Bloodbourne

by Sasha Pruett

  “Drakon, one more thing. You can see her value now I hope. I mean, I don’t want your life to be… unpleasant. Especially knowing that her life may be extended. I know what you must think of me ordering a match between you just for the advantage, but I do hope you’ll grow to have an attachment to her. That fire in her is quite attractive and she has a good head on her shoulders.”

  Drakon tilted his head to the side and let a faint smile creep across his lips. “I’ve had some time to consider the matter and I do believe I am quite ready to be taken with Calynn, father. She is, after all, a Valdi. Oh, and you’re right about that fire, it is quite attractive after all. Don’t look for us for a while, I have plans for us if you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all, not at all. You have done all that I have asked and more, without you we’d still be stumbling in the dark with her testing. No need to report back to me unless you feel it necessary Drakon. This is your matter now. I’m only here to write the checks and sign the orders so to speak. Now go, be with your bride, I have a lot to prepare. There’s a wedding to plan you know.”

  Drakon left, he’d never seen his father so excited before and that part about wanting his happiness in the match with Calynn, that was truly genuine. To think his father actually wanted him to fall in love with her for real; too late. Probably more for ensuring a long life and many more children. His father always had ulterior motives, but at least he and Calynn could be a little freer in their time together. They still had a role to play, but now he didn’t have to pretend to be so indifferent to her anymore. Then again that could be a problem, his indifference act was the only thing that helped him keep things in check. With that now removed and his own father expecting a genuine attachment he may go too far. He may burn.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  He knocked on her door this time. No more need to ‘sneak’ into her room at least not for now and walked in to find her sitting at her breakfast table in the parlour, still picking at the tray from that morning. He wasted no time, walking straight to her he embraced her tightly whispering in her ear, “Don’t say a word, just let me hold you a moment. How about we get out of here while it’s still pleasant out?”

  “Take me where you will.” It was cheesy, but who cared. Instead of leaping off the balcony and dashing for the woods they strode right through the house. Their pace still faster than normal, but there was no need for such theatrics anymore. Surly they were still being monitored, but things have definitely changed. She just wasn’t aware of how much. Her mind was full of questions she couldn’t ask yet and if he hadn’t suggested they get out of the house she would have. Sitting in her room waiting for him to show up was nerve wracking and she kept replaying everything that had gone on in that study over and over in her mind. She wasn’t prepared for Sir Drake to be so nice, so accommodating and she even got the feeling he wanted to be even friendlier, but how could that be? How bad did he want to get his clutches on her child? Without thinking she placed her hand protectively on her stomach. She knew what his answer would be and yet she had still found herself to be on edge about the whole thing. Calynn wondered if that’s how men felt back in the day when they were required to get the girl’s father’s permission. There was something else going on, she could feel it. The whole atmosphere reeked of it and she was dying to make Drakon spill his guts. In fact, those were her very words when they reached the safety of the woods.

  “Okay spill it, what happened in there? Is there something wrong, something I need to know about?”

  “Calynn calm down, it’s alright everything went just as we’d hoped and you did great.”

  “Then what was all that about back there? Didn’t he seem a little too… agreeable to you? I was expecting a little more resistance or something, I am only human after all.”

  “I know, I know; he had a difficult time covering his enthusiasm.”

  “He’s that anxious to get us married?”

  “That’s putting it lightly. Calynn I need to tell you something important. It’s about your bloodline.”

  “Why do I have a feeling I’m not going to like this?”

  “I told him last night about my theory and it didn’t take the doctor long to isolate what family you’re linked to; genetically that is.”

  Her heart dropped and for a time the world grew distant, “What did he find?” Her voice was shaky. “Am I… related to your clan?”

  “No, he wouldn’t have been that excited.”

  Her eyes grew large and he realized his mistake.

  “Oh Calynn, I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking.”

  “What did he find Drakon? What am I?”

  “Valdi. He found the genetic markers for Valdi. That’s why he’s so excited.”

  “Valdi? What’s a Valdi?”

  “Remember what I told you about our history that first day in the woods. The Valdi were the strongest most powerful family in history. They were the rulers of our kind and no one opposed them, until the clans banded together in a war that nearly destroyed us all. With the strength of the clans they were finally brought down, the entire Valdi clan and their servants were destroyed.”

  “All of them?”

  “Not one survived, but it wasn’t just because we lack mercy. The clans were sorely afraid of them, of what they were capable of and couldn’t take a chance with any survivors.”

  “Then how do you explain me?”

  “The Valdi were notorious for defying the laws of our kind. Including the one about sterilization. There was no possible way of being able to identify all the children the Valdi servants may have produced.”

  “And you think I’m a result of one of those children?”

  “Yes, it’s the only plausible explanation. I checked Dr. Edme’s results myself when he was indisposed and there’s no mistake. You carry the Valdi genes.”

  “What does that mean exactly?”

  “Truthfully I don’t know. My father sees it as an opportunity to gain the strength and power of the Valdi through your children. He hopes to create a whole new Drake that can set our clan as the ruling family of all our kind. With your children, our children, he plans to be the next Valdi. The only reason the clans are equal now is because no one has the raw power to ascend into that position, but with you…”

  “He not only has a chance to breed a new Drake that doesn’t lose their abilities during the day, but is even more powerful than anyone else out there is that about it? No wonder he was so pleasant.”

  “Yes, but…”

  “But what?”

  “There’s more.” He waited for her to say something; anything, but he was stuck and she needed to know. “The Valdi cells in your body were dormant which is why none of the earlier tests picked up any traces of anything unusual. That’s no longer the case, the cells in your body are waking up slowly. I saw the results and there’s no mistaking it. With every new blood sample, the cells are become more active.”

  “How can you tell that just from my blood?”

  “The doctor isn’t using a simple microscope and chemistry set. He has the most advanced equipment known to man. Some things that major medical research and government facilities don’t even have yet are in his lab.”

  “So… I’m what, I’m mutating? Turning into some kind of freak?”

  She was shaking and it wasn’t from the cool fall breeze that rattled the leaves. Drakon grabbed her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes.

  “No absolutely not! You’re not mutating.”

  “Then what am I Drakon? What’s going to happen to me?”

  “I don’t know Calynn, I don’t know, but I do know you’re not turning into some freak; you’re still you.”

  “Then what? What Drakon? You can’t guarantee me that I won’t. You said yourself that these cell in my body are waking up.”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t make you a monster. The Valdi servants were said to possess the powers of their masters. If anything, all those genes would do is give you abilities simil
ar to mine, that’s all. That wouldn’t be so bad, now would it?”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “I’m tracking everything that’s going on in that lab and then some. From the doctor’s research, he doesn’t believe you’ll develop any abilities at all. At the most he thinks it may extend your life just as the serum does the regular servants. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere I’ll keep an eye on you myself and if anything happens we’ll get through it together. Don’t forget we’ve used that same serum for thousands of years and have well documented its effects. You’ll be fine Calynn, I promise. No one’s ever grown a second head, well almost no one.”

  She smacked him as hard as she could, but he had helped a little and she definitely needed it. Her life was spinning more and more out of control. First, she’s held hostage, put on the menu, knocked up, forced to play friendsies with a family of blood sucking creatures, engaged to… whatever Drakon was and now she’s turning into something that isn’t even human! What next? No forget that, she shouldn’t even be asking, it’ll only make things worse if she asks.

  Calynn wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them subconsciously with her hands. In all the time she’d been in this crazy mess she had held it together. She hadn’t given in to the fear and panic welling in her, but she could feel that control slipping away. Then he was there, holding her close, comforting her. She could smell him, feel his warm skin, and hear his heart pounding in his chest and the tension eased. He’d get her through this, whatever was happening to her Drakon would protect her even from herself and she found she was relaxing into him until it all simply faded away.

  “Come on I think we could use a night out, what do you think? You up for a little fun?”

  “Do you think we could get away with it?”

  “Oh I’m positive. You see my father has expressed his desire that I spend as much time with you openly as possible so that I may see your many charms and fall madly in love with you.”

  That made her laugh, it was short and half-hearted, but it was a start.

  “I’m not joking. He wants his now favorite son and his prize of a future daughter to both live happily ever after and has ordered that I sweep you off your feet for real. So you see, I’d only be following orders to disappear with you now. We can go anywhere we want, anytime we want. As long as we come back that is and I know this great place a little east of here where we can blend in, have some fun, and not think about anything. How does that sound?”

  She would have run to him had she been any distance, throwing her arms around his neck as she had done the other times he’d carried her, “I’m all packed.”

  He lifted her effortlessly and walked through the woods to the edge of the cliff then stood there continuing to hold her. They watched the sun disappear behind the trees in the west, then turned back to the edge and leapt. Drakon tore through the forest, nothing but a streak of color and a breeze to the animals around them then hit the shore line of the Atlantic and kept going. Calynn felt the salty sea air tousling her hair and smelled its unforgettable scent and wondered where he’d finally set her down this time. The last place she thought of was the dark alley paved in old brick that they ended up in. The smell from the dumpster beside them was less than appealing, a mix of rotting food and urine and the muffled, but still loud sound of music made her question her decision.

  “Well, this is…”

  “Horrible I know, but we can’t just appear out in the middle of the street or on the sidewalk. Often we have to make our entrance in a less desirable place. Of course, if this place catered to a clan clientele it wouldn’t matter in the least. Many establishments that are run by our own kind have special entrances set up for incoming guests, but since you’re still our specially guarded secret I thought it safer to avoid such places. Plus, they aren’t the safest places for humans at times and you don’t want to see what many of them do for entertainment.”

  “No doubt. The alley is just fine. Where are we anyway?”

  He took her hand and led her out of the alley and around to the front, “A club in the heart of London specializing in certain eras of music. More specifically the music between the nineteen-thirties and early nineteen-sixties. I thought with your appreciation for classic movies you may have an affinity for the music as well.”

  The smile would have been obvious in pitch black. She’d either mentioned it before, been humming one of her favorite old tunes, he’d read her mind (which she still wasn’t completely convinced he couldn’t do), or he was one amazing guesser.

  “I pay attention Calynn, I don’t have the ability to read minds.”

  “Then how’d you know what I was thinking just then?”

  “Because it was written all over your face.”

  Calynn scrunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue, her trademark move. Then grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him inside. It was like stepping back in time, with grand sweeping burgundy velvet draperies, hat check attendants, cigarette girls, live band and a large board proclaiming that tonight featured a mix of the different genres. Perfect, but she made a mental note to make him bring her back on Dixieland Jazz night. She was so excited she was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet and barely felt Drakon’s hands slip over her shoulders.

  “Calm down, we have all night and before you get any ideas we’re going to sit down and eat first.”

  “Party pooper.”

  This time he stuck his tongue out at her just in time for the girl in the classic hostess costume to see him and smile.

  “Two?”

  “Yes, a booth on the platform please. We’ll be having dinner as well.”

  “This way please.”

  The crowd was filled with people in costumes. From flapper girls and mobsters, to cigarette servers, zoot suits, poodle skirts, and world war two uniforms. It was like walking through classic Hollywood and she was itching to jump in head first, but Drakon was determined that she eat and though it put a damper on things she had to admit he was right. It was then she noticed him tipping… well everyone, and tipping them big and he didn’t hesitate to slap down his card without even looking at the bill. She tried not to think about it, after all it was none of her business. She knew the family was rich and with as old as they were had plenty of years to accumulate their wealth, but her curiosity and forward personality overrode her sense of discretion.

  “Not to be indelicate but, how will this money thing work once we’re married? Is it family money, your fathers or are you independently wealthy?”

  “All of the above.”

  “Well that clears things up. Thank you sooo much.”

  Drakon chuckled, “Worried about the community property my dear?”

  She playfully stabbed at him with her fork and scrunched up her face.

  “In truth, it’s a bit complicated. First of all, this applies only to the leaders of the major clans. Most of our kind have to work and live among the humans making a living just as anyone else, naturally if they’re wise about it with their longevity they can make a decent life for themselves. As for those of us in the upper ranks, at least in our family, we primarily benefit from our inheritance. Since our lives are extended so long each of the children are born with a share of the inheritance already and it is quite massive at this point. We also get regular allowances based on our birth order and how we handle what we already have. At first we usually go a bit wild buying everything in sight like Maximilien and his vehicles. Father handles his money very well and is one of the richest men in the world if not the richest, though no one would ever know it. It’s important to break up the money into less noticeable amounts. It’s vital we stay under the radar in this. It’s alright to be wealthy, it’s not alright for any one person to have the wealth we have without causing too many to be watching your every move and as you know we can’t have that. Needless to say, our allowances are quite large, at least mine is and now that we’re getting married that amount will undoubtedly increase.r />
  Without question though, I don’t rely solely on the income from the family. Like most of my siblings I’ve made my own investments and have for many decades been acquiring my own wealth independent of not only his financial contributions, but also of his knowledge. In short, I have more money than we’ll ever be able to spend living in excess and my father doesn’t even know about it. Add to that what he does know about and you can see money is not of my concern and hasn’t been for some time. When we disappear, I have enough wealth hidden and available to us that my father would never be tipped off by us having to use funds he’s aware of and is no doubt monitoring. I guess I’ve been preparing for this for a long time and never knew it. I was just waiting for you to come along.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh? I tell you that I’m one of the richest men in the entire world and you’re about to marry me and all you can say is oh?” His playful smirk lit his eyes.

  “I just never thought about it like that is all. I mean I knew your family was well off and from what your sisters have told me I knew that you each have your own life outside of the house, but I haven’t been thinking about money these past few months. Can you blame me? Hey, at least you know I’m not after you for your bank account.”

  “That’s a relief and here I thought I was nothing more than a blank check.”

  “Just for that I order you to dance with me.”

  “As you wish.” And he stood up holding out his hand and bowed before her.

  Calynn’s heart skipped a beat. She never thought she’d hear those words uttered outside of a movie screen. They danced until she was nearly asleep in his arms. Slow songs, fast songs, it didn’t matter she wouldn’t leave his embrace and he wasn’t about to make her. Calynn was right where she wanted to be, dreamt of being, always wanted to be and a large part of her wanted to beg him never to go back, but she knew that wasn’t possible. Eventually they would have to go back, but she’d hold out, swaying in rhythm pressed against Drakon for as long as she could stand.