Page 56 of Claimed By Blood

As if he hasn’t just admitted to creating a whole canyon full of powerful second-generation vampires.

“So you turned them and built a place to hide.”

“A place tolive, free of our sire.”

That sounds… like heaven.

“And I invite you to stay here, in safety, as family.”

There’s a sharp reprimand from behind me, and Samuel glares at the man behind us. “She is your aunt, Bakari. You will show her the respect that is owed and speak in a language she can understand.”

I blink at him…I have a nephew?But biological offspring are a physical impossibility for vampires…

“This is reckless. She could bring danger here.”

“We will speak on this later. She is our guest. If you can’t use your manners, you may leave us.”

Bakari glowers, taking several steps back, but doesn’t leave. He leans against the wall, spewing venom at me with his eyes.

“You must forgive my eldest. He does not like strangers.”

“How do you have a son?” I ask, unable to hold back my curiosity.

He shakes his head. “It is not what you think. I haven’t found a magical way to overcome the imperfections of our species. He is my wife’s child from her first husband, but my son just the same.”

The disappointment hits me for a second before I can contain it, but I shrug it off with practised ease. I thought I’d gotten over my infertility centuries ago and learned to be content with life. But every now and again, it rears its ugly head to bite me once more and I grieve all over again for the babies I’ll never hold.

It would be irresponsible to bring a child into my world, and that hasn’t changed in all the years of my long life. I knew what I was getting into when I was turned. What I was giving up.

It didn’t hit me until decades later, when I met Frost and realised I would never be able to bear him a child with his floppy hair. Yet some part of me has always wished that maybe somehow…

No. I cut off the thought before it can take root and fester.

“It would be good for him to get to know other vampires, outside of our community,” Samuel muses. “The downside of living like we do, is that few among my family have ever had the chance to travel far. Regardless of what he says, my home is open to you. It is the least I can do.”

We lapse into silence, and I stare out into the canyon with my mind whirring. The sand falls down over the top of the rocky cliffs with each gust of wind. It’s relaxing to watch and gives me something to focus on as I consider his offer.

Would it be so wrong to take him up on his offer after all we’ve been through? Is it so bad to crave a little bit of peace?

“I’ll understand if you say no,” he adds. “Living this way isn’t an easy adjustment for anyone to make. It’s not like at Court. Everyone here works hard to earn their keep…”

“That doesn’t scare me,” I retort. “But if there’s a way to kill Cain—to return things to how they were—”

Samuel scoffs. “You are not so naive as to believe that is possible, surely? Cain has revealed our existence to mortals and chained them to the bottom of a hierarchy that always existed, but that they were never privy to. He has shifted things permanently.

“If our Sire dies, an older vampire must be prepared to take his place. Otherwise the newborns and the most sadistic of our kind will run rampant and turn the streets red with blood. The ghouls will get out of hand without us keeping their numbers in check, and the lycan packs…” He sighs. “They’ll begin to clash with one another once more, but without the fear of discovery which kept their battles small pre-Triumph. Humans will be slaughtered.”

Damn him, he’s right.

“You could lead them,” I suggest.

Samuel’s grin becomes huge, and he mock-punches me in the arm. “Don’t be obtuse. Who will follow a hermit from the desert whose one gift is being forgettable? No, if anyone is going to replace our sire, you’ll need to look at your sisters—or yourself.”

It’s my turn to snort this time. “I’m not leadership material.”

If any of us were suitable, it would be Bella. She’s always been a leader and a problem solver. Our oldest sister already does a lot of the administrative work that would come with ruling—if Cain were the type to bother with such trivialities.

But would she change things, if given the chance? Or just continue to maintain the status quo? Morwen is probably the most revolutionary among us, but no one sane would leave her to rule anyone…

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