Call of Blood: A Novel of The Unnatural Brethren

by Silvana G Sánchez

  With a gentle brush of my fingers, I raised her chin and sought the fire of her kiss. The soft press of her lips against mine soothed my heart's every wound—no matter how ancient.

  “If this isn't heaven my darling, I don't know what is,” she whispered, parting but a few inches from my kiss.

  “How long do you think it will take them to realize I am not what I seem?” I meant her family, of course. Katherine's mother had died in childbirth, but her father lived—though he was too old now—and so did her brothers.

  A grimace of pain bloomed in her sweet countenance.

  “Why must you spoil this perfect moment?” Bemused, she freed from my embrace. But I seized her wrist with unnatural speed and pulled her close once more.

  “I knew someday you'd leave me, but I never thought it would happen so soon…” I toyed.

  “Don't say that, Ivan. Don't torture me like this!”

  I couldn't help being cynical. The last time I knew love it broke my heart. It crushed it, left my heart crippled, incompatible with life. But Katherine's love had helped me heal, slowly but surely—although she did not know it.

  “Forgive me, Katherine. I don't mean to tarnish this precious evening. But please, understand—it's been three years. Sometimes I ask myself if we are not being foolish.”

  “Foolish?” She smirked. “Love is too young to know what conscience is,” she added, quoting Shakespeare's famous sonnet.

  I released her. How dare she use that phrase against me when she very well knew the memories it evoked in my wretched soul?

  “Go on, then. Go back to your soiree.” I leaped on top of the balustrade, ready to take the jump over the gardens and disappear from her sight.

  “No, please… Stay.” She paused. “Can't you give me this one moment, Ivan? No more arguing about the future... at least not tonight.”

  I smiled. Sometimes, I forgot she was but twenty-one years old. I expected her to think beyond her tender years when she lacked the wisdom only age granted.

  “Sweet Katherine, I will give you tonight if that is your wish and each night that follows. They're all yours, as my heart is yours.” I kissed her hands and forgave her immediately.

  The gentle waltz playing in the distance faded into silence as the countdown to the New Year began. Voices merged and chanted in unison, sizzling excitement.

  “Cinq!”

  “Quatre!”

  “Trois!”

  “Deux!”

  “Un!”

  “Bonne année!”

  A chorus of cheers and laughter rose from the crowd. Champagne saucers clinked in the air. Joy and the effervescence of youth mingled in the ball room's warmth.

  I took her in my arms and sealed the beginning of the new year with one heartfelt kiss. And how I adored feeling part of this mundane event... For a moment, I belonged to this circle of young naïve mortals. They celebrated the end of one year, inadvertently moving a step closer to the grave.

  It stopped snowing in time for the multicolored fireworks to paint the sky.

  Another melody echoed in the hall, Henry Hall's It's Time To Say Goodnight. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful evening.

  “I should go,” I whispered.

  “So soon?” She frowned.

  Looking at the clearing sky, I shrugged.

  “Oh, hateful sunrise…” she said. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Holding my hand, she led me through a narrow corridor. The servant’s passageway, I assumed, concealed from the guests’ prying eyes.

  As we reached the end of the hallway, she stopped.

  “Katherine—” This wasn't the way out. This was her father's studio.

  A shade of innocence loomed upon her delightful countenance. She closed the wooden sliding doors behind her. The sole source of lighting in the room came from the chimney's hearth.

  Her racing heartbeat echoed in my ears in one luring melody. With blushing cheeks, she drew closer. I cherished every minute of Katherine's struggle to conceal her desire.

  It's young love.

  I knew it. I knew that no matter how many years we had shared, she might forget everything about me as soon as morning. But I didn't care one bit. The quickening of my blood when in her presence made it all worth it.

  Driven towards her as if by a magnetic spell, I closed the distance between us. Her fast-paced breath and the crackling of burnt wood mixed in the air.

  “Have I given you a night to remember?” I whispered in her ear.

  Her blue eyes locked in mine. “No… But I'm sure you will.” Katherine’s tender red lips pressed against mine. She pushed me to her father's desk. Impatient, she removed my coat.

  “Are you certain?” I had to ask.

  “I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.” Her hands slipped beneath my jacket and slid it away in anxious anticipation.

  With not a moment to lose, my hands closed around her small waist and carried her onto the desk. And there, I unleashed my hunger for her as any mortal man would have done… But I wanted more.

  I had never dared mention it before. I knew if the nature of my demand did not appeal to her, I risked losing her forever. And that was a chance I was not willing to take.

  The scent of her skin's perfume lured my appetite only further.

  “Katherine, I—”

  “Hush, my love,” she whispered. “I know.”

  She removed the choker from her neck. Her sultry voice spoke in my ear. “It's all right, darling. Do it. Don't be afraid.”

  The blood froze in my veins. I never expected it to happen. I never imagined she would offer it so selflessly. And I was not about to deny such a wonderful promise of bliss to my undying thirst for her.

  My lips went for that forbidden drink, gliding on her soft skin until they reached the divine setting of her carotid artery. One quick bite of my sharp fangs and the blood hit my palate. And in that moment, the gates of Paradise opened to my every whim.

  Delighted with every pulse of her blessed blood, I took that wondrous drink, holding her tightly between my arms.

  It clouded my senses. It overpowered any other sensation I had felt earlier as I'd lain with her.

  I could have pursued this drink further but denied myself its pleasure because I knew what it could do to her. And this taste of heaven had been more than satisfying to my unnatural desires.

  She cuddled against my chest as we lay on the sofa before the hearth's licking flames. She reached for the credenza and took the necklace between her hands.

  “It's time to say goodnight,” she said, offering me the piece of jewelry. “Thank you for allowing me to wear your family's heirloom tonight.”

  “I want you to have it.” My hands reached hers and pressed them with care.

  “Ivan… I cannot accept this. What about the Source?”

  “What about it?” I said.

  “Why, it’s hidden inside the brooch…”

  “I know, dearest,” I whispered, cupping the side of her face with fondness. “I put it there. You may keep it as well.”

  “Darling, you do realize what you are saying?” She frowned. “You would refuse immense power by parting from it, are you aware of this?” There was an untrusting tone in her voice. It lit on fire every nerve in my body.

  “Are you aware of what this means to me, Katherine? I'm giving you my most prized possession. And I'm doing it because I love you.”

  With utmost delicacy, she placed the necklace on the marble top of the credenza.

  “You mean the world to me, Ivan. Of course, you do… But I know you better than you'd ever care to admit.”

  “Ah… Do you?” I said with a pretense of surprise.

  “Giving this necklace to me forces you away from Alisa. You would make a warden out of me… I could never accept that.”

  “How can you say that?!” I hated every word she spoke. I wanted to disappear right then but took the reins of my swift temper and stayed.

  “Katherine, the sole r
eason behind this gesture is to prove my love for you.” My voice tamed its fury with every word. “I hold you dear above everything else—don't you see that?

  “Yes, I am renouncing to immense vampiric power. And I am also renouncing to any future contact with Alisa because she no longer means a thing to me. You are all I care about.”

  “Well, then…” she said with glistening eyes and a softened expression. “In that case, I might be able to hold on to it for a little while…”

  Her pride had gotten in the way. But I knew the road to her heart. I took the necklace and glided it around her neck, and in this nearness, I whispered in her ear: “Run away with me.”

  The words slipped out without any thought or reasoning. They came from my heart and astounded me more than can be said.

  Katherine’s eyes filled with hope and love and gleamed with excitement. Her lips parted, but the words caught up in her tongue, surprised as she was by my unexpected proposal.

  “What is the meaning of this?!” The old man stood in the studio's threshold. His wrinkled pale hand trembled as it clenched the door handle.

  “Father!” Katherine sprung off the sofa, startled by George's presence and appalled by his words. “How dare you insult the baron with your rude manners?”

  “The baron, huh?” he huffed. George opened the doors wider and there loomed the menacing figures of Pierre and Gérard, Katherine's brothers. “I’ve made some inquiries about this baron of yours, Katherine. It seems he's held his title for over two hundred years... Fancy that!”

  I stood in the middle of the room, uncertain whether to charge against them. The thought crossed my immortal brain, but led to no action—these people were her family, after all. I dared not harm them.

  “A vampire—in my own house!” George stamped the floor with his cane. The large ruby embedded in the handle gleamed an ethereal beam of light. “Gérard, Pierre…”

  “Father! No!” Katherine ran to George, and all but fell to her knees.

  “You dare defend this devil in my presence?” he roared.

  As she looked up to her father, defiance shone in Katherine’s narrowing dark eyes. “I see but one devil in this house,” she said, “and that's you!”

  George raised his hand and struck her cheek. My blood boiled as I witnessed it. One gash of my sharp fangs on his damned throat would finish this matter.

  “You've tainted this family's honor for the last time!” he said. “Get rid of him, immediately!”

  As hard as their arms fastened around my own, their strength meant nothing to my unnatural power. However, I remained motionless. I wanted to stop this madness and take her with me once and for all. But parting Katherine from her family in such a way would cause her nothing but pain. Their disapproval of our relationship already made her miserable.

  I did not fight back.

  Her reddened cheek and tearful eyes were the last things I saw before the studio's doors shut once more. Gérard and Pierre all but dragged me to the servant’s backdoor.

  “Stay away from this family, blood drinker.” Pierre pushed me out to the servant's small courtyard.

  And there I stood, on a heap of snow, my heart frozen by Katherine's suffering. I did not know whether I would lay eyes on her ever again.

  Cassandra

  “Lockhart?” Cassie glided to the edge of the seat, concerned. He had not moved an inch for the past ten minutes, his vacant stare locked in the portrait.

  “My dear Katherine…” Ivan said, unfreezing at last. “I once vowed to her that as long as I lived I would look after her lineage... The necklace is a symbol of my promise.”

  Cassandra knew the story. The romance between Katherine and the vampire Lockhart served as a fable in her family. The moral was that witches who dated vampires paved a sure path to heartache and disaster.

  Vampires are vicious fiends that fester in boredom. They seek but two things from mortals: Blood and entertainment.

  Never trust a vampire.

  Granny never mentioned the necklace in her stories. Painful as it was, Cassie had to ask herself: Was she considered an outcast of the Deverauxes? Had she severed all ties with the family the second her mother chose to leave?

  “Are you unwell?” Phillip's velvety voice calmed her anxiety. As he pressed his hand over hers, the thread of questions racing in her mind disappeared. The truest interest glistened in his eyes.

  How many lives have you claimed with those enticing blue eyes?

  “I'm all right.” Cassie took the last swig of wine. “Thanks for asking, Phillip.” Her other hand landed on top of his—wait. What was she doing? Stop it, Cassandra. Don’t fall for his vampiric charm.

  “Is she even listening to a word I say?” Ivan scowled. He rose from the sofa, running his fingers through his pitch-black hair. “I’m telling you, Phillip… This was a complete waste of time!”

  Lockhart's green eyes gleamed with an unnatural fire. There loomed a hint of the monster hidden within the human guise, and it was absolutely terrifying. Gripping the glass tight, Cassandra slid to the corner of the sofa. Promise or no to her family, Lockhart could well kill her on a whim. She scanned the room, searching for a quick escape route… Oh, but who was she kidding? She couldn't escape even if she crafted the perfect plan. There were two vampires in her home!

  “Cassandra, please…” It was Phillip’s voice, speaking to her silently again. “Do not be frightened. We mean you no harm.”

  Sure, he seemed like a pretty decent vampire. But what about his friend? What about Lockhart? Who vouched for him?

  “I am not afraid. But please remember I’m a witch. And I’ll defend myself if it comes to it,” she answered him in the same manner. Would it work? Oh, of course it wouldn’t.

  “Why would I ever agree to pursue this? It’s a lost cause, and it has been for centuries… You know what? I’m better off not finding that damned necklace!” Lockhart’s rambling went on. But his voice muffled in the background, and Phillip’s charming voice took its place.

  “It did work,” he replied in silence. A faint smile drew on his lips. “I assure you, Cassandra, you’re not in any danger. But if it comes to it, I will protect you. You have my word.”

  The word of a vampire… What good was that?

  “You said you needed the necklace to find someone…” Cassandra averted her eyes from Phillip. She wouldn’t risk falling into his spell.

  The doorbell rang.

  She read the time on the Mora clock across the living room. 9:35 PM. Time flew in the company of these two blood drinkers.

  The doorbell rang once more.

  Who can it be at this hour?

  “What are you doing here?”

  A quiet laugh escaped from his mouth. He lowered his gaze and scratched behind his ear.

  “I’ve asked myself the same question,” he mused. His tender lips stretched in a forgiving smile.

  I could just kiss you…

  But wait. What about the pair of blood-sucking devils in her living room? Cassandra's eyes widened. There's no way I'm letting him in... Not with those two in here!

  Not knowing what to do, she slammed the door shut. Her eyes went to the vampires, both oblivious of what transpired in her home's entrance.

  “Cassie?” He knocked on the door. “You called me this morning, remember? Said you wanted to show me your new studio?”

  I did. I called you... and you came. Her heart pounded hard against her chest. She leaned against the door. A wave of warmth spread through her body.

  It had taken months for this day to arrive. They would mend the old wounds and start anew. But the timing for his visit could not have been more inconvenient.

  “Is something wrong? Have you changed your mind?” He paused. “Cassandra?”

  I have no choice. She sighed. And hoping for the best, she removed the security chain and opened the door.

  “I’m sorry. I... I’ve been busy.” A faint smile. Cassie leaned against the door’s jamb. Keep it casual. Don't l
et him know how much you've missed him.

  “I’d love to hear all about it, but um—do you think you could let me in? It’s raining.”

  Raining?

  Cassie looked away from his seductive dark eyes. A deluge poured behind him. She turned to him once more. Water dripped from his hair, his drenched white shirt shrunk against his strong arms.

  “I’m so sorry, Antoine!” she said. “Please, come in!”

  “Merci,” he whispered, giving her a slight nod. Antoine removed his shoes before stepping on the carpeted entrance. Were those Italian leather shoes?

  “I’m afraid I’ll leave a water trail, regardless,” he said under his breath. “John won’t like that.”

  “Don't worry.” Cassie handed him a towel. “He’s in Egypt.”

  “Ah! So, he’s not around… Lucky me,” Antoine whispered, leaning closer.

  “Lucky?” Be still my heart!

  He unbuttoned his shirt on the way to the bathroom. “He’d never forgive me for the mess I’ve made on this hallway… Good thing he’s not here to see it.”

  Antoine stood before the mirror. Cassandra followed him and stayed a few feet behind. Through the mirror’s reflection, she saw his face. It was a boyish face with large dark eyes, delicate nose and lips. There was an air of naiveté about his face, but the sparkle of naughtiness in his eyes betrayed that deception.

  She slipped her hand between his waist and his elbow, fighting the urge to pull off his drenched shirt. Antoine noticed. His lips parted, and just as he was about to say something, Cassandra reached the drawer’s handle and pulled it open.

  “Want to get rid of those damp clothes?” She handed him Uncle John's black silk robe, a souvenir from his last trip to Japan.

  “Thank you.” He took the robe and closed the bathroom’s door halfway.

  Cassandra stood outside, her eyes fixed on Antoine’s reflection in the mirror.

  Are you back in my life, Antoine Somerset? Is this the day when we forgive and forget?

  Antoine left the suit’s jacket over the sink. He removed his shirt without hurry. With the same sluggish attitude, he undid his belt and unfastened his trousers. It seemed so odd for him to wear such an expensive suit. The Antoine she knew wouldn’t be caught dead in a suit. Why, there had been a time when—merde! He saw me.