Half Blood Rising: (Moonlight Academy Book 1)

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  “Why did you do that?” I asked, but my voice vibrated with emotion. I was flustered, ready to throw myself at him, sink my fangs into his neck, but I had to leave.

  “I just wanted to know if you helped me because you wanted to, or because you needed to,” he said.

  I moved past him and headed towards the door. I had to escape this heat, the desire that was slowly turning me into a monster who needed to drink blood. The problem was, he didn’t let me leave. He grabbed my elbow and spun me around. His mouth was on mine again, and this time, his kiss was rough, hard, and it left me breathless. I felt him kissing me everywhere. My unbridled desire was slowly turning into liquid fire.

  His fingers wondered to the waistband of my jeans, sliding across my bare skin, and down, further and further.

  “And did you find out?” I asked against his lips.

  “Yes, and it’s because you can’t deny your attraction towards me,” he growled, dragging his lips along my jawline and slightly biting my neck. I arched my head backwards, moaning, and I was desperate to taste him again. His finger caressed the side of my lace underwear. I wanted him to rip the rest of my clothes off—I didn’t care anymore.

  His fangs grazed my pulse, then he licked the blood that pooled around it. Dark cravings for his life’s essence floated through me. It felt like every nerve inside my body was suddenly alive, ready to be taken and punished. The small voice inside my head kept whispering that I was ready.

  The sharp points of his teeth pressed further into my skin, and I was slowly melting away. Our energy and electricity sharpened my body, pouring through my core as he pierced through my soft flesh. A loud and truly erotic moan escaped my mouth.

  I wanted him so much, but that thought scared the hell out of me. Lachlan’s mouth latched onto my neck as he began drinking, at the same time, thrusting his hips forward. He was hard as a rock, and my entire body began shaking uncontrollably.

  As he was drinking from me, I realised it was the most amazing feeling I’d ever experienced. My core was throbbing with desire so deep and so intense, that I was breaking from the inside out.

  My moans became desperate as images, flashbacks, began rolling in front of my eyes. It was all so good, and then I began to understand that what I was seeing was the past.

  Someone was carrying me. He was a mage or a vampire, but I couldn’t tell. I was standing in the distance, observing as an outsider. My skin was pale, and there was a deep wound in the juncture of my neck, blood drying where it had pooled down my throat and onto my shirt. A vampire had bitten me, it was obvious. I was seeing fresh cuts on my arms, too. This was a very strange dream, or it was possible I was reliving the past again.

  The vampire carried me towards a group of fae in the forest; they were standing in line, silent and proud. There was a large Manor House behind them that looked like a shimmering magical castle from where I was standing. It was late evening, the sun had already set, but this place was only just starting to wake up. Tiny creatures that appeared to be miniature faeries were flying and spreading golden dust around.

  I wanted this dream or flashback to end, because, for some reason, I didn’t want to see what they were planning to do to me.

  The vampire bowed in front of a tall blond fae. He reminded me a lot of Lachlan, but no, it couldn’t have been him. He was just similar looking. This vampire was young, broad in his shoulders and very handsome. Maybe he was somehow related to Lachlan, or I could have been imagining the familiarity.

  “Vampires aren’t welcome here, and you’re putting my people in danger, bringing a newly turned to my land,” the tall fae said.

  Was he the king of all fae, or just their ruler? He looked so majestic, holding some sort of long staff filled with magic in his right hand. I sensed it, I wasn’t sure how, but I did. That fae was powerful, and possibly extremely old.

  “She’s not yet turned, she’s only a half-breed,” the vampire said. “Do you remember our agreement, Dorian? This one is strong; human blood flows through her veins. I want you to make her half-fae, so she will have both magic and bloodlust.”

  In that moment, the fae began whispering amongst themselves, staring at me with fear and amazement. I was still hanging in his arms, somewhere between dead and alive.

  I couldn’t believe that this was really happening. So, this was how it all started for me? The vampire had sharp features, but half of his face had some sort of deformation. I’d only just noticed it. Maybe he was using charms to cover it, to appear normal looking to outsiders. He placed me on the grass in front of the Fae King.

  “You’re risking a lot; she won’t survive the ceremony as others have. Your blood has tainted her, you will only put her through unnecessary pain,” the fae king said, but his eyes shimmered with bright blue light.

  “Do it, Dorian, time is running out,” the vampire insisted. “And it’s not my blood that courses through her veins. It’s ancient blood. He believes she’s strong enough to withstand your magic.”

  The other fae seemed excited.

  For a long moment, Dorian wasn’t saying anything. He was just watching me, and his staff burned with energy.

  “Callisto, bring the potion,” Dorian said, this time speaking to a female fae who stood to his right. “If the human dies, then she will be your responsibility.” I could sense the excitement in the air, something was going to happen.

  The vampire backed away as the king pointed his magical staff towards my lifeless body. My back suddenly arched as energy began beaming out of me. I was in pain, so much pain, but my screams were silent, no one could understand what was going on with me. I was in between worlds, suffering and waiting for it all to end.

  I was the only one feeling his magic rushing through my veins. He was trying to break the vampire bond, rip it away, and replace it with strong magic—his magic.

  “There is fae magic inside of her, but the ancient’s blood is stronger. Her vitals are dropping, and she’s going to die. She has been weakened by his torture.” the Fae King was saying, but he didn’t stop feeding me with his energy. My body was now levitating several feet above the ground as the magic was pulsating along the surface of my skin. Everyone was watching as my strength was slowly diminishing.

  They were going to kill me, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, because I was only an observer. This couldn’t have been the past. I didn’t want to see myself dying like that. The vampire was pacing around, dragging his hand through his hair and staring. He wanted Dorian to succeed. He had a desperate expression on his face.

  Several minutes later, another female fae appeared. She was wearing a beautiful blue gown and had strange markings on her skin. She held a steaming, stone-carved mug in her hands. Dorian noticed her, and he stopped hurting me.

  “This potion should awaken her fae genes, if it’s not too late,” the beautiful creature said. She whispered something else to the king.

  I was too weak to survive this ceremony, the puncture wounds opened, and I was losing so much blood. The female approached me, then opened my mouth slightly and poured the contents of the steaming mug inside my mouth. I was unconscious, she must have used her magic to make me swallow it.

  Then she backed away, and for several long moments, everyone continued to watch me. A ridiculously long moment of silence filled the space. I was holding my breath until magic zipped through my lifeless body. Everyone noticed and probably felt it, too.

  My body started convulsing, shaking, and changing. I was lifted above the ground, then screamed, only half-conscious, half-lucid. Was this even possible? Could this work? Ancient magic cooperating with a magical fae potion? Maybe there was still a chance.

  Bright, yellow, then red-and-blue light beamed out of me. I was screaming, waking up, and feeling the changes inside me. I was half-vampire, already turned, but the fae magic was stronger. Encouraging the change, splitting my cells in half.

  My screams became desperate until I collapsed on the grass, soaked with sweat, and not breath
ing until my eyes slammed open.

  I knew in that moment that my transformation was complete because my eyes shone with fae light. I had become half-vampire and half-fae.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Truth.

  I was back in the room, taking long ragged breaths, mildly aware that Lachlan was still drinking my blood. Dull heat flared between my breasts, and I didn’t dare move. My primal instincts were aware of everything that was going on, as my fingers traced the line of his neck. It took me another few seconds to realise that the previous images in my mind were my lost memories.

  Somehow, I still had no idea, but I pulled myself away from his irresistible fangs, remembering the memory of my transformation.

  Lachlan looked like a real monster then, shocked, and still filled with hunger for more. My blood was dripping from his mouth, his pupils were dilated, and his hard cock was pressed against my navel. I swallowed hard, trying not to stare, because, hell, I wanted him inside me so damn much. This was my vampire nature aching for more contact. His touch was electrical, like standing next to a live wire. I just couldn’t get enough, I needed him to fill me and relieve the throbbing between my thighs. His bite had awakened my memories, and so much more, more than I’d ever realised. Maybe he was somehow connected to the vampire who’d attacked me. I needed to figure this out on my own.

  “This is not happening, no. You hate me, and now you’re kissing me,” I said, touching my fiery cheeks. I was confused with what was happening to my own body. How could I want him?

  He wiped his mouth with his hand and took a step towards me. He didn’t seem to care that I said no.

  “You taste better than I ever imagined, stop denying it, hen. I know you want to shag me, too,” he said, lowering his voice, tipping up my chin, so I couldn’t avoid looking at him.

  “No, I can’t be around you right now. This isn’t good for me,” I said and then pushed him off me. Seconds later, I took off running, and yeah, maybe this was crazy, but I needed to get away from him. We would screw each other, and then I would regret it later.

  Lachlan had hated me from the very beginning, and he didn’t trust me. Maybe that changed because I was loyal to the academy and didn’t want him to die. Right now, I didn’t trust myself around him. I walked outside and ended up on the terrace, breathing in the cold air.

  Before I awoke on the street with no recollection of who I was, I had a life, a loving human family. These memories, even if they were only glimpses from the past, they proved what I’d always known deep inside. Once I was far away from that irresistible vamp, my head was spinning away. All these thoughts and memories were still so fresh. I never truly believed I could be half-fae. Regardless of what Oldman and several others had mentioned about my magic, I didn’t think it was possible. But now I had the answers I’d longed for, searched for, but now I wasn’t sure how to process them just yet. My vampire nature dominated, and yet the magic inside me was so different than the energy of any other creature. Things were slowly starting to make sense.

  On top of that, my entire body was still pulsing with desire, so raw and so hot, that I thought I’d have to start pleasing myself. Several drops of sweat rolled down my face. What was wrong with me? I’d allowed him to bite me, and I loved every moment of it.

  In the end, I went back to my room I shared with Karina. It was still dark outside, and she was fast asleep. I decided to take a cold shower. The images of Lachlan thrusting his hard erection inside me began spinning through my mind again, until the freezing stream of water hit my body. It all stopped there, and I stood under the cold water for a good half an hour, shaking, until my body was numb, until I couldn’t think about him any longer.

  Why was Lachlan so significant, and why was I only getting the understanding of who I was when we were exchanging bodily fluids? It was possible this had something to do with the fact he was a vampire, too. I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

  Later on, once dressed and freshened up, I decided to talk to Oldman about what I’d learnt, about these whirling memories in my head. I couldn’t sleep anyway, and the lights in her office were still on. I had to keep my mouth shut about the fact that Lachlan had drunk from me. I didn’t want anyone to know I’d become attracted to him. It was time to reach out for help, and she was the only other person I trusted here, besides Karina, but Oldman was fae.

  It was very late in the evening, and everyone apart from Karina was still awake. Dimitry was playing the guitar, humming some sort of song to himself. We all needed to rest before the next mission. Dorothy was still missing, so our job in Moscow was nowhere near done.

  I wasn’t in the mood for socialising, and, besides, Lachlan would show up any minute, and I wanted to avoid him. Marco probably already suspected I was crushing on the handsome Scott. I knocked on Dimitry’s office door, the office Oldman was now occupying. She seemed to be busy working on something, and I didn’t want to be a nuisance. My heart was thumping way too quickly inside my chest.

  “What is it, Jaymin?” she asked, not lifting her head from her paperwork.

  “I need to talk to you about something,” I said to her, not waiting for her to invite me in to sit. I just sat in the available chair in front of the desk, seeing Dimitry’s photos everywhere. He was an adventurous guy outside of work it seemed. Oldman was glowing, and I wondered if I ever looked like that. As a half-vampire, I was pale, but I never thought I was beautiful.

  When she finally met my gaze, her tensed features relaxed. “Something happened? You’re causing me to be a bit concerned, Jaymin.”

  “It’s nothing to worry about. At least, I hope not,” I said, trying to gather myself to tell her the truth. “It’s about my past. Recently, I managed to regain some of my memories, and I’m trying to piece it all together.”

  Deep down, I thought I would rebel. I’d been frustrated all these years because I hadn’t made any progress. It shocked me that I was so calm.

  She frowned and folded her hands together, meaning she was willing to listen to me. “What do you mean, you recently acquired new memories?”

  Damn it. I knew she wasn’t going to let that one go. My encounter with Lachlan made me uncomfortable, but there was no way I was going to admit to having any feelings for him. What happened between us was because of my half-vampire nature—I couldn’t resist him. There was nothing human about that. Or fae, rather? I supposed I no longer had human genes. It was all so confusing.

  “Let’s not dwell on who or what triggered them. The bottom line is, someone, a vampire, turned me first, and then he took me to some sort of fae court. I’m half-fae and half-vampire. I had a real family before I lost all my memories and ended up on the street,” I blurted out, thinking that there was no point beating around the bush.

  Oldman’s eyes widened, and she shifted in her chair, releasing some magic. Maybe that was the main reason why I felt it when we were around each other. Apparently other vampires weren’t so sensitive. The pure breeds could only detect others like them.

  “You believe you’re a half-vampire and half-fae? Impossible,” she whispered, rising from her chair.

  “I don’t think so, I know I am. These memories were real, and I saw my family. I believe it was my mother’s side who was fae, but she appeared to be human. She didn’t want anything to do with the fae, because my father was human, and she wanted to keep me away from magic. This is all still very new and complicated for me. I sort of dreamed about my transformation, but it was more of a vision than a dream, as I’m certain it happened four years ago. The vampire who turned me was an ancient, and I became his experiment,” I explained, sweating way too much.

  Oldman exhaled sharply, then began pacing around the room. Well, that was a good sign, at least she believed me.

  “I mean, when I saw you for the first time, I knew you were special, but I never imagined such a creature could ever survive. What that vampire did was illegal. The High Council would have punished him. I have heard about such experiments,
but I always believed they were just rumours.”

  “Yeah, well, the fae thought I was going to die, but then I was given a potion that seemed to turn things around. It was some kind of fae court in the middle of the forest. I had no other memories of my previous life. Four years ago, I woke up on the streets of Lviv already turned, assuming I was half-vampire. It was a tough life, and I adapted, but I would love to meet the bastard who stole my human life, to see him punished.” I clenched my fists so hard that I cut circulation to my fingers.

  Well, I wanted to kill him, I didn’t see any other option.

  “You’re a hybrid who is not supposed to exist,” she said, “and the school will help you change your life around, but I’m more concerned about why they chose you. Your life may still be in danger, so we need to be very careful from now on. We cannot advertise what you are, Jaymin.”

  “Have you told anyone else about me?” I asked her, thinking about Lachlan’s father. For some reason, he gave me the creeps. There was something about him that scared me, the way he was staring at me, but I doubted he was involved.

  Oldman was right; someone had chosen me, and they were probably still watching me or observing me from a safe distance. I always made sure I never got attached to anyone. Melody was an exception; she was a real witch, and she wouldn’t use me like that.

  “No, of course not, and I’m planning to keep it that way. The school is founded by the High Council, but they don’t need to know your business. You’re my asset,” she said proudly, and that caused warmth to spread throughout my chest.

  “Okay, good. Anyway, that was pretty much it. I’m just trying to piece together the rest of my previous life,” I said, standing from my chair. She grabbed my hand, and a jolt of electricity moved through my body.