Borne in the Blood Read online

  The music switched from unobtrusive background sounds to something with more of a beat, some sort of Latin flair. On a stone-paved clearing, Tesa watched a tall, black-haired man throw out an arm toward a woman across the open space. He kept his gaze downward and waited.

  Though she had not appeared to notice him, she flung her long, pale arm back toward him, accepting his invitation.

  As the music swelled seductively, the couple walked toward each other with dramatic, exaggerated movements. Perfectly in time, they clasped together, swaying. She hooked her long, shapely leg across his narrow waist and he dragged her backward across the stones. He pulled her up and looked like he was about to kiss her, then stopped and nuzzled her exposed throat. In an instant, too fast to see, he tipped her again upright and they high-stepped around each other in interweaving patterns.

  The music was complicated, with rhythms that seemed to interlace, then separate, then recombine. The woman never missed a step, keeping utterly in time with his every gesture as he led her across the dance floor, while executing her own confident flourishes.

  Crossing his arms behind her back, he took one of her hands, then snapped backward, sending her into a dizzying spin that ended in a series of acrobatic high kicks. With astonishing grace, he followed in her path, sweeping her off her feet in a daring dip that left them both mere inches from the ground.

  There they remained, not even breathing hard, as the song drew to a close.

  The onlookers applauded politely, and Tesa tried to manage her excitement. That was a whole new level of dancing, more than she could have imagined. It was like… if superheroes danced together. She wanted that. All her life, the idea of a dance partner had seemed one of the most romantic notions she could conceive. But a superhuman dance partner… That really raised the stakes.

  The breeze ruffled the silk chiffon around her bare thighs and tickled the back of her shoulders. Somehow there were no mosquitos and the smell of the torches seemed almost like a perfume. She wondered briefly what kind of oil they were burning, that had such a nice scent to it. It began to seem like a dream, or something she had seen in a movie.

  Everything will be all right, she told herself. Nothing this wonderful could be totally wrong.

  CHAPTER 9

  As she passed by a long, low, marble bench and fountain, a young-looking man in a seersucker suit raised his face from the inner thigh of a blonde server boy. The bottom of his face was smeared with blood that nearly looked black in the flickering firelight.

  Tesa gasped in surprise but he seemed to smile in a way that was almost friendly, then dipped his head and continued his meal. The server examined his nails as though bored, then popped a chocolate-covered strawberry into his mouth.

  This is just so effing weird, Tesa thought for the thousandth time, and continued to creep along the garden path.

  The crushed seashell gravel sounded like sand under her heels. As she made her way around the curve of the garden, Tesa finished the end of another glass of champagne. The second glass demanded a third, and she walked a little faster to catch up with the bare, sultry back of a slender, dark-skinned server in front of her.

  The woman had deep black hair braided into twin ropes. They swayed seductively against her back as she strolled down the path, offering her tray to half-drunk vampires sprawled in the lawn. Her hips were barely contained in the white linen skirt that stretched across her jiggling haunches.

  Tesa caught up to her and raised her finger politely, “Excuse me,” she said, “do you have more champagne?”

  The server turned around, and her mouth fell open in surprise.

  “Tesa??” Jolie gasped, her lacquered lips opening in shock. “Where have you been? Everybody is looking for you! What are you doing here?”

  “ Nevermind that!” Tesa hissed. “What on earth are you doing here? Your mother is going to have you skinned alive!”

  Jolie closed her mouth and opened her eyes wide. “Shhhh!” she insisted urgently. A few close vampires looked over curiously.

  “Yes, miss! I have more champagne!” Jolie said loudly to cover their conversation. The vamps resumed their activities and Jolie peered around a tall bush that was trimmed into the shape of interlocking spiral horns.

  “Come this way!” she whispered to Tesa and led her into the darkness behind the topiary. Tesa followed obediently, preparing the lecture of a lifetime for the young woman. When Bernie heard about this …

  “Listen, you can’t tell my ma!” Jolie said in a low voice when they were out of earshot.

  Tesa crossed her arms over her chest. She glanced down proudly at the cleavage the dress had managed to somehow sculpt out of her modest bosom. Then she glanced at Jolie’s perky, full, bare chest, and felt completely deflated.

  “Well, I don’t know why I shouldn’t!” Tesa shot back. “You know you are supposed to keep away from these vamps! I cannot believe my eyes!”

  Jolie raised her eyebrows sarcastically. “Okayyyy. And just what are you doing here then?”

  Tesa sputtered for a few seconds. “That— That is just none of your business! And not the point!”

  Jolie chewed her lip thoughtfully and stared back into the party scene. When she turned her head, Tesa could see the bite marks on the side of her neck: two larger holes, and an arc of smaller ones between. It looked painful enough, but Jolie didn’t seem to mind it. How did they do that?

  “Well, okay. But don’t tell ma, please? I needed the money,” Jolie said. “You know how it is. I mean, one night of this is, like, two weeks at the Burger Bonanza.”

  Jolie shrugged helplessly. Tesa struggled to understand. If she was honest with herself, she had done much worse than this for money when times got really rough. You do what you have to do, after all.

  But this was Bernie’s girl, and she felt maternal toward her. Bernie was always talking about how smart Jolie was, how she was going to be a nurse, how she was going to college. Tesa knew from first-hand experience how addictive easy money could be, and how it could get you off track. It was a very hard track to get back onto, she knew.

  “But doesn’t it hurt… you know? When they bite you?”

  Jolie shook her head. “No… well, it depends on the vamp. They can do it without hurting you at all. Sometimes you don’t even remember it. It’s like a really nice dream or something. Like a sex dream,” she giggled. “Sometimes they heal you up right after. Although some of them…” She shook her head as though caught in an unpleasant memory. “But usually no. It doesn’t hurt. You can ask them. Most of them are really pretty nice.”

  Tesa followed Jolie’s gaze and looked back to the party. It looked like one of those crazy parties from high school, where everybody got drunk and made out with whomever they could, wherever they could, only in a much nicer setting than her friend Morris’ back yard. Bodies piled upon bodies. Moans and cries of obscene delight.

  Jolie put her hand on her hip and raised her eyebrow. “So, seriously. What are you doing here? Do you know Ma thinks you just quit? And where did you get that dress?”

  Tesa was glad for the darkness so Jolie couldn’t see her blush.

  “Well,” she said, feeling weirdly shy, “I don’t exactly know, to be honest. They said I can’t leave…”

  “You can’t leave?” Jolie’s voice got louder, then she hushed herself. “What the hell does that mean, you can’t leave? It’s like that?”

  “I don’t know!” Tesa admitted. “One minute I was trying to close up the bar, and the next thing I know, I wake up in this amazing room with this amazing… I mean amazing bathroom… It’s got a chandelier and everything! Anyhow they fed me like crazy and then when I said I wanted to go, they said... I couldn’t.”

  Tesa looked at Jolie’s wide eyes. She couldn’t tell if the girl was terrified or jealous.

  “I don’t know what to do! I’m just… their captive? And yet they treat me like a princess. One minute I’m furious and the next minute I’m… sort of enjoying myself. I mean
they say I can’t leave but look at all this — would you?”

  Jolie shook her head silently.

  “But then we went back to Grant’s place and… something…” Her voice choked. “Oh Jolie, it was awful. Something got him . And now… they’re telling me I’m in danger, and they’re going to protect me.”

  “From what?” Jolie whispered breathlessly.

  “I don’t know! But I have seen things … and now… I don’t know what to think! I really do not know what’s going on.”

  “Oh, girl, you’ve been claimed,” Jolie said in a low, impressed whisper.

  Tesa shook her head. “I don’t know… I don’t want to be somebody’s food.”

  Jolie nodded and patted Tesa’s arm. “No this is something different. I mean maybe. I saw a video about it. This chick said she’s all meant to be their queen. Like not just a blood bag or whatever.”

  “Ugh, blood,” Tesa murmured, feeling lightheaded again.

  “Well that chick didn’t look like a queen. But you do!” Jolie chuckled, holding Tesa steady while she took deep breaths. “It’s like, they take some people for their own… Like a wife almost, but not. Like, they’ll keep you. Oh my God… you are gonna get so fat!” Jolie laughed with her mouth wide open then caught herself.

  “Fat? Oh shut up!”

  “No, it’s good! You are way too skinny!” Jolie grinned at her with unconcealed envy and admiration. “It’s like the best they can do… He will take care of you, and you will take care of him. You’re set for life, girl!”

  Tesa wondered at that — could that be true? It felt like she had been running all her life, always trying to scrape things together, always terrified everything was about to fall apart. Could she really have found a solution… with a vampire?

  She stared out across the lawn, back to the house. Beyond the sea of bodies was the glass-enclosed conservatory they had walked through. In the torchlight, she could see Gunner standing there with his arm around another well-dressed man in a dark suit. They appeared to be laughing uproariously. To the side of him, Stark was still deep in contemplation with Yvonne.

  Jolie followed Tesa’s gaze across the lawn, up to the house. “Yeah, I wish I could get me a deal like that. Ma would have to accept it if… Oh my God!”

  Jolie leapt back, pressing herself behind the tall, intricately swirling topiary. Her eyes were wide with fright.

  “Jolie! What is it?” Tesa said urgently.

  “Naw, not that one… he can’t see me!” Jolie hissed, clearly terrified. Tesa could see the reflection of the torches in her wide eyes.

  “Which one? Tell me which one!”

  “Up by the house… close to the glass room…” Jolie’s voice was barely a whisper. Tesa practically had to read her lips.

  “Jolie, I don’t know who you mean…” Tesa peered toward the house. Did she mean Yvonne? The man Gunner was laughing with? Or did she mean Stark... or Gunner?

  “Tesa, you have to stay away from him. I mean it,” Jolie said, her voice rising. “Tesa, you cannot… It’s horrible. It’s pain like you can’t imagine… It’s…”

  “Hey! Girl!” came a voice from the other side of the shrub. “You are supposed to be here with the guests! What are you doing?”

  “Who, Jolie? Tell me who! ” Tesa begged, trying to contain her fear.

  Footsteps crunched through the gravel, getting close very fast.

  “Some of them… they’re not right! They’re crazy!” Jolie whimpered through clenched teeth. “I have to go! You should run!”

  The footsteps got very near and Jolie stepped back through the bushes, mumbling apologies to whomever had come for her.

  Tesa looked around frantically. What did she mean? Crazy? And who did she mean? The fear in her eyes… it was heartbreaking.

  Tesa dropped her champagne glass in the neat mulch behind the shrub and tried to think, but her head was swirling. The breeze seemed to carry nothing but sounds of either sex or blood feasting. She felt like she couldn’t catch her breath, and terror began to loom in her heart.

  Had they been lying to her? Was this all a trick? What was Gunner going to do to her?

  Before she knew what she was doing, Tesa kicked off her shoes and began to walk down the lawn into the darkness. The dew on the grass gathered on her feet and wet the hem of her dress, making it stick to her ankles as she walked faster and faster.

  She could see lights in the distance. There were cars on that road, she knew. Hiking her dress up around her thighs, Tesa began to run across the lawn.

  Faster and faster she ran. The lawn was much bigger than she had estimated, and the road didn’t seem to be getting closer. Her legs pumped as fast as she dared go in the near blackness. She couldn’t risk falling, but she went as fast as she could.

  She heard her breath very loud as she struggled to push every ounce of energy to her legs.

  Faster ! she screamed at herself.

  All of a sudden she thought she heard something behind her. It sounded… like wings. Or like running. She couldn’t dare turn around.

  Faster ! she screamed again.

  Her legs were pumping wildly. She wanted to rip the dress off but knew that would take time she didn’t have. Even as she ran, she could hear the sound getting closer and closer.

  Throwing all caution to the wind, Tesa bolted as fast as she could for the road. She tried not to hear the sound, but it became clear it was footsteps. They pounded on the ground just behind her… nearer…

  Then before she knew it something pushed her shoulders roughly from behind and she was falling forward. She threw her arms up to break her fall but the attacker twisted around, somehow getting under her.

  Over and over they tumbled, finally coming to a stop. Tesa covered her face with her hands and drew breath, letting loose a scream that shocked her with its volume and intensity. It felt as though she was ripping her lungs inside out, screaming as hard as she could. She flailed her hands, swiping at her attacker, hoping to scratch or claw her way to safety.

  A hand pinned her arms to her sides, immobile. Then a hand clamped over her mouth, stifling the sound of her screams instantly. Silence clapped down on her.

  “Do. Not. Scream.”

  The voice was rough and hard, and she could feel the hot breath on her cheeks. She shook her head — no, she would not scream.

  Her lungs heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Her attacker had her pinned to the grass. He seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. She tried to move her arms but it was no use. She was completely helpless.

  What had she done? There were a few dozen vamps at that party, she suddenly realized, and she had run down the lawn away from the only two who had vowed to protect her? The insanity of her plan made her want to weep. What was she going to do now?

  “Do. Not. Struggle.”

  The voice sounded strained, as though he was fighting to control himself. Tesa tried in vain to catch her breath so she could find the courage to open her eyes, but fear was driving right now, and no part of her body would obey. Her legs began to kick of their own accord.

  “NO!”

  The body on top of her held her down completely. His legs were on top of her legs, pinning them in place. She couldn’t kick at all, but she felt like she was being suffocated too. She could hear her breath starting to come all ragged as the panic built.

  As if he understood, the hand across her mouth seemed to lighten slightly and Tesa tipped her head back, frantically gulping air to slow her pounding heart. She felt the weight shift, and hot breath trailed across her cheek to her ear, then down toward her neck.

  She felt a scream rising in her chest again.

  “Stop it!” he commanded. “The more you struggle, the harder it is to resist you, Tesa.”

  Tesa flinched. He knew her name? She commanded her eyes to open.

  She saw the dark hair reflecting the meager light of a half moon, and the line of the sculpted jaw.

  It was Stark.

  She gasped. His
weight bore down on her completely, and she could feel every inch of him. For a moment he looked down at her and she saw the deep red glitter in his eyes, as though they were lit from within.

  Her heart began to pound like a caged animal. She saw his nostrils flare as though he could hear it, or smell it. He bowed his head very close to her throat and inhaled deeply.

  Despite her fear, Tesa found herself enthralled by his weight and scent. The feeling of his breath on her neck and the solidness of every inch of his body was thrilling. She could feel the outline of his rock-like abdominal muscles, his hip bones, and… she could feel his throbbing erection too.

  Stark seemed to be aware of her senses. He raised his face and looked at her, deep into her eyes. She could see the desire in his expression and feel her own passion beginning to rise. Her hips seemed to pulse and the thought of his erect manhood sent shocks of electricity through her belly.

  Taking a chance, Tesa turned her head away from him and exposed her throat. Just take it, she thought. Now, before I lose my…

  She heard the small snapping sound she had heard earlier when a vampire had bared his fangs. In her mind, she could imagine him with his mouth open, inhaling the scent of her neck while his fangs gleamed in the moonlight… Drawing back for the first bite… ready to plunge his teeth into her flesh...

  Then with a grunt, he was gone. She was free.

  Tesa sat up, following the sound of him in the dark. She saw him just a few yards away, rolling through the grass. Stark rose, and another body rose with him. They faced each other, circling, with their arms partially extended like cage match fighters sizing each other up.

  “No!” yelled a voice. It was Gunner. “Stark! Think!” it commanded.

  Stark opened his mouth and issued an inhuman roar that made Tesa scrabble backward along the grass. Biting the heel of her hand to keep from yelling out, she squinted into the dark to see Stark and Gunner wrestling each other with a shocking ferocity.

  Gunner leapt into the air, bringing an elbow down hard across the back of Stark’s neck. He slammed his fist hard into Stark’s rock-hard torso, lifting him off the ground.