Twister let out a particularly loud howl and Roxy put her hands on his chest, rubbing him in circular patterns with a look of fear and anger on her face. What must it be like to watch your younger brother go through something like that? Gracie shuddered as she shrank back in on herself. They were only in this situation because of her… because they had rescued her.
Somewhere behind them, Blizzard growled. “If she becomes a vampire, you know what we have to do. We can’t risk—”
“Giving up a source of fresh vampire blood?” Shadow interrupted. “Yeah, my first thought was to kill her, too. But we don’t have any more vampire blood and we can’t exactly go collect more from the blood bank. If she turns, we will have to utilize the resource she presents.”
Gracie cried out, trying to tell them no. The tube constricted her throat and she coughed, choking and gasping. Mia rushed over and checked the tube before snarling out. “Don’t try to talk. We’re doing all we can to prevent you from turning. If you do turn, it’s like Shadow says. We’ll have to utilize the resource.”
Gracie shook her head, tears in her eyes.
“You’d be too much of a risk to keep around constantly,” Mia assured her. “After we got the blood we needed, we’d kill you.”
Daniel snarled, so loud and deep that she could feel it reverberate through her chest. Some part of her shied away at once, but oddly enough a sense of calm went through her at the same time. Daniel was with her. He was looking after her. It didn’t matter what happened, so long as he was by her side. Her fingers stretched out, brushing against his, and he pulled her hand tightly into his.
“I will not allow her to be killed,” Daniel said staunchly. “Not any more than I will allow my mother or Typhoon to be killed. Nor will I allow my father to die, either. We give her the shifter blood and hopefully, that will stop the transformation. If it doesn’t, if she becomes a vampire, then I am damn well going to go back and tear Apep apart piece by piece. He’s not going to take the people I love away from me!”
There was that word again. Gracie strained against the leather bounds. She opened her mouth, wanting to ask him if that meant what she thought it did.
But even before she remembered the tube going down her throat, a blast of white-hot agony washed through her. Her body buckled. She spasmed and convulsed. Then everything went black.
***
It felt like there was a stake being driven through her heart. It grew sharper every time she inhaled, so she tried not to breathe at all. The room was overly hot, making her tongue feel dry. Her body ached, but it was nothing compared to that singular pain in her chest. She groaned, trying to adjust her position and hopefully ease it. A hand smoothed over her forehead and she flinched from the contact.
“Sorry,” Daniel murmured.
Relief washed over her as she faced him again. A small smile came over her face as the pain faded a little more. When she opened her mouth, she realized that the burning pain was no longer there. Her throat was raw and dry, but she could breathe just fine. The tube must have been taken out.
“Hey,” she murmured, her voice cracking hoarsely.
“Drink this.”
He held a cup to her mouth, the little straw pointed toward her. She took a couple of sips before the tangy, sweet flavor registered. She gagged, trying to spit the blood back out, but Daniel shook his head.
“I know you don’t want to, but you have to try to drink, okay?”
She thought about asking why, but instead obediently drank. The pain in her chest faded away entirely and she rested her head back, feeling utterly exhausted even for having just woken up. Her eyes started to close but then snapped back open. She turned her head, seeking Daniel out again with a questioning look.
“Did the shifter blood work?”
He hesitated, and her stomach plummeted. “It slowed your transformation. But we don’t think it will halt it entirely. The best we can hope for is controlling the way you change, so you won’t have any uncontrollable urges.”
Tears flooded her vision. “I don’t want to be a vampire.”
“I know.” He kissed her forehead. “But really, it’s not as bad as you might think. My mother’s been a vampire for centuries and she has a good handle on it. Bloodlust is a danger that you have to be wary of, but as long as you don’t let yourself get too hungry, it’s not something that you’ll have to worry about. Plus, a steady diet of shifter blood will keep you more human than vampire. All is not lost.”
Gracie wanted to believe him. She wanted to accept what he was saying and think nothing else about it. But the thoughts that had been running through her head before flooded back and she started to cry, even as she fought her tears.
“Apep wants me as his goddess. He turned me into a vampire so he can control my every action. I’ll be a danger to you and the others. I can’t… I can’t be a vampire, Daniel! I can’t. I’d rather—” She cut herself off, shuddering. Would she really rather be dead? If it meant she wasn’t under Apep’s control, if it meant she was free of whatever he planned for her… yes. But would she rather be dead than a vampire? Especially with the precautions Daniel had just said they could take? She took a shuddering breath and reached for his hand. To her surprise, she found she was no longer strapped down. She wondered, briefly, if it was safe, but Daniel would know how to take care of himself. “Thank you. For saving me.”
“Of course,” Daniel’s eyes burned. “I could never leave you in his hands.”
“Is Twister alright?”
Daniel nodded. “Yeah. Aunt Roxy and Uncle Stewart are with him now… I wanted to stay with you.”
What he had said before she went unconscious went through her mind. Love. Was it really possible? Could he… love her? She was too nervous to ask. If he did, what would she say in response?
“Gracie….” He leaned forward, looking hesitant as he met her gaze. “There is something I want to ask you. It’s going to be uncomfortable and I’ll understand if you want to tell me to fuck off.”
Dread dropped into her stomach, but she nodded, encouraging him to continue.
“Your blood did something for Apep. I have to wonder… I mean, I’m half vamp… Maybe it will do the same for me.”
Gracie’s eyes widened. He wanted to drink her blood? She didn’t know how to respond to that. Part of her shrank back… but another part of her told her to go for it. She stared at him, seeing the hesitation in his eyes, seeing how uncertain he was. She thought of the pain that had poured through her when Apep drank from her… and somehow knew that it would not be the same with him.
She swallowed hard, then nodded and tilted her head to one side, exposing her throat to him. Daniel leaned forward. His tongue flicked over her pulse, making a shudder run through her, and then twin pricks sent a gasp rushing through her. Then he was drinking… and heat burned through her body. Her core tightened as she clung to him, a snarl on her own lips as the pleasure built higher.
Chapter Thirteen
Storm
Blood was never something he craved. Sure, from time to time he felt himself getting weaker in one way or another and knew it was time to step up his hemoglobin. Even then, though, it was a chore to choke down straight blood. But Gracie's… Gracie's blood was like the sweetest nectar. The only thing sweeter was the nectar between her legs when he brought her to climax.
Waves of pleasure washed through him as he finished into her with a couple thrusts, then licked the tiny holes in her neck where he'd been drinking. Gracie did the same, gently cleaning the area she had been drinking from him. After two weeks, the transformation had completed; if she stopped drinking his blood for any solid length of time, she would become full vampire. Fortunately, it seemed like her steady diet of shifter blood kept her human enough to prevent Apep from taking control of her.
Daniel nestled into her neck, loving the scent of her, and he slowly withdrew from the heat of her core. Gracie let out a sigh of disappointment. He chuckled and kissed her lightly, the mingled
taste of their blood on their mouths. Gracie wrapped her arms around him, tracing her fingers down his back where she had been clawing earlier.
She grimaced. “I hope I didn’t hurt you. I still don’t know how strong I am.”
“Darling, that was anything but painful.”
A rapid pounding on the door made them both groan. Shadow shouted, “You’d better be finished. We’re leaving in ten minutes. Be ready or get left behind.”
The two of them glanced at each other, grimaced, and reluctantly climbed out of bed. This was the best place they had been so far, and it was going to be difficult to leave it. Not only was there room for everybody to have their own space, but the walls were thick enough that the two of them didn’t have to worry about disturbing others when they made love.
Best of all? Locks on the doors. So none of the children could walk in on them, leading to some very awkward conversations.
They pulled on their clothing, sighing once more. Daniel was tempted to delay a little, but that would set a dangerous precedent. After he had stepped up and taken command of the leftover leadership of the Brotherhood in order to save Gracie, he had become firmly entrenched as the leader. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t without challenges, but he had been able to meet every one that was thrown at him and come forward with a glint in his eye and the support of the other former alphas.
It seemed that he had been right from the start… somebody needed to step up and take the leadership, rather than waiting for everybody to agree on it.
Since rescuing Gracie, they had been constantly on the move. Apep’s attacks were more frequent, and so Melanie, Ava, Roxy, Mia, and Blizzard had taken the children and found a good underground location, far from the immediate threat. Apep didn’t seem interested in them, only Daniel and Gracie. He himself hadn’t come after them—Daniel had to wonder if it meant he was afraid of them somehow—and Typhoon hadn’t been seen either. The sheer number of vampires that were constantly hunting them, though, was enough that they couldn’t stay in any location longer than it took to get a rest and fill their bellies.
For all that, though, things had never looked better. Daniel had hacked the media more than once, sending messages all across the country calling members of the Savage Brotherhood to gather and fight. He encouraged the humans to fight back, too, and there had been more than one riot reported. Vampires were struggling to hold onto their populations, and more and more people were flocking to the cause of defeating Apep once and for all.
“Hurry up,” Shadow shouted as she moved off.
Gracie rolled her eyes as she pulled her shirt on. “We’re already packed and ready to go, what more does she want?”
“Probably to be on the bikes already,” Daniel replied with a wink. “She’s a good beta to have. I understand why Tornado was so successful at his young age.”
Gracie rolled her eyes once more. “You’re one to talk about young ages. God! I can’t think about that, it’s too weird.”
Daniel chuckled. He grabbed his pack and Gracie’s as he waited for her to put on her shoes. It was true enough that she still had a difficult time with his age, but in the end, he’d convinced her that it didn’t mean anything except for a small lack in actual experience. It didn’t change the fact that he was an adult just as much as she was. He had done a full kindergarten to high school education in his first year of life, proving that his brain was a quick learner, so he wasn’t undereducated, either.
Gracie took her pack and slid it onto her back as they left. Tornado and Thunder were already waiting at the bikes, loading up their provisions, while Josef, Andy, and Stewart all were making sure the tanks were topped off. Frieda was on her phone, having a quietly murmured conversation. Her gaze flashed over to them, and she gave them a strained smile.
Shadow snorted as they started to secure their packs to the backs of their bikes. She was already ready to go, her fingers tapping against the one handle of her bike. Daniel ignored her impatience. This was going to be a riskier move; since vampires no longer seemed to be bound to stay out of the sunshine, the gang traveled at night, so as to avoid the gazes of humans who might turn them in. They were going to meet with another group of shifters who were fighting the good fight but being rather clumsy at it; Daniel was going to give them strategies and leave Thunder with them as their alpha, before heading out again.
“Change of plans,” Frieda announced as she walked to her bike, slipping her phone back into her pocket. “Sorry, but I shall not be going with you anymore.”
Daniel frowned at his aunt. He couldn’t stop the annoyance from slipping into his voice. “And why is that? You have something better to do?”
Frieda gave him an apologetic look. “I don’t want to go and sit around doing nothing, but circumstances have changed. That was Mia and she was just giving me the results of some tests that we took before we separated. Turns out that I’m pregnant.”
Stewart dropped a wrench, which clattered noisily to the floor. He dashed over to her, picking her up and whirling in the air. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yes,” Frieda yelped, then laughed as she started kissing him. “And I have to get to the others, because I can’t risk—”
“Of course,” Shadow grunted. She shook her head, but there was a smile tugging at her lips which belayed the annoyance she was trying to show. “Get yourself knocked up and leave us to do the fighting. Typical. I’ll have you know that I never took a day off when I was pregnant.”
Frieda shot her an annoyed glance. “Don’t give me that bullshit. I know Tornado kept you out of the field when you were preggers.”
Shadow shrugged but grinned. Everybody moved forward, clapping Stewart and Frieda on their backs and offering their congratulations. Daniel hung back until everyone else had moved aside, then embraced his aunt and uncle. This was good news—hope in the time when it seemed like all hope had been taken away from them. Still, it wasn’t without its risks. It was more important now than ever that they figure out how to retrieve Typhoon and Guinevere, that they make a plan to finally take out Apep once and for all.
Daniel had no idea how they were going to do that. All he knew was it had to be done.
“Uncle Stewart, Dad,” he turned to Stewart and Andy both. “I want you to escort Aunt Frieda to the others. We’ll meet up in Adamsvale.”
Andy gripped his shoulder briefly, worry shining from his eyes. Daniel knew better than to think that it was because his father doubted him, though. Since Andy was bitten, he had been jumpier, and far more protective of Daniel, Stewart, and Frieda. He’d had a difficult time deciding to continue on with them, rather than staying with Roxy and the kids to protect them.
“I take it to mean you want me to stay with the group?” Josef asked, his voice even.
“Yes. I know you’d like to see Aunt Roxy and the kids, but I need you with us. You still have money and the rest of us…”
Josef nodded, struggling to keep the disappointment off his face. “Of course.”
“Now.” Daniel climbed onto his bike. “Let’s get going. Safe travels, all.”
***
The group in Adamsvale called themselves the Brotherhood United and contained several members of the Coalfell chapter. They welcomed Tornado warmly, and Daniel wondered if he ought to switch and leave him here rather than Thunder. He kept that at the back of his mind as he listened to what they had been doing, their successes and failures. When they told him that a large group of shifters were being held prisoner in a blood-processing factory, anger whirled through him.
One of the United members, the former barkeep named Lem, eyed Gracie with his nostrils flaring. “What is a vampire doing with you?”
“Gracie is immune to Apep’s control.” Daniel didn’t add that they didn’t know if she would succumb if she became less human or if Apep got too close. “He’s been coming after her since she was human, so I’m keeping her close.”
“Very close,” Lem muttered, nostrils flared again. He glared at Gr
acie this time. “What does Apep want with you?”
Gracie shrugged, looking unconcerned. “He wants to turn me into his goddess. Which is never happening.” She grinned, flashing her fangs. “He comes near me again and I’ll tear out his throat. He’ll see what happens when he messes with the children of Ra.”
Lem looked impressed and confused. Daniel smirked, then turned the conversation back to the prisoners. They had to rescue them, something Lem had tried to do several times to no avail.
“Shadow, you go scout out the prison. Find us a way in.”
Tornado looked like he wanted to protest but said nothing. Shadow smirked and slipped away. The rest of them continued with the other things, including Josef forking over fistfuls of cash he’d managed to get from some of his offshore accounts—a stroke of luck, since the majority of his money had been confiscated by Apep’s forces. What he’d managed to get was enough to fund them for a little while, but Daniel was already planning another heist. Who knew when it would run out?
Much later, after Shadow had returned and they put together a plan to rescue the prisoners, Gracie and Daniel retired to a little closet that would be serving as their bedroom. Both of them collapsed into their sleeping bags, too exhausted to think about lovemaking.
“‘He’ll see what happens when he messes with the children of Ra.’” Daniel chuckled. “That was nicely dramatic.”
“Thanks. I’ve been working on it.” Gracie groped in the darkness for his hand. “Do you think this plan will work?”
“It better.” Daniel sighed and moved a little closer. “I fucking love you.” There was silence, and Daniel suddenly felt very self-conscious. He cleared his throat and tried to fix it. “I mean, I love fucking you. With you. It’s great and I—”
“I love you, too.”
Warmth spread through his chest. A smile bloomed over his face and he turned, wrapping his arms around her. His exhaustion was forgotten as he kissed her over and over again. Gracie laughed as she returned his kisses, but suddenly stopped and pressed both hands to his chest.
Storm Page 8