The Blood Will Run (13 page)

Chace thought for a minute before he answered.

“I’m with you because I love you.”

“Bullshit, when you love someone you don’t lie to them.”

“How am I supposed to tell the Virgin Mary that I own a bondage brothel?” Chace asked raising his voice.

Alivia glared at Chace. “The virgin Mary? I knew it. I knew you had a problem with me saving myself until I got married.”

“Until you’re married? Well, isn’t that just great,” Chace said.

“Go to hell!” Alivia screamed and ran out of the room.

Chace went to go after her, but Devin stopped him.

“Give her some time to calm down.”

Chace nodded.

Erica looked at Chace and then at Devin. “Seriously, you idiots don’t know anything about woman do you?” Erica said and ran after Alivia.

☼

Alivia just started running.

She ran as fast as she could deep into the woods.

“Alivia…stop…!” Erica shouted.

Alivia didn’t want to be with anyone. She needed to be by herself and think.

She found an opening in the rocks, climbed inside, and curled up into a ball in the tight space. She heard Ericas’ footsteps as they closed in on her and she held her breath until Erica ran past her. Then she let out her breath again.

Alivia couldn’t fight back the tears. She couldn’t believe what Chace had called her.

Devin might just be right after all. Maybe Chace just wanted her for sex. She knew deep down that Chace was too good to be true.

Still, he said that he loved her and that sounded genuine. Yet, he called her the Virgin Mary and he didn’t say it nicely either.  

Still calling out her name, Erica ran past Alivias’ hiding spot once again.

Five minutes later, she knew Erica had given up on searching for her. Alivia crawled out of the small space in the rocks and headed for the cemetery.

When she reached her mothers’ grave, she fell to her knees and wept. “So much has happened,” Alivia said aloud. “Since you left me, I have felt nothing but misery. Miles kidnapped me and held me hostage. He’s a werewolf you know. And Chace, he’s a vampire. I love him mom, but I’m not sure I can trust him. And Devin, well he’s a sunvamp. But there’s something odd about Devin and I can’t quite put a finger on what it is. I can’t believe that Lawson rose from the dead and came back as a Shayvan. Why didn’t you tell me? You could have trusted me with your secret. Oh, mom I miss you so much. I have no one I can really talk to anymore. Jules has her hands full with running the Cafe and taking care of me. I can’t bring myself to burden her. I need you mom and you’re not here. Why the hell did you have to leave me? It’s not fair. I have no one.” The tears streamed down her cheeks again. “Please mom, if Lawson can find a way to come back, then so can you.” She threw herself down over the grave and continued to cry. Minutes later, she curled up into a ball, and rocked herself to sleep.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

C
hace
sat down quietly beside Alivia and stared at her while she slept. He knew that she had been crying from the stains of mascara under her eyes and on her cheeks. It was his fault. He was the reason she was upset and he felt it tug at his heart.

He reached for his cell phone in his back pocket and typed.

Erica I found her
. Chace pressed send.

Is she ok
? Erica answered back.

Chace texted her back.
Everything is fine.

Chace read the next message.

Tell Alivia I’ll wait for her @ the Cafe. & thanx 4 finding her, I was worried.

Np. I’ll see 2 it she gets home
.

Chace sent the message and then put the cell phone back into his pocket.

How could he have been so stupid? The girl of his dreams was right in front of him and he probably messed up everything by lying to her. He roamed this earth for centuries and never once did he meet that girl who made him feel so utterly complete. Alivia had a powerful hold on his heart. He would do anything that she asked him to do.

He would die for her.

As he watched her sleep, he wanted to hold her and shelter her from everything that happened. He wanted nothing more than to take away all of her pain and suffering. It didn’t even matter to him that she was a virgin. He actually respected her more because she wanted to save herself for the man that she would marry. He acted like a pompous ass when he called her the Virgin Mary. Centuries of acting like a total jerk, was the only way he knew how to behave. Now, he didn’t know who he was anymore. He needed to be a better a person because that is what his beautiful Alivia deserved.   

“Chace is that you?” Alivia asked sitting up.

“Yes,” Chace answered.

“How long have you been sitting here?”

“For a while, I couldn’t bring myself to wake you, you looked so peaceful.”

☼

Alivia stood and brushed the dirt off from her clothes.

Chace stood and wiped the dirt from the back of his jeans.

“Alivia I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean what I said.”

“Can you just take me home Chace?”

“Alivia we have to talk about this.”

Alivia glared at him. “I’m not in the mood to talk to you.”

“Please, give me a chance to explain.”

“Explain what? That you lied to me, that you keep things from me. Do you know how hard it was for me to be with you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I was perfectly fine living my life the way it was until you kissed me. I only had to worry about my sister and me. Now I have to worry about Jules, Lawson, Devin, you, and all of my friends.”

“You don’t have to worry about anybody but yourself.”

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. Everyone’s lives are in danger. Miles is still running loose somewhere and who knows what he has in store for me. You killed his sister, Chace. I would want revenge too if it were me.”

“Who told you I killed his sister?”

“Miles did when he had me chained to the bed.”

“I didn’t know at the time that she was his sister until it was too late.”

Alivia felt the tension in her neck. “See that’s a problem. You kill people. Why? Why do you have to do that if you can drink from blood bags Chace?”

Chace looked at her, he was furious. “You confuse the shit out of me woman.”

She glared back in astonishment. “What’s there to be confused about Chace?”

“I’m trying to be the person you want me to be, but you have to cut me some slack. This is all new for me.”

“Quit feeding me bullshit and try telling me the truth for once.”

“Alivia I love you with all my heart and soul, that’s the honest truth. I want to be a guy that you can respect. The guy that you can love and trust. I’m learning as I go along.” Chace stepped closer to her.

He reached out and held her hand in his. “I’ve never felt this way before. And the truth is that I want to be with you. I want to change for you. I will do anything you ask of me. Please don’t shut me out.”

“I’m not sure what I want.” Alivias’ head was throbbing. “So much has happened. But I do know what I feel. I’m upset Chace. I gave my heart to you and this is what I get in return.”

“Alivia please don’t do this to us. I can’t, no I won’t be without you.”

“You can’t decide how I feel Chace. It’s my life, so it’s my choice.” Alivia pulled away from him.

“I think now is a good time for you to take me home,” Alivia said.

Chaces’ eyes darkened. “Fine, I’ll take you home. But remember this, I love you and nothing or no one, including you, will ever change what I feel for you.”

Alivia stared through the windshield at Jules, Fleager, Devin, Erica and Lawson. They were standing in front of the Cafe talking when she and Chace pulled up. She knew from the seriousness on their faces that something was wrong. Chace slid out of the drivers’ seat and walked around the front of the car to open her door.

Alivia didn’t wait, she opened the passenger door and slid out, slamming it behind her. “What’s wrong?” Alivia asked.

“It appears Vanstrauss managed to escape,” Lawson said.

“How the hell did that happen?” Alivia asked.

Fleager held up a hand to silence everyone.

“I turned my back for one second. I swear. I was searching through Harpers pockets for his cell phone, because mine somehow disappeared and when I turned back Vanstrauss was gone.”

“Where’s Harpers body?” Chace asked.

“In the trunk of my car,” Fleager answered.

“The good thing about all of this is that Vanstrauss is just a vampire now. He can be killed with a stake through the heart,” Devin said.

“Vanstrauss is dangerous with or without his possessed shadow,” Erica said.

Jules lifted her hand. “Why are we standing out here in the middle of the night? Let’s all go inside, I could do with a strong glass of bourbon.” Jules unlocked the door to the Cafe and walked straight to the employee door.

Jules returned carrying a serving tray with a bottle of bourbon and seven tumbler glasses on top of it, just as everyone sat down in a booth.

“Mercy just texted me, she’s on her way over,” Devin said putting his cell phone in his back pocket. “Mercy said Evony is headed for Florence to get Orion, Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton.”

“Shit.” Erica shook her head. “We’re screwed.”

“Why are we screwed?” Jules asked with a puzzled expression on her face.

“Evony is the witch that came out of the door of the realm with Vanstrauss. Orion is the very first vampire that was created back in four hundred B.C., he is extremely powerful. The Vamprincessa and the Vamprinceton are teenage vampires also turned by Orion in four hundred B.C., they are just as dangerous as Orion,” Devin explained.

“Just great,” Jules said and filled her glass with bourbon before she continued. “As if this freaking night couldn’t get any more nerve wrecking then it already is, now we have to worry about crazy ass vampires coming to Coven Creek and wiping us off the face of the earth.”

“Not necessarily.” Mercy began walking toward booth nine. “We have a weapon that they’re not expecting us to have in our possession.”

“And what weapon would that be exactly?” Chace asked.

“Look for yourselves,” Mercy said pointing to the person that just walked through the door of the Cafe.

“This is Demeetrie De Luca. After all that happened tonight, I decided it was time to release him from his slumber.”

“It is an honor to make your acquaintance.”

Demeetrie offered Chace his hand.

Devin slid out of the booth and stood between them. “Sir, it is an honor to meet you,” Devin said shaking his hand. I have read about you in the Sollecular.”

Demeetrie smiled and then glanced at Chace who remained seated.

“May I?” Demeetrie asked and pointed to the booth across from where Chace was sitting.

Jules nodded.

“Can I offer you a glass of bourbon?” Jules asked.

Demeetrie smiled. “No, that is quite all right, Thank you, Bella. Mercy has managed to take care of my thirst. I am quite content at the moment.”

“What about you Mercy, a glass of bourbon?” Jules asked.

“No thank you,” Mercy answered and then glanced at Devin before she continued, “We need to devise a plan to guarantee our lives aren’t in danger.”

“Mercy I understood you’d anger your ancestors by releasing Demeetrie from his slumber,” Devin said.

“Well I made a choice, deal with the punishment from my ancestors or die because Vanstrauss will kill us all. For me the choice was easy,” Mercy said.

Devin nodded. “How long do you think it’ll take for Orion and his vampire clan to get here?” Devin asked.

“Tops, two days,” said Mercy.

“What can we do to stop them?” Erica asked.

“There's not much we can do, except fight if we have too,” Chace said.

“We’re just humans. We’re not all that powerful,” Erica said.

“I agree, Bella, but it really has nothing to do with you humans. They want Vanstrauss and the people responsible for interfering in the clans’ business only,” Demeetrie said.

“Vanstrauss is no longer a threat. We trapped his shadow in the damnation box,” Devin said.

“None of this matters to the clan. For them, Vanstrauss will find a way to repossess himself with evil once again and not long after he does, destruction will follow,” Demeetrie said and eyed Chace curiously.

“What if we get to Vanstrauss before they do and kill him? What will the clan do then?” Erica asked.

“Orion will want proof that Vanstrauss is dead,” Demeetrie said.

“I don’t understand. Why would Evony go to the clan and turn her back on Vanstrauss?” Jules asked.

“Evony was sent to Hellsgrave to help Vanstrauss escape,” Mercy said.

“Who sent her?” Jules asked.

“Artemis,” Mercy answered.

“Who the hell is Artemis?” Jules asked.

Mercy sat down beside Lawson. “Artemis is the creator of Orion.”

“Wait, none of this makes sense to me. Why would Artemis help Vanstrauss escape to the physical realm only to have him killed by the clan?” Erica asked.

“Artemis’ maiden Atalanta betrayed Artemis.

Atalanta sacrificed the sacred skin that she won in a hunt by drawing first blood against the calydonian boar. The skin was a symbol of respect toward Artemis for allowing Atalanta to hunt with her. Later, Artemis discovered that Atalanta burned the skin in a ceremonial sacrifice to Oeneus. She sent Atalanta to Hellsgrave. It was in Hellsgrave, at the once a year festival, that Vanstrauss forced himself on the virgin maiden Atalanta and took her virginity,” Mercy explained.

“I see, so Evony brought Orion here to make Vanstrauss accountable for raping Atalanta. So, then why would the clan have a problem with us?” Jules asked.

“We meddled in their affairs by trapping Vanstrauss in the damnation box and that is against the rules. They abide by their rules and follow them loyally. They expect humans and supernatural beings to follow them as well,” Devin explained.

“So now that we know, what are we going to do to protect ourselves?” Jules asked.

“I’m guessing that we have a better chance at defeating them if we all stick together,” Mercy said.

“I agree,” Devin said.

“We could always summon the sunvamps.’’ There are others like us that exist,” Demeetrie said.

Mercy looked at him with a questioning stare. “Where? My family has been tracking sunvamps since the beginning of time.”

“Yes, I am well aware of that Bella. Still, there are others. They are however much more difficult to find for a person such as yourself, as they have been cloaked to protect their existence,” Demeetrie said.

“And this cloaking spell was performed by what witch?” Mercy asked.

“Well Bella, I would like to share that information with you, but as you are well aware, your ancestors have hunted us for centuries and I fear that information must remain confidential,” Demeetrie said as he smiled.

“I understand.” Mercys’ expression darkened.

“Okay, so where do we go from here?’ Erica asked and tossed her blonde hair off her shoulder.

“We have to find Vanstrauss and offer him to Orion. I believe if we offer Vanstrauss to them, we can prevent a war between the vampire clan and the sunvamps’,” Devin said.

“I can do some searching down at head quarters to see where Vanstrauss could possibly hide in Newgrave and Coven Creek,” Detective Fleager suddenly offered.

“Why would you help us?” Jules asked.

“After what happened to my partner tonight, I want to put an end to the killings in Coven Creek and Newgrave. Now that I believe that Vanstrauss might be responsible for the vampire attacks, it’s my job to stop him before he kills anyone else,”