Blood of the Gods (The Vampire from Hell Part 5) (15 page)
Read Blood of the Gods (The Vampire from Hell Part 5) Online
Authors: Ally Thomas
“Grace, I don’t have a lot of time. We need to get going.” The stranger’s voice was music to my ears. He studied me, waiting for a sign of objection.
“Who are you?” I whispered.
From out of nowhere, a jolt of energy hit me. The man’s eyes were as dark and powerful as he was. I probably lost all memory of my relationship with Nathan at that exact moment. I forgot the wounds pulsating in my stomach. Without warning, I felt nothing. I was weightless, free, drifting away. Was the stranger my way out? As I stared at him, I placed my hand over my mouth to close it shut, or to think, or just to buy time.
Who are you?
I thought.
Nathan erupted, “Grace, what have you done? You idiot! You’re bleeding!”
Startled by his yell, I removed my hand from my face and let it fall. I jerked involuntarily at the thud as it hit the table. The palm of my hand was covered in blood, my blood. Fear seized me. I could not breathe. I could not exhale. I could not do anything. Nathan would surely kill this man. I had to do something! But I could not. I stared blankly at my hand. Either I was having a panic attack or I was truly dying. Gazing at the dark reddish color of my blood, I lost all rational thought. What have I done?
Chapter 4 – Grace Meets the Angel of Death
Author’s Note: This chapter is told from Grace, the heroine’s point of view.
A few minutes passed. Maybe more. My eyes flew open. Nathan and T sat, hunched over each other at the table. They look like they were lovers, having just fallen asleep in each other arms. The stranger sat by them finishing a cigarette.
“What did you do to them?” I asked.
His very tan and well-manicured hand reached out and grabbed mine. He placed a white linen handkerchief in my hand and proceeded to wipe away the blood on my hand. He dabbed it a few times in T’s beer and gently cleaned the blood from my face. The cold liquid instantly revived me. Or was it his touch? A fleeting thought flew through my mind.
“Always worried about others? It’s a fine trait to have if it doesn’t get you in trouble,” he said.
“Are they dead?”
“No, they’re just sleeping. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t believe you. You killed them!”
“No, no, of course not. Here.” The stranger grabbed Nathan’s limp arm and flopped it on the table. “Feel his pulse. It’s still there.”
Pausing for a moment, I did feel a rapid heartbeat pulsing under Nathan’s clammy skin.
“You, on the other hand, you’re dying. You realize that, don’t you?”
I shrugged my shoulders. Giving up was my best option, I thought. “So,” I said decisively.
He smiled at me again. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat.
Quickly I glanced away, hoping to not get distracted again by his beauty. But if this was the last thing I saw on Earth, this gorgeous man, what was wrong with that?
“I like your optimism,” the stranger spoke up.
“Did I say that aloud?”
“No, I can hear your thoughts. As an Angel of Death, I can hear mortals’ thoughts.” His dark blue eyes fixed on me, intensely, almost seductively.
I gasped. The room started to spin.
“You sent for me, Grace,” Death replied. “It’s time we get going. Okay? We’re not safe here.”
I gripped the sides of the table to steady myself and muttered something about not wanting to leave Nathan, that I wasn’t ready, that I did not fully understand his request, that I was too young to die, and that I was fine to stay here. I could not think straight. I could not process what this man was saying to me.
Was he really who he said he was?
He leaned in closer and whispered to me, “Don’t faint, Grace. Don’t. It’s best if we don’t make a scene here in the bar. However…” His hand delicately rubbed the side of my throat. “I can carry you if it comes to that. Is that fine?”
I nodded without knowing what it meant. I just nodded. If he truly were the Angel of Death, why not go with him?
“Let me make a quick call and we’ll go, okay?”
Again, I simply nodded. I was unable to form any words of objection.
“Ra, it looks like we may have a sighting at a bar called the Golden Skull in California. You know the place? Okay, good deal. I’ve got some errands to run, so call me if you or the others find her. Okay?” He paused for a moment, listening to the other person on the line. Then he continued. “Okay. Got it. Oh, and if you see Gab, tell him I’ve got two guys for containment. I’ll drop them off at the police station. By the way they smell, I’m guessing they’re big time potheads.”
***
As I walked behind Death along the sidewalk toward his compact sports car parked in front of the bar, I realized I was extremely weak. My legs wobbled.
His quiet confidence was a breath of fresh air compared to Nathan’s barking orders as he griped my elbows. “We’re almost there. Hold on.”
I felt like I was walking my last mile with a glorious champion. Then a strange thought surfaced in my head.
What is your name? I’m about to die and I don’t know your name, my knight.
If he could read my thoughts, surely he’d hear that. How many people had called the Angel of Death a knight, a knight in shining armor or a shiny car as it seemed. Glancing at the dashboard of the vehicle as I settled in the comfortable passenger seat, I noticed his car of choice was German made.
I leaned my head against the cool leather headrest, folding my arms around me and studied him. Knowing I was beyond hope, I wanted to look at him. I felt peace doing just that. This handsome man was a vision, an angel of death taking me away in a chariot, a German made chariot I corrected myself, but a means of escape no less. I felt like cherubs from the heavens should be trumpeting in the background, ushering me off into an external bliss with this man. I felt safe with this stranger for absolutely no reason whatsoever. It was deliciously insane, and despite my predicament, it gave me hope.
Before he turned over the ignition, he gasped and yanked his hand from the keys. He focused on the steering wheel, his dark eyes darting from side to side. Finally, he asked me, “Was that you? Did I just hear you speak to me?”
I smiled faintly. “It worked,” I whispered. I pressed my head into the seat so I wouldn’t pass out. I fought to keep my eyes open.
Your name
, I asked him again telepathically.
He laughed out loud and raked his fingers through sun-kissed locks. “Wouldn’t you know it? Of all the people!”
I bit the inside of my lip, drinking in his appearance.
Had you been my first and not Nathan, I’d never let you leave the bedroom.
Lightly the stranger chuckled and blushed slightly as he glanced over to look at me, shoving the keys into the ignition again. “I heard that. You have to be careful. Remember I don’t know you, Grace.”
“I’d like to know you.”
“Oh lordy.” He sighed again, fumbling for the keys. “You’re not shy, are you? Look, I’m not your friend. I have a job to do. That’s it. I have to get you healed or it’s my ass, so that’s what we are going to do.”
His words instantly sobered me, but his frown and sharp tone told me otherwise. By the expression on his face, I knew he realized he had been too harsh with me.
Roughly he patted me on the knee and started the car. “I’m sorry. My name is Demetri. Okay? But everyone calls me Death. You can too.”
Slowly I nodded.
The engine roared and the car jerked into traffic. I heard a few honks of horns blaring at us as the stranger whose name I now knew drove us away along the streets of San Francisco. I did not know where we were going and I did not care. I had been saved, and I did not care what happened to me next. This devastatingly attractive man had saved me and now I could die in peace.
Demetri.
Demetri. Demetri.
I repeated his name over and over in my head, knowing likely he could hear my thoughts. I liked the way his name sounded. It sounded old, but very modern. It reminded me of white-sand beaches, tall swaying trees, calm waters, and sunshine so bright on your face you could not see anything before you and you did not care. Spending eternity like that with him would be heaven. Hoping to dream of us together on that beach, I closed my eyes. At long last, I would die happy.
Coming Soon
Destiny (Fanged Love #1)
A chance meeting with the Angel of Death may not be such a bad thing.
After being swept off her feet quite literally by a mysterious stranger, Grace hopes for a second chance at life. Will Grace find happiness in the arms of this handsome man known as Demetri? Instead of sending her over, Demetri, the Angel of Death makes the decision to try to save Grace’s life. The one person who he thinks can save her? His ex-girlfriend, Rayea who is a vampire, a vampire from Hell no less.
This section lists various characters in the Vampire from Hell series as well as what the author had originally visualized for each character and how the character’s path may or may not have changed during the writing of the first 5 parts. Please note that while not all characters in the series are discussed in this section, a majority are. Hopefully, this will help you recall the character or introduce you to him or her.
Rayea is the oldest daughter of Satan and is the Vampire from Hell. She is rebellious, honest, loyal to her friends, and a fan of mankind. Being a vampire is not a condition that defines her. Finding happiness and resolving her complicated relationships as well as resolving her family issues are constant struggles for her.
Why Was the Rayea Character Created?
When I was a teenager, I came up with the name Rayea, pronounced “RAY – ahh”. I swore one day I would write a story and create a character with that name. I have no idea where the name came from. As best as I can remember, I just made it up.
Writing first person in Rayea’s voice is a fun aspect of creating this series. Being a fan of vampire fiction since I was fifteen years old, I took leave of my senses a long time ago and will vehemently argue that supernatural creatures exist. If I still believe that, I don’t know. But I certainly like to mess with people and throw the idea out there if it comes up in conversation. Writers are naughty nymphs sometimes. We can’t be trusted. Believe me.
Blick is a hellhound-turned werewolf Rayea meets in Part 1 – The Beginning. He is very protective of her and ultimately her best friend. As the story progresses, Blick and Rayea’s relationship grows more complicated, but ultimately Rayea realizes there isn’t anything she wouldn’t do for Blick.
Why Was the Blick Character Created?
I had no idea at the time I created the Blick character that he would become very popular. I planned for him to be simply a friend of Rayea’s like her online friend, Lynn. That idea has shifted and both characters are becoming closer with each installment. What awaits them I’m not sure, but Blick will always be a part of Rayea’s life I think we can safely say.
Stephanie is Rayea’s evil sister. She and Rayea do not get along at all. Stephanie is devoted to her father and reminds Rayea as often as she can that Rayea is not like her or her father. After drinking her father’s and possibly the blood of the Snake Goddess, Mehen, Stephanie turned into a Medusa looking person with an attractive body, dressed in revealing attire typically a black leather bikini and high boots, maintaining a pleasant face, but having snakes for hair.
Why Was the Stephanie Character Created?
If you have good characters, you have to create really evil characters to hate, the bad guys. Stephanie is one of my ‘best’ bad guys. I love to write for Stephanie because I have to dream up the worst, the meanest thing I can think of for her to say and do. Sometimes that is a challenge. Sometimes it’s not.
The name ‘Stephanie’ popped into my head one day when I thought about a girl who bullied me when I was in elementary school. I don’t consider the name especially appropriate for an evil snake goddess character, but I wasn’t thinking about that at the time.
Satan is Rayea’s father who wants her to fall in line and be more like him (evil) and his sister. Rayea’s rebellious nature is a thorn in Satan’s side and because of this fact Satan makes it his mission to constantly create trouble for Rayea and her friends.
Why Was the Satan Character Created?
Because I had the original idea of writing a story called “Satan’s Daughter,” I knew I would have to come up with a Satan character. I could have made the character far darker than I did, but I did not want my book to go in that direction. Instead I think of the Satan character as a big asshole, or a person who is a bumbling fool. He doesn’t know when to give up, and he never stops trying to get his way.
Ra is a blood god usually referred to as the god of the sun in Egyptian mythology. He’s from the House of the Dragon, a good god, and a shape-shifter who preferred to stay in the shape of a dragon until he met Rayea’s mother. Ra is a father figure for Rayea and friend who often gives her sound advice.
Why Was the Ra Character Created?
I love Egyptian mythology so early on while writing the series I looked for a way to incorporate references to artifacts and themes from the various deities I had studied.
Rayea officially meets her mother in Part 3 – A Vampire On Vacation (see the Blood Tea chapter). She shares with Rayea her past and how Rayea was conceived. We learn of her history with Satan, Rayea’s father and that she became pregnant with Rayea while having an affair with Satan (then known as Lucifer). At the time of this situation, Rayea’s mother was married to a man referred to as Adam. It is alluded that Rayea’s mother’s name is Eve. Rayea’s mother is good friends with Maia, Typhean’s beloved daughter.
J and G are friends of Rayea who want to show her the alternative side of being a good person and being kind to herself. Many times the reaction Rayea fears she will get from either person is not what she actually gets.
Why Was the J & G Characters Created?
J and G are the flip side of the Stephanie and Satan characters. With having a Satan character, many people assume that J & G are initials for important names in the Christian faith. That notion is up for debate. Currently I have not decided on spelling it out one way or the other, but that may change in the upcoming installments. I have noticed that sometimes readers decide for themselves who these characters are and apply their own meanings. I tend to like that approach because it allows the readers to invoke their imaginations into the story, and explore they come up with.
Next to Rayea and Blick, Death is a favorite character of mine. It’s one reason I’ve already put him in a spin-off series with Grace called Fanged Love. Death is Rayea’s ex-boyfriend whose formal name is Demetri and oddly enough has a great relationship with Rayea.
We learn in the first 3 parts of the series that Death may or may not still hold a candle for Rayea. He certainly cares for her and is never too far away. Unfortunately, in Part 3 – A Vampire On Vacation, Death discovers he is smitten with a human named Grace who he decides to save from going over. She is later turned into a vampire by Rayea, and becomes Rayea’s first fledging vampire.
Why Was the Death Character Created?
I created the Death character for two reasons:
1) Death has always been present in my life. The first funeral I went to was for my grandfather when I was seven-years-old. The trend continued with my losing more relatives and many friends in drinking and driving accidents in high school to losing my dad when I was twenty-four and then losing my mom a few years later. I decided the only way I could deal with the subject and get past it was to write a character into this series.
2) Another reason I created the character Death is because of a friend I met when I was thinking of ideas for a short story I had called “Satan’s Daughter.’ My friend had a green Mohawk, rode a motorcycle, and was into punk music. He was, and still is, an incredibly upbeat and supportive friend.
His punk phase was just that. It did not last forever and he is now a registered nurse and looking forward to getting married to a wonderful lady. For some reason that first impression when I met him stuck with me and I wanted it to be a part of my story, probably because he was a friend who encouraged me to write. Additionally, I thought it would be very easy to write for a character who I had based on a real person. That I discovered later really doesn’t work for me. Many characteristics of Death’s are not related to this friend. He doesn’t look like Brad Pitt, for example, but yes he still rides his motorcycle (religiously wears his helmet) and he listens to punk music even though he lost his Mohawk.
Grace is the first person Rayea turns into a vampire. See the ‘Dead Girl’ chapter in Part 4: The Vampire from Hell Returns. Grace admires her maker, Rayea and pledges her devotion to her in almost every action she makes. Being a flame-throwing vampire with a tattoo that mysteriously appeared on her skin one night, Grace holds secrets that will be revealed as we learn more about her.
Why Was the Grace Character Created?
I began to realize that Rayea should create another person like herself. Usually in Rayea’s world, things just happen so the opportunity to turn someone fell into her lap. She did not plan it. I also wanted Grace and Rayea to have a friendship that was more sisterly and positive since Rayea’s relationship with her demon sister, Stephanie is not a healthy one.
When Grace works at the Golden Skull bar, Max is her boss and disapproves of her relationship with Nathan. In Part 5, we learn that Max is more than just her boss.
Michael is an archangel who Rayea meets in Part 2 - A Vampire Among Angels. He is tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and amazingly gorgeous. Rayea is drawn to Michael, but can’t explain why. Unbeknownst to Rayea, Michael drinks her blood and becomes a vampire in Part 3 – A Vampire On Vacation.
Why Was the Michael Character Created?
I’m a huge fan of the Swedish actor, Alexander Skarsgard. He’s my inspiration for the Michael character. Portraying Michael as an angel was always my plan. However turning him into an angelic vampire wasn’t a decision I made until writing Part 3 – A Vampire On Vacation. I thought it would add a very interesting complication into Rayea’s love life and I’m excited to see how the Michael character develops in future installments because Rayea is uncontrollably attracted to Michael, and yet, she can’t explain why.
Ashton Taylor is a human and love interest of Rayea’s in Part 3 – A Vampire On Vacation. She has a huge crush on this actor who plays a vampire on TV and clearly enjoys the distractions from real life this relationship gives her.
Why Was the Ashton Character Created?
Again being a fan of a few actors who play vampires on television and in movies, I elected Rayea to have a crush, almost an obsession with a fictitious human named Ashton Taylor. This character is inspired by my admiration for the Irish actor, Aidan Turner. When I saw him play Mitchell in the BBC television series, Being Human, I fell head over heels for his character and devised a way to create a character based on the Mitchell vampire.
Lynn is one of Rayea’s online friends who she became friends with because they both have a fan attraction to the actor Ashton Taylor. Lynn is probably Rayea’s best friend and the two become instant buddies when they finally meet in ‘real life’ in Part 3: A Vampire On Vacation.
Why Was the Lynn Character Created?
The concept of online friends isn’t foreign to me. I have a lot of friends I consider great friends who I have never met. We know each other only online. I thought Rayea could easily have the same situation.
We meet Beelzebub in the Change of Plan chapter and the Epilogue of Part 3: A Vampire On Vacation. He is a demon, a soul searcher/stealer to be exact, and one of the seven princes of Hell who was overthrown by Satan, Rayea’s father. Beelzebub and his brothers enjoyed stealing souls, and want to reclaim Hell as their own. After making a deal with Beelzebub (Part 3’s Epilogue), we learn in Part 5: Blood of the Gods that Beelzebub has come to collect what he wants, Rayea’s soul.
Why Was the Beelzebub Character Created?
When I first started working on the Vampire from Hell series, I thought if I had seven archangels, then I would also need seven alternative evil characters to balance the equation out. Of the seven princes of Hell, so far only Beelzebub has made an appearance in the series.
Nathan is Grace’s ex-boyfriend who refuses to give her up even after she makes it perfectly clear to him that she no longer wants him in her life. Nathan seeks power and knowledge and is interested in vampirism and bloodletting, a journey that will lead him into crossing paths with bad influences such as Stephanie, Satan, or Mehen. Read more about Nathan in
Fanged Love: The Prequel
.
Why Was the Nathan Character Created?
Nathan was created as a bad influence for Grace. He’s a guy who confused her and tried to dominate her, a type of person you wouldn’t want to hang out with.
