New Blood (The Blood Saga Book 2) (26 page)

“You’re angry,” I couldn’t tell if
it were a question or comment. But I wasn’t angry so I shook my head. “No need
in lying. What did I do?”

I had to laugh. “I’m not angry. Or
at least not with you.” I threw the shield up to my max potential hoping feebly
that it would work now that I’d had his blood. To help matters. I sang to
myself trying to push my own thoughts away. Like that stopped him of course.

“You’re still upset.” He could have
found out anyway of course. He was just being polite.

“Let it go,” I grumbled. In my head
I sung The Monster word for word in my head.

He sighed, annoyed that I was
hiding things. Men really hated that I was discovering. Well Phoenix had given
me a lot. It really wasn’t fair of me when I owed him so much.

Kicking my feet at the dirt, I
stood still only watching the ground. “I feel changed, Phoenix. As if something
inside of me is turning. Every day it grows stronger. Every day it changes me
more.”

“That frightens you.”

“Not at all… It doesn’t. I feel
like it should though.”

“Hm. Tell me what you mean exactly.
Perhaps I could help.” He couldn’t, but perhaps I should tell him anyway. Warn him.

“I don’t know what it is. I don’t
feel darkness exactly. Just different. Stronger, so much stronger. Colder… It’s
as if a part of me is pulling away. Detaching somehow. I’ve never been good at
emotions but it feels like they’re nearly unreachable sometimes. Then other
times they blow up in my face.” I walked on without looking to him. Phoenix was
about to speak when I cut him off. “Paul was right you know.”

“How so?” I shook my head. I couldn’t
say it out loud. I couldn’t let myself think it even. He’d figure it out or he
wouldn’t. It didn’t matter.

“It’s a natural instinct for us to
shut down, Lianna. It’s your own personal demon trying to protect itself.
Trying to protect you,” he sounded bitter. My brow arched.
Huh?
“You’ve
been through a lot in a very short time. That would affect anyone. It’s how you
use these changes that matters most.”

Sound advice truly. I gave a slight
nod, letting my thoughts roam on as we walked in silence. It didn’t matter if
he was listening to me.

After an hour or so had passed, he
spoke again. “Let’s get some things set now, before we’re too close to the
border of the estate. What are you planning?”

“Damien’s gonna hate it. You might also.”
Stopping, I looked over the woods cautiously. He looked at me expectantly,
waiting. “They need to think I’m running from something. Sooo, you get to hunt
me.” His brow arched skeptically. “Do you trust me?”

He nodded. A smirk tugged at his
lips. I wondered how well he meant it. His eyes narrowed humorously. “Probably
more than I should.”

“Probably.” I laughed. “Well I need
a reason for you to be near me without putting them on the defensive.” I
shrugged. It was my only plan to get past them. Draw their attention and still
survive it. “Don’t be alarmed if you smell blood.”

“Smart thinking.” He nodded in
approval. “We’ll start a few more miles out. We’re still in the property line.
The ward might be broken but no one’s crossed it aside from Paul and Ryce. How’s
your scream?” He grinned mischievously nudging me with his elbow.

“Like a banshee.” I grinned
wickedly.

With Phoenix’s elbow propped on my
shoulder we walked a ways in silence. He only pulled away from me to hold low
hanging limbs aside.

It was obvious he could feel my building
tension. Contradicting fear with nervous excitement, I was eager to rip my
teeth into something without holding back. Tonight I would have something that
a deep part of me had been craving since the day I turned. His arm wrapped my
shoulders as I hooked an arm around his waist. Unconsciously I held against him
tightly. It felt greedy. It felt a little wimpy. But it was like I was feeding
from his strength, his confidence. He knew, and let me have the comfort.

Once near the border, Phoenix came
to a halt. Leaning close, his breath tickled my neck. “They’re very close. Keep
your shield up. Run like hell. I’ll be just two steps behind you. If you scream
more than once, I’m coming for you.”

His other hand brushed my hair back
and pulled me to him tighter. “Remember, Sticks, you’re not alone. I promised
Damien I would take care of you, and get you through this in one piece. Don’t
make me a liar.” He kissed the top of my head firmly.

Before releasing me, he pulled back
and stared me in the eye, looking deadly serious. “Stay away from Demetrius
tonight. He’s mine.” Each word was enunciated with a sharpness I’d rarely heard
come from Phoenix. Once his point was received loud and clear, he smiled
lightly and released my arm. His lips brushed my temple. “Get out of here,
Sticks. You have a two minute head start. Go.”

Taking off like a jet I ran hard,
though not as fast as I could. I had to reserve myself in case something went
wrong and I really did find myself running for my life. After running for more
than a minute, I took in as deep a breath as possible and let it out in a
murderous bloodcurdling scream.

After running for a good ten
minutes I brought my hand up to my mouth, tearing straight through the flesh. I
let the blood drip to the forest floor as I ran. Though it healed quickly it
should be effective.

Before long, the scent of another
Vampire hit me. Definitely not Phoenix. Definitely close by. It worked.

Every few minutes I would open the
wound, continuing to wipe blood on the leaves and trees as I passed them. The
trail would be hard to resist for any Vampire and very unmistakable.

Purposefully, I started breaking
branches in my path. Showing signs of an injured Vampire more than one that was
simply running. If anyone knew Phoenix was nearby other than me, they would
surely believe he was hunting me.
Hell I hope so.

Running harder, my determination
was growing with every step. It had to work.
It will work.

Strangely, I found a desperation
within me to go back to that house in which I died. It was the place I was
made. I wondered how I would handle seeing it again. Would it be much like the
first time? How would my blood smell after so many months?

I hadn’t even realized how much
time had gone by since Phoenix and I had left the house. The sun had long since
set. The forest was nearly empty. Every animal capable was running, slithering
or flying in the opposite direction by now.

After a while of running there were
two more Vampires on my trail. I was only about half way to Vermont. Evading
people and heavily populated areas had been damn near hell but I managed to
stick to tree lines and heavily wooded areas for most of the trip. My spine
tingled, I didn’t know if it was in anticipation or fear.

Almost as soon as the one had
turned to three something much wilder had joined them. I could hear their low
whispers but they were too soft and distant to make out the words.

It wasn’t long before one of the
Vampires took off in a different direction completely. This is what Phoenix
said would happen. They would send one of the scouts back to report
information. This was a good thing. All of this was working just as planned.

So if everything was going to
according to plan then why was I so damned anxious?

I hadn’t expected how
overwhelmingly crippling it would feel to be so utterly alone. Alone aside from
my enemies of course.

Something didn’t feel right. Something
felt wrong.
Phoenix? Where are you?
I didn’t know if it was my fear or
the bond but something was horribly wrong. It was almost painful.

The other two Vampires were closer
now. They were about a half mile behind me. If I slowed for even a second that
would be all of the advantage they needed. Three of them together would rip me apart
and feed off me, absorbing my blood like they were draining my soul.

Leaches.
That’s what they should be called.
Soul sucking leaches.
I ran
faster.

There was a clearing ahead. After
that just eighty more miles to the house. Not much longer at all.

Phoenix had strayed further then he
had planned. Was I alone or was he being cautious?
Please be safe, Phoenix.

At the edge of the clearing, I
stopped cold. We’d been set up. Or at least I had.

Kneeled on the ground were five
Descendant Crossbreeds. Their heads hung forward giving the illusion that they
had no faces. Their fingers dug deep into the earth chanting in unison in
whispers that echoed off the black forest.

The two that had been running
behind me were closing in now that I’d stopped. I could see them now.

The soil around me churned,
spurting shoots and twisted thorn vines. They encircled my feet and ankles
while I was watching the two stalking me from either side. As if something like
grass could hold back a Vampire? They couldn’t be that powerful. All the same,
the memories of my nightmares haunted me then as the vines grew tighter,
pulling me one step at a time forward. They wanted me in the circle. I tried to
fight it, but they bit deep into my skin, burning like acid.

More came up from the woods across
the field and moved into place. Between each of them in a strange though
massive star pattern around me now stood another breed entirely, Shifter
Crossbreeds. Guardians over the Descendants.

The two that had been following me
came in behind me to seal the gap. Before me within the circle, stood three
full-blooded Vampires. Behind them, bleeding on the ground lay Melody.

Run.

I put as much oomph as I could into
that one word. I hoped my emotions were reading loud and clear. Phoenix couldn’t
help me now. He had to get to the others. He was their only chance of survival.
We’d underestimated their resources.

The clearing stretched almost a
perfect circle for about a quarter of a mile in diameter. My knees bent into an
instinctive defensive position. A low rumble rattled my chest causing the low
growl to rip from my lips.

The first Vampire I laid eyes upon
had skin of ivory. Perfect white in the darkness of night. Burning red eyes
stared at me from the statue of a man. He was so thin and tall, he almost
looked stretched out. His arms folded over his chest. He wore filthy black BDU’s
and a snug worn black sleeveless shirt.

None of them appeared to be clean.
I could smell caked mud and old blood. Not to mention an assortment of other
odors I didn’t care to identify mingled in as well. They also smelled like
rotting corpses.

The next one to his right was thick
as a truck and not very tall. About five foot six maybe. Arms hanging limp at
his sides, he wore black slacks and a ragged blue button up business shirt. I
could see his fingers twitching in anticipation. His skin was yellowing like a
bruise.

It looked like something off a
video game.
Resident Evil
, came to mind
.
Normal Humans all
dressed up for work, turned to monsters. He was still wearing a tie. It was
soaked in Melody’s blood.

The third full-blood was on the
leaders left flank. Another male, very young in every manner of the word. He
barely looked sixteen, maybe seventeen. He was about six foot I thought. And
strangely familiar.

Light skin, still tinted from his
years of humanity. Incredibly new to this life. The New Blood could only be a
few weeks into his immortality at best. He wore a graphic tee shirt and stone
washed blue jeans. He, too, had blood stains and mud caked on his clothes.
Short spiky light brown hair looked like it was gelled at one point.

His body lurched forward, ready to
attack. Why did he look so familiar?
Oh hell
. The kid had been a football
player in my home town as a human.

This was a game. I was just a pawn.
First Paul, and then Neesa, Melody, and now this kid was, too. My anger burned
hot.

The one that looked like he was in
charge of this small gathering held up a hand in the boy’s direction. Instantly
the boy stood straight again. However I could still hear the low snarling
sounds. Animalistic, untamed.

The one in charge was Roman. I
recognized him now from Neesa’s dream.
So you’re the Blooding.
I could
see it in his eyes.

It was a second later before Melody
was thrown to the ground in front of him. The snap of her forearm was audible.
She screamed from the pain though it was dull. It was not the first time they
had hurt her in such a way. I could smell her blood dried on her skin from
other injuries.

My knees were shaking. All my
instincts screamed for me to kill them. Good thing I knew there was no chance
of that. Not with so many. Not while trying to get to Melody for certain.

Roman strode forward. Reaching down
to Melody, his hand gently brushed the hair from her face. Grabbing the back of
her neck, he lifted her from the ground and held her in my direction. Showing
her to me like a prize.

His nose drug against her neck,
sniffing vagrantly along her bloody damaged throat. They’d turned her into a
living juice box.

Her dark brown big loopy curls were
messy now and resembled a natty rat’s nest. Her face was bruised and swollen
from being beaten to unconsciousness. She wouldn’t die quick. Some didn’t get
that lucky. Her poor mother and sisters must have been scared to death with
worry.

“You want to save her, don’t you?
Your humanity still aches to save her life. Doesn’t it? Or maybe you would
rather just eat her? We’ll share. Promise.” He laughed out. Roman’s accent was
heavily Russian.

Roman’s voice echoed into my mind.
It was deafening like knives boring into my skull. Instinctively, my hands came
up and dug into my hair, gripping onto my head as I screamed out in pain.

An overwhelming pull made my knees
buckle as the vines jerked me to the ground. I heard his laughter as he
sauntered closer. Casually he dropped Melody to the dirt. She laid there
unmoving. Unwilling or unable to move.

Roman stopped about five paces from
me. Invisible knives continued to bore into my skull. My vision was blurred and
the world seemed to pulse in and out. “This was disappointingly easy.” He
frowned as he looked down at me.

It reminded me of what Jezabell had
done.
You can fight it.
I practiced this. I was strong enough to hold a
shield against him. I had to be with Phoenix’s blood.
Close yourself off!
Trying hard, I pulled my mind to focus past the pain and the false force.
You
have to protect your mind. Focus! Come on now focus! It’s not real, Anna, get
up! He’s going to kill you!

It was a struggle back to my feet,
trying to fight against the vines, ignoring the thorns that dug deep into my
flesh even as it tore my skin apart. I didn’t quit until I was standing. Fists
at my side tightened. My lips curled back snarling, baring fangs like a wild
wolf poised to attack. Taking a step forward, I tore vines into my flesh
without care. With all the strength I had, I started pushing against him inside
of my mind, trying to shove him out.

Roman smiled slowly. “Oh good, I
was getting bored.” The chanting from the others grew louder. More vines
wrapped my legs, and began to burn as if my skin was on fire. Each thorn was
ejecting acid deep into my flesh. Blood wet my fingertips as my fists squeezed
tighter. It pooled until it dripped through my hands to the ground below.

The dark magic burned through my legs
and wrapped tighter until I couldn’t move. Roman’s attack felt as if he were
ripping my head to pieces from the inside out. Could I fight under these
circumstances? All that I could manage was a low growl in his direction.

His right hand shot out to his
side, signaling the others. In a second’s time they were gone. Melody with
them. We stood alone in the meadow. A low rumble of laughter barely fell from
his lips, but I could hear it like it was the only sound in the world as it was
cutting into me like a thousand knives.

“
Annnaaaaa…”
his voice drew
out my name, taunting me. “Do you feel that, Anna? That’s your death, Anna,” his
voice echoed through my mind with every word, doubling the pain.

It was a throbbing torture piercing
straight through my pathetic shield and cutting me to the core.

No! You will not give up!

I struggled to stay standing.
Fighting off the invisible attack with all the concentration I could muster.

The stabbing subsided entirely
quite suddenly. Just as quickly as the pain had overwhelmed me, he had turned
it off. “You will be mine,” I whispered it low.

His last words to me came out in
thick Russian, “Я буду
готов для вас
любовника.
Остальные из
них тоже.
Один за
другим, вы
будете
смотреть им
умереть” - “I’ll be ready for you,
lover. The rest of them, too. One by one you’ll watch them die.”

And then he was gone.

The angrier Roman got the more the
accent had come out. Before long he had abandoned English entirely.

 I couldn’t help it. I laughed as I
called back at him, “Dasvidaniya Khuyesos’!” The first part was ‘until we meet
again’. The second part was a touch meaner.

“Oh, Babushka, if you could see me
now…” The fit of laughter continued on painfully until dry sobs choked out of
my throat. The pain had left me loopy and dizzy. I stood motionless for the
longest time, frozen where I stood. Trying to fight off the backlash his attack
had caused, combined with the magic of the Descendants.