Page 56 of Taken By the Vampires
I came up on my elbow in shock and with a trace of his excitement. The sheet shifted and I quickly adjusted it to cover myself. “You were shot!”
Cassius treated me to a full-blown smile that made my blood heat and simmer. “Told you it was exciting. Unfortunately for me, that bullet was near-fatal, but thanks to our Father having a soft heart, he decided to save me because of my bravery.”
I blinked, stunned at their stories. Not happy stories made of rainbows and kittens, but real life, dirty stories of trial and hardship, typical of the people of the times. Their suffering hadn’t ended any time soon. I changed the topic to ease the ache in my heart. “You said you cooked?”
“I did. We left New York and set off traveling. Men that didn’t die and were perpetually young stood out after too long. We learned all types of skills. Worked all types of jobs to get by. Father saved Davon as he told you, and we traveled the continent. We kept our heads down, our profiles low, and always moved before people could get to know us too much.
“Eventually we ended up in Conway. We decided we had to stop somewhere and Conway was very remote. I set up business, the inn and cooked for travelers. Davon was still able to trade furs and Xander treated people. It worked for a while,” Cassius said.
“Until you were cursed,” I murmured. The lighter mood Cassius had set, plummeted. I swung my legs off the side of the bed and sat, already missing Davon’s comfort and body heat. I rubbed my fist over my heart, hoping to rub away the constant ache that was almost a physical hurt.
“How did Ginevra find out who you were and what you could do?” Did I really want to know that a distant relative was able to create such evil? Absolutely not. I was completely ashamed someone in my line was capable of it.
I closed my eyes and drew in a breath. I was going to do the same thing as Ginevra, wasn’t I? I was planning on it. My gut churned, shame and guilt and dread creating a sickening cocktail.
Davon moved to sit on one side of me. The bed dipped when Cassius sat on my other side. Xander knelt before me. He went to take my hands, but at the last second, pulled back. I was caught in a mix of wanting to reach for him and knotting my fingers together and shoving both hands into my lap. Their feelings for me flared, instantly easing my discomfort and making me feel worse at the same time.
I caught a hint more sadness before it was whisked away, leaving me wondering if I’d actually felt it at all. That was Xander. Protecting me from their desolation. Remorse shattered me. “We were feeding, Ella. Just like you saw us.”
My breath caught, “A bear?”Don’t say human. Please don’t say human.
Xander’s expression tightened a little, as though he knew what I’d just thought. “A moose this time. Unlike when you saw us, Ginevra knew exactly what we were. She was a witch in her full power and knew the capabilities of all creatures. And how to use them to her benefit.
“She had her suspicions about us and followed us out one night. Looking back, in a small town, we did stand out as…different. Other. Most people wouldn’t put their finger on it, but if you knew what you looked for, it would soon become apparent. She even tricked Father.
“Unfortunately, the rest of the townsfolk knew about us as well as her after that. All of our secrets became known. The town congregated and that’s when Father told us to run. We did, but…we were still caught.”
Pain radiated around me and through me. Ginevra’s actions were vile and evil. Not only had she cursed them, she had also killed their father. If I lost Mom…I didn’t want to think about it. I don’t know if I could pick myself up and keep going on.
Davon still spoke, “Although Ginevra died, she thought death would be too easy for us and cursed us with her last breath. A death curse is one of the oldest and hardest to break, especially from a witch of her power. It is unending and relentless. Without you…we would live forever in purgatory until eventually we will simply cease to exist, having suffered for centuries more until that time.”
It was horrible. Tragic. I knew I was sentencing them to be forever trapped, and now death. Years and years and years of torture. For what? Because they tried to help someone. If there was a hell for witches, I hoped Ginevra was roasting.
But even knowing all this, could I accept them, offer my blood and stay with them forever because it would free them? If there was no love, a lifetime of resentment would fester between all of us. They were cursed now, I would only be adding to their misery.
They’d do everything they could to make it good for me. The sex would be mind-blowing, of course. But for how long? Sex was not a thing on which to base a life together. Neither was one-sided love. They’d keep on trying and trying and trying, and after a while it wouldn’t be enough. Without returning their love, it would never be enough.
And right there, right then, was when my heart shattered into a million, tiny, anguish-ridden, un-fixable fragments.
Chapter Thirty Nine
I tried to disguise my mood with a smile that was probably more of a grimace than anything. If they felt the churning of my emotions and my gut, they didn’t say anything.
They would have to know something was up, even though I worked hard at pretending. Now that I’d started feeling their emotions, I was picking up all sorts of things from them. Worry. Apprehension. Simmering trepidation. Unease. Maybe it was magnified because I felt the same things.
Most probably for different reasons.
“Just get your mother and come straight back to us, Ella. Don’t stop to talk to anyone. Try not to be seen.” If it was possible, Xander had grown more serious and strict as the minutes ticked past.
They’d fed me. Clothed me. Made sure I had a coat and sturdy boots to make the trek back to Gary’s truck. They’d talked about how I was going to get back to Mom. How I was going to bring her back to them so they could cure her. It was decided I’d leave at dusk and travel under the cover of darkness to avoid being seen as much as possible.
“Hide this Gary’s vehicle and come back in your own vehicle. There’s less chance of rousing attention,” Xander said.
“As soon as you cross back through the barrier, call us and we will come for you,” Cassius said.
I’d have to come back if I wanted Mom cured, but I didn’t know how I was going to leave after that. They’d want payment from me. Maybe straight away. I hadn’t even thought through what I might say to put it off. Escape later. I’d only have to reach this barrier, then I’d be safe. They couldn’t cross it. I’d never see them again.
I clenched my fist over my stomach. I wish they hadn’t fed me. I had to keep swallowing to keep it all down.
