Age of Vampires- The Complete Series

by Caroline Peckham

  I clutched his shirt in my fist and felt the chair falling backwards so we crashed to the ground. I straddled him, drinking deeply, my mind in a haze. I couldn't stop. I wouldn't. It was too good. And I couldn't remember why I'd ever refused it.

  A deep groan rolled from my throat and I shut my eyes, taking more, more, more.

  Hands seized me and I kicked wildly like a caged beast as Erik folded his arms around me and held me to his chest, pulling me off of Julius. The urge built in me to fight, to get back to that blood and finish every last drop.

  Erik ran his hands through my hair in soothing strokes. “Shh, take a breath.”

  I did as he said and the clouds in my mind fizzled away. Shame took their place and I pressed my forehead to his chest as the weight of what I'd done settled over me.

  I pulled out of his arms, but he kept close as I turned to face Julius on the ground. He was frowning as he pushed himself to his knees and pulled his sleeve over his bloody wrist.

  Chickoa and Fabian were circling closer and Clarice shook her head at them, begging them to back off.

  “I'm sorry,” I breathed to Julius as he righted himself.

  “Don't be,” he said. “Though I don't think I can call you damsel anymore. You're more of a wolverine.”

  I shook my head, not having the words to express how grateful I was to him. I settled on a thank you and he nodded stiffly, backing up again as Fabian hounded closer.

  “We need blood,” Fabian snarled and the tension in his voice set the hairs rising on the back of my neck.

  “You can't have mine. Back off,” Julius growled, reaching for Menace at his hip.

  “Everyone just relax.” Clarice got between them, raising her hands.

  “Relax? How can we relax?” Chickoa said, holding her throat. “I'm going to lose it.” She backed away, moving to the fountain and clinging to the edge of it as she kept herself away. After a beat, she turned and sped from the area in a blur of motion.

  “Why are you so calm, Clarice?” Fabian asked her coolly. “Has the slayer been feeding you on the sly?”

  Clarice's mouth parted in horror. “Of course not!”

  “Yeah? Then why are you not baying for his blood like I am,” Fabian growled.

  “Enough,” Erik snarled, stepping forward to intercept them. He eyed Julius with a deep frown creasing his face. “Julius, go. Get out of here.”

  Julius's eyes swept over us and he took a step back as if considering doing just that. Then his gaze fell on Clarice and his expression changed to a dark acceptance. “I'll fill a bottle. Find something to siphon the blood. No more biting.”

  “You're sure?” I gasped, my heart aching with what he was offering.

  “Yeah...” Julius straightened. “The way you're all looking at me is giving me the creeps. And I'd rather you were fed than have three Belvederes get too hungry to stop resisting their urges.”

  “I'll get a funnel,” Fabian said, sprinting from the room with obvious excitement.

  Clarice hung her head, moving toward Julius and he didn't retreat like he had from the others.

  “Are you sure about this?” she asked.

  He nodded, reaching out as if to take her hand, then thinking better of it as he dropped it to his side. “It's fine. What other choice do we have?” he said bleakly.

  No one had an answer, because there wasn't one.

  Fabian returned to the room with a plastic funnel and Clarice took an empty bottle from her backpack, placing it on the table. Julius snatched the funnel from Fabian, planting it in the bottle before rolling back his sleeve and squeezing more blood from the wound.

  Clarice licked her lips and Fabian kept inching closer. Erik held back, his posture rigid as Julius picked up Nightmare again and cut into his other arm. The blood spilled into the bottle and he soon had it full enough. He plucked the funnel out and pushed the bottle toward Clarice.

  Fabian shot forward but Julius lifted Nightmare to point at him. “Ladies first,” he snarled and Clarice tentatively took the bottle, then moaned as she placed it to her lips and started drinking.

  When she'd had a few mouthfuls, she held it out to Fabian with a sigh of longing as if it pained her to hand it over.

  Julius plucked it from her grip, passing it to Erik instead.

  “You asshole,” Fabian growled, his hands curling into fists.

  Erik took the bottle, drinking a few gulps then held it out to Fabian. His brother finished it in one go, then he launched the bottle across the room.

  “That's not nearly enough!” Fabian roared and Erik caught his arms, yanking him away from Julius. My gut clenched in fear as I watched, moving forward in case I needed to help him.

  “It will have to be,” Erik snarled in his ear. “Calm down, Brother.”

  Fabian went slack in his arms, bowing his head. “I’m sorry,” he breathed, looking to Julius. “I’m used to drinking more. I don’t handle the thirst well.”

  Julius nodded stiffly but didn’t reply.

  “There's none for Chickoa,” Fabian sighed.

  “This blood store is closed,” Julius muttered. “For now anyway.”

  Clarice moved toward him with a faint smile. “Thank you. Come on...let's find some bandages.”

  “It's fine,” Julius muttered, but followed her anyway. As she guided him away from us, he passed Nightmare back to me and I held onto it with a weight in my soul at what he’d offered us.

  “One slayer isn't enough for us,” Fabian said as Erik released him at last. “Callie has to give blood too. Magnar is keeping every drop for himself.”

  “It's not like that and you know it,” I said, folding my arms. “And she doesn't have to do anything. It's her choice.”

  “Well it's time she made that choice.” Fabian headed away and I gazed after him anxiously, moving to follow.

  There was no way I was going to see my sister forced into this. Fabian had no right to demand it of her even if he was desperate.

  I turned to Erik as we jogged after him. “We can't let him force her.”

  “She's got a guard dog with the strength of a dinosaur,” he said with a smirk. “I'm more concerned about my brother.”

  I sighed with a deep satisfaction as I pulled on warm, clean, dry clothes and the chill which had built in my bones over the last few days finally subsided.

  Magnar had changed too, though I could tell that the freezing rain had been more of an irritation to him than an actual issue and for once I could see one good reason to envy those who were held captive by the vampire curse.

  I grinned as I yanked on the fluffiest pair of socks I’d ever seen and scrunched my toes up inside them happily.

  “I’ve never known someone to get so excited about clothes,” Magnar murmured as he watched me.

  “Never in my life have I had my pick of what I’d like to wear like this,” I replied. “And I don’t think I’ll ever get over the thrill of it now.”

  “Well it’s nice to see you smiling,” he said as I got to my feet. “Even if I wish you’d keep your clothes off instead of piling them on.”

  I snorted a laugh and made to walk past him but he caught my waist and dragged me against him instead.

  “Can’t I keep you to myself for a few more moments?” he begged and butterflies writhed in my belly at his words. The last four days had been spent on the road and with no real shelter we hadn’t actually been away from the others in all that time.

  “So long as you promise not to remove my new clothes,” I countered.

  Magnar sighed as his hands shifted across my lower back and he pulled me against him more firmly.

  “I can’t promise that.” He caught my mouth with his and I melted in his arms, twisting my fingers into the material of the black t-shirt he’d pulled on as I drew him closer.

  He pushed me until my back collided with the glass storefront and I laughed as his cool fingers shifted beneath the hem of my sweater, sending shivers across my skin.

  One of his hand
s moved to cup my jaw, tilting me towards him as his tongue invaded my mouth and a groan of longing escaped him.

  His mouth moved lower, his fangs brushing against my throat as I arched into him, urging him on. He released a dark laugh at my impatience and I tightened my grip on him in response.

  “Didn’t I say so!” Fabian’s voice rang out and Magnar twisted away from me, snarling like a feral animal as he dropped into a defensive stance before me.

  “Just wait a second, Fabian!” Montana called as she hurried after him and I reached for Magnar’s hand to keep him beside me.

  “We don’t have time to wait,” he snapped. “I’m thirsty now.”

  My heart pounded as I realised what this was about and Magnar growled at Fabian in a clear challenge.

  “Can we have a word?” Erik asked from the back of the group, planting a hand on Fabian’s shoulder to halt his advance.

  I tugged on Magnar’s arm, forcing him to stay beside me as I stepped closer to them.

  “Okay,” I said hesitantly, eyeing my sister. I expected to see the same hunger burning in her eyes as I did in the Belvederes’ but strangely all I found there was concern.

  “We have a bit of an issue,” Erik muttered and I could tell he felt a little uncomfortable about voicing this request.

  “It's more than a bit of an issue,” Fabian hissed, his eyes lingering on my throat.

  I swallowed nervously as I recognised the desire I saw there. I’d given in to that hunger in him once and I’d sworn I’d never do it again.

  “You can’t expect to feed six vampires from two mortals,” Magnar said firmly.

  “Easy enough to say when you’re well fed,” Fabian replied. “We don’t all travel with our own personal blood slave.”

  “Don’t call her that.” Magnar’s voice dropped menacingly and Fabian shifted into a defensive position.

  “We came here to ask,” Erik said quickly. “Before the situation gets any more desperate and we have to demand it.”

  “I am demanding it,” Fabian countered.

  “You can demand it again and I’ll gladly rip your head off and stuff you in one of those bags for the rest of the journey,” Magnar replied and I could tell he meant it.

  “It’s alright, Magnar,” I said with a sigh, realising I didn’t really have a choice about this. “It’ll be fine.”

  Fabian took a step forward and Erik’s eyes glimmered with what I could have sworn was excitement for a moment but Magnar shifted to block their path.

  “Look at the size of her,” Magnar snarled. “How do you expect her to sustain three vampires for the next few weeks?”

  “Well she’s managing well enough to keep you going,” Fabian replied darkly.

  “Maybe we can just get everyone fed tonight and then tomorrow we can think about how to deal with this going forward?” Montana suggested and I could tell this whole conversation was making her really uncomfortable.

  “Okay,” I breathed and I pushed my sleeve up as I prepared to face my nightmare once again.

  Magnar’s hand curled around my exposed wrist as he stopped me from advancing. “If one of them places their mouth upon your flesh I’ll rip their fangs from their gums and force them down their throats,” he snarled.

  “We have a funnel and a bottle if you’re willing to cut yourself?” Erik suggested, eyeing Magnar cautiously.

  I glanced up at Magnar and he nodded reluctantly.

  “Let’s get this over with then,” I sighed as I followed them from the store.

  “I’ll go and find Chickoa,” Fabian murmured before speeding away from us.

  Erik led the way back downstairs and through the mall and Montana moved to walk beside me.

  “I’m sorry about before,” she murmured.

  “It’s okay, Magnar realised what was bothering you so I understand. You’ll be back to normal again once you’ve fed.”

  She cleared her throat awkwardly. “Well actually, Julius already...”

  “Oh,” I replied, surprised that the slayer had been willing to help her and feeling immensely grateful to him for it. “That’s good then.”

  Montana nodded but I wasn’t entirely sure she agreed.

  “I hate that you have to do this,” she breathed.

  “The stronger we are the sooner we can get to the mountain and end this curse once and for all,” I replied. “We’ve all made sacrifices to get this far, I can make this one too.”

  She nodded again silently, taking my hand in hers. “But if it’s too much then you have to tell us.”

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  We arrived at an old food court and Fabian appeared, towing Chickoa along with him. Her cheeks were stained with the evidence of tears and I tried to hide my surprise as I noted her hand in Fabian’s. Her gaze locked on me desperately and I gave her a brief smile as I dropped into a chair.

  Fabian shoved a bottle and funnel across the table at me and I took Fury from my hip.

  I pressed the blade to my skin and sucked a breath in between my teeth as I struck it across the flesh of my forearm.

  I held the cut over the funnel and stared as my blood ran into it.

  Chickoa drew forward, moaning in desperation as she watched my blood drip from my skin. Her fingers tightened on Fabian’s as if they were the only thing stopping her from leaping at me.

  As the bottle came close to filling, Magnar tore a strip from his shirt and drew me away, pressing it down over the wound.

  “Thank you, Callie,” Montana breathed and I nodded awkwardly.

  The other vampires eyed what I’d given them as if they didn’t think it was enough but Magnar glared at them and they didn’t voice any objections.

  Fabian passed the bottle to Chickoa first and she groaned as she lunged towards it.

  I took Magnar’s hand as I turned away from them, not wanting to watch as they devoured my blood.

  There were some tins of food gathered on one of the tables and I dropped down before them hungrily. The cut on my forearm burned with pain and I sighed as I pulled a can of corn towards me. I just hoped that we would make it to the mountain soon because I wasn’t sure I enjoyed being on the menu.

  I'd had enough blood to sate my thirst at last. My body was antsy and flushed with adrenaline.

  Fabian finally looked more like himself as he sank down on a chair with a relieved sigh. I moved to join him, dropping into a seat opposite as Montana moved to sit with Callie and Magnar.

  “Better?” I asked and he nodded, his eyes bright.

  The light in his eyes dimmed a little and I sensed there was something playing on his mind. “I’m glad to be back to myself again, but I feel like I’m weaker than everyone else. Magnar just turned and he’s able to go without blood for longer than me. And now I’ve drunk Callie’s blood, I feel like I’ve betrayed her trust. I promised to protect her, but I was on the verge of biting her earlier, Erik.”

  I frowned deeply, seeing the regret in him. “I think Callie is starting to understand how the bloodlust works now. She knows we’re all struggling.”

  “But you don’t lose your head, you manage to hold back,” he hissed.

  “You’re doing fine, Fabian. You haven’t bitten anyone,” I said firmly and some of the tension eased from his posture.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked and I could tell we weren’t talking about the blood anymore.

  I dropped my eyes, a knot growing in my chest at the memory of Miles and Warren’s deaths. “Alright,” I grunted, but I knew Fabian didn’t buy it.

  He shook his head, reaching out to lay a hand on my arm. “I know it sucks. It really fucking sucks, Erik, but you’ll get through this. You’ve got so much to live for and Miles wouldn’t want you to ruin it over this.”

  Guilt swelled inside me as his eyes drifted to Montana. I guessed my brother had noticed my cool front around her and I hated myself for it. Hated that I reacted this way when my emotions got too much.

  “You’re an idiot,” he said on a b
reath. “Sort it out. Don’t screw up the only good thing that’s ever happened to you. Don’t be like me.”

  He patted my arm, rising to his feet and beckoning Chickoa over. I frowned as I realised what he meant. He’d broken things between him and the woman he’d once loved. The woman he’d been going to marry. And losing Chickoa had devastated him. If I kept pushing Montana away, I was going to lose her too. And that thought didn’t bear thinking about.

  “I’m going to scout outside for Familiars, wanna join?” Fabian asked her and she nodded keenly. A flame of hope sparked inside me that maybe he could fix things with her...given time.

  I rose to my feet with a sense of urgency rising in my veins. We didn’t know how much time on Earth was left to us now. And I couldn’t waste another second of it holding back from Montana.

  I stole her away from Callie and Magnar and my heart clenched with what I wanted to do. I'd barely touched her since we’d left the farm. We'd hardly kissed. And when we had, a dark weight had hung between us.

  I could see in her eyes how much she pitied me and I despised it. Every look was a reminder of what we'd lost. But I was done feeling out of control. I needed to regain some power and I wanted my wife to look at me like I wasn't broken again.

  I guided her into a store under the guise of exploring, but the curious look in her gaze told me she had her suspicions. Maybe she sensed it. She was so tuned in to me, I wondered if she'd felt every inch of the pain I'd endured the past week. She'd stood by me through all of this bullshit. Every demand I'd made of her, every harsh word and every time I'd turned away from her. It had cut into her piece by piece. And I hated myself for the reaction I'd had to Miles's death.

  But the words wouldn't come when I tried to make myself tell her why I acted like this. How it was the only way I'd ever dealt with my feelings. And if I couldn't tell her then maybe I could at least remind her that I still loved her. More dearly than anything in this world. And maybe it was making me act like a prick, but if being a prick kept her safe, then it was the easiest thing in the world to fall back on.