Reluctantly, I took it, not fully committing to the idea of cracking the cover. “Thanks. If anything, I can use it as a shield against Allison’s verbal assaults. Maybe I could just knock her unconscious with it.”
“Oh no, did she say something to you?” Sophie asked, pity filling her voice.
“Only that she wanted me gone and that she may try to kill me,” I responded. “On second thought, I’m not sure I’d be one hundred percent comfortable if not one person in the house threatened to off me.”
“I’m sorry. She can be pretty mean sometimes. She lost family to vampires and takes it out on pretty much everyone.”
“Haven’t we all lost someone to vampires?”
“Yeah. I guess you’re right. I lost my dad when I was younger. I went to stay with my mom after he died, until the Keepers tracked me down. I joined them right away. I figured it was the best way to honor my dad. What about you?”
She spoke so openly about losing someone close to her. How did she do that without flipping her shit?
“I’m sorry,” she said after I didn’t answer. “I didn’t mean to pry or bring up painful memories.”
“No worries. I guess we all deal with our pain in different ways.” Apparently, my way sucked harder than I did. Cue the bad joke rimshot.
“Yeah. I guess, but it still didn’t give Allison the right to attack you like that. Honestly, I think she’s just jealous that there is someone stronger and prettier than her in the house. She’s so used to having all the boys’ attention and being the center of the universe.”
“Oh, perfect. I am back in high school. Please, just stake me now,” I pleaded.
She laughed and we continued to chat about simple, non-vampire related things for another hour until she retreated back to the library. I did everything I could to pass the time before going back to meditating.
Eventually, I asked John and Rachel if I could do yoga with them. They agreed hesitantly, so I kept my distance but followed all their movements. It turned out that yoga was more calming than my method of meditation. Who would have guessed?
†
The remainder of the week fell into an easy rhythm, but the restlessness gnawed at me. I begged Helen every day to let me go out on the night guard or practice sparring, anything to keep me active.
I was sure I had her convinced I would be more dangerous if I couldn’t let off some steam. She hadn’t allowed me to venture outside for fear of vampires in the area picking up my scent. I was positive she was a crazy person. There were no vampires in these woods. It wasn’t as if they would be hunting bears or wolves. They weren’t exactly the sparkly kind of vampires.
Helen had made herself as scarce as possible the entire week, probably so she wouldn’t have to deal with my complaints. I observed the other house members when I could, and I noticed patterns with some. Certain people in the house had specific duties. The weaker fighters trained with the stronger ones occasionally, but they mostly remained in the library researching the First or the prophecy and tracking bloodlines through advanced genealogy applications. Ancestry.com must have been making a killing off them. The stronger fighters rotated night guard shifts and trained with each other in various forms of hand-to-hand combat as well as weaponry.
I was determined to get on that team. On the last day I was supposed to be working on my meditation, I cornered Helen in her office. It was large and tucked into the front corner of the left wing. The entire back wall was composed of custom built in shelving, not surprisingly covered with books. In front of it sat a large mahogany desk that dwarfed Helen. She looked like a child sitting behind it.
“So, Helen, I was thinking,” I began, initiating my plan to annoy her with questions until she caved. She looked up with a guarded expression. “I’d like to learn more about myself. What makes me different from the run of the mill bloodsucker?”
“Have you not learned all you can from the library?” she asked, her tone brittle.
“Well, see, that only led to more questions. I kill them, but I never wondered if they might have some bit of humanity left in them. What if they do?”
“They don’t,” she replied matter-of-factly.
“How do you know?”
She eyed me as if she was determined to wait out my patience but finally realized I wasn’t going anywhere. She released a long, disapproving sigh. “Have a seat, Lucille.”
I came around to slide into one of the wingback chairs facing the desk. Propping my feet up on the polished wood, I settled in for story time.
“We’ve discussed this in St. Louis, but I’ll tell you again. The Shadow-marked vampires have no soul. They forfeit it when they choose to kill. They choose to kill because they no longer have a conscience. Day-marked vampires are gifted in that aspect. They retain their conscience and ability to experience human emotions when they are changed. They are gifted with the opportunity to restore their soul, so long as they don’t kill. If a Day-marked vampire were to have the blood of a victim they killed in their system at the time of death, they would lose their soul and all humanity for good, just like the Shadow-marked ones,” she explained. “That is what makes you different, Lucille.”
“But how do you know all this? Has there been a Day-marked vampire gone bad before?”
“It has only been recorded in the ancient texts, but there hasn’t been one since the very first vampires came to be.”
“You mean the same texts that talk about the prophecy?” I asked skeptically.
“Lucille, you can either choose to believe them or not, but these books,” she said, gesturing to the wall behind her, “are all we have to go on. As far as we can tell, most accounts are fairly accurate. Some are merely speculation, but it is what it is, I’m afraid.”
I pondered it silently before another thought occurred to me. “What about someone who had both bloodlines? Is that possible?”
“No. The two bloodlines don’t mix. I was informed of the incidents in St. Louis.”
I could only guess who her informant was.
She continued as if the mention of Gavin didn’t have a catastrophic effect on my internal demons. “Do you remember the vampire you faced? Shane Monroe?”
I flinched from the mention of him.
“He must have somehow known what you are. He didn’t try to drink from you, did he?”
Numb from the memories, I shook my head, not trusting my voice.
“If he had, it would have killed him instantly. The two bloodlines cannot coexist. Your ability to walk in the sun cannot be replicated. Their blood would react to your blood as if it had been thrown onto the surface of the sun.”
Something wasn’t computing. “So are you saying two humans with the different bloodlines couldn’t conceive a baby that inherited both?”
“No. Even on a cellular level, they attack each other. An embryo isn’t conceivable. It’s an impossibility,” she said.
And three… two…
Oh, fuck!
All thoughts of training escaped me.
I sucked in a sharp breath. I’ve heard those words before, spoken in a much huskier, masculine voice. Deep down, I must have known this was true, but I never had all the evidence.
He had the ability to walk in the sun. He was stronger and faster than the average vampire, and his eyes somehow showed signs of both bloodlines. How else would he retain human attributes?
Gavin was both of the Light and the Dark.
7
With all this new information bouncing around in my head, I was growing impatient. Well, more than usual. I had no idea if I would see Gavin again. However, I imagined the world became infinitely smaller with immortality.
The spontaneous cravings hadn’t diminished either. They may have even become more frequent. I overheard Helen speaking with one of the kitchen staff in charge of the ordering. She mentioned a rush order from their local blood supplier. A swirl of self-doubt twisted my gut at the concerning rate of my consumption. Beating these hunger pangs into s
ubmission was climbing my list of priorities.
Working out frustrations on the vault soaked up all my time at night. With a certain degree of concentration, I have managed to add about two lousy inches to each new dent.
Backing up a few steps, I glared at my nemesis. I propped my hands on my hips to pause and assess it from all angles. The last punch I threw produced similar results to the other attempts, but tonight was different. Tonight, I gained an audience.
Nick, Brody, Allison and another girl, whose name I learned was Carrie, came in to stand behind me as I finished a series of rapid-fire punches. When they approached, I reached down to swipe my thermos off the floor. I always carried it with me now to keep my appetite on a tight leash.
“Nice work, Shortie,” Nick commented. I arched a brow at his choice in nicknames. He was barely taller than me. “That’s pretty hot, actually. You can come practice with me anytime. I’ve got a few moves I think you might like,” he said suggestively.
Brody laughed a strong guttural laugh while Allison snorted and Carrie eyed me up and down, unimpressed.
“Dude, you have got to stop embarrassing yourself like that. And stop saying things that force me to apologize on your behalf,” Brody reprimanded his friend before turning to me. “Lucy, you’ll have to excuse my friend. I think he may be suffering from cabin fever, or winter blues, or some rare disease that causes diarrhea of the mouth.”
“No need. I may be suffering from cabin fever worse than anyone.”
“See. I told you we should put her down before she goes on a killing spree,” Allison replied.
“I’m amazed you’re still alive if your method of attack includes threatening vampires and insulting them before you make a move,” I countered.
“Because I can back it up,” she responded, a devious smile forming on her lips. Carrie chuckled by her side.
“Prove it. You want to kill me, go for it. Give me your best shot,” I goaded, holding my arms open in an invitation.
“Easy, ladies. We’re all on the same side,” Brody mediated.
“Yeah, if you’re going to go at it, at least wait until we get an inflatable pool filled with Jell-O,” Nick said.
“You’re disgusting,” Carrie chimed in with a high-pitched baby voice.
Nick stepped closer to me as Brody began defending his moronic friend to the other girls. “So what are you doing later today?”
“Are you serious?” I asked, shocked he would even consider dating me.
“Absolutely, beautiful,” he replied with a cocky smile.
“Why in the hell would you want to be with me? Do you have a death wish?”
“Come on. Don’t tell me vampires don’t get lonely.”
“You know I could kill you easily, without even blinking, right?”
“Some girls are worth dying for.”
No. Just no. “You’re an idiot. Please stop trying. It’s not going to happen.”
“Nick!” Allison snapped. “Are you ready?” she asked pointedly. Was he her lap dog or something?
Realization dawned when I hinted jealousy in the tightening of her eyes and in her scowl. I scoffed in disbelief and hardened my position on staying away from Nick. I was not going to be the girl he hits on after spending quality time in a supply closet with her.
He glanced at her and then turned back to whisper, “Think about it.”
Wow. I watched them all leave the room, stunned at the change of events in my life. I needed to start training. I needed a distraction, something to focus on and help me center myself. I was going to talk to Helen in the morning, and I wouldn’t be asking for permission.
†
After a solid hour of arguing my case, Helen relented and has agreed to let me sit in on the training sessions with the others. To observe. Hey, it was a start.
A few days into watching the Keepers spar actually proved to be beneficial. Seeing the different fighting styles in slow motion, or human motion, I was able to commit each detail of every move to my vast, upgraded memory bank.
I studied the various forms of Martial Arts from the grappling techniques of Brazilian Jujitsu, the ease of using the attacker’s momentum against him in Aikido and the ferocity and brutality of Keysi.
Today, while watching Allison work her way around the ring with Brody as they practiced Krav Maga, she became well aware of my presence and grew more and more flustered by the minute. I was thoroughly enjoying myself, especially when Brody got the upper hand and launched her across the ring. She rolled to a stop a few feet from me and I just couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me.
Seeing her rage only set the others off in a fit of giggles as well. “You bitch,” she snarled at me. “You want to fight? Let’s go! Right now!”
“Sit down before you hurt yourself even more,” I chided.
Incensed, she whipped around and stomped off to the other side of the training room, where others were training with throwing knives and daggers and all the shiny, fun stuff that I missed so dearly. The rest of my housemates formed a circle around me to get pointers on their techniques. This had become a routine since the first session I attended and I started shouting out their mistakes as they fought.
I was in the middle of explaining a move to one of the guys when the glint of metal flashed brightly out of the corner of my eye. As the dagger passed by my head, blowing my dark loose waves around, I followed it with hawk eyes.
Twisting my torso, I turned to pluck it out of thin air before it got away. My hand gripped the weighty metal hilt in a friendly greeting between old pals. I missed this. The smile crept across my face before I could stop it. Giddy excitement coursed through my veins like a teenage girl at a One Direction concert.
I glanced up to see a rather furious Allison standing on the outside of the group. Another blade was poised on the tips of her fingers. In slow motion, I watched it leave her hands on a path not even close to my vital organs. It had moved past comical and was just plain sad at this point.
When it neared me, I whipped my arm out to the side, snatching it in one smooth motion. Before anyone could blink, I took aim and sent both knives hurtling across the room to sink into the eyes of the practice dummy standing upright against the far wall. A few low whistles told me the peanut gallery was impressed with the show, but I wasn’t here for their entertainment.
“If you plan on killing me or any vampire from a distance, you should try lining up your aim with the heart,” I advised Allison, who looked like she was about to bust a blood vessel.
“Those were warning shots. Next time, I won’t miss,” she blustered.
“Well then, I consider myself thoroughly warned.”
An insecure little girl with possible jealousy and rage issues playing at being Lara Croft or Black Widow was the least of my worries. I just rediscovered my happy place after too many days without it. Not caring what Helen thinks I should or shouldn’t do, I took off out of the training room and out of the back door before anyone even saw me leave.
My thin thermal and yoga pants weren’t exactly ideal for the harsh Canadian winter, and I knew my Nikes would be soaked through in no time. But none of that mattered or affected me as much as the joy that came from running full speed. I plowed my way through a couple feet of snow, but it didn’t slow me down. The amount of adrenaline coursing through me kept me running at my top speeds. Faster than my top speeds, in fact.
Miles of untouched, pristine wilderness sprawled ahead of me, and for the first time since being here, I didn’t have the ever-present urge to bolt. If I had this personal haven at my fingertips, being stuck in the middle of nowhere might not be so bad. Why didn’t I do this sooner?
I couldn’t wipe the grin from my face as I soared through acres of frosted jade forest under a thick canopy of spruce and fir. The rich smell of pinesap was Christmas carried on a winter breeze.
The beauty overwhelmed my super senses. Seeing this rugged landscape through my eyes gave it a romantic filter. The snow dust floate
d from the branches, catching every facet of light, while sparking and glowing with the most splendid brilliance. It was like seeing the world again for the first time.
My new senses were still settling when I arrived, and I had yet to observe the world under this much natural light. It was different in a way that I could squeeze so many more colors from the spectrum. I never properly appreciated the magical quality of my abilities until now.
Making a wide arc, I circled back toward the mansion, but several miles out, I came across a frozen lake. It was double the size of a Super Walmart. I slowed to test the strength of the ice before revving up for the most epic slide known to vampires, or so I assumed, knowing most vampires didn’t have a clue what the word fun meant.
Plowing through the snow, my propulsion carried me all the way across the expanse of the lake. The rush of wind brought an easy grin to my face. Until the bank halted my momentum and landed me on my ass.
Luckily, no one was around to witness the debacle. Normal clumsiness could be easily brushed off, but vampire clumsiness caused a riotous scene no matter where it happened. It was like a masterpiece of epic fail compilations.
When my spine turned bark into dust and woodchips, and the loud crack of the splintering trunk resounded through the open space, I should have been ready for what came next. Instead, I sat stunned while being buried beneath a massive snow mound.
These trees were the true badasses of the forest, tough and resilient, able to carry the weight of winter on their branches. Digging myself out of the cold, wet grave, I took in the full proportion of snow to tree. This tree had to have been carrying the amount of fluffy, white stuff it would take to build at least twenty snowmen.
I shook off my astonishment of these magnificent giants and turned back toward the lake one last time to absorb the full beauty when my gaze locked onto an uneven lump of white powder near the bank. Sixty feet later, I was brushing off the last bit of accumulation to reveal a simple outdoor patio bench with wood slats that connected heavy iron legs.
Blinding Light (The Bloodmarked Trilogy Book 2) Page 11
