Page 36 of Blood Ties
“No, that’s…”
“Or perhaps you don’t think that I know what I’m doing.”
“No, I just…”
“No one is questioning your talents, Maria,” Damien butted in, giving me a wide eyed look that suggested he knew she was irrational.
“Good. Because if they are…” she began as she raised the bowl of the ingredients she had been mixing.
“Not at all. Please continue.” Damien muttered as he defused the situation.
She continued her task. After a short while she began speaking. I wasn’t sure if it was to anyone particular or simply to herself. “See the problem is, witches are guardians of nature,” the witch said as she continued over her potion. “Vampire’s are an abomination. So as punishment for breaking the sacred bond, witches that are turned can only survive by feeding on the blood of those who made them and we all know that vampires can’t survive on vampire blood alone.” She poured in some liquid that smelled of rotten eggs. “Getting close,” she spoke to herself. “Now, over the centuries, a witch came to realize, that on rare occasion, it is not always the witches fault for being turned. So she came up with a spell to remove the witch’s essence from them, allowing the true vampire nature to take over.” She peeked a glance over her shoulder and saw the shock and worry on my face.True vampire nature?That sounded terrible. Would that turn Grayson into a blood thirsty, killing machine that only come out at night? “Do not worry day walker. He will be the same as he is now, but will no longer have the need to feed from you unless it isdesiredbetween the two of you.” I felt myself relax.
“And the day walking?” I inquired hopeful that he would keep the ability.
“A day walker? Really?” That notion seemed to grab her attention away from her potion just briefly before she shrugged. “Not my area. That’d be your father’s.”
I looked to Damien, pleading with my eyes for an answer, but before he could speak, the door opened and I became momentarily distracted by the same pull I felt before as it slammed into me causing me to inhale sharply. I turned and saw the blonde stranger I had met prior walk in behind Jade. When he entered, like earlier, I felt this connection to him. My skin began to prickle in a way that I wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t goose bumps. It was something deeper. Almost like my blood was tingling. Normally when I met a supernatural, it was a ripple, but with him, it was a damn tidal wave crashing down on my senses. My entire body became alert to his presence. He was powerful and I knew it.
“One fallen angel. I’d have brought him in on a silver plate, for effect, but he’s too much of a stick in the mud to participate,” Jade poked at him in a sisterly way. I felt a twinge of jealousy that quickly subsided at the realization that they were close, but most likely not lovers. Then I felt uncomfortable at the thought that I cared.Why should I?I didn’t know the man, but for some reason I did care and I didn’t like that I did.
“Sebastian, Maria needs your blood for a potion to reverse mydaughter’s mate’scondition,” Damien emphasized, all the while Sebastian’s eyes rested on me. Remembering that Grayson was here, I didn’t want it to become awkward so I did my best not to stare back at Sebastian, even though the tether inside of me begged me too. I reached for Grayson’s hand and like earlier the tension I felt dissipated. I sighed in relief.
“Anything to be helpful,” Sebastian stated before walking over to Maria.
“I need your blood too, day walker.”
I wanted to groan, but I didn’t. Instead I released Grayson’s hand with a nervous smile and felt the pull reestablish.
I walked slowly towards Maria, all the while being drawn to Sebastian who stood next to her. I could feel his gaze on me as I approached. I tried to ignore it, but I could feel my blood hum being near him. Maria held out a knife. Without taking his eyes off of me, Sebastian held his hand out to her. She sliced his palm then moved to place it over her concoction, but stopped just before a drop fell in. “Oops, I’m sorry Sebastian, but I’m going to have to do that again. I need it last.” I wanted to be upset with the word oops, but when the scent of his blood hit my nose, my eyes flared to the honey green color and theoopswas momentarily forgotten. It was different than anything I had ever smelt. I followed the knife in Maria’s hand around with my eyes like a child who wanted to lick the spoon after their mother made cookies. And I did want to lick it.
“Your turn.” She washed the knife clean then ran it across my hand spilling my blood into her potion. Only her and Sebastian saw my eyes change and neither of them said anything.
“Why do you need my blood?” I challenged, trying to distract myself. It became easier when Maria dipped the knife into her potion easing the scent of blood in the air.
“You want him to keep it down, don’t you?”
“He has to drink it?” I spoke a bit stunned. It made sense, but the smell of it was so toxic that I couldn’t image having to stomach the vile concoction down.
“Of course. And it ain’t gonna be pleasant either.”
“Painful?” I pleaded that it wouldn’t be.
“Not sure. I’ve never seen it used, but I image ripping the essence out of someone would be excruciating.”
“And what if we decide not to?”
“Gaby?” Grayson chimed in. His tone telling me that he didn’t want that as an option, but he had been through enough and I didn’t want him to suffer anymore.
“That’syourdecision,” she spoke to Grayson. “But I must warn you,” she turned to me, “that if you continue allowing him to feed from you without doing what I’m offering, the effects of your blood will diminish until they no longer work.”
I swallowed hard past the lump that was forming in my throat. “If the effects diminish…”
“You’re a smart girl. You don’t need me spelling it out for you.”
I looked to Grayson and he stared back at me. A small knowing smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. We knew that we had no choice.
“While they finish up here, Gabriella, would you please follow me? I know you have questions you wish to have answered.”
