Thirst (Ava Delaney #1) Page 11

  Chapter Eleven

  Night came too quickly. I could feel the moon crying out to me, the blood in my veins answering her call. I didn't know how to prepare for death. Eddie joined us, kept our silent vigil until it was time.

  "I'd like to say a prayer," he told us, a couple of minutes before it was time for vampires to wake. He lit some candles and placed a cracked black bowl on the table.

  "Blood. Love. Sacrifice. Accept our offerings, and protect our souls. Connected and ready to serve. Fill us with power, and watch over us." He cut his hand, and let the blood drip into the bowl. I touched the cross, but it wasn't necessary. Eddie's blood was wrong. The colour, texture and smell repulsed me. Once again, I was filled with curiosity about who he was-and exactly who, or what, he was praying to.

  "Do you offer?" he asked Carl who nodded, strangely interested in the proceedings. Before I could stop him, he sliced Carl's palm and squeezed his hand until his blood fell into the bowl. Eddie held his hand out to me. Hesitant, I placed mine in his cool palm. He swiftly cut me and drained some of my blood into the bowl.

  "Give me the dagger," he said. I glanced at him as I handed it over. His jaws were slack; he reminded me of a puppet on a string as his arms moved jerkily around. He spoke in a language I wasn't familiar with. Guttural sounds that stirred something within me. Fear slowly dissipated, only to be replaced with something else. Courage, perhaps? Or merely foolhardiness.

  Eddie kissed the knife, his lips blistering at once. He stirred the blood in the bowl with the dagger. A blue light flared up from the liquid, making me jump backward in fright. Eddie spoke one more word, and the light vanished. He lifted the knife, shook it once then offered the bowl to me.

  "Drink," he urged.

  I hesitated. Freaky hoodoo stuff wasn't my thing. Neither was drinking my own blood. Eddie's hadn't looked too delicious, and I didn't need to know what Carl's tasted like.

  "Just drink it," he said, pushing it into my hands. I shook my head, but his eyes darkened, and the room vibrated. The cold presence brushed against my hands, so I raised the bowl to my lips and slowly took a sip. I had to close my eyes to stop my head from spinning. It didn't taste like blood. It tasted like... sunlight. Warmth. And power. Most of all, power. I tipped the bowl to drain the lot. Pure heat rolled down my throat, completely destroying the panic inside me.

  Eddie placed his palm against my forehead and pushed until I resisted.

  "Flood our sister with spirit. Let the Keeper of Light stay safe to lead us on through the storms ahead. Make the Warrior of Flame return."

  My eyes shot open. Eddie's were black, but flickering flames reflected in his eyes. I glanced at Carl who was staring at me like I had turned into a shooting star or something. Then it was over. Eddie broke away, and the tension snapped. The room lit up, and my skin tingled.

  "It's time," he said and gave Carl a small pouch. "Keep that in your pocket. You won't be seen until the power runs out."

  "What about this?" I gestured to the chain around my neck. "When will this run out?"

  Eddie patted my shoulder and gave me the dagger, still dripping with our blood. "It already ran out, I can't sense any of the magic anymore."

  I hadn't felt a real longing from the thirst since Eddie had given me the cross. It couldn't have run out already. He smiled reassuringly and gave a little nod, as if he knew exactly what record my mind was playing.

  "Come." He bade us to follow him.

  This time I stuck the dagger in my belt and promised myself I was getting a kick ass sheath for next time-if there was a next time.

  I took a deep breath as I stood next to Eddie at the front door of his bookshop. Every cell in my body seemed to hum in anticipation as darkness fell.

  "They're here," Eddie said at last. I already knew. I swallowed my fear and held my head high as a group approached the bookshop.

  "No further," Eddie shouted.

  The vampire in the very centre of the group held up her hand. Those around her halted. One made me catch my breath. No more than thirteen, she was different to the others. Vampire but not. Her sad eyes penetrated mine until hers flickered back to the central vampire who stepped forward into the glow of a streetlight, allowing me to take a good look at her. She had short grey hair cut tight against her head. A tiny woman, she looked no more formidable than me. Her wrinkled skin gave her a harmless look, but her eyes were fierce.

  "Is this she?" Her voice was quiet enough, but it carried over my skin until it felt as if I had shrivelled up.

  "Yes," replied Eddie. For an instant, I imagined I saw a wisp of something ahead of me, but it disappeared almost immediately. I felt two forces in the air, Daimh?n's and Eddie's. Both having a silent battle unbeknownst to everyone else. "Is my debt paid in full?"

  My head jerked toward Eddie in surprise. He ignored me. I bit my lip as a lump formed in my throat. I had been used. I turned back to the vampire, unable to look at Eddie for a second longer. I desperately tried to figure out how this affected our plans, but I couldn't concentrate-I was too scared.

  Daimh?n inclined her head. "As soon as you hand her over for execution."

  Eddie pushed me forward. I was completely alone until I felt Carl's presence behind me along with someone or something who gently left a cool kiss on my cheek. I found it comforting. Carl squeezed my hand, and my heart slowed down a little. Daimh?n's face was expressionless. She stared at me until another voice spoke from a roof behind her.

  "I think an execution might be a tad over the top."

  Daimh?n's face creased in disgust as a figure jumped down, followed by a number of others, one of whom I recognised as Arthur.

  "Here I am, hunting her down, and this disgraced oddity hands her over to you. I. Saw. Her. First."

  I guessed he was Maximus, not that it mattered. His hair was long and his clothes flamboyant. He obviously wanted to be noticed. He probably knew Daimh?n would be there and went out of his way to make a cool entrance. I wasn't impressed. Neither was Daimh?n, judging by the fire in her eyes. She kept her voice steady.

  "I claim her. Leave. You have no business here tonight."

  "Oh, but I do," he said, sneering as he sauntered closer to her. I could almost see her hackles rise.

  "I won't repeat myself again, Maximus. Go."

  His eyes glinted as he entered the light of the street lamp. He licked his protruding fangs as he looked me over.

  "Don't even think about it," said Daimh?n, sounding like a mother talking to a bold toddler. I gripped Carl's hand behind my back, unsure of what to do next. Arthur approached but was still some distance behind Maximus.

  Maximus ignored Daimh?n and headed straight for me. Closer now, I could tell he had once been handsome. A strong jaw line was now covered in mottled skin, and the long hair was a distraction from the many blemishes on his face and neck. Yet he moved as though he were God's gift to women.

  Quick as a flash, Daimh?n was in front of him, blocking him. Carl pushed me slightly, getting me out of the way. Both vampires squared up to each other. It was almost comical-one very tall, flamboyant old man against a tiny, shrivelled looking old woman. But then she sliced him across the face with her fingernails, and it wasn't close to funny anymore. He howled with pain as she tore strips of skin away then responded by punching her so hard, she flew backward straight through where I had been standing. Eddie managed to dodge out of the way in time. He ran inside and locked the door, abandoning Carl and I to our fate.

  Daimh?n was flung against the wall, her head cracking against the brickwork. It didn't slow her down. She made a furious noise of rage and ran straight at Maximus, knocking him to the ground. I watched his coven, expecting them to help him, but they all seemed to hesitate. Daimh?n's vampires took the choice away by following her lead and hurling themselves at the enemy. I couldn't even pick Arthur out from the brawling crowd.

  "Crap, what now?" I muttere
d.

  A hand clamping around my mouth stifled a scream that would have surely been shrill.

  "Hush," whispered Peter. "Follow me."

  I grabbed his sleeve and followed him willingly, relieved beyond measure. Carl and I scurried after him as he led us down a laneway. He made sure no one was following us then launched straight into a lecture.

  "What the hell did you think you were doing? Why did you and Carl run off? This isn't the plan! Handing yourself straight over like that, you could have been killed!"

  "It was Eddie's idea," said Carl. Peter jumped and looked all around.

  "Oh, right, Eddie shielded Carl so he can't be seen," I explained.

  "Wait," Peter said. "Eddie decided you should leave me behind and walk straight into the path of ancients?"

  "Not exactly," I admitted. "Just the bit about the ancients."

  Peter ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. "I can't believe you brought Carl into this alone."

  "I know, it sounds stupid, but he has to be involved, so I thought the fewer people getting caught up in this, the better."

  "You're an idiot," he said. "So, what was the next part? How were you planning on getting Arthur away from the others?"

  I shrugged. "Distract him somehow?"

  "You two seriously need me around. Luckily, I have my car and a brain in my head. Let's go nab us a vampire."