Blood Magic (Blood Books Book 2) Page 17

  My eyes flickered back to Jasik’s frail form. Before the fight that nearly cost him his life, Jasik looked eerily similar to Malik. Both tall, tanned, and toned, they were the epitome of drop-dead gorgeous—at least, in my unbiased opinion. Subtle differences distinguished them as being brothers and not twins. Jasik stood slightly taller than Malik and was a bit leaner. Malik was stocky, strong, and often reminded me of human soldiers, with his buzzed hair and no-nonsense personality. Jasik’s hair was longer, sitting messily atop his head in a sexy just-out-of-bed style he never had to work for. Their only other difference was their piercing eyes. As Hunters, vampires with our own sets of nifty superpowers, our eyes marked us. The magic coursing through our veins displayed its presence by giving our irises an otherworldly neon glow. Jasik’s eyes were an icy blue, while Malik’s were an emerald green.

  “Penny for your thoughts, sugar?” Sebastian’s Australian accent coated his words, sending shivers down my spine. There was a time—though brief—I thought I’d never hear his voice again.

  I glanced over, finding a weak Sebastian resting against the doorframe. He leaned against his back, crossing his arms over his chest in a cool-kid manner. I smiled at him.

  “How are you feeling?” My eyes trailed the length of his body before meeting his gaze again. He looked good, better. He still wasn’t the same Sebastian I knew, but he was getting healthier. Since he was a hybrid, like me, his biology made him stronger than a Hunter. He didn’t need as much rest, blood, or magic to return to normal.

  “Pride’s wounded, but I’m fine.” He flashed me a cheeky grin before turning his gaze to Jasik, who remained unconscious. “How’s lover boy?”

  I rolled my eyes at the pet name Sebastian gave Jasik. “I had to subdue him.”

  He chuckled quietly. “Yeah, you just had to, right?”

  I groaned. “Not like that. I spelled him.”

  “He really wanted to get outa here, huh, baby cakes?”

  I nodded. I’d come to love Sebastian’s pet names for me just as I’d come to love him. He was the first hybrid I’d ever encountered, and I owed him my life. He had taught me how to tap into the raging power within me, and more times than not, I had found myself utilizing that power to stay alive while we searched for Amicia, our vampire coven’s recently-returned-from-captivity high priestess.

  “You did the right thing, Avah,” Sebastian said as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

  I ran a hand through my tangled hair, brushing it away from my eyes. “I know. I’m just so tired. I couldn’t argue with him anymore. He was relying on his healing power too much. He just needed to rest.”

  “Sounds like someone else I know,” Sebastian said, and I could feel his gaze boring into me.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Sound familiar?” he asked, and I groaned. “Avah.” He kneeled beside me. “He’s home, he’s safe, he’s alive. Stop worrying and get some rest.”

  “I can’t leave him,” I whispered.

  “Putting yourself first isn’t a sign of weakness, pet. It’s a sign that you’re strong enough to acknowledge that you’re no good the way you are. These vampires need you, but you’re no use when you’re a wreck like this.”

  I nodded. “I know. It’s just… It’s so hard to leave.” The less dramatic part of me told me to calm the heck down and go to bed, but the realist in me knew how close I had been to losing him. I thought I’d spend the rest of eternity without him, and now, leaving Jasik’s bedside was like ripping my hair out.

  “Avah…” Malik’s deep voice crooned from the darkness. He sat forward, cracking his neck as he stood. He scratched his head as he yawned and walked toward me. “You should rest. I’ll stay with him.”

  I shook my head. “He’s been asleep for over twenty-four hours. He’ll wake soon. I want to be here for that.”

  “You will be. I’ll get you as soon as anything changes. I promise.”

  My eyes flickered to Jasik. Slowly, his skin was coloring, and his muscles were filling out. The rest, blood, and magic were taking effect, and soon, he would awaken. But it might not be for another day or so.

  I relented, giving Malik a tight hug before retreating to my room.

  I WAS DREAMING of sunshine, boardwalks, and strawberry daiquiris when a quiet hum pulled me from dreamland. Firm lips placed a soft kiss atop my own, and my eyes fluttered open. Jasik hovered over me, his arms resting at my sides. He brought a hand up and brushed away loose strands of my hair. I opened my mouth to speak, but words were just out of reach. Instead, tears spilled, and I pulled him to me. He cradled me in his arms as I breathed him in. He whispered sweet nothings until there were no more tears to shed.

  Pulling away, I gazed up at him. He looked like he hadn’t been at death’s door, like we hadn’t battled for our lives against an army of Rogue vampires.

  “It’s okay, love. I’m okay,” he whispered, his British accent strong.

  “It was so close.”

  He nodded and pulled me closer.

  “I thought I’d never see you again,” I whispered.

  He pulled away, meeting my gaze. My breath caught. His eyes betrayed his longing, his fear, and the raw, carnal emotions he felt for me.

  It had never been difficult for me to love Jasik. I fell in love with him the day I met him—I just hadn’t realized it yet. Our love wasn’t typical. It was instantaneous, destined. When I looked at Jasik, I saw my other half, the person I’d fight for, kill for, die for. But our love would never be easy. Forces ployed to tear us apart simply because of who we were. He was a Hunter. I was a hybrid. Though our love was a hard love, we’d never stop fighting for it—not until it killed us.

  Unfortunately, that had nearly happened. Our last conversation had been a fight. He’d discovered I had secrets—secrets I knew he’d use against me. Being a hybrid, I didn’t need to feed on blood or live in darkness. Knowing sunlight had no effect on me, Jasik believed there was a better life that awaited me—one he couldn’t offer. Sibyl, the leader of a local hybrid coven, had exposed my secrets in an attempt to break us apart, forcing me to find sanctuary within her coven. And while I hated that she’d done that, I couldn’t hate her. I had known, sooner or later, Jasik would discover my lies.

  “I’m so sorry, Jasik.” I placed a soft kiss against his cheek.

  “Sorry? For what, love?” The pad of his thumb glided across my slick jawline, where tears had just lingered.

  “For lying. I never planned to keep it a secret forever. You have to know that.” I couldn’t bear an eternity without his forgiveness. He had to understand why I had kept this information from him.

  He shook his head. “I don’t care.”

  “Please, don’t be upset with me,” I said softly.

  “No, I don’t care. I don’t care that you hid this from me. I understand, and I forgive you.”

  A sob escaped my lips as I dug my fingers in his hair, pulling him toward me. Our lips crashed together in a furious hunger. My tongue brushed against his lips, and he opened for me. He kissed me feverishly, licking, sucking, stroking my tongue with his own. Though it had only been days, it seemed like a lifetime had passed since we’d last held each other. By the fervency his enthusiastic kisses held, I knew he, too, felt that separation.

  I yanked his shirt over his head and scratched my fingertips against his taut skin. He moaned appreciatively into my mouth, and I grinned. I pushed his pants down, leaving them to rest at the tops of his thighs, and giggled as he tried to wriggle himself free without breaking our kiss. He fumbled and nipped at my lips in frustration. In a soft thump, his clothes hit the floor beside our bed. Quickly, he tugged off my clothes, tossing the scraps to rest beside his own.

  Nude, I arched my frame against his, relishing in the feel of his bare skin against mine. Where mine was soft, supple, his was firm, rigid. Jasik was my other half in every sense of the term. Running my hands up the length of his torso, I rested them behind his neck, dipping my fingers into the depths of his hair.
Tugging him closer, I crooned as he gripped my thigh and rested against my slick entrance.

  His mouth left mine and trailed playful kisses across my collarbone. He dragged his teeth against the curve of the bone, and I exhaled sharply, feeling the sensation deep within my core. I closed my eyes as I arched closer toward him, my nails against his back drawing blood.

  The sweet smell of him coated the air around us, and my fangs lowered. I ran my tongue along each sharp ridge, teasing the two points. A deep rumble escaped Jasik’s chest just before his fangs pierced my skin. I cried out as an orgasm crashed over me. I scrunched the bedsheets between my fists as I rode the wave. Closing my eyes, I whispered Jasik’s name as white lights danced in the darkness. He drank deeply, quickly, bringing me to the edge and pushing me over, again and again. When it became too much, he pulled away, licking his lips clean and giving me a devilish grin.

  Two could play this game.

  I rolled him onto his back and slid atop him. With my legs astride, I sat on his hips and pulled his hands toward me. Clasping them together, I raised them above his head and rested them against the pillows.

  “Don’t move, love,” I whispered against his ear. He shivered beneath me, and I knew my magic was already taking effect. Of course, I didn’t need to use real magic to make Jasik fall weak to my spell. No, this was my natural ability to make him shudder with need. And I lived for it.

  I nipped at his skin as I kissed and licked my way down his stomach. He closed his eyes and groaned as I worked my way closer to his erection. Long, thick, and hard, it rested against me. I wiggled my hips, ensuring the most torture as I brushed against his length. My efforts were met with moans. I reached for him, his skin burning against my own. He exhaled sharply as I wrapped my fingers around him and slowly rubbed. I quickened, matching my pace to his rapid breathing. With his eyes still closed, I positioned myself over him, and just as I lowered onto his length, I sank my fangs into his neck. The combined sensations were enough to push him over the edge, and he came in thick streams inside me with my name on his lips. I licked the lines of crimson from his neck and pulled away.

  Sitting forward, he grasped my hips and slammed me back down. I cried out, resting my forehead against his. He smiled as I caught my breath.

  “Did I say you could move?” I teased.

  “I was afraid you thought I was done. And I am far from done with you, Avah.”

  His lips met mine as he moved my hips at unforgiving speeds. I lost all sense of reality and instead found myself in him. His familiar scent lingered in the air, mixing with my own. His fresh puncture wounds teased my senses, begging me to dive into him again and again, until I wasn’t sure where I ended and he began.

  I JOLTED AWAKE, my chest heaving. Something had woken me, but what?

  “Avah? What is it?” Jasik asked as he sat up. The sheets pooled at his waist, revealing his firm torso. He brushed a hand against my bare back.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Something… something’s wrong.” I met his eyes.

  His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “I can—I can feel it. Something’s… wrong.”

  I jumped from bed and tossed on clothes before leaving our bedroom. I vaguely noticed Jasik following me out the door. As I stomped down the hall containing the Hunter’s bedrooms, I opened each door and peered in. Each time, I was met with a confused Hunter, who promptly joined Jasik and me in the hall.

  “What happened?” Malik asked, concerned.

  “We’re not sure,” Jasik replied.

  I looked from Jasik to Malik to Lillie to Jeremiah. They were fine. But nestled deeply within my gut, something was wrong. I could feel it in my soul. It tore through me, leaving shivers in its wake. I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation. What was it? What had woken me? My eyes shot open.

  “Amicia!” How could I have forgotten to check on her?

  I turned on my heel and dashed toward her office. I threw open the door, only to find an empty room. I opened the adjacent door to her bedroom and found her in a deep slumber. The steady beat of her heart echoed through the room. I closed the door softly and met the eyes of my fellow Hunters.

  I shook my head, looking around. “Something… There’s something.”

  Jasik reached for me, resting a firm hand atop my shoulder. “Are you sure, love? Maybe it was just a dream.”

  After everything we’d been through, it wasn’t an unlikely conclusion, but I knew better. Something was off, different. It was as if someone needed me.

  “Where’s Sebastian?”

  I watched as the Hunters shrugged in unison. Dread filled my heart. Oh goddess.

  Hybrids had access to all four vampire affinities: seer, the ability to see your future; healer, the ability to heal quickly; reader, the ability to read someone’s mind; and shielder, the ability to extend your aura as a seemingly impenetrable shield. Now, as I lowered the shield I’d raised to protect my own thoughts from lingering readers—like Lillie—I hoped Sebastian had been exercising his ability. Sebastian? Sebastian! I called to him, but I received no response. I focused on him, finding nothing. He never closed his mind to me. I was always able to hear his thoughts. Always. Unless… I pushed the thought away. I just got him back. I wasn’t going to lose him again.

  I pushed through the Hunters and ran toward his room. Unsurprisingly so, his guest suite was empty. I slammed the door shut.

  “Think!” I shouted. “Where would he go?” I spoke to no one in particular, and honestly, I hadn’t expected a response.

  “The dining hall?” Lillie asked, her voice squeaking. I met her gaze, her eyes matching my concern. I nodded.

  We took the grand stairs two at a time and pushed open the double doors to the empty dining hall.

  I cursed and dug a hand through my tangled hair.

  Think, Avah. Where would he go?

  I glanced at wall-to-ceiling windows that enclosed the dining hall. The sky was still light, the sun having just set. I inhaled sharply and moved past the Hunters. I swung open the front doors.

  A lone vampire sat on the railing, his long legs dangling over the side.

  “You missed it, pudding pop,” Sebastian said without looking back. Our manor sat along the Pacific coast of Washington State, the perfect spot to watch a sunset.

  “Sebastian! I’ve been losing my mind looking for you!” I screamed. I was sure I looked like an escaped mental patient, with my natty hair, pacing, and frantic tones, but I didn’t care.

  He shifted to face me. “Why?”

  “Because… Because!”

  He arched an eyebrow. “You okay?”

  “No! I thought… I thought you needed me.”

  A sly smile formed. “Why’s that?”

  I rolled my eyes. “I—I… don’t know. It’s not you.”

  “Color me confused, pet. What are you talkin’ ‘bout?”

  “Something woke her. She believes something is wrong,” Jasik replied.

  “Yeah, but we’re all fine. Thankfully,” Lillie added. “We were really worried when we couldn’t find you.” She smiled softly, her cheeks turning rosy.

  “We were?” Jeremiah asked, and Lillie rolled her eyes in response.

  “Well, I’m fine. ‘Bout time the hospitality ‘round here changed.” He winked.

  “No. Stop,” I said, frustrated. “Stop joking. Something is wrong.”

  “How do you know?” Sebastian asked.

  “I feel it.”

  “I see.”

  “Said the blind man to the deaf man,” Jeremiah said with a chuckle.

  “Seriously? No jokes!” I needed them to understand the seriousness of the situation. I knew something was wrong—even if everyone seemed fine.

  “Well, it could be your seer or reader instincts. Maybe you saw or heard something?”

  “While sleeping?”

  “Sure, though you’re not necessarily advanced enough for that yet.”

  “Okay. Then what is it? That feeli
ng… it’s still there. I know something is wrong. It’s like something is calling to me…”

  Sebastian’s face paled.

  “What? What is it?”

  “Well, you’re a spirit user. You’re connected to the astral plane, to the Beyond.”

  I shook my head. “Who could be contacting me from there? I don’t even know any mortals…”

  My heart sank; my breath caught.

  “Oh my goddess,” I whispered. “My mom.”

  MY FEET POUNDED against the cold, hard-packed ground. Icy grass crunched beneath my feet as I headed south, toward Shasta, California, where my former witch coven resided. I ran through the mountains of northern California until I reached familiar grounds. Slowing my pace, I glanced around. The Hunters and Sebastian followed closely behind me. We hadn’t changed or strapped ourselves with weapons. We hadn’t even told Amicia where we were going. We just left.

  I came to an abrupt stop as the wind picked up, blowing a sweet aroma directly toward us. Instinctively, my fangs lowered at the thickness in the air.

  Blood.

  I dashed through the trees, noticing the protective barrier around my former coven’s sleeping quarters hadn’t stopped me. The spelled barrier held a powerful magic that kept vampires from entering. It could be lifted to allow a vampire entrance, but this time, it simply wasn’t there.

  When I reached the front yard, I found them. I staggered through the debris, my eyes flickering over each bloodied body. Torn limbs and drained carcasses mixed with broken glass and shingles. Whatever attacked here had destroyed everything in its path.

  Tears formed as I dropped to my knees beside a young girl. She couldn’t be older than two or three.

  “Oh, goddess... Who could do this?” I whispered.

  I searched my memory for her name, but I came up blank. I brushed her hair from her eyes, tucking it neatly behind her ear. Her arms were bent awkwardly and rested against the ground, so I shifted her. Snapping her bones back into place, I folded her hands together and rested them across her stomach. Tears fell in steady streams, staining her white shirt a light gray.