Blood Runs Through the Heart Page 9
“Nice taste, Sis,” Lana said before she turning her head back toward her sister.
Rochelle was tying up the white robe. “Thank you. They’re a pleasure.” Tying her long hair up in a ponytail before twisting it up on the top of her head in a bun, she poured herself a glass of whiskey. “You want one?” She offered.
“No, thanks,” Lana answered.
Rochelle turned, leaning against the bar on one elbow. “Okay, so why are you barging in my bedroom in the early night with your panties all bunched up?”
“My tribe is in an uproar. Vampires want Brandy Lee brought to our courts and sentenced.”
“Sentenced for what? The young girl hasn’t broken any laws.” Rochelle brought the glass to her lips and thought before taking a sip. “My Pack won’t tolerate your Tribe placing one of ours on trial in a court of vampires.” Her eyes closed as she drank the brown liquid. “Ridiculous.”
Lana sat down on the lounge, crossing her legs at the ankles. “Exactly. There are reports that fights are breaking out in local areas between my vampires and your she-wolves. No killings yet, but there will be a riot if that occurs. We’ll lose control of our people.”
This news did not sit well with Rochelle, and she tried to understand the thoughts of others. If it was real and Brandy Lee was royalty, it would terrify vampires. As a result, the world would return to the ancient days. The she-wolf royalty family reigned over all vampires and humans many years ago. It took a civil war and many centuries for the vampires to rise. The fear of returning to those days fed the fear.
“I questioned some of my vamps and found out there is a bounty on Brandy Lee’s head. Dead or alive. That is why there were attempts on her life.”
Rochelle took a deep breath. “Any word from them? Do we know if they reached the council?”
Lana shook her head, wishing deep down inside that alcohol affected her. She needed to be numb. Not knowing drove her crazy. They should have reached the councils by now, and the Empress of the Vampires, Katherine, should have contacted Lana. Supposedly, it was rogue vampires that placed the bounty instead of the council. If the highest of wolves recognize Brandy Lee as a royal, and the vampire council stops the bounty, the mayhem may cease.
“Lana, you okay? You are in deep concentration.” Rochelle's words rang out.
“I am fine. Was thinking that, if the girls have reached the council by now, Empress Katherine should have contacted me.”
Rochelle nodded in agreement. “Brandy Lee still has to prove to the She-Wolf Council she is of the royal family. There will be a test. That night we were together with Brandy Lee and Raven. You noticed the odd smell. Didn’t you?”
“What odd smell?” Lana stood and walked over to the bar, pouring herself a drink. It wouldn’t ease the tension that radiated between her shoulders, but she could pretend.
“Don’t play dumb, Sis. It doesn’t become you. You smelled the same thing I did that night. Something was off in the odor of her blood.”
Lana listened to her sister, knowing about what she spoke of that night was real. She didn’t want to talk about it. She released a puff of air.
“Damnit, Lana! When did you become such a wimpy ass?”
Lana hissed with her fangs gleaming. Rochelle responded with a low growl from the back of her throat. They stared each other down, daring the other to blink. Rochelle broke the eye hold.
“Why are we fighting amongst ourselves?” Rochelle asked.
Lana lowered her eyes. “I smelled it. Something is off. The royal blood was strong, but there was a small mixture of something in it. The slightest hint of something else teased my nostrils. I chalked it up as an odor lingering in the air.”
“We know that was not it. I hope we didn’t sentence Brandy Lee and Raven to death, sending them to the councils.” Rochelle undid the robe and retied the sash. “So, how do we stop our people from fighting?” She took a long draw off the brown liquid. “If one of your vampires kills one of my Pack, the wolves will rip apart any vampire they see on the streets. We need to heed the outcome and pray it gets fixed by the council.”
“You said it. Death. That’s the answer. We can announce that Brandy Lee has died. Make a fake shrine and have a fake funeral. That will bide us some time.”
Rochelle nodded. “Yes, that may work. I will prepare the announcement. Let’s hope it isn’t much longer before we hear from them.”
The sister’s clinked their glasses together. “To family and peace.”
19
You Again
Emerging from the tent, Brandy Lee rose upon her tiptoes, her arms stretched above her head. She looks for Raven until yesterday’s events flash through her thoughts, but then she realized Raven was still missing. A shiver runs through her body. Was it from her loss of Raven or the temperature? It didn’t matter. Her arms wrapped around herself for warmth. A moment thought of fleeing home to Lady Rochelle filled her mind. She would protect her; help her hide. Before her life went to hell, all she wanted to do was make her leader proud of her and be a good driver. Now, she was fighting her way through woods filled with evil and trying to get to a council she doesn’t know. What if the vampire council tried to kill her? On top of everything else, the woman with who she was falling in love might be dead. It is too much for a twenty-two-year-old.
A noise came from the trees behind her, and she spun. The leaves rustled before Peggy, who stepped from the bushes with her arms full. “Hey! Good evening. You were tired. I noticed you were sleeping like a rock.” Peggy said, moving towards some stones set in a circle. She dropped the armload of wood that she carried inside the tent, rocks twisting her wrist. A fire roared up. “Isn’t that a crazy saying?”
Brandy Lee joined her. She held her hands out, warming the digits. “Crazy saying?”
“Sleeping like a rock. Rocks don’t sleep.” Peggy said.
“I guess it is.” Brandy Lee said with distance in her voice. “Is it colder this evening?”
“Yes, it is. I noticed it too. Are you hungry? I can make some food.”
Brandy Lee stared into the fire. Her appetite was not as hefty as usual. A sick feeling filled her stomach. “No, not really.” She responded.
“Eat, because you need strength; and then we need to get going.” A shiver ran through Peggy’s body. The cold was visible by the goosebumps forming patterns on her arms.
“You are freezing.” Brandy Lee said as a statement rather than a question. She watched the thin girl nod her head.
“Listen. I’ll run around the area. Maybe there’ll be a sign of the underground river, or even better, a sign of Raven. Maybe I can find something to keep you warm, but until then, there is a long-sleeved flannel shirt in Raven’s bag. I saw her wear it the other day. Fix me something to eat, and we can get going. Deal?”
“Deal,” The fairy said through chattering teeth. “Don’t take too long.” Peggy requested.
“I won’t. And thank you for your help. Be back soon. Get some clothes on those arms.” Once again, a nod followed to confirm Brandy Lee’s request.
Peggy watched Brandy Lee dart off before she turned towards the tent. Once inside, she searched for the shirt. Finding the article, she placed it on herself and rubbed her arms.
“I’ve forgotten how beautiful you are.” The voice came from behind her.
Peggy froze in place. Closing her eyes, she exhaled without an inhale. Turning around, she came face to face with Theo. “You’re making it cold?”
Theo smirked. He stepped back, allowing Peggy to exit the tent. She realized Theo was alone. The frollick was nowhere close. If he were alone this whole time, he would be weaker. “Where’s your back-up?” Peggy asked.
“They left me. I protected our frollick all those years, and they left me. Because of you!” The words screamed at her. “It’s you and that hairy wolf’s fault. Oh, and that bloodsucker too.” He moved his eyes side to side, looking for Raven. When he saw no evidence of her presence, he continued. “You ruined everything and killed Red.” His temper raged, and the veins bulged from his forehead. His round glasses sat on the tip of his nose with a broken lens, his hair tousling. Peggy took a step towards him. He raised his hand but then let it fall. The temperature dropped by ten degrees.
Peggy fell to her knees as the chill rushed through her body. The frigid air stung like bees, and she grabbed at the dirt to steady herself.
Theo swirled his arm before dumping water over her. He smiled when Peggy cried out. “Ah, and I thought you like to play with ice.”
“Theo. Please,” Peggy’s pleas fell on deaf ears.
Revenge was his drive, and nothing would deter it. He walked around the shivering wet woman on all fours. He lifted his arm again and dropped them. Once again, the temperature dropped another ten degrees.
Her breath puffed from her in a cloud. A thousand needles shot through her veins. She collapsed in a fetal position and prepared for death. Her muscles were so heavy that she couldn’t lift them. Uncontrollable shivers ravished her body. Icicles hung from frozen strands of hair. Unable to lift her head, she closed her eyes and said a private prayer.
The breath warmed her ear before the words. Theo leaned close. “Don’t worry, my friend. I won’t kill you, just yet. I want your friends t
o watch.” Theo leaned back on his heels. “Where’s your friends?” He looked around, rotating his shoulders left then right.
“Raven is dead, and Brandy Lee ran off. I am alone.” The words were barely audible.
Theo waved his hand over the dying body, and warmth smothered her like a blanket. Her body still encased by cold, but the heat rose around her. Peggy took a deep breath into her lungs. She came up to her knees. “Please, Theo; let’s leave. You can’t be alone, or death will be slow for you.”
He leaned back on his heels, and belly laughed. His shoulders jiggled as he chuckled out, “I died when my wife died in the lake and then again when you killed Red.”
Peggy figured Theo was crazy mad. She was the one choked by Red, and it was him that hit her upside the head with the rock. Mentioning this would not help, so she bit her lower lip. Her eyes searched around for Brandy Lee. Peggy’s screams should have been loud enough to have Brandy Lee running to help. Where was she? Did Theo capture her or maybe the black panther? Peggy shook her head from side to side as she tried to erase the negative thoughts.
The laughter stopped, and Theo looked around. His eyes searched for something. When he found that for which he was looking, he smiled. Twisting his body from the waist up, he reached out. With magic, he pulled the roots from the trees towards him. Breaking free from the soil, they twisted and turned like snakes slithering across the ground before wrapping around Peggy’s wrists and ankles. They tightened and bound her to the earth. She fell back to the ground, locking her body in place. She struggled to no avail. The roots were strong as chains, and she was now a prisoner at the hands of Theo.
“You look hot spread out like that, Peggy. A big difference from that matted, dirty girl that was a pain in my ass.” Theo sat down on the log. “Let’s wait for that dog. Shall we?”
“Fuck you!” Peggy yelled as she pulled at the vines.
The hit came hard from the rear; Theo’s glasses flew across the grass. He tumbled over, hitting the dirt with a thump. The white wolf’s body came to a stop yards away. With a slow turn, she crept back towards Theo, a snarl across her face with white teeth clenched. Theo struggled to gain his footing. He saw the white wolf leap and so he countered the assault. A ball of wind slammed into Brandy Lee, knocking her to the ground. A whimper released as her body hit the dirt. That same smirk crossed his lips.
Peggy twisted her wrist, trying to get released, but the vines sliced into her flesh as rainbow blood dripped from her. Colors of the spectrum seeped from her veins and overtook the brown earth. With soil shuffling under her hand, she twisted her head and watched small, pointy green stems wiggle from the depths. The thorns were sharp as razors. Her attention ripped from the beauty of growth when Brandy Lee’s wail of pain pierced her ears.
He stood above her, twisting his wrist into figure eights, orchestrating the vines that encased the wolf’s body. The vines cut her like barbed wire turning her white fur scarlet. His enjoyment reached a climax with every cry of agony. He would kill her and find pleasure in every minute.
Peggy jerked her attention back to the flower blooming from her blood. Stretching her wrist towards the small bud, she rubbed the rope of vine across the sharp piece of the stem. It tore with ease under the blade. Her right wrist became loose, and she reached over to untie her left. Time was running out. She frantically pulled at the vine.
“Damn!” She screamed. She lifted her head to watch Theo tightened the squeeze on her friend, laughing.
As it dropped from the sky, the panther pounced onto Theo, digging her teeth into his throat. Blood covered the front of his white shirt in a flash flood of red. Opening her jaws, she bit down again between his neck and arm. A vice grip of teeth sunk deep into his skin. Theo’s cry of pain echoed so loud through the trees that it caused birds to fly from the treetops. The panther dragged him kicking and screaming into the woods as the thickness of the dark forest swallowed them. Theo’s scream faded in the distance until the air once again became silent.
Brandy Lee laid still in the distance, laying in a heaping pool of blood. Peggy pulled at the vines holding her. Reaching her last knot, she unraveled the thickness wrapped around her ankles. The air warmed around her. Theo was dead, therefore his magic ended. Crawling over to her, Peggy tore the roots from the ground, releasing Brandy Lee from their grasp. Not sure where to touch the wolf, she rubbed her head. She watched as the deep gashes began to heal, closing at a rapid rate. Peggy blew a sigh of relief. She was glad Brandy Lee could self-heal. She continued to rub her head until the wolf came to a sitting position. Her golden eyes searched the perimeter for Theo.
“The panther took him. Theo is dead.” Peggy told the panting wolf.
Brandy Lee changed, her naked human body showed no signs of the torture. Peggy took off the flannel shirt she still wore and put it around the bare woman. A smile thanked her, and a hand covered hers in gratitude.
“Did he hurt you?” Brandy Lee asked.
“No, nothing permanent,” Peggy responded.
“What happened to him? I must’ve passed out. I remember very little.”
“That black panther jumped out from nowhere, dragging him into the forest. He was causing the cold, and when the temperature came back to normal, the vines stopped twisting. I knew he was dead. His magic was wasted on evil.”
“Are we ever going to get a break?” Since the day they left, it was one challenge after the other.
A low groan rumbled from under the bush, causing both ladies to stand back up. Brandy Lee prepared to change back into her wolf form. If the black panther showed, she would give her a fight. The sound, more than a moan this time, had Brandy Lee reaching into her backpack. She broke the yellow vial of blood and downed the liquid. She was tired; the change had drained her. The red liquid slid down her throat, and the blood ran through her heart. She stood tall when the faint sound of a name called to her.
“Bran . . .” the low voice mumbled, hidden by the breeze.
“Did you hear that?” Brandy Lee asked as she crept towards a set of bushes.
“Hey, that might be Theo. Be careful.” Peggy said to the curious woman.
She turned her head back at Peggy. “You said he was dead, and the cat isn’t calling my name.” Her head still turned to talk when a hand grabbed her ankle. Brandy Lee screamed as the charred hand grasped at her ankle. Skin hung off the fingers in long strands exposing the white bone. Brandy Lee’s eyes widened as they followed the arm into the bushes. The leaves separated, and a burned face emerged into the moonlight, begging for help.
“Peggy. It’s Raven!” Brandy Lee exclaimed.
20
Don’t Die
She fell into darkness . . .
Pain tore through every nerve ending. She wanted to die a quick, painless death. It would be a wishful blessing compared to the current suffering placed on her. Raven traveled down the underground river after the endless drop into the deep hole. Her body tossed like a rag doll in a small cramped space, with her skin torn by submerged rocks and branches. Her bones were broken into pieces by the earth that encased her. Becoming entangled in debris along the way, with scarce air, she broke free and continued down the dark canal. Her body surfaced two miles away. The last thing she remembered was her head hitting a rock, and the world went black.
Something smelt funny. Raven twitched her nose at the smell that jarred her senses back to life, the smell of burning flesh. Her flesh. The left arm burned until the skin hung off the bones in clumps. A huge hole was in the side of her jaw, revealing her teeth. Her left eye moved in an open space. The back of the eye exposed, one could see the entire eye rotate in the socket. She was a two-face vampire — the beautiful Raven on the right and a horrible skeleton on the left. Her final resting place was on a muddy bank on the river, face down with the left side exposed — minimal sun coverage. The pain of her flesh burning jolted her from an unconscious state, her eyes widening before she thrashed around in agony. Scrambling hand over hand onto her belly in the water, her tears mixed with the freshwater. Her mind raced while holding her breath to the last moment. With the previous bit of air gone, she had no choice; she had to surface. She popped her head over the waterline, inhaling between the screams as her face blistered. Raven dipped down under again, but she couldn’t keep this up for another twelve hours of daylight.