Bound Through Blood

by Alexis Kennedy

  "I don't even date," she said under her breath, "and I would never date a vampire, so you can stop smiling like that's good news."

  Heloise gave a low chuckle.

  "Besides, he was my great-grandmother's love, not mine."

  "Might be one and the same. After all, gypsies do believe in reincarnation. That's why our magic is strong; we are born with the knowledge." Heloise turned over the third and fourth cards simultaneously and sighed. "The six of cups and the devil. These represent your future, but they also refer to the history of you and your soul mate."

  Salena huffed, "You mean my vampire? He's the devil card, right?"

  "No, not necessarily. Someone was seriously harmed in the past, and there is a karmic debt to settle before the lovers can make their way back to one another and consummate their bonds of truelove. But the devil card serves as a warning; something from the past will try to interfere, just as before. Something will try to stop the lovers again."

  Salena jumped up "You mean like another vampire?"

  "It would appear so, but I think your truelove will protect you."

  Salena massaged her temples for relief of the migraine she was getting and thought back to the flowers and her dream. "I don't understand this," she said with tiredness in her eyes and voice. "A week ago, I had a normal life with a career, some friends, and no drama. Now—" she couldn't seem to finish the sentence.

  Heloise took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Child, we will figure this out. We know that there are mystical forces in your life right now. They are the same ones that were in your great-grandmother's from so long ago. Unfortunately, that causes uncertainty. I still see love, but the danger, which is measurable, is also present."

  "What does that mean?" the question came out more like a shout.

  "It means there are conflicting forces at work right now that haven't been resolved, and I cannot determine the outcome."

  "So, what do I do now?" Salena paced the small room, still rubbing her temples. A squeezing migraine had definitely settled in.

  Heloise closed her eyes and shook her head. "The supernatural is unpredictable, but karma, either good or bad, will find a way. You will just have to wait and see how things play out, but I think the outcome will bring you love. I think you are on a journey to your soul mate," she winked, "again."

  Salena rolled her eyes in frustration. Love had always been a hassle for her, but this is ridiculous. "Can't the cat I took in be enough?"

  Devin listened intently to the tarot reading; he was especially interested in the part regarding the past coming back to interfere. He must have been right about Gabriel's reason for being here. The vampire had his eyesight on Salena for a reason. This made all of his muscles tense up and his fangs grind. He'd warned Gabriel to never come back again after what he'd tried to do to Abigail. He could still remember catching his brother with Abigail; she was trapped and defenseless underneath the vampire's body and struggling for her life. Devin squinted his eyes, trying to get the image of Abigail, with Gabriel on top of her, out of his mind. Devin had yanked him off her just in time—if his fangs had broken her skin, she would've been marked as his to do with as he pleased. That was an understanding within the vampire race; it had been passed down by the eldest of them all.

  The memory set his blood on boil. He would not let his brother get close to Salena; she would be protected.

  A black wolf ran faster than it had ever run before and raced to catch up to Salena and, he assumed, Gabriel too.

  Salena walked, like someone in a trance, up the porch steps and, after fumbling for the right key, into her house. After locking up, she went straight to her bed and curled up into a ball. It only took her a few minutes of soft sobs to fall asleep. Unfortunately, her dream wasn't pleasant—at all. She is running through the woods with shadows chasing after her, and they are catching up—fast. Snakes, bats, spiders, and wolves are all over the place. Everywhere she looks, there is darkness and shadows. An eerie howling fills the black air. She tries to run but ends up in a puddle of mud that is too thick to escape; her feet can't move. The shadows and creatures are right upon her now, but all she can do is stand there—stuck—and scream.

  Devin was watching Salena through her bedroom window while also trying to sense if Gabriel was nearby. He was out of practice, though, so he couldn't be sure. He watched her toss and turn; it appeared she was having a bad dream. Her beautiful mouth was in a deep frown, and her delicate eyebrows were stitched together.

  Wanting to comfort his love, he shape-shifted into a black cat and entered through the old dog door. The door at the top of the steps still didn't have a lock. He slipped quietly into her kitchen and crept like a shadow down the hallway to her bedroom where he climbed into bed behind her and cradled his body against hers. She began to stir at the motion, so he whispered into her ear, "somn de acum,"sleep for now, to keep her deep in slumber. Then, to soothe away her bad dreams, he brushed his fingertips gently along her skin and ran them through her silky hair. As he stroked her, her breathing became slow and steady, and he could feel her racing heartbeat slow down as well. He placed a couple of soft kisses on her shoulder, and when he looked at her face, he was positive he saw a smile grace her lovely lips.

  For the next half-hour, he just lies there holding her, caressing her, and washing over her with his love—not having any idea that they were being watched.

  Gabriel watched Devin and the woman through the window. It was sickening to watch Devin drool all over this mortal; albeit she is pretty–pretty enough to eat—he thought wickedly. She is every bit as beautiful as Abigail was, but that is no reason to fall under the evil spell of a woman and risk the horrid possibility of becoming mortal again. Devin would never learn. Vampires are strong, while humans are weak, and strength always wins out. If Gabriel couldn't stop Devin from becoming mortal again, he would just kill him afterward.

  Watching the couple, he also found it disturbing that his brother could lie so close to a beautiful woman without using her body for his pleasure. Gabriel would rectify that mistake as soon as he got the chance, and his chance looked to be right about now. Devin had gotten up, kissed her softly on the lips, and left out the front door.

  Gabriel shape-shifted into a brown owl and hid in the treetops—waiting.

  Salena was having a peaceful and almost romantic dream. She had been stuck in terrifying black woods, trapped in mud, while hideous creatures came after her. There was also the shadow, which was probably the most terrifying part. Now, suddenly, a strong arm is around her waist, lifting her from the mud and pulling her into a protective embrace. She looks up to see the face of her savior, but it is too dark to distinguish his features.

  Her protector whispers in her ear, "It's okay. I've got you now, and you are safe with me." She turns and sees the creatures and the shadow backing off. The entire scene changes; the woods are now her bedroom, and her protector lays her softly on her bed and then climbs in with her. He holds her tightly, caresses her, and whispers words of love. She turns to look at his face; however, just as she does, she wakes up.

  Salena felt frustrated for not getting to see the face of her hero before she woke up, but she was also relieved the nightmare part was over. Then she recalled her tarot reading earlier, and her living nightmare came flooding back to her along with anger. Knowing there had to be some mistake, or at least a further explanation, she got up from her nap and decided to head back to the voodoo shops to get one more reading. Hopefully, she would get a completely different one—maybe even a reading about the mystery man in her dream. She just hoped he wasn't a vampire.

  Gabriel had been mesmerized by the woman while she slept facing the window he looked through. The undistinguishable difference between her and Abigail took his breath way. Sure, he had recognized the similarities before, but now he really saw them. It had been the perfect opportunity for him to make his move, but he just couldn't stop staring. Now, she was awake and had grabbed her purse and headed outside to her car.
Gabriel decided to play a game of chase.

  Devin had left Salena's bed reluctantly, but he needed to hunt down his brother. He couldn't—no, he wouldn't—let Gabriel get to her. He remembered perfectly well how sadistic his brother is; well, more so than vampires were already considered to be, that is. This was especially true when it came to a woman Devin loved. He sniffed the air and thought he could catch his brother's scent, but it wasn't strong enough to tell his exact location. He must be in animal form, Devin worried. When vampires are shape-shifted, their scent isn't as strong, so Devin shape-shifted himself into a black hawk, so he'd have keen eyesight and smell to track his brother.

  Circling her house, he noticed that Salena was awake now and appeared to be going somewhere. He got closer to the house and watched her leave, but at the same time, he caught Gabriel's scent. Unfortunately, by the time he realized where his brother had been perched, it was too late; the vampire was already gone and probably after Salena. Devin, furious with himself, blazed a trail after them. "How could I have let Gabriel get away unnoticed?" he scolded himself. "He must have a new trick up his sleeve." Devin knew he had to end this now—before he became mortal—before it was too late.

  Salena walked along the strip mall, which was filled with various fortunetellers and voodoo shops. She saw the one she'd visited before, but, remembering that reading, she decided not to visit it again. She needed a fresh pair of eyes to look into her future. Then she noticed an elderly Gypsy woman, who was looking into a crystal ball. Before she walked away, the Gypsy looked up at her with a secretive smile and a wink. Salena read the sign on the door—Madame Marietta, Fortuneteller—it said. Again, she looked at the woman's kind face and, again, the woman gave her a wink. Well, either she wants to date me, or she has something to tell me. Eager to get some good news and clarification, she went in.

  "Welcome!" the robust Gypsy spoke louder than Salena would've guessed, and it made her jump. "Do not be afraid, dear, I'm here to help you. Madame Marietta knows all."

  What an original pitch. She started to explain to the woman, "Well, I'm here be-"

  Madame Marietta cut her off though, "I know why you are here; I saw it in the crystal ball. You have questions about the mysterious things going on in your life and the outcome of your future, which has already been foretold."

  Surprised at the Gypsy's accuracy, Salena could only mutter a simple, "Yes." This made her more nervous though—until now, she could still pretend that the fortunetellings hadn't been real, or at least not accurate; but now, it seemed, she really did have cause to believe. Oh, crap.

  "I know you are scared," the fortuneteller continued, "because you don't yet comprehend the magical forces surrounding you. But love comes in many different, and sometimes unexpected, forms."

  Salena stopped her, "But, I'm not in love. I'm not looking for love, and I'm not even dating."

  Madame Marietta held up her hand, "But love has found you, and from what I have seen, it is an epic love and by far the most powerful there is. This is why I wanted you to come in; love like this shouldn't be and can't be ignored; it has come from the past to settle in you now, and the original recipient knows that. He knows where his lost love lies."

  Agitated, Salena paced the room. "Why can't I meet a nice man and fall in love, on my own terms, like a normal person?"

  Madame Marietta looked at her with a soft expression, "Because love chose you first. This enchantment started long ago, with someone else close to you, and now it's back to finish what it started."

  Salena looked at the Gypsy like she was crazy. "Close to me? If you are referring to Abigail, she was my 10th generation great-grandmother. That was almost three hundred years ago, so why is it showing up now? Why didn't one of my other relatives have it?"

  The fortuneteller laughed lightly. "You are speaking of love like it's a disease instead of a gift. Truelove has a mind of its own. I cannot tell you why it chose you over someone else, I only see that it has, and you must not fight it. He is not going to let you go." Madame Marietta was smiling, just as Heloise had.

  "What can you tell me about him? What did you see?"

  "I can tell you he has blood on his hands, but nothing but love in his heart for you. He knows you have a connection to his past; again, he knows where his lost truelove lies. The supernatural realm exists beyond the reach of science and without complete proof, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. Look where you are, Salena. You are trusting me to tell you your future.

  Salena, completely stunned, looked at the smiling woman. "I never told you my name."

  "Oh, didn't you?" she looked up from the crystal ball and winked.

  "Okay, now I'm really scared. Why can't I just have a normal life? And if his love has 'settled' in me, as you say, why don't I feel it?"

  "You just have not yet opened your mind and heart up to it. Once you come to fully accept things the way they are, you will come to realize your destiny."

  "What if I don't want this? What if I don't choose to accept the love of a vampire? Which I don't!" then stopping her rant to stare at the woman, she added, "Do you think he's a vampire too, or are you going to tell me something else?"

  "Yes, he is a vampire. But, he is a vampire in love, which is not a normal thing. His heart calls to you like a mortal man's would."

  "Well, it has the wrong number so let it call somebody else. Let him choose someone else's bloodline."

  "I'm afraid, dear, the choice was made for him and for you as well. Love will always find its way. Just try to be open to it. It is a natural living thing, and I see that it is living in you now. You just haven't accepted it, yet."

  "No, I don't accept that a vampire is my soul mate!" Salena threw her hands in the air, "This is crazy!"

  "You haven't seen the complete picture yet. There is more to it than you think."

  "So give me answers then, please," she added more softly.

  "I see danger, but the one who seeks your heart is not the one who poses a threat to you; there is another who is also connected to the past. This source of pure evil will try to destroy you and your truelove. You have to go to your lover, and let him protect you and help you understand your destiny. You must trust him."

  Salena paid for the reading and headed for the door, "I can't take anymore of this. No more bad news."

  While getting into her car, she looked at her watch through teary eyes and saw it was six o'clock. It had already been such a long and terrible day; first, there was the funeral, then Heloise's tarot reading for her, and now this one. She just wanted to go home and sleep, hopefully, without a nightmare this time. But then she remembered she had plans. "Shit! Rob." She'd forgotten about him, and she was supposed to meet him in an hour and a half for dinner. That really didn't give her enough time to politely cancel, so she headed home to change.

  She chose to wear jeans with a blue tunic top and tennis shoes. Keeping with the casual theme, she topped off her outfit by pulling her long black hair into a ponytail.

  While following Salena, Gabriel had realized how hungry he was and how alone, and tasty looking, the young brunette at the bus stop was. She must have been to the vampire tour because she was dressed in Gothic clothes, slutty ones in fact, and was wearing plastic fangs. She even had bite marks penciled in on her throat. He laughed at the irony of the situation; she would soon have real ones.

  He approached the young girl who was probably in her late teens, which meant a high amount of estrogen rich blood. He licked his fangs in anticipation. As soon as she noticed him walking toward her, she thrust her chest out and flashed her dimples. Gabriel, like Devin, was impossible to resist. His six-foot six-inch frame was adorned with silky brown hair, which fell neatly to his broad shoulders, and his chiseled jaw was adorned with full luscious lips; lips that were just begging to be kissed.

  She noticed his eyes first, he had mysterious black eyes, and that made tingles run up and down her spine. He was so Goth and hot. She batted her lashes at him. "Hello. I like your costume;
did you go on the tour yet?" she looked down at her feet and then back up demurely, trying to appear bashful.

  Gabriel smiled back at the girl, purely from amusement. "Hey there," he replied in a deep, sensuous purr. "No, I haven't gone yet, have you?" this time he flashed his full smile, including his fangs.

  "Cool fangs! Where did you get those?"

  He chuckled, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. So, did you like the tour?"

  "Yes, it was kind of cool," she replied, still admiring his teeth and the rest of him as well.

  "Well, I might know of a better one; it has more realistic affects," he told her while reaching for her hand. She would have never guessed in a million years just how more realistic it was going to be.

  "Really? Where at? I've not seen any others." She took his hand, which felt warm and very strong.

  "Well, it's a private tour just for you," he told her while leading her away from the bus stop. "Care to check it out?" he flashed another big smile.

  "Sure." Truth was, she'd go anywhere with him.

  Devin had caught up to Salena to make sure she was safe from Gabriel—whose scent he, thankfully, found leading off in a different direction. He was able to hear most of Salena's reading from Madame Marietta; it pleased him to hear the fortuneteller explain to Salena how powerful his love is, and that it cannot be ignored. He was not happy about her keeping her date with the Rob fellow, though. He would just have to show up and intervene—he wouldn't risk her falling for Rob, or anyone for that matter—she was his. You never try to take something from a vampire.

  Just as he was about to shape-shift to follow her, the door to Madame Marietta's shop opened.