Half Blood Rising novel Chapter 21

“You should be celebrating. Oldman nearly expelled me when I didn’t get Dorothy out, and for ‘disobeying orders,’ so it should be obvious to you,” I explained, my voice lowered slightly. I needed to get my emotions under control. He’s not the one for you, the voice in my head repeated.

However, heat began rising in the pit of my stomach, and my entire body started tingling when he was close. He tilted his head to the side, staring at me with the same intensity as before.

“No, it isn’t obvious to me,” he said, taking another step towards me. “I never trusted you, and yet you helped them get me out.”

I wasn’t supposed to feel intimidated by him, but that scent. Oh, man, it was driving me insane. My fangs were extending a little as heat rushed downwards, spreading to every nook and cranny of my body. I took a step back, telling myself that this was only happening inside my head. Prickling heat scorched my skin as I stood there. Lachlan was invading my space, forcing me to move backward, until my back hit the wall and I exhaled sharply, trying to gather myself.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, and this wasn’t even the question I wanted to ask him in the first place.

“Just talking to you, hen. Your energy is addictive. What was your motivation? Why did you save me?” he asked, so close now, that I could see my own reflection in his incredible blue eyes.

My body was betraying me, as the energy was pulling me into him. I swallowed hard, trying to look anywhere else but his full kissable lips.

“Obviously, I didn’t want to get expelled or return to the streets after I learned what life was like here, at Moonlight, I mean,” I said, wanting him to fuck me now. It was such a stupid thought.

Lachlan was hard, and it turned me on even more. Damn it. Where were these wild thoughts and desires coming from? I didn’t want him, but my vampire nature strongly disagreed. The memories—I was here because I thought his presence would allow me to see flashbacks of my past, to tell him I’d overheard him in the basement with the mages, but all I could feel was lust. Our combined energy was crackling around us.

Lachlan acknowledged my response and smiled. He must have felt the pull and attraction between us because he was pushing me to make the first step. I could feel it. His hand was pressed against the wall. I had nowhere to escape and hitting him now wasn’t really an option. I wanted to kiss him instead.

“Hmm… interesting, because right now, your energy and body tells me your motivations are a little different. Hell, hen, you smell incredible,” he said, then he pressed his erection against my sex. I whimpered, and, yeah, it was the strangest erotic sound I’d ever made. He felt so good. The throbbing between my legs became unbearable. Then my fangs fully extended, and I brought my hand to my mouth, feeling a little embarrassed.

He was right; I wanted to help him, not because I didn’t want to get expelled, but because I felt a connection between us. Our pasts were somehow linked together.

I was desperate to know who I was before, and who the vampire was who’d ruined my life. Lachlan had these answers. I didn’t know for sure, but my intuition had never let me down before.

He noticed my fangs, and before I could answer or say anything else, he kissed me. I wanted nothing more than to feel the softness of his lips. He grabbed my waist, pulling me closer, our lips tight together. I lost my head as he reacted, moving his finger, a featherlight touch, along the base of my hip, lower and lower. He tasted like the prince of darkness, filled with the smoky scent of whiskey and fire. Once his fangs extended, I kissed him back.

It was like he was slowly becoming my addiction. I wanted more, and I needed to have him inside me. He smelled like sex, drowning me slowly in his incredible scent. My tongue grazed the tip of his fangs, and he growled. This was so sexy, the heat was like hot lava, rushing and penetrating every active cell in my body. He pulled away, breathing hard, as his dark eyes drank me in. In that moment, I realised I’d never been so turned on in my life. My panties were soaked right through.

“Why did you do that?” I asked, but my voice vibrated with emotion. I was flustered, ready to throw myself at him, sink my fangs into his neck, but I had to leave.

“I just wanted to know if you helped me because you wanted to, or because you needed to,” he said.

I moved past him and headed towards the door. I had to escape this heat, the desire that was slowly turning me into a monster who needed to drink blood. The problem was, he didn’t let me leave. He grabbed my elbow and spun me around. His mouth was on mine again, and this time, his kiss was rough, hard, and it left me breathless. I felt him kissing me everywhere. My unbridled desire was slowly turning into liquid fire.

His fingers wondered to the waistband of my jeans, sliding across my bare skin, and down, further and further.

“And did you find out?” I asked against his lips.

“Yes, and it’s because you can’t deny your attraction towards me,” he growled, dragging his lips along my jawline and slightly biting my neck. I arched my head backwards, moaning, and I was desperate to taste him again. His finger caressed the side of my lace underwear. I wanted him to rip the rest of my clothes off—I didn’t care anymore.

His fangs grazed my pulse, then he licked the blood that pooled around it. Dark cravings for his life’s essence floated through me. It felt like every nerve inside my body was suddenly alive, ready to be taken and punished. The small voice inside my head kept whispering that I was ready.

The sharp points of his teeth pressed further into my skin, and I was slowly melting away. Our energy and electricity sharpened my body, pouring through my core as he pierced through my soft flesh. A loud and truly erotic moan escaped my mouth.

I wanted him so much, but that thought scared the hell out of me. Lachlan’s mouth latched onto my neck as he began drinking, at the same time, thrusting his hips forward. He was hard as a rock, and my entire body began shaking uncontrollably.

As he was drinking from me, I realised it was the most amazing feeling I’d ever experienced. My core was throbbing with desire so deep and so intense, that I was breaking from the inside out.

My moans became desperate as images, flashbacks, began rolling in front of my eyes. It was all so good, and then I began to understand that what I was seeing was the past.

Someone was carrying me. He was a mage or a vampire, but I couldn’t tell. I was standing in the distance, observing as an outsider. My skin was pale, and there was a deep wound in the juncture of my neck, blood drying where it had pooled down my throat and onto my shirt. A vampire had bitten me, it was obvious. I was seeing fresh cuts on my arms, too. This was a very strange dream, or it was possible I was reliving the past again.

The vampire carried me towards a group of fae in the forest; they were standing in line, silent and proud. There was a large Manor House behind them that looked like a shimmering magical castle from where I was standing. It was late evening, the sun had already set, but this place was only just starting to wake up. Tiny creatures that appeared to be miniature faeries were flying and spreading golden dust around.

I wanted this dream or flashback to end, because, for some reason, I didn’t want to see what they were planning to do to me.

The vampire bowed in front of a tall blond fae. He reminded me a lot of Lachlan, but no, it couldn’t have been him. He was just similar looking. This vampire was young, broad in his shoulders and very handsome. Maybe he was somehow related to Lachlan, or I could have been imagining the familiarity.

“Vampires aren’t welcome here, and you’re putting my people in danger, bringing a newly turned to my land,” the tall fae said.

Was he the king of all fae, or just their ruler? He looked so majestic, holding some sort of long staff filled with magic in his right hand. I sensed it, I wasn’t sure how, but I did. That fae was powerful, and possibly extremely old.

“She’s not yet turned, she’s only a half-breed,” the vampire said. “Do you remember our agreement, Dorian? This one is strong; human blood flows through her veins. I want you to make her half-fae, so she will have both magic and bloodlust.”

In that moment, the fae began whispering amongst themselves, staring at me with fear and amazement. I was still hanging in his arms, somewhere between dead and alive.

I couldn’t believe that this was really happening. So, this was how it all started for me? The vampire had sharp features, but half of his face had some sort of deformation. I’d only just noticed it. Maybe he was using charms to cover it, to appear normal looking to outsiders. He placed me on the grass in front of the Fae King.

“You’re risking a lot; she won’t survive the ceremony as others have. Your blood has tainted her, you will only put her through unnecessary pain,” the fae king said, but his eyes shimmered with bright blue light.

“Do it, Dorian, time is running out,” the vampire insisted. “And it’s not my blood that courses through her veins. It’s ancient blood. He believes she’s strong enough to withstand your magic.”

The other fae seemed excited.

For a long moment, Dorian wasn’t saying anything. He was just watching me, and his staff burned with energy.

“Callisto, bring the potion,” Dorian said, this time speaking to a female fae who stood to his right. “If the human dies, then she will be your responsibility.” I could sense the excitement in the air, something was going to happen.

The vampire backed away as the king pointed his magical staff towards my lifeless body. My back suddenly arched as energy began beaming out of me. I was in pain, so much pain, but my screams were silent, no one could understand what was going on with me. I was in between worlds, suffering and waiting for it all to end.

I was the only one feeling his magic rushing through my veins. He was trying to break the vampire bond, rip it away, and replace it with strong magic—his magic.

“There is fae magic inside of her, but the ancient’s blood is stronger. Her vitals are dropping, and she’s going to die. She has been weakened by his torture.” the Fae King was saying, but he didn’t stop feeding me with his energy. My body was now levitating several feet above the ground as the magic was pulsating along the surface of my skin. Everyone was watching as my strength was slowly diminishing.

They were going to kill me, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, because I was only an observer. This couldn’t have been the past. I didn’t want to see myself dying like that. The vampire was pacing around, dragging his hand through his hair and staring. He wanted Dorian to succeed. He had a desperate expression on his face.

Several minutes later, another female fae appeared. She was wearing a beautiful blue gown and had strange markings on her skin. She held a steaming, stone-carved mug in her hands. Dorian noticed her, and he stopped hurting me.

“This potion should awaken her fae genes, if it’s not too late,” the beautiful creature said. She whispered something else to the king.

I was too weak to survive this ceremony, the puncture wounds opened, and I was losing so much blood. The female approached me, then opened my mouth slightly and poured the contents of the steaming mug inside my mouth. I was unconscious, she must have used her magic to make me swallow it.

Then she backed away, and for several long moments, everyone continued to watch me. A ridiculously long moment of silence filled the space. I was holding my breath until magic zipped through my lifeless body. Everyone noticed and probably felt it, too.

My body started convulsing, shaking, and changing. I was lifted above the ground, then screamed, only half-conscious, half-lucid. Was this even possible? Could this work? Ancient magic cooperating with a magical fae potion? Maybe there was still a chance.

Bright, yellow, then red-and-blue light beamed out of me. I was screaming, waking up, and feeling the changes inside me. I was half-vampire, already turned, but the fae magic was stronger. Encouraging the change, splitting my cells in half.

My screams became desperate until I collapsed on the grass, soaked with sweat, and not breathing until my eyes slammed open.

I knew in that moment that my transformation was complete because my eyes shone with fae light. I had become half-vampire and half-fae.