Born Of The Blood

by E. J. Powell

“No, please don’t.” She wiped her nose again before throwing the blood-soaked paper in the trash can. “I need to go see Agnes real quick. I’ll be back in a few.”

  “Jessie!” Daniel called out, but she was already down the hallway.

  CHAPTER 9

  Jessie ran into the small shop on Bourbon Street. She came to halt when she ran out of room. Witch Potions was stocked with every bath item imaginable. Floor to ceiling shelves lined the walls, filled with soaps, shampoos, bath beads, candles, and an array of body lotions. Shelves cluttered the floor with endless piles of products. The smell of sage and lavender was strong in the shop, but the smell of her own blood muted the usually over powering scent.

  Jessie scanned the cluttered shop until her eyes fell on the tall, dark-skinned woman stocking candles towards the back.

  “Agnes,” Jessie called out. Agnes turned to her. Her light brown eyes were outlined in black liner. Her gold nose ring matched the gold earrings looping up her earlobes and cartilage, and gold bracelets ran down the length of her bare arms. Her long braids were wrapped into a bun with gold ribbons intertwining the braids. Agnes looked in her early thirties, but Jessie knew she was much older. Jessie paused for a second as the beautiful woman looked at her.

  “Good heavens, child,” Agnes said as she dropped the candle in her hands and made her way to Jessie. “What happened?”

  “It’s starting again,” Jessie said. “This is the second nose bleed this week.”

  “Come on,” Agnes grabbed Jessie’s hand and led her behind the checkout counter. Beaded curtains hung over a door and jangled as Agnes parted them and led her to the back.

  Behind the curtain was a small kitchen. To the right was a countertop with a sink cut into the center. A white refrigerator hummed in the far corner. In the center sat a round glass table with four wooden chairs circling it. A staircase led off to the left with a bedroom and living room upstairs. Jessie had only been upstairs once to use the bathroom, but it was nice, small and impeccably clean. A stark contrast from the cluttered store front.

  Agnes motioned for her to sit down at the table. Jessie sat in the wood chair and watched Agnes soak a rag from the sink and then wring it out before walking to the table. Jessie took the rag and wiped her nose before holding it as a compress.

  “How have you been feeling?” Agnes asked, sitting across from her.

  “I’m fine.” Jessie pulled the rag back and saw it was nearly soaked in her black blood.

  “This only works when we’re truthful with each other.” Jessie looked to Agnes. She took a deep breath and then slowly let it out.

  “I’ve been tired. Two of our wolves just went through their first shift. And now we have a psycho path after my father.”

  “Your father?”

  “Yeah, apparently an old enemy of his.”

  “Another werewolf?”

  “Yes. He has a pack.”

  “In New Orleans? Is that why he has me casting protection spells in the bayou?”

  “Yes. My father has a plan to get him out, though.” Jessie tossed the rag on the table. “I think the bleeding has stopped.”

  “Then let’s begin.” Agnes got up and stood behind Jessie. Jessie tried to relax, but she hated this part. She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain perfectly still. Jessie felt Agnes’ warm hands on either side of her temples. She flung her head back as the jolt of electricity passed through her body. Ten seconds, sixty seconds, five minutes. Time seemed to mesh together.

  When Agnes finally lifted her hands, Jessie gasped for breath. It took her a minute to focus.

  “Your powers are growing,” Agnes said as she sat back down across from her. She rubbed her hands and wrists.

  “Can you still bind them?”

  “Not for long.”

  “How long do I have?”

  “It’s hard to say. Not much longer, though.”

  Jessie knew it was only a matter of time before the two species in her blood killed her.

  “You need to tell your father. He thinks that binding your powers is the solution. It’s only masking the symptoms. Not curing the disease.”

  “So he knows?” Jessie whispered.

  “No. He doesn’t know that disease has set in.”

  Jessie nodded as she stood from the table and threw the bloodied rag in the trash. She opened the beaded curtain and walked around the counter. She heard Agnes walk through the curtain behind her.

  “Does Daniel know?” Jessie turned to Agnes. “You should tell him.”

  “How do I tell him that I’m dying?”

  “You just say it.”

  “Once he knows, everything will change. And that’s assuming the Dark Lords don’t kill me before the disease.”

  “The Dark Lords are not what they once were. You should tell them.”

  Jessie looked away. She knew Agnes was right. Daniel deserved to know.

  “Thank you, Agnes.”

  Jessie walked to the door and stepped out into the cool air. She looked up at the stars. Night had fallen already. Time was passing too fast. She knew she needed to tell her family, but not right now. They needed to be focused on getting rid of the feral pack. Once the threat was eliminated, then she would tell them. She would tell Daniel, too. But not tonight.

  Jessie turned to walk back to the bar. She wished she had grabbed her jacket before she left the bar. She rubbed her arms as they beaded with goosebumps. Her werewolf side usually kept her warm, but lately it had been diminishing. Her whole body is diminishing. Soon, there will be nothing left of her but a memory. She just wished she had more time. Maybe even started a family. She would have liked to be a mom. She would have been a good mom. At least, she hoped she would have been.

  “Jessie!”

  Jessie turned to see Daniel running up the sidewalk.

  “What are you doing here?” Jessie asked as Daniel stopped in front of her.

  “I was worried about you. You just took off.”

  “I needed to see Agnes. You should be at the bar setting up. Aren’t you playing tonight?”

  “I don’t care about the band. I care about you.”

  His hand was warm on her cheek. She nuzzled into his touch. She looked up at him as his warm brown eyes stared back at her. His finger trailed from her jaw to her lips, leaving tiny sparks across her skin. And then his lips were on hers. She sunk into his kiss. It was soft and tender. She felt how much he cared for her. It only made her feel worse. She wanted him to care for her, but she knew the more he did, the worse it would hurt when she was gone.

  “Let’s get you back to the bar,” he said. “It’s not safe for you out here.”

  Jessie followed him back, her hand in his. They walked along the sidewalk strolling through town. The Quarter was filling up as bars and clubs began to open. People moved from one place to another. Jessie looked up at Daniel as he walked beside her. Her time was running out, but she didn’t want to leave this world without experiencing everything it could offer. Daniel being one of them. She knew it was selfish of her. She knew she should stay away from him. End things now before he got hurt, but she just couldn’t. Not yet. She wanted to know the touch of him. The way only a woman could know.

  The bar was already filling up when Daniel walked her through the door. Boyd and Drew stood by the stage waiting for their drummer. Daniel kissed her on the forehead before he leapt up on stage, followed by Boyd and Drew. She made her way to the bar and sat at one of the empty stools.

  “Who’s ready to rock?” Boyd called into the microphone. The crowd began to cheer. “Thank you all for coming back out tonight. We are super excited to start it out with a new song of ours, My Darkest Love.”

  Jessie sat back as Drew began on his electric guitar. When Daniel joined in with his drums, the crowd started jumping and piled in towards the stage. Jessie looked around the crowd and spotted Dani in the back with Helena. They were sitting on the bench at the back wall. She scanned the room, but the one person she didn’t see was
Brandon. She walked over to the girls.

  “Where is Brandon?” Jessie asked over the music. “Is he out with my father?”

  “No,” Dani said. “Rickon wouldn’t let us. Said we can’t control our shift enough yet. He’s upstairs.”

  “What room is he in?” Jessie asked.

  “Second floor, third or fourth room on the right.”

  Jessie fought her way through the crowd and towards the stairs. She climbed to the second floor and knocked on the third room on the right. No answer. She walked to the next room and knocked. No answer.

  “Brandon! Are you in there?” Silence. “Are you ignoring me?”

  She pounded on the door. The door behind her opened and she turned to see Brandon standing in the doorway.

  “I’m not ignoring you. Wrong room.” Jessie looked back at the door she had been pounding on and hoped it was empty before she walked over to Brandon. His chest was bare and he had black and blue paint on his hands with specks of white lacing up his arms. His jeans were torn at the knees and green paint streaked up his legs.

  “I just wanted to check on you,” Jessie said. Brandon opened his door wider, signaling for her to come in.

  Jessie walked in and looked around the room. Her eye was drawn to the far wall as she looked at the canvas that sat beside the window.

  “This is beautiful,” she said as she walked closer. It was a night painting. A full moon hung in the sky with a halo of light surrounding it. Below, neon blue flowers rested. Each petal as realistic as the moon.

  “Thanks.” Brandon walked in and sat at the desk. Jessie walked over and sat on the bed.

  “Are you nervous?” she asked.

  “Not really. Protecting the pack is part of my job. I wouldn’t mind having a go at the wolf that did that to you.” He pointed to her lip. It was still bruised, but faintly. The swelling was gone and she didn’t feel it anymore.

  “Is Ty starting to rub off on you?” Jessie cracked a smile which made Brandon smile.

  “Not a chance.” His smile faded as he rubbed his arms. “You’re dying aren’t you?”

  Jessie looked up at him and she could see the pain his eyes. Brandon had always been more intuitive than the others in her pack.

  “Yes,” she said. He nodded his head as he stared at the floor.

  “Who all knows?” he asked.

  “My father and brothers know it’s inevitable. I would like to keep it that way.”

  “Does Daniel know?”

  She shook her head. “How do you know?”

  “The signs have been obvious for a while now, but I didn’t know you were dying until the other night when you pulled Ty off of me. Black Blood. Me and my sister came across a guy once who had black blood. He had helped us shortly after my pack was destroyed. He didn’t live very long.”

  Jessie saw Brandon wipe his face and she realized he was crying.

  “Come here, Brandon.”

  She patted the bed beside her and he slowly rose and walked to her. She wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him to her.

  “I don’t want you to die,” he said into her shoulder.

  “I don’t want to either, but some things can’t be undone.”

  She held him in her arms as he silently wept for her. It touched her in a way she didn’t know was possible. He would miss her, and oddly enough, it brought her peace. She didn’t want him to hurt, but it felt good knowing someone cared for her. Knowing that someone would miss her. She closes her eyes, holding back her own tears. She needed to be strong. She had to.

  “How about we go downstairs and get a drink?”

  Brandon looked up at her. “No. I really would rather just stay here. But you go. Daniel’s playing. I know you like to watch him.”

  “You make me sound like a stalker.”

  “Nah, just a little crazy.” He shot her a smile.

  “Thanks.”

  She left Brandon in his room and walked down the stairs to the packed out bar. People were everywhere. Standing by the wall, sitting at the tables, ordering from the bar. Ashley was behind the bar mixing drinks like a mad woman with Darion helping her. Aria was out taking orders. She moved through the crowd with ease. Even Helena was waiting on tables.

  Jessie walked up to the bar and sat at the one empty stool left. She looked around the bar as people were smiling and joking. The dance floor had become a mosh pit as the band continued into their next set. Boyd’s voice rang out through the bar. Drew was bringing it on his electric guitar. And Daniel. Daniel was where her eyes landed. His arms swung up and down with every beat. Sweat dripped down his forehead and neck, his dark hair plastered to his face. His blue T-shirt was damp around the collar as he pounded away. He looked up and caught her gaze. His smile beamed and she smiled back.

  “Hey, Jess,” Aria said, walking around the bar. “How are you?”

  “Okay,” Jessie said, turning to her as she opened a couple of beers and put them on her tray.

  A loud yell rang out and everyone turned to see Helena body slam a man to the ground.

  “Ash!” Aria yelled. “Helena needs a break.”

  Ashley looked up from the drinks she was making as the man stood, holding his arm.

  “Why does she always have to body slam them?” Ashley said. “Helena! Take five!”

  Helena waited until the man walked away from her before she made her way to the bar, tossing her tray in the corner.

  “If he didn’t want to be touched, he shouldn’t have touched me,” Helena said, making a customer move from his stool. Helena sat down next to Jessie and took out her phone.

  “You could just tell him to stop,” Aria said.

  “I did,” Helena said, looking up from her phone.

  “Out loud, so he could hear you?”

  “Maybe not out loud,” Helena said. “But where do men get off thinking they can just touch whoever they want?”

  “Hey, women aren’t much better,” Aria said. “If I had a dollar for every time a woman ‘accidently’ walked into Bender, I wouldn’t need to work here.”

  “That’s true,” Ashley said. Helena shrugged before she went back to scrolling down her phone.

  “I don’t think all men are like that,” Jessie said. Helena looked up at her, her brow arched.

  “Your face says otherwise,” Helena said. She had a point.

  “I just mean, Daniel isn’t like that.”

  “Hell no, he ain’t,” Ashley said. “None of my brothers are. My mama would have skinned them alive if they touched a woman without her permission.”

  “And Bender has always been respectful,” Aria said. “Even now, he will still ask me if it’s okay. It’s kind of cute.”

  “Awe,” Helena said before she started making gagging noises.

  “Laugh all you want,” Aria said. “But Jessie’s right, not all men are creeps.”

  “Fine, I will try to keep my rage controlled,” Helena said. Aria shook her head before she disappeared back into the crowd.

  Jessie looked back at Daniel.

  “So have you and he…?” Jessie turned to Helena who was following her gaze to Daniel.

  “Have we what?”

  “Made brownies. What do you think I’m talking about?”

  Jessie shrugged.

  “Sex. I’m talking about sex. Have you two done it yet?” Jessie looked down at her shoes. She could feel her cheeks heating up. “I’m going to take that as a no. So what are you waiting for?”

  “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just hard to get some alone time.”

  “Especially with a pack of rogue wolves trying to kill you and your entire family.”

  Jessie looked away.

  “Sorry,” Helena said. “I tend to be blunt. People’s feelings have never been that high on my priority list.”

  “It’s okay.”

  Helena went back to scrolling through her phone. She looked almost like a normal person sitting at the bar. Except that she’s drop dead gorgeous and can k
ill on command.

  “Can I ask you something, Helena?” Helena looked up from her phone. “Where did you learn to fight like you do?”

  “Oh, that would be Eve.”

  “As in the Eve? The first woman?”

  “The one and only. Why do you look so surprised? You know she was the one that changed me into a Dark Lord.”

  “I do, but I guess I didn’t realize she was a skilled fighter.”

  “Did you think she was slaying demons by luck?”

  “No, she’s just so far before my time. I’m not even a hundred so it kind of blows my mind still to meet someone from the ‘Era of Eve’.”

  “Era, that’s funny. I guess it was an era. It just feels like a memory to me.”

  “So, she taught you how to fight?”

  “Yeah, and I’ve had a few thousand years to perfect it.”

  “Oh.”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” Jessie turned back to the stage.

  “If I’ve learned anything,” Helena said. “It’s that people tend to ask every question, but the one they really want to ask. So ask it.”

  Jessie looked at her. She was right. People did have a tendency to beat around the bush. She took a deep breath.

  “I want to learn how to fight.”

  “I thought you already did?”

  “Not really. My brothers never taught me and my father always said he’ll protect me.”

  “Lame.”

  “I just want to be able to protect myself. I’m glad my family will fight for me, but I want to be able to fight for them.”

  “I’m always willing to teach,” Helena said. “But I’m not a nice teacher. I don’t take it easy on anyone. If you want me to teach you, I will, but be ready to learn.”

  “When can we start?”

  “I’m pretty sure Ashley’s done with me for the night. Let’s go now.”

  Helena hopped from her stool and started walking towards the back of the bar. Jessie stood and looked around. Was she going to show her here? In a crowded bar? Jessie took a deep breath and followed her towards a set of doors in the back. Helena opened the doors and walked down the hallway. Jessie had never been back here before. She didn’t even know there was a here. She followed Helena down the hallway to another set of doors. Helena walked in first and flicked on the light switch to the left. A huge gym lit up. Workout equipment lined the walls. Treadmills, punching bags, weights, dummies, and weapons filled every wall. In the center was a large boxing ring with a blue mat and red ropes.