Blood Leverage (Bloodstone Chronicles Book 1)

by J S Hazzard

  The image made me crinkle my nose in distaste, but Ian, lost in his own memories, didn’t notice.

  “Having no knowledge of vampires, Genovefa thought Marcus some kind of god and swore herself to his care. Marcus loved Genovefa until the day she died, not realizing the connection between his conversion and the gemstone he’d found—and believed lost—until it was too late to keep her for eternity.”

  I stared into the fire and frowned. I hadn’t been expecting a happy ending, but this was downright depressing. “Obviously Marcus eventually figured the whole conversion thing out, seeing as he managed to convert you. But why did he convert you?”

  “Well, despite Christianity having displaced Druidism, Marcus continued to live with a hidden tribe of Druids long after Genovefa’s death. His last priestess predicted I would, and I quote, ‘do great damage if allowed to claim my destined place in the world.’”

  My skepticism kicked in. “Did she also say you’d meet a tall, dark stranger?”

  Ian smiled. “When Marcus told me all of this, my reaction was similar. However, over seventeen hundred years, I’ve learned to respect the unexplainable. For whatever reason, from everything I ever saw or heard, Ysabel was the real thing. She described me in great detail—right down to my specific location at a seminary, where I was studying for the priesthood.”

  My face must have shown my astonishment.

  “Really, Aurora, it was a common path for men without titles or land. Catholicism was on the rise, so it wasn’t the worst option. Besides, my studies ended long before I was ordained.”

  I tried to imagine Ian as a priest and failed, my face flaming at the memory of the three of us in the bathtub. “So, ah, your ‘destined place’ in the world was the priesthood?”

  For the first time in the conversation, Ian looked uncomfortable. “That was one possibility.” Then he turned toward the door and called out, “If you’re going to eavesdrop, you may as well come in.”

  He turned back to me. “Nothing Keanu hasn’t heard before.”

  Keanu entered with unabashed cheer, still giddy from his bloodstone and not at all ashamed at having been caught out. “Just in time for my favorite part,” he enthused, taking a seat near me.

  Ignoring him, I asked, “If the priesthood was one possibility, what was the other?”

  “It comes down to my father,” Ian said slowly. “My birth father was supposedly…”

  “Ian’s royalty!” Keanu blurted out gleefully.

  I rolled my eyes at Keanu, but Ian didn’t contradict him.

  “Keanu is exaggerating. Sort of.” Ian pulled the bloodstones out again and I watched with interest as he somehow managed to juggle four of them using the fingertips of a single hand. Then I realized what he’d said.

  “Royalty?” Just when I’d thought things couldn’t get more surreal.

  Keanu edged closer, beaming. “The genuine article.”

  Stunned, I tried to find an appropriate response. “So, um, that means…I mean, that makes, um…”

  “Aurora, please.” Ian set the stones on the lacquered table and took my hand, exasperated. “There’s nothing impressive here. Keanu is being…Keanu.”

  Keanu opened his mouth but Ian was quicker. “And unless Keanu wishes to cease being Keanu, he’ll remain silent.”

  I blinked again and Keanu shut his mouth.

  “According to Marcus, my biological father was supposedly Sigebert the Third, one of the last Merovingian kings. However, by the time of his birth, the Merovingians wielded no real power. Furthermore, he never knew of my conception. I was illegitimate and never acknowledged, let alone included in the line of succession. No doubt the world was littered with bastard born royalty back then. If I hadn’t met Marcus, I’d have gone to my grave oblivious and content to be so.”

  Dodging the illegitimacy issue, I skipped ahead. “And how did you meet Marcus?”

  “I was studying scripture in my room when a man appeared at my window—my third story window—and I rushed over. He caught my eye, told me to invite him in and we walked out of the building together ten minutes later.”

  “But he converted you instead of killing you.”

  Ian shrugged. “The world had moved forward and left Marcus and his tiny band of Pagans behind. My education and familiarity with Christianity made me an ideal companion to help him adapt. Besides, in his eyes, my death wasn’t necessary. By changing me into a vampire, no future was possible with either the priesthood or the Merovingians.”

  Keanu looked at Ian and said pointedly, “That’s not quite the entire story. For crying out loud, just tell her your name.”

  Pleased to finally have a clue, I smiled. “I already know Ian’s birth name. It’s Quintus. Quintus Something Lucianus.” I tilted my head as I spoke the name aloud. “Hey, that’s where Ian comes from, isn’t it? From Lucianus. You shortened it.”

  I couldn’t believe I hadn’t caught it sooner.

  “That wasn’t its first abbreviation though, was it?” Keanu challenged Ian.

  “I said I’d tell her.” Ian picked up the bloodstones and rolled the larger ones between his fingers. “My birth name was Quintus Didius Lucianus. After the Roman Empire faded, I began using the name Lucianus Quintus. Then Lucianus Quint and then Lucian Quint.”

  I looked at them both in confusion. “And this is important…why?”

  “It’s important because after I relocated here, I shortened my name to Luc Quint. Or, as you lot pronounce it here in the States, Luke.

  “And so you see,” he finished somewhat bleakly, “Ysabel was right and Marcus should have killed me. Whatever damage I might have done as a royal bastard or as a priest, it’s doubtful I could have managed the same level of destruction as that which occurred after I met Dr. Warren Neilson.”

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY-THREE

  I took longer than I care to admit to make the connection, especially considering I’d taught a class on mother’s book so recently. (In my defense, my brain was crammed with Romans, French royals and Druids.) It took ten seconds—longer than you’d think under the circumstances—to remember Luke from mother’s Mass Conversions.

  “No.” I looked back and forth between the two vampires. Keanu’s face dripped sympathy and Ian’s was frozen in a blank, unrecognizable mask.

  I didn’t know which was worse.

  “Not you. That can’t have been you.” I kept shaking my head but I already knew they had no reason to lie. Ian, under an earlier version of his birth name, was the immortal whose misplaced trust in humanity had led to the mass conversions.

  I stood and wobbled across the room, shaking my head as if to dislodge what I’d learned. Everything had been flipped upside down one time too many for me to process. I felt sad and bewildered. I felt betrayed. I felt…

  I felt freaking angry.

  With a speed that took everyone by surprise, particularly me, I turned and leapt at Ian, easily vaulting over Keanu. Before I even realized what I’d done, I’d grabbed an embroidered green pillow and walloped Ian—straight across the side of his head.

  Under more rational circumstances, I’d like to think I would have seen the futility of attacking a vampire with a pillow. However, caught up in the moment, it took a half dozen swings to realize Ian was simply letting me smack the shit out of him—which took most of the satisfaction out of it. So I stopped.

  Panting lightly, I stepped back over Keanu and sat while both men stared like I was a bomb about to explode. Hilarious, coming from men who’d blown up their own house.

  I popped back up and they visibly tensed, but all I did was walk to the bathroom. I needed a glass of water in the worst way, and I downed half of it before I spoke.

  “Okay, this is a lot to take in, but it’ll have to wait until morning.” I was proud to sound normal when I felt anything but. “Unless anyone has an objection, and it would have to be a damn good one,” I added sternly, “you two are leaving and I’m going to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”


  Both of them stood slowly as I waited by the bed. “Um, Rory?”

  I glared and Keanu took a step back. “I’m not objecting,” he said immediately. “I wanted to say it already is morning. When would you like us to wake you?”

  I looked at the sun and moon clock—somewhat difficult to read with my blurring vision. He was right. It was nearly six o’clock. “Fine. I’ll sleep until you get the email with the guy’s address and then I’ll go pick up the phone in Niagara Falls.” I crossed my arms over my chest and waited as the men slunk out of the room.

  * * * * *

  I woke slowly to Ian stroking my hair and only had an instant to be grateful I’d left my slip on before remembering everything from the previous twenty-four hours and pulling the comforter over my face.

  With what might have been either an amused chuckle or an exasperated sigh—the bedding did an excellent job of muffling sound—Ian pulled the comforter away. “It’s almost noon,” he said quietly. I struggled to prop myself on my elbow, rubbing my eyes as I looked at Ian.

  Perfect as ever. He wore different clothes and the dampness of his hair indicated a recent shower but he looked nervous, enough for me to joke. “Don’t worry, I won’t attack you—I’m not ready to surrender my pillow.”

  I yawned and reached for my water glass, but the bedside table was gone. Confused, I sat up and saw the room had been emptied. The armchairs were gone, as was the rug they’d sat on. The walls were bare and the jade fireplace I’d once embarrassed myself over had been pried out, leaving a hole in the wall. Only the bed remained unchanged, its draperies having blocked my view of the rest of the room.

  Alarmed, I leapt up and ran to the bathroom. The crimson tile and its copper fountains, the copper tub and the toiletries that had dotted the counter—all gone. The only items left behind were the toilet, the sink, a single towel, a washcloth and soap.

  Also clean clothes, thank goodness. My dress from last night had vanished.

  I jumped as Ian appeared in the mirror behind me.

  He gestured toward the remaining items. “I knew you’d need these when you woke.” As a matter of fact I did, but I needed time alone even more. I lingered in the bathroom, washing in the sink the best I could. When I reentered the bedroom, the bed was gone.

  Wandering from room to room, I realized Ian and Keanu had been very busy while I slept. Almost everything portable had been removed, along with many things I’d never considered portable—cabinets, light fixtures and the like. I wouldn’t say the place was unrecognizable, but it was damn near close.

  I finally found Ian in his living room, empty except for the screens on the wall. All of them showed newly emptied rooms.

  “The security system will be the last thing to go, huh?” I scanned the room sadly. It looked bigger without its furnishings, but mostly it looked lonely.

  “It seemed wise to keep it in place as long as possible, given what happened yesterday. We found a nasty surprise during our clean up. Apparently we weren’t the only ones monitoring our surroundings. Keanu is furious over what he’s calling a betrayal by technology.” He dipped into his pocket and extended his hand.

  Whatever it might have been, it was no longer identifiable. “What’s that?”

  He slipped the bit of squashed plastic back into his trousers. “It’s not much of anything now, but it was a wireless camera. We found it in the rubbish of the front entryway. It explains how Eggplant knew the entry code. All she had to do was watch—”

  “Was that the only camera?” I interrupted. Of everything Eggplant could have seen, door codes were the least of my concerns.

  Ian shrugged. “She had a second camera in the guest living room. We think that’s why she came. She saw you were alone.”

  “Oh thank God!”

  He gave me an odd look and I blushed. “I was worried she’d recorded in the bathroom.”

  “Oh.” It took Ian a moment. “Oh. No. That’s not a problem. Keanu picked up the new phone at sunrise and we’ve already tested everything. Eggplant would’ve been able to view the live feed, but Keanu assures me she wasn’t configured to transmit or record.”

  Excitement flooded out the relief. “You got the phone already? I thought you wanted me to do that.”

  Ian wouldn’t meet my eyes. “The gentleman with the phone emailed this morning and I sent Keanu instead. I told him to use entrancement if he had to. Last night changes things, Aurora.”

  The barren rooms had already made that obvious, but I doubted my sarcasm would be appreciated. “Did you learn anything from the phone?”

  It was Ian’s first smile of the day. “More than anything we could’ve hoped for. We’re going to attempt a rescue as soon as darkness falls.”

  “But what about all the reasons you didn’t want to try that before? What about the other vampires there?” I clamped my hands to my churning stomach and decided to sit down, forgetting the sofa was gone.

  Ian’s hand shot out to catch me. “We’re out of time, Aurora. Besides, we’ve already eliminated two dozen vampires who presumably lived in the area, and, even better, Joseph Rosado has a performance scheduled tonight in Niagara Falls. Even if we had more time, we’re not going to have a better chance than this one.”

  “Wait, who?” The name meant nothing to me.

  Ian rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t really matter, but Joseph Rosado is a vampire who’s won every Latin dance competition he’s ever competed in. His performances always sell out. Not only will many employees of the power plant be attending, but a large number of security personnel will be reassigned to the club for the show.”

  “For a dance performance? What are they worried about, illegal mumbo moves?”

  Ian laughed. “I think you mean mambo moves, and no. In addition to his dance prowess, Rosado fancies himself as a famous lover and sleeps around accordingly. He gets constant threats from outraged spouses of both genders, but that doesn’t matter. The point is, his performance is a perfect distraction.”

  “That’ll help with the guards, but what about the automated system?” I asked.

  “Seeing as we got up close and personal with some community residents, we no longer need to worry about the fingerprint scanners.”

  “Of course, you can duplicate their fingerprints now!” The tension began to leave my shoulders until I noticed Ian’s face. “What, is something wrong?”

  “We’re not planning to duplicate them. There’s still too much room for error. We decided it would be easier to save the actual—”

  “Oh, that’s gross,” I complained. “Forget that part. What happens when you find Nicky? Will you bring him here so I can take him home?” The thought was disconcerting. God only knew how we’d explain everything. It brought to mind something that had been bothering me…

  I turned as if to examine the empty room again, taking the opportunity to sneak a deep breath before asking a question I’d had since I came to know Ian. “After you return Nicky and leave for Manhattan, are you going to make us forget everything?”

  If he and Keanu were in danger it would be safer for everyone if Nicky and I remembered nothing. Hell, it might even be better for Nicky, depending on how traumatic the past eleven weeks had been. The only person who wouldn’t benefit would be me. Everything I’d learned, everything I’d experienced… would all be gone.

  Granted, I wouldn’t know it was gone, which was even stranger. If I forgot Ian and Keanu, would something else fill the void or would I be left blank? It hurt my head to think about it.

  As Ian pressed his fingertips to his eyeballs, I realized I wasn’t the only one stressed today.

  “Of course not, Aurora, I hadn’t even thought of that. My only plan is to get everything moved today, then retrieve Dominic tonight and return him to you tomorrow morning.”

  “Wait, you’re leaving today? As in, this afternoon?” A band of panic began to tighten around my chest.

  “Well, we can’t stay here,” he said cautiously, using such a rati
onal tone I wanted to smack him. “Would you rather we kept Dominic with us until we’re sure he’s okay?”

  “Are you insane? The last thing he needs is more vampires. Besides, Luigi is due home in two weeks. You can’t just run off with Nicky to parts unknown. We’ll be lucky if he hasn’t had a complete breakdown.”

  Ian ran a hand through his hair. “Aurora, we have to be gone by nightfall in case reinforcements show, and Keanu and I have many arrangements to make. Not only do we need to store everything and break into a vampire compound within the next twelve hours, but a woman of Ms. Parkes’ prominence can’t allow an attack like this to go unanswered.”

  He looked around with a weary frown. “I haven’t figured that last part out yet, but there’s no reason for you to worry.” Then he smiled in a way that made my heart stutter in my chest. “Are you saying you’ll miss me?”

  I snorted dismissively and gave him an ineffective shove that didn’t move him an inch. He caught my hand in his and grinned.

  “If I hadn’t been allowed to remember, missing you wouldn’t have been an option.” I tried to tug away and failed.

  “But seeing as it is an option,” he persisted, “will you miss me?”

  “Not nearly as much as you’ll miss me, I’m sure,” I shot back. “At least I won’t have to run back and forth across the state for my lunch.”

  As soon as I’d said it I wanted to take the words back, but it was too late. He looked as though I’d slapped him. Worse. Ian was impervious to slaps, but not to harsh words.

  His hands fell and I took a step closer before he could back away, putting my hands on his face. “I shouldn’t have said that and I didn’t mean it. You’ve never treated me with anything but respect and you’ve certainly never treated me like a meal. You didn’t deserve that and I’m deeply sorry. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”