Blood Bound

by Alaska Angelini

  “Let’s get you better. You’re still weak.”

  Tessa was wrapped in my sheet and I knew she wasn’t wearing anything underneath. She wouldn’t have had the right frame of mind to have gotten dressed once she got called. I was surprised she’d even been able to grab the sheet.

  “Yes, please take me back. I don’t want to be out here with him.”

  I swept her in my arms, giving one last glare to Sayer before I started heading to the room. His energy pushed against my back as a warning and had I known Julius wouldn’t stop me, I’d go after him again for provoking me. He may have been strong, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t win. I had a few tricks up my sleeve I could count on if need be.

  “You can barely stay awake.” I spoke the words to her as I shut us back in the room. The way she was curled into me, it showed me just how strong our bond still was. But, for how long? It would take a few hours, maybe even a day, for the effects from what Sayer had done to show full-force. I hoped that even though he had the power to call her, it didn’t go past that.

  “Marko, what’s happening?”

  Panic laced her words as I laid her on her side. The wound on her back wasn’t completely closed yet, but it wouldn’t be long.

  “Sayer slipped you some of his blood when he removed the wood. You know he wants to make you his concubine, ma minette, and he’s not waiting around to erase what we have. He means to make that happen and fast. Probably before the week is out and he returns back to Dallas.”

  “So soon?” Fear engulfed her, forcing its way deep within me, too. Her hand shot out toward my arm, only to pause. Tears raced over the edges of her face faster as she shook her head.

  “I never wanted this life, but I’ve adjusted. Now, this? In a week, I’ll be one of you and I don’t want it. I hate that I have no say. This isn’t fair.”

  “Life isn’t fair. And you won’t remember these unimportant details when you change. To you, in your mind, it’ll be the best thing that’s ever happened.”

  Faster, her head shook. “No. I will never forget how I was forced against my will into this life. You did this to me.”

  The words were so cold, there was a hesitation in my sadness. Everything within me stopped at the hatred and the speed at which it came. As thick as it was in her stare, it faded almost just as fast. Our bond, it was buffering her true feelings. Sayers blood strengthening hers, was allowing it to break free. And so fucking fast. It blew my mind. I’d only just hoped this sort of thing wouldn’t happen and it already was. What else would come out in the next few hours?

  I was losing her and it made me angry. Fuck…losing. I didn’t lose.

  “I did do this to you. And I don’t regret it,” I said, just as unfeeling. “You’re mine now, whether or not you, Sayer, Julius, Hunter, or anyone else likes it. Mine. And you’ll stay that way for as long as I can make it possible.”

  My nails elongated and I broke my skin, pushing my forearm hard against her lips. Ones that stayed shut for a few seconds before she opened to take me in. The sucking was brutal. Forceful. Our anger toward each other stirred my lust when it was the last thing I should have felt in the moment.

  “That’s right, you know who owns you. Drink and don’t you fucking stop until it’s impossible for you take anymore. I want to be so thick in your veins, you know nothing but me.”

  “Poison.”

  A smile pulled at my lips. “Your poison,” I countered. “And you love it.”

  “I love you.”

  I hadn’t expected the sentiment. They erased my defensiveness and left me loving her even more as I stared into her green depths. It was my blood. It was drugging her back into love with me. And I was soaking it in like the filthy supplier I was. “I love you more.”

  Tessa’s sucking slowed and I felt happiness burst within her. I could have cursed myself for admitting my true feelings so boldly, but if I was losing her and she’d grow to hate me, what else did I have but these last few memories? She’d forget this anyway. The realization broke my heart even more. Which was astonishing on its own. What had happened to me? I’d changed so much in the last few hours. Where was my newborn? Sure, I had spurts of anger here and there, but it was nothing like the beginning of my change. It had to be because of the power. I was getting better at controlling it. Or it was already stopping…

  No. I wouldn’t consider it. That only meant I wouldn’t stand a chance at saving her. The power had to return. It must be going through some sort of charging stage. When it hit again, it would come back with a punch. And more rage would rise. I’d deal with the anger if it meant keeping Tessa. Although, she might not want me after the constant ups and downs. I’d put her through hell already.

  “I hear you.”

  My eyes rose to hers and my mind cleared. What did she think of my fears?

  “I think if your evil is your ticket to save me, I’ll go back to sighing and waiting for you to return, Marko.”

  The way she said my name, she believed me to be my old self. The one she loved. Maybe in a way I was. I still didn’t have the majority of our memories together. I saw a lot of stalking, a few run-ins…me almost killing her and bringing her back to Hunter. How much more was I missing?

  “Not much. You’re him. At least, right now. Your eyes have barely been black tonight. It comes, but it doesn’t last long.”

  Still, she took my blood and I could feel her fullness. Better yet, I could feel her strengthening so much more. Sayer’s blood may have gotten her mobile again, but mine was doing a hell of a lot better job at healing her. “A lot better.” As I met Tessa’s stare, I knew she was thinking along the same lines I was. Sayer was powerful, yes, but truly, how much more powerful than me? I wasn’t so sure it was as much as we were all made to believe.

  Chapter 16

  Hunter

  “Holy…shit. A vampire did this to you?”

  My eyes rose to Gomez, my Army friend I served with years prior. He was now stationed at Fort Hood, not too far away. He came the moment I called, just like I knew he would. It was a hesitant decision, but one I couldn’t prolong anymore. I needed help and I couldn’t deny it any longer.

  I took in the three men he brought with him. Waters and Thatcher were familiar from my tours overseas, but I didn’t know them very well. Their stares were fixated on my bare upper body. The scratches were numerous and deep, covering almost every inch from my waist up to my neck. Even over my arms and fingers. The ones on my back were just as bad, but I still hadn’t been able to get a good look at them yet. The deepest ones were just over my pecs and I’d stitched those up on my own.

  “Yeah. Marko did this with his mind. He’s very powerful. You really wouldn’t believe how much. It’s mind blowing. I’m still having a hard time processing it.” My head shook as I tried to wade past the shock. “He has my best friend, Tessa. I tried killing him, but I shot her by accident. I’m not even sure she’s still alive. She…threw herself in front of him. I…” all I could do was continue to move my head back and forth, “I don’t know what happened. When I went to the police, they acted like no one reported it. I was ready to face the consequences as long as I knew what happened, but they had no idea what I was talking about. I don’t even know if she’s okay.”

  I wiped the tears from my cheeks, unable to withhold what was killing me on the inside. “I have to find her and see for myself that she’s alive. He says if he dies, she dies. I’m not sure whether that’s true. He uses the term bonded, but that could mean anything. All I know is I have to get her back and somehow separate the two of them until I can figure out how to get rid of him without hurting her.”

  “Fuck, man. I’m sorry about your friend. I really hope she’s alright.” Gomez leaned more forward on the sofa, resting his forearms just short of his knees. “That vampire really fucked you up. The ones we’ve come into contact with haven’t been that powerful. You have to be dealing with a Master Vampire. We’ve heard about them, but never crossed paths with one before.
”

  I stood, unable to say sitting any longer. “I believe he is. His power is downright terrifying. I emptied a clip in him and he didn’t so much as bat an eyelash. Maybe I expected that part, but it’s his mind that worries me. All he has to do is look at a person and he could probably kill them.”

  Gomez gestured his head toward Thatcher, calling him by his first name. “Frank has heard some stories from his friends in New York. The Masters are almost impossible to kill. If you can even find them. They have a way of just…disappearing.”

  My lips separated. “Marko has done that almost every time he’s left this house. He just vanishes and I’m never able to track him.”

  “Yep, definitely a Master then. The others, they’re fast, but they can’t vanish into thin air like the leaders can. Fuck, we’re going to have our hands full with this one. I think the stakes will work, though. They have for us and we didn’t even have ours soaked in holy water. If your friend Tessa really is bonded to him, he would have felt it through her. Did you notice a change in him when she got shot?”

  “Yeah,” I mumbled, feeling my heart drop at facing the fact that they were tied together, even though I already knew it in my heart. “He initially looked weak, now that I think about it. They almost both went down to the ground, but he came back really fast. Before I knew it, he had ahold of me and was throwing me in the back of his limo.”

  “Limo?” Waters, a short, thick, blond-haired man pushed from the wall. “Definitely a man with status if he was sporting one of those. The vampires we’ve run against are more common folk. Some even giving off the appearance of thugs and homeless people. Your guy is important amongst them. I’m going to go with Thatcher and say he’s a leader. If we kill him, we might start a shit-storm with vampires we aren’t yet prepared for. We need more followers. More fighters, like us.”

  My hand rubbed over my short hair. “Let’s just focus on tonight. We won’t worry about killing him yet. Not until I see how Tessa is and whether injuring him will hurt her. The only problem I see with this situation is him letting her go. I’ll have to take her somewhere new. Somewhere he doesn’t have entrance to.”

  Johnson, a tall, African-American man, raised his hand from the couch. “My wife was killed a few months back by one of those bastards. I have a house on base. No fucking way he’s getting in there. Not the base, and sure as shit not my house. You can bring her there when the time comes.”

  The men glanced toward him, only to turn and look at me. I physically hurt for the man. Tessa wasn’t my wife, but I had dreams of it being so. And him, he’d gone through the worst possible thing imaginable. “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. I appreciate you wanting to help,” I paused. “What you’re all doing means a lot. I wouldn’t have called if this wasn’t dire. I almost didn’t to begin with, but I can’t do this alone. It might take a while to search Tessa out, but if we stay together, begin to fight these vampires as a team,” my head nodded, “we can do this. We can take these motherfuckers out and make them pay for what they’re doing.”

  Thatcher nodded while the others made sounds of agreement laced with excited. As I took in their camo attire, I knew they were down to head out. And I was ready, too.

  I grabbed my black, long-sleeve shirt and winced as I pulled it over my head. The sun had already set, but I tried not to think about the difference that made. I knew the significance, but I prayed we’d all made it out of the tunnels alive.

  Weight from my belt added a calming sensation and I rested my hand on the butt of my gun, just as I always did. I had everything I needed for the underground, even my crossbow, which Chloe had delivered this morning.

  “Why don’t you all grab some of the soaked stakes from the table. I trust those more. You never know who we’re going to be dealing with and I’d rather be safe than sorry. If we do face Marko or a Master, it’ll be better than regular wood.”

  Johnson was holding his own crossbow. It wasn’t much bigger than mine, but it looked modified. Bows weren’t usually my thing. I’d never once had to use one before Tessa mixed up with Marko, but I was getting better. All my training with guns made me a natural.

  The men stood around the round table as I placed the bow at my back. I moved my other hand over, fingering the hilt of the dagger while I waited for them to return. God, I hoped this worked. If we could get further back and find some answers, maybe I stood a chance of getting her back safe. But how would it be possible if I didn’t know my way around? I needed to stay alert and remember every detail. I needed to start taking these vampires out. The daytime would be better for that. Maybe they’d be sleeping.

  “I’ve been underground and I know somewhat where their city is. I haven’t come across it yet, but there are vampires down there and I expect we may kill some. This won’t be easy. There’s a chance some of us might not make it back out. Maybe none of us. But we won’t know for sure unless we try. I’m only going to ask once. Are you all sure you want to go? There will be no judgment from me if you don’t. I can’t stress how dangerous this is going to be.”

  “I’m in,” Gomez said without pause.

  “Me, too,” the other three men said in succession. I gave a sharp nod as I headed for the door. I flipped the porch light off before stepping outside.

  “The grate that leads underground is across the street at the end of the road. We’ll remain in the dark until we get in the tunnels. I’ll turn on my light then.”

  Their silent approval led me forward and Johnson closed the door behind him. We made it down the street in complete silence. Everyone’s feet were light, along with their breaths. Each of these men knew what it was to be in battle and they didn’t overlook the dangers as we made our way underground. The moment the grate covered us, I pulled out my flashlight and clicked it on. My crossbow was already loaded and I fixed the light to rest on the top so it could follow my movements.

  I glanced behind me, keeping my voice low as I took in all four of their stoic faces. “I’ve marked the tunnels and ways we need to go with chalk. I’m hoping the lines are still there. Let’s stay close. Thatcher, watch our back.”

  As they quietly got into position behind me, I kept a slow and steady pace forward. The length didn’t seem as long as it had before and I paused at the end, shining the light left and then right before I made the turn, heading in the direction I went last time.

  Would the group of vampires be back there? Would the one they called Boyd be waiting to take us out?

  I slowed as we rounded the corner, listening for voices or anything indicating someone was there. A dripping in the far distance had my eyebrows drawing in and I slowed even more, keeping the light down so the beam didn’t shine too far ahead.

  “I think it’s clear.”

  My whisper seemed to echo louder than I expected and I felt my skin break out in goosebumps. My internal warnings were going off like crazy. Although I didn’t see any vampires, I knew they were here, around us, somewhere.

  As a precaution, I shined the light at the opposite end, still making sure it was clear. The darkness seemed to swallow up the beam and I couldn’t fight the unnerving feeling taking me over.

  “Eyes open,” I mouthed.

  Deeper, I walked around the long curve. A rectangular area opened up no bigger than the size of decent living area and I shined the light over the graffiti on the walls. The dark words had me moving in and I felt my eyes widen as I focused on what I was truly looking at.

  “That’s dried blood,” Gomez whispered out behind me.

  “Not all of it’s old,” Waters said, smearing his hand on words that looked more red than black. The crimson substance on his fingertips had all of us looking at each other. To say we were scared was an understatement. Terror had every hair on my arms standing on end as an eerie silence played out between us.

  “If it’s still wet…” Thatcher swallowed hard.

  One minute, he was in the glow of the flashlight, the next…gone. A scream had
me jerking to find him in the darkness. Feet shuffled next to me and Johnson turned on his own flashlight, illuminating the room even more. More screams echoed around and I swung my body in the direction I thought it might be coming from. The sound ricocheting in the enclosed space left all of us spinning around in circles.

  “Where the fuck did he go?” Gomez’s voice was shaking as he kept his bow trained ahead of him.

  “There are only two entrances,” I said, nudging my weapon toward the closest one. I took a step and froze at the warmth that dripped onto my arm. Instinct told me to look down at what had fallen on me, but training had my arms forcing my weapon up toward the ceiling. With the change in position, the light haloed out to give view of a vampire holding Thatcher before him. A hiss filled the space, but the deep hole in the soldier’s neck was what pulled my attention first. Blood was beginning to pour out now that the vampire wasn’t feeding and the fact that it looked worse than Tessa’s bite had been didn’t escape me.

  “What the fuck!” Waters’ yell had my heart exploding in rhythm, but I couldn’t think past hearing the alarm he was sounding when all I could see was Thatcher’s body falling down toward me. Before I could situate my bow, body weight crashed into Gomez and me, bringing us both down.

  Yells echoed out again and the sound of one of the bows going off registered in the background. I pulled at Thatcher, but he didn’t move. Somehow, I managed to right my bow and light, giving me the view of a scene I knew I would never forget.

  Waters’ frozen look of horror stayed etched in his features as blood and intestines poured from his stomach in a loud slosh against the cement. In a heavy fall, his knees hit the ground and then his body fell forward.