Bloods Gem

by Gloria Conway

  “Oh yeah, sorry babe, forgot.” I picked up another glass and placed it under the sink, filling it with water. I handed it to her. She drank it in one gulp and gave it back to me. “You need more?” She nodded. I filled it back up. She drank it all again.

  “Babe, it would be easier for you to just put your mouth under the water until your satisfied.” I said, hiding my smile. She agreed and did just as I said. She sat there for ten minutes drinking. “You want to try the other now babe?” I asked her. She picked up the glass and smelled it. She shook her head, giving it back to me.

  “You serious?” I asked, glancing at her wondering why it wasn’t grabbing her attention. You know shifters live on blood and raw meat babe. You're going to need this soon. You're not like you were.

  “I know what my body wants,” she said, staring at me.

  “Okay, so what does it what?”

  “You, meat, cheese and water.” I shook my head wondering if she was joking. “Really?”

  She nodded.

  “Why cheese?” I asked.

  “I dunno. That’s what I'm craving.”

  “We don’t keep cheese in the castle babe, just eggs, raw meat, blood, which is scarce. Would you like me to cut up some of this meat for you?”

  “No, actually I want some garlic on it and cooked a little if you don’t mind.” “Cooked?”

  “Mm hmm.”

  “Babe your not pregnant or anything are you?” I asked teasing.

  “Nope. Just had my period a few weeks ago.”

  “Yeah. Okay, well, whatever you want.”

  I took the meat out and grabbed a pan and some garlic. Cooking it enough for both sides to brown and placed it on a plate. My friends stared at Faith just. Wondering why she was eating it this way, since she was now half of what we were. She cut it and blood seeped out.

  “Eww!”

  We all started laughing.

  “Your kidding right?” She took the pan and put the meat back in, cooking it until it was almost black. “Babe, that’s not going to satisfy you like you think”

  “Just shut up and let me do my thing please.”

  The guys started making fun of me. I shook my head watching her in disbelief. I waited for her reaction as she took a bite.

  “Mmm. this is how I like it,” she said, chewing it as though it was heaven in her mouth.

  I chugged our drinks and gnawed on raw steak. She sat down holding her stomach. “I'm hurting. I ate too much,” she said.

  “You are a strange one my Love,” I said, watching her. She glanced in my direction. “I can see love in your eyes you know, when you look at me.”

  The guys behind me started chuckling. I threw an elbow in Cesar's face and promised Howell he was next. They became silent. I went over and held her, smiling into her eyes. “It's because you can see right into my soul Love. And I do love you and you feel it.”

  “I know. I just love the way you look at me, it makes me feel so good.” She held onto my shirt, pulling me closer. She pressed her soft lips onto mine. I swooped her up into my arms. She wrapped her arms around my neck. I took her back to my room for seconds.

  Faith asked me to try to find Chris tonight as she slept. I told her I’d do what I can to find out what happened to him.

  I phased into spirit form but couldn’t find his scent or location. He was far away if not dead. I didn’t want to tell her that. I would tell her that I couldn’t locate him. I went into her dream. She was running around in the woods. Catching up to her I picked her up pulling her into the nights sky with me. We flew across the fields below us.

  “I wanna try something,” she said, biting her lip. I raised a brow.

  “Yes love?” I read her thoughts and smiled. I started laughing.

  “Hmm. We can try. That actually doesn’t sound half bad,” I said, grinning at her. “You have to catch me first,” she said, off in an instant. I took off after her trying to keep up.

  It frustrated me a little that she was faster then me in the air, at the same time I was glad it wasn't one of my friends. Almost catching up to her, she took off her shirt and it came flying into my face, making it hard to see.

  I began shedding mine as I inched closer. Faith swopped down into the trees and I followed. Leading me to waterfall, she flew through, into a cave. Many hot water holes were molded into the cave. The steam rose off the water, filling the cave with it's haze.

  Faith gracefully stood naked in one of the hot baths. I watched from a distance, admiring her beautiful naked body. Her long dark hair flowed down the middle of her back to her waist. She cupped the water in her hand pouring it over her body. My legs trembled at the sight. Approaching behind her, I gently kissed her neck. She began humming a song I sang to her, while she was asleep during the phase. She slowly turned around and stared into my soul, taking me into hers. Our spirits made love. It was an awakening of mind and body. Everything seemed so perfect and in harmony. Her spirit floating freely with mine all night.

  I woke with Faiths body laying on top of mine. I smiled at the thought of last night. I wrapped my arms around her holding her close to my body. She opened her eyes and pressed her lips to mine. “I love you,” I whispered in her ear.

  “I love you,” she replied. She laid her head back down on my chest. I heard her lightly snoring. I decided to go roam the castle for awhile until she woke. I went downstairs and passed by my fathers study. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a few people gathered in there. I stepped back and popped my head in.

  “Whats going on?” I asked.

  Father stood up, pointing his finger at Lenny. Everyone became quite.

  “Son, come on in. You’ll need to hear this too,” he announced.

  I stood by the door and glanced at him, trying to read his thoughts. He shook his head glaring in my direction. I drew closer and shut the door behind me. I looked over at Lenny wondering what he was doing here. He was one of the officers out at Blue Cove. They send the dangerous, out of control vampires and Ill-suen out there if they’ve committed a crime. Father is head of the council, whom acts as a judge. He decides along with a few others if the person is found guilty of the crime they’re accused of. “Daniel, someone helped Adrian escape Blue Cove. Lenny came to tell us the situation in person. We are sending out a search to look for him immediately.”

  This news was unsettling. No one had ever escaped Blue Cove before.

  “How did this happen?” I asked, glaring at Lenny.

  “There are a few officers missing. We haven’t recovered any bodies. But we have questioned the others thoroughly and did not observe any evidence of suspicion in the others.”

  “We’re going to need as many volunteers as possible. We have three groups of trackers ready to get this search on the road,” Father said, glancing at me.

  I nodded. “Alright, I'll have to go let her know whats going on right away and I'll be ready to go,” I said, pacing.

  “Don’t worry Son, he wont get near Faith. We have this place covered.”

  “Yes father, I know she's in good hands.” I immediately walked out, running upstairs as quickly as my feet allowed. Slamming the door behind me as I entered my bedroom. Faith flew up into the air, startled. I pulled her back down to the bed.

  “It’s just me Love.”

  She placed her hand on my chest. “You scared me!”

  “Sorry,” I said, looking down.

  “Whats the matter?” I sat there silent trying to think of how to tell her I had to leave her for awhile, again.

  “Daniel, what is it?”

  “I have to go away for awhile.”

  “What, why?”

  I glanced up. “Adrian… he’s escaped and they need help.”

  She shook her head. “No! They have people. I mean, can't they send someone else?” “My father asked me to, I cant just say no, now can I?”

  “He would understand if you did and I still haven’t changed yet. I'll be alone without you here to help me through it.”


  I stood up, looking around for something to hit. She was right. I couldn’t leave her. She still had the toughest part to get through. I had to go back down and tell Father I can't leave.

  “I'll be back,” I said, dashing out before she could respond.

  I walked back into his study.

  “Father.I cant--” He stopped me.

  “Son, I don’t know how to tell you this but Faith. Is going to stay as she is.”

  “How do you know this?” I asked.

  “Celeste had already seen it. She also went to the elders after her first phase, just to be certain. We believe her inner spirit will only accept this phase. This is why she did not reach the second phase immediately.”

  I stared down at my feet confused but relieved. It didn’t make sense. Not many human’s had ever stayed in one phase, especially for as long as she has.

  “Alright, I'll go tell her.” I walked towards the door.

  “Son?” I turned around slowly. He stood in front of me, pressing something into my hand. “Wear this,” he said. I opened my palm, it was a silver cross. I slipped it over my head and it pressed to my chest. I bowed my head and thanked him.

  On my way to tell Faith, One of the twins walked towards me. I immediately stared at the floor. I heard her laugh. She stopped in front of me. “Daniel, how are you Love?” “I'm fine. Don’t have time to chat sorry!” I tried walking away. She placed her hand on my chest. “Wait. Friendly chat for an old friend?” I shook my head.

  “I'll put my glasses on.” She said.

  “Alright, has to be quick, I'm in a hurry.” She put her glasses on and I glanced up. “Better?” She asked.

  “What do you need Grace?” I asked.

  “I wanted to congratulate you on your new human triumph.”

  “Shes not completely human, anymore,” I said.

  “Ah, so shes changed? That must be a good thing for you. She wont tempt you as much.”

  “She tempts me just the way she is without the blood factor involved. Anyways, where’s Charlotte?”

  “Miss my sister do you? Well shes…. On vacation you can say.”

  “Right, well I got to go.” I pointed up stairs.

  “Yes. I wont keep you,” she whispered in my ear kissing one side of my cheek.

  I ran upstairs trying to get away from the wrench and saw Faith standing there, glancing down at me.

  “Oh, Love. I was just about to come speak with you.” I kissed her.

  She pulled away from me. “Why were you so close to that girl? And why was she kissing you?”

  I put my hands out in front of me waving them. “No, no. Don’t even think that way. I was trying to get away from the nasty girl. I'll tell you more later.” She glared at me. “There's only you!” I said, taking her hand into mine. I pulled her down the hall back into my room. She went to the bed and sat down.

  “Love, I have good news! You wont be phasing into the next stage today or any day for that matter.”

  Her eyebrows pulled together. “What….?”

  “Father said Celeste was sure this was it for you. Your spirit will only allow what you are now, nothing more. If you were to change it would have been right after this phase, but nothing…”

  She looked confused. “You're not going to turn into a vampire. You should be happy. I was when I heard.”

  She nodded. “Yeah I'm relieved. I didn’t want to go through the pain and the thirst.” She smiled.

  “And you can still eat what you want for the most part and it wont taste bad.”

  “That’s true,” she said laughing.

  “But I promise you, I will be back as soon as I can Love, but I must go.”

  Her smile quickly faded. “You… have to go still?”

  “Yes.”

  She flew to me, wrapping her arms around my body. “I'll miss you. Please don’t get hurt or do anything stupid. I want you to come back to me in one piece.”

  “I promise,” I said, holding her tightly. She pulled back and put my cross in her hands. She glanced up, curious.

  “Oh my dad…”

  “It’s not that… you believe in…?” She gave me a strange look.

  “Why’s that so shocking to you love?”

  “I dunno. You just never talk about it.”

  “Yeah, I know it seems… contradictory in a way but it’s not our fault we weren’t born human. You know what I mean? It doesn’t mean we can’t believe in him, just as humans do. Plus, it gives us hope, In a way.”

  She smiled. “He will keep you safe, you're worth saving.”

  “What? I'm worth saving?”

  “I meant it as a compliment. Not like that. Come on, now.”

  “Do you feel I'm… never mind.”

  “No, what is it? I mean, I don’t think like you do. I feel I can feel you are a good person, you have a honest soul. I don’t think there are demons inside of you like you say. So you wont be exiled to hell or anything.”

  I laughed. “Well, if you think so…”

  She wrapped her arms around my neck. “I know so. I promise, you're right about one thing. You didn't choose to be born an Ill-suen. He wouldn’t condemn you for that. Plus, you have a conscience, obviously.”

  “Yeah, I guess I do. It makes sense what your saying but I try not to think about it. All I want when I die is the afterlife we're told about.”

  “What's that?”

  “They say when we die. If we’ve stayed true to the ways in which we’re supposed to. You know like, not drinking from humans. Then we will live in an afterlife with our loved ones, who’ve also passed. And we wait for the others to come join us.”

  “Others?”

  “Yeah like the ones we’re close to who haven't passed on yet. We can share the same afterlife if they are also true to the ways. We’ll talk more about this some other time Love, I’ve gotta go,” I kissed her forehead.

  “Oh, And can you do me a favor and stay away from that girl you saw me with earlier? Shes trouble.” She agreed, walking me downstairs to see me off.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Faith

  I hated that he had to leave me but I understood why. I was now half human, half shifter and didn't know too much about my powers. Except a few that came natural. It was easy to wipe Daniel's memory, and to make people see or taste things. I knew I could fly in the dreams easy, but in reality it was harder. I flew around the room without trying, but when I tried using my brain to say hey, you need to fly now, well it wouldn't work. I was scared to try my new powers out because it didn't feel safe without Daniel around guiding me. I knew when he returned he would show me to use my new abilities.

  My vision was enhanced. On occasion I could see through the doors and walls. I could also hear from long distances too. I was also pretty fast, but wanted to pace myself. If I was to see my Mom again, I would need to learn how to control certain things, so I wouldn’t seem strange to her.

  Later, I wanted to go buy some new items. Like contacts and maybe go shopping for some new clothes. I ran downstairs to tell Celeste that I wanted to go shopping, she was talking to Mary in the dining room.

  “Hey, Celeste.”

  She turned around. She got up and hugged me.

  “Hey sis,” she replied. I smiled. “Hey. Would you mind if I go out? I want to go get a few things from town?”

  “Okay, you want me to go with you?”

  I thought about it for a minute. “Would you mind if I went alone? I mean, it’s safe here in London isn’t it?”

  She glanced back at Mary then back at me. “Yep. It is but stay close. Don’t go too far and here--” She tossed me car keys. “Your new present, from all of us,” she said, smiling.

  “What?! Oh my gosh! Thank you. What is it?” I asked, excited.

  “You'll see,” she said, grinning.

  I sat in my new pink and black Lamborghini, dumbfounded. This was a very expensive and gorgeous car. I shook my head and started it up. “Geez…” I said, under my breath, glan
cing at all the other cars in the stuffed garage. They had BMW’s, corvettes, hummers,and many others. I chuckled under my breath and shifted it in reverse.

  I had to control my new found strength and barley tap the gas. I knew if I pressed it down as I would when I was human, I would crash instantly, totaling the car and probably breaking my neck in the process.

  I knew I was going to live a long time but I was still half human and knew I wouldn’t heal as fast and was still capable of dying if I wasn’t careful. I drove down to an eye store to try to find some color contacts. I made sure to keep my glasses on everywhere I went and I was decently covered up so people wouldn’t see my glowing skin. My body was still making some changes and that's why my skin beamed. I wore a long sleeve shirt, pants and a ball cap.

  Inside the store I scanned through all the colored contacts, Finding one that would fit the color I had before, dark brown. I took them and approached the man standing there watching me. “Hey, um. Are these temporary or?”

  He smiled at me awkwardly and began fidgeting. “Uh It Um I thin--”

  “Are you okay?” I asked, as he continued to stutter.

  “I'll take over--” A guy pushed me to the side and placed his hand on the clerk's shoulder, like he was making him talk.

  “Yes mam, they will last for one year,” he said, in a clear voice. I glanced over at the man, he took his hand off the clerks shoulder and smiled at me.

  “That answer your question?” He said staring at me. I couldn’t see his eyes, he had dark glasses on. A sharp pain entered my gut, I held my stomach. I tried to stay composed. “Thanks,” I mumbled. I settled on two pairs and sat them on the counter. I continued glancing over my shoulder at the mysterious man, he seemed familiar. I felt oddly attracted to him.

  He smiled as I continued staring. “Are you okay dear?” He asked, in a deep voice. I nodded, turning around quickly. The clerk rang me up and I handed him the credit card Daniel had given me. “Thank you Miss Hill, here’s your contacts.”

  “Thank you,” I said, turning around, placing the bag in my hand.

  The mysterious man stood in front of me. “You’re a hill?” He asked.