Blood Cursed (27 page)

34

Scorching wind buffeted my wings, and my head thudded into red dirt. Stormclouds boiled the sky, black and scarlet like bruised flesh, shedding bloodtainted shadows that crawled and hissed. Thunder threatened, dark and steamy, and somewhere unseen creatures cackled and moaned.

I rolled in choking dust, coughing, and ash glued my mouth sour. I dragged myself to sitting, palms scraping raw. Ange’s garden was gone. A red gravel plain stretched before me, warped in the heat like a lurid planetscape, and dust swirled, obscuring the fiery horizon, stinging my wings and raking my eyeballs hot.

My bones ached, aflame, and my new vampire senses fired hard with warning. Hell. Kane had sent me to hell for defying him.

And I wasn’t alone.

Beside me, Diamond choked and crawled to hands and knees. His wings dragged bright ruts in the gravel. Red dust coated his battered body, and pinkglow blood seeped from a hundred cuts and scrapes. But he was whole. Real. Alive.

Relief drowned my spluttering heart, and I cracked an exhausted smile, my newly long teeth scarring my lips. I hadn’t bled him to death. It didn’t make sense. I didn’t care. “Hey. Prettyfae. You okay?”

“Like you care.” Diamond’s tone razored me raw.

I gaped. “What?”

He dragged himself to his feet, and his accusing berry eyes scorched me cold. “I said, like you give a shit. This is hell, Ember. I’m dead. You killed me.”

Hot guilt squeezed my guts. “I didn’t mean it! You know that. God, if I could take it back, I w—”

“Sure. Whatever. You didn’t
mean
to let Jasper screw you, either. Didn’t
mean
to kill your little bloodfae boyfriend. Hell, I’ll bet you didn’t even
mean
to sleep with me so you could screw me over.” He leaned closer, stained with blood and dust and the scorching red glitter of disgust. “You’re just one big useless accident, Ember. Fuck you.”

I stammered, but inside my soul howled in denial.

Lightning scarred the sky, a rage-filled crack of thunder, and the earth shuddered and tilted beneath me.

I yelled, scrabbling for a hold. Rocks and dirtclumps rained as the ground broke open, a deafening rumble. A dark chasm split wide, the other side groaning away behind me into stormy blackness.

Gravel scraped my belly as I slid downward. I clawed in sick terror, desperate for something to hold. Rocks jabbed bleeding under my claws and ripped them away. I strove with my wings for lift, but swirling wind and falling rocks slapped them churlishly aside.

At the top, Diamond watched me, unmoving.

“Please. Help me.” The wind tore my words from my lips, hurling them up to him stained in terror and bloody remorse.

But he just wiggled his fingers in a wave and walked away.

I screamed, torn raw with anguish and fear. My elbow struck a rocky ledge. I clutched wildly, and at last my bleeding fingers found purchase. I hugged the ledge and hung there, legs flailing, and beneath me the hell-chasm boiled scarlet and black in the bloody stink of charcoal. Frightful screams of torment ripped on the wind, souls trapped in eternal torture.

My nerves shrieked, and I fought to control my breath.
Don’t look, Ember. Don’t look down.

I looked down.

Flesh rending, blood spurting, the throaty rip of muscle from bone. My stomach lurched, and I tore my gaze away.

I struggled until my biceps screamed in frustration, but I couldn’t haul myself up. The wailing wind tore at my wings, threatening to drag me into dusty oblivion. Fatigue weakened me, and in my grip rock crumbled. I couldn’t get purchase. Even with my new vampire energy, I wasn’t strong enough.

I collapsed against the shuddering wall, dirt in my face, clutching the crumbling ledge under one weak, agony-crippled arm. Kane’s words to me slithered in my bowels, cruel torment.
Want your precious fairy boy so much? Go get him.

Tears sizzled dry on my cheeks. Kane had taunted me. Let me think I still had a chance to keep Diamond alive. But Diamond had left me here. I’d killed him to save my own useless skin, and he hated me for it. I couldn’t blame him. And now I was in hell, alone.

No one could save me but me.

Hell howled beneath me, the pit bubbling and reeking like a witch’s foul cauldron, rank with the screams of the damned. Charcoal clogged my nose, and thunder rumbled the stormy air with the sick stink of inevitability. My wings hung limp and useless. My muscles cried for rest, silence, death, and I stared up at the chasm’s distant edge and my heart quailed in despair.

It looked so far. So difficult, all bumps and sharp edges and sheer beyond-vertical rock. I’d never make it, not on my own.

It’d be so easy to let go. Fall into the pit of torment. Take what I deserved.

But in my head, Big Em snorted in disgust, wild scarlet hair flaming bright.
Get a grip, Emmy. You’ve beaten Famine. Survived the virus. Lived through a vampire’s cruel appetite. And you’ve got a beautiful fairy boy who thinks you’re the shit, god help him.

“He’s dead!” I gritted the words out over guilt like broken glass, tears slashing my cheeks. “He hates me! You heard him. What’s the point?”

Yeah, I heard him.
Big Em stared me down, glitter-bright and hard.
Eloquent, wasn’t he?

“Don’t you dare make f—”

Think, Little Em. He said “you killed me.” When did you ever hear him talk like that?

Dust clotted my teeth in doubt.
You killed me.
Not
You deadified
or
I’m cactus
or anything else weird and jumbled like he’d say.

Bingo. How many cute little Diamond-isms did you hear in that speech? That’s right. None. That wasn’t him talking, Emmy. That was you.

I sucked in gritty air, ashen hellstink like acid, and understanding burst like sunlight.

He wasn’t real. This wasn’t real. It was all a dirty demon helltrick. And I’d come this close to falling for it. To letting myself drop into the pit, where Kane could eat my soul.

I hadn’t succumbed to Kane’s temptation in the garden. He didn’t own me yet. He’d sent me to hell, but he couldn’t make me stay. Not unless I surrendered. He was still trying to trick me into saying yes.

Well, fuck that.

Big Em smiled and winked at me, her green eyes sparkling. In the scorching light of hellfire, Big Em looked a lot like me. She always had. I’d just been too afraid to let myself be her.

Yeah. That’s right. So screw you, if you can’t even crawl a few blinking yards up a wall by yourself. Do you want to save your soul and get back to your boy before he dies, or not?

I gritted my teeth and dragged myself out of the pit, hand over shaking hand.

My claws ripped. My muscles screeched in protest. But I made it.

And when I reached the top, and my cheek thudded exhausted into the dust, the air shrieked with Kane’s bloody frustration, and on an angry crack of sulfurtainted lightning, I whirled flashblind into the sky and tumbled back into the real world.

35

I slammed into the floor facefirst, my skull rattling.

Cool air caressed my hellscorched skin. The screech of wind subsided, replaced by the steady rush of rain on iron.

My skin was clean, no dust, no grazing rocks. And the hellfire eating my bones was gone. No pain, no itch, no evil ashen stink. Like it never burned.

I blinked, dizzy, and wobbled to my feet. The basement where Rosa had infected me. Dusty boxes, junk, the chair where I’d sat with my ropes still stained with blood.

Beside me, Diamond sprawled bleeding.

My heart lurched. I dived to my knees, cradling his head in my lap. His hair spilled lifeless over my thighs, that rainbow glitter faded. His vital scent wafted weak, even with my new vampire senses. I rubbed my cheek over his lips, and faint warmth greeted me. Hope shone dim on my heart. He was breathing. Just.

My pulse gibbered cold. I’d beaten Kane’s lies. Diamond couldn’t die now. I stroked his face, his hair, burying my nose in that fading rosepetal glory. His eyes jerked left and right under fluttering lids, and he murmured and fidgeted in his sleep, some vile dream that shivered his spine and broke his skin in sweat. Maybe Kane taunted him, too. Tried to make him believe I’d deserted him.

Desperate emptiness pressed cold inside. I’d escaped damnation because I’d believed he didn’t hate me. Because I wouldn’t let my fear destroy me. And now, I wanted him more desperately than ever.

He unlocked me. Dissolved the prison of my fear, and now I walked free under the stars. He’d shown me the best part of myself, and I didn’t need anyone anymore.

But being without him thrust hollow despair into my heart.

He was crazy, ridiculous, a wild fairy madman with a killer smile and fuck-’em-all courage that melted my defenses to mush. Such a bright, glittering star, to flicker out in a dusty basement because of me.

We’d known each other such a short time. This melting need in my heart couldn’t be love.

But without him, my peace lay shattered in shards. Whatever this was, it was stupid. It was insane. It was beautiful. And I wanted more.

Wildly I shook my head, tears flowing faster. I pressed my lips to his, seeking his warmth, his love, the warm comfort of his pulse and his skin on mine. I bit my tongue, pain slashing, my vampire blood trickling between his lips and linking us like a lifeline. Only a little bit, not enough to give him the virus. It had healed me. Maybe it’d heal him, too.

The wound in my mouth healed, and desperately I bit again, over and over until the blood flowed hot down his throat.

It hurt. I didn’t care. I’d vowed I’d never share my blood again. Never give myself so completely to anyone. But Diamond could have it all, to the last shimmering drop if it’d bring him back.

I kissed him, desperate. “Wake up. Come back to me. I can’t do it without you.”

And he choked and gasped, and his wet ruby eyes sprang open.

Hot tears spilled gratitude down my cheeks, and I folded against him, my muscles at last giving out.

Breathy laughter shook his chest, and his fingers slid weakly into my hair. “I’m guessifying this inn’t hell, then.”

I couldn’t speak. I just held him, and he held me, and outside the rain fell.

36

I tilted my head back, hot nightclub lights blinding me, and emptied the glimmering scarlet vial into my mouth.

Liquid slimed my tongue, salty and warm, tingling like fairyglitter but thick as blood. It crawled and slithered in my mouth, an animal searching for food. I gagged, my eyes watering. But I forced my lips shut with my fingers, and with a gritty squirm the antidote to Diamond’s vampire poison uncoiled like a hot worm and dived down my throat.

My stomach cramped, and I doubled over, panting. “Fuck a duck. You sure this stuff works?”

The blue fairy spellworker simpered and giggled, coppery wings jittering in glee. “Worky work, yes yes. No more poison.” He stroked a claw down my cheek, and sniffed my hair, his curled nose twitching. “Curious. Bloodfairy bloodsucker. Make a fine sparkly or three. Sure I can’t have a tasty?”

“Don’t you tryify.” Diamond snarled, glassy teeth flashing, and pushed the blue fairy off me. Strobes glinted bright magenta warning in his eyes. We’d fed him, gotten his strength back. It didn’t take long, not with that hit of vampire blood. He was tough, my handsome fairy prince.

The blue fairy stumbled and scowled, witchy fingers wriggling in a mock hex. “Snarkypoo you. There’s gratitude for you. Fixed your girly, didn’t I?” And he poked out his pointed green tongue and turned away.

“Wait.” I swallowed and touched his arm. “The bloodfever. I … can you cure it?”

The fairy smirked, twirling long bronze hair around his finger. “Maybe. What’s it worth to ya?”

Diamond slid his smooth arm around my shoulder, tugging me with him. “He’s gaming. Don’t hearify.”

But my strength almost matched his now I was a vampire. I resisted, my veins twitching. I had to know. “What’s your price?”

The fairy leaned closer, and sniffed my collarbone, licking wet green lips. “Mmm. Blood, of course. It’ll make some fine spelltricks. And I’ll need a lot. Testing, you know. Mixing and stirring and sipping the tastiness.” His eyes glittered greedy yellow. “You’ve got plenty. Just a bottle or two a week. No loss.”

I jerked back, sick. “No, thanks.”

This time, I really was done selling my blood. Even if it meant I’d have to live like this forever.

The fairy shrugged. “Suit yourself. Change your mind, let me know.” He blew Diamond a sparkling green kiss, and fluttered into the dark.

Diamond glanced at me, hot ruby eyes unreadable. “You sure?”

I swallowed again, dry and hungry. “No. Who the hell was that weirdo?”

“No one. Just a—”

“Business associate? Right. I get it. Let’s go.” His business had just become more complicated, what with Ange sick and vengeful and Kane sullen that Diamond and I had gotten away from him.

Were we hiding? Not exactly. It’s hard to hide when you’re a six-foot-three flashypink gangster and a bloodfairy with fangs. What we’d do next, who knew? But I’d never known Diamond at a loss for an idea. Even if it was a crazy, irresponsible, fuck-the-rules idea. Part of what I liked about him.

We wandered, his hand hot and smooth in mine, and uncertainty slid cool into my bones. Sweet nightclub smoke misted, vibrating with the steady beat, lasers spearing bright. It hadn’t taken them long once the rain cooled everything off and power was restored to get the club started again. Bodies crushed, a fleshy temptation, the sugary scent of breath and sweat and sex. Dancers flashed snapshots in the strobes, flushed rainbow wings, shining limbs, glittering jewelpierced skin and painted lips. The smell of blood watered my mouth, and my hungry fangs sprang tight.

I gripped Diamond’s hand harder, his rosy scent a not entirely safe distraction. The fever wasn’t as awful as I’d feared. I think my vampirebait blood tamed the virus faster than a human’s would. Maybe Diamond’s poison helped me fight back, too. Perhaps in time, the virus might die and I’d be back to normal. After all, I’d never once met a bloodfairy vampire.

I didn’t know. But for now, wild hunger still gnawed at me, and my skin burned, and I wandered dazed in a perpetual state of confusion and horniness.

Which brought me to my current problem.

I tugged him into a corner, worms wriggling in my belly that had nothing to do with fever or poison or slitherweird fairy cures. I tried to look into his eyes, but my gaze kept slipping, my belly warm. He wore faded jeans and a scruffy slashed-off shirt, and he looked gorgeous. Lord, he was beautiful, those curving glass cheekbones and glowing skin, his hair a glittering glory. Too beautiful for me. His face still shone pale, tired, his translucent veins shining purple with fatigue. But he’d be okay. Luckily, I hadn’t taken too much.

At least, I hadn’t this time.

But I didn’t trust my hunger. I didn’t trust my desire for him. Next time, I might not be able to stop.

I wrung my hands in my lap. I’d been working up to this conversation with Jasper, but I’d never imagined this. “Look. Umm … This isn’t gonna work. You and me, I mean.”

His pupils glittered silver. “Uh-huh.”

I stuttered, dazzled. “I—that is, I like you and everything … .”

“Uh-huh.” He drifted closer, warm and rosy.

I swallowed, my skin tingling, and backed off, but my wings pressed against the warm metal wall. “Yeah. And I’ve had … kind of a good time … .”

“Uh-huh.” He brushed hair from my cheek, a gentle caress that quivered me hot.

“Mmm. Y’know, except for nearly dying. That wasn’t so great. But—”

“How ’bout the kissing?” He glided his body against mine, curling his wings over us in a roseglow cocoon. “The kissing part was dead awful.”

“I wouldn’t say
dead
awful—”

“And the sex. All that lick and touch and suck. I really hatified that bit.”

“Mmm.” My mouth watered, and heat flowed tight in my belly. He was even more irresistible with my new vampire senses. His pulse throbbed in my hypersensitive ears, his scent a luscious torrent. He felt so warm and smooth against me, his strong thighs, his chest, the warm insistence of his hardening cock. God, was he ever not hot for me? “Yeah. Rotten. Listen, about that—”

“And the part where you swallowed my blood with me inside you.” He dipped his head to brush soft lips on my shoulder, and the warm tingle of his breath made me shiver. “Dunno how I bearified that.”

I gasped, breathless as he trailed kisses under my chin. “But … I nearly killed you. I can’t—”

“Still alive, inn’t I?” He leaned into me with a satisfied murmur, and the way his cock pressed against my thigh, he clearly was.

I wanted to kiss him, strip and feel our bodies naked. Pin him down, crush my teeth into his throat and drink until I died. “But … didn’t it hurt?”

“Like a motherfucker. Not the pointificality.”

“But … but I thought you hated it. Bloodsuckers, I mean.”

“Not when you do it. See this?” He caught my fingers and pressed them to his palm, his wrist, where tiny scars sliced his hot skin. “Hurting is good. It’s how I do. I can takify.”

My fingertips tingled over the light bumps, not straight like razorcuts but rough clawmarks. I swallowed, strange desire melting my belly. “You do that yourself?”

“Not anymore.” And he slid long fingers into my hair and pulled my mouth to his.

His lips tempted mine, all hot and smooth and soft, and when his tongue brushed my lips, my resolve dissolved in molten wanting. I opened my mouth, letting him inside one last time. Tingling delight spread from our kiss all through my body. I ached, hunger and desire stirring together, burning bright until I couldn’t tell which was which.

It didn’t feel like one last time. It felt like the beginning.

His kiss dragged such desperate need from my heart that I tore away, gasping. My fangs pricked sharp in my gums, straining for contact. “Diamond, stop it. I’m trying to tell you it’s over.”

His mouth quivered an inch from mine like he didn’t want to restrain himself. “Do you wantify it over?”

“Do you want a vampire girlfriend?”

“You’re not a vampire girlfriend. You’re you. And I. Want. You.” He pinned my wrists to the wall and our lips collided again, hard and passionate until glitter blinded me and my body thrilled tight with desire. He searched for my teeth, raking his tongue across my hungry fangtips, and blood burst into my mouth, glowing rubyhot with his glorious fairy flavor.

I groaned and sucked on his tongue, feeding on the twin gifts of his blood and his pleasure. My mouth burned mintbright, flavor seeping down my throat, and my stomach growled in satisfaction. And then he gentled the kiss, slowing me down until I could breathe, and our lips caressed together over and over, so sweet and close and warm, I shivered.

His tenderness burst like sunlight in my heart. Tears pressed my lids, and I swallowed, stupid. God, I was crying again. A moment of compassion and I’m in pieces.

He kissed the wetness away, his fingers sliding between mine. “Sayify you don’t like me.”

“Huh?” I licked my lips, breathless, his heady flavor intoxicating me.

“Sayify I’m a lousy gangbanging freak and what I do for a living sickifies you.”

“Huh? No. I mean, we’re all on the game here—”

“Or I just don’t do it for you and making love to me was dead-rat borificating.”

I goggled, confused. “What? No, I—”

“I smell bad? You don’t like pink? Glass itchifies your skin?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Then I guess you’re all out of excusificality.”

“I’m not making excuses—”

“Then what?”

“It’s just—”

“Just nothing.” His smile turned wicked, sparkling my spine with desire. “Gotta warnify, though. I kinda like you. Offscaring me won’t be easyfied.”

I laughed. “Just you wait. I’ll irrit your flashy pink ass off until you’re dying for a moment’s peace.”

He swept me close, his lips an inch from mine, and his whisper vibrated through my body, so warm and safe. “Is that a yes?”

Such a beautiful, crazy fairy, all mine. To think I’d imagined him shallow.

I nodded, and locked my wrists around his neck, and whispered into his mouth on a kiss. “Yes.”

He responded, lingering, and rubbed his cheek in my hair, a contented fairy burble warbling in his throat. “Don’t be fearified, angel. I’m not.”

I tilted my head up, his glittering glass hair falling over my shoulders, and gazed into his hotflash eyes.

And I wasn’t either.