Bound Through Blood (15 page)

Gabriel could smell his brother and Salena; they weren't more than three hundred yards away. Devin must have found some way to heal her shoulder because he couldn't smell her blood. Her blood, he remembered, was so sweet. He wanted more of that, and he definitely wanted to have her luscious body. Maybe he'd make Devin watch while he ravaged her, repeatedly, before he killed her. He may not have been able to finish what he had started with Abigail, but this time, he would. Devin would be crushed, again. Running through the trees, shape-shifted into a brown wolf, he sought them out.

After about twenty minutes of vigorous running, Gabriel decided to have a snack. He headed toward the highway, shape-shifted back into human form, and pretended to be hitchhiking. The first car to stop had two young females in it, probably teens, whose parents never warned them about picking up a hitchhiker. Either that or they just didn't listen because, sure enough, they pulled over grinning up at him like possums. He could tell they'd been drinking all night.

"Where are you headed?" the driver slurred a little as he climbed into the passenger seat.

He replied with a wicked grin, "Oh, it's not far," and then he turned to her, grabbed her by her hair, and pulled her to his fangs. The girl in the backseat jumped out, screaming and running as fast as she could, but it wasn't fast enough. In no time at all, he'd caught up to her and drained her too. It took both of the slim girls to fill him up.

Back to the hunt...

Devin changed directions and headed northwest, but eventually, he would turn back toward New Orleans. It was late morning and they were close to a subdivision, but they were still hidden in the woods. He scanned the backyards for food for Salena—he had heard her stomach growling over the pounding of his footsteps and her constant complaining. He noticed an apple tree in one yard and a barbeque pit cooking meat in another. Setting her down, he told her sternly, "Now, I'm going to get you some food so stay put. You know I will catch you if you run off, right?"

She nodded slowly, without making eye contact. She knew what would happen if she tried to run, and she was hungry; she was hungry and exhausted.

"Okay, I will be right back." He walked off and left her there wondering what to make of him.
Why does he think he's in love with me? What am I supposed to do now?
Her head was beginning to spin and not just from low blood sugar.

He returned with a grilled pork steak and an apple for her, which she ravenously ate. She didn't even mind burning her mouth on the hot meat. "Thank you," she told him softly.

"You're very welcome. You have a little barbecue sauce on your lip," he reached out and tenderly wiped it away with his fingertip.

Her tongue traced where his finger had been, just as a reflex, but it excited him, and she heard his quick intake of breath. She looked away bashfully. She was feeling better with food in her stomach, but her head was still pounding, so she rubbed her temples and scalp.

"Do you have a headache?"

She looked up at him, squinting. "Yes."

"Here, let me help," he gently brushed her hands away, replacing them with his strong, warm ones. He rubbed her temples and all around her scalp and neck. She moaned with pleasure from his touch, and he knew his hands were working magic on her. He leaned down in front of her, so he could rub her temples some more, but also, so he could kiss her—deeply. To his surprise, and without any hypnotic spells, she returned his kiss and with just as much passion. Their mouths stayed locked, exploring each other intimately, until she had to come up for air.

Salena blushed and shyly turned her head away. She shouldn't have done that.
Should she have?
The kiss had turned her on, and she knew it did him as well, because as soon as Devin stood up, Salena saw a bulge in his pants, and that made her blush deeper.

He noticed her blushing and chuckled. "No need for modesty about that. That's what happens when I'm near you, and that kiss was wonderful, wasn't it?"

Salena nodded, and she knew her cheeks were on fire. There was just no denying it; that kiss was amazing. It took her back to the dream, which she knew wasn't a dream at all. Trying to redeem her modesty, though, she couldn't help but explain herself. "That was just my reaction to the massage; it felt really good and my head is better. I just got caught up in that relief is all."

"Oh, okay," he said with an amused grin. "We should travel now," he told her while helping her up off the ground.

Salena was glad to change the topic, but she didn't want to travel anymore. "But I'm tired; can't we rest for a bit?" she looked at him with pleading eyes.

"I'll cradle you in my arms, so you can sleep. I will be sure to walk gently; it will be like rocking you to sleep."

Salena looked around nervously, "I need to use the ladies room. I don't suppose you have one of those in your bag of tricks. Speaking of which, I still want to know how you healed my shoulder."

He looked at her with amusement. "Well, haven't you ever been camping? There are bushes over there you can use, and I'll give you some privacy."

She looked to where he pointed, "There are snakes over there, and camping is not how I wanted to spend my vacation."
And neither is being chased by vampires
.

Devin strolled to the bushes and looked around, "No snakes or critters," he hollered back to her. "You are good to go, pun intended." He laughed heartily, and so did she.

His sense of humor astonished her. Maybe vampires weren't all doom and gloom. But then she thought about his brother, Gabriel, and the woman he had killed right before the crowd's very eyes without any fear of being caught. She also thought about him attacking her in the fog and then, of course, Heloise. He definitely was all doom and gloom. But aside from Devin's extraordinary features, and the fact that he has bitten her and has drunk her blood, he almost seems human. He resembles a man trying to win over her love.

After doing her business, Salena put her arms around Devin's neck, so he could pick her up and carry her. She was exhausted, and his arms and shoulders were very inviting and surprisingly soft enough given his size and strength. He cradled her gently and walked with even strides with minimal bounce. As she started to drift off to sleep, lulled by his musky fragrance, she noticed his heart beat. She looked up at him through half-closed eyes. "How can you have a heartbeat?"

Devin murmured hypnotically, "It beats for you."

"That's sweet," she whispered before falling asleep.

Devin traveled back toward New Orleans with Salena safely nestled in his arms. His heart fluttered from her closeness to it. It was time—time to explain the secrets of their bond, of their destiny. He had to do it now before Gabriel could stop it.

He stopped at an old, abandoned farmhouse. The night had a chill in the air, and despite his body heat, he could feel her shiver. Being careful not to wake her, he lay her down in the grass. Fortunately, she was so exhausted that she didn't really seem to notice. The cold ground did make her shiver more, though, and in her sleep she was reaching for something—like her blanket perhaps. Devin took off his shirt and cocooned her in it. Then he grabbed some kindling and rocks and built an old-fashioned fire for her. Sitting there, watching her smile in her sleep from the warmth of the fire, his heart quivered. The glow from the fire framed her delicate, porcelain like features and reminded him, again, of Abigail; however, this time, the pain was less—a lot less. The transition was taking place; his love for Abigail was being displaced by his love for Salena.

Salena's eyes flickered open, and she sat up abruptly. Devin, her captor—her vampire—was sitting across from her staring and shirtless. His broad muscular chest glistened in the firelight, and she felt a pleasant tingle run down her spine and settle between her legs. She looked down and found his shirt wrapped around herself. "Where are we, and why am I wrapped in your shirt?" She couldn't help but enjoy both the view of his bare chest and his heady scent on the shirt encasing her, though.

"We are at an old farm, and you're wearing my shirt because you were cold. I think it looks good on you too." He gave her a sexy grin and a wink.

Looking down humbly, she told him, "Thank you, but aren't you cold?"

"No, temperature doesn't bother me."

Salena looked around the darkness, trying to get a feel for her surroundings. She pulled out her cell phone, still in her pocket, but there was no signal. She had no idea where they were, or for that matter, even what day it is. She felt like she had been asleep for days.

"Your stomach is growling," he pointed out. "Let me catch something for you to eat and then I can cook it for you on the fire. You will eat squirrel or rabbit, won't you?" he asked with another wink.

Normally she wouldn't, but considering her surroundings, her circumstances, and the fact that she was with a vampire, who might also be hungry, she acquiesced, "Sure. That's fine."

Devin hopped up and walked off toward the woods. Then he abruptly stopped and turned around to look at her. "Don't you even think about running off. I'll catch you and put you over my knee."

Salena couldn't tell if he was being serious or not, but she nodded. "I won't." She couldn't stop from admiring the smooth muscled planes of his back and his firm, sexy buttocks as he walked away in long, graceful strides. He must have felt her staring because he looked over his shoulder and smiled a very wicked smile. Her cheeks on fire, Salena quickly dropped her shameful gaze to the ground.

Devin returned about five minutes later and held up a squirrel for her approval.

She told him, "That was fast," and then she grimaced.

"Don't worry, it tastes like chicken," he answered and laughed.

Salena laughed lightly, "That is never true when people say that."

Devin smiled. "No, it's not is it? But it will have to do for now." He shoved a stick through the carcass and put it on the fire.

Salena had abruptly turned her head away, "That's gross." She grimaced but then looked at him seriously—and moreover, nervously. Her question was barely audible. "What are you going to eat?"

Devin looked at her roguishly. His eyes looked up and down all of her, before replying, "I'm thinking about eating you right now."

Salena scrambled backwards like a caged animal, but she knew she would never get away. In fact, he had already jumped over the fire to stand right before her.

"I'm getting hard just from thinking about it. Look," he cupped himself and chuckled. He knew she'd misunderstood him.

The innuendo finally dawned on Salena, and her cheeks flamed hotter than the fire. "So, you don't mean to kill me? Drink my blood? Or are you just waiting? If so, please just get it over with." She extended her arm toward him, and he erupted in laughter.

"Why would I kill you? While the flavor of your blood is like nothing I've ever tasted—" he stopped and looked down. "—well, not since Abigail. You are my soul mate. You came back to me." As he said that, he did take her arm and started to kiss her wrist and work his way up.

Salena pulled away though, telling him to stop. Her cheeks were still on fire.

Devin grinned his vampire fangs at her. "You didn't mind before. Actually, you rather enjoyed yourself." He sucked air in quickly and closed his eyes. "I remember the look on your face, the way you smelled," he breathed in deeply and growled, "the way you sounded, and the way you felt—mmm—so good." He focused his lust-filled black eyes on her and gently placed her hand on his rock-hardness. "See for yourself," he said with an inviting grin.

Admittedly, that did put butterflies in her tummy and a tingle at the apex of her legs, but she still pulled her hand away shyly. Memories were flooding back to her, and she became angry. "You tricked me. I don't know how, but you did something to me. That wasn't really me," she yelled at him.

Not being one to give up, Devin inched closer to her, "Oh, it was you. It was you letting go of your stubbornness. It was the part of you that knows we are meant to be, the part of you that knows I am your destiny, and you are mine. It was definitely you." He leaned down and whispered softly in her ear, "And it can be, again. It should be," he kissed her lobe, "It will be," he kissed her neck, "It's meant to be," he said turning her face and kissing her full on the lips.

She wanted to stop him—really, she did—but she found herself kissing him back, genuinely. She didn't know if it was her fear, the setting by the fire, his half-nakedness, or her memories of their previous encounters, but she let herself get swept up in the kiss. She put her hands around his neck while his began to roam under his shirt, which was still wrapped around her. That made her nervous, though, and she broke away. "I can't," she stated flatly. "I still don't understand this." She pointed to the fire, "My dinner is done."

Swept up in lust, Devin had forgotten about the squirrel, which appeared to be a little more than done—burnt to a crisp, actually. He removed it from the fire and, with his bare hands, peeled back the outer layer of skin, to get to the meat inside. He blew on the hot meat to cool it for his love, who had turned her head away. Then he offered it to her. He still held it, though, just in case it was still too hot for her.

Salena didn't know what to think; he was just full of surprises. Heat apparently doesn't bother him either, and he could be so courteous. She took the meat with a polite, "Thank you," and ate it in just a few bites. It definitely wasn't to her liking, but she was hungry enough not to complain about it.

Devin sat down next to her and tried to think of the right words to finish his explanation. "You doubt we are meant to be together, despite having your future told to you by multiple sources," he looked at her fixedly, "and despite the things you have seen, and despite what I've told you. But I understand; it is a different reality than what you are used to. So, I have been patient and have tried, slowly, to bring you around to the idea. That's why I used some spells on you." He could see her expression turning from inquisitive to angry. "A spell is what healed your shoulder. It was a fatal wound."

His words made her wince, and she looked at her shoulder. It was just a faint scar now and didn't hurt any longer.

"And you enjoyed my love making, I could tell," he added, with his vampire grin. "And while I couldn't avoid taking your gorgeous body in pleasure, it was making love."

Salena blushed again and looked away from his mysterious black eyes; the truth was, she did enjoy it—a lot.

"The love I shared with Abigail was something the world had never seen before and would probably never see again. People can write all the love stories they want, but this was not just a storybook fantasy, it was transcendent of that. We were bound to one another—destined soul mates—swept up in a magical force that was stronger than both of us and only interrupted by her death. But," he pointed to Salena, "not destroyed. When I bit your wrist in the phone booth, I tasted her blood in you; it startled me, and that is why I ran. There was a familiarity, but I wasn't sure why. Then the second encounter—" He saw the questioning look on her face. "—No, that wasn't a dream either, but you probably already knew that. During that encounter, I saw the physical likeness as well, and that is when I knew you had to be her—or her descendant anyway. Her bloodline still holds that magic; you still hold that magic. It is alive in you for us to intertwine once more."

Salena could only stare at him; she was mesmerized by both his story and his striking features glowing in the morning sun, which was now peaking over the horizon. She had millions of questions, but decided to start with, "Why is Gabriel after me?"