New Blood (The Blood Saga Book 2)
Page 22
Sound advice truly. I gave a slight nod, letting my thoughts roam on as we walked in silence. It didn’t matter if he was listening to me.
After an hour or so had passed, he spoke again. “Let’s get some things set now, before we’re too close to the border of the estate. What are you planning?”
“Damien’s gonna hate it. You might also.” Stopping, I looked over the woods cautiously. He looked at me expectantly, waiting. “They need to think I’m running from something. Sooo, you get to hunt me.” His brow arched skeptically. “Do you trust me?”
He nodded. A smirk tugged at his lips. I wondered how well he meant it. His eyes narrowed humorously. “Probably more than I should.”
“Probably.” I laughed. “Well I need a reason for you to be near me without putting them on the defensive.” I shrugged. It was my only plan to get past them. Draw their attention and still survive it. “Don’t be alarmed if you smell blood.”
“Smart thinking.” He nodded in approval. “We’ll start a few more miles out. We’re still in the property line. The ward might be broken but no one’s crossed it aside from Paul and Ryce. How’s your scream?” He grinned mischievously nudging me with his elbow.
“Like a banshee.” I grinned wickedly.
With Phoenix’s elbow propped on my shoulder we walked a ways in silence. He only pulled away from me to hold low hanging limbs aside.
It was obvious he could feel my building tension. Contradicting fear with nervous excitement, I was eager to rip my teeth into something without holding back. Tonight I would have something that a deep part of me had been craving since the day I turned. His arm wrapped my shoulders as I hooked an arm around his waist. Unconsciously I held against him tightly. It felt greedy. It felt a little wimpy. But it was like I was feeding from his strength, his confidence. He knew, and let me have the comfort.
Once near the border, Phoenix came to a halt. Leaning close, his breath tickled my neck. “They’re very close. Keep your shield up. Run like hell. I’ll be just two steps behind you. If you scream more than once, I’m coming for you.”
His other hand brushed my hair back and pulled me to him tighter. “Remember, Sticks, you’re not alone. I promised Damien I would take care of you, and get you through this in one piece. Don’t make me a liar.” He kissed the top of my head firmly.
Before releasing me, he pulled back and stared me in the eye, looking deadly serious. “Stay away from Demetrius tonight. He’s mine.” Each word was enunciated with a sharpness I’d rarely heard come from Phoenix. Once his point was received loud and clear, he smiled lightly and released my arm. His lips brushed my temple. “Get out of here, Sticks. You have a two minute head start. Go.”
Taking off like a jet I ran hard, though not as fast as I could. I had to reserve myself in case something went wrong and I really did find myself running for my life. After running for more than a minute, I took in as deep a breath as possible and let it out in a murderous bloodcurdling scream.
After running for a good ten minutes I brought my hand up to my mouth, tearing straight through the flesh. I let the blood drip to the forest floor as I ran. Though it healed quickly it should be effective.
Before long, the scent of another Vampire hit me. Definitely not Phoenix. Definitely close by. It worked.
Every few minutes I would open the wound, continuing to wipe blood on the leaves and trees as I passed them. The trail would be hard to resist for any Vampire and very unmistakable.
Purposefully, I started breaking branches in my path. Showing signs of an injured Vampire more than one that was simply running. If anyone knew Phoenix was nearby other than me, they would surely believe he was hunting me. Hell I hope so.
Running harder, my determination was growing with every step. It had to work. It will work.
Strangely, I found a desperation within me to go back to that house in which I died. It was the place I was made. I wondered how I would handle seeing it again. Would it be much like the first time? How would my blood smell after so many months?
I hadn’t even realized how much time had gone by since Phoenix and I had left the house. The sun had long since set. The forest was nearly empty. Every animal capable was running, slithering or flying in the opposite direction by now.
After a while of running there were two more Vampires on my trail. I was only about half way to Vermont. Evading people and heavily populated areas had been damn near hell but I managed to stick to tree lines and heavily wooded areas for most of the trip. My spine tingled, I didn’t know if it was in anticipation or fear.
Almost as soon as the one had turned to three something much wilder had joined them. I could hear their low whispers but they were too soft and distant to make out the words.
It wasn’t long before one of the Vampires took off in a different direction completely. This is what Phoenix said would happen. They would send one of the scouts back to report information. This was a good thing. All of this was working just as planned.
So if everything was going to according to plan then why was I so damned anxious?
I hadn’t expected how overwhelmingly crippling it would feel to be so utterly alone. Alone aside from my enemies of course.
Something didn’t feel right. Something felt wrong. Phoenix? Where are you? I didn’t know if it was my fear or the bond but something was horribly wrong. It was almost painful.
The other two Vampires were closer now. They were about a half mile behind me. If I slowed for even a second that would be all of the advantage they needed. Three of them together would rip me apart and feed off me, absorbing my blood like they were draining my soul.
Leaches. That’s what they should be called. Soul sucking leaches. I ran faster.
There was a clearing ahead. After that just eighty more miles to the house. Not much longer at all.
Phoenix had strayed further then he had planned. Was I alone or was he being cautious? Please be safe, Phoenix.
At the edge of the clearing, I stopped cold. We’d been set up. Or at least I had.
Kneeled on the ground were five Descendant Crossbreeds. Their heads hung forward giving the illusion that they had no faces. Their fingers dug deep into the earth chanting in unison in whispers that echoed off the black forest.
The two that had been running behind me were closing in now that I’d stopped. I could see them now.
The soil around me churned, spurting shoots and twisted thorn vines. They encircled my feet and ankles while I was watching the two stalking me from either side. As if something like grass could hold back a Vampire? They couldn’t be that powerful. All the same, the memories of my nightmares haunted me then as the vines grew tighter, pulling me one step at a time forward. They wanted me in the circle. I tried to fight it, but they bit deep into my skin, burning like acid.
More came up from the woods across the field and moved into place. Between each of them in a strange though massive star pattern around me now stood another breed entirely, Shifter Crossbreeds. Guardians over the Descendants.
The two that had been following me came in behind me to seal the gap. Before me within the circle, stood three full-blooded Vampires. Behind them, bleeding on the ground lay Melody.
Run.
I put as much oomph as I could into that one word. I hoped my emotions were reading loud and clear. Phoenix couldn’t help me now. He had to get to the others. He was their only chance of survival. We’d underestimated their resources.
The clearing stretched almost a perfect circle for about a quarter of a mile in diameter. My knees bent into an instinctive defensive position. A low rumble rattled my chest causing the low growl to rip from my lips.
The first Vampire I laid eyes upon had skin of ivory. Perfect white in the darkness of night. Burning red eyes stared at me from the statue of a man. He was so thin and tall, he almost looked stretched out. His arms folded over his chest. He wore filthy black BDU’s and a snug worn black sleeveless shirt.
None of them appeared to be clean. I could smell c
aked mud and old blood. Not to mention an assortment of other odors I didn’t care to identify mingled in as well. They also smelled like rotting corpses.
The next one to his right was thick as a truck and not very tall. About five foot six maybe. Arms hanging limp at his sides, he wore black slacks and a ragged blue button up business shirt. I could see his fingers twitching in anticipation. His skin was yellowing like a bruise.
It looked like something off a video game. Resident Evil, came to mind. Normal Humans all dressed up for work, turned to monsters. He was still wearing a tie. It was soaked in Melody’s blood.
The third full-blood was on the leaders left flank. Another male, very young in every manner of the word. He barely looked sixteen, maybe seventeen. He was about six foot I thought. And strangely familiar.
Light skin, still tinted from his years of humanity. Incredibly new to this life. The New Blood could only be a few weeks into his immortality at best. He wore a graphic tee shirt and stone washed blue jeans. He, too, had blood stains and mud caked on his clothes. Short spiky light brown hair looked like it was gelled at one point.
His body lurched forward, ready to attack. Why did he look so familiar? Oh hell. The kid had been a football player in my home town as a human.
This was a game. I was just a pawn. First Paul, and then Neesa, Melody, and now this kid was, too. My anger burned hot.
The one that looked like he was in charge of this small gathering held up a hand in the boy’s direction. Instantly the boy stood straight again. However I could still hear the low snarling sounds. Animalistic, untamed.
The one in charge was Roman. I recognized him now from Neesa’s dream. So you’re the Blooding. I could see it in his eyes.
It was a second later before Melody was thrown to the ground in front of him. The snap of her forearm was audible. She screamed from the pain though it was dull. It was not the first time they had hurt her in such a way. I could smell her blood dried on her skin from other injuries.
My knees were shaking. All my instincts screamed for me to kill them. Good thing I knew there was no chance of that. Not with so many. Not while trying to get to Melody for certain.
Roman strode forward. Reaching down to Melody, his hand gently brushed the hair from her face. Grabbing the back of her neck, he lifted her from the ground and held her in my direction. Showing her to me like a prize.
His nose drug against her neck, sniffing vagrantly along her bloody damaged throat. They’d turned her into a living juice box.
Her dark brown big loopy curls were messy now and resembled a natty rat’s nest. Her face was bruised and swollen from being beaten to unconsciousness. She wouldn’t die quick. Some didn’t get that lucky. Her poor mother and sisters must have been scared to death with worry.
“You want to save her, don’t you? Your humanity still aches to save her life. Doesn’t it? Or maybe you would rather just eat her? We’ll share. Promise.” He laughed out. Roman’s accent was heavily Russian.
Roman’s voice echoed into my mind. It was deafening like knives boring into my skull. Instinctively, my hands came up and dug into my hair, gripping onto my head as I screamed out in pain.
An overwhelming pull made my knees buckle as the vines jerked me to the ground. I heard his laughter as he sauntered closer. Casually he dropped Melody to the dirt. She laid there unmoving. Unwilling or unable to move.
Roman stopped about five paces from me. Invisible knives continued to bore into my skull. My vision was blurred and the world seemed to pulse in and out. “This was disappointingly easy.” He frowned as he looked down at me.
It reminded me of what Jezabell had done. You can fight it. I practiced this. I was strong enough to hold a shield against him. I had to be with Phoenix’s blood. Close yourself off! Trying hard, I pulled my mind to focus past the pain and the false force. You have to protect your mind. Focus! Come on now focus! It’s not real, Anna, get up! He’s going to kill you!
It was a struggle back to my feet, trying to fight against the vines, ignoring the thorns that dug deep into my flesh even as it tore my skin apart. I didn’t quit until I was standing. Fists at my side tightened. My lips curled back snarling, baring fangs like a wild wolf poised to attack. Taking a step forward, I tore vines into my flesh without care. With all the strength I had, I started pushing against him inside of my mind, trying to shove him out.
Roman smiled slowly. “Oh good, I was getting bored.” The chanting from the others grew louder. More vines wrapped my legs, and began to burn as if my skin was on fire. Each thorn was ejecting acid deep into my flesh. Blood wet my fingertips as my fists squeezed tighter. It pooled until it dripped through my hands to the ground below.
The dark magic burned through my legs and wrapped tighter until I couldn’t move. Roman’s attack felt as if he were ripping my head to pieces from the inside out. Could I fight under these circumstances? All that I could manage was a low growl in his direction.
His right hand shot out to his side, signaling the others. In a second’s time they were gone. Melody with them. We stood alone in the meadow. A low rumble of laughter barely fell from his lips, but I could hear it like it was the only sound in the world as it was cutting into me like a thousand knives.
“Annnaaaaa…” his voice drew out my name, taunting me. “Do you feel that, Anna? That’s your death, Anna,” his voice echoed through my mind with every word, doubling the pain.
It was a throbbing torture piercing straight through my pathetic shield and cutting me to the core.
No! You will not give up!
I struggled to stay standing. Fighting off the invisible attack with all the concentration I could muster.
The stabbing subsided entirely quite suddenly. Just as quickly as the pain had overwhelmed me, he had turned it off. “You will be mine,” I whispered it low.
His last words to me came out in thick Russian, “Я буду готов для вас любовника. Остальные из них тоже. Один за другим, вы будете смотреть им умереть” - “I’ll be ready for you, lover. The rest of them, too. One by one you’ll watch them die.”
And then he was gone.
The angrier Roman got the more the accent had come out. Before long he had abandoned English entirely.
I couldn’t help it. I laughed as I called back at him, “Dasvidaniya Khuyesos’!” The first part was ‘until we meet again’. The second part was a touch meaner.
“Oh, Babushka, if you could see me now…” The fit of laughter continued on painfully until dry sobs choked out of my throat. The pain had left me loopy and dizzy. I stood motionless for the longest time, frozen where I stood. Trying to fight off the backlash his attack had caused, combined with the magic of the Descendants.
The vines had twisted and sliced all the way up to my thighs. Each thorn had dug deep through my jeans into my flesh.
My head throbbed like my mind had been ravaged and left for the vultures. Blood ran from my eyes, nose and ears. Every one of my senses scavenged my surrounding area before I collapsed to the earth on my knees. My head in my hands, I howled from the pain.
I only let the grief and agony take me for a minute at best. Falling onto my backside my hands began to slowly pull the thorn vines away, starting with my feet. As I tore the vines away I ripped my jeans into shreds. They bit into my hands. The blood made them slick and all the more dangerous.
Just as I was nearly free, a low snarl rippled through the air before I felt him plow into me. As the force hit, my hand thrust for his throat.
Phoenix was so fast he had both my wrists in his hands before I’d known it was him. But I fought angrily still and I fought him with everything I had. In that second I hated him. He hadn’t gone to them. My emotions were conflicted. Immense relief washed over me. He was here with me and he was okay. And yes, he knew.
His ice cold fingers held up to the sides of my head holding me steady while my fists battered his bare chest and shoulders.
Phoenix jerked me up from the ground. Stumbling back I pulled away from him with a low snarl. Grabbing my arm he jerked me tight against his body. His forceful movements ripped me free of the vines, the ones that still clung to me dug into my flesh deeper as he jerked me free. I managed not to voice the pain it caused.
Both his arms were wrapped around me, holding me tight against him as his gaze stayed constant on the woods. My face buried against his bare chest as my hands clutched to his sides desperately. His bare skin was slick with blood. “If we don’t hurry then we’re all dead. Is that what you want?” his voice was dark, snapping me back to reality.
“Go. I’ll be right behind you. I- I can’t move fast. My legs. They-” my voice quivered. Reluctantly I straightened, staggering as I tried to push him away. “Please just go to them.”
Phoenix wouldn’t let me budge. “No. I’m not letting you away from me again. I’ve got you.” His lips pressed hard against the top of my head.
Phoenix was so much faster than me. He didn’t even slow when we got to the house. Damien stepped out of the house just as we came through the trees. He looked ready to rip heads off. With one jerk of Phoenix’s arm, he pushed me into Damien and shoved us both into the house with so much force neither Damien nor I knew how to respond.
“Jezabell!” Phoenix roared after he had us inside. Jezabell and Lara flew into the room with Hendrick cautiously striding behind them.
Damien held me tight against him. My legs hurt so badly all I could do was cling to him to relieve the pressure of standing suddenly. Phoenix had carried me. Without looking back at us, Phoenix snapped at us. “Damien, sit her down. She’s been poisoned by dark magic.” He eased me down onto the couch. Sitting by my side, he held me tightly. His eyes were narrow as he watched Phoenix closely.