The Blood Will Run (18 page)

Devin glanced at the woods just as something moved around inside them. He stood up to take a better look. There was another movement, but this time it came from the left side. Then there was another movement coming from the right side.

“What is it?” Erica asked and rose from the bench.

“I’m not sure. I saw someone over there.” Devin pointed behind the church. “Then again, in two separate spots over there in the woods.”

“It could be an animal and its babies,” Erica said.

“Could be,” Devin said, but he was convinced it was humans.

But, before Devin could investigate, there were about ten guys that jumped out from behind the trees and surrounded them.

Devin whipped around from one to the other ready to pounce.

“Well, imagine my surprise,” Miles said in a wicked voice as he walked toward him. 

Devin stared at the patch covering his eye and smiled.

Miles continued. “When Jimmy here said that you and a girl were sitting at the church. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to come here with my friends and teach you a lesson for what happened at the cabin.”

“You are a vengeful wolf,” Devin said.

“Well, vengeful or not Devin, I have been waiting for you and your brother to be alone for quite some time now and frankly I’m tired of waiting.” Miles growled.

“I’ll rip every single one of your heads off,” Devin warned glaring at Miles angrily.

Miles grinned. “I thought you would say something along those lines. I don’t plan on losing another eye. So this time,

I came prepared.”

Miles pulled out a palm sized, skull shaped, selenite crystal, from the inside pocket of his leather jacket. He held it up to the full moon. The skull drifted up out of his hand and began to draw light from the moon.

Devin fell to his knees.

“What the hell are you doing to him Miles?” Erica screamed and bent down to check on Devin.

One of the guys reached out and grabbed her around the waist. He held her back as she tried to fight him off.

Miles took a few steps closer to Devin, while two other guys picked Devin up off the ground and held him up to face Miles.

“While you and your brother were busy hanging out with all these girls, I did some investigating.” Miles smirked. “To my surprise, I came across the very weapon that weakens you sunvamps.”

Miles grabbed the skull and held it in the palm of his hand in front of Devins’ face.

“You see, this skull is made from pure selenite crystal. It draws its power from the moon. But that’s not all it does. It happens to be spelled by a powerful witch to trap its host in a conscious slumber.”

“Get away from him, you monster!” Erica screamed.

“Seriously Jack, can you shut that girl up?” Miles said, staring at the guy holding her angrily.

Jack turned her toward him and slapped Erica across the face.

“Screw you!” She screamed.

“Screw you,” Jack said and punched her with a closed fist hard in the face. Erica fell back and landed on the ground. Devin figured she must have passed out because after that, she didn’t say another word.

“I’m going to kill you,” Devin said with a determined stare. He struggled to break free, but he couldn’t. He was too weak.

Miles grinned. “The best part about all of this is that I get to watch you sleep for a lifetime where no one would ever dream of looking for you.” Miles laughed. “The end of the world is a fitting resting place for you to rot away.”

Miles pushed the skull to Devins’ chest. Devin watched in complete horror as the skull sunk deep inside of him. Seconds later, the two guys let go of him and he fell to the ground.

“Pick him up and put him in the truck,” Miles ordered.

Devin tried to move, but his muscles wouldn’t cooperate.

“What do we do with the girl?” One of them asked.

“She’s no use to us. Leave her here. Someone will eventually find her,” Miles said.

☼

Alivia sat in the Den with Demeetrie while Chace took a shower.

“I gather Chace has explained what you must do Bella, when Devin is sent to Hellsgrave.” Demeetrie smiled and lit his pipe.

“I don’t understand how you know that I have the ability to astral travel.” Alivia stared at him as he puffed on his pipe.

“Centuries ago, I had the privilege of meeting a Whiteglider.

Actually, I fell in love with the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. Rosella Massena had the gentlest touch. She could make my immortal body surrender to her every touch, to her every kiss. At first, I did not quite understand how she could make me feel as the humans described in many a great novel about passion.”

Demeetrie paused and puffed on his pipe. “At the time, and this was around the fifteen hundreds, I was good friends with a man by the name of Stephano. Stephano was traveling along the Mediterranean Sea toward the Atlantic with stolen goods onboard. What no one knew was that Stephano was stealing Greek artifacts from a number of the Olympian Gods and selling these artifacts. I happened to be on one of those shipments when Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton had the ship raided.  They found all the precious artifacts that were stolen abroad the ship. The men who managed to survive the massacre were exiled to Hellsgrave. I was one of those men. Rosella found my location, after she had searched for me for months. She traveled through the spiritual realm to Hellsgrave and helped me escape. So, you see I know what you are because of what Rosella was.”

Alivia listened and thought for a moment before she said,

“Chace can feel it when I touch him?”

“Oh, yes Bella. And from what I have heard about the boys’ exotic sex craving, your touch must be driving him utterly insane,” Demeetrie said and then laughed.

Alivia did not smile. She never once asked Chace how he felt when she was kissing him or even being close to him for that matter. But she couldn’t worry about that now. She promised she would talk to him about how he felt after everything was over and done with.

“I want to know if my sister Jules has any abilities like me and Lawson do?” Alivia asked completely changing the subject.

“I cannot tell you Bella, whether your sister is gifted or not. I’m sorry,” said Demeetrie resting his pipe in the ashtray.

“Do you know anything about my ancestors and how I became a Whiteglider?”

“All I know is that Rosella had said that Whitegliders were created before the creation of Adam and Eve. She said, at that time, a war was raging through the realms. One of the fallen angels sought revenge on the almighty God for power over the spirits.  Sometime, after Adam and Eve descended onto what we today call Earth, the almighty God made a hasty decision to inhabit several of Adam and Eves’ offspring with the Whitegliders’ spirits. The almighty one had planned to use the Whitegliders to aid him in the collection of souls to maintain his power. The reason behind the soul collection was because in order for the fallen angel to rise to power, he needed to collect as many souls as possible.” Demeetrie paused, filled his pipe with more tobacco, and then continued, “When the fallen angel had discovered the almighty ones’ plan, he began to inhabit the bodies of humans and sought to destroy the Whitegliders once and for all. He managed to turn several Whitegliders into devil spawns and bring them to his fiery pit of hell. But quite a few of the Whitegliders had managed to resist the fallen angels’ trickery, with the help of the almighty one of course. The Whitegliders were then cloaked to hide their identities and hidden in many different villages scattered all over the world.”

Chace entered the room and sat down beside her on the long leather sofa.

“I wish I could speak to my mother and ask her about her family history,” Alivia said.

“If it helps, maybe we can check the family archives down at town hall,” Chace suggested.

Alivia frowned. “I’m not sure that will help. I think what I want to know more than anything, is why my mother hid this from me.”

“I am terribly sorry for springing all this on you Bella, but an explanation was necessary. Devin is my offspring and the very thought of him being held captive in the torture realm for eternity does not settle well with me.”

“I completely understand Demeetrie. I’ll do whatever is necessary to bring Devin back. You have my word,” Alivia said.

Demeetrie rose and kissed Alivia on the cheek. “You have found a good mate Chace. She is the angel I thought she would be.” Demeetrie stared at Chace. “Please son, do not let her go so easily.”

“I don’t plan on it,” Chace said.

“Well if the two of you will excuse me. It seems we have run out of time. Mercy will arrive at the church shortly and I must go protect her.”

“Thank you, Demeetrie,” Alivia said.

“You are so very welcome, Bella. And thank you in return,” Demeetrie said and sped out of the room through the double doors and disappeared.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

C
hac
e
and Alivia were snuggling in front of the fire in the master living room when his cell went off. He pulled the phone out of his back pocket and answered it.

“Chace, something terrible has happened,” Mercy said.

“What happened?” he asked.

“It appears that Erica was knocked unconscious and Devin is nowhere to be found.”

“Okay, we’re on our way.”

Chace hung up the phone and slid it back into his pocket.

“That was Mercy. It seems Erica is unconscious and Devin has disappeared. We have to get to the church.”

Alivia stood up and nodded in agreement.

“We don’t have time to take the car. If you hop on my back and hold on for dear life we can get to the church much faster.”

Alivia leaped onto his back. Chace zipped out of the room and stopped in front of the main door. He pulled open the door and sped across the courtyard, through the woods to the church.

Once he had stopped at the church and was standing in front of Demeetrie, he let go of Alivia.

Alivia fell onto the ground.

Mercy ran to Alivias’ side. “She’s fainted.”

Chace knelt down and picked her up into his arms.

“What do I do?” Chace asked. He couldn’t believe he did it again. He caused her to suffer. He never imagined for one second that speeding to the church would affect her.

Damn, she’s only human, he thought, how could something so important just slip his mind?

Mercy stepped closer and began to tap Alivia on the cheek.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Chace said angrily and moved Alivia away from her.

Mercy eyed him puzzled by his outburst. “I was trying to wake her up.”

Demeetrie held an unconscious Erica in his arms. “Son, you need to relax a little. It is customary to tap a fainted person on their cheek.”

“Oh my, the world was spinning out of control,” Alivia said as she opened her eyes.

“I’m sorry babe. I wasn’t thinking what kind of effect speeding you here would have on you. Can you forgive me?”

Chace said and kissed her on the forehead.

“I forgive you,” she said trying to smile. “Can you put me down now? I want to check on Erica.”

Chace lowered her to the ground.

“Whoa,” Alivia said trying to steady herself.

Chace put a protective arm around her waist.

“Maybe you should sit down,” he said.

“No, just give me a minute and I’ll be fine.”

Chace nodded.

Erica started to wiggle in Demeetries’ arms. “Let me go!” Erica screamed and began to slap Demeetrie frantically.

“Erica, it’s alright. It’s me Alivia,” she said loudly walking slowly toward her.

Demeetrie let her down. Erica swung around and glared at everyone. Finally, she rested her gaze on Alivia.

“It was Miles.” Ericas’ voice was still a bit shaky. “He had a whole group of guys with him. He had some sort of selenite crystal skull. Alivia, the skull made Devin weak.” Erica brought her hand up to her face, touched her swollen cheek lightly, and then flinched. “I don’t remember anything after that because some guy name Jack hit me. From the looks of it I’m guessing he knocked me out.”

Mercy glanced at Chace, he shrugged, and then she looked at Demeetrie.

Demeetrie nodded. “The skullenite is a weapon used to weaken the sunvamps.’’. Artemis aided in creating the weapon many centuries ago.  The sole purpose of this weapon is to have its host remain in a conscious state unable to move.”

“How do we take it out of my brother?”

Demeetrie thought for a moment before he said, “I am afraid that the only way to take out the skullenite is to remove it by force. There are only two methods of removal. One is to cut it out with a sharp object, or two, to pull it out with a forceful hand.”

“Okay, I suppose we can manage to get it out. But how do we find out where they’re holding Devin to do that? A witch cloaked Devin making it next to impossible to track him,” Mercy said.

Chace stared at her long and hard before he said. “Devin and I share a very unique bond. If I’m close enough, I can hear his thoughts and talk to him using telepathy.”

“Okay, you search for Devin your way,” Erica said. “And I’ll call Jules and she can bring Lawson. And I’ll also call Tucker.”

“Lawson cannot come here. He’ll suck Vanstrauss up in that freaky tornado thing and send him back to Hellsgrave,” Mercy said with a shocked expression on her face. “We won’t have anyone to bargain with if Vanstrauss is gone.”

“Mercys’ right,” Chace said. “Let’s just leave

Lawson where he is at the Cafe.”

“I’ll call Tucker right now,” Erica said taking her cell out from her pocket as she walked away.

Chace turned to Demeetrie. “You come with me and Alivia, Mercy and Erica can stay here with Tucker.”

Alivia stared at him. “There is no way I’m staying here. I’m going with you to help.”

Chace whizzed around and glared at her. “This time, you will do as you’re told.”

Alivia glared right back at him. “Well, who the hell died and made you my boss?”

“Alivia we’re not going to argue about this. I have stood by and let you do as you please. I have been totally okay with you putting your life in danger, up until this very moment.” Chace walked to where she was standing and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Alivia grabbed his hands and pulled them away. “I’m going with you.”

“Damn it, Alivia. You are the most stubborn headed person I know.”

Demeetrie interrupted. “Chace, Alivia may be of some use to us.”

Chace shook his head and flung his arms up in the air.

“Seriously, it isn’t as dramatic as you make it out to be

Chace,” Mercy said eyeing him.

Chace eyed her angrily. “If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it.”

“Okay, there Chace. Maybe you should calm down and concentrate less on Alivia and a little more on finding your brother,” Mercy said.

Within seconds, Chace had Mercy by the throat.

“Take your hands off her!” Alivia shouted.

Chace did as she asked and pulled his hand away from her throat. He stared at Alivia briefly before he sped off into the woods behind the church. Within seconds, he was a raven soaring through the woods.

☼

Alivia used Mercys’ first aid kit that she stored in the trunk of her car on Ericas’ cut on her cheek.

“There, almost as good as new,” she said smiling at Erica.

Erica grabbed her hand. “You’re not upset with me about the Chace thing are you?”

“No, I thought about it and Chace did all that stuff before he met me.”

Erica nodded.

“Besides, I discovered something wonderful about Chace tonight.”

Erica raised her brows.

“He truly is in love with me Erica. I threw myself at him. I wanted him to make love to me and he pushed me away.”

Erica smiled. “I’m so happy for you Livy,” she said and hugged her tightly.

“Don’t ever have sex with him again though,” Alivia whispered in her ear and stepped back away from her.

“I would never do something like that to you.”

“Good, just as long as it’s all out in the open then we shouldn’t have any more problems.” Alivia smiled.

Tucker and Jules walked up to where they were standing.

Alivia turned her gaze away from Erica and stared at Demeetrie.

“You, Mercy and I, will go to look for Devin together. Tucker, Erica and Jules will stay here.”

Demeetrie nodded and followed them to Mercys’ car.

Mercy took out her keys from her front pocket and they slid into the car.

“Where to?” Mercy asked once she turned the car on.

“Let’s start at the cemetery,” Alivia said.

Mercy nodded.

“Wait Bella, let me out,” Demeetrie said. “I’ll go on ahead and search for any danger. If something happens to you, Chace will never forgive me.”

Mercy pulled over to the side of the road.

Demeetrie sped off through the woods.

“Thanks for protecting me back there when Chace tried to choke the life out of me,” Mercy said once she pulled the car back onto the road.

“You’ll have to excuse Chace. He’s had a rough couple of days.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t hold a grudge. Chace is upset about his brother. It’s all completely understandable.”

Alivia nodded and stared out through the windshield.

Seconds later, Mercys’ cell phone rang. Alivia shifted her gaze and watched Mercy hold the steering wheel with one hand while she used the other hand to pull the cell out of her pocket.

Alivia turned back and looked out the windshield.

“Look out!” she screamed.

Instead of Mercy slamming on the brakes, she pushed on the gas pedal.

Mercy swerved the car, but it was too late. They hit the large animal resembling a werewolf with full force.

The horrible sound of crunching metal echoed in her ears. The car flipped over and continued flipping down the road. Alivias’ body went from one spot to another. Her head hit the dashboard, and then her back smashed into the passenger side window. From there she flew back between the two seats and her head hit the back dash. Finally, the car landed on all four wheels again and crashed into a huge tree at the side of the road. Alivia was thrown through the windshield and everything went dark.

☼

Once Chace shifted back into his human form, he thought about Alivia and how stubborn she could be. What would their married lives be like if Alivia kept on being as stubborn as she was? He worried about her safety. She always managed somehow to put herself in dangerous situations. He didn’t understand how she kept managing to do that, but whatever the reason was, he knew that she needed his protection.

“Hey son, have you had any luck as of yet?” Demeetrie asked as he stood in front of him.

“I was heading for the road that leads to nowhere,” Chace said.

“Perfect, I’ll join you.”

“Where’s Alivia?’

“She’s on her way here in the car with Mercy.”

Chace shook his head.

“Shall we?” Demeetrie asked.

Chace nodded and sped toward the woods right behind the cemetery.

I’m going to kill you, you bastard.

Chace stopped and listened.

If I ever get out of this, I promise you, you will suffer.

“It’s Devin,” Chace said to Demeetrie.

“Where is it coming from?”

Chace looked around. “There, from that bus.”

Demeetrie nodded. “Okay here’s the plan. I’ll go on ahead and distract them. You search for Devin.”

Chace nodded and followed Demeetries’ lead.

Demeetrie stood in front of the bus. “Hello, is anybody there?” Three rather muscular guys came out from behind the bus.

“You don’t belong back here,” the guy in the middle said. “Get out of here before we hurt you.”

Demeetrie bowed. The guy in the middle launched himself at Demeetrie. In one swift movement, Demeetrie snapped his neck.

Chace smiled.

Then the second and third guy rushed toward him. Demeetrie lifted his leg and kicked the taller guy in the jaw. He stumbled back and fell to the ground. The third guy punched Demeetrie in the face. Demeetrie grabbed the third guys face and squeezed.

Chace sped to the front of the bus, opened the small door, and went inside. Devin was lying on the floor with his eyes wide open.

“Devin, it’s me Chace. I’m going to get you out of here.”

Chace lifted Devin in his arms and went through the door.

Chace spotted Miles the werewolf standing in front of Demeetrie growling as he showed his teeth.

Miles turned and stared at Chace.

In an instant Miles was heading right for Chace.

Chace dropped Devin on the ground and leaped up onto Miles’ back.  Miles jumped, twisted and moved as fast as he could to get Chace off.  Chace grabbed a handful of his fur and held on. Miles stood up on his two back paws and fell back on top of Chace. Chace grabbed his jaw and stretched it open. Miles struggled, but Chace opened his jaw wider.

Seconds later, Miles twisted out of his grip and

Miles’ jawbone broke in his hands. Miles whipped around, and stood behind him. Chace leaped to his feet and turned to face him baring his teeth. Miles leaped into the air and hit him in the chest with both paws. Chace flew back and landed on the ground. Miles pounced onto his chest.

“Chace catch,” Demeetrie said tossing the silver dagger in the air.

Chace reached up his hand and held Miles back with the other. Chace followed the dagger, but the dagger went right over them.