MIDNIGHT CAPTIVE: Book 2 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles (21 page)

Moving too fast for her mortal eyes to witness, he appeared at her side. His nose nuzzled the dangling strands of her hair away from her ear. “Nay, my luscious little morsel.”

Cailin’s breath quickened.

His tongue darted out to taste her lobe and she gasped as his fang pricked her skin. She tried to pull away only to find his steel grip on her neck immobilizing her. He moaned and suckled her blood. “I cannot kill you…at least not yet.” Yanking her chair to face him, he knelt breathless before her, his lips red with her blood. “You are the bait, sweet Cailin.” His hands cupped her breasts and she slapped him away. Angus chuckled and gazed at her with hooded eyes. “Torturing you in front of Broderick will be a thrilling task, indeed.” Inhaling as if savoring her aroma, he sighed, his eyes roaming over her body leaving icy trails of repulsion. “But I am of a mind to help myself to your charms before he arrives.” He regarded her under his brow. “I am a demanding lover, Cailin.” He rose to his feet, leaned over her and, nose-to-nose, whispered his threat. “Eat to gain your strength. You will most certainly need it.”

* * * * *

“In a manner of speaking?” Broderick frowned at Malloren. “Enough of the riddles. I am either the cause of this redemption or I am not.”

“It is your role in the prophecy that will bring about the end result.”

He crossed his arms. “Explain.”

For once, Malloren appeared uncertain. “I cannot say exactly at this point in time.”

He pointed an accusing finger. “Malloren, if you do not—”

“Calm yourself, Vamsyrian,” she protested as she held up her palm. “I’m not the one speaking in riddles. I’m just the messenger and I’m not always given all the information.” She marched to the table and her hands pushed around and lifted the various scrolls and tomes. Settling on one particular scroll, she unrolled it, her eyes moving over the parchment, and then lowered the paper to consider him. “The full prophecy has been lost for centuries. For several decades, I have been given visions to help me piece together, find and uncover the missing parts.” She sat in her chair once more and leaned forward, encouraging Broderick to join her again by waving her hand toward his chair.

He grumbled and sat.

“Satan created the first Vamsyrian shortly after the crucifixion of the Christ. As it has been told through the teachings of the
Tzava Ha’or
, Satan wanted revenge for giving humanity a definitive path to the salvation Jehovah offered His followers. Satan seduced a woman with the promise of being the mother of a new nation, a new race of invincible warriors.”

“The first Vamsyrian is a woman?”

She hesitated before speaking. “No one actually knows for certain, but that is how the history is taught. The creation of the Vamsyrian race is very similar to man’s fall from grace, so the chronicles have been handed down in the same fashion.”

“Mmm-hmmm.” Broderick raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Malloren challenged him with a lift of her chin. “You do not think a woman is worthy of being the leader of a nation?”

He waved a dismissive hand, not wishing to get into this debate. “The first Vamsyrian was created, the mother of a nation of warriors. Go on.”

She pursed her lips. “It is told that the Angel Gabriel approached Satan and his new creation, stating conditions.”

“God did not challenge this creation? He allowed it to occur?”

“Gabriel told Satan and the First Vamsyrian that God would never interfere with the free will of mankind. That is a gift given by God and something He will never take away.” She leaned forward again for emphasis. “It is the reason Satan rebelled against his creator, Vamsyrian. He was not allowed to choose or not choose God, and thereby was cast out of heaven for taking liberties not given to him. It is the core reason why Satan hates mankind.” Malloren perused the many scrolls and tomes again while she spoke. “Gabriel said since God does not interfere with the free will of man, and man has always had the option of turning away from Him, so must the choice be for those becoming Vamsyrians. No one must change another unwillingly. If this happens, God will destroy the Vamsyrians.”

“By
unwillingly
, you mean the transformation cannot be forced upon someone?”

She nodded.

“Then I am not the Deliverer you speak of.”

She shook her head.

“Everyone becoming Vamsyrians must do so willingly,” he mumbled, repeating what Elder Ammon told him. “’Tis fair, I suppose.” His voice held a touch of sarcasm. “Satan creates a race of killers and God permits it as long as his people go along willingly with the creation.” He shrugged. “Go on.”

Malloren tapped her fingers in irritation. “A balancing force needed to be set in place to ensure the choice made was a willing one. Satan is a liar and God did not trust that those facing the choice would be provided the entire truth. That is why the
Tzava Ha’or
was created. We are the balancing force and provide the last chance for such victims to choose God.”

Broderick scrunched his brow and
he
leaned forward in emphasis. “I do not understand why God would set up provisions to
preserve
this race Satan created. Why not just let them to their own devices and allow them to kill themselves by fouling up the rules?”

“Then those who made such a choice could never be offered redemption. I do not think it is wise to question Jehovah,” Malloren warned.

“Bah!” Broderick sat back and shook his head. “It is my free will to question him, is it not? I have often pondered the usefulness of God’s creations over the decades, Satan being one of them. If God is all-powerful and all-knowing, did he not know Satan would rebel? That he would tempt Adam and Eve in paradise? That man would fall from grace by choosing to bow to Satan by disobeying God?” He harrumphed.

“The pain and the suffering in this world are caused primarily by Satan, Broderick.”

“Nay, caused by God, Malloren! And to what purpose?” He stood and planted his fists on the table, glaring down at the prophetess. “God created Satan, who is the cause of evil. Thereby, God created the pain and suffering in this world. I see the lives of the victims I feed from, their innocent beginnings falling prey to the evils of God’s creation.” He pushed away and turned his back on her. “Do not tell me God did not have a hand in any of this.”

Malloren placed a comforting hand upon Broderick’s shoulder, but he did not turn to face her. In a voice full of compassion, she said, “I did not say God did not have a hand in any of this, Vamsyrian. But I am saying I do not question His motives. Who are we to question God’s ultimate design? I believe He does have a plan and you are indeed a special part of the redemption for your race.”

Broderick opened his mouth to protest, not wanting to be a part of this manipulation to an unknown end.

But Malloren reached up and placed tender fingers upon his lips. “Do not turn your back on those who may have realized they made a mistake by choosing immortality.” Tears welled in the eyes of the prophetess as she pleaded her case. “If you do not care about God or the salvation He offers, please do not throw away the second chance He has given those of your kind to make a different choice.”

Guilt washed over Broderick as he weighed her words, as he considered the glassy pools of her dark-brown eyes under her pleading, raven brows. He sighed. “What part do I play in this plan?”

Malloren bowed her head and kissed his knuckles before returning to her seat. “It is unclear as to how many years, decades or even centuries passed before the prophecy was revealed to the
Tzava Ha’or
. As it has been passed down—and with some of the information I have gleaned from the many visions I have received over the years—the Angel Gabriel appeared to a leader of our Order with this message.” She picked up the scroll she once held and read.

God's mercy is infinite and He wishes all of His children to receive salvation…even those who have chosen to turn their backs on Him. The Vamsyrian creator is choosing to keep God's path to redemption a secret. I am here to expose that truth to the light and declare how this truth will be revealed.

“So Satan has known about this prophecy since the beginning?”

“As we have come to understand it, yes.” She continued.

God has foreseen that by the conflict of two Vamsyrian brothers will the path toward redemption be known. Their family wars will propel them to make the choice of immortality, bonding them by blood not only through their lineage, but also their transformation.

Broderick leaned forward in awe, his palms on the table. “Did Angus know of this prophecy?”

Malloren’s brow creased. “Angus? No, not that I am aware. Why do you ask?”

“Bonded by blood,” Broderick whispered.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Angus spoke those words the night he transformed me. ‘
Brothers for all eternity now, forever bonded by blood.’ At the time, I thought he was only referring to how the transformation had bonded us in blood, thereby making us brothers as Vamsyrians.” Broderick sat, his eyes staring into the past and seeing the final confirmation of his connection to Angus. Until this moment, he’d still harbored doubts about Angus being his brother.

“I had not seen Angus since the night of my turning. Seventeen years ago, we clashed, both of us seeking to settle decades of vengeance. It was in that confrontation I learned we were brothers, both sons of Hamish MacDougal.” He brought himself back to the present and regarded Malloren. “Both of us sought immortality for our own reasons of revenge. I learned that Angus was immortal when he murdered my…
our
brothers…and their families.”
Will that heartache ever fade?
“Angus left me for dead and Cordelia saved me before…”

Choosing over the years not to dwell on the events that led to his transformation, Broderick had ignored the part Cordelia played in this drama…until now. “
Cordelia
knew we were brothers. But how?
I
did not know.” He rose and resumed pacing. He turned to Malloren. “She knew Angus. Mayhap she had been the one to transform him.”

“I revoke my claim on Broderick MacDougal.”
Cordelia’s proclamation and her taunting expressions thrown at Angus echoed through the decades.

“She must have known about the prophecy! Cordelia manipulated Angus and I to be the brothers to fulfill the prophecy. That is why she backed away from doing the transformation herself. She wanted…nay
needed
Angus to perform the transformation.”

Malloren sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Is that a hint of pride in her smirk?

“You are correct, Vamsyrian.” She stood and cautiously stepped toward him. “Cordelia does indeed know about the prophecy.”

Broderick tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at the prophetess. “Why do I feel you know more about this than you are leading me to believe?”

“Please sit.” She turned her chair to face him. “You will not like what I have to say.”

“So you have continued to make abundantly clear.” Broderick scowled.

* * * * *

Cailin grabbed a second leg from the roasted chicken and set it on the trencher before her. Gathering a few more grapes and blackberries along with another chunk of bread, she continued to enjoy the meal before her. True to Angus’s word, the food was appetizing and—more to the point—excellent for regaining her strength. With what little rest she was able to snatch in the dusty room and the nourishment of this fine meal, new confidence about confronting her enemy surged through her. Certainly Angus would bide his time, waiting for Broderick to come after her, so she took advantage of the opportunity.

Angus chuckled. “Have you been rendered mute, my little morsel? I do not believe you’ve uttered a single word since your arrival.”

She swallowed her mouthful and washed it down with the rich vintage in her cup. “Apologies to my host.” Her voice sounded husky, a sure sign she was fatigued. She cleared her throat. “The food is delicious, but I hesitate to thank you, for I feel as if I am the calf being fattened for the feast.”

Angus threw his head back and laughed. “Well said, my dear.” He leveled sparkling eyes upon her. “Well said, indeed.” He strolled to the far-right doorway at the back of the hall and mumbled something to the man standing post, who nodded and reached into his pocket. Angus took the small jar he handed over and glared at Jasper as he passed by on his path back to the head table. Tossing the jar before Cailin, he smiled and she caught it before it skittered over the edge. “Salve for your wrists and feet.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Angus sat and waved off the courtesy. “Of course.” A roguish grin tilted his lips. “As you say, another measure to fatten up my little calf.” His eyes dropped to her neckline, lingering until a flushing heat crept over her skin and she had difficulty swallowing.

“I am surprised Broderick has not yet arrived,” he deliberated. “Do you think he has abandoned you? Perhaps you are not as important as his beloved Davina? I am very sad to see
she
is not here.” He seethed momentarily.