The BlackBurne Legacy (The Bloodlines Legacy Series Book 1) (22 page)

Micah leaves my side and makes his way over to Luka. He lets out a whine to offer up his blood. Luka reaches out and strokes his head gently. He lets go of Jason and takes several deep breaths, one hand still stroking Micah’s soft fur.

I close my eyes, feeling Luka’s touch wash over me. It feels amazing. God’s truth, I can feel it in places I shouldn’t. I can’t stop the shudder that consumes me.

“This is a complication I didn’t foresee.” Alesha frowns at us. “It might be useful, though.”

Luka looks at me with those red-ringed onyx eyes. They glow with a dark light, the red rings all the more prominent because of it. His flushed face looks healthy now. His expression is one of a very sated fat cat after it’s gorged on warm milk.

“Too much?” He quirks an eyebrow at me.

I slide down on my knees facing him, take his face in my hands, and kiss him. The taste of warm blood hits my tongue, and instead of being repulsed by it, the flavor is rich and heady. I open my mouth, urging his tongue to play with mine. I suckle at it and gasp at the hunger that burns through me. He pulls away, shocked. I expect him to say something, but he doesn’t. He just gives me that patented empty stare.

“What do we do with that lot?” Jason nods to the people clustered in the corner.

“They belong to the Winters’ clan. I’ll deal with them.” Bree’s words are hard, clipped.

“We need to get you two home, to safety.” Alesha turns to Bree. “Tell your grandfather thank you for the heads up.”

“My grandfather?”

“He warned me extraction teams had been sent out to collect my daughter. Tell him I owe him a debt.”

Bree’s eyes widen and she nods solemnly.

“Come along.” Alesha turns and walks out of the room and presumably out of the house. Jason shrugs at my questioning look and follows her. Luka helps me up, and he and Micah lead me out. Conner stays behind to help Bree wrangle what’s left of the Winters’ extraction team.

“Are you all right?” my mother asks as soon as I come to a stop a few feet from her, Luka’s arms wrapped tightly around me.

“I’m fine,” I bite out.

She ignores my hostility. “It’s not safe for you, Alexandria. Your magic is special. There hasn’t been anyone like you to walk the earth for a thousand years. You’re an Elementalist. You don’t need spells or potions. Pure magic flows within you, and the elements around you respond to that without aides. Your power lies in the elements themselves and can be called upon at will. It’s the rarest and most ancient form of magic there is. People will do more than simple murder to procure your gifts. They will do unspeakable acts.”

I close my eyes, weary. This is my life. Running, hiding, and being hunted. I should have stayed in the nuthouse.

“There is a kill on sight order right now for both of you. No one knew what type of magic you would possess. Now that they do, it could very well get bloody. There isn’t a price too high to pay to possess that kind of power. She has to die in order for them to possess it. Your life is in more danger now than ever before.”

“I think we should all go home.” Jason steps closer to me. “We need get you to safety, Sis.”

“You should both come to Sabien’s.” Alesha looks like she wants to hug us, but she’s smart enough to know better. “Our home is warded against everything imaginable.”

“I’m not leaving Luka.” Panic creeps in at the thought of not having him with me.

My mother smiles, her blue eyes unreadable. “Of course, poppet. Your Gypsy can come along.”

“Don’t you dare speak of him like that.” Fury blooms in my voice, growing stronger with every word. “He has been here for me, taken care of me, protected me. More than you’ve done. Don’t you dare speak to him like that ever again. Do you understand me?”

“Forgive me.” She takes a step back. “I meant no harm, Alexandria.”

“It’s not me you have to apologize to.”

She frowns, but says, “I am sorry if I offended you…?”

“His name is Luka.”

“I’m sorry, Luka.”

He nods, but remains quiet. I can feel his body vibrating with anger.

“We’ll go back to the apartment,” I decide, forcing down the panic trying to beat at me. I push it away. I’ll deal with it later.

“No,
munya
, your mama is right. You need to be safe, at least until the Families leave town. We can go to your uncle’s.” His accent is so thick, it’s hard to understand. It speaks to how angry he is.

“Let’s go.” I walk to Jason’s truck. Micah, the wolf, jumps in the back. Luka helps me in and then closes the passenger door. We pull out, leaving my mother staring after us.

“Sis?”

“Not now, Jason.”

“I…Mom…”

“Not now!” The windshield cracks, and I wince. The panic is creeping in. I huddle into Luka’s arms and try to control it during the half hour it takes us to reach Uncle Sabien’s. My mind whirls with images of the fight, of Luka dying on the ground, of Lorelye being consumed by fire. It bombards me, image after horrifying image.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I’m running. Uncle Sabien has the door open before I reach the porch and I fly past him, barely making it to the bathroom before my stomach heaves up its contents. Hot bile burns my throat just as I’d burned her to death. I…killed…her.

Gentle hands pull my hair back from my face as my stomach empties itself. She still smells like warm vanilla and apples. I heave and heave, tears running down my face. I let her pick me up off the cold tile floor and lead me upstairs. She turns on the shower and helps me out of my clothes. They still smell of burned flesh, and the scent makes me gag.

I step under the hot water. It scalds me, but I pay it no mind. I keep seeing Lorelye’s face as the fire came at her, hearing her screams as she was burned alive. I had done that to her. Me. I killed her. No matter how much I scrub my hands, I can’t seem to get them clean. The fire that killed her came from me, from my hands. They will never be clean.

“Shhh, poppet,” my mother soothes when I step out of the shower. She towels me off much like she’d done when I was a little girl before helping me into a pair of jogging pants and a tank top. I don’t know where the clothes came from. “It will be okay. I promise. You’re in shock. We need to keep you warm.”

I look at myself in the mirror. My eyes are black and hollow, filled with the horror of what I’ve done. Her face torments me. I can still see her fear, her pain as she burned.
I…killed…her
.

Blue, I’m coming.

“I need to lie down.”

“I know, baby.” She pulls me into a hug and I stand there, rigid.

“Please, I just want to lie down.”

A deep sigh echoes around me, but she doesn’t say anything else, just leads me to the room I’d stayed in after the initial tracker attack. I close the door before she can try to come inside. I can’t deal with her right now. I just can’t.

I’m shaking so hard by the time I crawl onto the bed I think I’ll literally break into pieces. Micah lets himself in and piles onto the bed, wrapping his body around mine. I’m not alone anymore. I’ll never be alone again as long as I have Micah. Turning over, I bury my face in his chest and cry until there’s nothing left.

“Shh, shh,” he whispers, stroking my hair. “It’s okay, Blue. I’m here.”

I killed her, Micah. I killed her. Oh God…

You had to, Blue. She would have killed Luka and maybe all of us. You didn’t have a choice.

I can see her face, Micah. Every time I close my eyes, I see it.

I know, Blue. I see it too.

He pulls me closer, his warmth melting some of the chill I can’t seem to shake. What would I do without Micah?

You’ll never have to know, Blue.
He starts to rub slow circles into my back
. I was so scared earlier when I couldn’t feel you.

It felt like I couldn’t breathe
, I tell him, remembering the panic.
When I couldn’t find you…

You’re okay now, you’re safe.

Lorelye’s face swims up in front of my eyes. Her eyes glare at me in accusation. I can smell her skin as it burns, hear her screams.

Her face, Micah...Sweet Jesus, I killed her.

I’m here, Blue. It’s okay. We’ll get through this, I promise. Just try and sleep.

Tears well up again.
Please, God
, I beg.
Help me get through this. Please
.

The door opens and closes. Luka. I feel him in ways I can’t feel Micah. He doesn’t say a word, just joins us on the bed, my back tucked into his chest. I’m surrounded by warmth, by love, and I close my eyes. Tomorrow will be time enough to deal with everything else, from my mother to coping with my guilt. Right now, I just need to sleep.

I fall asleep breathing in the scent of wet dirt and honeysuckle and the sound of Lorelye’s screams.

The End of Book One

Necromancer

Book 2 of the Bloodlines Legacy Series

Out Winter 2016

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Acknowledgements

Conner Kressley deserves the credit for helping me make Luka an authentic Romani. He tirelessly helped with the translation and mannerisms. Thank you so much Conner for all your help. Make sure you all check out his wonderful work.

As always, a big thank you to fellow authors and my girls, Delsheree Gladden, Angela Fristoe, and Susan Stec. You three keep me on track.

The beautiful cover was done by Angela Fristoe. Thank you so much for working with me. I know I can be a terror when it comes to my covers.

Lori Whitwam, my editor, puts up with my crazy. Thank you, Lori.

And a thank you goes out to my fans. You guys rock and keep me writing every day!

About The Author

USA Today bestselling author Apryl Baker lives in a small town in West Virginia where she spends her days plotting away at silly insane stories to entertain you all. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family and friends.

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