To Hell and Back (Eternally Blooded) (11 page)

             
James whirled on Valerie, about to berate her for not telling him about the dreams but understanding dawned on his face before he got a chance. “The arrow carried his seed? The rogue was never meant to kill her, just shoot her. Erra knew I would kill the rogue but that didn’t matter as long as the task was accomplished.”

Styx nodded in agreement. “That baby is the start of the war Marion foresaw. A baby that would be both a god and an immortal if I bless this union and allow the blooding ritual to take place.”

              “What do you mean if?” James snapped.

             
“Really James calm down.” Styx sighed. “You know I would do anything to ensure your happiness, but this I cannot do. Right now that baby is but a demigod, sharing Valerie’s mortal genes. If you change her over, you are changing the baby as well.”

             
Valerie understood what Styx was saying, but she also understood that if this baby was half of her she could shape it to be kind and caring. Raised with the love and gentle hands of both her and James the baby would grow up to be honorable, not a threat to the entire planet.

             
Styx heard her thoughts. “Valerie we cannot rely on hope alone that what you wish will come true. I cannot do this.”

             
The goddess looked genuine in her sadness over the situation, but James didn’t care. As a mortal Valerie was too vulnerable in his world. Once the baby was born Erra would lift the order not to harm her. Assassins would seek them out to take her life and steal the baby.

             
James knew how to convince Styx. “Don’t you see, I have to change her. As a mortal she would not be able to protect herself after the baby was born. Erra would steal the babe and have one of his rogues change the demigod, fulfilling the prophecy without Valerie in the way. Changing her is our only hope to shape this baby for our side. You know just as well as I do that illegal changings happen all the time. If they didn’t I would be out of a job.”

             
Styx contemplated what James had said but still looked unconvinced. Thrusting the pendant Marion had given him at her he pleaded. “Take this as payment, Marion said you could have it, only you must allow us to make this oath before you now.”

             
Styx eyed the pendant with longing on her face, tentatively reaching out to touch it her hand trembled before her. “Marion would give this to me after all these years?”

             
“Yes Styx only you must do this for us.” James pleaded.

             
Snatching the pendant from James and draping it around her neck before he could change his mind she called out, her voice reverberating off the walls of the lighthouse. “Swear to the gods that you are true in your intentions, that you will never seek to sever the bond of a blood mate, that you will honor our laws or face death.”

             
James knelt down and responded. “I swear it.”

             
Valerie knelt beside him and repeated his words. Styx placed a palm on each of their heads. “You have my blessing, now go and complete the ritual before Satan himself and may the gods be with you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

V
alerie’s heart was pounding in her chest. The gates to the pit of hell were made of steel, towering over her like a bad omen. Their shadow stretched out for what seemed like miles behind her.

             
Styx, breaking tradition, teleported her and James to their final destination. Skipping the lower circles of Hell was a relief to her, but standing here not only at the gate of hell but the gate to her immortality scared the crap out of her. She loved James and knew that he was her life and would always be her life, but knowing that she would no longer be mortal, that she would have to feed off the blood of humans, and that she was carrying a demigod in her stomach made her want to run.

             
Sensing Valerie’s conflicting emotions James gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Alright then love?”

             
Valerie was grateful that he seemed to know what she was feeling and responded to it in kind. She had friends over the years whose boyfriends wouldn’t have known they did something wrong unless they got hit in the face with a frying pan.

“James, I need to ask you something before we do this. You took the news of me being with child pretty well. Why were you so quick to be at my side, not only defending me but offering to raise this child with me? I have never met a man who would do that.”

“You have never met a man Valerie. A real man or immortal as it were, would do anything for the one they love. You are my savior Valerie and I love you with all that I am. Without you I have no future and this baby is a part of you. I will love him or her just as much as I do you.”

Valerie felt the tears stream down her face. They weren’t tears of sadness, they were tears of Joy. This man, standing in front of her, made her feel as if all was right in the world. She knew that becoming an immortal to be with him would be the happiest moment of her life.

“Alright then James, let’s go kill me.” She said before kissing him full on the mouth, trying to pour all her emotions into the touch of their lips.

Facing the gate, hand in hand, James called out demanding entrance. The gates groaned as they opened inward just wide enough for the two of them to pass through.  The rush of air that swept over them was hot and heavy. Valerie felt herself gasp as her lungs protested the assault. Stepping through the gates the air got hotter; Valerie could feel the sweat rolling off her in waves. One glance at James told her immortals didn’t suffer the same problem. She smiled at the thought of not having to find deodorant that actually worked. Being immortal would have its bonuses.

James squeezed her hand and pulled her closer. “We’re here.” He whispered.

Valerie looked up and thought she was gazing at a pillar made of blood red stone, but as her eyes travelled upward she noticed arms and a neck growing out of a massive torso. The head on top took her breath away. Fangs and drool protruded from the mouth, the nose was flat and snorting like a bull, but the eyes were the worst of all. Nothing but blackness filled them, a soulless empty void that Valerie couldn’t bring herself to look into. What she had mistaken for a pillar was the body of Satan, buried hallway in the earth leaving only his upper body visible.

James knelt before the devil, pulling Valerie down to do the same. “We have come to complete the blooding ritual.”

Satan laughed. “You want to blood a mortal?”

His voice sent a shiver right through Valerie. She was expecting a growl or a snort given the animalistic features, but instead it was a voice of pure evil.

“Yes and I would like the other half of my soul back.” James said in a voice far steadier than Valerie would have been able to muster.

“Styx has taken your oath and given her blessing?” Satan asked. “This is your true blood mate, of this you are sure?”

“I am sure.” James responded. “She will not turn into a soulless vampire when the change is complete.”

Eyeing Valerie Satan sighed. “You give your full consent and enter this willingly? James has not lied to you or coerced you in anyway?”

“Yes I do and of course he hasn’t.” Valerie tried her best not to let her voice tremble but she could hear it just as well as Satan could. She kept her jaw up and her shoulders squared.

“Then I will allow this blooding to take place, although I do hate losing your soul James. I had hoped to see you here one day as a resident. You were getting so close to turning, I foolishly built my hopes up. I should have known fate would hand you your blood mate before that happened.”

“That’s it?” Valerie couldn’t help but blurt out. She has been scared to death of meeting Satan and couldn’t contain her surprise, but what surprised her more was the laughter from both James and Satan.

“What did you think would happen? That I would make you sacrifice animals or something perverse like that?” Satan asked still chuckling at her.

“Well no, but I…well you’re the devil. I thought it would be all fire and brimstone, fighting to save my soul or something more climatic.”

Satan just continued laughing as he lifted an arm, waiving it over the floor. An alter made of stone rose before them.

“This will be more exciting for you I am sure, now hop on up young lady.” He instructed.

Valerie looked to James, not knowing what she should do. James nodded his approval and helped her climb up.

“This won’t hurt love.” He whispered as he gently moved her hair aside, exposing her neck. “Are you ready?”

Valerie swallowed her fears and blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “Yes. I love you more than I ever knew it was possible to love someone.”

James bent his head down to Valerie’s exposed neck. His breath was warm and comforting on her skin
, skin that had broken out in goose flesh despite the high temperatures of Hell. He kissed her pulsing vein lightly, gently running his tongue over the sensitive area. His fangs descended and with one quick motion his fangs sank into her flesh. Valerie felt a small pinch before the waves of pleasure rolled through her. She reached a hand up, cupping James’s head and pulling him closer.

As he drank from her she felt herself growing lightheaded, the blood was diminishing quickly from her body. Just as she was about to pass out she felt his wrist press to her mouth. There was liquid flowing from it, she hesitated, not wanting to open her mouth and drink.

“Take what I offer you love, take my life into yours. It will all be over soon.” James whispered before sinking his fangs back into her throat. Valerie forced her mouth open and allowed the liquid to wind its way down inside her before everything went black.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

T
he trees were thick, the branches grabbing her arms and stabbing her face as she made her way further in. Valerie didn’t know where she was. It was night time; she knew it was night because of the lack of light. She couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of her. The foliage was heavy and if there was a moon it cast no luminosity to aid her in her travels.

             
Something was urging her forward even though every ounce of her sensibility told her running deeper into the woods was dangerous. She didn’t know what was behind her, but rather sensed a presence that wouldn’t allow her to stop or turn around. The roots were gnarled and tripped her up every few strides. The leaves rustled above her as the wildlife followed her cautiously from its safe cover.

             
Valerie clawed at her throat as she ran. There was a burning sensation erupting from her stomach and making her throat feel like it was on fire. The baby inside her was turning this way and that, every nudge of its limbs making the fire worse.

             
The trees grew further apart as she moved forward still. A small glimmer of hope blossomed inside her as she thought that maybe she was at last breaking free of the forest. A wolf howled somewhere behind her, the sound echoing off the mountains that loomed on either side of the lush trees.

             
A scent on the wind caught her attention, it made the burning worse. Valerie didn’t know what the smell was but it compelled her forward at a quicker pace. She needed to find its source. Like an animal she growled, sending the sound out into the forest, quieting all other living creatures. Her nose twitched as she drew nearer. The trees gave way to a river bend. The waterfall cascading down shined in a bright crimson hue. The source of the smell was in front of her, a river flowing with blood.

             
“Come to me Valerie.” A man’s voice beckoned. It was James, bathing in the glory of the river, his skin slick and wet with the blood.

             
Valerie licked her lips, her fangs extending, and dove into the river. With an open mouth she allowed the liquid to fill her as she swam under the water towards James. The blood sated the burning and the babe in her stomach calmed. She broke the surface of the water when she neared James. Smiling at her satisfied hunger Valerie wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her mouth to his. The electricity that flowed between them was stronger now than it ever had been. James murmured into her mouth as she pressed her body against his hard length. Her need for him was almost painful. She deepened the kiss to quiet him, not wanting to talk.

             
James grabbed her shoulders and firmly pulled her from his body. “Valerie, wake up. Please wake up darling.”

             
Valerie shook her head in confusion. She was awake wasn’t she? Before her eyes the waterfall began to dry up. The river bend turned to mist and disappeared. She tried to focus on James. He wasn’t growing hazy or disappearing. Valerie blinked a few times, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Where the trees and river had been there were walls and furniture. She wasn’t standing in a river of blood, she was on a bed. It took a moment for her to realize she was back in Linda’s home, back in the bedroom she had stayed in after the rogue attack.

             
With embarrassment she realized her legs were wrapped tightly around James. She had been trying to mount him in her sleep. He was still covered in blood, but it wasn’t from the river. With a gasp she realized he had a gaping wound on his neck that was just beginning to heal. Sliding her tongue around her mouth she tasted blood and knew she had torn his throat open, and from the looks of it she wasn’t gentle about it.

             
Disentangling herself from him she pushed herself backwards on the bed and sat up against the headboard. “Oh my god! I did that to you. I am so sorry. Are you okay?”

             
James chuckled, reaching a hand out to caress her chin. “Don’t be sorry. Hunger is part of the turn. You aren’t expected to have good manners when your body is undergoing such a transformation. And might I say what a transformation it was. If it is possible you are even more beautiful now, positively glowing luv.”

             
Valerie reached up and felt her face. It felt the same, but maybe a bit smoother and harder. “So I am an immortal now? This hasn’t all been some crazy dream?”

             
“It is done, we are blooded.” James whispered, gathering Valerie in his arms. “Right now you will feel the hunger, the thirst. Because of this we must lay low for a bit until you can be trusted in public. There is also another desire that is stronger now, I am sure you can guess what that is.”

             
Valerie blushed remembering how she was behaving when she awoke, or at least she would have blushed if she was still mortal. She wasn’t sure if immortals did blush. She would have to ask James about that later. Nuzzling into James’s embrace she tried to wrap her head around being blooded now. The immortals version of marriage. Growing up she never envisioned a wedding that included visiting Hell or being bitten. She had always wanted a big wedding outdoors in the evening; with lights sparkling admits flowers that covered everything in sight.

Valerie felt a tear slide down her cheek. She was immensely happy to be able to spend the rest of her life with James, but she started this life as a mortal and somehow the blooding ritual wasn’t quite enough for her.

“Don’t cry Valerie, the thirst gets easier to control.” James whispered.

“It isn’t that.” Valerie replied, hastily flicking a tear away. “I know this is everything you grew up dreaming about, but it isn’t what I grew up dreaming out. I am just feeling sorry about not having a wedding. It isn’t a big deal; I mean we are married in the eyes of your people.”

James hugged her tightly and covered her face in tender kisses. “It is a big deal and if you dreamt of a wedding you shall have it, better than anything you could have imagined.”

Valerie’s heart swelled but before she could respond Linda came bursting through the bedroom door. “A wedding! I will help plan it; oh we have so much to do. A dress, a cake, decorations, the guest list! Where should we start?”

Valerie and James laughed at the woman’s display of excitement. Mathius was hot on his mate’s heels, pushing ahead of Linda into the room.

“I am deeply sorry, I tried to get her to leave you guys in peace but she was concerned about how Valerie would handle the change, and well you know woman.” Mathius said running a hand through his hair in embarrassment.

Linda folded her arms across her chest and stamped her foot before whirling around on Mathius. “We haven’t had a wedding in centuries. Don’t be such a spoil sport; Valerie is pleased I want to help. Aren’t you Valerie?”

Valerie looked at the woman’s face and saw the joy written all over it. How could she not say yes? It looked like she would break Linda’s
heart if she declined her help. “Of course I am pleased, I mean I can’t possibly plan a wedding all by myself.”

Both men rolled their eyes, but judging by the smile that James was trying to conceal she knew he was pleased with the turn of events as well.

Rubbing a hand over her stomach Valerie thought of the baby, she thought of the God who had impregnated her, and she thought of a coming war. Sighing she pushed all those thoughts aside and gazed at James. Despite the craziness in her life his energy calmed her. Just having him near made her smile. War would have to wait because right now all she wanted to do was plan a wedding and bed her mate, not necessarily in that order.