Blood Traitor

by Kim Loraine

  “Why did you come back?” I asked.

  He cocked a brow. “It’s my family. I won’t abandon them, even though they might think it’s in my nature.”

  I took a cracker and layered it with a thin slice of salami before topping the meat with coastal cheddar. I ate three before looking at him again. “Why is there food here? You don’t eat.”

  “I’m sure my esteemed step-monster has her share of blood slaves. We just haven’t seen them yet. Have to keep them fed in order to keep them alive.”

  Disgust rolled through me. I pushed the plate away and fought a shiver as my meager meal threatened to make a reappearance. “How many humans did you have here the first time Cashel took me?”

  Lucas poured a glass of water and handed it to me. “None. We weren’t in the habit of keeping blood slaves. Such a dirty connotation. Our donors are always willing and we always make it good for them as payment.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  “Well, that is true. In my father’s defense—though, I’ll have you know I loathed that man and he deserved the death you two gave him—he was in the beginning of the end of his battle with sun sickness. I don’t know how he hid it from us as long as he did.”

  “So, you’re telling me the Blackthorne vampires don’t take blood from whomever they choose? They don’t use their powers to compel humans into unwittingly donating their blood?”

  “Until recently, that’s exactly what I’m telling you. Cashel doesn’t use glamor until the feeding begins. Why cause pain when we can make it good?”

  I didn’t know if I could argue that I wanted to know it hurt. Why would I want that?

  “The greatest gift a human can give us is their blood.”

  “How do you know Cashel doesn’t manipulate his victims? You might feel one way, but you’re not with him every second of the night.”

  “It might not seem like it to you, but Cashel has always been my protector. He’s been the older brother I needed. He taught me how to be a vampire when I first started my transition.”

  “Transition?”

  “I’m a hybrid. You know this. It means so much more than having a human parent. It’s a crapshoot. We either turn or we don’t. I did. Thank God.”

  My stomach twisted with unease. This was more than I ever thought I’d learn about Lucas. “He’d have killed you if you hadn’t turned, wouldn’t he?”

  “Without a doubt. Cash promised if I didn’t start transitioning on my own, he’d turn me.”

  Heart fluttering, I fought tears. “He did?”

  “Yes. He’s hurting right now. When he’s injured, he’s like a lion. He lashes out and defends himself.”

  “And you’re insinuating that I’m the one who did the injuring?”

  Lucas shrugged before turning away and grabbing a decanter filled with wine from a separate refrigerator. He swirled it a few times and poured it into a glass. It only took a moment for me to realize it wasn’t wine. It was too thick, too vibrant. I swallowed hard and forced myself not to be afraid.

  “You broke my brother’s heart when you left him for that hunter. The only reason your boyfriend was alive so long is because Cashel wouldn’t hurt you by taking his life.” He took a long swallow of the blood in his goblet. “I’m not as forgiving.”

  “I don’t need you to be. Also, just for the record, I never betrayed your brother. I saved him. He’s the one who ruined everything by lying to me. All of it was a lie. Don’t let him play the victim, Lucas. He’s guilty of a lot more than treason.”

  “I thought too much of you. Believe what you want, but you’re an idiot if you don’t see what’s right in front of you.” He shook his head and downed the contents of his glass before setting it on the counter and leaving the room without looking back at me.

  I sat there, staring at the stripes of white in the dark marble countertop, listening to the tick, tick, tick of the clock on the wall to my right. “Cashel, why can’t I get you out of my heart?”

  “I’m surprised I’m still there at all.” His voice made me flinch in surprise. “It seemed pretty clear you’d cut me out completely.”

  I turned and found Cashel standing in the doorway, casually leaning against the frame, but pain radiating from his eyes. “Why do you care? You’ve got me right where you want me.”

  In the drawing of one breath, he was across the room and standing directly in front of me. His scent made my head spin and my body light with need. “No, now I do.”

  He didn’t touch me. Just stood there brooding. “God, Cashel, if you want to do something, fucking do it.”

  “No. You’re not here for me to rape. I’ll never take your body without your consent.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vial filled with red liquid. “See this?”

  I took it from him, my fingertips brushing his and sending sparks shooting up my arm. “Blood.”

  “My blood. If you don’t trust me, trust that I wouldn’t lie to you, then take a drop of that every night when you wake. It’ll ensure no vampire can compel you. Not Anne, and certainly not me.”

  I frowned. “Why would you give me this?”

  “Because I gave this to you as often as I could the first time we were here together, but you didn’t know. Now I want everything to be transparent between us. I broke your trust by not telling you I was in your mind when I fed and when I sent you to sleep before bringing you here. I’ll never do that to you again. Your mind is off limits to all of us. If that’s what you want.”

  Twirling the vial between my fingers, I examined the blood inside. Cashel’s blood. The most powerful thing a vampire had was this. It held all their secrets. And he was trusting me with it?

  “I’m tired,” I said, unable to pull together a stronger response to his gesture. “Where’s my…cell?”

  He shook his head. “You won’t be kept in our dank dungeon while I’m here. You’ll sleep in my bed.”

  “I don’t want to be anywhere near you. I’ll take dark and dismal.”

  A muscle in his jaw twitched as tension coiled his shoulders. “I’ll sleep elsewhere.”

  “I’m going to need more clothes. I can’t wander around in your shirt forever.”

  “It’s already taken care of. Martin transferred your belongings to my rooms. You’ll find you have everything you need.” He cocked a brow. “Though I have to admit, I quite like the look of you in my clothes, with my scent covering you.”

  My nipples tightened with a zing of arousal. Damn him. “This is as close as you’re going to get.”

  “You’ve said that before.”

  I took a long breath, which was a colossal mistake because all that got me was more of his addictive scent. “I need to sleep.”

  He nodded. “I’ll see you to bed.”

  I shook my head. “I know the way.”

  “So you do. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you wander a house filled with vampires I don’t know. You may hate me, but I feel exactly the opposite for you.”

  I didn’t respond, instead, I walked away from him, feeling his eyes boring holes into my back. We made our way silently through the house, up the grand staircase and down the halls that seemed to never end, until finally Cashel put his palm on the small of my back and I stilled.

  “I never wanted to bring you back to this place, little bird. I’m sorry it turned out this way.”

  “If you were sorry, you’d have let me live my life with Logan.”

  His amber irises darkened to a terrifying onyx. “If I’d done that, you’d have no life to speak of.”

  “Maybe that was the better option.”

  He opened the door and waited for me to walk inside, then followed, stopping at the fireplace as I continued deeper inside. Not a single word was uttered between us as I wandered the rooms, heading to his bedroom where I found all the clothing Brenna had bought for me when I’d first arrived. I slipped into a silk nightgown and pulled my hair into a loose braid. My gaze drifted to the vial of Cashel’s blood sitting on th
e bed near my discarded shirt. That could be a ploy, another lie to get me to be pliant. But I also remembered my training with the hunters. They’d told me something similar. My hands shook as I pulled out the stopper and dispensed a single drop onto my finger. Then, I brought it to my lips and let the taste of Cashel wash over my tongue. Rich and dark with a hint of spice, his blood wasn’t at all what I’d feared. Heat rushed to the surface of my skin, a flashover of flame which quickly died down to a faint flicker.

  “All right in there, little bird?” he called.

  “Yeah,” I said, my voice squeaking. “Just not used to sleeping in a real bed.”

  “That’s a shame. Make yourself comfortable. I want nothing more than to share my bed with you. However that has to happen.”

  That flame built inside me, rapidly coming back to life. I needed him. Needed his hands on my body. Claiming me as his. “Come here, Cashel,” I murmured, my heart racing. What was I doing?

  His handsome form appeared almost instantly. “You tasted it, didn’t you?”

  I nodded. “Why do I feel like this?” Everything was hot and cold, swimming with uncertainty and lust. “What did you put in that?”

  His dark head shook, and he looked confused. “Nothing. It’s just…mine. Nothing else, I promise.”

  “I want…I want to touch you. I need you close.”

  He pursed his lips and took a step back. “This shouldn’t be happening. Your reaction isn’t right. I’m sorry. I can’t give you what you want and risk you thinking I took advantage.”

  “Cashel, please?” Between my legs, I ached for him, needed him to ease this desire. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

  “No. I wanted you to trust me. This is achieving the exact opposite.”

  “If you won’t give me something to ease this, call Lucas. I’m sure he’d be more than happy to take care of me.”

  He growled and clenched his hands into fists. “I won’t be touching you.” Then he grabbed the vial of blood out of my grasp and tucked it away in the top drawer of the desk behind him. “You need to sleep this off, and as much as I’d love to fuck you in my bed, that’s not going to happen tonight.”

  He left me there, alone and needy, surrounded by his scent. It was only when I heard the click of the lock being set that panic pushed aside whatever his blood did to me. I’d almost given myself to him willingly. In fact, that’s exactly what I’d done. I’d thrown myself at him and instead of taking what he wanted, he’d left because he knew I’d blame him. He knew I’d hate myself. But I think I already did.

  12

  Olivia

  Hunger pulled me from sleep, gnawing and twisting my stomach. I sat up, reaching for Cashel on instinct. I’d tossed and turned for hours, my dreams filled with him and Logan fighting each other, both hurt because of me. It left me with a crick in my neck and limbs laden with exhaustion. But I couldn’t go without food any longer. Three crackers with meat and cheese did not fill my belly.

  I stood, stretching and curling my toes into the thick carpet. All the curtains were drawn, leaving the room in thick darkness. My footsteps were silent as I made my way to the light switch. With one flick of my finger, the room was illuminated. Hues of gray and blue made up much of the decor, with clean lines and modern touches in the regal, elegant house. It was all so very…Cashel. A wave of mortification hit me in the chest at the memory of how I’d acted last night, hopped up on his blood. One drop on my lips had made me react like a cat in heat. What had that been about?

  I was famished, but there was one very important detail I’d forgotten yesterday. “Cloak your scent,” I muttered to myself as I wandered into the attached bathroom suite. I prayed Martin had remembered the rose oil Brenna had supplied me with. And, as I flipped on the light, something in my chest loosened. There it was, the bottle filled with the oil I’d hoped I’d never have to use again.

  After my bath, I dressed quickly in a pair of fitted black pants and a deep crimson top with a high neck that buttoned in the back. It wouldn’t keep me safe, but not displaying the goods was probably the best move in a house swarmed with vampires. If I could even get out of Cashel’s rooms. Anxiety crawled up my throat at the memory of being locked in here before I finally succumbed to sleep.

  Walking through the open doorway and into the sitting room, I found the area faintly lit by a set of wall sconces on either side of the far wall. It was so strange to be back here, to have Cashel so close but be more apart from him than ever. As I made my way toward the exit, I scanned the dim room for signs of someone, anyone guarding me. The light was so poor, I could barely make out shapes, but the moment I saw the slumped form on the loveseat, I knew it was him. Cashel stayed true to his word. He hadn’t touched me while I’d slept for hours in his bed.

  I couldn’t help myself, I took the three steps forward and reached out. His hair had fallen forward, covering his eyes, and I needed to see the face that haunted me night after night. I pushed the thick locks back, reveling in the feel of the strands against my skin. God, I missed him even though I shouldn’t.

  He shifted where he slept, and before I could pull my hand away, his fingers gripped my wrist gently. “What are you up to, little bird?”

  My heart fluttered as fear took the place of my stubborn need for him. “You looked uncomfortable.”

  “I am.”

  “I need something to eat. I thought everyone would still be sleeping. The sun’s still up. It should be safe.”

  He frowned and got to his feet slowly. “I know. I can feel it.”

  “I was just going to the kitchen to get some food.”

  He chuckled. “Or are you planning to make good on your threat to kill us all in our sleep?”

  “If I wanted to kill you, I could have.”

  “True. So what does that say about you then?”

  I sighed. “That the effects of your brainwashing still linger, and I’m going to have to work harder to get you out of my system.”

  “Have you considered that it’s not brainwashing, and that I belong in your system?”

  My stomach twisted in response to his proximity. He could pin me between his body and the wall in a flash of movement if he wanted. “You think I want to be here? That I’m happy you brought me back to this nightmare? You’re crazy. Why am I even here, Cashel? It’s not to cure sun sickness. Anne seems even more sadistic than your father. You handed me over without a second thought for what it would do to me.” I backed away and headed for the door. “Maybe you should be calling me little lamb instead of little bird. I’m here to eventually be slaughtered.”

  He strode across the room, hair sleep rumpled and eyes tired. “No. You’re not helpless. You’re cunning and graceful. A bird ready to spread her wings.”

  “Is there some kind of special wisdom you’re about to drop on me? Something that will actually help me survive this? Because if not, I need you to step back and leave me the hell alone, Cash.”

  His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “You’ve had my blood, you should be as shielded as possible. Are you armed?”

  I glanced down my body and blushed, thinking of the silver dagger in the makeshift sheath I created to strap around my thigh during one of my restless periods during the night. “Yes.”

  “Good. The Blackthornes won’t hurt you because they know I’ll kill them, but the newly made vampires in this house can’t be trusted.”

  “I don’t think any of you can be trusted.”

  I opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked, and stepped out into the hall, desperate to get away from the multitude of feelings rolling through me. I had to find Knight and get us out of this place before we were both killed.

  I managed to eat undisturbed, the silent kitchen proving to hold every kind of food I could want. Just how many humans did these vampires need to feed? After leaving my plate in the sink, I wandered the house, avoiding the library and music room at all costs. Too many things had happened in those spaces for me to be ready to relive them.<
br />
  “Where are you, Knight?” I whispered.

  My feet took me to places I’d never seen before. A large game room furnished with a pool table and what looked like an ongoing game of chess on a polished checkerboard table. Vampires played chess? I laughed at myself. Why wouldn’t they?

  “Fancy a game?” Lucas’ voice caught me off guard, making me yelp and nearly come out of my skin.

  “Don’t do that.” There was annoyance in my tone I couldn’t disguise.

  “You’re in a house of vampires, darling. You need to work on attention to your surroundings.” He sauntered over to me, dragging his fingers over the tops of the chess pieces. “If you’re looking for my brother, you won’t find him here.”

  “I’m not. I just realized I don’t know this house very well. I’ve only seen a few rooms, and most of them have…bad memories.”

  “Well, you’re missing out. Media room, tennis courts, stables, pool, and of course, Cashel’s sex dungeon.”

  I nearly choked on my gasp. “Excuse me?”

  He laughed so loudly it filled the room. “Oh, darling, I’m just taking the piss. It’s my sex dungeon.”

  I didn’t respond to that. I couldn’t think of what to say. “There’s a pool?”

  “Oh, yes. And a steam room. State-of-the-art. Father always wanted the best of the best.”

  “Where is it?”

  He grinned. “Fancy a dip?”

  “I need to do something to keep my mind off being stuck here.”

  “I can think of lots of things we could do. Though my brother would castrate me if I tried.”

  Sex dungeon flashed in my mind, and my cheeks burned. “Swimming should do it. Thanks for the offer.”

  “Be sure to bring some rose oil with you. Don’t want to walk around smelling like our favorite dessert after your swim.”

  I pulled out the vial of oil I’d stashed in my pocket and waved it at him. “All set.”

  He grinned and nodded. “Clever girl. You’ll find a door under the grand staircase. It will show you to all our hidden secrets.” A devilish wink from him made me smile despite myself. “Happy hunting.”