Conversion Book Two: Bloodlines

by S. C. Stephens

  I bobbed my head, excited that she hadn’t just flat-out told us no. “Of course, yes. He’s in town, working, but I can take you to him.” I shook my head, my smile so wide I was sure I looked slightly medicated; I hadn’t even retracted my fangs yet. “He’s so eager to meet you.”

  Her face fell into a disgruntled expression. “Yes, I know.”

  My sister came up to grab my hand again, watching Starla curiously, as Jack moved to stand beside Alanna, not looking as if he was convinced this was a welcome development or not. At Starla’s words and tone, I dropped my head, remembering everything Teren had been doing lately. My sweet, generally gentlemanly husband, had been acting anything but gentlemanly lately. All to protect me of course, but to an outsider, that was of small significance.

  When I was about to apologize for his behavior, she continued, “The last nest I heard about, happened to be an acquaintance of mine.” She tilted her head as I peeked up at her. The last nest Teren had gone to, had involved him almost shoving a stake through a woman’s heart. “If my friend hadn’t had nice things to say about the pure vampire in your midst, our meeting today would be a much different one.”

  Her blue-green eyes turned to ice and, for a moment, the Valley girl looked quite menacing. I felt a growl rumbling up in my throat, but forcefully shut it off. She did have a point. I exhaled softly and nodded to her, pulling my teeth back up. “He’s been under a lot of stress lately. He’s very sorry for hurting your friend.”

  She started smacking on her gum again, looking casually perfect, and flicked her hand dismissively. “One of the guys was my friend.” She spun on her high heel, turning to head back to her car. Over her shoulder she added, “The girl was a snotty little bitch. He should have staked her.”

  As she sauntered back to her car, I clenched my jaw to not speed off after her. She may be mixed, like most of the Adams, but I still didn’t know her. Looking over at Alanna and Jack, I watched as Alanna shifted in the sun uncomfortably; she was already needing a break from it. She looked at me with heartbroken eyes, “Emma, I can’t go with you.” Jack squeezed her waist, urging her to go back in the house.

  She walked up to me instead, her cool fingers sliding over my cheek. “Be careful.” I nodded as her hand came down to rest on my stomach. A brief second of hope passed her face as she glanced up at Starla, checking her watch as she stood leaning against her BMW. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and then Jack ushered her back in the house.

  Once he’d closed the door on her, he walked up to me. Looking unsure about the whole situation he told me, “I can come with, if you like?”

  As I watched him glance at the door behind him, I knew he really wanted to stay with Alanna. They didn’t like to have to be apart and I knew he’d worry about her, if he left her behind. Understanding that, I grabbed his arm. “Teren will be with us soon. It’s okay, if you want to stay here.”

  He relaxed, his face looking a little sheepish that he wasn’t going to come with. Giving both Ashley and I a warm hug, he stepped into the house with Alanna. Imogen and her daughter both counseled me to be cautious and apologized for not being able to go.

  I shook my head at the closed door. “It’s okay. Tell Halina about this when she wakes up…if we’re not back yet. Then…have her come find us.” I heard then agreeing, and promising that they would. I suddenly felt tremendous relief over being low jacked. Even if Teren and I got separated, someone could find me.

  Ashley was staring at me with an eyebrow cocked as I turned back around to her; she’d only caught my half of that conversation. I heard the blonde mixed girl sigh and ask if I was coming, but I focused my attention on Ashley. Her curious expression eased as I put a hand on her shoulder. “Stay here, Ash.”

  She immediately shook her head, her hand clenching over mine. “No, I’m by your side until the end, Emma. We’re blood.” Starla snorted at that, but my eyes watered and I nodded my head. She was right. My blood may be all wonky now, but before all this craziness, Ashley and I were blood. If the situation had been reversed, you’d have to physically separate me from her.

  I grabbed her arm and pulled her tight to me, the faint smell of paint that was lingering to our skin and clothes briefly overwhelming my acute senses and I let myself feel just a sliver of hope that maybe that beautiful nursery would indeed get to be filled.

  The mixed was examining her manicure as we approached her car, her mouth still chomping away on that sickeningly sweet bubble gum. With a bored expression, she muttered, “Finally,” and then opened her door and got inside. Ash and I walked around to the other side, and I helped Ash get in the back seat, wanting her as far away from the stranger as possible. Hoping I was doing the right thing, I shut my door. Then Starla started the car and we pulled away from the Adams ranch.

  Alanna and Jack reappeared at the door as I watched in the rearview mirror. They both looked hopeful, regretful, and very, very worried. I stuck my hand out the window and waved, wanting to ease their minds, and maybe my own as well.

  As we approached the end of the drive, an idling car pulled in behind us. It was pitch black with black tinted windows. The girl didn’t react to the person following us, so I figured they were together. “Friend of yours,” I asked casually.

  Starla looked over at me, a wry smile on her lips. “Did you really think I’d come out to a strange nest alone?” Her eyes scanned the road as she pulled out onto the highway. “I’m not an idiot,” she muttered.

  I wanted to ask more about the car trailing close behind us, but as her car sped down the road, on its way back to the city, my Teren-pull kicked in. It started faintly at first, but I knew it would increase exponentially, the closer we got to him. I’d never been on the “moving” end of the pull. I was usually the one waiting around for Teren to come to me. There was a slightly different edge, being the one heading towards the other. It gave me a rush.

  Practicing my breathing technique, I settled into her bucket seats, closed my eyes and inhaled and exhaled slowly and deeply. Her gum smacking stopped and I heard her shift to look at me. “Huh, I guess you were telling the truth. You are bonded to your husband.”

  I peeked my eyes opened and looked over at the seemingly high-maintenance woman. She rolled her eyes and stepped on the gas, the car surging forward. I inhaled a quick breath and dropped my head onto the seat as the draw to him spiked in me. My breathing heavier, I asked, “You know what this is?”

  She resumed her gum smacking and I resisted the urge to snap at her to stop that annoying habit. With a short laugh she shrugged. “I’ve seen it before. It’s the blood bond between a creator and his or her createe.” She looked over at me, tilting her shaggy-haired head, the pieces so spritzed with an overpowering, floral hairspray, that I was sure even a hurricane wouldn’t move a strand. The scent was nauseating and I started to worry that my morning sickness might come back. “It’s designed to keep them close to each other. Being new is the most critical time for a vampire. The bond helps to ensure that the Sire won’t stray far from his child.” She grinned widely at me after she said that.

  I groaned, partly because of how fast we were getting closer to Teren, partly because of what she’d said.”Please don’t call me his child…it’s creepy.” She laughed, her tone amused at my comment and my discomfort. Sighing as my agitation grew, I said, “So, it all comes down to blood, doesn’t it?”

  She laughed and blew a quick bubble, popping it noisily, “We’re vampires, honey…everything comes down to blood.”

  I tried to relax back into my seat, to force the draw to Teren from my mind, but that was pointless and impossible. Gripping the seat as the pull increased, I asked, “Does it go away?”

  She glanced at my white-with-strain fingers. “Well, it’s different for everyone. For some, it’s only a mild recognition of each other, but the bond can be much stronger, especially if there was a connection pre-turning.”

  I laughed, in a tittering, agitated sort of way, and started squirming in my s
eat. My entire body wanted to be miles ahead of where we were. The waiting was torturous. “As I said, we were married.” I groaned after I said that, and not because of any comment she’d made.

  As I bit my lip and closed my eyes, she sighed. “This should be fun. Do you two have any level of control, or is he going to rip your clothes off in the middle of his coworkers?” Her tone was quite sarcastic.

  I opened my eyes and glared at her. “We can handle this. He’ll be fine.” My words came out between pants, and even I didn’t believe them. I pictured him in his office, gripping his desk to restrain himself from blurring towards me. I knew that sensation, feeling him approaching and not able to do anything about it. That was torturous too.

  She shook her head and turned back to the road. “Yeah, I can see that. Well, regardless, in most of the cases I’ve heard of, it usually eases up after the first year…or so.”

  Almost immediately after she said that, my sister started ringing. Okay, it wasn’t her, it was the cell phone in her pocket, but my revved up hormones only registered the loud sound coming from her body. I glanced back at her, eager for a distraction, any distraction. Furrowing her brow, she dug in her pocket and pulled out the tiny flip-phone.

  “Hello,” she said quietly, the caller ID not registering with her. Her eyes widened and then she looked up at me. Without saying anything, she handed me the phone.

  My breath fast, I clenched the thing and put it to my ear. Before I could speak, words filled my head. “Why did you leave the ranch? Why are you coming to the city? Where is your phone?” Teren’s voice in my ear was fast and breathy. He was definitely feeling this.

  “Oh,” I sighed, squirming in my seat again. “Well, I left so fast, I guess I forgot it.” My body was reacting to just his voice, so I ended up answering his most inconsequential question first.

  “Emma,” he groaned. “Why are you coming to me? Is everything okay?” I heard what sounded like him biting his lip and then something that sort of sounded like wood splintering.

  “Yes,” I sighed again, my voice husky and strained, and not really sounding like I was answering a question, if you know what I mean.

  Starla beside me groaned loudly and snatched the phone away. “Good god, you two have no control whatsoever. I’m not just gonna sit here and listen to you have phone sex.” Putting the cell to her ear, she chipperly said. “Hey there, vamp boy.” I could hear Teren’s low growl and gripped the seat tighter, a growl of my own escaping my chest.

  Starla rolled her eyes at me and spoke to Teren before he could start questioning her. “Your girl and I are coming to get you. Clear your schedule for the day. There is someone who I think you should meet, someone who will be very interested in speaking with the both of you. Someone I think you’ll be interested in speaking with too.”

  I straightened and tilted my head at her; she hadn’t mentioned this before. “Who?” I could hear Teren ask. His voice seemed slightly calmer.

  Starla smirked into the phone. “Now, I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. We’ll be to you soon…which, I’m sure you’re perfectly aware of.”

  Silence on Teren’s end and then, “Who are you?”

  She smiled brightly. “Name’s Starla. See you soon.” With that, she snapped shut the phone and handed it back to my sister. She grinned over at me, smacking her gum noisily as her blue-green eyes sparkled in the sunshine. “Curious now, aren’t ya?”

  I could only gape at her and shake my head.

  Chapter 19

  Mixed

  As we entered the city and the pull got deliciously stronger, I couldn’t think anymore about my odd traveling companion. I could only squirm in my seat, my breath embarrassing strained, and point her to the direction where I felt him. She sighed and rolled her eyes, generally looking annoyed that I had no apparent self control. I wanted to snap at her, “Back off! Have you ever felt this? Didn’t think so! I’m doing the best I can!” But, I couldn’t focus long enough to put that many words together.

  As the office building housing Gate Magazine came into view, I bit my lip and clutched the console, anything to keep me in the car. The building had an underground parking lot, and with vague grunts and directives, I got Starla to go into it. As she put the car in park, I felt Teren coming towards me. That’s when I lost it.

  I hopped out of the car before she even got the chance to shut it off. I only took three steps in the dimly lit underground before I was engulfed in cool arms and was being devoured by cool lips. My fingers locked in his dark hair, holding him securely to me, even though he was making no effort to get away. His hand clenched and unclenched my body, like he really wanted to be tearing off the loose painting sweats I was wearing. We panted in each other’s mouths as the draw completed its connection. We were, once again, how our nature wanted us to be - together.

  As a low growl rumbled up my throat and Teren’s cool hands slid over my backside, I heard an irritated throat clearing from behind me. With a concentrated effort, Teren pulled his mouth from mine. Breathing heavy, and resisting the desire to return to my lips, he looked over my shoulder. Then I saw his control nearly instantly snap back into place. Mine wasn’t quite there yet. As he straightened and stared at Starla, my lips attached to his collarbone and my hand traveled down the front of his slacks. Hey, I wasn’t just fighting the pull. I was a seven month pregnant chick, with a hot husband and an acute desire.

  But Teren had lost his, looking over my shoulder. While I heard my sister nervously giggle and Starla mutter, “God,” Teren stopped my fingers from slipping inside his slacks. He looked down at me quickly while he gently pushed me back from him. “Emma,” he whispered, his hands cupping my cheeks, trying to bring me down.

  My breath eventually evened as his slightly glowing eyes enveloped me. Swallowing, I nodded in his hands that I was better. From behind me, I could hear Starla resume her cow-like gum smacking. Saucily she said, “Yeah, I can tell you guys have the bond well under control.”

  I turned to face her, about to tell her where to go, when suddenly the door leading to the stairs burst open. Hot Ben came striding out, breathing heavy and holding his stomach. Hurriedly walking up to us, he ran a hand through his highlighted hair and shook his head. “God you’re fast, Teren.”

  I blinked at seeing him and Teren answered my unasked question. “I called him. I wasn’t sure what was going on.” His brow furrowed as he looked back at Starla and then over to my sister, she waved as she stood at the back of Starla’s car.

  Teren shifted his attention back to Starla as I heard Hot Ben sidle around to his other side and ask him what was going on. Not answering Ben, Teren narrowed his eyes at the mixed creature in front of him. Her blue-green ones were faintly glowing in the dim lights. As a human, the glow would have been hardly noticeable, easily dismissible, if you didn’t know what you were looking for. To a partial vampire, the glow was unmistakable. Teren’s mouth dropped open.

  “You’re…”

  She extended a hand to him. “Mixed…and I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

  Hot Ben gasped beside Teren and stared at Starla with a look of complete wonder on his face. Teren’s face sort-of matched Ben’s as he stared at her, for a moment too stunned to even take her hand. She waggled it in front of his face, her lips twisting in annoyance at being ignored, and he finally woke up from his daze and grasped it.

  Both of his hands enclosed over hers and his eyes moistened. I bit my lip to not start hormonally crying at the sight. Teren had waited so long for this moment. “It’s…amazing to meet you. Thank you for finding me.” His voice was nearly reverent as he said that, and I momentarily hoped that this tiny blonde thing wouldn’t let Teren down. He’d built up meeting more of his kind in his head, and so far, she hadn’t been what I’d been expecting.

  A little taken back by his reaction, she pulled her hand away. “Yeah, well, you’ve been causing quite a stir, poking your finger in every vamp nest you can find.” She raised an eyebrow. “That sort
of thing doesn’t go unnoticed.”

  Teren straightened his stance, shaking his head lightly. “I had good reason.”

  Starla’s eyes flicked to my stomach. “Yes, I’ve been brought up to speed on that.”

  Teren stepped towards her, arms outstretched like he was going to grab her. His fingers barely brushed her arms. That was all the closer Teren got to her. Suddenly, he was shoved back. And by shoved back, I mean he was pushed thirty feet and landed harshly on his back. As he smacked his head to the pavement, Hot Ben pulled a stake from his pocket and moved into a defensive crouch. My sister screamed and backed up a step. I teetered on my feet, not sure if I should run to Teren’s side, or run to my sister’s. Indecision held me in place.

  A part of me also wanted to smack Starla for pushing Teren. Only, it wasn’t Starla who’d tossed him back. With the draw of the pull, I’d completely forgotten that Starla wasn’t alone. Teren’s seemingly aggressive move had drawn the attention of her bodyguard. Ben and I eyed the imposing man warily. He was standing in the space Teren had been, having blurred into a battering ram, the moment Teren had stepped up to Starla. He was taller than Teren and wider too. His hair was a light brown that matched his slightly glowing brown eyes, and he was dressed in head-to-toe black, like he thought that was an inconspicuous outfit. Crouching down in a protective stance in front of Starla, his fangs were dropped, as a low growl broke the sudden silence of the room.