“Nathan, as you’ve even said yourself, this is my life. Whatever happens, whatever comes up, I just have to deal with it.”
“Not this time.” He finished stretching and gave me a wide smile. “From now on, you don’t have t’worry about stray Vampires. You can concentrate on what’s important—finding Marko, and saving your family.”
He was right. With Nathan as Colony Leader making sure the Vampires behaved themselves, it meant that my family and I could concentrate on finding Marko and finishing this stupid family legacy once and for all. There wasn’t enough Vampires left in the UK to cause any damage. They had been told they couldn’t feed on humans anymore, and those that listened, well, it would cut down on deaths and the creation of Bloodlings. Those who did would be made an example of one way or another, and Nathan would deal with the victims by giving them a choice, with a full explanation on what it would entail—death or immortality.
By taking on this position which he still didn’t fully understand regardless of his argument, he had just made mine and my family’s life a lot easier.
The realization hit like a ton weight. I stared at him. “Please tell me you didn’t do this for me.”
He shrugged. “I told you I’m doing it so I’m of some use.”
He’d put himself in danger to help me out.
“You’re my family, too.”
“A Vampire in the family?” He stated in a shocked tone, hand on his chest. “I’m sure your Da would love that.”
“You were family to me before you were a Vampire, and I don’t turn my back on family.”
“You just almost slice their throats a couple of times.”
“Hey, both times were a reaction due t’shock.” I indicated to him. “I didn’t expect to see you ever again, let alone in such a state.”
“Yeah, I know. I know I’m a shite friend.”
“No, just a shite human being, but that’s been sorted.” I gave him a smile and closed the distance between us. “I don’t know what is going t’happen, but I will make sure you’re equipped for anything. Having you turned t’dust is the last thing I want.”
“The Slayer has once again admitted that she cares about the Vampire.”
“The friend cares about her friend.”
He slid a look to the left. I followed his gaze.
“What do you keep looking at?”
The space behind us was empty. The entire trio of houses were empty. We were once again alone.
“You.” His reply was soft, almost a whisper.
I turned back to him, my brow furrowed.
A grin curled his mouth. “You are what’s kept me going through all of this. After everything, the least I can do is make life a little smoother for you.”
“That’s not your responsibility.”
“I want it t’be.” He placed his hands on my shoulders and squeezed gently. “I want you to know that from now on, you can always depend on me.” He rolled his eyes and glared at the empty room. “What I mean is I’m not going anywhere.” His gaze met mine. “I’m immortal so I’ve literally got all the time in the world.”
“You as an immortal.” I shook my head. “I’ve only just realized what a terrible idea that is.”
“And a very lonely one, but for now, I’ve got you.”
I gave him a small smile. “And I swear as long as I’m around, you will never be left alone in this upside-down world of ours.”
He moved his right hand down to my chest, placing his hand over my heart. His cool fingertips brushed across the skin at the top of my breast, and the air caught in my throat. I wanted to bat his hand away at the clear crossing of barriers, but the sad, serious question that left his mouth made me pause.
Those blue eyes locked on to mine, causing memories to rush back, of the last time we saw each other when we were both alive. “Cross your heart?”
I placed my hand on his chest and tried not to let stray tears fill my eyes as I met emptiness. I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that despite no longer having a beating heart, Nathan had somehow remained the big-hearted fool I had always known.
“And hope to die.”
His hand slid up to cradle the back of my head. He ran the pad of his thumb across my cheek and pressed his forehead to mine. “Not if I have a say in the matter.”
Epilogue
Tuesday 27th October, 2015
Farr, Scotland
I pulled up outside the ruined house of The Pack. Well, half a ruined house. The second storey had disappeared. Scaffolding surrounded what remained. Cement machines, diggers, trucks, and other building equipment were situated at the right hand of the courtyard.
I switched the engine of my Range Rover off and sat staring out at the half a structure.
Dante had messaged two days ago to say Heather was back and she was resting.
What did that mean? Was she tired? Was she ill? Had she been hurt? There were many reasons she could be resting, and not knowing was both worrying and irritating.
None of that was helped by the fact that trying to get in touch with the two males had proven useless yet again. Thankfully, after at least twenty-four hours of stress, Nathan had reminded me that Dante had given me Heather’s new mobile number, which kept going to an automated voicemail. Not reassuring.
So, they had left me with no option but to get back up to Scotland. They couldn’t ignore me if I was in their faces.
Still, I felt rude just showing up here without them knowing. Not that that had stopped me last time, but still, an invite would have made me feel less apprehensive.
Technically, it wasn’t wrong of me to come here as we had all agreed to the part in the contract that stated we would be welcome no matter the time of day or day of the week.
I reached for my mobile and hit redial on Carter’s number. At the very least, I could try one last time before I stormed in there demanding to know what the hell was going on. At least that way when he looked at me puzzled, I could tell him to finally check his phone and that I had tried to let him know I was planning on visiting.
Surprise, surprise, voicemail.
I hit Dante’s number.
I couldn’t understand why they were being so quiet. Sure, a lot was going on, which was made clear with the construction site outside my window, but surely, one of them could have picked up the phone just once over the last few days. Was it so much to ask?
Dante’s voicemail rang in my ears.
Third time’s the charm? I hit Heather’s number … straight to voicemail.
Well, I’d tried to be civil and polite, and now I was just pissed off and confused. Not to mention tired. All I had wanted was some answers, and I had spent hours driving up here just to get them because two grown arse men couldn’t answer their phones.
I took a deep, deep breath and exhaled slowly. I would make sure I pointed that out, but for now, all that mattered was I would see Heather.
Exiting the car, I made my way to the back of the house. As I walked past the empty spaces where the windows should have been, I could make out that the rooms had been emptied of all their furniture. The shape of three metal dumpsters met my gaze as I walked along the back of the house—items were piled up in the large metal containers which would eventually be taken to the dump.
I stopped at the back door which stood wide open, only this time, three camping lanterns had been placed around the kitchen which was now missing the island in the centre. The lights were pale and low, but it was a clear enough indication that someone was here …
A muffled cry met my ears. I turned to the pantry archway. The secret door was shut, but all the shelves in the storage room had been emptied. Grabbing hold of one of the shelves I knew was attached to the door, I tugged and tugged, and eventually, it opened.
As soon as my foot hit the stone stairs, the cry became more distinctive and more painful. The hushed timbre of male voices slid between the agonizing groans, and my stomach started to somersault.
What the hell
was going on down there?
My heart hammered in my chest as I stood frozen at the iron door, which yet again stood ajar. Whispers floated around the large room, but all I could focus on was the panting and groaning of someone in severe pain.
I placed my hand on the warm metal, hesitant to push. I feared what I was about to see. What if something very personal and Pack-like was taking place and I was about to interrupt?
Then again, I wouldn’t be interrupting if the Alpha had answered my calls. So clearly, he would be to blame, right?
Then again, what if it had something to do with Heather and why I hadn’t been able to speak to her? The thought made me feel sick.
Taking a deep steadying breath, I steeled my spine and pushed the door open enough for me to slip through. At least fifteen people stood in the room, standing in a circle around the cage. I could see Carter kneeling on the floor in front of the bars along with another male who sat to his left.
“Just breathe,” Carter said in a hushed, soothing tone. “Embrace it. Make it part of you.”
Without thinking, I stepped closer, invisible to everyone in the room who I now noticed had their eyes closed as if they were meditating.
Another horrid cry echoed around the room, and I felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. The sound was more animalistic than it had been just a moment ago.
Perhaps this was something Pack-related? I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
I took a couple steps backward, keeping my focus on the room to make sure no one had noticed me sneak in.
“Come on, Heather.”
My blood turned to ice at the sound of my cousin’s name, and I halted. It wasn’t Carter speaking. The male sounded northern, not Scottish. And although his tone was as calm as Carter’s, there was something laced in the words that I couldn’t quite make out.
I moved closer again, peering between the bodies that surrounded the cage. It was the blond who knelt on the floor before the cage. His voice was strained and filled with so much sadness.
“Kill … me.” The words were strangled and inhuman.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do that.” Unshed tears filled the man’s voice. He almost sounded like he was choking on the words.
An almighty growl was his answer, and my head snapped up as a body hit the bars of the cage. Disfigured hands wrapped around the thick iron. Skin crawled on the bones of the face that pressed against the metal. Bones which crunched and snapped. The body contorted. Hands spasming. The individual fell back on the floor, a groan tearing from them.
“I can’t …” a wheezing, terrified voice cried.
Bile rose to my mouth as I rushed past the people who stood there ignoring what was taking place before them.
My knees hit the stone by the cage, eyes widening as a familiar, sweat-slicked face turned my way.
“Elle?” Ice-blue eyes stared at me under a furrowed brow.
“Heather?” My throat restricted around her name. She was a mess. Sweat and blood covered her skin; skin which was wriggling and splitting along her bones.
I looked across at the blond. His focus remained fixated on my cousin. “What have you done to her?”
A hand landed on my shoulder. I knocked it away and jumped to my feet, standing before Dante. My eyes were clouded with tears, chest heaving as shock wracked my body.
“You shouldn’t be here—”
“I called,” I growled between clenched teeth. “And I called, and called, and called.”
“It’s not safe.”
“What have you done t’her?” Pain twisted around my jaw as I forced myself to stay calm and find out what had happened to my cousin.
He held his hands up. “Nothing.”
“Nothing?” My laugh was hysterical as I side-stepped and pointed at her. “Sure doesn’t look like nothing.”
“We’re trying to save her.”
“Get her out.” I pulled my dagger from its holster and placed it at his Adam’s apple. “Let her out. Now.”
“We can’t do that, Lass.” I looked over my shoulder at Carter who had risen to his feet. “Now calm yourself.”
“Not until you tell me what’s wrong with her and why you have her in this cage.”
“She’s changing,” he stated simply, as if I knew what that meant.
“Changing? What do you mean, changing?”
“It’s full moon, Lass, and it’s her first. We’re trying to ease her first change—”
“She doesn’t look or sound at ease.” I glanced at Dante who had taken hold of my wrist and stepped away from me.
“She’s in the cage for our protection,” Dante commented, his expression grim.
I snorted. Yanking my hand from his grip, I pointed my dagger at the Alpha. “You expect me t’believe that?”
“Lass, we don’t have time to explain this.” A growl laced in Carter’s words. “She could die.”
The words hit me like a ton of bricks, and I felt myself sway as the shock fully took over my body.
“We’re all here to give her our energy to try and ease her change.” Dante placed his hands gently on my shoulder, steadying me.
I shrugged him off.
“But she—I don’t understand …” I shook my head to try and focus myself. “How is she changing?”
“Because I gave her my blood to save her life,” the blond replied solemnly. He didn’t move from his spot on the floor or take his focus from Heather. “Which means she is now carrying the Were-gene.”
“Which is currently altering and fussing with her genes, which her body is fighting against,” Dante finished.
“She needs to give in, or the pain will kill her,” Carter stated, once again kneeling on the stone floor.
“And if she survives, those bastards have finally gotten what they wanted.” The blond’s voice was strained. Green eyes filled with unshed tears looked up at me. “A Hybrid.”
To be continued…
Soul’s Blood
The final instalment in The Blood Series
Coming soon
Blood Series Glossary
Characters
Werewolves
The United Pack
(In order of dominance)
Carter MacLaren – Alpha
Owen MacLaren
Clare Walker
Dante MacLaren
Brendan Daniels
Scott Miller
Eve Miller
Solomon Whelan
Dabria Whelan
Graham Riley
Richard Jones
Thomas Walker
John MacLaren
May MacLaren
Philippe Bianchini
Alcander Linard
Christopher Jones
Flynn Riley
Katharine Jones
The Italian Pack
Maximo Valentini – Alpha
Rosa Valentini
Angelo Valentini
Rocco Valentini
Loretta Donati
Lorenzo Santoro
Rogues
Gideon McKeller +
Pack Unknown
Tina De Santos
Jennifer Assar
Vampires
Ancients
Marko Pavel
The Italian Colony
Marie Mancinelli – Colony Leader +
Luca Mancinelli +
Galen Rouphos
Leonardo Donati
Sorina Bouras
Kiya Suma
Carlos Avella
Emilio Bandoni +
Antonia (Toni) Santini +
Dmitri Carbone +
Julian Romano +
Cal Zangari +
Henri Fonda +
The United Colony
Nathan (Than) Kennedy – Colony Leader/Experiment/Patient N
Mark Nicholson
Michael Kirk +
Antonio Ferrari +
Carlson Archer +
Constance Lombardi +
Jackson Dean +
Kane En
field +
Katrina Cowan +
Lance Mason +
Jonathan +
Frederick (Freddie) Åström – Experiment/Patient F +
Slayers
Alexandra (Alexis) Ryan +
Bernard Renaud
Catherine Renaud
Danielle (Elle) Renaud
Dorian Ryan +
Heather Ryan – First Born Infected/First Hybrid
Jean-Louis Renaud +
Sofia Renaud – Clairvoyant/Loup-Garou +
+ = previously deceased characters or characters who have died/been killed during the series.
Terms
Alliance – A union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries or organizations
Alpha - Dominant Werewolf: Leader of the Pack
Ancestor - A person from whom one is descended
Ancient – The eldest known Vampires
Baptize - Term used by Vampires; Vampires baptize Infecteds with their blood in order to turn the Infecteds into Vampires
Bad Blood - Werewolf term for a Were who is deemed unstable for any number of reasons
Blood Bonded - Vampire connection through blood: Bond between Maker and Bloodling
Blood House – A Vampire Nest with human occupants
Bloodlings – A Makers term for the Vampires they create
Bonded - Werewolf connection through blood: Only between mates
Bonding Ritual - Werewolf ceremony: blood bond made between two mated Werewolves
Clairvoyant - An individual who is able to perceive events in the future (aka Psychic, etc)
Colony - Group of Vampires (aka Nest)
Descendant - A person that is descended from a particular ancestor
Devampulating – The emasculating of a male Vampire
Fortune Teller - A person who is supposedly able to predict a person's future by palmistry, or similar methods (aka Clairvoyant, etc)
Cross My Heart Page 24
