Revelations in Blood

by Patricia D. Eddy

  “Is she—will she live?” Even as she uttered the words, Evangeline feared she knew the answer. She was going to lose her mother before they even got a chance to know one another. “Luigi said…she’d starve to death.”

  “Luigi starved and beat her after your escape, Evangeline, and she cannot stomach blood. I started an IV, and I am transfusing her with both vampire and human blood. It should be enough for a time.” Admiration shone in Vittoria’s eyes. “Your mother is brilliant. She found a way to counteract the worst of the poison. Luigi will die in a matter of days. Marie…she could linger for months. A year even. We will have time to find a cure. And she has you. If there is a way for her to survive, she will find it.”

  Evangeline sank against Nic, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her. “Can I see her?”

  With a half-smile, Vittoria nodded. “You may help her more than any medicine, my dear.”

  Marie’s bruises looked even worse now than they had in the tunnels. Vittoria had cleaned her up, dressed her in a green, flannel shirt, fleece pants, and thick wool socks. Her eyes were closed, the long lashes dramatic against her pale cheeks.

  “Mom?” Evangeline leaned on Nic as they approached the bed, the prospect of the first, honest conversation with her mother not muddied by drugs or the threat of imminent death terrifying her, even as she longed to know the woman in front of her.

  Marie opened her eyes, and her lips curved slightly. “Eva,” she whispered. Blinking hard, she focused on Nic. “And you’re…hers?”

  “Si. Nic Angliatti. It is an honor to meet you, Marie.”

  “Can I…hug you?” Evangeline asked, not proud of the tremor in her voice. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Tears lined Marie’s eyes as she nodded. When Evangeline sat and pulled her mother into her arms, something broke inside her. Nic rested his hand on her back, a subtle reassurance that she wasn’t alone, wouldn’t ever be alone.

  “I’m so tired, sweetheart. I told Vittoria…there’s time. The poison won’t kill me. Not if you can find my research. But tonight…I had to tell you how much I love you. How much I want to know you.” Marie rested her head on Evangeline’s shoulder. “Everything’s on a flash drive. Including some files I stole from Luigi. I can’t read them. They’re all in Italian.”

  “We’ll find the drive.” She helped her mother lie back against the pillows and smoothed her hair back from her face.

  “There’s a loose stone under my cot. Back where Luigi took you. I don’t know where we were. He never let me out. But you can find it, can’t you?” Marie clutched Evangeline’s hand, tears glistening in her eyes.

  There was such hope in Marie’s voice, Evangeline couldn’t bear to tell her about the explosion. Behind all the stone, there was still a chance they could find what they needed. “We know where to go,” Nic said as he took a seat behind Evangeline.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and she sighed. “Eva, there’s one thing…I have to tell you tonight. Don’t let anyone take your blood. Only Nic. What your father did…he made you. Only for each other. I finished what he started. To protect you. Anyone else now…one taste…and they could change like Luigi did.”

  “Whatever you did to me,” Evangeline said, “it made Luigi sick.”

  “I had to stop him, sweetheart. I didn’t want…I didn’t want to change you. But if I didn’t…”

  “He would have turned me into his blood slave.” Evangeline reached for Nic’s hand. “Am I a danger to Nic?”

  “No. He needs you.” Her knowing smile gave Evangeline hope that maybe this woman she’d longed to know her whole life might have a plan. Some way to beat the poison now spreading through her body.

  “Mom.” The word felt so strange on her tongue. “How did…how are you even here?”

  Marie’s lower lip wobbled for a minute, and she squeezed Evangeline’s hand. “There’s so much I want to tell you. I wrote you letters. Every day I could. They’re all on the drive.” She closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath. “You’re special, Eva. You and Nic. When I escaped the catacombs, I heard about the Conclave. I worked for two years…minimum wage jobs…barely ate…to afford a ticket to Italy. I hoped Luigi would help you. Find a way to free you from your father’s control. But…he had other plans.”

  “Escaped?” Leaning closer, Evangeline brushed a damp strand of hair from her mother’s face. “I have so many questions.”

  Marie’s breathing slowed, and the small lines around her eyes faded as she relaxed into sleep.

  Nic wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “She needs rest, cara. We will not let her die.”

  Evangeline leaned forward and kissed her mother on the cheek. “Fight, Mom. Please. I need to know you.”

  49

  Three days later

  Evangeline closed the door to the guest house as the moon rose in the night sky. Nic waited at the French doors, holding two glasses of wine. He’d moved Marie into the guest house—along with Vittoria—so the two women could try to find a cure for the poison that was slowly stealing her mother’s strength. Vittoria, after the pain she’d caused them both, worked tirelessly, and she’d managed to bring Marie some relief from the constant pain the never-ending hunger caused. Though thus far, she’d been unable to reverse any of the effects.

  “You are not sleeping enough,” Nic said as he handed her a glass of chianti.

  “I know.” She fitted herself to Nic’s side, and he led her upstairs. “But when she’s awake…I want to be there.”

  “Cara, she is your mother. I am not upset with you. Only concerned for your health.”

  Evangeline took a generous sip of her wine, letting the rich flavors of berries and tobacco burst over her tongue. “She made me almost invincible. And deadly.”

  “Not to me.” Nic nuzzled her neck, scraping his fangs gently over her vein. “To me, you are perfection.”

  Warmth burst over her, spreading out from the bonding mark they’d renew tonight. “Well, you’re kind of screwed up yourself.”

  “You made me this way.”

  “I suppose I did.”

  In the few hours a day Marie could stay awake, she’d answered Evangeline’s every question. Including today, the most important one.

  How.

  At thirty-seven weeks pregnant, Marie had escaped the catacombs after Henry’s abuse had escalated from verbal barbs to a black eye and a broken wrist. But before she’d walked more than a mile, she’d come across a vampire who had fallen prey to one of Henry’s traps. Injured, impaled with a silver arrow, and desperate for blood, he’d attacked Marie, drained her almost to the point of death, and then, noticed her swollen belly.

  The vampire had given her a choice. Die peacefully, or be turned, and give her child a chance to live.

  “Nic…” As he shut the bedroom door behind them, she ran a hand through her hair. “Does knowing…how I came to be…does it change how you feel about me?”

  As he turned down the lights, Evangeline got her first good look at the room. Despite Nic’s fear of flames, he’d lit a dozen candles. Next to the bed, a cart bore an assortment of their favorite foods. Dates and cantaloupe wrapped in prosciutto, antipasti, and amaretti cookies.

  “No, tesoro.” Nic slid his fingers into her hair, twisting until the first hint of pain pricked along her scalp. “You are perfection. We were made for one another.” He snagged a date, held it to her lips.

  As Evangeline accepted the ritual offering, her heart swelled with love for him. “I didn’t want this life,” she said as she picked up a piece of prosciutto for Nic. “I just wanted to escape. To be somewhere my father couldn’t control me. But then…I found you.”

  Nic accepted her offering, sucking her fingertips into his mouth along with the fruit. The swirl of his tongue brought a flood of arousal to her core.

  “And do you still want me?” One button at a time, he parted her gauzy blouse and exposed her black lace bra.

  “More
than anything.” A fever burst over her skin, and she wrapped her legs around his hips as he cupped her ass. “Make love to me, Nic. I need us to be…one. Again.”

  Nic eased her down onto the bed, gently smoothing his hands over her breasts, down to her hips, and between her thighs. “I cannot wait to feel you bite me, Evangeline. To complete the bonding as we were meant to.”

  For a breath, pain slashed through her gums as her fangs descended. But Evangeline wrapped her fingers around Nic’s wrist. “I need to taste you.”

  “Bite me.”

  When Evangeline sunk her fangs into his skin, Nic ground his hips against hers. “Si. Non fermatti.”

  Don’t stop.

  Every day, Evangeline picked up another word or two in Italian. Nic slipped into his native language easily, and she loved the musical lilt to his words. The flavor of him burst over her tongue, rich spice, a hint of tobacco, and the very essence of her vampire. While she took from his wrist, he sunk his fangs into her skin, and the sensation of her life mate feeding from her as she fed from him sent her right to the edge, desperate for release.

  One vein at a time, they moved through the bonding ceremony, and when only the heart mark remained, Evangeline stripped off Nic’s boxers, purring as she appreciated the perfection of his cock, scented the bead of his essence glistening on the crown.

  “I need to taste you,” she said as he scooped her up and cradled her against his bare chest.

  “Then that is what you shall do.”

  The moon hit its peak, and the pull to complete the ceremony consumed her. “Lie down,” she whispered.

  Nic obliged, and she straddled him, positioning herself so his cock nudged her entrance. “I love you, Nic.”

  “You are my entire life, cara. We will have an eternity together.” His strong fingers wrapped around her hips, and he slid deep with a groan.

  Evangeline shuddered, the sensation of being completely and totally filled sating her in a way she’d never known she’d needed until Nic. “You are my life,” she murmured. “My heart.” Thrusting her hips, she let herself float higher and higher until she feared she’d never touch the ground again.

  “Now, Evangeline,” Nic groaned as he bared his fangs. Letting herself melt against him, she pierced the sensitive flesh over his heart. When he mirrored her movements, the bond between them flared stronger than ever, and they tumbled over the edge into the abyss, forever bonded, forever connected, forever…for one another.

  Thank you for reading REVELATIONS IN BLOOD. Nic and Evangeline are safe after their ordeal, and Evangeline finally has the chance to get to know her mother.

  But is there more darkness lurking?

  One day soon, they’ll find out. The third book in the In Blood series will come to an eBook retailer near you sometime in 2019.

  While you’re waiting for the next installment of the In Blood series, check out the By the Fates series. Dark magic, an ancient prophecy, and the end of the world.

  One-click BY THE FATES, FREED

  Can love's spell set her free?

  Trapped. Held prisoner by an ancient prophecy, the witch prays for death, for some escape from her life of endless torture.

  Until one touch from her true mate, the warlock she's fated to love for all eternity, gives her hope that freedom is within her grasp.

  Can she learn to wield her magic in time? She must, or forever lose her mate, her newly discovered freedom, and her life.

  Escape into a world where magic is real, evil lurks around every turn, and love's spell may be all that saves you.

  Start the adventure. GET IT NOW.

  Warning: The first two chapters of By the Fates, Freed include graphic scenes of physical and sexual torture. They are intended to be difficult to read and should not be read by sensitive readers. Please check out the Look Inside feature before purchasing.

  If you enjoyed this book, I hope you’ll consider leaving an honest review on your purchase site of choice. Reviews are like chocolate (or blood) for authors. They keep us going and allow us to keep filling your Kindle with delicious stories. As soon as one of my books hits 75 reviews, I start writing the next book in the series!

  Italian and French Translations

  Si – Yes.

  Sposa – Wife.

  D’accordo – I agree.

  Cara – Dear.

  Incantesimo – Spell.

  Capo – Boss.

  Mio amico – My friend.

  Ridiculo – Ridiculous.

  Vaffanculo – Fuck.

  Per favore – Please.

  Merda – Shit.

  Stronzo – Asshole.

  Tesoro – Treasure.

  Terrazza – Patio.

  Al fresco – Outside.

  Scusi – Excuse me.

  Sofia è qui? – Is Sofia here?

  Signore – Sir.

  Un momento, per favore – One moment, please.

  Bello – Handsome.

  Sono felice di verditi – I am happy to see you.

  È vero? – It is true?

  Signora – Ma’am.

  Dio mio – My God.

  Un tavolo per due – A table for two.

  Per pranzo or café? – For lunch or coffee?

  Grazie – Thank you.

  Buona sera – Good afternoon.

  Inglese – English.

  Scusi, signore, ma lei e Nicola Angliatti, si? – Excuse me, sir, but you’re Nicola Angliatti, yes?

  Non dire a nessuno che mi hai visto – Do not tell anyone you saw me.

  Vogliamo essere invisibili – We want to be invisible.

  Polizia – Police.

  Sto bene? – You are well?

  Fils de pute – Son of a bitch (French).

  Polizia Secreto – Secret Police.

  Prego – You’re welcome.

  Oui – Yes (French).

  Bellezza – Pretty girl.

  Sei perfetta – You are perfect.

  Sei mio – You are mine.

  Amore mio – My love.

  Lo siento – I am sorry.

  Che cosa – What?

  Che due coglioni – What the fuck? (Literally, what two balls).

  Pasticceria – Bakery.

  Scandaleux – Scandalous (French).

  Sei una testa di cazzo – You are a dickhead.

  Bastardo – Bastard.

  Svegliatti, per favore – Wake up, please.

  Guardati le spalle – Watch your back.

  Grazie mille – Thanks a million.

  Rimanga sicuro – Stay safe.

  Femme ingrate – Ungrateful woman (French).

  Dove sei? – Where are you?

  Mon ami – My friend (French).

  Va te faire enculer, salaud – Fuck you, asshole (French).

  Cagna – Bitch.

  Mon cher – My dear (French).

  Chi e? – Who is this?

  Sempre – Always.

  Putain de merde – Fucking shit (French).

  Merde – Shit (French).

  Sono qui – I am here.

  Piu – More.

  Je t’amie, je suis désolé – I love you, I’m sorry (French).

  Belissima – Beautiful.

  Piazza – Town square.

  Non. Sûrement pas. – No. Surely not (French).

  Tu vai con Dio, figlio mio – Go with God, my son.

  Lo faro, papa – I will, father.

  Non fermatti – Don’t stop.

  About the Author

  I’ve always made up stories. Sometimes I even acted them out. I probably shouldn’t admit that my childhood best friend and I used to run around the backyard pretending to fly in our Invisible Jet and rescue Steve Trevor. Oops.

  Now that I’m too old to spin around in circles with felt magic bracelets on my wrists, I put “pen to paper” instead. Figuratively, at least. Fingers to keyboard is more accurate.

  Outside of my writing, I’m a professional editor, a software geek, a singer (in the shower only), and a runner. I l
ove red wine, scotch (neat, please), and cider. Seattle is my home, and I share an old house with my husband and cats.

  I’m on my fourth—fifth?—rewatching of the modern Doctor Who, and I think one particular quote from that show sums up my entire life.

  “We’re all stories, in the end. Make it a good one, eh?” — The Eleventh Doctor, Doctor Who

  I hope your story is brilliant.

  You can reach me all over the web…

  patriciadeddy.com

  patricia@patriciadeddy.com

  Also by Patricia D. Eddy

  Elemental Shifter

  Hot werewolves and strong, powerful elementals. What’s not to love?

  A Shift in the Water

  A Shift in the Air

  By the Fates

  Check out the By the Fates series if you love dark and steamy tales of witches, devils, and an epic battle between good and evil.

  By the Fates, Freed

  Destined, a By the Fates Story

  By the Fates, Fought

  By the Fates, Fulfilled

  In Blood

  If you love hot Italian vampires and and a human who can hold her own against beings far stronger, then the In Blood series is for you.

  Secrets in Blood

  Revelations in Blood

  Contemporary and Erotic Romances

  I don’t just write paranormal. Whatever your flavor of romance, I’ve got you covered.

  Holidays and Heroes

  Beauty isn’t only skin deep and not all scars heal. Come swoon over sexy vets and the men and women who love them.

  * * *

  Mistletoe and Mochas

  Love and Libations

  Away From Keyboard