Blood Legacy (PULSE Vampire Series #6) (18 page)

And all along, the Carriers had been in Rutherford! Kalina couldn't believe it. But deep down, Kalina was relieved. She was willing to travel to wherever it took to get the Carriers, but she was exhausted; to return to Rutherford meant, at least, returning home. The others were tired, too, and Kalina knew that the thirteen-hour flight would provide some much-needed rest for all of them. Stuart was up front, directing the pilot. Octavius, Jaegar, and Justin were all asleep on leather sofas, at last resting from the wounds and scars of battle.

“I brought you some tea,” Stuart returned to the cabin. He sat down next to Kalina, his hand touching hers. “I've gotten used to human food now.” He laughed sadly. “But all the caffeine in the world won't take this exhaustion away. I'm not designed to fight like a vampire anymore, Kalina; my body can't handle it.” He turned to her, gazing into her eyes, his own expression filled with sadness. “You don't have to say anything, Kalina,” he whispered softly. “I've always felt it. And now I feel it – stronger than ever. I know I can't keep holding you back, keep standing between what you are and what you feel. You're becoming vampire – a transformation I don't even understand – but a transformation that's keeping you away from me. I'll always love you, Kalina, but I'm a human now. All these experiences have made it clear to me that I'm not cut out for this life anymore. I'll always be there for you – but I know you're not ready for a life with me. And to be honest, Kalina, I'm not sure you'll ever be. You're not built for the kind of life I thought I wanted. And I'm no longer capable of the kind of life...” He kissed her fingers. “My human body won't be able to take much more of this – fighting vampires, hunting down Molotov. And if I last another few weeks at this – I'll give up all the good I hope to do. Settling down. Working for peace. Atoning for what I've done.” He held her close.

“I wanted to marry you, Kalina. To be
with
you. To have a family with you. But if I can't do that, I need to go back to my original calling. Not to be a Protestant pastor – married, with a family. But to give my life to God more fully than that. To become a priest as priests were when I was a child, when we were Catholics. I will swear off that kind of love with any woman – better nobody than anyone who isn't you. You'll always be the only girl for me, Kalina. And I'll always be there for you. Whatever you need.”

“I know,” Kalina said softly. “I can feel it. We're connected now – by Life's Blood. You'll always be a part of me.” She stroked his face. His skin was rough. “Is this really what you want?”

Stuart grimaced, trying to hide the pain. “You know what I want,” he whispered hoarsely. “But Fate has chosen to deny me...” He took a deep breath. “And so I'll have to accept it. I'll find another path. Not everyone needs to be married, right?”

“Oh, Stuart!” Kalina squeezed his hand; he squeezed hers right back. But she couldn't say anything to change his mind – in her heart of hearts, she knew what he said was true. She could never truly love him – not while she was so deeply, so madly and passionately in love with another. But, she knew, no matter what happened, she would always be Stuart's friend.

She fell asleep halfway over the Atlantic, allowing herself to doze off at last. When she woke, she felt a familiar warmth pressing alongside her.

“Morning, Kal!” Jaegar was stroking her hair softly. He had been watching her sleep. He pulled her into him, his blue eyes full of love. “Did I ever tell you, Kal, you look so peaceful when you sleep. Vampires – we rarely see such a peaceful look. Seeing the way your eyelashes curl so delicately against your face. The way your chest goes up and down – just like that! - when you breathe.” He smiled, almost embarrassed at this display of emotion. “I love...oh, heck, Kal,” he pulled her closer. “I'm not good at this. I don't know what to say. All I know is that I love everything about you.” He leaned in, kissing her.

Kalina looked around, embarrassed. But Stuart was gone – evidently up front with the pilot again – and Octavius too was absent. Max and Justin were having a conversation, their backs turned to Jaegar and Kalina. There was nobody to stop her.

Kalina kissed Jaegar back, feeling their chemistry ignite, while moving to the back of the plane. “Let's be alone together,” Jaegar whispered with urgency. She wanted him now more than ever; ever since his blood had begun to flow in her veins, she wanted to kiss him, to devour him, to consume him; her body was addicted to his. Jaegar didn't even have to speak. It was clear from his expression just what he wanted. Her. She could feel his muscles ache with restraint; all he wanted, she knew, was just what she wanted – for him to throw her down onto the floor and take her, at last.

“Jaegar,” Kalina sighed. “I missed you so much when you were gone. I...” But Jaegar silenced her with a kiss, lightly biting her upper lip.

“I swear, Kal,” he breathed, unbuttoning his shirt. “I want you so badly – if I can't...I'll stake myself, Kal...”

“Don't worry...” Kalina whispered, running her fingers through his hair. “I want you too.”

“No!” Jaegar pulled away suddenly. “No, stop!”

“What is it?” Kalina looked up in confusion. Jaegar had never reacted like this before.

“I can't – I can't get so close – and then stop....I won't be able to stop myself this time. I can feel it. If we get close, we'll go all the way. I can't keep waiting, torturing myself, getting so close to the object of all my desires only to lose it. I want you so badly, Kalina, that it's killing me. And that scares me.” His eyes darkened; they were smooth and black like slate. “And thinking of you with Stuart – or with Octavius – it kills me. It makes me want to kill
them
.”

“Don't talk like that,” Kalina stroked his arm.

“I can't take it anymore, Kal!” Jaegar's face was filled with a mixture of love and rage as he stormed off.

Kalina remained in the back of the plane, shocked. What had happened? Her vampire lovers were always willing to take it slow before, to respect her space, to respect the time it was taking for her to make her decision. But now she saw a different side of Jaegar. A hungry, impatient side – a side that frightened her.

About ten minutes later, when Kalina had returned to the cabin, Jaegar again sat down alongside her. He took her hands in his and kissed her. “I'm sorry, Kal,” he said. “I don't know what's gotten into me. Something about your blood – about our connection – it's making me crazier than usual. My blood's acting up again.”

“Don't worry about it,” Kalina blushed. How could she blame Jaegar for being jealous, when after all she couldn't bear to make the decision that would end all rivalry forever? “Hey, I don't mind when you lose control around me.” She tried to make a joke, but as she spoke, she felt the full heat of her desire coursing through her. She could see that Jaegar felt the same way.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kalina spotted Octavius emerging from the back of the way. He looked smug, sated. A drop of blood lingered on his lips as he leaned back comfortably on the level chair. One of the flight attendants, a slim blonde girl in her early twenties whom Kalina had not seen before, emerged just after him, conspicuously covering up her neck with her scarf. She was beautiful; Kalina couldn't help noticing, with snowflake-white skin and blonde hair, and a complexion so perfect as to be almost doll-like. She was smiling at Octavius, and Octavius was smiling back.

Kalina couldn't restrain her jealousy. Octavius never smiled at just a meal like that. There had to be something more between them.

“Relax,” Jaegar patted Kalina's leg. “Don't worry about it. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is reassure you about Octavius – I'm jealous that you're jealous – but I'll be honest: that girl means nothing to him. She meant nothing to me. She's just...a good source of blood, that's all.”

“Then you two...?”

“We ran low on vampire wine,” Jaegar explained quickly. “I don't even remember her name. Alice or something? Maybe it was Suzanne.”

Kalina had to stifle a laugh. “Alice or Suzanne?” she said. “How do you even
get
from one to the other?”

“I told you, I couldn't remember. I was hungry.”

“Listen, Jaegar.” Kalina rubbed her hand up and down his thigh. “Soon, my love, you won't have to dine on waitresses and flight attendants any longer. You'll be able to get your meals from me.”

Jaegar's eyes widened with surprise. “You mean...”

She nodded.

“I meant what I said,” Jaegar said. “When I said I wanted to show you how much I loved you. I only wanted the chance. To woo you the right way. To be the romantic one for change, instead of the unreliable bad boy. To deserve you. I want to give you everything you wanted. Fly you to Paris, take you on a gondola ride in Venice – everything your heart desires, Kal. Won't you give me that chance?”

Jaegar leaned in to kiss Kalina, but he was interrupted by a loud
ahem
. Kalina and Jaegar looked up to see Octavius, who was glaring at both of them through dark eyes. Kalina knew that look – it was the raw, furious force of true passion. He was jealous – more jealous than he would ever admit; only his honor and his oath prevented him from staking Jaegar there and then.

“I need to speak with you, Kalina,” Octavius said stiffly.

Kalina sprang to her feet, embarrassed. “Look, Jaegar,” she said. “I need to talk to Octavius for a second,” she said. “I'll be back.”

Chapter 20

O
ctavius led Kalina to the back of the plane. Before they could even sit down, Kalina felt Octavius’ lips hungry upon hers, kissing her with abandon, his hands deftly caressing her body, her curves – all of her...

Kalina pulled back in surprise. Only hours before, Octavius had angrily rejected her advances. But now he was all over her, kissing her with a sheer passionate abandon she thought was lost forever. His touch was electric; she struggled to shut down her telepathic connection with Jaegar. She couldn't let him know that she still felt this way about Octavius, that she still wanted him so much. But something was strange. Octavius’ kisses were not just rough, but brutal – demanding. Overwhelming. Kalina tried to force herself to respond, but instinct pulled her back. Something felt wrong.

“What's going on, Octavius?” she asked.

“I've been thinking,” Octavius said. “I've decided that it's not worth the heartbreak any longer. I want you. I want you now. Totally, completely. To spend the rest of eternity with you on your terms.”

They were the words Kalina had been longing to hear. But something felt wrong – she couldn't bring herself to believe them. His eyes were not loving, but cruel; and they were vaguely red and bloodshot. Kalina thought back to Jaegar in the back of the plane – were his eyes not a little red, too? Kalina sniffed the air – it smelled of nothing but vampires and Carriers, the same familiar smell.

What could have happened to Jaegar and Octavius to make them both so passionate – so frightening – in such a short space of time? And then, from the curtain dividing the back of the plane from the main cabin, Kalina caught a glimpse of the flight attendant. She was lovely, to be sure – but there was something else about her, too. Something special.

Kalina pulled away from Octavius, striding towards the girl. The smell was faint but as she grew closer to the flight attendant the feeling in her blood was unmistakable. Did this woman have Carrier blood in her? The smell was almost impossible to make out – so subtle that Octavius and Jaegar would both fail to realize it, to realize they had been drinking the blood of a Carrier.

Kalina strode over to the woman. “Excuse me,” she said quietly, “I'm sorry, but I'll need you to come with me. We have an emergency that needs dealing with out back.”