“Shit,” Dee muttered. “And you’ve been asleep all this time? Have you checked for any obvious changes? Do you feel any different?”
“Mad as hell, confused, and my life just went in the shitter. Does that count?”
“I’m coming over. Where are you?” Dee asked.
“I honestly don’t know, but I can find out. I’ll get Matthew and call you back,” Grace replied, feeling relieved.
“Okay, but hurry. I’m getting dressed now. We’ll figure this thing out.”
“All right. I’ll see you soon and thanks, Dee. Bye.”
“Keep your chin up,” Dee said ending the call.
Chapter 3
After searching the room for her clothes, Grace came up empty handed. She went to the antique wardrobe across from the bed in hopes of finding something decent to wear. When she opened the double doors, it was filled with women’s clothing: T-shirts, jeans, slacks, dresses and even shoes to match several different outfits. She didn’t know what to think and it freaked her out a little. Did this room belong to someone else or were these clothes specifically brought in for her?
Due to the revelation in the wardrobe, she decided to go digging through the dresser drawers only to find panties and bras just her size with the tags still attached. “Okay, this is freakin’ creepy,” she whispered, but decided to grab what she needed and take a long hot shower before she went looking for Matthew.
She padded across the hardwood floor to the en suite bathroom to find exquisite marble flooring, a white ceramic claw-foot tub and a glass shower big enough to fit four people in. The elegant towel racks were even heated with fluffy, white Egyptian cloth towels draped over them. The mirror stretched across a white marble double vanity with two raised glass sink bowls. It was absolutely gorgeous. All creepiness aside, Grace locked the bathroom door and readied herself for a long soak in that glorious tub. Although she’d told Dee she would hurry, she needed to relax her mind and let everything that had happened sink in.
Once she filled the tub with steaming hot water and peach-scented bubbles she’d found on the counter alongside shampoo and conditioner, she undressed and slipped in, dunking her head first. It was magnificent and relaxing. After about twenty minutes of scrubbing and soaking, she decided it was time to get dressed and call on Matthew. Dee had never been the patient sort. Grace was surprised Dee hadn’t been blowing up her cell phone by that point.
She dressed in a pair of faded jeans and a blue, V-neck T-shirt, then opened the door to a darkened hallway. The only lighting came from golden wall sconces along painted red walls; every few feet, paintings of people dressed in period clothing adorned them. When she finally came upon the glossy hardwood stairs, she paused. She had no idea where to go or who else might be in the house with her. For some odd reason, Matthew made her feel safe—at home. Although she didn’t know the man from Adam, she’d felt a sort of kinship with him from the moment he spoke to her. She decided it was time to tamp down her fear of the house and just get on with it.
“Matthew, are you there? I need to speak with you. It’s about my friends?” She looked around as she descended the stairs into what seemed to be a huge family room. Two plush brown leather couches sat opposite each other with a large, polished hand-carved, wooden coffee table in the middle; a creamy white rug lay beneath it. A brick fireplace with a mahogany mantel was roaring to life along the back wall in the center of the room beneath a golden-framed picture of a woman with long, dark brown hair and gleaming blue eyes; she was beautiful. Grace wondered if she was Matthew’s wife. Dark wooden beams stretched across the vaulted ceilings, making the room seem even larger than it was.
She called out for Matthew once more, but silence answered her. She decided to wait in the family room until he made his presence known. Grace had no intention of wandering around his home without him.
“Hello, you must be Grace,” an older woman said, startling her from her seat. She had graying hair tied in a bun and the same crystal blue gaze as Matthew, but that was where the similarities ended. She was wearing a simple long-sleeved, black dress with a white apron tied around her waist.
Grace jumped to her feet, heart racing in her chest. “Yes, I’m Grace. And you are?”
“I’m Anabelle, Matthew’s aunt. Pleased to meet you,” she said, offering her hand.
Grace shook what was offered. “Nice to meet you too.”
“I’m sorry if I frightened you. Would you like something to eat or drink while we wait for Matthew to return?” Anabelle asked.
Grace hadn’t realized how hungry she was and her stomach growling gave it away. Anabelle nodded in return with a grandmotherly smile. “Thank you, whatever you have is fine. When do you expect Matthew to be home? I need to speak to him right away. My friend would like to come over and we have a lot to discuss, I’m afraid.”
“It shouldn’t be too much longer. It’s still early yet. I’ll make you a quick breakfast with orange juice or would you prefer coffee?” Anabelle asked.
“Coffee would be fantastic, thank you,” Grace said. “By the way, what’s the address here? I need to call my friend back as soon as possible or she’ll be even more worried.”
Anabelle acted like she didn’t want to give out their location and again Grace pleaded. “Please, I need her help.”
Finally, Anabelle conceded and told her they were just outside Jefferson Parish at the old Briar Oak Plantation, but added that her friend needed to be discreet. Surprisingly, Grace had heard of the place and had thought the mansion to be abandoned. Apparently she’d been mistaken. When Anabelle left to prepare breakfast, Grace rushed up the stairs to call Dee.
Needless to say, Dee wasn’t too happy that Grace had taken her sweet time in calling her, but said she’d be there in about thirty minutes. Once she ended the call, she stuffed her cell in her back pocket and headed back downstairs.
Matthew was sitting on the sofa with his left foot crossed over his right knee, sipping a cup of coffee. “I see you found the clothes Anabelle chose for you. I hope they’re to your liking. Are you feeling better?” he asked.
A bit stunned that he was there, she released the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding and answered, “Yes, thank you. I hope you don’t mind, but my friend Dee is coming over. She may have some information to help us figure out what’s going on. She didn’t seem shocked at all, to be honest.”
“I’m happy your friends are alive and well; however, I do like to keep my privacy. Will it just be the one friend, then?” he asked, taking another sip of coffee and motioning for her to sit.
“Yes, just Dee. I don’t want any more people involved than necessary and once you get to know her, you’ll understand that she’s very protective where I’m concerned,” Grace replied as she took a seat beside him.
Matthew placed his coffee mug on the table and looked at Grace curiously. “Do you feel any different than normal? I have a few questions for you, but first I need to explain why you were lured into the vampire’s trap to begin with. This will be a lot to take in and maybe we should wait for your friend.”
“Dee asked me the same thing. I’m just pissed off that my life has been turned upside down and I’m no longer safe—‘marked by a vampire’ can’t be good. I have no idea what I’m going to do now.” Grace looked toward the fire when Anabelle brought in a tray of food and a huge coffee carafe.
“Thank you, Anabelle. That will be all,” Matthew said and Anabelle nodded, leaving the room.
Grace thought it was strange that Matthew talked to his aunt like a servant, but shook it off as soon as she smelled the delicious aroma of eggs, bacon, biscuits and coffee.
“Eat first and we shall talk afterward,” Matthew said as he watched Grace, her expression no doubt appearing ravenous.
All Grace could do was nod and shove food into her mouth. It was true, she hadn’t eaten in days; she’d basically been in some kind of vamp-induced coma and was starving. She lost all table manners at that point and didn’t
care if she looked like a pig eating from a trough. She heard Matthew chuckle beside her and she cut her eyes, then shrugged, taking a huge bite of a biscuit topped with grape jelly and swallowing it down with coffee. She couldn’t get the food into her stomach fast enough.
It was then that she realized something was definitely off. Not only was she eating like a starved maniac, but she was growling like an animal. She didn’t growl and had no idea how that noise escaped her. All of sudden, she stopped eating and pushed the tray away, horrified.
Grace looked to Matthew, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, then noticed her nails. They were longer than usual. What the hell? “Matthew, what’s wrong with me? I think I’m going to be sick.”
About that time, the doorbell rang and Anabelle welcomed Dee into the family room right in the middle of Grace’s meltdown.
“No, I’m serious! What the hell is wrong with me? I have claws! I’m eating like a woman starved for her last meal and I growled. Actually growled! You said you had answers and you better start talking, mister. I need to know what’s going on here,” Grace demanded, pacing in front of the fireplace, throwing her hands around wildly.
“Hey girl, first you need to calm down,” Dee said walking into the room, grabbing Grace’s hands and pulling her into a hug. “And you must be Matthew. I’m Dee. Nice to meet you.” Dee extended her hand to him when he stood to greet her.
Dee looked toward Grace and sat her back down on the couch. “Listen, Grace, there’s quite a few things about the supernatural world that you don’t understand, so you need to keep an open mind, okay? Can you do that for me?” Dee asked looking into her eyes for confirmation.
“Sure, I’m a growling, claw bearing, food hoarding pig. Let’s hear it,” she replied, looking between Dee and Matthew.
Matthew sat down, then scrubbed his hand over his face and began to speak. “Have you ever heard of the Hybrid Coven?” he asked both women, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
“No,” they answered in unison.
Chapter 4
Matthew looked at the women and decided they would need more coffee for the conversation that was about to take place. He knew Grace wouldn’t take the news well and he also felt in his gut that Dee was withholding information about herself from her friend. It was going to be a long day and he would need something stronger later in the evening. Scotch sounded good.
Grace and Dee continued to look at him expectantly when he called on Anabelle. “Would you please bring a fresh carafe of strong coffee and a side of Kahlua for me, and cream and sugar for the ladies? He asked, then continued, “I’m afraid you may need to keep it coming.” Anabelle nodded, smiling at both Grace and Dee, then left the room.
“I think I’ll have some of that Kahlua as well,” Grace said, looking at her hands, her strange nails in particular.
“Me too,” Dee said. “Okay, what’s this Hybrid Coven?”
“Allow me to start from the beginning,” Matthew said, “and before you ask questions, please let me finish. It’s quite a long story.”
The women nodded in agreement. Both looked a little hesitant but seemed curious to know what was going on and how the Hybrid Coven came into play.
“The Hybrid Coven,” Matthew began, “was created about one hundred fifty years ago when a horde of bloodthirsty vampires attempted to take over the city of New Orleans. The vampires targeted witches and sought to use them as weapons against the human population in order to gain more footing outside of the city. So the hybrids were once witches.
“In the beginning, the vampires attempted to use mind control in order to gain access to the witches’ powers, but they were unsuccessful and many lost their undead lives. In a last-ditch effort to take over the coven, the power-hungry vampires tricked the coven and decided to turn them in hopes of bringing the witches to their side once their humanity was no longer an issue. However, their plan backfired. The ancestors, the source of our magic, allowed the turned witches to not only maintain their powers, but gave them the ability to walk by day and take over as leaders of the vampires.” He paused to take a drink of his Kahlua, looking at the women’s awestruck faces.
Dee moved to edge of the sofa. “So, what you’re saying is that they were witches, then turned into vampires and are daywalkers as well? Do they have to drink blood? How did the hybrids get rid of these vampires?”
“Well, yes. They are still witches and also vampires; however, they do not need human blood to survive. The ancestors saved them from that curse. They consume blood, but it is only animal blood that they ingest when needed in order to heal their bodies. They do not harm innocents,” Matthew explained.
“I see,” Dee said, leaning back on the couch, taking a sip of coffee, but Matthew knew she wasn’t fully grasping everything he was telling her. Grace was silent, taking it all in.
Matthew continued, “It took several years, but the Hybrid Coven rid New Orleans of the murderous, rogue vampires seeking to destroy the city and we became the law, maintaining balance between good and evil. The ancestors left our humanity intact when we were turned.” He finished, leaning back on the couch, waiting for more questions to arise. He knew that at least Dee didn’t understand that she was conversing with a hybrid.
“And what exactly does this Hybrid Coven have to do with me?” Grace finally asked, standing from the couch to pace in front of the fireplace again. He knew that she was full of pent-up energy and no idea where it was coming from and no outlet for it. He needed to explain things to her carefully, but also quickly before she lost the grip on her patience.
“Quite a bit, actually,” Matthew said looking up at her. “I am a member of the original Hybrid Coven and that’s how I knew you were marked. I sensed it before I saw the blood.”
“You’re a what?” Dee asked, jumping from the couch, hazel eyes glowing, the realization of what he’d said finally sinking in.
“Please calm down and take your seat, Dee. I’m a witch, same as you,” Matthew said evenly. “I was turned into a different breed of vampire against my will, but I will not harm you. I fight against evil and maintain balance, as I said before.”
“Okay,” she replied, looking into his eyes for a long moment. He could see by her resolved expression that she knew he was telling the truth.
Grace jerked her head toward Dee, completely disregarding Matthew. “You’re a witch? All this time I thought you were joking and you’re a freakin’ witch?” she shrieked, throwing her hands out to her sides.
“Yes, and so are you,” Dee said calmly, walking toward Grace. “I recognized it when we were kids, but your powers never developed because of your parents and you were never taught. I couldn’t exactly teach you myself, so I just threw out hints, but you ignored me.”
Grace plopped back down on the sofa opposite Matthew with her head in her hands. “What do you mean? You couldn’t just tell me? Why?” Grace asked, looking up with tears in her eyes. “I don’t understand.”
“Grace honey, with you being adopted after your birth parents died and left you with no link to the magical community, I was in no position to share our secret. I wanted to so many times, but I’m bound by the council to keep my mouth shut. That’s why I let you and Amelia think I’m just coo-coo.” Dee offered a small smile as she sat beside her on the couch, rubbing circles on Grace’s back to calm her.
Matthew decided it was time to interrupt their talk and have one of his own. “Grace, I have even more news and you may not be happy about it.” He looked at her pointedly.
“What now? Am I a bloodsucker too?” Grace asked, looking up at him.
“Not exactly, but you’re transitioning into a hybrid. I believe the vampire meant to turn you, but because your magic was dormant he didn’t recognize it. Thus making you one of my kind,” Matthew said as he stood from the sofa and leaned against the wall near the fireplace.
“So I’m a freakin’ vampire now? What the hell else can go wrong?” And the dam broke. Grace broke down int
o uncontrollable sobs. “I’m a witch. And a vampire. A freaking vampire!” she wailed. “A witch with no powers, actually,” she continued. “Three days ago I didn’t even know this supernatural shit existed and now I’m one of them?” Her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs and she covered her face with her hands. “Can’t I just go back to the way things were? Back to when I was blissfully ignorant of all this?”
Dee hugged her until her sobbing subsided. Matthew brought over a box of tissues and sat them on the table and waited. He couldn’t bear to see a woman cry; it broke his heart. He knew Grace was overwhelmed and would take a while to adjust, but she needed to learn about her new powers quickly in order to protect herself. He also knew he would never allow anyone to harm her as long as he was around to prevent it. From the moment he saw her on the street, he felt her soul. It spoke to him, but he wasn’t exactly sure what that meant—he was determined to find out. He’d protect her with his life.
Chapter 5
“What do you mean, was dormant?” Dee asked, breaking Matthew from his thoughts.
Matthew went to the crystal bar top positioned near the arched entryway and poured himself a glass of Scotch. It was five thirty somewhere and this conversation was becoming intense. He took a long swig of his drink, then said, “When the vampire attempted to turn her, he awoke the magic inside. I sensed it right away, recognizing her as one of my own.”
“But how?” Grace asked. “I don’t feel any magic, not that I would know what the hell it felt like anyway.” She looked at Matthew then back to Dee.
Marked by a Vampire (The Hybrid Coven Book 1) Page 3
