Taste For Blood: Pour (Nephil-Vamp Series Book 2)

by Jenna Bernel

  I sighed. I never so desperately wanted to be normal again, more than I did at that moment. But normal, even in my human skin was not possible. Normal hadn't even been part of my vocabulary for years. Here I was, in a seedy, downtown Chicago motel that even the lowliest criminal wouldn't step foot in, feeling completely and utterly alone. I was sure if I were in my human state, I would already be weeping, even though I hadn't cried in years.

  Come on Dani, snap out of it, I whispered under my breath. Wallowing in self-pity while a stranger's life dangled in the balance was useless. I had to focus on sending positive energy Eli's way until his eyes opened. I squared my shoulders with renewed determination before I walked back into the room.

  I was suddenly on high alert, and sensed we were not alone. I took a deep breath, but I could only smell Eli's sugary scent as I sat in the chair beside him, holding his hand. I looked around cautiously as I prepared to settle into the chair for the night, wondering what would trigger that feeling. I took one more look at Eli and said a silent prayer, almost laughing at myself for even trying. I didn't think there was any higher power out there tonight that would concern themselves with a creature like me.

  Chapter 1: Reborn

  I was dreaming, and I knew it, yet I couldn't pull myself out of sleep. It was peaceful here, watching my toes sink into the wet sand as the waves lapped over my feet, on this beautiful, sun-filled day. The smell of sea air energized me as I relished hearing the waves crashing on the beach. The steady beat of my heart, pumping pure and powerful blood through my veins, was giving my tawny complexion almost a golden glow. I tilted my head toward the sky, savoring the warmth of the sun’s rays on my skin.

  Looking over the sparkling ocean before me, I wanted nothing more than to dive into the cool refreshing waters, but somehow, I felt tethered to the sand. In my frustration, I reached out, struggling against the resistant force that anchored me. I began to scream for someone to help free me from the invisible chain, but there was nothing and no one there except my own, pained scream, and the expansive blue sea. I closed my eyes as I collapsed to my knees, and a small splash teased my senses when my body hit the shoreline, making my illusion of defeat all the more infuriating. I began to cry.

  I felt the cool breath of someone over my shoulder, bending down toward me, and a tall shadow was cast over my body, taking away the sun's light. I wanted to turn and see who was blocking the sun, but I was too wrapped up in my own anger to look. The figure planted his freezing fingers onto my shoulders, and his breath was even colder, bristling the hair on the back of my neck when he dipped his head close to my ear.

  "It's going to be okay," the raspy baritone whispered. I shuddered at the familiar voice of my maker's unmistakable inflection. Those were the only words I ever heard him utter, which were meant to comfort me as his venom turned me to what I was now.

  When he spoke to me in my dreams, his phrase was always the same, but it was hard to believe a word he said. It was not okay, and it would never be again. I nodded along anyway, trying to appease him and believe it, but found it difficult even with the sincerity in his voice.

  My pulse quickened as I began to shake. A warm hand with no body connected to it grabbed my wrist, shaking me harder. I thought my heart would explode, it was pounding so fast. At that moment, my faceless maker promptly disappeared, taking his shadow with him. The sun suddenly felt blazingly hot without my maker’s protective cloak. The warmth encircling my wrist burned fiery, as I heard my name being called out, in the distance.

  I gasped and my eyes flew open, while my breath became shallow and quick. I tried to calm my pulse after the startled awakening. My face was just about to hit the windshield of the car as I sprang upright too fast in the passenger seat, but someone grasped my shoulder to stop the imminent collision.

  Forgetting where I was, I began to panic, and my eyes blurred with the tears that were instigated by my dream. That was the only way my tears could find me now, in my dreams. All day and night, I buried what was left of my soul, even in my human form. With the exception of the school version of Dani, I had not allowed myself to be anything but a numb vamp for the past week. It was just easier that way, less hurtful, and more harmonious when dealing with the vampire who originally caused it.

  Only a week had passed since Eli, my partner and friend, selflessly surrendered himself to our enemy in order to save my life, but it already seemed like he'd been gone an eternity. I was more distraught over losing him to Stella, Queen of the 7th Circle, than I was about turning half-vamp four years ago. I became a scared kid all over again.

  A thumb began to lightly brush away the tears on my cheeks. I was so foggy from the lifelike dream that it took me a moment to remember, I wasn't alone in the car. Instantly, I was angry at his touch, and feeble attempts to console me. I pushed his hand away from my face before pulling down the visor to look in the mirror.

  Wiping away the makeup that smeared my cheeks, I cleared my throat of the emotion lodged there from my dream. I was trying to ignore its symbolism, as well as the vamp next to me, who smelled exactly like the salty ocean breeze. That part was clear, but I was still confused by the familiar, raspy voice of my maker, appearing so suddenly and out of context. Even though we never formally met, nor had I even seen his face, that voice was permanently burned into my brain. If it wasn't the recurring memory of the night I was turned, the unattainable ocean, eternally escaping my reach, regularly plagued my sleep. Night after night, my maker met me in my dreams, always repeating the same phrase. Why?

  I tried to push all my thoughts away as I turned in my seat to face Alec. I was armed only with the signature scowl I reserved just for him. He couldn't break through the barrier of my shield with those deep, penetrating eyes that twinkled like a starry kaleidoscope, bursting forth from the sea. I met his gaze, and swallowed hard when I saw the concern for me on his face. His human compassion still threw me off. The fact was: he was just another soulless vampire.

  "Bad dream?" he asked, as he tilted his head. He scrutinized my emotions from the unsettling dream still coursing through me, a dream I so desperately wanted to talk to him about. He rested his hand gently over mine in a tacit invitation to open up to him.

  "That is none of your damn business, is it?" I said sharply, pulling my hand out from under his, while snatching up the manila envelope from his lap and stepping out of the car.

  I slammed the door, obliterating the sound of his frustrated sigh. This had been our routine all week--Alec trying to comfort me from the pain he caused by feeding Eli to the wolves, and me, continually and viciously rebuffing his pathetic attempts at consolation. I took a couple of breaths, hugging the envelope to my chest. As I leaned against the car for a moment, I let the crisp air cool my flushed cheeks. I hated to think that they were feeling overly scorched from Alec's touch, something I tried to avoid at all costs these days. Another kind of ache grew inside me: the urge to call on my blood, and turn vamp, thereby burying it all away. But I couldn't, not today.

  Today was the worst one yet. We were driving for almost forty-eight hours, which also contributed to making it seem like the endless day from hell. Per the written instructions that Eli left with Alec, I visited each and every Reborn I turned back to human. Now, I was on my last stop, number twenty-three, Henry. Even though Eli couldn't assist me, while fulfilling my task, I tried to pretend as if he were still by my side, and helping me at every stop. God, I wanted to turn vamp, but I needed my human compassion when I explained to our Reborns why they, once again, had to abandon their lives and loved ones. They had to know how truly remorseful I was to strip them of their freedom. I, the very person who promised to give it back.

  I walked solemnly through the parking lot and ducked under the chain that held the fence closed. It was partially pulled open, just enough to squeeze through. I went behind the stadium bleachers to the stairs and walked up the back before coming to the opening and observing the full scene. Telling Henry was going to be especially difficu
lt. He was the last one I turned, and it was only a short time ago. He was one of the happiest to go home, and probably was just starting to settle back into his life.

  Finding him on a Sunday morning at his high school, doing laps around the track, his specialty, only made it worse. I sat down on one of the bleachers and watched as he circled along the oval ring of the track that delineated the football field. As he rounded one of the goal posts, he faced me, and my heart skipped a little at the sight of his foggy breath clouding up his view. That was the most rewarding part, seeing them breathe again. He stopped and squinted up at me from the track, wondering if his keen vision were deceiving him.

  My hair was tucked in my coat and my eyes were hard to see under the dark hat I wore. I gave him a little wave and motioned him over to confirm I wasn't a figment of his imagination. He started to jog toward me. After a few strides, his smile beamed when he fully took in who had come to see him, and he picked up speed. He looked from side-to-side, making sure we were alone, and I nodded that it was okay. He dug his heels in, letting his full speed burst through. He jumped over the fence like a hurdler before zipping up the steps in less than five seconds.

  "Wow, you really are fast," I said, smiling at the Gifts he retained.

  "Yeah, I'm psyched; that Gift is still just as good as ever. It's too bad I can't use it in a meet," Henry said enthusiastically, sitting next to me and pulling me in for a vise-like grip hug. I wrapped my arms around him, afraid to let go. I felt so protective of everyone I turned. I was responsible for them, and I let them down. I let me down too. I was thankful that they retained their vamp Gifts even after I turned them back to humans. At the very least, in a time like this, it was comforting to know they had some means of protecting themselves, if called upon.

  "What are you doing here?" Henry asked, his voice slightly muffled in the thick material of my coat. I detected the hint of unease in his voice, probably because he was noticing how I kept clutching onto him for dear life.

  "I'm sorry to say that I'm here to deliver some bad news," I replied regretfully. I was sick of being the cloud of doom today, the one who came to destroy everything Eli and I had worked so hard for. I pulled away to look at Henry and offered a sympathetic smile. I loved his blonde, curly hair, which gave him the perfect amount of boyish charm, even more so now with just the ends sticking out from under his woven hat. His face was etched with worry, as I'm sure he remembered that it was Eli who usually checked in on the Reborns. He looked too terrified to even ask.

  "Eli has been taken by the 7th Circle, and we are all in danger. I'm sorry, Henry, but you're going to have to leave town for a while." I blurted it out all at once, ripping off the Band-Aid with a single, painful swipe. I swear, I felt Henry's insides scream, as his face blanched in crumpled despair. We sat there silently as I let it soak in. The disappointment on his face was unbearable.

  "Is Eli alive?" Henry asked quietly.

  "I don't know," I said honestly, my voice shaking as if an earthquake had ruptured in my throat.

  "But… but I just got home," he said in the smallest voice. He sounded like he was no more than eight years old. I felt sick with guilt.

  "I know, I wish there was another way, but it's not safe for you or your family if you stay. I'm so, sooo sorry to do this to you, Henry…" I said, my voice cracking at every word. I took off my glove and put my hand on his cheek, feeling his pulse thump below his ear under the tip of my pinky finger. I looked at him with as much confidence as I could muster.

  "I know this is hard. I know this is the last thing in the world you want to do, but I promise I'm going to get Eli back. I promise you'll get to go home again," I said with conviction, and I meant it. I didn't care what it cost. I intended to keep those promises. He looked down and sighed, nodding his head in compliance, and I dropped my hand from his face.

  "What do I need to do?" Henry asked, keeping his eyes on the ground. He couldn't even look at me, and I was grateful because I was on the verge of losing it. I slipped the manila envelope into his lap.

  "Everything you need is in here. Just follow the instructions, and they will take you someplace safe. I'll give you an hour to go home, pack, and say goodbye to your family before I come by and Trance them," I said with a sigh, hating every second of it.

  "What will my family think happened to me?" Henry asked with predictable concern.

  "They'll think they sent you to a boarding school. They'll even have the papers and receipts to back it up, which I'll leave with them. I was told that, where you're going, you can occasionally contact them, just to keep up your cover, but that's about it," I said, chewing the inside of my cheek, and knowing what was coming next.

  "Where am I going?" Henry asked, picking up the stuffed manila envelope from his lap and knitting his eyebrows together.

  "I'm not sure, and it's best that I don't know, because I will do whatever it takes to get Eli back, which could mean my own surrender. Wherever it is, Eli wrote that you'd be safe there, and that's what matters," I said with firm resolve.

  "You should get going. I'll meet you at your house soon," I said. He looked up at me, pinching his lips together.

  "I'm not going to pretend this doesn't suck, but I trust you, Daniella. I'd do anything for you after what you did for me, and I'm sure that's how Eli feels too, so please be careful. I'll always owe you my life, and I'd lay it down for you any day. Don't ever forget that," Henry said. He gave my cheek a little peck before standing and running like The Flash back to his car.

  "Thank you, Henry. I really needed to hear that…" I whispered, even though he was already gone. I couldn't believe how amazing he and the other Reborns were when I delivered the bad news. All of them reacted similarly to Henry, and all showed their disappointment, but they also were grateful to me and said they owed me their lives in some way. It was touching, really, which made the whole experience all the more painful. Their gratitude only emphasized how much they meant to me, and to our cause.

  I suddenly had a flashback to a year ago, curled up in a filthy chair when I held Eli's hand in mine. I had fallen asleep in the chair, but my head was lying on the bed with my ear on his palm. It couldn't have been more than an hour or two after we arrived at the motel room, where I waited out whatever was happening to him. I remembered being jolted awake, when my temple, resting on his hand, suddenly felt his pulse jumping back to life. I bolted upright, and felt it again with my fingers, just to make sure I wasn't delusional.

  I stared at him the rest of the night with my hand wrapped around his wrist, feeling the beat resonating through me, listening, waiting. The sun rose and still, he hadn't opened his eyes. After only one sip of my blood at The Basement, he somehow had a pulse? I promised myself I'd rot away in that horrible motel room, for days, or even years. I didn't care. I wasn't going anywhere until the five-hundred-year-old vampire, whose skin held a new, rosy hue, as the blood pumped through his beating heart, opened his eyes and looked at me.

  Late into the morning, as if sensing my desperation, he stirred ever so slightly. My hope regenerated, more and more with each movement. I couldn't believe it. The emotion was too great as his eyes began to move beneath the lids. At that moment, I allowed myself to turn. I felt an electric shock radiating through me, and my heart thumped once again as I took in sharp breaths. Eli gripped onto my hand as he felt the real me coming though, as if he knew me all along, before his eyes fluttered open. They shone brightly with blazing amber light when he looked at me, appearing more human and full of life than I had ever seen in any soul before him. My mouth fell open. I didn't know what to say. I didn't even understand how my blood could make such a thing possible.

  "How do you feel?" I said stupidly to Eli, unable to find the right words for what I had just done to him.

  "Grateful, Daniella. I am forever grateful to be blessed with your Gift," Eli said lovingly as he pulled me in for a hug that marked the beginning of our partnership.

  A hand gently squeezed my shoulder, surprisi
ng me out of my memory haze, and I jumped up to a defensive stance.

  "Sorry, Dani. I thought you'd hear me coming," Alec said carefully, putting his hands up in mock surrender. I slumped back down on the bleachers.

  "How'd it go?" Alec asked tentatively, sitting beside me.

  "How'd it go? My heart has officially been broken twenty-two times today. Scratch that, it's really been broken forty-four times. Every time I take a Reborn’s freedom back, I'm sure Eli feels it too, wherever he is. So I break twice, once for him and once for me, and with no thanks to you," I scoffed bitterly.

  "Dani," Alec reprimanded me, the hurt evident in his voice at my insinuating he was the source of all my pain. He looked at me sharply, his prominent brow sinking into a deep V as he squinted at me. I felt he was surely trying to find the smallest hint in my expression that suggested I didn't mean what I said. He wouldn't find it, though, because I meant every word. His face dropped, the line of his jaw flexing as he swallowed down his resentment.

  "You know it's been a week, and you still won't let me explain. You're only hurting yourself by not hearing me out," he said, agitated, and turning the tables on me.

  "No. You don't get to do that. You don't get to be mad at me. You get to sit there and take it, because I will never want to hear you out."

  "Well, taking it is getting hard to swallow, when I know I did the right thing and you insist upon refusing to hear my reason why." He looked at me, daring me to ask.

  Oh hell no. "You still don't get it, do you? It doesn't matter what you say, or that you think you're right. No matter what, I will never think it was right for Eli to take my place as Stella's scapegoat. And God help me, even if by some miracle you keep your promise and get him back, if he's even alive, that won't change the fact that you deceived me. You distracted me by instigating a fake relationship, and pretending you cared for me, when all the while, you were concocting a plan to stab me in the back. I will never forgive you for what you've done! Do you understand? Never!" I shouted, standing up.