Bloodlines: The Reapers Book Three

by Bo Reid

“I don’t know who you think you are, but if my sister can’t rein in her crazy, that’s on her. And if you guys can’t control her, that’s on you. My hands are clean,” I grit out through clenched teeth.

  “And that just goes to show how little you know about where you come from. No one controls a Valdis, there is a reason your father was the king,” Ranger says as he leans casually on the door frame.

  But I see the way he subtly bites the inside of his cheek. His arms crossed over his chest, his eyebrows pinching together as if he’s trying to solve a complicated problem. I’m betting that problem is my sister.

  “So, here is the part where you lay everything out start to finish. And we decide if it’s worth putting Morana through more, or if you can fuck off,” Hunter says looming over me.

  There is one thing they don’t realize; I might not be Morana, I wasn’t raised in the life that they are used to, but that doesn’t mean I’m ignorant to this world. I grew up trapped in a small town with dirty law enforcement. My mom traded a life of murder, drugs, and guns for a cage. And even though she was trying to protect me from this world, she caged us into one that was worse. And I’ve never truly forgiven her for it.

  “Who helped your mom get away from Sanorah, and why did they help?” Talin asks.

  “The Shay family,” I grit out. “From what I understand, they were an old contact or partnered with Aeron. He cut them off and deemed them unworthy to work with him anymore; I don’t know why or any details from back then. So, they were going to go back to where they came from, and my mom wanted out, so they took her with them,” I explain.

  “Shay?” Talin asks, cocking his head to the side.

  “Yeah, they run everything back home. They didn’t use to be so prominent. They kept things subtle, under the radar, but in the last few years, they have become more…” I wave my hand around, searching for the right word. “I don’t know, more in your face. They started taking over more stuff.”

  “Where are you from?” Talin asks.

  “Calliope, Montana,” I say and watch Talin’s face scrunch up in confusion.

  “Talin…” Emma says, sliding off the barstool she’s on, coming over and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

  “And the Shay’s own the Calliope law enforcement?” he asks.

  “Yeah…” I say. And he shakes his head, bringing his hands up to rub his temples as if a headache is setting in.

  “And they took your mom?” Hunter asks.

  “Yes, and I can’t go to the cops because I don’t know who is dirty and who isn’t. I don’t want to make things worse,” I say

  “Why did they take her? It doesn’t make any sense, she left over twenty years ago, and has been up there this whole time?” Hunter asks. “Why take her now?”

  “I don’t know. As far as I know, it’s not for money; they haven’t asked for anything.”

  “How do you know it was them?” Ranger asks as he eyes Talin.

  “Who else could it be? It’s too much of a coincidence to just be a random kidnapping,” I say.

  “Talin?” I whip my head around at the sound of Morana’s small voice laced with a concern I didn’t know she was capable of feeling.

  Talin turns towards her, and a small smile pulls at his lips. As much as I don’t understand how anything works here, what is clear is how much they all love each other. Even Emma and Nash, they all get along. They’re a family. One I never had. A family that I could’ve had. My mom took me away to give me a better life, but watching as they interact, I wonder if I could have had this type of love, this family bond had we stayed.

  All I ever wanted was a father, a brother, and a sister. And by the time I realized I had all of that, it was already too late. I would have swum through rivers of blood to have a family, even one as fucked up as this.

  Chapter 6: Paribāra

  Morana

  I can feel this pull in my heart, something that tells me that one of my guys needs me. I can’t explain it, but I know I need to put my own shit aside and go to them. Walking down the hallway towards the voices in the kitchen, I touch the tips of my fingers along the cold glass.

  I see Emma standing over Talin as he rubs his temples, his face lined with confusion. Aether is sitting in front of him. Ranger is standing back, leaning against the door frame, making sure to stay as close to me as possible, even from another room. And Hunter stands next to Nash.

  “Talin?” I ask, my voice small.

  When everyone turns to face me, I see the emotional pain flit across Talin’s face, even as he tries to hide it with a smile. But that doesn’t work on me.

  I walk over to Talin, ignoring everyone’s eyes on me. Kneeling in front of him, I place a gentle hand on his thigh and cup his face with my other; he leans into my touch. Leaning his forehead against mine, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves running through him, trying to fight against the war inside his head.

  When he leans back and looks at me, he smiles slightly. I hear Aether clear his throat, and I cut a glare at him that makes him shiver. Good. I’m still not happy with him.

  “Come on,” I whisper to Talin, as I stand and grab his hand, turning and leading him down the hallway to our bedroom.

  “Honey, we have business to take care of,” he says, as I put my hands on his chest.

  “I have you to take care of,” I whisper, leaning up on my tiptoes to place kisses along his neck. “Tell me what you need,” I ask as his hands come around to rest on my hips, digging his fingers into my soft flesh.

  “Just you,” he says before his hand tangles in my hair, pulling just enough to expose my throat. He bends down, nipping and sucking on my neck. I hiss when he bites down, then licks the spot, soothing it. He runs his hands down my thighs, gripping my ass before lifting me in his arms, and slamming my back against the door.

  I wrap my legs around his waist as he pulls the neck of my tank top down, exposing my breasts. He pinches my hard nipple while sucking the other into his mouth. I moan, tossing my head back and pushing my chest into his face. I feel him smile against my breast.

  “Honey…” he says quietly.

  “Yes?” I manage to pant out between heavy breathing.

  “I…” he trails off, resting his head in the crook of my neck.

  “What do you need?” I ask him again. And when he doesn’t respond, I reach up, gripping his hair and wrenching his head back roughly. “Tell me what you need,” I growl.

  “I need to punish something,” he grits through clenched teeth.

  “Then punish me,” I whisper as I grind my core against his stiff erection, and he groans.

  Reaching between us, he moves my shorts and panties to the side and presses the palm of his hand to my swollen clit while diving two fingers into me. I moan and push my hips into his hand.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he says as he slowly pulls his fingers out before pumping them into me and rubbing his palm against my clit again.

  “You won’t,” I moan.

  Talin removes his hand from me, and I whine at the loss of contact and watch as he brings his hand to his mouth to lick his fingers clean and smiles at me.

  “You’re always so sweet,” he whispers before crashing his lips to mine, darting his tongue into me; I taste myself on his lips. I rock my hips against him as I hear him pull the zipper of his pants down. Lining himself up with my pussy, he slams into me, and I moan.

  He grips my ass and fucks me against the door. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer to me, my nails digging into his skin. Moving his hand between us, he presses his thumb against my clit, working in small circles. He slows his thrusts, rolling his hips to hit just the right spot.

  My chest is heaving, and a moan escapes my lips as I throw my head back against the door, thrusting my hips closer to him, begging for more.

  When I feel my legs start to shake, Talin works his hips and thumb faster, bracing me roughly against the door. Heat starts in my lower body,
and it spreads over me as I grip his hips with my legs.

  Moaning, I throw my head back as my orgasm rushes over me. Talin moves his hips quickly, thrusting in and out of me erratically until he stills deep inside me. He grunts his own release, resting his head against the crook of my neck.

  He gently pulls out of me, holding me close to his chest as he turns and walks towards the bathroom. He gently sets me down on the edge of the large tub as he turns on the water, filling the tub with bubbles.

  Reaching for the hem of my shirt, he pulls it over my head, pulling me up to stand as he slips my shorts down my thighs, dropping to his knees in front of me. He slowly runs his hands up my thighs, over my tattoos covering my scars. He places kisses to the worst of the scars spread across my body — the ones not even the dark ink can hide. Reminders of only some of the pain I have gone through.

  When he stands, I reach for the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and dropping it to the floor. Pushing his pants over his hips, they drop as well, and he steps out of them. Grabbing my hand, he motions for the tub, and I step inside, sinking under the water. Talin steps in behind me, settling his legs around me before pulling me against his chest.

  He grabs the soap and gently runs the bar over my arms, across my chest, massaging my breasts as he places kisses along my neck.

  “What happened?” I ask quietly.

  “He’s from Calliope,” he says, sighing.

  “Where you’re from?” I ask as he runs his hands under the water to rub small circles against my inner thighs.

  “Yeah, and he says the law enforcement is dirty,” he says quietly.

  “And now you’re wondering if your dad was, or if he wasn’t, and that’s why he was killed,” I state and feel him nodding his head as he rests it against my neck.

  “We’ll figure it out,” I say, determination coursing through me. I might not want to help Aether, and I definitely couldn’t care less about Victoria Tyler, but I care about Talin. And we’re going to figure this out, and if I have to save her to do it, then so be it.

  “Honey, you don’t have to do this. If it’s too much, I don’t want you to think you have to do this for me,” he says.

  I turn in his arms, wrapping my hands around his neck and kissing his lips. “I would do anything for you,” I whisper. “And if I have to save her to get you the answers you need, then I will.”

  He leans in, crashing his lips to mine, as water splashes out of the tub. His hands reach up to cup my face as he works his lips over mine.

  I move to straddle his legs in the tub, feeling his dick grind against me. Reaching down into the water, I move to line him up with me, before slowly lowering myself onto him.

  “I love you,” he whispers against my lips, and I smile, rocking my hips back and forth slowly.

  “I love you too.”

  Chapter 7: Kuṭumba

  Morana

  I hear the arguing before I even open my eyes, and I groan, throwing an arm over my face. The voices get louder as they travel down the hallway; the closer the guys get to our room, the louder the yelling gets. By the time they burst into the room, I’m sitting up in bed with my arms crossed over my chest.

  “You just fucking can’t, man!” Ranger yells at Talin, his face beet red as he tries to keep himself from beating the shit out of Talin for whatever reason.

  I watch Hunter slump into a chair next to our bed and cross his arms over his chest, his attitude matching mine.

  “Why the fuck not!” Talin yells back at Ranger.

  Ranger brings his hands up and makes a motion like he wants to strangle Talin before moving them up to run through his hair, pulling at the ends in frustration.

  “You need to deal with him,” Ranger seethes, pointing his finger at me, and I raise my eyebrows. Does he not remember who the fuck he is talking to right now?

  “What are you going on about?” I manage to grit out between clenched teeth; I do not care for being woken up.

  “Your little boyfriend wants to apply for the open deputy position down at the Aspen Police Force,” Ranger growls, placing his hands on his hips.

  I blink a few times, looking between a seething Ranger, and a disgruntled Talin.

  “Seriously?” I ask Talin in utter disbelief.

  “Yeah, I don’t see what the issue is,” he grits.

  I clear my throat, pushing myself farther up against the headboard, “well for starters, murderer,” I say, raising my hand above my head.

  “Murderer,” I point to Hunter.

  “Murderer,” I motion towards Ranger.

  “Oh, yeah, and murderer,” I motion towards Talin.

  “No one knows about that,” he grumbles.

  “Dear god, man, it’s the principle!” Ranger yells, “you helped us blow up a fucking MC; you don’t just get to keep being a cop after that. Plus, do you remember where our income still comes from?” Ranger asks.

  “Yeah, Babe, it’s not like we cut ties,” I point out, “we bought this house with blood money; blood money pays our bills, blood money buys your clothes, we’re not clean here. And we can fly under the radar a bit, but not if you start working with the cops, they’ll ask questions that we don’t need,” I say softly, twisting my hands together in my lap.

  This is what I worried about when he quit working for the FBI and decided to stay with us, he was a Fed most of his life, and he gave it all up for me. I don’t want him to regret his choice.

  “Guys, can you give us a minute?” I ask Hunter and Ranger.

  I watch as they leave the room, and Talin sits at the foot of the bed.

  “Is that really what you want?” I ask softly.

  “I don’t know what else to do, Honey. Being a cop was my whole life. I don’t know where to go from here, but I know I need to do something productive,” he sighs.

  “You can do it,” I whisper.

  Talin turns around to look at me, and I quickly wipe away tears before they can fall, “but you can’t stay here if you do,” I say looking up at his eyes,

  “I’m sorry, Talin, I never wanted you to regret coming here with us. I never wanted to be part of your ‘what-ifs,’ and I don’t want to give you an ultimatum, but I have to; it’s not just you that I have to think about,” I whisper.

  “What are you saying, exactly,” he asks.

  “That if being a cop is that important to you, then I won’t stop you from doing that, but it has to be us or that. It can’t be both,” I tell him.

  “You know I would always choose you,” he says as he climbs up the bed and sits next to me.

  “I’m sorry it has to be a choice.”

  “I knew this life came with hard choices before I signed up; you are always going to be what I pick. Morana, I mean it. Always,” he says, cupping my chin and tilting my head to look at him.

  “If there comes a day that I’m not your first choice, please do what is best for you,” I ask him, and bite my lower lip.

  “You’re always what’s best for me,” he whispers before gently kissing my lips.

  “Pack your shit; we’ve got a plane to catch,” I say, as Talin and I walk out of the bedroom, dropping our duffle bags on the ground. We spent the past few hours alone in our room because Talin needed time. Not just time with me, but time alone, away from everything else to think about what he wanted to do.

  I will do whatever it takes to get him the answers he needs. I can’t promise that the answers will be what he is hoping for, but I can promise to find the truth; and help in the only way I know how.

  Bloodshed.

  “Uh, Love, you sure that’s a good idea?” Ranger asks cautiously, moving towards me, his eyes studying my face; for what, I’m not sure.

  Ranger is the only one to ever really study me — like he wants to get under my skin and inside my head; it’s a scary place in there, he should probably learn to back off at some point — I have always hated it. Back when we were younger, it felt like I needed to work twice as hard to keep my secrets hidde
n, like somehow, he could see right through me. Now, I don’t keep very many things from them, but the few things that I do keep hidden, I would like them to stay that way. Not for me, but for them. I don’t know how they would feel if they ever found out the truth. If they ever realized just how deep the claws of my monster are.

  “Positive,” I say as a sinister smile spreads across my lips.

  “You don’t even know what we’re walking into,” Aether says from the couch.

  I turn to study him. “Maybe not, but I know what we’ll be walking out of.”

  “And what’s that?”

  I shrug. “A bloodbath.”

  His jaw ticks and he wrings his hands out in front of him. I watch as he studies my face; I’m not sure what he’s looking for, but he won’t find it. I’m back to being a monster, soulless, indifferent to life; just the way I prefer it.

  My fog is tucked safely around my shoulders, and my monster is hidden away, waiting for her chance to come out and play. After two years of silence, she’s thirsty for blood; and I intend to give her a massacre.

  “Pretty Girl, what’s your plan?” Hunter asks, stepping forward and grabbing my hand as Talin wraps a protective arm around my shoulders.

  Two years ago, they wouldn’t have questioned me. But after everything that happened then, and everything we have been through since, I know they worry. They worry that if I let my monster out, she’ll never go back. They’re not worried that they’ll lose me physically; I’m resilient as fuck. Plus, you can’t kill someone who’s already dead, and I’ve been dead for a long fucking time.

  They’re concerned that mentally I won’t be the same. But the truth is that I’ve never been the same — that I feel the most normal when fresh, warm blood coats my hands. It’s one of the only times I can stand being in anything other than the cold. The blood has just always been so damn pretty, and truth be told, I miss it more than I would ever admit to them; because no one needs to know what kind of monster I truly still am.