Dark Blooded Desires: Vampire Fantasy (Bonds of Damurios Book 1)

by Nicki Ruth

  She sunk heavily onto a cushion, eyes hollow and glazed, staring at the bodies intertwined on the rugs. She didn't speak or blink or, it seemed, even breathe.

  Alexios could feel the pain and turmoil spreading like a raging wildfire inside her, but he would have to deal with that later. He draped his jacket over her shoulders and helped her up—her body pliant in his arms—and into her skirt.

  “Oh my god! No! Ah’ma!” came an anguished cry at the entrance of the tent. Dar’quis rushed into the tent to his companion’s lifeless body, her blood now cold. Dead.

  Davina tensed in Alexios’ arms, as Dar’quis clutched Ah’ma to his chest. He looked up at them, his teary eyes full of stormy anguish on Davina, on the blood smearing her mouth and hands.

  “H . . . How?” he stammered. “Why? You monster! Why?!”

  Davina shook her head, looking down at her blood-soaked hands. She trembled in Alexios’ arms.

  They needed to get going. Once word spread, it would be difficult for them to escape without taking more lives. He knew he would kill them all before allowing any harm to come to Davina. He scooped Davina into his arms and headed outside.

  Dar’quis’ voice stopped him. “I swear. I swear with everything I have you will pay for what you’ve done.”

  Alexios looked into his eyes and knew the man meant it. He nodded. One day, the young man would seek retribution.

  A small crowd had gathered outside. Voices were raised. Chaos would erupt as soon as they noticed Davina’s blood-covered visage. Alexios searched for a vehicle and saw some parked at the eastern corner of the camp, some distance away.

  From the corner of his eye, he saw Elder Sharla step from the crowd. With an authority at odds with his frail body, he said, “Davina, what is this? What have you done?”

  Davina turned at the sound of the elder’s voice. She trembled fiercely in Alexios’ arms, but she only shook her head.

  Dar’quis emerged from the tent carrying Ah’ma’s body. The outcry was great, and the shouts from the crowd became angry and demanding. “The children!” someone cried.

  “I’ll be borrowing one of your vehicles,” Alexios said to the elder.

  “Damn you, vampire, you’re going nowhere. You will answer for what you’ve done!” Elder Sharla said.

  The crowd surrounded them. Alexios’ fangs elongated in response to their hostility. Davina turned into his chest, curling herself away from the angry crowd. He noted a dark four-wheeler in the distance and shimmered next to it. Behind them, the camp was in total uproar, wailing for their dead and searching for the vampires that had escaped from their grasp.

  Alexios deposited Davina in the passenger seat and made his way to the driver’s side. He punched in an activation code, hoping it was standard to the all-terrain vehicle. Luck was on his side and the engine roared to life. A rock crashed into the windshield; the crowd would be upon them soon.

  He cast a quick glance at Davina, who looked pale and shell-shocked.

  “Hey! Look at me!” he said as he released the brakes and sped away from the camp, sand flying. He hoped the humans weren’t going to pursue.

  “Hey there,” he said more gently this time, his hand on hers. He didn’t know how to soothe her. What do you say to someone who unconsciously drained the lives from several innocents? “We’ll find answers. I promise.”

  Silent tears rolled down her pale face.

  They had to find answers. It was the only option they had.

  Chapter 28

  Sandar rubbed the Cyrillion stone he had used to create the portal. Power and magic still pulsed within. The life forces of those he had sent through the portal—now mingled with the stone’s magic—were still strong. The reluctant travelers were still alive.

  Sandar returned the stone to his pocket. It had been several days since the party at Minister Zlow’s, and all of Damurios had heard of the slaughter. All Damurians were shaken and on edge, unsure of who or what was responsible for such carnage this close to the Dāmming. Several of Sandar’s oldest clients had asked him for wards and spells for protection, but nothing would protect them from what was to come if his unwilling travelers failed. He saw it in his flames; they all stood at a precarious moment in Damurian history.

  Amelagar appeared before him, eyes flashing red with hostility. “Sandar. I’ve been searching for you. Where have you been?”

  Sandar turned to face his unwanted guest, his dark eyes swirling in warning, reminding the visitor of the power that lay within and his willingness to respond in kind to any untoward threat. He shrugged. “Doing what needs to be done, as you instructed. What do you want?”

  “I no longer sense the girl on Damurios. What have you done?” Amelagar asked.

  Sandar turned his attention to a shelf he was stocking, deliberately turning his back to Amelagar. “Have you lost her already? I thought you had plans for her?”

  “You know I do, mystic. I don’t believe you had no hand in her sudden disappearance.”

  “Oh? And why would I do such a thing? As far as I know, everything is still going as planned.” Sander placed the last jar on the shelf and turned around. “Your plan was to dispatch the girl. You failed to do that, and now you accuse me of spiriting her away? For what purpose?”

  Amelagar growled and stepped closer; his aura told of one who had lived many years and done unspeakable things. The air grew cold and the light dimmed, darkening the small room with malevolent energy. “Listen to me. If I find that you’re aiding them against me, you will suffer dearly!”

  Anyone else would have cowered, but Sandar was no young and untried vampire. Besides, something deep within Amelagar wouldn't allow him to hurt Sandar. “I grow weary of your threats,” he said calmly. “If you only intend to antagonize me, be gone.”

  “I want the girl. She’s the last hurdle to that which is mine, and you will find her. It must be done this Dāmming. I’m not waiting another five hundred years!” he thundered, his eyes red and menacing. “Do we understand each other?”

  Sandar stood his ground, looking up at the one he once loved—still loved. How warped with his obsession he had become. Why he remained at Amelagar’s side partly shamed him, yet also gave him purpose. He had wanted to show him the error of his ways, to guide him back to be the vampire he had once been when they were young.

  But he would help his love one last time, although it pained him to know what that would mean for Amelagar—for them both.

  ∞∞∞

  Davina gradually came to her senses. It was as if she were swimming underwater; the world around her was muted and wavering. Her eyes lingered on her blood-stained hands, the smell repulsing her, a reminder of what she was and who she had become.

  A monster.

  Dar’quis was right. She was a monster, devouring the blood and breaking the bodies of the innocent. She flinched as she remembered them piled on the floor of the tent. The youngest, just children, lying on a bed of lifeless dolls. Only a monster would do such a thing.

  She forced her gaze forward. Alexios had taken them from the camp and they traveled she knew not where. She could barely remember where they were. She watched out the window as the desert gave way to dried and shriveled savannas. The sun lay low in the dusty, orange sky.

  Alexios had tried to talk to her, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying through her muddled senses. How could she face him after what she’d done? She had killed for him, to please him. She had offered innocent lives to him. A new wave of nausea assaulted her. She was a menace and needed to leave before she harmed anyone else—before she harmed Alexios.

  “No, Davina. Don’t withdraw from me. Stay with me,” she heard Alexios say. “We’re bonded for a reason. I can help you. I promise I will. Just don’t break the bond.”

  Bond? The word meant something, but she couldn’t remember. She didn’t want to remember or think of anything except numbing the ache in her chest. A light sensation wafted over her like a spring breeze causing her to relax into the
seat. She was tired. She would rest awhile, and then she would leave. It was the only solution to protect those around her.

  To atone.

  ∞∞∞

  Alexios double-checked the gauge of the fuel cell. The GPS indicated that the closest galactic station was hundreds of miles away. It would take them close to a week to get there. He groaned in frustration. Luckily, the fuel cell would last the journey and more.

  His main concern was Davina. She was slipping away from him, the threads of their fragile bond unraveling. He sensed her shame and despair, and he wanted to comfort her. But he also needed to keep them moving. He couldn't tell if members of the camp were pursuing them, and although he was prepared to defend them against the humans, it would cause Davina more pain to see more of them die.

  So, he kept driving, pulsing his feelings of tender solace across the bond to help her navigate out of the fog that had ensnared her. She was asleep now. A frown marred her winsome face. She despised herself for what she had done, but Alexios saw someone gifted with too great a power, whose turbulent waters threatened to engulf her. She simply needed to tame the tempestuous waves.

  Maybe that was why she had come into his life. He had experienced the worst cravings for blood and destruction firsthand. If it hadn’t been for Damjan’s devotion, he would have been lost. And he never would have met Davina.

  He looked over to see Davina watching him. The sun had set a couple of hours ago, but her face seemed to radiate in the dark night. He smiled at her, but she frowned, watching him keenly, but keeping distant. In that moment, he wished he had Marius’ ability to sense emotions.

  Marius. He sighed, returning his attention to the vast wasteland before him. It would destroy him to lose Marius. His eldest was still alive. He knew this because he still had command of his faculties and was not writhing in agony over the loss of a sireling.

  Would you tell me about him? About Marius? Davina had chosen to speak into his mind instead of out loud. How did she know he was thinking of Marius? Then again, his thoughts were never far from his eldest. Davina had a curious look on her face, though she remained withdrawn and pained.

  “I can tell you about how we met. Would you like to hear it?”

  She nodded, her back against the passenger door. He looked forward and smiled, recalling the time he first laid eyes on Marius.

  “I saw Marius in ancient Egypt at a banquet celebrating the victory of pharaoh’s army. He was whispering in the pharaoh’s ear when I presented myself. I gazed at him openly, which I think shocked him.” Alexios chuckled.

  He had been passing through, posing as the wealthy son of a Macedonian noble. He had noticed Marius immediately, something in the way he carried himself, how he spoke to the pharaoh. He had an air of handsome elegance and skin the darkest sable. Alexios knew he needed young Marius for himself.

  “Marius wasn't too keen for my attention,” he continued, smiling. “He frowned his displeasure at me all night, but my eyes continued to follow him across the room.” Marius was actually lucky he had captured Alexios’ attention that night. Alexios growled, remembering the traitorous politician who had schemed against Marius.

  He paused and glanced at Davina. She was engrossed by his tale. He was relieved to direct her mind to something other than death and misery, even if only for a little while.

  “I saw another of pharaoh’s advisers observing Marius that night. Unlike me, he took no pleasure in watching him. In front of pharaoh and his guests, that man spun an impressive tale of deceit, espionage, and treason—all perpetrated by Marius. By the look of shock and betrayal on Marius’ face, I knew he was innocent, but Pharaoh condemned him.”

  Although he hadn't formally met Marius, he was disheartened to watch him publicly humiliated. In the quieted uproar that had followed, Alexios noticed that Marius’ accuser was disappointed the pharaoh had not sanctioned his death. The accuser had motioned to one of the guards to follow Marius as he left the hall, so Alexios decided to do the same. They had attacked Marius by the gates of the city. Being a politician and not a warrior, Marius put up little fight. That's when Alexios decided to step in.

  “I killed five guards to get to Marius.” He smiled savagely at the memory, his fangs elongating in delight. He looked over at Davina again and saw that she too was smiling, albeit faintly. “I had never wanted to gift anyone as much as Marius.”

  He paused and looked away, remembering how alone he had been after losing Damjan and leaving Zhar. Marius was like sweet rain on a parched desert.

  “He wasn’t called Marius then. He changed his name a few decades later. Although he was badly wounded that night, he initially refused my gift. I was quite peeved by that, but he eventually succumbed to my charms. Marius was my first sired vampire—my only for centuries, until we met Brandr.”

  He fell silent, a sudden tightness in his chest. “He’s my rock, my greatest friend, and I love him dearly.”

  As he whispered the words, it dawned on him that he couldn't remember telling Marius how much he meant to him, how he treasured the time they shared together. A lump formed in his throat. It soon became difficult to breathe, his hands clammy on the steering wheel.

  Then a small caress fluttered over his chest, and he heard Davina’s voice. Don’t fret; we’ll find him. You will be reunited soon.

  He took a long, deep breath and tried to steady his breathing, his eyes on the distance ahead.

  “What was his name? Before he was called Marius?” Davina said, aloud this time.

  He looked at her and saw the Davina he knew looking back at him, returned from the disorienting fog, composed and determined. He felt her through the bond, which, he was pleased to notice, was stronger now, the fraying threads weaving back into place. She would not let the events of the previous hours destroy her. They had a mission to see through to the end.

  Alexios grinned, satisfied. “It is for him to tell. When you see him again, he can tell you.”

  Chapter 29

  They had traveled for five days over the desolate terrain, and she was exhausted in more ways than one. Alexios barely slept, and the only stops they made were when she insisted. Finally, the towering, metal transit station beckoned from the horizon like a silver steeple of hope. Alexios’ plan was to obtain a working ship to travel back to Damurios; he warned her they might have to forcefully obtain one.

  But Davina had thought of another idea to get them off the planet. Her priority was to find Marius, wherever he was. She had seen Alexios’ distress, and she needed to repay his kindness. She often got flashbacks of lifeless eyes on bloodied rugs, but she would try to bury her self-loathing and help him. Once Marius was recovered, she would leave. That had always been her plan, but she would also leave Lexi. She would not endanger her dearest friend. She would not allow her darkness to hurt anyone else.

  They found themselves at Eiffel Tower 547, one of two transit stations on Earth. It was named after some ancient Earth monument that once stood at the same location; metal relics decorated the station’s walls. Alexios was talking to one of the officials, who shook his head in refusal. But Davina breached his mind, and soon the official was nodding to Alexios. After they were ushered ahead, Davina got one of the guards to present them with new clothes for their journey. Alexios glanced at her and smiled. He knew what she was up to.

  They were shown to small quarters to freshen up and provided with every comfort and convenience the small station had to offer, despite its scarce resources. Davina stared in fascination at species she had not seen before—Morvians, fierce warriors with reptilian skin and features; Huvsia’l, with bulbous heads and blue skin that shimmered in the light; and the beautiful Jallasi tall and regal, with tanned skin and dark, braided hair. The Jallasi had humanoid features except for a second pair of eyes where humans had eyebrows. Alexios said they bore only female offspring.

  She wanted to meet one of these stunning people, but Alexios pulled her away, saying most of the humanoids in the station were bounty hunter
s, and the Jallasi cared not for Damurians. Davina marveled at all she had yet to experience and promised herself she would see it all after they found Marius.

  The journey back to Damurios was going to take another week. The station’s “best ship” was small, fit for a crew of five or less, and not equipped with advanced propulsion. Alexios grew frustrated, but Davina tried to reassure him. She found a cot and some blankets, and she curled herself in their warmth, trying not to think of what had happened in the Ilqis camp. But Dar’quis’ anguish chilled her like a lingering icy breeze.

  She rolled over and heard the tinkle of glass from Alexios’ jacket. The crystals! She had forgotten all about her mother’s token. She reached into the jacket pockets and pulled out the one marked as hers.

  How would her mother feel, knowing what her daughter had become? Davina sighed and, without hesitation, drank the blood within the crystal. It burned her tongue and scorched her throat. Her mother’s blood was strong, with a flavor reminiscent of her scent—spicy turmeric and clove. Davina lay back on the cot, her vision wavering before her, her head dizzy. She closed her eyes and thought of her mother laughing in her royal rooms back in Zhar.

  My daughter, there was so much I needed to teach you, but fate had other plans for us. If you are hearing this, I have passed into the netherworld, but I implanted this memory into my blood to give you one final message, to prepare you for what’s to come.

  Remember what I told you: your inheritance is in your blood and must be protected. Great power lies within you, Davina. The power of our bloodline will be reborn within you, but you must not let it consume you. You must be disciplined and vigilant and master your bloodgifts. Find your guardian. Stay close to him. He will help bind you to yourself.

  It will not be easy, and I wish you didn’t have this responsibility. But above all else, daughter, you must remember who you are, remain who you are. However your gifts manifest, you can unite our people and lead them to peace and prosperity. This is a path only you can walk. I wish I knew more to help prepare you, but with your guardian at your side, I believe you will achieve what others before you could not. Such is the bond between you and your guardian. Do not forsake it. Do not waver, and most of all, do not be afraid. I will be watching over you. Be good.