Love Bites

by Aleera Anaya Ceres

  “Katheryn let me seal your wound. You’ve lost a lot of blood. If you keep straining, you’ll be hurt.” He stepped toward her, but she cringed back.

  “No! Don’t come near...” Her voice faded just as she fell.

  Ignacio grabbed her before she hit the floor. Her eyes were closed, but she was breathing. She’d just passed out. Quickly, Ignacio ran his tongue over the wound he’d inflicted and watched as it sealed closed.

  There was still the matter of her blood loss. How much blood could a human lose before dying or going into shock? He didn’t know any of those things. Worry clutched his chest, threatening the life from him. It would have been a small price to pay, his life for Katheryn’s. But he wouldn’t let his Soul Mate die. He wouldn’t.

  He lifted her in his arms and ran.

  Ignacio burst through the door of his house with Katheryn in his arms. She seemed to be getting paler by the minute. She was as white as a sheet by the time he hauled her up to his bedroom and placed her gently on his bed.

  Fear had him calling for his mother. She was human. She would know what to do.

  “What’s wrong, hijo?”

  His mother came into his room. Seeing Katheryn lying on his bed unconscious, she gasped and rushed over, pressing her palm against Katheryn’s forehead.

  “Dios mio. What has happened?”

  Ignacio stared with blank horror, tears building behind his eyelids. “I drank from her.”

  His mother gave him a shocked, disappointed glance but wasted no time. Expertly, she ordered him to gather plenty of towels, warm water and orange juice.

  As soon as he had gotten everything into the room, his mother ordered him out and to bed, for the sun would soon rise. He was to use one of the spare bedrooms or the attic if he wished, but she didn’t want him anywhere near Katheryn, especially when she woke.

  His mother slammed the door in his face, but Ignacio stood there for several minutes, leaning his forehead against the door. Never before had he lost control that way. Never before had that happened to him. Every girl he ever drunk from knew he was a vampire, had consented to it. But Katheryn hadn’t known, and he had taken without question.

  It shamed him.

  He wouldn’t be surprised if she woke up and called the police on him. Then, she would probably run back to America without so much as a backward glance. He’d lied to her, and he had taken from her.

  If she hated him, he deserved it.

  And if she left him, he would have no right to complain.

  16

  Katheryn jolted awake. Panic of the unknown settled deep in her gut, and she thrashed out. She felt the tangle of something around her legs and her waist. The scream sounded loud but distant in her ears. There was nothing but fear inside her. Deep in her gut, it settled its nest, dug in its claws.

  She remembered the sting of the bite, the gush of her blood from her body. And Ignacio, with eyes a savage glowing scarlet, had stared angrily at her, as if she were a meal to be devoured. His teeth were sharp as knives, and each fang dripped crimson, stained with her blood.

  He was a liar. A lying bastard who had used her for sex and for blood. She could never forgive him for it. Somehow, it was worse than getting cheated on, worse than what Hunter had done to her. It was worse than any other lie anyone had ever told her. Katheryn had trusted him, and he had betrayed her.

  The darkness was unfamiliar, as were her surroundings. She kicked and screamed and didn’t stop even when she felt her fists and feet come in contact with soft, human flesh. She thought of Ignacio, of his bared fangs and lashed out even harder. She doubted she’d be able to overpower a vampire, but she’d be damned if she didn’t try.

  Suddenly, a pair of strong hands held her in place. She whimpered, but a voice interrupted her panic.

  “Shh, shh. Calma, calma.” The voice was soothing and, to her surprise, very feminine. Katheryn opened her eyes to find them blinded by light.

  An older woman held her down. The softest brown-green eyes Katheryn had ever seen stared down at her. The woman’s brown hair was twisted into a bun with some strands of curling around her cheeks and forehead. There was something familiar about her. Maybe it was the shape of her nose or the curve of her lips. Katheryn couldn’t be sure.

  When Katheryn’s whimpers diminished, the stranger eased her vise grip. Katheryn sat up then regretted she had. Her head spun, and she nearly fell back. The woman helped her sit and lean back against a mound of pillows. A quick glance told Katheryn she was in a bedroom. Sheets tangled around her sweating limbs.

  “Where am I? Who are you?” Katheryn demanded as flashbacks of memory assaulted her.

  Ignacio had told her he needed to seal her wound, then everything had gone black. She had no idea where she was, where he had taken her, but she obviously wasn’t at her hotel.

  “You at my house,” the woman said in heavily accented English. She sat on the side of the bed, her hands crossed in her lap. She wore a long floral dress and had a wise and very beautiful face.

  “Why am I here?”

  “Ignacio bring you,” she said.

  Katheryn’s gaze narrowed. Then she saw the resemblance between Ignacio and this woman. They had the same mouth, wide, full and sensuous. The same nose and eye shape, even their hair appeared to be the same color. What was this woman to Ignacio? Katheryn would have guessed his mother but Ignacio was a vampire, and this woman’s softly wrinkled skin said she was human. Katheryn shook her head in confusion.

  “Who are you?” Katheryn asked.

  “I am Josefina Ortiz. I am Ignacio’s mother.”

  “Ignacio’s mother? How is that possible? He’s a—he’s a—vampire.” She spat the word like a curse.

  Josefina narrowed her eyes at that tone. “Yes, my son is vampire. Why is this problem?”

  The poor woman, Katheryn thought. She obviously had no idea what Ignacio was capable of doing, what he had done to her. She must be under some sort of vampiric hypnotism.

  “He attacked me!” Katheryn declared. “He’s evil!” She looked around fearfully. If he had brought her to his mother then they were probably in his house. So where was he? “Where is he?” she demanded, swinging her legs off the side of the bed. She stood to look around, but her legs shook and her head spun crazily.

  “Sit, Katerina. You lost the blood and are still dizzy.” Josefina rose to steady Katheryn, but Katheryn shook her off.

  “I lost blood because your vampire son attacked me!”

  His mother’s eyes narrowed again. “My son did not attack you,” she replied, coldly. “He is not, as you say, evil.”

  When Katheryn wobbled, Josefina reached for a glass of yellow-orange liquid on the table next to the bed. She handed it to Katheryn. “Drink.”

  Katheryn took it but eyed the liquid distrustfully.

  “It is orange juice to replace the blood,” Josefina said. “It is to help. If you do not want...” The woman shrugged.

  Katheryn took a wary sip. When she didn’t fall to the ground dead, she drank more of the juice.

  “You are better?” Ignacio’s mother asked when Katheryn finished drinking.

  “Yes,” Katheryn answered. “Thank you.”

  She did feel better. Her legs weren’t as wobbly, and she didn’t feel dizzy anymore. She looked down at herself and saw she wore a high-necked nightgown, made of itchy cotton with long sleeves. The hem touched her ankles and looked more like a tent. It fit her like one too.

  “Your robe is fill with blood,” Josefina said. “It no good no more.”

  Katheryn shuddered, wondering how much of her blood had covered the robe.

  “You come with me,” Josefina said, turning and walking out of the room.

  Katheryn had no choice but to follow. She hurried to keep up with the woman’s quick steps and found herself in a very narrow hallway of the house. She stayed alert as they walked past closed doors, fearing Ignacio would pop out to eat her.

  Josefina led her into a small living room. It
was cramped, with a shiny coffee table in the center of it, a long couch and matching love seat and a high-backed chair. Artisan blankets were thrown neatly over the furniture. A variety of statues and religious paintings covered nearly every inch of the room, giving little space to move around.

  “How long have I been out?” Katheryn asked.

  “You sleep for one day. Ignacio no leave your side.” She gestured at the couch, indicating Katheryn should sit down.

  When she did, Josefina left and went into another room. Katheryn looked around the room. It was small, and ...cozy.

  Josefina came back as quickly as she had left, bearing a tray with a teapot, two mugs, and a plate of cookies and sweet bread. She sat it on the coffee table in front of Katheryn then took a seat in the chair across from her.

  “You eat now. You gain energy.” She poured steaming liquid into the two mugs, adding sugar to each one. She passed Katheryn one of the mugs then gestured at the plate of sweets. “Eat. Drink.”

  “I can’t drink or eat,” Katheryn argued. “I need answers.”

  Josefina sent her a stern look, her gaze narrowed. “I tell nothing until you eat.”

  Katheryn groaned but held the mug gingerly. It warmed her cold hands and warmed her throat when she drank. She took a cookie from the plate. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she took a bite. Suddenly, she was famished. She ate more of the sweet bread and cookies until there were no more on the plate.

  “You like?”

  “It tasted so good. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” Katheryn pushed her mug across the coffee table then settled back on the couch. “Now,” she said, “I need answers.”

  “I need question.”

  Katheryn shot out the thousands of questions racing through her mind. “How is Ignacio your son? I don’t know much about vampires since I’ve never met one. I thought vampires were made by being bitten. Since Ignacio bit me will I turn into a vampire, too? What about his father? Where is he? And where is Ignacio? Why can’t you see how evil he is? Do you know why he lied to me?”

  “One at a time, Katerina. My English no so good.”

  Katheryn sighed and began again. “Is Ignacio really your son?”

  Josefina nodded. “Si. He is my son.”

  “But, how is that possible?”

  “Ignacio, he is the Natural Born vampire.”

  “Natural born vampire?” Katheryn leaned forward. “What does that mean?”

  “In supernatural world, are two kind vampires: Natural Born and the Made vampires. Natural Borns, they come from mamá and papá. Made come from bite.”

  Katheryn hadn’t known there were different types of vampires. “How are vampires born?”

  “Well, the mamá and papá have the sex then—”

  “Not what I meant,” Katheryn interrupted, blushing. The last thing she wanted was a lesson in the birds and the bees from Ignacio’s mother.

  Josefina chuckled. “Well Natural Born vampires can make the sex with humans and have the bebé. Made vampires can no do that. Natural Borns grow old and can have bebé, but no can walk in light or eat the human food.”

  That explained why Ignacio had never picked her up during the day time and why he’d gotten sick from eating with her. She should have realized the truth but was too drunk on his seduction to pay attention.

  “The Made vampires can no grow old or make the bebé. They die and stay dead forever. They can no make new vampires; only the Natural Borns’ can make the new vampires with venom.”

  Katheryn reached for her neck. If Ignacio was a Natural Born as his mother claimed, and he had bitten her, did that mean she was going to become a vampire?

  Josefina must have read the fear in Katheryn’s eyes as she leaned forward. “You no become the vampire. Ignacio no give you the venom, and he no kill you. He just drink.”

  Katheryn let out a breath. That was a relief. She wouldn’t have to worry about becoming a vampire against her will. Her hand stayed on her neck. “Why did he drink from me?”

  Josefina stared as if Katheryn had just sprouted another head. “Because blood of the Soul Mate is most delicious.”

  “Soul Mate?” Katheryn’s mouth fell open. “What are you talking about? What does that mean?”

  “Ignacio will explain Soul Mate to you. When he wakes, you will speak.”

  Katheryn stood, nearly knocking over the tray of drinks with her knee. “I will not speak to him! I don’t want to see him! I want to go home!”

  Josefina nodded at Katheryn, her eyes wide and wise. “If you wish to go, you go. We no hold you here against will. But I show you something first.”

  She stood up slowly. “May I show you, Katerina?”

  Katheryn twisted her fingers nervously. She wanted to go home, didn’t want to wait for Ignacio to wake up and make excuses about why he did what he did. But his mother had the sweetest look in her eyes, a look that was hard to refuse. Katheryn nodded then followed Josefina out of the living room into the narrow hallway.

  “Do you know hardest thing of being mother?” Josefina stopped in the hallway to trail her hands over the frame that hung on the wall.

  Katheryn kept her gaze on the woman, questioning and confused. What was she getting at?

  “Of course you know not. You not mother. But hardest thing is to raise baby alone.” Her eyes were shining with sadness as she kept her palm spread on the picture.

  “You raised Ignacio on your own?”

  “You ask about Ignacio’s father, so I tell you. Katerina, you say Ignacio use you, that he evil but I know real meaning of that word.” Her voice grew haunted, distant, and her eyes watered.

  Katheryn didn’t dare to interrupt. What had happened to her? Had she been used?

  “Ignacio’s father was evil. True evil. El Diablo, I called him. The devil.”

  “What did he do to you?” Katheryn asked in a whisper. Josefina looked at her with tears in her eyes.

  “His father was Natural Born. Very handsome man. Hair black like night, black like raven’s wing. Tall, with yellow eyes like snake. He come to my village in Mexico and stay for few days. The women love this handsome man but not I. I see the evil.”

  Her eyes were haunted, and Katheryn didn’t dare interrupt again. Josefina’s voice drew her into the story, with its powerful emotion.

  “He say to me, ‘Josefina, you are most beautiful. Come to my bed.’ I say no many times. But one night...” Her voice trailed off and Katheryn felt the bile rise in her throat. “I walk alone in dark. I close my parents’ shop, and he come out of darkness.”

  She shuddered as if the memory were alive, replaying before her.

  “His eyes red like blood. He tell me he come for me, that I must accept his offer. I look him in eyes and say no, I no his whore. Then...” Her voice caught as she choked back tears. She turned bravely to face Katheryn. “He use the hypnotism on me. He tell me no to move, no to scream. I want to but I no can. I lay there helpless as he take me in alleyway.”

  Katheryn felt tears prickle in her eyes, too, but she didn’t wipe them away. She let them fall for Josefina, for a young and beautiful Josefina, who had been too helpless to do anything, too helpless to fight back the vampire who raped her.

  “He left me in alleyway then he left the town. I have Ignacio. He was born, but he no like vampire who father him. Ignacio good. Yes, he Natural Born like father, but he has good heart like mine.”

  Josefina turned back to the wall to place her hand against the picture again. Katheryn stared at it. There were pictures of Ignacio as a boy and of him with Josefina. But the one Josefina caressed like a treasure was of a baby, and Katheryn didn’t need to ask to know it was Ignacio.

  He was wrapped in a yellow blanket. His chubby cheeks puffed, and his bottom lip pouted. His hair was light brown and fluffy, sticking out around his head. He looked so innocent, so sweet. He didn’t look evil or capable of any wrong doing despite his nature. He was a baby, a vampire baby.

  Sure, Ignacio looked
plenty like Josefina but there were probably features of his biological father as well. Josefina had said the man had yellow eyes like a snake. Ignacio had yellow eyes, too, but Katheryn liked to think of them as the color of honey. They didn’t look evil or calculating.

  “When you found you were pregnant with Ignacio, why did you keep him? Wasn’t it painful to look in the eyes of that man’s child?” Katheryn asked after staring at the pictures on the wall.

  “Because he was mine,” she said fiercely. “I no care about the blood of the vampire in Ignacio’s veins. I care only about my son and my blood in his veins. He grew in me. I felt his kick, I sing to him, I dream of my baby. He is mine.”

  Katheryn was shaken by the ferocity of Josefina’s love, by her words and her surprising sweetness. The woman in front of her was strong. She’d been raped by a vampire, unable to defend herself, and still, she’d kept the baby. She loved him despite what had happened to her.

  “So, Katerina, next time you think Ignacio evil, remember the story of El Diablo. It remind you what is true evil. Yes, my son make mistake. But he is man and men make many. He lie to you. But he never take what you not give. He give love always.”

  She walked away, leaving Katheryn to think about her words.

  Josefina was right, of course. Ignacio had never forced Katheryn to do anything she hadn’t wanted to do. He’d never belittled her, never insulted her or taken her by force. He was always so gentle, so caring. Even when they made love, he was so careful, despite the heat and passion between them. He did everything slowly, gently.

  She remembered when he had found her in the alleyway that one night, crying, how he’d thought someone had hurt her. He had looked ready to kill, ready to defend her at all costs.

  The only time he’d lost control had been two nights ago when he’d staggered in after drinking and had been all over her, lost in the heat of the moment. Maybe, it had been the alcohol that had driven him over the edge. Maybe, he hadn’t fed off blood for days and had gone crazy with lust. She couldn’t be sure.