The Blood Will Run (6 page)

He laughed.

Alivia stared at him in disbelief. “What’s so funny?”

He stopped and stared at her for a moment. “There is nothing about you my sweet Alivia that is disgusting.”

Alivia bit down on her lip.

Within seconds, Chace wrapped his arms around her.

He buried his head in her hair and whispered, “You’re perfect. You’ll always be perfect. I’ll never see anything but beauty when I look at you. Even if you were a monstrous disfigured troll, to me you’ll always be beautiful.”

“Did you take that line out of some “Disney” book to score brownie points with women?” Alivia asked laughing. Chace pulled his face out from her hair and faced her. He stared deep into her eyes. “No, it’s just the way I feel about you.”

CHAPTER SIX

D
evin
was waiting for Chace in the study. Devin stared at him from the leather chair he was sitting in by the fireplace.

“I saw you with Alivia.”

Chace eyed him and said, “And?”

“Chace, let’s be real here. You don’t care about this girl.”

“How would you know how I feel?”

“I feel everything you feel remember. I know that Alivia has become a challenge for you.”

Chace stared at him in disbelief. “I’ll admit that in the beginning, it was a challenge. I didn’t understand why such a beautiful girl didn’t date or look at any other guy. But as I got to know her, I realized that Alivia was waiting for her one true love.”

“And you seriously believe that you’re her one true love?”

“I believe that she believes I’m her true love.”

His words caused Devin to flinch.

“Come on Chace, I can’t believe you. Alivia is far from being a trophy.”

“I’m well aware of that brother,” Chace said.

“Chace, I’m serious.”

“It sounds to me like someone is a bit jealous.”

“I’m not jealous. I’m concerned.”

“Concerned? Are you kidding me? You of all people are concerned about Alivia? Aren’t you the one who burned Evelina to a damn crisp?”

“All my life, I’ve hid in the shadows and stood by as woman preferred you over me. And now that I have found Alivia, you want me to stay away from her so that you can have a shot at her?”

“It’s already too late Devin.”

“What are you talking about, it’s too late? You don’t think I have a shot with her, unbelievable.”

“You think that if I were to back off now, you can just force your way into her life. That you could comfort her broken heart and convince her that you are the one she should love instead of me.

”Devin was silent.

Chace raised his brow. “You don’t think that I can read your thoughts. I see the way you look at me. I hear the horrible things that you think of me. I love Alivia. I have loved Alivia for a long time. Nothing you say or do, will ever change that brother,” Chace said.

Devin glared at Chace angrily. “This is not a game, Chace.”

“I’m not playing a game. If you could only get over your hatred that you’ve developed for me, you would see that I truly love her.”

Chace walked up to Devin and grabbed his hand.

He placed it over his heart. “You feel that. That has never happened before. The minute I saw Alivia, it started to beat. We are immortals Devin, our hearts don’t beat.”

He pulled his hand away from Chaces’ grip. This situation was much worse than he thought.

“Chace, there’s something I need to tell you. Alivia is well…Alivia is not really Alivia. I mean she’s Alivia in human form, but she’s not really all there.”

“What the hell are you talking about Devin?”

“Alivias’ mind is blank. Someone or something is controlling her.”

“Okay Devin, that’s enough. I will not let you come between me and Alivia,” Chace said as his eyes turned a charcoal black. “You’ll stay away from her. And if you don’t, it would be my pleasure to make you stay away from her.”

Chace glared at him angrily.

He shoved Devin hard against the wall of the study and left the room.

☼

Alivia climbed out of her bedroom window to the small landing with her poetry book and pen in hand. She leaned up against the concrete wall, opened the book and wrote,

‘Twas time to feast upon, a woolly cloud of white.

The night, the moon sparkled bright.

Light of stars flash and flicker.

As heaven gazes down and smiles.

The heart that beams a power within.

Swirling joy and nothing less.

For the dream, I do borrow.

Love and all its brilliance awaits a new tomorrow.

Alivia smiled, closed the book and gazed at the stars. She brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. Chace made her feel different. She never imagined that a simple touch could send aching demands of yearning coursing through her body. Chaces’ hands caressed her skin gently. His lips devoured hers. When their bodies were pressed together she felt his demand rise in his groin, it made her wet between her legs. So much in fact, that she had to shower once Chace dropped her off at home.

She couldn’t give herself to Chace. Every part of her body wanted her to satisfy the desire to be with him intimately, but her mother made her promise that she stay a virgin until she was married and Alivia wasn’t about to break that promise.

Erica explained to her what it was like to give yourself to someone fully.

It was a week before the gas explosion when Erica told her the secret that she was keeping from her…

“Does it still hurt when you make love to Tucker?”

Alivia asked Erica curiously.

“No, it actually feels amazing. Tucker is much more experienced than I am. He shows me─,” Ericas’ voice broke off and she lowered her eyes.

“Shows you what?”

Erica sat up in the bed. “Promise you won’t say a word to anyone? You’re my best friend and if I tell you this, you have to swear never to breathe a word of it to anyone.”

Erica turned and eyed Alivia sitting against her headboard. “I promise, Erica.”

“Well, he shows me how to use sex toys that heighten our experience when we’re having mind blowing sex.”

Alivia giggled.

“Seriously, these toys can help you achieve the ultimate orgasm.”

“Oh my,” Alivia blushed.

“Now, when Tucker and I do it, we use restraints, naughty kits and play the card game of commands.”

“It all sounds so very kinky.” Alivia laughed.

“Have you ever read Fifty Shades of Grey?”

“No,” Alivia answered.

“Well you should. It would open you up to a completely different world. Tucker and I try new positions all the time.”

Erica reached for her hand and stared right at Alivia.

“Now, you swear that what I’m about to tell you will never leave your lips.”

“Oh my Goodness, I said I won’t say a word.”

“Tucker takes me to a place called Ticklers.” Erica eyed her nervously.

“This would be so much easier to explain if you had read Fifty Shades of Grey.” Erica drew in a deep breath. “Ticklers is a place where people that are into Bondage go to satisfy their sexual hunger.”

Alivias’ eyes widened.

“Oh come on Livy. Tucker and I have a lot of fun at Ticklers.”

“What um…sort of…um…things do you do there?” Alivia asked curiously.

“We play choose your pleasure games. We group together with other swingers and act out sex scenario scenes.

But what Tucker and I do eighty percent of the time, is go to the Fantasy room. The fantasy room has everything. It has swings, standing platforms, stools and beds. We use blindfolds, cufflinks, footlinks, bite gags, nipple suckers, anal vibrators, whips and…”

“Okay, okay,” Alivia jumped up off the bed and shook her body. “That is more than enough information for one night.”

Her hands and feet flew around the room as she tried to shake the image of Tucker, Erica and the fantasy room with all the kinky gadgets out of her head.

Erica looked offended, but Alivia didn’t care.

“Seriously Erica, you should have kept that…that private sex stuff to yourself. Yuck, who the hell owns a place like that and where is it?”

“I don’t know where it is exactly. Tucker blindfolds me when we go there. As for the owner, no one has ever met him or her.”

“Holy shit Erica, Tucker is gross. Why does he bring you to a place like that? Eww…yuck… this image in my mind is grossing me out.”

Erica eyes filled with tears.

She slid under the covers and pulled them over her head. “I’m sorry I told you.”

Alivia felt bad and went to kneel down beside the bed. “I’m sorry Erica. You just caught me by surprise. You know me, to each their own. If that’s something you enjoy doing then go right ahead and do it. But please, I beg you. Just don’t tell me anymore, okay?”

Erica slid the covers down.

Alivia hugged her and said. “Don’t cry, I’m truly sorry for being so insensitive.”

Alivia felt like a horrible best friend.

“It’s okay, I promise not to tell you about it anymore.”

She never looked at Tucker and Erica the same way again after that…

Alivia crawled back through her bedroom window. 

She walked over to her bed, put her poetry book on the nightstand, slid under the covers and closed her eyes.

☼

Devin needed to show Chace that he was right about Alivia. He flung open the double doors to his bedroom and stepped out onto the wraparound porch. He jumped off and sped at lightning speed through the woods to Alivias’ house.

He hid in the old maple tree outside of her window. He could hear her toss and turn in her bed.

Liv, just relax and breathe deeply, it’s just a dream.
An echoic voice said in a comforting whisper.

Who’s that? Devin thought.

I’m Lawson.
The echoic voice replied.

Lawson, as in Alivias’ brother Lawson
? Devin asked.

Yes.

You’re dead. How are you talking through Alivias’ mind?

I’m not sure, when I died I drifted out of my body and the next thing I knew I was in Alivias’ head.

“Who are you talking to?” Chace asked in a harsh whisper as he leaped up into the tree. “And what the hell are you doing sitting outside Alivias’ window?”

“Trying to prove a point.”

“What point would that be exactly?”

“I told you that there was something going on with Alivia and I was right. I’m talking to Lawson.”

Chace looked surprised. “As in Alivias’ brother Lawson?”

“That’s him.”

“But how?” Chace asked.

That’s Chace, I presume.
Lawson said sounding more like a human.

Yes.
Devin answered.

“I don’t hear anything Devin, are you sure you’re talking to Lawson and you’re not just messing with me?

You know like trying to make me believe that Alivia is crazy so that you can have her all to yourself?”

Alivia is in danger
. Lawson said, now sounding completely human.

In danger
? Devin asked.

There is a dark shadow trying to break through the realm.

Break through from where?
Devin asked.

Hellsgrave.

Devin knew all about Hellsgrave.

Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton, rulers of the vampire clan sent his mother and father there for stealing the ancient book of Sollecular.

“Come on Devin, really, bring me in on this conversation. Use your mind,” Chace said.

Lawson can you add Chace to the conversation?

Yes, hey Chace
, Lawson said.

Chace do you hear him?

Yes, I can hear him, Devin.

Who from Hellsgrave is trying to come to this side?
Devin asked.

Hellsgrave, why are we talking about Hellsgrave?
Chace asked.

Alivia is in danger,
Lawson repeated.

In danger?
Chace asked.

Yes, someone is trying to break through the spiritual realm
, said Devin.

Who?
Chace asked.

Vanstrauss,
Lawson replied.

Devin and Chace looked at each other as their eyes widened.

Fear gripped Devin as he remembered the story his Zio Sandino told him long ago…

“Vanstrauss is half vampire, half demon. He claimed that he was possessed with the spirit of Satan. But that wasn’t enough for Vanstrauss. He wanted the ultimate power. That’s when he searched for a vampire that could give him just that. His name was Constantino and he was one of the members of the original clan created by Orion in Firenze. After the transformation into vampire was complete, Vanstrauss became a one of kind vampire known today as a vampdiamones.”

Zio Sandino drew in a deep breath and continued. “After he killed twenty humans in a ceremony and drained their blood dry as an offering to Satan for the ultimate power. Vanstrauss caused earthquakes and storms that wiped out entire cities, killing hundreds of innocent people.  He also influenced humans into committing horrendous crimes against one another that always ended in death. When Vanstrauss was on his way to kill the Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton, he wasn’t aware that the vampire clan had already determined his fate.  The clan was ready and waiting for him and had already found a way to destroy him. Vamprincessa and Vamprinceton had summoned Artemis, the Goddess of the moon weeks before. Artemis brought the matter to Orion and together, they created a powerful weapon, the hollow cross. The weapon itself was molded in the shape of a cross using the purest of silver and the purest of gold. The inside was hollow and contained blessed holy water, rowan, oak, and holly ash. When it came time for the clan to retrieve the hollow cross from the sacred ebony chest, they discovered that it was stolen and nowhere to be found. That is when the clan trapped Vanstrauss and had a witch take away his powers. After that, they sent Vanstrauss to the torture realm as his punishment. Over the years the realm became known as Hellsgrave.” Zio Sandino sat back in the leather chair and stared out the window…