Blood Curse (30 page)

Aria smiled so weakly it ripped away a part of Rialto's heart. “ I—” She swallowed, although her throat was undoubtedly dry, trying to finish her sentence. “I finished the dream, and I figured out what Seta meant too, about my mother giving birth to me out of love. She loved my father, and she had his baby despite the risks. I love you, Rialto, and I want to have your baby despite the danger, despite whatever we will go through to protect her. And you're not a monster. I would be honored to be what you are."

Rialto smiled, blinking back tears. “Are you sure?"

"Yes, now save me, Rialto. Save us both and save our future child. I want to spend forever walking beside you in the twilight."

Rialto nodded and lowered his mouth to the holes in her neck, suckling what was left of her blood, praying there was enough left for the transition.

He sipped from her until she hovered just over death, and then he quickly brought his wrist to his mouth, cutting a narrow gash across the skin. He lowered his wrist to her lips and fed her from it, allowing her to drink the nectar from him that would give her exactly what she'd asked for. The promise of forever with him by her side.

He started to feel dizzy as she greedily devoured his blood, but he didn't have the heart to pull away. She had lost so much. The more he could give her the better, he thought, as blackness engulfed him and he faded into darkness.

"Leave me."

"Not a chance in hell,” Jake muttered as he half-drug his brother toward the room where the vampires and the demon were fighting. “Kick your pansy ass into gear and let's get out of here."

"Leave me and help them. They have to get out before the police come, and I have to be here to explain this mess."

"You want me to help a bunch of bloodsuckers?"

"That vampire hanging on the opposite wall from me was so hungry he ached, but according to that son-of-a-bitch psycho, he wouldn't touch any victims that were brought to him. They're not the bad guys here."

Jake muttered a curse as he lowered his brother to the floor. “I can't just leave you."

"I'm the detective on this case, and there are vampires killing the murderer. Vampires, Jake. How am I supposed to explain that?” Jonah shook his head. “Look at me. I've been beaten to a pulp. I can't just waltz back in to work like nothing has happened. Just be a good little brother and do as I say. Leave me here. I saw gallons of blood and all kinds of satanic crap downstairs. The department will believe me when I say I don't remember a lot if they find me here like this, and with all the evidence they'll find in this place, I won't have to explain much of anything. I can let them draw their own conclusions."

"They're going to want to know how you happened to come across the killer in the first place. What are you going to say? A demon possessed man kidnapped you right out of your car?"

"Aside from the demon part, that'll work. The killer was on to me, and he got me before I got him which is pretty much true. It'll bruise my ego, but it's better than telling them about the vampires and spending a long vacation in the loony bin."

Jake cursed, knowing his brother was right. “You're banged up pretty bad, Joe."

"Then hurry the hell up and clear out of here so I can call myself an ambulance."

Jake nodded and made his way toward the room where the fighting was going on. There was a loud ear-splitting crack as he approached, and he threw his arms in front of his face to block out the blinding light. He heard a woman scream, followed by evil laughter, and knew the vampire-witch was losing the fight.

"I hate demons,” he muttered as he looked at his defenseless hands. He didn't even have rock salt or holy water with him.

The light faded and he looked in the room to see Carter Dunn standing over the witch's fallen body. Christian was on his knees, spouting out Latin with his hands clasped together under his chin.

"What the hell?” Jake muttered, knowing Dunn could easily kill the vamp and then he'd be the only one left to defend the rest of them. And he didn't have any way of trapping the demon so he could perform an exorcism, either. He'd be dead before the first few words were out of his mouth.

But as he watched, he was surprised to see Dunn look toward Christian in fear as the vampire continued spewing out Latin. A halo of light formed around Christian, the witch and, more to his surprise, himself.

Roaring, the demon made a lunge for the vampire, but the halo of light burned through his skin and forced him backward.

Seta rose, renewed strength blazing brightly in her eyes as she raised her hands and used magic to pin Dunn against the wall.

Christian opened his eyes, stared straight ahead at Dunn and in English thanked the father, the son and the holy ghost.

With a high-pitched scream, Carter Dunn turned into flame and then fell to the floor as a pile of assorted charred limbs.

Jake looked at Christian and found the vampire smirking at him, amused by the shock he knew was etched on his face.

"What the hell was that?"

"The power of prayer,” the vampire responded matter-of-factly. “If you wouldn't mind, Mr. Porter, we will need some help getting our friends out of here."

Jake could only gape at the vampires as they passed him to collect their friends.

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Rialto blinked, the grogginess of the day sleep beginning to evaporate. He didn't recall making it back to the soft bed he was lying in. His last memory was of feeding Aria . . .

Aria

He sat up, taking in his surroundings. He was in Christian's home beneath the church. “Aria!” He called as loudly as his voice would allow. The sound of running feet echoed in the hallway moments before Seta and Christian entered the room.

"You're awake!” Seta exclaimed, joy prominent in her voice.

"Yes, I'm awake. Where is Aria? Is she alive?” His heart constricted in his chest, threatening to cease beating if she hadn't survived.

"Yes!” Seta cried, kissing his cheeks and forehead. “I was so worried about you. You gave her too much blood and passed out. I had to feed you myself, and the both of you have been at rest since last night."

"Come on.” She grabbed his hand and led him through the hall to the next bedroom where Aria lay sleeping on top of the bed, her skin browned by his blood, her lips a deep crimson.

"She has not awakened yet?"

"No. It's barely nightfall,” Seta said as she pulled two chairs beside the bed and gestured for Rialto to sit next to her.

"What if she wakes like Antonia?"

"She won't,” Christian assured him, approaching from behind to rest his hands on his shoulders. “It is not her fate."

Rialto breathed deeply, trying to soothe his nerves. The images of the night before assaulted him. “Oh my God, what happened? Did you kill Carter? Where's Eron?"

Seta looked sad for a moment, but quickly waved the emotion away. “Eron was so injured we had to put him in the earth."

"He died?” Rialto's heart plummeted to somewhere near the bottom of his stomach.

"No!” Seta quickly shook her head from side to side “He has reached the age where he can go underground for long periods of time. The earth will heal him and he will rise stronger."

Rialto released a breath of relief. “And Carter?"

"We destroyed him. He almost overpowered me, but Christian saved us all with his prayers. Between my powers and Christian's faith, we took him out.” She looked over at Christian and smiled. “But, he wasn't Alfred Dunn, as we had believed."

"Then who was he?"

"Patrick Dunn. Alfred made a deal with the devil to bring back both he and his son so they could be together again."

"So Curtis was Alfred?"

"It appears so. That's what he told Eron, Aria, and Jonah before he escaped."

"Escaped?"

"He was unconscious before Christian and the Porters left the lab. Eron could barely move, and you had passed out. He got away before we destroyed his son, or brother, or whatever he was, and made it back to you."

"Is he a threat to us?"

"I don't know. He was sick enough to deal with the devil, requesting to be brought back to life through his own granddaughter's body. Jonah said he'd made a comment about being two souls. I believe the old soul, Alfred, is fighting against the new soul, Curtis."

"Well, let's hope the new soul wins the fight."

"Amen,” Seta murmured. “On the bright side, I don't think Jake Porter is going to chase Christian out of his church again. We seem to have his gratitude."

"I guess he's pissed his brother got pinned to a wall."

"Apparently. It takes the heat off of us for a while, anyway.” She patted Rialto's leg and stood. “She'll wake soon, darling."

Seta and Christian left him beside Aria's bed, waiting for her to rise. He felt beads of sweat pop out on his forehead and lowered his head into his hands, unable to bear the wait. “Please let her be all right,” he prayed as he waited for the results of what he had done.

"Rialto?"

He looked up to see Aria sitting on the bed, glorious in her newly darkened skin which was offset by the long white gown Seta had dressed her in. Her eyes had deepened to a blinding shade of emerald.

"Aria?” Rialto sprang from the chair to stand at Aria's bedside and hugged her to his chest before pulling away to look her over. “How are you? How do you feel?"

"Better than ever.” Her smile lit the room. “And terribly hungry."

Rialto felt panic start to set in as images of Antonia devouring a whole village ran through his mind.

"Relax, Rialto. I'm not
that
hungry."

He laughed at the look in Aria's eyes. “I forgot that you will be able to see inside my head so clearly now. And that part of the changing includes you waking hungry. I must take you to feed, and the cycle will be complete. You will be a vampire. You must drink from a living mortal, Aria. Can you do that?"

She seemed to think that over. “I guess, but can it be a really bad person?"

"Yes,” Rialto said with a laugh, “but don't tell me you're ready to kill."

"Of course not!” The look of indignation on her face was priceless. “But I just can't rob the blood of somebody who doesn't deserve it."

"So, what's your pleasure? Mugger, child abuser, or pimp?"

Aria pressed her lips together, deep in thought. When she looked into Rialto's eyes, hers were sparkling. “The man who lives in the apartment below mine. He beats his wife and once took a crowbar to Trevaris when he tried to intervene. Let's go lunch on him!"

Rialto laughed at her enthusiasm, but quickly sobered, realizing he was going to have to take her away from her friend. “Aria, you know you'll have to move from the apartment and say goodbye to Trevaris and any other friends you might have. That goodbye will be forever. You can't have mortal friends. It's too dangerous."

"I know,” she said, standing from the bed to wrap her arms around his waist. “I just wanted to do Trevaris a favor before I have to leave."

"Do you resent me for taking you away from everything you know?"

Aria laughed. “You worry too much. I love you, and if this Blood Revelation thing is true, we're going to have a baby. What more do I need to know?"

"Well, when you say it like that . . .” Rialto smiled, finally able to let go of all his doubts and believe things were going to work out. He dipped his head to kiss Aria's blood-red lips, and in the moment, when their hearts melded together, he saw the image of their unborn daughter.

"What just happened?” he asked in surprise as he pulled back to look into Aria's wet eyes.

"I think that was a gift from my mom, her way of letting me know I've done the right thing and that we're going to be fine. It turns out she was a witch, you know."

"So I've heard.” He dipped his head once more, brushing a kiss over her full lips. “Our daughter is gorgeous."

"And destined for greatness,” Aria murmured, pulling his mouth back down to hers. “Just wait and see."

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Copyright 2010 by Crystal-Rain Love

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