Blood Spirit (3 page)

"Serena,
you're needed in the courtyard."

Silently,
she walked out of the bath and when she'd gone, Jasmine slipped out of her
white silk robe and stepped into the water, taking a seat at the far end
opposite Terek. Her expression told him she had something on her mind.

"Why
do you tease her such, Terek?"

When
he didn't answer, she continued. "She adores you and you give her just
enough hope to keep her desire alive. A hundred years and you've never allowed
her to sire not even once. She's kept here, your vampire devoted entirely to
you."

"She
wants to sire," he said with a sigh.

"Of
course she does. She wants someone to adore her as she adores you."

Jasmine's
words struck a nerve. "I never promised her anything."

"Yes,
you did. You may never have spoken the words, but you looked at her with those
innocent eyes you have when you're falling in love. You loved her once."

"What
are you doing here, Jasmine?"

"You're
my sire, Terek. When you need me, I come to you."

There
was no point in denying the truth. He did need her. His guilt over Serena after
Ilona's rejection of him and her new life tore at him. He didn't seem able to
make either woman happy.

"And
Antonio?"

Jasmine
stood and walked toward him, moving the bath water so it lapped against his
skin. Kneeling in front of him, she undid her braid and let the ends of her
hair touch the bath. She looked like a mermaid as it floated on top of the
gently moving water.

He
pulled her onto his lap and looked into those brown eyes that knew so much of
him.

"Why
do you speak like a jealous man, Terek? Antonio knows you're my sire, just as
I'm his. He knows I'm here and why."

Terek
wrapped a long tendril of hair that hung near her face around his finger and
pulled her mouth to his. At least he could make her happy. His lips pressed
against hers, and he swept his tongue into her mouth, sensually mingling with
her tongue.

Something
about her brought him peace, and he desperately craved that now. His world was
chaos—the Archons, the Sons, and a new vampire he'd never wanted to bring into
this world. His mind raced from one problem to another. But just the touch of
Jasmine's hands on his skin forced all his fears and concerns aside, leaving
his mind calm.

In
the light from the candles scattered around the room, she looked magical, as if
enchanted by a love spell. "What power do you possess that makes you the
only soul in this world who can calm the storms in my mind?"

Shaking
her head, she cradled his face in her hands and looked at him with eyes
half-lidded from desire. "No power. We're kindred spirits, Terek. I know
what you need because I need the same."

"Then
let us find some peace for as long as we can."

Terek
slid his hands down her body to her waist and lifted her onto his cock.
Thrusting his hips upward, he entered her, feeling her silken channel grip him
like a glove. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and she clung to him as if in
giving him solace she actually gained the same in return.

"Jasmine,
of all the souls I care for in this world, you've been in my heart the
longest."

Tenderly,
she kissed his lips. "Terek, we're beyond love. No matter how many have
come after me, I am always your first just as you are always my sire. Find that
peace you seek in me."

Terek's
need for that peace consumed him, and he pulled her to him as he silently
pleaded for what she lovingly offered. What existed between them—a connection
that joined their hearts in something more than mere physical love, more than
just romantic love—eased his heart and slowly as they made love to one another,
that peace he sought returned to him.

In
the worship of her body, he found that happiness that could only come from
showing another what they meant to him. With each stroke into her, he filled
her with his need and desire, and she took them and gave him hers. Their sexual
communion fed his soul, something he'd longed for too many nights.

As
he held her quietly in his arms, Jasmine spoke the words even his own mind had
yet to form. "Your newest vampire is the one you've sought in all of us,
Terek."

How
he wished that were true. Since the night he was made vampire, he'd prayed to
find one to fill the void left by the deaths of his wife and newborn son. Every
vampire he'd sired had given him hope. He loved each one, but none had ever
been able to make him forget what he'd lost.

"She
won't accept her life as vampire, Jasmine."

Leaning
away from him, she cradled his face in her hands. "Then you must show her
how great a gift she's been given."

"I
should have never turned her. It was wrong to bring her into our world. The
Archons threaten our very existence. I have enough to deal with keeping all of
you safe while I work with the Sons," he said sadly, feeling regret for
Ilona.

"You
saved a soul from dying, Terek. How can that ever be wrong?"

Turning
away, he said, "I saved no one. All I've done is exchange one death for
another. From now on, her existence will be in danger every day."

Gently,
she turned him to face her. "I can't bear to hear such sorrow in your
voice. You, who have given so much to all you love, deserve happiness. She is
that chance for happiness. Don't let the hatred the Archons have brought to our
world taint what may be."

Happiness.
Had he really be unhappy for so long? He had thousands of vampires loyal to
him, devoted to his needs as he was to theirs. He wanted for nothing when it
came to earthly possessions. To all who met him, he was the picture of
happiness.

But
what Jasmine saw was the truth. No number of vampires and homes had healed his
heart in all these years.

Terek
kissed her lips and smiled. "Send Serena in to see me. And thank you,
Jasmine."

The
smile she flashed him as she left the bath lightened his heart, and as he dried
the dampness from his skin, he hoped he could do the same for Serena's heart.

"Sire,
you called for me?"

Terek
fastened the towel at his hip and turned to see Serena's beautiful face looking
up at him. "Serena, you have been my vampire for a century. Why do you
never call me by my name?"

Bowing
her head, she said sweetly, "You are my sire. You rescued me from a life
of servitude and gave me a family who loves me. I call you sire out of respect
for all you've done for me."

Maybe
Jasmine was right. Perhaps one day Ilona would see him and the life he'd given
her as Serena did.

He
stepped forward and lifted her chin with his forefinger so her gaze met his.
"Call me Terek."

"Yes,
sire...Terek," she said with a tiny smile.

"I
have something I need to discuss with you."

"Me?"

Terek
smiled at her surprise. Nodding, he said, "Yes, you. I believe you asked me
to be allowed to sire earlier, did you not?"

The
anticipation in her eyes for his next words spurred on his confession.
"Serena, I've been selfish in keeping you to myself. I'm sorry I never
recognized how lonely you were. As your sire, it was my duty to see to your
happiness, and I've failed you in that."

Shaking
her head, she said, "No, don't say that. You have never failed me in any
way. I was wrong to say what I said earlier."

"No,
you deserve to have someone to love you as you love them. I'm sorry that can't
be me, but at least I can give you the chance to find that. I know you'll be a
wonderful sire, Serena."

"Oh,
Terek! Thank you!" she cried and threw her arms around his neck. "I
promise I won't disappoint you."

He
held her to him, loving the joy he felt in her. "Someone so full of love
could never disappoint."

She
broke their embrace, her excitement at his news obvious in her eyes that seemed
to dance in the warm light of the bath. "I'll choose wisely, a man who is
as great as the one who sired me."

Terek
read her thoughts and saw the love she held for him. He hoped it would fade so
she would have a chance to love her vampire completely, as he had never been
able to.

"Choose
to sire for love, not greatness or the hope of love, Serena, and you'll be
happy."

Grasping
his hand, she brought it up to her lips and kissed it. "I will, Terek. I
promise. Thank you. You've given me more than anyone could ask for. I will
always love you, even more now for this gift."

As
he looked into her beautiful dark eyes so full of delight, Terek wondered if he
could ever make Ilona this happy. He wanted to. He wanted to believe what
Jasmine had said about Ilona being the one who could finally give him what he'd
searched for all those centuries.

Chapter Three

The
room was dark, illuminated by a single candle that sat on the table next to the
bed. Shadows danced on the stone wall nearby, flickering images that only
heightened Ilona's fear.

She
squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to block out the world around her. The man
who had made her what she was had said she was still in Cocentaina, but that
offered little solace. The life she'd had was gone, lost forever when she was
turned into a monster.

Tears
burned her eyelids, and Ilona squeezed her eyes tighter to push away the pain.
What good would crying do? Her fate was sealed by the one whose bed she now lay
in. She was a vampire, a creature of the night, doomed to never again feel the
warmth of the sunlight on her face.

Ilona
felt her neck where he'd drunk from her, taking the very thing that had given
her life. No trace of what he'd done remained—no painful holes marked the act.
Her fingers moved to her lips as she remembered how she'd taken his blood into
her mouth, its taste shocking on her tongue, its texture so foreign as it slid
down her throat.

A
sick feeling rose from her stomach, and she swallowed hard to push it down. The
tang of blood remained in her mouth still, a reminder of what she'd done.

Sitting
up, she spied a glass of water next to the candle. Did vampires drink anything
but blood? God, she hoped so! Cautiously, she put the glass to her lips and
tilted it so the liquid slowly slid toward her mouth, fearful that even one
drop of anything but blood would cause something terrible to happen.

At
the first taste of it, every muscle in her body tensed in anticipation, but
gradually she realized she was free to drink. Never before had a simple glass
of water tasted so good!

Her
thirst sated, she turned to the sound of the grumbling in her stomach. Was it
possible vampires ate food? A quick scan of the room showed not a plate or a
bowl of anything edible.

Ilona's
heart sank. Blood would be the only food she'd get from now on? That sick
feeling rose from her stomach again, and the urge to cry overcame her.

Burying
her head in the pillow, she let the tears flow, unable to stop them. If this
was all that her existence was to be, she'd rather die. What kind of life was
this? The light touch of a hand on her shoulder roused her from her misery and
drying her eyes, she turned to see a woman staring down at her with a kind look
in her eyes.

"Do
you need something? I can help, or I can find Terek. Are you hungry?"

"I
don't want blood."

That
those words were a lie confused her. When she thought of taking blood into her
mouth again, she felt sick to her stomach, but something deep inside her craved
it.

"Would
you like some dinner? I think there's some left."

Ilona's
spirit soared at the woman's simple statement. Vampires ate food!

"Yes!
Anything!"

The
woman smiled. "I'll be right back. Oh, and I'm Carlie."

Ilona
watched as the woman left to find her food. She looked no older than her own
twenty-six years. Her long brown hair fell in gorgeous waves to her waist, and
big brown eyes gave her an innocent look more suited to a young girl. She
looked very much like the other woman who had come in to check on her earlier.

Carlie
soon returned with a tray loaded with vegetables, fruits, meats, and even
desserts. Ilona propped herself up on pillows as she placed the tray across her
lap. Diving into the vegetables, she savored the taste of carrots and celery
like she never had before.

"I'll
leave you to enjoy your food," Carlie announced in the middle of Ilona's
feeding frenzy.

"No,
please stay. I like the company."

Sitting
beside her on the bed, Carlie remained silent until Ilona had eaten all her
stomach could hold. "Thank you so much. I guess I was hungrier than I
thought," she said sheepishly as Carlie took the nearly empty tray to a
table on the far wall.

"Terek
will be very happy to hear you ate. I think he's worried about you."

Ilona
studied Carlie's expression. The idea of Terek worried seemed to concern her.
"Why would he be worried now? The damage is already done."

"Don't
say that. You're very fortunate to have Terek as your sire. Other vampires envy
us, especially the females. You'll want for nothing if you live here with
us."

"You're
a vampire too?"

"Yes.
Terek turned me in 1802 when I was just twenty-two. He brought me here, and
I've lived here ever since."

Ilona
wondered if all his vampires lived in this house. "How many of you live
here?"

"There
are ten of us who live here when he returns. Some leave when he does, but I
don't."

"Where
do they go?"

"Some
go to his other homes and some to their own. But we're just a few of the thousands
of vampires who call him sire."

"Thousands?"
Ilona asked, stunned at the mere sound of the number.