Blood Legacy (PULSE Vampire Series #6) (16 page)

Chapter 17

T
he next group of vampires stumbled forward. Kalina looked up in confusion. These vampires seemed far more bloodthirsty and frightening than the last set – but yet their eyes were glazed-over, dull.

“What’s going on?” Kalina whispered to Max. “Who are these vampires?”

Max pursed her lips. “I see what’s happening,” said Max. “Molotov’s controlling them all with his mind. He’s glamouring them – using their bodies to fight us instead of coming after us himself. He knows battle strategy – he’s clever. But he doesn’t want to risk his own cowardly skin. So he’s glamoured these guys into doing his bidding.”

Kalina’s heart plummeted. Staking newly born vampires was one thing, but if Molotov was controlling them, she had no doubt that they would be far more dangerous. She saw that cruel glint in his eye – she knew he was all too brilliant when it came to battle-strategy. Willing to sacrifice these fifteen vampires to get to them.

Get the weak ones,
Stuart and Jaegar traded glances.
The ones on whom the glamour is less strong. You can tell by the eyes.

The two brothers immediately leaped into the fray, staking as many of the weaker-looking vampires as quickly as they could. “Oh, no you don’t,” Stuart was snarling at some of the vampires. “You’re not going to get anywhere
near
Kalina, do you hear me.” Max too jumped forward, fighting off two vampires at once, each of her muscular, lithe arms holding a glimmering red stake.

Kalina stepped forward, ready to fight, but she was stopped by a hand clapped hard over her mouth. She tried to scream, but the sound was muffled in her throat. “You’ve caused enough trouble for me, girl,” Molotov had appeared behind her, another vampire standing at his shoulder. “Now at least I’ll get some use out of you before I kill you.” Kalina kicked and struggled, but Molotov and the other vampire held her down. Molotov pulled roughly on her wrist, revealing her bared arm. As Kalina screamed, her cries dying in her throat, Molotov sank a syringe-needle deep into her fore-arm, drawing copious amounts of blood into a plastic container. Kalina freed one arm and tried to push Molotov away, but it was no use. Pushing him away was like trying to push aside a boulder. He was massive, heavy, and immobile. Swiftly Molotov stuck another syringe into her arm, then another, and finally a third before at last Justin was able to wrench free from the vampire he was fighting.

“Get away from her!” A voice boomed out across the courtyard, as Justin’s boots collided with Molotov’s stomach, knocking him backwards. “You get away from my sister, you hear me?” Kalina looked up in surprise as Justin brandished a stake, sending his whole body spinning into Molotov’s, knocking the older vampire into the snow. He raised his stake; Molotov, too, sprang to his feet, pulling a stake out of his cape. He threw it to the other vampire, an ancient-looking vampire with long blonde hair and a cruel expression.

“Drink!” Molotov shouted, and the vampire downed a gulp of Kalina’s Life’s Blood before rushing towards Justin, stake in hand.

“No!” Kalina cried, rushing to her feet. She was still reeling and dizzy from her second bout of blood loss in two days. “No, don’t hurt him.”

But it rapidly became clear to Kalina that she had no need to worry. Justin grabbed the vampire and began fending him off, his graceful body expertly challenging the vampire in hand-to-hand combat. Kalina had never seen anything this elegant, this acrobatic, since she had watched Molotov and Octavius fight in China. Her eyes opened wide. Justin was fighting like an ancient, seasoned vampire! He had only been turned less than twenty-four hours ago, but he fought with the confidence and power of a vampire who had been around for millennia. Was it the Life’s Blood, Kalina wondered? Did a Life’s Blood Carrier, turned into a vampire, have the ability to pick up vampire skills at a previously unknown pace? She beamed with admiration as she watched her brother fight. She should have known that Justin was special. As a human, he had always been braver and smarter than the other boys, stronger, more willing to stand up and fight for what was right. And now, as a vampire, Justin was one of the strongest fighters she’d ever seen. Kalina smiled. She was awfully glad to have someone like Justin as her brother, vampire or no.

The fighting continued – Justin and the ancient vampire relatively evenly matched. Kalina rushed forth, pulling the ruby-powder gun from the holster hidden in her jacket. “How about you leave my brother alone?” she cried, shooting the ruby powder straight into the vampire’s heart. The vampire looked up at her with cold blue eyes, his expression turning to shock and awe as he exploded.

Justin looked up at her. “Nice work, Sis!”

Kalina rushed to Justin’s side. She wanted nothing more than to hug him, to wrap him in her arms, but she held back. Molotov had vanished – and, knowing Molotov, who knew where he’d pop up next?

“Get back!” Octavius cried, and Kalina led Justin to behind where Octavius, Jaegar, Stuart and Max were fighting, leaning against one of the courtyard walls for safety.

“I’ll rejoin the front lines,” cried Justin, and he swapped places with Jaegar, who dropped back, rushing to Kalina and wrapping his arms around her

“Are you okay?” Jaegar held Kalina close. “How are you doing, Kal? That bastard took so much of your blood – I was so worried…” He scowled. “I could feel it as if it were I who were being drained. I felt your pain, your loss. That was when I knew no matter how much I tried to close my heart against you, I would never be able to truly turn my back on you. My pain is your pain. Your pain is mine. We are connected – a connection that not even my foolish jealousy could break. I would rather let my heart shatter a hundred times, staying at your side and watching you love another, than let you get hurt again. I cannot bear being apart from you, Kal. I cannot bear it!” His eyes were so full of love, so full of adoration. Kalina too felt her own heart begin to melt. She wanted nothing more than to give him what he wanted, to succumb to him, to kiss him. But she couldn’t let Stuart or Octavius see – she knew how it would hurt them. She took his hand and pulled him around a corner, away from the vampires’ gaze.

“What are you doing, Kal?” Jaegar looked confused. “Where are we going?”

“Right here, you Kalina whispered. She pushed him up against the walls of the corridor, pressing her lips against his. There was so much she wanted to say with that kiss – so much she wanted to explain. How much she loved him, how much she missed him, how much she had longed for him in his absence.
It hurt so much, Jaegar – when our  connection broke down. When I couldn’t reach you. I thought you were dead – or that you never wanted to see me again. I dreamed of you every night, Jaegar. You’ve always meant so much to me. You’ve changed my life in ways you’ll never know. You’ve brought me passion, excitement, thrill. I was so afraid – out of all of you – I was so afraid I’d lose you after what happened with Stuart…

Then it’s true? You do care for me most, after all of them?

He searched her face, anger and passion both hot in his gaze.
I love you, Kal, and I always will. I know your choice is a difficult one, but deep down I know that you won’t let yourself settle for anyone else until you’ve given it a shot with me – until then, you’ll never be sure. You’ll always be wondering, waiting…I’m telling you, Kal. You don’t love Octavius and Stuart the way you love me. I care for them, too, but they’re not right for you. You and me, we’re like two sides of a coin – we belong together. Evenly matched. Equals.
He leaned in and kissed her.
When we get through this, when we go get the Carriers, I want you to tell me those three little words. I want you to tell me that I’m the man for you, and nobody else.

Kalina felt herself swoon. How did Jaegar always have this effect on her? Once again, she thought, he was looking more human – just as he had done last time they kissed – his milky-white skin growing rosy and dark, even as she grew paler. Then, before she could refuse, Jaegar bit his wrist and pressed the wound to her lips. Greedily, instinctively, she began to drink.

“You’ve lost so much blood,” said Jaegar. “You’re starting to look weak. We need our strength if we’re going to fight the rest of these vampires off. Drinking a human like Stuart won’t quench your thirst. You’ll need to drink from me, to have the blood of a vampire in you.”

She was sucking harder, now, her mouth stained with blood, overwhelmed by her hunger and her desire. And then she was kissing him – they were bruising each other with each passionate, rough kiss, their desire stronger than ever.

“Justin,” she whispered, pulling away. “You saved him.” She gave him a dazzling smile that left him floored. “You protected him – freed him from Molotov’s curse.”

Jaegar shrugged. “I didn’t do much,” he said. “He had that strength in him already. It was the power of Life’s Blood, which can counteract even the effects of a maker’s will. He’s a strong person… Justin. He always was. And while he was your brother in life, and always will be, now he is my brother in blood, and I will protect him with my life.”

“Thank you,” Kalina whispered, kissing him once again. “Thank you for taking care of Justin for me. I’ll never be able to thank you enough…”

“I know how you can thank me.”

“We have to save the Carriers first.” Kalina stopped short as the idea hit her. “You said
when we get the Carriers
. Do you know where they are?”

Jaegar nodded. “Yes,” he said.

“Where are they?” Kalina asked.

“Not here, that’s for sure,” said Jaegar. “We were here earlier – didn’t find them. But we figured out where they were. I’ll lead you there.”

“That’s wonderful, Jaegar!” Kalina’s eyes shone brightly.

“Yes,” said Jaegar. “But first we have to get out of here alive. I’ll help Justin against Molotov directly – you deal with the minions. Use your ruby gun – it has a good range.” He kissed her one last time, and Kalina almost passed out with desire. “Now let’s go back to the battle.”

Chapter 18

T
hey ran back into the fray, Jaegar rushing over to help Justin fend off Molotov. With Jaegar’s blood pumping through her, Kalina felt stronger – more powerful. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins. She had reloaded the gun with more rubies; another, larger, machine gun, outfitted with wooden stakes, was slung over her shoulder. She threw the second gun to Stuart. “Over here!”

Stuart caught it deftly, looking up at her in surprise. She could see the exhaustion on his face; he was the only one of the group without supernatural powers, and it was starting to take his toll. His skin was covered in scratches and bruises – lacerations that Kalina was ashamed to admit made her hungry when the smell reached her nostrils – and dark circles hung under his eyes. “When there’s an opening, take it. Get out of here. Jaegar thinks he knows where the Carriers are – they’re not here. Just get out safely.”

Stuart nodded, his expression grave. His lips were pale and bloodless; his skin was yellowing. They’d been fighting for hours, Kalina knew, with no food or water – Stuart wasn’t going to be able to keep it up much longer. Max and Octavius had taken over the front lines for the time being; Max was swinging her sword, slashing vampires in two – Octavius, rather, stuck to using his bare hands, ripping vampires’ heads from their bodies. Kalina looked at them both in wonder. Yet this time it was Max who caught her eye. Max was so strong, Kalina thought wistfully, so brave. Would she ever be as strong, as heroic, as Max? Max was never overwhelmed by her emotions; Max was never stunned by desire. Max was in control. Why couldn’t she, too, gain control? Kalina sighed. And yet how could she keep control at all when Octavius was in the room? He was like a king among vampires, Kalina thought – even in the heat of battle, he maintained his noble countenance; his body was always lithe and graceful, always beautiful. Even now, some of the newborn vampires were breaking Molotov’s hold over them – too afraid to fight a battle they would surely lose.