The Blood Will Run (21 page)

They passed several snorting guards quietly and slowly. They stopped when they finally came to the door. The disfigured creature was asleep on the ground curled up into a ball. They passed over top of him. Just as they were about to walk through the realm door a loud siren went off.

“Go,” Alivia said and threw the crystal onto the stairs.

Every one of them rushed through the door and began to climb the staircase. Half way up the staircase, Alivia stopped. She glanced down quickly and that’s when she saw about twenty little demon monsters climbing the stairs toward them. She shoved Devin, then Dahlia, then Mercy through the realm door to the other side. Then she did the same to the four sunvamps. She glanced down again at the demons that were only a few steps away from her.

☼

Chace watched as Devin, Dahlia, Mercy and four people who he didn’t recognize came leaping out of the door.

Danzanelli rushed to Dahlia. Dahlia hugged her husband. “You must hurry and give the sunvamps’ your blood.” Dahlia said.

Danzanelli rushed over to where the sunvamps’ were standing beside Demeetrie. He bit his fangs into his wrist and offered the first sunvamp his blood.

When he got to the second one, the third and fourth one were beginning to turn into their translucent form.

Danzanelli moved on to the third one. When he was finished, he was just about to give the fourth one his blood, but the fourth sunvamp disintegrated into a pile of ash right before their very eyes.

Erica gasped and Tucker put his arm around her. “Holy shit, that was incredible.” Tucker said.

Chace shot Tucker a dirty look.

“Sorry, it’s just that that was the freakiest shit I have ever seen.” Tucker said.

Erica elbowed Tucker hard in the ribs.

Chace turned and stared at the realm door. There was still no sign of Alivia. He turned to stare at her body, still nothing.

“Where’s Alivia?” Chace asked.

“She was right behind us,” Devin said.

Demeetrie rushed to Alivias’ body lying on the ground and began to brush away the oak ash. “Help me get the ash off of her before it’s too late,” Demeetrie said.

Devin, Chace, Erica, Jules and Demeetrie frantically brushed away at the ash. Mercy stood beside Alivia and waved her hand over her body. Within seconds, all the remaining ash flew off.

They waited.

Nothing happened.

“Okay something isn’t right here.” Chace said.

“Jules see if you can talk to her.” Erica said.

Jules walked up to the door of the realm.

“Alivia can you hear me?” 

Jules shook her head. “She won’t answer.” Jules looked as if she was beginning to panic just as much as Chace was.

“Umm…guys do you see what I’m seeing?” Tucker said and pointed to the realm door.

Little tiny demons jumped out. They scattered about until they formed a line, ten in front and ten in the back.

Chace laughed as he stared at the hand-sized demons and Jules backed away. The middle demon in the front snarled and just suddenly began to grow bigger. Chace stopped laughing. The demon was now the same size as Chace.

“Holy freaking shit, what the hell are those things?” Tucker shouted.

Demeetrie, Devin, Danzanelli and the three sunvamps sped to stand beside Chace as the other demons grew as big as the first one.

“Testificor!” one of the demons shouted.

The first row of demons charged ahead. Chace lifted up his leg and kicked the creature in his face. The creature flew back. Devin leaped up into the air and dropped kicked one of the creatures in the head. That creature flew through the air and landed somewhere inside the realm door.

Demeetrie and Danzanelli along with the three sunvamps’ started kicking and punching the demons. The other ten creatures scattered and began fighting with Jules, Erica, Mercy and Tucker.

Chace went to help Jules.

Devin went to help Mercy.

Dahlia sped over to Erica and punched the creature that hit her in the face.

Tucker grabbed the demon by the neck, lifted him up and slammed him down to the ground.

Devin grabbed the creature that was choking Mercy and sank his fangs deep in his neck. The creature screamed out in pain.

Chace pulled the demon off Jules, who was on the ground scratching and clawing away at the demons face, Chace held the creature in the air by his throat and snapped its neck. The creature fell to the ground.

Danzanelli, Demeetrie, Dahlia, Devin and Chace grabbed the creatures one by one and snapped their necks.

When the last creature fell to the ground Erica was kneeling at Jules’ side.

“Chace she’s hurt pretty bad.” Erica said pressing both her hands down to stop the blood from gushing out of the hole in her neck. Chace knelt over Jules and placed his hand on her neck to heal her.

When nothing happened, Demeetrie came and knelt down and gently pushed Chace out of the way.

“I don’t understand.” Chace said shaking his head. “I could heal people before, what happened?”

Dahlia looked at Danzanelli and then at Chace. “I’m afraid that when you shifted the last time into your bird form you lost the ability to heal.”

Chace frowned. “Will I ever get it back?”

“It all depends. Over the centuries, your father had abilities and then he lost them. Years later, he would get another ability but different from the first. In your case, you may shift again and this time your healing ability will be different from the first time you had it. Do you understand?” Dahlia asked.

Chace nodded.

“Thank you Demeetrie,” Jules said as she sat up and then lifted herself to her feet.

“My pleasure,” Demeetrie said.

Chace shifted his gaze to Alivia just as she started to sit up. Chace rushed to her side and picked her up. He twirled her around happy to see her. “You did it,” he said.

Alivia stared into his eyes. Her gaze was glossed over with happiness and Chace couldn’t hold back any longer. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her passionately.

Demeetrie was smiling when Chace finally lowered her to her feet.

“I am forever in your debt, Bella. Not only have you brought back my family but also you managed to release many others.” Demeetrie hugged her tightly.

“I can’t take credit for rescuing the others that was all Devins’ idea,” Alivia said.

“Yes, but without you no one would be here right now,” Demeetrie said and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“I would like you to meet Alivia,” Demeetrie said taking his arm away from her shoulders.

“Please to make your acquaintance,” Each one of the sunvamps said.

Alivia smiled and shook their hand. Chace walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her back to rest against him.

“Well, it has been a long night. It is time to take a well deserved rest.” Demeetrie turned to Chace. “You must take Alivia home and let her relax. Tomorrow we will meet at the Casa De Luca for a feast, yes.”

Chace nodded and smiled.

“Everyone here is welcomed to join us. This is a momentous occasion and it must be celebrated,” Demeetrie said.

Everyone nodded in agreement and headed off in their separate directions.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

A
livi
a
and Chace spent the night together and the following day as well. It was perfect. There were no text messages. No phone calls and the most wonderful thing of all, there was no one in danger. Jules had closed the Cafe and spent the day laughing and joking with Alivia, Lawson and Chace. It turned out to be one of the happiest days that Alivia had in a while.

At 5:00 p.m., they all piled into Chaces’ BMW and drove to the Casa De Luca.

Demeetrie greeted them at the door. “Wonderful, the guest of honor has arrived,” Demeetrie said and pulled Alivia down the wide hall toward the Grand living room. Erica, Tucker, Danzanelli, Dahlia, the three sunvamps, Zio Sandino and Mercy were all standing around with a glass of wine in their hands

“Won’t Lawson being here pose a problem?” she asked.

Demeetrie laughed. “Today every person that came through the spiritual realm was cloaked to hide their existence. Added to the cloaking spell was another much more complex spell that shields them from knowing what they are and where they came from. In other words, anyone who sees them will believe they are actually humans.”

She nodded. She hoped for everyone’s sake that the combination of spells worked just as Demeetrie believed they would.

Lawson walked in the room just as she turned around. He grabbed a glass of wine off the tray that the young waiter had offered him and he took a sip. Alivia waited for disaster to hit.

Minutes later, everything remained peaceful.

Chace walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “It all seems so perfect, doesn’t it?”

She nodded. “I’m expecting something to go wrong.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean. It seems too good to be true,” he said.

Dahlia and Danzanelli walked up to them. “I suppose we must congratulate you both on your recent engagement,” Dahlia said and smiled sweetly as she glanced briefly at her ring.

“We’ve been engaged for a week but only made it official last night,” Chace said.

“It is rare to happen upon your soulmate. But once you do, it makes life all so much more exciting,” Danzanelli said.

Chace laughed. “These days we would like a little less excitement.”

Alivia nodded. “Yes, a little less excitement would suit me just fine.”

Devin joined them. “Have you thanked Alivia for rescuing you from Hellsgrave Devin?” Dahlia asked.

“When you have a minute Alivia I would like to give you a gift,” Devin said.

“Sorry brother, but right now, she is all mine,” Chace said and pulled her by the hand to the middle of the room.

“Stay right here,” Chace said.

He sped across the room. He picked up the remote control and powered on the stereo system that was behind the tall glass doors. Then he pressed another button and sped back to where she was standing.

“May I?” he asked and held out his hand.

She giggled and placed her hand in his. The music started. His choice of song was ‘Almost Paradise’ by Ann Wilson and Mike Reno.

She smiled as he pulled her close to him.

He sang the melody in her ear. Alivia closed her eyes and drifted away to the sound of his voice. Their bodies swayed gracefully around the room as everyone and everything slipped away.

When the song was over, she opened her eyes.

“You’re glowing,” Chace said as his eyes widened.

Alivia stepped back away from Chace and eyed herself slowly. It was true, her body was glowing, but not only was it glowing, she was beginning to fade.

Demeetrie rushed to Chaces’ side. “It will be alright,” he said gently. “Give her a few minutes and she will be back to her normal self.”

“How do you know that?” Chace asked as Alivia listened.

“Rosella, use to glow and fade when she was feeling nothing but the purest of love for me,” Demeetrie said.

Chace smiled at her as his eyes beamed with happiness.

She smiled back, stepped closer to him, and caressed his cheek. “He’s right, all I feel is this overwhelming power of love for you.”

Chace pulled her to him. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything. I’ll never be without you. I’ll always protect you and keep you safe. This is my promise to you.”

“Bravo, son,” Danzanelli said and clapped his hands as he approached them.

Chace stared at him.

“You have managed to win the girls’ heart and rip your brothers’ heart out of his chest all at the same time, bravo, I say to you,” Danzanelli said.

Demeetrie glared at Danzanelli. “This is not the time or the place for such nonsense.”

“Now Demeetrie,” Dahlia said. “Danzanelli and I have two boys, from our point of view this glowing angel or whatever she is, has managed to pull them apart.”

“I did nothing of the sort,” Alivia said.

“And you are speaking to whom in that tone young lady?” Dahlia asked.

Lawson, Erica, Tucker, Jules, Mercy and Devin came to stand in front of Alivia. Chace shoved his way through them.

“These people you see behind me are our friends and family,” Chace said and bared his fangs. “You, what are you exactly?”

“I am your mother,” Dahlia said.

“No, that is a title you receive as a gift when you have earned it. You, Dahlia were and always will be nothing more than an incubator.”

“Well I was not expecting to hear such rudeness escape from the lips of my son,” Dahlia said.

Chace laughed.

“And you Devin, do you feel the same way as your brother?” Dahlia asked.

Devin nodded. “Zio Sandino raised us. He protected us. You vanished.”

Dahlia stared at her husband. “I want to leave right now.”

Danzanelli nodded. “And don’t expect us to attend your wedding either,” Dahlia said and glared at Chace.

Chace clapped his hands together. “Bravo, that was an award winning performance if ever I did see one.” Chace followed them as they headed to the door. “See you in hell. Oh yes, that’s right, you were already there.” Then he laughed.

“I’m sorry Chace, I didn’t mean to ruin the relationship between you and your parents,” Alivia said.

Chace stared at her in amazement. “You had nothing to do with what just happened here. Zio Sandino has always told me and Devin that Dahlia was a little full of herself.”

“Chace is right Alivia, you had nothing to do with her shooting off her mouth,” Erica said.

Alivia nodded, but she felt guilty just the same.

Chace wrapped his arms around her. “So much for a drama free day,” he whispered in her ear.

☼

After dinner, Devin pulled Alivia by the hand to his bedroom.

“I have something to give you,” he said.

Devin picked the box up off his bed and handed it to Alivia. She lifted up the lid and stared at the necklace inside.

“Oh,” she said. “I can’t accept something so beautiful Devin.”

“It belonged to Zio Sandinos’ wife. He gave it to me a few years back and told me to give it to someone that I love and admired to protect them.”

Alivia eyed him curiously.

“Don’t worry I’m giving it to you because I admire you and you saved my life. So, I am returning the favor and giving it to you so that it can keep you safe.” He laughed. “I think you won’t have as many near death accidents if you wear it.”

Alivia nodded and took it out of the box. “Can you put it on?”

Devin took the necklace from her and slid it over her neck. He clasped it together and let go.

Alivia turned back to face him. “Thank you,” she said.

“The amethyst polished gemstone means stone of protection and enlightenment”. The owl symbolizes courage and protection as well as wisdom, truth, and insight. I hope it brings you as much luck as it did to Zio Sandinos’ wife.”

“I haven’t met her,” Alivia said.

“No, she lives in Paris. She doesn’t like to come to Newgrave. The town is too small and she says it’s boring. Zio Sandino travels back and forth. He prefers to live here.”

Devin noticed the ring on her finger. “Chace just gave that to you?” he asked.

“Yes, last night before I went through the realm to save you.”

Devin nodded. He swallowed hard.

Chace strolled into the room and eyed them questioningly.

“Look, Devin gave this to me as a gift for saving him.” Alivia showed him the owl.

“That is Zio Sandinos’ or rather it’s his wife, Marys’,” Chace said tracing his finger over it.

“Yes, Zio Sandino gave it to me a while ago,” said Devin.

Chace shrugged. “Are you ready to dance all night long beautiful?”

Alivia giggled as Chace led the way to the wide staircase at the end of the hall.

Devin stared after them. It was time to set his plan in motion. He wouldn’t let Chace have her. Alivia that beautiful creature had risked her life to save him from Hellsgrave. Whether she knew it or not, she loved him. Why else would she have risked everything to rescue him? He grabbed the hollow cross that he had stole from Mercys’ shop and stared at it. Everything that had happened in the last few months was for a reason. He knew that now.

It was his responsibility to stop Alivias’ family from dying in that gas explosion.

He was the only person who could save her from feeling the pain that she had suffered through caused by their death. It was his destiny to prevent Alivia from ever meeting Chace. Alivia was his soul-mate and the only thing standing in his way to having her love him was his brother Chace. He smiled and slid the hollow cross in his bag.

He opened his closet and pulled out the winged staff with snakes wrapped around it that he had borrowed from the ancient tomb. He walked to his desk, grabbed the map to the House of Travel that he also took from the tomb and put it in his bag.

He hesitated at his bedroom door and listened to the laughter that was coming from downstairs. That will be him soon enough, he thought. Then he sped out through the double doors of his bedroom, across the courtyard and through the woods.

He walked behind the building of the ancient tomb. He cleared the path as he pushed aside several hanging branches. He took the map out of his bag and glanced at it just as he stopped in front of the maple tree. He walked around the tree and spotted the sacred oak tree right away. He banged the staff onto the ground three times. A door became visible in the middle of the tree and suddenly opened up. Devin smiled and walked through it.

Minutes later, he was standing in the middle of the road of highway nine leading into Coven Creek. He glanced down the road and spotted Alivias’ mothers’ Honda Civic coming straight at him at full speed.

Devin didn’t move.

By the time Amelia noticed him standing in the middle of the road, it was too late. She slammed on the brakes and swerved her car to avoid him. The car screeched and slid along the road spinning. Seconds later, it landed in the ditch.

Amelia, Alivia and Lawson got out of the car.

“Are you out of your freaking mind,” Lawson said as he ran toward him.

Amelia ran to where he was standing. “What the hell is wrong with you? You almost killed us!”

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“Sorry, you’re sorry?” Amelia asked in disbelief.

“Leave him alone,” Alivia said, coming up to them. “He looks lost.”

“Are you lost?” Lawson asked.

Devin shook his head.

Alivia stared at him. “Fine, let’s just leave it at he’s just some kind of crazy person looking to get hurt and let’s go.”

Amelia shook her head. “Thank heavens no one was hurt.”

“Can we go now? I really have to go to the bathroom.” Alivia whined.

Amelia glared at Devin and then nodded. “Come on you two and give me a hand to push the car out of the ditch.” Amelia said as she began to walk back toward the car.

That’s when the ground shook. Devin turned his gaze away from Alivia and her family and stared down the road toward the gas station. He smiled when the blast from the gas pumps exploded in the air. As the thick black smoke began to rise up, he knew he had changed Alivias’ future.

Amelia ran back to where he was standing. Alivia and Lawson kept their eyes fixed on the gas station. Then Lawson looked at Devin.

“I believe if it weren’t for you we would be toast right about now,” Lawson said and held out his hand.

Devin shook it.

Alivia followed Lawsons’ lead and extended her hand. “I’m Alivia Marks.”

He took her hand and shook it. “Hi, I’m Devin De Luca, pleased to meet you.”

Amelia smiled and said. “We own the Grand Coffin Café in Coven Creek. After what you just did for us, I believe we owe you a free meal on the house.”

“I’m sorry, I’m afraid I have other plans, but what about if I come by for breakfast tomorrow morning?”

“Great, see you then.” Lawson said. “And thanks again man.”