Blood Captive: A Paranormal Vampire Romance (Vampire Huntress Chronicles Book 2)

by Jessica Wayne

  “It’s possible, but unlikely unless the wood still holds any of its original essence. My magic is rooted in nature. I can see flashes of the future within the molecules of water as it knows no time. The flow is constant, ever-changing, and it moves forward and backward.”

  “You’re saying that water—what—time travels?”

  She chuckles, the melodious sound filling the space around us. “In a way, I suppose that is true. Though, I will add that’s the most amusing description I’ve ever heard.” Her laughter dies down slowly, and she takes a sip from her tea.

  Meanwhile, I’m trying like hell to remain patient because I sense Aoife is someone who will shut down if you pressure her too much.

  Not that she’s weak—no, just the opposite—she won’t do a damn thing because she has to. She chooses every moment—her decisions planned out and methodical even if they appear to only take a few seconds.

  “I can see into the water because it’s nature, but my magic does not exist outside of what’s currently living.”

  “So you’re saying that if the wooden box is dead, you can’t open it?”

  She shakes her head. “No one needs to open that box. At least not until you discover who exactly it belonged to. But, if the wood is alive, I can ask it what’s inside.”

  “You can ask the wood.” My statement is meant more for me than her, but Aoife’s lips quirk into a grin anyway.

  “Yes. I do not expect you to understand, your power is much more animalistic than mine. You thrive on action, your hunt instincts rooted in death, while mine are the opposite. Peacefulness and life.”

  Her comparison chills me.

  The idea that she’s life and I’m death. Mainly because I know it’s true. And if what she said about Elijah is accurate, telling him what I know will likely end in his death.

  Yet, keeping the secret as she did keeps him alive.

  Life and death.

  Two opposite sides of the same coin.

  “I will go to the veil, see if I can find whoever is looking to lead you astray. Then, I wish to see the box. The Lunar Divide is perhaps at the center of all of this, so I caution you to be wary as All Hallows Eve approaches.”

  “Okay.”

  She stands. “I don’t know how long I will be gone, Rainey. But I must caution you once again; do not open that box until I return.”

  “Okay. Wait—what do you mean you don’t know how long you’ll be gone?”

  “Time in the veil is in constant change. At times, mere hours pass here while it’s been weeks there. But a moment later, the time shift could take place, and it will be weeks here and hours there. Be well, Rainey. I shall return with your answers.”

  She snaps her fingers, and the nature around us disappears, leaving me standing alone in the center of an elegant living room.

  19

  Elijah

  The box sits on the counter in front of me, the smooth surface etched with designs I recognize as ancient. Hell, the damn thing is older than I am, which is saying something.

  “Fuck it.” I reach forward and am about to lift the lid when my phone rings. It’s an unknown number, but at this point, I’ll take any distraction from the massive headache building in the back of my brain. “Hello?”

  “Where are you?”

  It’s a woman’s voice, familiar. “Who’s asking?”

  “It’s Jane.”

  “Why do you care where I am? If you’re trying to reach Rainey—”

  “If I wanted to reach Rainey, I wouldn’t have spent the last hour of my day trying to track down your phone number to call you.”

  “Point taken. What can I do for you?”

  “Not over the phone. I know you’re not at Rainey’s since that’s where I was before I called you.”

  “I’ll meet you at Rainey’s apartment. I can be there in thirty minutes.”

  “Fine. I have an errand to run for the café, anyway. Don’t be late. And you damn well better come alone.”

  The line goes dead, and I stare down at my phone, briefly considering calling Rainey anyway. We promised no secrets—but since I’m not entirely sure what there is to tell, I shove the phone into my pocket.

  I can always tell Rainey later when I figure out just what her friend wants. For all I know, she wants to meet and threaten me with bodily harm if I hurt her friend. Isn’t that what humans do?

  Tucking the box beneath my arm, I carry it back into my study and seal it away. Then, after retrieving my keys from the bowl by the door, I head outside, opting for my sedan instead of the muscle car I drove to dinner with Rainey the other night.

  My phone buzzes in my pocket as Tarnley’s name pops up on the screen of the sedan. “Tarnley,” I answer, pulling out onto the driveway leading out of my estate.

  “Quite a mess you made at Eira’s.”

  “Took you an entire day to clean it up? I bet she was pissed at the delay.”

  He chuckles. “We got the bodies off the premises right after you called, the rest of the cleanup took a damned long time. We had to have part of the damn lot repaved.”

  “That wasn’t us,” I defend. “Those witches tried to take a chunk out of Rainey.”

  “Uh-huh. Well, after that, we had another two scenes to strip before the police got to them. It’s been a damned busy week.”

  “What do you mean?” The car in front of mine slams on their brakes, so I follow suit.

  “Dead witches, brother. A hell of a lot of them too.”

  Traffic starts moving again as I consider the information he just dropped on me. “How did they die?”

  “Varies. Some have obvious wounds, others not so much.”

  “Crystals?”

  “We had protection circles around three of the dead. How did you know?”

  “Rainey is investigating the murder of a woman she believes was a witch. Her body was found in the center of a circle.” I think back over everything Rainey told me about what she saw at the crime scene. “Were there crows anywhere?”

  “As in birds?”

  “Drawings of crows maybe, the mention of crows in a message, anything.”

  He goes radio silent for a minute. “Yes. At all but one. She was the only body we found alone and the only one who looks like she put up a fight.”

  “Fuck,” I mutter as I pull onto the street leading to Rainey’s apartment building.

  “Care to tell me what’s going on?”

  “As soon as I figure it out myself. I’ll call you later.” I end the call and toss the phone into the console as I park right outside Rainey’s balcony, leaving my car on the street so I can make a quick getaway if needed.

  The end as we know it starts with dead witches. Aoife’s prediction weighs heavily on me, and I take a brief moment to collect my thoughts before I pull up Tarnley’s name on my phone and call him back.

  “Don’t tell me you already created another mess for me to clean up.”

  “No. I need you to email me pictures of those scenes and the names of the victims.”

  “For Rainey?”

  “Yes. Also, send me the locations of the scenes. I want to take a look.”

  “Any particular reason?”

  “The witch Rainey found in the center of the circle died because her magic was ripped from her body.”

  “Oh fuck.”

  “Exactly. Send me those addresses.” I end the call and climb out of my car, shoving the cell into my pocket as I make my way to the front entrance. After climbing the steps to Rainey’s apartment, I’m not at all surprised to see the door partially open. And when I push it all the way open, Jane is already inside, glaring at me as though I’m her sole enemy.

  “Jane.”

  Mismatched eyes pin me with a glare so heavy I can practically feel it weighing down my shoulders. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demands.

  “You’re the one that called me, Jane,” I tell her, crossing both arms and leaning against the closed door. “How about you tell me?
Is something wrong?”

  She puts both hands on her hips. “Seriously? Is something wrong? You know there is.”

  Lifting an eyebrow, I shake my head. “Not really sure what you’re—”

  “Cut the shit, Elijah,” she interrupts. “I know you’re a vampire.”

  Since I’m not one to beat around the bush, I don’t bother trying to deny it, though I am quite surprised. “Care to explain how you know that?”

  “I’ve known it since I saw your blood-sucking ass up here in Rainey’s apartment when she was unconscious.”

  “Yet, you left me in here with her?”

  “Since you pulled her out of the alley and saved her life, I assumed she was worth more to you alive than dead.”

  “You saw that?” I stiffen. “Saw her nearly die and didn’t intervene? How?” Anger and curiosity fight for control over me, and I go with the latter because the former wouldn’t give me the answers I need.

  People can rarely answer questions once their heads have been removed from their bodies.

  “If you hadn’t shown up, I would have.”

  “And what are you, Jane? If not human?”

  A muscle ticks in her jaw, and she stares me down as though I have no reason to be asking any questions of my own. “It’s complicated.”

  “You’d better try damned hard to uncomplicate it. Because if you know what I am, then you must know what I’m capable of.” The threat is there, laced in every word, though she doesn’t seem bothered by it in the least.

  “There’s not a single thing you can say or do to me that hasn’t already been said or done,” she retorts. “So keep your half-cocked threats to yourself.”

  Taking a deep breath, I move around her to take a seat on the couch. “Does Rainey know what you’ve discovered?”

  Her face turns beat-red. “No. And she’s not going to. She can’t realize I know anything about the supernatural world. At least, not yet.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because it’s not time for her to know.”

  “Yet you deem it important I do. Why?”

  Jane bites down on her bottom lip and shakes her head. “You’re insufferable, you know that? Just like the last time we met.”

  At that, I raise an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  “Scotland, 1628. I had lighter hair then, and I think my eyes were brown. Either way, you hit on me outside a pub in Inverness. I told you to get lost and you threatened to bite me, so I stabbed you.”

  I jump to my feet. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I remember the day well. Having a petite blonde shove a seven-inch wooden stake into your gut is not something you forget. Even after three centuries.

  “There’s no part of me that’s joking, Vampire.”

  “It’s not possible. You don’t even mildly resemble her.”

  “It’s very possible, and as you can imagine, you and I have a lot to discuss.”

  “I’d say so. Starting with the reason Rainey believes you to be her age. She told me the two of you grew up together, is that not true?”

  “It is true.” Jane sighs, pursing her lips together. “I’m a cursed witch.”

  “Cursed with what? Eternal life? The ability to alter your appearance?”

  “In a way. The rest is not important at the moment. What is important is what the hell happened to Rainey while you were in Salem. She didn’t come back the same.”

  Initial shock at her confession abated—for now—I cross my arms and remain standing, but I refuse to answer her question until she tells me a hell of a lot more. “Care to explain why you attached yourself to Rainey then? How is it that a cursed woman manages to find and befriend the last remaining hunter of the Astor line?”

  “First of all, take a close look at your own motives before you cast any stones at me; and second, she wasn’t the final in her line when we became friends.”

  “So it was coincidence then? That’s what you’d have me believe?”

  “Not coincidence,” she admits, her eyes saddening. “More of self-preservation. Her grandmother needed someone to watch over her, to guide her once they were all gone. It was the only way to ensure the line did not wind up tainted.”

  “Once they were all gone, she knew they were all going to die?”

  Jane nods. “Agatha had abilities that went beyond the scope of a hunter. She could predict things with near absolute certainty.”

  “She was a witch?”

  “With active power. Though, according to her, it wasn’t quite a power, to begin with, more of an enhanced intuition.”

  “If she knew they were going to die, why not stop it from happening? Save Rainey all this pain?”

  “You and I both know that while the future is not set in stone, it’s nearly impossible to predict a day or time an event will take place. Agatha told me she tried to stop Rainey’s parents’ deaths, but it was impossible. Same with Delaney’s mother and father. They all died, and she blamed herself.”

  “What you’re telling me is that Rainey’s grandmother knew she was going to die and asked you to watch over Rainey?”

  Jane nods. “I was to protect her, guide her when needed, and above all—shield her from the Lunar Divide ever setting in.”

  I clench my jaw, staring at the woman who it seems has all the fucking answers. What the hell else is she withholding? “You knew, all this time.”

  “I did,” she confirms without a trace of remorse. “And this All Hallows Eve is going to be the most dangerous night of Rainey’s life if you and I can’t keep her safe.”

  “What the hell does that mean?”

  “Agatha told me all about the Lunar Divide, about how a faction of witches has been executing those born during a full moon on All Hallows Eve because they feared a single witch would come into enough power that it would make her unstoppable.”

  “People have committed crimes out of fear before. What makes this Halloween so different for Rainey?”

  “Because this is the first full moon on Halloween since she came into her powers.”

  “She doesn’t have active magic.”

  “Not yet. But she will if Agatha’s intuition was correct. She believed Rainey was going to help that witch. That she alone would be a force to be reckoned with and be the very reason the evil was able to rise.”

  I scoff. “There’s no fucking way Rainey would help evil.”

  “Witches born during a Lunar Divide have a foothold in both worlds and, to top it off—a vacancy within their soul.”

  “We knew about the divide,” I tell her. “That doesn’t mean Rainey will be evil.”

  “It’s already happening, Elijah. Haven’t you seen it? You’ve been around her more often than I have.”

  Black, soulless eyes pop into my memory.

  Power whirring around Rainey like a hurricane.

  The rings surrounding her chocolate-colored eyes.

  The blackouts.

  The voices.

  The void.

  Is it possible she’s already slipping away?

  “You’ve seen something, what?”

  I glare at her. “No offense intended, Jane, but seeing as how you’ve spent the last three decades lying to your friend, I have no intention of trusting you…yet.”

  Her pale cheeks flush. “Fine, but you know something is wrong with her.”

  I nod.

  “Keep her the fuck away from Salem. There are things there she cannot get her hands on. And since she said she didn’t find anything weird, I’m assuming it’s still hidden.”

  I stiffen. “You asked her about Salem?”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  “What did she tell you?”

  “She found some old texts.”

  “Rainey believes you to be human, she wants you shielded from this world. Why do you think she would have told you if she found anything?”

  Jane pales, her face going sheet white as she stares at me. “Tell me you didn’t.” When I don’t respond, she jabs a fi
nger in my chest. “Tell me what you found, Elijah. You don’t want to trust me? Fine. But at least tell me that you didn’t find the box.”

  I don’t respond. Trusting people—especially witches—is not something I’m inclined to do. But Jane’s reaction to my non-answer is a dead giveaway.

  Whatever is in that box is dangerous—and not something we should have tampered with. Hell, I knew that prior to Rainey opening the bloody thing. So if Jane can offer me some answers—maybe giving up a bit of information could be beneficial.

  “I need to know more about why Agatha tasked you with protecting Rainey.”

  “It’s not important,” Jane growls.

  “It is if you want me to trust you. Seems you know everything about me, and yet, I know very little about you.”

  Her nostrils flare, and a muscle in her jaw tightens. I can hear the heavy thumping of her heart—a sound that was human before but now, as she grows angrier, the beats become more rapid, less predictable.

  The beating heart of a supernatural.

  “Fine.” Her tone is sharp, curt, but it’s a victory for me nonetheless.

  “Good. Now, how about you start by telling me how you managed to hide your abilities for so long? Who are you?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “I have time.”

  She glares at me then looks away. “I’m a witch who does not actively practice magic.” When her eyes meet mine again, her gaze is haunted, dark. I know that look—it is the look of someone on the run.

  “Who are you hiding from?”

  “I’ve been running for centuries, and no matter how far I run, how long I hide, I’m tracked down and killed. Until now, the oldest I’ve lived to is nineteen.”

  “Nineteen is typically when a witch comes into their powers.”

  “Yes. It’s not a coincidence. The moment I do, every damn time, they track me down, hunting me like I’m an animal. Then they take great joy in ripping my life away. It’s happened over and over again. Sometimes years pass between my rebirth, sometimes mere weeks.”

  “Your curse is to be reborn after you die?”

  She nods. “Every time they kill me, I’m reborn. A new family, a new body, but I retain all of my memories.”