Blood Bond (PULSE, Book 5) (12 page)

“So she gave you Life's Blood.”

“She'd already turned your father,” said Stuart. “So of course she couldn't turn me.”

My father.
Kalina realized it with a start. Of course, she'd always known vaguely that her mother must have turned a vampire with Life's Blood, that her biological father had been, at least for a time, a vampire before he turned back. Life's Blood Carriers never fell for humans. And yet the realization stunned her. She barely even knew who her father
was
. When she found Max – i
f
she found Max, she sighed – she would have to ask.

“So Life's Blood freely given can reverse the effects of Life's Blood taken unwillingly,” said Kalina. “Max's blood can turn any vampire back then, surely!” This, combined with the rubies, was a powerful fact to know. “And so could mine – once I turn someone human. Once I'm not a virgin anymore.”

She couldn't bear to look at Stuart as she said it.

Stuart leaped to his feet. “Hold on!” he said. He closed his eyes and concentrated. “She's sending me a message. Octavius – she's with Octavius. They're alive. They're safe. For now. A few of Molotov's vampires caught up with them – they've been fighting all day. Oh no...” His face took on a countenance of fear. “Oh no.”

“What is it? What's wrong?” Kalina tapped his shoulder. “Stuart, talk to me.”

“Molotov's minions – they have Life's Blood now. They're enhanced. That's not good. Really not good. She and Octavius found a place to hide, but they were discovered – they're back on the run now. Now Max is getting tired...and daytime rest isn't an option. These Life's Blood vamps can walk in the sun.”

“We need to get there right away. Do you know where they are?”

Stuart looked queasy. “There's one other thing,” he said.

“What?”

“That Life's Blood – it's your blood. And they got it from Mal.”

“Mal, how did they...”

Stuart had gone white. “Apparently Molotov is Mal's maker.”

Chapter 12

T
here was no more time for romance. Stuart and Kalina rushed back to where Jaegar and Justin were standing. “We know where they are!” Kalina exclaimed. “We have a location.”

“Where?” Justin turned around.

“They’re in an abandoned ghost town a few miles from here,” said Stuart. “There's a house there – this enormous house. One of Kalina's ancestors lived there – the Chinese doctor who discovered Life's Blood. The fight's going on right now – Max needs help. Octavius can't protect her much longer. We have to hurry!”

“Fine,” said Jaegar, turning to Stuart. “But you carry Justin this time. I'm getting tired.”

And so they sped off – Jaegar and Stuart beginning to glide. It was easier for Kalina to start this time; her natural run morphed instantly into a swift flying glide. She loved the feeling of the air against her skin, the cool breeze of the wind whipping against her hair. It was exhilarating, this power. Side by side – her and Jaegar and Stuart. As it was meant to be, Kalina thought. She was with two of the men she loved, tapping into her powers at last. She loved this feeling – of flying, of power. If only it would never end, she thought. But they were rushing into battle – a battle they might not win. The thought made Kalina nervous. But she wouldn't think about it – no, not right now! Now she would just focus on flying, on the feeling of power coursing through her veins.

She turned to Stuart and he smiled back at her with a raffish grin. He seemed far from surprised to see Kalina alongside him, gliding and flying like a vampire. A small twist at the corner of his mouth – a wry smile – was all he betrayed of his expression. “I see that you have managed to discover one of the great gifts of Life's Blood,” said Stuart, nodding approvingly.

“I guess,” said Kalina.

“I knew Max could do the same thing,” said Stuart. “I saw her when we traveled. She didn't even need me to carry. We were able to cross the Atlantic Ocean like this – both of us, flying together. She told me that Life's Blood had so much potential – that even she was surprised day by day by the powers it gave her, by the things she could do. She could fly like a vampire. Develop strength, agility – greater even than the strength of the average vampire. And she said to me that there were more gifts still to be discovered; she could feel it. Every day was a new challenge to discover her own body.” He smiled at the memory of Max.

Kalina thought of all the latent Life's Blood Carriers, children whom Max had infected with the gift or the curse of the blood. “Do you think the others have the powers too? The other Life's Blood Children, I mean.”

Stuart shrugged. “I don't know,” he said, picking up the pace. “Life's Blood Carriers are few and far between – at least, they were before this generation. They've never really been studied properly. And never more than one at a time. But now it's different. Even Max told me she didn't know about her ability to fly at first. It only kicked in by accident, when she was running away from Leonardo. She was running so hard, so fast, that she started flying – without even knowing what she was doing.”

“You seem to respect her a lot,” Kalina said.

“Who, Max?”

Kalina couldn't help but smile. It was true what the others had said – Stuart really was the type of guy a girl could bring home to her parents. It gratified her that Stuart and her mother got on so well. Stuart's admiration and respect for this woman was palpable; she could see it in his eyes.

Jaegar brushed up against Kalina, and as he came closer, Kalina could feel again the same electric sparks passing between them. His smile was tinged with pain, for he could see what had happened between Kalina and Stuart. “Hey beautiful,” his voice was low and sweet on her ear. “I missed you. What have you two been up to, anyhow?”

“Nothing,” Kalina said. “Only...we might have a cure.”

“A cure?”

“To turn back vampires affected by Life's Blood. Max's blood apparently turned Stuart back – he went back to normal because of it. And that means her blood could presumably turn back other vampires. Take away the immortality – but also the madness. Restore them completely.”

“I don't understand.” Jaegar turned to her, confused.

“If I gave you my blood again...”

“Too risky.”

“Let me finish. If I gave you my blood and for some reason it made you turn dark again, made you crazy, Max could turn you back.” She could at last do what she had always wanted to do. The first time Kalina had given her blood willingly to Jaegar, the blood had not worked. She hadn't turned him human. But this time she knew she loved him even more deeply. She could try again. She could try to make him human. And if it didn't work – they had an antidote: Max's blood.

You don't mean...

Kalina confirmed her thoughts telepathically.
When this is over, when we don't need your powers anymore – we can turn you human. It could work this time – really it could.

Kalina could feel his happiness – his shock. Shock at the possibility of being given another chance to become human, another chance to be her true love. There was still hope for them after all – she had not definitely chosen Octavius. She was willing to risk it – risk her safety and her life and the possibility that his madness would be too great – because she loved him. And Jaegar knew this, and now Kalina could feel his joy.

“Oh, my darling,” he murmured into her ear. “You have no idea how much I love you. How much happiness you've brought me. Damn it, you are the love of my life – living and dead. You're the one I want. And I want you to want me just as much.”

She turned to him and, with surprise, noted that his eyes were glistening with the hint of unwept tears.

And then she heard the voice – unbidden – from his mind.
If only you knew what I had given up to be with you, my darling, my love...

“What?” Kalina asked out loud. “What did you give up?”

“What are you talking about?”

“To be with me – what did you give up?”

Jaegar looked swiftly away, breaking their connection. “Nothing,” he said quickly. “Nothing at all. Look – it was my decision, okay? To protect you. To keep you safe. To never let any harm come to you – I did what I had to do.”

And then it hit her. “I did turn you, didn't I, Jaegar? Turn you human for real.”

“No,” he said. “Just for a while – I turned back, you know that. Guess you didn't love me enough or something. Maybe it was Octavius you really love. Or Stuart. You went back for him – you would have given him your blood, if you had to. You would have been able to do it. If you're going to turn anybody back, turn him. He wants it so badly – he needs to be human more than I do. And he loves you so much.”

Kalina's eyes filled with tears. How had the cocky, selfish Jaegar been so transformed into someone so generous, so brave.

“Who I love isn't a matter of who wants it badly enough. And it's not even my decision. My blood, this power within me – it's not something I can control. I couldn't choose one of you if I wanted to. The Life's Blood chooses for me.” It was a terrifying thought when she said it out loud. She loved them all – and no decision she made in her head would ever be able to match the turmoil in her heart.

She reached over, holding Jaegar's hand in hers as they flew forth. She wanted to do so much more; his touch reminded her of how much she still wanted him. If only she could give herself as she wished to give herself – totally, completely.

“Chin up, Kalina!” Jaegar gave her a playful shove, his charming, cheerful self again. “Human or vampire, I'm happy just being with you. And at least I still have powers.” He sighed. “Not that I'm not exhausted. Are we almost there, Stuart?”

“Don't ask me – I'm the one carrying the spare baggage.” Stuart was weak under Justin's weight. “Not far.”

“Not soon enough,” grumbled Jaegar.

“You want to carry the human?”

“Me and Justin, we're buddies now. I'll carry him if I have to. We're tight like that.” Jaegar laughed as Stuart handed Justin off to Jaegar in mid-air, nearly dropping him.

“Careful!” Justin scrambled as he held on tightly to Jaegar.

“Don't make me jealous. He's Kalina's brother,” said Stuart, laughing. “You're mine. Although Justin's a damn good one to his kid sister.”

“You're not so bad yourself,” said Jaegar.

“To brotherhood!” Stuart said, speeding up with a great war cry.

“To brotherhood,” Justin and Jaegar said.

“Careful, Justin,” said Stuart. “Jaegar might like you so much he'll turn you and keep you as a buddy for all time.” His smile vanished. “Like Octavius did to us.”

Justin turned pink. “Er – that topic's coming up a bit too often for my liking.”

“He would, you know. Octavius – if you wanted him to.” Jaegar said. “But it would be your choice.”

“Er – no offense, guys, but I'm fine the way I am.”

“Good choice,” said Stuart. “Immortality seems seductive, doesn't it? And yet we're controlled by our desire for Life's Blood – our subliminal desire to become human again. Nothing we want more. Don't give up that chance.”

“Octavius will try,” Jaegar sighed. “He knows our numbers are down. He doesn't want to waste time training a new human when Justin knows so much already.”

“Not that much!” Justin pleaded.

“Don't worry,” Stuart said. “If Octavius
does
try, you have our support. We won't let anything happen to you. You're like our brother now, too. Our human brother.”