by K Loraine
“How much is left?” If our father realizes we’ve taken any of the supply he’s stocking, all of us will be punished.
“Only half the vial. I need more.”
I nodded. “I can get it for you. Father left directly after I delivered her donation. We have a week before he returns.”
“Where is he?” Lucas asked.
“Visiting Callum.” Our brother’s name hung in the air between us.
“I hate that he’s locked up in that place.” I could hear the tears in Callie’s words.
“He was going to walk into the sunlight. He’s safe underground. Until there’s a cure.”
“Do you think he’s giving Olivia’s blood to Callum?” Callie’s voice held a hopeful edge. “I lost my connection to him a few years after the virus got too strong.” The twins had always held a special bond between them unlike the rest of us. They could feel each other’s emotions, feel their pain. Until Callum got sick.
“I’m sure that’s what he’s doing. When he finds out it won’t work, I’m not sure what he’ll do.”
Lucas snorted. “Sell her off to the nobility. He’ll figure out a way to monetize her blood. Drop by drop. He’s already mentioned it.”
I gritted my teeth and pushed aside the possessive instinct to keep her as mine. “He can try, but she’ll fight.”
“And so will you,” Lucas said, his expression serious. “Like it or not, brother, you’ve claimed her as yours.”
My fangs ached in my mouth, the thought of claiming her as he said, taking her blood straight from the vein, had my hunger raging. He was right about so many things. First and foremost, I needed to feed.
“I have to hunt. If I don’t—”
“You’ll give in. I know.” Lucas stared at me. “You have my word, I’ll keep her safe until you return.”
I don’t want to trust him, but I can’t keep risking giving in to my hunger. I leveled my gaze on him, tension humming through me. “If anything happens to her, I’ll tear out your heart with my bare hands and feed it to you.”
The bastard smirked. “As I said, you’re lost to her.”
12
Olivia
My eyes ached from the effort of keeping them open as I strolled through the sun-drenched garden, blissfully alone. I was vaguely conscious that Cashel might be out here himself. I didn’t know how long my blood was effective, how much he might enjoy being in the sun, but I couldn’t stay inside any longer. I couldn’t live without sunshine.
Flowers filled the neatly manicured garden beds, blooming as if in defiance of the darkness living in the house they surrounded. Not a sound filled the air, save the whoosh of the wind in the trees and the light crunch of my shoes on the gravel path. As far as I could tell, no one was there. An idea percolated in my brain. No one was watching. They’d let their guard down, trusted that I was taking my sleeping medicine, that I wouldn’t leave now that they’d told me how they were protecting me.
Panic built in my chest, but I worked to push it down. I didn’t know if they’d sense me, even while they slept, but it didn’t matter. They couldn’t come for me. Not without my blood in their systems. God, I hoped they hadn’t been sampling the goods.
With a calm I didn’t know I possessed, I strode toward the long driveway, thankful I’d found workout clothes and tennis shoes in my wardrobe. If I wasn’t trying to escape her, I’d have hugged Brenna.
I was close. The wrought iron gate loomed in the distance, topped with spikes, at least fourteen feet high, and, holy hell, were those gargoyles standing sentry on either side? It was eerie and out of place in the beauty of the morning, but I needed escape more than anything else. More than I needed to fall for a sexy as sin vampire who wanted to eat me. I could climb a tree when I was a kid. I could climb this fence.
“Okay, Liv, one foot in front of the other,” I muttered to myself, hoping my words would cover the racing thoughts of escape. “These flowers are so pretty. I should pick some and bring them into my room.”
I ran for it, putting everything I had into launching myself at the fence. The bars rattled and clanged, loud enough I was sure Cashel would have heard me if he were awake. My hands were slick with sweat, slipping on the bars, but I dug my feet in and forced my legs to push me upward until I reached the top. My skin was tight and every muscle tense, but I refused to look behind me, instead swinging my leg over the top of the gate and propelling myself over. The inside of my knee caught on the top of one of the spikes, the metal digging into my skin. A sharp burn ripped through my leg, but I kept going. I had to get out of here.
Pain ricocheted through my body when I hit the ground. My shoulder protested the rough treatment, but I got to my feet with shaky legs and took a few sharp breaths. Shit, I’d really hurt myself. I ran my hand over my leg and winced as it came away wet with blood. Glancing over my shoulder, the house sat cold and quiet, ominous, sinister…a prison, but one I was free from.
Then, once again, I ran.
My run turned to a limp before long, the bloody wound on my leg aching and stinging as my pants pulled with each movement. I had to get as far away as possible. Get myself to safety and figure out how to continue hiding. The scent of roses was overwhelmingly strong, and I reached for the small secret pocket in the waistband of my pants. The fabric was wet, and a sob filled my chest before I could stop myself. The vial of rose oil I’d hidden there in case of emergency was cracked, all but a few drops of the liquid now coated my pants. I supposed it would hide my scent for now, but I couldn’t wear these clothes for long, especially with my blood on them.
“It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”
A rustle in the brush on the side of the road had my heart lurching in fear. Was Cashel on to me? Had he come to find me? I couldn’t tell if I wanted to see him or not. My shoulder throbbed, my thigh burned, and I wasn’t sure how long I’d have to walk before I found someone to help me. I had no money, no supplies, no identification. This plan had been stupid to say the least, but I’d acted on impulse.
The longer I walked, the more concerned I became that I’d never find a town. The road was long, winding, and unpaved. Not a good sign.
But as if God were answering my unspoken prayers, as I rounded another bend, I saw the familiar red of a stop sign. I let out a sharp yip of elation and hobbled my way to the connecting road. I could have kissed the pavement. A real road meant more traffic. More people. Humans.
Trusting my instincts, I turned right and walked along the shoulder. I’d take the first ride offered if it meant getting me back to civilization again. Before long, I heard the rumble of a car approaching. The vehicle slowed to a crawl and I heaved a sigh of relief when the driver rolled down his window.
“Hey, you okay?” he asked, his handsome features warm and kind. I knew better than to be pulled in by a pretty face, though.
“I need a ride to town,” I said, hoping desperately he didn’t ask for more details. “I crashed my bike on a trail.”
He looked me over, taking in my battered leg and dusty clothes. I prayed my story was believable enough. “Sure, of course. Hop in.”
Leaning over the passenger side, he opened the door for me, and I slid in. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I’m Logan.” He held out his hand and I just sat there staring. I didn’t want to touch him. It felt wrong.
“Liv,” I offered, needing to separate myself from the Olivia who’d been a captive of Elias Blackthorne.
“Where’s your bike, Liv?” The car began moving, and the stop sign behind us grew smaller and smaller in the mirror view.
I released a tight breath in a rush. “Left it behind. It was a goner.”
“We can go back and get it if you need to.” His voice was deep and equally as warm as his presence.
Shaking my head, I stared straight ahead. “It’s better to leave broken things where they lie. I don’t want to go back there for any reason.”
My stomach churned under his scrutiny. “A
re you sure you’re okay?”
I bit my lower lip and forced myself to stay calm. “I’m fine.”
We drove in silence for at least an hour, maybe more, until eventually we found the outskirts of the small town of Port Albin. I’d never heard of it, and still didn’t really know where we were. What state? What region? I couldn’t ask Logan without seeming psychotic, so I simply asked him if we could pull over at a gas station so I could use the bathroom.
He filled up the car while I went inside and used the restroom. But really, I spent more time perusing the store and trying to figure out where we were. A large advertisement at the register told me they sold Washington State lotto tickets. Washington. Not far from where I’d settled in Portland.
When I got back to the car, Logan was leaning against the door, watching me with a curious gaze. “Didn’t you get a first aid kit for that cut?”
I looked down to my slowly bleeding leg. Shit. “I don’t have any money with me.”
“I’ll get you one. While I’m in there I’m going to grab a soda,” he said, jerking his head toward the store. “Want anything?”
I did. I was starving. “I’d kill for a Snickers bar.”
He chuckled. “No murder necessary. Back in a minute.”
I got back in the car and watched him walk away, finally letting go of the tension in my chest. Closing my eyes, I let out a soft laugh, nearly hysterical. I was free. I’d made it to the safe haven of this little town, and soon, I’d get as far away from the Blackthorne vampires as I could.
The door opened and shut, and I opened my eyes. My gut clenched at the sight of Cashel’s furious gaze.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you, little bird?”
“Get out of this car, Cashel.” I worked to keep my voice even, but I know there was nothing relaxed in my posture.
“Only if you come with me.”
My gaze flicked to the door of the convenience store. Any second Logan would step out of there and likely meet his end at the hands of this vampire. Cashel shouldn’t be able to be out here in the daylight, but thanks to me, he was practically invincible. “Let me go. Just let me leave.”
“No. I can’t do that.”
“How did you find me?” My heart raced as I stepped out of the car. Maybe I could get him away from the innocent bystanders. We could talk, I could…fight him? Push him into traffic? Maybe that would slow him down.
“You’re bleeding. I smelled your blood on the wind a mile away from here.”
Defeat slumped my shoulders. “I’m not going back there.”
“If you don’t, my father will come for you. He won’t be gentle, and you’ll spend the rest of your life in a cage. I can promise you that.” The sheer anger in his voice had me bristling.
“I’m already in a cage. It’s just a pretty one.”
“Come with me.”
I glanced frantically at the doorway again. “I never want to go back there. I hate you. I hate all of you.”
His shoulders stiffened and those bitterly cold eyes locked on mine. “Hate me all you want, that doesn’t change the fact that you’re in danger of being found by others who want to kill you to keep you from us.” A chill ran down my spine at the tension radiating from him. It wasn’t anger, it was filled with apprehension. He reminded me of a bodyguard surveying the surroundings for threats. “We have to get you home before the sun sets.”
I caught sight of Logan from the window of the store, he paced back and forth with a phone to his ear. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I continued my path away from the gas station, limping slightly as I went.
Before I knew it, I was in Cashel’s arms, cradled like a helpless child, and unable to wriggle out of his grasp. “Put me down, you caveman.”
“Vampire. If I were a caveman, I’d have clubbed you over the head by now.”
He stilled, laser focus turning to the store. That tense apprehension filled his body and I knew beyond any doubt, something wicked lurked where his attention was trained. “We have to go. Right now. You can kick and scream all you like, but there is nothing on this earth that will get me to put you down until you’re safely behind the walls of Blackthorne Manor.”
“We’re more than an hour away by car.”
“Again, vampire. Close your eyes. This will be disorienting at best.”
I did what he said, clenching my teeth and burying my face against his chest. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t take in his delicious bergamot and sandalwood scent. Wind whipped my hair around us as he ran--flew?—I wasn’t sure. But when he stopped, we were outside the front door. The sun sank below the horizon and a single star winked into view as Cashel placed me on my feet and reached for the door.
“You tripped in the garden and cut your leg. Not a word, don’t even think about what happened outside. If you value your life, your comfort in this house, you’ll keep everything else clear of your mind. Do you understand?” There was such anxiety in his tone, I couldn’t help but think he was worried for me, rather than himself.
I nodded and turned my thoughts to him and how well he filled out his navy blue T-shirt. I could focus on his broad shoulders all day if I had to. It wouldn’t be a hardship.
Brenna stood at the top of the staircase and inhaled sharply. “Blood.” She rushed to us, and I immediately flinched, hiding behind Cashel for protection from the hungry vampire. Cashel let out a low growl, but eased his posture when Brenna sent him a glare. “What happened to her?”
“I fell in the garden.” I repeated the words almost robotically.
She reached for me. “Let me tend her.”
Cashel stopped her and surprised me by taking my hand. “No. I’ll see to her. Please tell Father we’ll be late for dinner.”
“Careful, Cashel.” Brenna’s warning seemed too familiar, motherly almost, but he only nodded and tugged me up the stairs and to my room.
I couldn’t read him. The vampire was either seething, afraid, or going to eat me. “Cash—”
“Don’t speak. Not a single word. We need to take care of your injury before you get yourself killed.” He shoved open my door and pushed me into the room before slamming the heavy wood shut and locking it. “You may reek of roses, but your blood is stronger.”
I watched him stalk around the room, searching the space for something unknown. “What are you doing?”
“Looking for something I can dress your wound with.”
I sat on the bed, inspecting my leg. It had stopped bleeding, but it still hurt like a sonofabitch. “I just need to clean it. It’s already closed.”
He shook his head. “Take off your pants.”
A cough of surprise left me. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me, little bird. Take. Off. Your. Pants.”
“No.”
“I need to clean your leg and we have to burn those pants.”
“Burn them,” I murmured, rolling my eyes.
“Yes, burn them. They are soaked in your blood. We only have so much control. Lucas is hanging on by a thread as it is. If you came downstairs with bloody pants and so much as a scrape, he’d likely have his fangs in you before I could stop him.”
That shut me up. I tugged my yoga pants down my hips, a fierce blush burning my cheeks. “Fine.”
He knelt at the foot of the bed and put both hands on my calves. The chill of his grip startling on my overheated skin.
“What are you doing?” I asked, scrambling back.
He held me and tugged until he was between my spread thighs. “Cleaning you the best way I can.”
My breaths came in sharp gasps when his lips met my injured knee and he began to lick. It didn’t hurt. In fact, a warmth spread over my skin and tingles of pleasure raced to a place they were not supposed to be gathering. I fought a moan as the tingles built and turned to waves. My hands balled into fists in the coverlet. I bit my lip to keep from crying out. And when he fixed his lips over my sensitive thigh, my toes curled into the carpet. I was going to orga
sm. Holy shit, I was going to orgasm while he was barely touching me.
“Cash,” I whispered, the golden edges of euphoria teasing me.
He backed away, eyes nearly black, breaths coming in ragged pulls. “Change for dinner. Don’t try to leave again.”
13
Olivia
Cashel didn’t join us for dinner for the next few nights. Brenna stayed with me, at my side until I fell asleep every night. She mixed my sleeping draught and watched me drink it down. I was effectively on lockdown until further notice. But my dreams were filled with moonlight walks and garden encounters with him. Every time I woke, I ached for him and I wondered if he’d somehow put me under some kind of spell with his eyes.
“Where is he?” I asked Brenna as I stood in the sunroom, staring up at the moonlit sky through the panes of opaque glass that spanned the entire room.
“Cashel is…recovering after your adventure.”
My heart lurched. “You know about that?”
“I know you’re lucky it was him who found you. There are far too many things out there who would see you dead simply because of what your blood can do.”
“He said we had to burn my pants, get rid of the blood.”
She nodded and sat on a wicker chair in the corner. “Yes. That was wise. A few of them would find it unbearable.”
Looking down at my hands, I frowned and fidgeted. Discomfort twisted in my belly, but I needed to know what was going to happen because I didn’t have much time to make a plan. “What about…my period?”
A brow raised as she seemed to process the question. “Your moon cycle? That will not be an issue. Your sleeping draught is mixed to stop your monthly courses as well as prevent pregnancy. Not to worry.”
