New Blood (The Blood Saga Book 2) Read online

  “You’re certain Liahm was talking about the Nekayla?” Phoenix questioned right on cue.

  “Who else could he have been talking about?” I grimaced at hearing the name aloud. “The Descendant mentioned a woman called Kayla in the area. Nekayla can easily come across as human when she needs to. She certainly has the power. Then Liahm said her name. Who else if not the sisters would go to such extent?”

  “Just seems they would be more efficient. Things have been a touch messy thus far. Have they not?” Phoenix’s voice was emotionless as ever.

  “They don’t like to get their hands dirty. We all know that… It’s possible they simply underestimated the situation. Or overestimated their crew,” Jezabell rose to my defense but it only sparked my anger more.

  “Now Anna is a situation?” Jezabell glowered at me but no one spoke of Lianna or Nekayla directly again.

  Hendrick snarled low. “Dead blood up ahead.” If I could smell blood like a shark, what the hell was Hendrick? Another minute we could all smell it, too.

  Human blood. Potent human blood and lots of it. Dragons were such messy creatures. The smell made my head spin feverishly.

  Breathing in deeply, I closed my eyes. The last I had tasted fresh human blood was from Anna. It had been amazing even if it had done a number on me. I didn’t consider her poisonous. Lianna was more like a really powerful drug. An addicting, albeit dangerous one at that.

  Strangely, since she’d turned, her blood had become even more intoxicating. And incredibly powerful. Drinking from her had completely cured me from the effects of the bloodstone, the venom, and whatever had happened to me from drinking from her before turning.

  “Yes, we’re almost there now… If the Dragon was at fault for these deaths then we’ll know. They always leave a trail and this one is injured. With any luck we will be on him before sundown, and this will be over quickly,” Jezabell spoke as she floored it up the steep path of the mountain. She thought it that simple. Hunt the dragon down and kill it.

  The White Mountain national forest had been reported in papers across the east coast to have fallen victim to a slew of vicious bear attacks in the area. However, what the humans called a bear was actually something far more deadly.

  The Dragon that had escaped the night Lianna died was feeding. He was wounded, and ill from Lianna’s blood. He would have to feed a lot to recover. Dragons, even Crossbreeds do not just drink blood. They eat their prey alive.

  When creatures of the night fall ill, we feed. And Dragons feed more than most. Unfortunately, word of the bear attacks had persuaded human hunters to flood the area in search of the vicious bear. This apparently had ended in a lot more death for the human race.

  Jezabell was still driving but the Hummer wasn’t fast enough to placate neither Hendrick nor I. We both pushed our doors open simultaneously, (back hatch for Hendrick) barely avoiding the trees as we jumped from the vehicle and took off running on foot.

  The Hummer screeched to a stop in the mud dead in the center of the trail. “Phoenix go!” Without responding, he was gone.

  As the door closed, I turned to head up the stairs to change and pull my hair down. He’d have to rip the dress off another day. I’d wear it again if for no other reason. What I had in mind for the day required much less attire. Finding an entire rack of bathing suits made me nearly giddy but there were only a few I would ever be caught dead wearing.

  Get it? Caught dead.

  Summer was halfway over and I hadn’t been swimming once. Despite my lifelong pale skin, I loved the water.

  There was a lake or something nearby. I had been able to smell the water when I went out with Damien.

  It was early in the day and I was wearing a black bikini covered by jeans and a tank top. Barefoot as I ran, I discovered I rather liked the feel of the earth under my bare feet.

  Hearing the recoil of the frightened animals thrilled me. Unlike most humans who seemed to take a liking to some Vampires, animals usually knew when a stronger predator was amongst them. Humans were often weak with stupidity or too arrogant for them to be afraid. Was it not a basic belief that they were at the top of the food chain?

  My mind took its well-needed leave of absence. I let my instincts take me over. My entire purpose for the day was this freedom.

  Following the smell of water all the way to the Taughannock falls, I was not aware when I left the protected lands of the estate.

  Stupid, stupid child…

  Stripping down to my bikini, I hung the clothes off a tree limb. Climbing the cliff rocks alongside the falls I was faster than a mountain lion despite trying to take my time and enjoy each second.

  Leaping from rock to rock, I let myself dangle from my fingertips just to feel the sheer velocity of my strength. Easily lifting my body from rock to rock, I climbed like a spider.

  For a Vampire every second could be accounted for in some magnificent experience. Standing at the edge of the water, wading in slowly, I let my hands rest at the surface feeling the rushing current glide around me. Unable to move my statuesque figure.

  Slowly walking to the very edge of the fall, the water flowed furiously around me. I only moved by my will. No one and nothing else could push me. Mother Nature herself I thought could not sway me. Not now, maybe not ever again.

  Such horrid arrogance…

  My hands rose up into the air. My head hung back. Eyes closing slowly as I listened to the rushing water flood the world around me. My immediate world anyway.

  Leisurely I fell. I made it the greatest attempt to fall as slowly as I could. Falling with the weight of the water as if I were no more than one single microscopic drop of water intermingled with the billions of others that surrounded me.

  Drown me as it tried- I knew I was stronger than this earthly force. Swimming under water for hours simply because I could, only coming up inside the water fall, I allowed the force to flow down on me as if it were no more than a nice shower.

  At long last I decided it was plenty time to make my way out of the water. I had no clue what time it was. Nor did I care. The sun had set. I was not Anna. I was something much different.

  Swimming up to the surface at last, the water leaving my ears unleashed the world of sound on me again. The crickets even the frogs and the snake slithering through the grass looking for its next meal.

  Was I like the snake? Would I spend the rest of my days looking for my next meal? Perhaps.

  Emerging from the water, I heard a shuffling. Rocks and grass crunching into the ground. Two sets of boots hiking through the rocks and moss, close to the edge of my pool. Mindless breathy chatter in rich male baritone. Such a beautiful melody.

  My blood began to swim through me like the rapid current as it began to boil. Cautiously, every one of my senses scanned the area. For what danger though? I was the predator now. The men eyed me as I made my slow emerge. The most persuading of all smiles soft on my full crimson lips.

  One of them looked slightly concerned to see a woman out by herself as dusk settled upon us. The other just looked anxious. There was no stopping what was to come now. The sound of their beating hearts filled my ears. They smelled musky, but one was sweeter. Mmm. Both would satisfy the burning need that overwhelmed me.

  The anxious one arched a brow as he observed me. His lips curled into a cocky grin as he nudged his friend with an elbow.

  The other stopped when his friend did, and with a groan of annoyance pulled out his canteen lifting it to his dry lips, taking a deep drink. As he drank I watched the muscles in his neck. The veins rippled and pulsed as he quenched his thirst, absorbing my full concentration.

  Yes, that’s what I needed. I needed to quench my thirst. Taking another step I paused again, my head tilted slightly to the side. Wet tangled strands clung and fell over my shoulders with a few over my cheeks and eyes.

  “Hey, sweetheart,” the anxious one spoke. “What are you doing out here alone? Getting kinda late. You must be cold.” He chuckled vivaciously. He had no idea h
ow cold I was. My smile sweetened as I looked to him, watching them both more keenly now.

  Rolling his eyes, the friend sighed, mumbling under his breath, “Let it go, man. You don’t have a chance.”

  My head cocked to the side from his comment and kept my pretty smile soft on my lips. No. He doesn’t have a chance.

  The friend eyed me more carefully now as he re-secured his canteen. Though his mind told him it was impossible, the look in his eyes registered danger. I could smell just the faintest hint of fear.

  “What’s the matter, honey? You don’t need to be afraid of us,” his voice was cocky, lit with arrogant laughter.

  My laugh was soft. If they’d had keen ears they would have heard the melodic echo that caused the animals in the near woods to slither, crawl and run away.

  “I’m not afraid.” But you should be.

  The anxious one spoke again as something caught his friend’s attention. He watched me carefully now. “Are you all alone out here?”

  The anxious man was large. Firm build. An athlete? Maybe he was just obsessed with himself. I hoped so.

  “Yes.”

  Pulling his pack off, the friend grumbled, disapproving. Laying it on the ground, he plopped down on top of it as a makeshift chair.

  Folding his arms over his chest, he watched with very mild amusement. More annoyance than anything though. He didn’t want to be here, but he didn’t get in the way of his friend either.

  How kind of him. How grateful I was to him. I would not let him suffer. The younger anxious one practically trotted down the slope to the water’s edge as I emerged from my pool to the rocky beach.

  His hand reached for mine as I reached the shore line. My hand extended to his slowly as if cautious or nervous. I just didn’t need him screaming.

  Sliding my wet fingers carefully into his large masculine hand I realized how incredibly warm he was. How different it was to touch this man over another of my kind. Our skin is cold and hard. Our hearts do not beat, and so the movement of our blood is very slow usually, only moving at all from the blood that fuels our lives.

  Crimson life pulsed beneath his flesh much more rapid than my own. It felt amazing. Electrifying me in the most serene manner. It was so contradicting in all ways. The most painful form of pleasure there ever was. I stepped out of the water onto the rocky shore closer to him. I was entranced.

  “We have a camp not far from here. We can get a fire going in no time. Come on.” Mr. Anxious pulled me dangerously closer. His arm wrapped around my shoulders. “Well hell. You’re freezing, baby. But don’t worry I’ll warm you up.”

  The other one looked uneasy. His gaze on me became unsteady. The arrogant one kissed my fingers. His eyes locked on mine without sway. I could feel the throb of his pulse in his fingertips as he brought my hand to his mouth.

  The heat of his lips I could compare to a burning sun. My fingers played with his so carefully, gliding a single digit along the thick vein on top of his hand. Holding back a frenzied dark laugh, I disguised it as a flustered giggle.

  “Brian,” his friend spoke as he watched me intently though he seemed more confused now. “Brian. Not this one. Not tonight. We need to go.”

  Brian sneered as he spoke to his friend but kept his eyes on me, “Why the hell not?”

  “This is a bad idea. We need to go.” He stumbled back as he stood. The musky smell of fear wafted through the air. It had grown stronger, pungent, delicious.

  Brian grinned slow and wide as he stared at only me. “No. It’s a great idea. Don’t worry about him, honey. Mike here is kinda uptight is all.” Brian winked as he kissed my fingers.

  “For tonight you mean? Whatever, man. I’m outa this one.” Standing up he turned his back to us, bending down to pick up his pack and re-strapping it to his shoulders.

  The anxious one dropped my hand to turn to his friend with a grumble and shrug. He started to speak, obviously annoyed, “Mike-” Sadly though at that time his speech became instantly impaired. My left hand caught his throat, jerking his neck to the right. My body slammed into his. He felt so fragile and meek in my arms.

  Power is an intoxicating thing no matter who you are. Or what as it would seem.

  Later I was probably going to regret not letting his friend go. But he had seen me so there was no option I would justify to myself.

  With my hand crushing around his throat I wrapped around him. My right arm held tight around his torso while my nails dug into his back lustfully. Burying into his throat, my nose nuzzled for just an instant into that thick throbbing muscle of the jugular as I savored my sweet serenity.

  Slowly and carefully, my teeth scratched the surface of his salty dirty flesh. It was the most delicious flavor my tongue had ever encountered. At least until my fangs ripped through the concealing flesh, deep into the muscle, filling my mouth with my salvation. Human blood. It was nothing like when Damien had bitten me when I was mortal. Without control my fangs ripped and shredded through his skin viciously.

  Mike jolted, spinning around to see what was happening when he heard his friend’s strangled vocals. As he started to stumble back, his jaw hung slack, eyes wide in horror. His feet faltered and he nearly fell down the slight incline.

  That good man would lose his life. It was lost from his friend’s stupidity to begin with. Such a pity. Perhaps it was nature’s way though. Or maybe it was just where their map led. A dead end. Was that all I was now for all things living? A dead end to life by ways of death and blood brought on by animalistic predatory needs for survival.

  My right hand clutched to the back of Brian’s broad shoulder as I held him tight against me. I felt a bone somewhere in his body crack from the pressure. As he tried to fight me futilely his body was only tense for a few seconds. As the blood loss and shock took over, his knees gave out. Another few seconds and he would be dead.

  As I continued to draw slow deep full drinks out from the primary veins, I could hear the race of his heart begin to struggle and come to a slow. It was the most savagely beautiful music playing to my ears alone.

  Mike lunged from the slope in a well-aimed dive to grapple me. His body slammed into mine, his arms grabbing for my shoulders to throw me to the ground. For him it would be as if he ran into a brick wall. No appeal. No falter to my frame at all.

  In my own time I released his friend who collapsed to the ground at my feet. He fell as if he was no more than a heavy sack of potatoes. From the sound of his heartbeat, it maybe had two or three more pumps before he would be completely lost. Despite Mike’s attack, I stopped and waited to listen. Ba-dump ba-dump … ba-dump thump thump…. Then nothing. It was over.

  When the second passed my hand shot back out, grabbing Mike’s throat. One snap. His pain was over. I promised myself he would not suffer.

  Blood oozed down my lips. My tongue stretched out, lapping up the spill that ran down my chin. My intentions were to drop the man, but the lust was so overwhelming. I needed him desperately.

  Wrapping around him as well, I fell to the ground on top of him like the primitive hungry beast that I was. My fangs dug into his broken neck sucking deep long drinks of his slowing blood. Tearing at his flesh with more rash desire than I had even the first male, my fangs connected to the bone in less than second. My nails dug into his arms and shoulders like an animal. It was his blood that had smelled so wonderfully sweet. And it was that.

  My head was so clouded I couldn’t focus. I had gotten too carried away despite how heightened my senses should have been at that moment. So frenzied in my glorious obsession with my feast that I was not focused enough to hear the racing through the woods.

  They were faster than any animal, lither and more agile. Three sets of footsteps raced to encircle me. There were whispers through the trees as they watched me. I heard nothing.

  My mind was gone and my body nearly paralyzed from my first taste of human blood. Perfect and rich. So ambrosias. All of that and so much more. It was my entire reason for existence I believed in
that moment. I had forgotten everything and everyone.

  The force of a speeding train slammed into me. This time it hurt. A shriek of panic escaped my lips as my body was thrown. The force ripped me from my feast and threw me into the ground, destroying the earth where my body plowed into it.

  Crashing into a bolder buried into the side of a hill. The rock broke and fractured into smaller pieces. Despite the pain it was not a second after that when I was up again, bolting up and leaping to a ledge near the falls.

  When some animals fight for their life they don’t always take into recollection what is attacking them in the first place. All they know is to fight. Neither their faces nor their voices had any effect on me. It was like I was something else entirely. Lianna wasn’t home.

  “Be easy with her, Hendrick. If you hurt her then you’ll be fighting me next,” Damien spoke with such fury and raw anger that I pegged him to be the biggest danger.

  Phoenix circled behind me and landed on my back, grappling my body as his arms wrapped hard around my neck, jerking my body to bow back. A low snarl ripped from my lips from the pain and terror. I had the other two on me before another second passed. My legs were being clamped down on like steel beams by the largest. Frenzy over took my body. Fighting with everything I had, the fight dislocating joints in my struggle, I managed to twist and kick until I threw them off.

  Just as I was free and twisting to get away, the wiry one grabbed a hold of my shin. His crushing grip made me scream as I felt the bone shatter under the pressure. My other foot aimed a sharp kick for his head in my dire to get away but it did no good. He grabbed my other ankle as it came down before I could even get close to hitting him.

  “Don’t hurt her, Phoenix! You don’t need to break her legs!”

  Both my legs ensnared, the big one fell on top of me suddenly. His torso crushed down on mine as both our arms swung about madly. My body flailed with every ounce of strength I could muster. Spine twisting and arching throwing my torso in any way possible I desperately fought for freedom.