Blood Legacy: Adult Urban Fantasy (The V V Inn Book 5) (34 page)

My husband pulls me close again, like he can’t get enough of me, the fear still gripping him from the sleep that went on too long. “Anything. I will do anything for you.”

“Are you sure?”

His lips settle against mine.
Yes. I’m sure.

After we’re packed and waiting for the plane and pilots to get ready, I receive a text from Justin asking if we found Rolando and reminding me I owe him payment for his services.
 

The jet won’t be able to take off for a few hours, so we drive to Justin’s to tie up loose ends. It takes some time, but we explain the events as best we can, letting him know his magic is still valid, and it was a spell that turned his blood to dust and called forth the invunche and hombre gato—leaving out the parts about my being a manipulator and the deadly duo mind-raping me.

“Are you sure?” he asks, apprehension in his voice. “I haven’t tried a damn thing since the tracking spell.” The young man shakes his head. “I didn’t want to risk it.”

I lift a shoulder. “As sure as we can be. We’ll know for certain when you attempt a spell with your blood.”

“Okay, okay.” He runs a hand through his longish black hair, at least today it looks clean. “I’ll try something after I master the meditating and aura cleansing Bart told me about. I’m not taking any more risks with being sloppy.” His eyes dart nervously toward the sink. “I’ve done that for way too long. This was the wake-up call I needed.”

Justin stands and goes to the counter near the sink. He hands me a glass flat-bottomed vial—similar to what we store the shots of my blood in at the resort—a much better selection for storing a valuable liquid than the porous clay pot the witch used.
 

With an eye on the clock, I reach for the knife on the table. In one smooth slice I open my wrist, angling the wound over the vial. Once it’s filled, I stopper the top and watch the cut heal.

“Thank you for helping us, Justin. I’m well aware you didn’t have to.” I slide the payment across the table to him. “You surprised me with your fortitude and dedication. Can I call upon you in the future if I have need of your services?”

Justin blinks, taken off guard with my pretty words and request. “Do I have a choice?”

I smile while rising from the table, thrilled he understands. “Not really.”

“Are you done?” Jon calls from the front room. “I’m so ready to blow this popsicle stand.”

Rafe strides into the kitchen and glances at Justin, then me. “I’d like a word with the wizard, if you and Jon don’t mind.”

Intrigued, but willing to wait and see what he’s planning, I nod. “We’ll see you in the car.”

“Sure,” Justin says, stretching out his long legs and lacing his arms behind his head, “don’t bother to ask the wizard. I’ll just sit here and mind my own business.”

I smile as I pass my husband. “He’s all yours.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Rafe

I pull back a kitchen chair and slide into the seat. Justin cocks an eyebrow, an insolent expression on his face.

“What’s up, Rafe? You’ve got me all to yourself.”

Unwilling to waste time, I jump right to the chase. “How much money do you make as a wizard?”

He unlaces his hands and sits up straighter. “Uh—and why does that matter?”

“Just answer the question. I want to make you a job offer, and wanted to know where to start.” At his look of surprise, I continue. “The exchange rate for the US dollar is really strong right now compared to the Argentine peso.”

“The cost of living is different here, you know. It’s hard to compare what I earn to the US job market.”
 

I smile, noting that he’s still not answering my question.
 

“I do all right, man.” He looks around his small home, perhaps realizing the tiny dwelling doesn’t jive with his claims. “I put a lot into savings.”

I dip my chin in acknowledgment. “Smart man. Saving is always a good thing.”

The wizard fidgets in his seat. “Spell ingredients cost a lot, too.”

“I bet.” I wait him out a bit longer, sure I’ve intrigued him now.
 

“How much money are we talking—and what’s the job?”

Bingo. I knew I wouldn’t have to wait too long. Know what inspires a man and you know how to entice him.

“Five hundred thousand dollars. A one year contract. You’ll be required to move frequently.”

Justin starts to cough before I can relay the rest of the information. “Holy shit,” he croaks, his voice rough and broken. “Think I just choked on my own spit.” He pounds his chest, then clears his throat. “Just what the hell do you expect me to do for that kind of money—kill someone?” His eyes bug out in worry. “Several someones?”

“No.” I smooth my hand over the table, enjoying the texture of the polished wood. “You’ll be teaching me magic. Every day. Until you’ve taught me everything you know.”

“Just you, no one else?” he asks.

I nod.

A lazy grin crosses Justin’s face. “Now that’s a deal I can handle.” He thrusts out his hand. “You’ve got yourself a magic teacher.”

We shake on it and a huge smile splits my face. I can’t wait to see what Dria says to this idea. “Good. Go pack. We leave for Alaska in an hour.”

Justin looks put out, but I know it’s an act. His excitement fills the air between us, more than likely he’s never had an opportunity like this offered to him before. This job will change his life, and he knows it.
 

“Jesus, talk about short notice. All right then, looks like I better get packing.” He stands and heads upstairs, calling behind as he goes. “Grab a box from out back and pack my spell books, would ya? Wouldn’t want to make us late for the flight.”

I snort at his audacity, and open the back door for a box. He’ll certainly be surprised when he discovers we own the plane. There’s no chance we’ll miss the flight.

As the pilots finish their pre-flight check, I power up my laptop in the hangar’s back lounge, ignoring the tension coming off my wife. She wasn’t thrilled with me hiring Justin, but Jon’s enthusiastic acceptance of the plan softened her ire.
 

I understand her fears and worries, probably better than she does. But I will not allow either of us to face an enemy so grossly unprepared. My solution makes sense, and it will give me peace of mind in case we run into anymore vampire wizards in our quest to find Dria’s turns. At least one of us will have the mojo to stop them before we walk into another mess unprepared.

When Jon and Justin leave to load the bags onto the plane, she stirs from her position across the room, where she’s been sulking for the past twenty minutes or so, and walks toward me at the table where I’m working on the wizard’s employment contract. Silly man refused to get on the plane until everything is signed. I shake my head in disbelief. Like I’m not a man of my word and can’t be trusted or something.

“I still don’t like it,” she says, a touch of a petulant whine in her tone.

“I know.”

“But do you truly understand
why
?” This time she sounds annoyed. I look up, eyebrows creeping up my forehead. “I don’t like the position you’ve put me in. It goes against promises I’ve made to you. I never want to violate your trust.”

“I need to do this, Dria. It is for us, for our safety, that I want to learn what he has to teach.”

“But you know—you agree—we cannot allow a vampire wizard to knowingly come into existence. The power is too great. And yet here you sit, blatantly flaunting that fear.” She runs both hands through her hair, uneasiness making her hands jerky, while staring toward the door where the two left a few minutes ago. Her voice sounds quieter now, filled with dread and angst. “I’ll be the one who will have to wipe the knowledge from your mind if you die and turn.”

I stand and move closer to her, cupping her cheeks in my palms and tilting her beautiful face up to mine. “
If
, darling? There is no
if
, only
when
.” I lean down and kiss her gently. “And we will survive where other couples have not. I swear it to you.”

“All right,” she relents, tension spilling out of her, but not the sadness. “We’ll try it your way. But you can’t practice mind manipulation like you have been.” A shudder runs through her, despite the warmth in the lounge. “It’s too dangerous. The darkness will have too many opportunities.”

“Opportunities to do what?”

“To drag you under.” Tears fill her eyes. “To own your soul.”
 

I lean my forehead against hers, breathing deeply before replying. “I know you’ll never let that happen to me.”

“No. No, I won’t.” The look in her eyes reveals a steely determination to face a task she loathes, and to do it to her own husband.

I have no fear in me like she does. I trust her with my heart and my soul, what’s more to add my mind to the list?

The door opens and we break apart, both of us unwilling to share what we’ve exchanged with the other two.

Justin strides in, oblivious to the energy between us. “How’s that contract coming, Boss Man?”

“Good. I just need your full name so I can print it out. Once we both sign it, and the flight attendant notarizes it, you’ll be a legal employee of the V V Inn.” I wink at him. “Complete with that fifty thousand dollar advance to your bank account I mentioned in the car.”

“Sa-weet! Monson is my last name. Spelled M-O-N-S-O-N, not with a U like most people think. Justin A. Monson.”

Dria and I both freeze, the name an all too familiar one. I cut my gaze to my wife, who stands with her mouth open in shock.

Could it be the same family?
I ask her telepathically.
What the hell are the chances of that?

She closes her mouth and stares at the wizard.
Fate works in mysterious ways. And it’s never good to question her, she can be a fickle bitch.

“What’s wrong?” Justin asks. “Did I miss something?”

I enter his name into my laptop at the appropriate spot on the contract and hit print. “No, nothing at all. In fact, more things may be right than you think.”

He looks at me with a funny what-the-hell-does-that-mean expression on his face, while Dria hands him a pen.

“Your life will never be the same when you arrive in Alaska,” she says with genuine happiness for him. “Of that, I guarantee.”

 
~*~

Coming mid-April, 2015: A 
V V Inn
 "between the books" novella -- free only to newsletter subscribers. 

Three parts will be posted on 
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 in mid April, May, and June, then available for purchase at retailers in late June. 

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About the Author:
C.J. Ellisson lives in northern Virginia with her husband, two children, and three dogs. She's battled severe chronic illness for years and is thrilled to report she’s finally approaching the end of treatment. She turned to writing when she could no longer work outside the home and claims the escape of penning contemporary erotic romance, urban fantasy, and erotica has helped save her sanity.
 

Blood Legacy
is the fourth full-length book in the
V V Inn
series, and the sixth title published. There are currently six full-length novels and four prequel & side story books planned, with more to be added if there is enough reader interest.

Books in the
V V Inn
series, in reading order :

Death’s Servant
,
Prequel Story

Vampire Vacation
, Book One
 

The Hunt
, Book Two
 

Big Game
, Book Three
 

Death Times Two
, Book 3.5

Blood Legacy
, Book Four

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Acknowledgements

I begin writing
Blood Legacy
alongside four eighth-graders in an after school
NaNoWriMo
club devoted to writing a novel in thirty days. It was a momentous occasion for me, as I hadn’t created anything new in over eight months. The students were incredibly enthusiastic and their energy was contagious, reminding me of why I love to write in the first place.
 

All four reached their 30k-word goal by the last day of November 2014, while I still had plenty to write on my much larger manuscript.
Addison Conner
(my daughter),
Shay Dylan
,
Dana Trace
, and
Dalia Medina
will hopefully have their stories published by this summer, and I will gladly support them when they do. I couldn’t be prouder of these young ladies. They’ve accomplished something many adults will never be able to do in their lifetimes. Thank you, ladies, for all the write-ins and inspiration. You helped me find my writing mojo again.