by Alex Owens
A quick glance at Cass told me she was willing to wait out my internal monologue, so I offered a half-grin and resumed sweeping.
It’s not like she won’t figure it out at some point, I thought.
Might as well get it over. But maybe hold back a little, like the fangs, for now?
“Before meeting Bette in Florida, I didn’t have any of these freaky little talents you call “gifts” and... I’m still trying to work out what happened, but everything changed the moment I picked up one of Bette’s antique violins and played it.”
I looked Cass square in the eye. “I don’t play anything, no lessons, no talent. Nothing. But I played the hell out of that violin and from then on out, all this weird stuff started happening to me. Bette sent it to me the other day, though I don’t know why. So I stashed it in the closet until I could figure out what I was supposed to do with it.”
I grabbed the trashcan and pulled it over to the pile of shards I’d collected in the middle of the floor. When I started to throw the largest pieces in the can by hand, Cassidy stooped to help me.
“So why are you so upset?” Cassidy reached for a large piece of the plate under the counter.
“Because Quinn found it and played the stupid thing. Just now. She shouldn’t have been able to, but she did. And I’m scared...”
“Ow! Fudgecicles!” Cassidy shouted and jerked her hand back to her side. She became pale and unsteady instantly and I rushed to her side.
“What is it?” I asked, but I didn’t really need to.
I could see for myself. She cradled her hand in her lap like a bird and blood was seeping from a large gash in her palm. She looked positively green at the sight of it all. “Oh!” I said.
She looked up at me with a faraway look on her face. Then, her eyes opened wide and she screeched while scuttling backwards across the kitchen floor.
Shit, my fangs were showing.
Guess we’d be having that conversation sooner than I’d wanted. Like now. I stood and backed away from Cassidy and her bloody hand. She smelled amazing by the way (more so than usually)—like orchids and rainbows and cinnamon bun icing.
“Are... you going to... bite me?” Cass whimpered.
I closed my eyes for a nano-second, fought back the desire to slurp her blood and shook my head. “No, I’m not going to bite you, dummy. I don’t eat my friends.”
She visibly relaxed and I offered her my hand to help her stand up. With just a bit of hesitation, she took it and offered up a weak smile.
“For a second there, I wasn’t so sure,” she said.
“The last few days have been a little crazy and you surprised me. And girl, I don’t know if you know this... but damn, your blood smells different—better than most.” I sighed. “So with all that, it just took me a minute to get my shit together. But I would never hurt you, you know that right? I am not a monster.”
I wasn’t sure who I was trying to convince more, me or her. I threw her a dry washcloth and indicated that she should put some pressure on the cut to slow the bleeding.
“I know you’re not.” Cassidy’s eyes twinkled. “It was part of what brought me here. While I was digging around, I found out a few interesting things about your friends— Bette and Gregor and what was the other one’s name?”
“Clive.” Of course she’d make me say the name of that one, right then, when I was doing my best to kick him out of my head.
“Yes, Clive.” She pulled back the cloth a little and inspected her hand. The bleeding had stopped altogether it seemed. She must be a quick healer, I thought.
“Anyway, I’ve got some dirt on them and a notebook full of research and... I know some of what you are.”
“Some?” I was almost afraid to ask what she’d figured out about me.
She nodded and smiled with buttoned-up lips.
I threw the wet dish towel at her. “Don’t make me come over there and squeeze it out of you.”
“Well, I know more about what you’ve told me, of course—the Empathic abilities, the telekinetic events, all of it. But I’ve always thought you were too all-over-the-map, you know? But then I suspected... you know,” she pointed to her own, less-pointy eye teeth. “And that’s when it all clicked.”
I took a seat on a bar stool, pretty sure that I need to be sitting down for whatever Cassidy was about to say.
“I’d heard rumors over the years,” she lowered her voice and looked around for Morgan. “About a vampire that was something else before she was turned. And that when she was turned, she became both and neither at the same time. She was more than the sum of her parts.”
“That’s great and all, but it doesn’t tell me much.” I scoffed.
“You’re wrong. It tells us everything. This woman, she became the most powerful, coveted woman of her time. If she’d not dropped off the map over two-hundred years ago, she probably still would be.”
Cassidy sat beside me and placed her hand over mine. “Claire, her name was Venna, the last name varies according to who was telling the story, but I believe you are her direct descendant.”
“I already know that. Well, not about her abilities. I just know the name and whatnot. Bette told me right before I left Orlando.”
As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I realize what’s in the other package still tucked away in my office.
“Wait here,” I said. I retrieved the package and sat back down beside Cass before she’d had time register I’d even left the room.
“Whoa. Slow down there Roadrunner. You’re making me carsick,” she joked.
“Sorry.” I tore open the package wrapper and the plain box underneath. Inside of the box was a book wrapped in linen, but nothing else. I’d expected a note from Bette, like with the violin, but there was no indication that she’d sent the book to me. Who else would have done it, though?
“What is that?” Cass peered over my shoulder.
“I could be wrong, but it appears to be the journal of Venna, who I’ve been told was a powerful Strega with ties to the Medici family in the early 1500’s.” I brought the book closer to my face and inhaled.
It smelled like leather and dust and frankincense. The cover was made of worn leather the color of coffee grounds, and inlaid with a flourish of golden script pressed into the cover. Intricate designs had been tooled into the corners, painstakingly by hand it seemed. Buried in the ornate marks were hidden symbols, like a chalice, a trio of moons, a conch shell and various marks that resembled the runes on Cass’s clothing.
“Get out!” she squealed. “How in the world did you get a hold of that?”
“No idea.” I shrugged, not taking my eyes off the book. I could feel it sucking me in just like the violin had, but I wasn’t afraid. “It just showed up in the mail a few days ago.”
She grabbed the torn wrapper and read off the return address. “Don’t suppose you know anyone in Romania?”
“Nope.” I flipped the book over to inspect the back. More embossed details graced the back corners and edges as well, along with a beautiful willow tree in the center, roots spreading out only to fall off the bottom of the cover.
“Well, what are you waiting for? Open it!”
I ran my fingers over the well-worn cover. I wanted to open it, but at the same time, I didn’t. This journal was older than all of America and the weight of that felt huge to me. Also, I was sure that whatever lay within its yellowed pages was sure to change everything. I hated changes—I hadn’t experienced one yet that didn’t smart like hell, as least while I was in the thick of things.
Cass nudged me with her elbow, “Do it.”
I pried open the book, welcoming my past and future, embracing them both equally.
Want more of Claire’s story? Read the next book, Witch Me now!
Witch Me: Blood Chord #3
Claire is a Vampire, a Witch and a Mother... and she's finally met her match.
Digging into her heritage and the Medici witch known as Venna wasn't a good idea, because it
came back to bite Claire in a bad way. Now, with the lives of everyone she loves on the line, Claire must bring her A-game, or lose one of them forever.
Her daughter, ex-husband, best friend, or one of her lovers; who will it be? Saving most of them is a long shot, even after combining her magical powers and Vamp abilities. But there's no way that Claire can save them all...
Witch Me, by Alex Owens, is the third (and last planned book) in her sexy adult fantasy suspense series. Be forewarned, this is not your daughter's paranormal.
Snag Witch Me on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2oupt65
Be sure to sign up for Alex’s mailing list to get the first crack at the next book!
About Alex
Alex Owens is a woman with little free time, which means she stays up all hours of the night putting pen to paper. By day, she’s June Cleaver in jeans and by night, she writes. Somewhere in the middle of all that she finds time to tend ‘dem babies, fry up the bacon and curl up with a good book (or ten), much to the chagrin of her family. She’s currently at work on her Blood Chord series (steamy paranormal romance) and her Crow series (new adult fantasy).
Visit Alex’s website to connect with Alex or hop on over to her Amazon Author page or her Facebook page. You can also sign up for her newsletter to be notified of new book releases, contests and specials. And of course, look her up on Twitter!
Copyright Notice
Bite Me (Blood Chord Series, Book Two)
By: Alex Owens
Copyright 2015 by Alex Owens
Quirky Gurl Media
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without expressed permission in writing from the publisher.
If you have received a copy of this book without paying for it, please consider the author's hard work and effort and purchase a legitimate copy. Thank you.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Owens, Alex
Bite Me / Alex Owens-1st ed
Formatted by Karen Fowler
Cover Design by Karen Fowler Photography
Quirky Gurl Media
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