Bloodsong

Chapter 63

“ B reaking news. Bassist of Roses and Thorns, Mia Wallace has been found dead, while singer Quinn Bailey is missing, her car found abandoned. We are live now with remaining member Lilith De Micheli.”

Lilith appeared on screen, in deep emotion, shadows under her eyes. “I am aware that there have been killings recently, and my brother’s life was taken in the attempt to bring this monster to justice. But to lose my best friends, too, has been devastating.”

“So, you think Quinn is dead too?” the reporter asked.

Lilith looked straight at the camera, and I knew she was talking to me. “I do,” she said. “I hope they find the monster that did this, but I think it’s too late for Quinn.”

“Roses and Thorns was most well-known for their songs Alone and Feeling the Music, but If One of Us Hurts, We All Hurt was a favourite of fans. Singer Quinn recently had a steamy relationship with art gallery owner Matteo Barone before he too disappeared following a fire in his gallery.”

A picture of the three of us flashed on screen from a photo shoot. So happy, and human. It was replaced by one of me and Matteo in masks, moments before a kiss.

“Roses and Thorns was due to go on tour around Australia in January, the three musicians making their mark in Melbourne.”

I hit the mute button.

“She’s dead,” I said, numb. “I killed my best friend. How did I not know her?”

Matteo pulled me into his arms, and I sobbed into his chest. For the life I had lost. My dream was gone. I’d known what I was giving up when I’d asked Matteo to turn me, but it still hurt. One best friend was dead, at my hands. My other had declared me an enemy. She had not responded to any texts or phone calls from mine or Matteo’s phones, and eventually calls just went straight to her voicemail, and texts remained unseen.

I caught sight of my parents on TV.

“With no body, Mum will never believe I’m dead.” I watched them speaking to the camera. “With all we spoke about before Carlos and I went to find you, I feel like she’ll know exactly what happened. She’ll know I’m a vampire. I’m surprised she hasn’t called.” When she’d told me I was fated to become a vampire for Calling Matteo, she’d been so matter-of-fact about it. How did she feel, knowing her daughter was a vampire?

“You should call them,” he said. “Quinn, I’m sorry, I know this will be a burden on you. Adjusting as you let go of your human life to make way for being a vampire.”

I moved my face into his touch, closing my eyes. He lifted his other hand, pushing hair back from my face, and he leaned down, kissing my forehead. Tenderness flowed through our blood bond, a warmth and deep affection that made my heart swell.

“I live for you,” he murmured. “Only you. Why did it take me so long to find you?”

“You have me now,” I said. “My heart, my body, and my soul. I am yours. Forever.”

His small smile lit up his eyes, and he brought his lips down to mine. Fire blazed through me, the bond opening our minds to each other. In him, a wonder to have me in his arms, and a deep loneliness that finally melted. I found her. He leaned his forehead against mine, and we remained motionless for what could have been minutes or hours.

“Are you hungry?” he asked at last.

I shook my head. “Not yet, but I know I will be. I can feel it, always beneath the surface. It’s more manageable than it was when I awoke, though.”

“You did well with your last feed; you pulled yourself out of the blood haze.” He winced. “Something I was never good at. I’ve been controlled by my hunger; I was never able to break through it. I don’t want the same for you. I will do what I can to guide you.” I let him pull me into another kiss.

A slow heartbeat approached from the beach, fast. Someone moving with vampire speed.

“Who’s that?” I asked .

His eyes lit up. “It’s Carlos. He wanted to give us space when you awoke, to let me and you hunt together for the first time. He’s eager to see vampire you.”

Carlos stood at the door. He didn’t knock, just waited for us to answer. His eyes passed over me, and a slow smile spread over his face, full of joy.

“Look at you!” He held a hand out in a way that reminded me of the first time he had done so. I’d been afraid of him then. Now, I took his hand without hesitation. The feeling of fear and dread that I’d always experienced with him was gone. Now that I was like him, I had no reason to fear him.

He spun me around. “You look good! Like someone destined to become a vampire.”

I laughed.

“How do you feel?” he asked. “How are you adjusting to your new life?”

“There’s a lot to get used to,” I said honestly. “I died. That’s pretty big. Unfortunately I killed my friend when I awoke.”

“The Hunter?” he asked, glancing at Matteo.

I shook my head.

He squeezed my hand in sympathy. “We’ve all been there. I’m sure you know what Matteo went through when he awoke.”

The Carlos that stood before me was completely different, and I had to admit I liked this side of him. Warmth and a genuine interest in my adjustment as a vampire.

‘ He’s been a vampire for a while; it’s all he is. He enjoys how he makes humans feel. Although he has admitted how he softened towards you, despite you still being human at the time, now you are seeing who Carlos really is when humans aren’t around. ’ Matteo told me through our bond. ‘ He cares about his people. ’

His people. I was among his people, now.

“Tell me what else you’ve been adjusting to,” Carlos continued the conversation.

“Seeing in the dark is fucking awesome.” I hadn’t been outside in direct sunlight yet, as my preference for sleeping during the day still hadn’t worn off. Especially with Matteo’s arms around me, his naked body against mine. But my vision in the dark had me gleeful. “Oh, and my strength. I knew you guys were strong, but nothing could have prepared me for just how strong.”

Matteo grinned. “She pushed me through the wall when she first woke up.”

Carlos laughed. “Yes, you’ll learn how to take it easy with that. You might break a few things while you adjust.” He winked at me. “Maybe even the bed.”

“What did you break?” I asked.

“Humans,” he said, but didn’t offer more. “How was the hunting? Your first hunt together must have been quite the experience.”

Matteo’s pride flooded through me. “It was. She didn’t need much guidance. I may have gotten a little out of control, though, and let my possessive nature get the best of me when he put his hands on her.”

Carlos turned his attention to Matteo. “That’s no surprise whatsoever. Am I to assume it was someone she knew, then?”

Memory of the hunt on the beach washed over me. The thrill of it, leaning into the bond with Matteo, and the scent of fear. I remembered the dark joy in feeding from Dan, how his blood had tasted, and wanting to please Matteo, wanting him to be proud of me. I’d torn into the flesh of Dan’s throat when Matteo did. When we were done, his throat had been open, gaping. Torn open from our fangs.

His body had washed up a few days later. I’d killed two people and wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It hurt to think of Mia’s death, but I struggled to find remorse over Dan’s. Which only shocked me more. Matteo had explained it was normal, that I saw humans as food now, and that I wouldn’t feel what I would have before I’d died. He reminded me that I was no longer human, and that my constitution as a vampire would be very different. Emotions such as remorse would be dulled.

“Just someone from my apartment building,” I told him with a shrug.

“When can I join you both for a hunt?” he asked Matteo. “I want to see your little siren in action.”

“No time like the present,” I said. “Matteo’s teaching me how to not kill, to control my hunger. Something about the accords. Not like I haven’t already broken them.”

Someone else was approaching. Multiple someones. The strong scent of vampires was in the air. Matteo had warned me about this, that Gabriela would make an official summons for me to join her clan or leave her city.

“Gabriela?” Matteo asked.

Carlos shook his head.

Three men emerged from the darkness, standing at Matteo’s door. Vampires. One of them was Erik. Carlos and Matteo were in front of me, growling in warning.

“What are you doing here?” Matteo asked.

One of the men stepped forward. He had dark hair and bright blue eyes. “We’re here for her.”

“She’s not going to join Gabriela’s clan.” Matteo said. “I am no longer bound to her, either. I plan to seek a new clan. ”

“You’ve been freed, as we have,” Erik spoke up then. His grey eyes were on me. “ She did that. We haven’t come to take her to Gabriela.”

I stepped past Matteo and Carlos. “Why are you here then, if not for her?”

The third man with shoulder-length brown hair stepped forward and took a knee before me. He bowed his head. “We are here to swear ourselves to you, ” he said.

Something swept through me, and I could feel their minds. I took a step back as the others knelt beside him. “Me? Why?” I asked, dumbfounded.

“Since we heard your voice, we realised Gabriela has no power over us anymore. Once you were turned, we decided to join your clan,” Erik said.

“Can we trust you?” Matteo asked.

“It’s Carlos you should be questioning,” the brown-haired one said. “She’s his maker; they have been hunting together for a long time. Since before the war.”

“You think to question me?” Carlos demanded, his eyes hardening.

“You are her second,” the brown-haired one said. “You’re loyal to Gabriela. You’d never leave her clan.”

“You forget, Andreas, I too heard her sing.” Carlos approached the one called Andreas.

“Am I to believe you’d leave your maker?” Andreas scoffed.

“He snuck in to feed Matteo,” The dark-haired one spoke up then. “I trust him.”

I reached for Matteo for help as they argued. ‘ What do I do? ’ I didn’t know what any of this meant.

‘They are choosing to join a new clan and have picked you to lead them because your voice holds power over them. You need to either accept or reject their pledge,’ he informed me through our bond.

‘ You heard me sing, and Carlos, does my voice hold sway over you? ’ I asked.

He laughed then. ‘ Mi amore, your voice held power over me since the day we met. ’ He nodded towards Carlos. ‘ You don’t have to accept their pledge, Quinn. In fact, I’m hoping you’ll join me in kneeling to Carlos and swearing to follow him .’

I turned my gaze to Carlos, who was glaring at Andreas. ‘ I thought he rejected you. ’

‘ He did, but things have changed now. Power has shifted because of you . Others may leave, too. ’ He turned his head towards the beach. Another set of footsteps approached. “I think we have another ready to swear to you.”

“It’s Lorenzo,” Carlos said.

‘ What do you want to do? ’ Matteo asked me.

‘ I’ve been a vampire for all of five minutes. I know nothing about leading a clan or being a Queen. I will follow Carlos. ’ I agreed.

Relief crossed his features. ‘ Good, because Gabriela would have challenged you, and I’m not sure I would have liked that very much. I’m going to kneel to Carlos. You need to thank them for considering you, but state that you choose to follow another. They will either leave or kneel beside you. ’

Lorenzo stood at the door, taking in the sight of all of us before his eyes landed on me. He stepped forward.

“Stop,” I said. “While I appreciate your gratitude for whatever ways my voice helped you, I am no leader. Thank you all for considering me, but I choose to follow another.”

Carlos chuckled. “Did you tell her what to say, Matteo?”

His laughter died when Matteo knelt in front of him .

“I renounce Gabriela. I no longer recognise her as my Queen. I have relinquished my place in her clan. Instead, I swear myself and my loyalty to Carlos Rivera. I ask that you accept me into your clan.”

I knelt down beside Matteo. “I swear myself, and my loyalty to Carlos Rivera. I ask that you accept me into your clan.” I repeated Matteo’s words.

Josef, Lorenzo, and the others didn’t move or speak, and silence stretched out as Carlos stared down at us. Then, as if they reached agreement at once, the rest of them knelt down beside me. Carlos showed his fangs, eyes red.

“I accept,” he said at last. He held his hand out to me, pulling me to my feet. Matteo rose, then the rest of them.

“Bare your throats to me,” he commanded us.

He moved to the others first, feeding from them.

“I name you as my second,” Carlos said to Matteo. “We have a new vampire among us. She is new to our ways. I will accept her but will not drink from her without your approval. You must drink with me.”

Matteo stood over me, his eyes red. ‘ Do not fight him ,” his voice whispered in my mind.

Carlos pressed in behind me, and they both struck as one. Having two drink from me was intoxicating, as their venom flooded me. I bit my lip trying to hold back a moan.

Instinct took over and I reached up behind me, grasping the back of Carlos’s head, holding him to me, while my other hand slid around Matteo’s back. A rumble of satisfaction rose up from me, and I closed my eyes. To have the two of them drinking from me was definitely a turn on, but there was also a sense of power in this. I could feel the act was his acceptance of me into his clan: A faint link opened up, connecting me to Carlos and the others.

They released me at the same time and Matteo bit into Carlos, the older vampire raising his head high. Unsure about what to do, I watched, desire flaring in me.

“Drink from him, young one.” Carlos said.

His words had a power on me, and I twisted around, my fangs ready and I bit down. Matteo’s growl reverberated through me as he lifted his head from Carlos’s throat and pulled me to him and into a deep kiss.

“We are a new clan: La Voz, The Voice,” Carlos officially declared. “You shall protect me, and each other. In return, I shall protect you.” He frowned. “However, we are in territory already claimed by another. She will challenge me. I think it’s best we leave.”

“I do miss Italy,” Lorenzo hinted. The others murmured in agreement.

“I want to go home,” Longing filled Matteo and flowed through our bond. “Venice. We could take my family home for our den. There are villas all across Venice that any remaining descendants can take. Gabriela prevented me from going back. I want to show Quinn my home.”

“Well, I believe Rome was claimed by another clan when we left.” Carlos nodded. “Venice it is,” he smiled. “I must admit, I never went there.”

The others closed in around me, breathing in my scent.

“Quinn is one of us now. She is part of our clan. Accept her,” Carlos commanded. “This will be our den until we leave.”

They reached out, touching my face and my hair. Erik nuzzled my cheek, followed by the others, before they all huddled together on the floor. I frowned at Matteo .

‘ It’s alright. This is just strengthening the bond of our new clan. No different from wild animals huddling together for protection. We often do this as a new clan, or arriving in new territory. ’ Matteo comforted me and lowered himself to the floor.

Unsure what to do, I followed Matteo, curling into him. Erik huddled into my back. He rubbed his face against the back of my neck before licking it. His hand reached across, resting on my stomach. Lorenzo and the other two joined our huddle. One lay across my feet. I stared at Matteo in confusion, yet enjoying the contact, as if it were a natural occurrence. There was comfort in this. Safety.

‘ It’s okay, they’re all welcoming you into the clan .’ Matteo reassured me.

Then another vampire entered. A blonde-haired woman. Carlos spun around, hissing.

“I follow who Lorenzo follows,” she explained. “I cannot be separated from my maker.”

She knelt before Carlos, baring her throat. “I ask to be accepted into your clan, and I accept you as King,” she said.

He fed from her for a short time. “Join your clan, Annika.”

She lay behind Matteo, her eyes on me. “Welcome to our clan, Quinn,” she murmured.

She already knew my name. I smiled back at her. Carlos lowered himself to the ground, joining us.

The feeling of the eight of us huddled together gave me a sense of belonging, that I would protect them, and that they would do the same for me. As a human, this would have been alarming, but I found it strangely comforting. I closed my eyes, and sleep pulled me under.