Bloodborne Awakened (Borne of Blood Book 1)

by Tracey Laviolette

  “I see. It’s a very intriguing story. Who’s the man with the dragon?”

  “His name is Mithras, and he became a Dragonborne.” Jacob released a long sigh. “They eventually became the opposite of what we are.”

  I drew my brows into a frown and looked up to see the weariness in Jacob’s eyes. “They fight against you?”

  He shook his head. “No. We only fight against the demons that threaten mankind. They fight against anything that threatens man or them.”

  “I’m taking a guess here, but the Dragonbornes are your enemies?”

  He nodded. “They have broken the laws that were given to us. Therefore, they are our enemy. We have lived on this earth for thousands of years, and have remained separate in our ways and lives.” Jacob inhaled a quick breath, then turned to me with his eyebrows lifted. “And I do believe the tour is done. Welcome to my world.” He shot me that killer smile, clapped his hands together, then lifted his brows. “Shall I escort you back to your quarters? I’ve taken almost all your day, and I’m sure you must be exhausted.”

  “Mentally, yes. It’s a lot to take in my first day. Physically, I feel fine—but,” I paused for a moment and frowned as I tried to find the right words, “I guess Gordon’s punch wore off.”

  “Yes, I’m sure it has. It’s only a temporary boost. However, I can tell you—” Jacob leaned closer to my ear as if whispering a secret “—you were really impressive.”

  A huge smile crossed my lips, but just the feeling of his body so close to mine made all the butterflies in my stomach flutter. Whatever nice-smelling cologne he wore, I wanted to just close my eyes and dive into with him. My eyes shut as I inhaled deeply, absorbing as much of him as I could. A soft moan escaped before I could stop it and, of course, soon after my cheeks felt like they were on fire.

  Jacob’s lips lingered against my ear a little longer than what I thought necessary. However, I didn’t complain at all. Tingles swept over me, invigorating me, and sending me to an all-time high. My heartbeat quickened when I heard a low throaty moan against my ear. The very next breath I had was lost in a sea of intoxication. Slowly the side of his face met mine as he pulled back, only to stop at my slightly parted lips. I’d never experienced anything like this before, but then again, I’d never gotten this close to the opposite sex before.

  I lowered my gaze to catch his parted lips so close to mine, then felt his fingers feather the side of my jaw. His gaze lazily lifted to mine. My breath caught with the anticipation of his lips on mine. Just one kiss—

  His fingers slowly slid behind my neck and held it gently as my head naturally tilted to the side, and my eyes fluttered closed. This was finally it. Not necessarily romantic, with flowers, or—wait, there was no romance in this kiss. I knew a lot about Jacob, but he didn’t know anything about me. I couldn’t deny the fact I was utterly attracted to him and didn’t know why. But this was too soon.

  “Ughhh—” I growled, then pulled back from Jacob. “I’m sorry. I want this—I do. I think about it.” I stood up and paced back and forth. “You don’t know me. I mean, I don’t really know you except what you told me.”

  “Jessie—” Jacob stood to his feet.

  “It’s not like I don’t think you’re attractive. Gah—I mean, every girl in this school seems to have the hots for you. I mean, I’m just—and you’re just—”

  Jacob grabbed me by the arm, pulled me tight against his body, and in my shock, his lips met mine. At first, I protested by placing my hands on his chest, then the feel of those warm lips on mine sent my blood into a feverous boil. I wasn’t sure what came over me at that point. My hands had a mind of their own as they reached behind his neck and pulled him deeper into a kiss with me. My tongue slipped through my parted lips to meet his like they belonged together, and well—I couldn’t stop. I inhaled and dared not let out the breath as my tongue chased his.

  The kiss deepened even as he pulled me closer to his body, with my arms wrapped tight around his neck as if I was afraid to let go. Just as quick as the kiss happened, it broke. Our lips lingered together for a long moment, our breathing erratic and as compulsive as we had been.

  “Mmm,” Jacob whispered, “I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.” Slowly, he opened his eyes and ran a finger down the side of my cheek.

  “What is this?” I softly breathed out, my voice ragged.

  “I’m not sure. But whatever it is—it’s hard to fight.” His tone remained soft and low.

  My breath slowly caught up with me. Finally, it was at a normal pace and didn’t sound like I’d run a marathon mile, or something. I looked up into those once-brown eyes, which had now turned a crystal blue. Slowly, I lifted a finger and ran it across his eyebrow and down underneath his eye.

  “Finally! I’ve been looking everywhere!” Mia snapped. “Dad’s home, he’s met with the Elders and now wants to meet her.”

  Jacob and I both took a step back from one another and looked to Mia, who stood at the doorway with one hand on the door and other on her hip.

  “Did he get the test results?” Jacob shifted his weight, then shot her a questionable frown.

  Mia rolled her eyes, then released a sigh. “Yes, Gordon gave him the results.”

  “And?” Jacob persisted.

  “And—only dad and Gordon know. So don’t ask me any more questions I can’t answer. It’s annoying.” She pushed the door wide opened and motioned for us to follow her.

  We didn’t have to go far, just outside the room, down the hall, and then the second door on the right. Mia knocked on the door and waited for a response before she opened it and stepped aside.

  Instantly, I could see where Jacob and his family got their good looks. Jacob’s dad was very handsome, and in a way, he was pretty much the older-adult version of Jacob. Immediately judging by the familiar white hair and blue eyes, I knew he was one of the Awakened. Nervously, I stepped inside the large office and turned to see Mia grab Jacob’s arm.

  “Jacob, we have something to do—it’s urgent.” Mia’s voice seemed tense, more irritated than usual.

  “I’ll see you later, Jessie.” There was a hint of sorrow in Jacob’s eyes before he turned and left with Mia.

  As I turned back to face the man behind the desk, my mouth went dry, and little beads of sweat peppered my palms. He looked up at me and gave me a smile, then motioned for me to sit down in the leather office chairs located in front of his desk. I moved semi-slowly, then sat down and crossed one ankle behind the other.

  His office wasn’t nearly like my therapist’s office. There were no degrees that hung on the wall, only a couple of oil paintings— one drew my attention. It was of two men, both had swords drawn, and one was Awakened, but the other wasn’t.

  “Hello, Jessie. My name is Evan Wester, and I am the administrator here.” He held out his hand to shake mine. After I scrubbed my hands over my jeans a couple of times, I shook his hand, then sat with my back against the chair.

  “Well, you are an impressive one.” He flipped through the file. “Let’s start with your DNA test first. I understand that you are adopted, is that correct?” Evan peered up at me, then back to the folder.

  “Yes.”

  “Your results were fascinating. It appears you have the Bloodborne gene, which is good that we found you. At least one of your birth parents are Bloodborne, and the other is Clayborne. Not to mention, there is an unknown element in your DNA, which we can’t identify. Accordingly, we believe it may be because of the venom that was in your system, but we’re not entirely sure.” He stopped, then looked up at me. “I’m guessing you have no clue about your birth parents?”

  I shook my head. “No. I was adopted from an orphanage. From what I understand, it was my mother who put me there. My parents said she was young when she got pregnant and was sent away to have me. After I was born, she placed me with the orphanage.”

  Evan stared at me a long moment, then back to the papers he flipped over. “I see.” His gaze trailed back to me
again. “Jessie, this is a grave concern to us. I’m afraid we will have to search more into your records and birth parents. We need to find out which one was a Bloodborne, and why they gave you up for adoption. Bloodbornes have Laws, and those are meant to be strictly followed. One of those laws is that no Bloodborne shall marry or mate with any other aside from their own kind.”

  “Excuse me, Mr. Wester—are you saying that one of my parents is a Bloodborne and could have potentially broken the governing laws? I mean, what if it was a human they fell in love with?”

  “Please call me Evan. As to answer your question, that’s not possible. Bloodbornes mate for eternity. Their love, even in spirit form, is drawn together. Some call it fate, others call it the will of the Father, but no matter—it is impossible for a Bloodborne to be in love with anyone other than their Blood mate.”

  “Like you and Karina?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I am also told that you and Jacob are bonding very quickly.” He released a sigh and sat back in his chair. “Jessie, as I mentioned before, you possess the abilities to be the best High Guard this clan has seen in a very long time. It is a great honor to carry such a title, and you will be spending a lot more time with Jacob. Which brings me to this unpleasant dilemma. Has Jacob told you about Bloodborne mates?”

  “Not really. I believe he mentioned something that Bloodbornes only mate with Bloodbornes.”

  “Bloodbornes only mate with other pure-blooded Bloodbornes. I’m sorry, Jessie, but you’re not a pure-blood, and the relationship between you and Jacob can remain nothing more than High Guard to Royal Heir. These are our laws, and have been since the dawn of our existence.”

  If there were any way to describe the knife that sliced its way deep into my heart, cutting and chopping, ripping and tearing away everything I love, I would have explained it. My mind went numb, unwilling to comprehend anything relevant other than those dark words—“you are not a pure-blood.”

  “I—” The words caught in my throat as it swelled with fear. For one moment of joy, one moment of hope, all had been washed away by a horrid storm that had hit my life. I sat there across from a man who didn’t know me from Eve, and yet, he knew more about me than I did myself. This world was not what I thought it to be. I inhaled a deep breath, closed my eyes tight, and fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

  “You will arise from the ashes, my Phoenix.” Those words lingered in my spirit, but gave me no comfort.

  “Jessie?” Evan placed both hands on the desk and clasped them together. “I understand this may be difficult for you, but we have no choice but to uphold our laws. The Bloodborne laws were put in place for a purpose, to keep our bloodline uncorrupted.”

  “I understand what you are telling me.” The words seemed more believable once they passed through my lips. I knew I had no other place to go. I couldn’t go back to my Grams, not with this new change. If I thought I didn’t fit in before, I was surely not going to fit in with any of the kids at Cypress Bay High School. My life truly sucked. “Fine.” I snorted. “I’ll do as you ask. I have no other choice.”

  “Jessie, it might appear to be harsh right now, but you’ll understand later. Take my advice, just focus on your training and education. You have the rest of the summer, try to enjoy it before school starts.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Wester.” I purposely had decided to keep names formal at this point. He’d made it clear to me that I would be no more than a handmaiden to the royal heir of the Bloodborne Clan. So be it.

  After l left Evan Wester’s office, I made it to my new home for the next few years. The room was small with enough space for a bed, desk, closet, and dresser. They didn’t miss anything; on the desk sat a brand-new laptop, lamp and alarm clock. My summer itinerary sat on top of the laptop, with a note reminding me that training started at eight am sharp. I headed over to the dresser and opened its drawers to find an array of undergarments. Next, I checked the closet, which contained regular clothing, shirts, and a school uniform. Blue skirt, white shirt, and a blue vest, clearly, I wasn’t surprised. Oh, and yes, there were black patent leather shoes to match.

  After I closed the door, I walked over to the bed and sat down. The main thing I had to focus on was to not cry—I refused to cry anymore. I had to grow up sometime, and today might as well be the day.

  For the rest of the day, I made sure to keep myself preoccupied and spaced my time where I wouldn’t run into Jacob. I ate dinner with Jen and her friends. It was okay. Turned out the other two girls were twins. They seemed nice, maybe a little overly pleasant, and it was apparent why they were close friends with Jen. They all were very chatty with one another, slightly teasing about boys. I think one of the girls had a crush on someone named Ben. For the entire time I spent with them, listening to their ramblings, I had forgotten about my own dilemmas.

  After dinner, Jen walked me back to my room and, of course, asked me about Jacob.

  “I mean, like, here—Jacob is every girl’s dream. Totally handsome and a Royal Heir.” The bed springs squeaked when she plopped down on it and bounced up and down a couple times. “I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I lied. I knew what she meant.

  “You’re not a pureblood, are you?” She looked me up and down, but her gaze was somewhat sad.

  “They aren’t sure. Something crazy happened during DNA testing.” I sat down at the desk and turned the chair around to face her.

  “I see. Well, just be careful, because there are some girls here who will fight you tooth and nail for Jacob.”

  “He’s not mine.” My voice sounded a bit sharp and venomous. “They can have him, I don’t care.”

  “You don’t? Really? Look, I’m telling you this for your own benefit. If you think the demons out there are going to be hard to fight, you haven’t seen anything compared to the bitches in here.” She leaned closer toward me. “It’s just a fair warning. Watch your step. They’re like vipers waiting to strike when they can, and will stop for nothing other than the chance to win the High Guard.”

  I shook my head. “But they want him? I mean—there can be only one for him.”

  “True, but no one knows who that one is. They assume it could be anyone who is a pure blood. So trust me, they will be happy to know you’re a half-blood.”

  “Jen, you realize that hurts—right?” I flinched, then pursed my lips together.

  “Sorry—I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’m just thinking how to keep them off your back. Just take my advice, train, and keep your head up. Don’t let them get to you. Okay?” Her perky voice gave me a sense of hope and, in some aspect—compromise.

  “Deal.” I nodded.

  She very gracefully hopped off the bed, almost as graceful as a ballerina. “Now, one more thing. Our Summer School starts tomorrow, and I’m sure they’ve already enrolled you for training. The die-hards who want the High Guard position will also begin Summer School. They don’t miss a chance to train and learn under Gordon. He’s the best, and everyone knows it.”

  Jen left shortly after eight. However, there was a “Lights Out” rule at eleven. This left me with the laptop, which I put to good use. One thing I missed was my cellphone, which probably got left behind somewhere at the campsite. It didn’t matter anymore. I couldn’t contact anyone I previously knew. A tightness gripped my heart again, for what it was worth—I missed my family dearly.

  A few random searches on the web resulted in nothing that I was remotely interested in reading. Just as I closed the laptop down, a soft knock rapped on my door. I stood and padded toward the door, only to notice someone had slid a note under my door. After I bent down and grabbed the note, I opened the door to see if I could catch the person. Not one single soul in sight, at least not on my floor. Quickly, I closed the door and opened the note.

  You don’t belong here, half-breed.

  Excellent—as if I had a choice. I balled the note up and threw it into the trash can. Gener
ally, in a small school, it took about a day or so before bad news traveled. Here, it took only a few hours before the dragons were at my door.

  After turning off the desk lamp, I crawled into the single-sized bed. Of course, falling asleep wasn’t going to be as easy as I had thought. A plethora of possibilities swarmed through my mind, each with different paths. However, each one ended the same way—no matter what the consequences I faced I would give it my best. How much worse could my life be? I’d already died, and lost the family I loved.

  To make matters worse, the only guy I’d ever really liked, and felt attracted to, for that matter—I wasn’t good enough for him. Yeah, the old me had died, and it was time to bury her. It was time for the new me to take over, and she wasn’t going to be anyone’s bitch.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ∆

  Sunrise had barely crept through the window when my alarm clock sounded off its annoying buzzing. There was a reason why clock alarms sounded the way they did—the masochistic people who designed them loved to torture other people. After clearing my heart from my throat, I shut off the alarm, then turned it over to adjust the volume. I sat on the bed for a long moment, attempting to gather my thoughts that had been previously scared off due to the angry buzzer. An irritated groan rumbled in my throat as I threw the covers back and unwilfully climbed out of bed.

  Outside the dorm room, the footsteps of other girls filled the hallway, who were probably on their way to breakfast. My first class was Weapons History—it sounded like I wasn’t going to dress in gym clothes, so after slipping into the school uniform, I double-checked myself in the mirror. I looked like one of the regulars here, no doubt about it. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail, and the first stop was the bathroom before I headed downstairs to breakfast.

  Breakfast turned out to be pretty much the same every day. I didn’t mind—I enjoyed having the choice. Jen waved her hand frantically in the air, then motioned for me to come sit at their table. At least someone liked me here, other than the one who possibly left me the note, or the one who liked me but couldn’t—well, it could have been worse. I gave Jen a smile, then headed in her direction when another girl walking toward me bumped my shoulder—hard. It was jarring enough to unsettle my plate, and yes—I dropped it on the floor.