Blood Legacy (PULSE Vampire Series #6) (8 page)

“It could be worse,” said Kalina, shuddering. “What if it had been Molotov’s blood? Already he’s got to Justin…” Saying it out loud made it more real. Tears came to her eyes and froze into snowflake on her lashes. “But you’ll be able to save him, won’t you?” Octavius had always come through for her before – she had to believe that he would come through for us again. She had to believe there was hope for Justin. “You won’t let him become a minion of Molotov’s, would you?” Her lips were trembling, pale and blue with the cold.

“I don’t know,” Octavius whispered. “I wish I could tell you sweet words to make the pain go away, my sweet Kal, but I cannot bear to lie to you. I do not know what will happen to your brother. I can only wait – and hope – and have faith…”

“I’m praying for him,” the droplet-snowflakes were falling fast down Kalina’s nose, wetting her fingers. “Right now. Will you pray for him too?”

He squeezed her hand. “I will, my love.”

“Then we have to go back,” she leaned into him. “Find out what happened.”

He nodded.

“Then I’m ready,” Kalina stood up, swaying as she did so. She was still dizzy from the blood loss and the pain. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 8

T
he sun was beginning to spread its tendrils across the sky. Dragonish clouds of yellow and orange, purple and pink, were rising with the dawn. The air grew warmer as the moon faded away, and Kalina felt the sun glimmer upon her face. She looked up. The mountain was high above them, its peak so high up that she couldn’t even make it out. Had she really fallen so far? She sighed. How could she bring herself to go back? To see Justinsize

That would make it real. And she couldn’t let it be real. She couldn’t even say the words out loud to herself: Justin was dead. Molotov had fed him his blood. Justin would turn. No, it couldn’t be true – it couldn’t! It was all a bad dream, some terrible nightmare. Justin was safe at home, safe and sound in his bed, nothing was wrong…

A
nd if she hadn’t left him in the dining room, if only she hadn’t gone off with Stuart, if only she hadn’t given into her lust.

“It’s better if you get on my back,” Octavius was saying, rubbing her back with his fingers. Her body tingled as he massaged her taut, tense shoulders; she melted into him. He knelt down before her, his broad muscular back welcoming her. She tentatively stepped onto his shoulders, curling her legs around his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their proximity galvanized her. Feeling Octavius’ skin against hers, feeling his closeness, drove her mad. She wanted him; she wanted to melt into him. She wanted him to protect her, to make everything all right. She couldn’t let herself think of Justin now; she couldn’t bear it! She just wanted to close her eyes and breathe in Octavius’ musky, intoxicating smell, press her nose against him chest and breathe him in. All of him. She felt his blood coursing through her, her whole body shaking with the force of her desire for him. He was inside her; his blood was inside her, enchanting her from inside out.

Stop torturing yourself, Kalina
, she told herself.
Stop it – you’ll only make it worse. You’ll only get hurt.
But Kalina couldn’t control it. Now that she was all the more certain of Octavius’ love for her, her desire for him was stronger than ever. She wanted him to take her then and there – she wanted him to drive out her pain, her loss, to kiss her into oblivion and in his pleasure remove her agony. She wanted to forget about Justin, forget about him lying there, his skin cold and clammy, his pulse dead, waiting to rise again…

She just wanted to forget.

Now that Octavius’ blood was in her, she could feel his desires all the more keenly. She knew what he wanted; she knew what she wanted. She could feel that every muscle in his body was straining not to fly away from the inn, fly away from the mountain, fly to some quiet cave or hidden castle and ravage her utterly. His muscles tightened beneath her, and she knew he was tensing with his desire for her. She could feel how much he wanted it – more than ever before. And it was becoming harder and harder for him to keep control. Not when he wanted so bad to lose it, to luxuriate in losing it.

Yes, she thought gratefully – she wanted him to lose control. She couldn’t with Justin now, she couldn’t deal with her loss, with any of it. She wanted Octavius to take her away – far away from this pain, this sadness, far away from her troubles. Just for an hour – just for a day – she needed to forget. Her body was trembling with pain. Justin! How could she have been so stupid, letting him die lie that – why hadn’t she been stronger? Faster? Better.

How could she have failed?

No, she wouldn’t think about that now. She would let her blood take hold of her; her blood would make her forget. She leaned into Octavius, tightening her thighs around his waist, luxuriating in the ripple of his hardened muscles beneath her taut legs. She nuzzled the back of his neck, letting her tongue linger on the brittle hairs that lined it. She sucked gently on his earlobe, giving herself over utterly to the pleasure of touching him, of being near him.

“Careful, you,” Octavius’ voice was ragged with desire. Yet beneath the hoarse wariness there was a certain playfulness that Kalina had never detected before. “I told you – my love – we have to get back. And if you keep doing that, I won’t be able to fly.”

“Octavius,” Kalina said, urgently. “Vampires don’t turn in the day, do that?”

“No, the next night after they’ve been bitten. Always the next night.”

“Then, if Justin were to turn…”

“I see.” There was a pause. “Yes, Kalina – he would not yet have turned. He would turn at sundown.”

“Tonight?” Her voice quivered.

“Yes, tonight.”

“I don’t want to see him like that, Octavius,” Kalina said in a small voice. “I don’t want to see him lying there like that – knowing what’s going to happen to him…oh, Octavius, he never wanted this! His biggest fear, you know? Being turned. He was so terrified of it – even when we thought he’d need to turn to protect me. He didn’t want that. And I can’t just
look
at him – I can’t wait.”

“You’ll need your strength tonight,” said Octavius. “My love – it will be difficult for you. I know that. You will have to see things that strike you to the core. You will have to make a choice. What you see tonight will be your brother, and yet not your brother. He will know you and yet he will not know you. I can tell you now that even in vampires, the shadow of the former human self is not altogether lost. You will not lose him utterly. But he will be controlled by Molotov. Molotov will speak to his blood, control his every movement. And I don’t know if even you, my dearest, will be able to get past that control. Molotov is a powerful maker; he keeps a tight leash on his progeny.”

“Then…” Kalina’s lips were wobbling. “Then he really is gone.”

“There will be hope for him,” said Octavius. “Stuart will be able to help him through it. He went through the same thing himself. And ultimately he was able to overcome his desires, even while a vampire. Stuart cares for your brother, and your brother for him. He will ease your brother’s path into the underworld. He will smooth out the ways for him…” Octavius sighed. “When the Consortium was alive, it was Stuart who helped the new recruits. Spoke with them. Heard them confess to him what atrocities they had committed. At last helped them overcome their urges.”

Kalina couldn’t help but beam with pride when she heard this. How brave Stuart was – how strong! Now, more than ever, she was able to understand and respect what he had gone through. His struggle was her struggle. His pain was her pain. She too understood the dark and quickening nature of desire.

“He was a great vampire,” she said softly. “And now he is a great man.”

Octavius turned his face from her, but Kalina could see how transparent his envy was spreading across his face. They were connected now – he could hide nothing from her. His nobility was compromised by this fusing of their blood – she knew how he really felt, now. And although he was happy for Stuart, his jealousy knew no bounds.

“But you wish it had been you, don’t you?” Kalina asked. “The one I turned human. Instead of Stuart.”

“Let’s not speak of it,” Octavius waved away her concerns. “It is no matter. Stuart deserved his humanity the most. He wanted it the most.”

“Not you?”

“That was never an option,” Octavius said stiffly. Then he stopped, bringing them to land on a ridge of the mountain, his feet sinking into the soft snow. “Listen to me, Kalina – don’t make this harder for me than it has to be. Of course I wanted you to choose me! I want it still! Why must you torment me this way, knowing I cannot…” He broke off, his savage rage quelling. “I am sorry, Kalina. I did not mean to speak so plainly. But with my blood in you, looking at your beautiful face and knowing it is my blood that runs through those veins – I cannot bring myself to do anything but love you more. I can’t control it. No matter how hard I try.”

Kalina stepped forward decisively and took his face in her hands, kissing him roughly. “Then don’t control it,” she said. “I wanted to choose you. I
chose
you. You didn’t choose me. We’ve suffered so much, Octavius. Isn’t it time?”

He rubbed her back, enveloping her in his arms. He breathed deep into her soft, perfumed hair. “I have lived thousands of years without giving in,” he said. “Now I want this day with you, Kalina. To comfort you. To comfort myself. Let us give ourselves one day – one day to pretend that we could be happy together. One day to give in…” He bit his lip, biting back his desires. “I can’t stand wanting you so much.”

She nodded.

“This time,” he said. “I will listen to my heart.”

“Where are we going?” Kalina jumped on his back once more as they set flight.

“I know a place near here – far more convenient than a cave or a glade – where we can be alone.” His body was trembling; he knew as well as she did what they had in mind. They flew onwards, north of the mountains, past the snowfall, until they were flying over a lush dark green forest. They flew down alongside a river, coming to rest before a once-beautiful castle, a slightly decrepit yet still-elegant fairy-tale creation that still maintained shades of its former grandeur.

“Where is this?”  Kalina stepped towards the gate.

“We’re in the Rhineland,” said Octavius. “This castle used to belong to a friend of mine, the Baron von Blacken. He is dead now. Staked by an Armenian general in the eighteenth century. But he left the Consortium this castle in his will.”

“It’s beautiful,” said Kalina.

“It is a place to rest,” said Octavius.

They entered, their footsteps echoing throughout the empty corridors and wide chambers. There must be servants about, Kalina thought – after all, a place like this required considerable upkeep, and a fire burning in the Great Hall was a testament to some sort of occupation – but they kept their distance. Out of discretion, Kalina thought. Then, with more jealousy – did he bring all his women here?

“Come, my love.” Octavius took her hand and led her upstairs. “The bedroom is this way.”

Chapter 9

O
ctavius led Kalina up the grand marble stairs. Halfway up the stairs, he picked her up – as lightly, Kalina thought, as if she were but a feather. “We’re going to do this properly,” he growled, kissing her on the forehead. She loved feeling his arms around her; she nuzzled into him as he carried her up to the bedroom.