one had planned to use the Whitegliders to aid him in the collection of souls to maintain his power. The reason behind the soul collection was because in order for the fallen angel to rise to power, he needed to collect as many souls as possible.” Demeetrie paused, filled his pipe with more tobacco, and then continued, “When the fallen angel had discovered the almighty ones’ plan, he began to inhabit the bodies of humans and sought to destroy the Whitegliders once and for all. He managed to turn several Whitegliders into devil spawns and bring them to his fiery pit of hell. But quite a few of the Whitegliders had managed to resist the fallen angels’ trickery, with the help of the almighty one of course. The Whitegliders were then cloaked to hide their identities and hidden in many different villages scattered all over the world.”

  Chace entered the room and sat down beside her on the long leather sofa.

  “I wish I could speak to my mother and ask her about her family history,” Alivia said.

  “If it helps, maybe we can check the family archives down at town hall,” Chace suggested.

  Alivia frowned. “I’m not sure that will help. I think what I want to know more than anything, is why my mother hid this from me.”

  “I am terribly sorry for springing all this on you Bella, but an explanation was necessary. Devin is my offspring and the very thought of him being held captive in the torture realm for eternity does not settle well with me.”

  “I completely understand Demeetrie. I’ll do whatever is necessary to bring Devin back. You have my word,” Alivia said.

  Demeetrie rose and kissed Alivia on the cheek. “You have found a good mate Chace. She is the angel I thought she would be.” Demeetrie stared at Chace. “Please son, do not let her go so easily.”

  “I don’t plan on it,” Chace said.

  “Well if the two of you will excuse me. It seems we have run out of time. Mercy will arrive at the church shortly and I must go protect her.”

  “Thank you, Demeetrie,” Alivia said.