Blood at Stake (Warriors of the Krieger Book 2)

by Theresa Hissong

  I remembered times when we would talk about life and the meaning of it while we sat on the top of a mountain or on a beach in the middle of the night, watching as the moon slowly passed over our heads.

  “Life is worth living, young one,” he said. “The world is ours to explore. Never take for granted that it could all be gone in an instant. Just because we are vampires doesn’t mean we are invincible, Lydia.”

  “I miss the sun,” I admitted. We were in the Philippines at the time, looking out over the Chocolate Hills. There were no humans for at least twenty miles, and the moon was bright over our heads, casting a whitish glow over the domed landscape.

  “But you see the beauty with your eyes,” he said, nudging my shoulder. “There is no need for sun to see the things around you, my dear. You have the ability to make your own sun in your mind if you miss it that much, Lydia.” He tapped the side of my head with one finger, smiling and reminding me of my ability to cast out the pictures in my head.

  “I guess you are right,” I shrugged.

  “I must leave you for a while,” he whispered, after a long pause.

  “What?” I gasped. “Why?”

  “I must go back to France,” he sighed. “My family has sent word that I return. My father has passed, and my uncle has requested I return to make arrangements for my families things.”

  “I’m sorry, Leo,” I said, touching his arm. “It’s still hard to remember that you were born as a vampire and not changed like me.”

  “We are still the same, my child,” he smiled. “Don’t think that you are different. In fact, you are more special than any other turned vampire. Born Bloods don’t turn humans as a rule. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Then why did you change me? Why not let me die? I was almost dead anyway,” I asked. Remembering my death was always hard, and I had to clench my teeth to keep from tearing up from the memories.

  “Your blood called out to me,” he admitted.

  “Well, yes, you’re a vampire,” I chuckled. “Of course my blood called out to you. It was everywhere.”

  “No, silly girl,” he said, tapping the end of my nose. “When I scented your blood, it was like it called out to me for help. I’d never experienced that in all of my five hundred years. I don’t know why I saved you, but I’m glad I did. I love you, my child.”

  “And I love you, Leo,” I said, leaning my head on his shoulder. We didn’t speak for at least an hour, only stared out into the moonlit night. “When will I see you again?”

  “Meet me in Paris in thirty nights,” he said. “I’ll meet you in front of the Eiffel Tower at midnight.”

  “I’ll be there,” I promised. It was a little hard leaving him again. We’d been back together only two years since I’d tried to live on my own for twenty. I’d finally found him after searching for a few years. After we reconnected, we’d been traveling the world, moving from place to place ever since.

  “Oh,” he said, remembering something as he stood. “I met someone you should meet. After we leave Paris, maybe we can go to Greece, and I’ll introduce you.”

  “That would be nice,” I blushed. I knew he was trying to find me a mate, but I really didn’t want one. I was having fun on my own. “It’s been awhile since I was in Greece.”

  “Okay, love,” he said, pulling me in for a long embrace. “Be safe.”

  With a soft kiss to my forehead, Leo was gone.

  I didn’t wipe away the bloody tears that fell, remembering my maker and best friend. I just sat there and watched as they dripped off my face and splashed quietly on my hands that were clasped in my lap.

  Chapter 19

  Ashby

  “Did you know her maker?” Dragus asked. I’d stepped out the back door so that we could speak about some information he’d found when he went back through her file in our database. It was still two hours from dawn, and the night was quiet, only the far off sounds of warriors moving about the property could be heard. There was no wind blowing or insects singing to be heard.

  “Yes,” I replied. “We’d met in Greece and struck up a friendship. I’d only seen him maybe twice after that, then I’d found out years later that he’d been killed by hunters.”

  “Did you know he was a Born Blood?” he asked.

  “What?” I gasped, my somewhat still heart galloped in my chest at the realization of what he was saying.

  “So, I’m taking that as a negative,” Dragus said. “I think we may just have found out why they want Lydia’s blood.”

  “Because she was turned by Leo?” I growled. “Her blood is pure. Is that why?”

  “That is my assumption,” he said. “I’m going to talk to Powle and Lady Elise. I want more information on what is so special about her blood. Bring Lydia and come to the mansion after nightfall. It’s too close to dawn, and there is nothing more we can do today. Lydia is with you and safe.”

  “She will not be going into work at the club tonight,” I said. “We will be over an hour after sunset.”

  “See you then,” Dragus replied and hung up the phone.

  As I stepped in the back door, a faint scent drifted across my senses. The sweet, floral aroma of my mate’s blood caused my knees to tremble with fear for only a second in time. With my weapon drawn, I ran into the living room, dropping to my knees at her feet.

  “Lydia,” I whispered, seeing her head bowed and drops of pink tears splashed on her lap and hands. “What’s wrong?”

  “I remember,” she paused, looking into my eyes. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but now I remember…Leo changed me…” Her voice faded, but the look in her eyes told me she understood now.

  “Your blood is special,” I said, taking her chin with my forefinger, pulling her face so that she’d look into my eyes. “Because he wasn’t supposed to change you. He was a Born Blood.”

  “Yes,” she cried, softly. “He said my blood sang to him. What does that mean?”

  “Sang to you?” I asked, confused at her words.

  “What did Dragus say on the phone?” she asked, finally wiping the blood from her face.

  “He thinks that they somehow know that you were changed by a Born Blood,” I confessed. “We are going to talk to Powle and Lady Elise after sunset. Come, let me care for you before sunrise.”

  On her nod, I picked her up and carried her to the master bathroom, removing her clothes, and drawing a hot bath. I sat her on the bathroom counter and let her stay lost in her memories while I readied the tub. Once the water was as full as it could go, I climbed into the water and sank down with my mate in my arms.

  Chapter 20

  Ashby

  “The tests came back on the blood we found at the last scene,” Dragus said, taking a seat at the conference table in the basement of the mansion. It was more like a war room for meetings that were not to be conducted at the office in town. This was vampire business, and the humans had no business knowing anything about it. “It was from another vampire who was either a Born Blood or had been changed by one.”

  “How the hell can you determine that?” Lydia gasped.

  “A Born Blood’s blood is different,” Lady Elise sighed. “It’s stronger…more potent. The hunters that took out most of us were from a society of humans who knew about our kind and didn’t want us to reproduce. So, they had daylight hunting parties to find us and stake us in our sleep.”

  Powle scooted closer to his petite mate, his protective hold on her didn’t go unnoticed. Lady Elise had been born a vampire, and just after her nineteenth birthday, she mated with Powle after her family was killed, and the Krieger had been called to her home. That was over four hundred years ago.

  “What about Charity’s blood?” Lydia asked, turning toward Dragus. “Wouldn’t hers be the same as mine?”

  “That’s what we are checking into with Doctor Mason,” he growled, low and deep. Quickly, his eyes flickered toward mine. A silent vow sent between us, “They will not get our mates!” I nodded my agreement, so quickly
that no one else in the room noticed.

  “One of the men that took me smelled different,” Lydia said, she shivered slightly. “His scent was like a witch, but had this overpowering stench of musk.”

  “Do you know his name?” Dragus asked, his brow furrowed in thought.

  “Myles,” she stated, nodding her head. “His name was Myles.”

  “I don’t want you at the club until we find out who is behind this,” I demanded.

  “What?” she growled, a tiny vein of blood trickled into her eye, but I wasn’t backing down.

  “No,” I barked. “And that’s final.”

  “You do not tell me what I can and cannot do,” she gritted out.

  “Charity is at the club and will take care of things there,” Dragus said, his voice as stern as my own. “You are to stay on the estate grounds, Lydia. It’s the safest place for you.”

  “If Charity’s blood is possibly like mine, then why is she allowed to go the club and I’m not?” she growled.

  “Charity is being watched, and she has three guards on her,” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. “There are people hunting you, Lydia.”

  “But you killed them,” she said, pivoting around in her chair to glare at me. “There shouldn’t be another problem.”

  “There is,” Dragus said, standing up from his chair and walking over toward my mate. “We have to leave from here to go to a crime scene, Lydia. They’ve found another human drained of blood.”

  “Dammit!” She growled, slamming her fists on the table. I heard a slight crack in the wood, but didn’t bring it to her attention. “When is this going to end?” I knew her question was more of a statement, and she wasn’t expecting an answer. Every fiber of my flesh and bone wanted to tell her everything would be okay, but I couldn’t.

  “I’ll stay home with you,” I whispered, walking up behind her and placing my hands on her shoulders. “I’ll take the night off.”

  “No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “I want you to go. I’ll be fine. Besides, the more Krieger out there looking, the faster this will be all over.”

  “We will leave in fifteen minutes,” Dragus announced, motioning for everyone to give us some privacy.

  Lydia stood once everyone had vacated the room. I held my arms open and was thankful when she walked into my embrace. I held her for a moment, just inhaling her scent and registering it to memory while I would be gone. My every mating instinct was to refuse work and to stay home with her, but she was right, I had to go. I had to find these people who wanted her blood.

  This had to end.

  As the SUV pulled away from the estate, I watched as Harlow walked her back to my home. My chest ached having to leave her in the hands of someone other than myself, but it had to be done.

  “It gets easier,” Dragus said, his voice only above a whisper. “You’ll learn to ignore the pulling in your chest anytime you are away.”

  “You don’t sound so sure of what you are saying, old friend,” I chuckled.

  “That’s what I keep telling myself, Krieger,” he smiled, shaking his head as he repeated his words. “That’s what I keep telling myself.”

  The two story house was about as nondescript as a postage stamp. Every home in the neighborhood looked the same, had the same color brick and even the mailboxes matched with black iron accents.

  Bastian was already inside, talking with several human authorities, but excused himself to approach us as we entered the front door of the house. A scent hit my nose, and I snarled, “What the hell?”

  “Easy,” Dragus warned, placing a hand on my shoulder. The home looked like a drug house. Pizza boxes, beer cans, and assorted trash were scattered about the room. The stench of garbage was strong, but didn’t overpower my mate’s blood coming from a set of stairs.

  “I. Will. Not.” I turned in the direction of a human officer, only to be grabbed by my upper arms. Dragus and Bastian immediately cursing when they saw my fangs biting into my lower lip. “It’s my mate’s blood!”

  “We had some suspicion it was hers,” Bastian said. “We needed you here to verify it.”

  “I thought we…,” I paused, knowing the humans were close. “I thought there were no more men there?”

  “There had to be one that got away,” Dragus cursed. “She may have been still drugged when someone was sent away with some of her blood.”

  “I will end them,” I snarled, my vision taking on a red hue.

  “Ashby,” Dragus growled. “You need to calm yourself. If you can’t handle this investigation, I will be forced to send you to the station.”

  “I’m sorry,” I replied, my shoulders slumping in defeat. He was right, I had to focus on this and not let it get to me. The last thing I needed was for my beast to make an appearance in front of humans.

  “You two need to make your mating official,” he said, shaking his head. “But I’m not sure even your Joining will calm you.”

  “I think we need to lock them in their home for a year,” Bastian snickered. I raised a brow at his comment, and he shrugged, turning for the back of the house. I didn’t reply to his remark and followed them toward the set of stairs leading into a basement.

  The stench of death overpowered my senses as we found a human female bound to a table in the middle of the room. There were no windows in the basement, and only an overhead light illuminated the scene in front of us.

  The human female couldn’t have been more than twenty-five years old. Her eyes were closed, and her face was relaxed as if she were asleep. There was a blue bucket on the floor and it was half full of her blood. The congealed remains sat cold under her slashed wrist.

  “They drained her,” a human officer said, walking into the room wearing a pair of latex gloves and white protective coverings over his shoes. Quickly, he pulled a cover over his nose and mouth to protect him from any diseases that might be floating around in the air. Our team didn’t require any of those since we were immune to anything the human may spread.

  “Where is the vampire blood you found?” Dragus asked. I jerked my gaze from the dead human to watch the human officer walk over to an empty box on the ground.

  “It seems that they gave this woman less than two pints, but stopped before they administered more.” He pointed a gloved finger at the box. I walked over slowly, feeling my blood heat in anger. “We think they may have gotten spooked.”

  As I scented Lydia’s blood coming from the box, a rumble started in my chest, sending the officer back a few steps. “That is my mate’s blood,” I bit out through clenched teeth. In fact, I had to rub my jaw to keep from gritting my teeth so hard they shattered.

  “Are you sure?” the officer asked.

  “Yes, I’m sure,” I snarled, turning my blood tinted gaze toward the man.

  “Okay,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief as I let my shoulders slump. “Do you know if this woman will wake up a vampire?”

  “No,” I said, looking over at the woman. “It didn’t work. Her heart would still be beating if it did. Our hearts do not pump like a humans, but will pulse around once a minute even during the change.”

  “We will wrap up everything here and contact the family,” the officer said. “It seems she’s been missing for two weeks.”

  “She was kidnapped?” Dragus asked, stepping away from his spot by the door.

  “Yes,” the officer replied. “She was abducted from her work. We have video of a van driving up to her in the parking lot and pulling her inside as she walked to her car.”

  “Did you get a license plate?” I asked.

  “No,” he cursed. “There were no plates on the van, and it was too dark to see who grabbed her. The only thing on the video was a bunch of dark, hooded men.”

  “May we see this video?” Dragus asked.

  “You can follow me back to the station and you can take a look, but we’ve had our best team working on it and found nothing.”

  Several men entered the room. One pushed a stretcher
to remove the body, and the others held bags of chemicals for cleaning. There was nothing else we could do at the scene, so we followed the human officer out of the house. Hopefully, we could find something on the video that they missed, but from the sound of it, we were still clueless as to who was after my mate.

  Chapter 21

  Lydia

  “Why can’t I just go into the club?” I complained, crossing my arms across my chest. “It’s not like you are going to let anything happen to me.”

  I was pacing the living room floor in front of the couch while Harlow, my now bodyguard, stood in the corner with his arms crossed over his massive chest, mimicking my pose. There’s no way I can sneak away from him? Damn!

  “Your mate forbids it,” he growled, spreading his tree-trunk thighs wider as if to intimidate me. He was doing a mighty fine job at it, too.

  “Forbids,” I scoffed. “No one forbids me to do anything.” I may or may not have stomped my foot and made a sound of frustration.

  “It’s for your safety, Lady Lydia,” he smirked. He was right. I didn’t want those people trying to take my blood again. It was pointless to argue with him, and he and I both knew it.

  “First off,” I said, glaring at the warrior. “Do not call me Lady anything. Secondly, I am my own person. I don’t take orders from anyone, not even Ashby.”

  “I have been told of your devious ways,” he smirked. “I will do everything in my power to keep you safe, but you must listen to me. I don’t care for temper fits that children throw, and I won’t tolerate it from you either. So, let’s get that straight right now, Lady Lydia. I respect females and would never lay a hand on one, but it you so much as look like you are about to ditch me…I will toss you over my shoulder and lock you in the bedroom. You understand?”