Blood Seeker

by Lexi C. Foss

  She sprinted toward the commotion, only to freeze on the threshold at the sight before her.

  Sethios was next at her back, his eyes on all the blood and mournful faces in the room.

  Oh, fuck…

  The baby wasn’t breathing.

  Leela tried to calm everyone down so she could focus, but the others were too emotionally charged to listen.

  Only Balthazar seemed able to understand her. His chocolate irises met hers, his chin dipping in confirmation that he could control the situation while she worked. She hadn’t even needed to say anything to him; he just understood her—something she would need to evaluate more thoroughly later. Because it freaked her out how well he read her, in addition to everything else that had occurred since coming in to physical contact with him again.

  He knows, she thought for the thousandth time. But how is that possible?

  Vera had changed his memories of their time in Brazil.

  He shouldn’t know.

  But he kept doing things that insinuated he did.

  Like calling her Lee and offering her the exact drink they’d shared on the beach in Rio de Janeiro.

  She mentally shook herself and stared down at the still infant in her arms. You and I are going to have a conversation, little one, Leela thought at her. Starting with how not to freak out your parents.

  Seraphim babies never cried.

  They were usually born aware and fully intelligent, marking them as supernatural and unique compared to human births. But Lizzie wasn’t a typical Seraphim. She was created in a lab using technology and genetics that none of them understood or had proper access to.

  Case in point—Lizzie had given birth well after her projected due date. Most Seraphim went into labor around week seven or eight. But not Lizzie. Which suggested some mortal genetics had impacted her gestational period.

  Leela rocked the silent child, her fertility power igniting to provide the small being the nutrients she needed to return to them.

  Seraphic souls couldn’t die, only the body.

  And this tiny form had endured quite a bit on her way into the world.

  Come on, sweetheart, Leela cooed through her mind. You’re mostly healed. It’s time for your spirit to return.

  Time seemed to tick by slowly, the others in the room growing more and more distressed with each passing second. Mostly because they were trying to calm the terrified mother on the bed. Jayson was still lost to Balthazar’s emotional control. But Lizzie was beside herself with horror at having lost their child.

  “She’s going to be okay,” Balthazar was saying. “Leela’s confident, which makes me confident.”

  Warm praise, but again troubling in nature.

  He shouldn’t be confident in her at all.

  They barely knew each other. In his mind, anyway.

  Lizzie replied in gibberish, her statement lost over her sharp intakes of breath as she fought another wave of fresh tears.

  “Did this happen to me?” Astasiya asked softly.

  “No,” Sethios murmured. “But your situation was different.”

  “Seraphim souls can’t perish,” Caro informed them all. “The body can die, but it’ll regenerate.”

  Which was exactly what Leela had tried to tell them initially. Fortunately, they seemed to be hearing Caro.

  Lizzie’s breaths were evening, and Jayson was whispering words of encouragement in her ear. Either that was still a result of Balthazar’s emotional control, or he’d finally regained his senses enough to do his job. Regardless, Leela was thankful because it gave her the peace and quiet she needed to nurture the child.

  She closed her eyes, her mind seeking out the wandering soul of the infant in her arms. Stop exploring, little one, she mentally chided. It’s time for you to meet your parents in a corporeal state.

  Seraphim children were born with an intelligence unlike human babies. They were already aware and understood aspects of the world that many mortals didn’t learn until they were in their teens or early twenties. It helped with facilitating their power transition at birth, which still needed to be done.

  But the little darling had to be in her body for that.

  Come on, sweetheart, she cooed. I feel you nearby. Find yourself and show me those pretty brown eyes. She’d seen them once initially, the alarm in them nearly breaking her heart. The poor tiny soul had felt her body deteriorating and had fled as a result. But she was mostly put back together now, confirming her seraphic birthright.

  More minutes passed.

  Then a sigh came from Leela as the heartbeat returned. There you are, she whispered fondly. Show me those eyes, sweet girl.

  The child couldn’t actually hear Leela’s mental words, but she would sense the warmth and comfort in her essence. She was a fertility Seraphim, which meant she specialized in birth and fertilization. That also made her excel in the art of sex, similar to the fabled succubus. Only, Leela didn’t require gratification for survival; she just liked it.

  A snort came from behind her, Balthazar’s hand finding her hip as he pressed his lips to her ear. “You and I are going to have a long conversation after this, Lee,” he informed her, the words whisper-soft and meant for her ears alone. “How’s she doing?” he asked in a louder tone, masking his previous statement under a guise of general curiosity.

  She shivered and idly wondered if she could pretend she hadn’t heard his statement. But a nibble to her earlobe told her that would be impossible.

  Only Balthazar could turn a gory moment into something sensual. She was covered in blood and unspeakable fluids, and he somehow made her feel clean and real and powerful.

  She shook her head and faced him, causing his hand to drop from her hip.

  He met her gaze for a brief moment, a hint of knowledge lurking in his brown irises. Then he looked down at the bundle in her arms, his lips curling at the sight of two big beautiful eyes staring back up at him.

  “Well, hello there, little LJ,” he cooed. “I see you have your mother’s eyes.”

  The child blinked.

  He pressed a finger to her nose. “That’s all Jay,” he informed her softly. “But the cheekbones are definitely Lizzie.” Dimples appeared on his cheeks. “You’re stunning, little beauty.”

  A hint of understanding echoed from her eyes, her lips moving in a sucking motion. Leela giggled. “Yes, yes. You need to bond.” She glanced up at Balthazar once more before moving around him and toward the waiting parents on the bed.

  Lizzie’s eyes were huge as Leela brought forward their child, her irises glimmering with more tears. But these were the happy kind, not sad ones. “Oh, she’s alive!”

  “I told you; she just needed to heal a little,” Leela said softly. “But yes, she’s very much alive, and quite a survivor, if you ask me.” She smiled fondly down at the little one who made another sucking motion with her lips. “She’s also impatient. You exchanged power during the birth, but she needs a little more.”

  “How do I do that?” Lizzie asked.

  “She’ll guide you,” Leela assured her. “Can you help Lizzie sit up a bit? It’ll assist with the process.” The question was for Jayson, who promptly shifted on the bed to move the pillows around and give her the space she needed to properly nurture her child.

  Already Lizzie’s body was healing. Within an hour or two, she’d be back to normal. Assuming she repaired herself like a typical Seraphim. Hmm, but her gestational period had been a bit prolonged, so perhaps she’d need more time here as well.

  Regardless, she’d recover quickly.

  And bonding with her little one would help.

  Leela stepped forward after they finished situating themselves on the bed, and slowly lowered the child to Lizzie’s waiting arms. If she was alarmed by all the blood, she didn’t show it.

  “Oh, she’s so beautiful,” Lizzie said, awe coloring her tone.

  “She looks just like her mother,” Jayson replied, stars in his eyes as he stared down at his child.

&nb
sp; Leela moved away from them, intending to give them a few moments of peace. But Balthazar stood right behind her, his warm body cradling hers and his hands finding her hips once more.

  She shivered at the intimate touch. He was always bold, but this felt more like a claim. As though he knew he had a right to grab her. Because it was grounded in history and mutual affection.

  I’m in so much trouble, she thought.

  “Yes, you are,” he replied out loud, causing her to freeze.

  Did I say that out loud? Or did he just read my mind? It was then that she realized what she’d missed in the flurry of activity before. The rune. Vera had given it to her to facilitate the healing, but it’d allowed all Hydraian gifts to work on her. Which meant—

  “I know everything,” he whispered, his arms encircling her waist as he laid his head on her shoulder, watching as Lizzie and Jayson fawned over their child. “We’ll talk later, Lee. For now, let’s admire the life we helped bring into the world.”

  Stas and Issac stood by the bed on the opposite side, both of them enamored with the child. Sethios and Caro were beside them, their focus on their own daughter, a wave of memories swimming in their gazes.

  Twenty-five years ago, they’d brought Stas into this world. And now she was all grown-up with a mate of her own. Leela imagined that both pleased and hurt them. They’d missed so much of her life. But they were reunited now to enjoy the future together. Whatever it might bring.

  Leela didn’t want to think about that now, so she did as Balthazar suggested and admired the tiny being in Lizzie’s arms.

  The two new parents shared a look, Lizzie’s expression almost dreamy from the power exchange her daughter had initiated. They were bonding as a unit, Jayson’s energy added into the mix to help bolster their child’s strength.

  A happy new family filled with love and affection, born in a time of future war.

  But this child would be more protected than any other before her. She had the Hydraian Elders and Issac as uncles, Stas as an aunt, and Leela as a guardian angel.

  It hadn’t been intentional. However, she’d bonded with the small child in her own way as she’d coaxed the soul back to her proper home.

  Which meant Leela had tied herself in a way to the little spirit.

  She’d never remove that tie.

  It would forever remain between them, similar to how Gabriel had pledged fealty to Stas. But not quite the same.

  “What do you plan to name her?” Stas asked softly.

  Lizzie smiled. “Aidyn Lee,” she replied. “Aidan saved us both. It’s only fitting she carry his name in memory of his sacrifice. And Lee after Leela, for ensuring we all survived.”

  Silence followed her words, the emotions behind the names burrowing deep into all their hearts.

  Leela’s own heart seemed to stop beating, shocked at being honored in such a way. “No one’s ever named a child after me,” she whispered.

  “Then I’m glad ours is the first,” Lizzie murmured, smiling down at their daughter.

  Aidyn Lee.

  “A fitting name,” Balthazar said. “Aidan would be honored.”

  “He would,” Issac agreed, his tone a bit gruffer than usual. “Thank you for honoring his memory.”

  “We wouldn’t be here without him,” Lizzie replied, her voice soft. “It’s the best way for us to remember him. It’s also a strong name befitting our miracle. Our baby Aidyn.”

  More silence fell, the emotions in the room heavy.

  Issac was the first to clear his throat, then he nodded and left. Stas followed him out, her hand against his lower back offering comfort.

  Sethios and Caro were next to go.

  Then Leela said, “Call if you need anything.”

  “We will,” Lizzie replied, her focus entirely on their child.

  Leela went to move, but Balthazar’s arms didn’t budge. She cleared her throat.

  “We won’t be far,” he said, his words for Jay. “You know how to grab my attention.”

  “Thanks for calming me down,” Jay replied.

  She felt Balthazar nod beside her head. Then his arms fell, and his hand grabbed hers to pull her out of the room. Leela said nothing, following dutifully as he led them to another bedroom a few doors down.

  A brief thought occurred to her, reminding her that she could mist, but one look from him had her squashing that inclination.

  He sequestered them inside a room with a balcony overlooking the ocean, white furniture, and a large bed with blue sheets and a navy quilt on top. But rather than lead her in the direction of the mattress, he took her into the elegantly furnished bathroom. “Strip,” he told her.

  “You can’t intimidate me,” she informed him, obeying the command out of defiance more than submission. Being naked didn’t bother her. She had a killer body, and she knew how to use it to subdue a man.

  “I don’t want to intimidate you. I want to take care of you and demonstrate my gratitude for what you’ve done for my best friend. Then I’m going to consider fucking you. And after that, we’re going to talk. Unless you want Vera to alter my mind again?”

  Leela stared at him. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”

  “I know you don’t, but I’m going to do it anyway.”

  “And there’s no considering anything when it comes to fucking me,” she added, ignoring his reply. “If I want to fuck, we’ll fuck.”

  He smiled. “I can make you beg.”

  “You can try.”

  “Oh, Leela,” he said, stepping into her personal space and kicking her bloody clothes aside. “I’m going to make you crawl, baby.”

  “That’ll never happen.” The words she spoke out loud didn’t match the ones in her head, which were along the lines of, Yes, please. And the bastard heard them because of the altered rune.

  It struck her then that Vera had to know what would occur after she altered the marking. Just as she’d clearly not warped Balthazar’s mind the way Leela had asked her to.

  He smirked. “You think what happened in Brazil was the best I can do? That was just an introduction. By the time we’re through, you won’t even know how to move without feeling me between your thighs.”

  Her body heated at the promise underlining those words. “Show me.”

  “I will,” he vowed. “After I make you crawl.”

  She snorted. “Then it’s all talk, baby, because I’ll never crawl for you.”

  He smiled, his lips brushing hers in a sensuously bold move that lit her blood on fire. “Thank you, Leela.”

  She frowned. “For what?”

  “For providing me with a new challenge,” he replied softly. “Now get your fine ass in the shower. I’ll join you momentarily. And we’ll see how long your resolve lasts.”

  Sethios stood in a towel out on the balcony of their temporary room, his gaze on the stars above.

  Caro joined him in the robe he’d left for her on the bathroom counter. They’d both showered in silence, kissing frequently and speaking into each other’s minds but not doing anything other than existing together once again.

  She wrapped her arms around his bare waist, pressing her nose into his shoulder as she just held him to her.

  It felt nice. Warm. Right.

  The peaceful roll of the waves along the shoreline below seemed to resemble the calm before the storm. She shivered at the thought of what was to come, the potential for devastation and war.

  “Gabriel’s still in Hydria,” Sethios said softly. “Ezekiel’s staying with Skye for now, but he’ll continue to communicate via the phone he left on the nightstand.”

  “Ezekiel was here?”

  “Yeah, he traced in for a quick chat while you were drying off in the shower.” Sethios rested his arms over hers, his fingertip dancing along her skin. “He’s going to try to learn more from Skye about the Fates but didn’t seem too certain of his ability to coax information from her.”

  Caro sighed against him. “It’s not in her nature to expla
in the future so much as to foresee it.”

  “We need her to be a little more detailed.”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t mean she’s capable of it,” Caro replied, moving along his back and side to face him.

  His arms immediately came around her lower back, his forehead dropping to hers as they held each other in a contented silence. She understood his need, as it rivaled her own, their bodies having missed the comfort of the other for far too long.

  They stood like that for a long, long time, with no words spoken between them but enough emotion to drown out even the loudest of events.

  His lips found hers, worshipping her in a way that made her legs shake. But he held her upright, his tongue a benediction in her mouth that ignited her entire being.

  She encircled his neck with her arms, holding on, their bodies marrying in a way that rivaled their spirits.

  Each stroke of his tongue against hers grounded her even more in the present, her reformation experience subsiding beneath the memories he evoked from her mind. All those years lost between them meant nothing. They had now. They had the future. They had their daughter.

  That was all that mattered to her. She sensed Sethios’s agreement through the bond. He lifted her into the air, carrying her back into the room and laying her on the bed.

  Her legs spread for him, aware of his intentions.

  He parted her robe and tossed his towel to the ground, then kissed a path down her body to the sweet spot between her thighs. His tongue continued that sensual assault, licking and tasting and sending her to the heavens with each skilled caress.

  She’d left the knife in the bathroom with her clothes, but it didn’t matter. They didn’t need it. Because not all sex between them required pain. All they truly needed was each other.

  He nibbled her clit, causing her to bow off the bed, her fingers threading through his thick, dark hair. More, she moaned into his mind.

  Sethios didn’t hold back or deny her, instead giving her exactly what she wanted, and sucked her nub into his mouth while spearing her with two fingers. She fell apart in seconds, her body starved for him after so long without consistent touch.