The Blood Bargain

by Reeves, Macaela

  “I know. I know and I’m...I’m sorry Liv. After you outwardly defied us-me-I kinda well I just wanted to keep you safe. Your mother is gone and you.re the only family I have left. I thought I could put you in a bubble and seal you off from the evils of the world, but it just doesn’t work that way. I stopped listening to you because I was pissed. Pissed at your independence, at your

  adulthood and free will. When you told me you saw a scavenger I panicked. The last thing the colony needed was to have its citizens going on failed rescue attempts north. See Liv, the thing is those people were given the choice years ago to come here, talks that were not put for public ears. None of them went well, they chose to go their own way. If they’re still around well, for them to survive this long without any sort of structured society...they’re unpredictable nomads and need to be left to the wilds they claim.”

  “Why did you just tell me the truth?”

  “I guess you could say it’s the old fed in me screaming classified.” I tried to laugh but I just coughed.

  He gave me another sip of water.

  “Then you moved out embarrassing me further to my colleagues and putting yourself back in harms way. I couldn.t believe it when Caius demanded you get back to work. At that point I just shutdown. I didn’t want to deal with loosing you as I had lost your mother. In the end though the pain didn’t go away because...I love you honey and I want you in my life regardless of what you choose to do with yours. I realized...I cannot control that and I’m sorry I tried.”

  “Dad....” I hugged him. I thought about bringing up Project Moses but as Dimitri had told me, it wouldn’t change anything for better or for worse. We had found nothing that indicated that anyone really knew anything, our struggles had been too great in the beginning to be intentional.

  For the first time in ages, I felt like I had moved on.

  He mumbled into my shoulder. “You.re staying here till you.re better. We no longer have a doctor but the nurses are doing their best to keep you healing. Then you can go back on the wall and I’ll support you.”

  I pulled back and looked him in the eye. “I’m not sure I want to.”

  “What?” Shock registered on his face.

  “I may try something else, I’ve kinda had my fill with near death experiences for a while I think.”

  “Knock knock.” A tall form with a crop of strawberry blond hair popped into the doorway.

  “Sammie!” She waved and came in carrying a little black bag of pokers and prodders. I was surprised to find Cole in step not far behind her.

  “Can I come in too?”

  “I’ll let you kids do your thing.” Dad stood to leave. As he walked out the door he pointed at Sammie in his authoritative nature. “Take damn good care of her.”

  “Yes sir Mr. Younger.” Her confident smile made her shine like a light bulb.

  Cole plopped his big frame in the chair that had been brought into my room. He had on a white sweatshirt that was big even on him making his body look like it had been shoved through a marshmallow. I wondered if it had started getting that cold outside.

  Winter. The last thing I needed to think about right now.

  His eyes elsewhere while Sammie had me breath, took my temp and my blood pressure. All the while she was making casual light hearted conversation about the weather and the crops. While she had initially been privy to our little endeavors, it seemed Sammie had opted for a let us never speak of it again approach to the whole incident with her now ex-boss. On some level I wondered

  if she was still seeing Ben or knew of his involvement with Candice who was just two doors down from me, but that hardly seemed like a good topic to bring up at the moment.

  Sammie declared I was doing better-despite the way I felt-and she’d be back to check my stitches later in the day.

  When she left Cole didn’t say anything, he just looked at me with those big dark blue eyes of his. I waited for a lecture, for a speech about how glad he was that I was alright or all the things I should have done differently. Instead he just kinda smiled in that it’s all okay fashion. Bad guys defeated, life can resume unsaid but hanging in the air anyway. I liked the way he smiled at me, uncomplicated and sincere. He reached over and grasped my small hand in his large palm and in the silence we sat until my eyelids were too heavy to keep open. I drifted to sleep, the weight of the world-of the tragedy we had all lived through that bound us- off of my chest for the first time in years.

  When I opened my eyes again it was dark, I had been in that lull for a while where my brain had debated on whether it should fight to open my eyes or resign itself back to dreamland, in the end checking out my surroundings had won. I think the pain in my muscles had vetoed the return to sleep decision.

  I watched the moonlight pour in through the small window, illuminating the flowers like a spotlight.

  There was someone in the guest chair.

  I couldn’t jump up, instead I just turned my head and groaned an attempt at a scream. The figure stood, stepping into the light.

  Dimitri.

  He was dressed as I had seen him the first night, a dark hoodie pulled up over his face. Menacing in his presence yet his eyes when they looked at me did not carry the vibe the rest of him put off. I relaxed immediately knowing he was in the room. My head falling back against the pillow.

  “Hey.” I murmured.

  “Thought I would see how you were doing, then I got here and you were sleeping. I did not want to wake you.”

  “It’s okay. Glad to see you.”

  “Liv, I was not forthcoming with you and for that, I must apologize.” He admitted, looming over my bedside.

  “What?” My heart fell in my chest. What didn’t he tell me.

  “I suspected Antonia’s involvement from the beginning. She detested our limited engagement, being one to gorge herself like a glutton for centuries. There were many nights where she would beg Caius for us to hold a more firm hand over the colony as some of the others did. He would never have it. Caius is old enough he’s learned to failures in totalitarian style leadership. It is always a short term solution, in the end...well, the last time one of our kind tried to do what he damned well pleased hundreds of humans died and those that lived slaughtered him in his sleep. A final result of an angry torch baring mob. I understand that outcome is very real when one like

  ourselves over stretches the delicate balance, as my elder did afore me. She however, never has. When you told me of the missing caravan, I knew she was likely the culprit. However, I knew I could not tell you as you had a hot temper and a large mouth.”

  “Gee thanks.” I cut in at a soft mumble.

  “I wanted you to move in with me to protect you. With her...feelings for me I figured it wouldn.t be long before she tried to rip out your still beating heart with her bare hands.” I gulped, now wasn.t that the visual every girl wants in her head. “When you told me about the meat locker, I checked it out before I claimed it. I could smell her on the dead so at that point I was confirmed on her involvement. I was speaking with Caius when she got to you first.”

  “Where is Antonia now?” Panic rose in my throat that she could attack at any minute. I did not want to spend the remainder of my days looking over my shoulder at night for a blond shadow of death.

  “Returned to earth.” I exhaled as deeply as I could without pain.

  “You killed her?”

  “I wish I had the pleasure. Our elder was not pleased she defied him.”

  “Thank you for saving Adam.”

  “You need not thank me.”

  “I thought you had told me you weren’t supposed to create any vampires?”

  “Our numbers are to remain constant while yours are in flux.”

  “But you created Adam before Antonia met her end?”

  “A gamble yes, but I knew her death was at hand. Whether it be from Caius or my own hand I did not intend for her to continue forth.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to turn him?”<
br />
  “It does not always end well; there was no point in raising expectations until results were present. Additionally I did not wish to draw attention to the timeline discrepancy you just so eloquently pointed out.”

  “Either way I’m glad. Glad you saved him and by association me yet again.” I smirked. “Also I must say I’m happy that bitch is dead.” He let out a short burst of laughter, a single heh.

  “In the eve I trek north. Caius has instructed me to heal the damage with Ziang Qi before we end up in a territorial dispute. My homestead is now in the hands of the council, they will find residents who can make better use of the space.”

  My face fell. “Are you not coming back?”

  “If I do... I will reside with Caius and my new young. Adam will require years of instruction to become comfortable with himself, it is my duty to see to it.” It took me a moment to process the answer. This is why he came to see me really. He was letting me go.

  This was our goodbye.

  “So I won’t see you again.” His face was flat and emotionless.

  “Liv. You are human. Live your human life. Find a mortal man who turns your eye and raise a new generation. Do your part to ensure that this is not your extinction event.” By not answering my question he had answered it. I fought back the tears with every inch of my willpower. I would not be weak, I would not blither or beg. Slowly he reached behind his neck and then brought his hands forward. In my palm he placed a small piece of metal.

  My mother’s angel necklace. He had gotten it back for me from that vile female vampire. My eyes started to burn despite my conscious decision to deny them their grief.

  “Goodbye Evelyn Younger. May the night fall gently upon your shoulders evermore.” With that he turned and disappeared into the shadows. I held onto my pride until he was gone. In that dark and lonely room I cried until sleep claimed me.

  A week went by; I think it was a week. I slept a lot. Sammie had shoved a ton of heavy duty pain killers down my throat at recurring intervals and mumbled worries about infection. As my eyes opened and closed over the large gaps in time I noticed she mumbled less and smiled more. A sign of recovery for me I guess.

  Cole continued to visit me every day. He told me Adam’s post had been back filled by Liam Gavin who had just turned sixteen. A nice kid by his account, but still pretty green.

  Apparently he had screamed when he saw his first shambling approach, which gave Cole a bit more of a headache in dealing with the deadhead. Cole was proud to report the frequency of the dead sightings had significantly reduced; whatever wave we had triggered in our idiocy had ended. I found myself feeling proud of the big guy, being out there on the front lines after all we had been through in the last few months.

  Most of it being my fault.

  I tried to apologize. He wouldn’t let me. Instead he brought flowers. Half wilted purple late blooms, the best the colony had to offer this late in the year.

  The day he brought flowers, my dad made a point of poking his head in the door telling me he approved. Presumptuous of him to assume Cole and I would be a ‘thing’ but I was glad he’d dropped the Zack issue. He’d even door blocked the brat when he tried to visit me. That definitely scored Dad two extra points in the mental playbook.

  The sun had set, the twins had jumped around my room and brought me a get well card before bed; a picture of me-a stick figure-with my bear laying on top-literally flying on top-of a bed. Their little eyes full of excitement and worry when they saw me. I love those boys.

  Maybe I would look into teaching once I was back on my feet.

  Feeling at peace I settled into my pillows for the night.

  There was a knock at my door.

  “Come in?” I called, who would come by this late? My heart tinged hoping for D, yet knowing it would not be him.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey yourself.” I smiled at my new visitor. He looked a heck of a lot better than he had blurry on that dark roof. His sandy hair was shiny and thick like from a shampoo commercial, his muscle tone appeared like he had just come out of boot camp. His brown eyes still shined with the same warm friendliness they had always held, although there seemed to be a tinge of mischief in

  them. He made a point of looking me over, not that I was more than matted hair and lots of casts.

  “You look less like crap.” He teased me, sitting in the chair beside the bed.

  “Compliments complements, whatever shall I do with all these compliments?” I huffed then got serious. “Thank you by the way. For saving my sorry ass.”

  “Has that not been my job for like a decade? I must admit it feels better to act then sit and scream in a radio.”

  “I bet.” Adam smiled, and his fangs elongated. Like four inches elongated. With a hiss he covered his mouth with his hand.

  “Sorry about that, this hunger thing, it sucks to get used to.” He mumbled through his hand.

  “No pun intended?” I quipped, getting the bird in response. I laughed even though it ended in me coughing again. After a minute he calmed and brought his hand down. His teeth had returned to their new normal state, pointy in a reserved style.

  “Important point. Please keep my new status on the DL. Caius had a little chat with the council with his edited version of the whys and whats of my status, but still they both agreed the general colony might go a little psycho if they knew one of their own had been turned. Caius doesn.t want to have to resort to tight hands on the survivors.” I didn’t push on what that would entail for us.

  “I’m just glad you.re still alive. You are alive right?” He laughed.

  “Yes of course. Oh check it.” He lifted his sleeve, showing me a perfectly healed arm where he’d been bitten. “Not even a scar.”

  “You said edited?”

  “Our little covert op and inner colony task squad was not mentioned. No sense in throwing half the folks who protect this place under the bus.”

  “I’m sure they would appreciate that. I know I sure as hell do.”

  “Tonight is my first patrol. Gonna clear as far and wide as I can each night. Even if that means I hit the city.”

  “Caius was fine with that?”

  “Oh man, I don’t know if he’s ever fine with anything. Even as a vamp I’m avoiding that guy.”

  “Mean?”

  “No he’s just...scary. It’s like he’s so ancient and completely bad ass that I don’t even want to move when he’s around. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn the meteor that killed off the dinosaurs was just a side effect of his foot nudging a pebble.”

  I tried to laugh, but it just hurt.

  “Dimitri said he was fine with it though.”

  “Has he left yet?”

  “Yup.” My eyes started to water of their own accord. “Hey stop that. It’s all good Liv.”

  “Sorry I just...I’m having a hard time realizing I meant nothing to him. It was stupid of me really to think I did I guess. Him being all ancient and me being well…me.”

  “I wouldn.t go that far.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Okay so when I first...woke up I guess you could say, Dimitri gave me the core. Elders get to do this cool like marching orders thing. They kinda lay down the rules and boundaries. I can.t go against anything he says there.”

  “Interesting but I don’t know why you.re telling me this.”

  “One of the principals he instilled upon me was to protect you. That under no circumstance was I to harm or by consequences of my actions or the actions of others allow harm to come to Evelyn Younger.” The corner of Adams mouth kicked up. “So I doubt he’d go through all that trouble, if you meant nothing.”

  “Thank you.” I meant it from the bottom of my heart.

  He nodded. “It’s a good thing he did too. You all broken and bloody and me as a young...I would have drained you dry and hated myself for all eternity.” I didn.t want to picture that.

  “Regardless I’m glad you are in my corner.” “I’m always
gonna be have your back, fanger or not.”

  The sincerity in his words held no equal. I thought of the first night I had met D, of all weak he was when he did not feed. Now Adam was both powerful and vulnerable in a cyclical nature. Ours was a symbiotic relationship, no longer predator and prey.

  If this was our great extinction event, they would also perish. We needed to work together to bring about the future, not be subjected to the stereotypes and roles that had existed for centuries. The turning of Adam King, was a great step toward healing that wound. Albeit a

  secret one.

  This wasn’t the world I was born into, but this was the world I would live in until I died. Little by little we would move forward, even if it was starting over from accomplishments made centuries before.

  This time was different, we would do it together and who knows, maybe a little better.

  I reached out and grasped Adam’s hand, my friend and no longer my fear.

  “I wouldn.t have it any other way.”

  Breach

  Coming Soon

  It has been two months since anyone has heard from Dimitri. Adam King, his newly turned vampire, grows increasingly worried about his elder who he believes is being held against his will by the merciless Ziang Qi, the quasi lord of Lake City. Liv Younger overwhelmed with her recent appointment to the council struggles with the weight of her position and increasing problems as the weather change strikes.

  A shocking attack on Junction by an increasing number of undead causes the council to prepare an expedition to go north. Liv, with her own agenda for finding Dimitri, agrees to go along with Adam and deal with their sister colony.

  That is, if they can survive the winter first.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Macaela Reeves lives in Iowa with her husband, five sons

  and dog. She spends what little free time she has knee deep